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At least 847 records · Page 47Linked to original sources

PubMed2005

[Some of middle age smokers' attitudes against smoking].

UNLABELLED: Smoking is pandemic spread in all parts of the population. Particularly, this is an autodestructive blind impulse or the vice. THE FORMULATION OF THE PROBLEM: This rough of smoking today incites an important interest, same with nonsmokers as with smokers, so the understanding of the harmfulness of smoking to their health in the population of the middle-age smokers has been the cause for this investigation. The aim of the investigation was to show the attitude of smokers toward smoking in a prospective study. The selection was performed according to the settled rules, as well as inquiry of 280 examinees, workers of Furniture Factory "Krivaja-Zavidovići". The examination group formed 140 smokers and the control group 140 nonsmokers, of the same age 35-45 years, and both gender. Received results were prepared statistically and the differences between groups were certified with chi2 test and t-test to the level of tasked signification ? = 0.05. RESULTS: Relativly high percentage of smoker examinees (84.28%) confessed to consider smoking to be harmful to their health; still, they continue to smoke. DISCUSSION: The establishing of these precise indexes, which show the attitude of smoker-examinees toward smoking enables developing of strategic, along with simultaneous forecaster estimation of succesful prevention, in the sense of the conduction of this program about quitting smoking. CONCLUSIONS: Among workes of Furniture Factory "Krivaja-Zavidovići" high percentage of smoker examinees (84.28%) confessed to consider the smoking harmful to their health. Smoker examinees in more than 50% cases would like quitting to smoke.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

[Research advance on lake ecosystem dynamic models].

Starting with the role of system analysis in lake ecosystem research, this paper summarized the tentative procedures and softwares for studying the dynamics of lake ecosystem. There are several main stages in modeling the dynamics of lake ecosystem, namely, problems identification, mathematical formulation, computation, validation, sensitive analysis, calibration, and verification. In the modeling, selecting temporal and spatial scales is essential but complex. Since 1960s, a rapid progress has been made in modeling the dynamics of lake ecosystem, being developed from simple zero-dimension models to complex ecological-aquatic-hydrodynamic ones, among which, exergy was applied popularly as an objective function in modeling. In this paper, LakeWeb and LEEDS (Lake Eutrophication, Effect, Dose, and Sensitivity model) were analyzed as examples. In China, the development of lake ecosystem dynamic models could be traced back to 1980s, and most of them were focused on Lake Dianch, Lake Taihu, Lake Chaohu and Lake Donghu. Some softwares such as CE-QUAL-ICM, WASP, AQUATOX, PAMOLARE and CAEDYM were developed to simulate lake ecosystem dynamics, among which, CE-QUAL-ICM is more suitable for long and narrow water bodies. WASP consists of three parts, i. e., DYNHYD, EUTRO, and TOXI. AQUATOX is an ecological risk model, and the parameters are mainly calibrated in U. S. A, which has limited its further application in China. The software ECOPATH for simulating the energy flows in lakes was also described in this paper. There are still many shortages in the lake ecosystem dynamic models, e. g., the lack of sufficient monitoring data for validation, insufficient consideration of uncertainties and the role of bacteria, and inconsistent relationship with watershed changes. The uncertainties are mainly from the intrinsic uncertainties in aquatic ecosystem, in modeling, in parameters selection, and also in forecast and application. Setting up long-term monitoring and data sharing mechanism, using interpolation to make data more densely, introducing objective functions, dealing with uncertainties, and constructing watershed-lake ecosystem dynamic model could be the available ways for overcoming the shortages.

China↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Evidence based occupational health: from theory to practice].

BACKGROUND: Health care organizations are increasingly aware of the need to apply quality assurance principles to serve their mission and there is an increasing pressure on health professionals to ensure that the practice be based on evidence of appropriateness. Therefore, medical specialists of different disciplines, including occupational health, are presently required to shift from habitual practices to evidence-based practices. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: This paper aims at illustrating the opportunity offered by the Evidence Based Medicine (EBM), which can be used in the decision making process of the occupational physician according to the Evidence Based Occupational Health (EBOH) paradigm. The EBOH approach consists of 4 steps (i) the formulation of the problem according to the PICO model, (ii) the search for scientific external evidence based on scientific papers and documents available in different database, (iv) the critical appraisal of such evidence, (v) the application of the evidence in the decision making process. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: In spite of some barriers, such as time constraint, which could prevent looking for searchable information, the evidence-based decision-making process should be based on the evidence provided by major resources to answer the question emerging during the practice. Acquiring the skill for information managing facilitates searching appropriate solutions to problems usually met during the professional practice and the adoption of behaviours which will improve the practice.

Evidence-Based Medicine↗

PubMed1990

Introductory remarks about clinically relevant pharmacokinetic properties of organic nitrates.

As an introduction to a round-table discussion on nitrate therapy, clinical pharmacokinetics of organic nitrates are briefly summarized. After some remarks about the assay methods, the main pharmacokinetic data are briefly reviewed, as are the plasma concentrations obtained after different formulations. Finally, the problem of the lack of relationship between nitrate plasma concentrations and their effect is stressed.

Administration, Cutaneous↗

PubMed1985

Arteriovenous malformations: complications of surgical intervention and implications for nursing.

Arteriovenous malformations occur in approximately 4 percent of the population and are frequently seen in young adulthood. Controversy exists in the neurosurgical community as to the management of arteriovenous malformations; the four most common methods are medical management, radiation, embolization, and surgical intervention. Complications occur frequently regardless of the treatment selected. These complications are discussed using a selected patient population and case studies. Nursing diagnosis is used and a plan of care formulated for each problem. A one-year follow-up status will also be given for the selected patient population.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Mathematical model of the proliferation cycle of lymphoblastic leukemia cells.

In the paper a system of equations is described, which enables computation of the mean number of leukemic cells in the blood as a function of time. After formulation of the problem in the form of cybernetical model, the equations are derived. Then the results of modeling obtained with the aid of a digital computer are described. The paper concludes with short summary.

Cell Cycle↗

PubMed1985

Multinomial distributions in ploidy analysis.

Ploidy patterns can be summarized in the form of a vector of proportions representing the frequency of occurrence of DNA contents in specified intervals. Data represented in this way can be analyzed statistically using the multinomial distribution. Properties of the multinomial distribution and computational difficulties that arise in its application are considered. Special problems involved in formulating hypothesis tests and confidence regions for multivariate discrete distributions are discussed in the context of evaluating vectors of proportions representing DNA ploidy patterns. Construction of tailor-made critical regions for detecting specific types of deviations from normal ploidy patterns is proposed, and a detailed example is given. In this example, two critical regions are compared: a standard critical region, consisting of cases whose probability of occurrence is small, and a diagnostic critical region, consisting of cases considered to be clinically indicative of abnormality. Advantages of the diagnostic critical region are noted.

DNA↗

PubMed1985

The attitudes of religious, environmental, and science policy leaders toward biotechnology.

Biotechnology is an increasingly visible and important item on the national science policy agenda. With growing corporate and governmental funding, basic research in recombinant DNA and related technologies is expanding rapidly. In a parallel and related process, new agricultural, medical, and other applications are being developed and a growing list of genetically-engineered products is ready for field testing and market distribution. In the months and years ahead, the flow of genetically-engineered products into the marketplace and the media coverage related to those new products will increase the public's awareness of biotechnology. In addition, it is possible that some public policy debate will occur over the issue of field testing new genetically-engineered materials. Media coverage of this type of controversy will also heighten awareness and influence the aggregate level of public awareness of biotechnology. The prospect of a public debate or controversy over any biotechnology issue illustrates a fundamental problem in the formulation of science policy within a democratic political system. The processes and techniques involved in genetic engineering and complex and require some level of scientific background knowledge. A 1979 study found that only seven per cent of American adults met a minimal definition of scientific literacy. It is clear that the current levels of public awareness and knowledge about biotechnology will not allow a public policy debate similar to those associated with controversies involving Social Security or gasoline prices. How, then, does a democratic society establish public policies on advanced technical issues like biotechnology? This report will outline a model of policy formulation for specialized issues and describe the results of a national study of relevant policy leaders concerning biotechnology. To understand the formulation of public policy toward biotechnology, it is necessary to focus on the role of the policy leaders in a stratified model. In general, when there is agreement on a given policy between the decision-makers and the policy leaders, the policy is implemented and there is no wider involvement in the policy formulation process. A large number of science and technology policy issues have been handled in this manner in the decades since the Second World War and it is likely that most science policy matters will continue to be resolved directly between policy leaders and decision-makers. Looking at the general science policy formulation process, it is clear that policy leaders are an important component.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Attitude↗

PubMed1979

Using simulation in decision making.

The health care administrator can use digital simulation as a quantitative decision-making technique. Understanding its conceptual framework will enable the administrator to work with a technical specialist to formulate and solve problems.

Computers↗

PubMed1979

Home visiting: the part played by the "intermediary".

Home visits are usually initiated by someone other than the patient, whom we have called the ;intermediary'. It is seldom an objective decision on the part of the intermediary that a home visit is needed and is usually the result of his or her own anxieties. It is therefore important for the doctor consciously to aim at a diagnosis or formulation of the problems of the intermediary, and it may then become possible deliberately to help him or her with his needs and anxieties. If these are not considered, the strains or dissatisfaction of the intermediary which initiated the visit are likely to remain, and to influence both the way the doctor treats the patient and the doctor's sense of competence.

Adult↗

PubMed1984

[The search for new risk factors in epidemiology. A few considerations].

This paper discusses three aspects of the design and analysis of studies intended to find out new risk factors: the formulation of the problem (explanatory or pragmatic), the importance of moderate misclassifications on efficiency, the definition and taking into account of confounding factors.

Classification↗

PubMed1978

Heat and mass transfer of a thermal indicator in pulsatile flow through the cardio-pulmonary system. I. Modeling.

The construction of a physico-mathematical model which describes the mechanism of indicator dispersion in the circulation and which fits the thermal dilution curves (TDC) is presented. Because of its more evident physical meaning, formulation of the problem in terms of heat and mass transfer is preferred to stochastic theory. Hypotheses necessary to simplify the general system of governing equations are clearly defined and discussed. This deductive method leads to a one-dimensional convective heat transfer model in which pulsatility and form of injection appear naturally. Simulations of TDC in constant and pulsatile flow cases are performed on a digital mini-computer which demonstrates the model's ability to represent different experimental or clinical observations. This will facilitate hemodynamic parameter identification from TD techniques and will increase the accuracy of this identification.

Aorta↗

PubMed1994

An overview of clinical policies with implications for clinical practice, medical education, and research.

Clinical policies, also known as practice parameters or practice guidelines, are gaining notoriety out of a desire to control escalating medical costs, lessen wide practice variations, and improve quality of care. The clinical policies are supposed to influence medical decision making by summarizing scientific data about a clinical problem in a format that is easily understood by patient and physician alike. Developing an evidence-based policy involves: a clearly defined clinical problem, a comprehensive literature review, a summary table of the data (known as an evidence table), a presentation of this data as outcome possibilities from alternative decisions (in the form of a balance sheet), and creation of clinical recommendations that incorporate both financial costs and patient preferences. Well-developed policies can be used by family physicians as guides in areas of clinical uncertainty and by medical educators as up-to-date literature syntheses for teaching critical appraisal and for outlining approaches to common problems. Explicit policy formulation also highlights the shortcomings of existing literature and can suggest more appropriate future research. The future of the clinical policy movement rests on its ability to reduce costs of care and improve patient outcomes. Explicit clinical policy formulation incurs significant development and implementation costs and the evidence on which many policies are based is lacking. Nevertheless, clinical policies in some form are likely to play an increasing role in medical care.

Curriculum↗

PubMed1993

Dynamic decision modeling in medicine: a critique of existing formalisms.

Dynamic decision models are frameworks for modeling and solving decision problems that take into explicit account the effects of time. These formalisms are based on structural and semantical extensions of conventional decision models, e.g., decision trees and influence diagrams, with the mathematical definitions of finite-state semi-Markov processes. This paper identifies the common theoretical basis of existing dynamic decision modeling formalisms, and compares and contrasts their applicability and efficiency. It also argues that a subclass of such dynamic decision problems can be formulated and solved more effectively with non-graphical techniques. Some insights gained from this exercise on automating the dynamic decision making process are summarized.

Decision Support Techniques↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Evidence-based medicine: the emerging of a new model of clinical practice. Italian Group for Evidence-Based Medicine (GIMBE)].

The introduction of the Diagnosis-Related Groups System to finance Italian hospitals has troubled not only health policy makers but also single physicians, who find themselves in the position of "resource managers" lacking adequate competence to evaluate the effectiveness of medical interventions. Given the limited economic resources and the failure of exclusively managerial-organizational-based solutions, the use of work-related methodologies able to identify and enable diagnostic and therapeutic interventions of documented efficacy for all patients has become a necessity. Evidence-based medicine is an emerging paradigm of clinical practice: promoted by the formulation of specific problems, it is implemented by the collection, interpretation and integration of research-derived evidence. This new model, which facilitates the transfer of progress made in research to clinical practice thanks to the promotion of diagnostic and therapeutic interventions of documented efficacy, can improve the effectiveness and efficiency of health care. The authors review the cultural events that have encouraged the development of this new paradigm of clinical practice, describe its methods, advantages and limits and point out differences from traditional models.

Evidence-Based Medicine↗

PubMed1995

Uncertainty and decisions in medical informatics.

This paper presents a tutorial introduction to the handling of uncertainty and decision-making in medical reasoning systems. It focuses on the central role of uncertainty in all of medicine and identifies the major themes that arise in research papers. It then reviews simple Bayesian formulations of the problem and pursues the generalization to the Bayesian network methods that are popular today. Decision making is presented from the decision analysis viewpoint, with brief mention of recently-developed methods. The paper concludes with review of more abstract characterization of uncertainty, and anticipates the growing importance of analytic and "data mining" techniques as growing amounts of clinical data become widely available.

Bayes Theorem↗

PubMed1997

[Assessment of the quality of life].

Assessment of quality of life (qol) is becoming increasingly important, particularly as an outcome variable in assessing the impact of disease, illness and treatment. However, considerable problems exists in formulation, measurement and interpretation of qol. There is as yet no agreed-upon definition of qol nor is there a gold standard measure what complicates the selection of an appropriate assessment scale. The various aspects for the selection of a scale are described.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed1995

Respiratory infections following organ transplantation.

Successful organ transplantation often is limited by infection. The early transplant period is predominated by bacterial and fungal infections related to surgery and neutropenia, whereas opportunistic infections occur later due to long-term immunosuppression therapy. Despite technical differences between various types of organ transplants, the diagnostic approaches to lung disease are similar and rely largely on fiberoptic bronchoscopy. Whereas better antibacterial prophylaxis is available, fungal infections are emerging as significant problems. Lipid suspension formulations of amphotericin B and itraconazole offer new treatment options for fungal pulmonary infection. These formulations appear to have improved pharmacologic safety, but relative efficacy is unclear. Cytomegalovirus infections continue to plague transplant recipients. Improved understanding of the risk factors (especially the role of screened blood products) and improved prophylactic strategies with ganciclovir and immunoglobulin are decreasing the incidence of fatal infection. Surveillance for viremia and antigenemia now permit early identification of patients at significant risk for clinical disease, and responses to prompt administration of ganciclovir are encouraging, especially among solid organ recipients.

Adult↗