Comprehensive Core Research Articles

The feasibility analysis of underground gas storage during an integration of improved condensate recovery processes

Due to the increasing demand for gas consumption during cold seasons, it is a sense of urgency to provide a reliable resource for gas supply during these periods. The objectives of this comprehensive research entail reservoir core analysis, reservoir fluid study, investigation and optimization of improved condensate recovery during gas storage processes in one of Iranian-depleted fractured gas condensate reservoir. We have attempted to make a balance among reservoir petrophysical and operational characteristics such as production rate, ultimate reservoir pressure after production, cumulative condensate production, number of wells and the required time periods for the reservoir depletion, to obtain an optimum condition for the gas storage process. It’s a foregone conclusion that the quality of management decision-making regarding reservoir depletion, maximum gas recovery and natural gas condensate production subsequently optimize at the minimum pressure drop. Furthermore, according to the simulation analysis, pipeline gas injection may lead to condensate recovery improvement.

Examination of the relevance of the ICF cores set for stroke by comparing with the Stroke Impact Scale

Purpose: To examine if the International Classification of Functioning (ICF) core set for stoke contains problems that are relevant for the persons living with stroke as expressed in the Stroke Impact Scale (SIS).Methods: Cross-sectional study of 242 persons with previous stroke. The agreement between the perceived problems in the SIS items and problems in the categories of Comprehensive ICF Core Set for stroke were analyzed using percent of agreement and Kappa statistic.Results: The analyses between 57 items of the SIS and 31 second-level categories of the ICF were conducted. The problems in domains of “Mobility”, “Activities of daily living”, “Hand function”, “Strength” in the SIS had moderate agreement when compared to ICF categories. The SIS domains of “Emotion” and “Communication”, as well as some aspects of the “Memory” had slight or fair agreement with corresponding ICF categories. The results of the study suggest that there is acceptable agreement between persons after stroke and health professionals in the physical aspects, but rather poor agreement in the cognitive and emotional aspects of functioning.Conclusions: Health professionals do not fully capture the magnitude of emotional or social problems experienced by persons after stroke when using the ICF Core Set as a framework for evaluation.Implications for RehabilitationThe ICF Core Set for Stroke provides comprehensive list of possible health and health related outcomes for persons after stroke.Problems reported in condition-specific patient-reported outcome scales can be important in decision making in rehabilitation.Patients and health professionals tend to agree more on physical than cognitive problems.Examination of the relevance of the ICF cores set for stroke by comparing with the Stroke Impact Scale.

Changing the Culture of Science Communication Training for Junior Scientists.

Being successful in an academic environment places many demands on junior scientists. Science communication currently may not be adequately valued and rewarded, and yet communication to multiple audiences is critical for ensuring that it remains a priority in today’s society. Due to the potential for science communication to produce better scientists, facilitate scientific progress, and influence decision-making at multiple levels, training junior scientists in both effective and ethical science communication practices is imperative, and can benefit scientists regardless of their chosen career path. However, many challenges exist in addressing specific aspects of this training. Principally, science communication training and resources should be made readily available to junior scientists at institutions, and there is a need to scale up existing science communication training programs and standardize core aspects of these programs across universities, while also allowing for experimentation with training. We propose a comprehensive core training program be adopted by universities, utilizing a centralized online resource with science communication information from multiple stakeholders. In addition, the culture of science must shift toward greater acceptance of science communication as an essential part of training. For this purpose, the science communication field itself needs to be developed, researched and better understood at multiple levels. Ultimately, this may result in a larger cultural change toward acceptance of professional development activities as valuable for training scientists.

Linking commonly used hand therapy outcome measures to individual areas of the International Classification of Functioning: A systematic review

Study DesignSystematic review. IntroductionIdentifying outcome measures that correspond to the International Classification of Functioning (ICF) provides insight into selecting appropriate outcome tools in hand therapy practice. Purpose of the StudyThe objective of this study is to systematically review patient-reported outcome measures commonly used in hand therapy to determine the extent to which the content represents the biopsychosocial view of the ICF. MethodsA comprehensive literature search was conducted. Studies that met inclusion criteria were identified, and outcome measures were extracted. The meaningful concept was determined for each item on the measure and linked to the most specific ICF category. Summary linkage calculations were completed. ResultsEleven patient-reported outcomes were identified from 43 included studies. Activity and participation had the highest content coverage followed by body functions. There was linking to personal factors and not defined–disability and mental health. Environmental factors were not represented in any of the included outcome measures. The core set representation of unique codes ranged from 8.55% to 18.80% (mean: 11.97%) for the Comprehensive ICF Core Set for Hand Conditions and from 30.43% to 47.83% (mean: 31.40%) for the Brief ICF Core Set for Hand Conditions. The percent representation of the Comprehensive ICF Core Set for Hand Conditions for unique disability ranged from 21.62% to 43.24% (mean: 20.33%) and from 62.50% to 87.50% (mean: 72.22%) for the Brief ICF Core Set for Hand Conditions. DiscussionNone of the included measures represent all categories of the ICF Core Sets for Hand Conditions. ConclusionUtilizing the most recent refinement rules for the linking process, this study provides comparisons of measures along with clarity of content coverage for the most commonly used tools in the practice of hand therapy.

The Gestalt of functioning in autism spectrum disorder: Results of the international conference to develop final consensus International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health core sets.

Autism spectrum disorder is associated with diverse social, educational, and occupational challenges. To date, no standardized, internationally accepted tools exist to assess autism spectrum disorder–related functioning. World Health Organization’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health can serve as foundation for developing such tools. This study aimed to identify a comprehensive, a common brief, and three age-appropriate brief autism spectrum disorder Core Sets. Four international preparatory studies yielded in total 164 second-level International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health candidate categories. Based on this evidence, 20 international autism spectrum disorder experts applied an established iterative decision-making consensus process to select from the candidate categories the most relevant ones to constitute the autism spectrum disorder Core Sets. The consensus process generated 111 second-level International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health categories in the Comprehensive Core Set for autism spectrum disorder—one body structure, 20 body functions, 59 activities and participation categories, and 31 environmental factors. The Common Brief Core Set comprised 60 categories, while the age-appropriate core sets included 73 categories in the preschool version (0- to 5-year-old children), 81 in the school-age version (6- to 16-year-old children and adolescents), and 79 in the older adolescent and adult version (⩾17-year-old individuals). The autism spectrum disorder Core Sets mark a milestone toward the standardized assessment of autism spectrum disorder–related functioning in educational, administrative, clinical, and research settings.

Interaction network of core ABA signaling components in maize.

We defined a comprehensive core ABA signaling network in monocot maize, including the gene expression, subcellular localization and interaction network of ZmPYLs, ZmPP2Cs, ZmSnRK2s and the putative substrates. The phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) plays an important role in plant developmental processes and abiotic stress responses. In Arabidopsis, ABA is sensed by the PYL ABA receptors, which leads to binding of the PP2C protein phosphatase and activation of the SnRK2 protein kinases. These components functioning diversely and redundantly in ABA signalingarelittle known in maize. Using Arabidopsis pyl112458 and snrk2.2/3/6 mutants, we identified several ABA-responsive ZmPYLs and ZmSnRK2s, and also ZmPP2Cs. We showed the gene expression, subcellular localization and interaction network of ZmPYLs, ZmPP2Cs, and ZmSnRK2s, and the isolation of putative ZmSnRK2 substrates by mass spectrometry in monocot maize. We found that the ABA dependency of PYL-PP2C interactions is contingent on the identity of the PP2Cs. Among 238 candidate substrates for ABA-activated protein kinases, 69 are putative ZmSnRK2 substrates. Besides homologs of previously reported putative AtSnRK2 substrates, 23 phosphoproteins have not beendiscovered inthe dicot Arabidopsis. Thus, we havedefined a comprehensive core ABA signaling network in monocot maize and shed new light on ABA signaling.

Discovery of a shoal-controlled karst dolomite reservoir in the Middle Permian Qixia Formation, northwestern Sichuan Basin, Southwest China

The dolomites of the Middle Permian Qixia Formation have been important targets of natural gas exploration in the Sichuan Basin for decades. However, more and more exploration and research indicate that the formation of the reservoir might be related to karstification. To testify this hypothesis, we conduct comprehensive outcrop, core, and logging analyses based on a case study in the representative northwestern Sichuan Basin, which has obtained exploration breakthroughs recently. Results show that the Qixia dolomite reservoirs are mainly developed within fine-crystalline dolomites formed by a series of diagenetic modifications, which can be further divided into three types according to the macro- and micro-occurrences of dolomites: euhedral-subhedral crystalline dolomites in the quasi-stratiform karst system (mean porosity and permeability is 3.51% and 3.11 mD, respectively), euhedral-subhedral crystalline dolomites in the leopard porphyritic karst system (mean porosity and permeability is 3.36% and 1.22 mD, respectively), and allotriomorphic mosaic crystalline dolomites with residual parent rock fabrics (mean porosity and permeability is 0.94% and 0.92 mD, respectively). Their reservoir qualities decrease along the order. The formation mechanism of the reservoir is shoal-controlled karst. The preservation of residual intergranular pores within the thin-layer grainstones of shoal facies provides favorable channels for karst water. In the vadose zone, the heterogeneous dissolution within grainstones leads to the formation of leopard porphyritic dissolution features. In the phreatic zone, the karst water flowing along the stratiform grainstones results in the formation of quasi-stratiform dissolution features. The karst system is filled with loose carbonate sands and gravels, whose reservoir properties are far superior to parent rocks, and they can provide migration channels for the hydrothermal fluids with rich Mg2+ in the burial stage. The replacement of hydrothermal fluid results in the redistribution of pores and vugs of inter-fillings within karst system and the formation of intercrystalline pores and residual vugs, but the reservoir space of parent rocks keeps the same as the original condition. Therefore, the exploration of the Qixia dolomite reservoir should be changed to shoal-controlled karst.

European validation of The Comprehensive International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Set for Osteoarthritis from the perspective of patients with osteoarthritis of the knee or hip

Purpose: To validate the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Comprehensive Core Set for Osteoarthritis from the patient perspective in Europe.Materials and methods: This multicenter cross-sectional study involved 375 patients with knee or hip osteoarthritis. Trained health professionals completed the Comprehensive Core Set, and patients completed the Short-Form 36 questionnaire. Content validity was evaluated by calculating prevalences of impairments in body function and structures, limitations in activities and participation and environmental factors, which were either barriers or facilitators. Convergent construct validity was evaluated by correlating the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health categories with the Short-Form 36 Physical Component Score and the SF-36 Mental Component Score in a subgroup of 259 patients.Results: The prevalences of all body function, body structure and activities and participation categories were >40%, >32% and >20%, respectively, and all environmental factors were relevant for >16% of patients. Few categories showed relevant differences between knee and hip osteoarthritis. All body function categories and all but two activities and participation categories showed significant correlations with the Physical Component Score. Body functions from the ICF chapter Mental Functions showed higher correlations with the Mental Component Score than with the Physical Component Score.Conclusions: This study supports the validity of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Comprehensive Core Set for Osteoarthritis.Implications for RehabilitationComprehensive International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Sets were developed as practical tools for application in multidisciplinary assessments.The validity of the Comprehensive International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Set for Osteoarthritis in this study supports its application in European patients with osteoarthritis.The differences in results between this Europe validation study and a previous Singaporean validation study underscore the need to validate the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Sets in different regions of the world.

Pan-genome analysis of Bacillus for microbiome profiling

Recent advances in high-throughput sequencing technology allow for in-depth studies on microbial genomes and their communities. While multiple strains of the same species could display genomic variations with different gene contents in diverse habitats and hosts, the essential functions for a specific species are conserved as core genes that are shared among strains. We have comprehensively analyzed 238 strains of five different Bacillus species to identify the properties of core and strain-specific genes. Core and strain-specific genes in each Bacillus species show significant differences in their functions and genomic signatures. Using the core genes defined in this study, we have precisely identified the Bacillus species that exist in food microbiomes. Without resorting to culture-based whole genome sequencing, an unexpectedly large portion of the core genes, 98.22% of core genes in B. amyloliquefaciens and 97.77% of B. subtilis, were reconstructed from the microbiome. We have performed a pan-genome analysis on the core gene data of multiple Bacillus species to investigate the Bacillus species in food microbiome. Our findings provide a comprehensive genetic landscape of the Bacillus species, which is also consistent with previous studies on a limited number of strains and species. Analysis based on comprehensive core genes should thus serve as a powerful profiling tool to better understand major constituents in fermented food microbiomes.

Beyond diagnosis: the Core Sets for persons with schizophrenia based on the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health

Purpose: Based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), this paper presents the results of the process to develop the Comprehensive and Brief Core Sets for schizophrenia that allow to comprehensively describe functioning in persons with schizophrenia.Methods: Twenty health professionals from diverse backgrounds participated in a formal and iterative decision-making process during an international consensus conference to develop these Core Sets. The conference was carried out based on evidence gathered from four preparatory studies (systematic literature review, qualitative study, expert survey, and empirical study). The first step of this decision-making and consensus process comprised of discussions and voting in working groups and plenary sessions to develop the comprehensive version. The categories of the Comprehensive ICF Core Set for schizophrenia served as the basis for the second step –a ranking and cutoff procedure to decide on the brief version.Results: Of the 184 candidate categories identified in the preparatory studies, 97 categories were included in the Comprehensive Core Set for schizophrenia. A total of 25 categories were selected to constitute the Brief Core Set.Conclusions: The formal decision-making and consensus process integrating evidence from four preparatory studies and expert opinion led to the first version of the Core Sets for schizophrenia. Comprehensive and Brief Core Sets for schizophrenia may provide a common language among different health professionals and researchers, and a basic international standard of what to measure, report, and assess the functioning of persons with schizophrenia.Implications for rehabilitationSchizophrenia is a chronic mental disorder that has a tremendous impact on functioning and daily life of persons living with the disorder. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) offers an internationally recognized standard for describing the functioning status of these individuals.The Core Sets for schizophrenia have potential use in supporting rehabilitation practice such as for planning mental health services and other interventions or defining rehabilitation goals, and documenting patient care.The Core Sets for schizophrenia may also be used to promote interdisciplinary coordination and facilitate communication between members of a multidisciplinary rehabilitation team.Rehabilitation research is another potential area of application of the Core Sets for schizophrenia. This is valuable, since rehabilitation research provides crucial evidence for optimizing rehabilitation practice.

New Roadmap for the Journey From Internist to Rheumatologist.

Measurement is necessary to gauge improvement. US training programs have not previously used shared standards to assess trainees' mastery of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to practice rheumatology competently. In 2014, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Next Accreditation System began requiring semiannual evaluation of all medicine subspecialty fellows on 23 internal medicine subspecialty reporting milestones. Since these reporting milestones are not subspecialty specific, rheumatology curricular milestones were needed to guide rheumatology fellowship training programs and fellows on the training journey from internist to rheumatologist. Rheumatology curricular milestones were collaboratively composed by expanding the internal medicine reporting milestones to delineate the specific targets of rheumatology fellowship training within 6 ACGME core competencies. The 2006 American College of Rheumatology core curriculum for rheumatology training programs was updated. A total of 80 rheumatology curricular milestones were created, defining progressive learning through training; most focus on patient care and medical knowledge. The core curriculum update incorporates the new curricular milestones and rheumatology entrustable professional activities. Rheumatology curricular milestones are now available for implementation by rheumatology fellowship training programs, providing a clear roadmap for specific training goals and a guide to track each fellow's achievement over a 2-year training period. The comprehensive core curriculum delineates the essential breadth of knowledge, skills, and attitudes that define rheumatology, and provides a guide for educational activities during fellowship training. These guiding documents are now used to train and assess fellows as they prepare for independent rheumatology practice as the next generation of rheumatologists.

Identification of the components associated with functioning using the international classification of functioning, disability and health comprehensive core set for stroke in Indian stroke survivors

Objectives: Rehabilitation interventions are expected to ensure best possible recovery and minimize functional disability in stroke survivors. However, not many studies have investigated patterns of recovery and outcomes after stroke in low-income countries. The objective of this study is to identify the biological, psychological, and social components associated with functioning over time in Indian stroke patients using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF)-based tools and the Functional Independence Measure (FIM).Methods: The functioning profile of stroke survivors who received a standard multi-disciplinary rehabilitation was prospectively assessed using the ICF and the FIM at admission (baseline), at 12 & 24 weeks. Descriptive analyses were performed to identify changes in the frequencies of ICF categories and qualifiers from admission to follow-up.Results: One hundred and twenty-seven participants (mean age of 56 years) with mean FIM score 68 at baseline participated and completed the study. The mean FIM score at follow-up was 108. The numbers and frequency of ICF categories for activities and participation reduced after rehabilitation. More numbers of environmental factors were identified as barriers at follow-up (15 out of 33) compared to baseline. Within the components of Activities and Participation, significant improvement in functioning was found in 43 out of 51 categories.Conclusion: The results show a reduction in frequencies in ICF activities and participation categories corresponding to basic activities of daily living. Categories corresponding to employment and social integration showed little or no improvement.

Toward Secure Software Defined Vehicular Networks: Taxonomy, Requirements, and Open Issues

The emerging software defined vehicular networking (SDVN) paradigm promises to dramatically simplify network management and enable innovation through network programmability. Despite noticeable advances of SDNs in wired networks, it is also becoming an indispensable component that potentially provides flexible and well managed next-generation wireless networks, gaining massive attention from both industry and academia. In spite of all the hype surrounding emerging SDVNs, exploiting its full potential is demanding, and security is still the key concern and an equally arresting challenge. On the contrary, the complete transformation of the network into an SDN structure is still questionable, and the security and dependability of SDNs have largely been neglected topics. Moreover, the logical centralization of network intelligence and the tremendously evolving landscape of digital threats and cyber attacks that predominantly target emerging SDVNs will have even more devastating effects than they are in simple networks. Besides, the deployment of the SDVNs' novel entities and several architectural components drive new security threats and vulnerabilities. Since the SDVNs architectural layers and their corresponding APIs are heavily dependent on each other, this article aims to present a systematic top-down approach to tackle the potential security vulnerabilities, attacks, and challenges pertaining to each layer. The article contributes by presenting the security implications of the emerging SDVNs to devise comprehensive thematic core layered taxonomies together with external communication APIs. Moreover, we also describe the potential requirements and key enablers toward secure SDVNs. Finally, a plethora of open security research issues are presented that may be deemed appropriate for young researchers and professionals around the globe to tackle in anticipation of secure SDVNs.

Core Domains in Evaluating Patient Outcomes After Acute Respiratory Failure: International Multidisciplinary Clinician Consultation.

Abstract Background There is increasing interest in measuring the quality of survivorship for patients admitted to the intensive care unit for acute respiratory failure (ARF). However, there is substantial variability in patient outcomes reported in studies evaluating these patients, with few data on which outcomes are essential to inform clinical practice. Objective The objectives of this study were to determine clinicians’ perspectives on the outcome domains that should always be reported in studies evaluating people who have had ARF after hospital discharge and to compare findings about US and Australian perspectives. Design A modified Delphi method was used for the study. Methods A survey with 19 possible domains was developed to iteratively elicit clinicians’ perspectives on core outcome domains via a modified Delphi method. The survey was initially administered online. The survey results were then discussed independently at meetings at scientific conferences in the United States and Australia, and the survey was repeated at the meetings after the discussions. Results The numbers of participants who responded to both the online and the real-time polling were 44 of 100 (44%) in the United States and 78 of 85 (92%) in Australia. Most respondents were intensive care unit–based clinicians (United States: 33 [75%]; Australia: 76 [97%]). For the 19 domains evaluated, both US and Australian groups ranked physical function and symptoms as the most important domain, with quality of life, cognitive function and symptoms, and survival being the next 3 most important domains. These data yielded a total of 4 domains meeting the criteria for inclusion as core domains at both meetings. Limitations Several key constituencies, including patients and caregivers, were not represented in this study; their perspectives are also important and ideally should be included in the development of a comprehensive core outcome set. Conclusions Clinicians agreed that physical function and symptoms, quality of life, cognitive function, and survival were domains that should always be measured in research evaluating outcomes for people who have had ARF after hospital discharge.

Employing the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health framework to capture user feedback in the design and testing stage of development of home-based arm rehabilitation technology

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) as a framework to ensure that key aspects of user feedback are identified in the design and testing stages of development of a home-based upper limb rehabilitation system. Seventeen stroke survivors with residual upper limb weakness, and seven healthcare professionals with expertise in stroke rehabilitation, were enrolled in the user-centered design process. Through semi-structured interviews, they provided feedback on the hardware, software and impact of a home-based rehabilitation device to facilitate self-managed arm exercise. Members of the multidisciplinary clinical and engineering research team, based on previous experience and existing literature in user-centred design, developed the topic list for the interviews. Meaningful concepts were extracted from participants’ interviews based on existing ICF linking rules and matched to categories within the ICF Comprehensive Core Set for stroke. Most of the interview concepts (except personal factors) matched the existing ICF Comprehensive Core Set categories. Personal factors that emerged from interviews e.g. gender, age, interest, compliance, motivation, choice and convenience that might determine device usability are yet to be categorised within the ICF framework and hence could not be matched to a specific Core Set category.

How schedule issues affect drug logistics operations: an empirical study in hospitals in China

Purpose – The drug logistics play a crucial role in the hospital service performance. It has been proved that modern logistics concept is a valid access to competitiveness. In order to enhance the comprehensive capability and core competence of hospitals, including the internal support system, there is a great need to have an in-depth and systematic study on the drug logistics system in hospitals. The purpose of this paper is to explore the current situation of the drug logistics and the drug centres operations in public hospitals in China; specifically how the organizational partnerships with the supply chain partners can affect the operational performance. Design/methodology/approach – In this study, the possibility of correlations between schedule instability, partnerships with supply chain partners, and internal drug logistics operation is investigated by modelling, with reference to the previous work of Law et al. (2009), in which collective efficacy of the performance is incorporated into the model. Findings – The findings of this study show that the drug logistics working teams in public hospitals in China have a high level of efficacy and self-confidence, while they perceive they provide good operations even at a low level of schedule nervousness. The study also reinforces the significant correlation between internal operation and partnership with customers. This is definitely useful for the development of an appropriate framework for drug logistics operation improvement in the long run. Originality/value – The study thus offers a good reference for the administrators and practitioners who are keen on improving the service operations in the healthcare sector in the region.

Study on Reservoir Characteristics of Ta112 in Songliao Basin

Ta34 in Songliao basin is buried 1,300 metres below the band, the exploration difficulty is big and high quality recognition is difficult. According to its complex lithology characteristics, poor porosity and strong heterogeneity, with the application of comprehensive conventional coring, thin-section analysis, scanning electron microscopy and conventional curve data for analysis of reservoir characteristics of T112, lithology and reservoir criterion are established, more over the fracture strata section of the hill is identified. The reservoirs are mainly composed of carbonate rocks and quartzite, the accurate lithology identification provides geological basis for the next step of well deployment.

新疆地区实习护生自我效能感与护生护理专业临床沟通能力的关系研究

目的：调查新疆地区实习护生自我效能感及护生护理专业临床沟通能力的现状水平，分析探讨一般自我效能感与护生护理专业临床沟通能力的相关关系。方法：采用一般情况问卷、一般自我效能感量表和护生护理专业临床沟通能力量表，对194名实习护生进行问卷调查，采用回归分析，探讨一般自我效能感量表和护生护理专业临床沟通能力的关系。结果：实习护生一般自我效能感总分为2.71分 ± 0.57分，低于成人常模，其中少数民族护生自我效能感得分高于汉族护生P < 0.05；男生自我效能感高于女生，P < 0.05，护生专业沟通能力总分为84.62分 ± 14.15分，处于中等水平，采用Pearson相关分析护生一般自我效能感与护理专业临床沟通能力成正相关(r = 0.327, P < 0.01)。结论：实习护生自我效能感低于常模，处于中等偏上水平，护生护理专业临床沟通能力处于中等水平，均有待进一步提高，同时，提高护生一般自我效能有助于提高护生护理专业临床沟通能力，护理教育者应采取有效的干预措施以提高护生自我效感水平，进而提高护生的临床综合核心能力。 Objective: To investigate nursing students’ self-efficacy in Xinjiang area as well as the status level of clinical communication ability of nursing students, and to analyze the relationship between the general self-efficacy and clinical communication ability of nursing professional students. Methods: Using the general condition questionnaire, general self-efficacy scale and clinical communication ability of nursing professional students scale, 194 nursing students were surveyed. The relationship between general self-efficacy scale and clinical communication ability of nursing students was also explored by using regression analysis. Results: The interns’ general self-efficacy score was 2.71 + 0.57, lower than the adult norm, of which the minority nursing students’ self-efficacy scored higher than the nursing students of Han nationality (P < 0.05); boys’ self-efficacy was higher than girls’ (P < 0.05); nursing students’ professional communication ability score was 84.62 + 14.15, which is in the medium level; there is a positive correlation between nursing students’ general self-efficacy and clinical communication skills by using Pearson correlation analysis (r = 0.327, P < 0.01). Conclusion: The interns’ self-efficacy is lower than the norm, which is above the medium level, and the clinical communication ability of nursing students is in the medium level; all need to be further improved. At the same time, improving nursing students’ general self-effi- cacy helps to improve nursing students’ professional clinical communication ability; nursing educators should take effective intervention measures to improve the level of nursing students’ self- efficacy, so as to improve clinical comprehensive core competence of nursing students.

Comprehensive Methodology for Overall Performance Assessment of Water Utilities

Water utilities render a public service that highly influences sensitive domains such as human health, society, economy, environment and policy. In the context of diversification of water uses, scarcity of water resources, pollution of surface and underground resources, energy optimisation and public funding cuts, the improvement of water utility performance represents a real challenge. A water utility is an organisation of human and material resources for the purpose of taking advantage of water resources to deliver drinking water to the population, implying a trade-off between technical, economical, financial and organisational aspects. A partial performance is commonly measured by considering each aspect separately, so a real challenge consists in developing a methodology that includes all the aspects of water utility performance using multiple indicators. The current paper is based on an original conceptual vision of the water utility as an organisation focused on the customer and built on four fundamental pillars: human resources, financial resources, assets and environment. The proposed approach uses an elicitation procedure involving the decision maker to co-build comprehensive core indicators belonging to each pillar and then calibrates them according to the context of the water utility, decision maker preferences and ad-hoc performance thresholds. In the end, performance is assessed both at the individual and overall scale. A specific metric is defined for overall performance calculation that should be monitored over a specified time period to check its trend and redefine implemented policy in the case of a downgraded situation. An illustration of the methodology is given for the water utility of Grenoble (France).

Rehabilitation goals of people with spinal cord injuries can be classified against the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Set for spinal cord injuries.

Cross-sectional study. To establish whether inter-professional rehabilitation goals from people with non-traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) can be classified against the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) SCI Comprehensive and Brief Core Sets early postacute situation. Neurological rehabilitation unit. Rehabilitation goals of 119 patients with mainly incomplete and non-traumatic SCIs were classified against the ICF SCI Core Sets following established linking rules. A total of 119 patients generated 1509 goals with a mean (and s.d.) of 10.5 (9.1) goals per patient during the course of their inpatient rehabilitation stay. Classifying the 1509 rehabilitation goals against the Comprehensive ICF Core Set generated 2909 ICF codes. Only 69 goals (4.6%) were classified as 'not definable (ND)'. Classifying the 1509 goals against the Brief ICF Core Set generated 2076 ICF codes. However, 751(49.8%) of these goals were classified as 'ND'. In the majority of goals (95.7%), the ICF code description was not comprehensive enough to fully express the goals set in rehabilitation. In particular, the notion of quality of movement or specificity and measurability aspects of a goal (usually described with the criteria and acronyms SMART) could not be expressed through the ICF codes. Inter-professional rehabilitation goals can be broadly described by the ICF Comprehensive Core Set for SCI but not the Brief Core Set.