scholarly journals Do Randomized Trials Published in the Emergency Medicine Literature Meet a Strict Definition of Randomization?

2004 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 466-467 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. H. Brown

The vapour pressure theory regards osmotic pressure as the pressure required to produce equilibrium between the pure solvent and the solution. Pressure applied to a solution increases its internal vapour pressure. If the compressed solution be on one aide of a semi-permeable partition and the pure solvent on the other, there is osmotic equilibrium when the com-pression of the solution brings its vapour pressure to equality with that of the solvent. So long ago as 1894 Ramsay* found that with a partition of palladium, permeable to hydrogen but not to nitrogen, the hydrogen pressures on each side tended to equality, notwithstanding the presence of nitrogen under pressure on one side, which it might have been supposed would have resisted tin- transpiration of the hydrogen. The bearing of this experiment on the problem of osmotic pressure was recognised by van’t Hoff, who observes that "it is very instructive as regards the means by which osmotic pressure is produced." But it was not till 1908 that the vapour pressure theory of osmotic pressure was developed on a finu foundation by Calendar. He demonstrated, by the method of the "vapour sieve" piston, the proposition that “any two solutions in equilibrium through any kind of membrane or capillary surface must have the same vapour pressures in respect of each of their constituents which is capable of diffusing through their surface of separation"—a generalisation of great importance for the theory of solutions. Findlay, in his admirable monograph, gives a very complete account of the contending theories of osmotic pressure, a review of which leaves no doubt that at the present moment the vapour pressure theory stands without a serious rival Some confusion of ideas still arises from the want of adherence to a strict definition of osmotic pressure to which numerical data from experimental measurements should he reduced. Tire following definitions appear to be tire outcome of tire vapour pressure theory :— Definition I.—The vapour pressure of a solution is the pressure of the vapour with which it is in equilibrium when under pressure of its own vapour only.


Author(s):  
Neha V. Harne ◽  
Vaibhav K. Nadkarni ◽  
Purnima Nadkarni ◽  
Jigna Garasia

Female fertility begins to decline many years prior to the onset of menopause despite continued regular ovulatory cycles. Although there is no strict definition of advanced reproductive age in women, infertility becomes more pronounced after the age of 35. In the female, the number of oocytes decreases with age until the menopause. Oocyte quality also diminishes, due in part to increased aneuploidy because of factors such as changes in spindle integrity. Although older male age affects the likelihood of conception, abnormalities in sperm chromosomes and in some components of the semen analysis are less important than the frequency of intercourse. Age is as accurate as any other predictor of conception with assisted reproductive technology.


1997 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 118-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irving Kirsch

As understood by neodissociation and sociocognitive theorists, hypnotic responses are instances of self-deception. Neodissociation theory matches the strict definition of Sackeim and Gur (1978) and sociocognitive theory matches Mele's looser definition. Recent data indicate that many hypnotized individuals deceive themselves into holding conflicting beliefs without dissociating, but others convince themselves that the suggested state of affairs is true without simultaneously holding a contrary belief.


Author(s):  
Wolfgang Wick ◽  
Colin Watts ◽  
Minesh P. Mehta

Concepts of diagnosis and treatment of oligodendroglial tumours have changed through clinical and translational studies over recent years. Diagnosis is now based on histopathological and integrated molecular information. The latter includes mutations in isocitrate dehydrogenase and the co-deletion of 1p/19q in the tumour tissue. In parallel, the long-term evaluation of large randomized trials performed in Europe and North America led to the current standard of a more aggressive chemoradiation regimen with procarbazine, CCNU (lomustine), and vincristine to optimize progression-free and overall survival. The future directions are delineated, which are aiming at further definition of prognostic and predictive subgroups, based on clinical, molecular, and imaging parameters, integrating immunotherapeutic concepts, as well as a closer look at patient-centred outcomes in upcoming trials.


CJEM ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 165-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hugo Langlois ◽  
Monique Cormier ◽  
Eric Villeneuve ◽  
Robert S. Hoffman ◽  
Cristina Longo ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTObjectivesAlthough alcohol withdrawal is common, the recognition of benzodiazepine-resistant alcohol withdrawal is a relatively new concept. To provide a framework for both literature review and future research, we assessed clinicians’ personal definition of resistant alcohol withdrawal.MethodWe developed a cross-sectional web-based survey. Administrators from collaborating toxicology and emergency medicine associations deployed the survey directly to their respective memberships. Only physicians, pharmacists, and other clinicians routinely treating alcohol withdrawal were eligible to participate. Respondents selected their preferred definition among the three most common author sources – JB Hack, NJ Benedict, D Hughes – or provided their own. Additional criteria to define resistant alcohol withdrawal were explored.Results384 individuals answered the survey. Respondents were mostly attending physicians (79%), in full-time practice (90%), in emergency medicine (70%), and from North America (90%). The majority (64%) described resistant alcohol withdrawal as a high benzodiazepine dosage. Seizures (26%) and persistent tachycardia (16%) were also main characteristics. The median dose to describe high benzodiazepine dose (n = 146) was 40 mg per hour of diazepam equivalents (IQR 20–50). Available definitions were ranked equally as the preferred one: Hack (27%); Benedict (28%); Hughes (28%).ConclusionOur results did not identify one single preferred definition for resistant alcohol withdrawal even though a high total dose of benzodiazepine is a major component. Hourly requirements of 40 mg of diazepam equivalents or more emerged as a possible threshold. These findings serve as a base to explore consensus guidelines or future research.


2019 ◽  
pp. 1357633X1989165
Author(s):  
Neal Sikka ◽  
Hartmut Gross ◽  
Aditi U Joshi ◽  
Edward Shaheen ◽  
Michael J Baker ◽  
...  

The American College of Emergency Physicians Emergency Telehealth Section was charged with development of a working definition of emergency telehealth that aligns with the College’s definition of emergency medicine. A modified Delphi method was used by the section membership who represented telehealth providers in both private and public health-care delivery systems, academia and industry, rural and urban settings. Presented in this manuscript is the final definition of emergency telehealth developed with an additional six clarifying statements to address the context of the definition. Emergency telehealth is a core domain of emergency medicine and is inclusive of remotely providing all types of care for acute conditions of any kind requiring expeditious care irrespective of any prior relationship. The development of this definition is important to the global community of emergency physicians and all patients seeking acute care to ensure that appropriately trained clinicians are providing the highest quality of emergency services via the telehealth modality. We recommend implementing emergency telehealth in a manner that ensures appropriate qualifications of providers, appropriate/parity reimbursement for telehealth services and, most importantly, the delivery of quality care to patients in a safe, efficient, timely and cost-effective manner.


2013 ◽  
Vol 31 (6_suppl) ◽  
pp. 473-473
Author(s):  
Joseph C. Klink ◽  
Ali Khalifeh ◽  
Dinesh Samarasekera ◽  
Kamol Panumatrassamee ◽  
Jihad Kaouk

473 Background: The word heminephrectomy originally referred to the removal of half of a kidney with a duplicated collecting system. In the era of partial nephrectomies, heminephrectomy is sometimes used to describe the removal for tumor of >30% of the parenchyma of a non-duplicated kidney. We herein propose a new definition of heminephrectomy: excision of the upper or lower pole of the kidney, removing at least 30% of the parenchymal mass, cutting to hilar fat, and transecting the collecting system. Methods: Our institutional database of robotic and laparoscopic partial nephrectomies was queried for patients who underwent a partial nephrectomy for tumor between 2002 and 2011. Patients who had a heminephrectomy for obstruction in a duplicated collecting system were excluded. The patients who had a heminephrectomy by our strict definition were compared to the remainder of patients who had a partial nephrectomy. Logistic regression was used to compare outcomes between the two groups. Results: 61 patients met our strict definition of heminephrectomy out of 643 patients who underwent a partial nephrectomy for tumor. Heminephrectomy and non-heminephrectomy patients were similar in age, gender, BMI, ASA score, proportion of left- versus right-sided tumors, solitary kidney status, preoperative creatinine and GFR. (all p>0.1). The tumors in the heminephrectomy group were larger (5.1 vs. 2.8 cm, p<0.001) and had a higher R.E.N.A.L nephrometry score (8.5 vs. 6.5, p<0.001). Operative outcomes reflected the high complexity of performing a heminephrectomy. Estimated blood loss was greater (373 vs. 267 ml, p=0.04), operative time was longer (214 vs. 185 minutes, p<0.001), warm ischemia time was longer (25 vs. 20 minutes, p=0.002), and the rate of intra-operative complications was greater (11% vs. 4%, p=0.02) in the heminephrectomy group. On multivariable analysis adjusted for age, preoperative GFR, R.E.N.A.L. score, and warm ischemia time, heminephrectomy was a significant predictor of lower post-operative GFR (p<0.001). Conclusions: Our strict definition of heminephrectomy performed for tumor in a non-duplicated system will allow precise clinical and research communication about heminephrectomy patients and may aid in the prediction of outcomes after partial nephrectomy.


2010 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ludwig Paul

AbstractIn the period 1935-1940, the Iranian Language Academy (Farhangestān) proposed over 1,600 indigenous terms to replace words of Arabic or European origin. Seventy years later, an assessment of the effects or “success” of this activity may be attempted. The Farhangestān’s success cannot be measured easily, by counting the successful words. A study of it requires a strict definition of the term “success” and a detailed analysis of the origin, semantics, usage, stylistics, etc. of each word. The analysis proposed here, using sixty terms, yields a scale of increasing success along which the coined terms may be arranged. The article aims to show that any exact numbers indicating the Farhangestān’s word-replacing success are of limited value; and that it is more interesting to ask how the new terms have been established and how they have systematically changed, and often enriched, the vocabulary of Persian.


2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (04) ◽  
pp. 1450041 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louis Salvail ◽  
Christian Schaffner ◽  
Miroslava Sotáková

We study quantum protocols among two distrustful parties. By adopting a rather strict definition of correctness — guaranteeing that honest players obtain their correct outcomes only — we can show that every strictly correct quantum protocol implementing a non-trivial classical primitive necessarily leaks information to a dishonest player. This extends known impossibility results to all non-trivial primitives. We provide a framework for quantifying this leakage and argue that leakage is a good measure for the privacy provided to the players by a given protocol. Our framework also covers the case where the two players are helped by a trusted third party. We show that despite the help of a trusted third party, the players cannot amplify the cryptographic power of any primitive. All our results hold even against quantum honest-but-curious adversaries who honestly follow the protocol but purify their actions and apply a different measurement at the end of the protocol. As concrete examples, we establish lower bounds on the leakage of standard universal two-party primitives such as oblivious transfer.


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