Establishing Quality Criteria Research Articles

Assessing Credibility: Quality Criteria for Patients, Caregivers, and the Public in Online Health Information-A Qualitative Study.

The increasing reliance on the Internet for health information has raised concerns about patients using unreliable and potentially harmful content. This study aimed to establish quality criteria to assist patients, caregivers, and the public in evaluating the reliability of online health information. We conducted focus group workshops with 25 participants recruited across Canada, proficient in either English or French. The participants included 13 females and 12 males, with the majority having a college or higher level of education. Through an in-depth analysis comparing various aspects, the participants determined 6 quality criteria: authorship, reliability, usefulness, accessibility, readability, and privacy & confidentiality. The findings from this study present a comprehensive list of quality criteria that will contribute to developing evidence-based quality benchmarks and policy frameworks in multiple languages. These criteria are not only valid but also well-suited to the diverse needs and preferences of patients and the public, providing a reliable framework for evaluating online health information through an evidence-based approach.

Added Value of Computed Tomography Angiography Prior to Bronchial Artery Embolization for Hemoptysis: A Retrospective Two-Center Study

Objectives: The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the added value of pre-procedural computed tomography angiography (CTA) prior to bronchial artery embolization for patients presenting with hemoptysis.
 Materials and Methods: In this retrospective study, we evaluated patients admitted for hemoptysis from 2010 to 2021 and treated by catheter-directed embolization. After establishing quality criteria for pre-procedural computed tomography (CT), patients were divided into two groups depending on their pre-procedural imaging assessment: Quality CT-angiography (QCTA group) and suboptimal pre-procedural imaging (suboptimal CTA, unenhanced or no CT evaluation; control group). Groups were compared based on radiological success, procedure-related complications, and clinical success, including cessation of hemoptysis, recurrence rates, and overall mortality.
 Results: We included 31 patients in the QCTA group, and 35 in the control group. Clinical success was n = 24/31 (77.4%) in the QCTA group and n = 27/35 (77.1%) in the control group (p = 0.979). Technical success was n = 37/42 (88.1%) in the QCTA group and n = 39/42 (92.86%) in the control group (p = 0.820). Overall recurrence was 10.6%. Minor complications occurred in 27.3%, and one major complication was reported.
 The concordance between the affected bleeding lung and the identification of pathological arteries during angiography was better in the QCTA group (p = 0.045).
 The average number of culprit arteries (bronchial, non-bronchial systemic arteries [NBSA] or pulmonary) in the QCTA group was not significantly higher than that in the control group.
 Conclusions: Preprocedural QCTA better identifies the affected bleeding lung and bleeding vessels compared to direct angiography. No difference in clinical success, complications, recurrence rates, or mortality was observed.

Comparative thermokinetic study of vegetable oils and deoxygenated derivatives

This study shows the usefulness of thermokinetic analysis in the characterization of vegetable oils and their deoxygenated derivatives (bioparaffin mixtures). The approach allows obtaining information about the complexity and nature of the process rate-controlling steps (inter- or intra-molecular), to establish quality criteria and to estimate the cohesive forces in liquids and fuels in general. The study also reveals the influence of the gaseous products, Ps, on the limit temperature, Tl, at which the liquid–vapor interface coexists or vanishes. The presence of multiple steps and stages, and the energy barrier variability between ∼ 120 and > 250 kJ mol−1 in the starting vegetable oils, demonstrates the importance of the origin and composition of triglyceride and the effect of unsaturation degree (C = C)n in the fatty acid degradation pathway. Besides, the isoconversional analysis of the deoxygenated products (bioparaffins) describes a kinetics controlled by a single-step, with almost constant activation energy barriers ∼ 70 kJ mol−1, related to the inter-molecular cohesive forces, usually E(α) < 100 kJ mol−1, equivalent to the vaporization enthalpy, ΔvH. The results are validated by a complementary thermokinetic analysis of pure solvents (n-decane and n-hexadecane). Finally, the study describes several experimental observations of great relevance and interest to understand and control the nature of thermally activated processes in vegetable oils and biofuels.

Performance comparison of measurement microphones and microbarometers for sound pressure measurements near wind power plants

Reliable assessment of airborne infrasound emitted by natural and technical sources has been gaining importance, while technology is limited and regulations are not sufficient in the infrasound frequency range. This paper provides a comparison of measurement microphones and microbarometers used for infrasound measurements in the field near wind power plants. Simultaneous measurements with both sensor systems were conducted at multiple sites in the vicinity of a wind park. Based on these measurements, it was shown that wind-induced noise is a major concern when measuring infrasound in the field. For this reason, additional experiments were conducted in an aeroacoustic wind tunnel to further investigate the sensitivity to wind of the sensors used. A combination of field measurements and laboratory experiments was applied to determine the influence of wind-induced noise in a real-life situation and multiple strategies are discussed for establishing quality criteria and controlling the influence of wind on such measurements.

Fuzzy model for predicting the strength of mortars made with Pozzalani cement and volcanic sand from electrical resistivity

Coating mortars act as a physical barrier to protect the load-bearing structure against corrosion. However, not all mortars have the same protective capacity. Hydration in the early ages of manufactured mortars is a very influential parameter in their electrical resistivity values and in the evolution of their mechanical performance. In this work, the electrical resistivity data and its relationship with the evolution of the mechanical strength in different mortar dosages are analysed. From the data obtained, a predictive system with fuzzy logic is designed with the aim of predicting the value of the compressive strength of the mortar at the age of 28 days based on the electrical resistivity measurement obtained within the first seven days after its manufacture. The designed system has been validated with data from other mortar dosages not included in the design, proving to be a useful tool for establishing quality criteria for coating mortars.

Added Value of Computed Tomography Angiography Prior to Bronchial Artery Embolization for Hemoptysis: A Retrospective Two-Center Study.

The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the added value of pre-procedural computed tomography angiography (CTA) prior to bronchial artery embolization for patients presenting with hemoptysis. In this retrospective study, we evaluated patients admitted for hemoptysis from 2010 to 2021 and treated by catheter-directed embolization. After establishing quality criteria for pre-procedural computed tomography (CT), patients were divided into two groups depending on their pre-procedural imaging assessment: Quality CT-angiography (QCTA group) and suboptimal pre-procedural imaging (suboptimal CTA, unenhanced or no CT evaluation; control group). Groups were compared based on radiological success, procedure-related complications, and clinical success, including cessation of hemoptysis, recurrence rates, and overall mortality. We included 31 patients in the QCTA group, and 35 in the control group. Clinical success was n = 24/31 (77.4%) in the QCTA group and n = 27/35 (77.1%) in the control group (p = 0.979). Technical success was n = 37/42 (88.1%) in the QCTA group and n = 39/42 (92.86%) in the control group (p = 0.820). Overall recurrence was 10.6%. Minor complications occurred in 27.3%, and one major complication was reported.The concordance between the affected bleeding lung and the identification of pathological arteries during angiography was better in the QCTA group (p = 0.045).The average number of culprit arteries (bronchial, non-bronchial systemic arteries [NBSA] or pulmonary) in the QCTA group was not significantly higher than that in the control group. Preprocedural QCTA better identifies the affected bleeding lung and bleeding vessels compared to direct angiography. No difference in clinical success, complications, recurrence rates, or mortality was observed.

Editorial to the Special Issue: (Re)Establishing quality criteria for content analysis: A critical perspective on the field’s core method

Die Inhaltsanalyse stellt eine zentrale Methode der Kommunikationswis- senschaft dar. Doch sie sieht sich gegenwärtig mit mehreren Herausforderungen konfrontiert, etwa neuen Verfahren, Daten oder Messungen aus dem Bereich der “Computational Me- thods.” Ziel dieses Themenhefts ist es, methodische Fortschritte und Anpassungsprozesse der Inhaltsanalyse zu diskutieren. Die sechs Beiträge konzentrieren sich entsprechend auf (neu) etablierte Qualitätskriterien und zeigen, dass die manuelle Inhaltsanalyse (sowie menschliche Kodierende) nach wie vor den Kern unserer Methodologie bilden. Die Beiträge illustrieren aber auch, dass traditionelle Qualitätskriterien neu interpretiert und angeglichen werden, oft- mals als Konsequenz einer zunehmend präsenten Open-Science-Kultur sowie automatisierter Verfahren. Das Themenheft unterstreicht dabei die Bedeutung weitergehender Überlegungen zur Konzeption und Messung traditioneller (Validität, Reliabilität), neu zu etablierender (Reproduzierbarkeit, Robustheit und Replizierbarkeit) sowie neuer (z. B. Ethik) Qualitätskriteri- en. Diese und die nächste Ausgabe des Themenheftes bringen hierfür Erkenntnisse innerhalb und außerhalb unserer Disziplin zusammen, um die Inhaltsanalyse als Methode voranzubringen.

Análise integrada da paisagem pela perspectiva conceitual da paisagem de exceção: uma revisão sistemática da literatura

A ciência geográfica tem o conceito de paisagem como um dos pilares para suas análises e estudos acadêmicos. Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo a elaboração de uma revisão sistemática da literatura sobre o conceito de paisagem de exceção, com enfoque em uma abordagem integrada. A adoção dos procedimentos metodológicos da revisão sistemática da literatura permitiu observar, no decorrer dos anos, como vem sendo discutido o conceito de paisagem de exceção na área da geografia, bem como os autores desenvolvem suas pesquisas sobre tema. Portanto, a partir do contexto estabelecido, formulou-se a seguinte questão de pesquisa: “Quais os conceitos adotados para a termologia de paisagem de exceção e como são abordados na literatura?”. Para responder a essa questão foi desenvolvida uma revisão sistemática da literatura, a partir da consulta na base de dados do Google Scholar. Vale destacar que esta base indexa as principais bases adotadas para a geografia, tais como Scielo e ScienceDirect, em uma pesquisa aprofundada tendo 2022 como ano final de análise. A consulta a base de dados retornou um total de 802 entradas, após o refinamento realizado para identificar a qualidade e aderência a pesquisa adotou-se um total de 76 artigos, os quais discutem paisagem de exceção. Dentro da revisão foram estabelecidos parâmetros para conter as ameaças a validade do estudo, tais como testagem da string de busca com artigo base e estabelecimento de critérios de qualidade por estudo. Logo, através desta pesquisa é possível identificar a tendencia de publicação sobre o tema, os locais de publicação, os principais autores sobre o assunto, a principal referência adotada ao discutir paisagens de exceção e a local da área de estudo apontada.Palavras-chave: conceitos, análise integrada da Paisagem, Paisagem de Exceção. Integrated analysis of the landscape from the conceptual perspective of the landscape of exception: a systematic review of the literature A B S T R A C TGeographical science has the concept of landscape as one of the pillars for its academic analyses and studies. This research aimed to elaborate a systematic literature review on the concept of exception landscape, focusing on an integrated approach. The adoption of the methodological procedures of systematic literature review allowed us to observe, throughout the years, how the concept of exception landscape has been discussed in the area of geography, as well as how authors develop their research on the subject. Therefore, from the established context, the following research question was formulated: "What are the concepts adopted for the terminology of landscape of exception and how are they addressed in the literature?". To answer this question a systematic review of the literature was developed, starting with the consultation in the Google Scholar database. It is worth noting that this database indexes the main bases adopted for geography, such as Scielo and ScienceDirect, in an in-depth search having 2022 as the final year of analysis. The database query returned a total of 802 entries, after the refinement performed to identify the quality and adherence to the research a total of 76 articles were adopted, which discuss exception landscape. Within the review parameters were established to contain threats to the validity of the study, such as testing the search string against the base article and establishing quality criteria per study. Therefore, through this research it is possible to identify the trend of publication on the subject, the places of publication, the main authors on the subject, the main reference adopted when discussing exception landscapes and the location of the study area pointed out.Keywords: Landscape; Integrated Landscape Analysis; Exception landscape.

Inrush Current Measurement Methodology of Led Lighting Fixtures

At the time of the article preparation, there were no certified methods of objective measurement of the inrush current of LED luminaries, as well as a standardized definition of the concept of inrush current of LED luminaries in our country. The authors have developed and practically tested on the method of measuring transient processes at the switching on moment of the lighting devices (LD), allowing objectively characterizing its inrush current. The method for measuring the transient characteristics at the switching on moment, allowing us to define objectively its inrush current, was suggested. The corresponding terms and definitions were presented. Transient processes observed in the LD at the moment of its switching on are systematized and described. The requirements for test equipment for inrush current measurements were presented. The order of tests and the sequence of evaluating their results were written. Analysis features of inrush current pulses and the determined accuracy of the proposed test methodology were shown. Particular attention is paid to the key element of the test setup, which ensures the activation of the start synchronizer unit at the moment of maximum values of the supply voltage. Such strict fixing of currently turning up moment allows us to minimize measurement errors and to ensure permissible reproducibility of results. It is concluded that after method certification and its inclusion in the list of recommendations for use as a standard document, it will become possible to identify the necessary parameters of LD inrush current pulses what is sufficient for the rational design of power supply systems for illumination installations (II). Thus, the today uncertain situation in the issue of measuring inrush currents will disappear. In addition, while maintaining uniformity in the approach, the technique will allow us to form statistics by real values of inrush currents in electrical systems of II supply on real objects and already on its basis to establish quality criteria for inrush currents values of certain types of II.

Quality Assessment and Antioxidant Activities of the Blossoms of Inula Nervosa Wall.

Currently, although Inula nervosa Wall is substantially investigated, little is understood about blossoms of Inula nervosa Wall (BINW). In this work, we systematically investigated the antioxidant activity of the extract from BINW by various standard assays including 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical ability, 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) di-ammonium salt radical cation (ABTS), and ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP). Chemical compounds were tentatively identified through an UHPLC-QTOF-MS system. Furthermore, the contents of nine compounds were detected with UHPLC method coupled with photodiode array (PDA) detector. By carefully analyzing the quantitative data via clusters analysis and principal component analysis (PCA). Forty-six compounds were tentatively identified, and our results showed that nine compound samples in 21 batches of BINW collected from different areas could be differentiated and analyzed by a heatmap visualization. In addition, the contents of nine compounds (flavonoids, phenolic acids) exhibited a total of higher amounts and better antioxidant activities from Yunnan than those from the other three origins. Our study not only developed a powerful platform to explain the difference between traditional Chinese medicines species that are closely related through the chemometric and chemical profiling, but also presented a useful method to establish quality criteria of BINW with multiple origins. To characterize the BINW in detail, we not only performed DPPH, FRAP, and ABTS assays to investigate its antioxidant activity, but also established UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS- and UHPLC-PDA-based methods to comprehensively identify and qualitatively analyze its components.

Co-Creating and Implementing Quality Criteria for Citizen Science

Citizen science is increasingly recognized as a valid research methodology by the research community and policy makers alike. In our experience, however, citizen science is sometimes used as a catchall term for activities that involve scientific and democratic innovation, resource efficiency in scientific processes, outreach, and education. We fear that this use of the term citizen science risks undermining the recognition of citizen science in academia as well as among citizen scientists and the general public in the longer term. Informed by these concerns, we report on a transdisciplinary attempt to establish quality criteria to decide in a transparent manner which citizen science projects are listed on Osterreich forscht, an Austrian citizen science platform that is based on an established network of citizen scientists, academic researchers, funding institutions, and research institutions. We present 20 quality criteria and their relationship to existing literature, and describe the process by which they were formulated over a one-year period: a series of transdisciplinary exchanges, concerning what shape citizen science should take in the particular context of Austria, and the potential implications of certain quality criteria for individual disciplines and practitioners. While we realize that any demarcation process is bound to produce exclusionary effects, we argue that the bottom-up, transdisciplinary nature of our working group was a necessary step for Osterreich forscht to strengthen its identity and purpose.

Imaging quality and prostate MR: it is time to improve.

The Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) guidelines set out the minimal technical requirements for the acquisition of multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) of the prostate. However, the rapid diffusion of this technique has inevitably led to variability in scan quality among centres across the UK and the world. Suboptimal image acquisition reduces the sensitivity and specificity of this technique for the detection of clinically significant prostate cancer and results in clinicians losing confidence in the technique.Two expert panels, one from the UK and one from the European Society of Urogenital Radiology (ESUR)/EAU Section of Urologic Imaging (ESUI), have stressed the importance to establish quality criteria for the acquisition of mpMRI of the prostate. A first attempt to address this issue has been the publication of the Prostate Imaging Quality (PI-QUAL) score, which assesses the mpMRI quality against a set of objective criteria (PI-RADS guidelines) together with criteria obtained from the image.PI-QUAL represents the first step towards the standardisation of a scoring system to assess the quality of prostate mpMRI prior to reporting and allows clinicians to have more confidence in using the scan to determine patient care. Further refinements after robust consensus among experts at an international level need to be agreed before its widespread adoption in the clinical setting.

Storage and heat processing affect flavors of cucumber juice enriched with plant extracts

ABSTRACT Volatile compounds are responsible for juice flavor and aroma characteristics. How volatile components in cucumber juice are affected by heating, storage, and mix with aromatic herbs needs clarification. Aroma compounds were identified in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) juices enriched with cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum L.), clove [Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L.M. Perry], mint (Mentha spicata L.), and ginger (Zingiber officinale L.) extracts (as a flavor-enhancer), after 6 months of storage under 75 MPa at room temperature. The aroma compounds identified directly after juice processing were hydrocarbons, alcohols, phenol derivatives, esters, aldehydes, ketones, sulfur compounds, fatty acids, and silicone compounds. Tributyl (E)-prop-1-ene-1,2,3-tricarboxylate, tributyl 2-acetyloxypropane-1,2,3-tricarboxylate, (E)-3,7,11,15-tetramethyl hexadec-2-en-1-ol, and (3E,6Z)-nona-3,6-dien-1-ol were identified in control juice. The 4-thio ethyl 5-acetyl-1-phenyl-6-methyl-1-H pyrimidin2one was the main compound (63.5%), followed by 3-hexen-1-ol, and (E)-3,7,11,15-tetramethyl hexadec-2-en-1-ol (4.5% and 6.54%) in cucumber-clove juice. The 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro1,1,4,4,5-pentamethyl 6-phenylanthracene, sulfur compounds, trans [2-(benzenesulfinylmethyl)-3-phenylcyclopropyl] benzene were detected in ginger-enriched juice. The antibacterial ketone anti 5(1hydroxyundecyl) 3(3methylbutyl) oxazolidin2one was the main compound followed by C6 oxygenated p-menthane monoterpene in cucumber-mint juice. Cyclodecasiloxane eicosamethyl was the main compound followed by cinnamaldehyde in cucumber-cinnamon juice. After 6-month storage, numbers of furans, sulfur amino compounds, phenols, and ketone derivatives increased, while aldehydes compounds decreased. The results could be used to establish quality criteria for commercial production of high-quality cucumber juice.

ESUR/ESUI consensus statements on multi-parametric MRI for the detection of clinically significant prostate cancer: quality requirements for image acquisition, interpretation and radiologists\u2019 training

ObjectivesThis study aims to define consensus-based criteria for acquiring and reporting prostate MRI and establishing prerequisites for image quality.MethodsA total of 44 leading urologists and urogenital radiologists who are experts in prostate cancer imaging from the European Society of Urogenital Radiology (ESUR) and EAU Section of Urologic Imaging (ESUI) participated in a Delphi consensus process. Panellists completed two rounds of questionnaires with 55 items under three headings: image quality assessment, interpretation and reporting, and radiologists’ experience plus training centres. Of 55 questions, 31 were rated for agreement on a 9-point scale, and 24 were multiple-choice or open. For agreement items, there was consensus agreement with an agreement ≥ 70% (score 7–9) and disagreement of ≤ 15% of the panellists. For the other questions, a consensus was considered with ≥ 50% of votes.ResultsTwenty-four out of 31 of agreement items and 11/16 of other questions reached consensus. Agreement statements were (1) reporting of image quality should be performed and implemented into clinical practice; (2) for interpretation performance, radiologists should use self-performance tests with histopathology feedback, compare their interpretation with expert-reading and use external performance assessments; and (3) radiologists must attend theoretical and hands-on courses before interpreting prostate MRI. Limitations are that the results are expert opinions and not based on systematic reviews or meta-analyses. There was no consensus on outcomes statements of prostate MRI assessment as quality marker.ConclusionsAn ESUR and ESUI expert panel showed high agreement (74%) on issues improving prostate MRI quality. Checking and reporting of image quality are mandatory. Prostate radiologists should attend theoretical and hands-on courses, followed by supervised education, and must perform regular performance assessments.Key Points• Multi-parametric MRI in the diagnostic pathway of prostate cancer has a well-established upfront role in the recently updated European Association of Urology guideline and American Urological Association recommendations.• Suboptimal image acquisition and reporting at an individual level will result in clinicians losing confidence in the technique and returning to the (non-MRI) systematic biopsy pathway. Therefore, it is crucial to establish quality criteria for the acquisition and reporting of mpMRI.• To ensure high-quality prostate MRI, experts consider checking and reporting of image quality mandatory. Prostate radiologists must attend theoretical and hands-on courses, followed by supervised education, and must perform regular self- and external performance assessments.

Critères de qualité pour la transition dans la mucoviscidose en France (suivi des adolescents, des familles et des équipes, pour une transition idéale en mucoviscidose – analyse des pratiques professionnelles)

SAFETIM-APP compiled an inventory of professional practice in the 45 French cystic fibrosis reference centres (CFRC), between February 2015 and December 2016, related to the transition of adolescents with cystic fibrosis to adult centres. This multicentre cross-sectional study addressed the modalities of the transition in CFRCs and proposed a list of items that could be used to establish quality criteria. Quantitative analysis of the criteria and a qualitative analysis of the transition procedure were carried out. A total of 77% of the CFRCs that were contacted took part. Transition lasted 3 to 5 years and began at around 15 years of age. Nine criteria were described as fundamental, including: collaboration between teams, taking adolescence into account, having a time for adolescents to speak with the physician alone, defining a program including therapeutic education, involving the family, accompanying the parents. Seven additional criteria were noted to be important, including: re-announcing the diagnosis, identifying a common thread (caregiver) accompanying the family, scheduling adult follow-up from paediatrics onwards, visiting the adult department, organizing a formal departure/reception time, initiating the process early enough, identifying indicators to evaluate practices. The transition processes in place in CFRCs can be improved by implementing the use of these quality criteria systematically.

Incorporating ACPE Standards in a Holistic Approach to School Operations and Accreditation

Auburn University Harrison School of Pharmacy (AUHSOP) implemented a comprehensive, holistic process of continuous quality improvement (CQI) for its program using the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education's (ACPE) Accreditation Standards as the foundation. The process served as a way to increase the impact of the accreditation standards through continuous monitoring and programmatic improvements. Internally generated standards were also included in the CQI process. Design of the program included defining the program, establishing quality criteria, developing a table of measures that provided evaluation metrics, and assessing the program annually. Each year, faculty members, staff, students and other constituents assess the program for strengths, areas for improvement and insights. A CQI report is created and is made available to constituents, including ACPE through the Assessment and Management System (AAMS). Areas for improvement and new goals are then incorporated into the school's strategic plan and committee assignments for the year. Some of the suggestions included making the program appraisal more meaningful and on a continuous, ongoing basis compared to doing an appraisal for accreditation purposes at 8-year intervals. The process has increased constituent awareness of all aspects of the program and prompted numerous improvements since its adoption. A culture of assessment resulted from the process.

Post-operative computed tomography scan - reliable tool for quality assessment of complete mesocolic excision.

BACKGROUNDQuality control in colon cancer surgery is an ongoing debate ever since standardization proved to be highly efficient in improving survival in rectal cancer. Complete mesocolic excision (CME) is widely acclaimed as the new gold-standard in colon cancer resections, thus it is imperative to establish quality criteria of CME in order to make it easily understood and verified by surgeons worldwide. One simple and reproducible tool could be the measurement of arterial stumps postoperatively and a straightforward way to test its reliability is to test it in a comparative study between CME and non-CME surgery.AIMTo validate arterial stump measurement as a surgical quality tool by comparing CME with conventional radical colectomies.METHODSThis was a retrospective study, carried out on a prospective database. We collected data from two groups of patients, divided according to standard CME with D2 central vascular ligation (group A) and non-standardized surgery (group B). The two groups were compared with regard to the arterial stump length after right- and left-sided colectomies for colon cancer. The actual stump lengths of the ileocolic artery (ICA) and inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) were compared with their theoretical best D2 position of predicted ligation levels (D2PLLs) for calculating the potential for improvement. Measurements on follow-up computed tomography scans were carried out by three observers. Pathological data were recorded (specimen length, lymph node yield) and correlated with stump length.RESULTSWe analysed 58 colectomies. The stump lengths (mean ± SD) in group A were 16.97 ± 4.77 mm for ICA and 31.70 ± 15.71 mm for IMA, whereas group B had 49.93 ± 20.29 mm for ICA and 67.24 ± 28.71 mm for IMA. Shorter lengths were obtained in group A, by a mean difference of 35.66 mm (χ2 = 27.38, P < 0.001), which was significant for all types of colectomies. Except for a 5.85 ± 4.71 mm difference for right colectomies, all the ligations from group A significantly reached their potential height (0.26 ± 12.18 mm from D2PLL; χ2 = 0.005, P = 0.944). Apart from three left colectomies, group B failed to reach D2PLL, by a mean difference of 32.14 ± 26.15 mm (χ2 = 21.77, P < 0.001). The calculated improvement potentials were significantly shorter in group A than in group B, by a mean of 31.88 mm (χ2 = 22.13, P < 0.001). The large spread of results in group B showed that there is significant variability (P = 0.004) when compared to standard surgery. Significant correlations were found between stump length, specimen length and number of lymph nodes (P = 0.018 and P = 0.008 respectively). No statistical difference was found between observers’ measurements (P = 0.866).CONCLUSIONArterial stump monitoring is a significant step in defining surgical quality, as longer stumps contain residual mesocolic tissue and correlate with major prognostic factors.

Importance of background values in assessing the impact of heavy metals in river ecosystems: case study of Tisza River, Serbia.

The main objective of this paper is to evaluate how a choice of different background values may affect assessing the anthropogenic heavy metal pollution in sediments from Tisza River (Serbia). The second objective of this paper is to underline significance of using geochemical background values when establishing quality criteria for sediment. Enrichment factor(EF), geoaccumulation index (I geo), pollution load index(PLI), and potential ecological risk index (PERI)were calculated using different background values. Three geochemical (average metal concentrations in continental crust, average metal concentrations in shale, and average metal concentrations in non-contaminated core sediment samples) and two statistical methods (delineation method and principal component analyses) were used for calculating background values. It can be concluded that obtained information of pollution status can be more dependent on the use of background values than the index/factor chosen. The best option to assess the potential river sediment contamination is to compare obtained concentrations of analyzed elements with concentrations of mineralogically and texturally comparable, uncontaminated core sediment samples. Geochemical background values should be taken into account when establishing quality criteria for soils, sediments, and waters. Due to complexity of the local lithology, it is recommended that environmental monitoring and assessment include selection of an appropriate background values to gain understanding of the geochemistry and potential source of pollution in a given environment.

Quality verification of polymer-modified asphalt binder used in hot-mix asphalt pavement construction

In many regions and countries, highway agencies are interested in verifying the quality of asphalt binders placed on roads for quality assurance purpose. Particularly, as PG-graded, polymer modified asphalt (PMA) is increasingly used, the agencies are interested in examining if the specified PMA is fully used in the field or if the PMA has not been severely degraded after storage, handling, and plant production. This research investigated and compared various test methods for such purpose. Besides laboratory-prepared asphalt binder samples, actual pavements built with neat asphalt (pen 60/70), 30% of neat asphalt with 70% of PG76-16 PMA, 15% of neat asphalt with 85% of PMA, and 100% of PMA were used for study. The mixture production and construction processes were carefully planned and monitored to ensure that they are consistent with real construction operations. Test methods evaluated in this study include indirect tensile (IDT) strength and indirect tensile stiffness modulus (ITSM) of field cores, rheological parameters (G∗, δ, temperatures at which G∗/sinδ=2.2kPa) from dynamic shear rheological tests of binders, Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The study found that samples made of different proportions of PMA can be effectively differentiated by IDT strength, phase angle (δ), and FTIR spectrum. Even the FTIR spectra of extracted asphalt binders without being subject to strict binder extraction and evaporation procedure reveal useful information for quality assurance purpose. The study also further proved that RTFO-treated PMA samples cannot be used to establish quality criteria for field-extracted PMA binders because RTFO does not well simulate field aging of PMA.

Las redes de experiencias de salud comunitaria como sistema de información en promoción de la salud: la trayectoria en Aragón

Networks of community health experiences promote interaction and knowledge management in health promotion among their participants. These networks integrate both professionals and social agents who work directly on the ground in small environments, with defined objectives and inclusion criteria and voluntary participation. In this article, networks in Aragon (Spain) are reviewed in order to analyse their role as an information system. The Health Promotion Projects Network of Aragon (Red Aragonesa de Proyectos de Promoción de la Salud, RAPPS) was launched in 1996 and currently includes 73 projects. The average duration of projects is 12.7 years. RAPPS interdisciplinary teams involve 701 people, of which 89.6% are professionals and 10.6% are social agents. The Aragon Health Promoting Schools Network (Red Aragonesa de Escuelas Promotoras de Salud, RAEPS) integrates 134 schools (24.9% of Aragon). The schools teams involve 829 teachers and members of the school community, students (35.2%), families (26.2%) and primary care health professionals (9.8%). Experiences Networks boost citizen participation, have an influence in changing social determinants and contribute to the formulation of plans and regional strategies. Networks can provide indicators for a health promotion information and monitoring system on: capacity building services in the territory, identifying assets and models of good practice, cross-sectoral and equity initiatives. Experiences Networks represent an opportunity to create a health promotion information system, systematising available information and establishing quality criteria for initiatives.