Changing Emergence of Shigella Sero-Groups in Bangladesh: Observation from Four Different Diarrheal Disease Hospitals

Science.gov (United States)

Das, Sumon Kumar; Ahmed, Shahnawaz; Ferdous, Farzana; Farzana, Fahmida Dil; Chisti, Mohammod Jobayer; Leung, Daniel T.; Malek, Mohammad Abdul; Talukder, Kaisar Ali; Bardhan, Pradip Kumar; Salam, Mohammed Abdus; Faruque, Abu Syed Golam; Raqib, Rubhana

2013-01-01

Background Shigellosis continues to be a public health challenge for developing countries, including Bangladesh. The aim of the study is to demonstrate recent changes in Shigella sero-groups and their geographical diversity. Methods Data were extracted from data archive of four diarrheal disease surveillance systems. A 2% sub sample from urban Dhaka Hospital (2008–2011; n = 10,650), and 10% from urban Mirpur Treatment Centre (2009–2011; n = 3,585), were enrolled systematically; whereas, all patients coming from the Health and Demographic Surveillance System area in rural Matlab (2008–2011; n = 6,399) and rural Mirzapur (2010–2011; n = 2,812) were included irrespective of age, sex, and disease severity. A fresh stool specimen was collected for identification of Shigella spp. Of them, 315 (3%) were positive for Shigella in Dhaka, 490 (8%) from Matlab, 109 (3%) from Mirpur and 369 (13%) from Mirzapur and considered as analyzable sample size. Results Among all Shigella isolates regardless of age, significant decreases in percentage of S. flexneri over time was observed in Mirpur (55→29%; p value of χ2-for trend = 0.019) and Mirzapur (59→47%; p = 0.025). A non-significant decrease was also seen in Dhaka (58→48%), while in Matlab there was a non-significant increase (73→81%). Similar patterns were observed among under-5 children at all sites. Emergence of S. sonnei was found in Dhaka (8→25%; pp = 0.015), whereas it decreased in Mirzapur (32→23%; p = 0.056). The emergence of S. boydii was seen in all ages in Mirzapur [(3→28%; pp<0.001)]. On the other hand, we saw non-significant percent reductions in S. boydii in Dhaka [overall (25→16%); under-5 (16→9%)]. Decreasing rates of Shigella dysenteriae were observed in Matlab, Mirpur and Mirzapur; whereas, in Dhaka it remained unchanged. Conclusion and Significance Emergence of S. sonnei and S. boydii as important infectious diarrhea etiologies and variations in

Novel Emergency Medicine Curriculum Utilizing Self-Directed Learning and the Flipped Classroom Method: Genitourinary Emergencies Small Group Module

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Andrew King

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Audience: This curriculum, created and implemented at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, was designed to educate our emergency medicine (EM residents, PGY-1 to PGY-3, as well as medical students. Introduction: In 2013, there were over 6 million Emergency Department visits in the United States which resulted in a primary diagnosis of the genitourinary system. This represents 5.2% of all Emergency Department visits.1 Residents must be proficient in the differential diagnosis and management of the wide variety of genitourinary emergencies. This flipped classroom curricular model emphasizes self-directed learning activities completed by learners, followed by small group discussions pertaining to the topic reviewed. The active learning fostered by this curriculum increases faculty and learner engagement and interaction time typically absent in traditional lecture-based formats.2-4 Studies have revealed that the application of knowledge through case studies, personal interaction with content experts, and integrated questions are effective learning strategies for emergency medicine residents.4-6 The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center EM Residency didactic curriculum recently transitioned to a “flipped classroom” approach.7-10 We created this innovative curriculum aimed to improve our residency education program and to share educational resources with other EM residency programs. Our curriculum utilizes an 18-month curricular cycle to cover the defined emergency medicine content. The flipped classroom curriculum maximizes didactic time and resident engagement, fosters intellectual curiosity and active learning, and meets the needs of today’s learners. 3,6,11 Objectives: We aim to teach the presentation and management of genitourinary emergencies through the creation of a flipped classroom design. This unique, innovative curriculum utilizes resources chosen by education faculty and resident learners, study questions, real

Novel Emergency Medicine Curriculum Utilizing Self-Directed Learning and the Flipped Classroom Method: Psychiatric Emergencies Small Group Module

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Andrew King

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Audience: This curriculum created and implemented at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center was designed to educate our emergency medicine (EM residents, PGY-1 to PGY-3, as well as medical students and attending physicians. Introduction: In 2007, there were 12 million adult Emergency Department visits for mental health and substance abuse complaints. This represents 12.5% of all adult emergency department visits.1 Residents must be proficient in the differential diagnosis and management of the wide variety of psychiatric emergencies. The flipped classroom curricular model emphasizes self-directed learning activities completed by learners, followed by small group discussions pertaining to the topic reviewed. The active learning fostered by this curriculum increases faculty and learner engagement and interaction time typically absent in traditional lecture-based formats.2-4 Studies have revealed that the application of knowledge through case studies, personal interaction with content experts, and integrated questions are effective learning strategies for emergency medicine residents.4-6 The Ohio State University EM Residency didactic curriculum recently transitioned to a “flipped classroom” approach.7-10 We created this innovative curriculum aimed to improve our residency education program and to share educational resources with other EM residency programs. Our curriculum utilizes an 18-month curricular cycle to cover the defined emergency medicine content. The flipped classroom curriculum maximizes didactic time and resident engagement, fosters intellectual curiosity and active learning, and meets the needs of today’s learners. 3,6,11 Objectives: We aim to teach the presentation and management of psychiatric emergencies through the creation of a flipped classroom design. This unique, innovative curriculum utilizes resources chosen by education faculty and resident learners, study questions, real-life experiences, and small group

Novel Emergency Medicine Curriculum Utilizing Self-Directed Learning and the Flipped Classroom Method: Gastrointestinal Emergencies Small Group Module

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Andrew King

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Audience and type of curriculum: This curriculum created and implemented at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center was designed to educate our emergency medicine (EM residents, PGY-1 to PGY-3, as well as medical students and attending physicians. Introduction/Background: Gastrointestinal (GI emergencies comprise approximately 12% of emergency department (ED visits.1 Residents must be proficient in the differential diagnosis and management of the wide variety of GI emergencies. The flipped classroom curricular model emphasizes self-directed learning activities completed by learners, followed by small group discussions pertaining to the topic reviewed. The active learning fostered by this curriculum increases faculty and learner engagement and interaction time typically absent in traditional lecture-based formats.2-4 Studies have revealed that the application of knowledge through case studies, personal interaction with content experts, and integrated questions are effective learning strategies for emergency medicine residents.4-6 The Ohio State University EM Residency didactic curriculum recently transitioned to a “flipped classroom” approach.7-10 We created this innovative curriculum aimed to improve our residency education program and to share educational resources with other EM residency programs. This proposed curriculum utilizes an 18-month curricular cycle. The flipped classroom curriculum maximizes didactic time and resident engagement, fosters intellectual curiosity and active learning, and meets the needs of today’s learners. 3,6,11 Objectives: We aim to teach the presentation and management of GI emergencies through the creation of a flipped classroom design. This unique, innovative curriculum utilizes resources chosen by education faculty and resident learners, study questions, real-life experiences, and small group discussions in place of traditional lectures. In doing so, a goal of the curriculum is to encourage self

Repeatable group differences in the collective behaviour of stickleback shoals across ecological contexts

Science.gov (United States)

2018-01-01

Establishing how collective behaviour emerges is central to our understanding of animal societies. Previous research has highlighted how universal interaction rules shape collective behaviour, and that individual differences can drive group functioning. Groups themselves may also differ considerably in their collective behaviour, but little is known about the consistency of such group variation, especially across different ecological contexts that may alter individuals' behavioural responses. Here, we test if randomly composed groups of sticklebacks differ consistently from one another in both their structure and movement dynamics across an open environment, an environment with food, and an environment with food and shelter. Based on high-resolution tracking data of the free-swimming shoals, we found large context-associated changes in the average behaviour of the groups. But despite these changes and limited social familiarity among group members, substantial and predictable behavioural differences between the groups persisted both within and across the different contexts (group-level repeatability): some groups moved consistently faster, more cohesively, showed stronger alignment and/or clearer leadership than other groups. These results suggest that among-group heterogeneity could be a widespread feature in animal societies. Future work that considers group-level variation in collective behaviour may help understand the selective pressures that shape how animal collectives form and function. PMID:29436496

Convergence to consensus in heterogeneous groups and the emergence of informal leadership.

Science.gov (United States)

Gavrilets, Sergey; Auerbach, Jeremy; van Vugt, Mark

2016-07-14

When group cohesion is essential, groups must have efficient strategies in place for consensus decision-making. Recent theoretical work suggests that shared decision-making is often the most efficient way for dealing with both information uncertainty and individual variation in preferences. However, some animal and most human groups make collective decisions through particular individuals, leaders, that have a disproportionate influence on group decision-making. To address this discrepancy between theory and data, we study a simple, but general, model that explicitly focuses on the dynamics of consensus building in groups composed by individuals who are heterogeneous in preferences, certain personality traits (agreeability and persuasiveness), reputation, and social networks. We show that within-group heterogeneity can significantly delay democratic consensus building as well as give rise to the emergence of informal leaders, i.e. individuals with a disproportionately large impact on group decisions. Our results thus imply strong benefits of leadership particularly when groups experience time pressure and significant conflict of interest between members (due to various between-individual differences). Overall, our models shed light on why leadership and decision-making hierarchies are widespread, especially in human groups.

Leadership Qualities Emerging in an Online Social Support Group Intervention.

Science.gov (United States)

Kodatt, Stephanie A; Shenk, Jared E; Williams, Mark L; Horvath, Keith J

2014-11-01

Technology-delivered interventions addressing a broad range of problems for which clients present for therapy are proliferating. However, little is known of leadership dynamics that emerge in online group interventions. The purpose of this study was to assess the types of leadership qualities that would emerge in an online social support group intervention to improve medication adherence for men with HIV, and to characterize the demographic and psychosocial profiles of leaders. Written posts ( n =616) from 66 men were coded using an adapted version of the Full Range Model of Leadership. Results showed that 10% ( n =64) of posts reflected one of five leadership types, the most common of which was mentoring/providing feedback (40% of leadership posts). The next most common leadership style were instances in which encouragement was offered (30% of leadership posts). Leaders appeared to have lived with HIV longer and have higher Internet knowledge scores than non-leaders. Results indicate that online group interventions potentially may be useful to supplement traditional face-to-face treatment by providing an additional venue for group members to mentor and provide emotional support to each other. However, additional research is needed to more fully understand leadership qualities and group dynamics in other online group intervention settings.

Emergencies in Child Psychiatry: A Definition and Comparison of Two Groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Morrison, Gilbert C.; Smith, Wiley R.

The two groups of children and adolescents seen for emergency psychiatric treatment were studied in an attempt to determine what constitutes an emergency in child psychiatry, whose anxiety initiates consultation, what the precipitating factors are and how they can be predicted, and to ascertain who is crucial to the management of these problems.…

Prevalence of multidrug-resistant E. coli in different age groups of dairy cattle

Science.gov (United States)

Background: The emergence and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria has become a major public health concern. The objective of this study was to examine antimicrobial resistance in commensal E. coli from different age-groups of animals on dairy farms. Materials: A total of 444 manur...

Is group A thawed plasma suitable as the first option for emergency release transfusion? (CME).

Science.gov (United States)

Chhibber, Vishesh; Greene, Mindy; Vauthrin, Michelle; Bailey, Jeff; Weinstein, Robert

2014-07-01

Group AB plasma, which lacks anti-A and anti-B isohemagglutinins, is issued for emergency transfusion when a patient's ABO group is unknown, but the relative scarcity of group AB blood donors limits its availability. We sought to establish a thawed plasma inventory to improve the rapid availability of plasma in the emergency release setting but were concerned about potential wastage of group AB plasma. Recognizing that plasma-incompatible apheresis platelets are routinely transfused and only rarely result in hemolytic reactions if the donor is blood group O, and considering that group A plasma would be compatible with approximately 85% of our patient population, we instituted an emergency release policy whereby thawed group A plasma is issued to all patients of unknown blood group or if compatible plasma is not available. ABO-compatible plasma is then issued, if needed, once the patient's blood group is determined. We prospectively assessed the outcomes of all patients who received incompatible plasma under our policy. During the first 5 years under this policy, 385 emergency release requests for plasma were received by our blood bank. Among them, 23 group B or AB patients met criteria for receiving a median of 2 units of incompatible group A plasma. No hemolytic transfusion reactions or other adverse events related to transfusion were seen in any of these 23 patients. We propose that group A plasma may be an acceptable alternative to AB plasma as the first option in the emergency release setting. © 2014 AABB.

The Effect of Drama on the Creative Imagination of Children in Different Age Groups

OpenAIRE

GÜNDOĞAN, AYSUN; ARI, MEZİYET; GÖNEN, MÜBECCEL

2013-01-01

Imagination is necessary for creative ideas to emerge. The creative imagination can be developed by suitable education programs especially by drama programs with suitable activities. This article presents findings on whether the effect of drama on the creative imagination of children in different age groups differentiate or not. The experiment group of this research is comprised of 60 children (30 from the age group of 10, 30 from the age group of 13) from a regular primary school and the con...

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

Critical differences between elective and emergency surgery: identifying domains for quality improvement in emergency general surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Columbus, Alexandra B; Morris, Megan A; Lilley, Elizabeth J; Harlow, Alyssa F; Haider, Adil H; Salim, Ali; Havens, Joaquim M

2018-04-01

The objective of our study was to characterize providers' impressions of factors contributing to disproportionate rates of morbidity and mortality in emergency general surgery to identify targets for care quality improvement. Emergency general surgery is characterized by a high-cost burden and disproportionate morbidity and mortality. Factors contributing to these observed disparities are not comprehensively understood and targets for quality improvement have not been formally developed. Using a grounded theory approach, emergency general surgery providers were recruited through purposive-criterion-based sampling to participate in semi-structured interviews and focus groups. Participants were asked to identify contributors to emergency general surgery outcomes, to define effective care for EGS patients, and to describe operating room team structure. Interviews were performed to thematic saturation. Transcripts were iteratively coded and analyzed within and across cases to identify emergent themes. Member checking was performed to establish credibility of the findings. A total of 40 participants from 5 academic hospitals participated in either individual interviews (n = 25 [9 anesthesia, 12 surgery, 4 nursing]) or focus groups (n = 2 [15 nursing]). Emergency general surgery was characterized by an exceptionally high level of variability, which can be subcategorized as patient-variability (acute physiology and comorbidities) and system-variability (operating room resources and workforce). Multidisciplinary communication is identified as a modifier to variability in emergency general surgery; however, nursing is often left out of early communication exchanges. Critical variability in emergency general surgery may impact outcomes. Patient-variability and system-variability, with focus on multidisciplinary communication, represent potential domains for quality improvement in this field. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Different Inhibition of Return (IOR Effects of Emergency Managerial Experts and Novices: An Event-Related Potentials Study

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Rong Cao

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Inhibition of return (IOR is an important effect of attention. However, the IOR of emergency managerial experts is unknown. By employing emergency and natural scene pictures in expert-novice paradigm, the present study explored the neural activity underlying the IOR effects for emergency managerial experts and novices. In behavioral results, there were no differences of IOR effects between novices and emergency managerial experts, while the event-related potentials (ERPs results were different between novices and experts. In Experiment 1 (novice group, ERPs results showed no any IOR was robust at both stimulus-onset asynchrony (SOA of 200 ms and 400 ms. In Experiment 2 (expert group, ERPs results showed an enhanced N2 at SOA of 200 ms and attenuated P3 at cued location in the right parietal lobe and adjacent brain regions than uncued location at SOA of 200 ms. The findings of the two experiments showed that, relative to the novices, IOR for the emergency managerial experts was robust, and dominated in the right parietal lobe and adjacent brain regions, suggesting more flexible attentional processing and higher visual search efficiency of the emergency managerial experts. The findings indicate that the P3, possible N2, over the right parietal lobe and adjacent brain regions are the biological indicators for IOR elicited by post-cued emergency pictures for emergency managerial experts.

From Drinking Group Norms to Individual Drinking Consequences: A Moderated Mediation Model Examining the Role of Members' Status, Identification with the Group and with Emerging Adulthood.

Science.gov (United States)

Dumas, Tara M; Davis, Jordan P; Maxwell-Smith, Matthew A; Bell, Angelica

2018-07-03

Emerging adults consume alcohol most often with their peer drinking groups. Yet, little is known about the role of drinking group norms on individual members' drinking consequences, nor about the mechanisms that underlie this association. We examined the indirect relationship between drinking group descriptive norms (perceived frequency of group heavy episodic drinking; HED) and individual drinking consequences via individual HED. We also examined key moderators, including the extent to which individuals occupied high status positions within their drinking groups, the strength of their identification with the group, and the degree to which they identified with emerging adulthood, a developmental period associated with heightened alcohol consumption. Participants were 280 and 340 (replication study) emerging adults (18-29 years) who were recruited via an online crowdsourcing site to complete a survey. Across studies, higher status was associated with more individual HED and drinking consequences. Further, group identification and identification with emerging adulthood strengthened the relation between group and individual HED. Finally, the indirect relation between group HED and individual drinking consequences was significant and stronger for individuals who identified more with their drinking groups and with emerging adulthood. Conclusions/Importance: Findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the impact of descriptive peer norms on heavy drinking and related consequences in emerging adulthood and help identify drinking group members most at risk for internalizing descriptive group norms for HED. Key implications for prevention and intervention programming are discussed.

The Emergence Of Groups In The Evolution Of Friendship Networks

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zeggelink, Evelien P.H.; Stokman, Frans N.; Bunt, Gerhard G. van der

1997-01-01

Friendship networks usually show a certain degree of segmentation: subgroups of friends. The explanation of the emergence of such groups from initially dyadic pair friendships is a diflicult but important problem. In this paper we attempt to provide a first contribution to the explanation of

The emergence of groups in the evolution of friendship networks

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zeggelink, Evelien P.H.; Stokman, Frans N.; Bunt, Gerhard G. van der

1996-01-01

Friendship networks usually show a certain degree of segmentation: subgroups of friends. The explanation of the emergence of such groups from initially dyadic pair friendships is a difficult but important problem. In this paper we attempt to provide a first contribution to the explanation of

Cross-cultural differences and sexual risk behavior of emerging adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Tami L; Yarandi, Hossein N; Dalmida, Safiya George; Frados, Andrew; Klienert, Kathleen

2015-01-01

The authors examined population-specific risk factors that increase emerging adults' risk of acquiring sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including the human papillomavirus (HPV). A cross-sectional sample of 335 diverse, emerging adults ages 18 to 24 years was recruited from a health center at a large university in the Southeastern United States. The mean age was 20.6 ± 1.9 years, majority were females (74.0%), and 61.0% were Hispanic. Findings revealed inconsistent condom use, reasons for not using condoms, and a need for more culturally specific intervention strategies. Healthcare providers should identify culturally specific reasons for inconsistent condom use, examine cultural and geographic differences in sexual risk behaviors among groups and communities, and modify communication, educational programs, and interventions accordingly. By adopting a multicultural approach to the control of STIs, nurses can address specific cultural attitudes and behaviors that may influence exposure to STIs, including HPV. © The Author(s) 2014.

Developing emergency medical dispatch systems in Africa – Recommendations of the African Federation for Emergency Medicine/International Academies of Emergency Dispatch Working Group

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Nee-Kofi Mould-Millman

2015-09-01

To facilitate the development of EMD systems appropriate for the African setting, the African Federation for Emergency Medicine (AFEM and the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch (IAED convened a working group in November 2014 to provide conceptual, technical, and innovative recommendations for contextually appropriate EMD systems for African settings. It is hoped that these recommendations will augment efficiency, effectiveness, and standardisation within and among African EMD systems, thereby improving health outcomes for sufferers of acute illness or injury.

Comparative emergency department resource utilisation across age groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Burkett, Ellen; Martin-Khan, Melinda G; Gray, Leonard C

2017-12-11

Objectives The aim of the present study was to assess comparative emergency department (ED) resource utilisation across age groups. Methods A retrospective analysis of data collected in the National Non-admitted Patient Emergency Department Care Database was undertaken to assess comparative ED resource utilisation across six age groups (0-14, 15-35, 36-64, 65-74, 75-84 and ≥85 years) with previously used surrogate markers of ED resource utilisation. Results Older people had significantly higher resource utilisation for their individual ED episodes of care than younger people, with the effect increasing with advancing age. Conclusion With ED care of older people demonstrated to be more resource intensive than care for younger people, the projected increase in older person presentations anticipated with population aging will have a magnified effect on ED services. These predicted changes in demand for ED care will only be able to be optimally managed if Australian health policy, ED funding instruments and ED models of care are adjusted to take into account the specific care and resource needs of older people. What is known about the topic? Current Australian ED funding models do not adjust for patient age. Several regional studies have suggested higher resource utilisation of ED patients aged ≥65 years. Anticipated rapid population aging mandates that contribution of age to ED visit resource utilisation be further explored. What does this paper add? The present study of national Australian ED presentations compared ED resource utilisation across age groups using surrogate markers of ED cost. Older people were found to have significantly higher resource utilisation in the ED, with the effect increasing further with advancing age. What are the implications for practitioners? The higher resource utilisation of older people in the ED warrants a review of current ED funding models to ensure that they will continue to meet the needs of an aging population.

[Differences in practice among physicians staffing an emergency department in relation to years of experience].

Science.gov (United States)

Busca, Pablo; Inchaurza, Estibaliz; Illarramendi, Aiora; Urbina, Ohiana; González, Laura; Miró, Òscar

2015-06-01

To determine differences in certain variables reflecting clinical practice in a group of emergency physicians with varying levels of experience and to explore whether differences are associated with experience. Retrospective observational study of differences in variables reflecting emergency physicians' practice between 2005 and 2012. We studied work variables (months worked, patients treated, caseload distribution according to triage levels), patient management variables (consultation with other specialists, admissions, ambulance requests), diagnostic procedures ordered (simple radiographs, laboratory tests, ultrasound or computed tomography imaging), and time patients discharged home spent in the department (arrival to discharge). We explored relationships between these variables and the emergency physician's experience using linear regression analysis, followed by the construction of multivariable models to adjust for physician characteristics. Data for 50 emergency medicine physicians, in 291 years of work, were analyzed. The specialists' experience ranged from 1 to 22 years (mean [SD], 9.5 [5.8] years). They attended between 47 and 158 patients monthly (mean, 86 [19] patients). The physicians' experience was inversely and independently related to the mean number of patients attended monthly and the percentage of patients assigned a triage level of 1 or 2. Experience was directly and independently related to discharged patients' time spent in the emergency department and number of simple radiographs ordered. All associations were small (R2<0.010), however. Those variables continued to show statistically significant associations after increasingly complex modeling to adjust for the following physician variables: physician, age, sex, specialty, residency training in the same hospital). The practice of emergency physicians with more accumulated experience shows slight but significant differences from the practice of less experienced physicians.

Emergence of interest groups on hazardous waste siting: How do they form and survive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, R.G.; Payne, B.A.

1986-01-01

The disposal and siting of hazardous and radioactive wastes has created numerous problems for decision-makers in the field of waste management. The social/political problems have proven to be some of the most difficult to solve. Public knowledge of the presence of hazardous and radioactive waste sites has grown considerably in recent years. Over the same period, the process of choosing new disposal sites has attracted a great deal of publicity. In many cases, when existing sites are discovered or when a community is being considered for a new disposal site, organized groups emerge in the community to support or oppose the proposed actions and the decision-makers responsible. Emergent groups are a form of organized collective action in response to a particular situation or event, such as the siting or discovery of a hazardous waste disposal site. Sociological methods and theory can provide insight on the patterns common to these groups, their emergence, and their survival or decline. The questions addressed in this paper are: what are the variables that lead to the formation of such groups, and what conditions or group actions contribute to their growth and survival?

Recommendations to establish a waste management group for emergency situations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tello, Cledola Cassia Oliveira de; Silva, Eliane Magalhaes Pereira da; Prado, Maria Augusta Silva do

1997-01-01

The establishment of a radiation waste group to work in the emergency situations is proposed, as well as the guidelines for its formation. The purpose is to avoid or minimise possible wastes arising from accidents/incidents, and therefore minimise the environmental, economical and social impacts originated from these situations to the present and future generations

Evaluation of Teaching Methods in Mass CPCR Training in Different Groups of the Society, an Observational Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hasani, Hamed; Bahrami, Mojtaba; Malekpour, Abdorrasoul; Dehghani, Mohammadreza; Allahyary, Elaheh; Amini, Mitra; Abdorahimi, Mehdi; khani, Sara; Kalantari Meibodi, Mohammad; Kojuri, Javad

2015-05-01

To determine the efficacy of different methods of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPCR) training in 3 different groups of the society. In a prospective and observational study of 2000 individuals in 3 different groups including G1, G2, and G3 4 different protocols of CPCR training were applied and their efficacy was compared between the groups. Also, 12 months after the study course, 460 participants from 3 groups were asked to take apart in a theoretical and practical examination to evaluate the long-term efficacy of the 4 protocols. Among 2000 individuals took a parted in the study, 950 (47.5%) were G1, 600 (30%) were G2, and 450 (22.5%) were G3. G1 in 4 groups were 2.37 and 2.65 times more successful in pretest theoretical and 2.61 and 18.20 times more successful in practical examinations compared with G2 and G3 and gained highest improvement in CPCR skills. Other groups also showed significantly improved CPCR skills. Comparison of different methods of CPCR learning showed that the workshop using interactive lecture as well as human model, educational film, and reference CPCR book has the highest efficacy in all groups. This protocol of CPCR training showed more efficacy in long-term postdelayed evaluation. On the contrary, medical students had better long-term outcomes from the course. Although G1 and G2 obtained better results in learning CPCR skills, in G3 also the theoretical and practical knowledge were improved significantly. This course increased confidence for doing CPCR in all groups of the study. Considering that the most of the bystanders at emergency states are general population, training this group of the society and increasing their confidence about performing CPCR can be so effective and lifesaving at emergency states. (Clinical trial. Gov registration: NCT02120573).

Construction of a technique plan repository and evaluation system based on AHP group decision-making for emergency treatment and disposal in chemical pollution accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shi, Shenggang; Cao, Jingcan; Feng, Li; Liang, Wenyan; Zhang, Liqiu

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Different chemical pollution accidents were simplified using the event tree analysis. • Emergency disposal technique plan repository of chemicals accidents was constructed. • The technique evaluation index system of chemicals accidents disposal was developed. • A combination of group decision and analytical hierarchy process (AHP) was employed. • Group decision introducing similarity and diversity factor was used for data analysis. - Abstract: The environmental pollution resulting from chemical accidents has caused increasingly serious concerns. Therefore, it is very important to be able to determine in advance the appropriate emergency treatment and disposal technology for different types of chemical accidents. However, the formulation of an emergency plan for chemical pollution accidents is considerably difficult due to the substantial uncertainty and complexity of such accidents. This paper explains how the event tree method was used to create 54 different scenarios for chemical pollution accidents, based on the polluted medium, dangerous characteristics and properties of chemicals involved. For each type of chemical accident, feasible emergency treatment and disposal technology schemes were established, considering the areas of pollution source control, pollutant non-proliferation, contaminant elimination and waste disposal. Meanwhile, in order to obtain the optimum emergency disposal technology schemes as soon as the chemical pollution accident occurs from the plan repository, the technique evaluation index system was developed based on group decision-improved analytical hierarchy process (AHP), and has been tested by using a sudden aniline pollution accident that occurred in a river in December 2012

Construction of a technique plan repository and evaluation system based on AHP group decision-making for emergency treatment and disposal in chemical pollution accidents

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shi, Shenggang [College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083 (China); College of Chemistry, Baotou Teachers’ College, Baotou 014030 (China); Cao, Jingcan; Feng, Li; Liang, Wenyan [College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083 (China); Zhang, Liqiu, E-mail: zhangliqiu@163.com [College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083 (China)

2014-07-15

Highlights: • Different chemical pollution accidents were simplified using the event tree analysis. • Emergency disposal technique plan repository of chemicals accidents was constructed. • The technique evaluation index system of chemicals accidents disposal was developed. • A combination of group decision and analytical hierarchy process (AHP) was employed. • Group decision introducing similarity and diversity factor was used for data analysis. - Abstract: The environmental pollution resulting from chemical accidents has caused increasingly serious concerns. Therefore, it is very important to be able to determine in advance the appropriate emergency treatment and disposal technology for different types of chemical accidents. However, the formulation of an emergency plan for chemical pollution accidents is considerably difficult due to the substantial uncertainty and complexity of such accidents. This paper explains how the event tree method was used to create 54 different scenarios for chemical pollution accidents, based on the polluted medium, dangerous characteristics and properties of chemicals involved. For each type of chemical accident, feasible emergency treatment and disposal technology schemes were established, considering the areas of pollution source control, pollutant non-proliferation, contaminant elimination and waste disposal. Meanwhile, in order to obtain the optimum emergency disposal technology schemes as soon as the chemical pollution accident occurs from the plan repository, the technique evaluation index system was developed based on group decision-improved analytical hierarchy process (AHP), and has been tested by using a sudden aniline pollution accident that occurred in a river in December 2012.

Exaggerating Accessible Differences: When Gender Stereotypes Overestimate Actual Group Differences.

Science.gov (United States)

Eyal, Tal; Epley, Nicholas

2017-09-01

Stereotypes are often presumed to exaggerate group differences, but empirical evidence is mixed. We suggest exaggeration is moderated by the accessibility of specific stereotype content. In particular, because the most accessible stereotype contents are attributes perceived to differ between groups, those attributes are most likely to exaggerate actual group differences due to regression to the mean. We tested this hypothesis using a highly accessible gender stereotype: that women are more socially sensitive than men. We confirmed that the most accessible stereotype content involves attributes perceived to differ between groups (pretest), and that these stereotypes contain some accuracy but significantly exaggerate actual gender differences (Experiment 1). We observe less exaggeration when judging less accessible stereotype content (Experiment 2), or when judging individual men and women (Experiment 3). Considering the accessibility of specific stereotype content may explain when stereotypes exaggerate actual group differences and when they do not.

Risk perception of different emergencies in a sample of European firefighters.

Science.gov (United States)

Prati, Gabriele; Pietrantoni, Luca; Saccinto, Elisa; Kehl, Doris; Knuth, Daniela; Schmidt, Silke

2013-01-01

Firefighters frequently incur injuries while providing emergency services. Risk perception has been found to be associated with injury and safety behavior. This study examined risk perception of different emergency situations among firefighters. Along with risk perceptions, we investigated the role of practical experience, perceived training, tenure, and acute stress related to different emergency situations. Participants were a sample of 1324 firefighters from Germany and Italy. A questionnaire was administered to participants on risk perceptions, practical experience, perceived training, tenure, and acute stress. The results showed that different levels of risk perception are related to different practical experience, acute stress reactions, and training. Higher risk perception was associated with higher perceived training, practical experience, and acute stress reactions. A significant difference was found between the German and the Italian sample in risk perceptions. More specifically the Italian sample perceived disasters (e.g., earthquakes) as more risky. Moreover, there were some differences in perceived training and practical experience about the different emergency situations, in the two samples. The results underline the importance of considering organizational factors in the prediction of risk perception among firefighters.

Emergence of grouping in multi-resource minority game dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Zi-Gang; Zhang, Ji-Qiang; Dong, Jia-Qi; Huang, Liang; Lai, Ying-Cheng

2012-10-01

Complex systems arising in a modern society typically have many resources and strategies available for their dynamical evolutions. To explore quantitatively the behaviors of such systems, we propose a class of models to investigate Minority Game (MG) dynamics with multiple strategies. In particular, agents tend to choose the least used strategies based on available local information. A striking finding is the emergence of grouping states defined in terms of distinct strategies. We develop an analytic theory based on the mean-field framework to understand the ``bifurcations'' of the grouping states. The grouping phenomenon has also been identified in the Shanghai Stock-Market system, and we discuss its prevalence in other real-world systems. Our work demonstrates that complex systems obeying the MG rules can spontaneously self-organize themselves into certain divided states, and our model represents a basic and general mathematical framework to address this kind of phenomena in social, economical and political systems.

An agent-based simulation combined with group decision-making technique for improving the performance of an emergency department

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Yousefi

Full Text Available This study presents an agent-based simulation modeling in an emergency department. In a traditional approach, a supervisor (or a manager allocates the resources (receptionist, nurses, doctors, etc. to different sections based on personal experience or by using decision-support tools. In this study, each staff agent took part in the process of allocating resources based on their observation in their respective sections, which gave the system the advantage of utilizing all the available human resources during the workday by being allocated to a different section. In this simulation, unlike previous studies, all staff agents took part in the decision-making process to re-allocate the resources in the emergency department. The simulation modeled the behavior of patients, receptionists, triage nurses, emergency room nurses and doctors. Patients were able to decide whether to stay in the system or leave the department at any stage of treatment. In order to evaluate the performance of this approach, 6 different scenarios were introduced. In each scenario, various key performance indicators were investigated before and after applying the group decision-making. The outputs of each simulation were number of deaths, number of patients who leave the emergency department without being attended, length of stay, waiting time and total number of discharged patients from the emergency department. Applying the self-organizing approach in the simulation showed an average of 12.7 and 14.4% decrease in total waiting time and number of patients who left without being seen, respectively. The results showed an average increase of 11.5% in total number of discharged patients from emergency department.

What Is a Group? Young Children's Perceptions of Different Types of Groups and Group Entitativity.

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Maria Plötner

Full Text Available To date, developmental research on groups has focused mainly on in-group biases and intergroup relations. However, little is known about children's general understanding of social groups and their perceptions of different forms of group. In this study, 5- to 6-year-old children were asked to evaluate prototypes of four key types of groups: an intimacy group (friends, a task group (people who are collaborating, a social category (people who look alike, and a loose association (people who coincidently meet at a tram stop. In line with previous work with adults, the vast majority of children perceived the intimacy group, task group, and social category, but not the loose association, to possess entitativity, that is, to be a 'real group.' In addition, children evaluated group member properties, social relations, and social obligations differently in each type of group, demonstrating that young children are able to distinguish between different types of in-group relations. The origins of the general group typology used by adults thus appear early in development. These findings contribute to our knowledge about children's intuitive understanding of groups and group members' behavior.

Opportunities for Academic Language and Literacy Development for Emergent Bilingual Students during Group Work

Science.gov (United States)

Molle, Daniella; Lee, Naomi

2017-01-01

The present paper argues for a shift in teacher knowledge and beliefs about the role of group work in the teaching and learning of emergent bilingual students. Using case study data from an eighth grade classroom, the authors analyze the role of collaboration in the interaction with grade-level text of emergent bilingual students. The analysis…

Gender-stereotyping and cognitive sex differences in mixed- and same-sex groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Hirnstein, Marco; Coloma Andrews, Lisa; Hausmann, Markus

2014-11-01

Sex differences in specific cognitive abilities are well documented, but the biological, psychological, and sociocultural interactions that may underlie these differences are largely unknown. We examined within a biopsychosocial approach how gender stereotypes affect cognitive sex differences when adult participants were tested in mixed- or same-sex groups. A total of 136 participants (70 women) were allocated to either mixed- or same-sex groups and completed a battery of sex-sensitive cognitive tests (i.e., mental rotation, verbal fluency, perceptual speed) after gender stereotypes or gender-neutral stereotypes (control) were activated. To study the potential role of testosterone as a mediator for group sex composition and stereotype boost/threat effects, saliva samples were taken before the stereotype manipulation and after cognitive testing. The results showed the typical male and female advantages in mental rotation and verbal fluency, respectively. In general, men and women who were tested in mixed-sex groups and whose gender stereotypes had not been activated performed best. Moreover, a stereotype threat effect emerged in verbal fluency with reduced performance in gender stereotyped men but not women. Testosterone levels did not mediate the effects of group sex composition and stereotype threat nor did we find any relationship between testosterone and cognitive performance in men and women. Taken together, the findings suggest that an interaction of gender stereotyping and group sex composition affects the performance of men and women in sex-sensitive cognitive tasks. Mixed-sex settings can, in fact, increase cognitive performance as long as gender-stereotyping is prevented.

Novel Emergency Medicine Curriculum Utilizing Self-Directed Learning and the Flipped Classroom Method: Obstetric and Gynecologic Emergencies Small Group Module

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Jillian McGrath

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Audience: This curriculum, created and implemented at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, was primarily designed to educate our emergency medicine (EM residents (PGY1-3 and emergency medicine/internal medicine (EM/IM residents (PGY1-5 on core obstetrics and gynecology topics in EM. Additional audience members include medical students and faculty physicians. Introduction: In 2013, there were over 1 million emergency department visits in the United States which resulted in primary obstetric or gynecologic diagnoses.1 EM Residents must be proficient in the differential diagnosis and management of the wide variety of obstetric and gynecologic emergencies. To do this, we developed a flipped classroom curricular model, which consists of self-directed learning activities completed by learners, followed by small group discussions pertaining to the topic reviewed. The active learning fostered by this type of curriculum increases faculty and learner engagement and interaction time typically absent in traditional lecture-based formats.2-4 Studies have revealed that the application of knowledge through case studies, personal interaction with content experts, and integrated questions are effective learning strategies for EM residents.4-6 The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center EM residency didactic curriculum recently transitioned to a “flipped classroom” approach.7-10 Our didactic curriculum is delivered over the course of 18 months; however, it could easily be adapted to other academic calendar cycles. The flipped classroom curriculum maximizes didactic time and resident engagement, fosters intellectual curiosity and active learning, and meets the needs of today’s learners. 3,6,11 Objectives: We aim to teach the presentation and management of obstetric and gynecologic emergencies through the creation of a flipped classroom design. This unique, innovative curriculum utilizes resources chosen by education faculty and resident

Novel Emergency Medicine Curriculum Utilizing Self-Directed Learning and the Flipped Classroom Method: Head, Eyes, Ears, Nose and Throat Emergencies Small Group Module

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Andrew King

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Audience: This curriculum created and implemented at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center was designed to educate our emergency medicine (EM residents, PGY-1 to PGY-3, as well as medical students and attending physicians. Introduction: Head, Eyes, Ears, Nose and Throat (HEENT complaints are very commonly seen in the Emergency Department. Numbers vary as to exact prevalence, but sources show that there are about 2 million annual emergency department (ED visits in the United States for non-traumatic dental problems, representing 1.5% of all ED visits.1 Other sources show that symptoms referable to the throat encompass 2,496,000 visits or 1.9% of total visits.2 Notably, about 8% of the written exam in emergency medicine covers the topic of head and neck complaints, making it the second most tested topic behind cardiovascular.3 Residents must be proficient in the differential diagnosis and management of the wide variety of HEENT emergencies. The flipped classroom curricular model emphasizes self-directed learning activities completed by learners, followed by small group discussions pertaining to the topic reviewed. The active learning fostered by this curriculum increases faculty and learner engagement and interaction time typically absent in traditional lecture-based formats.4-6 Studies have revealed that the application of knowledge through case studies, personal interaction with content experts, and integrated questions are effective learning strategies for emergency medicine residents.6-8 The Ohio State University EM Residency didactic curriculum recently transitioned to a “flipped classroom” approach.9-13 We created this innovative curriculum aimed to improve our residency education program and to share educational resources with other EM residency programs. Our curriculum utilizes an 18-month curricular cycle to cover the defined emergency medicine content. The flipped classroom curriculum maximizes didactic time and resident

Night shift preparation, performance, and perception: are there differences between emergency medicine nurses, residents, and faculty?

Science.gov (United States)

Richards, John R; Stayton, Taylor L; Wells, Jason A; Parikh, Aman K; Laurin, Erik G

2018-04-30

Determine differences between faculty, residents, and nurses regarding night shift preparation, performance, recovery, and perception of emotional and physical health effects. Survey study performed at an urban university medical center emergency department with an accredited residency program in emergency medicine. Forty-seven faculty, 37 residents, and 90 nurses completed the survey. There was no difference in use of physical sleep aids between groups, except nurses utilized blackout curtains more (69%) than residents (60%) and faculty (45%). Bedroom temperature preference was similar. The routine use of pharmacologic sleep aids differed: nurses and residents (both 38%) compared to faculty (13%). Residents routinely used melatonin more (79%) than did faculty (33%) and nurses (38%). Faculty preferred not to eat (45%), whereas residents (24%) preferred a full meal. The majority (>72%) in all groups drank coffee before their night shift and reported feeling tired despite their routine, with 4:00 a.m. as median nadir. Faculty reported a higher rate (41%) of falling asleep while driving compared to residents (14%) and nurses (32%), but the accident rate (3% to 6%) did not differ significantly. All had similar opinions regarding night shift-associated health effects. However, faculty reported lower level of satisfaction working night shifts, whereas nurses agreed less than the other groups regarding increased risk of drug and alcohol dependence. Faculty, residents, and nurses shared many characteristics. Faculty tended to not use pharmacologic sleep aids, not eat before their shift, fall asleep at a higher rate while driving home, and enjoy night shift work less.

Emergence of interest groups on hazardous waste siting: how do they form and survive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, R.G.; Payne, B.A.

1985-01-01

This paper discusses the two components of the facilitative setting that are important for group formation. The first component, the ideological component, provides the basic ideas that are adopted by the emerging group. The ideological setting for group formation is produced by such things as antinuclear news coverage and concentration of news stories on hazardous waste problems, on ideas concerning the credibility of the federal government, and on the pervasivensee of ideas about general environmental problems. The organizational component of the facilitative setting provides such things as leadership ability, flexible time, resources, and experience. These are important for providing people, organization, and money to achieve group goals. By and large, the conditions conducive to group formation, growth, and survival are outside the control of decision-makers. Agencies and project sponsors are currently caught in a paradox. Actively involving the public in the decision-making process tends to contribute to the growth and survival of various interest groups. Not involving the public means damage to credibility and conflict with values concerning participatory democracy. Resolution in this area can only be achieved when a comprehensive, coordinated national approach to hazardous waste management emerges. 26 refs

Group foliation of finite difference equations

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Robert; Valiquette, Francis

2018-06-01

Using the theory of equivariant moving frames, a group foliation method for invariant finite difference equations is developed. This method is analogous to the group foliation of differential equations and uses the symmetry group of the equation to decompose the solution process into two steps, called resolving and reconstruction. Our constructions are performed algorithmically and symbolically by making use of discrete recurrence relations among joint invariants. Applications to invariant finite difference equations that approximate differential equations are given.

What Is a Group? Young Children’s Perceptions of Different Types of Groups and Group Entitativity

Science.gov (United States)

Plötner, Maria; Over, Harriet; Carpenter, Malinda; Tomasello, Michael

2016-01-01

To date, developmental research on groups has focused mainly on in-group biases and intergroup relations. However, little is known about children’s general understanding of social groups and their perceptions of different forms of group. In this study, 5- to 6-year-old children were asked to evaluate prototypes of four key types of groups: an intimacy group (friends), a task group (people who are collaborating), a social category (people who look alike), and a loose association (people who coincidently meet at a tram stop). In line with previous work with adults, the vast majority of children perceived the intimacy group, task group, and social category, but not the loose association, to possess entitativity, that is, to be a ‘real group.’ In addition, children evaluated group member properties, social relations, and social obligations differently in each type of group, demonstrating that young children are able to distinguish between different types of in-group relations. The origins of the general group typology used by adults thus appear early in development. These findings contribute to our knowledge about children's intuitive understanding of groups and group members' behavior. PMID:27010484

Health promoting attitudes and behaviors of emergency physicians: exploring gender differences.

Science.gov (United States)

Rondeau, Kent V; Francescutti, Louis H; Cummings, Garnet E

2006-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to report on gender differences in emergency physicians with respect to their attitudes, knowledge, and practices concerning health promotion and disease prevention. A mail survey of 325 male and 97 female Canadian emergency physicians. Results suggest female emergency physicians report having greater knowledge of health promotion topics, spend more time with each of their patients in the emergency setting, and engage in more health promotion counseling in the emergency setting than do their male counterparts. The paper argues that in the future, educating and socializing emergency physicians, both male and female, in the practice of health promotion will enhance the potential of the emergency department to be a more effective resource for their community.

Emergence of leadership in a robotic fish group under diverging individual personality traits.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chen; Chen, Xiaojie; Xie, Guangming; Cao, Ming

2017-05-01

Variations of individual's personality traits have been identified before as one of the possible mechanisms for the emergence of leadership in an interactive collective, which may lead to benefits for the group as a whole. Complementing the large number of existing literatures on using simulation models to study leadership, we use biomimetic robotic fish to gain insight into how the fish's behaviours evolve under the influence of the physical hydrodynamics. In particular, we focus in this paper on understanding how robotic fish's personality traits affect the emergence of an effective leading fish in repeated robotic foraging tasks when the robotic fish's strategies, to push or not to push the obstacle in its foraging path, are updated over time following an evolutionary game set-up. We further show that the robotic fish's personality traits diverge when the group carries out difficult foraging tasks in our experiments, and self-organization takes place to help the group to adapt to the level of difficulties of the tasks without inter-individual communication.

Anaesthesiologists in prehospital care make a difference to certain groups of patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Erika Frischknecht; Melchiorsen, Hanne; Kilsmark, J.

2003-01-01

pattern among emergency ambulance users included all main groups of diseases. After the MECU fewer were brought to hospital. The overall mortality for all ambulance users was not influenced by the MECU. For the subgroups, especially AMI, mortality was lower after the introduction of the MECU.......ACKGROUND: Knowledge of the population using prehospital emergency services is scarce except for selected subgroups. Interventions are often made without evaluation. The aim of this study was (1) to describe mortality, hospitalization and the diagnostic pattern among emergency ambulance users...... and (2) to evaluate the impact of one mobile emergency care unit (MECU) staffed by an anesthesiologist. DESIGN AND METHODS: A descriptive and quasi-experimental study of consecutive emergency ambulance users during two 3-month periods: before the MECU (Period 1) and after (Period 2). Hospitalization...

Using risk analysis in Health Impact Assessment: the impact of different relative risks for men and women in different socio-economic groups

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nilunger, Louise; Diderichsen, Finn; Burström, Bo

2004-01-01

The aim of this study is to contribute to the emerging field of quantification of Health Impact Assessment (HIA), by analysing how different relative risks affect the burden of disease for various socio-economic groups (SES). Risk analysis, utilising attributable and impact fraction, raises several...... methodological considerations. The present study illustrates this by measuring the impact of changed distribution levels of smoking on lung cancer, ischemic heart disease (IHD), chronic obstructive lung disorder (COLD) and stroke for the highest and lowest socio-economic groups measured in disability adjusted...... the highest and lowest socio-economic groups may decrease by 75% or increase by 21% depending on the size of the relative risk. Assuming the same smoking prevalence for the lowest socio-economic group as for the highest (impact fraction), then the inequality may decrease by 7-26%. Consequently, the size...

Emergence of leadership in a robotic fish group under diverging individual personality traits

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wang, Chen; Chen, Xiaojie; Xie, Guangming; Cao, Ming

2017-01-01

Variations of individual’s personality traits have been identified before as one of the possible mechanisms for the emergence of leadership in an interactive collective, which may lead to benefits for the group as a whole. Complementing the large number of existing literatures on using simulation

Associations between Extending Access to Primary Care and Emergency Department Visits: A Difference-In-Differences Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Whittaker, William; Anselmi, Laura; Kristensen, Søren Rud; Lau, Yiu-Shing; Bailey, Simon; Bower, Peter; Checkland, Katherine; Elvey, Rebecca; Rothwell, Katy; Stokes, Jonathan; Hodgson, Damian

2016-09-01

Health services across the world increasingly face pressures on the use of expensive hospital services. Better organisation and delivery of primary care has the potential to manage demand and reduce costs for hospital services, but routine primary care services are not open during evenings and weekends. Extended access (evening and weekend opening) is hypothesized to reduce pressure on hospital services from emergency department visits. However, the existing evidence-base is weak, largely focused on emergency out-of-hours services, and analysed using a before-and after-methodology without effective comparators. Throughout 2014, 56 primary care practices (346,024 patients) in Greater Manchester, England, offered 7-day extended access, compared with 469 primary care practices (2,596,330 patients) providing routine access. Extended access included evening and weekend opening and served both urgent and routine appointments. To assess the effects of extended primary care access on hospital services, we apply a difference-in-differences analysis using hospital administrative data from 2011 to 2014. Propensity score matching techniques were used to match practices without extended access to practices with extended access. Differences in the change in "minor" patient-initiated emergency department visits per 1,000 population were compared between practices with and without extended access. Populations registered to primary care practices with extended access demonstrated a 26.4% relative reduction (compared to practices without extended access) in patient-initiated emergency department visits for "minor" problems (95% CI -38.6% to -14.2%, absolute difference: -10,933 per year, 95% CI -15,995 to -5,866), and a 26.6% (95% CI -39.2% to -14.1%) relative reduction in costs of patient-initiated visits to emergency departments for minor problems (absolute difference: -£767,976, -£1,130,767 to -£405,184). There was an insignificant relative reduction of 3.1% in total emergency

Associations between Extending Access to Primary Care and Emergency Department Visits: A Difference-In-Differences Analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

William Whittaker

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Health services across the world increasingly face pressures on the use of expensive hospital services. Better organisation and delivery of primary care has the potential to manage demand and reduce costs for hospital services, but routine primary care services are not open during evenings and weekends. Extended access (evening and weekend opening is hypothesized to reduce pressure on hospital services from emergency department visits. However, the existing evidence-base is weak, largely focused on emergency out-of-hours services, and analysed using a before-and after-methodology without effective comparators.Throughout 2014, 56 primary care practices (346,024 patients in Greater Manchester, England, offered 7-day extended access, compared with 469 primary care practices (2,596,330 patients providing routine access. Extended access included evening and weekend opening and served both urgent and routine appointments. To assess the effects of extended primary care access on hospital services, we apply a difference-in-differences analysis using hospital administrative data from 2011 to 2014. Propensity score matching techniques were used to match practices without extended access to practices with extended access. Differences in the change in "minor" patient-initiated emergency department visits per 1,000 population were compared between practices with and without extended access. Populations registered to primary care practices with extended access demonstrated a 26.4% relative reduction (compared to practices without extended access in patient-initiated emergency department visits for "minor" problems (95% CI -38.6% to -14.2%, absolute difference: -10,933 per year, 95% CI -15,995 to -5,866, and a 26.6% (95% CI -39.2% to -14.1% relative reduction in costs of patient-initiated visits to emergency departments for minor problems (absolute difference: -£767,976, -£1,130,767 to -£405,184. There was an insignificant relative reduction of 3.1% in

THE EMERGING ECONOMIES CLASSIFICATION IN TERMS OF THEIR DEFINING, GROUPING CRITERIA AND ACRONYMS USED FOR THIS PURPOSE

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Daniela-Neonila, Mardiros

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The starting point of this paper is represented by an evolutionary approach of the terminology used to define the term of emerging economy, of the review of the acronyms used for the purpose to group some of these economies in relation to certain criteria. The approach of the emerging economies is followed by the presentation and the systematization of some of the definitions that, during the time, was given by certain personalities, groups and international organizations to this concept. Talking about economies, some of the important indicators in the award of the emerging economy status are those who take into consideration the income and the economic growth rate illustrated in this paper by GDP. Subsequently of the screening realized for the mentioned characteristics set was taken into consideration the mode how they are manifested in a number of emerging economies of Europe.

Differences in problems of motivation in different special groups

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kunnen, E.S.; Steenbeek, H.W.

1999-01-01

In general, children with a range of special needs have below-average motivation and perceived control. We have investigated whether differences exist between the types of problem in different special groups. Theory distinguishes between two types: low motivation and perceived control can be based

Differences in problems of motivation in different special groups

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kunnen, E.S.; Steenbeek, H.W.

In general, children with a range of special needs have below-average motivation and perceived control. We have investigated whether differences exist between the types of problem in different special groups. Theory distinguishes between two types: low motivation and perceived control can be based

Leadership emergence in engineering design teams.

Science.gov (United States)

Guastello, Stephen J

2011-01-01

Leaders emerge from leaderless groups as part of a more complex emerging social structure. Several studies have shown that the emerging structure is aptly described by a swallowtail catastrophe model where the control parameters differ depending on whether creative problem solving, production, coordination-intensive, or emergency management groups are involved. The present study explored creative problem solving further where the participants were engaged in real-world tasks extending over several months rather than short laboratory tasks. Participants were engineering students who were organized into groups of to people who designed, built, and tested a prototype product that would solve a real-world problem. At the th week of work they completed a questionnaire indicating who was most like the leader of their group, second most like the leader, along with other questions about individuals' contributions to the group process. Results showed that the swallowtail model (R = .) exhibited a strong advantage over the linear alternative model (R = .) for predicting leadership emergence. The three control variables were control of the task, creative contributions to the group's work, and facilitating the creative contributions of others.

Emergency contraception: different bioethical perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Bo

2007-10-01

Full Text Available Emergency contraceptives, in this case post-morning pills, are contraceptive methods used to avoid an unwanted pregnancy after an unprotected sexual intercourse. Their use is feeding a strong ethical debate between subjects for and against their prescription and leading some health professionals to conscientious objection. Among people contrary to prescription some oppose to it because of a general refuse of all contraceptive methods, others considering post-morning pills as abortive. Among people supporting prescription, some consider emergency contraception necessary to assure fundamental women’s rights, in particular the right to sexual auto-determination, while others prescribe emergency contraception only to avoid a greater demand for abortion. It is up to the Italian National Health Service warranting a correct balance between the two opposite positions, that can protect women’s right of access to health services.

Criticality triggers the emergence of collective intelligence in groups

Science.gov (United States)

De Vincenzo, Ilario; Giannoccaro, Ilaria; Carbone, Giuseppe; Grigolini, Paolo

2017-08-01

A spinlike model mimicking human behavior in groups is employed to investigate the dynamics of the decision-making process. Within the model, the temporal evolution of the state of systems is governed by a time-continuous Markov chain. The transition rates of the resulting master equation are defined in terms of the change of interaction energy between the neighboring agents (change of the level of conflict) and the change of a locally defined agent fitness. Three control parameters can be identified: (i) the social interaction strength β J measured in units of social temperature, (ii) the level of confidence β' that each individual has on his own expertise, and (iii) the level of knowledge p that identifies the expertise of each member. Based on these three parameters, the phase diagrams of the system show that a critical transition front exists where a sharp and concurrent change in fitness and consensus takes place. We show that at the critical front, the information leakage from the fitness landscape to the agents is maximized. This event triggers the emergence of the collective intelligence of the group, and in the end it leads to a dramatic improvement in the decision-making performance of the group. The effect of size M of the system is also investigated, showing that, depending on the value of the control parameters, increasing M may be either beneficial or detrimental.

Telehealth-Enabled Emergency Medical Services Program Reduces Ambulance Transport to Urban Emergency Departments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

James Robert Langabeer

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Introduction Emergency medical services (EMS agencies transport a significant majority of patients with low acuity and non-emergent conditions to local emergency departments (ED, affecting the entire emergency care system’s capacity and performance. Opportunities exist for alternative models that integrate technology, telehealth, and more appropriately aligned patient navigation. While a limited number of programs have evolved recently, no empirical evidence exists for their efficacy. This research describes the development and comparative effectiveness of one large urban program. Methods The Houston Fire Department initiated the Emergency Telehealth and Navigation (ETHAN program in 2014. ETHAN combines telehealth, social services, and alternative transportation to navigate primary care-related patients away from the ED where possible. Using a case-control study design, we describe the program and compare differences in effectiveness measures relative to the control group. Results During the first 12 months, 5,570 patients participated in the telehealth-enabled program, which were compared against the same size control group. We found a 56% absolute reduction in ambulance transports to the ED with the intervention compared to the control group (18% vs. 74%, P<.001. EMS productivity (median time from EMS notification to unit back in service was 44 minutes faster for the ETHAN group (39 vs. 83 minutes, median. There were no statistically significant differences in mortality or patient satisfaction. Conclusion We found that mobile technology-driven delivery models are effective at reducing unnecessary ED ambulance transports and increasing EMS unit productivity. This provides support for broader EMS mobile integrated health programs in other regions.

The impact of an emergency fee increase on the composition of patients visiting emergency departments.

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Hyemin; Do, Young Kyung; Kim, Yoon; Ro, Junsoo

2014-11-01

This study aimed to test our hypothesis that a raise in the emergency fee implemented on March 1, 2013 has increased the proportion of patients with emergent symptoms by discouraging non-urgent emergency department visits. We conducted an analysis of 728 736 patients registered in the National Emergency Department Information System who visited level 1 and level 2 emergency medical institutes in the two-month time period from February 1, 2013, one month before the raise in the emergency fee, to March 31, 2013, one month after the raise. A difference-in-difference method was used to estimate the net effects of a raise in the emergency fee on the probability that an emergency visit is for urgent conditions. The percentage of emergency department visits in urgent or equivalent patients increased by 2.4% points, from 74.2% before to 76.6% after the policy implementation. In a group of patients transferred using public transport or ambulance, who were assumed to be least conscious of cost, the change in the proportion of urgent patients was not statistically significant. On the other hand, the probability that a group of patients directly presenting to the emergency department by private transport, assumed to be most conscious of cost, showed a 2.4% point increase in urgent conditions (pfee implemented on March 1, 2013 increased the proportion of urgent patients in the total emergency visits by reducing emergency department visits by non-urgent patients.

Group cohesion in sports teams of different professional level

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vazha M. Devishvili

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Background. Team sports are not only the most exciting sporting events. but also complex activities that make serious demands on players. The effectiveness of the team depends not only on the high level of gaming interaction. but also on the relationship between the players. The work is based on the material of sports teams and is devoted to the study of the phenomenon of group cohesion. As a basic model. the authors choose a 4-factor model that describes cohesion in sports teams. The paper also considered the phenomenon of the emergence of the aggregate subject in the process of joint activity. when the participants feel themselves as a whole and experience feelings of satisfaction and a surge of energy. Objective. The main objective of the work is to investigate the relationship between the level of team cohesion and subjective feelings of unity of its players. As additional variables in the study there is a sport (football and volleyball and team level (amateur and professional. To test the assumptions. two methods were used (the Sport Team Cohesion Questionnaire and the Subject Unity Index. which allow not only to determine the overall level of cohesion and unity. but also to reveal the structure of both phenomena. The study involved two men’s volleyball and two men’s football teams of different ages: 8-9 years (39 athletes; 12-14 years (24 athletes and 18-25 years (41 athletes. Design. For amateur groups represented by children’s and teenage sports teams. significant correlations between unity and unity were obtained (r = 0.618. p <0.01; r = 0.477. p <0.05. For professional teams. no significant correlations were found. Influence of the sport on cohesion is also different for amateur and professional teams. In the first case. the cohesion is higher for football players (U = 118. p <0.05. and in the second case for volleyball players (U = 124. p <0.05. Results. The findings indicate that the professional level of players affects group

Emergence of Yalom's therapeutic factors in a peer-led, asynchronous, online support group for family caregivers.

Science.gov (United States)

Diefenbeck, Cynthia A; Klemm, Paula R; Hayes, Evelyn R

2014-01-01

Support groups fill a critical void in the health care system, harnessing the power of shared experiences to provide support to group members. Likewise, family caregivers fill a void in the health care system, providing billions in unpaid care to the chronically ill. Caregiver support groups offer an opportunity for alleviating the psychological burden of caregiving. The power of any group, including a support group, to foster psychological well-being lies in its ability to cultivate Yalom's therapeutic factors. Gaps in the literature remain regarding the ability of non-prototypical groups to promote therapeutic mechanisms of change. The purpose of this study was to determine if and when Yalom's therapeutic group factors emerged in a peer-led support group delivered in an asynchronous, online format. Qualitative content analysis utilizing deductive category application was employed. Participants' responses were coded and frequency counts were conducted. Results revealed that 9 of 11 therapeutic factors emerged over the course of the group, with Group Cohesiveness, Catharsis, Imparting of Information, and Universality occurring most often. Several factors, including Interpersonal Learning, Corrective Recapitulation of the Primary Family Group, Imitative Behavior, and Development of Socializing Techniques were absent or virtually absent, likely due to the peer-led format of the group. Progression of therapeutic factors over the course of the group is presented. Findings demonstrate the presence of a variety of Yalom's therapeutic factors in an asynchronous, peer-led online support group.

Characterization and evaluation of three groups of rice upland of different origins through gamma-ray sensitivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodrigues, Luis Roberto Franco

2002-01-01

The characterization and evaluation of varieties of rice aid in the parents selection and in the increase of the genetic base of breeding programs. The present work was carried out to characterize and to evaluate three groups of rice upland (Oryza sativa L.) of different origins through gamma-ray sensitivity. Seeds of 84 varieties collected from Japan, Philippines and Brazil, were submitted to various doses of gamma-radiation and sown in wooden boxes. The experiment was conducted in 1991 at greenhouse according to randomized complete block design with three replications. Physiological effects caused by radiation in the M 1 generation, such as seed emergency, seedling height and survival rate, were determined and evaluated. The results showed significant differences of sensitivity to the radiation among three groups for all traits evaluated. (author)

Emergent Learning and Interactive Media Artworks: Parameters of Interaction for Novice Groups

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marta Kawka

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Emergent learning describes learning that occurs when participants interact and distribute knowledge, where learning is self-directed, and where the learning destination of the participants is largely unpredictable (Williams, Karousou, & Mackness, 2011. These notions of learning arise from the topologies of social networks and can be applied to the learning that occurs in educational institutions. However, the question remains whether institutional frameworks can accommodate the opposing notion of “cooperative systems” (Shirky, 2005, systems that facilitate the creation of user-generated content, particularly as first-year education cohorts are novice groups in the sense of not yet having developed university-level knowledge.This paper theorizes an emergent learning assessment item (Flickr photo-narratives within a first-year media arts undergraduate education course. It challenges the conventional models of student–lecturer interaction by outlining a methodology of teaching for emergence that will facilitate student-directed and open-ended learning. The paper applies a matrix with four parameters (teacher-directed content/student-directed content; non-interactive learning task/interactive learning framework. This matrix is used as a conceptual space within which to investigate how a learning task might be constructed to afford the best opportunities for emergent learning. It explores the strategies that interactive artists utilize for participant engagement (particularly the relationship between the artist and the audience in the creation of interactive artworks and suggests how these strategies might be applied to emergent generative outcomes with first-year education students.We build upon Williams et al.’s framework of emergent learning, where “content will not be delivered to learners but co-constructed with them” (De Freitas & Conole, as cited in Williams et al., 2011, p. 40, and the notion that in constructing emergent

Efficacy of Varicocele Repair in Different Age Groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Yazdani, Mohammad; Hadi, Mazaher; Abbasi, Homayoun; Nourimahdavi, Kia; Khalighinejad, Pooyan; Mirsattari, Arash; Hadi, Ali

2015-08-01

To compare semen parameters and spouse pregnancy rates after varicocele repair in 2 age groups. Mean changes in spermatozoa concentration, motility, and morphology after varicocele repair in 83 patients were compared between patients aged 30 years or younger (group 1) and those older than 30 years (group 2). Spouse pregnancy rates were compared between the 2 age groups. The mean sperm concentration increased significantly in both groups (P group 1 and from 47.2% to 53.2% in group 2 one year after varicocele repair. The increase in motility was statistically significant for both groups (P groups (P = .01). The percentage of sperm with abnormal morphology decreased significantly in both groups 12 months postoperatively (from 62.7% to 59.6% in group 1 and from 61.3% to 58% in group 2; P = .03). However, there was no statistically significant difference in the improvement in sperm morphology between the 2 groups (P >.05). The pregnancy rates in the patients' spouses were 51.1% and 44.7% in groups 1 and 2, respectively. This difference was not statistically significant (P = .9). There was no statistically significant difference in semen parameter improvement and spouse pregnancy rates after varicocelectomy in the 2 age groups. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Individualisation of Migration from the East? Comparison of Different Socio-Demographic Groups and their Migration Intentions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maarja Saar

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Recent studies on Eastern European migration argue that moving for self-development reasons is becoming increasingly common among this group. Furthermore, it is suggested that migration from the East is becoming individualised and less dependent on social surroundings. Nevertheless, most such results rely on interviews conducted among certain social groups, such as the young and highly skilled. Hence, the comparison between different social groups and their motivations is rarely provided and, therefore, the claims about increased individualisation might be premature. This article uses the Estonian Household Module Survey, including responses from 620 Estonians intending to migrate, to evaluate if migration flows are indeed becoming more individualised and less dependent on social surroundings. Using cluster analysis, three different groups — self-development, economic and life quality migrants — are formed, which are then tested using regression analysis to check for the influence of socio-demographic variables. The article concludes that socio-demographic variables such as gender, age, ethnicity, family status and socio-economic status are still relevant for migration intentions. Indeed, a new group of Eastern European migrants, mainly oriented towards self-development, is emerging; however, it is small and consists mostly of young, Estonian-speaking females. The results complicate the notions of free mobility and liquid migration from Eastern Europe and illustrate that there is a need to pay attention to the increasing group differences in these societies

Perceived Discrimination as a Risk Factor for Use of Emerging Tobacco Products: More Similarities Than Differences Across Demographic Groups and Attributions for Discrimination.

Science.gov (United States)

Unger, Jennifer B

2018-01-17

Perceived discrimination has been associated with cigarette smoking and other substance use among members of disadvantaged minority groups. However, most studies have focused on a single minority group, have not considered the individual's attribution for the discrimination, and have not considered emerging tobacco products. This study examined the associations between perceived discrimination and use of six tobacco products (cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, hookah, and smokeless tobacco) in a diverse sample of 1,068 adults in the United States. Participants were recruited on Amazon's Mechanical Turk and participated in an online survey. Logistic regression models were used to examine the association between perceived discrimination and use of each tobacco product. Interactions between discrimination and demographic characteristics, and between discrimination and perceived reasons for discrimination, were evaluated. Controlling for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, and socioeconomic status, perceived discrimination was a risk factor for current use of five of the six tobacco products. These associations were consistent across racial/ethnic groups and regardless of the individual's attribution for the reason for the discrimination. Results indicate that perceived discrimination is a risk factor for the use of multiple tobacco products, and that this association is not limited to particular demographic groups or types of discrimination. Public health programs could potentially reduce tobacco-related disease by teaching healthier ways to cope with discrimination.

Big Five personality group differences across academic majors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vedel, Anna

characterisations are more than humoristic elements in TV shows; are there real, measurable personality differences among groups of academics? One way to study this is to look at students in different academic majors and examine whether they differ on the group level in broad personality traits. During the past...... decades, studies have regularly explored associations between enrolment in specific academic majors and scores on the Big Five personality traits; Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness. The present review examines this research systematically, summarises group...... group differences in the Big Five personality traits were generally found in the included studies. None of the included studies reported effect sizes, though, so the magnitude of the obtained differences was not estimated. Consequently, effect sizes were calculated using means and standard deviations...

Seedling Emergence and Phenotypic Response of Common Bean Germplasm to Different Temperatures under Controlled Conditions and in Open Field.

Science.gov (United States)

De Ron, Antonio M; Rodiño, Ana P; Santalla, Marta; González, Ana M; Lema, María J; Martín, Isaura; Kigel, Jaime

2016-01-01

Rapid and uniform seed germination and seedling emergence under diverse environmental conditions is a desirable characteristic for crops. Common bean genotypes (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) differ in their low temperature tolerance regarding growth and yield. Cultivars tolerant to low temperature during the germination and emergence stages and carriers of the grain quality standards demanded by consumers are needed for the success of the bean crop. The objectives of this study were (i) to screen the seedling emergence and the phenotypic response of bean germplasm under a range of temperatures in controlled chamber and field conditions to display stress-tolerant genotypes with good agronomic performances and yield potential, and (ii) to compare the emergence of bean seedlings under controlled environment and in open field conditions to assess the efficiency of genebanks standard germination tests for predicting the performance of the seeds in the field. Three trials were conducted with 28 dry bean genotypes in open field and in growth chamber under low, moderate, and warm temperature. Morpho-agronomic data were used to evaluate the phenotypic performance of the different genotypes. Cool temperatures resulted in a reduction of the rate of emergence in the bean genotypes, however, emergence and early growth of bean could be under different genetic control and these processes need further research to be suitably modeled. Nine groups arose from the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) representing variation in emergence time and proportion of emergence in the controlled chamber and in the open field indicating a trend to lower emergence in large and extra-large seeded genotypes. Screening of seedling emergence and phenotypic response of the bean germplasm under a range of temperatures in controlled growth chambers and under field conditions showed several genotypes, as landraces 272, 501, 593, and the cultivar Borlotto, with stress-tolerance at emergence, and high yield

Seedling Emergence and Phenotypic Response of Common Bean Germplasm to Different Temperatures under Controlled Conditions and in Open Field

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio M. DE RON

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Rapid and uniform seed germination and seedling emergence under diverse environmental conditions is a desirable characteristic for crops. Common bean genotypes (Phaseolus vulgaris L. differ in their low temperature tolerance regarding growth and yield. Cultivars tolerant to low temperature during the germination and emergence stages and carriers of the grain quality standards demanded by consumers are needed for the success of the bean crop. The objectives of this study were i to screen the seedling emergence and the phenotypic response of bean germplasm under a range of temperatures in controlled chamber and field conditions to display stress-tolerant genotypes with good agronomic performances and yield potential, and ii to compare the emergence of bean seedlings under controlled environment and in open field conditions to assess the efficiency of genebanks standard germination tests for predicting the performance of the seeds in the field. Three trials were conducted with 28 dry bean genotypes in open field and in growth chamber under low, moderate and warm temperature. Morpho-agronomic data were used to evaluate the phenotypic performance of the different genotypes. Cool temperatures resulted in a reduction of the rate of emergence in the bean genotypes, however, emergence and early growth of bean could be under different genetic control and these processes need further research to be suitably modeled. Nine groups arose from the Principal Component Analysis (PCA representing variation in emergence time and proportion of emergence in the controlled chamber and in the open field indicating a trend to lower emergence in large and extra-large seeded genotypes. Screening of seedling emergence and phenotypic response of the bean germplasm under a range of temperatures in controlled growth chambers and under field conditions showed several genotypes, as landraces 272, 501, 593 and the cultivar Borlotto, with stress-tolerance at emergence and high

Within-Group Differences in Sexual Orientation and Identity

Science.gov (United States)

Worthington, Roger L.; Reynolds, Amy L.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this investigation was to examine within-group differences among self-identified sexual orientation and identity groups. To understand these within-group differences, 2 types of analysis were conducted. First, a sample of 2,732 participants completed the Sexual Orientation and Identity Scale. Cluster analyses were used to identify 3…

Assessment of abuse-related injuries: a comparative study of forensic physicians, emergency room physicians, emergency room nurses and medical students.

Science.gov (United States)

Reijnders, Udo J L; Giannakopoulos, Georgios F; de Bruin, Kim H

2008-01-01

A comparative study was made investigating whether emergency room physicians, emergency room nurses, forensic physicians, and interns are competent in describing, recognising and determining the possible cause of injuries. The injury assessment scores varied from good--adequate--fail and remained blank in various participant groups. Forensic physicians scored significantly better than emergency room staff and interns in the assessment of abuse-related injuries. There were almost no differences noted between emergency room physicians and emergency room nurses. For the functional group with more or less than 4 to 6 years of experience, no significant differences were noted for scoring good in all 5 cases. The fact that forensic physicians scored better than the emergency room staff is probably explained by the fact that almost all practicing forensic physicians have been officially qualified. Training in this field for all professionals involved in such assessment should be mandatory.

Psychological wellness constructs: relationships and group differences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liezl Gropp

2007-02-01

Full Text Available The objective of the study was to examine the relationships between several constructs that were hypothesised to be components underlying psychological wellness and to establish whether there were differences between managerial and non-managerial groups or between Black and White groups in respect of the wellness variables. The Personal Orientation Inventory (POI, Locus of Control Inventory (LOC, Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC, and the Bar-On EQ-I were administered to a random sample of 200 employees of a financial services company. Statistically significant differences were found between the groups on several of the wellness variables with the manager and White groups obtaining higher scores on these variables than their comparison groups. However, in respect of External Locus of Control, the non-manager and Black groups obtained the higher scores. Factor analytic results demonstrated that the wellness variables clustered in two correlated factors (r = 0,43 labeled psychological wellness and self-actualisation.

Quantifying and Interpreting Group Differences in Interest Profiles

Science.gov (United States)

Armstrong, Patrick Ian; Fouad, Nadya A.; Rounds, James; Hubert, Lawrence

2010-01-01

Research on group differences in interests has often focused on structural hypotheses and mean-score differences in Holland's (1997) theory, with comparatively little research on basic interest measures. Group differences in interest profiles were examined using statistical methods for matching individuals with occupations, the C-index, Q…

Comparison of nuclear plant emergency plans of PBNCC members

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kato, W.Y.; Hopwood, J.M.

1987-01-01

The Nuclear Safety Working Group (NSWG) of the Pacific Basin Nuclear Cooperation Committee initiated cooperation among Pacific Basin areas based primarily around emergency planning. The NSWG conducted a review of the emergency response plans of members. This paper briefly reviews and makes a comparison of the emergency response plans, with particular attention on the response organization, the planning zone, and the protective action guidelines for emergencies. Although all areas have adopted the same basic elements of emergency planning and are similar, there are also variances due to different governmental structures, population densities, and available resources. It is found that the most significant difference is in the size of the emergency planning zone. The paper concludes with a discussion on possible future cooperative activities of the working group. (author)

Different groups, different threats: a multi-threat approach to the experience of stereotype threats.

Science.gov (United States)

Shapiro, Jenessa R

2011-04-01

Two studies demonstrated that different negatively stereotyped groups are at risk for distinct forms of stereotype threats. The Multi-Threat Framework articulates six distinct stereotype threats and the unique constellations of variables (e.g., group identification, stereotype endorsement) that elicit each stereotype threat. Previous research suggests that different negatively stereotyped groups systematically vary across these stereotype threat elicitors; a pilot study confirms these differences. Across two studies, groups that tend to elicit low stereotype endorsement (religion, race/ethnicity, congenital blindness) were less likely to report experiencing self-as-source stereotype threats (stereotype threats requiring stereotype endorsement) and groups that tend to elicit low group identification (mental illness, obesity, blindness later in life) were less likely to report experiencing group-as-target stereotype threats (stereotype threats requiring group identification). This research suggests that traditional models may overlook the experiences of stereotype threats within some groups and that interventions tailored to address differences between stereotype threats will be most effective.

Emergency Department Sickle Cell Assessment of Needs and Strengths (ED-SCANS), a Focus Group and Decision Support Tool Development Project

Science.gov (United States)

Tanabe, Paula; Reddin, Christopher; Thornton, Victoria L.; Todd, Knox H.; Wun, Ted; Lyons, John S.

2010-01-01

transcripts and met until the final coding structure was determined. Results Forty-seven individuals participated (14 persons with SCD, 16 physicians, and 17 nurses) in a total of seven different groups. Two major themes emerged: acute management and health care utilization. Major sub-themes included the following: physiologic findings, diagnostics, assessment and treatment of acute painful episodes, and disposition. The most common minor sub-themes that emerged included past medical history, presence of a medical home (physician or clinic), individualized analgesic treatment plan for treatment of painful episodes, history of present illness, medical home follow-up available, patient reported analgesic treatment that works, and availability of analgesic prescription at discharge. Additional important elements in treatment of acute pain episodes included the use of a standard analgesic protocol, need for fluids and non-pharmacologic interventions, and the assessment of typicality of pain presentation. The patients' interpretation of the need for hospital admission also ranked high. Conclusions Participants identified several areas that are important in the assessment, management, and disposition decisions that may help guide best practices for SCD patients in the ED setting. PMID:20670322

Dexmedetomidine does not reduce emergence agitation in adults following orthognathic surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Ham, S Y; Kim, J E; Park, C; Shin, M J; Shim, Y H

2014-09-01

Patients undergoing orthognathic surgery are at high risk of developing emergence agitation. We hypothesised that a single-dose of dexmedetomidine would reduce emergence agitation in adults with nasotracheal intubation after orthognathic surgery. Seventy adults (20-45 years old) undergoing orthognathic surgery were randomly assigned to two groups. Patients received intravenous dexmedetomidine 1 μg/kg (dex group) or normal saline (control group) for 10 min at the end of surgery. Remifentanil was infused at 0.02 μg/kg/min during emergence in both groups. The severity of emergence agitation was assessed with the Richmond agitation-sedation scale. Cough, haemodynamic and respiratory profiles, pain, and time to eye opening were evaluated. The incidence of emergence agitation was not different between dex group and control group (38% vs. 47%, P = 0.45). However, severe cough during emergence was reduced in the dex group (P = 0.04). Tachycardia during emergence and recovery phases was attenuated in the dex group. The verbal numeric rating of pain was lower in the dex group. There were no differences in respiratory rate between the two groups. Time to eye opening was prolonged in the dex group. The addition of a single dose of dexmedetomidine (1 μg/kg) to low-dose remifentanil infusion did not attenuate emergence agitation in intubated patients after orthognathic surgery compared with low-dose remifentanil infusion alone. However, single-dose dexmedetomidine suppressed coughing, haemodynamic changes, and pain during emergence and recovery phases, without respiratory depression. Delayed awakening might be associated with this treatment. © 2014 The Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Flynn effect, group differences, and g loadings

NARCIS (Netherlands)

te Nijenhuis, J.

2013-01-01

Flynn effect gains are predominantly driven by environmental factors. Might these factors also be responsible for group differences in intelligence? Group differences in intelligence have been clearly shown to strongly correlate with g loadings. The empirical studies on whether the pattern of Flynn

Telehealth-Enabled Emergency Medical Services Program Reduces Ambulance Transport to Urban Emergency Departments.

Science.gov (United States)

Langabeer, James R; Gonzalez, Michael; Alqusairi, Diaa; Champagne-Langabeer, Tiffany; Jackson, Adria; Mikhail, Jennifer; Persse, David

2016-11-01

Emergency medical services (EMS) agencies transport a significant majority of patients with low acuity and non-emergent conditions to local emergency departments (ED), affecting the entire emergency care system's capacity and performance. Opportunities exist for alternative models that integrate technology, telehealth, and more appropriately aligned patient navigation. While a limited number of programs have evolved recently, no empirical evidence exists for their efficacy. This research describes the development and comparative effectiveness of one large urban program. The Houston Fire Department initiated the Emergency Telehealth and Navigation (ETHAN) program in 2014. ETHAN combines telehealth, social services, and alternative transportation to navigate primary care-related patients away from the ED where possible. Using a case-control study design, we describe the program and compare differences in effectiveness measures relative to the control group. During the first 12 months, 5,570 patients participated in the telehealth-enabled program, which were compared against the same size control group. We found a 56% absolute reduction in ambulance transports to the ED with the intervention compared to the control group (18% vs. 74%, P models are effective at reducing unnecessary ED ambulance transports and increasing EMS unit productivity. This provides support for broader EMS mobile integrated health programs in other regions.

Leadership emergence over time in short-lived groups: Integrating expectations states theory with temporal person-perception and self-serving bias.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalish, Yuval; Luria, Gil

2016-10-01

Research into leadership emergence typically focuses on the attributes of the emergent leader. By considering also the attributes of perceivers and the passage of time, we develop a more complete theory of leadership emergence in short-lived groups. Using expectation states theory as an overarching theoretical framework, and integrating it with the surface- and deep-level diversity literature and with theories of self-serving biases, we examine the predictors of leadership emergence in short timeframes. We conduct a field study in a military assessment boot camp (a pilot study, n = 60; and a main study, n = 89). We use cross-sectional and longitudinal exponential random graph models to analyze data on participants' abilities and on their perceptions of who, in their respective groups, were "leaders." We find that the criteria by which people perceive leadership in others change over time, from easily noticeable attributes to covert leadership-relevant attributes, and that people also rely on leadership-relevant attributes that they possess at high levels to inform their perceptions of leadership in others. The integration of expectation states theory, attribute salience over time and theories of self-serving bias is needed for a full understanding of leadership emergence in groups, because perceivers' own abilities are instrumental in shaping their perceptions of emergent leadership over time. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

On distinguishing different models of a class of emergent Universe ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Souvik Ghose

2018-02-20

Feb 20, 2018 ... the same class of EU in light of union compilation data (SNIa) which consists of over a hundred data points, thus ... Dark energy; emergent Universe; observational data. .... μ vs. z curve for different EU models along with the.

Seedling emergence of an array of Campomanesia adamantium (Cambess. O. Berg, under different conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaila Ressel

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Seedling emergence of an array of Campomanesia adamantium (Cambess. O. Berg, under different conditions. Campomanesia adamantium are shrubs with berries that are yellow when ripe, with sweet, aromatic and juicy pulp. The fruits are very appreciated by the Midwestern Brazilian population because, beyond the economic potential, gabirobeiras have important ecological and medicinal applications. The few reports concerning methods of C. adamantium propagation demonstrate varied responses of the germination process, and variation sometimes occurs for seeds planted under similar conditions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the inluence of different substrates and seed pulp extraction methods on seedling emergence of C. adamantium. Seeds were collected from a single individual. The experiment tested four methods of seed pulp extraction: a Control: seeds sown with pulp, b seeds whose pulp was mechanically removed by friction using fine sawdust, c seeds whose pulp was removed by washing in running water; d seeds with pulp soaked for 24 h. Four different substrates per pulp extraction type were then used for planting: 1 Vermiculite; 2 Plantmax ®; 3 Tri-Mix ®, 4 washed medium-grain sand. Sand was the substrate that produced the best result for seedling emergence, however there were no significant differences in seedling emergence between seed processing methods. The presence of seed pulp did not impact percent seedling emergence, nor did it affect average time or speed of seedling emergence.

Outsourcing Strategies of Emerging Country Firms : Are they Different from Developed Country Multinationals?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fleury, A.; Arkader, R.; Größler, A.; Timenes Laugen, B.

2010-01-01

The purpose of the paper is to analyze differences in the sourcing strategies of manufacturing firms from emerging and from developed markets. More specifically, we test whether manufacturers from emerging markets have other objectives when sourcing from within their countries or from international

A triangular fuzzy TOPSIS-based approach for the application of water technologies in different emergency water supply scenarios.

Science.gov (United States)

Qu, Jianhua; Meng, Xianlin; Yu, Huan; You, Hong

2016-09-01

Because of the increasing frequency and intensity of unexpected natural disasters, providing safe drinking water for the affected population following a disaster has become a global challenge of growing concern. An onsite water supply technology that is portable, mobile, or modular is a more suitable and sustainable solution for the victims than transporting bottled water. In recent years, various water techniques, such as membrane-assisted technologies, have been proposed and successfully implemented in many places. Given the diversity of techniques available, the current challenge is how to scientifically identify the optimum options for different disaster scenarios. Hence, a fuzzy triangular-based multi-criteria, group decision-making tool was developed in this research. The approach was then applied to the selection of the most appropriate water technologies corresponding to the different emergency water supply scenarios. The results show this tool capable of facilitating scientific analysis in the evaluation and selection of emergency water technologies for enduring security drinking water supply in disaster relief.

Executive function in different groups of university students

OpenAIRE

Prosen, Simona; Smrtnik Vitulić, Helena

2015-01-01

The present study analyses the executive function (EF) skills of 369 students of primary education (n = 116), preschool education (n = 72), social pedagogy (n = 54), and biology (n = 128). It explores how the different groups of students use selected executive skills and whether there are any differences between the groups in this respect. Eleven EF skills were self-assessed using the Executive Skills Questionnaire for Students (Dawson & Guare, 2010). All of the groups of students experien...

Differences between girls and boys in emerging language skills

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eriksson, Mårten; Marschik, Peter B; Tulviste, Tiia

2012-01-01

The present study explored gender differences in emerging language skills in 13,783 European children from 10 non-English language communities. It was based on a synthesis of published data assessed with adapted versions of the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories (CDIs) from age 0.......08 to 2.06. The results showed that girls are slightly ahead of boys in early communicative gestures, in productive vocabulary, and in combining words. The difference increased with age. Boys were not found to be more variable than girls. Despite extensive variation in language skills between language...

Construction of a technique plan repository and evaluation system based on AHP group decision-making for emergency treatment and disposal in chemical pollution accidents.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Shenggang; Cao, Jingcan; Feng, Li; Liang, Wenyan; Zhang, Liqiu

2014-07-15

The environmental pollution resulting from chemical accidents has caused increasingly serious concerns. Therefore, it is very important to be able to determine in advance the appropriate emergency treatment and disposal technology for different types of chemical accidents. However, the formulation of an emergency plan for chemical pollution accidents is considerably difficult due to the substantial uncertainty and complexity of such accidents. This paper explains how the event tree method was used to create 54 different scenarios for chemical pollution accidents, based on the polluted medium, dangerous characteristics and properties of chemicals involved. For each type of chemical accident, feasible emergency treatment and disposal technology schemes were established, considering the areas of pollution source control, pollutant non-proliferation, contaminant elimination and waste disposal. Meanwhile, in order to obtain the optimum emergency disposal technology schemes as soon as the chemical pollution accident occurs from the plan repository, the technique evaluation index system was developed based on group decision-improved analytical hierarchy process (AHP), and has been tested by using a sudden aniline pollution accident that occurred in a river in December 2012. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Big Five personality group differences across academic majors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vedel, Anna

2016-01-01

During the past decades, a number of studies have explored personality group differences in the Big Five personality traits among students in different academic majors. To date, though, this research has not been reviewed systematically. This was the aim of the present review. A systematic...... literature search identified twelve eligible studies yielding an aggregated sample size of 13,389. Eleven studies reported significant group differences in one or multiple Big Five personality traits. Consistent findings across studies were that students of arts/humanities and psychology scored high...... on Conscientiousness. Effect sizes were calculated to estimate the magnitude of the personality group differences. These effect sizes were consistent across studies comparing similar pairs of academic majors. For all Big Five personality traits medium effect sizes were found frequently, and for Openness even large...

Teaching emergency medicine with workshops improved medical student satisfaction in emergency medicine education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sricharoen P

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Pungkava Sricharoen,1 Chaiyaporn Yuksen,1 Yuwares Sittichanbuncha,1 Kittisak Sawanyawisuth2,3 1Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand; 2Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand; 3The Research Center in Back, Neck, Other Joint Pain and Human Performance (BNOJPH, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand Background: There are different teaching methods; such as traditional lectures, bedside teaching, and workshops for clinical medical clerkships. Each method has advantages and disadvantages in different situations. Emergency Medicine (EM focuses on emergency medical conditions and deals with several emergency procedures. This study aimed to compare traditional teaching methods with teaching methods involving workshops in the EM setting for medical students. Methods: Fifth year medical students (academic year of 2010 at Ramathibodi Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand participated in the study. Half of students received traditional teaching, including lectures and bedside teaching, while the other half received traditional teaching plus three workshops, namely, airway workshop, trauma workshop, and emergency medical services workshop. Student evaluations at the end of the clerkship were recorded. The evaluation form included overall satisfaction, satisfaction in overall teaching methods, and satisfaction in each teaching method. Results: During the academic year 2010, there were 189 students who attended the EM rotation. Of those, 77 students (40.74% were in the traditional EM curriculum, while 112 students were in the new EM curriculum. The average satisfaction score in teaching method of the new EM curriculum group was higher than the traditional EM curriculum group (4.54 versus 4.07, P-value <0.001. The top three highest average satisfaction scores in the new EM curriculum group were trauma

Understanding the emergence of state goal orientation in organizational work groups: the role of leadership and multilevel climate perceptions.

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Dragoni, Lisa

2005-11-01

This article attends to a broad range of practically significant employee motivations and provides insight into how to enhance individual-level performance by examining individual-level state goal orientation emergence in organizational work groups. Leadership and multilevel climate processes are theorized to parallel each dimension of state goal orientation to cue and ultimately induce the corresponding achievement focus among individual work group members. It is argued that the patterns of leader behavior, which elucidate the leader's achievement priority, shape group members' psychological and work group climate to embody this priority. Resulting multilevel climate perceptions signal and compel group members to adopt the ascribed form of state goal orientation. The quality of the leader-member exchange relationship is viewed as a means to clarify leader messages in the formation of group members' psychological climate and internalize these cues in the emergence of state goal orientation. Considerations for future research and practice are discussed. ((c) 2005 APA, all rights reserved).

Knowledge and Attitude of Married Women in the Reproductive Age Group Regarding Emergency Contraception in Selected Rural Areas of Udupi District

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Preethi Fernandes

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Unwanted pregnancy is still a major problem in the modern world despite the widely available contraception services. This study was conducted to determine the knowledge and attitude of married women in the reproductive age group regarding emergency contraception in selected rural areas of Udupi district, India. Material and Methods: The study group comprised of 350 married women in the reproductive age group residing in rural areas of Udupi district, India. A structured questionnaire and an attitude scale were used to assess the knowledge and the attitude. Results: Majority, 69.1% of the married women belonged to Hindu religion, 46.9% had an educational qualification of 10th standard and below. About 13.1% of the married women had undergone abortion. Nearly 96.9% of the married women had heard about emergency contraceptives and only 2% of the married women had used emergency contraceptive pills. About 63.7% out of 339 married women had got information about emergency contraceptive pills from health personnel and about 77.7% from television. Majority 84% had poor knowledge on emergency contraception. About 99.7% had favourable attitude on the use of emergency contraceptives. There was a significant association between knowledge scores and selected variable like education, knowledge and the attitude scores had a correlation. Conclusion: The study identifies the knowledge and attitude of the rural married women regarding emergency contraception, hence to help them to plan future pregnancies and prevent any unwanted or unintended pregnancies.

Construction of Difference Equations Using Lie Groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Axford, R.A.

1998-01-01

The theory of prolongations of the generators of groups of point transformations to the grid point values of dependent variables and grid spacings is developed and applied to the construction of group invariant numerical algorithms. The concepts of invariant difference operators and generalized discrete sources are introduced for the discretization of systems of inhomogeneous differential equations and shown to produce exact difference equations. Invariant numerical flux functions are constructed from the general solutions of first order partial differential equations that come out of the evaluation of the Lie derivatives of conservation forms of difference schemes. It is demonstrated that invariant numerical flux functions with invariant flux or slope limiters can be determined to yield high resolution difference schemes. The introduction of an invariant flux or slope limiter can be done so as not to break the symmetry properties of a numerical flux-function

Copepod (Crustacea) emergence from soils from everglades marshes with different hydroperiods

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Loftus, W.F.; Reid, J.W.

2000-01-01

During a severe drought period in the winter and spring of 1989, we made three collections of dried marsh soils from freshwater sloughs in Everglades National Park, Florida, at sites characterized by either long or intermediate annual periods of flooding (hydroperiod). After rehydrating the soils in aquaria, we documented the temporal patterns of copepod emergence over two-week periods. The species richness of copepods in the rehydrated soils was lower than in pre-drought samples from the same slough sites. Only six of the 16 species recorded from the Everglades emerged in the aquarium tests. The long hydroperiod site had a slightly different assemblage and higher numbers of most species than the intermediate-hydroperiod sites. More individuals and species emerged from the early dry-season samples compared with samples taken later in the dry season. The harpacticoid, Cletocamptus deitersi, and the cyclopoid, Microcyclops rubellus, were abundant at most sites. The cyclopoids - Ectocyclops phaleratus, Homocyclops ater, and Paracyclops chiltoni - are new records for the Everglades. We infer that 1) only a subset of Everglades copepod species can survive drought by resting in soils; and that 2) survival ability over time differs by species.

Common understanding of Emergency Workers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2015-11-01

While the protection of Emergency Workers is regulated in most countries, national definitions, respectively interpretations differ. The prevailing regulatory frameworks are: - Basic Safety Standards (2013/59/EURATOM) The Basis Safety Standards (BSS) are binding for members of the EU. The BSS give a definition of Emergency Workers. - IAEA General Safety Requirements Part 7 (Draft). The Agency's definition is consistent with the BSS-definition. In addition, the Helper is defined. - The Nordic Flag-book. The Nordic Flag-book's Emergency Worker is consistent with the BSS-definition. In addition, workers are defined. Flag-book-Workers (FBW) are neither coterminous with GSR-P-7-helpers nor with BSS-workers. The possible need for harmonization was assessed by the means of a questionnaire, asking members of the Working Group Emergencies to attribute regulatory categories to different roles that might arise in an emergency. While showing a rich variation in interpretations, there is general agreement for the most important roles. Wherever differences are found, the bilateral impact is deemed to be marginal at worst. Therefore, no need for harmonisation with respect to the concept of Emergency Workers is seen

Differences and similarities of motivating and demotivating factors of emergency nursing care in rural and urban emergency units – A study of selected rural and urban emergency units in the Volta Region of Ghana

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Confidence Alorse Atakro

Full Text Available Objective: The objective of this study was to explore differences and similarities of motivating and demotivating factors of emergency nursing care in selected rural and urban emergency units in the Volta Region of Ghana. Materials and methods: This study was conducted at selected rural and urban emergency units in the Volta Region of Ghana. The study utilised qualitative exploratory descriptive design. Purposive sampling technique was employed in selecting emergency units and nurses. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews of 30 nurses. Data saturation was determined after interviewing 30 participants. Data analysis was done through qualitative content analysis. Results: Twenty-six (26 out of a total of thirty (30 participants were between the ages of twenty-five (25 and twenty-nine (29. Nurses working in the emergency units studied general nursing at the Nurses Training Colleges (NTCs. None of the respondents studied emergency nursing as a degree programme. Twenty four (24 out of thirty (30 participants had worked for about two years in emergency units. Four thematic categories that represented differences and similarities of motivating and demotivating factors for nurses in rural and urban emergency units were extracted from data. The thematic categories are: a Support from hospital management for provision of material resources; b Task shifting to nurses; c Stimulant for learning; d Interpersonal relations. Discussions: Evidence available in this study suggests that there are differences as well as similarities of motivating and demotivating factors within emergency units of rural and urban settings in the Volta Region of Ghana. Differences in resource allocation and task shifting was identified. Stimulating environments of emergency unit for learning and excellent interpersonal relations were found to be common motivations for both rural and urban emergency unit nurses. Keywords: Motivating, Demotivating, Emergency

Evaluating outcomes of the emergency nurse practitioner role in a major urban emergency department, Melbourne, Australia.

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Jennings, Natasha; O'Reilly, Gerard; Lee, Geraldine; Cameron, Peter; Free, Belinda; Bailey, Michael

2008-04-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the introduction of Emergency Nurse Practitioner Candidates (ENPC) on waiting times and length of stay of patients presenting to a major urban Emergency Department (ED) in Melbourne, Australia. As part of a Victorian state funded initiative to improve patient outcomes, the role of the Emergency Nurse Practitioner has been developed. The integration and implementation of this role, is not only new to the Alfred Emergency and Trauma Centre but to EDs in Melbourne, Australia, with aims of providing holistic and comprehensive care for patients. A retrospective case series of all patients with common ED diagnostic subgroups were included. The ENPC group (n = 572) included all patients managed by the ENPC and the Traditional Model (TM) group (n = 2584) included all patients managed by the traditional medical ED model of care. Outcome measures included waiting times and length of stay. Statistically significant differences were evident between the two groups in waiting times and length of stay in the ED. The overall median waiting time for emergency patients to be seen by the ENPC was less than for the TM group [median (IQR): ENPC 12 (5.5-28) minutes; TM 31 (11.5-76) minutes (Wilcoxon p times for ENPC shifts vs. non-ENPC shifts revealed significant differences [median (IQR): ENPC rostered 24 (9-52) minutes; ENPC not rostered 33 (13-80.5) minutes (Wilcoxon p Melbourne, Australia were associated with significantly reduced waiting times and length of stay for emergency patients. Emergency Nurse Practitioners should be considered as a potential long term strategy to manage increased service demands on EDs. Relevance to clinical practice. This study is the first in Australia with a significant sample size to vigorously compare ENPC waiting times and length of stay outcomes with the TM model of care in the ED. The study suggests that ENPCs can have a favourable impact on patient outcomes with regard to waiting times and length

Gender differences of athletes in different classification groups of sports and sport disciplines

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Olena Tarasevych

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Purpose: to identify the percentage of masculine, androgynous and feminine figures in different classification groups, sports and sports disciplines, depending on the sport qualification. Material & Methods: the study was conducted on the basis of the Kharkiv State Academy of Physical Culture among students – representatives of different sports that have different athletic skills using analysis and compilation of scientific and methodical literature, survey, testing the procedure S. Bam "Masculinity / femininity "Processing and statistical data. Results: based on the testing method established S. Bam percentage masculine, androgynous and feminine personalities among athletes and athletes in various sports classification groups depending on their athletic skills. Conclusions: among sportsmen and women in a variety of classification groups of sports is not revealed feminine personalities; masculine identity, among both men and women predominate in sports; androgyny attitude towards men and women are different.

Adolescents and Dual Diagnosis in a Psychiatric Emergency Service.

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Matali, José Luis; Andión, Oscar; Pardo, Marta; Iniesta, Raquel; Serrano, Eduard; San, Luis

2016-03-02

In recent years, both the prevalence of drug use and related child and adolescent psychiatric emergencies have risen sharply. There are few studies about the impact on child and adolescent emergency services. This study has a twofold aim. The first is to describe the prevalence of substance use disorders, mental disorders and dual diagnosis (substance use problems plus mental disorder) in adolescents in psychiatric emergency service. The second is to analyze clinical and healthcare differences between patients with dual diagnosis and patients with a mental disorder without substance use disorder.We retrospectively reviewed 4012 discharge forms for emergencies treated at the psychiatric emergency department during the period 2007-2009. We obtained a sample of 1795 visits. This sample was divided into two groups: the dual diagnosis group (n = 477) and the psychiatric disorder group (n = 1318).The dual diagnosis group accounted for 26.5% of psychiatric emergencies analyzed. Compared to the psychiatric disorder group,the dual diagnosis group had significantly more conduct disorders, social problems, involuntariness in the visit, less hospital admissions and less connection with the healthcare network.Adolescents with a dual diagnosis account for a high percentage of visits at child and adolescent psychiatric emergency services. This patient group requires specialized care both at emergency services and in specific units. Accordingly, these units should play a triple role when handling dual diagnosis: detection, brief treatment and referral to a specialised unit.

Contemporary sex differences among patients with acute coronary syndrome treated by emergency percutaneous coronary intervention.

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Wada, Hideki; Ogita, Manabu; Miyauchi, Katsumi; Tsuboi, Shuta; Konishi, Hirokazu; Shitara, Jun; Kunimoto, Mitsuhiro; Sonoda, Taketo; Iso, Takashi; Ebina, Hideki; Aoki, Eriko; Kitamura, Kenichi; Tamura, Hiroshi; Suwa, Satoru; Daida, Hiroyuki

2017-10-01

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is an important cause of mortality and morbidity in the general population. Recent advances in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and optimal medical treatment have helped to improve the prognosis of patients with ACS. The previous reports indicated that women with ACS have a higher risk of adverse outcomes. However, sex differences in clinical outcomes with contemporary coronary revascularization and medical therapy for ACS have not been elucidated. We analyzed data from 676 consecutive patients with ACS (female, n = 166; male, n = 510) who were treated by emergency PCI between 2011 and 2014 at Juntendo Shizuoka Hospital. The patients were grouped according to sex. We defined major adverse cardiovascular events as a composite of all-cause death and ACS recurrence at 1 year and compared rates of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) between the groups. Women were older (75.4 ± 11.0 vs. 66.2 ± 12.2 years) and had a higher rate of multi-vessel disease, chronic kidney disease, and Killip IV at presentation. The cumulative rate of MACE at 1 year was significantly higher among women than men (17.5 vs. 10.2 %, p = 0.02, log-rank test). However, the association between women and a higher risk of MACE was attenuated after adjusting for age (HR 1.25, 95 % CI 0.77-2.00, p = 0.36) and other variables (HR 0.93, 95 % CI 0.36-2.44, p = 0.88). Adjustment for age and other risk factors attenuated sex differences in mid-term clinical outcomes among patients with ACS after emergency PCI.

A rugged landscape model for self-organization and emergent leadership in creative problem solving and production groups.

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Guastello, Stephen J; Craven, Joanna; Zygowicz, Karen M; Bock, Benjamin R

2005-07-01

The process by which an initially leaderless group differentiates into one containing leadership and secondary role structures was examined using the swallowtail catastrophe model and principles of selforganization. The objectives were to identify the control variables in the process of leadership emergence in creative problem solving groups and production groups. In the first of two experiments, groups of university students (total N = 114) played a creative problem solving game. Participants later rated each other on leadership behavior, styles, and variables related to the process of conversation. A performance quality measure was included also. Control parameters in the swallowtail catastrophe model were identified through a combination of factor analysis and nonlinear regression. Leaders displayed a broad spectrum of behaviors in the general categories of Controlling the Conversation and Creativity in their role-play. In the second experiment, groups of university students (total N = 197) engaged in a laboratory work experiment that had a substantial production goal component. The same system of ratings and modeling strategy was used along with a work production measure. Leaders in the production task emerged to the extent that they exhibited control over both the creative and production aspects of the task, they could keep tension low, and the externally imposed production goals were realistic.

Workload differences across command levels and emergency response organizations during a major joint training exercise.

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Prytz, Erik G; Rybing, Jonas; Jonson, Carl-Oscar

2016-01-01

This study reports on an initial test using a validated workload measurement method, the NASA Task Load Index (TLX), as an indicator of joint emergency exercise effectiveness. Prior research on emergency exercises indicates that exercises must be challenging, ie, result in high workload, to be effective. However, this is often problematic with some participants being underloaded and some overloaded. The NASA TLX was used to test for differences in workload between commanders and subordinates and among three different emergency response organizations during a joint emergency exercise. Questionnaire-based evaluation with professional emergency responders. The study was performed in conjunction with a large-scale interorganizational joint emergency exercise in Sweden. A total of 20 participants from the rescue services, 12 from the emergency medical services, and 12 from the police participated in the study (N=44). Ten participants had a command-level role during the exercise and the remaining 34 were subordinates. The main outcome measures were the workload subscales of the NASA TLX: mental demands, physical demands, temporal demands, performance, effort, and frustration. The results showed that the organizations experienced different levels of workload, that the commanders experienced a higher workload than the subordinates, and that two out of three organizations fell below the twenty-fifth percentile of average workload scores compiled from 237 prior studies. The results support the notion that the NASA TLX could be a useful complementary tool to evaluate exercise designs and outcomes. This should be further explored and verified in additional studies.

Gender and theory of mind in preschoolers' group effort: evidence for timing differences behind children's earliest social loafing.

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Thompson, R Bruce; Thornton, Bill

2014-01-01

This study explored mental state reasoning within the context of group effort and possible differences in development between boys and girls. Preschool children (59 girls, 47 boys) were assessed for theory of mind (ToM) ability using classic false belief tests. Children participated in group effort conditions that alternated from one condition, where individual effort was transparent and obvious, to one where individual effort remained anonymous. The aim was to investigate if emergent mental state reasoning, after controlling for age, was associated with the well-known phenomenon of reduced effort in group tasks ("social loafing"). Girls had slightly higher ToM scores and social loafing than boys. Hierarchical regression, controlling for age, indicated that understanding of others' false beliefs uniquely predicted social loafing and interacted weakly with gender status.

"Anonymous Meltdown": Content Themes Emerging in a Nonfacilitated, Peer-only, Unstructured, Asynchronous Online Support Group for Family Caregivers.

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Diefenbeck, Cynthia A; Klemm, Paula R; Hayes, Evelyn R

2017-12-01

By providing care for loved ones in the home, family caregivers save millions of dollars for our overtaxed healthcare system. Support groups can lighten the psychological burden of caregiving. Nonprofessionally facilitated (or peer) online caregiver support groups can help meet a critical need in healthcare as a low-cost resource for caregivers. Online caregiver peer support groups can promote the health and well-being of family caregivers and, by extension, the patients themselves, resulting in cost-savings for society. A better understanding of these types of groups is of critical importance, given the unrelenting pace of demographic shift in the United States. The purpose of this study was to examine content themes emerging from an unstructured, asynchronous online peer support group for family caregivers of people with chronic illness. Qualitative content analysis was used, yielding six themes: "experiencing the emotional toll," "need for catharsis/venting," "finding the silver linings," "seeking specific advice/problem solving," "realizing home is no longer a haven," and "adapting to the caregiver role." The themes reflect what emerged organically in an online support group that was not professionally facilitated or structured in any way. Heterogeneity in the relationship between caregivers and care recipients may negatively affect outcomes and requires further study.

Emergency medicine physicians performed ultrasound for pediatric intussusceptions

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Yi-Jung Chang

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Background: Intussusception is the common acute abdomen in children with difficult clinical diagnosis. The routine ultrasound has recently been proposed as the initial diagnostic modality with high accuracy, but is not available for 24 h by gastroenterologists. We aimed to evaluate the validation of bedside ultrasound for intussusceptions performed by pediatric emergency physicians with ultrasound training during the night or holiday. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in children with suspected intussusceptions when routine ultrasounds by gastroenterologists were not available over the period from July 2004 to July 2008. Patients were divided into two groups: those diagnosed by emergency physicians with ultrasound training and without training. The clinical characteristics and course for all patients were reviewed and compared for seeking the difference. Results: A total of 186 children were included. One hundred and thirteen (61% children were diagnosed by pediatric emergency physician with ultrasound training. The clinical symptoms were not statistically different between the two groups. The diagnostic sensitivity of the ultrasound training group was significantly higher (90% vs. 79%, p = 0.034. Children of the training group also had significantly shorter hospital stay duration at emergency departments before reduction (2.41 ± 2.01 vs. 4.58 ± 4.80 h, p = 0.002. Conclusion: Bedside ultrasound performed by pediatric emergency physicians with ultrasound training is a sensitive test for detecting intussusceptions. Knowledge and use of bedside ultrasound can aid the emergency physician in the diagnosis of pediatric intussusceptions with less delay in treatment.

Comparison between Different Power Sources for Emergency Power Supply at Nuclear Power Plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lenasson, Magnus

2015-01-01

Currently the Swedish nuclear power plants are using diesel generator sets and to some extent gas turbines as their emergency AC power sources and batteries as their emergency DC power sources. In the laws governing Swedish nuclear activity, no specific power sources are prescribed. On the other hand, diversification of safety functions should be considered, as well as simplicity and reliability in the safety systems. So far the choices of emergency power sources have been similar between different power plants, and therefore this project investigated a number of alternative power sources and if they are suitable for use as emergency power on nuclear power plants. The goals of the project were to: - Define the parameters that are essential for rending a power source suitable for use at a nuclear power plant. - Present the characteristics of a number of power sources regarding the defined parameters. - Compile the suitability of the different power sources. - Make implementation suggestions for the less conventional of the investigated power sources. (unconventional in the investigated application) 10 different power sources in total have been investigated and to various degrees deemed suitable Out of the 10 power sources, diesel generators, batteries and to some extent gas turbines are seen as conventional technology at the nuclear power plants. In relation to them the other power sources have been assessed regarding diversification gains, foremost with regards to external events. The power sources with the largest diversification gains are: Internal steam turbine, Hydro power, Thermoelectric generators. The work should first and foremost put focus on the fact that under the right circumstances there are power sources that can complement conventional power sources and yield substantial diversification gains. This paper is a shortened version of the report 'Comparison between different power sources for emergency power supply at nuclear power plants'. The

The molecular biology of nairoviruses, an emerging group of tick-borne arboviruses.

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Lasecka, Lidia; Baron, Michael D

2014-06-01

The nairoviruses are a rapidly emerging group of tick-borne bunyaviruses that includes pathogens of humans (Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus [CCHFV]) and livestock (Nairobi sheep disease virus [NSDV], also known as Ganjam virus), as well as a large number of viruses for which the normal vertebrate host has not been established. Studies on this group of viruses have been fairly limited, not least because CCHFV is a BSL4 human pathogen, restricting the number of labs able to study the live virus, while NSDV, although highly pathogenic in naive animals, is not seen as a threat in developed countries, making it a low priority. Nevertheless, recent years have seen significant progress in our understanding of the biology of these viruses, particularly that of CCHFV, and this article seeks to draw together our existing knowledge to generate an overall picture of their molecular biology, underlining areas of particular ignorance for future studies.

Teaching emergency medicine with workshops improved medical student satisfaction in emergency medicine education.

Science.gov (United States)

Sricharoen, Pungkava; Yuksen, Chaiyaporn; Sittichanbuncha, Yuwares; Sawanyawisuth, Kittisak

2015-01-01

There are different teaching methods; such as traditional lectures, bedside teaching, and workshops for clinical medical clerkships. Each method has advantages and disadvantages in different situations. Emergency Medicine (EM) focuses on emergency medical conditions and deals with several emergency procedures. This study aimed to compare traditional teaching methods with teaching methods involving workshops in the EM setting for medical students. Fifth year medical students (academic year of 2010) at Ramathibodi Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand participated in the study. Half of students received traditional teaching, including lectures and bedside teaching, while the other half received traditional teaching plus three workshops, namely, airway workshop, trauma workshop, and emergency medical services workshop. Student evaluations at the end of the clerkship were recorded. The evaluation form included overall satisfaction, satisfaction in overall teaching methods, and satisfaction in each teaching method. During the academic year 2010, there were 189 students who attended the EM rotation. Of those, 77 students (40.74%) were in the traditional EM curriculum, while 112 students were in the new EM curriculum. The average satisfaction score in teaching method of the new EM curriculum group was higher than the traditional EM curriculum group (4.54 versus 4.07, P-value workshop, bedside teaching, and emergency medical services workshop. The mean (standard deviation) satisfaction scores of those three teaching methods were 4.70 (0.50), 4.63 (0.58), and 4.60 (0.55), respectively. Teaching EM with workshops improved student satisfaction in EM education for medical students.

Slope variation and population structure of tree species from different ecological groups in South Brazil.

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Bianchini, Edmilson; Garcia, Cristina C; Pimenta, José A; Torezan, José M D

2010-09-01

Size structure and spatial arrangement of 13 abundant tree species were determined in a riparian forest fragment in Paraná State, South Brazil (23°16'S and 51°01'W). The studied species were Aspidosperma polyneuron Müll. Arg., Astronium graveolens Jacq. and Gallesia integrifolia (Spreng) Harms (emergent species); Alseis floribunda Schott, Ruprechtia laxiflora Meisn. and Bougainvillea spectabilis Willd. (shade-intolerant canopy species); Machaerium paraguariense Hassl, Myroxylum peruiferum L. and Chrysophyllum gonocarpum (Mart. & Eichler ex Miq.) Engl. (shade-tolerant canopy species); Sorocea bonplandii (Baill.) Bürger, Trichilia casaretti C. Dc, Trichilia catigua A. Juss. and Actinostemon concolor (Spreng.) Müll. Arg. (understory small trees species). Height and diameter structures and basal area of species were analyzed. Spatial patterns and slope correlation were analyzed by Moran's / spatial autocorrelation coefficient and partial Mantel test, respectively. The emergent and small understory species showed the highest and the lowest variations in height, diameter and basal area. Size distribution differed among emergent species and also among canopy shade-intolerant species. The spatial pattern ranged among species in all groups, except in understory small tree species. The slope was correlated with spatial pattern for A. polyneuron, A. graveolens, A. floribunda, R. laxiflora, M. peruiferum and T. casaretti. The results indicated that most species occurred in specific places, suggesting that niche differentiation can be an important factor in structuring the tree community.

Emergency preparedness at the UJD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seliga, Mojmir

2001-01-01

The objective of the emergency planning is to suggest optimum organisational and technical measures to restrict the threat or to eliminate the menace to the population in case of incident or accident at nuclear facility. The emergency plan is activated and executed through the set of emergency procedures, which define basic activities of the UJD during the emergency situations in compliance with legislation regulations. The assessment of the course and consequences of serious incidents and accidents of nuclear installations is carried out by the Emergency Response Centre (KKC). The Emergency Plan of UJD is the set of technical and organisation measures with the aim to propose optimal measures for protection of population and environment. The UJD- Department of Emergency Management and Informatics has an irreplaceable role in the structure of emergency response. The Emergency Response Centre is its organisational part. The UJD is a contact point of the Slovak Republic with the IAEA in frame of convention on early notification of nuclear accidents. The same is valid for bilateral agreements between the Slovak Republic and Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Poland and Ukraine. Uninterrupted 24 hours duty service of the contact point is assured for the UJD by the Office of Civil Protection of Ministry of Interior. In order to fulfil the tasks of the emergency planning UJD established its Emergency Response Group, which consists of four professional teams: 1. Reactor safety group, 2. Radiation protection group, 3. Logistic group, 4. Information group. Information Group consists of the head of Group, the report analysis experts and news service experts. The information group is responsible for public information as well as for informing the authorities. The Information Centre is situated closely to the Emergency Response Centre. The information group gathers, coordinates and prepares all pieces of information in compliance with commitments of the Slovak Republic

STUDIES ON HUMAN FALLOPIAN TUBAL EPITHELIUM IN DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS

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Jayasri

2016-02-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND AND AIMS The “fallopian tubes” (oviducts or uterine tubes are long paired flexuous reproductive organ which transports ova, spermatozoa, zygotes, the pre-implantation morulae and blastocyst. It has major role during reproductive period, but it remains as if vestigial organ before puberty and after menopause. Due to increasing rate of tubal block and infertility, oviducts and their structures gaining importance and have become a subject of research in present days particularly epithelium. The aim of the study is to ascertain any histological difference of tubal epithelium in different age groups and the research work could be utilized for investigation and management of infertility. MATERIALS AND METHODS Seven samples of each group i.e., prereproductive, reproductive & postmenopausal were collected from fresh unembalmed human cadavers received in the department of Anatomy, FAA Medical College, Barpeta, Assam. The slides were prepared using the standard laboratory procedure. Under low and high power objectives the type of cells were observed and epithelial height was measured in the different segments. Stress was given for any significant difference of epithelial height between the different age groups. RESULTS Study revealed that among the groups within the same segment, epithelial height was recorded highest (33.57µm in reproductive group as against the lowest (22.91µm in post-menopausal group. Epithelial structures of the prereproductive and reproductive groups were significantly differed (p<0.01 from the postmenopausal group. CONCLUSIONS From the findings of the present study it can be concluded that: 1. In all the groups fallopian tubal epithelium is of simple columnar type and contains three types of cells. Cells are ciliated, secretory & peg (intercalary cells. 2. In all the groups same type of increasing trend of epithelial height from intramural segment to ampullary segment was recorded. 3. In intergroup comparison of

Study of the outcome of suicide attempts: characteristics of hospitalization in a psychiatric ward group, critical care center group, and non-hospitalized group

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Kemuyama Nobuo

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The allocation of outcome of suicide attempters is extremely important in emergency situations. Following categorization of suicidal attempters who visited the emergency room by outcome, we aimed to identify the characteristics and potential needs of each group. Methods The outcomes of 1348 individuals who attempted suicide and visited the critical care center or the psychiatry emergency department of the hospital were categorized into 3 groups, "hospitalization in the critical care center (HICCC", "hospitalization in the psychiatry ward (HIPW", or "non-hospitalization (NH", and the physical, mental, and social characteristics of these groups were compared. In addition, multiple logistic analysis was used to extract factors related to outcome. Results The male-to-female ratio was 1:2. The hospitalized groups, particularly the HICCC group, were found to have biopsychosocially serious findings with regard to disturbance of consciousness (JCS, general health performance (GAS, psychiatric symptoms (BPRS, and life events (LCU, while most subjects in the NH group were women who tended to repeat suicide-related behaviors induced by relatively light stress. The HIPW group had the highest number of cases, and their symptoms were psychologically serious but physically mild. On multiple logistic analysis, outcome was found to be closely correlated with physical severity, risk factor of suicide, assessment of emergent medical intervention, and overall care. Conclusion There are different potential needs for each group. The HICCC group needs psychiatrists on a full-time basis and also social workers and clinical psychotherapists to immediately initiate comprehensive care by a medical team composed of multiple professionals. The HIPW group needs psychological education to prevent repetition of suicide attempts, and high-quality physical treatment and management skill of the staff in the psychiatric ward. The NH group subjects need a

The 2015 Academic College of Emergency Experts in India's INDO-US Joint Working Group White Paper on Establishing an Academic Department and Training Pediatric Emergency Medicine Specialists in India

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Mahajan, Prashant; Batra, Prerna; Shah, Binita R; Saha, Abhijeet; Galwankar, Sagar; Aggrawal, Praveen; Hassoun, Ameer; Batra, Bipin; Bhoi, Sanjeev; Kalra, Om Prakash; Shah, Dheeraj

2015-01-01

The concept of pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) is virtually nonexistent in India. Suboptimally, organized prehospital services substantially hinder the evaluation, management, and subsequent transport of the acutely ill and/or injured child to an appropriate facility. Furthermore, the management of the ill child at the hospital level is often provided by overburdened providers who, by virtue of their training, lack experience in the skills required to effectively manage pediatric emergencies. Finally, the care of the traumatized child often requires the involvement of providers trained in different specialities, which further impedes timely access to appropriate care. The recent recognition of Doctor of Medicine (MD) in Emergency Medicine (EM) as an approved discipline of study as per the Indian Medical Council Act provides an unprecedented opportunity to introduce PEM as a formal academic program in India. PEM has to be developed as a 3-year superspeciality course (in PEM) after completion of MD/Diplomate of National Board (DNB) Pediatrics or MD/DNB in EM. The National Board of Examinations (NBE) that accredits and administers postgraduate and postdoctoral programs in India also needs to develop an academic program – DNB in PEM. The goals of such a program would be to impart theoretical knowledge, training in the appropriate skills and procedures, development of communication and counseling techniques, and research. In this paper, the Joint Working Group of the Academic College of Emergency Experts in India (JWG-ACEE-India) gives its recommendations for starting 3-year DM/DNB in PEM, including the curriculum, infrastructure, staffing, and training in India. This is an attempt to provide an uniform framework and a set of guiding principles to start PEM as a structured superspeciality to enhance emergency care for Indian children. PMID:26807394

Post-traumatic stress disorder among paramedic and hospital emergency personnel in south-east Iran

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Sedigheh Iranmanesh; Batool Tirgari; Hojat Sheikh Bardsiri

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND:Paramedic and emergency personnel may encounter directly many events that threat their own wellbeing during their daily work.This study was conducted to examine the prevalence rate of post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD) among two groups of paramedic and emergency personnel in south-east Iran.METHODS:The study employed a descriptive design and was conducted in four hospital emergency wards and a pre-hospital emergency base supervised by Kerman Medical University.Using Mississippi PTSD,we assessed the prevalence rate in paramedics(n=150) and emergency personnel(n=250).RESULTS:The two groups had different levels of education,marital status,experience of traumatic events,work hours per month,and gender.Most(94%) of paramedic and hospital emergency personnel reported moderate PTSD.The two groups had significant different levels of PTSD in all subscale.CONCLUSION:The study suggests that health care managers should organize systematic and dynamic policies and procedures in dealing with PTSD to assist both groups of personnel.

Negative impact of asthma on patients in different age groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Alith, Marcela Batan; Gazzotti, Mariana Rodrigues; Montealegre, Federico; Fish, James; Nascimento, Oliver Augusto; Jardim, José Roberto

2015-01-01

To evaluate the impact of asthma on patients in Brazil, by age group (12-17 years, 18-40 years, and ≥ 41 years). From a survey conducted in Latin America in 2011, we obtained data on 400 patients diagnosed with asthma and residing in one of four Brazilian state capitals (São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Curitiba, and Salvador). The data had been collected using a standardized questionnaire in face-to-face interviews. For the patients who were minors, the parents/guardians had completed the questionnaire. The questions addressed asthma control, number of hospitalizations, number of emergency room visits, and school/work absenteeism, as well as the impact of asthma on the quality of life, sleep, and leisure. We stratified the data by the selected age groups. The proportions of patients who responded in the affirmative to the following questions were significantly higher in the 12- to 17-year age group than in the other two groups: "Have you had at least one episode of severe asthma that prevented you from playing/exercising in the last 12 months?" (p = 0.012); "Have you been absent from school/work in the last 12 months?" (p age group reported that normal physical exertion was very limiting (p = 0.010 vs. the other groups), whereas 14% of the patients in the ≥ 41-year age group described social activities as very limiting (p = 0.011 vs. the other groups). In this sample, asthma had a greater impact on the patients between 12 and 17 years of age, which might be attributable to poor treatment compliance.

The analysis of multivariate group differences using common principal components

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bechger, T.M.; Blanca, M.J.; Maris, G.

2014-01-01

Although it is simple to determine whether multivariate group differences are statistically significant or not, such differences are often difficult to interpret. This article is about common principal components analysis as a tool for the exploratory investigation of multivariate group differences

Pioneering small-group learning in Tanzanian emergency medicine: Investigating acceptability for physician learners

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A G Lim

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Background. Emergency medicine (EM is a relatively new, but growing medical specialty in sub-Saharan Africa. African EM training programmes have used small-group learning (SGL modalities in their curricula. However, there is little knowledge of whether SGL modalities are perceived to be effective in these African EM training programmes. Objectives. To investigate the acceptability of SGL for physicians’ training in an academic Tanzanian emergency department using a novel EM curriculum. Methods. Using responses to a written questionnaire, we explored the perceived effectiveness of SGL compared with traditional didactic lectures among 38 emergency department physician learners in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Perceptions of SGL were identified from qualitative responses, and regression analyses were used to determine strength of association between quantitative outcomes. Results. Reported benefits of SGL included team building, simulation training, enhancement of procedural skills, and the opportunity to discuss opinions on clinical management. SGL scored more favourably with regard to improving clinical practice, enjoyment of learning, and building peer-to-peer relations. Lectures scored more favourably at improving medical knowledge. Preference towards SGL over lectures for overall training increased with years of clinical experience (95% confidence interval (CI 0.16 - 0.62, p=0.002, Spearman’s rho 0.51, and the perception that SGL reinforces learner-teacher relationships correlated with seniority within residency training (95% CI 0.14 - 0.86, p=0.007, Spearman’s rho 0.47. Conclusion. Techniques of SGL were perceived as effective at improving clinical practice in the emergency department setting. These modalities may be more favourably accepted by more experienced physician learners – therefore, new EM teaching programmes in Africa should consider these factors when targeting educational strategies for their respective regions and learner

Two distinct groups within the Bacillus subtilis group display significantly different spore heat resistance properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Berendsen, Erwin M; Zwietering, Marcel H; Kuipers, Oscar P; Wells-Bennik, Marjon H J

2015-02-01

The survival of bacterial spores after heat treatment and the subsequent germination and outgrowth in a food product can lead to spoilage of the food product and economical losses. Prediction of time-temperature conditions that lead to sufficient inactivation requires access to detailed spore thermal inactivation kinetics of relevant model strains. In this study, the thermal inactivation kinetics of spores of fourteen strains belonging to the Bacillus subtilis group were determined in detail, using both batch heating in capillary tubes and continuous flow heating in a micro heater. The inactivation data were fitted using a log linear model. Based on the spore heat resistance data, two distinct groups (p subtilis group could be identified. One group of strains had spores with an average D120 °C of 0.33 s, while the spores of the other group displayed significantly higher heat resistances, with an average D120 °C of 45.7 s. When comparing spore inactivation data obtained using batch- and continuous flow heating, the z-values were significantly different, hence extrapolation from one system to the other was not justified. This study clearly shows that heat resistances of spores from different strains in the B. subtilis group can vary greatly. Strains can be separated into two groups, to which different spore heat inactivation kinetics apply. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Consensus statement of the National AIDS Plan Secretariat, Spanish Society of Emergency Medicine and AIDS Study Group of the Spanish Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology on Emergency and Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection].

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Supporting non-HIV specialist professionals in the treatment of patients with urgent diseases resulting from HIV infection. These recommendations have been agreed by an expert panel from the National AIDS Plan Secretariat, the Spanish Society of Emergency Medicine, and the AIDS Study Group. A review has been made of the safety and efficacy results of clinical trials and cohort studies published in biomedical journals (PubMed and Embase) or presented at conferences. The strength of each recommendation (A, B, C) and the level of supporting evidence (I, II, III) are based on a modification of the criteria of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. The data to be collected from the emergency medical history in order to recognize the patient at risk of HIV infection were specified. It stressed the basic knowledge of ART principles and its importance in terms of decline in morbidity and mortality of HIV+ patients and referring to the HIV specialist for follow-up, where appropriate, including drug interactions. Management of different emergency situations that may occur in patients with HIV infection is also mentioned. The non-HIV specialist professional, will find the necessary tools to approach HIV patients with an emergency disease. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Facial anthropometric differences among gender, ethnicity, and age groups.

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Zhuang, Ziqing; Landsittel, Douglas; Benson, Stacey; Roberge, Raymond; Shaffer, Ronald

2010-06-01

The impact of race/ethnicity upon facial anthropometric data in the US workforce, on the development of personal protective equipment, has not been investigated to any significant degree. The proliferation of minority populations in the US workforce has increased the need to investigate differences in facial dimensions among these workers. The objective of this study was to determine the face shape and size differences among race and age groups from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health survey of 3997 US civilian workers. Survey participants were divided into two gender groups, four racial/ethnic groups, and three age groups. Measurements of height, weight, neck circumference, and 18 facial dimensions were collected using traditional anthropometric techniques. A multivariate analysis of the data was performed using Principal Component Analysis. An exploratory analysis to determine the effect of different demographic factors had on anthropometric features was assessed via a linear model. The 21 anthropometric measurements, body mass index, and the first and second principal component scores were dependent variables, while gender, ethnicity, age, occupation, weight, and height served as independent variables. Gender significantly contributes to size for 19 of 24 dependent variables. African-Americans have statistically shorter, wider, and shallower noses than Caucasians. Hispanic workers have 14 facial features that are significantly larger than Caucasians, while their nose protrusion, height, and head length are significantly shorter. The other ethnic group was composed primarily of Asian subjects and has statistically different dimensions from Caucasians for 16 anthropometric values. Nineteen anthropometric values for subjects at least 45 years of age are statistically different from those measured for subjects between 18 and 29 years of age. Workers employed in manufacturing, fire fighting, healthcare, law enforcement, and other occupational

Sex Differences in Emergent Literacy and Reading Behaviour in Junior Kindergarten

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Deasley, Shanna; Evans, Mary Ann; Nowak, Sarah; Willoughby, David

2018-01-01

In a sample of 128 Canadian junior kindergarten children (66 boys), we examined sex differences in emergent literacy and behaviour when listening to and interacting with books of four types: alphabet books with simple text and illustrations, traditional alphabet books with complex text and illustrations, alphabet eBooks, and illustrated…

Different Erythromycin Resistance Mechanisms in Group C and Group G Streptococci

OpenAIRE

Kataja, Janne; Seppälä, Helena; Skurnik, Mikael; Sarkkinen, Hannu; Huovinen, Pentti

1998-01-01

Different mechanisms of erythromycin resistance predominate in group C and G streptococcus (GCS and GGS, respectively) isolates collected from 1992 to 1995 in Finland. Of the 21 erythromycin-resistant GCS and 32 erythromycin-resistant GGS isolates, 95% had the mefA or mefE drug efflux gene and 94% had the ermTR methylase gene, respectively.

Examining gender differences for gambling engagement and gambling problems among emerging adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Gloria; Zane, Nolan; Saw, Anne; Chan, Alan Ka Ki

2013-06-01

Gambling is fast becoming a public health problem in the United States, especially among emerging adults (18-25 year olds). Since 1995, rates have recently doubled with around 7-11 % of the emerging adult population having problems with gambling (Shaffer et al. in Am J Public Health 89(9):1369-1376, 1999; Cyders and Smith in Pers Individ Diff 45(6):503-508, 2008). Some states have lowered their gambling age to 18 years old; in turn, the gambling industry has recently oriented their market to target this younger population. However, little is known about the gender variation and the factors placing emerging adults at risk for getting engaged and developing problems with gambling. The purpose of the study was to determine the risk factors accounting for gender differences at the two levels of gambling involvement: engagement and problems. Mediation analyses revealed that impulsive coping and risk-taking were significant partial mediators for gender differences on engagement in gambling. Men took more risks and had lower levels of impulsive coping than women, and those who took more risks and had lower levels of impulsive coping were more likely to engage in gambling. Risk-taking and social anxiety were the significant mediators for gender differences in problems with gambling. Men took more risks and were more socially anxious than women, and greater risk-taking and more socially anxious individuals tended to have more problems with gambling. Implications for counseling preventions and intervention strategies are discussed.

The status-legitimacy hypothesis revisited: Ethnic-group differences in general and dimension-specific legitimacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Sengupta, Nikhil K; Osborne, Danny; Sibley, Chris G

2015-06-01

The status-legitimacy hypothesis, which predicts that low-status groups will legitimize inequality more than high-status groups, has received inconsistent empirical support. To resolve this inconsistency, we hypothesized that low-status groups would display enhanced legitimation only when evaluating the fairness of the specific hierarchy responsible for their disadvantage. In a New Zealand-based probability sample (N = 6,162), we found that low-status ethnic groups (Asians and Pacific Islanders) perceived ethnic-group relations to be fairer than the high-status group (Europeans). However, these groups did not justify the overall political system more than the high-status group. In fact, Māori showed the least support for the political system. These findings clarify when the controversial status-legitimacy effects predicted by System Justification Theory will - and will not - emerge. © 2014 The British Psychological Society.

Different Approaches to Cross-Lingual Focus Groups

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Maira Quintanilha

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Focus groups are a useful data-generation strategy in qualitative health research when it is important to understand how social contexts shape participants’ health. However, when cross-lingual focus groups are conducted across cultural groups, and in languages in which the researcher is not fluent, questions regarding the usefulness and rigor of the findings can be raised. In this article, we will discuss three different approaches to cross-lingual focus groups used in a community-based participatory research project with pregnant and postpartum, African immigrant women in Alberta, Canada. In two approaches, we moderated focus groups in women’s mother tongue with the support of real-time interpreters, but in the first approach, audio recording was used and in the second approach, audio recording was not used. In the third approach, a bilingual moderator facilitated focus groups in women’s mother tongue, with transcription and translation of audio-recorded data upon completion of data generation. We will describe each approach in detail, including their advantages and challenges, and recontextualize what we have learned within the known literature. We expect the lessons learned in this project may assist others in planning and implementing cross-lingual focus groups, especially in the context of community-based participatory research.

Peculiarities of roentgenosemiotics of ulcerous disease in different age groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kinoshenko, Yu.T.; Reztsova, N.S.

1984-01-01

Roentgenomorphological and functional signs of stomach and duodenum ulcer disease was studied in different age groups in 382 patients that were subjected to a complex of clinico-laboratory and roentgenological examinations. It is concluded that in different age groups ulcerous disease of stomach and duodenum is characterized by a considerable peculiarities of roengenomorphologic characters. In some age groups disclosed are characteristic symptomocomplexes of roentgenofunctional shifts typical of ulcers of different localisations. It is shown that there is a regular relation between the type of functional shifts, age of a patient and location of ulcers

Remuneration differences in the emerging economies of China and India.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Erhua Iris; Lu, Zhao; Li, Xiaoyan; Li, Tian; Papola, T S; Pais, Jesim; Sahu, Partha Pratim

2010-10-01

Emerging economies by definition tend to be less dependent on expatriate skills and labour than lower-income countries, yet remuneration (pay plus benefits) differences between expatriate and local workers persist in them to some degree. According to relative deprivation theory, economic development paradoxically elevates the salience of relatively small gaps in remuneration. We therefore expected workers to report injustice and demotivation regarding relative remuneration, despite the closing of remuneration gaps between expatriate and local workers due to the economic development of recent years. To explore that possibility, 482 skilled professionals from a variety of sectors and organizations in two emerging economies, India (n = 233, response rate = 54%) and China (n = 249, response rate = 58%), participated in the research. International salaries were greater than local salaries by a factor of 2.73:1 in India and 1.90:1 in China; these mean ratios bordered on intolerable in the India sample and were largely tolerable among the sample from China. In both countries, differently remunerated workers differed in their justice cognitions and their demotivation, with lowered motivation and fewer justice cognitions in the locally salaried, local workers. These differences were however more statistically significant between people working in India than in China. Insofar as the motivational and justice gaps persisted, the findings support relative deprivation theory. Insofar as the same gaps appear to be sharper in the country with the higher-not lower-mean remuneration differential, they do not. An in-country workshop with local experts who interpreted the findings (in India), and content analysis of the participants' recommendations (in China) jointly recommended linking remuneration to (i) workplace performance instead of (ii) economy-of-origin, to help promote (iii) fairness.

Image and Imaging an Emergency Department: Expense and Benefit of Different Quality Assessment Methods

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Carmen Andrea Pfortmueller

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. In this era of high-tech medicine, it is becoming increasingly important to assess patient satisfaction. There are several methods to do so, but these differ greatly in terms of cost, time, and labour and external validity. The aim of this study is to describe and compare the structure and implementation of different methods to assess the satisfaction of patients in an emergency department. Methods. The structure and implementation of the different methods to assess patient satisfaction were evaluated on the basis of a 90-minute standardised interview. Results. We identified a total of six different methods in six different hospitals. The average number of patients assessed was 5012, with a range from 230 (M5 to 20 000 patients (M2. In four methods (M1, M3, M5, and M6, the questionnaire was composed by a specialised external institute. In two methods, the questionnaire was created by the hospital itself (M2, M4.The median response rate was 58.4% (range 9–97.8%. With a reminder, the response rate increased by 60% (M3. Conclusion. The ideal method to assess patient satisfaction in the emergency department setting is to use a patient-based, in-emergency department-based assessment of patient satisfaction, planned and guided by expert personnel.

What is a health emergency? The difference in definition and understanding between patients and health professionals.

Science.gov (United States)

Morgans, Amee; Burgess, Stephen J

2011-08-01

Investigations into 'inappropriate' use of emergency health services are limited by the lack of definition of what constitutes a health emergency. Position papers from Australian and international sources emphasise the patient's right to access emergency healthcare, and the responsibility of emergency health care workers to provide treatment to all patients. However, discordance between the two perspectives remain, with literature labelling patient use of emergency health services as 'inappropriate'. To define a 'health emergency' and compare patient and health professionals perspectives. A sample of 600 emergency department (ED) patients were surveyed about a recent health experience and asked to rate their perceived urgency. This rating was compared to their triage score allocated at the hospital ED. No significant relationship was found between the two ratings of urgency (P=0.51). CONCLUSIONS; Differing definitions of a 'health emergency' may explain patient help-seeking behaviour when accessing emergency health resources including hospital ED and ambulance services. A new definition of health emergency that encapsulates the health professional and patient perspectives is proposed. An agreed definition of when emergency health resources should be used has the potential to improve emergency health services demand and patient flow issues, and optimise emergency health resource allocation.

Prevalence of vaginitis in different age groups among females in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Sianou, Argiri; Galyfos, George; Moragianni, Dimitra; Baka, Stavroula

2017-08-01

Patients with vaginitis were classified into four groups: Group A (prepubertal under-aged females); Group B (pubertal under-aged females); Group C (reproductive age adult females); Group D (postmenopausal adult females). All vaginal specimens underwent microscopy, amine testing, Gram staining and culturing. Overall, 163 patients were included (33, 14, 81 and 35 patients, respectively). The most common infection was bacterial vaginosis (BV), followed by Ureaplasma infection, aerobic vaginitis (AV) and candidiasis. The most common AV-associated organism was Escherichia coli and the most common BV-associated organism was Gardnerella vaginalis. AV was more frequent in Group A, BV in Group C and Ureaplasma infections in Groups C/D. Decreased lactobacilli concentrations were associated with BV in fertile patients (Groups B-C). Although presentation of vaginitis is similar among females of different age in Greece, type and prevalence of pathogens differ. Normal vaginal flora changes are associated with higher risk of vaginitis in specific age groups. Impact Statement The worldwide incidence of reproductive tract infections has been increasing, with specific pathogens being associated with significant risk of morbidity and complications. However, literature data on the distribution of such infections in different age groups is limited. Therefore, the aim of this study was to provide data on the prevalence and causes of vaginitis in adult and non-adult females of all ages. This study has shown that although presentation of vaginitis is similar among females of different age groups and menstrual status in Greece, type and prevalence of responsible pathogens are different among groups. Changes in normal vaginal flora seem to be associated with higher risk of vaginitis in specific age-groups as well. These findings could contribute in adjusting diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for each age group according to the prevailing pathogens. Further research on antibiotic

ORGANIZATIONAL WORK GROUPS AND WORK TEAMS – APPROACHES AND DIFFERENCES

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Raluca ZOLTAN

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Work groups and work teams represents basic structures of traditional and modern organizations, and during the time they have been intensively researched. However, managers often do not always consider the fundamental differences between groups and teams, which will lead to unrealistic goals and results below expectations. Thus, in the present paper we propose a review of the main researching approaches on groups and teams (psychosocial, socio-technical, and behavioral approach, in the third part of the paper being detailed the fundamental differences between groups and teams in the light of these approaches.

Experiencing maternity care: the care received and perceptions of women from different ethnic groups

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background According to the Office for National Statistics, approximately a quarter of women giving birth in England and Wales are from minority ethnic groups. Previous work has indicated that these women have poorer pregnancy outcomes than White women and poorer experience of maternity care, sometimes encountering stereotyping and racism. The aims of this study were to examine service use and perceptions of care in ethnic minority women from different groups compared to White women. Methods Secondary analysis of data from a survey of women in 2010 was undertaken. The questionnaire asked about women’s experience of care during pregnancy, labour and birth, and the postnatal period, as well as demographic factors. Ethnicity was grouped into eight categories: White, Mixed, Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Black Caribbean, Black African, and Other ethnicity. Results A total of 24,319 women completed the survey. Compared to White women, women from minority ethnic groups were more likely to be younger, multiparous and without a partner. They tended to access antenatal care later in pregnancy, have fewer antenatal checks, fewer ultrasound scans and less screening. They were less likely to receive pain relief in labour and, Black African women in particular, were more likely to deliver by emergency caesarean section. Postnatally, women from minority ethnic groups had longer lengths of hospital stay and were more likely to breastfeed but they had fewer home visits from midwives. Throughout their maternity care, women from minority ethnic groups were less likely to feel spoken to so they could understand, to be treated with kindness, to be sufficiently involved in decisions and to have confidence and trust in the staff. Conclusion Women in all minority ethnic groups had a poorer experience of maternity services than White women. That this was still the case following publication of a number of national policy documents and local initiatives is a cause for concern. PMID

Experiencing maternity care: the care received and perceptions of women from different ethnic groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Henderson, Jane; Gao, Haiyan; Redshaw, Maggie

2013-10-22

According to the Office for National Statistics, approximately a quarter of women giving birth in England and Wales are from minority ethnic groups. Previous work has indicated that these women have poorer pregnancy outcomes than White women and poorer experience of maternity care, sometimes encountering stereotyping and racism. The aims of this study were to examine service use and perceptions of care in ethnic minority women from different groups compared to White women. Secondary analysis of data from a survey of women in 2010 was undertaken. The questionnaire asked about women's experience of care during pregnancy, labour and birth, and the postnatal period, as well as demographic factors. Ethnicity was grouped into eight categories: White, Mixed, Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Black Caribbean, Black African, and Other ethnicity. A total of 24,319 women completed the survey. Compared to White women, women from minority ethnic groups were more likely to be younger, multiparous and without a partner. They tended to access antenatal care later in pregnancy, have fewer antenatal checks, fewer ultrasound scans and less screening. They were less likely to receive pain relief in labour and, Black African women in particular, were more likely to deliver by emergency caesarean section. Postnatally, women from minority ethnic groups had longer lengths of hospital stay and were more likely to breastfeed but they had fewer home visits from midwives. Throughout their maternity care, women from minority ethnic groups were less likely to feel spoken to so they could understand, to be treated with kindness, to be sufficiently involved in decisions and to have confidence and trust in the staff. Women in all minority ethnic groups had a poorer experience of maternity services than White women. That this was still the case following publication of a number of national policy documents and local initiatives is a cause for concern.

Mapping Best and Emerging Practices of Project Management

OpenAIRE

Thuesen, Christian; Aaris Boas, Charlotte; Thorslund, Michael V.; Marmier, Francois; Grex, Sara; Lybecker, Søren

2013-01-01

This paper presents results of a study of the connection between Best and Emerging practices of project management. Drawing upon network mapping as an analytical strategy, cases of Best and Emerging practices is analysed and juxtaposed. The case of Best practice is represented by the newly published ISO 21500 standard and the case for the Emerging practices by a deconstruction of the practices of a group of experienced project managers. The network analysis reveals a substantial difference be...

Renormalization Group in different fields of theoretical physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shirkov, D.V.

1992-02-01

A very simple and general approach to the symmetry that is widely known as a Renormalization Group symmetry is presented. It essentially uses a functional formulation of group transformations that can be considered as a generalization of self-similarity transformations well known in mathematical physics since last century. This generalized Functional Self-Similarity symmetry and corresponding group transformations are discussed first for a number of simple physical problems taken from diverse fields of classical physics as well as for QED. Then we formulate the Renorm-Group Method as a regular procedure that essentially improves the approximate solutions near the singularity. After that we discuss relations between different formulations of Renormalization Group as they appear in various parts of a modern theoretical physics. Finally we present several topics of RGM application in modern QFT. (author)

MORPHOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE HUMAN OVARY IN DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS

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Ritu Saloi

2017-02-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND Ovarian pathology can manifest in various ways, e.g. menstrual abnormalities, cystic disease, infertility, benign and malignant tumours of the ovary, etc. Ovarian cancer is one of the leading cancers in Indian women. The aim was undertaken to observe the age-related changes in the human ovary and to study if there is any difference between the right and left ovaries with respect to length, breadth, thickness and weight and compare it with the established findings of previous workers, which will help the clinicians to adopt appropriate diagnosis and treatment of the various clinical conditions associated with the ovaries. MATERIALS AND METHODS A study on human ovary was conducted in the Department of Anatomy, Gauhati Medical College, Guwahati. The morphological characteristics of 42 pairs of normal human ovaries of different age groups were studied (14 pairs in each age group. The ovaries were divided into three groups, viz. Group A or pre-reproductive, Group B or reproductive and Group C or postmenopausal. The results were statistically analysed and ‘t’ test was done to find out the significant difference of mean value. RESULTS The morphology of the ovary including the length, breadth, thickness and weight of the three groups were measured and the findings were compared with each other and also with the findings of studies done by previous workers. CONCLUSION The study showed that there were certain differences in the morphology of ovary in the three groups. The study also revealed that the weight of the right ovary was more than the left ovary in all the three age groups. The results were statistically analysed and compared with the findings of previous workers.

[Structure, organization and capacity problems in emergency medical services, emergency admission and intensive care units].

Science.gov (United States)

Dick, W

1994-01-01

Emergency medicine is subjected worldwide to financial stringencies and organizational evaluations of cost-effectiveness. The various links in the chain of survival are affected differently. Bystander assistance or bystander CPR is available in only 30% of the emergencies, response intervals--if at all required by legislation--are observed to only a limited degree or are too extended for survival in cardiac arrest. A single emergency telephone number is lacking. Too many different phone numbers for emergency reporting result in confusion and delays. Organizational realities are not fully overcome and impair efficiency. The position of the emergency physician in the EMS System is inadequately defined, the qualification of too many emergency physicians are unsatisfactory. In spite of this, emergency physicians are frequently forced to answer out-of-hospital emergency calls. Conflicts between emergency physicians and EMTs may be overcome by providing both groups with comparable qualifications as well as by providing an explicit definition of emergency competence. A further source of conflict occurs at the juncture of prehospital and inhospital emergency care in the emergency department. Deficiencies on either side play a decisive role. At least in principle there are solutions to the deficiencies in the EMSS and in intensive care medicine. They are among others: Adequate financial compensation of emergency personnel, availability of sufficient numbers of highly qualified personnel, availability of a central receiving area with an adjacent emergency ward, constant information flow to the dispatch center on the number of available emergency beds, maintaining 5% of all beds as emergency beds, establishing intermediate care facilities. Efficiency of emergency physician activities can be demonstrated in polytraumatized patients or in patients with ventricular fibrillation or acute myocardial infarction, in patients with acute myocardial insufficiency and other emergency

Physical-psychiatric comorbidity: patterns and explanations for ethnic group differences.

Science.gov (United States)

Erving, Christy L

2018-08-01

This paper examines ethnic differences in the co-occurrence of physical and psychiatric health problems (physical-psychiatric comorbidity) for women and men. The following ethnic groups are included: Non-Latino Whites, African Americans, Caribbean Blacks, Spanish Caribbean Blacks, Mexicans, Cubans, Puerto Ricans, Other Latinos, Chinese, Filipinos, Vietnamese, and Other Asian Americans. In addition, the study assesses the extent to which social factors (socioeconomic status, stress exposure, social support) account for ethnic differences in physical-psychiatric comorbidity (PPC). This study uses data from the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys (CPES) (N = 12,787). Weighted prevalence rates of physical-psychiatric comorbidity (PPC) - the co-occurrence of physical and psychiatric health problems - are included to examine ethnic group differences among women and men. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to determine group differences in PPC before and after adjusting for social factors. Puerto Rican men have significantly higher risk of PPC in comparison to Non-Latino White men. Among women, Blacks and Cubans were more likely than Non-Latino Whites to experience PPC as opposed to 'Psychiatric Only' health problems. Social factors account for the Puerto Rican/Non-Latino White difference in comorbid health among men, but have little explanatory power for understanding ethnic differences in comorbidity among women. These findings have implications for medical care and can guide intervention programs in targeting a specific constellation of co-occurring physical and psychiatric health problems for diverse ethnic groups in the United States. As comorbidity rates increase, it is crucial to identify the myriad factors that give rise to ethnic group differences therein.

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.

Emergency preparedness: medical management of nuclear accidents involving large groups of victims

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parmentier, N.; Nenot, J.C.

1988-01-01

The treatment of overexposed individuals implies hospitalisation in a specialized unit applying hematological intense care. If the accident results in a small number of casualties, the medical management does not raise major problems in most of the countries, where specialized units exist, as roughly 7% of the beds are available at any time. But an accident which would involved tens or hundreds of people raises much more problems for hospitalization. Such problems are also completely different and will involve steps in the medical handling, mainly triage, (combined injuries), determination of whole body dose levels, transient hospitalization. In this case, preplanning is necessary, adapted to the system of medical care in case of a catastrophic event in the given Country, with the main basic principles : emergency concerns essentially the classical injuries (burns and trauma) - and contamination problems in some cases - treatment of radiation syndrome is not an emergency during the first days but some essential actions have to be taken such as early blood sampling for biological dosimetry and for HLa typing

KNOWLEDGE OF EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTIVES AMONG WOMEN OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE GROUP

OpenAIRE

Singh; Himabindu; Shrivastava

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND As per data from WHO, 21.6 million unsafe abortions occurred globally in 2008, out of which 47,000 women died from abortionrelated complications, contributing to 13% of global maternal mortality. (1) Emergency contraceptive can be used after intercourse to prevent pregnancy in case of unprotected intercourse, contraceptive failure or sexual assault. A considerable proportion of these abortions can be prevented by the timely use of emergency contraception. OBJECTIVE...

Evaluating Emergency Response Solutions for Sustainable Community Development by Using Fuzzy Multi-Criteria Group Decision Making Approaches: IVDHF-TOPSIS and IVDHF-VIKOR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Junling Zhang

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Emergency management is vital in implementing sustainable community development, for which community planning must include emergency response solutions to potential natural and manmade hazards. To help maintain such solution repository, we investigate effective fuzzy multi-criteria group decision making (FMCGDM approaches for the complex problems of evaluating alternative emergency response solutions, where weights for decision makers and criteria are unknown due to problem complexity. We employ interval-valued dual hesitant fuzzy (IVDHF set to address decision hesitancy more effectively. Based on IVDHF assessments, we develop a deviation maximizing model to compute criteria weights and another compatibility maximizing model to calculate weights for decision makers. Then, two ideal-solution-based FMCGDM approaches are proposed: (i by introducing a synthesized IVDHF group decision matrix into TOPSIS, we develop an IVDHF-TOPSIS approach for fuzzy group settings; (ii when emphasizing both maximum group utility and minimum individual regret, we extend VIKOR to develop an IVDHF-VIKOR approach, where the derived decision makers’ weights are utilized to obtain group decision matrix and the determined criteria weights are integrated to reflect the relative importance of distances from the compromised ideal solution. Compared with aggregation-operators-based approach, IVDHF-TOPSIS and IVDHF-VIKOR can alleviate information loss and computational complexity. Numerical examples have validated the effectiveness of the proposed approaches.

Defining our destiny: trainee working group consensus statement on the future of emergency surgery training in the United Kingdom.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharrock, A E; Gokani, V J; Harries, R L; Pearce, L; Smith, S R; Ali, O; Chu, H; Dubois, A; Ferguson, H; Humm, G; Marsden, M; Nepogodiev, D; Venn, M; Singh, S; Swain, C; Kirkby-Bott, J

2015-01-01

The United Kingdom National Health Service treats both elective and emergency patients and seeks to provide high quality care, free at the point of delivery. Equal numbers of emergency and elective general surgical procedures are performed, yet surgical training prioritisation and organisation of NHS institutions is predicated upon elective care. The increasing ratio of emergency general surgery consultant posts compared to traditional sub-specialities has yet to be addressed. How should the capability gap be bridged to equip motivated, skilled surgeons of the future to deliver a high standard of emergency surgical care? The aim was to address both training requirements for the acquisition of necessary emergency general surgery skills, and the formation of job plans for trainee and consultant posts to meet the current and future requirements of the NHS. Twenty nine trainees and a consultant emergency general surgeon convened as a Working Group at The Association of Surgeons in Training Conference, 2015, to generate a united consensus statement to the training requirement and delivery of emergency general surgery provision by future general surgeons. Unscheduled general surgical care provision, emergency general surgery, trauma competence, training to meet NHS requirements, consultant job planning and future training challenges arose as key themes. Recommendations have been made from these themes in light of published evidence. Careful workforce planning, education, training and fellowship opportunities will provide well-trained enthusiastic individuals to meet public and societal need.

Gender differences of athletes in different classification groups of sports and sport disciplines

OpenAIRE

Olena Tarasevych

2016-01-01

Purpose: to identify the percentage of masculine, androgynous and feminine figures in different classification groups, sports and sports disciplines, depending on the sport qualification. Material & Methods: the study was conducted on the basis of the Kharkiv State Academy of Physical Culture among students – representatives of different sports that have different athletic skills using analysis and compilation of scientific and methodical literature, survey, testing the procedure S. Bam "Masc...

A very strong difference property for semisimple compact connected lie groups

Science.gov (United States)

Shtern, A. I.

2011-06-01

Let G be a topological group. For a function f: G → ℝ and h ∈ G, the difference function Δ h f is defined by the rule Δ h f( x) = f( xh) - f( x) ( x ∈ G). A function H: G → ℝ is said to be additive if it satisfies the Cauchy functional equation H( x + y) = H( x) + H( y) for every x, y ∈ G. A class F of real-valued functions defined on G is said to have the difference property if, for every function f: G → ℝ satisfying Δ h f ∈ F for each h ∈ G, there is an additive function H such that f - H ∈ F. Erdős' conjecture claiming that the class of continuous functions on ℝ has the difference property was proved by N. G. de Bruijn; later on, F. W. Carroll and F. S. Koehl obtained a similar result for compact Abelian groups and, under the additional assumption that the other one-sided difference function ∇ h f defined by ∇ h f( x) = f( xh) - f( x) ( x ∈ G, h ∈ G) is measurable for any h ∈ G, also for noncommutative compact metric groups. In the present paper, we consider a narrower class of groups, namely, the family of semisimple compact connected Lie groups. It turns out that these groups admit a significantly stronger difference property. Namely, if a function f: G → ℝ on a semisimple compact connected Lie group has continuous difference functions Δ h f for any h ∈ G (without the additional assumption concerning the measurability of the functions of the form ∇ h f), then f is automatically continuous, and no nontrivial additive function of the form H is needed. Some applications are indicated, including difference theorems for homogeneous spaces of compact connected Lie groups.

Sample size determinations for group-based randomized clinical trials with different levels of data hierarchy between experimental and control arms.

Science.gov (United States)

Heo, Moonseong; Litwin, Alain H; Blackstock, Oni; Kim, Namhee; Arnsten, Julia H

2017-02-01

We derived sample size formulae for detecting main effects in group-based randomized clinical trials with different levels of data hierarchy between experimental and control arms. Such designs are necessary when experimental interventions need to be administered to groups of subjects whereas control conditions need to be administered to individual subjects. This type of trial, often referred to as a partially nested or partially clustered design, has been implemented for management of chronic diseases such as diabetes and is beginning to emerge more commonly in wider clinical settings. Depending on the research setting, the level of hierarchy of data structure for the experimental arm can be three or two, whereas that for the control arm is two or one. Such different levels of data hierarchy assume correlation structures of outcomes that are different between arms, regardless of whether research settings require two or three level data structure for the experimental arm. Therefore, the different correlations should be taken into account for statistical modeling and for sample size determinations. To this end, we considered mixed-effects linear models with different correlation structures between experimental and control arms to theoretically derive and empirically validate the sample size formulae with simulation studies.

Ethical perspectives on emerging assistive technologies: insights from focus groups with stakeholders in long-term care facilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Dorsten, Aimee-Marie; Sifford, K Susan; Bharucha, Ashok; Mecca, Laurel Person; Wactlar, Howard

2009-03-01

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES ARE RELATIVELY novel tools for research and daily care in long-term care (LTC) facilities that are faced with the burgeoning of the older adult population and dwindling staffing resources. The degree to which stakeholders in LTC facilities are receptive to the use of these technologies is poorly understood. Eighteen semi-structured focus groups and one interview were conducted with relevant groups of stakeholders at seven LTC facilities in southwestern Pennsylvania. Common themes identified across all focus groups centered on concerns for privacy, autonomy, cost, and safety associated with implementation of novel technologies. The relative importance of each theme varied by stakeholder group as well as the perceived severity of cognitive and/or physical disability. Our findings suggest that ethical issues are critical to acceptance of novel technologies by their end users, and that stakeholder groups are interdependent and require shared communication about the acceptance of these emerging technologies.

Identifying Differences in Cultural Behavior in Online Groups

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gregory, Michelle L.; Engel, David W.; Bell, Eric B.; Mcgrath, Liam R.

2012-07-23

We have developed methods to identify online communities, or groups, using a combination of structural information variables and content information variables from weblog posts and their comments to build a characteristic footprint for groups. We have worked with both explicitly connected groups and 'abstract' groups, in which the connection between individuals is in interest (as determined by content based features) and behavior (metadata based features) as opposed to explicit links. We find that these variables do a good job at identifying groups, placing members within a group, and helping determine the appropriate granularity for group boundaries. The group footprint can then be used to identify differences between the online groups. In the work described here we are interested in determining how an individual's online behavior is influenced by their membership in more than one group. For example, individuals belong to a certain culture; they may belong as well to a demographic group, and other 'chosen' groups such as churches or clubs. There is a plethora of evidence surrounding the culturally sensitive adoption, use, and behavior on the Internet. In this work we begin to investigate how culturally defined internet behaviors may influence behaviors of subgroups. We do this through a series of experiments in which we analyze the interaction between culturally defined behaviors and the behaviors of the subgroups. Our goal is to (a) identify if our features can capture cultural distinctions in internet use, and (b) determine what kinds of interaction there are between levels and types of groups.

Metacognition and Group Differences: A Comparative Study

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Hilawani, Yasser A.

2014-01-01

In this study, metacognition refers to performing visual analysis and discrimination of real life events and situations in naïve psychology, naïve physics, and naïve biology domains. It is used, along with measuring reaction time, to examine differences in the ability of four groups of students to select appropriate pictures that correspond with…

Beyond clinical priority: what matters when making operational decisions about emergency surgical queues?

Science.gov (United States)

Fitzgerald, Anneke; Wu, Yong

2017-08-01

Objective This paper describes the perceptions of operating theatre staff in Australia and The Netherlands regarding the influence of logistical or operational reasons that may affect the scheduling of unplanned surgical cases. It is proposed that logistical or operational issues can influence the priority determination of queue position of surgical cases on the emergency waiting list. Methods A questionnaire was developed and conducted in 15 hospitals across The Netherlands and Australia, targeting anaesthetists, managers, nurses and surgeons. Statistical analyses revolved around these four professional groups. Six hypotheses were then developed and tested based on the responses collected from the participants. Results There were significant differences in perceptions of logistics delay factors across different professional groups when patients were waiting for unplanned surgery. There were also significant differences among different groups when setting logistical priority factors for planning and scheduling unplanned cases. The hypotheses tests confirm these differences, and the findings concur with the paradigmatic differences mentioned in the literature. These paradigmatic differences among the four professional groups may explain some of the tensions encountered when making decisions about scheduling emergency surgical queues, and therefore should be taken into consideration for management of operating theatres. Conclusions Queue positions of patients waiting for unplanned surgery, or emergency surgery, are determined by medical clinicians according to clinicians' indication of clinical priority. However, operating theatre managers are important in facilitating smooth operations when planning for emergency surgeries. It is necessary for surgeons to understand the logistical challenges faced by managers when requesting logistical priorities for their operations. What is known about the topic? Tensions exist about the efficient use of operating theatres and

Different causes of referral to ophthalmology emergency room

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alireza Keshtkar Jafari

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Eye-related complaints compose approximately 1-6% of complaints of patients referring to general emergency ward around the world. Eye injuries are the most common cause of referral to eye emergency ward. To understand the impact of eye injuries in Iran and to plan preventive strategies, it is important to understand the complete magnitude of the problem with regard to true population-based data and standard reproducible definitions. Aim: The main goal of this study was to identify the major causes of referrals to eye emergency ward in patients with eye-related complaints in an eye referral Hospital in Iran. Settings and Design: In a cross-sectional study, 3150 patients who referred to Farabi Hospital emergency ward, Tehran, Iran, from January to December 2007 were included in the study and their detailed information were recorded. Materials and Methods: The patients′ demographic data, medical history and final diagnosis were recorded in a questionnaire. Results: The mean age of patients was 33.2±16.8 years and 2380 patients (75.6% were males. While 299 patients (9.5% were referred for non-urgent reasons, work-related injuries were the most common cause of referral (955 patients; 30.3%. In patients referred due to trauma (1950 patients, work-related injuries occurred in 955 patients (49% and occurred accidentally (by chance in 819 patients (42%. The majority of patients referred with traumatic injuries were males (1708 patients; 87.6% versus 242 patients; 12.4%. The most common etiologies of eye trauma (1950 patients were metal filings (814 patients; 41.8%, blunt trauma (338 patients; 17.3%, fireworks (236 patients; 12.1% and sharp objects (222 patients; 11.4%. Globe injury was diagnosed in 1865 patients (95.7% of trauma cases. In patients referred due to non-traumatic reason (1200 patients, eye infection occurred in 482 patients (40.2% and 299 patients (24.9% were referred for non-urgent reasons. There was little difference

Comparative efficacy of different post-emergence herbicides in wheat (triticum aestivum L.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shehzad, M.A.; Nadeem, M.A.; Sarwar, M.A.; Naseer-ud-Din, G.M.; Ilahi, F.

2012-01-01

A field experiment was carried out to study the efficacy of different post-emergence herbicides for controlling weeds in wheat during a Rabi season 2008-09. Experiment comprised of six treatments, i.e. weed-infested control, pyroxasulfone at 50 g a.i ha/sup -1/, metribuzin at 250 g a.i ha/sup -1/, isoproturon at 1080 g a.i ha/sup -1/, clodinafop propargyl at 240 g a.i ha/sup -1/ and as post-emergence herbicides. Results revealed that Post-emergence application of bromoxynil + MCPA at 247+247 g a.i ha/sup -1/ isoproturon (1080 g a.i ha) proved to be best for obtaining maximum grain plus straw yield up to the level of weed-free -1 -1 control. Bromoxynil + MCPA (247+247 g a.i ha) and clodinafop propargyl (240 g a.i ha/sup -1/) also gave maximum spike bearing tillers, number of grains spike and 1000-grain weight. Isoproturon (1080 g a.i ha/sup -1/) strictly reduced the weeds population as well as biomass as compared to weed-infested control. Poor weed control was achieved by using pyroxasulfone and metribuzin treatments. Hence, post-emergence Isoproturon (1080 g a.i ha/sup -1/) followed by bromoxynil + MCPA (247+247 g a.i ha/sup -1/ ) was provide to be the most effective herbicide against weeds and resulted in maximum wheat yield. (author)

Comparative efficacy of different post-emergence herbicides in wheat (triticum aestivum l.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shehzad, M.A.; Nadeem, M.A.; Sarwar, M.A.

2012-01-01

A field experiment was carried out to study the efficacy of different post-emergence herbicides for controlling weeds in wheat during a Rabi season 2008-09. Experiment comprised of six treatments, i.e. weed-infested control, pyroxasulfone at 50 g a.i ha/sup -1/, metribuzin at 250 g a.i ha/sup -1/, isoproturon at 1080 g a.i ha/sup -1/, clodinafop propargyl at 240 g a.i ha/sup -1/ and bromoxynil+MCPA at 247+247 g a.i ha/sup -1/ as post-emergence herbicides. Results revealed that Post-emergence application of isoproturon (1080 g a.i ha-1) proved to be best for obtaining maximum grain plus straw yield up to the level of weed-free control. Bromoxynil+MCPA (247+247 g a.i ha/sup -1/) and clodinafop propargyl (240 g a.i ha-1) also gave maximum spike bearing tillers, number of grains spike-1 and 1000-grain weight. Isoproturon (1080 g a.i ha/sup -1/) strictly reduced the weeds population as well as biomass as compared to weed-infested control. Poor weed control was achieved by using pyroxasulfone and metribuzin treatments. Hence, post-emergence Isoproturon (1080 g a.i ha/sup -1/) followed by bromoxynil + MCPA (247+247 g a.i ha/sup -1/) was provide to be the most effective herbicide against weeds and resulted in maximum wheat yield. (author)

A Case Study of Different Types of Arguments Emerging from Explorations in an Interactive Computerized Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Lavy, Ilana

2006-01-01

This paper presents a description of the different types of arguments that emerged as two students, working in a computerized environment, engaged in an investigation of several number theory concepts. The emerging arguments are seen as a result of the influence of the computerized environment together with collaborative learning. Using…

An emergency department intervention to protect an overlooked group of children at risk of significant harm.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Kaye, P

2012-02-01

BACKGROUND: Parental psychiatric disorder, especially depression, personality disorder and deliberate self-harm, is known to put children at greater risk of mental illness, neglect or physical, emotional and sexual abuse. Without a reliable procedure to identify children of parents presenting with these mental health problems, children at high risk of significant harm can be easily overlooked. Although deliberate self-harm constitutes a significant proportion of emergency presentations, there are no guidelines which address the emergency physician\\'s role in identifying and assessing risk to children of these patients. METHODS: A robust system was jointly developed with the local social services child protection team to identify and risk-stratify children of parents with mental illness. This allows us to intervene when we identify children at immediate risk of harm and to ensure that social services are aware of potential risk to all children in this group. The referral process was audited repeatedly to refine the agreed protocol. RESULTS: The proportion of patients asked by the emergency department personnel about dependent children increased and the quality of information received by the social services child protection team improved. CONCLUSIONS: All emergency departments should acknowledge the inadequacy of information available to them regarding patients\\' children and consider a policy of referral to social services for all children of parents with mental health presentations. This process can only be developed through close liaison within the multidisciplinary child protection team.

Differences Awareness Model to Fundament Long Term Strategy Extension in a New Emerging Market

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena Mădălina ŞERBAN

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The globalization opened the opportunity for multinational companies to increase their businesses in emerging markets and also to local giants from developing countries to step in the western markets. The objective of this paper is to propose a model for analyzing the differences between operating businesses in emerging markets and developed markets. The model purpose is to be applied in the strategic process by mainly the multinationals or local giants intending to develop long term businesses outside their traditional geographies. The studies on emerging markets identified two main axes to be considered when appreciating the attractiveness of the markets: the business dynamics both inside and outside the company and the institutional environment, as facilitator of efficient encounter between sellers and buyers.

"First among Others? Cohen's ""d"" vs. Alternative Standardized Mean Group Difference Measures"

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Sorel Cahan

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Standardized effect size measures typically employed in behavioral and social sciences research in the multi-group case (e.g., 2, f2 evaluate between-group variability in terms of either total or within-group variability, such as variance or standard deviation -' that is, measures of dispersion about the mean. In contrast, the definition of Cohen's d, the effect size measure typically computed in the two-group case, is incongruent due to a conceptual difference between the numerator -' which measures between-group variability by the intuitive and straightforward raw difference between the two group means -' and the denominator - which measures within-group variability in terms of the difference between all observations and the group mean (i.e., the pooled within-groups standard deviation, SW. Two congruent alternatives to d, in which the root square or absolute mean difference between all observation pairs is substituted for SW as the variability measure in the denominator of d, are suggested and their conceptual and statistical advantages and disadvantages are discussed.

"Boldness" in the domestic dog differs among breeds and breed groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Starling, Melissa J; Branson, Nicholas; Thomson, Peter C; McGreevy, Paul D

2013-07-01

"Boldness" in dogs is believed to be one end of the shy-bold axis, representing a super-trait. Several personality traits fall under the influence of this super-trait. Previous studies on boldness in dogs have found differences among breeds, but grouping breeds on the basis of behavioural similarities has been elusive. This study investigated differences in the expression of boldness among dog breeds, kennel club breed groups, and sub-groups of kennel club breed groups by way of a survey on dog personality circulated among Australian dog-training clubs and internet forums and lists. Breed had a significant effect on boldness (F=1.63, numDF=111, denDF=272, ppurpose. Retrievers were significantly bolder than flushing and pointing breeds (Reg. Coef.=2.148; S.E.=0.593; pdogs. Differences in boldness among groups and sub-groups suggest that behavioural tendencies may be influenced by historical purpose regardless of whether that purpose still factors in selective breeding. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Differences in Sleep Duration among Four Different Population Groups of Older Adults in South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Peltzer, Karl

2017-05-09

The study aims to investigate sleep duration in four different population groups in a national probability sample of older South Africans who participated in the Study of Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE) Wave 1. A national population-based cross-sectional study with a sample of 3284 aged 50 years or older in South Africa was conducted in 2008. The questionnaire included socio-demographic characteristics, health variables, and self-reported sleep duration. Results indicate that White Africans compared to other population groups had the lowest mean sleep duration (7.88 h among men and 7.46 h among women). The prevalence of short sleep was the highest among both men and women among the White African (18.8% in men and 16.9% in women) and Indian or Asian African population groups (14.5% in men and 17.1% in women), and lowest among both men and women in the Black African (7.0% in men and 6.5% in women) and multi-ancestry population groups (15.6% in men and 12.7% in women). The prevalence of long sleep was among both men and women the highest in the Black African population group (56.2% in men and 58.5% in women), and the lowest in the White African population group (36.4% in men and 24.3% in women). In a Poisson regression model, adjusted for sociodemographics and chronic disease status, coming from the male and female White African population group was associated with short sleep. In addition, coming from the Indian or Asian African population group was associated with short sleep. No population group differences were found regarding long sleep prevalence. White Africans reported more short sleep duration than the other population groups, while there were no racial or ethnic differences in long sleep. White Africans are more likely to have sleep durations that are associated with negative health outcomes. An explanation of the high short sleep prevalence among White Africans may be related to their racial or ethnic minority status in South Africa.

Differences in Sleep Duration among Four Different Population Groups of Older Adults in South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karl Peltzer

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The study aims to investigate sleep duration in four different population groups in a national probability sample of older South Africans who participated in the Study of Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE Wave 1. A national population-based cross-sectional study with a sample of 3284 aged 50 years or older in South Africa was conducted in 2008. The questionnaire included socio-demographic characteristics, health variables, and self-reported sleep duration. Results indicate that White Africans compared to other population groups had the lowest mean sleep duration (7.88 h among men and 7.46 h among women. The prevalence of short sleep was the highest among both men and women among the White African (18.8% in men and 16.9% in women and Indian or Asian African population groups (14.5% in men and 17.1% in women, and lowest among both men and women in the Black African (7.0% in men and 6.5% in women and multi-ancestry population groups (15.6% in men and 12.7% in women. The prevalence of long sleep was among both men and women the highest in the Black African population group (56.2% in men and 58.5% in women, and the lowest in the White African population group (36.4% in men and 24.3% in women. In a Poisson regression model, adjusted for sociodemographics and chronic disease status, coming from the male and female White African population group was associated with short sleep. In addition, coming from the Indian or Asian African population group was associated with short sleep. No population group differences were found regarding long sleep prevalence. White Africans reported more short sleep duration than the other population groups, while there were no racial or ethnic differences in long sleep. White Africans are more likely to have sleep durations that are associated with negative health outcomes. An explanation of the high short sleep prevalence among White Africans may be related to their racial or ethnic minority status in South Africa.

The physical environment of positive places: Exploring differences between age groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Laatikainen, Tiina E; Broberg, Anna; Kyttä, Marketta

2017-02-01

Features of the physical environment have an impact on the human behaviour. Thus, planners and policymakers around the world should aim at providing environments that are perceived as being of good quality, in which the residents enjoy spending time and moving around in. It is widely acknowledged that urban environmental quality associates with well-being, but there is currently very little research examining which features of urban environments people of different ages perceive as appealing in their living environments. Individuals experience different age-related developmental environments throughout their life course. Thus, the usage and perceptions of different spaces can also differ between various age groups. Public Participation GIS datasets collected in 2009 and 2011 in Helsinki Metropolitan Area were used to study places perceived as being positive by adults (n=3119) and children (n=672). Participants marked points on a map that were overlaid with GIS data to study whether the physical environment of positive places of different age groups differed. The results demonstrated that the physical environment differs significantly in the positive places of different age groups. The places of adult age groups were characterized by green, blue and commercial spaces, whereas sports, residential and commercial spaces characterize children's and adolescents' places. Older adults' places were found to be closest to home, while adolescents' places were the most distant. Providing appealing environments for all age groups in one setting remains problematic but should nevertheless be strived for, especially in the urban context where a constant competition over different usages of space occurs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Strategic Groups: Evidence from Indian Industries | Agnihotri | KCA ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper investigates the formation of strategic groups in Cement, Automobile and Information Technology firms from emerging markets like India. Based on data of 140 firms during 2005-2010, firm's membership into different strategic groups is tested. Cluster analysis and one way ANOVA have been used to identify ...

The emergence of leaders and followers in foraging pairs when the qualities of individuals differ

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cowlishaw Guy

2008-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Foraging in groups offers animals a number of advantages, such as increasing their likelihood of finding food or detecting and avoiding predators. In order for a group to remain together, there has to be some degree of coordination of behaviour and movement between its members (which may in some cases be initiated by a decision-making leader, and in other cases may emerge as an underlying property of the group. For example, behavioural synchronisation is a phenomenon where animals within a group initiate and then continue to conduct identical behaviours, and has been characterised for a wide range of species. We examine how a pair of animals should behave using a state-dependent approach, and ask what conditions are likely to lead to behavioural synchronisation occurring, and whether one of the individuals is more likely to act as a leader. Results The model we describe considers how the energetic gain, metabolic requirements and predation risks faced by the individuals affect measures of their energetic state and behaviour (such as the degree of behavioural synchronisation seen within the pair, and the value to an individual of knowing the energetic state of its colleague. We explore how predictable changes in these measures are in response to changes in physiological requirements and predation risk. We also consider how these measures should change when the members of the pair are not identical in their metabolic requirements or their susceptibility to predation. We find that many of the changes seen in these measures are complex, especially when asymmetries exist between the members of the pair. Conclusion Analyses are presented that demonstrate that, although these general patterns are robust, care needs to be taken when considering the effects of individual differences, as the relationship between individual differences and the resulting qualitative changes in behaviour may be complex. We discuss how these results are

Influenza C virus high seroprevalence rates observed in 3 different population groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Salez, Nicolas; Mélade, Julien; Pascalis, Hervé; Aherfi, Sarah; Dellagi, Koussay; Charrel, Rémi N; Carrat, Fabrice; de Lamballerie, Xavier

2014-08-01

The epidemiology of Influenza C virus (FLUCV) infections remains poorly characterised. Here, we have examined the age- and location-specific seroprevalence of antibodies against FLUCV in 1441 sera from metropolitan continental France (Marseille), South-West Indian Ocean French territories (Reunion Island) and United-Kingdom (Edinburgh) using a combination of haemagglutination inhibition, virus neutralisation and ELISA assays. Our results show that immunity to FLUCV is common in all locations studied (global seroprevalence values >50%) and that the first immunising contacts generally occur early in life (i.e., in the 0-4 year-old age group). The latter item is further supported by the detection of FLUCV RNA by RT-PCR in naso-pharyngeal samples collected in patient attending the Emergency Room of the Public hospitals of Marseille, France with a large majority of children under 10 years-old: 17 (60.7%) in children ≤3 yo, 10 (35.7%) in the 4-10 yo age group and 1 (3.6%) in an adult (49yo). The temporal distribution of cases was atypical with regard to influenza (a large proportion of cases occurred in spring and summer) and the clinical presentation was diverse, including but being not limited to classical Influenza-like-Ilnesses. Altogether, our results indicate an intense circulation of FLUCV in the different study areas and an early occurrence of infection in human life. Flu C appears to be a widely under-diagnosed and under-studied human paediatric disease that obviously deserves further clinical and epidemiological characterisation. Copyright © 2014 The British Infection Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of different hormonal combinations on follicular wave emergence and superovulatory response in sheep.

Science.gov (United States)

Souza-Fabjan, Joanna Maria Gonçalves; da Rosa, Rômulo Mendonça; Balaro, Mário Felipe Alvarez; Pinto, Pedro Henrique Nicolau; Dos Santos, Gustavo Bervian; Arashiro, Eduardo Kenji Nunes; da Fonseca, Jeferson Ferreira; Ungerfeld, Rodolfo; Brandão, Felipe Zandonadi

2017-11-01

The aim of the present study was to compare hormonal treatments to induce and synchronize follicular wave emergence to improve the results of superovulatory (SOV) treatments in ewes. In Experiment 1 (n = 66), ewes were treated with a progesterone intravaginal implant plus a PGF 2α analogue (group G P4 ), or with the same treatment plus estradiol benzoate (G P4+EB ), a GnRH agonist (G P4+GnRH ), or both, estradiol benzoate and a GnRH agonist (G P4+EB+GnRH ) in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Follicular wave emergence was determined by ultrasound. Follicular wave did not emerge during the studied period in 10 females (one from G P4 , six from G P4+EB and three from G P4+EB+GnRH ). Follicular emergence was less synchronized (P = 0.007) when estradiol was administered (G P4+EB : 103.6 ± 22.0 h), without any interaction with GnRH treatment (G P4+EB+GnRH : 80.1 ± 21.4 h, G P4+GnRH : 52.5 ± 8.7 h, G P4 : 56.6 ± 10.4 h). Estradiol administration delayed the moment of follicular emergence (P = 0.007) and the follicular wave emergence moment in which follicular dominance was achieved (P = 0.009), without interactions between estradiol and GnRH in the moment of follicular wave emergence or dominance. In Experiment 2 (n = 22), two SOV protocols were compared: the best treatment of Experiment 1 (G P4 ) was used to synchronize follicular wave emergence, initiating the SOV treatment 2.5 days later; in the control treatment, SOV treatment started 80 h after a short-term protocol to synchronize ovulation (G control ). The number of corpora lutea (CL) and the evaluation of the collected embryos were performed six days after estrus. Blood samples were collected daily for plasma progesterone determination. Although the number of CL was similar in G control (7.1 ± 1.0) and G P4 (6.9 ± 5.1), the number of structures and viable embryos recovered were greater in G control (P synchronization of follicular wave emergence. When EB was used (alone or

Decision making process and emergency management in different phases of a nuclear accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duranova, T.

2005-01-01

EVATECH, Information Requirements and Countermeasure Evaluation Techniques in Nuclear Emergency Management, was a research project in the key action 'Nuclear Fission' of the fifth EURATOM Framework Programme (FP5). The overall objective of the project was to enhance the quality and coherence of response to nuclear emergencies in Europe by improving the decision support methods, models and processes in ways that take into account the expectations and concern of the many different parties involved - stake holders both in managing the emergency response and those who are affected by the consequences of nuclear emergencies. The project had ten partners from seven European countries. The development of the real-time online decision support system RODOS has been one of the major items in the area of radiation protection within the European Commission's Framework Programmes. The main objectives of the RODOS project have been to develop a comprehensive and integrated decision support system that is generally applicable across Europe and to provide a common framework for incorporating the best features of existing decision support systems and future developments. Furthermore the objective has been to provide greater transparency in the decision process to: improve public understanding and acceptance of off-site emergency measures, to facilitate improved communication between countries of monitoring data, predictions of consequences, etc., in the event of any future accident, and to promote, through the development and use of the system, a more coherent, consistent and harmonised response to any future accident that may affect Europe. (authors)

Effects of Different Sowing Depths and Soil Compactions on Emergence and Initial Growth of Pepper Varieties (Capsicum annum L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R Shahriari

2013-10-01

Full Text Available One of the main problems in the mass production of pepper transplant is the stickiness of seed coat to the cotyledony leaves that can lead to no emergence or having poor emergence of pepper seedlings. Therefore, in order to evaluate the effects of different sowing depths and soil compactions on emergence and early seedlings growth of pepper, a greenhouse experiment was conducted in the Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran, in 2010, using a completely randomized design with factorial arrangement and four replications. The experimental factors included different levels of soil compactions (0 (no compaction, 150.5, 681.340 and 1201.7 Pa, different sowing depths (0 (surface, 1 and 2 cm and different pepper varieties (Olter, California Wonder, EM Bell, Anahiem and Iranian Falei. The results indicated that except the seed coat adherence to cotyledon leaves and the emergence percentage traits, the compaction treatments had a significant effect on (dry matter of seedlings, height, leaf area, number of abnormal seedling and mean emergence time were significant. In addition, sowing depth treatments had positive and significant effects on increasing the number of seedling with releasing seed coats from the cotyledony leaves.

Identity as a moderator of gender differences in the emotional closeness of emerging adults' same- and cross-sex friendships.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, H Durell; Brady, Evelyn; McNair, Renae; Congdon, Darcy; Niznik, Jamie; Anderson, Samantha

2007-01-01

Closeness is an integral aspect of friendships, and males and females differ in their closeness experiences within these relationships. However, identity development and friendship type (e.g., same-sex versus cross-sex friendships) may moderate these gender differences. In an attempt to clarify the relationships among gender, identity, and friendship closeness, the current study examined gender and identity associations with reported emotional closeness in emerging adults' same- and cross-sex friendships. Responses from 181 college undergraduates (89 males and 92 females) indicated similar levels of emotional closeness reported for same- and cross-sex friendships. Results also indicated overall identity commitment and friendship identity commitment associations with same-sex friendship closeness. Examination of closeness reports for cross-sex friends revealed a significant association with overall identity commitment for emerging adult males. A significant association was not indicated for emerging adult females. The associations between identity and emotional closeness in same-sex friendships and male cross-sex friendships support previous studies that report differences in the role of these relationships for emerging adult males and females. Findings are discussed in terms of understanding the gender and identity differences in emerging adults' reports of friendship closeness.

Extending the cereus group genomics to putative food-bornepathogens of different toxicity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lapidus, Alla; Goltsman, Eugene; Auger, Sandrine; Galleron,Nathalie; Segurens, Beatrice; Dossat, Carole; Land, Miriam L.; Broussole,Veronique; Brillard, Julien; Guinebretiere, Marie-Helene; Sanchis,Vincent; Nguen-the, Christophe; Lereclus, Didier; Richardson, Paul; Winker, Patrick; Weissenbach, Jean; Ehrlich, S.Dusko; Sorokin, Alexei

2006-08-24

The cereus group represents sporulating soil bacteriacontaining pathogenic strains which may cause diarrheic or emetic foodpoisoning outbreaks. Multiple locus sequence typing revealed a presencein natural samples of these bacteria of about thirty clonal complexes.Application of genomic methods to this group was however biased due tothe major interest for representatives closely related to B. anthracis.Albeit the most important food-borne pathogens were not yet defined,existing dataindicate that they are scattered all over the phylogenetictree. The preliminary analysis of the sequences of three genomesdiscussed in this paper narrows down the gaps in our knowledge of thecereus group. The strain NVH391-98 is a rare but particularly severefood-borne pathogen. Sequencing revealed that the strain must be arepresentative of a novel bacterial species, for which the name Bacilluscytotoxis is proposed. This strain has a reduced genome size compared toother cereus group strains. Genome analysis revealed absence of sigma Bfactor and the presence of genes encoding diarrheic Nhe toxin, notdetected earlier. The strain B. cereus F837/76 represents a clonalcomplex close to that of B. anthracis. Including F837/76, three such B.cereus strains had been sequenced. Alignment of genomes suggests that B.anthracis is their common ancestor. Since such strains often emerge fromclinical cases, they merit a special attention. The third strain, KBAB4,is a typical psychrotrophe characteristic to unbiased soil communities.Phylogenic studies show that in nature it is the most active group interms of gene exchange. Genomic sequence revealed high presence ofextra-chromosomal genetic material (about 530 kb) that may account forthis phenomenon. Genes coding Nhe-like toxin were found on a big plasmidin this strain. This may indicate a potential mechanism of toxicityspread from the psychrotrophic strain community. The results of thisgenomic work and ecological compartments of different strains incite

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy in children in different age groups

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Guven, Selcuk; Frattini, Antonio; Onal, Bulent

2013-01-01

no standardisation in the age categorisation of children, there are inconsistencies among the age subgroups in the current literature. To achieve a standard terminology and thus a common language, the World Health Organization age classification criterion was used in the present study. Based on the findings, we can...... suggest that PCNL can be applied safely and effectively in children in different age groups. OBJECTIVES: •  To present the overall results of paediatric percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) compared with adults. •  To present the indications, complications and outcomes of patients treated...... in the participating centres in the PCNL Global Study, as categorised in different age groups. PATIENTS AND METHODS: •  The Clinical Research Office of the Endourological Society (CROES) Study was conducted from November 2007 to December 2009, and included 96 centres and >5800 patients. •  All children aged ≤14 years...

Differences in Some Kinematic Parameters between Two Qualitatively Different Groups of Pole Vaulters.

Science.gov (United States)

Gudelj, Ines; Babić, Vesna; Milat, Sanja; Čavala, Marijana; Zagorac, Siniša; Katić, Ratko

2015-07-01

The basic aim of this research was to determine the differences of kinematic parameters in two qualitatively different groups of young pole vaulters. With this purpose, a research was conducted in which the video records from a competition were acquired. The sample of entities (N = 71) consisted of successful vaults of 30 pole vaulters, whose attempts were recorded at the European Junior Championship in Novi Sad, held on 23-26th July 2009. The examinees performed the vaults as a part of the elimination competition for the finals, and during the final part of the competition. The age of examinees was from 17 to 19 years, and the span of their best results was from 4.70 to 5.30 meters. The kinematic analysis was conducted according to the standards of APAS procedure (Ariel Performance Analysis System, USA), determining 25 kinematic variables necessary for further analysis. The entities (vaults) were divided into two categories (qualitative classes) based on the expert knowledge. Group 1 consisted of successful vaults up to 4.90 m (N = 46), while group 2 consisted of successful vaults whose height was more than 4.90 m (N = 25). The discrimination analysis determined the parameters differentiating the vaults of different quantitative classes. Also, it was confirmed that the result efficiency in pole vault was primarily determined by the variables defined by motor abilities, as well as the indicators determining the vault performance technique.

Echotomographic characteristics of kidney in different age groups of our population

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gašić Miloš

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Aging is a continuous process, which leaves its mark on all tissues, organs and organ systems. The aging process causes a number of functional and morphological and structural changes in the kidneys. Objective: The aim of our study was to analyze echotomographic changes in the size of the renal parenchyma and renal sinus during the aging process. Method: The study was conducted on 62 subjects in the service of the radiological diagnostics of CHC Dr Dragisa Mišović in Belgrade. All subjects included in this study were neither anamnestically nor echotomographically positive for any of kidney diseases. Subjects were assorted in three age groups. Group I (20-39 years - 21 subjects, group II (40-59 years - 21 subjects, and group III (60-79 years - 20 subjects. Results: During aging process dimensions of the renal parenchyma decrease. Dimensions of the renal parenchyma exhibit statistically significant difference (p<0.05 between the first and third age group for both kidneys, but difference between the first and second age group is significant only for the right kidney (p<0,05. Dimensions (length and width, of the renal sinuses tend to increase during the aging process, with difference between the first and third age group that is statistically significant for both kidneys (p<0.05. Difference in width of the sinuses for both kidneys is statistically significant only between the second and third age group. Conclusion: During aging process size of the renal sinus increases at the expense of renal parenchyma, and parenchyma-pyelon index decreases.

Acute effects of the electromagnetic waves emitted by mobile phones on attention in emergency physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Altuntas, Gurkan; Sadoglu, Davut; Ardic, Senol; Yilmaz, Hakan; Imamoglu, Melih; Turedi, Suleyman

2018-03-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the acute effects of the electromagnetic waves (EMW) emitted by mobile phones on attention in emergency physicians. This single-center, prospective, randomized, double-blinded clinical study was performed among emergency physicians in a tertiary hospital. Thirty emergency physicians were enrolled in the study. Initial d2 test was applied in the evaluation of attention and concentration of all the physicians, who were randomly assigned into one of two groups. The control group members hold mobile phones in 'off' mode to their left ears for 15min. The members of the intervention group hold mobile phones in 'on' mode to their left ears for 15min, thus exposing them to 900-1800MHz EMW. The d2 test was re-applied to both groups after this procedure. Differences in attention and concentration levels between the groups were compared. Difference between initial and final d2 test in total performance (TN-E, p=0.319), in total number of figures marked (TN, p=0.177), in test performance percentile (PR, p=0.619) and in attention fluctuation (FR, p=0.083) were similar between the groups. However, difference in the number of figures missed (E1 selective attention, p=0.025), difference between numbers of incorrectly marked figures (E2, p=0,018) and difference in focus levels (E, p=0.016) were significantly in favor of the intervention group. According to our study findings, the EMW emitted by mobile phones has no deleterious effect on the attention and concentration levels of emergency physicians, and even has a positive impact on selective attention levels. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Emergency surgery pre-operative delays - realities and economic impacts.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Leary, D P; Beecher, S; McLaughlin, R

2014-12-01

A key principle of acute surgical service provision is the establishment of a distinct patient flow process and an emergency theatre. Time-to-theatre (TTT) is a key performance indicator of theatre efficiency. The combined impacts of an aging population, increasing demands and complexity associated with centralisation of emergency and oncology services has placed pressure on emergency theatre access. We examined our institution's experience with running a designated emergency theatre for acute surgical patients. A retrospective review of an electronic prospectively maintained database was performed between 1/1/12 and 31/12/13. A cost analysis was conducted to assess the economic impact of delayed TTT, with every 24hr delay incurring the cost of an additional overnight bed. Delays and the economic effects were assessed only after the first 24 h as an in-patient had elapsed. In total, 7041 procedures were performed. Overall mean TTT was 26 h, 2 min. There were significant differences between different age groups, with those aged under 16 year and over 65 having mean TTT at 6 h, 34 min (95% C.I. 0.51-2.15, p 65 years age group had a mean TTT of 23 h, 41 min which was significantly longer than the overall mean TTT Vascular and urological emergencies are significantly disadvantaged in competition with other services for a shared emergency theatre. The economic impact of delayed TTT was calculated at €7,116,000, or €9880/day of additional costs generated from delayed TTT over a 24 month period. One third of patients waited longer than 24 h for emergency surgery, with the elderly disproportionately represented in this group. Aside from the clinical risks of delayed and out of hours surgery, such practices incur significant additional costs. New strategies must be devised to ensure efficient access to emergency theatres, investment in such services is likely to be financially and clinically beneficial. Copyright © 2014 Surgical Associates Ltd. Published by Elsevier

Differences in the perception of characteristics of excellence of clinical tutors among residents and consultants at an emergency medicine residency program a qualitative research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muna Saleem Aljahany

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Defining exactly what characterizes a clinical tutor as excellent and another less effective, is an important task in assessing the effectiveness of clinical training and guiding faculty development. Aim: We aimed to evaluate those characteristics and measure differences in their perception among accomplished and non-accomplished consultants and residents in the Emergency Department. We also compared perceptions between the different groups of participants. Methods: The characteristics measured were extracted from an extensive search of previously published studies summarized in a review article. A qualitative study was conducted, using a 20 item questionnaire piloted from the refined characteristics (good indicator of reliability; Cronbach′s Alpha = 0.86. The questionnaire was distributed among all consultants and residents in Saudi Board of Emergency Medicine. Results: No significant difference between consultants′ and residents′ perception was found. "Sincere" was an exception 87.8% versus 55.1%, P = 0.013. Consultants′ specifications did not seem to affect perception on overall scores and its component sub-scores. Conclusion: Since results showed no relation between accomplished and non-accomplished consultants in perceiving those qualities, we excluded the lack of knowledge of those characteristics as a cause of being accomplished or non-accomplished. We suggest a greater dedication from program developers towards creating more opportunities to involve more consultants in basic Emergency Medicine training.

Entrepreneurial networking differences: An ethnic in-group and out-group analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Boris Urban

2011-04-01

Research purpose: The research question of this study has focused on what we can learn about entrepreneurial networking, considering that there is an under-explored and unarticulated set of networking principles and practices which have not been previously analysed in terms of a multiethnic country context. Motivation for the study: Often the lack of network use is reported as a feature of entrepreneurs, who have less opportunity to utilise formal social capital features. Social networks provided by extended family, community-based or organisational relationships are often theorised to supplement the effects of education, experience and financial capital. Research design, approach and method: Based on hypothesised differences in networking ties, network assistance and support relationships, a survey was used to collect data on quantitative measures. Descriptive statistics were calculated and differential tests were conducted to test the hypotheses. Main findings: Results indicate that entrepreneurial networking is largely independent on group composition. Generally at least some aspects of networking are generic and as a consequence, a more integrated view of networking can be adopted. Practical/managerial implications: The practical value of the present study points to several areas of interest to entrepreneurs, policy makers and educators, through demonstrating the multifaceted nature of entrepreneurial networks for different groups and their explanatory potential in understanding networking. Contribution/value-add: Despite the importance of entrepreneurial networking, little empirical or theoretical research has examined the dynamics of networking in a developing country context such as South Africa, which has lower than expected total entrepreneurship activity.

Mapping Best and Emerging Practices of Project Management

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thuesen, Christian; Aaris Boas, Charlotte; Thorslund, Michael V.

2013-01-01

This paper presents results of a study of the connection between Best and Emerging practices of project management. Drawing upon network mapping as an analytical strategy, cases of Best and Emerging practices is analysed and juxtaposed. The case of Best practice is represented by the newly...... published ISO 21500 standard and the case for the Emerging practices by a deconstruction of the practices of a group of experienced project managers. The network analysis reveals a substantial difference between the Best and Emerging practices. Only two central concepts where shared namely Communication...... and Planning. Of these two concepts Communication where found to be the most central to both the Emerging and Best practices. The analysis further reveals a soft side of project management that is central in the Emerging practice but absent from the Best practices. Although this soft side might be interpreted...

The neural basis of the bystander effect--the influence of group size on neural activity when witnessing an emergency.

Science.gov (United States)

Hortensius, Ruud; de Gelder, Beatrice

2014-06-01

Naturalistic observation and experimental studies in humans and other primates show that observing an individual in need automatically triggers helping behavior. The aim of the present study is to clarify the neurofunctional basis of social influences on individual helping behavior. We investigate whether when participants witness an emergency, while performing an unrelated color-naming task in an fMRI scanner, the number of bystanders present at the emergency influences neural activity in regions related to action preparation. The results show a decrease in activity with the increase in group size in the left pre- and postcentral gyri and left medial frontal gyrus. In contrast, regions related to visual perception and attention show an increase in activity. These results demonstrate the neural mechanisms of social influence on automatic action preparation that is at the core of helping behavior when witnessing an emergency. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cultural Differences in Alliance Formation during Group Supervision.

Science.gov (United States)

Carter, John W.; Pak, Jenny H.; Goodyear, Rodney K.

Study tested whether general differences between Asian and European-American cultures (interdependent vs. independent orientation, levels of self-disclosure and conflict in social relationships) would have an effect on the supervisory process of counseling trainees. On the context of weekly group supervision, first-year counseling trainees were…

Gender and Ethnic Group Differences on the GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Bridgeman, Brent; McHale, Frederick

Gender and ethnic group differences on the Analytical Writing Assessment that is part of the Graduate Management Admissions Test were evaluated. Data from the first operational administration for 36,583 examinees in October 1994 were used. Standardized differences from the White male reference group were computed separately for men and women in…

Association of lens vault with narrow angles among different ethnic groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Roland Y; Huang, Guofu; Cui, Qi N; He, Mingguang; Porco, Travis C; Lin, Shan C

2012-06-01

To compare lens vault between open-angle and narrow-angle eyes in African-, Caucasian-, Hispanic-, Chinese- and Filipino-Americans. In this prospective study, 436 patients with open angle and narrow angle based on the Shaffer gonioscopic grading classification underwent anterior-segment optical coherence tomography. The Zhongshan Angle Assessment Program was used to calculate lens vault. The narrow-angle group included 32 Chinese-Americans, 22 Filipino-Americans, 26 African-Americans, 24 Hispanic-Americans and 73 Caucasian-Americans. The open-angle group included 56 Chinese-Americans, 29 Filipino-Americans, 45 African-Americans, 27 Hispanic-Americans and 102 Caucasian-Americans. Linear mixed effect regression models, accounting for the use of both eyes and adjusting for age, sex, pupil diameter and spherical equivalent, were used to test for the ethnicity and angle coefficients. Tukey's multiple comparison test was used for pairwise comparisons among the open-angle racial groups. Significant difference in lens vault was found among the open-angle racial groups (P = 0.022). For the open-angle patients, mean values for the lens vault measurements were 265 ± 288 µm for Chinese-Americans, 431 ± 248 µm for Caucasian-Americans, 302 ± 213 µm for Filipino-Americans, 304 ± 263 µm for Hispanic-Americans and 200 ± 237 µm for African-Americans. Using Tukey's multiple comparison for pairwise comparisons among the open-angle racial groups, a significant difference was found between African-American and Caucasian-Americans groups (P values for the rest of the pairwise comparisons were not statistically significant. No significant difference was found among the narrow-angle racial groups (P = 0.14). Comparison between the open angle and narrow angle within each racial group revealed significant difference for all racial groups (P < 0.05). Among all the ethnicities included in this study, narrow-angle eyes have greater lens vault compared to open

The effects of proportional representation and gender orientation of the task on emergent leadership behavior in mixed-gender work groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Karakowsky, L; Siegel, J P

1999-08-01

Much of the research that has examined the behavioral consequences of membership in mixed-gender work groups suggests that men are more participative and influential in task-related behavior. Drawing from elements of sociological, structural, and psychological perspectives, this study examined the effects of group gender composition and gender orientation of the group's task on patterns of emergent leadership behavior. Participants were assigned to male-dominated, female-dominated, or balanced-gender groups for the purpose of discussing and generating solutions for two business-related cases--each case emphasized either male-oriented or female-oriented expertise. The findings suggest that the proportional representation of men and women in a work group, along with the gender orientation of the group's task, can significantly influence the level of leadership behavior exhibited in group activity.

ANALYSIS OF RAILWAY USER TRAVEL BEHAVIOUR PATTERNS OF DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Takamasa AKIYAMA

2009-01-01

Full Text Available In recent years, there have been requirments for a transport environment that will foster the development of safe, comfortable townships. The study of urban activities amid an aging society and effective use of public transport modes in addressing environmental problems have become particularly important issues. This study analyzes travel behaviour patterns of varying age groups using urban railways in order to examine the relationship between urban public transport use and urban activities. specifically, it analyzes the composition of urban activity and travel behaviour patterns among urban railway users in the Keihanshin (Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe metropolitan area. This paper looks at urban activities within aging societies and identifies the differences in travel behaviour of railway users by separating them into young, middle aged and senior citizen age groups. Analysis makes particular use of the Railway station Database, which is a compilation of existing studies into attributes of railway stations and their surroundings, and results of person trip surveys. Rail use behaviour characteristics have been sorted by age group because mobility via urban railway systems is varied by age group. As a result, differences in railway usage patterns (travel objectives, distance and time, and number of transfers, etc. have been identified and so too have differences in urban activity patterns related to free activities (shopping, recreation. Furthermore, the study developed a travel behaviour pattern estimation model which is capable of categorizing specific transport behaviour patterns and estimating rail users and transport behaviour patterns from the relationship with areas surrounding railway stations to ensure future mobility by public transport for older age groups. The results make it possible to put forward proposals for urban rail services that will facilitate urban activities for the different age groups. Eventually, it will be possible to understand

Focus Groups Reveal Differences in Career Experiences Between Male and Female Geoscientists

Science.gov (United States)

Oconnell, S.; Frey, C. D.; Holmes, M.

2003-12-01

We conducted twelve telephone focus groups of geoscientists to discover what motivates geoscientists to enter our field and stay in our field. There were separate male and female groups from six different professional categories: administrators, full and associate professors, non-tenure track personnel, assistant professors, post-docs and PhD candidates, Bachelor's and Master's candidates. A total of 96 geoscientists participated. Specifically, respondents were asked what initially brought them into the geosciences. Three dominant themes emerged: the subject matter itself, undergraduate experiences, and relationships. A total of 51 responses to this question related to the subject matter itself. Approximately 61 percent (31) of those responses were given by male focus group participants. Across all focus groups, participants brought up issues such as a general appreciation of the outdoors, weather, rocks, and dinosaurs. Following closely behind the general subject matter is undergraduate events. Fifty-one responses mentioned something about undergraduate experiences such as an introductory class, a laboratory experience, or field experiences. While both female and male participants discussed the role of interpersonal relationships in their decision to become a geoscientist, females were slightly more likely to bring up relevant relationships (26 times for females compared to 21 for males). These relationships varied in both groups from a parent or grandparents influence to camping trips with professors. When respondents were asked whether they had ever considered leaving the geosciences and under what circumstances, there was a striking difference between males and females: males were far less likely to have ever considered leaving. Younger males were more likely to consider leaving than older geoscientists. They feel challenged by the financial constraints of graduate school and the time constraints of academic vs. family life. Many females considered leaving at

Differences within the groups of physicians and managers in Dutch hospitals providing leads for intergroup cooperation : Running head: group differences in hospitals

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Harten, Willem H.

2010-01-01

Background: Effective cooperation between physicians and managers is difficult to achieve but is an important factor in successfully implementing improvement initiatives in hospitals. Intergroup literature suggests that large differences between groups hinder effective cooperation. - Purposes:

The Emergency Framing of Solar Geoengineering: Time for a Different Approach

OpenAIRE

Horton, Joshua

2015-01-01

Solar geoengineering has been proposed as a possible response measure in the event of a "climate emergency." Scientific evidence for climate emergencies in the form of tipping points, however, is contested and unsettled. Furthermore, declarations of emergency entail authoritarian political tendencies that historically have given rise to repression and abuse. By definition, an emergency must exhibit a combination of high risk, urgency and necessity; no plausible climatic tipping point display...

Age-Group Differences in Interference from Young and Older Emotional Faces.

Science.gov (United States)

Ebner, Natalie C; Johnson, Marcia K

2010-11-01

Human attention is selective, focusing on some aspects of events at the expense of others. In particular, angry faces engage attention. Most studies have used pictures of young faces, even when comparing young and older age groups. Two experiments asked (1) whether task-irrelevant faces of young and older individuals with happy, angry, and neutral expressions disrupt performance on a face-unrelated task, (2) whether interference varies for faces of different ages and different facial expressions, and (3) whether young and older adults differ in this regard. Participants gave speeded responses on a number task while irrelevant faces appeared in the background. Both age groups were more distracted by own than other-age faces. In addition, young participants' responses were slower for angry than happy faces, whereas older participants' responses were slower for happy than angry faces. Factors underlying age-group differences in interference from emotional faces of different ages are discussed.

Health smart cards: differing perceptions of emergency department patients and staff.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohd Rosli, Reizal; Taylor, David McD; Knott, Jonathan C; Das, Atandrila; Dent, Andrew W

2009-02-01

An analytical, cross-sectional survey of 270 emergency department patients and 92 staff undertaken in three tertiary referral hospital emergency departments was completed to compare the perceptions of patients and staff regarding the use of health smart cards containing patient medical records. The study recorded data on a range of health smart card issues including awareness, privacy, confidentiality, security, advantages and disadvantages, and willingness to use. A significantly higher proportion of staff had heard of the card. The perceived disadvantages reported by patients and staff were, overall, significantly different, with the staff reporting more disadvantages. A significantly higher proportion of patients believed that they should choose what information is on the card and who should have access to the information. Patients were more conservative regarding what information should be included, but staff were more conservative regarding who should have access to the information. Significantly fewer staff believed that patients could reliably handle the cards. Overall, however, the cards were considered acceptable and useful, and their introduction would be supported.

Cross-cultural differences in relationship- and group-based trust.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuki, Masaki; Maddux, William W; Brewer, Marilynn B; Takemura, Kosuke

2005-01-01

Two experiments explored differences in depersonalized trust (trust toward a relatively unknown target person) across cultures. Based on a recent theoretical framework that postulates predominantly different bases for group behaviors in Western cultures versus Eastern cultures, it was predicted that Americans would tend to trust people primarily based on whether they shared category memberships; however, trust for Japanese was expected to be based on the likelihood of sharing direct or indirect interpersonal links. Results supported these predictions. In both Study 1 (questionnaire study) and Study 2 (online money allocation game), Americans trusted ingroup members more than outgroup members; however, the existence of a potential indirect relationship link increased trust for outgroup members more for Japanese than for Americans. Implications for understanding group processes across cultures are discussed.

Testing Group Mean Differences of Latent Variables in Multilevel Data Using Multiple-Group Multilevel CFA and Multilevel MIMIC Modeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Eun Sook; Cao, Chunhua

2015-01-01

Considering that group comparisons are common in social science, we examined two latent group mean testing methods when groups of interest were either at the between or within level of multilevel data: multiple-group multilevel confirmatory factor analysis (MG ML CFA) and multilevel multiple-indicators multiple-causes modeling (ML MIMIC). The performance of these methods were investigated through three Monte Carlo studies. In Studies 1 and 2, either factor variances or residual variances were manipulated to be heterogeneous between groups. In Study 3, which focused on within-level multiple-group analysis, six different model specifications were considered depending on how to model the intra-class group correlation (i.e., correlation between random effect factors for groups within cluster). The results of simulations generally supported the adequacy of MG ML CFA and ML MIMIC for multiple-group analysis with multilevel data. The two methods did not show any notable difference in the latent group mean testing across three studies. Finally, a demonstration with real data and guidelines in selecting an appropriate approach to multilevel multiple-group analysis are provided.

Exploring the importance of different items as reasons for leaving emergency medical services between fully compensated, partially compensated, and non-compensated/volunteer samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Blau, Gary; Chapman, Susan; Gibson, Gregory; Bentley, Melissa A

2011-01-01

The purpose of our study was to investigate the importance of different items as reasons for leaving the Emergency Medical Service (EMS) profession. An exit survey was returned by three distinct EMS samples: 127 full compensated, 45 partially compensated and 72 non-compensated/volunteer respondents, who rated the importance of 17 different items for affecting their decision to leave EMS. Unfortunately, there were a high percentage of "not applicable" responses for 10 items. We focused on those seven items that had a majority of useable responses across the three samples. Results showed that the desire for better pay and benefits was a more important reason for leaving EMS for the partially compensated versus fully compensated respondents. Perceived lack of advancement opportunity was a more important reason for leaving for the partially compensated and volunteer groups versus the fully compensated group. Study limitations are discussed and suggestions for future research offered.

Financing Constraints and Firm Growth in Emerging Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leitner Sandra M.

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The paper aims to shed light on the effects of different types of financing constraints on firm sales and employment growth in Emerging Europe before and after the onset of the financial crisis. It analyzes the group of emerging NMS-10 economies (plus Turkey and the group of economically and financially lagging Western Balkan countries. The paper demonstrates that financing constraints significantly obstruct firm growth, particularly in the Western Balkan countries, which calls for policy intervention to ensure swifter job-rich growth and catching-up with the rest of Europe. It also emphasizes that particular firm characteristics are essential for growth in Emerging Europe and demonstrates that exporting only and innovating are recipes for faster firm growth, while importing only and a high foreign ownership share seriously retard firm growth. Finally, it stresses the importance of the particular institutional environment for firms to thrive.

[Perception of sweet and salty flavors in different population groups].

Science.gov (United States)

González Carnero, J; de la Montaña Miguélez, J; Míguez Bernárdez, M

2002-01-01

The flavour perceived by humans when eating varies depending on age, gender, habits, emotional status, etc. The present study reflects the changes in the perception of sweet and salt flavours among different population groups depending on age, with an assessment, for each flavour, of the threshold concentration for the detection of these flavours. Triangular discrimination sensorial tests were performed in three groups, with thirty members in each, classified to represent young, adult and elderly age groups. With regard to sweet flavours, the groups of young people and adults distinguished the different sample at 0.1% of sugar for 95% and 99% significance levels, whereas the elderly required the concentration to reach 1% at both levels before they could distinguish the sugar solution from water. In the case of salt flavours, young people are able to detect the different sample at the lowest concentration level, for both levels of significance. Adults significantly distinguished the sample containing 0.05% of salt, at the 95% significance level, whereas the elderly needed a concentration of 0.1% for both levels of significance. Age-dependent variations in response were observed. As age increases, greater concentrations are required in order to distinguish the salt or sweet solutions from the samples containing only water.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of digital radiography in emergency situations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pathi, R.; Langlois, S.

2002-01-01

The time differences between digital and conventional radiography for emergency patients were investigated, and clinician satisfaction with the two modalities was compared. Time-motion data was collected daily over 5 weeks for a digital group and a conventional X-ray group. For standardization purposes, only emergency patients requiring chest X-rays were selected for the study. Data were collected from 30 patients in each of the two groups in the time-motion study, and 31 out of 50 Emergency and Intensive Care clinicians responded to the questionnaire. Results were analysed by percentage, and χ 2 analysis was used where appropriate. The time for availability of images to requesting clinicians was 70% less for digital images compared to conventional radiography. The overall satisfaction between digital and conventional radiography was very similar, but most clinicians expressed an opinion that digital radiography offered significant image modification advantages. Copyright (2002) Blackwell Science Pty Ltd

Group differences in the heritability of items and test scores

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wicherts, J.M.; Johnson, W.

2009-01-01

It is important to understand potential sources of group differences in the heritability of intelligence test scores. On the basis of a basic item response model we argue that heritabilities which are based on dichotomous item scores normally do not generalize from one sample to the next. If groups

What can Parents' Self-report of Reading Difficulties Tell Us about Their Children's Emergent Literacy at School Entry?

Science.gov (United States)

Esmaeeli, Zahra; Lundetrae, Kjersti; Kyle, Fiona E

2018-02-01

Research has linked family risk (FR) of reading difficulties (RD) with children's difficulties in emergent literacy development. This study is the first to apply parents' self-report of RD as a proxy for FR in a large sample (n = 1171) in order to test group differences in children's emergent literacy. Emergent literacy, the home literacy environment and children's interest in literacy and letters were compared across different groups of FR children around the school entry. The FR children performed lower in emergent literacy compared with not-FR children. Furthermore, when comparing FR children with one parent reporting RD and children with both parents reporting RD, moderate group differences were found in Emergent Literacy. Finally, parents' self-report of RD was a significant contributor of emergent literacy after controlling for the home literacy environment, children's gender, their interest in literacy and letters, months in kindergarten, vocabulary and parents' education. Our findings suggest that schools should monitor the reading development of children with parents self-reporting RD closely - especially if both parents self-report RD. © 2017 The Authors. Dyslexia published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. © 2017 The Authors. Dyslexia published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Emerging new applications of nucleonic control systems in industry. Report of an advisory group meeting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-03-01

This TECDOC presents a comprehensive review of the current status and future prospects of nucleonic gauge methodology and technology applied as nucleonic control systems (NCS) to a broad spectrum of industrial engineering processes. It presents the results of the IAEA's Advisory Group Meeting on Emerging New Applications of Nucleonic Control Systems in Industry, which was convened to discuss and evaluate the present 'state-of-the-art' of this field. The TECDOC provides fundamental information on the principles of nucleonic gauges, their design, safe operation and applications. This covers both the more traditional and well established applications and methods as well as trends on emerging applications of new nucleonic gauges in modem industry. A specific review is presented of nucleonic gauge methodology and technology as applied in international priority industrial sectors such as the petroleum industry, mining and mineral ore processing, material construction and environment. This information on nucleonic gauges, including the most relevant recent achievements and developments, effectively enhances and often replaces the existing related publications, many of which have lost their relevance. Separate abstracts have been prepared for the thirteen individual country reports included in this TECDOC

Emerging new applications of nucleonic control systems in industry. Report of an advisory group meeting

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2000-03-01

This TECDOC presents a comprehensive review of the current status and future prospects of nucleonic gauge methodology and technology applied as nucleonic control systems (NCS) to a broad spectrum of industrial engineering processes. It presents the results of the IAEA's Advisory Group Meeting on Emerging New Applications of Nucleonic Control Systems in Industry, which was convened to discuss and evaluate the present 'state-of-the-art' of this field. The TECDOC provides fundamental information on the principles of nucleonic gauges, their design, safe operation and applications. This covers both the more traditional and well established applications and methods as well as trends on emerging applications of new nucleonic gauges in modem industry. A specific review is presented of nucleonic gauge methodology and technology as applied in international priority industrial sectors such as the petroleum industry, mining and mineral ore processing, material construction and environment. This information on nucleonic gauges, including the most relevant recent achievements and developments, effectively enhances and often replaces the existing related publications, many of which have lost their relevance. Separate abstracts have been prepared for the thirteen individual country reports included in this TECDOC.

Profiling of Junior College Football Players and Differences between Position Groups

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert G. Lockie

2016-08-01

Full Text Available This study profiled junior college football players. Sixty-two subjects completed vertical jump (VJ; height and peak power, standing broad jump (SBJ, 36.58 m sprint, pro-agility shuttle, three-cone drill, and maximal-repetition bench press and front squat. The sample included 2 quarterbacks (QB, 7 running backs (RB, 13 wide receivers (WR, 1 tight end (TE, 18 defensive backs (DB, 8 linebackers (LB, and 13 offensive and defensive linemen (LM. To investigate positional differences, subjects were split into skill (SK; WR, DB, big skill (BSK; QB, RB, TE, LB, and LM groups. A one-way ANOVA determined between-group differences. LM were taller and heavier than SK and BSK players. The SK and BSK groups were faster than LM in the 0–36.58 m sprint, pro-agility shuttle, and three-cone drill (p ≤ 0.009. The SK group had greater VJ height and SBJ distance; LM generated greater VJ peak power (p ≤ 0.022. There were no between-group differences in the strength endurance tests. Compared to Division I data, junior college players were smaller, slower, and performed worse in jump tests. Positional differences in junior college football are typical to that of established research. Junior college players should attempt to increase body mass, and improve speed and lower-body power.

Giardia muris and Giardia duodenalis groups: ultrastructural differences between the trophozoites

OpenAIRE

Sogayar,Maria Inês L.; Gregório,Elisa Aparecida

1989-01-01

Trophozoites of the Giardia muris group from hamsters, domestic rats and mice and of the Giardia duodenalis group from hamsters and domestic rats were examined by transmission electron microscopy. The basic ultrastructure of the trophozoites was similar. Differences were shown in the morphology of the ventrolateral flange of the trophozoites of Giardia muris and Giardia duodenalis groups. Marginal plates are less developed in the species of the Giardia duodenalis group. In this group, the dis...

Comparison in anesthetic effects of propofol among patients with different ABO blood groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Yiri; Shi, Haixia; Yu, Jianshe

2017-05-01

Our study was aimed to investigate anesthetic effects of propofol in patients with different blood groups.A total of 72 participants were enrolled from patients arranged for surgeries of cholecystectomy, tonsillectomy, and spinal operation. Each blood group (A, B, AB, and O) contained 18 participants. Mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), and bispectral index (BIS) were assayed with Philips monitor. These indexes were observed before propofol anesthesia (T0), and then were recorded when concentration of propofol was 1 μg/mL (T1), 2 μg/mL (T2), 3 μg/mL (T3), and 4 μg/mL (T4). The differences in MAP, HR, and BIS at T0 among groups were compared with the χ test. Multiple comparisons were adopted to calculate the differences in MAP, HR, and BIS between groups at T1, T2, T3, and T4.No significant differences in age, sex, and weight of all groups were found (P > .05). Before propofol anesthesia (T0), all the participants exhibited no differences in MAP, HR, and BIS (P > .05). Subsequently, we found obvious differences in ΔMAP, ΔHR, and ΔBIS between groups. The patients in the B blood group showed highest ΔMAP and ΔHR at each time point (P blood group exhibited highest value at T3 and T4 (P blood group remarkably affects the anesthetic effects of propofol.

Differences in rates and odds for emergency caesarean section in six Palestinian hospitals: a population-based birth cohort study

Science.gov (United States)

Laine, Katariina; Hassan, Sahar; Fosse, Erik; Lieng, Marit; Zimmo, Kaled; Anti, Marit; Sørum Falk, Ragnhild; Vikanes, Åse

2018-01-01

Objective To assess the differences in rates and odds for emergency caesarean section among singleton pregnancies in six governmental Palestinian hospitals. Design A prospective population-based birth cohort study. Setting Obstetric departments in six governmental Palestinian hospitals. Participants 32 321 women scheduled to deliver vaginally from 1 March 2015 until 29 February 2016. Methods To assess differences in sociodemographic and antenatal obstetric characteristics by hospital, χ2 test, analysis of variance and Kruskal-Wallis test were applied. Logistic regression was used to estimate differences in odds for emergency caesarean section, and ORs with 95% CIs were assessed. Main outcome measures The primary outcome was the adjusted ORs of emergency caesarean section among singleton pregnancies for five Palestinian hospitals as compared with the reference (Hospital 1). Results The prevalence of emergency caesarean section varied across hospitals, ranging from 5.8% to 22.6% among primiparous women and between 4.8% and 13.1% among parous women. Compared with the reference hospital, the ORs for emergency caesarean section were increased in all other hospitals, crude ORs ranging from 1.95 (95% CI 1.42 to 2.67) to 4.75 (95% CI 3.49 to 6.46) among primiparous women. For parous women, these differences were less pronounced, crude ORs ranging from 1.37 (95% CI 1.13 to 1.67) to 2.99 (95% CI 2.44 to 3.65). After adjustment for potential confounders, the ORs were reduced but still statistically significant, except for one hospital among parous women. Conclusion Substantial differences in odds for emergency caesarean section between the six Palestinian governmental hospitals were observed. These could not be explained by the studied sociodemographic or antenatal obstetric characteristics. PMID:29500211

Cognitive-behavioral group therapy for girls victims of sexual violence in Brazil: Are there differences in effectiveness when applied by different groups of psychologists?: effectiveness of group therapy for girls victims of sexual violence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luisa Fernanda Habigzang

Full Text Available The effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral group therapy model for the treatment of girls victims of sexual violence (SV was investigated when applied by different groups of practitioners: researchers/psychologists who developed it (G1 and psychologists from the public social care network trained by the first group (G2. A quasi-experimental study was carried out, in which the group therapy model was applied by the two groups. A total of 103 girls victims of sexual violence (SV, aged between seven and 16 years (M=11.76 years, SD=2.02 years were included, with 49 attended by G1, and 54 by G2. The results indicated a significant reduction in the symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, and PTSD. The comparison between the results obtained by the two groups of practitioners in the application of the model indicated no significant differences in the rates of improvement of the participants. These results indicate the effectiveness of the cognitive-behavioral group therapy model evaluated and the possibility of it being used as a care strategy by psychology practitioners working in public services.

Stress and disease resilience differences related to emergence time for first feeding in farmed rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gesto, Manuel; Madsen, Lone; Andersen, Nikolaj Reducha

2018-01-01

Salmonid individuals show a relatively high variability in the time required to abandon the gravel nest where they hatch, the so-called "emergence time". Different behavioral and physiological traits have been shown to be associated to that emergence time in wild salmonids. In general, early- and...

Expanding the Application of Group Interventions: Emergence of Groups in Health Care Settings

Science.gov (United States)

Drum, David; Becker, Martin Swanbrow; Hess, Elaine

2011-01-01

Changes in the health care arena and within the specialty of group work are contributing to the increased utilization of groups in health care settings. Psychoeducational, theme, and interpersonal therapy groups are highlighted for their contributions to treating challenging health conditions. An understanding of the evolution of these group…

Characteristics of four SPE groups with different origins and acceleration processes

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, R.-S.; Cho, K.-S.; Lee, J.; Bong, S.-C.; Joshi, A. D.; Park, Y.-D.

2015-09-01

Solar proton events (SPEs) can be categorized into four groups based on their associations with flare or CME inferred from onset timings as well as acceleration patterns using multienergy observations. In this study, we have investigated whether there are any typical characteristics of associated events and acceleration sites in each group using 42 SPEs from 1997 to 2012. We find the following: (i) if the proton acceleration starts from a lower energy, a SPE has a higher chance to be a strong event (> 5000 particle flux per unit (pfu)) even if its associated flare and/or CME are not so strong. The only difference between the SPEs associated with flare and CME is the location of the acceleration site. (ii) For the former (Group A), the sites are very low (˜ 1 Rs) and close to the western limb, while the latter (Group C) have relatively higher (mean = 6.05 Rs) and wider acceleration sites. (iii) When the proton acceleration starts from the higher energy (Group B), a SPE tends to be a relatively weak event (pfu), although its associated CME is relatively stronger than previous groups. (iv) The SPEs categorized by the simultaneous acceleration in whole energy range within 10 min (Group D) tend to show the weakest proton flux (mean = 327 pfu) in spite of strong associated eruptions. Based on those results, we suggest that the different characteristics of SPEs are mainly due to the different conditions of magnetic connectivity and particle density, which are changed with longitude and height as well as their origin.

Skin color and makeup strategies of women from different ethnic groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Caisey, L; Grangeat, F; Lemasson, A; Talabot, J; Voirin, A

2006-12-01

The development of a world-wide makeup foundation range requires a thorough understanding of skin color features of women around the world. To understand the cosmetic needs of women from different ethnic groups, we measured skin color in five different groups (French and American Caucasian, Japanese, African-American, and Hispanic-American) and compared the data obtained with women's self-perception of skin color, before or after applying their usual foundation product. Skin color was measured using a spectro-radiometer and a spheric lighting device with CCD camera ensuring a highly reliable imaging and data acquisition. The diversity of skin types involved in the study lead to define a large, continuous color space where color spectra from various ethnic groups overlap. Three types of complexion - dark, medium, or light - were distinguished in each group. Only Japanese women did not identify with this lightness scale and considered it makes more sense to classify their skin according to a pink-ocher-beige color scale. The approach however revealed the great variety of skin colors within each ethnic group and the extent of unevenness. A fairly good agreement appeared between women's self-perception and data from color measurements but in Hispanic-American group. Data recorded, after foundation was applied, showed overall consistency with makeup strategy as described by volunteers except for the latter group whose approach looked more uncertain and variable. The findings of the study demonstrate the advantage of combining qualitative and quantitative approach for assessing the cosmetic needs and expectations of women from different ethnic origin and cultural background.

Temporal variation and cross-sectional differences of accounting conservatism in emerging countries

OpenAIRE

Khalifa, Maha; Othman, Hakim Ben; Hussainey, Khaled

2016-01-01

Prior research reported that accounting conservatism has increased over time in developed countries. In this paper, we try to examine the time-series extent and shift of accounting conservatism in emerging countries over the period 2000-2012. We also analyze differences in conservatism level across countries, regions, legal regimes and industries and the effect of size, Market-to-Book and leverage on the degree of conservatism. We use a set of measures to assess the degree of conservatism. Th...

The Influence of Climatic Seasonality on the Diversity of Different Tropical Pollinator Groups

Science.gov (United States)

Abrahamczyk, Stefan; Kluge, Jürgen; Gareca, Yuvinka; Reichle, Steffen; Kessler, Michael

2011-01-01

Tropical South America is rich in different groups of pollinators, but the biotic and abiotic factors determining the geographical distribution of their species richness are poorly understood. We analyzed the species richness of three groups of pollinators (bees and wasps, butterflies, hummingbirds) in six tropical forests in the Bolivian lowlands along a gradient of climatic seasonality and precipitation ranging from 410 mm to 6250 mm. At each site, we sampled the three pollinator groups and their food plants twice for 16 days in both the dry and rainy seasons. The richness of the pollinator groups was related to climatic factors by linear regressions. Differences in species numbers between pollinator groups were analyzed by Wilcoxon tests for matched pairs and the proportion in species numbers between pollinator groups by correlation analyses. Species richness of hummingbirds was most closely correlated to the continuous availability of food, that of bees and wasps to the number of food plant species and flowers, and that of butterflies to air temperature. Only the species number of butterflies differed significantly between seasons. We were not able to find shifts in the proportion of species numbers of the different groups of pollinators along the study gradient. Thus, we conclude that the diversity of pollinator guilds is determined by group-specific factors and that the constant proportions in species numbers of the different pollinator groups constitute a general pattern. PMID:22073268

The influence of climatic seasonality on the diversity of different tropical pollinator groups.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefan Abrahamczyk

Full Text Available Tropical South America is rich in different groups of pollinators, but the biotic and abiotic factors determining the geographical distribution of their species richness are poorly understood. We analyzed the species richness of three groups of pollinators (bees and wasps, butterflies, hummingbirds in six tropical forests in the Bolivian lowlands along a gradient of climatic seasonality and precipitation ranging from 410 mm to 6250 mm. At each site, we sampled the three pollinator groups and their food plants twice for 16 days in both the dry and rainy seasons. The richness of the pollinator groups was related to climatic factors by linear regressions. Differences in species numbers between pollinator groups were analyzed by Wilcoxon tests for matched pairs and the proportion in species numbers between pollinator groups by correlation analyses. Species richness of hummingbirds was most closely correlated to the continuous availability of food, that of bees and wasps to the number of food plant species and flowers, and that of butterflies to air temperature. Only the species number of butterflies differed significantly between seasons. We were not able to find shifts in the proportion of species numbers of the different groups of pollinators along the study gradient. Thus, we conclude that the diversity of pollinator guilds is determined by group-specific factors and that the constant proportions in species numbers of the different pollinator groups constitute a general pattern.

Corneal clarity measurements in healthy volunteers across different age groups: Observational study.

Science.gov (United States)

Alzahrani, Khaled; Carley, Fiona; Brahma, Arun; Morley, Debbie; Hillarby, M Chantal

2017-11-01

The aim of this study was to standardize and investigate the changes in corneal clarity with age. Densitometry software for the Oculus Pentacam was used to examine corneal clarity at different age groups.A total of 192 eyes from 97 healthy participants were included in this cohort comparative nonrandomized, cross-sectional study. An Oculus Pentcam was used to image the cornea of healthy participants grouped by age (between 10 and 70 years old). Data from the densitometry output have been used to determine clarity in concentric zones and different depths of the cornea.Corneal densitometry (CD) across all ages showed significant differences between groups when divided into the following layers: anterior, central, and posterior or divided into 0 to 2, 2 to 6, and 6 to 10 mm concentric zones (P age in all 3 layers of the periphery (6-10 mm) (P age group had lower clarity than the 20 to 30-age group (P age is differed when the cornea is divided into layers and zones. This study suggests that there are other factors that may play an essential role in corneal clarity as well as age.

Emerging clinical experience with vaccines against group B meningococcal disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilkins, A L; Snape, M D

2017-08-01

The prevention of paediatric bacterial meningitis and septicaemia has recently entered a new era with the availability of two vaccines against capsular group B meningococcus (MenB). Both of these vaccines are based on sub-capsular proteins of the meningococcus, an approach that overcomes the challenges set by the poorly immunogenic MenB polysaccharide capsule but adds complexity to predicting and measuring the impact of their use. This review describes the development and use of MenB vaccines to date, from the use of outer membrane vesicle (OMV) vaccines in MenB outbreaks around the world, to emerging evidence on the effectiveness of the newly available vaccines. While recent data from the United Kingdom supports the potential for protein-based vaccines to provide direct protection against MenB disease in immunised children, further research is required to understand the breadth and duration of this protection. A more detailed understanding of the impact of immunisation with these vaccines on nasopharyngeal carriage of the meningococcus is also required, to inform both their potential to induce herd immunity and to preferentially select for carriage of strains not susceptible to vaccine-induced antibodies. Although a full understanding of the potential impact of these vaccines will only be possible with this additional information, the availability of new tools to prevent the devastating effect of invasive MenB disease is a significant breakthrough in the fight against childhood sepsis and meningitis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Detection of emamectin benzoate tolerance emergence in different life stages of sea lice, Lepeophtheirus salmonis, on farmed Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, P G; Hammell, K L; Gettinby, G; Revie, C W

2013-03-01

Emamectin benzoate has been used to treat sea lice, Lepeophtheirus salmonis, infestations on farmed Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar. Recent evidence suggests a reduction in effectiveness in some locations. A major challenge in the detection of tolerance emergence can be the typically low proportion of resistant individuals in a population during the early phases. The objectives of this study were to develop a method for determining differences in temporal development of tolerance between sea lice life stages and to explore how these differences might be used to improve the monitoring of treatment effectiveness in a clinical setting. This study examined two data sets based on records of sea lice abundance following emamectin benzoate treatments from the west coast of Scotland (2002-2006) and from New Brunswick, Canada (2004-2008). Life stages were categorized into two groups (adult females and the remaining mobile stages) to examine the trends in mean abundance and treatment effectiveness. Differences in emamectin benzoate effectiveness were found between the two groups by year and location, suggesting that an important part of monitoring drug resistance development in aquatic ectoparasites may be the need to focus on key life stages. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Propofol for procedural sedation and analgesia reduced dedicated emergency nursing time while maintaining safety in a community emergency department.

Science.gov (United States)

Reynolds, Joshua C; Abraham, Michael K; Barrueto, Fermin F; Lemkin, Daniel L; Hirshon, Jon M

2013-09-01

Procedural sedation and analgesia is a core competency in emergency medicine. Propofol is replacing midazolam in many emergency departments. Barriers to performing procedural sedation include resource utilization. We hypothesized that emergency nursing time is shorter with propofol than midazolam, without increasing complications. Retrospective analysis of a procedural sedation registry for two community emergency departments with combined census of 100,000 patients/year. Demographics, procedure, and ASA physical classification status of adult patients receiving procedural sedation between 2007-2010 with midazolam or propofol were analyzed. Primary outcome was dedicated emergency nursing time. Secondary outcomes were procedural success, ED length of stay, and complication rate. Comparative statistics were performed with Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, chi-square, or Fisher's exact test. Linear regression was performed with log-transformed procedural sedation time to define predictors. Of 328 procedural sedation and analgesia, 316 met inclusion criteria, of which 60 received midazolam and 256 propofol. Sex distribution varied between groups (midazolam 3% male; propofol 55% male; P = 0.04). Age, procedure, and ASA status were not significantly different. Propofol had shorter procedural sedation time (propofol 32.5 ± 24.2 minutes; midazolam 78.7 ± 51.5 minutes; P differences between complication rates (propofol 14%; midazolam 13%; P = 0.88) or emergency department length of stay (propofol 262.5 ± 132.8 minutes; midazolam 288.6 ± 130.6 minutes; P = 0.09). Use of propofol resulted in shorter emergency nursing time and higher procedural success rate than midazolam with a comparable safety profile. Copyright © 2013 Emergency Nurses Association. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Emergence of Industrial Ecosystems in Post-Authoritarian Contexts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kristina Grumadaite

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Purpose of the article: This article analyses cluster emergence in post-authoritarian countries with immature socio-economic context by adapting the approach of industrial clusters as industrial ecosystems and analysing cluster emergence cases. Methodology/methods: Review of scientific literature, case analysis. Scientific aim: This article presents different scenarios of cluster emergence based on cases of industrial clusters in a Lithuanian context and provides solutions for cluster emergence in post-authoritarian countries. Findings: The analysis of scientific literature revealed the following solutions of cluster emergence in postauthoritarian contexts: 1 Large firm(s acting as anchors for attracting smaller companies into cluster; 2 Cluster emergence as a means to serve the needs of large customer outside the cluster; 3 Cluster emergence via local business entrepreneurs; 4 Cluster emergence via local science representatives; 5 Cluster emergence through adapting historically formed regional knowledge and networks; 6 Government as the main agent for change. The analysis of industrial clusters emergence in Lithuania revealed four different combinations of planned/ unplanned non-equilibrium phenomena and the first explicit/inexplicit initiatives toward the emergence of selforganising industrial systems by analysing the cases of cluster emergence in Lithuanian context. These cases highlighted the importance of leaders-initiators that were local large or simply very experienced enterprises, groups of managers of small and medium sized enterprises, mediators-communication facilitators from nonbusiness enterprises. These actors helped to cope with unplanned and planned non-equilibrium phenomena. Conclusions: Since the empirical analysis concentrated only in the first stage of cluster emergence of postauthoritarian context, a further research is needed to take a deeper look at the development of industrial clusters as industrial ecosystems in post

Surgical outcomes in two different age groups with Focal Cortical Dysplasia type II: Any real difference?

Science.gov (United States)

Ramírez-Molina, Jorge Luis; Di Giacomo, Roberta; Mariani, Valeria; Deleo, Francesco; Cardinale, Francesco; Uscátegui-Daccarett, Angélica María; Lorenzana, Pablo; Tassi, Laura

2017-05-01

Focal Cortical Dysplasias (FCDs) represent a common architectural cortical disorder underlying drug-resistant focal epilepsy. So far, studies aimed at evaluating whether age at surgery is a factor influencing surgical outcome are lacking, so that data on the comparison between patients harboring Type II FCD operated at younger age and those operated at adult age are still scarce. We compared presurgical clinical features and surgical outcomes of patients with histopathologically diagnosed Type II FCD undergoing surgery at an earlier age with those operated after 20 years of age. We retrospectively analyzed 1660 consecutive patients operated at the "Claudio Munari" Epilepsy Surgery Centre. There were 289 patients (17.4%) with a neuropathological diagnosis of Type II FCD. We included two different groups of patients, the first one including patients operated on at less than 6years, the second sharing the same seizure onset age but with delayed surgery, carried out after the age of 20. Seizure characteristics and, neuropsychological and postoperative seizure outcomes were evaluated by study group. Forty patients underwent surgery before the age of 6 and 66 patients after the age of 20. Surgical outcome was favorable in the whole population (72.6% were classified in Engel's Class Ia+Ic), independently from age at surgery. In the children group, 32 patients were classified in Class I, including 30 (75%) children in classes Ia and Ic. In the adult group, 53 belonged to Class I of whom 47 (71%) were in classes Ia and Ic. The percentage of permanent complications, the surgical outcomes, and AED withdrawal did not significantly differ by study group. Our results indicate that there is no difference between the groups, suggesting that outcome depends mainly on the histological findings and not on timing of surgery. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ketamine as a first-line treatment for severely agitated emergency department patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Riddell, Jeff; Tran, Alexander; Bengiamin, Rimon; Hendey, Gregory W; Armenian, Patil

2017-07-01

Emergency physicians often need to control agitated patients who present a danger to themselves and hospital personnel. Commonly used medications have limitations. Our primary objective was to compare the time to a defined reduction in agitation scores for ketamine versus benzodiazepines and haloperidol, alone or in combination. Our secondary objectives were to compare rates of medication redosing, vital sign changes, and adverse events in the different treatment groups. We conducted a single-center, prospective, observational study examining agitation levels in acutely agitated emergency department patients between the ages of 18 and 65 who required sedation medication for acute agitation. Providers measured agitation levels on a previously validated 6-point sedation scale at 0-, 5-, 10-, and 15-min after receiving sedation. We also assessed the incidence of adverse events, repeat or rescue medication dosing, and changes in vital signs. 106 patients were enrolled and 98 met eligibility criteria. There was no significant difference between groups in initial agitation scores. Based on agitation scores, more patients in the ketamine group were no longer agitated than the other medication groups at 5-, 10-, and 15-min after receiving medication. Patients receiving ketamine had similar rates of redosing, changes in vital signs, and adverse events to the other groups. In highly agitated and violent emergency department patients, significantly fewer patients receiving ketamine as a first line sedating agent were agitated at 5-, 10-, and 15-min. Ketamine appears to be faster at controlling agitation than standard emergency department medications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Prevention of parastomal hernia in the emergency setting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lykke, Anna; Andersen, Johnny F.B.; Jorgensen, Lars N.

2017-01-01

and mortality were not different between the two groups. No patients underwent removal of the mesh and no clinical mesh infections were seen. Conclusion: Use of a resorbable synthetic mesh during emergency ostomy formation showed no significant preventive effect on formation of parastomal hernia after 1 year...

Child mental health differences amongst ethnic groups in Britain: a systematic review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leon David A

2008-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Inter-ethnic differences have been reported for many mental health outcomes in the UK, but no systematic review on child mental health has been published. The aim of this review is to compare the population-based prevalence of child mental disorders between ethnic groups in Britain, and relate these findings to ethnic differences in mental health service use. Methods A systematic search of bibliographic databases for population-based and clinic-based studies of children aged 0–19, including all ethnic groups and the main child mental disorders. We synthesised findings by comparing each minority group to the White British study sample. Results 31 population-based and 18 clinic-based studies met the inclusion criteria. Children in the main minority groups have similar or better mental health than White British children for common disorders, but may have higher rates for some less common conditions. The causes of these differences are unclear. There may be unmet need for services among Pakistani and Bangladeshi children. Conclusion Inter-ethnic differences exist but are largely unexplained. Future studies should address the challenges of cross-cultural psychiatry and investigate reasons for inter-ethnic differences.

Different pain responses to chronic and acute pain in various ethnic/racial groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Rahavard, Behnoosh B; Candido, Kenneth D; Knezevic, Nebojsa Nick

2017-09-01

Our goal in this study was to review the similarities and differences among ethnic groups and their respective responses to acute and chronic clinically related and experimentally induced pain. In this review, the PUBMED and Google-Scholar databases were searched to analyze articles that have assessed the variations in both acute and chronic pain responses among different ethnic/racial groups. According to the results from 42 reviewed articles, significant differences exist among ethnic-racial groups for pain prevalence as well as responses to acute and chronic pain. Compared with Caucasians, other ethnic groups are more susceptible to acute pain responses to nociceptive stimulation and to the development of long-term chronic pain. These differences need to be addressed and assessed more extensively in the future in order to minimize the pain management disparities among various ethnic-racial groups and also to improve the relationship between pain management providers and their patients.

Clinicopathological analysis of colorectal cancer: a comparison between emergency and elective surgical cases.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghazi, Sam; Berg, Elisabeth; Lindblom, Annika; Lindforss, Ulrik

2013-06-11

Approximately 15 to 30% of colorectal cancers present as an emergency, most often as obstruction or perforation. Studies report poorer outcome for patients who undergo emergency compared with elective surgery, both for their initial hospital stay and their long-term survival. Advanced tumor pathology and tumors with unfavorable histologic features may provide the basis for the difference in outcome. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical and pathologic profiles of emergency and elective surgical cases for colorectal cancer, and relate these to gender, age group, tumor location, and family history of the disease. The main outcome measure was the difference in morphology between elective and emergency surgical cases. In total, 976 tumors from patients treated surgically for colorectal cancer between 2004 and 2006 in Stockholm County, Sweden (8 hospitals) were analyzed in the study. Seventeen morphological features were examined and compared with type of operation (elective or emergency), gender, age, tumor location, and family history of colorectal cancer by re-evaluating the histopathologic features of the tumors. In a univariate analysis, the following characteristics were found more frequently in emergency compared with elective cases: multiple tumors, higher American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC), tumor (T) and node (N) stage, peri-tumor lymphocytic reaction, high number of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, signet-ring cell mucinous carcinoma, desmoplastic stromal reaction, vascular and perineural invasion, and infiltrative tumor margin (Pemergency case generally show a more aggressive histopathologic profile and a more advanced stage than do elective cases. Essentially, no difference was seen in location, and therefore it is likely there would be no differences in macro-environment either. Our results could indicate that colorectal cancers needing emergency surgery belong to an inherently specific group with a different etiologic or genetic

Integration of emergency action levels with Combustion Engineering Emergency Operating Procedures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faletti, D.W.; Jamison, J.D.

1985-09-01

This report documents the development of a method for integrating Emergency Action Levels (EALs) with plant-specific Emergency Operating Procedures (EOPs) using the Combustion Engineering Owners' Group Emergency Operating Procedure Technical Guidelines (CEOG EOPTFs). EALs are discrete conditions or values of plant operating parameters which, if exceeded, require declaration of an appropriate level of emergency. At most operating plants, the EALs and event classification procedures are totally separate from the Emergency Operating Procedures used by the plant staff to control the plant during abnormal conditions. Control room personnel using the EOPs to deal with abnormal plant conditions must recognize when plant safety is sufficiently degraded that an emergency declaration may be warranted, and then enter a separate classification procedure containing EALs for a number of plant conditions and parameters. The operator then compares the existing plant conditions to the EALs and makes an emergency declaration accordingly. Using the Combustion Engineering Owners' Group Technical Guidelines document, a set of emergency class definitions and criteria were developed based on the status of the three main fission product barriers (fuel cladding, primary coolant system and containment). The EOPTGs were then annotated with suggested guidance to a procedure writer. The proposed method was tested by applying it to the reactor accident sequences that were shown in the reactor safety study to dominate accident risk. The object of the test was to determine if an EAL set linked to the EOP annotations would produce timely and accurate classification of the risk-dominant sequences. 6 refs., 13 figs., 31 tabs

Group differences in the legitimization of inequality: Questioning the role of social dominance orientation.

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Pehrson, Samuel; Carvacho, Héctor; Sibley, Chris G

2017-03-01

Social dominance orientation (SDO) is conceived as an individual's level of support for group-based hierarchy in general that causes support for more specific group hierarchies. According to social dominance theory, group differences in SDO underpin ideological and behavioural group differences related to specific group hierarchies. Using representative 5-year longitudinal panel data from New Zealand (N = 3,384), we test whether SDO mediates effects of sex and ethnicity on legitimizing myths (LMs) relating to gender and ethnic hierarchy over time. The SDO mediation hypothesis is supported in the case of hostile sexism. However, it is unsupported in the case of benevolent sexism and LMs relating to ethnic hierarchy, where there was no cross-lagged effect of SDO. Moreover, being in the dominant ethnic group is associated with more legitimization of ethnic hierarchy but less legitimization of gender hierarchy, which is inconsistent with the notion of a general orientation underpinning group differences in legitimation. There was mixed evidence for a reverse path whereby specific LMs mediate group differences in SDO across time. We argue for the need to find alternative ways to theorize ideological consensus and difference between groups. © 2016 The British Psychological Society.

The effects of cigarette smoking on prostate-specific antigen in two different age groups.

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Koc, Gokhan; Akgul, Korhan; Yilmaz, Yuksel; Dirik, Alper; Un, Sitki

2013-01-01

We investigate the effects of cigarette smoking on prostate-specific antigen (PSA) using 2 different age groups. The study was carried out between January 2007 and October 2011 with men; the 2 sets of age groups were: 25 to 35 years and 50 to 70 years old. The participants were divided into 4 groups. Of the 25 to 35 age range, smokers were Group 1, and non-smokers were Group 2; of the 50 to 70 age range, smokers were Group 3 and non-smokers Group 4. In addition, for the 50 to 70 age group, the International Prostate Symptom Score was completed, digital rectal examination was performed, and transabdominal prostate volume was measured. We wanted to see whether prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels showed a difference between the 2 age groups. There were 114 patients in Group 1, 82 in Group 2, 90 in Group 3, and 102 in Group 4. The mean PSA level was 0.7 ± 0.28 ng/mL for Group 1, and 0.6 ± 0.27 ng/mL for Group 2 (p = 0.27), and there was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups. The mean PSA was 2.5 ± 1.8 ng/mL for Group 3, and 2.1 ± 2.0 ng/mL (p = 0.59) for Group 4, and there was no statistically significant difference between the these 2 age groups. Cigarette smoking effects various hormone levels. Different from previous studies, the PSA level was higher in smokers compared to nonsmokers, although it was not statistically significant. Our study is limited by the small numbers in our study groups and the lack of PSA velocity data.

The emergence of grammar in very-low-birth-weight Finnish children at two years of age.

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Stolt, Suvi; Matomäki, Jaakko; Haataja, Leena; Lapinleimu, Helena; Lehtonen, Liisa

2013-03-01

It is not well understood how grammar emerges in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) children. The main aim of the present study was to gain information on the emergence of grammar in this group at 2 ; 0. The Finnish version of the Communicative Development Inventory was used to collect data from VLBW children (N = 156) and full-term controls (N = 146). At a group level, the grammatical skills of the VLBW children were significantly weaker than those of the controls. However, when the effect of lexicon size and premature birth on the emergence of grammar was analyzed in detail, few significant differences were found between the groups. The results suggest that even though grammar emerges more slowly for the VLBW children, it emerges in a manner comparable to that of the controls, when the effect of lexicon size is taken into consideration.

Different groups, different motives: identity motives underlying changes in identification with novel groups.

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Easterbrook, Matt; Vignoles, Vivian L

2012-08-01

Social identification is known to have wide-reaching implications, but theorists disagree about the underlying motives. Integrating motivated identity construction theory with recent social identity research, the authors predicted which motives underlie identification with two types of groups: interpersonal networks and social categories. In a five-wave longitudinal study of social identity processes among 268 new university residents, multilevel analyses showed that motives involved in identity enactment processes--self-esteem, belonging, and efficacy--significantly predicted within-person changes in identification with flatmates (an interpersonal network group), whereas motives involved in identity definition processes--meaning, self-esteem, and distinctiveness--significantly predicted within-person changes in identification with halls of residence (an abstract social category). This article discusses implications for research into identity motives and social identity.

Estimation of Tooth Size Discrepancies among Different Malocclusion Groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Hasija, Narender; Bala, Madhu; Goyal, Virender

2014-05-01

Regards and Tribute: Late Dr Narender Hasija was a mentor and visionary in the light of knowledge and experience. We pay our regards with deepest gratitude to the departed soul to rest in peace. Bolton's ratios help in estimating overbite, overjet relationships, the effects of contemplated extractions on posterior occlusion, incisor relationships and identification of occlusal misfit produced by tooth size discrepancies. To determine any difference in tooth size discrepancy in anterior as well as overall ratio in different malocclusions and comparison with Bolton's study. After measuring the teeth on all 100 patients, Bolton's analysis was performed. Results were compared with Bolton's means and standard deviations. The results were also subjected to statistical analysis. Results show that the mean and standard deviations of ideal occlusion cases are comparable with those Bolton but, when the mean and standard deviation of malocclusion groups are compared with those of Bolton, the values of standard deviation are higher, though the mean is comparable. How to cite this article: Hasija N, Bala M, Goyal V. Estimation of Tooth Size Discrepancies among Different Malocclusion Groups. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2014;7(2):82-85.

Effects of emergence time and early social rearing environment on behaviour of Atlantic salmon: consequences for juvenile fitness and smolt migration.

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Martin H Larsen

Full Text Available Consistent individual differences in behaviour have been well documented in a variety of animal taxa, but surprisingly little is known about the fitness and life-history consequences of such individual variation. In wild salmonids, the timing of fry emergence from gravel spawning nests has been suggested to be coupled with individual behavioural traits. Here, we further investigate the link between timing of spawning nest emergence and behaviour of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar, test effects of social rearing environment on behavioural traits in fish with different emergence times, and assess whether behavioural traits measured in the laboratory predict growth, survival, and migration status in the wild. Atlantic salmon fry were sorted with respect to emergence time from artificial spawning nest into three groups: early, intermediate, and late. These emergence groups were hatchery-reared separately or in co-culture for four months to test effects of social rearing environment on behavioural traits. Twenty fish from each of the six treatment groups were then subjected to three individual-based behavioural tests: basal locomotor activity, boldness, and escape response. Following behavioural characterization, the fish were released into a near-natural experimental stream. Results showed differences in escape behaviour between emergence groups in a net restraining test, but the social rearing environment did not affect individual behavioural expression. Emergence time and social environment had no significant effects on survival, growth, and migration status in the stream, although migration propensity was 1.4 to 1.9 times higher for early emerging individuals that were reared separately. In addition, despite individuals showing considerable variation in behaviour across treatment groups, this was not translated into differences in growth, survival, and migration status. Hence, our study adds to the view that fitness (i.e., growth and survival and

Effects of emergence time and early social rearing environment on behaviour of Atlantic salmon: consequences for juvenile fitness and smolt migration.

Science.gov (United States)

Larsen, Martin H; Johnsson, Jörgen I; Winberg, Svante; Wilson, Alexander D M; Hammenstig, David; Thörnqvist, Per-Ove; Midwood, Jonathan D; Aarestrup, Kim; Höglund, Erik

2015-01-01

Consistent individual differences in behaviour have been well documented in a variety of animal taxa, but surprisingly little is known about the fitness and life-history consequences of such individual variation. In wild salmonids, the timing of fry emergence from gravel spawning nests has been suggested to be coupled with individual behavioural traits. Here, we further investigate the link between timing of spawning nest emergence and behaviour of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), test effects of social rearing environment on behavioural traits in fish with different emergence times, and assess whether behavioural traits measured in the laboratory predict growth, survival, and migration status in the wild. Atlantic salmon fry were sorted with respect to emergence time from artificial spawning nest into three groups: early, intermediate, and late. These emergence groups were hatchery-reared separately or in co-culture for four months to test effects of social rearing environment on behavioural traits. Twenty fish from each of the six treatment groups were then subjected to three individual-based behavioural tests: basal locomotor activity, boldness, and escape response. Following behavioural characterization, the fish were released into a near-natural experimental stream. Results showed differences in escape behaviour between emergence groups in a net restraining test, but the social rearing environment did not affect individual behavioural expression. Emergence time and social environment had no significant effects on survival, growth, and migration status in the stream, although migration propensity was 1.4 to 1.9 times higher for early emerging individuals that were reared separately. In addition, despite individuals showing considerable variation in behaviour across treatment groups, this was not translated into differences in growth, survival, and migration status. Hence, our study adds to the view that fitness (i.e., growth and survival) and life

Efficacy of adjunctive mitomycin C in transcanalicular diode laser dacryocystorhinostomy in different age groups.

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Kar, Taner; Yildirim, Yildiray; Topal, Tuncay; Çolakoğlu, Kadir; Ünal, Melih Hamdi

2016-01-01

To evaluate the efficacy of adjunctive mitomycin C (MMC) in transcanalicular multidiode laser dacryocystorhinostomy (TCL-DCR) in different age groups. Ninety-six eyes of 96 patients who underwent TCL-DCR for the treatment of nasolacrimal duct obstruction were included in this retrospective, comparative study. Patients were divided into 4 groups based on age and intraoperative use of MMC: group 1, TCL-DCR without MMC in the 20- to 44-year age group; group 2, TCL-DCR with MMC in the 20- to 44-year age group; group 3, TCL-DCR without MMC in the 45- to 76-year age group; group 4, TCL-DCR with MMC in the 45- to 76-year age group. The postoperative evaluation consisted of calculating and comparing the success rates between groups. Success rates at the final visit were 50% for group 1, 66.66% for group 2, 79.16% for group 3, and 84.61% for group 4. The differences between group 1 and group 4, and group 1 and group 3, were significant (p = 0.01 and p = 0.038, respectively). Logistic regression showed that age group had significant effect on success rate (p = 0.013). However, use of MMC had no significant effect on success rate (p = 0.23). The success rates of the TCL-DCR with MMC application were found to be higher than those of TCL-DCR without MMC in different age groups. However, the differences did not reach statistical significance. In addition, our study demonstrated that age may be a significant factor influencing the surgical outcome of TCL-DCR.

Research collaboration in groups and networks: differences across academic fields.

Science.gov (United States)

Kyvik, Svein; Reymert, Ingvild

2017-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to give a macro-picture of collaboration in research groups and networks across all academic fields in Norwegian research universities, and to examine the relative importance of membership in groups and networks for individual publication output. To our knowledge, this is a new approach, which may provide valuable information on collaborative patterns in a particular national system, but of clear relevance to other national university systems. At the system level, conducting research in groups and networks are equally important, but there are large differences between academic fields. The research group is clearly most important in the field of medicine and health, while undertaking research in an international network is most important in the natural sciences. Membership in a research group and active participation in international networks are likely to enhance publication productivity and the quality of research.

Conceptions of mobile emergency service health professionals concerning psychiatric emergency

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diego Bonfada

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Under the Brazilian Psychiatric Reformation, assistance to psychological seizures represents a challenge for the emergency services. Therefore, the objective of this paper is the analysis of the conceptions of health professionals who work at the Mobile Emergency Service in Natal on psychiatric emergency care. This paper is, then, a qualitative study that used interviews as tools for collecting information. By using thematic analysis, the speeches were grouped into three categories: the stigma on patients and the professionals' fear of services interventions in psychiatric emergencies; having psychiatric emergencies regarded as harmful to patients and others' security; psychiatric emergencies being taken as patients' aggressiveness or severe depression. The data collected indicate that the interviewed professionals' ideas are supported by elements associated with the ideology that insanity implies social segregation and dangerousness. Thus, the survey prompted reflection on relevant issues to the process of psychiatric reformation implementation.

Emergency preparedness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-01-01

According the conception of the Emergency Response Centre (ERC) of the Nuclear Regulatory Authority of the Slovak Republic (NRA), and the obtained experience from exercises, and as well as on the basis of recommendations of international missions, the NRA SR started, in 1997 the ERC extension. The new room enable the work for radiation protection group, reactor safety and logistic group separately. At the same time special room was build for work of the NECRA Technical Support Group of the Emergency Commission for Radiation Accidents of the SR.This group co-operates closely with ERC while evaluation the situation, and by using the information system of the NRA and database of ERC to generate the conditions of nuclear facilities in once of emergency. Extension of the mentioned rooms was carried out. The financing by the European Union helped to build the project RAMG. In this way the NRA gained a working site which, with its equipment and parameters belongs to the top working sites of regulatory bodies of developed European countries. The NRA preparation of exercise and special staff education was carried out in 1997, for employees of the NRA and members of Emergency Headquarters (EH) for work in ERC in case of nuclear installation accident. The task of education of member of EH was their preparation for carrying out three exercises. These exercises are described. In the area of emergency preparedness, in accordance with inspection plan of the Office, 7 team inspections were carried out in individual localities; in NPP Bohunice, two in NPP Mochovce and one in Bohunice Conditioning Centre for radioactive wastes. Solution of the task of development of science and technology in the area of 'Development of technical and programme means for analyses of accidents and solutions of crisis situations'continued in 1997. Another regulations were elaborated for activity of members of EH of the NRA. The following was was carried out: selection of data for transfer and the

Activation of D1 dopamine receptors induces emergence from isoflurane general anesthesia

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Norman E.; Chemali, Jessica J.; Brown, Emery N.; Solt, Ken

2012-01-01

BACKGROUND A recent study showed that methylphenidate induces emergence from isoflurane anesthesia. Methylphenidate inhibits dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake transporters. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that selective dopamine receptor activation induces emergence from isoflurane anesthesia. METHODS In adult rats, we tested the effects of chloro-APB (D1 agonist) and quinpirole (D2 agonist) on time to emergence from isoflurane general anesthesia. We then performed a dose–response study to test for chloro-APB-induced restoration of righting during continuous isoflurane anesthesia. SCH-23390 (D1 antagonist) was used to confirm that the effects induced by chloro-APB are specifically mediated by D1 receptors. In a separate group of animals, spectral analysis was performed on surface electroencephalogram recordings to assess neurophysiological changes induced by chloro-APB and quinpirole during isoflurane general anesthesia. RESULTS Chloro-APB decreased median time to emergence from 330s to 50s. The median difference in time to emergence between the saline control group (n=6) and the chloro-APB group (n = 6) was 222s (95% CI: 77–534s, Mann-Whitney test). This difference was statistically significant (p = 0.0082). During continuous isoflurane anesthesia, chloro-APB dose-dependently restored righting (n = 6) and decreased electroencephalogram delta power (n = 4). These effects were inhibited by pretreatment with SCH-23390. Quinpirole did not restore righting (n = 6) and had no significant effect on the electroencephalogram (n = 4) during continuous isoflurane anesthesia. CONCLUSIONS Activation of D1 receptors by chloro-APB decreases time to emergence from isoflurane anesthesia, and produces behavioral and neurophysiological evidence of arousal during continuous isoflurane anesthesia. These findings suggest that selective activation of a D1 receptor-mediated arousal mechanism is sufficient to induce emergence from isoflurane general

Child and Adolescent Emergency and Urgent Mental Health Delivery Through Telepsychiatry: 12-Month Prospective Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, Nasreen; Hu, Tina; Axas, Nicholas; Repetti, Leanne

2017-10-01

The significant gap between children and adolescents presenting for emergency mental healthcare and the shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists constitutes a major barrier to timely access for psychiatric assessment for rural and remote areas. Unlike remote areas, urban emergency departments have in-house psychiatric consultation. Telepsychiatry may be a solution to ensure the same service for remote areas. However, there is a paucity of studies on the use of telepsychiatry for child and adolescent emergency consults. Thus, the aim of our study was to (1) assess patient satisfaction with telepsychiatry and (2) compare clinical characteristics and outcome of telepsychiatry with face-to-face emergency child and adolescent assessments. This is a prospective study of telepsychiatry emergency assessments of children and adolescents referred by emergency physicians. The comparison group was age- and gender-matched patients seen for face-to-face urgent assessments. Data were gathered on demographic and clinical variables. Telepsychiatry satisfaction was assessed using a questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used to assess group differences for each variable. Logistic regression was used to assess impact of the variables on outcome after the consult. A p value <0.05 was used to determine statistical significance. Sixty (n = 60) assessments were conducted through telepsychiatry in 12 months. Among the telepsychiatry group, Aboriginal patients were over-represented (50% vs. 6.7%, p < 0.001), a higher proportion received a diagnosis of adjustment disorder (22% vs. 8.3%, p = 0.004) or no diagnosis (27% vs. 6.7%, p = 0.004) compared with controls. There was no statistically significant difference between groups on other clinical variables. Patients reported a high degree of satisfaction with telepsychiatry. Telepsychiatry is acceptable to patients and families for safe emergency assessment and follow-up, reducing unnecessary travel

Differences between Girls and Boys in Emerging Language Skills: Evidence from 10 Language Communities

Science.gov (United States)

Eriksson, Marten; Marschik, Peter B.; Tulviste, Tiia; Almgren, Margareta; Perez Pereira, Miguel; Wehberg, Sonja; Marjanovic-Umek, Ljubica; Gayraud, Frederique; Kovacevic, Melita; Gallego, Carlos

2012-01-01

The present study explored gender differences in emerging language skills in 13,783 European children from 10 non-English language communities. It was based on a synthesis of published data assessed with adapted versions of the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories (CDIs) from age 0.08 to 2.06. The results showed that girls are…

Noise exposure during prehospital emergency physicians work on Mobile Emergency Care Units and Helicopter Emergency Medical Services

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Mads Christian Tofte; Schmidt, Jesper Hvass; Brøchner, Anne C

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Prehospital personnel are at risk of occupational hearing loss due to high noise exposure. The aim of the study was to establish an overview of noise exposure during emergency responses in Mobile Emergency Care Units (MECU), ambulances and Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS)....... initiatives. Although no hearing loss was demonstrated in the personnel of the ground-based units, a reduced function of the outer sensory hair cells was found in the HEMS group following missions.......BACKGROUND: Prehospital personnel are at risk of occupational hearing loss due to high noise exposure. The aim of the study was to establish an overview of noise exposure during emergency responses in Mobile Emergency Care Units (MECU), ambulances and Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS......). A second objective was to identify any occupational hearing loss amongst prehospital personnel. METHODS: Noise exposure during work in the MECU and HEMS was measured using miniature microphones worn laterally to the auditory canals or within the earmuffs of the helmet. All recorded sounds were analysed...

Demographic, Seasonal, and Geographic Differences in Emergency Department Visits for Epistaxis.

Science.gov (United States)

Chaaban, Mohamad R; Zhang, Dong; Resto, Vicente; Goodwin, James S

2017-01-01

Objective To determine the demographics and seasonal and geographic variation of epistaxis in the United States. Study Design Retrospective cohort analysis based on data from Medicare claims. Setting Emergency department visits. Subjects and Methods We used a 5% sample of Medicare data from January 2012 to December 2012. Our cohort included patients with an incident diagnosis of epistaxis during a visit to the emergency department, excluding those with a diagnosis in the prior 12 months. Demographics included age, sex, race, and ethnicity. We compared the rate of emergency department visits for epistaxis by geographic division and individual states. Results In the 5% sample of Medicare data, 4120 emergency department visits for incident epistaxis were identified in 2012. Our results showed an increase in the emergency department visits for epistaxis with age. Compared with patients 85 years old were 1.36 (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.23-1.50), 2.37 (95% CI, 2.14-2.62), and 3.24 (95% CI, 2.91-3.62) more likely to present with epistaxis, respectively. Men were 1.24 (95% CI, 1.17-1.32) times more likely to present with epistaxis than women. Blacks were 1.23 (95% CI, 1.10-1.36) times more likely to present with epistaxis when compared with non-Hispanic whites. Epistaxis emergency department visits were 40% lower in the summer months versus winter. The seasonal variation was more pronounced in the northern versus southern United States. Conclusion Emergency department visits for epistaxis increase with age and appear to be seasonal, with a more pronounced variation in the northern versus southern United States.

Ketamine versus Ketamine / magnesium Sulfate for Procedural Sedation and Analgesia in the Emergency Department: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Azizkhani, Reza; Bahadori, Azadeh; Shariati, Mohammadreza; Golshani, Keyhan; Ahmadi, Omid; Masoumi, Babak

2018-01-01

The present study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of magnesium sulfate (MgSO 4 ) in procedural sedation and analgesia (PSA) when combined with ketamine in patients with fractures in emergency departments and required short and painful emergency procedures. In this study, 100 patients with fractures and dislocations who were presented to the emergency departments and required PSA for short and painful emergency procedures were randomly allocated to groups of ketamine plus MgSO 4 or ketamine alone. Train of four (TOF) stimulation pattern was assessed using nerve stimulator machine and compared between groups. The mean age of studied patients was 46.9 ± 9.3 years old. 48% were male and 52% were female. No significant differences were noted between groups in demographic variables. The status of TOF, 2 min after the injection of ketamine (1.5 mg/kg), in both groups was similar. After the injection of the second dose of ketamine (1 mg/kg) the status of TOF in four patients in ketamine plus MgSO 4 (0.45 mg/kg) group changed, it was three quarters but in ketamine group, the status of TOF in all patients was four quarters. The difference between groups was not statistically significant ( P = 0.12). The findings revealed that for muscle relaxation during medical procedures in the emergency department, ketamine in combination with MgSO 4 with this dose was not effective for muscle relaxation during procedures.

Comparison of energy balance between two different-sized groups of Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata yakui).

Science.gov (United States)

Kurihara, Yosuke; Hanya, Goro

2017-07-01

Quantifying the energy balance is essential for testing socio-ecological models. To reveal costs and benefits of group living in Japanese macaques from the perspective of feeding competition, Kurihara and Hanya (Am J Primatol 77:986-1000, 2015) previously compared feeding behavior between two different-sized groups of macaques (larger group 30-35 individuals; smaller group 13-15 individuals) in the coastal forest of Yakushima, Japan. The results suggested that the larger group exhibited greater feeding effort because of intragroup scramble competition and that the smaller group suffered from higher travel costs, possibly owing to intergroup contest competition. However, it remained unclear whether the behavioral differences affected their energy budgets. The present study examined energetic consequences of the different feeding behaviors in the two groups. Using behavioral data from 10 to 13 adult females and nutritional composition of food items, we compared ingestion rates, energetic/nutritional content of diet, and energy budgets between the two groups. Ingestion rates and energetic/nutritional content of diet did not differ between the two groups. Despite the higher feeding effort of the larger group, energy intake did not differ between the two groups. Energy expenditure did not differ between the two groups because higher travel costs were negated by lower feeding effort in the smaller group. Consequently, the energy balance did not differ between the two groups. We demonstrated that the behavioral measures of feeding competition were not translated into their energetic condition; moreover, our findings re-emphasize the importance of quantifying behavioral and fitness measures for interpreting variation in feeding behavior properly.

Meat Consumption Patterns among Different Income Groups in Imo ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This research examined meat consumption patterns among different income groups in Imo State, Nigeria. A combination of purposive and simple random sampling techniques was used to select the markets and 200 respondents. The result of cross price elasticity of meat and fish showed that they were substitute with cross ...

How long do the Danish emergency medical services stay on the scene to play?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Niels Dalsgaard; Dahl, Michael; Thorgaard, Per

them with non-CRT-patients.   Method Retrospectively we extracted data for all acutely ill or injured patients treated by the emergency medical services between 1st May and 31st December 2006. The patients were divided in two groups: CRT-patients and non-CRT-patients. We calculated the median OST...... for the two groups. Secondarily we found the median age and the sexual distribution in the groups. The differences between the groups were tested for statistical significance using the Mann-Whitney-test and the χ2-test.   Results In the study period the emergency ambulances responded to 2,766 high priority...... to the definitive care that varies between countries....

Survival Rate of Limb Replantation in Different Age Groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Tatebe, Masahiro; Urata, Shiro; Tanaka, Kenji; Kurahashi, Toshikazu; Takeda, Shinsuke; Hirata, Hitoshi

2017-08-01

Revascularization of damaged limbs/digits is technically feasible, but indications for surgical replantation remain controversial. The authors analyzed the survival rate of upper limb amputations and the associated factors in different age groups. They grouped 371 limb/digit amputees (average age, 44 years; range, 2-85 years) treated in their hospital during the past 10 years into three groups based on age (young, ≤ 15 years, n  = 12; adult, 16-64 years, n  = 302; elderly, ≥ 65 years, n  = 57) and analyzed their injury type (extent of injury and stump status), operation method, presence of medical complications (Charlson comorbidity index), and survival rate. There were 168 replantations, and the overall replantation survival rate was 93%. The Charlson comorbidity index of the replantation patients was 0 in 124 cases; 1 in 32; 2 in 9; and 3 in 3, but it did not show any significant difference in survival rate after replantation. Eight elderly patients (14%) did not opt for replantation. Younger patients tended to undergo replantation, but they had lower success rates due to their severe injury status. The results of this study show that the survival rate of replantation in elderly patients is equal to that in adults. Stump evaluation is important for survival, but the presence of medical complications is not associated with the overall survival rate.

Eye disease, the fertility decline, and the emergence of global income differences

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Thomas B.; Dalgaard, Carl-Johan Lars; Selaya, Pablo

2014-01-01

This research advances and empirically establishes the hypothesis that regional variation in the historical incidence of eye disease has influenced the current global distribution of per capita income. By reducing work life expectancy, high historical eye disease incidence has served to diminish...... the incentive to accumulate skills, thereby delaying the fertility transition and the take-off to sustained economic growth. As a consequence of a differential timing of the take-off to growth, prompted by differences in the inherent return to skill formation, global income disparities have emerged....

Different patterns of evolution in the centromeric and telomeric regions of group A and B haplotypes of the human killer cell Ig-like receptor locus.

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Chul-Woo Pyo

Full Text Available The fast evolving human KIR gene family encodes variable lymphocyte receptors specific for polymorphic HLA class I determinants. Nucleotide sequences for 24 representative human KIR haplotypes were determined. With three previously defined haplotypes, this gave a set of 12 group A and 15 group B haplotypes for assessment of KIR variation. The seven gene-content haplotypes are all combinations of four centromeric and two telomeric motifs. 2DL5, 2DS5 and 2DS3 can be present in centromeric and telomeric locations. With one exception, haplotypes having identical gene content differed in their combinations of KIR alleles. Sequence diversity varied between haplotype groups and between centromeric and telomeric halves of the KIR locus. The most variable A haplotype genes are in the telomeric half, whereas the most variable genes characterizing B haplotypes are in the centromeric half. Of the highly polymorphic genes, only the 3DL3 framework gene exhibits a similar diversity when carried by A and B haplotypes. Phylogenetic analysis and divergence time estimates, point to the centromeric gene-content motifs that distinguish A and B haplotypes having emerged ~6 million years ago, contemporaneously with the separation of human and chimpanzee ancestors. In contrast, the telomeric motifs that distinguish A and B haplotypes emerged more recently, ~1.7 million years ago, before the emergence of Homo sapiens. Thus the centromeric and telomeric motifs that typify A and B haplotypes have likely been present throughout human evolution. The results suggest the common ancestor of A and B haplotypes combined a B-like centromeric region with an A-like telomeric region.

[Optimal energy supply in different age groups of critically ill children on mechanical ventilation].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, X H; Ji, J; Qian, S Y

2018-01-02

Objective: To analyze the resting energy expenditure and optimal energy supply in different age groups of critically ill children on mechanical ventilation in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Methods: Patients on mechanical ventilation hospitalized in PICU of Beijing Children's Hospital from March 2015 to March 2016 were enrolled prospectively. Resting energy expenditure of patients was calculated by US Med Graphic company critical care management (CCM) energy metabolism test system after mechanical ventilation. Patients were divided into three groups:10 years. The relationship between the measured and predictive resting energy expenditure was analyzed with correlation analysis; while the metabolism status and the optimal energy supply in different age groups were analyzed with chi square test and variance analysis. Results: A total of 102 patients were enrolled, the measured resting energy expenditure all correlated with predictive resting energy expenditure in different age groups (10 years ( r= 0.5, P= 0.0) ) . A total of 40 cases in group, including: 14 cases of low metabolism (35%), 14 cases of normal metabolism (35%), and 12 cases of high metabolism (30%); 45 cases in 3-10 years group, including: 22 cases of low metabolism (49%), 19 cases of normal metabolism (42%), 4 cases of high metabolism (9%); 17 cases in > 10 years group, including: 12 cases of low metabolism (71%), 4 cases of normal metabolism (23%), 1 case of high metabolism (6%). Metabolism status showed significant differences between different age groups ( χ (2)=11.30, P age groups ( F= 46.57, Pgroup, (184±53) kJ/ (kg⋅d) in 3-10 years group, and (120±30) kJ/ (kg⋅d) in > 10 years group. Conclusion: The resting energy metabolism of the critically ill children on mechanical ventilation is negatively related to the age. The actual energy requirement should be calculated according to different ages.

The effects of different gender groupings on middle school students' performance in science lab

Science.gov (United States)

Drab, Deborah D.

Grouping students for labs in science classes is a common practice. This mixed methods quasi-experimental action research study examines homogeneous and heterogeneous gender grouping strategies to determine what gender grouping strategy is the most effective in a coeducational science classroom setting. Sixth grade students were grouped in same-gender and mixed-gender groups, alternating each quarter. Over the course of an academic year, data were collected from four sources. The teacher-researcher observed groups working during hands-on activities to collect data on student behaviors. Students completed post-lab questionnaires and an end-of-course questionnaire about their preferences and experiences in the different grouping strategies. Student scores on written lab assignments were also utilized. Data analysis focused on four areas: active engagement, student achievement, student perceptions of success and cooperative teamwork. Findings suggest that teachers may consider grouping students of different ability levels according to different gender grouping strategies to optimize learning.

Leader emergence through interpersonal neural synchronization.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Jing; Chen, Chuansheng; Dai, Bohan; Shi, Guang; Ding, Guosheng; Liu, Li; Lu, Chunming

2015-04-07

The neural mechanism of leader emergence is not well understood. This study investigated (i) whether interpersonal neural synchronization (INS) plays an important role in leader emergence, and (ii) whether INS and leader emergence are associated with the frequency or the quality of communications. Eleven three-member groups were asked to perform a leaderless group discussion (LGD) task, and their brain activities were recorded via functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)-based hyperscanning. Video recordings of the discussions were coded for leadership and communication. Results showed that the INS for the leader-follower (LF) pairs was higher than that for the follower-follower (FF) pairs in the left temporo-parietal junction (TPJ), an area important for social mentalizing. Although communication frequency was higher for the LF pairs than for the FF pairs, the frequency of leader-initiated and follower-initiated communication did not differ significantly. Moreover, INS for the LF pairs was significantly higher during leader-initiated communication than during follower-initiated communications. In addition, INS for the LF pairs during leader-initiated communication was significantly correlated with the leaders' communication skills and competence, but not their communication frequency. Finally, leadership could be successfully predicted based on INS as well as communication frequency early during the LGD (before half a minute into the task). In sum, this study found that leader emergence was characterized by high-level neural synchronization between the leader and followers and that the quality, rather than the frequency, of communications was associated with synchronization. These results suggest that leaders emerge because they are able to say the right things at the right time.

Evaluation of Knowledge of Emergency Healthcare Workers Regarding Approach to Emergency Patients

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Özgür Tanr›verdi

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Aim: Emergency units constitute the most important part of all hospitals. The aim of this study was to evaluate practitioners’ and healthcare providers’ knowledge and experience regarding emergency first aid in a hospital with insufficient facilities. Methods: 17 physicians and 25 assistant staff working at our hospital were evaluated in terms of their knowledge about and experience in “emergency medicine and trauma” by a questionnaire and by observations. Results: The results of observations and questionnaire indicated that knowledge and experience among physicians were inadequate in terms of basic life support and advanced cardiac life support. This lack of knowledge was not associated with age, time of employment, faculty graduated and training on “emergency medicine” in the group of physicians (r=0.301 p>0.05, r=0.317 p>0.06, r=0.228 p>0.05, r=0.284 p>0.05, respectively and in the group of assistant staff (r=0.341 p>0.05, r=0.287 p>0.06, r=0.234 p>0.05, r=0.227 p>0.05, respectively. Conclusion: Considering that the most of the physicians are gathered in certain regions of our country and that there is a lack of emergency medicine specialists in underdeveloped regions, it has been concluded that physicians specialized in other areas and practitioners must attend emergency medicine trainings under the concept of “emergency medicine rotation”. (The Medical Bulletin of Haseki 2010; 48:103-5

Giardia muris and Giardia duodenalis groups: ultrastructural differences between the trophozoites.

Science.gov (United States)

Sogayar, M I; Gregório, E A

1989-01-01

Trophozoites of the Giardia muris group from hamsters, domestic rats and mice and of the Giardia duodenalis group from hamsters and domestic rats were examined by transmission electron microscopy. The basic ultrastructure of the trophozoites was similar. Differences were shown in the morphology of the ventrolateral flange of the trophozoites of Giardia muris and Giardia duodenalis groups. Marginal plates are less developed in the species of the Giardia duodenalis group. In this group, the distal extremity of the lateral flange is short and thick and the marginal plate does not penetrate into the distal extremity of the flange. In the Giardia muris group, the ventro-lateral flange is well developed and narrow and the marginal plate penetrates the distal extremity of the flange. The osmiophilic lamella, which accompanies the dorsal surface of the marginal plate is seen only in the Giardia muris group.

On the relative role of different age groups in influenza epidemics.

Science.gov (United States)

Worby, Colin J; Chaves, Sandra S; Wallinga, Jacco; Lipsitch, Marc; Finelli, Lyn; Goldstein, Edward

2015-12-01

The identification of key "driver" groups in influenza epidemics is of much interest for the implementation of effective public health response strategies, including vaccination programs. However, the relative importance of different age groups in propagating epidemics is uncertain. During a communicable disease outbreak, some groups may be disproportionately represented during the outbreak's ascent due to increased susceptibility and/or contact rates. Such groups or subpopulations can be identified by considering the proportion of cases within the subpopulation occurring before (Bp) and after the epidemic peak (Ap) to calculate the subpopulation's relative risk, RR=Bp/Ap. We estimated RR for several subpopulations (age groups) using data on laboratory-confirmed US influenza hospitalizations during epidemics between 2009-2014. Additionally, we simulated various influenza outbreaks in an age-stratified population, relating the RR to the impact of vaccination in each subpopulation on the epidemic's initial effective reproductive number R_e(0). We found that children aged 5-17 had the highest estimates of RR during the five largest influenza A outbreaks, though the relative magnitude of RR in this age group compared to other age groups varied, being highest for the 2009 A/H1N1 pandemic. For the 2010-2011 and 2012-2013 influenza B epidemics, adults aged 18-49, and 0-4 year-olds had the highest estimates of RR respectively. For 83% of simulated epidemics, the group with the highest RR was also the group for which initial distribution of a given quantity of vaccine would result in the largest reduction of R_e(0). In the largest 40% of simulated outbreaks, the group with the highest RR and the largest vaccination impact was children 5-17. While the relative importance of different age groups in propagating influenza outbreaks varies, children aged 5-17 play the leading role during the largest influenza A epidemics. Extra vaccination efforts for this group may contribute

Clinical significance of changes of serum osteocalcin (BGP) levels in subjects of different age-groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang Lihua; Zhang Jin; Han Cuihua; Ouyang Qiaohong

2006-01-01

Objective: To investigate the changes of serum BGP levels in different age-groups. Methods: Serum BGP levels were determined with RIA in 306 subjects of different age-groups. Results: The serum BGP levels were highest in subjects of the pre-adolescent group (age5-15, n=60, vs other groups, all P 50, n=80, P<0.001). Levels in the middle age group were the lowest and were significantly lower than those in the old age group (P<0.001). No sex related differences were observed in the pre-adolescent and middle age groups, but in the youth group, serum BGP levels were significantly higher in the males than those in the females (P<0.05). However, in the old age group, the reverse was true i.e. values being significantly higher in the females (vs males, P<0.01). Conclusion: Serum BGP levels varied greatly among the different age groups. (authors)

Non-dairy probiotic food products: An emerging group of functional foods.

Science.gov (United States)

Min, Min; Bunt, Craig R; Mason, Susan L; Hussain, Malik A

2018-04-09

The functional food sector has shown tremendous growth in recent years with the application of probiotic bacteria as "food additives". The utilization of probiotic bacteria in food presents many challenges related to their growth, survival, viability, stability and functionality in food processing, storage and consumption as well as changes of sensory characteristics of probiotic foods. Although dairy foods are currently the most common food carrier to deliver probiotics, an increasing number of non-dairy food matrices exhibit potential for delivery of probiotics. This review provides more recent insight into the emergence of non-dairy probiotics products, the interactions between probiotics and different food matrices and the challenges in developing such products. Some of the technical issues are also reviewed and discussed. These issues include the efficacy of probiotic bacteria in non-chilled, low pH or high water activity foods; the potential loss of bacterial viability, additionally unwanted fermentation and changes of the sensory characteristics of food products which may result in poor microbiological quality and low acceptability to consumers.

[Relationship between the risk of emergency cesarean section for nullipara with the prepregnancy body mass index or gestational weight gain].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, R F; Zhang, W Y; Zhou, L

2017-11-25

Objective: To investigate the risk of emergency cesarean section during labor with the pre-pregnancy body mass index or gestational weight gain. Methods: A total of 6 908 healthy nullipara with singleton pregnancy and cephalic presentation who was in term labor in Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital from August 1(st), 2014 to September 30(th), 2015 were recruited. They were divided into two groups, the vaginal delivery group (92.88%, 6 416/6 908) and the emergency cesarean section group (7.12%, 492/6 908). According to WHO body mass index (BMI) classification criteria and the pre-pregnancy BMI, the 6 908 women were divided into three groups, the underweight group(BMIgain (GWG) group (16.72%, 1 155/6 908), the appropriate GWG group (43.11%, 2 978/6 908), the excessive GWG group (40.17%, 2 775/6 908). Unadjusted and adjusted odds ratio ( OR ) and confidence interval ( CI ) of the risk of emergency cesarean section were calculated by bivariate logistic regression. Results: (1) Comparing to the vaginal delivery group, women in the emergency cesarean section group were older, with a lower education level. Their prepregnancy BMI was higer and had more gestational weight gain. They had higher morbidity of pregnancy induced hypertension and gestational diabetes mellitus. Comparing to the vaginal delivery group, the neonates in the emergency cesarean section group were elder in gestational week, with higher birth weight. More male infants and large for gestation age infants were seen in the emergency cesarean section group (all P gain was associated with the increased risk of emergency cesarean section, (a OR= 1.03, 95% CI : 1.01-1.05). GWG above IOM giudelines did not independently affect the risk of emergency cesarean section ( OR= 1.30, 95% CI : 1.07-1.58; a OR= 1.01, 95% CI : 0.82-1.24). In the underweight group, the normal weight group and the overweight or obese group, the excessive GWG women and the appropriate GWG women had no significant difference in the

Disposal rate in different age groups of Karan Fries (Crossbred) males in organized herd.

Science.gov (United States)

Panmei, Achun; Gupta, A K; Shivahre, P R; Bhakat, M; Singh, K Mahesh

2015-02-01

The present study was carried out to analyze the disposal rate in different age groups of Karan Fries (KF) males in National Dairy Research Institute herd. Records on 1740 KF crossbred bulls born during the period 1997-2012 were collected with an objective to ascertain the effect of genetic and non-genetic (Period of birth and season of birth) factors on the disposal pattern of KF males. The percent of animals disposed from the herd due to mortality and culling was calculated by proportion using descriptive statistics. The data were subjected to Chi-square test to test the difference due to different factors. Overall disposal rate for the different age groups of 0-1 m, 1-2 m, 2-3 m, 3-6 m, 6-18 m, 18 m-3 year and 3-5 year were calculated as 17.9, 16.3, 14.2, 25.8, 49.0, 37.6 and 51.65%, respectively. In the age groups, 3-6 m, 6-18 m and 3-5 year, effect of periods of birth were found to be statistically significant (page group except in 3-5 year age group. Differences in overall disposal rate due to genetic group were statistically significant (page groups. Overview of the results indicated that higher overall disposal rate in age group of 1 month was due to mortality while, in the age groups of >1 month, culling was the primary cause.

Accounting for group differences in appraisals of social inequality: differential injustice standards.

Science.gov (United States)

Miron, Anca M; Warner, Ruth H; Branscombe, Nyla R

2011-06-01

We tested whether differential appraisals of inequality are a function of the injustice standards used by different groups. A confirmatory standard of injustice is defined as the amount of evidence needed to arrive at the conclusion that injustice has occurred. Consistent with a motivational shifting of standards view, we found that advantaged and disadvantaged group members set different standards of injustice when judging the magnitude of gender (Study 1) and racial (Study 2) wage inequality. In addition, because advantaged and disadvantaged group members formed - based on their differential standards - divergent appraisals of wage inequality, they experienced differential desire to restore inter-group justice. We discuss the implications of promoting low confirmatory standards for changing perceptions of social reality and for motivating justice-restorative behaviour. ©2011 The British Psychological Society.

Assessing cross-cultural differences through use of multiple-group invariance analyses.

Science.gov (United States)

Stein, Judith A; Lee, Jerry W; Jones, Patricia S

2006-12-01

The use of structural equation modeling in cross-cultural personality research has become a popular method for testing measurement invariance. In this report, we present an example of testing measurement invariance using the Sense of Coherence Scale of Antonovsky (1993) in 3 ethnic groups: Chinese, Japanese, and Whites. In a series of increasingly restrictive constraints on the measurement models of the 3 groups, we demonstrate how to assess differences among the groups. We also provide an example of construct validation.

A novel two-stage evaluation system based on a Group-G1 approach to identify appropriate emergency treatment technology schemes in sudden water source pollution accidents.

Science.gov (United States)

Qu, Jianhua; Meng, Xianlin; Hu, Qi; You, Hong

2016-02-01

Sudden water source pollution resulting from hazardous materials has gradually become a major threat to the safety of the urban water supply. Over the past years, various treatment techniques have been proposed for the removal of the pollutants to minimize the threat of such pollutions. Given the diversity of techniques available, the current challenge is how to scientifically select the most desirable alternative for different threat degrees. Therefore, a novel two-stage evaluation system was developed based on a circulation-correction improved Group-G1 method to determine the optimal emergency treatment technology scheme, considering the areas of contaminant elimination in both drinking water sources and water treatment plants. In stage 1, the threat degree caused by the pollution was predicted using a threat evaluation index system and was subdivided into four levels. Then, a technique evaluation index system containing four sets of criteria weights was constructed in stage 2 to obtain the optimum treatment schemes corresponding to the different threat levels. The applicability of the established evaluation system was tested by a practical cadmium-contaminated accident that occurred in 2012. The results show this system capable of facilitating scientific analysis in the evaluation and selection of emergency treatment technologies for drinking water source security.

Vitamin D Levels in Different Severity Groups of Schizophrenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Akinlade, Kehinde Sola; Olaniyan, Oyejide Afolabi; Lasebikan, Victor Olufolahan; Rahamon, Sheu Kadiri

2017-01-01

Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) continues to be associated with schizophrenia, but there is the dearth of information on the relationship between the severity of schizophrenia and plasma levels of vitamin D. This study, therefore, determined the plasma levels of vitamin D in different severity groups of schizophrenia. Plasma level of vitamin D was determined in 60 patients with schizophrenia and 30 apparently healthy individuals who served as controls. Patients with schizophrenia were classified into mildly ill, moderately ill, markedly ill, and severely ill groups using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). The mean level of vitamin D was significantly lower in patients with schizophrenia compared with the controls. Similarly, there was a significant association between VDD and schizophrenia. The mean plasma levels of vitamin D were not significantly different when the mildly, moderately, markedly, and severely ill groups were compared with one another and there was no significant correlation between vitamin D level and PANSS scores. Furthermore, patients on atypical antipsychotics had an insignificantly lower level of vitamin D compared with the patients on typical antipsychotics. It could be concluded from this study that patients with schizophrenia have low plasma vitamin D level which does not appear to be associated with the severity of schizophrenia and type of antipsychotics. Therefore, regular screening for vitamin D status of patients with schizophrenia is suggested in order to allow for the institution of appropriate clinical intervention when necessary.

Vitamin D Levels in Different Severity Groups of Schizophrenia

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Kehinde Sola Akinlade

2017-06-01

Full Text Available BackgroundVitamin D deficiency (VDD continues to be associated with schizophrenia, but there is the dearth of information on the relationship between the severity of schizophrenia and plasma levels of vitamin D. This study, therefore, determined the plasma levels of vitamin D in different severity groups of schizophrenia.Materials and methodsPlasma level of vitamin D was determined in 60 patients with schizophrenia and 30 apparently healthy individuals who served as controls. Patients with schizophrenia were classified into mildly ill, moderately ill, markedly ill, and severely ill groups using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS.ResultsThe mean level of vitamin D was significantly lower in patients with schizophrenia compared with the controls. Similarly, there was a significant association between VDD and schizophrenia. The mean plasma levels of vitamin D were not significantly different when the mildly, moderately, markedly, and severely ill groups were compared with one another and there was no significant correlation between vitamin D level and PANSS scores. Furthermore, patients on atypical antipsychotics had an insignificantly lower level of vitamin D compared with the patients on typical antipsychotics.ConclusionIt could be concluded from this study that patients with schizophrenia have low plasma vitamin D level which does not appear to be associated with the severity of schizophrenia and type of antipsychotics. Therefore, regular screening for vitamin D status of patients with schizophrenia is suggested in order to allow for the institution of appropriate clinical intervention when necessary.

Giardia muris and Giardia duodenalis groups: ultrastructural differences between the trophozoites

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Maria Inês L. Sogayar

1989-08-01

Full Text Available Trophozoites of the Giardia muris group from hamsters, domestic rats and mice and of the Giardia duodenalis group from hamsters and domestic rats were examined by transmission electron microscopy. The basic ultrastructure of the trophozoites was similar. Differences were shown in the morphology of the ventrolateral flange of the trophozoites of Giardia muris and Giardia duodenalis groups. Marginal plates are less developed in the species of the Giardia duodenalis group. In this group, the distal extremity of the lateral flange is short and thick and the marginal plate does not penetrate into the distal extremity of the flange. In the Giardia muris group, the ventro-lateral flange is well developed and narrow and the marginal plate penetrates the distal extremity of the flange. The osmiophilic lamella, which accompanies the dorsal surface of the marginal plate is seen only in the Giardia muris group.

The Effect of Supportive Counseling on the Symptoms of Acute Stress Disorder Following Emergency Cesarean Section

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Marzieh Mojrian

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Background & aim: Adverse childbirth experiences can lead to the emergence of mental disorders, such as acute stress disorder (ASD, in mothers in the postpartum period. Birth trauma can occur following aggressive procedures such as emergency cesarean section. This study aimed to determine the effect of supportive counseling intervention on the symptoms of ASD in women after emergency cesarean delivery. Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 126 women with traumatic emergency cesarean section at Payambar-E Azam and Afzalipoor hospitals in Kerman, Iran. The participants were selected based on DSM-IV criteria. The subjects were randomly divided into the intervention and control groups. The intervention group received individual and face-to-face supportive counseling. The data collection tool was the Acute Stress Disorder Questionnaire, which was completed one and three weeks post-intervention. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics by SPSS, version 13. Results: The two groups were comparable in terms of demographic characteristics, pregnancy complications, and midwifery history. Also, there was no significant difference between two groups regarding the depression and anxiety mean scores at the pre-intervention stage. The results revealed a statistically significant difference between the control and intervention groups in terms of all acute stress disorder symptoms after one and three weeks of the intervention (P

How Do Groups Work? Age Differences in Performance and the Social Outcomes of Peer Collaboration

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Leman, Patrick J.

2015-01-01

Do children derive different benefits from group collaboration at different ages? In the present study, 183 children from two age groups (8.8 and 13.4 years) took part in a class quiz as members of a group, or individually. In some groups, cohesiveness was made salient by awarding prizes to the top performing groups. In other groups, prizes were…

[Effect of obesity on pulmonary function in asthmatic children of different age groups].

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Xiao-Wen; Huang, Ying; Wang, Jian; Zhang, Xue-Li; Liang, Fan-Mei; Luo, Rong

2017-05-01

To study the effect of obesity on pulmonary function in newly diagnosed asthmatic children of different age groups. Two hundred and ninety-four children with newly diagnosed asthma were classified into preschool-age (age (6 to 12.5 years) groups. They were then classified into obese, overweight, and normal-weight subgroups based on their body mass index (BMI). All the children underwent pulmonary function tests, including large airway function tests [forced vital capacity (FVC%) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1%)] and small airway function tests [maximal expiratory flow at 25% of vital capacity (MEF25%), maximal expiratory flow at 50% of vital capacity (MEF50%), and maximal expiratory flow at 75% of vital capacity (MEF75%)]. The school-age group showed lower FEV1%, MEF25%, and MEF50% than the preschool-age group (Page group had lower FEV1%, MEF25%, and MEF50% compared with their counterparts in the preschool-age group (Page group showed lower FVC% and MEF50% than those in the preschool-age group. However, all the pulmonary function parameters showed no significant differences between the obese children in the preschool-age and school-age groups. In the preschool-age group, FVC%, FEV1%, and MEF75% of the obese children were lower than those of the normal-weight children. In the school-age group, only FVC% and FEV1% showed differences between the obese and normal-weight children (Page in children with asthma, and the effect is more obvious in those of preschool age.

Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) Profile of Modified Sba-15 at Different Amount of Alkoxy silane Group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Norhasyimi Rahmat; Nur Fathilah Mohd Yusof; Ezani Hafiza

2014-01-01

This study focused on meso porous silica SBA-15 modified with alkoxy silane functional group; phenyltriethoxysilane (PTES) and vinyltriethoxysilane (VTES) using direct synthesis and post-grafting methods. By direct synthesis method, SBA-15 template by triblock copolymer (P123) and functionalized with alkoxy silane groups at different amount of loadings were co-condensed with tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) under acidic conditions. As for post-grafting method, different loadings of alkoxy silane groups were added after co-condensation of TEOS with P123 template. Both synthesis methods used calcination process to remove surfactant template at 550 degree Celsius for 5 hours. The derivatized SBA-15 was characterized by thermogravimetric analysis to evaluate the profile at different loadings of alkoxy silane groups with different synthesis method. At temperature range of 300-800 degree Celsius, post-grafting method displayed the highest weight loss of phenyl and vinyl groups. However, there was no significant difference of weight loss for different amount of organo silane groups. In this study, TGA has shown to be significant characterization means to determine the effects of different method used in synthesizing modified SBA-15. It was shown that different loading of phenyl and vinyl groups did not affect the efficiency of surfactant removal. (author)

Emergent Leadership in Children's Cooperative Problem Solving Groups

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Jingjng; Anderson, Richard C.; Perry, Michelle; Lin, Tzu-Jung

2017-01-01

Social skills involved in leadership were examined in a problem-solving activity in which 252 Chinese 5th-graders worked in small groups on a spatial-reasoning puzzle. Results showed that students who engaged in peer-managed small-group discussions of stories prior to problem solving produced significantly better solutions and initiated…

Latent cluster analysis of ALS phenotypes identifies prognostically differing groups.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeban Ganesalingam

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS is a degenerative disease predominantly affecting motor neurons and manifesting as several different phenotypes. Whether these phenotypes correspond to different underlying disease processes is unknown. We used latent cluster analysis to identify groupings of clinical variables in an objective and unbiased way to improve phenotyping for clinical and research purposes.Latent class cluster analysis was applied to a large database consisting of 1467 records of people with ALS, using discrete variables which can be readily determined at the first clinic appointment. The model was tested for clinical relevance by survival analysis of the phenotypic groupings using the Kaplan-Meier method.The best model generated five distinct phenotypic classes that strongly predicted survival (p<0.0001. Eight variables were used for the latent class analysis, but a good estimate of the classification could be obtained using just two variables: site of first symptoms (bulbar or limb and time from symptom onset to diagnosis (p<0.00001.The five phenotypic classes identified using latent cluster analysis can predict prognosis. They could be used to stratify patients recruited into clinical trials and generating more homogeneous disease groups for genetic, proteomic and risk factor research.

Mnemonic transmission, social contagion, and emergence of collective memory: Influence of emotional valence, group structure, and information distribution.

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Choi, Hae-Yoon; Kensinger, Elizabeth A; Rajaram, Suparna

2017-09-01

Social transmission of memory and its consequence on collective memory have generated enduring interdisciplinary interest because of their widespread significance in interpersonal, sociocultural, and political arenas. We tested the influence of 3 key factors-emotional salience of information, group structure, and information distribution-on mnemonic transmission, social contagion, and collective memory. Participants individually studied emotionally salient (negative or positive) and nonemotional (neutral) picture-word pairs that were completely shared, partially shared, or unshared within participant triads, and then completed 3 consecutive recalls in 1 of 3 conditions: individual-individual-individual (control), collaborative-collaborative (identical group; insular structure)-individual, and collaborative-collaborative (reconfigured group; diverse structure)-individual. Collaboration enhanced negative memories especially in insular group structure and especially for shared information, and promoted collective forgetting of positive memories. Diverse group structure reduced this negativity effect. Unequally distributed information led to social contagion that creates false memories; diverse structure propagated a greater variety of false memories whereas insular structure promoted confidence in false recognition and false collective memory. A simultaneous assessment of network structure, information distribution, and emotional valence breaks new ground to specify how network structure shapes the spread of negative memories and false memories, and the emergence of collective memory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Differences in morphological parameters of judo athletes of different age groups and performance level

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Miloš Štefanovský

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Some studies have pointed out the influence of morphological parameters on judo performance, however the relationship between morphological variables and performance status have not yet been confirmed. In addition, there is a lack of studies focused on morphological comparison of different age categories. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess differences in the morphological parameters of judo athletes of different age and performance level. Methods: The research sample was composed of 47 male judokas (age 19.15 ± 2.93 years; body weight 77.16 ± 11.39 kg; height 178.91 ± 6.39 cm; sport age 11.47 ± 2.74 years. It was divided by: (1 age, into cadets (15-17 years, n = 19, juniors (18-20 years, n = 15, and seniors (21+ years, n = 13 category and (2 performance status (elite, n = 10; non-elite, n = 37. In all participants, body fat, and the circumference measurement of wrist, forearm, flexed arm, and calf were observed. A personal interview was used to gain information about the athlete's performance status. Results: We found out that there are significant differences in arm circumference between cadets and seniors, cadets and juniors, juniors and seniors; and in the circumference of forearm between cadets and seniors; cadets and juniors, as well. According to the performance status, we have discovered significantly higher circumference of forearm and wrist in the elite group compared to the non-elite group. Conclusion: Forearm and wrist circumference is a reliable discriminative factor and should be taken into consideration, especially when selecting judo athletes into elite teams. However, we did not confirm that subcutaneous fat is a parameter able to distinguish between judo athletes of different performance status across various age categories.

Strategic Approach to Group Anger Management with Incarcerated Murderers.

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Napolitano, Susan; Brown, Lillian G.

1991-01-01

Incarcerated male murderers manifested consistent changes in attitudes toward treatment efficacy and their culpability as function of participating in 12-week anger management groups. Four qualitatively different stages were evident during treatment as prisoners' resistive responses were actively encouraged: initial apathy, emerging interest in…

Acute stress in residents playing different roles during emergency simulations: a preliminary study.

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Dias, Roger Daglius; Scalabrini-Neto, Augusto

2017-06-19

To investigate acute stress response in residents playing nurse and physician roles during emergency simulations. Sixteen second-year internal medicine residents participated in teams of four (two playing physician roles and two playing nurse roles). Stress markers were assessed in 24 simulations at baseline (T1) and immediately after the scenario (T2), using heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, salivary α-amylase, salivary cortisol and salivary interleukin-1β. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory was applied at T2. Continuous data were summarized for the median (1st-3rd interquartile ranges), and the Mann-Whitney U Test was used to compare the groups. The percent variations of the stress markers in the physician and nurse roles, respectively, were the following: heart rate: 70.5% (46.0-136.5) versus 53.0% (29.5-117.0), U=89.00, p=0.35; systolic blood pressure: 3.0% (0.0-10.0) versus 2.0% (-2.0-9.0), U=59.50, p=0.46; diastolic blood pressure: 5.5% (0.0-13.5) versus 0.0% (0.0-11.5), U=91.50, p=0.27; α-amylase: -5.35% (-62.70-73.90) versus 42.3% (12.4-133.8), U=23.00, p=0.08; cortisol: 35.3% (22.2-83.5) versus 42.3% (12.4-133.8), U=64.00, p=0.08); and interleukin-1β: 54.4% (21.9-109.3) versus 112.55% (29.7-263.3), U= 24.00, p=0.277. For the physician and nurse roles, respectively, the average heart rate was 101.5 (92.0-104.0) versus 91.0 (83.0-99.5) beats per minute, U=96.50, p=0.160; and the state anxiety inventory score was 44.0 (40.0-50.0) versus 42.0 (37.50-48.0) points, U= 89.50, p=0.319. Different roles during emergency simulations evoked similar participants' engagement, as indicated by acute stress levels. Role-play strategies can provide high psychological fidelity for simulation-based training, and these results reinforce the potential of role-play methodologies in medical education.

Grouping and crowding affect target appearance over different spatial scales.

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Bilge Sayim

Full Text Available Crowding is the impairment of peripheral target perception by nearby flankers. A number of recent studies have shown that crowding shares many features with grouping. Here, we investigate whether effects of crowding and grouping on target perception are related by asking whether they operate over the same spatial scale. A target letter T had two sets of flanking Ts of varying orientations. The first set was presented close to the target, yielding strong crowding. The second set was either close enough to cause crowding on their own or too far to cause crowding on their own. The Ts of the second set had the same orientation that either matched the target's orientation (Grouped condition or not (Ungrouped condition. In Experiment 1, the Grouped flankers reduced crowding independently of their distance from the target, suggesting that grouping operated over larger distances than crowding. In Experiments 2 and 3 we found that grouping did not affect sensitivity but produced a strong bias to report that the grouped orientation was present at the target location whether or not it was. Finally, we investigated whether this bias was a response or perceptual bias, rejecting the former in favor of a perceptual grouping explanation. We suggest that the effect of grouping is to assimilate the target to the identity of surrounding flankers when they are all the same, and that this shape assimilation effect differs in its spatial scale from the integration effect of crowding.

A radiographic study of the mandibular third molar root development in different ethnic groups.

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Liversidge, H M; Peariasamy, K; Folayan, M O; Adeniyi, A O; Ngom, P I; Mikami, Y; Shimada, Y; Kuroe, K; Tvete, I F; Kvaal, S I

2017-12-01

The nature of differences in the timing of tooth formation between ethnic groups is important when estimating age. To calculate age of transition of the mandibular third (M3) molar tooth stages from archived dental radiographs from sub-Saharan Africa, Malaysia, Japan and two groups from London UK (Whites and Bangladeshi). The number of radiographs was 4555 (2028 males, 2527 females) with an age range 10-25 years. The left M3 was staged into Moorrees stages. A probit model was fitted to calculate mean ages for transitions between stages for males and females and each ethnic group separately. The estimated age distributions given each M3 stage was calculated. To assess differences in timing of M3 between ethnic groups, three models were proposed: a separate model for each ethnic group, a joint model and a third model combining some aspects across groups. The best model fit was tested using Bayesian and Akaikes information criteria (BIC and AIC) and log likelihood ratio test. Differences in mean ages of M3 root stages were found between ethnic groups, however all groups showed large standard deviation values. The AIC and log likelihood ratio test indicated that a separate model for each ethnic group was best. Small differences were also noted between timing of M3 between males and females, with the exception of the Malaysian group. These findings suggests that features of a reference data set (wide age range and uniform age distribution) and a Bayesian statistical approach are more important than population specific convenience samples to estimate age of an individual using M3. Some group differences were evident in M3 timing, however, this has some impact on the confidence interval of estimated age in females and little impact in males because of the large variation in age.

Agent-Based Crowd Simulation Considering Emotion Contagion for Emergency Evacuation Problem

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Faroqi, H.; Mesgari, M.-S.

2015-12-01

During emergencies, emotions greatly affect human behaviour. For more realistic multi-agent systems in simulations of emergency evacuations, it is important to incorporate emotions and their effects on the agents. In few words, emotional contagion is a process in which a person or group influences the emotions or behavior of another person or group through the conscious or unconscious induction of emotion states and behavioral attitudes. In this study, we simulate an emergency situation in an open square area with three exits considering Adults and Children agents with different behavior. Also, Security agents are considered in order to guide Adults and Children for finding the exits and be calm. Six levels of emotion levels are considered for each agent in different scenarios and situations. The agent-based simulated model initialize with the random scattering of agent populations and then when an alarm occurs, each agent react to the situation based on its and neighbors current circumstances. The main goal of each agent is firstly to find the exit, and then help other agents to find their ways. Numbers of exited agents along with their emotion levels and damaged agents are compared in different scenarios with different initialization in order to evaluate the achieved results of the simulated model. NetLogo 5.2 is used as the multi-agent simulation framework with R language as the developing language.

AGENT-BASED CROWD SIMULATION CONSIDERING EMOTION CONTAGION FOR EMERGENCY EVACUATION PROBLEM

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H. Faroqi

2015-12-01

Full Text Available During emergencies, emotions greatly affect human behaviour. For more realistic multi-agent systems in simulations of emergency evacuations, it is important to incorporate emotions and their effects on the agents. In few words, emotional contagion is a process in which a person or group influences the emotions or behavior of another person or group through the conscious or unconscious induction of emotion states and behavioral attitudes. In this study, we simulate an emergency situation in an open square area with three exits considering Adults and Children agents with different behavior. Also, Security agents are considered in order to guide Adults and Children for finding the exits and be calm. Six levels of emotion levels are considered for each agent in different scenarios and situations. The agent-based simulated model initialize with the random scattering of agent populations and then when an alarm occurs, each agent react to the situation based on its and neighbors current circumstances. The main goal of each agent is firstly to find the exit, and then help other agents to find their ways. Numbers of exited agents along with their emotion levels and damaged agents are compared in different scenarios with different initialization in order to evaluate the achieved results of the simulated model. NetLogo 5.2 is used as the multi-agent simulation framework with R language as the developing language.

Maternal Child-Rearing Patterns and Children's Scholastic Achievement in Different Groups.

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Logan, Richard D.

The purpose of this study was to examine the general proposition that different maternal child-rearing pattern-types (permissive or restrictive) are associated with high scholastic achievement in elementary school children from four different class-culture groupings (black middle-class, black working-class, white middle-class, and white…

Comparison of Y-STR polymorphisms in three different Slovak population groups.

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Petrejcíková, Eva; Siváková, Daniela; Soták, Miroslav; Bernasovská, Jarmila; Bernasovský, Ivan; Rebała, Krzysztof; Boronová, Iveta; Bôziková, Alexandra; Sovicová, Adriana; Gabriková, Dana; Maceková, Sona; Svícková, Petra; Carnogurská, Jana

2010-01-01

Eleven Y-chromosomal microsatellite loci included in the Powerplex Y multiplex kit were analyzed in different Slovak population samples: Habans (n = 39), Romanies (n = 100) and Slovak Caucasian (n = 148) individuals, respectively, from different regions of Slovakia. The analysis of molecular variance between populations indicated that 89.27% of the haplotypic variations were found within populations and only 10.72% between populations (Fst = 0.1027; p = 0.0000). The haplotype diversities were ranging from 0.9258 to 0.9978, and indicated a high potential for differentiating between male individuals. The study reports differences in allele frequencies between the Romanies, Habans and Slovak Caucasian men. Selected loci showed that both the Romany and Haban population belonged to endogamous and relatively small founder population groups, which developed in relatively reproductive isolated groups surrounded by the Slovak Caucasian population.

[Out-of-hospital pediatric emergencies. Perception and assessment by emergency physicians].

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Eich, C; Roessler, M; Timmermann, A; Heuer, J F; Gentkow, U; Albrecht, B; Russo, S G

2009-09-01

Out-of-hospital (OOH) pediatric emergencies have a relatively low prevalence. In Germany the vast majority of cases are attended by non-specialized emergency physicians (EPs) for whom these are not routine procedures. This may lead to insecurity and fear. However, it is unknown how EPs perceive and assess pediatric emergencies and how they could be better prepared for them. All active EPs (n=50) of the Department of Anaesthesiology, Emergency and Intensive Care Medicine at the University Medical Centre of Göttingen were presented with a structured questionnaire in order to evaluate their perception and assessment of OOH pediatric emergencies. The 43 participating EPs made highly detailed statements on the expected characteristics of OOH pediatric emergencies. Their confidence level grew with the children's age (pemergencies. They felt the greatest deficits were in the care of infrequent but life-threatening emergencies. Three educational groups can be differentiated: knowledge and skills to be gained with children in hospital, clinical experience from adult care also applicable in children and rare diagnoses and interventions to be trained with manikins or simulators.

The applicability of measures of socioeconomic position to different ethnic groups within the UK

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Lambert Helen

2009-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In this paper we seek to tease out differences in socioeconomic position between ethnic groups. There are 3 main reasons why conventional socioeconomic indicators and asset based measures may not be equally applicable to all ethnic groups: 1 Differences in response rate to conventional socioeconomic indicators 2 Cultural and social differences in economic priorities/opportunities 3 Differences in housing quality, assets and debt within socioeconomic strata Methods The sample consisted of White (n = 227, African-Caribbean (n = 213 and Indian and Pakistani (n = 233 adults aged between 18 and 59 years living in Leeds as measured in a stratified population survey. Measures included income, education, employment, car ownership, home ownership, housing quality, household assets, investments, debt, perceived ability to obtain various sums and perceived level of financial support given and received. Results Response rates to education and income questions were similar for the different ethnic groups. Overall response rates for income were much lower than those for education and biased towards wealthier people. There were differences between ethnic groups in economic priorities/opportunities particularly in relation to car ownership, home ownership, investment and debt. Differences in living conditions, household assets and debt between ethnic groups were dependent on differences in education; however differences in car ownership, home ownership, ability to obtain £10 000, and loaning money to family/friends and income from employment/self employment persisted after adjustment for education. Conclusion In the UK, education appears to be an effective variable for measuring variation in SEP across ethnic groups but the ability to account for SEP differences may be improved by the addition of car and home ownership, ability to obtain £10 000, loaning money to family/friends and income from employment/self employment. Further research

The applicability of measures of socioeconomic position to different ethnic groups within the UK.

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Kelaher, Margaret; Paul, Sheila; Lambert, Helen; Ahmad, Waqar; Smith, George Davey

2009-02-27

In this paper we seek to tease out differences in socioeconomic position between ethnic groups. There are 3 main reasons why conventional socioeconomic indicators and asset based measures may not be equally applicable to all ethnic groups:1) Differences in response rate to conventional socioeconomic indicators2) Cultural and social differences in economic priorities/opportunities3) Differences in housing quality, assets and debt within socioeconomic strata The sample consisted of White (n = 227), African-Caribbean (n = 213) and Indian and Pakistani (n = 233) adults aged between 18 and 59 years living in Leeds as measured in a stratified population survey. Measures included income, education, employment, car ownership, home ownership, housing quality, household assets, investments, debt, perceived ability to obtain various sums and perceived level of financial support given and received. Response rates to education and income questions were similar for the different ethnic groups. Overall response rates for income were much lower than those for education and biased towards wealthier people. There were differences between ethnic groups in economic priorities/opportunities particularly in relation to car ownership, home ownership, investment and debt. Differences in living conditions, household assets and debt between ethnic groups were dependent on differences in education; however differences in car ownership, home ownership, ability to obtain pound10 000, and loaning money to family/friends and income from employment/self employment persisted after adjustment for education. In the UK, education appears to be an effective variable for measuring variation in SEP across ethnic groups but the ability to account for SEP differences may be improved by the addition of car and home ownership, ability to obtain pound10 000, loaning money to family/friends and income from employment/self employment. Further research is required to establish the degree to which results of

Anthropometric difference of the knee on MRI according to gender and age groups.

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Han, Hyuksoo; Oh, Sohee; Chang, Chong Bum; Kang, Seung-Baik

2016-03-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze the anthropometric data from MRI images that were obtained from the non-arthritic knees in Asian adults, and to identify the existence of morphologic differences between age groups. This cross-sectional study included knee MR images of 535 patients (273 males, 262 females) taken for the evaluation of soft-tissue injuries, excluding cases with cartilage defect and malalignment. The age, gender, height, and BMI were also assessed. The patients were grouped into three different 20-year age groups (20-39, 40-59, and 60-79). The MRI analysis was performed on the anthropometric parameters of distal femur and posterior tibial slope. Age-related differences were found in femoral width, distance from the distal and posterior cartilage surface to the medial/lateral epicondyle, medial posterior condylar offset (PCO), and posterior condylar angle (PCA) (all P age groups was found in most parameters, but not in PCA, distance from the posterior cartilage surface to the medial epicondyle, or medial tibial slope. We found anthropometric differences among age groups exist in most of distal femoral parameters, but not in posterior tibial slope. The results of this study can be used by manufacturers to modify prostheses to be suitable for the future Asian elderly population.

Socioeconomic and Gender Group Differences in Early Literacy Skills: A Multiple-Group Confirmatory Factor Analysis Approach

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Lee, Julia Ai Cheng; Al Otaiba, Stephanie

2015-01-01

Socioeconomic status and gender are important demographic variables that strongly relate to academic achievement. This study examined the early literacy skills differences between 4 sociodemographic groups, namely, boys ineligible for free or reduced-price lunch (FRL), girls ineligible for FRL, boys eligible for FRL, and girls eligible for FRL.…

Physical, chemical and sensorial parameters for lambs of different groups, slaughtered at different weights.

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Landim, Aline Vieira; Castanheira, Marlos; Fioravanti, Maria Clorinda Soares; Pacheco, Aline; Cardoso, Maximiliano Tadeu Memória; Louvandini, Helder; McManus, Concepta

2011-08-01

The object of this experiment was to study physicochemical and sensorial traits in the 11th and 13th ribs of 24 Santa Ines (SI), 24 1/2 Ile de France × 1/2 Santa Inês (ILE × SI) and 8 1/2 Texel × 1/2 Santa Inês (TE × SI), slaughtered at different weights (30, 35, 40 and 45 kg, respectively). Subjective measurements (marbling, colour and texture) were carried out on the Longissimus dorsi, as well as initial pH (0 h) and final pH (24 h) after slaughter. The experiment was in a 3 × 4 factorial design and analysed using general linear model and correlation procedures in SAS®. Breed group did not influence colour (3.32), shear force (3.57 kg-force (kgf)) or loss in cooking (24.05%) of the L. dorsi, but slaughter weight affected these, with stronger colour, tougher meat and greater loss in cooking as slaughter weight increased. For sensorial analysis, the L. dorsi were cut, identified and evaluated by 30 untrained judges using a linear scale. Significant differences were detected in preference (6.61 points), tenderness (6.32 points), succulence (6.33 points) and flavour (7.08 points) of the meat from different breed groups and slaughter weights. For preference, all meats were well accepted although the crossbred animals slaughtered at 45 kg were less acceptable.

Constructing a Measurement Method of Differences in Group Preferences Based on Relative Entropy

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Shiyu Zhang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In the research and data analysis of the differences involved in group preferences, conventional statistical methods cannot reflect the integrity and preferences of human minds; in particular, it is difficult to exclude humans’ irrational factors. This paper introduces a preference amount model based on relative entropy theory. A related expansion is made based on the characteristics of the questionnaire data, and we also construct the parameters to measure differences in the data distribution of different groups on the whole. In this paper, this parameter is called the center distance, and it effectively reflects the preferences of human minds. Using the survey data of securities market participants as an example, this paper analyzes differences in market participants’ attitudes toward the effectiveness of securities regulation. Based on this method, differences between groups that were overlooked by analysis of variance are found, and certain aspects obscured by general data characteristics are also found.

Pediatric emergency medicine asynchronous e-learning: a multicenter randomized controlled Solomon four-group study.

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Chang, Todd P; Pham, Phung K; Sobolewski, Brad; Doughty, Cara B; Jamal, Nazreen; Kwan, Karen Y; Little, Kim; Brenkert, Timothy E; Mathison, David J

2014-08-01

Asynchronous e-learning allows for targeted teaching, particularly advantageous when bedside and didactic education is insufficient. An asynchronous e-learning curriculum has not been studied across multiple centers in the context of a clinical rotation. We hypothesize that an asynchronous e-learning curriculum during the pediatric emergency medicine (EM) rotation improves medical knowledge among residents and students across multiple participating centers. Trainees on pediatric EM rotations at four large pediatric centers from 2012 to 2013 were randomized in a Solomon four-group design. The experimental arms received an asynchronous e-learning curriculum consisting of nine Web-based, interactive, peer-reviewed Flash/HTML5 modules. Postrotation testing and in-training examination (ITE) scores quantified improvements in knowledge. A 2 × 2 analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) tested interaction and main effects, and Pearson's correlation tested associations between module usage, scores, and ITE scores. A total of 256 of 458 participants completed all study elements; 104 had access to asynchronous e-learning modules, and 152 were controls who used the current education standards. No pretest sensitization was found (p = 0.75). Use of asynchronous e-learning modules was associated with an improvement in posttest scores (p effect (partial η(2) = 0.19). Posttest scores correlated with ITE scores (r(2) = 0.14, p e-learning is an effective educational tool to improve knowledge in a clinical rotation. Web-based asynchronous e-learning is a promising modality to standardize education among multiple institutions with common curricula, particularly in clinical rotations where scheduling difficulties, seasonality, and variable experiences limit in-hospital learning. © 2014 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

Differences in psychotropic drug prescriptions among ethnic groups in the Netherlands.

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Wittkampf, Laura Christina; Smeets, Hugo M; Knol, Mirjam J; Geerlings, Mirjam I; Braam, Arjan W; De Wit, Niek J

2010-08-01

Psychotropic drug use in Europe and the USA has increased in the past 20 years. The rise in mental health-care use instigated a debate about possible differences in prevalence rates between different ethnic groups in the Netherlands, although the exact differences were unknown. The aim of this study was to determine whether these minority groups were more or less likely than the native population to receive psychotropic drugs. A descriptive population study was conducted using the Agis Health Database, containing demographic and health-care consumption data of approximately 1.5 million inhabitants of the Netherlands. Rates of prescriptions of psychotropic drugs from 2001 to 2006 and adjusted odds ratios for psychotropic drug prescriptions among native Dutch, Turkish and Moroccan ethnic groups were calculated. These data were analysed using logistic regression, after being adjusted for age, gender and socioeconomic status. The mean year prevalence of psychotropic drug prescriptions from 2001 to 2006 was 14.0%. Except for a decrease in anxiolytic drugs, the prescriptions of psychotropic drugs increased from 2001 to 2006. These trends were the same for all of the ethnic groups considered. Among both the Moroccan and Turkish populations, there was a higher risk of antidepressant and antipsychotic drug prescriptions, and a pronounced lower risk of ADHD medication and lithium prescriptions compared to the native population. Among the Turkish population, the risk of anxiolytic drug prescriptions was greater than in the native population. Compared to the native population in the Netherlands, first- and second-generation Turkish and Moroccan immigrants had an increased risk of antidepressant and antipsychotic drug prescriptions and a decreased risk of ADHD medication and Lithium prescriptions. Further research is needed to clarify whether patients of different ethnic backgrounds with the same symptoms receive similar diagnosis and adequate treatment.

Análisis y clasificación de las urgencias hospitalarias mediante los Ambulatory Patient Groups Analysis and classification of hospital emergencies through Ambulatory Patient Groups

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A. Conesa

2003-12-01

Full Text Available Objetivo: Describir la factibilidad y el resultado de la aplicación del sistema Ambulatory Patient Groups (APG a la casuística atendida en los servicios de urgencias de seis hospitales del área de Barcelona. Métodos: Confección de un conjunto mínimo básico de datos específico para urgencias (CMBDAU. Obtención de las variables necesarias en una muestra aleatoria de visitas atendidas, a partir de los informes de asistencia correspondientes. Aplicación del sistema APG a los episodios seleccionados. Resultados: Se ha codificado y agrupado en APG un total de 11.188 visitas de urgencias. Quince diagnósticos identifican el 25% de los episodios. El 50% de los procedimientos de urgencias son exploraciones complementarias sencillas. Quince APG agrupan el 50% de la casuística atendida en urgencias. Conclusiones: El CMBDAU es válido para describir la casuística de urgencias y su agrupación en APG proporciona resultados consistentes e interpretables. La aplicación generalizada de sistemas como los APG en urgencias requiere una validación previa en nuestro entorno de los valores de peso norteamericanos. También debe valorarse la disponibilidad de recursos técnicos y humanos suficientes para garantizar la calidad y la continuidad de un registro de estas características.Aim: To assess the feasibility and results of application of Ambulatory Patient Groups (APG patient's classification system to the case-mix of patients seen at the Emergency Departments (ED of 6 Barcelona metropolitan area hospitals. Methods: Development of a minimum discharge data set specific for the Emergency Departments (CMBDAU. Gathering of relevant variables from a random sample of patients seen at the ED using the ED discharge reports. Use of the APG classification system to those episodes. Results: A total of 11.188 episodes were codified and grouped with the APG system. Fifteen diagnostics identified 25% of all episodes. Nearly 50% of all procedures performed at the

Adolescents' Motivation for Reading: Group Differences and Relation to Standardized Achievement

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Wolters, Christopher A.; Denton, Carolyn A.; York, Mary J.; Francis, David J.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to extend the research on adolescents' motivation for reading by examining important group differences and the relation of motivation to standardized achievement. Adolescents (N = 406) ranging from grade 7 to grade 12 completed a self-report survey that assessed 13 different aspects of their reading motivation…

Facilitators and barriers in pain management for trauma patients in the chain of emergency care.

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Berben, Sivera A A; Meijs, Tineke H J M; van Grunsven, Pierre M; Schoonhoven, Lisette; van Achterberg, Theo

2012-09-01

The aim of the study is to give insight into facilitators and barriers in pain management in trauma patients in the chain of emergency care in the Netherlands. A qualitative approach was adopted with the use of the implementation Model of Change of Clinical Practice. The chain of emergency care concerned prehospital Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Emergency Departments (EDs). We included two EMS ambulance services and three EDs and conducted five focus groups and 10 individual interviews. Stakeholders and managers of organisations were interviewed individually. Focus group participants were selected based on availability and general characteristics. Transcripts of the audio recordings and field notes were analysed in consecutive steps, based on thematic content analysis. Each step was independently performed by the researchers, and was discussed afterwards. We analysed differences and similarities supported by software for qualitative analysis MaxQDA. This study identified five concepts as facilitators and barriers in pain management for trauma patients in the chain of emergency care. We described the concepts of knowledge, attitude, professional communication, organisational aspects and patient input, illustrated with quotes from the interviews and focus group sessions. Furthermore, we identified whether the themes occurred in the chain of care. Knowledge deficits, attitude problems and patient input were similar for the EMS and ED settings, despite the different positions, backgrounds and educational levels of respondents. In the chain of care a lack of professional communication and organisational feedback occurred as new themes, and were specifically related to the organisational structure of the prehospital EMS and EDs. Identified organisational aspects stressed the importance of organisational embedding of improvement of pain management. However, change of clinical practice requires a comprehensive approach focused at all five concepts. We think a shift

An Epistaxis Emergency Associated with Multiple Pollutants in Elementary Students.

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Yuan, Wei Ming; Lu, Yuan Qiang; Wei, Zheng; Chen, Ming; He, Sheng Liang; Mai, Wen Yuan; Zhang, Mei Bian

2016-12-01

Emergencies of epistaxis in students caused by environmental pollution have rarely been reported to date. This study aimed to explore the cause of an emergency of epistaxis in elementary students by using a field epidemiological investigation. Twenty-two epistaxis cases from a single school with differences in gender, age, and classroom, were diagnosed within a period of 7 days. The air concentration of chromic acid mist (Cr6+) in the electroplating factory area, new campus, and residential area exceeded the limit of uncontrolled emissions. The emission of HCL and H2SO4 was also observed. Formaldehyde levels in the classrooms exceeded the limits of indoor air quality. Abnormal nasal mucosa was significantly more frequent in the case group (93.3%) and control group 1 (of the same school) (66.7%) than in control group 2 (from a mountainous area with no industrial zone) (34.8%; P epistaxis. Several lessons regarding factory site selection, eradication of chemical emissions, and indoor air quality in newly decorated classrooms, should be learned from this emergency. Copyright © 2016 The Editorial Board of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences. Published by China CDC. All rights reserved.

Effect of bystander CPR initiation prior to the emergency call on ROSC and 30day survival-An evaluation of 548 emergency calls.

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Viereck, Søren; Palsgaard Møller, Thea; Kjær Ersbøll, Annette; Folke, Fredrik; Lippert, Freddy

2017-02-01

This study aimed at evaluating if time for initiation of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) - prior to the emergency call (CPR prior ) versus during the emergency call following dispatcher-assisted CPR (CPR during ) - was associated with return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and 30-day survival. The secondary aim was to identify predictors of CPR prior . This observational study evaluated out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) occurring in the Capital Region of Denmark from 01.01.2013 to 31.12.2013. OHCAs were linked to emergency medical dispatch centre records and corresponding emergency calls were evaluated. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were applied to evaluate the association between time for initiation of bystander CPR, ROSC, and 30-day survival. Univariable logistic regression analyses were applied to identify predictors of CPR prior . The study included 548 emergency calls for OHCA patients receiving bystander CPR, 34.9% (n=191) in the CPR prior group and 65.1% (n=357) in the CPR during group. Multivariable analyses showed no difference in ROSC (OR=0.88, 95% CI: 0.56-1.38) or 30-day survival (OR=1.14, 95% CI: 0.68-1.92) between CPR prior and CPR during . Predictors positively associated with CPR prior included witnessed OHCA and healthcare professional bystanders. Predictors negatively associated with CPR prior included residential location, solitary bystanders, and bystanders related to the patient. The majority of bystander CPR (65%) was initiated during the emergency call, following dispatcher-assisted CPR instructions. Whether bystander CPR was initiated prior to emergency call versus during the emergency call following dispatcher-assisted CPR was not associated with ROSC or 30-day survival. Dispatcher-assisted CPR was especially beneficial for the initiation of bystander CPR in residential areas. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

A Binomial Test of Group Differences with Correlated Outcome Measures

Science.gov (United States)

Onwuegbuzie, Anthony J.; Levin, Joel R.; Ferron, John M.

2011-01-01

Building on previous arguments for why educational researchers should not provide effect-size estimates in the face of statistically nonsignificant outcomes (Robinson & Levin, 1997), Onwuegbuzie and Levin (2005) proposed a 3-step statistical approach for assessing group differences when multiple outcome measures are individually analyzed…

Activities of research group on radiological aspects of emergency countermeasures in the nuclear accident of Fukushima Nuclear Power Plants, (2)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Urabe, Itsumasa

2012-01-01

Radiation effects research group of 'Nuclear safety' investigation committee has been working after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster on evaluating the emission rate and the diffusion of radioactive materials, on collecting, analyzing and evaluating the information on radioactive materials in the environment, on measuring the radiation dose at the state of emergency, on managing the exposure of habitants and disaster-prevention staff, on collaborating with related associations, and on making proposals on information release and actions against the disaster. At the international symposium by the 'Nuclear safety' investigation committee on November, 2011, the following issues were presented: Application of the concept of ICRP, Release of radioactive materials into the air, Evaluation of spatial dose distribution, Diffusion of radioactive materials in the sea, Evaluation of the exposure of the habitants, and Radiation measurement at the state of emergency (J.P.N.)

Identifying rural-urban differences in the predictors of emergency ambulance service demand and misuse.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Ho Ting; Lin, Teng-Kang; Lin, Jen-Jia

2018-06-13

This study aims to assess rural-urban differences in the predictors of emergency ambulance service (EAS) demand and misuse in New Taipei City. Identifying the predictors of EAS demand will help the EAS service managing authority in formulating focused policies to maintain service quality. Over 160,000 electronic EAS usage records were used with a negative binomial regression model to assess rural-urban differences in the predictors of EAS demand and misuse. The factors of 1) ln-transformed population density, 2) percentage of residents who completed up to junior high school education, 3) accessibility of hospitals without an emergency room, and 4) accessibility of EAS were found to be predictors of EAS demand in rural areas, whereas only the factor of percentage of people aged above 65 was found to predict EAS demand in urban areas. For EAS misuse, only the factor of percentage of low-income households was found to be a predictor in rural areas, whereas no predictor was found in the urban areas. Results showed that the factors predicting EAS demand and misuse in rural areas were more complicated compared to urban areas and, therefore, formulating EAS policies for rural areas based on the results of urban studies may not be appropriate. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The Emergence of Sex Differences in Personality Traits in Early Adolescence: A Cross-Sectional, Cross-Cultural Study

Science.gov (United States)

De Bolle, Marleen; De Fruyt, Filip; McCrae, Robert R.; Löckenhoff, Corinna E.; Costa, Paul T.; Aguilar-Vafaie, Maria E.; Ahn, Chang-kyu; Ahn, Hyun-nie; Alcalay, Lidia; Allik, Jüri; Avdeyeva, Tatyana V.; Bratko, Denis; Brunner-Sciarra, Marina; Cain, Thomas R.; Chan, Wayne; Chittcharat, Niyada; Crawford, Jarret T.; Fehr, Ryan; Ficková, Emília; Gelfand, Michele J.; Graf, Sylvie; Gülgöz, Sami; Hřebíčková, Martina; Jussim, Lee; Klinkosz, Waldemar; Knežević, Goran; de Figueroa, Nora Leibovich; Lima, Margarida P.; Martin, Thomas A.; Marušić, Iris; Mastor, Khairul Anwar; Nakazato, Katsuharu; Nansubuga, Florence; Porrata, Jose; Purić, Danka; Realo, Anu; Reátegui, Norma; Rolland, Jean-Pierre; Schmidt, Vanina; Sekowski, Andrzej; Shakespeare-Finch, Jane; Shimonaka, Yoshiko; Simonetti, Franco; Siuta, Jerzy; Szmigielska, Barbara; Vanno, Vitanya; Wang, Lei; Yik, Michelle; Terracciano, Antonio

2015-01-01

Although large international studies have found consistent patterns of sex differences in personality traits among adults (i.e., women scoring higher on most facets), less is known about cross-cultural sex differences in adolescent personality and the role of culture and age in shaping them. The present study examines NEO Personality Inventory-3 (NEO-PI-3, McCrae, Costa, & Martin, 2005) informant ratings of adolescents from 23 cultures (N = 4,850) and investigates culture and age as sources of variability in sex differences of adolescents’ personality. The effect for Neuroticism (with females scoring higher than males) begins to take on its adult form around age 14. Girls score higher on Openness to Experience and Conscientiousness at all ages between 12 and 17 years. A more complex pattern emerges for Extraversion and Agreeableness, although by age 17, sex differences for these traits are highly similar to those observed in adulthood. Cross-sectional data suggest that (1) with advancing age, sex differences found in adolescents increasingly converge towards adult patterns with respect to both direction and magnitude; (2) girls display sex-typed personality traits at an earlier age than boys; and (3) the emergence of sex differences was similar across culture. Practical implications of the present findings are discussed. PMID:25603371

Emergency preparedness exercises and information. Annual report 1996. Project plans 1997

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-12-01

EKO-4, Emergency preparedness exercises and information exchange, consists of two sub projects. In EKO-4.1, Exercises and scenario development, a functional exercise on dose calculation has been arranged and followed up by a seminar. In addition, a seminar for intercomparison of Nordic dispersion models has been arranged bases on results from the international full scale experiment ETEX-1. Both arrangements showed to be useful for the nuclear emergency preparedness in the Nordic countries and contributed to better knowledge about the different models. Such arrangements also strengthen the personal networks. In EKO-4.1, a survey on available tools for scenario development for national and regional exercises in the Nordic country is going on. The needs from the exercise planners point of view will be focused before further development is suggested. In EKO-4.2, Nordic system for exchange of data and information, the working group has evaluated different technical solutions. The results have been presented in a report. The work with implementing the system has been delayed but it will continue next year in close co-operation with the Nordic authorities working group on emergency preparedness (NEP). A new version of the nuclear emergency preparedness handbook has been published. There is a need for further revisions and these are planned for 1997. With the new revision, the handbook will be made available on WWW. (EG)

Inflation targeting in advanced vs. emerging economies before and after the crisis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Josifidis Kosta

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Emerging economies have specificities which distance them compared to advanced economies in practicing inflation targeting (IT monetary regime. One of the main differences in performing IT in advanced compared to emerging economies is “fear of floating” problem in emerging group. However, on the road from exchange rate (ER as a nominal anchor to IT, differences between advanced and emerging economies concerning “fear of floating” have been more or less narrowed. In this paper we are concentrated to selected aspects of ER pass-through to prices and output, as well as (indirect monetary policy reactions to ER shocks, trying to find out is significant difference observable between advanced and emerging IT countries in pre-crisis period and (postcrisis period. The comparison is made on the basis of forecast error variance decompositions from estimated Vector Autoregression (VAR / Vector Error Correction (VEC models. “Fear of floating” phenomenon should not be exclusively applied to emerging economies, especially in the crisis period burdened with external shocks. The role of ER in IT monetary framework is strengthened with higher internal vulnerability to ER shocks, despite the level of economic development. Advanced countries more use interest rate as an indirect way to withstand ER shocks, while emerging economies more use direct way via foreign exchange interventions to withstand the ER shocks.

Competitive Wrestling-related Injuries in School Aged Athletes in U.S. Emergency Departments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Myers, Richard J

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Objective: To describe the characteristics of wrestling injuries occurring in male athletes aged 7-17 treated in United States (U.S. emergency departments (ED from 2000-2006, and to compare injury patterns between younger & older youth wrestlers.Methods: A stratified probability sample of U.S. hospitals providing emergency services in the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System was used for 2000-2006. ED visits for injuries sustained in organized wrestling were analyzed for male patients ages 7-17 years old (subdivided into 7-11 years old [youth group] and 12-17 years old [scholastic group].Results: During the study period, there were an estimated 167,606 ED visits for wrestling injuries in 7-17 years old U.S. males, with 152,710 (91.1% occurring in the older (12-17 years old group. The annual injury incidence was 6.49 injuries/1,000 wrestlers in the youth group and 29.57 injuries/1,000 wrestlers in the scholastic group. The distribution of diagnoses was similar in both age groups, with sprain/strain as the most common diagnosis, followed by fracture and contusion/abrasion. Distributions of injury by location were significantly different between groups (p=0.02, although both groups exhibited approximately 75% of all injuries from the waist up. Overexertion and struck by/against were the most common precipitating and direct mechanisms in both groups, respectively. Over 97% of all injured wrestlers were treated and released.Conclusion: The types of injury in youth (7-11 years old wrestlers are similar to those of scholastic (12-17 years old wrestlers, although the distribution of body parts injured differs between the age groups. The majority of injuries occurs above the waist and may be a target for prevention strategies. [West J Emerg Med. 2010; 11(5:442-449.

Synchrotron-based XRD from rat bone of different age groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Rao, D V; Gigante, G E; Cesareo, R; Brunetti, A; Schiavon, N; Akatsuka, T; Yuasa, T; Takeda, T

2017-05-01

Synchrotron-based XRD spectra from rat bone of different age groups (w, 56 w and 78w), lumber vertebra at early stages of bone formation, Calcium hydroxyapatite (HAp) [Ca 10 (PO 4 ) 6 (OH) 2 ] bone fill with varying composition (60% and 70%) and bone cream (35-48%), has been acquired with 15keV synchrotron X-rays. Experiments were performed at Desy, Hamburg, Germany, utilizing the Resonant and Diffraction beamline (P9), with 15keV X-rays (λ=0.82666 A 0 ). Diffraction data were quantitatively analyzed using the Rietveld refinement approach, which allowed us to characterize the structure of these samples in their early stages. Hydroxyapatite, received considerable attention in medical and materials sciences, since these materials are the hard tissues, such as bone and teeth. Higher bioactivity of these samples gained reasonable interest for biological application and for bone tissue repair in oral surgery and orthopedics. The results obtained from these samples, such as phase data, crystalline size of the phases, as well as the degree of crystallinity, confirm the apatite family crystallizing in a hexagonal system, space group P6 3 /m with the lattice parameters of a=9.4328Å and c=6.8842Å (JCPDS card #09-0432). Synchrotron-based XRD patterns are relatively sharp and well resolved and can be attributed to the hexagonal crystal form of hydroxyapatite. All the samples were examined with scanning electron microscope at an accelerating voltage of 15kV. The presence of large globules of different sizes is observed, in small age groups of the rat bone (8w) and lumber vertebra (LV), as distinguished from, large age groups (56 and 78w) in all samples with different magnification, reflects an amorphous phase without significant traces of crystalline phases. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to characterize the morphology and crystalline properties of Hap, for all the samples, from 2 to 100μm resolution. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessment of intraocular pressure in chinchillas of different age groups using rebound tonometry

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Flor Diana Yokoay Claros Chacaltana

2016-01-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: The aim of this research was to measure the intraocular pressure (IOP of normal chinchilla eyes using the rebound tonometer. A further aim was to assess whether there were differences in the values of intraocular pressure in relation to animals age, gender and time of day. Thirty-six chinchillas were divided into three groups of 12 chinchillas each, by age: Group I (2-6-month-old, Group II (20 and 34 months and Group III (37 and 135 months. Ophthalmic examination was performed previously by Schirmer tear test, slit lamp biomicroscopy, indirect ophthalmoscopy and fluorescein test in all chinchillas. Three measurements of intraocular pressure were assessed on the same day (7, 12 and 19h. Tonometry was performed on both eyes using the rebound tonometer after calibration in "p" mode. Statistical analysis was performed with SigmaPlot for Windows. The mean IOP for groups I, II and III were 2.47±0.581mmHg, 2.47±0.581mmHg and 2.51±0.531mmHg, respectively. No significant differences were reported between age and IOP and no significant differences were reported between the time of day and IOP. The IOP in chinchillas did not differ significantly between genders or ages of the animals, and did not change with time of day.

Responding to emergencies: How organization and management make a difference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Metlay, D.S.; Haber, S.B.; Luckas, W.J.

1989-01-01

There is an observable and definable process that occurs during the course of responding to an abnormal event at a nuclear power plant (NPP). Each of the elements that comprise that process involves collective action and, consequently, is influenced by the character and effectiveness of organizational and managerial arrangements. Factors which affect each element include overt ones like the allocation of authority and responsibility and the skill of the personnel, as well as covert factors like the methods used to resolve uncertainty. The purpose of this research project is to examine the process of response that occurs to an abnormal event at a NPP and where possible, to identify the organizational and managerial factors that influence that process. The first task in this project involved the review and analysis of an extensive volume of documentation, primarily Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) documents. Based on the documentation reviewed during the first task of this project, it is possible to specify an observable and definable process for response to accident and emergency situations in a NPP. The process can be described by eight major elements; the initiating transient, information about plant behavior, diagnosing the problem, availability of emergency procedures, adequacy of emergency procedures, implementing emergency procedures, developing an ad hoc response evaluating an ad hoc response and implementing an ad hoc response. Importantly, the process to be described is an iterative one. Procedures and improvised responses are executed sequentially and the results of action are assessed and additional steps are taken if necessary

Measures of symptoms and life quality to predict emergent use of institutional health care resources in chronic obstructive airways disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Traver, G A

1988-11-01

Thirty subjects with severe chronic obstructive airways disease participated in a study to identify differences in symptoms and life quality between those with high and low emergent use of institutional health care resources. Emergent use was defined as care obtained through unscheduled, nonroutine methods of access to health care providers. There were 15 subjects in each group; the groups had similar sex distribution and were not significantly different for percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second (mean 29.8%), use of home oxygen (15 of 30 subjects), or prevalence of CO2 retention (nine of 30). Symptoms and life quality were measured by using three paper and pencil tests, the Bronchitis-Emphysema Symptom Checklist, the Sickness-Impact Profile, and the Katz Adjustment Scale for relatives. Findings demonstrated consistently more symptoms and impairment of life quality in the "high emergent" group. The differences reached statistical significance for irritability, anxiety, helplessness, nervousness, peripheral sensory complaints, alienation, social interaction, and emotional behavior. Discriminant analysis provided a prediction formula that yielded 80% correct prediction for the two groups.

How Cultural Differences Affect Written and Oral Communication: The Case of Peer Response Groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Gayle L.

1997-01-01

Peer response groups contribute to students' effectiveness as writers in any field, but cultural differences in communication affect interactions within the group. Culture-based dimensions on which communication may differ include individualism/collectivism, power distance, concept of "face," and communication style. Recommendations are…

Randomized Controlled Study on Safety and Feasibility of Transfusion Trigger Score of Emergency Operations.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, De-Xing; Liu, Jin; Zhang, Fan; Zhang, Qiu-Ying; Xie, Mian; Zhu, Zhao-Qiong

2015-07-05

Due to the floating of the guideline, there is no evidence-based evaluation index on when to start the blood transfusion for patients with hemoglobin (Hb) level between 7 and 10 g/dl. As a result, the trigger point of blood transfusion may be different in the emergency use of the existing transfusion guidelines. The present study was designed to evaluate whether the scheme can be safely and effectively used for emergency patients, so as to be supported by multicenter and large sample data in the future. From June 2013 to June 2014, patients were randomly divided into the experimental group (Peri-operative Transfusion Trigger Score of Emergency [POTTS-E] group) and the control group (control group). The between-group differences in the patients' demography and baseline information, mortality and blood transfusion-related complications, heart rate, resting arterial pressure, body temperature, and Hb values were compared. The consistency of red blood cell (RBC) transfusion standards of the two groups of patients with the current blood transfusion guideline, namely the compliance of the guidelines, utilization rate, and per-capita consumption of autologous RBC were analyzed. During the study period, a total of 72 patients were recorded, and 65 of them met the inclusion criteria, which included 33 males and 32 females with a mean age of (34.8 ± 14.6) years. 50 underwent abdomen surgery, 4 underwent chest surgery, 11 underwent arms and legs surgery. There was no statistical difference between the two groups for demography and baseline information. There was also no statistical differences between the two groups in anesthesia time, intraoperative rehydration, staying time in postanesthetic care unit, emergency hospitalization, postoperative 72 h Acute Physiologic Assessment and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores, blood transfusion-related complications and mortality. Only the POTTS-E group on the 1 st postoperative day Hb was lower than group control, P group was

Clinical-anthropometric characteristics of COPD outpatients belonging to the different groups and having different severity of airway obstruction

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Gashynova K.Y.

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of the study was to compare the clinical and anthropometric characteristics of patients with COPD, which differ in the degree of airways obstruction and belong to groups A, B, C, D in accordance with GOLD, 2011 classification. A total of 112 ambulatory COPD patients in remission made the study sample. Anthropometric data, body mass index, medical history, dyspnea by mMRC scale, and spirometry was performed for all patients. There was confirmed that outpatients with COPD is a heterogeneous group, in which the majority are those with moderate (48.22 % and severe (30.36 %, airway obstruction. Despite the vast majority of men among outpatients, the percentage of women among patients with mild to moderate obstruction (22.58±5.31 % was significantly higher (p=0.002 as compared with those with severe or very severe limitation of airflow (6.00±3.36 %. Patients with severe and very severe obstruction were of significantly older age (p = 0.024. At the same time, the distribution of patients according to the GOLD, 2011 classification, demonstrate that all groups did not differ on any of the anthropometric indicators, including gender and age (p > 0.050. Distribution of patients by groups with different risk for future exacerbations is not a mirror image of gradation in accordance with the degree of airway obstruction. Every second (50.00±4.43 % of cases patient is included in group C and every tenth (10.20±4.32 % belongs to the group D not due to degree of bronchial obstruction, but due to the number of exa­cerbations in the past year. Therefore, in future studies it is advisable to use both principles of patients’ classification.

On opportunity for emergency cesarean hysterectomy and pregnancy outcomes of patients with placenta accreta.

Science.gov (United States)

Kong, Xiang; Kong, Yan; Yan, Jin; Hu, Jin-Ju; Wang, Fang-Fang; Zhang, Lei

2017-09-01

Effective diagnosis and clinical management of placenta accreta (PA) in China are not clear. The purpose of the study was to analyze the risk factors and diagnosis of PA, maternal and neonatal outcomes in patients with PA. It was a retrospective study of cases with PA, confirmed by histologically and/or clinically suspected during 3 years in 2 tertiary referral hospitals. The incidence rate of patients with PA, who had history of artificial abortion, cesarean section (CS), and placenta previa (PP) was 94%, 70%, and 72%, respectively. In 29 patients of scheduled CS group, 12 cases were performed with cesarean hysterectomy. Mean estimated blood loss (EBL) was 1.5 L, and 17 babies were admitted to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). In the 18 cases of emergency CS group, 6 cases were performed cesarean hysterectomy. Mean EBL was 2.4 L, and 16 babies were admitted to NICU. The difference of mean EBL, cases of fetal admitted to intensive care unit in 2 groups was significant difference (P emergency CS. Emergency peripartum hysterectomy is a feasible method under the circumstances of heave, fast bleeding, and the failure of conservative surgery.

Emergent oscillations assist obstacle negotiation during ant cooperative transport

Science.gov (United States)

Gelblum, Aviram; Pinkoviezky, Itai; Fonio, Ehud; Gov, Nir S.; Feinerman, Ofer

2016-01-01

Collective motion by animal groups is affected by internal interactions, external constraints, and the influx of information. A quantitative understanding of how these different factors give rise to different modes of collective motion is, at present, lacking. Here, we study how ants that cooperatively transport a large food item react to an obstacle blocking their path. Combining experiments with a statistical physics model of mechanically coupled active agents, we show that the constraint induces a deterministic collective oscillatory mode that facilitates obstacle circumvention. We provide direct experimental evidence, backed by theory, that this motion is an emergent group effect that does not require any behavioral changes at the individual level. We trace these relaxation oscillations to the interplay between two forces; informed ants pull the load toward the nest whereas uninformed ants contribute to the motion’s persistence along the tangential direction. The model’s predictions that oscillations appear above a critical system size, that the group can spontaneously transition into its ordered phase, and that the system can exhibit complete rotations are all verified experimentally. We expect that similar oscillatory modes emerge in collective motion scenarios where the structure of the environment imposes conflicts between individually held information and the group’s tendency for cohesiveness. PMID:27930304

Deployment of Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) in Emergency and Disaster Response Scenarios to Support Local Emergency Management Agencies

Science.gov (United States)

Calamaio, C. L.; Walker, J.; Beck, J. M.; Graves, S. J.; Johnson, C.

2017-12-01

Researchers at the Information Technology and Systems Center at the University of Alabama in Huntsville are working closely with the Madison County Emergency Management Agency (EMA), GeoHuntsville's UAS Working Group, and the NOAA UAS Program Office, to conduct a series of practical demonstrations testing the use of small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) for emergency response activities in Madison County, Alabama. These exercises demonstrate the use of UAS to detect and visualize hazards in affected areas via the delivery of aerial imagery and associated data products to law enforcement first responders in a variety of different scenarios, for example, search and rescue, tornado track mapping, damage assessment, and situational awareness/containment during active shooter incidents. In addition to showcasing the use of UAS as a tool for emergency services, these pilot exercises provide the opportunity to engage the appropriate stakeholders from several communities including first responders, geospatial intelligence, active members of the unmanned systems industry, and academia. This presentation will showcase the challenges associated with delivering quality data products for emergency services in a timely manner as well as the related challenges in integrating the technology into local emergency management.

Bumblebee workers from different sire groups vary in susceptibility to parasite infection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baer, Boris; Schmid-Hempel, Paul

2003-01-01

is so far only supported indirectly. Here we tested this crucial assumption using data from a study on the bumblebee Bombus terrestris L. with queens inseminated with sperm of either one or several males that originated from different sire groups (i.e. groups of brothers). We found that, under field...

Spinoffs from radiological emergency preparedness programmes to generic emergency management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanders, M.E.

1986-01-01

In the USA, the radiological emergency preparedness (REP) programme for nuclear power plants is being used to enhance emergency management programmes for other types of emergencies. The REP programme is particularly useful in developing plans and preparedness measures for chemical accidents. The Integrated Emergency Management System (IEMS) approach provides a means for maximizing relationships between the REP programme and other programmes. IEMS essentially involves applying common elements of planning and preparedness to all types of emergencies, while recognizing that unique characteristics of specific natural and man-made emergencies require special planning and preparedness considerations. Features of the REP programme that make it compatible with the IEMS approach and useful in coping with other types of emergencies are: (1) the close co-operation between the national nuclear regulatory and emergency management organizations; (2) the programme integration among all levels of government, the nuclear power industry, public interest groups and the general public and (3) the comprehensiveness and sophistication of the programme. The REP programme in the USA represents a state-of-the-art emergency management capability. Some of its elements are readily transferrable to most other types of emergency preparedness programmes, while other elements can be adapted more readily to other hazard-specific programmes. The Bhopal accident has been a catalyst for this adaptation to chemical accidents, in such areas as furnishing hazard-specific information to the public, alert and notification systems, definition of the hazards and risks involved, establishing planning zones and developing close working relationships among the industry, the public and government

Students of Different Subjects Have Different Levels of Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivation to Learn English: Two Different Groups of EFL Students in Japan

Science.gov (United States)

Green, Kieran; Fujita, Junichi

2016-01-01

Here is documented investigation to assess the motivational drivers of a group of Japanese, first-year, dental-university students taking part in compulsory EFL classes and to compare those motivational drivers with an investigation into the motivational drivers of a group of Japanese IT students. There was a clear difference between extrinsic and…

Violence against emergency department employees and the attitude of employees towards violence.

Science.gov (United States)

Çıkrıklar, H Í; Yürümez, Y; Güngör, B; Aşkın, R; Yücel, M; Baydemir, C

2016-10-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the occurrence of violent incidents in the workplace among the various professional groups working in the emergency department. We characterised the types of violence encountered by different occupation groups and the attitude of individuals working in different capacities. This cross-sectional study included 323 people representing various professional groups working in two distinct emergency departments in Turkey. The participants were asked to complete questionnaires prepared in advance by the researchers. The data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (Windows version 15.0). A total of 323 subjects including 189 (58.5%) men and 134 (41.5%) women participated in the study. Their mean (± standard deviation) age was 31.5 ± 6.5 years and 32.0 ± 6.9 years, respectively. In all, 74.0% of participants had been subjected to verbal or physical violence at any point since starting employment in a medical profession. Moreover, 50.2% of participants stated that they had been subjected to violence for more than 5 times. Among those who reported being subjected to violence, 42.7% had formally reported the incident(s). Besides, 74.3% of participants did not enjoy their profession, did not want to work in the emergency department, or would prefer employment in a non-health care field after being subjected to violence. According to the study participants, the most common cause of violence was the attitude of patients or their family members (28.7%). In addition, 79.6% (n=257) of participants stated that they did not have adequate safety protection in their working area. According to the study participants, there is a need for legal regulations to effectively deter violence and increased safety measures designed to reduce the incidence of violence in the emergency department. Violence against employees in the emergency department is a widespread problem. This situation has a strong negative effect on employee

Research on environmental impacts of nuclear power and emergency preparedness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vuori, S.

1994-01-01

The future needs of nuclear energy research in Finland have been recently reviewed by an expert group. Concerning the research on environmental impacts and emergency preparedness, the group recommended the establishment of a common coordination group for the different projects in this field. The main objectives in this field include efficient accident management and mitigation of off-site consequences with appropriate countermeasures and more reliable real time prediction tools for atmospheric dispersion and radiation dose evaluations as well as efficient and fast real time surveillance and measurement systems. (orig.)

Promotion of cooperation by selective group extinction

Science.gov (United States)

Böttcher, Marvin A.; Nagler, Jan

2016-06-01

Multilevel selection is an important organizing principle that crucially underlies evolutionary processes from the emergence of cells to eusociality and the economics of nations. Previous studies on multilevel selection assumed that the effective higher-level selection emerges from lower-level reproduction. This leads to selection among groups, although only individuals reproduce. We introduce selective group extinction, where groups die with a probability inversely proportional to their group fitness. When accounting for this the critical benefit-to-cost ratio is substantially lowered. Because in game theory and evolutionary dynamics the degree of cooperation crucially depends on this ratio above which cooperation emerges, previous studies may have substantially underestimated the establishment and maintenance of cooperation.

Genomic Analysis of the Emergence and Rapid Global Dissemination of the Clonal Group 258 Klebsiella pneumoniae Pandemic.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jolene R Bowers

Full Text Available Multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae producing the KPC carbapenemase have rapidly spread throughout the world, causing severe healthcare-associated infections with limited antimicrobial treatment options. Dissemination of KPC-producing K. pneumoniae is largely attributed to expansion of a single dominant strain, ST258. In this study, we explore phylogenetic relationships and evolution within ST258 and its clonal group, CG258, using whole genome sequence analysis of 167 isolates from 20 countries collected over 17 years. Our results show a common ST258 ancestor emerged from its diverse parental clonal group around 1995 and likely acquired blaKPC prior to dissemination. Over the past two decades, ST258 has remained highly clonal despite diversity in accessory elements and divergence in the capsule polysaccharide synthesis locus. Apart from the large recombination event that gave rise to ST258, few mutations set it apart from its clonal group. However, one mutation occurs in a global transcription regulator. Characterization of outer membrane protein sequences revealed a profile in ST258 that includes a truncated OmpK35 and modified OmpK37. Our work illuminates potential genomic contributors to the pathogenic success of ST258, helps us better understand the global dissemination of this strain, and identifies genetic markers unique to ST258.

Analysis of changes of demographic parameters in different groups of Chernigiv region population

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gridzhuk, M.Yu.

1998-01-01

To perform comparison of the changes in different social and age groups of the population of Chernigiv region, Kozeletsky district in particular, which was exposed to considerable radioactive contamination, during the recent 20 years (beginning from 1977). The Chernobyl accident together with social and other unfavorable factors caused negative demographic changes in the contaminated districts. Reduction in the number of different social groups of the population is expected

Risk perception and perceived self-efficacy of deaf and hard-of-hearing seniors and young adults in emergencies.

Science.gov (United States)

Engelman, Alina; Ivey, Susan L; Tseng, Winston; Neuhauser, Linda

The authors explored the factors influencing risk perception and perceived self-efficacy before and during an emergency for deaf and hard-of-hearing (Deaf/HH) seniors and young adults. The authors collected demographic survey data and conducted four focus groups with 38 Deaf/HH residents of the San Francisco Bay Area; two groups were with young adults (ages 18-35), including one group of college students and one group of young professionals, and two were with older adults (ages 50-90). Significant differences were found between Deaf/HH young adults and seniors in both the sources of self-efficacy and risk perception and their attitudes toward preparedness. All groups demonstrated high resilience. Deaf/HH young professionals expressed more concern about their risk in an emergency than Deaf/HH college students. Alternately, the risk perception of Deaf/HH older adults was often rooted in their past experiences (survival of past emergencies, inaccessibility of communications during drills). Policy implications include the need to dedicate more resources to increasing accessibility and relevance of emergency communications technology for Deaf/HH populations. This could help increase adaptability before, during, and after emergencies among all groups of Deaf/HH people, particularly among young Deaf/HH professionals.

Nurse-Physician Teamwork in the Emergency Department

OpenAIRE

Ajeigbe, David Oladipo

2012-01-01

Background: Teamwork gained momentum in the 1980s. Research studies in the military and aviation demonstrated that teamwork is essential to safety. There were limited studies dealing with the practice of teamwork between nurses and physicians in the Emergence Departments (EDs). Aims: Descriptive aim of the study was to examine differences between staff in the Interventional and Control Groups on perception of staff teamwork. The exploratory aim was to examine staff perception of job satisfac...

Psychiatry and emergency medicine: medical student and physician attitudes toward homeless persons.

Science.gov (United States)

Morrison, Ann; Roman, Brenda; Borges, Nicole

2012-05-01

The purpose of the study was to explore changes in medical students' attitudes toward homeless persons during the Psychiatry and Emergency Medicine clerkships. Simultaneously, this study explored attitudes toward homeless persons held by Psychiatry and Emergency Medicine residents and faculty in an attempt to uncover the "hidden curriculum" in medical education, in which values are communicated from teacher to student outside of the formal instruction. A group of 79 students on Psychiatry and 66 on Emergency Medicine clerkships were surveyed at the beginning and end of their rotation regarding their attitudes toward homeless persons by use of the Health Professionals' Attitudes Toward the Homeless Inventory (HPATHI). The HPATHI was also administered to 31 Psychiatry residents and faculty and 41 Emergency Medicine residents and faculty one time during the course of this study. For Psychiatry clerks, t-tests showed significant differences pre- and post-clerkship experiences on 2 of the 23 items on the HPATHI. No statistically significant differences were noted for the Emergency Medicine students. An analysis of variance revealed statistically significant differences on 7 out of the 23 survey questions for residents and faculty in Psychiatry, as compared with those in Emergency Medicine. Results suggest that medical students showed small differences in their attitudes toward homeless people following clerkships in Psychiatry but not in Emergency Medicine. Regarding resident and faculty results, significant differences between specialties were noted, with Psychiatry residents and faculty exhibiting more favorable attitudes toward homeless persons than residents and faculty in Emergency Medicine. Given that medical student competencies should be addressing the broader social issues of homelessness, medical schools need to first understand the attitudes of medical students to such issues, and then develop curricula to overcome inaccurate or stigmatizing beliefs.

A research agenda for gender and substance use disorders in the emergency department.

Science.gov (United States)

Choo, Esther K; Beauchamp, Gillian; Beaudoin, Francesca L; Bernstein, Edward; Bernstein, Judith; Bernstein, Steven L; Broderick, Kerryann B; Cannon, Robert D; D'Onofrio, Gail; Greenberg, Marna R; Hawk, Kathryn; Hayes, Rashelle B; Jacquet, Gabrielle A; Lippmann, Melanie J; Rhodes, Karin V; Watts, Susan H; Boudreaux, Edwin D

2014-12-01

For many years, gender differences have been recognized as important factors in the etiology, pathophysiology, comorbidities, and treatment needs and outcomes associated with the use of alcohol, drugs, and tobacco. However, little is known about how these gender-specific differences affect ED utilization; responses to ED-based interventions; needs for substance use treatment and barriers to accessing care among patients in the ED; or outcomes after an alcohol-, drug-, or tobacco-related visit. As part of the 2014 Academic Emergency Medicine consensus conference on "Gender-Specific Research in Emergency Care: Investigate, Understand and Translate How Gender Affects Patient Outcomes," a breakout group convened to generate a research agenda on priority questions related to substance use disorders. © 2014 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

Redshift differences of galaxies in nearby groups

Science.gov (United States)

Harrison, E. R.

1975-01-01

It is reported that galaxies in nearby groups exhibit anomalous nonvelocity redshifts. In this discussion, (1) four classes of nearby groups of galacies are analyzed, and no significant nonvelocity redshift effect is found; and (2) it is pointed out that transverse velocities (i.e., velocities transverse to the line of sight of the main galaxy, or center of mass) contribute components to the redshift measurements of companion galaxies. The redshifts of galaxies in nearby groups of appreciable angular size are considerably affected by these velocity projection effects. The transverse velocity contributions average out in rich, isotropic groups, and also in large samples of irregular groups of low membership, as in the four classes referred to in (1), but can introduce apparent discrepancies in small samples (as studied by Arp) of nearby groups of low membership.

Radiation monitoring strategy in nuclear or radiological emergencies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lahtinen, J.

2003-01-01

) have enhanced harmonization and international co-operation in the field. There are, however, remarkable variations in the practical l approaches chosen by different countries in relation to emergency monitoring. This is due to the fact that the conditions, attitudes and emphases concerning the various factors affecting the contents of monitoring strategies and performing of measurements are not similar in every country. The factors needed to be considered in a strategy can be roughly categorized as belonging to one of two groups: 'Static' factors whose status or related contents are known or available before any nuclear or radiological emergency arises. Examples include population distribution, geography and topography, land use, legislation and official agreements, fixed potential sources (nuclear facilities etc.), routine monitoring arrangements and resources allocated to emergency monitoring (measuring equipment, capacity of laboratory measurements, extra manpower, decision-aiding systems with auxiliary support material). These factors cannot normally be changed quickly, at least not during the early or intermediate phases of an accident. 'Dynamic' factors whose contents will become clear only at the beginning (or during the course) of an accident or a specific event. The scenario (source term, location) and prevailing environmental conditions (e.g. weather) are the most evident items in this group. In addition, the amount and nature of resources actually available at the time may be quite different compared to those listed up in the connection with the static group: there may be a holiday season and some of the key personnel are absent, some of the equipment may be broken or there may emerge serious hardware or software problems with computers and data communication systems. Source term characteristics, event location and environmental conditions determine the nature and timing of measurements, as well as the proper measurement places. Therefore, an important

The emergence of sex differences in personality traits in early adolescence: A cross-sectional, cross-cultural study.

Science.gov (United States)

De Bolle, Marleen; De Fruyt, Filip; McCrae, Robert R; Löckenhoff, Corinna E; Costa, Paul T; Aguilar-Vafaie, Maria E; Ahn, Chang-Kyu; Ahn, Hyun-Nie; Alcalay, Lidia; Allik, Jüri; Avdeyeva, Tatyana V; Bratko, Denis; Brunner-Sciarra, Marina; Cain, Thomas R; Chan, Wayne; Chittcharat, Niyada; Crawford, Jarret T; Fehr, Ryan; Ficková, Emília; Gelfand, Michele J; Graf, Sylvie; Gülgöz, Sami; Hřebíčková, Martina; Jussim, Lee; Klinkosz, Waldemar; Knežević, Goran; Leibovich de Figueroa, Nora; Lima, Margarida P; Martin, Thomas A; Marušić, Iris; Mastor, Khairul Anwar; Nakazato, Katsuharu; Nansubuga, Florence; Porrata, Jose; Purić, Danka; Realo, Anu; Reátegui, Norma; Rolland, Jean-Pierre; Schmidt, Vanina; Sekowski, Andrzej; Shakespeare-Finch, Jane; Shimonaka, Yoshiko; Simonetti, Franco; Siuta, Jerzy; Szmigielska, Barbara; Vanno, Vitanya; Wang, Lei; Yik, Michelle; Terracciano, Antonio

2015-01-01

Although large international studies have found consistent patterns of sex differences in personality traits among adults (i.e., women scoring higher on most facets), less is known about cross-cultural sex differences in adolescent personality and the role of culture and age in shaping them. The present study examines the NEO Personality Inventory-3 (McCrae, Costa, & Martin, 2005) informant ratings of adolescents from 23 cultures (N = 4,850), and investigates culture and age as sources of variability in sex differences of adolescents' personality. The effect for Neuroticism (with females scoring higher than males) begins to take on its adult form around age 14. Girls score higher on Openness to Experience and Conscientiousness at all ages between 12 and 17 years. A more complex pattern emerges for Extraversion and Agreeableness, although by age 17, sex differences for these traits are highly similar to those observed in adulthood. Cross-sectional data suggest that (a) with advancing age, sex differences found in adolescents increasingly converge toward adult patterns with respect to both direction and magnitude; (b) girls display sex-typed personality traits at an earlier age than boys; and (c) the emergence of sex differences was similar across cultures. Practical implications of the present findings are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

[Grouping of nurses: gender diversity or the neutralization of gender?].

Science.gov (United States)

Divay, Sophie

2013-10-01

Professional nurses' group: towards gender diversity or the neutralisation of gender? The nursing profession is essentially feminine. It is interesting to listen to what professionals, and particularly women, have to say about the question. Different opinions emerge and conclusions are established. The first step is awareness.

Effects of emergence time and early social rearing environment on behaviour of Atlantic salmon: Consequences for juvenile fitness and smolt migration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Martin Hage; Johnsson, Jörgen I.; Winberg, Svante

2015-01-01

-reared separately or in co-culture for four months to test effects of social rearing environment on behavioural traits. Twenty fish from each of the six treatment groups were then subjected to three individual-based behavioural tests: basal locomotor activity, boldness, and escape response. Following behavioural...... suggested to be coupled with individual behavioural traits. Here, we further investigate the link between timing of spawning nest emergence and behaviour of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), test effects of social rearing environment on behavioural traits in fish with different emergence times, and assess...... characterization, the fish were released into a near-natural experimental stream. Results showed differences in escape behaviour between emergence groups in a net restraining test, but the social rearing environment did not affect individual behavioural expression. Emergence time and social environment had...

[Variation of CAG repeats in coding region of ATXN2 gene in different ethnic groups].

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xiao-Chen; Sun, Hao; Mi, Dong-Qing; Huang, Xiao-Qin; Lin, Ke-Qin; Yi, Wen; Yu, Liang; Shi, Lei; Shi, Li; Yang, Zhao-Qing; Chu, Jia-You

2011-04-01

Toinvestigate CAG repeats variation of ATXN2 gene coding region in six ethnic groups that live in comparatively different environments, to evaluate whether these variations are under positive selection, and to find factors driving selection effects, 291 unrelated healthy individuals were collected from six ethnic groups and their STR geneotyping was performed. The frequencies of alleles and genotypes were counted and thereby Slatkin's linearized Fst values were calculated. The UPGMA tree against this gene was constructed. The MDS analysis among these groups was carried out as well. The results from the linearized Fst values indicated that there were significant evolutionary differences of the STR in ATXN2 gene between Hui and Yi groups, but not among the other 4 groups. Further analysis was performed by combining our data with published data obtained from other groups. These results indicated that there were significant differences between Japanese and other groups including Hui, Hani, Yunnan Mongolian, and Inner Mongolian. Both Hui and Mongolian from Inner Mongolia were significantly different from Han. In conclusion, the six ethnic groups had their own distribution characterizations of allelic frequencies of ATXN2 STR, and the potential cause of frequency changes in rare alleles could be the consequence of positive selection.

Age groups related glioblastoma study based on radiomics approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zeju; Wang, Yuanyuan; Yu, Jinhua; Guo, Yi; Zhang, Qi

2017-12-01

Glioblastoma is the most aggressive malignant brain tumor with poor prognosis. Radiomics is a newly emerging and promising technique to reveal the complex relationships between high-throughput medical image features and deep information of disease including pathology, biomarkers and genomics. An approach was developed to investigate the internal relationship between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features and the age-related origins of glioblastomas based on a quantitative radiomics method. A fully automatic image segmentation method was applied to segment the tumor regions from three dimensional MRI images. 555 features were then extracted from the image data. By analyzing large numbers of quantitative image features, some predictive and prognostic information could be obtained by the radiomics approach. 96 patients diagnosed with glioblastoma pathologically have been divided into two age groups (age groups (T test, p age difference (T test, p= .006). In conclusion, glioblastoma in different age groups present different radiomics-feature patterns with statistical significance, which indicates that glioblastoma in different age groups should have different pathologic, protein, or genic origins.

[Appraisal of occupational stress in different gender, age, work duration, educational level and marital status groups].

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Xin-Wei; Wang, Zhi-Ming; Jin, Tai-Yi

2006-05-01

This study was conducted to assess occupational stress in different gender, age, work duration, educational level and marital status group. A test of occupational stress in different gender, age, work duration, educational level and marital status group, was carried out with revised occupational stress inventory (OSI-R) for 4278 participants. The results of gender show that there are heavier occupational role, stronger interpersonal and physical strain in male than that in female, and the differences are statistically significant (P 0.05). The occupational stress so as to improve the work ability of different groups. Different measure should be taken to reduce the occupational stress so as to improve the work ability of different groups.

Clinical differences among the elderly admitted to the emergency department for accidental or unexplained falls and syncope

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pasqualetti G

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Giuseppe Pasqualetti,1 Valeria Calsolaro,1 Giacomo Bini,1 Umberto Dell’Agnello,1 Marco Tuccori,2 Alessandra Marino,2 Alice Capogrosso-Sansone,2 Martina Rafanelli,3 Massimo Santini,4 Eugenio Orsitto,4 Andrea Ungar,3 Corrado Blandizzi,2 Fabio Monzani1 On behalf of the ANCESTRAL-ED study group 1Geriatrics Unit, 2Pharmacology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, 3Syncope Unit, Geriatric and Intensive Care Medicine, AOU Careggi and University of Florence, Florence, 4Emergency Department, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy Abstract: It is difficult to distinguish unexplained falls (UFs from accidental falls (AFs or syncope in older people. This study was designed to compare patients referred to the emergency department (ED for AFs, UFs or syncope. Data from a longitudinal study on adverse drug events diagnosed at the ED (ANCESTRAL-ED in older people were analyzed in order to select cases of AF, syncope, or UF. A total of 724 patients (median age: 81.0 [65–105] years, 66.3% female were consecutively admitted to the ED (403 AF, 210 syncope, and 111 UF. The number of psychotropic drugs was the only significant difference in patients with AF versus those with UF (odds ratio [OR] 1.44; 95% confidence interval 1.17–1.77. When comparing AF with syncope, female gender, musculoskeletal diseases, dementia, and systolic blood pressure >110 mmHg emerged as significantly associated with AF (OR 0.40 [0.27–0.58], 0.40 [0.24–0.68], 0.35 [0.14–0.82], and 0.31 [0.20–0.49], respectively, while valvulopathy and the number of antihypertensive drugs were significantly related to syncope (OR 2.51 [1.07–5.90] and 1.24 [1.07–1.44], respectively. Upon comparison of UF and syncope, the number of central nervous system drugs, female gender, musculoskeletal diseases, and SBP >110 mmHg were associated with UF (OR 0.65 [0.50–0.84], 0.52 [0.30–0.89], 0.40 [0.20–0.77], and 0.26 [0.13–0.55], respectively

State of emergency and emergency: Comparative terminological and semantic aspects

OpenAIRE

Avramović, Dragutin; Mlađan, Dragan

2014-01-01

The issue of theoretical definition and distinction between a state of emergency and an emergency is made current in recent national and international literature, as well as in different comparative law normative solutions. Considering the usage inconsistencies of the two terms, this paper attempts to highlight the differences between them, as they essentially carry distinctive legal meanings despite their implied lexical and logical similarity. The paper stresses the necessity of their clear...

Online Decision Support System (IRODOS) - an emergency preparedness tool for handling offsite nuclear emergency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vinod Kumar, A.; Oza, R.B.; Chaudhury, P.; Suri, M.; Saindane, S.; Singh, K.D.; Bhargava, P.; Sharma, V.K.

2009-01-01

A real time online decision support system as a nuclear emergency response system for handling offsite nuclear emergency at the Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) has been developed by Health, Safety and Environment Group, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) under the frame work of 'Indian Real time Online Decision Support System 'IRODOS'. (author)

Small Group Learning: Do Group Members' Implicit Theories of Ability Make a Difference?

Science.gov (United States)

Beckmann, Nadin; Wood, Robert E.; Minbashian, Amirali; Tabernero, Carmen

2012-01-01

We examined the impact of members' implicit theories of ability on group learning and the mediating role of several group process variables, such as goal-setting, effort attributions, and efficacy beliefs. Comparisons were between 15 groups with a strong incremental view on ability (high incremental theory groups), and 15 groups with a weak…

Sport Tourism Centres from Top Athletes’ Perspective: Differences among Sport Groups

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Polanec Anze

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Sport tourism plays an important role in the tourism industry and consequently in the economy. Sport tourism centres as providers of sport services need to be familiar with the basic needs of their customers and tailor their services accordingly. Objectives: The aim of the paper is to determine the models for customizing sport tourism services to address the needs specific for an individual sport. Methods/Approach: A questionnaire has been created and sent electronically or physically to top athletes from Slovenia, Central and Eastern Europe. Respondents were mainly from Slovenia and mostly representatives of national sports federations. The Mann Whitney and the Kruskall-Wallis tests were applied in order to test differences among sport groups. Results: The conducted Mann-Whitney non-parametric tests show that representatives of different sport groups have different perspectives on sport tourism services. Conclusions: The results of the study can be used by sport tourism centres in the process of tailoring their services, planning marketing activities or developing strategic projects.

Does the emergency surgery score accurately predict outcomes in emergent laparotomies?

Science.gov (United States)

Peponis, Thomas; Bohnen, Jordan D; Sangji, Naveen F; Nandan, Anirudh R; Han, Kelsey; Lee, Jarone; Yeh, D Dante; de Moya, Marc A; Velmahos, George C; Chang, David C; Kaafarani, Haytham M A

2017-08-01

The emergency surgery score is a mortality-risk calculator for emergency general operation patients. We sought to examine whether the emergency surgery score predicts 30-day morbidity and mortality in a high-risk group of patients undergoing emergent laparotomy. Using the 2011-2012 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database, we identified all patients who underwent emergent laparotomy using (1) the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program definition of "emergent," and (2) all Current Procedural Terminology codes denoting a laparotomy, excluding aortic aneurysm rupture. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to measure the correlation (c-statistic) between the emergency surgery score and (1) 30-day mortality, and (2) 30-day morbidity after emergent laparotomy. As sensitivity analyses, the correlation between the emergency surgery score and 30-day mortality was also evaluated in prespecified subgroups based on Current Procedural Terminology codes. A total of 26,410 emergent laparotomy patients were included. Thirty-day mortality and morbidity were 10.2% and 43.8%, respectively. The emergency surgery score correlated well with mortality (c-statistic = 0.84); scores of 1, 11, and 22 correlated with mortalities of 0.4%, 39%, and 100%, respectively. Similarly, the emergency surgery score correlated well with morbidity (c-statistic = 0.74); scores of 0, 7, and 11 correlated with complication rates of 13%, 58%, and 79%, respectively. The morbidity rates plateaued for scores higher than 11. Sensitivity analyses demonstrated that the emergency surgery score effectively predicts mortality in patients undergoing emergent (1) splenic, (2) gastroduodenal, (3) intestinal, (4) hepatobiliary, or (5) incarcerated ventral hernia operation. The emergency surgery score accurately predicts outcomes in all types of emergent laparotomy patients and may prove valuable as a bedside decision

Emergency preparedness and internal contamination monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahola, T.; Suomela, M.

2000-01-01

After the radiation accidents in Chernobyl, Ukraina in 1986 and in Goiania, Brasil in 1987, much resource have been spent on improving emergency preparedness. Especially regarding transfer of information using the most recent techniques and establishment of 24 hour emergency service of radiation safety experts the development has been fast. The very first measures in a possible emergency situation have been trained nationally and internationally. Less attention has been paid to measures in a somewhat later phase. To be able to react fast enough in an emergency situation it is essential to have well documented plans, written instructions and suitable measurement equipment ready for use. Equally important is that there is trained staff prepared to do measurements without delay. In the first phase of a nuclear accident radioactive iodine is of primary concern regarding internal contamination. After the Chernobyl accident the number of childhood thyroidea cancer clearly exceeded the expected number. Reliable direct measurements of I-131 in the thyroidea in Ukraina, Russia and Belarussia were done only to a limited number of children. Many uncertainties are involved in the data used for dose estimation. Later the body burdens of radiocesium or other radionuclides might be of most importance. Normal whole-body counting instruments can be used if only small groups need to be measured. For large groups of people in an emergency situation faster methods are needed. Different types of monitors installed at places where radiation workers are controlled for internal contamination as well as gamma cameras at hospitals can be used. Rapid field measurements of the whole-body and especially of the thyroid can been done with less sophisticated instruments. In the acute phase of a nuclear accident such measurements should be done without delay. Instruments and staff trained to use them should be available and plans for which groups of people to measure prepared. The detection level

Oxygen Saturation in the Dental Pulp of Maxillary Premolars in Different Age Groups - Part 1.

Science.gov (United States)

Estrela, Carlos; Serpa, Giuliano C; Alencar, Ana Helena G; Bruno, Kely F; Barletta, Fernando B; Felippe, Wilson T; Estrela, Cyntia R A; Souza, João B

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine oxygen saturation levels in the dental pulp of maxillary premolars in different age groups. A total of 120 human maxillary premolars with normal dental pulps were selected covering the following age groups: 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39 and 40-44 years (n=24 each group). Oxygen saturation was assessed using pulse oximetry. Analysis of variance was used to assess differences in oxygen saturation levels and Tukey's test was used to identify the age groups that differed from each other. Significance was set at 0.05. Mean oxygen saturation of 120 premolars was 86.20% considering all age groups. Significantly reduced levels were found in the oldest group compared to the other groups: 40 to 44 years - 80.00% vs. 89.71, 87.67, 88.71, and 84.80% for age groups 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39 years, respectively. The mean oxygen saturation levels were similar between 20 and 39 years of age (86.20%) in the whole sample, but reduced significantly in the 40-44-year age group, suggesting that older patients present lower oxygen saturation results even in the absence of pulp tissue injury.

Medical Emergencies in Goa

Science.gov (United States)

Saddichha, Sahoo; Saxena, Mukul Kumar

2010-01-01

Background: Most emergencies in Goa arise due to road traffic accidents and drowning, which have been compounded by the rise in number of recorded accidents in 2007 to be above 4000. It is believed that 11 people meet with an accident on Goa's roads every day and this is expected to rise by 10% by next year. Similar is the case with drownings and other medical emergencies. We therefore aimed to conduct a cross-sectional survey of medical emergencies and identify various types of emergencies presenting to emergency departments. Materials and Methods: Using a stratified random sampling design, all emergencies presenting to the three government hospitals in Goa, which handle 90% of all emergencies currently, were studied on specially designed data sheets in order to collect data. Emergency medical technicians (ETs) were placed in the Casualty Ward of the medical colleges and they recorded all emergencies on the data sheet. The collected data were then analyzed for stratification and mapping of emergencies. Results: GMC Hospital attended to majority of emergencies (62%), which were mainly of the nature of accidents or assaults (17%) and fever related (17%). Most emergencies were noncritical and about 1% expired. Maximum emergencies also presented from Salcette and Bardez, and occurred among young males in the age group of 19-45 years. Males were also more prone to accidents while females had pregnancies as emergencies. Conclusion: Potential emergency services need to target young males with higher concentrations required in Salcette in South Goa and Bardez in North Goa. PMID:20606921

Emerging nuclear suppliers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sands, A.

1990-01-01

Efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons have usually taken two tracks: The traditional approach has concentrated on a potential proliferant's perceived need for nuclear technology and possibly weapons; a second approach has targeted the supply side of the proliferation equation. The issue being examined in this book---emerging nuclear suppliers---falls between these two approaches. The potential proliferants have emerged as possible unrestrained suppliers of nuclear materials and technology. They threaten the entire nonproliferation regime by their exporting, not their weapons development. Analyzing and understanding the issue of emerging suppliers requires a refined definition of suppliers in general. The simple dichotomy of traditional versus emerging suppliers is no longer an adequate framework for analysis. Suppliers differ significantly in their technical capabilities, experience, and regime involvement, and these distinctions result in different nuclear export policies

Impact of Euro Adoption on Emerging European Countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irena Vodenska

2013-01-01

Full Text Available We study the impact of the euro on emerging European countriesby investigating three country groups: (1 seventeen Eurozonecountries, (2 seven EU Eastern and Central European (ECEmembers using local currencies, and (3 six EU Candidates. Weanalyze macroeconomic indicators and propose models to investigatewhether similar or different indicators influence sovereigndebt for each group. We find that exports and unemployment arepositively related to sovereign debt while market capitalizationshows negative relation with sovereign debt. We argue that the recentEuropean sovereign debt crisis has raised serious challengesfor the Eurozone, and propose that EU ECE members and eu candidatesdelay the adoption of the euro.

Medical management of radiation emergencies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bongirwar, P.R.

2002-01-01

This review deals specifically with the medical management of victims, such as, the triage of exposed individuals on the basis of preliminary observations and investigations, planning priority of treatment to different groups, emergency care, and definitive care. The infrastructure for appropriate management involves first aid posts, decontamination centre, Site Hospital and Specialized Central Hospital. Medical management of life threatening radiation doses involve haematological examinations, blood component therapy, treatment with growth factors and if necessary, bone marrow transplantation as the last option. Most of the radiation accidents involving partial body and localized exposures are associated with industrial radiography sources. Such exposures are generally not life threatening but may involve serious skin injury, such as, ulceration, necrosis and gangrene. Methods have been developed to carry out decontamination of skin and decorporation of internally deposited radio nuclides. This article also provides information on the Radiation Emergency Medical Preparedness and Assistance Network and also outlines the role of media in reducing the human suffering in the event of an accident

Teenagers and emergency contraception in the UK: a focus group study of salient beliefs using concepts from the Theory of Planned Behaviour.

Science.gov (United States)

Bayley, Julie; Brown, Katherine; Wallace, Louise

2009-06-01

To explore teenagers' beliefs about emergency contraception (EC) within a Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) framework. Six single sex focus groups comprising a total of 25 female and 23 male pupils aged 13-16 years conducted in schools in Central England. Attitudes to emergency contraception (EC) were mainly positive about the rewards of avoiding teenage pregnancy. Participants had positive beliefs about the effectiveness of EC, although knowledge of crucial time limits varied. EC use was more socially acceptable than teenage pregnancy, yet both outcomes were perceived negatively. Motivation to comply with social pressure was influenced by the appraisal of individuals' intentions. Participants reported high self efficacy in accessing EC, but had concerns over confidentiality and access. Desire to avoid pregnancy was high in this group, but practical factors and attitudes may be more important for those ambivalent about pregnancy. Adolescents perceive accessing EC as difficult, are concerned about confidentiality, and anticipate negative reactions from staff. Data support the TPB as a suitable framework for understanding attitudes to EC use. Further research should apply quantitative TPB measures to EC use in a wider teenage sample in order to identify potential psychological factors to target in an intervention.

Studying Emerge

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Davies, Sarah Rachael; Selin, Cynthia; Rodegher, Sandra

2015-01-01

The Emerge event, held in Tempe, AZ in March 2012, brought together a range of scientists, artists, futurists, engineers and students in order to experiment with innovative methods for thinking about the future. These methodological techniques were tested through nine workshops, each of which made...... use of a different format; Emerge as a whole, then, offered an opportunity to study a diverse set of future-oriented engagement practices. We conducted an event ethnography, in which a team of 11 researchers collaboratively developed accounts of the practices at play within Emerge and its workshops...

Age Group Differences in Perceived Age Discrimination: Associations With Self-Perceptions of Aging.

Science.gov (United States)

Giasson, Hannah L; Queen, Tara L; Larkina, Marina; Smith, Jacqui

2017-08-01

From midlife onwards, age stereotypes increasingly underlie social judgments and contribute to age-based discrimination. Whereas many studies compare differences between young and older adults in reports of age discrimination or sensitivity to age stereotypes, few consider age group differences among adults over 50. We form subgroups corresponding to social age group membership (early midlife, late midlife, young old, oldest old) and examine differences in reported experiences of everyday age discrimination and associations with self-perceptions of aging. Using cross-sectional and longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS: N = 15,071; M Age = 68, range 50-101), multivariate logistic regression was used to examine experiences of everyday discrimination attributed to age, and associations between age discrimination and self-perceptions of aging, in four age groups: early midlife, late midlife, young old, oldest old. People in the early midlife group (aged 50-59) reported more experiences of unfair treatment than the older age groups but were less likely to attribute their experiences to age discrimination. After controlling for covariates, individuals in all age groups who perceived their own aging positively were less likely to report experiences of age discrimination. The magnitude of this effect, however, was greatest in the early midlife group. Findings support proposals that midlife is a pivotal life period when individuals adjust to life events and social role transitions. Future longitudinal studies will provide further insight into whether positive self-perceptions of aging are especially important in this phase of the life course. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Short-term memory development: differences in serial position curves between age groups and latent classes.

Science.gov (United States)

Koppenol-Gonzalez, Gabriela V; Bouwmeester, Samantha; Vermunt, Jeroen K

2014-10-01

In studies on the development of cognitive processes, children are often grouped based on their ages before analyzing the data. After the analysis, the differences between age groups are interpreted as developmental differences. We argue that this approach is problematic because the variance in cognitive performance within an age group is considered to be measurement error. However, if a part of this variance is systematic, it can provide very useful information about the cognitive processes used by some children of a certain age but not others. In the current study, we presented 210 children aged 5 to 12 years with serial order short-term memory tasks. First we analyze our data according to the approach using age groups, and then we apply latent class analysis to form latent classes of children based on their performance instead of their ages. We display the results of the age groups and the latent classes in terms of serial position curves, and we discuss the differences in results. Our findings show that there are considerable differences in performance between the age groups and the latent classes. We interpret our findings as indicating that the latent class analysis yielded a much more meaningful way of grouping children in terms of cognitive processes than the a priori grouping of children based on their ages. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Population Analysis of Adverse Events in Different Age Groups Using Big Clinical Trials Data.

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Jake; Eldredge, Christina; Cho, Chi C; Cisler, Ron A

2016-10-17

Understanding adverse event patterns in clinical studies across populations is important for patient safety and protection in clinical trials as well as for developing appropriate drug therapies, procedures, and treatment plans. The objective of our study was to conduct a data-driven population-based analysis to estimate the incidence, diversity, and association patterns of adverse events by age of the clinical trials patients and participants. Two aspects of adverse event patterns were measured: (1) the adverse event incidence rate in each of the patient age groups and (2) the diversity of adverse events defined as distinct types of adverse events categorized by organ system. Statistical analysis was done on the summarized clinical trial data. The incident rate and diversity level in each of the age groups were compared with the lowest group (reference group) using t tests. Cohort data was obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov, and 186,339 clinical studies were analyzed; data were extracted from the 17,853 clinical trials that reported clinical outcomes. The total number of clinical trial participants was 6,808,619, and total number of participants affected by adverse events in these trials was 1,840,432. The trial participants were divided into eight different age groups to support cross-age group comparison. In general, children and older patients are more susceptible to adverse events in clinical trial studies. Using the lowest incidence age group as the reference group (20-29 years), the incidence rate of the 0-9 years-old group was 31.41%, approximately 1.51 times higher (P=.04) than the young adult group (20-29 years) at 20.76%. The second-highest group is the 50-59 years-old group with an incidence rate of 30.09%, significantly higher (Pgroup. The adverse event diversity also increased with increase in patient age. Clinical studies that recruited older patients (older than 40 years) were more likely to observe a diverse range of adverse events (Page group (older

Similarities and Differences in the Outdoor Recreation Participation of Racial/Ethnic Groups: An Example from Illinois

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John F. Dwyer

2000-01-01

Much of the initial research on the outdoor recreation participation of racial/ethnic groups focused on between-group differences in percent participating in an activity. This tended to focus research, policy, and management on between-group differences at the expense of a more comprehensive look at the participation patterns of racial/ethnic groups. This paper...

Polonioum 210 levels in urine of different groups of italian population

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mancini, L.; Renzetti, A.; Santori, G.

1984-01-01

Samples of urine obtained from different groups of the italian population has been analized to determine the content of polonium-210. The analysis has been carried out with samples from people with high probability of exposure to radon and hits daughters

Comparison of micelle structure of glycolipids with different head groups by small angle neutron scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He, Lizhong; Middelberg, Anton; Hartmann, Thorsten; Niemeyer, Bernd; Garamus, V.M.; Willumeit, Regine

2005-01-01

Full text: Glycolipids such as n-alkyl- beta-D-glucopyranoside and n-alkyl- beta-D-maltopyranoside can self-assemble into different structures depending on solution conditions. Their amphiphilic properties enable them to serve as biosurfactants in biology and biotechnology, especially for solubilizing membrane proteins. The physicochemical properties of glycolipids have attracted attentions from several research groups, aiming to better understand their application in biological and environmental processes. For example, small angle neutron and X-ray scattering have been used to study micelle structures formed by glycolipids. Our previous work has shown that n-octyl-beta- D-glucopyranoside and n-octyl- beta-D-maltopyranoside form micelles with different structure, suggesting an important role of the sugar head group in micelle formation. In the present work, we further compare micelle structures of n-octyl- beta-Dglucopyranoside and n-octyl- beta-D-galactopyranoside. These two glycolipids have the same hydrophobic tail and their head sugar groups differ only in the conformation with one hydroxyl group pointing to different direction. Our SANS data together with phase behaviours reported by other group have suggested that a slight alteration of head group conformation can significantly affect self-assembly of glycolipids. (authors)

Defining an emerging disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Moutou, F; Pastoret, P-P

2015-04-01

Defining an emerging disease is not straightforward, as there are several different types of disease emergence. For example, there can be a 'real' emergence of a brand new disease, such as the emergence of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in the 1980s, or a geographic emergence in an area not previously affected, such as the emergence of bluetongue in northern Europe in 2006. In addition, disease can emerge in species formerly not considered affected, e.g. the emergence of bovine tuberculosis in wildlife species since 2000 in France. There can also be an unexpected increase of disease incidence in a known area and a known species, or there may simply be an increase in our knowledge or awareness of a particular disease. What all these emerging diseases have in common is that human activity frequently has a role to play in their emergence. For example, bovine spongiform encephalopathy very probably emerged as a result of changes in the manufacturing of meat-and-bone meal, bluetongue was able to spread to cooler climes as a result of uncontrolled trade in animals, and a relaxation of screening and surveillance for bovine tuberculosis enabled the disease to re-emerge in areas that had been able to drastically reduce the number of cases. Globalisation and population growth will continue to affect the epidemiology of diseases in years to come and ecosystems will continue to evolve. Furthermore, new technologies such as metagenomics and high-throughput sequencing are identifying new microorganisms all the time. Change is the one constant, and diseases will continue to emerge, and we must consider the causes and different types of emergence as we deal with these diseases in the future.

Food prices and consumer demand: differences across income levels and ethnic groups.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cliona Ni Mhurchu

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Targeted food pricing policies may improve population diets. To assess their effects on inequalities, it is important to determine responsiveness to price changes across income levels and ethnic groups. OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to estimate price elasticity (PE values for major commonly consumed food groups in New Zealand, by income and ethnicity. PE values represent percentage change in demand associated with 1% change in price of that good (own-PE or another good (cross-PE. DESIGN: We used food expenditure data from national household economic surveys in 2007/08 and 2009/10 and Food Price Index data from 2007 and 2010. Adopting an Almost Ideal Demand System approach, own-PE and cross-PE estimates were derived for 24 food categories, household income quintiles, and two ethnic groups (Māori and non-Māori. RESULTS: Own-PE estimates (with two exceptions ranged from -0.44 to -1.78. Cross-PE estimates were generally small; only 31% of absolute values were greater than 0.10. Excluding the outlier 'energy drinks', nine of 23 food groups had significantly stronger own-PEs for the lowest versus highest income quintiles (average regression-based difference across food groups -0.30 (95% CI -0.62 to 0.02. Six own-PEs were significantly stronger among Māori; the average difference for Māori: non-Māori across food groups was -0.26 (95% CI -0.52 to 0.00. CONCLUSIONS: Food pricing policies have potential to improve population diets. The greater sensitivity of low-income households and Māori to price changes suggests the beneficial effects of such policies on health would be greatest for these groups.

Research on the organization of equipment of nuclear emergency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Xiaoming; Yang Jun

2012-01-01

The emergency rescue operation on major accident of nuclear facilities contains four kinds of abilities that are command and control, radiation protection, radiation monitoring and radioactive decontamination, so it needs to organize some equipment of nuclear emergency to enhance the efficiency of nuclear emergency operation. The organization of equipment of nuclear emergency should accord to the reality of the development in our country. It should have extractive structure, brief variety and advance capability, and also should be convenient, useful and adequate. The method of organization can first accord to the organization of group and organize the facilities accord to the organization of group of the emergency rescue force. (authors)

Developing Marketing Strategies To Increase Brand Equity: The Differences Between Age Groups

OpenAIRE

Hui-Chu Chen; Robert D. Green

2012-01-01

Retailers are facing challenges from global competitors, aging consumer markets, and households with less income that impact brand equity. This study examines three age groups (younger, middle, older) marketing strategy perceptions and their brand equity (brand loyalty, brand awareness, perceived quality, brand association). As expected, different strategies influence each age group. Generally, older retailer shoppers have the highest brand equity. The results have certain implications to the...

Complex dynamics in supervised work groups

Science.gov (United States)

Dal Forno, Arianna; Merlone, Ugo

2013-07-01

In supervised work groups many factors concur to determine productivity. Some of them may be economical and some psychological. According to the literature, the heterogeneity in terms of individual capacity seems to be one of the principal causes for chaotic dynamics in a work group. May sorting groups of people with same capacity for effort be a solution? In the organizational psychology literature an important factor is the engagement in the task, while expectations are central in the economics literature. Therefore, we propose a dynamical model which takes into account both engagement in the task and expectations. An important lesson emerges. The intolerance deriving from the exposure to inequity may not be only caused by differences in individual capacities, but also by these factors combined. Consequently, solutions have to be found in this new direction.

Self-Assembled Monolayers on Gold of β-Cyclodextrin Adsorbates with Different Anchoring Groups

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Méndez Ardoy, Alejandro; Steentjes, Tom; Kudernac, Tibor; Huskens, Jurriaan

2014-01-01

We designed multivalent β-cyclodextrin-based adsorbates bearing different anchoring groups aiming to yield stable monolayers with improved packing and close contact of the cavity to the gold surface. Toward this end the primary rim of the β-cyclodextrin was decorated with several functional groups,

Comparison of Intravenous Ranitidine with Pantoprazole in Decreasing Gastric Fluid Acidity in Emergency Cesarean Section

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alipour M

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Peri-operative aspiration of gastric contents is a problem that causes certain respiratory problems including ARDS. Prophylaxis against aspiration of gastric contents is performed routinely in elective surgeries, but there is rare evidence on the efficacy of this method in emergency cesarean section. Materials and Methods: This is a randomized, controlled, double-blinded clinical trial. 60 parturients undergoing emergency cesarean section were randomly assigned into three groups of 20 each. They were allocated into two study and one placebo groups. The study group one and two received intravenous ranitidine (IV 50 mg or IV pantoprazole 40 mg, half an hour before induction of GA, respectively. The placebo group was administered just 5 ml of isotonic saline half an hour before GA induction. After intubation and confirmation of endotracheal tube insertion, the gastric contents were aspirated through a nasogastric tube for evaluation of acidity and volume. Results: A statistical difference between group one and two with the control group was observed in the acidity of gastric contents, but there was no difference in volume. Also, the PH level of gastric contents in patients receiving pantoprazole was significantly higher than the isotonic saline (p

Group Differences in Test-Taking Behaviour: An Example from a High-Stakes Testing Program

Science.gov (United States)

Stenlund, Tova; Eklöf, Hanna; Lyrén, Per-Erik

2017-01-01

This study investigated whether different groups of test-takers vary in their reported test-taking behaviour in a high-stakes test situation. A between-group design (N = 1129) was used to examine whether high and low achievers, as well as females and males, differ in their use of test-taking strategies, and in level of reported test anxiety and…

A quantitative review of ethnic group differences in experimental pain response: do biology, psychology, and culture matter?

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Rahim-Williams, Bridgett; Riley, Joseph L; Williams, Ameenah K K; Fillingim, Roger B

2012-04-01

Pain is a subjectively complex and universal experience. We examine research investigating ethnic group differences in experimental pain response and factors contributing to group differences. We conducted a systematic literature review and analysis of studies using experimental pain stimuli to assess pain sensitivity across multiple ethnic groups. Our search covered the period from 1944 to 2011, and used the PubMed bibliographic database; a reference source containing over 17 million citations. We calculated effect sizes; identified ethnic/racial group categories, pain stimuli, and measures; and examined findings regarding biopsychosociocultural factors contributing to ethnic/racial group differences. We found 472 studies investigating ethnic group differences and pain. Twenty-six of these met our review inclusion criteria of investigating ethnic group differences in experimental pain. The majority of studies included comparisons between African Americans (AA) and non-Hispanic Whites (NHW). There were consistently moderate to large effect sizes for pain tolerance across multiple stimulus modalities; AA demonstrated lower pain tolerance. For pain threshold, findings were generally in the same direction, but effect sizes were small to moderate across ethnic groups. Limited data were available for suprathreshold pain ratings. A subset of studies comparing NHW and other ethnic groups showed a variable range of effect sizes for pain threshold and tolerance. There are potentially important ethnic/racial group differences in experimental pain perception. Elucidating ethnic group differences has translational merit for culturally competent clinical care and for addressing and reducing pain treatment disparities among ethnically/racially diverse groups. Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Differences in Body Build in Children of Different Ethnic Groups and their Impact on the Prevalence of Stunting, Thinness, Overweight, and Obesity.

Science.gov (United States)

Poh, Bee Koon; Wong, Jyh Eiin; Norimah, A Karim; Deurenberg, Paul

2016-03-01

The prevalence of stunting, thinness, overweight, and obesity among children differs by ethnicity. It is not known whether differences in body build across the ethnic groups influence the interpretation of nutritional parameters. To explore the differences in body build across the 5 main ethnic groups in Malaysia and to determine whether differences in body build have an impact on the interpretation of nutrition indicators. A total of 3227 children aged 2.0 to 12.9 years who participated in the South East Asian Nutrition Surveys (SEANUTS) in Malaysia were included in this analysis. Body weight, height, sitting height, wrist and knee breadths, and biceps and subscapular skinfolds were measured, and relative leg length, slenderness index, and sum of skinfolds were calculated. Z scores for height-for-age (HAZ) and body mass index-for-age (BAZ) were calculated using the World Health Organization (WHO) 2007 growth standards. Differences in relative leg length and slenderness across the ethnic groups were correlated with HAZ and BAZ. Correction for differences in body build did, in some ethnic groups, have significant impact on the prevalence of stunting, thinness, overweight, and obesity, and the pattern of prevalence across ethnic groups changed. At the population level, corrections for body build had only minor and mostly nonsignificant effects on prevalence, but at an individual level, corrections for body build placed a substantial number of children in different height or weight categories. Whether these misclassifications warrant additional assessment of body build in clinical practice will need further investigation. © The Author(s) 2016.

Teaching Emotional Intelligence: A Control Group Study of a Brief Educational Intervention for Emergency Medicine Residents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diane L. Gorgas

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Emotional Intelligence (EI is defined as an ability to perceive another’s emotional state combined with an ability to modify one’s own. Physicians with this ability are at a distinct advantage, both in fostering teams and in making sound decisions. Studies have shown that higher physician EI’s are associated with lower incidence of burn-out, longer careers, more positive patient-physician interactions, increased empathy, and improved communication skills. We explored the potential for EI to be learned as a skill (as opposed to being an innate ability through a brief educational intervention with emergency medicine (EM residents. Methods: This study was conducted at a large urban EM residency program. Residents were randomized to either EI intervention or control groups. The intervention was a two-hour session focused on improving the skill of social perspective taking (SPT, a skill related to social awareness. Due to time limitations, we used a 10-item sample of the Hay 360 Emotional Competence Inventory to measure EI at three time points for the training group: before (pre and after (post training, and at six-months post training (follow up; and at two time points for the control group: pre- and follow up. The preliminary analysis was a four-way analysis of variance with one repeated measure: Group x Gender x Program Year over Time. We also completed post-hoc tests. Results: Thirty-three EM residents participated in the study (33 of 36, 92%, 19 in the EI intervention group and 14 in the control group. We found a significant interaction effect between Group and Time (p<0.05. Post-hoc tests revealed a significant increase in EI scores from Time 1 to 3 for the EI intervention group (62.6% to 74.2%, but no statistical change was observed for the controls (66.8% to 66.1%, p=0.77. We observed no main effects involving gender or level of training. Conclusion: Our brief EI training showed a delayed but statistically significant

Guidelines for mutual emergency assistance arrangements in connection with a nuclear accident or radiological emergency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-01-01

The document contains the recommendations of a group of experts from 22 Member States and three international organizations which met in April 1983. These recommendations may serve as guidelines for use by states for the negotiation of bilateral or regional agreements relating to emergency assistance in the event of a nuclear accident or radiological emergency

Measuring intergroup ideologies: positive and negative aspects of emphasizing versus looking beyond group differences.

Science.gov (United States)

Hahn, Adam; Banchefsky, Sarah; Park, Bernadette; Judd, Charles M

2015-12-01

Research on interethnic relations has focused on two ideologies, asking whether it is best to de-emphasize social-category differences (colorblind) or emphasize and celebrate differences (multicultural). We argue each of these can manifest with negative outgroup evaluations: Assimilationism demands that subordinate groups adopt dominant group norms to minimize group distinctions; segregationism holds that groups should occupy separate spheres. Parallel versions can be identified for intergender relations. Scales to measure all four ideologies are developed both for ethnicity (Studies 1 and 2) and gender (Studies 3 and 4). Results demonstrate that the ideologies can be reliably measured, that the hypothesized four-factor models are superior to alternative models with fewer factors, and that the ideologies relate as predicted to the importance ascribed to group distinctions, subordinate group evaluations, and solution preferences for intergroup conflict scenarios. We argue that this fourfold model can help clarify theory and measurement, allowing a more nuanced assessment of ideological attitudes. © 2015 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

The 2017 International Joint Working Group White Paper by INDUSEM, the Emergency Medicine Association and the Academic College of Emergency Experts on Establishing Standardized Regulations, Operational Mechanisms, and Accreditation Pathways for Education and Care Provided by the Prehospital Emergency Medical Service Systems in India.

Science.gov (United States)

Sikka, Veronica; Gautam, V; Galwankar, Sagar; Guleria, Randeep; Stawicki, Stanislaw P; Paladino, Lorenzo; Chauhan, Vivek; Menon, Geetha; Shah, Vijay; Srivastava, R P; Rana, B K; Batra, Bipin; Kalra, O P; Aggarwal, P; Bhoi, Sanjeev; Krishnan, S Vimal

2017-01-01