Electronic Versions Research Articles

Validation of the Electronic Version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5 and IIEF-15): A Crossover Study.

BackgroundPatient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are increasingly used to measure patient’s perspective of functional well-being, disease burden, treatment effectiveness, and clinical decision making. Electronic versions are increasingly feasible because of smartphone and tablet usage. However, validation of these electronic PROMs (ePROMs) is warranted for justified implementation. The International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) 5 and 15 are widely used PROMs in urology to measure erectile dysfunction. Measurement reliability and validity testing of the IIEF ePROMs are essential before clinical application.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to assess reliability and validity of an ePROM version of both IIEF-5 and 15.MethodsThis study included 179 patients from our urology outpatient clinic. It also had a randomized crossover design—participants completed either a paper and electronic IIEF-5 or 15 or twice completed an electronic version—with a 5-day delay. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach alpha and Spearman-Brown coefficient, test-retest reliability using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and convergent validity using the Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficient.ResultsA total of 122 participants completed the study. Internal consistency was excellent for the electronic IIEF-5 (ICC 0.902) and good to excellent for the domains of the IIEF-15 (ICC 0.962-0.834). Test-retest reliability was excellent for the IIEF-5 (ICC 0.924) and good to excellent for the domains of the IIEF-15 (ICC 0.950-0.778). Convergent validity was excellent for the IIEF-5 and IIEF-15, with a correlation of r=0.923 and r=0.951, respectively.ConclusionsWe successfully introduced patient-acceptable ePROM versions of the IIEF-5 and IIEF-15. This study’s results demonstrate that the ePROM versions of the IIEF-5 and IIEF-15 can be reliably implemented, as outcomes are reliable and in accordance with findings of the paper version.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT03222388; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03222388

Measurement Equivalence of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures Migrated to Electronic Formats: A Review of Evidence and Recommendations for Clinical Trials and Bring Your Own Device.

A growing number of clinical trials employ electronic media, in particular smartphones and tablets, to collect patient-reported outcome data. This is driven by the ubiquity of the technology, and an increased awareness of associated improvements in data integrity, quality and timeliness. Despite this, there remains a lingering question relating to the measurement equivalence of an instrument when migrated from paper to a screen-based format. As a result, researchers often must provide evidence demonstrating the measurement equivalence of paper and electronic versions, such as that recommended by the ISPOR ePRO Good Research Practices Task Force. In the last decade, a considerable body of work has emerged that overwhelmingly supports the measurement equivalence of instruments using screen-based electronic formats. Our review of key works derives recommendations on evidence needed to support electronic implementation. We recommend application of best practice recommendations is sufficient to conclude measurement equivalence with paper PROMs. In addition, we recommend that previous usability evidence in a representative group is sufficient, as opposed to per-study testing. Further, we conclude that this also applies to studies using multiple screen-based devices, including bring-your-own-device, if a minimum device specification can be ensured and the instrument is composed of standard response scale types.

Writing Resources—An Annotated List of Helpful Books

Writing Resources—An Annotated List of Helpful Books

PNS201 MEASUREMENT COMPARABILITY OF ELECTRONIC AND PAPER ADMINISTERED VISUAL ANALOGUE SCALES: A REVIEW OF PUBLISHED STUDIES

To review publications comparing visual analogue scale data collected using 10 cm scales on paper (pVAS) and scales of various lengths in electronic formats (eVAS). An informal literature search for evaluation studies was conducted (search terms: “visual analogue scale” and “equivalence” or “validation”). Combined with previously-identified publications, the results and conclusions of these studies were summarised qualitatively. Nineteen published studies were included. All studies were crossover comparisons of paper to at least one form of electronic data collection. Studies varied in size from 12 to 355 subjects (median: 65 subjects) and included general population volunteers and patients suffering from chronic pain, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, non-small cell lung cancer, and multiple sclerosis. VAS items included measures of pain, fatigue, global health, appetite, anxiety, and alcohol effects. One study was performed in 8 to 10 year olds, the remainder in adults (18 to 86 years). Electronic modes included: PDA (n=8), PC (n=5), smartphone (n=3), tablet (n=3), feature-phone (n=2), and smartwatch (n=1). eVAS length was not reported for 5 studies, and ranged from 2 to 4 cm (n=3, min: 2.1 cm), 4.1 to 6 cm (n=5), 6.1 to 8 cm (n=3), 8.1 to 10 cm (n=2), > 10 cm (n=2, max: 28.9 cm) in the remainder. Authors of all studies concluded pVAS and eVAS were comparable. However, 2 studies reported trends towards higher scores on eVAS vs. pVAS, 3 towards lower scores on eVAS, and 2 studies (Apple Newton and Palm device) indicated eVAS scores may be lower than pVAS at the scale ends. A later study reported no scale-end effects. Differences between eVAS and pVAS were considered not clinically relevant although three publications recommended paper and electronic versions should not be used interchangeably. Published evidence supports the comparability of eVAS and pVAS independent of physical eVAS length.

Paper and electronic versions of HM-PRO, a novel patient-reported outcome measure for hematology: an equivalence study.

Aim: To determine measurement equivalence of paper and electronic application of the hematological malignancy-patient-reported outcome (HM-PRO), a specific measure for the evaluation of patient-reported outcomes in HMs. Patients & methods: Following International Society of Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research ePRO Good Research Practice Task Force guidelines, a total of 193 adult patients with different HMs were recruited into a multicenter prospective study. The paper and the electronic version of the instrument were completed in the outpatient clinics in a randomized crossover design with a 30 min time interval to minimize the learning effect. Those who completed the paper version first, completed the electronic version after 30min and vice versa. Instrument version and order effects were tested on total score of the two parts of the HM-PRO (Part A: quality of life and Part B: signs & symptoms) in a two-way ANOVA with patients as random effects. Intraclass correlation coefficients (95% CI) and Spearman's rank correlation coefficients were used to evaluate test-retest reliability and reproducibility. The effects of instrument version and order were tested on total score of the two parts of HM-PRO. Results: The questionnaire version and administration order effects were not significant at the 5% level. There were no interactions found between these two factors for HM-PRO (Part A [quality of life]; p =0.95); and (part B [signs and symptoms]; p =0.72]. Spearman's rank correlation coefficients were greater than 0.9, and intraclass correlation coefficients ranged from 0.94 to 0.98; furthermore, the scores were not statistically different between the two versions, showing acceptable reliability indexes. Noteworthy, the difference between the completion time for both paper (mean = 6:38min) and electronic version (mean = 7:29min) was not statistically significant (n=100; p =0.11). Patients did not report any difficulty in completing the electronic version during cognitive interviews and were able to understand and respond spontaneously. Conclusion: Measurement equivalence has been demonstrated for the paper and electronic application of the HM-PRO.

Метафорическая репрезентация миграции в медиадискурсе США

This study focuses on the metaphorical features of migration representation in the American press. According to the cognitive approach on which our research is based, the metaphor is an important phenomenon in understanding the surrounding reality. The study of linguistic material and the description of metaphorical models allowed us to identify attitudes towards migrants at the present stage of development of American society. The analysis of conceptual metaphors was carried out by means of a continuous sample of electronic versions of the American media and made it possible to distinguish three main groups: metaphors that personify natural phenomena and natural disasters, military and commodity-thing metaphors. An analysis of the factual material suggests a negative stereotype associated with migrants in the minds of Americans.

Band Tunable Microcavity Perovskite Artificial Human Photoreceptors.

Electronic device versions of the neural functions of the human retina have high potential for use in artificial vision. This study demonstrates halide perovskite artificial human photoreceptors with specific photoresponses to red, green, and blue colors, which are consistent with human retinal photoreceiving cones and rods. In contrast to the current programmable spectral-response technologies, a novel microcavity structure is combined in this study with a perovskite absorber to achieve a targeted spectrum without using external optical filters. The fabricated artificial photoreceptors exhibit excellent performance including a high detectivity of more than 1013 Jones, a large linear dynamic range of 154 dB, and a short response time of 580 ns. These values are equal to or better than those of the natural human retina. These devices can easily be monolithically integrated on a single flexible substrate by using vacuum deposition, and a true proof-of-concept full-color image reconstruction is demonstrated.

Pedagogical science in Russia: Much history, no strategies

Introduction. In recent years, thematic educational issues involve only already familiar concepts: Unified State Exam, standards, textbooks. An academic science has been completely caught up into the administrative reforms imposed on it; there are no fresh ideas. It is well known that when scientific successes are modest, history, an endless exploration of the past instead of a strategic analysis of the future, is used. The aim of the present article was a critical discussion of the subject, goals and content of modern pedagogical research, reasons for scientists’ focus on historical context of education, their isolation from the current situation and the strategy for its further development. Methodology and research methods. The methods of system-based and comparative analysis, synthesis and generalisation of the content of 30-volume series “Basic Research of the Institute of Theory and History of Pedagogy of the Russian Academy of Education” (now – Research Institute of Educational Development Strategy) as well as quality and results of independent scientific reviewing of 12 monographs of this series. Results and scientific novelty. By the example of the analytical review of a big cycle of the scientific publications prepared by the staff of the oldest authoritative organisation – Russian Academy of Education, an attempt was made to give a representative assessment of the state of problem focused on the interrelation of history and modern pedagogical theory, which is relevant for pedagogics and humanitarian field of knowledge in general. Summarising the issue and the series of monographs, the analysis showed the absolute predominance of the historical themes of scientific research over theoretical predictions, avoiding real educational practice and its critical analysis by the leading research teams of the Russian Academy of Education. Meanwhile, the increase in negative tendencies in primary and secondary vocational professional education requires the active participation of the representatives of scientific community. From the conclusions it may be understood that there is no institute for reviewing scientific reports and publications, no examination of the content, relevance and importance of monographs recommended for publication. Editorial boards become honorary structures and, in fact, are inactive; reviewers do not carry out a preliminary analysis of manuscripts, the result of which is content and technical errors. Circulations of really important published works are small; they are only enough for presentations and official distribution. Practical significance. The recommendations and proposals for the selection of topics and content of pedagogical research, increasing the relevance of scientific pedagogy and its orientation to contemporary problems of education, were formulated. The lack of financial opportunities to produce mass editions of scientific works should be filled up by creating their electronic versions and posting of the full text of published monographs on websites in order to ensure their availability for the main consumers of scientific results – teachers. The dedicated websites should be interactive and allow readers to evaluate the quality and practical value of a scientific product online. The scientific conference summing up the positive and negative results of the study of the authors of monographs with a public announcement of their significance is intended to be a mandatory result of the release of a series of monographic works.

Rethinking Print Periodicals Holdings Retention Policy in Small Academic Libraries

Collection development policies in small academic libraries may lack a formal policy statement about print periodical holdings retention. However, there is a need for a distinct policy about print periodicals holdings and their retention. Periodicals collections at academic libraries have been greatly affected by publishers’ decisions to discontinue print journal formats and move to online-only electronic versions. The move from one format to another produces challenges to the retention of an effective print periodicals collection. Given these continuous changes in publication format, it is necessary for academic libraries to rethink their print periodicals holdings retention. This article will present a literature review on and case study of periodicals collection management and explore strategies for developing holdings policies and guidelines for retention. It will argue that collection development policies ought to include a separate policy for the print periodicals collection and that unlike their reputation for being time-consuming and inflexible, periodical retention policies can improve flexibility and guide in decision making, helping to preserve core titles and acquire new titles that support academic programs and the work of the college community.

Proposal of a Standardized Electronic Health Record for Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Electronic Health Records are electronic versions of patients’ healthcare records. An electronic health record gathers, creates and stores the health record electronically. The electronic health record has been slow to be adopted by healthcare providers. The proposed electronic health record will improve clinical documentation, quality, healthcare utilization tracking, billing and coding and make health records portable. The core components of an electronic health record include administrative functions, computerized physician order entry, lab systems, radiology systems, pharmacy systems and clinical documentation. The proposed electronic copy of the patient's health record includes all of data and important information of the patient and the patients' history and the history of the family in cooperation with the doctor. Examples of the information available in the proposed electronic health record: Patient personal information, medications, laboratory tests results, X-rays, vital symptoms and other results. It is a website that aims to serve the health community through a standardized electronic health records for all hospitals and clinics in the Saudi Arabia Kingdom. A doctor can, through this electronic records, input and read a health record and know about health history of the patient. Consequently, it will be easy for a doctor to diagnose and treat a patient in a correct way. The proposed system is reduced medical errors through exchanging experiences among doctors and knowing drugs that conflicted with similar previous health conditions. The experimental results conclude that the working environment would be improved the performance of health professionals, reduce operation/administrative costs and enhance patient safety.

Mikhail Prishvin's «Diaries» as a publishing project

The research centers upon the bibliographical study of the history (1991–2017) and prehistory (1957–1990) of M. M. Prishvin’s «Diaries» (1905–1954) publication recognized as the longest (18 volumes) diaries in Russian literature. In modern science Prishvin’s «Diaries» are studied in a number of aspects: as a historical and cultural chron­icle of the country in 1905–1954; the writer’s self-consciousness and creative laboratory; a fiction text in the system of its motives, literary and philosophical contexts, as well as from the point of view of its publishing fate which is narrowly understood as a fragmentary history of its publication. The paper novelty is due to, first, reconstruction of the history and prehistory of the «Diaries» publication, and second, the system analysis of the publication history in connection with the changing economic models of publishing business, types of publishing houses, their repertoire, strategies, and features of the editorial work during the publication of the collected works. Moreover, the author distinguishes three types of ego-texts in Prishvin’s works (sketch books, diary, and diary books) and, accordingly, different publication strategies. The study reveals that within the prehistory of the «Diaries» publication there were two main approaches to their publishing: first, they were published in shortened versions (1986); second, in fragmentary versions based on the thematic or chronological principle, most often in a journal variant. Prishvin’s «Diaries» are considered in the context of the writer’s whole collected works: the pre-Soviet («Znanie Publishing House», 1912–1914) and the Soviet («Gosizdat», 1927–1930, 1929–1931; «Goslitizdat», 1935–1939; «Khudozhestvennaya literature», 1982–1986) periods. The history of Prishvin’s «Diaries» publication in the post-Soviet period is described as a collective book project carried out by the efforts of five state and non-state publishing houses: «Moskovskii Rabochii» (1991–1995), «Russkaya kniga» (1999–2004), «ROSSPEN» (2012); «Novyi Khronograf» (2013–2014); and «Rostok» (2006–2017). The author demonstrates the «Diaries» connection with the repertoire and strategies of these publishers. After the reconstruction of the history and prehistory of Prishvin’s «Diaries» publication from the initial fragments to full print and electronic versions, the author convincingly proves that this long-term collective book project belongs to the local history of the Russian publishing industry in the XX–XXI centuries.

A Low-Cost National Cooperative Store: The CONZUL Experience

The Council of New Zealand University Librarians (CONZUL) has developed a low-cost and pragmatic solution to pressing storage problems. The CONZUL Store is a cooperative agreement between the eight university libraries, which, by using commercial storage, has avoided the huge costs of a new or adapted building. Because all storage is local, lodged items are close enough to make retrieval convenient if necessary. Using several locations spreads the risk of losing everything in a single disaster. To make it possible for items to be moved quickly, CONZUL adopted the process of ‘consecutive deposit’ in which one library lodged all its items first, made a list of them that was put onto an extranet, and then the second library could safely dispose of duplicate items already deposited and just move the remaining items it wanted to lodge in the Store. The current contract ends in 2023 and at that time it is possible the Store will be closed (this will be reviewed in 2022) because it is likely that many journals will have electronic versions safely archived by publishers or large cooperatives.

Interactive Summary of Findings tables: the way to present and understand results of systematic reviews.

The JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports continues to enhance its systematic reviews by including GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) Summary of Findings (SoF) tables. Summary of Findings tables are concise, tabular summaries of the evidence that address a specific health-related question.1 They include information about the main outcomes, the type and number of studies, the relative and absolute estimates of the effect or association, important comments and a plain language summary to aid interpretation and a rating of the certainty of evidence (also known as quality of the evidence).1 Several randomized trials have shown that well designed SoF tables improve understanding and retrieval of information from a systematic review2-4 and they are a standard feature of Cochrane and are often used in other reviews.5-7 However, in the GRADE Working Group's DECIDE project (www.decide-collaboration.eu)8 and during guideline development work, it became apparent that a “flexible standardization” of presenting information in SoF tables is required to further enhance understanding and uptake of information. These observations led to the development of electronic interactive versions of SoF tables (iSoFs) that allow presenting the same underlying information in several formats that vary in content and graphical layout. These electronic versions are available on dedicated websites and, from this issue of the journal, are linked directly from the standard SoF and text of a Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) systematic review. An example is available in Vincze et al.9 evaluating the use of nutrition for gestational and postpartum weight management in this issue of the journal. Low certainty evidence from 23 studies in 5230 patients compiled in the review suggests that nutritional interventions may reduce gestational weight gain, a continuous outcome described in this iSoF: https://bit.ly/2Ofg9Av, by 1.25 (95% confidence interval: 0.4 to 2.1) kg compared with other interventions. Authors of JBI systematic reviews will use the GRADE Working Group's official tool, GRADEpro (McMaster University/EvidencePrime, Inc., Hamilton, ON, Canada), to create these iSoF tables. The integrated GRADE Handbook provides guidance for how to create iSoFs, how to embed them in other documents, such as systematic reviews, Health Technology Assessment reports and healthcare guidelines where they can function as decision support tools and aids. Detailed guidance for how to produce SoF tables is also available in GRADE research articles that describe good practices and the process for creating accurate SoF tables for interventions and diagnostic test accuracy reviews.4,10-14 Examples of the use of iSoFs include recent European Commission Breast Cancer guidelines and American Society of Hematology guidelines where recommendations are supported by an iSoF.15-18 We are delighted that the JBI has taken this innovative step to include iSoF tables in their reviews. These steps will make for better evidence integration in decision tools and sharing globally.

VALIDATION OF A COMPUTER-BASED SYSTEM FOR THE COLLECTION OF PATIENT REPORTED OUTCOME MEASURES IN PEDIATRIC SPORTS MEDICINE

Background: In orthopedics, patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) have become popularized due to an increase in patient-centered research and pay for performance reimbursement models. Most pediatric PROMs have been utilized and validated in paper format. However, the use of a computer-based system may improve patient and physician efficiency, decrease cost, ensure completion, provide instantaneous information, and minimize inconvenience. The purpose of the study is to validate the use, evaluate patient satisfaction, and review differences of electronic compared to paper PROMs in a pediatric sports medicine practice. Methods: New patients between 12 – 19 years of age with a knee-related primary complaint were identified prior to their appointment. Patients were then randomized into two groups to complete standard clinical PROMs; including the Pedi-IKDC, HSS Pedi-FABS, Tegner Activity Scale, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and PedsQL-Teen. Group 1 completed paper forms followed by electronic, while Group 2 received the electronic format followed by paper, with a 10-minute break between formats in each group. Following the completion of PROMs, subjects completed a satisfaction survey. A Pearson’s correlation was used to calculate the association between the measures and a paired t-test to compare means between electronic and paper forms. Reliability analysis was conducted using an ICC calculation. Results: 87 subjects were enrolled with one excluded due to incomplete PROMs, for a total of 86. 54 subjects were female and 32 were male with an average age of 14.3 years (range 12-18). A high degree of reliability was found when comparing the paper and electronic versions of the Pedi-IKDC, HSS Pedi-FABS, PedsQL 13-18 and the Tegner activity scale (Figure 1). Differences were noted between the VAS scores, with paper scores being significantly higher than electronic (5.3 vs 4.6, p<0.001). Excluding the 10-minute break, it took subjects an average of 21.3 minutes to complete the PROMs. Although not significant, electronic PROMs took less time than paper on average (10.0 min vs 11.2 min, p=0.096). All subjects endorsed that PROMs captured on paper were the same as electronic with 69.8% of subjects preferring the electronic PROMs. 67.4% of subjects reported they felt the electronic format was faster, with only 5.8% of patients reporting the electronic forms were hard or confusing. 93.0% stated they would complete forms at home prior to appointments if it were an option and 91.8% were not concerned about the safety/privacy of electronic forms. Conclusion/Significance: PROMs captured electronically were reliable and valid when compared to paper, with differences noted only on the VAS. Electronic PROMs may be quicker, will not require manual scoring, and are preferred by patients. Electronic PROMs will improve the clinician’s ability to collect complete and validated data while reducing the burden on the clinical staff and patients. [Figure: see text]

Electronic Patient-Reported Outcome Validation: Disablement in the Physically Active Scale.

Determining patient outcomes is essential to quality health care. Administering electronic patient-reported outcomes measures (PROMs) offers potential advantages, including faster completion and efficient data access and storage. However, commonly used PROMs have not been studied across multiple administration modes, limiting clinicians to paper forms until the electronic versions are validated. To determine the validity of an electronic version of the Disablement in the Physically Active (DPA) scale compared with the paper version. Electronic and paper versions of the DPA scale were randomly administered to 117 participants (38 women, 79 men; age = 21.6 ± 5.9 years) 24 to 48 hours apart. Responses were compared using Pearson product moment correlations, canonical correlations, and covariance modeling. The electronic version of the DPA scale was strongly correlated with the paper version when compared using a bivariate correlation (r = 0.86, P < .001) or covariance modeling approach (r = 0.90, P < .001). The electronic version of the DPA scale was comparable with the paper version, making the former more efficient for use in athletic training. This study provides a template for other clinician-researchers to perform similar evaluations of electronic PROMs to determine their equivalency with the paper versions before implementing them in practice.

Author Correction: Per2 induction limits lymphoid-biased haematopoietic stem cells and lymphopoiesis in the context of DNA damage and ageing.

In the version of this Article originally published, the authors mistakenly used the same images for the Fig. 2d Per-/- upper Merge, DAPI and p-RPA2 (Ser33), and Fig. 3e upper 2 months, WT Per2 DAPI and Merge panels. The correct images from these experiments, and their correctly sized scale bars, are shown below. In addition, the full dataset of representative images for Figs 2d and 3e, and the numerical source data of the corresponding quantifications of Figs 2c and 3f, have been uploaded to Figshare ( https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.4353791.v1 ). In addition, the Methods section did not provide sufficient detail on how immunoblot experiments were conducted. Western blots were repeated three times using the antibodies stated in the Methods. PER2 blots were obtained using the PER2 antibody (Millipore, AB2202); except in the PER2 blots in the Repeat 1 experiments corresponding to Fig. 3g and 3k, where the PER2 antibody from BD Transduction (611138) was used. Repeats 1 and 2 were imaged using ECL and LI-COR methods, and Repeat 3 only used the LI-COR system. The images presented in the paper were from Repeat 3 and were stored electronically and as printouts, however the electronic versions were cropped as depicted in Supplementary Fig. 6. Repeat 1 images were stored electronically and Repeat 2 images only as printouts. In addition - with the exception of Figs 2g (ATM), 3g (PER2, Repeat 1A), 3k (PER2, PUMA, p21, BAX, BCL2) and Supplementary Fig. 1a of Repeat 1, in which actin immunoblots were loading controls processed from the same membranes used to detect the target proteins - in all other cases the actin blots were sample processing controls that were run in parallel using the same lysates and loading concentrations that were used for the detection of the target proteins. The electronic images from Repeat 1 and the printout images of Repeats 2 and 3 have been uploaded to Figshare ( https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.4353791.v1 ). Finally, there is an error in the protein size label of the p-CHK1 blot of Fig. 2f and the corresponding blot in Supplementary Fig. 6, which should read '55KD' instead of '50KD'.

Building the Network of Minority Health Research Investigators: A Novel Program to Enhance Leadership and Success of Underrepresented Minorities in Biomedical Research

Background: To address the myriad of health problems and disparities that affect the United States (US) population, the mix of health care professionals and researchers must reflect the full diversity of the nation. There continues to be discrepancy between the number of trained scientists and bio­medical researchers from underrepresented populations relative to the overall popula­tion. A scarcity of formal and informal net­working opportunities for minority research­ers and health care providers contribute to this lack of diversity.Objective: The purpose of this article is to report the outcomes of an established junior minority faculty mentoring program. The Network of Minority Health Research Investigators (NMRI) was established by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) in 2002. We present outcome data from 2008 to the present.Methods: The Oversight and Planning Committees of the NMRI developed an 18-question survey. The NMRI program analyst conducted a pilot test of the survey and made modifications to ensure readabil­ity and understanding. From 2008 – 2018, we administered the survey in both paper and electronic versions to junior and senior members of NMRI. Descriptive results identified the participants. We used open coding to extrapolate recurring statements, words, and themes that were organized into four final categories: reasons for attending NMRI; mentoring; career development; and social support.Results: Participants were primarily post-doctoral researchers or assistant professors seeking promotion to instructor or associ­ate professor with tenure (64%). Consistent reasons for participating in the Network included: career development; emotional support; mentorship for research; devel­oping or refining skills for grant writing; lab management; poster presentations; and applying for tenure. Areas of research interest included diabetes, kidney diseases, nutrition, obesity, and bioinformatics.Conclusions: While the number of respons­es to the survey varied annually, the qualita­tive results suggest that career development and social support provided through the Network were the largest motivators for participation. Ethn Dis. 2019;29(Suppl 1):119-122; doi:10.18865/ed.29.S1.119.

Building the Network of Minority Health Research Investigators: A Novel Program to Enhance Leadership and Success of Underrepresented Minorities in Biomedical Research.

To address the myriad of health problems and disparities that affect the United States (US) population, the mix of health care professionals and researchers must reflect the full diversity of the nation. There continues to be discrepancy between the number of trained scientists and biomedical researchers from underrepresented populations relative to the overall population. A scarcity of formal and informal networking opportunities for minority researchers and health care providers contribute to this lack of diversity. The purpose of this article is to report the outcomes of an established junior minority faculty mentoring program. The Network of Minority Health Research Investigators (NMRI) was established by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) in 2002. We present outcome data from 2008 to the present. The Oversight and Planning Committees of the NMRI developed an 18-question survey. The NMRI program analyst conducted a pilot test of the survey and made modifications to ensure readability and understanding. From 2008 - 2018, we administered the survey in both paper and electronic versions to junior and senior members of NMRI. Descriptive results identified the participants. We used open coding to extrapolate recurring statements, words, and themes that were organized into four final categories: reasons for attending NMRI; mentoring; career development; and social support. Participants were primarily post-doctoral researchers or assistant professors seeking promotion to instructor or associate professor with tenure (64%). Consistent reasons for participating in the Network included: career development; emotional support; mentorship for research; developing or refining skills for grant writing; lab management; poster presentations; and applying for tenure. Areas of research interest included diabetes, kidney diseases, nutrition, obesity, and bioinformatics. While the number of responses to the survey varied annually, the qualitative results suggest that career development and social support provided through the Network were the largest motivators for participation.

BLAME-FRAME AND PRAISE-FRAME ON THE BOKO HARAM TERRORISM IN NIGERIA NEWSPAPERS: A DISCOURSE EXAMININATION

Boko Haram, as reported by the media, has been terrorising Nigeria, especially since 2009.&nbsp; Linguistic studies on terrorism and Boko Haram in Nigeria have considered, among others, the representations of the group by the media and policy makers.&nbsp; However, insufficient discourse attention has been devoted to the framing tactics deployed by social actors in identifying the roles played by two administrations in the escalation or denigration of Boko Haram terrorism in Nigeria.&nbsp; Yet, the consideration can lend further insights into the Boko Haram operations, and identifying the possible failures and successes in curbing the menace in Nigeria.&nbsp;&nbsp; Therefore, this paper examines the strategies deployed by social actors (political, religious and ethnic) as reported by selected newspapers to identify the roles played by two administrations in the State, Nigeria. For data, different utterances on the blame-praise frames, credited to different social actors are purposively selected from the electronic versions of newspapers from 2013 to 2017 (two years each from two administrations).&nbsp; Guided by aspects of critical discourse analysis, with bias for van Dijk’s ideological structures, the study revealed that there are two broad frames on the administrations: blame-frame and praise-frame.&nbsp; The blame-frame strategies include blame-frame as propaganda tactic, finger-pointing and demonization strategy, justification for political migration, buck passing, and social-control technique.&nbsp; The praise-frame strategies include praise-frame for ventilation and behavioural reinforcement, strengthening bilateral relations, proof of change actualization, and self-praise.&nbsp; The frames are reinforced with sixteen ideological discourse structures, including 'actor description', 'authority', 'categorisation', among others.

Molecular identifications in experiments with astronomical ice analogues: new data, old strategies, and the N2 + acetone system

A recent publication on the radiation chemistry and IR spectroscopy of N2 + acetone ices is used to illustrate some of the difficulties encountered in the study of astronomical ice analogues. Concerns and problems are identified and suggestions for their solution are presented, including new infrared (IR) spectra of amorphous ices. The hazards of using peak positions alone for assignments of the IR spectra of irradiated ices are illustrated, and the importance of considering the underlying reaction chemistry is shown. Several experiments are proposed as a way to investigate the behaviour of acetone in cold, extraterrestrial environments. Electronic versions of IR spectra are provided and several new refractive indices of ices are reported.