Analysis Chart Research Articles

Social Determinants of Health Inequities for Older LGBT Adults: A Scoping Review.

Despite the research on a health-disparate population, less is known about the social determinants of health (SDOH) inequities among older lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) adults. This scoping review aimed to explore and summarize what is known in the literature regarding the SDOH among older LGBT adults. The Joanna Briggs Institute's (JBI) approach guided this scoping review, which examined 31 articles that included quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method studies. Data were analyzed by three independent reviewers through a predesigned process of data charting, descriptive summary, and thematic analysis. Older participants were primarily LGBT and LGB. The findings identified four intersecting dimensions of individuals, social, economic, and health care system, contributing to health inequities and poor health outcomes. Given the importance of SDOH for older LGBT adults, stakeholders including health care providers need to better understand the multiple intersecting influences, provide culturally congruent health care, and integrate sources of support into the care of these sexual- and gender-minority older adults.

Identifying Gut Microbiota Conditions Associated with Disease in the African Continent: A Scoping Review Protocol.

The gut microbiota has been immensely studied over the past years because of its involvement in the pathogenesis of numerous diseases. However, gut microbiota data in Africa are limited. Therefore, it is crucial to have studies that reflect various populations in order to fully capture global microbial diversity. In the proposed scoping review, we will describe the gut microbiota's appearance in terms of gut microbiota markers, in both health and disease in African populations. Relevant publications will be searched for in the PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Academic Search Premier, Africa-Wide Information, African journals online, CINAHL, and EBSCOhost and Embase databases. We will focus on articles published between January 2005 and March 2023. We will also determine if the studies to be included in the review would provide enough data to identify quantifiable gut microbiome traits that could be used as health or disease markers, identify the types of diseases that were mostly focused on in relation to gut microbiota research in Africa, as well as to discover and analyze knowledge gaps in the gut microbiota research field in the continent. We will include studies involving African countries regardless of race, gender, age, health status, disease type, study design, or care setting. Two reviewers will conduct a literature search and screen the titles/abstracts against the eligibility criteria. The reviewers will subsequently screen full-text articles and identify studies that meet the inclusion criteria. This will be followed by charting the data using a charting tool and analysis of the evidence. The proposed scoping review will follow a qualitative approach such that a narrative summary will accompany the tabulated/graphical results which will describe how the results relate to the review objectives and questions. As a result, this review may play a significant role in the identification of microbiota-related adjunctive therapies in the African region where multiple comorbidities coexist. Scoping review registration: Open Science Framework.

Strategies for knowledge exchange for action to address place-based determinants of health inequalities: an umbrella review.

Place-based health inequalities persist despite decades of academics and other stakeholders generating ideas and evidence on how to reduce them. This may in part reflect a failure in effective knowledge exchange (KE). We aim to understand what KE strategies are effective in supporting actions on place-based determinants and the barriers and facilitators to this KE. An umbrella review was undertaken to identify relevant KE strategies. Systematic reviews were identified by searching academic databases (Medline, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science) and handsearching. Synthesis involved charting and thematic analysis. Fourteen systematic reviews were included comprising 105 unique, relevant studies. Four approaches to KE were identified: improving access to knowledge, collaborative approaches, participatory models and KE as part of advocacy. While barriers and facilitators were reported, KE approaches were rarely evaluated for their effectiveness. Based on these four approaches, our review produced a framework, which may support planning of future KE strategies. The findings also suggest the importance of attending to political context, including the ways in which this may impede a more upstream place-based focus in favour of behavioural interventions and the extent that researchers are willing to engage with politicized agendas.

How are the mealtime experiences of people in residential aged care facilities informed by policy and best practice guidelines? A scoping review

BackgroundMealtimes are embedded routines of residents living in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) that directly impact their health and quality of life. Little is known about how mealtime experiences are informed and affected by structures such as government and organisational policies and processes. This scoping review used Giddens’ (The constitution of society: outline of the theory of structuration, 1984) Structuration Theory to investigate how governance structures related to mealtime practices inform residents’ mealtime experiences.MethodsUsing Arksey and O’Malley’s (Int J Soc Res Methodol 8:19–32, 2005) scoping review framework, a systematic database, grey literature and policy search was completed in May 2020 and updated in July 2021. From 2725 identified articles, 137 articles were included in data charting and deductive analysis, and 76 additional Australian government policy papers were used interpretatively.ResultsData charting identified that the included studies were prominently situated in Western countries, with a progressive increase in publication rate over the past two decades. Qualitative findings captured structures that guide RACF mealtimes, how these relate to person-centred mealtime practices, and how these facilitate residents to enact choice and control.ConclusionsCurrent policies lack specificity to inform the specific structures and practices of RACF mealtimes. Staff, residents, organisational and governance representatives possess different signification, legitimation and domination structures, and lack a shared understanding of policy, and how this influences processes and practices that comprise mealtimes.

Identifying features of quality in rural placements for health students: scoping review

ObjectivesTo explore and synthesise the evidence relating to features of quality in rural health student placements.DesignScoping review.Data sourcesMEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, ProQuest, Informit, Scopus, ERIC and several grey literature data sources...

The Effect of Family Participation on the Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy of Children with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Background: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a time-consuming and severe mental illness that causes significant distress and impaired functioning. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of family-based cognitive-behavioral therapy on the symptoms and functions of children with OCD. Materials and Methods: The research plan was single-case or single-subject. The statistical population of this research included all the children with OCD within the age range of 7-12 years who referred to counseling and psychiatric centers in Ahvaz, Iran, in 2020. In total, four children who were diagnosed with OCD were selected by the available sampling method and received family-based cognitive-behavioral therapy intervention in 12 sessions. In this study, the required data were collected using Yale-Brown Child Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Scale and the Child Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Impact Scale. Data analysis was performed using visual charting or graphical analysis methods, reliable change index, and percentage of improvement. Results: The results showed that a reliable change index was significant for symptoms and function in treatment and follow-up (P<0.05). Moreover, the percentage of overall improvement showed the effectiveness of family-based cognitive-behavioral therapy on the symptoms and function of children with OCD in treatment and follow-up stages. All four children were in the successful treatment category based on the Classification of Blanchard. Conclusion: Family-based cognitive-behavioral therapy can be beneficial and effective on the symptoms and function of children with OCD.

Using Candlestick Charting, Segmentation Pattern Analysis, and GHMethod: Math-Physical Medicine to calculate Effective Glucoses based on Finger-Piercing Glucose Measurement

This paper describes glucose measurements and their extensive calculation results over a period of 7.5 years based on Finger-Piercing Data (Finger) using both candlestick charting and glucose segmentation pattern analysis. The dataset is provided by the author, who uses his own type 2 diabetes metabolic conditions control, as a case study via the “math-physical medicine” approach of a non- traditional methodology in medical research. Math-Physical Medicine (MPM) starts with the observation of the human body’s physical phenomena (not biological or chemical characteristics), collecting elements of the disease related data (preferring big data), utilizing applicable engineering modeling techniques, developing appropriate mathematical equations (not just statistical analysis), and finally predicting the direction of the development and control mechanism of the disease.

Using Candlestick Charting and GH-Method: Math-Physical Medicine to Investigate the Differences of Glucose Measurement Results Based on both Finger-Piercing Method and Continuous Monitoring Device

The author developed his GH-Method: math-physical medicine (MPM) by applying mathematics, physics, engineering modeling, and computer science such as big data analytics and artificial intelligence to derive the mathematical metabolism model and three prediction tools for weight, FPG, and PPG with >30 input elements. This research paper describes glucose measurement results based on the finger-piercing method and continuous glucose monitor device using candlestick charting and segmentation analysis.

The perspective of employers/families and care recipients of migrant live-in caregivers: a scoping review.

In high-income countries, migrant live-in caregivers are increasingly in demand to provide health and social care in the home. While there is a wide range of research on the perspectives of live-in caregivers (including domestic workers) in destination countries, few studies address the perspective of families who hire them. The aim of this study was to explore the extent, range and nature of international literature on the needs and experiences of employers/families and care recipients of live-in caregivers. We undertook a scoping review of the literature on this topic using Arksey and O'Malley's five stages. With the assistance of a health science librarian, a comprehensive search of nine databases was undertaken from April to July 2014. Two research assistants independently reviewed 2493 articles. The data were analysed through data charting, numerical summary and thematic analysis. Thirteen articles met the inclusion criteria for the scoping review. Many of these studies (n=7) were conducted in Israel, and the majority (n=8) focus on elderly care recipients. The findings reveal the diverse roles live-in caregivers perform, including emotional and physical care; changes in family dynamics and roles upon hiring a live-in caregiver; the negative experiences, including abuse, of live-in caregivers and elderly care recipients; the positive outcomes for families with a live-in caregiver; and families' common perception that live-in caregivers are like kin, a part of the family. Furthermore, evidence points to some degree of bi-directional emotional support between caregivers and employers/families, which adds complexity to their relations and the negotiation of power.

Trend definition or holding strategy: What determines the profitability of candlestick charting?

Abstract We ask what determines the profitability of candlestick trading strategies. Is it the definition of trend and/or the holding strategy that one uses in candlestick charting analysis? To answer this, we systematically consider three definitions of trend and four holding strategies. Applying candlestick trading strategies to the DJIA component data, we find that regardless of which definition of trend is used, eight three-day reversal patterns with a Caginalp–Laurent holding strategy are profitable when we set the transaction cost at 0.5% and after we account for data-snooping bias, while the patterns with a Marshall–Young–Rose holding strategy are not profitable. For sensitivity analysis, we also find that our results are not qualitatively changed on a lower transaction cost of 0.1%, or when we conduct the subsample analyses based on three equal periods and three distinct market conditions. When considering a more volatile market, evidence in favor of candlestick trading strategies is strengthened.

Neurotensin: revealing a novel neuromodulator circuit in the nucleus accumbens-parabrachial nucleus projection of the domestic chick.

Lower brainstem projections from nucleus accumbens (Ac) subregions to the parabrachial complex (PB), the nucleus of the solitary tract and the vagal motor nuclei have been described previously in the domestic chick by our group. Such projections, particulary those from the core and rostral pole regions of Ac have not been found in mammals or pigeons. Here we report on the presence of neurotensin (NT) in the neurons projecting from different Ac subnuclei, and also from the bed nucleus of stria terminalis, to the PB in the domestic chicken. The study is based upon correlated retrograde tracing (using Fast Blue) and NT immunohistochemistry, supplemented with regional charting and quantitative analysis of double-labeled neurons. The number of retrogradely labeled cells in Ac subdivisions reflects the size of FB tracer deposit, and the degree to which it extends to the medial PB. Of all Ac subregions, the core contained the largest amount of double-labeled cells. The findings demonstrate that the anatomical pathway through which the Ac can directly modulate taste-responsive neurons of the PB employs mainly neurotensin as a neuromodulator. The observed anatomical difference between mammals and birds is either a general taxonomic feature or it reflects feeding strategies specific for the domestic chick. The results are also relevant to a better understanding of the role of NT in food intake and reward-related behaviors in birds.

Cover plus: ways of measuring plant canopies and the terms used for them

Aim: To clarify the concepts and terms that have been used in recording plant canopies and the methods used for measuring them. Concepts: The concepts considered are cover, top cover, repeated cover, number of layers, proportion of repeated cover and leaf area index (LAI). Variants include canopy cover, basal area and leaf area density. Other terms have been used in the past, some are now ambiguous and some are counter-intuitive. Measurement: Cover and its related concepts can be measured by point intercept, line intercept, angle sampling, charting and image analysis, canopy transmittance, complete enumeration, clipping and allometry. The common procedure of adding the cover of individual species to calculate a “total cover” is invalid: a nonsense number is produced. Other measures of abundance: Cover-abundance, density, frequency, biomass and calorific values can also be used to measure abundance. They are related to cover. Especially, shoot frequency at a point is cover (the point intercept method). Subjective estimates: There are severe problems with cover-abundance scales, such as that of Braun-Blanquet. Estimation of abundance “by eye”, by “informed guess”, etc. has too often compromised results in vegetation science.

Cumulative sum (Cusum) analysis provides an objective measure of competency during training in endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP)

Background and AimEndoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP) is a complex and technically challenging procedure with a risk of significant complications. Although recommendations exist as to how many ERCPs should be performed before a trainee is deemed competent they lack objective measures of outcome. Cumulative sum (Cusum) analysis allows continuous monitoring of a proceduralist's performance to ensure acceptable outcomes are being achieved. The aim of the present study was to assess a trainee's progress with ERCP using Cusum analysis. MethodA single trainee performed one supervised ERCP list per week between June 2005 and May 2008. Prospective data were collected and analysed by intention to treat using Cumulative failure charting and Cusum analysis. The binary outcome measure was successful cannulation in patients with a native sphincter. Acceptable and unacceptable cannulation failure rates were set at 20% and 35% respectively, with Type I and II error rates set at 0.10. ResultsA total of 290 ERCPs were performed. Successful cannulation was achieved in 168 of 238 (70.6%) patients with intact biliary sphincters. Although cumulative failure charting suggested the trainee had not yet achieved satisfactory performance, Cusum analysis with sequential probability ratio testing indicated that an acceptable outcome had been achieved for the last 179 consecutive ERCPs. ConclusionCusum analysis enables sensitive and continuous monitoring of a trainee's performance to objectively determine competency. Wider and systematic use may enable appropriate benchmarks to be identified and more objective assessment of a trainee's experience.

Computer Application in Clinical and Cineangiographic Studies

A pilot study performed on a group of patients with coronary heart disease has disclosed the simplicity of computer application of charting, recording, daily reporting and statistical analysis of clinical data. It has indicated that both physicians and paramedical personnel may make better use of their time by utilizing a computer to perform their daily bookkeeping routines. This report illustrates the requirements and application of a simple computer system to a specific problem of clinical investigation and gives guidelines for the expansion of its use in other areas of medical interest.