Definitional Clarity Research Articles

Interstitial cystitis, bladder pain syndrome, hypersensitive bladder, and interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome - clarification of definitions and relationships.

Interstitial cystitis and interstitial cystitis-related conditions such as bladder pain syndrome and hypersensitive bladder have a similar symptomatic profile but probably different etiologies. A meaningful classification of these diseases/conditions is mandatory for clinical and investigational progress. The condition with Hunner lesions (Hunner type interstitial cystitis) is distinct from other categories in terms of histopathology, gene expression, and clinical management. Classification should clearly differentiate the presence or absence of Hunner lesions. The term covering patients as a whole should contain interstitial cystitis, since interstitial cystitis is historically a well-known name and used for insurance reimbursement. The proposed taxonomy features an umbrella term (interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome) and two subgroups, Hunner type interstitial cystitis (with Hunner lesions) and bladder pain syndrome (without Hunner lesions). Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome is convenient for initial management, and subgroups can categorize the patients for specific management. The characteristic symptom profile is to be collectively termed as hypersensitive bladder symptoms.

Three camps, one destination: the intersections of research data management, FAIR and Open

Open data, FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable) and research data management (RDM) are three overlapping but distinct concepts, each emphasizing different aspects of handling and sharing research data. They have different strengths in terms of informing and influencing how research data is treated, and there is much scope for enrichment of data if they are applied collectively. This paper explores the boundaries of each concept and where they intersect and overlap. As well as providing greater definitional clarity, this will help researchers to manage and share their data, and those supporting researchers, such as librarians and data stewards, to understand how these concepts can best be used in an advocacy setting. FAIR and open both focus on data sharing, ensuring content is made available in ways that promote access and reuse. Data management by contrast is about the stewardship of data from the point of conception onwards. It makes no assumptions about access, but is essential if data are to be meaningful to others. The concepts of FAIR and open are more noble aspirations and are, this paper argues, a useful way to engage researchers and encourage good data practices from the outset.

Severity indices in rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review.

To identify tools designed to evaluate the severity of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in order to use them in the investigation of prognostic markers in early arthritis. We conducted a systematic review of studies that developed/validated an index for RA disease severity. They were analyzed using the COSMIN checklist to assess their methodological quality. In addition, all the variables included were evaluated for their clarity of definition, feasibility and probability of being present in each outcome during the first 2 years of the disease course. To estimate redundancy, variables were grouped by domains. After reviewing 3,519 articles, 3 studies were included. The first study, the PAS, assessed whether current and lifetime treatment with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and/or biologics accurately predicted RA severity, as measured by the patient-reported PAS. Treatment variables did not fully distinguish patients in the highest and lowest quartiles of PAS scores. Another severity index, the Claims-Based Index for RA Severity (CIRAS), included the variables age, sex, Felty's syndrome, number of rehabilitation and rheumatology visits, test for inflammatory markers, number of chemistry panels/platelet counts ordered and rheumatoid factor test. The correlation was low (r=0.56) with an index previously validated by the same research group, the RA medical records-based index of severity (RARBIS), with Disease Activity Score-C-reactive protein (DAS28-PCR) (r=0.07) and Multidimensional Health Assessment Questionnaire (MD-HAQ) (r=0.008). Finally, the RARBIS, used to validate the CIRAS, was devised as an RA severity index based on medical records. It includes as domains surgery, radiology, extra-articular manifestations, clinical and laboratory variables, previously chosen by an expert panel. RARBIS had a weak correlation with treatment intensity (r=0.35) and with DAS28 (r=0.41). There is no index to assess the severity of RA based on the course of the first 2 years of follow-up that is adapted to the current strategy of therapeutic management of this disease. Therefore, we believe it is reasonable to develop a new ad hoc severity index for patients with early arthritis.

Who are Rural Students? How Definitions of Rurality Affect Research on College Completion

Given a revived national discourse about rural populations, more educational research on rural students is necessary, including ways that rural students transition to college and the success (or lack thereof) that they experience once there. However, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has changed the definition of rurality used in each iterative dataset over the last few decades, casting doubt on the consistency of what is meant by the term rural. The purpose of this study is to: (a) communicate to the educational research audience various ways of defining rural students, and specifically how NCES has changed their definition of rurality over their last three major data collections; (b) demonstrate how conclusions about rural students’ and their college degree completion may differ based on these alternate NCES definitions; and (c) discuss how this specific example using NCES data relates to the wider landscape of research on rural students. Results show that conclusions about college degree completion change depending on the definition of rurality used for analysis. Therefore, the education research community should consider the options for defining rural students, report transparently about the choices made, consider the sensitivity of results to the definition of rurality, and ultimately build a more robust body of literature concerning rural students’ college success. Gaining definitional clarity will be beneficial, particularly for those who wish to translate their research into practical action for the benefit of rural students.

O desenvolvimento humano e sustentável na ótica do PNUD: desafios para a prática do ideal

Este artigo é um desdobramento de uma pesquisa mais ampla conduzida no âmbito de uma dissertação de mestrado e se propõe enquanto um exercício de análise das principais estratégias apresentadas pelo Programa das Nações Unidas para o Desenvolvimento (PNUD), em seus Relatórios de Desenvolvimento Humano (RDHs), para a operacionalização da visão de desenvolvimento estruturada pela própria instituição. Tendo em vista a relevância das discussões sobre o desenvolvimento na agenda multilateral contemporânea, o artigo foi pensado no intuito de traçar um panorama do tratamento do tema no órgão de referência do sistema ONU e, a partir da análise sistemática de uma série histórica de RDHs, suscitar uma avaliação de possíveis pontos de atrito entre os princípios teóricos e conceituais que norteiam o discurso do Programa e os meios propostos nos Relatórios para a promoção de um desenvolvimento em bases humanas e sustentáveis. Os resultados apontam para a existência de alguns pontos limitadores à persecução do modelo de desenvolvimento proposto, abrangendo aspectos de diversas ordens, como o comprometimento da noção de country-ownership e a falta de clareza na definição do perfil de atuação estatal a ser preconizado, e tendo como pano de fundo a discussão levantada pelo pós-desenvolvimentismo.

Recommendations From a National Panel on Quality Improvement in Obstetrics.

This paper describes the recommendations of a national panel on quality improvement in obstetrics to identify priorities for action among five areas of greatest medico-legal risk. Using previously conducted medico-legal data analyses and a systematic literature review, the panel reviewed existing data and developed recommendations for areas of focus in quality improvement in five obstetrical high-risk areas. The panel recommended clarification of definitions in some areas, identified needs for data collection and standardization of practices in others. The most promising interventions to improve care in the five areas were grouped into: standardized processes (such as protocols and communication tools), checklists, audit and feedback, mentoring and coaching, inter-professional communication, simulation and training, and shared decision making guides. This national panel of experts created 18 action-oriented recommendations focused on quality improvement to reduce medico-legal risk and improve the safety of care for Canadian mothers and babies.

Porównanie zasobu leksykalnego obu wydań Podręcznego słownika bibliotekarza na przykładzie słownictwa z zakresu prasoznawstwa

Using the linguistic comparative method, the first (1955) and second edition (2011) of the Podreczny slownik bibliotekarza were checked for similarities and differences in the lexicographic world view of the press vocabulary. The analysis was preceded by an outline of the advantages and disadvantages of both editions. The analysis proceeded on three levels, which were of quantitative and qualitative character. The first level compared which of the entries appear in both editions, and which only in one. In this way, a list of 148 entries in the field of press was obtained (1955: 78 – 3.60% of all entries; 2011: 146 – 3.46%; 2011: 70 entries were added, 2 removed, and 5 non-press entries gained the press meaning). At the second level, the entries appearing in both editions (76 entries) were checked for formal similarities and differences (if the entry has literally the same shape (9) / literally the same content but in a different language shape (19) / entry has different shape of content and language (48)). At the third level, the last category of entries was checked, what was the essence of the changes: clarification of definition (12), extension of definition (10), increase (9) or decrease (2) the number of definition meanings, change in the meaning of definitions (3), change in meaning due to technological, social or ideological transformations (3), giving non-press definition the press meaning (5), replacing the enumeration of synonymous words with a full definition (2). The results of the analysis did not allow to draw general conclusions considering the trends in the development of press lexis/terminology: the majority of changes observed in the definitions did not result from their adaptation to the changes of the modern world, but from the elimination of errors and inaccuracies. It was also not gauged which part of the entries introduced for the first time in 2011 was caused by the development of the press studies and which part was caused by the removal of the omissions from 1955.

Differentiating hate speech: a systemic discrimination approach

ABSTRACT In this paper I develop a systemic discrimination approach to defining a narrowly construed category of ‘hate speech’, as speech that harms to a sufficient degree to warrant government regulation. This is important due to the lack of definitional clarity, and the extraordinarily wide usage, of the term. This article extends current literature on how hate speech can harm by identifying under what circumstances speakers have the capacity to harm, and under what circumstances targets are vulnerable to harm. It also shows how the capacity to harm can be mobile and involve the construction of new targets. Finally, it bridges the gap between conceptual understandings of hate speech and policy designed to regulate it.

Asthma status and risks among lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults in the United States: A scoping review

Asthma is uncontrolled in up to 71% of adolescents and adults, 1 Murphy K.R. Meltzer E.O. Blaiss M.S. Nathan R.A. Stoloff S.W. Doherty D.E. Asthma management and control in the United States: results of the 2009 Asthma Insight and Management survey. Allergy Asthma Proc. 2012; 33: 54-64 Crossref PubMed Scopus (103) Google Scholar resulting in higher health care costs, more school and work absences, and higher mortality. 1 Murphy K.R. Meltzer E.O. Blaiss M.S. Nathan R.A. Stoloff S.W. Doherty D.E. Asthma management and control in the United States: results of the 2009 Asthma Insight and Management survey. Allergy Asthma Proc. 2012; 33: 54-64 Crossref PubMed Scopus (103) Google Scholar , 2 Centers for Disease Control and PreventionTrends in asthma prevalence, health care use, and mortality in the United States, 2001-2010. NCHS Data Brief. 2012; : 1-8 Google Scholar Sexual minority (SM) adults (eg, people who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual or who have same-sex partners) have higher rates of asthma than their heterosexual counterparts. 3 Gao J. Mansh M. Sexual orientation disparities in the prevalence of asthma and allergic rhinitis among US adults. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2016; 117: 435-437 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (4) Google Scholar , 4 Gonzales G. Przedworski J. Henning-Smith C. Comparison of health and health risk factors between lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults and heterosexual adults in the United States. JAMA Intern Med. 2016; 176: 1344-1348 Crossref PubMed Scopus (236) Google Scholar However, it is unclear whether rates and risk factors differ by sexual identity subgroups (eg, bisexual, men, lesbian). To address this critical knowledge gap, we conducted a scoping review to systematically search relevant literature following current guidelines. 5 Colquhoun H.L. Levac D. O'Brien K.K. et al. Scoping reviews: time for clarity in definition, methods, and reporting. J Clin Epidemiol. 2014; 67: 1291-1294 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (1287) Google Scholar Scoping reviews are ideal for addressing research questions in areas with emerging evidence, such as SM health. English-language original research articles on rates, risks, and outcomes of asthma in the United States published between January 1, 2000, and July 31, 2017, were included. We had no age restrictions for the samples but excluded studies focused on HIV/AIDS and on transgender individuals because, although they share some risks with SM adults, health status and access differ substantially.

The Smart City as Global Discourse: Storylines and Critical Junctures across 27 Cities

ABSTRACTDespite its growing ubiquitous presence, the smart city continues to struggle for definitional clarity and practical import. In response, this study interrogates the smart city as global discourse network by examining a collection of key texts associated with cities worldwide. Using a list of 5,553 cities, a systematic webometric exercise was conducted to measure hit counts produced by searching for “smart city.” Consequently, 27 cities with the highest validated hit counts were selected. Next, 346 online texts were collected from among the top 20 hits across each of the selected cities, and analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively using AntConc software. The findings confirm, first, the presence of a strong globalizing narrative which emphasizes world cities as “best practice” models. Second, they reveal the smart city’s association—beyond the quest for incremental, technical improvements of current urban systems and processes—with a pronounced transformative governance agenda. The article identifies five critical junctures at the heart of the evolving smart city discourse regime; these shed light on the ongoing boundary work in which the smart city is engaged and which contain significant unresolved tensions. The paper concludes with a discussion of resulting implications for research, policy, and practice.

Energy audit of industrial enterprises on the basis of energy and resource saving evaluation

Modeling of an audit of industrial enterprises energy efficiency on the basis of energy and resource saving evaluation deals with the development of conceptual model domain of manufacturing enterprises resource saving and energy efficiency evaluation, and also with the clarification of the basic definitions of energy management informatization. The organizational, technical and technological development of industrial subset of analyzed enterprises is projected with regard to the continuity, cyclicality, route of all technological processes. These processes are formed by using modular-technological and readily replaceable equipment and modern informatization systems which allow to get the necessary production and managing information just-in-time for all executive staff and engineers about the run-out production and the state of production on the basis of quick and strategic synchronization of all the components of production functioning, including energetic resource saving of production processes. In order to find solutions to the named above accurate theoretical problems of audit modeling of energy and resource saving index of the industrial enterprises which are focused on the rise of energy efficiency, the complex model of evaluation of the management, production organization and resources optimization quality level is suggested, where we take as a basis theoretical and methodological principles of modeling of main components of enterprise business processes on the base of diagnostics and synchronization of production processes that are gained due to informatization systems.

Safeguarding Children who are Exposed to Abuse Linked to Faith or Belief

Cases of child abuse linked to faith or belief (CALFB) continue to be documented. However, there is limited research and understanding of CALFB. Further, there is a lack of clarity of definition. These factors then impact upon effective practice. Recognising this, the National Working Group for CALFB called for research on which to develop evidence‐based practice. This paper reports on key findings from a mixed‐method online survey which was completed by 1361 participants from a range of practitioner and community groups. The participants identified the importance of policy and multiagency working in this area, but they acknowledged the complexity and challenges associated with developing and implementing good practice. Recommendations from the study include a review of relevant policy to evaluate its application to CALFB, the development of faith literacy training for frontline practitioners and the creation of a space in which statutory, faith and community groups can dialogue. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.‘There is limited research and understanding of child abuse linked to faith or belief’Key Practitioner Messages Frontline workers express a lack of understanding and experience of child abuse linked to faith or belief (CALFB), and all require specific training. There is a need for faith literacy training and a space for statutory and faith‐based communities to dialogue in order to build trust, formulate policy and share good practice. Policy around CALFB needs to be formulated and translated into practice.

Optimising Student Learning on International Placements in Low Income Settings: The Contribution of Cultural Brokerage

This paper challenges the assumption that student visits to low resource settings inevitably promote the acquisition of cultural competence. Much of the literature advocating the expansion of such “exposures” lists numerous positive outcomes with an emphasis on “cultural learning”. With important exceptions, the concept of cultural learning remains uncontested, nestling in the fluffy haze of an inherently benevolent multi-culturalism. The emphasis in current research is on “learning” or “competency” at the expense of definitional clarity around the concept of culture itself. This results in a tendency to overemphasise (and essentialise) difference rather than commonality and conflates cultural learning with narrow (stereotypical) concepts of race, ethnicity and religion. The paper discusses the experiences of students undertaking placements in Uganda through Knowledge for Change, a UK charity hosting the Ethical Educational Placements project.

Human Performance Optimization: An Operational and Operator-Centric Approach.

USSOCOM invests millions of dollars in the assessment, selection, and training of its Operators. Handpicked and forged to defend their nation, each Operator emerges from initial and career field training with unique skills and honed talents integral to their unit's effectiveness, sustainability, and mission success. The need for SOF unit commanders to optimize and preserve the talents of their Operators was highlighted as a top priority in the 2018 National Defense Strategy. Human performance optimization (HPO) offers a paradigm shift to support that priority by grounding health and performance services in the unique needs, cultures, skills, and missions of SOF Operators at the career field and unit level. Currently, HPO efforts continue to inform Military Health System (MHS) realignment efforts towards this paradigm shift; however, significant gaps still exist due to a lack of definitional clarity around HPO as a conceptual framework and to the unequal operationalization of HPO across the Department of Defense (DoD). To synergize health and performance efforts through HPO and provide SOF unit commanders with the tools they need to sustain the optimal performance of their operational forces over a career lifespan, this review builds upon previous work in HPO and highlights the operationalization of HPO on a tactical level to support units' Mission Essential Task List (METL) and Operator's Core Tasks (CT). Through returning to HPO's tenets, this review discusses how performance and health priorities of an Operational community can be identified in order to enhance the targeting of performance and health efforts. Last, we present a community-based model for mapping these priorities.

Topic search filters: a systematic scoping review.

Searching for topics within large biomedical databases can be challenging, especially when topics are complex, diffuse, emerging or lack definitional clarity. Experimentally derived topic search filters offer a reliable solution to effective retrieval; however, their number and range of subject foci remain unknown. This systematic scoping review aims to identify and describe available experimentally developed topic search filters. Reports on topic search filter development (1990-) were sought using grey literature sources and 15 databases. Reports describing the conception and prospective development of a database-specific topic search and including an objectively measured estimate of its performance ('sensitivity') were included. Fifty-four reports met inclusion criteria. Data were extracted and thematically synthesised to describe the characteristics of 58 topic search filters. Topic search filters are proliferating and cover a wide range of subjects. Filter reports, however, often lack clear definitions of concepts and topic scope to guide users. Without standardised terminology, filters are challenging to find. Information specialists may benefit from a centralised topic filter repository and appraisal checklists to facilitate quality assessment. Findings will help information specialists identify existing topic search filters and assist filter developers to build on current knowledge in the field.

Role of endonuclease III enzymes in uracil repair

Endonuclease III is a DNA glycosylase previously known for its repair activity on oxidative pyrimidine damage. Uracil is a deamination product derived from cytosine. Uracil DNA N-glycosylase (UNG) and mismatch-specific uracil DNA glycosylase (MUG) are two known repair enzymes with enzymatic activity on uracil in E. coli. Here we report a G/U specific uracil DNA glycosylase activity in E. coli endonuclease III (endo III, Nth), which is comparable to MUG but significantly lower than its thymine glycol DNA glycosylase activity. The possibility that the novel activity is due to contamination is ruled out by expressing the wild type nth gene and an active site mutant in a uracil-repair-deficient genetic background. Consistent with the biochemical analysis, analyses of lac+ reversion and mutation frequencies in the presence of human AID induced cytosine deamination indicate the endo III can play a role in repair of cytosine deamination. In addition to E. coli, UDG activity is found in endo III homologs from other organisms. E. coli nucleoside diphosphate kinase (Ndk) was also tested for UDG activity because it was previously reported as an uracil repair enzyme. Under the assay conditions, very limited UDG activity was detected in single-stranded uracil-containing DNA from E. coli Ndk and no UDG activity was detected in human Ndk homologs. This study provides definitive clarification on uracil repair by endo III and reveals that endonuclease III is a G/U-specific UDG that can be viewed as a prototype for the human MBD4 uracil DNA glycosylase.

The Russian Regulation of Production and Circulation of Poisonous, Dangerous and Narcotic Drugs in the Legal and Historical Aspects

The article considers legal and historical aspects of regulation of poisonous, dangerous and narcotic drugs. In particular, we show a governmental mechanism to regulate the control and supplies of these drugs. In-depth examination of legislation reveals that the condition of the systematization of the level is insufficient. These concerns manifest themselves in the current lack of definitional clarity, and repeating the same provisions in a variety of law. Certain poisonous, dangerous and narcotic drugs are indispensably in current medical practice. These drugs were limited to Lists. Drugs that cannot be found on the Lists, the public authorities may recognize as analogs of narcotic drug and psychotropic substance. This happens when the chemical structure and chemical properties of these drugs is similar to chemical structure and chemical properties of narcotic drug and psychotropic substance on the List. Priority of state regulation in this field is provision of control and coordination of the production and sale of and trade in these drugs. It influenced on access to medication. It is necessary to create an effective system that does not allow abuse of the right to a medicinal product, and on the other hand, which makes it possible to obtain it for medical purposes.

Severity Indices in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Systematic Review

ObjectiveTo identify tools designed to evaluate the severity of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in order to use them in the investigation of prognostic markers in early arthritis. MethodsWe conducted a systematic review of studies that developed/validated an index for RA disease severity. They were analysed using the COSMIN checklist to assess their methodological quality. In addition, all the variables included were evaluated for their clarity of definition, feasibility and probability of being present in each outcome during the first 2 years of the disease course. To estimate redundancy, variables were grouped by domains. ResultsAfter reviewing 3519 articles, 3 studies were included. The first study, the PAS, assessed whether current and lifetime treatment with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and/or biologics accurately predicted RA severity, as measured by the patient-reported PAS. Treatment variables did not fully distinguish patients in the highest and lowest quartiles of PAS scores. Another severity index, the Claims-Based Index for RA Severity (CIRAS), included the variables age, sex, Felty's syndrome, number of rehabilitation and rheumatology visits, test for inflammatory markers, number of chemistry panels/platelet counts ordered and rheumatoid factor test. The correlation was low (r=0.56) with an index previously validated by the same research group, the RA medical records-based index of severity (RARBIS), with Disease Activity Score-C-reactive protein (DAS28-PCR) (r=0.07) and Multidimensional Health Assessment Questionnaire (MD-HAQ) (r=0.008). Finally, the RARBIS, used to validate the CIRAS, was devised as an RA severity index based on medical records. It includes as domains surgery, radiology, extra-articular manifestations, clinical and laboratory variables, previously chosen by an expert panel. RARBIS had a weak correlation with treatment intensity (r=0.35) and with DAS28 (r=0.41). ConclusionThere is no index to assess the severity of RA based on the course of the first 2 years of follow-up that is adapted to the current strategy of therapeutic management of this disease. Therefore, we believe it is reasonable to develop a new ad hoc severity index for patients with early arthritis.

EVALUATION OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF EIT-4-BPSD THROUGH MEASUREMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND POLICIES IN NURSING HOMES

AbstractThe EIT-4-BPSD incorporates a focus on the assessment and alteration of the environment and policies to assure use of behavioral interventions. The purpose of this study was to test the reliability and validity of The Environment and Policy Assessments in 14 nursing homes. Based on Rasch analysis there was evidence of internal consistency for the Environment Assessment (alpha coefficient of .70) and the Policy Assessment (alpha coefficient of .81). Inter-rater reliability was .58 for the Environment Assessment and .45 for the Policy Assessment. Based on Rasch analysis there was evidence of item fit and construct validity of both measures and a good spread of the items across the full continuum of both concepts. Clarification of definitions of some items is needed to improve reliability. The measures are useful for helping settings assure that the environment and policies support the use of person centered behavioral interventions for BPSD.

Is spatial dispersal the dominant trend in air transport development? A global analysis for 2006–2015

The economic performance of a city or region is considered to be intertwined with its air travel capability. It is thus important for planners and stakeholders to understand the changes in the global aviation network. This study investigates the global aviation network, taking 10 years worth's OAG data from the years 2006–2015 and examines whether a spatial dispersal trend dominates the development of the aviation industry. It considers the aviation network at the airport level, and the airport–city level, which may consist of one or more airports. After clarification of the various definitions of concentration, we find that there appears a trend toward a dispersal pattern in the global aviation network at the airport level. On the other hand, there appears a slight concentration at the airport–city level. Besides, there have been some major capacity expansions at airports in the Middle East and East Asia, while the capacities of some traditional hubs in Europe and North America have become increasingly constrained since the 2008 global financial crisis. Furthermore, our study provides further observations consistent with the phenomenon of bypassing of traditional hubs, especially mega-hubs. Competition for passengers among hubs and secondary airports, especially in multi-airport cities, is discussed.