PubMed Health⌕ Search

SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “interpretive description”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 289 records · Page 16Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Design and interpretation of bioassays for carcinogenicity.

A description is presented of the difficulties often met in developing meaningful scientific discussions regarding regulatory policy, with examples. In particular, the design and interpretation of rodent bioassays evoke strong emotional responses in many areas. It is suggested that interested parties engage in a scientific debate on some of the more important issues in the appropriate journals, with the purpose of seeking consensus whenever that may be found.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

A classification of original articles. AJDC 1983 and 1984.

At the request of the Editor, we reviewed all the original articles published in AJDC in the years 1983 and 1984. Each article was classified in regard to research structure and subject matter, and each was examined for irregularities in description of methods, analysis, or interpretation of results. The survey provides an overview of the kinds of original articles published during 1983 and 1984. It also suggests that authors and editors must handle with extreme care the presentation of research descriptions, methods of analysis, and interpretation of results.

Epidemiologic Methods↗
PubMed1997

Interpretative inferences when reading about emotional events.

In three experiments we investigated the extent to which individuals with high or low levels of anxiety about interviews made emotionally-congruent interpretative inferences while reading descriptions of a relevant ambiguously-threatening event (being interviewed for a job). Evidence was found to support the hypothesis that groups varying in self-reported concern about the described event differed in the interpretations that they made while reading. Taken together, the results of the three experiments are consistent with the conclusion that non-anxious individuals infer positive outcomes to an ambiguous event, while highly anxious individuals do not. We suggest that these results have implications for cognitive processes that could maintain anxiety in real life.

Affect↗
PubMed1993

Qualitative approaches in nursing research. Phenomenology: the method.

Anderson (1989) argued that the proper focus for phenomenological nurse researchers is working out the problems and dilemmas of doing phenomenology well, rather than pondering the possibilities of triangulated research. Among those problems are questions concerning how and when one "brackets," how the researcher's self is featured, and the issue of rigor in analysis of phenomenological data. In accord with this position, the overview of phenomenological method in this chapter reveals a need to continue development of a phenomenology that produces nursing knowledge to guide nursing practices. It has been proposed that the qualities and characteristics of the researcher-researched relationship are particularly important to reconsider. The commonalities of the various phenomenologies that are engaging nurse researchers have been emphasized; their variations serve to raise methodological questions, redirecting us to yet another look at philosophical foundations for our science. The very subject matter of phenomenology is described variously. Some phenomenologies specify that the subject matter is such experiences as being in pain, doubting treatment, hoping to be well again, recovering from illness, or preparing for discharge. However, it may also be the mode of doubting or hoping, or it may be a focus on ways that it is possible to be in the world, such as what it is like to parent a child with a chronic illness, for example. The product of phenomenological inquiry, the description of experience, is inescapably interpretive, but the extent of the interpretation is another variability among the phenomenologies. However, to the extent that the description is an effective communication of insights into human experience, its relevance is immediate and direct. As a particular qualitative approach in nursing research, phenomenology has the distinction of turning the researcher on the self, that is, on his or her own reflective and intuitive grasp of experience. The researcher's direct experience constitutes the data, whether immediate or vicarious. It also has the distinction of deliberate modification by nurses for its use in nursing. This is a fortuitous development well worth our attention as the qualitative paradigm in nursing continues to gain momentum in revolutionizing our science and our practice.

Consciousness↗
PubMed2001

Long-range exchange interactions and integer-spin S(t) = 2 EPR spectra of a Cr(III)Zn(II)Cr(III) species with multiplet mixing.

Synthesis, structural, and spectroscopic characterization of the linear cationic complex [LCr(III)(mu-[dmg)(3)Zn(II))Cr(III)L](2+) (1) in which L = 1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane and dmg is the dimethylglyoximato anion are reported. The Cr...Cr distance of 1 is 7 A. SQUID magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal the presence of long-range exchange interaction of the Cr(III) terminal ions, mediated by the diamagnetic Zn(II)(dmg)(3) "bridging ligand" (J(0) = -4.4 cm(-1), H(ex) = -2J(0)S(1)S(2), S(i) = 3/2). Multifrequency EPR measurements (S-, X-, Q-band) on frozen solutions were used to establish the intramolecular nature of the exchange coupling and to determine the zero-field splitting (ZFS) parameters and the anisotropic contributions of spin coupling. An effective spin Hamiltonian description was applied for interpretation of the spectra originating from the S(t) = 2 total spin manifold which included up to fourth-order terms for the ZFS. By the help of alternative simulations with the full coupling matrix for two spins S(i) = 3/2 (16 x 16) it could be shown that the higher-order terms in the effective description owe their origin to multiplet mixing due to competing single-ion ZFS (the absolute value of D(i) = 0.2 cm(-1)) and isotropic exchange interaction. The magnetic anisotropy related to dimer properties could be readily explained by dipolar coupling (j(z) = -0.012 cm(-1)). Implications for the interpretation of other integer-spin EPR spectra are discussed.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1979

Standardization of electrocardiographic interpretive statements: a menu for word processing.

Standardization of electrocardiographic interpretive statements is a goal of various coding systems, but word processing has not usually been considered. A simple, easily memorized system for clinical electrocardiography has been developed and used for approximately 60 000 interpretations. It takes the form of a "menu", in which boxes stand for various interpretive statements; the boxes are identified by mnemonics and marked by the interpreter when appropriate. The results provide better standardization, significant decreases in the numbers of descriptive statements and words per interpretation and considerable saving in typing time. Acceptance by the interpreters has been good. Features of the system allow for word processing as part of a polarcardiography computing system.

Computers↗
PubMed2005

An interpreter's interpretation: sign language interpreters' view of musculoskeletal disorders.

INTRODUCTION: Sign language interpreters are at increased risk for musculoskeletal disorders associated with work. Previous studies have used survey techniques to identify potential risk factors and approaches to their medical management. Little is known about risk factors and management of symptoms in this group from the perspective of the interpreter. Such qualitative information should help inform future research related to this professional group. METHOD: One thousand ninety-two sign language interpreters recruited from the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf completed an open-ended question that was a component of a national prevalence survey. Responses were evaluated using content analysis. Inter and intra rater reliability were high (.88 and .92, respectively). RESULTS: Risk factors for initiation and/or exacerbation of symptoms included: difficult job, interpreting setting (educational), interpreting style (e.g., posture, self generated force), and emotional and physical stressors. Exercise (e.g., stretching, aerobics) was a common prevention strategy. Conventional medical treatment was used as the first line approach to symptom control. Self-care methods such as exercise, diet and warm up prior to interpreting were also reported. While massage and chiropractic care was used as commonly as in the general population, acupuncture was found to be used more often. Coping strategies that were more active (e.g. exercise, diet, more control over work schedule) were also reported as useful. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide a description of factors that interpreters view as important in the development and exacerbation of hand and wrist pain. The results also indicate that interpreters used many self-management approaches. Future research should carefully investigate the utility of such approaches using well-controlled designs. Also, because of its widespread use in this group the evaluation of acupuncture in the management of these symptoms appears warranted. The qualitative approach used in the present study permitted an analysis of the worker perspectives regarding risk and management of these work related symptoms. This information can be used to further inform future research.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

[Radiology of stroke].

Today radiologic methods play an important role in the diagnosis of cerebral stroke. The aim of the radiologist, however, should not only be to classify the stroke into the four main categories (ischemic stroke, intracerebral bleeding, subarachnoid hemorrhage, sinovenous thrombosis), but also to interpret the findings with regard to the etiology of the disease. The pattern of lesions gives information about the etiology of ischemic stroke; the correct interpretation of these lesion patterns allows one to optimize therapeutic decisions. This paper additionally focuses on the differential diagnosis of intracerebral hemorrhage and the CT and MR signs of sinovenous thrombosis. New developed concepts in the field of stroke therapy and prophylaxis call for authority and continuous education of the radiologist on this topic. Pure descriptions of radiologic findings without an understanding of the pathogenesis of the disease will be ignored by the clinician. On the other hand, the radiologist can turn the therapeutic decisions in the right direction by combining morphological descriptions with pathogenetic orientated interpretations. In this way, the radiologist can contribute to the reduction of costs in the public health system.

Cerebrovascular Disorders↗
PubMed1986

[Neurotic interaction patterns. Scale structure based on the Psychological and Social-Communication Findings Report].

Findings concerning the neuroses in 615 patients who had consulted either of two psychotherapeutic out-patient departments because of neurotic or psychosomatic complaints were documented in the "Psychischer und sozialkommunikativer Befund" (PSKB; Psychic and Sociocommunicative Findings Sheet). Factor analysis resulted in the discovery of ten dimensions of neurotic behaviour which clinically can easily be interpreted as patterns of interaction. The scaling of the factors provides a would-be random sample for calibrating purposes which is applicable to further investigations of psychoneurotic and psychosomatic out-patients. The present article in its methodological part deals with the establishment of the factors, the development of the scales, and the evaluation of quality criteria. The clinical part contains a detailed description and a psychodynamic interpretation of the ten neurotic interaction patterns. Finally the applicability of neurosis profiles from PSKB scales is delineated in the light of examples from our own investigations.

Communication↗
PubMed1993

Likelihood linkage analysis (LLA) classification method: an example treated by hand.

This paper describes a very general method of data analysis using a hierarchical classification. The data can be provided by observation, experiment or knowledge; their nature can be numerical, qualitative or logical. First, the classical view of the context of data representation, in which the algorithm of hierarchical ascendant construction of the classification tree is set, is treated in a synthetic manner. The main notion in our method is one of 'similarity'. This must be elaborated in the best way, taking into account the mathematical nature of the objects to be compared. Here we adopt a set of theoretical and combinatorial representation of the descriptive attributes, which are interpreted in terms of relations. Then we introduce a probability scale for similarity measurement by using a likelihood concept. The largest part of the paper concerns an illustrating example, moderately sized, detailing very minutely the different steps and the different calculations assumed by the method. The data structure handled with this example is the simplest possible. Then, general aspects and methodological extensions are evoked. We end by indicating the interest of the described approach in future works, in which we are involved, concerning typological organization of genetic sequences. We emphasize the 'explanation' aspect of the obtained results, with respect to a given description. For this purpose, classifications (on the object set and on the attribute set) on the one hand and machine learning techniques on the other, intervene efficiently.

Algorithms↗
PubMed1976

Classification of the MMPI profiles of two alcoholic groups.

Ninety-two per cent of the MMPI CODES OF 60 ALCOHOLICS IN THE Link Society and institutional groups of the present study were classified according to a mixed typological-dimensional model. The study applied reciprocal two-digit high-point codes and also five different spiked codes and two different codes which include more than two scales in predominant position. Related codes suggesting different diagnostic descriptions were, however, separated from each other. The present study also used new interpretations of some MMPI scales, detailed descriptions of the other scales and applied some critically examined measurements of certain authors. Of special interest is a detailed interpretation of codes opathic deviate) scale as a measurement of hysterical personality. The above methods gave a more exact identification of the MMPI codes than a previous study of the present author and suggest that it is possible to give a more refined description of different personality disorders in particular but also of other psycho-pathological and behavioural characteristics of the alcoholic patients in the Link Society and institutional groups. The different typal dimensions measured by the MMPI high-point codes seem to be of theoretical value but also seem to be useful for a more differentiated and adequate treatment of alcoholics. In further corroborative studies there is a need for more case history descriptions in order to correct for local departures. It is also possible that these descriptions may aid in giving a clearer identification of the codes, including scale 5, not classified in the present study.

Alcoholism↗
PubMed2004

Exercise echocardiography in coronary artery disease.

Exercise echocardiography is one of the stress echocardiography modalities, widely used nowadays, mainly in the patients with coronary artery disease. It is a first-line technique for the diagnosis of coronary disease and for prognostication in various patients' subsets, including patients with chronic coronary artery disease, patients with recent revascularization or myocardial infarction and women. This method relies on the fact that in the presence of a significant coronary stenosis, an adequate level of physical exertion produces a mismatch between oxygen demand and supply, resulting in a wall motion abnormality in the area supplied by that stenotic artery. The wall motion abnormalities that develop are detectable by echocardiography and are a marker of the degree of ischemia. The most commonly employed forms of exercise in conjunction with echocardiography are immediate post exercise imaging on a treadmill and exercising during supine or upright bicycle ergometry. Echocardiograms can be interpreted qualitatively, with a description of the recorded wall motion abnormalities, or quantitatively, calculating a wall motion score. The overall accuracy of exercise echocardiography in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease is about 80-90%. Exercise echocardiography has been shown to provide useful information for the purpose of risk stratification and prediction of coronary events after acute myocardial infarction, after angioplasty and after coronary artery bypass grafting. In women, the accuracy of electrocardiographic stress testing is less than in men and stress echocardiography offers a better alternative in the diagnosis of ischemic heart disease. For the patients with an intermediate pre-test probability of having ischemic heart disease and a resting electrocardiogram which precludes an optimal interpretation of the electrocardiographic stress test (digoxin use, left ventricular hypertrophy with repolarization abnormalities, preexcitation, or left bundle-branch block), exercise echocardiography represents a good alternative to radionuclide imaging.

Coronary Artery Disease↗
PubMed2006

A cross-national study of transitions in deficit counts in two birth cohorts: implications for modeling ageing.

Generally, health does not improve with age, and many physical and physiological functions are known to decline. These changes do not occur uniformly, however; for many reasons, some people experience significant improvement in their health over non-trivial time intervals. Earlier, we showed that 5-year transitions in health status in elderly people (age 65+ years) can be modeled as a stochastic process, using a modified Poisson distribution with four readily interpretable parameters. The original description was based on follow-up of a single cross-sectional study, thus mixing age and cohort effects. Here, we again used a multistate Markov chain to model 5-year deficit accumulation in relation to frailty in both a Swedish birth cohort (aged 70 years at inception) and, from the original cross-sectional study, a Canadian birth cohort, aged 69-71. In both datasets, we found again that a modified Poisson describes the transition in health status with high precision. The parameters of the model though different, are close to each other, even though the cohorts are from different countries, were assembled 20 years apart, and counted different deficits. The model suggests that all health transitions, including health improvement, worsening, and death, can be summarized in a unified stochastic model with a few interpretable parameters.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Changing interpretations of the human cortical pattern.

There has been a long historical succession of scientific description of the cerebral cortex, usually accompanied by conflicting speculations on its function. It was noted by Thomas S. Kuhn that scientific descriptions are phrased in terms of the prevailing scientific paradigm and that disagreement about the interpretation of observed phenomena is what drives scientists to formulate new theories. The objectives of this study were to examine how the observation of Kuhn can help to gain insight into historical concepts of brain functioning from contemporary descriptions of the cortical gyrations, to examine how these historical concepts are relevant to neurology today, and to demonstrate how subjective these concepts are because they are based on interpretations that may be wrong. The method used here is examination of historical sources that give descriptions and illustrations of the cerebral cortex and contemporary theories of brain function. I have found that the emphases on cortical description have varied according to the prevailing contemporary paradigm. Debates about and between different paradigms mirror some themes in current neuroscience. In conclusion, the observations of Kuhn help to interpret descriptions to shed light on theories of cerebral cortical functioning, and they demonstrate that a scientific description is necessarily highly subjective (since it is phrased in terms of the current paradigm). The insights that can be gained are relevant to modern neurology and neuroscience research.

Anatomy↗
PubMed1982

Posttraumatic premature Alzheimer's disease. Neuropathologic findings and pathogenetic considerations.

Dementia following head trauma is generally attributed to contusional injury or its complications. Dementia pugilistica and rare cases of classic Alzheimer's disease (AD) following head injury suggest that trauma may also play a provocative role in neurofibrillary change. The ages and clinical descriptions, however, allow other interpretations. A 38-year-old man died 16 years after substantial recovery from a single episode of severe head trauma. Pathologic study indicated that the clinical deterioration was due to classic AD. Ultrastructural evaluation demonstrated both paired helical and straight filaments in cortical neurons.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Aspiration cytology of malignant neoplasms associated with granulomas and granuloma-like features: diagnostic dilemmas.

BACKGROUND: Malignant lymphomas and solid tumors that mimic or are associated with epithelioid granulomas are widely recognized in surgical pathology, but have received little attention in the cytopathology literature. In this study the authors present their experience with six such cases in which the presence of granulomas or granuloma-like features posed a diagnostic difficulty on fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). METHODS: Clinical data, FNAC, and follow-up surgical specimens from six patients presenting with neck masses were reviewed. RESULTS: Only one case was diagnosed confidently as metastatic squamous cell carcinoma with an extensive granulomatous response; the other five were interpreted as "atypical" with descriptive cytology and a differential diagnoses including granulomatous inflammation, in addition to a caveat of "cannot exclude malignancy." Biopsy studies in these cases were recommended in view of the atypical cytologic findings and strong clinical suspicion of malignancy in each case. The histologic findings in two cases revealed Hodgkin's disease with exuberant granulomatous response. The remaining three cases were found to be malignant neoplasms with epithelioid morphologic features and included one example each of diffuse large cell lymphoma, anaplastic carcinoma of the thyroid, and lymphoepithelial carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: Malignancies associated with granulomas and tumor cells mimicking epithelioid histiocytes may be difficult to diagnose accurately on FNAC. The cytologic differential diagnosis of a "granulomatous" process should include malignant neoplasms. Excisional biopsy studies may be required for definitive diagnosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Measuring utility values for QALYs: two methodological issues.

Two methodological concerns in utility estimation, the development of health state descriptions (scenarios) and the interpretation of interval scale anchor points, are examined in the context of disease-specific cost utility analyses (CUA). It is contended that results in CUA can be fundamentally biased by: (i) how the information presented in a scenario is generated; and (ii) the researcher's 'definition' of anchor points, when these are used as bounds to the interval scale. A number of recommendations are made, in particular for a more explicit reporting of these issues in CUA, to facilitate greater consistency in the application of utility measurement techniques.

Cost of Illness↗