The Oslo consensus conference on protection of the environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oughton, D.H.; Strand, P.

2004-01-01

A number of international organisations are focussing on a revision of radiation protection policy from the existing system which addresses only effects on man, to one which also addresses effects on the wider environment. These developments are expected to effect a wide range of stakeholders, including industry, regulators, scientists, users and the public. With this in mind a 'Consensus Conference on Protection of the Environment' was arranged as part of an International Seminar on 'Radiation Protection in the 21st Century: Ethical, Philosophical and Environmental Issues' held at the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters. The conference attracted 46 international experts representing various disciplines and affiliations including Environmental Science, Health Physics, Radioecology, Ethics and Philosophy and a wide spectrum of perspectives bearing on the question of radiation protection of the environment. The conference was novel in that the participants were professionals rather than laypersons, and the purpose of the consensus procedure was to identify areas of agreement as an input to the ongoing regulatory developments. The success and innovation of the model is reflected in the significant areas of agreement identified in the final consensus statement, and the subsequent interest at an international level. Participants also noted the need for furthering the debate through ongoing work. Notable issues were the harmonisation of standards for radiation with other environmental stressors, guidance for balancing different interests and values within practical management, and the need for assessment criteria

UK national consensus conference on radwaste management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Craven-Howe, Andrew

2000-01-01

UK CEED organised a consensus conference to debate radwaste disposal. It lasted from 21-24 May 1999. Among the witnesses called to give evidence were UKAEA, BNFL, Nuclear Industries' Inspectorate, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace. The end result was a report produced by the panel of members of the public, recording their views and recommendations. Conclusions are presented. (author)

Multidisciplinary Rectal Cancer Management: 2nd European Rectal Cancer Consensus Conference (EURECA-CC2)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valentini, Vincenzo; Aristei, Cynthia; Glimelius, Bengt; Minsky, Bruce D.; Beets-Tan, Regina; Borras, Jose M.; Haustermans, Karin; Maingon, Philippe; Overgaard, Jens; Pahlman, Lars; Quirke, Phil; Schmoll, Hans-Joachim; Sebag-Montefiore, David; Taylor, Irving; Van Cutsem, Eric; Velde, Cornelius Van de; Cellini, Numa; Latini, Paolo

2009-01-01

Background and purpose: During the first decade of the 21st century a number of important European randomized studies were published. In order to help shape clinical practice based on best scientific evidence from the literature, the International Conference on 'Multidisciplinary Rectal Cancer Treatment: Looking for an European Consensus' (EURECA-CC2) was organized in Italy under the endorsement of European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO), European Society of Surgical Oncology (ESSO), and European Society of Therapeutic Radiation Oncology (ESTRO). Methods: Consensus was achieved using the Delphi method. The document was available to all Committee members as a web-based document customized for the consensus process. Eight chapters were identified: epidemiology, diagnostics, pathology, surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, treatment toxicity and quality of life, follow-up, and research questions. Each chapter was subdivided by a topic, and a series of statements were developed. Each member commented and voted, sentence by sentence thrice. Sentences upon which an agreement was not reached after voting round no. 2 were openly debated during a Consensus Conference in Perugia (Italy) from 11 December to 13 December 2008. A hand-held televoting system collected the opinions of both the Committee members and the audience after each debate. The Executive Committee scored percentage consensus based on three categories: 'large consensus', 'moderate consensus', and 'minimum consensus'. Results: The total number of the voted sentences was 207. Of the 207, 86% achieved large consensus, 13% achieved moderate consensus, and only 3 (1%) resulted in minimum consensus. No statement was disagreed by more than 50% of the members. All chapters were voted on by at least 75% of the members, and the majority was voted on by >85%. Conclusions: This Consensus Conference represents an expertise opinion process that may help shape future programs, investigational protocols, and guidelines

2010 International consensus algorithm for the diagnosis, therapy and management of hereditary angioedema

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Bowen Tom

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background We published the Canadian 2003 International Consensus Algorithm for the Diagnosis, Therapy, and Management of Hereditary Angioedema (HAE; C1 inhibitor [C1-INH] deficiency and updated this as Hereditary angioedema: a current state-of-the-art review: Canadian Hungarian 2007 International Consensus Algorithm for the Diagnosis, Therapy, and Management of Hereditary Angioedema. Objective To update the International Consensus Algorithm for the Diagnosis, Therapy and Management of Hereditary Angioedema (circa 2010. Methods The Canadian Hereditary Angioedema Network (CHAEN/Réseau Canadien d'angioédème héréditaire (RCAH http://www.haecanada.com and cosponsors University of Calgary and the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (with an unrestricted educational grant from CSL Behring held our third Conference May 15th to 16th, 2010 in Toronto Canada to update our consensus approach. The Consensus document was reviewed at the meeting and then circulated for review. Results This manuscript is the 2010 International Consensus Algorithm for the Diagnosis, Therapy and Management of Hereditary Angioedema that resulted from that conference. Conclusions Consensus approach is only an interim guide to a complex disorder such as HAE and should be replaced as soon as possible with large phase III and IV clinical trials, meta analyses, and using data base registry validation of approaches including quality of life and cost benefit analyses, followed by large head-to-head clinical trials and then evidence-based guidelines and standards for HAE disease management.

75 FR 2551 - NIH Consensus Development Conference: Lactose Intolerance and Health; Notice

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-15

... Conference: Lactose Intolerance and Health; Notice Notice is hereby given by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) of the ``NIH Consensus Development Conference: Lactose Intolerance and Health'' to be held... the public. Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest significant amounts of lactose, a sugar...

Canadian Helicobacter Study Group Consensus Conference: Update on the Approach to Helicobacter Pylori Infection in Children and Adolescents – an Evidence-Based Evaluation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicola L Jones

2005-01-01

Full Text Available As an update to previously published recommendations for the management of Helicobacter pylori infection, an evidence-based appraisal of 14 topics was undertaken in a consensus conference sponsored by the Canadian Helicobacter Study Group. The goal was to update guidelines based on the best available evidence using an established and uniform methodology to address and formulate recommendations for each topic. The degree of consensus for each recommendation is also presented. The clinical issues addressed and recommendations made were: population-based screening for H pylori in asymptomatic children to prevent gastric cancer is not warranted; testing for H pylori in children should be considered if there is a family history of gastric cancer; the goal of diagnostic interventions should be to determine the cause of presenting gastrointestinal symptoms and not the presence of H pylori infection; recurrent abdominal pain of childhood is not an indication to test for H pylori infection; H pylori testing is not required in patients with newly diagnosed gastroesophageal reflux disease; H pylori testing may be considered before the use of long-term proton pump inhibitor therapy; testing for H pylori infection should be considered in children with refractory iron deficiency anemia when no other cause has been found; when investigation of pediatric patients with persistent or severe upper abdominal symptoms is indicated, upper endoscopy with biopsy is the investigation of choice; the 13C-urea breath test is currently the best noninvasive diagnostic test for H pylori infection in children; there is currently insufficient evidence to recommend stool antigen tests as acceptable diagnostic tools for H pylori infection; serological antibody tests are not recommended as diagnostic tools for H pylori infection in children; first-line therapy for H pylori infection in children is a twice-daily, triple-drug regimen comprised of a proton pump inhibitor plus two

Fifth Ovarian Cancer Consensus Conference of the Gynecologic Cancer InterGroup

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wilson, M K; Pujade-Lauraine, E; Aoki, D

2017-01-01

This manuscript reports the consensus statements regarding recurrent ovarian cancer (ROC), reached at the fifth Ovarian Cancer Consensus Conference (OCCC), which was held in Tokyo, Japan, in November 2015. Three important questions were identified: (i) What are the subgroups for clinical trials i...... including pre-defined patient reported outcomes (PROs), time to second subsequent therapy (TSST), or time until definitive deterioration of quality of life (TUDD)....

An updated Asia Pacific Consensus Recommendations on colorectal cancer screening.

Science.gov (United States)

Sung, J J Y; Ng, S C; Chan, F K L; Chiu, H M; Kim, H S; Matsuda, T; Ng, S S M; Lau, J Y W; Zheng, S; Adler, S; Reddy, N; Yeoh, K G; Tsoi, K K F; Ching, J Y L; Kuipers, E J; Rabeneck, L; Young, G P; Steele, R J; Lieberman, D; Goh, K L

2015-01-01

Since the publication of the first Asia Pacific Consensus on Colorectal Cancer (CRC) in 2008, there are substantial advancements in the science and experience of implementing CRC screening. The Asia Pacific Working Group aimed to provide an updated set of consensus recommendations. Members from 14 Asian regions gathered to seek consensus using other national and international guidelines, and recent relevant literature published from 2008 to 2013. A modified Delphi process was adopted to develop the statements. Age range for CRC screening is defined as 50-75 years. Advancing age, male, family history of CRC, smoking and obesity are confirmed risk factors for CRC and advanced neoplasia. A risk-stratified scoring system is recommended for selecting high-risk patients for colonoscopy. Quantitative faecal immunochemical test (FIT) instead of guaiac-based faecal occult blood test (gFOBT) is preferred for average-risk subjects. Ancillary methods in colonoscopy, with the exception of chromoendoscopy, have not proven to be superior to high-definition white light endoscopy in identifying adenoma. Quality of colonoscopy should be upheld and quality assurance programme should be in place to audit every aspects of CRC screening. Serrated adenoma is recognised as a risk for interval cancer. There is no consensus on the recruitment of trained endoscopy nurses for CRC screening. Based on recent data on CRC screening, an updated list of recommendations on CRC screening is prepared. These consensus statements will further enhance the implementation of CRC screening in the Asia Pacific region. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Recommendations for Probiotic Use--2015 Update: Proceedings and Consensus Opinion

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Floch, Martin H.; Walker, W. Allan; Sanders, Mary Ellen; Nieuwdorp, Max; Kim, Adam S.; Brenner, David A.; Qamar, Amir A.; Miloh, Tamir A.; Guarino, Alfredo; Guslandi, Mario; Dieleman, Levinus A.; Ringel, Yehuda; Quigley, Eamonn M. M.; Brandt, Lawrence J.

2015-01-01

This paper describes the consensus opinion of the participants in the 4th Triennial Yale/Harvard Workshop on Probiotic Recommendations. The recommendations update those of the first 3 meetings that were published in 2006, 2008, and 2011. Recommendations for the use of probiotics in necrotizing

Metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer: consensus on pathology and molecular tests, first-line, second-line, and third-line therapy: 1st ESMO Consensus Conference in Lung Cancer; Lugano 2010

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Felip, E; Gridelli, C; Baas, P

2011-01-01

the conference, the expert panel prepared clinically relevant questions concerning five areas: early and locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), first-line metastatic NSCLC, second-/third-line NSCLC, NSCLC pathology and molecular testing, and small-cell lung cancer to be addressed through discussion......The 1st ESMO Consensus Conference on lung cancer was held in Lugano, Switzerland on 21 and 22 May 2010 with the participation of a multidisciplinary panel of leading professionals in pathology and molecular diagnostics, medical oncology, surgical oncology and radiation oncology. Before...... at the Consensus Conference. All relevant scientific literature for each question was reviewed in advance. During the Consensus Conference, the panel developed recommendations for each specific question. The consensus agreement on three of these areas: NSCLC pathology and molecular testing, the treatment of first-line...

EURECCA colorectal: multidisciplinary management: European consensus conference colon & rectum.

Science.gov (United States)

van de Velde, Cornelis J H; Boelens, Petra G; Borras, Josep M; Coebergh, Jan-Willem; Cervantes, Andres; Blomqvist, Lennart; Beets-Tan, Regina G H; van den Broek, Colette B M; Brown, Gina; Van Cutsem, Eric; Espin, Eloy; Haustermans, Karin; Glimelius, Bengt; Iversen, Lene H; van Krieken, J Han; Marijnen, Corrie A M; Henning, Geoffrey; Gore-Booth, Jola; Meldolesi, Elisa; Mroczkowski, Pawel; Nagtegaal, Iris; Naredi, Peter; Ortiz, Hector; Påhlman, Lars; Quirke, Philip; Rödel, Claus; Roth, Arnaud; Rutten, Harm; Schmoll, Hans J; Smith, Jason J; Tanis, Pieter J; Taylor, Claire; Wibe, Arne; Wiggers, Theo; Gambacorta, Maria A; Aristei, Cynthia; Valentini, Vincenzo

2014-01-01

Care for patients with colon and rectal cancer has improved in the last 20years; however considerable variation still exists in cancer management and outcome between European countries. Large variation is also apparent between national guidelines and patterns of cancer care in Europe. Therefore, EURECCA, which is the acronym of European Registration of Cancer Care, is aiming at defining core treatment strategies and developing a European audit structure in order to improve the quality of care for all patients with colon and rectal cancer. In December 2012, the first multidisciplinary consensus conference about cancer of the colon and rectum was held. The expert panel consisted of representatives of European scientific organisations involved in cancer care of patients with colon and rectal cancer and representatives of national colorectal registries. The expert panel had delegates of the European Society of Surgical Oncology (ESSO), European Society for Radiotherapy & Oncology (ESTRO), European Society of Pathology (ESP), European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), European Society of Radiology (ESR), European Society of Coloproctology (ESCP), European CanCer Organisation (ECCO), European Oncology Nursing Society (EONS) and the European Colorectal Cancer Patient Organisation (EuropaColon), as well as delegates from national registries or audits. Consensus was achieved using the Delphi method. For the Delphi process, multidisciplinary experts were invited to comment and vote three web-based online voting rounds and to lecture on the subjects during the meeting (13th-15th December 2012). The sentences in the consensus document were available during the meeting and a televoting round during the conference by all participants was performed. This manuscript covers all sentences of the consensus document with the result of the voting. The consensus document represents sections on diagnostics, pathology, surgery, medical oncology, radiotherapy, and follow-up where

Updating OSHA standards based on national consensus standards. Direct final rule.

Science.gov (United States)

2007-12-14

In this direct final rule, the Agency is removing several references to consensus standards that have requirements that duplicate, or are comparable to, other OSHA rules; this action includes correcting a paragraph citation in one of these OSHA rules. The Agency also is removing a reference to American Welding Society standard A3.0-1969 ("Terms and Definitions") in its general-industry welding standards. This rulemaking is a continuation of OSHA's ongoing effort to update references to consensus and industry standards used throughout its rules.

Summary of the 2010 AHPBA/SSO/SSAT Consensus Conference on HCC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gitonga Munene

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Under the auspices of the American Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association, an expert consensus conference was convened in January 2010 on the multidisciplinary management of hepatocellular carcinoma. The goals of the conference were to address knowledge gaps in the optimal preparation of patients with HCC for operative therapy, best methods to control HCC while awaiting liver transplantation, and developing a multidisciplinary approach to these patients with implementation of novel systemic therapies.

Consensus statement update on posttraumatic stress disorder from the international consensus group on depression and anxiety.

Science.gov (United States)

Ballenger, James C; Davidson, Jonathan R T; Lecrubier, Yves; Nutt, David J; Marshall, Randall D; Nemeroff, Charles B; Shalev, Arieh Y; Yehuda, Rachel

2004-01-01

To provide an update to the "Consensus Statement on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder From the International Consensus Group on Depression and Anxiety" that was published in a supplement to The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry (2000) by presenting important developments in the field, the latest recommendations for patient care, and suggestions for future research. The 4 members of the International Consensus Group on Depression and Anxiety were James C. Ballenger (chair), Jonathan R. T. Davidson, Yves Lecrubier, and David J. Nutt. Other faculty who were invited by the chair were Randall D. Marshall, Charles B. Nemeroff, Arieh Y. Shalev, and Rachel Yehuda. The consensus statement is based on the 7 review articles in this supplement and the related scientific literature. Group meetings were held over a 2-day period. On day 1, the group discussed topics to be represented by the 7 review articles in this supplement, and the chair identified key issues for further debate. On day 2, the group discussed these issues to arrive at a consensus view. After the group meetings, the consensus statement was drafted by the chair and approved by all faculty. There have been advancements in the science and treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder. Attention to this disorder has increased with recent world events; however, continued efforts are needed to improve diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of posttraumatic stress disorder.

WSES consensus conference: Guidelines for first-line management of intra-abdominal infections

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leppaniemi Ari

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Intra-abdominal infections are still associated with high rate of morbidity and mortality. A multidisciplinary approach to the management of patients with intra-abdominal infections may be an important factor in the quality of care. The presence of a team of health professionals from various disciplines, working in concert, may improve efficiency, outcome, and the cost of care. A World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES Consensus Conference was held in Bologna on July 2010, during the 1st congress of the WSES, involving surgeons, infectious disease specialists, pharmacologists, radiologists and intensivists with the goal of defining recommendations for the early management of intra-abdominal infections. This document represents the executive summary of the final guidelines approved by the consensus conference.

Interdisciplinary consensus on diagnosis and treatment of testicular germ cell tumors. Results of an update conference based on evidence-based medicine (EBM); Interdisziplinaerer Konsensus zur Diagnostik und Therapie von Hodentumoren. Ergebnisse einer Update-Konferenz auf Grundlage evidenzbasierter Medizin (EBM)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Souchon, R. [Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Radioonkologie (DEGRO) (Germany); Arbeitsgemeinschaft Radiologische Onkologie (ARO), Strahlenklinik AKH Hagen (Germany); Krege, S. [Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Urologie (DGU) (Germany); Essen Univ. (Gesamthochschule) (Germany). Klinik und Poliklinik fuer Urologie; Schmoll, H.J. [Arbeitsgemeinschaft Internistische Onkologie (AIO), Zentrum fuer innere Medizin IV der Martin-Luther-Univ. Halle-Wittenberg (Germany); Albers, P. [Bonn Univ. (Germany). Urologische Klinik; Beyer, J. [Marburg Univ. (Germany). Medizinisches Zentrum fuer Innere Medizin; Bokemeyer, C. [Tuebingen Univ. (Germany). Abt. fuer Innere Medizin 2; Classen, J. [Tuebingen Univ. (Germany). Medizinisches Strahleninstitut und Roentgenabteilung; Dieckmann, K.P. [Albertinen-Krankenhaus, Hamburg (Germany). Urologische Abt.; Hartmann, M. [Bundeswehrkrankenhaus, Hamburg (Germany). Urologische Abt.; Heidenreich, A. [Marburg Univ. (Germany). Urologische Klinik; Hoeltl, W. [Kaiser-Franz-Josef-Spital Wien (Austria). Urologische Klinik; Kliesch, S. [Muenster Univ. (Germany). Klinik fuer Urologie; Koehrmann, K.U. [Urologische Klinik des Klinikums der Stadt Mannheim (Germany); Kuczyk, M. [Medizinische Hochschule Hannover (Germany). Klinik fuer Urologie; Schmidberger, H. [Goettingen Univ. (Germany). Klinik fuer Strahlentherapie und Radioonkologie; Weinknecht, S. [Krankenhaus am Urban Berlin (Germany). Urologische Abt.; Winter, E. [Klinikum Schwerin (Germany). Urologische Klinik; Wittekind, C. [Leipzig Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Pathologie; Bamberg, M. [Tuebingen Univ. (Germany). Abt. fuer Strahlentherapie

2000-09-01

An 'Interdisciplinary Update Consensus Statement' summarizes and defines the diagnostic and therapeutic standards according to the current scientific practices in testicular cancer. For 21 separate areas scientifically based decision criteria are suggested. For treatment areas where more than one option exist without a consensus being reached for a preferred strategy, such as in seminoma in clinical Stage I or in non-seminoma Stages CS I or CS IIA/B, all acceptable alternative strategies with their respecitve advantages and disadvantages are presented. This 'Interdisciplinary Update Consensus' was presented at the 24th National Congress of the German Cancer Society on March 21st and subsequently evaluated and approved by the various German scientific medical societies. (orig.) [German] Der zu 21 Themenkomplexen anhand wissenschaftlich begruendeter Entscheidungskriterien erarbeitete 'Interdisziplinaere Update-Konsensus' praezisiert und definiert diagnostische und therapeutische Standards entsprechend dem aktuellen Wissensstand ueber die Tumorentitaet. Fuer Therapiesituationen, bei denen mehrere Optionen bestehen und kein Konsens ueber die favorisierte Strategie erzielt wurde wie beim Seminom im klinischen Stadium I oder beim Nichtseminom in den Stadien CS I bzw. CS IIA/B, wurden jeweilige Alternativen mit deren Vor- und Nachteilen dargestellt. Der 'Interdisziplinaere Update-Konsensus' wurde beim 24. Deutschen Krebskongress am 21.3.2000 vorgestellt, nachfolgend von den daran beteiligten wissenschaftlichen Fachgesellschaften geprueft und gebilligt. (orig.)

Report from the UK consensus conference on radioactive waste management, May 1999

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hiett, A.

2000-01-01

A Consensus Conference took place in the UK in May 1999 to address the issue of Radioactive Waste Management. Sixteen members of the public were invited, at random, to take part in the conference, and initially were unaware of the topic. After two preparation weekends, the citizen's panel held a two day conference at which they cross examined expert 'witnesses' on issues which they felt to be relevant to the topic. The remit of the panel was as follows: ''The Consensus Conference is to focus on the effective and publicly acceptable long term management of nuclear waste in the UK, both civil and military, concentrating particularly on intermediate and high level waste. This will be considered by the citizens' panel in their capacity as members of the public, taking into account what they see as the relevant issues''. Following the conference itself, the panel produced a report on their findings and conclusions. Retrievability was just one of the many areas that the panel covered. In relation to the area of public acceptance for long term management of radioactive waste, the recommendations of the panel were as follows: ''In conclusion the panel was unanimous that in order for a solution to be publicly acceptable, the waste MUST remain accessible and monitorable to give future generations a chance to deal with the problem if/when a solution is found''. (author)

Consensus statement from the Health of the Health Professional Conference, November 2011.

Science.gov (United States)

Hawken, Susan J; Huggard, Peter; Alley, Patrick; Clark, Angela; Moir, Fiona

2012-04-20

This article presents a consensus statement that arose from the views of participants that attended the multidisciplinary conference "The Health of the Health Professional", in Auckland in November 2011. A healthy workforce is the key to improving the health of all New Zealanders. Yet health practitioners' health is of concern, and despite the evidence of real problems little has been done to constructively and systematically address these issues. This consensus statement provides some potential ways to move forward.

ESMO Consensus conferences : guidelines on malignant lymphoma. part 2: marginal zone lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma, peripheral T-cell lymphoma

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dreyling, M.; Thieblemont, C.; Gallamini, A.; Arcaini, L.; Campo, E.; Hermine, O.; Kluin-Nelemans, J. C.; Ladetto, M.; Le Gouill, S.; Iannitto, E.; Pileri, S.; Rodriguez, J.; Schmitz, N.; Wotherspoon, A.; Zinzani, P.; Zucca, E.

To complement the existing treatment guidelines for all tumour types, ESMO organizes consensus conferences to focus on specific issues in each type of tumour. In this setting, a consensus conference on the management of lymphoma was held on 18 June 2011 in Lugano, next to the 11th International

Risk analysis by citizens? Analysis of the first consensus conference held in France

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marris, C.; Joly, P.B.

1998-01-01

Full text of publication follows: the French Parliamentary Office for the evaluation of scientific and technological choices (OPECST) is currently organizing a consensus conference. Following the model developed by the Danish Board of Technology, a panel of 15 French citizens is being asked to evaluate the use of genetically modified organisms in agriculture and food. This Danish model for direct citizen participation in technology assessment has gained growing support in other European countries and even further afield, such as Japan and Australia. This is, however, a novel experience for France, which has very little tradition for participatory technology assessment. The final and public phase of the 'conference citoyenne' will take place in Paris on 20-22 June 1998, therefore it is too early to outline our results in this abstract. Our paper will present an analysis of the impact and role of this conference in the wider public debate in France about agricultural bio-technologies. This will be based on interviews with key actors in this debate (scientists, consumer and environmental organisations, politicians), media reports, and video footage of the entire procedure of the consensus conference. (authors)

Update of the International Consensus on Palliative Radiotherapy Endpoints for Future Clinical Trials in Bone Metastases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chow, Edward, E-mail: Edward.Chow@sunnybrook.ca [Department of Radiation Oncology, Odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON (Canada); Hoskin, Peter [Mount Vernon Centre for Cancer Treatment, Mount Vernon Hospital, Northwood, Middlesex (United Kingdom); Mitera, Gunita; Zeng Liang [Department of Radiation Oncology, Odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON (Canada); Lutz, Stephen [Department of Radiation Oncology, Blanchard Valley Regional Cancer Center, Findlay, OH (United States); Roos, Daniel [Department of Radiation Oncology, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia (Australia); Hahn, Carol [Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC (United States); Linden, Yvette van der [Radiotherapeutic Institute Friesland, Leeuwarden (Netherlands); Hartsell, William [Department of Radiation Oncology, Advocate Good Samaritan Cancer Center, Downers Grove, IL (United States); Kumar, Eshwar [Department of Oncology, Atlantic Health Sciences Cancer Centre, Saint John Regional Hospital, Saint John, NB (Canada)

2012-04-01

Purpose: To update the international consensus on palliative radiotherapy endpoints for future clinical trials in bone metastases by surveying international experts regarding previous uncertainties within the 2002 consensus, changes that may be necessary based on practice pattern changes and research findings since that time. Methods and Materials: A two-phase survey was used to determine revisions and new additions to the 2002 consensus. A total of 49 experts from the American Society for Radiation Oncology, the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, the Faculty of Radiation Oncology of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists, and the Canadian Association of Radiation Oncology who are directly involved in the care of patients with bone metastases participated in this survey. Results: Consensus was established in areas involving response definitions, eligibility criteria for future trials, reirradiation, changes in systemic therapy, radiation techniques, parameters at follow-up, and timing of assessments. Conclusion: An outline for trials in bone metastases was updated based on survey and consensus. Investigators leading trials in bone metastases are encouraged to adopt the revised guideline to promote consistent reporting. Areas for future research were identified. It is intended for the consensus to be re-examined in the future on a regular basis.

Update of the International Consensus on Palliative Radiotherapy Endpoints for Future Clinical Trials in Bone Metastases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chow, Edward; Hoskin, Peter; Mitera, Gunita; Zeng Liang; Lutz, Stephen; Roos, Daniel; Hahn, Carol; Linden, Yvette van der; Hartsell, William; Kumar, Eshwar

2012-01-01

Purpose: To update the international consensus on palliative radiotherapy endpoints for future clinical trials in bone metastases by surveying international experts regarding previous uncertainties within the 2002 consensus, changes that may be necessary based on practice pattern changes and research findings since that time. Methods and Materials: A two-phase survey was used to determine revisions and new additions to the 2002 consensus. A total of 49 experts from the American Society for Radiation Oncology, the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, the Faculty of Radiation Oncology of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists, and the Canadian Association of Radiation Oncology who are directly involved in the care of patients with bone metastases participated in this survey. Results: Consensus was established in areas involving response definitions, eligibility criteria for future trials, reirradiation, changes in systemic therapy, radiation techniques, parameters at follow-up, and timing of assessments. Conclusion: An outline for trials in bone metastases was updated based on survey and consensus. Investigators leading trials in bone metastases are encouraged to adopt the revised guideline to promote consistent reporting. Areas for future research were identified. It is intended for the consensus to be re-examined in the future on a regular basis.

Revised classification/nomenclature of vitiligo and related issues: the Vitiligo Global Issues Consensus Conference.

Science.gov (United States)

Ezzedine, K; Lim, H W; Suzuki, T; Katayama, I; Hamzavi, I; Lan, C C E; Goh, B K; Anbar, T; Silva de Castro, C; Lee, A Y; Parsad, D; van Geel, N; Le Poole, I C; Oiso, N; Benzekri, L; Spritz, R; Gauthier, Y; Hann, S K; Picardo, M; Taieb, A

2012-05-01

During the 2011 International Pigment Cell Conference (IPCC), the Vitiligo European Taskforce (VETF) convened a consensus conference on issues of global importance for vitiligo clinical research. As suggested by an international panel of experts, the conference focused on four topics: classification and nomenclature; definition of stable disease; definition of Koebner's phenomenon (KP); and 'autoimmune vitiligo'. These topics were discussed in seven working groups representing different geographical regions. A consensus emerged that segmental vitiligo be classified separately from all other forms of vitiligo and that the term 'vitiligo' be used as an umbrella term for all non-segmental forms of vitiligo, including 'mixed vitiligo' in which segmental and non-segmental vitiligo are combined and which is considered a subgroup of vitiligo. Further, the conference recommends that disease stability be best assessed based on the stability of individual lesions rather than the overall stability of the disease as the latter is difficult to define precisely and reliably. The conference also endorsed the classification of KP for vitiligo as proposed by the VETF (history based, clinical observation based, or experimentally induced). Lastly, the conference agreed that 'autoimmune vitiligo' should not be used as a separate classification as published evidence indicates that the pathophysiology of all forms of vitiligo likely involves autoimmune or inflammatory mechanisms. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Revised classification/nomenclature of vitiligo and related issues: the Vitiligo Global Issues Consensus Conference

Science.gov (United States)

Ezzedine, K.; Lim, H. W.; Suzuki, T.; Katayama, I.; Hamzavi, I.; Lan, C. C. E.; Goh, B. K.; Anbar, T.; de Castro, C. Silva; Lee, A. Y.; Parsad, D.; van Geel, N.; Le Poole, I. C.; Oiso, N.; Benzekri, L.; Spritz, R.; Gauthier, Y.; Hann, S. K.; Picardo, M.; Taieb, A.

2012-01-01

Summary During the 2011 International Pigment Cell Conference (IPCC), the Vitiligo European Taskforce (VETF) convened a consensus conference on issues of global importance for vitiligo clinical research. As suggested by an international panel of experts, the conference focused on four topics: classification and nomenclature; definition of stable disease; definition of Koebner’s phenomenon (KP); and ‘autoimmune vitiligo’. These topics were discussed in seven working groups representing different geographical regions. A consensus emerged that segmental vitiligo be classified separately from all other forms of vitiligo and that the term ‘vitiligo’ be used as an umbrella term for all non-segmental forms of vitiligo, including ‘mixed vitiligo’ in which segmental and non-segmental vitiligo are combined and which is considered a subgroup of vitiligo. Further, the conference recommends that disease stability be best assessed based on the stability of individual lesions rather than the overall stability of the disease as the latter is difficult to define precisely and reliably. The conference also endorsed the classification of KP for vitiligo as proposed by the VETF (history based, clinical observation based, or experimentally induced). Lastly, the conference agreed that ‘autoimmune vitiligo’ should not be used as a separate classification as published evidence indicates that the pathophysiology of all forms of vitiligo likely involves autoimmune or inflammatory mechanisms. PMID:22417114

Recommendations for liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma: an international consensus conference report

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Clavien, Pierre-Alain; Lesurtel, Mickael; Bossuyt, Patrick M. M.; Gores, Gregory J.; Langer, Bernard; Perrier, Arnaud; Abecassis, M.; Balabaud, C.; Bhoori, S.; Breitenstein, S.; Broelsch, C.; Burra, P.; Cherqui, D.; Colombo, M.; d'Albuquerque, C.; D'Alessandro, A.; de Santibanes, E.; Dufour, J. F.; Durand, F.; Dutkowski, P.; El-Serag, H.; Fan, S. T.; Fisher, R.; Forner, A.; Fung, J.; Geier, A.; Germani, G.; Gouw, A. S. H.; Gurusamy, K.; Heaton, N.; Heim, M.; Hemming, A.; Hubscher, S.; Ichida, T.; Kahn, D.; Kew, M.; Kita, Y.; Kiuchi, T.; Kudo, M.; Lee, S. G.; Lencioni, R.; Livraghi, T.; Lodge, P.; McCaughan, G.; Madoff, D.; Marrero, J.; Mergental, H.; Merle, P.; Miksad, R.; Mornex, F.; Paradis, V.; Pestalozzi, B.; Poon, R.; Porte, R.; Prasad, K. R.; Roskams, T.; Rossi, M.; Schlitt, H.; Shaked, A.; Sherman, M.; Siegler, M.; Suh, K.; Todo, S.; Toso, C.; Trevisani, F.; Valdecasas, J. C. G.; Vauthey, J. N.; Vilgrain, V.; Villamil, F.; Wald, C.; Weber, A.; Wiesner, R.; Wright, L.; Zheng, S.; Zucman-Rossi, J.; Bertschi, V.; Clavien, P. A.; Meyer, M.; Müllhaupt, B.; Munson, A.; Lesurtel, M.; Raptis, D.; Vonlanthen, R.

2012-01-01

Although liver transplantation is a widely accepted treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), much controversy remains and there is no generally accepted set of guidelines. An international consensus conference was held on Dec 2-4, 2010, in Zurich, Switzerland, with the aim of reviewing current

77 FR 68717 - Updating OSHA Standards Based on National Consensus Standards; Head Protection

Science.gov (United States)

2012-11-16

..., 1918, and 1926 [Docket No. OSH-2011-0184] RIN 1218-AC65 Updating OSHA Standards Based on National Consensus Standards; Head Protection AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor. ACTION: Proposed rule; withdrawal. SUMMARY: With this notice, OSHA is withdrawing the proposed rule that...

77 FR 68684 - Updating OSHA Standards Based on National Consensus Standards; Head Protection

Science.gov (United States)

2012-11-16

..., 1918, and 1926 [Docket No. OSHA-2011-0184] RIN 1218-AC65 Updating OSHA Standards Based on National Consensus Standards; Head Protection AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor. ACTION: Final rule; confirmation of effective date. SUMMARY: OSHA is confirming the effective date of its...

A new spin on research translation: the Boston Consensus Conference on Human Biomonitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Jessica W; Scammell, Madeleine Kangsen; Altman, Rebecca Gasior; Webster, Thomas F; Ozonoff, David M

2009-04-01

Translating research to make it more understandable and effective (research translation) has been declared a priority in environmental health but does not always include communication to the public or residents of communities affected by environmental hazards. Their unique perspectives are also commonly missing from discussions about science and technology policy. The consensus conference process, developed in Denmark, offers a way to address this gap. The Boston Consensus Conference on Human Biomonitoring, held in Boston, Massachusetts, in the fall of 2006, was designed to educate and elicit input from 15 Boston-area residents on the scientifically complex topic of human biomonitoring for environmental chemicals. This lay panel considered the many ethical, legal, and scientific issues surrounding biomonitoring and prepared a report expressing their views. The lay panel's findings provide a distinct and important voice on the expanding use of biomonitoring. In some cases, such as a call for opt-in reporting of biomonitoring results to study participants, they mirror recommendations raised elsewhere. Other conclusions have not been heard previously, including the recommendation that an individual's results should be statutorily exempted from the medical record unless permission is granted, and the opportunity to use biomonitoring data to stimulate green chemistry. The consensus conference model addresses both aspects of a broader conception of research translation: engaging the public in scientific questions, and bringing their unique perspectives to bear on public health research, practice, and policy. In this specific application, a lay panel's recommendations on biomonitoring surveillance, communication, and ethics have practical implications for the conduct of biomonitoring studies and surveillance programs.

Consensus statement on an updated core communication curriculum for UK undergraduate medical education.

Science.gov (United States)

Noble, Lorraine M; Scott-Smith, Wesley; O'Neill, Bernadette; Salisbury, Helen

2018-04-22

Clinical communication is a core component of undergraduate medical training. A consensus statement on the essential elements of the communication curriculum was co-produced in 2008 by the communication leads of UK medical schools. This paper discusses the relational, contextual and technological changes which have affected clinical communication since then and presents an updated curriculum for communication in undergraduate medicine. The consensus was developed through an iterative consultation process with the communication leads who represent their medical schools on the UK Council of Clinical Communication in Undergraduate Medical Education. The updated curriculum defines the underpinning values, core components and skills required within the context of contemporary medical care. It incorporates the evolving relational issues associated with the more prominent role of the patient in the consultation, reflected through legal precedent and changing societal expectations. The impact on clinical communication of the increased focus on patient safety, the professional duty of candour and digital medicine are discussed. Changes in the way medicine is practised should lead rapidly to adjustments to the content of curricula. The updated curriculum provides a model of best practice to help medical schools develop their teaching and argue for resources. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

3rd BRAZILIAN CONSENSUS ON Helicobacter pylori

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luiz Gonzaga Coelho

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Significant progress has been obtained since the Second Brazilian Consensus Conference on Helicobacter pylori Infection held in 2004, in São Paulo, SP, Brazil, and justify a third meeting to establish updated guidelines on the current management of H. pylori infection. The Third Brazilian Consensus Conference on H pylori Infection was organized by the Brazilian Nucleus for the Study of Helicobacter, a Department of the Brazilian Federation of Gastroenterology and took place on April 12-15, 2011, in Bento Gonçalves, RS, Brazil. Thirty-one delegates coming from the five Brazilian regions and one international guest, including gastroenterologists, pathologists, epidemiologists, and pediatricians undertook the meeting. The participants were allocated in one of the five main topics of the meeting: H pylori, functional dyspepsia and diagnosis; H pylori and gastric cancer; H pylori and other associated disorders; H pylori treatment and retreatment; and, epidemiology of H pylori infection in Brazil. The results of each subgroup were submitted to a final consensus voting to all participants. Relevant data were presented, and the quality of evidence, strength of recommendation, and level of consensus were graded. Seventy per cent and more votes were considered as acceptance for the final statement. This article presents the main recommendations and conclusions to guide Brazilian doctors involved in the management of H pylori infection.

77 FR 43018 - Updating OSHA Construction Standards Based on National Consensus Standards; Head Protection...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-23

.... OSHA-2011-0184] RIN 1218-AC65 Updating OSHA Construction Standards Based on National Consensus... Health Administration (OSHA), Department of Labor. ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking; correction. SUMMARY: OSHA is correcting a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) with regard to the construction...

Report of the international consensus development conference on female sexual dysfunction: definitions and classifications

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Basson, R.; Berman, J.; Burnett, A.; Derogatis, L.; Ferguson, D.; Fourcroy, J.; Goldstein, I.; Graziottin, A.; Heiman, J.; Laan, E.; Leiblum, S.; Padma-Nathan, H.; Rosen, R.; Segraves, K.; Segraves, R. T.; Shabsigh, R.; Sipski, M.; Wagner, G.; Whipple, B.

2000-01-01

PURPOSE: Female sexual dysfunction is highly prevalent but not well defined or understood. We evaluated and revised existing definitions and classifications of female sexual dysfunction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An interdisciplinary consensus conference panel consisting of 19 experts in female sexual

Fifth Ovarian Cancer Consensus Conference of the Gynecologic Cancer InterGroup (GCIG): clinical trial design for rare ovarian tumours

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Leary, A. F.; Quinn, M.; Fujiwara, K.; Coleman, R. L.; Kohn, E.; Sugiyama, T.; Glasspool, R.; Ray-Coquard, I.; Colombo, N.; Bacon, M.; Zeimet, A.; Westermann, A.; Gomez-Garcia, E.; Provencher, D.; Welch, S.; Small, W.; Millan, D.; Okamoto, A.; Stuart, G.; Ochiai, K.

2017-01-01

This manuscript reports the consensus statements on designing clinical trials in rare ovarian tumours reached at the fifth Ovarian Cancer Consensus Conference (OCCC) held in Tokyo, November 2015. Three important questions were identified concerning rare ovarian tumours (rare epithelial ovarian

77 FR 42988 - Updating OSHA Construction Standards Based on National Consensus Standards; Head Protection...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-23

.... OSHA-2011-0184] RIN 1218-AC65 Updating OSHA Construction Standards Based on National Consensus... Administration (OSHA), Department of Labor. ACTION: Direct final rule; correction. SUMMARY: OSHA is correcting a... confusion resulting from a drafting error. OSHA published the DFR on June 22, 2012 (77 FR 37587). OSHA also...

Repigmentation in vitiligo: position paper of the Vitiligo Global Issues Consensus Conference.

Science.gov (United States)

Gan, Emily Y; Eleftheriadou, Viktoria; Esmat, Samia; Hamzavi, Iltefat; Passeron, Thierry; Böhm, Markus; Anbar, Tag; Goh, Boon Kee; Lan, Cheng-Che E; Lui, Harvey; Ramam, M; Raboobee, Noufal; Katayama, Ichiro; Suzuki, Tamio; Parsad, Davinder; Seth, Vaneeta; Lim, Henry W; van Geel, Nanja; Mulekar, Sanjeev; Harris, John; Wittal, Richard; Benzekri, Laila; Gauthier, Yvon; Kumarasinghe, Prasad; Thng, Steven T G; Silva de Castro, Caio Cesar; Abdallah, Marwa; Vrijman, Charlotte; Bekkenk, Marcel; Seneschal, Julien; Pandya, Amit G; Ezzedine, Khaled; Picardo, Mauro; Taïeb, Alain

2017-01-01

The Vitiligo Global Issues Consensus Conference (VGICC), through an international e-Delphi consensus, concluded that 'repigmentation' and 'maintenance of gained repigmentation' are essential core outcome measures in future vitiligo trials. This VGICC position paper addresses these core topics in two sections and includes an atlas depicting vitiligo repigmentation patterns and color match. The first section delineates mechanisms and characteristics of vitiligo repigmentation, and the second section summarizes the outcomes of international meeting discussions and two e-surveys on vitiligo repigmentation, which had been carried out over 3 yr. Treatment is defined as successful if repigmentation exceeds 80% and at least 80% of the gained repigmentation is maintained for over 6 months. No agreement was found on the best outcome measure for assessing target or global repigmentation, therefore highlighting the limitations of e-surveys in addressing clinical measurements. Until there is a clear consensus, existing tools should be selected according to the specific needs of each study. A workshop will be conducted to address the remaining issues so as to achieve a consensus. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Cardio-renal syndromes : report from the consensus conference of the Acute Dialysis Quality Initiative

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ronco, Claudio; McCullough, Peter; Anker, Stefan D.; Anand, Inder; Aspromonte, Nadia; Bagshaw, Sean M.; Bellomo, Rinaldo; Berl, Tomas; Bobek, Ilona; Cruz, Dinna N.; Daliento, Luciano; Davenport, Andrew; Haapio, Mikko; Hillege, Hans; House, Andrew A.; Katz, Nevin; Maisel, Alan; Mankad, Sunil; Zanco, Pierluigi; Mebazaa, Alexandre; Palazzuoli, Alberto; Ronco, Federico; Shaw, Andrew; Sheinfeld, Geoff; Soni, Sachin; Vescovo, Giorgio; Zamperetti, Nereo; Ponikowski, Piotr

A consensus conference on cardio-renal syndromes (CRS) was held in Venice Italy, in September 2008 under the auspices of the Acute Dialysis Quality Initiative (ADQI). The following topics were matter of discussion after a systematic literature review and the appraisal of the best available evidence:

Diagnosis, prevention, and management of statin adverse effects and intolerance: Canadian Working Group Consensus update.

Science.gov (United States)

Mancini, G B John; Tashakkor, A Yashar; Baker, Steven; Bergeron, Jean; Fitchett, David; Frohlich, Jiri; Genest, Jacques; Gupta, Milan; Hegele, Robert A; Ng, Dominic S; Pearson, Glen J; Pope, Janet

2013-12-01

The Proceedings of a Canadian Working Group Consensus Conference, first published in 2011, provided a summary of statin-associated adverse effects and intolerance and management suggestions. In this update, new clinical studies identified since then that provide further insight into effects on muscle, cognition, cataracts, diabetes, kidney disease, and cancer are discussed. Of these, the arenas of greatest controversy pertain to purported effects on cognition and the emergence of diabetes during long-term therapy. Regarding cognition, the available evidence is not strongly supportive of a major adverse effect of statins. In contrast, the linkage between statin therapy and incident diabetes is more firm. However, this risk is more strongly associated with traditional risk factors for new-onset diabetes than with statin itself and any possible negative effect of new-onset diabetes during statin treatment is far outweighed by the cardiovascular risk reduction benefits. Additional studies are also discussed, which support the principle that systematic statin rechallenge, and lower or intermittent statin dosing strategies are the main methods for dealing with suspected statin intolerance at this time. Copyright © 2013 Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Role of genetic testing for inherited prostate cancer risk: Philadelphia prostate cancer consensus conference 2017

NARCIS (Netherlands)

V.N. Giri (Veda); Knudsen, K.E. (Karen E.); Kelly, W.K. (William K.); Abida, W. (Wassim); G.L. Andriole (Gerald); C.H. Bangma (Chris); Bekelman, J.E. (Justin E.); Benson, M.C. (Mitchell C.); A. Blanco (Amie); Burnett, A. (Arthur); Catalona, W.J. (William J.); Cooney, K.A. (Kathleen A.); M.R. Cooperberg (Matthew); D. Crawford (David); Den, R.B. (Robert B.); Dicker, A.P. (Adam P.); S. Eggener (Scott); N.E. Fleshner (Neil); Freedman, M.L. (Matthew L.); F. Hamdy (Freddie); Hoffman-Censits, J. (Jean); Hurwitz, M.D. (Mark D.); Hyatt, C. (Colette); Isaacs, W.B. (William B.); Kane, C.J. (Christopher J.); Kantoff, P. (Philip); R.J. Karnes (Jeffrey); Karsh, L.I. (Lawrence I.); Klein, E.A. (Eric A.); Lin, D.W. (Daniel W.); Loughlin, K.R. (Kevin R.); Lu-Yao, G. (Grace); Malkowicz, S.B. (S. Bruce); Mann, M.J. (Mark J.); Mark, J.R. (James R.); McCue, P.A. (Peter A.); Miner, M.M. (Martin M.); Morgan, T. (Todd); Moul, J.W. (Judd W.); Myers, R.E. (Ronald E.); Nielsen, S.M. (Sarah M.); Obeid, E. (Elias); Pavlovich, C.P. (Christian P.); Peiper, S.C. (Stephen C.); D.F. Penson (David F.); D.P. Petrylak (Daniel P); Pettaway, C.A. (Curtis A.); R. Pilarski (Robert); P. Pinto (Peter); Poage, W. (Wendy); Raj, G.V. (Ganesh V.); R. Rebbeck (Timothy); M. Robson (Mark); Rosenberg, M.T. (Matt T.); Sandler, H. (Howard); A.O. Sartor (Oliver); Schaeffer, E. (Edward); Schwartz, G.F. (Gordon F.); Shahin, M.S. (Mark S.); N.D. Shore (Neal); Shuch, B. (Brian); Soule, H.R. (Howard R.); S.A. Tomlins (Scott A); Trabulsi, E.J. (Edouard J.); Uzzo, R. (Robert); Griend, D.J.V. (Donald J. Vander); P.C. Walsh (Patrick); Weil, C.J. (Carol J.); Wender, R. (Richard); Gomella, L.G. (Leonard G.)

2018-01-01

textabstractPurpose: Guidelines are limited for genetic testing for prostate cancer (PCA). The goal of this conference was to develop an expert consensus-driven working framework for comprehensive genetic evaluation of inherited PCA in the multigene testing era addressing genetic counseling,

Metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer: consensus on pathology and molecular tests, first-line, second-line, and third-line therapy: 1st ESMO Consensus Conference in Lung Cancer; Lugano 2010

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Felip, E; Gridelli, C; Baas, P

2011-01-01

The 1st ESMO Consensus Conference on lung cancer was held in Lugano, Switzerland on 21 and 22 May 2010 with the participation of a multidisciplinary panel of leading professionals in pathology and molecular diagnostics, medical oncology, surgical oncology and radiation oncology. Before the confer...

1st ESMO Consensus Conference in lung cancer; Lugano 2010: small-cell lung cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stahel, R; Thatcher, N; Früh, M

2011-01-01

, the expert panel prepared clinically relevant questions concerning five areas as follows: early and locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), first-line metastatic NSCLC, second-/third-line NSCLC, NSCLC pathology and molecular testing, and small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) to be addressed through......The 1st ESMO Consensus Conference on lung cancer was held in Lugano, Switzerland on 21st and 22nd May 2010 with the participation of a multidisciplinary panel of leading professionals in pathology and molecular diagnostics and medical, surgical and radiation oncology. Before the conference...

1st ESMO Consensus Conference in lung cancer; Lugano 2010: small-cell lung cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stahel, R; Thatcher, N; Früh, M

2011-01-01

The 1st ESMO Consensus Conference on lung cancer was held in Lugano, Switzerland on 21st and 22nd May 2010 with the participation of a multidisciplinary panel of leading professionals in pathology and molecular diagnostics and medical, surgical and radiation oncology. Before the conference......, the expert panel prepared clinically relevant questions concerning five areas as follows: early and locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), first-line metastatic NSCLC, second-/third-line NSCLC, NSCLC pathology and molecular testing, and small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) to be addressed through...

Organization, execution and evaluation of the 2014 Academic Emergency Medicine consensus conference on Gender-Specific Research in Emergency Care - an executive summary.

Science.gov (United States)

Safdar, Basmah; Greenberg, Marna R

2014-12-01

With the goal of reducing inequalities in patient care, the 2014 Academic Emergency Medicine (AEM) consensus conference, "Gender-Specific Research in Emergency Care: Investigate, Understand, and Translate How Gender Affects Patient Outcomes," convened a diverse group of researchers, clinicians, health care providers, patients, and representatives of federal agencies and policy-makers in Dallas, Texas, in May 2014. The executive and steering committees identified seven clinical domains as key to gender-specific emergency care: cardiovascular, neurological, trauma/injury, substance abuse, pain, mental health, and diagnostic imaging. The main aims of the conference were to: 1) summarize and consolidate current data related to sex- and gender-specific research for acute care and identify critical gender-related gaps in knowledge to inform an EM research agenda; 2) create a consensus-driven research agenda that advances sex- and gender-specific research in the prevention, diagnosis, and management of acute diseases and identify strategies to investigate them; and 3) build a multinational interdisciplinary consortium to disseminate and study the sex and gender medicine of acute conditions. Over a 2-year period, this collaborative network of stakeholders identified key areas where sex- and gender-specific research is most likely to improve clinical care and ultimately patient outcomes. The iterative consensus process culminated in a daylong conference on May 13, 2014, with a total of 133 registrants, with the majority being between ages 31 and 50 years (57%), females (71%), and whites (79%). Content experts led the consensus-building workshops at the conference and used the nominal group technique to consolidate consensus recommendations for priority research. In addition, panel sessions addressed funding mechanisms for gender-specific research as well as gender-specific regulatory challenges to product development and approval. This special issue of AEM reports the

Tuberous sclerosis complex surveillance and management: recommendations of the 2012 International Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Consensus Conference.

Science.gov (United States)

Krueger, Darcy A; Northrup, Hope

2013-10-01

Tuberous sclerosis complex is a genetic disorder affecting every organ system, but disease manifestations vary significantly among affected individuals. The diverse and varied presentations and progression can be life-threatening with significant impact on cost and quality of life. Current surveillance and management practices are highly variable among region and country, reflective of the fact that last consensus recommendations occurred in 1998 and an updated, comprehensive standard is lacking that incorporates the latest scientific evidence and current best clinical practices. The 2012 International Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Consensus Group, comprising 79 specialists from 14 countries, was organized into 12 separate subcommittees, each led by a clinician with advanced expertise in tuberous sclerosis complex and the relevant medical subspecialty. Each subcommittee focused on a specific disease area with important clinical management implications and was charged with formulating key clinical questions to address within its focus area, reviewing relevant literature, evaluating the strength of data, and providing a recommendation accordingly. The updated consensus recommendations for clinical surveillance and management in tuberous sclerosis complex are summarized here. The recommendations are relevant to the entire lifespan of the patient, from infancy to adulthood, including both individuals where the diagnosis is newly made as well as individuals where the diagnosis already is established. The 2012 International Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Consensus Recommendations provide an evidence-based, standardized approach for optimal clinical care provided for individuals with tuberous sclerosis complex. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

II Consenso Brasileiro sobre Helicobacter pylori Second Brazilian Consensus Conference on Helicobacter pylori infection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luiz Gonzaga Vaz Coelho

2005-06-01

Full Text Available Avanços significativos ocorridos desde o Primeiro Consenso Brasileiro sobre H. pylori realizado em 1995, em Belo Horizonte, MG, justificam este segundo consenso. O evento foi organizado pela Federação Brasileira de Gastroenterologia e pelo Núcleo Brasileiro para Estudo do Helicobacter, sendo realizado em São Paulo nos dias 19 e 20 de junho de 2004. Contou com a participação das principais autoridades nacionais na área, a partir de lista elaborada pelas duas sociedades organizadoras do evento. Assim, participaram 36 delegados provenientes de 15 estados brasileiros, incluindo gastroenterologistas, patologistas, pediatras e microbiologistas. Os participantes foram alocados em um dos cinco sub-temas a serem contemplados no encontro, a saber: Helicobacter pylori e dispepsia funcional; Helicobacter pylori e AINEs; Helicobacter pylori e doença do refluxo gastroesofágico; tratamento Helicobacter pylori e retratamento Helicobacter pylori. Foi adotado como consensual as decisões que atingissem 70% ou mais de concordância entre os participantes. Os resultados foram apresentados em outubro de 2004 durante sessão especial da VI Semana Brasileira do Aparelho Digestivo, realizada em Recife, PE, e esta publicação apresenta o sumário das principais recomendações e conclusões do evento.Significant progress has been obtained since the First Brazilian Consensus Conference on H. pylori Infection held in 1995, in Belo Horizonte, MG, and justify a second meeting to establish updated guidelines on the current management of H. pylori infection. The Second Brazilian Consensus Conference on H. pylori Infection was organized by the Brazilian Federation of Gastroenterology and Brazilian Nucleus for the Study of Helicobacter and took place on June, 19-20, 2004 in São Paulo, SP. Thirty six delegates coming from 15 different Brazilian states including gastroenterologists, pathologists, microbiologists and pediatricians undertook the meeting. The

Experts reviews of the multidisciplinary consensus conference colon and rectal cancer 2012: science, opinions and experiences from the experts of surgery

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van de Velde, C. J. H.; Boelens, P. G.; Tanis, P. J.; Espin, E.; Mroczkowski, P.; Naredi, P.; Pahlman, L.; Ortiz, H.; Rutten, H. J.; Breugom, A. J.; Smith, J. J.; Wibe, A.; Wiggers, T.; Valentini, V.

2014-01-01

The first multidisciplinary consensus conference on colon and rectal cancer was held in December 2012, achieving a majority of consensus for diagnostic and treatment decisions using the Delphi Method. This article will give a critical appraisal of the topics discussed during the meeting and in the

Experts reviews of the multidisciplinary consensus conference colon and rectal cancer 2012 : Science, opinions and experiences from the experts of surgery

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van de Velde, C. J. H.; Boelens, P. G.; Tanis, P. J.; Espin, E.; Mroczkowski, P.; Naredi, P.; Pahlman, L.; Ortiz, H.; Rutten, H. J.; Breugom, A. J.; Smith, J. J.; Wibe, A.; Wiggers, T.; Valentini, V.

The first multidisciplinary consensus conference on colon and rectal cancer was held in December 2012, achieving a majority of consensus for diagnostic and treatment decisions using the Delphi Method. This article will give a critical appraisal of the topics discussed during the meeting and in the

Italian consensus conference for colonic diverticulosis and diverticular disease

Science.gov (United States)

Barbara, Giovanni; Pace, Fabio; Annese, Vito; Bassotti, Gabrio; Binda, Gian Andrea; Casetti, Tino; Colecchia, Antonio; Festi, Davide; Fiocca, Roberto; Laghi, Andrea; Maconi, Giovanni; Nascimbeni, Riccardo; Scarpignato, Carmelo; Villanacci, Vincenzo; Annibale, Bruno

2014-01-01

The statements produced by the Consensus Conference on Diverticular Disease promoted by GRIMAD (Gruppo Italiano Malattia Diverticolare, Italian Group on Diverticular Diseases) are reported. Topics such as epidemiology, risk factors, diagnosis, medical and surgical treatment of diverticular disease (DD) in patients with uncomplicated and complicated DD were reviewed by a scientific board of experts who proposed 55 statements graded according to level of evidence and strength of recommendation, and approved by an independent jury. Each topic was explored focusing on the more relevant clinical questions. Comparison and discussion of expert opinions, pertinent statements and replies to specific questions, were presented and approved based on a systematic literature search of the available evidence. Comments were added explaining the basis for grading the evidence, particularly for controversial areas. PMID:25360320

The Copenhagen Consensus Conference 2016

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bangsbo, Jens; Krustrup, Peter; Duda, Joan

2016-01-01

that consists of many structured and unstructured forms within school and out-of-school-time contexts, including organised sport, physical education, outdoor recreation, motor skill development programmes, recess, and active transportation such as biking and walking. This consensus statement presents the accord......From 4 to 7 April 2016, 24 researchers from 8 countries and from a variety of academic disciplines gathered in Snekkersten, Denmark, to reach evidence-based consensus about physical activity in children and youth, that is, individuals between 6 and 18 years. Physical activity is an overarching term...... on the effects of physical activity on children’s and youth’s fitness, health, cognitive functioning, engagement, motivation, psychological well-being and social inclusion, as well as presenting educational and physical activity implementation strategies. The consensus was obtained through an iterative process...

American Burn Association Consensus Statements

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-01

quality consensus conference was underwrit- ten in part by unrestricted educational grants from Molnlycke Health Care and Baxter Health Care. Address... nutrition , psychological outcomes, resuscitation, and wound repair. After reviewing the literature, debating the issues at the consensus conference and...need for intubation, concomitant trauma. 3. Resuscitation characteristics: Lab values (base defi- cit, lactate, hemoglobin /hematocrit, blood urea

2017 update of the WSES guidelines for emergency repair of complicated abdominal wall hernias.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Birindelli, Arianna

2017-01-01

Emergency repair of complicated abdominal wall hernias may be associated with worsen outcome and a significant rate of postoperative complications. There is no consensus on management of complicated abdominal hernias. The main matter of debate is about the use of mesh in case of intestinal resection and the type of mesh to be used. Wound infection is the most common complication encountered and represents an immense burden especially in the presence of a mesh. The recurrence rate is an important topic that influences the final outcome. A World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) Consensus Conference was held in Bergamo in July 2013 with the aim to define recommendations for emergency repair of abdominal wall hernias in adults. This document represents the executive summary of the consensus conference approved by a WSES expert panel. In 2016, the guidelines have been revised and updated according to the most recent available literature.

Press Conference: Update on the search for the Higgs boson at CERN on 4 July 2012

CERN Multimedia

CERN. Geneva

2012-01-01

PRESS CONFERENCE Update on the search for the Higgs boson at CERN on the eve of the ICHEP 2012 Conference Geneva, 22 June 2012.  Dear Journalists, CERN will hold a scientific seminar at 9:00 CEST on 4 July to deliver the latest update in the search for the Higgs boson. At this seminar, coming on the eve of the year’s major particle physics conference, ICHEP, in Melbourne, the ATLAS and CMS experiments will deliver the preliminary results of their 2012 data analysis. The seminar begins at 9:00 CEST. The auditorium in which the seminar will be held is reserved for CERN personnel and researchers from the laboratory’s user community, but a video stream will be relayed to another auditorium. A press conference will follow the seminar in presence of CERN Director General, Rolf Heuer, ATLAS spokesperson, Fabiola Gianotti and CMS spokesperson, Joe Incandela. Media wishing to attend the press conference on CERN site should fill in the registration form. Both the seminar a...

Updating OSHA Standards Based on National Consensus Standards; Eye and Face Protection. Final rule.

Science.gov (United States)

2016-03-25

On March 13, 2015, OSHA published in the Federal Register a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to revise its eye and face protection standards for general industry, shipyard employment, marine terminals, longshoring, and construction by updating the references to national consensus standards approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). OSHA received no significant objections from commenters and therefore is adopting the amendments as proposed. This final rule updates the references in OSHA's eye and face standards to reflect the most recent edition of the ANSI/International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) eye and face protection standard. It removes the oldest-referenced edition of the same ANSI standard. It also amends other provisions of the construction eye and face protection standard to bring them into alignment with OSHA's general industry and maritime standards.

Consensus conference on irradiation of foodstuffs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-01-01

The Danish government is obliged to define its attitude to a proposal made by the European Communities regarding common regulations for the irradiation of food (May 1989). Denmark, in comparison to some other European countries, tends to show reserve on this issue. At the consensus conference a panel discussed related questions. The participants reached the conclusion that as yet disagreement and uncertainty about the subjects of safety, public health and food quality is so significant that they were not able to recommend that sanctions for irradiation of food should be given in Denmark. It was also agreed that problems related to control and determination of radiation content were too serious to allow this method of food preservation. The panel felt that there were many areas of research, such as long-term biological effects, that had not been investigated satisfactorily. Experiments carried out in India and China did not encourage confidence, as the people tested had recommenced eating food preserved by other methods, so that long term effects could not be measured. The specialists claim that Danish standards in relation to the food industry are very high so that alternative methods of preservation to those already used do not appear to be necessary. The only applications to the National Food Agency for authorization to irradiate food had come from producers of spices and in relation to educative acitivites. (AB)

The Copenhagen Consensus Conference 2016: children, youth, and physical activity in schools and during leisure time.

Science.gov (United States)

Bangsbo, Jens; Krustrup, Peter; Duda, Joan; Hillman, Charles; Andersen, Lars Bo; Weiss, Maureen; Williams, Craig A; Lintunen, Taru; Green, Ken; Hansen, Peter Riis; Naylor, Patti-Jean; Ericsson, Ingegerd; Nielsen, Glen; Froberg, Karsten; Bugge, Anna; Lundbye-Jensen, Jesper; Schipperijn, Jasper; Dagkas, Symeon; Agergaard, Sine; von Seelen, Jesper; Østergaard, Charlotte; Skovgaard, Thomas; Busch, Henrik; Elbe, Anne-Marie

2016-10-01

From 4 to 7 April 2016, 24 researchers from 8 countries and from a variety of academic disciplines gathered in Snekkersten, Denmark, to reach evidence-based consensus about physical activity in children and youth, that is, individuals between 6 and 18 years. Physical activity is an overarching term that consists of many structured and unstructured forms within school and out-of-school-time contexts, including organised sport, physical education, outdoor recreation, motor skill development programmes, recess, and active transportation such as biking and walking. This consensus statement presents the accord on the effects of physical activity on children's and youth's fitness, health, cognitive functioning, engagement, motivation, psychological well-being and social inclusion, as well as presenting educational and physical activity implementation strategies. The consensus was obtained through an iterative process that began with presentation of the state-of-the art in each domain followed by plenary and group discussions. Ultimately, Consensus Conference participants reached agreement on the 21-item consensus statement. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

First International Consensus Conference on lesions of uncertain malignant potential in the breast (B3 lesions).

Science.gov (United States)

Rageth, Christoph J; O'Flynn, Elizabeth Am; Comstock, Christopher; Kurtz, Claudia; Kubik, Rahel; Madjar, Helmut; Lepori, Domenico; Kampmann, Gert; Mundinger, Alexander; Baege, Astrid; Decker, Thomas; Hosch, Stefanie; Tausch, Christoph; Delaloye, Jean-François; Morris, Elisabeth; Varga, Zsuzsanna

2016-09-01

The purpose of this study is to obtain a consensus for the therapy of B3 lesions. The first International Consensus Conference on lesions of uncertain malignant potential in the breast (B3 lesions) including atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH), flat epithelial atypia (FEA), classical lobular neoplasia (LN), papillary lesions (PL), benign phyllodes tumors (PT), and radial scars (RS) took place in January 2016 in Zurich, Switzerland organized by the International Breast Ultrasound School and the Swiss Minimally Invasive Breast Biopsy group-a subgroup of the Swiss Society of Senology. Consensus recommendations for the management and follow-up surveillance of these B3 lesions were developed and areas of research priorities were identified. The consensus recommendation for FEA, LN, PL, and RS diagnosed on core needle biopsy or vacuum-assisted biopsy (VAB) is to therapeutically excise the lesion seen on imaging by VAB and no longer by open surgery, with follow-up surveillance imaging for 5 years. The consensus recommendation for ADH and PT is, with some exceptions, therapeutic first-line open surgical excision. Minimally invasive management of selected B3 lesions with therapeutic VAB is acceptable as an alternative to first-line surgical excision.

Recommendations for mechanical ventilation of critically ill children from the Paediatric Mechanical Ventilation Consensus Conference (PEMVECC).

Science.gov (United States)

Kneyber, Martin C J; de Luca, Daniele; Calderini, Edoardo; Jarreau, Pierre-Henri; Javouhey, Etienne; Lopez-Herce, Jesus; Hammer, Jürg; Macrae, Duncan; Markhorst, Dick G; Medina, Alberto; Pons-Odena, Marti; Racca, Fabrizio; Wolf, Gerhard; Biban, Paolo; Brierley, Joe; Rimensberger, Peter C

2017-12-01

Much of the common practice in paediatric mechanical ventilation is based on personal experiences and what paediatric critical care practitioners have adopted from adult and neonatal experience. This presents a barrier to planning and interpretation of clinical trials on the use of specific and targeted interventions. We aim to establish a European consensus guideline on mechanical ventilation of critically children. The European Society for Paediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care initiated a consensus conference of international European experts in paediatric mechanical ventilation to provide recommendations using the Research and Development/University of California, Los Angeles, appropriateness method. An electronic literature search in PubMed and EMBASE was performed using a combination of medical subject heading terms and text words related to mechanical ventilation and disease-specific terms. The Paediatric Mechanical Ventilation Consensus Conference (PEMVECC) consisted of a panel of 15 experts who developed and voted on 152 recommendations related to the following topics: (1) general recommendations, (2) monitoring, (3) targets of oxygenation and ventilation, (4) supportive measures, (5) weaning and extubation readiness, (6) normal lungs, (7) obstructive diseases, (8) restrictive diseases, (9) mixed diseases, (10) chronically ventilated patients, (11) cardiac patients and (12) lung hypoplasia syndromes. There were 142 (93.4%) recommendations with "strong agreement". The final iteration of the recommendations had none with equipoise or disagreement. These recommendations should help to harmonise the approach to paediatric mechanical ventilation and can be proposed as a standard-of-care applicable in daily clinical practice and clinical research.

Maintaining success, reducing treatment burden, focusing on survivorship: highlights from the third European consensus conference on diagnosis and treatment of germ-cell cancer

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Beyer, J.; Albers, P.; Altena, R.; Aparicio, J.; Bokemeyer, C.; Busch, J.; Cathomas, R.; Cavallin-Stahl, E.; Clarke, N. W.; Claßen, J.; Cohn-Cedermark, G.; Dahl, A. A.; Daugaard, G.; de Giorgi, U.; de Santis, M.; de Wit, M.; de Wit, R.; Dieckmann, K. P.; Fenner, M.; Fizazi, K.; Flechon, A.; Fossa, S. D.; Germá Lluch, J. R.; Gietema, J. A.; Gillessen, S.; Giwercman, A.; Hartmann, J. T.; Heidenreich, A.; Hentrich, M.; Honecker, F.; Horwich, A.; Huddart, R. A.; Kliesch, S.; Kollmannsberger, C.; Krege, S.; Laguna, M. P.; Looijenga, L. H. J.; Lorch, A.; Lotz, J. P.; Mayer, F.; Necchi, A.; Nicolai, N.; Nuver, J.; Oechsle, K.; Oldenburg, J.; Oosterhuis, J. W.; Powles, T.; Rajpert-de Meyts, E.; Rick, O.; Rosti, G.; Salvioni, R.; Schrader, M.; Schweyer, S.; Sedlmayer, F.; Sohaib, A.; Souchon, R.; Tandstad, T.; Winter, C.; Wittekind, C.

2013-01-01

In November 2011, the Third European Consensus Conference on Diagnosis and Treatment of Germ-Cell Cancer (GCC) was held in Berlin, Germany. This third conference followed similar meetings in 2003 (Essen, Germany) and 2006 (Amsterdam, The Netherlands) [Schmoll H-J, Souchon R, Krege S et al. European

Maintaining success, reducing treatment burden, focusing on survivorship : highlights from the third European consensus conference on diagnosis and treatment of germ-cell cancer

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Beyer, J.; Albers, P.; Altena, R.; Aparicio, J.; Bokemeyer, C.; Busch, J.; Cathomas, R.; Cavallin-Stahl, E.; Clarke, N. W.; Classen, J.; Cohn-Cedermark, G.; Dahl, A. A.; Daugaard, G.; De Giorgi, U.; De Santis, M.; De Wit, M.; De Wit, R.; Dieckmann, K. P.; Fenner, M.; Fizazi, K.; Flechon, A.; Fossa, S. D.; Germa Lluch, J. R.; Gietema, J. A.; Gillessen, S.; Giwercman, A.; Hartmann, J.T.; Heidenreich, A.; Hentrich, M.; Honecker, F.; Horwich, A.; Huddart, R. A.; Kliesch, S.; Kollmannsberger, C.; Krege, S.; Laguna, M. P.; Looijenga, L. H. J.; Lorch, A.; Lotz, J. P.; Mayer, F.; Necchi, A.; Nicolai, N.; Nuver, J.; Oechsle, K.; Oldenburg, J.; Oosterhuis, J.W.; Powles, T.; Rajpert-De Meyts, E.; Rick, O.; Rosti, G.; Salvioni, R.; Schrader, M.; Schweyer, S.; Sedlmayer, F.; Sohaib, A.; Souchon, R.; Tandstad, T.; Wittekind, C.; Winter, E.

In November 2011, the Third European Consensus Conference on Diagnosis and Treatment of Germ-Cell Cancer (GCC) was held in Berlin, Germany. This third conference followed similar meetings in 2003 (Essen, Germany) and 2006 (Amsterdam, The Netherlands) [Schmoll H-J, Souchon R, Krege S et al. European

Management of patients with advanced prostate cancer: recommendations of the St Gallen Advanced Prostate Cancer Consensus Conference (APCCC) 2015

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gillessen, S.; Omlin, A.; Attard, G.; Bono, J.S. de; Efstathiou, E.; Fizazi, K.; Halabi, S.; Nelson, P.S.; Sartor, O.; Smith, M.R.; Soule, H.R.; Akaza, H.; Beer, T.M.; Beltran, H.; Chinnaiyan, A.M.; Daugaard, G.; Davis, I.D.; Santis, M. de; Drake, C.G.; Eeles, R.A.; Fanti, S.; Gleave, M.E.; Heidenreich, A.; Hussain, M.; James, N.D.; Lecouvet, F.E.; Logothetis, C.J.; Mastris, K.; Nilsson, S.; Oh, W.K.; Olmos, D.; Padhani, A.R.; Parker, C.; Rubin, M.A.; Schalken, J.A.; Scher, H.I.; Sella, A.; Shore, N.D.; Small, E.J.; Sternberg, C.N.; Suzuki, H; Sweeney, C.J.; Tannock, I.F.; Tombal, B.

2015-01-01

The first St Gallen Advanced Prostate Cancer Consensus Conference (APCCC) Expert Panel identified and reviewed the available evidence for the ten most important areas of controversy in advanced prostate cancer (APC) management. The successful registration of several drugs for castration-resistant

European Consensus Guidelines on the Management of Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Preterm Infants - 2013 Update

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sweet, David G; Carnielli, Virgilio; Greisen, Gorm

2013-01-01

Despite recent advances in the perinatal management of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), controversies still exist. We report updated recommendations of a European Panel of expert neonatologists who developed consensus guidelines after critical examination of the most up-to-date evide...... maintenance of normal body temperature, proper fluid management, good nutritional support, appropriate management of the ductus arteriosus and support of the circulation to maintain adequate tissue perfusion....

The Berlin 2016 process: a summary of methodology for the 5th International Consensus Conference on Concussion in Sport.

Science.gov (United States)

Meeuwisse, Willem H; Schneider, Kathryn J; Dvořák, Jiří; Omu, Onutobor Tobi; Finch, Caroline F; Hayden, K Alix; McCrory, Paul

2017-06-01

The purpose of this paper is to summarise the methodology for the 5th International Consensus Conference on Concussion in Sport. The 18 months of preparation included engagement of a scientific committee, an expert panel of 33 individuals in the field of concussion and a modified Delphi technique to determine the primary questions to be answered. The methodology also involved the writing of 12 systematic reviews to inform the consensus conference and submission and review of scientific abstracts. The meeting itself followed a 2-day open format, a 1-day closed expert panel meeting and two additional half day meetings to develop the Concussion Recognition Tool 5 (Pocket CRT5), Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 5 (SCAT5) and Child SCAT5. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Emergency department performance measures updates: proceedings of the 2014 emergency department benchmarking alliance consensus summit.

Science.gov (United States)

Wiler, Jennifer L; Welch, Shari; Pines, Jesse; Schuur, Jeremiah; Jouriles, Nick; Stone-Griffith, Suzanne

2015-05-01

The objective was to review and update key definitions and metrics for emergency department (ED) performance and operations. Forty-five emergency medicine leaders convened for the Third Performance Measures and Benchmarking Summit held in Las Vegas, February 21-22, 2014. Prior to arrival, attendees were assigned to workgroups to review, revise, and update the definitions and vocabulary being used to communicate about ED performance and operations. They were provided with the prior definitions of those consensus summits that were published in 2006 and 2010. Other published definitions from key stakeholders in emergency medicine and health care were also reviewed and circulated. At the summit, key terminology and metrics were discussed and debated. Workgroups communicated online, via teleconference, and finally in a face-to-face meeting to reach consensus regarding their recommendations. Recommendations were then posted and open to a 30-day comment period. Participants then reanalyzed the recommendations, and modifications were made based on consensus. A comprehensive dictionary of ED terminology related to ED performance and operation was developed. This article includes definitions of operating characteristics and internal and external factors relevant to the stratification and categorization of EDs. Time stamps, time intervals, and measures of utilization were defined. Definitions of processes and staffing measures are also presented. Definitions were harmonized with performance measures put forth by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for consistency. Standardized definitions are necessary to improve the comparability of EDs nationally for operations research and practice. More importantly, clear precise definitions describing ED operations are needed for incentive-based pay-for-performance models like those developed by CMS. This document provides a common language for front-line practitioners, managers, health policymakers, and researchers. �

College of American Pathologists Gynecologic Cytopathology Quality Consensus Conference on good laboratory practices in gynecologic cytology: background, rationale, and organization.

Science.gov (United States)

Tworek, Joseph A; Henry, Michael R; Blond, Barbara; Jones, Bruce Allen

2013-02-01

Gynecologic cytopathology is a heavily regulated field, with Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 mandating the collection of many quality metrics. There is a lack of consensus regarding methods to collect, monitor, and benchmark these data and how these data should be used in a quality assurance program. Furthermore, the introduction of human papilloma virus testing and proficiency testing has provided more data to monitor. To determine good laboratory practices in quality assurance of gynecologic cytopathology. Data were collected through a written survey consisting of 98 questions submitted to 1245 Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments-licensed or Department of Defense laboratories. There were 541 usable responses. Additional input was sought through a Web posting of results and questions on the College of American Pathologists Web site. Four senior authors who authored the survey and 28 cytopathologists and cytotechnologists were assigned to 5 working groups to analyze data and present statements on good laboratory practices in gynecologic cytopathology at the College of American Pathologists Gynecologic Cytopathology Quality Consensus Conference. Ninety-eight attendees at the College of American Pathologists Gynecologic Cytopathology Quality Consensus Conference discussed and voted on good laboratory practice statements to obtain consensus. This paper describes the rationale, background, process, and strengths and limitations of a series of papers that summarize good laboratory practice statements in quality assurance in gynecologic cytopathology.

Guidelines for the ethical use of neuroimages in medical testimony: report of a multidisciplinary consensus conference.

Science.gov (United States)

Meltzer, C C; Sze, G; Rommelfanger, K S; Kinlaw, K; Banja, J D; Wolpe, P R

2014-04-01

With rapid advances in neuroimaging technology, there is growing concern over potential misuse of neuroradiologic imaging data in legal matters. On December 7 and 8, 2012, a multidisciplinary consensus conference, Use and Abuse of Neuroimaging in the Courtroom, was held at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Through this interactive forum, a highly select group of experts-including neuroradiologists, neurologists, forensic psychiatrists, neuropsychologists, neuroscientists, legal scholars, imaging statisticians, judges, practicing attorneys, and neuroethicists-discussed the complex issues involved in the use of neuroimaging data entered into legal evidence and for associated expert testimony. The specific contexts of criminal cases, child abuse, and head trauma were especially considered. The purpose of the conference was to inform the development of guidelines on expert testimony for the American Society of Neuroradiology and to provide principles for courts on the ethical use of neuroimaging data as evidence. This report summarizes the conference and resulting recommendations.

Austrian consensus on the definition and treatment of portal hypertension and its complications (Billroth II).

Science.gov (United States)

Peck-Radosavljevic, Markus; Angermayr, Bernhard; Datz, Christian; Ferlitsch, Arnulf; Ferlitsch, Monika; Fuhrmann, Valentin; Häfner, Michael; Kramer, Ludwig; Maieron, Andreas; Payer, Berit; Reiberger, Thomas; Stauber, Rudolf; Steininger, Rudolf; Trauner, Michael; Thurnher, Siegfried; Ulbrich, Gregor; Vogel, Wolfgang; Zoller, Heinz; Graziadei, Ivo

2013-04-01

In November 2004, the Austrian Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (ÖGGH) held for the first time a consensus meeting on the definitions and treatment of portal hypertension and its complications in the Billroth-Haus in Vienna, Austria (Billroth I-Meeting). This meeting was preceded by a meeting of international experts on portal hypertension with some of the proponents of the Baveno consensus conferences (http://www.oeggh.at/videos.asp). The consensus itself is based on the Baveno III consensus with regard to portal hypertensive bleeding and the suggestions of the International Ascites Club regarding the treatment of ascites. Those statements were modified by new knowledge derived from the recent literature and also by the current practice of medicine as agreed upon by the participants of the consensus meeting. In October 2011, the ÖGGH organized the second consensus meeting on portal hypertension and its complications in Vienna (Billroth II-Meeting). The Billroth II-Guidelines on the definitions and treatment of portal hypertension and its complications take into account the developments of the last 7 years, including the Baveno-V update and several key publications.

Recommendations for clinical practice and research in severe brain injury in intensive rehabilitation: the Italian Consensus Conference.

Science.gov (United States)

De Tanti, A; Zampolini, M; Pregno, S

2015-02-01

The paper reports the final statements of the jury of a National Consensus Conference organized in November 2010 at Salsomaggiore (Parma) to draw up recommendations on the rehabilitation programs for acquired brain injury (sABI) patients in the intensive hospital phase. Because of the few clinical studies of good quality found by means of the literature research we choose a mixed approach: a systematic review of the published studies and a consensus conference in order to obtain recommendations that come from the clinical evidence and the expert opinion. The final recommendations of the jury, based on the best available evidence combined with clinical expertise and the experience of persons with disabilities and other stakeholders, cover 13 topics: 1) Management of paroxysmal manifestations (sympathetic storms); 2) management of neuroendocrine problems; 3) nutrition; 4) swallowing; 5) ventilation/respiration, 6) clinical and instrument diagnosis and prognosis of vegetative state (VS) and minimally conscious state (MCS), 7) rehabilitative and pharmacological facilitation of renewed contact with surroundings; 8) neurosurgical complications and hydrocephalus; 9) sensorimotor impairment and disability; 10) rehabilitation methods; 11) assessment and treatment of cognitive-behavioural impairment and disability; 12) methodology and organization of care; 13) involving family and caregivers in rehabilitation.

Consensus among Economists--An Update

Science.gov (United States)

Fuller, Dan; Geide-Stevenson, Doris

2014-01-01

In this article, the authors explore consensus among economists on specific propositions based on a fall 2011 survey of American Economic Association members. Results are based on 568 responses and provide evidence of changes in opinion over time by including propositions from earlier studies in 2000 (Fuller and Geide-Stevenson 2003) and 1992…

Statistical Inference for Cultural Consensus Theory

Science.gov (United States)

2014-02-24

Social Network Conference XXXII , Redondo Beach, California, March 2012. Agrawal, K. (Presenter), and Batchelder, W. H. Cultural Consensus Theory...Aggregating Complete Signed Graphs Under a Balance Constraint -- Part 2. International Sunbelt Social Network Conference XXXII , Redondo Beach

Using a Consensus Conference to Characterize Regulatory Concerns Regarding Bioremediation of Radionuclides and Heavy Metals in Mixed Wastes at DOE Sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lach, Denise

2005-01-01

We have spent this first part of the project preparing background material for conference participants and making arrangements for the conference itself. Material regarding state regulatory constraints to the use of bioremediation in the cleanup of radionuclides and heavy metals at DOE sites around the country has been added to the Bioremediation Briefing paper for participants. The Steering Committee has been formulated and will hold their first meeting via phone conference on Monday, September 13, 2005. On the agenda is identification of conference participants, experts, and initial issues likely to be addressed. Human Subjects approval has been secured from the University. The ''pre-test'' has been developed and is ready to implement. The Consensus Conference will be held in Phoenix, AZ during January and February 2005; we are working with the Chamber of Commerce to find an appropriate site

European consensus guidelines on the management of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome in preterm infants - 2010 update

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sweet, David G; Carnielli, Virgilio; Greisen, Gorm

2010-01-01

Despite recent advances in the perinatal management of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), controversies still exist. We report the updated recommendations of a European panel of expert neonatologists who had developed consensus guidelines after critical examination of the most up-to-date....... For babies with RDS to have best outcomes, it is essential that they have optimal supportive care, including maintenance of a normal body temperature, proper fluid management, good nutritional support, management of the ductus arteriosus and support of the circulation to maintain adequate tissue perfusion....

Thyroid nodules and differentiated thyroid cancer: update on the Brazilian consensus.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosário, Pedro Weslley; Ward, Laura S; Carvalho, Gisah A; Graf, Hans; Maciel, Rui M B; Maciel, Léa Maria Z; Maia, Ana Luiza; Vaisman, Mário

2013-06-01

Thyroid nodules are frequent findings, especially when sensitive imaging methods are used. Although thyroid cancer is relatively rare, its incidence is increasing, particularly in terms of small tumors, which have an uncertain clinical relevance. Most patients with differentiated thyroid cancer exhibit satisfactory clinical outcomes when treatment is appropriate, and their mortality rate is similar to that of the overall population. However, relapse occurs in a considerable fraction of these patients, and some patients stop responding to conventional treatment and eventually die from their disease. Therefore, the challenge is how to identify the individuals who require more aggressive disease management while sparing the majority of patients from unnecessary treatments and procedures. We have updated the Brazilian Consensus that was published in 2007, emphasizing the diagnostic and therapeutic advances that the participants, representing several Brazilian university centers, consider most relevant in clinical practice. The formulation of the present guidelines was based on the participants' experience and a review of the relevant literature.

Reaching consensus on drug resistance conferring mutations (Part 1

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniela M Cirillo

2016-01-01

A user-friendly interface designed for nonexpert or expert operability.A standardized and validated analysis pipeline for variant analyses of M. tuberculosis next-generation sequencing (NGS data.Access to data beyond the published literature with dynamic and iterative updates of new data generated by global surveillance and clinical trials.A well-developed legal structure to ensure intellectual property rights and data ownership remain with contributors.A structured data-sharing architecture to restrict access to sensitive or unpublished data sets.Metadata standardization using CDISC: supports global, platform-independent data standards that enable information system interoperability.An emphasis on data quality and rigorous, expert curation with multiple quality control checks for whole-genome sequencing and other metadata.Validation of NGS analysis output by an expert committee with grading of resistance conferring mutations based on rigorous statistical standards.Regulatory-compliant analysis pipeline and database architecture. Successful execution of such an extensive database platform requires substantial collaboration from scientists investigating the genetic basis for drug resistance worldwide, and from developers with expertise in database design and implementation.

Length of stay following percutaneous coronary intervention: An expert consensus document update from the society for cardiovascular angiography and interventions.

Science.gov (United States)

Seto, Arnold H; Shroff, Adhir; Abu-Fadel, Mazen; Blankenship, James C; Boudoulas, Konstantinos Dean; Cigarroa, Joaquin E; Dehmer, Gregory J; Feldman, Dmitriy N; Kolansky, Daniel M; Lata, Kusum; Swaminathan, Rajesh V; Rao, Sunil V

2018-04-24

Since the publication of the 2009 SCAI Expert Consensus Document on Length of Stay Following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), advances in vascular access techniques, stent technology, and antiplatelet pharmacology have facilitated changes in discharge patterns following PCI. Additional clinical studies have demonstrated the safety of early and same day discharge in selected patients with uncomplicated PCI, while reimbursement policies have discouraged unnecessary hospitalization. This consensus update: (1) clarifies clinical and reimbursement definitions of discharge strategies, (2) reviews the technological advances and literature supporting reduced hospitalization duration and risk assessment, and (3) describes changes to the consensus recommendations on length of stay following PCI (Supporting Information Table S1). These recommendations are intended to support reasonable clinical decision making regarding postprocedure length of stay for a broad spectrum of patients undergoing PCI, rather than prescribing a specific period of observation for individual patients. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

CT features of vasculitides based on the 2012 international chapel hill consensus conference revised classification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hur, Jee Hye; Chun, Eun Ju; Kim, Hae Young; Kim, Jeong Jae; Lee, Kyung Won; Kwang, Hyon Joo; Yoo, Jin Young

2017-01-01

Vasculitis, characterized by inflammation of vessel walls, is comprised of heterogeneous clinicopathological entities, and thus poses a diagnostic challenge. The most widely used approach for classifying vasculitides is based on the International Chapel Hill Consensus Conference (CHCC) nomenclature system. Based on the recently revised CHCC 2012, we propose computed tomography (CT) features of vasculitides and a differential diagnosis based on location and morphological characteristics. Finally, vasculitis mimics should be differentiated, because erroneous application of immunosuppressive drugs on vasculitis mimics may be ineffective, even deteriorating. This article presents the utility of CT in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of vasculitides

CT features of vasculitides based on the 2012 international chapel hill consensus conference revised classification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hur, Jee Hye; Chun, Eun Ju; Kim, Hae Young; Kim, Jeong Jae; Lee, Kyung Won [Dept. of Radiology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam (Korea, Republic of); Kwang, Hyon Joo [Dept. of Radiology, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Yoo, Jin Young [Dept. of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2017-09-15

Vasculitis, characterized by inflammation of vessel walls, is comprised of heterogeneous clinicopathological entities, and thus poses a diagnostic challenge. The most widely used approach for classifying vasculitides is based on the International Chapel Hill Consensus Conference (CHCC) nomenclature system. Based on the recently revised CHCC 2012, we propose computed tomography (CT) features of vasculitides and a differential diagnosis based on location and morphological characteristics. Finally, vasculitis mimics should be differentiated, because erroneous application of immunosuppressive drugs on vasculitis mimics may be ineffective, even deteriorating. This article presents the utility of CT in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of vasculitides.

Pleural mesothelioma: epidemiological and public health issues. Report from the Second Italian Consensus Conference on Pleural Mesothelioma.

Science.gov (United States)

Magnani, Corrado; Fubini, Bice; Mirabelli, Dario; Bertazzi, Pier Alberto; Bianchi, Claudio; Chellini, Elisabetta; Gennaro, Valerio; Marinaccio, Alessandro; Menegozzo, Massimo; Merler, Enzo; Merletti, Franco; Musti, Marina; Pira, Enrico; Romanelli, Antonio; Terracini, Benedetto; Zona, Amerigo

2013-01-01

Malignant mesothelioma is closely connected to asbestos exposure, with epidemiological patterns closely reshaping the geography and history of asbestos exposure. Mechanisms of causation and of interaction of asbestos fibres with pleura are complex and currently not yet completely understood. Curative efforts so far provided little results. Italy shows one of the highest incidence of MM and developed a network of specialized cancer registries in order to monitor disease occurrence and describe its epidemiology in details. The second Italian Consensus Conference on Pleural Mesothelioma convened in Torino on November 24th-25th, 2011. Besides the main consensus report summarizing the contribution of the different expertises, that was published elsewhere, the participants in 'Public Health and Epidemiology' section decided to report in major details the evidence and the conclusions regarding epidemiology, causative mechanisms and the public health impact of the disease.

The process and criteria for diagnosing specific learning disorders: indications from the Consensus Conference promoted by the Italian National Institute of Health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Luisa Lorusso

2014-03-01

Full Text Available A Consensus Conference on Specific Learning Disorders has been promoted by the Italian National Institute of Health (Istituto Superiore di Sanità, ISS. The Consensus Conference consisted in a systematic review of the international literature addressing the issues of diagnosis, risk factors and prognosis, treatment, service delivery and organizational models for Specific Learning Disorders (reading, spelling/writing, calculation. Selected papers were examined by a group of Evaluators and then discussed by a Scientific and Technical Committee, whose conclusions were examined and approved by a Jury Panel. The part on diagnostic issues is presented here, encompassing a systematic discussion of the use and appropriateness of diagnostic criteria, parameters, tasks and psychometric indexes as illustrated in the literature, and providing recommendations for clinical practice. Special attention has been devoted to the collection, analysis and discussion of published data concerning languages with transparent orthography. Controversial issues such as discrepancy criteria, role of reading comprehension and importance of accuracy and fluency are discussed.

Adult Asthma Consensus Guidelines Update 2003

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Catherine Lemière

2004-01-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Several sets of Canadian guidelines for the diagnosis and management of asthma have been published over the past 15 years. Since the last revision of the 1999 Canadian Asthma Consensus Report, important new studies have highlighted the need to incorporate new information into the asthma guidelines.

Consensus on the clinical management, screening-to-treat, and surveillance of Helicobacter pylori infection to improve gastric cancer control on a nationwide scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheu, Bor-Shyang; Wu, Ming-Shiang; Chiu, Cheng-Tang; Lo, Jing-Chuan; Wu, Deng-Chyang; Liou, Jyh-Ming; Wu, Chun-Ying; Cheng, Hsiu-Chi; Lee, Yi-Chia; Hsu, Ping-I; Chang, Chun-Chao; Chang, Wei-Lun; Lin, Jaw-Town

2017-06-01

Previous international consensus statements provided general policies for the management of Helicobacter pylori infection. However, there are geographic differences in the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of H. pylori, and in the availability of medications and endoscopy. Thus, nationwide or regional consensus statements are needed to improve control of H. pylori infection and gastric cancer. This consensus statement for management of H. pylori in Taiwan has three major sections: (1) optimal diagnosis and indications; (2) current treatment strategies; and (3) screening-to-treat and surveillance for control of gastric cancer. The literature review emphasized recent data for development of draft statements and determination of levels of evidence. Twenty-five Taiwan experts conducted a consensus conference, by a modified Delphi process, to modify the draft statements. Consensus, defined as an agreement of least 80% of the experts, and recommendation grade were determined by anonymous voting. There were 24 consensus statements. Section 1 has seven statements on recommendations for the diagnosis and indications for treatment of H. pylori infection. Section 2 has 10 statements that provide an updated treatment algorithm for first-line, second-line, and third-line regimens. Section 3 has seven statements regarding H. pylori eradication for reducing the risk of gastric cancer, with a cost-benefit analysis. After H. pylori eradication, the consensus highlights the use of endoscopic surveillance and/or chemoprevention to further reduce the burden of gastric cancer. This consensus statement has updated recommendations for improving the clinical management of H. pylori infection in areas such as Taiwan, which have high prevalence of H. pylori infection and gastric cancer. © 2017 The Authors. Helicobacter Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[French Society for Biological Psychiatry and Neuropsychopharmacology task force. Formal consensus for the treatment of bipolar disorder: an update (2014)].

Science.gov (United States)

Samalin, L; Guillaume, S; Courtet, P; Abbar, M; Lancrenon, S; Llorca, P-M

2015-02-01

As part of a process to improve the quality of care, the French Society for Biological Psychiatry and Neuropsychopharmacology developed in 2010 formal consensus guidelines for the treatment of bipolar disorder. The evolution of therapeutic options available in France for the treatment of bipolar disorder has justified the update of this guideline. The purpose of this work was to provide an updated and ergonomic document to promote its use by clinicians. This update focuses on two of the six thematic previously published (acute treatment and long-term treatment). Aspects of the treatment of bipolar patients sparking debate and questions of clinicians (use of antidepressant, place of the bitherapy, interest of long-acting antipsychotics…) were also covered. Finally, we proposed graded recommendations taking into account specifically the risk-benefit balance of each molecule. Copyright © 2014 L’Encéphale, Paris. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Using Simulations to Improve Electronic Health Record Use, Clinician Training and Patient Safety: Recommendations From A Consensus Conference

OpenAIRE

Mohan, Vishnu; Woodcock, Deborah; McGrath, Karess; Scholl, Gretchen; Pranaat, Robert; Doberne, Julie W.; Chase, Dian A.; Gold, Jeffrey A.; Ash, Joan S.

2017-01-01

A group of informatics experts in simulation, biomedical informatics, patient safety, medical education, and human factors gathered at Corbett, Oregon on April 30 and May 1, 2015. Their objective: to create a consensus statement on best practices for the use of electronic health record (EHR) simulations in education and training, to improve patient safety, and to outline a strategy for future EHR simulation work. A qualitative approach was utilized to analyze data from the conference and gene...

Recommendations from the ESO-Karolinska Stroke Update Conference, Stockholm 13–15 November 2016

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2017-01-01

-Karolinska Stroke Update Meeting was held in Stockholm on 13–15 November 2016. There were 10 scientific sessions discussed in the meeting and each session produced a consensus statement (Full version with background, issues, conclusions and references are published as web-material and at http...... and statistical reviews (at least one randomised controlled trial plus one statistical review). Grade B Evidence: Support from randomised controlled trials and statistical reviews (one randomised controlled trial or one statistical review). Grade C Evidence: No reasonable support from randomised controlled trials...

Expert consensus document: The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) consensus statement on the definition and scope of prebiotics.

Science.gov (United States)

Gibson, Glenn R; Hutkins, Robert; Sanders, Mary Ellen; Prescott, Susan L; Reimer, Raylene A; Salminen, Seppo J; Scott, Karen; Stanton, Catherine; Swanson, Kelly S; Cani, Patrice D; Verbeke, Kristin; Reid, Gregor

2017-08-01

In December 2016, a panel of experts in microbiology, nutrition and clinical research was convened by the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics to review the definition and scope of prebiotics. Consistent with the original embodiment of prebiotics, but aware of the latest scientific and clinical developments, the panel updated the definition of a prebiotic: a substrate that is selectively utilized by host microorganisms conferring a health benefit. This definition expands the concept of prebiotics to possibly include non-carbohydrate substances, applications to body sites other than the gastrointestinal tract, and diverse categories other than food. The requirement for selective microbiota-mediated mechanisms was retained. Beneficial health effects must be documented for a substance to be considered a prebiotic. The consensus definition applies also to prebiotics for use by animals, in which microbiota-focused strategies to maintain health and prevent disease is as relevant as for humans. Ultimately, the goal of this Consensus Statement is to engender appropriate use of the term 'prebiotic' by relevant stakeholders so that consistency and clarity can be achieved in research reports, product marketing and regulatory oversight of the category. To this end, we have reviewed several aspects of prebiotic science including its development, health benefits and legislation.

Best Practices for Chiropractic Care for Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Consensus Update.

Science.gov (United States)

Hawk, Cheryl; Schneider, Michael J; Haas, Mitchell; Katz, Paul; Dougherty, Paul; Gleberzon, Brian; Killinger, Lisa Z; Weeks, John

2017-05-01

The purpose of this study was to update evidence-based recommendations on the best practices for chiropractic care of older adults. The project consisted of a systematic literature review and a consensus process. The following were searched from October 2009 through January 2016: MEDLINE, Index to Chiropractic Literature, CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), AMED (Allied and Complementary Medicine Database), Alt HealthWatch, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Cochrane Registry of Controlled Trials. Search terms were: (manipulation, spinal OR manipulation, chiropractic OR chiropract*) AND (geriatric OR "older adult*"). Two reviewers independently screened articles and abstracts using inclusion and exclusion criteria. The systematic review informed the project steering committee, which revised the previous recommendations. A multidisciplinary panel of experts representing expertise in practice, research, and teaching in a variety of health professions serving older adults rated the revised recommendations. The RAND Corporation/University of California, Los Angeles methodology for a modified Delphi consensus process was used. A total of 199 articles were found; after exclusion criteria were applied, 6 articles about effectiveness or efficacy and 6 on safety were added. The Delphi process was conducted from April to June 2016. Of the 37 Delphi panelists, 31 were DCs and 6 were other health care professionals. Three Delphi rounds were conducted to reach consensus on all 45 statements. As a result, statements regarding the safety of manipulation were strengthened and additional statements were added recommending that DCs advise patients on exercise and that manipulation and mobilization contribute to general positive outcomes beyond pain reduction only. This document provides a summary of evidence-informed best practices for doctors of chiropractic for the evaluation, management, and manual treatment of older adult patients

Fault-Tolerant Consensus of Multi-Agent System With Distributed Adaptive Protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Shun; Ho, Daniel W C; Li, Lulu; Liu, Ming

2015-10-01

In this paper, fault-tolerant consensus in multi-agent system using distributed adaptive protocol is investigated. Firstly, distributed adaptive online updating strategies for some parameters are proposed based on local information of the network structure. Then, under the online updating parameters, a distributed adaptive protocol is developed to compensate the fault effects and the uncertainty effects in the leaderless multi-agent system. Based on the local state information of neighboring agents, a distributed updating protocol gain is developed which leads to a fully distributed continuous adaptive fault-tolerant consensus protocol design for the leaderless multi-agent system. Furthermore, a distributed fault-tolerant leader-follower consensus protocol for multi-agent system is constructed by the proposed adaptive method. Finally, a simulation example is given to illustrate the effectiveness of the theoretical analysis.

Compression of digital images in radiology. Results of a consensus conference; Kompression digitaler Bilddaten in der Radiologie. Ergebnisse einer Konsensuskonferenz

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Loose, R. [Klinikum Nuernberg-Nord (Germany). Inst. fuer Diagnostische und Interventionelle Radiologie; Braunschweig, R. [BG Kliniken Bergmannstrost, Halle/Saale (Germany). Klinik fuer Bildgebende Diagnostik und Interventionsradiologie; Kotter, E. [Universitaetsklinikum Freiburg (Germany). Abt. Roentgendiagnostik; Mildenberger, P. [Mainz Univ. (Germany). Klinik und Poliklinik fuer Diagnostische und Interventionelle Radiologie; Simmler, R.; Wucherer, M. [Klinikum Nuernberg (Germany). Inst. fuer Medizinische Physik

2009-01-15

Purpose: Recommendations for lossy compression of digital radiological DICOM images in Germany by means of a consensus conference. The compression of digital radiological images was evaluated in many studies. Even though the results demonstrate full diagnostic image quality of modality-dependent compression between 1:5 and 1:200, there are only a few clinical applications. Materials and Methods: A consensus conference with approx. 80 interested participants (radiology, industry, physics, and agencies) without individual invitation was organized by the working groups AGIT and APT of the German Roentgen Society DRG to determine compression factors without loss of diagnostic image quality for different anatomical regions for CT, CR/DR, MR, RF/XA examinations. The consent level was specified as at least 66 %. Results: For individual modalities the following compression factors were recommended: CT (brain) 1:5, CT (all other applications) 1:8, CR/DR (all applications except mammography) 1:10, CR/DR (mammography) 1:15, MR (all applications) 1:7, RF/XA (fluoroscopy, DSA, cardiac angio) 1:6. The recommended compression ratios are valid for JPEG and JPEG 2000 /Wavelet compressions. Conclusion: The results may be understood as recommendations and indicate limits of compression factors with no expected reduction of diagnostic image quality. They are similar to the current national recommendations for Canada and England. (orig.)

2016 updated MASCC/ESMO consensus recommendations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ruhlmann, Christina H.; Jahn, Franziska; Jordan, Karin

2017-01-01

Purpose: Radiotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (RINV) are distressing symptoms. Evidence-based guidelines should facilitate the prescription of the best possible antiemetic prophylaxis. As part of the MASCC/ESMO Antiemetic Guidelines Update 2016, a thorough review of the literature concerning ...

2016 Updated MASCC/ESMO Consensus Recommendations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olver, Ian; Ruhlmann, Christina H.; Jahn, Franziska

2017-01-01

the MASCC antiemetic guidelines. A subgroup performed a systematic literature review on antiemetics for low emetogenic chemotherapy (LEC) and chemotherapy of minimal emetic potential and the chair presented the update recommendation to the whole group for discussion. They then voted with an aim of achieving...

The Mexican consensus on irritable bowel syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Carmona-Sánchez, R; Icaza-Chávez, M E; Bielsa-Fernández, M V; Gómez-Escudero, O; Bosques-Padilla, F; Coss-Adame, E; Esquivel-Ayanegui, F; Flores-Rendón, Á R; González-Martínez, M A; Huerta-Iga, F; López-Colombo, A; Méndez-Gutiérrez, T H; Noble-Lugo, A; Nogueira-de Rojas, J R; Raña-Garibay, R H; Remes-Troche, J M; Roesch-Dietlen, F; Schmulson, M J; Soto-Pérez, J C; Tamayo, J L; Uscanga, L F; Valdovinos, M Á; Valerio-Ureña, J; Zavala-Solares, M R

2016-01-01

Since the publication in 2009 of the Guidelines on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome of the Asociación Mexicana de Gastroenterología (2009 Guidelines), there have been significant advances in our knowledge of the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of this disease. To present a consensus review of the most current knowledge of IBS, updating the 2009 Guidelines by incorporating new internationally published scientific evidence, with a special interest in Mexican studies. The PubMed literature from January 2009 to March 2015 was reviewed and complemented through a manual search. Articles in English and Spanish were included and preference was given to consensuses, guidelines, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. Statements referring to the different aspects of the disease were formulated and voted upon by 24 gastroenterologists employing the Delphi method. Once a consensus on each statement was reached, the quality of evidence and strength of recommendation were determined through the GRADE system. Forty-eight statements were formulated, updating the information on IBS and adding the complementary data that did not appear in the 2009 Guidelines regarding the importance of exercise and diet, diagnostic strategies, and current therapy alternatives that were analyzed with more stringent scientific vigor or that emerged within the last 5 years. We present herein a consensus review of the most relevant advances in the study of IBS, updating and complementing the 2009 Guidelines. Several studies conducted in Mexico were included. Copyright © 2016 Asociación Mexicana de Gastroenterología. Publicado por Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

Imaging Algorithms for Evaluating Suspected Rotator Cuff Disease: Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound Consensus Conference Statement

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobson, Jon A.; Benson, Carol B.; Bancroft, Laura W.; Bedi, Asheesh; McShane, John M.; Miller, Theodore T.; Parker, Laurence; Smith, Jay; Steinbach, Lynne S.; Teefey, Sharlene A.; Thiele, Ralf G.; Tuite, Michael J.; Wise, James N.; Yamaguchi, Ken

2013-01-01

The Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound convened a panel of specialists from a variety of medical disciplines to reach a consensus about the recommended imaging evaluation of painful shoulders with clinically suspected rotator cuff disease. The panel met in Chicago, Ill, on October 18 and 19, 2011, and created this consensus statement regarding the roles of radiography, ultrasonography (US), computed tomography (CT), CT arthrography, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, and MR arthrography. The consensus panel consisted of two co-moderators, a facilitator, a statistician and health care economist, and 10 physicians who have specialty expertise in shoulder pain evaluation and/or treatment. Of the 13 physicians on the panel, nine were radiologists who were chosen to represent a broad range of skill sets in diagnostic imaging, different practice types (private and academic), and different geographical regions of the United States. Five of the radiologists routinely performed musculoskeletal US as part of their practice and four did not. There was also one representative from each of the following clinical specialties: rheumatology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, orthopedic surgery, and nonoperative sports medicine. The goal of this conference was to construct several algorithms with which to guide the imaging evaluation of suspected rotator cuff disease in patients with a native rotator cuff, patients with a repaired rotator cuff, and patients who have undergone shoulder replacement. The panel hopes that these recommendations will lead to greater uniformity in rotator cuff imaging and more cost-effective care for patients suspected of having rotator cuff abnormality. © RSNA, 2013 PMID:23401583

Experts reviews of the multidisciplinary consensus conference colon and rectal cancer 2012: science, opinions and experiences from the experts of surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

van de Velde, C J H; Boelens, P G; Tanis, P J; Espin, E; Mroczkowski, P; Naredi, P; Pahlman, L; Ortiz, H; Rutten, H J; Breugom, A J; Smith, J J; Wibe, A; Wiggers, T; Valentini, V

2014-04-01

The first multidisciplinary consensus conference on colon and rectal cancer was held in December 2012, achieving a majority of consensus for diagnostic and treatment decisions using the Delphi Method. This article will give a critical appraisal of the topics discussed during the meeting and in the consensus document by well-known leaders in surgery that were involved in this multidisciplinary consensus process. Scientific evidence, experience and opinions are collected to support multidisciplinary teams (MDT) with arguments for medical decision-making in diagnosis, staging and treatment strategies for patients with colon or rectal cancer. Surgery is the cornerstone of curative treatment for colon and rectal cancer. Standardizing treatment is an effective instrument to improve outcome of multidisciplinary cancer care for patients with colon and rectal cancer. In this article, a review of the following focuses; Perioperative care, age and colorectal surgery, obstructive colorectal cancer, stenting, surgical anatomical considerations, total mesorectal excision (TME) surgery and training, surgical considerations for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) and local recurrent rectal cancer (LRRC), surgery in stage IV colorectal cancer, definitions of quality of surgery, transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM), laparoscopic colon and rectal surgery, preoperative radiotherapy and chemoradiotherapy, and how about functional outcome after surgery? Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

STRATEGIC PRIORITIES FOR INCREASING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AMONG ADULTS AGE 50 AND OLDER: THE NATIONAL BLUEPRINT CONSENSUS CONFERENCE SUMMARY REPORT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Terry Bazzarre

2003-12-01

Full Text Available On May 1, 2001, a coalition of national organizations released a major planning document designed to develop a national strategy for the promotion of physically active lifestyles among the mid-life and older adult population. The National Blueprint: Increasing Physical Activity Among Adults Age 50 and Older was developed with input from 46 organizations with expertise in health, medicine, social and behavioral sciences, epidemiology, gerontology/geriatrics, clinical science, public policy, marketing, medical systems, community organization, and environmental issues. The Blueprint notes that, despite a wealth of evidence about the benefits of physical activity for mid-life and older persons, there has been little success in convincing age 50+ Americans to adopt physically active lifestyles. The Blueprint identifies barriers in the areas of research, home and community programs, medical systems, public policy and advocacy, and marketing and communications. In addition to identifying barriers, the Blueprint proposes a number of concrete strategies that could be employed in order to overcome the barriers to physical activity in society at large. This report summarizes the outcome of the National Blueprint Consensus Conference that was held in October 2002. In this conference, representatives of more than 50 national organizations convened in Washington, D.C. with the goal of identifying high priority and high feasibility strategies which would advance the National Blueprint and which could be initiated within the next 12 to 24 months. Participants in the consensus conference were assigned to one of five breakout groups: home and community, marketing, medical systems, public policy, and research. Each breakout group was charged with identifying the three highest priority strategies within their area for effectively increasing physical activity levels in the mid-life and older adult population. In addition to the 15 strategies identified by the

Patient-Reported Outcome (PRO) Consortium translation process: consensus development of updated best practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Eremenco, Sonya; Pease, Sheryl; Mann, Sarah; Berry, Pamela

2017-01-01

This paper describes the rationale and goals of the Patient-Reported Outcome (PRO) Consortium's instrument translation process. The PRO Consortium has developed a number of novel PRO measures which are in the process of qualification by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in clinical trials where endpoints based on these measures would support product labeling claims. Given the importance of FDA qualification of these measures, the PRO Consortium's Process Subcommittee determined that a detailed linguistic validation (LV) process was necessary to ensure that all translations of Consortium-developed PRO measures are performed using a standardized approach with the rigor required to meet regulatory and pharmaceutical industry expectations, as well as having a clearly defined instrument translation process that the translation industry can support. The consensus process involved gathering information about current best practices from 13 translation companies with expertise in LV, consolidating the findings to generate a proposed process, and obtaining iterative feedback from the translation companies and PRO Consortium member firms on the proposed process in two rounds of review in order to update existing principles of good practice in LV and to provide sufficient detail for the translation process to ensure consistency across PRO Consortium measures, sponsors, and translation companies. The consensus development resulted in a 12-step process that outlines universal and country-specific new translation approaches, as well as country-specific adaptations of existing translations. The PRO Consortium translation process will play an important role in maintaining the validity of the data generated through these measures by ensuring that they are translated by qualified linguists following a standardized and rigorous process that reflects best practice.

Using Simulations to Improve Electronic Health Record Use, Clinician Training and Patient Safety: Recommendations From A Consensus Conference.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohan, Vishnu; Woodcock, Deborah; McGrath, Karess; Scholl, Gretchen; Pranaat, Robert; Doberne, Julie W; Chase, Dian A; Gold, Jeffrey A; Ash, Joan S

2016-01-01

A group of informatics experts in simulation, biomedical informatics, patient safety, medical education, and human factors gathered at Corbett, Oregon on April 30 and May 1, 2015. Their objective: to create a consensus statement on best practices for the use of electronic health record (EHR) simulations in education and training, to improve patient safety, and to outline a strategy for future EHR simulation work. A qualitative approach was utilized to analyze data from the conference and generate recommendations in five major categories: (1) Safety, (2) Education and Training, (3) People and Organizations, (4) Usability and Design, and (5) Sociotechnical Aspects.

Comprehensive risk reduction in patients with atrial fibrillation : Emerging diagnostic and therapeutic options Executive summary* of the report from the 3rd AFNET/EHRA consensus conference

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kirchhof, Paulus; Lip, Gregory Y. H.; Van Gelder, Isabelle C.; Bax, Jeroen; Hylek, Elaine; Kaeaeb, Stefan; Schotten, Ulrich; Wegscheider, Karl; Boriani, Giuseppe; Ezekowitz, Michael; Diener, Hans; Heidbuchel, Hein; Lane, Deirdre; Mont, Luis; Willems, Stephan; Dorian, Paul; Vardas, Panos; Breithardt, Guenter; Camm, A. John

2011-01-01

There are exciting new developments in several areas of atrial fibrillation (AF) management that carry the hope of improving outcomes in AF patients. This paper is an executive summary that summarises the proceedings from the 3rd AFNET/EHRA consensus conference on atrial fibrillation, held in Sophia

Management of high blood pressure in Blacks: an update of the International Society on Hypertension in Blacks consensus statement.

Science.gov (United States)

Flack, John M; Sica, Domenic A; Bakris, George; Brown, Angela L; Ferdinand, Keith C; Grimm, Richard H; Hall, W Dallas; Jones, Wendell E; Kountz, David S; Lea, Janice P; Nasser, Samar; Nesbitt, Shawna D; Saunders, Elijah; Scisney-Matlock, Margaret; Jamerson, Kenneth A

2010-11-01

Since the first International Society on Hypertension in Blacks consensus statement on the "Management of High Blood Pressure in African American" in 2003, data from additional clinical trials have become available. We reviewed hypertension and cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment guidelines, pharmacological hypertension clinical end point trials, and blood pressure-lowering trials in blacks. Selected trials without significant black representation were considered. In this update, blacks with hypertension are divided into 2 risk strata, primary prevention, where elevated blood pressure without target organ damage, preclinical cardiovascular disease, or overt cardiovascular disease for whom blood pressure consistently secondary prevention, where elevated blood pressure with target organ damage, preclinical cardiovascular disease, and/or a history of cardiovascular disease, for whom blood pressure consistently blood pressure is ≤10 mm Hg above target levels, monotherapy with a diuretic or calcium channel blocker is preferred. When blood pressure is >15/10 mm Hg above target, 2-drug therapy is recommended, with either a calcium channel blocker plus a renin-angiotensin system blocker or, alternatively, in edematous and/or volume-overload states, with a thiazide diuretic plus a renin-angiotensin system blocker. Effective multidrug therapeutic combinations through 4 drugs are described. Comprehensive lifestyle modifications should be initiated in blacks when blood pressure is ≥115/75 mm Hg. The updated International Society on Hypertension in Blacks consensus statement on hypertension management in blacks lowers the minimum target blood pressure level for the lowest-risk blacks, emphasizes effective multidrug regimens, and de-emphasizes monotherapy.

Technology-enabled assessment of health professions education: consensus statement and recommendations from the Ottawa 2010 Conference

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Amin, Zubair; Boulet, John R; Cook, David A

2011-01-01

The uptake of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in health professions education can have far-reaching consequences on assessment. The medical education community still needs to develop a deeper understanding of how technology can underpin and extend assessment practices....... This article was developed by the 2010 Ottawa Conference Consensus Group on technology-enabled assessment to guide practitioners and researchers working in this area. This article highlights the changing nature of ICTs in assessment, the importance of aligning technology-enabled assessment with local context...... and needs, the need for better evidence to support use of technologies in health profession education assessment, and a number of challenges, particularly validity threats, that need to be addressed while incorporating technology in assessment. Our recommendations are intended for all practitioners across...

Best practices recommendations in the application of immunohistochemistry in urologic pathology: report from the International Society of Urological Pathology consensus conference.

Science.gov (United States)

Amin, Mahul B; Epstein, Jonathan I; Ulbright, Thomas M; Humphrey, Peter A; Egevad, Lars; Montironi, Rodolfo; Grignon, David; Trpkov, Kiril; Lopez-Beltran, Antonio; Zhou, Ming; Argani, Pedram; Delahunt, Brett; Berney, Daniel M; Srigley, John R; Tickoo, Satish K; Reuter, Victor E

2014-08-01

Members of the International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) participated in a half-day consensus conference to discuss guidelines and recommendations regarding best practice approaches to use of immunohistochemistry (IHC) in differential diagnostic situations in urologic pathology, including bladder, prostate, testis and, kidney lesions. Four working groups, selected by the ISUP leadership, identified several high-interest topics based on common or relevant challenging diagnostic situations and proposed best practice recommendations, which were discussed by the membership. The overall summary of the discussions and the consensus opinion forms the basis of a series of articles, one for each organ site. This Special Article summarizes the overall recommendations made by the four working groups. It is anticipated that this ISUP effort will be valuable to the entire practicing community in the appropriate use of IHC in diagnostic urologic pathology.

Diagnostic standards for dopaminergic augmentation of restless legs syndrome: report from a World Association of Sleep Medicine-International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group consensus conference at the Max Planck Institute.

Science.gov (United States)

García-Borreguero, Diego; Allen, Richard P; Kohnen, Ralf; Högl, Birgit; Trenkwalder, Claudia; Oertel, Wolfgang; Hening, Wayne A; Paulus, Walter; Rye, David; Walters, Arthur; Winkelmann, Juliane; Earley, Christopher J

2007-08-01

Augmentation of symptom severity is the main complication of dopaminergic treatment of restless legs syndrome (RLS). The current article reports on the considerations of augmentation that were made during a European Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group (EURLSSG)-sponsored Consensus Conference in April 2006 at the Max Planck Institute (MPI) in Munich, Germany, the conclusions of which were endorsed by the International RLS Study Group (IRLSSG) and the World Association of Sleep Medicine (WASM). The Consensus Conference sought to develop a better understanding of augmentation and generate a better operational definition for its clinical identification. Current concepts of the pathophysiology, clinical features, and therapy of RLS augmentation were evaluated by subgroups who presented a summary of their findings for general consideration and discussion. Recent data indicating sensitivity and specificity of augmentation features for identification of augmentation were also evaluated. The diagnostic criteria of augmentation developed at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) conference in 2002 were reviewed in light of current data and theoretical understanding of augmentation. The diagnostic value and criteria for each of the accepted features of augmentation were considered by the group. A consensus was then developed for a revised statement of the diagnostic criteria for augmentation. Five major diagnostic features of augmentation were identified: usual time of RLS symptom onset each day, number of body parts with RLS symptoms, latency to symptoms at rest, severity of the symptoms when they occur, and effects of dopaminergic medication on symptoms. The quantitative data available relating the time of RLS onset and the presence of other features indicated optimal augmentation criteria of either a 4-h advance in usual starting time for RLS symptoms or a combination of the occurrence of other features. A paradoxical response to changes in medication dose also indicates

Eliciting Public Attitudes Regarding Bioremediation Cleanup Technologies: Lessons Learned from a Consensus Workshop in Idaho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Denise Lach, Principle Investigator; Stephanie Sanford, Co-P.I.

2003-03-01

During the summer of 2002, we developed and implemented a ''consensus workshop'' with Idaho citizens to elicit their concerns and issues regarding the use of bioremediation as a cleanup technology for radioactive nuclides and heavy metals at Department of Energy (DOE) sites. The consensus workshop is a derivation of a technology assessment method designed to ensure dialogue between experts and lay people. It has its origins in the United States in the form of ''consensus development conferences'' used by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to elicit professional knowledge and concerns about new medical treatments. Over the last 25 years, NIH has conducted over 100 consensus development conferences. (Jorgensen 1995). The consensus conference is grounded in the idea that technology assessment and policy needs to be socially negotiated among many different stakeholders and groups rather than narrowly defined by a group of experts. To successfully implement new technology, the public requires access to information that addresses a full complement of issues including understanding the organization proposing the technology. The consensus conference method creates an informed dialogue, making technology understandable to the general public and sets it within perspectives and priorities that may differ radically from those of the expert community. While specific outcomes differ depending on the overall context of a conference, one expected outcome is that citizen panel members develop greater knowledge of the technology during the conference process and, sometimes, the entire panel experiences a change in attitude toward the technology and/or the organization proposing its use (Kluver 1995). The purpose of this research project was to explore the efficacy of the consensus conference model as a way to elicit the input of the general public about bioremediation of radionuclides and heavy metals at Department of Energy sites

Eliciting Public Attitudes Regarding Bioremediation Cleanup Technologies: Lessons Learned from a Consensus Workshop in Idaho

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Denise Lach, Principle Investigator; Stephanie Sanford, Co-P.I.

2003-01-01

During the summer of 2002, we developed and implemented a ''consensus workshop'' with Idaho citizens to elicit their concerns and issues regarding the use of bioremediation as a cleanup technology for radioactive nuclides and heavy metals at Department of Energy (DOE) sites. The consensus workshop is a derivation of a technology assessment method designed to ensure dialogue between experts and lay people. It has its origins in the United States in the form of ''consensus development conferences'' used by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to elicit professional knowledge and concerns about new medical treatments. Over the last 25 years, NIH has conducted over 100 consensus development conferences. (Jorgensen 1995). The consensus conference is grounded in the idea that technology assessment and policy needs to be socially negotiated among many different stakeholders and groups rather than narrowly defined by a group of experts. To successfully implement new technology, the public requires access to information that addresses a full complement of issues including understanding the organization proposing the technology. The consensus conference method creates an informed dialogue, making technology understandable to the general public and sets it within perspectives and priorities that may differ radically from those of the expert community. While specific outcomes differ depending on the overall context of a conference, one expected outcome is that citizen panel members develop greater knowledge of the technology during the conference process and, sometimes, the entire panel experiences a change in attitude toward the technology and/or the organization proposing its use (Kluver 1995). The purpose of this research project was to explore the efficacy of the consensus conference model as a way to elicit the input of the general public about bioremediation of radionuclides and heavy metals at Department of Energy sites. Objectives of the research included: (1

International conference on the operational safety performance in nuclear installations. Contributed papers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-01-01

In 2001, the IAEA organized an 'International Conference on Topical Issues in Nuclear Safety'. The issues discussed during the conference were: (1) risk- informed decision-making; (2) influence of external factors on safety; (3) safety of fuel cycle facilities; (4) safety of research reactors; and (5) safety performance indicators. Senior nuclear safety decision makers reviewed the issues and formulated recommendations for future actions by national and international organizations. In 2004, the IAEA organized an 'International Conference on Topical Issues in Nuclear Safety' in Beijing China. The issues discussed during the conference were: (1) changing environment - coping with diversity and globalization; (2) operating experience - managing changes effectively; (3) regulatory management systems - adapting to changes in the environment; and (4) long term operations - maintaining safety margins while extending plant lifetimes. The results of this conference confirmed the importance of operators and regulators of nuclear facilities meeting periodically to share experience and opinion on emerging issues and future challenges of the nuclear industry. Substantial progress has been made, and continues to be made by Member States in enhancing the safety of nuclear installations worldwide. At the same time, more attention is being given to other areas of nuclear safety. The safety standards for research reactors are being updated and new standards are planned on the safety of other facilities in the nuclear fuel cycle. The Agency has taken a lead role in this effort and is receiving much support from its Member States to gain international consensus in these areas. The objective of the conference is to foster the exchange of information on operational safety performance and operating experience in nuclear installations, with the aim of consolidating an international consensus on: - the present status of these issues; - emerging issues with international implications

Critical thinking in health professions education: summary and consensus statements of the Millennium Conference 2011.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Grace C; Newman, Lori R; Schwartzstein, Richard M

2014-01-01

Critical thinking is central to the function of health care professionals. However, this topic is not explicitly taught or assessed within current programs, yet the need is greater than ever, in an era of information explosion, spiraling health care costs, and increased understanding about metacognition. To address the importance of teaching critical thinking in health professions education, the Shapiro Institute for Education and Research and the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation jointly sponsored the Millennium Conference 2011 on Critical Thinking. Teams of physician and nurse educators were selected through an application process. Attendees proposed strategies for integrating principles of critical thinking more explicitly into health professions curricula. Working in interprofessional, multi-institutional groups, participants tackled questions about teaching, assessment, and faculty development. Deliberations were summarized into consensus statements. Educational leaders participated in a structured dialogue about the enhancement of critical thinking in health professions education and recommend strategies to teach critical thinking.

Expert consensus v. evidence-based approaches in the revision of the DSM.

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Kendler, K S; Solomon, M

2016-08-01

The development of DSM-III through DSM-5 has relied heavily on expert consensus. In this essay, we provide an historical and critical perspective on this process. Over the last 40 years, medicine has struggled to find appropriate methods for summarizing research results and making clinical recommendations. When such recommendations are issued by authorized organizations, they can have widespread influence (i.e. DSM-III and its successors). In the 1970s, expert consensus conferences, led by the NIH, reviewed research about controversial medical issues and successfully disseminated results. However, these consensus conferences struggled with aggregating the complex available evidence. In the 1990s, the rise of evidence-based medicine cast doubt on the reliability of expert consensus. Since then, medicine has increasingly relied on systematic reviews, as developed by the evidence-based medicine movement, and advocated for their early incorporation in expert consensus efforts. With the partial exception of DSM-IV, such systematic evidence-based reviews have not been consistently integrated into the development of the DSMs, leaving their development out of step with the larger medical field. Like the recommendations made for the NIH consensus conferences, we argue that the DSM process should be modified to require systematic evidence-based reviews before Work Groups make their assessments. Our suggestions - which would require leadership and additional resources to set standards for appropriate evidence hierarchies, carry out systematic reviews, and upgrade the group process - should improve the objectivity of the DSM, increase the validity of its results, and improve the reception of any changes in nosology.

Dermatologic and dental aspects of the 2012 International Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Consensus Statements.

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Teng, Joyce M C; Cowen, Edward W; Wataya-Kaneda, Mari; Gosnell, Elizabeth S; Witman, Patricia M; Hebert, Adelaide A; Mlynarczyk, Greg; Soltani, Keyoumars; Darling, Thomas N

2014-10-01

The 2012 International Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Clinical Consensus Conference was convened to update the last consensus statement in 1998. Skin and dental lesions are common in tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) and are a frequent concern for patients. Recognition of these lesions is imperative for early diagnosis, given the treatment advances that may improve patient outcomes. To detail recommendations for the diagnosis, surveillance, and management of skin and dental lesions in TSC. The TSC Dermatology and Dentistry Subcommittee, 1 of 12 subcommittees, reviewed the relevant literature from 1997 to 2012. A consensus on skin and dental issues was achieved within the Dermatology and Dentistry Subcommittee before recommendations were presented, discussed, and agreed on in a group meeting of all subcommittees from June 14 to 15, 2012. Skin and dental findings comprise 4 of 11 major features and 3 of 6 minor features in the diagnostic criteria. A definite diagnosis of TSC is defined as the presence of at least 2 major features or 1 major and 2 or more minor features; in addition, a pathological mutation in TSC1 or TSC2 is diagnostic. Skin and oral examinations should be performed annually and every 3 to 6 months, respectively. Intervention may be indicated for TSC skin or oral lesions that are bleeding, symptomatic, disfiguring, or negatively affecting function. Options presented include surgical excision, laser(s), or use of a mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor.

Overcoming burdens in the regulation of clinical research in children. Proceedings of a consensus conference, in historical context

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Levine Robert J

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Many investigators are concerned that the modes of implementation and enforcement of the federal regulations designed to protect children are unduly impeding pediatric clinical research. Objective To assess regulatory impediments to clinical research involving children and to develop recommendations to ameliorate them. Participants The Pediatric Endocrine Society and The Endocrine Society convened a consensus conference involving experts and stakeholders in patient-oriented research involving children and adolescents in 2008. Consensus process Following presentations that reviewed problematic issues around key regulations, participants divided into working groups to develop potential solutions that could be adopted at local and federal levels. Presentations to the full assembly were then debated. A writing committee then drafted a summary of the discussions and main conclusions, placing them in historical context, and submitted it to all participants for comment with the aim of developing consensus. Conclusions Recommendations designed to facilitate the ethical conduct of research involving children addressed the interpretation of ambiguous regulatory terms such as "minimal risk" and "condition" and called for the development by professional societies of best practice primers for common research procedures that would be informative to both investigators and institutional review boards. A call was issued for improved guidance from the Office for Human Research Protections and Food and Drug Administration as well as for the development by professional societies of a process to monitor progress in improving human subject research regulation. Finally, a need for systematic research to define the nature and extent of institutional obstacles to pediatric research was recognized.

Defining biochemical failure following radiotherapy with or without hormonal therapy in men with clinically localized prostate cancer: Recommendations of the RTOG-ASTRO Phoenix Consensus Conference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roach, Mack; Hanks, Gerald; Thames, Howard; Schellhammer, Paul; Shipley, William U.; Sokol, Gerald H.; Sandler, Howard

2006-01-01

In 1996 the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) sponsored a Consensus Conference to establish a definition of biochemical failure after external beam radiotherapy (EBRT). The ASTRO definition defined prostate specific antigen (PSA) failure as occurring after three consecutive PSA rises after a nadir with the date of failure as the point halfway between the nadir date and the first rise or any rise great enough to provoke initiation of therapy. This definition was not linked to clinical progression or survival; it performed poorly in patients undergoing hormonal therapy (HT), and backdating biased the Kaplan-Meier estimates of event-free survival. A second Consensus Conference was sponsored by ASTRO and the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group in Phoenix, Arizona, on January 21, 2005, to revise the ASTRO definition. The panel recommended: (1) a rise by 2 ng/mL or more above the nadir PSA be considered the standard definition for biochemical failure after EBRT with or without HT; (2) the date of failure be determined 'at call' (not backdated). They recommended that investigators be allowed to use the ASTRO Consensus Definition after EBRT alone (no hormonal therapy) with strict adherence to guidelines as to 'adequate follow-up.' To avoid the artifacts resulting from short follow-up, the reported date of control should be listed as 2 years short of the median follow-up. For example, if the median follow-up is 5 years, control rates at 3 years should be cited. Retaining a strict version of the ASTRO definition would allow comparisons with a large existing body of literature

Distributed Data-aggregation Consensus for Sensor Networks: Relaxation of Consensus Concept and Convergence Property

Science.gov (United States)

2014-08-01

consensus algorithm called randomized gossip is more suitable [7, 8]. In asynchronous randomized gossip algorithms, pairs of neighboring nodes exchange...messages and perform updates in an asynchronous and unattended manner, and they also 1 The class of broadcast gossip algorithms [9, 10, 11, 12] are...dynamics [2] and asynchronous pairwise randomized gossip [7, 8], broadcast gossip algorithms do not require that nodes know the identities of their

Phenomenology and classification of dystonia: a consensus update.

Science.gov (United States)

Albanese, Alberto; Bhatia, Kailash; Bressman, Susan B; Delong, Mahlon R; Fahn, Stanley; Fung, Victor S C; Hallett, Mark; Jankovic, Joseph; Jinnah, Hyder A; Klein, Christine; Lang, Anthony E; Mink, Jonathan W; Teller, Jan K

2013-06-15

This report describes the consensus outcome of an international panel consisting of investigators with years of experience in this field that reviewed the definition and classification of dystonia. Agreement was obtained based on a consensus development methodology during 3 in-person meetings and manuscript review by mail. Dystonia is defined as a movement disorder characterized by sustained or intermittent muscle contractions causing abnormal, often repetitive, movements, postures, or both. Dystonic movements are typically patterned and twisting, and may be tremulous. Dystonia is often initiated or worsened by voluntary action and associated with overflow muscle activation. Dystonia is classified along 2 axes: clinical characteristics, including age at onset, body distribution, temporal pattern and associated features (additional movement disorders or neurological features); and etiology, which includes nervous system pathology and inheritance. The clinical characteristics fall into several specific dystonia syndromes that help to guide diagnosis and treatment. We provide here a new general definition of dystonia and propose a new classification. We encourage clinicians and researchers to use these innovative definition and classification and test them in the clinical setting on a variety of patients with dystonia. © 2013 Movement Disorder Society. © 2013 Movement Disorder Society.

Detecting community structure using label propagation with consensus weight in complex network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liang Zong-Wen; Li Jian-Ping; Yang Fan; Petropulu Athina

2014-01-01

Community detection is a fundamental work to analyse the structural and functional properties of complex networks. The label propagation algorithm (LPA) is a near linear time algorithm to find a good community structure. Despite various subsequent advances, an important issue of this algorithm has not yet been properly addressed. Random update orders within the algorithm severely hamper the stability of the identified community structure. In this paper, we executed the basic label propagation algorithm on networks multiple times, to obtain a set of consensus partitions. Based on these consensus partitions, we created a consensus weighted graph. In this consensus weighted graph, the weight value of the edge was the proportion value that the number of node pairs allocated in the same cluster was divided by the total number of partitions. Then, we introduced consensus weight to indicate the direction of label propagation. In label update steps, by computing the mixing value of consensus weight and label frequency, a node adopted the label which has the maximum mixing value instead of the most frequent one. For extending to different networks, we introduced a proportion parameter to adjust the proportion of consensus weight and label frequency in computing mixing value. Finally, we proposed an approach named the label propagation algorithm with consensus weight (LPAcw), and the experimental results showed that the LPAcw could enhance considerably both the stability and the accuracy of community partitions. (interdisciplinary physics and related areas of science and technology)

The definition, diagnostic testing, and management of chronic inducible urticarias - The EAACI/GA(2) LEN/EDF/UNEV consensus recommendations 2016 update and revision.

Science.gov (United States)

Magerl, M; Altrichter, S; Borzova, E; Giménez-Arnau, A; Grattan, C E H; Lawlor, F; Mathelier-Fusade, P; Meshkova, R Y; Zuberbier, T; Metz, M; Maurer, M

2016-06-01

These recommendations for the definition, diagnosis and management of chronic inducible urticaria (CIndU) extend, revise and update our previous consensus report on physical urticarias and cholinergic urticaria (Allergy, 2009). The aim of these recommendations is to improve the diagnosis and management of patients with CIndU. Our recommendations acknowledge the latest changes in our understanding of CIndU, and the available therapeutic options, as well as the development of novel diagnostic tools. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

International consensus conference on open abdomen in trauma.

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Chiara, Osvaldo; Cimbanassi, Stefania; Biffl, Walter; Leppaniemi, Ari; Henry, Sharon; Scalea, Thomas M; Catena, Fausto; Ansaloni, Luca; Chieregato, Arturo; de Blasio, Elvio; Gambale, Giorgio; Gordini, Giovanni; Nardi, Guiseppe; Paldalino, Pietro; Gossetti, Francesco; Dionigi, Paolo; Noschese, Giuseppe; Tugnoli, Gregorio; Ribaldi, Sergio; Sgardello, Sebastian; Magnone, Stefano; Rausei, Stefano; Mariani, Anna; Mengoli, Francesca; di Saverio, Salomone; Castriconi, Maurizio; Coccolini, Federico; Negreanu, Joseph; Razzi, Salvatore; Coniglio, Carlo; Morelli, Francesco; Buonanno, Maurizio; Lippi, Monica; Trotta, Liliana; Volpi, Annalisa; Fattori, Luca; Zago, Mauro; de Rai, Paolo; Sammartano, Fabrizio; Manfredi, Roberto; Cingolani, Emiliano

2016-01-01

A part of damage-control laparotomy is to leave the fascial edges and the skin open to avoid abdominal compartment syndrome and allow further explorations. This condition, known as open abdomen (OA), although effective, is associated with severe complications. Our aim was to develop evidence-based recommendations to define indications for OA, techniques for temporary abdominal closure, management of enteric fistulas, and methods of definitive wall closure. The literature from 1990 to 2014 was systematically screened according to PRISMA [Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses] protocol. Seventy-six articles were reviewed by a panel of experts to assign grade of recommendations (GoR) and level of evidence (LoE) using the GRADE [Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation] system, and an international consensus conference was held. OA in trauma is indicated at the end of damage-control laparotomy, in the presence of visceral swelling, for a second look in vascular injuries or gross contamination, in the case of abdominal wall loss, and if medical treatment of abdominal compartment syndrome has failed (GoR B, LoE II). Negative-pressure wound therapy is the recommended temporary abdominal closure technique to drain peritoneal fluid, improve nursing, and prevent fascial retraction (GoR B, LoE I). Lack of OA closure within 8 days (GoR C, LoE II), bowel injuries, high-volume replacement, and use of polypropylene mesh over the bowel (GoR C, LoE I) are risk factors for frozen abdomen and fistula formation. Negative-pressure wound therapy allows to isolate the fistula and protect the surrounding tissues from spillage until granulation (GoR C, LoE II). Correction of fistula is performed after 6 months to 12 months. Definitive closure of OA has to be obtained early (GoR C, LoE I) with direct suture, traction devices, component separation with or without mesh. Biologic meshes are an option for wall reinforcement if bacterial

Summary and consensus in 7th International Conference on acoustic neuroma: An update for the management of sporadic acoustic neuromas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hao Wu

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Sporadic vestibular schwannoma (acoustic neuroma is a benign tumor arising from cochleovestibular nerve. Nowadays, various specialties and medical centers are treating this disease, and the multidisciplinary collaboration is the trend. In an effort to promote a uniform standard for reporting clinical results, even for treatment indications, the mainly controversies were posed and discussed during the 7th International Conference on acoustic neuroma, and the agreement was summarized by the Committee of this conference. The main symptoms grading and tumor stage should note its name of classification for making them comparable. The goal of the modern managements for vestibular schwannoma is to improve the quality of life with lower mortality, lower morbidity and better neurological function preservation. The experience of surgical team and their preference might be a major factor for the outcome. Because of lacking of long-term follow-up large data after radiotherapy, and with the development of microsurgery, radiotherapy is now less recommended except for recurrent cases or elderly patients. Keywords: Sporadic acoustic neuroma, Vestibular schwannoma, Management, Symptoms grading, Tumor stage, Microsurgery, Radiotherapy

Group consensus peer review in radiation oncology: commitment to quality.

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Duggar, W Neil; Bhandari, Rahul; Yang, Chunli Claus; Vijayakumar, Srinivasan

2018-03-27

Peer review, especially prospective peer review, has been supported by professional organizations as an important element in optimal Radiation Oncology practice based on its demonstration of efficacy at detecting and preventing errors prior to patient treatment. Implementation of peer review is not without barriers, but solutions do exist to mitigate or eliminate some of those barriers. Peer review practice at our institution involves three key elements: new patient conference, treatment planning conference, and chart rounds. The treatment planning conference is an adaptation of the group consensus peer review model from radiology which utilizes a group of peers reviewing each treatment plan prior to implementation. The peer group in radiation oncology includes Radiation Oncologists, Physician Residents, Medical Physicists, Dosimetrists, and Therapists. Thus, technical and clinical aspects of each plan are evaluated simultaneously. Though peer review is held in high regard in Radiation Oncology, many barriers commonly exist preventing optimal implementation such as time intensiveness, repetition, and distraction from clinic time with patients. Through the use of automated review tools and commitment by individuals and administration in regards to staffing, scheduling, and responsibilities, these barriers have been mitigated to implement this Group Consensus Peer Review model into a Radiation Oncology Clinic. A Group Consensus Peer Review model has been implemented with strategies to address common barriers to effective and efficient peer review.

Asia-Pacific consensus on the management of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease: an update focusing on refractory reflux disease and Barrett's oesophagus.

Science.gov (United States)

Fock, Kwong Ming; Talley, Nicholas; Goh, Khean Lee; Sugano, Kentaro; Katelaris, Peter; Holtmann, Gerald; Pandolfino, John E; Sharma, Prateek; Ang, Tiing Leong; Hongo, Michio; Wu, Justin; Chen, Minhu; Choi, Myung-Gyu; Law, Ngai Moh; Sheu, Bor-Shyang; Zhang, Jun; Ho, Khek Yu; Sollano, Jose; Rani, Abdul Aziz; Kositchaiwat, Chomsri; Bhatia, Shobna

2016-09-01

Since the publication of the Asia-Pacific consensus on gastro-oesophageal reflux disease in 2008, there has been further scientific advancement in this field. This updated consensus focuses on proton pump inhibitor-refractory reflux disease and Barrett's oesophagus. A steering committee identified three areas to address: (1) burden of disease and diagnosis of reflux disease; (2) proton pump inhibitor-refractory reflux disease; (3) Barrett's oesophagus. Three working groups formulated draft statements with supporting evidence. Discussions were done via email before a final face-to-face discussion. We used a Delphi consensus process, with a 70% agreement threshold, using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) criteria to categorise the quality of evidence and strength of recommendations. A total of 32 statements were proposed and 31 were accepted by consensus. A rise in the prevalence rates of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease in Asia was noted, with the majority being non-erosive reflux disease. Overweight and obesity contributed to the rise. Proton pump inhibitor-refractory reflux disease was recognised to be common. A distinction was made between refractory symptoms and refractory reflux disease, with clarification of the roles of endoscopy and functional testing summarised in two algorithms. The definition of Barrett's oesophagus was revised such that a minimum length of 1 cm was required and the presence of intestinal metaplasia no longer necessary. We recommended the use of standardised endoscopic reporting and advocated endoscopic therapy for confirmed dysplasia and early cancer. These guidelines standardise the management of patients with refractory gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and Barrett's oesophagus in the Asia-Pacific region. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Diabetic kidney disease: a report from an ADA Consensus Conference.

Science.gov (United States)

Tuttle, Katherine R; Bakris, George L; Bilous, Rudolf W; Chiang, Jane L; de Boer, Ian H; Goldstein-Fuchs, Jordi; Hirsch, Irl B; Kalantar-Zadeh, Kamyar; Narva, Andrew S; Navaneethan, Sankar D; Neumiller, Joshua J; Patel, Uptal D; Ratner, Robert E; Whaley-Connell, Adam T; Molitch, Mark E

2014-10-01

The incidence and prevalence of diabetes mellitus have grown significantly throughout the world, due primarily to the increase in type 2 diabetes. This overall increase in the number of people with diabetes has had a major impact on development of diabetic kidney disease (DKD), one of the most frequent complications of both types of diabetes. DKD is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD), accounting for approximately 50% of cases in the developed world. Although incidence rates for ESRD attributable to DKD have recently stabilized, these rates continue to rise in high-risk groups such as middle-aged African Americans, Native Americans, and Hispanics. The costs of care for people with DKD are extraordinarily high. In the Medicare population alone, DKD-related expenditures among this mostly older group were nearly $25 billion in 2011. Due to the high human and societal costs, the Consensus Conference on Chronic Kidney Disease and Diabetes was convened by the American Diabetes Association in collaboration with the American Society of Nephrology and the National Kidney Foundation to appraise issues regarding patient management, highlighting current practices and new directions. Major topic areas in DKD included (1) identification and monitoring, (2) cardiovascular disease and management of dyslipidemia, (3) hypertension and use of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockade and mineralocorticoid receptor blockade, (4) glycemia measurement, hypoglycemia, and drug therapies, (5) nutrition and general care in advanced-stage chronic kidney disease, (6) children and adolescents, and (7) multidisciplinary approaches and medical home models for health care delivery. This current state summary and research recommendations are designed to guide advances in care and the generation of new knowledge that will meaningfully improve life for people with DKD. Copyright © 2014 American Diabetes Association and the National Kidney Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc

Gender differences in acute and chronic pain in the emergency department: results of the 2014 Academic Emergency Medicine consensus conference pain section.

Science.gov (United States)

Musey, Paul I; Linnstaedt, Sarah D; Platts-Mills, Timothy F; Miner, James R; Bortsov, Andrey V; Safdar, Basmah; Bijur, Polly; Rosenau, Alex; Tsze, Daniel S; Chang, Andrew K; Dorai, Suprina; Engel, Kirsten G; Feldman, James A; Fusaro, Angela M; Lee, David C; Rosenberg, Mark; Keefe, Francis J; Peak, David A; Nam, Catherine S; Patel, Roma G; Fillingim, Roger B; McLean, Samuel A

2014-12-01

Pain is a leading public health problem in the United States, with an annual economic burden of more than $630 billion, and is one of the most common reasons that individuals seek emergency department (ED) care. There is a paucity of data regarding sex differences in the assessment and treatment of acute and chronic pain conditions in the ED. The Academic Emergency Medicine consensus conference convened in Dallas, Texas, in May 2014 to develop a research agenda to address this issue among others related to sex differences in the ED. Prior to the conference, experts and stakeholders from emergency medicine and the pain research field reviewed the current literature and identified eight candidate priority areas. At the conference, these eight areas were reviewed and all eight were ratified using a nominal group technique to build consensus. These priority areas were: 1) gender differences in the pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions for pain, including differences in opioid tolerance, side effects, or misuse; 2) gender differences in pain severity perceptions, clinically meaningful differences in acute pain, and pain treatment preferences; 3) gender differences in pain outcomes of ED patients across the life span; 4) gender differences in the relationship between acute pain and acute psychological responses; 5) the influence of physician-patient gender differences and characteristics on the assessment and treatment of pain; 6) gender differences in the influence of acute stress and chronic stress on acute pain responses; 7) gender differences in biological mechanisms and molecular pathways mediating acute pain in ED populations; and 8) gender differences in biological mechanisms and molecular pathways mediating chronic pain development after trauma, stress, or acute illness exposure. These areas represent priority areas for future scientific inquiry, and gaining understanding in these will be essential to improving our understanding of sex and gender

26th Hohenheim Concensus Conference, September 11, 2010 Scientific substantiation of health claims: Evidence-based nutrition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Biesalski, H.K.; Aggett, P.J.; Anton, R.; Bernstein, P.S.; Blumberg, J.; Heaney, R.P.; Henry, J.; Nolan, J.M.; Richardson, D.P.; Ommen, van B.; Witkamp, R.F.; Rijkers, G.T.; Zollner, I.

2011-01-01

Objective The objective was to define the term evidence based nutrition on the basis of expert discussions and scientific evidence. Methods and procedures The method used is the established Hohenheim Consensus Conference. The term “Hohenheim Consensus Conference” defines conferences dealing with

The International Conference on the Great Lakes Region and the implementation of the Ezulwini Consensus: Challenges and prospects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shirambere P. Tunamsifu

2017-07-01

Full Text Available This article is evaluative assessing the implementation of the Ezulwini Consensus by the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR. In early April 2012, a mutiny started in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC, resulting in the creation of the rebel group known as the Mouvement du 23 Mars (M23. The spread of M23 constituted a serious threat to peace, security and stability in the entire African Great Lakes region. On the basis of the Ezulwini Consensus, which emphasises that regional organisations in areas of proximity to conflicts should be empowered to take action, the ICGLR resolved to intervene. Through several summits attempting to find a home-grown solution, the ICGLR faced two main challenges in implementing the Ezulwini Consensus. The first was related to the lack of actions and sanctions against member states that violated fundamental principles and the second was related to the lack of neutrality of the chairperson of the ICGLR during the dialogue between the government of the DRC and M23. The intervention of the ICGLR is important, but in such circumstances, it is crucial that member states demonstrate their political will to respect fundamental principles and sanction members that allegedly ignore these principles. In the mediation process, where there is sufficient evidence to indicate that a member state is allegedly providing support to rebel groups that are destabilising another member state, it is important that the ICGLR adopt a policy of requesting such a country to avoid taking the lead in or mediating the conflict. However, when regional organisations in areas of conflict face such challenges, the African Union must take responsibility for comediating or sending African experts to resolve the conflict impartially.

2016 Updated MASCC/ESMO Consensus Recommendations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Herrstedt, Jørn; Roila, Fausto; Warr, David

2017-01-01

PURPOSE: This review summarizes the recommendations for the prophylaxis of nausea and vomiting in adults receiving highly emetogenic chemotherapy (HEC) which includes cisplatin, mechlorethamine, streptozocin, cyclophosphamide >1500 mg/m(2), carmustine, dacarbazine, and the combination of an anthr......PURPOSE: This review summarizes the recommendations for the prophylaxis of nausea and vomiting in adults receiving highly emetogenic chemotherapy (HEC) which includes cisplatin, mechlorethamine, streptozocin, cyclophosphamide >1500 mg/m(2), carmustine, dacarbazine, and the combination...... antagonists (netupitant and rolapitant) have been included in the updated recommendations as additional options to aprepitant or fosaprepitant. Addition of one of these NK1-receptor antagonists to a combination of a 5-HT3-receptor antagonist and dexamethasone is recommended in both non-AC HEC and AC HEC...

Second-Order Multiagent Systems with Event-Driven Consensus Control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiangping Hu

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Event-driven control scheduling strategies for multiagent systems play a key role in future use of embedded microprocessors of limited resources that gather information and actuate the agent control updates. In this paper, a distributed event-driven consensus problem is considered for a multi-agent system with second-order dynamics. Firstly, two kinds of event-driven control laws are, respectively, designed for both leaderless and leader-follower systems. Then, the input-to-state stability of the closed-loop multi-agent system with the proposed event-driven consensus control is analyzed and the bound of the inter-event times is ensured. Finally, some numerical examples are presented to validate the proposed event-driven consensus control.

Delayed emesis: moderately emetogenic chemotherapy (single-day chemotherapy regimens only)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Roila, Fausto; Warr, David; Aapro, Matti

2011-01-01

An update of the recommendations for the prophylaxis of delayed emesis induced by moderately emetogenic chemotherapy discussed during the third Perugia Consensus Conference (June 2009) sponsored by MASCC-ESMO was presented. The review considered new studies published since the second consensus...

Reasons for holding a Consensus Conference on neuropsychological rehabilitation in adult patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Làdavass, E; Paolucci, S; Umiltà, C

2011-03-01

Neuropsychological deficits are common in various cerebrovascular, neurodegenerative and traumatic pathologies. Neuropsychological rehabilitation refers to a set of interventions that aim to improve a person's ability to perform cognitive tasks by retraining previously learned skills and teaching compensatory strategies. However, today there are some relevant points that need of further investigations. In 2007, a Task Force was set up under the auspices of several scientific societies that operate in the field of psychology, neuropsychology, rehabilitation and neurology (AIP, GIRN, SIMFER, SIN, SINP, and SPAN) with the aim to clarify the theoretical background of neuropsychological rehabilitation and to assess the diagnostic instruments and the treatments available to date. This consensus conference (CC), using methods derived from those of Evidence-Based-Medicine (EMB), evaluated several points, including: a) legal aspects; b) epidemiological aspects; c) neuropsychological rehabilitation of attentional and executive disorders; d) neuropsychological rehabilitation of speech/language disorders; e) neuropsychological rehabilitation of visual field defects; f) neuropsychological rehabilitation of neglect; g) neuropsychological rehabilitation of memory disorders; h) cognitive rehabilitation of arm apraxia; i) neuropsychological rehabilitation of Alzheimer disease; j) rehabilitation of multiple sclerosis; k) rehabilitation of severe brain injuries; l) rehabilitation of mild to moderate brain injuries; m) rehabilitation of behavioral disorders in severe brain injuries. Then, CC submitted to a specific Jury a final report with summary tables and questions. The final meeting of the Jury was held in Siena in February 2010.

A systematic decision-making process on the need for updating clinical practice guidelines proved to be feasible in a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Becker, Monika; Jaschinski, Thomas; Eikermann, Michaela; Mathes, Tim; Bühn, Stefanie; Koppert, Wolfgang; Leffler, Andreas; Neugebauer, Edmund; Pieper, Dawid

2018-04-01

The objective of this study was to test and evaluate a new decision-making process on the need for updating within the update of a German clinical practice guideline (CPG). The pilot study comprised (1) limited searches in Pubmed to identify new potentially relevant evidence, (2) an online survey among the members of the CPG group to assess the need for update, and (3) a consensus conference for determination and prioritization of guideline sections with a high need for update. Subsequently, we conducted a second online survey to evaluate the procedure. The searches resulted in 902 abstracts that were graded as new potentially relevant evidence. Twenty five of 39 members of the CPG group (64%) participated in the online survey. Seventy six percent of those took part in the second online survey. The evaluation study found on average a grade of support of the procedure regarding the determination of the need for update of 3.65 (standard deviation: 0.76) on a likert scale with 1 = "no support" to 5 = "very strong support." The conducted procedure presents a systematic approach for assessing whether and to what extent a CPG requires updating and enables setting priorities for which particular guideline section to update within a CPG. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Implants and/or teeth: consensus statements and recommendations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gotfredsen, K; Carlsson, G E; Jokstad, A

2008-01-01

In August 23-25, 2007, the Scandinavian Society for Prosthetic Dentistry in collaboration with the Danish Society of Oral Implantology arranged a consensus conference on the topic 'Implants and/or teeth'. It was preceded by a workshop in which eight focused questions were raised and answered in e...

IAEA Director General welcomes NPT consensus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-01-01

The document informs that the Director General of the IAEA welcomed the adoption with consensus by the Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons of the final document on the review and operation of the Treaty, and that he was pleased by the vote of confidence shown in the IAEA and its role in the implementation of the Treaty

Diagnosis and management of skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTI). A literature review and consensus statement: an update.

Science.gov (United States)

Esposito, Silvano; Bassetti, Matteo; Concia, Ercole; De Simone, Giuseppe; De Rosa, Francesco G; Grossi, Paolo; Novelli, Andrea; Menichetti, Francesco; Petrosillo, Nicola; Tinelli, Marco; Tumbarello, Mario; Sanguinetti, Maurizio; Viale, Pierluigi; Venditti, Mario; Viscoli, Claudio

2017-08-01

Skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTIs) are among the most common bacterial infections, posing considerable diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Fourteen members of the Italian Society of Infectious Diseases, after a careful review of the most recent literature using Medline database and their own clinical experience, updated a previous paper published in 2011 by preparing a draught manuscript of the statements. The manuscript was successively reviewed by all members and ultimately re-formulated the present manuscript during a full day consensus meeting. The microbiological and clinical aspects together with diagnostic features were considered for necrotizing and not necrotizing SSTIs in the light of the most recent guidelines and evidences published in the last five years. The antimicrobial therapy was considered as well - both empirical and targeted to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and/or other pathogens, also taking into account the epidemiological and bacterial resistance data and the availability of new antibacterial agents.

Democracy-based consensus in medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Greco, Massimiliano; Zangrillo, Alberto; Mucchetti, Marta; Nobile, Leda; Landoni, Paolo; Bellomo, Rinaldo; Landoni, Giovanni

2015-04-01

High-quality evidence and derived guidelines, as typically published in major academic journals, are a major process that shapes physician decision-making worldwide. However, for many aspects of medical practice, there is a lack of High-quality evidence or an overload of somewhat contradictory low-quality information, which makes decision-making a difficult, uncertain, and unpredictable process. When the issues in question are important and evidence limited or controversial, the medical community seeks to establish common ground for "best practice" through consensus conferences and consensus statements or guidelines. Such consensus statements are seen as a useful tool to establish expert agreement, define the boundaries of acceptable practice, provide priorities for the research agenda, and obtain opinions from different countries and healthcare systems. This standard approach, however, can be criticized for being elitist, noninclusive, and poorly representative of the community of clinicians who will have to make decisions about the implementation of such recommendations. Accordingly, the authors propose a new model based on a combination of a local core meeting (detailed review and expert input) followed by a worldwide web-based network assessment (democracy-based consensus). The authors already have applied this approach to develop consensus on all nonsurgical interventions that increase or reduce perioperative mortality in critically ill patients and in those with acute kidney injury. The methodology was based on 5 sequential local and web-based steps. Both a panel of experts and a large number of professionals from all over the world were involved, giving birth to a new type of "democracy-based consensus." This new type of "democracy-based consensus" has the potential to increase grass-root clinician involvement, expand the reach to less-developed countries, provide a more global perspective on proposed interventions, and perhaps more importantly, increase

Information beyond the forum: Motivations, strategies, and impacts of citizen participants seeking information during a consensus conference.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Ashley A; Delborne, Jason; Kleinman, Daniel Lee

2013-11-01

During traditional consensus conferences, organizers control the formal information available to participants-by compiling structured background materials and recruiting expert panelists. Less formally, however, participants are encouraged to bring their own experiences into the deliberations, and in doing so, they often seek outside information. We explore this heretofore understudied phenomenon of information seeking during a deliberative event: the U.S. National Citizens' Technology Forum (2008), which addressed the convergence of nanotechnology, biotechnology, information technology, and cognitive science on the potential development of human-enhancement technologies. Through interviews with participants and observation of in-person and online deliberations, we identify outside information-seeking strategies and motivations. Our study demonstrates that conceptualizing models of deliberation as standalone settings of communication exchange ignores the reality of the complex information environment from which deliberative participants draw when making sense of technical issues. Future citizen deliberations must incorporate outside information seeking in the design of the exercises.

2016 updated MASCC/ESMO consensus recommendations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Einhorn, Lawrence H; Rapoport, Bernardo; Navari, Rudolph M

2017-01-01

PURPOSE: This review summarizes the recommendations for the prophylaxis of acute and delayed nausea and vomiting induced by multiple-day chemotherapy, high-dose chemotherapy, and breakthrough nausea and vomiting as agreed at the MASCC/ESMO Antiemetic Guidelines update meeting in Copenhagen in June...... receiving high-dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant, a combination of a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist with dexamethasone and aprepitant (125 mg orally on day 1 and 80 mg orally on days 2 to 4) is recommended before chemotherapy. For patients undergoing multiple-day chemotherapy-induced nausea...... and vomiting, a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, dexamethasone, and aprepitant, are recommended before chemotherapy for the prophylaxis of acute emesis and delayed emesis. For patients experiencing breakthrough nausea and vomiting, the available evidence suggests the use of 10 mg oral olanzapine, daily for 3 days...

[Consensus Document on post-exposure prophylaxis against HIV, HBV and HCV in adults and children].

Science.gov (United States)

2016-02-01

This consensus document is an update of occupational and non-occupational prophylaxis guidelines in HIV-patients, promoting appropriate use of them, from the standpoint of care. This document has been approved by expert panel of SPNS, GESIDA, SEMST and different scientific societies related, after reviewing the results of efficacy and safety clinical trials, cohort and pharmacokinetic studies published in biomedical journals (PubMed and Embase) or presented at conferences and different guidelines. The strength of the recommendation and gradation of their evidence are based on the GRADE system. We have developed recommendations for assessing the risk of transmission in different types of exposure situations in which post-exposure prophylaxis should be recommended, special circumstances to consider, patterns of antiretroviral with the start and duration of early monitoring of tolerance and adherence to treatment, the subsequent monitoring of exposed persons regardless of whether they received post-exposure prophylaxis or not, and the need of psychological support. These new guidelines updated previous recommendations regarding occupational post-exposure prophylaxis and non-occupational, in adults and children. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.

[GESIDA/National AIDS Plan: Consensus document on antiretroviral therapy in adults infected by the human immunodeficiency virus (Updated January 2015)].

Science.gov (United States)

2015-10-01

This consensus document is an update of combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) guidelines and recommendations for HIV-1 infected adult patients. To formulate these recommendations, a panel composed of members of the AIDS Study Group and the AIDS National Plan (GeSIDA/Plan Nacional sobre el Sida) reviewed the efficacy and safety advances in clinical trials, and cohort and pharmacokinetic studies published in medical journals (PubMed and Embase) or presented in medical scientific meetings. The strength of the recommendations, and the evidence that supports them, are based on modified criteria of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. In this update, cART is recommended for all patients infected by type 1 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1). The strength and level of the recommendation depends on the CD4+T-lymphocyte count, the presence of opportunistic diseases or comorbid conditions, age, and prevention of transmission of HIV. The objective of cART is to achieve an undetectable plasma viral load. Initial cART should always comprise a combination of 3 drugs, including 2 nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, and a third drug from a different family. Three out of the ten recommended regimes are regarded as preferential (all of them with an integrase inhibitor as the third drug), and the other seven (based on a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, a ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitor, or an integrase inhibitor) as alternatives. This update presents the causes and criteria for switching cART in patients with undetectable plasma viral load, and in cases of virological failure where rescue cART should comprise 3 (or at least 2) drugs that are fully active against the virus. An update is also provided for the specific criteria for cART in special situations (acute infection, HIV-2 infection, and pregnancy) and with comorbid conditions (tuberculosis or other opportunistic infections, kidney disease, liver disease, and cancer). These new guidelines

Defining biochemical failure following radiotherapy with or without hormonal therapy in men with clinically localized prostate cancer: recommendations of the R.T.O.G.-Astro phoenix consensus conference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roach, M.; Hanks, G.; Thames, H.; Schellhammer, P.; Shipley, W.U.; Sokol, G.H.; Sandler, H.

2008-01-01

In 1996 the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) sponsored a Consensus Conference to establish a definition of biochemical failure after external beam radiotherapy (EBRT). The ASTRO definition defined prostate specific antigen (PSA) failure as occurring after three consecutive PSA rises after a nadir with the date of failure as the point halfway between the nadir date and the first rise or any rise great enough to provoke initiation of therapy. This definition was not linked to clinical progression or survival; it performed poorly in patients undergoing hormonal therapy (HT), and back-dating biased the Kaplan-Meier estimates of event-free survival. A second Consensus Conference was sponsored by ASTRO and the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group in Phoenix, Arizona, on January 21, 2005, to revise the ASTRO definition. The panel recommended: (1) a rise by 2 ng/mL or more above the nadir PSA be considered the standard definition for biochemical failure after EBRT with or without HT; (2) the date of failure be determined 'at call' (not back-dated). They recommended that investigators be allowed to use the ASTRO Consensus Definition after EBRT alone (no hormonal therapy) with strict adherence to guidelines as to 'adequate follow-up.' To avoid the artifacts resulting from short follow-up, the reported date of control should be listed as 2 years short of the median follow-up. For example, if the median follow-up is 5 years, control rates at 3 years should be cited. Retaining a strict version of the ASTRO definition would allow comparisons with a large existing body of literature. (authors)

Towards global consensus on core outcomes for hidradenitis suppurativa research: an update from the HISTORIC consensus meetings I and II*

Science.gov (United States)

Thorlacius, L.; Garg, A.; Ingram, J.R.; Villumsen, B.; Riis, P. Theut; Gottlieb, A.B.; Merola, J.F.; Dellavalle, R.; Ardon, C.; Baba, R.; Bechara, F.G.; Cohen, A.D.; Daham, N.; Davis, M.; Emtestam, L.; Fernández-Peñas, P.; Filippelli, M.; Gibbons, A.; Grant, T.; Guilbault, S.; Gulliver, S.; Harris, C; Harvent, C.; Houston, K.; Kirby, J.S.; Matusiak, L.; Mehdizadeh, A.; Mojica, T.; Okun, M.; Orgill, D.; Pallack, L.; Parks-Miller, A.; Prens, E.P.; Randell, S.; Rogers, C.; Rosen, C.F.; Choon, S.E.; van der Zee, H.H.; Christensen, R.; Jemec, G.B.E.

2018-01-01

Summary Background A core outcomes set (COS) is an agreed minimum set of outcomes that should be measured and reported in all clinical trials for a specific condition. Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) has no agreed-upon COS. A central aspect in the COS development process is to identify a set of candidate outcome domains from a long list of items. Our long list had been developed from patient interviews, a systematic review of the literature and a healthcare professional survey, and initial votes had been cast in two e-Delphi surveys. In this manuscript, we describe two in-person consensus meetings of Delphi participants designed to ensure an inclusive approach to generation of domains from related items. Objectives To consider which items from a long list of candidate items to exclude and which to cluster into outcome domains. Methods The study used an international and multistakeholder approach, involving patients, dermatologists, surgeons, the pharmaceutical industry and medical regulators. The study format was a combination of formal presentations, small group work based on nominal group theory and a subsequent online confirmation survey. Results Forty-one individuals from 13 countries and four continents participated. Nine items were excluded and there was consensus to propose seven domains: disease course, physical signs, HS-specific quality of life, satisfaction, symptoms, pain and global assessments. Conclusions The HISTORIC consensus meetings I and II will be followed by further e-Delphi rounds to finalize the core domain set, building on the work of the in-person consensus meetings. PMID:29080368

The 1st Baltic Osseointegration Academy and Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Consensus Conference 2016. Summary and Consensus Statements: Group III - Peri-Implantitis Treatment

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Fernando Suárez-López del Amo

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The task of Group 3 was to review and update the existing data concerning non-surgical, surgical non-regenerative and surgical regenerative treatment of peri-implantitis. Special interest was paid to the preventive and supporting therapy in case of peri-implantitis. Material and Methods: The main areas of interest were as follows: effect of smoking and history of periodontitis, prosthetic treatment mistakes, excess cement, overloading, general diseases influence on peri-implantitis development. The systematic review and/or meta-analysis were registered in PROSPERO, an international prospective register of systematic reviews: http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/. The literature in the corresponding areas of interest was searched and reported using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Statement: http://www.prisma-statement.org/. The method of preparation of systematic reviews of the literature based on comprehensive search strategies was discussed and standardized. The summary of the materials and methods employed by the authors in preparing the systematic review and/or meta-analysis is presented in Preface chapter. Results: The results and conclusions of the review process are presented in the respective papers. The group′s general commentaries, consensus statements, clinical recommendations and implications for research are presented in this article.

ESGAR consensus statement on liver MR imaging and clinical use of liver-specific contrast agents

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neri, E.; Boraschi, P.; Bartolozzi, C. [University of Pisa, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Pisa (Italy); Bali, M.A.; Matos, C. [Hopital Erasme, MRI Clinics, Department of Radiology, Bruxelles (Belgium); Ba-Ssalamah, A. [The General Hospital of the Medical University of Vienna, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Vienna (Austria); Brancatelli, G. [University of Palermo, Department of Radiology, Palermo (Italy); Alves, F.C. [University Hospital of Coimbra, Medical Imaging Department and Faculty of Medicine, Coimbra (Portugal); Grazioli, L. [Spedali Civili di Brescia, Department of Radiology, Brescia (Italy); Helmberger, T. [Academic Teaching Hospital of the Technical University, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Klinikum Bogenhausen, Munich (Germany); Lee, J.M. [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Division of Abdominal Imaging, Department of Radiology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Manfredi, R. [University of Verona, Department of Radiology, Verona (Italy); Marti-Bonmati, L. [Hospital Universitario y Politecnico La Fe, Area Clinica de Imagen Medica, Valencia (Spain); Merkle, E.M. [Universitaetsspital Basel, Klinik fuer Radiologie und Nuklearmedizin, Basel (Switzerland); Op De Beeck, B. [Antwerp University Hospital, Department of Radiology, Edegem (Belgium); Schima, W. [KH Goettlicher Heiland, Krankenhaus der Barmherzigen Schwestern and Sankt Josef-Krankenhaus, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Vienna (Austria); Skehan, S. [St Vincent' s University Hospital, Department of Radiology, Dublin (Ireland); Vilgrain, V. [Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, APHP, Hopital Beaujon, Radiology Department, Clichy, Paris (France); Zech, C. [Universitaetsspital Basel, Abteilungsleiter Interventionelle Radiologie, Klinik fuer Radiologie und Nuklearmedizin, Basel (Switzerland)

2016-04-15

To develop a consensus and provide updated recommendations on liver MR imaging and the clinical use of liver-specific contrast agents. The European Society of Gastrointestinal and Abdominal Radiology (ESGAR) formed a multinational European panel of experts, selected on the basis of a literature review and their leadership in the field of liver MR imaging. A modified Delphi process was adopted to draft a list of statements. Descriptive and Cronbach's statistics were used to rate levels of agreement and internal reliability of the consensus. Three Delphi rounds were conducted and 76 statements composed on MR technique (n = 17), clinical application of liver-specific contrast agents in benign, focal liver lesions (n = 7), malignant liver lesions in non-cirrhotic (n = 9) and in cirrhotic patients (n = 18), diffuse and vascular liver diseases (n = 12), and bile ducts (n = 13). The overall mean score of agreement was 4.84 (SD ±0.17). Full consensus was reached in 22 % of all statements in all working groups, with no full consensus reached on diffuse and vascular diseases. The consensus provided updated recommendations on the methodology, and clinical indications, of MRI with liver specific contrast agents in the study of liver diseases. (orig.)

Update on Diagnosis and Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy: A Consensus Guideline of the Working Group of Ocular Health (Spanish Society of Diabetes and Spanish Vitreous and Retina Society)

OpenAIRE

Borja Corcóstegui; Santiago Durán; María Olga González-Albarrán; Cristina Hernández; José María Ruiz-Moreno; Javier Salvador; Patricia Udaondo; Rafael Simó

2017-01-01

A group of members of the Spanish Retina and Vitreous Society (SERV) and of the Working Group of Ocular Health of the Spanish Society of Diabetes (SED) updated knowledge regarding the diagnosis and treatment of diabetic retinopathy (DR) based on recent evidence reported in the literature. A synthesis of this consensus forms the basis of the present review, which is intended to inform clinicians on current advances in the field of DR and their clinical applicability to patients with this disea...

[GeSIDA/National AIDS Plan: Consensus document on antiretroviral therapy in adults infected by the human immunodeficiency virus (Updated January 2014)].

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

This consensus document is an update of combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) guidelines for HIV-1 infected adult patients. To formulate these recommendations a panel composed of members of the Grupo de Estudio de Sida and the Plan Nacional sobre el Sida reviewed the efficacy and safety advances in clinical trials, cohort and pharmacokinetic studies published in medical journals (PubMed and Embase) or presented in medical scientific meetings. Recommendations strength and the evidence in which they are supported are based on modified criteria of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. In this update, antiretroviral therapy (ART) is recommended for all patients infected by type 1 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1). The strength and grade of the recommendation varies with the clinical circumstances: CDC stage B or C disease (A-I), asymptomatic patients (depending on the CD4+ T-lymphocyte count: 500 cells/μL, B-III), comorbid conditions (HIV nephropathy, chronic hepatitis caused by HBV or HCV, age >55years, high cardiovascular risk, neurocognitive disorders, and cancer, A-II), and prevention of transmission of HIV (mother-to-child or heterosexual, A-I; men who have sex with men, A-III). The objective of ART is to achieve an undetectable plasma viral load. Initial ART should always comprise a combination of 3 drugs, including 2 nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and a third drug from a different family (non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, protease inhibitor, or integrase inhibitor). Some of the possible initial regimens have been considered alternatives. This update presents the causes and criteria for switching ART in patients with undetectable plasma viral load and in cases of virological failure where rescue ART should comprise 2 or 3 drugs that are fully active against the virus. An update is also provided for the specific criteria for ART in special situations (acute infection, HIV-2 infection, and pregnancy) and with comorbid

The 26. CLI national conference. Conference proceedings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chevet, Pierre-Franck; Niel, Jean-Christophe; Legrand, Henri; Dumont, Jean-Jacques; Lachaume, Jean-Luc; Delalonde, Jean-Claude; Sene, Monique; Le Deaut, Jean Yves; Charles, Thierry; Sasseigne, Philippe; Fournier, Nicolas; Murith, Christophe; Rivasi, Michele; Perissat, Frederic; KESSLER, Emmanuel

2014-12-01

This document gathers contributions presented during a conference held in December 2014. After introduction speeches and a focus of some updates by ANCCLI and ASN representatives, this conference comprised two round tables. The first one addressed the continuation of nuclear reactor operation after their fourth safety re-examination, with contributions by representatives of the ASN, of the ANCCLI, of the IRSN, and of EDF. The second one addressed the issue of a European harmonisation regarding actions of protection of populations in case of a nuclear accident, with interventions of representatives of a CLI, of the ASN, of the Swiss federal office for public health, of an NGO (Nuclear Transparency Watch), and of a departmental prefect

Acute pancreatitis: reflections through the history of the Atlanta Consensus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Torres López, Ana María

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Acute pancreatitis is an inflammatory process with systemic and local repercussions. Most cases are mild with low mortality rate, but 20% of the patients have severe pancreatitis with a mortality rate up to 30%. Through the years the medical community has tried to reach consensus about this disease in order to better understand, classify and treat it. The most important of these has been known as the Atlanta Consensus 1992, in use for many years. However, it has been recently the subject of various proposals for changes and updates, which are discussed in this review article.

Consensus algorithm in smart grid and communication networks

Science.gov (United States)

Alfagee, Husain Abdulaziz

On a daily basis, consensus theory attracts more and more researches from different areas of interest, to apply its techniques to solve technical problems in a way that is faster, more reliable, and even more precise than ever before. A power system network is one of those fields that consensus theory employs extensively. The use of the consensus algorithm to solve the Economic Dispatch and Load Restoration Problems is a good example. Instead of a conventional central controller, some researchers have explored an algorithm to solve the above mentioned problems, in a distribution manner, using the consensus algorithm, which is based on calculation methods, i.e., non estimation methods, for updating the information consensus matrix. Starting from this point of solving these types of problems mentioned, specifically, in a distribution fashion, using the consensus algorithm, we have implemented a new advanced consensus algorithm. It is based on the adaptive estimation techniques, such as the Gradient Algorithm and the Recursive Least Square Algorithm, to solve the same problems. This advanced work was tested on different case studies that had formerly been explored, as seen in references 5, 7, and 18. Three and five generators, or agents, with different topologies, correspond to the Economic Dispatch Problem and the IEEE 16-Bus power system corresponds to the Load Restoration Problem. In all the cases we have studied, the results met our expectations with extreme accuracy, and completely matched the results of the previous researchers. There is little question that this research proves the capability and dependability of using the consensus algorithm, based on the estimation methods as the Gradient Algorithm and the Recursive Least Square Algorithm to solve such power problems.

Collective knowledge: Using a Consensus Conference approach to develop recommendations for physical activity and nutrition programs for persons with Type 2 diabetes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tanya eBerry

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this consensus conference was to have a lay panel of persons with type 2 diabetes (T2D work in collaboration with an expert panel of diabetes professionals to develop strategies designed to improve dietary and physical activity adherence in persons with T2D. Lay panel participants were 15 people living with T2D. The seven experts had expertise in exercise management, cardiovascular risk factors, community-based lifestyle interventions, healthy weight strategies, the glycemic index, exercise motivation, and social, environmental and cultural interactions. All meetings were facilitated by a professional, neutral facilitator. During the conference each expert gave a 15-minute presentation answering questions developed by the lay panel and all panel members worked to generate suggestions for programs and ways in which the needs of persons with T2D may be better met. A subgroup of the lay panel used the suggestions created from the conference to generate a final list of recommendations. Recommendations were categorized into 1 diagnosis/awareness (e.g., increasing awareness about T2D in the general public, need for lifelong self-monitoring post-diagnosis; 2 education for the person with diabetes (e.g., periodic refresher courses, professionals (e.g., regular interactions between researchers and persons with T2D so researchers better understand the needs of the affected population, and the community (e.g., support for families and employers; and 3 ongoing support (e.g., peer support groups. The recommendations from the conference can be used by researchers to design and evaluate physical activity and nutrition programs. The results can also be of use to policy makers and health promoters interested in increasing adherence to physical activity and nutrition guidelines among persons with T2D.

Consensus modeling to develop the farmers' market readiness assessment and decision instrument.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Eunlye; Dalton, Jarrod; Ngendahimana, David; Bebo, Pat; Davis, Ashley; Remley, Daniel; Smathers, Carol; Freedman, Darcy A

2017-09-01

Nutrition-related policy, system, and environmental (PSE) interventions such as farmers' markets have been recommended as effective strategies for promoting healthy diet for chronic disease prevention. Tools are needed to assess community readiness and capacity factors influencing successful farmers' market implementation among diverse practitioners in different community contexts. We describe a multiphase consensus modeling approach used to develop a diagnostic tool for assessing readiness and capacity to implement farmers' market interventions among public health and community nutrition practitioners working with low-income populations in diverse contexts. Modeling methods included the following: phase 1, qualitative study with community stakeholders to explore facilitators and barriers influencing successful implementation of farmers' market interventions in low-income communities; phase 2, development of indicators based on operationalization of qualitative findings; phase 3, assessment of relevance and importance of indicators and themes through consensus conference with expert panel; phase 4, refinement of indicators based on consensus conference; and phase 5, pilot test of the assessment tool. Findings illuminate a range of implementation factors influencing farmers' market PSE interventions and offer guidance for tailoring intervention delivery based on levels of community, practitioner, and organizational readiness and capacity.

The 2014 International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) Consensus Conference on Gleason Grading of Prostatic Carcinoma: Definition of Grading Patterns and Proposal for a New Grading System.

Science.gov (United States)

Epstein, Jonathan I; Egevad, Lars; Amin, Mahul B; Delahunt, Brett; Srigley, John R; Humphrey, Peter A

2016-02-01

In November, 2014, 65 prostate cancer pathology experts, along with 17 clinicians including urologists, radiation oncologists, and medical oncologists from 19 different countries gathered in a consensus conference to update the grading of prostate cancer, last revised in 2005. The major conclusions were: (1) Cribriform glands should be assigned a Gleason pattern 4, regardless of morphology; (2) Glomeruloid glands should be assigned a Gleason pattern 4, regardless of morphology; (3) Grading of mucinous carcinoma of the prostate should be based on its underlying growth pattern rather than grading them all as pattern 4; and (4) Intraductal carcinoma of the prostate without invasive carcinoma should not be assigned a Gleason grade and a comment as to its invariable association with aggressive prostate cancer should be made. Regarding morphologies of Gleason patterns, there was clear consensus on: (1) Gleason pattern 4 includes cribriform, fused, and poorly formed glands; (2) The term hypernephromatoid cancer should not be used; (3) For a diagnosis of Gleason pattern 4, it needs to be seen at 10x lens magnification; (4) Occasional/seemingly poorly formed or fused glands between well-formed glands is insufficient for a diagnosis of pattern 4; (5) In cases with borderline morphology between Gleason pattern 3 and pattern 4 and crush artifacts, the lower grade should be favored; (6) Branched glands are allowed in Gleason pattern 3; (7) Small solid cylinders represent Gleason pattern 5; (8) Solid medium to large nests with rosette-like spaces should be considered to represent Gleason pattern 5; and (9) Presence of unequivocal comedonecrosis, even if focal is indicative of Gleason pattern 5. It was recognized by both pathologists and clinicians that despite the above changes, there were deficiencies with the Gleason system. The Gleason grading system ranges from 2 to 10, yet 6 is the lowest score currently assigned. When patients are told that they have a Gleason score 6 out

2017 consensus of the Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society on stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation

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Chern-En Chiang, MD, PhD

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Atrial fibrillation (AF is the most common sustained arrhythmia, causing a 2-fold increase in mortality and a 5-fold increase in stroke. The Asian population is rapidly aging, and in 2050, the estimated population with AF will reach 72 million, of whom 2.9 million may suffer from AF-associated stroke. Therefore, stroke prevention in AF is an urgent issue in Asia. Many innovative advances in the management of AF-associated stroke have emerged recently, including new scoring systems for predicting stroke and bleeding risks, the development of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs, knowledge of their special benefits in Asians, and new techniques. The Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society (APHRS aimed to update the available information, and appointed the Practice Guideline sub-committee to write a consensus statement regarding stroke prevention in AF. The Practice Guidelines sub-committee members comprehensively reviewed updated information on stroke prevention in AF, emphasizing data on NOACs from the Asia Pacific region, and summarized them in this 2017 Consensus of the Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society on Stroke Prevention in AF. This consensus includes details of the updated recommendations, along with their background and rationale, focusing on data from the Asia Pacific region. We hope this consensus can be a practical tool for cardiologists, neurologists, geriatricians, and general practitioners in this region. We fully realize that there are gaps, unaddressed questions, and many areas of uncertainty and debate in the current knowledge of AF, and the physician׳s decision remains the most important factor in the management of AF.

[GEITDAH consensus on conduct disorders in children and adolescents].

Science.gov (United States)

Sasot-Llevadot, Jordi; Ibáñez-Bordas, Rosa M; Soto-López, Antonio; Montañés-Rada, Francisco; Gastaminza-Pérez, Xavier; Alda-Díez, José A; Cantó-Díez, Tomás; Catalá, Miguel A; Ferrin-Erdozáin, Maite; García-Giral, Marta; Graell-Bernal, Montserrat; Granada-Jiménez, Olvido; Herreros-Rodríguez, Óscar; Mardomingo-Sanz, María J; Mojarro-Práxedes, Dolores; Morey-Canyelles, Jaume; Ortiz-Guerra, Juan; Pàmies-Massana, Montserrat; Rey-Sánchez, Francisco; Romera-Torrens, María; Rubio-Morell, Belén; Ruiz-Lázaro, Pedro M; Ruiz-Sanz, Francisco

2015-08-16

In this paper, the Special Interest Group on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (GEITDAH, from its name in Spanish) presents a consensus reached by experts from all over Spain on conduct disorders in children and adolescents. Following the initial work by the team at the Pedopsychiatry Unit at the Quiron-Teknon Hospital in Barcelona, agreements have been reached on a number of basic aspects that could be the starting point for future consensuses. A top priority aim of the work was also to update the criteria in the Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fifth edition, for conduct disorders in children and adolescents, together with their comorbidity with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Comprehensive risk reduction in patients with atrial fibrillation: emerging diagnostic and therapeutic options--a report from the 3rd Atrial Fibrillation Competence NETwork/European Heart Rhythm Association consensus conference

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kirchhof, Paulus; Lip, Gregory Y H; Van Gelder, Isabelle C

2012-01-01

While management of atrial fibrillation (AF) patients is improved by guideline-conform application of anticoagulant therapy, rate control, rhythm control, and therapy of accompanying heart disease, the morbidity and mortality associated with AF remain unacceptably high. This paper describes...... the proceedings of the 3rd Atrial Fibrillation NETwork (AFNET)/European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) consensus conference that convened over 60 scientists and representatives from industry to jointly discuss emerging therapeutic and diagnostic improvements to achieve better management of AF patients. The paper...

Identifying patients with severe sepsis using administrative claims: patient-level validation of the angus implementation of the international consensus conference definition of severe sepsis.

Science.gov (United States)

Iwashyna, Theodore J; Odden, Andrew; Rohde, Jeffrey; Bonham, Catherine; Kuhn, Latoya; Malani, Preeti; Chen, Lena; Flanders, Scott

2014-06-01

Severe sepsis is a common and costly problem. Although consistently defined clinically by consensus conference since 1991, there have been several different implementations of the severe sepsis definition using ICD-9-CM codes for research. We conducted a single center, patient-level validation of 1 common implementation of the severe sepsis definition, the so-called "Angus" implementation. Administrative claims for all hospitalizations for patients initially admitted to general medical services from an academic medical center in 2009-2010 were reviewed. On the basis of ICD-9-CM codes, hospitalizations were sampled for review by 3 internal medicine-trained hospitalists. Chart reviews were conducted with a structured instrument, and the gold standard was the hospitalists' summary clinical judgment on whether the patient had severe sepsis. Three thousand one hundred forty-six (13.5%) hospitalizations met ICD-9-CM criteria for severe sepsis by the Angus implementation (Angus-positive) and 20,142 (86.5%) were Angus-negative. Chart reviews were performed for 92 randomly selected Angus-positive and 19 randomly-selected Angus-negative hospitalizations. Reviewers had a κ of 0.70. The Angus implementation's positive predictive value was 70.7% [95% confidence interval (CI): 51.2%, 90.5%]. The negative predictive value was 91.5% (95% CI: 79.0%, 100%). The sensitivity was 50.4% (95% CI: 14.8%, 85.7%). Specificity was 96.3% (95% CI: 92.4%, 100%). Two alternative ICD-9-CM implementations had high positive predictive values but sensitivities of Angus implementation of the international consensus conference definition of severe sepsis offers a reasonable but imperfect approach to identifying patients with severe sepsis when compared with a gold standard of structured review of the medical chart by trained hospitalists.

Coordinated Control for Flywheel Energy Storage Matrix Systems for Wind Farm Based on Charging/Discharging Ratio Consensus Algorithms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cao, Qian; Song, Y. D.; Guerrero, Josep M.

2016-01-01

This paper proposes a distributed algorithm for coordination of flywheel energy storage matrix system (FESMS) cooperated with wind farm. A simple and distributed ratio consensus algorithm is proposed to solve FESMS dispatch problem. The algorithm is based on average consensus for both undirected...... and unbalanced directed graphs. Average consensus is guaranteed in unbalanced digraphs by updating the weight matrix with both its row sums and column sums being 1. Simulation examples illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed control method....

2010 International consensus algorithm for the diagnosis, therapy and management of hereditary angioedema

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bowen, Tom; Cicardi, Marco; Farkas, Henriette

2010-01-01

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: We published the Canadian 2003 International Consensus Algorithm for the Diagnosis, Therapy, and Management of Hereditary Angioedema (HAE; C1 inhibitor [C1-INH] deficiency) and updated this as Hereditary angioedema: a current state-of-the-art review: Canadian Hungarian 2007 ...

Lactose intolerance and health disparities among African Americans and Hispanic Americans: an updated consensus statement.

Science.gov (United States)

Bailey, Rahn K; Fileti, Cecelia Pozo; Keith, Jeanette; Tropez-Sims, Susanne; Price, Winston; Allison-Ottey, Sharon Denise

2013-01-01

Dairy foods contribute nine essential nutrients to the diet including calcium, potassium and vitamin D; nutrients identified by the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans as being "of public health concern" within the U.S. population. Milk and milk product intake is associated with better diet quality and has been associated with a reduced risk of chronic diseases or conditions including hypertension, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, Type 2 Diabetes and osteoporosis. Some research also indicates dairy food intake may be linked to reduced body fat, when accompanied by energy-restriction. On average, both African Americans and Hispanic Americans consume less than the recommended levels of dairy foods, and perceived or actual lactose intolerance can be a primary reason for limiting or avoiding dairy intake. True lactose intolerance prevalence is not known because healthcare providers do not routinely measure for it, and no standardized assessment method exists. Avoiding dairy may lead to shortfalls of essential nutrients and increased susceptibility to chronic disease. This updated Consensus Statement aims to provide the most current information about lactose intolerance and health, with specific relevance to the African American and Hispanic American communities. Topics covered include diagnostic considerations, actual and recommended dairy food intake and levels of consumption of key dairy nutrients among African Americans and Hispanic Americans; prevalence of self-reported lactose intolerance among various racial/ethnic groups; the association between dairy food intake, lactose intolerance and chronic disease; and research-based management recommendations for those with lactose intolerance.

Conference proceedings of the 4. international conference on CANDU fuel. V. 1,2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-01-01

These proceedings contain the full texts of all 65 papers presented at the 4th International Conference on CANDU fuel. As such, they represent an update on the state-of-the-art in such important CANDU fuel topics as International Development Programs and Operating Experience with CANDU fuel, Performance Assessments and Fuel Behavior Modeling, Fuel Properties, Licensing and Accident Analyses for CANDU fuel, Design, Testing and Manufacturing, and Advanced Fuel Designs. The large number of papers required the use of parallel sessions for the first time at a CANDU Fuel Conference

Conference proceedings of the 4. international conference on CANDU fuel. V. 1,2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-12-31

These proceedings contain the full texts of all 65 papers presented at the 4th International Conference on CANDU fuel. As such, they represent an update on the state-of-the-art in such important CANDU fuel topics as International Development Programs and Operating Experience with CANDU fuel, Performance Assessments and Fuel Behavior Modeling, Fuel Properties, Licensing and Accident Analyses for CANDU fuel, Design, Testing and Manufacturing, and Advanced Fuel Designs. The large number of papers required the use of parallel sessions for the first time at a CANDU Fuel Conference.

A Logic of Blockchain Updates

OpenAIRE

Brünnler, Kai; Flumini, Dandolo; Studer, Thomas

2017-01-01

Blockchains are distributed data structures that are used to achieve consensus in systems for cryptocurrencies (like Bitcoin) or smart contracts (like Ethereum). Although blockchains gained a lot of popularity recently, there is no logic-based model for blockchains available. We introduce BCL, a dynamic logic to reason about blockchain updates, and show that BCL is sound and complete with respect to a simple blockchain model.

Consensus Report of the 2015 Weinman International Conference on Mesothelioma

Science.gov (United States)

On November 9 and 10, 2015, the International Conference on Mesothelioma in Populations Exposed to Naturally Occurring Asbestiform Fibers was held at the University of Hawaii Cancer Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. The meeting was cosponsored by the International Association for the S...

Psychological treatments and psychotherapies in the neurorehabilitation of pain: evidences and recommendations from the Italian Consensus Conference on Pain in Neurorehabilitation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gianluca eCastelnuovo

2016-02-01

Full Text Available BackgroundIt is increasingly recognized that treating pain is crucial for an effective care of the person in the setting of the neurological rehabilitation. The Italian Consensus Conference on Pain in Neurorehabilitation was constituted with the purpose to identify the best practices that can be used in this context. Along with drug therapies and physical interventions, psychological treatments have been proven to be some of the most valuable tools that can be used within a multidisciplinary approach for fostering a reduction in pain intensity. However, there is the need to elucidate what forms of psychotherapy could be matched with the specific pathologies that are taken in charge by the neurorehabilitation teams.ObjectivesTo extensively assess the available evidence which supports the use of psychological therapies for pain reduction in neurological diseases. MethodsA systematic review of the studies evaluating the effect of psychotherapies on pain intensity in neurological disorders was performed through an electronic search using PUBMED, EMBASE and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Based on the level of evidence of the included studies, recommendations were outlined separately for the different conditions.ResultsThe literature search yielded 2352 results and the final database included 400 articles. The overall strength of the recommendations was medium/low. The different forms of psychological interventions, including Cognitive – Behavioral Therapy, cognitive or behavioral techniques, Mindfulness, hypnosis, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Brief Interpersonal Therapy, virtual reality interventions, the different forms of biofeedback and mirror therapy were found to be effective for pain reduction in pathologies such as musculoskeletal pain, fibromyalgia, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, Central Post – Stroke pain, Phantom Limb Pain, pain secondary to Spinal Cord Injury, multiple sclerosis and other debilitating syndromes

The 1st Baltic Osseointegration Academy and Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Consensus Conference 2016. Summary and Consensus Statements: Group II - Peri-Implantitis Diagnostics and Decision Tree

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Tolga Fikret Tözüm

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The task of Group 2 was to review and update the existing data concerning clinical and genetic methods of diagnostics of peri-implantitis. Special interest was paid to the peri-implant crevicular fluid (PICF overview including analysis of enzymes and biomarkers and microbial profiles from implants. Material and Methods: The main areas of interest were as follows: effect of smoking and history of periodontitis, prosthetic treatment mistakes, excess cement, overloading, general diseases influence on peri-implantitis development. The systematic review and/or meta-analysis were registered in PROSPERO, an international prospective register of systematic reviews: http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/. The literature in the corresponding areas of interest was searched and reported using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Statement: http://www.prisma-statement.org/. The method of preparation of systematic reviews of the literature based on comprehensive search strategies was discussed and standardized. The summary of the materials and methods employed by the authors in preparing the systematic review and/or meta-analysis is presented in Preface chapter. Results: The results and conclusions of the review process are presented in the respective papers. The group′s general commentaries, consensus statements, clinical recommendations and implications for research are presented in this article.

International Society of Geriatric Oncology Consensus on Geriatric Assessment in Older Patients With Cancer

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wildiers, Hans; Heeren, Pieter; Puts, Martine; Topinkova, Eva; Janssen-Heijnen, Maryska L. G.; Extermann, Martine; Falandry, Claire; Artz, Andrew; Brain, Etienne; Colloca, Giuseppe; Flamaing, Johan; Karnakis, Theodora; Kenis, Cindy; Audisio, Riccardo A.; Mohile, Supriya; Repetto, Lazzaro; Van Leeuwen, Barbara; Milisen, Koen; Hurria, Arti

2014-01-01

Purpose To update the International Society of Geriatric Oncology (SIOG) 2005 recommendations on geriatric assessment (GA) in older patients with cancer. Methods SIOG composed a panel with expertise in geriatric oncology to develop consensus statements after literature review of key evidence on the

CONTINUOUS GLUCOSE MONITORING: A CONSENSUS CONFERENCE OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGISTS AND AMERICAN COLLEGE OF ENDOCRINOLOGY.

Science.gov (United States)

Fonseca, Vivian A; Grunberger, George; Anhalt, Henry; Bailey, Timothy S; Blevins, Thomas; Garg, Satish K; Handelsman, Yehuda; Hirsch, Irl B; Orzeck, Eric A; Roberts, Victor Lawrence; Tamborlane, William

2016-08-01

Barriers to continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) use continue to hamper adoption of this valuable technology for the management of diabetes. The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and the American College of Endocrinology convened a public consensus conference February 20, 2016, to review available CGM data and propose strategies for expanding CGM access. Conference participants agreed that evidence supports the benefits of CGM in type 1 diabetes and that these benefits are likely to apply whenever intensive insulin therapy is used, regardless of diabetes type. CGM is likely to reduce healthcare resource utilization for acute and chronic complications, although real-world analyses are needed to confirm potential cost savings and quality of life improvements. Ongoing technological advances have improved CGM accuracy and usability, but more innovations in human factors, data delivery, reporting, and interpretation are needed to foster expanded use. The development of a standardized data report using similar metrics across all devices would facilitate clinician and patient understanding and utilization of CGM. Expanded CGM coverage by government and private payers is an urgent need. CGM improves glycemic control, reduces hypoglycemia, and may reduce overall costs of diabetes management. Expanding CGM coverage and utilization is likely to improve the health outcomes of people with diabetes. A1C = glycated hemoglobin AACE = American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists ACE = American College of Endocrinology ASPIRE = Automation to Simulate Pancreatic Insulin Response CGM = continuous glucose monitoring HRQOL = health-related quality of life ICER = incremental cost-effectiveness ratio JDRF = Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation MARD = mean absolute relative difference MDI = multiple daily injections QALY = quality-adjusted life years RCT = randomized, controlled trial SAP = sensor-augmented pump SMBG = self-monitoring of blood glucose STAR = Sensor

Microbicides 2006 conference

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McGowan Ian

2006-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Current HIV/AIDS statistics show that women account for almost 60% of HIV infections in Sub-Saharan Africa. HIV prevention tools such as male and female condoms, abstinence and monogamy are not always feasible options for women due to various socio-economic and cultural factors. Microbicides are products designed to be inserted in the vagina or rectum prior to sex to prevent HIV acquisition. The biannual Microbicides conference took place in Cape Town, South Africa from 23–26 April 2006. The conference was held for the first time on the African continent, the region worst affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The conference brought together a record number of 1,300 scientists, researchers, policy makers, healthcare workers, communities and advocates. The conference provided an opportunity for an update on microbicide research and development as well as discussions around key issues such as ethics, acceptability, access and community involvement. This report discusses the current status of microbicide research and development, encompassing basic and clinical science, social and behavioural science, and community mobilisation and advocacy activities.

Consensus Guidelines for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring in Neuropsychopharmacology: Update 2017.

Science.gov (United States)

Hiemke, C; Bergemann, N; Clement, H W; Conca, A; Deckert, J; Domschke, K; Eckermann, G; Egberts, K; Gerlach, M; Greiner, C; Gründer, G; Haen, E; Havemann-Reinecke, U; Hefner, G; Helmer, R; Janssen, G; Jaquenoud, E; Laux, G; Messer, T; Mössner, R; Müller, M J; Paulzen, M; Pfuhlmann, B; Riederer, P; Saria, A; Schoppek, B; Schoretsanitis, G; Schwarz, M; Gracia, M Silva; Stegmann, B; Steimer, W; Stingl, J C; Uhr, M; Ulrich, S; Unterecker, S; Waschgler, R; Zernig, G; Zurek, G; Baumann, P

2018-01-01

Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is the quantification and interpretation of drug concentrations in blood to optimize pharmacotherapy. It considers the interindividual variability of pharmacokinetics and thus enables personalized pharmacotherapy. In psychiatry and neurology, patient populations that may particularly benefit from TDM are children and adolescents, pregnant women, elderly patients, individuals with intellectual disabilities, patients with substance abuse disorders, forensic psychiatric patients or patients with known or suspected pharmacokinetic abnormalities. Non-response at therapeutic doses, uncertain drug adherence, suboptimal tolerability, or pharmacokinetic drug-drug interactions are typical indications for TDM. However, the potential benefits of TDM to optimize pharmacotherapy can only be obtained if the method is adequately integrated in the clinical treatment process. To supply treating physicians and laboratories with valid information on TDM, the TDM task force of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Neuropsychopharmakologie und Pharmakopsychiatrie (AGNP) issued their first guidelines for TDM in psychiatry in 2004. After an update in 2011, it was time for the next update. Following the new guidelines holds the potential to improve neuropsychopharmacotherapy, accelerate the recovery of many patients, and reduce health care costs. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

The Consensus from the Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (MAP Conference 2017

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J. Todd Kuenstner

2017-09-01

Full Text Available On March 24 and 25, 2017 researchers and clinicians from around the world met at Temple University in Philadelphia to discuss the current knowledge of Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (MAP and its relationship to human disease. The conference was held because of shared concern that MAP is a zoonotic bacterium that poses a threat not only to animal health but also human health. In order to further study this problem, the conferees discussed ways to improve MAP diagnostic tests and discussed potential future anti-MAP clinical trials. The conference proceedings may be viewed on the www.Humanpara.org website. A summary of the salient work in this field is followed by recommendations from a majority of the conferees.

Taiwan consensus of pharmacological treatment for bipolar disorder

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Ya-Mei Bai

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Bipolar disorder is an important psychiatric disorder with different disease phases. The pharmacological treatment is complicated, and is updated frequently as new research evidence emerges. For the purpose of international collaboration, research, and education, the Taiwan consensus of pharmacological treatment for bipolar disorders was initiated by the Taiwanese Society of Biological Psychiatry and Neuropsychopharmacology (TSBPN – the Bipolar Chapter, which was established in August 2010 and approved as a member of International Society of Bipolar Disorder. TSBPN is the country member of the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry (WFSBP. The development of the Taiwan consensus for bipolar disorder was mainly based on the template of WFSBP Guidelines, with references to other international guidelines including the Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments, and British Association for Psychopharmacology. We have also added Taiwanese experts’ experience, Taiwan national health insurance data, and the indications for the pharmacological treatment of bipolar disorder given by the Taiwan Department of Health, to emphasize the balance between efficacy and safety, and to make this consensus a concise, empirical, and important reference for clinical psychiatric practice.

Identifying key performance indicators for nursing and midwifery care using a consensus approach.

Science.gov (United States)

McCance, Tanya; Telford, Lorna; Wilson, Julie; Macleod, Olive; Dowd, Audrey

2012-04-01

The aim of this study was to gain consensus on key performance indicators that are appropriate and relevant for nursing and midwifery practice in the current policy context. There is continuing demand to demonstrate effectiveness and efficiency in health and social care and to communicate this at boardroom level. Whilst there is substantial literature on the use of clinical indicators and nursing metrics, there is less evidence relating to indicators that reflect the patient experience. A consensus approach was used to identify relevant key performance indicators. A nominal group technique was used comprising two stages: a workshop involving all grades of nursing and midwifery staff in two HSC trusts in Northern Ireland (n = 50); followed by a regional Consensus Conference (n = 80). During the workshop, potential key performance indicators were identified. This was used as the basis for the Consensus Conference, which involved two rounds of consensus. Analysis was based on aggregated scores that were then ranked. Stage one identified 38 potential indicators and stage two prioritised the eight top-ranked indicators as a core set for nursing and midwifery. The relevance and appropriateness of these indicators were confirmed with nurses and midwives working in a range of settings and from the perspective of service users. The eight indicators identified do not conform to the majority of other nursing metrics generally reported in the literature. Furthermore, they are strategically aligned to work on the patient experience and are reflective of the fundamentals of nursing and midwifery practice, with the focus on person-centred care. Nurses and midwives have a significant contribution to make in determining the extent to which these indicators are achieved in practice. Furthermore, measurement of such indicators provides an opportunity to evidence of the unique impact of nursing/midwifery care on the patient experience. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

[Chinese expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension in the elderly(2017)].

Science.gov (United States)

2017-11-01

China has stepped into an aging society. Hypertension is an independent risk factor of cardio-cerebrovascular diseases and related to mortality and disability of the elderly. Compared to middle-aged and young patients with similar blood pressure elevation, the risks of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events significantly increase in the elderly. Since the Chinese expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension in the elderly(2008, 2011 version) were published, many guidelines have been accordingly updated, which further improved the prevention and control strategy of hypertension. In this article, Chinese expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension in the elderly(2017) is revised as to facilitate the prevention and treatment of hypertension in Chinese elderly. The consensus is composed of eight parts, including definition, epidemiology, characteristics, evidence, treatment objectives and measurements of elderly hypertension. The purpose of the consensus is to provide guidance for management of elderly hypertensive patients.

Incidence and prevalence of elite male cricket injuries using updated consensus definitions

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Orchard JW

2016-12-01

Full Text Available John W Orchard, Alex Kountouris, Kevin Sims National Cricket Centre, Cricket Australia, Brisbane, Australia Background: T20 (Twenty20 or 20 over cricket has emerged in the last decade as the most popular form of cricket (in terms of spectator attendances. International consensus cricket definitions, first published in 2005, were updated in 2016 to better reflect the rise to prominence of T20 cricket.  Methods: Injury incidence and prevalence rates were calculated using the new international methods and units for elite senior male Australian cricketers over the past decade (season 2006–2007 to season 2015–2016 inclusive.  Results: Over the past 10 seasons, average match injury incidence, for match time-loss injuries, was 155 injuries/1,000 days of play, with the highest daily rates in 50-over cricket, followed by 20-over cricket and First-Class matches. Annual injury incidence was 64 injuries/100 players per season, and average annual injury prevalence was 12.5% (although fast bowlers averaged 20.6%, much higher than other positions. The most common injury was the hamstring strain (seasonal incidence 8.7 injuries/100 players per season. The most prevalent injury was lumbar stress fractures (1.9% of players unavailable at all times owing to these injuries, which represents 15% of all missed playing time.  Discussion: The hamstring strain has emerged from being one of the many common injuries in elite cricket a decade ago to being clearly the most common injury in the sport at the elite level. This is presumably in association with increased T20 cricket. Lumbar stress fractures in fast bowlers are still the most prevalent injury in the sport of cricket at the elite level, although these injuries are more associated with high workloads arising from the longer forms of the game. Domestic and international matches have very similar match injury incidence rates across the formats, but injury prevalence is higher in international players as

International Consensus Statement on the Clinical and Therapeutic Management of Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy.

Science.gov (United States)

Carelli, Valerio; Carbonelli, Michele; de Coo, Irenaeus F; Kawasaki, Aki; Klopstock, Thomas; Lagrèze, Wolf A; La Morgia, Chiara; Newman, Nancy J; Orssaud, Christophe; Pott, Jan Willem R; Sadun, Alfredo A; van Everdingen, Judith; Vignal-Clermont, Catherine; Votruba, Marcela; Yu-Wai-Man, Patrick; Barboni, Piero

2017-12-01

Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is currently estimated as the most frequent mitochondrial disease (1 in 27,000-45,000). Its molecular pathogenesis and natural history is now fairly well understood. LHON also is the first mitochondrial disease for which a treatment has been approved (idebenone-Raxone, Santhera Pharmaceuticals) by the European Medicine Agency, under exceptional circumstances because of the rarity and severity of the disease. However, what remains unclear includes the optimal target population, timing, dose, and frequency of administration of idebenone in LHON due to lack of accepted definitions, criteria, and general guidelines for the clinical management of LHON. To address these issues, a consensus conference with a panel of experts from Europe and North America was held in Milan, Italy, in 2016. The intent was to provide expert consensus statements for the clinical and therapeutic management of LHON based on the currently available evidence. We report the conclusions of this conference, providing the guidelines for clinical and therapeutic management of LHON.

Consensus on consensus: a synthesis of consensus estimates on human-caused global warming

Science.gov (United States)

Cook, John; Oreskes, Naomi; Doran, Peter T.; Anderegg, William R. L.; Verheggen, Bart; Maibach, Ed W.; Carlton, J. Stuart; Lewandowsky, Stephan; Skuce, Andrew G.; Green, Sarah A.; Nuccitelli, Dana; Jacobs, Peter; Richardson, Mark; Winkler, Bärbel; Painting, Rob; Rice, Ken

2016-04-01

The consensus that humans are causing recent global warming is shared by 90%-100% of publishing climate scientists according to six independent studies by co-authors of this paper. Those results are consistent with the 97% consensus reported by Cook et al (Environ. Res. Lett. 8 024024) based on 11 944 abstracts of research papers, of which 4014 took a position on the cause of recent global warming. A survey of authors of those papers (N = 2412 papers) also supported a 97% consensus. Tol (2016 Environ. Res. Lett. 11 048001) comes to a different conclusion using results from surveys of non-experts such as economic geologists and a self-selected group of those who reject the consensus. We demonstrate that this outcome is not unexpected because the level of consensus correlates with expertise in climate science. At one point, Tol also reduces the apparent consensus by assuming that abstracts that do not explicitly state the cause of global warming (‘no position’) represent non-endorsement, an approach that if applied elsewhere would reject consensus on well-established theories such as plate tectonics. We examine the available studies and conclude that the finding of 97% consensus in published climate research is robust and consistent with other surveys of climate scientists and peer-reviewed studies.

3rd Brazilian consensus on Helicobacter pylori 3º Consenso Brasileiro para Estudo do Helicobacter pylori

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Luiz Gonzaga Coelho

Full Text Available Significant progress has been obtained since the Second Brazilian Consensus Conference on Helicobacter pylori Infection held in 2004, in São Paulo, SP, Brazil, and justify a third meeting to establish updated guidelines on the current management of H. pylori infection. The Third Brazilian Consensus Conference on H pylori Infection was organized by the Brazilian Nucleus for the Study of Helicobacter, a Department of the Brazilian Federation of Gastroenterology and took place on April 12-15, 2011, in Bento Gonçalves, RS, Brazil. Thirty-one delegates coming from the five Brazilian regions and one international guest, including gastroenterologists, pathologists, epidemiologists, and pediatricians undertook the meeting. The participants were allocated in one of the five main topics of the meeting: H pylori, functional dyspepsia and diagnosis; H pylori and gastric cancer; H pylori and other associated disorders; H pylori treatment and retreatment; and, epidemiology of H pylori infection in Brazil. The results of each subgroup were submitted to a final consensus voting to all participants. Relevant data were presented, and the quality of evidence, strength of recommendation, and level of consensus were graded. Seventy per cent and more votes were considered as acceptance for the final statement. This article presents the main recommendations and conclusions to guide Brazilian doctors involved in the management of H pylori infection.Os avanços significativos ocorridos desde o Segundo Consenso Brasileiro sobre H. pylori realizado em 2004, em São Paulo, justificam este terceiro consenso. O evento foi organizado pelo Núcleo Brasileiro para Estudo do Helicobacter, departamento da Federação Brasileira de Gastroenterologia, tendo sido realizado em Bento Gonçalves, RS, nos dias 12 a 15 de abril de 2011. Contou com a participação de 30 delegados provenientes das cinco regiões brasileiras e um convidado internacional, incluindo gastroenterologistas

Healthy food procurement and nutrition standards in public facilities: evidence synthesis and consensus policy recommendations

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Kim D. Raine

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Unhealthy foods are widely available in public settings across Canada, contributing to diet-related chronic diseases, such as obesity. This is a concern given that public facilities often provide a significant amount of food for consumption by vulnerable groups, including children and seniors. Healthy food procurement policies, which support procuring, distributing, selling, and/or serving healthier foods, have recently emerged as a promising strategy to counter this public health issue by increasing access to healthier foods. Although numerous Canadian health and scientific organizations have recommended such policies, they have not yet been broadly implemented in Canada. Methods: To inform further policy action on healthy food procurement in a Canadian context, we: (1 conducted an evidence synthesis to assess the impact of healthy food procurement policies on health outcomes and sales, intake, and availability of healthier food, and (2 hosted a consensus conference in September 2014. The consensus conference invited experts with public health/nutrition policy research expertise, as well as health services and food services practitioner experience, to review evidence, share experiences, and develop a consensus statement/recommendations on healthy food procurement in Canada. Results: Findings from the evidence synthesis and consensus recommendations for healthy food procurement in Canada are described. Specifically, we outline recommendations for governments, publicly funded institutions, decision-makers and professionals, citizens, and researchers. Conclusion: Implementation of healthy food procurement policies can increase Canadians’ access to healthier foods as part of a broader vision for food policy in Canada.

Healthy food procurement and nutrition standards in public facilities: evidence synthesis and consensus policy recommendations

Science.gov (United States)

Kim D., Raine; Kayla, Atkey; Dana Lee, Dana Lee; Alexa R., Ferdinands; Dominique, Beaulieu; Susan, Buhler; Norm, Campbell; Brian, Cook; Mary, L’Abbé; Ashley, Lederer; David, Mowat; Joshna, Maharaj; Candace, Nykiforuk; Jacob, Shelley; Jacqueline, Street

2018-01-01

Abstract Introduction: Unhealthy foods are widely available in public settings across Canada, contributing to diet-related chronic diseases, such as obesity. This is a concern given that public facilities often provide a significant amount of food for consumption by vulnerable groups, including children and seniors. Healthy food procurement policies, which support procuring, distributing, selling, and/or serving healthier foods, have recently emerged as a promising strategy to counter this public health issue by increasing access to healthier foods. Although numerous Canadian health and scientific organizations have recommended such policies, they have not yet been broadly implemented in Canada. Methods: To inform further policy action on healthy food procurement in a Canadian context, we: (1) conducted an evidence synthesis to assess the impact of healthy food procurement policies on health outcomes and sales, intake, and availability of healthier food, and (2) hosted a consensus conference in September 2014. The consensus conference invited experts with public health/nutrition policy research expertise, as well as health services and food services practitioner experience, to review evidence, share experiences, and develop a consensus statement/recommendations on healthy food procurement in Canada. Results: Findings from the evidence synthesis and consensus recommendations for healthy food procurement in Canada are described. Specifically, we outline recommendations for governments, publicly funded institutions, decision-makers and professionals, citizens, and researchers. Conclusion: Implementation of healthy food procurement policies can increase Canadians’ access to healthier foods as part of a broader vision for food policy in Canada. PMID:29323862

Is There a Consensus on Consensus Methodology? Descriptions and Recommendations for Future Consensus Research.

Science.gov (United States)

Waggoner, Jane; Carline, Jan D; Durning, Steven J

2016-05-01

The authors of this article reviewed the methodology of three common consensus methods: nominal group process, consensus development panels, and the Delphi technique. The authors set out to determine how a majority of researchers are conducting these studies, how they are analyzing results, and subsequently the manner in which they are reporting their findings. The authors conclude with a set of guidelines and suggestions designed to aid researchers who choose to use the consensus methodology in their work.Overall, researchers need to describe their inclusion criteria. In addition to this, on the basis of the current literature the authors found that a panel size of 5 to 11 members was most beneficial across all consensus methods described. Lastly, the authors agreed that the statistical analyses done in consensus method studies should be as rigorous as possible and that the predetermined definition of consensus must be included in the ultimate manuscript. More specific recommendations are given for each of the three consensus methods described in the article.

MIS in the management of colon and rectal cancer: consensus meeting of the Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Schlachta, Christopher M; Ashamalla, Shady; Smith, Andy

2013-11-01

A consensus conference on the role of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) in the management of colon and rectal cancer was convened by the Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada in Toronto on April 18, 2012. This is a report of the consensus of an invited group of Canadian experts in MIS and surgery of the colon and rectum that addresses the role this technology should play in treatment and also considers advocacy and resources.

Law Enforcement Support Office (LESO) 1999 National Conference

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Lytle, Michael

1999-01-01

The Law Enforcement Support Office (LESO) national conference was a three-day forum to inform and update federal, state and local law enforcement agents, of the DoD role supporting the National Drug Control Strategy...

77 FR 38844 - Notice of NIH Consensus Development Conference: Diagnosing Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Science.gov (United States)

2012-06-29

... diabetes mellitus should be recommended, if any? 7. What are the key research gaps in the diagnostic... pregnancy). It is defined as carbohydrate intolerance, which is the inability of the body to adequately... for Healthcare Research and Quality's Evidence-based Practice Centers program, and a Consensus...

Italian consensus on Eular 2003 recommendations for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Patrignani

2011-09-01

Full Text Available The recommendations for the management of osteoarthritis (OA of the knee firstly proposed by the EULAR in 2000, have been updated in 2003. One of the most important objectives of the expert charged to provide these recommendations was their dissemination. Thus, the information generated may be used by each individual country to produce their own set of management guidelines and algorithms for treatment in primary care. The Italian Society of Rheumatology (SIR and the Italian League against Rheumatism (LIMAR have organised a Consensus on the EULAR recommendations 2003 with the aim to analyse their acceptability and the applicability according to our own experience and local situations in the Italy. The results of this Consensus have demonstrated that a large majority of the EULAR recommendations are endorsed by the Italian experts. Furthermore, the final document of the Italian Consensus clearly indicated the need that the specialists involved in the management of knee OA strongly encourage the dissemination of the EULAR 2003 recommendations also in Italy.

Clinical value of positron emission tomography (PET) in oncology: Results of an interdisciplinary consensus conference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reske, S.N.; Bares, R.; Buell, U.; Guhlmann, A.; Moser, E.; Wannenmacher, M.F.

1996-01-01

Clinical value of PET in oncology was evaluated by a panel of recognized experts in the framework of an interdisciplinary consensus conference. On the basis of PET studies, well documented in the international literature, the value of PET for solving clinical questions was classified according to the following categories 'appropriate' (1a), 'mostly acceptable' (1b), 'helpful' (2a), 'value as yet unknown' (2b), 'useless' (3). 2-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) acts as the radiopharmaceutical of choice for PET in clinical oncology. PET is indicated (1a) for diagnosing relapse in high grade glioma (FDG) or low grade glioma (C-11 methionine or F-18 fluorotyrosine), differential diagnosis of solitary peripheral pulponary nodules in high risk patients and for diagnosis of pancreatic carcinoma. PET may be clinically used (1b): In 'low-grade' glioma, search for unknown primary in head and neck tumors, suspicion of relapse in nonsmall cell bronchial carcinoma (NSCBC) and colorectal carcinoma, lymphnode staging in NSCBC, pancreatic carcinoma, muscle invasive bladder carcinoma and testicular cancer. Staging of Hodgkin's disease (HD, stage I/II vs III), early therapy control in patients with a residual mass or suspicion of relapse in HD and in high grade NHL, lymph node staging and search for distant metastases in malignant melanoma (Breslow>1,5 mm), search for lymph node or distant metastases in differentiated thyroid cancer with elevated hTG and a negative radioiodide whole body scan. Many further indications are emerging, but are not yet sufficiently well documented in the literature. For most indications beside scientific studies, an individual cost benefit utility evaluation by the responsible physician is recommended. (orig./MG) [de

The Schizophrenia Patient Outcomes Research Team (PORT): updated treatment recommendations 2009.

Science.gov (United States)

Kreyenbuhl, Julie; Buchanan, Robert W; Dickerson, Faith B; Dixon, Lisa B

2010-01-01

The Schizophrenia Patient Outcomes Research Team (PORT) project has played a significant role in the development and dissemination of evidence-based practices for schizophrenia. In contrast to other clinical guidelines, the Schizophrenia PORT Treatment Recommendations, initially published in 1998 and first revised in 2003, are based primarily on empirical data. Over the last 5 years, research on psychopharmacologic and psychosocial treatments for schizophrenia has continued to evolve, warranting an update of the PORT recommendations. In consultation with expert advisors, 2 Evidence Review Groups (ERGs) identified 41 treatment areas for review and conducted electronic literature searches to identify all clinical studies published since the last PORT literature review. The ERGs also reviewed studies preceding 2002 in areas not covered by previous PORT reviews, including smoking cessation, substance abuse, and weight loss. The ERGs reviewed over 600 studies and synthesized the research evidence, producing recommendations for those treatments for which the evidence was sufficiently strong to merit recommendation status. For those treatments lacking empirical support, the ERGs produced parallel summary statements. An Expert Panel consisting of 39 schizophrenia researchers, clinicians, and consumers attended a conference in November 2008 in which consensus was reached on the state of the evidence for each of the treatment areas reviewed. The methods and outcomes of the update process are presented here and resulted in recommendations for 16 psychopharmacologic and 8 psychosocial treatments for schizophrenia. Another 13 psychopharmacologic and 4 psychosocial treatments had insufficient evidence to support a recommendation, representing significant unmet needs in important treatment domains.

European consensus conference on diagnosis and treatment of germ cell cancer: a report of the second meeting of the European Germ Cell Cancer Consensus Group (EGCCCG): part II

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krege, Susanne; Beyer, Jörg; Souchon, Rainer

2007-01-01

OBJECTIVES: The first consensus report that had been presented by the European Germ Cell Cancer Consensus Group (EGCCCG) in 2004 has found widespread approval by many colleagues throughout the world. In November 2006, the group met a second time under the auspices of the Department of Urology of ...

European consensus conference on diagnosis and treatment of germ cell cancer: a report of the second meeting of the European Germ Cell Cancer Consensus group (EGCCCG): part I

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krege, Susanne; Beyer, Jörg; Souchon, Rainer

2007-01-01

OBJECTIVES: The first consensus report presented by the European Germ Cell Cancer Consensus Group (EGCCCG) in the year 2004 has found widespread approval by many colleagues throughout the world. In November 2006, the group met a second time under the auspices of the Department of Urology of the A...

78 FR 65932 - Updating OSHA Standards Based on National Consensus Standards; Signage

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-04

...; Signage AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Department of Labor. ACTION... accompanied its direct final rule revising its signage standards for general industry and construction. DATES... proposed rule (NPRM) along with the direct final rule (DFR) (see 78 FR 35585) updating its signage...

A systematic review of dental disease in patients undergoing cancer therapy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hong, Catherine H. L.; Napnas, Joel J.; Hodgson, Brian D.; Stokman, Monique A.; Mathers-Stauffer, Vickie; Elting, Linda S.; Spijkervet, Fred K. L.; Brennan, Michael T.

This purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the literature and update our current understanding of the impact of present cancer therapies on the dental apparatus (teeth and periodontium) since the 1989 NIH Development Consensus Conference on the Oral Complications of Cancer Therapies. A

Intraarticular Facet Injections for Low Back Pain: Design Considerations, Consensus Methodology to Develop the Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Mars, Tom; Ellard, David R; Antrobus, James H L; Cairns, Melinda; Underwood, Martin; Haywood, Kirstie; Keohane, Susie; Sandhu, Harbinder; Griffiths, Frances

2015-01-01

Since the publication of guidelines by the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the American Pain Society guidelines for low back pain in 2009 there have been deep divisions in the pain treatment community about the use of therapeutic intraarticular facet joint injections. While evidence for the effectiveness or not of intraarticular facet joint injections remains sparse, uncertainty will remain. The Warwick feasibility study, along with a concurrent study with a different design led by another group, aims to provide a stable platform from which the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of intraarticular facet joint injections added to normal care could be evaluated in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). To reach consensus on key design considerations for the Warwick facet feasibility study from which the study protocol and working manuals will be developed. A consensus conference involving expert professionals and lay members. Preliminary work identified 5 key design considerations for deliberation at our consensus conference. Three concerned patient assessment and treatment: diagnosis of possible facet joint pain, interaarticular facet joint injection technique, and best usual care. Two concerned trial analysis: a priori sub-groups and minimally important difference and are reported elsewhere. We did systematic evidence reviews of the design considerations and summarized the evidence. Our design questions and evidence summaries were distributed to all delegates. This formed the basis for discussions on the day. Clinical experts in all aspects of facet joint injection from across the UK along with lay people were invited via relevant organizations. Nominal group technique was used in 15 facilitated initial small group discussions. Further discussion and ranking was undertaken in plenary. All small group and plenary results were recorded and checked and verified post conference. Where necessary participants were contacted via email to

Gender-specific research for emergency diagnosis and management of ischemic heart disease: proceedings from the 2014 Academic Emergency Medicine Consensus Conference Cardiovascular Research Workgroup.

Science.gov (United States)

Safdar, Basmah; Nagurney, John T; Anise, Ayodola; DeVon, Holli A; D'Onofrio, Gail; Hess, Erik P; Hollander, Judd E; Legato, Mariane J; McGregor, Alyson J; Scott, Jane; Tewelde, Semhar; Diercks, Deborah B

2014-12-01

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common cause of death for both men and women. However, over the years, emergency physicians, cardiologists, and other health care practitioners have observed varying outcomes in men and women with symptomatic CAD. Women in general are 10 to 15 years older than men when they develop CAD, but suffer worse postinfarction outcomes compared to age-matched men. This article was developed by the cardiovascular workgroup at the 2014 Academic Emergency Medicine (AEM) consensus conference to identify sex- and gender-specific gaps in the key themes and research questions related to emergency cardiac ischemia care. The workgroup had diverse stakeholder representation from emergency medicine, cardiology, critical care, nursing, emergency medical services, patients, and major policy-makers in government, academia, and patient care. We implemented the nominal group technique to identify and prioritize themes and research questions using electronic mail, monthly conference calls, in-person meetings, and Web-based surveys between June 2013 and May 2014. Through three rounds of nomination and refinement, followed by an in-person meeting on May 13, 2014, we achieved consensus on five priority themes and 30 research questions. The overarching themes were as follows: 1) the full spectrum of sex-specific risk as well as presentation of cardiac ischemia may not be captured by our standard definition of CAD and needs to incorporate other forms of ischemic heart disease (IHD); 2) diagnosis is further challenged by sex/gender differences in presentation and variable sensitivity of cardiac biomarkers, imaging, and risk scores; 3) sex-specific pathophysiology of cardiac ischemia extends beyond conventional obstructive CAD to include other causes such as microvascular dysfunction, takotsubo, and coronary artery dissection, better recognized as IHD; 4) treatment and prognosis are influenced by sex-specific variations in biology, as well as patient

Female androgen insufficiency: the Princeton consensus statement on definition, classification, and assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Bachmann, Gloria; Bancroft, John; Braunstein, Glenn; Burger, Henry; Davis, Susan; Dennerstein, Lorraine; Goldstein, Irwin; Guay, Andre; Leiblum, Sandra; Lobo, Rogerio; Notelovitz, Morris; Rosen, Raymond; Sarrel, Philip; Sherwin, Barbara; Simon, James; Simpson, Evan; Shifren, Jan; Spark, Richard; Traish, Abdul

2002-04-01

To evaluate the evidence for and against androgen insufficiency as a cause of sexual and other health-related problems in women and to make recommendations regarding definition, diagnosis, and assessment of androgen deficiency states in women. Evaluation of peer-review literature and consensus conference of international experts. Multinational conference in the United States. Premenopausal and postmenopausal women with androgen deficiency. Evaluation of peer-review literature and development of consensus panel guidelines. The term "female androgen insufficiency" was defined as consisting of a pattern of clinical symptoms in the presence of decreased bioavailable T and normal estrogen status. Currently available assays were found to be lacking in sensitivity and reliability at the lower ranges, and the need for an equilibrium dialysis measure was strongly emphasized. Causes of androgen insufficiency in women were classified as ovarian, adrenal, hypothalamic-pituitary, drug-related, and idiopathic. A simplified management algorithm and clinical guidelines were proposed to assist clinicians in diagnosis and assessment. Androgen replacement is currently available in several forms, although none has been approved for treatment of sexual dysfunction or other common symptoms of female androgen insufficiency. Potential risks associated with treatment were identified, and the need for informed consent and careful monitoring was noted. Finally, the panel identified key goals and priorities for future research. A new definition of androgen insufficiency in women has been proposed along with consensus-based guidelines for clinical assessment and diagnosis. A simplified management algorithm for women with low androgen in the presence of clinical symptoms and normal estrogen status has also been proposed.

International Conference on Geological Repositories 2016. Conference Synthesis, 7-9 December 2016, Paris, France

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walke, Russell; Kwong, Gloria; )

2017-01-01

Worldwide consensus exists within the international community that geological repositories can provide the necessary long-term safety and security to isolate long-lived radioactive waste from the human environment over long timescales. Such repositories are also feasible to construct using current technologies. However, proving the technical merits and safety of repositories, while satisfying societal and political requirements, has been a challenge in many countries. Building upon the success of previous conferences held in Denver (1999), Stockholm (2003), Berne (2007) and Toronto (2012), the ICGR 2016 brought together high-level decision makers from regulatory and local government bodies, waste management organisations and public stakeholder communities to review current perspectives of geological repository development. This publication provides a synthesis of the 2016 conference on continued engagement and safe implementation of repositories, which was designed to promote information and experience sharing, particularly in the development of polices and regulatory frameworks. Repository safety, and the planning and implementation of repository programs with societal involvement, as well as ongoing work within different international organisations, were also addressed at the conference. (authors)

Canadian Cardiovascular Society Consensus Conference recommendations on heart failure update 2007: Prevention, management during intercurrent illness or acute decompensation, and use of biomarkers.

Science.gov (United States)

Arnold, J Malcom O; Howlett, Jonathan G; Dorian, Paul; Ducharme, Anique; Giannetti, Nadia; Haddad, Haissam; Heckman, George A; Ignaszewski, Andrew; Isaac, Debra; Jong, Philip; Liu, Peter; Mann, Elizabeth; McKelvie, Robert S; Moe, Gordon W; Parker, John D; Svendsen, Anna M; Tsuyuki, Ross T; O'Halloran, Kelly; Ross, Heather J; Rao, Vivek; Sequeira, Errol J; White, Michel

2007-01-01

Heart failure is common, yet it is difficult to treat. It presents in many different guises and circumstances in which therapy needs to be individualized. The Canadian Cardiovascular Society published a comprehensive set of recommendations in January 2006 on the diagnosis and management of heart failure, and the present update builds on those core recommendations. Based on feedback obtained through a national program of heart failure workshops during 2006, several topics were identified as priorities because of the challenges they pose to health care professionals. New evidence-based recommendations were developed using the structured approach for the review and assessment of evidence adopted and previously described by the Society. Specific recommendations and practical tips were written for the prevention of heart failure, the management of heart failure during intercurrent illness, the treatment of acute heart failure, and the current and future roles of biomarkers in heart failure care. Specific clinical questions that are addressed include: which patients should be identified as being at high risk of developing heart failure and which interventions should be used? What complications can occur in heart failure patients during an intercurrent illness, how should these patients be monitored and which medications may require a dose adjustment or discontinuation? What are the best therapeutic, both drug and nondrug, strategies for patients with acute heart failure? How can new biomarkers help in the treatment of heart failure, and when and how should BNP be measured in heart failure patients? The goals of the present update are to translate best evidence into practice, to apply clinical wisdom where evidence for specific strategies is weaker, and to aid physicians and other health care providers to optimally treat heart failure patients to result in a measurable impact on patient health and clinical outcomes in Canada.

[Consensus Statement by GeSIDA/National AIDS Plan Secretariat on antiretroviral treatment in adults infected by the human immunodeficiency virus (Updated January 2013)].

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-01

This consensus document is an update of combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) guidelines for HIV-1 infected adult patients. To formulate these recommendations a panel composed of members of the GeSIDA/National AIDS Plan Secretariat (Grupo de Estudio de Sida and the Secretaría del Plan Nacional sobre el Sida) reviewed the efficacy and safety advances in clinical trials, cohort and pharmacokinetic studies published in medical journals (PubMed and Embase) or presented in medical scientific meetings. The strength of the recommendations and the evidence which support them are based on a modification of the criteria of Infectious Diseases Society of America. cART is recommended in patients with symptoms of HIV infection, in pregnant women, in serodiscordant couples with high risk of transmission, in hepatitisB co-infection requiring treatment, and in HIV nephropathy. cART is recommended in asymptomatic patients if CD4 is 500cells/μl cART should be considered in the case of chronic hepatitisC, cirrhosis, high cardiovascular risk, plasma viral load >100.000 copies/ml, proportion of CD4 cells 55years. The objective of cART is to achieve an undetectable viral load. The first cART should include 2 reverse transcriptase inhibitors (RTI) nucleoside analogs and a third drug (a non-analog RTI, a ritonavir boosted protease inhibitor, or an integrase inhibitor). The panel has consensually selected some drug combinations, for the first cART and specific criteria for cART in acute HIV infection, in tuberculosis and other HIV related opportunistic infections, for the women and in pregnancy, in hepatitisB or C co-infection, in HIV-2 infection, and in post-exposure prophylaxis. These new guidelines update previous recommendations related to first cART (when to begin and what drugs should be used), how to monitor, and what to do in case of viral failure or adverse drug reactions. cART specific criteria in comorbid patients and special situations are similarly updated. Copyright �

Proceedings of the 44. annual Ontario Petroleum Institute's oil and gas conference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-01-01

This annual conference focused on developments related to the Ontario Petroleum industry. Issues concerning hydrocarbon potential were examined as well as geological information related to oil and gas activities in the region. The conference was divided into 6 sessions. Session 1 provided updates on employment issues in Ontario's oil and gas industry with respect to regulations and staffing as well as an update of issues concerning the geosciences profession in the province. Session 2 examined approaches to predictive geochemistry for buried gas and oil targets. Session 3 presented a comparison of Cambrian reservoir rocks as well as details of a natural channel realignment project. Session 4 presented details of new renewable technologies for the Ontario petroleum industry as well as a regional stratigraphic synthesis for the Paleozoic of southern Ontario. Session 5 provided a primer on tax rules, workers industry needs and an update on training delivery. Session 6 examined approaches to contaminant control. A study of hydrodynamics at the ice-bed interface was also presented. The conference featured 13 presentations, of which 3 have been catalogued separately for inclusion in this database. refs., tabs., figs

International consensus for a definition of disease flare in lupus.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruperto, N; Hanrahan, L M; Alarcón, G S; Belmont, H M; Brey, R L; Brunetta, P; Buyon, J P; Costner, M I; Cronin, M E; Dooley, M A; Filocamo, G; Fiorentino, D; Fortin, P R; Franks, A G; Gilkeson, G; Ginzler, E; Gordon, C; Grossman, J; Hahn, B; Isenberg, D A; Kalunian, K C; Petri, M; Sammaritano, L; Sánchez-Guerrero, J; Sontheimer, R D; Strand, V; Urowitz, M; von Feldt, J M; Werth, V P; Merrill, J T

2011-04-01

The Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) convened an international working group to obtain a consensus definition of disease flare in lupus. With help from the Paediatric Rheumatology International Trials Organization (PRINTO), two web-based Delphi surveys of physicians were conducted. Subsequently, the LFA held a second consensus conference followed by a third Delphi survey to reach a community-wide agreement for flare definition. Sixty-nine of the 120 (57.5%) polled physicians responded to the first survey. Fifty-nine of the responses were available to draft 12 preliminary statements, which were circulated in the second survey. Eighty-seven of 118 (74%) physicians completed the second survey, with an agreement of 70% for 9/12 (75%) statements. During the second conference, three alternative flare definitions were consolidated and sent back to the international community. One hundred and sixteen of 146 (79.5%) responded, with agreement by 71/116 (61%) for the following definition: "A flare is a measurable increase in disease activity in one or more organ systems involving new or worse clinical signs and symptoms and/or laboratory measurements. It must be considered clinically significant by the assessor and usually there would be at least consideration of a change or an increase in treatment." The LFA proposes this definition for lupus flare on the basis of its high face validity.

Sampled-data consensus in switching networks of integrators based on edge events

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Feng; Meng, Xiangyu; Chen, Tongwen

2015-02-01

This paper investigates the event-driven sampled-data consensus in switching networks of multiple integrators and studies both the bidirectional interaction and leader-following passive reaction topologies in a unified framework. In these topologies, each information link is modelled by an edge of the information graph and assigned a sequence of edge events, which activate the mutual data sampling and controller updates of the two linked agents. Two kinds of edge-event-detecting rules are proposed for the general asynchronous data-sampling case and the synchronous periodic event-detecting case. They are implemented in a distributed fashion, and their effectiveness in reducing communication costs and solving consensus problems under a jointly connected topology condition is shown by both theoretical analysis and simulation examples.

78 FR 35585 - Updating OSHA Standards Based on National Consensus Standards; Signage

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-13

...; Signage AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Department of Labor. ACTION: Notice... Administration (``OSHA'' or ``the Agency'') proposes to update its general industry and construction signage... standards, ANSI Z53.1-1967, Z35.1-1968, and Z35.2-1968, in its signage standards, thereby providing...

Medi SPICE : an update

OpenAIRE

Mc Caffery, Fergal; Dorling, Alec; Casey, Valentine

2010-01-01

peer-reviewed This paper provides an update on the development of a software process assessment and improvement model (Medi SPICE) specifically for the medical device industry. The development of Medi SPICE was launched at the SPICE 2009 Conference. Medi SPICE will consist of a Process Reference Model and a Process Assessment Model. The Medi SPICE Process Assessment Model will be used to perform conformant assessments of the software process capability of medical device suppliers in accord...

Opening remarks at the International Conference on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources, Bordeaux, France, 27 June 2005

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taniguchi, T.

2005-01-01

The vast majority of radioactive sources are controlled properly. However, radiological accidents have occurred in all regions of the world - which indicates that there is not always sufficient control of sources throughout their life cycle. Even advanced countries with developed regulatory systems lose track of sources each year resulting in orphan sources with the potential to cause incidents or accidents. Actually, an increasing number of cases of uncontrolled movement of sources are reported the Agency's Illicit Trafficking Database (ITDB). The International Conference on Security of Radioactive Sources, held in Vienna, Austria, in 2003, addressed these concerns and called for international initiatives, including the updating of the IAEA Action Plan for the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources. As a direct result of the updated Action Plan the Code of Conduct on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources was revised and approved by the Board of Governors in 2003, its supporting Guidance on the Import and Export of Radioactive Sources was developed and approved in 2004 and the Safety Guide on Categorization of Radioactive Sources was completed recently. All three documents were developed under the auspices of the IAEA to achieve international consensus and they play a central role in this Conference. It is worth noting that more than 70 countries have already expressed their intention to follow the guidance given in the Code of Conduct on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources - and I would like to encourage more countries to do so. The Agency has been promoting for some time now the idea of a Global Nuclear Safety Regime. At the heart of this regime is a strong and effective national safety infrastructure where - as an overriding priority - safety issues are given the attention warranted by their significance. The need for sustainable regulatory infrastructure for the safety and security of radioactive sources was discussed at the

[[The global significance of the Cairo conference: the new program of action of the International Conference on Population and Development

Science.gov (United States)

Atoh, M

1994-10-01

"The [1994] International Conference on Population and Development was held in Cairo, Egypt.... In this essay I briefly described global population trends and [their] economic and ecological implications, stated the temporal progress from arguments in the three Preparatory Committees toward the achievement of consensus at the end of the Cairo Conference, summarized and commented [on] each chapter of the Programme of Action, clarified the major characteristics of the Cairo document compared to the documents in Bucharest and Mexico City, and finally discussed the effectiveness of the strategy suggested in the Cairo document for addressing population and development issues in the context of sustainability." (SUMMARY IN ENG) excerpt

NATO Conference

CERN Document Server

Lynn, W

1975-01-01

The contents of this volume involve selection, emendation and up-dating of papers presented at the NATO Conference "Mathe­ matical Analysis of Decision problems in Ecology" in Istanbul, Turkey, July 9-13, 1973. It was sponsored by the System Sciences Division of NATO directed by Dr. B. Bayraktar with local arrange­ ments administered by Dr. Ilhami Karayalcin, professor of the Department of Industrial Engineering at the Technical University of Istanbul. It was organized by A. Charnes, University professor across the University of Texas System, and Walter R.Lynn, Di­ rector of the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Cornell Unjversity. The objective of the conference was to bring together a group of leading researchers from the major sciences involved in eco­ logical problems and to present the current state of progress in research of a mathematical nature which might assist in the solu­ tion of these problems. Although their presentations are not herein recorded, the key­ note address of Dr....

2016 updated MASCC/ESMO consensus recommendations : Prevention of acute chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in children

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dupuis, L. Lee; Sung, Lillian; Molassiotis, Alexander; Orsey, Andrea D.; Tissing, Wim; van de Wetering, Marianne

To update the 2009 recommendations for the prevention of acute chemotherapy-induced emesis in children. We updated the original systematic literature search. Randomized studies were included in the evidence to support this guideline if they were primary studies fully published in full text in

The Danish (Q)SAR Database Update Project

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nikolov, Nikolai Georgiev; Dybdahl, Marianne; Abildgaard Rosenberg, Sine

2013-01-01

The Danish (Q)SAR Database is a collection of predictions from quantitative structure–activity relationship ((Q)SAR) models for over 70 environmental and human health-related endpoints (covering biodegradation, metabolism, allergy, irritation, endocrine disruption, teratogenicity, mutagenicity......, carcinogenicity and others), each of them available for 185,000 organic substances. The database has been available online since 2005 (http://qsar.food.dtu.dk). A major update project for the Danish (Q)SAR database is under way, with a new online release planned in the beginning of 2015. The updated version...... will contain more than 600,000 discrete organic structures and new, more precise predictions for all endpoints, derived by consensus algorithms from a number of state-of-the-art individual predictions. Copyright © 2013 Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd....

Consensus statement on the treatment of multiple sclerosis by the Spanish Society of Neurology in 2016.

Science.gov (United States)

García Merino, A; Ramón Ara Callizo, J; Fernández Fernández, O; Landete Pascual, L; Moral Torres, E; Rodríguez-Antigüedad Zarrantz, A

2017-03-01

With the advent of new disease-modifying drugs, the treatment of multiple sclerosis is becoming increasingly complex. Using consensus statements is therefore advisable. The present consensus statement, which was drawn up by the Spanish Society of Neurology's study group for demyelinating diseases, updates previous consensus statements on the disease. The present study lists the medications currently approved for multiple sclerosis and their official indications, and analyses such treatment-related aspects as activity, early treatment, maintenance, follow-up, treatment failure, changes in medication, and special therapeutic situations. This consensus statement includes treatment recommendations for a wide range of demyelinating diseases, from isolated demyelinating syndromes to the different forms of multiple sclerosis, as well as recommendations for initial therapy and changes in drug medication, and additional comments on induction and combined therapy and practical aspects of the use of these drugs. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

International conference on topical issues in nuclear safety. Contributed papers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-01-01

The objective of the Conference was to foster the exchange of information on topical issues in nuclear safety, with the aim of consolidating an international consensus on the present status of these issues, priorities for future work, and needs for strengthening international cooperation, including the IAEA recommendations for future activities. This book contains concise contributed papers submitted on issues falling within the thematic scope of the Conference: risk informed decision making, influence of external factors on safety, safety of fuel cycle facilities, safety of research reactors, and safety performance indicators

International conference on topical issues in nuclear safety. Contributed papers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2001-07-01

The objective of the Conference was to foster the exchange of information on topical issues in nuclear safety, with the aim of consolidating an international consensus on the present status of these issues, priorities for future work, and needs for strengthening international cooperation, including the IAEA recommendations for future activities. This book contains concise contributed papers submitted on issues falling within the thematic scope of the Conference: risk informed decision making, influence of external factors on safety, safety of fuel cycle facilities, safety of research reactors, and safety performance indicators.

The 22. CLI national conference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niel, Jean-Christophe; Lachaume, Jean-Luc; Comets, Marie-Pierre; Delalonde, Jean-Claude; Revol, Henri; Calafat, Alexis; Goellner, Jerome; Gilloire, Christine; Vicaud, Alain; Minon, Jean-Paul; Guiberteau, Philippe; Bietrix, Philippe

2010-12-01

This document gathers contributions presented during a conference held in December 2010. After introduction speeches and a focus of some updates, this conference comprised two round tables. The first one addressed the management of urban growth about INBs with the participation of representatives of the ASN, of the Department of technological risks within the Ministry of Ecology, of a CLI, of EDF, and of an association for the protection of the environment. The second round table addressed the continuation of reactor exploitation, the monitoring of the environment and public information, with representatives of the ASN, of a CLI, of the CEA, and of the ONDRAF (the Belgium agency in charge of the management of radioactive wastes)

The Diabetes Surgery Summit consensus conference: recommendations for the evaluation and use of gastrointestinal surgery to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Science.gov (United States)

Rubino, Francesco; Kaplan, Lee M; Schauer, Philip R; Cummings, David E

2010-03-01

To develop guidelines for the use of gastrointestinal surgery to treat type 2 diabetes and to craft an agenda for further research. Increasing evidence demonstrates that bariatric surgery can dramatically ameliorate type 2 diabetes. Not surprisingly, gastrointestinal operations are now being used throughout the world to treat diabetes in association with obesity, and increasingly, for diabetes alone. However, the role for surgery in diabetes treatment is not clearly defined and there are neither clear guidelines for these practices nor sufficient plans for clinical trials to evaluate the risks and benefits of such "diabetes surgery." A multidisciplinary group of 50 voting delegates from around the world gathered in Rome, Italy for the first International Conference on Gastrointestinal Surgery to Treat Type 2 Diabetes--(the "Diabetes Surgery Summit"). During the meeting, available scientific evidence was examined and critiqued by the entire group to assess the strength of evidence and to draft consensus statements. Through an iterative process, draft statements were then serially discussed, debated, edited, reassessed, and finally presented for formal voting. After the Rome meeting, statements that achieved consensus were summarized and distributed to all voting delegates for further input and final approval. These statements were then formally critiqued by representatives of several sientific societies at the 1st World Congress on Interventional Therapies for T2DM (New York, Sept 2008). Input from this discussion was used to generate the current position statement. A Diabetes Surgery Summit (DSS) Position Statement consists of recommendations for clinical and research issues, as well as general concepts and definitions in diabetes surgery. The DSS recognizes the legitimacy of surgical approaches to treat diabetes in carefully selected patients. For example, gastric bypass was deemed a reasonable treatment option for patients with poorly controlled diabetes and a

2006 Bethesda International Consensus recommendations on the immunophenotypic analysis of hematolymphoid neoplasia by flow cytometry: optimal reagents and reporting for the flow cytometric diagnosis of hematopoietic neoplasia.

Science.gov (United States)

Wood, Brent L; Arroz, Maria; Barnett, David; DiGiuseppe, Joseph; Greig, Bruce; Kussick, Steven J; Oldaker, Teri; Shenkin, Mark; Stone, Elizabeth; Wallace, Paul

2007-01-01

Immunophenotyping by flow cytometry has become standard practice in the evaluation and monitoring of patients with hematopoietic neoplasia. However, despite its widespread use, considerable variability continues to exist in the reagents used for evaluation and the format in which results are reported. As part of the 2006 Bethesda Consensus conference, a committee was formed to attempt to define a consensus set of reagents suitable for general use in the diagnosis and monitoring of hematopoietic neoplasms. The committee included laboratory professionals from private, public, and university hospitals as well as large reference laboratories that routinely operate clinical flow cytometry laboratories with an emphasis on lymphoma and leukemia immunophenotyping. A survey of participants successfully identified the cell lineage(s) to be evaluated for each of a variety of specific medical indications and defined a set of consensus reagents suitable for the initial evaluation of each cell lineage. Elements to be included in the reporting of clinical flow cytometric results for leukemia and lymphoma evaluation were also refined and are comprehensively listed. The 2006 Bethesda Consensus conference represents the first successful attempt to define a set of consensus reagents suitable for the initial evaluation of hematopoietic neoplasia. Copyright 2007 Clinical Cytometry Society.

Establishing a Continuum of Acute Kidney Injury – Tracing AKI Using Data Source Linkage and Long-Term Follow-Up: Workgroup Statements from the 15th ADQI Consensus Conference

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Ravindra Mehta

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI is independently associated with the development of chronic kidney disease, endstage kidney disease and increased all-cause and cardiovascular-specific mortality. The severity of the renal insult and the development of multiple AKI episodes increase the risk of occurrence of these outcomes. Despite these long-term effects, only a minority of patients receive nephrologist follow up after an episode of AKI; those that do may have improved outcomes. Furthermore, relatively simple quality improvement strategies have the potential to change this status quo. Methods: On this background, a working group of the 15 th Acute Dialysis Quality Initiative (ADQI conference applied the consensus-building process informed by review of English language articles identified through PubMed search to address questions related to the opportunities, methodological requirements and barriers for longitudinal follow-up of patients with AKI in the era of electronic health records and Big Data. Results: Four consensus statements answering the key questions identified by the working group are developed. Conclusions: We have identified minimal data elements and potential data sources necessary to trace the natural history of patients from onset of AKI to long-term outcome. Minimum infrastructure and key barriers to achieving these goals are outlined together with proposed solutions.

Knowledge translation: an overview and recommendations in relation to the Fourth Canadian Consensus Conference on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Dementia

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

The growing population of persons with dementia in Canada and the provision of quality care for this population is an issue that no healthcare authority will escape. Physicians often view dementia as a difficult and time-consuming condition to diagnose and manage. Current evidence must be effectively transformed into usable recommendations for physicians; however, we know that use of evidence-based practice recommendations is a challenge in all realms of medical care, and failure to utilize these leads to less than optimal care for patients. Despite this expanding need for readily available resources, knowledge translation (KT) is often seen as a daunting, if not confusing, undertaking for researchers. Here we offer a brief introduction to the processes around KT, including terms and definitions, and outline some common KT frameworks including the knowledge to action cycle, the Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services framework and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. We also outline practical steps for planning and executing a KT strategy particularly around the implementation of recommendations for practice, and offer recommendations for KT planning in relation to the Fourth Canadian Consensus Conference on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Dementia. PMID:24565407

Global Aesthetics Consensus: Avoidance and Management of Complications from Hyaluronic Acid Fillers—Evidence- and Opinion-Based Review and Consensus Recommendations

Science.gov (United States)

Liew, Steven; Sundaram, Hema; De Boulle, Koenraad L.; Goodman, Greg J.; Monheit, Gary; Wu, Yan; Trindade de Almeida, Ada R.; Swift, Arthur; Vieira Braz, André

2016-01-01

Background: Although the safety profile of hyaluronic acid fillers is favorable, adverse reactions can occur. Clinicians and patients can benefit from ongoing guidance on adverse reactions to hyaluronic acid fillers and their management. Methods: A multinational, multidisciplinary group of experts in cosmetic medicine convened the Global Aesthetics Consensus Group to review the properties and clinical uses of Hylacross and Vycross hyaluronic acid products and develop updated consensus recommendations for early and late complications associated with hyaluronic acid fillers. Results: The consensus panel provided specific recommendations focusing on early and late complications of hyaluronic acid fillers and their management. The impact of patient-, product-, and technique-related factors on such reactions was described. Most of these were noted to be mild and transient. Serious adverse events are rare. Early adverse reactions to hyaluronic acid fillers include vascular infarction and compromise; inflammatory reactions; injection-related events; and inappropriate placement of filler material. Among late reactions are nodules, granulomas, and skin discoloration. Most adverse events can be avoided with proper planning and technique. Detailed understanding of facial anatomy, proper patient and product selection, and appropriate technique can further reduce the risks. Should adverse reactions occur, the clinician must be prepared and have tools available for effective treatment. Conclusions: Adverse reactions with hyaluronic acid fillers are uncommon. Clinicians should take steps to further reduce the risk and be prepared to treat any complications that arise. PMID:27219265

Development of Consensus Treatment Plans for Juvenile Localized Scleroderma

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Li, Suzanne C.; Torok, Kathryn S.; Pope, Elena; Dedeoglu, Fatma; Hong, Sandy; Jacobe, Heidi T.; Rabinovich, C. Egla; Laxer, Ronald M.; Higgins, Gloria C.; Ferguson, Polly J.; Lasky, Andrew; Baszis, Kevin; Becker, Mara; Campillo, Sarah; Cartwright, Victoria; Cidon, Michael; Inman, Christi J; Jerath, Rita; O'Neil, Kathleen M.; Vora, Sheetal; Zeft, Andrew; Wallace, Carol A.; Ilowite, Norman T.; Fuhlbrigge, Robert C

2013-01-01

Objective To develop standardized treatment plans, clinical assessments, and response criteria for active, moderate to high severity juvenile localized scleroderma (jLS). Background jLS is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder associated with substantial morbidity and disability. Although a wide range of therapeutic strategies have been reported in the literature, a lack of agreement on treatment specifics and accepted methods for clinical assessment of have made it difficult to compare approaches and identify optimal therapy. Methods A core group of pediatric rheumatologists, dermatologists and a lay advisor was engaged by the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) to develop standardized treatment plans and assessment parameters for jLS using consensus methods/nominal group techniques. Recommendations were validated in two face-to-face conferences with a larger group of practitioners with expertise in jLS and with the full membership of CARRA, which encompasses the majority of pediatric rheumatologists in the U.S and Canada. Results Consensus was achieved on standardized treatment plans that reflect the prevailing treatment practices of CARRA members. Standardized clinical assessment methods and provisional treatment response criteria were also developed. Greater than 90% of pediatric rheumatologists responding to a survey (67% of CARRA membership) affirmed the final recommendations and agreed to utilize these consensus plans to treat patients with jLS. Conclusions Using consensus methodology, we have developed standardized treatment plans and assessment methods for jLS. The high level of support among pediatric rheumatologists will support future comparative effectiveness studies and enable the development of evidence-based guidelines for the treatment of jLS. PMID:22505322

Patient-reported disease knowledge and educational needs in Lynch syndrome: findings of an interactive multidisciplinary patient conference.

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Bannon, Sarah A; Mork, Maureen; Vilar, Eduardo; Peterson, Susan K; Lu, Karen; Lynch, Patrick M; Rodriguez-Bigas, Miguel A; You, Yiqian Nancy

2014-02-05

Patients with Lynch Syndrome, the most common hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome, benefit from genetic education and family counseling regarding diagnostic testing and cancer surveillance/prevention recommendations. Although genetic counseling is currently the most common venue where such education and counseling takes place, little is known about the level of disease knowledge and education needs as directly reported by patients and families with Lynch Syndrome. Furthermore, experiences with forums for larger-scale knowledge transfer have been limited in the current literature. We conducted a one-day interactive multidisciplinary patient conference, designed to complement individual genetic counseling for updating disease knowledge, supportive networking and needs assessment among Lynch Syndrome patients and their family members. The patient conference was designed utilizing the conceptual framework of action research. Paired pre- and post-conference surveys were administered to 44 conference participants anonymously to assess patient-reported disease knowledge and education needs. A multidisciplinary team of expert providers utilized a variety of educational formats during the one-day conference. Four main focus areas were: genetic testing, surveillance/prevention, living with Lynch Syndrome, and update on research. Thirty-two participants (73%) completed the pre-conference, and 28 (64%) participants completed the post-conference surveys. Nineteen respondents were affected and the remaining were unaffected. The scores of the disease-knowledge items significantly increased from 84% pre- to 92% post-conference (p = 0.012). Patients reported a high level of satisfaction and identified further knowledge needs in nutrition (71%), surveillance/prevention options (71%), support groups (36%), cancer risk assessment (32%), active role in medical care (32%), and research opportunities (5%). Our experience with a dedicated patient education conference focused on

Spanish consensus on the use of natalizumab (Tysabri®)-2013.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernández, O; García-Merino, J A; Arroyo, R; Álvarez-Cermeño, J C; Izquierdo, G; Saiz, A; Olascoaga, J; Rodríguez-Antigüedad, A; Prieto, J M; Oreja-Guevara, C; Hernández, M A; Moral, E; Meca, J; Montalbán, X

2015-06-01

Natalizumab treatment has been shown to be very efficacious in clinical trials and very effective in clinical practice in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, by reducing relapses, slowing disease progression, and improving magnetic resonance imaging patterns. However, the drug has also been associated with a risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). The first consensus statement on natalizumab use, published in 2011, has been updated to include new data on diagnostic procedures, monitoring for patients undergoing treatment, PML management, and other topics of interest including the management of patients discontinuing natalizumab. This updated version followed the method used in the first consensus. A group of Spanish experts in multiple sclerosis (the authors of the present document) reviewed all currently available literature on natalizumab and identified the relevant topics would need updating based on their clinical experience. The initial draft passed through review cycles until the final version was completed. Studies in clinical practice have demonstrated that changing to natalizumab is more effective than switching between immunomodulators. They favour early treatment with natalizumab rather than using natalizumab in a later stage as a rescue therapy. Although the drug is very effective, its potential adverse effects need to be considered, with particular attention to the patient's likelihood of developing PML. The neurologist should carefully explain the risks and benefits of the treatment, comparing them to the risks of multiple sclerosis in terms the patient can understand. Before treatment is started, laboratory tests and magnetic resonance images should be available to permit proper follow-up. The risk of PML should be stratified as high, medium, or low according to presence or absence of anti-JC virus antibodies, history of immunosuppressive therapy, and treatment duration. Although the presence of anti-JC virus

Fertilizing a Patient Engagement Ecosystem to Innovate Healthcare: Toward the First Italian Consensus Conference on Patient Engagement.

Science.gov (United States)

Graffigna, Guendalina; Barello, Serena; Riva, Giuseppe; Savarese, Mariarosaria; Menichetti, Julia; Castelnuovo, Gianluca; Corbo, Massimo; Tzannis, Alessandra; Aglione, Antonio; Bettega, Donato; Bertoni, Anna; Bigi, Sarah; Bruttomesso, Daniela; Carzaniga, Claudia; Del Campo, Laura; Donato, Silvia; Gilardi, Silvia; Guglielmetti, Chiara; Gulizia, Michele; Lastretti, Mara; Mastrilli, Valeria; Mazzone, Antonino; Muttillo, Giovanni; Ostuzzi, Silvia; Perseghin, Gianluca; Piana, Natalia; Pitacco, Giuliana; Polvani, Gianluca; Pozzi, Massimo; Provenzi, Livio; Quaglini, Giulia; Rossi, Mariagrazia; Varese, Paola; Visalli, Natalia; Vegni, Elena; Ricciardi, Walter; Bosio, A Claudio

2017-01-01

Currently we observe a gap between theory and practices of patient engagement. If both scholars and health practitioners do agree on the urgency to realize patient engagement, no shared guidelines exist so far to orient clinical practice. Despite a supportive policy context, progress to achieve greater patient engagement is patchy and slow and often concentrated at the level of policy regulation without dialoguing with practitioners from the clinical field as well as patients and families. Though individual clinicians, care teams and health organizations may be interested and deeply committed to engage patients and family members in the medical course, they may lack clarity about how to achieve this goal. This contributes to a wide "system" inertia-really difficult to be overcome-and put at risk any form of innovation in this filed. As a result, patient engagement risk today to be a buzz words, rather than a real guidance for practice. To make the field clearer, we promoted an Italian Consensus Conference on Patient Engagement (ICCPE) in order to set the ground for drafting recommendations for the provision of effective patient engagement interventions. The ICCPE will conclude in June 2017. This document reports on the preliminary phases of this process. In the paper, we advise the importance of "fertilizing a patient engagement ecosystem": an oversimplifying approach to patient engagement promotion appears the result of a common illusion. Patient "disengagement" is a symptom that needs a more holistic and complex approach to solve its underlined causes. Preliminary principles to promote a patient engagement ecosystem are provided in the paper.

The Mexican consensus on chronic constipation

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J.M. Remes-Troche

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Significant advances have been made in the knowledge and understanding of the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of chronic constipation, since the publication of the 2011 guidelines on chronic constipation diagnosis and treatment in Mexico from the Asociación Mexicana de Gastroenterología. Aims: To present a consensus review of the current state of knowledge about chronic constipation, providing updated information and integrating the new scientific evidence. Methods: Three general coordinators reviewed the literature published within the time frame of January 2011 and January 2017. From that information, 62 initial statements were formulated and then sent to 12 national experts for their revision. The statements were voted upon, using the Delphi system in 3 voting rounds (2 electronic and one face-to-face. The statements were classified through the GRADE system and those that reached agreement > 75% were included in the consensus. Results and conclusions: The present consensus is made up of 42 final statements that provide updated knowledge, supplementing the information that had not been included in the previous guidelines. The strength of recommendation and quality (level of evidence were established for each statement. The current definitions of chronic constipation, functional constipation, and opioid-induced constipation are given, and diagnostic strategies based on the available diagnostic methods are described. The consensus treatment recommendations were established from evidence on the roles of diet and exercise, fiber, laxatives, new drugs (such as prucalopride, lubiprostone, linaclotide, plecanatide, biofeedback therapy, and surgery. Resumen: Introducción: Desde la publicación de las guías de diagnóstico y tratamiento del estreñimiento crónico (EC en México de la Asociación Mexicana de Gastroenterología en el 2011 se han producido avances significativos en el conocimiento de la

Mining Sequential Update Summarization with Hierarchical Text Analysis

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Chunyun Zhang

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The outbreak of unexpected news events such as large human accident or natural disaster brings about a new information access problem where traditional approaches fail. Mostly, news of these events shows characteristics that are early sparse and later redundant. Hence, it is very important to get updates and provide individuals with timely and important information of these incidents during their development, especially when being applied in wireless and mobile Internet of Things (IoT. In this paper, we define the problem of sequential update summarization extraction and present a new hierarchical update mining system which can broadcast with useful, new, and timely sentence-length updates about a developing event. The new system proposes a novel method, which incorporates techniques from topic-level and sentence-level summarization. To evaluate the performance of the proposed system, we apply it to the task of sequential update summarization of temporal summarization (TS track at Text Retrieval Conference (TREC 2013 to compute four measurements of the update mining system: the expected gain, expected latency gain, comprehensiveness, and latency comprehensiveness. Experimental results show that our proposed method has good performance.

Chiropractic manipulation in pediatric health conditions – an updated systematic review

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Gotlib Allan

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Objective Our purpose was to review the biomedical literature from January 2004 to June 2007 inclusive to determine the extent of new evidence related to the therapeutic application of manipulation for pediatric health conditions. This updates a previous systematic review published in 2005. No critical appraisal of the evidence is undertaken. Data Sources We searched both the indexed and non-indexed biomedical manual therapy literature. This included PubMed, MANTIS, CINAHL, ICL, as well as reference tracking. Other resources included the Cochrane Library, CCOHTA, PEDro, WHO ICTRP, AMED, EMBASE and AHRQ databases, as well as research conferences and symposium proceedings. Results The search identified 1275 citations of which 57 discrete citations met the eligibility criteria determined by three reviewers who then determined by consensus, each citation's appropriate level on the strength of evidence scale. The new evidence from the relevant time period was 1 systematic review, 1 RCT, 2 observational studies, 36 descriptive case studies and 17 conference abstracts. When this additional evidence is combined with the previous systematic review undertaken up to 2003, there are now in total, 2 systematic reviews, 10 RCT's, 3 observational studies, 177 descriptive studies, and 31 conference abstracts defining this body of knowledge. Summary There has been no substantive shift in this body of knowledge during the past 3 1/2 years. The health claims made by chiropractors with respect to the application of manipulation as a health care intervention for pediatric health conditions continue to be supported by only low levels of scientific evidence. Chiropractors continue to treat a wide variety of pediatric health conditions. The evidence rests primarily with clinical experience, descriptive case studies and very few observational and experimental studies. The health interests of pediatric patients would be advanced if more rigorous scientific

5th International Conference on Atmospheric Electricity

CERN Document Server

Reiter, Reinhold; Landsberg, Helmut

1976-01-01

These Proceedings are published to give a full account of the Fifth International Conference on Atmospheric Electricity held in September 1974 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in the Bavarian Alps in Germany. Traditionally, the Proceedings of these Conferences have served as reference books updating the textbooks and monographs on Atmospheric Electricity. As treated by these Conferences, Atmos­ pheric Electricity covers all aspects of this science, including the processes and problems which reach out into the Earth's environment as well as analogous processes on other planets and on the Moon. A history of these Conferences, an account of their purpose, and an outline of the scope and the preparation is to be found at the end of these Proceedings. There, also the Business Meetings of the involved organizations are mentioned. The Proceedings closely follow the original program and are accordingly organized into "Sessions". The papers printed in each "Session" in this book are the ones which were accepted for the sess...

Effective medical treatment of opiate addiction. National Consensus Development Panel on Effective Medical Treatment of Opiate Addiction.

Science.gov (United States)

1998-12-09

To provide clinicians, patients, and the general public with a responsible assessment of the effective approaches to treat opiate dependence. A nonfederal, nonadvocate, 12-member panel representing the fields of psychology, psychiatry, behavioral medicine, family medicine, drug abuse, epidemiology, and the public. In addition, 25 experts from these same fields presented data to the panel and a conference audience of 600. Presentations and discussions were divided into 3 phases over 2 1/2 days: (1) presentations by investigators working in the areas relevant to the consensus questions during a 2-day public session; (2) questions and statements from conference attendees during open discussion periods that are part of the public session; and (3) closed deliberations by the panel during the remainder of the second day and morning of a third day. The conference was organized and supported by the Office of Medical Applications of Research, National Institutes of Health. The literature was searched through MEDLINE and other National Library of Medicine and online databases from January 1994 through September 1997 and an extensive bibliography of 941 references was provided to the panel and the conference audience. Experts prepared abstracts for their presentations as speakers at the conference with relevant citations from the literature. Scientific evidence was given precedence over clinical anecdotal experience. The panel, answering predefined questions, developed its conclusions based on the scientific evidence presented in open forum and the scientific literature. The panel composed a draft statement that was read in its entirety and circulated to the experts and the audience for comment. Thereafter, the panel resolved conflicting recommendations and released a revised statement at the end of the conference. The panel finalized the revisions within a few weeks after the conference. The draft statement was made available on the World Wide Web immediately following its

Fusion Energy Update

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whitson, M.O.

1982-01-01

Fusion Energy Update (CFU) provides monthly abstracting and indexing coverage of current scientific and technical reports, journal articles, conference papers and proceedings, books, patents, theses, and monographs for all sources on fusion energy. All information announced in CFU, plus additional backup information, is included in the energy information data base of the Department of Energy's Technical Information Center. The subject matter covered by CFU includes plasma physics, the physics and engineering of blankets, magnet coils and fields, power supplies and circuitry, cooling systems, fuel systems, radiation hazards, power conversion systems, inertial confinement systems, and component development and testing

Asia-Pacific consensus statements on Crohn's disease. Part 2: Management.

Science.gov (United States)

Ooi, Choon Jin; Makharia, Govind K; Hilmi, Ida; Gibson, Peter R; Fock, Kwong Ming; Ahuja, Vineet; Ling, Khoon Lin; Lim, Wee Chian; Thia, Kelvin T; Wei, Shu-chen; Leung, Wai Keung; Koh, Poh Koon; Gearry, Richard B; Goh, Khean Lee; Ouyang, Qin; Sollano, Jose; Manatsathit, Sathaporn; de Silva, H Janaka; Rerknimitr, Rungsun; Pisespongsa, Pises; Abu Hassan, Muhamad Radzi; Sung, Joseph; Hibi, Toshifumi; Boey, Christopher C M; Moran, Neil; Leong, Rupert W L

2016-01-01

The Asia Pacific Working Group on Inflammatory Bowel Disease was established in Cebu, Philippines, at the Asia Pacific Digestive Week conference in 2006 under the auspices of the Asian Pacific Association of Gastroenterology (APAGE) with the goal of developing best management practices, coordinating research and raising awareness of IBD in the region. The consensus group previously published recommendations for the diagnosis and management of ulcerative colitis (UC) with specific relevance to the Asia-Pacific region. The present consensus statements were developed following a similar process to address the epidemiology, diagnosis and management of Crohn's disease (CD). The goals of these statements are to pool the pertinent literature specifically highlighting relevant data and conditions in the Asia-Pacific region relating to the economy, health systems, background infectious diseases, differential diagnoses and treatment availability. It does not intend to be all-comprehensive and future revisions are likely to be required in this ever-changing field. © 2015 Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Blast/fire interactions: Asilomar conference, April 1981

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin, S.B.; Alger, R.S.

1981-08-01

This report summarizes the proceedings of the FEMA-sponsored conference on blast/fire research held April 20-24, 1981, at Asilomar, California. This conference, the fourth of our annual series, convened a select group of authorities on fire effects, airblast effects, structural responses, and related technologies to explore avenues of research for remedying the technical deficiencies that limit analytical progress and to seek means for providing interim guidance to mitigation planning and countermeasure implementation. A redirected R and D program (derived by consensus of conferee recommendations) that appears consistent with national priorities and the perceived urgency for increased national security is offered. Program elements are listed in priority order, and contingent levels of funding are provided to aid FEMA budgetary planning

Proceedings of the Ontario Petroleum Institute's 48. annual conference : Ontario oil, gas and storage conference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-01-01

This conference discussed issues related to Ontario's petroleum industry and evaluated the province's potential hydrocarbon plays. Geological studies of interest to oil and gas operators were presented along with storage opportunities for hydrocarbons in underground formations. Regulatory issues related to the environmental impacts of oil and gas operations on soil and groundwater were reviewed, and various mitigation options for treating soils impacted by hydrocarbons were discussed. New technologies currently being used in Ontario's petroleum industry were presented together with various investment and exploration opportunities. An economic update of recent oil and gas activities in the region was also presented. The conference was divided into 7 sessions, and featured 17 presentations, of which 11 have been catalogued separately for inclusion in this database. tabs., figs.

Asia Pacific Consensus Statements on Crohn's disease. Part 1: Definition, diagnosis, and epidemiology: (Asia Pacific Crohn's Disease Consensus--Part 1).

Science.gov (United States)

Ooi, Choon Jin; Makharia, Govind K; Hilmi, Ida; Gibson, Peter R; Fock, Kwong Ming; Ahuja, Vineet; Ling, Khoon Lin; Lim, Wee Chian; Thia, Kelvin T; Wei, Shu-chen; Leung, Wai Keung; Koh, Poh Koon; Gearry, Richard B; Goh, Khean Lee; Ouyang, Qin; Sollano, Jose; Manatsathit, Sathaporn; de Silva, H Janaka; Rerknimitr, Rungsun; Pisespongsa, Pises; Abu Hassan, Muhamad Radzi; Sung, Joseph; Hibi, Toshifumi; Boey, Christopher C M; Moran, Neil; Leong, Rupert W L

2016-01-01

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) was previously thought to be rare in Asia, but emerging data indicate rising incidence and prevalence of IBD in the region. The Asia Pacific Working Group on Inflammatory Bowel Disease was established in Cebu, Philippines, at the Asia Pacific Digestive Week conference in 2006 under the auspices of the Asian Pacific Association of Gastroenterology with the goal of developing best management practices, coordinating research, and raising awareness of IBD in the region. The consensus group previously published recommendations for the diagnosis and management of ulcerative colitis with specific relevance to the Asia-Pacific region. The present consensus statements were developed following a similar process to address the epidemiology, diagnosis, and management of Crohn's disease. The goals of these statements are to pool the pertinent literature specifically highlighting relevant data and conditions in the Asia-Pacific region relating to the economy, health systems, background infectious diseases, differential diagnoses, and treatment availability. It does not intend to be all comprehensive and future revisions are likely to be required in this ever-changing field. © 2015 Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

To Create a Consensus on Malnutrition Diagnostic Criteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Cederholm, Tommy; Jensen, Gordon L

2017-03-01

During the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) Congress in Copenhagen, Denmark (September 2016), representatives of the 4 largest global parenteral and enteral nutrition (PEN) societies from Europe (ESPEN), the United States (American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition [ASPEN]), Asia (Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition Society of Asia [PENSA]), and Latin America (Latin American Federation of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition [FELANPE]) and from national PEN societies around the world met to continue the conversation on how to diagnose malnutrition that started during the Clinical Nutrition Week, Austin, Texas (February 2016). Current thinking on diagnostic approaches was shared; ESPEN suggested a grading approach that could encompass various types of signs, symptoms, and etiologies to support diagnosis. ASPEN emphasized where the parties agree; that is, that the 3 major published approaches (ESPEN, ASPEN-Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and Subjective Global Assessment [SGA]) all propose weight loss as a key indicator for malnutrition. FELANPE suggested that the anticipated consensus approach needs to prioritize a diagnostic method that is available for everybody since resources differ globally. PENSA highlighted that body mass index varies by ethnicity/race and that sarcopenia/muscle mass evaluation is important for the diagnosis of malnutrition. A Core Working Committee of the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition has been established (comprising 2 representatives each from the 4 largest PEN societies) that will lead consensus development in collaboration with a larger working group with broad global representation, using e-mail, telephone conferences, and face-to-face meetings during the upcoming ASPEN and ESPEN congresses. Transparency and external input will be sought. Objectives include (1) consensus development around evidence-based criteria for broad application, (2) promotion of global dissemination of the

Distributed consensus with visual perception in multi-robot systems

CERN Document Server

Montijano, Eduardo

2015-01-01

This monograph introduces novel responses to the different problems that arise when multiple robots need to execute a task in cooperation, each robot in the team having a monocular camera as its primary input sensor. Its central proposition is that a consistent perception of the world is crucial for the good development of any multi-robot application. The text focuses on the high-level problem of cooperative perception by a multi-robot system: the idea that, depending on what each robot sees and its current situation, it will need to communicate these things to its fellows whenever possible to share what it has found and keep updated by them in its turn. However, in any realistic scenario, distributed solutions to this problem are not trivial and need to be addressed from as many angles as possible. Distributed Consensus with Visual Perception in Multi-Robot Systems covers a variety of related topics such as: ·         distributed consensus algorithms; ·         data association and robustne...

XIX Edoardo Amaldi Conference

CERN Document Server

Abousahl, Said; Plastino, Wolfango

2016-01-01

This book, comprising contributions presented at the XIX Edoardo Amaldi Conference, examines important aspects of international cooperation aimed at enhancing nuclear safety, security, safeguards (the “3S”), and non-proliferation, thereby assisting in the development and maintenance of the verification regime and progress toward a nuclear weapon-free world. The Conference served as a forum where eminent scientists, diplomats, and policymakers could compare national perspectives and update international collaborations. The book opens by addressing the political, institutional, and legal dimensions of the 3S and non-proliferation; current challenges are discussed and attempts made to identify possible solutions and future improvements. Subsequent sections consider scientific developments that can contribute to increased effectiveness in the implementation of international regimes, particularly in critical areas, technology foresight, and the ongoing evaluation of current capabilities. The closing sections d...

Best practice guidance for the use of strategies to improve retention in randomized trials developed from two consensus workshops.

Science.gov (United States)

Brueton, Valerie; Stenning, Sally P; Stevenson, Fiona; Tierney, Jayne; Rait, Greta

2017-08-01

To develop best practice guidance for the use of retention strategies in randomized clinical trials (RCTs). Consensus development workshops conducted at two UK Clinical Trials Units. Sixty-six statisticians, clinicians, RCT coordinators, research scientists, research assistants, and data managers associated with RCTs participated. The consensus development workshops were based on the consensus development conference method used to develop best practice for treatment of medical conditions. Workshops commenced with a presentation of the evidence for incentives, communication, questionnaire format, behavioral, case management, and methodological retention strategies identified by a Cochrane review and associated qualitative study. Three simultaneous group discussions followed focused on (1) how convinced the workshop participants were by the evidence for retention strategies, (2) barriers to the use of effective retention strategies, (3) types of RCT follow-up that retention strategies could be used for, and (4) strategies for future research. Summaries of each group discussion were fed back to the workshop. Coded content for both workshops was compared for agreement and disagreement. Agreed consensus on best practice guidance for retention was identified. Workshop participants agreed best practice guidance for the use of small financial incentives to improve response to postal questionnaires in RCTs. Use of second-class post was thought to be adequate for postal communication with RCT participants. The most relevant validated questionnaire was considered best practice for collecting RCT data. Barriers identified for the use of effective retention strategies were: the small improvements seen in questionnaire response for the addition of monetary incentives, and perceptions among trialists that some communication strategies are outdated. Furthermore, there was resistance to change existing retention practices thought to be effective. Face-to-face and electronic follow

Pitfalls of consensus-orientated dialogue: the German Islam Conference (Deutsche Islam Konferenz

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Schirin Amir-Moazami

2011-05-01

Full Text Available This article discusses one deliberative approach to dialogue as conceptualized by the philosopher Jürgen Habermas and brings this into a conversation with the current dialogue practice of the Deutsche Islam Konferenz (DIK in Germany. This ongoing dialogue forum was initiated by the Ministry of the Interior in the autumn of 2006 in order to enact a structured conversation with Muslims and as a means of recognising them as ‘German Muslims’. My main argument is twofold. Focusing on Habermas’s ideal of dialogue as a consensus oriented rational discourse of equal citizens in non-hegemonic structures, I will argue, on the one hand, that much of the promise of the DIK to enact a dialogue with Muslims at eyelevel and to recognise them as equal citizens on the basis of the liberal-democratic order has not been fulfilled. With its top-down approach to Muslims as mere re-actors the DIK has so far turned out to be much more a governmental technique which aims at reshaping Muslims according to liberal/secular norms. On the other hand, I claim that although the DIK obviously runs counter to Habermas’s principles in many ways, it also shares and simultaneously lays bare the difficulties entailed in his consensus orientation, and, more importantly, in the secular bias of his approach.Schirin Amir-Moazai is Assistant Professor for Islam in Europe in the Department of Islamic Studies at Free University Berlin. Website: http://www.geschkult.fu-berlin.de/e/islamwiss/mitarbeiterinnen/professorinnen/Amir-Moazami/index.html.

Papers of the CAMPUT 2003 educational conference : Markets in Transition : The changing face of regulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

The North American energy landscape is evolving: markets are in transition and regulatory roles are shifting. Regulators, government policy makers, and industry representatives exchanged information concerning the changes facing regulatory agencies, industry and energy users. The eleven sessions of the conference were entitled: (1) the future of the regulator in a continental energy market, (2) gas markets in transition, (3) electricity markets in transition (including Regional Transmission Organization/Standard Market Design issues), (4) are open access markets the answer? (5) the changing face of regulation, what's up? (6) energy policy updates in British Columbia and Atlantic Canada, (7) Ontario electricity update and deregulation one year later, (8) northern issues, (9) intervener funding, (10) affiliate transactions, regulatory and business issues, and (11) cost of capital update. The conference featured 43 presentations, of which two were indexed separately for inclusion in the database

Management consensus guideline for hepatocellular carcinoma: 2016 updated by the Taiwan Liver Cancer Association and the Gastroenterological Society of Taiwan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sheng-Nan Lu

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality in Taiwan. To help clinical physicians to manage patients with HCC, the Taiwan Liver Cancer Association and the Gastroenterological Society of Taiwan produced the management consensus guideline for HCC. Methods: The recommendations focus on nine important issues on management of HCC, including surveillance, diagnosis, staging, surgery, local ablation, transarterial chemoembolization/transarterial radioembolization/hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy, systemic therapy, radiotherapy, and prevention. Results: The consensus statements were discussed, debated and got consensus in each expert team. And then the statements were sent to all of the experts for further discussion and refinement. Finally, all of the experts were invited to vote for the statements, including the level of evidence and recommendation. Conclusion: With the development of the management consensus guideline, HCC patients could benefit from the optimal therapeutic modality. Keywords: Diagnosis, Hepatocellular carcinoma, Staging, Surveillance, Treatment

Understanding diagnostic variability in breast pathology: lessons learned from an expert consensus review panel

Science.gov (United States)

Allison, Kimberly H; Reisch, Lisa M; Carney, Patricia A; Weaver, Donald L; Schnitt, Stuart J; O’Malley, Frances P; Geller, Berta M; Elmore, Joann G

2015-01-01

Aims To gain a better understanding of the reasons for diagnostic variability, with the aim of reducing the phenomenon. Methods and results In preparation for a study on the interpretation of breast specimens (B-PATH), a panel of three experienced breast pathologists reviewed 336 cases to develop consensus reference diagnoses. After independent assessment, cases coded as diagnostically discordant were discussed at consensus meetings. By the use of qualitative data analysis techniques, transcripts of 16 h of consensus meetings for a subset of 201 cases were analysed. Diagnostic variability could be attributed to three overall root causes: (i) pathologist-related; (ii) diagnostic coding/study methodology-related; and (iii) specimen-related. Most pathologist-related root causes were attributable to professional differences in pathologists’ opinions about whether the diagnostic criteria for a specific diagnosis were met, most frequently in cases of atypia. Diagnostic coding/study methodology-related root causes were primarily miscategorizations of descriptive text diagnoses, which led to the development of a standardized electronic diagnostic form (BPATH-Dx). Specimen-related root causes included artefacts, limited diagnostic material, and poor slide quality. After re-review and discussion, a consensus diagnosis could be assigned in all cases. Conclusions Diagnostic variability is related to multiple factors, but consensus conferences, standardized electronic reporting formats and comments on suboptimal specimen quality can be used to reduce diagnostic variability. PMID:24511905

Global Consensus Recommendations on Prevention and Management of Nutritional Rickets.

Science.gov (United States)

Munns, Craig F; Shaw, Nick; Kiely, Mairead; Specker, Bonny L; Thacher, Tom D; Ozono, Keiichi; Michigami, Toshimi; Tiosano, Dov; Mughal, M Zulf; Mäkitie, Outi; Ramos-Abad, Lorna; Ward, Leanne; DiMeglio, Linda A; Atapattu, Navoda; Cassinelli, Hamilton; Braegger, Christian; Pettifor, John M; Seth, Anju; Idris, Hafsatu Wasagu; Bhatia, Vijayalakshmi; Fu, Junfen; Goldberg, Gail; Sävendahl, Lars; Khadgawat, Rajesh; Pludowski, Pawel; Maddock, Jane; Hyppönen, Elina; Oduwole, Abiola; Frew, Emma; Aguiar, Magda; Tulchinsky, Ted; Butler, Gary; Högler, Wolfgang

2016-02-01

Vitamin D and calcium deficiencies are common worldwide, causing nutritional rickets and osteomalacia, which have a major impact on health, growth, and development of infants, children, and adolescents; the consequences can be lethal or can last into adulthood. The goals of this evidence-based consensus document are to provide health care professionals with guidance for prevention, diagnosis, and management of nutritional rickets and to provide policy makers with a framework to work toward its eradication. A systematic literature search examining the definition, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of nutritional rickets in children was conducted. Evidence-based recommendations were developed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system that describe the strength of the recommendation and the quality of supporting evidence. Thirty-three nominated experts in pediatric endocrinology, pediatrics, nutrition, epidemiology, public health, and health economics evaluated the evidence on specific questions within five working groups. The consensus group, representing 11 international scientific organizations, participated in a multiday conference in May 2014 to reach a global evidence-based consensus. This consensus document defines nutritional rickets and its diagnostic criteria and describes the clinical management of rickets and osteomalacia. Risk factors, particularly in mothers and infants, are ranked, and specific prevention recommendations including food fortification and supplementation are offered for both the clinical and public health contexts. Rickets, osteomalacia, and vitamin D and calcium deficiencies are preventable global public health problems in infants, children, and adolescents. Implementation of international rickets prevention programs, including supplementation and food fortification, is urgently required.

Fertilizing a Patient Engagement Ecosystem to Innovate Healthcare: Toward the First Italian Consensus Conference on Patient Engagement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guendalina Graffigna

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Currently we observe a gap between theory and practices of patient engagement. If both scholars and health practitioners do agree on the urgency to realize patient engagement, no shared guidelines exist so far to orient clinical practice. Despite a supportive policy context, progress to achieve greater patient engagement is patchy and slow and often concentrated at the level of policy regulation without dialoguing with practitioners from the clinical field as well as patients and families. Though individual clinicians, care teams and health organizations may be interested and deeply committed to engage patients and family members in the medical course, they may lack clarity about how to achieve this goal. This contributes to a wide “system” inertia—really difficult to be overcome—and put at risk any form of innovation in this filed. As a result, patient engagement risk today to be a buzz words, rather than a real guidance for practice. To make the field clearer, we promoted an Italian Consensus Conference on Patient Engagement (ICCPE in order to set the ground for drafting recommendations for the provision of effective patient engagement interventions. The ICCPE will conclude in June 2017. This document reports on the preliminary phases of this process. In the paper, we advise the importance of “fertilizing a patient engagement ecosystem”: an oversimplifying approach to patient engagement promotion appears the result of a common illusion. Patient “disengagement” is a symptom that needs a more holistic and complex approach to solve its underlined causes. Preliminary principles to promote a patient engagement ecosystem are provided in the paper.

Impact of electronic-alerting of acute kidney injury: workgroup statements from the 15(th) ADQI Consensus Conference.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoste, Eric A J; Kashani, Kianoush; Gibney, Noel; Wilson, F Perry; Ronco, Claudio; Goldstein, Stuart L; Kellum, John A; Bagshaw, Sean M

2016-01-01

Among hospitalized patients, acute kidney injury is common and associated with significant morbidity and risk for mortality. The use of electronic health records (EHR) for prediction and detection of this important clinical syndrome has grown in the past decade. The steering committee of the 15(th) Acute Dialysis Quality Initiative (ADQI) conference dedicated a workgroup with the task of identifying elements that may impact the course of events following Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) e-alert. Following an extensive, non-systematic literature search, we used a modified Delphi process to reach consensus regarding several aspects of the utilization of AKI e-alerts. Topics discussed in this workgroup included progress in evidence base practices, the characteristics of an optimal e-alert, the measures of efficacy and effectiveness, and finally what responses would be considered best practices following AKI e-alerts. Authors concluded that the current evidence for e-alert system efficacy, although growing, remains insufficient. Technology and human-related factors were found to be crucial elements of any future investigation or implementation of such tools. The group also concluded that implementation of such systems should not be done without a vigorous plan to evaluate the efficacy and effectiveness of e-alerts. Efficacy and effectiveness of e-alerts should be measured by context-specific process and patient outcomes. Finally, the group made several suggestions regarding the clinical decision support that should be considered following successful e-alert implementation. This paper reflects the findings of a non-systematic review and expert opinion. We recommend implementation of the findings of this workgroup report for use of AKI e-alerts.

Pulmonary exacerbation in adults with bronchiectasis: a consensus definition for clinical research.

Science.gov (United States)

Hill, Adam T; Haworth, Charles S; Aliberti, Stefano; Barker, Alan; Blasi, Francesco; Boersma, Wim; Chalmers, James D; De Soyza, Anthony; Dimakou, Katerina; Elborn, J Stuart; Feldman, Charles; Flume, Patrick; Goeminne, Pieter C; Loebinger, Michael R; Menendez, Rosario; Morgan, Lucy; Murris, Marlene; Polverino, Eva; Quittner, Alexandra; Ringshausen, Felix C; Tino, Gregory; Torres, Antoni; Vendrell, Montserrat; Welte, Tobias; Wilson, Rob; Wong, Conroy; O'Donnell, Anne; Aksamit, Timothy

2017-06-01

There is a need for a clear definition of exacerbations used in clinical trials in patients with bronchiectasis. An expert conference was convened to develop a consensus definition of an exacerbation for use in clinical research.A systematic review of exacerbation definitions used in clinical trials from January 2000 until December 2015 and involving adults with bronchiectasis was conducted. A Delphi process followed by a round-table meeting involving bronchiectasis experts was organised to reach a consensus definition. These experts came from Europe (representing the European Multicentre Bronchiectasis Research Collaboration), North America (representing the US Bronchiectasis Research Registry/COPD Foundation), Australasia and South Africa.The definition was unanimously approved by the working group as: a person with bronchiectasis with a deterioration in three or more of the following key symptoms for at least 48 h: cough; sputum volume and/or consistency; sputum purulence; breathlessness and/or exercise tolerance; fatigue and/or malaise; haemoptysis AND a clinician determines that a change in bronchiectasis treatment is required.The working group proposes the use of this consensus-based definition for bronchiectasis exacerbation in future clinical research involving adults with bronchiectasis. Copyright ©ERS 2017.

Distributed Optimal Consensus Control for Nonlinear Multiagent System With Unknown Dynamic.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jilie; Zhang, Huaguang; Feng, Tao

2017-08-01

This paper focuses on the distributed optimal cooperative control for continuous-time nonlinear multiagent systems (MASs) with completely unknown dynamics via adaptive dynamic programming (ADP) technology. By introducing predesigned extra compensators, the augmented neighborhood error systems are derived, which successfully circumvents the system knowledge requirement for ADP. It is revealed that the optimal consensus protocols actually work as the solutions of the MAS differential game. Policy iteration algorithm is adopted, and it is theoretically proved that the iterative value function sequence strictly converges to the solution of the coupled Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation. Based on this point, a novel online iterative scheme is proposed, which runs based on the data sampled from the augmented system and the gradient of the value function. Neural networks are employed to implement the algorithm and the weights are updated, in the least-square sense, to the ideal value, which yields approximated optimal consensus protocols. Finally, a numerical example is given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.

Decentralized event-triggered consensus control strategy for leader-follower networked systems

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Shouxu; Xie, Duosi; Yan, Weisheng

2017-08-01

In this paper, the consensus problem of leader-follower networked systems is addressed. At first, a centralized and a decentralized event-triggered control strategy are proposed, which make the control actuators of followers update at aperiodic invent interval. In particular, the latter one makes each follower requires the local information only. After that, an improved triggering function that only uses the follower's own information and the neighbors' states at their latest event instants is developed to relax the requirement of the continuous state of the neighbors. In addition, the strategy does not require the information of the topology, nor the eigenvalues of the Laplacian matrix. And if the follower does not have direct connection to the leader, the leader's information is not required either. It is analytically shown that by using the proposed strategy the leader-follower networked system is able to reach consensus without continuous communication among followers. Simulation examples are given to show effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.

Bioinformatics research in the Asia Pacific: a 2007 update.

Science.gov (United States)

Ranganathan, Shoba; Gribskov, Michael; Tan, Tin Wee

2008-01-01

We provide a 2007 update on the bioinformatics research in the Asia-Pacific from the Asia Pacific Bioinformatics Network (APBioNet), Asia's oldest bioinformatics organisation set up in 1998. From 2002, APBioNet has organized the first International Conference on Bioinformatics (InCoB) bringing together scientists working in the field of bioinformatics in the region. This year, the InCoB2007 Conference was organized as the 6th annual conference of the Asia-Pacific Bioinformatics Network, on Aug. 27-30, 2007 at Hong Kong, following a series of successful events in Bangkok (Thailand), Penang (Malaysia), Auckland (New Zealand), Busan (South Korea) and New Delhi (India). Besides a scientific meeting at Hong Kong, satellite events organized are a pre-conference training workshop at Hanoi, Vietnam and a post-conference workshop at Nansha, China. This Introduction provides a brief overview of the peer-reviewed manuscripts accepted for publication in this Supplement. We have organized the papers into thematic areas, highlighting the growing contribution of research excellence from this region, to global bioinformatics endeavours.

78 FR 11133 - Notice of Public Meetings of Committees of the Administrative Conference of the United States

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-15

... issues implicated by agency use of social media to support rulemaking. The Conference's consultant for... all business has been completed. Meeting updates will be posted on the Conference's Web site ( www... Committee on Adjudication will meet to consider a draft report and recommendations on social security...

Quantized Average Consensus on Gossip Digraphs with Reduced Computation

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Kai; Ishii, Hideaki

The authors have recently proposed a class of randomized gossip algorithms which solve the distributed averaging problem on directed graphs, with the constraint that each node has an integer-valued state. The essence of this algorithm is to maintain local records, called “surplus”, of individual state updates, thereby achieving quantized average consensus even though the state sum of all nodes is not preserved. In this paper we study a modified version of this algorithm, whose feature is primarily in reducing both computation and communication effort. Concretely, each node needs to update fewer local variables, and can transmit surplus by requiring only one bit. Under this modified algorithm we prove that reaching the average is ensured for arbitrary strongly connected graphs. The condition of arbitrary strong connection is less restrictive than those known in the literature for either real-valued or quantized states; in particular, it does not require the special structure on the network called balanced. Finally, we provide numerical examples to illustrate the convergence result, with emphasis on convergence time analysis.

Canadian Thoracic Society 2012 Guideline Update: Diagnosis and Management of Asthma in Preschoolers, Children and Adults: Executive Summary

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M Diane Lougheed

2012-01-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: In 2010, the Canadian Thoracic Society (CTS published a Consensus Summary for the diagnosis and management of asthma in children six years of age and older, and adults, including an updated Asthma Management Continuum. The CTS Asthma Clinical Assembly subsequently began a formal clinical practice guideline update process, focusing, in this first iteration, on topics of controversy and/or gaps in the previous guidelines.

An update on electronic records at CERN (internal developments, collaboration and outsourcing)

CERN Document Server

Hollier, A

2008-01-01

This paper, presented at the "Future Proof IV" International Conference on scientific archives (Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, 23-25 April 2008), gives an update on some activities related to the long-term preservation of electronic records at CERN.

Delay-Induced Consensus and Quasi-Consensus in Multi-Agent Dynamical Systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Yu, Wenwu; Chen, Guanrong; Cao, Ming; Ren, Wei

2013-01-01

This paper studies consensus and quasi-consensus in multi-agent dynamical systems. A linear consensus protocol in the second-order dynamics is designed where both the current and delayed position information is utilized. Time delay, in a common perspective, can induce periodic oscillations or even

Papers of the CAMPUT 2003 educational conference : Markets in Transition : The changing face of regulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

The North American energy landscape is evolving: markets are in transition and regulatory roles are shifting. Regulators, government policy makers, and industry representatives exchanged information concerning the changes facing regulatory agencies, industry and energy users. The eleven sessions of the conference were entitled: (1) the future of the regulator in a continental energy market, (2) gas markets in transition, (3) electricity markets in transition (including Regional Transmission Organization/Standard Market Design issues), (4) are open access markets the answer? (5) the changing face of regulation, what's up? (6) energy policy updates in British Columbia and Atlantic Canada, (7) Ontario electricity update and deregulation one year later, (8) northern issues, (9) intervener funding, (10) affiliate transactions, regulatory and business issues, and (11) cost of capital update. The conference featured 43 presentations, of which two were indexed separately for inclusion in the database. refs., tabs., figs

Updating OSHA standards based on national consensus standards. final rule; confirmation of effective date.

Science.gov (United States)

2008-03-14

OSHA is confirming the effective date of its direct final rule that revises a number of standards for general industry that refer to national consensus standards. The direct final rule states that it would become effective on March 13, 2008 unless OSHA receives significant adverse comment on these revisions by January 14, 2008. OSHA received no adverse comments by that date and, therefore, is confirming that the rule will become effective on March 13, 2008.

Insight conference reports : proceedings of the 7. annual Alberta power summit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2006-01-01

This power summit conference provided a forum to discuss issues related to electricity transmission and distribution in Canada. The conference addressed recent regulatory and policy changes related to the electricity industry and provided an update on the Alberta Independent System Operator (AESO). Recent developments in wind power development and integration were also outlined, as well as issues related to power markets. Financial incentive regulations in Ontario were reviewed along with the current status of clean coal technologies. Issues related to biomass energy and rural electrification were also reviewed. One of the 17 presentations featured at this conference has been catalogued separately for inclusion in this database. refs., tabs., figs

Update on the management of Helicobacter pylori infection. Position paper from the Catalan Society of Digestology.

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez Delgado, Jordi; García-Iglesias, Pilar; Titó, Llúcia; Puig, Ignasi; Planella, Montse; Gené, Emili; Saló, Joan; Martínez-Cerezo, Francesc; Molina-Infante, Javier; Gisbert, Javier P; Calvet, Xavier

2018-04-01

More than 30 years after its discovery, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection remains the most common cause of gastric and duodenal diseases. H. pylori is the leading cause of chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer, gastric MALT lymphoma and gastric adenocarcinoma. Several consensuses have recently been published on the management of H. pylori infection. The general guidelines of the Spanish consensus, the Toronto Consensus and the Maastricht V Consensus of 2016 are similar but concrete recommendations can vary significantly. In addition, the recommendations of some of these consensuses are decidedly complex. This position paper from the Catalan Society of Digestology is an update of evidence-based recommendations on the management and treatment of H. pylori infection. The aim of this document is to review this information in order to make recommendations for routine clinical practice that are simple, specific and easily applied to our setting. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Citation Discovery Tools for Conducting Adaptive Meta-analyses to Update Systematic Reviews.

Science.gov (United States)

Bae, Jong-Myon; Kim, Eun Hee

2016-03-01

The systematic review (SR) is a research methodology that aims to synthesize related evidence. Updating previously conducted SRs is necessary when new evidence has been produced, but no consensus has yet emerged on the appropriate update methodology. The authors have developed a new SR update method called 'adaptive meta-analysis' (AMA) using the 'cited by', 'similar articles', and 'related articles' citation discovery tools in the PubMed and Scopus databases. This study evaluates the usefulness of these citation discovery tools for updating SRs. Lists were constructed by applying the citation discovery tools in the two databases to the articles analyzed by a published SR. The degree of overlap between the lists and distribution of excluded results were evaluated. The articles ultimately selected for the SR update meta-analysis were found in the lists obtained from the 'cited by' and 'similar' tools in PubMed. Most of the selected articles appeared in both the 'cited by' lists in Scopus and PubMed. The Scopus 'related' tool did not identify the appropriate articles. The AMA, which involves using both citation discovery tools in PubMed, and optionally, the 'related' tool in Scopus, was found to be useful for updating an SR.

International Conference on Intelligent Unmanned Systems (ICIUS)

CERN Document Server

Kartidjo, Muljowidodo; Yoon, Kwang-Joon; Budiyono, Agus; Autonomous Control Systems and Vehicles : Intelligent Unmanned Systems

2013-01-01

The International Conference on Intelligent Unmanned Systems 2011 was organized by the International Society of Intelligent Unmanned Systems and locally by the Center for Bio-Micro Robotics Research at Chiba University, Japan. The event was the 7th conference continuing from previous conferences held in Seoul, Korea (2005, 2006), Bali, Indonesia (2007), Nanjing, China (2008), Jeju, Korea (2009), and Bali, Indonesia (2010). ICIUS 2011 focused on both theory and application, primarily covering the topics of robotics, autonomous vehicles, intelligent unmanned technologies, and biomimetics. We invited seven keynote speakers who dealt with related state-of-the-art technologies including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and micro air vehicles (MAVs), flapping wings (FWs), unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), underwater vehicles (UVs), bio-inspired robotics, advanced control, and intelligent systems, among others. This book is a collection of excellent papers that were updated after presentation at ICIUS2011. All papers ...

The Third Annual NASA Science Internet User Working Group Conference

Science.gov (United States)

Lev, Brian S. (Editor); Gary, J. Patrick (Editor)

1993-01-01

The NASA Science Internet (NSI) User Support Office (USO) sponsored the Third Annual NSI User Working Group (NSIUWG) Conference March 30 through April 3, 1992, in Greenbelt, MD. Approximately 130 NSI users attended to learn more about the NSI, hear from projects which use NSI, and receive updates about new networking technologies and services. This report contains material relevant to the conference; copies of the agenda, meeting summaries, presentations, and descriptions of exhibitors. Plenary sessions featured a variety of speakers, including NSI project management, scientists, and NSI user project managers whose projects and applications effectively use NSI, and notable citizens of the larger Internet community. The conference also included exhibits of advanced networking applications; tutorials on internetworking, computer security, and networking technologies; and user subgroup meetings on the future direction of the conference, networking, and user services and applications.

Second update The Gordon Bell Competition entry gb110s2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vranas, P; Soltz, R

2006-01-01

Since the update to our entry of October 20th we have just made a significant improvement. We understand that this is past the deadline for updates and very close to the conference date. However, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has just updated the BG/L system software on their full 64 BG/L supercomputer to IBM-BGL Release 3. As we discussed in our update of October 20 this release includes our custom L1 and SRAM access functions that allow us to achieve higher sustained performance. Just a few hours ago we got access to the full system and obtained the fastest sustained performance point. In the full 131,072 CPU-cores system QCD sustains 70.9 Teraflops for the Dirac operator and 67.9 teraflops for the full Conjugate Gradient inverter. This is about 20% faster than our last update. We attach the corresponding speedup figure. As you can tell the speedup is perfect. This figure is the same as Figure 1 of our October 20th update except that it now includes the 131,072 CPU-cores point

Opinion dynamics of learning agents: does seeking consensus lead to disagreement?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vicente, Renato; Martins, André C R; Caticha, Nestor

2009-01-01

We study opinion dynamics in a population of interacting adaptive agents voting on a set of issues represented by vectors. We consider agents who can classify issues into one of two categories and can arrive at their opinions using an adaptive algorithm. Adaptation comes from learning and the information for the learning process comes from interacting with other neighboring agents and trying to change the internal state in order to concur with their opinions. The change in the internal state is driven by the information contained in the issue and in the opinion of the other agent. We present results in a simple yet rich context where each agent uses a Boolean perceptron to state their opinion. If the update occurs with information asynchronously exchanged among pairs of agents, then the typical case, if the number of issues is kept small, is the evolution into a society torn by the emergence of factions with extreme opposite beliefs. This occurs even when seeking consensus with agents with opposite opinions. If the number of issues is large, the dynamics becomes trapped, the society does not evolve into factions and a distribution of moderate opinions is observed. The synchronous case is technically simpler and is studied by formulating the problem in terms of differential equations that describe the evolution of order parameters that measure the consensus between pairs of agents. We show that for a large number of issues and unidirectional information flow, global consensus is a fixed point; however, the approach to this consensus is glassy for large societies

Opinion dynamics of learning agents: does seeking consensus lead to disagreement?

Science.gov (United States)

Vicente, Renato; Martins, André C. R.; Caticha, Nestor

2009-03-01

We study opinion dynamics in a population of interacting adaptive agents voting on a set of issues represented by vectors. We consider agents who can classify issues into one of two categories and can arrive at their opinions using an adaptive algorithm. Adaptation comes from learning and the information for the learning process comes from interacting with other neighboring agents and trying to change the internal state in order to concur with their opinions. The change in the internal state is driven by the information contained in the issue and in the opinion of the other agent. We present results in a simple yet rich context where each agent uses a Boolean perceptron to state their opinion. If the update occurs with information asynchronously exchanged among pairs of agents, then the typical case, if the number of issues is kept small, is the evolution into a society torn by the emergence of factions with extreme opposite beliefs. This occurs even when seeking consensus with agents with opposite opinions. If the number of issues is large, the dynamics becomes trapped, the society does not evolve into factions and a distribution of moderate opinions is observed. The synchronous case is technically simpler and is studied by formulating the problem in terms of differential equations that describe the evolution of order parameters that measure the consensus between pairs of agents. We show that for a large number of issues and unidirectional information flow, global consensus is a fixed point; however, the approach to this consensus is glassy for large societies.

Research in assessment: Consensus statement and recommendations from the Ottawa 2010 Conference

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schuwirth, Lambert; Colliver, Jerry; Gruppen, Larry

2011-01-01

educational research, a plethora of methodologies is available to cater to many different research questions. This article contains consensus positions and suggestions on various elements of medical education (assessment) research. Overarching is the position that without a good theoretical underpinning...... and good knowledge of the existing literature, good research and sound conclusions are impossible to produce, and that there is no inherently superior methodology, but that the best methodology is the one most suited to answer the research question unambiguously. Although the positions should...... not be perceived as dogmas, they should be taken as very serious recommendations. Topics covered are: types of research, theoretical frameworks, designs and methodologies, instrument properties or psychometrics, costs/acceptability, ethics, infrastructure and support....

TDM in psychiatry and neurology: A comprehensive summary of the consensus guidelines for therapeutic drug monitoring in neuropsychopharmacology, update 2017; a tool for clinicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Schoretsanitis, Georgios; Paulzen, Michael; Unterecker, Stefan; Schwarz, Markus; Conca, Andreas; Zernig, Gerald; Gründer, Gerhard; Haen, Ekkerhard; Baumann, Pierre; Bergemann, Niels; Clement, Hans Willi; Domschke, Katharina; Eckermann, Gabriel; Egberts, Karin; Gerlach, Manfred; Greiner, Christine; Havemann-Reinecke, Ursula; Hefner, Gudrun; Helmer, Renate; Janssen, Ger; Jaquenoud-Sirot, Eveline; Laux, Gerd; Messer, Thomas; Mössner, Rainald; Müller, Matthias J; Pfuhlmann, Bruno; Riederer, Peter; Saria, Alois; Schoppek, Bernd; Silva Gracia, Margarete; Stegmann, Benedikt; Steimer, Werner; Stingl, Julia C; Uhr, Manfred; Ulrich, Sven; Waschgler, Roland; Zurek, Gabriela; Hiemke, Christoph

2018-04-01

Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) combines the quantification of drug concentrations in blood, pharmacological interpretation and treatment guidance. TDM introduces a precision medicine tool in times of increasing awareness of the need for personalized treatment. In neurology and psychiatry, TDM can guide pharmacotherapy for patient subgroups such as children, adolescents, pregnant women, elderly patients, patients with intellectual disabilities, patients with substance use disorders, individuals with pharmacokinetic peculiarities and forensic patients. Clear indications for TDM include lack of clinical response in the therapeutic dose range, assessment of drug adherence, tolerability issues and drug-drug interactions. Based upon existing literature, recommended therapeutic reference ranges, laboratory alert levels, and levels of recommendation to use TDM for dosage optimization without specific indications, conversion factors, factors for calculation of dose-related drug concentrations and metabolite-to-parent ratios were calculated. This summary of the updated consensus guidelines by the TDM task force of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Neuropsychopharmakologie und Pharmakopsychiatrie offers the practical and theoretical knowledge for the integration of TDM as part of pharmacotherapy with neuropsychiatric agents into clinical routine. The present guidelines for TDM application for neuropsychiatric agents aim to assist clinicians in enhancing safety and efficacy of treatment.

Update on Fresh Fuel Characterization of U-Mo Alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burkes, D.E.; Wachs, D.M.; Keiser, D.D.; Okuniewski, M.A.; Jue, J.F.; Rice, F.J.; Prabhakaran, R.

2009-01-01

The need to provide more accurate property information on U-Mo fuel alloys to operators, modellers, researchers, fabricators, and government increases as success of the GTRI Reactor Convert program continues. This presentation provides an update on fresh fuel characterization activities that have occurred at the INL since the RERTR 2008 conference in Washington, D.C. The update is particularly focused on properties recently obtained and on the development progress of new measurement techniques. Furthermore, areas where useful and necessary information is still lacking is discussed. The update deals with mechanical, physical, and microstructural properties for both integrated and separate effects. Appropriate discussion of fabrication characteristics, impurities, thermodynamic response, and effects on the topic areas are provided, along with a background on the characterization techniques used and developed to obtain the information. Efforts to measure similar characteristics on irradiated fuel plates are discussed.

German-austrian recommendations for HIV1-therapy in pregnancy and in HIV1-exposed newborn - update 2008

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Buchholz Bernd

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract German-Austrian recommendations for HIV1-therapy in pregnancy - Update 2008 Bernd Buchholz (University Medical Centre Mannheim, Pediatric Clinic, Matthias Beichert (Mannheim, Gynecology and Obstetrics Practice, Ulrich Marcus (Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Thomas Grubert, Andrea Gingelmaier (Gynecology Clinic of the Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, Dr. med. Annette Haberl (HIV-Department, J. W. Goethe-University Hospital, Frankfurt, Dr. med. Brigitte Schmied (Otto-Wagner Spital, Wien. In Germany during the last years about 200-250 HIV1-infected pregnant women delivered a baby each year, a number that is currently increasing. To determine the HIV-status early in pregnancy voluntary HIV-testing of all pregnant women is recommended in Germany and Austria as part of prenatal care. In those cases, where HIV1-infection was known during pregnancy, since 1995 the rate of vertical transmission of HIV1 was reduced to 1-2%. This low transmission rate has been achieved by the combination of anti-retroviral therapy of pregnant women, caesarean section scheduled before onset of labour, anti-retroviral post exposition prophylaxis in the newborn and refraining from breast-feeding by the HIV1-infected mother. To keep pace with new results in research, approval of new anti-retroviral drugs and changes in the general treatment recommendations for HIV1-infected adults, in 1998, 2001, 2003 and 2005 an interdisciplinary consensus meeting was held. Gynaecologists, infectious disease specialists, paediatricians, pharmacologists, virologists and members of the German AIDS Hilfe (NGO were participating in this conference to update the prevention strategies. A fifth update became necessary in 2008. The updating process was started in January 2008 and was terminated in September 2008. The guidelines provide new recommendations on the indication and the starting point for HIV-therapy in pregnancies without complications, drugs and drug combinations to be

Update of the Unitarity Triangle Analysis

CERN Document Server

Bevan, A.J.; Ciuchini, M.; Derkach, D.; Stocchi, A.; Franco, E.; Silvestrini, L.; Lubicz, V.; Tarantino, Cecilia; Martinelli, G.; Parodi, F.; Schiavi, C.; Pierini, M.; Sordini, V.; Vagnoni, V.

2010-01-01

We present the status of the Unitarity Triangle Analysis (UTA), within the Standard Model (SM) and beyond, with experimental and theoretical inputs updated for the ICHEP 2010 conference. Within the SM, we find that the general consistency among all the constraints leaves space only to some tension (between the UTA prediction and the experimental measurement) in BR(B -> tau nu), sin(2 beta) and epsilon_K. In the UTA beyond the SM, we allow for New Physics (NP) effects in (Delta F)=2 processes. The hint of NP at the 2.9 sigma level in the B_s-\\bar B_s mixing turns out to be confirmed by the present update, which includes the new D0 result on the dimuon charge asymmetry but not the new CDF measurement of phi_s, being the likelihood not yet released.

Stuttering: Clinical and research update.

Science.gov (United States)

Perez, Hector R; Stoeckle, James H

2016-06-01

To provide an update on the epidemiology, genetics, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of developmental stuttering. The MEDLINE and Cochrane databases were searched for past and recent studies on the epidemiology, genetics, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of developmental stuttering. Most recommendations are based on small studies, limited-quality evidence, or consensus. Stuttering is a speech disorder, common in persons of all ages, that affects normal fluency and time patterning of speech. Stuttering has been associated with differences in brain anatomy, functioning, and dopamine regulation thought to be due to genetic causes. Attention to making a correct diagnosis or referral in children is important because there is growing consensus that early intervention with speech therapy for children who stutter is critical. For adults, stuttering can be associated with substantial psychosocial morbidity including social anxiety and low quality of life. Pharmacologic treatment has received attention in recent years, but clinical evidence is limited. The mainstay of treatment for children and adults remains speech therapy. A growing body of research has attempted to uncover the pathophysiology of stuttering. Referral for speech therapy remains the best option for children and adults. Copyright© the College of Family Physicians of Canada.

Proceedings of the conference on computer codes and the linear accelerator community

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cooper, R.K.

1990-07-01

The conference whose proceedings you are reading was envisioned as the second in a series, the first having been held in San Diego in January 1988. The intended participants were those people who are actively involved in writing and applying computer codes for the solution of problems related to the design and construction of linear accelerators. The first conference reviewed many of the codes both extant and under development. This second conference provided an opportunity to update the status of those codes, and to provide a forum in which emerging new 3D codes could be described and discussed. The afternoon poster session on the second day of the conference provided an opportunity for extended discussion. All in all, this conference was felt to be quite a useful interchange of ideas and developments in the field of 3D calculations, parallel computation, higher-order optics calculations, and code documentation and maintenance for the linear accelerator community. A third conference is planned

Proceedings of the conference on computer codes and the linear accelerator community

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cooper, R.K. (comp.)

1990-07-01

The conference whose proceedings you are reading was envisioned as the second in a series, the first having been held in San Diego in January 1988. The intended participants were those people who are actively involved in writing and applying computer codes for the solution of problems related to the design and construction of linear accelerators. The first conference reviewed many of the codes both extant and under development. This second conference provided an opportunity to update the status of those codes, and to provide a forum in which emerging new 3D codes could be described and discussed. The afternoon poster session on the second day of the conference provided an opportunity for extended discussion. All in all, this conference was felt to be quite a useful interchange of ideas and developments in the field of 3D calculations, parallel computation, higher-order optics calculations, and code documentation and maintenance for the linear accelerator community. A third conference is planned.

Proceedings of the Petroleum Services Association of Canada 2008 spring conference

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2008-07-01

This annual conference focused on workplace safety and personnel management with particular reference to current training and safety issues affecting the petroleum services industry. Presentations given at the conference discussed issues related to transportation operations, transportation management, and asset management. New methods of reviewing critical incidents were presented along with recent updates to the National Safety Code. Issues related to contractor safety were also discussed. Improved methods of managing personnel were presented and issues related to disability management were examined. Employment standards were also reviewed along with methods of improving supervisory skills. One of the 24 presentations featured at this conference has been catalogued separately for inclusion in this database. tabs., figs.

The 1st Baltic Osseointegration Academy and Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Consensus Conference 2016. Summary and Consensus Statements: Group I - Peri-Implantitis Aetiology, Risk Factors and Pathogenesis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudio Stacchi

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The task of Group 1 was to review and update the existing data concerning aetiology, risk factors and pathogenesis of peri-implantitis. Previous history of periodontitis, poor oral hygiene, smoking and presence of general diseases have been considered among the aetiological risk factors for the onset of peri-implant pathologies, while late dental implant failures are commonly associated with peri-implantitis and/or with the application of incorrect biomechanical forces. Special interest was paid to the bone cells dynamics as part of the pathogenesis of peri-implantitis. Material and Methods: The main areas indagated by this group were as follows: influence of smoking, history of periodontitis and general diseases on peri-implantitis development, bio-mechanics of implant loading and its influence on peri-implant bone and cellular dynamics related to the pathogenesis of peri-implantitis. The systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses were registered in PROSPERO, an international prospective register of systematic reviews: http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/. The literature in the corresponding areas of interest was screened and reported following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Statement: http://www.prisma-statement.org/. Method of preparation of the systematic reviews, based on comprehensive search strategies, was discussed and standardized. The summary of the materials and methods employed by the authors in preparing the systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses is presented in Preface chapter. Results: The results and conclusions of the review process are presented in the respective papers. One systematic review with meta-analysis, three systematic reviews and one theoretical analysis were performed. The group′s general commentaries, consensus statements, clinical recommendations and implications for research are presented in this article.

COPD management as a model for all chronic respiratory conditions: report of the 4th Consensus Conference in Respiratory Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Nardini, Stefano; De Benedetto, Fernando; Sanguinetti, Claudio M; Bellofiore, Salvatore; Carlone, Stefano; Privitera, Salvatore; Sagliocca, Luciano; Tupputi, Emmanuele; Baccarani, Claudio; Caiffa, Gennaro; Calabrese, Maria Consiglia; Capuozzo, Antonio; Cauchi, Salvatore; Conio, Valentina; Coratella, Giuseppe; Crismancich, Franco; Dal Negro, Roberto W; Dellarole, Franco; Delucchi, Maurizio; Favaretti, Carlo; Forte, Silvia; Gallo, Franca Matilde; Giuliano, Riccardo; Grandi, Marco; Grillo, Antonino; Gualano, Maria Rosaria; Guffanti, Enrico; Locicero, Salvatore; Lombardo, Francesco Paolo; Mantero, Marco; Marasso, Roberto; Martino, Laura; Mastroberardino, Michele; Mereu, Carlo; Messina, Roberto; Neri, Margherita; Novelletto, Bruno Franco; Parente, Paolo; Pasquinucci, Sergio; Pistolesi, Massimo; Polverino, Mario; Posca, Agnese; Richeldi, Luca; Roccia, Fernando; Giustini, Ettore Saffi; Salemi, Michelangelo; Santacroce, Salvatore; Schisano, Mario; Schisano, Matteo; Selvi, Eleonora; Silenzi, Andrea; Soverina, Patrizio; Taranto, Claudio; Ugolini, Marta; Visaggi, Piero; Zanasi, Alessandro

2017-01-01

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) kill 40 million people each year. The management of chronic respiratory NCDs such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is particularly critical in Italy, where they are widespread and represent a heavy burden on healthcare resources. It is thus important to redefine the role and responsibility of respiratory specialists and their scientific societies, together with that of the whole healthcare system, in order to create a sustainable management of COPD, which could become a model for other chronic respiratory conditions. These issues were divided into four main topics (Training, Organization, Responsibilities, and Sustainability) and discussed at a Consensus Conference promoted by the Research Center of the Italian Respiratory Society held in Rome, Italy, 3-4 November 2016. Regarding training, important inadequacies emerged regarding specialist training - both the duration of practical training courses and teaching about chronic diseases like COPD. A better integration between university and teaching hospitals would improve the quality of specialization. A better organizational integration between hospital and specialists/general practitioners (GPs) in the local community is essential to improve the diagnostic and therapeutic pathways for chronic respiratory patients. Improving the care pathways is the joint responsibility of respiratory specialists, GPs, patients and their caregivers, and the healthcare system. The sustainability of the entire system depends on a better organization of the diagnostic-therapeutic pathways, in which also other stakeholders such as pharmacists and pharmaceutical companies can play an important role.

Introduction and methodology – Guidelines on Parenteral Nutrition, Chapter 1

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jauch, K. W.

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Guidelines for Parenteral Nutrition were prepared by the German Society for Nutritional Medicine (http://www.dgem.de/, in collaboration with other medical associations to provide guidance for quality assurance for parenteral nutrition (PN practice, and to promoting health and quality of life of patients concerned. A coordination team proposed topics, working group leaders who along with working group members performed systematic literatur searches and drafted recommendations in a nominal group process. Recommendations were discussed and agreed upon in a structured consensus conference process, followed by a Delphi consensus. The current English version of the guidelines was written and updated during the period between the last quarter of 2007 and the first quarter of 2009. The recommendations of the guidelines should be reviewed, and if necessary updated five years after publication.

Multidisciplinary Rectal Cancer Management: 2nd European Rectal Cancer Consensus Conference (EURECA-CC2).

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Valentini, V.; Aristei, C.; Glimelius, B.; Minsky, B.D.; Beets-Tan, R.G.; Borras, J.M.; Haustermans, K.; Maingon, P.; Overgaard, J.; Pahlman, L.; Quirke, P.; Schmoll, H.J.; Sebag-Montefiore, D.; Taylor, I.; Cutsem, E. van; Velde, C. van de; Cellini, N.; Latini, P.

2009-01-01

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: During the first decade of the 21st century a number of important European randomized studies were published. In order to help shape clinical practice based on best scientific evidence from the literature, the International Conference on 'Multidisciplinary Rectal Cancer

Proceedings of the sixteenth international conference on coal and slurry technologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1991-01-01

The proceedings of this conference are grouped under the following headings: Update in operating slurry pipeline systems; Environmental aspects; Materials and equipment; Indirect coal, liquefaction, Pipeline technology; Coal preparation and beneficiation; Direct coal liquefaction; Rheology characterization and formulation; Atomization and combustion; Demonstrations and evaluations; Small scale applications

Consensus Treatment Plans for New-Onset Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

Science.gov (United States)

DeWitt, Esi Morgan; Kimura, Yukiko; Beukelman, Timothy; Nigrovic, Peter A.; Onel, Karen; Prahalad, Sampath; Schneider, Rayfel; Stoll, Matthew L.; Angeles-Han, Sheila; Milojevic, Diana; Schikler, Kenneth N.; Vehe, Richard K.; Weiss, Jennifer E.; Weiss, Pamela; Ilowite, Norman T.; Wallace, Carol A.

2012-01-01

Objective There is wide variation in therapeutic approaches to systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) among North American rheumatologists. Understanding the comparative effectiveness of the diverse therapeutic options available for treatment of sJIA can result in better health outcomes. The Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) developed consensus treatment plans and standardized assessment schedules for use in clinical practice to facilitate such studies. Methods Case-based surveys were administered to CARRA members to identify prevailing treatments for new-onset sJIA. A 2-day consensus conference in April 2010 employed modified nominal group technique to formulate preliminary treatment plans and determine important data elements for collection. Follow-up surveys were employed to refine the plans and assess clinical acceptability. Results The initial case-based survey identified significant variability among current treatment approaches for new onset sJIA, underscoring the utility of standardized plans to evaluate comparative effectiveness. We developed four consensus treatment plans for the first 9 months of therapy, as well as case definitions and clinical and laboratory monitoring schedules. The four treatment regimens included glucocorticoids only, or therapy with methotrexate, anakinra or tocilizumab, with or without glucocorticoids. This approach was approved by >78% of CARRA membership. Conclusion Four standardized treatment plans were developed for new-onset sJIA. Coupled with data collection at defined intervals, use of these treatment plans will create the opportunity to evaluate comparative effectiveness in an observational setting to optimize initial management of sJIA. PMID:22290637

Proceedings: pellet fuels conference

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1995-12-31

The conference brought together professionals from the process- engineered-fuels (PEF), utility, paper, plastics, and boiler industries. Although the last two decades have produced technical breakthroughs, efforts to advance PEF must now focus on increasing commercial breakthroughs. Successful commercialization will depend on increasing supplier, consumer, and regulator confidence and support by demonstrating the performance and value of PEF products. Speakers provided updates on how PEF technology is evolving with respect to technical, economic, and regulatory challenges. Actions critical toward full commercialization of PEF were then considered. Discussion groups addressed materials sourcing, fuel processing and transportation, combustion, and ash handling.

Large Deployable Reflector (LDR) feasibility study update

Science.gov (United States)

Alff, W. H.; Banderman, L. W.

1983-01-01

In 1982 a workshop was held to refine the science rationale for large deployable reflectors (LDR) and develop technology requirements that support the science rationale. At the end of the workshop, a set of LDR consensus systems requirements was established. The subject study was undertaken to update the initial LDR study using the new systems requirements. The study included mirror materials selection and configuration, thermal analysis, structural concept definition and analysis, dynamic control analysis and recommendations for further study. The primary emphasis was on the dynamic controls requirements and the sophistication of the controls system needed to meet LDR performance goals.

Conference report: Bioanalysis highlights from the 2012 American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists National Biotechnology Conference.

Science.gov (United States)

Crisino, Rebecca M; Geist, Brian; Li, Jian

2012-09-01

The American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) is an international forum for the exchange of knowledge among scientists to enhance their contributions to drug development. The annual National Biotechnology Conference, organized by the AAPS on 21-23 May 2012 in San Diego, CA, USA, brings together experts from various disciplines representing private industry, academia and governing institutions dedicated toward advancing the scientific and technological progress related to discovery, development and manufacture of medical biotechnology products. Over 300 scientific poster presentations and approximately 50 oral presentation and discussion sessions examined a breadth of topics pertaining to biotechnology drug development, such as the advancement of vaccines and biosimilars, emerging and innovative technologies, nonclinical and clinical bioanalysis, and regulatory updates. This conference report highlights the existing challenges with ligand-binding assays, emerging challenges, innovative integration of various technology platforms and applicable regulatory considerations as they relate to immunogenicity and pharmacokinetic bioanalytical assessments.

Operationalising emergency care delivery in sub-Saharan Africa: consensus-based recommendations for healthcare facilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Calvello, Emilie J B; Tenner, Andrea G; Broccoli, Morgan C; Skog, Alexander P; Muck, Andrew E; Tupesis, Janis P; Brysiewicz, Petra; Teklu, Sisay; Wallis, Lee; Reynolds, Teri

2016-08-01

A major barrier to successful integration of acute care into health systems is the lack of consensus on the essential components of emergency care within resource-limited environments. The 2013 African Federation of Emergency Medicine Consensus Conference was convened to address the growing need for practical solutions to further implementation of emergency care in sub-Saharan Africa. Over 40 participants from 15 countries participated in the working group that focused on emergency care delivery at health facilities. Using the well-established approach developed in the WHO's Monitoring Emergency Obstetric Care, the workgroup identified the essential services delivered-signal functions-associated with each emergency care sentinel condition. Levels of emergency care were assigned based on the expected capacity of the facility to perform signal functions, and the necessary human, equipment and infrastructure resources identified. These consensus-based recommendations provide the foundation for objective facility capacity assessment in developing emergency health systems that can bolster strategic planning as well as facilitate monitoring and evaluation of service delivery. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Executive Summary from the 2017 Emergency Medicine Resident Wellness Consensus Summit.

Science.gov (United States)

Battaglioli, Nicole; Ankel, Felix; Doty, Christopher I; Chung, Arlene; Lin, Michelle

2018-03-01

Physician wellness has recently become a popular topic of conversation and publication within the house of medicine and specifically within emergency medicine (EM). Through a joint collaboration involving Academic Life in Emergency Medicine's (ALiEM) Wellness Think Tank, Essentials of Emergency Medicine (EEM), and the Emergency Medicine Residents' Association (EMRA), a one-day Resident Wellness Consensus Summit (RWCS) was organized. The RWCS was held on May 15, 2017, as a pre-day event prior to the 2017 EEM conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. Seven months before the RWCS event, pre-work began in the ALiEM Wellness Think Tank, which was launched in October 2016. The Wellness Think Tank is a virtual community of practice involving EM residents from the U.S. and Canada, hosted on the Slack digital-messaging platform. A working group was formed for each of the four predetermined themes: wellness curriculum development; educator toolkit resources for specific wellness topics; programmatic innovations; and wellness-targeted technologies. Pre-work for RWCS included 142 residents from 100 different training programs in the Wellness Think Tank. Participants in the actual RWCS event included 44 EM residents, five EM attendings who participated as facilitators, and three EM attendings who acted as participants. The four working groups ultimately reached a consensus on their specific objectives to improve resident wellness on both the individual and program level. The Resident Wellness Consensus Summit was a unique and novel consensus meeting, involving residents as the primary stakeholders. The summit demonstrated that it is possible to galvanize a large group of stakeholders in a relatively short time by creating robust trust, communication, and online learning networks to create resources that support resident wellness.

Geriatric Assessment-Guided Care Processes for Older Adults: A Delphi Consensus of Geriatric Oncology Experts.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohile, Supriya Gupta; Velarde, Carla; Hurria, Arti; Magnuson, Allison; Lowenstein, Lisa; Pandya, Chintan; O'Donovan, Anita; Gorawara-Bhat, Rita; Dale, William

2015-09-01

Structured care processes that provide a framework for how oncologists can incorporate geriatric assessment (GA) into clinical practice could improve outcomes for vulnerable older adults with cancer, a growing population at high risk of toxicity from cancer treatment. We sought to obtain consensus from an expert panel on the use of GA in clinical practice and to develop algorithms of GA-guided care processes. The Delphi technique, a well-recognized structured and reiterative process to reach consensus, was used. Participants were geriatric oncology experts who attended NIH-funded U13 or Cancer and Aging Research Group conferences. Consensus was defined as an interquartile range of 2 or more units, or 66.7% or greater, selecting a utility/helpfulness rating of 7 or greater on a 10-point Likert scale. For nominal data, consensus was defined as agreement among 66.7% or more of the group. From 33 invited, 30 participants completed all 3 rounds. Most experts (75%) used GA in clinical care, and the remainder were involved in geriatric oncology research. The panel met consensus that "all patients aged 75 years or older and those who are younger with age-related health concerns" should undergo GA and that all domains (function, physical performance, comorbidity/polypharmacy, cognition, nutrition, psychological status, and social support) should be included. Consensus was met for how GA could guide nononcologic interventions and cancer treatment decisions. Algorithms for GA-guided care processes were developed. This Delphi investigation of geriatric oncology experts demonstrated that GA should be performed for older patients with cancer to guide care processes. Copyright © 2015 by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.

The establishment of an ethical guideline for genetic testing through citizen consensus via the Internet in Taiwan.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Chiou-Fen; Lu, Meei-Shiow; Chung, Chun-Chih; Yang, Che-Ming

2010-10-18

With the rapid advance of genetics, the application of genetic testing has become increasingly popular. Test results have had a tremendous impact on individuals who receive the test and his or her family. The ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of genetic testing cannot be overlooked. The Internet is a potential tool for public engagement. This study aimed at establishing ethical guidelines for genetic testing in Taiwan through a participatory citizen consensus approach via the Internet. The research method used was a citizen consensus conference modified by an Internet application and the Delphi technique. The citizen consensus conference is one of the public participation mechanisms. The draft ethical guidelines for genetic testing were written by an expert panel of 10. The Delphi technique was applied to a citizen panel recruited via the Internet until a consensus was reached. Our research population was restricted to people who had Internet access. Included in the citizen panel were 100 individuals. A total of 3 individuals dropped out of the process. The citizen panel was exposed to the issues through Internet learning and sharing. In all, 3 rounds of anonymous questionnaires were administered before a consensus was reached in terms of importance and feasibility. The result was ethical guidelines composed of 4 categories and 25 items. The 4 categories encompassed decision making (6 items), management of tissue samples (5 items), release of results (8 items), and information flow (6 items). On a scale of 1 to 10, the average (SD) importance score for the decision-making category was 9.41 (SD 0.58); for the management of tissue samples category, the average score was 9.62 (SD 0.49); for the release of results category, the average score was 9.34 (SD= 0.59); and for the information flow category, the average score was 9.6 (SD = 0.43). Exploratory analyses indicated that participants with higher education tended to attribute more importance to these

Recommendations for an update of the 2010 European regulatory guideline on clinical investigation of medicinal products used in the treatment of osteoarthritis and reflections about related clinically relevant outcomes: expert consensus statement.

Science.gov (United States)

Reginster, J-Y; Reiter-Niesert, S; Bruyère, O; Berenbaum, F; Brandi, M-L; Branco, J; Devogelaer, J-P; Herrero-Beaumont, G; Kanis, J; Maggi, S; Maheu, E; Richette, P; Rizzoli, R; Cooper, C

2015-12-01

The European Society on Clinical and Economic aspects of Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis (ESCEO) organised a working group to evaluate the need for updating the current European guideline on clinical investigation of drugs used in the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA). Areas of potential attention were identified and the need for modifications, update or clarification was examined. Proposals were then developed based on literature reviews and through a consensus process. It was agreed that the current guideline overall still reflects the current knowledge in OA, although two possible modifications were identified. The first relates to the number and timing of measurements required as primary endpoints during clinical trials of symptom-relieving drugs, either drugs with rapid onset of action or slow acting drugs. The suggested modifications are intended to take into consideration the time related clinical need and expected time response to these drugs - i.e., a more early effect for the first category in addition to the maintenance of effect, a more continuous benefit over the long-term for the latter - in the timing of assessments. Secondly, values above which a benefit over placebo should be considered clinically relevant were considered. Based on literature reviews, the most consensual values were determined for primary endpoints of both symptom-relieving drugs (i.e., pain intensity on a visual analogue scale (VAS)) and disease-modifying drugs (i.e., radiographic joint-space narrowing). This working document might be considered by the European regulatory authorities in a future update of the guideline for the registration of drugs in OA. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Standardization of terminology in dermoscopy/dermatoscopy: Results of the third consensus conference of the International Society of Dermoscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Kittler, Harald; Marghoob, Ashfaq A; Argenziano, Giuseppe; Carrera, Cristina; Curiel-Lewandrowski, Clara; Hofmann-Wellenhof, Rainer; Malvehy, Josep; Menzies, Scott; Puig, Susana; Rabinovitz, Harold; Stolz, Wilhelm; Saida, Toshiaki; Soyer, H Peter; Siegel, Eliot; Stoecker, William V; Scope, Alon; Tanaka, Masaru; Thomas, Luc; Tschandl, Philipp; Zalaudek, Iris; Halpern, Allan

2016-06-01

Evolving dermoscopic terminology motivated us to initiate a new consensus. We sought to establish a dictionary of standardized terms. We reviewed the medical literature, conducted a survey, and convened a discussion among experts. Two competitive terminologies exist, a more metaphoric terminology that includes numerous terms and a descriptive terminology based on 5 basic terms. In a survey among members of the International Society of Dermoscopy (IDS) 23.5% (n = 201) participants preferentially use descriptive terminology, 20.1% (n = 172) use metaphoric terminology, and 484 (56.5%) use both. More participants who had been initially trained by metaphoric terminology prefer using descriptive terminology than vice versa (9.7% vs 2.6%, P terminologies are suitable, that metaphoric terms need definitions, that synonyms should be avoided, and that the creation of new metaphoric terms should be discouraged. The expert panel proposed a dictionary of standardized terms taking account of metaphoric and descriptive terms. A consensus seeks a workable compromise but does not guarantee its implementation. The new consensus provides a revised framework of standardized terms to enhance the consistent use of dermoscopic terminology. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Berlin International Consensus Meeting on Concussion in Sport.

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Gavin A; Ellenbogen, Richard G; Bailes, Julian; Cantu, Robert C; Johnston, Karen M; Manley, Geoffrey T; Nagahiro, Shinji; Sills, Allen; Tator, Charles H; McCrory, Paul

2018-02-01

The Fifth International Conference on Concussion in Sport was held in Berlin in October 2016. A series of 12 questions and subquestions was developed and the expert panel members were required to perform a systematic review to answer each question. Following presentation at the Berlin meeting of the systematic review, poster abstracts and audience discussion, the summary Consensus Statement was produced. Further, a series of tools for the management of sport-related concussion was developed, including the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool Fifth edition (SCAT5), the Child SCAT5, and the Concussion Recognition Tool Fifth edition. This paper elaborates on this process, the outcomes, and explores the implications for neurosurgeons in the management of sport-related concussion. Copyright © 2017 by the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

Consensus Conference: A reappraisal of Gaucher disease - diagnosis and disease management algorithms

Science.gov (United States)

Mistry, Pramod K.; Cappellini, Maria Domenica; Lukina, Elena; Özsan, Hayri; Pascual, Sara Mach; Rosenbaum, Hanna; Solano, Maria Helena; Spigelman, Zachary; Villarrubia, Jesús; Watman, Nora Patricia; Massenkeil, Gero

2010-01-01

Type 1 (non neuronopathic) Gaucher disease was the first lysosomal storage disorder for which an effective enzyme replacement therapy was developed and it has become a prototype for treatments for related orphan diseases. There are currently four treatment options available to patients with Gaucher disease, nevertheless, almost 25% of type 1 Gaucher patients do not gain timely access to therapy because of delays in diagnosis after the onset of symptoms. Diagnosis of Gaucher disease by enzyme testing is unequivocal, but the rarity of the disease and non-specific and heterogeneous nature of Gaucher disease symptoms may impede consideration of this disease in the differential diagnosis. To help promote timely diagnosis and optimal management of the protean presentations of Gaucher disease, a consensus meeting was convened to develop algorithms for diagnosis and disease management for Gaucher disease. PMID:21080341

International Conference on Algebra and its Applications

CERN Document Server

Ali, Asma; Filippis, Vincenzo

2016-01-01

This book discusses recent developments and the latest research in algebra and related topics. The book allows aspiring researchers to update their understanding of prime rings, generalized derivations, generalized semiderivations, regular semigroups, completely simple semigroups, module hulls, injective hulls, Baer modules, extending modules, local cohomology modules, orthogonal lattices, Banach algebras, multilinear polynomials, fuzzy ideals, Laurent power series, and Hilbert functions. All the contributing authors are leading international academicians and researchers in their respective fields. Most of the papers were presented at the international conference on Algebra and its Applications (ICAA-2014), held at Aligarh Muslim University, India, from December 15–17, 2014. The conference has emerged as a powerful forum offering researchers a venue to meet and discuss advances in algebra and its applications, inspiring further research directions. <.

Consensus conference on core radiological parameters to describe lumbar stenosis - an initiative for structured reporting

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andreisek, Gustav; Winklhofer, Sebastian F.X. [University Hospital Zurich, Department of Radiology, Zurich (Switzerland); Deyo, Richard A. [Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR (United States); Jarvik, Jeffrey G. [University of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States); Porchet, Francois [Schulthess Klinik, Zuerich (Switzerland); Steurer, Johann [University Hospital Zurich, Horten Center for patient oriented research and knowledge transfer, Zurich (Switzerland); Collaboration: On behalf of the LSOS working group

2014-12-15

To define radiological criteria and parameters as a minimum standard in a structured radiological report for patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) and to identify criteria and parameters for research purposes. All available radiological criteria and parameters for LSS were identified using systematic literature reviews and a Delphi survey. We invited to the consensus meeting, and provided data, to 15 internationally renowned experts from different countries. During the meeting, these experts reached consensus in a structured and systematic discussion about a core list of radiological criteria and parameters for standard reporting. We identified a total of 27 radiological criteria and parameters for LSS. During the meeting, the experts identified five of these as core items for a structured report. For central stenosis, these were ''compromise of the central zone'' and ''relation between fluid and cauda equina''. For lateral stenosis, the group agreed that ''nerve root compression in the lateral recess'' was a core item. For foraminal stenosis, we included ''nerve root impingement'' and ''compromise of the foraminal zone''. As a minimum standard, five radiological criteria should be used in a structured radiological report in LSS. Other parameters are well suited for research. (orig.)

Systematic review and consensus guidelines for environmental sampling of Burkholderia pseudomallei.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Direk Limmathurotsakul

Full Text Available Burkholderia pseudomallei, a Tier 1 Select Agent and the cause of melioidosis, is a Gram-negative bacillus present in the environment in many tropical countries. Defining the global pattern of B. pseudomallei distribution underpins efforts to prevent infection, and is dependent upon robust environmental sampling methodology. Our objective was to review the literature on the detection of environmental B. pseudomallei, update the risk map for melioidosis, and propose international consensus guidelines for soil sampling.An international working party (Detection of Environmental Burkholderia pseudomallei Working Party (DEBWorP was formed during the VIth World Melioidosis Congress in 2010. PubMed (January 1912 to December 2011 was searched using the following MeSH terms: pseudomallei or melioidosis. Bibliographies were hand-searched for secondary references. The reported geographical distribution of B. pseudomallei in the environment was mapped and categorized as definite, probable, or possible. The methodology used for detecting environmental B. pseudomallei was extracted and collated. We found that global coverage was patchy, with a lack of studies in many areas where melioidosis is suspected to occur. The sampling strategies and bacterial identification methods used were highly variable, and not all were robust. We developed consensus guidelines with the goals of reducing the probability of false-negative results, and the provision of affordable and 'low-tech' methodology that is applicable in both developed and developing countries.The proposed consensus guidelines provide the basis for the development of an accurate and comprehensive global map of environmental B. pseudomallei.

Standard operating procedures for ESPEN guidelines and consensus papers.

Science.gov (United States)

Bischoff, Stephan C; Singer, Pierre; Koller, Michael; Barazzoni, Rocco; Cederholm, Tommy; van Gossum, André

2015-12-01

The ESPEN Guideline standard operating procedures (SOP) is based on the methodology provided by the Association of Scientific Medical Societies of Germany (AWMF), the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN), and the Centre for Evidence-based Medicine at the University of Oxford. The SOP is valid and obligatory for all future ESPEN-sponsored guideline projects aiming to generate high-quality guidelines on a regular basis. The SOP aims to facilitate the preparation of guideline projects, to streamline the consensus process, to ensure quality and transparency, and to facilitate the dissemination and publication of ESPEN guidelines. To achieve this goal, the ESPEN Guidelines Editorial board (GEB) has been established headed by two chairmen. The GEB will support and supervise the guideline processes and is responsible for the strategic planning of ESPEN guideline activities. Key elements of the SOP are the generation of well-built clinical questions according to the PICO system, a systemic literature search, a classification of the selected literature according to the SIGN evidence levels providing an evidence table, and a clear and straight-forward consensus procedure consisting of online voting's and a consensus conference. Only experts who meet the obligation to disclosure any potential conflict of interests and who are not employed by the Industry can participate in the guideline process. All recommendations will be graded according to the SIGN grading and novel outcome models besides biomedical endpoints. This approach will further extent the leadership of ESPEN in creating up-to-date and suitable for implementation guidelines and in sharing knowledge on malnutrition and clinical nutrition. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.

Development and Validation of Consensus Contouring Guidelines for Adjuvant Radiation Therapy for Bladder Cancer After Radical Cystectomy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baumann, Brian C. [Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Bosch, Walter R. [Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri (United States); Bahl, Amit [University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol (United Kingdom); Birtle, Alison J. [Royal Preston Hospital, Preston (United Kingdom); Breau, Rodney H. [University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario (Canada); Challapalli, Amarnath [University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol (United Kingdom); Chang, Albert J. [University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California (United States); Choudhury, Ananya [Department of Clinical Oncology, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester (United Kingdom); The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Heath Science Centre, Manchester (United Kingdom); Daneshmand, Sia [University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California (United States); El-Gayed, Ali [Saskatoon Cancer Centre, Saskatoon (Canada); Feldman, Adam [Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Finkelstein, Steven E. [Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Tulsa, Oklahoma (United States); Guzzo, Thomas J. [Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Hilman, Serena [University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol (United Kingdom); Jani, Ashesh [Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Malkowicz, S. Bruce [Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Mantz, Constantine A. [21st Century Oncology, Scottsdale, Arizona (United States); 21st Century Oncology, Fort Myers, Florida (United States); Master, Viraj [Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Mitra, Anita V. [University College London Hospital, London (United Kingdom); Murthy, Vedang [Tata Memorial Center, Mumbai (India); and others

2016-09-01

Purpose: To develop multi-institutional consensus clinical target volumes (CTVs) and organs at risk (OARs) for male and female bladder cancer patients undergoing adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) in clinical trials. Methods and Materials: We convened a multidisciplinary group of bladder cancer specialists from 15 centers and 5 countries. Six radiation oncologists and 7 urologists participated in the development of the initial contours. The group proposed initial language for the CTVs and OARs, and each radiation oncologist contoured them on computed tomography scans of a male and female cystectomy patient with input from ≥1 urologist. On the basis of the initial contouring, the group updated its CTV and OAR descriptions. The cystectomy bed, the area of greatest controversy, was contoured by another 6 radiation oncologists, and the cystectomy bed contouring language was again updated. To determine whether the revised language produced consistent contours, CTVs and OARs were redrawn by 6 additional radiation oncologists. We evaluated their contours for level of agreement using the Landis-Koch interpretation of the κ statistic. Results: The group proposed that patients at elevated risk for local-regional failure with negative margins should be treated to the pelvic nodes alone (internal/external iliac, distal common iliac, obturator, and presacral), whereas patients with positive margins should be treated to the pelvic nodes and cystectomy bed. Proposed OARs included the rectum, bowel space, bone marrow, and urinary diversion. Consensus language describing the CTVs and OARs was developed and externally validated. The revised instructions were found to produce consistent contours. Conclusions: Consensus descriptions of CTVs and OARs were successfully developed and can be used in clinical trials of adjuvant radiation therapy for bladder cancer.

National Educators' Workshop: Update 2003. Standard Experiments in Engineering, Materials Science, and Technology. Part 2

Science.gov (United States)

Prior, Edwin J. (Compiler); Jacobs, James A. (Compiler); Edmonson, William (Compiler); Wilkerson, Amy (Compiler)

2004-01-01

The 18th Annual National Educators Workshop [NEW:Update 2003] was a part of NASA Langley s celebration of the Centennial of Controlled, Powered Flight by Orville and Wilbur Wright on December 17, 1903. The conference proceedings from NEW:Update 2003 reflect the Flight 100 theme by first providing a historic perspective on the remarkable accomplishments of the Wright Brothers. The historical perspective set the stag for insights into aeronautics and aerospace structures and materials now and into the future. The NEW:Update 2003 proceedings provide valuable resources to educators and students in the form of visuals, experiments and demonstrations for classes/labs at levels ranging from precollege through college education.

National Educators' Workshop: Update 2003. Standard Experiments in Engineering, Materials Science, and Technology. Part 1

Science.gov (United States)

Prior, Edwin J. (Compiler); Jacobs, James A. (Compiler); Edmonson, William (Compiler); Wilkerson, Amy (Compiler)

2004-01-01

The 18th Annual National Educators Workshop [NEW:Update 2003] was a part of NASA Langley s celebration of the Centennial of Controlled, Powered Flight by Orville and Wilbur Wright on December 17, 1903. The conference proceedings from NEW:Update 2003 reflect the Flight 100 theme by first providing a historic perspective on the remarkable accomplishments of the Wright Brothers. The historical perspective set the stag for insights into aeronautics and aerospace structures and materials now and into the future. The NEW:Update 2003 proceedings provide valuable resources to educators and students in the form of visuals, experiments and demonstrations for classes/labs at levels ranging from precollege through college education.

Comprehensive risk reduction in patients with atrial fibrillation: emerging diagnostic and therapeutic options—a report from the 3rd Atrial Fibrillation Competence NETwork/European Heart Rhythm Association consensus conference

Science.gov (United States)

Kirchhof, Paulus; Lip, Gregory Y.H.; Van Gelder, Isabelle C.; Bax, Jeroen; Hylek, Elaine; Kaab, Stefan; Schotten, Ulrich; Wegscheider, Karl; Boriani, Giuseppe; Brandes, Axel; Ezekowitz, Michael; Diener, Hans; Haegeli, Laurent; Heidbuchel, Hein; Lane, Deirdre; Mont, Luis; Willems, Stephan; Dorian, Paul; Aunes-Jansson, Maria; Blomstrom-Lundqvist, Carina; Borentain, Maria; Breitenstein, Stefanie; Brueckmann, Martina; Cater, Nilo; Clemens, Andreas; Dobrev, Dobromir; Dubner, Sergio; Edvardsson, Nils G.; Friberg, Leif; Goette, Andreas; Gulizia, Michele; Hatala, Robert; Horwood, Jenny; Szumowski, Lukas; Kappenberger, Lukas; Kautzner, Josef; Leute, Angelika; Lobban, Trudie; Meyer, Ralf; Millerhagen, Jay; Morgan, John; Muenzel, Felix; Nabauer, Michael; Baertels, Christoph; Oeff, Michael; Paar, Dieter; Polifka, Juergen; Ravens, Ursula; Rosin, Ludger; Stegink, W.; Steinbeck, Gerhard; Vardas, Panos; Vincent, Alphons; Walter, Maureen; Breithardt, Günter; Camm, A. John

2012-01-01

While management of atrial fibrillation (AF) patients is improved by guideline-conform application of anticoagulant therapy, rate control, rhythm control, and therapy of accompanying heart disease, the morbidity and mortality associated with AF remain unacceptably high. This paper describes the proceedings of the 3rd Atrial Fibrillation NETwork (AFNET)/European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) consensus conference that convened over 60 scientists and representatives from industry to jointly discuss emerging therapeutic and diagnostic improvements to achieve better management of AF patients. The paper covers four chapters: (i) risk factors and risk markers for AF; (ii) pathophysiological classification of AF; (iii) relevance of monitored AF duration for AF-related outcomes; and (iv) perspectives and needs for implementing better antithrombotic therapy. Relevant published literature for each section is covered, and suggestions for the improvement of management in each area are put forward. Combined, the propositions formulate a perspective to implement comprehensive management in AF. PMID:21791573

"Identifying the hospitalised patient in crisis"--a consensus conference on the afferent limb of rapid response systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

DeVita, Michael A; Smith, Gary B; Adam, Sheila K

2010-01-01

Most reports of Rapid Response Systems (RRS) focus on the efferent, response component of the system, although evidence suggests that improved vital sign monitoring and recognition of a clinical crisis may have outcome benefits. There is no consensus regarding how best to detect patient deteriora...

Executive Summary from the 2017 Emergency Medicine Resident Wellness Consensus Summit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Felix Ankel

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Physician wellness has recently become a popular topic of conversation and publication within the house of medicine and specifically within emergency medicine (EM. Through a joint collaboration involving Academic Life in Emergency Medicine’s (ALiEM Wellness Think Tank, Essentials of Emergency Medicine (EEM, and the Emergency Medicine Residents’ Association (EMRA, a one-day Resident Wellness Consensus Summit (RWCS was organized. Methods: The RWCS was held on May 15, 2017, as a pre-day event prior to the 2017 EEM conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. Seven months before the RWCS event, pre-work began in the ALiEM Wellness Think Tank, which was launched in October 2016. The Wellness Think Tank is a virtual community of practice involving EM residents from the U.S. and Canada, hosted on the Slack digital-messaging platform. A working group was formed for each of the four predetermined themes: wellness curriculum development; educator toolkit resources for specific wellness topics; programmatic innovations; and wellness-targeted technologies. Results: Pre-work for RWCS included 142 residents from 100 different training programs in the Wellness Think Tank. Participants in the actual RWCS event included 44 EM residents, five EM attendings who participated as facilitators, and three EM attendings who acted as participants. The four working groups ultimately reached a consensus on their specific objectives to improve resident wellness on both the individual and program level. Conclusion: The Resident Wellness Consensus Summit was a unique and novel consensus meeting, involving residents as the primary stakeholders. The summit demonstrated that it is possible to galvanize a large group of stakeholders in a relatively short time by creating robust trust, communication, and online learning networks to create resources that support resident wellness.

The third review conference of the parties to the Treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-01-01

The Third Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons was held in Geneva from 27 August to 21 September 1985, with a view to assuring that the purposes and provisions of the Treaty were being realized. The Conference ended with the adoption by consensus of a Final Declaration, by which the States parties, among other things, solemnly declared their conviction that the Treaty was essential to international peace and security and expressed their support for its objectives. This Fact Sheet provides information on the preparations for the Conference, developments at the Conference and the main features of the Final Declaration. Te text of the Treaty is reproduced in Disarmament Fact Sheet No. 33, and its historical background is contained in Fact Sheet No. 41

HIVR4P 2016, Partnering for Prevention: Conference Summary and Highlights.

Science.gov (United States)

Shacklett, Barbara L; Derdeyn, Cynthia A; Folayan, Morenike Oluwatoyin; Landovitz, Raphael J; Anthony, Colin; Behrens, Anna-Janina; Hope, Thomas J; Landais, Elise; Leal, Lorna; Marrazzo, Jeanne M; Morris, Lynn; Mugo, Nelly; Ngure, Kenneth; Noseda, Veronica; Ranasinghe, Srinika; Tully, Damien C; Voronin, Yegor; Warren, Mitchell; Wibmer, Constantinos Kurt; Xie, Irene Y; Scarlatti, Gabriella; Thyagarajan, Bargavi

2017-08-01

HIV Research for Prevention: AIDS Vaccine, Microbicide, and ARV-based Prevention Science (HIVR4P) was built on a growing consensus that effective HIV prevention requires a combination of approaches and that understanding, analyzing, and debating the cross-cutting issues that impact prevention research are all essential to combat the global HIV/AIDS epidemic. To that end, the biennial HIVR4P conference is dedicated to all biomedical HIV prevention research approaches, including HIV vaccines, microbicides, pre-exposure prophylaxis, and treatment as prevention. The HIVR4P 2016 conference was held in Chicago, Illinois (USA), on October 17-21, and included more than 700 scientific presentations and 21 satellite sessions covering the latest and most promising advances across the HIV prevention research field. The theme "Partnering for Prevention" represented the conference's commitment to breaking down silos between research disciplines as well as between researchers, program developers, care providers, advocates, communities, and funders. Delegates spanning 42 countries attended the conference. One-third of those in attendance were early career investigators, which reflects a firm commitment to emerging researchers and ultimately to the goal of developing a sustainable scientific enterprise well into the future. This article presents a concise summary of highlights from the conference. For a more detailed account, one may find full abstracts, daily summaries, and webcasts on the conference website at hivr4p.org.

International Work-Conference on Time Series

CERN Document Server

Pomares, Héctor; Valenzuela, Olga

2017-01-01

This volume of selected and peer-reviewed contributions on the latest developments in time series analysis and forecasting updates the reader on topics such as analysis of irregularly sampled time series, multi-scale analysis of univariate and multivariate time series, linear and non-linear time series models, advanced time series forecasting methods, applications in time series analysis and forecasting, advanced methods and online learning in time series and high-dimensional and complex/big data time series. The contributions were originally presented at the International Work-Conference on Time Series, ITISE 2016, held in Granada, Spain, June 27-29, 2016. The series of ITISE conferences provides a forum for scientists, engineers, educators and students to discuss the latest ideas and implementations in the foundations, theory, models and applications in the field of time series analysis and forecasting.  It focuses on interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary rese arch encompassing the disciplines of comput...

Achieving consensus in environmental programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurstedt, H.A.; Jones, R.M.; Walker, J.A.; Middleman, L.I.

1989-01-01

In this paper, the authors describe a research effort on consensus tied to the Environmental Restoration Program (ERP) within the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Defense Waste and Transportation Management (DWTM). They define consensus and explain why consensus decisions are not merely desirable but necessary in furthering ERP activities. As examples of their planned applied research, the authors first discuss nominal group technique as a representative consensus-generating tool, and conclude by describing the consensus-related mission of the Waste Management Review Group, established to conduct independent, third-party review of DWTM/ERP plans and activities

Achieving consensus in environmental programs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kurstedt, Jr., H. A.; Jones, R. M.; Walker, J. A.; Middleman, L. I.

1989-01-01

In this paper, we describe a new research effort on consensus tied to the Environmental Restoration Program (ERP) within the US Department of Energy's Office of Defense Waste and Transportation Management (DWTM). We define consensus and explain why consensus decisions are not merely desirable but necessary in furthering ERP activities. As examples of our planned applied research, we first discuss Nominal Group Technique as a representative consensus-generating tool, and we conclude by describing the consensus-related mission of the Waste Management Review Group, established at Virginia Tech to conduct independent, third-party review of DWTM/ERP plans and activities. 10 refs.

Climate - 30 questions to understand the Paris Conference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Canfin, Pascal; Staime, Peter

2015-01-01

The authors, who participate in the negotiations on climate, propose an analysis and a description of the various geopolitical, economic and financial challenges which are part of the next conference on climate (Conference of Parties, COP 21) which is to take place in France in December 2015. They notably discuss to which extent France is an example, what Obama can do, why things are changing in China, who are the opponents in the struggle against climate change. While one of the main issue of this conference, and the possible cause of its failure, will be the financial issue, and particularly the promise made in 2009 to mobilise 100 billions dollars every year in favour of developing countries which are the most impacted by global warming, in an interview, one of the author evokes the content of his book: he discusses the general consensus about the human origin of climate change, evokes fossil industries and oil producing countries as opponents to an energy revolution, outlines that energy transition is at the heart of what he calls the Battle of Paris (the conference), outlines the important role France can play despite some weaknesses of its climate policy, the new momentum given by China and the USA. He considers low carbon economy as the main world challenge on the long term

Model-based consensus

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boumans, M.; Martini, C.; Boumans, M.

2014-01-01

The aim of the rational-consensus method is to produce "rational consensus", that is, "mathematical aggregation", by weighing the performance of each expert on the basis of his or her knowledge and ability to judge relevant uncertainties. The measurement of the performance of the experts is based on

Diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma with gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI: 2016 Consensus Recommendations of the Korean Society of Abdominal Radiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Mi-Suk

2017-01-01

Diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with gadoxetic acid-enhanced liver magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) poses certain unique challenges beyond the scope of current guidelines. The regional heterogeneity of HCC in demographic characteristics, prevalence, surveillance, and socioeconomic status necessitates different treatment approaches, leading to variations in survival outcomes. Considering the medical practices in Korea, the Korean Society of Abdominal Radiology (KSAR) study group for liver diseases has developed expert consensus recommendations for diagnosis of HCC by gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI with updated perspectives, using a modified Delphi method. During the 39th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of KSAR (2016), consensus was reached on 12 of 16 statements. These recommendations might serve to ensure a more standardized diagnosis of HCC by gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI

Diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma with gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI: 2016 Consensus Recommendations of the Korean Society of Abdominal Radiology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Mi-Suk [Yonsei University College of Medicine, Severance Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2017-06-15

Diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with gadoxetic acid-enhanced liver magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) poses certain unique challenges beyond the scope of current guidelines. The regional heterogeneity of HCC in demographic characteristics, prevalence, surveillance, and socioeconomic status necessitates different treatment approaches, leading to variations in survival outcomes. Considering the medical practices in Korea, the Korean Society of Abdominal Radiology (KSAR) study group for liver diseases has developed expert consensus recommendations for diagnosis of HCC by gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI with updated perspectives, using a modified Delphi method. During the 39th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of KSAR (2016), consensus was reached on 12 of 16 statements. These recommendations might serve to ensure a more standardized diagnosis of HCC by gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI.

Consensus for the management of IPMN

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, Masao

2012-01-01

International Consensus Guidelines for management of intraductal papillary mucious neoplasms (IPMIN) and mucious cystic neoplasms (MCN) of the pancreas defined their difference in 2006 Sendai Conference, and this paper describes about their still remaining problem in the consensus by referring related literatures. The author explains the macroscopic classification of IPMIN in types of brunch duct (BD), main duct (MD) and their mixture. Guidelines are obscure concerning which of the histology or preoperative imaging is appropriate for diagnosis of the mixed type and the author considers that the latter imaging is better as the method used has influence on indication of surgery thereafter. MD-IPMIN is easily diagnosed differentially from chronic pantreatitis, but differential diagnosis of BD-IPMIN and other cystic lesion is rather complex, particularly, for MCN tending to malignancy and macrocystic serous CN (SCN). For this, analysis of the intraductal mucious liquid obtained by endoscopic ultrasonography-fine needle aspiration biopsy (EUS-FNA) is useful but its safety to see the grade of malignancy for extending the indication leading to resection is not established. Diagnosis of the malignancy of BD-IPMIN can be done best based on the presence of mural nodules, and other markers are of low reliability. In fact, cysts with >3 cm, when resected, are found mostly (80%) benign, indicating the necessity of a more reliable sign and of detailed classification of sub-tissue type. The purpose of progress observation involves diagnoses of changing to malignancy, of concurrent cancer and of recurrence of resected lesion, and an author's case report of this is given with MR cholangiopancreatography (MRCP), CT and MRI images. Observatory approach, interval and period of the disease progression are yet unestablished. (T.T.)

2003 Canadian Asthma Consensus Guidelines Executive Summary

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Becker Allan

2006-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of asthma have been published over the last 15 years; however, there has been little focus on issues relating to asthma in childhood. Since the last revision of the 1999 Canadian Asthma Consensus Report, important new studies, particularly in children, have highlighted the need to incorporate new information into the asthma guidelines. The objectives of this article are to review the literature on asthma published between January 2000 and June 2003 and to evaluate the influence of new evidence on the recommendations made in the 1999 Canadian Asthma Consensus Report and its 2001 update, with a major focus on pediatric issues. Methods The diagnosis of asthma in young children and prevention strategies, pharmacotherapy, inhalation devices, immunotherapy, and asthma education were selected for review by small expert resource groups. The reviews were discussed in June 2003 at a meeting under the auspices of the Canadian Network For Asthma Care and the Canadian Thoracic Society. Data published through December 2004 were subsequently reviewed by the individual expert resource groups. Results This report evaluates early-life prevention strategies and focuses on treatment of asthma in children, emphasizing the importance of early diagnosis and preventive therapy, the benefits of additional therapy, and the essential role of asthma education. Conclusion We generally support previous recommendations and focus on new issues, particularly those relevant to children and their families. This document is a guide for asthma management based on the best available published data and the opinion of health care professionals, including asthma experts and educators.

Proposed consensus definitions for new-onset refractory status epilepticus (NORSE), febrile infection-related epilepsy syndrome (FIRES), and related conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Hirsch, Lawrence J; Gaspard, Nicolas; van Baalen, Andreas; Nabbout, Rima; Demeret, Sophie; Loddenkemper, Tobias; Navarro, Vincent; Specchio, Nicola; Lagae, Lieven; Rossetti, Andrea O; Hocker, Sara; Gofton, Teneille E; Abend, Nicholas S; Gilmore, Emily J; Hahn, Cecil; Khosravani, Houman; Rosenow, Felix; Trinka, Eugen

2018-04-01

We convened an international group of experts to standardize definitions of New-Onset Refractory Status Epilepticus (NORSE), Febrile Infection-Related Epilepsy Syndrome (FIRES), and related conditions. This was done to enable improved communication for investigators, physicians, families, patients, and other caregivers. Consensus definitions were achieved via email messages, phone calls, an in-person consensus conference, and collaborative manuscript preparation. Panel members were from 8 countries and included adult and pediatric experts in epilepsy, electroencephalography (EEG), and neurocritical care. The proposed consensus definitions are as follows: NORSE is a clinical presentation, not a specific diagnosis, in a patient without active epilepsy or other preexisting relevant neurological disorder, with new onset of refractory status epilepticus without a clear acute or active structural, toxic or metabolic cause. FIRES is a subcategory of NORSE, applicable for all ages, that requires a prior febrile infection starting between 2 weeks and 24 hours prior to onset of refractory status epilepticus, with or without fever at onset of status epilepticus. Proposed consensus definitions are also provided for Infantile Hemiconvulsion-Hemiplegia and Epilepsy syndrome (IHHE) and for prolonged, refractory and super-refractory status epilepticus. This document has been endorsed by the Critical Care EEG Monitoring Research Consortium. We hope these consensus definitions will promote improved communication, permit multicenter research, and ultimately improve understanding and treatment of these conditions. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2018 International League Against Epilepsy.

Using a Consensus Conference to Characterize Regulatory Concerns Regarding Bioremediation of Radionuclides and Heavy Metals in Mixed Waste at DOE Sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Denise Lach; Stephanie Sanford

2006-01-01

A consensus workshop was developed and convened with ten state regulators to characterize concerns regarding emerging bioremediation technology to be used to clean-up radionuclides and heavy metals in mixed wastes at US DOE sites. Two questions were explored: integrated questions: (1) What impact does participation in a consensus workshop have on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of state regulators regarding bioremediation technology? (2) How effective is a consensus workshop as a strategy for eliciting and articulating regulators concerns regarding the use of bioremediation to clean up radionuclides and heavy metals in mixed wastes at U.S. Department of Energy Sites around the county? State regulators met together for five days over two months to learn about bioremediation technology and develop a consensus report of their recommendations regarding state regulatory concerns. In summary we found that panel members: quickly grasped the science related to bioremediation and were able to effectively interact with scientists working on complicated issues related to the development and implementation of the technology; are generally accepting of in situ bioremediation, but concerned about costs, implementation (e.g., institutional controls), and long-term effectiveness of the technology; are concerned equally about technological and implementation issues; and believed that the consensus workshop approach to learning about bioremediation was appropriate and useful. Finally, regulators wanted decision makers at US DOE to know they are willing to work with DOE regarding innovative approaches to clean-up at their sites, and consider a strong relationship between states and the DOE as critical to any effective clean-up. They do not want perceive themselves to be and do not want others to perceive them as barriers to successful clean-up at their sites

4th International Conference on Quantitative Logic and Soft Computing

CERN Document Server

Chen, Shui-Li; Wang, San-Min; Li, Yong-Ming

2017-01-01

This book is the proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Quantitative Logic and Soft Computing (QLSC2016) held 14-17, October, 2016 in Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China. It includes 61 papers, of which 5 are plenary talks( 3 abstracts and 2 full length talks). QLSC2016 was the fourth in a series of conferences on Quantitative Logic and Soft Computing. This conference was a major symposium for scientists, engineers and practitioners to present their updated results, ideas, developments and applications in all areas of quantitative logic and soft computing. The book aims to strengthen relations between industry research laboratories and universities in fields such as quantitative logic and soft computing worldwide as follows: (1) Quantitative Logic and Uncertainty Logic; (2) Automata and Quantification of Software; (3) Fuzzy Connectives and Fuzzy Reasoning; (4) Fuzzy Logical Algebras; (5) Artificial Intelligence and Soft Computing; (6) Fuzzy Sets Theory and Applications.

75 FR 43535 - NIH Consensus Development Conference on Inhaled Nitric Oxide Therapy for Premature Infants

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-26

.... Babies born before the 28th week of pregnancy--more than 30,000 per year in the United States--are... charged with reviewing the available published literature in advance of the conference, including a systematic literature review commissioned through the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The first...

Reflections on the consensus process: a leadership role for emergency medicine in educational scholarship and practice across health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, James A

2012-12-01

In just a few decades, emergency medicine (EM) has assumed a leadership role in medical education across many academic medical centers. This rapid evolution suggests medical education as a natural priority area for EM scholarship. This year's Academic Emergency Medicine consensus conference provides an ideal forum to focus on educational research as a core element of the specialty's academic portfolio. © 2012 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

Consensus builds on population policy as ICPD PrepCom meetings conclude. Vatican objections firm and vocal.

Science.gov (United States)

1994-04-29

In April, 1994, at UN headquarters in New York, delegates from almost 200 countries and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) negotiated a Programme of Action to be ratified following more debate at the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo in September. A sizable consensus emerged for this Preparatory Committee III (PrepCom) meeting. It has an expanded view of population policy that centers more on meeting individual needs and less on achieving strict demographic goals. Thus, it focuses on the unmet need for reproductive health services (family planning, basic women's health care, and services linked to sexually transmitted diseases). It considers women's status and female education as being important themselves as well as key determinants of fertility rates. Disagreement over access to abortion services and reproductive health services for adolescents remain. Unlike earlier world conferences, most of the world is working towards a consensus, while the Vatican and just a few small countries (Benin, Malta, Honduras, and Nicaragua) object to these services. Some topics that US National Conference of Catholic Bishops did not want in the Programme of Action were references to reducing the incidence of unsafe abortion, promoting condom use to prevent HIV/AIDS, and even safe motherhood. The US and Japan have committed sizable increases in population assistance. Some European countries are concerned about how their contributions would be allocated. US Undersecretary for Global Affairs and a mostly female 23-member US delegation attended PrepCom III. Most of the US delegates were from NGOs. Many country delegates were women. Many countries accepted recommendations of the women's caucus. The US's priorities are promotion of universal access to the full range of high quality family planning and reproductive health services; increasing women's status; child survival promotion; serving adolescent needs; augmenting the role and responsibility of men in

Offshore Newfoundland: from a project to an industry. Conference '95 proceedings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keough, S.

1995-01-01

The Proceedings of the 11. International Offshore Petroleum Conference consists of 18 papers, organized into four sessions, dealing, respectively, with (1) Hibernia today, (2) downstream operations, (3) future developments, and (4) international marketing and competitiveness. The majority of the papers dealt with the Hibernia project off the coast of Newfoundland. An update of the project to date, planning for the start-up of production, lifting and transportation problems, plans for the Come By Chance refinery, future developments, marketing Newfoundland's offshore expertise internationally, and perspectives on the international oil and gas industry were the principal issues discussed. A list of conference participants was also included. Figs., tabs

Dynamic Average Consensus and Consensusability of General Linear Multiagent Systems with Random Packet Dropout

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wen-Min Zhou

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This paper is concerned with the consensus problem of general linear discrete-time multiagent systems (MASs with random packet dropout that happens during information exchange between agents. The packet dropout phenomenon is characterized as being a Bernoulli random process. A distributed consensus protocol with weighted graph is proposed to address the packet dropout phenomenon. Through introducing a new disagreement vector, a new framework is established to solve the consensus problem. Based on the control theory, the perturbation argument, and the matrix theory, the necessary and sufficient condition for MASs to reach mean-square consensus is derived in terms of stability of an array of low-dimensional matrices. Moreover, mean-square consensusable conditions with regard to network topology and agent dynamic structure are also provided. Finally, the effectiveness of the theoretical results is demonstrated through an illustrative example.

24. CLI national conference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niel, Jean-Christophe; Jamet, Philippe; Delalonde, Jean-Claude; Revol, Henri; Lallier, Michel; Gaillard, Pierre; Jeffroy, Francois; Miniere, Dominique; Moulin, Ludovic; Charre, Jean-Pierre; Andrieux, Jean-Luc; Dubuis, Thierry; Giusti, Charles; Quintin, Christophe; Riviere, Emmanuel

2012-12-01

This document gathers contributions presented during a conference held in December 2012. After introduction speeches, a focus of some updates and an assessment of ANCCLI activities, this conference comprised two round tables. The first one addressed social, organisational and human factors in the nuclear field. It comprised a presentation of works performed by a CLI on these issues and of how CLIs address these issues, a presentation on the evolution of the notion of human factor with a progressive integration of organisational and societal dimensions, with a presentation of ASN actions in this respect (creation of a dialogue structure). Debates have been an occasion to discuss issues like staff and abilities turnover within EDF, subcontracting, and the culture of doubt. The second round table addressed the perception of risks and public information in the case of a nuclear incident or accident which does not require an emergency plan. Beside a presentation on an accident which occurred in the Centraco plant in 2011, the participants discussed how to organise information, the perception of the notion of nuclear safety in France, the difficulty to accept the 'small risk', an initiative of automatic information implemented by industrials in Dunkirk

World Endometriosis Society consensus on the classification of endometriosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Neil P; Hummelshoj, Lone; Adamson, G David; Keckstein, Jörg; Taylor, Hugh S; Abrao, Mauricio S; Bush, Deborah; Kiesel, Ludwig; Tamimi, Rulla; Sharpe-Timms, Kathy L; Rombauts, Luk; Giudice, Linda C

2017-02-01

What is the global consensus on the classification of endometriosis that considers the views of women with endometriosis? We have produced an international consensus statement on the classification of endometriosis through systematic appraisal of evidence and a consensus process that included representatives of national and international, medical and non-medical societies, patient organizations, and companies with an interest in endometriosis. Classification systems of endometriosis, developed by several professional organizations, traditionally have been based on lesion appearance, pelvic adhesions, and anatomic location of disease. One system predicts fertility outcome and none predicts pelvic pain, response to medications, disease recurrence, risks for associated disorders, quality of life measures, and other endpoints important to women and health care providers for guiding appropriate therapeutic options and prognosis. A consensus meeting, in conjunction with pre- and post-meeting processes, was undertaken. A consensus meeting was held on 30 April 2014 in conjunction with the World Endometriosis Society's 12th World Congress on Endometriosis. Rigorous pre- and post-meeting processes, involving 55 representatives of 29 national and international, medical and non-medical organizations from a range of disciplines, led to this consensus statement. A total of 28 consensus statements were made. Of all, 10 statements had unanimous consensus, however none of the statements was made without expression of a caveat about the strength of the statement or the statement itself. Two statements did not achieve majority consensus. The statements covered women's priorities, aspects of classification, impact of low resources, as well as all the major classification systems for endometriosis. Until better classification systems are developed, we propose a classification toolbox (that includes the revised American Society for Reproductive Medicine and, where appropriate, the

Proceedings of the Canadian Nuclear Association 34. annual conference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Girard, A.M.

1994-01-01

The proceedings of the thirty-fourth annual conference of the Canadian Nuclear Association contain 23 complete papers and three speeches organized in the following sessions: opening, plenary, new environmental regulations and their effect on the energy industry, CANDU update, life cycle management of nuclear power plants, evolution of nuclear technology, technologies for tomorrow, nuclear used fuel and disposal of low-level waste, world economics and energy consumption. The complete papers have been abstracted separately

4. German conference on food irradiation. Assessment - methods - detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brockmann, A.; Erning, D.; Helle, N.; Schreiber, G.A.

1994-01-01

The fourth German Conference on Food Irradiation was held from 6th through 7th April 1994. Some seventy participants from the industry, scientific research, consumer organizations and supervising authorities discussed the pros and cons of the procedure and updated themselves on the latest governmental regulations, irradiation techniques, possibilities of detecting irradiated food and the results of official supervisory measures. The papers read at the meeting are summarized in this volume. (orig./vhe) [de

Proceedings of the Canadian Nuclear Association 34. annual conference

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Girard, A M [Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., Montreal, PQ (Canada). CANDU Operations

1994-12-31

The proceedings of the thirty-fourth annual conference of the Canadian Nuclear Association contain 23 complete papers and three speeches organized in the following sessions: opening, plenary, new environmental regulations and their effect on the energy industry, CANDU update, life cycle management of nuclear power plants, evolution of nuclear technology, technologies for tomorrow, nuclear used fuel and disposal of low-level waste, world economics and energy consumption. The complete papers have been abstracted separately.

2nd International Conference on Mathematics and Computing

CERN Document Server

Chowdhury, Dipanwita; Giri, Debasis

2015-01-01

This book discusses recent developments and contemporary research in mathematics, statistics and their applications in computing. All contributing authors are eminent academicians, scientists, researchers and scholars in their respective fields, hailing from around the world. This is the second conference on mathematics and computing organized at Haldia Institute of Technology, India. The conference has emerged as a powerful forum, offering researchers a venue to discuss, interact and collaborate, and stimulating the advancement of mathematics and its applications in computer science. The book will allow aspiring researchers to update their knowledge of cryptography, algebra, frame theory, optimizations, stochastic processes, compressive sensing, functional analysis, complex variables, etc. Educating future consumers, users, producers, developers and researchers in mathematics and computing is a challenging task and essential to the development of modern society. Hence, mathematics and its applications in com...

[Consensus document for the detection and management of chronic kidney disease].

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-Castelao, Alberto; Górriz, José L; Bover, Jordi; Segura-de la Morena, Julián; Cebollada, Jesús; Escalada, Javier; Esmatjes, Enric; Fácila, Lorenzo; Gamarra, Javier; Gràcia, Silvia; Hernández-Moreno, Julio; Llisterri-Caro, José L; Mazón, Pilar; Montañés, Rosario; Morales-Olivas, Francisco; Muñoz-Torres, Manuel; de Pablos-Velasco, Pedro; de Santiago, Ana; Sánchez-Celaya, Marta; Suárez, Carmen; Tranche, Salvador

2014-11-01

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an important global health problem, involving to 10% of the Spanish population, promoting high morbidity and mortality for the patient and an elevate consumption of the total health resources for the National Health System. This is a summary of an executive consensus document of ten scientific societies involved in the care of the renal patient, that actualizes the consensus document published in 2007. The central extended document can be consulted in the web page of each society. The aspects included in the document are: Concept, epidemiology and risk factors for CKD. Diagnostic criteria, evaluation and stages of CKD, albuminuria and glomerular filtration rate estimation. Progression factors for renal damage. Patient remission criteria. Follow-up and objectives of each speciality control. Nephrotoxicity prevention. Cardio-vascular damage detection. Diet, life-style and treatment attitudes: hypertension, dyslipidaemia, hyperglycemia, smoking, obesity, hyperuricemia, anemia, mineral and bone disorders. Multidisciplinary management for Primary Care, other specialities and Nephrology. Integrated management of CKD patient in haemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis and renal transplant patients. Management of the uremic patient in palliative care. We hope that this document may be of help for the multidisciplinary management of CKD patients by summarizing the most updated recommendations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Restricting marketing to children: consensus on policy interventions to address obesity.

Science.gov (United States)

Raine, Kim D; Lobstein, Tim; Landon, Jane; Kent, Monique Potvin; Pellerin, Suzie; Caulfield, Timothy; Finegood, Diane; Mongeau, Lyne; Neary, Neil; Spence, John C

2013-05-01

Obesity presents major challenges for public health and the evidence is strong. Lessons from tobacco control indicate a need for changing the policy and environments to make healthy choices easier and to create more opportunities for children to achieve healthy weights. In April 2011, the Alberta Policy Coalition for Chronic Disease Prevention convened a consensus conference on environmental determinants of obesity such as marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages to children. We examine the political environment, evidence, issues, and challenges of placing restrictions on marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages within Canada. We recommend a national regulatory system prohibiting commercial marketing of foods and beverages to children and suggest that effective regulations must set minimum standards, monitor compliance, and enact penalties for non-compliance.

Implications of ICD-10 for Sarcopenia Clinical Practice and Clinical Trials: Report by the International Conference on Frailty and Sarcopenia Research Task Force.

Science.gov (United States)

Vellas, B; Fielding, R A; Bens, C; Bernabei, R; Cawthon, P M; Cederholm, T; Cruz-Jentoft, A J; Del Signore, S; Donahue, S; Morley, J; Pahor, M; Reginster, J-Y; Rodriguez Mañas, L; Rolland, Y; Roubenoff, R; Sinclair, A; Cesari, M

2018-01-01

Establishment of an ICD-10-CM code for sarcopenia in 2016 was an important step towards reaching international consensus on the need for a nosological framework of age-related skeletal muscle decline. The International Conference on Frailty and Sarcopenia Research Task Force met in April 2017 to discuss the meaning, significance, and barriers to the implementation of the new code as well as strategies to accelerate development of new therapies. Analyses by the Sarcopenia Definitions and Outcomes Consortium are underway to develop quantitative definitions of sarcopenia. A consensus conference is planned to evaluate this analysis. The Task Force also discussed lessons learned from sarcopenia trials that could be applied to future trials, as well as lessons from the osteoporosis field, a clinical condition with many constructs similar to sarcopenia and for which ad hoc treatments have been developed and approved by regulatory agencies.

An update of “Cost-effectiveness of rotavirus vaccination in the Netherlands: the results of a Consensus Rotavirus Vaccine model”

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tu Hong Anh T

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background To update a cost-effectiveness analysis of rotavirus vaccination in the Netherlands previously published in 2011. Methods The rotavirus burden of disease and the indirect protection of older children and young adults (herd protection were updated. Results When updated data was used, routine infant rotavirus vaccination in the Netherlands would potentially become an even more cost-effective strategy than previously estimated with the incremental cost per QALY at only €3,000-4,000. Break-even total vaccination costs were indicated at €92–122, depending on the applied threshold. Conclusions We concluded that the results on potentially favourable cost-effectiveness in the previous study remained valid, however, the new data suggested that previous results might represent an underestimation of the economic attractiveness of rotavirus vaccination.

One decade after Chernobyl - The review of the results of an International Conference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Milu, C.

1997-01-01

On 26 April 1986 the most serious accident in the history of the nuclear industry occurred at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the former Soviet Union, near the current borders of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. The consequences attributed to this accident have been subjected to extensive scientific examination. Ten years after the accident, the European Commission (EC), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) jointly sponsored an International Conference to recapitulate the accident's consequences and to seek a common and conclusive understanding of their nature and magnitude. The Conference 'One decade after Chernobyl: Summing up the Consequences of the accident', took place in the Austria Center Vienna, Austria, from 8 to 12 April 1996. This paper is a review of the Conference based on updating reports and keynote presented, background papers presented by expert panels and discussions of these by the Conference. The clinical observed effects, thyroid effects, long term health effects and psychological consequences are particularly addressed. (author)

Current practice of epidemiology in Africa: highlights of the 3rd conference of the African epidemiological association and 1st conference of the Cameroon society of epidemiology, Yaoundé, Cameroon, 2014.

Science.gov (United States)

Nkwescheu, Armand Seraphin; Fokam, Joseph; Tchendjou, Patrice; Nji, Akindeh; Ngouakam, Hermann; Andre, Bita Fouda; Joelle, Sobngwi; Uzochukwu, Benjamin; Akinroye, Kingsley; Mbacham, Wilfred; Colizzi, Vittorio; Leke, Rose; Victora, Cesar

2015-01-01

As the study of disease occurrence and health indicators in human populations, Epidemiology is a dynamic field that evolves with time and geographical context. In order to update African health workers on current epidemiological practices and to draw awareness of early career epidemiologists on concepts and opportunities in the field, the 3(rd) African Epidemiology Association and the 1st Cameroon Society of Epidemiology Conference was organized in June 2-6, 2014 at the Yaoundé Mont Febe Hotel, in Cameroon. Under the theme«Practice of Epidemiology in Africa: Stakes, Challenges and Perspectives», the conference attracted close to five hundred guest and participants from all continents. The two main programs were the pre-conference course for capacity building of African Early Career epidemiologists, and the conference itself, providing a forum for scientific exchanges on recent epidemiological concepts, encouraging the use of epidemiological methods in studying large disease burden and neglected tropical diseases; and highlighting existing opportunities.

Proceedings of the Canadian Nuclear Association 35. annual conference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loewer, R.

1995-01-01

The proceedings of the thirty-fifth annual conference of the Canadian Nuclear Association contain 22 papers organized in the following sessions: update on the status of the Canadian nuclear industry, non-proliferation and related political issues, nuclear waste disposal perspectives, regulatory issues, trade development, new markets, economics of nuclear electricity, public acceptance or rejection. In addition one paper from a CNA/CNS special session on nuclear diffraction is included. The individual papers have been abstracted separately

European academy of dermatology and venereology European prurigo project: expert consensus on the definition, classification and terminology of chronic prurigo.

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira, M P; Steinke, S; Zeidler, C; Forner, C; Riepe, C; Augustin, M; Bobko, S; Dalgard, F; Elberling, J; Garcovich, S; Gieler, U; Gonçalo, M; Halvorsen, J A; Leslie, T A; Metz, M; Reich, A; Şavk, E; Schneider, G; Serra-Baldrich, E; Ständer, H F; Streit, M; Wallengren, J; Weller, K; Wollenberg, A; Bruland, P; Soto-Rey, I; Storck, M; Dugas, M; Weisshaar, E; Szepietowski, J C; Legat, F J; Ständer, S

2017-08-31

The term prurigo has been used for many decades in dermatology without clear definition, and currently used terminology of prurigo is inconsistent and confusing. Especially, itch-related prurigo remains unexplored regarding the epidemiology, clinical profile, natural course, underlying causes, available treatments and economic burden, although burdensome and difficult to treat. To address these issues, the multicentre European Prurigo Project (EPP) was designed to increase knowledge on chronic prurigo (CPG). In the first step, European experts of the EADV Task Force Pruritus (TFP) aimed to achieve a consensus on the definition, classification and terminology of CPG. Additionally, procedures of the cross-sectional EPP were discussed and agreed upon. Discussions and surveys between members of the TFP served as basis for a consensus conference. Using the Delphi method, consensus was defined as an agreement ≥75% among the present members. Twenty-four members of the TFP participated in the consensus conference. Experts consented that CPG should be used as an umbrella term for the range of clinical manifestations (e.g. papular, nodular, plaque or umbilicated types). CPG is considered a distinct disease defined by the presence of chronic pruritus for ≥6 weeks, history and/or signs of repeated scratching and multiple localized/generalized pruriginous skin lesions (whitish or pink papules, nodules and/or plaques). CPG occurs due to a neuronal sensitization to itch and the development of an itch-scratch cycle. This new definition and terminology of CPG should be implemented in dermatology to harmonize communication in the clinical routine, clinical trials and scientific literature. Acute/subacute forms of prurigo are separated entities, which need to be differentiated from CPG and will be discussed in a next step. In the near future, the cross-sectional EPP will provide relevant clinical data on various aspects of CPG leading to new directions in the scientific

Implicit Consensus: Blockchain with Unbounded Throughput

OpenAIRE

Ren, Zhijie; Cong, Kelong; Pouwelse, Johan; Erkin, Zekeriya

2017-01-01

Recently, the blockchain technique was put in the spotlight as it introduced a systematic approach for multiple parties to reach consensus without needing trust. However, the application of this technique in practice is severely restricted due to its limitations in throughput. In this paper, we propose a novel consensus model, namely the implicit consensus, with a distinctive blockchain-based distributed ledger in which each node holds its individual blockchain. In our system, the consensus i...

Canadian Association of Gastroenterology consensus guidelines on safety and quality indicators in endoscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Armstrong, David; Barkun, Alan; Bridges, Ron; Carter, Rose; de Gara, Chris; Dube, Catherine; Enns, Robert; Hollingworth, Roger; Macintosh, Donald; Borgaonkar, Mark; Forget, Sylviane; Leontiadis, Grigorios; Meddings, Jonathan; Cotton, Peter; Kuipers, Ernst J

2012-01-01

Increasing use of gastrointestinal endoscopy, particularly for colorectal cancer screening, and increasing emphasis on health care quality, highlight the need for clearly defined, evidence-based processes to support quality improvement in endoscopy. To identify processes and indicators of quality and safety relevant to high-quality endoscopy service delivery. A multidisciplinary group of 35 voting participants developed recommendation statements and performance indicators. Systematic literature searches generated 50 initial statements that were revised iteratively following a modified Delphi approach using a web-based evaluation and voting tool. Statement development and evidence evaluation followed the AGREE (Appraisal of Guidelines, REsearch and Evaluation) and GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation) guidelines. At the consensus conference, participants voted anonymously on all statements using a 6-point scale. Subsequent web-based voting evaluated recommendations for specific, individual quality indicators, safety indicators and mandatory endoscopy reporting fields. Consensus was defined a priori as agreement by 80% of participants. Consensus was reached on 23 recommendation statements addressing the following: ethics (statement 1: agreement 100%), facility standards and policies (statements 2 to 9: 90% to 100%), quality assurance (statements 10 to 13: 94% to 100%), training, education, competency and privileges (statements 14 to 19: 97% to 100%), endoscopy reporting standards (statements 20 and 21: 97% to 100%) and patient perceptions (statements 22 and 23: 100%). Additionally, 18 quality indicators (agreement 83% to 100%), 20 safety indicators (agreement 77% to 100%) and 23 recommended endoscopy-reporting elements (agreement 91% to 100%) were identified. The consensus process identified a clear need for high-quality clinical and outcomes research to support quality improvement in the delivery of endoscopy services. The

The Limits of Consensus.

Science.gov (United States)

Poster, John B.

Dynamics in the education policy arena suggest that, despite two generations of researchers extolling democratic leadership styles and consensus building over autocratic techniques, wide participation in policymaking and the broadest possible consensus are not always productive: American society has not yet agreed on what schools should…

Quantum theory at the crossroads reconsidering the 1927 Solvay conference

CERN Document Server

Bacciagaluppi, Guido

2009-01-01

We reconsider the crucial 1927 Solvay conference in the context of current research in the foundations of quantum theory. Contrary to folklore, the interpretation question was not settled at this conference and no consensus was reached; instead, a range of sharply conflicting views were presented and extensively discussed. Today, there is no longer an established or dominant interpretation of quantum theory, so it is important to re-evaluate the historical sources and keep the interpretation debate open. In this spirit, we provide a complete English translation of the original proceedings (lectures and discussions), and give background essays on the three main interpretations presented: de Broglie's pilot-wave theory, Born and Heisenberg's quantum mechanics, and Schroedinger's wave mechanics. We provide an extensive analysis of the lectures and discussions that took place, in the light of current debates about the meaning of quantum theory. The proceedings contain much unexpected material, including extensive...

Possibilities of consensus: toward democratic moral discourse.

Science.gov (United States)

Jennings, B

1991-08-01

The concept of consensus is often appealed to in discussions of biomedical ethics and applied ethics, and it plays an important role in many influential ethical theories. Consensus is an especially influential notion among theorists who reject ethical realism and who frame ethics as a practice of discourse rather than a body of objective knowledge. It is also a practically important notion when moral decision making is subject to bureaucratic organization and oversight, as is increasingly becoming the case in medicine. Two models of consensus are examined and criticized: pluralistic consensus and overlapping consensus. As an alternative to these models, the paper argues that consensus refers to the dialogic aspects of a broader normative conception of democratic moral agency. When the preconditions for that dialogic democratic practice are met, consensus has a justificatory role in ethics; when they are not, consensus, as distinct from mere agreement, does not emerge and can have no moral authority.

Post-prostatectomy radiation therapy: Consensus guidelines of the Australian and New Zealand Radiation Oncology Genito-Urinary Group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sidhom, Mark A.; Kneebone, Andrew B.; Lehman, Margot; Wiltshire, Kirsty L.; Millar, Jeremy L.; Mukherjee, Rahul K.; Shakespeare, Thomas P.; Tai, Keen-Hun

2008-01-01

Background and purpose: Three randomised trials have demonstrated the benefit of adjuvant post-prostatectomy radiotherapy (PPRT) for high risk patients. Data also documents the effectiveness of salvage radiotherapy following a biochemical relapse post-prostatectomy. The Radiation Oncology Genito-Urinary Group recognised the need to develop consensus guidelines on to whom, when and how to deliver PPRT. Materials and methods: Draft guidelines were developed and refined at a consensus conference in June 2006 attended by 63 delegates where urological, radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging experts spoke on aspects of PPRT. Unresolved issues were further developed by working parties and redistributed until consensus was reached. Results: Central to the recommendations is that patients with positive surgical margins, seminal vesicle invasion and/or extracapsular extension have a high risk of residual local disease and should be informed of the options of either immediate adjuvant radiotherapy or active surveillance with early salvage in the event of biochemical recurrence. Salvage radiotherapy should be instituted at the earliest confirmation of biochemical recurrence. Detailed contouring guidelines have been developed, defining the regions at risk of residual microscopic disease which should be included in the clinical target volume. The recommended doses are 60-64 Gy for adjuvant, and 60-66 Gy for salvage radiotherapy. The role of hormone therapy in conjunction with PPRT is yet to be defined. Conclusions: These consensus guidelines have been developed to give clinical and technical guidance to radiation oncologists and urologists in the management of high risk post-prostatectomy patients

Direitos humanos: o significado político da conferência de Viena The Viena conference on human rights

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Augusto Lindgren Alves

1994-04-01

Full Text Available Do momento em que a idéia de chamar uma nova Conferencia Mundial Sobre Direitos Humanos foi inicialmente discutida pela Assembléia Geral da ONU, em 1989, até seu término, em 1993 em Viena, a situação internacional evoluiu de forma negativa. O agravamento de conflitos no período afetou o processo de preparação e os debates que ocorreram em Viena a um tal ponto, que chegou-se a temer por um fracasso total da Conferência. Em vista dessas circunstâncias, a Declaração e o Programa de Ação finais, adotados por consenso, apresentam-se como realizações positivas, propondo conceitos e recomendações que tendem a contribuir para a causa dos direitos humanos.Since the idea of convening a new World Conference on Human Rights was first discussed in 1989 by the U.N. General Assembly till its effective conclusion in Vienna four years later, the international situation became worse. The aggravation of crises and conflicts in the period affected both the preparatory process and the discussions held in Vienna to such an extent that fears arose regarding the possible failure of the Conference. In view of those circumstances, the final Declaration and Program of Action, adopted by consensus, stand as a positive achievement, with concepts and recommendations that tend to contribute to the cause of human rights.

Epidemiology, natural history, and risk factors: panel report from the Ninth International Research Conference on Otitis Media

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Daly, Kathleen A; Hoffman, Howard J; Kvaerner, Kari Jorunn

2010-01-01

The 2007 Recent Advances in Otitis Media Research Conference Panel Report provides an update on otitis media (OM) research published from 2003 to 2007. This report summarizes important trends in disease incidence and prevalence, describes established and newly identified risk factors for acute...

Proceedings of the Newfoundland Ocean Industries Association NOIA 2008 conference : a billion barrels and beyond

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-01-01

This conference provided a forum for industry experts to discuss the region's oil and gas activities in relation to current global market dynamics. Updates on current oil and gas operations were provided and new projects planned for the region were outlined. Political and socio-economic factors relevant to the oil and gas industry were reviewed. Methods of improving current technologies and attracting new employees were also discussed. The conference was divided into the following 5 sessions: (1) strength, opportunity and change, (2) global energy-global technologies, (3) realizing the potential, (4) human resources solutions, and (5) $100 oil, the good, the bad, and the ugly, panel discussion. The conference featured 29 presentations, of which 3 have been catalogued separately for inclusion in this database. refs., tabs., figs

Epidemiology, natural history, and risk factors: panel report from the Ninth International Research Conference on Otitis Media

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Daly, Kathleen A; Hoffman, Howard J; Kvaerner, Kari Jorunn

2010-01-01

The 2007 Recent Advances in Otitis Media Research Conference Panel Report provides an update on otitis media (OM) research published from 2003 to 2007. This report summarizes important trends in disease incidence and prevalence, describes established and newly identified risk factors for acute an...... vaccine in infants. The panel report also recommends short and long term goals for current and future OM research.......The 2007 Recent Advances in Otitis Media Research Conference Panel Report provides an update on otitis media (OM) research published from 2003 to 2007. This report summarizes important trends in disease incidence and prevalence, describes established and newly identified risk factors for acute...... and chronic OM and OM with effusion, and conveys information on newly discovered genetic factors. In this report, researchers have described declining rates of OM diagnosis, antibiotic prescriptions, offices visits for OM, and middle ear surgery since the licensure and routine use of pneumococcal conjugate...

Status and update of the National Ignition Facility radiation effects testing program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davis, J F; Serduke, F J; Wuest, C R.

1998-01-01

We are progressing in our efforts to make the National Ignition Facility (NIF) available to the nation as a radiation effects simulator to support the Services needs for nuclear hardness and survivability testing and validation. Details of our program were summarized in a paper presented at the 1998 HEART Conference [1]. This paper describes recent activities and updates plans for NIF radiation effects testing. research. Radiation Effects Testing

Continuity and consensus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Abrahamson, Peter

2010-01-01

maternal leave. These changes can be explained as adjustments to post-industrial conditions within a political culture relying on class compromises and a broad consensus informed by expert advice coming from civil servants and ad hoc policy commissions. The paper concludes that changes in Danish family...... policy reflect changing conditions for employment and the minding of children and that there has been a high degree of continuity and consensus about the change, as indicated by the strong increase in female labour market involvement....

Social imitation versus strategic choice, or consensus versus cooperation, in the networked Prisoner's Dilemma

Science.gov (United States)

Vilone, Daniele; Ramasco, José J.; Sánchez, Angel; Miguel, Maxi San

2014-08-01

The interplay of social and strategic motivations in human interactions is a largely unexplored topic in collective social phenomena. Whether individuals' decisions are taken in a purely strategic basis or due to social pressure without a rational background crucially influences the model outcome. Here we study a networked Prisoner's Dilemma in which decisions are made either based on the replication of the most successful neighbor's strategy (unconditional imitation) or by pure social imitation following an update rule inspired by the voter model. The main effects of the voter dynamics are an enhancement of the final consensus, i.e., asymptotic states are generally uniform, and a promotion of cooperation in certain regions of the parameter space as compared to the outcome of purely strategic updates. Thus, voter dynamics acts as an interface noise and has a similar effect as a pure random noise; furthermore, its influence is mostly independent of the network heterogeneity. When strategic decisions are made following other update rules such as the replicator or Moran processes, the dynamic mixed state found under unconditional imitation for some parameters disappears, but an increase of cooperation in certain parameter regions is still observed. Comparing our results with recent experiments on the Prisoner's Dilemma, we conclude that such a mixed dynamics may explain moody conditional cooperation among the agents.

Multi-Optimisation Consensus Clustering

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jian; Swift, Stephen; Liu, Xiaohui

Ensemble Clustering has been developed to provide an alternative way of obtaining more stable and accurate clustering results. It aims to avoid the biases of individual clustering algorithms. However, it is still a challenge to develop an efficient and robust method for Ensemble Clustering. Based on an existing ensemble clustering method, Consensus Clustering (CC), this paper introduces an advanced Consensus Clustering algorithm called Multi-Optimisation Consensus Clustering (MOCC), which utilises an optimised Agreement Separation criterion and a Multi-Optimisation framework to improve the performance of CC. Fifteen different data sets are used for evaluating the performance of MOCC. The results reveal that MOCC can generate more accurate clustering results than the original CC algorithm.

Informed consent -- Building consensus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lovenheim, R.

1990-01-01

The author shares his observations and offers an approach to 'building consensus' for what he believes is the only environmentally sound option, i.e., safe, permanent disposal of low-level radioactive waste (LLRW). Consensus does not mean unanimity, acceptance, or harmony. The low-level radioactive waste disposal issue is fraught with fear and hysteria. The paper discusses major emotions that fracture public opinion regarding this issue. The author defines consensus as the informed consent of LLRW disposal strategies by a majority of citizens whose cooperation is required to achieve the goals of environmentally sound solution. The political aspects are reviewed. The need for US Department of Energy to fulfill its importance technical assistance role is discussed

Bioanalysis-related highlights from the 2011 AAPS National Biotechnology Conference.

Science.gov (United States)

Crisino, Rebecca M; Dulanto, Beatriz

2011-08-01

The American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists is a dynamic international forum for the exchange of knowledge among scientists to enhance their contributions to drug development. The annual National Biotechnology Conference, conducted and organized by the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists, is a forum dedicated to advancements in science and technology related to discovery, development and manufacture of medical biotechnology products. The 2011 National Biotechnology Conference meeting convened in San Francisco, CA, USA on 16-18 May. Over 300 abstracts were submitted and approximately 50 sessions examined topics pertaining to advances in drug development, emerging analytical technologies, bioanalysis-related issues, biosimilar therapies, updates on global regulatory documents and expectations, and other topics. The focus of this article is to highlight key developments relevant to immunogenicity and pharmacokinetic drug concentration bioanalysis.

Consensus statement on the use of gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs in children

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Carel, Jean-Claude; Eugster, Erica A; Rogol, Alan

2009-01-01

, an equal male/female ratio, and a balanced spectrum of professional seniority and expertise. EVIDENCE: Preference was given to articles written in English with long-term outcome data. The US Public Health grading system was used to grade evidence and rate the strength of conclusions. When evidence......OBJECTIVE: Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs revolutionized the treatment of central precocious puberty. However, questions remain regarding their optimal use in central precocious puberty and other conditions. The Lawson Wilkins Pediatric Endocrine Society and the European Society...... for Pediatric Endocrinology convened a consensus conference to review the clinical use of gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs in children and adolescents. PARTICIPANTS: When selecting the 30 participants, consideration was given to equal representation from North America (United States and Canada) and Europe...

Conference proceedings of the Canadian Aboriginal Minerals Association : certainty through partnership

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2004-01-01

This conference presents a series of papers concerning resource development in the Aboriginal community in which partnership is a key issue. The challenges facing resource industries regarding investments and securing land tenure were discussed. These uncertainties can be alleviated through partnerships between industry and Aboriginal communities, where each partner brings their experience, access to knowledge, and access to capital. Perspectives of the diamond, mining and biomass industries were given. In addition, issues concerning accessing funds for business development, practices for local employment and sustainability were examined. An update on pipelines is presented, as well as an overview and examination of the suppliers to the resource industry. This conference featured 9 presentations of which 2 have been catalogued separately for inclusion in this database. tabs., figs

Magmaris preliminary recommendation upon commercial launch: a consensus from the expert panel on 14 April 2016.

Science.gov (United States)

Fajadet, Jean; Haude, Michael; Joner, Michael; Koolen, Jacques; Lee, Michael; Tölg, Ralph; Waksman, Ron

2016-09-18

Bioresorbable scaffolds represent an exciting milestone in the development of coronary stent technology with the potential to substantially improve the management of patients with coronary artery disease. In an attempt to provide first recommendations for the technology, experienced experts involved in the first-in-man studies met in Zurich on the 14 April 2016 in order to reach consensus on a responsible market introduction. This document will be updated regularly as new information from clinical trials becomes available and should be understood as a review of current data, opportunities, expectations, advice, and recommendations for future investigations.

Research in assessment: consensus statement and recommendations from the Ottawa 2010 Conference.

Science.gov (United States)

Schuwirth, Lambert; Colliver, Jerry; Gruppen, Larry; Kreiter, Clarence; Mennin, Stewart; Onishi, Hirotaka; Pangaro, Louis; Ringsted, Charlotte; Swanson, David; Van Der Vleuten, Cees; Wagner-Menghin, Michaela

2011-01-01

Medical education research in general is a young scientific discipline which is still finding its own position in the scientific range. It is rooted in both the biomedical sciences and the social sciences, each with their own scientific language. A more unique feature of medical education (and assessment) research is that it has to be both locally and internationally relevant. This is not always easy and sometimes leads to purely ideographic descriptions of an assessment procedure with insufficient general lessons or generalised scientific knowledge being generated or vice versa. For medical educational research, a plethora of methodologies is available to cater to many different research questions. This article contains consensus positions and suggestions on various elements of medical education (assessment) research. Overarching is the position that without a good theoretical underpinning and good knowledge of the existing literature, good research and sound conclusions are impossible to produce, and that there is no inherently superior methodology, but that the best methodology is the one most suited to answer the research question unambiguously. Although the positions should not be perceived as dogmas, they should be taken as very serious recommendations. Topics covered are: types of research, theoretical frameworks, designs and methodologies, instrument properties or psychometrics, costs/acceptability, ethics, infrastructure and support.

Portuguese recommendations for the use of methotrexate in rheumatic diseases - 2016 update.

Science.gov (United States)

Duarte, Ana Catarina; Santos-Faria, Daniela; Gonçalves, Maria João; Sepriano, Alexandre; Mourão, Ana Filipa; Duarte, Cátia; Neves, Joana Sousa; Águeda, Ana Filipa; Ribeiro, Pedro Avila; Daniel, Alexandra; Neto, Adriano; Cordeiro, Ana; Rodrigues, Ana; Barcelos, Anabela; Silva, Cândida; Ponte, Cristina; Vieira-Sousa, Elsa; Teixeira, Filipa; Oliveira-Ramos, Filipa; Araújo, Filipe; Barcelos, Filipe; Canhão, Helena; Santos, Helena; Ramos, João; Polido-Pereira, Joaquim; Tavares-Costa, José; Melo Gomes, José António; Cunha-Miranda, Luís; Costa, Lúcia; Cerqueira, Marcos; Cruz, Margarida; Santos, Maria José; Bernardes, Miguel; Oliveira, Paula; Abreu, Pedro; Figueira, Ricardo; Barros, Rita; Falcão, Sandra; Pinto, Patrícia; Pimenta, Sofia; Capela, Susana; Teixeira, Vitor; Fonseca, João Eurico

2017-01-01

Methotrexate (MTX) is the first-line drug in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the most commonly prescribed disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug. Moreover, it is also used as an adjuvant drug in patients under biologic therapies, enhancing the efficacy of biologic agents. To review the literature and update the Portuguese recommendations for the use of MTX in rheumatic diseases first published in 2009. The first Portuguese guidelines for the use of MTX in rheumatic diseases were published in 2009 and were integrated in the multinational 3E Initiative (Evidence Expertise Exchange) project. The Portuguese rheumatologists based on literature evidence and consensus opinion formulated 13 recommendations. At a national meeting, the recommendations included in this document were further discussed and updated. The document resulting from this meeting circulated to all Portuguese rheumatologists, who anonymously voted online on the level of agreement with the updated recommendations. Results presented in this article are mainly in accordance with previous guidelines, with some new information regarding hepatitis B infection during MTX treatment, pulmonary toxicity monitoring, hepatotoxicity management, association with hematologic neoplasms, combination therapy and tuberculosis screening during treatment. The present recommendations combine scientific evidence with expert opinion and attained desirable agreement among Portuguese rheumatologists. The regular update of these recommendations is essential in order to keep them a valid and useful tool in daily practice.

Proceedings of the international conference on environment and energy: souvenir

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2014-01-01

The theme of the conference has great relevance to address various emerging Environmental and Energy issues under growing economies of developing countries like India. Energy consumption and environmental protection go hand-in-hand, and pollution problems posed by the use of fossil fuels are major concern throughout world. Global consensus has now emerged on the need for implementation of radical technological and structural changes on both the generation and energy usage sectors in-order to protect the environment even as we maintain economic growth where renewable and clean energy technologies are expected to play vital role. Papers relevant to INIS are indexed separately

Recommended Amount of Sleep for a Healthy Adult: A Joint Consensus Statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society

OpenAIRE

Watson, Nathaniel F.; Badr, M. Safwan; Belenky, Gregory; Bliwise, Donald L.; Buxton, Orfeu M.; Buysse, Daniel; Dinges, David F.; Gangwisch, James; Grandner, Michael A.; Kushida, Clete; Malhotra, Raman K.; Martin, Jennifer L.; Patel, Sanjay R.; Quan, Stuart F.; Tasali, Esra

2015-01-01

Sleep is essential for optimal health. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and Sleep Research Society (SRS) developed a consensus recommendation for the amount of sleep needed to promote optimal health in adults, using a modified RAND Appropriateness Method process. The recommendation is summarized here. A manuscript detailing the conference proceedings and evidence supporting the final recommendation statement will be published in SLEEP and the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.

Anticoagulation Bridge Therapy in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation: Recent Updates Providing a Rebalance of Risk and Benefit.

Science.gov (United States)

Garwood, Candice L; Korkis, Bianca; Grande, Domenico; Hanni, Claudia; Morin, Amy; Moser, Lynette R

2017-06-01

In 2011 we reviewed clinical updates and controversies surrounding anticoagulation bridge therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Since then, options for oral anticoagulation have expanded with the addition of four direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) agents available in the United States. Nonetheless, vitamin K antagonist (VKA) therapy continues to be the treatment of choice for patients who are poor candidates for a DOAC and for whom bridge therapy remains a therapeutic dilemma. This literature review identifies evidence and guideline and consensus statements from the last 5 years to provide updated recommendations and insight into bridge therapy for patients using a VKA for AF. Since our last review, at least four major international guidelines have been updated plus a new consensus document addressing bridge therapy was released. Prospective trials and one randomized controlled trial have provided guidance for perioperative bridge therapy. The clinical trial data showed that bridging with heparin is associated with a significant bleeding risk compared with not bridging; furthermore, data suggested that actual perioperative thromboembolic risk may be lower than previously estimated. Notably, patients at high risk for stroke have not been adequately represented. These findings highlight the importance of assessing thrombosis and bleeding risk before making bridging decisions. Thrombosis and bleeding risk tools have emerged to facilitate this assessment and have been incorporated into guideline recommendations. Results from ongoing trials are expected to provide more guidance on safe and effective perioperative management approaches for patients at high risk for stroke. © 2017 Pharmacotherapy Publications, Inc.

Proceedings of the first international conference 'The radiological consequences of the Chernobyl accident'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karaoglou, A.; Desmet, G.; Kelly, G.N.; Menzel, H.G.

1996-01-01

Five main objectives were assigned to the EC/CIS scientific collaborative programme: improvement of the knowledge of the relationship between doses and radiation-induced health effects; updating of the arrangements for off-site emergency management response (shot- and medium term)in the even of a future nuclear accident; assisting the relevant CIS Ministries alleviate the consequences of the Chernobyl accident, in particular in the field of restoration of contaminated territories; elaboration of a scientific basis to definite the content of Community assistance programmes; updating of the local technical infrastructure, and implementation of a large programme of exchange of scientists between both Communities. The topics addressed during the Conference mainly reflect the content of the joint collaborative programme: environmental transfer and decontamination, risk assessment and management, health related issues including dosimetry. The main aims of the Conference are to present the major achievements of the joint EC/CIS collaborative research programme (1992-1995) of the consequences of the Chernobyl accident, and to promote an objective evaluation of them by the international scientific community. The Conference is taking place close to the 10 th anniversary of the accident and we hope it will contribute to more objective communication of the health and environmental consequences of the Chernobyl accident, and how these may be mitigated in future. The Conference is expected to be an important milestone in the series of meetings which will take place internationally around the 10 th anniversary of the nuclear accident. It also provides a major opportunity for all participants to become acquainted with software developed within the framework of the collaborative programme, namely: Geographical Information Systems displaying contamination levels and dose-commitments; Decision Support Systems for the management of contaminated territories; Decision Support Systems

Proceedings of the first international conference 'The radiological consequences of the Chernobyl accident'

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karaoglou, A; Desmet, G; Kelly, G N; Menzel, H G [European Commission, Brussels (Belgium)

1996-07-01

Five main objectives were assigned to the EC/CIS scientific collaborative programme: improvement of the knowledge of the relationship between doses and radiation-induced health effects; updating of the arrangements for off-site emergency management response (shot- and medium term)in the even of a future nuclear accident; assisting the relevant CIS Ministries alleviate the consequences of the Chernobyl accident, in particular in the field of restoration of contaminated territories; elaboration of a scientific basis to definite the content of Community assistance programmes; updating of the local technical infrastructure, and implementation of a large programme of exchange of scientists between both Communities. The topics addressed during the Conference mainly reflect the content of the joint collaborative programme: environmental transfer and decontamination, risk assessment and management, health related issues including dosimetry. The main aims of the Conference are to present the major achievements of the joint EC/CIS collaborative research programme (1992-1995) of the consequences of the Chernobyl accident, and to promote an objective evaluation of them by the international scientific community. The Conference is taking place close to the 10{sup th} anniversary of the accident and we hope it will contribute to more objective communication of the health and environmental consequences of the Chernobyl accident, and how these may be mitigated in future. The Conference is expected to be an important milestone in the series of meetings which will take place internationally around the 10{sup th} anniversary of the nuclear accident. It also provides a major opportunity for all participants to become acquainted with software developed within the framework of the collaborative programme, namely: Geographical Information Systems displaying contamination levels and dose-commitments; Decision Support Systems for the management of contaminated territories; Decision Support

Expert consensus document. The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics consensus statement on the scope and appropriate use of the term probiotic.

Science.gov (United States)

Hill, Colin; Guarner, Francisco; Reid, Gregor; Gibson, Glenn R; Merenstein, Daniel J; Pot, Bruno; Morelli, Lorenzo; Canani, Roberto Berni; Flint, Harry J; Salminen, Seppo; Calder, Philip C; Sanders, Mary Ellen

2014-08-01

An expert panel was convened in October 2013 by the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) to discuss the field of probiotics. It is now 13 years since the definition of probiotics and 12 years after guidelines were published for regulators, scientists and industry by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the WHO (FAO/WHO). The FAO/WHO definition of a probiotic--"live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host"--was reinforced as relevant and sufficiently accommodating for current and anticipated applications. However, inconsistencies between the FAO/WHO Expert Consultation Report and the FAO/WHO Guidelines were clarified to take into account advances in science and applications. A more precise use of the term 'probiotic' will be useful to guide clinicians and consumers in differentiating the diverse products on the market. This document represents the conclusions of the ISAPP consensus meeting on the appropriate use and scope of the term probiotic.

43 CFR 46.110 - Incorporating consensus-based management.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 43 Public Lands: Interior 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Incorporating consensus-based management... § 46.110 Incorporating consensus-based management. (a) Consensus-based management incorporates direct... carry out those plans and activities. For the purposes of this Part, consensus-based management involves...

Consensus statement on panic disorder from the International Consensus Group on Depression and Anxiety.

Science.gov (United States)

Ballenger, J C; Davidson, J R; Lecrubier, Y; Nutt, D J; Baldwin, D S; den Boer, J A; Kasper, S; Shear, M K

1998-01-01

To provide primary care clinicians with a better understanding of management issues in panic disorder and guide clinical practice with recommendations for appropriate pharmacotherapy. The 4 members of the International Consensus Group on Depression and Anxiety were James C. Ballenger (chair), Jonathan R. T. Davidson, Yves Lecrubier, and David J. Nutt. Four faculty invited by the chairman also participated: David S. Baldwin, Johan A. den Boer, Siegfried Kasper, and M. Katherine Shear. The consensus statement is based on the 6 review papers that are published in this supplement and on the scientific literature relevant to these issues. There were group meetings held during a 2-day period. On day 1, the group discussed each review paper and the chairman and discussant (Dr. Kasper) identified key issues for further debate. On day 2, the group discussed these key issues to arrive at a consensus view. After the group meetings, the consensus statement was drafted by the chairman and approved by all attendees. The consensus statement provides standard definitions for response and remission and identifies appropriate strategy for the management of panic disorder in a primary care setting. Serotonin selective reuptake inhibitors are recommended as drugs of first choice with a treatment period of 12 to 24 months. Pharmacotherapy should be discontinued slowly over a period of 4 to 6 months.

Building consensus in developing radioactive waste management systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Terrell, R.; Philpott, R.; Smith, S.L.; Gibson, J.

1991-01-01

To successfully develop radioactive waste management systems, national authorities must work to establish consensus on numerous complex issues among many affected and interested parties. This paper explores the meaning of consensus in waste management, with special attention to the different arenas in which consensus is established and how DOE can respond if consensus is withheld. Highlights of other national waste management programs are introduced to provide a broader perspective on consensus. It is suggested that the US waste management program has reached a point where Congress needs to act to reaffirm consensus on the direction of the US program

Gender- and sex-specific sports-related injury research in emergency medicine: a consensus on future research direction and focused application.

Science.gov (United States)

Raukar, Neha P; Zonfrillo, Mark R; Kane, Kathleen; Davenport, Moira; Espinoza, Tamara R; Weiland, Jessica; Franco, Vanessa; Vaca, Federico E

2014-12-01

Title IX, the commercialization of sports, the social change in sports participation, and the response to the obesity epidemic have contributed to the rapid proliferation of participation in both competitive organized sports and nontraditional athletic events. As a consequence, emergency physicians are regularly involved in the acute diagnosis, management, disposition, and counseling of a broad range of sports-related pathology. Three important and highly publicized mechanisms of injury in sports relevant to emergency medicine (EM) include concussion, heat illness, and sudden cardiac death. In conjunction with the 2014 Academic Emergency Medicine consensus conference "Gender-specific Research in Emergency Care: Investigate, Understand, and Translate How Gender Affects Patient Outcomes," a consensus group consisting of experts in EM, emergency neurology, sports medicine, and public health convened to deliberate and develop research questions that could ultimately advance the field of sports medicine and allow for meaningful application in the emergency department (ED) clinical setting. Sex differences in injury risk, diagnosis, ED treatment, and counseling are identified in each of these themes. This article presents the consensus-based priority research agenda. © 2014 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

Attitude extremity, consensus and diagnosticity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Pligt, J.; Ester, P.; van der Linden, J.

1983-01-01

Studied the effects of attitude extremity on perceived consensus and willingness to ascribe trait terms to others with either pro- or antinuclear attitudes. 611 Ss rated their attitudes toward nuclear energy on a 5-point scale. Results show that attitude extremity affected consensus estimates. Trait

Political Consensus and Fiscal Outcomes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Houlberg, Kurt; Holm Pedersen, Lene

2015-01-01

It is becoming difficult to maintain consensus in a period of economic austerity, and this possibly challenges the ability of democratic institutions to take decisions on tough economic questions. In order to find out how political consensus influences fiscal outcomes, this article sets out...

Veto-Consensus Multiple Kernel Learning

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zhou, Y.; Hu, N.; Spanos, C.J.

2016-01-01

We propose Veto-Consensus Multiple Kernel Learning (VCMKL), a novel way of combining multiple kernels such that one class of samples is described by the logical intersection (consensus) of base kernelized decision rules, whereas the other classes by the union (veto) of their complements. The

5th International Conference on Advanced Manufacturing Engineering and Technologies

CERN Document Server

Jakovljevic, Zivana; NEWTECH2017

2017-01-01

This book presents the proceedings from the 5th NEWTECH conference (Belgrade, Serbia, 5–9 June 2017), the latest in a series of high-level conferences that bring together experts from academia and industry in order to exchange knowledge, ideas, experiences, research results, and information in the field of manufacturing. The range of topics addressed is wide, including, for example, machine tool research and in-machine measurements, progress in CAD/CAM technologies, rapid prototyping and reverse engineering, nanomanufacturing, advanced material processing, functional and protective surfaces, and cyber-physical and reconfigurable manufacturing systems. The book will benefit readers by providing updates on key issues and recent progress in manufacturing engineering and technologies and will aid the transfer of valuable knowledge to the next generation of academics and practitioners. It will appeal to all who work or conduct research in this rapidly evolving field.

Objective consensus from decision trees.

Science.gov (United States)

Putora, Paul Martin; Panje, Cedric M; Papachristofilou, Alexandros; Dal Pra, Alan; Hundsberger, Thomas; Plasswilm, Ludwig

2014-12-05

Consensus-based approaches provide an alternative to evidence-based decision making, especially in situations where high-level evidence is limited. Our aim was to demonstrate a novel source of information, objective consensus based on recommendations in decision tree format from multiple sources. Based on nine sample recommendations in decision tree format a representative analysis was performed. The most common (mode) recommendations for each eventuality (each permutation of parameters) were determined. The same procedure was applied to real clinical recommendations for primary radiotherapy for prostate cancer. Data was collected from 16 radiation oncology centres, converted into decision tree format and analyzed in order to determine the objective consensus. Based on information from multiple sources in decision tree format, treatment recommendations can be assessed for every parameter combination. An objective consensus can be determined by means of mode recommendations without compromise or confrontation among the parties. In the clinical example involving prostate cancer therapy, three parameters were used with two cut-off values each (Gleason score, PSA, T-stage) resulting in a total of 27 possible combinations per decision tree. Despite significant variations among the recommendations, a mode recommendation could be found for specific combinations of parameters. Recommendations represented as decision trees can serve as a basis for objective consensus among multiple parties.

Objective consensus from decision trees

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Putora, Paul Martin; Panje, Cedric M; Papachristofilou, Alexandros; Pra, Alan Dal; Hundsberger, Thomas; Plasswilm, Ludwig

2014-01-01

Consensus-based approaches provide an alternative to evidence-based decision making, especially in situations where high-level evidence is limited. Our aim was to demonstrate a novel source of information, objective consensus based on recommendations in decision tree format from multiple sources. Based on nine sample recommendations in decision tree format a representative analysis was performed. The most common (mode) recommendations for each eventuality (each permutation of parameters) were determined. The same procedure was applied to real clinical recommendations for primary radiotherapy for prostate cancer. Data was collected from 16 radiation oncology centres, converted into decision tree format and analyzed in order to determine the objective consensus. Based on information from multiple sources in decision tree format, treatment recommendations can be assessed for every parameter combination. An objective consensus can be determined by means of mode recommendations without compromise or confrontation among the parties. In the clinical example involving prostate cancer therapy, three parameters were used with two cut-off values each (Gleason score, PSA, T-stage) resulting in a total of 27 possible combinations per decision tree. Despite significant variations among the recommendations, a mode recommendation could be found for specific combinations of parameters. Recommendations represented as decision trees can serve as a basis for objective consensus among multiple parties

Validation of consensus panel diagnosis in dementia.

Science.gov (United States)

Gabel, Matthew J; Foster, Norman L; Heidebrink, Judith L; Higdon, Roger; Aizenstein, Howard J; Arnold, Steven E; Barbas, Nancy R; Boeve, Bradley F; Burke, James R; Clark, Christopher M; Dekosky, Steven T; Farlow, Martin R; Jagust, William J; Kawas, Claudia H; Koeppe, Robert A; Leverenz, James B; Lipton, Anne M; Peskind, Elaine R; Turner, R Scott; Womack, Kyle B; Zamrini, Edward Y

2010-12-01

The clinical diagnosis of dementing diseases largely depends on the subjective interpretation of patient symptoms. Consensus panels are frequently used in research to determine diagnoses when definitive pathologic findings are unavailable. Nevertheless, research on group decision making indicates that many factors can adversely affect panel performance. To determine conditions that improve consensus panel diagnosis. Comparison of neuropathologic diagnoses with individual and consensus panel diagnoses based on clinical scenarios only, fludeoxyglucose F 18 positron emission tomography images only, and scenarios plus images. Expert and trainee individual and consensus panel deliberations using a modified Delphi method in a pilot research study of the diagnostic utility of fludeoxyglucose F 18 positron emission tomography. Forty-five patients with pathologically confirmed Alzheimer disease or frontotemporal dementia. Statistical measures of diagnostic accuracy, agreement, and confidence for individual raters and panelists before and after consensus deliberations. The consensus protocol using trainees and experts surpassed the accuracy of individual expert diagnoses when clinical information elicited diverse judgments. In these situations, consensus was 3.5 times more likely to produce positive rather than negative changes in the accuracy and diagnostic certainty of individual panelists. A rule that forced group consensus was at least as accurate as majority and unanimity rules. Using a modified Delphi protocol to arrive at a consensus diagnosis is a reasonable substitute for pathologic information. This protocol improves diagnostic accuracy and certainty when panelist judgments differ and is easily adapted to other research and clinical settings while avoiding the potential pitfalls of group decision making.

Consensus statement on social anxiety disorder from the International Consensus Group on Depression and Anxiety.

Science.gov (United States)

Ballenger, J C; Davidson, J R; Lecrubier, Y; Nutt, D J; Bobes, J; Beidel, D C; Ono, Y; Westenberg, H G

1998-01-01

The goal of this consensus statement is to provide primary care clinicians with a better understanding of management issues in social anxiety disorder (social phobia) and guide clinical practice with recommendations for appropriate pharmacotherapy. The 4 members of the International Consensus Group on Depression and Anxiety were James C. Ballenger (chair), Jonathan R. T. Davidson, Yves Lecrubier, and David J. Nutt. Other faculty invited by the chair were Julio Bobes, Deborah C. Beidel, Yukata Ono, and Herman G. M. Westenberg. The consensus statement is based on the 7 review papers published in this supplement and on the scientific literature relevant to the issues reviewed in these papers. The group met over a 2-day period. On day 1, the group discussed each review paper, and the chair identified key issues for further debate. On day 2, the group discussed these issues to arrive at a consensus view. After the group meetings, the consensus statement was drafted by the chair and approved by all attendees. The consensus statement underlines the importance of recognizing social anxiety disorder and provides recommendations on how it may be distinguished from other anxiety disorders. It proposes definitions for response and remission and considers appropriate management strategies. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are recommended as first-line therapy, and effective treatment should be continued for at least 12 months. Long-term treatment is indicated if symptoms are unresolved, the patient has a comorbid condition or a history of relapse, or there was an early onset of the disorder.

A systematic literature review on the ethics of palliative sedation: an update (2016).

Science.gov (United States)

Henry, Blair

2016-09-01

Palliative sedation has been the subject of intensive debate since its first appearance in 1990. In a 2010 review of palliative sedation, the following areas were identified as lacking in consensus: inconsistent terminology, its use in nonphysical suffering, the ongoing experience of distress, and concern that the practice of palliative sedation may hasten death. This review looks at the literature over the past 6 years and provides an update on these outstanding concerns. Good clinical guidelines and policies are still required to address issues of emotional distress and waylay concerns that palliative sedation hastens death. The empirical evidence suggests some movement toward consensus on the practice of palliative sedation. However, a continued need exists for evidence-informed practice guidelines, education, and research to support the ethical practice of palliative sedation at the end of life. Until that time, clinicians are advised to adopt a framework or guideline that has been expert driven to ensure consistent and ethical use of palliative sedation at the end of life.

Attitude Importance and the False Consensus Effect.

Science.gov (United States)

Fabrigar, Leandre R.; Krosnick, Jon A.

1995-01-01

Explores the possibility that importance may regulate the magnitude of the false consensus effect. Analysis revealed a strong false consensus effect but no reliable relation between its magnitude and attitude importance. Results contradict assumptions that the false consensus effect arises from attitudes that directly or indirectly influence…

Case detection and diagnosis of primary aldosteronism – The consensus of Taiwan Society of Aldosteronism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vin-Cent Wu

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Background/Purpose: Even though the increasing clinical recognition of primary aldosteronism (PA as a public health issue, its heightened risk profiles and the availability of targeted surgical/medical treatment being more understood, consensus in its diagnosis and management based on medical evidence, while recognizing the constraints of our real-world clinical practice in Taiwan, has not been reached. Methods: The Taiwan Society of Aldosteronism (TSA Task Force acknowledges the above-mentioned issues and reached this Taiwan PA consensus at its inaugural meeting, in order to provide updated information of internationally acceptable standards, and also to incorporate our local disease characteristics into the management of PA. Results: When there is suspicion of PA, a plasma aldosterone to renin ratio (ARR should be obtained initially. Patients with abnormal ARR will undergo confirmatory laboratory and image tests. Subtype classification with adrenal venous sampling (AVS or NP-59 nuclear imaging, if AVS not available, to lateralize PA is recommended when patients are considered for adrenalectomy. The strengths and weaknesses of the currently available identification methods are discussed, focusing especially on result interpretation. Conclusion: With this consensus we hope to raise more awareness of PA among medical professionals and hypertensive patients in Taiwan, and to facilitate reconciliation of better detection, identification and treatment of patients with PA. Index words: Primary aldosteronism, Guideline, TAIPAI, TSA

[Consensus statement on metabolic disorders and cardiovascular risks in patients with human immunodeficiency virus].

Science.gov (United States)

Polo Rodríguez, Rosa; Galindo Puerto, María José; Dueñas, Carlos; Gómez Candela, Carmen; Estrada, Vicente; Villar, Noemí G P; Locutura, Jaime; Mariño, Ana; Pascua, Javier; Palacios, Rosario; von Wichmman, Miguel Ángel; Álvarez, Julia; Asensi, Victor; Lopez Aldeguer, José; Lozano, Fernando; Negredo, Eugenia; Ortega, Enrique; Pedrol, Enric; Gutiérrez, Félix; Sanz Sanz, Jesús; Martínez Chamorro, Esteban

2015-01-01

This consensus document is an update of metabolic disorders and cardiovascular risk (CVR) guidelines for HIV-infected patients. This document has been approved by an expert panel of GEAM, SPNS and GESIDA after reviewing the results of efficacy and safety of clinical trials, cohort and pharmacokinetic studies published in biomedical journals (PubMed and Embase) or presented in medical scientific meetings. Recommendation strength and the evidence in which they are supported are based on the GRADE system. A healthy lifestyle is recommended, no smoking and at least 30min of aerobic exercise daily. In diabetic patients the same treatment as non-HIV infected patients is recommended. HIV patients with dyslipidemia should be considered as high CVR, thus its therapeutic objective is an LDL less than 100mg/dL. The antihypertensive of ACE inhibitors and ARAII families are better tolerated and have a lower risk of interactions. In HIV-patients with diabetes or metabolic syndrome and elevated transaminases with no defined etiology, the recommended is to rule out a hepatic steatosis Recommendations for action in hormone alterations are also updated. These new guidelines update previous recommendations regarding all those metabolic disorders involved in CVR. Hormone changes and their management and the impact of metabolic disorders on the liver are also included. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.

Asian Consensus Report on Functional Dyspepsia

Science.gov (United States)

Miwa, Hiroto; Ghoshal, Uday C; Gonlachanvit, Sutep; Gwee, Kok-Ann; Ang, Tiing-Leong; Chang, Full-Young; Fock, Kwong Ming; Hongo, Michio; Hou, Xiaohua; Kachintorn, Udom; Ke, Meiyun; Lai, Kwok-Hung; Lee, Kwang Jae; Lu, Ching-Liang; Mahadeva, Sanjiv; Miura, Soichiro; Park, Hyojin; Rhee, Poong-Lyul; Sugano, Kentaro; Vilaichone, Ratha-korn; Wong, Benjamin CY

2012-01-01

Background/Aims Environmental factors such as food, lifestyle and prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection are widely different in Asian countries compared to the West, and physiological functions and genetic factors of Asians may also be different from those of Westerners. Establishing an Asian consensus for functional dyspepsia is crucial in order to attract attention to such data from Asian countries, to articulate the experience and views of Asian experts, and to provide a relevant guide on management of functional dyspepsia for primary care physicians working in Asia. Methods Consensus team members were selected from Asian experts and consensus development was carried out using a modified Delphi method. Consensus teams collected published papers on functional dyspepsia especially from Asia and developed candidate consensus statements based on the generated clinical questions. At the first face-to-face meeting, each statement was reviewed and e-mail voting was done twice. At the second face-to-face meeting, final voting on each statement was done using keypad voting system. A grade of evidence and a strength of recommendation were applied to each statement according to the method of the GRADE Working Group. Results Twenty-nine consensus statements were finalized, including 7 for definition and diagnosis, 5 for epidemiology, 9 for pathophysiology and 8 for management. Algorithms for diagnosis and management of functional dyspepsia were added. Conclusions This consensus developed by Asian experts shows distinctive features of functional dyspepsia in Asia and will provide a guide to the diagnosis and management of functional dyspepsia for Asian primary care physicians. PMID:22523724

Surgical management of degenerative meniscus lesions: the 2016 ESSKA meniscus consensus.

Science.gov (United States)

Beaufils, Ph; Becker, R; Kopf, S; Englund, M; Verdonk, R; Ollivier, M; Seil, R

2017-02-01

an imaging tool to support a diagnosis of osteoarthritis or to detect certain rare pathologies, such as tumours or fractures of the knee. The present work offers a clear framework for the management of degenerative meniscus lesions, with the aim to balance information extracted from the scientific evidence and clinical expertise. Because of biases and weaknesses of the current literature and lack of definition of important criteria such as mechanical symptoms, it cannot be considered as an exact treatment algorithm. It summarises the results of the "ESSKA Meniscus Consensus Project" ( http://www.esska.org/education/projects ) and is the first official European consensus on this topic. The consensus may be updated and refined as more high-quality evidence emerges. I.

Surgical Management of Degenerative Meniscus Lesions: The 2016 ESSKA Meniscus Consensus.

Science.gov (United States)

Beaufils, P; Becker, R; Kopf, S; Englund, M; Verdonk, R; Ollivier, M; Seil, R

2017-06-01

knee radiography should be used as an imaging tool to support a diagnosis of osteoarthritis or to detect certain rare pathologies, such as tumours or fractures of the knee. Discussion  The present work offers a clear framework for the management of degenerative meniscus lesions, with the aim to balance information extracted from the scientific evidence and clinical expertise. Because of biases and weaknesses of the current literature and lack of definition of important criteria such as mechanical symptoms, it cannot be considered as an exact treatment algorithm. It summarises the results of the "ESSKA Meniscus Consensus Project" ( http://www.esska.org/education/projects ) and is the first official European consensus on this topic. The consensus may be updated and refined as more high-quality evidence emerges. Level of Evidence  I.

Comparison of Prevalence and Outcomes of Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Using Pediatric Acute Lung Injury Consensus Conference Criteria and Berlin Definition.

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Samriti; Sankar, Jhuma; Lodha, Rakesh; Kabra, Sushil K

2018-01-01

Our objective was to compare the prevalence and outcomes of pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome using the Pediatric Acute Lung Injury Consensus Conference (PALICC) criteria and Berlin definitions. We screened case records of all children aged 1 month to 17 years of age admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) over a 3-year period (2015-2017) for presence of any respiratory difficulty at admission or during PICU stay. We applied both PALICC and Berlin criteria to these patients. Data collection included definition and outcome related variables. Data were compared between the "PALICC only group" and the "Berlin with or without PALICC" group using Stata 11. Of a total of 615 admissions, 246 were identified as having respiratory difficulty at admission or during PICU stay. A total of 61 children (prevalence 9.9%; 95% CI: 7.8-12.4) fulfilled the definition of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) with either of the two criteria. While 60 children (98%) fulfilled PALICC criteria, only 26 children (43%) fulfilled Berlin definition. There was moderate agreement between the two definitions (Kappa: 0.51; 95% CI: 0.40-0.62; observed agreement 85%). Greater proportion of patients had severe ARDS in the "Berlin with or without PALICC group" as compared to the "PALICC only" group (50 vs. 19%). There was no difference between the groups with regard to key clinical outcomes such as duration of ventilation (7 vs. 8 days) or mortality [51.4 vs. 57.7%: RR (95% CI): 0.99 (0.64-1.5)]. In comparison to Berlin definition, the PALICC criteria identified more number of patients with ARDS. Proportion with severe ARDS and complications was greater in the "Berlin with or without PALICC" group as compared to the "PALICC only" group. There were no differences in clinical outcomes between the groups.

Toward an international consensus on public information practices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jouve, Andre A. [Autorite de Surete Nucleaire, Fontenay-Aux-Roses (France)

2006-07-01

At the 2005 IAEA general conference, several member states have asked the other members to engage in using the International Nuclear Event Scale (Ines) as a key harmonized element in public information practices. Created in 1989 to communicate on nuclear events at nuclear installations, this scale was recently upgraded to include the radiological risk as well as defects in safety provisions for radioactive sources or the transport of radioactive material. Even if communication tools should not be used to compare regulatory performances or enforce regulatory provisions the awareness of the public on the radiation risk is a positive contributor to the improvement of radiation protection. The experience feed back from the trial period of use of the upgraded Ines scale (July 2004- June 2006) demonstrates that a same tool allows an homogenous communication on a wide range of events, from nuclear safety events in nuclear power plants to deterministic effects of radiation among industrial radiographers. The next step for the extension of the Ines scale will be focused on medical events. - A prerequisite to any attempt to rank events in a scale is to define what should be considered as an event. This is not obvious as far as medical events are considered. The French Nuclear Safety Authority is currently working on a list of criteria to be used by licensees to determine the categories of events to be notified to the regulatory Authority. It is intended to organize the widest possible consultation among all stakeholders. The European IRPA conference is a good opportunity to discuss this issue and a way forward finding an international consensus on public information practices. (author)

Toward an international consensus on public information practices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jouve, Andre A.

2006-01-01

At the 2005 IAEA general conference, several member states have asked the other members to engage in using the International Nuclear Event Scale (Ines) as a key harmonized element in public information practices. Created in 1989 to communicate on nuclear events at nuclear installations, this scale was recently upgraded to include the radiological risk as well as defects in safety provisions for radioactive sources or the transport of radioactive material. Even if communication tools should not be used to compare regulatory performances or enforce regulatory provisions the awareness of the public on the radiation risk is a positive contributor to the improvement of radiation protection. The experience feed back from the trial period of use of the upgraded Ines scale (July 2004- June 2006) demonstrates that a same tool allows an homogenous communication on a wide range of events, from nuclear safety events in nuclear power plants to deterministic effects of radiation among industrial radiographers. The next step for the extension of the Ines scale will be focused on medical events. - A prerequisite to any attempt to rank events in a scale is to define what should be considered as an event. This is not obvious as far as medical events are considered. The French Nuclear Safety Authority is currently working on a list of criteria to be used by licensees to determine the categories of events to be notified to the regulatory Authority. It is intended to organize the widest possible consultation among all stakeholders. The European IRPA conference is a good opportunity to discuss this issue and a way forward finding an international consensus on public information practices. (author)

Methodological Quality of Consensus Guidelines in Implant Dentistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Faggion, Clovis Mariano; Apaza, Karol; Ariza-Fritas, Tania; Málaga, Lilian; Giannakopoulos, Nikolaos Nikitas; Alarcón, Marco Antonio

2017-01-01

Consensus guidelines are useful to improve clinical decision making. Therefore, the methodological evaluation of these guidelines is of paramount importance. Low quality information may guide to inadequate or harmful clinical decisions. To evaluate the methodological quality of consensus guidelines published in implant dentistry using a validated methodological instrument. The six implant dentistry journals with impact factors were scrutinised for consensus guidelines related to implant dentistry. Two assessors independently selected consensus guidelines, and four assessors independently evaluated their methodological quality using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation (AGREE) II instrument. Disagreements in the selection and evaluation of guidelines were resolved by consensus. First, the consensus guidelines were analysed alone. Then, systematic reviews conducted to support the guidelines were included in the analysis. Non-parametric statistics for dependent variables (Wilcoxon signed rank test) was used to compare both groups. Of 258 initially retrieved articles, 27 consensus guidelines were selected. Median scores in four domains (applicability, rigour of development, stakeholder involvement, and editorial independence), expressed as percentages of maximum possible domain scores, were below 50% (median, 26%, 30.70%, 41.70%, and 41.70%, respectively). The consensus guidelines and consensus guidelines + systematic reviews data sets could be compared for 19 guidelines, and the results showed significant improvements in all domain scores (p dentistry journals is needed. The findings of the present study may help researchers to better develop consensus guidelines in implant dentistry, which will improve the quality and trust of information needed to make proper clinical decisions.

The Consensus of Strategic Consensus: A Study of the State of the Art about the Theme

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcelo Curth

2018-04-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to present the state of the art regarding the strategic consensus, emphasizing the approaches and the nature of the research methods used, the results obtained and the future agenda for this theme studies. Analyzing beyond the last four decades of publications, it was understood that relating the strategic consensus only with the performance and strategic levels can be seen as something limited, suggesting the need to bring to the researching field new aspects and backgrounds as innovation, the methods for generating new ideas, the occurrence beyond the Top Management Team level (TMT, among others. Moreover, concludes that the predominant approach the strategic consensus is a process and the methodology used is based on quantitative techniques. As a suggestion for future studies, this study indicates the investigation of situations in which the strategic consensus is not positive.

Consensus statement on genetic research in dementia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rikkert, M.G. Olde; der, V van; Burns, A.

2008-01-01

In this article, the authors describe how the European Dementia Consensus Network developed a consensus on research ethics in dementia, taking into account the questions posed by the era of genetic research and its new research methods. The consensus process started with a Delphi procedure...... to analyze relevant stakeholders' positions by describing their statements on the possibilities and limitations of research into genetic determinants of Alzheimer disease and to describe and analyze the moral desirability of genetic research on Alzheimer disease. The conclusions drawn from the Delphi...... procedure fuelled the development of the consensus statement, which is presented in this paper. The consensus statement aims to stimulate ethically acceptable research in the field of dementia and the protection of vulnerable elderly patients with dementia from application of inadequate research methods...

Consensus states of local majority rule in stochastic process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luo, Yu-Pin [Department of Electronic Engineering, National Formosa University, Huwei, 63201, Taiwan (China); Tang, Chia-Wei; Xu, Hong-Yuan [Department of Physics, Chung-Yuan Christian University, Chungli, 32023, Taiwan (China); Wu, Jinn-Wen [Department of Applied Mathematics, Chung-Yuan Christian University, Chungli, 32023, Taiwan (China); Huang, Ming-Chang, E-mail: mchuang@cycu.edu.tw [Center for Theoretical Science and Department of Physics, Chung-Yuan Christian University, Chungli, 32023, Taiwan (China)

2015-04-03

A sufficient condition for a network system to reach a consensus state of the local majority rule is shown. The influence of interpersonal environment on the occurrence probability of consensus states for Watts–Strogatz and scale-free networks with random initial states is analyzed by numerical method. We also propose a stochastic local majority rule to study the mean first passage time from a random state to a consensus and the escape rate from a consensus state for systems in a noisy environment. Our numerical results show that there exists a window of fluctuation strengths for which the mean first passage time from a random to a consensus state reduces greatly, and the escape rate of consensus states obeys the Arrhenius equation in the window. - Highlights: • A sufficient condition for reaching a consensus. • The relation between the geometry of networks and the reachability of a consensus. • Stochastic local majority rule. • The mean first-passage time and the escape rate of consensus states.

Consensus states of local majority rule in stochastic process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luo, Yu-Pin; Tang, Chia-Wei; Xu, Hong-Yuan; Wu, Jinn-Wen; Huang, Ming-Chang

2015-01-01

A sufficient condition for a network system to reach a consensus state of the local majority rule is shown. The influence of interpersonal environment on the occurrence probability of consensus states for Watts–Strogatz and scale-free networks with random initial states is analyzed by numerical method. We also propose a stochastic local majority rule to study the mean first passage time from a random state to a consensus and the escape rate from a consensus state for systems in a noisy environment. Our numerical results show that there exists a window of fluctuation strengths for which the mean first passage time from a random to a consensus state reduces greatly, and the escape rate of consensus states obeys the Arrhenius equation in the window. - Highlights: • A sufficient condition for reaching a consensus. • The relation between the geometry of networks and the reachability of a consensus. • Stochastic local majority rule. • The mean first-passage time and the escape rate of consensus states

The IOC consensus statement: beyond the Female Athlete Triad--Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S).

Science.gov (United States)

Mountjoy, Margo; Sundgot-Borgen, Jorunn; Burke, Louise; Carter, Susan; Constantini, Naama; Lebrun, Constance; Meyer, Nanna; Sherman, Roberta; Steffen, Kathrin; Budgett, Richard; Ljungqvist, Arne

2014-04-01

Protecting the health of the athlete is a goal of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The IOC convened an expert panel to update the 2005 IOC Consensus Statement on the Female Athlete Triad. This Consensus Statement replaces the previous and provides guidelines to guide risk assessment, treatment and return-to-play decisions. The IOC expert working group introduces a broader, more comprehensive term for the condition previously known as 'Female Athlete Triad'. The term 'Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport' (RED-S), points to the complexity involved and the fact that male athletes are also affected. The syndrome of RED-S refers to impaired physiological function including, but not limited to, metabolic rate, menstrual function, bone health, immunity, protein synthesis, cardiovascular health caused by relative energy deficiency. The cause of this syndrome is energy deficiency relative to the balance between dietary energy intake and energy expenditure required for health and activities of daily living, growth and sporting activities. Psychological consequences can either precede RED-S or be the result of RED-S. The clinical phenomenon is not a 'triad' of the three entities of energy availability, menstrual function and bone health, but rather a syndrome that affects many aspects of physiological function, health and athletic performance. This Consensus Statement also recommends practical clinical models for the management of affected athletes. The 'Sport Risk Assessment and Return to Play Model' categorises the syndrome into three groups and translates these classifications into clinical recommendations.

Pragmatism and Political Pluralism - Consensus and Pluralism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michele Marsonet

2015-07-01

In our day the German philosopher Jürgen Habermas has in a way revived these Peircean insights, putting forward an influential theory to the effect that consensus indeed plays a key role in human praxis, so that the primary task of philosophy is to foster it by eliminating the disagreement which we constantly have to face in the course of our daily life. In his “communicative theory of consensus,” furthermore, he claims that human communication rests on an implicit commitment to a sort of “ideal speech situation” which is the normative foundation of agreement in linguistic matters. Consequently, the quest for consensus is a constitutive feature of our nature of (rational human beings: rationality and consensus are tied together. A very strong consequence derives from Habermas’ premises: were we to abandon the search for consensus we would lose rationality, too, and this makes us understand that he views the pursuit of consensus as a regulative principle (rather than as a merely practical objective. Rescher opposes both Peirce’s eschatological view and Habermas’ regulative and idealized one.

Automated consensus contour building for prostate MRI.

Science.gov (United States)

Khalvati, Farzad

2014-01-01

Inter-observer variability is the lack of agreement among clinicians in contouring a given organ or tumour in a medical image. The variability in medical image contouring is a source of uncertainty in radiation treatment planning. Consensus contour of a given case, which was proposed to reduce the variability, is generated by combining the manually generated contours of several clinicians. However, having access to several clinicians (e.g., radiation oncologists) to generate a consensus contour for one patient is costly. This paper presents an algorithm that automatically generates a consensus contour for a given case using the atlases of different clinicians. The algorithm was applied to prostate MR images of 15 patients manually contoured by 5 clinicians. The automatic consensus contours were compared to manual consensus contours where a median Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) of 88% was achieved.

Bioinformatics and systems biology research update from the 15th International Conference on Bioinformatics (InCoB2016).

Science.gov (United States)

Schönbach, Christian; Verma, Chandra; Bond, Peter J; Ranganathan, Shoba

2016-12-22

The International Conference on Bioinformatics (InCoB) has been publishing peer-reviewed conference papers in BMC Bioinformatics since 2006. Of the 44 articles accepted for publication in supplement issues of BMC Bioinformatics, BMC Genomics, BMC Medical Genomics and BMC Systems Biology, 24 articles with a bioinformatics or systems biology focus are reviewed in this editorial. InCoB2017 is scheduled to be held in Shenzen, China, September 20-22, 2017.

Ocular allergy latin american consensus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Myrna Serapião dos Santos

2011-12-01

Full Text Available PURPOSE: To establish current definition, classification and staging, and to develop diagnosis and treatment recommendations for ocular allergy, by using Delphi approach. METHODS: Ten Latin American experts on ocular allergy participated in a 4-round Delphi panel approach. Four surveys were constructed and answered by panelists. A two-thirds majority was defined as consensus. Definition, classification, staging and diagnosis and treatment recommendations were the main outcomes. RESULTS: "Ocular allergy" was proposed as the general term to describe ocular allergic diseases. Consensus regarding classification was not reached. Signs and symptoms were considered extremely important for the diagnosis. It was consensus that a staging system should be proposed based on the disease severity. Environmental control, avoidance of allergens and the use of artificial tears were recommended as first line treatment. The secondary treatment should include topical anti-histamines, mast cell stabilizers and multi actions drugs. Topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and vasoconstrictors were not recommended. Topical corticosteroids were recommended as third line of treatment for the most severe keratoconjunctivitis. Consensus was not reached regarding the use of systemic corticosteroids or immunosuppressant. Surgical approach and unconventional treatments were not recommended as routine. CONCLUSION: The task of creating guidelines for ocular allergies showed to be very complex. Many controversial topics remain unsolved. A larger consensus including experts from different groups around the world may be needed to further improve the current recommendations for several aspects of ocular allergy.

Wilderness Medical Society practice guidelines for the use of epinephrine in outdoor education and wilderness settings: 2014 update.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaudio, Flavio G; Lemery, Jay; Johnson, David E

2014-12-01

The Epinephrine Roundtable took place on July 27, 2008, during the 25th Annual Meeting of the Wilderness Medical Society (WMS) in Snowmass, CO. The WMS convened this roundtable to explore areas of consensus and uncertainty in the field treatment of anaphylaxis. Panelists were selected on the basis of their relevant academic or professional experience. There is a paucity of data that address the treatment of anaphylaxis in the wilderness. Anaphylaxis is a rare disease, with a sudden onset and drastic course that does not lend itself to study in randomized, controlled trials. Therefore, the panel endorsed the following position based on the limited available evidence and review of published articles, as well as expert consensus. The position represents the consensus of the panelists and is endorsed by the WMS. In 2014, the authors reviewed relevant articles published since the Epinephrine Roundtable. The following is an updated version of the original guidelines published in Wilderness & Environmental Medicine 2010;21(4):185-187. Copyright © 2014 Wilderness Medical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

What is the best technique in parenchymal transection in laparoscopic liver resection? Comprehensive review for the clinical question on the 2nd International Consensus Conference on Laparoscopic Liver Resection.

Science.gov (United States)

Otsuka, Yuichiro; Kaneko, Hironori; Cleary, Sean P; Buell, Joseph F; Cai, Xiujun; Wakabayashi, Go

2015-05-01

The continuing evolution of technique and devices used in laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) has allowed successful application of this minimally invasive surgery for the treatment of liver disease. However, the type of instruments by energy sources and technique used vary among each institution. We reviewed the literature to seek the best technique for parenchymal transection, which was proposed as one of the important clinical question in the 2nd International Consensus Conference on LLR held on October 2014. While publications have described transection techniques used in LLR from 1991 to June 2014, it is difficult to specify the best technique and device for laparoscopic hepatic parenchymal transection, owing to a lack of randomized trials with only a small number of comparative studies. However, it is clear that instruments should be used in combination with others based on their functions and the depth of liver resection. Most authors have reported using staplers to secure and divide major vessels. Preparation for prevention of unexpected hemorrhaging particularly in liver cirrhosis, the Pringle's maneuver and prompt technique for hemostasis should be performed. We conclude that hepatobiliary surgeons should select techniques based on their familiarity with a concrete understanding of instruments and individualize to the procedure of LLR. © 2015 Japanese Society of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery.

Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer consensus statement on immunotherapy for the treatment of bladder carcinoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Kamat, Ashish M; Bellmunt, Joaquim; Galsky, Matthew D; Konety, Badrinath R; Lamm, Donald L; Langham, David; Lee, Cheryl T; Milowsky, Matthew I; O'Donnell, Michael A; O'Donnell, Peter H; Petrylak, Daniel P; Sharma, Padmanee; Skinner, Eila C; Sonpavde, Guru; Taylor, John A; Abraham, Prasanth; Rosenberg, Jonathan E

2017-08-15

The standard of care for most patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is immunotherapy with intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), which activates the immune system to recognize and destroy malignant cells and has demonstrated durable clinical benefit. Urologic best-practice guidelines and consensus reports have been developed and strengthened based on data on the timing, dose, and duration of therapy from randomized clinical trials, as well as by critical evaluation of criteria for progression. However, these reports have not penetrated the community, and many patients do not receive appropriate therapy. Additionally, several immune checkpoint inhibitors have recently been approved for treatment of metastatic disease. The approval of immune checkpoint blockade for patients with platinum-resistant or -ineligible metastatic bladder cancer has led to considerations of expanded use for both advanced and, potentially, localized disease. To address these issues and others surrounding the appropriate use of immunotherapy for the treatment of bladder cancer, the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) convened a Task Force of experts, including physicians, patient advocates, and nurses, to address issues related to patient selection, toxicity management, clinical endpoints, as well as the combination and sequencing of therapies. Following the standard approach established by the Society for other cancers, a systematic literature review and analysis of data, combined with consensus voting was used to generate guidelines. Here, we provide a consensus statement for the use of immunotherapy in patients with bladder cancer, with plans to update these recommendations as the field progresses.

Canadian Cardiovascular Society 2009 Consensus Conference on the management of adults with congenital heart disease: Outflow tract obstruction, coarctation of the aorta, tetralogy of Fallot, Ebstein anomaly and Marfan’s syndrome

Science.gov (United States)

Silversides, Candice K; Beauchesne, Luc; Bradley, Timothy; Connelly, Michael; Niwa, Koichiro; Mulder, Barbara; Webb, Gary; Colman, Jack; Therrien, Judith

2010-01-01

With advances in pediatric cardiology and cardiac surgery, the population of adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) has increased. In the current era, there are more adults with CHD than children. This population has many unique issues and needs. Since the 2001 Canadian Cardiovascular Society Consensus Conference report on the management of adults with CHD, there have been significant advances in the field of adult CHD. Therefore, new clinical guidelines have been written by Canadian adult CHD physicians in collaboration with an international panel of experts in the field. Part II of the guidelines includes recommendations for the care of patients with left ventricular outflow tract obstruction and bicuspid aortic valve disease, coarctation of the aorta, right ventricular outflow tract obstruction, tetralogy of Fallot, Ebstein anomaly and Marfan’s syndrome. Topics addressed include genetics, clinical outcomes, recommended diagnostic workup, surgical and interventional options, treatment of arrhythmias, assessment of pregnancy risk and follow-up requirements. The complete document consists of four manuscripts that are published online in the present issue of The Canadian Journal of Cardiology. The complete document and references can also be found at www.ccs.ca or www.cachnet.org. PMID:20352138

Reporting and Staging of Testicular Germ Cell Tumors: The International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) Testicular Cancer Consultation Conference Recommendations.

Science.gov (United States)

Verrill, Clare; Yilmaz, Asli; Srigley, John R; Amin, Mahul B; Compérat, Eva; Egevad, Lars; Ulbright, Thomas M; Tickoo, Satish K; Berney, Daniel M; Epstein, Jonathan I

2017-06-01

The International Society of Urological Pathology held a conference devoted to issues in testicular and penile pathology in Boston in March 2015, which included a presentation and discussion led by the testis microscopic features working group. This conference focused on controversies related to staging and reporting of testicular tumors and was preceded by an online survey of the International Society of Urological Pathology members. The survey results were used to initiate discussions, but decisions were made by expert consensus rather than voting. A number of recommendations emerged from the conference, including that lymphovascular invasion (LVI) should always be reported and no distinction need be made between lymphatic or blood invasion. If LVI is equivocal, then it should be regarded as negative to avoid triggering unnecessary therapy. LVI in the spermatic cord is considered as category pT2, not pT3, unless future studies provide contrary evidence. At the time of gross dissection, a block should be taken just superior to the epididymis to define the base of the spermatic cord, and direct invasion of tumor in this block indicates a category of pT3. Pagetoid involvement of the rete testis epithelium must be distinguished from rete testis stromal invasion, with only the latter being prognostically useful. Percentages of different tumor elements in mixed germ cell tumors should be reported. Although consensus was reached on many issues, there are still areas of practice that need further evidence on which to base firm recommendations.

Development of consensus treatment plans for juvenile localized scleroderma: a roadmap toward comparative effectiveness studies in juvenile localized scleroderma.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Suzanne C; Torok, Kathryn S; Pope, Elena; Dedeoglu, Fatma; Hong, Sandy; Jacobe, Heidi T; Rabinovich, C Egla; Laxer, Ronald M; Higgins, Gloria C; Ferguson, Polly J; Lasky, Andrew; Baszis, Kevin; Becker, Mara; Campillo, Sarah; Cartwright, Victoria; Cidon, Michael; Inman, Christi J; Jerath, Rita; O'Neil, Kathleen M; Vora, Sheetal; Zeft, Andrew; Wallace, Carol A; Ilowite, Norman T; Fuhlbrigge, Robert C

2012-08-01

Juvenile localized scleroderma (LS) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder associated with substantial morbidity and disability. Although a wide range of therapeutic strategies has been reported in the literature, a lack of agreement on treatment specifics and accepted methods for clinical assessment has made it difficult to compare approaches and identify optimal therapy. Our objective was to develop standardized treatment plans, clinical assessments, and response criteria for active, moderate to high severity juvenile LS. A core group of pediatric rheumatologists, dermatologists, and a lay advisor was engaged by the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) to develop standardized treatment plans and assessment parameters for juvenile LS using consensus methods/nominal group techniques. Recommendations were validated in 2 face-to-face conferences with a larger group of practitioners with expertise in juvenile LS and with the full membership of CARRA, which encompasses the majority of pediatric rheumatologists in the US and Canada. Consensus was achieved on standardized treatment plans that reflect the prevailing treatment practices of CARRA members. Standardized clinical assessment methods and provisional treatment response criteria were also developed. Greater than 90% of pediatric rheumatologists responding to a survey (66% of CARRA membership) affirmed the final recommendations and agreed to utilize these consensus plans to treat patients with juvenile LS. Using consensus methodology, we have developed standardized treatment plans and assessment methods for juvenile LS. The high level of support among pediatric rheumatologists will support future comparative effectiveness studies and enable the development of evidence-based guidelines for the treatment of juvenile LS. Copyright © 2012 by the American College of Rheumatology.

[4th World Conference on Women].

Science.gov (United States)

1995-06-01

The World Platform of Action is a document prepared by the secretary of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) that acknowledges commitments made by the subscribing governments. In the final preparatory meeting for the Fourth International Conference on Women in Beijing, official delegations of the world's governments discussed the draft of the Platform of Action. Throughout the Platform, there is evidence of a retreat from concepts internationally recognized at other conferences. The Vatican, in alliance with countries like Honduras, Argentina, and Guatemala, and with fundamentalist religious groups, is largely responsible for the obstruction. The draft indicates which topics have failed to gain consensus and require discussion at the full Conference. The Platform is defined as an agenda for seeking empowerment of women, an objective necessitating removal of obstacles to active participation by women in all spheres of public life. The Platform defines the critical areas for action as the persistent increase in poverty among women, unequal access to education and training, unequal access to health care, violence against women and girls, effects of persecution and armed conflicts, unequal access to productive processes, and unequal power and influence in decision making at all levels. Insufficient mechanisms for promoting women, protection of the human rights of women, women and communication, and women and the environment are other priority topics. Problems are discussed in each of these areas, and objectives and concrete actions are proposed. The work describes the types of institutional changes that will be needed if the objectives are to be achieved; defines sex, gender, and other relevant terms; and analyses some of the strategic objectives in greater detail. The final section contains recommendations for women's groups and other lobbyists in Colombia to present to the government.

15th National Conference on Nuclear Structure in China

CERN Document Server

Wang, Ning; Zhou, Shan-Gui; Nuclear Structure in China 2014; NSC2014

2016-01-01

This volume is a collection of the contributions to the 15th National Conference on Nuclear Structure in China (NSC2014), held on October 25-28, 2014 in Guilin, China and hosted by Guangxi Normal University. It provides an important updated resource in the nuclear physics literature for researchers and graduate students studying nuclear structure and related topics. Recent progress made in the study of nuclear spectroscopy of high-spin states, nuclear mass and half-life, nuclear astrophysics, super-heavy nuclei, unstable nuclei, density functional theory, neutron star and symmetry energy, nuclear matter, and nuclear shell model are covered.

Why Consensus?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francesca Polletta

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Activists have long justified their egalitarian organizational forms in prefigurative terms. Making decisions by consensus, decentralizing organization, and rotating leadership serves to model the radically democratic society that activists hope to bring into being. Our comparison of consensus-based decision-making in three historical periods, however, shows that activists have understood the purposes of prefiguration in very different ways. Whereas radical pacifists in the 1940s saw their cooperative organizations as sustaining movement stalwarts in a period of political repression, new left activists in the 1960s imagined that their radically democratic practices would be adopted by ever-widening circles. Along with the political conditions in which they have operated, activists’ distinctive understandings of equality have also shaped the way they have made decisions. Our interviews with 30 leftist activists today reveal a view of decision-making as a place to work through inequalities that are informal, unacknowledged, and pervasive.

Constructive conflict and staff consensus in substance abuse treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Melnick, Gerald; Wexler, Harry K; Chaple, Michael; Cleland, Charles M

2009-03-01

Previous studies demonstrated the relationship between consensus among both staff and clients with client engagement in treatment and between client consensus and 1-year treatment outcomes. The present article explores the correlates of staff consensus, defined as the level of agreement among staff as to the importance of treatment activities in their program, using a national sample of 80 residential substance abuse treatment programs. Constructive conflict resolution had the largest effect on consensus. Low client-to-staff ratios, staff education, and staff experience in substance abuse treatment were also significantly related to consensus. Frequency of training, an expected correlate of consensus, was negatively associated with consensus, whereas frequency of supervision was not a significant correlate. The implications of the findings for future research and program improvement are discussed.

EURECCA consensus conference highlights about rectal cancer clinical management: The radiation oncologist’s expert review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valentini, Vincenzo; Glimelius, Bengt; Haustermans, Karin; Marijnen, Corrie A.M.; Rödel, Claus; Gambacorta, Maria Antonietta; Boelens, Petra G.; Aristei, Cynthia; Velde, Cornelis J.H. van de

2014-01-01

Background and Purpose: Although rectal and colon cancer management has progressed greatly in the last few decades clinical outcomes still need to be optimized. Furthermore, consensus is required on several issues as some of the main international guidelines provide different recommendations. The European Registration of Cancer Care (EURECCA) drew up documents to standardize management and care in Europe and aid in decision-making. Material and Methods: In the present section the panel of experts reviews and discusses data from the literature on rectal cancer, focusing on recommendations for selecting between short-course radiotherapy (SCRT) and long-course radio-chemotherapy (LCRTCT) as preoperative treatment as well as on the controversies about adjuvant treatment in patients who had received a pre-operative treatment. Results: The starting-point of the present EURECCA document is that adding SCRT or LCRTCT to TME improved loco-regional control but did not increase overall survival in any single trial which, in any case, had improved with the introduction of total mesorectal excision (TME) into clinical practice. Moderate consensus was achieved for cT3 anyNM0 disease. In this frame, agreement was reached on either SCRT followed by immediate surgery or LCRTCT with delayed surgery for mesorectal fascia (MRF) negative tumors at presentation. LCRTCT was recommended for tumor shrinkage in MRF+ at presentations but if patients were not candidates for chemotherapy, SCRT with delayed surgery is an option/alternative. LCRTCT was recommended for cT4 anycNM0. SCRT offers the advantages of less acute toxicity and lower costs, and LCRTCT tumor shrinkage and down-staging, with 13–36% pathological complete response (pCR) rates. To improve the efficacy of preoperative treatment both SCRT and LCRTCT have been, or are being, associated with diverse schedules of chemotherapy and even new targeted therapies but without any definitive evidence of benefit. Nowadays, standard

Gender differences in neurological emergencies part II: a consensus summary and research agenda on traumatic brain injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, David W; Espinoza, Tamara R; Merck, Lisa H; Ratcliff, Jonathan J; Backster, Anika; Stein, Donald G

2014-12-01

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and disability worldwide. There is strong evidence that gender and sex play an important role across the spectrum of TBI, from pathophysiology to clinical care. In May 2014, Academic Emergency Medicine held a consensus conference "Gender-Specific Research in Emergency Care: Investigate, Understand, and Translate How Gender Affects Patient Outcomes." A TBI working group was formed to explore what was known about the influence of sex and gender on TBI and to identify gaps for future research. The findings resulted in four major recommendations to guide the TBI research agenda. © 2014 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

Joint American Nuclear Society and Health Physics Society Conference: Applicability of Radiation Response Models to Low Dose Protection Standards.

Science.gov (United States)

Glines, Wayne M; Markham, Anna

2018-05-01

Seventy-five years after the Hanford Site was initially created as the primary plutonium production site for atomic weapons development under the Manhattan Project, the American Nuclear Society and the Health Physics Society are sponsoring a conference from 30 September through 3 October 2018, in Pasco, Washington, titled "Applicability of Radiation Response Models to Low Dose Protection Standards." The goal of this conference is to use current scientific data to update the approach to regulating low-level radiation doses; i.e., to answer a quintessential question of radiation protection-how to best develop radiation protection standards that protect human populations against detrimental effects while allowing the beneficial uses of radiation and radioactive materials. Previous conferences (e.g., "Wingspread Conference," "Arlie Conference") have attempted to address this question; but now, almost 20 y later, the key issues, goals, conclusions, and recommendations of those two conferences remain and are as relevant as they were then. Despite the best efforts of the conference participants and increased knowledge and understanding of the science underlying radiation effects in human populations, the bases of current radiation protection standards have evolved little. This 2018 conference seeks to provide a basis and path forward for evolving radiation protection standards to be more reflective of current knowledge and understanding of low dose response models.

The emergence of consensus: a primer

Science.gov (United States)

Baronchelli, Andrea

2018-02-01

The origin of population-scale coordination has puzzled philosophers and scientists for centuries. Recently, game theory, evolutionary approaches and complex systems science have provided quantitative insights on the mechanisms of social consensus. However, the literature is vast and widely scattered across fields, making it hard for the single researcher to navigate it. This short review aims to provide a compact overview of the main dimensions over which the debate has unfolded and to discuss some representative examples. It focuses on those situations in which consensus emerges `spontaneously' in the absence of centralized institutions and covers topics that include the macroscopic consequences of the different microscopic rules of behavioural contagion, the role of social networks and the mechanisms that prevent the formation of a consensus or alter it after it has emerged. Special attention is devoted to the recent wave of experiments on the emergence of consensus in social systems.

Safety of radioactive waste management: International conference in Spain seeks board platform of consensus among experts and regulators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-01-01

The document gives short information about the Conference on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management (13-17 March 2000, Cordoba, Spain) organized by the IAEA in cooperation with the European Commission, the World Health Organization, and the Nuclear Energy Agency of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development

Comparing consensus guidelines on thromboprophylaxis in orthopedic surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Struijk-Mulder, M C; Ettema, H B; Verheyen, C C; Büller, H R

2010-04-01

Different guidelines exist regarding the prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in orthopedic surgery. We aimed to compare (inter)national guidelines and analyse differences. MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library and the internet were searched for guidelines on the prevention of VTE in orthopedic surgery. From these, we constructed a table comparing the different antithrombotic regimens during different orthopedic surgical and plaster cast treatments. Eleven guidelines from nine different countries and one international guideline were included. Few guidelines advise on thrombosis prophylaxis after plaster cast immobilization, (prolonged) arthroscopic surgery and isolated lower extremity trauma. Different opinions exist on the sole use of aspirin and mechanical prophylaxis and on the use of vitamin K antagonists after major hip and knee surgery. Based on the same available literature, different guidelines recommend different thromboprophylactic regimens. Ideally, the grade of recommendation should be based on the same level of evidence world-wide. Whilst there is no agreement on the relevance of different endpoints (e.g. asymptomatic DVT), it is very difficult to reach a consensus. Thromboprophylaxis guidelines should be reviewed and updated on a regular basis, because the evidence is evolving rapidly.

Population issues surface at human settlements conference.

Science.gov (United States)

1996-01-01

This news brief focuses on the debate about population issues at the UN Conference on Human Settlements, held in Istanbul, Turkey, in June 1996. The Istanbul Declaration on Human Settlements was adopted by world leaders at the conference. Leaders were committed to programs to improve standards of living, the right of citizens to adequate housing, and the mobilization of new financial resources. Dr. Sadik, as Executive Director of the UN Population Fund, stressed that natural increase accounts for 60% of urban population growth. Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, as UN Secretary General, stressed that over 50% of world population would live in urban centers by the year 2000, and almost 75% might do so by 2025. He indicated that all nations are interrelated; the poor and refugees from political conflict from one country travel to safer and richer countries. Dr. Sadik referred to the agreement at the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) on stabilizing world population in the shortest time possible. This would require meeting the needs of men and women for health, education, and the power of personal decision making. The most important item was the satisfaction of women's need for reproductive health information and services and women's power to use services. Dr. Sadik urged that women be given the right to hold and inherit property and to obtain credit. It was pointed out that the language of Habitat's plan of action on population and development issues was frequently bracketed; consequently, the plan suffered from a lack of consensus. The debate between countries would end, if the language were not bracketed. Dr. Sadik recommended family planning for developing sustainable and liveable cities.

A Self-Categorization Explanation for Opinion Consensus Perceptions

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jinguang; Reid, Scott A.

2013-01-01

The public expression of opinions (and related communicative activities) hinges upon the perception of opinion consensus. Current explanations for opinion consensus perceptions typically focus on egocentric and other biases, rather than functional cognitions. Using self-categorization theory we showed that opinion consensus perceptions flow from…

Update on Alzheimer’s Disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kurt A. Jellinger

2015-08-01

Full Text Available With the disproportionate growth of the elderly population, Alzheimer’s disease (AD, as the most common cause of dementia, has become a major public health and socio-economic problem of our time. Updated consensus criteria for clinical diagnosis and new biomarkers have increased the diagnostic accuracy to over 90%, with a sensitivity versus other dementias of around 85% and a specificity of up to 78%, although a definite diagnosis depends on neuropathological examination. However, due to overlap between dementing disorders and frequent concurrence of multiple pathologies in the aged brain, both clinical and post-mortem studies entail biases that affect their validity. Harmonised interdisciplinary approaches are required to increase the accuracy and reproducibility of AD diagnosis as a basis for neuroprotection and efficient treatment. Preventative measures can minimise risk factors and confounding diseases, whereas anti-dementive treatment with drugs and non-pharmacological interventions can currently only delay the progression of the clinical course without causal effects. Better early diagnosis, active immunotherapies, and disease-modifying measures are the most important challenges for modern neurosciences.

The development of a consensus definition for healthcare improvement science (HIS) in seven European countries: A consensus methods approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Skela-Savič, Brigita; Macrae, Rhoda; Lillo-Crespo, Manuel; Rooney, Kevin D

2017-06-01

There is a limited body of research in the field of healthcare improvement science (HIS). Quality improvement and 'change making' should become an intrinsic part of everyone's job, every day in all parts of the healthcare system. The lack of theoretical grounding may partly explain the minimal transfer of health research into health policy. This article seeks to present the development of the definition for healthcare improvement science. A consensus method approach was adopted with a two-stage Delphi process, expert panel and consensus group techniques. A total of 18 participants were involved in the expert panel and consensus group, and 153 answers were analysed as a part of the Delphi survey. Participants were researchers, educators and healthcare professionals from Scotland, Slovenia, Spain, Italy, England, Poland, and Romania. A high level of consensus was achieved for the broad definition in the 2nd Delphi iteration (86%). The final definition was agreed on by the consensus group: 'Healthcare improvement science is the generation of knowledge to cultivate change and deliver person-centred care that is safe, effective, efficient, equitable and timely. It improves patient outcomes, health system performance and population health.' The process of developing a consensus definition revealed different understandings of healthcare improvement science between the participants. Having a shared consensus definition of healthcare improvement science is an important step forward, bringing about a common understanding in order to advance the professional education and practice of healthcare improvement science.

Crafting consensus

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Zápal, Jan

2017-01-01

Roč. 173, 1–2 (2017), s. 169-200 ISSN 0048-5829 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GP14-27902P Institutional support: Progres-Q24 Keywords : consensus building * agenda setting * vote buying Subject RIV: AH - Economics OBOR OECD: Economic Theory Impact factor: 0.788, year: 2016

A Hybrid Distance-Based Ideal-Seeking Consensus Ranking Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Madjid Tavana

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Ordinal consensus ranking problems have received much attention in the management science literature. A problem arises in situations where a group of k decision makers (DMs is asked to rank order n alternatives. The question is how to combine the DM rankings into one consensus ranking. Several different approaches have been suggested to aggregate DM responses into a compromise or consensus ranking; however, the similarity of consensus rankings generated by the different algorithms is largely unknown. In this paper, we propose a new hybrid distance-based ideal-seeking consensus ranking model (DCM. The proposed hybrid model combines parts of the two commonly used consensus ranking techniques of Beck and Lin (1983 and Cook and Kress (1985 into an intuitive and computationally simple model. We illustrate our method and then run a Monte Carlo simulation across a range of k and n to compare the similarity of the consensus rankings generated by our method with the best-known method of Borda and Kendall (Kendall 1962 and the two methods proposed by Beck and Lin (1983 and Cook and Kress (1985. DCM and Beck and Lin's method yielded the most similar consensus rankings, whereas the Cook-Kress method and the Borda-Kendall method yielded the least similar consensus rankings.

The Philippine Parliamentarians Conference on Human Survival, Population and Development. Summary.

Science.gov (United States)

1988-12-01

Proceedings of the 1st Philippine Parliamentarians' Conference on Human Survival, Population and Development (PARLCON '88) are summarized in this report. Conference participants included the House and Senate, government officials, representatives of nongovernmental organizations, international organizations, the diplomatic corps and the media. A message from the President was read, referring the "silent emergency" of malnutrition and infant mortality of over 100,000 yearly. The events taking place were a statement of objectives, a Senate Resolution welcoming the convening of the conference, an opening ceremony, a posthumous award to R. M. Sales, executive director of the UNFPA, and a final a plan of action. Much of the content of the above events was duplicated in the final plan, which was formulated in 17 points. Some of these key points were: recognition of the need for quality of life, the detrimental effect of rapid population growth on development, the right of spouses to plan family size within their ethical beliefs, and the need for political will to address development concerns. The conference recommended that parliament and local governments strive for a consensus on national policy regarding population; ensure that economic gains are not decimated by population growth, protect the environment, develop social and industrial infrastructure in outlying areas, pursue national self-reliance, promote the human right of choosing desired family size, endorse the small family norm, empower women by educational and income generating opportunities, gather national data on population, strengthen the Population Commission, support nongovernmental agencies that provide family planning services, and promote education on family planning.

Delineation of the neck node levels for head and neck tumors: A 2013 update. DAHANCA, EORTC, HKNPCSG, NCIC CTG, NCRI, RTOG, TROG consensus guidelines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grégoire, Vincent; Ang, Kian; Budach, Wilfried; Grau, Cai; Hamoir, Marc; Langendijk, Johannes A.; Lee, Anne; Le, Quynh-Thu; Maingon, Philippe; Nutting, Chris; O’Sullivan, Brian; Porceddu, Sandro V.; Lengele, Benoit

2014-01-01

In 2003, a panel of experts published a set of consensus guidelines for the delineation of the neck node levels in node negative patients (Radiother Oncol, 69: 227–36, 2003). In 2006, these guidelines were extended to include the characteristics of the node positive and the post-operative neck (Radiother Oncol, 79: 15–20, 2006). These guidelines did not fully address all nodal regions and some of the anatomic descriptions were ambiguous, thereby limiting consistent use of the recommendations. In this framework, a task force comprising opinion leaders in the field of head and neck radiation oncology from European, Asian, Australia/New Zealand and North American clinical research organizations was formed to review and update the previously published guidelines on nodal level delineation. Based on the nomenclature proposed by the American Head and Neck Society and the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, and in alignment with the TNM atlas for lymph nodes in the neck, 10 node groups (some being divided into several levels) were defined with a concise description of their main anatomic boundaries, the normal structures juxtaposed to these nodes, and the main tumor sites at risk for harboring metastases in those levels. Emphasis was placed on those levels not adequately considered previously (or not addressed at all); these included the lower neck (e.g. supraclavicular nodes), the scalp (e.g. retroauricular and occipital nodes), and the face (e.g. buccal and parotid nodes). Lastly, peculiarities pertaining to the node-positive and the post-operative clinical scenarios were also discussed. In conclusion, implementation of these guidelines in the daily practice of radiation oncology should contribute to the reduction of treatment variations from clinician to clinician and facilitate the conduct of multi-institutional clinical trials

Proceedings of the Canadian Wind Energy Association's 2009 wind matters conference : wind and power systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-01-01

This conference provided a forum for wind energy and electric power industry experts to discuss issues related to wind and power systems. An overview of wind integration studies and activities in Canada and the United States was provided. New tools and technologies for facilitating the integration of wind and improve market conditions for wind energy developers were presented. Methods of increasing wind penetration were evaluated, and technical issues related to wind interconnections throughout North America were reviewed. The conference was divided into the following 5 sessions: (1) experiences with wind integration, and lessons learned, (2) update on ongoing wind integration initiatives in Canada and the United States, (3) initiatives and tools to facilitate wind integration and market access, (4) developments in wind interconnection and grid codes, (5) wind energy and cold weather considerations, and (6) challenges to achieving the 20 per cent WindVision goal in Canada. The conference featured 21 presentations, of which 13 have been catalogued separately for inclusion in this database. refs., tabs., figs

Research and development of methods and tools for achieving and maintaining consensus processes in the face of change within and among government oversight agencies. Progress report, October 1, 1992--March 31, 1994, Volume I

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1994-06-01

This progress report summarizes our research activities under our consensus grant. In year five, we devoted much of our activities to completing fundamental research projects delayed because of the considerably stepped-up effort in consensus processes efforts during development of DOE`s Five Year Waste Plan (FYWP). Following our work on various procedures for bringing together groups such as the State and Tribal Government Working Group and the Stakeholders` Forum (both of which provide input to the Five Year Waste Plan), we compiled a literature overview of small-group consensus gaining and a handbook for consensus decision making. We also tested the effectiveness Of group decision support software, and designed a structured observation process and its related hard- and software. We completed studies on experts and the role of personality characteristics in consensus group influence. Results of these studies are included in this final report. In consensus processes research, we were unable to continue studying consensus groups in action. However, we did study ways to improve ways to improve DOE`s technological information exchange effectiveness. We also studied how a new administration identifies what its strategic mission is and how it gets support from existing EM managers. We identified selection criteria for locating the EM exhibit, and tested our audience selection model. We also further calibrated our consensus measure. Additional conference papers and papers for journal submission were completed during year five.

Guidelines for the management of Helicobacter pylori infection in Italy: The III Working Group Consensus Report 2015.

Science.gov (United States)

Zagari, Rocco Maurizio; Romano, Marco; Ojetti, Veronica; Stockbrugger, Reinhold; Gullini, Sergio; Annibale, Bruno; Farinati, Fabio; Ierardi, Enzo; Maconi, Giovanni; Rugge, Massimo; Calabrese, Carlo; Di Mario, Francesco; Luzza, Francesco; Pretolani, Stefano; Savio, Antonella; Gasbarrini, Giovanni; Caselli, Michele

2015-11-01

Knowledge on the role of Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection is continually evolving, and treatment is becoming more challenging due to increasing bacterial resistance. Since the management of HP infection is changing, an update of the national Italian guidelines delivered in 2007 was needed. In the III Working Group Consensus Report 2015, a panel of 17 experts from several Italian regions reviewed current evidence on different topics relating to HP infection. Four working groups examined the following topics: (1) "open questions" on HP diagnosis and treatment (focusing on dyspepsia, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or aspirin use and extra-gastric diseases); (2) non-invasive and invasive diagnostic tests; (3) treatment of HP infection; (4) role of HP in the prevention of gastric cancer. Statements and recommendations were discussed and a consensus reached in a final plenary session held in February 2015 in Bologna. Recommendations are based on the best current evidence to help physicians manage HP infection in Italy. The guidelines have been endorsed by the Italian Society of Gastroenterology and the Italian Society of Digestive Endoscopy. Copyright © 2015 Editrice Gastroenterologica Italiana S.r.l. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

78 FR 25255 - Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Public Conference Call and Webinar Regarding Updates to the...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-04-30

... towards accomplishing the objectives listed therein. The presentation will be followed by a discussion... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648-XC621 Atlantic... Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Announcement of public conference call and webinar. SUMMARY: NMFS will...

Single Dose of Consensus Hemagglutinin-Based Virus-Like Particles Vaccine Protects Chickens against Divergent H5 Subtype Influenza Viruses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peipei Wu

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The H5 subtype highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI virus is one of the greatest threats to global poultry industry. To develop broadly protective H5 subunit vaccine, a recombinant consensus HA sequence (rHA was constructed and expressed in virus-like particles (rHA VLPs in the baculovirus-insect cell system. The efficacy of the rHA VLPs vaccine with or without immunopotentiator (CVCVA5 was assessed in chickens. Compared to the commercial Re6 or Re6-CVCVA5 vaccines, single dose immunization of chickens with rHA VLPs or rHA-CVCVA5 vaccines induced higher levels of serum hemagglutinin inhibition titers and neutralization titers, mucosal antibodies, IFN-γ and IL-4 cytokines in sera, and cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses. The rHA VLPs vaccine was superior to the commercial Re6 vaccine in conferring cross-protection against different clades of H5 subtype viruses. This study reports that H5 subtype consensus HA VLP single dose vaccination provides broad protection against HPAI virus in chickens.

Energy availability in athletes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Loucks, Anne B; Kiens, Bente; Wright, Hattie H

2011-01-01

Abstract This review updates and complements the review of energy balance and body composition in the Proceedings of the 2003 IOC Consensus Conference on Sports Nutrition. It argues that the concept of energy availability is more useful than the concept of energy balance for managing the diets...... of athletes. It then summarizes recent reports of the existence, aetiologies, and clinical consequences of low energy availability in athletes. This is followed by a review of recent research on the failure of appetite to increase ad libitum energy intake in compensation for exercise energy expenditure...

Highlights from the 9th Cachexia Conference.

Science.gov (United States)

Ebner, Nicole; von Haehling, Stephan

2017-06-01

This article highlights updates of pathways as well as pre-clinical and clinical studies into the field of wasting disorders that were presented at the 9th Cachexia Conference held in Berlin, Germany, December 2016. This year, some interesting results from clinical trials and different new therapeutic targets were shown. This article presents the biological and clinical significance of different markers and new diagnostic tools and cut-offs of detecting skeletal muscle wasting. Effective treatments of cachexia and wasting disorders are urgently needed in order to improve the patients' quality of life and their survival. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of the Society on Sarcopenia, Cachexia and Wasting Disorders.

A smartphone-based pain management app for adolescents with cancer: establishing system requirements and a pain care algorithm based on literature review, interviews, and consensus.

Science.gov (United States)

Jibb, Lindsay A; Stevens, Bonnie J; Nathan, Paul C; Seto, Emily; Cafazzo, Joseph A; Stinson, Jennifer N

2014-03-19

Pain that occurs both within and outside of the hospital setting is a common and distressing problem for adolescents with cancer. The use of smartphone technology may facilitate rapid, in-the-moment pain support for this population. To ensure the best possible pain management advice is given, evidence-based and expert-vetted care algorithms and system design features, which are designed using user-centered methods, are required. To develop the decision algorithm and system requirements that will inform the pain management advice provided by a real-time smartphone-based pain management app for adolescents with cancer. A systematic approach to algorithm development and system design was utilized. Initially, a comprehensive literature review was undertaken to understand the current body of knowledge pertaining to pediatric cancer pain management. A user-centered approach to development was used as the results of the review were disseminated to 15 international experts (clinicians, scientists, and a consumer) in pediatric pain, pediatric oncology and mHealth design, who participated in a 2-day consensus conference. This conference used nominal group technique to develop consensus on important pain inputs, pain management advice, and system design requirements. Using data generated at the conference, a prototype algorithm was developed. Iterative qualitative testing was conducted with adolescents with cancer, as well as pediatric oncology and pain health care providers to vet and refine the developed algorithm and system requirements for the real-time smartphone app. The systematic literature review established the current state of research related to nonpharmacological pediatric cancer pain management. The 2-day consensus conference established which clinically important pain inputs by adolescents would require action (pain management advice) from the app, the appropriate advice the app should provide to adolescents in pain, and the functional requirements of the app

AMS 4.0: consensus prediction of post-translational modifications in protein sequences.

Science.gov (United States)

Plewczynski, Dariusz; Basu, Subhadip; Saha, Indrajit

2012-08-01

We present here the 2011 update of the AutoMotif Service (AMS 4.0) that predicts the wide selection of 88 different types of the single amino acid post-translational modifications (PTM) in protein sequences. The selection of experimentally confirmed modifications is acquired from the latest UniProt and Phospho.ELM databases for training. The sequence vicinity of each modified residue is represented using amino acids physico-chemical features encoded using high quality indices (HQI) obtaining by automatic clustering of known indices extracted from AAindex database. For each type of the numerical representation, the method builds the ensemble of Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) pattern classifiers, each optimising different objectives during the training (for example the recall, precision or area under the ROC curve (AUC)). The consensus is built using brainstorming technology, which combines multi-objective instances of machine learning algorithm, and the data fusion of different training objects representations, in order to boost the overall prediction accuracy of conserved short sequence motifs. The performance of AMS 4.0 is compared with the accuracy of previous versions, which were constructed using single machine learning methods (artificial neural networks, support vector machine). Our software improves the average AUC score of the earlier version by close to 7 % as calculated on the test datasets of all 88 PTM types. Moreover, for the selected most-difficult sequence motifs types it is able to improve the prediction performance by almost 32 %, when compared with previously used single machine learning methods. Summarising, the brainstorming consensus meta-learning methodology on the average boosts the AUC score up to around 89 %, averaged over all 88 PTM types. Detailed results for single machine learning methods and the consensus methodology are also provided, together with the comparison to previously published methods and state-of-the-art software tools. The

Lack of consensus in social systems

Science.gov (United States)

Benczik, I. J.; Benczik, S. Z.; Schmittmann, B.; Zia, R. K. P.

2008-05-01

We propose an exactly solvable model for the dynamics of voters in a two-party system. The opinion formation process is modeled on a random network of agents. The dynamical nature of interpersonal relations is also reflected in the model, as the connections in the network evolve with the dynamics of the voters. In the infinite time limit, an exact solution predicts the emergence of consensus, for arbitrary initial conditions. However, before consensus is reached, two different metastable states can persist for exponentially long times. One state reflects a perfect balancing of opinions, the other reflects a completely static situation. An estimate of the associated lifetimes suggests that lack of consensus is typical for large systems.

Nutrition management guideline for maple syrup urine disease: an evidence- and consensus-based approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Frazier, Dianne M; Allgeier, Courtney; Homer, Caroline; Marriage, Barbara J; Ogata, Beth; Rohr, Frances; Splett, Patricia L; Stembridge, Adrya; Singh, Rani H

2014-07-01

In an effort to increase harmonization of care and enable outcome studies, the Genetic Metabolic Dietitians International (GMDI) and the Southeast Regional Newborn Screening and Genetics Collaborative (SERC) are partnering to develop nutrition management guidelines for inherited metabolic disorders (IMD) using a model combining both evidence- and consensus-based methodology. The first guideline to be completed is for maple syrup urine disease (MSUD). This report describes the methodology used in its development: formulation of five research questions; review, critical appraisal and abstraction of peer-reviewed studies and unpublished practice literature; and expert input through Delphi surveys and a nominal group process. This report includes the summary statements for each research question and the nutrition management recommendations they generated. Each recommendation is followed by a standardized rating based on the strength of the evidence and consensus used. The application of technology to build the infrastructure for this project allowed transparency during development of this guideline and will be a foundation for future guidelines. Online open access of the full, published guideline allows utilization by health care providers, researchers, and collaborators who advise, advocate and care for individuals with MSUD and their families. There will be future updates as warranted by developments in research and clinical practice. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Spanish Consensus Statement

Science.gov (United States)

Rey, Guillermo Álvarez; Cuesta, Jordi Ardevol; Loureda, Rafael Arriaza; España, Fernando Ávila; Matas, Ramón Balius; Pazos, Fernando Baró; de Dios Beas Jiménez, Juan; Rosell, Jorge Candel; Fernandez, César Cobián; Ros, Francisco Esparza; Colmenero, Josefina Espejo; de Prado, Jorge Fernández; Cota, Juan José García; González, Jose Ignacio Garrido; Santander, Manuela González; Munilla, Miguel Ángel Herrador; Ruiz, Francisco Ivorra; Díaz, Fernando Jiménez; Marqueta, Pedro Manonelles; Fernandez, Antonio Maestro; Benito, Juan José Muñoz; Vilás, Ramón Olivé; Teres, Xavier Peirau; Amaro, José Peña; Roque, Juan Pérez San; Parenteu, Christophe Ramírez; Serna, Juan Ribas; Álvarez, Mikel Sánchez; Marchori, Carlos Sanchez; Soto, Miguel del Valle; Alonso, José María Villalón; García, Pedro Guillen; de la Iglesia, Nicolas Hugo; Alcorocho, Juan Manuel Lopez

2015-01-01

On the 21st of March, 2015, experts met at Clínica CEMTRO in Madrid, Spain, under the patronage of The Spanish Society for Sports Traumatology (SETRADE), The Spanish Federation of Sports Medicine (FEMEDE), The Spanish Association of Medical Services for Football Clubs (AEMEF), and The Spanish Association of Medical Services for Basketball Clubs (AEMB) with the aim of establishing a round table that would allow specialists to consider the most appropriate current general actions to be taken when treating muscle tears in sport, based on proven scientific data described in the medical literature. Each expert received a questionnaire prior to the aforementioned meeting comprising a set of questions concerning therapeutic indications generally applied in the different stages present during muscle repair. The present Consensus Document is the result of the answers to the questionnaire and resulting discussion and consensus over which are the best current indications in the treatment of muscle tears in sport. Avoiding immobilization, not taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) randomly, fostering early mobilization, increasing vascularization of injured, site and regulating inflammatory mechanisms—without inhibiting these from the early stages of the recovery period—all stood out as main points of the Consensus Document. Additionally, there is controversy concerning cell stimulation techniques and the use of growth factors or cell inhibitors. The decision concerning discharge was unanimous, as was the criteria considered when it came to performing sport techniques without pain. PMID:27213161

Comparison of Prevalence and Outcomes of Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Using Pediatric Acute Lung Injury Consensus Conference Criteria and Berlin Definition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samriti Gupta

2018-04-01

Full Text Available ObjectivesOur objective was to compare the prevalence and outcomes of pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome using the Pediatric Acute Lung Injury Consensus Conference (PALICC criteria and Berlin definitions.MethodsWe screened case records of all children aged 1 month to 17 years of age admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU over a 3-year period (2015–2017 for presence of any respiratory difficulty at admission or during PICU stay. We applied both PALICC and Berlin criteria to these patients. Data collection included definition and outcome related variables. Data were compared between the “PALICC only group” and the “Berlin with or without PALICC” group using Stata 11.ResultsOf a total of 615 admissions, 246 were identified as having respiratory difficulty at admission or during PICU stay. A total of 61 children (prevalence 9.9%; 95% CI: 7.8–12.4 fulfilled the definition of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS with either of the two criteria. While 60 children (98% fulfilled PALICC criteria, only 26 children (43% fulfilled Berlin definition. There was moderate agreement between the two definitions (Kappa: 0.51; 95% CI: 0.40–0.62; observed agreement 85%. Greater proportion of patients had severe ARDS in the “Berlin with or without PALICC group” as compared to the “PALICC only” group (50 vs. 19%. There was no difference between the groups with regard to key clinical outcomes such as duration of ventilation (7 vs. 8 days or mortality [51.4 vs. 57.7%: RR (95% CI: 0.99 (0.64–1.5].ConclusionIn comparison to Berlin definition, the PALICC criteria identified more number of patients with ARDS. Proportion with severe ARDS and complications was greater in the “Berlin with or without PALICC” group as compared to the “PALICC only” group. There were no differences in clinical outcomes between the groups.

Conference Trends in Logic XI

CERN Document Server

Wansing, Heinrich; Willkommen, Caroline; Recent Trends in Philosophical Logic

2014-01-01

This volume presents recent advances in philosophical logic with chapters focusing on non-classical logics, including paraconsistent logics, substructural logics, modal logics of agency and other modal logics. The authors cover themes such as the knowability paradox, tableaux and sequent calculi, natural deduction, definite descriptions, identity, truth, dialetheism, and possible worlds semantics.   The developments presented here focus on challenging problems in the specification of fundamental philosophical notions, as well as presenting new techniques and tools, thereby contributing to the development of the field. Each chapter contains a bibliography, to assist the reader in making connections in the specific areas covered. Thus this work provides both a starting point for further investigations into philosophical logic and an update on advances, techniques and applications in a dynamic field.   The chapters originate from papers presented during the Trends in Logic XI conference at the Ruhr University ...

Consensus clustering approach to group brain connectivity matrices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Javier Rasero

2017-10-01

Full Text Available A novel approach rooted on the notion of consensus clustering, a strategy developed for community detection in complex networks, is proposed to cope with the heterogeneity that characterizes connectivity matrices in health and disease. The method can be summarized as follows: (a define, for each node, a distance matrix for the set of subjects by comparing the connectivity pattern of that node in all pairs of subjects; (b cluster the distance matrix for each node; (c build the consensus network from the corresponding partitions; and (d extract groups of subjects by finding the communities of the consensus network thus obtained. Different from the previous implementations of consensus clustering, we thus propose to use the consensus strategy to combine the information arising from the connectivity patterns of each node. The proposed approach may be seen either as an exploratory technique or as an unsupervised pretraining step to help the subsequent construction of a supervised classifier. Applications on a toy model and two real datasets show the effectiveness of the proposed methodology, which represents heterogeneity of a set of subjects in terms of a weighted network, the consensus matrix.

Cultural Consensus Theory for the ordinal data case.

Science.gov (United States)

Anders, Royce; Batchelder, William H

2015-03-01

A Cultural Consensus Theory approach for ordinal data is developed, leading to a new model for ordered polytomous data. The model introduces a novel way of measuring response biases and also measures consensus item values, a consensus response scale, item difficulty, and informant knowledge. The model is extended as a finite mixture model to fit both simulated and real multicultural data, in which subgroups of informants have different sets of consensus item values. The extension is thus a form of model-based clustering for ordinal data. The hierarchical Bayesian framework is utilized for inference, and two posterior predictive checks are developed to verify the central assumptions of the model.

On the Control of Consensus Networks: Theory and Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Hudoba de Badyn, Mathias

Signed networks allow the study of positive and negative interactions between agents. In this thesis, three papers are presented that address controllability of networked dynamics. First, controllability of signed consensus networks is approached from a symmetry perspective, for both linear and nonlinear consensus protocols. It is shown that the graph-theoretic property of signed networks known as structural balance renders the consensus protocol uncontrollable when coupled with a certain type of symmetry. Stabilizability and output controllability of signed linear consensus is also examined, as well as a data-driven approach to finding bipartite consensus stemming from structural balance for signed nonlinear consensus. Second, an algorithm is constructed that allows one to grow a network while preserving controllability, and some generalizations of this algorithm are presented. Submodular optimization is used to analyze a second algorithm that adds nodes to a network to maximize the network connectivity.

76 FR 64083 - Reliability Technical Conference; Notice of Technical Conference

Science.gov (United States)

2011-10-17

... Technical Conference; Notice of Technical Conference Take notice that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will hold a Technical Conference on Tuesday, November 29, 2011, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and... reliability that were identified in earlier Commission technical conferences. The conference also will discuss...

Consensus statement on posttraumatic stress disorder from the International Consensus Group on Depression and Anxiety.

Science.gov (United States)

Ballenger, J C; Davidson, J R; Lecrubier, Y; Nutt, D J; Foa, E B; Kessler, R C; McFarlane, A C; Shalev, A Y

2000-01-01

To provide primary care clinicians with a better understanding of management issues in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and guide clinical practice with recommendations on the appropriate management strategy. The 4 members of the International Consensus Group on Depression and Anxiety were James C. Ballenger (chair), Jonathan R. T. Davidson, Yves Lecrubier, and David J. Nutt. Other faculty invited by the chair were Edna B. Foa, Ronald C. Kessler, Alexander C. McFarlane, and Arieh Y. Shalev. The consensus statement is based on the 6 review articles that are published in this supplement and the scientific literature relevant to the issues reviewed in these articles. Group meetings were held over a 2-day period. On day 1, the group discussed the review articles and the chair identified key issues for further debate. On day 2, the group discussed these issues to arrive at a consensus view. After the group meetings, the consensus statement was drafted by the chair and approved by all attendees. PTSD is often a chronic and recurring condition associated with an increased risk of developing secondary comorbid disorders, such as depression. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are generally the most appropriate choice of first-line medication for PTSD, and effective therapy should be continued for 12 months or longer. The most appropriate psychotherapy is exposure therapy, and it should be continued for 6 months, with follow-up therapy as needed.

Ambulatory reflux monitoring for diagnosis of gastro-esophageal reflux disease: Update of the Porto consensus and recommendations from an international consensus group.

Science.gov (United States)

Roman, S; Gyawali, C P; Savarino, E; Yadlapati, R; Zerbib, F; Wu, J; Vela, M; Tutuian, R; Tatum, R; Sifrim, D; Keller, J; Fox, M; Pandolfino, J E; Bredenoord, A J

2017-10-01

An international group of experts evaluated and revised recommendations for ambulatory reflux monitoring for the diagnosis of gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD). Literature search was focused on indications and technical recommendations for GERD testing and phenotypes definitions. Statements were proposed and discussed during several structured meetings. Reflux testing should be performed after cessation of acid suppressive medication in patients with a low likelihood of GERD. In this setting, testing can be either catheter-based or wireless pH-monitoring or pH-impedance monitoring. In patients with a high probability of GERD (esophagitis grade C and D, histology proven Barrett's mucosa >1 cm, peptic stricture, previous positive pH monitoring) and persistent symptoms, pH-impedance monitoring should be performed on treatment. Recommendations are provided for data acquisition and analysis. Esophageal acid exposure is considered as pathological if acid exposure time (AET) is greater than 6% on pH testing. Number of reflux episodes and baseline impedance are exploratory metrics that may complement AET. Positive symptom reflux association is defined as symptom index (SI) >50% or symptom association probability (SAP) >95%. A positive symptom-reflux association in the absence of pathological AET defines hypersensitivity to reflux. The consensus group determined that grade C or D esophagitis, peptic stricture, histology proven Barrett's mucosa >1 cm, and esophageal acid exposure greater >6% are sufficient to define pathological GERD. Further testing should be considered when none of these criteria are fulfilled. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Public Awareness of the Scientific Consensus on Climate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lawrence C. Hamilton

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Questions about climate change elicit some of the widest political divisions of any items on recent U.S. surveys. Severe polarization affects even basic questions about the reality of anthropogenic climate change (ACC, or whether most scientists agree that humans are changing the Earth’s climate. Statements about scientific consensus have been contentious among social scientists, with some arguing for consensus awareness as a “gateway cognition” that leads to greater public acceptance of ACC, but others characterizing consensus messaging (deliberate communication about the level of scientific agreement as a counterproductive tactic that exacerbates polarization. A series of statewide surveys, with nationwide benchmarks, repeated questions about the reality of ACC and scientific consensus many times over 2010 to 2016. These data permit tests for change in beliefs and polarization. ACC and consensus beliefs have similar trends and individual background predictors. Both rose gradually by about 10 points over 2010 to 2016, showing no abrupt shifts that might correspond to events such as scientific reports, leadership statements, or weather. Growing awareness of the scientific consensus, whether from deliberate messaging or the cumulative impact of many studies and publicly engaged scientists, provides the most plausible explanation for this rise in both series. In state-level data, the gap between liberal and conservative views on the reality of ACC did not widen over this period, whereas the liberal–conservative gap regarding existence of a scientific consensus narrowed.

Consensus Based Nuclear Public-Hearing System Model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Young Wook Lee; Suk Hoon Kim; Young Ho Cho; Hyun Seok Ko; Dong Hoon Shin; Chang Sun Kang; Joo Hyun Moon

2006-01-01

Although the government admit the benefit of construction of a nuclear facility for national electric source, related policy could be developed and carried out only if the public, especially who have some stake on it, recognize the benefit and accept the policy. For public participation, Korea has a system of public-hearing in accordance with the law. Because of the absence of the detailed way for public opinion aggregation and for the reflection of the aggregated opinion, Korean public-hearing system is only a conceptual model. Therefore, some specific system for Korean Public-Hearing should be developed and applied. In this study, to share the right of decision making, which is an ultimate concept for public participation, decision making components and the characteristics of each phase are analyzed. The criteria weight for assessment and comparison with alternatives are founded as a valuation factor of the decision making components, which should be based on the social consensus. On these foundations, a system for aggregation and reflection of the public opinion was proposed. The system named 'CPDM' (Consensus based Participatory Decision Making) has three authority groups for decision making. At first, 'advisory experts group' play a role for the technical assessment and the serve utility value on the criteria for each alternatives. Next, 'participatory deliberation group' play a role for consensus building on the relative-importance (weight) between the criteria by feedback to promote degree of consensus. Lastly including gentlemen of the long robe, 'expert group for decision making' play a role to reflect the utility and weight and make a decision with agreement for performance of it. Also, in this study, a mathematical model for the quantification of the degree of consensus was conceptualized using Ordered Weighted Averaging (OWA) aggregation operator and fuzzy similarity theory, which is a comparison concept. Since this model enables influence of each

Consensus statement on transcultural issues in depression and anxiety from the International Consensus Group on Depression and Anxiety.

Science.gov (United States)

Ballenger, J C; Davidson, J R; Lecrubier, Y; Nutt, D J; Kirmayer, L J; Lépine, J P; Lin, K M; Tajima, O; Ono, Y

2001-01-01

To provide primary care physicians with a better understanding of transcultural issues in depression and anxiety. The 4 members of the International Consensus Group on Depression and Anxiety were James C. Ballenger (chair), Jonathan R. T. Davidson, Yves Lecrubier, and David J. Nutt. Five faculty invited by the chair also participated: Laurence J. Kirmayer, Jean-Pierre Lepine, Keh-Ming Lin, Osamu Tajima, and Yutaka Ono. The consensus statement is based on the 5 review articles that are published in this supplement and the scientific literature relevant to the issues reviewed in these articles. Group meetings were held over a 2-day period. On day 1, the group discussed the review articles, and the chair identified key issues for further debate. On day 2, the group discussed these issues to arrive at a consensus view. After the group meetings, the consensus statement was drafted by the chair and approved by all attendees. The consensus statement underlines the prevalence of depression and anxiety disorders across all cultures and nations while recognizing that cultural differences exist in symptom presentation and prevalence estimates. In all countries, the recognition of depression by clinicians in the primary care setting is low (generally less than 50%), and the consensus group recommends a 2-step process to aid the recognition and diagnosis of depression. In line with the low recognition of depression and anxiety disorders is the finding that only a small proportion of patients with depression or anxiety are receiving appropriate treatments for their condition. Biological diversity across ethnic groups may account for the differential sensitivity of some groups to psychotropic medication, but this area requires further investigation.

Nonlinear model updating applied to the IMAC XXXII Round Robin benchmark system

Science.gov (United States)

Kurt, Mehmet; Moore, Keegan J.; Eriten, Melih; McFarland, D. Michael; Bergman, Lawrence A.; Vakakis, Alexander F.

2017-05-01

We consider the application of a new nonlinear model updating strategy to a computational benchmark system. The approach relies on analyzing system response time series in the frequency-energy domain by constructing both Hamiltonian and forced and damped frequency-energy plots (FEPs). The system parameters are then characterized and updated by matching the backbone branches of the FEPs with the frequency-energy wavelet transforms of experimental and/or computational time series. The main advantage of this method is that no nonlinearity model is assumed a priori, and the system model is updated solely based on simulation and/or experimental measured time series. By matching the frequency-energy plots of the benchmark system and its reduced-order model, we show that we are able to retrieve the global strongly nonlinear dynamics in the frequency and energy ranges of interest, identify bifurcations, characterize local nonlinearities, and accurately reconstruct time series. We apply the proposed methodology to a benchmark problem, which was posed to the system identification community prior to the IMAC XXXII (2014) and XXXIII (2015) Conferences as a "Round Robin Exercise on Nonlinear System Identification". We show that we are able to identify the parameters of the non-linear element in the problem with a priori knowledge about its position.

International Conference on Mathematics and Computing

CERN Document Server

Giri, Debasis; Saxena, P; Srivastava, P

2014-01-01

This book discusses recent developments and contemporary research in mathematics, statistics and their applications in computing. All contributing authors are eminent academicians, scientists, researchers and scholars in their respective fields, hailing from around the world. The conference has emerged as a powerful forum, offering researchers a venue to discuss, interact and collaborate, and stimulating the advancement of mathematics and its applications in computer science. The book will allow aspiring researchers to update their knowledge of cryptography, algebra, frame theory, optimizations, stochastic processes, compressive sensing, functional analysis, complex variables, etc. Educating future consumers, users, producers, developers and researchers in mathematics and computing is a challenging task and essential to the development of modern society. Hence, mathematics and its applications in computer science are of vital importance to a broad range of communities, including mathematicians and computing p...

International Veterinary Epilepsy Task Force consensus proposal

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bhatti, Sofie F M; De Risio, Luisa; Muñana, Karen

2015-01-01

with the initial drug is unsatisfactory, and 4) when treatment changes should be considered. In this consensus proposal, an overview is given on the aim of AED treatment, when to start long-term treatment in canine epilepsy and which veterinary AEDs are currently in use for dogs. The consensus proposal for drug...... treatment protocols, 1) is based on current published evidence-based literature, 2) considers the current legal framework of the cascade regulation for the prescription of veterinary drugs in Europe, and 3) reflects the authors' experience. With this paper it is aimed to provide a consensus...

Recommendations for reporting tumor budding in colorectal cancer based on the International Tumor Budding Consensus Conference (ITBCC) 2016

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lugli, Alessandro; Kirsch, Richard; Ajioka, Yoichi

2017-01-01

to determine the strength of recommendations and quality of evidence. The following 10 statements achieved consensus: Tumor budding is defined as a single tumor cell or a cell cluster consisting of four tumor cells or less (22/22, 100%). Tumor budding is an independent predictor of lymph node metastases in pT1......%). Intratumoral budding exists in colorectal cancer and has been shown to be related to lymph node metastasis (22/22, 100%). Tumor budding is assessed in one hotspot (in a field measuring 0.785 mm 2) at the invasive front (22/22, 100%). A three-tier system should be used along with the budding count in order...

[SECOT consensus on medial femorotibial osteoarthritis].

Science.gov (United States)

Moreno, A; Silvestre, A; Carpintero, P

2013-01-01

A consensus, prepared by SECOT, is presented on the management of medial knee compartment osteoarthritis, in order to establish clinical criteria and recommendations directed at unifying the criteria in its management, dealing with the factors involved in the pathogenesis of medial femorotibial knee osteoarthritis, the usefulness of diagnostic imaging techniques, and the usefulness of arthroscopy. Conservative and surgical treatments are also analysed. The experts consulted showed a consensus (agreed or disagreed) in 65.8% of the items considered, leaving 14items where no consensus was found, which included the aetiopathogenesis of the osteoarthritis, the value of NMR in degenerative disease, the usefulness of COX-2 and the chondroprotective drugs, as well as on the ideal valgus tibial osteotomy technique. © 2013 SECOT. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Bruxism defined and graded: an international consensus

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lobbezoo, F.; Ahlberg, J.; Glaros, A.G.; Kato, T.; Koyano, K.; Lavigne, G.J.; de Leeuw, R.; Manfredini, D.; Svensson, P.; Winocur, E.

2013-01-01

To date, there is no consensus about the definition and diagnostic grading of bruxism. A written consensus discussion was held among an international group of bruxism experts as to formulate a definition of bruxism and to suggest a grading system for its operationalisation. The expert group defined

OGC Consensus: How Successful Standards Are Made

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carl Reed

2015-09-01

Full Text Available This paper describes the history, background, and current status of the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC standards development consensus process. The roots of the formation of the OGC lie in the early 1990s when a very strong market requirement for exchanging GIS data content was clearly stated. At that time, each GIS vendor had their own formats for publishing and/or exchanging their GIS data. There was no mechanism or organization that provided a forum for the GIS vendors and GIS data users to collaborate and agree on how to share GIS data. That requirement, along with the vision of a few individuals, led to the formation of the OGC. This paper describes the early development of the consensus process in the OGC, how this process has evolved over time, why consensus is so important for defining open standards that are implemented in the marketplace, and the future of the OGC consensus process.

Executive summary—Biomarkers of Nutrition for Development: Building a Consensus123

Science.gov (United States)

Namasté, Sorrel; Brabin, Bernard; Combs, Gerald; L'Abbe, Mary R; Wasantwisut, Emorn; Darnton-Hill, Ian

2011-01-01

The ability to develop evidence-based clinical guidance and effective programs and policies to achieve global health promotion and disease prevention goals depends on the availability of valid and reliable data. With specific regard to the role of food and nutrition in achieving those goals, relevant data are developed with the use of biomarkers that reflect nutrient exposure, status, and functional effect. A need exists to promote the discovery, development, and use of biomarkers across a range of applications. In addition, a process is needed to harmonize the global health community's decision making about what biomarkers are best suited for a given use under specific conditions and settings. To address these needs, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, US Department of Health and Human Services, organized a conference entitled “Biomarkers of Nutrition for Development: Building a Consensus,” which was hosted by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Partners included key multilateral, US agencies and public and private organizations. The assembly endorsed the utility of this initiative and the need for the BOND (Biomarkers of Nutrition for Development) project to continue. A consensus was reached on the requirement to develop a process to inform the community about the relative strengths or weaknesses and specific applications of various biomarkers under defined conditions. The articles in this supplement summarize the deliberations of the 4 working groups: research, clinical, policy, and programmatic. Also described are content presentations on the harmonization processes, the evidence base for biomarkers for 5 case-study micronutrients, and new frontiers in science and technology. PMID:21733880

2014 update of the Consensus Statement of the Spanish Society of Rheumatology on the use of biological therapies in rheumatoid arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanmartí, Raimon; García-Rodríguez, Susana; Álvaro-Gracia, José María; Andreu, José Luis; Balsa, Alejandro; Cáliz, Rafael; Fernández-Nebro, Antonio; Ferraz-Amaro, Iván; Gómez-Reino, Juan Jesús; González-Álvaro, Isidoro; Martín-Mola, Emilio; Martínez-Taboada, Víctor Manuel; Ortiz, Ana M; Tornero, Jesús; Marsal, Sara; Moreno-Muelas, José Vicente

2015-01-01

To establish recommendations for the management of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to serve as a reference for all health professionals involved in the care of these patients, and focusing on the role of available synthetic and biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). Consensual recommendations were agreed on by a panel of 14 experts selected by the Spanish Society of Rheumatology (SER). The available scientific evidence was collected by updating three systematic reviews (SR) used for the EULAR 2013 recommendations. A new SR was added to answer an additional question. The literature review of the scientific evidence was made by the SER reviewer's group. The level of evidence and the degree of recommendation was classified according to the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine system. A Delphi panel was used to evaluate the level of agreement between panellists (strength of recommendation). Thirteen recommendations for the management of adult RA were emitted. The therapeutic objective should be to treat patients in the early phases of the disease with the aim of achieving clinical remission, with methotrexate playing a central role in the therapeutic strategy of RA as the reference synthetic DMARD. Indications for biologic DMARDs were updated and the concept of the optimization of biologicals was introduced. We present the fifth update of the SER recommendations for the management of RA with synthetic and biologic DMARDs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Proceedings of the Canadian Heavy Oil Association's annual business conference : out of the chute

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2004-01-01

This conference provided a forum for advanced technology experts in the upstream petroleum industry and heavy oil industry to exchange information about emerging technologies for resource recovery, refining, markets, trade and logistics. It was divided into 4 sessions entitled: (1) natural gas and upgrading alternatives, (2) project management issues, (3) project updates, and (4) business and markets. The presentations outlined the use of fuel substitutions and the implications for upgrading, controlling the capital costs of oil sand projects and construction issues facing heavy oil. Trends and factors affecting the petroleum industry in Canada were discussed with particular reference to the Asian interest in Alberta's oil sands and the need for a transportation corridor to bring products to southern markets. The conference featured 12 presentations, of which 6 were indexed separately for inclusion in this database. refs., tabs., figs

International consensus on safety principles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Warnecke, E.

1993-01-01

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been regularly requested by its Member States to provide evidence that radioactive waste can be managed safely and to help demonstrate a harmonization of approach at the international level by providing safety documents. In response, IAEA established a special series of safety documents devoted to radioactive waste management. These documents will be elaborated within the Radioactive Waste Safety Standards (RADWASS) programme [1,2] which covers all aspects of radioactive waste management. The RADWASS programme develops a series of international consensus documents on all parts of the safe management of radioactive waste, including disposal. The purpose of the RADWASS programme is to (i) document existing international consensus in the approaches and methodologies for safe radioactive waste management, (ii) create a mechanism to establish consensus where it does not exist and (iii) provide Member States with a comprehensive series of internationally agreed upon documents to complement national standards and criteria. This paper describes the RADWASS programme, and covers the structure, implementation plans and status of documents under preparation

Achieving diagnosis by consensus

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Kane, Bridget

2009-08-01

This paper provides an analysis of the collaborative work conducted at a multidisciplinary medical team meeting, where a patient’s definitive diagnosis is agreed, by consensus. The features that distinguish this process of diagnostic work by consensus are examined in depth. The current use of technology to support this collaborative activity is described, and experienced deficiencies are identified. Emphasis is placed on the visual and perceptual difficulty for individual specialities in making interpretations, and on how, through collaboration in discussion, definitive diagnosis is actually achieved. The challenge for providing adequate support for the multidisciplinary team at their meeting is outlined, given the multifaceted nature of the setting, i.e. patient management, educational, organizational and social functions, that need to be satisfied.

Silver linings on the horizon: highlights from the 10th Cachexia Conference.

Science.gov (United States)

Ebner, Nicole; von Haehling, Stephan

2018-02-01

This article highlights the updates from preclinical and clinical studies into the field of wasting disorders that were presented at the 10th Cachexia Conference held in Rome, Italy, in December 2017. This year's conference saw some interesting results of larger-scale studies and clinical trials and new therapeutic targets. Herein, we summarize the biological and clinical significance of different markers and new diagnostic tools and cut-offs for the detection of skeletal muscle wasting, including micro RNAs, the ubiquitin-proteasome system, mTOR signalling, news in body composition analysis including the D3-creatine dilution method, and new biomarkers. Clinical studies investigated novel nutritional approaches, trials of elamipretide, enobosarm, and urolithin A. It remains a fact, however, that effective treatments of cachexia and wasting disorders are urgently needed in order to improve patients' quality of life and their survival. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of the Society on Sarcopenia, Cachexia and Wasting Disorders.

23. CLI national conference: the first lessons learned from the Fukushima accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lacoste, Andre-Claude; Niel, Jean-Christophe; Mourlon, Sophie; Dumont, Jean Jacques; Delalonde, Jean-Claude; Revol, Henri; Birraux, Claude; Miraucourt, Jean-Marc; Compagnat, Gilles; Pouleur, Yvan; Real, Juliette; Champion, Didier; Boilley, David; Chaumontet, Gerard; Giusti, Charles; Kessler, Emmanuel

2011-12-01

This document gathers contributions presented during a conference held in December 2011. After introduction speeches, a focus of some updates and an assessment of ANCCLI (the national association of CLIs) activities, this conference comprised two round tables. The first one addressed the INB safety assessment and the taking of the return on experience of Fukushima into account. Participants are members of the ASN, of the Parliamentary Office of assessment of scientific and technological choices, of EDF, of the HCTISN (the High committee for transparency and information on nuclear safety), of the Belgium agency for nuclear control (AFCN), and of a CLI. The second round table addressed the information and protection of populations in case of a nuclear accident in France or abroad. It gathers representatives of the ASN, of the IRSN, of an association for the control of radioactivity (ACRO), of a CLI, and of the Ministry of Home Affairs (for crisis planning and management)

Lone ranger decision making versus consensus decision making: Descriptive analysis

OpenAIRE

Maite Sara Mashego

2015-01-01

Consensus decision making, concerns group members make decisions together with the requirement of reaching a consensus that is all members abiding by the decision outcome. Lone ranging worked for sometime in a autocratic environment. Researchers are now pointing to consensus decision-making in organizations bringing dividend to many organizations. This article used a descriptive analysis to compare the goodness of consensus decision making and making lone ranging decision management. This art...

Maintaining success, reducing treatment burden, focusing on survivorship

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Beyer, Jürgen; Albers, Peter Hjorth; Altena, R

2013-01-01

In November 2011, the Third European Consensus Conference on Diagnosis and Treatment of Germ-Cell Cancer (GCC) was held in Berlin, Germany. This third conference followed similar meetings in 2003 (Essen, Germany) and 2006 (Amsterdam, The Netherlands) [Schmoll H-J, Souchon R, Krege S et al. European...... consensus on diagnosis and treatment of germ-cell cancer: a report of the European Germ-Cell Cancer Consensus Group (EGCCCG). Ann Oncol 2004; 15: 1377-1399; Krege S, Beyer J, Souchon R et al. European consensus conference on diagnosis and treatment of germ-cell cancer: a report of the second meeting...... of the European Germ-Cell Cancer Consensus group (EGCCCG): part I. Eur Urol 2008; 53: 478-496; Krege S, Beyer J, Souchon R et al. European consensus conference on diagnosis and treatment of germ-cell cancer: a report of the second meeting of the European Germ-Cell Cancer Consensus group (EGCCCG): part II. Eur...

Status of conversion of NE standards to national consensus standards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jennings, S.D.

1990-06-01

One major goal of the Nuclear Standards Program is to convert existing NE standards into national consensus standards (where possible). This means that an NE standard in the same subject area using the national consensus process. This report is a summary of the activities that have evolved to effect conversion of NE standards to national consensus standards, and the status of current conversion activities. In some cases, all requirements in an NE standard will not be incorporated into the published national consensus standard because these requirements may be considered too restrictive or too specific for broader application by the nuclear industry. If these requirements are considered necessary for nuclear reactor program applications, the program standard will be revised and issued as a supplement to the national consensus standard. The supplemental program standard will contain only those necessary requirements not reflected by the national consensus standard. Therefore, while complete conversion of program standards may not always be realized, the standards policy has been fully supported in attempting to make maximum use of the national consensus standard. 1 tab

Consensus of Multi-Agent Systems with Prestissimo Scale-Free Networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Hongyong; Lu Lan; Cao Kecai; Zhang Siying

2010-01-01

In this paper, the relations of the network topology and the moving consensus of multi-agent systems are studied. A consensus-prestissimo scale-free network model with the static preferential-consensus attachment is presented on the rewired link of the regular network. The effects of the static preferential-consensus BA network on the algebraic connectivity of the topology graph are compared with the regular network. The robustness gain to delay is analyzed for variable network topology with the same scale. The time to reach the consensus is studied for the dynamic network with and without communication delays. By applying the computer simulations, it is validated that the speed of the convergence of multi-agent systems can be greatly improved in the preferential-consensus BA network model with different configuration. (interdisciplinary physics and related areas of science and technology)

Blockchain Consensus Protocols in the Wild

OpenAIRE

Cachin, Christian; Vukolić, Marko

2017-01-01

A blockchain is a distributed ledger for recording transactions, maintained by many nodes without central authority through a distributed cryptographic protocol. All nodes validate the information to be appended to the blockchain, and a consensus protocol ensures that the nodes agree on a unique order in which entries are appended. Consensus protocols for tolerating Byzantine faults have received renewed attention because they also address blockchain systems. This work discusses the process o...

Developing syndrome definitions based on consensus and current use

Science.gov (United States)

Dowling, John N; Baer, Atar; Buckeridge, David L; Cochrane, Dennis; Conway, Michael A; Elkin, Peter; Espino, Jeremy; Gunn, Julia E; Hales, Craig M; Hutwagner, Lori; Keller, Mikaela; Larson, Catherine; Noe, Rebecca; Okhmatovskaia, Anya; Olson, Karen; Paladini, Marc; Scholer, Matthew; Sniegoski, Carol; Thompson, David; Lober, Bill

2010-01-01

Objective Standardized surveillance syndromes do not exist but would facilitate sharing data among surveillance systems and comparing the accuracy of existing systems. The objective of this study was to create reference syndrome definitions from a consensus of investigators who currently have or are building syndromic surveillance systems. Design Clinical condition–syndrome pairs were catalogued for 10 surveillance systems across the United States and the representatives of these systems were brought together for a workshop to discuss consensus syndrome definitions. Results Consensus syndrome definitions were generated for the four syndromes monitored by the majority of the 10 participating surveillance systems: Respiratory, gastrointestinal, constitutional, and influenza-like illness (ILI). An important element in coming to consensus quickly was the development of a sensitive and specific definition for respiratory and gastrointestinal syndromes. After the workshop, the definitions were refined and supplemented with keywords and regular expressions, the keywords were mapped to standard vocabularies, and a web ontology language (OWL) ontology was created. Limitations The consensus definitions have not yet been validated through implementation. Conclusion The consensus definitions provide an explicit description of the current state-of-the-art syndromes used in automated surveillance, which can subsequently be systematically evaluated against real data to improve the definitions. The method for creating consensus definitions could be applied to other domains that have diverse existing definitions. PMID:20819870

I Conferencia Nacional de Consenso sobre el Injerto Óseo del Seno Maxilar 1st National Consensus Conference on maxillar sinus bone grafts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P.M. Villarreal

2010-06-01

en el seno maxilar.Objective: The objectives of the first Spanish Consensus Conference on Sinus Bone Graft were trying to reach agreements points on the major controversies of this technique, and translate them in a summary document. Material and method: During the 17th and 18th of October of 2008 took place in Oviedo (Spain the Conference, sponsored by the Spanish Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. There, 50 national and international speakers reviewed in 6 workshops the major controversies of sinus bone grafts. Following the conferences, the moderators proposed the main conclusions of each workshop and opened a round of discussion where all attendees participated. Results: This document and its conclusions emanate from the presentations made by the speakers and the discussions and agreements of each workshop. Both have been approved after several corrections by all authors before being submitted for publication. They have also obtained the official scientific recognition of the Spanish Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and should serve as a basis for future scientific studies and meetings. Conclusions: The main objective when we perform a sinus bone graft is vital bone formation in the maxillary sinus, to achieve long-term survival of the implants after prosthetic loading. To do this, the technique and sequence of treatment should aim to achieve predictable and stable results over time, although this involves a longer waiting time. The initial implant stability is the key factor for osseointegration and should be the main criterion to indicate simultaneous or delayed implants in the maxillary sinus.

Model-based consensus

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boumans, Marcel

2014-01-01

The aim of the rational-consensus method is to produce “rational consensus”, that is, “mathematical aggregation”, by weighing the performance of each expert on the basis of his or her knowledge and ability to judge relevant uncertainties. The measurement of the performance of the experts is based on

Consensus statement on generalized anxiety disorder from the International Consensus Group on Depression and Anxiety.

Science.gov (United States)

Ballenger, J C; Davidson, J R; Lecrubier, Y; Nutt, D J; Borkovec, T D; Rickels, K; Stein, D J; Wittchen, H U

2001-01-01

To provide primary care clinicians with a better understanding of management issues in generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and guide clinical practice with recommendations on the appropriate treatment strategy. The 4 members of the International Consensus Group on Depression and Anxiety were James C. Ballenger (chair), Jonathan R.T. Davidson, Yves Lecrubier, and David J. Nutt. Four additional faculty members invited by the chair were Karl Rickels, Hans-Ulrich Wittchen, Dan J. Stein, and Thomas D. Borkovec. The consensus statement is based on the 6 review articles that are published in this supplement and the scientific literature relevant to the issues reviewed in these articles. Group meetings were held over a 2-day period. On day 1, the group discussed the review articles and the chair identified key issues for further debate. On day 2, the group discussed these issues to arrive at a consensus view. After the group meetings, the consensus statement was drafted by the chair and approved by all attendees. GAD is the most common anxiety disorder in primary care and is highly debilitating. Furthermore, it is frequently comorbid with depression and other anxiety disorders, which exacerbates functional impairment. Antidepressants (serotonin reuptake inhibitors, serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, and nonsedating tricyclic antidepressants) are generally the most appropriate first-line pharmacotherapy for GAD, since they are also effective against comorbid psychiatric disorders and are suitable for long-term use. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is the preferred form of psychotherapy for GAD, although when GAD is comorbid with depression, pharmacotherapy is increasingly indicated.

Kidney function measured by clearance. Methods and indications. An update; Zur Messung der Nierenfunktion durch Clearancebestimmungen. Methoden und Indikationen. Ein Update

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Durand, E. [Universitaetskrankenhaus Bicetre, Paris (France); Mueller-Suur, R. [Karolinska Inst., Danderyds Krankenhaus und Aleris Fysiologlab, Stockholm (Sweden)

2010-09-15

Renal function impairment can be monitored by many tests. Measurement of plasma-creatinine level is the most used method, 24 h plasma-creatininclearance with urine collection is used by others and also other alternative but indirect methods exist. However, the use of radionuclide-clearances is by far the easiest performed method with the highest accuracy and precision and gives very low irradiation dose. In the following we will discuss the different radiopharmaceuticals in use, their plus and minus, the different clearance methods in use, their limitations and give some clinically important indications to perform clearance investigations according to consensus reports. Summarizing the use of plasma clearance of 51-Cr-EDTA after a single injection with one blood sample can be generally recommended, however with some modifications in special clinical situations, which are pointed out. Please note, that this paper is, for a significant part, an update of a previous paper published 2003 in ''Der Nuklearmediziner'' (orig.)

Construction of barley consensus map showing chromosomal ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In the past, it has been difficult to accurately determine the location of many types of barley molecular markers due to the lack of commonality between international barley linkage maps. In this study, a consensus map of barley was constructed from five different maps (OWB, VxHs, KxM, barley consensus 2 and barley ...

76 FR 45647 - Consensus Standards, Light-Sport Aircraft

Science.gov (United States)

2011-07-29

... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration Consensus Standards, Light-Sport... previously accepted consensus standards relating to the provisions of the Sport Pilot and Light-Sport... Light Sport Aircraft developed the revised standards with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA...

Model of Decision Making through Consensus in Ranking Case

Science.gov (United States)

Tarigan, Gim; Darnius, Open

2018-01-01

The basic problem to determine ranking consensus is a problem to combine some rankings those are decided by two or more Decision Maker (DM) into ranking consensus. DM is frequently asked to present their preferences over a group of objects in terms of ranks, for example to determine a new project, new product, a candidate in a election, and so on. The problem in ranking can be classified into two major categories; namely, cardinal and ordinal rankings. The objective of the study is to obtin the ranking consensus by appying some algorithms and methods. The algorithms and methods used in this study were partial algorithm, optimal ranking consensus, BAK (Borde-Kendal)Model. A method proposed as an alternative in ranking conssensus is a Weighted Distance Forward-Backward (WDFB) method, which gave a little difference i ranking consensus result compare to the result oethe example solved by Cook, et.al (2005).

FY 1999 survey report on the research survey on the formation of a social consensus on the introduction of the global warming mitigation technology; 1999 nendo ondanka taisaku gijutsu no donyu ni kakawaru shakaiteki goi keisei ni kansuru chosa kenkyu hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2000-03-01

As to the development and introduction of the global warming mitigation technology, the paper studied an approach to the formation of a social consensus and how to apply concrete methods and proposed a realistic approach in the light of the present situation of public enterprises in Japan. As tools and rules which are particularly important in activities of forming the consensus, the paper cited up what the PR control should be, responses to mass communications, HP making and regulation/preparation of the related laws, and made a concrete study. As examples in which there occurred friction with the society due to the insufficient formation of consensus, the following construction plans were taken up to consider problems, etc. in disclosure of the information in the plans: Underground Research Laboratory, movable weir in the Yoshino River, and waste disposal facilities at Fuimae tideland. Also in Japan, some methods for the consensus formation have been carried out, and in the survey, as concepts for classifying the methods, two different approaches, Public Outreach and Public Relations, were introduced. As to the former, a consensus formation method in the construction of power plants in Japan was introduced, and as to the latter, a method in consensus conferences in the U.K. (NEDO)

Limited consensus around ARM information protection practices ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

An existing enterprise IP SoP was adapted to ARM through literature analysis and produced a draft ARM SoP. The draft ARM SoP was applied in a rote fashion to a small sample of government-operated archives to identify likely areas of consensus and lack of consensus surrounding the various elements of the SoP.

Computational Biology Support: RECOMB Conference Series (Conference Support)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Michael Waterman

2006-06-15

This funding was support for student and postdoctoral attendance at the Annual Recomb Conference from 2001 to 2005. The RECOMB Conference series was founded in 1997 to provide a scientific forum for theoretical advances in computational biology and their applications in molecular biology and medicine. The conference series aims at attracting research contributions in all areas of computational molecular biology. Typical, but not exclusive, the topics of interest are: Genomics, Molecular sequence analysis, Recognition of genes and regulatory elements, Molecular evolution, Protein structure, Structural genomics, Gene Expression, Gene Networks, Drug Design, Combinatorial libraries, Computational proteomics, and Structural and functional genomics. The origins of the conference came from the mathematical and computational side of the field, and there remains to be a certain focus on computational advances. However, the effective use of computational techniques to biological innovation is also an important aspect of the conference. The conference had a growing number of attendees, topping 300 in recent years and often exceeding 500. The conference program includes between 30 and 40 contributed papers, that are selected by a international program committee with around 30 experts during a rigorous review process rivaling the editorial procedure for top-rate scientific journals. In previous years papers selection has been made from up to 130--200 submissions from well over a dozen countries. 10-page extended abstracts of the contributed papers are collected in a volume published by ACM Press and Springer, and are available at the conference. Full versions of a selection of the papers are published annually in a special issue of the Journal of Computational Biology devoted to the RECOMB Conference. A further point in the program is a lively poster session. From 120-300 posters have been presented each year at RECOMB 2000. One of the highlights of each RECOMB conference is a

PANLAR Consensus Recommendations for the Management in Osteoarthritis of Hand, Hip, and Knee.

Science.gov (United States)

Rillo, Oscar; Riera, Humberto; Acosta, Carlota; Liendo, Verónica; Bolaños, Joyce; Monterola, Ligia; Nieto, Edgar; Arape, Rodolfo; Franco, Luisa M; Vera, Mariflor; Papasidero, Silvia; Espinosa, Rolando; Esquivel, Jorge A; Souto, Renee; Rossi, Cesar; Molina, José F; Salas, José; Ballesteros, Francisco; Radrigan, Francisco; Guibert, Marlene; Reyes, Gil; Chico, Araceli; Camacho, Walter; Urioste, Lorena; Garcia, Abraham; Iraheta, Isa; Gutierrez, Carmen E; Aragón, Raúl; Duarte, Margarita; Gonzalez, Margarita; Castañeda, Oswaldo; Angulo, Juan; Coimbra, Ibsen; Munoz-Louis, Roberto; Saenz, Ricardo; Vallejo, Carlos; Briceño, Julio; Acuña, Ramón P; De León, Anibal; Reginato, Anthony M; Möller, Ingrid; Caballero, Carlo V; Quintero, Maritza

2016-10-01

The objective of this consensus is to update the recommendations for the treatment of hand, hip, and knee osteoarthritis (OA) by agreeing on key propositions relating to the management of hand, hip, and knee OA, by identifying and critically appraising research evidence for the effectiveness of the treatments and by generating recommendations based on a combination of the available evidence and expert opinion of 18 countries of America. Recommendations were developed by a group of 48 specialists of rheumatologists, members of other medical disciplines (orthopedics and physiatrists), and three patients, one for each location of OA. A systematic review of existing articles, meta-analyses, and guidelines for the management of hand, hip, and knee OA published between 2008 and January 2014 was undertaken. The scores for Level of Evidence and Grade of Recommendation were proposed and fully consented within the committee based on The American Heart Association Evidence-Based Scoring System. The level of agreement was established through a variation of Delphi technique. Both "strong" and "conditional" recommendations are given for management of hand, hip, and knee OA and nonpharmacological, pharmacological, and surgical modalities of treatment are presented according to the different levels of agreement. These recommendations are based on the consensus of clinical experts from a wide range of disciplines taking available evidence into account while balancing the benefits and risks of nonpharmacological, pharmacological, and surgical treatment modalities, and incorporating their preferences and values. Different backgrounds in terms of patient education or drug availability in different countries were not evaluated but will be important.

A collaborative platform for consensus sessions in pathology over Internet.

Science.gov (United States)

Zapletal, Eric; Le Bozec, Christel; Degoulet, Patrice; Jaulent, Marie-Christine

2003-01-01

The design of valid databases in pathology faces the problem of diagnostic disagreement between pathologists. Organizing consensus sessions between experts to reduce the variability is a difficult task. The TRIDEM platform addresses the issue to organize consensus sessions in pathology over the Internet. In this paper, we present the basis to achieve such collaborative platform. On the one hand, the platform integrates the functionalities of the IDEM consensus module that alleviates the consensus task by presenting to pathologists preliminary computed consensus through ergonomic interfaces (automatic step). On the other hand, a set of lightweight interaction tools such as vocal annotations are implemented to ease the communication between experts as they discuss a case (interactive step). The architecture of the TRIDEM platform is based on a Java-Server-Page web server that communicate with the ObjectStore PSE/PRO database used for the object storage. The HTML pages generated by the web server run Java applets to perform the different steps (automatic and interactive) of the consensus. The current limitations of the platform is to only handle a synchronous process. Moreover, improvements like re-writing the consensus workflow with a protocol such as BPML are already forecast.

Treatment Guidelines for Preoperative Radiation Therapy for Retroperitoneal Sarcoma: Preliminary Consensus of an International Expert Panel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baldini, Elizabeth H., E-mail: ebaldini@partners.org [Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women' s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Wang, Dian [Department of Radiation Oncology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois (United States); Haas, Rick L.M. [Department of Radiotherapy, The Netherlands Cancer Institute-Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Catton, Charles N. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Indelicato, Daniel J. [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Florida Medical Center, Jacksonville, Florida (United States); Kirsch, David G. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina (United States); Roberge, David [Department of Radiation Oncology, Centre Hospitalier de l' Université de Montreal, Montreal, Quebec (Canada); Salerno, Kilian [Department of Radiation Oncology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York (United States); Deville, Curtiland [Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Washington, DC (United States); Guadagnolo, B. Ashleigh [Department of Radiation Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); O' Sullivan, Brian [Department of Radiation Oncology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Petersen, Ivy A. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota (United States); Le Pechoux, Cecile [Department of Radiotherapy, Institut Gustave-Roussy, Villejuif (France); Abrams, Ross A. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois (United States); DeLaney, Thomas F. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts (United States)

2015-07-01

Purpose: Evidence for external beam radiation therapy (RT) as part of treatment for retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS) is limited. Preoperative RT is the subject of a current randomized trial, but the results will not be available for many years. In the meantime, many practitioners use preoperative RT for RPS, and although this approach is used in practice, there are no radiation treatment guidelines. An international expert panel was convened to develop consensus treatment guidelines for preoperative RT for RPS. Methods and Materials: An expert panel of 15 academic radiation oncologists who specialize in the treatment of sarcoma was assembled. A systematic review of reports related to RT for RPS, RT for extremity sarcoma, and RT-related toxicities for organs at risk was performed. Due to the paucity of high-quality published data on the subject of RT for RPS, consensus recommendations were based largely on expert opinion derived from clinical experience and extrapolation of relevant published reports. It is intended that these clinical practice guidelines be updated as pertinent data become available. Results: Treatment guidelines for preoperative RT for RPS are presented. Conclusions: An international panel of radiation oncologists who specialize in sarcoma reached consensus guidelines for preoperative RT for RPS. Many of the recommendations are based on expert opinion because of the absence of higher level evidence and, thus, are best regarded as preliminary. We emphasize that the role of preoperative RT for RPS has not been proven, and we await data from the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) study of preoperative radiotherapy plus surgery versus surgery alone for patients with RPS. Further data are also anticipated pertaining to normal tissue dose constraints, particularly for bowel tolerance. Nonetheless, as we await these data, the guidelines herein can be used to establish treatment uniformity to aid future assessments of efficacy

Part B: Summary report of the decision conferences held in the USSR -October-November, 1990

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

French, S.

1992-01-01

From the outset in planning the International Project it was appreciated that the evaluation of the protective measures adopted within the Soviet Union could not be achieved by considering only radiological protection aspects. Social and political factors, inter alia, would also drive the decision making. Accordingly, the project description, as approved by the International Advisory Committee, included the use of multi-attribute decision aiding techniques to investigate and capture these factors. As the Project evolved, the specification of the manner in which these techniques were to be used was progressively clarified until it was decided to hold four decision conferences, one each in the Republics of the Ukraine and Byelorussia and the Russian Federation, and one at All-Union level. The purposes of these decision conferences were: to enable some of the decision problems related to the Chernobyl accident to be structured efficiently and thus clarify and elucidate issues; to summarize for the International Project the key socio-economic and political factors that together with the physical, radiological and medical evidence influence the relocation and protective measures taken in the Republics; to illustrate the use and potential benefits of formal decision analysis methods and the techniques of decision conferencing for the resolution of complex issues. Subsequently, a fifth decision conference was held at which representatives from the earlier conferences met to build a summary model that represented the main issues and concerns. This report describes the running of these decision conferences, the principal conclusions that may be drawn from the evidence which was elicited, and the direction in which consensus may evolve between the many parties to the decisions concerning protective and relocation measures in the Soviet Union

Kyoto global consensus report on Helicobacter pylori gastritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

K. Sugano (Kentaro); J. Tack (Jan); E.J. Kuipers (Ernst); D.Y. Graham (David Y.); E. El-Omar; S. Miura (Soichiro); K. Haruma (Ken); M. Asaka (Masahiro); N. Uemura (Naomi); P. Malfertheiner

2015-01-01

textabstractObjective To present results of the Kyoto Global Consensus Meeting, which was convened to develop global consensus on (1) classification of chronic gastritis and duodenitis, (2) clinical distinction of dyspepsia caused by Helicobacter pylori from functional dyspepsia, (3) appropriate

Primary hyperparathyroidism: review and recommendations on evaluation, diagnosis, and management. A Canadian and international consensus.

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, A A; Hanley, D A; Rizzoli, R; Bollerslev, J; Young, J E M; Rejnmark, L; Thakker, R; D'Amour, P; Paul, T; Van Uum, S; Shrayyef, M Zakaria; Goltzman, D; Kaiser, S; Cusano, N E; Bouillon, R; Mosekilde, L; Kung, A W; Rao, S D; Bhadada, S K; Clarke, B L; Liu, J; Duh, Q; Lewiecki, E Michael; Bandeira, F; Eastell, R; Marcocci, C; Silverberg, S J; Udelsman, R; Davison, K Shawn; Potts, J T; Brandi, M L; Bilezikian, J P

2017-01-01

The purpose of this review is to assess the most recent evidence in the management of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) and provide updated recommendations for its evaluation, diagnosis and treatment. A Medline search of "Hyperparathyroidism. Primary" was conducted and the literature with the highest levels of evidence were reviewed and used to formulate recommendations. PHPT is a common endocrine disorder usually discovered by routine biochemical screening. PHPT is defined as hypercalcemia with increased or inappropriately normal plasma parathyroid hormone (PTH). It is most commonly seen after the age of 50 years, with women predominating by three to fourfold. In countries with routine multichannel screening, PHPT is identified earlier and may be asymptomatic. Where biochemical testing is not routine, PHPT is more likely to present with skeletal complications, or nephrolithiasis. Parathyroidectomy (PTx) is indicated for those with symptomatic disease. For asymptomatic patients, recent guidelines have recommended criteria for surgery, however PTx can also be considered in those who do not meet criteria, and prefer surgery. Non-surgical therapies are available when surgery is not appropriate. This review presents the current state of the art in the diagnosis and management of PHPT and updates the Canadian Position paper on PHPT. An overview of the impact of PHPT on the skeleton and other target organs is presented with international consensus. Differences in the international presentation of this condition are also summarized.

The American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians Position Statement on Pre-Participation Examinations: An Expert Consensus

Science.gov (United States)

Moreau, William J.; Nabhan, Dustin C.; Roecker, Christopher; Kimura, Melissa Nagare; Klein, Andrew; Guimard, Brett; Pierce, Kevin; Helma, Patrick; Nelson, Robert; Bahr, Kelly Shockley; Nelson, Laney; Williams, Perry

2015-01-01

Objective The purpose of this paper is to present a position statement of best practices for the provision of a safe and high-quality pre-participation examination (PPE) and to provide recommendations on education requirements for doctors of chiropractic providing the PPE. Methods In 2014, the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians (ACBSP) Board of Directors identified a need to review and update the ACBSP position statements and practice guidelines in order to be current with evolving best practices. Twelve ACBSP certificants, 10 Diplomates of the ACBSP, and 2 Certified Chiropractic Sports Physicians, met in April 2015 to author a pre-participation position statement using an expert consensus process. Panel members excluded anyone with commercial conflicts of interest and included individuals with expertise in clinical sports medicine and the performance of PPEs. A literature review was performed and circulated in advance for use by the panel in addressing the topic. The position statement was written through a consensus process and accepted by the ACBSP Board of Directors in May of 2015. Results The ACBSP Position Statement on Pre-participation Examinations identifies the qualifications and best practices for doctors of chiropractic to perform a PPE. Conclusion This position statement states that doctors of chiropractic with post graduate education and current Diplomates of the ACBSP or Certified Chiropractic Sports Physicians certification have the prerequisite education and qualifying skills to perform PPEs. PMID:26778931

The American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians Position Statement on Pre-Participation Examinations: An Expert Consensus.

Science.gov (United States)