Alignment of Children's Food Advertising With Proposed Federal Guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

Hingle, Melanie D; Castonguay, Jessica S; Ambuel, Danielle A; Smith, Rachel M; Kunkel, Dale

2015-06-01

It is well established that children are exposed to food marketing promoting calorically dense, low-nutrient products. Reducing exposure to obesogenic marketing presents an opportunity to improve children's health. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which televised food advertising practices targeting children (aged ≤12 years) were consistent with guidelines proposed by a coalition of federal authorities known as the Interagency Working Group on Foods Marketed to Children (IWG). A sample of children's TV programming aired on five national broadcast networks and two cable channels (N=103 shows) was recorded February to April 2013. The sample contained 354 food ads. Advertised products were identified and categorized using industry classification codes and nutrient data obtained from manufacturers. Product compliance with IWG saturated fat, trans fat, added sugar, and sodium guidelines was evaluated. Analyses conducted in 2013 revealed that nearly all food ads (94%) met guidelines for trans fats; 68% and 62% met guidelines for sodium and saturated fat, respectively; and 20% complied with added sugar guidelines. Overall, 1.4% of all child-targeted food ads met all aspects of IWG guidelines. Nearly all food advertisements exceeded guidelines for at least one recommended nutrient to limit. Individually, conformity was high for guidelines for trans fats, moderate for sodium and saturated fats, and poor for added sugar. These findings suggest that child-targeted food advertising remains strongly biased toward less healthy options. Policymakers wishing to regulate food marketing should understand the amount and types of advertisements that children view. Copyright © 2015 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Guidelines for use of fishes in research

Science.gov (United States)

Use of Fishes in Research Committee (joint committee of the American Fisheries Society, the American Institute of Fishery Research Biologists

2014-01-01

The 2004 and 2014 Guidelines were developed to provide a structure that advances appropriate attention toward valid experimental designs and procedures with aquatic animals while ensuring humane treatment of the experimental subjects. At a practical level, the Guidelines are intended to provide general recommendations on field and laboratory endeavors, such as sampling, holding, and handling fishes; to offer information on administrative matters, including regulations and permits; and to address typical ethical concerns, such as perceptions of pain or discomfort experienced by experimental subjects. These Guidelines must be recognized as guidelines. They are not intended to provide detailed instructions but rather to alert investigators to a broad array of topics and concerns to consider prior to initiating study. At a comprehensive level, the principles upon which these Guidelines are based are broadly applicable, and many of the described practices and approaches can be adapted to situations involving other aquatic animal species and conditions. Understanding the differences between fishes and other vertebrates, especially mammals, is critically important to conducting scientifically sound research with fishes. Disparities in life histories and mortality rates in fishes versus other vertebrates are critical in designing sustainable sampling levels in fish populations. The UFR Committee points out that (1) compared to mammalian populations, adult populations of many fish species persist despite very high natural mortality rates in juvenile stages by virtue of the fact that most species lay thousands or tens of thousands of eggs; (2) because of these mortality patterns, research on fishes, especially field research or research on early life stages, can involve, and often requires, much larger numbers of research subjects than does research on mammals; and (3) the animal handling and husbandry requirements for fishes are fundamentally different from those for

The impact of qualitative research on gynaecologic oncology guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

How, Jeffrey Andrew; Abitbol, Jeremie; Lau, Susie; Gotlieb, Walter Henri; Abenhaim, Haim Arie

2015-02-01

Inherent in the care provided to patients with cancer is an important psychosocial element which has been explored scientifically through qualitative research. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the availability of qualitative research in gynaecologic oncology and to measure its integration in gynaecologic oncology practice guidelines. We searched Medline, CINHAL, Scopus, and Web of Science databases to identify the availability of qualitative research conducted in the past 20 years on the three most prevalent gynaecologic cancers: endometrial, ovarian, and cervical cancer. National and international practice guidelines on management of gynaecologic cancers were selected using the National Guideline Clearinghouse website, the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada website, and the Standards and Guidelines Evidence directory of cancer guidelines. Bibliometric analysis was used to determine the frequency of qualitative references cited in these guidelines. One hundred thirteen qualitative research papers on gynaecologic cancers were identified focusing on psychological impacts, social dynamics, and doctor-patient interactions during cancer treatment and recovery. Among the 15 national and international clinical practice guidelines identified on management of gynaecologic cancer, there were a total of 2272 references, and of these only three references citing qualitative research were identified (0.1%) in only one of the 15 practice guidelines. Although qualitative research is being carried out in gynaecologic oncology, its integration into clinical practice guidelines is essentially absent. Efforts to narrow the gap between qualitative research and clinical practice are essential in ensuring a comprehensive approach to the treatment of patients with gynaecologic cancer.

75 FR 1734 - Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule Safe Harbor Proposed Self-Regulatory Guidelines; i-SAFE...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-13

... Proposed Self-Regulatory Guidelines; i-SAFE, Inc. Application for Safe Harbor AGENCY: Federal Trade... for public comment concerning proposed self-regulatory guidelines submitted by i-SAFE, Inc. under the... approval self-regulatory guidelines that would implement the Rule's protections.\\3\\ \\1\\ 64 FR 59888 (1999...

ISRIA statement: ten-point guidelines for an effective process of research impact assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Adam, Paula; Ovseiko, Pavel V; Grant, Jonathan; Graham, Kathryn E A; Boukhris, Omar F; Dowd, Anne-Maree; Balling, Gert V; Christensen, Rikke N; Pollitt, Alexandra; Taylor, Mark; Sued, Omar; Hinrichs-Krapels, Saba; Solans-Domènech, Maite; Chorzempa, Heidi

2018-02-08

As governments, funding agencies and research organisations worldwide seek to maximise both the financial and non-financial returns on investment in research, the way the research process is organised and funded is becoming increasingly under scrutiny. There are growing demands and aspirations to measure research impact (beyond academic publications), to understand how science works, and to optimise its societal and economic impact. In response, a multidisciplinary practice called research impact assessment is rapidly developing. Given that the practice is still in its formative stage, systematised recommendations or accepted standards for practitioners (such as funders and those responsible for managing research projects) across countries or disciplines to guide research impact assessment are not yet available.In this statement, we propose initial guidelines for a rigorous and effective process of research impact assessment applicable to all research disciplines and oriented towards practice. This statement systematises expert knowledge and practitioner experience from designing and delivering the International School on Research Impact Assessment (ISRIA). It brings together insights from over 450 experts and practitioners from 34 countries, who participated in the school during its 5-year run (from 2013 to 2017) and shares a set of core values from the school's learning programme. These insights are distilled into ten-point guidelines, which relate to (1) context, (2) purpose, (3) stakeholders' needs, (4) stakeholder engagement, (5) conceptual frameworks, (6) methods and data sources, (7) indicators and metrics, (8) ethics and conflicts of interest, (9) communication, and (10) community of practice.The guidelines can help practitioners improve and standardise the process of research impact assessment, but they are by no means exhaustive and require evaluation and continuous improvement. The prima facie effectiveness of the guidelines is based on the systematised

Guidelines for the Assessment Process (GAP): A proposal for discussion

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ferná ndez-Ballesteros, R.; Bruyn, E.E.J. De; Gody, A.; Hornke, L.F.; Laak, J. ter; Vizcarro, C.; Westhoff, K.; Westmeyer, H.; Zaccagnini, J.L.

2001-01-01

Current existing or proposed standards and guidelines in the field of psychological assessment are confined to psychological tests and psychological testing. But tests constitute only one category of psychological assessment procedures, and testing is only one of many available strategies or classes

Influence of qualitative research on women's health screening guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

Abadir, Anna Maria; Lang, Ariella; Klein, Talia; Abenhaim, Haim Arie

2014-01-01

Considerable time and resources are allocated to carry out qualitative research. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the availability of qualitative research on women's health screening and assess its influence on screening practice guidelines in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Medline, CINHAL, and WEB of Science databases were used to identify the availability of qualitative research conducted in the past 15 years on 3 different women's health screening topics: cervical cancer screening, breast cancer screening, and prenatal first-trimester screening. Key national practice guidelines on women's health screening were selected using the National Guideline Clearinghouse web site. Bibliometric analysis was used to determine the frequency of qualitative references cited in the guidelines. A total of 272 qualitative research papers on women's health screening was identified: 109 on cervical cancer screening, 104 on breast cancer screening, and 59 on prenatal first-trimester screening. The qualitative studies focused on health care provider perspectives as well as ethical, ethnographic, psychological, and social issues surrounding screening. Fifteen national clinical practice guidelines on women's health screening were identified. A total of 943 references was cited, only 2 of which comprised of qualitative research cited by only 1 clinical practice guideline. Although there is considerable qualitative research that has been carried out on women's health screening, its incorporation into clinical practice guidelines is minimal. Further exploration of the disconnect between the two is important for enhancing knowledge translation of qualitative research within clinical practice. Copyright © 2014 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

A proposal to develop a high temperature structural design guideline for HTGR components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hada, K.

1989-01-01

This paper presents some proposals for developing a high-temperature structural design guideline for HTGR structural components. It is appropriate that a basis for developing high-temperature structural design rules is rested on well-established elevated-temperature design guidelines, if the same failure modes are expected for high-temperature components as considered in such design guidelines. As for the applicability of ASME B and PV Code Case N-47 to structural design rules for high-temperature components (service temperatures ≥ 900 deg. C), the following critical issues on material properties and service life evaluation rules have been pointed out. (i) no work-hardening of stress-strain curves at high temperatures due to dynamic recrystallization; (ii) issues relating to very significant creep; (iii) ductility loss after long-term ageing at high temperatures; (iv) validity of life-fraction rule (Robinson-Taira rule) as creep-fatigue damage evaluation rule. Furthermore, the validity of design margins of elevated-temperature structural design guidelines to high-temperature design rules should be clarified. Solutions and proposals to these issues are presented in this paper. Concerning no work-hardening due to dynamic recrystallization, it is shown that viscous effects cannot be neglected even at high extension rate for tensile tests, and that changes in viscous deformation rates by dynamic recrystallization should be taken into account. The extension rate for tensile tests is proposed to change at high temperatures. The solutions and proposals to the above-mentioned issues lead to the conclusion that the design methodologies of N-47 are basically applicable to the high-temperature structural design guideline for HTGR structural components in service at about 900 deg. C. (author). 9 refs, 5 figs

Proposal of guidelines for structuring an independent regulation body for the Brazilian nuclear sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nicoll Junior, Ricardo

2016-01-01

Regulatory bodies are responsible for regulation in various sectors of society. In Brazil, they work in various areas for the development of the country and have as main objective the social, economic and national development. The progress of new technologies in the nuclear field and their commercialization underscores the need for regulation according to international safety standards. The present research searches through an extensive review of the literature identify the international guidelines for regulatory bodies and make a comparative analysis between Brazil and five countries that have independent regulatory bodies in the nuclear sector. The purpose of the work is to contribute to the Brazilian public sectors, with an evaluation of the country's regulation in the perception of specialists and propose guidelines for the structuring of an independent regulatory body, respecting international agreements and the legislation in force in the country. (author)

[Proposal for a media guideline to improve medical and health journalism].

Science.gov (United States)

Kojima, Masami

2012-01-01

A lot of healthcare professionals experienced annoyance with biased mass media news regarding medical and health issues. In this paper, I propose "news profiling method" and "media guideline" to improve the medical and health journalism.

Guidelines for use of fishes in research: revised and expanded

Science.gov (United States)

Jenkins, Jill A.; Bart, Henry L.; Bowker, James D.; Bowser, Paul R.; MacMillan, J. Randy; Nickum, John G.; Rachlin, Joseph W.; Rose, James D.; Sorensen, Peter W.; Warkentine, Barbara E.; Whitledge, Greg W.

2014-01-01

The Guidelines for the Use of Fishes in Research (2014; 2014 Guidelines), now available through the American fisheries Society (AFS) website and in print from the AFS bookstore, is a resource to aid researchers and regulatory authorities regarding responsible, scientifically valid research on fish and aquatic wildlife. The Guidelines for the Use of Fishes in Field Research (American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists [ASIH] et al. 1987, 1988) emphasized field research and was followed by the 2004 Guidelines including laboratory research topics. Each version of the Guidelines has been jointly endorsed and/or published by the ASIH, the American Institute of Fishery Research Biologists (AIFRB), and AFS--each focusing on the scientific understanding, global conservation, and sustainability of aquatic animals, fisheries, and ecosystems. Changes with time necessitate revisions to make the Guidelines consistent with contemporary practices and scientific literature so to remain relevant as a technical resource. This document provides not only general principles relevant for field and laboratory research endeavors but includes specific requirements for researchers working within the United States and outside of the country. Within the scope of their expertise, the 2014 Uses of Fishers in Research (UFR) Committee members updated and revised sections, resulting in a 90-page 2014 Guidelines having undergone through peer review. As before, topical areas were addressed (see Table of Contents on page 416). Expanded coverage was provided on U.S. and international agencies and programs relevant to research with fishes. The Surgical Procedures and the Marking and Tagging section received special focus by a UFR Subcommittee. Feeds and Feeding and the Administration of Drugs, Biologics and Other Chemicals are just some of the newly added topics. The 2014 Guidelines is user-friendly by way of hyperlinks to external Internet sites, intradocument sections, and tables of

Sewage epidemiology and illicit drug research: the development of ethical research guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

Prichard, Jeremy; Hall, Wayne; de Voogt, Pim; Zuccato, Ettore

2014-02-15

To discuss the need to develop ethical guidelines for researchers using sewage epidemiology to monitor drug use in the general population and specific precincts, including prisons, schools and workplaces. Describe current applications of sewage epidemiology, identify potential ethical risks associated with this science, and identify key means by which these risks may be mitigated through proportionate ethical guidance that allows this science to be fully developed. A rapidly advancing field of research is sewage epidemiology (SE) - the analysis of wastewater samples to monitor illicit drug use and other substances. Typically this research involves low ethical risks because individual participants cannot be identified and, consequently, review has been waived by human research ethics committees. In the absence of such oversight, ethical research guidelines are recommended for SE teams, peer reviewers and journal editors; guidelines will assist them to mitigate any risks in general population studies and studies of prisons, schools and workplaces. Potential harms include the stigmatisation of participants and, in the prison setting, austere policy responses to SE data that impact negatively upon inmate-participants. The risk of harm can be managed through research planning, awareness of the socio-political context in which results will be interpreted (or, in the case of media, sensationalised) and careful relations with industry partners. Ethical guidelines should be developed in consultation with SE scholars and be periodically amended. They should include publication processes that safeguard scientific rigour and be promulgated through existing research governance structures. Guidelines will assist to promote an ethical research culture among SE teams and scholars involved in the publication process and this will work to protect the reputation of the field. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Menopausal Transition: Guidelines for Researchers.

Science.gov (United States)

Mansfield, Phyllis Kernoff; And Others

1989-01-01

Research guidelines are presented to encourage sound research on the menopausal transition. Included is a review of current literature covering three aspects of menopausal transition: age span, changes in menstrual bleeding during the transition, and other psychological and somatic changes during premenopausal stages. (IAH)

Using mixed methods research in medical education: basic guidelines for researchers.

Science.gov (United States)

Schifferdecker, Karen E; Reed, Virginia A

2009-07-01

Mixed methods research involves the collection, analysis and integration of both qualitative and quantitative data in a single study. The benefits of a mixed methods approach are particularly evident when studying new questions or complex initiatives and interactions, which is often the case in medical education research. Basic guidelines for when to use mixed methods research and how to design a mixed methods study in medical education research are not readily available. The purpose of this paper is to remedy that situation by providing an overview of mixed methods research, research design models relevant for medical education research, examples of each research design model in medical education research, and basic guidelines for medical education researchers interested in mixed methods research. Mixed methods may prove superior in increasing the integrity and applicability of findings when studying new or complex initiatives and interactions in medical education research. They deserve an increased presence and recognition in medical education research.

Proposal for the development of ICNIRP guidelines on limits for optical radiation exposure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Siekmann, H. [Berufsgenossenschaftliches Institut fuer Arbeitsschutz - FIA, Sankt Augustin (Germany); Reidenbach, H.D. [Fachhochschule Koeln (Germany)

2004-07-01

Guidelines on limits of exposure to incoherent ultraviolet radiation, to incoherent visible and infrared radiation and to laser radiation have been published by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). These guidelines are accepted globally and form the basis for risk assessment procedures for optical radiation in many countries. With the appearance of new scientific cognition the ICNIRP guidelines will be revised from time to time. A revision may also concern more formal aspects. Some proposals for the development of the ICNIRP limit value recommendations for optical radiation exposures follow. (orig.)

PREPARE: guidelines for planning animal research and testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Adrian J; Clutton, R Eddie; Lilley, Elliot; Hansen, Kristine E Aa; Brattelid, Trond

2018-04-01

There is widespread concern about the quality, reproducibility and translatability of studies involving research animals. Although there are a number of reporting guidelines available, there is very little overarching guidance on how to plan animal experiments, despite the fact that this is the logical place to start ensuring quality. In this paper we present the PREPARE guidelines: Planning Research and Experimental Procedures on Animals: Recommendations for Excellence. PREPARE covers the three broad areas which determine the quality of the preparation for animal studies: formulation, dialogue between scientists and the animal facility, and quality control of the various components in the study. Some topics overlap and the PREPARE checklist should be adapted to suit specific needs, for example in field research. Advice on use of the checklist is available on the Norecopa website, with links to guidelines for animal research and testing, at https://norecopa.no/PREPARE .

Guidelines for Self-assessment of Research Reactor Safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2018-01-01

Self-assessment is an organization’s internal process to review its current status, processes and performance against predefined criteria and thereby to provide key elements for the organization’s continual development and improvement. Self-assessment helps the organization to think through what it is expected to do, how it is performing in relation to these expectations, and what it needs to do to improve performance, fulfil the expectations and achieve better compliance with the predefined criteria. This publication provides guidelines for a research reactor operating organization to perform a self-assessment of the safety management and the safety of the facility and to identify gaps between the current situation and the IAEA safety requirements for research reactors. These guidelines also provide a methodology for Member States, regulatory bodies and operating organizations to perform a self-assessment of their application of the provisions of the Code of Conduct on the Safety of Research Reactors. This publication also addresses planning, implementation and follow-up of actions to enhance safety and strengthen application of the Code. The guidelines are applicable to all types of research reactor and critical and subcritical assemblies, at all stages in their lifetimes, and to States, regulatory bodies and operating organizations throughout all phases of research reactor programmes. Research reactor operating organizations can use these guidelines at any time to support self-assessments conducted in accordance with the organization’s integrated management system. These guidelines also serve as a tool for an organization to prepare to receive an IAEA Integrated Safety Assessment of Research Reactors (INSARR) mission. An important result of this is the opportunity for an operating organization to identify focus areas and make safety improvements in advance of an INSARR mission, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the mission and efficiency of the

Methodological Guidelines for Advertising Research

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rossiter, John R.; Percy, Larry

2017-01-01

In this article, highly experienced advertising academics and advertising research consultants John R. Rossiter and Larry Percy present and discuss what they believe to be the seven most important methodological guidelines that need to be implemented to improve the practice of advertising research....... Their focus is on methodology, defined as first choosing a suitable theoretical framework to guide the research study and then identifying the advertising responses that need to be studied. Measurement of those responses is covered elsewhere in this special issue in the article by Bergkvist and Langner. Most...

Guidelines for Conducting Mixed-methods Research: An Extension and Illustration.

OpenAIRE

Venkatesh, Viswanath

2016-01-01

In this paper, we extend the guidelines of Venkatesh et al. (2013) for mixed-methods research by identifying and integrating variations in mixed-methods research. By considering 14 properties of mixed-methods research (e.g., purposes, research questions, epistemological assumptions), our guidelines demonstrate how researchers can flexibly identify the existing variations in mixed-methods research and proceed accordingly with a study design that suits their needs. To make the guide...

[Contribution of Chilean research to the formulation of national clinical guidelines].

Science.gov (United States)

Núñez, Paulina F; Torres, Adrián C; Armas, Rodolfo M

2014-12-01

In Chile, 80 diseases were included in a health care system called Health Care Guarantees (GES) and clinical guidelines were elaborated for their management. To assess the scientific background of guidelines and if they were based on research financed by the Chilean National Commission for Science and Technology. The references of the 82 guidelines developed for 80 diseases were reviewed, registering their number, authors, country of origin and funding source. The guidelines had a total of 6,604 references. Of these, only 185 were Chilean (2.8%) and five (0.08%) originated from research financed by the National Commission for Science and Technology. The contribution of research funded by national agencies to the formulation of clinical guidelines is minimal.

Record of responses to public comments on proposed general guidelines for recommendation of sites for nuclear waste repositories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-01-01

The Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (Public Law 97-425, referred to in this document as the Act) assigned to the US Department of Energy (DOE) the authority for the disposal of high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel. Among other provisions, the Act specifies a process and schedule for the siting of two geologic repositories for this purpose. The Act requires that the DOE issue general guidelines for the recommendation of sites for repositories. The guidelines are to be developed in consultation with three Federal agencies (the Council on Environmental Quality, the US Environmental Protection Agency, and the US Geological Survey) and with interested Governors and issued with the concurrence of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. To meet this directive, the DOE convened a task force of program experts to develop proposed guidelines, issued the proposed guidelines on February 7, 1983, and invited comments from the specified Federal agencies, interested Governors, and the general public. Public hearings on the proposed guidelines were held in March at the following locations: Chicago, New Orleans, Washington, DC, Salt Lake City, and Seattle. After considering the resulting comments and preparing responses to them, the task force prepared a draft of this comment-response document and a set of alternative guidelines; these documents were issued on May 27, 1983. This document summarizes the record of comments that directly led to the alternative guidelines of May 27, 1983. It contains synopses of comments, presents the responses of the task force to the comments, and briefly describes how the proposed guidelines of February 7, 1983, were revised to produce the alternative guidelines of May 27, 1983. 13 references

The concept of 'vulnerability' in research ethics: an in-depth analysis of policies and guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

Bracken-Roche, Dearbhail; Bell, Emily; Macdonald, Mary Ellen; Racine, Eric

2017-02-07

The concept of vulnerability has held a central place in research ethics guidance since its introduction in the United States Belmont Report in 1979. It signals mindfulness for researchers and research ethics boards to the possibility that some participants may be at higher risk of harm or wrong. Despite its important intended purpose and widespread use, there is considerable disagreement in the scholarly literature about the meaning and delineation of vulnerability, stemming from a perceived lack of guidance within research ethics standards. The aim of this study was to assess the concept of vulnerability as it is employed in major national and international research ethics policies and guidelines. We conducted an in-depth analysis of 11 (five national and six international) research ethics policies and guidelines, exploring their discussions of the definition, application, normative justification and implications of vulnerability. Few policies and guidelines explicitly defined vulnerability, instead relying on implicit assumptions and the delineation of vulnerable groups and sources of vulnerability. On the whole, we found considerable richness in the content on vulnerability across policies, but note that this relies heavily on the structure imposed on the data through our analysis. Our results underscore a need for policymakers to revisit the guidance on vulnerability in research ethics, and we propose that a process of stakeholder engagement would well-support this effort.

The 2016 CIOMS guidelines and public-health research ethics

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2017-12-01

Dec 1, 2017 ... CIOMS International Ethical Guidelines for Biomedical Research Involving ... mention of public health in relation to social value. • The new guideline 7, .... reports, can be obtained from conventional media sources such as.

Comments from the Behavioral Teratology Committee of the Japanese Teratology Society on OECD guideline for the testing of chemicals, proposal for a new guideline 426, developmental neurotoxicity study, draft document (September 2003).

Science.gov (United States)

Fukui, Yoshihiro; Ema, Makoto; Fujiwara, Michio; Higuchi, Hashihiro; Inouye, Minoru; Iwase, Takayuki; Kihara, Takahide; Nishimura, Tatsuya; Oi, Akihide; Ooshima, Yojiro; Otani, Hiroki; Shinomiya, Mitsuhiro; Sugioka, Kozo; Yamano, Tsunekazu; Yamashita, Keisuke H; Tanimura, Takashi

2004-09-01

In September 2003, a new revision of the draft guideline (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD] Guideline for the Testing of Chemicals, Proposal for a New Guideline 426, Developmental Neurotoxicity Study) was distributed. The draft guideline consists of 51 paragraphs and an appendix. The National Coordinators were requested to arrange national expert reviews of the guideline proposal in their member countries. The member of the Behavioral Teratology (BT) Committee of the Japanese Teratology Society (JTS) reviewed, discussed and commented on the draft Test Guideline proposal. The BT Committee of the JTS also commented that the International Collaborative Study to validate this protocol should be definitely performed. These comments were sent to the OECD Secretariat. The BT Committee of the JTS expects that the comments are useful for further discussion.

75 FR 21008 - Office of Biotechnology Activities; Recombinant DNA Research: Proposed Actions Under the NIH...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-22

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health Office of Biotechnology... Biotechnology Activities (OBA) published a proposal to revise the NIH Guidelines for Research with Recombinant... by fax to 301-496-9839 or mail to the Office of Biotechnology Activities, National Institutes of...

A critical appraisal of guidelines for the management of knee osteoarthritis using Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation criteria

Science.gov (United States)

Poitras, Stéphane; Avouac, Jérôme; Rossignol, Michel; Avouac, Bernard; Cedraschi, Christine; Nordin, Margareta; Rousseaux, Chantal; Rozenberg, Sylvie; Savarieau, Bernard; Thoumie, Philippe; Valat, Jean-Pierre; Vignon, Éric; Hilliquin, Pascal

2007-01-01

Clinical practice guidelines have been elaborated to summarize evidence related to the management of knee osteoarthritis and to facilitate uptake of evidence-based knowledge by clinicians. The objectives of the present review were summarizing the recommendations of existing guidelines on knee osteoarthritis, and assessing the quality of the guidelines using a standardized and validated instrument – the Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation (AGREE) tool. Internet medical literature databases from 2001 to 2006 were searched for guidelines, with six guidelines being identified. Thirteen clinician researchers participated in the review. Each reviewer was trained in the AGREE instrument. The guidelines were distributed to four groups of three or four reviewers, each group reviewing one guideline with the exception of one group that reviewed two guidelines. One independent evaluator reviewed all guidelines. All guidelines effectively addressed only a minority of AGREE domains. Clarity/presentation was effectively addressed in three out of six guidelines, scope/purpose and rigour of development in two guidelines, editorial independence in one guideline, and stakeholder involvement and applicability in none. The clinical management recommendation tended to be similar among guidelines, although interventions addressed varied. Acetaminophen was recommended for initial pain treatment, combined with exercise and education. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were recommended if acetaminophen failed to control pain, but cautiously because of gastrointestinal risks. Surgery was recommended in the presence of persistent pain and disability. Education and activity management interventions were superficially addressed in most guidelines. Guideline creators should use the AGREE criteria when developing guidelines. Innovative and effective methods of knowledge translation to health professionals are needed. PMID:18062805

Guidelines for reporting health economic research.

Science.gov (United States)

Haddad, F S; McLawhorn, A S

2016-02-01

Health economic evaluations potentially provide valuable information to clinicians, health care administrators, and policy makers regarding the financial implications of decisions about the care of patients. The highest quality research should be used to inform decisions that have direct impact on the access to care and the outcome of treatment. However, economic analyses are often complex and use research methods which are relatively unfamiliar to clinicians. Furthermore, health economic data have substantial national, regional, and institutional variability, which can limit the external validity of the results of a study. Therefore, minimum guidelines that aim to standardise the quality and transparency of reporting health economic research have been developed, and instruments are available to assist in the assessment of its quality and the interpretation of results. The purpose of this editorial is to discuss the principal types of health economic studies, to review the most common instruments for judging the quality of these studies and to describe current reporting guidelines. Recommendations for the submission of these types of studies to The Bone & Joint Journal are provided. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2016;98-B:147-51. ©2016 The British Editorial Society of Bone & Joint Surgery.

Guia para la Elaboracion y Evaluacion de Proyectos de Investigacion (Guidelines for Reporting and Evaluating Research Projects).

Science.gov (United States)

Morles, Victor

This article establishes guidelines for conducting and evaluating research projects according to a scientific methodology. The organizational format suggested here follows an outline with elements and details that should be considered in an investigation. Each part of the proposed outline is explained, and terms are defined. Project evaluation is…

Workshop presentation: research guidelines for Construction Management

OpenAIRE

Marco Alvise Bragadin

2013-01-01

Nowadays the European economic system challenges the construction sector to take part to industrial recovery of western countries. In co-operation with the Construction Production research group of the Tampere University of of research about construction management tools and methods were detected. Research guidelines: 1) Construction management: tools and methods to manage construction projects 2) environmental impact of construction projects 3) construction management and safety 4) project p...

Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982; proposed general guidelines for recommendation of sites for nuclear waste repositories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1983-01-01

In accordance with the requirements of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (Pub. L. 97-425), hereinafter referred to as the Act, the Department of Energy is proposing general guidelines for the recommendation of sites for repositories for disposal of high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel in geologic formations. These guidelines are based on the criteria that the Department has used in its National Waste Terminal Storage program, the criteria proposed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and the environmental standards proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency. These guidelines establish the performance requirements for a geologic repository system, specify how the Department will implement its site-selection program, and define the technical qualifications that candidate sites must meet in the various steps of the site-selection process mandated by the Act. After considering comments from the public; consulting with the Council on Environmental Quality, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Director of the Geological Survey, and interested Governors; and obtaining NRC concurrence, the Department will issue these guidelines in final form as a new Part 960 to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR Part 960)

Proposal for guidelines for the physical protection of nuclear materials, plants and transports in Denmark

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-03-01

The guidelines are based on recommendations in the IAEA's ''Physical Protection of Nuclear Material,'' INFCIRC/225/rev.1. In accordance with practice in other countries, the guidelines give more detailed requirements for the protection of reactor plants than those given in the IAEA's present recommendations, which put more emphasis on the protection of nuclear materials. The measures to be taken for nuclear plants, or nuclear transports, are proposed made to fit the potential risk that the more closely defined actions imply. It is suggested that the more detailed rules for the scope of the protection of plants or materials should be laid down by the National Agency on the basis of recommendations made by the Inspectorate of Nuclear Installations, which in turn are based on the safety documentation of the plant/material owners. It is further proposed that the National Agency, again on a recommendation from the Inspectorate, should lay down more detailed guidelines for the reporting of changes in stocks or transports of nuclear materials. (author)

76 FR 21256 - Proposed Assessment Rate Adjustment Guidelines for Large and Highly Complex Institutions

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-15

... and comment are not required and need not be employed to make future changes to the guidelines. [[Page..., including the materiality of guarantees and franchise value. Commenters on the proposed large bank pricing...

Using Qualitative Research to Inform Development of Professional Guidelines: A Case Study of the Society of Critical Care Medicine Family-Centered Care Guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

Coombs, Maureen A; Davidson, Judy E; Nunnally, Mark E; Wickline, Mary A; Curtis, J Randall

2017-08-01

To explore the importance, challenges, and opportunities using qualitative research to enhance development of clinical practice guidelines, using recent guidelines for family-centered care in the ICU as an example. In developing the Society of Critical Care Medicine guidelines for family-centered care in the neonatal ICU, PICU, and adult ICU, we developed an innovative adaptation of the Grading of Recommendations, Assessments, Development and Evaluations approach to explicitly incorporate qualitative research. Using Grading of Recommendations, Assessments, Development and Evaluations and the Council of Medical Specialty Societies principles, we conducted a systematic review of qualitative research to establish family-centered domains and outcomes. Thematic analyses were undertaken on study findings and used to support Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome question development. We identified and employed three approaches using qualitative research in these guidelines. First, previously published qualitative research was used to identify important domains for the Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome questions. Second, this qualitative research was used to identify and prioritize key outcomes to be evaluated. Finally, we used qualitative methods, member checking with patients and families, to validate the process and outcome of the guideline development. In this, a novel report, we provide direction for standardizing the use of qualitative evidence in future guidelines. Recommendations are made to incorporate qualitative literature review and appraisal, include qualitative methodologists in guideline taskforce teams, and develop training for evaluation of qualitative research into guideline development procedures. Effective methods of involving patients and families as members of guideline development represent opportunities for future work.

A Comparative Analysis of Indigenous Research Guidelines to Inform Genomic Research in Indigenous Communities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jay Maddock

2012-05-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Genetic research has potential benefits for improving health, such as identifying molecular characteristics of a disease, understanding disease prevalence and treatment, and developing treatments tailored to patients based on individual genetic characteristics of their disease. Indigenous people are often targeted for genetic research because genes are easier to study in communities that practice endogamy. Therefore, populations perceived to be more homogenous, such as Indigenous peoples, are ideal for genetic studies. While Indigenous communities remain the focal point of many genomic studies, some result in harm and unethical practice. Unfortunately, the harms of poorly formulated and unethical research involving Indigenous people have created barriers to participation that prevent critical and lifesaving research. These harms have led a number of Indigenous communities to develop guidelines for engaging with researchers to assist in safely bridging the gap between genetic research and Indigenous peoples.SPECIFIC AIMS: The specific aims of this study were: (1 to conduct an international review and comparison of Indigenous research guidelines that highlight topics regarding genetics and use of biological samples and identify commonalities and differences among ethical principles of concern to Indigenous peoples; and (2 develop policy recommendations for Indigenous populations interested in creating formal policies around the use of genetic information and protection of biological samples using data from specific aim 1.METHODS: A comparative analysis was performed to identify best research practices and recommendations for Indigenous groups from four countries: Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and the United States. The analysis examined commonalities in political relationships, which support self-determination among these Indigenous communities to control their data. Current international Indigenous guidelines were analyzed to review

75 FR 8085 - National Institutes of Health Guidelines for Human Stem Cell Research

Science.gov (United States)

2010-02-23

... Health Guidelines for Human Stem Cell Research SUMMARY: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is requesting public comment on a revision to the definition of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) in the ``National Institutes of Health Guidelines for Human Stem Cell Research'' (Guidelines). On July 7, 2009, NIH...

75 FR 13137 - National Institutes of Health Guidelines for Human Stem Cell Research

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-18

... Health Guidelines for Human Stem Cell Research SUMMARY: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is extending the public comment period on a revision to the definition of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) in the ``National Institutes of Health Guidelines for Human Stem Cell Research'' (Guidelines). Due to a...

75 FR 4769 - Availability of Grant Funds and Proposed Implementation Guidelines; Withdrawal of Solicitation...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-29

..., 2010, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration published its annual notice entitled... Atmospheric Administration Availability of Grant Funds and Proposed Implementation Guidelines; Withdrawal of Solicitation for the Marine Aquaculture Initiative AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration...

Seismic isolation design guidelines for KALIMER(Revision A)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoo, B; Koo, Gyeong Hoi; Lee, J. H.

2000-04-01

The main purpose of this report is to develop the seismic isolation design guideline for KALIMER(Korea Advanced LIquid MEtal Reactor). The proposed design rules(revision A) are only applicable to the seismic isolation design with using the high damping laminated rubber bearings. When using other seismic isolation devices and applying to 3-dimensional isolation, the proposed guidelines shall be modified and added with proper research data. The rules described in this report are based on the research results performed up to now but needed to be upgraded and verified with more detail research works for the future

Review of national research ethics regulations and guidelines in Middle Eastern Arab countries

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background Research ethics guidelines are essential for conducting medical research. Recently, numerous attempts have been made to establish national clinical research documents in the countries of the Middle East. This article analyzes these documents. Methods Thirteen Arab countries in the Middle East were explored for available national codes, regulations, and guidelines concerning research ethics, and 10 documents from eight countries were found. We studied these documents, considering the ethical principles stated in the Declaration of Helsinki, the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences (CIOMS) guidelines, and the International Conference of Harmonization - Guidelines for Good Clinical Practice (ICH-GCP). Our paper comprises a complete list of protections, such as confidentiality, informed consent, ethics committees, and others. Results This study found different levels and kinds of research ethics regulations and guidelines in the countries examined. Two groups can be distinguished: the countries in the first group have one or more research ethics regulations or guidelines, while the countries in the second group have not yet established any. Most of the documents showed various degrees of deficiencies in regard to ethical protection. The majority of the documents that were examined refer to one or more international documents on biomedical research ethics. Conclusions Recently, a lot of efforts have been made in many countries in the Middle East. However, compared with international documents, most of the research ethics documents in use in this region demonstrate numerous deficiencies. As it relates to these documents, extensive differences could be observed in regard to development, structure, content, and reference to international guidelines. PMID:23234422

Diagnostic Principles of Peri-Implantitis: a Systematic Review and Guidelines for Peri-Implantitis Diagnosis Proposal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ausra Ramanauskaite

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Objectives: To review and summarize the literature concerning peri-implantitis diagnostic parameters and to propose guidelines for peri-implantitis diagnosis. Material and Methods: An electronic literature search was conducted of the MEDLINE (Ovid and EMBASE databases for articles published between 2011 and 2016. Sequential screening at the title/abstract and full-text levels was performed. Systematic reviews/guidelines of consensus conferences proposing classification or suggesting diagnostic parameters for peri-implantitis in the English language were included. The review was recorded on PROSPERO system with the code CRD42016033287. Results: The search resulted in 10 articles that met the inclusion criteria. Four were papers from consensus conferences, two recommended diagnostic guidelines, three proposed classification of peri-implantitis, and one suggested an index for implant success. The following parameters were suggested to be used for peri-implantitis diagnosis: pain, mobility, bleeding on probing, probing depth, suppuration/exudate, and radiographic bone loss. In all of the papers, different definitions of peri-implantitis or implant success, as well as different thresholds for the above mentioned clinical and radiographical parameters, were used. Current evidence rationale for the diagnosis of peri-implantitis and classification based on consecutive evaluation of soft-tissue conditions and the amount of bone loss were suggested. Conclusions: Currently there is no single uniform definition of peri-implantitis or the parameters that should be used. Rationale for diagnosis and prognosis of peri-implantitis as well as classification of the disease is proposed.

The International Rare Diseases Research Consortium: Policies and Guidelines to maximize impact.

Science.gov (United States)

Lochmüller, Hanns; Torrent I Farnell, Josep; Le Cam, Yann; Jonker, Anneliene H; Lau, Lilian Pl; Baynam, Gareth; Kaufmann, Petra; Dawkins, Hugh Js; Lasko, Paul; Austin, Christopher P; Boycott, Kym M

2017-12-01

The International Rare Diseases Research Consortium (IRDiRC) has agreed on IRDiRC Policies and Guidelines, following extensive deliberations and discussions in 2012 and 2013, as a first step towards improving coordination of research efforts worldwide. The 25 funding members and 3 patient umbrella organizations (as of early 2013) of IRDiRC, a consortium of research funders that focuses on improving diagnosis and therapy for rare disease patients, agreed in Dublin, Ireland in April 2013 on the Policies and Guidelines that emphasize collaboration in rare disease research, the involvement of patients and their representatives in all relevant aspects of research, as well as the sharing of data and resources. The Policies and Guidelines provide guidance on ontologies, diagnostics, biomarkers, patient registries, biobanks, natural history, therapeutics, models, publication, intellectual property, and communication. Most IRDiRC members-currently nearly 50 strong-have since incorporated its policies in their funding calls and some have chosen to exceed the requirements laid out, for instance in relation to data sharing. The IRDiRC Policies and Guidelines are the first, detailed agreement of major public and private funding organizations worldwide to govern rare disease research, and may serve as a template for other areas of international research collaboration. While it is too early to assess their full impact on research productivity and patient benefit, the IRDiRC Policies and Guidelines have already contributed significantly to improving transparency and collaboration in rare disease research.

Workshop presentation: research guidelines for Construction Management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Alvise Bragadin

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Nowadays the European economic system challenges the construction sector to take part to industrial recovery of western countries. In co-operation with the Construction Production research group of the Tampere University of of research about construction management tools and methods were detected. Research guidelines: 1 Construction management: tools and methods to manage construction projects 2 environmental impact of construction projects 3 construction management and safety 4 project procurement 5 construction management for major public works & complex projects

Research Contributions towards Guidelines for Land Administration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stubkjær, Erik

. Recently, the issue of the core of the cadastral system was addressed. The presentation will summarise the research outcome, and relate it to development needs in European land administration, as illustrated by the Land Administration Guidelines. Comments on long-term capacity building and on terminology...

Setting Priorities in Global Child Health Research Investments: Guidelines for Implementation of the CHNRI Method

Science.gov (United States)

Rudan, Igor; Gibson, Jennifer L.; Ameratunga, Shanthi; El Arifeen, Shams; Bhutta, Zulfiqar A.; Black, Maureen; Black, Robert E.; Brown, Kenneth H.; Campbell, Harry; Carneiro, Ilona; Chan, Kit Yee; Chandramohan, Daniel; Chopra, Mickey; Cousens, Simon; Darmstadt, Gary L.; Gardner, Julie Meeks; Hess, Sonja Y.; Hyder, Adnan A.; Kapiriri, Lydia; Kosek, Margaret; Lanata, Claudio F.; Lansang, Mary Ann; Lawn, Joy; Tomlinson, Mark; Tsai, Alexander C.; Webster, Jayne

2008-01-01

This article provides detailed guidelines for the implementation of systematic method for setting priorities in health research investments that was recently developed by Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative (CHNRI). The target audience for the proposed method are international agencies, large research funding donors, and national governments and policy-makers. The process has the following steps: (i) selecting the managers of the process; (ii) specifying the context and risk management preferences; (iii) discussing criteria for setting health research priorities; (iv) choosing a limited set of the most useful and important criteria; (v) developing means to assess the likelihood that proposed health research options will satisfy the selected criteria; (vi) systematic listing of a large number of proposed health research options; (vii) pre-scoring check of all competing health research options; (viii) scoring of health research options using the chosen set of criteria; (ix) calculating intermediate scores for each health research option; (x) obtaining further input from the stakeholders; (xi) adjusting intermediate scores taking into account the values of stakeholders; (xii) calculating overall priority scores and assigning ranks; (xiii) performing an analysis of agreement between the scorers; (xiv) linking computed research priority scores with investment decisions; (xv) feedback and revision. The CHNRI method is a flexible process that enables prioritizing health research investments at any level: institutional, regional, national, international, or global. PMID:19090596

How institutional change and individual researchers helped advance clinical guidelines in American health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Nigam, Amit

2013-06-01

Clinical guidelines are important tools for managing health care quality. Research on the origins of guidelines primarily focuses on the institutional causes of their emergence and growth. Individual medical researchers, however, have played important roles. This paper develops knowledge of the role of individual medical researchers in advancing guidelines, and of how researchers' efforts were enabled or constrained by broader institutional changes. Drawing on an analytical case study focused on the role of Kerr White, John Wennberg, and Robert Brook, it shows that guidelines were a product of the interplay between institutional change in the medical field and actions by individual researchers, acting as institutional entrepreneurs. Increased government involvement in the health care field triggered the involvement of a range of new actors in health care. These new organizations created a context that allowed individual researchers to advance guidelines by creating job opportunities, providing research funding, and creating opportunities for researchers to engage with the policy process. Individual researchers availed of this context to both advance their ideas, and to draw new actors into the field. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Setting global standards for stem cell research and clinical translation : The 2016 ISSCR guidelines

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Daley, George Q.; Hyun, Insoo; Apperley, Jane F.; Barker, Roger A.; Benvenisty, Nissim; Bredenoord, Annelien L.; Breuer, Christopher K.; Caulfield, Timothy; Cedars, Marcelle I.; Frey-Vasconcells, Joyce; Heslop, Helen E.; Jin, Ying; Lee, Richard T.; McCabe, Christopher; Munsie, Megan; Murry, Charles E.; Piantadosi, Steven; Rao, Mahendra; Rooke, Heather M.; Sipp, Douglas; Studer, Lorenz; Sugarman, Jeremy; Takahashi, Masayo; Zimmerman, Mark; Kimmelman, Jonathan

2016-01-01

The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) presents its 2016 Guidelines for Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation (ISSCR, 2016). The 2016 guidelines reflect the revision and extension of two past sets of guidelines (ISSCR, 2006; ISSCR, 2008) to address new and emerging areas of

Reporting studies on time to diagnosis: proposal of a guideline by an international panel (REST).

Science.gov (United States)

Launay, Elise; Cohen, Jérémie F; Bossuyt, Patrick M; Buekens, Pierre; Deeks, Jonathan; Dye, Timothy; Feltbower, Richard; Ferrari, Andrea; Kramer, Michael; Leeflang, Mariska; Moher, David; Moons, Karel G; von Elm, Erik; Ravaud, Philippe; Chalumeau, Martin

2016-09-27

Studies on time to diagnosis are an increasing field of clinical research that may help to plan corrective actions and identify inequities in access to healthcare. Specific features of time to diagnosis studies, such as how participants were selected and how time to diagnosis was defined and measured, are poorly reported. The present study aims to derive a reporting guideline for studies on time to diagnosis. Each item of a list previously used to evaluate the completeness of reporting of studies on time to diagnosis was independently evaluated by a core panel of international experts (n = 11) for relevance and readability before an open electronic discussion allowed consensus to be reached on a refined list. The list was then submitted with an explanatory document to first, last and/or corresponding authors (n = 98) of published systematic reviews on time to diagnosis (n = 45) for relevance and readability, and finally approved by the core expert panel. The refined reporting guideline consists of a 19-item checklist: six items are about the process of participant selection (with a suggested flowchart), six about the definition and measurement of time to diagnosis, and three about optional analyses of associations between time to diagnosis and participant characteristics and health outcomes. Of 24 responding authors of systematic reviews, more than 21 (≥88 %) rated the items as relevant, and more than 17 (≥70 %) as readable; 19 of 22 (86 %) authors stated that they would potentially use the reporting guideline in the future. We propose a reporting guideline (REST) that could help authors, reviewers, and editors of time to diagnosis study reports to improve the completeness and the accuracy of their reporting.

Guidelines for preclinical animal research in ALS/MND: A consensus meeting.

Science.gov (United States)

Ludolph, Albert C; Bendotti, Caterina; Blaugrund, Eran; Chio, Adriano; Greensmith, Linda; Loeffler, Jean-Philippe; Mead, Richard; Niessen, Heiko G; Petri, Susanne; Pradat, Pierre-Francois; Robberecht, Wim; Ruegg, Markus; Schwalenstöcker, Birgit; Stiller, Detlev; van den Berg, Leonard; Vieira, Fernando; von Horsten, Stephan

2010-01-01

The development of therapeutics for ALS/MND is largely based on work in experimental animals carrying human SOD mutations. However, translation of apparent therapeutic successes from in vivo to the human disease has proven difficult and a considerable amount of financial resources has been apparently wasted. Standard operating procedures (SOPs) for preclinical animal research in ALS/MND are urgently required. Such SOPs will help to establish SOPs for translational research for other neurological diseases within the next few years. To identify the challenges and to improve the research methodology, the European ALS/MND group held a meeting in 2006 and published guidelines in 2007 (1). A second international conference to improve the guidelines was held in 2009. These second and improved guidelines are dedicated to the memory of Sean F. Scott.

Demarcating Mobile Phone Interface Design Guidelines to Expedite Selection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karen Vera Renaud

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Guidelines are recommended as a tool for informing user interface design. Despite a proliferation of guidelines in the research literature, there is little evidence of their use in industry, nor their influence in academic literature. In this paper, we explore the research literature related to mobile phone design guidelines to find out why this should be so. We commenced by carrying out a scoping literature review of the mobile phone design guideline literature to gain insight into the maturity of the field. The question we wanted to explore was: “Are researchers building on each others’ guidelines, or is the research field still in the foundational stage?” We discovered a poorly structured field, with many researchers proposing new guidelines, but little incremental refinement of extant guidelines. It also became clear that the current reporting of guidelines did not explicitly communicate their multi-dimensionality or deployment context. This leaves designers without a clear way of discriminating between guidelines, and could contribute to the lack of deployment we observed. We conducted a thematic analysis of papers identified by means of a systematic literature review to identify a set of dimensions of mobile phone interface design guidelines. The final dimensions provide a mechanism for differentiating guidelines and expediting choice.

Proposed ethical guidelines and legislative framework for permitting gestational surrogacy in Singapore.

Science.gov (United States)

Heng, Boon Chin

2007-09-01

Gestational surrogacy is currently banned in Singapore but is much debated. Some ethical guidelines and legislation for permitting gestational surrogacy in Singapore are proposed and discussed including: (i) review and approval of gestational surrogacy by the Ministry of Health on a case-by-case basis; (ii) stringent guidelines for gonadotrophin stimulation, IVF and ICSI procedures in 'traditional' surrogacy; (iii) restriction of gestational surrogates to parous married women with stable family relationships; (iv) exclusion of foreign women from acting as gestational surrogates, except for close relatives of the recipient couple; (v) reimbursement and/or compensation of gestational surrogates based on the direct expenses model; (vi) exclusion of medical professionals from surrogate recruitment and reimbursement; (vii) the surrogacy contract must make it legally binding for the prospective recipient couple to accept the child, even if it is born with congenital deformities; (viii) stringent guidelines for combining surrogacy with egg donation from a third woman, who is neither the social nor gestational mother. Policymakers in Singapore should conduct a public referendum on the legalization of gestational surrogacy and actively consult the views of healthcare professionals, religious and community leaders, as well as the general public, before reaching any decision.

Research on elaboration of the evaluation guidelines for activities implemented jointly; Kyodo jisshi katsudo hyoka guide line sakutei chosa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-03-01

Elaboration of the evaluation guidelines for activities implemented jointly (AIJ) was researched to prevent the earth from warming. AIJ is the means to globally promote countermeasures against global warming cost-effectively by optimally combining every country`s technology, know-how and fund. AIJ was established in the 1st Conference of the Parties (COPI) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in March, 1995. The pilot phase of AIJ is first carried out by voluntary workers jointly with developing countries under the agreement of the parties. The current situation of activities is reported in COPI as materials for evaluation of AIJ. To promote AIJ, elaboration of the evaluation guidelines for AIJ Japan program is also necessary for Japan. This research arranged the contents of the evaluation guidelines and the method of classifying projects for AIJ Japan program, and carried out some case studies of promising projects to reduce greenhouse gas emission for future proposal. 3 figs., 31 tabs.

Development of Guidelines for the Conduct of HIV Research ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

AJRH Managing Editor

Guidelines for HIV Research Monitoring by Ethics Committees. African Journal of Reproductive Health September 2014 (Special Edition); 18(3):66 ... Health and Community Medicine, UNSW Australia; 2Department of Child Dental Health and the Institute of .... International .... review clinical research protocols to ensure both.

Patient participation in ERS guidelines and research projects: the EMBARC experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Chalmers, James D; Timothy, Alan; Polverino, Eva; Almagro, Marta; Ruddy, Thomas; Powell, Pippa; Boyd, Jeanette

2017-09-01

The European Multicentre Bronchiectasis Audit and Research Collaboration (EMBARC) is a European Respiratory Society (ERS) Clinical Research Collaboration dedicated to improving research and clinical care for people with bronchiectasis. EMBARC has created a European Bronchiectasis Registry, funded by the ERS and by the European Union (EU) Innovative Medicines Initiative Programme. From the outset, EMBARC had the ambition to be a patient-focussed project. In contrast to many respiratory diseases, however, there are no specific patient charities or European patient organisations for patients with bronchiectasis and no existing infrastructure for patient engagement. This article describes the experience of EMBARC and the European Lung Foundation in establishing a patient advisory group and then engaging this group in European guidelines, an international registry and a series of research studies. Patient involvement in research, clinical guidelines and educational activities is increasingly advocated and increasingly important. Genuine patient engagement can achieve a number of goals that are critical to the success of an EU project, including focussing activities on patient priorities, allowing patients to direct the clinical and research agenda, and dissemination of guidelines and research findings to patients and the general public. Here, we review lessons learned and provide guidance for future ERS task forces, EU-funded projects or clinical research collaborations that are considering patient involvement. To understand the different ways in which patients can contribute to clinical guidelines, research projects and educational activities.To understand the barriers and potential solutions to these barriers from a physician's perspective, in order to ensure meaningful patient involvement in clinical projects.To understand the barriers and potential solutions from a patient's perspective, in order to meaningfully involve patients in clinical projects.

Writing a Research Proposal to The Research Council of Oman.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Shukaili, Ahmed; Al-Maniri, Abdullah

2017-05-01

Writing a research proposal can be a challenging task for young researchers. This article explains how to write a strong research proposal to apply for funding, specifically, a proposal for The Research Council (TRC) of Oman. Three different research proposal application forms are currently used in TRC, including Open Research Grant (ORG), Graduate Research Support Program (GRSP), and Faculty-mentored Undergraduate Research Award Program (FURAP). The application forms are filled and submitted electronically on TRC website. Each of the proposals submitted to TRC is selected through a rigorous reviewing and screening process. Novelty and originality of the research idea is the most crucial element in writing a research proposal. Performing an in-depth review of the literature will assist you to compose a good researchable question and generate a strong hypothesis. The development of a good hypothesis will offer insight into the specific objectives of a study. Research objectives should be focused, measurable, and achievable by a specific time using the most appropriate methodology. Moreover, it is essential to select a proper study design in-line with the purpose of the study and the hypothesis. Furthermore, social/economic impact and reasonable budget of proposed research are important criteria in research proposal evaluation by TRC. Finally, ethical principles should be observed before writing a research proposal involving human or animal subjects.

Writing a Research Proposal to The Research Council of Oman

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmed Al-Shukaili

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Writing a research proposal can be a challenging task for young researchers. This article explains how to write a strong research proposal to apply for funding, specifically, a proposal for The Research Council (TRC of Oman. Three different research proposal application forms are currently used in TRC, including Open Research Grant (ORG, Graduate Research Support Program (GRSP, and Faculty-mentored Undergraduate Research Award Program (FURAP. The application forms are filled and submitted electronically on TRC website. Each of the proposals submitted to TRC is selected through a rigorous reviewing and screening process. Novelty and originality of the research idea is the most crucial element in writing a research proposal. Performing an in-depth review of the literature will assist you to compose a good researchable question and generate a strong hypothesis. The development of a good hypothesis will offer insight into the specific objectives of a study. Research objectives should be focused, measurable, and achievable by a specific time using the most appropriate methodology. Moreover, it is essential to select a proper study design in-line with the purpose of the study and the hypothesis. Furthermore, social/economic impact and reasonable budget of proposed research are important criteria in research proposal evaluation by TRC. Finally, ethical principles should be observed before writing a research proposal involving human or animal subjects.

The challenge of developing ethical guidelines for a research infrastructure

Science.gov (United States)

Kutsch, Werner Leo

2016-04-01

The mission of the Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS RI) is to enable research to understand the greenhouse gas (GHG) budgets and perturbations. The ICOS RI provides the long-term observations required to understand the present state and predict future behaviour of the global carbon cycle and GHG emissions. Technological developments and implementations, related to GHGs, will be promoted by the linking of research, education and innovation. In order to provide this data ICOS RI is a distributed research infrastructure. The backbones of ICOS RI are the national measurement stations such as ICOS atmosphere, ecosystem and ocean stations. ICOS Central Facilities are the European level ICOS RI Centres, which have the specific tasks in collecting and processing the data and samples received from the national measurement networks. During the establishment of ICOS RI ethical guidelines were developed. These guidelines describe principles of ethics in the research activities that should be applied within ICOS RI. They should be acknowledged and followed by all researchers affiliated to ICOS RI and should be supported by all participating institutions. The presentation describes (1) the general challenge to develop ethical guidelines in a complex international infrastructure and (2) gives an overview about the content that includes different kinds of conflicts of interests, data ethics and social responsibility.

Research Needed on the Use of CAS Standards and Guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

Creamer, Don G.

2003-01-01

This article suggests research projects that would extend the knowledge base about the use of Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) standards and guidelines in useful ways. Included are five research questions and specific research methodologies to guide researchers. (Contains 20 references.) (Author)

Writing a Research Proposal to The Research Council of Oman

OpenAIRE

Al-Shukaili, Ahmed; Al-Maniri, Abdullah

2017-01-01

Writing a research proposal can be a challenging task for young researchers. This article explains how to write a strong research proposal to apply for funding, specifically, a proposal for The Research Council (TRC) of Oman. Three different research proposal application forms are currently used in TRC, including Open Research Grant (ORG), Graduate Research Support Program (GRSP), and Faculty-mentored Undergraduate Research Award Program (FURAP). The application forms are filled and submitted...

Reflections on the United States National Institutes of Health draft guidelines for research involving human pluripotent stem cells--theological perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Sotis, J J

2000-01-01

Since the human embryonic stem cell research involves destruction of human embryos and, therefore, hinges on the fundamental question of the status of the embryo, it is essential to examine this status carefully in order to establish fitting guidelines for research. The US National Institutes of Health has proposed its own guidelines on the matter recently (1999). The document, rooted in current pluralistic perspectives in moral philosophy (or bioethics), is criticised in this paper as morally inadequate. The argumentation of the criticism stems from the theological perspective on human personhood, which focuses on a continuity of personal identity from embryos to adult human beings. An additional concern for the author is the moral complicity in which the research dependent upon the destruction of human embryonic life is sanctioned.

Clinical algorithms to aid osteoarthritis guideline dissemination

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Meneses, S. R. F.; Goode, A. P.; Nelson, A. E

2016-01-01

Background: Numerous scientific organisations have developed evidence-based recommendations aiming to optimise the management of osteoarthritis (OA). Uptake, however, has been suboptimal. The purpose of this exercise was to harmonize the recent recommendations and develop a user-friendly treatment...... algorithm to facilitate translation of evidence into practice. Methods: We updated a previous systematic review on clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for OA management. The guidelines were assessed using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation for quality and the standards for developing...... to facilitate the implementation of guidelines in clinical practice are necessary. The algorithms proposed are examples of how to apply recommendations in the clinical context, helping the clinician to visualise the patient flow and timing of different treatment modalities. (C) 2016 Osteoarthritis Research...

Proposed quality control guidelines for National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards Susceptibility Tests using the veterinary antimicrobial agent tiamulin.

Science.gov (United States)

Pfaller, M A; Jones, R N; Walter, D H

2001-01-01

Quality control guidelines for standardized antimicrobial susceptibility test methods are critical for the continuing accuracy of these clinical tests. In this report, quality control limits were proposed for the veterinary antimicrobial agent tiamulin with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranges of three or four log(2) dilution steps in two different medium formulations. Disk diffusion zone diameter ranges were proposed for tiamulin tested against Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae ATCC 27090 (12-18 mm) and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 (25-32 mm). The data from eight participating laboratories produced 100% of results within proposed MIC limits (8-32 microg/mL), and 95.8-97.0% of zones were found within suggested zone diameter QC guidelines. These proposed QC ranges should be validated by in-use results from veterinary clinical laboratories.

Setting Global Standards for Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation: The 2016 ISSCR Guidelines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

George Q. Daley

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR presents its 2016 Guidelines for Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation (ISSCR, 2016. The 2016 guidelines reflect the revision and extension of two past sets of guidelines (ISSCR, 2006; ISSCR, 2008 to address new and emerging areas of stem cell discovery and application and evolving ethical, social, and policy challenges. These guidelines provide an integrated set of principles and best practices to drive progress in basic, translational, and clinical research. The guidelines demand rigor, oversight, and transparency in all aspects of practice, providing confidence to practitioners and public alike that stem cell science can proceed efficiently and remain responsive to public and patient interests. Here, we highlight key elements and recommendations in the guidelines and summarize the recommendations and deliberations behind them.

Reporting of clinical trials: a review of research funders' guidelines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Williamson Paula R

2008-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Randomised controlled trials (RCTs represent the gold standard methodological design to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention in humans but they are subject to bias, including study publication bias and outcome reporting bias. National and international organisations and charities give recommendations for good research practice in relation to RCTs but to date no review of these guidelines has been undertaken with respect to reporting bias. Methods National and international organisations and UK based charities listed on the Association for Medical Research Charities website were contacted in 2007; they were considered eligible for this review if they funded RCTs. Guidelines were obtained and assessed in relation to what was written about trial registration, protocol adherence and trial publication. It was also noted whether any monitoring against these guidelines was undertaken. This information was necessary to discover how much guidance researchers are given on the publication of results, in order to prevent study publication bias and outcome reporting bias. Results Seventeen organisations and 56 charities were eligible of 140 surveyed for this review, although there was no response from 12. Trial registration, protocol adherence, trial publication and monitoring against the guidelines were often explicitly discussed or implicitly referred too. However, only eleven of these organisations or charities mentioned the publication of negative as well as positive outcomes and just three of the organisations specifically stated that the statistical analysis plan should be strictly adhered to and all changes should be reported. Conclusion Our review indicates that there is a need to provide more detailed guidance for those conducting and reporting clinical trials to help prevent the selective reporting of results. Statements found in the guidelines generally refer to publication bias rather than outcome reporting bias

Salinity guidelines for irrigation: Case studies from Water Research ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Salinity guidelines for irrigation: Case studies from Water Research Commission projects along the Lower Vaal, Riet, Berg and Breede Rivers. ... It is suggested that a more dynamic approach be used for managing salinity under irrigation at farm level, i.e. the use of models. Amongst others, future research should focus on ...

Proposed Guideline Revisions for Dental Sedation and General Anesthesia: Why Target the Safest Level of Sedation?

Science.gov (United States)

Dionne, Raymond A

2016-09-01

Recently proposed revisions to the American Dental Association's Guidelines for the Use of Sedation and General Anesthesia by Dentists, aimed at improving safety in dental offices, differentiate between levels of sedation based on drug-induced changes in physiologic and behavioral states. However, the author of this op-ed is concerned the proposed revisions may have far-reaching and unintended consequences.

Reporting Guidelines and Checklists Improve the Reliability and Rigor of Research Reports.

Science.gov (United States)

Abbott, J Haxby

2016-03-01

The Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy (JOSPT) requires the use of robust research reporting guidelines for all research report submissions, including the newly adopted RECORD (REporting of studies Conducted using Observational Routinely-collected health Data) statement. We remind authors submitting research to JOSPT to identify the appropriate guideline and checklist for their study design, and to submit a completely and accurately completed checklist with their manuscript. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2016;46(3):130. doi:10.2519/jospt.2016.0105.

Nonmedical interventions for children with ASD: recommended guidelines and further research needs.

Science.gov (United States)

Maglione, Margaret A; Gans, Daphna; Das, Lopamudra; Timbie, Justin; Kasari, Connie

2012-11-01

To use the findings of a systematic review of scientific evidence to develop consensus guidelines on nonmedical interventions that address cognitive function and core deficits in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and to recommend priorities for future research. The guidelines were developed by a Technical Expert Panel (TEP) consisting of practitioners, researchers, and parents. A systematic overview of research findings was presented to the TEP; guideline statements were drafted, discussed, debated, edited, reassessed, and presented for formal voting. The strength of evidence of efficacy varied by intervention type from insufficient to moderate. There was some evidence that greater intensity of treatment (hours per week) and greater duration (in months) led to better outcomes. The TEP agreed that children with ASD should have access to at least 25 hours per week of comprehensive intervention to address social communication, language, play skills, and maladaptive behavior. They agreed that applied behavioral analysis, integrated behavioral/developmental programs, the Picture Exchange Communication System, and various social skills interventions have shown efficacy. Based on identified gaps, they recommend that future research focus on assessment and monitoring of outcomes, addressing the needs of pre/nonverbal children and adolescents, and identifying the most effective strategies, dose, and duration to improve specific core deficits. The creation of treatment guidelines and recommendations for future research represents an effort by leading experts to improve access to services for children with ASDs while acknowledging that the research evidence has many gaps.

How to write a research proposal?

OpenAIRE

K Sudheesh; Devika Rani Duggappa; S S Nethra

2016-01-01

Writing the proposal of a research work in the present era is a challenging task due to the constantly evolving trends in the qualitative research design and the need to incorporate medical advances into the methodology. The proposal is a detailed plan or ?blueprint? for the intended study, and once it is completed, the research project should flow smoothly. Even today, many of the proposals at post-graduate evaluation committees and application proposals for funding are substandard. A search...

Can the identification of an idle line facilitate its removal? A comparison between a proposed guideline and clinical practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Kara, Areeba; Johnson, Cynthia S; Murray, Michelle; Dillon, Jill; Hui, Siu L

2016-07-01

There are 250,000 cases of central line-associated blood stream infections in the United States annually, some of which may be prevented by the removal of lines that are no longer needed. To test the performance of criteria to identify an idle line as a guideline to facilitate its removal. Patients with central lines on the wards were identified. Criteria for justified use were defined. If none were met, the line was considered "idle." We proposed the guideline that a line may be removed the day following the first idle day and compared actual practice with our proposed guideline. One hundred twenty-six lines in 126 patients were observed. Eighty-three (65.9%) were peripherally inserted central catheters. Twenty-seven percent (n= 34) were placed for antibiotics. Seventy-six patients had lines removed prior to discharge. In these patients, the line was in place for 522 days, of which 32.7% were idle. The most common reasons to justify the line included parenteral antibiotics and meeting systemic inflammatory response (SIRS) criteria. In 11 (14.5%) patients, the line was removed prior to the proposed guideline. Most (n = 36, 47.4%) line removals were observed to be in accordance with our guideline. In another 29 (38.2%), line removal was delayed compared to our guideline. Idle days are common. Central line days may be reduced by the consistent daily reevaluation of a line's justification using defined criteria. The practice of routine central line placement for prolonged antibiotics and the inclusion of SIRS criteria to justify the line may need to be reevaluated. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2016;11:489-493. © 2016 Society of Hospital Medicine. © 2016 Society of Hospital Medicine.

What do international ethics guidelines say in terms of the scope of medical research ethics?

Science.gov (United States)

Bernabe, Rosemarie D L C; van Thiel, Ghislaine J M W; van Delden, Johannes J M

2016-04-26

In research ethics, the most basic question would always be, "which is an ethical issue, which is not?" Interestingly, depending on which ethics guideline we consult, we may have various answers to this question. Though we already have several international ethics guidelines for biomedical research involving human participants, ironically, we do not have a harmonized document which tells us what these various guidelines say and shows us the areas of consensus (or lack thereof). In this manuscript, we attempted to do just that. We extracted the imperatives from five internationally-known ethics guidelines and took note where the imperatives came from. In doing so, we gathered data on how many guidelines support a specific imperative. We found that there is no consensus on the majority of the imperatives and that in only 8.2% of the imperatives were there at least moderate consensus (i.e., consensus of at least 3 of the 5 ethics guidelines). Of the 12 clusters (Basic Principles; Research Collaboration; Social Value; Scientific Validity; Participant Selection; Favorable Benefit/Risk Ratio; Independent Review; Informed Consent; Respect for Participants; Publication and Registration; Regulatory Sanctions; and Justified Research on the Vulnerable Population), Informed Consent has the highest level of consensus and Research Collaboration and Regulatory Sanctions have the least. There was a lack of consensus in the majority of imperatives from the five internationally-known ethics guidelines. This may be partly explained by the differences among the guidelines in terms of their levels of specification as well as conceptual/ideological differences.

78 FR 38102 - Passenger Vessels Accessibility Guidelines

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-25

... Costs and Benefits The primary estimates of the costs and benefits of the proposed guidelines are shown... quantify the benefits of the proposed guidelines due to the nature of the benefits. The proposed guidelines..., transportation, public accommodation, and leisure. The proposed guidelines would enable these individuals to...

Promoting transparent and accurate reporting of research studies in rheumatology: endorsement of reporting guidelines in rheumatology journals.

Science.gov (United States)

Marušić, Ana; Gasparyan, Armen Yuri; Kitas, George D

2013-10-01

To adequately translate research into practice, research results should be reported in a way that is useful to practicing clinicians and policymakers. Based on evidence from systematic reviews, the implementation of reporting guidelines, such as CONSORT for randomized controlled trials, may improve the quality of research reporting. We assessed the endorsement of reporting guidelines in rheumatology journals. We analyzed guidelines for authors of all (n = 28) journals indexed in the "Rheumatology" Subject Category of the Journal Citation Reports published in 2012. Journal websites were reviewed for information relevant to reporting guidelines. Out of 28 indexed journals, only about a third (n = 10) endorsed 1 or more reporting guidelines, most commonly CONSORT. General editorial policies, such as those from the International Committee of Medical Journal editors (ICMJE), were endorsed by 19 journals (all 10 journals with and 9 out of 18 without reporting guidelines). Two rheumatology journals introduced specific reporting guidelines about economic studies and genetic association studies. The endorsement of reporting guidelines is low in rheumatology journals. To continue to serve their research community, rheumatology journals should provide the platform for the discussion on most relevant reporting guidelines and adopt them as a group, especially those specific for rheumatology research. Coordinated action of journals and other stakeholders in rheumatology research in the promotion of accurate and transparent reporting of health research studies would be an important part of knowledge translation into practice and well-being of rheumatology patients. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Guidelines for reporting evaluations based on observational methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

Portell, Mariona; Anguera, M Teresa; Chacón-Moscoso, Salvador; Sanduvete-Chaves, Susana

2015-01-01

Observational methodology is one of the most suitable research designs for evaluating fidelity of implementation, especially in complex interventions. However, the conduct and reporting of observational studies is hampered by the absence of specific guidelines, such as those that exist for other evaluation designs. This lack of specific guidance poses a threat to the quality and transparency of these studies and also constitutes a considerable publication hurdle. The aim of this study thus was to draw up a set of proposed guidelines for reporting evaluations based on observational methodology. The guidelines were developed by triangulating three sources of information: observational studies performed in different fields by experts in observational methodology, reporting guidelines for general studies and studies with similar designs to observational studies, and proposals from experts in observational methodology at scientific meetings. We produced a list of guidelines grouped into three domains: intervention and expected outcomes, methods, and results. The result is a useful, carefully crafted set of simple guidelines for conducting and reporting observational studies in the field of program evaluation.

Establishing Guidelines for Executing and Reporting Internet Intervention Research

OpenAIRE

Proudfoot, J; Klein, B.; Barak, A.; Carlbring, P.; Cuijpers, P.; Lange, A; Ritterband, L.; Andersson, G.

2011-01-01

The field of Internet interventions is growing rapidly. New programs are continually being developed to facilitate health and mental health promotion, disease and emotional distress prevention, risk factor management, treatment, and relapse prevention. However, a clear definition of Internet interventions, guidelines for research, and evidence of effectiveness have been slower to follow. This article focuses on the quality standardization of research on Internet-delivered psychological and be...

Thyroid nodule guidelines: agreement, disagreement and need for future research

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Paschke, Ralf; Hegedüs, Laszlo; Alexander, Erik

2011-01-01

, clinically very relevant areas of uncertainty need to be addressed by further research. This situation applies, for instance, to better definition of ultrasound malignancy criteria and the evaluation of emerging new diagnostic and therapeutic techniques, including molecular markers. For clinicians who advise......This article reviews agreement, disagreement and need for future research of the thyroid nodule guidelines published by the British Thyroid Association, National Cancer Institute, American Thyroid Association and the joint, transatlantic effort of three large societies, the American Society...... of Clinical Endocrinologists, Associazione Medici Endocrinologi and the European Thyroid Association, published in 2010. Consensus exists for most topics in the various guidelines. A few areas of disagreement, such as the use of scintigraphy, are mostly due to differences in disease prevalence in different...

[Guideline for the assessment of clinical research proposals. Comisión Nacional de Investigación Científica del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social].

Science.gov (United States)

Mejía-Aranguré, Juan Manuel; Grijalva-Otero, Israel; Majluf-Cruz, Abraham; Cruz-López, Miguel; Núñez-Enríquez, Juan Carlos; Salamanca-Gómez, Fabio Abdiel

2013-01-01

Medical research is a fundamental tool to achieve the advancement of science, through the improvement of strategies aimed to protect, promote and restore an individual's and society's health. Three characteristics are required to obtain approval of the research proposal: scientific relevance, technical quality and the accomplishment of ethical issues. The present review aimed at the determination of the specific criteria to perform a critical review of research proposals. A research was carried out in the PubMed, Medline, Ovid and Google Scholar databases, using the terms: peer review, research proposals, review and protocols, and reviewers. A total of 3546 related articles were reviewed, without finding a guide to critically assess research proposals. The guides to assess research articles consider that the quality criteria of the study should have been present since the study's conception; many of the issues described to review articles are incorporated in the review of the research proposals. The specific criteria were integrated to allow the reviewer to critically assess research proposals of different areas with scientific basis. The reviewer of research proposals should be considered as a professional that contributes to the promotion of knowledge advancement through his/her comments, which allow researchers to improve the quality of research proposals.

Leo Spacecraft Charging Design Guidelines: A Proposed NASA Standard

Science.gov (United States)

Hillard, G. B.; Ferguson, D. C.

2004-01-01

Over the past decade, Low Earth Orbiting (LEO) spacecraft have gradually required ever-increasing power levels. As a rule, this has been accomplished through the use of high voltage systems. Recent failures and anomalies on such spacecraft have been traced to various design practices and materials choices related to the high voltage solar arrays. NASA Glenn has studied these anomalies including plasma chamber testing on arrays similar to those that experienced difficulties on orbit. Many others in the community have been involved in a comprehensive effort to understand the problems and to develop practices to avoid them. The NASA Space Environments and Effects program, recognizing the timeliness of this effort, commissioned and funded a design guidelines document intended to capture the current state of understanding. This document, which was completed in the spring of 2003, has been submitted as a proposed NASA standard. We present here an overview of this document and discuss the effort to develop it as a NASA standard.

Sex differences in health research and clinical guideline development

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Keuken, D.G.

2008-01-01

In current medical practice, research based evidence is an important foundation for clinical decision making. Clinical practice guidelines are a major instrument for keeping physicians up-to-date about this evidence. In order to provide optimal care to both men and women, it is important that sex

Proposal for SICSeG guidelines for rehabilitation after anatomical shoulder prosthesis in concentric shoulder osteoarthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Fusaro, I; Orsini, S; Stignani, S; Creta, D; Cava, F C; Benedetti, M G

2013-06-01

The purpose of this paper is to provide up-to-date guidelines on rehabilitation after anatomical shoulder prosthesis for concentric shoulder osteoarthritis, as previous guidelines date back to late 1970s and are no longer adequate due to the evolution of prosthesis models and surgical techniques. The physiatric committee of the Italian Society of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery (SICSeG-Società Italiana di Chirurgia della Spalla e del Gomito) performed a search for all the existing literature related to rehabilitation after shoulder replacement. A total of 29 papers concerning shoulder rehabilitation were reviewed. In addition, the main Italian orthopedic surgeons and physiatrists dealing with shoulder surgery and rehabilitation were interviewed to obtain indications when literature was not conclusive. From literature evaluation and expert consultation, we produced guidelines concerning: patient evaluation by means of adequate rating scales, preoperative treatment, early intermediate and advanced postoperative phases, rehabilitation of scapulo-thoracic joint, return to work and sports, length of rehabilitation and follow-up. This proposal for guidelines was presented during the 11th SICSeG Congress on May 2012 and to the main scientific societies concerned in shoulder surgery and rehabilitation. A consensus conference is needed in order to formalize and make them usable from all the professional figures involved in this field.

Programming Guidelines for FBD Programs in Reactor Protection System Software

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, Se Jin; Lee, Dong Ah; Kim, Eui Sub; Yoo, Jun Beom; Lee, Jang Su

2014-01-01

Properties of programming languages, such as reliability, traceability, etc., play important roles in software development to improve safety. Several researches are proposed guidelines about programming to increase the dependability of software which is developed for safety critical systems. Misra-c is a widely accepted programming guidelines for the C language especially in the sector of vehicle industry. NUREG/CR-6463 helps engineers in nuclear industry develop software in nuclear power plant systems more dependably. FBD (Function Block Diagram), which is one of programming languages defined in IEC 61131-3 standard, is often used for software development of PLC (programmable logic controllers) in nuclear power plants. Software development for critical systems using FBD needs strict guidelines, because FBD is a general language and has easily mistakable elements. There are researches about guidelines for IEC 61131-3 programming languages. They, however, do not specify details about how to use languages. This paper proposes new guidelines for the FBD based on NUREG/CR-6463. The paper introduces a CASE (Computer-Aided Software Engineering) tool to check FBD programs with the new guidelines and shows availability with a case study using a FBD program in a reactor protection system. The paper is organized as follows

Programming Guidelines for FBD Programs in Reactor Protection System Software

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jung, Se Jin; Lee, Dong Ah; Kim, Eui Sub; Yoo, Jun Beom [Division of Computer Science and Engineering College of Information and Communication, Konkuk University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Jang Su [Man-Machine Interface System team Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2014-10-15

Properties of programming languages, such as reliability, traceability, etc., play important roles in software development to improve safety. Several researches are proposed guidelines about programming to increase the dependability of software which is developed for safety critical systems. Misra-c is a widely accepted programming guidelines for the C language especially in the sector of vehicle industry. NUREG/CR-6463 helps engineers in nuclear industry develop software in nuclear power plant systems more dependably. FBD (Function Block Diagram), which is one of programming languages defined in IEC 61131-3 standard, is often used for software development of PLC (programmable logic controllers) in nuclear power plants. Software development for critical systems using FBD needs strict guidelines, because FBD is a general language and has easily mistakable elements. There are researches about guidelines for IEC 61131-3 programming languages. They, however, do not specify details about how to use languages. This paper proposes new guidelines for the FBD based on NUREG/CR-6463. The paper introduces a CASE (Computer-Aided Software Engineering) tool to check FBD programs with the new guidelines and shows availability with a case study using a FBD program in a reactor protection system. The paper is organized as follows.

Guidelines and criteria for planning Slovenian settlements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrej Pogačnik

2001-01-01

Full Text Available The article deals with proposals for directing settlement development and management in Slovenia on the national level. They should be integrated in the spatial order, a part of the national spatial plan. First a short chronology of research with similar topics and simultaneous critical analysis is presented. The methodology and possible models for structuring directives is elaborated. Based on recent research by domestic authors, European guidelines and own ideas, a manual was devised, dividing guidelines hierarchically between the national, regional and local level. The second part or rather different type of text attached to the manual is a glossary. It also includes an index for further research of various sources.

Clinical algorithms to aid osteoarthritis guideline dissemination.

Science.gov (United States)

Meneses, S R F; Goode, A P; Nelson, A E; Lin, J; Jordan, J M; Allen, K D; Bennell, K L; Lohmander, L S; Fernandes, L; Hochberg, M C; Underwood, M; Conaghan, P G; Liu, S; McAlindon, T E; Golightly, Y M; Hunter, D J

2016-09-01

Numerous scientific organisations have developed evidence-based recommendations aiming to optimise the management of osteoarthritis (OA). Uptake, however, has been suboptimal. The purpose of this exercise was to harmonize the recent recommendations and develop a user-friendly treatment algorithm to facilitate translation of evidence into practice. We updated a previous systematic review on clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for OA management. The guidelines were assessed using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation for quality and the standards for developing trustworthy CPGs as established by the National Academy of Medicine (NAM). Four case scenarios and algorithms were developed by consensus of a multidisciplinary panel. Sixteen guidelines were included in the systematic review. Most recommendations were directed toward physicians and allied health professionals, and most had multi-disciplinary input. Analysis for trustworthiness suggests that many guidelines still present a lack of transparency. A treatment algorithm was developed for each case scenario advised by recommendations from guidelines and based on panel consensus. Strategies to facilitate the implementation of guidelines in clinical practice are necessary. The algorithms proposed are examples of how to apply recommendations in the clinical context, helping the clinician to visualise the patient flow and timing of different treatment modalities. Copyright © 2016 Osteoarthritis Research Society International. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Guidelines for Biosafety Training Programs for Workers Assigned to BSL-3 Research Laboratories.

Science.gov (United States)

Homer, Lesley C; Alderman, T Scott; Blair, Heather Ann; Brocard, Anne-Sophie; Broussard, Elaine E; Ellis, Robert P; Frerotte, Jay; Low, Eleanor W; McCarthy, Travis R; McCormick, Jessica M; Newton, JeT'Aime M; Rogers, Francine C; Schlimgen, Ryan; Stabenow, Jennifer M; Stedman, Diann; Warfield, Cheryl; Ntiforo, Corrie A; Whetstone, Carol T; Zimmerman, Domenica; Barkley, Emmett

2013-03-01

The Guidelines for Biosafety Training Programs for Workers Assigned to BSL-3 Research Laboratories were developed by biosafety professionals who oversee training programs for the 2 national biocontainment laboratories (NBLs) and the 13 regional biocontainment laboratories (RBLs) that participate in the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) NBL/RBL Network. These guidelines provide a general training framework for biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) high-containment laboratories, identify key training concepts, and outline training methodologies designed to standardize base knowledge, understanding, and technical competence of laboratory personnel working in high-containment laboratories. Emphasis is placed on building a culture of risk assessment-based safety through competency training designed to enhance understanding and recognition of potential biological hazards as well as methods for controlling these hazards. These guidelines may be of value to other institutions and academic research laboratories that are developing biosafety training programs for BSL-3 research.

Computerization of guidelines: towards a "guideline markup language".

Science.gov (United States)

Dart, T; Xu, Y; Chatellier, G; Degoulet, P

2001-01-01

Medical decision making is one of the most difficult daily tasks for physicians. Guidelines have been designed to reduce variance between physicians in daily practice, to improve patient outcomes and to control costs. In fact, few physicians use guidelines in daily practice. A way to ease the use of guidelines is to implement computerised guidelines (computer reminders). We present in this paper a method of computerising guidelines. Our objectives were: 1) to propose a generic model that can be instantiated for any specific guidelines; 2) to use eXtensible Markup Language (XML) as a guideline representation language to instantiate the generic model for a specific guideline. Our model is an object representation of a clinical algorithm, it has been validated by running two different guidelines issued by a French official Agency. In spite of some limitations, we found that this model is expressive enough to represent complex guidelines devoted to diabetes and hypertension management. We conclude that XML can be used as a description format to structure guidelines and as an interface between paper-based guidelines and computer applications.

Guidelines for education in energy management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Morales, C. M.

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Although educating for energy management is nowadays recognized as an important topic, the process of training is far from the ideal. One of the main shortcomings identified in the research is related to procedures selection, aside from the consensus of academic authorities of its inter-disciplinary character. This article aims to highlight the guidelines for education in energy management, as well as to advance the workshops for its implementation. The results of the research are only a part of a Ph D studied completed by the writer. The effectiveness of the proposal was appraised experimentally and subjected to specialists’ valuation. Key words: education in energy management, guidelines, environmental education.

Antiviral Drug Research Proposal Activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lisa Injaian

2011-03-01

Full Text Available The development of antiviral drugs provides an excellent example of how basic and clinical research must be used together in order to achieve the final goal of treating disease. A Research Oriented Learning Activity was designed to help students to better understand how basic and clinical research can be combined toward a common goal. Through this project students gained a better understanding of the process of scientific research and increased their information literacy in the field of virology. The students worked as teams to research the many aspects involved in the antiviral drug design process, with each student becoming an "expert" in one aspect of the project. The Antiviral Drug Research Proposal (ADRP culminated with students presenting their proposals to their peers and local virologists in a poster session. Assessment data showed increased student awareness and knowledge of the research process and the steps involved in the development of antiviral drugs as a result of this activity.

Research Guidelines in the Era of Large-scale Collaborations: An Analysis of Genome-wide Association Study Consortia

Science.gov (United States)

Austin, Melissa A.; Hair, Marilyn S.; Fullerton, Stephanie M.

2012-01-01

Scientific research has shifted from studies conducted by single investigators to the creation of large consortia. Genetic epidemiologists, for example, now collaborate extensively for genome-wide association studies (GWAS). The effect has been a stream of confirmed disease-gene associations. However, effects on human subjects oversight, data-sharing, publication and authorship practices, research organization and productivity, and intellectual property remain to be examined. The aim of this analysis was to identify all research consortia that had published the results of a GWAS analysis since 2005, characterize them, determine which have publicly accessible guidelines for research practices, and summarize the policies in these guidelines. A review of the National Human Genome Research Institute’s Catalog of Published Genome-Wide Association Studies identified 55 GWAS consortia as of April 1, 2011. These consortia were comprised of individual investigators, research centers, studies, or other consortia and studied 48 different diseases or traits. Only 14 (25%) were found to have publicly accessible research guidelines on consortia websites. The available guidelines provide information on organization, governance, and research protocols; half address institutional review board approval. Details of publication, authorship, data-sharing, and intellectual property vary considerably. Wider access to consortia guidelines is needed to establish appropriate research standards with broad applicability to emerging forms of large-scale collaboration. PMID:22491085

The Role of Health Services Research in Developing Practice Policy: Development of Practice Guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

Crall, James J.

1990-01-01

The paper offers guidance for the incorporation of treatment effectiveness research into clinical dental practice guidelines. Recommended is inclusion of patients' preferences for different outcomes as well as of clinical outcomes in development of valid practice guidelines. (DB)

Recognising contributions to work in research collaboratives: Guidelines for standardising reporting of authorship in collaborative research.

Science.gov (United States)

2018-04-01

Trainee research collaboratives (TRCs) have been revolutionary changes to the delivery of high-quality, multicentre research. The aim of this study was to define common roles in the conduct of collaborative research, and map these to academic competencies as set out by General Medical Council (GMC) in the United Kingdom. This will support trainers and assessors when judging academic achievements of those involved in TRC projects, and supports trainees by providing guidance on how to fulfil their role in these studies. A modified Delphi process was followed. Electronic discussion with key stakeholders was undertaken to identify and describe common roles. These were refined and mapped to GMC educational domains and International Committee of Medical Journal Editors authorship (ICJME) guidelines. The resulting roles and descriptions were presented to a face-to-face consensus meeting for voting. The agreed roles were then presented back to the electronic discussion group for approval. Electronic discussion generated six common roles. All of these were agreed in face-to-face meetings, where two further roles identified and described. All eight roles required skills that map to part of the academic requirements for surgical training in the UK. This paper presents a standardised framework for reporting authorship in collaborative group authored research publications. Linkage of collaborator roles to the ICMJE guidelines and GMC academic competency guidelines will facilitate incorporation into relevant training curricular and journal publication policies. Copyright © 2017 IJS Publishing Group Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A discussion on NORM guidelines: proposed revisions needed for practical use

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Jing

2015-01-01

International awareness of NORM as a potential source of radiation risk to workers, members of the public and the environment has increased significantly in recent years. NORM guidelines were originally developed for radiation management in NORM industries. However, the guidelines have been often consulted by many other industries not commonly considered as an NORM industry. In addition, with the increased awareness of NORM issues, more and more people have tried to apply NORM guidelines in many other situations related to NORM in the environment. The broad use of NORM guidelines out of the original scope has demonstrated the needs to revise the guidelines for practical use. These needs are discussed in the article. (authors)

Case Study Research in Software Engineering Guidelines and Examples

CERN Document Server

Runeson, Per; Rainer, Austen; Regnell, Bjorn

2012-01-01

Based on their own experiences of in-depth case studies of software projects in international corporations, in this book the authors present detailed practical guidelines on the preparation, conduct, design and reporting of case studies of software engineering.  This is the first software engineering specific book on the case study research method.

[Guidelines for research reports: an application of CONSORT 2010 statements].

Science.gov (United States)

Ziegler, A; König, I R

2011-02-01

Reporting guidelines are not only useful for authors in compiling complete and transparent reports but they can use also be used by readers for the critical appraisal of the study. In this study, we apply the CONSORT 2010 reporting guideline to illustrate its value as the first step in the critical appraisal. We have applied the checklist of the CONSORT 201 statement to the publication of Richter et al. [7]. This has been done by both authors independently. We report for each item of the 25 item checklist whether it was adequately reported, and we comment on each item. The paper of Richter et al. does not comply with the CONSORT 2010 checklist and the CONSORT extension for summaries in all items. The most important reporting guidelines are now available in German (https://www.thieme-connect.de/ejournals/toc/dmw/104011). They are useful for authors of research articles to compile complete and transparent reports. Readers can use items of these reporting guidelines for judging the quality of a published study. To this end, there is a need to distinguish between reporting quality and the quality of a specific study. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Guidelines for negotiating social research in communities living adjacent to transboundary protected areas: Kruger National Park

NARCIS (Netherlands)

B.N. Tapela (Barbara); B.E. Büscher (Bram); L. Maluleke (Lamson); W.C. Twine (Wayne); C. Steenkamp (Conrad)

2009-01-01

textabstractThe objective with these Guidelines is to assist local people and social researchers to negotiate equitable research agreements. This document lays out the purpose of the guidelines, provides some background information about the process that led to this document, and provides some

Interoperability Guidelines for Lithuanian E-Learning Management Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eugenijus Kurilovas

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Purpose – the paper aims to analyse e-learning content and repositories along with the problems of learning organisation interoperability. The main objective of the paper is to analyse scientific research results and the newest international experience in the area and to provide interoperability guidelines and recommendations for the implementation of appropriate Lithuanian state programmes. The learning content and repositories recommendations are designed for the implementation of the Lithuanian education portal project as well as Lithuanian Virtual University (LVU programme’s information services’ (LABT / eLABa and e-learning services’ (LieDM sub-programmes. The whole education institution recommendations are designed for the maintenance and development of LVU programme’s management services’ (LieMSIS system.Design/methodology/approach – methods used for the general analysis of proposed interoperability guidelines (reccomendations were bibliographic research and comparative analysis of Lithuanian and foreign scientific works published in periodicals and large-scale EU-funded interoperability projects deliverables. System analysis and comparative analysis methods were used in order to formulate and analyse systems’ interoperability guidelines and recommendations. The author employed the experimental research method while working in the appropriate EU-funded interoperability projects to form the guidelines (recommendations. In order to summarize the results, the evaluative research method was used.Findings – the international guidelines and recommendations presented in the paper could be suitable for implementation while developing Lithuanian state education information systems such as the Lithuanian education portal, the Lithuanian academic libraries’ (eLABa system, the Lithuanian distance learning system (LieDM, and the Lithuanian universities’ management system (LieMSIS.Research limitations/implications – the paper

The guideline implementability research and application network (GIRAnet: an international collaborative to support knowledge exchange: study protocol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gagliardi Anna R

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Modifying the format and content of guidelines may facilitate their use and lead to improved quality of care. We reviewed the medical literature to identify features desired by different users and associated with guideline use to develop a framework of implementability and found that most guidelines do not contain these elements. Further research is needed to develop and evaluate implementability tools. Methods We are launching the Guideline Implementability Research and Application Network (GIRAnet to enable the development and testing of implementability tools in three domains: Resource Implications, Implementation, and Evaluation. Partners include the Guidelines International Network (G-I-N and its member guideline developers, implementers, and researchers. In phase one, international guidelines will be examined to identify and describe exemplar tools. Indication-specific and generic tools will populate a searchable repository. In phase two, qualitative analysis of cognitive interviews will be used to understand how developers can best integrate implementability tools in guidelines and how health professionals use them for interpreting and applying guidelines. In phase three, a small-scale pilot test will assess the impact of implementability tools based on quantitative analysis of chart-based behavioural outcomes and qualitative analysis of interviews with participants. The findings will be used to plan a more comprehensive future evaluation of implementability tools. Discussion Infrastructure funding to establish GIRAnet will be leveraged with the in-kind contributions of collaborating national and international guideline developers to advance our knowledge of implementation practice and science. Needs assessment and evaluation of GIRAnet will provide a greater understanding of how to develop and sustain such knowledge-exchange networks. Ultimately, by facilitating use of guidelines, this research may lead to improved

[Sex and gender equity in research: rationale for the SAGER guidelines and recommended use].

Science.gov (United States)

Heidari, Shirin; Babor, Thomas F; De Castro, Paola; Tort, Sera; Curno, Mirjam

2018-05-03

Sex and gender differences are often overlooked in research design, study implementation and scientific reporting, as well as in general science communication. This oversight limits the generalizability of research findings and their applicability to clinical practice, in particular for women but also for men. This article describes the rationale for an international set of guidelines to encourage a more systematic approach to the reporting of sex and gender in research across disciplines. A panel of 13 experts representing nine countries developed the guidelines through a series of teleconferences, conference presentations and a 2-day workshop. An internet survey of 716 journal editors, scientists and other members of the international publishing community was conducted as well as a literatura search on sex and gender policies in scientific publishing. The Sex and Gender Equity in Research (SAGER) guidelines are a comprehensive procedure for reporting of sex and gender information in study design, data analyses, results and interpretation of findings. The SAGER guidelines are designed primarily to guide authors in preparing their manuscripts, but they are also useful for editors, as gatekeepers of science, to integrate assessment of sex and gender into all manuscripts as an integral part of the editorial process. Copyright © 2018 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Evidence-based guidelines for wise use of electronic games by children.

Science.gov (United States)

Straker, Leon; Abbott, Rebecca; Collins, Rachel; Campbell, Amity

2014-01-01

Electronic games (e-games) are widely used by children, often for substantial durations, yet to date there are no evidence-based guidelines regarding their use. The aim of this paper is to present guidelines for the wise use of e-games by children based on a narrative review of the research. This paper proposes a model of factors that influence child-e-games interaction. It summarises the evidence on positive and negative effects of use of e-games on physical activity and sedentary behaviour, cardio-metabolic health, musculoskeletal health, motor coordination, vision, cognitive development and psychosocial health. Available guidelines and the role of guidelines are discussed. Finally, this information is compiled into a clear set of evidence-based guidelines, about wise use of e-games by children, targeting children, parents, professionals and the e-game industry. These guidelines provide an accessible synthesis of available knowledge and pragmatic guidelines based on e-game specific evidence and related research.

Brief guidelines for methods and statistics in medical research

CERN Document Server

Ab Rahman, Jamalludin

2015-01-01

This book serves as a practical guide to methods and statistics in medical research. It includes step-by-step instructions on using SPSS software for statistical analysis, as well as relevant examples to help those readers who are new to research in health and medical fields. Simple texts and diagrams are provided to help explain the concepts covered, and print screens for the statistical steps and the SPSS outputs are provided, together with interpretations and examples of how to report on findings. Brief Guidelines for Methods and Statistics in Medical Research offers a valuable quick reference guide for healthcare students and practitioners conducting research in health related fields, written in an accessible style.

Guidelines for Reporting Quantitative Methods and Results in Primary Research

Science.gov (United States)

Norris, John M.; Plonsky, Luke; Ross, Steven J.; Schoonen, Rob

2015-01-01

Adequate reporting of quantitative research about language learning involves careful consideration of the logic, rationale, and actions underlying both study designs and the ways in which data are analyzed. These guidelines, commissioned and vetted by the board of directors of "Language Learning," outline the basic expectations for…

Proposed risk evaluation guidelines for use by the DOE-AL Nuclear Explosive Safety Division in evaluating proposed shipments of nuclear components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Just, R.A.; Love, A.F.

1997-10-01

The licensing requirements of 10 CFR 71 (US Code of Federal Regulations) are the primary criteria used to license proposed US Department of Energy (DOE) shipments of nuclear components. However, if a shipment cannot meet 10 CFR 71 requirements, a Transportation System Risk Assessment (TSRA) is prepared to document: (1) the degree of compliance of proposed DOE shipments of nuclear components with applicable federal regulations, and (2) the risk associated with the proposed shipments. The Nuclear Explosive Safety Division (NESD) of the Department of Energy, Albuquerque Area Office (DOE-AL) is responsible for evaluating TSRAs and for preparing Safety Evaluation Reports (SERs) to authorize the off-site transport. Hazards associated with the transport may include the presence of fissile material, chemically and radiologically toxic uranium, and ionizing radiation. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has historically considered only radiological hazards in licensing the transport of radiological material because the US Department of Transportation considers licensing requirements of nonradiological (i.e., chemically toxic) hazards. The requirements of 10 CFR 71 are based primarily on consideration of radiological hazards. For completeness, this report provides information for assessing the effects of chemical toxicity. Evaluating the degree of compliance with the requirements of 10 CFR 71 is relatively straightforward. However, there are few precedents associated with developing TSRA risk assessments for packages that do not comply with all of the requirements of 10 CFR 71. The objective of the task is to develop Risk Evaluation Guidelines for DOE-AL to use when evaluating a TSRA. If the TSRA shows that the Risk Evaluation Guidelines are not exceeded, then from a risk perspective the TSRA should be approved if there is evidence that the ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) principle has been applied

Proposed guidelines for the management of nodding syndrome

African Journals Online (AJOL)

EB

, Makerere ... and subsequently, physical and cognitive rehabilitation. ... guidelines were developed and provides an outline of the specific treatments currently ... physiotherapist and a speech and language therapist. .... poor adherence, etc.

Elevating the quality of disability and rehabilitation research: mandatory use of the reporting guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Leighton; Heinemann, Allen W; Roberts, Jason

2014-01-01

Note from the AJOT Editor-in-Chief: Since 2010, the American Journal of Occupational Therapy (AJOT) has adopted reporting standards based on the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) Statement and American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines in an effort to publish transparent clinical research that can be easily evaluated for methodological and analytical rigor (APA Publications and Communications Board Working Group on Journal Article Reporting Standards, 2008; Moher, Schulz, & Altman, 2001). AJOT has now joined 28 other major rehabilitation and disability journals in a collaborative initiative to enhance clinical research reporting standards through adoption of the EQUATOR Network reporting guidelines, described below. Authors will now be required to use these guidelines in the preparation of manuscripts that will be submitted to AJOT. Reviewers will also use these guidelines to evaluate the quality and rigor of all AJOT submissions. By adopting these standards we hope to further enhance the quality and clinical applicability of articles to our readers. Copyright © 2014 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Interoperability Guidelines for Lithuanian E-Learning Management Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eugenijus Kurilovas

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Purpose – the paper aims to analyse e-learning content and repositories along with the problems of learning organisation interoperability. The main objective of the paper is to analyse scientific research results and the newest international experience in the area and to provide interoperability guidelines and recommendations for the implementation of appropriate Lithuanian state programmes. The learning content and repositories recommendations are designed for the implementation of the Lithuanian education portal project as well as Lithuanian Virtual University (LVU programme’s information services’ (LABT / eLABa and e-learning services’ (LieDM sub-programmes. The whole education institution recommendations are designed for the maintenance and development of LVU programme’s management services’ (LieMSIS system.Design/methodology/approach – methods used for the general analysis of proposed interoperability guidelines (reccomendations were bibliographic research and comparative analysis of Lithuanian and foreign scientific works published in periodicals and large-scale EU-funded interoperability projects deliverables. System analysis and comparative analysis methods were used in order to formulate and analyse systems’ interoperability guidelines and recommendations. The author employed the experimental research method while working in the appropriate EU-funded interoperability projects to form the guidelines (recommendations. In order to summarize the results, the evaluative research method was used..Findings – the international guidelines and recommendations presented in the paper could be suitable for implementation while developing Lithuanian state education information systems such as the Lithuanian education portal, the Lithuanian academic libraries’ (eLABa system, the Lithuanian distance learning system (LieDM, and the Lithuanian universities’ management system (LieMSIS.Research limitations/implications – the paper

Guidelines for an environmental code of ethics for research institutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gardusi, Claudia; Aquino, Afonso Rodrigues de

2009-01-01

The purpose of this work is to reflect about actions that may contribute to the creation of mechanisms to protect the environment in the development of research projects at research institutions, specifically the Nuclear and Energy Research Institute - IPEN. A brief review of part of the ethical values applied to the process of scientific development during the old, medieval and modern periods is presented, showing the split of the nature ethical principles. It is also reported an overview of the creation of codes of ethics applied to research institutions. Moreover, criteria are presented to settle guidelines to protect the environment during the development of research projects. (author)

Some guidelines for conducting research in applied behavioral pharmacology.

Science.gov (United States)

van Haaren, Frans; Weeden, Marc

2013-01-01

The Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (JABA) has published a number of articles on the behavioral effects of psychomotor stimulant drugs in individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Some additional JABA publications have included investigations of the behavioral effects of other drugs. However, a review of these articles revealed many methodological differences among studies, which makes it difficult to evaluate the relative contribution of each research effort to the overall database. In this context, we offer some guidelines to solidify the methodological rigor of behavior pharmacological research published in JABA. © Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Comments from the Developmental Neurotoxicology Committee of the Japanese Teratology Society on the OECD Guideline for the Testing of Chemicals, Proposal for a New Guideline 426, Developmental Neurotoxicity Study, Draft Document (October 2006 version), and on the Draft Document of the Retrospective Performance Assessment of the Draft Test Guideline 426 on Developmental Neurotoxicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Ema, Makoto; Fukui, Yoshihiro; Aoyama, Hiroaki; Fujiwara, Michio; Fuji, Junichiro; Inouye, Minoru; Iwase, Takayuki; Kihara, Takahide; Oi, Akihide; Otani, Hiroki; Shinomiya, Mitsuhiro; Sugioka, Kozo; Yamano, Tsunekazu; Yamashita, Keisuke H; Tanimura, Takashi

2007-06-01

In October 2006, a new revision of the draft guideline (OECD Guideline for the Testing of Chemicals, Proposal for a New Guideline 426. Developmental Neurotoxicity Study) and Draft Document of the Retrospective Performance Assessment (RPA) of the Draft Test Guideline 426 on Developmental Neurotoxicity were distributed following incorporation of the results of the Expert Consultation Meeting in Tokyo on May 24-26, 2005. The draft guideline consists of 50 paragraphs and an appendix with 102 references; and the draft RPA consists of 37 paragraphs with 109 references. National coordinators were requested to arrange for national expert reviews of these draft documents in their member countries. Members of the Developmental Neurotoxicology (DNT) Committee of the Japanese Teratology Society (JTS) reviewed, discussed, and commented on the draft Test Guideline Proposal. The DNT Committee of the JTS also commented on the draft document of the RPA. These comments were sent to the OECD Secretariat. The DNT Committee of the JTS expects the comments to be useful for the finalization of these draft documents.

Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) Criteria and Society of Scoliosis Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Treatment (SOSORT) 2008 Guidelines in Non-Operative Treatment of Idiopathic Scoliosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Korbel, Krzysztof; Kozinoga, Mateusz; Stoliński, Łukasz; Kotwicki, Tomasz

2014-07-28

According to the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS), idiopathic scoliosis (IS) is a curvature of more than 10° Cobb angle, affecting 2-3% of pediatric population. Idiopathic scoliosis accounts for 80% of all scoliosis cases. Non-operative principles in the therapy of idiopathic scoliosis, including Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) criteria and guidelines proposed by the experts of the Society on Scoliosis Orthopedic and Rehabilitation Treatment (SOSORTS) were presented. The possibility to carry out quality of life assessments in a conservative procedure was also demonstrated. Based on the natural history of idiopathic scoliosis, SRS criteria, SOSORT 2008 experts' opinion and the knowledge of the possibilities of psychological assessment of conservative IS treatment, rules were proposed regarding nonsurgical IS therapy procedures, with special consideration being paid to the proper treatment start time (age, Risser test, biological maturity, Cobb angle), possibility of curvature progression, the importance of physiotherapy and psychological assessment. The knowledge of SRS criteria and SOSORT guidelines regarding the conservative treatment of IS are essential for proper treatment (the right time to start treatment), and supports establishment of interdisciplinary treatment teams, consisting of a physician, a physiotherapist, an orthopedic technician and a psychologist.

76 FR 32971 - Proposed Priority for the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-07

... advances in KT practices. These practices include, for example, methods for systematic reviews of social... standards, guidelines, and methods to systematically assess and describe the rigor of the research, and the... appropriate standards, guidelines, or methods, taking into account the types of research and stages of...

Human Research Program Unique Processes, Criteria, and Guidelines (UPCG). Revision C, July 28, 2011

Science.gov (United States)

Chin, Duane

2011-01-01

This document defines the processes, criteria, and guidelines exclusive to managing the Human Research Program (HRP). The intent of this document is to provide instruction to the reader in the form of processes, criteria, and guidelines. Of the three instructional categories, processes contain the most detail because of the need for a systematic series of actions directed to some end. In contrast, criteria have lesser detail than processes with the idea of creating a rule or principle structure for evaluating or testing something. Guidelines are a higher level indication of a course of action typically with the least amount of detail. The lack of detail in guidelines allows the reader flexibility when performing an action or actions.

A proposed programme for energy risk research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-01-01

The report consists of two parts. Part I presents an overview of technological risk management, noting major contributions and current research needs. Part II details a proposed program of energy research, including discussions of some seven recommended projects. The proposed energy risk research program addresses two basic problem areas: improving the management of energy risks and energy risk communication and public response. Specific recommended projects are given for each. (Auth.)

Guidelines for Reporting Reliability and Agreement Studies (GRRAS) were proposed

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kottner, Jan; Audigé, Laurent; Brorson, Stig

2011-01-01

Results of reliability and agreement studies are intended to provide information about the amount of error inherent in any diagnosis, score, or measurement. The level of reliability and agreement among users of scales, instruments, or classifications is widely unknown. Therefore, there is a need ......, standards, or guidelines for reporting reliability and agreement in the health care and medical field are lacking. The objective was to develop guidelines for reporting reliability and agreement studies....

Guidelines for the Investigation of Mediating Variables in Business Research.

Science.gov (United States)

MacKinnon, David P; Coxe, Stefany; Baraldi, Amanda N

2012-03-01

Business theories often specify the mediating mechanisms by which a predictor variable affects an outcome variable. In the last 30 years, investigations of mediating processes have become more widespread with corresponding developments in statistical methods to conduct these tests. The purpose of this article is to provide guidelines for mediation studies by focusing on decisions made prior to the research study that affect the clarity of conclusions from a mediation study, the statistical models for mediation analysis, and methods to improve interpretation of mediation results after the research study. Throughout this article, the importance of a program of experimental and observational research for investigating mediating mechanisms is emphasized.

Isolated systems with wind power. An implementation guideline

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Clausen, Niels-Erik; Bindner, Henrik W.; Frandsen, Sten Tronæs

2001-01-01

The overall objective of this research project is to study the development of methods and guidelines rather than "universal solutions" for the use of wind energy in isolated communities. So far most studies of isolated systems with wind power have beencase-oriented and it has proven difficult...... feasibility of isolated power supply systems with wind energy. General guidelines and checklists on which facts and data are needed to carry out a projectfeasibility analysis are presented as well as guidelines how to carry out the project feasibility study and the environmental analysis. The report outlines...... the results of the project as a set of proposed guidelines to be applied when developing a projectcontaining an application of wind in an isolated power system. It is the author's hope that this will facilitate the development of projects and enhance electrification of small rural communities in developing...

The Public Health Service guidelines. Governing research involving human subjects: An analysis of the policy-making process

Science.gov (United States)

Frankel, M. S.

1972-01-01

The policy making process which led to development of the Public Health Service Guidelines governing research involving human subjects is outlined. Part 1 examines the evolution of PHS Guidelines, tracing (1) evolution of thought and legal interpretation regarding research using human subjects; (2) initial involvement of the Federal government; (3) development of the government's research program; (4) the social-political environment in which formal government policy was developed; and (5) various policy statements issued by the government. Part 2 analyzes the process by which PHS Guidelines were developed and examines the values and other underlying factors which contributed to their development. It was concluded that the evolution of the Guidelines is best understood within the context of a mixed-scanning strategy. In such a strategy, policy makers make fundamental decisions regarding the basic direction of policy and subsequent decisions are made incrementally and within the contexts set by the original fundamental decisions.

Guidelines for Developing and Reporting Machine Learning Predictive Models in Biomedical Research: A Multidisciplinary View.

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Wei; Phung, Dinh; Tran, Truyen; Gupta, Sunil; Rana, Santu; Karmakar, Chandan; Shilton, Alistair; Yearwood, John; Dimitrova, Nevenka; Ho, Tu Bao; Venkatesh, Svetha; Berk, Michael

2016-12-16

As more and more researchers are turning to big data for new opportunities of biomedical discoveries, machine learning models, as the backbone of big data analysis, are mentioned more often in biomedical journals. However, owing to the inherent complexity of machine learning methods, they are prone to misuse. Because of the flexibility in specifying machine learning models, the results are often insufficiently reported in research articles, hindering reliable assessment of model validity and consistent interpretation of model outputs. To attain a set of guidelines on the use of machine learning predictive models within clinical settings to make sure the models are correctly applied and sufficiently reported so that true discoveries can be distinguished from random coincidence. A multidisciplinary panel of machine learning experts, clinicians, and traditional statisticians were interviewed, using an iterative process in accordance with the Delphi method. The process produced a set of guidelines that consists of (1) a list of reporting items to be included in a research article and (2) a set of practical sequential steps for developing predictive models. A set of guidelines was generated to enable correct application of machine learning models and consistent reporting of model specifications and results in biomedical research. We believe that such guidelines will accelerate the adoption of big data analysis, particularly with machine learning methods, in the biomedical research community. ©Wei Luo, Dinh Phung, Truyen Tran, Sunil Gupta, Santu Rana, Chandan Karmakar, Alistair Shilton, John Yearwood, Nevenka Dimitrova, Tu Bao Ho, Svetha Venkatesh, Michael Berk. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 16.12.2016.

A proposal of new nuclear communication scheme based on qualitative research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yagi, Ekou; Takahashi, Makoto; Kitamura, Masaharu

2007-01-01

An action research project called dialogue forum has been conducted in this study. The essential constituent of the project is a series of repetitive dialogue sessions carried out by lay citizens, nuclear experts, and a facilitator. One important feature of the project is that the study has been conducted based on the qualitative research methodology. The changes in opinions and attitude of the dialogue participants have been analyzed by an ethno-methodological approach. The observations are summarized as follows. The opinions of the citizen participants showed a significant shift from emotional to practical representations along with the progression of the dialogue sessions. Meanwhile, their attitude showed a marked tendency from problem-statement-oriented to problem-solving-oriented representation. On the other hand, the statements of the expert participants showed a significant shift from expert-based to citizen-based risk recognition and description, and their attitude showed a clear tendency from teaching-oriented to colearning-oriented thinking. These changes of opinions and attitude have been interpreted as a coevolving rather than a single process. It can be stressed that this type of change is most important for the reestablishment of mutual trust between the citizens and the nuclear experts. In this regard The Process Model of Coevolution of Risk Recognition' has been proposed as a guideline for developing a new scheme of public communication concerning nuclear technology. The proposed process model of coevolution of risk recognition is regarded to be essential for appropriate relationship management between nuclear technology and society in the near future. (author)

The development of evidence-based guidelines in dentistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Faggion, C M

2013-02-01

Use of guidelines is an important means of reducing the gap between research and clinical practice. Sound and unbiased information should be available to enable dental professionals to provide better clinical treatment for their patients. The development of clinical guidelines in dentistry should follow standard and transparent methodology. The purpose of this article is to propose important steps for developing evidence-based clinical recommendations in dentistry. Initially, dental guidelines should be extensively sought and assessed to answer focused clinical questions. If there is a paucity of guidelines or if existing guidelines are not of good methodological quality, systematic reviews should be searched or conducted to serve as a basis for the development of evidence-based guidelines. When systematic reviews are produced, they should be rigorous in order to provide the best evidence possible. In the last phase of the process, the overall quality of evidence should be scrutinized and assessed, together with other factors (balance between treatment effects and side effects, patients' values, and cost-effectiveness of therapy) to determine the strength of recommendations. It is expected this approach will result in the development of sound clinical guidelines and consequent improvement of dental treatment.

Practical guidelines for development of web-based interventions.

Science.gov (United States)

Chee, Wonshik; Lee, Yaelim; Chee, Eunice; Im, Eun-Ok

2014-10-01

Despite a recent high funding priority on technological aspects of research and a high potential impact of Web-based interventions on health, few guidelines for the development of Web-based interventions are currently available. In this article, we propose practical guidelines for development of Web-based interventions based on an empirical study and an integrative literature review. The empirical study aimed at development of a Web-based physical activity promotion program that was specifically tailored to Korean American midlife women. The literature review included a total of 202 articles that were retrieved through multiple databases. On the basis of the findings of the study and the literature review, we propose directions for development of Web-based interventions in the following steps: (1) meaningfulness and effectiveness, (2) target population, (3) theoretical basis/program theory, (4) focus and objectives, (5) components, (6) technological aspects, and (7) logistics for users. The guidelines could help promote further development of Web-based interventions at this early stage of Web-based interventions in nursing.

Mycological Research: instructions and guidelines for authors.

Science.gov (United States)

Hawksworth, David L

2007-01-01

Instructions and guidelines for authors submitting papers to Mycological Research are provided. The journal is international and covers all fields of mycology, both fundamental and applied. It publishes news items, reviews, original papers, and book reviews. Contributions should be of interest to a wide spectrum of mycologists or make significant novel contributions. Papers with particularly exciting results are fast-tracked and prioritized for publication. Submission must be made online via the Elsevier Editorial System (ees.elsevier.com/mycres); hard copy submissions are no longer accepted. Information is provided on: scope and timeliness; submission of articles; manuscript preparation; tables; illustrations; spellings, numbers, chemical symbols, and abbreviations; voucher material; molecular data; taxonomic data; references; the decision-making process; copyright; author's copies; proofs; and further questions.

International Rules for Pre-College Science Research: Guidelines for Science and Engineering Fairs, 2010-2011

Science.gov (United States)

Society for Science & the Public, 2011

2011-01-01

This paper presents the rules and guidelines of the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair 2011 to be held in Los Angeles, California in May 8-13, 2011. In addition to providing the rules of competition, these rules and guidelines for conducting research were developed to facilitate the following: (1) protect the rights and welfare of…

Learning experiences in population education: proposed guidelines and core messages.

Science.gov (United States)

1984-01-01

As a result of the 1984 Regional Workshop for the Development of Packages of Adequate Learning Requirements in Population Education, the participants tackled the problem of non-institutionalization of population education into the formal and non-formal educational curricula in their countries. Based on their deliberations, several sets of guidelines and core messages were formulated to provide countries with a more definite direction that will hopefully ensure the functional and effective integration of population education in their respective national school and out-of-school curriculum system. Useful packages of learning materials in population education should help realize the country's population policy and goals within the broader framework of socioeconomic development, and the content of the package should comprehensively cover the core messages of the country's Population Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Program. The population knowledge base of the package should be accurate and relevant; the package should provide for graphic and visual presentation and for assessment of effects on the target groups. Proposed core messages in population education discuss the advantages of small family size and delayed marriage, and aspects of responsible parenthood. Other messages discuss population resource development and population-related beliefs and values.

The political anatomy of a guideline: a collaborative effort to develop the AHCPR-sponsored practice guideline on otitis media with effusion.

Science.gov (United States)

Sebring, R H; Herrerias, C T

1996-06-01

In July 1991 the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) invited private organizations to develop a practice guideline on otitis media. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) collaborated with the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, and the Department of Pediatric Otolaryngology at the University of Pittsburgh in preparing a proposal. The AAP--the prime contractor--and the consortium were awarded the contract in October 1991. The 19-member panel assessed evidence and achieved consensus on most recommendations and maintained positive relationships that helped them function as a group. The practice guideline project has influenced the AAP's own evidence-based practice parameter methodology. Many lessons were learned. For example, since any project is only as strong as its weakest link, it was important to build the proposal on organizational strengths--including access to a combined 244,000 members and other resources. The weak links were the large number of persons involved in the project, their varying time commitments, and the wide geographic distribution of those involved. Also, neither AHCPR nor any of the organizations involved in the consortium had previous government contract experience in developing practice guidelines, so that much of the process became "on-the-job training". Research is needed to determine the extent to which the otitis media guideline is being used. The three academies are conducting a follow-up practice pattern variation study of pediatricians, family physicians, and otolaryngologists, which may provide data on behavior change with regard to managing the condition.

Quality assurance in radiotherapy: Proposal of guidelines concerning clinical and technological aspects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Group of study 'Assicurazione di qualita' in radioterapia'.

1996-12-01

The document, based on European guidelines, was jointly developed by radiation oncologists, radiation physicists and radiation technologists. In contains the aims of the guidelines, professional profiles, roles and responsibilities, personnel and equipment requirements, procedures

Research oil guidelines for safety review of category 2 waste disposal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2013-08-15

Safety confirmation items and monitoring items for engineered barriers were compiled, considering the current technical status and monitoring plan for the simulated subsurface disposal and its test facilities. In order to develop the guidelines of the safety review for the disposal of LLW generated from RI facilities and research facilities, technical issues relating toxic substances were surveyed. (author)

Time to detoxify medical literature from guideline overdose

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Dinesh Vyas; Arpita K Vyas

2012-01-01

The current financial turmoil in the United States has been attributed to multiple reasons including healthcare expenditure.Health care spending has increased from 5.7 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP)in 1965 to 16 percent of the GDP in 2004.Healthcare is driven with a goal to provide best possible care available at that period of time.Guidelines are generally assumed to have the high level of certainty and security as conclusions generated by the conventional scientific method leading many clinicians to use guidelines as the final arbiters of care.To provide the standard of care,physicians follow guidelines,proposed by either groups of physicians or various medical societies or government organizations like National Comprehensive Cancer Network.This has lead to multiple tests for the patient and has not survived the test of time.This independence leads to lacunae in the standardization of guidelines,hence flooding of literature with multiple guidelines and confusion to patients and physicians and eventually overtreatment,inefficiency,and patient inconvenience.There is an urgent need to restrict articles with Guidelines and develop some strategy like have an intermediate stage of pre-guidelines and after 5-10 years of trials,a systematic launch of the Guidelines.There can be better ways than this for putting together guidelines as has been suggested by multiple authors and researchers.

Guidelines for the Investigation of Mediating Variables in Business Research

OpenAIRE

MacKinnon, David P.; Coxe, Stefany; Baraldi, Amanda N.

2011-01-01

Business theories often specify the mediating mechanisms by which a predictor variable affects an outcome variable. In the last 30 years, investigations of mediating processes have become more widespread with corresponding developments in statistical methods to conduct these tests. The purpose of this article is to provide guidelines for mediation studies by focusing on decisions made prior to the research study that affect the clarity of conclusions from a mediation study, the statistical mo...

Raising the Bar with Trades Staffing Guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

Weidner, Theodore J.

2000-01-01

Examines the APPA's Trades Staffing Guidelines Task Force for college campus building maintenance and presents descriptions of the proposed guideline levels and a matrix of indicators for the Trades Staffing Guidelines. The levels and matrix are intended to mimic features of the custodial staffing guidelines. (GR)

Consensus guidelines for the uniform reporting of study ethics in anatomical research within the framework of the anatomical quality assurance (AQUA) checklist.

Science.gov (United States)

Henry, Brandon Michael; Vikse, Jens; Pekala, Przemyslaw; Loukas, Marios; Tubbs, R Shane; Walocha, Jerzy A; Jones, D Gareth; Tomaszewski, Krzysztof A

2018-05-01

Unambiguous reporting of a study's compliance with ethical guidelines in anatomical research is imperative. As such, clear, universal, and uniform reporting guidelines for study ethics are essential. In 2016, the International Evidence-Based Anatomy Working group in collaboration with international partners established reporting guidelines for anatomical studies, the Anatomical Quality Assurance (AQUA) Checklist. In this elaboration of the AQUA Checklist, consensus guidelines for reporting study ethics in anatomical studies are provided with in the framework of the AQUA Checklist. The new guidelines are aimed to be applicable to research across the spectrum of the anatomical sciences, including studies on both living and deceased donors. The authors hope the established guidelines will improve ethical compliance and reporting in anatomical research. Clin. Anat. 31:521-524, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

New research reactor proposed for Australia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1992-01-01

A new research reactor has been proposed for construction within the next ten years, to replace the HIFAR reactor which operating capabilities have been over taken by later designs. This paper outlines the main research applications of the new reactor design and briefly examines issues related to its cost, economic benefits, safety and location

Guidelines for seagrass restoration : Importance of habitat selection and donor population, spreading of risks, and ecosystem engineering effects

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Katwijk, M. M.; Bos, A. R.; de Jonge, V. N.; Hanssen, L. S. A. M.; Hermus, D. C. R.; de Jong, D. J.

Large-scale losses of seagrass beds have been reported for decades and lead to numerous restoration programs. From worldwide scientific literature and 20 years of seagrass restoration research in the Wadden Sea, we review and evaluate the traditional guidelines and propose new guidelines for

Information-sharing to promote informed choice in prenatal screening in the spirit of the SOGC clinical practice guideline: a proposal for an alternative model.

Science.gov (United States)

Vanstone, Meredith; Kinsella, Elizabeth Anne; Nisker, Jeff

2012-03-01

The 2011 SOGC clinical practice guideline "Prenatal Screening for Fetal Aneuploidy in Singleton Pregnancies" recommends that clinicians offer prenatal screening to all pregnant women and provide counselling in a non-directive manner. Non-directive counselling is intended to facilitate autonomous decision-making and remove the clinician's views regarding a particular course of action. However, recent research in genetic counselling raises concerns that non-directive counselling is neither possible nor desirable, and that it may not be the best way to facilitate informed choice. We propose an alternative model of information-sharing specific to prenatal screening that combines attributes of the models of informative decision-making and shared decision-making. Our proposed model is intended to provide clinicians with a strategy to communicate information about prenatal screening in a way that facilitates a shared deliberative process and autonomous decision-making. Our proposed model may better prepare a pregnant woman to make an informed choice about participating in prenatal screening on the basis of her consideration of the medical information provided by her clinician and her particular circumstances and values.

The art of writing good research proposals.

Science.gov (United States)

van Ekelenburg, Henk

2010-01-01

Whilst scientists are by default motivated by intellectual challenges linked to the area of their interest rather than have an interest in the financial component related to their work, the reality of today is that funding for their work does not come automatically More and more governments provide project-related funding rather than multipurpose funding that covers the total annual costs of a research performing entity (such as a university department). So, like it or not, researchers have to present their research ideas and convince funding bodies about the usefulness and importance of their intended research work. Writing the research proposal is not simply typing words and punctuation. It requires succinctly and clearly chronicling the facts, as well as crafting a convincing line of reasoning for funding the project. For the best result, both the logical, verbal left side of the brain and the intuitive, creative right side of the brain need to work as a team. This article covers the process of writing a proposal, from research idea to submission to the funding body. The key to good writing is linking the text into a logical project flow. Therefore, in the early stage of writing an RTD proposal, developing the chain of reasoning and creating a flow chart is recommended to get a clear overview of the entire project and to visualise how the many work packages are connected.

76 FR 44339 - Office of Biotechnology Activities; Recombinant DNA Research: Action Under the NIH Guidelines for...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-07-25

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health Office of Biotechnology... Services. ACTION: Proposed Minor Action under the NIH Guidelines. SUMMARY: The Office of Biotechnology....nih.gov , telephone (301-496-9838), or mail to the Office of Biotechnology Activities, National...

How can we improve guideline use? A conceptual framework of implementability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lemieux-Charles Louise

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Guidelines continue to be underutilized, and a variety of strategies to improve their use have been suboptimal. Modifying guideline features represents an alternative, but untested way to promote their use. The purpose of this study was to identify and define features that facilitate guideline use, and examine whether and how they are included in current guidelines. Methods A guideline implementability framework was developed by reviewing the implementation science literature. We then examined whether guidelines included these, or additional implementability elements. Data were extracted from publicly available high quality guidelines reflecting primary and institutional care, reviewed independently by two individuals, who through discussion resolved conflicts, then by the research team. Results The final implementability framework included 22 elements organized in the domains of adaptability, usability, validity, applicability, communicability, accommodation, implementation, and evaluation. Data were extracted from 20 guidelines on the management of diabetes, hypertension, leg ulcer, and heart failure. Most contained a large volume of graded, narrative evidence, and tables featuring complementary clinical information. Few contained additional features that could improve guideline use. These included alternate versions for different users and purposes, summaries of evidence and recommendations, information to facilitate interaction with and involvement of patients, details of resource implications, and instructions on how to locally promote and monitor guideline use. There were no consistent trends by guideline topic. Conclusions Numerous opportunities were identified by which guidelines could be modified to support various types of decision making by different users. New governance structures may be required to accommodate development of guidelines with these features. Further research is needed to validate the proposed

Patient participation in ERS guidelines and research projects: the EMBARC experience

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

James D. Chalmers

2017-09-01

To understand the different ways in which patients can contribute to clinical guidelines, research projects and educational activities. To understand the barriers and potential solutions to these barriers from a physician’s perspective, in order to ensure meaningful patient involvement in clinical projects. To understand the barriers and potential solutions from a patient’s perspective, in order to meaningfully involve patients in clinical projects.

High integrity software for nuclear power plants: Candidate guidelines, technical basis and research needs. Main report, Volume 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seth, S.; Bail, W.; Cleaves, D.; Cohen, H.; Hybertson, D.; Schaefer, C.; Stark, G.; Ta, A.; Ulery, B.

1995-06-01

The work documented in this report was performed in support of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission to examine the technical basis for candidate guidelines that could be considered in reviewing and evaluating high integrity computer e following software development and assurance activities: Requirements specification; design; coding; verification and validation, inclukding static analysis and dynamic testing; safety analysis; operation and maintenance; configuration management; quality assurance; and planning and management. Each activity (framework element) was subdivided into technical areas (framework subelements). The report describes the development of approximately 200 candidate guidelines that span the entire ran e identification, categorization and prioritization of technical basis for those candidate guidelines; and the identification, categorization and prioritization of research needs for improving the technical basis. The report has two volumes: Volume 1, Executive Summary includes an overview of the framwork and of each framework element, the complete set of candidate guidelines, the results of the assessment of the technical basis for each candidate guideline, and a discussion of research needs that support the regulatory function; this document, Volume 2, is the main report

High integrity software for nuclear power plants: Candidate guidelines, technical basis and research needs. Main report, Volume 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seth, S.; Bail, W.; Cleaves, D.; Cohen, H.; Hybertson, D.; Schaefer, C.; Stark, G.; Ta, A.; Ulery, B. [Mitre Corp., McLean, VA (United States)

1995-06-01

The work documented in this report was performed in support of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission to examine the technical basis for candidate guidelines that could be considered in reviewing and evaluating high integrity computer e following software development and assurance activities: Requirements specification; design; coding; verification and validation, inclukding static analysis and dynamic testing; safety analysis; operation and maintenance; configuration management; quality assurance; and planning and management. Each activity (framework element) was subdivided into technical areas (framework subelements). The report describes the development of approximately 200 candidate guidelines that span the entire ran e identification, categorization and prioritization of technical basis for those candidate guidelines; and the identification, categorization and prioritization of research needs for improving the technical basis. The report has two volumes: Volume 1, Executive Summary includes an overview of the framwork and of each framework element, the complete set of candidate guidelines, the results of the assessment of the technical basis for each candidate guideline, and a discussion of research needs that support the regulatory function; this document, Volume 2, is the main report.

Has reporting of methods in animal studies in psychiatric research improved since the introduction of the ARRIVE guidelines?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Danborg, Pia Brandt; Simonsen, Anders L; Hrobjartsson, Asbjørn

Objective: Animal research has been dominated by poor methodology or poor reporting. The ARRIVE guidelines were introduced in 2010 to increase the quality of reporting in animal research. An evaluation by Baker et al (2014) reported inadequate adherence to the ARRIVE guidelines by researchers...... and journal editors. We are undertaking two systematic reviews to investigate harms from exposure to psychiatric drugs; one on long-term behavioral harms from previous exposure to psychiatric drugs after a drug-free period and one on abnormal development of reproductive organs from exposure to ADHD medication....... Method: Two independent observers assessed risk of bias due to randomization and blinding in studies included in either of the two systematic reviews and published in 2011 or later. We used the ARRIVE guidelines for reporting and the risk of bias tool presented by the Systematic Review Centre for Animal...

Outline of research proposals selected in the Nuclear Energy Research Initiative (NERI) program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iwamura, Takamichi; Okubo, Tsutomu; Usui, Shuji

1999-08-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) created a new R and D program called Nuclear Energy Research Initiative (NERI)' in FY 1999 with the appropriation of $19 million. The major objectives of the NERI program is to preserve the nuclear science and engineering infrastructure in the U.S. and to maintain a competitive position in the global nuclear market in the 21st century. In may, 1999, the DOE selected 45 research proposals for the first year of the NERI program. The proposals are classified into the following five R and D areas: Proliferation Resistant Reactors and/or Fuel Cycles, New Reactor Designs, Advanced Nuclear Fuel, New Technology for Management of Nuclear Waste, Fundamental Nuclear Science. Since the NERI is a very epoch-making and strategic nuclear research program sponsored by the U.S. government, the trend of the NERI is considered to affect the future R and D programs in Japanese nuclear industries and research institutes including JAERI. The present report summarizes the analyzed results of the selected 45 research proposals. Staffs comments are made on each proposal in connection with the R and D activities in JAERI. (author)

Guidelines for the Review of Research Reactor Safety: Revised Edition. Reference Document for IAEA Integrated Safety Assessment of Research Reactors (INSARR)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2013-01-01

The Integrated Safety Assessment of Research Reactors (INSARR) is an IAEA safety review service available to Member States with the objective of supporting them in ensuring and enhancing the safety of their research reactors. This service consists of performing a comprehensive peer review and an assessment of the safety of the respective research reactor. The reviews are based on IAEA safety standards and on the provisions of the Code of Conduct on the Safety of Research Reactors. The INSARR can benefit both the operating organizations and the regulatory bodies of the requesting Member States, and can include new research reactors under design or operating research reactors, including those which are under a Project and Supply Agreement with the IAEA. The first IAEA safety evaluation of a research reactor operated by a Member State was completed in October 1959 and involved the Swiss 20 MW DIORIT research reactor. Since then, and in accordance with its programme on research reactor safety, the IAEA has conducted safety review missions in its Member States to enhance the safety of their research reactor facilities through the application of the Code of Conduct on the Safety of Research Reactors and the relevant IAEA safety standards. About 320 missions in 51 Member States were undertaken between 1972 and 2012. The INSARR missions and other limited scope safety review missions are conducted following the guidelines presented in this publication, which is a revision of Guidelines for the Review of Research Reactor Safety (IAEA Services Series No. 1), published in December 1997. This publication details those IAEA safety standards and guidance publications relevant to the safety of research reactors that have been revised or published since 1997. The purpose of this publication is to give guidance on the preparation, implementation, reporting and follow-up of safety review missions. It is also intended to be of assistance to operators and regulators in conducting

Summary of proposed approach for deriving cleanup guidelines for radionuclides in soil at Brookhaven National Laboratory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meinhold, A.F.; Morris, S.C.; Dionne, B.; Moskowitz, P.D.

1996-11-01

Past activities at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) resulted in soil and groundwater contamination. As a result, BNL was designated a Superfund site under the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). BNL`s Office of Environmental Restoration (OER) is overseeing environmental restoration activities at the Laboratory, carried out under an Interagency Agreement (IAG) with the United States Department of Energy (DOE), the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). The objective of this paper is to propose a standard approach to deriving risk-based cleanup guidelines for radionuclides in soil at BNL.

Summary of proposed approach for deriving cleanup guidelines for radionuclides in soil at Brookhaven National Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meinhold, A.F.; Morris, S.C.; Dionne, B.; Moskowitz, P.D.

1996-11-01

Past activities at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) resulted in soil and groundwater contamination. As a result, BNL was designated a Superfund site under the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). BNL's Office of Environmental Restoration (OER) is overseeing environmental restoration activities at the Laboratory, carried out under an Interagency Agreement (IAG) with the United States Department of Energy (DOE), the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). The objective of this paper is to propose a standard approach to deriving risk-based cleanup guidelines for radionuclides in soil at BNL

Guidelines for normalising Early Modern English corpora: Decisions and justifications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Archer Dawn

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Corpora of Early Modern English have been collected and released for research for a number of years. With large scale digitisation activities gathering pace in the last decade, much more historical textual data is now available for research on numerous topics including historical linguistics and conceptual history. We summarise previous research which has shown that it is necessary to map historical spelling variants to modern equivalents in order to successfully apply natural language processing and corpus linguistics methods. Manual and semiautomatic methods have been devised to support this normalisation and standardisation process. We argue that it is important to develop a linguistically meaningful rationale to achieve good results from this process. In order to do so, we propose a number of guidelines for normalising corpora and show how these guidelines have been applied in the Corpus of English Dialogues.

Water chemistry guidelines for BWRs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bilanin, W.J.; Jones, R.L.; Welty, C.S.

1984-01-01

Guidelines for BWR water chemistry control have been prepared by a committee of experienced utility industry personnel sponsored by the BWR Owners Group on IGSCC Research and coordinated by the Electric Power Research Institute. The guidelines are based on extensive plant operational experience and laboratory research data. The purpose of the guidelines is to provide guidance to the electric utility industry on water chemistry control to help reduce corrosion, especially stress corrosion cracking, in boiling water reactors

Transparency in the reporting of in vivo pre-clinical pain research: The relevance and implications of the ARRIVE (Animal Research: Reporting In Vivo Experiments) guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

Rice, Andrew S C; Morland, Rosemary; Huang, Wenlong; Currie, Gillian L; Sena, Emily S; Macleod, Malcolm R

2017-12-29

Clear reporting of research is crucial to the scientific process. Poorly designed and reported studies are damaging not only to the efforts of individual researchers, but also to science as a whole. Standardised reporting methods, such as those already established for reporting randomised clinical trials, have led to improved study design and facilitated the processes of clinical systematic review and meta-analysis. Such standards were lacking in the pre-clinical field until the development of the ARRIVE (Animal Research: Reporting In Vivo Experiments) guidelines. These were prompted following a survey which highlighted a widespread lack of robust and consistent reporting of pre-clinical in vivo research, with reports frequently omitting basic information required for study replication and quality assessment. The resulting twenty item checklist in ARRIVE covers all aspects of experimental design with particular emphasis on bias reduction and methodological transparency. Influential publishers and research funders have already adopted ARRIVE. Further dissemination and acknowledgement of the importance of these guidelines is vital to their widespread implementation. Conclusions and implications Wide implementation of the ARRIVE guidelines for reporting of in vivo preclinical research, especially pain research, are essential for a much needed increased transparency and quality in publishing such research. ARRIVE will also positively influence improvements in experimental design and quality, assist the conduct of accurate replication studies of important new findings and facilitate meta-analyses of preclinical research.

Design-based research and doctoral students: Guidelines for preparing a dissertation proposal

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Herrington, Jan; Montgomerie, C.; McKenney, Susan; Seale, J.; Reeves, Thomas C.; Oliver, Ron

2007-01-01

At first glance, design-based research may appear to be such a long-term and intensive approach to educational inquiry that doctoral students, most of whom expect to complete their Ph.D. degree in 4-5 years, should not attempt to adopt this approach for their doctoral dissertations. In this paper,

Guidelines for conducting rigorous health care psychosocial cross-cultural/language qualitative research.

Science.gov (United States)

Arriaza, Pablo; Nedjat-Haiem, Frances; Lee, Hee Yun; Martin, Shadi S

2015-01-01

The purpose of this article is to synthesize and chronicle the authors' experiences as four bilingual and bicultural researchers, each experienced in conducting cross-cultural/cross-language qualitative research. Through narrative descriptions of experiences with Latinos, Iranians, and Hmong refugees, the authors discuss their rewards, challenges, and methods of enhancing rigor, trustworthiness, and transparency when conducting cross-cultural/cross-language research. The authors discuss and explore how to effectively manage cross-cultural qualitative data, how to effectively use interpreters and translators, how to identify best methods of transcribing data, and the role of creating strong community relationships. The authors provide guidelines for health care professionals to consider when engaging in cross-cultural qualitative research.

Testing post-editing guidelines

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Flanagan, Marian; Christensen, Tina Paulsen

2014-01-01

guidelines to use in translator training programmes. Recently, the first set of publicly available industry-focused PE guidelines (for ‘good enough’ and ‘publishable’ quality) were developed by Translation Automation User Society (TAUS) in partnership with the Centre for Global Intelligent Content (CNGL......), which can be used as a basis on which to instruct post-editors in professional environments. This paper reports on a qualitative study that investigates how trainee translators on an MA course, which is aimed at preparing the trainees for the translation industry, interpret these PE guidelines...... for publishable quality. The findings suggest trainees have difficulties interpreting the guidelines, primarily due to trainee competency gaps, but also due to the wording of the guidelines. Based on our findings we propose training measures to address these competency gaps. Furthermore, we provide post...

Status of dye solar cell technology as a guideline for further research.

Science.gov (United States)

Hinsch, Andreas; Veurman, Welmoed; Brandt, Henning; Jensen, Katrine Flarup; Mastroianni, Simone

2014-04-14

Recently, the first commercial dye solar cell (DSC) products based on the mesoscopic principle were successfully launched. Introduction to the market has been accompanied by a strong increase in patent applications in the field during the last four years, which is a good indication of further commercialization activity. Materials and cell concepts have been developed to such extent that easy uptake by industrial manufacturers is possible. The critical phase for broad market acceptance has therefore been reached, which implies focusing on standardization-related research topics. In parallel the number of scientific publications on DSC is growing further (>3500 since 2012), and the range of new or renewed fundamental topics is broadening. A recent example is the introduction of the perovskite mesoscopic cell, for which an efficiency of 14.1% has been certified. Thus, a growing divergence between market introduction and research could be the consequence. Herein, an attempt is made to show that such an unwanted divergence can be prevented, for example, by developing suitable reference-type cell and module concepts as well as manufacturing routes. An in situ cell manufacturing concept that can be applied to mesoscopic-based solar cells in a broader sense is proposed. As a guideline for future module concepts, recent results for large-area, glass-frit-sealed DSC modules from efficiency studies (6.6% active-area efficiency) and outdoor analysis are discussed. Electroluminescence measurements are introduced as a quality tool. Another important point that is addressed is sustainability, which affects both market introduction and the direction of fundamental research. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Serving our communities better. Guidelines for planning and developing integrated delivery networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Prybil, L; Golden, P; Ballance, X

1995-04-01

In 1994 the Daughters of Charity National Health System-East Central (DCNHS-East Central) adopted 11 guidelines to help corporate staff and local leaders plan and develop integrated networks. Guideline 1 emphasizes needs-based strategic planning. Guideline 2 focuses on the community-based network planning process, recommending a team approach and ongoing communication with the local ordinary. In guidelines 3 through 5, the DCNHS-East Central Board of Directors spells out key issues that must be covered in proposals ultimately presented for governance action. Guideline 6 presents three core elements that should characterize all CBNs in which DCNHS-East Central institutions participate. Guideline 7 emphasizes that all CBN proposals and agreements must be clear with respect to the Catholic identity of DCNHS-East Central institutions. Guidelines 8 and 9 require that proposed changes to traditional policies and management practices be explicit in CBN proposals. The tenth guideline requires that all CBN proposals indicate an explicit evaluation function. The final guideline underscores that regardless of the strategic fit or how well a CBN is designed, it is unlikely to succeed unless both internal and external relationships are based on a solid foundation of honesty, mutual respect, and trust.

Guidelines for the welfare and use of animals in cancer research

Science.gov (United States)

Workman, P; Aboagye, E O; Balkwill, F; Balmain, A; Bruder, G; Chaplin, D J; Double, J A; Everitt, J; Farningham, D A H; Glennie, M J; Kelland, L R; Robinson, V; Stratford, I J; Tozer, G M; Watson, S; Wedge, S R; Eccles, S A

2010-01-01

Animal experiments remain essential to understand the fundamental mechanisms underpinning malignancy and to discover improved methods to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer. Excellent standards of animal care are fully consistent with the conduct of high quality cancer research. Here we provide updated guidelines on the welfare and use of animals in cancer research. All experiments should incorporate the 3Rs: replacement, reduction and refinement. Focusing on animal welfare, we present recommendations on all aspects of cancer research, including: study design, statistics and pilot studies; choice of tumour models (e.g., genetically engineered, orthotopic and metastatic); therapy (including drugs and radiation); imaging (covering techniques, anaesthesia and restraint); humane endpoints (including tumour burden and site); and publication of best practice. PMID:20502460

Guidelines for the Standardization of Genital Photography.

Science.gov (United States)

Joumblat, Natalie R; Chim, Jimmy; Sanchez Aguirre, Priscila Gisselle; Bedolla, Edgar; Salgado, Christopher J

2018-02-06

Plastic surgery relies on photography for both clinical practice and research. The Photographic Standards in Plastic Surgery laid the foundation for standardized photography in plastic surgery. Despite these advancements, the current literature lacks guidelines for genital photography, thus resulting in a discordance of documentation. The authors propose photographic standards for the male and female genitalia to establish homogeneity in which information can be accurately exchanged. All medical photographs include a sky-blue background, proper lighting, removal of distractors, consistent camera framing, and standard camera angles. We propose the following guidelines to standardize genital photography. In the anterior upright position, feet are shoulder-width apart and arms are placed posteriorly. The frame is bounded superiorly by the xiphoid-umbilicus midpoint and inferiorly by the patella. For circumferential documentation, frontal 180 degree capture via 45 degree intervals is often sufficient. Images in standard lithotomy position should be captured at both parallel and 45 degrees above the horizontal. Images of the phallus should include both the flaccid and erect states. Despite the increasing incidence of genital procedures, there lacks a standardized methodology in which to document the genitalia, resulting in a substantial heterogeneity in the current literature. Our standardized techniques for genital photography set forth to establish a uniform language that promotes more effective communication with both the patient as well as with colleagues. The proposed photography guidelines provide optimal visualization and standard documentation of the genitalia, allowing for accurate education, meaningful collaborations, and advancement in genital surgery. © 2018 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc. Reprints and permission: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Common issues raised during the quality assurance process of WHO guidelines: a cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Porgo, Teegwendé V; Ferri, Mauricio; Norris, Susan L

2018-02-07

In 2007, WHO established the Guidelines Review Committee (GRC) to ensure that WHO guidelines adhere to the highest international standards. The GRC reviews guideline proposals and final guidelines. The objectives of this study were to examine the rates of and reasons for conditional approval and non-approval of documents submitted for the first time to the GRC, and calculate the time intervals and numbers of submissions to achieve approval for documents conditionally approved or not approved at first submission. All initial submissions to the GRC between 2014 and 2017 were examined. Data were extracted from the GRC's records of written comments and discussions. Of a total of 85 proposals and 88 final guidelines, 32 (37.6%) proposals and 37 (42.0%) final guidelines were conditionally approved, and 15 (17.6%) proposals and 28 (31.8%) final guidelines were not. For both conditionally approved and not approved proposals, the most frequent reasons were suboptimal composition or inadequate description of the guideline contributor groups (in all proposals), followed by inadequate formulation of key questions (in 90.6% of conditionally approved proposals and all not approved proposals). For both conditionally approved and not approved final guidelines, the most frequent reasons were problems with recommendations (in all final guidelines), followed by inappropriate methods for evidence retrieval or an inadequate description thereof (in all conditionally approved final guidelines and 75.0% of not approved final guidelines). The median time to achieve approval was 2 months for proposals and 1-2 months for final guidelines. The median number of submissions was 2 for proposals and 2-2.5 for final guidelines. The GRC implements a rigorous quality assurance process and identifies problems with a significant percentage of initial submissions. WHO needs to continuously evaluate its guideline development processes to inform effective quality improvement measures and optimise the

GRI proposes to hold the line on research program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1992-01-01

This paper reports that the Gas Research Institute has proposed a 1993 US research and development program totaling $201.8 million, the same level as the 1991 but down from $212.9 million this year. GRI filed the 1993 proposal and its 1993-97 R and D plan with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. If FERC approves the plan, interstate gas pipeline companies would support the GRI research by collecting a surcharge of 1.51 cents/Mcf on nondiscounted gas transactions and 8 cents/Mcf/month on uniform demand or reservations. The proposed budget is based on a revised funding mechanism FERC is considering for GRI. The research agency's general expanses and capital budget would remain at the 1992 level of $9.8 million

The changing Chinese SEA indicator guidelines: Top-down or bottom-up?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao, Jingjing; Christensen, Per; Kørnøv, Lone

2014-01-01

In the last decades, China has introduced a set of indicators to guide the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) practice. The most recent indicator system proposed in 2009 is based on sector-specific guidelines and it found its justification in past negative experiences with more general guidelines (from 2003), which were mostly inspired by, or copied from, international experiences. Based on interviews with practitioners, researchers and administrators, we map and analyse the change in the national guidelines. This analysis is based on a description of the indicators that makes it possible to discern different aggregation levels of indicators and then trace the changes occurring under two sets of guidelines. The analysis also reveals the reasons and rationales behind the changes found in the guidelines. This analysis is inspired by implementation theory and a description of some of the more general trends in the development of SEA and other environmental policies in a recent Chinese context. Beside a more top-down, intentional approach specifying indicators for different sectors based on Chinese experiences from the preceding years, another significant change, following the new guidelines, is a more bottom-up approach which gives more discretion to practitioners. This entails a call for practitioners to make decisions on indicators, which involves an interpretation of the ones present in sector guidance. Highlights: • Focusing on the new Chinese national SEA guidelines proposed in 2009 • Mapping and analysing the most recent change in the indicator system • Revealing the reasons and rationales behind the changes found in the new guidelines • A top-down intention specifying indicators for different sectors • A bottom-up effect in giving discretion and interpretation of using indicators

The changing Chinese SEA indicator guidelines: Top-down or bottom-up?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gao, Jingjing, E-mail: Jingjing@plan.aau.dk; Christensen, Per; Kørnøv, Lone

2014-01-15

In the last decades, China has introduced a set of indicators to guide the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) practice. The most recent indicator system proposed in 2009 is based on sector-specific guidelines and it found its justification in past negative experiences with more general guidelines (from 2003), which were mostly inspired by, or copied from, international experiences. Based on interviews with practitioners, researchers and administrators, we map and analyse the change in the national guidelines. This analysis is based on a description of the indicators that makes it possible to discern different aggregation levels of indicators and then trace the changes occurring under two sets of guidelines. The analysis also reveals the reasons and rationales behind the changes found in the guidelines. This analysis is inspired by implementation theory and a description of some of the more general trends in the development of SEA and other environmental policies in a recent Chinese context. Beside a more top-down, intentional approach specifying indicators for different sectors based on Chinese experiences from the preceding years, another significant change, following the new guidelines, is a more bottom-up approach which gives more discretion to practitioners. This entails a call for practitioners to make decisions on indicators, which involves an interpretation of the ones present in sector guidance. Highlights: • Focusing on the new Chinese national SEA guidelines proposed in 2009 • Mapping and analysing the most recent change in the indicator system • Revealing the reasons and rationales behind the changes found in the new guidelines • A top-down intention specifying indicators for different sectors • A bottom-up effect in giving discretion and interpretation of using indicators.

High integrity software for nuclear power plants: Candidate guidelines, technical basis and research needs. Executive summary: Volume 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seth, S.; Bail, W.; Cleaves, D.; Cohen, H.; Hybertson, D.; Schaefer, C.; Stark, G.; Ta, A.; Ulery, B.

1995-06-01

The work documented in this report was performed in support of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission to examine the technical basis for candidate guidelines that could be considered in reviewing and evaluating high integrity computer software used in the safety systems of nuclear power plants. The framework for the work consisted of the following software development and assurance activities: requirements specification; design; coding; verification and validation, including static analysis and dynamic testing; safety analysis; operation and maintenance; configuration management; quality assurance; and planning and management. Each activity (framework element) was subdivided into technical areas (framework subelements). The report describes the development of approximately 200 candidate guidelines that span the entire range of software life-cycle activities; the assessment of the technical basis for those candidate guidelines; and the identification, categorization and prioritization of research needs for improving the technical basis. The report has two volumes: Volume 1, Executive Summary, includes an overview of the framework and of each framework element, the complete set of candidate guidelines, the results of the assessment of the technical basis for each candidate guideline, and a discussion of research needs that support the regulatory function; Volume 2 is the main report

The accuracy of newly proposed warning signs in the third edition of Malaysian guideline on the management of dengue infection in adult

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gary Kim Kuan Low

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Objective: To evaluate the accuracy of persistent vomiting and persistent diarrhoea proposed in the Malaysian dengue guideline. Methods: The eligibility criteria were dengue patients with vomiting or/and diarrhoea at the earliest day of illness without other warning signs. Vomiting and diarrhoea categorised by three or more episodes over 24 h were considered as warning signs. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were calculated. Results: There were a total of 479 patients, of whom 36 (7.5% got severe dengue and 443 (92.5% got dengue with warning signs. The overall accuracy ranged from 33.3% to 72.7% for sensitivity, 28.8% to 56.5% for specificity, 1.8% to 14.5% for positive predictive value and 88.5% to 96.3% for negative predictive value. There were 16 false negative. Conclusions: The newly proposed warning signs in the third edition of Malaysian dengue guideline may not be effective in predicting severe dengue.

Guideline of guidelines: asymptomatic microscopic haematuria.

Science.gov (United States)

Linder, Brian J; Bass, Edward J; Mostafid, Hugh; Boorjian, Stephen A

2018-02-01

The aim of the present study was to review major organizational guidelines on the evaluation and management of asymptomatic microscopic haematuria (AMH). We reviewed the haematuria guidelines from: the American Urological Association; the consensus statement by the Canadian Urological Association, Canadian Urologic Oncology Group and Bladder Cancer Canada; the American College of Physicians; the Joint Consensus Statement of the Renal Association and British Association of Urological Surgeons; and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. All guidelines reviewed recommend evaluation for AMH in the absence of potential benign aetiologies, with the evaluation including cystoscopy and upper urinary tract imaging. Existing guidelines vary in their definition of AMH (role of urine dipstick vs urine microscopy), the age threshold for recommending evaluation, and the optimal imaging method (computed tomography vs ultrasonography). Of the reviewed guidelines, none recommended the use of urine cytology or urine markers during the initial AMH evaluation. Patients should have ongoing follow-up after a negative initial AMH evaluation. Significant variation exists among current guidelines for AMH with respect to who should be evaluated and in what manner. Given the patient and health system implications of balancing appropriately focused and effective diagnostic evaluation, AMH represents a valuable future research opportunity. © 2017 The Authors BJU International © 2017 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Inside guidelines: comparative analysis of recommendations and evidence in diabetes guidelines from 13 countries

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Burgers, Jako S.; Bailey, Julia V.; Klazinga, Niek S.; van der Bij, Akke K.; Grol, Richard; Feder, Gene

2002-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To compare guidelines on diabetes from different countries in order to examine whether differences in recommendations could be explained by use of different research evidence. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We analyzed 15 clinical guidelines on type 2 diabetes from 13 countries using

Integrating guideline development and implementation: analysis of guideline development manual instructions for generating implementation advice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gagliardi Anna R

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Guidelines are important tools that inform healthcare delivery based on best available research evidence. Guideline use is in part based on quality of the guidelines, which includes advice for implementation and has been shown to vary. Others hypothesized this is due to limited instructions in guideline development manuals. The purpose of this study was to examine manual instructions for implementation advice. Methods We used a directed and summative content analysis approach based on an established framework of guideline implementability. Six manuals identified by another research group were examined to enumerate implementability domains and elements. Results Manuals were similar in content but lacked sufficient detail in particular domains. Most frequently this was Accomodation, which includes information that would help guideline users anticipate and/or overcome organizational and system level barriers. In more than one manual, information was also lacking for Communicability, information that would educate patients or facilitate their involvement in shared decision making, and Applicability, or clinical parameters to help clinicians tailor recommendations for individual patients. Discussion Most manuals that direct guideline development lack complete information about incorporating implementation advice. These findings can be used by those who developed the manuals to consider expanding their content in these domains. It can also be used by guideline developers as they plan the content and implementation of their guidelines so that the two are integrated. New approaches for guideline development and implementation may need to be developed. Use of guidelines might be improved if they included implementation advice, but this must be evaluated through ongoing research.

Operational research on implementation of tuberculosis guidelines in Mozambique

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brouwer, M.A.

2015-01-01

The overall objective of this thesis is to assess how guideline implementation and evaluation contribute to health care decision-making and to assess what critical factors contribute to successful or unsuccessful implementation of TB control guidelines through case studies mainly conducted in

Development of an ergonomics guideline for the furniture manufacturing industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Mirka, Gary A

2005-03-01

Industry-specific ergonomics guidelines are an important component in the four-pronged approach to workplace ergonomics currently pursued by the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The American Furniture Manufacturers Association has taken the initiative of developing such a guideline for its members. The result of this effort is the "AFMA Voluntary Ergonomics Guideline for the Furniture Manufacturing Industry", a document that includes basic information about ergonomics program components as well as a compilation of work-proven, ergonomics best practices as submitted by members of the furniture manufacturing community. This guideline was developed through an industry-research-government partnership and made strategic use of the unique attributes that each sector brought to this effort. Outlined in this paper are some of the characteristics of this partnership including, the roles played by each, the different motivations for pursuing the guideline, the challenges faced during the development of the document, the successes experienced in this process, as well as a proposed outline for measuring the effectiveness of this effort. The hope is that this summary, and some of the lessons learned contained herein, would be helpful to others considering the prospect of developing such a guideline for their industry.

NASA Guidelines for Promoting Scientific and Research Integrity

Science.gov (United States)

Kaminski, Amy P.; Neogi, Natasha A.

2017-01-01

This guidebook provides an overarching summary of existing policies, activities, and guiding principles for scientific and research integrity with which NASA's workforce and affiliates must conform. This document addresses NASA's obligations as both a research institution and as a funder of research, NASA's use of federal advisory committees, NASA's public communication of research results, and professional development of NASA's workforce. This guidebook is intended to provide a single resource for NASA researchers, NASA research program administrators and project managers, external entities who do or might receive funding from NASA for research or technical projects, evaluators of NASA research proposals, NASA advisory committee members, NASA communications specialists, and members of the general public so that they can understand NASA's commitment to and expectations for scientific and integrity across the agency.

Exploiting thesauri knowledge in medical guideline formalization

OpenAIRE

Serban, R.C.; ten Teije, A.C.M.

2009-01-01

Objectives: As in software product lifecycle, the effort spent in maintaining medical knowl edge in guidelines can be reduced, if modularization, formalization and tracking of domain knowledge are employed across the guideline development phases. Methods: We propose to exploit and combine knowledge templates with medical background knowledge from existing thesauri in order to produce reusable building blocks used in guideline development. These tem- plates enable easier guideline formalizatio...

Adopting preoperative fasting guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Megan; Comrie, Rhonda

2009-07-01

In 1999, the American Society of Anesthesiologists adopted preoperative fasting guidelines to enhance the quality and efficiency of patient care. Guidelines suggest that healthy, non-pregnant patients should fast six hours from solids and two hours from liquids. Although these guidelines are in place, studies suggest that providers are still using the blanket statement "NPO after midnight" without regard to patient characteristics, the procedure, or the time of the procedure. Using theory to help change provider's beliefs may help make change more successful. Rogers' Theory of Diffusion of Innovations can assist in changing long-time practice by laying the groundwork for an analysis of the benefits and disadvantages of proposed changes, such as changes to fasting orders, while helping initiate local protocols instead of additional national guidelines.

Guidelines for design and development of computer/microprocessor based systems in research and power reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dhodapkar, S.D.; Chandra, A.K.

1993-01-01

Computer systems are being used in Indian research reactors and nuclear power plants in the areas of data acquisition, process monitoring and control, alarm annunciation and safety. The design and evaluation of these systems requires a special approach particularly due to the unique nature of the software which is an essential constituent of these systems. It was decided to evolve guidelines for designing and review of computer/microprocessor based systems for use in nuclear power plants in India. The present document tries to address various issues and presents guidelines which are as comprehensive as possible and cover all issues relating to the design and development of computer based systems. These guidelines are expected to be useful to the specifiers, designers and reviewers of such systems. (author). 6 refs., 1 fig

Libraries Demonstrate Low Adherence to Virtual Reference Service Guidelines. A Review of: Shachaf, Pnina, and Sarah M. Horowitz. “Virtual Reference Service Evaluation: Adherence to RUSA Behavioral Guidelines and IFLA Digital Reference Guidelines.” Library & Information Science Research 30.2 (2008: 122-37.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elise Cogo

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Objectives – This study evaluates the level to which virtual (asynchronous e-mail reference services adhere to professional guidelines. Specifically, it addresses the following research questions:1 To what extent do virtual reference services adhere to the American Library Association (ALA Reference and User Services Association (RUSA and the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA guidelines?2 How does the level of adherence to RUSA or IFLA guidelines vary based on request type, user name, and institution?3 Is there a correlation between outcome measures of reference transactions (accuracy, completeness, and satisfaction and the level of adherence to RUSA or IFLA guidelines?Design – Unobtrusive evaluation of researcher-generated queries.Setting – Fifty-four academic libraries in North America.Subjects – A total of 324 queries were sent to the 54 libraries, with each library receiving six different types of requests from six different user names.Methods – Researchers developed two coding schemes for the guidelines (34 codes and 12 attributes for the RUSA guidelines and 33 codes and 10 attributes for the IFLA guidelines. Each of the six user names used represented an ethnic and/or religious group identity: Mary Anderson (Caucasian, Christian, Moshe Cohen (Caucasian, Jewish, Ahmed Ibrahim (Arab, Latoya Johnson (African American, Rosa Manuz (Hispanic, and Chang Su (Asian. The six request types were designed so that three would be answered (questions 1-3 and three would be out of scope and not answered (questions 4-6. The following queries were sent, individualized for each institution: 1 Dissertation query; 2 Sports team query; 3 Population query; 4 Subject query; 5 Article query; 6 Request for a PDF copy. The 324 queries were uploaded into NVivo 2 software, and all e-mail transactions were coded and analyzed.Main Results – Analysis of the 324 transactions from 54 libraries showed the following results:1 Low levels of

Conducting wine marketing research with impact in China: Guidelines for design, execution and dissemination

OpenAIRE

Justin Cohen; Larry Lockshin

2017-01-01

China is the fastest growing wine market, but conducting research there is fraught with a variety of issues. This article explores some of the issues the authors have dealt with in conducting wine marketing research in China over the last five years. We discuss issues with the design of research to focus on important issues for both academics and the industry. We relate the key problems in gaining proper translation and useful sampling procedures. Finally, we provide some guidelines for commu...

Guidelines for information about therapy experiments: a proposal on best practice for recording experimental data on cancer therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

González-Beltrán, Alejandra N; Yong, May Y; Dancey, Gairin; Begent, Richard

2012-01-06

Biology, biomedicine and healthcare have become data-driven enterprises, where scientists and clinicians need to generate, access, validate, interpret and integrate different kinds of experimental and patient-related data. Thus, recording and reporting of data in a systematic and unambiguous fashion is crucial to allow aggregation and re-use of data. This paper reviews the benefits of existing biomedical data standards and focuses on key elements to record experiments for therapy development. Specifically, we describe the experiments performed in molecular, cellular, animal and clinical models. We also provide an example set of elements for a therapy tested in a phase I clinical trial. We introduce the Guidelines for Information About Therapy Experiments (GIATE), a minimum information checklist creating a consistent framework to transparently report the purpose, methods and results of the therapeutic experiments. A discussion on the scope, design and structure of the guidelines is presented, together with a description of the intended audience. We also present complementary resources such as a classification scheme, and two alternative ways of creating GIATE information: an electronic lab notebook and a simple spreadsheet-based format. Finally, we use GIATE to record the details of the phase I clinical trial of CHT-25 for patients with refractory lymphomas. The benefits of using GIATE for this experiment are discussed. While data standards are being developed to facilitate data sharing and integration in various aspects of experimental medicine, such as genomics and clinical data, no previous work focused on therapy development. We propose a checklist for therapy experiments and demonstrate its use in the 131Iodine labeled CHT-25 chimeric antibody cancer therapy. As future work, we will expand the set of GIATE tools to continue to encourage its use by cancer researchers, and we will engineer an ontology to annotate GIATE elements and facilitate unambiguous

Guidelines for information about therapy experiments: a proposal on best practice for recording experimental data on cancer therapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

González-Beltrán Alejandra N

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Biology, biomedicine and healthcare have become data-driven enterprises, where scientists and clinicians need to generate, access, validate, interpret and integrate different kinds of experimental and patient-related data. Thus, recording and reporting of data in a systematic and unambiguous fashion is crucial to allow aggregation and re-use of data. This paper reviews the benefits of existing biomedical data standards and focuses on key elements to record experiments for therapy development. Specifically, we describe the experiments performed in molecular, cellular, animal and clinical models. We also provide an example set of elements for a therapy tested in a phase I clinical trial. Findings We introduce the Guidelines for Information About Therapy Experiments (GIATE, a minimum information checklist creating a consistent framework to transparently report the purpose, methods and results of the therapeutic experiments. A discussion on the scope, design and structure of the guidelines is presented, together with a description of the intended audience. We also present complementary resources such as a classification scheme, and two alternative ways of creating GIATE information: an electronic lab notebook and a simple spreadsheet-based format. Finally, we use GIATE to record the details of the phase I clinical trial of CHT-25 for patients with refractory lymphomas. The benefits of using GIATE for this experiment are discussed. Conclusions While data standards are being developed to facilitate data sharing and integration in various aspects of experimental medicine, such as genomics and clinical data, no previous work focused on therapy development. We propose a checklist for therapy experiments and demonstrate its use in the 131Iodine labeled CHT-25 chimeric antibody cancer therapy. As future work, we will expand the set of GIATE tools to continue to encourage its use by cancer researchers, and we will engineer an ontology to

Proposal of guidelines for structuring an independent regulation body for the Brazilian nuclear sector; Proposta de diretrizes para estruturacao de um orgao de regulacao independente para o setor nuclear brasileiro

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nicoll Junior, Ricardo

2016-07-01

Regulatory bodies are responsible for regulation in various sectors of society. In Brazil, they work in various areas for the development of the country and have as main objective the social, economic and national development. The progress of new technologies in the nuclear field and their commercialization underscores the need for regulation according to international safety standards. The present research searches through an extensive review of the literature identify the international guidelines for regulatory bodies and make a comparative analysis between Brazil and five countries that have independent regulatory bodies in the nuclear sector. The purpose of the work is to contribute to the Brazilian public sectors, with an evaluation of the country's regulation in the perception of specialists and propose guidelines for the structuring of an independent regulatory body, respecting international agreements and the legislation in force in the country. (author)

Japanese Guideline for Atopic Dermatitis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ichiro Katayama

2011-01-01

The basics of treatment discussed in this guideline are based on the “Guidelines for the Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis 2008” prepared by the Health and Labour Sciences Research and the “Guidelines for the Management of Atopic Dermatitis 2009 (ADGL2009” prepared by the Atopic Dermatitis Guidelines Advisory Committee, Japanese Society of Allergology in principle.

Radiofrequency protection guidelines and standards: basic concepts and principles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Czerski, P.

1985-01-01

Over the past quarter of a century, radiofrequency radiation protection guidelines and standards evolved gradually and are continuously revised and refined. The scientific rationales presented for proposed exposure limits are achieving a considerable scientific sophistication. With increasing scientific validity of the presented arguments, the values of exposure limits are converging and one may hope that they will become convincing and acceptable to all schools of thought. Still more research is needed to refine the available exposure limits. This is recognized by ANSI who revise their recommendations periodically and are now engaged in the preparation of the next revision. INIRC/IRPA is also reconsidering their interim guideline. The Australian Standards Association also stressed the temporary nature of their exposure limits

A systematic literature review of resilience engineering: Research areas and a research agenda proposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Righi, Angela Weber; Saurin, Tarcisio Abreu; Wachs, Priscila

2015-01-01

Resilience engineering (RE) has been advocated as a new safety management paradigm, compatible with the nature of complex socio-technical systems. This study aims to identify the research areas and to propose a research agenda for RE, based on a systematic literature review that encompasses 237 studies from 2006 to 2014. Six research areas are identified: theory of RE; identification and classification of resilience; safety management tools; analysis of accidents; risk assessment; and training. The area “theory of RE” accounted for 52% of the studies, and it indicates that research has emphasized the description of how resilient performance occurs. The proposal for a research agenda is focused on: refining key constructs; positioning RE in relation to other theories; exploring other research strategies in addition to case-based studies; investigating barriers for implementing RE; and balancing the importance on describing and understanding resilience with the emphasis on the design of resilient systems, and the evaluation of these designs. - Highlights: • Six research areas on RE are identified. • A research agenda for RE is proposed. • RE research is mostly descriptive and based on case studies. • Design science is suggested as a research strategy for RE. • Five domains account for 75% of the reviewed studies

Using Research to Promote Literacy and Reading in Libraries: Guidelines for Librarians

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhittin Gürbüz

2015-09-01

Full Text Available While literacy and promoting reading are essential factors in developed societies, they are also one of the most crucial missions of all types of libraries. Research activities carried out by librarians and other related partners enable this process to be completed efficiently. This document is the translation of the latest revision of 2011guidelines issued by IFLA (Lesley Farmer and Ivanka Stricevic that aims to explore aforementioned issues.

Proposal for element size and time increment selection guideline by 3-D finite element method for elastic waves propagation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishida, Hitoshi; Meshii, Toshiyuki

2008-01-01

This paper proposes a guideline for selection of element size and time increment by 3-D finite element method, which is applied to elastic wave propagation analysis for a long distance of a large structure. An element size and a time increment are determined by quantitative evaluation of strain, which must be 0 on the analysis model with a uniform motion, caused by spatial and time discretization. (author)

Review: UK medicines likely to be affected by the proposed European Medicines Agency's guidelines on phthalates.

Science.gov (United States)

Jamieson, Lisa; McCully, William

2015-06-13

Phthalates are excipients in drug formulations. However, concerns have been raised about the effects of particular phthalates on reproduction and development. As a result the EMA has introduced guidelines for permitted daily exposure (PDE) limits for certain phthalates. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify UK licensed medicines that contain the relevant phthalates and determine if they fall within the recommended PDE. The eMC was used to identify which UK licensed medicines contain the phthalates in question. Companies were then contacted for information on the phthalate levels in their products, which was compared with the PDE recommended by the EMA. The eMC search revealed that 54 medicines contained at least one of the phthalates in question. However, only six medicines, namely Asacol 800 mg MR (Warner Chilcott UK), Epilim 200 Gastro-resistant tablets (Sanofi), Prednisolone 2.5 mg and 5 mg Gastro-resistant tablets (Actavis UK), Vivotif (Crucell Italy S.r.l), and Zentiva 200 mg Gastro-resistant tablets (Winthrop Pharmaceuticals UK), were identified as containing levels that exceeded the recommended PDE. These findings indicate that very few UK licensed medicines will be affected by the proposed EMA guidelines. For those medicines identified as exceeding recommendations, these findings highlight the need to instigate a risk-benefit review.

Quality assurance in X-ray mammography. Comparison of proposed EUREF guidelines with relevant German regulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zaers, J.; Brix, G.; Woudenberg, S. van

1997-01-01

The Program 'Europe against Cancer' published the 2nd edition of quality assurance guidelines for breast cancer screening in June 1996. For the enforcement of these guidelines, a European network of reference centres (EUREF) is being established. Although the EUREF protocol contains guidelines for all disciplines involved in breast cancer screening, this article concentrates on the physical and technical aspect. The comparison with the German regulations (DIN Norms) demonstrates the high requirements requested by the EUREF guidelines with its tighter limits and more extensive and more frequent tests. (orig.) [de

JSME guideline for evaluation of FIV of a cylindrical structure in a pipe and related researches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okajima, Atsushi; Morishita, Masaki; Nishihara, Takashi; Nakamura, Akira

2004-01-01

This paper reviews the recent studies of flow-induced vibration related to 'Guideline for Evaluation of Flow-induced Vibration of a Cylindrical Structure in a Pipe', the JSME standard S012-1998, published by Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers in 1998. For the past six years since its publication, a considerable number of studies have been conducted by universities, research institutes and plant manufacturers. The results of these studies validated this guideline and provided useful information to apply the guideline for an actual plant; the effect of cylinder configurations and flow conditions. The streamwise and transverse vibration of a circular cylinder was investigated at high Reynolds number flow. The effect of aspect ratio and taper ratio of a cantilevered cylinder was also investigated. The random oscillation characteristics were studied at high Reynolds number turbulent flow. The scope of application of this guideline was expanded by these studies to the wider range of flow condition and the practical shape of cylinders in the plants. (author)

Guidelines for Conducting Positivist Case Study Research in Information Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Graeme Shanks

2002-11-01

Full Text Available The case study research approach is widely used in a number of different ways within the information systems community. This paper focuses on positivist, deductive case study research in information systems. It provides clear definitions of important concepts in positivist case study research and illustrates these with an example research study. A critical analysis of the conduct and outcomes of two recently published positivist case studies is reported. One is a multiple case study that validated concepts in a framework for viewpoint development in requirements definition. The other is a single case study that examined the role of social enablers in enterprise resource planning systems implementation. A number of guidelines for successfully undertaking positivist case study research are identified including developing a clear understanding of key concepts and assumptions within the positivist paradigm; providing clear and unambiguous definitions of the units and interactions when using any theory; carefully defining the boundary of the theory used in the case study; using hypotheses rather than propositions in the empirical testing of theory; using fuzzy or probabilistic propositions in recognising that reality can never be perfectly known; selecting case studies carefully, particularly single case studies; and recognising that generalisation from positivist, single case studies is inherently different from generalisation from single experiments. When properly undertaken, positivist, deductive case study research is a valuable research approach for information systems researchers, particularly when used within pluralist research programs that use a number of different research approaches from different paradigms.

Proposed Modifications to Engineering Design Guidelines Related to Resistivity Measurements and Spacecraft Charging

Science.gov (United States)

Dennison, J. R.; Swaminathan, Prasanna; Jost, Randy; Brunson, Jerilyn; Green, Nelson; Frederickson, A. Robb

2005-01-01

A key parameter in modeling differential spacecraft charging is the resistivity of insulating materials. This determines how charge will accumulate and redistribute across the spacecraft, as well as the time scale for charge transport and dissipation. Existing spacecraft charging guidelines recommend use of tests and imported resistivity data from handbooks that are based principally upon ASTM methods that are more applicable to classical ground conditions and designed for problems associated with power loss through the dielectric, than for how long charge can be stored on an insulator. These data have been found to underestimate charging effects by one to four orders of magnitude for spacecraft charging applications. A review is presented of methods to measure the resistive of highly insulating materials, including the electrometer-resistance method, the electrometer-constant voltage method, the voltage rate-of-change method and the charge storage method. This is based on joint experimental studies conducted at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Utah State University to investigate the charge storage method and its relation to spacecraft charging. The different methods are found to be appropriate for different resistivity ranges and for different charging circumstances. A simple physics-based model of these methods allows separation of the polarization current and dark current components from long duration measurements of resistivity over day- to month-long time scales. Model parameters are directly related to the magnitude of charge transfer and storage and the rate of charge transport. The model largely explains the observed differences in resistivity found using the different methods and provides a framework for recommendations for the appropriate test method for spacecraft materials with different resistivities and applications. The proposed changes to the existing engineering guidelines are intended to provide design engineers more appropriate methods for

Proposed guidelines for synthetic accelerogram generation methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaw, D.E.; Rizzo, P.C.; Shukla, D.K.

1975-01-01

With the advent of high speed digital computation machines and discrete structural analysis techniques, it has become attractive to use synthetically generated accelerograms as input in the seismic design and analysis of structures. Several procedures are currently available which can generate accelerograms which match a given design response spectra while not paying significant attention to other properties of seismic accelerograms. This paper studies currently available artificial time history generation techniques from the standpoint of various properties of seismic time histories consisting of; 1. Response Spectra; 2. Peak Ground Acceleration; 3. Total Duration; 4. Time dependent enveloping functions defining the rise time to strong motion, duration of significant shaking and decay of the significant shaking portion of the seismic record; 5. Fourier Amplitude and Phase Spectra; 6. Ground Motion Parameters; 7. Apparent Frequency; with the aim of providing guidelines of the time history parameters based on historic strong motion seismic records. (Auth.)

Radiological risk comparison guidelines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hallinan, E.J.; Muhlestein, L.D.; Brown, L.F.; Yoder, R.E.

1992-01-01

An important aspect of DOE safety analyses is estimating potential accident risk. The estimates are used to: determine if additional controls are needed, identify Safety Class Items, and demonstrate adequate risk reduction. Thus, guidelines are needed to measure comparative risks. The Westinghouse M ampersand O Nuclear Facility Safety Committee and the Safety Envelope Working Group have developed radiological risk guidelines for comparing the risks from individual accident analyses. These guidelines were prepared under contract with the US Department of Energy. These guidelines are based on historical DOE guidelines and current requirements, and satisfy DOE and technical community proposals. for goals that demonstrate acceptable risk. The guidelines consist of a frequency versus consequence curve for credible accidents. Offsite and onsite guidelines are presented. The offsite risk acceptance guidelines are presented in Figure 1. The guidelines are nearly isorisk for anticipated events where impacts are chronic, and provide additional reduction for unlikely events where impacts may be acute and risk uncertainties may be significant. The guidelines are applied to individual release accident scenarios where a discrete frequency and consequence has been estimated. The guideline curves are not to be used for total risk assessments. Common cause events are taken into consideration only for an individual facility. Frequencies outside the guideline range are considered to be local site option (analyst judgement) as far as assessments of risk acceptance are concerned. If the curve is exceeded, then options include either a more detailed analysis or imposing additional preventive or mitigative features. Another presentation discusses implementation in detail. Additional work is needed to provide risk comparison guidelines for releases from multiple facilities and for toxic releases

Conducting wine marketing research with impact in China: Guidelines for design, execution and dissemination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Justin Cohen

2017-12-01

Full Text Available China is the fastest growing wine market, but conducting research there is fraught with a variety of issues. This article explores some of the issues the authors have dealt with in conducting wine marketing research in China over the last five years. We discuss issues with the design of research to focus on important issues for both academics and the industry. We relate the key problems in gaining proper translation and useful sampling procedures. Finally, we provide some guidelines for communicating results effectively to different members of the wine trade.

Neuroimaging in aphasia treatment research: Consensus and practical guidelines for data analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Meinzer, Marcus; Beeson, Pélagie M.; Cappa, Stefano; Crinion, Jenny; Kiran, Swathi; Saur, Dorothee; Parrish, Todd; Crosson, Bruce; Thompson, Cynthia K.

2012-01-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging is the most widely used imaging technique to study treatment-induced recovery in post-stroke aphasia. The longitudinal design of such studies adds to the challenges researchers face when studying patient populations with brain damage in cross-sectional settings. The present review focuses on issues specifically relevant to neuroimaging data analysis in aphasia treatment research identified in discussions among international researchers at the Neuroimaging in Aphasia Treatment Research Workshop held at Northwestern University (Evanston, Illinois, USA). In particular, we aim to provide the reader with a critical review of unique problems related to the pre-processing, statistical modeling and interpretation of such data sets. Despite the fact that data analysis procedures critically depend on specific design features of a given study, we aim to discuss and communicate a basic set of practical guidelines that should be applicable to a wide range of studies and useful as a reference for researchers pursuing this line of research. PMID:22387474

Research in theoretical nuclear physics. Progress report and research proposal, 1980-1981

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bayman, B.F.; Ellis, P.J.; Tang, Y.C.

1980-01-01

Research performed during 1980 (and proposed for 1981) is summarized briefly in this administrative report. The main theme of the research is the mechanisms of light- and heavy-ion nuclear reactions and the relation between microscopic theories and phenomenological models. A publication list and budget are included

Colour Size Illusion on Liquid Crystal Displays and Design Guidelines for Bioinformatics Tools

Science.gov (United States)

Yoo, Hyun Seung; Smith-Jackson, Tonya L.

2011-01-01

Although the influence of colour on size perception has been known for a century, there is only limited research on interventions that can reduce this effect. This study was therefore undertaken in order to identify appropriate interventions and propose design guidelines for information visualisation, especially in applications where size…

Guidelines for Guidelines: Are They Up to the Task? A Comparative Assessment of Clinical Practice Guideline Development Handbooks

Science.gov (United States)

Ansari, Shabnam; Rashidian, Arash

2012-01-01

Objectives We conducted a comparative review of clinical practice guideline development handbooks. We aimed to identify the main guideline development tasks, assign weights to the importance of each task using expert opinions and identify the handbooks that provided a comprehensive coverage of the tasks. Methods We systematically searched and included handbooks published (in English language) by national, international or professional bodies responsible for evidenced-based guideline development. We reviewed the handbooks to identify the main guideline development tasks and scored each handbook for each task from 0 (the handbook did not mention the task) to 2 (the task suitably addressed and explained), and calculated a weighted score for each handbook. The tasks included in over 75% of the handbooks were considered as ‘necessary’ tasks. Result Nineteen guideline development handbooks and twenty seven main tasks were identified. The guideline handbooks’ weighted scores ranged from 100 to 220. Four handbooks scored over 80% of the maximum possible score, developed by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, Swiss Centre for International Health, Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network and World Health Organization. Necessary tasks were: selecting the guideline topic, determining the guideline scope, identifying relevant existing guidelines, involving the consumers, forming guideline development group,, developing clinical questions, systematic search for evidence, selecting relevant evidence, appraising identifies research evidence, making group decision, grading available evidence, creating recommendations, final stakeholder consultation, guideline implementation strategies, updating recommendations and correcting potential errors. Discussion Adequate details for evidence based development of guidelines were still lacking from many handbooks. The tasks relevant to ethical issues and piloting were missing in most handbooks. The findings

Derivation of residual radioactive material guidelines for the Laboratory for Energy-Related Health Research site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chapman, T.E.

1993-11-01

Residual radioactive material guidelines were derived for the Laboratory for Energy-Related Health Research (LEHR) Environmental Restoration (ER) site in Davis, California. The guideline derivation was based on a dose limit of 100 mrem/yr. The US Department of Energy (DOE) residual radioactive material guideline computer code was used in this evaluation. This code implements the methodology described in the DOE manual for implementing residual radioactive material guidelines. Three potential site utilization scenarios were considered with the assumption that following ER action, the site will be used without radiological restrictions. The defined scenarios vary with regard to use of the site, time spent at the site, and sources of food consumed. The results of the evaluation indicate that the basic dose limit of 100 mrem/yr will not be exceeded, provided that the soil concentrations of these radionuclides at the LEHR site do not exceed the scenario-specific values calculated by this study. Except for the extent of the contaminated zone (which is very conservative), assumptions used are as site-specific as possible, given available information. The derived guidelines are single- radionuclide guidelines and are linearly proportional to the dose limit used in the calculations. In setting the actual residual soil contamination guides for the LEHR site, DOE will apply the as low as reasonably achievable policy to the decision-making process, along with other factors such as whether a particular scenario is reasonable and appropriate, as well as using site-specific inputs to computer models based on data not yet fully determined

Towards a traceable clinical guidelines application. A model-driven approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Domínguez, E; Pérez, B; Zapata, M

2010-01-01

The goal of this research is to provide an overall framework to enable model-based development of clinical guideline-based decision support systems (GBDSSs). The automatically generated GBDSSs are aimed at providing guided support to the physician during the application of guidelines and automatically storing guideline application data for traceability purposes. The development process of a GBDSS for a guideline is based on model-driven development (MDD) techniques which allow us to carry out such a process automatically, making development more agile and saving on human resource costs. We use UML Statecharts to represent the dynamics of guidelines and, based on this model, we use a MDD-based tool chain to generate the guideline-dependent components of each GBDSS in an automatic way. In particular, as for the traceability capabilities of each GBDSS, MDD techniques are combined with database schema mappings for metadata management in order to automatically generate the GBDSS-persistent component as one of the main contributions of this paper. The complete framework has been implemented as an Eclipse plug-in named GBDSSGenerator which, starting from the statechart representing a guideline, allows the development process to be carried out automatically by only selecting different menu options the plug-in provides. We have successfully validated our overall approach by generating the GBDSS for different types of clinical guidelines, even for laboratory guidelines. The proposed framework allows the development of clinical guideline-based decision support systems in an automatic way making this process more agile and saving on human resource costs.

Summary and synthesis: How to present a research proposal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maninder Singh Setia

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This concluding module attempts to synthesize the key learning points discussed during the course of the previous ten sets of modules on methodology and biostatistics. The objective of this module is to discuss how to present a model research proposal, based on whatever was discussed in the preceding modules. The lynchpin of a research proposal is the protocol, and the key component of a protocol is the study design. However, one must not neglect the other areas, be it the project summary through which one catches the eyes of the reviewer of the proposal, or the background and the literature review, or the aims and objectives of the study. Two critical areas in the “methods” section that cannot be emphasized more are the sampling strategy and a formal estimation of sample size. Without a legitimate sample size, none of the conclusions based on the statistical analysis would be valid. Finally, the ethical parameters of the study should be well understood by the researchers, and that should get reflected in the proposal.

Summary and Synthesis: How to Present a Research Proposal.

Science.gov (United States)

Setia, Maninder Singh; Panda, Saumya

2017-01-01

This concluding module attempts to synthesize the key learning points discussed during the course of the previous ten sets of modules on methodology and biostatistics. The objective of this module is to discuss how to present a model research proposal, based on whatever was discussed in the preceding modules. The lynchpin of a research proposal is the protocol, and the key component of a protocol is the study design. However, one must not neglect the other areas, be it the project summary through which one catches the eyes of the reviewer of the proposal, or the background and the literature review, or the aims and objectives of the study. Two critical areas in the "methods" section that cannot be emphasized more are the sampling strategy and a formal estimation of sample size. Without a legitimate sample size, none of the conclusions based on the statistical analysis would be valid. Finally, the ethical parameters of the study should be well understood by the researchers, and that should get reflected in the proposal.

Building Design Guidelines for Interior Architecture Concerned with Animal Researches Facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

ElDib, A.A. E.

2014-01-01

This paper discusses the most important design guidelines elements and characteristics for animal facilities, in order to achieve and maintain highest efficiency can be, with respect to the pivot role of Interior Architecture as one of the accurate specializations for completing the Architectural Sciences, for designer/s concerned with those types of facilities, (specially those using radioactive materials). These building types known as vivariums, are specially designed, accommodating and having sophisticated controlled environments for the care and maintenance of experimental animals, and are related to, but distinct from other research laboratories premises

Awareness and enforcement of guidelines for publishing industry-sponsored medical research among publication professionals: the Global Publication Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Wager, Elizabeth; Woolley, Karen; Adshead, Viv; Cairns, Angela; Fullam, Josh; Gonzalez, John; Grant, Tom; Tortell, Stephanie

2014-04-19

To gather information about current practices and implementation of publication guidelines among publication professionals working in or for the pharmaceutical industry. Web-based survey publicised via email and social media to members of the International Society for Medical Publication Professionals (ISMPP) and other organisations from November 2012 to February 2013. 469 individuals involved in publishing industry-sponsored research in peer-reviewed journals, mainly working in pharmaceutical or device companies ('industry', n=144), communication agencies ('agency', n=238), contract research organisations (CRO, n=15) or as freelancers (n=34). Most respondents (78%) had worked on medical publications for ≥5 years and 62% had a PhD/MD. Over 90% of industry, agency and CRO respondents routinely refer to Good Publication Practice (GPP2) and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors' Uniform Requirements. Most respondents (78% industry, 79% agency) received mandatory training on ethical publication practices. Over 90% of respondents' companies had publication guidelines or policies and required medical writing support to be acknowledged in publications (96% industry, 99% agency). Many industry respondents used publication management tools to monitor compliance with company guidelines and about half (46%) stated that their company had formal publication audits. Fewer agencies audited adherence to guidelines but 20% of agency respondents reported audits of employees and 6% audits of freelancers. Of concern, 37% of agency respondents reported requests from authors or sponsors that they believed were unethical, although 93% of these requests were withdrawn after respondents explained the need for compliance with guidelines. Most respondents' departments (63% industry, 58% agency, 60% CRO) had been involved in publishing studies with negative or inconclusive results. Within this sample, most publication professionals working in or for industry were aware of

A proposal of neutron science research program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, Y.; Yasuda, H.; Tone, T.; Mizumoto, M.

1996-01-01

A conception of Neutron Science Research Program (NSRP) has been proposed in Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) since 1994 as a future big project. The NSRP aims at exploring new basic science and nuclear energy science by a high-intensity proton accelerator. It is a complex composed of a proton linac and seven research facilities with each different target system. The proton linac is required to supply the high-intensity proton beam with energy up to 1.5 GeV and current 10 mA on average. The scientific research facilities proposed, are as follows: Thermal/Cold Neutron Facility for the neutron scattering experiments, Neutron Irradiation Facility for materials science, Neutron Physics Facility for nuclear data measurement, OMEGA/Nuclear Energy Facility for nuclear waste transmutation and fuel breeding, Spallation RI Beam Facility for nuclear physics, Meson/Muon Facility for meson and muon physics and their applications and Medium Energy Beam Facility for accelerator technology development, medical use, etc. Research and development have been carried out for the components of the injector system of the proton linac; an ion source, an RFQ linac and a part of DTL linac. The conceptual design work and research and development activities for NSRP have been started in the fiscal year, 1996. Construction term will be divided into two phases; the completion of the first phase is expected in 2003, when the proton linac will produce 1.5 GeV, 1 mA beam by reflecting the successful technology developments. (author)

Researcher Self-Care in Emotionally Demanding Research: A Proposed Conceptual Framework.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Smita; Cavallaro, Liz

2018-03-01

Researchers are emotionally and psychologically affected by emotionally demanding research that demands a tremendous amount of mental, emotional, or physical energy and potentially affects or depletes the researcher's well-being. Little attention has been given to preparing doctoral students and novice researchers engaged in such studies. Four possible types of emotionally demanding research experiences are presented: sensitive issues, personal trauma previously experienced, experience of traumatic life events during research, and unexpected events that arise during research in what was previously not identified as a sensitive issue. The need for self-care is highly relevant to each type, despite their different impacts on researcher well-being. This conceptual article furthers conversation in the field about how researchers and educators can address the need for self-care to prepare novice researchers and proposes a conceptual framework for researcher self-care in emotionally demanding research, with an aim for future empirical study.

Guidelines for the environmental impact statement for the proposed Great Whale River Hydroelectric Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-01-01

The guidelines presented on the preparation of the environmental impact statement for the Great Whale hydroelectric project by Hydro-Quebec stipulated a project justification, description of the biophysical and social environments, a project description, and that the assessment must address project impacts, mitigative and compensatory measures, environmental surveillance, monitoring, and long-term management programs. Background information presented in this document provides technical notes on the guidelines and the environmental assessment process, a glossary of terms, and biographical notes. The technical notes address guideline structure, project justification, native knowledge, evaluation issues, cumulative impacts, and the assessment and review process

Dietary guidelines

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jelsøe, Erling

2015-01-01

to food and eating and the emergence of proposals for integrated guidelines. It explores the conflicts and controversies that have arisen in the wake of the various proposals and identifies a number of different types of conflicts. These relate to conflicts of interests between the various actors involved...... and political resistance against initiatives that are perceived as being in conflict with the values of a market economy and free trade. Furthermore, there are controversies that can be broadly characterised as relating to the politics of knowledge and have to do with the differentiation of expertise...

Authorship Guidelines and Actual Practice: Are They Harmonized in Different Research Systems?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sonia Vasconcelos

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Changing patterns in collaborative research networks reflect a new geography of science that is increasingly shaped by interactions between established and emerging scientific powers, whose cultural and political diversity are now reflected in perhaps never before thought of interactions. The various partners in these international collaborations are likely to produce research results that should gradually lead to stronger diversity in research output, including an increase in international co-authorship. When it comes to multinational co-authored publications, among sensitive questions that may complicate these relationships is the way different research systems deal with research integrity. It is well worth examining how to accommodate different cultural traditions and normative assumptions embedded in academic practices for collaborative research networks. Given the increasingly international and interdisciplinary nature of science and engineering, any guidelines for authorship practices in international collaborations must be clear about the variations that exist across disciplines and cultures, variations which will have an impact on accepted practices and expectations for collaboration. Collaborative endeavors in research will succeed only if a broader understanding of potential obstacles to these collaborations is reached.

Transparent and accurate reporting increases reliability, utility, and impact of your research: reporting guidelines and the EQUATOR Network

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Schulz Kenneth F

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Although current electronic methods of scientific publishing offer increased opportunities for publishing all research studies and describing them in sufficient detail, health research literature still suffers from many shortcomings. These shortcomings seriously undermine the value and utility of the literature and waste scarce resources invested in the research. In recent years there have been several positive steps aimed at improving this situation, such as a strengthening of journals' policies on research publication and the wide requirement to register clinical trials. The EQUATOR (Enhancing the QUAlity and Transparency Of health Research Network is an international initiative set up to advance high quality reporting of health research studies; it promotes good reporting practices including the wider implementation of reporting guidelines. EQUATOR provides free online resources http://www.equator-network.org supported by education and training activities and assists in the development of robust reporting guidelines. This paper outlines EQUATOR's goals and activities and offers suggestions for organizations and individuals involved in health research on how to strengthen research reporting.

The complete European guidelines on phenylketonuria

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

van Wegberg, A M J; MacDonald, A; Ahring, K

2017-01-01

severe intellectual disability, epilepsy and behavioural problems. PKU management differs widely across Europe and therefore these guidelines have been developed aiming to optimize and standardize PKU care. Professionals from 10 different European countries developed the guidelines according to the AGREE...... (Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation) method. Literature search, critical appraisal and evidence grading were conducted according to the SIGN (Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network) method. The Delphi-method was used when there was no or little evidence available. External consultants....... In addition, knowledge gaps are identified which require further research in order to direct better care for the future....

The STAR Data Reporting Guidelines for Clinical High Altitude Research.

Science.gov (United States)

Brodmann Maeder, Monika; Brugger, Hermann; Pun, Matiram; Strapazzon, Giacomo; Dal Cappello, Tomas; Maggiorini, Marco; Hackett, Peter; Bärtsch, Peter; Swenson, Erik R; Zafren, Ken

2018-03-01

Brodmann Maeder, Monika, Hermann Brugger, Matiram Pun, Giacomo Strapazzon, Tomas Dal Cappello, Marco Maggiorini, Peter Hackett, Peter Baärtsch, Erik R. Swenson, Ken Zafren (STAR Core Group), and the STAR Delphi Expert Group. The STARdata reporting guidelines for clinical high altitude research. High AltMedBiol. 19:7-14, 2018. The goal of the STAR (STrengthening Altitude Research) initiative was to produce a uniform set of key elements for research and reporting in clinical high-altitude (HA) medicine. The STAR initiative was inspired by research on treatment of cardiac arrest, in which the establishment of the Utstein Style, a uniform data reporting protocol, substantially contributed to improving data reporting and subsequently the quality of scientific evidence. The STAR core group used the Delphi method, in which a group of experts reaches a consensus over multiple rounds using a formal method. We selected experts in the field of clinical HA medicine based on their scientific credentials and identified an initial set of parameters for evaluation by the experts. Of 51 experts in HA research who were identified initially, 21 experts completed both rounds. The experts identified 42 key parameters in 5 categories (setting, individual factors, acute mountain sickness and HA cerebral edema, HA pulmonary edema, and treatment) that were considered essential for research and reporting in clinical HA research. An additional 47 supplemental parameters were identified that should be reported depending on the nature of the research. The STAR initiative, using the Delphi method, identified a set of key parameters essential for research and reporting in clinical HA medicine.

Guidelines for the treatment of lung cancer using radiotherapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Michael J.; Novaes, Paulo Eduardo; Gadia, Rafael; Motta, Rodrigo [Sociedade Brasileira de Radioterapia (SBR), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2017-07-01

The aim of this guideline is to evaluate the most appropriate radiotherapy technique to treat patients with lung cancer. Description of evidence collection method Through the elaboration of four relevant clinical questions related to the proposed theme, we sought to present the main evidences regarding safety, toxicity and effectiveness of the presented radiotherapy techniques. The study population consisted of male and female patients of all ages with lung cancer, regardless of histological type, staging or presence of comorbidities. For this, a systematic review of the literature was carried out in primary scientific databases (Medline – PubMed; Embase – Elsevier; Lilacs – Bireme; Cochrane Library – Record of Controlled Trials). All articles available through April 31, 2015 were considered. The search terms used in the research were: ((lung cancer) OR (lung carcinoma)) and (IMRT OR intensity modulation OR intensity modulated) and (conventional OR 2D OR two dimensional OR bidimensional OR standard OR conformal OR 3D OR tridimensional OR CRT OR three dimensional). The articles were selected based on critical evaluation using the instruments (scores) proposed by Jadad and Oxford. The references with greater degree of evidence were used. The recommendations were elaborated from discussions held with a drafting group composed of four members of the Brazilian Society of Radiotherapy. The guideline was reviewed by an independent group, which specializes in evidence-based clinical guidelines. After completion, the guideline was released for public consultation for 15 days, and the suggestions obtained were forwarded to the authors for evaluation and possible insertion in the final text. (author)

Guidelines for Biomedical and Pharmacological Research Procedures and the Protection of Human Subjects in Residential Facilities for Mentally Retarded Persons.

Science.gov (United States)

National Association for Retarded Citizens, Arlington, TX. Research and Demonstration Inst.

Guidelines are presented which were developed to aid federal, state, and local agencies prepare regulations concerning the use of mentally retarded subjects in biomedical and pharmacological research projects. Guidelines are set forth for the following topic areas (sample subtopics in parentheses): the formation of a Professional Review Committee…

Quality of Reporting and Adherence to ARRIVE Guidelines in Animal Studies for Chagas Disease Preclinical Drug Research: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Gulin, Julián Ernesto Nicolás; Rocco, Daniela Marisa; García-Bournissen, Facundo

2015-11-01

Publication of accurate and detailed descriptions of methods in research articles involving animals is essential for health scientists to accurately interpret published data, evaluate results and replicate findings. Inadequate reporting of key aspects of experimental design may reduce the impact of studies and could act as a barrier to translation of research findings. Reporting of animal use must be as comprehensive as possible in order to take advantage of every study and every animal used. Animal models are essential to understanding and assessing new chemotherapy candidates for Chagas disease pathology, a widespread parasitic disease with few treatment options currently available. A systematic review was carried out to compare ARRIVE guidelines recommendations with information provided in publications of preclinical studies for new anti-Trypanosoma cruzi compounds. A total of 83 publications were reviewed. Before ARRIVE guidelines, 69% of publications failed to report any macroenvironment information, compared to 57% after ARRIVE publication. Similar proportions were observed when evaluating reporting of microenvironmental information (56% vs. 61%). Also, before ARRIVE guidelines publication, only 13% of papers described animal gender, only 18% specified microbiological status and 13% reported randomized treatment assignment, among other essential information missing or incomplete. Unfortunately, publication of ARRIVE guidelines did not seem to enhance reporting quality, compared to papers appeared before ARRIVE publication. Our results suggest that there is a strong need for the scientific community to improve animal use description, animal models employed, transparent reporting and experiment design to facilitate its transfer and application to the affected human population. Full compliance with ARRIVE guidelines, or similar animal research reporting guidelines, would be an excellent start in this direction.

Quality of Reporting and Adherence to ARRIVE Guidelines in Animal Studies for Chagas Disease Preclinical Drug Research: A Systematic Review.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julián Ernesto Nicolás Gulin

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Publication of accurate and detailed descriptions of methods in research articles involving animals is essential for health scientists to accurately interpret published data, evaluate results and replicate findings. Inadequate reporting of key aspects of experimental design may reduce the impact of studies and could act as a barrier to translation of research findings. Reporting of animal use must be as comprehensive as possible in order to take advantage of every study and every animal used. Animal models are essential to understanding and assessing new chemotherapy candidates for Chagas disease pathology, a widespread parasitic disease with few treatment options currently available. A systematic review was carried out to compare ARRIVE guidelines recommendations with information provided in publications of preclinical studies for new anti-Trypanosoma cruzi compounds. A total of 83 publications were reviewed. Before ARRIVE guidelines, 69% of publications failed to report any macroenvironment information, compared to 57% after ARRIVE publication. Similar proportions were observed when evaluating reporting of microenvironmental information (56% vs. 61%. Also, before ARRIVE guidelines publication, only 13% of papers described animal gender, only 18% specified microbiological status and 13% reported randomized treatment assignment, among other essential information missing or incomplete. Unfortunately, publication of ARRIVE guidelines did not seem to enhance reporting quality, compared to papers appeared before ARRIVE publication. Our results suggest that there is a strong need for the scientific community to improve animal use description, animal models employed, transparent reporting and experiment design to facilitate its transfer and application to the affected human population. Full compliance with ARRIVE guidelines, or similar animal research reporting guidelines, would be an excellent start in this direction.

Using design science in educational technology research projects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susan M. Chard

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Design science is a research paradigm where the development and evaluation of a technology artefact is a key contribution. Design science is used in many domains and this paper draws on those domains to formulate a generic structure for design science research suitable for educational technology research projects. The paper includes guidelines for writing proposals using the design science research methodology for educational technology research and presents a generic research report structure. The paper presents ethical issues to consider in design science research being conducted in educational settings and contributes guidelines for assessment when the research contribution involves the creation of a technology artefact.

Isolated systems with wind power. An implementation guideline

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Clausen, N.E.; Bindner, H.; Frandsen, S.; Hansen, J.C.; Hansen, L.H.; Lundsager, P.

2001-06-01

The overall objective of this research project is to study the development of methods and guidelines rather than 'universal solutions' for the use of wind energy in isolated communities. So far most studies of isolated systems with wind power have been case-oriented and it has proven difficult to extend results from one project to another, not least due to the strong individuality that has characterised such systems in design and implementation. In the present report a unified and generally applicable approach is attempted in order to support a fair assessment of the technical and economical feasibility of isolated power supply systems with wind energy. General guidelines and checklists on which facts and data are needed to carry out a project feasibility analysis are presented as well as guidelines how to carry out the project feasibility study and the environmental analysis. The report outlines the results of the project as a set of proposed guidelines to be applied when developing a project containing an application of wind in an isolated power system. It is the author's hope that this will facilitate the development of projects and enhance electrification of small rural communities in developing countries. (au)

Regulation of genomic and biobanking research in Africa: a content analysis of ethics guidelines, policies and procedures from 22 African countries.

Science.gov (United States)

de Vries, Jantina; Munung, Syntia Nchangwi; Matimba, Alice; McCurdy, Sheryl; Ouwe Missi Oukem-Boyer, Odile; Staunton, Ciara; Yakubu, Aminu; Tindana, Paulina

2017-02-02

The introduction of genomics and biobanking methodologies to the African research context has also introduced novel ways of doing science, based on values of sharing and reuse of data and samples. This shift raises ethical challenges that need to be considered when research is reviewed by ethics committees, relating for instance to broad consent, the feedback of individual genetic findings, and regulation of secondary sample access and use. Yet existing ethics guidelines and regulations in Africa do not successfully regulate research based on sharing, causing confusion about what is allowed, where and when. In order to understand better the ethics regulatory landscape around genomic research and biobanking, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of existing ethics guidelines, policies and other similar sources. We sourced 30 ethics regulatory documents from 22 African countries. We used software that assists with qualitative data analysis to conduct a thematic analysis of these documents. Surprisingly considering how contentious broad consent is in Africa, we found that most countries allow the use of this consent model, with its use banned in only three of the countries we investigated. In a likely response to fears about exploitation, the export of samples outside of the continent is strictly regulated, sometimes in conjunction with regulations around international collaboration. We also found that whilst an essential and critical component of ensuring ethical best practice in genomics research relates to the governance framework that accompanies sample and data sharing, this was most sparingly covered in the guidelines. There is a need for ethics guidelines in African countries to be adapted to the changing science policy landscape, which increasingly supports principles of openness, storage, sharing and secondary use. Current guidelines are not pertinent to the ethical challenges that such a new orientation raises, and therefore fail to provide accurate guidance

Request for Proposals Eliciting and Applying Local Research ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

IDRC CRDI

In addition to these criteria, as is outlined in the concept note, each proposal will be subject to IDRC's risk management process that assesses the ability of IDRC to support programming in those countries or territories according to Canadian law, knowledge of the research setting, and the ability to monitor research activities.

Nullius in verba: The University of Minnesota Social and Administrative Pharmacy Program proposed Guidelines for Formulary Evaluations

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Paul C Langley

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The University of Minnesota Social and Administrative Pharmacy Program proposed Guidelines for Formulary Evaluations (GFE are designed to focus on the credibility of clinical and cost-outcomes claims in formulary decision making. The last few years have witnessed increasing concern over the credibility of trial based efficacy claims, with a surprisingly high proportion of claims falling short. At the same time cost-outcomes claims, where comparative clinical claims are a key input, have been presented where the claims made are not open to experimental or observational assessment. This follows from standards recommended for modeled and simulated claims. In the absence of cost-outcomes claims being presented in an evaluable form, it is impossible not only to replicate the claim or to judge whether or not it is credible. Claims for product value based on such claims are unacceptable. The guidelines proposed here are designed to overcome these limitations and support an evidence base that is both credible and replicable for formulary decisions. This is achieved by focusing on short-term modeled or simulated claims for cost-effectiveness. The requirement for modeled or simulated claims that are evaluable within a time frame that is meaningful for formulary decisions marks a major departure from format submissions already in play, not only in the US but in other developed economies. Rather than subscribing to the gold standard of long term or lifetime cost-per-QALY claims a short-term time horizon of no more than 2-years is recommended. This allows products to be provisionally placed on formulary but subject to a protocol that supports an evaluation to be reported back to a formulary committee as part of ongoing disease area or therapeutic class reviews. The place of the product and its contracted price can then be reviewed. Conflict of Interest None Type: Commentary

A proposed clinical research support career pathway for noninvestigators.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Sheree; Gullick, Janice; Ballard, Jacqueline; Perry, Lin

2018-03-08

To discuss the international experience of clinical research support for noninvestigator roles and to propose a new pathway for Australia, to promote a sustainable research support workforce capable of delivering high-quality clinical research. Noninvestigator research support roles are currently characterized by an ad hoc approach to training, with limited role delineation and perceived professional isolation with implications for study completion rates and participant safety. A focused approach to developing and implementing research support pathways has improved patient recruitment, study completion, job satisfaction, and research governance. The Queensland and New South Wales state-based Nurses' Awards, the Australian Qualifications Framework, and a University Professional (Research) Staff Award. Research nurses in the clinical environment improve study coordination, adherence to study protocol, patient safety, and clinical care. A career pathway that guides education and outlines position descriptions and skill sets would enhance development of the research support workforce. This pathway could contribute to changing the patient outcomes through coordination and study completion of high-quality research. A wide consultative approach is required to determine a cost-effective and feasible approach to implementation and evaluation of the proposed pathway. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Japanese Guideline for Atopic Dermatitis 2014

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Ichiro Katayama

2014-01-01

The basics of treatment discussed in this guideline are based on the "Guidelines for the Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis 2008" prepared by the Health and Labour Sciences Research and the "Guidelines for the Management of Atopic Dermatitis 2012 (ADGL2012" prepared by the Atopic Dermatitis Guidelines Advisory Committee, Japanese Society of Allergology in principle. The guidelines for the treatment of atopic dermatitis are summarized in the "Japanese Guideline for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Allergic Disease 2013" together with those for other allergic diseases.

A Critical Review of Low Back Pain Guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

Chetty, Laran

2017-09-01

Low back pain (LBP) remains one of the most common and challenging musculoskeletal conditions encountered by health care professionals and is a leading cause of absenteeism. Clinical guidelines are often considered best evidence in health care. The aim of this critical review was to assess the quality and recommendations of LBP guidelines using the Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation (AGREE) instrument. Electronic databases were used to identify LBP guidelines published between 2000 and 2015. Nine guidelines were selected for review from a total of 17. Only five guidelines effectively addressed the AGREE scoring. On the basis of the appraisal and domain scores, only four guidelines were strongly recommended. Improved translation of research evidence from guidelines to clinical practice is needed.

77 FR 24764 - Visual-Manual NHTSA Driver Distraction Guidelines for In-Vehicle Electronic Devices

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-25

...-0053] Visual-Manual NHTSA Driver Distraction Guidelines for In-Vehicle Electronic Devices AGENCY... proposed voluntary NHTSA Driver Distraction Guidelines for in-vehicle electronic devices. The agency... Driver Distraction Guidelines for in-vehicle electronic devices (77 FR 11200). The proposed NHTSA...

An exploration of how guideline developer capacity and guideline implementability influence implementation and adoption: study protocol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lemieux-Charles Louise

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Practice guidelines can improve health care delivery and outcomes but several issues challenge guideline adoption, including their intrinsic attributes, and whether and how they are implemented. It appears that guideline format may influence accessibility and ease of use, which may overcome attitudinal barriers of guideline adoption, and appear to be important to all stakeholders. Guideline content may facilitate various forms of decision making about guideline adoption relevant to different stakeholders. Knowledge and attitudes about, and incentives and capacity for implementation on the part of guideline sponsors may influence whether and how they develop guidelines containing these features, and undertake implementation. Examination of these issues may yield opportunities to improve guideline adoption. Methods The attributes hypothesized to facilitate adoption will be expanded by thematic analysis, and quantitative and qualitative summary of the content of international guidelines for two primary care (diabetes, hypertension and institutional care (chronic ulcer, chronic heart failure topics. Factors that influence whether and how guidelines are implemented will be explored by qualitative analysis of interviews with individuals affiliated with guideline sponsoring agencies. Discussion Previous research examined guideline implementation by measuring rates of compliance with recommendations or associated outcomes, but this produced little insight on how the products themselves, or their implementation, could be improved. This research will establish a theoretical basis upon which to conduct experimental studies to compare the cost-effectiveness of interventions that enhance guideline development and implementation capacity. Such studies could first examine short-term outcomes predictive of guideline utilization, such as recall, attitude toward, confidence in, and adoption intention. If successful, then long-term objective

Empirical influence of the multicultural guidelines: A brief report.

Science.gov (United States)

Fouad, Nadya A; Santana, Mercedes; Ghosh, Arpita

2017-10-01

In 2002, the American Psychological Association (APA) Council of Representatives approved the "Guidelines for Multicultural Education, Training, Research, Practice and Organizational Change for Psychologists." The Guidelines have been downloaded 64,153 times from the APA website from 2007 to 2013, and have been cited nearly 900 times. This suggests that the Guidelines have influenced education, training, research, and practice in psychology. However, it is unclear how the Guidelines have influenced these domains. We conducted a comprehensive literature review to examine how the Guidelines have influenced the field. Articles were coded for several criteria, including whether the Guidelines were cited, the type of research that was conducted, study findings, limitations, and future directions of research. The data for this study consisted of 895 empirical articles published since the 2003 publication of the Guidelines. A literature review using the keywords APA and multicultural guidelines were searched in PsycINFO and ERIC databases. Articles were then coded by the research team. Findings from the literature review suggested that although there were a total of 895 articles and books that cited the Guidelines, only 34 met our coding criteria. Our findings suggest that most of the articles that cited the Guidelines used the citation as a way to document that culture is important to consider. In some cases, other professions cited the Guidelines to argue that their discipline should also attend to culture. However, very few articles focused on framing an investigation around a specific guideline. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Whitebark pine planting guidelines

Science.gov (United States)

Ward McCaughey; Glenda L. Scott; Kay L. Izlar

2009-01-01

This article incorporates new information into previous whitebark pine guidelines for planting prescriptions. Earlier 2006 guidelines were developed based on review of general literature, research studies, field observations, and standard US Forest Service survival surveys of high-elevation whitebark pine plantations. A recent study of biotic and abiotic factors...

Describing qualitative research undertaken with randomised controlled trials in grant proposals: a documentary analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Drabble, Sarah J; O'Cathain, Alicia; Thomas, Kate J; Rudolph, Anne; Hewison, Jenny

2014-02-18

There is growing recognition of the value of conducting qualitative research with trials in health research. It is timely to reflect on how this qualitative research is presented in grant proposals to identify lessons for researchers and research commissioners. As part of a larger study focusing on how to maximise the value of undertaking qualitative research with trials, we undertook a documentary analysis of proposals of funded studies. Using the metaRegister of Controlled Trials (mRCT) database we identified trials funded in the United Kingdom, ongoing between 2001 and 2010, and reporting the use of qualitative research. We requested copies of proposals from lead researchers. We extracted data from the proposals using closed and open questions, analysed using descriptive statistics and content analysis respectively. 2% (89/3812) of trials in the mRCT database described the use of qualitative research undertaken with the trial. From these 89 trials, we received copies of 36 full proposals, of which 32 met our inclusion criteria. 25% used less than a single paragraph to describe the qualitative research. The aims of the qualitative research described in these proposals focused mainly on the intervention or trial conduct. Just over half (56%) of the proposals included an explicit rationale for conducting the qualitative research with the trial, the most frequent being to optimise implementation into clinical practice or to interpret trial findings. Key information about methods, expertise and resources was missing in a large minority of proposals, in particular sample size, type of analysis, and non-personnel resources. 28% specifically stated that qualitative researchers would conduct the qualitative research. Our review of proposals of successfully funded studies identified good practice but also identified limited space given to describing the qualitative research, with an associated lack of attention to the rationale for doing the qualitative research and

Trends in Large Proposal Development at Major Research Institutions

Science.gov (United States)

Mulfinger, Lorraine M.; Dressler, Kevin A.; James, L. Eric; Page, Niki; Serrano, Eduardo; Vazquez, Jorge

2016-01-01

Research administrator interest in large research proposal development and submission support is high, arguably in response to the bleak funding landscape for research and federal agency trends toward making more frequent larger awards. In response, a team from Penn State University and Huron Consulting Group initiated a baseline study to…

Japanese guidelines for atopic dermatitis 2017

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ichiro Katayama

2017-04-01

The basics of treatment discussed in this guideline are based on the “Guidelines for the Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis 2008” prepared by the Health and Labour Sciences Research and the “Guidelines for the Management of Atopic Dermatitis 2015 (ADGL2015” prepared by the Atopic Dermatitis Guidelines Advisory Committee, Japanese Society of Allergology in principle. The guidelines for the treatment of atopic dermatitis are summarized in the “Japanese Guideline for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Allergic Disease 2016” together with those for other allergic diseases.

Awareness and enforcement of guidelines for publishing industry-sponsored medical research among publication professionals: the Global Publication Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Wager, Elizabeth; Woolley, Karen; Adshead, Viv; Cairns, Angela; Fullam, Josh; Gonzalez, John; Grant, Tom; Tortell, Stephanie

2014-01-01

Objective To gather information about current practices and implementation of publication guidelines among publication professionals working in or for the pharmaceutical industry. Design/setting Web-based survey publicised via email and social media to members of the International Society for Medical Publication Professionals (ISMPP) and other organisations from November 2012 to February 2013. Participants 469 individuals involved in publishing industry-sponsored research in peer-reviewed journals, mainly working in pharmaceutical or device companies (‘industry’, n=144), communication agencies (‘agency’, n=238), contract research organisations (CRO, n=15) or as freelancers (n=34). Most respondents (78%) had worked on medical publications for ≥5 years and 62% had a PhD/MD. Results Over 90% of industry, agency and CRO respondents routinely refer to Good Publication Practice (GPP2) and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors’ Uniform Requirements. Most respondents (78% industry, 79% agency) received mandatory training on ethical publication practices. Over 90% of respondents’ companies had publication guidelines or policies and required medical writing support to be acknowledged in publications (96% industry, 99% agency). Many industry respondents used publication management tools to monitor compliance with company guidelines and about half (46%) stated that their company had formal publication audits. Fewer agencies audited adherence to guidelines but 20% of agency respondents reported audits of employees and 6% audits of freelancers. Of concern, 37% of agency respondents reported requests from authors or sponsors that they believed were unethical, although 93% of these requests were withdrawn after respondents explained the need for compliance with guidelines. Most respondents’ departments (63% industry, 58% agency, 60% CRO) had been involved in publishing studies with negative or inconclusive results. Conclusions Within this sample

Deriving cleanup guidelines for radionuclides at Brookhaven National Laboratory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meinhold, A.F.; Morris, S.C.; Dionne, B.; Moskowitz, P.D.

1997-01-01

Past activities at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) resulted in soil and groundwater contamination. As a result, BNL was designated a Superfund site under the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). BNL`s Office of Environmental Restoration (OER) is overseeing environmental restoration activities at the Laboratory. With the exception of radium, there are no regulations or guidelines to establish cleanup guidelines for radionuclides in soils at BNL. BNL must derive radionuclide soil cleanup guidelines for a number of Operable Units (OUs) and Areas of Concern (AOCs). These guidelines are required by DOE under a proposed regulation for radiation protection of public health and the environment as well as to satisfy the requirements of CERCLA. The objective of this report is to propose a standard approach to deriving risk-based cleanup guidelines for radionuclides in soil at BNL. Implementation of the approach is briefly discussed.

Deriving cleanup guidelines for radionuclides at Brookhaven National Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meinhold, A.F.; Morris, S.C.; Dionne, B.; Moskowitz, P.D.

1997-01-01

Past activities at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) resulted in soil and groundwater contamination. As a result, BNL was designated a Superfund site under the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). BNL's Office of Environmental Restoration (OER) is overseeing environmental restoration activities at the Laboratory. With the exception of radium, there are no regulations or guidelines to establish cleanup guidelines for radionuclides in soils at BNL. BNL must derive radionuclide soil cleanup guidelines for a number of Operable Units (OUs) and Areas of Concern (AOCs). These guidelines are required by DOE under a proposed regulation for radiation protection of public health and the environment as well as to satisfy the requirements of CERCLA. The objective of this report is to propose a standard approach to deriving risk-based cleanup guidelines for radionuclides in soil at BNL. Implementation of the approach is briefly discussed

The grant writer's handbook how to write a research proposal and succeed

CERN Document Server

Crawley, Gerard M

2016-01-01

The Grant Writer's Handbook: How to Write a Research Proposal and Succeed provides useful and practical advice on all aspects of proposal writing, including developing proposal ideas, drafting the proposal, dealing with referees, and budgeting. The authors base their advice on many years of experience writing and reviewing proposals in many different countries at various levels of scientific maturity. The book describes the numerous kinds of awards available from funding agencies, in particular large collaborative grants involving a number of investigators, and addresses the practical impact of a grant, which is often required of proposals. In addition, information is provided about selection of reviewers and the mechanics of organizing a research grant competition to give the proposal writer the necessary background information. The book includes key comments from a number of experts and is essential reading for anyone writing a research grant proposal.The Grant Writer's Handbook's companion website, featuri...

Common Guidelines for Education Research and Development

Science.gov (United States)

Institute of Education Sciences, 2013

2013-01-01

In January 2011, a Joint Committee of representatives from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) began work to establish cross-agency guidelines for improving the quality, coherence, and pace of knowledge development in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. Although the…

The development of oncology treatment guidelines: an analysis of the National Guidelines Clearinghouse.

Science.gov (United States)

Palta, Manisha; Lee, W Robert

2011-01-01

In the last 2 decades, guidelines have been developed to improve quality of patient care. A recent editorial of guideline development procedures suggested the process has significant limitations that affect their scientific validity.(1) This prompted us to review oncology treatment guidelines to determine if such limitations are widespread. We performed a review of oncology treatment guidelines registered at the National Guidelines Clearinghouse (www.guideline.gov). Each guideline was independently reviewed by 2 authors and the following criteria were assessed: coordinating organization, guideline panel composition, reporting conflict of interest, peer review, dissent, expiration date, PubMed citation, and evidence-based scoring and grading of recommendations. Disagreements were resolved by consensus in subsequent discussions. Sixty-four guidelines were reviewed (39 [61%] were developed by a medical specialty society and 25 [39%] were developed by government agencies). Fifty (78%) guideline panels were multidisciplinary and 44 (69%) included individuals with epidemiologic and health services research expertise. Potential conflicts of interest were disclosed in 43 (67%) guidelines. Sixty (94%) guidelines underwent peer review, with external review in 31 (48%). Seventeen (27%) guidelines are indexed by PubMed. Fifty-one (80%) guidelines included evidence-based methodologies and 46 (72%) used evidence-based scoring of recommendations. Significant differences were observed according to coordinating organization (eg, disclosure of conflict of interest in 46% of guidelines developed by medical specialty societies versus 100% authored by government agencies [P <.0001]). The majority of oncology-related treatment guidelines registered at the National Guidelines Clearinghouse satisfy most of the criteria for sound guideline development. Significant differences in these criteria were observed according to the coordinating organization that developed the guideline. Copyright

2016 Guidelines of the American Society of Mammalogists for the use of wild mammals in research and education

Science.gov (United States)

Sikes, Robert S.

2016-01-01

Abstract Guidelines for use of wild mammal species in research are updated from Sikes et al. (2011) . These guidelines cover current professional techniques and regulations involving the use of mammals in research and teaching; they also incorporate new resources, procedural summaries, and reporting requirements. Included are details on capturing, marking, housing, and humanely killing wild mammals. It is recommended that Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUCs), regulatory agencies, and investigators use these guidelines as a resource for protocols involving wild mammals, whether studied in the field or in captivity. These guidelines were prepared and approved by the American Society of Mammalogists (ASM), in consultation with professional veterinarians experienced in wildlife research and IACUCs, whose collective expertise provides a broad and comprehensive understanding of the biology of nondomesticated mammals. The current version of these guidelines and any subsequent modifications are available online on the Animal Care and Use Committee page of the ASM website ( http://mammalogy.org/uploads/committee_files/CurrentGuidelines.pdf ). Additional resources pertaining to the use of wild animals in research are available at: http://www.mammalsociety.org/committees/animal-care-and-use#tab3 . R esumen Los lineamientos para el uso de especies de mamíferos de vida silvestre en la investigación con base en Sikes et al. (2011) se actualizaron. Dichos lineamientos cubren técnicas y regulaciones profesionales actuales que involucran el uso de mamíferos en la investigación y enseñanza; también incorporan recursos nuevos, resúmenes de procedimientos y requisitos para reportes. Se incluyen detalles acerca de captura, marcaje, manutención en cautiverio y eutanasia de mamíferos de vida silvestre. Se recomienda que los comités institucionales de uso y cuidado animal (cifras en inglés: IACUCs), las agencias reguladoras y los investigadores se adhieran a

2016 Guidelines of the American Society of Mammalogists for the use of wild mammals in research and education.

Science.gov (United States)

Sikes, Robert S

2016-06-09

Guidelines for use of wild mammal species in research are updated from Sikes et al. (2011) . These guidelines cover current professional techniques and regulations involving the use of mammals in research and teaching; they also incorporate new resources, procedural summaries, and reporting requirements. Included are details on capturing, marking, housing, and humanely killing wild mammals. It is recommended that Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUCs), regulatory agencies, and investigators use these guidelines as a resource for protocols involving wild mammals, whether studied in the field or in captivity. These guidelines were prepared and approved by the American Society of Mammalogists (ASM), in consultation with professional veterinarians experienced in wildlife research and IACUCs, whose collective expertise provides a broad and comprehensive understanding of the biology of nondomesticated mammals. The current version of these guidelines and any subsequent modifications are available online on the Animal Care and Use Committee page of the ASM website ( http://mammalogy.org/uploads/committee_files/CurrentGuidelines.pdf ). Additional resources pertaining to the use of wild animals in research are available at: http://www.mammalsociety.org/committees/animal-care-and-use#tab3 . Los lineamientos para el uso de especies de mamíferos de vida silvestre en la investigación con base en Sikes et al. (2011) se actualizaron. Dichos lineamientos cubren técnicas y regulaciones profesionales actuales que involucran el uso de mamíferos en la investigación y enseñanza; también incorporan recursos nuevos, resúmenes de procedimientos y requisitos para reportes. Se incluyen detalles acerca de captura, marcaje, manutención en cautiverio y eutanasia de mamíferos de vida silvestre. Se recomienda que los comités institucionales de uso y cuidado animal (cifras en inglés: IACUCs), las agencias reguladoras y los investigadores se adhieran a dichos lineamientos

Describing qualitative research undertaken with randomised controlled trials in grant proposals: a documentary analysis

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background There is growing recognition of the value of conducting qualitative research with trials in health research. It is timely to reflect on how this qualitative research is presented in grant proposals to identify lessons for researchers and research commissioners. As part of a larger study focusing on how to maximise the value of undertaking qualitative research with trials, we undertook a documentary analysis of proposals of funded studies. Methods Using the metaRegister of Controlled Trials (mRCT) database we identified trials funded in the United Kingdom, ongoing between 2001 and 2010, and reporting the use of qualitative research. We requested copies of proposals from lead researchers. We extracted data from the proposals using closed and open questions, analysed using descriptive statistics and content analysis respectively. Results 2% (89/3812) of trials in the mRCT database described the use of qualitative research undertaken with the trial. From these 89 trials, we received copies of 36 full proposals, of which 32 met our inclusion criteria. 25% used less than a single paragraph to describe the qualitative research. The aims of the qualitative research described in these proposals focused mainly on the intervention or trial conduct. Just over half (56%) of the proposals included an explicit rationale for conducting the qualitative research with the trial, the most frequent being to optimise implementation into clinical practice or to interpret trial findings. Key information about methods, expertise and resources was missing in a large minority of proposals, in particular sample size, type of analysis, and non-personnel resources. 28% specifically stated that qualitative researchers would conduct the qualitative research. Conclusions Our review of proposals of successfully funded studies identified good practice but also identified limited space given to describing the qualitative research, with an associated lack of attention to the rationale for

Public Engagement in Prioritizing Research Proposals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cobi Smith

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Australia has reflected an international shift toward public participation in governance and science. Researchers have critiqued this shift as insufficient. Meanwhile, studies of how research funds are allocated also found room for improvement. This experiment tested a way to add value to the effort researchers put into research proposals by using them for deliberative public engagement. Three Australian events tested a model of deliberative participation in decision-making about science funding. These events were shorter than most deliberative processes, based on a model tested in the United Kingdom. Although recruitment was aimed at broad representation, participants had more formal education than Australia’s average. Voting decisions were most influenced by potential benefits to society of the planned research, as well as participants’ understanding of plans presented. Some reported that their decisions were influenced by whether benefits would happen locally. Results suggested that participants’ voting decisions were more influenced by the research plans than who presented them. However, unconscious biases cannot be ruled out as factors in decision-making. Participants reported they would be keen to participate in such a process again; however, this enthusiasm was linked to a meal incentive. The impact of brevity on deliberative decision-making is discussed, along with potential modifications for future experiments.

Payment of research participants: current practice and policies of Irish research ethics committees.

Science.gov (United States)

Roche, Eric; King, Romaine; Mohan, Helen M; Gavin, Blanaid; McNicholas, Fiona

2013-09-01

Payment of research participants helps to increase recruitment for research studies, but can pose ethical dilemmas. Research ethics committees (RECs) have a centrally important role in guiding this practice, but standardisation of the ethical approval process in Ireland is lacking. Our aim was to examine REC policies, experiences and concerns with respect to the payment of participants in research projects in Ireland. Postal survey of all RECs in Ireland. Response rate was 62.5% (n=50). 80% of RECs reported not to have any established policy on the payment of research subjects while 20% had refused ethics approval to studies because the investigators proposed to pay research participants. The most commonly cited concerns were the potential for inducement and undermining of voluntary consent. There is considerable variability among RECs on the payment of research participants and a lack of clear consensus guidelines on the subject. The development of standardised guidelines on the payment of research subjects may enhance recruitment of research participants.

Reaching beyond the review of research evidence: a qualitative study of decision making during the development of clinical practice guidelines for disease prevention in healthcare.

Science.gov (United States)

Richter Sundberg, Linda; Garvare, Rickard; Nyström, Monica Elisabeth

2017-05-11

The judgment and decision making process during guideline development is central for producing high-quality clinical practice guidelines, but the topic is relatively underexplored in the guideline research literature. We have studied the development process of national guidelines with a disease-prevention scope produced by the National board of Health and Welfare (NBHW) in Sweden. The NBHW formal guideline development model states that guideline recommendations should be based on five decision-criteria: research evidence; curative/preventive effect size, severity of the condition; cost-effectiveness; and ethical considerations. A group of health profession representatives (i.e. a prioritization group) was assigned the task of ranking condition-intervention pairs for guideline recommendations, taking into consideration the multiple decision criteria. The aim of this study was to investigate the decision making process during the two-year development of national guidelines for methods of preventing disease. A qualitative inductive longitudinal case study approach was used to investigate the decision making process. Questionnaires, non-participant observations of nine two-day group meetings, and documents provided data for the analysis. Conventional and summative qualitative content analysis was used to analyse data. The guideline development model was modified ad-hoc as the group encountered three main types of dilemmas: high quality evidence vs. low adoptability of recommendation; insufficient evidence vs. high urgency to act; and incoherence in assessment and prioritization within and between four different lifestyle areas. The formal guideline development model guided the decision-criteria used, but three new or revised criteria were added by the group: 'clinical knowledge and experience', 'potential guideline consequences' and 'needs of vulnerable groups'. The frequency of the use of various criteria in discussions varied over time. Gender, professional status

Formalization of treatment guidelines using Fuzzy Cognitive Maps and semantic web tools.

Science.gov (United States)

Papageorgiou, Elpiniki I; Roo, Jos De; Huszka, Csaba; Colaert, Dirk

2012-02-01

Therapy decision making and support in medicine deals with uncertainty and needs to take into account the patient's clinical parameters, the context of illness and the medical knowledge of the physician and guidelines to recommend a treatment therapy. This research study is focused on the formalization of medical knowledge using a cognitive process, called Fuzzy Cognitive Maps (FCMs) and semantic web approach. The FCM technique is capable of dealing with situations including uncertain descriptions using similar procedure such as human reasoning does. Thus, it was selected for the case of modeling and knowledge integration of clinical practice guidelines. The semantic web tools were established to implement the FCM approach. The knowledge base was constructed from the clinical guidelines as the form of if-then fuzzy rules. These fuzzy rules were transferred to FCM modeling technique and, through the semantic web tools, the whole formalization was accomplished. The problem of urinary tract infection (UTI) in adult community was examined for the proposed approach. Forty-seven clinical concepts and eight therapy concepts were identified for the antibiotic treatment therapy problem of UTIs. A preliminary pilot-evaluation study with 55 patient cases showed interesting findings; 91% of the antibiotic treatments proposed by the implemented approach were in fully agreement with the guidelines and physicians' opinions. The results have shown that the suggested approach formalizes medical knowledge efficiently and gives a front-end decision on antibiotics' suggestion for cystitis. Concluding, modeling medical knowledge/therapeutic guidelines using cognitive methods and web semantic tools is both reliable and useful. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fundamentos, Orientaciones, Areas Basicas y Procedimientos para la Investigacion Educativa (Bases, Guidelines, Basic Areas, and Procedures for Educational Research).

Science.gov (United States)

Ministerio de Educacion Nacional, Bogota (Colombia). Instituto Colombiano de Pedagogia.

This document establishes the bases, general guidelines, basic areas, and procedures for educational research conducted in Colombia. The philosophy underlying research objectives is explained. There is special interest in social research concerning the condition of man and of the social groups that will be the targets of education, and in research…

Guideline related to training and re-training of research reactor personnel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-01-01

The guideline, which entered into force on 1 July 1983, lays down training and re-training requirements to be met by research reactor personnel in the framework of the Radiation Protection Ordinance of 26 November 1969, the Regulation related to the Licensing of Nuclear Facilities of 21 June 1979, and the Regulation related to Further Education in the Field of Radiation Protection 27 January 1975. It contains the scope of application; the principles and objectives; the minimum requirements relating to technical qualification of plant managers, shift personnel, and responsible radiation protection officers; appointment and certification; the preservation of the technical qualification; and exceptional and transitional regulations

Treatment guidelines for Circadian Rhythm Sleep - Wake Disorders of the Polish Sleep Research Society and the Section of Biological Psychiatry of the Polish Psychiatric Association. Part II. Diagnosis and treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Wichniak, Adam; Jankowski, Konrad S; Skalski, Michał; Skwarło-Sońta, Krystyna; Zawilska, Jolanta B; Żarowski, Marcin; Poradowska, Ewa; Jernajczyk, Wojciech

2017-10-29

Circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders (CRSWD) are a group of disorders, in which the timing of sleep and wakefulness significantly differs from a patient's expectations or socially acceptable times. The aimof the article is to present the current principles for the diagnosis and treatment of CRSWD in adults and children. Guidelines proposed as CRSWD treatment standard are based on the recommendations from the scientific societies involved in the sleep research and medicine. Researchers participating in the guidelines preparation were invited by the Polish Sleep Research Society and the Section of Biological Psychiatry of the Polish Psychiatric Association based on their significant contribution to the circadian rhythm research and/or clinical experience in the treatment of these disorders. Finally, the guidelines were adjusted to the questions and comments given by the members of both Societies. Patients with endogenous CRSWD are often misdiagnosed and treated for insomnia or hypersomnia. Therefore, each patient reporting sleep-wake disorders should be interviewed about the quality of sleep and its timing during free days (e.g. weekends, holidays). Avalid CRSWD diagnosis can be also established by using sleep diaries/logs and actigraphy. The treatment of choice for CRSWD is chronotherapy, which involves melatonin application, light therapy, and behavioral interventions. Sleep disorders associated with shift work and time zone changes are a growing health problem. Interventions for these disorders should primarily focus on prevention. The main problem in the treatment of CRSWD is an invalid diagnosis. Hypnotics and/or psychostimulants are often used instead of chronotherapeutic interventions, what can alleviate symptoms but is not an effective treatment.

Contrast media. Safety issues and ESUR guidelines. 2. rev. ed.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thomsen, Henrik S. [Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev (Denmark). Dept. of Diagnostic Radiology; Copenhagen Univ., Herlev (Denmark). Dept. of Diagnostic Sciences; Webb, Judith A.W. (eds.) [St. Bartholomew' s Hospital London Univ. (United Kingdom). Dept. of Radiology

2009-07-01

In 1994 the European Society of Urogenital Radiology (ESUR) set up a committee to consider the safety of contrast media used for diagnostic imaging. Subsequently the committee questioned members, reviewed the literature, proposed guidelines and discussed these proposals with participants at the annual symposia of the society. The end result of this work was the successful first edition of this book, published in 2006. This second edition not only updates the previous edition, but also contains some completely new chapters, for example on gadolinium-based contrast agents, meta-analyses in contrast media research and various regulatory issues. Comprehensive consideration is given to the many different safety issues relating to iodinated, MR, ultrasound and barium contrast media. The text includes chapters on both acute and delayed non-renal adverse reactions and on renal adverse reactions. All those questions frequently raised in radiological practice are addressed, and the well-known ESUR guidelines on contrast media are included. This book, presented in a handy, easy to use format, provides an invaluable, unique and unparalleled source of information on the safety issues relating to contrast media. (orig.)

Contrast media. Safety issues and ESUR guidelines. 2. rev. ed.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomsen, Henrik S.; Copenhagen Univ., Herlev; Webb, Judith A.W.

2009-01-01

In 1994 the European Society of Urogenital Radiology (ESUR) set up a committee to consider the safety of contrast media used for diagnostic imaging. Subsequently the committee questioned members, reviewed the literature, proposed guidelines and discussed these proposals with participants at the annual symposia of the society. The end result of this work was the successful first edition of this book, published in 2006. This second edition not only updates the previous edition, but also contains some completely new chapters, for example on gadolinium-based contrast agents, meta-analyses in contrast media research and various regulatory issues. Comprehensive consideration is given to the many different safety issues relating to iodinated, MR, ultrasound and barium contrast media. The text includes chapters on both acute and delayed non-renal adverse reactions and on renal adverse reactions. All those questions frequently raised in radiological practice are addressed, and the well-known ESUR guidelines on contrast media are included. This book, presented in a handy, easy to use format, provides an invaluable, unique and unparalleled source of information on the safety issues relating to contrast media. (orig.)

Introducing the Canadian Thoracic Society Framework for Guideline Dissemination and Implementation, with Concurrent Evaluation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samir Gupta

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The Canadian Thoracic Society (CTS is leveraging its strengths in guideline production to enable respiratory guideline implementation in Canada. The authors describe the new CTS Framework for Guideline Dissemination and Implementation, with Concurrent Evaluation, which has three spheres of action: guideline production, implementation infrastructure and knowledge translation (KT methodological support. The Canadian Institutes of Health Research ‘Knowledge-to-Action’ process was adopted as the model of choice for conceptualizing KT interventions. Within the framework, new evidence for formatting guideline recommendations to enhance the intrinsic implementability of future guidelines were applied. Clinical assemblies will consider implementability early in the guideline production cycle when selecting clinical questions, and new practice guidelines will include a section dedicated to KT. The framework describes the development of a web-based repository and communication forum to inventory existing KT resources and to facilitate collaboration and communication among implementation stakeholders through an online discussion board. A national forum for presentation and peer-review of proposed KT projects is described. The framework outlines expert methodological support for KT planning, development and evaluation including a practical guide for implementers and a novel ‘Clinical Assembly – KT Action Team’, and in-kind logistical support and assistance in securing peer-reviewed funding.

Preparing strategic information management plans for hospitals: a practical guideline SIM plans for hospitals: a guideline.

Science.gov (United States)

Brigl, B; Ammenwerth, E; Dujat, C; Gräber, S; Grosse, A; Häber, A; Jostes, C; Winter, A

2005-01-01

Systematic information management in hospitals demands for a strategic information management plan (SIM plan). As preparing a SIM plan is a considerable challenge we provide a practical guideline that is directly applicable when a SIM plan is going to be prepared. The guideline recommends a detailed structure of a SIM plan and gives advice about its content and the preparation process. It may be used as template, which can be adapted to the individual demands of any hospital. The guideline was used in several hospitals preparing a SIM plan. Experiences showed that the SIM plans could be prepared very efficiently and timely using the guideline, that the proposed SIM plan structure suited well, that the guideline offers enough flexibility to meet the requirements of the individual hospitals and that the specific recommendations of the guideline were very helpful. Nevertheless, we must strive for a more comprehensive theory of strategic information management planning which -- in the sense of enterprise architecture planning -- represents the intrinsic correlations of the different parts of a SIM plan to a greater extent.

Characteristics of effective clinical guidelines for general practice.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Burgers, J.S.; Grol, R.P.T.M.; Zaat, J.O.M.; Spies, T.H.; Bij, A.K. van der; Mokkink, H.G.A.

2003-01-01

BACKGROUND: The use of clinical guidelines in general practice is often limited. Research on barriers to guideline adherence usually focuses on attitudinal factors. Factors linked to the guideline itself are much less studied. AIM: To identify characteristics of effective clinical guidelines for

Standards and Guidelines in Telemedicine and Telehealth

Science.gov (United States)

Krupinski, Elizabeth A.; Bernard, Jordana

2014-01-01

The development of guidelines and standards for telemedicine is an important and valuable process to help insure effective and safe delivery of quality healthcare. Some organizations, such as the American Telemedicine Association (ATA), have made the development of standards and guidelines a priority. The practice guidelines developed so far have been well received by the telemedicine community and are being adopted in numerous practices, as well as being used in research to support the practice and growth of telemedicine. Studies that utilize published guidelines not only help bring them into greater public awareness, but they also provide evidence needed to validate existing guidelines and guide the revision of future versions. Telemedicine will continue to grow and be adopted by more healthcare practitioners and patients in a wide variety of forms not just in the traditional clinical environments, and practice guidelines will be a key factor in fostering this growth. Creation of guidelines is important to payers and regulators as well as increasingly they are adopting and integrating them into regulations and policies. This paper will review some of the recent ATA efforts in developing telemedicine practice guidelines, review the role of research in guidelines development, review data regarding their use, and discuss some of areas where guidelines are still needed. PMID:27429261

75 FR 68529 - Proposed Christmas Tree Promotion, Research, and Information Order; Referendum Procedures

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-08

... and procedure, Advertising, Consumer information, Marketing agreements, Christmas trees, Promotion...-0008-PR] RIN 0581-AD00 Proposed Christmas Tree Promotion, Research, and Information Order; Referendum... or continuation of the proposed Christmas Promotion, Research, and Information Order (Proposed Order...

Experts' perspective on the performance of Chinese technical guidelines for Plan Environmental Impact Assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He Jia; Sun Sun; Bao Cunkuan; Chen Fan; Jiang Dahe

2011-01-01

This research was to evaluate the Technical Guideline (HJ/T130-2003) effectiveness based on data resource from a questionnaire survey and interviews on EIA experts. The result demonstrated that the guideline served mainly as a quality control measure for PEIA products, and only a small proportion of experts considered it effective due to its inconsistency with the newly released Chinese PEIA Regulation (2009) and poor practicability. Current status of SEA implementation in China was also studied in terms of application fields, effectiveness evaluation, and major issues to affect SEA, to conclude that SEA implementation in China is premature, and with limited effectiveness. The major problem was the lack of effective methodologies and technical tools. Recommendations for revising the PEIA Guideline and advices to improving SEA implementation in China were accordingly proposed.

Guidelines for Posting Soil Contamination Areas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mcnaughton, Michael [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Eisele, William [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2016-02-01

All soil guidelines were determined using RESRAD, version 6.1. All offsite guidelines are based on 15 mrem/year. This dose rate is sufficiently low to protect human health and is in accordance with DOE guidance and the proposed EPA 40-CFR-196 regulations for members of the public (never promulgated). For those onsite areas where general employees (non-radiological workers) could have routine access, soil concentrations should be based on a dose rate of 30 mrem/year (approximately one-third of the onsite LANL non-radiological worker dose of 100 mrem/year). In this case, soil concentration guidelines may be obtained by doubling the 15 mrem/year guidelines. Several scenarios were developed to provide maximum flexibility for application of the guidelines. The offsite guidelines were developed using: residential scenarios for both adults and children; a construction worker scenario; a resource user (e.g., a hunter) scenario; a child playing within canyon reaches scenario, a trail using jogger within canyon reaches scenario, and a trail using hiker within canyon reaches scenario. The residential guidelines represent the lowest values from both the adult residential scenario and the child residential scenario.

Ethical considerations in malaria research proposal review: empirical evidence from 114 proposals submitted to an Ethics Committee in Thailand.

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, Pornpimon; Prakobtham, Sukanya; Limphattharacharoen, Chanthima; Vutikes, Pitchapa; Khusmith, Srisin; Pengsaa, Krisana; Wilairatana, Polrat; Kaewkungwal, Jaranit

2015-09-14

Malaria research is typically conducted in developing countries in areas of endemic disease. This raises specific ethical issues, including those related to local cultural concepts of health and disease, the educational background of study subjects, and principles of justice at the community and country level. Research Ethics Committees (RECs) are responsible for regulating the ethical conduct of research, but questions have been raised whether RECs facilitate or impede research, and about the quality of REC review itself. This study examines the review process for malaria research proposals submitted to the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Tropical Medicine at Mahidol University, Thailand. Proposals for all studies submitted for review from January 2010 to December 2014 were included. Individual REC members' reviewing forms were evaluated. Ethical issues (e.g., scientific merit, risk-benefit, sample size, or informed-consent) raised in the forms were counted and analysed according to characteristics, including study classification/design, use of specimens, study site, and study population. All 114 proposals submitted during the study period were analysed, comprising biomedical studies (17 %), drug trials (13 %), laboratory studies (24 %) and epidemiological studies (46 %). They included multi-site (13 %) and international studies (4 %), and those involving minority populations (28 %), children (17 %) and pregnant women (7 %). Drug trials had the highest proportion of questions raised for most ethical issues, while issues concerning privacy and confidentiality tended to be highest for laboratory and epidemiology studies. Clarifications on ethical issues were requested by the ethics committee more for proposals involving new specimen collection. Studies involving stored data and specimens tended to attract more issues around privacy and confidentiality. Proposals involving minority populations were more likely to raise issues than those that did not

Is the time right for quantitative public health guidelines on sitting? A narrative review of sedentary behaviour research paradigms and findings.

Science.gov (United States)

Stamatakis, Emmanuel; Ekelund, Ulf; Ding, Ding; Hamer, Mark; Bauman, Adrian E; Lee, I-Min

2018-06-10

Sedentary behaviour (SB) has been proposed as an 'independent' risk factor for chronic disease risk, attracting much research and media attention. Many countries have included generic, non-quantitative reductions in SB in their public health guidelines and calls for quantitative SB targets are increasing. The aim of this narrative review is to critically evaluate key evidence areas relating to the development of guidance on sitting for adults. We carried out a non-systematic narrative evidence synthesis across seven key areas: (1) definition of SB, (2) independence of sitting from physical activity, (3) use of television viewing as a proxy of sitting, (4) interpretation of SB evidence, (5) evidence on 'sedentary breaks', (6) evidence on objectively measured sedentary SB and mortality and (7) dose response of sitting and mortality/cardiovascular disease. Despite research progress, we still know little about the independent detrimental health effects of sitting, and the possibility that sitting is mostly the inverse of physical activity remains. Unresolved issues include an unclear definition, inconsistencies between mechanistic and epidemiological studies, over-reliance on surrogate outcomes, a very weak epidemiological evidence base to support the inclusion of 'sedentary breaks' in guidelines, reliance on self-reported sitting measures, and misinterpretation of data whereby methodologically inconsistent associations are claimed to be strong evidence. In conclusion, public health guidance requires a consistent evidence base but this is lacking for SB. The development of quantitative SB guidance, using an underdeveloped evidence base, is premature; any further recommendations for sedentary behaviour require development of the evidence base and refinement of the research paradigms used in the field. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise

Contrast media. Safety issues and ESUR guidelines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thomsen, H.S. (ed.) [Copenhagen Univ. Hospital, Herlev (Denmark). Dept. of Diagnostic Radiology 54E2

2006-07-01

In 1994 the European Society of Urogenital Radiology (ESUR) set up a committee to consider the safety of the contrast media used in radiology departments. Since then, the committee has questioned members, reviewed the literature, proposed guidelines, and discussed these proposals with participants at the annual symposia on urogenital radiology. This book represents the end result of this hard work. It contains all of the agreed guidelines, updated when necessary, and thereby comprehensively covers the many different safety issues relating to the diverse contrast media: barium contrast media, iodinated contrast media, MR contrast media (both gadolinium-based extracellular and organ-specific) and ultrasound contrast media. The prevention and treatment of both acute and delayed non-renal adverse reactions as well as the renal adverse reactions are covered in detail. The inclusion of all the ESUR guidelines within one book will offer an invaluable, unique and unparalleled resource. (orig.)

Contrast media. Safety issues and ESUR guidelines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomsen, H.S.

2006-01-01

In 1994 the European Society of Urogenital Radiology (ESUR) set up a committee to consider the safety of the contrast media used in radiology departments. Since then, the committee has questioned members, reviewed the literature, proposed guidelines, and discussed these proposals with participants at the annual symposia on urogenital radiology. This book represents the end result of this hard work. It contains all of the agreed guidelines, updated when necessary, and thereby comprehensively covers the many different safety issues relating to the diverse contrast media: barium contrast media, iodinated contrast media, MR contrast media (both gadolinium-based extracellular and organ-specific) and ultrasound contrast media. The prevention and treatment of both acute and delayed non-renal adverse reactions as well as the renal adverse reactions are covered in detail. The inclusion of all the ESUR guidelines within one book will offer an invaluable, unique and unparalleled resource. (orig.)

Foods, Nutrients, and Dietary Patterns: Interconnections and Implications for Dietary Guidelines12

Science.gov (United States)

Satija, Ambika; Hu, Frank B

2016-01-01

Dietary guidelines provide evidence-based statements on food choices to meet nutritional requirements and reduce the risk of prevailing chronic disease. They involve a substantial amount of research translation, and their implementation has important health consequences. Foods, however, are complex combinations of nutrients and other compounds that act synergistically within the food and across food combinations. In addition, the evidence base underpinning dietary guidelines accesses research that reflects different study designs, with inherent strengths and limitations. We propose a systematic approach for the review of evidence that begins with research on dietary patterns. This research will identify the combinations of foods that best protect, or appear deleterious to, health. Next, we suggest that evidence be sought from research that focuses on the effects of individual foods. Finally, nutrient-based research should be considered to explain the mechanisms by which these foods and dietary patterns exert their effects, take into account the effects of ingredients added to the food supply, and enable assessments of dietary sufficiency. The consideration of individual nutrients and food components (e.g., upper limits for saturated fat, added sugar, and sodium) provides important benchmarks for evaluating overall diet quality. The concepts of core and discretionary foods (nutrient-rich and nutrient-poor foods, respectively) enable distinctions between foods, and this has implications for the relation between food policy and food manufacturing. In summary, evidence supporting healthy dietary patterns provides the foundation for the development of dietary guidelines. Further reference to individual foods and nutrients follows from the foundation of healthy dietary patterns. PMID:27184272

Aligning guidelines and medical practice: Literature review on pediatric palliative care guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

De Clercq, Eva; Rost, Michael; Pacurari, Nadia; Elger, Bernice S; Wangmo, Tenzin

2017-08-01

Palliative care for children is becoming an important subspecialty of healthcare. Although concurrent administration of curative and palliative care is recommended, timely referral to pediatric palliative care (PPC) services remains problematic. This literature review aims to identify barriers and recommendations for proper implementation of palliative care for children through the looking glass of PPC guidelines. To identify studies on PPC guidelines, five databases were searched systematically between 1960 and 2015: Scopus, PubMed, PsycINFO, the Web of Science, and CINAHL. No restrictions were placed on the type of methodology employed in the studies. Concerning barriers, most of the papers focused on gaps within medical practice and the lack of evidence-based research. Common recommendations therefore included: training and education of healthcare staff, formation of a multidisciplinary PPC team, research on the benefits of PPC, and raising awareness about PPC. A small number of publications reported on the absence of clear guidance in PPC documents regarding bereavement care, as well as on the difficulties and challenges involved in multidisciplinary care teams. Our results indicate that a critical assessment of both the research guidelines and medical practice is required in order to promote timely implementation of PPC for pediatric patients.

Medical guidelines presentation and comparing with Electronic Health Record.

Science.gov (United States)

Veselý, Arnost; Zvárová, Jana; Peleska, Jan; Buchtela, David; Anger, Zdenek

2006-01-01

Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems are now being developed in many places. More advanced systems provide also reminder facilities, usually based on if-then rules. In this paper we propose a method how to build the reminder facility directly upon the guideline interchange format (GLIF) model of medical guidelines. The method compares data items on the input of EHR system with medical guidelines GLIF model and is able to reveal if the input data item, that represents patient diagnosis or proposed patient treatment, contradicts with medical guidelines or not. The reminder facility can be part of EHR system itself or it can be realized by a stand-alone reminder system (SRS). The possible architecture of stand-alone reminder system is described in this paper and the advantages of stand-alone solution are discussed. The part of the EHR system could be also a browser that would present graphical GLIF model in easy to understand manner on the user screen. This browser can be data driven and focus attention of user to the relevant part of medical guidelines GLIF model.

Proposed Grand Challenges in Geoscience Education Research: Articulating a Community Research Agenda

Science.gov (United States)

Semken, S. C.; St John, K. K.; Teasdale, R.; Ryker, K.; Riggs, E. M.; Pyle, E. J.; Petcovic, H. L.; McNeal, K.; McDaris, J. R.; Macdonald, H.; Kastens, K.; Cervato, C.

2017-12-01

Fourteen ago the Wingspread Project helped establish geoscience education research (GER) as an important research field and highlighted major research questions for GER at the time. More recently, the growth and interest in GER is evident from the increase in geoscience education research articles, the establishment of the NAGT GER Division, the creation of the GER Toolbox, an increase in GER graduate programs, and the growth of tenure-eligible GER faculty positions. As an emerging STEM education research field, the GER community is examining the current state of their research and considering the best course forward so that it can have the greatest collective impact on advancing teaching and learning in the geosciences. As part of an NSF-funded effort to meet this need, 45 researchers drafted priority research questions, or "Grand Challenges", that span 10 geoscience education research themes. These include research on: students' conceptual understanding of the solid and the fluid Earth, K-12 teacher preparation, teaching about Earth in the context of societal problems, access and success of underrepresented groups in the geosciences, spatial and temporal reasoning, quantitative reasoning and use of models, instructional strategies to improve geoscience learning, students' self-regulated learning, and faculty professional development and institutional change. For each theme, several Grand Challenges have been proposed; these have undergone one round of peer-review and are now ready for the AGU community to critically examine the proposed Grand Challenges and make suggestions on strategies for addressing them: http://nagt.org/nagt/geoedresearch/grand_challenges/feedback.html. We seek perspectives from geoscience education researchers, scholars, and reflective educators. It is our vision that the final outcomes of this community-grounded process will be a published guiding framework to (1) focus future GER on questions of high interest to the geoscience education

Ethics in clinical research: the Indian perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanmukhani, J; Tripathi, C B

2011-03-01

Ethics in clinical research focuses largely on identifying and implementing the acceptable conditions for exposure of some individuals to risks and burdens for the benefit of society at large. Ethical guidelines for clinical research were formulated only after discovery of inhumane behaviour with participants during research experiments. The Nuremberg Code was the first international code laying ethical principles for clinical research. With increasing research all over, World Health Organization formulated guidelines in the form of Declaration of Helsinki in 1964. The US laid down its guidelines for ethical principles in the Belmont Report after discovery of the Tuskegee's Syphilis study. The Indian Council of Medical Research has laid down the 'Ethical Guidelines for Biomedical Research on Human Subjects' in the year 2000 which were revised in 2006. It gives twelve general principles to be followed by all biomedical researchers working in the country. The Ethics Committee stands as the bridge between the researcher and the ethical guidelines of the country. The basic responsibility of the Ethics Committee is to ensure an independent, competent and timely review of all ethical aspects of the project proposals received in order to safeguard the dignity, rights, safety and well-being of all actual or potential research participants. A well-documented informed consent process is the hallmark of any ethical research work. Informed consent respects individual's autonomy, to participate or not to participate in research. Concepts of vulnerable populations, therapeutic misconception and post trial access hold special importance in ethical conduct of research, especially in developing countries like India, where most of the research participants are uneducated and economically backward.

Methodological Guidelines for Reducing the Complexity of Data Warehouse Development for Transactional Blood Bank Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Takecian, Pedro L; Oikawa, Marcio K; Braghetto, Kelly R; Rocha, Paulo; Lucena, Fred; Kavounis, Katherine; Schlumpf, Karen S; Acker, Susan; Carneiro-Proietti, Anna B F; Sabino, Ester C; Custer, Brian; Busch, Michael P; Ferreira, João E

2013-06-01

Over time, data warehouse (DW) systems have become more difficult to develop because of the growing heterogeneity of data sources. Despite advances in research and technology, DW projects are still too slow for pragmatic results to be generated. Here, we address the following question: how can the complexity of DW development for integration of heterogeneous transactional information systems be reduced? To answer this, we proposed methodological guidelines based on cycles of conceptual modeling and data analysis, to drive construction of a modular DW system. These guidelines were applied to the blood donation domain, successfully reducing the complexity of DW development.

Index-TB Guidelines: Guidelines on extrapulmonary tuberculosis for India

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Surendra K.; Ryan, H.; Khaparde, Sunil; Sachdeva, K. S.; Singh, Achintya D.; Mohan, Alladi; Sarin, Rohit; Paramasivan, C N; Kumar, Prahlad; Nischal, Neeraj; Khatiwada, Saurav; Garner, Paul; Tharyan, Prathap

2017-01-01

Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) is frequently a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. It is a common opportunistic infection in people living with HIV/AIDS and other immunocompromised states such as diabetes mellitus and malnutrition. There is a paucity of data from clinical trials in EPTB and most of the information regarding diagnosis and management is extrapolated from pulmonary TB. Further, there are no formal national or international guidelines on EPTB. To address these concerns, Indian EPTB guidelines were developed under the auspices of Central TB Division and Directorate of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. The objective was to provide guidance on uniform, evidence-informed practices for suspecting, diagnosing and managing EPTB at all levels of healthcare delivery. The guidelines describe agreed principles relevant to 10 key areas of EPTB which are complementary to the existing country standards of TB care and technical operational guidelines for pulmonary TB. These guidelines provide recommendations on three priority areas for EPTB: (i) use of Xpert MTB/RIF in diagnosis, (ii) use of adjunct corticosteroids in treatment, and (iii) duration of treatment. The guidelines were developed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) criteria, which were evidence based, and due consideration was given to various healthcare settings across India. Further, for those forms of EPTB in which evidence regarding best practice was lacking, clinical practice points were developed by consensus on accumulated knowledge and experience of specialists who participated in the working groups. This would also reflect the needs of healthcare providers and develop a platform for future research. PMID:28862176

Osteoarthritis guidelines: Barriers to implementation and solutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferreira de Meneses, Sarah; Rannou, Francois; Hunter, David J

2016-06-01

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of disability worldwide. Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) have been developed to facilitate improved OA management. Scientific communities worldwide have proposed CPGs for OA treatment. Despite the number of highly prominent guidelines available and their remarkable consistency, their uptake has been suboptimal. Possibly because of the multitude of barriers related to the implementation of CPGs. For example, different guidelines show contradictions, some lack evidence, and they lack a hierarchy or tools to facilitate their translation and application. Also, the guidelines do not acknowledge the effect of comorbidities on choosing the treatments. Finally, poor integration of multidisciplinary services within and across healthcare settings is a major barrier to the effective implementation of management guidelines. Here we describe the main problems related to the OA guidelines and some solutions so as to offer some guidance on the elaboration of future CPGs and their implementation in primary care. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Design Guidelines for Low Crested Structures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Burcharth, H. F.; Lamberti, Alberto

2004-01-01

1998-2002. The Guidelines comprise engineering aspects related to morphological impact and structure stability, biological aspects related to ecological impact, and socio-economical aspects related to the implementation of LCS-schemes. The guidelines are limited to submerged and regularly overtopped......The paper presents an overview of the design guidelines for low crested structures (LCS's) to be applied in coastal protection schemes. The design guidelines are formulated as a part of the research project: Environmental Design of Low Crested Coastal Defence Structures (DELOS) within the EC 5FP...

Economics worksheet for builder guidelines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, B.K.

1994-01-01

The Builder Guidelines package is used to analyze space heating in residential design. Alternative designs are compared in engineering units (e.g., Btu) with the aid of four simple worksheets. Evaluating designs in economic terms would enhance understanding of decisions to be made in the consideration of several energy efficiency measures. An additional worksheet is proposed for Builder Guidelines. Six easy steps take the user through a simplified economic evaluation, based on auxiliary heating performance. Annual space heating cost, avoided costs, and years to payback are calculated in the procedure

Use of Action Research in Nursing Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susan D. Moch

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose. The purpose of this article is to describe action research in nursing education and to propose a definition of action research for providing guidelines for research proposals and criteria for assessing potential publications for nursing higher education. Methods. The first part of this project involved a search of the literature on action research in nursing higher education from 1994 to 2013. Searches were conducted in the CINAHL and MEDLINE databases. Applying the criteria identified, 80 publications were reviewed. The second part of the project involved a literature review of action research methodology from several disciplines to assist in assessing articles in this review. Results. This article summarizes the nursing higher education literature reviewed and provides processes and content related to four topic areas in nursing higher education. The descriptions assist researchers in learning more about the complexity of both the action research process and the varied outcomes. The literature review of action research in many disciplines along with the review of action research in higher education provided a framework for developing a nursing-education-centric definition of action research. Conclusions. Although guidelines for developing action research and criteria for publication are suggested, continued development of methods for synthesizing action research is recommended.

Methodological Quality of Consensus Guidelines in Implant Dentistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Faggion, Clovis Mariano; Apaza, Karol; Ariza-Fritas, Tania; Málaga, Lilian; Giannakopoulos, Nikolaos Nikitas; Alarcón, Marco Antonio

2017-01-01

Consensus guidelines are useful to improve clinical decision making. Therefore, the methodological evaluation of these guidelines is of paramount importance. Low quality information may guide to inadequate or harmful clinical decisions. To evaluate the methodological quality of consensus guidelines published in implant dentistry using a validated methodological instrument. The six implant dentistry journals with impact factors were scrutinised for consensus guidelines related to implant dentistry. Two assessors independently selected consensus guidelines, and four assessors independently evaluated their methodological quality using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation (AGREE) II instrument. Disagreements in the selection and evaluation of guidelines were resolved by consensus. First, the consensus guidelines were analysed alone. Then, systematic reviews conducted to support the guidelines were included in the analysis. Non-parametric statistics for dependent variables (Wilcoxon signed rank test) was used to compare both groups. Of 258 initially retrieved articles, 27 consensus guidelines were selected. Median scores in four domains (applicability, rigour of development, stakeholder involvement, and editorial independence), expressed as percentages of maximum possible domain scores, were below 50% (median, 26%, 30.70%, 41.70%, and 41.70%, respectively). The consensus guidelines and consensus guidelines + systematic reviews data sets could be compared for 19 guidelines, and the results showed significant improvements in all domain scores (p dentistry journals is needed. The findings of the present study may help researchers to better develop consensus guidelines in implant dentistry, which will improve the quality and trust of information needed to make proper clinical decisions.

Human and animal research guidelines: aligning ethical constructs with new scientific developments.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferdowsian, Hope

2011-10-01

Both human research and animal research operate within established standards and procedures. Although the human research environment has been criticized for its sometimes inefficient and imperfect process, reported abuses of human subjects in research served as the impetus for the establishment of the Nuremberg Code, Declaration of Helsinki, and the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research and the resulting Belmont Report. No similar, comprehensive and principled effort has addressed the use of animals in research. Although published policies regarding animal research provide relevant regulatory guidance, these policies have not emerged from the process of specifying consistent and reasoned ethical principles. The lack of a fundamental effort to explore the ethical issues and principles regarding the use of animals in research has led to unclear and disparate policies. Recent studies have increased our understanding of animal cognition and emotion, suggesting that animals' potential for experiencing a wide variety of harms, such as pain and fear, is greater than has been previously appreciated. Furthermore, relationships between methods of captivity and certain laboratory procedures and the resulting adverse physical, social and psychological effects have been established. In light of this information, current protections may need to be reconsidered and modified. This paper explores the historical convergence and divergence in the creation of human and animal research guidelines, as well as opportunities to align ethical frameworks with new scientific discoveries. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

The Ethics of Sharing Plastic Surgery Videos on Social Media: Systematic Literature Review, Ethical Analysis, and Proposed Guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

Dorfman, Robert G; Vaca, Elbert E; Fine, Neil A; Schierle, Clark F

2017-10-01

Recent videos shared by plastic surgeons on social media applications such as Snapchat, Instagram, and YouTube, among others, have blurred the line between entertainment and patient care. This has left many in the plastic surgery community calling for the development of more structured oversight and guidance regarding video sharing on social media. To date, no official guidelines exist for plastic surgeons to follow. Little is known about the ethical implications of social media use by plastic surgeons, especially with regard to video sharing. A systematic review of the literature on social media use in plastic surgery was performed on October 31, 2016, with an emphasis on ethics and professionalism. An ethical analysis was conducted using the four principles of medical ethics. The initial search yielded 87 articles. Thirty-four articles were included for analyses that were found to be relevant to the use of social media in plastic surgery. No peer-reviewed articles were found that mentioned Snapchat or addressed the ethical implications of sharing live videos of plastic surgery on social media. Using the four principles of medical ethics, it was determined that significant ethical concerns exist with broadcasting these videos. This analysis fills an important gap in the plastic surgery literature by addressing the ethical issues concerning live surgery broadcasts on social media. Plastic surgeons may use the guidelines proposed here to avoid potential pitfalls.

Guidelines for the environmental impact statement for the proposed Great Whale River Hydroelectric Project. Backgorund information

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-09-01

The guidelines presented on the preparation of the environmental impact statement for the Great Whale hydroelectric project by Hydro-Quebec stipulated a project justification, description of the biophysical and social environments, a project description, and that the assessment must address project impacts, mitigative and compensatory measures, environmental surveillance, monitoring, and long-term management programs. Background information presented in this document provides technical notes on the guidelines and the environmental assessment process, a glossary of terms, and biographical notes. The technical notes address guideline structure, project justification, native knowledge, evaluation issues, cumulative impacts, and the assessment and review process

Comprehensive approach to newborns and infants with brachial plexus impairment – proposal of Slovenian guidelines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katja Groleger Sršen

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The impairment of brachial plexus (IBP in the neonate and infant remains an important problem. Risk factors for IBP are well known, but the mechanisms of impairment are not yet fully understood. It is important to identify early signs of IBP and to evaluate the hand function. In the guidelines we propose to use the Toronto scale for evaluation of hand function. The newborn with IBP should be referred to physiotherapy, and then regularly followed-up once a month. If the arm and hand function, especially flexion of the elbow, is not improving at the age of two months, the infant should be referred to the tertiary level rehabilitation centre and to department for plastic surgery at the University Medical Centre in Ljubljana. When necessary, the reconstructive procedure should be done by the age of three to six months. After reconstruction of brachial plexus, the child needs a comprehensive therapy program, which involves passive stretching, sensory stimulation, exercises to promote the development of active voluntary movements, bimanual activities, and symmetrical posture and movement patterns.

Sustainable design guidelines to support the Washington State ferries terminal design manual : design guideline application and refinement.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-01

The Sustainable Design Guidelines were developed in Phase I of this research program (WA-RD : 816.1). Here we are reporting on the Phase II effort that beta-tested the Phase I Guidelines on : example ferry terminal designs and refinements made ...

Canadian sedentary behaviour guidelines for children and youth.

Science.gov (United States)

Tremblay, Mark S; Leblanc, Allana G; Janssen, Ian; Kho, Michelle E; Hicks, Audrey; Murumets, Kelly; Colley, Rachel C; Duggan, Mary

2011-02-01

The Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP), in partnership with the Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group (HALO) at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, and in collaboration with ParticipACTION, and others, has developed the Canadian Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines for Children (aged 5-11 years) and Youth (aged 12-17 years). The guidelines include a preamble to provide context, followed by the specific recommendations for sedentary behaviour. The entire development process was guided by the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research Evaluation (AGREE) II instrument, which is the international standard for clinical practice guideline development. Thus, the guidelines have gone through a rigorous and transparent developmental process and the recommendations are based on evidence from a systematic review and interpretation of the research evidence. The final guidelines benefitted from an extensive online consultation process with 230 domestic and international stakeholders and key informants. The final guideline recommendations state that for health benefits, children (aged 5-11 years) and youth (aged 12-17 years) should minimize the time that they spend being sedentary each day. This may be achieved by (i) limiting recreational screen time to no more than 2 h per day - lower levels are associated with additional health benefits; and (ii) limiting sedentary (motorized) transport, extended sitting time, and time spent indoors throughout the day. These are the first evidence-based Canadian Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines for Children and Youth and provide important and timely recommendations for the advancement of public health based on a systematic synthesis, interpretation, and application of the current scientific evidence.

Index-TB guidelines: Guidelines on extrapulmonary tuberculosis for India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Surendra K Sharma

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB is frequently a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. It is a common opportunistic infection in people living with HIV/AIDS and other immunocompromised states such as diabetes mellitus and malnutrition. There is a paucity of data from clinical trials in EPTB and most of the information regarding diagnosis and management is extrapolated from pulmonary TB. Further, there are no formal national or international guidelines on EPTB. To address these concerns, Indian EPTB guidelines were developed under the auspices of Central TB Division and Directorate of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. The objective was to provide guidance on uniform, evidence-informed practices for suspecting, diagnosing and managing EPTB at all levels of healthcare delivery. The guidelines describe agreed principles relevant to 10 key areas of EPTB which are complementary to the existing country standards of TB care and technical operational guidelines for pulmonary TB. These guidelines provide recommendations on three priority areas for EPTB: (i use of Xpert MTB/RIF in diagnosis, (ii use of adjunct corticosteroids in treatment, and (iii duration of treatment. The guidelines were developed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE criteria, which were evidence based, and due consideration was given to various healthcare settings across India. Further, for those forms of EPTB in which evidence regarding best practice was lacking, clinical practice points were developed by consensus on accumulated knowledge and experience of specialists who participated in the working groups. This would also reflect the needs of healthcare providers and develop a platform for future research.

Global Imaging referral guidelines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawooya, M.; Perez, M.; Lau, L.; Reeed, M.

2010-01-01

The medical imaging specialists called for global referral guidelines which would be made available to referring doctors. These referral guidelines should be:- Applicable in different health care settings, including resource-poor settings; Inclusive in terms of the range of clinical conditions; User-friendly and accessible (format/media); Acceptable to stakeholders, in particular to the referrers as the main target audience. To conceive evidence-based medicine as an integration of best research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values. The Direct recipients of the Referral Guidelines would be:- Referrers: general practitioners / family doctors; paediatricians; emergency department doctors; other specialists and health workers. Providers (medical imaging practitioners): radiologists; nuclear medicine physicians; radiographers; other appropriately qualified practitioners providing diagnostic imaging services. For the Referral Guidelines to be effective there need to be: Credibility evidence-based Practicality end user involvement Context local resources, disease profiles Endorsement, opinion leaders Implementation- policy, education, CPOE - Monitoring of the use clinical audit, report feedback. The aim of the Referral Guidelines Project was to: Produce global referral guidelines that are evidence-based, cost effective and appropriate for the local setting, and include consideration of available equipment and expertise (RGWG; SIGs); Include supporting information about radiation doses, potential risks, protection of children and pregnant women (introductory chapter); Facilitate the implementation of the guidelines through guidance and tools (e.g. implementation guides, checklists, capacity building tools, guides on stakeholders engagement, audit support criteria); Conduct pilot testing in different clinical settings from each of the six WHO regions; Promote the inclusion of the referral guidelines in the curricula of medical schools; Develop and implement

Oak Regeneration Guidelines for the Central Appalachians

Science.gov (United States)

Kim C. Steiner; James C. Finley; Peter J. Gould; Songlin Fei; Marc McDill

2008-01-01

This article presents the first explicit guidelines for regenerating oaks in the central Appalachians. The objectives of this paper are (1) to describe the research foundation on which the guidelines are based and (2) to provide users with the instructions, data collection forms, supplementary tables, and decision charts needed to apply the guidelines in the field. The...

Proposed Development of NASA Glenn Research Center's Aeronautical Network Research Simulator

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Thanh C.; Kerczewski, Robert J.; Wargo, Chris A.; Kocin, Michael J.; Garcia, Manuel L.

2004-01-01

Accurate knowledge and understanding of data link traffic loads that will have an impact on the underlying communications infrastructure within the National Airspace System (NAS) is of paramount importance for planning, development and fielding of future airborne and ground-based communications systems. Attempting to better understand this impact, NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC), through its contractor Computer Networks & Software, Inc. (CNS, Inc.), has developed an emulation and test facility known as the Virtual Aircraft and Controller (VAC) to study data link interactions and the capacity of the NAS to support Controller Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC) traffic. The drawback of the current VAC test bed is that it does not allow the test personnel and researchers to present a real world RF environment to a complex airborne or ground system. Fortunately, the United States Air Force and Navy Avionics Test Commands, through its contractor ViaSat, Inc., have developed the Joint Communications Simulator (JCS) to provide communications band test and simulation capability for the RF spectrum through 18 GHz including Communications, Navigation, and Identification and Surveillance functions. In this paper, we are proposing the development of a new and robust test bed that will leverage on the existing NASA GRC's VAC and the Air Force and Navy Commands JCS systems capabilities and functionalities. The proposed NASA Glenn Research Center's Aeronautical Networks Research Simulator (ANRS) will combine current Air Traffic Control applications and physical RF stimulation into an integrated system capable of emulating data transmission behaviors including propagation delay, physical protocol delay, transmission failure and channel interference. The ANRS will provide a simulation/stimulation tool and test bed environment that allow the researcher to predict the performance of various aeronautical network protocol standards and their associated waveforms under varying

Digital Skill Training Research: Preliminary Guidelines for Distributed Learning

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Childs, Jerry

2001-01-01

This task was aimed at the development of guidelines for distributed learning (DL). A matrix was generated to evaluate the effectiveness of various DL media for training representative knowledge/skill types...

The challenges facing ethnographic design research: A proposed methodological solution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cash, Philip; Hicks, Ben; Culley, Steve

2009-01-01

Central to improving and maintaining high levels of performance in emerging ethnographic design research is a fundamental requirement to address some of the problems associated with the subject. In particular seven core issues are identified and include the complexity of test development......, variability of methods, resource intensiveness, subjectivity, comparability, common metrics and industrial acceptance. To address these problems this paper describes a structured methodological approach in which three main areas are proposed, the modularisation of the research process, the standardisation...... of the dataset and the stratification of the research context. The paper then examines the fundamental requirements of this scheme and how these relate to a Design Observatory approach. Following this, the proposed solution is related back to the initial problem set and potential issues are discussed. Finally...

The appraisal of clinical guidelines in dentistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Glenny, Anne-Marie; Worthington, Helen V; Clarkson, Jan E; Esposito, Marco

2009-01-01

To appraise the reported processes involved in the development of published dental guidelines. Electronic databases were searched to identify guidelines making recommendations for any health professional within dentistry. All included guidelines were appraised using the Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation (AGREE) instrument. A total of 105 guidelines met the inclusion criteria. The appraised guidelines showed lack of rigour in their development (median score 14.3%; range 0% to 100%). Only 10 (9.5%) were coded as 'strongly recommend' by at least two assessors. If recommendations within clinical guidelines are to be relied upon, the methods used in their development must be explicit and free from bias. When using the AGREE checklist to make decisions on whether or not to implement individual sets of guidelines, the findings of the present assessment reinforce the need for more than two assessors to be included in the appraisal of each set of guidelines.

Methodological guidelines for developing accident modification functions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Elvik, Rune

2015-01-01

This paper proposes methodological guidelines for developing accident modification functions. An accident modification function is a mathematical function describing systematic variation in the effects of road safety measures. The paper describes ten guidelines. An example is given of how to use...... limitations in developing accident modification functions are the small number of good evaluation studies and the often huge variation in estimates of effect. It is therefore still not possible to develop accident modification functions for very many road safety measures. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights...... the guidelines. The importance of exploratory analysis and an iterative approach in developing accident modification functions is stressed. The example shows that strict compliance with all the guidelines may be difficult, but represents a level of stringency that should be strived for. Currently the main...

Managing care pathways combining SNOMED CT, archetypes and an electronic guideline system.

Science.gov (United States)

Bernstein, Knut; Andersen, Ulrich

2008-01-01

Today electronic clinical guideline systems exist, but they are not well integrated with electronic health records. This paper thus proposes that the patient's "position" in the pathway during the patient journey should be made visible to all involved healthcare parties and the patient. This requires that the generic knowledge, which is represented in the guidelines, is combined with the patient specific information - and then made accessible for all relevant parties. In addition to the decision support provided by the guideline system documentation support can be provided by templates based on archetypes. This paper provides a proposal for how the guideline system and the EHR can be integrated by the use of archetypes and SNOMED CT. SNOMED CT provides the common reference terminology and the semantic links between the systems. The proposal also includes the use of a National Patient Index for storing data about the patient's position in the pathway and for sharing this information by all involved parties.

Guidelines for Lifelong Education Management to Mobilize Learning Community

Science.gov (United States)

Charungkaittikul, Suwithida

2018-01-01

This article is a study of the guidelines for lifelong education management to mobilize learning communities in the social-cultural context of Thailand is intended to 1) analyze and synthesize the management of lifelong learning to mobilize learning community in the social-cultural context of Thailand; and 2) propose guidelines for lifelong…

Is the National Guideline Clearinghouse a Trustworthy Source of Practice Guidelines for Child and Youth Anxiety and Depression?

Science.gov (United States)

Duda, Stephanie; Fahim, Christine; Szatmari, Peter; Bennett, Kathryn

2017-07-01

Innovative strategies that facilitate the use of high quality practice guidelines (PG) are needed. Accordingly, repositories designed to simplify access to PGs have been proposed as a critical component of the network of linked interventions needed to drive increased PG implementation. The National Guideline Clearinghouse (NGC) is a free, international online repository. We investigated whether it is a trustworthy source of child and youth anxiety and depression PGs. English language PGs published between January 2009 and February 2016 relevant to anxiety or depression in children and adolescents (≤ 18 years of age) were eligible. Two trained raters assessed PG quality using Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE II). Scores on at least three AGREE II domains (stakeholder involvement, rigor of development, and editorial independence) were used to designate PGs as: i) minimum quality (≥ 50%); and ii) high quality (≥ 70%). Eight eligible PGs were identified (depression, n=6; anxiety and depression, n=1; social anxiety disorder, n=1). Four of eight PGs met minimum quality criteria; three of four met high quality criteria. At present, NGC users without the time and special skills required to evaluate PG quality may unknowingly choose flawed PGs to guide decisions about child and youth anxiety and depression. The recent NGC decision to explore the inclusion of PG quality profiles based on Institute of Medicine standards provides needed leadership that can strengthen PG repositories, prevent harm and wasted resources, and build PG developer capacity.

Predictive analytics in mental health: applications, guidelines, challenges and perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Hahn, T; Nierenberg, A A; Whitfield-Gabrieli, S

2017-01-01

The emerging field of 'predictive analytics in mental health' has recently generated tremendous interest with the bold promise to revolutionize clinical practice in psychiatry paralleling similar developments in personalized and precision medicine. Here, we provide an overview of the key questions and challenges in the field, aiming to (1) propose general guidelines for predictive analytics projects in psychiatry, (2) provide a conceptual introduction to core aspects of predictive modeling technology, and (3) foster a broad and informed discussion involving all stakeholders including researchers, clinicians, patients, funding bodies and policymakers.

Research ethics for clinical researchers.

Science.gov (United States)

Harnett, John D; Neuman, Richard

2015-01-01

This chapter describes the history of the development of modern research ethics. The governance of research ethics is discussed and varies according to geographical location. However, the guidelines used for research ethics review are very similar across a wide variety of jurisdictions. The paramount importance of protecting the privacy and confidentiality of research participants is discussed at length. Particular emphasis is placed on the process of informed consent, and step-by-step practical guidelines are described. The issue of research in vulnerable populations is touched upon and guidelines are provided. Practical advice is provided for researchers to guide their interactions with research ethics boards. Issues related to scientific misconduct and research fraud are not dealt with in this paper.

Assessing Clinical Microbiology Practice Guidelines: American Society for Microbiology Ad Hoc Committee on Evidence-Based Laboratory Medicine Practice Guidelines Assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Nachamkin, Irving; Kirn, Thomas J; Westblade, Lars F; Humphries, Romney

2017-11-01

As part of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Evidence-Based Laboratory Medicine Practice Guidelines Committee of the Professional Practice Committee, an ad hoc committee was formed in 2014 to assess guidelines published by the committee using an assessment tool, Appraisal of Guidelines for Research Evaluation II (AGREE II). The AGREE II assessment helps reviewers determine whether published guidelines are robust, transparent, and clear in presenting practice recommendations in a standardized manner. Identifying strengths and weaknesses of practice guidelines by ad hoc assessments helps with improving future guidelines through the participation of key stakeholders. This minireview describes the development of the ad hoc committee and results from their review of several ASM best practices guidelines and a non-ASM practice guideline from the Emergency Nurses Association. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

Ethical guidelines, animal profile, various animal models used in periodontal research with alternatives and future perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Pasupuleti, Mohan Kumar; Molahally, Subramanya Shetty; Salwaji, Supraja

2016-01-01

Laboratory animal models serve as a facilitator to investigate the etiopathogenesis of periodontal disease, are used to know the efficacy of reconstructive and regenerative procedures, and are also helpful in evaluation of newer therapeutic techniques including laser and implant therapies prior to application in the human beings. The aim of this review is to know the different animal models used in various specialties of dental research and to know the ethical guidelines prior to the usage of experimental models with main emphasis on how to refine, replace, and reduce the number of animal models usage in the laboratory. An online search for experimental animal models used in dental research was performed using MEDLINE/PubMed database. Publications from 2009 to May 2013 in the specialty of periodontics were included in writing this review. A total of 652 references were published in PubMed/MEDLINE databases based on the search terms used. Out of 245 studies, 241 were related to the periodontal research published in English from 2009 to 2013. Relevant papers were chosen according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. After extensive electronic and hand search on animal models, it has been observed that various animal models were used in dental research. Search on animal models used for dental research purpose revealed that various animals such as rats, mice, guinea pigs, rabbit, beagle dogs, goats, and nonhuman primates were extensively used. However, with the new advancement of ex vivo animal models, it has become easy to investigate disease pathogenesis and to test the efficacy of newer therapeutic modalities with the reduced usage of animal models. This review summarized the large amount of literature on animal models used in periodontal research with main emphasis on ethical guidelines and on reducing the animal model usage in future perspective.

Ethical guidelines, animal profile, various animal models used in periodontal research with alternatives and future perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohan Kumar Pasupuleti

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Laboratory animal models serve as a facilitator to investigate the etiopathogenesis of periodontal disease, are used to know the efficacy of reconstructive and regenerative procedures, and are also helpful in evaluation of newer therapeutic techniques including laser and implant therapies prior to application in the human beings. The aim of this review is to know the different animal models used in various specialties of dental research and to know the ethical guidelines prior to the usage of experimental models with main emphasis on how to refine, replace, and reduce the number of animal models usage in the laboratory. An online search for experimental animal models used in dental research was performed using MEDLINE/PubMed database. Publications from 2009 to May 2013 in the specialty of periodontics were included in writing this review. A total of 652 references were published in PubMed/MEDLINE databases based on the search terms used. Out of 245 studies, 241 were related to the periodontal research published in English from 2009 to 2013. Relevant papers were chosen according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. After extensive electronic and hand search on animal models, it has been observed that various animal models were used in dental research. Search on animal models used for dental research purpose revealed that various animals such as rats, mice, guinea pigs, rabbit, beagle dogs, goats, and nonhuman primates were extensively used. However, with the new advancement of ex vivo animal models, it has become easy to investigate disease pathogenesis and to test the efficacy of newer therapeutic modalities with the reduced usage of animal models. This review summarized the large amount of literature on animal models used in periodontal research with main emphasis on ethical guidelines and on reducing the animal model usage in future perspective.

Appraising and comparing pressure ulcer guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

Wimpenny, Peter; van Zelm, Ruben

2007-01-01

Whilst considerable activity has been related to guideline development for nurses regarding pressure ulcer prevention and management, no attempt has been made to comparatively evaluate these guidelines against some form of quality indicators. To compare and contrast four national pressure ulcer guidelines, and identify similarities and differences in their quality and content. An international comparative appraisal method, using the AGREE (Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation) instrument, was undertaken to appraise four published pressure ulcer guidelines. Two further domains were added to the AGREE instrument to assess comparability of the guidelines and their perceived contribution to practice. An international group undertook the comparative appraisal. The domain scores for each guideline show some but not total agreement among reviewers. One particular set of guidelines was identified as scoring highest in a majority of AGREE domains. Overall, evidence of variability exists between pressure ulcer guidelines and common areas of development to consider for all guidelines. The results raise many questions concerning the "best" pressure ulcer guideline to use, particularly related to the AGREE scoring. Some notable shortcomings exist in all the pressure ulcer guidelines reviewed and these shortcomings need to be addressed from a quality perspective. However, other issues such as style of reporting and potential contribution to practice might more fully affect choice by practitioners as opposed to guideline developers. Notable differences exist among the four guidelines that are possibly explained by different approaches to development and also because of different cultural factors and intentions for use. Whilst the AGREE tool identifies the quality of the guideline development process it still requires local engagement with practitioners to determine which guideline should be implemented.

Nuclear energy research until 2000

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reiman, L.; Rintamaa, R.; Vanttola, T.

1994-03-01

The working group was to assess the need and orientation of nuclear energy research (apart from research on nuclear waste management and fusion technology) up until the year 2000 in Finland and to propose framework schemes and organization guidelines for any forthcoming publicly financed research programmes from 1995 onwards. The main purpose of nuclear energy research is to ensure the safety and continued development of Finland's existing nuclear power plants. Factors necessarily influencing the orientation of research are Parliaments decision of late 1993 against further nuclear capacity in the country, the need to assess reactor safety in the eastern neighbour regions, and Finland's potential membership in the European Union. The working group proposes two new research programmes similar to the current ones but with slightly modified emphasis. Dedicated to reactor safety and structural safety respectively, they would both cover the four years from 1995 to 1998. A separate research project is proposed for automation technology. In addition, environmental research projects should have a joint coordination unit. (9 figs., 4 tabs.)

Proposal to Establish an International Solar Research Institute

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Broda, E.

1974-01-01

This report was written by E. Broda and it is about a proposal to establish an international solar research institute. Broda emphasizes solar energy as the most important energy source alternatively to nuclear energy and he points out the advantages of solar energy over nuclear energy. This report was written for a symposium for science and peace in February 1974. (nowak)

A survey of Australian chiropractors' attitudes and beliefs about evidence-based practice and their use of research literature and clinical practice guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, Bruce F; Stomski, Norman J; Hebert, Jeff J; French, Simon D

2013-12-17

Research into chiropractors' use of evidence in clinical practice appears limited to a single small qualitative study. The paucity of research in this area suggests that it is timely to undertake a more extensive study to build a more detailed understanding of the factors that influence chiropractors' adoption of evidence-based practice (EBP) principles. This study aimed to identify Australian chiropractors' attitudes and beliefs towards EBP in clinical practice, and also examine their use of research literature and clinical practice guidelines. We used an online questionnaire about attitudes, beliefs and behaviours towards the use of EBP in clinical practice that had been developed to survey physiotherapists and modified it to ensure that it was relevant to chiropractic practice. We endeavoured to survey all registered Australian chiropractors (n = 4378) via email invitation distributed by Australian chiropractic professional organisations and the Chiropractic Board of Australia. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine univariate associations between responses to items measuring attitudes and beliefs with items measuring: age; years since registration; attention to literature; and use of clinical practice guidelines. Questionnaires were returned by 584 respondents (response rate approximately 13%). The respondents' perceptions of EBP were generally positive: most agreed that the application of EBP is necessary (77.9%), literature and research findings are useful (80.2%), EBP helps them make decisions about patient care (66.5%), and expressed an interest in learning or improving EBP skills (74.9%). Almost half of the respondents (45.1%) read between two to five articles a month. Close to half of the respondents (44.7%) used literature in the process of clinical decision making two to five times each month. About half of the respondents (52.4%) agreed that they used clinical practice guidelines, and around half (54.4%) agreed that they were able

Preparing to Accept Research Data: Creating Guidelines for Librarians

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura B. Palumbo

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Rutgers University Libraries have recognized the need to expand their current research data services into a well-documented and well-supported service available to the Rutgers research community. In 2005, Rutgers University Libraries created RUcore, Rutgers University Community Repository, which has served as the University’s formal repository for institutional scholarship, special collections, and Electronic Theses & Dissertations. With the impetus of the 2010 NSF directive for research data sharing and preservation, RUcore development was extended to accept research data content. Ingest of pilot data projects began in 2010 via a librarian-mediated process. In order to provide a better defined workflow and mission for research data services, in July 2014, the Rutgers University Librarian organized a Task Force to investigate the evaluation process for technical, legal, and confidential issues involved in research data acceptance, and to establish an administrative and evaluation framework for the deposit of research data. After a review of 35 repositories using 34 criteria, the Task Force drafted a plan for research data acceptance which proposes wide-spread acceptance of mediated data projects, and prepares for future self-deposit in an online interface. This paper will discuss the issues addressed by the Task Force; acknowledging ownership of data through an institutional data policy, preventing exposure of confidential or sensitive data, establishing a reconfigured data team, requirements for storage capacity and funding, creating a workflow which includes collaboration with research offices, and offering guidance for both researchers and librarians working with research data.

• New guidelines for national airline caterers.

Science.gov (United States)

1989-06-24

The Government is to issue new guidelines to prevent food poisoning from airline meals. The proposed action comes in response to recent survey evidence which found contaminated meals served up to passengers.

Essential Ingredients of a Good Research Proposal for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Students in the Social Sciences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raymond Talinbe Abdulai

2014-08-01

Full Text Available As part of the requirements for the award of degrees in higher education institutions, students at undergraduate and postgraduate levels normally carry out research, which they report in the form of dissertations or theses. The research journey commences with the selection of a research topic and the preparation of a proposal on the selected topic. Experience has shown that students tend to encounter difficulties in writing research proposals for their supervisors because they do not fully comprehend what constitutes a research proposal. The purpose of this article is to take students through a step-by-step process of writing good research proposals by discussing the essential ingredients of a good research proposal. Thus, it is not a didactic piece—the aim is to guide students in research proposal writing. In discussing these ingredients, relevant examples are provided where necessary for ease of understanding. It is expected that on reading this article, students should be able to: (a demonstrate knowledge and understanding of what research is all about and its challenging nature; (b display an enlarged comprehension of research gap(s, problem or question(s, aim, objectives, and hypotheses as well as their distinguishing characteristics; (c demonstrate a good understanding of the relevant elements to be considered in the constituent sections of a good research proposal; and (d comprehend the elements of a research proposal that should feature in the final written dissertation or thesis.

Institutionalizing dissent: a proposal for an adversarial system of pharmaceutical research.

Science.gov (United States)

Biddle, Justin

2013-12-01

There are serious problems with the way in which pharmaceutical research is currently practiced, many of which can be traced to the influence of commercial interests on research. One of the most significant is inadequate dissent, or organized skepticism. In order to ameliorate this problem, I develop a proposal that I call the "Adversarial Proceedings for the Evaluation of Pharmaceuticals," to be instituted within a regulatory agency such as the Food and Drug Administration for the evaluation of controversial new drugs and controversial drugs already in the market. This proposal is an organizational one based upon the "science court" proposal by Arthur Kantrowitz in the 1960s and 1970s. The primary benefit of this system is its ability to institutionalize dissent, thereby ensuring that one set of interests does not dominate all others.

Do countries rely on the World Health Organization for translating research findings into clinical guidelines? A case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Noor, Ramadhani A; Geldsetzer, Pascal; Bärnighausen, Till; Fawzi, Wafaie

2016-10-06

The World Health Organization's (WHO) antiretroviral therapy (ART) guidelines have generally been adopted rapidly and with high fidelity by countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Thus far, however, WHO has not published specific guidance on nutritional care and support for (non-pregnant) adults living with HIV despite a solid evidence base for some interventions. This offers an opportunity for a case study on whether national clinical guidelines in sub-Saharan Africa provide concrete recommendations in the face of limited guidance by WHO. This study, therefore, aims to determine if national HIV treatment guidelines in sub-Saharan Africa contain specific guidance on nutritional care and support for non-pregnant adults living with HIV. We identified the most recent national HIV treatment guidelines in sub-Saharan African countries with English as an official language. Using pre-specified criteria, we determined for each guideline whether it provides guidance to clinicians on each of five components of nutritional care and support for adults living with HIV: assessment of nutritional status, dietary counseling, micronutrient supplementation, ready-to-use therapeutic or supplementary foods, and food subsidies. We found that national HIV treatment guidelines in sub-Saharan Africa generally do not contain concrete recommendations on nutritional care and support for non-pregnant adults living with HIV. Given that decisions on nutritional care and support are inevitably being made at the clinician-patient level, and that clinicians have a relative disadvantage in systematically identifying, summarizing, and weighing up research evidence compared to WHO and national governments, there is a need for more specific clinical guidance. In our view, such guidance should at a minimum recommend daily micronutrient supplements for adults living with HIV who are in pre-ART stages, regular dietary counseling, periodic assessment of anthropometric status, and additional nutritional

Review of the research proposal for the steam generator retired from Kori unit 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Joung Soo; Han, Joung Ho; Kim, Hong Pyo; Lim, Yun Soo; Lee, Deok Hyun; Hwang, Seong Sik; Hur, Do Haeng [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejeon (Korea)

2002-03-01

The tubes of the steam generator retired form Kori unit 1 have many different kinds of failures, such as denting pitting, wastage, ODSCC, PWSCC.Korea Electric Power Research Institute (KEPRI) submitted a research proposal for the steam generator to the Korea Institute S and T Evaluation and Planning (KSITEP). The KISTEP requested Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute to review the proposal by organizing a committee which should be composed of the specialists of the related domestic research institutes. Opinions of the committee on the objectives, research fields, economic benefit and validity in the research proposal were reviewed and suggested optimal research fields to be fulfilled successfully for the retired steam generator. Also, the rolls for the participants in the research works were allocated, which is critical in order to do the project effectively. 6 figs., 5 tabs. (Author)

Terminology representation guidelines for biomedical ontologies in the semantic web notations.

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, Cui; Pathak, Jyotishman; Solbrig, Harold R; Wei, Wei-Qi; Chute, Christopher G

2013-02-01

Terminologies and ontologies are increasingly prevalent in healthcare and biomedicine. However they suffer from inconsistent renderings, distribution formats, and syntax that make applications through common terminologies services challenging. To address the problem, one could posit a shared representation syntax, associated schema, and tags. We identified a set of commonly-used elements in biomedical ontologies and terminologies based on our experience with the Common Terminology Services 2 (CTS2) Specification as well as the Lexical Grid (LexGrid) project. We propose guidelines for precisely such a shared terminology model, and recommend tags assembled from SKOS, OWL, Dublin Core, RDF Schema, and DCMI meta-terms. We divide these guidelines into lexical information (e.g. synonyms, and definitions) and semantic information (e.g. hierarchies). The latter we distinguish for use by informal terminologies vs. formal ontologies. We then evaluate the guidelines with a spectrum of widely used terminologies and ontologies to examine how the lexical guidelines are implemented, and whether our proposed guidelines would enhance interoperability. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

True North: Building Imaginary Worlds with the Revised Canadian (CADTH Guidelines for Health Technology Assessment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul C Langley

2017-05-01

Full Text Available In March 2017 the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH released the 4th edition of their Guidelines for the Economic Evaluation of Health Technologies: Canada. These guidelines, which were first published and revised for a 3rd edition in 2006 are intended to help decision makers, health systems leaders and policy makers make well-informed decisions. They are designed, apparently, to support best practice in conducting health technology assessments in Canada. The purpose of this commentary is to consider whether or not the evidence standards proposed and the consequent modeled claims for economic effectiveness meet the standards of normal science: are the CADTH standards capable of generating claims for competing products that are credible, evaluable and replicable? The review argues that the standards proposed by CADTH do not meet the standards expected in normal science. Technical sophistication in building reference case imaginary worlds is not a substitute for claims that are experimentally evaluable or capable of assessment through systematic observation. There is no way of judging whether imaginary claims are right or even if they are wrong. CADTH is not alone in setting standards that fail to meet the standards of normal science. Recent commentaries on formulary submission guidelines in a number of other countries, to include Ireland, the Netherlands, France, Australia, the UK and New Zealand conclude that they are subject to the same criticism. If the CADTH guidelines were never intended to support feedback to health system decision makers, then this should be made clear. If not, then consideration should be given to withdrawing the guidelines to ensure they conform to these standards. Hopefully, future versions of the CADTH guidelines will address this issue and focus on a rigorous research program of claims assessment and feedback and not the building of imaginary worlds.   Type:  Commentary

Evidence-based guidelines for the wise use of computers by children: physical development guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

Straker, L; Maslen, B; Burgess-Limerick, R; Johnson, P; Dennerlein, J

2010-04-01

Computer use by children is common and there is concern over the potential impact of this exposure on child physical development. Recently principles for child-specific evidence-based guidelines for wise use of computers have been published and these included one concerning the facilitation of appropriate physical development. This paper reviews the evidence and presents detailed guidelines for this principle. The guidelines include encouraging a mix of sedentary and whole body movement tasks, encouraging reasonable postures during computing tasks through workstation, chair, desk, display and input device selection and adjustment and special issues regarding notebook computer use and carriage, computing skills and responding to discomfort. The evidence limitations highlight opportunities for future research. The guidelines themselves can inform parents and teachers, equipment designers and suppliers and form the basis of content for teaching children the wise use of computers. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: Many children use computers and computer-use habits formed in childhood may track into adulthood. Therefore child-computer interaction needs to be carefully managed. These guidelines inform those responsible for children to assist in the wise use of computers.

Verification of the waste flow follow-up and product-control system AVK and proposals for improvements in accordance with the guideline of the Federal Ministry of the Environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zech, J.; Wimmer, J.

1995-01-01

The results of a verification of the waste flow follow-up and product-control system (AVK) are summarized. This verification was based on AVK version 2.20 with the MOPRO (product control module) version 2.30 and the ELA (underground-storage-at-Morsleben module) version 1.0. The basics of the most important evaluation criteria are to be found in the underground storage specifications for the ''Konrad'' and Morsleben stores and in the waste guideline of the federal ministry of the environment. Moreover, the draft ordinance on nuclear residual products and waste (AtRAV) was taken into account.- The documentation system AVK actually reflects the demands of the BMU guideline. Moreover, the AVK, and especially the modules for the determination of radioactivity, fulfill important tasks within the framework of product control. With a view to the observation of the waste guideline of the federal ministry of the environment, the study leads to some recommendations and improvement proposals, of which an outline is given. (orig./HP) [de

Urinary tract infection in children: Diagnosis, treatment, imaging - Comparison of current guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

Okarska-Napierała, M; Wasilewska, A; Kuchar, E

2017-12-01

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a frequent disorder of childhood, yet the proper approach for a child with UTI is still a matter of controversy. The objective of this study was to critically compare current guidelines for the diagnosis and management of UTI in children, in light of new scientific data. An analysis was performed of the guidelines from: American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), Italian Society of Pediatric Nephrology, Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS), Polish Society of Pediatric Nephrology, and European Association of Urology (EAU)/European Society for Pediatric Urology (ESPU). Separate aspects of the approach for a child with UTI, including diagnosis, treatment and further imaging studies, were compared, with allowance for recent research in each field. The analyzed guidelines tried to reconcile recent reports about diagnosis, treatment, and further diagnostics in pediatric UTI with prior practices and opinions, and economic capabilities. There was still a lack of sufficient data to formulate coherent, unequivocal guidelines on UTI management in children, with imaging tests remaining the main area of controversy. As a result, the authors formulated their own proposal for UTI management in children. Copyright © 2017 Journal of Pediatric Urology Company. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A survey of the awareness, knowledge, policies and views of veterinary journal Editors-in-Chief on reporting guidelines for publication of research

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background Wider adoption of reporting guidelines by veterinary journals could improve the quality of published veterinary research. The aims of this study were to assess the knowledge and views of veterinary Editors-in-Chief on reporting guidelines, identify the policies of their journals, and determine their information needs. Editors-in-Chief of 185 journals on the contact list for the International Association of Veterinary Editors (IAVE) were surveyed in April 2012 using an online questionnaire which contained both closed and open questions. Results The response rate was 36.8% (68/185). Thirty-six of 68 editors (52.9%) stated they knew what a reporting guideline was before receiving the questionnaire. Editors said they had found out about reporting guidelines primarily through articles in other journals, via the Internet and through their own journal. Twenty of 57 respondents (35.1%) said their journal referred to reporting guidelines in its instructions to authors. CONSORT, REFLECT, and ARRIVE were the most frequently cited. Forty-four of 68 respondents (68.2%) believed that reporting guidelines should be adopted by all refereed veterinary journals. Qualitative analysis of the open questions revealed that lack of knowledge, fear, resistance to change, and difficulty in implementation were perceived as barriers to the adoption of reporting guidelines by journals. Editors suggested that reporting guidelines be promoted through communication and education of the veterinary community, with roles for the IAVE and universities. Many respondents believed a consensus policy on guideline implementation was needed for veterinary journals. Conclusions Further communication and education about reporting guidelines for editors, authors and reviewers has the potential to increase their adoption by veterinary journals in the future. PMID:24410882

7 CFR 3406.18 - Content of a research proposal.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... for publications. Identify target audiences and explain methods of communication. (iv) Partnerships... complete understanding of a proposal or to illustrate the integrity of the design or a main thesis of the... approve the research plan before CSREES will release grant funds. (2) Protection of human subjects...

Derivation of strontium-90 and cesium-137 residual radioactive material guidelines for the Laboratory for Energy-Related Health Research, University of California, Davis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nimmagadda, M.; Yu, C.

1993-04-01

Residual radioactive material guidelines for strontium-90 and cesium-137 were derived for the Laboratory for Energy-Related Health Research (LEHR) site in Davis, California. The guideline derivation was based on a dose limit of 100 mrem/yr. The US Department of Energy (DOE) residual radioactive material guideline computer code, RESRAD, was used in this evaluation; this code implements the methodology described in the DOE manual for implementing residual radioactive material guidelines. Three potential site utilization scenarios were considered with the assumption that, for a period of 1,000 years following remedial action, the site will be utilized without radiological restrictions. The defined scenarios vary with regard to use of the site, time spent at the site, and sources of food consumed. The results of the evaluation indicate that the basic dose limit of 100 mrem/yr will not be exceeded within 1,000 years for either strontium-90 or cesium-137, provided that the soil concentrations of these radionuclides at the LEHR site do not exceed the following levels: 71,000 pCi/g for strontium-90 and 91 pCi/g for cesium-137 for Scenario A (researcher: the expected scenario); 160,000 pCi/g for strontium-90 and 220 pCi/g for cesium-137 for Scenario B (recreationist: a plausible scenario); and 37 pCi/g for strontium-90 and 32 pCi/g for cesium-137 for Scenario C (resident farmer ingesting food produced in the contaminated area: a plausible scenario). The derived guidelines are single-radionuclide guidelines and are linearly proportional to the dose limit used in the calculations. In setting the actual strontium-90 and cesium-137 guidelines for the LEHR site, DOE will apply the as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) policy to the decision-making process, along with other factors such as whether a particular scenario is reasonable and appropriate

Protocol-developing meta-ethnography reporting guidelines (eMERGe).

Science.gov (United States)

France, E F; Ring, N; Noyes, J; Maxwell, M; Jepson, R; Duncan, E; Turley, R; Jones, D; Uny, I

2015-11-25

Designing and implementing high-quality health care services and interventions requires robustly synthesised evidence. Syntheses of qualitative research studies can provide evidence of patients' experiences of health conditions; intervention feasibility, appropriateness and acceptability to patients; and advance understanding of health care issues. The unique, interpretive, theory-based meta-ethnography synthesis approach is suited to conveying patients' views and developing theory to inform service design and delivery. However, meta-ethnography reporting is often poor quality, which discourages trust in, and use of, meta-ethnography findings. Users of evidence syntheses require reports that clearly articulate analytical processes and findings. Tailored research reporting guidelines can raise reporting standards but none exists for meta-ethnography. This study aims to create an evidence-based meta-ethnography reporting guideline articulating the methodological standards and depth of reporting required to improve reporting quality. The mixed-methods design of this National Institute of Health Research-funded study (http://www.stir.ac.uk/emerge/) follows good practice in research reporting guideline development comprising: (1) a methodological systematic review (PROSPERO registration: CRD42015024709) to identify recommendations and guidance in conducting/reporting meta-ethnography; (2) a review and audit of published meta-ethnographies to identify good practice principles and develop standards in conduct/reporting; (3) an online workshop and Delphi studies to agree guideline content with 45 international qualitative synthesis experts and 45 other stakeholders including patients; (4) development and wide dissemination of the guideline and its accompanying detailed explanatory document, a report template for National Institute of Health Research commissioned meta-ethnographies, and training materials on guideline use. Meta-ethnography, devised in the field of education

Formalising medical quality indicators to improve guidelines

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van Gendt, Marjolein; Ten Teije, Annette; Serban, Radu; Van Harmelen, Frank

2005-01-01

Medical guidelines can significantly improve quality of medical care and reduce costs. But how do we get sound and well-structured guidelines? This paper investigates the use of quality indicators that are formulated by medical institutions to evaluate medical care. The main research questions are

No. 354-Canadian HIV Pregnancy Planning Guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

Loutfy, Mona; Kennedy, V Logan; Poliquin, Vanessa; Dzineku, Frederick; Dean, Nicola L; Margolese, Shari; Symington, Alison; Money, Deborah M; Hamilton, Scot; Conway, Tracey; Khan, Sarah; Yudin, Mark H

2018-01-01

The objective of the Canadian HIV Pregnancy Planning Guidelines is to provide clinical information and recommendations for health care providers to assist Canadians affected by HIV with their fertility, preconception, and pregnancy planning decisions. These guidelines are evidence- and community-based and flexible and take into account diverse and intersecting local/population needs based on the social determinants of health. EVIDENCE: Literature searches were conducted by a librarian using the Medline, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and Embase databases for published articles in English and French related to HIV and pregnancy and HIV and pregnancy planning for each section of the guidelines. The full search strategy is available upon request. The evidence obtained was reviewed and evaluated by the Infectious Diseases Committee of the SOGC under the leadership of the principal authors, and recommendations were made according to the guidelines developed by the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care and through use of the Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation instrument for the development of clinical guidelines. Guideline implementation should assist the practitioner in developing an evidence-based approach for the prevention of unplanned pregnancy, preconception, fertility, and pregnancy planning counselling in the context of HIV infection. These guidelines have been reviewed and approved by the Infectious Disease Committee and the Executive and Council of the SOGC. Canadian Institutes of Health Research Grant Planning and Dissemination grant (Funding Reference # 137186), which funded a Development Team meeting in 2016. Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

75 FR 27362 - Supplemental Guidelines for Sex Offender Registration and Notification

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-14

... posting, pursuant to the KIDS Act, 42 U.S.C. 16915a. (3) Require jurisdictions to have sex offenders...] RIN 1105-AB36 Supplemental Guidelines for Sex Offender Registration and Notification AGENCY: Department of Justice. ACTION: Notice; Proposed guidelines. SUMMARY: The Sex Offender Registration and...

Methodological quality of guidelines in gastroenterology.

Science.gov (United States)

Malheiro, Rui; de Monteiro-Soares, Matilde; Hassan, Cesare; Dinis-Ribeiro, Mário

2014-06-01

Clinical guidelines are a common feature in modern endoscopy practice and they are being produced faster than ever. However, their methodological quality is rarely assessed. This study evaluated the methodological quality of current clinical guidelines in the field of gastroenterology, with an emphasis on endoscopy. Practice guidelines published by the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG), American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE), European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE), British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG), National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), and the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) were searched between September and October 2012 and evaluated using the AGREE II (Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation) instrument (23 items, scores 1 - 7 for each item; higher scores mean better quality). A total of 100 guidelines were assessed. The mean number of items scoring 6 or 7 per guideline was 9.2 (out of 23 items). Overall, 99 % of guidelines failed to include the target population in the development process, and 96 % did not report facilitators and barriers to guideline application. In addition, 86 % did not include advice or tools, and 94 % did not present monitoring or auditing criteria. The global methodological quality of clinical guidelines in the field of gastroenterology is poor, particularly regarding involvement of the target population in the development of guidelines and in the provision of clear suggestions to practitioners. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Guidelines for ground motion definition for the eastern United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gwaltney, R.C.; Aramayo, G.A.; Williams, R.T.

1985-06-01

Guidelines for the determination of earthquake ground motion definition for the eastern United States are established here. Both far-field and near-field guidelines are given. The guidelines were based on an extensive review of the current procedures for specifying ground motion in the United States. Both empirical and theoretical procedures were used in establishing the guidelines because of the low seismicity in the eastern United States. Only a few large- to great-sized earthquakes (M/sub s/ > 7.5) have occurred in this region, no evidence of tectonic surface ruptures related to historic or Holocene earthquakes has been found, and no currently active plate boundaries of any kind are known in this region. Very little instrumented data have been gathered in the East. Theoretical procedures are proposed so that in regions of almost no data, a reasonable level of seismic ground motion activity can be assumed. The guidelines are to be used to develop the safe shutdown earthquake (SSE). A new procedure for establishing the operating basis earthquake (OBE) is proposed, in particular for the eastern United States. The OBE would be developed using a probabilistic assessment of the geological conditions and the recurrence of seismic events at a site. These guidelines should be useful in development of seismic design requirements for future reactors. 17 refs., figs., tabs

Physical Activity Design Guidelines for School Architecture.

Science.gov (United States)

Brittin, Jeri; Sorensen, Dina; Trowbridge, Matthew; Lee, Karen K; Breithecker, Dieter; Frerichs, Leah; Huang, Terry

2015-01-01

Increasing children's physical activity at school is a national focus in the U.S. to address childhood obesity. While research has demonstrated associations between aspects of school environments and students' physical activity, the literature currently lacks a synthesis of evidence to serve as a practical, spatially-organized resource for school designers and decision-makers, as well as to point to pertinent research opportunities. This paper describes the development of a new practical tool: Physical Activity Design Guidelines for School Architecture. Its aims are to provide architects and designers, as well as school planners, educators, and public health professionals, with strategies for making K-12 school environments conducive to healthy physical activity, and to engage scientists in transdisciplinary perspectives toward improved knowledge of the school environment's impact. We used a qualitative review process to develop evidence-based and theory-driven school design guidelines that promote increased physical activity among students. The design guidelines include specific strategies in 10 school design domains. Implementation of the guidelines is expected to enable students to adopt healthier physical activity behaviors. The tool bridges a translational gap between research and environmental design practice, and may contribute to setting new industry and education standards.

Glaucoma-service provision in Scotland: introduction and need for Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

Syrogiannis, Andreas; Rotchford, Alan P; Agarwal, Pankaj Kumar; Kumarasamy, Manjula; Montgomery, Donald; Burr, Jennifer; Sanders, Roshini

2015-01-01

To describe the pattern of glaucoma-service delivery in Scotland and identify areas for improvement, taking into account Scottish General Ophthalmic Services (GOS) arrangements and the Eye Care Integration project, and to design Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) guidelines to refine the primary and secondary interface of glaucoma care. A glaucoma-survey questionnaire was sent to all consultant glaucomatologists in Scotland. The design of SIGN guidelines was based on the results of the questionnaire using SIGN methodology. Over 90% of Scottish glaucoma care is triaged and delivered within hospital services. Despite GOS referral, information is variable. There are no consistent discharge practices to the community. These results led to defined research questions that were answered, thus formulating the content of the SIGN guidelines. The guideline covers the assessment of patients in primary care, referral criteria to hospital, discharge criteria from hospital to community, and monitoring of patients at risk of glaucoma. With increasing age and limitations to hospital resources, refining glaucoma pathways between primary and secondary care has become a necessity. Scotland has unique eye care arrangements with both the GOS and Eye Care Integration project. It is hoped that implementation of SIGN guidelines will identify glaucoma at the earliest opportunity and reduce the rate of false-positive referrals to hospital.

Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years (0-4 years): An Integration of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Sleep.

Science.gov (United States)

Tremblay, Mark S; Chaput, Jean-Philippe; Adamo, Kristi B; Aubert, Salomé; Barnes, Joel D; Choquette, Louise; Duggan, Mary; Faulkner, Guy; Goldfield, Gary S; Gray, Casey E; Gruber, Reut; Janson, Katherine; Janssen, Ian; Janssen, Xanne; Jaramillo Garcia, Alejandra; Kuzik, Nicholas; LeBlanc, Claire; MacLean, Joanna; Okely, Anthony D; Poitras, Veronica J; Rayner, Mary-Ellen; Reilly, John J; Sampson, Margaret; Spence, John C; Timmons, Brian W; Carson, Valerie

2017-11-20

The Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology convened representatives of national organizations, research experts, methodologists, stakeholders, and end-users who followed rigorous and transparent guideline development procedures to create the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years (0-4 years): An Integration of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Sleep. These novel guidelines for children of the early years embrace the natural and intuitive integration of movement behaviours across the whole day (24-h period). The development process was guided by the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II instrument. Four systematic reviews (physical activity, sedentary behaviour, sleep, combined behaviours) examining the relationships within and among movement behaviours and several health indicators were completed and interpreted by a Guideline Development Panel. The systematic reviews that were conducted to inform the development of the guidelines, and the framework that was applied to develop the recommendations, followed the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology. Complementary compositional analyses were performed using data from the Canadian Health Measures Survey to examine the relationships between movement behaviours and indicators of adiposity. A review of the evidence on the cost effectiveness and resource use associated with the implementation of the proposed guidelines was also undertaken. A stakeholder survey (n = 546), 10 key informant interviews, and 14 focus groups (n = 92 participants) were completed to gather feedback on draft guidelines and their dissemination. The guidelines provide evidence-informed recommendations as to the combinations of light-, moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity, sedentary behaviours, and sleep that infants (guidelines. These guidelines represent a sensible evolution of public health guidelines whereby optimal health is

Thoughts about the research process. A proposal from decolonial feminism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Javiera Cubillos Almendra

2014-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper, I share some concerns and decisions arisen during my doctoral research process which seeks to integrate decolonial feminist theory as epistemic key for analysis on sexual and reproductive health public policy in Chile, between years 2000 and 2015, based on Coloniality of Gender concept proposed by Maria Lugones. Here I present the most significant aspects in the research process —including theoretical framework and methodological design— that led to the approach of my current research project.

Patently controversial: markets, morals, and the President's proposal for embryonic stem cell research.

Science.gov (United States)

Fins, Joseph J; Schachter, Madeleine

2002-09-01

This essay considers the implications of President George W. Bush's proposal for human embryonic stem cell research. Through the perspective of patent law, privacy, and informed consent, we elucidate the ongoing controversy about the moral standing of human embryonic stem cells and their derivatives and consider how the inconsistencies in the president's proposal will affect clinical practice and research.

Exploring the Potential for a Consolidated Standard for Reporting Guidelines for Qualitative Research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karin Hannes

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Background: Consolidating a standard for reporting qualitative research remains a challenging endeavor, given the variety of different paradigms that steer qualitative research as well as the broad range of designs, and techniques for data collection and analysis that one could opt for when conducting qualitative research. Method: A total of 18 experts in qualitative research participated in an argument Delphi approach to explore the arguments that would plead for or against the development and use of reporting guidelines (RGs for qualitative research and to generate opinions on what may need to be considered in the further development or further refinement of RGs for qualitative research. Findings: The potential to increase quality and accountability of qualitative research was identified as one of the core benefits of RGs for different target groups, including students. Experts in our pilot study seem to resist a fixed, extensive list of criteria. They emphasize the importance of flexibility in developing and applying such criteria. Clear-cut RGs may restrict the publication of reports on unusual, innovative, or emerging research approaches. Conclusions: RGs should not be used as a substitute for proper training in qualitative research methods and should not be applied rigidly. Experts feel more comfortable with RGs that allow for an adaptation of criteria, to create a better fit for purpose. The variety in viewpoints between experts for the majority of the topics will most likely complicate future consolidation processes. Design specific RGs should be considered to allow developers to stay true to their own epistemological principles and those of their potential users.

Guidelines for earthquake ground motion definition for the Eastern United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gwaltney, R.C.; Aramayo, G.A.; Williams, R.T.

1985-01-01

Guidelines for the determination of earthquake ground-motion definition for the eastern United States are established in this paper. Both far-field and near-field guidelines are given. The guidelines were based on an extensive review of the current procedures for specifying ground motion in the United States. Both empirical and theoretical procedures were used in establishing the guidelines because of the low seismicity in the eastern United States. Only a few large to great (M > 7.5) sized earthquakes have occurred in this region, no evidence of tectonic surface ruptures related to historic or Holocene earthquakes have been found, and no currently active plate boundaries of any kind are known in this region. Very little instrumented data has been gathered in the East. Theoretical procedures are proposed so that in regions of almost no data a reasonable level of seismic ground motion activity can be assumed. The guidelines are to be used to develop the Safe Shutdown Earthquake, SSE. A new procedure for establishing the Operating Basis Earthquake, OBE, is proposed, in particular for the eastern United States. The OBE would be developed using a probabilistic assessment of the geological conditions and the recurrence of seismic events at a site. These guidelines should be useful in development of seismic design requirements for future reactors

BWR normal water chemistry guidelines: 1986 revision

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-09-01

Boiling water reactors (BWRs) have experienced stress corrosion cracking in the reactor cooling system piping resulting in adverse impacts on plant availability and personnel radiation exposure. The BWR Owners Group and EPRI have sponsored a major research and development program to provide remedies for this stress corrosion cracking problem. This work shows that the likelihood of cracking depends on the plant's water chemistry performance (environment) as well as on material condition and stress level. Plant experience and other research demonstrate that water quality also affects fuel performance and radiation field buildup in BWRs. This report,''BWR Normal Water Chemistry Guidelines: 1986 Revision,'' presents suggested generic water chemistry specifications, justifies the proposed water chemistry limits, suggests responses to out-of-specification water chemistry, discusses available chemical analysis methods as well as data management and surveillance schemes, and details the management philosophy required to successfully implement a water chemistry control program. An appendix contains recommendations for water quality of auxiliary systems. 73 refs., 20 figs., 9 tabs

Feature-Fusion Guidelines for Image-Based Multi-Modal Biometric Fusion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dane Brown

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The feature level, unlike the match score level, lacks multi-modal fusion guidelines. This work demonstrates a new approach for improved image-based biometric feature-fusion. The approach extracts and combines the face, fingerprint and palmprint at the feature level for improved human identification accuracy. Feature-fusion guidelines, proposed in our recent work, are extended by adding a new face segmentation method and the support vector machine classifier. The new face segmentation method improves the face identification equal error rate (EER by 10%. The support vector machine classifier combined with the new feature selection approach, proposed in our recent work, outperforms other classifiers when using a single training sample. Feature-fusion guidelines take the form of strengths and weaknesses as observed in the applied feature processing modules during preliminary experiments. The guidelines are used to implement an effective biometric fusion system at the feature level, using a novel feature-fusion methodology, reducing the EER of two groups of three datasets namely: SDUMLA face, SDUMLA fingerprint and IITD palmprint; MUCT Face, MCYT Fingerprint and CASIA Palmprint.

Strengthening stakeholder-engaged research and research on stakeholder engagement.

Science.gov (United States)

Ray, Kristin N; Miller, Elizabeth

2017-06-01

Stakeholder engagement is an emerging field with little evidence to inform best practices. Guidelines are needed to improve the quality of research on stakeholder engagement through more intentional planning, evaluation and reporting. We developed a preliminary framework for planning, evaluating and reporting stakeholder engagement, informed by published conceptual models and recommendations and then refined through our own stakeholder engagement experience. Our proposed exploratory framework highlights contexts and processes to be addressed in planning stakeholder engagement, and potential immediate, intermediate and long-term outcomes that warrant evaluation. We use this framework to illustrate both the minimum information needed for reporting stakeholder-engaged research and the comprehensive detail needed for reporting research on stakeholder engagement.

LSN MS guidelines for the management of multiple sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Shatila, A R; Koussa, S; Jabbour, R; Mourad, A; Aouad, A; Sabbagh, G; Kallab, K; Hilal, R; Khalifeh, R; Gebeily, S; Tourbah, A

2013-12-01

The prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS) in Lebanon is unknown, as there are no available or reliable epidemiological studies to date. The circumstances of Middle East countries are different from those of Europe and North America in terms of differential diagnoses and disease management. The aim of the conference is to establish guidelines for diagnosis, treatment, follow-up and management of patients with MS in Lebanon. Another objective is to discuss and participate in research projects based on epidemiology, clinical trials and more fundamental aspects of the disease in the future. Under the authority of the Lebanese Society of Neurology (LSN), a group of neurologists took the initiative to participate in this LSN MS committee with the purpose of establishing a consensus for the management of patients with MS, and under the supervision of a Coordinator (A.T.) designed by the LSN board. Diagnostic and therapeutic, follow-up and research recommendations were proposed with special emphasis on the specific needs and circumstances of Lebanon. The experts highlighted the importance of considering particular needs, the identification of patients at high risk of developing MS in order to maximize therapeutic opportunities, and cost-effective control of treatment efficacy, as well as global assessment of disability. The experts established guidelines concerning diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of patients with MS in Lebanon. Furthermore, they recommended some clinical and fundamental research projects. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

How to write a competitive proposal for Horizon 2020 a research manager's handbook

CERN Document Server

McCarthy, Sean

2013-01-01

Chapter 1: An Overview of Horizon 2020 ; Chapter 2: How the Research Priorities were Selected (How to Lobby) ; Chapter 3: The Research Priorities in Horizon 2020 ; Chapter 4: How Proposals are Evaluated ; Chapter 5: How to Write the ‘Impact’ of the project ; Chapter 6: The One Page Proposal ; Chapter 7: How to Streamline Proposal Writing ; Chapter 8: How to Find the Best Partners ; Chapter 9: How to Write the ‘Implementation' of the project ; Chapter 10: Legal and Financial Rules in Horizon 2020 ; Chapter 11: What is your Strategy for Horizon 2020?

Developing Guidelines for HIV Antibody Testing among Victims of Pediatric Sexual Abuse.

Science.gov (United States)

Gellert, George A.; And Others

1990-01-01

An interim set of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing guidelines for victims of pediatric sexual abuse (PSA) is proposed. Guidelines are based on responses of 63 practitioners of PSA assessment to 7 hypothetical clinical profiles with 12 testing criteria. (Author/DB)

Consumerism in prenatal diagnosis: a challenge for ethical guidelines

Science.gov (United States)

Henn, W.

2000-01-01

The ethical guidelines for prenatal diagnosis proposed by the World Health Organisation (WHO), as well as by national regulations, only refer to paternity and gender of the fetus as unacceptable, disease-unrelated criteria for prenatal selection, as no other such parameters are at hand so far. This perspective is too narrow because research on complex genetic systems such as cognition and ageing is about to provide clinically applicable tests for genetic constituents of potentially desirable properties such as intelligence or longevity which could be misused as parameters for prenatal diagnosis. Moreover, there is an increasing number of prenatally testable genetic traits, such as heritable deafness, which are generally regarded as pathological but desired by some prospective parents and taken into account as parameters for pro-disability selection. To protect prenatal diagnosis from ethically unacceptable genetic consumerism, guidelines must be clarified as soon as possible and updated towards a worldwide restriction of prenatal genetic testing to immediately disease-determining traits. Key Words: Genetics • prenatal diagnosis • ethics • consumerism PMID:11129845

Postoperative Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer: A Comparison of Four Consensus Guidelines and Dosimetric Evaluation of 3D-CRT Versus Tomotherapy IMRT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malone, Shawn; Croke, Jennifer; Roustan-Delatour, Nicolas; Belanger, Eric; Avruch, Leonard; Malone, Colin; Morash, Christopher; Kayser, Cathleen; Underhill, Kathryn; Li Yan; Malone, Kyle; Nyiri, Balazs; Spaans, Johanna

2012-01-01

Purpose: Despite the benefits of adjuvant radiotherapy after radical prostatectomy, approximately one-half of patients relapse. Four consensus guidelines have been published (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer, Faculty of Radiation Oncology Genito-Urinary Group, Princess Margaret Hospital, Radiation Therapy Oncology Group) with the aim of standardizing the clinical target volume (CTV) delineation and improve outcomes. To date, no attempt has been made to compare these guidelines in terms of treatment volumes or organ at risk (OAR) irradiation. The extent to which the guideline-derived plans meet the dosimetric constraints of present trials or of the Quantitative Analysis of Normal Tissue Effects in the Clinic (QUANTEC) trial is also unknown. Our study also explored the dosimetric benefits of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). Methods and Materials: A total of 20 patients treated with postoperative RT were included. The three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) plans were applied to cover the guideline-generated planning target volumes (66 Gy in 33 fractions). Dose–volume histograms (DVHs) were analyzed for CTV/planning target volume coverage and to evaluate OAR irradiation. The OAR DVHs were compared with the constraints proposed in the QUANTEC and Radiotherapy and Androgen Deprivation In Combination After Local Surgery (RADICALS) trials. 3D-CRT plans were compared with the tomotherapy plans for the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group planning target volume to evaluate the advantages of IMRT. Results: The CTV differed significantly between guidelines (p < 0.001). The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer-CTVs were significantly smaller than the other CTVs (p < 0.001). Differences in prostate bed coverage superiorly accounted for the major volumetric differences between the guidelines. Using 3D-CRT, the DVHs rarely met the QUANTEC or RADICALS rectal constraints, independent of the guideline used. The RADICALS

Proposing and testing SOA governance process: A case study approach

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Koumaditis, Konstantinos; Themistocleous, Marinos

2015-01-01

Longstanding Healthcare Information Systems (HIS) integration challenges drove healthcare organisations to invest in new paradigms like Service Oriented Architecture (SOA). Yet, SOA holds challenges of its own, with SOA Governance surfacing on the top. This research depicts the development......, grounded in the normative literature and further developed to include healthcare aspects. The proposition is tested in a large Greek hospital utilising qualitative methods and the findings presented herein. This proposal aims to pinpoint attributes and guidelines for SOA Governance Process, required...

Colorectal Cancer Screening: A Guide to the Guidelines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Douglas K Rex

1999-01-01

Full Text Available The two most recent guidelines for colorectal cancer screening are those of the Agency for Healthcare Policy and Research, and the American Cancer Society. The guidelines are similar in many regards and reflect current literature, consensus opinion and compromise between members of multidisciplinary panels. The emphasis of both guidelines is to increase the options available for colorectal cancer screening. Increasing choice should expand the attractiveness of colorectal cancer screening to more patients and physicians, and the development of guidelines should help compel payers to provide reimbursement for colorectal cancer screening. These guidelines are summarized and evaluated as they pertain to colorectal cancer screening.

Critical Appraisal of International Clinical Practice Guidelines in Kidney Transplantation Using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Education (AGREE) II Tool: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

OʼDonoghue, Katriona Jane Marie; Reed, Rhiannon D; Knight, Simon R; O'Callaghan, John M; Ayaz-Shah, Anam A; Hassan, Sevda; Weissenbacher, Annemarie; Morris, Peter J; Pengel, Liset H M

2018-05-22

Whilst Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) are used for the development of local protocols in kidney transplantation (Ktx), the quality of their methodology is variable. This systematic review aimed to critically appraise international CPGs in all aspects of Ktx using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II tool. CPGs in Ktx and donation published between 2010 and 2017 were identified from MEDLINE, Embase, National Guideline Clearinghouse, NHS and NICE Evidence Searches, and the websites of transplant societies. Using AGREE II, 3 appraisers assessed the quality of CPGs. Interrater reliability was measured using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Searches identified 3,168 records and 115 CPGs were included. The highest scoring AGREE II domain was 'Scope and Purpose' (80%; Range 30-100%), followed by 'Clarity of Presentation' (77%; Range 43-98%), 'Editorial independence' (52%; Range 0-94%), 'Rigour of Development' (47%; Range 6-97%) and 'Stakeholder Involvement' (41%; Range 11-85%). The poorest scoring domain was 'Applicability' (31%; Range 3-74%). Most CPGs were recommended for future use either with (63%) or without modifications (18%). A small number were not recommended for future use (14%) or reviewers did not agree on recommending the CPG (5%). The overall mean CPG quality score was 4 out of 7 (Range 2-7). The mean ICC of 0.74 indicated substantial agreement between reviewers. The quality of international CPGs in Ktx was variable, and most CPGs lacked key aspects of methodological robustness and transparency. Improvements in methodology, patient involvement and strategies for implementation are required.

Revised dietary guidelines for Koreans.

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, Young Ai; Lee, Haeng Shin; Kim, Bok Hee; Lee, Yoonna; Lee, Hae Jeung; Moon, Jae Jin; Kim, Cho-il

2008-01-01

With rapidly changing dietary environment, dietary guidelines for Koreans were revised and relevant action guides were developed. First, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee was established with experts and government officials from the fields of nutrition, preventive medicine, health promotion, agriculture, education and environment. The Committee set dietary goals for Koreans aiming for a better nutrition state of all after a thorough review and analysis of recent information related to nutritional status and/or problems of Korean population, changes in food production/supply, disease pattern, health policy and agricultural policy. Then, the revised dietary guidelines were proposed to accomplish these goals in addition to 6 different sets of dietary action guides to accommodate specific nutrition and health problems of respective age groups. Subsequently, these guidelines and guides were subjected to the focus group review, consumer perception surveys, and a public hearing for general and professional comments. Lastly, the language was clarified in terms of public understanding and phraseology. The revised Dietary guidelines for Koreans are as follows: eat a variety of grains, vegetables, fruits, fish, meat, poultry and dairy products; choose salt-preserved foods less, and use less salt when you prepare foods; increase physical activity for a healthy weight, and balance what you eat with your activity; enjoy every meal, and do not skip breakfast; if you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation; prepare foods properly, and order sensible amounts; enjoy our rice-based diet.

Guidelines for the use of cell lines in biomedical research.

Science.gov (United States)

Geraghty, R J; Capes-Davis, A; Davis, J M; Downward, J; Freshney, R I; Knezevic, I; Lovell-Badge, R; Masters, J R W; Meredith, J; Stacey, G N; Thraves, P; Vias, M

2014-09-09

Cell-line misidentification and contamination with microorganisms, such as mycoplasma, together with instability, both genetic and phenotypic, are among the problems that continue to affect cell culture. Many of these problems are avoidable with the necessary foresight, and these Guidelines have been prepared to provide those new to the field and others engaged in teaching and instruction with the information necessary to increase their awareness of the problems and to enable them to deal with them effectively. The Guidelines cover areas such as development, acquisition, authentication, cryopreservation, transfer of cell lines between laboratories, microbial contamination, characterisation, instability and misidentification. Advice is also given on complying with current legal and ethical requirements when deriving cell lines from human and animal tissues, the selection and maintenance of equipment and how to deal with problems that may arise.

Cultivating Advanced Technical Writing Skills through a Graduate-Level Course on Writing Research Proposals

Science.gov (United States)

McCarthy, Brian D.; Dempsey, Jillian L.

2017-01-01

A graduate-level course focused on original research proposals is introduced to address the uneven preparation in technical writing of new chemistry graduate students. This course focuses on writing original research proposals. The general course structure features extensive group discussions, small-group activities, and regular in-class…

Guidelines for psychological practice with transgender and gender nonconforming people.

Science.gov (United States)

2015-12-01

In 2015, the American Psychological Association adopted Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Clients in order to describe affirmative psychological practice with transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) clients. There are 16 guidelines in this document that guide TGNC-affirmative psychological practice across the lifespan, from TGNC children to older adults. The Guidelines are organized into five clusters: (a) foundational knowledge and awareness; (b) stigma, discrimination, and barriers to care; (c) lifespan development; (d) assessment, therapy, and intervention; and (e) research, education, and training. In addition, the guidelines provide attention to TGNC people across a range of gender and racial/ethnic identities. The psychological practice guidelines also attend to issues of research and how psychologists may address the many social inequities TGNC people experience. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Oklahoma State University proposed Advanced Technology Research Center. Environmental Assessment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-06-01

The Department of Energy (DOE) has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) evaluating the construction and equipping of the proposed Advanced Technology Research Center (ATRC) at Oklahoma State University (OSU) in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Based on the analysis in the EA, the DOE has determined that the proposed action does not constitute a major federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment within the meaning of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. Therefore, the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement is not required.

Sodium cooled research thermal reactor - a proposal to the Brazilian nuclear community

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishiguro, Yuji

1996-01-01

The nuclear community can contribute to the society in two ways: assuring reactor technologies for electric power supply and contributing to developments in other areas by application of radiations. Industrialized countries maintain intensive activities in the two senses, while in Brazil nuclear policy is not clear and opportunities of research with radiations are quite limited. It is proposed, as a way out of this situations, that the nuclear community concentrate its activities in the sense of proposing the construction of a low-power research reactor that can satisfy a majority of demands (radioisotopes, research, fast reactor) and avoid the problems of experimental fast reactors (high cost, use of Pu and HEU). (author)

Practical Design Guidelines of qZSI Based Step-Up DC/DC Converter

Science.gov (United States)

Zakis, Janis; Vinnikov, Dmitri; Roasto, Indrek; Jalakas, Tanel

2010-01-01

This paper presents some design guidelines for a new voltage fed step-up DC/DC isolated converter. The most significant advantage of proposed converter is voltage buck-boost operation on single stage. The most promising application for proposed converter is in the field of distributed power generation e.g. fuel cells or photovoltaic. The most sensitive issues - such as power losses caused by high currents in the input side of converter and high transient overvoltages across the inverter bridge caused by stray inductances were discussed and solved. The proposals and recommendations to overcome these issues are given in the paper. The Selection and design guidelines of converter elements are proposed and explained. The prototype of proposed converter was built and experimentally tested. Some results are presented and evaluated.

Physical Activity Design Guidelines for School Architecture.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeri Brittin

Full Text Available Increasing children's physical activity at school is a national focus in the U.S. to address childhood obesity. While research has demonstrated associations between aspects of school environments and students' physical activity, the literature currently lacks a synthesis of evidence to serve as a practical, spatially-organized resource for school designers and decision-makers, as well as to point to pertinent research opportunities. This paper describes the development of a new practical tool: Physical Activity Design Guidelines for School Architecture. Its aims are to provide architects and designers, as well as school planners, educators, and public health professionals, with strategies for making K-12 school environments conducive to healthy physical activity, and to engage scientists in transdisciplinary perspectives toward improved knowledge of the school environment's impact. We used a qualitative review process to develop evidence-based and theory-driven school design guidelines that promote increased physical activity among students. The design guidelines include specific strategies in 10 school design domains. Implementation of the guidelines is expected to enable students to adopt healthier physical activity behaviors. The tool bridges a translational gap between research and environmental design practice, and may contribute to setting new industry and education standards.

Proposal of a post-prostatectomy clinical target volume based on pre-operative MRI: volumetric and dosimetric comparison to the RTOG guidelines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Croke, Jennifer; Maclean, Jillian; Nyiri, Balazs; Li, Yan; Malone, Kyle; Avruch, Leonard; Kayser, Cathleen; Malone, Shawn

2014-01-01

Recurrence rates following radiotherapy for prostate cancer in the post-operative adjuvant or salvage setting remain substantial. Previous work from our institution demonstrated that published prostate bed CTV guidelines frequently do not cover the pre-operative MRI defined prostate. Inadequate target delineation may contribute to the high recurrence rates, but increasing target volumes may increase dose to organs at risk. We propose guidelines for delineating post-prostatectomy target volumes based upon an individual’s co-registered pre-operative MRI. MRI-based CTVs and PTVs were compared to those created using the RTOG guidelines in 30 patients. Contours were analysed in terms of absolute volume, intersection volume (Jaccard Index) and the ability to meet the RADICALS and QUANTEC rectal and bladder constraints (tomotherapy IMRT plans with PTV coverage of V98% ≥98%). CTV MRI was a mean of 18.6% larger than CTV RTOG: CTV MRI mean 138 cc (range 72.3 - 222.2 cc), CTV RTOG mean 116.3 cc (range 62.1 - 176.6 cc), (p < 0.0001). The difference in mean PTV was only 4.6%: PTV MRI mean 386.9 cc (range 254.4 – 551.2), PTV RTOG mean 370 cc (range 232.3 - 501.6) (p = 0.05). The mean Jaccard Index representing intersection volume between CTVs was 0.72 and 0.84 for PTVs. Both criteria had a similar ability to meet rectal and bladder constraints. Rectal DVH: 77% of CTV RTOG cases passed all RADICALS criteria and 37% all QUANTEC criteria; versus 73% and 40% for CTV MRI (p = 1.0 for both). Bladder DVH; 47% of CTV RTOG cases passed all RADICALS criteria and 67% all QUANTEC criteria, versus 57% and 60% for CTV MRI (p = 0.61for RADICALS, p = 0.79 for QUANTEC). CTV MRI spares more of the lower anterior bladder wall than CTV RTOG but increases coverage of the superior lateral bladder walls. CTV contours based upon the patient’s co-registered pre-operative MRI in the post-prostatectomy setting may improve coverage of the individual’s prostate bed without substantially increasing

Measure Guideline. High Efficiency Natural Gas Furnaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brand, L. [Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit (PARR), Des Plaines, IL (United States); Rose, W. [Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit (PARR), Des Plaines, IL (United States)

2012-10-01

This measure guideline covers installation of high-efficiency gas furnaces, including: when to install a high-efficiency gas furnace as a retrofit measure; how to identify and address risks; and the steps to be used in the selection and installation process. The guideline is written for Building America practitioners and HVAC contractors and installers. It includes a compilation of information provided by manufacturers, researchers, and the Department of Energy as well as recent research results from the Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit (PARR) Building America team.

Technical Notes: Notes and Proposed Guidelines on Updated ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In light of recent expansion in the planning and construction of major building structures as well as other infrastructures such as railways, masshousing, dams, bridges, etc, this paper reviews the extent of seismic hazard in Ethiopia and proposes a review and update of the current out-dated and - in most cases ...

Call for proposals for the Joint Canada-Israel Health Research ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

23 nov. 2017 ... Call for proposals for the Joint Canada-Israel Health Research Program 2018 competition ... developmental neurobiology; neuro-immunology; neuroendocrinology; regenerative medicine in brain disease; cellular and molecular basis of cognition; modeling brain function; imaging of neural processes ...

External beam radiation for retinoblastoma: Results, patterns of failure, and a proposal for treatment guidelines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hernandez, J. Carlos; Brady, Luther W.; Shields, Jerry A.; Shields, Carol L.; Potter, Patrick de; Karlsson, Ulf L.; Markoe, Arnold M.; Amendola, Beatriz E.; Singh, Arun

1996-01-01

Purpose: To analyze treatment results and patterns of failure following external beam radiation for retinoblastoma and propose treatment guidelines according to specific clinical variables. Methods and Materials: We analyzed 27 patients (34 eyes) with retinoblastoma who received external beam radiation as initial treatment at Hahnemann University Hospital from October 1980 to December 1991 and have been followed for at least 1 year. Of the 34 eyes, 14 were Groups I-II (Reese-Ellsworth classification), 7 were Group III, and 13 were Groups IV-V. Doses ranged from 34.5-49.5 Gy (mean 44.3 Gy, median 45 Gy) in 1.5-2.0 Gy fractions generally delivered through anterior and lateral wedged pair fields. Results: At a mean follow up of 35.2 months (range 12-93 months), local tumor control was obtained in 44% (15 out of 34) of eyes with external beam radiation alone. Salvage therapy (plaque brachytherapy, cryotherapy, and/or photocoagulation) controlled an additional 10 eyes (29.5%), so that overall ocular survival has been 73.5%. Local tumor control with external beam radiotherapy alone was obtained in 78.5% (11 out of 14) of eyes in Groups I-II, but in only 20% (4 out of 20) of eyes in Groups III-V. A total of 67 existing tumors were identified prior to treatment in the 34 treated eyes and local control with external beam radiation alone was obtained in 87% (46 out of 53) of tumors measuring 15 mm or less and in 50% (7 out of 14) of tumors measuring more than 15 mm. When analyzing patterns of failure in the 19 eyes that relapsed, a total of 28 failure sites were identified and consisted of progression of vitreous seeds in seven instances (25% of failure sites) recurrences from previously existing tumors in 10 instances (36% of failure sites) and development of new tumors in previously uninvolved retina in 11 instances (39% of failure sites). Conclusions: 1) We find that external beam radiation to a dose of 45 Gy in fractions of 1.5 to 2.0 Gy provides adequate tumor control

Wind power and bats : Ontario guideline

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McGuiness, F. [Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Peterborough, ON (Canada). Renewable Energy Resources; Stewart, J. [Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Toronto, ON (Canada). Wildlife Section

2008-07-01

None of the 8 species of bats in Ontario are considered as species at risk. However, all bats in Ontario are protected under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act. The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) is responsible for identifying significant wildlife habitat for bats, including hibernacula and maternity roosts. The MNR's role in wind development includes environmental assessments (EA) and surveys. The MNR bat guideline includes a summary of Ontario species, a literature review of research related to wind turbines and bats, and a review of methods for assessing and monitoring bats. Guideline development includes a bat working group responsible for obtaining data on risk factors and monitoring requirements. The MNR has determined that site selection is critical for minimizing potential impacts. Wind farm proponents can use MNR data, information, and maps for their site selection process. Information requirements include bat species data; habitat data; and meteorological data. The presence of risk factors results in a sensitivity rating. The MNR is also developing a site sensitivity mapping project in order to assist proponents in making siting decisions. All proposed sites are required to conduct pre-construction site surveys. Acoustic detectors and radar are used to determine bat activity at the site. Monitoring and mitigation strategies include selective wind turbine shutdown during key periods or weather conditions. tabs., figs.

Field Campaign Guidelines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Voyles, J. W. [DOE ARM Climate Research Facility, Washington, DC (United States); Chapman, L. A. [DOE ARM Climate Research Facility, Washington, DC (United States)

2015-12-01

This document establishes a common set of guidelines for the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility for planning, executing, and closing out field campaigns. The steps that guide individual field campaigns are described in the Field Campaign Tracking System and are specifically tailored to meet the scope of each field campaign.

Principles, Methods of Participatory Research: Proposal for Draft Animal Power

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Chia

2004-03-01

Full Text Available The meeting of researchers, who question themselves on the efficiency of their actions when they accompany stakeholders during change processes, provides the opportunity to ponder on the research methods to develop when working together with the stakeholders: participative research, research-action, research-intervention… The author proposes to present the research-action approach as new. If the three phases of research-action are important, the negotiation phase is essential, because it enables contract formalization among partners (ethical aspect, development of a common language, and formalization of structuring efforts between researchers with various specialties and stakeholders. In the research-action approach, the managing set-ups (scientific committees… play a major role: they guarantee at the same time a solution to problems, production, and the legitimacy of the scientific knowledge produced. In conclusion, the author suggests ways to develop research-action in the field of animal traction in order to conceive new socio-technical and organizational innovations that will make the use of this technique easier.

Guidelines for earthquake ground motion definition for the eastern United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gwaltney, R.C.; Aramayo, G.A.; Williams, R.T.

1985-01-01

Guidelines for the determination of earthquake ground-motion definition for the eastern United States are established in this paper. Both far-field and near-field guidelines are given. The guidelines were based on an extensive review of the current procedures for specifying ground motion in the United States. Both empirical and theoretical procedures were used in establishing the guidelines because of the low seismicity in the eastern United States. Only a few large to great (M > 7.5) sized earthquakes have occurred in this region, no evidence of tectonic surface ruptures related to historic or Holocene earthquakes have been found, and no currently active plate boundaries of any kind are known in this region. Very little instrumented data has been gathered in the East. Theoretical procedures are proposed so that in regions of almost no data a reasonable level of seismic ground motion activity can be assumed. The guidelines are to be used to develop the Safe Shutdown Earthquake, SSE. A new procedure for establishing the Operating Basis Earthquake, OBE, is proposed, in particular for the eastern United States. The OBE would be developed using a probabilistic assessment of the geological conditions and the recurrence of seismic events at a site. These guidelines should be useful in development of seismic design requirements for future reactors. 17 refs., 2 figs., 1 tab

Density of Visual Input Enhancement and Grammar Learning: A Research Proposal

Science.gov (United States)

Tran, Thu Hoang

2009-01-01

Research in the field of second language acquisition (SLA) has been done to ascertain the effectiveness of visual input enhancement (VIE) on grammar learning. However, one issue remains unexplored: the effects of VIE density on grammar learning. This paper presents a research proposal to investigate the effects of the density of VIE on English…

Method to integrate clinical guidelines into the electronic health record (EHR) by applying the archetypes approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, Diego; Moro, Claudia Maria Cabral; Cicogna, Paulo Eduardo; Carvalho, Deborah Ribeiro

2013-01-01

Clinical guidelines are documents that assist healthcare professionals, facilitating and standardizing diagnosis, management, and treatment in specific areas. Computerized guidelines as decision support systems (DSS) attempt to increase the performance of tasks and facilitate the use of guidelines. Most DSS are not integrated into the electronic health record (EHR), ordering some degree of rework especially related to data collection. This study's objective was to present a method for integrating clinical guidelines into the EHR. The study developed first a way to identify data and rules contained in the guidelines, and then incorporate rules into an archetype-based EHR. The proposed method tested was anemia treatment in the Chronic Kidney Disease Guideline. The phases of the method are: data and rules identification; archetypes elaboration; rules definition and inclusion in inference engine; and DSS-EHR integration and validation. The main feature of the proposed method is that it is generic and can be applied toany type of guideline.

Design guidelines for audio presentation of graphs and tables

OpenAIRE

Brown, L.M.; Brewster, S.A.; Ramloll, S.A.; Burton, R.; Riedel, B.

2003-01-01

Audio can be used to make visualisations accessible to blind and visually impaired people. The MultiVis Project has carried out research into suitable methods for presenting graphs and tables to blind people through the use of both speech and non-speech audio. This paper presents guidelines extracted from this research. These guidelines will enable designers to implement visualisation systems for blind and visually impaired users, and will provide a framework for researchers wishing to invest...

nanoSTAIR: a new strategic proposal to impulse standardization in nanotechnology research

Science.gov (United States)

López de Ipiña, J. M.; Salvi, O.; Hazebrouck, B.; Jovanovic, A.; Carre, F.; Saamanen, A.; Brouwer, D.; Schmitt, M.; Martin, S.

2015-05-01

Nanotechnology is considered one of the key technologies of the 21st century within Europe and a Key-Enabling Technology (KET) by Horizon 2020. Standardization has been identified in H2020 as one of the innovation-support measures by bridging the gap between research and the market, and helping the fast and easy transfer of research results to the European and international market. The development of new and improved standards requires high quality technical information, creating a fundamental interdependency between the standardization and research communities. In the frame of project nanoSTAIR (GA 319092), the present paper describes the European scenario on research and standardization in nanotechnology and presents a proposal of a European strategy (nanoSTAIR) to impulse direct “pipelines” between research and standardization. In addition, strategic actions focused on integration of standardization in the R&D projects, from the early stages of the design of a future business (Project Proposal), are also described.

nanoSTAIR: a new strategic proposal to impulse standardization in nanotechnology research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Ipiña, J M López; Salvi, O; Hazebrouck, B; Jovanovic, A; Carre, F; Saamanen, A; Brouwer, D; Schmitt, M; Martin, S

2015-01-01

Nanotechnology is considered one of the key technologies of the 21 st century within Europe and a Key-Enabling Technology (KET) by Horizon 2020. Standardization has been identified in H2020 as one of the innovation-support measures by bridging the gap between research and the market, and helping the fast and easy transfer of research results to the European and international market. The development of new and improved standards requires high quality technical information, creating a fundamental interdependency between the standardization and research communities. In the frame of project nanoSTAIR (GA 319092), the present paper describes the European scenario on research and standardization in nanotechnology and presents a proposal of a European strategy (nanoSTAIR) to impulse direct “pipelines” between research and standardization. In addition, strategic actions focused on integration of standardization in the R and D projects, from the early stages of the design of a future business (Project Proposal), are also described. (paper)

A Guideline of Selecting and Reporting Intraclass Correlation Coefficients for Reliability Research.

Science.gov (United States)

Koo, Terry K; Li, Mae Y

2016-06-01

Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) is a widely used reliability index in test-retest, intrarater, and interrater reliability analyses. This article introduces the basic concept of ICC in the content of reliability analysis. There are 10 forms of ICCs. Because each form involves distinct assumptions in their calculation and will lead to different interpretations, researchers should explicitly specify the ICC form they used in their calculation. A thorough review of the research design is needed in selecting the appropriate form of ICC to evaluate reliability. The best practice of reporting ICC should include software information, "model," "type," and "definition" selections. When coming across an article that includes ICC, readers should first check whether information about the ICC form has been reported and if an appropriate ICC form was used. Based on the 95% confident interval of the ICC estimate, values less than 0.5, between 0.5 and 0.75, between 0.75 and 0.9, and greater than 0.90 are indicative of poor, moderate, good, and excellent reliability, respectively. This article provides a practical guideline for clinical researchers to choose the correct form of ICC and suggests the best practice of reporting ICC parameters in scientific publications. This article also gives readers an appreciation for what to look for when coming across ICC while reading an article.

Psychotropic drugs and the perioperative period : A proposal for a guideline in elective surgery

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Huyse, FJ; Touw, DJ; Van Schijndel, RS; De Lange, JJ; Slaets, JPJ

Evidence-based guidelines for the perioperative management of psychotropic drugs are lacking. The level of evidence is low and is based on case reports, open trials, and non-systematic reviews. However, the interactions and effects mentioned indicate that patients who use psychotropics and require

Guideline for primary care management of headache in adults

Science.gov (United States)

Becker, Werner J.; Findlay, Ted; Moga, Carmen; Scott, N. Ann; Harstall, Christa; Taenzer, Paul

2015-01-01

Abstract Objective To increase the use of evidence-informed approaches to diagnosis, investigation, and treatment of headache for patients in primary care. Quality of evidence A comprehensive search was conducted for relevant guidelines and systematic reviews published between January 2000 and May 2011. The guidelines were critically appraised using the AGREE (Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation) tool, and the 6 highest-quality guidelines were used as seed guidelines for the guideline adaptation process. Main message A multidisciplinary guideline development group of primary care providers and other specialists crafted 91 specific recommendations using a consensus process. The recommendations cover diagnosis, investigation, and management of migraine, tension-type, medication-overuse, and cluster headache. Conclusion A clinical practice guideline for the Canadian health care context was created using a guideline adaptation process to assist multidisciplinary primary care practitioners in providing evidence-informed care for patients with headache. PMID:26273080

REVIEW OF CONCENTRATION STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES FOR FUNGI IN INDOOR AIR

Science.gov (United States)

The paper reviews and compares existing guidelines for indoor airborne fungi, discusses limitations of existing guidelines, and identifies research needs that should contribute to the development of realistic and useful guidelines for these important air pollutants. (NOTE: Exposu...

Reconciling pairs of concurrently used clinical practice guidelines using Constraint Logic Programming.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilk, Szymon; Michalowski, Martin; Michalowski, Wojtek; Hing, Marisela Mainegra; Farion, Ken

2011-01-01

This paper describes a new methodological approach to reconciling adverse and contradictory activities (called points of contention) occurring when a patient is managed according to two or more concurrently used clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). The need to address these inconsistencies occurs when a patient with more than one disease, each of which is a comorbid condition, has to be managed according to different treatment regimens. We propose an automatic procedure that constructs a mathematical guideline model using the Constraint Logic Programming (CLP) methodology, uses this model to identify and mitigate encountered points of contention, and revises the considered CPGs accordingly. The proposed procedure is used as an alerting mechanism and coupled with a guideline execution engine warns the physician about potential problems with the concurrent application of two or more guidelines. We illustrate the operation of our procedure in a clinical scenario describing simultaneous use of CPGs for duodenal ulcer and transient ischemic attack.

Russian guidelines for the management of COPD: algorithm of pharmacologic treatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aisanov Z

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Zaurbek Aisanov,1 Sergey Avdeev,2 Vladimir Arkhipov,3 Andrey Belevskiy,1 Alexander Chuchalin,1 Igor Leshchenko,4 Svetlana Ovcharenko,5 Evgeny Shmelev,6 Marc Miravitlles7 1Department of Pulmonology, N.I. Pirogov Russian State National Research Medical University, Healthcare Ministry of Russia, 2Clinical Department, Federal Pulmonology Research Institute, Federal Medical and Biological Agency of Russia, 3Clinical Pharmacology Department, RUDN University, 4Department of Phthisiology, Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery, Ural State Medical University, Healthcare Ministry of Russia, Ekaterinburg, 5Internal Medicine Department No.1, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Healthcare Ministry of Russia, 6Department of Differential Diagnostics, Federal Central Research Institute of Tuberculosis, Moscow, Russia; 7Pneumology Department, University Hospital Vall d’Hebron, Ciber de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES, Barcelona, Spain Abstract: The high prevalence of COPD together with its high level of misdiagnosis and late diagnosis dictate the necessity for the development and implementation of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs in order to improve the management of this disease. High-quality, evidence-based international CPGs need to be adapted to the particular situation of each country or region. A new version of the Russian Respiratory Society guidelines released at the end of 2016 was based on the proposal by Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease but adapted to the characteristics of the Russian health system and included an algorithm of pharmacologic treatment of COPD. The proposed algorithm had to comply with the requirements of the Russian Ministry of Health to be included into the unified electronic rubricator, which required a balance between the level of information and the simplicity of the graphic design. This was achieved by: exclusion of the initial diagnostic process, grouping together the common pharmacologic and

Measure Guideline: High Efficiency Natural Gas Furnaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brand, L.; Rose, W.

2012-10-01

This Measure Guideline covers installation of high-efficiency gas furnaces. Topics covered include when to install a high-efficiency gas furnace as a retrofit measure, how to identify and address risks, and the steps to be used in the selection and installation process. The guideline is written for Building America practitioners and HVAC contractors and installers. It includes a compilation of information provided by manufacturers, researchers, and the Department of Energy as well as recent research results from the Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit (PARR) Building America team.

Combining Task Execution and Background Knowledge for the Verification of Medical Guidelines

Science.gov (United States)

Hommersom, Arjen; Groot, Perry; Lucas, Peter; Balser, Michael; Schmitt, Jonathan

The use of a medical guideline can be seen as the execution of computational tasks, sequentially or in parallel, in the face of patient data. It has been shown that many of such guidelines can be represented as a 'network of tasks', i.e., as a number of steps that have a specific function or goal. To investigate the quality of such guidelines we propose a formalization of criteria for good practice medicine a guideline should comply to. We use this theory in conjunction with medical background knowledge to verify the quality of a guideline dealing with diabetes mellitus type 2 using the interactive theorem prover KIV. Verification using task execution and background knowledge is a novel approach to quality checking of medical guidelines.

[Experimental physics at Yale University: Research proposal and budget Proposal, 1 January 1992--31 December 1996

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1992-07-01

This report reviews the following topics: nuclear and quark matter; correlated pairs from heavy ion collisions-search for new low mass resonances coupled to electron-positron collisions; proposed light ion research program; experimental nuclear astrophysics (explosive nucleosynthesis); search for rare decay modes and rare processes in nuclei; and nuclear spectroscopy at the extremes of spin, isospin, and temperature. (LSP).

(Experimental physics at Yale University: Research proposal and budget Proposal, 1 January 1992--31 December 1996)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1992-01-01

This report reviews the following topics: nuclear and quark matter; correlated pairs from heavy ion collisions-search for new low mass resonances coupled to electron-positron collisions; proposed light ion research program; experimental nuclear astrophysics (explosive nucleosynthesis); search for rare decay modes and rare processes in nuclei; and nuclear spectroscopy at the extremes of spin, isospin, and temperature. (LSP).

[Experimental physics at Yale University: Research proposal and budget Proposal, 1 January 1992--31 December 1996

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-01-01

This report reviews the following topics: nuclear and quark matter; correlated pairs from heavy ion collisions-search for new low mass resonances coupled to electron-positron collisions; proposed light ion research program; experimental nuclear astrophysics (explosive nucleosynthesis); search for rare decay modes and rare processes in nuclei; and nuclear spectroscopy at the extremes of spin, isospin, and temperature. (LSP)

Clinical Practice Guidelines and Helicobacter pylori Infection in Children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Colin Macarthur

1999-01-01

Full Text Available The objective of this paper is to review the principles, methods and issues behind the development of clinical practice guidelines. Practice guidelines have been defined as “systematically developed statements to assist practitioner and patient decisions about appropriate health care for specific clinical circumstances”. The ultimate goal of guidelines is to improve patient outcomes; however, they may also be used as tools to decrease health care costs, improve medical education and enhance quality assurance. Evidence-based guidelines use explicit methods to link recommendations to the quality of the underlying research. Following development of the guideline, implementation and evaluation are key steps. The ultimate aim of guideline development is to influence physician knowledge, attitudes and behaviour.

Use of "excess" human embryos for stem cell research: protecting women's rights and health.

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, C B

2000-01-01

Proposed National Institutes of Health guidelines for stem cell research are too narrowly drawn and do not adequately protect the freedom of choice and health of women who donate embryos. They need to be expanded to cover not only the point of embryo donation, but also that of embryo creation. Guidelines are provided to ensure that donors undergoing hyperstimulation and egg retrieval gave voluntary informed consent to the production of embryos that might later prove in excess. A standard for determining when embryos have been overproduced is presented to address the possibility that additional embryos will be created for stem cell research in violation of the guidelines and at risk to women's health.

Addressing implementation challenges during guideline development - a case study of Swedish national guidelines for methods of preventing disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Richter-Sundberg, Linda; Kardakis, Therese; Weinehall, Lars; Garvare, Rickard; Nyström, Monica E

2015-01-22

Many of the world's life threatening diseases (e.g. cancer, heart disease, stroke) could be prevented by eliminating life-style habits such as tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and excessive alcohol use. Incorporating evidence-based research on methods to change unhealthy lifestyle habits in clinical practice would be equally valuable. However gaps between guideline development and implementation are well documented, with implications for health care quality, safety and effectiveness. The development phase of guidelines has been shown to be important both for the quality in guideline content and for the success of implementation. There are, however, indications that guidelines related to general disease prevention methods encounter specific barriers compared to guidelines that are diagnosis-specific. In 2011 the Swedish National board for Health and Welfare launched guidelines with a preventive scope. The aim of this study was to investigate how implementation challenges were addressed during the development process of these disease preventive guidelines. Seven semi-structured interviews were conducted with members of the guideline development management group. Archival data detailing the guideline development process were also collected and used in the analysis. Qualitative data were analysed using content analysis as the analytical framework. The study identified several strategies and approaches that were used to address implementation challenges during guideline development. Four themes emerged from the analysis: broad agreements and consensus about scope and purpose; a formalized and structured development procedure; systematic and active involvement of stakeholders; and openness and transparency in the specific guideline development procedure. Additional factors concerning the scope of prevention and the work environment of guideline developers were perceived to influence the possibilities to address implementation issues. This case study

Examining Data Repository Guidelines for Qualitative Data Sharing.

Science.gov (United States)

Antes, Alison L; Walsh, Heidi A; Strait, Michelle; Hudson-Vitale, Cynthia R; DuBois, James M

2018-02-01

Qualitative data provide rich information on research questions in diverse fields. Recent calls for increased transparency and openness in research emphasize data sharing. However, qualitative data sharing has yet to become the norm internationally and is particularly uncommon in the United States. Guidance for archiving and secondary use of qualitative data is required for progress in this regard. In this study, we review the benefits and concerns associated with qualitative data sharing and then describe the results of a content analysis of guidelines from international repositories that archive qualitative data. A minority of repositories provide qualitative data sharing guidelines. Of the guidelines available, there is substantial variation in whether specific topics are addressed. Some topics, such as removing direct identifiers, are consistently addressed, while others, such as providing an anonymization log, are not. We discuss the implications of our study for education, best practices, and future research.

Clinical Cell Therapy Guidelines for Neurorestoration (IANR/CANR 2017)

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Hongyun; Young, Wise; Chen, Lin; Feng, Shiqing; Zoubi, Ziad M. Al; Sharma, Hari Shanker; Saberi, Hooshang; Moviglia, Gustavo A.; He, Xijing; Muresanu, Dafin F.; Sharma, Alok; Otom, Ali; Andrews, Russell J.; Al-Zoubi, Adeeb; Bryukhovetskiy, Andrey S.; Chernykh, Elena R.; Domańska-Janik, Krystyna; Jafar, Emad; Johnson, W. Eustace; Li, Ying; Li, Daqing; Luan, Zuo; Mao, Gengsheng; Shetty, Ashok K.; Siniscalco, Dario; Skaper, Stephen; Sun, Tiansheng; Wang, Yunliang; Wiklund, Lars; Xue, Qun; You, Si-Wei; Zheng, Zuncheng; Dimitrijevic, Milan R.; Masri, W. S. El; Sanberg, Paul R.; Xu, Qunyuan; Luan, Guoming; Chopp, Michael; Cho, Kyoung-Suok; Zhou, Xin-Fu; Wu, Ping; Liu, Kai; Mobasheri, Hamid; Ohtori, Seiji; Tanaka, Hiroyuki; Han, Fabin; Feng, Yaping; Zhang, Shaocheng; Lu, Yingjie; Zhang, Zhicheng; Rao, Yaojian; Tang, Zhouping; Xi, Haitao; Wu, Liang; Shen, Shunji; Xue, Mengzhou; Xiang, Guanghong; Guo, Xiaoling; Yang, Xiaofeng; Hao, Yujun; Hu, Yong; Li, Jinfeng; AO, Qiang; Wang, Bin; Zhang, Zhiwen; Lu, Ming; Li, Tong

2018-01-01

Cell therapy has been shown to be a key clinical therapeutic option for central nervous system diseases or damage. Standardization of clinical cell therapy procedures is an important task for professional associations devoted to cell therapy. The Chinese Branch of the International Association of Neurorestoratology (IANR) completed the first set of guidelines governing the clinical application of neurorestoration in 2011. The IANR and the Chinese Association of Neurorestoratology (CANR) collaborated to propose the current version “Clinical Cell Therapy Guidelines for Neurorestoration (IANR/CANR 2017)”. The IANR council board members and CANR committee members approved this proposal on September 1, 2016, and recommend it to clinical practitioners of cellular therapy. These guidelines include items of cell type nomenclature, cell quality control, minimal suggested cell doses, patient-informed consent, indications for undergoing cell therapy, contraindications for undergoing cell therapy, documentation of procedure and therapy, safety evaluation, efficacy evaluation, policy of repeated treatments, do not charge patients for unproven therapies, basic principles of cell therapy, and publishing responsibility. PMID:29637817

Formalization of Medical Guidelines

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Peleška, Jan; Anger, Z.; Buchtela, David; Šebesta, K.; Tomečková, Marie; Veselý, Arnošt; Zvára, K.; Zvárová, Jana

2005-01-01

Roč. 1, - (2005), s. 133-141 ISSN 1801-5603 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR 1ET200300413 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10300504 Keywords : GLIF model * formalization of guidelines * prevention of cardiovascular diseases Subject RIV: IN - Informatics, Computer Science

Issues in protection of human subjects in internet research.

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Im, Eun-Ok; Chee, Wonshik

2002-01-01

Despite the increasing use of the Internet among nurses, the use of the Internet in nursing research has been rarely discussed and critiqued in terms of issues in protection of human subjects. In this article, issues in protection of human subjects in Internet research are explored by analyzing an Internet study to propose directions for human protection in Internet research. Issues raised through the study include those related to (a) anonymity and confidentiality, (b) security, (c) self-determination and authenticity, (d) full disclosure, and (e) fair treatment. Based on discussion of the five issues, development of standardized guidelines, investigator triangulation, and information sharing are proposed as directions for protection of human subjects in Internet research.

Applying the ARRIVE Guidelines to an In Vivo Database.

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Natasha A Karp

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments (ARRIVE guidelines were developed to address the lack of reproducibility in biomedical animal studies and improve the communication of research findings. While intended to guide the preparation of peer-reviewed manuscripts, the principles of transparent reporting are also fundamental for in vivo databases. Here, we describe the benefits and challenges of applying the guidelines for the International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium (IMPC, whose goal is to produce and phenotype 20,000 knockout mouse strains in a reproducible manner across ten research centres. In addition to ensuring the transparency and reproducibility of the IMPC, the solutions to the challenges of applying the ARRIVE guidelines in the context of IMPC will provide a resource to help guide similar initiatives in the future.

The guidelines for the humanisation of care facilities

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Daniela Bosia

2015-04-01

Full Text Available This article outlines the structure and contents of the guidelines for the humanisation of care facilities, which were produced from the research project The Humanisation of Healthcare Facilities: the new Dimension of Hospital Architecture conducted by the Tesis Inter-university Research Centre at the University of Florence and by the DINSE Department of the Politecnico di Torino for the Ministry of Health. The research work used a requirement-based approach that analysed the activities and requirements expressed by certain different users. For example, the guidelines on certain areas of the analysed healthcare facilities have been outlined.

Digital Transformation: A Literature Review and Guidelines for Future Research

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Reis, João Carlos Gonçalves dos; Amorim, Marlene Paula Castro; Melão, Nuno Filipe Rosa; Matos, Patrícia Sofia Lopes

2018-01-01

The aim of this paper is to provide insights regarding the state of the art of Digital Transformation, and to propose avenues for future research. Using a systematic literature review of 206 peer-reviewed articles, this paper provides an overview of the literature. Among other things, the findings indicate that managers should adapt their business strategy to a new digital reality. This mainly results in the adaptation of processes and operations management. Scholars, for the other side, are ...

[Needs assessment to improve the applicability and methodological quality of a German S3 guideline].

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Burckhardt, Marion; Hoffmann, Cristina; Nink-Grebe, Brigitte; Sänger, Sylvia

2018-04-01

Clinical practice guidelines can change the practice in healthcare only if their recommendations are implemented in a comprehensive way. The German S3 guideline "Local Therapy of Chronic Wounds in Patients with Peripheral Vascular Disease, Chronic Venous Insufficiency, and Diabetes" will be updated in 2017. The emphasis here is on the guideline's validity, user-friendliness and implementation into practice. Therefore, the aim was to identify the improvements required in regard to the guideline's methods and content presentation. The methodological approach used was the critical appraisal of the guideline according to established quality criteria and an additional stakeholder survey. Both were conducted between August and November 2016. The guideline and its related documents were reviewed independently by two researchers according to the criteria of the "Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation" (AGREE-II). Published reviews and peer reviews by external experts and organisations were also taken into account. For the stakeholder survey, a questionnaire with open questions was distributed by e-mail and via the Internet to health professionals and organisations involved in the care of patients with leg ulcers in Germany. The questions were aimed at amendments and new topics based on the stakeholders' experience in inpatient and outpatient care. In addition, the survey focused on gathering suggestions to improve the applicability of the guideline. Suggested new topics and amendments were summarised thematically. The stakeholders' suggestions to improve the applicability, the results of the critical appraisal and the relevant aspects of the external reviews were then summarised according to the AGREE-II domains and presented in a cause and effect diagram. 17 questionnaires (out of 864 sent out by e-mail) were returned. Due to high practice relevance, the stakeholders suggested an expansion of the inclusion criteria to patients with infected wounds and

Guideline funding and conflicts of interest: article 4 in Integrating and coordinating efforts in COPD guideline development. An official ATS/ERS workshop report.

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Boyd, Elizabeth A; Akl, Elie A; Baumann, Michael; Curtis, J Randall; Field, Marilyn J; Jaeschke, Roman; Osborne, Molly; Schünemann, Holger J

2012-12-01

Professional societies, like many other organizations around the world, have recognized the need to use more rigorous processes to ensure that healthcare recommendations are informed by the best available research evidence. This is the fourth of a series of 14 articles prepared to advise guideline developers in respiratory and other disease. It focuses on commercial funding of guidelines and managing conflict of interest effectively in the context of guidelines. In this review, we addressed the following topics and questions. (1) How are clinical practice guidelines funded? (2) What are the risks associated with commercial sponsorship of guidelines? (3) What relationships should guideline committee members be required to disclose? (4) What is the most efficient way to obtain complete and accurate disclosures? (5) How should disclosures be publicly shared? (6) When do relationships require management? (7) How should individual conflicts of interest be managed? (8) How could conflict of interest policies be enforced? The literature review included a search of PubMed and other databases for existing systematic reviews and relevant methodological research. Our conclusions are based on available evidence, consideration of what guideline developers are doing, and workshop discussions. Professional societies often depend on industry funding to support clinical practice guideline development. In addition, members of guideline committees frequently have financial relationships with commercial entities, are invested in their intellectual work, or have conflicts related to clinical revenue streams. No systematic reviews or other rigorous evidence regarding best practices for funding models, disclosure mechanisms, management strategies, or enforcement presently exist, but the panel drew several conclusions that could improve transparency and process.

Proposed Special Issue: Progress of cancer research in developing countries

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T.S. Jong

2016-10-01

important to first gain a thorough understanding of low and middle income countries’ current capability (i.e., knowledge and infrastructure in handling the disease. Therefore, the curation of a special issue incorporating all relevant cancer-related studies, focusing on developing countries, will be an essential step in realizing the long-term plan of reducing cancer burden in much of the developing world.For this proposed special issue, we welcome submissions in the forms of original research articles, case studies, and reviews, as well as editorials and perspective articles on:(i Clinical studies focusing on the diagnoses and treatments of common/rare cancers in developing countries, particularly those that present novel or innovative methods in a localized setting.(ii Basic science research that highlights the development of emerging or improved therapeutics and drugs.(iii Innovative cancer/oncology treatment modalities used in developing countries that have been adapted from conventional approaches.(iv Analysis of clinical data collected from developing countries on cancer-related incidence.(v Health policies and guidelines on managing cancers in a resource-constrained setting.

Guidelines for postdoctoral training in rehabilitation psychology.

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Stiers, William; Hanson, Stephanie; Turner, Aaron P; Stucky, Kirk; Barisa, Mark; Brownsberger, Mary; Van Tubbergen, Marie; Ashman, Teresa; Kuemmel, Angela

2012-11-01

This article describes the methods and results of a national conference that was held to (1) develop consensus guidelines about the structure and process of rehabilitation psychology postdoctoral training programs and (2) create a Council of Rehabilitation Psychology Postdoctoral Training Programs to promote training programs' abilities to implement the guidelines and to formally recognize programs in compliance with the guidelines. Forty-six conference participants were chosen to include important stakeholders in rehabilitation psychology, representatives of rehabilitation psychology training and practice communities, representatives of psychology accreditation and certification bodies, and persons involved in medical education practice and research. Consensus guidelines were developed for rehabilitation psychology postdoctoral training program structure and process and for establishing the Council of Rehabilitation Psychology Postdoctoral Training Programs. The Conference developed aspirational guidelines for postdoctoral education and training programs in applied rehabilitation psychology and established a Council of Rehabilitation Psychology Postdoctoral Training Programs as a means of promoting their adoption by training programs. These efforts are designed to promote quality, consistency, and excellence in the education and training of rehabilitation psychology practitioners and to promote competence in their practice. It is hoped that these efforts will stimulate discussion, assist in the development of improved teaching and evaluation methods, lead to interesting research questions, and generally facilitate the continued systematic development of the profession of rehabilitation psychology. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved

Comparison of international guideline programs to evaluate and update the Dutch program for clinical guideline development in physical therapy.

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Van der Wees, Philip J; Hendriks, Erik J M; Custers, Jan W H; Burgers, Jako S; Dekker, Joost; de Bie, Rob A

2007-11-23

Clinical guidelines are considered important instruments to improve quality in health care. Since 1998 the Royal Dutch Society for Physical Therapy (KNGF) produced evidence-based clinical guidelines, based on a standardized program. New developments in the field of guideline research raised the need to evaluate and update the KNGF guideline program. Purpose of this study is to compare different guideline development programs and review the KNGF guideline program for physical therapy in the Netherlands, in order to update the program. Six international guideline development programs were selected, and the 23 criteria of the AGREE Instrument were used to evaluate the guideline programs. Information about the programs was retrieved from published handbooks of the organizations. Also, the Dutch program for guideline development in physical therapy was evaluated using the AGREE criteria. Further comparison the six guideline programs was carried out using the following elements of the guideline development processes: Structure and organization; Preparation and initiation; Development; Validation; Dissemination and implementation; Evaluation and update. Compliance with the AGREE criteria of the guideline programs was high. Four programs addressed 22 AGREE criteria, and two programs addressed 20 AGREE criteria. The previous Dutch program for guideline development in physical therapy lacked in compliance with the AGREE criteria, meeting only 13 criteria. Further comparison showed that all guideline programs perform systematic literature searches to identify the available evidence. Recommendations are formulated and graded, based on evidence and other relevant factors. It is not clear how decisions in the development process are made. In particular, the process of translating evidence into practice recommendations can be improved. As a result of international developments and consensus, the described processes for developing clinical practice guidelines have much in common

Feasibility of encoding the Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement Depression Guideline using the Omaha System.

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Monsen, Karen A; Neely, Claire; Oftedahl, Gary; Kerr, Madeleine J; Pietruszewski, Pam; Farri, Oladimeji

2012-08-01

Evidence-based clinical guidelines are being developed to bridge the gap between research and practice with the goals of improving health care quality and population health. However, disseminating, implementing, and ensuring ongoing use of clinical guidelines in practice settings is challenging. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of encoding evidence-based clinical guidelines using the Omaha System. Clinical documentation with Omaha System-encoded guidelines generates individualized, meaningful data suitable for program evaluation and health care quality research. The use of encoded guidelines within the electronic health record has potential to reinforce use of guidelines, and thus improve health care quality and population health. Research using Omaha System data generated by clinicians has potential to discover new knowledge related to guideline use and effectiveness. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Implementing Practice Guidelines: A Workshop on Guidelines Dissemination and Implementation with a Focus on Asthma and COPD

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Louis-Philippe Boulet

2006-01-01

Full Text Available The present supplement summarizes the proceedings of the symposium “Implementing practice guidelines: A workshop on guidelines dissemination and implementation with a focus on asthma and COPD”, which took place in Quebec City, Quebec, from April 14 to 16, 2005. This international symposium was a joint initiative of the Laval University Office of Continuing Medical Education (Bureau de la Formation Médicale Continue, the Canadian Thoracic Society and the Canadian Network for Asthma Care, and was supported by many other organizations and by industrial partners. The objectives of this meeting were to examine the optimal implementation of practice guidelines, review current initiatives for the implementation of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD guidelines in Canada and in the rest of the world, and develop an optimal strategy for future guideline implementation. An impressive group of scientists, physicians and other health care providers, as well as policy makers and representatives of patients’ associations, the pharmaceutical industry, research and health networks, and communications specialists, conveyed their perspectives on how to achieve these goals.

Ex-ante participatory research proposal assessment conducted in Southern Togo

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V. Deffo

2011-01-01

Full Text Available This study was conducted to showcase a participatory method for assessing technical options in Southern Togo. The aim was to address farmers’ needs with respect to soil fertility problems in situations involving mixed crop-livestock farming systems. In collaboration with various stakeholders, the scientists thus assessed the potential for adopting a crop association involving maize for food (seed and fodder (straw, i.e. a mixed function plant, and Mucuna pruriens, i.e. a long-cycle legume that is cropped to produce fodder and enhance soil fertility. The chemically fertilized crop association is here referred to as MME. Participatory action research (PAR analytical tools were implemented in the four-phase method used. The first phase included an overall description of the entire study region to identify representative sites based on published information and exploratory interviews. In the second phase, the diversity of farmers was characterized through interviews with resource people at the selected sites. The third phase involved participatory selection of a range of technical options that included the MME association as well as local practices with features similar to this association, and alternative research proposals to enhance soil fertility and ensure the production of sufficient fodder to feed livestock. This selection was carried out by farmers chosen as being representative of their diversity. They were asked to rank—using notes, or pebbles because of the high illiteracy level—the different technical options presented during visits to the test plots or using visual aids. The fourth phase included an assessment of farmers’ comments on the perceived effects of the different options on agropastoral resource management (water, soil, biodiversity, their acceptability or cost-effectiveness relative to the labor cost. This method was applied in three villages in southern Togo. Six main farmer categories were identified in these

Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years (0–4 years: An Integration of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Sleep

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Mark S. Tremblay

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology convened representatives of national organizations, research experts, methodologists, stakeholders, and end-users who followed rigorous and transparent guideline development procedures to create the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years (0–4 years: An Integration of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Sleep. These novel guidelines for children of the early years embrace the natural and intuitive integration of movement behaviours across the whole day (24-h period. Methods The development process was guided by the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE II instrument. Four systematic reviews (physical activity, sedentary behaviour, sleep, combined behaviours examining the relationships within and among movement behaviours and several health indicators were completed and interpreted by a Guideline Development Panel. The systematic reviews that were conducted to inform the development of the guidelines, and the framework that was applied to develop the recommendations, followed the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE methodology. Complementary compositional analyses were performed using data from the Canadian Health Measures Survey to examine the relationships between movement behaviours and indicators of adiposity. A review of the evidence on the cost effectiveness and resource use associated with the implementation of the proposed guidelines was also undertaken. A stakeholder survey (n = 546, 10 key informant interviews, and 14 focus groups (n = 92 participants were completed to gather feedback on draft guidelines and their dissemination. Results The guidelines provide evidence-informed recommendations as to the combinations of light-, moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity, sedentary behaviours, and sleep that infants (<1 year, toddlers (1–2 years and preschoolers (3–4�