scholarly journals How to build up the actionable knowledge base: the role of ‘best fit’ framework synthesis for studies of improvement in healthcare

2015 ◽  
Vol 24 (11) ◽  
pp. 700-708 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Booth ◽  
Christopher Carroll
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Base ◽  
Actionable Knowledge ◽  
Best Fit ◽  
Best Fit Framework Synthesis

scholarly journals COVID-19: systematic learning across boundaries requires a conceptual agreement

2021 ◽  
pp. 140349482110270
Author(s):  
Knut Ole Sundnes ◽  
Geir Sverre Braut
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Knowledge Base ◽  
External Validity ◽  
Evaluation Research ◽  
The Other ◽  
Basic Knowledge ◽  
Early Publication ◽  
Number Of Publications ◽  
Short Time

The COVID-19 epidemic has revealed a shortage of basic knowledge and understanding of pandemics, especially regarding their dynamics and how to contain them. The results are a host of governments’ decrees and instructions, one replacing the other, often within the same week. It has further, in a truly short time, resulted in an overwhelming number of publications, many of them prioritising early publication over quality. This commentary addresses the concept of structured research related to disasters and how the use of endorsed guidelines will facilitate well-designed evaluation research with improved rigour and external validity, even if applied retrospectively. The outcome should be a solidified knowledge base. Further, the important role of public health efforts is to be highlighted, as their role has proved crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals Size-mediated, density-dependent cannibalism in the signal crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus (Dana, 1852) (Decapoda, Astacidea), an invasive crayfish in Britain

Crustaceana ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 90 (4) ◽  
pp. 417-435 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. J. Houghton ◽  
C. Wood ◽  
X. Lambin
Keyword(s):  
Relative Size ◽  
Pacifastacus Leniusculus ◽  
Gut Contents ◽  
Size Distributions ◽  
Signal Crayfish ◽  
Density Dependent ◽  
Invasive Crayfish ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Best Fit

The role of cannibalism in crayfish populations is not well understood, despite being a potentially key density-dependent process underpinning population dynamics. We studied the incidence of cannibalism in an introduced signal crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus population in a Scottish lowland river in September 2014. Animals were sampled using six different sampling techniques simultaneously, revealing variable densities and size distributions across the site. Cannibalism prevalence was estimated by analysing the gut contents of crayfish >20 mm CL for the presence of crayfish fragments, which was found to be 20% of dissected individuals. When seeking evidence of relationships between the sizes of cannibals and ‘prey’, the density of conspecifics <56% the size of a dissected individual yielded the best fit. The relationship between cannibalism probability and crayfish size and density was equally well described by three different metrics of crayfish density. Cannibalism increased with crayfish size and density but did not vary according to sex. These results suggest that large P. leniusculus frequently cannibalize smaller (prey) conspecifics, and that the probability of cannibalism is dependent upon the relative size of cannibal-to-prey and the density of the smaller crayfish. We suggest that removing large individuals, as targeted by many traditional removal techniques, may lead to reduced cannibalism and therefore a compensatory increase in juvenile survival.

scholarly journals Geomorphometry: Today and Tomorrow

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
John P Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Content Knowledge ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
High Fidelity ◽  
Terrain Modeling ◽  
Actionable Knowledge ◽  
Digital Terrain ◽  
Current State ◽  
Digital Terrain Modeling ◽  
Key Innovations

This paper summarizes the current state-of-the-art in geomorphometry and describes the innovations that are close at hand and will be required to push digital terrain modeling forward in the future. These innovations will draw on concepts and methods from computer science and the spatial sciences and require greater collaboration to produce “actionable” knowledge and outcomes. The key innovations include rediscovering and using what we already know, developing new digital terrain modeling methods, clarifying and strengthening the role of theory, developing high-fidelity DEMs, developing and embracing new visualization methods, adopting new computational approaches, and making better use of provenance, credibility, and application-content knowledge.

Abstract 20: Resident Cardiac Stem Cell Growth Determines the Number of Ventricular Cardiomyocytes in the Mouse Heart

2012 ◽  
Vol 111 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Ogórek ◽  
João Ferreira-Martins ◽  
Donato Cappetta ◽  
Alex Matsuda ◽  
Sergio Signore ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Late Gestation ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Mouse Heart ◽  
Lineage Specification ◽  
Exponential Equation ◽  
Cell Organization ◽  
Parenchymal Cells ◽  
Best Fit

The objective of this study was to determine the role of c-kit-positive cardiac stem cells (CSCs) in the formation of the heart during prenatal life, and immediately after birth. Mice in which EGFP is under the control of the c-kit-promoter were employed to measure the number of CSCs (Ns), the fraction of cycling MCM5-positive CSCs (f) and the length of the cell cycle (Ts) in CSCs. The number of CSCs committed to the myocyte lineage (LCC: lineage committed cells) included myocyte progenitors (c-kit-positive, Nkx2.5-positive cells), myocyte precursors (c-kit-positive, Nkx2.5-positive, and α-sarcomeric actin-positive cells) and replicating amplifying myocytes (c-kit-negative, Nkx2.5-positive, α-sarcomeric actin-positive, and MCM5-positive cells). These variables derived from CSC growth and lineage specification were evaluated to define the rate of formation of terminally differentiated myocytes (r). Based on a hierarchically structured cell organization, the rate of entry (Rs) of CSCs into the cell cycle was computed from Rs = f x (Ns/Ts), and the rate of generation of mature myocytes, r, was obtained from r = Rs x 2 Gt = ((f x Ns)/Ts) x 2 Gt . The exponent Gt defines the number of transit generations, i.e., the number of divisions that one CSC has to go through before it acquires the terminally differentiated myocyte phenotype. To validate this scenario and establish the number of post-mitotic myocytes formed, the primary data listed above were collected at E9, E14, E19 and P1. The number of mature cardiomyocytes generated by 1 CSC in 1 day was 1.1 x 10 3 , 20 x 10 3 , 501 x 10 3 , and 440 x 10 3 at E9, E14, E19 and P1, respectively. The total number of myocytes (Nm) formed from E9 to E14, E19 and P1 was derived from an exponential equation with the best fit to the experimental data: Nm = exp (0.69 x t) where Nm is the number of myocytes and t is time in days. Accordingly, CSCs generated 1 x 10 5 , 1 x 10 6 and 1.8 x 10 6 myocytes at from E9 to E14, E19 and P1, respectively. These values accounted for all parenchymal cells present at mid and late gestation and in the neonatal heart measured morphometrically. Thus, the expansion of the myocyte mass during embryonic, fetal and immediate postnatal development is controlled by activation, growth and differentiation of resident c-kit-positive CSCs.

The Role of the Built Environment in the Creation, Cultivation and Acquisition of a Knowledge-Base

2010 ◽  
pp. 211-221
Author(s):  
Kristine Peta Jerome
Keyword(s):  
Built Environment ◽  
Knowledge Base ◽  
Tacit Knowledge ◽  
Urban Landscape ◽  
Physical Design ◽  
The Creation

This chapter explores the role of the built environment in the creation, cultivation and acquisition of a knowledge base by people populating the urban landscape. It examines McDonald’s restaurants as a way to comprehend the relevance of the physical design in the diffusion of codified and tacit knowledge at an everyday level. Through an examination of space at a localised level, this chapter describes the synergies of space and the significance of this relationship in navigating the global landscape.

Applying Dynamic Causal Mining in Health Service Management

2011 ◽  
pp. 233-252
Author(s):  
Yi Wang
Keyword(s):  
Information Technologies ◽  
Service Management ◽  
Causal Relation ◽  
Medical Data ◽  
Causal Knowledge ◽  
Data Repositories ◽  
Medical Practitioners ◽  
Actionable Knowledge ◽  
Significant Difference

This article describes an application that illustrates the role of data mining technology in identifying hidden causal knoledge from health and medical data repositories. Across the health care and medical enterprises, a wide variety of data is being generated at a rapid rate. Current information technologies tends to focus on a more statical side of causal knowledge and do not address the dynamic causal knowledge. This article shows that the dynamic causal relation data can be captured for treatment, payment, operations purposes and administrative directed insights. Accessing this currently unrealized knowledge potential would enable the delivery of actionable knowledge to medical practitioners, healthcare system managers, policy planners and even patients to make a significant difference in overall healthcare.

Unveiling the Cognitive Mechanisms of Eyes

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yingxu Wang
Keyword(s):  
Eye Movements ◽  
Knowledge Base ◽  
Crucial Role ◽  
Cognitive Mechanisms ◽  
Brain Science ◽  
Internal Memory ◽  
Cognitive Knowledge ◽  
The Mind ◽  
The Brain

Eyes as the unique organ possess intensively direct connections to the brain and dynamically perceptual accessibility to the mind. This paper analyzes the cognitive mechanisms of eyes not only as the sensory of vision, but also the browser of internal memory in thinking and perception. The browse function of eyes is created by abstract conditioning of the eye's tracking pathway for accessing internal memories, which enables eye movements to function as the driver of the perceptive thinking engine of the brain. The dual mechanisms of the eyes as both the external sensor of the brain and the internal browser of the mind are explained based on evidences and cognitive experiences in cognitive informatics, neuropsychology, cognitive science, and brain science. The finding on the experiment's internal browsing mechanism of eyes reveals a crucial role of eyes interacting with the brain for accessing internal memory and the cognitive knowledge base in thinking, perception, attention, consciousness, learning, memorization, and inference.

scholarly journals Models of care for chronic conditions in low/middle-income countries: a ‘best fit’ framework synthesis

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (6) ◽  
pp. e001077 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorothy Lall ◽  
Nora Engel ◽  
Narayanan Devadasan ◽  
Klasien Horstman ◽  
Bart Criel
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Chronic Conditions ◽  
Quality Care ◽  
Healthcare Delivery ◽  
Essential Medicines ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Low Middle Income Countries ◽  
Best Fit ◽  
Best Fit Framework Synthesis

Management of chronic conditions is a challenge for healthcare delivery systems world over and especially for low/middle-income countries (LMIC). Redesigning primary care to deliver quality care for chronic conditions is a need of the hour. However, much of the literature is from the experience of high-income countries. We conducted a synthesis of qualitative findings regarding care for chronic conditions at primary care facilities in LMICs. The themes identified were used to adapt the existing chronic care model (CCM) for application in an LMIC using the ‘best fit’ framework synthesis methodology. Primary qualitative research studies were systematically searched and coded using themes of the CCM. The results that could not be coded were thematically analysed to generate themes to enrich the model. Search strategy keywords were: primary health care, diabetes mellitus type 2, hypertension, chronic disease, developing countries, low, middle-income countries and LMIC country names as classified by the World Bank. The search yielded 404 articles, 338 were excluded after reviewing abstracts. Further, 42 articles were excluded based on criteria. Twenty-four studies were included for analysis. All themes of the CCM, identified a priori, were represented in primary studies. Four additional themes for the model were identified: a focus on the quality of communication between health professionals and patients, availability of essential medicines, diagnostics and trained personnel at decentralised levels of healthcare, and mechanisms for coordination between healthcare providers. We recommend including these in the CCM to make it relevant for application in an LMIC.

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