One-page Report Research Articles

In search of solutions to grapevine trunk diseases through "crowd-sourced" science.

Trunk diseases create tremendous problems for the viticulture industry causing significant economical losses due to reduced yields, increased crop management costs for cultural and chemical preventive measures, and shortened life span of the vines (Munkvold et al., 1994; Bertsch et al., 2013). No cures are currently available and the diseased wood is typically removed to limit the spread of infection to other permanent structures of the vine. Knowledge of the mechanisms responsible for the development of these diseases is still limited. Recent advancements in genome sequencing technologies (so-called, Next Generation Sequencing) allow us to quickly catalog the entire repertoire of virulence functions of a plant pathogen, a rapid acquisition of a huge amount of information for organisms that were previously uncharacterized. We have recently released the draft genome sequences of pathogens associated with three major trunk diseases of grapevine: esca dieback (Phaeoacremonium aleophilum), botryosphaeria dieback (Neofusicoccum parvum), and eutypa dieback (Eutypa lata). All data, including the raw sequencing data, have been deposited in public databases (GenBank WGS and SRA archives) and are also hosted on the Cantu Lab website (http://cantulab.github.com). The data is freely available to anybody with no restrictions. Sequencing, assembly and preliminary genomic analyses are described in the journal Genome Announcements published by the American Society of Microbiology (Blanco-Ulate et al., 2013a,b,c). These one-page reports provide scientists that want to use the genomic information with details on the pathogen strains sequenced and how the sequencing and assembly were performed. With the exception of the genome of Botrytis cinerea (Amselem et al., 2011) the fungal agent of bunch rot, to our knowledge these are the first genomes of fungal grape pathogens publicly available. Updates to the current genome versions will be readily shared through the Cantu lab website hosted by GitHub (http://github.com), which will also provide a centralized repository for bioinformatic scripts and pipelines used in the genome analyses. The availability of newer versions will be communicated through Twitter (@CantuLab), or any social media that is widely used. By sharing these novel genomic sequences through rapid public release, we hope to stimulate research/scientific crowdsourcing to understand how these destructive pathogens cause disease, reducing grapevine yield and lifespan. This aggregation of talent and complementary expertise, with no need to initiate formal collaborations, will significantly reduce the time needed to solve these critical viticulture problems. We also hope that our openness will help promote the more collaborative model of scientific approach.

Feedback reporting of survey data to healthcare aides

BackgroundThis project occurred during the course of the Translating Research in Elder Care (TREC) program of research. TREC is a multilevel and longitudinal research program being conducted in the three Canadian Prairie Provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. The main purpose of TREC is to increase understanding about the role of organizational context in influencing knowledge use in residential long-term care settings. The purpose of this study was to evaluate healthcare aides’ (HCAs) perceptions of a one-page poster designed to feed back aggregated data (including demographic information and perceptions about influences on best practice) from the TREC survey they had recently completed.MethodsA convenience sample of 7 of the 15 nursing homes participating in the TREC research program in Alberta were invited to participate. Specific facility-level summary data were provided to each facility in the form of a one-page poster report. Two weeks following delivery of the report, a convenience sample of HCAs was surveyed using one-to-one structured interviews.ResultsOne hundred twenty-three HCAs responded to the evaluation survey. Overall, HCAs’ opinions about presentation of the feedback report and the understandability, usability, and usefulness of the content were positive. For each report, analysis of data and production and inspection of the report took up to one hour. Information sessions to introduce and explain the reports averaged 18 minutes. Two feedback reports (minimum) were supplied to each facility at a cost of CAN$2.39 per report, for printing and laminating.ConclusionsThis study highlights not only the feasibility of producing understandable, usable, and useful feedback reports of survey data but also the value and importance of providing feedback to survey respondents. More broadly, the findings suggest that modest strategies may have a positive and desirable effect in participating sites.

A brief motivational intervention for heavy alcohol use in dental practice settings: Rationale and development

Although brief alcohol interventions have proven effective in a variety of health care settings, the present article describes the development of the first brief intervention for heavy drinkers in dental practice. Elements of motivational interviewing and personalized normative feedback were incorporated in a 3- to 5-minute intervention delivered by dental hygienists. The intervention is guided by a one-page feedback report providing personalized normative feedback regarding the patient's current oral health practices, their drinking in comparison to others, and oral cancer risk associated with current smoking and drinking. Future publications will present data regarding intervention effectiveness from an ongoing randomized trial.

How to write a paper for Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry

How to write a paper for <i>Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry</i>

Max von Laue and the discovery of X‐ray diffraction in 1912

From today’s perspective, only a few discoveries are regarded to be as exciting and as ground-breaking as the discovery of X-ray diffraction by crystals. “The undersigned are engaged since 21 April 1912 with experiments about the interference of X-rays passing through crystals,” a one-page report announced the discovery to the Bavarian Academy of Science. It was signed by Walter Friedrich, Paul Knipping and Max Laue (then still without the “von”) and deposited by Arnold Sommerfeld on 4 May 1912 in order to ascertain the discovery before it was officially communicated in the form of an elaborate paper. “The guiding idea was that interferences arise in consequence of the space lattice structure of the crystals, because the lattice constants are ca. 10 times greater than the conjectured wavelengths of the X-rays.” A simple drawing sketched the experimental arrangement. As evidence for the discovery some exposures were attached.1

Abstract 3640: From Data to Action: Improving Knowledge Translation through Ontario's Stroke Report Cards

Background: The Ontario Stroke Evaluation Program has been reporting on the quality of stroke care since 2005. This information has been used inconsistently by stakeholders outside the stroke system. Consultation with stakeholders revealed that a concise reporting tool was needed. In 2009, the Stroke Evaluation Quality Committee (SEQC) developed a one-page report card to communicate the performance of stroke care in Ontario regionally and provincially. Method: Through a series of internal reviews, and utilizing the Canadian Stroke Strategy 2008 Performance Measurement Manual, the SEQC selected 20 key performance indicators to be presented in the report card. The primary data sources for indicator calculation were the FY 2008/09 Ontario Stroke Audit and FY 2008/09 and 2009/10 Canadian Institute for Health Information acute and inpatient rehabilitation databases. Indicator benchmarks were calculated using the Achievable Benchmarks of Care methodology. Red, green and yellow colour bands were used to rate regional performance relative to the benchmark, red representing poor performance (below the fiftieth percentile), green indicating exemplary performance (within 5% of the benchmark), and yellow representing acceptable performance (at or above the fiftieth percentile but outside of 5% of the benchmark). Stroke directors distributed the report cards to their regional management teams. Feedback about the report card was collected through a focus group with the stroke directors, who provided their own opinions and shared feedback they had received from management teams. Thematic analysis was conducted on qualitative data. Results: Among the fourteen regions, eleven had 1 - 4 indicators exhibiting exemplary performance with minimal indicator overlap (4/11 shared the same indicator). Thematic analysis of focus group data revealed four main themes: 1) Process (strategy of dissemination), 2) Content (information and layout), 3) Utility (function) and 4) Results (management’s responses). Feedback indicated that the report cards were a valuable tool for planning and were helpful in facilitating communication between stroke directors and regional management teams. Stakeholders were satisfied with the content and process of the report cards as well as the potential they have for driving system change. Recommendations for future iterations of the report card, such as the timing of distribution, were also identified for process improvement purposes. Conclusions: The report card is a concise document that serves as a valuable stakeholder communication tool, allowing for consistent planning across the Ontario Stroke System (OSS). The report card and dissemination process has effectively engaged the Ontario stroke regions in dialogue relating to stroke system improvement.

A systematic review of nurses' inter-shift handoff reports in acute care hospitals.

An inter-shift nursing handoff report is the exchange of patient care information for evidence-based nursing and midwifery from one nurse to another, and is a universal procedure used in hospitals to promote continuity of care. The objective of this review was to appraise and synthesize the best available qualitative evidence pertaining to the nursing handoff report at the time of shift change and make recommendations that can enhance the transfer of information between and among nurses, and by extension, improve patient care. The review considered qualitative studies that drew on the experiences of nurses at the time of inter-shift nursing handoff in acute care hospitals, and included designs such as phenomenology, grounded theory, narrative analysis, action research, ethnographic or cultural studies. The search strategy sought to find both published and unpublished research papers. An initial search of the Joanna Briggs Institute for Evidence-Based Nursing and Midwifery, the Cochrane Library, and PubMed's Clinical Inquiry/Find Systematic Review database was conducted. Following this, an extensive three stage search was conducted using PubMed, CINAHL, HealthStar, ScienceDirect, Dissertation Abstracts International, DARE, PsycINFO, BioMedCentral, TRIP, Pre-CINAHL, PsycARTICLES, Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection, ISI Current Contents, Science.gov, Web of Science/Web of Knowledge, Scirus.com website. Included was a hand search of reference lists of identified papers to capture all pertinent material as well as a search of relevant world wide websites and search engines, such as Google Scholar and the Virginia Henderson Library of Sigma Theta Tau International. Each paper was assessed independently, by two reviewers for methodological quality prior to inclusion in the review using the critical appraisal instrument QARI (Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument) developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute for Evidence Based Nursing and Midwifery. A total of 21 qualitative papers were included in the review of the 42 papers retrieved. Twenty-one were excluded as they did not meet the inclusion criteria. Findings were extracted and a meta-synthesis conducted using JBI-QARI. Three syntheses about the process of handoffs at the time of inter-shift nurses' reports in acute care hospitals were derived: 1) An embedded hierarchy exists that influences the conduct of inter-shift nursing handoffs; 2) Participating in inter-shift nursing handoffs are a way of becoming acculturated into the nursing unit's norms, expectations and rituals; 3) The nurse is the gatekeeper of information handed off that is used for subsequent care decisions. There is evidence to support that the current process of inter-shift nurses' reports serves several purposes in addition to transfer of information, including the development of group solidarity. It is apparent from this review that the nurse is the gatekeeper for the flow of information regarding patient care and chooses what information to impart and act upon. Multiple ways of transferring information are recommended for the inter-shift nursing handoff as a way to manage information decay or funneling and to address potential communication gaps due to in congruencies between the medical record, verbal handoff report and actual clinical condition. A consistent guideline is a prerequisite to formulating an optimal shift report given the findings of this review that the quality of information transferred is unpredictable. The guideline needs to take into consideration, not only the exchange of information, but that nurses handle patient information in personal ways. To that end, a one-page report pre-populated with patient demographics, recent vital signs, laboratory results, and other information which can be accessed and printed at point-of-care at the time of change of shift is recommended. As external agencies continue to call for hand-off standardization that may not, in and of itself, reduce risk, further research is needed to determine the associations between inter-shift nursing reports and patient outcomes. Practice model initiatives, such as SBAR (situation-background-assessment-results) need to be investigated to determine if these methods can prevent information loss, particularly in those areas where information decays quickly, such as the Intensive Care Unit. As well, the current shortage of nurses make the composition of the nursing team less stable with more temporary and part-time workers resulting in a decrease in the cohesiveness and social interaction necessary to becoming acculturated in a nursing unit This could present a barrier to communication of important information and contribute to information loss that needs to be investigated.

Biomed Roundup

Discussing the convergence of medical and information technologies, AAMI President Mary Logan told biomeds at a recent Virginia Biomedical Association (VBA) conference in Williamsburg that “if your role isn't changing, you need to ask why. You have an opportunity to frame and manage your future.”She noted, however, that “you could be left in the dust if you don't position yourself to be ready for new and expanded roles.”“Concerns about electrical safety have been replaced with concerns about network security, interoperability, and reliability,” Logan said. “Looking out five to 10 years, your hospital is going to be one big connected system of equipment.”Logan challenged attendees by asking them if they are adequately prepared for the changes that are afoot. According to Logan, some of the skills that are critical—in addition to technical skills—in this evolving environment include:Logan also emphasized the importance of demonstrating your value to hospital administration, or the “C-Suite.”“The C-Suite's biggest challenges are the same as yours—money, patient safety, and patient satisfaction,” said Logan. But “they think in sound bites. Think about the dashboard on your car. Amazing detailed engineering goes into the design of that dashboard. But what's shown on the dashboard is just the top-line message: Do you have enough gas, are you driving too fast, do you need to service your car? They need you to give them the dashboard information on medical equipment. They love top-line data and getting one-page summary reports that give them the data.”If you're feeling overwhelmed, “this is where AAMI comes into play,” Logan said. “We have a responsibility to help you prepare for this future and to help your hospitals understand your value.” She said AAMI can provide:Finally, Logan provided a glimpse of “what success looks like.”Specifically, she identified: a collaborative partnership between biomedical engineering and clinicians; a collaborative partnership between biomed and IT; a biomedical engineering department that is seen by the C-Suite as a reliable group of technicians who solve big problems; and biomed as part of interdisciplinary teams that plan for equipment purchases, produce a reliable inventory of medical devices, and coordinate the risk management function for medical devices.“AAMI is committed to helping you achieve that success,” said Logan. “We care about your future and want to give you the tools you need to get there.”

Rescuing Ferster and DeMyer’s behavioral pharmacology research in autism from oblivion

In 1961, Charles B. Ferster and Marian K. DeMyer published a one-page report in the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior titled, “Increased Performances of an Autistic Child with Prochlorperazine Administration.” It may be the first and only report of basic behavioral pharmacology research using both operant apparatus and measures and a within-individual replication design to analyze the behavior of a child with autism. However, it is now lost in history. In this article, we rescue the report by providing historical context (e.g., a literature review, the setting), describing and elaborating on the report (e.g., the participant, method), and relating the report to the research of its day and afterward. We also discuss the grounds on which the report warrants being rescued and, in a postscript, summarize Ferster’s later work in autism.

Best Practices: A Program to Support Shared Decision Making in an Outpatient Psychiatric Medication Clinic

This column presents preliminary findings of an intervention to support shared decision making in psychopharmacology consultation. The waiting area in an urban psychiatric medication clinic was transformed into a peer-run Decision Support Center featuring a user-friendly, Internet-based software program with which clients could create a one-page computer-generated report for use in the medication consultation. The Decision Support Center was used 662 times by 189 unique users from a young-adult and general adult case management team from October 2006 to September 2007. All clients had severe mental disorders. Only ten clients refused to use the intervention at some point during the pilot study. Focus groups with medical staff (N=4), clients (N=16), case managers (N=14), and peer-specialist staff (N=3) reported that the intervention helped to create efficiencies in the consultation and empower clients to become more involved in treatment-related decision making. A randomized controlled trial is currently in process.

Best Practices: A Program to Support Shared Decision Making in an Outpatient Psychiatric Medication Clinic

This column presents preliminary findings of an intervention to support shared decision making in psychopharmacology consultation. The waiting area in an urban psychiatric medication clinic was transformed into a peer-run Decision Support Center featuring a user-friendly, Internet-based software program with which clients could create a one-page computer-generated report for use in the medication consultation. The Decision Support Center was used 662 times by 189 unique users from a young-adult and general adult case management team from October 2006 to September 2007. All clients had severe mental disorders. Only ten clients refused to use the intervention at some point during the pilot study. Focus groups with medical staff (N=4), clients (N=16), case managers (N=14), and peer-specialist staff (N=3) reported that the intervention helped to create efficiencies in the consultation and empower clients to become more involved in treatment-related decision making. A randomized controlled trial is currently in process.

Randomized Controlled Trial of a Computer-Based, Tailored Intervention to Increase Smoking Cessation Counseling by Primary Care Physicians

ObjectiveThe primary care visit represents an important venue for intervening with a large population of smokers. However, physician adherence to the Smoking Cessation Clinical Guideline (5As) remains low. We evaluated the effectiveness of a computer-tailored intervention designed to increase smoking cessation counseling by primary care physicians.MethodsPhysicians and their patients were randomized to either intervention or control conditions. In addition to brief smoking cessation training, intervention physicians and patients received a one-page report that characterized the patients’ smoking habit and history and offered tailored recommendations. Physician performance of the 5As was assessed via patient exit interviews. Quit rates and smoking behaviors were assessed 6 months postintervention via patient phone interviews. Intervention effects were tested in a sample of 70 physicians and 518 of their patients. Results were analyzed via generalized and mixed linear modeling controlling for clustering.Measurements and Main ResultsIntervention physicians exceeded controls on “Assess” (OR 5.06; 95% CI 3.22, 7.95), “Advise” (OR 2.79; 95% CI 1.70, 4.59), “Assist–set goals” (OR 4.31; 95% CI 2.59, 7.16), “Assist–provide written materials” (OR 5.14; 95% CI 2.60, 10.14), “Assist–provide referral” (OR 6.48; 95% CI 3.11, 13.49), “Assist–discuss medication” (OR 4.72;95% CI 2.90, 7.68), and “Arrange” (OR 8.14; 95% CI 3.98, 16.68), all p values being < 0.0001. Intervention patients were 1.77 (CI 0.94, 3.34,p = 0.078) times more likely than controls to be abstinent (12 versus 8%), a difference that approached, but did not reach statistical significance, and surpassed controls on number of days quit (18.4 versus 12.2, p < .05) but not on number of quit attempts.ConclusionsThe use of a brief computer-tailored report improved physicians’ implementation of the 5As and had a modest effect on patients’ smoking behaviors 6 months postintervention.

Consultation or corruption? The ethics of signing on to the medical-industrial complex

A prominent vascular surgeon is approached by a representative of a large medical device company with a proposal to implant a new self-sealing patch for closing open carotid endarterectomies. The patch is made of a new synthetic material that establishes immediate hemostasis and inhibits restenosis in animal studies. It has just been approved for human use by the Food and Drug Administration. The cost of the new patch is much higher than for established comparable products, even when potential long-term benefits are considered, but using it would reduce the operative time required for achieving hemostasis. The manufacturer's representative tells you that the company will pay a selected group of vascular surgeons $500 apiece each time they insert the patch on their patients and complete a one-page report. Surgeons with the highest volume of cases utilizing the patch will be offered a paid clinical consultancy with the company. You've used another company's product for several years and found it entirely satisfactory, but have followed development of the new patch with interest and considered trying it in your patients having carotid endarterectomies. What should you do? A. Join the study. You probably would have used the new patch on your patients anyway. B. If the early data warrant, implant the patch on a trial basis without enrolling in the project, and finally decide whether to continue using it based on your clinical experience and additional published reports. C. Call some of the other investigators who have already enrolled in the project and ask them about their experience. D. Decline the invitation immediately. Refuse to ever speak to the representative again. E. Estimate the ability of your patients to sustain the high cost of the new product and decide accordingly whether to use it.

The 2003 Nobel Prize for MRI: significance and impact.

The 2003 Nobel Prize for MRI: significance and impact.

Reliability and validity of the Functional Status Questionnaire

The Functional Status Questionnaire (FSQ) originally was developed to allow the comprehensive and efficient assessment of physical, psychosocial, social, and role functioning in ambulatory patients. It is a self-administered survey that takes approximately 15 min to complete and can be scored to produce a one-page report for clinicians to use in their practices. It has been translated into Swedish, French, and German. Since the FSQ was first published, it has been used in a variety of other settings, including assessment of the impact of variations in hospital practice patterns, the study of relationships between hospital processes of care and outcomes, and other applications, including randomized controlled trials of pharmaceuticals. In this paper we provide selected data on the reliability and validity of the FSQ in different populations. Many of the data are from previously published studies. However, because of the emphasis of this issue of Quality of Life Research, we also present new data from two large studies of persons over the age of 65.

Home visits by pediatric residents. A valuable educational tool.

To establish how many pediatric residency programs offer home visits, to assess the feasibility of making home visits as part of pediatric training, and to determine whether residents perceive home visits as worthwhile learning experiences. A questionnaire was mailed to all medical school pediatric departments in the United States and Puerto Rico to determine the prevalence of home visits during residency training. To study the feasibility of residents making home visits, a pilot program was instituted. Fourteen pediatric residents participated in the study. Each resident visited a house, trailer, apartment, or shelter for the homeless that was within a 20-minute radius from the medical center. To determine the educational value of home visits, each resident wrote a one-page report immediately on his or her return to the hospital. After about 6 months, all participating residents completed a questionnaire retrospectively evaluating their home visits. Interns who were neither on-call nor postcall the day of the visits were invited to participate. Patients were selected because they were homebound (eg, ventilator-dependent), had missed follow-up appointments, or had transportation difficulties. Thirteen percent of the pediatric residency programs surveyed currently include home visits. In all 14 of the pilot visits, the home was located without difficulty and the patient was at home. In each case, the family welcomed the visit. All the pediatric residents believed that the home visit was a worthwhile learning experience. Although very few programs (13%) currently offer home visits as part of pediatric residency training, such visits are feasible within a large urban area. Residents are enthusiastic about seeing how and where their patients live, and consider home visits a worthwhile learning experience.

Exercise in Imagineering and Writing

In large classes, optional one-page reports replying to “brain stretching” problems can help one develop and evaluate student skills in proposing, analyzing, and describing new ideas.

An Executive Information System to Support Wildfire Disaster Declarations

We developed an executive information system to support federal wildfire disaster declarations. Weather data is automatically accessed from multiple national weather data networks; large-fire data is manually entered. A data-base management subsystem uses custom and commercial software packages to process and archive daily weather files. The decision support subsystem calculates the daily probability of a large wild land fire for every climate division in the country. The system produces one-page executive reports oriented to management by exception. On-site graphics software converts the reports into national and regional maps. The 99 percent reliable PC-based system predicted 75 percent of all large fires during 29 months of testing.

THE DISCOVERY OF CHINESE CHANTEFABLE NARRATIVES FROM THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY: A REASSESSMENT OF THEIR LIKELY AUDIENCE

In 1972, famed Chinese scholar Zhao Jingshen reported on the discovery of narrative texts in chantefable form (shuochang cihua) which were published in the late fifteenth century and placed as funerary objects in the tomb of a member of the Xuan family of Jiading county outside modern Shanghai. The discovery of these unique examples of a vernacular narrative genre based on oral storytelling aroused considerable interest. In a one-page report published in WENWU, a local team of archaeologists asserted that the texts, which consisted of twelve volumes of the shuochana cihua genre and one early nanxi-style drama, were probably placed in the tomb of a woman who may well have been the wife of a vice-prefect known as Xuan Chang. Gail King interviewed the archaeological team who investigated the find and subsequently published a much more detailed description of the discovery in MING STUDIES. In recent western scholarship, the chantefable texts have come to be described as expensive deluxe editions designed to be read by women of the leisured elite class.

Commentary: The HIV-Positive Resident: Questions and More Questions

The resident physician who is infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) faces unique problems. In addition to the difficulties caused by a chronic and lethal disease, HIV-infected physicians-in-training face ethical, educational and practical problems that are unique to the interplay between residency training and the infection. To date, physicians who have been found to be infected with HIV have faced public discrimination, many with devastating results. Dr. Hacib Aoun, a Venezulean-born cardiologist who contracted AIDS from a boy with leukemia while he was a resident at Johns Hopkins, overcame rumors about how he had contracted the disease only to be faced with possible deportation. Despite being married to a U.S. citizen , Dr. Aoun was confronted with an immigration law that stated that foreign citizens who have AIDS cannot become U.S. residents (1). Dr. Robert J. Huse was forced to close his Texas pediatrics practice when irate parents learned he had tested positive for HIV (2). Newspaper headlines from the November 16th issue of Today, an English newspaper, proclaimed "AIDS Doctor Who Died"; the paper provided a photograph of the doctor and a one-page report, noting that his wife and children were " in hiding" (3).