Advanced Quantitative Spine Imaging

AbstractAlthough advanced quantitative imaging may not be currently used to any degree in the routine reporting of spinal examinations, this situation will change in the not too distant future. Advanced quantitative imaging has already allowed us to understand a great deal more regarding spinal development, marrow physiology, and disease pathogenesis. Radiologists are ideally suited to drive this research forward. To speed up this process and optimize the impact of studies reporting spine quantitative data, we should work toward universal standards on the acquisition of spine data that will allow quantitative studies to be more easily compared, contrasted, and amalgamated.

Download Full-text

Fluorescent potentiometric dyes for membrane-potential imaging

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100168566 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 52 ◽

pp. 166-167

Author(s):

Leslie M. Loew

Keyword(s):

Membrane Potential ◽

Single Cells ◽

Quantitative Imaging ◽

Optical Recording ◽

Biological Processes ◽

Major Focus ◽

The Past ◽

Excitable Systems ◽

Major Application ◽

The Impact

A major application of potentiometric dyes has been the multisite optical recording of electrical activity in excitable systems. After being championed by L.B. Cohen and his colleagues for the past 20 years, the impact of this technology is rapidly being felt and is spreading to an increasing number of neuroscience laboratories. A second class of experiments involves using dyes to image membrane potential distributions in single cells by digital imaging microscopy - a major focus of this lab. These studies usually do not require the temporal resolution of multisite optical recording, being primarily focussed on slow cell biological processes, and therefore can achieve much higher spatial resolution. We have developed 2 methods for quantitative imaging of membrane potential. One method uses dual wavelength imaging of membrane-staining dyes and the other uses quantitative 3D imaging of a fluorescent lipophilic cation; the dyes used in each case were synthesized for this purpose in this laboratory.

Download Full-text

Evaluation of the effect of the capitation compensation mechanism among pulmonary tuberculosis patients with a full period of treatment

Infectious Diseases of Poverty ◽

10.1186/s40249-021-00861-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Xing-Yu Hu ◽

Guang-Ying Gao

Keyword(s):

Pulmonary Tuberculosis ◽

Patient Compliance ◽

Quantitative Data ◽

Financial Burden ◽

Descriptive Analysis ◽

Compensation Mechanism ◽

Medication Costs ◽

Implementation Time ◽

Full Period ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background PTB is an infectious disease, which not only seriously affects people’s health, but also causes a heavier disease economic burden on patients. At present, reform of the medical insurance payment can be an effective method to control medical expenses. Therefore, our study is to explore the compensation mechanism for pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) patients with a full period of treatment, to alleviate the financial burden of PTB patients and provide a reference and basis for the reform of PTB payment methods in other regions and countries. Methods The quantitative data of PTB patients was collected from the first half of 2015 to the first half of 2018 in Dehui Tuberculosis Hospital in Jilin Province, and medical records of PTB patients registered in the first half of 2018 (n = 100) from the hospital was randomly selected. Descriptive analysis of these quantitative data summarized the number, cost, medication and compliance. Semi-structured in depth interviews with policymakers and physicians were conducted to understand the impact of interventions and its causes. Results After implementation of the compensation mechanism, the number of PTB patient visits in 2018 was increased by 14.2%, average medical costs for outpatients and inpatients were significantly reduced by 31.8% and 47.0%, respectively, and the auxiliary medication costs was reduced by 36.5%. Moreover, the hospital carried out standardized management of tuberculosis, and the patient compliance was very high, reaching almost 90%. Conclusions The capitation compensation mechanism with a full period of treatment was a suitable payment method for PTB, and it is worthy of promotion and experimentation. In addition, the model improved patient compliance and reduced the possibility of drug-resistant PTB. However, due to the short implementation time of the model in the pilot areas, the effect remains to be further observed and demonstrated.

Download Full-text

Analyzing Factors Affecting the Sustainability of Land Management Practices in Mecha Woreda, Northwestern Ethiopia

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13137007 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (13) ◽

pp. 7007

Author(s):

Habtamu Nebere ◽

Degefa Tolossa ◽

Amare Bantider

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Land Management ◽

Land Degradation ◽

Quantitative Data ◽

Management Practices ◽

Short Term ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Decision Making Processes ◽

Household Heads ◽

The Impact

In Ethiopia, the practice of land management started three decades ago in order to address the problem of land degradation and to further boost agricultural production. However, the impact of land management practices in curbing land degradation problems and improving the productivity of the agricultural sector is insignificant. Various empirical works have previously identified the determinants of the adoption rate of land management practices. However, the sustainability of land management practices after adoption, and the various factors that control the sustainability of implemented land management practices, are not well addressed. This study analyzed the factors affecting the sustainability of land management practices after implementation in Mecha Woreda, northwestern Ethiopia. The study used 378 sample respondents, selected by a systematic random sampling technique. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the quantitative data, while the qualitative data were qualitatively and concurrently analyzed with the quantitative data. The sustained supply of fodder from the implemented land management practices, as well as improved cattle breed, increases the sustainability of the implemented land management practices. While lack of agreement in the community, lack of enforcing community bylaws, open cattle grazing, lack of benefits of implemented land management practices, acting as barrier for farming practices, poor participation of household heads during planning and decision-making processes, as well as the lack of short-term benefits, reduce the sustainability of the implemented land management practices. Thus, it is better to allow for the full participation of household heads in planning and decision-making processes to bring practical and visible results in land management practices. In addition, recognizing short-term benefits to compensate the land lost in constructing land management structures must be the strategy in land management practices. Finally, reducing the number of cattle and practicing stall feeding is helpful both for the sustainability of land management practices and the productivity of cattle. In line with this, fast-growing fodder grass species have to be introduced for household heads to grow on land management structures and communal grazing fields for stall feeding.

Download Full-text

Assessing the impact of a combined nutrition counselling and cash transfer intervention on women’s empowerment in rural Bangladesh: a randomised control trial protocol

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-044263 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. e044263

Author(s):

Elizabeth K Kirkwood ◽

Michael John Dibley ◽

John Frederick Hoddinott ◽

Tanvir Huda ◽

Tracey Lea Laba ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quantitative Data ◽

Women's Empowerment ◽

Cash Transfer ◽

Women’S Empowerment ◽

Randomised Control Trial ◽

Call Centre ◽

Rural Bangladesh ◽

Nutrition Counselling ◽

The Impact ◽

Unconditional Cash Transfer

IntroductionThere is growing interest in assessing the impact of health interventions, particularly when women are the focus of the intervention, on women’s empowerment. Globally, research has shown that interventions targeting nutrition, health and economic development can affect women’s empowerment. Evidence suggests that women’s empowerment is also an underlying determinant of nutrition outcomes. Depending on the focus of the intervention, different domains of women’s empowerment will be influenced, for example, an increase in nutritional knowledge, or greater control over income and access to resources.ObjectiveThis study evaluates the impact of the Shonjibon Cash and Counselling (SCC) Trial that combines nutrition counselling and an unconditional cash transfer, delivered on a mobile platform, on women’s empowerment in rural Bangladesh.Methods and analysisWe will use a mixed-methods approach, combining statistical analysis of quantitative data from 2840 women in a cluster randomised controlled trial examining the impact of nutrition behaviour change communications (BCCs) and cash transfers on child undernutrition. Pregnant participants will be given a smartphone with a customised app, delivering nutrition BCC messages, and will receive nutrition counselling via a call centre and an unconditional cash transfer. This study is a component of the SCC Trial and will measure women’s empowerment using a composite indicator based on the Project-Level Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index, with quantitative data collection at baseline and endline. Thematic analysis of qualitative data, collected through longitudinal interviews with women, husbands and mothers-in-law, will elicit a local understanding of women’s empowerment and the linkages between the intervention and women’s empowerment outcomes. This paper describes the study protocol to evaluate women’s empowerment in a nutrition-specific and sensitive intervention using internationally validated, innovative tools and will help fill the evidence gap on pathways of impact, highlighting areas to target for future programming.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval has been obtained from the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research (Ref. PR 17106) and The University of Sydney (Ref: 2019/840). Findings from this study will be shared in Bangladesh with dissemination sessions in-country and internationally at conferences, and will be published in peer-reviewed journals.

Download Full-text

Effectiveness of the IBCLC: Have we Made an Impact on the Care of Breastfeeding Families Over the Past Decade?

Journal of Human Lactation ◽

10.1177/0890334419851805 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 35 (3) ◽

pp. 441-452 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Barbara Haase ◽

Emily Brennan ◽

Carol L. Wagner

Keyword(s):

Scoping Review ◽

Physician Education ◽

Future Research ◽

Positive Role ◽

Quantitative Studies ◽

Lactation Consultants ◽

Evidenced Based ◽

Outpatient Settings ◽

Breastfeeding Problems ◽

The Impact

Background: International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) have been in existence for over 3 decades, are currently represented in 110 countries, and have the only internationally recognized certification to provide safe and evidenced-based care for breastfeeding women and their infants. Research aim: To review the literature about the efficacy of IBCLCs on breastfeeding outcomes as well as studies that have examined the effectiveness of the IBCLC’s role. Methods: The design was a scoping review of the literature and critical analysis using PRISMA guidelines of existing studies published from 2008–2019. Qualitative and quantitative studies were reviewed. Results: Twelve ( N =12) studies met inclusion criteria. Seven themes emerged in the analysis including studies of the role of IBCLCs in resident physician education; IBCLC’s role in breastfeeding interventions and the management of breastfeeding problems; the impact of IBCLCs in inpatient and outpatient settings; and the impact of geographic access to IBCLCs on breastfeeding rates. Certification of and ongoing professional development of IBCLCs are also discussed. Conclusion: In this scoping review of existing literature assessing the effectiveness of IBCLCs in promoting and supporting breastfeeding, it is clear that IBCLCs play a positive role in supporting breastfeeding throughout the world. However, there are certain limitations that must be addressed. Recommendations for future research and clinical practice are discussed in the context of present limitations to breastfeeding expertise and support.

Download Full-text

War of words: the impact of Russian state television on the Russian Internet

Nationalities Papers ◽

10.1080/00905992.2015.1013527 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 43 (4) ◽

pp. 533-555 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Christina Cottiero ◽

Katherine Kucharski ◽

Evgenia Olimpieva ◽

Robert W. Orttung

Keyword(s):

World War Ii ◽

Quantitative Data ◽

The Internet ◽

Strong Impact ◽

World War ◽

Search Query ◽

Internet Users ◽

Russian State ◽

The Impact ◽

The Relationship

How effective is Russian state television in framing the conflict in Ukraine that began with the Euromaidan protests and what is its impact on Russian Internet users? We carried out a content analysis of Dmitrii Kiselev's “News of the Week” show, which allowed us to identify the two key frames he used to explain the conflict – World War II-era fascism and anti-Americanism. Since Kiselev often reduces these frames to buzzwords, we were able to track the impact of these words on Internet users by examining search query histories on Yandex and Google and by developing quantitative data to complement our qualitative analysis. Our findings show that much of what state media produces is not effective, but that the “fascist” and anti-American frames have had lasting impacts on Russian Internet users. We argue that it does not make sense to speak of competition between a “television party” and an “Internet party” in Russia since state television has a strong impact in setting the agenda for the Internet and society as a whole. Ultimately, the relationship between television and the Internet in Russia is a continual loop, with each affecting the other.

Download Full-text

Research on Teaching the Psychology of Women

Psychology of Women Quarterly ◽

10.1111/j.1471-6402.1982.tb00612.x ◽

1982 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 96-106 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Marilyn Johnson

Keyword(s):

Comparative Studies ◽

Attitudes Toward Women ◽

Behavioral Measures ◽

Quantitative Studies ◽

Psychology Of Women ◽

Research On Teaching ◽

Follow Up Studies ◽

The Impact ◽

Review Current

Research into the impact of psychology of women courses (and women's studies, generally) has been conducted only infrequently. The literature consists largely of anecdotal reports of changes in attitudes toward women as a function of participating in such courses. Existing quantitative studies are usually limited to measures of pre-course to post-course attitude changes, and occasionally such changes are related to demographic factors. The purpose of this article is to review current studies and to suggest additional research approaches in this area. At least three methods are recommended for studying the effect of psychology of women courses. First, there is a need for comparative studies of two types: psychology of women course vs. other course comparisons, and psychology of women course vs. other related experiences (consciousness-raising groups, feminist therapy, etc.). Second, there is a need for follow-up assessment of students in these courses. Finally, in both the comparative and follow-up studies, behavioral measures should be used.

Download Full-text

Managing multichannel coordination in retail banking: the influence of customer participation

International Journal of Bank Marketing ◽

10.1108/02652320610681756 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 24 (5) ◽

pp. 327-345 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Loïc Plé

Keyword(s):

Organizational Design ◽

Retail Banking ◽

Customer Participation ◽

Content Type ◽

Quantitative Studies ◽

Retail Banks ◽

The Impact ◽

Depth Interviews

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to explore the combining of marketing and organizational literature. This paper seeks to evaluate the relationships between multichannel coordination and customer participation, as seen through the lens of potential customer opportunism. It aims at showing the impact of this opportunism on the organizational design of multiple channels structures.Design/methodology/approachThe research reports on an exploratory case study in a French retail bank. A total of 25 in‐depth interviews were conducted, and the use of other sources enabled data triangulation.FindingsThe results show first that an increase in the number of distribution channels is liable to favor customer opportunistic behavior. To counter this, the bank mainly relies on impersonal coordination modes. An emerging result highlights the role of the customer as a “perceptual filter” between the different channels of employees.Research limitations/implicationsCustomer opportunism is studied via channels employees perceptions. An investigation using a customer survey may help to better understand this construct, e.g. to identify its antecedents, and to measure it precisely. Moreover, further qualitative and/or quantitative studies with larger sample sizes are needed to try and generalize these results.Practical implicationsIt is recommended not to forget that customers can facilitate or hinder multichannel coordination. Retail banks have the power to use them conveniently, provided that they are fully conscious of the scope of the “partial employee” role played by the customer.Originality/valueThis paper broadens understanding of how multichannel distribution structures are coordinated, and in a way belies traditional organizational design literature. The emerging result gives birth to the concept of “reversed interactive marketing”, which has interesting theoretical and practical repercussions.

Download Full-text

Splash formation by spherical drops

Journal of Fluid Mechanics ◽

10.1017/s0022112000002500 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 427 ◽

pp. 73-105 ◽

Cited By ~ 91

Author(s):

LIOW JONG LENG

Keyword(s):

High Resolution ◽

Quantitative Data ◽

Water Surface ◽

High Speed ◽

Scaling Laws ◽

Capillary Wave ◽

Water Drop ◽

Qualitative And Quantitative ◽

High Resolution Images ◽

The Impact

The impact of a spherical water drop onto a water surface has been studied experimentally with the aid of a 35 mm drum camera giving high-resolution images that provided qualitative and quantitative data on the phenomena. Scaling laws for the time to reach maximum cavity sizes have been derived and provide a good fit to the experimental results. Transitions between the regimes for coalescence-only, the formation of a high-speed jet and bubble entrapment have been delineated. The high-speed jet was found to occur without bubble entrapment. This was caused by the rapid retraction of the trough formed by a capillary wave converging to the centre of the cavity base. The converging capillary wave has a profile similar to a Crapper wave. A plot showing the different regimes of cavity and impact drop behaviour in the Weber–Froude number-plane has been constructed for Fr and We less than 1000.

Download Full-text