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At least 433 records · Page 24Linked to original sources
PubMed2004

Further development of the case-only design for assessing gene-environment interaction: evaluation of and adjustment for bias.

BACKGROUND: The case-only study for investigating gene-environment interactions provides increased statistical efficiency over case-control analyses. This design has been criticized for being susceptible to bias arising from non-independence between the genetic and environmental factors in the population. Given that independence is critical to the validity of case-only estimates of interaction, researchers frequently use controls to evaluate whether the independence assumption is tenable, as advised in the literature. Our work investigates to what extent this approach is appropriate and how non-independence can be accounted for in case-only analyses. METHODS: We provide a formula in epidemiological terms that illustrates the relationship between the gene-environment association measured among controls and the gene-environment association in the source population. Using this formula, we conducted sensitivity analyses to describe the circumstances in which controls can be used as proxy for the source population when evaluating gene-environment independence. Lastly, we generated hypothetical cohort data to examine whether multivariable modelling approaches can be used to control for non-independence. RESULTS: Our sensitivity analyses show that controls should not be used to evaluate gene-environment independence in the population, even when the baseline risk of disease is low (i.e. 1%), and the interaction and independent effects are moderate (i.e. risk ratio = 2). When the factors are associated, it is possible to remove bias arising from non-independence using standard statistical multivariable techniques in case-only analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Even when the disease risk is low, evaluation of gene-environment independence in controls does not provide a consistent test for bias in the case-only study. Given that control for non-independence is possible when the source of the non-independence can be conceptualized, the case-only design may still be a useful epidemiological tool for examining gene-environment interactions.

Bias↗
PubMed2006

POEMS: a case study of an Italian wine-producing firm.

Over the last decade, researchers paid much attention to concepts such as Design for Environment, Extended Producer Responsibility, Responsible Chain Management, and Eco-design. Many management tools and standards (such as EMAS, ISO 14001, LCA, EPD, Ecolabel) have been developed to support companies in the evaluation and management of their environmental performance and to pursue continual environmental improvement. The more recent development of the aforesaid fields looks at interorganizational environmental management. Such an approach can complement the more traditional intraorganizational corporate environmental management approaches and tools. A typical example of this new trend is the Product Oriented Environmental Management System (POEMS), which represents the natural evolution of the above-mentioned tools, combining the features of EMS, EPD and Ecolabel. Although the structure of the POEMS is still not standardized, many experimental applications have yet been carried out in Europe. In developing a POEMS, a company needs to determine all of the environmental impacts caused at all life-cycle stages of the product and, ideally, to reduce all of them through a continual commitment. The aim of the present study was to perform a survey of the developed POEMS models and to analyze their peculiarities and drawbacks in the application to Small and Medium Enterprises. A case study regarding an Italian winery company is presented. The study analyzes the structure and the activities of the examined firm, in order to estimate direct and indirect environmental impacts following a life-cycle approach. The chosen functional unit is a 0.75-L bottle of red wine. The article also suggests some solutions to improve the environmental performances of the firm's products.

Carbon Dioxide↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Ward design: creating a healing patient-environment.

The drive for cost-effectiveness in hospital design over the decades has meant that minimal thought has been given to the effect of environments on patients' health. The author draws on research evidence to demonstrate how the appearance and ambience of patient areas can have profound effects on recovery patterns, and suggests that the creation of environments more conducive to healing need not incur heavy expense in time or money.

Art↗
PubMed2005

Devices for gradient static magnetic field exposure.

We describe devices designed for magnetic field exposures in which field amplitude and gradients are controlled simultaneously. Dosimetry based on field continuation of high resolution magnetic field scans and numerical models is compared with validation measurements. The dosimetry variables we consider are based on the assumption that the biological or chemical system under study has field transducers that are spatially isotropic, so that absolute field amplitude and two gradient components fully describe local exposure.

Cell Culture Techniques↗
PubMed2001

Utilizing the mythical and folkloric power of trees in the modern hospital environment.

The Department of Health, under the auspices of the Government of the United Kingdom, has recently been encouraging hospital management boards to plant trees for the benefit of patients and staff. Although there is little scientific evidence to support such an edict, there are thousands of years of mythical and folkloric evidence to support such an initiative. This evidence is briefly reviewed, paying particular attention to the supposed powers often ascribed to oak, rowan, yew, hawthorn, ash and beech trees. Recommendations for arboreal tree planting schemes in hospitals are made based on this evidence.

Crataegus↗
PubMed1981

The suprapersonal environments of sheltered care settings.

The Resident and Staff Information Form (RESIF) measures the aggregate characteristics of residents and staff of sheltered care settings (the suprapersonal environment) in terms of nine conceptually unified dimensions. The dimensions include measures of residents' social backgrounds, current functioning, and use of facility services. The development of the RESIF is outlined, nd psychometric characteristics, based on data from 93 representative facilities, are presented. Relationships among RESIF dimensions and between these dimensions and facility characteristics are examined. The data show that the aggregate characteristics of residents vary markedly among facilities. The suprapersonal environment in turn is related to other facility characteristics. Residents who are high on social resources or whose functional abilities are high are likely to be more active and to live in facilities that provide more physical resources, more control, and higher cohesion, organization, and physical comfort. The results indicate the existence of mechanisms of selection and social allocation that determine where a person is likely to live.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Radiation impact caused by activation of air from the future GSI accelerator facility fair.

The Gesellschaft für Schwerionenforschung in Darmstadt is planning a new accelerator Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR). Two future experimental areas are regarded to be the most decisive points concerning the activation of air. One is the area for the production of antiprotons. A second crucial experimental area is the so-called Super Fragment Separator. The production of radioactive isotopes in air is calculated using the residual nuclei option of the Monte Carlo program FLUKA. The results are compared with the data for the activation of air given by Sullivan and in IAEA report 283. The resulting effective dose is calculated using a program package from the German Federal Office for Radiation Protection, the Bundesamt für Stranlenschutz. The results demonstrate that a direct emission of the total radioactivity produced into the air will probably conflict with the limits of the German Radiation Protection Ordinance. Special measures have to be planned in order to reduce the amount of radioactivity released into the air.

Air↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Room to remember.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Creating a therapeutic environment in a pediatric renal unit.

Creating and maintaining a therapeutic patient environment has been the responsibility of nurses since the days of Florence Nightingale. Achieving this environment for children with renal disease and their families can, however, be a complex task. This article addresses a number of factors that must be considered in planning a new pediatric unit or renovating an established one. Useful strategies leading to a therapeutic environment in a pediatric nephrology unit are described as well.

Child↗
PubMed1993

[Losing your way in the nursing home: spatial orientation from an architectural viewpoint. A review].

Many elderly with senile dementia living in an old people's home or nursing home have problems with spatial orientation and finding their way. The same holds true for confused and disturbed elderly who still live at home. To a large extent these problems result from cognitive and perceptual impairments. However, another important and often underestimated factor is the influence of the built environment. The design of many buildings and outdoor spaces offers insufficient environmental support for route-learning, route-finding and topographical memory, which promotes disorientation. Disorientation is enhanced by repetition of identical units, little differentiation in form, colour and material, and a lack of places with striking perceptual characteristics. This review of the literature on spatial orientation of the frail elderly focuses on dementia patients. It turns out that many guidelines can be offered to reduce spatial disorientation, such as a clear layout of the building, clear functions of spaces and places, adequate contrasts of forms and colours, personalization of places and application of the so called Gestalt Laws. However, empirical research to evaluate the effects of application of these guidelines is still scare.

Aged↗