scholarly journals Protection following BNT162b2 booster substantially exceeds that of a fresh 2-dose vaccine: a quasi-experimental study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ofra Amir ◽  
Yair Goldberg ◽  
Micha Mandel ◽  
Yinon M. Bar-On ◽  
Omri Bodenheimer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Real World ◽  
Booster Dose ◽  
The Real ◽  
Biological Studies ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Antibody Levels ◽  
To Receive ◽  
Dose Vaccine

Israel began administering a BNT162b2 booster dose to restore protection following the waning of the 2-dose vaccine. Biological studies have shown that a fresh booster leads to increased antibody levels compared to a fresh 2-dose vaccine, which may suggest increased effectiveness. To compare the real-world effectiveness of a fresh booster dose with that of a fresh 2-dose vaccine, we conduct a quasi-experimental study that compares populations that were eligible to receive the vaccine at different times due to age cutoff policies. Our analysis shows that a fresh booster increases protection against confirmed infection by 3.7 (95% CI: 2.7 to 5.2) fold compared to a fresh 2-dose vaccine.

scholarly journals Evaluation the effectiveness of Abridged IMNCI (7-Day) Course v standard (11-Day) Course in Pakistan

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shabina Ariff ◽  
Khalil Ahmed ◽  
Kamran Sadiq ◽  
Khadija Nuzhat ◽  
Shakeel Ahmed ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Clinical Skills ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Training Group ◽  
Training Groups ◽  
Training Course ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Standard Training ◽  
To Receive

Abstract Background: The conventional IMCI training for healthcare providers is delivered in 11 days, which can be expensive and disruptive to the normal clinical routines of the providers. An equally effective, shorter training course may address these difficulties.Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study that was conducted in two provinces (Sindh and Punjab) of Pakistan. 104 healthcare providers were conveniently selected to receive either the abridged (7-day) or the standard (11-day) training. Knowledge and clinical skills of the participants were assessed before, immediately on conclusion of, and six months after the training.Results: The improvement in mean knowledge scores of the 7-day and 11-day training groups was 31.6 (95% CI: 24.3, 38.8) and 29.4 (95% CI: 23.9, 34.9) respectively, p = 0.630 while the improvement in mean clinical skills scores of the 7-day and 11-day training groups was 23.8 (95% CI: 19.3, 28.2) and 23.0 (95% CI: 18.9, 27.0) respectively, p = 0.784. The decline in mean knowledge scores six months after the training was -12.4 (95% CI -18.5, -6.4) and -6.4 (95% CI: -10.5, -2.3) in the 7-day and 11-day groups respectively, p = 0.094. The decline in mean clinical skills scores six months after the training was -6.3 (95% CI -11.3, -1.3) in the 7-day training group and -9.1 (95% CI -11.5, -6.6) in the 11-day group, p = 0.308.Conclusion: An abridged IMNCI training is equally effective as the standard training. However, training for certain illnesses may be better delivered by the standard course.

Three Graces

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Ita Mac Carthy
Keyword(s):  
Fifteenth Century ◽  
Classical Tradition ◽  
Real World ◽  
Love Poetry ◽  
The Real ◽  
Verbal Language ◽  
The Arts ◽  
To Receive ◽  
Poetry And Music

This introductory chapter analyses the April fresco depicting the three Graces of classical tradition in the Salone dei mesi (Room of the months) of Ferrara's Palazzo Schifanoia. The Allegory of April transforms the abstract qualities of grace into an eloquent verbal language that is read from top to bottom by following the line of their spiritual passage from the heavens to deserving mortals below. Close allies of beauty and faithful escorts to Love, these qualities inspire the arts of love, poetry, and music. Through the sign of Taurus, they infuse the powers of liberality into the hearts of the elect. An ideal rather than a realistic portrait of universal grace and sociability, though, the fresco also conveys the real-world dearth of its qualities. For although the fresco's painter, Francesco del Cossa, paints grace with grace, he fails to receive grace in return. He shares in a problem that fifteenth-century poets, artists, male courtiers, and court ladies knew well: the problem of what happens when the grace personified and idealized in the figure of the three Graces meets with nothing but ingratitude.

Defending Discontinuity

2020 ◽  
pp. 102-133
Author(s):  
Jonathan Gilmore
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Real World ◽  
Moral Character ◽  
Framing Effects ◽  
Prima Facie ◽  
The Real ◽  
Works Of Art ◽  
Continuity And Discontinuity

This chapter introduces and diagnoses the inadequacy of two prima facie plausible, but ultimately inadequate, arguments for the discontinuity thesis based on framing effects. The chapter then develops and defends a more powerful argument in discontinuity’s favor based on the functions of fictions. The chapter also looks at what turns on the debate between continuity and discontinuity, i.e., what consequences its resolution on the side of discontinuity has for the experimental study of the emotions; the role of responses to works of art as evidence of moral character; and the putatively edifying value of engaging with fictions in educating and refining attitudes about the real world.

scholarly journals Testing the Effectiveness of Enhanced Alcohol Warning Labels and Modifications Resulting From Alcohol Industry Interference in Yukon, Canada: Protocol for a Quasi-Experimental Study

10.2196/16320 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. e16320 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate Vallance ◽  
Timothy Stockwell ◽  
David Hammond ◽  
Simran Shokar ◽  
Nour Schoueri-Mychasiw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Study Design ◽  
Real World ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Warning Labels ◽  
Intervention Site ◽  
Alcohol Industry ◽  
Quasi Experimental

Background Alcohol warning labels are a promising, well-targeted strategy to increase public awareness of alcohol-related health risks and support more informed and safer use. However, evidence of their effectiveness in real-world settings remains limited and inconclusive. Objective This paper presents a protocol for a real-world study examining the population-level impact of enhanced alcohol warning labels with a cancer message; national drinking guidelines; and standard drink information on attention, processing, and alcohol-related behaviors among consumers in Canada. Postimplementation modifications to the original protocol due to interference by national alcohol industry representatives are also described. Methods This quasi-experimental study involved partnering with local governments in two northern Canadian territories already applying alcohol warning labels on alcohol containers for sale in liquor stores. The study tested an 8-month intervention consisting of three new enhanced, rotating alcohol warning labels in an intervention site (Whitehorse, Yukon) relative to a comparison site (Yellowknife, Northwest Territories) where labelling practices would remain unchanged. Pre-post surveys were conducted at both sites to measure changes in awareness and processing of label messages, alcohol-related knowledge, and behaviors. Liquor store transaction data were collected from both sites to assess changes in population-level alcohol consumption. The intervention was successfully implemented for 1 month before it was halted due to complaints from the alcohol industry. The government of the intervention site allowed the study to proceed after a 2-month pause, on the condition that the cancer warning label was removed from rotation. Modifications to the protocol included applying the two remaining enhanced labels for the balance of the intervention and adding a third wave of surveys during the 2-month pause to capture any impact of the cancer label. Results This study protocol describes a real-world quasi-experimental study that aimed to test the effectiveness of new enhanced alcohol warning labels as a tool to support consumers in making more informed and safer alcohol choices. Alcohol industry interference shortly after implementation compromised both the intervention and the original study design; however, the study design was modified to enable completion of three waves of surveys with cohort participants (n=2049) and meet the study aims. Conclusions Findings from this study will directly inform alcohol labelling policies in Canada and internationally and provide further insight into the alcohol industry’s attempts to disrupt research in this area. Additional unimpeded real-world evaluations of enhanced alcohol warning labels are recommended. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) RR1-10.2196/16320

scholarly journals Testing Alcohol Labels as a Tool to Communicate Cancer Risk to Drinkers: A Real-World Quasi-Experimental Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 81 (2) ◽  
pp. 249-261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin Hobin ◽  
Ashini Weerasinghe ◽  
Kate Vallance ◽  
David Hammond ◽  
Jonathan McGavock ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Cancer Risk ◽  
Real World ◽  
Quasi Experimental

scholarly journals HUPSMT: AN EFFICIENT ALGORITHM FOR MINING HIGH UTILITY-PROBABILITY SEQUENCES IN UNCERTAIN DATABASES WITH MULTIPLE MINIMUM UTILITY THRESHOLDS

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Truong Chi Tin ◽  
Tran Ngoc Anh ◽  
Duong Van Hai ◽  
Le Hoai Bac
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Real World ◽  
Efficient Algorithm ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Sequence Mining ◽  
Memory Consumption ◽  
Uncertain Databases ◽  
The Real ◽  
Low Probability ◽  
High Utility

The problem of high utility sequence mining (HUSM) in quantitative se-quence databases (QSDBs) is more general than that of frequent sequence mining in se-quence databases. An important limitation of HUSM is that a user-predened minimum tility threshold is used commonly to decide if a sequence is high utility. However, this is not convincing in many real-life applications as sequences may have diferent importance. Another limitation of HUSM is that data in QSDBs are assumed to be precise. But in the real world, collected data such as by sensor maybe uncertain. Thus, this paper proposes a framework for mining high utility-probability sequences (HUPSs) in uncertain QSDBs (UQS-DBs) with multiple minimum utility thresholds using a minimum utility. Two new width and depth pruning strategies are also introduced to early eliminate low utility or low probability sequences as well as their extensions, and to reduce sets of candidate items for extensions during the mining process. Based on these strategies, a novel ecient algorithm named HUPSMT is designed for discovering HUPSs. Finally, an experimental study conducted in both real-life and synthetic UQSDBs shows the performance of HUPSMT in terms of time and memory consumption.

Report of the Secretary

1993 ◽  
Vol 67 (4) ◽  
pp. 686-686
Author(s):  
Donald L. Wolberg
Keyword(s):  
Real World ◽  
The Real ◽  
The Public ◽  
High Level ◽  
To Receive ◽  
Membership Information

The responsibilities of Secretary of this Society bring with them an opportunity to interact with the membership and the public. It is a job that offers a unique perspective on the profession and a general perception of the profession. There is no doubt but that a high level of interest in paleontology is present “out there” in the real world and people are interested in fossils. I continue to receive many, many requests for our educational brochures and there has been a surprising number of requests for membership information in the Society by people for whom paleontology is an avocation.

scholarly journals Testing the Effectiveness of Enhanced Alcohol Warning Labels and Modifications Resulting From Alcohol Industry Interference in Yukon, Canada: Protocol for a Quasi-Experimental Study (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate Vallance ◽  
Timothy Stockwell ◽  
David Hammond ◽  
Simran Shokar ◽  
Nour Schoueri-Mychasiw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Study Design ◽  
Real World ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Warning Labels ◽  
Intervention Site ◽  
Alcohol Industry ◽  
Quasi Experimental

BACKGROUND Alcohol warning labels are a promising, well-targeted strategy to increase public awareness of alcohol-related health risks and support more informed and safer use. However, evidence of their effectiveness in real-world settings remains limited and inconclusive. OBJECTIVE This paper presents a protocol for a real-world study examining the population-level impact of enhanced alcohol warning labels with a cancer message; national drinking guidelines; and standard drink information on attention, processing, and alcohol-related behaviors among consumers in Canada. Postimplementation modifications to the original protocol due to interference by national alcohol industry representatives are also described. METHODS This quasi-experimental study involved partnering with local governments in two northern Canadian territories already applying alcohol warning labels on alcohol containers for sale in liquor stores. The study tested an 8-month intervention consisting of three new enhanced, rotating alcohol warning labels in an intervention site (Whitehorse, Yukon) relative to a comparison site (Yellowknife, Northwest Territories) where labelling practices would remain unchanged. Pre-post surveys were conducted at both sites to measure changes in awareness and processing of label messages, alcohol-related knowledge, and behaviors. Liquor store transaction data were collected from both sites to assess changes in population-level alcohol consumption. The intervention was successfully implemented for 1 month before it was halted due to complaints from the alcohol industry. The government of the intervention site allowed the study to proceed after a 2-month pause, on the condition that the cancer warning label was removed from rotation. Modifications to the protocol included applying the two remaining enhanced labels for the balance of the intervention and adding a third wave of surveys during the 2-month pause to capture any impact of the cancer label. RESULTS This study protocol describes a real-world quasi-experimental study that aimed to test the effectiveness of new enhanced alcohol warning labels as a tool to support consumers in making more informed and safer alcohol choices. Alcohol industry interference shortly after implementation compromised both the intervention and the original study design; however, the study design was modified to enable completion of three waves of surveys with cohort participants (n=2049) and meet the study aims. CONCLUSIONS Findings from this study will directly inform alcohol labelling policies in Canada and internationally and provide further insight into the alcohol industry’s attempts to disrupt research in this area. Additional unimpeded real-world evaluations of enhanced alcohol warning labels are recommended.

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