Added value of combining health examination surveys and human biomonitoring studies

Abstract Background In many European countries, parallel to health examination surveys (HES), human biomonitoring (HBM) studies are conducted to monitor chemical exposures of the population. HES and HBM studies use survey based data collection with similarities in sample selection and recruitment, ethics and data protection, collection of data by questionnaire and through biological samples. Methods In the framework of European Human Biomonitoring Initiative (HBM4EU), evaluation of opportunities and potential obstacles related to combining HES and HBM surveys has been conducted. Experiences and expectations of principal investigators (PI) of studies from 19 European countries have been evaluated. Results The most common reasons for omitting an HBM module from a HES were lack of knowledge related to chemical measurements, lack of funding and capacities for chemical analysis. Many PIs feared that adding an HBM module to their survey would increase the participant burden and decrease participation rate. In surveys where these two different modules were already combined, the biggest benefits were seen on use of same infrastructure for recruitment of survey invitees, collection of questionnaire information and biological samples, and additional information on health, resulting more cost-effective data collection with more information on each participant. Combining these two modules had challenges on fitting together needs from the two study objectives. While survey content broadens, balancing participant burden and research interest of both HES and an HBM module is challenging. The amount of collected biological samples such as blood samples is limited. Coordination of the activities between several research groups can be challenging and time consuming. Conclusions Several examples have shown that combining HBM and health surveys is possible and provide several benefits. However, it requires a good preparation and planning and sufficient coordination capacity to be successful. Key messages Combining HES and HBM is possible but requires detailed planning and good collaboration between research groups. Combined HES and HBM studies provide a wide range of information about population health status and its determinants as well as chemicals levels of exposure.

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Enhancing Survey Participation among Foreign-Born Populations

Finnish Yearbook of Population Research ◽

10.23979/fypr.74048 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 53 ◽

pp. 89-110 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Anu Castaneda ◽

Shadia Rask ◽

Tommi Härkänen ◽

Teppo Juntunen ◽

Natalia Skogberg ◽

...

Keyword(s):

General Population ◽

Data Collection ◽

Large Scale ◽

Participation Rate ◽

Migrant Health ◽

Population Based ◽

Health Examination ◽

Foreign Born ◽

Extra Effort ◽

Scale Population

The Finnish Migrant Health and Wellbeing Study (Maamu) is the first large-scale population-based health examination survey among the foreign-born population in Finland, unique also at the European level. It provides information on wellbeing of three major foreign-born groups: Russian, Somali, and Kurdish. In data collection, extra effort was put into reaching the sampled persons (n=3,000), for example by recruiting bilingual personnel to carry out the data collection, reaching participation rates as high as 70%, 51%, and 63%, respectively. A comparison group of the general population was available from a general population survey. The main challenges in fieldwork included reaching sampled persons, supervision of the fieldwork personnel, and special linguistic or cultural needs. Our experiences show that participation rate can be improved by engaging the target groups in all stages of the survey process and using several recruitment strategies, ending up with succeeding in pointing out health inequalities in the population.

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Product Innovation in the Crafts Sector

Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship ◽

10.2174/2213809906666181218111649 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 5 (2) ◽

pp. 100-109

Author(s):

Maria Sarmento ◽

Marlene Amorim ◽

Marta Ferreira Dias ◽

Mara Madaleno

Keyword(s):

Product Innovation ◽

Consumer Preferences ◽

New Products ◽

European Countries ◽

Added Value ◽

Timely Manner ◽

European Context ◽

Territorial Identity ◽

Relevant Topic ◽

The Creation

Background: Innovation can result from progressive or significant changes to existing products leading to improvements in performance and user value. This is the type of innovation that is more easily perceived by the consumer, as it results in the creation of new products or the improvement of existing ones. Innovation in the Crafts Sector is a relevant topic to address market changes, and meet evolving consumer preferences. In this vein, artisans need to meet the calls for regularly investing in the design of new products and processes, with the purpose of achieving the sustainability of their business. Methods: This article addresses the existing calls for contextualizing the crafts sector and for fostering product innovation in this area, by investigating the barriers and problems faced by artisans, as well as by exploring existing experiences in overcoming them. The article builds on data collected in five European countries, under the scope of the Erasmus+ Project Craftsmanship+ “Fostering a New and Competitive Approach to Crafts and Semi Industrial high added-value sectors”1. Results and Conclusion: The aim is to analyze the importance of the crafts sector in a European context. This article contributes in a timely manner to the understanding of the crafts sector by paying attention to the obstacles that artisans face in order to ensure the sustainability of their business by introducing product innovation into their organization and/or market. This study offers a collection of innovation experiences in realities that are very significant for territorial identity, and thus aims to provide an incentive for further research.

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Palladium and Copper: Advantageous Nanocatalysts for Multi-Step Transformations

Nanomaterials ◽

10.3390/nano11081891 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. 1891

Author(s):

Antonio Reina ◽

Trung Dang-Bao ◽

Itzel Guerrero-Ríos ◽

Montserrat Gómez

Keyword(s):

Chemical Properties ◽

Added Value ◽

Solid Supports ◽

Nanosized Materials ◽

Nano Structures ◽

Liquid Phases ◽

Wide Range ◽

Synthetic Methodologies ◽

Physical And Chemical ◽

A Current

Metal nanoparticles have been deeply studied in the last few decades due to their attractive physical and chemical properties, finding a wide range of applications in several fields. Among them, well-defined nano-structures can combine the main advantages of heterogeneous and homogenous catalysts. Especially, catalyzed multi-step processes for the production of added-value chemicals represent straightforward synthetic methodologies, including tandem and sequential reactions that avoid the purification of intermediate compounds. In particular, palladium- and copper-based nanocatalysts are often applied, becoming a current strategy in the sustainable synthesis of fine chemicals. The rational tailoring of nanosized materials involving both those immobilized on solid supports and liquid phases and their applications in organic synthesis are herein reviewed.

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Multiparametric MRI Texture Analysis in Prediction of Glioma Biomarker Status: Added Value of MR Diffusion

Neuro-Oncology Advances ◽

10.1093/noajnl/vdab051 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Shingo Kihira ◽

Nadejda Tsankova ◽

Adam Bauer ◽

Yu Sakai ◽

Keon Mahmoudi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Texture Analysis ◽

Diffusion Mri ◽

Test Group ◽

Multiparametric Mri ◽

Added Value ◽

Conventional Mri ◽

Mri Features ◽

Wide Range ◽

Mr Diffusion ◽

And Diffusion

Abstract Background Early identification of glioma molecular phenotypes can lead to understanding of patient prognosis and treatment guidance. We aimed to develop a multiparametric MRI texture analysis model using a combination of conventional and diffusion MRI to predict a wide range of biomarkers in patients with glioma. Methods In this retrospective study, patients were included if they 1) had diagnosis of gliomas with known IDH1, EGFR, MGMT, ATRX, TP53 and PTEN status from surgical pathology and 2) had preoperative MRI including FLAIR, T1c+ and diffusion for radiomic texture analysis. Statistical analysis included logistic regression and receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to determine the optimal model for predicting glioma biomarkers. A comparative analysis between ROCs (conventional only vs. conventional + diffusion) was performed. Results From a total of 111 patients included, 91 (82%) were categorized to training and 20 (18%) to test datasets. Constructed cross-validated model using a combination of texture features from conventional and diffusion MRI resulted in overall AUC/accuracy of 1/79% for IDH1, 0.99/80% for ATRX, 0.79/67% for MGMT, and 0.77/66% for EGFR. The addition of diffusion data to conventional MRI features significantly (p<0.05) increased predictive performance for IDH1, MGMT and ATRX. The overall accuracy of the final model in predicting biomarkers in the test group was 80% (IDH1), 70% (ATRX), 70% (MGMT) and 75% (EGFR). Conclusion Addition of MR diffusion to conventional MRI features provides added diagnostic value in preoperative determination of IDH1, MGMT, and ATRX in patients with glioma.

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From Residues to Added-Value Bacterial Biopolymers as Nanomaterials for Biomedical Applications

Nanomaterials ◽

10.3390/nano11061492 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 1492

Author(s):

Francisco G. Blanco ◽

Natalia Hernández ◽

Virginia Rivero-Buceta ◽

Beatriz Maestro ◽

Jesús M. Sanz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biomedical Applications ◽

Carbon Sources ◽

Structural Diversity ◽

Added Value ◽

Nanoscale Systems ◽

Chemical Structures ◽

Wide Range ◽

Peptide Functionalization ◽

Metabolic Strategies ◽

Drug Nanocarriers

Bacterial biopolymers are naturally occurring materials comprising a wide range of molecules with diverse chemical structures that can be produced from renewable sources following the principles of the circular economy. Over the last decades, they have gained substantial interest in the biomedical field as drug nanocarriers, implantable material coatings, and tissue-regeneration scaffolds or membranes due to their inherent biocompatibility, biodegradability into nonhazardous disintegration products, and their mechanical properties, which are similar to those of human tissues. The present review focuses upon three technologically advanced bacterial biopolymers, namely, bacterial cellulose (BC), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), and γ-polyglutamic acid (PGA), as models of different carbon-backbone structures (polysaccharides, polyesters, and polyamides) produced by bacteria that are suitable for biomedical applications in nanoscale systems. This selection models evidence of the wide versatility of microorganisms to generate biopolymers by diverse metabolic strategies. We highlight the suitability for applied sustainable bioprocesses for the production of BC, PHA, and PGA based on renewable carbon sources and the singularity of each process driven by bacterial machinery. The inherent properties of each polymer can be fine-tuned by means of chemical and biotechnological approaches, such as metabolic engineering and peptide functionalization, to further expand their structural diversity and their applicability as nanomaterials in biomedicine.

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Sustainability reporting in justice systems: a comparative research in two European countries

Meditari Accountancy Research ◽

10.1108/medar-11-2020-1091 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Floriana Fusco ◽

Renato Civitillo ◽

Paolo Ricci ◽

Sylwia Morawska ◽

Katarzyna Pustułka ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Online Survey ◽

Sustainability Reporting ◽

European Countries ◽

Comparative Approach ◽

Political Debate ◽

Content Type ◽

Reporting Practices ◽

Wide Range ◽

Current Practices ◽

Judicial Systems

Purpose That on accountability in public organizations is quite an old debate. Its introduction in judicial systems is, however, still viewed with some suspicion, due to its potential trade-off with independence and impartiality. Nevertheless, the need to respond to the demands for greater transparency and accountability has also pushed judicial organizations to establish a dialogue with a wide range of subjects. This study aims to explore the understanding and the current practices of sustainability reporting currently in place in judicial systems. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts a comparative approach, conducting an online survey in two European countries (Italy and Poland). The survey was built around the research questions and literature and administered between February and March 2020. Specifically, 804 courts were involved, of which 430 are in Italy and 374 in Poland. Findings Findings show that the current practices are still not widespread and there is still a lack of understanding of what sustainability reporting is, and therefore, of what its potential usefulness within the courts could be. Moreover, many differences between the two countries are pointed out, so it is possible to assume that the different cultural and institutional settings influence sustainability reporting practices. Finally, some interesting implications for policymakers are provided. Originality/value Judicial organizations are still poorly investigated in the literature, despite being at the center of a wide public and political debate. Moreover, the international comparative perspective adopted constitutes a further aspect of novelty.

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The functions and positions of political parties in consociational democracies: theoretical and empirical contexts

National Technical University of Ukraine Journal Political science Sociology Law ◽

10.20535/2308-5053.2020.2(46).226607 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 28-33

Author(s):

O. Morhuniuk

Keyword(s):

Political Parties ◽

The Netherlands ◽

Party System ◽

Party Competition ◽

European Countries ◽

The Past ◽

Democratic Regimes ◽

Wide Range ◽

Key Aspects ◽

Further Development

An article is devoted to the analysis of the functions and formats of political parties in consociational democracies. In particular, it is defined that parties that represent the interests of certain subcultures in society and that reach a consensus among themselves at the level of political agreements are called segmental. At the same time, parties that encapsulate different subgroups of the society that cooperate inside the party within main features of the consociational theory (grand coalition, mutual veto, proportionality in representations, and independence of segments or society subcultures) are called consociational. The theory of consociationalism has received a wide range of theoretical additions and criticism from political scientists over the past fifty years. And while political parties should have been, by definition, one of the key aspects of research within such democratic regimes (parties are part of large coalitions and agents of representation of certain subcultures), there is very scarce number of literature that focuses on this aspect. Therefore, the presented article provides a description of the functions of political parties that could be observed as inside their subcultures as well as in interaction with other segmental parties. Based on the experience of two European countries in the period of “classical” consociationalism (Belgium and the Netherlands), we explain the functions of the parties we have defined in such societies with examples of relevant consociational practices in them. Simultaneously with the analysis of segmental parties, the article also offers the characteristics of consociational parties. The emergence of such parties has its own institutional and historical features. The way of further development of the party system and the level of preservation of consociational practices makes it possible to understand the nature of changes in the societies. Similarly, the analysis of the forms of party competition and interaction between segmental parties makes it possible to outline the forms of those consociational changes that are taking place in the research countries.

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A Comparison of the Application of the SMED Methodology in Two Different Cutting Lines

Quality Innovation Prosperity ◽

10.12776/qip.v25i1.1446 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 25 (1) ◽

pp. 124-149

Author(s):

Alexandre Silva ◽

José C. Sá ◽

Gilberto Santos ◽

Francisco J.G. Silva ◽

Luís P. Ferreira ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Data Collection ◽

Continuous Improvement ◽

Video Analysis ◽

Historical Data ◽

Action Plan ◽

Video Recording ◽

Operating Mode ◽

Added Value ◽

Output Rate ◽

Production Output

Purpose: This study was carried out in a cork company and its purpose was to observe and analyze the practices and methods used during the tools/series change moments and to propose improvements and alternatives to these same procedures so that the time needed to carry out the setup is reduced by 15% in both lines. Methodology/Approach:The methodology included the following phases: 1st - historical data collection and setup video recording, 2nd - footage analysis and conduction of informal interviews with employees, 3rd - flow, Gantt, and spaghetti charts creation and making of an action plan based on the waste and improvement opportunities identified in video analysis, 4th - validation with the line workers of the new operating mode created with the Single Minute Exchange of Dies (SMED) tool and communication to the Maintenance department about their role in this project, 5th - making and placement of plasticized cards on the cutting lines to ensure that new operating mode is followed and carrying out the actions identified in the action plan. Findings: Throughout this project using observations, video recording and its subsequent analysis, as well as interviews to the workers operating in the line, it was found the existence of several actions carried out by them during the setups which did not add value to the product, lack of adequate tools for the work to be performed and lack of work tools in general Research Limitation/implication: The study was limited by the lines and products under study and by the duration of the curricular internship, which was about five months. Originality/Value of paper: The article demonstrates the added value in terms of product quality and production output rate that SMED methodology can bring to companies that adopt the lean philosophy and in particular this continuous improvement tool.

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Abstract P359: Cardiovascular Risk Factor and Diseases in the Italian Adult Population: The National Health Examination Surveys 2008-2012

Circulation ◽

10.1161/circ.127.suppl_12.ap359 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 127 (suppl_12) ◽

Author(s):

Chiara Donfrancesco ◽

Luigi Palmieri ◽

Cinzia Lo Noce ◽

Francesco Dima ◽

Amalia De Curtis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Myocardial Infarction ◽

Risk Factor ◽

Adult Population ◽

Smoking Habit ◽

Participation Rate ◽

Health Examination ◽

Biochemical Tests ◽

Men And Women ◽

Italian Regions

Background: From 2008 to 2012 an Health Examination Survey (HES)-Osservatorio Epidemiologico Cardiovascolare (OEC) has been implemented in Italy with the aim of assessing cardiovascular (CV) risk factors, prevalence of risk conditions and CV diseases for the Italian adult population. Methods: Random samples of general population stratified by age and sex were examined in all Italian regions (participation rate 56%). Risk factor were collected using standardized procedures and methods; biochemical tests were assayed in a central laboratory; a questionnaire investigates behaviours and CVD history; a ECG read in Minnesota code was used to define previous myocardial infarction. Comparisons between men and women were assessed using t-test for means and chi-squared test for prevalence. Results: Data of 4371 men and 4339 women ages 35-79 years were analysed. Majority of risk factors mean levels resulted higher in men than in women: systolic blood pressure (SBP) was 134 mmHg and 129 mmHg (p<0.0001), diastolic (DBP) was 84 mmHg and 79 mmHg (p<0.0001), fasting plasma glucose was 103 mg/dl and 95 mg/dl (p<0.0001), triglycerides was 135 mg/dl and 108 mg/dl (p<0.0001), respectively; as well as many CV risk conditions: smoking habit was 21% in men and 18% in women (p<0.0001), diabetes was 14% in men and 9% in women (p<0.0001) (28% of diabetic unaware both in men and women), 56% of men and 43% of women have SBP>=140 mmHg or DBP>=90 mmHg or in treatment (p<0.0001), 65% of men and 70% of women have total cholesterol (TC) >=200 mg/dl or in treatment for (p<0.0001), 48% of men and 33% of women are in overweight (BMI 25-29 kg/m 2 ) (p<0.0001). TC, LDL and HDL cholesterol resulted lower in men than in women: 209 mg/dl and 218 (44) (p<0.0001), 131 (38) mg/dl and 134 mg/dl (p<0.0001), 51 mg/dl and 62 mg/dl (p<0.0001), respectively. As well as prevalence of physical inactivity during leisure time: 31% in men and 43% in women (p<0.0001). Prevalence of obesity (BMI>=30 kg/m 2 ) resulted similar in men and women: 25% and 27% respectively (p=0.0818). Prevalence of myocardial infarction was 2.1% in men and 0.7% in women (p<0.0001), prevalence of by-pass or angioplasty surgery was 5.1% and 1.0% (p<0.0001), prevalence of angina pectoris was 3.2% and in 4.8% (p<0.0001), respectively. Conclusions: At present obesity and smoking are still a priority in public health. In combination with other information sources, the OEC can contribute greatly to plan community actions and health services at national and regional level.

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General Practitioners’ Participation in a Large, Multicountry Combined General Practitioner-Patient Survey: Recruitment Procedures and Participation Rate

International Journal of Family Medicine ◽

10.1155/2016/4929432 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2016 ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Peter P. Groenewegen ◽

Stefan Greß ◽

Willemijn Schäfer

Keyword(s):

Primary Care ◽

General Practitioner ◽

Data Collection ◽

General Practitioners ◽

Random Sampling ◽

Participation Rate ◽

Patient Survey ◽

Complex Data ◽

Participation Rates ◽

Recruitment Procedure

Background. The participation of general practitioners (GPs) is essential in research on the performance of primary care. This paper describes the implementation of a large, multicountry study in primary care that combines a survey among GPs and a linked survey among patients that visited their practice (the QUALICOPC study). The aim is to describe the recruitment procedure and explore differences between countries in the participation rate of the GPs. Methods. Descriptive analyses were used to document recruitment procedures and to assess hypotheses potentially explaining variation in participation rates between countries. Results. The survey was implemented in 31 European countries. GPs were mainly selected through random sampling. The actual implementation of the study differed between countries. The median participation rate was 30%. Both material (such as the payment system of GPs in a country) and immaterial influences (such as estimated survey pressure) are related to differences between countries. Conclusion. This study shows that the participation of GPs may indeed be influenced by the context of the country. The implementation of complex data collection is difficult to realize in a completely uniform way. Procedures have to be tuned to the context of the country.

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