The organizational dynamics enabling patient portal impacts upon organizational performance and patient health: a qualitative study of Kaiser Permanente.

Science.gov (United States)

Otte-Trojel, Terese; Rundall, Thomas G; de Bont, Antoinette; van de Klundert, Joris; Reed, Mary E

2015-12-16

Patient portals may lead to enhanced disease management, health plan retention, changes in channel utilization, and lower environmental waste. However, despite growing research on patient portals and their effects, our understanding of the organizational dynamics that explain how effects come about is limited. This paper uses qualitative methods to advance our understanding of the organizational dynamics that influence the impact of a patient portal on organizational performance and patient health. The study setting is Kaiser Permanente, the world's largest not-for-profit integrated delivery system, which has been using a portal for over ten years. We interviewed eighteen physician leaders and executives particularly knowledgeable about the portal to learn about how they believe the patient portal works and what organizational factors affect its workings. Our analytical framework centered on two research questions. (1) How does the patient portal impact care delivery to produce the documented effects?; and (2) What are the important organizational factors that influence the patient portal's development? We identify five ways in which the patient portal may impact care delivery to produce reported effects. First, the portal's ability to ease access to services improves some patients' satisfaction as well as changes the way patients seek care. Second, the transparency and activation of information enable some patients to better manage their care. Third, care management may also be improved through augmented patient-physician interaction. This augmented interaction may also increase the 'stickiness' of some patients to their providers. Forth, a similar effect may be triggered by a closer connection between Kaiser Permanente and patients, which may reduce the likelihood that patients will switch health plans. Finally, the portal may induce efficiencies in physician workflow and administrative tasks, stimulating certain operational savings and deeper involvement of

Achieving performance breakthroughs in an HMO business process through quality planning.

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Hanan, K B

1993-01-01

Kaiser Permanente's Georgia Region commissioned a quality planning team to design a new process to improve payments to its suppliers and vendors. The result of the team's effort was a 73 percent reduction in cycle time. This team's experiences point to the advantages of process redesign as a quality planning model, as well as some general guidelines for its most effective use in teams. If quality planning project teams are carefully configured, sufficiently expert in the existing process, and properly supported by management, organizations can achieve potentially dramatic improvements in process performance using this approach.

End-Stage Renal Disease Outcomes among the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Creatinine Safety Program (Creatinine SureNet): Opportunities to Reflect and Improve.

Science.gov (United States)

Sim, John J; Batech, Michael; Danforth, Kim N; Rutkowski, Mark P; Jacobsen, Steven J; Kanter, Michael H

2017-01-01

The Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC) creatinine safety program (Creatinine SureNet) identifies and outreaches to thousands of people annually who may have had a missed diagnosis for chronic kidney disease (CKD). We sought to determine the value of this outpatient program and evaluate opportunities for improvement. Longitudinal cohort study (February 2010 through December 2015) of KPSC members captured into the creatinine safety program who were characterized using demographics, laboratory results, and different estimations of glomerular filtration rate. Age- and sex-adjusted rates of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) were compared with those in the overall KPSC population. Among 12,394 individuals, 83 (0.7%) reached ESRD. The age- and sex-adjusted relative risk of ESRD was 2.7 times higher compared with the KPSC general population during the same period (94.7 vs 35.4 per 100,000 person-years; p creatinine measurements, only 13% had a urine study performed (32% among patients with confirmed CKD). Our study found a higher incidence of ESRD among individuals captured into the KPSC creatinine safety program. If the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation were used, fewer people would have been captured while improving the accuracy for diagnosing CKD. Urine testing was low even among patients with confirmed CKD. Our findings demonstrate the importance of a creatinine safety net program in an integrated health system but also suggest opportunities to improve CKD care and screening.

75 FR 70689 - Kaiser Aluminum Fabricated Products, LLC; Kaiser Aluminum-Greenwood Forge Division; Currently...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-18

... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Employment and Training Administration [TA-W-70,376] Kaiser Aluminum Fabricated Products, LLC; Kaiser Aluminum- Greenwood Forge Division; Currently Known As Contech Forgings, LLC..., applicable to workers of Kaiser Aluminum Fabricated Products, LLC, Kaiser Aluminum-Greenwood Forge Division...

Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) Plan

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... Find & compare doctors, hospitals, & other providers Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) Plan In most HMO Plans, you generally ... certain service when needed. Related Resources Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) Special Needs ...

Genetic Ancestry Is not Associated with Breast Cancer Recurrence or Survival in U.S. Latina Women Enrolled in the Kaiser Permanente Pathways Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Engmann, Natalie J; Ergas, Isaac J; Yao, Song; Kwan, Marilyn L; Roh, Janise M; Ambrosone, Christine B; Kushi, Lawrence H; Fejerman, Laura

2017-09-01

Background: The U.S. Hispanic/Latino population is heterogeneous both socioculturally and by the proportion of European, Indigenous American, and African ancestry of the regions from which individuals originate. A previous study reported that genetic ancestry was associated with breast cancer survival among Latinas, independent of sociodemographic and tumor characteristics, suggesting that a genetic factor associated with ancestry may affect breast cancer survival. Methods: We evaluated the association of genetic ancestry with breast cancer outcomes among 506 Latina women with invasive breast cancer in the Pathways Study, a cohort study within Kaiser Permanente, an integrated health care delivery system. Proportional hazards models were used to assess the effect of ancestry on breast cancer recurrence (53 events), breast cancer-specific mortality (31 events) and all-cause mortality (54 events), with a mean follow-up time of 6 years. Results: Indigenous American ancestry was not associated with breast cancer recurrence [HR = 1.00 per 10% increase; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.86-1.16], breast cancer mortality (HR = 0.95; 95% CI, 0.77-1.17), or all-cause mortality (HR = 0.93; 95% CI, 0.80-1.08). Adjustment for sociodemographic variables, tumor characteristics, and treatment did not alter the associations. Conclusions: Our results suggest that previously reported differences in breast cancer survival by genetic ancestry may be overcome by improving health care access and/or quality. Impact: Improving health care access and quality may reduce breast cancer disparities among U.S. Latinas. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(9); 1466-9. ©2017 AACR . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

Utilization and costs of home-based and community-based care within a social HMO: trends over an 18-year period

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Walter Leutz

2005-10-01

Full Text Available Purpose: Our objective was to describe the utilization and costs of services from 1985 to 2002 of a Social Health Maintenance Organization (SHMO demonstration project providing a benefit for home-based and community-based as well as short-term institutional (HCB care at Kaiser Permanente Northwest (KPNW, serving the Portland, Oregon area. The HCB care benefit was offered by KPNW as a supplement to Medicare's acute care medical benefits, which KPNW provides in an HMO model. KPNW receives a monthly per capita payment from Medicare to provide medical benefits, and Medicare beneficiaries who choose to join pay a supplemental premium that covers prescription drugs, HCB care benefits, and other services. A HCB care benefit of up to $12,000 per year in services was available to SHMO members meeting requirement for nursing home certification (NHC. Methods: We used aggregate data to track temporal changes in the period 1985 to 2002 on member eligibility, enrollment in HCB care plans, age, service utilization and co-payments. Trends in the overall costs and financing of the HCB care benefit were extracted from quarterly reports, management data, and finance data. Results: During the time period, 14,815 members enrolled in the SHMO and membership averaged 4,531. The proportion of SHMO members aged 85 or older grew from 12 to 25%; proportion meeting requirements for NHC rose from 4 to 27%; and proportion with HCB care plans rose from 4 to 18%. Costs for the HCB care benefit rose from $21 per SHMO member per month in 1985 to $95 in 2002. The HCB care costs were equivalent to 12% to 16% of Medicare reimbursement. The HCB program costs were covered by member premiums (which rose from $49 to $180 and co-payments from members with care plans. Over the 18-year period, spending shifted from nursing homes to a range of community services, e.g. personal care, homemaking, member reimbursement, lifeline, equipment, transportation, shift care, home nursing, adult day

The troubled HMO industry: what's next?

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Cerone, J R

1988-01-01

The fortunes of health maintenance organizations (HMOs) have been on a roller coaster ride for the last 15 years. Growth rates in the number and total enrollments of HMOs surged in 1973 and 1974 following passage of the federal HMO Act. Growth rates abated over the next 8 years. Several favorable factors converged in 1983 to push growth rates back up. Some 15 for-profit HMO companies went public with initial stock offerings during the 1983-85 period. Their stock prices soared as they compiled astounding records of enrollment, revenue and profit growth. In the next 2 years, however, stock prices dropped as quickly as they had risen. Intense price competition and inexperienced managers were important factors contributing to sharp descents in HMO earnings in 1986 and 1987. Some analysts now see positive signs pointing to an industry recovery. However, investors are not convinced of this as HMO stock prices remain severely depressed.

42 CFR 417.153 - Offer of HMO alternative.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Offer of HMO alternative. 417.153 Section 417.153... § 417.153 Offer of HMO alternative. (a) Basic rule. An employing entity that is subject to this subpart and that elects to include one or more qualified HMOs must offer the HMO alternative in accordance...

HMO penetration and the geographic mobility of practicing physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Polsky, D; Kletke, P R; Wozniak, G D; Escarce, J J

2000-09-01

In this study, we assessed the influence of changes in health maintenance organization (HMO) penetration on the probability that established patient care physicians relocated their practices or left patient care altogether. For physicians who relocated their practices, we also assessed the impact of HMO penetration on their destination choices. We found that larger increases in HMO penetration decreased the probability that medical/surgical specialists in early career stayed in patient care in the same market, but had no impact on generalists, hospital-based specialists, or mid career medical/surgical specialists. We also found that physicians who relocated their practices were much more likely to choose destination markets with the same level of HMO penetration or lower HMO penetration compared with their origin markets than they were to choose destination markets with higher HMO penetration. The largely negligible impact of changes in HMO penetration on established physicians' decisions to relocate their practices or leave patient care is consistent with high relocation and switching costs. Relocating physicians' attraction to destination markets with the same level of HMO penetration as their origin markets suggests that, while physicians' styles of medical practice may adapt to changes in market conditions, learning new practice styles is costly.

Growth in HMO share of the Medicare market, 1989-1994.

Science.gov (United States)

Welch, W P

1996-01-01

Between 1989 and 1994 the health maintenance organization (HMO) share of the Medicare market grew rapidly. It is still heavily concentrated geographically, however. The most influential factor in this growth is HMO penetration into an area's general health care market. Medicare payment rates and prior Medicare HMO penetration also have an impact, but their effects are much weaker. Thus, payment rate reform is likely to have only a modest impact on Medicare HMO growth in the short term. In the longer term, the HMO share of the Medicare market will continue to grow, because HMO penetration in the general health care market is growing rapidly.

HMO market penetration and costs of employer-sponsored health plans.

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, L C; Cantor, J C; Long, S H; Marquis, M S

2000-01-01

Using two employer surveys, we evaluate the role of increased health maintenance organization (HMO) market share in containing costs of employer-sponsored coverage. Total costs for employer health plans are about 10 percent lower in markets in which HMOs' market share is above 45 percent than they are in markets with HMO enrollments of below 25 percent. This is the result of lower premiums for HMOs than for non-HMO plans, as well as the competitive effect of HMOs that leads to lower non-HMO premiums for employers that continue to offer these benefits. Slower growth in premiums in areas with high HMO enrollments suggests that expanded HMO market share may also lower the long-run growth in costs.

Management information systems in the HMO environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Neal, P A

1982-01-01

Realization of the unique potential of a health maintenance organization is dependent on the availability of adequate, accurate, and timely information. The particular data needed are determined by the structure of the organization; the physician compensation plans; requirements for state, federal, or other reporting; and many other factors. The author introduces the concept and objectives of the HMO, and presents the management information systems necessary for planning and monitoring HMO performance: patient information, utilization information, and management information for the staff and nonstaff HMO.

Impact of HMO mergers and acquisitions on financial performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Weech-Maldonado, Robert

2002-01-01

This study examines the effect of health maintenance organization (HMO) mergers and acquisitions on financial performance, as indicated by cash flow returns, profitability ratios, and efficiency indicators. Pooled, cross-sectional files of financial performance data were created for HMO mergers occurring in the period of 1988 to 1994. The study uses a time-series design involving the analysis of pre- and post-acquisition financial performance measured over a period of four years. Change scores for the industry-adjusted financial performance measures were calculated and then evaluated using t-tests. The study showed that HMO mergers had a positive effect on financial performance and efficiency. This effect disappeared, however, after adjusting for HMO industry returns. Potential synergies arising from HMO mergers have been largely illusory. Mergers may have been a result of non-value enhancing motives or management overconfidence.

Innovative partnerships to advance public health training in community-based academic residency programs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lo JC

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Joan C Lo,1–3 Thomas E Baudendistel,2,3 Abhay Dandekar,3,4 Phuoc V Le,5 Stanton Siu,2,3 Bruce Blumberg6 1Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, USA; 2Department of Medicine, Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center, Oakland, CA, USA; 3Graduate Medical Education, Kaiser Permanente East Bay, Oakland, CA, USA; 4Department of Pediatrics, Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center, Oakland, CA, USA; 5School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA; 6Graduate Medical Education, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, USA Abstract: Collaborative partnerships between community-based academic residency ­training programs and schools of public health, represent an innovative approach to training future physician leaders in population management and public health. In Kaiser Permanente Northern California, development of residency-Masters in Public Health (MPH tracks in the Internal Medicine Residency and the Pediatrics Residency programs, with MPH graduate studies completed at the University of California Berkeley School of Public Health, enables physicians to integrate clinical training with formal education in epidemiology, biostatistics, health policy, and disease prevention. These residency-MPH programs draw on more than 50 years of clinical education, public health training, and health services research – creating an environment that sparks inquiry and added value by developing skills in patient-centered care through the lens of population-based outcomes. Keywords: graduate medical education, public health, master’s degree, internal medicine, pediatrics, residency training

The role of service recovery in HMO satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarel, D; Marmorstein, H

1999-01-01

Complaint handling and service recovery by HMOs may be more efficient to implement and more determinant of customer satisfaction and retention than other approaches such as improving access to care. The current findings are consistent with research on recovery efforts in other industries. Complaint handling systems must achieve rapid and comprehensive identification and resolution of HMO member problems. Both cultural change and appropriate incentives to re-educate employees within HMO organizations are additional requisites to effective service recovery. The benefits to the HMO of expenditures on service recovery should be more immediate and sustainable than the benefits derived from other methods of increasing member satisfaction.

HMO market penetration and hospital cost inflation in California.

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, J C

1991-11-20

OBJECTIVE--Health maintenance organizations (HMOs) have stimulated price competition in California hospital markets since 1983, when the state legislature eliminated barriers to selective contracting by conventional health insurance plans. This study measures the impact of HMO-induced price competition on the rate of inflation in average cost per admission for 298 private, non-HMO hospitals between 1982 and 1988. DATA--HMO market penetration was calculated using discharge abstract data on insurance coverage, ZIP code of residence, and hospital of choice for 3.35 million patients in 1983 and 3.41 million patients in 1988. Data on hospital characteristics were obtained from the American Hospital Association and other sources. -HMO coverage grew from an average of 8.3% of all admissions in local hospital markets in 1983 to 17.0% of all admissions in 1988. The average rate of growth in costs per admission between 1982 and 1988 was 9.4% lower in markets with relatively high HMO penetration compared with markets with relatively low HMO penetration (95% confidence interval, 5.2 to 13.8). Cost savings for these 298 hospitals are estimated at $1.04 billion for 1988. CONCLUSION--Price competition between HMOs and conventional health insurers can significantly reduce hospital cost inflation if legislative barriers to selective contracting are removed. The impact of competition in California was modest, however, when evaluated in terms of the 74.5% average rate of California hospital cost inflation during these years.

Impact of HMO market structure on physician-hospital strategic alliances.

Science.gov (United States)

Burns, L R; Bazzoli, G J; Dynan, L; Wholey, D R

2000-04-01

To assess the impact of HMO market structure on the formation of physician-hospital strategic alliances from 1993 through 1995. The two trends, managed care and physician-hospital integration have been prominent in reshaping insurance and provider markets over the past decade. Pooled cross-sectional data from the InterStudy HMO Census and the Annual Survey conducted by the American Hospital Association (AHA) between 1993 and the end of 1995 to examine the effects of HMO penetration and HMO numbers in a market on the formation of hospital-sponsored alliances with physicians. Because prior research has found nonlinear effects of HMOs on a variety of dependent variables, we operationalized HMO market structure two ways: using a Taylor series expansion and cross-classifying quartile distributions of HMO penetration and numbers into 16 dummy indicators. Alliance formation was operationalized using the presence of any alliance model (IPA, PHO, MSO, and foundation) and the sum of the four models present in the hospital. Because managed care and physician-hospital integration are endogenous (e.g., some hospitals also sponsor HMOs), we used an instrumental variables approach to model the determinants of HMO penetration and HMO numbers. These instruments were then used with other predictors of alliance formation: physician supply characteristics, the extent of hospital competition, hospital-level descriptors, population size and demographic characteristics, and indicators for each year. All equations were estimated at the MSA level using mixed linear models and first-difference models. Contrary to conventional wisdom, alliance formation is shaped by the number of HMOs in the market rather than by HMO penetration. This confirms a growing perception that hospital-sponsored alliances with physicians are contracting vehicles for managed care: the greater the number of HMOs to contract with, the greater the development of alliances. The models also show that alliance formation is

HMO marketing and selection bias: are TEFRA HMOs skimming?

Science.gov (United States)

Lichtenstein, R; Thomas, J W; Watkins, B; Puto, C; Lepkowski, J; Adams-Watson, J; Simone, B; Vest, D

1992-04-01

The research evidence indicates that health maintenance organizations (HMOs) participating in the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982 (TEFRA) At-Risk Program tend to experience favorable selection. Although favorable selection might result from patient decisions, a common conjecture is that it can be induced by HMOs through their marketing activities. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between HMO marketing strategies and selection bias in TEFRA At-Risk HMOs. A purposive sample of 22 HMOs that were actively marketing their TEFRA programs was selected and data on organizational characteristics, market area characteristics, and HMO marketing decisions were collected. To measure selection bias in these HMOs, the functional health status of approximately 300 enrollees in each HMO was compared to that of 300 non-enrolling beneficiaries in the same area. Three dependent variables, reflecting selection bias at the mean, the low health tail, and the high health tail of the health status distribution were created. Weighted least squares regressions were then used to identify relationships between marketing elements and selection bias. Subject to the statistical limitations of the study, our conclusion is that it is doubtful that HMO marketing decisions are responsible for the prevalence of favorable selection in HMO enrollment. It also appears unlikely that HMOs were differentially targeting healthy and unhealthy segments of the Medicare market.

Measuring integrated care

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Strandberg-Larsen, Martin

2011-01-01

respond to these needs, patients and providers face the multiple challenges of today's healthcare environment. Decision makers, planners and managers need evidence based policy options and information on the scope of the integrated care challenges they are facing. The US managed care organization Kaiser...... differences were found in the perception of clinical integration in the two settings. More primary care clinicians in the Northern California region of Kaiser Permanente reported being part of a clinical integrated environment than did Danish general practitioners. By measuring the level of clinical...... and performance of the Danish healthcare system and the managed care organization Kaiser Permanente, California, US. 5) To compare primary care clinicians' perception of clinical integration in two healthcare systems: Kaiser Permanente, Northern California and the Danish healthcare system. Further to examine...

HMO penetration: has it hurt public hospitals?

Science.gov (United States)

Clement, J P; Grazier, K L

2001-01-01

The purpose of this study is to determine the extent to which health maintenance organization (HMO) penetration within the public hospitals' market area affects the financial performance and viability of these institutions, relative to private hospitals. Hospital- and market-specific measures are examined in a fully interacted model of over 2,300 hospitals in 321 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) in 1995. Although hospitals located in markets with higher HMO penetration have lower financial performance as reflected in revenues, expenses and operating margin, public hospitals are not more disadvantaged than other hospitals by managed care.

Impact of HMO ownership on management processes and utilization outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahern, M; Molinari, C

2001-05-01

To examine the effects of health maintenance organization (HMO) ownership characteristics on selected utilization outcomes and management processes affecting utilization. We used 1995 HMO data from the American Association of Health Plans. Using regression analysis, we examined the relation between HMO utilization (hospital discharges, days, and average length of stay; cardiac catheterization procedures; and average cost of outpatient prescriptions) and the structural characteristics of HMOs: ownership type (insurance company, hospital, physician, independent, and national managed care company), HMO size, for-profit status, model type, geographic region, and payer mix. HMO ownership type is significantly associated with medical management processes, including risk sharing by providers, risk sharing by consumers, and other management strategies. Relative to hospital-owned HMOs, insurance company-owned HMOs have fewer hospital discharges, fewer hospital days, and longer lengths of stay. National managed care organization-owned HMOs have fewer cardiac catheterizations and lower average outpatient prescription costs. Independently owned HMOs have more cardiac catheterizations. For-profit HMOs have lower prescription costs. Relative to hospital-owned HMOs, insurance company-owned HMOs are more likely to use hospital risk sharing and provider capitation and less likely to use out-of-pocket payments for hospital use and a closed formulary. National managed care organization-owned HMOs are less likely to use provider capitation, out-of-pocket payments for hospital use, catastrophic case management, and hospital risk sharing. Physician-hospital-owned HMOs are less likely to use catastrophic case management. For-profit HMOs are more likely to use hospital risk sharing and catastrophic case management. HMO ownership type affects utilization outcomes and management strategies.

Does anyone understand HMO advertising?

Science.gov (United States)

Bisinger, J M

1986-12-01

Much HMO advertising is executed with technical proficiency, but a high level of technical skill cannot compensate for poor objectives, an inadequate analysis of the business situation, or a lack of advertising effectiveness. Industrial marketing techniques often involve person-to-person selling via a sales staff, sales reps, on-site technical assistance and informational meetings, team selling, etc. Some HMOs also employ these techniques. In general, the promotional focus in these situations is not on mass media; communication tends to be in support of personal sales activities. These personal techniques are used because of the difficulty of selling complicated products or services. Is an HMO a simple product/service? If it is not, consumer promotional tactics will probably be ineffective. If used, these promotional tactics probably will be unintelligible because "consumers" do not select HMOs; their employers do.

Segmentation of hospital markets: where do HMO enrollees get care?

Science.gov (United States)

Escarce, J J; Shea, J A; Chen, W

1997-01-01

Commercially insured and Medicare patients who are not in health maintenance organizations (HMOs) tend to use different hospitals than HMO patients use. This phenomenon, called market segmentation, raises important questions about how hospitals that treat many HMO patients differ from those that treat few HMO patients, especially with regard to quality of care. This study of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery found no evidence that HMOs in southeast Florida systematically channel their patients to high-volume or low-mortality hospitals. These findings are consistent with other evidence that in many areas of the country, incentives for managed care plans to reduce costs may outweigh incentives to improve quality.

How much segmentation is needed in the health care marketplace? An exploratory study of HMO and non-HMO customers.

Science.gov (United States)

Tootelian, Dennis H; Mikhailitchenko, Andrey; Holst, Cindy; Gaedeke, Ralph M

2016-01-01

The health care landscape has changed dramatically. Consumers now seek plans whose benefits better fit their health care needs and desires for access to providers. This exploratory survey of more than 1,000 HMO and non-HMO customers found significant differences with respect to their selection processes for health plans and providers, and their expectations regarding access to and communication with health care providers. While there are some similarities in factors affecting choice, segmentation strategies are necessary to maximize the appeal of a plan, satisfy customers in the selection of physicians, and meet their expectations regarding access to those physicians.

The permanental process

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

McCullagh, Peter; Møller, Jesper

2006-01-01

We extend the boson process first to a large class of Cox processes and second to an even larger class of infinitely divisible point processes. Density and moment results are studied in detail. These results are obtained in closed form as weighted permanents, so the extension i called a permanental...... process. Temporal extensions and a particularly tractable case of the permanental process are also studied. Extensions of the fermion process along similar lines, leading to so-called determinantal processes, are discussed....

Economic and organizational determinants of HMO mergers and failures.

Science.gov (United States)

Feldman, R; Wholey, D; Christianson, J

1996-01-01

This study analyzed data from all operational health maintenance organizations (HMOs) in the United States from 1986 through 1993. Eighty HMOs disappeared through mergers and 149 failed over that period. We estimated a multinomial logit model to predict whether an HMO would merge and survive, merge and disappear, or fail, relative to the probability of no event. We found that enrollment and profitability play a critical role in explaining HMO mergers and failures: large and profitable HMOs were more likely to merge and survive, but less likely to merge and disappear or fail. These results explain why HMO merger and failure rates fell after 1988, as most surviving HMOs became larger and more profitable. Among several market-area variables in the model, state anti-takeover regulations had a negative impact on mergers. Mergers were more likely in markets with more competing HMOs, but the overall market penetration of HMOs had no effect on mergers. This result may have important implications for the current debate over the future of the competitive health care strategy. If public policy successfully stimulates the development of large numbers of new HMOs, another wave of mergers and failures is likely to occur. But it appears that growth in overall HMO penetration will not lead inevitably to increased market concentration.

Frederik Kaiser (1808-1872) and the Modernisation of Dutch Astronomy

Science.gov (United States)

van der Heijden, Petra

Frederik Kaiser was the director of Leiden Observatory from 1837 until his death in 1872. Educated by his German-born uncle Johan Frederik Keyser (1766-1823), who was a proficient amateur astronomer, Kaiser proved to be a real observational talent. Despite the poor conditions in which he worked, his observations soon rivalled with the best in the world. Kaiser's contributions to astronomical practice include the foundation of a new, completely up-to-date observatory building in Leiden, and the introduction of statistics and precision measurements in daily practice at the observatory. Moreover he was the author of several bestselling books on popular astronomy. Kaiser had an extensive correspondence with colleagues all over Europe, mostly in Germany. Correpondents include Airy, Argelander, Von Auwers, Bessel, Encke, John Herschel, LeVerrier, Von Littrow, Schumacher, Otto W. Struve, as well as several geodesists and instrument makers. Preliminary research indicates that Frederik Kaiser played a crucial role in the revival of Dutch astronomy in the second half of the 19th century. This project aims at analysing and explaining Kaiser's activities in science, institutionalisation and popularisation, in the context of national and international developments in 19th-century astronomy and scientific culture.

The impact of HMO penetration on the rate of hospital cost inflation, 1985-1993.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaskin, D J; Hadley, J

1997-01-01

This paper provides evidence that growth in health maintenance organization (HMO) enrollment slows hospital cost inflation. During the period 1985-1993, hospitals in areas with high rates of HMO penetration and growth had a slower rate of growth in expenses (8.3%) than hospitals in low penetration areas (11.2%). From 1992-1993, HMO growth lowered the rate of hospital cost inflation by .34 to 3.40 percentage points, depending on the base-year level and the annual change in HMO penetration. Declines in Medicare Prospective Payment System (PPS) margins also lowered hospital cost inflation; over the time period, annual hospital cost inflation was reduced by .38 percentage points. The estimates imply that the cumulative effect of HMO growth on hospital costs has been a $56.2 billion reduction (in 1993 dollars).

Kaiser Family Foundation - Content Search

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U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — Chartpacks, chartbooks, factsheets, reports, and slide presentations bring Kaiser Family Foundation information to life, and can be easily incorporated into your...

Health insurance reform and HMO penetration in the small group market.

Science.gov (United States)

Buchmueller, Thomas C; Liu, Su

This study uses data from several national employer surveys conducted between the late 1980s and the mid-1990s to investigate the effect of state-level underwriting reforms on HMO penetration in the small group health insurance market. We identify reform effects by exploiting cross-state variation in the timing and content of reform legislation and by using mid-sized and large employers, which were not affected by the legislation, as within-state control groups. While it is difficult to disentangle the effect of state reforms from other factors affecting HMO penetration in the small group markets, the results suggest a positive relationship between insurance market regulations and HMO penetration.

Fabrication of polymer-supported nanosized hydrous manganese dioxide (HMO) for enhanced lead removal from waters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Su, Qing; Pan, Bingcai; Pan, Bingjun; Zhang, Qingrui; Zhang, Weiming; Lv, Lu; Wang, Xiaoshu; Wu, Jun; Zhang, Quanxing

2009-01-01

In the current study, a new hybrid adsorbent HMO-001 was fabricated by impregnating nanosized hydrous manganese dioxide (HMO) onto a porous polystyrene cation exchanger resin (D-001) for enhanced lead removal from aqueous media. D-001 was selected as a support material mainly because of the potential Donnan membrane effect exerted by the immobilized negatively charged sulfonic acid groups bound to the polymeric matrix, which would result in preconcentration and permeation enhancement of lead ions prior to their effective sequestration by the impregnated HMO. HMO-001 was characterized by scanning electron micrograph (SEM), transmission electron micrograph (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Lead adsorption onto HMO-001 was dependent upon solution pH due to the ion-exchange nature, and it can be represented by the Freundlich isotherm model and pseudo-first order kinetic model well. The maximum capacity of HMO-001 toward lead ion was about 395 mg/g. As compared to D-001, HMO-001 exhibited highly selective lead retention from waters in the presence of competing Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , and Na + at much greater levels than the target toxic metal. Fixed-bed column adsorption of a simulated water indicated that lead retention on HMO-001 resulted in a conspicuous decrease of this toxic metal from 1 mg/L to below 0.01 mg/L (the drinking water standard recommended by WHO). The exhausted adsorbent particles are amenable to efficient regeneration by the binary NaAc-HAc solution for repeated use without any significant capacity loss. All the results validated the feasibility of HMO-001 for highly effective removal of lead from contaminated waters.

PS3-18: Use of Antidepressant and Anti-Anxiety Medications Among Breast Cancer Survivors in a HMO

Science.gov (United States)

Avila, Chantal; Haque, Reina; Quinn, Virginia; Schottinger, Joanne; Fisher, Alice

2010-01-01

Background: Almost 200,000 U.S. women are diagnosed each year with breast cancer and over 40,000 women will die of the disease. In addition to the medical and functional consequences of the diagnosis and treatment, women experience worry, persistent anxiety, fear and depressive disorders. Overall, 30% of women diagnosed with breast cancer suffer significant distress at some point in their illness trajectory. National health organizations including the Institute of Medicine and National Cancer Institute call for treatment of common symptoms among breast cancer patients such as depression and anxiety. To date, there are only limited reports on the prevalence of treatment, and even fewer studies have examined potential differences by race/ethnicity, age, or tumor characteristics. Aim: To describe the prevalence of pharmacotherapy for depressive symptoms/anxiety among patients diagnosed with breast cancer in a large HMO. Methods: We identified all women diagnosed with primary breast cancer between 2000–2006 (n=10,408) who had been members of Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC) for 1+ years prior to diagnosis. KPSC is a nonprofit comprehensive prepaid health plan serving 3.2 million socioeconomically diverse members. Data was obtained from the KPSC SEER-affiliated cancer registry and automated clinical, pharmacy, and membership databases. We examined patient and tumor characteristics associated with new use of pharmacotherapy for depression/anxiety. Univariate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using logistic regression. Results: We found 35% of women (3,611 of 10,408) were newly prescribed either anti-depressant or anti-anxiety medications within a year of breast cancer diagnosis. Younger women (e.g., OR=1.44, CI=1.28–1.63 for 40–49 year olds v. 60–69) and women with higher stage (e.g., OR=3.40, CI=2.87–4.04 for Stage 3 v. Stage 0) were more likely to be prescribed these medications, while African-American (OR=0.81, CI

Incidence of Norovirus and Other Viral Pathogens That Cause Acute Gastroenteritis (AGE) among Kaiser Permanente Member Populations in the United States, 2012-2013.

Science.gov (United States)

Grytdal, Scott P; DeBess, Emilio; Lee, Lore E; Blythe, David; Ryan, Patricia; Biggs, Christianne; Cameron, Miriam; Schmidt, Mark; Parashar, Umesh D; Hall, Aron J

2016-01-01

Noroviruses and other viral pathogens are increasingly recognized as frequent causes of acute gastroenteritis (AGE). However, few laboratory-based data are available on the incidence of AGE caused by viral pathogens in the U.S. This study examined stool specimens submitted for routine clinical diagnostics from patients enrolled in Kaiser Permanente (KP) health plans in metro Portland, OR, and the Maryland, District of Columbia, and northern Virginia geographic areas to estimate the incidence of viral enteropathogens in these populations. Over a one-year study period, participating laboratories randomly selected stools submitted for routine clinical diagnostics for inclusion in the study along with accompanying demographic and clinical data. Selected stools were tested for norovirus, rotavirus, sapovirus, and astrovirus using standardized real-time RT-PCR protocols. Each KP site provided administrative data which were used in conjunction with previously published data on healthcare utilization to extrapolate pathogen detection rates into population-based incidence rates. A total of 1,099 specimens collected during August 2012 to September 2013 were included. Mean age of patients providing stool specimens was 46 years (range: 0-98 years). Noroviruses were the most common viral pathogen identified among patients with AGE (n = 63 specimens, 6% of specimens tested). In addition, 22 (2%) of specimens were positive for rotavirus; 19 (2%) were positive for sapovirus; and 7 (1%) were positive for astrovirus. Incidence of norovirus-associated outpatient visits was 5.6 per 1,000 person-years; incidence of norovirus disease in the community was estimated to be 69.5 per 1,000 person-years. Norovirus incidence was highest among children age (outpatient incidence = 25.6 per 1,000 person-years; community incidence = 152.2 per 1,000 person-years), followed by older adults aged >65 years (outpatient incidence = 7.8 per 1,000 person-years; community incidence = 75.8 per 1,000 person

Incidence of Norovirus and Other Viral Pathogens That Cause Acute Gastroenteritis (AGE among Kaiser Permanente Member Populations in the United States, 2012-2013.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Scott P Grytdal

Full Text Available Noroviruses and other viral pathogens are increasingly recognized as frequent causes of acute gastroenteritis (AGE. However, few laboratory-based data are available on the incidence of AGE caused by viral pathogens in the U.S. This study examined stool specimens submitted for routine clinical diagnostics from patients enrolled in Kaiser Permanente (KP health plans in metro Portland, OR, and the Maryland, District of Columbia, and northern Virginia geographic areas to estimate the incidence of viral enteropathogens in these populations. Over a one-year study period, participating laboratories randomly selected stools submitted for routine clinical diagnostics for inclusion in the study along with accompanying demographic and clinical data. Selected stools were tested for norovirus, rotavirus, sapovirus, and astrovirus using standardized real-time RT-PCR protocols. Each KP site provided administrative data which were used in conjunction with previously published data on healthcare utilization to extrapolate pathogen detection rates into population-based incidence rates. A total of 1,099 specimens collected during August 2012 to September 2013 were included. Mean age of patients providing stool specimens was 46 years (range: 0-98 years. Noroviruses were the most common viral pathogen identified among patients with AGE (n = 63 specimens, 6% of specimens tested. In addition, 22 (2% of specimens were positive for rotavirus; 19 (2% were positive for sapovirus; and 7 (1% were positive for astrovirus. Incidence of norovirus-associated outpatient visits was 5.6 per 1,000 person-years; incidence of norovirus disease in the community was estimated to be 69.5 per 1,000 person-years. Norovirus incidence was highest among children 65 years (outpatient incidence = 7.8 per 1,000 person-years; community incidence = 75.8 per 1,000 person-years. Outpatient incidence rates of rotavirus, sapovirus, and astrovirus were 2.0, 1.6, 0.6 per 1,000 person

Do HMO penetration and hospital competition impact quality of hospital care?

Science.gov (United States)

Rivers, P A; Fottler, M D

2004-11-01

This study examines the impact of HMO penetration and competition on hospital markets. A modified structure-conduct-performance paradigm was applied to the health care industry in order to investigate the impact of HMO penetration and competition on risk-adjusted hospital mortality rates (i.e. quality of hospital care). Secondary data for 1957 acute care hospitals in the USA from the 1991 American Hospital Association's Annual Survey of Hospitals were used. The outcome variables were risk-adjusted mortality rates in 1991. Predictor variables were market characteristics (i.e. managed care penetration and hospital competition). Control variables were environmental, patient, and institutional characteristics. Associations between predictor and outcome variables were investigated using statistical regression techniques. Hospital competition had a negative relationship with risk-adjusted mortality rates (a negative indicator of quality of care). HMO penetration, hospital competition, and an interaction effect of HMO penetration and competition were not found to have significant effects on risk-adjusted mortality rates. These findings suggest that when faced with intense competition, hospitals may respond in ways associated with reducing their mortality rates.

Competition among hospitals for HMO business: effect of price and nonprice attributes.

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Gary J; Burgess, James E; Valley, Danielle

2002-10-01

To investigate patterns of competition among hospitals for the business of health maintenance organizations (HMOs). The study focused on the relative importance of hospital price and nonprice attributes in the competition for HMO business. The study capitalized on hospital cost reports from Florida that are unique in their inclusion of financial data regarding HMO business activity. The time frame was 1992 to 1997. The study was designed as an observational investigation of acute care hospitals. Results indicated that a hospital's share of HMO business was related to both its price and nonprice attributes. However, the importance of both price and nonprice attributes diminished as the number of HMOs in a market increased. Hospitals that were market share leaders in terms of HMO business (i.e., 30 percent or more market share) were superior, on average, to their competitors on both price and nonprice attributes. Study results indicate that competition among hospitals for HMO business involves a complex set of price and nonprice attributes. The HMOs do not appear to focus on price alone. Hospitals likely to be the most attractive to HMOs are those that can differentiate themselves on the basis of nonprice attributes while being competitive on price as well.

Frederik Kaiser (1808-1872, een gekweld man met een missie

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Huib Zuidervaart

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Frederik Kaiser (1808-1872, a tormented man with a missionThe Leiden astronomer Kaiser has been instrumental for the rise of Dutch astronomy in the late nineteenth-century. His career was impressive. In 1826, without any formal university education, he began at the Leiden Astronomical Observatory as an ordinary observer. Through his work in astronomy he obtained an honorary doctorate, which enabled him in 1838 to become director of the observatory. In 1844 he was appointed full professor and in the academic year 1857/1858 he even became Rector Magnificus of Leiden University. In 1860 he even saw the fulfillmentof his life-long dream: the opening of a brand new astronomical observatory. However, in spite of these obvious professional successes, Kaiser's personal life was full of melancholy. This paper investigates Kaiser's personality, using correspondence with his family, as well as testimonies written down by his students and other contemporaries. Among others, we demonstrate the way in which Kaiser used his personal network, as well as his fierce continuous – and often publicly expressed – complaining, as a successful strategy in establishing his new astronomical observatory.

Transforming and Sustaining the Care Environment

OpenAIRE

Goldfisher, Anne M.; Hounslow, Barbara; Blank, Judi

2014-01-01

Background: Caring Science Theory and Practices have been part of the Kaiser Permanente's Strategic Priority for Kaiser Permanente Northern Region since 2010. Their goal is to ensure the continued spread across the medical center of practices guided by the Caring Sciences framework that fosters caring-healing environments and that reinforce helping-trusting relationships between caregivers and between caregivers and patients. Methods: Gaining senior-level leader sponsorship is an essential el...

The impact of HMO and hospital competition on hospital costs.

Science.gov (United States)

Younis, Mustafa Z; Rivers, Patrick A; Fottler, Myron D

2005-01-01

This study examines the impact of HMO penetration and competition on health system performance, as measured by hospital cost per adjusted admissions. The study population consisted of acute-care hospitals in the United States. The findings of this study suggest that there is no relationship between HMO competition and hospital cost per adjusted admission. Governmental efforts to stimulate competition in the hospital market, if focused on promoting HMOs, are not likely to produce cost-containing results quickly.

Incidence of Norovirus and Other Viral Pathogens That Cause Acute Gastroenteritis (AGE) among Kaiser Permanente Member Populations in the United States, 2012–2013

Science.gov (United States)

Grytdal, Scott P.; Biggs, Christianne; Cameron, Miriam; Schmidt, Mark; Parashar, Umesh D.; Hall, Aron J.

2016-01-01

Noroviruses and other viral pathogens are increasingly recognized as frequent causes of acute gastroenteritis (AGE). However, few laboratory-based data are available on the incidence of AGE caused by viral pathogens in the U.S. This study examined stool specimens submitted for routine clinical diagnostics from patients enrolled in Kaiser Permanente (KP) health plans in metro Portland, OR, and the Maryland, District of Columbia, and northern Virginia geographic areas to estimate the incidence of viral enteropathogens in these populations. Over a one-year study period, participating laboratories randomly selected stools submitted for routine clinical diagnostics for inclusion in the study along with accompanying demographic and clinical data. Selected stools were tested for norovirus, rotavirus, sapovirus, and astrovirus using standardized real-time RT-PCR protocols. Each KP site provided administrative data which were used in conjunction with previously published data on healthcare utilization to extrapolate pathogen detection rates into population-based incidence rates. A total of 1,099 specimens collected during August 2012 to September 2013 were included. Mean age of patients providing stool specimens was 46 years (range: 0–98 years). Noroviruses were the most common viral pathogen identified among patients with AGE (n = 63 specimens, 6% of specimens tested). In addition, 22 (2%) of specimens were positive for rotavirus; 19 (2%) were positive for sapovirus; and 7 (1%) were positive for astrovirus. Incidence of norovirus-associated outpatient visits was 5.6 per 1,000 person-years; incidence of norovirus disease in the community was estimated to be 69.5 per 1,000 person-years. Norovirus incidence was highest among children incidence = 25.6 per 1,000 person-years; community incidence = 152.2 per 1,000 person-years), followed by older adults aged >65 years (outpatient incidence = 7.8 per 1,000 person-years; community incidence = 75.8 per 1,000 person

Market and plan characteristics related to HMO quality and improvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Scanlon, Dennis P; Swaminathan, Shailender; Chernew, Michael; Lee, Woolton

2006-12-01

Existing research on health plan performance examines whether variation in plans' scores is related to enrollee and health plan traits, primarily using cross-sectional research designs. This study extends that literature by incorporating data on market characteristics using a longitudinal framework. We estimate multivariate growth models that relate plan performance on standard measures to market and HMO characteristics using an unbalanced panel of data for 1998 to 2002. We find that HMO competition is not associated with better performance or greater rates of improvement in performance on the HEDIS chronic care measures. HMO penetration, on the other hand, is positively associated with HEDIS performance in several of the chronic care process-and-outcomes measures but not with a greater rate of improvement through time. Our analysis indicates that a significant percentage of the unexplained variation in quality improvement is because of permanent, unobserved plan-level characteristics that future research should strive to identify.

Trends in hospital cost and revenue, 1994-2005: how are they related to HMO penetration, concentration, and for-profit ownership?

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Yu-Chu; Wu, Vivian Y; Melnick, Glenn

2010-02-01

Analyze trends in hospital cost and revenue, as well as price and quantity (1994-2005) as a function of health maintenance organization (HMO) penetration, HMO concentration, and for-profit (FP) HMO market share. Medicare hospital cost reports, AHA Annual Surveys, HMO data from Interstudy, and other supplemental data. A retrospective study of all short-term, general, nonfederal hospitals in metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) in the United States from 1994 to 2005, using hospital/MSA fixed-effects translog regression models. A 10 percentage point increase in HMO enrollment is associated with 4.1-4.2 percent reduction in costs and revenues in the pre-2000 period but only a 2.1-2.5 percent reduction in the post-2000 period. Hospital revenue in HMO-dominant markets (highly concentrated HMO market and competitive hospital market) is 19-27 percent lower than other types of markets, and the difference is most likely due mainly to lower prices and to a lesser extent lower utilization. The historical difference of lower spending in high HMO penetration markets compared with low HMO markets narrowed after 2000 and the relative concentration between HMO and hospital markets can substantially influence hospital spending. Additional research is needed to understand how different aspects of these two markets have changed and interacted and how they are causally linked to spending trends.

HMO penetration and physicians' earnings.

Science.gov (United States)

Hadley, J; Mitchell, J M

1999-11-01

The goal of this study is to estimate whether cross-sectional variations in enrollment in health maintenance organizations (HMOs) affected physicians' earnings and hourly income in 1990. Using data from a nationally representative sample of 4,577 younger physicians (penetration is endogenous and used the instrumental variables approach to obtain unbiased estimates. HMO penetration had a negative and statistically significant impact on physicians earnings in 1990. A doubling of the average level of HMO penetration in the market is estimated to reduce annual earnings by 7% to 10.7%, and hourly earnings by approximately 6% to 9%. It appears that HMOs were successful in reducing physicians' annual and per hour earnings in 1990, presumably through a combination of fewer visits and lower payment rates for people covered by HMOs. Although these results cannot be generalized to all physicians, the experience of a younger cohort of physicians may still be a good indicator of the future effects of HMOs because younger physicians may be more susceptible to market forces than older and more established physicians. Moreover, these results may be somewhat conservative because they reflect market behavior in 1990, several years before the rapid growth and more aggressive market behavior of HMOs in recent years.

Educação Permanente em Saúde no Brasil: educação ou gerenciamento permanente?

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Cristiane Lopes Simão Lemos

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Resumo O objetivo do estudo foi analisar a concepção e os fundamentos da Educação Permanente em Saúde (EPS constante da Política Nacional de Educação Permanente em Saúde (PNEPS no Brasil. A metodologia baseou-se na análise de documentos do Ministério da Saúde e de artigos científicos relacionados. Constatou-se que a concepção da EPS na PNEPS transcende um significado pedagógico, respondendo a um processo de reestruturação dos serviços diante das novas demandas do modelo. Justamente no momento em que o trabalho se encontra cada vez mais instável e precarizado, o Ministério da Saúde apresenta um discurso sobre uma gestão inovadora, dando centralidade à questão da EPS. A ideia não é de educação permanente, mas de gerenciamento permanente. Ao contrário de um instrumento de transformação radical, a EPS converte-se em uma ideologia que seduz pela sua aparência de novidade pedagógica.

Trends in Hospital Cost and Revenue, 1994–2005: How Are They Related to HMO Penetration, Concentration, and For-Profit Ownership?

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Yu-Chu; Wu, Vivian Y; Melnick, Glenn

2010-01-01

Objective Analyze trends in hospital cost and revenue, as well as price and quantity (1994–2005) as a function of health maintenance organization (HMO) penetration, HMO concentration, and for-profit (FP) HMO market share. Data Medicare hospital cost reports, AHA Annual Surveys, HMO data from Interstudy, and other supplemental data. Study Design A retrospective study of all short-term, general, nonfederal hospitals in metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) in the United States from 1994 to 2005, using hospital/MSA fixed-effects translog regression models. Principal Findings A 10 percentage point increase in HMO enrollment is associated with 4.1–4.2 percent reduction in costs and revenues in the pre-2000 period but only a 2.1–2.5 percent reduction in the post-2000 period. Hospital revenue in HMO-dominant markets (highly concentrated HMO market and competitive hospital market) is 19–27 percent lower than other types of markets, and the difference is most likely due mainly to lower prices and to a lesser extent lower utilization. Conclusions The historical difference of lower spending in high HMO penetration markets compared with low HMO markets narrowed after 2000 and the relative concentration between HMO and hospital markets can substantially influence hospital spending. Additional research is needed to understand how different aspects of these two markets have changed and interacted and how they are causally linked to spending trends. PMID:19840134

A longitudinal study of adult-onset asthma incidence among HMO members.

Science.gov (United States)

Sama, Susan R; Hunt, Phillip R; Cirillo, C I H Priscilla; Marx, Arminda; Rosiello, Richard A; Henneberger, Paul K; Milton, Donald K

2003-08-07

HMO databases offer an opportunity for community based epidemiologic studies of asthma incidence, etiology and treatment. The incidence of asthma in HMO populations and the utility of HMO data, including use of computerized algorithms and manual review of medical charts for determining etiologic factors has not been fully explored. We identified adult-onset asthma, using computerized record searches in a New England HMO. Monthly, our software applied exclusion and inclusion criteria to identify an "at-risk" population and "potential cases". Electronic and paper medical records from the past year were then reviewed for each potential case. Persons with other respiratory diseases or insignificant treatment for asthma were excluded. Confirmed adult-onset asthma (AOA) cases were defined as those potential cases with either new-onset asthma or reactivated mild intermittent asthma that had been quiescent for at least one year. We validated the methods by reviewing charts of selected subjects rejected by the algorithm. The algorithm was 93 to 99.3% sensitive and 99.6% specific. Sixty-three percent (n = 469) of potential cases were confirmed as AOA. Two thirds of confirmed cases were women with an average age of 34.8 (SD 11.8), and 45% had no evidence of previous asthma diagnosis. The annualized monthly rate of AOA ranged from 4.1 to 11.4 per 1000 at-risk members. Physicians most commonly attribute asthma to infection (59%) and allergy (14%). New-onset cases were more likely attributed to infection, while reactivated cases were more associated with allergies. Medical charts included a discussion of work exposures in relation to asthma in only 32 (7%) cases. Twenty-three of these (72%) indicated there was an association between asthma and workplace exposures for an overall rate of work-related asthma of 4.9%. Computerized HMO records can be successfully used to identify AOA. Manual review of these records is important to confirm case status and is useful in evaluation of

The impact of HMO competition on private health insurance premiums, 1985-1992.

Science.gov (United States)

Wickizer, T M; Feldstein, P J

1995-01-01

A critical unresolved health policy question is whether competition stimulated by managed care organizations can slow the rate of growth in health care expenditures. We analyzed the competitive effects of health maintenance organizations (HMOs) on the growth in fee-for-service indemnity insurance premiums over the period 1985-1992 using premium data on 95 groups that had policies with a single, large, private insurance carrier. We used multiple regressions to estimate the effect of HMO market penetration on insurance premium growth rates. HMO penetration had a statistically significant (p market whose HMO penetration rate increased by 25% (e.g., from 10% to 12.5%), the real rate of growth in premiums would be approximately 5.9% instead of 7.0%. Our findings indicate that competitive strategies, relying on managed care, have significant potential to reduce health insurance premium growth rates, thereby resulting in substantial cost savings over time.

Hydrous manganese oxide-polyacrylonitrile (HMO-PAN) composite for the treatment of radioactive laundry wastewater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanghwa Oh; Won Sik Shin; Sang-June Choi

2015-01-01

Hydrous manganese oxide-polyacrylonitrile (HMO-PAN) composite was applied for the removal of Co 2+ , Sr 2+ and Cs + from radioactive laundry wastewater. Single- and multi-solute competitive sorptions onto HMO-PAN were investigated. The maximum sorption capacity was in the order of Co 2+ (0.573) > Cs + (0.551) > Sr 2+ (0.310 mmol g -1 ). Sorption of the metals occurred via physical adsorption due to weak van der Waals force and ion exchange with Mn 2+ in HMO-PAN. Sorption behaviors were not related to the types of the surfactants. Among the tested surfactants, SDBS and SOBS remarkably increased the distribution coefficient of Co 2+ and Sr 2+ , respectively. (author)

Pre-Enrollment Reimbursement Patterns of Medicare Beneficiaries Enrolled in “At-Risk” HMOs

Science.gov (United States)

Eggers, Paul W.; Prihoda, Ronald

1982-01-01

The Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) has initiated several demonstration projects to encourage HMOs to participate in the Medicare program under a risk mechanism. These demonstrations are designed to test innovative marketing techniques, benefit packages, and reimbursement levels. HCFA's current method for prospective payments to HMOs is based on the Adjusted Average Per Capita Cost (AAPCC). An important issue in prospective reimbursement is the extent to which the AAPCC adequately reflects the risk factors which arise out of the selection process of Medicare beneficiaries into HMOs. This study examines the pre-enrollment reimbursement experience of Medicare beneficiaries who enrolled in the demonstration HMOs to determine whether or not a non-random selection process took place. The three demonstration HMOs included in the study are the Fallon Community Health Plan, the Greater Marshfield Community Health Plan, and the Kaiser-Permanente medical program of Portland, Oregon. The study includes 18,085 aged Medicare beneficiaries who had enrolled in the three plans as of April, 1981. We included comparison groups consisting of a 5 percent random sample of aged Medicare beneficiaries (N = 11,240) living in the same geographic areas as the control groups. The study compares the groups by total Medicare reimbursements for the years 1976 through 1979. Adjustments were made for AAPCC factor differences in the groups (age, sex, institutional status, and welfare status). In two of the HMO areas there was evidence of a selection process among the HMOs enrollees. Enrollees in the Fallon and Kaiser health plans were found to have had 20 percent lower Medicare reimbursements than their respective comparison groups in the four years prior to enrollment. This effect was strongest for inpatient services, but a significant difference also existed for use of physician and outpatient services. In the Marshfield HMO there was no statistically significant difference in pre

A new class of weight and WA systems of the Kravchenko-Kaiser functions

Science.gov (United States)

Kravchenko, V. F.; Pustovoit, V. I.; Churikov, D. V.

2014-05-01

A new class of weight and WA-systems of the Kravchenko-Kaiser functions which showed its efficiency in various physical applications is proposed and substantiated. This publication consists of three parts. In the first the Kravchenko-Kaiser weight functions are constructed on basis of the theory of atomic functions (AFs) and the Kaiser windows for the first time. In the second part new constructions of analytic WA-systems of the Kravchenko-Kaiser functions are costructed. In the third part their applications to problems of weight averaging of the difference frequency signals are considered. The numerical experiment and the physical analysis of the results for concrete physical models confirmed their efficiency. This class of functions can find wide physical applications in problems of digital signal processing, restoration of images, radar, radiometry, radio astronomy, remote sensing, etc.

A longitudinal study of adult-onset asthma incidence among HMO members

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rosiello Richard A

2003-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background HMO databases offer an opportunity for community based epidemiologic studies of asthma incidence, etiology and treatment. The incidence of asthma in HMO populations and the utility of HMO data, including use of computerized algorithms and manual review of medical charts for determining etiologic factors has not been fully explored. Methods We identified adult-onset asthma, using computerized record searches in a New England HMO. Monthly, our software applied exclusion and inclusion criteria to identify an "at-risk" population and "potential cases". Electronic and paper medical records from the past year were then reviewed for each potential case. Persons with other respiratory diseases or insignificant treatment for asthma were excluded. Confirmed adult-onset asthma (AOA cases were defined as those potential cases with either new-onset asthma or reactivated mild intermittent asthma that had been quiescent for at least one year. We validated the methods by reviewing charts of selected subjects rejected by the algorithm. Results The algorithm was 93 to 99.3% sensitive and 99.6% specific. Sixty-three percent (n = 469 of potential cases were confirmed as AOA. Two thirds of confirmed cases were women with an average age of 34.8 (SD 11.8, and 45% had no evidence of previous asthma diagnosis. The annualized monthly rate of AOA ranged from 4.1 to 11.4 per 1000 at-risk members. Physicians most commonly attribute asthma to infection (59% and allergy (14%. New-onset cases were more likely attributed to infection, while reactivated cases were more associated with allergies. Medical charts included a discussion of work exposures in relation to asthma in only 32 (7% cases. Twenty-three of these (72% indicated there was an association between asthma and workplace exposures for an overall rate of work-related asthma of 4.9%. Conclusion Computerized HMO records can be successfully used to identify AOA. Manual review of these records is

A physician role typology: colleague and client dependence in an HMO.

Science.gov (United States)

Barr, J K; Steinberg, M K

1985-01-01

This paper reports on physicians' role definitions in one prepaid group practice, a health maintenance organization (HMO). Colleague and client dependence are reviewed and analyzed as separable dimensions of physician role definitions. Data are derived from documents, interviews, and staff questionnaires collected in 1979-1980. The evidence reported suggests widespread colleague dependence in the HMO. Physicians consulted with one another about patient care and engaged in informal referral and review, developing practice standards; and some of these physicians relied on colleagues for handling their patient visits when needed. In relation to their patients, some physicians viewed themselves as bureaucratic officials relatively dependent on client approval in carrying out their health care activities, while others saw themselves as trusted medical experts in a setting free of nonmedical constraints in patient care. The relationship of organizational structure to these different role definitions is discussed. Classifying these HMO physicians according to a fourfold typology of professional dependence shows that most are Organizational Physicians (Type I), who are both colleague and client dependent. Collegial Physicians (Type II) are colleague dependent and, at the same time, do not perceive clients as demanding. Implications for quality of care and physician satisfaction and turnover are considered.

Effects of HMO market penetration on physicians' work effort and satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Hadley, J; Mitchell, J M

1997-01-01

We investigate whether geographic variations in health maintenance organization (HMO) market penetration are associated with three aspects of physicians' practices: number of hours worked per year, number of patients seen per week, and satisfaction with the current practice. Based on multivariate regression analysis of data for 4,373 patient care physicians (under age forty-five) from a national random sample surveyed in 1991, we estimate that a doubling of the average level of HMO penetration is associated with statistically significant differences of 4 percent fewer annual hours, 13.7 percent fewer patients seen per week, and a 20 percent greater likelihood of not being very satisfied with one's current practice.

Optimized Kaiser-Bessel Window Functions for Computed Tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Nilchian, Masih; Ward, John Paul; Vonesch, Cedric; Unser, Michael

2015-11-01

Kaiser-Bessel window functions are frequently used to discretize tomographic problems because they have two desirable properties: 1) their short support leads to a low computational cost and 2) their rotational symmetry makes their imaging transform independent of the direction. In this paper, we aim at optimizing the parameters of these basis functions. We present a formalism based on the theory of approximation and point out the importance of the partition-of-unity condition. While we prove that, for compact-support functions, this condition is incompatible with isotropy, we show that minimizing the deviation from the partition of unity condition is highly beneficial. The numerical results confirm that the proposed tuning of the Kaiser-Bessel window functions yields the best performance.

The Kaiser Wilhelm Society under National Socialism

CERN Document Server

Sachse, Carola; Walker, Mark

2009-01-01

During the first part of the twentieth century, German science led the world. The most important scientific institution in Germany was the Kaiser Wilhelm Society, including institutes devoted to different fields of scientific research. These researchers were not burdened by teaching obligations and enjoyed excellent financial and material support. When the National Socialists came to power in Germany, all of German society, including science, was affected. The picture that previously dominated our understanding of science under National Socialism from the end of the Second World War to the recent past - a picture of leading Nazis ignorant and unappreciative of modern science and of scientists struggling to resist the Nazis - needs to be revised. This book surveys the history of Kaiser Wilhelm Institutes under Hitler, illustrating definitively the cooperation, if not collaboration, between scientists and National Socialists in order to further the goals of autarky, racial hygiene, war, and genocide.

Exposure to Mobile Source Air Pollution in Early-life and Childhood Asthma Incidence: The Kaiser Air Pollution and Pediatric Asthma Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Pennington, Audrey Flak; Strickland, Matthew J; Klein, Mitchel; Zhai, Xinxin; Bates, Josephine T; Drews-Botsch, Carolyn; Hansen, Craig; Russell, Armistead G; Tolbert, Paige E; Darrow, Lyndsey A

2018-01-01

Early-life exposure to traffic-related air pollution exacerbates childhood asthma, but it is unclear what role it plays in asthma development. The association between exposure to primary mobile source pollutants during pregnancy and during infancy and asthma incidence by ages 2 through 6 was examined in the Kaiser Air Pollution and Pediatric Asthma Study, a racially diverse birth cohort of 24,608 children born between 2000 and 2010 and insured by Kaiser Permanente Georgia. We estimated concentrations of mobile source fine particulate matter (PM2.5, µg/m), nitrogen oxides (NOX, ppb), and carbon monoxide (CO, ppm) at the maternal and child residence using a Research LINE source dispersion model for near-surface releases. Asthma was defined using diagnoses and medication dispensings from medical records. We used binomial generalized linear regression to model the impact of exposure continuously and by quintiles on asthma risk. Controlling for covariates and modeling log-transformed exposure, a 2.7-fold increase in first year of life PM2.5 was associated with an absolute 4.1% (95% confidence interval, 1.6%, 6.6%) increase in risk of asthma by age 5. Quintile analysis showed an increase in risk from the first to second quintile, but similar risk across quintiles 2-5. Risk differences increased with follow-up age. Results were similar for NOX and CO and for exposure during pregnancy and the first year of life owing to high correlation. Results provide limited evidence for an association of early-life mobile source air pollution with childhood asthma incidence with a steeper concentration-response relationship observed at lower levels of exposure.

Measuring integrated care.

Science.gov (United States)

Strandberg-Larsen, Martin

2011-02-01

The positive outcomes of coordination of healthcare services are to an increasing extent becoming clear. However the complexity of the field is an inhibiting factor for vigorously designed trial studies. Conceptual clarity and a consistent theoretical frame-work are thus needed. While researchers respond to these needs, patients and providers face the multiple challenges of today's healthcare environment. Decision makers, planners and managers need evidence based policy options and information on the scope of the integrated care challenges they are facing. The US managed care organization Kaiser Permanente has been put forward as an example for European healthcare systems to follow, although the evidence base is far from conclusive. The thesis has five objectives: 1) To contribute to the understanding of the concept of integration in healthcare systems and to identify measurement methods to capture the multi-dimensional aspects of integrated healthcare delivery. 2) To assess the level of integration of the Danish healthcare system. 3) To assess the use of joint health plans as a tool for coordination between the regional and local level in the Danish healthcare system. 4) To compare the inputs and performance of the Danish healthcare system and the managed care organization Kaiser Permanente, California, US. 5) To compare primary care clinicians' perception of clinical integration in two healthcare systems: Kaiser Permanente, Northern California and the Danish healthcare system. Further to examine the associations between specific organizational factors and clinical integration within each system. The literature was systematically searched to identify methods for measurement of integrated healthcare delivery. A national cross-sectional survey was conducted among major professional stake-holders at five different levels of the Danish healthcare system. The survey data were used to allow for analysis of the level of integration achieved. Data from the survey were

Properties and simulation of α-permanental random fields

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, Jesper; Rubak, Ege Holger

An α-permanental random field is briefly speaking a model for a collection of random variables with positive associations, where α is a positive number and the probability generating function is given in terms of a covariance or more general function so that density and moment expressions are given...... by certain α-permanents. Though such models possess many appealing probabilistic properties, many statisticians seem unaware of  α-permanental random fields and their potential applications. The purpose of this paper is first to summarize useful probabilistic results using the simplest possible setting......, and second to study stochastic constructions and simulation techniques, which should provide a useful basis for discussing the statistical aspects in future work. The paper also discusses some examples of  α-permanental random fields....

75 FR 61246 - Kaiser Federal Financial Group, Inc., Covina, CA; Approval of Conversion Application

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-04

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Office of Thrift Supervision [AC-51: OTS No. H-4729] Kaiser Federal... September 28, 2010, the Office of Thrift Supervision approved the application of K-Fed Mutual Holding Company and Kaiser Federal Bank, Covina, California, to convert to the stock form of organization. Copies...

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Merriam, KS, 05/04/2012) Colorectal Cancer Laparoscopic Right Colectomy ... Incontinence Advanced Procedures in Male Incontinence: The Male Sling (Kaiser Permanente San Diego ...

Medicaid HMO penetration and its mix: did increased penetration affect physician participation in urban markets?

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, E Kathleen; Herring, Bradley

2008-02-01

To use changes in Medicaid health maintenance organization (HMO) penetration across markets over time to test for effects on the extent of Medicaid participation among physicians and to test for differences in the effects of increased use of commercial versus Medicaid-dominant plans within the market. The nationally representative Community Tracking Study's Physician Survey for three periods (1996-1997, 1998-1999, and 2000-2001) on 29,866 physicians combined with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and InterStudy data. Market-level estimates of Medicaid HMO penetration are used to test for (1) any participation in Medicaid and (2) the degree to which physicians have an "open" (i.e., nonlimited) practice accepting new Medicaid patients. Models account for physician, firm, and local characteristics, Medicaid relative payment levels adjusted for geographic variation in practice costs, and market-level fixed effects. There is a positive effect of increases in commercial Medicaid HMO penetration on the odds of accepting new Medicaid patients among all physicians, and in particular, among office-based physicians. In contrast, there is no effect, positive or negative, from expanding the penetration of Medicaid-dominant HMO plans within the market. Increases in cost-adjusted Medicaid fees, relative to Medicare levels, were associated with increases in the odds of participation and of physicians having an "open" Medicaid practice. Provider characteristics that consistently lower participation among all physicians include being older, board certified, a U.S. graduate and a solo practitioner. The effects of Medicaid HMO penetration on physician participation vary by the type of plan. If states are able to attract and retain commercial plans, participation by office-based physicians is likely to increase in a way that opens existing practices to more new Medicaid patients. Other policy variables that affect participation include the presence of a federally

La formación permanente del profesorado en entornos virtuales de aprendizaje

OpenAIRE

Sonia Mª SANTOVEÑA CASAL

2012-01-01

La educación permanente nos permite adaptarnos a las exigencias sociales y a las demandas de la sociedad del conocimiento. En este contexto se hace imprescindible una formación permanente con apoyo de entornos virtuales de aprendizaje de calidad. El objetivo principal de esta investigación es el estudio de la calidad de los cursos virtuales destinados a la formación del profesorado desde diferentes instituciones públicas. La muestra está formada por cuatro cursos de formación permanente desti...

Experimental study on the Kaiser effect of AE under multiaxial loading in granite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, Hidehiko; Hiroi, Takehiro

2012-01-01

Knowledge of the in-situ stresses is essential for underground excavation design, particularly in evaluating stability of excavation. Acoustic Emission method, which utilizes the Kaiser effect, is one of the simple methods for measuring in-situ stresses. Experiments on the Kaiser effect has been carried out under uniaxial compression and triaxial compression (σ 1 > σ 2 = σ 3 ), but has not been carried out under the three different principal stresses (σ 1 > σ 2 > σ 3 ). In this study, we performed two experiments on the Kaiser effect under multiaxial loading, using a hollow cylindrical granite specimen. The rapidly increasing point of cumulative AE event count was determined as the peak point of AE event count rate increment (AERI). The main results are summarized as follows. (1) In the case of the cyclic incremental σ 1 loading under σ 2 ≠σ 3 , the large peak point of AERI appeared just before the pre-stress level. And as more stresses prior to just before the peak point were estimated, the estimated error showed a tendency to increase. (2) In the case of re-loading under the lower σ 2 and σ 3 more than pre-loading, the estimated stresses using the three peak points of AERI corresponded to the pre-differential stresses (σ 1 -σ 2 ), (σ 1 -σ 3 ) and pre-axial stress σ 1 . The magnitudes of the three principal stresses were estimated under multiaxial loading from the Kaiser effect, using only one specimen. (author)

Intersection local times, loop soups and permanental Wick powers

CERN Document Server

Jan, Yves Le; Rosen, Jay

2017-01-01

Several stochastic processes related to transient Lévy processes with potential densities u(x,y)=u(y-x), that need not be symmetric nor bounded on the diagonal, are defined and studied. They are real valued processes on a space of measures \\mathcal{V} endowed with a metric d. Sufficient conditions are obtained for the continuity of these processes on (\\mathcal{V},d). The processes include n-fold self-intersection local times of transient Lévy processes and permanental chaoses, which are `loop soup n-fold self-intersection local times' constructed from the loop soup of the Lévy process. Loop soups are also used to define permanental Wick powers, which generalizes standard Wick powers, a class of n-th order Gaussian chaoses. Dynkin type isomorphism theorems are obtained that relate the various processes. Poisson chaos processes are defined and permanental Wick powers are shown to have a Poisson chaos decomposition. Additional properties of Poisson chaos processes are studied and a martingale extension is obt...

Um teste direto da teoria de renda permanente: o caso brasileiro

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fábio Augusto Reis Gomes

2012-01-01

Full Text Available O presente artigo busca averiguar se a teoria da renda permanente (TRP é capaz de explicar a evolução do consumo no Brasil através de um teste direto com base em revisões de consumo induzidas por inovações na renda. De acordo com a TRP, o consumo reage às mudanças na renda na medida em que a renda corrente contem informação sobre a renda permanente. Para mensurar esta relação, foi estimado um modelo ARIMA (p,1,q para a renda corrente e, como resultado, foi possível verificar se as revisões de consumo e renda permanente se assemelham. Por fim, a TRP foi rejeitada.

The effect of practitioner compensation on HMO consumer satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Scoggins, John F

2002-04-01

To test the hypothesis that a health maintenance organization (HMO) consumer's satisfaction depends on the way his or her health plan compensates practitioners. Consumer Assessment of Health Plans (CAHPS) survey data from 1999 and 2000 were provided by the Office of Public Insurance Counsel for the state of Texas. These data were combined with the Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set (HEDIS) quality measures of managed care health plans in Texas published by the Texas Health Care Information Council. The study fitted the CAHPS survey data to an ordered-probit model. The dependent variable was customer satisfaction with the health plan, using a rating scale from 0-10. The independent variables included the percentage of health plan practitioners compensated with capitated fees, the percentage compensated with a bonus or withholding incentive, and other health plan and consumer characteristics. Consumer satisfaction with HMOs is negatively correlated with the percentage of practitioners who are compensated on a capitated-fee basis and positively correlated with the percentage of practitioners compensated with a fee-withholding incentive (e.g., a fraction of fees that are withheld until specific quality and cost-control goals are reached). Neither the percentage compensated under a bonus incentive system nor the percentage of general practitioners with board certification correlated with HMO consumer satisfaction. A managed health plan's method of practitioner compensation can affect participant satisfaction in a predictable manner.

Strategic marketing applications of conjoint analysis: an HMO perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosko, M D; DeVita, M; McKenna, W F; Walker, L R

1985-01-01

The purpose of this article is to demonstrate how data from a conjoint analysis study can be used to help determine the most appropriate marketing mix for an operational HMO which is entering a new market--the geriatric population. Included are two features which are absent in previous articles on health care applications of conjoint analysis: external validation of results, and a demonstration of how conjoint analysis can be used to simulate market responses to changes in the provider's marketing mix.

La educación permanente y las plataformas web en España

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Medina, Beatriz

2014-04-01

Full Text Available La Educación Permanente en España, actualmente disfrutando de una etapa de consolidación, está haciéndose eco de las novedades educativas relacionadas con las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación. En este sentido, realizamos un estudio con el objetivo de conocer la presencia de la Educación Permanente en internet y su oferta formativa, para lograrlo utilizamos la metodología comparada. Las distintas administraciones competentes ofrecen una variada oferta de recursos en plataformas web para hacer más accesible la Educación Permanente. Entre los principales hallazgos tenemos que todas las comunidades y ciudades autónomas del país poseen páginas o portales web dirigidos a las personas adultas que se encuentran en esta etapa del sistema educativo español, excepto Baleares; solo la comunidad autónoma Andalucía tiene un portal exclusivo para la Educación Permanente.

EDUCACIÓN PERMANENTE EN SERVICIO DE FORMACIÓN DE PROFESIONALES DE ENFERMERÍA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rosa Gomes Ferreira

2015-12-01

Full Text Available A formação é um processo contínuo e deve estar presente no cotidiano de trabalho e para tal, surge a educação permanente, como pactuação teoria-prática. Nossos objetivos são o de descrever as práticas educativas em saúde, enfatizando a educação permanente e analisar os contrapontos e intersecções à efetividade da assistência, mediante a prática de educação permanente. Estudo qualitativo, descritivo, exploratório. O estudo aponta que a educação permanente emerge como ferramenta capaz de despertar desejo, no trabalhador, em discutir e refletir acerca da prática. No entanto, todas as práticas educativas, tal como a educação continuada, tem valor e penetrância no campo do trabalho.  DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12957/sustinere.2015.18127

Le tecnologie mobili dell’apprendimento permanente, il progetto MOTILL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Arrigo

2013-03-01

Full Text Available In questo articolo vengono presentati alcuni dei risultati del progetto MOTILL. MOTILL, ovvero «Le Tecnologie Mobili nell’apprendimento permanente: buone pratiche», è un progetto finanziato dalla Comunità Europea, nell’ambito del National Lifelong Learning Strategies (NLLS. Il progetto, durato un anno e terminato a Marzo 2010, si è focalizzato sull’uso delle tecnologie mobili in contesti di lifelong learning (LLL. L’articolo sarà dedicato a una breve introduzione del progetto, dei suoi obiettivi e delle azioni portate avanti, e a un rapido riassunto dei principali risultati ottenuti, i quali sono stati resi disponibili online alla comunità scientifica e diffusi ai policy makers impegnati nei programmi di apprendimento permanente.

Las enfermedades neoplásicas como causa de la incapacidad permanente

OpenAIRE

Ares Camerino, A.; Sainz Vera, B.; Marchena Aparicio, J.C.; Soto Pino, M.L.

2008-01-01

El cáncer es la primera causa de mortalidad en hombres y la segunda en mujeres, tras las enfermedades cardiovasculares. Desde el punto de vista económico, los costes atribuibles a las enfermedades neoplásicas son principalmente indirectos (pérdida de productividad asociada a la mortalidad o a la incapacidad permanente). Analizando las incapacidades permanentes producidas en la Diputación Provincial de Cádiz en el período 1990-2005, que fueron un total de 208, se concluye, por orden de frecuen...

Model citizens. Outsourcing helps start-up Medicare HMO.

Science.gov (United States)

Slavic, B; Adami, S

1999-04-01

Health Plans of Pennsylvania (HPP), the managed care arm of Crozer-Keystone Health System, in Media, Pa. Selecting the information systems and building the infrastructure to support the start-up of a new Medicare HMO product. HPP chose to outsource the information systems needed to integrate all the components of managed care administration into a cost-effective and cohesive program. Because of its aggressive programming and start-up of the MedCarePlus product offering, HPP became the first plan in the country to submit Medicare claims data electronically for encounter reporting to the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA). "Through an integrated team approach, an organization truly can benefit from the economies of scale gained through outsourcing."

Treatment changes in patients with psoriasis on etanercept or adalimumab

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lee, Erica B; Amin, Mina; Egeberg, Alexander

2018-01-01

PURPOSE: To determine the frequency of and reasons for treatment changes in patients with psoriasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review of 140 patients with psoriasis treated with adalimumab or etanercept seen at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center between September 20, ...

TPMG Northern California appointments and advice call center.

Science.gov (United States)

Conolly, Patricia; Levine, Leslie; Amaral, Debra J; Fireman, Bruce H; Driscoll, Tom

2005-08-01

Kaiser Permanente (KP) has been developing its use of call centers as a way to provide an expansive set of healthcare services to KP members efficiently and cost effectively. Since 1995, when The Permanente Medical Group (TPMG) began to consolidate primary care phone services into three physical call centers, the TPMG Appointments and Advice Call Center (AACC) has become the "front office" for primary care services across approximately 89% of Northern California. The AACC provides primary care phone service for approximately 3 million Kaiser Foundation Health Plan members in Northern California and responds to approximately 1 million calls per month across the three AACC sites. A database records each caller's identity as well as the day, time, and duration of each call; reason for calling; services provided to callers as a result of calls; and clinical outcomes of calls. We here summarize this information for the period 2000 through 2003.

‘God is groot en wij begrijpen Hem niet’: Kaisers populaire sterrenkunde en het einde van de fysiko-theologie

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frans van Lunteren

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Frederik Kaiser, popular astronomy, and the decline of natural theologyThroughout his remarkable career the Leiden astronomer Frederik Kaiser (1808-1872 struggled to revive Dutch astronomy, which at the time was rather moribund. His efforts comprised mobilizing public support through popularization. In spite of a lack of illustrations, his popular Starry Sky (1844 proved immensely successful with the general public. This work differed in many respects from earlier Dutch popular writings, and helped to establish the new genre of popular science. Kaiser enunciated his idiosyncratic views on popularization in a lecture which he later published as a brochure. Whereas his research reflects the shift from the dilettante to the professional scientist in being focussed on precision measurement, his popular work likewise testified to the transition from natural philosophy to modern science. Charged with the task of composing a natural theological work on astronomy, the deeply religious Kaiser, wriggled his way through the text. Feeling unable to advance the usual arguments, he finally found refuge in the book of Job: 'Behold, God is great and we know him not'. Arguably, the rise of popular science and the decline of natural theology were intimately connected.

Pathways: improving outcomes, not just 'cookbook medicine'.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Malley, S

1997-04-01

A Kaiser Permanente medical director cites four benefits to be derived from using clinical guidelines: better outcomes, faster patient recovery, reduced costs, and increased physician accountability. And, he notes, physicians are free to deviate from the guidelines--so long as they can justify their actions.

Review of HIV Pre exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and example of HIV PrEP Toolkit

Science.gov (United States)

2017-08-28

at Initiation of Sexual Activity Correct & Consistent Condom Use Prevention of mother-to- child transmission July 16, 2012: FDA approves...Okulicz JF, Medicine 2016 PrEP Utilization in a Managed Care System (Kaiser Permanente) 1200 ~ 1045 1000 . 800 600 . 400 200 0 835 657 0

HMO innovations. Video-enhanced medical advice; senior zoo walkers; Group Health Resource Line; enhancing health education programs through desktop publishing; home health beat; innovative school health partnership.

Science.gov (United States)

Paperny, D M; Maeser, J D; Artz, K; Stroh, M J; Jackson, L; Cohen, K; Lancaster, M S; Heyer, A L; Clevenson, D S

1991-01-01

The editors of HMO PRACTICE asked clinicians and health educators in HMOs across the country to submit reports on their unique, successful patient education programs. The following HMO Innovations testify to the wide range of new technologies, enterprising partnerships, and creative ideas that are shaping health education in HMOs today.

Marketing in the HMO industry: an analysis of spending patterns and enrollment growth results.

Science.gov (United States)

Menges, J J

1988-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to assess the level of marketing spending in the HMO industry and the enrollment growth HMOs have achieved in return for their marketing dollars. This study identifies industry norms that are designed to assist HMOs in the evaluation of their marketing performance. The study is based on data from 1985 to 1986 covering approximately half the HMOs in the country and comprising a substantial proportion of industry-wide enrollment (Table 1). The analyses are designed to allow operational HMOs to compare their marketing efforts, enrollment growth, and marketing costs per new member with industry norms within similar age, model type, enrollment level, and geographic categories. The marketing expenses provided by each HMO are an aggregate figure including sales staff salaries, benefits and commissions, advertising, costs for the production and printing of marketing materials, and all other expenses directly related to the marketing effort. Components of the aggregate marketing expenses, such as the amount spent on advertising versus sales staff compensation, were not available.

Site support program plan for ICF Kaiser Hanford Company, Revision 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-10-01

This document is the general administrative plan implemented by the Hanford Site contractor, ICF Kaiser Hanford Company. It describes the mission, administrative structure, projected staffing, to be provided by the contractor. The report breaks out the work responsibilities within the different units of the company, a baseline schedule for the different groups, and a cost summary for the different operating units.

Site support program plan for ICF Kaiser Hanford Company, Revision 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-10-01

This document is the general administrative plan implemented by the Hanford Site contractor, ICF Kaiser Hanford Company. It describes the mission, administrative structure, projected staffing, to be provided by the contractor. The report breaks out the work responsibilities within the different units of the company, a baseline schedule for the different groups, and a cost summary for the different operating units

EDUCAÇÃO PERMANENTE EM SAÚDE: Reflexões e desafios

OpenAIRE

Palhares Guimarães,Eliane Marina; Haueisen Martin,Sandra; Paolinelli Rabelo,Flávia Cristina

2010-01-01

Este trabalho é resultado de uma reflexão sobre o processo de educação permanente em saúde e na enfermagem. Tem como objetivo apresentar algumas perspectivas e tendências da educação em saúde e na enfermagem, com ênfase em educação permanente. Analisa a importância dos avanços tecnológicos e sua incorporação no processo de ensinar e de aprender. O texto é dividido em três partes, abordando inicialmente as mudanças organizacionais e, conseqüentemente, na educação, decorrentes da incorporação t...

Association between personal health record enrollment and patient loyalty.

Science.gov (United States)

Turley, Marianne; Garrido, Terhilda; Lowenthal, Alex; Zhou, Yi Yvonne

2012-07-01

To examine the association between patient loyalty, as measured by member retention in the health plan, and access to My Health Manager (MHM), Kaiser Permanente's PHR, which is linked to its electronic health record, KP HealthConnect. We conducted a retrospective cohort observational quality improvement project from the third quarter of 2005 to the fourth quarter of 2008 for approximately 394,000 Kaiser Permanente Northwest members. To control for self-selection bias, we used propensity scores to perform exact 1-to-1 matching without replacement between MHM users and nonusers. We estimated retention rates of the matched data and assessed the association between MHM use and retention versus voluntary termination. We also estimated odds ratios of significant variables impacting member retention. The probability of remaining a member or being involuntarily terminated versus voluntary termination was 96.7% for users (95% confidence interval [CI], 96.6%-96.7%) and 92.2% for nonusers (95% CI, 92.1%-92.4%; P loyalty, retention is critical to healthcare organizations.

Comparison of paper and electronic surveys for measuring patient-reported outcomes after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Science.gov (United States)

Bojcic, Jamie L; Sue, Valerie M; Huon, Tomy S; Maletis, Gregory B; Inacio, Maria C S

2014-01-01

This study compared response rates of paper and electronic versions of the Knee injury Osteoarthritis and Outcome Score questionnaire and examined the characteristics of patients who responded to each survey method. A total of 1486 patients registered by the Kaiser Permanente Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Registry between 2005 and 2010 were included in this study. Response rates by survey modality for the overall cohort, by the specific time periods, and by age and sex at time of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction were compared using χ(2) tests or the Fisher exact test when appropriate. Independent Student t tests were used to compare the Knee injury Osteoarthritis and Outcome Scores of survey respondents. The overall survey response rate was 42%. The 36% response rate in the electronic-survey group was significantly higher than the 22% response rate in the paper-survey group (p survey produced higher response rates, it is not sufficient alone to replace the traditional paper version among this Kaiser Permanente population.

Joint Venture Arrangement for RN to BSN: A Model of Synergy between Academia and Service.

Science.gov (United States)

Bargagliotti, L. Antoinette; And Others

1991-01-01

Joint venture among educational and practice institutions is well on its way toward becoming the norm in nursing education and practice. Kaiser Permanente and the University of San Francisco School of Nursing offer a venture that allows registered nurses to pursue a bachelor of science in nursing degree. (JOW)

Crack Identification in CFRP Laminated Beams Using Multi-Resolution Modal Teager–Kaiser Energy under Noisy Environments

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Wei; Cao, Maosen; Ding, Keqin; Radzieński, Maciej; Ostachowicz, Wiesław

2017-01-01

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer laminates are increasingly used in the aerospace and civil engineering fields. Identifying cracks in carbon fiber reinforced polymer laminated beam components is of considerable significance for ensuring the integrity and safety of the whole structures. With the development of high-resolution measurement technologies, mode-shape-based crack identification in such laminated beam components has become an active research focus. Despite its sensitivity to cracks, however, this method is susceptible to noise. To address this deficiency, this study proposes a new concept of multi-resolution modal Teager–Kaiser energy, which is the Teager–Kaiser energy of a mode shape represented in multi-resolution, for identifying cracks in carbon fiber reinforced polymer laminated beams. The efficacy of this concept is analytically demonstrated by identifying cracks in Timoshenko beams with general boundary conditions; and its applicability is validated by diagnosing cracks in a carbon fiber reinforced polymer laminated beam, whose mode shapes are precisely acquired via non-contact measurement using a scanning laser vibrometer. The analytical and experimental results show that multi-resolution modal Teager–Kaiser energy is capable of designating the presence and location of cracks in these beams under noisy environments. This proposed method holds promise for developing crack identification systems for carbon fiber reinforced polymer laminates. PMID:28773016

Educação permanente em enfermagem em um hospital universitário

OpenAIRE

Jesus,Maria Cristina Pinto de; Figueiredo,Mariangela Aparecida Gonçalves; Santos,Sueli Maria dos Reis; Amaral,Arlete Maria Moreira do; Rocha,Letícia de Oliveira; Thiollent,Michel Jean Marie

2011-01-01

A educação permanente enfatiza a interdisciplinaridade da equipe de saúde, focaliza a prática como fonte do conhecimento e coloca o profissional para atuar ativamente no processo educativo. Este estudo objetivou identificar demandas e expectativas, fatores que interferem na qualificação de trabalhadores de enfermagem de um hospital universitário e propor práticas de capacitação na perspectiva da educação permanente. O processo investigativo fundamentado nos princípios da pesquisa-ação foi rea...

Restorative Integral Support (RIS) for Older Adults Experiencing Co-Occurring Disorders

Science.gov (United States)

Larkin, Heather; MacFarland, Nicole S.

2012-01-01

The Restorative Integral Support (RIS) model is a whole person response that assists people to overcome adversity. The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study conducted by Kaiser Permanente and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows the association between stressors in childhood and multiple later-life health and social problems.…

Flexibilidad laboral: ¿fin del trabajo permanente?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carmen Añez Hernández

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Los trabajos transitorios o atípicos, siguen posicionándose y funcionando trastocando la protección del sistema de regulación y protección del trabajo permanente. De ahí, la importancia de reflexionar teóricamente sobre el tema. Para su desarrollo se plantean los siguientes objetivos: demostrar que la flexibilización laboral ha incidido en la ruptura de las relaciones laborales, caracterizar como la subcontratación laboral encubre dichas relaciones, analizar el despido laboral y sus consecuencias en los trabajadores. El artículo se desarrolló teóricamente, especialmente tomando como referencia autores como: Bravo (2010, Quintero (2010, González (2012 De La Garza (2007, Ugarte (2007, entre otros, lo cual permitió analizar la temática abordada. Los resultados reflejan que dicha estrategia está impulsando la agudización de las condiciones precarias de los derechos laborales, con lo cual se está ante un capitalismo irracional, que tiene como propósito que los trabajadores sufraguen los efectos de las pretensiones de los capitalistas por conseguir mayores tasas de ganancia y niveles más altos de productividad. En consecuencia, la flexibilización de las relaciones laborales está destinada a ocultar los derechos de los trabajadores, agudizar el despido laboral, y propiciar el fin de un trabajo permanente.

42 CFR 417.155 - How the HMO option must be included in the health benefits plan.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... printed materials that meet the requirements of § 417.124(b). (ii) Access may not be more restrictive or... benefits plan. 417.155 Section 417.155 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT... Organizations in Employee Health Benefits Plans § 417.155 How the HMO option must be included in the health...

Los entornos personales de aprendizaje en el marco de la educación permanente

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elvira E. Navas

2013-01-01

Full Text Available En este trabajo se presenta un estudio documental sobre el surgimiento, evolución y estado actual de la utilización y desarrollo de los Entornos Personales de Aprendizaje (Personal Learning Environment, PLE en el marco de la Educación Permanente o Aprendizaje para Toda la vida (Lifelong Learning. En primer lugar, se hace una revisión del concepto de Educación Permanente desde la literatura de inicios de siglo XX. A continuación, se procede a estudiar el término PLE, desde sus orígenes hasta la interpretación actual. Se presentan experiencias tanto nacionales como internacionales donde se ejemplifica de forma práctica la utilización de PLE en la educación universitaria. Finalmente, se hace una reflexión de cierre sobre las proyecciones de futuro del uso de los PLE en el marco de la educación permanente.

Agenesia en dentición permanente

OpenAIRE

Beltrán Morera, Jazmín

2009-01-01

Objetivo Determinar la frecuencia de agenesia dental en dentición permanente.Materiales y Métodos Se incluyeron 112 pacientes que acudieron al servicio de imagenología de la Facultad de Odontología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, de enero a julio del 2008, mayores de 13 años, sin extracciones dentales ni síndromes genéticos, a quienes se les tomó ortopantomografía. Se registraron variablessociodemográficas y antecedentes familiares de agenesia dental. Lainformación se procesó en SPS...

Diagnosing the Kaiser: Psychiatry, Wilhelm II and the Question of German War Guilt The William Bynum Prize Essay 2016.

Science.gov (United States)

Freis, David

2018-07-01

After his abdication in November 1918, the German emperor Wilhelm II continued to haunt the minds of his people. With the abolition of the lese-majesty laws in the new republic, many topics that were only discussed privately or obliquely before could now be broached openly. One of these topics was the mental state of the exiled Kaiser. Numerous psychiatrists, physicians and laypeople published their diagnoses of Wilhelm in high-circulation newspaper articles, pamphlets, and books shortly after the end of the war. Whether these diagnoses were accurate and whether the Kaiser really was mentally ill became the issue of a heated debate.This article situates these diagnoses of Wilhelm II in their political context. The authors of these diagnoses - none of whom had met or examined Wilhelm II in person - came from all political camps and they wrote with very different motives in mind. Diagnosing the exiled Kaiser as mentally ill was a kind of exorcism of the Hohenzollern rule, opening the way for either a socialist republic or the hoped-for rule of a new leader. But more importantly, it was a way to discuss and allocate political responsibility and culpability. Psychiatric diagnoses were used to exonerate both the Emperor (for whom the treaty of Versailles provided a tribunal as war criminal) and the German nation. They were also used to blame the Kaiser's entourage and groups that had allegedly manipulated the weak-willed monarch. Medical concepts became a vehicle for a debate on the key political questions in interwar Germany.

Experimental and numerical study of the Kaiser effect in cyclic Brazilian tests with disk rotation

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Lavrov, A

2002-04-01

Full Text Available Sensitivity of the Kaiser effect to the deviations of the directions of sigma(1)-principal stress experienced by rock in Successive loading cycles has an important impact on the application of this effect for stress measurements in rocks. The paper...

La incapacidad permanente y su impacto en el sistema español de Seguridad Social

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

César Luis Gómez Garcillán

Full Text Available Se analizan datos de incapacidad permanente de los últimos años en la seguridad social. Conclusiones: El desglose provincial muestra grandes diferencias a nivel territorial cuyo origen o motivación no se puede determinar actualmente en tanto no se dispone de dos parámetros básicos, el código de diagnóstico de la patología principal determinante de la incapacidad permanente y el código identificativo de la actividad laboral (profesión habitual del interesado que permitirían realizar un análisis fiable de la situación. Entre los factores que podrían incidir de alguna manera en la mayor o menor incidencia de la incapacidad permanente, podemos analizar dos grandes componentes, la población protegida y su composición a nivel de regímenes y la iniciativa en la incoación de los procedimientos. El grupo de provincias con una incidencia más elevada en incapacidad permanente acusa tasas de paro también más elevadas que el grupo con incidencia menor. La tendencia en el número de procedimientos de IP incoados resulta claramente a la baja con una caída de más del 9% en cinco años. El INSS desestima un porcentaje creciente de los mismos, la razón de ese comportamiento no reside en una valoración restrictiva o más exigente por parte de la gestora, sino porque se instruyen menos procesos de incapacidad permanente y porque va tomando mayor protagonismo en la iniciativa de incoación el procedimiento a instancia de parte, cuyo porcentaje de desestimación es el más elevado.

An update on the use of Atripla® in the treatment of HIV in the United States

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael A Horberg

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Michael A Horberg1, Daniel B Klein21HIV Interregional Initiative, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, California, USA; 2Department of Infectious Diseases, Kaiser Permanente Hayward Medical Center, Hayward, California, USAAbstract: Atripla® (Gilead Sciences Inc, Foster City, CA, USA and Bristol-Myers Squibb, New York City, NY, USA is a coformulated single pill composed of efavirenz, emtricitabine, and tenofovir disoproxil, intended as a once-daily potent combination antiretroviral therapeutic agent. Its efficacy is equivalent to the 3 component drugs taken in a combination as single medications. The coformulated antiretroviral regimen can be quite effective in patients whose human immunodeficiency virus is sensitive to all 3 components of Atripla. However, women at risk of pregnancy, already pregnant, or nursing mothers should not take Atripla, due to the teratogenic potential of the efavirenz moiety. Adverse effects are similar to those seen with the constituent medications, including potential central nervous system effects and renal toxicity. Since its US Food and Drug administration approval, prescriptions for Atripla have increased steadily.Keywords: tenofovir, efavirenz, emtricitabine, antiretroviral therapy

Evaluation of Rock Stress Estimation by the Kaiser effect

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lehtonen, A.

2005-11-01

The knowledge of in situ stress is the key input parameter in many rock mechanics analyses. Information on stress allows the definition of boundary conditions for various modelling and engineering tasks. Presently, the estimation of stresses in bedrock is one of the most difficult, time-consuming and high-priced rock mechanical investigations. In addition, the methods used today have not evolved significantly in many years. This brings out a demand for novel, more economical and practical methods for stress estimation. In this study, one such method, Kaiser effect based on acoustic emission of core samples, has been evaluated. It can be described as a 'memory' in rock that is indicated by a change in acoustic emission emitted during uniaxial loading test. The most tempting feature of this method is the ability to estimate the in situ stress state from core specimens in laboratory conditions. This yields considerable cost savings compared to laborious borehole measurements. Kaiser effect has been studied in order to determine in situ stresses for decades without any major success. However, recent studies in Australia and China have been promising and made the estimation of stress tensor possible from differently oriented core samples. The aim of this work has been to develop a similar estimation method in Finland (including both equipment and data reduction), and to test it on samples obtained from Olkiluoto, Eurajoki. The developed measuring system proved to work well. The quality of obtained data varied, but they were still interpretable. The results obtained from these tests were compared with results of previous overcoring measurements, and they showed quite good correlation. Thus, the results were promising, but the method still needs further development and more testing before the final decision on its feasibility can be made. (orig.)

Consider outsourcing IT projects when cutting-edge technology, specialized focus are needed.

Science.gov (United States)

1999-05-01

Looking outside to meet information technology needs proves a smart way to avert extra staffing costs. Kaiser Permanente saves thousands each year by contracting out cutting-edge IT projects instead of hiring more full-time staff it doesn't need. Learn how the organization incorporates outsourcing and other temporary work methods into its IT staffing strategy.

Mineralogical control on thermal damage and the presence of a thermal Kaiser effect during temperature-cycling experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Browning, J.; Daoud, A.; Meredith, P. G.; Mitchell, T. M.

2017-12-01

Volcanic and geothermal systems are in part controlled by the mechanical and thermal stresses acting on them and so it is important to understand the response of volcanic rocks to thermo-mechanical loading. One such response is the well-known `Kaiser stress-memory' effect observed under cyclic mechanical loading. By contrast, the presence of an analogous `Kaiser temperature-memory effect' during cyclic thermal loading has received little attention. We have therefore explored the possibility of a Kaiser temperature-memory effect using three igneous rocks of different composition, grain size and origin; Slaufrudalur Granophyre (SGP), Nea Kameni Andesite (NKA) and Seljadalur Basalt (SB). We present results from a series of thermal stressing experiments in which acoustic emissions (AE) were recorded contemporaneously with changing temperature. Samples of each rock were subjected to both a single heating and cooling cycle to a maximum temperature of 900 °C and multiple heating/cooling cycles to peak temperatures of 350°C, 500°C, 700°C and 900 °C (all at a constant rate of 1°C/min on heating and a natural cooling rate of memory effect in SGP, but not in either NKA and SB. We further find that the vast majority of thermal crack damage is generated upon cooling in the finer grained materials (NKA and SB), but that substantial thermal crack damage is generated during heating in the coarser grained SGP. The total amount of crack damage generated due to heating or cooling is dependent on the mineral composition and, most importantly, the grain size and arrangement, as well as the maximum temperature to which the rock is exposed. Knowledge of thermal stress history and the presence of a Kaiser temperature-memory effect is potentially important in understanding magma chamber dynamics, where the cyclic nature of mechanical and thermal inflation and deflation can lead to sequential accumulation of damage, potentially leading to critical rupture.

Reply to Nicholson's comment on "Consistent calculation of aquatic gross production from oxygen triple isotope measurements" by Kaiser (2011

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Kaiser

2012-08-01

Full Text Available The comment by Nicholson (2011a questions the "consistency" of the "definition" of the "biological end-member" used by Kaiser (2011a in the calculation of oxygen gross production. "Biological end-member" refers to the relative oxygen isotope ratio difference between photosynthetic oxygen and Air-O₂ (abbreviated ¹⁷δ_P and ¹⁸δ_P for ¹⁷O/¹⁶O and ¹⁸O/¹⁶O, respectively. The comment claims that this leads to an overestimate of the discrepancy between previous studies and that the resulting gross production rates are "30% too high". Nicholson recognises the improved accuracy of Kaiser's direct calculation ("dual-delta" method compared to previous approximate approaches based on ¹⁷O excess (¹⁷Δ and its simplicity compared to previous iterative calculation methods. Although he correctly points out that differences in the normalised gross production rate (g are largely due to different input parameters used in Kaiser's "base case" and previous studies, he does not acknowledge Kaiser's observation that iterative and dual-delta calculation methods give exactly the same g for the same input parameters (disregarding kinetic isotope fractionation during air-sea exchange. The comment is based on misunderstandings with respect to the "base case" ¹⁷δ_P and ¹⁸δ_P values. Since direct measurements of ¹⁷δ_P and ¹⁸δ_Pdo not exist or have been lost, Kaiser constructed the "base case" in a way that was consistent and compatible with literature data. Nicholson showed that an alternative reconstruction of ¹⁷δ_P gives g values closer to previous studies. However, unlike Nicholson, we refrain from interpreting either reconstruction as a benchmark for the accuracy of g. A number of publications over the last 12 months

The impact of HMO penetration on the relationship between nurse staffing and quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Mark, Barbara A; Harless, David W; McCue, Michael

2005-07-01

While there are a number of studies examining the relationship between nurse staffing and quality, none has examined structural differences in the relationship between nurse staffing and quality contingent upon the level of managed care penetration. We used administrative data, and a dynamic panel data model to examine this relationship in a panel of 422 acute care hospitals from 1990 to 1995. We found that there were significant differences in the relationship between nurse staffing and both mortality and length of stay depending upon the level of HMO penetration in the hospital's market.

Educação permanente: reflexão na prática da enfermagem hospitalar.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Reginaldo PINTO

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Na prática hospitalar, a Educação Permanente é indispensável à formação dos trabalhadores, os quais necessitam ter conhecimentos renovados em sua prática profissional. Nesta perspectiva, buscou-se analisar por meio dessa pesquisa a percepção dos enfermeiros de um hospital de ensino acerca da educação permanente no ambiente hospitalar. Trata-se de uma pesquisa descritiva com abordagem qualitativa, realizada com nove enfermeiros coordenadores de setores, utilizando-se três grupos focais, constituído por três enfermeiros em cada grupo. A investigação ocorreu no Hospital do Coração do município de Sobral, Ceará. Utilizaram-se entrevistas que foram gravadas nas reuniões dos grupos. A análise de conteúdo de Bardin estruturou os achados encontrados. Esses resultados foram separados por unidades temáticas. Foram respeitados os princípios éticos de acordo com a resolução 466/12. A primeira unidade temática investigou o conhecimento dos sujeitos acerca da Educação Permanente, Continuada e em Serviço. Os primeiros achados identificaram divergências de opiniões dos participantes quando conceituaram a diferenciação entre as modalidades de educação em saúde. A segunda unidade resgatou a opinião dos sujeitos sobre as estratégias para implantar uma comissão de educação permanente no hospital. As falas dos participantes revelaram que a comissão deveria motivar os profissionais a continuarem se qualificando no serviço. Ainda indagaram que essas comissões deveria ter caráter multidisciplinar. A última unidade analisada referiu-se a forma de atuar das comissões de educação permanente. Os investigados assinalaram que elas deveriam proporcionar a melhoria do ensino aos profissionais aplicando as metodologias ativas.

del establecimiento permanente

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. Ma. Antonieta Martin Granados

2002-01-01

Full Text Available A pesar de que en México se han realizado adiciones a la legislación en materia civil y mercantil relacionadas con el uso de medios electrónicos como instrumentos para realizar actos jurídicos, éstas resultan insuficientes, pues nada se ha hecho en materia procesal, penal y laboral, entre otras. En este trabajo se presentan, en materia fiscal, algunas consideraciones acerca del concepto de establecimiento permanente tanto en la legislación mexicana como en el Convenio Modelo (CM de la Organización para la Cooperación y Desarrollo Económico (OCDE y se argumenta que a pesar de que la definición de la legislación mexicana es mucho más amplia que la que se encuentra en el mencionado convenio, el comercio electrónico presenta algunos retos para determinar el lugar en donde residen las partes involucradas, el lugar en donde se celebran las operaciones y se pagan o cobran, sobre todo tratándose de servicios o adquisición de bienes intangibles. Por último, se señala que en materia fiscal es necesario que las autoridades mexicanas permitan el uso de la factura electrónica

LA FORMACIÓN AMBIENTAL PERMANENTE DEL DIRECTIVO EDUCACIONAL DEL SIGLO XXI

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mavel Moré Estupiñán

2013-12-01

Full Text Available La situación ambiental actual impone nuevos retos a los sistemas educativos, entre ellos el de incorporar la educación ambiental para el desarrollo sostenible al proceso pedagógico en los diferentes subsistemas de educación. Para lograr este propósito, es decisivo el rol del directivo educacional, desde la implementación del sistema de dirección institucional. Por ello, la formación ambiental de este profesional constituye un imperativo y se declara como problema científico de la presente investigación, que se sustenta teórica y metodológicamente en los fundamentos de la formación ambiental permanente del directivo educacional y delimita como objetivo: proponer un Modelo para orientar hacia el desarrollo sostenible este proceso. Garantizan el cumplimiento del objetivo, el empleo de métodos teóricos, estadísticos y/o de procesamiento matemático y empíricos, de corte cuantitativo y cualitativo, que se articulan a partir de las técnicas de la investigación-acción-participativa. El Modelo constituye la contribución a la teoría pedagógica y son aportes de significación práctica los programas de las formas organizativas de la formación permanente. El criterio de la práctica, como resultado de la sistematización de una secuencia de ciclos, y las valoraciones de diferentes evaluadores confirman la pertinencia, relevancia y efectividad del Modelo de formación ambiental permanente del directivo educacional.

Evaluation of a surveillance case definition for anogenital warts, Kaiser Permanente northwest.

Science.gov (United States)

Naleway, Allison L; Weinmann, Sheila; Crane, Brad; Gee, Julianne; Markowitz, Lauri E; Dunne, Eileen F

2014-08-01

Most studies of anogenital wart (AGW) epidemiology have used large clinical or administrative databases and unconfirmed case definitions based on combinations of diagnosis and procedure codes. We developed and validated an AGW case definition using a combination of diagnosis codes and other information available in the electronic medical record (provider type, laboratory testing). We calculated the positive predictive value (PPV) of this case definition compared with manual medical record review in a random sample of 250 cases. Using this case definition, we calculated the annual age- and sex-stratified prevalence of AGW among individuals 11 through 30 years of age from 2000 through 2005. We identified 2730 individuals who met the case definition. The PPV of the case definition was 82%, and the average annual prevalence was 4.16 per 1000. Prevalence of AGW was higher in females compared with males in every age group, with the exception of the 27- to 30-year-olds. Among females, prevalence peaked in the 19- to 22-year-olds, and among males, the peak was observed in 23- to 26-year-olds. The case definition developed in this study is the first to be validated with medical record review and has a good PPV for the detection of AGW. The prevalence rates observed in this study were higher than other published rates, but the age- and sex-specific patterns observed were consistent with previous reports.

Using a High-Performance Planning Model to Increase Levels of Functional Effectiveness Within Professional Development.

Science.gov (United States)

Winter, Peggi

2016-01-01

Nursing professional practice models continue to shape how we practice nursing by putting families and members at the heart of everything we do. Faced with enormous challenges around healthcare reform, models create frameworks for practice by unifying, uniting, and guiding our nurses. The Kaiser Permanente Practice model was developed to ensure consistency for nursing practice across the continuum. Four key pillars support this practice model and the work of nursing: quality and safety, leadership, professional development, and research/evidence-based practice. These four pillars form the foundation that makes transformational practice possible and aligns nursing with Kaiser Permanente's mission. The purpose of this article is to discuss the pillar of professional development and the components of the Nursing Professional Development: Scope and Standards of Practice model (American Nurses Association & National Nursing Staff Development Organization, 2010) and place them in a five-level development framework. This process allowed us to identify the current organizational level of practice, prioritize each nursing professional development component, and design an operational strategy to move nursing professional development toward a level of high performance. This process is suggested for nursing professional development specialists.

Radiology in managed care environment: Opportunities for cost savings in an HMO

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmidt, C.; Heller, M.

2003-01-01

Purpose: A large regional health plan in the Northeastern United States noted that its radiology costs were increasing more than it anticipated in its pricing, and noted further that other similar health plans in markets with high managed care penetration had significantly lower expenses for radiology services. This study describes the potential areas of improvement and managed care techniques that were implemented to reduce costs and reform processes. Materials and methods: We performed an in-depth analysis of financial data, claims logic, contracting with provider units and conducted interviews with employees, to identify potential areas of improvement and cost reduction. A detailed market analysis of the environment, competitors and vendors was accompanied by extensive literature, Internet and Medline search for comparable projects. All data were documented in Microsoft Excel trademark and analyzed by non-parametric tests using SPSS trademark 8.0 (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) for Windows trademark . Results: The main factors driving the cost increases in radiology were divided into those internal or external to the HMO. Among the internal factors, the claims logic was allowing overpayment due to limitations of the IT system. Risk arrangements between insurer and provider units (PU) as well as the extent of provider unit management and administration showed a significant correlation with financial performance in terms of variance from budget. Among the external factors, shared risk arrangements between HMO and provider unit were associated with more efficient radiology utilization and overall improvement in financial performance. PU with full-time management had significantly less variance from their budget than those without. Finally, physicians with imaging equipment in their offices ordered up to 4 to 5 times more imaging procedures than physicians who did not perform imaging studies themselves. (orig.) [de

Medical Device Plug-and-Play Interoperability Standards and Technology Leadership

Science.gov (United States)

2014-10-01

Kaiser Permanente, Johns Hopkins Medicine, the VA, FDA, NIST, TATRC, computer and information science groups at University of Pennsylvania...for sharing the findings from our TATRC work and from our NIH Quantum work relative to the gaps in existing standards and recommendations on how they...challenges facing the industry in areas such as interoperability, cybersecurity , data stewardship, and system reliability, and policies needed to accelerate

Postcataract endophthalmitis prophylaxis using irrigation, incision hydration, and eye pressurization with vancomycin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Schelonka LP

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Lee P Schelonka,1 Margaret A SaBell2 1Department of Opthalmology, Kaiser Permanente Lone Tree Medical Offices, Lone Tree, 2Department of Infection Control, Kaiser Permanente Lone Tree Medical Offices, Lone Tree, Denver, CO, USA Purpose: This study aimed to determine whether switching from balanced salt solution (BSS to vancomycin 20 g/mL BSS for incision hydration and eye pressurization reduces the rate of postcataract endophthalmitis.Methods: This was a patient safety/quality improvement project, including all patients undergoing cataract surgery at the Kaiser Permanente Colorado Ophthalmology Department from January 2002 to December 2014. Throughout the study, patients received vancomycin 20 µg/mL in the irrigating solution. During the baseline period from 2002 to 2005, surgeons pressurized eyes and hydrated incisions with plain BSS. During the intervention period from 2006 through 2014, surgeons switched from BSS to the vancomycin/BSS irrigating solution for eye pressurization and incision hydration.Results: A total of 57,263 cataract operations were performed by 24 surgeons at seven surgical centers: 12,400 in the baseline period and 44,863 in the intervention period. The rate of postcataract endophthalmitis declined significantly from 5/12,400 (rate: 0.4/1,000 in the baseline period to 1/44,863 (rate: 0.022/1,000 during the intervention period (odds ratio [OR]: 18.1, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.11–154.9; χ2=13.5, P=0.00024. Accounting for an estimated 2.05-fold risk reduction due to confounding variables, the risk reduction attributed to the intervention remained significant: (adjusted OR: 8.78, 95% CI: 1.73–44.5; χ2=10.06, P=0.0015. Since 2009, we have not experienced any cases of postcataract endophthalmitis after 32,753 operations.Conclusion: We experienced a significant reduction in postcataract endophthalmitis when we switched from BSS to the vancomycin/BSS irrigating solution for incision hydration and eye pressurization

Do HMO market level factors lead to racial/ethnic disparities in colorectal cancer screening? A comparison between high-risk Asian and Pacific Islander Americans and high-risk whites.

Science.gov (United States)

Ponce, Ninez A; Huh, Soonim; Bastani, Roshan

2005-11-01

Few studies have explored health care market structure and colorectal cancer (CRC) screening test use, and little is known whether market factors contribute to racial/ethnic screening disparities. We investigated whether HMO market level factors, controlling for individual covariates, differentially impact Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) subjects' access to CRC screening compared with white subjects. We used random intercept hierarchical models to predict CRC test use. Individual-level survey data was linked to market data by metropolitan statistical areas from InterStudy. Insured first-degree relatives, ages 40-80, of a random sample of colorectal cancer cases identified from the California Cancer Registry: 515 white subjects and 396 AAPI subjects residing in 36 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs). Dependent variables were receipt of (1) annual fecal occult blood test only; (2) sigmoidoscopy in the past 5 years; (3) colonoscopy in the past 10 years; and (4) any of these tests over the recommended time interval. Market characteristics were HMO penetration, HMO competition, and proportion of staff/group/network HMOs. Market characteristics were as important as individual-level characteristics for AAPI but not for white subjects. Among AAPI subjects, a 10% increase in the percent of group/staff/network model HMO was associated with a reduction in colonoscopy use (28.9% to 20.5%) and in receipt of any of the CRC tests (53.2% to 45.4%). The prevailing organizational structure of a health care market confers a penalty on access to CRC test use among high-risk AAPI subjects but not among high-risk white subjects. Identifying the differential effect of market structure on race/ethnicity can potentially reduce the cancer burden among disadvantaged racial groups.

Evaluación de la formación permanente del profesorado: enfoque de resultados || Evaluation of permanent teacher training: approach of results

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Domínguez

2015-07-01

Full Text Available La evolución del sistema educativo ha provocado cambios significativos en la formación permanente del profesorado, por tanto, es necesario un diagnóstico de necesidades utilizando instrumentos y metodologías que informen de las demandas formativas profesionales. En este sentido, el objetivo principal del estudio se centra en aportar luz sobre las percepciones y expectativas del profesorado acerca de la formación permanente en la Comunidad Autónoma de Galicia. Para ello, se utilizó una metodología evaluativa centrada en el contexto, entrada, proceso y producto (diseño CIPP. Los resultados confirman que la evolución de la formación se viene incrementando en su oferta pero disminuyendo su eficacia. Además, se ha comprobado la necesidad de reestructurar la formación permanente, apostando por un modelo más global, con cobertura en todas las necesidades formativas del profesorado. El gran reto de la formación permanente del profesorado es la transferibilidad de la misma al contexto del aula, una cuestión sencilla pero muy difícil de evaluar. Mejorar la calidad educativa depende directamente de la eficiencia y excelencia en la formación docente, la cual debería someterse a un proceso de revisión y actualización permanente.

[Radiology in managed care environment: opportunities for cost savings in an HMO].

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, C; Mohr, A; Möller, J; Levin-Scherz, J; Heller, M

2003-09-01

A large regional health plan in the Northeastern United States noted that its radiology costs were increasing more than it anticipated in its pricing, and noted further that other similar health plans in markets with high managed care penetration had significantly lower expenses for radiology services. This study describes the potential areas of improvement and managed care techniques that were implemented to reduce costs and reform processes. We performed an in-depth analysis of financial data, claims logic, contracting with provider units and conducted interviews with employees, to identify potential areas of improvement and cost reduction. A detailed market analysis of the environment, competitors and vendors was accompanied by extensive literature, Internet and Medline search for comparable projects. All data were docu-mented in Microsoft Excel(R) and analyzed by non-parametric tests using SPSS(R) 8.0 (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) for Windows(R). The main factors driving the cost increases in radiology were divided into those internal or external to the HMO. Among the internal factors, the claims logic was allowing overpayment due to limitations of the IT system. Risk arrangements between insurer and provider units (PU) as well as the extent of provider unit management and administration showed a significant correlation with financial performance in terms of variance from budget. Among the external factors, shared risk arrangements between HMO and provider unit were associated with more efficient radiology utilization and overall improvement in financial performance. PU with full-time management had significantly less variance from their budget than those without. Finally, physicians with imaging equipment in their offices ordered up to 4 to 5 times more imaging procedures than physicians who did not perform imaging studies themselves. We identified initiatives with estimated potential savings of approximately $ 5.5 million. Some of these

Análisis de series temporales en estaciones permanentes GPS

OpenAIRE

García Cañada, Laura

2016-01-01

En los ultimos años el número de estaciones permanentes GPS ha aumentado considerablemente para diferentes aplicaciones geodésicas y se comienza a disponer de series de coordenadas suficientemente largas como para poder aplicar ánalisis de series temporales. El principal objetivo de esta tesis es estudiar la influencia de la red de estaciones utilizada, marco de referencia y/o estrategia de procesado en las series temporales de coordenadas de estaciones CGPS y todos aquellos parámetros que se...

Análisis de series temporales en estaciones permanentes GPS

OpenAIRE

García Cañada, Laura

2015-01-01

En los ultimos años el número de estaciones permanentes GPS ha aumentado considerablemente para diferentes aplicaciones geodésicas y se comienza a disponer de series de coordenadas suficientemente largas como para poder aplicar ánalisis de series temporales. El principal objetivo de esta tesis es estudiar la influencia de la red de estaciones utilizada, marco de referencia y/o estrategia de procesado en las series temporales de coordenadas de estaciones CGPS y todos aquellos parámetros que s...

How dentists diagnose and treat defective restorations: evidence from the dental practice-based research network

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gordan, Valeria V; Garvan, Cynthia W; Richman, Joshua S

2009-01-01

, Norway and Sweden. METHODS: A questionnaire was sent to all DPBRN practitioner-investigators who reported doing some restorative dentistry (n = 901). Questions included clinical case scenarios that used text and clinical photographs of defective restorations. Dentists were asked what type of treatment......OBJECTIVES: To (1) identify and quantify the types of treatment that dentists use to manage defective dental restorations and (2) identify characteristics that are associated with these dentists' decisions to replace existing restorations. The Dental Practice-Based Research Network (DPBRN) consists...... of dentists in outpatient practices from five regions: AL/MS: Alabama/Mississippi; FL/GA: Florida/Georgia; MN: dentists employed by HealthPartners and private practitioners in Minnesota; PDA: Permanente Dental Associates in cooperation with Kaiser Permanente's Center for Health Research and SK: Denmark...

Consumer beliefs and health plan performance: it's not whether you are in an HMO but whether you think you are.

Science.gov (United States)

Reschovsky, James D; Hargraves, J Lee; Smith, Albert F

2002-06-01

Surveys that rate how persons enrolled in HMOs and other types of health coverage feel about their health care are used to bolster claims that HMOs provide inferior quality care, providing justification for patient protection legislation. This research illustrates that the conventional wisdom regarding inferior care in HMOs may color how people assess their health care in surveys, resulting in survey findings biased toward showing HMOs provide inferior care and reinforcing existing stereotypes. Using merged data from the Community Tracking Study Household and Insurance Followback surveys, we identify privately insured persons who correctly and incorrectly know what kind of health plan they are covered by. Nearly a quarter misidentified their type of health coverage. Differences between responses by HMO and non-HMO enrollees to questions covering satisfaction with health care and physician choice, the quality of the last physician's visit, and patient trust in their physician shrink or disappear when we control for beliefs about what type of plan they are covered by. Results suggest that researchers and policy makers should be cautious about using consumer surveys to assess the relative quality of care provided under different types of health insurance.

Impact of HMO penetration and other environmental factors on hospital X-inefficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosko, M D

2001-12-01

This study examined the impact of health maintenance organization (HMO) market penetration and other internal and external environmental factors on hospital X-inefficiency in a national sample (N = 1,966) of urban U.S. hospitals in 1997. Stochastic frontier analysis, a frontier regression technique, was used to measure X-inefficiency and estimate parameters of the correlates of X-inefficiency. Log-likelihood restriction tests were used to test a variety of assumptions about the empirical model that guided its selection. Average estimated X-inefficiency in study hospitals was 12.96 percent. Increases in managed care penetration, dependence on Medicare and Medicaid, membership in a multihospital system, and location in areas where competitive pressures and the pool of uncompensated care are greater were associated with less X-inefficiency. Not-for-profit ownership was associated with increased X-inefficiency.

Educación permanente y continua en una perspectiva de integridad del ser

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Izabel Cristina Feijó de Andrade

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Este artículo buscó discutir las articulaciones y distinciones entre los conceptos de educación permanente y educación continua de modo que favorezca la perspectiva de integridad del ser, vínculo que requiere saberes hasta entonces poco privilegiados en las Universidades y que demandan el rescate de dimensiones basadas en la experiencia, la didáctica y la existencia del educador, tanto individual, comportamental, cultural, social y espiritual. Consideramos que las nociones de educación permanente y educación continua poseen elementos entrelazables que nos permiten desarrollar la capacidad de reaccionar críticamente por medio de una relación autoformativa. Las revisiones teóricas implementadas permitieron algunas consideraciones sobre los procesos formativos actuales y las prácticas de profesores rumbo a una Educación para la Integridad. Concluimos provisoriamente que las aproximaciones y distinciones entre EP y EC pueden proporcionar a los profesores la toma de conciencia de su vinculación todo/parte y del sentido de la vida.

Genetics as a modernization program: biological research at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institutes and the political economy of the Nazi State.

Science.gov (United States)

Gausemeier, Bernd

2010-01-01

During the Third Reich, the biological institutes of the Kaiser Wilhelm Society (KWG, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gesellschaft) underwent a substantial reorganization and modernization. This paper discusses the development of projects in the fields of biochemical genetics, virus research, radiation genetics, and plant genetics that were initiated in those years. These cases exemplify, on the one hand, the political conditions for biological research in the Nazi state. They highlight how leading scientists advanced their projects by building close ties with politicians and science-funding organizations and companies. On the other hand, the study examines how the contents of research were shaped by, and how they contributed to, the aims and needs of the political economy of the Nazi system. This paper therefore aims not only to highlight basic aspects of scientific development under Nazism, but also to provide general insights into the structure of the Third Reich and the dynamics of its war economy.

Biobanking for research: a survey of patient population attitudes and understanding

OpenAIRE

Rahm, Alanna Kulchak; Wrenn, Michelle; Carroll, Nikki M.; Feigelson, Heather Spencer

2013-01-01

Population-based biobanks are a critical resource for genetic research. It is important to know what potential participants understand about the risks and benefits of providing samples in order to ensure adequate informed consent. Kaiser Permanente Colorado (KPCO) is currently planning a biobank where adult members would be asked to contribute an additional tube of blood during a routine blood draw. Adult KPCO members in clinic waiting rooms were asked to read an informational brochure and in...

Safe Routes to School Local School Project: A health evaluation at 10 low-income schools

OpenAIRE

Cooper, Jill F MSW; McMillan, Tracy MPH, PHD

2010-01-01

fe Routes to School National Partnership (Partnership) founded the Local School Project (Project) in 2008 to assist ten schools in lowincome communities to: 1) develop and evaluate a school-based SRTS program, 2) build local capacity to apply for state or federal SRTS funding, and 3) increase safe walking and bicycling to and from the school and in the community. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Kaiser Permanente, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation provided funding for the ...

Valoración "in vitro" de las fuerzas de adhesión de un sistema adhesivo convencional y otro autograbante en esmalte de dientes temporales y permanentes

OpenAIRE

Herrera Martínez, Gilberto de Jesús

2012-01-01

El presente trabajo trata de aportar más información sobre un nuevo adhesivo autograbante a esmalte de dientes temporales y permanentes. El objetivo es valorar las fuerzas de adhesión en MPa de los sistemas adhesivos (convencional y autograbante),en el esmalte de dientes temporales y permanentes. Métodos: utilizando una muestra de 160 dientes (temporales y permanentes)a nivel de la estructura del esmalte, divididos en cuatro grupos, no tomándose en cuenta para el criterio de selección la p...

El establecimiento permanente en un contexto virtual

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Andrés Mauricio Rengifo

2002-01-01

Full Text Available La inmediatez, la informalidad y la total irrelevancia de la localización, la distancia y los límites nacionales son ventajas innegables del comercio en Internet. Al mismo, tiempo, son características que plantean interrogantes para los Estados, quienes, conscientes de la importancia de controlar el volumen y la magnitud de las operaciones realizadas en red (al gravarlas directa o indirectamente pueden conseguir fuentes de ingreso para el mantenimiento de las estructuras y la financiación de gastos gubernamentales se cuestionan cuál debe ser el sujeto pasivo de las obligaciones tributarias en un mercado donde las empresas están deslocalizadas o aún, no existen físicamente. El presente artículo aporta a la resolución del problema tras un completo estudio del concepto de establecimiento Permanente de carácter virtual, elaborado por la Organización para la Cooperación y el Desarrollo Económico.

El establecimiento permanente en un contexto virtual

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrés Mauricio Rengifo

2002-06-01

Full Text Available La inmediatez, la informalidad y la total irrelevancia de la localización, la distancia y los límites nacionales son ventajas innegables del comercio en Internet. Al mismo, tiempo, son características que plantean interrogantes para los Estados, quienes, conscientes de la importancia de controlar el volumen y la magnitud de las operaciones realizadas en red (al gravarlas directa o indirectamente pueden conseguir fuentes de ingreso para el mantenimiento de las estructuras y la financiación de gastos gubernamentales se cuestionan cuál debe ser el sujeto pasivo de las obligaciones tributarias en un mercado donde las empresas están deslocalizadas o aún, no existen físicamente. El presente artículo aporta a la resolución del problema tras un completo estudio del concepto de establecimiento Permanente de carácter virtual, elaborado por la Organización para la Cooperación y el Desarrollo Económico.

Using Population Dose to Evaluate Community-level Health Initiatives.

Science.gov (United States)

Harner, Lisa T; Kuo, Elena S; Cheadle, Allen; Rauzon, Suzanne; Schwartz, Pamela M; Parnell, Barbara; Kelly, Cheryl; Solomon, Loel

2018-05-01

Successful community-level health initiatives require implementing an effective portfolio of strategies and understanding their impact on population health. These factors are complicated by the heterogeneity of overlapping multicomponent strategies and availability of population-level data that align with the initiatives. To address these complexities, the population dose methodology was developed for planning and evaluating multicomponent community initiatives. Building on the population dose methodology previously developed, this paper operationalizes dose estimates of one initiative targeting youth physical activity as part of the Kaiser Permanente Community Health Initiative, a multicomponent community-level obesity prevention initiative. The technical details needed to operationalize the population dose method are explained, and the use of population dose as an interim proxy for population-level survey data is introduced. The alignment of the estimated impact from strategy-level data analysis using the dose methodology and the data from the population-level survey suggest that dose is useful for conducting real-time evaluation of multiple heterogeneous strategies, and as a viable proxy for existing population-level surveys when robust strategy-level evaluation data are collected. This article is part of a supplement entitled Building Thriving Communities Through Comprehensive Community Health Initiatives, which is sponsored by Kaiser Permanente, Community Health. Copyright © 2018 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Specialty pharmaceuticals care management in an integrated health care delivery system with electronic health records.

Science.gov (United States)

Monroe, C Douglas; Chin, Karen Y

2013-05-01

The specialty pharmaceuticals market is expanding more rapidly than the traditional pharmaceuticals market. Specialty pharmacy operations have evolved to deliver selected medications and associated clinical services. The growing role of specialty drugs requires new approaches to managing the use of these drugs. The focus, expectations, and emphasis in specialty drug management in an integrated health care delivery system such as Kaiser Permanente (KP) can vary as compared with more conventional health care systems. The KP Specialty Pharmacy (KP-SP) serves KP members across the United States. This descriptive account addresses the impetus for specialty drug management within KP, the use of tools such as an electronic health record (EHR) system and process management software, the KP-SP approach for specialty pharmacy services, and the emphasis on quality measurement of services provided. Kaiser Permanente's integrated system enables KP-SP pharmacists to coordinate the provision of specialty drugs while monitoring laboratory values, physician visits, and most other relevant elements of the patient's therapy. Process management software facilitates the counseling of patients, promotion of adherence, and interventions to resolve clinical, logistic, or pharmacy benefit issues. The integrated EHR affords KP-SP pharmacists advantages for care management that should become available to more health care systems with broadened adoption of EHRs. The KP-SP experience may help to establish models for clinical pharmacy services as health care systems and information systems become more integrated.

Prevalence of Childhood Obesity among Young Multiethnic Children from a Health Maintenance Organization in Hawaii.

Science.gov (United States)

Novotny, Rachel; Oshiro, Caryn Etsuko Shima; Wilkens, Lynne Ross

2013-02-01

Pacific Islander, Asian, and mixed-ethnicity children are not described in national nutrition and health surveys. Data on BMI values of 4608 5- to 8-year-old children available from Kaiser Permanente Hawaii electronic medical records in 2010 were analyzed for prevalence of overweight and obesity and for ethnic differences in BMI and risk for overweight and obesity, controlling for age, sex, neighborhood education level, and on a subset (n=2169) that further controlled for maternal education and maternal age. Kaiser Permanente data allow for reporting of multiple ethnicities. Data revealed that 33% of this child population was of mixed ethnic ancestry. Prevalence of overweight and obesity was 32.6% (12.9% overweight and 19.7% obese). However, Samoan children and children of Native Hawaiian, Filipino, and mixed ethnic ancestries had higher levels of overweight and obesity than whites or Asians. Higher neighborhood education level, higher maternal education level, and older maternal age were associated with decreased risk of overweight and obesity, except for children whose mothers were between 21 and 30 years old, who had a higher risk for obesity than those whose mothers were under 20 years of age (odds ratio=1.34). Populations of mixed ethnicities in the Pacific region deserve further study related to healthy body size and acculturation to environment and lifestyle.

Educação permanente em saúde e no trabalho de enfermagem: perspectiva de uma práxis transformadora.

OpenAIRE

da Silva, Luiz Anildo Anacleto; Centro de Educação Superior Norte da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria; Ferraz, Fabiane; Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina; Lino, Mônica Motta; Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina; Backes, Vânia Marli Schubert; Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina; Schmidt, Sandra Marcia Soares; Universidade Federal de Santa Maria

2011-01-01

Trata-se de uma reflexão teórica que tem por objetivo estimular os leitores a repensar o papel da educação permanente dos sujeitos-trabalhadores da saúde e de enfermagem na perspectiva do desenvolvimento individual e coletivo, por meio da práxis transformadora. Procurou-se fazer uma articulação reflexiva dos princípios da práxis transformadora apresentada pelo filósofo Adolfo Sánchez Vázquez com os preceitos de educação permanente em saúde e no trabalho de enfermagem. Tal articulação apresent...

Implementing evidence-based practices for youth in an HMO: the roles of external ratings and market share.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamilton, John; Daleiden, Eric; Dopson, Sue

2011-05-01

A qualitative study of child clinicians in a non-profit HMO examined implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs) for anxiety and oppositional defiant disorders using interviews and focus groups with 33 clinicians (97% of participants), and ethnography of emails and meetings. Analysis showed statistical measures of access and service-key elements of rating organizations' "report cards"- were central in creating "pressure" making transition to EBPs difficult. EBPs were secondary to access and service targets. "Research" and "statistics" were perceived as unrealistic, "literature" as lacking authority. Rating organizations should include outcome and fidelity metrics to align market share pressures with children's health.

A educação permanente da equipe de enfermagem para o cuidado nos serviços de saúde mental

OpenAIRE

Tavares,Cláudia Mara de Melo

2006-01-01

Estudio exploratório, cuyo objetivo fue analizar la necesidad de la educación permanente del equipo de enfermera para cuidar en los servicios de la salud mental. Fueron estudiadas treinta siete profesionales de enfermería mental. Como resultados, se verificó que él equipe de la enfermería demanda calificación de vasto espectro. Se concluye que la educación permanente del equipo del oficio de enfermera de la salud mental exige más allá de programas educativos establecidos en la def...

Moving from tacit knowledge to evidence-based practice: the Kaiser Permanente community partners study.

Science.gov (United States)

Enguídanos, Susan M; Jamison, Paula M

2006-01-01

For several decades both medical and social work practices have failed to consistently include measures to determine the effectiveness of their care and practices. This is especially true of care management practices. With the growth and aging of our population, this is of particular concern when many of our resources for older adults are channeled into services such as geriatric care management. This article describes a randomized controlled trial that tested the effectiveness of four levels of geriatric care management. Results from this study did not support the tacit knowledge of the clinicians in terms of the effectiveness of their practices. This article describes the study methods and results, and how evidence from this study impacted subsequent service provided by geriatric care managers.

A systematic review of interventions conducted in clinical or community settings to improve dual-task postural control in older adults

OpenAIRE

Agmon M; Belza B; Nguyen HQ; Logsdon RG; Kelly VE

2014-01-01

Maayan Agmon,1 Basia Belza,2 Huong Q Nguyen,2,3 Rebecca G Logsdon,2 Valerie E Kelly41The Cheryl Spencer Department of Nursing, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Studies, University of Haifa, Israel; 2School of Nursing, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; 3Department of Research and Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente, CA, USA; 4School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USABackground: Injury due to falls is a major problem among older adults. Decrements in dual-task postu...

[The Internet and shared decision-making between patients and healthcare providers].

Science.gov (United States)

Silber, Denise

2009-10-01

Insurance companies like Kaiser Permanente in the United States remunerate physicians for their email correspondence with patients, increasing the efficiency of office visits. A survey by the French National Board of Physicians regarding the computerization of medical practices in April 2009, confirms that both physicians and patients in France are very favorable to the development of these tools. When patients can manage and/or access their medical files and determine which providers can access them, they become a true partner.

Teager-Kaiser Energy and Higher-Order Operators in White-Light Interference Microscopy for Surface Shape Measurement

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Abdel-Ouahab Boudraa

2005-10-01

Full Text Available In white-light interference microscopy, measurement of surface shape generally requires peak extraction of the fringe function envelope. In this paper the Teager-Kaiser energy and higher-order energy operators are proposed for efficient extraction of the fringe envelope. These energy operators are compared in terms of precision, robustness to noise, and subsampling. Flexible energy operators, depending on order and lag parameters, can be obtained. Results show that smoothing and interpolation of envelope approximation using spline model performs better than Gaussian-based approach.

Synthesis of nanodiamond derivatives carrying amino functions and quantification by a modified Kaiser test

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Gerald Jarre

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Nanodiamonds functionalized with different organic moieties carrying terminal amino groups have been synthesized. These include conjugates generated by Diels–Alder reactions of ortho-quinodimethanes formed in situ from pyrazine and 5,6-dihydrocyclobuta[d]pyrimidine derivatives. For the quantification of primary amino groups a modified photometric assay based on the Kaiser test has been developed and validated for different types of aminated nanodiamond. The results correspond well to values obtained by thermogravimetry. The method represents an alternative wet-chemical quantification method in cases where other techniques like elemental analysis fail due to unfavourable combustion behaviour of the analyte or other impediments.

Perceived financial incentives, HMO market penetration, and physicians' practice styles and satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Hadley, J; Mitchell, J M; Sulmasy, D P; Bloche, M G

1999-04-01

To estimate the effects of physicians' personal financial incentives and other measures of involvement with HMOs on three measures of satisfaction and practice style: overall practice satisfaction, the extent to which prior expectations about professional autonomy and the ability to practice good-quality medicine are met, and several specific measures of practice style. A telephone survey conducted in 1997 of 1,549 physicians who were located in the 75 largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas in 1991. Eligible physicians were under age 52, had between 8 and 17 years of post-residency practice experience, and spent at least 20 hours per week in patient care. The response rate was 74 percent. Multivariate binomial and multinomial ordered logistic regression models were estimated. Independent variables included physicians' self-reported financial incentives, measured by the extent to which their overall financial arrangements created an incentive to either reduce or increase services to patients, the level of HMO penetration in the market, employment setting, medical specialty, exposure to managed care while in medical training, and selected personal characteristics. About 15 percent of survey respondents reported a moderate or strong incentive to reduce services; 70 percent reported a neutral incentive; and 15 percent reported an incentive to increase services. Compared to physicians with a neutral incentive, physicians with an incentive to reduce services were from 1.5 to 3.5 times more likely to be very dissatisfied with their practices and were 0.2 to 0.5 times as likely to report that their expectations regarding professional autonomy and ability to practice good-quality medicine were met. They were also 0.2 to 0.6 times as likely to report having the freedom to care for patients the way they would like along several specific measures of practice style, such as sufficient time with patients, ability to hospitalize, ability to order tests and procedures, and ability

Prevalencia preoperatoria de la fibrilación auricular permanente en cirugía cardíaca

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Fernando Hornero

2005-07-01

Conclusiones: La FA permanente se presenta en nuestro medio quirúrgico preoperatorio en el 13,6%, preferentemente asociada a enfermedad mitral. Los factores de riesgo cardiovasculares están presentes con similar prevalencia en los pacientes con FA que en el resto, excepto el tamaño auricular.

Type C investigation of electrical fabrication projects in ICF Kaiser shops

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huckfeldt, R.A.

1995-06-01

A Type C Investigation Board was convened to investigate an electrical miswiring problem found during the operation of the electrical distribution trailer for the TWRS Rotary Mode Core Sampling Truck number-sign 2. The trailer was designed by WHC and fabricated ICF KH on site for use in the Characterization Program. This problem resulted in a serious safety hazard since the support truck frame/chassis became electrically energized. This final report provides results of the ''Type C Investigation, Electrical Fabrication Projects in ICF KH Shops, June, 1995.'' It contains the investigation scope, executive summary, relevant facts, analysis, conclusions and corrective actions. DOE Order 5484.1, ''Environmental Protection, Safety and Health Protection Information Reporting Requirements,'' was followed in preparation of this report. Because the incident was electrical in nature and involved both Westinghouse Hanford Company and ICF Kaiser Hanford organizations, the board included members from both contractors and members with considerable electrical expertise

Armouring facility? Nuclear-weapon and reactor reseach at the Kaiser-Wilhelm Institute for Physics; Eine Waffenschmiede? Kernwaffen- und Reaktorforschung am Kaiser-Wilhelm-Institut fuer Physik

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hachtmann, R. (ed.); Walker, M.

2005-07-01

The Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Physics is best known as the place where Werner Heisenberg worked on nuclear weapons for Hitler. Although this is essentially true, there is more to the story. At the start of World War II this institute was taken over by the German Army Ordnance to be the central, but not exclusive site for a research project into the economic and military applications of nuclear fission. The Army physicist Kurt Diebner was installed in the institute as its commissarial director. Heisenberg was affiliated with the institute as an advisor at first, and became the director in 1942. Heisenberg and his colleagues, including in particular Karl-Heinz Hoecker, Carl Friedrich von Weizsaecker, and Karl Wirtz, worked on nuclear reactors and isotope separation with the clear knowledge that these were two different paths to atomic bombs [Atombomben]. However, they were clearly ambivalent about what they were doing. New documents recently returned from Russian archives shed new light on this work and the scientists' motivations. (orig.)

Formación permanente y distribución del profesorado de Educación Secundaria por comarcas y departamentos. El caso de Asturias

OpenAIRE

Paula GONZÁLEZ-VALLINAS; José Luis SAN FABIÁN MAROTO

2009-01-01

Este estudio se centra en la formación del profesorado y explora las relaciones existentes entre la formación permanente y diversas características del profesorado, las comarcas y departamentos de los IES en Asturias. Como resultado de una investigación basada en el análisis de datos secundarios cuantitativos del profesorado y municipios de Asturias se obtiene una radiografía de la formación permanente de su profesorado (modalidad y materia de formación). Se realizan análisis a nivel de depar...

Economic burden related to chemotherapy-related adverse events in patients with metastatic breast cancer in an integrated health care system

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Rashid N

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Nazia Rashid,1 Han A Koh,2 Hilda C Baca,3 Kathy J Lin,1 Susan E Malecha,4 Anthony Masaquel5 1Drug Information Services, Kaiser Permanente, Downey, 2Southern California Permanente Medical Group, Kaiser Permanente, Bellflower, 3Pharmacy Analytical Services, Kaiser Permanente, Downey, 4US Medical Affairs, Genetech Inc., San Francisco, 5Health Economics and Outcomes, Genentech Inc., San Francisco, CA, USA Background: Breast cancer is treated with many different modalities, including chemotherapy that can be given as a single agent or in combination. Patients often experience adverse events from chemotherapy during the cycles of treatment which can lead to economic burden.Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate costs related to chemotherapy-related adverse events in patients with metastatic breast cancer (mBC in an integrated health care delivery system.Methods: Patients with mBC newly initiated on chemotherapy were identified and the first infusion was defined as the index date. Patients were ≥18 years old at time of index date, had at least 6 months of health plan membership and drug eligibility prior to their index date. The chemotherapy adverse events were identified after the index date and during first line of chemotherapy. Episodes of care (EOC were created using healthcare visits. Chart review was conducted to establish whether the adverse events were related to chemotherapy. Costs were calculated for each visit, including medications related to the adverse events, and aggregated to calculate the total EOC cost.Results: A total of 1,682 patients with mBC were identified after applying study criteria; 54% of these patients had one or more adverse events related to chemotherapy. After applying the EOC method, there were a total of 5,475 episodes (4,185 single episodes [76.4%] and 1,290 multiple episodes [23.6%] related to chemotherapy-related adverse events. Within single episodes, hematological (1,387 EOC, 33

Estimation of spacial geo-stress components in rock samples by using the Kaiser effect of acoustic emission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanagawa, Tadashi; Hayashi, Masao; Nakasa, Hiroyasu.

1976-01-01

The spacial remaining stress component of the rock core sample is experimentally obtained by using Kaiser effect of acoustic emission (AE), and the estimated ground pressure is compared with the natural ground pressure measured by the conventional over-coring method, in order to see the feasiblity of AE method. In this experiments of AE, 111 specimens were cut out in all directions of the rock cores (tuff) sampled from the place where the ground pressure was measured by the over-coring method, and the generation of AE caused by the load was measured. Whereby, the stress components in three directions are determined. As a result of comparison, t the AE method is proved to be effective enough to estimate the ground pressure of rock geo-dynamically. In the application of the Kaiser effect to the estimation of the geo-stress in rock samples, one of the most difficult problems is how to eliminate the obstruction of erroneous AE signals caused by the strong stress concentration at the end corners of the rock specimen. As the result of comparison, the values obtained by the AE method have a tendency of greater than the values obtained by the over-coring method. It is conceived that the AE method can easily detect the maximum stress value for geo historical long time, and that the stress concentration is apt to mix in AE method by boring. (Iwakiri, K.)

Predicting the 6-month risk of severe hypoglycemia among adults with diabetes: Development and external validation of a prediction model.

Science.gov (United States)

Schroeder, Emily B; Xu, Stan; Goodrich, Glenn K; Nichols, Gregory A; O'Connor, Patrick J; Steiner, John F

2017-07-01

To develop and externally validate a prediction model for the 6-month risk of a severe hypoglycemic event among individuals with pharmacologically treated diabetes. The development cohort consisted of 31,674 Kaiser Permanente Colorado members with pharmacologically treated diabetes (2007-2015). The validation cohorts consisted of 38,764 Kaiser Permanente Northwest members and 12,035 HealthPartners members. Variables were chosen that would be available in electronic health records. We developed 16-variable and 6-variable models, using a Cox counting model process that allows for the inclusion of multiple 6-month observation periods per person. Across the three cohorts, there were 850,992 6-month observation periods, and 10,448 periods with at least one severe hypoglycemic event. The six-variable model contained age, diabetes type, HgbA1c, eGFR, history of a hypoglycemic event in the prior year, and insulin use. Both prediction models performed well, with good calibration and c-statistics of 0.84 and 0.81 for the 16-variable and 6-variable models, respectively. In the external validation cohorts, the c-statistics were 0.80-0.84. We developed and validated two prediction models for predicting the 6-month risk of hypoglycemia. The 16-variable model had slightly better performance than the 6-variable model, but in some practice settings, use of the simpler model may be preferred. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Otra aproximación a Carl Gangolf Kaiser (1837-1895), arquitecto de la corte del emperador Maximiliano

OpenAIRE

Drewes, Michael

2000-01-01

Michael Drewes ha estudiado el ambiente artístico que rodeó al que fuera segundo emperador de México, Maximiliano de Austria. En por lo menos dos artículos anteriores publicados en Anales del Instituto de Investigaciones Estéticas (números 59 y 63), se ocupó ya del arquitecto Carl Gangolf Kaiser, un artista que presentó diversos proyectos de construcción y remodelación para Maximiliano. Quizás por su juventud, los proyectos que entonces realizó este arquitecto para remodelar edificios tan imp...

Probabilidad de retención de segundos molares permanentes mandibulares (Estudio piloto

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Paulo Sandoval Vidal

Full Text Available Objetivos: Determinar la frecuencia del segundo molar mandibular permanente (MM2 con probabilidad de impactación, en un grupo de pacientes de Ortodoncia de Temuco, Chile. Método: Estudio de corte transversal, con muestra por conveniencia. Se revisaron 2095 fichas de individuos de ambos sexos, con ausencia de patología sindrómica. Los datos recolectados se obtuvieron de radiografías panorámicas. Se midió el ángulo del segundo molar con respecto al plano oclusal, la invasión distal del primer molar y la distancia entre distal del primer molar y el borde anterior de la rama mandibular. Resultados: El promedio de edad de los pacientes relevados fue de 10 años. Se observó un 1,43% de probabilidad de retención de MM2 (n=30; en promedio y el plano el ángulo MM2 resultó de 27° el izquierdo y 26° el derecho; la invasión de MM2 en distal del primer molar resultó de 1,5 mm; el ángulo entre MM2 y el planos oclusal es de 123°; la distancia entre la cara distal del primer molar y el borde anterior de la rama mandibular fue 13 mm. Conclusiones: Existe una baja prevalencia de segundos molares mandibulares permanentes con probabilidad de impactación. La invasión a la cara distal del primer molar fue mayor en pacientes con riesgo de impactación

Evaluating employee assistance policy in an HMO-based alcoholism project.

Science.gov (United States)

Putnam, S L; Stout, R L

1985-01-01

One aspect of successful employee assistance program (EAP) implementation is the adoption of a formal, written policy, reflecting company commitment to EAP guidelines and goals. This study of criteria predictive of such policy adoption was conducted at the occupational alcoholism project of a New England health maintenance organization (HMO). Data on nearly 400 organizations contacted by occupational program consultants (OPCs) over a 20-month period were collected by questionnaire and interview. One third of these organizations adopted employee assistance policies and set about establishing formal programs. Stepwise multiple regression is the principal method used to pinpoint the correlates of policy adoption. Two of the most important of these are the attitudes of contact persons within the organization toward alcoholism and employee assistance programs, particularly their admission of alcohol problems within their social networks; and the consultants' persistence and marketing skills. The adopting organizations also had reputations for being progressive, and actively concerned about employee welfare; they tended to be large, their executives autonomous, and their union membership rates high. Inhibiting policy acceptance were fears that a written policy would jeopardize the reputation and image of the organization, and that an employee assistance program would remove internal control of personal procedures. The adequacy of the evaluative data and methods are discussed, and recommendations are offered in the interests of streamlining the efforts of OPCs and of achieving greater penetration of targeted organizations.

La normativa de atribución de rentas a establecimientos permanentes en Colombia

OpenAIRE

Navarro Ibarrola, Aitor

2016-01-01

En el presente trabajo se analizan las reglas para la determinación de la renta de establecimientos permanentes situados en Colombia. A tal efecto, el autor lleva a cabo un estudio sobre la base de las pautas que la OCDE establece en la materia, ya que el sistema de conceptos propuesto por este organismo internacional se adoptó como referencia por parte del legislador colombiano a partir de 2012. En concreto, en el marco del concepto de entidad funcionalmente separada, se analiza el contenido...

Educação Permanente no cotidiano da Atenção Básica no Mato Grosso do Sul

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Jacinta de Fátima Franco Pereira Machado

Full Text Available O artigo analisou as ações de Educação Permanente em Saúde na Atenção Básica em Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil, na perspectiva de 184 equipes participantes da primeira fase do Programa de Melhoria do Acesso e da Qualidade (PMAQ, de junho de 2012 a fevereiro de 2013. Entre as ações de Educação Permanente, os cursos presenciais foram mais prevalentes, seguidos por troca de experiência, teleducação, ensino à distância e tutoria/preceptoria, tanto na capital quanto no interior. As ações de planejamento e apoio à gestão foram mais prevalentes na capital. As ações de apoio da gestão estavam diretamente relacionadas com o planejamento e a organização do processo de trabalho.

La incapacidad permanente en una empresa pública en el periodo 1995-2009 Permanent incapacity in a public company from 1995-2009

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José Carlos Marchena Aparicio

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Objetivos: La cuantificación de las relaciones entre salud, medio laboral y capacidad para el trabajo nos permite descifrar aspectos importantes de la incapacidad permanente. Este trabajo tiene como objetivo describir las características de la población trabajadora de la Diputación Provincial de Cádiz a la que se le concedió una incapacidad permanente en el periodo 1995-2009. Métodos: Se llevó a cabo un estudio descriptivo retrospectivo sobre el total de trabajadores/as con incapacidad permanente en el periodo descrito que considera las siguientes variables: sexo, edad, antigüedad, tipo de ocupación, causa de la incapacidad permanente, días de incapacidad temporal y número de incapacidades temporales concedidas en los 5 años previos, recogidas a través de archivos documentales. Resultados: El número de incapacidades permanentes concedidas ascendió a 192. Un 53,1% fueron mujeres; funcionarios el 59,9%; la edad de concesión fue de 54,06 años de media con 24,98 años de antigüedad en la empresa; el tipo de trabajo en el que más incapacidad permanente se concedieron es el manual, 44,8%; El tipo de patología más frecuente de incapacidad permanente fueron las enfermedades músculo-esqueléticas (29,7%, neoplasias (23,4% y trastornos mentales (18,8%, asociándose significativamente dicha variable con el sexo (p=0,006, el tipo de trabajo desempeñado (p=0,007, la edad de concesión (pObjectives: The quantifying relationship between health, working environment and work capacity allows us to unravel important aspects of permanent incapacity (PI. One of the objectives of this study is to describe working population characteristics of the Provincial Council of Cadiz who were granted permanent incapacity from 1995 to 2009. Method: A retrospective descriptive study was carried out amongst all the workers with PI in the period described with the following variables taken into account: gender, age, time working for the company, type of

Evaluation Techniques of Creating Coherence in Poems of Kaiser Aminpour Relying on the Theory of Halliday’s Linguistics

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Reza Sattari

2016-05-01

Full Text Available AbstractOne of the linguistics theories that are utilized in present age in the analysis of literary texts is the theory of Halliday’s linguistics which is called theory of systemic - functional linguistics. Halliday’s theory in the second half of the twentieth century, in contrast to the "generative linguistics" approach, which is based on formal language like a mental and individual phenomenon.    Hallidayan called the semantic, literal, syntax and logical relationship of words as coherence of a text and believes that the coherence of the text, includes all the semantic relations by which, every piece of speech or writing can serve as text. Hence, cohesion, referred to relations that relates all elements of a sentence to the elements of other sentences. From Hallidayan's  point of view, elements of coherence of a text are divided into two parts: grammatical and lexical. Grammatical cohesion includes factors such as referrals, replacements, removals and relevancy, and lexical coherence includes repetition and collocation in literary language.   Kaiser is one of the contemporary famous poets that have composed many poets in different molds of poetry. Kaiser Manipur's poems benefit the integration due to the poet's fluency in Persian and his familiarity with the vocabulary and grammatical and lexical capacities of Persian literature. In this research, we have studied the cohesion in Kaiser Manipur's poems from two views of lexical and grammatical by using Holidaying theory of coherence as well as the techniques that the poet has applied to reach the cohesion in his poems.    The method of research in the present paper is descriptive-analytical and all the information and data has been collected from the sources of library and electronic. In this paper, we first briefly discussed the Holidaying coherence theory, and then, with a special approach to this theory, the most important techniques that Kaiser Manipur has

Un estudio de las concepciones docentes acerca de la formación permanente Um estudo das concepções docentes sobre a formação permanente A Survey of Teachers' Thoughts on Continuing Education

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Irene Marina Macera

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Este trabajo presenta las concepciones docentes acerca de su formación permanente. Se identificaron distintos puntos de análisis relacionados con la antigüedad en la profesión, intereses metodológicos, intereses de actualización de conocimientos, intereses de incorporación de nuevos saberes y, por último, el lugar que ocupa la formación en la subjetividad docente. En los inicios de la docencia, la formación permanente funciona y se concibe como un modo de mantenerse activos mientras se insertan en el mercado laboral. En cambio, para los docentes que ya tienen una trayectoria, esta se concibe como una fuga del trabajo, un recurso que en ocasiones le otorga sentido al trabajo, asumiendo de este modo un lugar subjetivo importante en el quehacer docente. Pero, cualquiera que sea la motivación, la adquisición de nuevos saberes es la razón más antigua que los docentes asumen para formarse.Este trabalho apresenta as concepções docentes sobre sua formação permanente. Identificaram-se diferentes pontos de análise relacionados com a antiguidade na profissão, interesses metodológicos, interesses de atualização de conhecimentos, interesses de incorporação de novos saberes e, por último, o lugar que a formação ocupa na subjetividade docente. No início da docência, a formação permanente funciona e se concebe como um modo de se manterem ativos enquanto se inserem no mercado de trabalho. Em compensação, para os docentes que já têm uma trajetória, esta se concebe como uma fuga do trabalho, um recurso que em ocasiões outorga sentido ao trabalho e assume, desse modo, um lugar subjetivo importante no fazer docente. Contudo, qualquer que seja a motivação, a aquisição de novos saberes é a razão mais antiga que os docentes assumem para se formar.This study delves into what teachers think about their own continuing education. Different points of analysis are identified with respect to seniority in the profession

Formación permanente del profesorado en Jalisco: evaluación y propuesta

OpenAIRE

Camacho Buenrostro, Benita

2016-01-01

Este trabajo tiene como objetivo realizar una evaluación del modelo de formación permanente para docentes de Educación Básica implementado en Jalisco durante el período 2007-2012. La investigación se ubica en el paradigma naturalista o interpretativo y busca lograr el objetivo a través del enfoque de la evaluación comprensiva. También utiliza métodos cualitativo y cuantitativo y se apoya en distintas técnicas: análisis de documentos, observación directa de este fenómeno, entrevistas a funcion...

Educação permanente no contexto da enfermagem e na saúde

OpenAIRE

Mancia,Joel Rolim; Cabral,Leila Chaves; Koerich,Magda Santos

2004-01-01

Neste trabalho os autores discutem a proposta atual de educação permanente do Ministério da Saúde, voltada para a formação de recursos humanos para o Sistema Único de Saúde. Traz um resgate da educação em geral e especificamente da educação de adultos, questão que afeta diretamente a enfermagem, visto que esta contribui com o maior contingente de trabalhadoras na área da saúde, constituindo-se em foco central das políticas públicas. Assim apresentam as principais controvérsias e apontam para ...

Melanoma in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Famenini, Shannon; Martires, Kathryn J; Zhou, Hui; Xavier, Marin F; Wu, Jashin J

2015-01-01

The relationship between melanoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) has been minimally investigated. The objective of this study was to examine the incidence of melanoma in patients with a history of CLL or NHL, and their associated mortality. Cohorts of Kaiser Permanente Southern California members with a history of CLL and NHL were identified. Age-adjusted incidence density rates of melanoma among patients with CLL or NHL were compared with rates of melanoma among the general population of Kaiser Permanente Southern California patients. The mortality of patients with melanoma was examined using Cox proportional hazards modeling. The age-adjusted incidence rate per 100,000 person-years for melanoma among patients with either CLL or NHL was 107 (95% confidence interval 84.4-129.6) versus 25.9 among the general population (95% confidence interval 84.4-129.6, P < .001). Patients with melanoma and a history of CLL or NHL had 2.46 greater odds of death compared with those without CLL or NHL (95% confidence interval 1.77-3.41). This study was retrospective in nature; the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes used may contain diagnostic errors; and only overall survival was used in our analysis. Patients with a history of CLL or NHL have a higher incidence of melanoma. Patients with CLL or NHL who are subsequently given the diagnosis of melanoma have a higher mortality than patients with melanoma without a preceding diagnosis of CLL. Copyright © 2014 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rapid spread of complex change: a case study in inpatient palliative care

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Filipski Marta I

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Based on positive findings from a randomized controlled trial, Kaiser Permanente's national executive leadership group set an expectation that all Kaiser Permanente and partner hospitals would implement a consultative model of interdisciplinary, inpatient-based palliative care (IPC. Within one year, the number of IPC consultations program-wide increased almost tenfold from baseline, and the number of teams nearly doubled. We report here results from a qualitative evaluation of the IPC initiative after a year of implementation; our purpose was to understand factors supporting or impeding the rapid and consistent spread of a complex program. Methods Quality improvement study using a case study design and qualitative analysis of in-depth semi-structured interviews with 36 national, regional, and local leaders. Results Compelling evidence of impacts on patient satisfaction and quality of care generated 'pull' among adopters, expressed as a remarkably high degree of conviction about the value of the model. Broad leadership agreement gave rise to sponsorship and support that permeated the organization. A robust social network promoted knowledge exchange and built on an existing network with a strong interest in palliative care. Resource constraints, pre-existing programs of a different model, and ambiguous accountability for implementation impeded spread. Conclusions A complex, hospital-based, interdisciplinary intervention in a large health care organization spread rapidly due to a synergy between organizational 'push' strategies and grassroots-level pull. The combination of push and pull may be especially important when the organizational context or the practice to be spread is complex.

A proposta da educação permanente em saúde na atualização da equipe de saúde em diabetes mellitus

OpenAIRE

Rodrigues,Andreia Cristinha Seabra; Vieira,Gisele de Lacerda Chaves; Torres,Heloisa de Carvalho

2010-01-01

O objetivo do estudo foi relatar a experiência da Educação Permanente em Saúde na atualização da equipe de saúde de uma Unidade Básica de Saúde para a atenção integral e humanizada às pessoas com diabetes tipo 2. A metodologia de escolha para a capacitação das equipes de saúde foi a Educação em Permanente em Saúde, por meio de oficinas educativas em diabetes com enfoque na problematização do processo educativo e profissional. Buscou-se, assim, construir um programa de educação em diabetes vis...

Ätiologie und Prävalenz permanenter kindlicher Hörstörungen in Deutschland

OpenAIRE

Spormann-Lagodzinski, ME; Nubel, K; König, O; Gross, M; Gross, M

2003-01-01

Permanente Hörstörungen bei Kindern haben in den letzten Jahren bezüglich Ätiologie und Prävalenz einen deutlichen Wandel erlebt. In den westlichen Industrienationen ist sie auf 1 bis 3 pro 1.000 Neugeborene gesunken. Nach Ergebnissen des Deutschen Zentralregisters für kindliche Hörstörungen (DZH) liegt die Prävalenz in Deutschland bei ca. 1,2:1.000. Von 6.200 ausgewerteten Datensätzen des DZH haben 36% aller permanenten Hörstörungen eine (vermutlich oder gesichert) genetische Ursache, 18% si...

The HMO Research Network Virtual Data Warehouse: A Public Data Model to Support Collaboration.

Science.gov (United States)

Ross, Tyler R; Ng, Daniel; Brown, Jeffrey S; Pardee, Roy; Hornbrook, Mark C; Hart, Gene; Steiner, John F

2014-01-01

The HMO Research Network (HMORN) Virtual Data Warehouse (VDW) is a public, non-proprietary, research-focused data model implemented at 17 health care systems across the United States. The HMORN has created a governance structure and specified policies concerning the VDW's content, development, implementation, and quality assurance. Data extracted from the VDW have been used by thousands of studies published in peer-reviewed journal articles. Advances in software supporting care delivery and claims processing and the availability of new data sources have greatly expanded the data available for research, but substantially increased the complexity of data management. The VDW data model incorporates software and data advances to ensure that comprehensive, up-to-date data of known quality are available for research. VDW governance works to accommodate new data and system complexities. This article highlights the HMORN VDW data model, its governance principles, data content, and quality assurance procedures. Our goal is to share the VDW data model and its operations to those wishing to implement a distributed interoperable health care data system.

Tratamiento de un molar permanente inmaduro necrótico mediante pulpotomía

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Boj Quesada, Juan Ramón; Cortés Lillo, Olga; Canalda Sahli, Carlos

1995-01-01

Se describe un caso que afecta al primer molar permanente inferior derecho, con tumefacción, fluctuación y fístula , con ápices no cerrados. El tratamiento de elección hubiese sido una técnica clásica de apicoformación con hidróxido de calcio. Pero por motivos de colaboración, se realizó una pulpotomía con hidróxido de calcio. Tras los controles radiológicos a los 3 meses, al año y al año y medio se comprobó que continuaba el desarrollo radicular y finalizaba el cierre apical.

Radiology in managed care environment: Opportunities for cost savings in an HMO; Radiologie unter Managed-Care-Bedingungen. Einsparpotenziale aus der Sicht einer Krankenversicherung in den USA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schmidt, C. [Universitaet Kiel (Germany). Klinik fuer Allgemeine Chirurgie und Thoraxchirurgie; Mohr, A. [University of California, San Francisco (United States). Dept. of Radiology; Universitaet Kiel (Germany). Klinik fuer Radiologische Diagnostik; Moeller, J. [Universitaet Bielefeld (Germany). Fakultaet fuer Gesundheitswissenschaften; Levin-Scherz, J. [Tufts Healthplan, Boston (United States); Heller, M. [Universitaet Kiel (Germany). Klinik fuer Radiologische Diagnostik

2003-09-01

Purpose: A large regional health plan in the Northeastern United States noted that its radiology costs were increasing more than it anticipated in its pricing, and noted further that other similar health plans in markets with high managed care penetration had significantly lower expenses for radiology services. This study describes the potential areas of improvement and managed care techniques that were implemented to reduce costs and reform processes. Materials and methods: We performed an in-depth analysis of financial data, claims logic, contracting with provider units and conducted interviews with employees, to identify potential areas of improvement and cost reduction. A detailed market analysis of the environment, competitors and vendors was accompanied by extensive literature, Internet and Medline search for comparable projects. All data were documented in Microsoft Excel {sup trademark} and analyzed by non-parametric tests using SPSS {sup trademark} 8.0 (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) for Windows {sup trademark}. Results: The main factors driving the cost increases in radiology were divided into those internal or external to the HMO. Among the internal factors, the claims logic was allowing overpayment due to limitations of the IT system. Risk arrangements between insurer and provider units (PU) as well as the extent of provider unit management and administration showed a significant correlation with financial performance in terms of variance from budget. Among the external factors, shared risk arrangements between HMO and provider unit were associated with more efficient radiology utilization and overall improvement in financial performance. PU with full-time management had significantly less variance from their budget than those without. Finally, physicians with imaging equipment in their offices ordered up to 4 to 5 times more imaging procedures than physicians who did not perform imaging studies themselves. (orig.) [German] Ziele

A novel power harmonic analysis method based on Nuttall-Kaiser combination window double spectrum interpolated FFT algorithm

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Tao; Chen, Yiyang; Flesch, Rodolfo C. C.

2017-11-01

Harmonics pose a great threat to safe and economical operation of power grids. Therefore, it is critical to detect harmonic parameters accurately to design harmonic compensation equipment. The fast Fourier transform (FFT) is widely used for electrical popular power harmonics analysis. However, the barrier effect produced by the algorithm itself and spectrum leakage caused by asynchronous sampling often affects the harmonic analysis accuracy. This paper examines a new approach for harmonic analysis based on deducing the modifier formulas of frequency, phase angle, and amplitude, utilizing the Nuttall-Kaiser window double spectrum line interpolation method, which overcomes the shortcomings in traditional FFT harmonic calculations. The proposed approach is verified numerically and experimentally to be accurate and reliable.

Movements of permanent health education triggered by the training of facilitators Movimientos de la educación permanente en salud desencadenados a partir de la formación de facilitadores Movimentos da educação permanente em saúde, desencadeados a partir da formação de facilitadores

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Cinira Magali Fortuna

2011-04-01

Full Text Available This study mapped the movements of Permanent Health Education in the region of Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil, begun by the Permanent Health Education Facilitators program, promoted by the Ministry of Health and the National School of Public Health. This qualitative study was grounded on the theoretical framework of institutional and schizoanalysis. Data were collected from operative groups of individuals who finished the program. The results were grouped into two plans: micropolitics and organization. Micropolitics indicates the production of different concepts concerning permanent education and different ways to establish it. Autonomy and control and also a tenuous relationship between tutorship and autonomy were highlighted, in the plan of organization. In conclusion, the program was an important device that suffered captures/overcoding but also produced changes in practice.Se tuvo por objetivo cartografiar los movimientos de educación permanente en salud, en la región de Araraquara, Sao Paulo, Brasil, iniciados a partir del curso de Facilitadores de Educación Permanente en Salud, del Ministerio de la Salud y Escuela Nacional de Salud Pública. Es un estudio de abordaje cualitativo, sustentado por el referencial teórico del análisis institucional en la línea esquizoanalítica, siendo los datos recolectados mediante grupos operativos con alumnos terminando el referido curso. Los resultados fueron agrupados en dos planos: micropolítica y organización. Con relación a la micropolítica, apuntan que hubo producción de diferentes conceptos sobre educación permanente y diferentes formas de institucionalización de la misma. En el plano de la organización se destacan la autonomía y el control y también la tenue relación entre tutela y autonomía. Concluimos que el curso fue un importante dispositivo que sufrió capturas, pero también produjo cambios en las prácticas.Tem-se, aqui, por objetivo, cartografar os movimentos de educa

Armouring facility? Nuclear-weapon and reactor reseach at the Kaiser-Wilhelm Institute for Physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hachtmann, R.; Walker, M.

2005-01-01

The Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Physics is best known as the place where Werner Heisenberg worked on nuclear weapons for Hitler. Although this is essentially true, there is more to the story. At the start of World War II this institute was taken over by the German Army Ordnance to be the central, but not exclusive site for a research project into the economic and military applications of nuclear fission. The Army physicist Kurt Diebner was installed in the institute as its commissarial director. Heisenberg was affiliated with the institute as an advisor at first, and became the director in 1942. Heisenberg and his colleagues, including in particular Karl-Heinz Hoecker, Carl Friedrich von Weizsaecker, and Karl Wirtz, worked on nuclear reactors and isotope separation with the clear knowledge that these were two different paths to atomic bombs [Atombomben]. However, they were clearly ambivalent about what they were doing. New documents recently returned from Russian archives shed new light on this work and the scientists' motivations. (orig.)

Multidimensional digital image representations using generalized Kaiser-Bessel window functions.

Science.gov (United States)

Lewitt, R M

1990-10-01

Inverse problems that require the solution of integral equations are inherent in a number of indirect imaging applications, such as computerized tomography. Numerical solutions based on discretization of the mathematical model of the imaging process, or on discretization of analytic formulas for iterative inversion of the integral equations, require a discrete representation of an underlying continuous image. This paper describes discrete image representations, in n-dimensional space, that are constructed by the superposition of shifted copies of a rotationally symmetric basis function. The basis function is constructed using a generalization of the Kaiser-Bessel window function of digital signal processing. The generalization of the window function involves going from one dimension to a rotationally symmetric function in n dimensions and going from the zero-order modified Bessel function of the standard window to a function involving the modified Bessel function of order m. Three methods are given for the construction, in n-dimensional space, of basis functions having a specified (finite) number of continuous derivatives, and formulas are derived for the Fourier transform, the x-ray transform, the gradient, and the Laplacian of these basis functions. Properties of the new image representations using these basis functions are discussed, primarily in the context of two-dimensional and three-dimensional image reconstruction from line-integral data by iterative inversion of the x-ray transform. Potential applications to three-dimensional image display are also mentioned.

EDUCAÇÃO PERMANENTE NO CONTEXTO HOSPITALAR: A EXPERIÊNCIA QUE RESSIGNIFICA O CUIDADO EM ENFERMAGEM

OpenAIRE

Flores,Giovana Ely; Oliveira,Dora Lúcia Leidens de; Zocche,Denise Antunes de Azambuja

2016-01-01

Resumo O artigo aborda o processo de formação vivenciado por enfermeiras educadoras no contexto hospitalar, na perspectiva da educação permanente em saúde, com destaques para as experiências que constituíram esse processo, os sentidos dessa formação e as mudanças decorridas no desenvolvimento do cuidado de enfermagem com base nas aprendizagens significativas. Tratou-se de estudo qualitativo exploratório-descritivo, desenvolvido por meio de grupos focais com sete enfermeiras que atuavam no Pro...

Systematic review of economic evaluation studies and budget impact on ambulatory monitoring of capillary glucose in type 2 diabetics.

Science.gov (United States)

Olry de Labry Lima, Antonio; Moya Garrido, María Natividad; Espín Balbino, Jaime

2014-04-01

Realise a review of studies of economic evaluation about the ambulatory monitoring of capillary glucose (AMGC) in diabetic type II persons. A review of the literature was conducted, in MedLine, various websites, referenced paper and provided by expert's persons. Five studies concluded that the AMGC was a cost-effective strategic, of this papers use Kaiser Permanente data base, its make that these studies could be considered a solely one study. The rest of the papers did not find difference in the AMGC use. The use of AMGC has an uncertainty efficiency. More studies are needed. Copyright © 2013 Primary Care Diabetes Europe. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Environmental aspects of Kaiser S2 harvester utilization in mountain terrains

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Jozef Slugeň

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This paper deals with evaluating the ecological impacts of Kaiser S2 harvester utilization in mountain terrains. The harvester was used in bark beetle calamity and secondary felling in mixed forest (spruce, fir, beech stand with average incline of 70%. Assisting its movement in these extreme conditions were two supporting bases, which were used to stabilize it in the stand. Our aim was to determine the damage to the trees, underwood and stand soil. The resulting damage of remaining stand was 6.19%, which is, considering the demanding terrain conditions and in comparison with the outcomes of other research, a relatively acceptable value. Damage to the underwood was not found, due to its insufficient height and low representation. Measurements of damage to the soil by its compression indicated that the heaviest damage was under the supporting bases, where a heavy surface damage was found by creation of holes up to 15 cm deep. This type of damage is not dangerous, because it does not create a continuous track dangerous in storm rainfall and subsequent soil erosion. Soil compression in the track and on unimpaired soil reached lower levels. All of the measurements of compression by static penetration were carried out only to the depth of 15 cm due to high soil skeleton. This also negatively affected the measurements, which had to be repeated in many cases.

Antecedentes históricos del proceso de formación permanente del maestro tutor y su sistematización

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MSc. Nirma Pérez-Pelipiche

2016-02-01

Full Text Available El estudio histórico realizado permitió evidenciar que la formación permanente de los maestros tutores de los estudiantes de Licenciatura en Educación Primaria ha transitado desde de una concepción espontánea, ocasional y a veces improvisada, hacia una más organizada en la que se han asumido posiciones de constantes cambios a favor del proceso formativo universitario pedagógico. Sin embargo, aún persisten restricciones epistemológicas y praxiológicas que limitan su efectividad, siendo notorio en el contexto de la microuniversidad durante la práctica laboral de los estudiantes en formación. Los estudios revelan que si bien el maestro tutor se erige en una figura esencial del proceso formativo pedagógico, no siempre su preparación ha sido efectiva, por lo que se requiere de una dinámica contextualizada de formación permanente que propicie nuevos sistemas de relaciones, vías y actitudes que actualicen y renueven las formas de ejercer sus funciones formativas en correspondencia con la realidad educativa contemporánea.

Educação permanente e qualidade da assistência à saúde: aprendizagem significativa no trabalho da enfermagem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernanda Maria do Carmo da Silveira Neves de Oliveira

2011-01-01

Full Text Available El objetivo de este artículo es analizar la educación permanente en la práctica de la enfermería. En la actualidad, existe preocupación por los cambios introducidos en la estructura de enseñanza y la aplicación de metodologías activas para capacitar profesionales de salud. En el artículo se reflexiona sobre aspectos cotidianos de la enfermería y la manera actual de suministrar o proporcionar información tecnocientífica al enfermero durante la práctica en el hospital, tratando de enriquecer la asistencia de enfermería mediante la educación permanente. Se describen las prácticas trasformadoras aplicadas por el enfermero asistencial como elemento facilitador del proceso enseñanza-aprendizaje. Se lleva a cabo una revisión amplia de las bases de datos informáticas. En consecuencia, la selección de los textos se basa en los criterios de inclusión y exclusión, y dio origen a 50 artículos científicos. En años recientes, la educación permanente se introdujo como un método en el área de la salud, convirtiéndose en un aspecto indispensable en las prácticas de formación, atención, gestión, formulación de políticas públicas y control social. Así se estableció la idea de cuidado total y se trasformaron e integraron los saberes y las prácticas en el ámbito real del público al que va dirigido. Se concluye que la motivación para actualizar permanentemente la práctica profesional del equipo de enfermería prevé la aplicación de un instrumento interdisciplinario de solubilidad que promueva la visibilidad de las acciones por los clientes y sus familias.

Parálisis facial permanente: corrección quirúrgica con la técnica de Labbé

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Rubén Yangali

2008-12-01

Full Text Available La parálisis facial genera un gran déficit estético y funcional. Las diversas técnicas quirúrgicas han ido evolucionando, a fin de corregir este defecto de la forma más estructural y fisiológica posible. Consideramos que la mioplastia de alargamiento del temporal constituye actualmente la técnica de elección para corregir los casos de parálisis facial permanente.

Mediación de la cultura docente en los proyectos de formación permanente (Mediation of culture teaching in lifelong learning projects (Médiation de la culture de l'enseignant dans les projets de formation continue (Mediação da cultura docente nos projectos de formação permanente

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rosa Amaya-de Rebolledo

2010-12-01

Full Text Available ResumenLa formación permanente del docente juega un papel clave en el cambio educativo; sin embargo, su con- creción práctica representa un reto epistemológico y metodológico. La problemática ha sido abordada des- de diferentes ángulos, en los cuales la relación entre cultura docente y formación permanente no ha sido claramente desvelada. En este artículo, que constituye un avance en la investigación de tesis doctoral de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación de la Universidad de Carabobo, se analiza por qué la cultura docente necesita ser reconocida como una realidad dinámica, dialéctica y relacional que afecta la calidad de la for- mación permanente del docente venezolano.AbstractThe continuous training of the teacher plays a key role in educational change; however, to take it to the practice rep- resents an epistemological and meth- odological challenge. The problem has been approached from different angles, where the relation between culture of the teacher and continuous training has not been clearly discussed. In this article, which constitutes an advance in the investigation of doctoral thesis of the Faculty of Sciences of the Education of Carabobo's University, it is analyzed why the culture of the teacher needs to be recognized as a dynamic reality, dialectic and relational that affects the quality of the continuous training in Venezuelan.RésuméLa formation continue des enseignants joue un rôle essentiel dans le changement éducatif, cependant, sa concrétion prati- que représente un défi épistémologique et méthodologique. La problématique a été envisagée dès perspectives différen- tes, dans lesquelles la relation entre la culture de l'enseignant et la formation continue n'a pas encore été nettement dévoilée. Dans cet article, qui constitue une avance dans la recherche de thèse doctorale de la Faculté de Sciences de l'Éducation de l'Université de Carabobo, on

Adverse childhood experiences and prescription drug use in a cohort study of adult HMO patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dube Shanta R

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Prescription drugs account for approximately 11% of national health expenditures. Prior research on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs, which include common forms of child maltreatment and related traumatic stressors, has linked them to numerous health problems. However, data about the relationship of these experiences to prescription drug use are scarce. Method We used the ACE Score (an integer count of 8 different categories of ACEs as a measure of cumulative exposure to traumatic stress during childhood. We prospectively assessed the relationship of the Score to prescription drug use in a cohort of 15,033 adult HMO patients (mean follow-up: 6.1 years and assessed mediation of this relationship by documented ACE-related health and social problems. Results Nearly 1.2 million prescriptions were recorded; prescriptions rates increased in a graded fashion as the ACE Score increased (p for trend Conclusion ACEs substantially increase the number of prescriptions and classes of drugs used for as long as 7 or 8 decades after their occurrence. The increases in prescription drug use were largely mediated by documented ACE-related health and social problems.

Las ciencias naturales me generan... emociones vinculadas a las ciencias en la formación docente permanente

OpenAIRE

Mengascini, Adriana

2017-01-01

Presentamos y discutimos resultados de una indagación realizada en el contexto de una propuesta de formación docente permanente, respecto de las emociones asociadas a las ciencias naturales, a su enseñanza y a la realización de trabajos experimentales entre docentes de primaria y secundaria de Argentina. Las emociones manifestadas hacia las ciencias fueron positivas (interés, atracción, motivación), aunque respecto de su enseñanza y la realización de actividades experimentales se expresaron a...

The effect of patient satisfaction with pharmacist consultation on medication adherence: an instrumental variable approach

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Gu NY

2008-12-01

Full Text Available There are limited studies on quantifying the impact of patient satisfaction with pharmacist consultation on patient medication adherence. Objectives: The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of patient satisfaction with pharmacist consultation services on medication adherence in a large managed care organization. Methods: We analyzed data from a patient satisfaction survey of 6,916 patients who had used pharmacist consultation services in Kaiser Permanente Southern California from 1993 to 1996. We compared treating patient satisfaction as exogenous, in a single-equation probit model, with a bivariate probit model where patient satisfaction was treated as endogenous. Different sets of instrumental variables were employed, including measures of patients' emotional well-being and patients' propensity to fill their prescriptions at a non-Kaiser Permanente (KP pharmacy. The Smith-Blundell test was used to test whether patient satisfaction was endogenous. Over-identification tests were used to test the validity of the instrumental variables. The Staiger-Stock weak instrument test was used to evaluate the explanatory power of the instrumental variables. Results: All tests indicated that the instrumental variables method was valid and the instrumental variables used have significant explanatory power. The single equation probit model indicated that the effect of patient satisfaction with pharmacist consultation was significant (p<0.010. However, the bivariate probit models revealed that the marginal effect of pharmacist consultation on medication adherence was significantly greater than the single equation probit. The effect increased from 7% to 30% (p<0.010 after controlling for endogeneity bias. Conclusion: After appropriate adjustment for endogeneity bias, patients satisfied with their pharmacy services are substantially more likely to adhere to their medication. The results have important policy implications given the increasing focus

One-Year Outcomes of an Integrated Multiple Sclerosis Disease Management Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Groeneweg, Marti; Forrester, Sara H; Arnold, Beth; Palazzo, Lorella; Zhu, Weiwei; Yoon, Paul; Scearce, Tim

2018-05-01

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is associated with high total health care cost, the majority of which is attributable to medications. Patients with MS are less likely to experience relapses, emergency department (ED) visits, and hospitalizations when they are adherent to disease-modifying treatments. Disease management programs are hypothesized to improve medication adherence thereby improving clinical and economic outcomes. To evaluate the clinical and economic effects of a specialty pharmacy and chronic disease management program for patients with MS from a health plan perspective. This study was a retrospective analysis using prescription drug claims, medical claims, and electronic medical record information (2013-2015) 1 year before and after enrollment in the disease management program for members with 24 months of continuous health plan coverage. Medication adherence was calculated using proportion of days covered (PDC). Relapse rate was defined as an MS outpatient visit associated with a corticosteroid dispense within 7 days of the visit or an MS hospitalization. Disease progression was assessed using the Modified Expanded Disability Status Scale (mEDSS). Resource use included outpatient visits, ED visits, and hospitalizations. Cost information was collected as health plan-paid amount and was reported in 2013 U.S. dollars. The analysis included 377 patients (mean age 55 years, 76.4% female). After enrollment in the program, 78.7% of the study group had a PDC of ≥ 0.80 compared with 70.0% before enrollment (P management for patients with MS can increase the proportion of patients adherent to medication. The increase in health plan spend on MS medications is not offset by savings in health care resource utilization. This study was funded by Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute and Kaiser Permanente Washington Pharmacy Administration. The authors have no disclosures to report.

Psychiatric and Medical Conditions in Transition-Aged Individuals With ASD.

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Davignon, Meghan N; Qian, Yinge; Massolo, Maria; Croen, Lisa A

2018-04-01

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have a variety of medical and psychiatric conditions and an increased use of health care services. There is limited information about the prevalence of psychiatric and medical conditions in adolescents and young adults with ASD. Our objective was to describe the frequency of medical and psychiatric conditions in a large population of diverse, insured transition-aged individuals with ASD. Participants included Kaiser Permanente Northern California members who were enrolled from 2013 to 2015 and who were 14 to 25 years old. Individuals with ASD ( n = 4123) were compared with peers with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( n = 20 615), diabetes mellitus ( n = 2156), and typical controls with neither condition ( n = 20 615). Over one-third (34%) of individuals with ASD had a co-occurring psychiatric condition; the most commonly reported medical conditions included infections (42%), obesity (25%), neurologic conditions (18%), allergy and/or immunologic conditions (16%), musculoskeletal conditions (15%), and gastrointestinal (11%) conditions. After controlling for sex, age, race, and duration of Kaiser Permanente Northern California membership, most psychiatric conditions were significantly more common in the ASD group than in each comparison group, and most medical conditions were significantly more common in the ASD group than in the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and typical control groups but were similar to or significantly less common than the diabetes mellitus group. Although more research is needed to identify factors contributing to this excess burden of disease, there is a pressing need for all clinicians to approach ASD as a chronic health condition requiring regular follow-up and routine screening and treatment of medical and psychiatric issues. Copyright © 2018 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Nurse Knowledge Exchange Plus: Human-Centered Implementation for Spread and Sustainability.

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Lin, Mike; Heisler, Scott; Fahey, Linda; McGinnis, Juli; Whiffen, Teri L

2015-07-01

Kaiser Permanente implemented a new model of nursing communication at shift change-in the bedside nursing report known as the Nurse Knowledge Exchange (NKE) in 2004-but noted variations in its spread and sustainability across medical centers five years later. The six core elements of NKEplus were as follows: team rounding in the last hour before shift changes, pre-shift patient assignments that limit the number of departing nurses at shift change, unit support for uninterrupted bedside reporting, standardization for report and safety check formats, and collaboration with patients to update in-room care boards. In January 2011 Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC; Pasadena) began implementing NKEplus in 125 nursing units across 14 hospitals, with the use of human-centered design principles: creating shared understanding of the need for change, minimum specifications, and customization by frontline staff. Champion teams on each nursing unit designed and pilot tested unit-specific versions of NKEplus for four to eight weeks. Implementation occurred in waves and proceeded from medical/surgical units to specialty units. Traditional performance improvement strategies of accountability, measurement, and management were also applied. By the end of 2012, 100% of the 64 medical/surgical units and 47 (77.0%) of the 61 specialty units in KPSC medical centers implemented NKEplus-as had all but 1 of the specialty units by May 2013. The mean KPSC score on the NKEplus nursing behavior bundle improved from 65.9% in 2010 to 71.3% in the first quarter of 2014. The mean KPSC Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) score for nurse communication improved from 73.1% in 2010 to 76.4% in the first quarter of 2014 (p < . 001). Human-centered implementation appeared to help spread a new model of nursing handoffs and change the culture of professional nursing practice related to shift change.

Career ladder program for registered nurses in ambulatory care.

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Nelson, Joan; Sassaman, Becky; Phillips, Alison

2008-01-01

RN ladder programs are designed to inspire and reward clinical excellence. Kaiser Permanente Colorado's (KPCO) career ladder program emerged as a result of a labor-management partnership. Career ladder point assignments are reflective of the organization's priorities and values. KPCO's career ladder point tool awards RNs for formal and continuing education, professional presentations, organizational experience and experience as an RN, certifications and active professional memberships, leadership activities, research and publications, and nursing-related volunteer work. Participation in the RN career ladder requires that the nurse achieve a self-determined, manager-approved, measurable goal that will improve patient care. Career ladder nurses at KPCO were significantly more involved in leadership and interdisciplinary activities, quality improvement projects, and preceptorship.

La formación del profesorado de Historia en Chile. La formación inicial y permanente de los educadores de la V región en el marco de la reforma educacional

OpenAIRE

Vásquez Lara, Nelson Lorenzo

2004-01-01

[spa] Objetivos Generales:A. Conocer las principales características que ha tenido la formación inicial de los Profesores de Historia, Geografía y Ciencias Sociales chilenos.B. Conocer las principales características que ha tenido la formación permanente de los profesores de Historia, Geografía y Ciencias Sociales chilenos.C. Averiguar la percepción que los profesores de historia chilenos tienen sobre el grado de utilidad de la formación inicial y permanente.D. Averiguar la percepción que lo...

Formación del profesorado de Historia en Chile. La formación inicial y permanente de los educadores de la V región en el marco de la reforma educacional, La

OpenAIRE

Vásquez Lara, Nelson Lorenzo

2004-01-01

Objetivos Generales:A. Conocer las principales características que ha tenido la formación inicial de los Profesores de Historia, Geografía y Ciencias Sociales chilenos.B. Conocer las principales características que ha tenido la formación permanente de los profesores de Historia, Geografía y Ciencias Sociales chilenos.C. Averiguar la percepción que los profesores de historia chilenos tienen sobre el grado de utilidad de la formación inicial y permanente.D. Averiguar la percepción que los prof...

MERCOSUR ambiental. El aporte del Laudo 1/2012 del Tribunal Permanente de Revisión

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Alberto Cesar Moreira

2014-03-01

Full Text Available El trabajo reflexiona acerca de la dimensión ambiental del MERCOSUR, identificando los desarrollos institucionales y normativos más significativos e intentando desentrañar algunas de las causas que dificultan su consolidación. En ese orden de ideas, destaca la escasa utilización que los Estados han hecho del sistema de solución de controversias de este esquema y pone de resalto el aporte del laudo 1/2012 del Tribunal Permanente de Revisión, ya que al resolver sobre su competencia en razón de la materia, reconoce y acompaña a las distintas dimensiones que el MERCOSUR ha ido desarrollado, entre ellas la ambiental.

Heart rate calculation from ensemble brain wave using wavelet and Teager-Kaiser energy operator.

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Srinivasan, Jayaraman; Adithya, V

2015-01-01

Electroencephalogram (EEG) signal artifacts are caused by various factors, such as, Electro-oculogram (EOG), Electromyogram (EMG), Electrocardiogram (ECG), movement artifact and line interference. The relatively high electrical energy cardiac activity causes EEG artifacts. In EEG signal processing the general approach is to remove the ECG signal. In this paper, we introduce an automated method to extract the ECG signal from EEG using wavelet and Teager-Kaiser energy operator for R-peak enhancement and detection. From the detected R-peaks the heart rate (HR) is calculated for clinical diagnosis. To check the efficiency of our method, we compare the HR calculated from ECG signal recorded in synchronous with EEG. The proposed method yields a mean error of 1.4% for the heart rate and 1.7% for mean R-R interval. The result illustrates that, proposed method can be used for ECG extraction from single channel EEG and used in clinical diagnosis like estimation for stress analysis, fatigue, and sleep stages classification studies as a multi-model system. In addition, this method eliminates the dependence of additional synchronous ECG in extraction of ECG from EEG signal process.

La aspiración de Brasil al asiento permanente en el Consejo de Seguridad de la Organización de las Naciones Unidas: un breve panorama

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Renata de Melo Rosa

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Este artículo analiza la posición de Brasil frente a la aspiración de un asiento permanente al Consejo de Seguridad de las Naciones Unidas. Los esfuerzos entabulados por Brasil en el escenario internacional, los discursos del primer rango del gobierno, así como un protagonismo más acelerado frente a los vecinos latino-americanos confirman esta aspiración. Pero, Brasil aún enfrenta serios problemas internos de seguridad nacional y tendrá que enfrentar otros compañeros regionales también, aspirantes a un assiento de miembro permanente en el Consejo de Seguridad de la ONU, como Canadá, por ejemplo. La ocupación del assiento temporario en el bienio de 2010-2011 también es uno de los factores analizados en este trabajo.

CONTROL DE GESTIÓN: DIMENSIONES Y DIAGNÓSTICO PERMANENTE

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Maritza Hernández Torres

2003-04-01

Full Text Available

Los actuales entornos competitivos en los que se desarrolla la actividad empresarial, junto a la necesidad de responder de forma adecuada a los continuos cambios y constante incertidumbre a los que las organizaciones han de enfrentarse, conllevan una significativa modificación en lo que a la gestión empresarial se refiere, resultando esencial en este sentido, el papel del control de gestión, que como elemento del proceso de dirección, es el que más contribuye a mejorar las actuaciones de cualquier sistema. Las empresas deben tomar decisiones estratégicas adecuadas que permitan alcanzar alguna ventaja competitiva en la búsqueda de la excelencia empresarial a través de un proceso flexible de mejora continua. Para contribuir a tal propósito, en el presente trabajo se realizan algunas reflexiones acerca del control de gestión, abarcando desde el enfoque clásico hasta el moderno, su evolución y situación en las organizaciones cubanas; así como, el análisis de sus dimensiones soportado en un procedimiento para su permanente diagnóstico en correspondencia con las particularidades en que las diferentes empresas desarrollan su actividad.

Gestión de la formación permanente del docente: reflexión y propuesta

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MSc. Silvia M. Sarmiento-Berrezueta

2015-11-01

Full Text Available La práctica educativa actual exige implementar un nuevo Modelode Gestión de la formación permanente de los docentes basado en los estándares de calidad. Este artículo se centra en cómo alcanzar la calidad de la gestión formativa profesional mediante una propuesta de autoformación y co-formación basada sobre la reflexión, valoración y motivación, normada desde el Código de Convivencia, que conlleva a aprender y desaprender en los colectivos de docentes de educación básica superior en el Ecuador.

Minería de datos en la encuesta permanente de hogares 2009, universidad nacional del litoral, argentina

OpenAIRE

Denis Lizazo Torres; Roberto Delfor Meyer; Verena Torres Cárdenas

2011-01-01

En este trabajo se aplicó por primera vez la Minería de Datos a la información generada por la Encuesta Permanente de Hogares del año 2009, del Observatorio Social de la Universi-dad del Litoral en Santa Fe, Argentina. El objetivo fue utilizar algoritmos de clasificación que poseen enfoques descriptivos, y es una de las tareas más utilizada en Minería de Datos para obtener nuevos conocimientos sobre la familia santafecina. La base de datos fue confeccio-nada con la información en el relevamie...

The Impact of Telephonic Wellness Coaching on Weight Loss: A “Natural Experiments for Translation in Diabetes (NEXT-D)” Study

Science.gov (United States)

Schmittdiel, Julie A.; Adams, Sara R.; Goler, Nancy; Sanna, Rashel S.; Boccio, Mindy; Bellamy, David J.; Brown, Susan D.; Neugebauer, Romain S.; Ferrara, Assiamira

2016-01-01

Objective To evaluate the impact of a population-based telephonic wellness coaching program on weight loss. Methods Individual-level segmented regression analysis of interrupted time series data comparing the BMI trajectories in the 12 months before vs. the 12 months after initiating coaching among a cohort of Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) members (n=954) participating in The Permanente Medical Group (TPMG) Wellness Coaching program in 2011. The control group was a 20:1 propensity-score matched control group (n=19,080) matched with coaching participants based on baseline demographic and clinical characteristics. Results Wellness coaching participants had a significant upward trend in BMI in the 12 months before their first Wellness coaching session, and a significant downward trend in BMI in the 12 months after their first session equivalent to a clinically significant reduction of greater than one unit of baseline BMI (pcoaching has a positive impact on BMI reduction that is both statistically and clinically significant. Future research and quality improvement efforts should focus on disseminating Wellness coaching for weight loss in diabetes patients and those at risk for developing the disease. PMID:28124501

Nuevos retos para el profesorado de secundaria obligatoria: formación permanente para la atención a la diversidad en las aulas (New challenges for teachers of compulsory secondary: lifelong learning for attention to diversity in the classrooms (Nouveaux défis pour le professorat de secondaire obligatoire :formation permanente pour l’attention à la diversité dans la salle de classe (Novos desafios para os professores do ensino médio obrigatório: formação permanente para a atenção à diversidade na sala de aula

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Mar Prats

2009-12-01

Full Text Available La llegada reciente de alumnos inmigrantes a los centros educativos en España ha enfrentado al profesorado a nuevos retos. El presente artículo pone de manifiesto cuáles son estos nuevos retos que afrontan los docentes de la etapa de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria, ESO, a partir de sus propias voces, para conocer las necesidades formativas derivadas de esta situación educativa, con el fin de hacer propuestas de formación permanente para los docentes, como apoyo institucional en la atención de la diversidad de alumnado que coexiste en las aulas. Utilizando como método el estudio de casos múltiples hemos analizado e interpretado la información que conduce a conclusiones prácticas, con muchas posibilidades de ser tenidas en cuenta para la formación permanente de los implicados.

La Educación Permanente en Bibliotecología y Archivología: relato de una experiencia universitaria en Uruguay (1994-2001

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Edelweiss Zahn

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Se indica cómo han variado los roles de la información y la situación relativa de las unindades de información, la producción tecnológica de vías alternativas del almacenamiento documental, tales como las bilbiotecas virtuales o digitales, los archivos y museos electrónicos. El avance de la investigación y del conocimiento en cualquier disciplina, el crecimiento de expectativas y necesidades de formación y actualización por parte de los profesionales, nuevos requerimientos y desafíos en el ámbito laboral y social, y la implantación generalizada de nuevas tecnologías, se han conjugado para obligar a una reflexión profunda de las instituciones responsables de formación especializada. En las Universidades se plantean al menos tres niveles educativos: el grado, los posgrados, y la educación continua o permanente que involucre conocimientos teórico-prácticos y metodológicos, que contribuya a mejorar el desempeño y la jerarquía profesional en la línea de conocimientos "just in time", y que habilite a niveles superiores de conocimiento y a la investigación disciplinaria. Se define y caracteriza la eduación permanente como fenómeno educativo. Se relata el proceso de institucionalización de la Educación Permanente en la Universidad de la República y en la Escuela Universitaria de Bibliotecología y Ciencias Afines en particular. Se desarrollar criterios y políticas académicos, formas de financiación del programa, su evaluación y su proección a futuro. Se presentan datos estadísticos sobre cursos, profesores, y participantes en el período 1994-2001 en la EUBCA     

Searching for the optimal renal prescription. Fresenius, Kaiser Permanente team up to offer new options in dialysis care.

Science.gov (United States)

Neumann, M E

1999-01-01

The goals are simple: Improve well-being of the dialysis patient and reduce hospitalizations. The tools are diverse: Ultrapure dialysate. On-line blood monitoring. Biocompatible membranes. No reuse. Daily, in-center dialysis and possibly nocturnal dialysis at home. Reimbursement: Full-risk capitation, With Medicare and commercial payor rates varying on a patient-by-patient basis. Create an incubator with approximately 1,000 end-stage renal disease patients, treated at both capitated payment-exclusive dialysis units and mingled in at traditional fee-for-service clinics. Establish a team of nurses and renal care staff to direct the care plan, and put the program in place. After the first year, analyze the data and see if the end--hopefully, improved outcomes and resulting reduced hospitalizations--justifies the means--the higher cost for "optimal technologies."

La cátedra abierta y permanente de Ética

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Ana María Caballero

2015-06-01

Full Text Available La Cátedra Abierta y Permanente de Ética se propuso como un espacio de discusión y reflexión ético-política para debatir las diferentes corrientes del pensamiento axiológico y político, que propicie la resignificación de las representaciones culturales y sociales de sentido que permitan desarrollar una mirada socio histórica sobre las relaciones entre educación, ética y cultura colombiana, de tal manera que los estudiantes de la Universidad Pedagógica Nacional asuman una conciencia clara de su función como actores sociales en la construcción de la sociedad civil, la democracia, la promoción y la defensa de los derechos humanos, el crecimiento económico y el desarrollo social. La formación de valores morales que fundamenten una ética cívica parte del conocimiento de la realidad nacional y global, de la autoconciencia de cada individuo que aspira a constituirse en un ser autónomo usando su pensamiento crítico y participando en la construcción de la democracia, como modelo de gobierno que garantiza las libertades individuales, propiciando espacios para la conquista de los ideales de libertad, equidad, solidaridad y tolerancia, que permitan la convivencia ciudadana y la construcción de la nacionalidad colombiana.

[The history of the Kaiser Wilhelm Society during the Third Reich. Interim reports of the president's commission of the Max Planck Society].

Science.gov (United States)

Weber, M M

2002-11-01

In 1997 the Max Planck Society set up a presidential commission to do research on the historical development of its precursor organization, the Kaiser Wilhelm Society (KWG), during the Third Reich. This paper presents some of the important results given in the interim reports of this commission that are relevant to psychiatry. It focuses on brain research, anthropology, psychiatric genetics, and the role of the well-known biochemist Adolf Butenandt. In general, the interim reports reflect the numerous links between the biomedical research of the KWG and the institutions of the National Socialist (Nazi) state. However, they do not yet allow a final historical assessment as to the complex situation of this field of research during National Socialism.

COMPETENCIAS EMPRENDEDORAS DEL ALUMNADO DE EDUCACIÓN PERMANENTE DE ADULTOS EN ANDALUCÍA. PERCEPCIÓN DEL PROFESORADO

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José Ma. Fernández Batanero

2017-01-01

Full Text Available En el presente trabajo analizamos la percepción que tiene el profesorado de Educación Permanente de Personas Adultas en Andalucía (España acerca del grado de presencia de competencias emprendedoras en su alumnado. Para dar respuesta al objetivo planteado adoptamos un diseño de investigación de tipo descriptivo, donde el enfoque de recolección y análisis de datos se ha definido como mixto, en el que se integran técnicas cualitativas (entrevistas en profundidad y cuantitativas (cuestionario. Para la validación del cuestionario, se utilizó la técnica de juicio de expertos, seleccionados mediante el procedimiento de «Coeficiente de competencia experta» o «Coeficiente K». El análisis de la fiabilidad del cuestionario a través de la prueba de Cronbach fue de 0,957. El cuestionario ha sido respondido por 549 profesores y profesoras de Centros de Educación Permanente de Andalucía y se han realizado 23 entrevistas en profundidad a informantes claves (directores de centros y coordinadores de sección. Los resultados muestran con claridad la percepción, tanto del profesorado como de aquellos que ejercen el ejercicio de la dirección, que el alumnado de estos centros educativos no están lo suficientemente preparados para iniciar por su cuenta un proyecto empresarial, a pesar de cursar contenidos curriculares de cultura emprendedora. Consideran que aún no poseen las competencias emprendedoras necesarias para crear y gestionar eficazmente un proyecto empresarial, constituyendo la falta de creatividad uno de los mayores obstáculos para dicho fin. Así mismo, se desprende del estudio la escasa incidencia que ejercen los programas de cultura emprendedora que se desarrollan en este tipo de centros.

Caries dental aguda del primer molar permanente en niños de 12 años

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Daniel Enrique Reyes Romagosa

Full Text Available Introducción: el primer molar permanente es considerado la llave de la oclusión dentaria, la presencia de caries en éste es elevada, lo que dificulta el logro de las metas trazadas por organizaciones de salud a nivel mundial en este grupo de edad. Objetivo: determinar el comportamiento de la caries dental aguda en primer molar permanente en una población de 12 años de edad atendida en la Clínica Estomatológica Santa Cruz de la Parroquia Goaigoaza. Métodos: se realizó un estudio descriptivo transversal en la Clínica Estomatológica Santa Cruz. Parroquia Goaigoaza, municipio Puerto Cabello, estado Carabobo, en el período comprendido entre abril del 2009 a abril 2010. Se seleccionaron 97 pacientes de 12 años de edad los que constituyeron el universo y la muestra. Acudieron a la consulta por dolor debido a la presencia de caries dental aguda. Se registraron las variables: edad, sexo, grado clínico de la caries dental, estímulos externos que provocaron dolor, la cara dental y la arcada dentaria más afectadas. La información fue recogida mediante interrogatorio y examen clínico. Resultados: el sexo masculino representó el 63,9 %. La caries dental de 3er grado estuvo presente en un 68 %. Los estímulos externos que provocaron dolor fueron: el frío presente en 75,2 % y los alimentos dulces en 69,1 % en ambos sexos. El primer molar inferior derecho resultó más afectado (46,4 % que el izquierdo (36,1 %, así como la arcada dentaria inferior (25,8 % y la cara oclusal (64,9 %. Conclusiones: predominaron el sexo masculino y la caries dental aguda de 3er grado. El frío y los alimentos dulces fueron los estímulos externos más frecuentes. Los más afectados resultaron el primer molar inferior derecho, la cara oclusal y la arcada dentaria inferior.

Las Lesson Study en Andalucía: un modelo de formación permanente

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Rosa M.ª Caparrós Vida

2015-01-01

Full Text Available El presente artículo ofrece los resultados de un estudio de casos desarrollado en el marco de un proyecto de investigación I+D de la Universidad de Málaga a través de una de las modalidades de formación permanente ofertadas por un Centro de Formación del Profesorado, bajo la demanda de un grupo de docentes de una escuela de la comarca de la Axarquía en Málaga. Las Lesson Study se convierten en el eje del estudio de los procesos de comprensión y reconstrucción del conocimiento práctico de una maestra de 1º de primaria sobre la enseñanza y el aprendizaje de la lectura y escritura, encontrando evidencias significativas sobre cómo esta estrategia metodológica y de investigación contribuye a la reconstrucción del mismo.

Permanent education in health. An instrument to enhance interpersonal relations in nursing work La educación permanente en salud. Instrumento potenciador de las relaciones interpersonales del trabajo en enfermería Educação permanente em saúde. Instrumento potencializador das relações interpessoais no trabalho da enfermagem

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Juliane Portella Ribeiro

2012-08-01

Full Text Available This is a reflexive study about the need to adopt Permanent Education in Health, as an instrument capable of transforming interpersonal relations in nursing work, as it values and respect collective construction with a view to the qualification of care. Privileging specialization programs only, with a focus on work techniques, on educative processes, as a training strategy for health services, ends up reinforcing the fragmentation of care, teams and the work process. In conclusion, Permanent Education in Health serves not only as teaching and learning practice to update and transform practices, but also influences team relations, transforming joint action processes and, at the same time, implying each subject-worker involved in health practices.Se trata de un estudio reflexivo sobre la necesidad de adoptar la Educación Permanente en Salud, como un instrumento capaz de transformar las relaciones interpersonales en el trabajo de la enfermería, ya que valora y respeta la construcción colectiva para la calificación de la atención. Privilegiar sólo la especialización con direccionalidad en la técnica del trabajo en los procesos educativos, como estrategia de capacitación para los servicios de salud, acaba por reforzar la fragmentación del cuidado, de los equipos y del proceso de trabajo. Se concluye que la Educación Permanente en Salud, además de servir como práctica de enseñanza y aprendizaje para la actualización y transformación de las prácticas, actúa en las relaciones del equipo, transformando los procesos de acción conjunta y, al mismo tiempo, implicando cada sujeto-trabajador involucrado en las prácticas de salud.Se trata de um estudo reflexivo sobre a necessidade de adotar a Educação Permanente em Saúde, como um instrumento capaz de transformar as relações interpessoais no trabalho da enfermaria, já que, valoriza e respeita a construção coletiva, para a qualificação do atendimento. Privilegiar só a especializa

EL DESARROLLO PROFESIONAL MEDIANTE LA FORMACION PERMANENTE DE LOS PROFESORES CUBANOS DE MATEMÁTICA Y CIENCIAS PARA TRABAJAR EN PAISES DE HABLA INGLESA

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Noelio Vázquez Vargas

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Este artículo trata sobre el desarrollo profesional. Se presenta un estudio histórico sobre la enseñanza del inglés con fines específicos (IFE durante la formación permanente de los profesores cubanos de Matemática y Ciencias, además, se presentan las competencias básicas de los profesores de estas asignaturas, teniendo en cuenta el criterio de diferentes autores.

Manual dexterity aptitude testing: a soap carving study.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Christopher G; Hilsinger, Raymond L; Cruz, Raul M; Schloegel, Luke J; Byl, Fred M; Rasgon, Barry M

2014-03-01

Currently there are few validated metrics for predicting surgical skill among otolaryngology residency applicants. To determine whether manual dexterity aptitude testing in the form of soap carving during otolaryngology residency interviews at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center Oakland predicts surgical skill at the time of graduation from otolaryngology residency programs. This study was conducted to determine how applicants with the best and worst soap carvings compared at the time of graduation with respect to various metrics including visuospatial ability and manual dexterity. Over the last 25 years, applicants to the residency program at Kaiser Permanente Oakland were required to carve soap during their residency interview. The 3 best and 3 worst soap carvings from 1990 through 2006 were determined. Of the individuals who carved those soaps, 62 qualified for the study and matriculated into otolaryngology residency programs. Surveys were sent to the 62 individuals' residency programs to evaluate those individuals on a 5-point Likert scale in various categories as well as to rank those individuals as being in the top 50% or bottom 50% of their graduating class. All else being equal, we hypothesized that applicants who had the manual dexterity and visuospatial skills to accurately carve a bar of soap would more likely possess the skills necessary to become a good surgeon. There was no difference between individuals with the best soap carvings and those with the worst soap carvings in all categories: cognitive knowledge, visuospatial ability, manual dexterity, decision making, and overall score (P > .10 for all categories). There was a 95% response rate, with 35 of 37 residency programs responding and 59 of 62 surveys returned. Manual dexterity aptitude testing in the form of soap carving does not appear to correlate with surgical skill at the time of graduation. Further studies need to be conducted to determine the role of manual dexterity and visuospatial

Cohort profile: Study of Transition, Outcomes and Gender (STRONG) to assess health status of transgender people.

Science.gov (United States)

Quinn, Virginia P; Nash, Rebecca; Hunkeler, Enid; Contreras, Richard; Cromwell, Lee; Becerra-Culqui, Tracy A; Getahun, Darios; Giammattei, Shawn; Lash, Timothy L; Millman, Andrea; Robinson, Brandi; Roblin, Douglas; Silverberg, Michael J; Slovis, Jennifer; Tangpricha, Vin; Tolsma, Dennis; Valentine, Cadence; Ward, Kevin; Winter, Savannah; Goodman, Michael

2017-12-27

The Study of Transition, Outcomes and Gender (STRONG) was initiated to assess the health status of transgender people in general and following gender-affirming treatments at Kaiser Permanente health plans in Georgia, Northern California and Southern California. The objectives of this communication are to describe methods of cohort ascertainment and data collection and to characterise the study population. A stepwise methodology involving computerised searches of electronic medical records and free-text validation of eligibility and gender identity was used to identify a cohort of 6456 members with first evidence of transgender status (index date) between 2006 and 2014. The cohort included 3475 (54%) transfeminine (TF), 2892 (45%) transmasculine (TM) and 89 (1%) members whose natal sex and gender identity remained undetermined from the records. The cohort was matched to 127 608 enrollees with no transgender evidence (63 825 women and 63 783 men) on year of birth, race/ethnicity, study site and membership year of the index date. Cohort follow-up extends through the end of 2016. About 58% of TF and 52% of TM cohort members received hormonal therapy at Kaiser Permanente. Chest surgery was more common among TM participants (12% vs 0.3%). The proportions of transgender participants who underwent genital reconstruction surgeries were similar (4%-5%) in the two transgender groups. Results indicate that there are sufficient numbers of events in the TF and TM cohorts to further examine mental health status, cardiovascular events, diabetes, HIV and most common cancers. STRONG is well positioned to fill existing knowledge gaps through comparisons of transgender and reference populations and through analyses of health status before and after gender affirmation treatment. Analyses will include incidence of cardiovascular disease, mental health, HIV and diabetes, as well as changes in laboratory-based endpoints (eg, polycythemia and bone density), overall and in relation to

Does the diagnosis of breast or ovarian cancer trigger referral to genetic counseling?

Science.gov (United States)

Powell, C Bethan; Littell, Ramey; Hoodfar, Elizabeth; Sinclair, Fiona; Pressman, Alice

2013-03-01

Kaiser Permanente Northern California is a large integrated health care delivery system in the United States that has guidelines for referring women with newly diagnosed BRCA1-and BRCA2-associated cancers for genetic counseling. This study assesses adherence to genetic counseling referral guidelines within this health system. Chart review was performed to identify patients with cancer who met the following pathology-based Kaiser Permanente Northern California guidelines for referral for genetic counseling: invasive breast cancer, younger than age 40; nonmucinous epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or peritoneal cancer, younger than age 60; women with synchronous or metachronous primary cancers of the breast and ovaries; and male breast cancer. We assessed compliance with referral guidelines. An electronic notice was sent to the managing physician of patients with newly diagnosed cancer to assess the feasibility of this intervention. A total of 340 patients were identified with breast cancer at younger than age 40 or with ovarian, peritoneal, or tubal cancer between January and June, 2008. Upon chart review, 105 of these patients met pathology-based criteria for referral to genetic counseling, of whom 47 (45%) were referred within the 2-year study period. Of the 67 subjects with breast cancer, 40 subjects (60%) were referred. In contrast, only 7 (21%) of 33 patients with ovarian cancer were referred (P < 0.001). A pilot study was performed to test the feasibility of notifying managing oncologists with an electronic letter alerting them of eligibility for genetic referral of patients with new diagnosis (n = 21). In the 3 to 6 months after this notification, 12 of these 21 patients were referred for counseling including 5 of 7 patients with a diagnosis of ovarian cancer. There is a missed opportunity for referring patients to genetic counseling, especially among patients with ovarian cancer. A pilot study suggests that alerting treating physicians is a feasible

Fórum Permanente da Agenda 21 Paraná: seus vínculos com o processo de mobilização social

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Myrian Del Vecchio De Lima

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Este artigo utiliza a construção dos vínculos entre públicos envolvidos, proposta por Márcio Simeone Henriques (2004, para analisar a ocorrência de um processo de mobilização social, conforme entendimento teórico do sociólogo Bernardo Toro. O trabalho realiza esta proposta especificamente em relação às ações desenvolvidas pelo Fórum Permanente da Agenda 21 no Paraná. O objetivo é observar, por meio dos critérios dos vínculos, as ações de caráter mobilizador com relação a questões socioambientais empreendidas por esse coletivo, a partir do entendimento dos dois autores citados. Para tanto, o texto reflete sobre a compreensão do conceito central em questão, a mobilização social, e o papel da comunicação nesse processo. Após uma breve apresentação do Fórum Permanente da Agenda 21, verifica-se por meio de análise de conteúdo se há, no interior deste coletivo, vínculos que permitam atos de comunicação propícios à mobilização social em torno das diretrizes socioambientais propostas pela Agenda para orientar as políticas públicas.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.21882/ruc.v4i7.655 Recebido: 19/09/2016 Publicado: 07/12/2016

Política de Educação Permanente em Saúde: análise de sua implementação

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Katerine Gonçalves Moraes

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Introdução: A política nacional de educação permanente em saúde define novas diretrizes para a gestão democrática na área da educação na saúde, tais como: a gestão participativa, o protagonismo dos trabalhadores e usuários e o fortalecimento do controle social. Objetivo: Analisar o processo de implementação da Política de Educação Permanente em Saúde no Distrito Federal, Brasil. Métodos: Estudo de caso utilizando a teoria da política pública foi realizado no Distrito Federal, envolvendo 24 participantes chave responsáveis pela gestão e implementação dessa política. Resultados: Os achados apontam para um modelo centralizado de gestão com pouca participação de outros segmentos da sociedade civil, obstáculos de financiamento devido a questões burocráticas e desvalorização dos espaços de execução da política. Conclusão: Pode-se concluir que as mudanças políticas e de gestão não têm sido realizadas com a amplitude necessária para a construção coletiva do conhecimento nos serviços de saúde.

The historical development of modern virus research in Germany, especially in the Kaiser-Wilhelm-/Max-Planck-Society, 1936--1954.

Science.gov (United States)

Butenandt, A

1977-01-01

This is lecture on the historical development of modern virus research in Germany to introduce a symposium dedicated to Prof. Werner Schäfer, Tübingen, on the occasion of his 65th birthday. The author was set the task of relating from his memories the beginning of modern virus research in Germany. This research has, since 1936, essentially taken place in the Kaiser-Wilhelm/Max-Planck-Society and in 1954 led to the founding of the Max-Planck-Institute for Virus Research in Tübingen, an institute which to the present day owes its scientific reputation in considerable part to the activity of Werner Schäfer. Since the author personally experienced and participated in the Institute's development from 1936-1954, his remarks are predominantly influenced by personal recollections, which have been sharpended by a renewed study of old records in the 'Library and Archive of the History of the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft', Berlin-Dahlem.

Hacia un espacio europeo de aprendizaje para toda la vida. Evolución y desarrollo de la Educación Permanente en la Unión Europea.

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Fernando López Noguero

2008-01-01

Full Text Available En sus inicios, la Unión Europea (UE concedió una mínima importancia a la educación en el marco de los derechos y las políticas sociales europeas, aumentando su peso paulatinamente, como comprobaremos en la propia evolución de la Educación Permanente en la UE, desarrollo que hemos dividido en cuatro etapas fundamentales. Así, desde la proclamación del Año Europeo de la Educación y la Formación Permanentes en 1996, en el que se fomentó en el seno de la UE el concepto de aprendizaje durante toda la vida, la Educación Permanente ha cambiado radicalmente en Europa hacia una nueva realidad que se ha dado en llamar “Espacio Europeo de Aprendizaje para toda la vida”, que analizamos en profundidad a través del análisis de la legislación y programas educativos existentes en la UE. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ In its early years, the European Union (EU granted a minimal importance to education in the framework of rights and social policies in Europe, increasing its weight gradually, as we Hill check on the evolution of Continuing Education in EU development which we have divided into tour Basic stages. So we will check how, since the proclamation of the European Year of Education and Training Standing in 1996, which fostered within the EU the concept of lifelong learning, Continuing Education has changed dramatically in Europe towards a new reality that has been termed a “European Area Learning for Life” which analyzed in depth through the analysis of legislation and educational programs existing in the EU.

2014 Hypertension Guideline: Recommendation for a Change in Goal Systolic Blood Pressure

Science.gov (United States)

Handler, Joel

2015-01-01

The 2014 Kaiser Permanente Care Management Institute National Hypertension Guideline was developed to assist primary care physicians and other health care professionals in the outpatient treatment of uncomplicated hypertension in adult men and nonpregnant women aged 18 years and older. The new guideline reflects general acceptance, with minor modifications, of the “Evidence-Based Guideline” report by the panel members appointed to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute 8th Joint National Committee. A major practice change is the recommendation for goal systolic blood pressure less than 150 mmHg in patients aged 60 years and older who are treated for hypertension in the absence of diabetes or chronic kidney disease. This article describes the reasons for, evidence for, and consequences of the change, and is followed by the National Guidelines handout. PMID:26057683

Sustaining engagement and partnership: model of enhancing cultural capital among nonaffiliated IRB members.

Science.gov (United States)

Hung, Yvonne; Ayala, Armida; Morales, Francisco; Frierman-Hunt, Gina; Moreno, Alva; Nwachuku, Ijeoma

2013-07-01

Although federal regulations require the presence of at least one nonaffiliated member on the roster of an institutional review board (IRB), little research exists about how to foster their participation and satisfaction. Guided by principles of justice and diversity, the Kaiser Permanente Southern California IRB adapted the sociological concept of "cultural capital" to develop training and support with its nonaffiliated IRB members. Using in-depth qualitative interviews with four past and current nonaffiliated IRB members, we describe how our initial and ongoing activities enhanced their ability to analyze, communicate, and complete the ethical review of research. This case study is situated in the gaps of existing research about nonaffiliated IRB members by providing insights into how to sustain their engagement while protecting the rights of research volunteers, particularly from vulnerable communities.

Educação permanente: instrumento de trabalho do enfermeiro na instituição de longa permanência

OpenAIRE

Silva, Bárbara Tarouco da; Barlem, Edison Luiz Devos; Lunardi, Valeria Lerch; Santos, Silvana Sidney Costa

2008-01-01

A questão educacional na enfermagem é ampla, podendo referir-se à educação formal em cursos técnicos, de graduação e de pós-graduação, ou à educação em saúde voltada aos treinamentos em serviço. Ante a problemática do envelhecimento populacional, as características da sociedade moderna e o uso crescente de Instituições de Longa Permanência (ILPs) como residência dos idosos, a proposta deste texto reflexivo é enfatizar a relevância e necessidade da educação permanente para os trabalhadores que...

Evaluación de la formación permanente del profesorado en la República Dominicana : el caso del Infocam

OpenAIRE

Ayala de la Cruz, María Esperanza

2016-01-01

El presente estudio estuvo orientado a describir y valorar la calidad del sistema de formación, relacionándolo con la aplicación de las políticas educativas y de formación permanente o continua del profesorado en la República Dominicana. Su conexión con las necesidades e intereses de los docentes, su incidencia en el desarrollo personal, profesional, y de desempeño. Teniendo como intención estratégica generar y aportar líneas para avanzar hacia un sistema de evaluación de la formación...

The organizational dynamics enabling patient portal impacts upon organizational performance and patient health: A qualitative study of Kaiser Permanente

NARCIS (Netherlands)

E.T. Otte-Trojel (Eva Terese); T.G. Rundall (Thomas); A.A. de Bont (Antoinette); J.J. van de Klundert (Joris); M.E. Reed (Mary E.)

2015-01-01

textabstractBackground: Patient portals may lead to enhanced disease management, health plan retention, changes in channel utilization, and lower environmental waste. However, despite growing research on patient portals and their effects, our understanding of the organizational dynamics that explain

Suspended sediment entrainment estimation in unsteady turbulent flows by means of a stochastic meted; Computo de la incorporacion de sedimento en suspension en flujos turbulentos no permanentes utilizando un enfoque estocastico

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodriguez, Jose Fernando; Garcia, Marcelo Horacio [Universidad de Illinois (United States); Admiraal, David Mark [Universidad de Nebraska en Lincoln (United States)

2001-06-01

bibliografia, pero todas ellas han sido derivadas para condiciones de flujo permanente y uniforme. La bondad de estas relaciones para predecir tasas de incorporacion en flujos no permanentes no ha sido demostrada y tampoco se ha intentado desarrollar una formulacion general que sea aplicable tanto en condiciones permanentes como no permanentes. El enfoque tradicional relacionada la incorporacion de sedimento con el esfuerzo de corte asociado con la friccion de grano en una forma deterministica, proveyendo solo una relacion entre valores medios. Una alternativa es considerar el esfuerzo de corte y la incorporacion como magnitudes estocasticas turbulentas y expresarlas en terminos de sus funciones de densidad de probabilidad (PDF). De esta manera se pueden obtener estadisticos de la incorporacion a partir de las PDF del esfuerzo de corte tanto en situaciones de flujos permanentes como no permanentes, dado que el efecto de la impermanencia esta implicito en el PDF. Esta nueva metodologia fue usada para estimar la incorporacion de sedimento debido al paso de embarcaciones en los rios Mississippi e Illinois. Al usar una expansion en cumulantes de bajo orden para describir la PDF del esfuerzo de corte y una version generalizada de la relacion de incorporacion de Garcia y Parker, se obtuvo una expresion para el promedio de la incorporacion, en funcion del promedio, varianza, asimetria y kurtosis del esfuerzo de corte. Los resultados se comparan satisfactoriamente con valores mencionados en la literatura.

Demonstration of shield-type longwall supports at York Canyon Mine of Kaiser Steel Corporation. Final technical report A

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lawrence, R.G.; King, R.

1980-04-01

This report represents work on a program that was originated by the USBM of the Department of the Interior and was transferred to the Department of Energy on October 1, 1977. A demonstration with the Government funded Hemscheidt 320 HSL caliper type shield supports was conducted at three longwall panels of Kaiser Steel Corporation's York Canyon Mine. The purpose of this longwall demonstration was to provide the US coal industry with information on all aspects of shield longwall mining in high seams. The demonstration provided a working model for the coal industry and during the project, 350 people from the industry, schools, and government agencies visited the demonstration. They were provided with a first hand knowledge of a working shield longwall. The demonstration showed that the control of large coal lumps may be a problem in the mining of coal seam thicker than 8 feet. Mining with shield type supports provided good working conditions and a safe working environment. The shield requires very little maintenance and has a high mechanical availability.

A three-dimensional `Kaiser damage-memory' effect through true-triaxial loading

Science.gov (United States)

Meredith, P. G.; Browning, J.; Harland, S. R.; Healy, D.; Stuart, C.; Mitchell, T. M.

2017-12-01

Microcrack damage leading to failure in rocks evolves in response to differential loading. The vast majority of experimental studies investigate damage evolution, the `Kaiser damage-memory' effect, and rock failure using conventional triaxial stress states (σ1 > σ2 = σ3). Such stress states develop a crack population that displays cylindrical transverse isotropy. However, in nature the stress state is in general truly triaxial (σ1 > σ2 > σ3) and experiments that utilise such loading conditions can generate crack populations that display planar transverse isotropy which in turn influences properties such as permeability and strength. We investigate the evolution of crack damage under both conventional and true triaxial stress conditions using results from measurements made on cubic samples of sandstone deformed in three orthogonal directions with independently controlled stress paths. We have measured, simultaneously with stress and strain, the changes in ultrasonic compressional and shear wave velocities in the three principal directions, together with the bulk acoustic emission (AE) output. Changes in acoustic wave velocities are associated with both elastic closure and opening of pre-existing cracks, and the inelastic formation of new cracks. By contrast, AE is only associated with the inelastic growth of new crack damage and as such, we use the onset of AE to determine the initiation of new crack damage. By mapping these damage onsets under both conventional triaxial and true triaxial sequential cyclic loading, we have shown that `damage envelopes' evolve dynamically and can be pushed closer to the failure envelope. Whether a stress state has been `visited' before is key to determining and understanding damage states. Crack damage populations can be generated with multiple orientations depending on the arrangement of loading directions and hence principal stress directions. The sequential cyclic loading tests show that further damage in any one population

Minería de datos en la encuesta permanente de hogares 2009, universidad nacional del litoral, argentina

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Denis Lizazo Torres

2011-04-01

Full Text Available En este trabajo se aplicó por primera vez la Minería de Datos a la información generada por la Encuesta Permanente de Hogares del año 2009, del Observatorio Social de la Universi-dad del Litoral en Santa Fe, Argentina. El objetivo fue utilizar algoritmos de clasificación que poseen enfoques descriptivos, y es una de las tareas más utilizada en Minería de Datos para obtener nuevos conocimientos sobre la familia santafecina. La base de datos fue confeccio-nada con la información en el relevamiento de 2009, denominado Onda 2009, y se procesó con el software de minería de datos Weka 3.6.2. Los algoritmos de clasificación que mejores resultados aportaron fueron: ZeroR, Ridor y J48, pertenecientes a los grupos de Reglas y Árboles de Decisión, siendo el algoritmo de clasificación J48 el que mejor clasifica a la En-cuesta Permanente de Hogares 2009 del Observatorio Social de la Universidad Nacional del Litoral. In this work it was applied the Data Mining for the first time, to the information generated by the Permanent Survey of Homes of the year 2009, of the Social Observatory of the University of the Litoral in Santa Fe, Argentina. The objective was to use classification algorithms that possess descriptive focuses and it is one of the tasks more used in Data Mining, to obtain new knowledge on the family of Santa Fe. The database was made with the information of the Permanent Survey of Homes of the year 2009 and it was processed with the software of data mining Weka 3.6.2. The classification algorithms that better results contributed were: ZeroR, Ridor and J48, belonging to the groups of Rules and Trees of Decision, being the classifica-tion algorithm J48 the one that better it classifies to the Permanent Survey of Homes 2009, of the Social Observatory of the National University of the Litoral.

Biopoder e UPPs: alteridade na experiência do policiamento permanente em comunidades cariocas

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Thiago Benedito Livramento Melicio

2012-12-01

Full Text Available O artigo visa refletir sobre a experiência do efetivo policial permanente em dois conjuntos de comunidades cariocas, inserido no escopo das Unidades de Polícia Pacificadora (UPP. Foram realizados dois estudos exploratórios, em agosto e dezembro de 2010. Na esteira do conceito foucaultiano de biopoder, discute-se a UPP como rede de relações de poder que a compõe e a legitima, pensando-se o local em que se instala, a política de Estado a que responde, os atores com que opera e as produções históricas das relações entre Estado e territórios populares. O campo de análise constitui-se, assim, nas práticas e saberes localizados no cotidiano e nos efeitos produzidos com a presença do policial na paisagem da favela. Se novas regras são trazidas com as UPPs, novas identificações são mobilizadas e as modulações de conjunto abrem lacunas, o governo de si não se produz sozinho, mas combina-se com diversidades na gestão da vida.

ANÁLISE DA CORRELAÇÃO ENTRE AS VARIÁVEIS DE DENSIFICAÇÃO DO COMPACTADOR GIRATÓRIO SUPERPAVE E A RESISTÊNCIA À DEFORMAÇÃO PERMANENTE EM MISTURAS ASFÁLTICAS CONVENCIONAIS E COM UTILIZAÇÃO DE RESÍDUOS

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Felipe Coutinho Onofre

2011-09-01

Full Text Available

Quando se comparam as metodologias de dosagem Superpave e Marshall de misturas asfálticas, uma das vantagens da primeira é a obtenção do gráfico de compactação. Tem sido verificado para misturas densas e contínuas do tipo Concreto Asfáltico (CA que determinadas áreas observadas nesse gráfico podem diferenciar estas misturas quanto à trabalhabilidade e à resistência à deformação permanente. No presente estudo, os parâmetros Compaction Densification Index (CDI e Traffic Densification Index (TDI foram utilizados como indicadores da compactabilidade. Desenvolveu-se um estudo de correlação entre estas variáveis e a resistência à deformação permanente de misturas asfálticas. Foram avaliadas três misturas asfálticas contendo: (i apenas agregados graníticos, (ii 50% de agregados graníticos e 50% de escória de aciaria e (iii 50% de agregados graníticos e 50% de Resíduo de Construção e Demolição (RCD. As variáveis escolhidas para determinação da resistência à deformação permanente foram o ensaio uniaxial de carga repetida (amostras compactadas para dois percentuais de Volume de vazios e o ensaio com um simulador de tráfego do tipo LCPC. Foi utilizado também o Processamento Digital de Imagens (PDI para a determinação da esfericidade dos agregados estudados, propriedade que influencia na resistência à deformação permanente. Os resultados indicam que as variáveis CDI e TDI podem ser usadas como parâmetros de estudo para prever a resistência à deformação permanente, mesmo para misturas com utilização de resíduos. A caracterização pela técnica do PDI mostrou que o agregado de origem granítica possui uma forma menos próxima a uma esfera em relação aos res

Educação Permanente em Saúde e Manoel de Barros: uma Aproximação Desformadora

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Eluana Borges Leitão de Figueiredo

Full Text Available RESUMO Trata-se de uma reflexão que promove diálogo entre pressupostos da Educação Permanente em Saúde (EPS e proposições desformadoras do poeta Manoel de Barros, com o objetivo de contribuir para a transvisão da formação e do trabalho em saúde. Optou-se por desvelar tal aproximação com base nos versos do poema “As lições de RQ”, que funcionaram como plataforma para os saltos reflexivos. A discussão encontrou respaldo principal em Paulo Freire e Adolfo Sanchez Vázquez, uma vez que caminhou na perspectiva de uma práxis revolucionária, transformadora e libertadora.

Ações de educação permanente dos enfermeiros facilitadores de um núcleo de educação em enfermagem

OpenAIRE

Lavich, Claudia Rosane Perico; Gomes Terra, Marlene; Lemos Mello, Amanda; Raddatz, Michele; Arnemann, Cristiane Trivisiol

2017-01-01

Objetivo: Identificar ações desenvolvidas por enfermeiros facilitadores de um Núcleo de Educação Permanente de um Hospital de Ensino.Método: Estudo de caso único com abordagem qualitativa, realizado com oito enfermeiros de um hospital no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul. A produção dos dados foi por meio de análise documental, observação sistemática e grupo focal, realizada de abril a setembro de 2013.Resultados: O estudo aponta para as seguintes categorias: estratégias potentes para promover açõe...

Personal reminiscences of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute, Berlin, 1937/38 and of the nuclear project in Canada, 1944/56

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cook, L.G.

1989-01-01

Part 1 of this talk deals with reminiscences from the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute in Berlin during the period 1937-1938. Topics include the course of experimental events and the continuing search for interpretations that would stand up, the guiding influence of the work of Irene Curie and Pvale Savic on the experimental work of Hahn and Strassmann, the influence and effects of Nazi political pressures within the Institute, the shadows of war, and how uranium fission finally got itself discovered. Part 2 gives reminiscences from the Nuclear Project in Canada from 1944 to 1956 as an extension of the pre-war work in Paris - both in concept and in personnel - created by British effort, the powerful changing US influences, the shift to British direction and a goal, the world's first high power heavy water moderated reactor for the production of massive quantities of synthetic radioactive materials, extraction processes including those for plutonium, the shift to Canadian direction and goals, a heavy water moderated electricity production system, and a postscript

Inmunización y militarización del cuerpo social en Colombia: el Estado en emergencia permanente

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Juan Pablo Aranguren Romero

2015-12-01

Full Text Available En este artículo analizo cómo las estrategias de guerra contrainsurgente emprendidas en Colombia durante las décadas de los sesenta y los setenta recrean un dispositivo inmunitario en donde la nación es entendida como un cuerpo social amenazado e infectado por ideologías comunistas y en donde su seguridad y protección contra los actos violentos, suponen la administración de la violencia. Sostengo que este dispositivo inmunitario, opera bajo una lógica autodestructiva y una noción de amenaza deslocalizada que incentivó la militarización de la sociedad, la gestión del miedo y el sostenimiento de un Estado en emergencia permanente. Hechos que, a su vez, permitieron la apelación a la excepcionalidad constitucional como forma de gobierno normalizada.

The mediating sex-specific effect of psychological distress on the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and current smoking among adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Strine, Tara W; Edwards, Valerie J; Dube, Shanta R; Wagenfeld, Morton; Dhingra, Satvinder; Prehn, Angela Witt; Rasmussen, Sandra; McKnight-Eily, Lela; Croft, Janet B

2012-07-13

Research suggests that ACEs have a long-term impact on the behavioral, emotional, and cognitive development of children. These disruptions can lead to adoption of unhealthy coping behaviors throughout the lifespan. The present study sought to examine psychological distress as a potential mediator of sex-specific associations between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and adult smoking. Data from 7,210 Kaiser-Permanente members in San Diego California collected between April and October 1997 were used. Among women, psychological distress mediated a significant portion of the association between ACEs and smoking (21% for emotional abuse, 16% for physical abuse, 15% for physical neglect, 10% for parental separation or divorce). Among men, the associations between ACEs and smoking were not significant. These findings suggest that for women, current smoking cessation strategies may benefit from understanding the potential role of childhood trauma.

Identifying organisational principles and management practices important to the quality of health care services for chronic conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frølich, Anne

2012-01-01

are limited, it is necessary to identify efficient methods to improve the quality of care. Comparing health care systems is a well-known method for identifying new knowledge regarding, for instance, organisational methods and principles. Kaiser Permanente (KP), an integrated health care delivery system...... in the U.S., is recognized as providing high-quality chronic care; to some extent, this is due to KP's implementation of the chronic care model (CCM). This model recommends a range of evidence-based management practices that support the implementation of evidence-based medicine. However, it is not clear...... which management practices in the CCM are most efficient and in what combinations. In addition, financial incentives and public reporting of performance are often considered effective at improving the quality of health care services, but this has not yet been definitively proved....

REFORMAS EDUCATIVAS Y FORMACIÓN PERMANENTE DEL PROFESORADO EN LA ÚLTIMA OBRA DE JULIA VARELA: MEMORIA Y OLVIDO

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Alberto Luís Gómez

2009-01-01

Full Text Available En este artículo se analizan la complejidad del proceso de construcción de los Centros de Profesores y el papel desempeñado por una diversidad de instancias y personas que, desde distintos puntos de vista, defendieron su articulación dentro del más amplio campo de la formación permanente del profesorado español entre 1983 y 1990. Habiendo tomado como punto de partida de nuestras reflexiones el último libro de Julia Varela ¿Las reformas educativas a debate (1982-2006¿ defendemos tanto su interés como la asimetría existente entre la relevancia política de esta obra y su debilidad historiográfica.

Políticas y prácticas en la formación permanente del profesorado en TIC en Cataluña

OpenAIRE

Adriana Ornellas; Joan\\u2010Anton Sánchez; Leticia Fraga Colman; Laura Domingo

2015-01-01

En este artículo presentamos los resultados que emergen de una de las dimensiones investigadas en el proyecto “Políticas y prácticas en torno a las TIC en la enseñanza obligatoria: Implicaciones para la innovación y la mejora” (Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación. SEJ2007-­‐67562). Nos centramos aquí en uno de los factores determinantes del éxito o fracaso de las políticas destinadas a transformar las prácticas educativas a partir de la integración de las TIC: la formación inicial y permanente...

Políticas y prácticas en la formación permanente del profesorado en TIC en Cataluña

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Adriana Ornellas

2015-01-01

Full Text Available En este artículo presentamos los resultados que emergen de una de las dimensiones investigadas en el proyecto “Políticas y prácticas en torno a las TIC en la enseñanza obligatoria: Implicaciones para la innovación y la mejora” (Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación. SEJ2007-­‐67562. Nos centramos aquí en uno de los factores determinantes del éxito o fracaso de las políticas destinadas a transformar las prácticas educativas a partir de la integración de las TIC: la formación inicial y permanente del profesorado.

TENDENCIATEMPORALDE LAINCAPACIDAD LABORAL PERMANENTE EN ESPAÑA (1992-2010

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Xavier Duran

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Fundamentos: La incapacidad permanente (IP es un problema de salud laboral en el que intervienen factores laborales, sanitarios o legales, los cuales han variado en España a lo largo de los últimos años. El objetivo del presente estudio es describir la tendencia temporal de la IP en España desde 1992 a 2010 por gravedad de la incapacidad y diferentes variables sociodemográficas y de afiliación a la seguridad social. Métodos: A partir de los datos de la Seguridad Social sobre afiliación y altas de IP en España se describió la tendencia temporal de la incidencia anual de la IP en el periodo comprendido entre 1992 y 2010. Para valorar las tendencias se estimó el porcentaje de cambio anual (PCA y el intervalo de confianza al 95% mediante un modelo de regresión binomial negativa. Resultados: La tendencia de la incidencia de IP se subdividió en tres periodos. El primero (1992 a 1997 presentó una incidencia aproximadamente constante de 75 casos por 10.000 trabajadores (PCA1= -0,1; IC 95%:-1,6 a 1,4. Seguidamente las tasas descendieron durante un período de tres años (PCA2:-12,1%; IC 95%:-13,9 a -10,4, situándose alrededor de 50 nuevos casos por 10.000 trabajadores en el año 2000. A partir de este año la incidencia de IP se mantuvo aproximadamente constante hasta el año 2010 (PCA3=0,4; IC 95%:-0,2 a 1,0. Conclusiones: Apesar del incremento de trabajadores afiliados a la seguridad social en el periodo estudiado, la incidencia de IP se mantiene bastante estable, con un descenso entre 1997 y 2000 que se podría atribuir a las medidas de evaluación y seguimiento de las IP adoptados en 1995.

Self-Management Support to People with Type 2 Diabetes - A comparative study of Kaiser Permanente and the Danish Healthcare System

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schiøtz, Michaela Louise; Strandberg-Larsen, Martin; Frølich, Anne

2012-01-01

En væsentlig del af kronikeromsorgen i et sundhedsvæsen er også at understøtte egenomsorgen. Egenomsorg omfatter fx, at patienten kender til, hvad der kan optimere behandlingsindsatsen, herunder ændring af livsstil, kendskab til sundhedsvæsenets tilbud, og at deltage aktivt i at koordinere og sik...

Changes in School Food Preparation Methods Result in Healthier Cafeteria Lunches in Elementary Schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Behrens, Timothy K; Liebert, Mina L; Peterson, Hannah J; Howard Smith, Jennifer; Sutliffe, Jay T; Day, Aubrey; Mack, Jodi

2018-05-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of a districtwide food best practices and preparation changes in elementary schools lunches, implemented as part of the LiveWell@School childhood obesity program, funded by LiveWell Colorado/Kaiser Permanente Community Health Initiative. Longitudinal study examining how school changes in best practices for food preparation impacted the types of side items offered from 2009 to 2015 in elementary school cafeterias in a high-need school district in southern Colorado. Specifically, this study examined changes in side items (fruits, vegetables, potatoes, breads, and desserts). In Phase 1 (2009-2010), baseline data were collected. During Phase 2 (2010-2011), breaded and processed foods (e.g., frozen nuggets, pre-packaged pizza) were removed and school chefs were trained on scratch cooking methods. Phase 3 (2011-2012) saw an increased use of fresh/frozen fruits and vegetables after a new commodity order. During Phase 4 (2013-2015), chef consulting and training took place. The frequency of side offerings was tracked across phases. Analyses were completed in Fall 2016. Because of limited sample sizes, data from Phases 2 to 4 (intervention phases) were combined for potatoes and desserts. Descriptive statistics were calculated. After adjusting for length of time for each phase, Pearson chi-square tests were conducted to examine changes in offerings of side items by phase. Fresh fruit offerings increased and canned fruit decreased in Phases 1-4 (p=0.001). A significant difference was observed for vegetables (p=0.001), with raw and steamed vegetables increasing and canned vegetables decreasing from Phase 1 to 4. Fresh potatoes (low in sodium) increased and fried potatoes (high in sodium) decreased from Phase 1 to Phases 2-4 (p=0.001). Breads were eliminated entirely in Phase 2, and dessert changes were not significant (p=0.927). This approach to promoting healthier lunch sides is a promising paradigm for improving elementary

Estrategias del Teatro del Oprimido para la formación permanente del profesorado

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Tomás Motos-Teruel

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Este artículo relata una experiencia y su valoración de formación permanente del profesorado basada en el aprendizaje vivencial utilizando como estrategia metodológica el Teatro del Oprimido (TO para estimular y favorecer la reflexión sobre la práctica educativa. Sus objetivos básicos fueron dar a conocer la formulación teórica y la metodología del TO y hacer la transferencia de las estrategias metodológicas vivenciadas a la práctica docente. El estudio se ha planteado desde una óptica cualitativa con el estudio de caso único. Y como resultados más destacables hay que reseñar el interés y la percepción de la utilidad personal y profesional del TO como instrumento de reflexión sobre la acción y generador de clima positivo. El Teatro del Oprimido es una formulación teórica y un método estético cuya teoría y praxis están inspiradas en la Pedagogía del Oprimido de Paulo Freire, utiliza las técnicas dramáticas como un instrumento eficaz para la comprensión y la búsqueda de alternativas a problemas sociales, interpersonales e individuales.

EDUCAÇÃO PERMANENTE EM ENFERMAGEM E A INTERFACE COM A OUVIDORIA HOSPITALAR

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Raquel Costa Rodrigues de Souza

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Se trata de un estudio descriptivo-exploratorio, con enfoque cualitativo, cuyo objetivo fue investigar las demandas de los usuarios del servicio de Defensoría del Pueblo relacionadas con la asistencia de enfermería y discutir su contribución para la educación permanente. La investigación se desarrolló en hospital público federal, con notoriedad en realización de procedimientos diagnósticos y terapéuticos de alta complejidad en Ortopedia. La recolección de datos se basó en la técnica de análisis documental, incluyendo la gestión de informaciones y materiales, de las demandas de los usuarios que figuran en los registros de la Oficina de Defensoría del Pueblo, relativos al año 2009, (total de 3.895 declaraciones. Hemos clasificado las declaraciones recibidas- en este estudio- según la naturaleza de la comunicación: elogio, pedido de información, queja, sugerencia y denuncia. Hemos considerado la importancia del Servicio de Defensoría del Pueblo para mejorar la actuación de enfermería, teniendo en cuenta las contribuciones extraídas del contexto de las demandas y que la relación interdisciplinar permite percibir y evaluar las necesidades evidenciadas.

Use of Electronic Health Records and Administrative Data for Public Health Surveillance of Eye Health and Vision-Related Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Elliott, Amanda; Davidson, Arthur; Lum, Flora; Chiang, Michael; Saaddine, Jinan B; Zhang, Xinzhi; Crews, John E.; Chou, Chiu-Fang

2014-01-01

Purpose To discuss the current trend toward greater use of electronic health records and how these records could enhance public health surveillance of eye health and vision-related conditions. Methods We describe three currently available sources of electronic health data (Kaiser Permanente, the Veterans Health Administration, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) and how these sources can contribute to a comprehensive vision and eye health surveillance system. Results Each of the three sources of electronic health data can contribute meaningfully to a comprehensive vision and eye health surveillance system, but none currently provide all the information required. The use of electronic health records for vision and eye health surveillance has both advantages and disadvantages. Conclusions Electronic health records may provide additional information needed to create a comprehensive vision and eye health surveillance system. Recommendations for incorporating electronic health records into such a system are presented. PMID:23158225

The mediating sex-specific effect of psychological distress on the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and current smoking among adults

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Strine Tara W

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Research suggests that ACEs have a long-term impact on the behavioral, emotional, and cognitive development of children. These disruptions can lead to adoption of unhealthy coping behaviors throughout the lifespan. The present study sought to examine psychological distress as a potential mediator of sex-specific associations between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs and adult smoking. Method Data from 7,210 Kaiser-Permanente members in San Diego California collected between April and October 1997 were used. Results Among women, psychological distress mediated a significant portion of the association between ACEs and smoking (21% for emotional abuse, 16% for physical abuse, 15% for physical neglect, 10% for parental separation or divorce. Among men, the associations between ACEs and smoking were not significant. Conclusions These findings suggest that for women, current smoking cessation strategies may benefit from understanding the potential role of childhood trauma.

Outcomes in Treatment for Intradural Spinal Cord Ependymomas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Volpp, P. Brian; Han, Khanh; Kagan, A. Robert; Tome, Michael

2007-01-01

Purpose: Spinal cord ependymomas are rare tumors, accounting for <2% of all primary central nervous system tumors. This study assessed the treatment outcomes for patients diagnosed with spinal cord ependymomas within the Southern California Kaiser Permanente system. Methods and Materials: We studied 23 patients treated with surgery with or without external beam radiotherapy (EBRT). The local and distant control rates and overall survival rates were determined. Results: The overall local control, overall recurrence, and 9-year overall survival rate was 96%, 17.4%, and 63.9%, respectively. Conclusions: The results of our study indicate that en bloc gross total resection should be the initial treatment, with radiotherapy reserved primarily for postoperative cases with unfavorable characteristics such as residual tumor, anaplastic histologic features, or piecemeal resection. Excellent local control and overall survival rates can be achieved using modern microsurgical techniques, with or without local radiotherapy

Percepção da educação permanente, continuada e em serviço para enfermeiros de um hospital de ensino La percepción de la educación permanente, continuada y en servicio para el enfermero del hospital de enseñanza The perception of permanent, continuous, in service education for nurses in a school hospital

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Amarílis Schiavon Paschoal

2007-09-01

Full Text Available Este estudo tem como objetivo discutir a concepção de educação permanente, continuada e em serviço junto a enfermeiros de um hospital de ensino. É uma pesquisa de natureza qualitativa, na qual a coleta dos dados foi realizada pela técnica do grupo focal, durante seis sessões gravadas em áudio e vídeo. Participaram deste estudo nove enfermeiros de um hospital de ensino. Para analisar os dados, utilizou-se a técnica do discurso do sujeito coletivo, que consiste na organização e tabulação de dados qualitativos de natureza verbal obtidos por meio de depoimentos, da qual resultou um único discurso. A pesquisa demonstrou que os enfermeiros diferenciaram os termos educação permanente, continuada e em serviço, construindo conceitos próprios, ressaltando a importância da diferenciação para definir o tipo de ação a ser tomada diante da necessidade educativa apresentada.Este estudio tiene como objetivo la discusión de la concepción de los términos de la educación permanente, continuada y en servicio con enfermeros del hospital de enseñanza. Es una investigación de naturaleza cualitativa, en que fueron recogidos los datos a través de la técnica del grupo focal, durante seis sesiones grabadas en audio y video. Participaron de este estudio nueve enfermeros de un hospital de enseñanza. Para analizar los datos fue utilizada la técnica del discurso del sujeto colectivo, que consiste en la organización y tabulación de datos cualitativos de naturaleza verbal obtenidos por medio de deposiciones, que resultó de un único discurso. La investigación demostró que los enfermeros diferenciaron los términos educación permanente, continuada y en servicio, construyendo conceptos propios, resaltando la importancia de la diferenciación para definir el tipo de acción a ser tomada delante de la necesidad educativa representada.This study is aimed at discussing the conception of permanent, continuous, in service education among nurses

Defectos del esmalte, caries en dentición primaria, fuentes de fluoruro y su relación con caries en dientes permanentes Enamel defects, caries in primary dentition and fluoride sources: relationship with caries in permanent teeth

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Ana Alicia Vallejos-Sánchez

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Objetivo: Explorar la relación entre la presencia de defectos del esmalte (DE, la experiencia de caries en la dentición temporal, y la exposición a diversas fuentes de fluoruros, con la presencia de caries en la dentición permanente de niños con dentición mixta. Material y métodos: Se realizó un estudio transversal en 713 sujetos de 6-9 años de edad de 4 escuelas de Campeche, México, mediante un cuestionario dirigido a las madres, y un examen clínico bucal a los niños. La variable dependiente fue la prevalencia de caries en la dentición permanente. Resultados: El promedio de dientes temporales cariados, extraídos y obturados (ceod y dientes permanentes cariados, perdidos y obturados (CPOD fue de 2,48 (2,82 (ceod > 0 = 58,9% y 0,40 (0,98 (CPOD > 0 = 18,2%, respectivamente. El índice SiC (índice de caries significativa, calculado en la dentición temporal fue de 5,85 para los niños de 6 años de edad. En el análisis de regresión logística multivariado permanecieron significativas, después de ajustar por variables de exposición a fluoruros, la mayor edad (odds ratio [OR] = 2,99, el ceod > 0 (OR = 5,46, la menor escolaridad de la madre (OR = 1,57 y una interacción entre sexo y defectos del esmalte. Conclusiones: Las caries en la dentición temporal y permanente fueron relativamente menores que las observaciones publicadas por otros estudios en México. Los resultados confirmaron que la caries en la dentición temporal se asoció fuertemente con la caries en la dentición permanente. No hubo una relación significativa entre las fuentes de fluoruro y la caries dental en la dentición permanente.Objective: To examine the relationship between the presence of enamel defects, dental caries in primary teeth, and exposure to various fluoride technologies and the presence of dental caries in permanent teeth in children with mixed dentition. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 713 children aged 6-9 years old

Métodos para determinação de parâmetros de máquinas síncronas de ímãs permanentes

OpenAIRE

Guilherme Homrich

2016-01-01

A teoria de duplo eixo é geralmente utilizada para modelar e caracterizar máquinas síncronas de polos salientes. O conhecimento das indutâncias de eixo direto e eixo em quadratura são fundamentais para o desenvolvimento destes modelos e para o projeto de controladores destas máquinas. No entanto, métodos tradicionais para determinação destas indutâncias através de ensaios tornam-se impraticáveis em máquinas síncronas de ímãs permanentes pela impossibilidade de controlar a corrente de campo. R...

La aspiración de Brasil al asiento permanente en el Consejo de Seguridad de la Organización de las Naciones Unidas: un breve panorama

OpenAIRE

Renata de Melo Rosa; Ana Carolina Gomes Lira Linhares

2009-01-01

Este artículo analiza la posición de Brasil frente a la aspiración de un asiento permanente al Consejo de Seguridad de las Naciones Unidas. Los esfuerzos entabulados por Brasil en el escenario internacional, los discursos del primer rango del gobierno, así como un protagonismo más acelerado frente a los vecinos latino-americanos confirman esta aspiración. Pero, Brasil aún enfrenta serios problemas internos de seguridad nacional y tendrá que enfrentar otros compañeros regionales también, aspir...

Estudo comparativo entre ensino presencial e a distância para educação permanente de profissionais auxiliares e técnicos de enfermagem

OpenAIRE

Silva, Adriane das Neves

2014-01-01

As mudanças ocorridas no mundo do trabalho têm exigido do profissional atualização constante de saberes que possibilitem o desenvolvimento de atitude crítico-reflexiva. Este estudo buscou analisar a aplicabilidade das tecnologias da informação e da comunicação na Educação Permanente dos profissionais auxiliares e técnicos de Enfermagem em um hospital público municipal. É um estudo do tipo ensaio clínico, que lançou mão de técnicas quantitativas e qualitativas através de um experimento que oco...

Necesidades y motivaciones de los estudiantes de educación permanente en España. El caso del Centro de Educación Permanente Valle del Guadiato en Córdoba

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Beatriz del V. Medina F

2013-05-01

Full Text Available El objetivo de la investigación en la que está basado el artículo fue identificar las necesidades y las motivaciones de los estudiantes del Centro de Educación Permanente (CEPER Valle del Guadiato de Córdoba, España. Se parte de diferentes teorías para su fundamentación, como las aportadas por Maslow (2005, McClelland (1989, García Aretio (1988, Paz (1984, Palladino (1981, entre otros. Se utilizó la metodología comparada cuyas unidades de comparación se corresponden con las unidades espaciales, que en este estudio son los municipios: Belmez, Espiel, Fuente Obejuna, Peñarroya-Pueblonuevo, Villanueva del Rey y Villaviciosa de Córdoba. Para la recogida de datos se utiliza el estudio documental, el cuestionario escrito y la observación cualitativa. El universo poblacional del CEPER Valle del Guadiato lo conformaron 606 personas adultas del período escolar 2011-2012 (592 estudiantes, 14 maestros, siendo la muestra de 265 personas (251 estudiantes, 14 maestros. Entre las principales conclusiones destacan que las necesidades sociales, laborales y personales de los estudiantes del Centro objeto de estudio se derivan básicamente del deseo de aprender, del deseo de superación personal, y del interés por el tema. Las motivaciones giran en torno a la oportunidad de ocupar sus tiempos libres, a la posibilidad de tener mejores oportunidades de encontrar trabajo, y al apoyo de la familia.

Necesidades y motivaciones de los estudiantes de educación permanente en España. El caso del Centro de Educación Permanente Valle del Guadiato en Córdoba

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Beatriz del V. Medina F

2013-01-01

Full Text Available El objetivo de la investigación en la que está basado el artículo fue identifi-car las necesidades y las motivaciones de los estudiantes del Centro de Educación Permanente (CEPER Valle del Guadiato de Córdoba, España. Se parte de dife-rentes teorías para su fundamentación, como las aportadas por Maslow (2005,McClelland (1989, García Aretio (1988, Paz (1984, Palladino (1981, entre otros. Se utilizó la metodología comparada cuyas unidades de comparación se co-rresponden con las unidades espaciales, que en este estudio son los municipios: Belmez, Espiel, Fuente Obejuna, Peñarroya-Pueblo nuevo, Villanueva del Rey y Villaviciosa de Córdoba. Para la recogida de datos se utiliza el estudio documental, el cuestionario escrito y la observación cualitativa. El universo poblacional del “CEPER Valle del Guadiato” lo conformaron 606 personas adultas del período escolar 2011-2012 (592 estudiantes, 14 maestros, siendo la muestra de 265 personas (251 estudiantes, 14 maestros. Entre las principales conclusiones destacan que las necesidades sociales, laborales y personales de los estudiantes del Centro objeto de estudio se derivan básicamente del deseo de aprender, del deseo de superación personal, y del interés por el tema. Las motivaciones giran en torno a la oportunidad de ocupar sus tiempos libres, a la posibilidad de tener mejores oportunidades de encontrar trabajo, y al apoyo de la familia.

Association between clinical parameters and the presence of active caries lesions in first permanent molars Associação entre parâmetros clínicos e a presença de lesões ativas de cárie em primeiros molares permanentes

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Juliana Maria Quaglio

2006-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association between clinical parameters and the presence of active caries lesions on the occlusal surface of first permanent molars. Forty eight children (5.8-13.8 years-old with at least one first permanent molar present were selected. The clinical parameters evaluated were gender, age, DMF-T and dmf-t, presence of active white spots in other teeth, general plaque index, tooth's dental arch (upper or lower, tooth's side (right or left, presence of visible plaque and eruption degree of the first permanent molars. The first permanent molars were evaluated through visual inspection by two examiners in order to assess the presence of active or inactive caries lesions on the occlusal surface. Univariate and multivariate analyses for determination of the association between clinical parameters and the presence of active caries lesions in these teeth were performed. The presence of active white spots in other teeth was associated with the presence of active caries lesions in the first permanent molars, in both univariate and multivariate analyses (Odds ratio = 8.8 and 1.9, respectively. The presence of abundant visible plaque on the occlusal surface of the first permanent molars (Odds ratio = 3.5 in the univariate analysis, and 3.9 in the multivariate one also presented a significant association. In conclusion, the presence of active white spots in other teeth and the presence of considerable visible plaque were associated with the presence of active caries lesions on the occlusal surfaces of first permanent molars.O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar a associação entre parâmetros clínicos e presença de lesões ativas de cárie sobre a superfície oclusal de primeiros molares permanentes. Quarenta e oito crianças (5,8-13,8 anos com pelo menos um primeiro molar permanente foram selecionadas. Os parâmetros clínicos avaliados foram sexo, idade, CPO-D e ceo-d, presença de manchas brancas

Use of electronic health records and administrative data for public health surveillance of eye health and vision-related conditions in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Elliott, Amanda F; Davidson, Arthur; Lum, Flora; Chiang, Michael F; Saaddine, Jinan B; Zhang, Xinzhi; Crews, John E; Chou, Chiu-Fang

2012-12-01

To discuss the current trend toward greater use of electronic health records and how these records could enhance public health surveillance of eye health and vision-related conditions. Perspective, comparing systems. We describe 3 currently available sources of electronic health data (Kaiser Permanente, the Veterans Health Administration, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) and how these sources can contribute to a comprehensive vision and eye health surveillance system. Each of the 3 sources of electronic health data can contribute meaningfully to a comprehensive vision and eye health surveillance system, but none currently provide all the information required. The use of electronic health records for vision and eye health surveillance has both advantages and disadvantages. Electronic health records may provide additional information needed to create a comprehensive vision and eye health surveillance system. Recommendations for incorporating electronic health records into such a system are presented. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Obesity during childhood and adolescence increases susceptibility to multiple sclerosis after accounting for established genetic and environmental risk factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Gianfrancesco, Milena A; Acuna, Brigid; Shen, Ling; Briggs, Farren B S; Quach, Hong; Bellesis, Kalliope H; Bernstein, Allan; Hedstrom, Anna K; Kockum, Ingrid; Alfredsson, Lars; Olsson, Tomas; Schaefer, Catherine; Barcellos, Lisa F

2014-01-01

To investigate the association between obesity and multiple sclerosis (MS) while accounting for established genetic and environmental risk factors. Participants included members of Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Plan, Northern California Region (KPNC) (1235 MS cases and 697 controls). Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Body mass index (BMI) or body size was the primary predictor of each model. Both incident and prevalent MS cases were studied. In analyses stratified by gender, being overweight at ages 10 and 20 were associated with MS in females (pchildhood and adolescence obesity confer increased risk of MS in females beyond established heritable and environmental risk factors. Strong evidence for a dose-effect of BMI in 20s and MS was observed. The magnitude of BMI association with MS is as large as other known MS risk factors. Copyright © 2014 Asian Oceanian Association for the Study of Obesity. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Personal health record use and association with immunizations and well-child care visits recommendations.

Science.gov (United States)

Tom, Jeffrey O; Chen, Chuhe; Zhou, Yi Yvonne

2014-01-01

To determine the association of parental use of integrated personal health records (PHRs) with children's adherence to immunization and well-child care (WCC) visit recommendations. For the immunization and WCC visit measures, we retrospectively analyzed, respectively, 766 and 639 matched pairs at Kaiser Permanente (KP) Hawaii and 2795 and 2448 pairs at KP Northwest who were ≤ 31 days old at enrollment and continuously enrolled for 2 years between January 2007 and July 2011. The independent variable (≥ 1 PHR feature used vs none) was matched using propensity scores on parental and children characteristics. The dependent variables were 2 measures from the 2010 Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set: combination 2 immunization (all immunizations vs immunizations only at KP Northwest (KP Hawaii: OR 1.1, 95% CI 0.8-1.4, P > .05; KP Northwest OR 1.2, 95% CI 1.0-1.3, P immunizations in only 1 region. Copyright © 2014 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Determinants of information technology outsourcing among health maintenance organizations.

Science.gov (United States)

Wholey, D R; Padman, R; Hamer, R; Schwartz, S

2001-09-01

We analyze the determinants of HMO information technology outsourcing using two studies. Study 1 examines the effect of asset specificity on outsourcing for development and operation activities, using HMO specific fixed effects to control for differences between HMOs. Study 2 regresses the HMO specific fixed effects from Study 1, which measure an HMO's propensity to outsource, on HMO characteristics. The data comes from a 1995 InterStudy survey about information technology organization of HMOs. While HMOs split roughly equally in outsourcing information technology development activities, they are extremely unlikely to outsource the day-to-day operation of information systems. The greater an HMO's information technology capability and the complexity of information systems supported, the less likely is an HMO to outsource. While HMOs less than two years old, for-profit HMOs, local or Blue Cross-affiliated HMOs, and mixed HMOs are more likely to outsource, federally qualified HMOs are less likely to outsource. Policy and managerial implications for the adoption and diffusion of new ways of organizing information technology, such as application service providers (ASPs), are discussed.

A Origem Histórica do Conceito de Área de Preservação Permanente no Brasil

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Glaucus Vinicius Biasetto Ribeiro

2011-01-01

Full Text Available A nossa atualidade vem sendo marcada por uma crescente preocupação com as questões ligadas ao meio ambiente e com a preservação do nosso planeta. De uma maneira geral o aquecimento global, a influência antrópica, a degradação de ambientes naturais, os processos ecológicos, a biodiversidade, a sustentabilidade, bem como a cidadania ambiental tem se tornado temas de discussão nas diversas esferas de convívio social.Dentro da história brasileira podemos identificar uma série de regramentos de caráter ambiental considerando-se como marco a Lei 4.771 de 15 de setembro de 1965, que instituiu o novo Código Florestal Brasileiro. Ao longo do presente artigo procuraremos investigar a origem da conceituação das áreas de preservação permanentes, tema alvo de grandes discussões na atualidade, tal qual surgiu e foi inserida na legislação brasileira, procurando recuperar esse aspecto específico da história do Brasil.

Estimativa por DSC das entalpias de sublimação da etilenouréia e da propilenouréia: algumas correlações empíricas envolvendo amidas e tioamidas

OpenAIRE

Farias,Robson Fernandes de

1999-01-01

By using DSC data, the enthaplies of sublimation for ethyleneurea and propyleneurea, are calculated as 84 and 89 kJ mol-1 respectively. Using the vaporization enthalpy values for dimethylethyleneurea and dimethylprophyleneurea, as obtained from literature, the empirical relation: Dcrg Hmo (1)/ Dcrg Hmo (2) = Dlg Hmo (1)/ Dlg Hmo(2) = constant, that relate sublimation or vaporization enthalpies of two different substances and of its methylated derivatives, is obtained. Correlations like that a...

Variation in consumption of human milk oligosaccharides by infant gut-associated strains of Bifidobacterium breve.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz-Moyano, Santiago; Totten, Sarah M; Garrido, Daniel A; Smilowitz, Jennifer T; German, J Bruce; Lebrilla, Carlito B; Mills, David A

2013-10-01

Human milk contains a high concentration of complex oligosaccharides that influence the composition of the intestinal microbiota in breast-fed infants. Previous studies have indicated that select species such as Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis and Bifidobacterium bifidum can utilize human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) in vitro as the sole carbon source, while the relatively few B. longum subsp. longum and Bifidobacterium breve isolates tested appear less adapted to these substrates. Considering the high frequency at which B. breve is isolated from breast-fed infant feces, we postulated that some B. breve strains can more vigorously consume HMO and thus are enriched in the breast-fed infant gastrointestinal tract. To examine this, a number of B. breve isolates from breast-fed infant feces were characterized for the presence of different glycosyl hydrolases that participate in HMO utilization, as well as by their ability to grow on HMO or specific HMO species such as lacto-N-tetraose (LNT) and fucosyllactose. All B. breve strains showed high levels of growth on LNT and lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT), and, in general, growth on total HMO was moderate for most of the strains, with several strain differences. Growth and consumption of fucosylated HMO were strain dependent, mostly in isolates possessing a glycosyl hydrolase family 29 α-fucosidase. Glycoprofiling of the spent supernatant after HMO fermentation by select strains revealed that all B. breve strains can utilize sialylated HMO to a certain extent, especially sialyl-lacto-N-tetraose. Interestingly, this specific oligosaccharide was depleted before neutral LNT by strain SC95. In aggregate, this work indicates that the HMO consumption phenotype in B. breve is variable; however, some strains display specific adaptations to these substrates, enabling more vigorous consumption of fucosylated and sialylated HMO. These results provide a rationale for the predominance of this species in breast-fed infant feces and

Deformación permanente de materiales granulares en pavimentos flexibles: estado del conocimiento Permanent strain of granular materials in flexible pavements: state of the art

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Hugo Alexánder Rondón

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Diversos estudios han sido desarrollados en el área de los pavimentos para comprender el comportamiento elastoplástico que experimentan materiales granulares bajo carga cíclica. Este es el segundo de dos artículos que presentan el estado del conocimiento de investigaciones desarrolladas en esta área. Basado en una amplia revisión bibliográfica, este artículo da cuenta de la forma como ha sido estudiado el fenómeno de deformación permanente en materiales granulares empleados para conformar capas de base y sub-base de estructuras de pavimentos flexibles. Además, se exponen y se discuten los factores que afectan la resistencia a la deformación permanente y la evolución de las ecuaciones matemáticas desarrolladas para predecir la deformación que experimentan estos materiales bajo carga cíclica. Un estado del conocimiento sobre el comportamiento resiliente de estos materiales es presentado en el primer artículo (Rondón y Reyes, 2007.Several studies have been conducted in pavement field for trying to understand the elastoplastic behavior experienced by granular materials under a cyclic load. This is the second out of two articles which show state-of-the-art of researches conducted in this field. Based on a wide literature review, this article accounts for the way how permanent strain phenomenon has been studied in granular materials used for creating base and sub-base layers of flexible pavement structures. Besides, this article displays and discusses factors which affect resistance to permanent strain and evolution of mathematical equations developed for predicting that strain experienced by these materials under a cyclic load. A state-of-the-art about resilient behavior of these materials has been presented in the first article (Rondón and Reyes, 2007.

Estimativa por DSC das entalpias de sublimação da etilenouréia e da propilenouréia: algumas correlações empíricas envolvendo amidas e tioamidas Estimative by DSC data of the sublimation enthalpies for ethyleneurea and propyleneurea: some empirical correlations with amides and tioamides

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robson Fernandes de Farias

1999-07-01

Full Text Available By using DSC data, the enthaplies of sublimation for ethyleneurea and propyleneurea, are calculated as 84 and 89 kJ mol-1 respectively. Using the vaporization enthalpy values for dimethylethyleneurea and dimethylprophyleneurea, as obtained from literature, the empirical relation: Dcrg Hmo (1/ Dcrg Hmo (2 = Dlg Hmo (1/ Dlg Hmo(2 = constant, that relate sublimation or vaporization enthalpies of two different substances and of its methylated derivatives, is obtained. Correlations like that are found to another ureas and thioureas.

Gestão participativa na educação permanente em saúde: olhar das enfermeiras Gestión participativa en la educación permanente en salud: visión de las enfermeras Participative management in permanent health education: view of the nurses

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Adriane Calvetti de Medeiros

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Este estudo de abordagem qualitativa teve como objetivo conhecer as estratégias de gestão, com base na Educação Permanente em Saúde (EPS. Os participantes da pesquisa foram seis enfermeiras assistenciais de uma unidade de terapia intensiva de um hospital universitário do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Utilizou-se como instrumento de coleta de dados o Método de Círculo de Cultura de Freire. Os dados foram coletados nos meses de junho a agosto/2007. Os resultados apontam para o planejamento participativo e tomada de decisão como estratégias da EPS que promovem a autonomia, a valorização, a competência técnica e a construção do trabalho em equipe, em seu próprio percurso de aprendizagem.Este estudio de abordaje cualitativa tuvo como objetivo conocer las estrategias de gestión, con base en la Educación Permanente en Salud (EPS. Los participantes de la investigación fueron seis enfermeras asistenciales de una unidad de terapia intensiva de un hospital universitario del Estado de Rio Grande do Sul. Se utilizó como instrumento de recollección de datos el Método de Círculo de Cultura de Freire. Los dados fueran recogidos en los meses de junio a agosto/2007. Los resultados apuntan para la planificación participativo y toma de decisión como estrategias de la EPS que promueven la autonomía, la valorización, la competencia técnica y la construcción del trabajo en equipo, en su propio recorrido de aprendizajeThis study is of qualitative approach, and aimed at knowing the management strategies, on the basis of the Permanent Education in Health (PEH. The participants of the research had been six nurses of an intensive care unit from an university hospital in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The Method Circle of Culture of Freire was used like as instrument for collection of data. The data were collected in the period from June to august, 2007. Results point out participative planning and decision making as strategies of the

Política de formação e educação permanente em saúde no brasil: bases legais e referências teóricas

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Renata Lúcia Gigante

Full Text Available Resumo Este artigo teve como objetivo discutir as inter-relações dos relatórios das Conferências Nacionais de Saúde com as propostas apresentadas em documentos oficiais do Sistema Único de Saúde referentes à formação e desenvolvimento de recursos humanos, buscando relacioná-los à incorporação de novos referenciais pedagógicos pautados pelas metodologias ativas de ensino-aprendizagem. O estudo aqui apresentado foi do tipo exploratório, referente à pesquisa na literatura das áreas de saúde e educação, no período de 1941 – realização da 1a Conferência Nacional de Saúde – até 2007, quando foi publicada a portaria n. 1.996 GM/MS. Essa portaria definiu novas diretrizes e estratégias para a implementação da Política Nacional de Educação Permanente em Saúde, com o objetivo de evidenciar a importância da formação de recursos humanos para a consolidação do Sistema Único de Saúde. Verificou-se que há correlação entre as reivindicações que emergem de necessidades sociais identificadas na construção do Sistema Único de Saúde e as propostas inscritas nas legislações pertinentes. Destaca-se que o sucesso de projetos de educação permanente depende de profunda imbricação entre processos educativos e de intervenção institucional, que contemplem a complexidade dos modos de fazer saúde.

Enthalpy of formation of anisole: implications for the controversy on the O-H bond dissociation enthalpy in phenol.

Science.gov (United States)

Simões, Ricardo G; Agapito, Filipe; Diogo, Hermínio P; da Piedade, Manuel E Minas

2014-11-20

Significant discrepancies in the literature data for the enthalpy of formation of gaseous anisole, ΔfHmo(PhOCH3, g), have fueled an ongoing controversy regarding the most reliable enthalpy of formation of the phenoxy radical and of the gas phase O-H bond dissociation enthalpy, DHo(PhO-H), in phenol. In the present work ΔfHmo(PhOCH3, g) was reassessed using a combination of calorimetric determinations and high-level (W2-F12) ab initio calculations. Static-bomb combustion calorimetry led to the standard molar enthalpy of formation of liquid anisole at 298.15 K, ΔfHmo(PhOCH3, l) = −(117.1 ± 1.4) kJ·mol(-1). The corresponding enthalpy of vaporization was obtained as, ΔvapHmo(PhOCH3) = 46.41 ± 0.26 kJ·mol(-1), by Calvet-drop microcalorimetry. These results give ΔfHmo(PhOCH3, g) = −(70.7 ± 1.4) kJ·mol(-1), in excellent agreement with ΔfHmo(PhOCH3, g) = −(70.8 ± 3.2) kJ·mol(-1), obtained from the W2-F12 calculations. The ΔfHmo(PhOCH3, g) here recommended leads to ΔfHmo(PhO•, g) = 55.5 ± 2.4 kJ·mol(-)1 and DH°(PhO-H) = 368.1 ± 2.6 kJ·mol(-1).

Historias de vida de mujeres afincadas de forma permanente en situación de exclusión social

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Gabriela Moriana Mateo

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Este artículo presenta parte de los resultados de un trabajo de campo etnográfico realizado en distintos centros de Servicios Sociales Especializados para mujeres de la Generalitat Valenciana. Su objetivo es conocer los tipos de violencia y los factores de exclusión social que subyacen en las historias de vida de las mujeres institucionalizadas. La metodología de investigación utilizada ha sido de índole cualitativa. Se ha realizado observación participante y entrevistas tanto informales como biográficas que, junto con documentos personales e informes sociales, han permitido elaborar 15 historias de vida. Aunque en esta aproximación tan sólo se analizan las cuatro afincadas en la situación de exclusión social de forma permanente. Respecto a los resultados, cabe señalar que en las trayectorias vitales analizadas subyacen distintos factores de exclusión social que afectan tanto a los hombres como a las mujeres, pero también importantes factores específicos de género, como la violencia contra las mujeres intrafamiliar y de género.

Las redes sociales en los procesos de adaptación a cambios permanentes de hábitat* Un estudio con habitantes de la Depresión Momposina (Norte de Colombia)

OpenAIRE

Gabriel Garrido Escudero; Camilo Madariaga

2001-01-01

En este artículo se describen las redes sociales durante los procesos de adaptación a los permanentes cambios que viven los pobladores de la Depresión Momposina en La Travesía, corregimiento de Mompox (Colombia). La información se recogió en una muestra de 262 personas, mediante la triangulación se compararon los resultados cuantitativos y los cuantitativos y se contrastó la información desde diversas estrategias para describir de mejor forma los fenómenos estudiados. Con ba...

Human milk oligosaccharide effects on intestinal function and inflammation after preterm birth in pigs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Stine O.; Martin, Lena; Østergaard, Mette V.

2017-01-01

(IF) improves intestinal function, bacterial colonization and NEC resistance immediately after preterm birth, as tested in a preterm pig model. Mixtures of HMOs were investigated in intestinal epithelial cells and in preterm pigs (n=112) fed IF supplemented without (CON) or with a mixture of four HMOs...... (4-HMO) or >25 HMOs (25-HMO, 5-10 g/L given for 5 or 11 days). The 25-HMO blend decreased cell proliferation and both HMO blends decreased lipopolysaccharide-induced interleukin-8 secretion in IPEC-J2 cells, relative to control (P

Educação permanente: uma ferramenta para o desenvolvimento docente na graduação

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Carlos Alberto Lazarini

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Descrever a percepção dos docentes tutores e dos docentes da Unidade de Prática Profissional (UPP da primeira série dos cursos de Medicina e Enfermagem da Famema quanto à relevância de participar do programa de Educação Permanente (EP. MÉTODOS: Estudo exploratório com questionário semiestruturado. Empregou-se a técnica de análise temática do Discurso do Sujeito Coletivo. RESULTADOS: A quase totalidade dos sujeitos considerou a atividade de EP como relevante. Os docentes da UPP apontaram ótimo espaço para aprendizagem, troca de experiências e reflexão sobre a prática. As ideias centrais dos tutores foram bom espaço de discussão e reflexão, porém um momento mal aproveitado. CONSIDERAÇÕES: Para os docentes da UPP, a proposta da EP (reflexão sobre a prática vem sendo atingida, mas não tem respondido às expectativas e ao entendimento dos tutores. Dada a importância do desenvolvimento docente para a sustentação de um currículo inovador, é necessário problematizar os sentidos implícitos nesta fala em busca de uma EP mais responsiva aos tutores

C-A1-04: Challenges Faced as New Members of the HMO Research Network Virtual Data Warehouse

Science.gov (United States)

Godwin, Debbie; Mahajan, Bhushan; Silcott, Monica; Kjar, Dean

2011-01-01

Background/Aims This presentation will focus on challenges faced by new HMO Research Network (HMORN) sites and their experiences with the Virtual Data Warehouse (VDW) tables for version 3 specifications. The step-by-step procedure developed by Scott and White will be showcased to provide a head start for new incoming sites. Sharing lessons learned during our one year in the HMORN VDW, our objective is to provide best practices regarding resources, time allocation, priorities, schedules, financing, backups, and possible available alternatives. Methods The comprehensive procedure followed by Scott & White to build VDW V3 tables: Setting up your SAS Environment Establishing an architecture and components Analyzing and forecasting server specifications; Identifying and understanding the multiple data sorces embedded in your organization Claims data EMR Lab Pharmacy Other; Detailed variable mapping of sources to VDW specifications; Assessment of source data availability; Getting your site’s first feed from the source and following through with quality checks; Methods for building transformation logic for the table; Choosing the methodology to approach table-building. Results We will showcase Scott & White metrics for building a VDW starting with version 3 and best practices used. We improved the validity and completeness of the data through person-to-person interactions with claims personnel who often were disinterested in the needs of research. Having strong advocates who think of research as a part of the institutional mission was helpful. The VDW data team included a sole programmer for the first 6 months along with the Site Data Manager; adding a second programmer improved the rate of progress. Conclusions A structured, step-by-step, approach is recommended for new incoming sites joining the HMORN. This approach will optimize efficiency and effectiveness. The more information and guidance the existing members can provide, the better the achieved results will be

Metabolic fate of neutral human milk oligosaccharides in exclusively breast-fed infants.

Science.gov (United States)

Dotz, Viktoria; Rudloff, Silvia; Meyer, Christina; Lochnit, Günter; Kunz, Clemens

2015-02-01

Various biological effects have been postulated for human milk oligosaccharides (HMO), as deduced from in vitro, animal, and epidemiological studies. Little is known about their metabolic fate in vivo in the breast-fed infant, which is presented here. Human milk and infant urine and feces were collected from ten mother-child pairs and analyzed by MALDI-TOF MS (/MS), accompanied by high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection. Previously, we detected intact small and complex HMO in infant urine, which had been absorbed from gut, as verified via intrinsic (13) C-labeling. Our current work reveals the presence of novel HMO metabolites in urine and feces of breast-fed infants. The novel metabolites were identified as acetylated HMOs and other HMO-like structures, produced by the infants or by their gut microbiota. The finding of secretor- or Lewis-specific HMO in the feces/urine of infants fed with nonsecretor or Lewis-negative milk suggested a correspondent modification in the infant. Our study reveals new insights into the metabolism of neutral HMO in exclusively breast-fed infants and provides further indications for multiple factors influencing HMO metabolism and functions that should be considered in future in vivo investigations. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Propuesta de un plan permanente de relaciones públicas para educar adolescentes sobre los riesgos que existen en las redes sociales

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Gina Gilbert Toral

2014-06-01

redes sociales, utilizadas como un medio de comunicación altamente efectivo; hoy en día existe un notorio cambio en la manera en que los adolescentes se relacionan e interactúan entre sí, se evidencia que los niños a temprana edad adquieren dominio sobre las redes sociales y el internet en general, por lo que están expuestos a peligros de tipo psicológico, tales como: ciberbullying, sexting, grooming y morphing. Por lo antes expuesto, y con el fin de incidir de manera positiva en los adolescentes, el presente trabajo de investigación propone la creación de un plan permanente de relaciones públicas, que entre otras actividades conlleva: charlas de psicología, talleres de concientización, la elaboración de un código de conducta online que minimice los riesgos, y finalmente el desarrollo de campañas en internet y medios tradicionales.

Reporting on a Talk I Gave Some Months Ago, the Headline in "La Opinion," Los Angeles' Premier Spanish Language Newspaper, Declared the City's School System "en crisis permanente." No One Wrote in to Disagree. The Claremont Letter. Volume 3, Issue 1

Science.gov (United States)

Kerchner, Charles T.

2008-01-01

Reporting on a talk the author gave some months ago, the headline in "La Opinion," Los Angeles' premier Spanish language newspaper, declared the city's school system "en crisis permanente." No one wrote in to disagree. Indeed, at the end of "Learning from L.A.: Institutional Change in American Public Education" (Harvard Education Press) the author…

Implantação das mesas nacionais de negociação permanente do Sistema Único de Saúde em secretarias estaduais e municipais de saúde

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Carinne Magnago

Full Text Available Resumo O objetivo deste artigo é avaliar a implantação da mesa de negociação permanente e identificar os entraves e os avanços decorridos dos processos de negociação no âmbito dos estados e dos municípios brasileiros. O método usado foi estudo descritivo e exploratório, de abrangência nacional. A coleta de dados se deu em 2012 e 2013, por meio de survey com 519 gestores de saúde e grupos focais com 49 gestores e 11 integrantes da Mesa Nacional de Negociação Permanente. Dados foram analisados por estatística descritiva e por análise de conteúdo. Verificou-se existência de 132 mesas de negociação, das quais apenas 87 estão em funcionamento. Os principais motivos para não implantação das mesas são a falta de assessoria técnica e a utilização de outras ferramentas para negociação do trabalho. As principais mudanças nas relações de trabalho em decorrência da atuação das mesas de negociação foram a realização de concursos e de processos seletivos públicos, políticas de desprecarização do trabalho e a implantação de planos de cargos, carreiras e salários. Conclui-se que apesar da potencialidade das mesas como dispositivos de negociação, sua implantação e seu pleno funcionamento esbarram em grandes desafios.

76 FR 11243 - Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-01

... CONTACT: Alicia Kaiser, Designated Federal Officer, kaiser.alicia@epa.gov , 202-564-7273, US EPA, Office... Alicia Kaiser, Designated Federal Officer, at the contact information above. All requests must be... individuals with disabilities, please contact Alicia Kaiser at 202-564- 7273 or kaiser.alicia@epa.gov . To...

Provider-sponsored HMOs: make, buy, or joint venture?

Science.gov (United States)

Clay, S B

1997-03-01

Providers can sponsor their own HMOs in one of three ways: by creating their own HMO, by joint venturing with an existing HMO, or by purchasing an existing HMO. When selecting the best option, providers must consider various market conditions. Managed care penetration in the area, potential competitive responses of existing HMOs, market demand, provider reputation, and provider marketing ability will all influence the feasibility of each option. Providers also must examine their own organizational identity, their ability to raise the necessary capital to start an HMO, their managed care expertise and risk contracting experience, and their information systems capabilities.

नैनो टेक्नोलॉजी - मत्स्य क्षेत्र मे रामबाण

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Abidi, S.A.H.; Ansari, Z.A.; Bhagat, D.; Gupta, N.

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Social organization of self-management support of persons with diabetes: a health systems comparison.

Science.gov (United States)

Schiøtz, Michaela; Frølich, Anne; Krasnik, Allan; Taylor, Warren; Hsu, John

2012-09-01

Identify important organizational elements for providing self-management support (SMS). Semi-structured qualitative interviews conducted in two healthcare systems. Kaiser Permanente Northern California and the Danish Health Care System. 36 managers and healthcare professionals in the two healthcare systems. Elements important to providing self-management support to persons with diabetes. Healthcare professionals' provision of SMS was influenced by healthcare system organization and their perceptions of SMS, the capability and responsibility of healthcare systems, and their roles in the healthcare organization. Enabling factors for providing SMS included: strong leadership; aligned incentives; use of an integrated health information technology (HIT) system; multidisciplinary healthcare provider teams; ongoing training for healthcare professionals; outreach; and quality goals. Barriers to providing SMS included lack of collaboration between providers and skeptical attitudes towards prevention and outreach. Implementation of SMS can be improved by an understanding of the elements that enhance its provision: (1) initiatives seeking to improve collaboration and integration between providers; (2) implementation of an integrated HIT system; and (3) ongoing training of healthcare professionals.

NFP Investor Conference. Growth is back in sight.

Science.gov (United States)

Haugh, Richard

2002-06-01

In a whirlwind of high-stakes meetings in New York City in mid-May, two dozen of the nation's largest hospitals and health systems strutted their stuff with a single goal: securing their future. Their message was clear: back-to-basics works, and now it's time to grow the business. Executives from 23 providers outlined their work on increasing revenue, boosting margins and shoring up balance sheets. They presented their market positions, strategic initiatives and financial results for investment analysts, credit raters and bond traders. The third annual Non-Profit Healthcare Investor Conference was co-sponsored by the American Hospital Association, Health Forum, the Healthcare Financial Management Association and Salomon Smith Barney. The focus on growth doesn't come without challenges Several common themes emerged from the presentations, among them pressure on reimbursement, workforce shortages, liability insurance issues and capacity constraints. Yet executives agree: it all comes down to the basics, and building the strength to keep their missions alive. As Thomas Meier, vice president and treasurer of Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente, put it: "No margin, no mission, no más."

Data that drive: Closing the loop in the learning hospital system.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Vincent X; Morehouse, John W; Baker, Jennifer M; Greene, John D; Kipnis, Patricia; Escobar, Gabriel J

2016-11-01

The learning healthcare system describes a vision of US healthcare that capitalizes on science, information technology, incentives, and care culture to drive improvements in the quality of health care. The inpatient setting, one of the most costly and impactful domains of healthcare, is an ideal setting in which to use data and information technology to foster continuous learning and quality improvement. The rapid digitization of inpatient medicine offers incredible new opportunities to use data from routine care to generate new discovery and thus close the virtuous cycle of learning. We use an object lesson-sepsis care within the 21 hospitals of the Kaiser Permanente Northern California integrated healthcare delivery system-to offer insight into the critical elements necessary for developing a learning hospital system. We then describe how a hospital-wide data-driven approach to inpatient care can facilitate improvements in the quality of hospital care. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2016;11:S11-S17. © 2016 Society of Hospital Medicine. © 2016 Society of Hospital Medicine.

"Presumed fair: Ironic effects of organizational diversity structures": Correction to Kaiser et al. (2013).

Science.gov (United States)

2016-06-01

Reports an error in "Presumed fair: Ironic effects of organizational diversity structures" by Cheryl R. Kaiser, Brenda Major, Ines Jurcevic, Tessa L. Dover, Laura M. Brady and Jenessa R. Shapiro (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2013[Mar], Vol 104[3], 504-519). In the article, a raw data merging error in one racial discrimination claim condition from Experiment 6 inadvertently resulted in data analyses on an inaccurate data set. When the error was discovered by the authors and corrected, all analyses reported in Experiment 6 for claim validity, seriousness of the claim, and support for the claimant were inaccurate and none were statistically significant. The conclusions should be altered to indicate that participants with management experience who reflected on their own workplace diversity policies did not show the predicted effects. The literature review, remaining five studies, and remaining conclusions in the article are unaffected by this error. Experiment 6 should also report that 26.4% (not 26.4.7%) of participants had a graduate degree and eight participants (not 8%) did not provide educational data. Experiment 5 should have referred to the claim validity measure as a six-item measure ( .92) rather than a five-item measure; analyses on claim validity are accurate in text. Table 2's note should have said standard errors, not standard deviations. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2012-31077-001.) This research tests the hypothesis that the presence (vs. absence) of organizational diversity structures causes high-status group members (Whites, men) to perceive organizations with diversity structures as procedurally fairer environments for underrepresented groups (racial minorities, women), even when it is clear that underrepresented groups have been unfairly disadvantaged within these organizations. Furthermore, this illusory sense of fairness derived from the mere presence of diversity structures causes high

Historia poblacional, orígenes africanos y microevolución de los actuales afro-colombianos inferidos desde caracteres epigenéticos en la dentición decidua y permanente

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Delgado Burbano, Miguel E.

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Setenta y cinco rasgos coronales no-métricos en la dentición permanente y decidua fueron registrados en 178 modelos dentales de individuos afro-colombianos pertenecientes a la comunidad de Guapi. Se recolectaron datos comparativos de 33 grupos africanos, otro grupo afro-estadounidense en la dentición permanente, en 4 grupos afro-americanos y otros 12 grupos de diferente ascendencia étnica, en la dentición decidua. Un análisis multivariado de componentes principales basado en frecuencias dentales, mostró que los afro-colombianos poseen gran afinidad genética con el Africa Sub-Sahariana, específicamente con grupos del Occidente, del Oriente y del Sur-Oriente africano. Este mismo análisis detectó una marcada divergencia dental con las poblaciones Norafricanas. Los resultados de esta investigación concuerdan con recientes estudios genéticos, basados en marcadores de ADNmt. A pesar que la dentición es evolutivamente conservativa y estable en una escala diacrónica corta, se concluyó que en 400 años de microevolución de los africanos en Colombia, su pool genético original se ha modificado levemente, debido a la influencia de presiones selectivas y flujo génico interétnico, con nativos americanos y grupos de origen caucásico. Se sugiere que los grupos afro-descendientes del Norte, Centro y Sur de América poseen historias poblacionales y evolutivas distintas, debido tanto a procesos de diferenciación fenotípica regional y local como a orígenes geográficos y étnicos diferentes.

Associations between hours worked, symptoms and health resource utilization among full-time male Japanese workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Sato, Keiko; Yamazaki, Shin; Hayashino, Yasuaki; Takegami, Misa; Tokuda, Yasuharu; Takahashi, Osamu; Shimbo, Takuro; Hinohara, Shigeaki; Fukui, Tsuguya; Fukuhara, Shunichi

2011-01-01

To investigate the association between hours worked, symptoms experienced, and health resource utilization. Data were collected from a nationally representative sample of households in Japan. We studied full-time male workers aged 18-65 yr who worked 100 h or more per month. First, we examined the association between hours worked and symptoms experienced. Second, we examined the association between hours worked and the type of health resource utilized, such as physician visits, over-the-counter (OTC) medication use, dietary supplement use, and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) provider visits. We used a multivariable negative binominal model in each analysis. Of the 762 male workers, 598 reported experiencing symptoms at least once a month. We categorized participants based on the number of hours worked per month (h/mo): 100-200 h/mo, 201-250 h/mo, and over 250 h/mo. Compared with those working 201-250 h/mo, those working 100-200 h/mo had more frequent physician visits (rate ratio:1.67, 95% CI: 1.17 to 2.38) and those working over 250 h/mo had significantly lower rates of CAM provider visits and tended to use dietary supplements for symptoms. Participants who worked 201-250 h/mo used OTC medication most frequently. No significant association was observed between the number of hours worked and number of symptoms experienced. The more hours worked by full-time male workers, the more likely they were to use health resources that had a lower time requirement. Greater attention should be paid to patterns of health resource utilization among workers and their consequent influence on long-term health status.

Genome of a SAR116 bacteriophage shows the prevalence of this phage type in the oceans.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Ilnam; Oh, Hyun-Myung; Kang, Dongmin; Cho, Jang-Cheon

2013-07-23

The abundance, genetic diversity, and crucial ecological and evolutionary roles of marine phages have prompted a large number of metagenomic studies. However, obtaining a thorough understanding of marine phages has been hampered by the low number of phage isolates infecting major bacterial groups other than cyanophages and pelagiphages. Therefore, there is an urgent requirement for the isolation of phages that infect abundant marine bacterial groups. In this study, we isolated and characterized HMO-2011, a phage infecting a bacterium of the SAR116 clade, one of the most abundant marine bacterial lineages. HMO-2011, which infects "Candidatus Puniceispirillum marinum" strain IMCC1322, has an ~55-kb dsDNA genome that harbors many genes with novel features rarely found in cultured organisms, including genes encoding a DNA polymerase with a partial DnaJ central domain and an atypical methanesulfonate monooxygenase. Furthermore, homologs of nearly all HMO-2011 genes were predominantly found in marine metagenomes rather than cultured organisms, suggesting the novelty of HMO-2011 and the prevalence of this phage type in the oceans. A significant number of the viral metagenome sequences obtained from the ocean surface were best assigned to the HMO-2011 genome. The number of reads assigned to HMO-2011 accounted for 10.3%-25.3% of the total reads assigned to viruses in seven viromes from the Pacific and Indian Oceans, making the HMO-2011 genome the most or second-most frequently assigned viral genome. Given its ability to infect the abundant SAR116 clade and its widespread distribution, Puniceispirillum phage HMO-2011 could be an important resource for marine virus research.

Production of human milk oligosaccharides by enzymatic and whole-cell microbial biotransformations.

Science.gov (United States)

Sprenger, Georg A; Baumgärtner, Florian; Albermann, Christoph

2017-09-20

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) are almost unique constituents of breast milk and are not found in appreciable amounts in cow milk. Due to several positive aspects of HMO for the development, health, and wellbeing of infants, production of HMO would be desirable. As a result, scientists from different disciplines have developed methods for the preparation of single HMO compounds. Here, we review approaches to HMO preparation by (chemo-)enzymatic syntheses or by whole-cell biotransformation with recombinant bacterial cells. With lactose as acceptor (in vitro or in vivo), fucosyltransferases can be used for the production of 2'-fucosyllactose, 3-fucosyllactose, or more complex fucosylated core structures. Sialylated HMO can be produced by sialyltransferases and trans-sialidases. Core structures as lacto-N-tetraose can be obtained by glycosyltransferases from chemical donor compounds or by multi-enzyme cascades; recent publications also show production of lacto-N-tetraose by recombinant Escherichia coli bacteria and approaches to obtain fucosylated core structures. In view of an industrial production of HMOs, the whole cell biotransformation is at this stage the most promising option to provide human milk oligosaccharides as food additive. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A influência da perda bilateral do primeiro molar inferior permanente na morfologia dentofacial: um estudo cefalométrico The influence of bilateral lower first permanent molar loss on dentofacial morfology: a cephalometric study

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David Normando

2010-12-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: avaliar as alterações cefalométricas em pacientes com perda bilateral do primeiro molar inferior permanente. MÉTODOS: foram analisadas 68 telerradiografias laterais de pacientes de consultórios particulares. A amostra foi dividida em dois grupos pareados quanto ao sexo e idade - 34 indivíduos sem perdas (grupo controle e 34 com perda bilateral do primeiro molar inferior permanente (grupo com perda. Foram excluídos da amostra pacientes que haviam perdido outros dentes que não o primeiro molar inferior, casos de agenesia e pacientes com menos de 16 anos de idade. Buscou-se avaliar somente indivíduos que tivessem relatado a perda há pelo menos 5 anos. RESULTADOS: demonstraram que a perda bilateral do primeiro molar inferior permanente leva ao suave fechamento do ângulo GnSN (P=0,05, um giro anti-horário do plano oclusal (P=0,0001, uma suave diminuição da altura facial anteroinferior (P=0,05, uma acentuada inclinação lingual (P=0,04 e retrusão dos incisivos inferiores (P=0,03. Por outro lado, a perda bilateral do primeiro molar inferior permanente não foi capaz de influenciar a relação maxilomandibular no sentido anteroposterior (P=0,21, a quantidade de mento (P=0,45, a inclinação dos incisivos superiores (P=0,12 e a posição anteroposterior dos incisivos superiores (P=0,46. CONCLUSÃO: a perda bilateral dos primeiros molares inferiores é capaz de produzir alterações marcantes no posicionamento dos incisivos inferiores e no plano oclusal, além de uma suave redução vertical da faceOBJECTIVE: To evaluate cephalometric changes in patients after bilateral loss of lower first permanent molar teeth. METHODS: Sixty-eight lateral radiographs of patients from private practices were analyzed. The sample was divided into two groups matched for age and gender: 34 individuals without loss (control group and 34 presenting with bilateral loss of lower first permanent molar teeth (loss group. Patients who had lost teeth other

La formación inicial y permanente del profesorado de Educación Física a través del practicum

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Herminia María García Ruso

2013-05-01

Full Text Available En este artículo se muestran los aspectos más importantes del desarrollo de un proyecto de innovación educativa realizado durante las prácticas de enseñanza. En el proyecto intervinieron cuatro alumnos, futuros maestros especialistas de Educación Física, cuatro tutoras y dos supervisoras. Trataremos de exponer, con cierto matiz descriptivo, las fases seguidas en la realización de un proyecto de investigación-acción, los objetivos formulados, la metodología empleada, la elaboración de una unidad didáctica de expresión corporal y el análisis e interpretación de la información. Finalmente, explicaremos las conclusiones que giran alrededor de tres ejes: la relación de la Universidad y los Centros Educativos, la relación del supervisor y el tutor, y la valoración del propio seminario de investigación-acción como herramienta para la investigación y la formación inicial y permanente del profesorado.

Molecular orbital calculations using chemical graph theory

CERN Document Server

Dias, Jerry Ray

1993-01-01

Professor John D. Roberts published a highly readable book on Molecular Orbital Calculations directed toward chemists in 1962. That timely book is the model for this book. The audience this book is directed toward are senior undergraduate and beginning graduate students as well as practicing bench chemists who have a desire to develop conceptual tools for understanding chemical phenomena. Although, ab initio and more advanced semi-empirical MO methods are regarded as being more reliable than HMO in an absolute sense, there is good evidence that HMO provides reliable relative answers particularly when comparing related molecular species. Thus, HMO can be used to rationalize electronic structure in 1t-systems, aromaticity, and the shape use HMO to gain insight of simple molecular orbitals. Experimentalists still into subtle electronic interactions for interpretation of UV and photoelectron spectra. Herein, it will be shown that one can use graph theory to streamline their HMO computational efforts and to arrive...

Anomalías dentomaxilofaciales en dientes permanentes y su relación con traumas en la primera infancia Dental-maxillary-facial anomalies in permanent teeth and their relation to traumas in early childhood

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Arlene Liset Corrales León

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Se realizó un estudio descriptivo, longitudinal y retrospectivo que incluyó niños de 7 a 14 años de edad, pertenecientes al área de salud de la "Clínica Estomatológica Docente Guama" del municipio Pinar del Río, en el período comprendido entre febrero del 2003 a marzo de 2005, con el objetivo de determinar la presencia de anomalías dentomaxilofaciales en dentición permanente y su relación con traumas en la primera infancia. El universo de estudio estuvo constituido por 250 niños, y de ellos, se seleccionó una muestra de 60 niños y se les confeccionó una planilla recolectora de datos para la investigación. Los resultados obtenidos fueron procesados estadísticamente mediante el sistema automatizado STATISTIC y la prueba de CHI CUADRADO, en su aplicación de bondad de ajuste, y el paquete SPSS, para la prueba de comparación de proporciones. En todos los casos se prefija un nivel de significación de 0,05. Entre los resultados globales más significativos encontramos que fueron los traumas ocurridos en las edades de 5-6 años los que más anomalías dentomaxilofaciales causaron en la dentición permanente. Resultó el sexo masculino el más afectado por estas alteraciones, fueron los traumas recibidos directamente sobre los dientes, los mayores causantes de anomalías en la dentición permanente. Resultaron las hipoplasias del esmalte, como otras anomalías no ortodóncicas las más frecuentes; se comprobó que el sexo femenino tuvo mayor implicación psicosocial por estas alteraciones y se divulgaron a estomatólogos, padres y maestros orientaciones sobre la relación entre los traumas en la primera infancia y las anomalías dentomaxilofaciales en la dentición permanente.A descriptive, longitudinal and retrospective research was carried out including children from 7 to 14 years old belonging to the health area of "Guama" Dental University Clinic in Pinar del Rio Municipality, from February 2003 to March 2005 aimed at determining

Técnica para identificar faltas transitorias y permanentes en líneas de transmisión, utilizando la transformada Wavelet

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Miguel Martínez

2009-01-01

Full Text Available En el presente documento, se presenta un algoritmo que permite distinguir de forma clara y precisa, las faltas transitorias de las permanentes. Adicionalmente se determina el instante de extinción del arco secundario, para así evitar o controlar de forma efectiva y segura la operación de reconexión monofásica en sistemas de transporte de energía. El método de identificación se basa en la determinación de las características de alta frecuencia que posee la señal de tensión de la fase en falta antes del despeje y de la corriente en una fase sana y las relaciona de forma independiente mediante una auto-correlación cruzada. Para el análisis de la señal y extracción de los componentes de alta frecuencia, se ha utilizado la transformada Wavelet. El algoritmo propuesto se probó en un sistema base de 380 kV, funcionando de forma correcta en todos los escenarios planteados y logrando una identificación precisa en los primeros 25 ms de la falta.

The impact of SHS exposure on health status and exacerbations among patients with COPD

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Mark D Eisner

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Mark D Eisner1,3, Carlos Iribarren3, Edward H Yelin2, Stephen Sidney3, Patricia P Katz2, Gabriela Sanchez3, Paul D Blanc11Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine; 2Institute for Health Policy Studies, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA; 3Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, CA, USAAbstract: Secondhand smoke (SHS is a major contributor to indoor air pollution. Because it contains respiratory irritants, it may adversely influence the clinical course of persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD. We used data from nonsmoking members of the FLOW cohort of COPD (n = 809 to elucidate the impact of SHS exposure on health status and exacerbations (requiring emergency department visits or hospitalization. SHS exposure was measured by a validated survey instrument (hours of exposure during the past week. Physical health status was measured by the SF-12 Physical Component Summary Score and disease-specific health-related quality of life (HRQL by the Airways Questionnaire 20-R. Health care utilization for COPD was determined from Kaiser Permanente Northern California computerized databases. Compared to no SHS exposure, higher level SHS exposure was associated with poorer physical health status (mean score decrement −1.78 points; 95% confidence interval [CI] −3.48 to −0.074 points after controlling for potential confounders. Higher level SHS exposure was also related to poorer disease-specific HRQL (mean score increment 0.63; 95% CI 0.016 to 1.25 and less distance walked during the Six-Minute Walk test (mean decrement −50 feet; 95% CI −102 to 1.9. Both lower level and higher level SHS exposure was related to increased risk of emergency department (ED visits (hazard ratio [HR] 1.40; 95% CI 0.96 to 2.05 and HR 1.41; 95% CI 0.94 to 2.13. Lower level and higher level SHS exposure were associated with a greater risk of

The determinants of HMOs' contracting with hospitals for bypass surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaskin, Darrell J; Escarce, José J; Schulman, Kevin; Hadley, Jack

2002-08-01

Selective contracting with health care providers is one of the mechanisms HMOs (Health Maintenance Organizations) use to lower health care costs for their enrollees. However, are HMOs compromising quality to lower costs? To address this and other questions we identify factors that influence HMOs' selective contracting for coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). Using a logistic regression analysis, we estimated the effects of hospitals' quality, costliness, and geographic convenience on HMOs' decision to contract with a hospital for CABG services. We also estimated the impact of HMO characteristics and market characteristics on HMOs' contracting decision. A 1997 survey of a nationally representative sample of 50 HMOs that could have potentially contracted with 447 hospitals. About 44 percent of the HMO-hospital pairs had a contract. We found that the probability of an HMO contracting with a hospital increased as hospital quality increased and decreased as distance increased. Hospital costliness had a negative but borderline significant (0.10 penetration did not affect the probability of contracting. HMO characteristics also had significant effects on contracting decisions. The results suggest that HMOs value quality, geographic convenience, and costliness, and that the importance of quality and costliness vary with HMO. Greater HMO competition encourages broader hospital networks whereas greater hospital competition leads to more restrictive networks.

Management of Powdery Mildew in Squash by Plant and Alga Extract Biopesticides.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Shouan; Mersha, Zelalem; Vallad, Gary E; Huang, Cheng-Hua

2016-12-01

Although many fungicides are registered for use to control powdery mildew on cucurbits, management of resistance to fungicides in pathogen populations still remains a major challenge. Two biopesticides Regalia SC and HMO 736 were evaluated in the greenhouse and field for their efficacy against powdery mildew in squash. In greenhouses, Regalia SC alone significantly ( P powdery mildew compared to the nontreated control, and was as effective as the chemical standard Procure 480SC (triflumizole). In alternation with Procure 480SC, Regalia SC demonstrated greater or equivalent effects on reducing the disease. HMO 736 alone showed varying levels of disease control, but alternating with Procure 480SC significantly improved control efficacy. In addition, application of Regalia SC or HMO 736 each in alternation with Procure 480SC significantly increased the chlorophyll content in leaves and the total fresh weight of squash plants, when compared with the water control, Regalia SC and HMO 736 alone. In field trials, application of Regalia SC and HMO 736 each alone significantly reduced disease severity in one of two field trials during the early stage of disease development, but not during later stages when disease pressure became high. Both Regalia SC and HMO 736 each applied in alternation with Procure 480SC significantly improved the control efficacy compared to Procure 480SC alone. Results from this study demonstrated that an integrated management program can be developed for powdery mildew in squash by integrating the biopesticides Regalia SC, HMO 736 with the chemical fungicide Procure 480SC.

Management of Powdery Mildew in Squash by Plant and Alga Extract Biopesticides

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Shouan Zhang

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Although many fungicides are registered for use to control powdery mildew on cucurbits, management of resistance to fungicides in pathogen populations still remains a major challenge. Two biopesticides Regalia SC and HMO 736 were evaluated in the greenhouse and field for their efficacy against powdery mildew in squash. In greenhouses, Regalia SC alone significantly (P < 0.05 reduced powdery mildew compared to the nontreated control, and was as effective as the chemical standard Procure 480SC (triflumizole. In alternation with Procure 480SC, Regalia SC demonstrated greater or equivalent effects on reducing the disease. HMO 736 alone showed varying levels of disease control, but alternating with Procure 480SC significantly improved control efficacy. In addition, application of Regalia SC or HMO 736 each in alternation with Procure 480SC significantly increased the chlorophyll content in leaves and the total fresh weight of squash plants, when compared with the water control, Regalia SC and HMO 736 alone. In field trials, application of Regalia SC and HMO 736 each alone significantly reduced disease severity in one of two field trials during the early stage of disease development, but not during later stages when disease pressure became high. Both Regalia SC and HMO 736 each applied in alternation with Procure 480SC significantly improved the control efficacy compared to Procure 480SC alone. Results from this study demonstrated that an integrated management program can be developed for powdery mildew in squash by integrating the biopesticides Regalia SC, HMO 736 with the chemical fungicide Procure 480SC.

75 FR 55578 - Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-13

... basis. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alicia Kaiser, Designated Federal Officer, kaiser.alicia@epa.gov... statements to the FRRCC should be sent to Alicia Kaiser, Designated Federal Officer, at the contact... information on access or services for individuals with disabilities, please contact Alicia Kaiser at 202-564...

Design thinking.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Tim

2008-06-01

In the past, design has most often occurred fairly far downstream in the development process and has focused on making new products aesthetically attractive or enhancing brand perception through smart, evocative advertising. Today, as innovation's terrain expands to encompass human-centered processes and services as well as products, companies are asking designers to create ideas rather than to simply dress them up. Brown, the CEO and president of the innovation and design firm IDEO, is a leading proponent of design thinking--a method of meeting people's needs and desires in a technologically feasible and strategically viable way. In this article he offers several intriguing examples of the discipline at work. One involves a collaboration between frontline employees from health care provider Kaiser Permanente and Brown's firm to reengineer nursing-staff shift changes at four Kaiser hospitals. Close observation of actual shift changes, combined with brainstorming and rapid prototyping, produced new procedures and software that radically streamlined information exchange between shifts. The result was more time for nursing, better-informed patient care, and a happier nursing staff. Another involves the Japanese bicycle components manufacturer Shimano, which worked with IDEO to learn why 90% of American adults don't ride bikes. The interdisciplinary project team discovered that intimidating retail experiences, the complexity and cost of sophisticated bikes, and the danger of cycling on heavily trafficked roads had overshadowed people's happy memories of childhood biking. So the team created a brand concept--"Coasting"--to describe a whole new category of biking and developed new in-store retailing strategies, a public relations campaign to identify safe places to cycle, and a reference design to inspire designers at the companies that went on to manufacture Coasting bikes.

Resultados da correção cirúrgica da exotropia permanente em pacientes amblíopes e não-amblíopes

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Adriana Valim Portes

2011-08-01

Full Text Available A exotropia permanente (XT acomete cerca de 1 a 2% da população. Seu tratamento é clínico: antiambliogênico e correção dos erros refrativos, e cirúrgico. O objetivo do tratamento cirúrgico é alinhar os olhos na posição primária do olhar, proporcionando melhor resultado estético. Há muito tempo diversos autores estudam os fatores pré, per e pós-operatórios relacionados ao resultado cirúrgico, uma vez que a taxa de sucesso varia de 60 a 80%. Ainda são poucos os estudos que comparam a presença de ambliopia como fator de influência no resultado final. OBJETIVO: Comparar o resultado cirúrgico dos pacientes amblíopes e não-amblíopes submetidos à cirurgia de correção de XT. MÉTODOS: Análise retrospectiva de 37 prontuários de pacientes amblíopes (Grupo A e não-amblíopes (Grupo B submetidos à correção cirúrgica de XT por retrocessoressecção monocular, sendo avaliados os registros pós-operatórios imediatos e tardios. Idade: grupo A 24,7 ± 14,2 anos, grupo B 22,6 ±18,6 anos; Desvio pré-operatório: grupo A 29,1± 7,2Δ, grupo B 28,4 ± 6,8Δ. RESULTADOS: A taxa de sucesso foi de 60% e 100% (p<0,05, no pós-operatório imediato e 50% e 82,3% (p=0,082, no pós-operatório final, nos grupos A e B, respectivamente. Não houve diferença significante quanto aos desvios pós-operatórios imediatos, tardios e variação do desvio. CONCLUSÃO: Pode-se concluir que o grupo B mostrou melhor resultado no pós-operatório imediato; porém não houve diferença no resultado cirúrgico de correção de exotropia permanente entre pacientes amblíopes e não-amblíopes no período pós-operatório de seis meses.

Post-Discharge Bleeding after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention and Subsequent Mortality and Myocardial Infarction: Insights from the HMO Research Network-Stent Registry

Science.gov (United States)

Valle, Javier A.; Shetterly, Susan; Maddox, Thomas M.; Ho, P. Michael; Bradley, Steven M.; Sandhu, Amneet; Magid, David; Tsai, Thomas T.

2016-01-01

Background Bleeding following hospital discharge from percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is associated with increased risk of subsequent myocardial infarction (MI) and death, however the timing of adverse events following these bleeding events is poorly understood. Defining this relationship may help clinicians identify critical periods when patients are at highest risk. Methods and Results All patients undergoing PCI from 2004–2007 who survived to hospital discharge without a bleeding event were identified from the HMO Research Network-Stent Registry. Post-discharge rates and timing of bleeding-related hospitalizations, MI and death were defined. We then assessed the association between post-discharge bleeding-related hospitalizations with death and MI using Cox proportional hazards models. Among 8,137 post-PCI patients surviving to hospital discharge without in-hospital bleeding, 391 (4.8%) suffered bleeding-related hospitalization after discharge, with the highest incidence of bleeding-related hospitalizations occurring within 30 days of discharge (n=79, 20.2%). Post-discharge bleeding-related hospitalization after PCI was associated with subsequent death or MI (hazard ratio [HR] 3.09; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.41–3.96), with the highest risk for death or MI occurring in the first 60 days after bleeding-related hospitalization (HR 7.16, CI 3.93–13.05). Conclusions Approximately 1 in 20 post-PCI patients are readmitted for bleeding, with the highest incidence occurring within 30 days of discharge. Patients suffering post-discharge bleeding are at increased risk for subsequent death or MI, with the highest risk occurring within the first 60 days following a bleeding-related hospitalization. These findings suggest a critical period after bleeding events when patients are most vulnerable for further adverse events. PMID:27301394

Something is amiss in Denmark: A comparison of preventable hospitalisations and readmissions for chronic medical conditions in the Danish Healthcare system and Kaiser Permanente

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schiøtz, Michaela Louise; Price, Mary; Frølich, Anne

2011-01-01

As many other European healthcare systems the Danish healthcare system (DHS) has targeted chronic condition care in its reform efforts. Benchmarking is a valuable tool to identify areas for improvement. Prior work indicates that chronic care coordination is poor in the DHS, especially in comparison...

Impact of a hospitalist system on length of stay and cost for children with common conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Srivastava, Rajendu; Landrigan, Christopher P; Ross-Degnan, Dennis; Soumerai, Stephen B; Homer, Charles J; Goldmann, Donald A; Muret-Wagstaff, Sharon

2007-08-01

This study examined mechanisms of efficiency in a managed care hospitalist system on length of stay and total costs for common pediatric conditions. We conducted a retrospective cohort study (October 1993 to July 1998) of patients in a not-for-profit staff model (HMO 1) and a non-staff-model (HMO 2) managed care organization at a freestanding children's hospital. HMO 1 introduced a hospitalist system for patients in October 1996. Patients were included if they had 1 of 3 common diagnoses: asthma, dehydration, or viral illness. Linear regression models examining length-of-stay-specific costs for prehospitalist and posthospitalist systems were built. Distribution of length of stay for each diagnosis before and after the system change in both study groups was calculated. Interrupted time series analysis tested whether changes in the trends of length of stay and total costs occurred after implementation of the hospitalist system by HMO1 (HMO 2 as comparison group) for all 3 diagnoses combined. A total of 1970 patients with 1 of the 3 study conditions were cared for in HMO 1, and 1001 in HMO 2. After the hospitalist system was introduced in HMO 1, length of stay was reduced by 0.23 days (13%) for asthma and 0.19 days (11%) for dehydration; there was no difference for patients with viral illness. The largest relative reduction in length of stay occurred in patients with a shorter length of stay whose hospitalizations were reduced from 2 days to 1 day. This shift resulted in an average cost-per-case reduction of $105.51 (9.3%) for patients with asthma and $86.22 (7.8%) for patients with dehydration. During the same period, length of stay and total cost rose in HMO 2. Introduction of a hospitalist system in one health maintenance organization resulted in earlier discharges and reduced costs for children with asthma and dehydration compared with another one, with the largest reductions occurring in reducing some 2-day hospitalizations to 1 day. These findings suggest that

77 FR 60430 - Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-03

... Time. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alicia Kaiser, Designated Federal Officer, kaiser.alicia@epa.gov... teleconference, make brief oral comments, or provide a written statement to the FRRCC must contact Alicia Kaiser, Designated Federal Officer, at kaiser.alicia@epa.gov or 202-564-7273 by October 15, 2012. Meeting Access: For...

77 FR 75152 - Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-19

... CONTACT: Alicia Kaiser, Designated Federal Officer, kaiser.alicia@epa.gov , 202-564-7273, US EPA, Office... provide a written statement to the FRRCC must contact Alicia Kaiser, Designated Federal Officer, at kaiser.alicia@epa.gov or 202-564-7273 by January 4, 2013. Meeting Access: For information on access or services...

76 FR 73631 - Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-29

... FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alicia Kaiser, Designated Federal Officer, kaiser.alicia@epa.gov , (202) 564... comments may be submitted and will be provided to the Committee. Please send all written comments to Alicia... disabilities, please contact Alicia Kaiser at (202) 564-7273 or kaiser.alicia@epa.gov . To request [[Page 73632...

"Estudo in vitro do potencial cariostático dos selantes resinosos, dos cimentos ionoméricos, do diamino fluoreto de prata e do verniz fluoretado, aplicados em superfície oclusal de molares permanentes humanos".

OpenAIRE

Thereza Christina Lopes Coutinho

2002-01-01

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar, in vitro, ao Microscópio de Luz Polarizada (MLP), o potencial cariostático dos selantes resinosos, dos cimentos ionoméricos, do diamino fluoreto de prata e do verniz fluoretado aplicados em superfície oclusal de molares permanentes humanos. Para tanto, 70 terceiros molares humanos hígidos, extraídos por razões clínicas, foram divididos aleatoriamente em sete grupos (N=10): GI – controle (sem selamento); GII – selante resinoso sem flúor Delton ®; G III – ...

77 FR 41185 - Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-12

..., from 1:00 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alicia Kaiser, Designated Federal Officer, kaiser.alicia@epa.gov , 202-564-7273, U.S. EPA, Office of the Administrator... statement to the FRRCC must contact Alicia Kaiser, Designated Federal Officer, at kaiser.alicia@epa.gov or...

Usos da terra e Áreas de Preservação Permanente (APP na Bacia do Rio da Prata, Castelo-ES

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Luciano Melo Coutinho

Full Text Available Este trabalho avaliou o uso da terra e identificou Áreas de Preservação Permanente (APPs na Bacia Hidrográfica do Rio da Prata (BRP, município de Castelo-ES, via técnicas de geoprocessamento. A BRP é marcada pela supressão de vegetação nativa, para expansão da fronteira agropecuária. As classes de uso da terra foram vetorizadas por fotointerpretação de aerofotos ortorretificadas. A delimitação das APPs foi realizada a partir de dados de hidrografia e altimetria de cartas topográficas digitais, com respeito às determinações do Código Florestal Brasileiro. A principal forma de uso da terra é a agropecuária (60,84% da área total, composta pela agricultura (30,21% e pela pecuária (30,63%, sendo que a área preservada com floresta nativa é de 36,85%. As APPs representam 55,48% da área total e sua maior parte (50,40% é utilizada para fins socioeconômicos, enquanto a cobertura florestal representa apenas 49,60%.

The effects of Medicare Health Management Organizations on hospital operating profit in Florida.

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Large, John T; Sear, Alan M

2005-02-01

Between 1992 and 1997, the number of members enrolled in Medicare Health Management Organizations (HMOs) nationwide in the USA more than doubled. During this period, managed care organizations wielded considerable influence over the health care of a large segment of the Medicare population in Florida. This study examined the impact on operational profit of 148 short-term, acute-care Florida hospitals in this period from Medicare HMO patients, as part of a hospital's payer mix. Three measures of hospital profitability were used: operating profit per actual bed, total operating profit with no adjustment for bed size, and operating margins. The multivariate statistical model employed in this study was a linear mixed model with an autoregressive order one (AR[1]) parametric structure on the covariance matrix. The results of the study indicate that Florida hospitals experienced greater profit pressures from Medicare HMO inpatients than from traditional Medicare inpatients. Further, these hospitals could have experienced positive profit effects with greater traditional Medicare participation and negative financial effects with greater Medicare HMO participation. Additionally, Medicare HMO patients appear to have been admitted to hospitals in worse health condition than those in traditional Medicare. Medicare HMO patients were more likely to have used emergency rooms as the source of admission than traditional Medicare patients. Also, Medicare HMO patients were more likely to have been admitted as emergent cases than traditional Medicare patients. Other research has shown that Medicare HMO patients, at the time of enrolment, are probably healthier than traditional Medicare enrollees, but here they appear to have been admitted to hospitals with higher levels of severity of illness. Explanations are offered for these findings.

Hospital cost and quality performance in relation to market forces: an examination of U.S. community hospitals in the "post-managed care era".

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, H Joanna; Friedman, Bernard; Jiang, Shenyi

2013-03-01

Managed care substantially transformed the U.S. healthcare sector in the last two decades of the twentieth century, injecting price competition among hospitals for the first time in history. However, total HMO enrollment has declined since 2000. This study addresses whether managed care and hospital competition continued to show positive effects on hospital cost and quality performance in the "post-managed care era." Using data for 1,521 urban hospitals drawn from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, we examined hospital cost per stay and mortality rate in relation to HMO penetration and hospital competition between 2001 and 2005, controlling for patient, hospital, and other market characteristics. Regression analyses were employed to examine both cross-sectional and longitudinal variation in hospital performance. We found that in markets with high HMO penetration, increase in hospital competition over time was associated with decrease in mortality but no change in cost. In markets without high HMO penetration, increase in hospital competition was associated with increase in cost but no change in mortality. Overall, hospitals in high HMO penetration markets consistently showed lower average costs, and hospitals in markets with high hospital competition consistently showed lower mortality rates. Hospitals in markets with high HMO penetration also showed lower mortality rates in 2005 with no such difference found in 2001. Our findings suggest that while managed care may have lost its strength in slowing hospital cost growth, differences in average hospital cost associated with different levels of HMO penetration across markets still persist. Furthermore, these health plans appear to put quality of care on a higher priority than before.

Estrategias del Teatro del Oprimido para la formación permanente del profesorado (Strategies from the Theatre of the Oppressed for Permanent Training of Teaching Staff (Stratégies du théâtre de l'opprimé pour la formation permanente du corps d'enseignants (Estratégias do teatro do oprimido para a formação permanente do professorado

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Tomás Motos-Teruel

2012-06-01

Full Text Available ResumenEste artículo relata una experiencia y su valoración de forma- ción permanente del profesorado basada en el aprendizaje vi- vencial utilizando como estrategia metodológica el Teatro del Oprimido (TO para estimular y favorecer la reflexión sobre la práctica educativa. Sus objetivos básicos fueron dar a conocer la formulación teórica y la metodología del TO y hacer la trans- ferencia de las estrategias metodológicas vivenciadas a la práctica docente. El estudio se ha planteado desde una óptica cualitativa con el estudio de caso único. Y como resultados más destacables hay que reseñar el interés y la percepción de la utili- dad personal y profesional del TO como instrumento de reflexión sobre la acción y generador de clima positivo. El Teatro del Opri- mido es una formulación teórica y un método estético cuya teo- ría y praxis están inspiradas en la Pedagogía del Oprimido de Paulo Freire, utiliza las técnicas dramáticas como un instrumen- to eficaz para la comprensión y la búsqueda de alternativas a problemas sociales, interpersonales e individuales.AbstractThis paper describes an experience and its as- sessment for application in permanent training of teaching staff, based on experiential learning and using the Theatre of the Oppressed (TO to stimu- late the thought about educational practice. The principal aims were to bring to the attention the theory and methodology of TO and to transfer its experiential methodological strategies to educa- tion practice. The study was designed as a quali- tative analysis of a single case study. The principal results include the interest and perception of use- fulness both at personal and professional levels, of TO as an instrument of thought and a generator of positive environments. The Theatre of the Oppres- sed is a theoretic concept and aesthetic method, the theory and praxis of which are inspired by Paulo Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed. It uses dra- ma techniques as

GEOPROCESSAMENTO APLICADO NO DIAGNÓSTICO DOS CONFLITOS DE USO E OCUPAÇÃO DO SOLO EM ÁREAS DE PRESERVAÇÃO PERMANENTE NO RIBEIRÃO DAS AGULHAS – BOTUCATU (SP

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Sérgio Campos et al.

2017-03-01

Las Áreas de Preservación Permanente (APP tienen una función ambiental para preservar los recursos naturales, la biodiversidad, el flujo genético de fauna y flora, el suelo y la seguridad del bienestar de las poblaciones humanas. La degradación de los bosques ribereños contribuye a la sedimentación e incremento en la turbidez del agua, a la erosión de las orillas de los cursos de agua y al transporte de sustancias contaminantes, como pesticidas y fertilizantes agrícolas. El trabajo tuvo como objetivo determinar el uso incorrecto de las áreas de preservación permanente de la cuenca del río das Agulhas – Botucatu (SP, basada en la carta planialtimétrica de Botucatu y la imagen de satélite de 2011. La metodología consistió en el uso de GIS-IDRISI Selva para la georreferenciación, la generación de los amortiguamientos de las APPs y la superposición de los conflictos de uso y ocupación. El gran uso de la cuenca se correspondió con pastizales, 675,34ha. Las APPs (166,10ha se utilizan inadecuadamente, con 93, 33ha de pastizales. El diagnóstico indica la necesidad de un plan de protección vinculado al medio ambiente, y destinado a la recuperación de áreas degradadas, que permita la regeneración de la cubierta natural de las APPs, que se utilizan sin cumplir con la legislación ambiental brasileña. Las geotecnologías fueron herramientas indispensables para el diagnóstico del uso y ocupación del suelo en el área analizada. Palabras clave: SIG; Uso y Ocupación del Suelo; Preservación del Medio Ambiente.

CB4-03: An Eye on the Future: A Review of Data Virtualization Techniques to Improve Research Analytics

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Richter, Jack; McFarland, Lela; Bredfeldt, Christine

2012-01-01

Background/Aims Integrating data across systems can be a daunting process. The traditional method of moving data to a common location, mapping fields with different formats and meanings, and performing data cleaning activities to ensure valid and reliable integration across systems can be both expensive and extremely time consuming. As the scope of needed research data increases, the traditional methodology may not be sustainable. Data Virtualization provides an alternative to traditional methods that may reduce the effort required to integrate data across disparate systems. Objective Our goal was to survey new methods in data integration, cloud computing, enterprise data management and virtual data management for opportunities to increase the efficiency of producing VDW and similar data sets. Methods Kaiser Permanente Information Technology (KPIT), in collaboration with the Mid-Atlantic Permanente Research Institute (MAPRI) reviewed methodologies in the burgeoning field of Data Virtualization. We identified potential strengths and weaknesses of new approaches to data integration. For each method, we evaluated its potential application for producing effective research data sets. Results Data Virtualization provides opportunities to reduce the amount of data movement required to integrate data sources on different platforms in order to produce research data sets. Additionally, Data Virtualization also includes methods for managing “fuzzy” matching used to match fields known to have poor reliability such as names, addresses and social security numbers. These methods could improve the efficiency of integrating state and federal data such as patient race, death, and tumors with internal electronic health record data. Discussion The emerging field of Data Virtualization has considerable potential for increasing the efficiency of producing research data sets. An important next step will be to develop a proof of concept project that will help us understand to benefits

Simulación del Comportamiento Dinámico de un Pequeño Aerogenerador de Imán Permanente Sin Multiplicador en operación autónoma haciendo uso del MatLab

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Osley López González

2011-10-01

Full Text Available En este trabajo los autores hacen uso del software MATLAB SIMULINK versión 7.7.0.471 R2008b para el análisis del comportamiento de un sistema generación eólico de 2 kW autónomo sin multiplicador con generador de imanes permanentes y batería de Plomo-ácido. Se utilizan para ello los modelos de los generadores de imanes permanentes, batería, convertidores así como otros elementos del sistema eléctrico existente en el toolbox SimPowerSystems de este software y se obtiene y discute el comportamiento dinámico de las variables del conjuntoturbina-generador, las variables del bus de directa, así como también las variables de la carga, ante diferentes condiciones de trabajo del sistema. Los resultados basados en simulaciones muestran el correcto funcionamiento de todas las variables de control que regulan el sistema generador eólico-elemento almacenador-carga eléctrica consumida, cuando se somete a perturbaciones típicas como lo son la variación en racha del viento y variación de la carga repentina. The utilization of the popular software MATLAB SIMULINK 7.7.0.471 in order to analyze a 2kW Direct driven Permanent Magnet generator for wind turbine in autonomous operation, including battery of Lead-acid is exposed by the authors. The existent models of the SimPowerSystems MATLAB toolbox are used in order to obtain and discuss the dynamic behavior of the principal variables under different conditions of work of the system.

Construção de descritores para o processo de educação permanente em atenção básica Building descriptors for the permanent basic care education process

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Rosita Saupe

2007-11-01

Full Text Available Educação permanente e atenção básica fazem parte do sistema de saúde brasileiro desde suas origens. Recentemente estas políticas públicas foram atualizadas, gerando um movimento inovador de construção de conhecimento visando apoiar sua implementação e consolidação. Este estudo, através de uma metodologia quantitativa, procurou evidenciar os principais descritores que devem orientar os processos de educação permanente em atenção básica. O método é originário da Universidade da Carolina do Norte. É desenvolvido em duas etapas. Os dados apresentados neste artigo dizem respeito à primeira etapa, que inclui as seguintes fases: elaboração de um diagrama com todos os componentes a serem avaliados; sua análise por um grupo de especialistas, indicando o que deve ser mantido, retirado ou incluído; avaliação por juízes, utilizando escala Likert de 1 a 5; verificação da concordância entre os juízes. O diagrama foi decomposto em quatro dimensões, procurando responder as seguintes questões: para quem? - audiências ou população alvo; o quê? - módulos de conteúdos e experiências de aprendizagem; para quê? - competências a serem desenvolvidas; e como? - metodologia a ser priorizada. Os resultados evidenciaram a procedência dos descritores propostos e avaliados, constituindo em material que pode contribuir para a tomada de decisão sobre educação permanente em atenção básica.Permanent education and basic care have been part of the Brazilian health system from the beginning. These public policies were recently updated, leading to an innovative knowledge construction movement to support their implementation and consolidation. This study, which used a quantitative approach, attempted to single-out the main descriptors that must guide the permanent basic care education processes. The method originated at the University of North Carolina and is carried out in two stages. The data shown in this article concern the

Understanding Faculty and Trainee Needs Related to Scholarly Activity in a Large, Nonuniversity Graduate Medical Education Program.

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Becker, Davida; Garth, Hanna; Hollander, Rachel; Klein, Felice; Klau, Marc

2017-01-01

Graduate medical education (GME) programs must develop curriculum to ensure scholarly activity among trainees and faculty to meet accreditation requirements and to support evidence-based medicine. Test whether research-related needs and interests varied across four groups: primary care trainees, specialty trainees, primary care faculty, and specialty faculty. We surveyed a random sample of trainees and faculty in Kaiser Permanente Southern California's GME programs. We investigated group differences in outcomes using Fisher exact and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Research experiences, skills, barriers, motivators, and interests in specific research skills development. Participants included 47 trainees and 26 faculty (response rate = 30%). Among primary care faculty, 12 (71%) reported little or no research experience vs 1 (11%) for specialty faculty, 14 (41%) for primary care trainees, and 1 (8%) for specialty trainees (p work roles taking priority; desire for work-life balance; and lack of managerial support, research equipment, administrative support, and funding. Faculty and trainees in primary care and specialties have differing research-related needs that GME programs should consider when designing curricula to support scholarly activity. Developing research skills of primary care faculty is a priority to support trainees' scholarly activity.

Outcomes in Patients Treated with a Novel, Simple Method for Hemostasis of Dermal Avulsion Injuries.

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Dowling, Sean Taylor; Lin, Brian Wai

2017-10-01

A recently described technique proposes a simple method to achieve permanent hemostasis of distal fingertip dermal avulsion injuries. It is simple to learn and easy to perform with readily available materials found in most emergency departments. However, long-term outcomes for patients treated with this technique have not yet been evaluated. A primary objective of the current article is to provide safety data for the technique using an off-label product indication. Emergency department of Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, San Francisco, California. Six patients were treated in the emergency department for fingertip dermal avulsion injuries using a tourniquet and tissue adhesive glue (Dermabond by Ethicon, Somerville, New Jersey). Patients were subsequently contacted to assess healing and satisfaction with cosmetic outcome through interview and photographs of their wounds at 9 months following the date of injury. All 6 patients were satisfied with the cosmetic outcome of treatment, and none received a diagnosis of serious complications. This series demonstrates cosmetic outcomes for injuries treated with the technique, highlights potential problems that may be perceived by patients during their clinical course, and creates the groundwork for a larger clinical study examining the use of the technique.

Linked analysis for definition of nurse advice line syndrome groups, and comparison to encounters.

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Magruder, Steven F; Henry, J; Snyde, M

2005-08-26

Nurse advice call centers are a potentially important source of data for syndromic surveillance purposes. For this reason, researchers at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory and Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States (KPMAS) have been collaborating to develop methods to use this data within the ESSENCE II Syndromic Surveillance System in the National Capital Region. The objective of this report is to present a general method for finding syndrome groups in data sources that can be linked to physician encounters and to determine effective advice call syndrome groups for use with KPMAS advice data. Advice calls are linked to physician encounters and stratified by patient age. They are placed in groups according to a maximum positive predictive value criterion. The groups are evaluated by correlating the resulting syndrome time series against physician encounter data. Potentially useful advice syndrome groups are found for respiratory, lower gastrointestinal (GI), and total GI syndromes for each age stratum. The time series of the advice data for respiratory, lower GI, and upper GI syndromes accurately predict the physician encounter time series for the corresponding syndromes for each age stratum.

The greatest challenges reported by long-term colorectal cancer survivors with stomas.

Science.gov (United States)

McMullen, Carmit K; Hornbrook, Mark C; Grant, Marcia; Baldwin, Carol M; Wendel, Christopher S; Mohler, M Jane; Altschuler, Andrea; Ramirez, Michelle; Krouse, Robert S

2008-04-01

This paper presents a qualitative analysis of the greatest challenges reported by long-term colorectal cancer survivors with ostomies. Surveys that included an open-ended question about challenges of living with an ostomy were administered at three Kaiser Permanente regions: Northern California, Northwest, and Hawaii. The study was coordinated at the Southern Arizona Veterans Affairs Health Care System in Tucson. The City of Hope Quality of Life Model for Ostomy Patients provided a framework for the study's design, measures, data collection, and data analysis. The study's findings may be generalized broadly to community settings across the United States. Results replicate those of previous research among veterans, California members of the United Ostomy Association, Koreans with ostomies, and colorectal cancer survivors with ostomies residing in the United Kingdom. The greatest challenges reported by 178 colorectal cancer survivors with ostomies confirmed the Institute of Medicine's findings that survivorship is a distinct, chronic phase of cancer care and that cancer's effects are broad and pervasive. The challenges reported by study participants should inform the design, testing and integration of targeted education, early interventions, and ongoing support services for colorectal cancer patients with ostomies.

Is a reduction in distance to nearest supermarket associated with BMI change among type 2 diabetes patients?

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Zhang, Y Tara; Laraia, Barbara A; Mujahid, Mahasin S; Blanchard, Samuel D; Warton, E Margaret; Moffet, Howard H; Karter, Andrew J

2016-07-01

We examined whether residing within 2 miles of a new supermarket opening was longitudinally associated with a change in body mass index (BMI). We identified 12 new supermarkets that opened between 2009 and 2010 in 8 neighborhoods. Using the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Diabetes Registry, we identified members with type 2 diabetes residing continuously in any of these neighborhoods 12 months prior to the first supermarket opening until 10 months following the opening of the last supermarket. Exposure was defined as a reduction (yes/no) in travel distance to the nearest supermarket as a result of a new supermarket opening. First difference regression models were used to estimate the impact of reduced supermarket distance on BMI, adjusting for longitudinal changes in patient and neighborhood characteristics. Among patients in the exposed group, new supermarket openings reduced travel distance to the nearest supermarket by 0.7 miles on average. However, reduced distance to nearest supermarket was not associated with BMI changes. Overall, we found no evidence that reduced supermarket distance was associated with reduced levels of obesity for residents with type 2 diabetes. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

PS3-21: Extracting Utilization Data from Clarity into VDW Using Oracle and SAS

Science.gov (United States)

Chimmula, Srivardhan

2013-01-01

Background/Aims The purpose of the presentation is to demonstrate how we use SAS and Oracle to load VDW_Utilization, VDW_DX, and VDW_PX tables from Clarity at the Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) Division of Research (DOR) site. Methods DOR uses the best of Oracle PL/ SQL and SAS capabilities in building Extract Transform and Load (ETL) processes. These processes extract patient encounter, diagnosis, and procedure data from Teradata-based Clarity. The data is then transformed to fit HMORN’s VDW definitions of the table. This data is then loaded into the Oracle-based VDW table on DOR’s research database and then finally a copy of the table is also created as a SAS dataset. Results DOR builds robust and efficient ETL processes that refresh VDW Utilization table on a monthly basis processing millions of records/observations. The ETL processes have the capability to identify daily changes in Clarity and update the VDW tables on a daily basis. Conclusions KPNC DOR combines the best of both Oracle and SAS worlds to build ETL processes that load the data into VDW Utilization tables efficiently.

Overview of the consortium of hospitals advancing research on tobacco (chart

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Riley William T

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The Consortium of Hospitals Advancing Research on Tobacco (CHART is a network of six projects and a research coordinating unit funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the National Cancer Institute, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH Office of Behavioral and Social Science Research. The CHART projects will assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of smoking cessation interventions initiated during hospitalization and continued post-discharge. Methods/design Along with a seventh project funded previously under the NIH Challenge grants, the CHART projects will assess smoking cessation strategies delivered to approximately 10,000 hospitalized smokers across a geographically diverse group of nearly 20 private, public, academic, and community hospitals. The CHART research coordinating unit at Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research provides organizational and data coordination support, facilitating the development of common measures for combining data from multiple CHART projects. Discussion The targeted enrollment in CHART, if achieved, will represent the largest, most diverse pooled dataset of hospitalized smokers receiving smoking cessation assistance, and is designed to contribute to the dissemination and implementation of smoking cessation interventions provided by hospital systems.

Reassurance against future risk of precancer and cancer conferred by a negative human papillomavirus test.

Science.gov (United States)

Gage, Julia C; Schiffman, Mark; Katki, Hormuzd A; Castle, Philip E; Fetterman, Barbara; Wentzensen, Nicolas; Poitras, Nancy E; Lorey, Thomas; Cheung, Li C; Kinney, Walter K

2014-08-01

Primary human papillomavirus (HPV) testing (without concurrent Pap tests) every 3 years is under consideration in the United States as an alternative to the two recommended cervical cancer screening strategies: primary Pap testing every 3 years, or concurrent Pap and HPV testing ("cotesting") every 5 years. Using logistic regression and Weibull survival models, we estimated and compared risks of cancer and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 3 or worse (CIN3+) for the three strategies among 1011092 women aged 30 to 64 years testing HPV-negative and/or Pap-negative in routine screening at Kaiser Permanente Northern California since 2003. All statistical tests were two sided. Three-year risks following an HPV-negative result were lower than 3-year risks following a Pap-negative result (CIN3+ = 0.069% vs 0.19%, P < .0001; Cancer = 0.011% vs 0.020%, P < .0001) and 5-year risks following an HPV-negative/Pap-negative cotest (CIN3+ = 0.069% vs 0.11%, P < .0001; Cancer = 0.011% vs 0.014%, P = .21). These findings suggest that primary HPV testing merits consideration as another alternative for cervical screening. © Published by Oxford University Press 2014.

La difusión e interpretación del Patrimonio cultural e histórico-educativo como tema de estudio en el Centro de Formación Permanente de la Universidad de Sevilla

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Pablo Álvarez Domínguez

2010-06-01

Full Text Available (ES Recoge este texto el resultado de una experiencia educativa organizada por el Museo Pedagógico Andaluz y desarrollada el pasado mes de mayo de 2010 en el Centro de Formación Permanente de la Universidad de Sevilla, con la finalidad de propiciar una reflexión teórico-práctica ligada a las nuevas posibilidades didácticas y de difusión del patrimonio cultural e histórico-educativo que se pueden desplegar en el ámbito museístico, con el fin de facilitar su estudio, comprensión y valoración.

यूनिकोड: भाषा प्रोद्योगिकी में हिन्दी का नया औजार

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Sharma, R.

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As equações dos estados quase-permanentes e uma visão alternativa da indução eletromagnética

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Ferreira G. F. Leal

2001-01-01

Full Text Available Apresenta-se o sistema de equações que descreve consistentemente os estados quase-permanentes, campos e potenciais, abrangendo a eletrostática, a magnetostática e a lei de indução de Faraday. Mostra-se que ele é correto até a ordem de v² = c² e de wr = c² em que v e w são a velocidade e a aceleração tópicas das cargas, c a velocidade da luz e r a distância ao ponto considerado. Pode-se então obter o campo elétrico de uma carga em movimento nessa aproximação, o qual corrige o campo de Coulomb por termos dependentes da velocidade e da aceleração da carga. Mostra-se assim, como feito anteriormente por Ritz e O'Rahilly, que a indução eletromagnética pode ser atribuída à aceleração das cargas do circuito indutor, propiciando uma visão alternativa dessa interação, usualmente atribuída à variação do fluxo no interior do circuito.

["A decision meaning a new foundation...": from the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Anthropology, Human Genetics and Eugenics to the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics].

Science.gov (United States)

Sachse, Carola

2011-01-01

The Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics (MPIMG) in Berlin-Dahlem dates its establishment to 1964. Its homepage makes no mention of its predecessor institutes, the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Anthropology, Human Genetics and Eugenics (KWIA) and the subsequent MPI for Comparative Genetics and Hereditary Pathology (MPIVEE). This article traces the two critical phases of transition regarding the constellations of academic staff, institutional and epistemic ruptures and continuities specific to the era. Only one of the five department heads from the final war years, Hans Nachtsheim, remained a researcher within the Max Planck Society (MPG); he nevertheless continued to advocate the pre-war and wartime eugenic agenda in the life sciences and social policy. The generational change of 1959/60 became a massive struggle within the institute, in which microbial genetics (with Fritz Kaudewitz) was pitted against human genetics (with Friedrich Vogel) and managed to establish itself after a fresh change in personnel in 1964/65. For the Dahlem institute, this involved a far-reaching reorientation of its research, but for the genetically oriented life sciences in the Max Planck Society as a whole it only meant that molecular biology, which was already being pursued in the West German institutes, gained an additional facility. With this realignment of research traditions, the Society was able to draw a line under the Nazi past without having to address it head-on.

Neuropathological research at the "Deutsche Forschungsanstalt fuer Psychiatrie" (German Institute for Psychiatric Research) in Munich (Kaiser-Wilhelm-Institute). Scientific utilization of children's organs from the "Kinderfachabteilungen" (Children's Special Departments) at Bavarian State Hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Steger, Florian

2006-09-01

During National Socialism, the politically motivated interest in psychiatric genetic research lead to the founding of research departments specialized in pathological-anatomical brain research, the two Kaiser Wilhelm-Institutes (KWI) in Berlin and Munich. The latter was indirectly provided with brain material by Bavarian State Hospitals, to three of which "Kinderfachabteilungen" (Special Pediatric Units) were affiliated. As children became victims of the systematically conducted child "euthanasia" in these Special Pediatric Units, this paper will address the question whether and to which extent the organs from victims of child "euthanasia" were used for (neuro-) pathological research at the KWI in Munich. By means of case studies and medical histories (with focus on the situation in Kaufbeuren-Irsee), I will argue that pediatric departments on a regular base delivered slide preparations, that the child "euthanasia" conduced in these departments systematically contributed to neuropathological research and that slide preparations from victims of child "euthanasia" were used in scientific publications after 1945.

Contação de história: tecnologia cuidativa na educação permanente para o envelhecimento ativo

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Nadia Pinheiro da Costa

Full Text Available RESUMO Objetivo: avaliar pertinência e efetividade da tecnologia cuidativo-educacional "contação de histórias" como estratégia no cultivo do envelhecimento ativo (EA para usuários idosos de uma Unidade Básica de Saúde (UBS, da Amazônia. Método: Pesquisa Convergente Assistencial (PCA, realizada em UBS de Belém, estado do Pará, com oito idosas para testagem da tecnologia. Aplicou-se questionário de avaliação do EA e WHOQOL - breve, avaliação de qualidade de vida. Após capacitação com vistas à educação permanente, idosas contaram histórias para uma plateia que se manifestou respondendo à pergunta: "O que você tirou dela para a sua vida?" Resultados: histórias populares contadas provocaram reações das quais emergiram as categorias: Solidariedade; Respeito ao outro; Imaginação, sonhos, esperança e Cultura do imaginário amazônida. Tal prática resultou positiva, com mudança na qualidade de vida das idosas, no domínio psicológico. Conclusão: "contação de histórias" revelou-se uma tecnologia inovadora, recurso pertinente e efetivo à educação em saúde, especialmente para o envelhecimento ativo.

A nova gestão pública na Inglaterra: a permanente instabilidade da reforma neoliberal

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David Hall

2015-09-01

Full Text Available RESUMO: A reforma da educação na Inglaterra tem sido intimamente associada a um programa mais amplo da nova gestão pública, centrado na reforma dos serviços públicos. Este artigo analisa as características deste programa de reformas inspirado na NGP, tendo em vista que o sistema educacional inglês se deslocou de uma forma cívica e de proteção social ("cívico-welfarista" para um modo em que o neoliberalismo despontou em ascendência. Atenção particular é dada tanto aos aspectos centralizadores da reforma, em que tem havido um acentuado aumento na intervenção do governo central na educação, quanto aos aspectos descentralizadores da reforma, incluindo a criação de escolas como unidades de negócios e a mercantilização da educação em termos mais gerais. As origens das reformas estão situadas em uma construção discursiva de uma crise educacional, inspirada na Nova Direita, que encontrou posterior expressão em uma série de alterações na legislação que emergiram de e cimentaram um consenso educacional trans-político-partidário que já perdura por mais de trinta anos neste contexto. Este artigo examina os efeitos dessas reformas da NGP na educação na Inglaterra, e as continuidades e descontinuidades entre as diferentes administrações políticas, considerando que a Inglaterra passou por sucessivas ondas de reformas até chegarmos a um período pós-NGP. Concluímos que a permanente instabilidade do sistema educacional inglês pode ser identificado nas tensões que atingem o próprio âmago do processo da NGP, de formas que, antecipamos, continuarão a perturbar um setor rapidamente privatizador.

Effect of electrode contact area on the information content of the recorded electrogastrograms: An analysis based on Rényi entropy and Teager-Kaiser Energy

Science.gov (United States)

Alagumariappan, Paramasivam; Krishnamurthy, Kamalanand; Kandiah, Sundravadivelu; Ponnuswamy, Mannar Jawahar

2017-06-01

Electrogastrograms (EGG) are electrical signals originating from the digestive system, which are closely correlated with its mechanical activity. Electrogastrography is an efficient non-invasive method for examining the physiological and pathological states of the human digestive system. There are several factors such as fat conductivity, abdominal thickness, change in electrode surface area etc, which affects the quality of the recorded EGG signals. In this work, the effect of variations in the contact area of surface electrodes on the information content of the measured electrogastrograms is analyzed using Rényi entropy and Teager-Kaiser Energy (TKE). Two different circular cutaneous electrodes with approximate contact areas of 201.14 mm2 and 283.64 mm2, have been adopted and EGG signals were acquired using the standard three electrode protocol. Further, the information content of the measured EGG signals were analyzed using the computed values of entropy and energy. Results demonstrate that the information content of the measured EGG signals increases by 6.72% for an increase in the contact area of the surface electrode by 29.09%. Further, it was observed that the average energy increases with increase in the contact surface area. This work appears to be of high clinical significance since the accurate measurement of EGG signals without loss in its information content, is highly useful for the design of diagnostic assistance tools for automated diagnosis and mass screening of digestive disorders.

Educação permanente em saúde: uma estratégia para a formação dos agentes comunitários de saúde Educación continua en materia de salud: una estrategia para la formación de agentes de salud de la comunidad Continuing health educating: a strategy for the training of community health agents

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Vanessa Baliego de Andrade Barbosa

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Este artigo teve por objetivo descrever e analisar o processo de educação dos Agentes Comunitários da Saúde (ACS utilizado pelos enfermeiros na Estratégia Saúde da Família. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa, e contou com 17 sujeitos. Para a coleta de dados, utilizou-se entrevista semiestruturada, e a análise dos dados foi realizada por meio da técnica de análise de conteúdo. Identificou-se a categoria: organização do processo de educação nas unidades de saúde da família, cujas temáticas elencadas foram: enfermeiros como líderes da equipe de referência, educação permanente, metodologias tradicionais e educação centrada nas necessidades dos ACS. Através deste estudo, pudemos compreender que os enfermeiros têm pouco contato com a ferramenta da Educação Permanente, realizando as atividades de capacitação fundamentadas na metodologia tradicional de ensino, sendo necessário um investimento dos gestores no sentido de capacitá-los, no que se refere à educação permanente, possibilitando-lhes a atuação com os ACS.Este artículo objetivó describir y analizar el proceso de educacional de los Agentes Comunitarios de Salud (ACS, usan todo el enfermeros en la estrategia de la Salud de la Familia. Acerca de una pesquisa cualitativa, contó con 17 sujetos. Para la colección de datos, eligió-se la entrevista semi-estructurada y el análisis través la técnica del análisis del contenido .Fue identificada una categoría: la organización del proceso educacional en las unidades de la Salud de la Familia, cuyas temáticas elegidas fueron: enfermeros como líderes del equipo de referencia, educación permanente, metodologías tradicionales y educación centrada en las necesidades de los ACS. Través de este estudio pudimos comprender que los enfermeros poseen poca aproximación con la herramienta de educación permanente, realizando las actividades de capacitación de los ACS basadas en la metodología tradicional de ense

Value Focused Thinking Approach Using Multivariate Validation for Junior Enlisted Performance Reporting in the United States Air Force

Science.gov (United States)

2014-03-22

Dataset) ...................... 102 Equation 12. Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin ( KMO ) Index Measure of Sampling Adequacy ....... 102 Equation 13. Bartlett’s Test of...was performed was the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (Kaiser, 1970) test. The Kaiser-Meyer- Olkin ( KMO ) test was used as an index to measure sampling adequacy. In...essence KMO is a measure of the strength of the relationship among variables (Williams et al., 2012). The KMO formula is shown in Equation 12

Social Health Maintenance Organizations: assessing their initial experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Newcomer, R; Harrington, C; Friedlob, A

1990-08-01

The Social/Health Maintenance Organization (S/HMO) is a four-site national demonstration. This program combines Medicare Part A and B coverage, with various extended and chronic care benefits, into an integrated health plan. The provision of these services extends both the traditional roles of HMOs and that of long-term care community-service case management systems. During the initial 30 months of operation the four S/HMOs shared financial risk with the Health Care Financing Administration. This article reports on this developmental period. During this phase the S/HMOs had lower-than-expected enrollment levels due in part to market competition, underfunding of marketing efforts, the limited geographic area served, and an inability to differentiate the S/HMO product from that of other Medicare HMOs. The S/HMOs were allowed to conduct health screening of applicants prior to enrolling them. The number of nursing home-certifiable enrollees was controlled through this mechanism, but waiting lists were never very long. Persons joining S/HMOs and other Medicare HMOs during this period were generally aware of the alternatives available. S/HMO enrollees favored the more extensive benefits; HMO enrollees considerations of cost. The S/HMOs compare both newly formed HMOs and established HMOs. On the basis of administrator cost, it is more efficient to add chronic care benefits to an HMO than to add an HMO component to a community care provider. All plans had expenses greater than their revenues during the start-up period, but they were generally able to keep service expenditures within planned levels.

Proteomic analysis of Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis reveals the metabolic insight on consumption of prebiotics and host glycans.

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Jae-Han Kim

Full Text Available Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis is a common member of the intestinal microbiota in breast-fed infants and capable of metabolizing human milk oligosaccharides (HMO. To investigate the bacterial response to different prebiotics, we analyzed both cell wall associated and whole cell proteins in B. infantis. Proteins were identified by LC-MS/MS followed by comparative proteomics to deduce the protein localization within the cell. Enzymes involved in the metabolism of lactose, glucose, galactooligosaccharides, fructooligosaccharides and HMO were constitutively expressed exhibiting less than two-fold change regardless of the sugar used. In contrast, enzymes in N-Acetylglucosamine and sucrose catabolism were induced by HMO and fructans, respectively. Galactose-metabolizing enzymes phosphoglucomutase, UDP-glucose 4-epimerase and UTP glucose-1-P uridylytransferase were expressed constitutively, while galactokinase and galactose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase, increased their expression three fold when HMO and lactose were used as substrates for cell growth. Cell wall-associated proteomics also revealed ATP-dependent sugar transport systems associated with consumption of different prebiotics. In addition, the expression of 16 glycosyl hydrolases revealed the complete metabolic route for each substrate. Mucin, which possesses O-glycans that are structurally similar to HMO did not induced the expression of transport proteins, hydrolysis or sugar metabolic pathway indicating B. infantis do not utilize these glycoconjugates.

42 CFR 417.124 - Administration and management.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... program, administrative and management aspects of the HMO. (3) At a minimum, management by an executive... Administration and management. (a) General requirements. Each HMO must have administrative and managerial... 42 Public Health 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Administration and management. 417.124 Section 417...

42 CFR 417.480 - Maintenance of records: Cost HMOs and CMPs.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... or CMP, and operation of the HMO's or CMP's financial, medical, and other recordkeeping systems. (2..., sale, or other action. (5) Agreements, contracts, and subcontracts. (6) Franchise, marketing, and management agreements. (7) Schedules of charges for the HMO's or CMP's fee-for-service patients. (8) Matters...

Bacteroides in the infant gut consume milk oligosaccharides via mucus-utilization pathways.

Science.gov (United States)

Marcobal, Angela; Barboza, Mariana; Sonnenburg, Erica D; Pudlo, Nicholas; Martens, Eric C; Desai, Prerak; Lebrilla, Carlito B; Weimer, Bart C; Mills, David A; German, J Bruce; Sonnenburg, Justin L

2011-11-17

Newborns are colonized with an intestinal microbiota shortly after birth, but the factors governing the retention and abundance of specific microbial lineages are unknown. Nursing infants consume human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) that pass undigested to the distal gut, where they may be digested by microbes. We determined that the prominent neonate gut residents, Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron and Bacteroides fragilis, induce the same genes during HMO consumption that are used to harvest host mucus glycans, which are structurally similar to HMOs. Lacto-N-neotetraose, a specific HMO component, selects for HMO-adapted species such as Bifidobacterium infantis, which cannot use mucus, and provides a selective advantage to B. infantis in vivo when biassociated with B. thetaiotaomicron in the gnotobiotic mouse gut. This indicates that the complex oligosaccharide mixture within HMOs attracts both mutualistic mucus-adapted species and HMO-adapted bifidobacteria to the infant intestine that likely facilitate both milk and future solid food digestion. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Treatment of low level radioactive liquid wastes using composite ion-exchange resins based on polyurethane foam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rao, S.V.S.; Lekshmi, R.; Mani, A.G.S.; Sinha, P.K.

2010-01-01

Composite ion-exchange resins were prepared by coating copper-ferrocyanide (CFC) and hydrous manganese oxide (HMO) powders on polyurethane (PU) foam. Polyvinyl acetate/Acetone was used as a binder. The foam was loaded with about five times its weight with CFC and HMO powders. The distribution coefficients of CFC-PU foam and HMO-PU foam for cesium and strontium respectively were estimated. Under similar conditions the HMO-PU foam showed higher capacity as well as better kinetics for removal of strontium than CFC-PU foam for Cs. The pilot plant scale studies were conducted using a mixed composite ion-exchange resin bed. About 1000 bed volumes could be passed before attaining a DF of 10 from an initial value of 60-80. The spent resin was digested in alkaline KMnO 4 and the digested liquid was fixed in cement matrix. The matrices were characterized with respect to compressive strength and leach resistance. (author)

Are the different gully morphologies due to different formation processes on the Kaiser dune field on Mars?

Science.gov (United States)

Pasquon, K.; Gargani, J.; Nachon, M.; Conway, S. J.; Massé, M.; Jouannic, G.; Balme, M. R.; Costard, F.; Vincendon, M.

2017-12-01

Diverse gully morphologies are seen on Mars and differences are often neglected for simplification. Here we describe in detail the morphology and present-day activity of two gully-systems on the Kaiser dune field in the southern hemisphere of Mars. We then compare their activity with that of the morphologically distinct linear dune gullies present on the same dunes. The studied gully-systems have large depositional aprons (named "large apron gullies") and occur on dune faces oriented westward. They are active from mid-autumn to late winter (i.e. from Ls 50° to Ls 180°) coinciding with CO2 ice condensation/sublimation cycles. Sandy material collapses from the alcove flanks onto the alcove floor sporadically throughout this period. This accumulated sand is remobilized by punctuated mass flows which we estimate to be up to 7100 m3 in volume. These flows run out on to the apron and occur between Ls 120° and Ls 160°. These mass flow events occur when the number of "digitate flows" is at its seasonal maximum. Digitate flows are characterized by long-narrow zig-zagging low-albedo tracks and do not seem to transport appreciable sediment, and they can number in the hundreds. Small pits appear at their termini or midway along and sometimes these pits are re-deepened by subsequent flows. These events repeat every year and using volume balance calculations we find that the whole system could be built on a timescale of hundreds of martian ears. These large apron gullies differ in morphology and timing from the linear dune gullies. The linear dune gullies are active in late winter, or beginning of spring when the CO2 frost finally sublimates, which occurs after the activity of the large apron gullies. Due to the difference of orientation between large apron gullies and linear dune as well as timing, we infer that insolation, which may influence (i) the depth to ground ice, (ii) the amount of volatiles deposits, is the main cause their differences. Sediment transport by CO2

76 FR 33280 - Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-08

...-come, first-served basis. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alicia Kaiser, Designated Federal Officer, kaiser.alicia@epa.gov , 202-564-7273, US EPA, Office of the Administrator (1101A), 1200 Pennsylvania... provide written statements to the FRRCC should be sent to Alicia Kaiser, Designated Federal Officer, at...

76 FR 59396 - Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-26

...-come, first-served basis. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alicia Kaiser, Designated Federal Officer, kaiser.alicia@epa.gov , 202-564-7273, US EPA, Office of the Administrator (1101A), 1200 Pennsylvania... provide written statements to the FRRCC should be sent to Alicia Kaiser, Designated Federal Officer, at...

Obtención del Valor Genético Predicho en Animales Incluyendo el Efecto del Medio Ambiente Permanente Obtención del Valor Genético Predicho en Animales Incluyendo el Efecto del Medio Ambiente Permanente

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Mauricio Valencia Posadas

2012-02-01

Full Text Available The genetic improvement of the animals based in productive records and genealogical information, is a fundamental mechanism to increase the economic income of the commercial farms, through the estimation of the predicted breeding values (VGP’s. The VGP’s allows the identification of animals genetically superior to be used as parents of the next generation. In many parts of the world the best linear unbiased predictor procedure (MPLI is used as an animal model, for its appropriate properties, to obtain the VGP’s. In these models the permanent environment effect is usually included in order to increase the accuracy of the VGP’s. In this work a developed example is presented using supposed data to obtain VGP’s with the MPLI procedure and an animal model where the methodology, interpretation and use of the VGP’s are shown.El mejoramiento genético de los animales, con base en los registros de rendimiento e información genealógica, es un mecanismo fundamental para incrementar los rendimientos económicos de las explotaciones comerciales, a partir de la estimación de valores genéticos predichos (VGP’s. Los VGP permiten identificar a los animales genéticamente superiores de una forma objetiva, para que sean utilizados como padres de la siguiente generación. En muchas partes del mundo se utiliza el procedimiento del mejor predictor lineal insesgado (MPLI con un modelo animal por sus adecuadas propiedades para obtenerlos VGP’s. En dichos modelos se suele incluir el efecto del medio ambiente permanente con el objeto de incrementar la precisión de los VGP’s. En este trabajos e presenta un ejemplo desarrollado utilizando datos supuestos para obtener VGP’s con el procedimiento MPLI y un modelo animal, donde se muestra la metodología, interpretación y uso que tienen los VGP’s.

Diversidad y carbono almacenado en el área forestal permanente de Álvaro Obregón, Calakmul, Campeche

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Ligia Guadalupe Esparza Olguín

2018-01-01

Full Text Available El Área Forestal Permanente (AFP del ejido Álvaro Obregón en Calakmul resguarda selvas subperennifolias que han estado expuestas al manejo forestal. Dada su importancia como reservorios de carbono y biodiversidad, el objetivo de este estudio fue analizar la diversidad arbórea, la acumulación de biomasa y la captura de carbono en diferentes comunidades de dicho tipo de vegetación (selva mediana – SMSP y selva inundable - SI presentes en el AFP, las cuales están en periodo de recuperación desde hace más de 20 años. El trabajo se realizó en parcelas circulares de 1 000 m2, en donde se etiquetaron, midieron (altura y diámetro a la altura de 1.30 m, e identificaron los taxa arbóreos presentes. En las SMSP se determinó una riqueza de 90 especies, con densidades de 5 170 y 3 720 ind ha-1, con una diversidad (H intermedia (2.8 a 2.65. En las SI se identificaron 75 especies, con una densidad (5 920 a 8 630 ind ha-1, y una diversidad (H alta (3.02 a 3.06. La diversidad estructural promedio (Hsdh fue baja para SMSP y SI, con valores de carbono de 16.6 a 37.17 Mg C ha-1, en SMSP; y 36.44 a 44.58 en SI. Se concluye que las selvas subperennifolias analizadas están en recuperación, con procesos de regeneración y captura de carbono importantes para la conservación de la diversidad.

Human Milk Oligosaccharides and the Preterm Infant: A Journey in Sickness and in Health.

Science.gov (United States)

Moukarzel, Sara; Bode, Lars

2017-03-01

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are a group of approximately 200 different unconjugated sugar structures in human milk proposed to support infant growth and development. Data from several preclinical animal studies and human cohort studies suggest HMOs reduce preterm infant mortality and morbidity by shaping the gut microbiome and protecting against necrotizing enterocolitis, candidiasis, and several other immune-related diseases. Current feeding practices and clinical algorithms do not consider infant HMO intake when assessing dietary adequacy or disease risk. Advancements in HMO analytical methodologies and HMO synthesis facilitate cohort and intervention studies to investigate which particular HMOs are most relevant in supporting preterm infants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Limites e possibilidades do ensino à distância (EaD na educação permanente em saúde: revisão integrativa

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Adriane das Neves Silva

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Trata-se de um estudo sobre o uso do ensino a distância (EaD como uma estratégia de ensino na educação permanente em saúde (EPS, que teve como objetivo identificar e analisar os limites e possibilidades do uso da EaD na EPS. Estudo de revisão integrativa. O resultado aponta que a EaD é uma estratégia inovadora possível e potencial para a EPS, facilitando o desenvolvimento da aprendizagem dentro ou fora da instituição de saúde, porém é evidente a escassez de pesquisas na área. As limitações para a realização dos programas estão relacionadas à variável tempo, preparação para lidar com as tecnologias e importância do tutor como facilitador da aprendizagem. Conclui-se que o uso da EaD tem tido uma importante contribuição para o desenvolvimento dos recursos humanos em saúde, seja no processo de formação e/ou no processo contínuo de conhecimento.

Does competition improve health care quality?

Science.gov (United States)

Scanlon, Dennis P; Swaminathan, Shailender; Lee, Woolton; Chernew, Michael

2008-12-01

To identify the effect of competition on health maintenance organizations' (HMOs) quality measures. Longitudinal analysis of a 5-year panel of the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) and Consumer Assessment of Health Plans Survey(R) (CAHPS) data (calendar years 1998-2002). All plans submitting data to the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) were included regardless of their decision to allow NCQA to disclose their results publicly. NCQA, Interstudy, the Area Resource File, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Fixed-effects models were estimated that relate HMO competition to HMO quality controlling for an unmeasured, time-invariant plan, and market traits. Results are compared with estimates from models reliant on cross-sectional variation. Estimates suggest that plan quality does not improve with increased levels of HMO competition (as measured by either the Herfindahl index or the number of HMOs). Similarly, increased HMO penetration is generally not associated with improved quality. Cross-sectional models tend to suggest an inverse relationship between competition and quality. The strategies that promote competition among HMOs in the current market setting may not lead to improved HMO quality. It is possible that price competition dominates, with purchasers and consumers preferring lower premiums at the expense of improved quality, as measured by HEDIS and CAHPS. It is also possible that the fragmentation associated with competition hinders quality improvement.

A new measure of the impact of managed care on healthcare markets.

Science.gov (United States)

Pawlson, L G; Moy, E M; Kim, J I; Griner, P F

2001-11-01

Most studies of managed care impact have used health maintenance organization (HMO) penetration or index of competition as the marker of managed care impact. However, little empirical evidence has been found to support the validity of these or other measures in current use. In addition, as managed care evolves to forms other than HMOs and managed care penetration in large metropolitan areas approaches 100% of commercially insured patients, the utility of the most commonly used measure, HMO penetration, will decrease still further. To provide a preliminary analysis of the use of premiums as a measure of market impact of managed care. Retrospective analysis (quartile, correlation, multiple-variable linear regression) of publicly available datasets. Labor market-adjusted HMO premiums from 3 publicly available sources, for the 56 largest metropolitan areas in the United States, were compared with penetration and index of competition as predictors of the dependent market variable, hospital bed-days per 1000 population. Health maintenance organization premiums in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program emerged as the best predictor of HMO market impact. Average HMO premiums reported in the Interstudy database and for the Medicare+Choice program also outperformed penetration or index of competition in relating to several commonly available markers of competition such as bed-days per 1000. Premiums charged by HMOs are a useful measure of the impact of managed care on healthcare markets in large metropolitan areas.

La Diputación Permanente en la Constitución de Cádiz o el intento frustrado de crear un órgano con funciones de garantía constitucional

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Ángel Luis Alonso de Antonio

2012-01-01

Full Text Available La Diputación Permanente de la Constitución de 1812 es el órgano de continuidad parlamentaria para mantener la representación de la voluntad popular en los períodos en los que las Cortes no estuvieran trabajando en plenitud. Significó también un intento frustrado de establecer un mecanismo eficaz para garantizar el cumplimiento del propio texto constitucional y por tanto su defensa ante las violaciones por parte de otros órganos del Estado. The Permanent Delegation of the Constitution of 1812 is the parliamentary body to maintain continuity of the representation of popular will in the periods in which the courts were not working fully. It also meant an unsuccessful attempt to establish an effective mechanism to ensure compliance with the constitutional text itself and therefore its defense against violations by other state bodies.

42 CFR 417.584 - Payment to HMOs or CMPs with risk contracts.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... CMP. (a) Principle of payment. CMS makes monthly advance payments equivalent to the HMO's or CMP's per... subsequent monthly payments to take account of the difference. (d) Reduction of payments. If an HMO or CMP... 1998, HMOs or CMPs with risk contracts will be paid in accordance with principles contained in subpart...

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 assessment in a case-control study: comparison of fluorescence in situ hybridization and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction performed by central laboratories.

Science.gov (United States)

Baehner, Frederick L; Achacoso, Ninah; Maddala, Tara; Shak, Steve; Quesenberry, Charles P; Goldstein, Lynn C; Gown, Allen M; Habel, Laurel A

2010-10-01

The optimal method to assess human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status remains highly controversial. Before reporting patient HER2 results, American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)/College of American Pathologists (CAP) guidelines mandate that laboratories demonstrate ≥ 95% concordance to another approved laboratory or methodology. Here, we compare central laboratory HER2 assessed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using Oncotype DX in lymph node-negative, chemotherapy-untreated patients from a large Kaiser Permanente case-control study. Breast cancer specimens from the Kaiser-Genomic Health study were examined. Central FISH assessment of HER2 amplification and polysomy 17 was conducted by PhenoPath Laboratories (ratios > 2.2, 1.8 to 2.2, and < 1.8 define HER2 positive, HER2 equivocal, and HER2 negative, respectively). HER2 expression by RT-PCR was conducted using Oncotype DX by Genomic Health (normalized expression units ≥ 11.5, 10.7 to < 11.5, and < 10.7 define HER2 positive, HER2 equivocal, and HER2 negative, respectively). Concordance analyses followed ASCO/CAP guidelines. HER2 concordance by central FISH and central RT-PCR was 97% (95% CI, 96% to 99%). Twelve percent (67 of 568 patients) and 11% (60 of 568 patients) of patients were HER2 positive by RT-PCR and FISH, respectively. HER2-positive patients had increased odds of dying from breast cancer compared with HER2-negative patients. Polysomy 17 was demonstrated in 12.5% of all patients and 33% of FISH-positive patients. Nineteen of 20 FISH-positive patients with polysomy 17 were also RT-PCR HER2 positive. Although not statistically significantly different, HER2-positive/polysomy 17 patients tended to have the worst prognosis, followed by HER2-positive/eusomic, HER2-negative/polysomy 17, and HER2-negative/eusomic patients. There is a high degree of concordance between central FISH and quantitative RT

Effects of Mineral Oils on Host Selection Behavior of Diaphorina citri

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Mofit Eko Poerwanto

2008-07-01

Full Text Available Response of Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae on citrus leaves treated with horticultural and agricultural mineral oil (HMO & AMO was evaluated under laboratory condition in choice and non-choice trials. Combination of HMO and AMO at concentration of 0 up to 2% was applied to citrus leaves. Mineral oil applications significantly reduced the proportion of D. citri stayed on citrus leaves for feeding with the proposed mechanisms: 1 oils covered leaves thus hampered it for releasing volatile compounds, 2 oil film preventing the direct contact of tarsus or palpus to leaf surfaces, and 3 the volatile compounds produced by mineral oils also blended with plant volatiles in the atmosphere and reduced the probability of olfactory receptors capturing the olfactory cues for locating the feeding site. Mineral oils also increased the mortality of D. citri due to the refusion for feeding on the treated citrus leaves. The effect of AMO was more prominent than HMO.   Tanggapan Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae pada daun jeruk yang diperlakukan dengan minyak mineral (HMO dan AMO dievaluasi dengan metode pilihan maupun tanpa pilihan di laboratorium. Kombinasi antara HMO dan AMO pada konsentrasi 0% sampai dengan 2% diaplikasikan pada daun jeruk. Minyak mineral secara nyata menurunkan proporsi D. citri hinggap untuk makan pada daun jeruk, yang mungkin disebabkan oleh mekanisme: 1 minyak melapisi daun sehingga tidak mampu melepaskan senyawa volatil, 2 lapisan minyak menghalangi kontak langsung antara tarsus atau palpus pada permukaan daun, dan 3 senyawa volatil dari minyak bercampur dengan volatil tanaman di udara sehingga menurunkan probabilitas reseptor olfaktori menangkap sinyal penanda lokasi inang. Minyak mineral juga meningkatkan mortalitas, akibat dari penolakan makan pada daun jeruk yang diperlakukan. Pengaruh AMO lebih besar dari pada HMO.

Inclusión educativa de alumnos con discapacidades graves y permanentes : análisis de un modelo : la Comunidad Valenciana (España = Educational inclusion of students with severe and permanent disabilities : analysis of a model : the Region of Valencia

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Manuel López-Torrijo

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Este artículo analiza la inclusión educativa del alumnado con discapacidades graves y permanentes en la Comunidad Valenciana (España a través de los siguientes indicadores: concepción de las discapacidades graves y permanentes; responsabilidad de la escolarización y prestación de servicios; marco normativo; identificación, valoración y atención temprana; incidencia en la población; modelos y modalidades de escolarización; propuesta curricular; Centros y Unidades Específicos de Educación Especial; recursos personales y materiales; papel de las familias y financiación. Utiliza el método descriptivo en la revisión legislativa, documental, y bibliográfica, así como en el análisis de las fuentes estadísticas. Concluye señalando las mejoras inmediatas aplicables para una inclusión educativa real y de calidad.This article analyzes the educational inclusion of students with severe and permanent disabilities in the Region of Valencia with the following indicators: design of severe and permanent disabilities, regulatory framework, responsibility for providing schooling and services, identification and assessment of deficits, prevalence, proposed curriculum (model and modalities of care, special schools, human and material resources, role of families and funding. It utilizes the descriptive method in the legislative, documental and bibliographic revision, as well as in the analysis of statistical sources. The analysis concludes by pointing out the challenges that must guide future improvements to achieve a true educational equality.

Hybrid Metaheuristic Approach for Nonlocal Optimization of Molecular Systems.

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Dresselhaus, Thomas; Yang, Jack; Kumbhar, Sadhana; Waller, Mark P

2013-04-09

Accurate modeling of molecular systems requires a good knowledge of the structure; therefore, conformation searching/optimization is a routine necessity in computational chemistry. Here we present a hybrid metaheuristic optimization (HMO) algorithm, which combines ant colony optimization (ACO) and particle swarm optimization (PSO) for the optimization of molecular systems. The HMO implementation meta-optimizes the parameters of the ACO algorithm on-the-fly by the coupled PSO algorithm. The ACO parameters were optimized on a set of small difluorinated polyenes where the parameters exhibited small variance as the size of the molecule increased. The HMO algorithm was validated by searching for the closed form of around 100 molecular balances. Compared to the gradient-based optimized molecular balance structures, the HMO algorithm was able to find low-energy conformations with a 87% success rate. Finally, the computational effort for generating low-energy conformation(s) for the phenylalanyl-glycyl-glycine tripeptide was approximately 60 CPU hours with the ACO algorithm, in comparison to 4 CPU years required for an exhaustive brute-force calculation.

Magnetic and electronic properties of single-walled Mo2C nanotube: a first-principles study

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Jalil, Abdul; Sun, Zhongti; Wang, Dayong; Wu, Xiaojun

2018-04-01

The structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of single-walled Mo2C nanotubes are investigated by using first-principles calculations. We establish that single-walled Mo2C nanotubes can be rolled up from a graphene-like Mo2C monolayer with H- or T-type phase, i.e. H-Mo2C and T-Mo2C nanotubes. The armchair-type T-Mo2C nanotubes are more energetically stable than H-Mo2C nanotubes with the same diameter, while zigzag-type H-Mo2C nanotubes are more energetically stable than T-Mo2C nanotubes. In particular, (8, 0) H-Mo2C nanotube are more stable than Mo2C monolayer due to structural deformation. All Mo2C nanotubes are magnetic metals, independent of their chirality, and the magnetic moments of Mo atoms in the outer layer are larger than the inner. The ionic and metallic bonds in Mo2C nanotubes and delocalized electrons around Mo atoms lead to the versatile electronic and magnetic properties in them, endowing them potential applications in catalysts and electronics.

Dynamic cost shifting in hospitals: evidence from the 1980s and 1990s.

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Clement, J P

The purpose of this paper is to determine whether dynamic cost shifting occurred among acute care hospitals during the period from the early 1980s to the early 1990s and, if so, whether market factors affected the ability to shift costs. Evidence from this study of California acute care hospitals during three time intervals shows that the hospital did practice dynamic cost shifting, but that their ability to shift costs decreased over time. Surprisingly, hospital competition and HMO penetration did not influence cost shifting. However, increasing HMO penetration (measured as the HMO percentage of hospital discharges) did decrease both net prices and costs for the early part of the study, but later was associated with increases in both.

Prevalence of Childhood and Adolescent Overweight and Obesity from 2003 to 2010 in an Integrated Health Care Delivery System

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Scott Gee

2013-01-01

Full Text Available An observational study of the Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC BMI coding distributions was conducted to ascertain the trends in overweight and obesity prevalence among KPNC members aged 2–19 between the periods of 2003–2005 and 2009-2010. A decrease in the prevalence of overweight (−11.1% change and obesity (−3.6% change and an increase in the prevalence of healthy weight (+2.7% change were demonstrated. Children aged 2–5 had the greatest improvement in obesity prevalence (−11.5% change. Adolescents aged 12–19 were the only age group to not show a decrease in obesity prevalence. Of the racial and ethnic groups, Hispanics/Latinos had the highest prevalence of obesity across all age groups. The KPNC prevalence of overweight and obesity compares favorably to external benchmarks, although differences in methodologies limit our ability to draw conclusions. Physician counseling as well as weight management programs and sociodemographic factors may have contributed to the overall improvements in BMI in the KPNC population. Physician training, practice tools, automated BMI reminders and performance feedback improved the frequency and quality of physician counseling. BMI screening and counseling at urgent visits, in addition to well-child care visits, increased the reach and dose of physician counseling.

Racial/ethnic and socioeconomic differences in short-term breast cancer survival among women in an integrated health system.

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Keegan, Theresa H M; Kurian, Allison W; Gali, Kathleen; Tao, Li; Lichtensztajn, Daphne Y; Hershman, Dawn L; Habel, Laurel A; Caan, Bette J; Gomez, Scarlett L

2015-05-01

We examined the combined influence of race/ethnicity and neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) on short-term survival among women with uniform access to health care and treatment. Using electronic medical records data from Kaiser Permanente Northern California linked to data from the California Cancer Registry, we included 6262 women newly diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. We analyzed survival using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression with follow-up through 2010. After consideration of tumor stage, subtype, comorbidity, and type of treatment received, non-Hispanic White women living in low-SES neighborhoods (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.28; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.07, 1.52) and African Americans regardless of neighborhood SES (high SES: HR = 1.44; 95% CI = 1.01, 2.07; low SES: HR = 1.88; 95% CI = 1.42, 2.50) had worse overall survival than did non-Hispanic White women living in high-SES neighborhoods. Results were similar for breast cancer-specific survival, except that African Americans and non-Hispanic Whites living in high-SES neighborhoods had similar survival. Strategies to address the underlying factors that may influence treatment intensity and adherence, such as comorbidities and logistical barriers, should be targeted at low-SES non-Hispanic White and all African American patients.

Shared familial transmission of autism spectrum and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders.

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Musser, Erica D; Hawkey, Elizabeth; Kachan-Liu, Svetlana S; Lees, Paul; Roullet, Jean-Baptiste; Goddard, Katrina; Steiner, Robert D; Nigg, Joel T

2014-07-01

To determine whether familial transmission is shared between autism spectrum disorders and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, we assessed the prevalence, rates of comorbidity, and familial transmission of both disorders in a large population-based sample of children during a recent 7 year period. Study participants included all children born to parents with the Kaiser Permanente Northwest (KPNW) Health Plan between 1 January 1998 and 31 December 2004 (n = 35,073). Children and mothers with physician-identified autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and/or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were identified via electronic medical records maintained for all KPNW members. Among children aged 6-12 years, prevalence was 2.0% for ADHD and 0.8% for ASD; within those groups, 0.2% of the full sample (19% of the ASD sample and 9.6% of the ADHD sample) had co-occurring ASD and ADHD, when all children were included. When mothers had a diagnosis of ADHD, first born offspring were at 6-fold risk of ADHD alone (OR = 5.02, p disorders shares familial transmission with ADHD. ADHD and ASD have a partially overlapping diathesis. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. © 2014 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Red wine consumption not associated with reduced risk of colorectal cancer.

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Chao, Chun; Haque, Reina; Caan, Bette J; Poon, Kwun-Yee T; Tseng, Hung-Fu; Quinn, Virginia P

2010-01-01

Red wine contains polyphenol antioxidants that inhibit colorectal cancer (CRC) development in animal studies. We investigated the effect of red wine intake on risk of CRC in the California Men's Health Study (CMHS). CMHS is a prospective, multiethnic cohort of middle-aged men who were members of the Kaiser Permanente (KP) California Health Plans and completed study questionnaires between 2002-2003. Incident CRC were identified from the health plan cancer registries through the end of 2007 (n = 287). To properly account for potential confounding by previous endoscopy screening, we restricted the primary analyses to CMHS men continuously enrolled in KP between 1998-2002 (n = 43,483 and CRC = 176). We used multivariable Cox regression to adjust for important confounders. We did not find an inverse association between moderate red wine intake and risk of CRC. The hazard ratio for consuming >/=1 drink/day (average = 2 drinks/day) was 1.16, 95% confidence intervals 0.56-2.40. There was no linear dose-response. The lack of clear association for red wine intake was consistently observed when we stratified the analyses by CRC stage at diagnosis and cancer site (colon or rectum). Moderate red wine consumption was not associated with reduced risk of colorectal cancer in this population of middle-aged men.

Patient attitudes about the clinical use of placebo: qualitative perspectives from a telephone survey.

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Ortiz, Robin; Chandros Hull, Sara; Colloca, Luana

2016-04-04

To examine qualitative responses regarding the use of placebo treatments in medical care in a sample of US patients.Survey studies suggest a deliberate clinical use of placebos by physicians, and prior research has found that although most US patients find placebo use acceptable, the rationale for these beliefs is largely unknown. Members of the Outpatient Clinic at the Kaiser Permanente Northern California interviewed research participants who had been seen for a chronic health problem at least once in the prior 6 months. 853 women (61%) and men, white (58%) and non-white participants aged 18-75 years. Qualitative responses on perceptions of placebo use from one-time telephone surveys were analysed for common themes and associations with demographic variables. Prior results indicated that a majority of respondents felt it acceptable for doctors to recommend placebo treatments. Our study found that a lack of harm (n=291, 46.1%) and potential benefit (n=250, 39.6%) were the most common themes to justify acceptability of placebo use. Responses citing potential benefit were associated with higher education (r=0.787; pright to know and power of the mind. Older age was associated with likelihood to cite overall physician, as opposed to treatment, related themes (r=0.753; prights-and-licensing/

Creativity and Innovation in Health Care: Tapping Into Organizational Enablers Through Human-Centered Design.

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Zuber, Christi Dining; Moody, Louise

There is an increasing drive in health care for creativity and innovation to tackle key health challenges, improve quality and access, and reduce harm and costs. Human-centered design (HCD) is a potential approach to achieving organizational innovation. However, research suggests the nursing workforce feels unsupported to take the risks needed for innovation, and leaders may not understand the conditions required to fully support them. The aim of this study was to identify enabling conditions that support frontline nurses in their attempts to behave as champions of innovation and change. An HCD workshop was undertaken with 125 nurses employed in clinical practice at Kaiser Permanente. The workshop included empathy mapping and semistructured questions that probed participant experiences with innovation and change. The data were collated and thematic analysis undertaken through a Grounded Theory approach. The data were analyzed to identify key enabling conditions. Seven enablers emerged: personal need for a solution; challenges that have meaningful purpose; clarity of goal and control of resources; active experimentation; experiences indicating progress; positive encouragement and confidence; and provision of psychological safety. These enablers were then translated into pragmatic guidelines for leaders on how the tools of HCD may be leveraged for innovation and change in health care.

Integrated delivery systems: the cure for fragmentation.

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Enthoven, Alain C

2009-12-01

Our healthcare system is fragmented, with a misalignment of incentives, or lack of coordination, that spawns inefficient allocation of resources. Fragmentation adversely impacts quality, cost, and outcomes. Eliminating waste from unnecessary, unsafe care is crucial for improving quality and reducing costs--and making the system financially sustainable. Many believe this can be achieved through greater integration of healthcare delivery, more specifically via integrated delivery systems (IDSs). An IDS is an organized, coordinated, and collaborative network that links various healthcare providers to provide a coordinated, vertical continuum of services to a particular patient population or community. It is also accountable, both clinically and fiscally, for the clinical outcomes and health status of the population or community served, and has systems in place to manage and improve them. The marketplace already contains numerous styles and degrees of integration, ranging from Kaiser Permanente-style full integration, to more loosely organized individual practice associations, to public-private partnerships. Evidence suggests that IDSs can improve healthcare quality, improve outcomes, and reduce costs--especially for patients with complex needs--if properly implemented and coordinated. No single approach or public policy will fix the fragmented healthcare system, but IDSs represent an important step in the right direction.

Prevalence of migraine in a diverse community--electronic methods for migraine ascertainment in a large integrated health plan.

Science.gov (United States)

Pressman, Alice; Jacobson, Alice; Eguilos, Roderick; Gelfand, Amy; Huynh, Cynthia; Hamilton, Luisa; Avins, Andrew; Bakshi, Nandini; Merikangas, Kathleen

2016-04-01

The growing availability of electronic health data provides an opportunity to ascertain diagnosis-specific cases via systematic methods for sample recruitment for clinical research and health services evaluation. We developed and implemented a migraine probability algorithm (MPA) to identify migraine from electronic health records (EHR) in an integrated health plan. We identified all migraine outpatient diagnoses and all migraine-specific prescriptions for a five-year period (April 2008-March 2013) from the Kaiser Permanente, Northern California (KPNC) EHR. We developed and evaluated the MPA in two independent samples, and derived prevalence estimates of medically-ascertained migraine in KPNC by age, sex, and race. The period prevalence of medically-ascertained migraine among KPNC adults during April 2008-March 2013 was 10.3% (women: 15.5%, men: 4.5%). Estimates peaked with age in women but remained flat for men. Prevalence among Asians was half that of whites. We demonstrate the feasibility of an EHR-based algorithm to identify cases of diagnosed migraine and determine that prevalence patterns by our methods yield results comparable to aggregate estimates of treated migraine based on direct interviews in population-based samples. This inexpensive, easily applied EHR-based algorithm provides a new opportunity for monitoring changes in migraine prevalence and identifying potential participants for research studies. © International Headache Society 2015.

Endodoncia regenerativa: utilización de fibrina rica en plaquetas autóloga en dientes permanentes vitales con patología pulpar. Revisión narrativa de la literatura*

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Tatiana Ramírez Giraldo

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Actualmente una de las mayores controversias en el tratamiento de dientes permanentes con diagnóstico de pulpitis está en la decisión de realizar una Terapia Pulpar Vital (TPV o un tratamiento convencional de conductos. Diferentes estudios han reportado que se pueden obtener resultados previsibles mediante la realización de una TPV. El éxito del tratamiento dependerá de una adecuada comprensión de la  biología pulpar, un estricto protocolo de tratamiento y una adecuada selección del caso. Con este fin, diferentes materiales han sido sugeridos. Recientemente se ha utilizado la Fibrina Rica en Plaquetas, biomaterial que cumple con propiedades biológicas para lograr una mayor rapidez y adecuada cicatrizacion del tejido. Es necesario desarrollar tratamientos dirigidos a preservar la vitalidad de la pulpa, evitando recurrir como primera opción al tratamiento convencional de conductos, teniendo como objetivo conservar o regenerar el complejo dentino pulpar.

Endodoncia regenerativa: utilización de fibrina rica en plaquetas autóloga en dientes permanentes vitales con patología pulpar. Revisión narrativa de la literatura*

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Tatiana Ramírez Giraldo

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Actualmente una de las mayores controversias en el tratamiento de dientes permanentes con diagnóstico de pulpitis está en la decisión de realizar una Terapia Pulpar Vital (TPV o un tratamiento convencional de conductos. Diferentes estudios han reportado que se pueden obtener resultados previsibles mediante la realización de una TPV. El éxito del tratamiento dependerá de una adecuada comprensión de la  biología pulpar, un estricto protocolo de tratamiento y una adecuada selección del caso. Con este fin, diferentes materiales han sido sugeridos. Recientemente se ha utilizado la Fibrina Rica en Plaquetas, biomaterial que cumple con propiedades biológicas para lograr una mayor rapidez y adecuada cicatrizacion del tejido. Es necesario desarrollar tratamientos dirigidos a preservar la vitalidad de la pulpa, evitando recurrir como primera opción al tratamiento convencional de conductos, teniendo como objetivo conservar o regenerar el complejo dentino pulpar.

Transgressões no campo da Ciência da Informação: abordagens de uma prática científica em permanente constituição

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Meri Nadia Marques Gerlin

2017-04-01

Full Text Available O estudo apresenta conceitos ligados à disciplinaridade no campo da Ciência da Informação, assim como, inicia uma discussão em torno da natureza interdisciplinar dessa ciência atravessada pela transgressão metodológica. Reflete sobre a capacidade de interação com outras disciplinas que a atravessam, buscando, com isso, obter soluções de problemas perante a composição de seu objeto: a informação. Para tanto, dialoga-se com autores como Le Coadic, Bicalho e Oliveira, Francelin, Japiassú, Marques, Morin, Pinheiro, Tálamo e Smit. Considera-se que compreender como se deram as transgressões disciplinares no campo da Ciência da Informação torna-se condição essencial para dar conta de pensar a relação inter, multi e, principalmente, transdisciplinar necessária à manutenção de uma prática científica em permanente constituição.

A gestão urbana e ocupação em áreas de preservação permanente na cidade de Guarapuava (PR: o caso do arroio do Carro Quebrado / Management in urban areas and occupation of permanent preservation areas in the city of Guarapuava (PR: the case of the

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Nilmar Pussinini

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Na cidade, o capitalismo se reproduz de forma muito dinâmica. É nela, que o ambiente, antes natural, torna-se cada vez mais artificial, ou seja, ambiente construído. Com isso, cada vez mais o relevo e os rios são cobertos pelas edificações. Neste contexto, falar de áreas de preservação permanente nas cidades correlacionando-as com as políticas públicas que gerenciam e gestam as cidades, bem como o processo de produção e reprodução do espaço urbano é algo complexo, pois envolve muitos interesses, principalmente dos agentes que o produzem. Neste contexto o trabalho visa discutir as condições socioambientais das áreas de preservação permanente na cidade. As áreas de preservação permanente são preocupações da temática ambiental relacionadas à sociedade e ao ambiente. Preservá-las é uma preocupação social, que envolve a discussão de conceitos como a natureza, preservação, e qualidade de vida no meio ambiente urbano. Através de imagens de satélite, fotografias aéreas e dados coletados, diretamente no campo, buscamos localizar e espacializar as informações, de forma a obter uma visão de conjunto da distribuição do curso hídrico estudado, juntamente com as condições das áreas ao seu em torno que, a priori, deveriam ser destinadas à preservação permanente. Em Guarapuava, há uma importante rede de drenagem, contudo, os rios urbanos estão praticamente todos canalizados, e aqueles que ainda preservam seu curso original, estão degradados pelo lançamento de esgoto e assoreamento. Pensar condições e formas de planejamento e de gestão pública voltados para a conservação dessas áreas que a priori seriam de preservação, é um caminho para a recuperação dos cursos hídricos que ainda resistem à expansão da cidade. AbstractIn the urban area, capitalism increases really dinamically, it is in this place that the natural environment becomes more and more artificial, that is, a built environment. Thus

Medicare program; contracts with health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and competitive medical plans (CMPs)--HCFA. Final rule with comment period.

Science.gov (United States)

1995-09-01

This rule clarifies and updates portions of the HCFA regulations that pertain to the following: The conditions that an HMO or CMP must meet to qualify for a Medicare contract (Subpart J). The contract requirements (Subpart L). The rules for enrollment, entitlement, and disenrollment of Medicare beneficiaries in a contracting HMO or CMP (Subpart K). How a Medicare contract is affected when there is change of ownership or leasing of facilities of a contracting HMO or CMP (Subpart M). These are technical and editorial changes that do not affect the substance of the regulations. They are intended to make it easier to find particular provisions, to provide overviews of the different program aspects, and to better ensure uniform understanding of the rules.

The Army Learning Organisation Questionnaire: Developing a Valid and Reliable Measure of Learning Organisation Characteristics

Science.gov (United States)

2014-07-01

FIML Full Information Maximum Likelihood KMO Kaiser-Meyer-Oklin LEQ Learning Environment Questionnaire LO Learning Organisation LOS Learning...adequacy of the correlations’ magnitude was initially tested by using Kaiser-Meyer-Oklin ( KMO ) (Kaiser, 1974) and Bartlett’s test of sphericity (see...Table 4). Table 4: EFA assumption testing of ALOQ: Adequacy of correlation strength Assumption tests 44 item set* 21 item set KMO measure of

Las redes sociales en los procesos de adaptación a cambios permanentes de hábitat* Un estudio con habitantes de la Depresión Momposina (Norte de Colombia

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Gabriel Garrido Escudero

2001-01-01

Full Text Available En este artículo se describen las redes sociales durante los procesos de adaptación a los permanentes cambios que viven los pobladores de la Depresión Momposina en La Travesía, corregimiento de Mompox (Colombia. La información se recogió en una muestra de 262 personas, mediante la triangulación se compararon los resultados cuantitativos y los cuantitativos y se contrastó la información desde diversas estrategias para describir de mejor forma los fenómenos estudiados. Con base en lo encontrado se observa que las redes continúan teniendo funcionalidad y un alto grado de intensidad cuando los pobladores se desplazan de un lugar a otro, debido a la cercanía física, a la cercanía económica y a la cercanía emocional existente, lo cual hace patente la importancia de las redes como potenciadoras de desarrollo social en el contexto de la cultura anfibia.

Perspectivas de las Tecnologías de la Información y las Comunicaciones en la formación permanente del profesorado universitario

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Dr. C. Oscar Antonio Martínez Molina

2018-02-01

Full Text Available El acelerado avance científico y tecnológico pasa por el ámbito educativo haciendo que asuma nuevos retos de elevación del nivel educativo. Las Tecnologías de la Información y las Comunicaciones en la educación proporcionan potencia, fortalecimiento y transformación en el quehacer educativo, al momento que incrementa, en la práctica docente, la calidad del servicio. En el presente artículo se exponen las herramientas tecnológicas en el uso de las TIC en la formación permanente del profesorado universitario, haciéndose una adecuada utilización de las Tecnologías de la Información y las Comunicaciones lo que marcará gran impacto en la organización, desarrollo y productos en el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje si se tiene en cuenta que las nuevas tecnologías de la información y de la comunicación han evolucionado espectacularmente en los últimos años, debido especialmente a su capacidad de interconexión a través de la Red. Esta nueva fase de desarrollo va a tener gran impacto en la organización de la enseñanza y el proceso de aprendizaje

[HADASSAH MEDICAL ORGANIZATION - A PIONEER IN POPULATION HEALTH].

Science.gov (United States)

Calderon-Margalit, Ronit; Levine, Hagai; Israeli, Avi; Paltiel, Ora

2018-03-01

Population health is a term encompassing "the health outcomes of a group of individuals, including the distribution of such outcomes within the group." Only recently have hospitals viewed themselves as focal points for promoting health in a community, involving themselves with population health. Hadassah Medical Organization (HMO), however, has been in the business of population health since its founding. Its early programs, promoting and delivering nutritional support, maternal-child health and other services to the Yishuv's inhabitants, showed that the HMO defined its community broadly. Hospital care came later. The HMO was established together with the Hebrew University Israel's first School of Public Health and Community Medicine in the 1960's, contributing >1200 Israeli alumni, and exposing thousands of medical students to population health. The School's founders developed Community-Oriented Primary Care, aimed at assessing and addressing health determinants and outcomes at the community level implemented in many centers worldwide. Reaching beyond Israel's borders, the School has trained a global public health workforce through its International Masters in Public Health with >820 graduates from 92 countries. HMO's researchers have made important contributions in the fields of epidemiology, health economics and policy and population health methodology as well as hospital and community quality of care. This article reviews HMO's contribution to population health at local, municipal, national and international levels. We will demonstrate the unique circumstances in Hadassah, Jerusalem and Israel which have enabled world-class research and training in population health, identifying important contributions to policy and service provision, as well as addressing future population health challenges.

Human milk oligosaccharides: Every baby needs a sugar mama

Science.gov (United States)

Bode, Lars

2012-01-01

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are a family of structurally diverse unconjugated glycans that are highly abundant in and unique to human milk. Originally, HMOs were discovered as a prebiotic “bifidus factor” that serves as a metabolic substrate for desired bacteria and shapes an intestinal microbiota composition with health benefits for the breast-fed neonate. Today, HMOs are known to be more than just “food for bugs”. An accumulating body of evidence suggests that HMOs are antiadhesive antimicrobials that serve as soluble decoy receptors, prevent pathogen attachment to infant mucosal surfaces and lower the risk for viral, bacterial and protozoan parasite infections. In addition, HMOs may modulate epithelial and immune cell responses, reduce excessive mucosal leukocyte infiltration and activation, lower the risk for necrotizing enterocolitis and provide the infant with sialic acid as a potentially essential nutrient for brain development and cognition. Most data, however, stem from in vitro, ex vivo or animal studies and occasionally from association studies in mother–infant cohorts. Powered, randomized and controlled intervention studies will be needed to confirm relevance for human neonates. The first part of this review introduces the pioneers in HMO research, outlines HMO structural diversity and describes what is known about HMO biosynthesis in the mother's mammary gland and their metabolism in the breast-fed infant. The second part highlights the postulated beneficial effects of HMO for the breast-fed neonate, compares HMOs with oligosaccharides in the milk of other mammals and in infant formula and summarizes the current roadblocks and future opportunities for HMO research. PMID:22513036

Fucosylated but not sialylated milk oligosaccharides diminish colon motor contractions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John Bienenstock

Full Text Available Human milk oligosaccharides (HMO are being studied by different groups exploring a broad range of potential beneficial effects to the breastfed infant. Many of these effects have been attributed to a growth promotion effect on certain gut organisms such as bifidobacteria. Additionally, evidence indicates that HMO are able to directly promote positive changes in gut epithelium and immune responses under certain conditions. This study utilizes a standardized ex vivo murine colon preparation to examine the effects of sialylated, fucosylated and other HMO on gut motor contractions. Only the fucosylated molecules, 2'FL and 3'FL, decreased contractility in a concentration dependent fashion. On the basis of IC50 determinations 3'FL was greater than 2 times more effective than 2'FL. The HMO 3'SL and 6'SL, lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT, and galactooligosaccharides (GOS elicited no effects. Lactose was used as a negative control. Fucosylation seems to underlie this functional regulation of gut contractility by oligosaccharides, and L-fucose, while it was also capable of reducing contractility, was substantially less effective than 3'FL and 2'FL. These results suggest that specific HMO are unlikely to be having these effects via bifidogenesis, but though direct action on neuronally dependent gut migrating motor complexes is likely and fucosylation is important in providing this function, we cannot conclusively shown that this is not indirectly mediated. Furthermore they support the possibility that fucosylated sugars and fucose might be useful as therapeutic or preventative adjuncts in disorders of gut motility, and possibly also have beneficial central nervous system effects.

An Analysis of Turnover Intentions: A Reexamination of Air Force Civil Engineering Company Grade Officers

Science.gov (United States)

2012-03-01

edu 75 Appendix C Factor Analysis of Measurement Items Interrole conflict Factor Analysis (FA): Table: KMO and Bartlett’s Test Kaiser-Meyer...Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis. Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization. 77 POS FA: Table: KMO and Bartlett’s...Tempo FA: Table: KMO and Bartlett’s Test Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy. .733 Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity Approx. Chi-Square

Oral supplementation of healthy adults with 2'-O-fucosyllactose and lacto-N-neotetraose is well tolerated and shifts the intestinal microbiota

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Elison, Emma; Vigsnæs, Louise K.; Rindom Krogsgaard, Laura

2016-01-01

The gut microbiota has been established as an important player influencing many aspects of human physiology. Breast milk, the first diet for an infant, contains human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) that shape the infant's gut microbiota by selectively stimulating the growth of specific bacteria...... that supplementing the diet with HMO is a valuable strategy to shape the human gut microbiota and specifically promote the growth of beneficial bifidobacteria....

Educação Permanente em SBV e SAVC: impacto no conhecimento dos profissionais de enfermagem Educación permanente en SBV y SAV: impacto en el conocimiento de los profesionales de enfermería Permanent Education in BLS and ACLS: impact on the knowledge of nursing professionals

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Sandro Gonçalves de Lima

2009-12-01

Full Text Available FUNDAMENTO: O conhecimento teórico e as habilidades práticas das equipes de Suporte Básico de Vida (SBV e Suporte Avançado de Vida (SAV estão entre os determinantes mais importantes das taxas de sucesso em reanimação cardiopulmonar. OBJETIVO: Avaliar o impacto de um programa permanente de treinamento em SBV e SAV no conhecimento dos profissionais de enfermagem. MÉTODO: Estudo de corte transversal. A população foi composta por profissionais de enfermagem de um hospital de nível terciário. Foram realizadas avaliações antes e após o treinamento. Abordaram-se pontos críticos das diretrizes do International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR. RESULTADOS: Foram avaliados 213 profissionais (76 enfermeiros, 35,7%; 38 auxiliares, 17,8%; e 99 técnicos, 46,7%. As médias na avaliação pré-curso foram estatisticamente diferentes (pFUNDAMENTO: El conocimiento teórico y las habilidades prácticas de los equipos de Soporte Básico de Vida (SBV y Soporte Avanzado de Vida (SAV están entre los determinantes más importantes de los índices de éxito en reanimación cardiopulmonar. OBJETIVO: Evaluar el impacto de un programa permanente de entrenamiento en SBV y SAV en el conocimiento de los profesionales de enfermería. MÉTODO: Estudio de corte transversal. La población estaba compuesta por profesionales de enfermería de un hospital de nivel terciario. Se realizaron evaluaciones antes y después del entrenamiento. Se abordaron puntos críticos de las directrices del International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR. RESULTADOS: Se evaluaron 213 profesionales (76 enfermeros, 35,7%, 38 auxiliares, 17,8% y 99 técnicos, 46,7%. Los promedios en la evaluación previa al curso fueron estadísticamente diferentes (pBACKGROUND: The theoretical knowledge and practical skills of the Basic Life Support (BLS and the Advanced Life Support (ALS are among the most important determining factors of the cardiopulmonary reanimation success rates

Caracterização das atividades educativas de trabalhadores de enfermagem na ótica da educação permanente

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Adriana Marques da Silva

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Este estudo discute a reciprocidade entre práticas de saúde e educativas e objetiva caracterizar os trabalhadores deenfermagem e suas atividades educativas em região do município de São Paulo. Estudo exploratório-descritivoquantitativo, realizado em 18 serviços de saúde entre 2005/2006, cuja coleta de dados foi feita por meio de entrevistae aplicação de dois formulários. Identificou-se que 84,8% dos trabalhadores de enfermagem atuam nos hospitais epronto socorro (PS; 22,5% são enfermeiros, 15,2%, técnicos de enfermagem (TE e 62,3%, auxiliares deenfermagem (AE. Das 245 ações educativas mapeadas, 78,4% são realizadas nos hospitais e PS,predominantemente, focadas na recuperação da saúde; 46,9% estão direcionadas aos enfermeiros, 39,6% aosenfermeiros, TE e AE e 13,5%, aos TE e AE; 21,2% ações utilizam estratégias tradicionais de ensino e 15,1%, asparticipativas; 69% têm duração de 01-20h; 55,5% são realizadas fora do serviço. Apesar de predominar atividadeseducativas voltadas aos enfermeiros, orientadas para recuperação da saúde, com utilização de estratégias de ensinotradicionais, a presença de ações ancoradas no cotidiano de trabalho, remete à concepção de educação permanente eassinala possibilidades de mudança da abordagem das práticas educativas de trabalhadores na perspectiva daintegralidade da saúde e do cuidado integral de enfermagem.

MECANISMOS DE GERAÇÃO DE ESCOAMENTO E ÁREAS HIDROLOGICAMENTE SENSÍVEIS: UMA ABORDAGEM HIDROGEOMORFOLÓGICA PARA DELIMITAÇÃO DE ÁREAS DE PRESERVAÇÃO PERMANENTE

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Cesar Augusto Crovador SIEFERT

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Este artigo apresenta uma revisão conceitual sobre a relação entre os mecanismos de geração de escoamento e as áreas hidrologicamente sensíveis (AHS. Propõe-se a aproximação do conceito de AHSs na delimitação de áreas de preservação permanente (APPs devido à capacidade de geração de escoamento superficial por saturação destas áreas, estabelecendo assim a transferência de sedimentos e poluentes incidentes à jusante em direção aos canais. Reconhece-se a importância das AHSs como um novo paradigma na delimitação de APPs de acordo com características hidrogeomorfológicas da bacia hidrográfica. Por fim, observa-se ainda a necessidade de um aprofundamento na busca de um indicador de sensibilidade hidrológica das paisagens que possa ser utilizado em bacias hidrográficas com distintas características fisiográficas.

Educação permanente de docentes: análise crítica de experiências não sistematizadas

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Henriqueta Galvanin Guidio de Almeida

Full Text Available Quando alterações curriculares abrangentes são propostas para os cursos de Medicina, como no caso da implantação de um currículo integrado, exige-se do professor a modificação de seu papel central de transmissor de conhecimentos para um papel mais cooperativo efacilitador do processo de ensino-aprendizagem, o que pode gerar insegurança, sensação de perda de poder e resistência. A capacitação formal dos docentes para suas novas funções é imperiosa para o sucesso nas mudanças. Além das ações educativas sistematizadas, atividades alternativas podem contribuir para aperfeiçoar a função docente. Este artigo analisa a experiência de docentes do curso de Medicina da Universidade Estadual de Londrina (UEL, membros das comissões de apoio ao colegiado, que desenvolveram, nos primeiros anos da implantação do currículo integrado, atividades não sistematizadas de educação permanente junto a docentes do curso. São comentadas informações a respeito: da reunião semanal realizada com os tutores; da pesquisação sobre a inserção e o desenvolvimento docente no currículo integrado; da revisão dos conteúdos dos módulos temáticos; da pesquisação com os coordenadores dos módulos temáticos; e do inquérito realizado com os preceptores de áreas do internato médico. As atividades analisadas forneceram respostas a demandas locais e contribuíram com a dinâmica de um processo de implantação que deve permanecer em contínua renovação.

Cost analysis of a novel interdisciplinary model for advanced illness management.

Science.gov (United States)

Hopp, Faith P; Trzcinski, Eileen; Roth, Roxanne; Deremo, Dorothy; Fonger, Evan; Chiv, Sokchay; Paletta, Michael

2015-05-01

This research project evaluated cost outcomes for patients in the @HOMe Support program, a novel interdisciplinary home-based program for patients and caregivers facing advanced illness drawing on the Chronic Care Model. Cost analysis involved paired sample t-tests to examine pre-post differences in health care expenditures obtained from Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) claims data for program participants. Average 6-month costs per month significantly declined for patients older than 65 years of age from 1 HMO (US$9300-US$5900, P = .001). Evaluation of the second HMO showed that patients less than 65 years of age with lower preentry costs (costs (US$18 787-US$13 781, P = .08). Study findings suggest @HOMe Support is associated with reductions in the use and cost for most health services over time. © The Author(s) 2014.

77 FR 2719 - Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Advisory Committee; Charter Renewal

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-19

... be directed to Alicia Kaiser, U.S. EPA, (mail code 1101-A), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460, telephone (202) 564-7273, or kaiser.alicia@epa.gov . Dated: January 4, 2012. Lawrence...

Heterotopic mesenteric ossification: Report of two cases with review of the literature

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Mussatto J

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Very few cases of heterotopic mesenteric ossification (HMO have been reported in the literature. We describe two cases, one at an early phase and the other at a more advanced stage of the disease. Both patients developed HMO after multiple major abdominal surgeries. The value of monitoring serum alkaline phosphatase and calcium in a setting of previous abdominal surgery or trauma along with other clinical, radiological and pathologic findings is discussed.

La formación permanente en competencia digital docente y la mejora de la calidad del centro educativo desde la perspectiva de los docentes: un estudio de caso

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Mercè Gisbert Cervera

2015-07-01

Full Text Available La sociedad del s. XXI demanda sistemas educativos flexibles y con capacidad de adaptación constante, capaces de hacer frente a las necesidades formativas, en forma de competencias, propias de un ciudadano que utiliza las TIC de forma natural y habitual en su vida cotidiana. Para ello se precisa de docentes competentes digitales que puedan formar a estas nuevas generaciones de ciudadanos. La formación permanente en TIC de los maestros, además de necesaria, dado el carácter dinámico de la tecnología, es un elemento de mejora de la calidad institucional de los centros educativos. Este trabajo, realizado a partir de una investigación-acción, evidencia que el propio centro de trabajo es capaz de organizar y diseñar su plan de formación, como parte de un proceso más amplio de mejora de la calidad basado en la incorporación de las TIC. A la vez, gestiona los ejes articuladores de una estrategia formativa que facilita la transferencia de ésta a la actividad del docente y aumenta la calidad del centro como institución. 

77 FR 8854 - Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Advisory Committee (FRRCC)

Science.gov (United States)

2012-02-15

... Agency by law. Inquiries may be directed to Alicia Kaiser, U.S. EPA, (mail code 1101-A), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460, telephone (202) 564-7273, or kaiser.alicia@epa.gov . Dated...

Food Insecurity in Older Adults in an Integrated Health Care System.

Science.gov (United States)

Steiner, John F; Stenmark, Sandra H; Sterrett, Andrew T; Paolino, Andrea R; Stiefel, Matthew; Gozansky, Wendolyn S; Zeng, Chan

2018-05-01

To estimate food insecurity prevalence and develop a statistical prediction model for food insecurity. Retrospective cohort study. Kaiser Permanente Colorado. Adult members who completed a pre-Medicare Annual Wellness Visit survey. Food insecurity was assessed using a single screening question. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics from electronic health records and self-reported characteristics from the survey were used to develop the prediction model. Of 130,208 older adult members between January 2012 and December 2015, 50,097 (38.5%) completed food insecurity screening, 2,859 of whom (5.7% of respondents) reported food insecurity. The prevalence of food insecurity was 10.0% or greater among individuals who were black or Hispanic, had less than high school education, had Medicaid insurance, were extremely obese, had poor health status or quality of life, had depression or anxiety, had impairments in specific activities of daily living, had other nutritional risk factors, or were socially isolated (all pinsecurity and those without and 14.3% of individuals in the highest quintile of risk reported food insecurity. Food insecurity is prevalent even in older adults with private-sector healthcare coverage. Specific individual characteristics, and a model based on those characteristics, can identify older adults at higher risk of food insecurity. System-level interventions will be necessary to connect older adults with community-based food resources. © 2018, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2018, The American Geriatrics Society.

Infants 1-90 days old hospitalized with human rhinovirus infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Bender, Jeffrey M; Taylor, Charla S; Cumpio, Joven; Novak, Susan M; She, Rosemary C; Steinberg, Evan A; Marlowe, Elizabeth M

2014-09-01

Human rhinovirus (HRV) is a common cause of respiratory illness in children. The impact of HRV infection on 1- to 90-day-old infants is unclear. We hypothesized that HRV infection would be clinically similar to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in the hospitalized infants. We conducted a retrospective study of hospitalized infants, who were 1-90 days old, with HRV or RSV within the Southern California Kaiser Permanente network over a 1-year period (August 2010 to October 2011). We identified 245 hospitalized infants who underwent respiratory virus testing. HRV was found in 52 infants (21%) compared to 79 infants (32%) with RSV (P = 0.008). Infants with HRV infection experienced longer hospital stays compared to those with RSV (median length of stay 4 days vs. 3 days, P = 0.009) and had fewer short hospital stays ≤3 days (P = 0.029). There was a trend in infants with HRV infection to be younger (P = 0.071) and have more fevers (P = 0.052). Recent advances in diagnostics allow for identification of a broad range of viral pathogens in infants. Compared to RSV, HRV was associated with longer hospital stays. Additional studies and improved, more specific testing, methods are needed to further define the effects of HRV infection in infants 1-90 days old. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine uptake in adolescent boys and maternal utilization of preventive care and history of sexually transmitted infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Hechter, Rulin C; Chao, Chun; Sy, Lina S; Ackerson, Bradley K; Slezak, Jeff M; Sidell, Margo A; Jacobsen, Steven J

2013-09-01

We examined whether maternal utilization of preventive care and history of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) predicted quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV4) uptake among adolescent boys 1 year following the recommendation for permissive use of HPV4 for males. We linked maternal information with electronic health records of 254 489 boys aged 9 to 17 years who enrolled in Kaiser Permanente Southern California health plan from October 21, 2009, through December 21, 2010. We used multivariable Poisson regression with robust error variance to examine whether HPV4 initiation was associated with maternal uptake of influenza vaccine, Papanicolaou (Pap) screening, and history of STIs. We identified a modest but statistically significant association between initiation of HPV4 series and maternal receipt of influenza vaccine (rate ratio [RR] = 1.16; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.07, 1.26) and Pap screening (RR = 1.13; 95% CI = 1.01, 1.26). Boys whose mothers had a history of genital warts were more likely to initiate HPV4 (RR = 1.47; 95% CI = 0.93, 2.34), although the association did not reach statistical significance (P = .1). Maternal utilization of preventive care and history of genital warts may influence HPV4 uptake among adolescent boys. The important role of maternal health characteristics and health behaviors needs be considered in intervention efforts to increase vaccine uptake among boys.

Caring Science: Transforming the Ethic of Caring-Healing Practice, Environment, and Culture within an Integrated Care Delivery System

Science.gov (United States)

Durant, Anne Foss; McDermott, Shawna; Kinney, Gwendolyn; Triner, Trudy

2015-01-01

In early 2010, leaders within Kaiser Permanente (KP) Northern California’s Patient Care Services division embarked on a journey to embrace and embed core tenets of Caring Science into the practice, environment, and culture of the organization. Caring Science is based on the philosophy of Human Caring, a theory articulated by Jean Watson, PhD, RN, AHN-BC, FAAN, as a foundational covenant to guide nursing as a discipline and a profession. Since 2010, Caring Science has enabled KP Northern California to demonstrate its commitment to being an authentic person- and family-centric organization that promotes and advocates for total health. This commitment empowers KP caregivers to balance the art and science of clinical judgment by considering the needs of the whole person, honoring the unique perception of health and healing that each member or patient holds, and engaging with them to make decisions that nurture their well-being. The intent of this article is two-fold: 1) to provide context and background on how a professional practice framework was used to transform the ethic of caring-healing practice, environment, and culture across multiple hospitals within an integrated delivery system; and 2) to provide evidence on how integration of Caring Science across administrative, operational, and clinical areas appears to contribute to meaningful patient quality and health outcomes. PMID:26828076

Provider Factors and Patient-Reported Healthcare Discrimination in the Diabetes Study of California (DISTANCE)

Science.gov (United States)

Lyles, Courtney R.; Karter, Andrew J.; Young, Bessie A.; Spigner, Clarence; Grembowski, David; Schillinger, Dean; Adler, Nancy

2011-01-01

Objective We examined provider-level factors and reported discrimination in the healthcare setting. Methods With data from the Diabetes Study of Northern California (DISTANCE)—a race-stratified survey of diabetes patients in Kaiser Permanente Northern California—we analyzed patient-reported racial/ethnic discrimination from providers. Primary exposures were characteristics of the primary care provider (PCP, who coordinates care in this system), including specialty/type, and patient-provider relationship variables including racial concordance. Results Subjects (n=12,151) included 20% black, 20% Latino, 23% Asian, 30% white, and 6% other patients, with 2% to 8% reporting discrimination by racial/ethnic group. Patients seeing nurse practitioners as their PCP (OR=0.09; 95% CI: 0.01–0.67), those rating their provider higher on communication (OR=0.70; 95% CI: 0.66–0.74) were less likely to report discrimination, while those with more visits (OR=1.10; 95% CI: 1.03–1.18) were more likely to report discrimination. Racial concordance was not significant once adjusting for patient race/ethnicity. Conclusions Among diverse diabetes patients in managed care, provider type and communication were significantly related to patient-reported discrimination. Practice Implications Given potential negative impacts on patient satisfaction and treatment decisions, future studies should investigate which interpersonal aspects of the provider-patient relationship reduce patient perceptions of unfair treatment. PMID:21605956

[The PROPRESE trial: results of a new health care organizational model in primary care for patients with chronic coronary heart disease based on a multifactorial intervention].

Science.gov (United States)

Ruescas-Escolano, Esther; Orozco-Beltran, Domingo; Gaubert-Tortosa, María; Navarro-Palazón, Ana; Cordero-Fort, Alberto; Navarro-Pérez, Jorge; Carratalá-Munuera, Concepción; Pertusa-Martínez, Salvador; Soler-Bahilo, Enrique; Brotons-Muntó, Francisco; Bort-Cubero, Jose; Núñez-Martínez, Miguel A; Bertomeu-Martínez, Vicente; López-Pineda, Adriana; Gil-Guillén, Vicente F

2014-06-01

Comparison of the results from the EUROASPIRE I to the EUROASPIRE III, in patients with coronary heart disease, shows that the prevalence of uncontrolled risk factors remains high. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a new multifactorial intervention in order to improve health care for chronic coronary heart disease patients in primary care. In this randomized clinical trial with a 1-year follow-up period, we recruited patients with a diagnosis of coronary heart disease (145 for the intervention group and 1461 for the control group). An organizational intervention on the patient-professional relationship (centered on the Chronic Care Model, the Stanford Expert Patient Programme and the Kaiser Permanente model) and formative strategy for professionals were carried out. The main outcomes were smoking control, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). A multivariate analysis was performed. The characteristics of patients were: age (68.4±11.8 years), male (71.6%), having diabetes mellitus (51.3%), dyslipidemia (68.5%), arterial hypertension (76.7%), non-smokers (76.1%); LDL-C cardiovascular risk factors control (smoking, LDL-C and SBP). Chronic care strategies may be an efficacy tool to help clinicians to involve the patients with a diagnosis of CHD to reach better outcomes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Vitamin D-Binding Protein Polymorphisms, 25-Hydroxyvitamin D, Sunshine and Multiple Sclerosis

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Annette Langer-Gould

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Blacks have different dominant polymorphisms in the vitamin D-binding protein (DBP gene that result in higher bioavailable vitamin D than whites. This study tested whether the lack of association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD and multiple sclerosis (MS risk in blacks and Hispanics is due to differences in these common polymorphisms (rs7041, rs4588. We recruited incident MS cases and controls (blacks 116 cases/131 controls; Hispanics 183/197; whites 247/267 from Kaiser Permanente Southern California. AA is the dominant rs7041 genotype in blacks (70.0% whereas C is the dominant allele in whites (79.0% AC/CC and Hispanics (77.1%. Higher 25OHD levels were associated with a lower risk of MS in whites who carried at least one copy of the C allele but not AA carriers. No association was found in Hispanics or blacks regardless of genotype. Higher ultraviolet radiation exposure was associated with a lower risk of MS in blacks (OR = 0.06, Hispanics and whites who carried at least one copy of the C allele but not in others. Racial/ethnic variations in bioavailable vitamin D do not explain the lack of association between 25OHD and MS in blacks and Hispanics. These findings further challenge the biological plausibility of vitamin D deficiency as causal for MS.

A Survey of Parents with Children on the Autism Spectrum: Experience with Services and Treatments.

Science.gov (United States)

Becerra, Tracy A; Massolo, Maria L; Yau, Vincent M; Owen-Smith, Ashli A; Lynch, Frances L; Crawford, Phillip M; Pearson, Kathryn A; Pomichowski, Magdalena E; Quinn, Virginia P; Yoshida, Cathleen K; Croen, Lisa A

2017-01-01

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are lifelong neurodevelopmental disorders, and little is known about how parents address the health and psychosocial consequences of ASD. Few studies have examined use of various treatments and services in a large, diverse sample of children with ASD and their families. This paper presents methods to create an autism research resource across multiple large health delivery systems and describes services and treatments used by children with ASD and their families. Four study sites conducted a Web survey of parents of children and adolescents with ASD who were members of Kaiser Permanente. We tabulated data distributions of survey responses and calculated χ 2 statistics for differences between responders and nonresponders. The children of the 1155 respondents were racially and ethnically diverse (55% white, 6% black, 5% Asian, 9% multiracial, 24% Hispanic) and representative of the total population invited to participate with respect to child sex (83% male), child age (57% Education Programs (85%), family physician visits (78%), and occupational and speech therapy (55% and 60%, respectively). Home-based programs frequently included implementation of social skills training (44%) and behavior management (42%). Prescription medication use was high (48%). Caregivers reported disruption of personal and family routines because of problem behaviors. These survey data help to elucidate parents' experiences with health services for their children with ASD and serve as a potential resource for future research.

Predictors of Bowel Function in Long-term Rectal Cancer Survivors with Anastomosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Alavi, Mubarika; Wendel, Christopher S; Krouse, Robert S; Temple, Larissa; Hornbrook, Mark C; Bulkley, Joanna E; McMullen, Carmit K; Grant, Marcia; Herrinton, Lisa J

2017-11-01

Bowel function in long-term rectal cancer survivors with anastomosis has not been characterized adequately. We hypothesized that bowel function is associated with patient, disease, and treatment characteristics. The cohort study included Kaiser Permanente members who were long-term (≥5 years) rectal cancer survivors with anastomosis. Bowel function was scored using the self-administered, 14-item Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center Bowel Function Index. Patient, cancer, and treatment variables were collected from the electronic medical chart. We used multiple regression to assess the relationship of patient- and treatment-related variables with the bowel function score. The study included 381 anastomosis patients surveyed an average 12 years after their rectal cancer surgeries. The total bowel function score averaged 53 (standard deviation, 9; range, 31-70, higher scores represent better function). Independent factors associated with worse total bowel function score included receipt of radiation therapy (yes vs. no: 5.3-unit decrement, p 6 cm: 3.2-unit decrement, p decrement, p decrement, p model explained 20% of the variation in the total bowel function score. Low tumor location, radiation therapy, temporary ostomy during initial treatment, and history of smoking were linked with decreased long-term bowel function following an anastomosis. These results should improve decision-making about surgical options.

The human factor: the critical importance of effective teamwork and communication in providing safe care.

Science.gov (United States)

Leonard, M; Graham, S; Bonacum, D

2004-10-01

Effective communication and teamwork is essential for the delivery of high quality, safe patient care. Communication failures are an extremely common cause of inadvertent patient harm. The complexity of medical care, coupled with the inherent limitations of human performance, make it critically important that clinicians have standardised communication tools, create an environment in which individuals can speak up and express concerns, and share common "critical language" to alert team members to unsafe situations. All too frequently, effective communication is situation or personality dependent. Other high reliability domains, such as commercial aviation, have shown that the adoption of standardised tools and behaviours is a very effective strategy in enhancing teamwork and reducing risk. We describe our ongoing patient safety implementation using this approach within Kaiser Permanente, a non-profit American healthcare system providing care for 8.3 million patients. We describe specific clinical experience in the application of surgical briefings, properties of high reliability perinatal care, the value of critical event training and simulation, and benefits of a standardised communication process in the care of patients transferred from hospitals to skilled nursing facilities. Additionally, lessons learned as to effective techniques in achieving cultural change, evidence of improving the quality of the work environment, practice transfer strategies, critical success factors, and the evolving methods of demonstrating the benefit of such work are described.

Caring Science: Transforming the Ethic of Caring-Healing Practice, Environment, and Culture within an Integrated Care Delivery System.

Science.gov (United States)

Foss Durant, Anne; McDermott, Shawna; Kinney, Gwendolyn; Triner, Trudy

2015-01-01

In early 2010, leaders within Kaiser Permanente (KP) Northern California's Patient Care Services division embarked on a journey to embrace and embed core tenets of Caring Science into the practice, environment, and culture of the organization. Caring Science is based on the philosophy of Human Caring, a theory articulated by Jean Watson, PhD, RN, AHN-BC, FAAN, as a foundational covenant to guide nursing as a discipline and a profession. Since 2010, Caring Science has enabled KP Northern California to demonstrate its commitment to being an authentic person- and family-centric organization that promotes and advocates for total health. This commitment empowers KP caregivers to balance the art and science of clinical judgment by considering the needs of the whole person, honoring the unique perception of health and healing that each member or patient holds, and engaging with them to make decisions that nurture their well-being. The intent of this article is two-fold: 1) to provide context and background on how a professional practice framework was used to transform the ethic of caring-healing practice, environment, and culture across multiple hospitals within an integrated delivery system; and 2) to provide evidence on how integration of Caring Science across administrative, operational, and clinical areas appears to contribute to meaningful patient quality and health outcomes.

Ten-year detection rate of brain arteriovenous malformations in a large, multiethnic, defined population.

Science.gov (United States)

Gabriel, Rodney A; Kim, Helen; Sidney, Stephen; McCulloch, Charles E; Singh, Vineeta; Johnston, S Claiborne; Ko, Nerissa U; Achrol, Achal S; Zaroff, Jonathan G; Young, William L

2010-01-01

To evaluate whether increased neuroimaging use is associated with increased brain arteriovenous malformation (BAVM) detection, we examined detection rates in the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program of northern California between 1995 and 2004. We reviewed medical records, radiology reports, and administrative databases to identify BAVMs, intracranial aneurysms (IAs: subarachnoid hemorrhage [SAH] and unruptured aneurysms), and other vascular malformations (OVMs: dural fistulas, cavernous malformations, Vein of Galen malformations, and venous malformations). Poisson regression (with robust standard errors) was used to test for trend. Random-effects meta-analysis generated a pooled measure of BAVM detection rate from 6 studies. We identified 401 BAVMs (197 ruptured, 204 unruptured), 570 OVMs, and 2892 IAs (2079 SAHs and 813 unruptured IAs). Detection rates per 100 000 person-years were 1.4 (95% CI, 1.3 to 1.6) for BAVMs, 2.0 (95% CI, 1.8 to 2.3) for OVMs, and 10.3 (95% CI, 9.9 to 10.7) for IAs. Neuroimaging utilization increased 12% per year during the time period (PIAs (PIAs (P4) per 100 000 person-years, without heterogeneity between studies (P=0.25). Rates for BAVMs, OVMs, and IAs in this large, multiethnic population were similar to those in other series. During 1995 to 2004, a period of increasing neuroimaging utilization, we did not observe an increased rate of detection of unruptured BAVMs, despite increased detection of unruptured IAs.

Prevalence of migraine in a diverse community—electronic methods for migraine ascertainment in a large integrated health plan

Science.gov (United States)

Pressman, Alice; Jacobson, Alice; Eguilos, Roderick; Gelfand, Amy; Huynh, Cynthia; Hamilton, Luisa; Avins, Andrew; Bakshi, Nandini; Merikangas, Kathleen

2016-01-01

Introduction The growing availability of electronic health data provides an opportunity to ascertain diagnosis-specific cases via systematic methods for sample recruitment for clinical research and health services evaluation. We developed and implemented a migraine probability algorithm (MPA) to identify migraine from electronic health records (EHR) in an integrated health plan. Methods We identified all migraine outpatient diagnoses and all migraine-specific prescriptions for a five-year period (April 2008–March 2013) from the Kaiser Permanente, Northern California (KPNC) EHR. We developed and evaluated the MPA in two independent samples, and derived prevalence estimates of medically-ascertained migraine in KPNC by age, sex, and race. Results The period prevalence of medically-ascertained migraine among KPNC adults during April 2008–March 2013 was 10.3% (women: 15.5%, men: 4.5%). Estimates peaked with age in women but remained flat for men. Prevalence among Asians was half that of whites. Conclusions We demonstrate the feasibility of an EHR-based algorithm to identify cases of diagnosed migraine and determine that prevalence patterns by our methods yield results comparable to aggregate estimates of treated migraine based on direct interviews in population-based samples. This inexpensive, easily applied EHR-based algorithm provides a new opportunity for monitoring changes in migraine prevalence and identifying potential participants for research studies. PMID:26069243

75 FR 9894 - Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Advisory Committee (FRRCC)

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-04

.... Inquiries may be directed to Alicia Kaiser, U.S. EPA, (mail code 1101-A), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460, telephone (202) 564-7273, or kaiser.alicia@epa.gov . Dated: February 18, 2010. Lawrence...

Educação à Distância como estratégia para a educação permanente em saúde: possibilidades e desafios Educación a la Distancia como estratégia para la educación permanente en salud: posibilidades y desafíos Distance Education as strategy for permanent education in health: possibilities and challenges

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Marluce Alves Nunes Oliveira

2007-10-01

Full Text Available Este estudo objetivou refletir sobre a importância da Educação Permanente em Saúde (EPS na promoção do processo de mudança nos docentes da UEFS; estabelecer estratégias para a promoção da EPS e apontar as possibilidades e os desafios para a operacionalização da EAD como estratégia para a EPS. Estudo de revisão bibliográfica. O resultado aponta que a EPS é uma das estratégias para a formação do profissional através de trabalhos coletivos entre os docentes. Como possibilidade: EAD possibilita construir um novo estilo na formação. Desafios: necessidade de conhecimento para utilizar as novas tecnologias da informação e comunicação; dificuldade de acesso a estas tecnologias; escassez de tempo para desenvolver as atividades do curso. Apreendemos que a EAD apresenta nova perspectiva para EPS.Este estudio buscó reflexionar al respecto de la importancia de la Educación Permanente em Salud (EPS em la promoción del proceso de cambios em los docentes de la Universidad Estatal de Feira de Santana (UEFS; establecer estratégias para la promoción de la EPS y apuntar las posibilidades y los desafíos para la operacionalización de la Educación a la Distancia (EAD como estratégia para la EPS. Estudio de una revización bibliográfica. El resultado apunta a que la EPS és una de las estratégias para la formación del profesional por médio de trabajos colectivos entre los docentes. Como posibilidad: EAD posibilita construir um nuevo estilo em lá formación. Desafíos: necesidad de conocimiento para utilizar las nuevas tecnologíes de la información y comunicación; dificultad de acceso a estas tecnologias; poco tiempo para desarrollar las actividades del curso. Aprendimos que la EAD presenta nueva perspectiva para la EPS.The point of this study is to reflect about how important Permanent Education in Health (PEH is in the promotion of the changes process of professors of UEFS; to establish strategies to promote PEH and show the

Educação permanente em saúde e as Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais para Educação das relações étnico-raciais e para ensino de História e Cultura Afro-Brasileira e Africana

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Rosana Batista Monteiro

Full Text Available Resumo Este texto é um ensaio sobre algumas contribuições que o curso de especialização em Saúde da Mulher Negra pode ter produzido para a abordagem dos conteúdos relacionados nas Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais para a Educação das Relações Étnico-raciais e para o Ensino de História e Cultura Afro-brasileira e Africana, bem como em atenção à Política Nacional de Saúde Integral da População Negra, com destaque para a educação permanente. A partir de breve contextualização sobre o debate no campo das relações raciais e ações afirmativas no Brasil passamos a apresentar a organização e funcionamento do curso, destacando seus objetivos, conteúdos, estratégias. Com foco nos profissionais da saúde, o curso contou com significativa presença de profissionais da educação básica pública, municipal e estadual, das cidades de São Luís e Pinheiro, no Maranhão, implicando a discussão do tema saúde da população negra (especialmente da mulher negra no âmbito da escola. O curso propiciou a elaboração de projetos de pesquisa relacionados diretamente com o atendimento à saúde de mulheres negras e sua relação com processos formativos de profissionais da área da saúde, bem como educação escolar e saúde de mulheres negras. Pode-se concluir, ainda que provisoriamente, que o curso, na perspectiva da educação permanente, resultou em estratégia eficaz para o desenvolvimento de conteúdos relacionados às DCNERER e, especialmente, de viabilização de implementação da Política Nacional de Saúde Integral da População Negra, realizadas ou desencadeadas nos serviços de saúde pelos cursistas.

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Hospital, Norfolk, VA, 3/25/2009) Urinary Incontinence Advanced Procedures in Male Incontinence: The Male Sling (Kaiser ... Hospital, Greenville, SC, 04/10/2013) Urinary Incontinence Advanced Procedures in Male Incontinence: The Male Sling (Kaiser ...

Implementación de un mantenimiento basado en la condición usando modelado y simulación: caso de estudio de un motor sin-crónico de imanes permanentes

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Jabid Quiroga Méndez

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Este artículo introduce la arquitectura de un CBM (mantenimiento basado en la condición en una aplicación eléctrica. La detección de fallas de manera oportuna y eficiente constituye uno de los retos más importantes asociados al CBM y el enfoque basado en modelos en el medio para conseguirlo. Un caso de estudio en un motor sincrónico de imanes permanentes (PMSM es ejecutado para ilustrar cómo el modelado es utilizado en la implementación de un CBM. El monitoreo fue implementado en tiempo real usando Matlab® y dSpace®. Se emplea como indicadora de falla la diferencia entre los valores de la componente secuencial negativa para las corrientes predichas usando una red neuronal multicapa y la corriente obtenida del motor. Resultados experimentales demostraron la efectividad del modelo propuesto en la detección de la falla de cortocircuito en el estator en distintos niveles de severidad y carga, obteniendo una confiabilidad en la detección mayor al 95%.

Imputation of the rare HOXB13 G84E mutation and cancer risk in a large population-based cohort.

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Thomas J Hoffmann

2015-01-01

Full Text Available An efficient approach to characterizing the disease burden of rare genetic variants is to impute them into large well-phenotyped cohorts with existing genome-wide genotype data using large sequenced referenced panels. The success of this approach hinges on the accuracy of rare variant imputation, which remains controversial. For example, a recent study suggested that one cannot adequately impute the HOXB13 G84E mutation associated with prostate cancer risk (carrier frequency of 0.0034 in European ancestry participants in the 1000 Genomes Project. We show that by utilizing the 1000 Genomes Project data plus an enriched reference panel of mutation carriers we were able to accurately impute the G84E mutation into a large cohort of 83,285 non-Hispanic White participants from the Kaiser Permanente Research Program on Genes, Environment and Health Genetic Epidemiology Research on Adult Health and Aging cohort. Imputation authenticity was confirmed via a novel classification and regression tree method, and then empirically validated analyzing a subset of these subjects plus an additional 1,789 men from Kaiser specifically genotyped for the G84E mutation (r2 = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.37–0.77. We then show the value of this approach by using the imputed data to investigate the impact of the G84E mutation on age-specific prostate cancer risk and on risk of fourteen other cancers in the cohort. The age-specific risk of prostate cancer among G84E mutation carriers was higher than among non-carriers. Risk estimates from Kaplan-Meier curves were 36.7% versus 13.6% by age 72, and 64.2% versus 24.2% by age 80, for G84E mutation carriers and non-carriers, respectively (p = 3.4x10-12. The G84E mutation was also associated with an increase in risk for the fourteen other most common cancers considered collectively (p = 5.8x10-4 and more so in cases diagnosed with multiple cancer types, both those including and not including prostate cancer, strongly suggesting

Gestão de recursos financeiros da educação permanente em saúde: desafio das comissões de integração ensino-serviço Management of financial resources of permament education in health: challenge of the in-service learning integration committees

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Laura Camargo Macruz Feuerwerker

2013-06-01

Full Text Available A utilização dos recursos financeiros da educação permanente em saúde (EPS no Brasil, mesmo seguindo a dinâmica estabelecida no Pacto de Gestão, ainda configura-se como um problema nesse contexto. O objetivo foi analisar como ocorre a gestão dos recursos financeiros da Política Nacional de Educação Permanente em duas Comissões Permanentes de Integração Ensino-Serviço (CIES, em Santa Catarina. Estudo qualitativo, do tipo pesquisa participante, realizado através da adequação da Investigação Temática de Paulo Freire, de maio-dezembro/2009, com 56 membros de duas CIES que, após a formação de círculos de investigação, participaram das etapas: levantamento dos temas geradores, codificação, decodificação e desvelamento crítico da realidade. A observação participante e o diálogo foram as principais técnicas de coleta de informações. Os resultados indicam que as CIES se assemelham nas problemáticas relacionadas à gestão de recursos destinados à política, sendo a burocratização, a indefinição de formas de gestão financeira e a morosidade que permeiam as estruturas regionais responsáveis pela gestão dos recursos são os principais fatores explicitados. Os participantes apresentam como possibilidades de mudança a elaboração de ações de EPS sobre a gestão de recursos financeiros em nível estadual.Despite adhering to the dynamics established in the Management Pact, the use of financial resources of Permanent Education in Health (PEH still features as a problem in Brazil. This study analyzes how the management of these financial resources by two Permanent In-Service Learning Integration Committees (ICLS evolves in the State of Santa Catarina, Brazil. It involves a qualitative, participatory research study adapted from Paulo Freire's Thematic Research conducted with 56 members from two ICLS between May and December 2009. After setting up the research groups, the members participated in the stages of theme

Quality of care in investor-owned vs not-for-profit HMOs.

Science.gov (United States)

Himmelstein, D U; Woolhandler, S; Hellander, I; Wolfe, S M

1999-07-14

The proportion of health maintenance organization (HMO) members enrolled in investor-owned plans has increased sharply, yet little is known about the quality of these plans compared with not-for-profit HMOs. To compare quality-of-care measures for investor-owned and not-for-profit HMOs. Analysis of the Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set (HEDIS) Version 3.0 from the National Committee for Quality Assurance's Quality Compass 1997, which included 1996 quality-of-care data for 329 HMO plans (248 investor-owned and 81 not-for-profit), representing 56% of the total HMO enrollment in the United States. Rates for 14 HEDIS quality-of-care indicators. Compared with not-for-profit HMOs, investor-owned plans had lower rates for all 14 quality-of-care indicators. Among patients discharged from the hospital after myocardial infarction, 59.2% of members in investor-owned HMOs vs 70.6% in not-for-profit plans received a beta-blocker (Pinvestor-owned plans vs 47.9% in not-for-profit plans had annual eye examinations (PInvestor-owned plans had lower rates than not-for-profit plans of immunization (63.9% vs 72.3%; Pinvestor ownership was consistently associated with lower quality after controlling for model type, geographic region, and the method each HMO used to collect data. Investor-owned HMOs deliver lower quality of care than not-for-profit plans.

Utilização do Sig na Delimitação das Áreas de Preservação Permanente (APP’s) na Bacia do Rio Sagrado (Morretes/PR) / Use of Gis in the Delimitation of Mandatory Preservation Areas in the Hydrographic Basin of Sagrado River (Morretes/PR)

OpenAIRE

Alexei Nowatzki; Leonardo José Cordeiro Santos; Eduardo Vedor de Paula

2010-01-01

O presente trabalho se enquadra no Programa CAD (Contaminantes, Assoreamento e Dragagem) no Estuário de Paranaguá/PR, tendo por objetivo a utilização do SIG (Sistema de Informações Geográficas) para a delimitação das Áreas de Preservação Permanente (APP's), na bacia hidrográfica do Rio Sagrado (Morretes/PR). Como etapa preliminar efetuou-se o estudo da legislação brasileira vigente (Código Florestal e resoluções CONAMA) no que se refere à delimitação das APP's. Em seguida, por meio do softwar...

Pricing and performance in health maintenance organizations: a strategic management perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Conant, J S; Mokwa, M P; Burnett, J J

1989-03-01

Innovative, consumer-oriented pricing strategies have contributed to the impressive growth of health maintenance organizations (HMOs). In a national study of HMO marketing directors, the relationships between strategic management style and (1) the relative importance of pricing in competitive marketing strategy, (2) the effectiveness of price strategy planning, and (3) financial performance are examined. The findings indicate that HMOs practicing effective price planning also perform well on an overall basis. Insight into the content and substance of HMO pricing strategies is also provided.

Health maintenance organizations: critical issues raised by restructuring delivery for health systems reform.

Science.gov (United States)

Gold, M

1993-10-01

In sum, the potential that managed care will grow under health systems reform creates an opportunity for the HMO industry but also serves as a challenge and a threat. Faced with greater scrutiny and growing demands, HMOs increasingly are being forced to demonstrate their potential and live up to their expectation. At the same time, the changing nature of the health care system creates a challenge for HMOs. Cost pressures create needs to review the entire delivery system, including the ambulatory component, with a focus on enhancing cost-effectiveness. Greater visibility also creates demands; growing market penetration argues for the creation of a new paradigm to define an appropriate structure for public accountability and management. Finally, the transformation of an HMO industry into a managed care industry is not without its risks as HMO performance becomes evaluated not only against itself but as part of the performance of the broader managed care industry in which HMOs have become embedded.

Expansão rápida da maxila ancorada em implantes: uma nova proposta para expansão ortopédica na dentadura permanente Rapid maxillary expansion anchored by implants: a new proposal to orthopedic expansion in the permanent dentition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniela Gamba Garib

2007-06-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: este trabalho apresenta um método para expansão ortopédica da maxila, na dentadura permanente, utilizando implantes como ancoragem. METODOLOGIA: detalharam-se os procedimentos cirúrgicos e laboratoriais da confecção de um expansor com ancoragem dento-óssea em crânio seco humano. Dois implantes de titânio foram colocados na região anterior do palato, e o parafuso Hyrax adaptado de modo que a expansão ancorou-se nos implantes e nos primeiros molares permanentes. RESULTADOS: o experimento laboratorial em crânio seco mostrou que o procedimento apresenta-se anatômica e operacionalmente viável. Os implantes suportaram a força gerada pela ativação do parafuso expansor, redundando na separação transversal das hemimaxilas. CONCLUSÕES: vislumbra-se que a expansão rápida da maxila ancorada em implantes (ERMAI poderá potencializar a eficiência da expansão ortopédica, assim como reduzir o custo periodontal dos procedimentos convencionais de expansão. Futuros estudos clínicos são necessários para testar essas hipóteses.AIM: This study presents a method for maxillary orthopedic expansion, in the permanent dentition, using implants as anchorage. METHODS: Surgical and laboratorial procedures for the construction of a tooth-bone-borne expansor was detailed in a human dry skull. Two titanium implants were placed in the anterior region of the palate and a Hyrax screw was adapted in a way that the expansion was anchored both on the palatal implants and on permanent first molars. RESULTS: The laboratorial experiment in dry skull showed that the procedure is operationally and anatomically possible. The implants supported the force generated by the expansion screw activation and the maxilla halves were transversally split. CONCLUSIONS: Rapid maxillary expansion anchored on implants can increase the efficiency of orthopedic expansion and decrease the periodontal sequela caused by conventional RME. Further clinical studies are

Managed care and the delivery of primary care to the elderly and the chronically ill.

Science.gov (United States)

Wholey, D R; Burns, L R; Lavizzo-Mourey, R

1998-06-01

To analyze primary care staffing in HMOs and to review the literature on primary care organization and performance in managed care organizations, with an emphasis on the delivery of primary care to the elderly and chronically ill. Analysis of primary care staffing: InterStudy HMO census data on primary care (n = 1,956) and specialist (n = 1,777) physician staffing levels from 1991 through 1995. Primary care organization and performance for the chronically ill and elderly were analyzed using a review of published research. For the staffing-level models, the number of primary care and specialist physicians per 100,000 enrollees was regressed on HMO characteristics (HMO type [group, staff, network, mixed], HMO enrollment, federal qualification, profit status, national affiliation) and community characteristics (per capita income, population density, service area size, HMO competition). For the review of organization and performance, literature published was summarized in a tabular format. The analysis of physician staffing shows that group and staff HMOs have fewer primary care and specialist physicians per 100,000 enrollees than do network and mixed HMOs, which have fewer than IPAs. Larger HMOs use fewer physicians per 100,000 enrollees than smaller HMOs. Federally qualified HMOs have fewer primary care and specialist physicians per 100,000 enrollees. For-profit, nationally affiliated, and Blue Cross HMOs have more primary care and specialist physicians than do local HMOs. HMOs in areas with high per capita income have more PCPs per 100,000 and a greater proportion of PCPs in the panel. HMO penetration decreases the use of specialists, but the number of HMOs increases the use of primary care and specialist physicians in highly competitive markets. Under very competitive conditions, HMOs appear to compete by increasing access to both PCPs and specialists, with a greater emphasis on access to specialists. The review of research on HMO performance suggests that access

Study on antioxidant activity of Echinacea purpurea L. extracts and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2009-10-05

Oct 5, 2009 ... capacity changes and phenolic profile of Echinacea purpurea, nettle. (Urtica dioica L.), and dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) after application of polyamine and phenolic biosynthesis regulators. J. Agric. Food Chem. 55: 5689-5696. Kaiser MG, Cheeseman JH, Kaiser P, Lamont SJ (2006). Cytokine.

Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation

Science.gov (United States)

... Virginia and in the Maine referendum on Medicaid expansion will still have a practical impact on what ... income, family size and age. Medicaid Extending Federal Funding for CHIP: What is at Stake? Health Reform ...

77 FR 65547 - Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-29

... programs that affect and engage agriculture and rural communities. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alicia Kaiser, Designated Federal Officer, kaiser.alicia@epa.gov , 202-564-7273, U.S. EPA, Office of the Administrator (1101A), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460. Dated: October 17, 2012. Alicia...

Irrompimento do primeiro molar permanente em crianças de 5 e 6 anos de idade: implicações da análise longitudinal para prevenção da cárie oclusal Emergence of the first permanent molar in 5-6-year-old children: implications from a longitudinal analysis for occlusal caries prevention

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Paulo Frazão

2011-06-01

Full Text Available O tempo de irrompimento dentário é essencial para o planejamento de medidas de prevenção da cárie oclusal. Com a ampliação do ensino fundamental de oito para nove anos de duração, um número maior de crianças entre cinco e seis anos de idade é incluído na primeira série do ensino fundamental. OBJETIVO: O objetivo foi estimar as tendências do irrompimento dos primeiros molares permanentes em meninos e meninas de 5 e 6 anos de idade. MÉTODOS: Em estudo longitudinal, espaços dentários de 497 crianças de 60 meses e mais de idade foram examinados quatro vezes por um dentista calibrado (kappa > 0,97 durante 18 meses. O primeiro molar permanente foi considerado irrompido quando qualquer parte de sua superfície podia ser tocada por uma sonda de ponta esférica. A idade dos participantes foi medida em meses. Intervalos para 95% de confiança dos valores de prevalência e incidência foram apurados conforme o sexo para três coortes etárias: 60,0 a 65,9; 66,0 a 71,9; 72,0 a 77,9 meses. A razão entre as taxas de incidência foi estimada por meio de análise de regressão de Poisson. RESULTADOS: A maioria das crianças entre 66,0 e 71,9 meses e entre 72,0 e 77,9 meses tem pelo menos um molar permanente irrompido. No grupo de 66,0 a 71,9 meses, de cada três crianças pelo menos uma apresentou os quatro primeiros molares permanentes irrompidos. CONCLUSÃO. As tendências de irrompimento observadas justificam a necessidade da adoção de medidas de vigilância e de proteção específica em relação à lesão de cárie oclusal.The timing of tooth emergence is of considerable importance in the planning of prevention of occlusal caries. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to estimate the trends of emergence of the first permanent molars in girls and boys between 5-6 years of age, since more children are included in the first grade after Brazilian elementary education has been extended from eight to nine years of duration. METHODS: Dental spaces of 497

The Permanent Disposal of Highly Radioactive Wastes by Incorporation into Glass; Elimination Permanente de Dechets Hautement Radioactifs par Incorporation dans le Verre; 041e 041a 041e 041d 0427 0414 ; La Evacuacion Permanente de Desechos de Elevada Radiactividad Incorporandolos en Vidrio

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Watson, L. C.; Aikin, A. M.; Bancroft, A. I. [Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. (Canada)

1960-07-01

Development of a process for the incorporation of the high-level wastes from chemical processing operations into glass for permanent disposal has continued at Chalk River. The process has been demonstrated by making glass containing up to 50 curies of five- to six-year old mixed fission products per kg. The operation was batch wise, on a scale of four kg per batch. These operations showed that the fission products could be incorporated into glass safely and conveniently. Consideration of the many problems involved in the permanent storage or disposal of the highly radioactive glass has resulted in the conclusion that it should be buried in the ground or stored in artificial vaults. In such conditions, the disposal may always be-subjected to further control if required. If disposal is made directly to the ground, the principal method by which fission products can be released to the environment is by leaching from the glass into water. It is therefore considered important to know the rate at which fission products will be dispersed by this mechanism. Considerable data on leaching by water have been obtained in the laboratory. It has been found that the rates of release depend on the composition of the glass. For all the compositions tested the measurements showed that the rate of leaching of fission products from the glass decreased with time. After several months in water the rate of release of several compositions was about 10{sup -4} per cent per year from a two kg hemisphere of glass. The data obtained have been used to estimate the release of fission products from glass containing the large quantities of fission products which will accumulate from operation of power reactors. (author) [French] On poursuit a Chalk River les travaux de mise au point d'un procede permettant d'incorporer dans le verre, pour elimination permanente, des dechets hautement radioactifs provenant d'operations de traitement chimique! Aux fins de demonstration du procede, on a fabrique du

Control permanente de la gestión sanitaria por monitoreo de costos mediante acontecimientos indicadores

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Horacio Villanueva

2001-12-01

Full Text Available Objetivos. Determinar el costo operacional de un servicio quirúrgico, comparar los resultados con estándares y determinar la incidencia de costos. Obtener una metodología eficaz para este fin, extrapolable a todo tipo de servicio asistencial y de fácil instrumentación en una herramienta informática convencional (base de datos de alta difusión y bajo costo que pueda usarse en el control permanente de la gestión. Métodos. El estudio se realizó durante 1999 en el Servicio de Ortopedia y Traumatología del Hospital Estatal "Domingo Funes", Córdoba, Argentina. De los 817 pacientes sometidos a procedimientos diagnósticos o terapéuticos en ese servicio a lo largo del año, se seleccionaron los 154 que necesitaron internación y maniobras quirúrgicas o instrumentales. Se utilizó el método de acontecimientos indicadores descrito por Kessner. Dichos acontecimientos, clasificados en función de su complejidad (alta, mediana, escasa o nula, fueron seleccionados y definidos por consenso de expertos: especialistas médicos y economistas. Se valoraron los costos directos e indirectos para estudiar su peso en el costo total, en cuya estimación se utilizaron nueve variables que se aplicaron a los diferentes acontecimientos indicadores. Resultados. El mayor peso del costo total, tanto estándar como real, recayó en ambos casos sobre la variable "día cama". De la variable "día cama" en el total de acontecimientos indicadores, el 51,2% correspondió a la internación social (costo indirecto y el 48,8% a la internación terapéutica (costo directo. Su diferencia con respecto al costo estándar fue un aumento del orden del 117%. Los costos indirectos (internación social e insumos terapéuticos absorbieron casi la mitad del costo real total. El costo real de todos los acontecimientos investigados, sin incluir los costos indirectos, solo superó al costo estándar en un 6,4%. Incluyendo los costos indirectos (internación social e insumos terap

Pricing strategies for capitated delivery systems

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Gruenberg, Leonard; Wallack, Stanley S.; Tompkins, Christopher P.

1986-01-01

This article discusses alternative methods for establishing a fairer pricing mechanism for Medicare recipients who enroll in health maintenance organizations and other competitive medical plans. The current method, based upon the adjusted average per capita cost, is inadequate because it fails to adjust premium levels for differences in health status; it establishes undesirable incentives that may lead to underservice, and it is tied to costs in the fee-for-service system. Alternative methods would incorporate health status, have Medicare share the risk with HMO's, and base payment on HMO experience. PMID:10311925

Product differentiation among health maintenance organizations: causes and consequences of offering open-ended products.

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Wholey, D R; Christianson, J B

1994-01-01

Open-ended products that allow an HMO enrollee to use providers who are not affiliated with the HMO have become an important component of the Clinton administration's health reform proposal, because these products maintain consumer freedom of choice of any provider. However, little is known about the consequences of offering an open-ended product from an organizational standpoint. This paper uses a theory of "spatial competition" to examine the decisions of health maintenance organizations to offer an open-ended product and the effect of offering an open-ended product on their enrollment.

Raza, alteridad y exclusión en Alemania durante la década de 1920

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Alejandro Castillejo Cuéllar

2007-04-01

Full Text Available In 1927, under the umbrella of the Kaiser Wilhelm Gesellschaft, the institution responsible for directing Germany's research policies, the Kaiser Wilhelm Institut für Anthropologie, Menschliche, Erblehre und Eugenic (Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Anthropology, Human Heredity and Eugenics was founded. The institution represented the apex of the German eugenics movement that had developed in the previous decades, and the birth of oneof the intellectual centers where the Reich's ideology of social engineering was founded. This article discusses some of the historic elements that linked racial ideology, the bedrock of Nazi policy of extermination, and the social sciences during the Weimar period

Desvelamento crítico da pessoa estomizada: em ação o programa de educação permanente em saúde Develamiento crítico de la persona ostomizada: programa de educación permanente en salud en acción Critical unveiling of people with stomas: the continuing health education program in action

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Regina Ribeiro Cunha

2012-01-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Apresentar o desvelamento crítico do Itinerário de Pesquisa Freireano na atenção à pessoa estomizada. MÉTODOS: Estudo qualitativo em saúde articulado com o referencial metodológico de Freire, que compreende a obtenção e análise dos dados nos círculos dialógicos, constituído por três momentos dialéticos, interdisciplinarmente entrelaçados: investigação temática, codificação e descodificação e desvelamento crítico. Ocorreu no período de abril de 2009 e fevereiro de 2010, com número irregular de participantes, no auditório da Unidade de Referência Especializada Presidente Vargas, no Município de Belém/PA. RESULTADOS: A deficiente qualificação dos profissionais de saúde foi um dos temas geradores mais relevantes, sendo desvelada a necessidade de implantação de um Programa de Educação Permanente na Atenção à pessoa estomizada. CONCLUSÃO: O desvelamento proposto constituiu uma vivência para que essas pessoas estomizadas habilitem-se a "ler o mundo" e, assim, conheçam e caminhem rumo à transformação de sua realidade.OBJETIVO: Presentar el develamiento crítico del Itinerario de Investigación Freireano en la atención a la persona ostomizada. MÉTODOS: Estudio cualitativo en salud articulado con el referencial metodológico de Freire, que comprende la obtención y análisis de los datos en los círculos dialógicos, constituido por tres momentos dialécticos, interdisciplinariamente entrelazados: investigación temática, codificación y decodificación y develamiento crítico. Se llevó a cabo en el período de abril del 2009 y febrero del 2010, con un número irregular de participantes, en el auditorio de la Unidad de Referencia Especializada Presidente Vargas, en el Municipio de Belém/PA. RESULTADOS: La deficiente calificación de los profesionales de salud fue uno de los temas generadores más relevantes, siendo develada la necesidad de implantación de un Programa de Educación Permanente

Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines and Otitis Media: An Appraisal of the Clinical Trials

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Fletcher, Mark A.; Fritzell, Bernard

2012-01-01

Streptococcus pneumoniae is the predominant otitis media pathogen and its prevention through effective vaccination could diminish childhood illness and antibiotic use. This paper reviews 5 pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) trials that used otitis media as an endpoint: Northern California Kaiser Permanente (NCKP; vaccine, 7-valent PCV [PCV7]-CRM); Finnish Otitis Media (FinOM; vaccines, PCV7-CRM or PCV7-OMPC); Native American Trial (vaccine, PCV7-CRM); Pneumococcal Otitis Efficacy Trial (POET; vaccine, 11-valent PCV [PCV11]-PD). For the microbiological endpoint, vaccine efficacy against vaccine-serotype pneumococcal otitis media was about 60% across trials. Against the clinical endpoint of all episodes, vaccine efficacy was 7% (PCV7-CRM/NCKP), 6% (PCV7-CRM/FinOM), −1% (PCV7-OMPC/FinOM), and −0.4% (PCV7-CRM/Native American Trial); 34% against first episodes of ear, nose, and throat specialist-referral cases (PCV11-PD/POET). Both follow-up through 2 years of age, for the 5 trials, and long-term follow-up, for PCV7-CRM/NCKP and PCV7-CRM/FinOM, demonstrated greater vaccine efficacy against recurrent AOM and tympanostomy-tube placement, suggesting that vaccination against early episodes of AOM may prevent subsequent episodes of complicated otitis media. Although study designs varied by primary endpoint measured, age at follow-up, source of middle-ear fluid for culture, case ascertainment, and type of randomization, each clinical trial demonstrated vaccine efficacy against microbiological and/or clinical otitis media. PMID:22701486

Serum phosphorus and association with anemia among a large diverse population with and without chronic kidney disease

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Tran, Lac; Batech, Michael; Rhee, Connie M.; Streja, Elani; Kalantar-Zadeh, Kamyar; Jacobsen, Steven J.; Sim, John J.

2016-01-01

Background We hypothesized that phosphorus has an effect on anemia in both normal kidney function and early chronic kidney disease (CKD). We sought to determine whether higher phosphorus levels are associated with anemia in a large diverse population without CKD and early CKD. Methods This study is a historical population-based study within the Kaiser Permanente Southern California health system (1 January 1998 to 31 December 2013) among individuals aged 18 years and older with estimated glomerular filtration rate >30 mL/min/1.73 m2 and measurements of serum phosphorus, creatinine and hemoglobin. Individuals were excluded if they had secondary causes of anemia. Odds ratio (OR) estimated for moderate anemia defined as hemoglobin phosphorus levels ≥3.5 mg/dL were associated with both mild and moderate anemia. Moderate anemia OR (95% confidence interval) was 1.16 (1.04–1.29) for every 0.5 mg/dL phosphorus increase and 1.26 (1.07–1.48) in the highest versus middle phosphorus tertile. Additional independent anemia risk factors, including female sex, Asian race, diabetes, low albumin and low iron saturation, were observed, but did not alter the anemia–phosphorus association. Conclusions Higher phosphorus levels were associated with a greater likelihood for anemia in a population with early CKD and normal kidney function. Phosphorus may be a biomarker for anemia and may affect aspects of hematopoiesis. PMID:26254460

Evolution, current structure, and role of a primary care clinical pharmacy service in an integrated managed care organization.

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Heilmann, Rachel M F; Campbell, Stephanie M; Kroner, Beverly A; Proksel, Jenel R; Billups, Sarah J; Witt, Daniel M; Helling, Dennis K

2013-01-01

The impact of the declining number of primary care physicians is exacerbated by a growing elderly population in need of chronic disease management. Primary care clinical pharmacy specialists, with their unique knowledge and skill set, are well suited to address this gap. At Kaiser Permanente of Colorado (KPCO), primary care clinical pharmacy specialists have a long history of integration with medical practices and are located in close proximity to physicians, nurses, and other members of the health care team. Since 1992, Primary Care Clinical Pharmacy Services (PCCPS) has expanded from 4 to 30 full-time equivalents (FTEs) to provide services in all KPCO medical office buildings. With this growth in size, PCCPS has evolved to play a vital role in working with primary care medical teams to ensure that drug therapy is effective, safe, and affordable. In addition, PCCPS specialists provide ambulatory teaching sites for pharmacy students and pharmacy residents. There is approximately 1 specialist FTE for every 13,000 adult KPCO members and every 9 clinical FTEs of internal medicine and family medicine physicians. All clinical pharmacy specialists in the pharmacy department are required to have a PharmD degree, to complete postgraduate year 2 residencies, and, as a condition of employment, to become board certified in an applicable specialty. The evolution, current structure, and role of PCCPS at KPCO, including factors facilitating successful integration within the medical team, are highlighted. Patient and nonpatient care responsibilities are described.

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG LONG-TERM COLORECTAL CANCER SURVIVORS WITH OSTOMIES

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Grant, Marcia; McMullen, Carmit K.; Altschuler, Andrea; Mohler, M. Jane; Hornbrook, Mark C.; Herrinton, Lisa J.; Wendel, Christopher S.; Baldwin, Carol M.; Krouse, Robert S.

2011-01-01

Objective To describe how gender shapes the concerns and adaptations of long-term (> 5 years) colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors with ostomies. Design Qualitative study using content analysis of focus group content. Setting Member of Kaiser Permanente, residing in either Oregon, Southwest Washington State, or Northern California. Sample Four female and four male focus groups selected from quantitative survey participants with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) scores in the highest or lowest quartile. Methods Eight focus groups, discussed challenges of living with an ostomy. Content was recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using directive and summative content analysis. Main Research Variables HRQOL domains of physical, psychological, social and spiritual well being. Findings All groups reported avoiding foods that cause gas or rapid transit, and discussed how limiting the amount of food eaten controlled the output. All groups discussed physical activities, getting support from friends and family, and the importance of being resilient. Both genders identified challenges with sexuality/intimacy. Coping and adjustment difficulties were discussed by women with men only discussing these issues to a small extent. Difficulties with sleep were primarily identified by Low HRQOL women. Problems with body image and depression were discussed only by Low HRQOL women. Conclusions Common issues included diet management, physical activity, social support and sexuality. Women with low HRQOL discussed problems with depression, body image, and sleep. Implications for Nursing Application of these gender-based differences can inform educational interventions for CRC survivors with ostomies. PMID:21875846

Compliance and persistence of antidepressants versus anticonvulsants in patients with neuropathic pain during the first year of therapy.

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Gharibian, Derenik; Polzin, Jennifer K; Rho, Jay P

2013-05-01

Neuropathic pain (NP) is a chronic condition that has human, social, and economic consequences. A variety of agents can be used for treatment; however, antidepressants and anticonvulsants are the 2 classes most widely studied and represent first-line agents in the management of NP. Little information is known about the adherence patterns of these medications during the first year of therapy in patients with NP. To examine the compliance and persistence of antidepressants versus anticonvulsants in patients with NP during the first year of therapy. Using electronic medical and pharmacy data for the Kaiser Permanente Southern California region, the adherence patterns for patients with a NP diagnosis prescribed an antidepressant or an anticonvulsant were studied. Compliance and persistence were measured using the medication possession ratio and the Refill-Sequence model, respectively. The study included 1817 patients with NP diagnosis taking either an antidepressant or an anticonvulsant. Within the antidepressant group, 42.9% were considered compliant, compared with 43.7% in the anticonvulsant group. Subanalysis of the 2 cohorts revealed that patients on venlafaxine were the most compliant (69.4%) compared with patients taking gabapentin (44.4%) and tricyclic antidepressants (41.8%) (Panticonvulsant group were considered persistent with their medication refills. Compliance and persistence rates were similar for patients with NP diagnosis taking antidepressants and anticonvulsants. Higher compliance was observed among patients taking venlafaxine; however, this population did have a small sample size.

Clinical pharmacy cardiac risk service for managing patients with coronary artery disease in a health maintenance organization.

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Sandhoff, Brian G; Nies, Leslie K; Olson, Kari L; Nash, James D; Rasmussen, Jon R; Merenich, John A

2007-01-01

A clinical pharmacy service for managing the treatment of coronary artery disease in a health maintenance organization is described. Despite the proven benefits of aggressive risk factor modification for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), there remains a treatment gap between consensus- and evidence-based recommendations and their application in patient care. In 1998, Kaiser Permanente of Colorado developed the Clinical Pharmacy Cardiac Risk Service (CPCRS) to focus on the long-term management of patients with CAD to improve clinical outcomes. The primary goals of the CPCRS are to increase the number of CAD patients on lipid-lowering therapy, manage medications shown to decrease the risk of future CAD-related events, assist in the monitoring and control of other diseases that increase cardiovascular risk, provide patient education and recommendations for nonpharmacologic therapy, and act as a CAD information resource for physicians and other health care providers. Using an electronic medical record and tracking database, the service works in close collaboration with primary care physicians, cardiologists, cardiac rehabilitation nurses, and other health care providers to reduce cardiac risk in the CAD population. Particular attention is given to dyslipidemia, blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, and tobacco cessation. Treatment with evidence-based regimens is initiated and adjusted as necessary. Over 11,000 patients are currently being followed by the CPCRS. A clinical pharmacy service in a large health maintenance organization provides cardiac risk reduction for patients with CAD and helps close treatment gaps that may exist for these patients.

Trends in Red Blood Cell Transfusion and 30-Day Mortality among Hospitalized Patients

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Roubinian, Nareg H; Escobar, Gabriel J; Liu, Vincent; Swain, Bix E; Gardner, Marla N; Kipnis, Patricia; Triulzi, Darrell J; Gottschall, Jerome L; Wu, Yan; Carson, Jeffrey L; Kleinman, Steven H; Murphy, Edward L

2014-01-01

Background Blood conservation strategies have been shown to be effective in decreasing red blood cell (RBC) utilization in specific patient groups. However, few data exist describing the extent of RBC transfusion reduction or their impact on transfusion practice and mortality in a diverse inpatient population. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study using comprehensive electronic medical record data from 21 medical facilities in Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC). We examined unadjusted and risk-adjusted RBC transfusion and 30-day mortality coincident with implementation of RBC conservation strategies. Findings The inpatient study cohort included 391,958 patients who experienced 685,753 hospitalizations. From 2009 to 2013, the incidence of RBC transfusion decreased from 14.0% to 10.8% of hospitalizations; this change coincided with a decline in pre-transfusion hemoglobin levels from 8.1 to 7.6 g/dL. Decreased RBC utilization affected broad groups of admission diagnoses and was most pronounced in patients with a nadir hemoglobin level between 8 and 9 g/dL (n=73,057; 50.8% to 19.3%). During the study period, the standard deviation of risk adjusted RBC transfusion incidence across hospitals decreased by 44% (p blood conservation strategies, RBC transfusion incidence and pre-transfusion hemoglobin levels decreased broadly across medical and surgical patients. Variation in RBC transfusion incidence across hospitals decreased from 2010 to 2013. Consistent with clinical trial data, more restrictive transfusion practice did not appear to impact 30-day mortality. PMID:25135770

Rectal Cancer Survivors' Participation in Productive Activities.

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Hornbrook, Mark C; Grant, Marcia; Wendel, Christopher; Bulkley, Joanna E; Mcmullen, Carmit K; Altschuler, Andrea; Temple, Larissa Kf; Herrinton, Lisa J; Krouse, Robert S

2017-01-01

Rectal cancer and its treatment impair survivors' productivity. To assess determinants of market and nonmarket employment, job search, volunteering, and homemaking among survivors five years or longer after diagnosis. We mailed questionnaires to 1063 survivors who were members of Kaiser Permanente (Northern California, Northwest) during 2010 and 2011. Productive activities, functional health status, and bowel management at the time of the survey. Response rate was 60.5% (577/953). Higher comorbidity burdens were associated with lower productivity for men and women rectal cancer survivors. Productive survivors were younger and had lower disease stage and age at diagnosis, higher household income and educational attainment, and fewer comorbidity burdens and workplace adjustments than did nonproductive survivors (p < 0.05 each; 2-sided). Productive rectal cancer survivors were evenly split by sex. Staying productive is associated with better mental health for rectal cancer survivors. Rectal cancer survivors with multiple chronic conditions, higher disease stage, lower productive activities, and older age need better access to medical care and closer monitoring of the quality of their care, including self-care. To capture the full extent of the involvement of survivors in all types of productive activities, research should routinely include measures of employment, searching for employment, homemaking, and volunteering. Counting market and nonmarket productive activities is innovative and recognizes the continuum of contributions survivors make to families and society. Health care systems should routinely monitor rectal cancer survivors' medical care access, comorbidities, health-related quality of life, and productive activities.

Community relations 2.0.

Science.gov (United States)

Kane, Gerald C; Fichman, Robert G; Gallaugher, John; Glaser, John

2009-11-01

Before the Internet, organizations had far more time to monitor and respond to community activity, but that luxury is long gone, leaving them in dire need of a coherent outreach strategy, fresh skills, and adaptive tactics. Drawing on the authors' study of more than two dozen firms, this article describes the changes wrought by social media in particular and shows managers how to take advantage of them--lessons that Kaiser Permanente, Domino's, and others learned the hard way. Social media platforms enhance the power of communities by promoting deep relationships, facilitating rapid organization, improving the creation and synthesis of knowledge, and enabling robust filtering of information. The authors cite many examples from the health care industry, where social media participation is vigorous and influential. For instance, members of Sermo, an online network exclusively for doctors, used the site to call attention to and organize against insurers' proposed reimbursement cuts. And on PatientsLikeMe, where people share details about their chronic diseases and the treatments they've pursued, charts and progress curves help members visualize their own complex histories and allow comparisons and feedback among peers. As you modernize your company's approach to community outreach, you'll need to assemble a social media team equipped to identify new opportunities for engagement and prevent brand damage. In the most successful firms the authors studied, community management was a dedicated function, combining marketing, public relations, and information technology skills.

Can We Predict Individual Combined Benefit and Harm of Therapy? Warfarin Therapy for Atrial Fibrillation as a Test Case.

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Guowei Li

Full Text Available To construct and validate a prediction model for individual combined benefit and harm outcomes (stroke with no major bleeding, major bleeding with no stroke, neither event, or both in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF with and without warfarin therapy.Using the Kaiser Permanente Colorado databases, we included patients newly diagnosed with AF between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2012 for model construction and validation. The primary outcome was a prediction model of composite of stroke or major bleeding using polytomous logistic regression (PLR modelling. The secondary outcome was a prediction model of all-cause mortality using the Cox regression modelling.We included 9074 patients with 4537 and 4537 warfarin users and non-users, respectively. In the derivation cohort (n = 4632, there were 136 strokes (2.94%, 280 major bleedings (6.04% and 1194 deaths (25.78% occurred. In the prediction models, warfarin use was not significantly associated with risk of stroke, but increased the risk of major bleeding and decreased the risk of death. Both the PLR and Cox models were robust, internally and externally validated, and with acceptable model performances.In this study, we introduce a new methodology for predicting individual combined benefit and harm outcomes associated with warfarin therapy for patients with AF. Should this approach be validated in other patient populations, it has potential advantages over existing risk stratification approaches as a patient-physician aid for shared decision-making.

A study of the prevalence of significant increases in serum creatinine following angiotension-converting enzyme inhibitor administration.

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Thorp, M L; Ditmer, D G; Nash, M K; Wise, R; Jaderholm, P L; Smith, J D; Chan, W

2005-05-01

Angiontension-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) are beneficial in the treatment of diabetic and nondiabetic kidney disease, coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure. One adverse effect of ACEIs use is a rise in serum creatinine and potential renal failure. This paper attempts to quantify this risk and assess the need for pre- and post-ACEI serum creatinine measurements. A computerized search of Kaiser Permanente Northwest's electronic medical record was conducted to find patients over the age of 40 years taking lisinopril between July 1, 2000 and June 30, 2002. Patient demographic information and presence in diabetes and coronary artery disease registries was collected. A subsequent search for pre- and postlisinopril serum creatinine levels within 6 months of initial lisinopril prescription was conducted. Patients with prelisinopril creatinine 2.5 mg/dl underwent chart review to discern adverse events associated with the rise in serum creatinine. A total of 18,977 patients were prescribed lisinopril between July 1, 2000 and June 30, 2002. In all 13 166 patients had a pre- and postlisinopril creatinine checked. In all, 31 patients had a rise in creatinine from 2.5 mg/dl (0.2%). Possible contributors to rise in creatinine included congestive heart failure, dehydration and infection. No patients developed end-stage renal disease, although three died. In conclusion, end-stage renal disease is an unlikely outcome among patients prescribed lisinopril and is most likely associated with other events.

Incidence and hospitalization rates of varicella and herpes zoster before varicella vaccine introduction: a baseline assessment of the shifting epidemiology of varicella disease.

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Coplan, P; Black, S; Rojas, C; Shinefield, H; Ray, P; Lewis, E; Guess, H

2001-07-01

A 15-year postmarketing evaluation of the impact of varicella vaccine on the age distribution of varicella disease is being conducted at Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, Northern California (KPMCP). We report on a baseline assessment of the age-specific incidence and hospitalization rates of varicella and herpes zoster that was conducted before vaccine introduction. To assess the annual incidence of varicella, a telephone survey was conducted in a random sample of approximately 8,000 youths 5 to 19 years of age. The annual incidence of hospitalizations for varicella and herpes zoster in 1994 was assessed with the use of the computerized database at KPMCP. Varicella annual incidence was 10.3% in 5- to 9-year-olds, 1.9% in 10- to 14-year-olds and 1.2% in the 15- to 19-year age groups, respectively. Hospitalization rates among the entire KPMCP membership were 2.6 and 2.1 per 100,000 person years for varicella and zoster, respectively. Varicella incidence in the 15- to 19-year age group was higher among African-Americans than among Caucasians. Varicella rates were similar in the 5- to 9- and 10- to 14-year age groups to rates from other published studies conducted in 1972 to 1978, 1980 to 1988 and 1990 to 1992; however, the rate in 15- to 19-year-olds was 2 to 4 times higher than published rates in the same age category.

Obesity during childhood and adolescence increases susceptibility to multiple sclerosis after accounting for established genetic and environmental risk factors

Science.gov (United States)

Gianfrancesco, Milena A.; Acuna, Brigid; Shen, Ling; Briggs, Farren B.S.; Quach, Hong; Bellesis, Kalliope H.; Bernstein, Allan; Hedstrom, Anna K.; Kockum, Ingrid; Alfredsson, Lars; Olsson, Tomas; Schaefer, Catherine; Barcellos, Lisa F.

2014-01-01

Objective To investigate the association between obesity and multiple sclerosis (MS) while accounting for established genetic and environmental risk factors. Methods Participants included members of Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Plan, Northern California Region (KPNC) (1,235 MS cases and 697 controls). Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Body mass index (BMI) or body size was the primary predictor of each model. Both incident and prevalent MS cases were studied. Results In analyses stratified by gender, being overweight at age 10 and 20 were associated with MS in females (prisk of MS for females with a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 was observed (OR = 2.15, 95% CI 1.18, 3.92). Significant associations between BMI in 20’s and MS in males were not observed. Multivariate modeling demonstrated that significant associations between BMI or body size with MS in females persisted after adjusting for history of infectious mononucleosis and genetic risk factors, including HLA-DRB1*15:01 and established non-HLA risk alleles. Interpretation Results show that childhood and adolescence obesity confer increased risk of MS in females beyond established heritable and environmental risk factors. Strong evidence for a dose-effect of BMI in 20’s and MS was observed. The magnitude of BMI association with MS is as large as other known MS risk factors. PMID:25263833

Dzhässikavad toovad linna jõulurõõmu / Silja Joon

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Joon, Silja, 1966-

2008-01-01

"Jazzkaare" kolm dzhässiõhtut Pärnus - 3. dets. Eliisabeti kirikus Raivo Tafenau, Ain Agan ja Laura Põldvere, 9. dets. Endla teatris Saksamaa vokaalansambel Berlin Voices (Esther Kaiser, Sarah Kaiser, Marc Secara, Kristofer Benn) ja 11. dets. Ammende villas norra laulja Gine Andressen. Berlin Voices soojendusansamblina esineb Pärnu noorte vokaalansambel Greip

Estimación de la carga de enfermedad por incapacidad laboral permanente en España durante el período 2009-2012

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María Andrée López

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Fundamentos: La incapacidad laboral permanente (IP supone una importante carga social y económica. El objetivo de este estudio fue estimar la carga de enfermedad debida a la IP en España. Métodos: A partir de la Muestra Continua de Vidas Laborales (MCVL se imputó como diagnóstico de la IP (2009-2012 el de la incapacidad temporal (IT iniciada en 2009 en los individuos que cumplieron dos criterios: larga duración de la IT y corta duración del período entre la IT y la IP. Para los casos con diagnóstico imputado se calculó la carga de enfermedad por IP a partir de los años potenciales de vida laboral perdidos (APVLP, definidos como la diferencia entre la edad de jubilación (65 años y la edad de inicio de la IP. Resultados: Según la MCVL, 163.135 (13,6% personas sufrieron de IT en 2009, de las cuáles a 4.738 (0,39% se le reconoció una IP entre 2009-2012. Se pudo establecer el diagnóstico de IP en 3.073 (64,9% casos. Las causas más frecuentes de IP fueron los trastornos musculo-esqueléticos (27,4% y mentales (11,6% que, asimismo, produjeron mayor cantidad de APVLP por IP: 11.086 (26,5% y 7.052 (16,9%, respectivamente. Los trastornos mentales destacaron por producir IP a edades más jóvenes (mediana=49 años. Conclusiones: Los trastornos mentales y los musculo-esqueléticos representaron la mayor carga de enfermedad en individuos en situación de IP.

Qualidade física do solo em pomar de laranjeira no noroeste do paraná com manejo da cobertura permanente na entrelinha Soil physical quality in an orange orchard in northwestern parana as affected by groundcover management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jonez Fidalski

2007-06-01

Full Text Available O tráfego de máquinas e a compactação do solo ocorrem próximo à copa das plantas de citros, aumentando as restrições físicas do solo ao crescimento das raízes. Estratégias de manejo incluem o uso de coberturas permanentes do solo nas entrelinhas de pomares de laranjeira, mas são desconhecidos os seus efeitos na qualidade física do solo. O objetivo deste estudo foi quantificar o impacto de sistemas de manejo com cobertura permanente do solo em alguns indicadores de qualidade física do solo em um pomar de laranjeira. O estudo foi realizado em um experimento de longa duração de laranjeira 'Pêra' sobre limoeiro 'Cravo' com sistemas de cobertura permanente do solo nas entrelinhas, no município de Alto Paraná, noroeste do Paraná, em um Argissolo Vermelho distrófico latossólico, com horizonte superficial de textura arenosa. Os tratamentos de cobertura permanente nas entrelinhas com a gramínea mato-grosso ou batatais (Paspalum notatum manejada com roçada e a leguminosa amendoim forrageiro (Arachis pintoi foram comparados ao manejo tradicional, em que a vegetação espontânea foi dessecada com herbicida pós-emergente. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi de bloco ao acaso com três repetições. Em maio de 2003, a amostragem de solo foi realizada sob rodado e entrerrodado das máquinas nas entrelinhas do pomar. As amostras indeformadas de solo obtidas no centro da camada de 0-15 cm de profundidade foram utilizadas para determinação dos seguintes indicadores: conteúdo de água na capacidade de campo, porosidade total do solo e densidade do solo, a partir dos quais foram estimados os indicadores capacidade de aeração do solo e capacidade de armazenamento de água do solo. Amostras de solo deformadas foram coletadas nas camadas de 0-5 e 10-15 cm de profundidade, para determinação dos teores de C orgânico do solo e cálculo da taxa de estratificação de C orgânico do solo. Os indicadores de qualidade do solo

Pricing of Surgeries for Colon Cancer: Patient Severity and Market Factors

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Dor, Avi; Koroukian, Siran; Xu, Fang; Stulberg, Jonah; Delaney, Conor; Cooper, Gregory

2012-01-01

Study Objective Examine effects of HMO penetration, hospital competition, and patient severity on the uptake of laparoscopic colectomy and its price relative to open surgery for colon cancer. Methods We used 2002-2007 the MarketScan Database to identify admissions for privately insured colorectal cancer patients undergoing laparoscopic or open partial colectomy (n=1,035 and n=6,389, respectively). Patient and health plan characteristics were retrieved from these data; HMO market penetration rates and an index of hospital market concentration, Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI), were derived from national databases. Logistic and logarithmic regressions were used to examine the odds of having laparoscopic colectomy, effect of covariates on colectomy prices, and the differential price of laparoscopy. Results Adoption of laparoscopy was highly sensitive to market forces, with a 10% increase in HMO penetration leading to a 10.3% increase in the likelihood of undergoing laparoscopic colectomy (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR): 1.109, 95% Confidence Interval: 1.062, 1.158), and a 10% increase in HHI resulting in 6.6% lower likelihood (AOR: 0.936 (0.880, 0.996)). Price models indicated that the price of laparoscopy was 7.6% lower than for open surgery (transformed coefficient (Coeff): 0.927 (0.895, 0.960)). A 10% increase in HMO penetration was associated with 1.6% lower price (Coeff: 0.985 (0.977, 0.992)), while a 10% increase in HHI was associated with 1.6% higher price (Coeff: 1.016 (1.006, 1.027), p Impact Laparoscopic surgery may result in cost savings, while market pressures contribute to its adoption. PMID:22569703

Comparison of rates of potentially inappropriate medication use according to the Zhan criteria for VA versus private sector medicare HMOs.

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Barnett, Mitchell J; Perry, Paul J; Langstaff, Jodi D; Kaboli, Peter J

2006-06-01

Inappropriate prescribing in the elderly is common, but rates across different health care systems and the impact of formulary restrictions are not well described. To determine if rates of inappropriate medication use in the elderly differ between the Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system and the private sector Medicare health maintenance organization (HMO) patients. A cross-sectional study design compared administrative pharmacy claims from 10 distinct geographic regions in the United States in the VA health care system and 10 analogous regions for patients enrolled in Medicare HMOs. The cohorts included 123,633 VA and 157,517 Medicare HMO patients aged 65 years and older. Inappropriate medication use was identified using the Zhan modification of the Beers criteria, which categorizes 33 potentially inappropriate drugs into 3 major classifications: "always avoid," "rarely appropriate," and "some indications." Comparisons between the VA health care system and the private sector Medicare HMO were performed for overall differences and stratified by gender and age. The drug formulary status of the Zhan-criteria drugs was known for the VA health system but not for the Medicare HMO patients. Compared with private sector patients, VA patients were less likely to receive any inappropriate medication (21% vs. 29%, P private sector for males (21% vs. 24%, P private sector Medicare HMOs, elderly VA patients were less likely to receive medications defined by the Zhan criteria as potentially inappropriate. A restrictive formulary that excludes 12 of the 33 Zhan criteria drugs may be a factor in the reduction of undesired prescribing patterns in elderly populations.

Qualificação de processos de gestão e atenção no município de Caaporã, PB: relatos de tutoria de educação permanente em saúde

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Yuri Wanderley Cavalcanti

Full Text Available Objetivou-se relatar a formação em Educação Permanente em Saúde (EPS de Equipes de Saúde da Família (ESF do município de Caaporã - PB. Os problemas identificados dizem respeito a dificuldades de acesso dos usuários, fragilidade do vínculo com a comunidade e ausência de ações educativas e preventivas. As intervenções propostas envolvem a reorientação das estratégias de acesso, integração entre a ESF e comunidade e a redistribuição das tarefas entre os membros da ESF. Os resultados revelam a eliminação da fila de espera para o atendimento, o fortalecimento do vínculo com a comunidade e a introdução de ações preventivas na ESF. A EPS em Caaporã contribuiu para modificar as práticas de gestão e atenção em saúde.

In the Belly of the Beast: A Case Study of Social Work in a Managed Care Organization

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Lisa S. Patchner

2002-05-01

Full Text Available The employment of social workers within managed care organizations is a new phenomenon. As such, this case study utilized an exploratory-descriptive design that assessed social workers as case managers within a Medicaid HMO. The semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and participant observation suggested that the use of case management services, delivered primarily by social workers,was effective in addressing the bio-psychosocial needs of Medicaid consumers within a provider-driven HMO. Study findings recommend specific knowledge and skills that social workers need in order to prepare for practice within managed care environments.

An Analysis of Construction Contractor Performance Evaluation System

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2009-03-01

65 8. Summary of Determinant and KMO Values for Finalized...principle component analysis output is the KMO and Bartlett‘s Test. KMO or Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy is used to identify if a...set of variables, when factored together, yield distinct and reliable factors (Field, 2005). KMO statistics vary between values of 0 to 1. Kaiser

DELIMITAÇÃO E PROTEÇÃO DAS ÁREAS DE PRESERVAÇÃO PERMANENTE DE CHAPADAS: ESTUDO DE CASO DA MINERAÇÃO DE AREIA EM ENCOSTAS NO NORTE DE MINAS GERAIS

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Vitor Vieira Vasconcelos

2011-12-01

Full Text Available A mineração de areia de encosta para construção civil, na região Norte de Minas Gerais, tem causado uma séria de conflitos sócio-ambientais. A Polícia Ambiental e os órgãos de licenciamento ambiental têm encontrado dificuldades técnicas e administrativas para lidar com a situação. Este artigo apresenta uma proposta de utilização de técnicas de geoprocessamento e topografia, integradas à interpretação do direito ambiental, com fins de abordar os problemas citados de forma mais eficiente. Enfatiza-se, especialmente, a delimitação e a proteção de Áreas de Preservação Permanente de bordas de chapadas, onde ocorre tipicamente a mineração de areia de encosta. Por fim, apresentam-se propostas que auxiliem na transição para um modelo mais sustentável da mineração para construção civil na Região Norte de Minas Gerais.

Consumo no Brasil: teoria da renda permanente, formação de hábito e restrição à liquidez

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Fábio Augusto Reis Gomes

2004-09-01

Full Text Available Este artigo analisa a série de consumo agregado do Brasil. Como usual, investiga-se, primeiramente, a aplicabilidade da hipótese do passeio aleatório do consumo, derivada teoricamente a partir das hipóteses de ciclo de vida/renda permanente e expectativas racionais (TRP. Utilizando a decomposição de Beveridge e Nelson (1981 verificamos que o consumo apresenta, além de uma tendência estocástica, uma parte cíclica estacionaria, o que não é compatível com a TRP. Este resultado está em conformidade com o resultado de Reis et alii (1998 de que grande parte da população brasileira está restrita a consumir sua renda corrente, existindo um ciclo comum entre consumo e renda. Em uma tentativa de gerar um processo estocástico para o consumo compatível com a evidência empírica introduzimos formação de hábito nas preferências de um consumidor representativo. No entanto, o processo daí derivado não se mostrou significativo diante da possibilidade dos consumidores serem restritos à liquidez.This article analyzes the behavior of aggregate consumption series in Brazil. As usual, the random walk hypothesis of consumption, derived theoretically from the life cycle/permanent income and rational expectations hypothesis (PIH, is tested. The Beveridge e Nelson (1981 decomposition indicates that the consumption series has a stochastic trend and a cyclical stationary component, incompatible with the PIH. This result is in line with Reis et alii (1998, who concluded that a large fraction of Brazilian people is credit constrained, which generates a common cycle between consumption and income. Following, we introduce habit formation in the preference of a representative consumer in order to attempt to produce a process of consumption compatible with the empirical evidence. However, such a process does not prove itself statistically significant amidst the possibility of credit constraint consumers.

Modèle mathématique pour l'étude des équilibres physico-chimiques de permanentes.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiodi, F

1989-12-01

Résumé La plupart des permanentes du commerce sont constituées d'acide thioglycolique (éventuellement associéà l'acide thiolactique), neutralisé par l'ammoniac, elles sont additionnées de carbonate d'ammonium comme tampon. Le système peut etre traité comme la neutralisation d'un mélange d'acides thioglycolique et carbonique par l'ammoniac, et il est complètement défini par trois paramètres, trois concentrations, ou deux concentrations et le pH, ou trois paramètres analytiques indépendants. Les calculs théoriques de l'équilibre sont compliqués du fait qu'il s'agit de l'équilibre de deux diacides faibles neutralisés par une base faible. Un modèle mathématique développé exclusivement par des équations théoriques permet l'interprétation des équilibres et la réalisation des calculs fiable pour la préparation des formules remplissant certaines caractéristiques. Le modèle permet de réaliser facilement des simulations en faisant varier les concentrations, les acides (par la voie des constantes de dissociation) ou d'associer différents acids et/ou bases organiques ou minérales. Une application complémentaire du modèle est de tracer la courbe dérivée à la courbe de neutralisation et de cette façon mesurer l'effet tampon en différents points par la mesure de sa pente. Synopsis Mathematical model for the study of physico-chemical equilibria in permanent wave solutions Most waving lotions on the market are prepared with thioglycolic acid (eventually associated with thiolactic acid) neutralized with ammonium hydroxide and buffered with ammonium bicarbonate. The system can be treated as the neutralization of a mix of carbonic acid and thioglycolic acid by ammonia and it is completely defined by three parameters: three concentrations; or two concentrations and pH; or three independent analytical parameters. Theoretical calculations of the equilibrium are difficult because the equilibrium involves at least two weak acids with a weak base

Modelación y análisis de susceptibilidad a la deformación permanente de mezclas asfálticas Modeling and analysis of susceptibility to permanent deformation in asphalt mixtures

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Julián Vidal V

2011-08-01

Full Text Available La deformación permanente de mezclas asfálticas del Área Metropolitana del Valle de Aburra - Antioquia, las cuales se fabrican en nuestro medio bajo las especificaciones INVIAS (Instituto Nacional de Vías y del Valle de Aburrá, se estudiaron utilizando un modelo constitutivo propuesto anteriormente. Este modelo mostró previamente ser efectivo en predecir la deformación de mezclas asfálticas en el Reino Unido bajo diferentes tipos de carga bajo condiciones uniaxiales y triaxiales, y temperaturas comprendidas entre 0 °C y 40 °C. Para el caso de las mezclas del Valle de Aburrá se emplearon temperaturas en un intervalo de 20 °C a 50 °C y se implementó el modelo propuesto con el fin de predecir la susceptibilidad a la deformación permanente. Mediante el estudio experimental de las mezclas se encontró que el comportamiento de estado estable de estas siguió el modelo modificado de Cross (Wang, 2011, con las mezclas exhibiendo comportamiento viscoso lineal y no-lineal a bajos y altos niveles de esfuerzos, respectivamente. Tanto para condiciones de carga como de recuperación se observó una dependencia de la temperatura en el material que fue adecuadamente predicha por el modelo de Arrheniusbajo el intervalo de temperaturas estudiado. Al realizar la modelación del comportamiento de las mezclas se encontró que el modelo propuesto por Ossa et al. (2010 aplica a las mezclas estudiadas y se determinó que la susceptibilidad a la deformación de estas varía considerablemente dependiendo de los materiales utilizados por el productor y en especial el agregado empleado, a pesar de ser mezclas teóricamente similares.Permanent deformation of asphaltic mixtures in the Metropolitan Area of Valle de Aburra - Antioquia, which are built under IVIAS' specifications (Instituto Nacional de Vías and Valle de Aburrá, were studied by employing a constitutive model proposed previously. This model had proved to be effective in predicting deformations of

The growth of medical groups paid through capitation in California.

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Robinson, J C; Casalino, L P

1995-12-21

In California, it is common for health maintenance organizations (HMOs) to contract with large medical groups that are paid through capitation and are responsible for managing a full spectrum of medical services. We studied six large medical groups in California--Bristol Park Medical, Friendly Hills HealthCare Network, HealthCare Partners Medical Group, Mullikin Medical Centers, Palo Alto Medical Foundation, and San Jose Medical Group--that are paid through capitation and that are growing as a result of contracts with managed-care organizations. We conducted interviews and obtained data on factors such as patient enrollment, capitation and other revenue, numbers of days spent by enrollees in the hospital, and numbers of visits to physicians per enrollee. Between 1990 and 1994, the number of HMO enrollees whose care was paid for through capitation in the six medical groups increased by 91 percent, from 398,359 to 759,474. In 1994, the mean number of hospital days per 1000 HMO enrollees ranged from 120 to 149 for non-Medicare patients and from 643 to 936 days for Medicare patients. By comparison, in 1993 the mean numbers of hospital days per 1000 HMO enrollees not covered by Medicare were 232 for California and 297 for the United States; for HMO enrollees covered by Medicare, the numbers were 1337 for California and 1698 for the United States. In 1994, the average annual number of visits to physicians for HMO patients in the six groups not covered by Medicare ranged from 3.1 to 3.9; for Medicare patients, it ranged from 7.2 to 9.3; these rates were slightly lower than statewide and national rates. Four of the groups have sold their assets (such as facilities, supplies, equipment, and patients' charts) to outside investors; the physicians remain employed by physician-owned professional corporations. Medical groups paid through capitation offer a model for the status of physicians in managed-care systems that differs from the employee status offered by staff-model HMOs

Timely Health Service Utilization of Older Foster Youth by Insurance Type.

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Day, Angelique; Curtis, Amy; Paul, Rajib; Allotey, Prince Addo; Crosby, Shantel

2016-01-01

To evaluate the impact of a policy change for older foster care youth from a fee-for-service (FFS) Medicaid program to health maintenance organization (HMO) providers on the timeliness of first well-child visits (health care physicals). A three-year retrospective study using linked administrative data collected by the Michigan Departments of Human Services and Community Health of 1,657 youth, ages 10-20 years, who were in foster care during the 2009-2012 study period was used to examine the odds of receiving a timely well-child visit within the recommended 30-day time frame controlling for race, age, days from foster care entry to Medicaid enrollment, and number of foster care placements. Youth entering foster care during the HMO period were more likely to receive a timely well-child visit than those in the FFS period (odds ratio, 2.46; 95% confidence interval, 1.84-3.29; p foster care during the FFS period to 29 days for the HMO period. Among the other factors examined, more than 14 days to Medicaid enrollment, being non-Hispanic black and having five or more placements were negatively associated with receipt of a timely first well-child visit. Those youth who entered foster care during the HMO period had significantly greater odds of receiving a timely first well-child visit; however, disparities in access to preventive health care remain a concern for minority foster care youth, those who experience delayed Medicaid enrollment and those who experienced multiple placements. Copyright © 2016 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Consumer cost sharing and use of biopharmaceuticals for rheumatoid arthritis.

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Robinson, James C

2013-06-01

To evaluate the effect of consumer cost sharing on use of physician-administered and patient self-administered specialty drugs for rheumatoid arthritis. Multivariate statistical analysis of probability and use of physician-administered specialty drugs, patient self-injected specialty drugs, non-biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, and symptom relief drugs. Analyses were conducted for patients enrolling in preferred provider organization (PPO) plans and health maintenance organization (HMO) plans with different cost-sharing requirements, adjusted for patient demographics, health status, and geographical location. Professional, facility, and pharmaceutical claims for beneficiaries of CalPERS, the public employee insurance purchasing alliance in California, for 2008-2009. Consumer cost-sharing requirements were obtained for each type of drug and service for each type of insurance plan. PPO insurance enrollees face substantially higher cost sharing for physician-administered specialty drugs, compared with HMO enrollees in CalPERS. PPO patients with rheumatoid arthritis are only half as likely as HMO enrollees to choose a physician-administered specialty drug (4.2% vs 9.3%) (P ≤.05), and use 25% less of the drugs if they use any ($10,356 vs $13,678) (P ≤.05). They are 30% more likely to use a self-administered specialty drug than are HMO enrollees (29.3% vs 22.1%) (P ≤.05), and use 35% more of the drugs if any ($16,015 vs $12,378) (P ≤.05). Consumer cost sharing reduces the use of physician-administered specialty drugs for rheumatoid arthritis. The higher use of patient self-administered specialty drugs suggests that the disincentives for use of physician-administered drugs were offset by an increased incentive to use self-administered drugs.

Non-digestible carbohydrates in infant formula as substitution for human milk oligosaccharide functions: Effects on microbiota and gut maturation.

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Akkerman, Renate; Faas, Marijke M; de Vos, Paul

2018-01-15

Human milk (HM) is the golden standard for nutrition of newborn infants. Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are abundantly present in HM and exert multiple beneficial functions, such as support of colonization of the gut microbiota, reduction of pathogenic infections and support of immune development. HMO-composition is during lactation continuously adapted by the mother to accommodate the needs of the neonate. Unfortunately, for many valid reasons not all neonates can be fed with HM and are either totally or partly fed with cow-milk derived infant formulas, which do not contain HMOs. These cow-milk formulas are supplemented with non-digestible carbohydrates (NDCs) that have functional effects similar to that of some HMOs, since production of synthetic HMOs is challenging and still very expensive. However, NDCs cannot substitute all HMO functions. More efficacious NDCs may be developed and customized for specific groups of neonates such as pre-matures and allergy prone infants. Here current knowledge of HMO functions in the neonate in view of possible replacement of HMOs by NDCs in infant formulas is reviewed. Furthermore, methods to expedite identification of suitable NDCs and structure/function relationships are reviewed as in vivo studies in babies are impossible.

A high molybdenum stainless steel and its resistance to chloride environments in the welded condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coppolecchia, V.D.; Jasner, M.; Rockel, M.B.

1988-01-01

Highly alloyed stainless steels, such as 1925 hMo UNS N08925 with 6 percent molybdenum, are finding widespread use in high chloride cooling water and process environments. This alloy has good general corrosion resistance to a variety of chloride environments but it's main attraction is excellent resistance to all forms of localized corrosion. In aggressive chloride environments weldments are generally the area of concern with regard to localized corrosion. Temperature-time-sensitization diagrams are presented that demonstrate the resistance of 1925 hMo weldments to intergranular attack. Immersion tests in 10% ferric chloride substantiate that autogenous tube welds, also have excellent pitting resistance. Various filler metals are compared both electrochemically and in immersion tests. These comparisons reveal that an overalloyed filler metal is required to achieve pitting and crevice corrosion resistance equal or better than that of the base metal. Alloy 625 (UNS NO6625) has been selected. Constant extension rate tests in boiling 62% calcium chloride reveal that 1925 hMo weldments are immune to stress corrosion cracking in this environment which virtually guarantees absence of SCC in seawater regardless of temperature as well as in most commercial chemical environments

Role of morphometry in determining the feeding success of small freshwater fish species: Multivariate analysis of Amblypharyngodon mola, Puntius ticto, and Esomus danricus

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Nandi Sudarshana

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Factor and multiple regression analysis were used to extract the morphometric variables that contributed to feeding success in three small freshwater fishes. Of the first two factors, factor 1, showed high loading of gut weight (GW, length of the upper (UJ, and lower jaws (LJ in mola, Amblypharyngodon mola (Hamilton, and GW and vertical mouth opening (VMO in punti, Puntius ticto (Hamilton. In darikana, Esomus danricus (Hamilton, GW, horizontal mouth opening (HMO, and VMO were highly loaded on factor 2. Gut length (GL was closely associated withGWof all three species. Subsequently, variables with high loading on factors 1 or 2 were subjected to multiple regression analysis to observe their effect on feeding success, consideringGWas the dependent variable and the extracted variables as the independent variable. In A. mola, HMO and GL influenced GW, whereas in P. ticto, only GL determined GW in the fish. In E. danricus, GL, VMO, and HMO exerted a low effect on GW. Exceptionally, the present study suggested that feeding success in small fishes is largely determined by UJ, LJ, and GL or mouth openings.

Financial risk sharing with providers in health maintenance organizations, 1999.

Science.gov (United States)

Gold, Marsha R; Lake, Timothy; Hurley, Robert; Sinclair, Michael

2002-01-01

The transfer of financial risk from health maintenance organizations (HMOs) to providers is controversial. To provide timely national data on these practices, we conducted a telephone survey in 1999 of a multi-staged probability sample of HMOs in 20 of the nation's 60 largest markets, accounting for 86% of all HMO enrollees nationally. Among those sampled, 82% responded. We found that HMOs' provider networks with physicians, hospitals, skilled nursing homes, and home health agencies are complex and multi-tiered Seventy-six percent of HMOs in our study use contracts for their HMO products that involve global, professional services, or hospital risk capitation to intermediate entities. These arrangements account for between 24.5 million and 27.4 million of the 55.9 million commercial and Medicare HMO enrollees in the 60 largest markets. While capitation arrangements are particularly common in California, they are more common elsewhere than many assume. The complex layering of risk sharing and delegation of care management responsibility raise questions about accountability and administrative costs in managed care. Do complex structures provide a way to involve providers more directly in managed care, or do they diffuse authority and add to administrative costs?

Alkali-Resistant Mechanism of a Hollandite DeNOx Catalyst.

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Hu, Pingping; Huang, Zhiwei; Gu, Xiao; Xu, Fei; Gao, Jiayi; Wang, Yue; Chen, Yaxin; Tang, Xingfu

2015-06-02

A thorough understanding of the deactivation mechanism by alkalis is of great importance for rationally designing improved alkali-resistant deNOx catalysts, but a traditional ion-exchange mechanism cannot often accurately describe the nature of the deactivation, thus hampering the development of superior catalysts. Here, we establish a new exchange-coordination mechanism on the basis of the exhaustive study on the strong alkali resistance of a hollandite manganese oxide (HMO) catalyst. A combination of isothermal adsorption measurements of ammonia with X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectra and X-ray photoelectron spectra reveals that alkali metal ions first react with protons from Brønsted acid sites of HMO via the ion exchange. Synchrotron X-ray diffraction patterns and extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectra coupled with theoretical calculations demonstrate that the exchanged alkali metal ions are subsequently stabilized at size-suitable cavities in the HMO pores via a coordination model with an energy savings. This exchange-coordination mechanism not only gives a wholly convincing explanation for the intrinsic nature of the deactivation of the reported catalysts by alkalis but also provides a strategy for rationally designing improved alkali-resistant deNOx catalysts in general.

Telecommunications: One World-Mind. Kaiser News.

Science.gov (United States)

Fabun, Don, Ed.

Until a few years ago, the concept of communication was restricted to conventional means: words and media. But recent research has discovered unusual means of communicating, both between animals, between humans, and between humans and animals which are fascinating and may offer hope for the future of man. This research, described in journalistic…

Redshift sensitivity of the Kaiser effect

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simpson, Fergus

2010-01-01

We explore potential strategies for testing general relativity via the coherent motions of galaxies. Our position at z=0 provides the reference point for distance measures in cosmology. By contrast, the cosmic microwave background at z≅1100 acts as the point of reference for the growth of a large-scale structure. As a result, we find there is a lack of synergy between growth and distance measures. We show that, when measuring the gravitational growth index γ using redshift-space distortions, typically 80% of the signal corresponds to the local growth rate at the galaxy bin location, while the remaining fraction is determined by its behavior at higher redshifts. In order to clarify whether modified gravity may be responsible for the dark energy phenomenon, the aim is to search for a modification to the growth of structure. One might expect the magnitude of this deviation to be commensurate with the apparent dark energy density Ω Λ (z). This provides an incentive to study redshift-space distortions at as low a redshift as is practical. Specifically, we find the region around z=0.5 offers the optimal balance of available volume and signal strength.

Discrete imaging models for three-dimensional optoacoustic tomography using radially symmetric expansion functions.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Kun; Schoonover, Robert W; Su, Richard; Oraevsky, Alexander; Anastasio, Mark A

2014-05-01

Optoacoustic tomography (OAT), also known as photoacoustic tomography, is an emerging computed biomedical imaging modality that exploits optical contrast and ultrasonic detection principles. Iterative image reconstruction algorithms that are based on discrete imaging models are actively being developed for OAT due to their ability to improve image quality by incorporating accurate models of the imaging physics, instrument response, and measurement noise. In this work, we investigate the use of discrete imaging models based on Kaiser-Bessel window functions for iterative image reconstruction in OAT. A closed-form expression for the pressure produced by a Kaiser-Bessel function is calculated, which facilitates accurate computation of the system matrix. Computer-simulation and experimental studies are employed to demonstrate the potential advantages of Kaiser-Bessel function-based iterative image reconstruction in OAT.

Comparing Hospital Processes and Outcomes in California Medicare Beneficiaries: Simulation Prompts Reconsideration.

Science.gov (United States)

Escobar, Gabriel J; Baker, Jennifer M; Turk, Benjamin J; Draper, David; Liu, Vincent; Kipnis, Patricia

2017-01-01

This article is not a traditional research report. It describes how conducting a specific set of benchmarking analyses led us to broader reflections on hospital benchmarking. We reexamined an issue that has received far less attention from researchers than in the past: How variations in the hospital admission threshold might affect hospital rankings. Considering this threshold made us reconsider what benchmarking is and what future benchmarking studies might be like. Although we recognize that some of our assertions are speculative, they are based on our reading of the literature and previous and ongoing data analyses being conducted in our research unit. We describe the benchmarking analyses that led to these reflections. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' Hospital Compare Web site includes data on fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries but does not control for severity of illness, which requires physiologic data now available in most electronic medical records.To address this limitation, we compared hospital processes and outcomes among Kaiser Permanente Northern California's (KPNC) Medicare Advantage beneficiaries and non-KPNC California Medicare beneficiaries between 2009 and 2010. We assigned a simulated severity of illness measure to each record and explored the effect of having the additional information on outcomes. We found that if the admission severity of illness in non-KPNC hospitals increased, KPNC hospitals' mortality performance would appear worse; conversely, if admission severity at non-KPNC hospitals' decreased, KPNC hospitals' performance would appear better. Future hospital benchmarking should consider the impact of variation in admission thresholds.

Cohort Study of ECG Left Ventricular Hypertrophy Trajectories: Ethnic Disparities, Associations With Cardiovascular Outcomes, and Clinical Utility.

Science.gov (United States)

Iribarren, Carlos; Round, Alfred D; Lu, Meng; Okin, Peter M; McNulty, Edward J

2017-10-05

ECG left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a well-known predictor of cardiovascular disease. However, no prior study has characterized patterns of presence/absence of ECG LVH ("ECG LVH trajectories") across the adult lifespan in both sexes and across ethnicities. We examined: (1) correlates of ECG LVH trajectories; (2) the association of ECG LVH trajectories with incident coronary heart disease, transient ischemic attack, ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, and heart failure; and (3) reclassification of cardiovascular disease risk using ECG LVH trajectories. We performed a cohort study among 75 412 men and 107 954 women in the Northern California Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program who had available longitudinal exposures of ECG LVH and covariates, followed for a median of 4.8 (range ECG LVH was measured by Cornell voltage-duration product. Adverse trajectories of ECG LVH (persistent, new development, or variable pattern) were more common among blacks and Native American men and were independently related to incident cardiovascular disease with hazard ratios ranging from 1.2 for ECG LVH variable pattern and transient ischemic attack in women to 2.8 for persistent ECG LVH and heart failure in men. ECG LVH trajectories reclassified 4% and 7% of men and women with intermediate coronary heart disease risk, respectively. ECG LVH trajectories were significant indicators of coronary heart disease, stroke, and heart failure risk, independently of level and change in cardiovascular disease risk factors, and may have clinical utility. © 2017 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley.

Urgent Need for Improved Mental Health Care and a More Collaborative Model of Care

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Lake, James; Turner, Mason Spain

2017-01-01

Current treatments and the dominant model of mental health care do not adequately address the complex challenges of mental illness, which accounts for roughly one-third of adult disability globally. These circumstances call for radical change in the paradigm and practices of mental health care, including improving standards of clinician training, developing new research methods, and re-envisioning current models of mental health care delivery. Because of its dominant position in the US health care marketplace and its commitment to research and innovation, Kaiser Permanente (KP) is strategically positioned to make important contributions that will shape the future of mental health care nationally and globally. This article reviews challenges facing mental health care and proposes an agenda for developing a collaborative care model in primary care settings that incorporates conventional biomedical therapies and complementary and alternative medicine approaches. By moving beyond treatment delivery via telephone and secure video and providing earlier interventions through primary care clinics, KP is shifting the paradigm of mental health care to a collaborative care model focusing on prevention. Recommendations are to expand current practices to include integrative treatment strategies incorporating evidence-based biomedical and complementary and alternative medicine modalities that can be provided to patients using a collaborative care model. Recommendations also are made for an internal research program aimed at investigating the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of promising complementary and alternative medicine and integrative treatments addressing the complex needs of patients with severe psychiatric disorders, many of whom respond poorly to treatments available in KP mental health clinics. PMID:28898197

Evaluation of patient and proxy responses on the activity measure for postacute care.

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Jette, Alan M; Ni, Pengsheng; Rasch, Elizabeth K; Appelman, Jed; Sandel, M Elizabeth; Terdiman, Joseph; Chan, Leighton

2012-03-01

Our objective was to examine the agreement between adult patients with stroke and family member or clinician proxies in activity measure for postacute care (AM-PAC) summary scores for daily activity, basic mobility, and applied cognitive function. This study involved 67 patients with stroke admitted to a hospital within the Kaiser Permanente of Northern California system and were participants in a parent study on stroke outcomes. Each participant and proxy respondent completed the AM-PAC by personal or telephone interview at the point of hospital discharge or during ≥1 transitions to different postacute care settings. The results suggest that for patients with a stroke proxy, AM-PAC data are robust for family or clinician proxy assessment of basic mobility function and clinician proxy assessment of daily activity function, but less robust for family proxy assessment of daily activity function and for all proxy groups' assessments of applied cognitive function. The pattern of disagreement between patient and proxy was, on average, relatively small and random. There was little evidence of systematic bias between proxy and patient reports of their functional status. The degree of concordance between patient and proxy was similar for those with moderate to severe strokes compared with mild strokes. Patient and proxy ratings on the AM-PAC achieved adequate agreement for use in stroke research when using proxy respondents could reduce sample selection bias. The AM-PAC data can be implemented across institutional as well as community care settings while achieving precision and reducing respondent burden.

Ten-year survival rates of teeth adjacent to treated and untreated posterior bounded edentulous spaces.

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Aquilino, S A; Shugars, D A; Bader, J D; White, B A

2001-05-01

Failure to replace a single missing posterior tooth may lead to a variety of dental problems, which may ultimately result in tooth loss. However, little is known about the fate of the adjacent teeth if a missing posterior tooth is not replaced. This retrospective study evaluated the survival of teeth adjacent to treated and untreated posterior bounded edentulous spaces. Data were obtained from electronic treatment records from the Kaiser Permanente Dental Care Program, Portland, Ore. A final sample of 317 patients who met the study inclusion criteria was identified. Each bounded edentulous space was placed in 1 of 3 treatment categories: untreated, restored with a fixed partial denture, or restored with a removable partial denture. Subsequent treatment and the status of the teeth adjacent to the bounded edentulous space were followed through December 1999. Ten-year Kaplan-Meier survival estimates were generated for each treatment group, and differences in survival were evaluated with the log-rank chi-square test (alpha=.05). There was a significant difference in survival among the 3 treatment categories (P=.005). Spaces restored with a fixed partial denture had longer 10-year survival estimates (92%) than those that remained untreated (81%). Spaces restored with a removable partial denture had the poorest 10-year survival rate (56%). Under the conditions and selection bias associated with this retrospective study, the survival of teeth adjacent to a single posterior edentulous space was negatively associated with removable partial denture placement compared with no treatment or the use of a fixed partial denture.

Benefits and harms of lung cancer screening in HIV-infected individuals with CD4+ ≥ 500: a simulation study.

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Kong, Chung Yin; Sigel, Keith; Criss, Steven D; Sheehan, Deirdre F; Triplette, Matthew; Silverberg, Michael J; Henschke, Claudia I; Justice, Amy; Braithwaite, R Scott; Wisnivesky, Juan; Crothers, Kristina

2018-04-19

Lung cancer is the leading cause of non-AIDS-defining cancer deaths among HIV-infected individuals. Although lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) is endorsed by multiple national organizations, whether HIV-infected individuals would have similar benefit as uninfected individuals from lung cancer screening is unknown. Our objective was to determine the benefits and harms of lung cancer screening among HIV-infected individuals. We modified an existing simulation model, the Lung Cancer Policy Model, for HIV-infected patients. Veterans Aging Cohort Study, Kaiser Permanente Northern California HIV Cohort, and medical literature. Target population: HIV-infected current and former smokers. Lifetime. Population. Annual LDCT screening from ages 45, 50, or 55 until ages 72 or 77 years. Benefits assessed included lung cancer mortality reduction and life-years gained; harms assessed included numbers of LDCT examinations, false-positive results, and overdiagnosed cases. For HIV-infected patients with CD4 at least 500 and 100% antiretroviral therapy adherence, screening using the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services criteria (age 55-77, 30 pack-years of smoking, current smoker or quit within 15 years of screening) would reduce lung cancer mortality by 18.9%, similar to the mortality reduction of uninfected individuals. Alternative screening strategies utilizing lower screening age and/or pack-years criteria increase mortality reduction, but require more LDCT examinations. Strategies assumed 100% screening adherence. Lung cancer screening reduces mortality in HIV-infected patients with CD4 at least l500, with a number of efficient strategies for eligibility, including the current Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services criteria.

Serious infections among a large cohort of subjects with systemically treated psoriasis.

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Dobry, Allison S; Quesenberry, Charles P; Ray, G Thomas; Geier, Jamie L; Asgari, Maryam M

2017-11-01

Biologic therapy is effective for treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis but may be associated with an increased risk for serious infection. To estimate the serious infection rate among patients with psoriasis treated with biologic as compared with nonbiologic systemic agents within a community-based health care delivery setting. We identified 5889 adult Kaiser Permanente Northern California health plan members with psoriasis who had ever been treated with systemic therapies and calculated the incidence rates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for serious infections over 29,717 person-years of follow-up. Adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) were calculated using Cox regression. Adjusting for age, sex, race or ethnicity, and comorbidities revealed a significantly increased risk for overall serious infection among patients treated with biologics as compared with those treated with nonbiologics (aHR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.02-1.68). More specifically, there was a significantly elevated risk for skin and soft tissue infection (aHR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.19-2.56) and meningitis (aHR, 9.22; 95% CI, 1.77-48.10) during periods of active biologic use. Risk associated with individual drugs was not examined. We found an increased rate of skin and soft tissue infections among patients with psoriasis treated with biologic agents. There also was a signal suggesting increased risk for meningitis. Clinicians should be aware of these potential adverse events when prescribing biologic agents. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Understanding who benefits at each step in an internet-based diabetes self-management program: application of a recursive partitioning approach.

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Glasgow, Russell E; Strycker, Lisa A; King, Diane K; Toobert, Deborah J

2014-02-01

Efforts to predict success in chronic disease management programs have been generally unsuccessful. To identify patient subgroups associated with success at each of 6 steps in a diabetes self-management (DSM) program. Using data from a randomized trial, recursive partitioning with signal detection analysis was used to identify subgroups associated with 6 sequential steps of program success: agreement to participate, completion of baseline, initial website engagement, 4-month behavior change, later engagement, and longer-term maintenance. The study was conducted in 5 primary care clinics within Kaiser Permanente Colorado. Different numbers of patients participated in each step, including 2076, 544, 270, 219, 127, and 89. All measures available were used to address success at each step. Intervention. Participants were randomized to receive either enhanced usual care or 1 of 2 Internet-based DSM programs: 1) self-administered, computer-assisted self-management and 2) the self-administered program with the addition of enhanced social support. Two sets of potential predictor variables and 6 dichotomous outcomes were created. Signal detection analysis differentiated successful and unsuccessful subgroups at all but the final step. Different patient subgroups were associated with success at these different steps. Demographic factors (education, ethnicity, income) were associated with initial participation but not with later steps, and the converse was true of health behavior variables. Analyses were limited to one setting, and the sample sizes for some of the steps were modest. Signal detection and recursive partitioning methods may be useful for identifying subgroups that are more or less successful at different steps of intervention and may aid in understanding variability in outcomes.

CREATE Wellness: A multi-component behavioral intervention for patients not responding to traditional Cardiovascular disease management.

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Miller-Rosales, Chris; Sterling, Stacy A; Wood, Sabrina B; Ross, Thekla; Makki, Mojdeh; Zamudio, Cindy; Kane, Irene M; Richardson, Megan C; Samayoa, Claudia; Charvat-Aguilar, Nancy; Lu, Wendy Y; Vo, Michelle; Whelan, Kimberly; Uratsu, Connie S; Grant, Richard W

2017-12-01

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the US. Many patients do not benefit from traditional disease management approaches to CVD risk reduction. Here we describe the rationale, development, and implementation of a multi-component behavioral intervention targeting patients who have persistently not met goals of CVD risk factor control. Informed by published evidence, relevant theoretical frameworks, stakeholder advice, and patient input, we developed a group-based intervention (Changing Results: Engage and Activate to Enhance Wellness; "CREATE Wellness") to address the complex needs of patients with elevated or unmeasured CVD-related risk factors. We are testing this intervention in a randomized trial among patients with persistent (i.e > 2 years) sub-optimal risk factor control despite being enrolled in an advanced and highly successful CVD disease management program. The CREATE Wellness intervention is designed as a 3 session, group-based intervention combining proven elements of patient activation, health system engagement skills training, shared decision making, care planning, and identification of lifestyle change barriers. Our key learnings in designing the intervention included the value of multi-level stakeholder input and the importance of pragmatic skills training to address barriers to care. The CREATE Wellness intervention represents an evidence-based, patient-centered approach for patients not responding to traditional disease management. The trial is currently underway at three medical facilities within Kaiser Permanente Northern California and next steps include an evaluation of efficacy, adaptation for non-English speaking patient populations, and modification of the curriculum for web- or phone-based versions. NCT02302612.

Bone health history in breast cancer patients on aromatase inhibitors.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marilyn L Kwan

Full Text Available A cross-sectional study was performed to assess bone health history among aromatase inhibitor (AI users before breast cancer (BC diagnosis, which may impact fracture risk after AI therapy and choice of initial hormonal therapy. A total of 2,157 invasive BC patients initially treated with an AI were identified from a prospective cohort study at Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC. Data on demographic and lifestyle factors were obtained from in-person interviews, and bone health history and clinical data from KPNC clinical databases. The prevalence of osteoporosis and fractures in postmenopausal AI users was assessed, compared with 325 postmenopausal TAM users. The associations of bone health history with demographic and lifestyle factors in AI users were also examined. Among all initial AI users, 11.2% had a prior history of osteoporosis, 16.3% had a prior history of any fracture, and 4.6% had a prior history of major fracture. Postmenopausal women who were taking TAM as their initial hormonal therapy had significantly higher prevalence of prior osteoporosis than postmenopausal AI users (21.5% vs. 11.8%, p<0.0001. Among initial AI users, the associations of history of osteoporosis and fracture in BC patients with demographic and lifestyle factors were, in general, consistent with those known in healthy older women. This study is one of the first to characterize AI users and risk factors for bone morbidity before BC diagnosis. In the future, this study will examine lifestyle, molecular, and genetic risk factors for AI-induced fractures.

Telephone-Based Coaching.

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Boccio, Mindy; Sanna, Rashel S; Adams, Sara R; Goler, Nancy C; Brown, Susan D; Neugebauer, Romain S; Ferrara, Assiamira; Wiley, Deanne M; Bellamy, David J; Schmittdiel, Julie A

2017-03-01

Many Americans continue to smoke, increasing their risk of disease and premature death. Both telephone-based counseling and in-person tobacco cessation classes may improve access for smokers seeking convenient support to quit. Little research has assessed whether such programs are effective in real-world clinical populations. Retrospective cohort study comparing wellness coaching participants with two groups of controls. Kaiser Permanente Northern California, a large integrated health care delivery system. Two hundred forty-one patients who participated in telephonic tobacco cessation coaching from January 1, 2011, to March 31, 2012, and two control groups: propensity-score-matched controls, and controls who participated in a tobacco cessation class during the same period. Wellness coaching participants received an average of two motivational interviewing-based coaching sessions that engaged the patient, evoked their reason to consider quitting, and helped them establish a quit plan. Self-reported quitting of tobacco and fills of tobacco cessation medications within 12 months of follow-up. Logistic regressions adjusting for age, gender, race/ethnicity, and primary language. After adjusting for confounders, tobacco quit rates were higher among coaching participants vs. matched controls (31% vs. 23%, p Coaching participants and class attendees filled tobacco-cessation prescriptions at a higher rate (47% for both) than matched controls (6%, p coaching was as effective as in-person classes and was associated with higher rates of quitting compared to no treatment. The telephonic modality may increase convenience and scalability for health care systems looking to reduce tobacco use and improve health.

Telephone-Based Coaching: A Comparison of Tobacco Cessation Programs in an Integrated Health Care System

Science.gov (United States)

Boccio, Mindy; Sanna, Rashel S.; Adams, Sara R.; Goler, Nancy C.; Brown, Susan D.; Neugebauer, Romain S.; Ferrara, Assiamira; Wiley, Deanne M.; Bellamy, David J.; Schmittdiel, Julie A.

2016-01-01

Purpose Many Americans continue to smoke, increasing their risk of disease and premature death. Both telephone-based counseling and in-person tobacco cessation classes may improve access for smokers seeking convenient support to quit. Little research has assessed whether such programs are effective in real-world clinical populations. Design Retrospective cohort study comparing wellness coaching participants with two groups of controls. Setting Kaiser Permanente, Northern California (KPNC), a large integrated health care delivery system. Subjects 241 patients who participated in telephonic tobacco cessation coaching from 1/1/2011–3/31/2012, and two control groups: propensity-score matched controls, and controls who participated in a tobacco cessation class during the same period. Wellness coaching participants received an average of two motivational interviewing based coaching sessions that engage the patient, evoke their reason to consider quitting and help them establish a quit plan. Measures Self-reported quitting of tobacco and fills of tobacco cessation medications within 12 months of follow-up. Analysis Logistic regressions adjusting for age, gender, race/ethnicity, and primary language. Results After adjusting for confounders, tobacco quit rates were higher among coaching participants vs. matched controls (31% vs. 23%, PCoaching participants and class attendees filled tobacco-cessation prescriptions at a higher rate (47% for both) than matched controls (6%, Pcoaching was as effective as in-person classes and was associated with higher rates of quitting compared to no treatment. The telephonic modality may increase convenience and scalability for health care systems looking to reduce tobacco use and improve health. PMID:26559720

Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Core Competencies at a Community Teaching Hospital: Is There a Gap in Awareness?

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Al-Temimi, Mohammed; Kidon, Michael; Johna, Samir

2016-01-01

Reports evaluating faculty knowledge of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) core competencies in community hospitals without a dedicated residency program are uncommon. Faculty evaluation regarding knowledge of ACGME core competencies before a residency program is started. Physicians at the Kaiser Permanente Fontana Medical Center (N = 480) were surveyed for their knowledge of ACGME core competencies before starting new residency programs. Knowledge of ACGME core competencies. Fifty percent of physicians responded to the survey, and 172 (71%) of respondents were involved in teaching residents. Of physicians who taught residents and had complete responses (N = 164), 65 (39.7%) were unsure of their knowledge of the core competencies. However, most stated that they provided direct teaching to residents related to the knowledge, skills, and attitudes stated in each of the 6 competencies as follows: medical knowledge (96.3%), patient care (95.7%), professionalism (90.7%), interpersonal and communication skills (86.3%), practice-based learning (85.9%), and system-based practice (79.6%). Physician specialty, years in practice (1-10 vs > 10), and number of rotations taught per year (1-6 vs 7-12) were not associated with knowledge of the competencies (p > 0.05); however, full-time faculty (teaching 10-12 rotations per year) were more likely to provide competency-based teaching. Objective assessment of faculty awareness of ACGME core competencies is essential when starting a residency program. Discrepancy between knowledge of the competencies and acclaimed provision of competency-based teaching emphasizes the need for standardized teaching methods that incorporate the values of these competencies.

12-Step participation reduces medical use costs among adolescents with a history of alcohol and other drug treatment.

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Mundt, Marlon P; Parthasarathy, Sujaya; Chi, Felicia W; Sterling, Stacy; Campbell, Cynthia I

2012-11-01

Adolescents who attend 12-step groups following alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment are more likely to remain abstinent and to avoid relapse post-treatment. We examined whether 12-step attendance is also associated with a corresponding reduction in health care use and costs. We used difference-in-difference analysis to compare changes in seven-year follow-up health care use and costs by changes in 12-step participation. Four Kaiser Permanente Northern California AOD treatment programs enrolled 403 adolescents, 13-18-years old, into a longitudinal cohort study upon AOD treatment entry. Participants self-reported 12-step meeting attendance at six-month, one-year, three-year, and five-year follow-up. Outcomes included counts of hospital inpatient days, emergency room (ER) visits, primary care visits, psychiatric visits, AOD treatment costs and total medical care costs. Each additional 12-step meeting attended was associated with an incremental medical cost reduction of 4.7% during seven-year follow-up. The medical cost offset was largely due to reductions in hospital inpatient days, psychiatric visits, and AOD treatment costs. We estimate total medical use cost savings at $145 per year (in 2010 U.S. dollars) per additional 12-step meeting attended. The findings suggest that 12-step participation conveys medical cost offsets for youth who undergo AOD treatment. Reduced costs may be related to improved AOD outcomes due to 12-step participation, improved general health due to changes in social network following 12-step participation, or better compliance to both AOD treatment and 12-step meetings. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hepatitis C screening trends in a large integrated health system.

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Linas, Benjamin P; Hu, Haihong; Barter, Devra M; Horberg, Michael

2014-05-01

As new hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapies emerge, only 1%-12% of individuals are screened in the US for HCV infection. Presently, HCV screening trends are unknown. We utilized the Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic States' (KPMAS) data repository to investigate HCV antibody screening between January 1, 2003 and December 31, 2012. We identified the proportion screened for HCV and 5-year cumulative incidence of screening, the screening positivity rate, the provider types performing HCV screening, patient-level factors associated with being screened, and trends in screening over time. There were 444,594 patients who met the inclusion criteria. Overall, 15.8% of the cohort was ever screened for HCV. Adult primary care and obstetrics and gynecology providers performed 75.9% of all screening. The overall test positivity rate was 3.8%. Screening was more frequent in younger age groups (P <.0001) and those with a documented history of illicit drug use (P <.0001). Patients with missing drug use history (46.7%) were least likely to be screened (P <.0001). While the rate of HCV screening increased in the later years of the study among those enrolled in KPMAS 2009-2012, only 11.8% were screened by the end of follow-up. Screening for HCV is increasing but remains incomplete. Targeting screening to those with a history of injection drug will not likely expand screening, as nearly half of patients have no documented drug use history. Routine screening is likely the most effective approach to expand HCV screening. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Gender differences in sleep disruption and fatigue on quality of life among persons with ostomies.

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Baldwin, Carol M; Grant, Marcia; Wendel, Christopher; Hornbrook, Mark C; Herrinton, Lisa J; McMullen, Carmit; Krouse, Robert S

2009-08-15

The aim of this study is to examine differences in sleep disruption and fatigue of men and women colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors with intestinal ostomies and associated health-related quality of life (HR-QOL). Participants in this cross-sectional study of long-term (> 5 years) CRC survivors received care at Kaiser Permanente. Measures included the City of Hope QOL Ostomy questionnaire with narrative comments for ostomy-related "greatest challenges." The Short Form-36 Version 2 (SF-36v2) health survey provided physical (PCS) and mental composite scale (MCS) scores to examine generic HR-QOL. The "sleep disruption" and "fatigue" items from the ostomy questionnaire (scale from 0 to 10 with higher scores indicating better HR-QOL) were dependent variables, while independent variables included age, ethnicity, education, partnered status, body mass index, and time since surgery. Data were analyzed using chi-square for nominal variables, Student t-tests for continuous variables, and logistic regression with significance set at p ostomy-specific measure, women (n = 118) compared to men (n = 168) reported more sleep disruption (p ostomy-associated fear of or actual leakage during sleep. Although women CRC survivors with ostomies report more sleep disruption and fatigue, which is reflected in their reduced physical and mental health scores on the SF-36v2 compared to men with ostomies, their stated reasons for disrupted sleep are similar to their male counterparts. These findings can provide a foundation for gender-relevant ostomy interventions to improve sleep and HR-QOL in this patient population.

Association Between Neighborhood Supermarket Presence and Glycated Hemoglobin Levels Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

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Zhang, Y Tara; Mujahid, Mahasin S; Laraia, Barbara A; Warton, E Margaret; Blanchard, Samuel D; Moffet, Howard H; Downing, Janelle; Karter, Andrew J

2017-06-15

We estimated associations between neighborhood supermarket gain or loss and glycemic control (assessed by glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) values) in patients from the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Diabetes Registry (n = 434,806 person-years; 2007-2010). Annual clinical measures were linked to metrics from a geographic information system for each patient's address of longest residence. We estimated the association between change in supermarket presence (gain, loss, or no change) and change in HbA1c value, adjusting for individual- and area-level attributes and according to baseline glycemic control (near normal, Supermarket loss was associated with worse HbA1c trajectories for those with good, moderate, and poor glycemic control at baseline, while supermarket gain was associated with marginally better HbA1c outcomes only among patients with near normal HbA1c values at baseline. Patients with the poorest baseline HbA1c values (≥9.0%) had the worst associated changes in glycemic control following either supermarket loss or gain. Differences were not clinically meaningful relative to no change in supermarket presence. For patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, gaining neighborhood supermarket presence did not benefit glycemic control in a substantive way. The significance of supermarket changes on health depends on a complex interaction of resident, neighborhood, and store characteristics. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Food Environment and Weight Change: Does Residential Mobility Matter?: The Diabetes Study of Northern California (DISTANCE).

Science.gov (United States)

Laraia, Barbara A; Downing, Janelle M; Zhang, Y Tara; Dow, William H; Kelly, Maggi; Blanchard, Samuel D; Adler, Nancy; Schillinger, Dean; Moffet, Howard; Warton, E Margaret; Karter, Andrew J

2017-05-01

Associations between neighborhood food environment and adult body mass index (BMI; weight (kg)/height (m)2) derived using cross-sectional or longitudinal random-effects models may be biased due to unmeasured confounding and measurement and methodological limitations. In this study, we assessed the within-individual association between change in food environment from 2006 to 2011 and change in BMI among adults with type 2 diabetes using clinical data from the Kaiser Permanente Diabetes Registry collected from 2007 to 2011. Healthy food environment was measured using the kernel density of healthful food venues. Fixed-effects models with a 1-year-lagged BMI were estimated. Separate models were fitted for persons who moved and those who did not. Sensitivity analysis using different lag times and kernel density bandwidths were tested to establish the consistency of findings. On average, patients lost 1 pound (0.45 kg) for each standard-deviation improvement in their food environment. This relationship held for persons who remained in the same location throughout the 5-year study period but not among persons who moved. Proximity to food venues that promote nutritious foods alone may not translate into clinically meaningful diet-related health changes. Community-level policies for improving the food environment need multifaceted strategies to invoke clinically meaningful change in BMI among adult patients with diabetes. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Methods for assessing fracture risk prediction models: experience with FRAX in a large integrated health care delivery system.

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Pressman, Alice R; Lo, Joan C; Chandra, Malini; Ettinger, Bruce

2011-01-01

Area under the receiver operating characteristics (AUROC) curve is often used to evaluate risk models. However, reclassification tests provide an alternative assessment of model performance. We performed both evaluations on results from FRAX (World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Metabolic Bone Diseases, University of Sheffield, UK), a fracture risk tool, using Kaiser Permanente Northern California women older than 50yr with bone mineral density (BMD) measured during 1997-2003. We compared FRAX performance with and without BMD in the model. Among 94,489 women with mean follow-up of 6.6yr, 1579 (1.7%) sustained a hip fracture. Overall, AUROCs were 0.83 and 0.84 for FRAX without and with BMD, suggesting that BMD did not contribute to model performance. AUROC decreased with increasing age, and BMD contributed significantly to higher AUROC among those aged 70yr and older. Using an 81% sensitivity threshold (optimum level from receiver operating characteristic curve, corresponding to 1.2% cutoff), 35% of those categorized above were reassigned below when BMD was added. In contrast, only 10% of those categorized below were reassigned to the higher risk category when BMD was added. The net reclassification improvement was 5.5% (p<0.01). Two versions of this risk tool have similar AUROCs, but alternative assessments indicate that addition of BMD improves performance. Multiple methods should be used to evaluate risk tool performance with less reliance on AUROC alone. Copyright © 2011 The International Society for Clinical Densitometry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Characteristics of Resistant Hypertension in a Large Ethnically Diverse Hypertension Population of an Integrated Health System

Science.gov (United States)

Sim, John J.; Bhandari, Simran K.; Shi, Jiaxiao; In Liu, Lu A.; Calhoun, David A.; McGlynn, Elizabeth A.; Kalantar-Zadeh, Kamyar; Jacobsen, Steven J.

2013-01-01

Objective To evaluate the prevalence and characterize resistant hypertension from a large representative population with successful hypertension management and reliable health information. Patient and Methods We performed a cross sectional study using clinical encounter, laboratory, and administrative information from the Kaiser Permanente Southern California health system during 1/1/2006–12/31/2007. From individuals age >17 years with hypertension, resistant hypertension was identified and prevalence determined. Multivariable logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (OR) with adjustments for demographics, clinical variables, and medication use. Results Among 470,386 hypertensive individuals, 12.8% were identified as resistant representing15.3% of those on medications. Overall, 37,061 (7.9%) had uncontrolled hypertension while on ≥ 3 medicines. OR (95% confidence interval) for resistant hypertension were greater for black race (1.68, 1.62–1.75), older age (1.11, 1.10–1.11 for every 5 year increase), males (1.06, 1.03–1.10), and obesity (1.46, 1.42–1.51). Medication adherence rates were higher in resistant hypertension (93 vs 90%, phypertension. Conclusion Within a more standardized hypertension treatment environment, we observed a rate of resistant hypertension comparable to past studies using more fragmented data sources. Past observations have been limited due to non-representative populations, reliability of the data, heterogeneity of the treatment environments, and less than ideal control rates. This cohort which was established with an electronic medical record based approach has the potential to provide a better understanding of resistant hypertension and outcomes. PMID:24079679

Risk of fever and sepsis evaluations after routine immunizations in the neonatal intensive care unit.

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Navar-Boggan, A M; Halsey, N A; Golden, W C; Escobar, G J; Massolo, M; Klein, N P

2010-09-01

Premature infants can experience cardiorespiratory events such as apnea after immunization in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). These changes in clinical status may precipitate sepsis evaluations. This study evaluated whether sepsis evaluations are increased after immunizations in the NICU. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of infants older than 53 days who were vaccinated in the NICU at the KPMCP (Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program). Chart reviews were carried out before and after all immunizations were administered and for all sepsis evaluations after age 53 days. The clinical characteristics of infants on the day before receiving a sepsis evaluation were compared between children undergoing post-immunization sepsis evaluations and children undergoing sepsis evaluation at other times. The incidence rate of sepsis evaluations in the post-immunization period was compared with the rate in a control time period not following immunization using Poisson regression. A total of 490 infants met the inclusion criteria. The rate of fever was increased in the 24 h period after vaccination (2.3%, Pimmunization than during the control period, although this was not statistically significant (P=0.09). Infants undergoing a sepsis evaluation after immunization were more likely to have an apneic, bradycardic or moderate-to-severe cardiorespiratory event in the day before the evaluation than were infants undergoing sepsis evaluations at other times (Pimmunization in the NICU, routine vaccination was not associated with increased risk of receiving sepsis evaluations. Providers may be deferring immunizations until infants are clinically stable, or may have a higher threshold for initiating sepsis evaluations after immunization than at other times.

MS Sunshine Study: Sun Exposure But Not Vitamin D Is Associated with Multiple Sclerosis Risk in Blacks and Hispanics.

Science.gov (United States)

Langer-Gould, Annette; Lucas, Robyn; Xiang, Anny H; Chen, Lie H; Wu, Jun; Gonzalez, Edlin; Haraszti, Samantha; Smith, Jessica B; Quach, Hong; Barcellos, Lisa F

2018-02-27

Multiple sclerosis (MS) incidence and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels vary by race/ethnicity. We examined the consistency of beneficial effects of 25OHD and/or sun exposure for MS risk across multiple racial/ethnic groups. We recruited incident MS cases and controls (blacks 116 cases/131 controls; Hispanics 183/197; whites 247/267) from the membership of Kaiser Permanente Southern California into the MS Sunshine Study to simultaneously examine sun exposure and 25OHD, accounting for genetic ancestry and other factors. Higher lifetime ultraviolet radiation exposure (a rigorous measure of sun exposure) was associated with a lower risk of MS independent of serum 25OHD levels in blacks (adjusted OR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.31-0.83; p = 0.007) and whites (OR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.48-0.94; p = 0.020) with a similar magnitude of effect that did not reach statistical significance in Hispanics (OR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.42-1.04; p = 0.071). Higher serum 25OHD levels were associated with a lower risk of MS only in whites. No association was found in Hispanics or blacks regardless of how 25OHD was modeled. Lifetime sun exposure appears to reduce the risk of MS regardless of race/ethnicity. In contrast, serum 25OHD levels are not associated with MS risk in blacks or Hispanics. Our findings challenge the biological plausibility of vitamin D deficiency as causal for MS and call into question the targeting of specific serum 25OHD levels to achieve health benefits, particularly in blacks and Hispanics.

Low Risk of Cervical Cancer/Precancer Among Most Women Under Surveillance Postcolposcopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Demarco, Maria; Cheung, Li C; Kinney, Walter K; Wentzensen, Nicolas; Lorey, Thomas S; Fetterman, Barbara; Poitras, Nancy E; Befano, Brian; Castle, Philip E; Schiffman, Mark

2018-04-01

To inform impending postcolposcopy guidelines, this analysis examined the subsequent risk of CIN 3+ among women with a grade lower than CIN 2 (< CIN 2) colposcopy results, taking into account the referring results that brought them to colposcopy and cotest results postcolposcopy. We analyzed 107,005 women from 25 to 65 years old, recommended for colposcopy at Kaiser Permanente Northern California. We estimated absolute risks of CIN 3+ among women: (1) recommended for colposcopy (precolposcopy), (2) following colposcopy and with histology results < CIN 2 (postcolposcopy), and (3) with cotest results 12 months after a < CIN 2 colposcopy (return cotest). After colposcopy showing < CIN 2 (n = 69,790; 87% of the women at colposcopy), the 1-year risk of CIN 3+ was 1.2%, compared with 6.3% at the time of colposcopy recommendation. Negative cotest results 1 year after colposcopy identified a large group (37.1%) of women whose risk of CIN 3+ (i.e., <0.2% at 3 years after postcolposcopy cotest) was comparable with women with normal cytology in the screening population. These risks are consistent with current guidelines recommending repeat cotesting 12 months after colposcopy < CIN 2 and a 3-year return for women with a negative postcolposcopy cotest. Most women are at low risk of subsequent CIN 3+ after a colposcopy showing < CIN 2, especially those who are human papillomavirus-negative postcolposcopy, consistent with current management guidelines for repeat testing intervals. Before the finalizing the upcoming guidelines, we will consider additional rounds of postcolposcopy cotesting.

MAPEAMENTO GEOMORFOLÓGICO DE DETALHE PARA DELIMITAÇÃO DE ÁREAS DE PRESERVAÇÃO PERMANENTE (APP DE ZONAS COSTEIRAS EM ATENDIMENTO AO CADASTRO AMBIENTAL RURAL (CAR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anderson Targino da Silva Ferreira

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Este trabalho teve como objetivo apresentar a metodologia para o mapeamento de Áreas de Preservação Permanente (APP de zonas costeiras em atendimento ao Cadastro Ambiental Rural (CAR, adequada para escala de detalhe que exige o imóvel rural. A metodologia consistiu na geração do Modelo Digital de Elevação (MDE da zona costeira, a partir do posicionamento GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems; no mapeamento das feições morfológicas costeiras, com reconhecimento in situ; e no atendimento à legislação ambiental vigente quanto às definições de APP. No controle de qualidade do MDE do estudo de caso, as discrepâncias entre as altitudes do modelo e as de referência tiveram erro médio quadrático de 0,047 m. No mapa de APP, o índice de exatidão kappa com valor de 83% indicou que a probabilidade das categorias mapeadas (40% de APP e 60% passível de uso terem sido classificadas corretamente representou uma avaliação muito boa, indicando a alta sensibilidade do mapa em classificar as unidades geomorfológicas do terreno. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que a metodologia empregada tem amplo potencial (acurácia, eficiência, rapidez e baixo custo na delimitação de APP de zonas costeiras em atendimento ao CAR, onde as feições morfológicas são normalmente de pequenas dimensões.

FEIÇÕES GEOMORFOLÓGICAS, ÁREAS DE PRESERVAÇÃO PERMANENTE E IMPLANTAÇÃO DE MEGAPROJETO DE INFRAESTRUTURA URBANA/HOTELEIRA NA VIA COSTEIRA DE NATAL/RN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marceu Melo

2018-04-01

Full Text Available O litoral do planeta sustenta diversas atividades econômicas, abriga grande parte da população mundial e é considerado ambiente de relativa fragilidade. O desenvolvimento da atividade turística no Rio Grande do Norte está diretamente associada ao litoral e adquiriu maior relevância no final da década de 1970 e início da década de 1980, no contexto da política dos megaprojetos turísticos, através da implantação do projeto Via Costeira em Natal, que objetivava ampliar a infraestrutura hoteleira da capital do estado. O projeto foi aprovado e parcialmente implantado, embora tenha sofrido diversas críticas e reformulações, sobretudo devido às características naturais da área proposta para sua instalação, composta majoritariamente por dunas móveis ou cobertas por vegetação do Bioma Mata Atlântica. O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar quais elementos geomorfológicos foram afetados pela sua implantação e, a partir destes, delimitar as Áreas de Preservação Permanente (APPs definidas pela legislação. Os resultados demonstraram que o projeto foi realizado em quase sua totalidade sobre APPs. Concluímos que a medida mais adequada é declarar os trechos não ocupados como áreas non aedificandi e executar projetos de recuperação das áreas degradadas.

Avaliação continuada da educação permanente na atenção à criança na estratégia saúde da família Continuous evaluation of permanent education concerning child care as part of the family health strategy

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Katia Virginia de Oliveira Feliciano

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Este artigo apresenta a avaliação continuada do trabalho realizado e os resultados que podem ser atribuídos à educação permanente na atenção à criança, desenvolvida junto às equipes de saúde da família, com gerência compartilhada pelo Programa de Extensão Comunitária do Instituto Materno Infantil Prof. Fernando Figueira (IMIP, e Secretarias Municipais de Saúde do Recife e Olinda, em Pernambuco, Brasil. Com apoio de consultores externos, o grupo executor realizou reflexão crítica sistemática, orientada pelas categorias desempenho, efeitos e efetividade, visando aprimorar o trabalho em seu decorrer. As fontes de informação foram os registros diários do grupo e das equipes e as percepções sobre o trabalho. Apesar da dificuldade de transformar em rotina as mudanças alcançadas, a educação permanente tem qualificado a atenção à criança. A satisfação das equipes reforça o sentimento de sua fecundidade e operacionalidade.This article presents a continuous evaluation of work involving permanent education regarding childcare and the results that can be attributed to it, as carried out by family health teams managed jointly by the Community Outreach Program of the Instituto Materno Infantil Prof. Fernando Figueira, IMIP and the Municipal Departments of Health of the city Recife and the city of Olinda, State of Pernambuco, Brazil. With the support of external consultants, the group carried out systematic critical reflection, organized around the categories of performance, effects and effectiveness, with a view to enhancing the work under way. The sources of information used were the daily registers of the group and the teams and their views regarding the work. Despite the difficulty of transforming the changes brought about into routines, continuous education seems to have improved the quality of childcare. The satisfaction the teams feel corroborates this feeling that this work is both feasible and productive.

Formación del formador de personas adultas: de la realización profesional a la transformación permanente de los entornos comunitarios

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Antonio MEDINA RIVILLA

2009-11-01

Full Text Available RESUMEN: La formación y actualización permanente es un deber y un derecho de los formadores, y un compromiso de las administraciones e instituciones educativas. Los modelos y estrategias de formación del formador se han ido adaptando a las situaciones en las que actúan los formadores. Entre los modelos que más hemos desarrollado con los formadores destacamos:El proceso de autoconocimiento e identidad profesional desde la narrativa justificada de la propia autobiografía formativa.La construcción del saber práctico.El proceso de desarrollo profesional en equipo, con apoyo entre colegas.La creación de una cultura de colaboración. Estas amplias perspectivas se complementan con la transformación de la práctica reflexiva individualizada, que facilita el avance del conocimiento profesional y la madurez formativa de los formadores.Estas perspectivas se integran en un modelo pensativo-colaborativo, fundamentado en un proceso de indagación continua y de avance del saber profesional en coherencia con las teorías implícitas de los formadores/as. El formador/a ha de encontrar las claves para diseñar su itinerario de profesionalización y vivirlo en continua mejora y diálogo con colegas, abierto a las demandas de la comunidad y a los retos -sociolaborales, necesitados de un aprendizaje a lo largo de la vida.ABSTRACT: The formation and permanent update is a duty and a right of the forming ones, and a commitment of the administrations and educational institutions. The models and strategies of formation of the forming one have been adapting to situations in which they actuate the forming ones. Among the models that more we have developed with the forming ones we stand out:The process of self-knowledge and identity professional from the narrative of the own formative autobiography.The construction of to know practically.The process of professional development in equipment, with support between colleagues.The creation of a culture of collaboration

Pricing of surgeries for colon cancer: patient severity and market factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Dor, Avi; Koroukian, Siran; Xu, Fang; Stulberg, Jonah; Delaney, Conor; Cooper, Gregory

2012-12-01

This study examined effects of health maintenance organization (HMO) penetration, hospital competition, and patient severity on the uptake of laparoscopic colectomy and its price relative to open surgery for colon cancer. The MarketScan Database (data from 2002-2007) was used to identify admissions for privately insured colorectal cancer patients undergoing laparoscopic or open partial colectomy (n = 1035 and n = 6389, respectively). Patient and health plan characteristics were retrieved from these data; HMO market penetration rates and an index of hospital market concentration, the Herfindahl-Hirschman index (HHI), were derived from national databases. Logistic and logarithmic regressions were used to examine the odds of having laparoscopic colectomy, effect of covariates on colectomy prices, and the differential price of laparoscopy. Adoption of laparoscopy was highly sensitive to market forces, with a 10% increase in HMO penetration leading to a 10.9% increase in the likelihood of undergoing laparoscopic colectomy (adjusted odds ratio = 1.109; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.062, 1.158) and a 10% increase in HHI resulting in 6.6% lower likelihood (adjusted odds ratio = 0.936; 95% CI = 0.880, 0.996). Price models indicated that the price of laparoscopy was 7.6% lower than that of open surgery (transformed coefficient = 0.927; 95% CI = 0.895, 0.960). A 10% increase in HMO penetration was associated with 1.6% lower price (transformed coefficient = 0.985; 95% CI = 0.977, 0.992), whereas a 10% increase in HHI was associated with 1.6% higher price (transformed coefficient = 1.016; 95% CI = 1.006, 1.027; P prices. Moreover, laparoscopic surgery may result in cost savings, while market pressures contribute to its adoption. Copyright © 2012 American Cancer Society.

An opportunity for HMOs to use marketing to increase enrollee satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Dwore, R B; Murray, B P; Parsons, R P; Gustafson, G

2001-01-01

To identify the combination of marketing components (i.e., service, price, access, and promotion) of commercial health maintenance organizations (HMOs) that are related to overall enrollee satisfaction. The researchers focus on factors that commercial HMOs control directly--specifically, health care organization and financing. Descriptive (mail order). This study uses national data provided by a major health benefits consulting firm, which collected data from a 1997 calendar year mail survey of HMO administrators. The administrators responded to an extensive survey, which tapped selected HMO marketing-mix components and the percentage of surveyed members who indicated satisfaction with their HMOs. To test hypotheses, researchers treated marketing-mix components as independent variables and enrollee satisfaction as the dependent variable. This study found statistically significant relationships between overall satisfaction and HMO providers' quality; access, particularly to specialists and out-of-network providers; waiting times for physician services; customer service; and disease prevention/health promotion programs. The researchers did not find significant relationships between overall satisfaction and accreditation by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), the presence of physician gatekeepers, numbers of providers, or financial indicators. The relationship between overall satisfaction and utilization was mixed. This study's findings are largely consistent with the literature, consumer- and professional-group position papers, and the President's Advisory Commission on Consumer Protection and Quality in the Health Care Industry. HMOs can use marketing as a way to address problems and pursue opportunities identified by enrollees. As these findings demonstrate, certain features of HMO design are more appealing to patients. By focusing on these preferences, HMOs can adopt a responsive market orientation that gives rise to more effective marketing mixes

Cloud point extraction and speciation of iron(3) of 10-7-10-6 M level using 8-quinolinol derivatives and triton X-100

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohashi, K.; Ougiyanagi, J.; Choi, S.Y.; Ito, H.; Imura, H.

2001-01-01

The cloud point extraction behaviour, specification, and determination of traces of iron(III) with 8-quinolinol derivatives (HA), such as 8-quinolinol (HQ), 2-methyl-8-quinolinol (HMQ), and 2-methyl-5-octyl-oxy-methyl-8-quinolinol (HMO 8 Q) were investigated. Above pH 4.0, more than 95% of iron(III) was extracted with 5.00 x 10 -2 M HQ, HMQ, and HMO 8 Q in 4 (v/v)% Triton X-100. The proposed method was applied to the determination of iron(III) in the Riverine Water Reference (JAC 0031 and JAC 0032) by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The results agreed well with the certified values within 2% of the RSD. (authors)

Contribution to the study of molybdic medium and of rare earth molybdates in solution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bouih, A.

1989-01-01

On one hand,a potentiometric study of molybdic medium is done, and on the other hand, trivalent Europium behaviour in this medium is investigated The using of potentiometric data resulting from the molybdic medium study has permited to determine, with the help of a calculation program based on the electroneutrality equations and on the mass conservation, the equilibrium constants corresponding to the polymerization of molybdic acid. The behaviour of trivalent Europium in molybdic medium has been investigated using solvent extraction and potentiometry methods. Both methods have permited to identify two complexes: EuHMo7O24(2-); EuHMo7O24(2-) and to calculate their equilibrium constants. 11 figs., 12 tabs., 29 refs.(author)

A Model for Positively Correlated Count Variables

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, Jesper; Rubak, Ege Holger

2010-01-01

An α-permanental random field is briefly speaking a model for a collection of non-negative integer valued random variables with positive associations. Though such models possess many appealing probabilistic properties, many statisticians seem unaware of α-permanental random fields...... and their potential applications. The purpose of this paper is to summarize useful probabilistic results, study stochastic constructions and simulation techniques, and discuss some examples of α-permanental random fields. This should provide a useful basis for discussing the statistical aspects in future work....

How should HMOs measure their efforts and accomplishments?

Science.gov (United States)

Probst, F R

1988-03-01

Accounting procedures among prepaid healthcare plans vary considerably, so much so that the accounting profession is considering what should be appropriate practice. Some standardarization is needed because of wide variations in measuring performance. This can be an obstacle in discussions of whether HMOs are more efficient than other delivery systems and what type of HMO is most successful. Healthcare expenses can be recognized at the time of payment, at the time they are reported to the plan, at the time services are provided, or in anticipation of future services. The accounting profession has identified four HMO models to determine whether organizational structure should affect financial reporting. The models, which differ in the relationship between the HMO and enrolled members and physicians, are staff model, group model, individual practice association, and network model. The accountants reject recognizing expense at the time of payment because it does not conform to generally accepted accounting principles. They suggest two alternatives: recognizing expense when the service is provided, or recognizing as expense, on the date of initial service, the expected cost of all anticipated services required by the diagnosis. The former approach appears preferable because of its consistency with the way healthcare services are delivered and the logic of accounting theory.

Bio-templated synthesis of lithium manganese oxide microtubes and their application in Li{sup +} recovery

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yu, Qianqian, E-mail: qianqianyu09@gmail.com; Sasaki, Keiko; Hirajima, Tsuyoshi

2013-11-15

Highlights: • Biogenic birnessite was used to synthesize microtube-type Li{sup +} ion sieve. • The biomineral facilitates LMO formation at a lower temperature. • HMO-MT with high Li{sup +} uptake capacity was obtained. • Temperature effects on properties of HMO-MTs were studied. -- Abstract: Microbial transformations, a primary pathway for the Mn oxides formation in nature, provide potential for material-oriented researchers to fabricate new materials. Using Mn oxidizing fungus Paraconiothyrium sp. WL-2 as a bio-oxidizer as well as a bio-template, a special lithium ion sieve with microtube morphology was prepared through a solid-state transformation. Varying the calcination temperature from 300 to 700 °C was found to influence sample properties and consequently, the adsorption of Li{sup +}. Lithium manganese oxide microtube (LMO-MTs) calcined at different temperatures as well as their delithiated products (HMO-MTs) were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Calcination temperatures affect not only the content but also the crystal structure of LMO spinel, which is important in Li{sup +} adsorption. The optimized sample was obtained after calcination at 500 °C for 4 h, which shows higher Li{sup +} adsorption capacity than particulate materials.

Inefficient Metabolism of the Human Milk Oligosaccharides Lacto-N-tetraose and Lacto-N-neotetraose Shifts Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis Physiology

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Ezgi Özcan

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Human milk contains a high concentration of indigestible oligosaccharides, which likely mediated the coevolution of the nursing infant with its gut microbiome. Specifically, Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis (B. infantis often colonizes the infant gut and utilizes these human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs to enrich their abundance. In this study, the physiology and mechanisms underlying B. infantis utilization of two HMO isomers lacto-N-tetraose (LNT and lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT was investigated in addition to their carbohydrate constituents. Both LNT and LNnT utilization induced a significant shift in the ratio of secreted acetate to lactate (1.7–2.0 in contrast to the catabolism of their component carbohydrates (~1.5. Inefficient metabolism of LNnT prompts B. infantis to shunt carbon toward formic acid and ethanol secretion. The global transcriptome presents genomic features differentially expressed to catabolize these two HMO species that vary by a single glycosidic linkage. Furthermore, a measure of strain-level variation exists between B. infantis isolates. Regardless of strain, inefficient HMO metabolism induces the metabolic shift toward formic acid and ethanol production. Furthermore, bifidobacterial metabolites reduced LPS-induced inflammation in a cell culture model. Thus, differential metabolism of milk glycans potentially drives the emergent physiology of host-microbial interactions to impact infant health.

Bio-templated synthesis of lithium manganese oxide microtubes and their application in Li+ recovery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, Qianqian; Sasaki, Keiko; Hirajima, Tsuyoshi

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Biogenic birnessite was used to synthesize microtube-type Li + ion sieve. • The biomineral facilitates LMO formation at a lower temperature. • HMO-MT with high Li + uptake capacity was obtained. • Temperature effects on properties of HMO-MTs were studied. -- Abstract: Microbial transformations, a primary pathway for the Mn oxides formation in nature, provide potential for material-oriented researchers to fabricate new materials. Using Mn oxidizing fungus Paraconiothyrium sp. WL-2 as a bio-oxidizer as well as a bio-template, a special lithium ion sieve with microtube morphology was prepared through a solid-state transformation. Varying the calcination temperature from 300 to 700 °C was found to influence sample properties and consequently, the adsorption of Li + . Lithium manganese oxide microtube (LMO-MTs) calcined at different temperatures as well as their delithiated products (HMO-MTs) were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Calcination temperatures affect not only the content but also the crystal structure of LMO spinel, which is important in Li + adsorption. The optimized sample was obtained after calcination at 500 °C for 4 h, which shows higher Li + adsorption capacity than particulate materials