Assessment and documentation of incontinence-associated dermatitis after implementation of a standardised instrument: a comparative study

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (Sup9) ◽  
pp. S4-S11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Montague ◽  
Matthew Karafa ◽  
Nancy M. Albert

Objective: In this study, clinical nurses' documentation of incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD) were compared with wound expert documentation before and after implementing a valid, reliable severity index (SI) instrument. Methods: A prospective, non-equivalent, two group comparative design within three hospital medical units. Pre- and post-implementation skin condition documentation were compared by clinician type, and post-implementation IADSI scores were assessed for agreement using standard and weighted Kappa. Results: Of 89 patients (pre-, n=48 and post-, n=38), mean (standard deviation) age was 72.4±13.7 years and 57.3% had IAD. Mean IADSI score was 13.2 (standard deviation: 10.5; range: 0–52), reflecting pink intact skin. Post-implementation, skin documentation between clinicians was more likely to match, from 35.4 to 84.2%, p<0.001. Post-implementation, after controlling for age, gender and race, the odds ration (OR) of matched documentation between clinicians was 5.80 ([95% confidence interval: 1.8, 18.6], p=0.003) compared with pre-implementation. In the post-implementation period, standard Kappas for agreement in clinical nurse-wound expert documentation in the lower back/buttocks/upper thigh areas ranged from 0.82 to 1.0, reflecting very good agreement. Weighted kappas ranged from 0.76 to 1.0, also reflecting good to very good agreement. Conclusion: Implementation of an IADSI assessment instrument improved accuracy of IAD documentation.

2006 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 8335-8382
Author(s):  
C. Vigouroux ◽  
M. De Mazière ◽  
Q. Errera ◽  
E. Mahieu ◽  
P. Duchatelet ◽  
...  

Abstract. Within the framework of the Network for Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC), regular ground-based Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) measurements of many species are performed at several locations. Inversion schemes provide vertical profile information and characterization of the retrieved products which are therefore relevant for contributing to the validation of MIPAS profiles in the stratosphere and upper troposphere. We have focused on the species HNO3 and N2O at 5 NDACC-sites distributed in both hemispheres, i.e., Jungfraujoch (46.5° N) and Kiruna (68° N) for the northern hemisphere, and Wollongong (34° S), Lauder (45° S) and Arrival Heights (78° S) for the southern hemisphere. These ground-based data have been compared with MIPAS offline profiles (v4.61) for the year 2003, collocated within 1000 km around the stations, in the lower to middle stratosphere. To get around the spatial collocation problem, comparisons have also been made between the same ground-based FTIR data and the corresponding profiles resulting from the stratospheric 4D-VAR data assimilation system BASCOE. This paper discusses the results of the comparisons and the usefullness of using BASCOE profiles as proxies for MIPAS data. It shows good agreement between MIPAS and FTIR N2O partial columns: the biases are below 5% for all the stations and the standard deviations are below 7% for the three mid-latitude stations, and below 10% for the high latitude ones. The comparisons with BASCOE partial columns give standard deviations below 4% for the mid-latitude stations to less than 8% for the high-latitude ones. After making some corrections to take into account the known bias due to the use of different spectroscopic parameters, the comparisons of HNO3 partial columns show biases below 3% and standard deviations below 15% for all the stations except Arrival Heights (bias of 6%, standard deviation of 21%). The results for this species, which has a larger spatial variability, highlight the necessity of defining appropriate collocation criteria and of accounting for the spread of the observed airmasses. BASCOE appears to have more deficiencies in producing proxies of MIPAS HNO3 profiles compared to N2O, but the obtained standard deviation of less than 10% between BASCOE and FTIR is reasonable. Similar results on profiles comparisons are also shown in the paper, in addition to partial column ones.


2007 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 377-396 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Vigouroux ◽  
M. De Mazière ◽  
Q. Errera ◽  
S. Chabrillat ◽  
E. Mahieu ◽  
...  

Abstract. Within the framework of the Network for Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC), regular ground-based Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) measurements of many species are performed at several locations. Inversion schemes provide vertical profile information and characterization of the retrieved products which are therefore relevant for contributing to the validation of MIPAS profiles in the stratosphere and upper troposphere. We have focused on the species HNO3 and N2O at 5 NDACC-sites distributed in both hemispheres, i.e., Jungfraujoch (46.5° N) and Kiruna (68° N) for the northern hemisphere, and Wollongong (34° S), Lauder (45° S) and Arrival Heights (78° S) for the southern hemisphere. These ground-based data have been compared with MIPAS offline profiles (v4.61) for the year 2003, collocated within 1000 km around the stations, in the lower to middle stratosphere. To get around the spatial collocation problem, comparisons have also been made between the same ground-based FTIR data and the corresponding profiles resulting from the stratospheric 4D-VAR data assimilation system BASCOE constrained by MIPAS data. This paper discusses the results of the comparisons and the usefullness of using BASCOE profiles as proxies for MIPAS data. It shows good agreement between MIPAS and FTIR N2O partial columns: the biases are below 5% for all the stations and the standard deviations are below 7% for the three mid-latitude stations, and below 10% for the high latitude ones. The comparisons with BASCOE partial columns give standard deviations below 4% for the mid-latitude stations to less than 8% for the high latitude ones. After making some corrections to take into account the known bias due to the use of different spectroscopic parameters, the comparisons of HNO3 partial columns show biases below 3% and standard deviations below 15% for all the stations except Arrival Heights (bias of 5%, standard deviation of 21%). The results for this species, which has a larger spatial variability, highlight the necessity of defining appropriate collocation criteria and of accounting for the spread of the observed airmasses. BASCOE appears to have more deficiencies in producing proxies of MIPAS HNO3 profiles compared to N2O, but the obtained standard deviation of less than 10% between BASCOE and FTIR is reasonable. Similar results on profiles comparisons are also shown in the paper, in addition to partial column ones.


1989 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 86-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Gardner ◽  
M. Theves

Abstract During a cornering maneuver by a vehicle, high forces are exerted on the tire's footprint and in the contact zone between the tire and the rim. To optimize the design of these components, a method is presented whereby the forces at the tire-rim interface and between the tire and roadway may be predicted using finite element analysis. The cornering tire is modeled quasi-statically using a nonlinear geometric approach, with a lateral force and a slip angle applied to the spindle of the wheel to simulate the cornering loads. These values were obtained experimentally from a force and moment machine. This procedure avoids the need for a costly dynamic analysis. Good agreement was obtained with experimental results for self-aligning torque, giving confidence in the results obtained in the tire footprint and at the rim. The model allows prediction of the geometry and of the pressure distributions in the footprint, since friction and slip effects in this area were considered. The model lends itself to further refinement for improved accuracy and additional applications.


Coatings ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 221
Author(s):  
Mariya Aleksandrova ◽  
Ivailo Pandiev

This paper presents impedance measurements of ferroelectric structures involving lead-free oxide and polymer-oxide composite coatings for sensing and energy harvesting applications. Three different ferroelectric materials grown by conventional microfabrication technologies on solid or flexible substrates are investigated for their basic resonant characteristics. Equivalent electrical circuit models are applied to all cases to explain the electrical behavior of the structures, according to the materials type and thickness. The analytical results show good agreement with the experiments carried out on a basic types of excited thin-film piezoelectric transducers. Additionally, temperature and frequency dependences of the dielectric permittivity and losses are measured for the polymer-oxide composite device in relation with the surface morphology before and after introduction of the polymer to the functional film.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 365-376
Author(s):  
Andrzej Bąkowski ◽  
Leszek Radziszewski

Abstract The study analyzed the parameters of vehicle traffic and noise on the national road in the section in the city from 2011 to 2016. In 2013–2014 this road was reconstructed. It was found that in most cases, the distribution of the tested variable was not normal. The median and selected percentiles of vehicle traffic parameters and noise were examined. The variability and type A uncertainty of the results were described and evaluated. The results obtained for the data recorded on working and non-working days were compared. The vehicle cumulative speed distributions, for two-way four-lane road segments in both directions were analyzed. A mathematical model of normalized traffic flow has been proposed. Fit factor R2 of the proposed equations to the experimental data for passenger vehicles ranges from 0.93 to 0.99. It has been shown that two years after the road reconstruction, the median noise level did not increase even though traffic volumes and vehicle speeds increased. The Cnossos noise model was validated for data recorded over a period of 6 years. A very good agreement of the medians determined according to the Cnossos-EU model and the measured ones was obtained. It should be noted, however, that for the other analyzed percentiles, e.g. 95%, the discrepancies are larger.


2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 941-963 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Vlemmix ◽  
F. Hendrick ◽  
G. Pinardi ◽  
I. De Smedt ◽  
C. Fayt ◽  
...  

Abstract. A 4-year data set of MAX-DOAS observations in the Beijing area (2008–2012) is analysed with a focus on NO2, HCHO and aerosols. Two very different retrieval methods are applied. Method A describes the tropospheric profile with 13 layers and makes use of the optimal estimation method. Method B uses 2–4 parameters to describe the tropospheric profile and an inversion based on a least-squares fit. For each constituent (NO2, HCHO and aerosols) the retrieval outcomes are compared in terms of tropospheric column densities, surface concentrations and "characteristic profile heights" (i.e. the height below which 75% of the vertically integrated tropospheric column density resides). We find best agreement between the two methods for tropospheric NO2 column densities, with a standard deviation of relative differences below 10%, a correlation of 0.99 and a linear regression with a slope of 1.03. For tropospheric HCHO column densities we find a similar slope, but also a systematic bias of almost 10% which is likely related to differences in profile height. Aerosol optical depths (AODs) retrieved with method B are 20% high compared to method A. They are more in agreement with AERONET measurements, which are on average only 5% lower, however with considerable relative differences (standard deviation ~ 25%). With respect to near-surface volume mixing ratios and aerosol extinction we find considerably larger relative differences: 10 ± 30, −23 ± 28 and −8 ± 33% for aerosols, HCHO and NO2 respectively. The frequency distributions of these near-surface concentrations show however a quite good agreement, and this indicates that near-surface concentrations derived from MAX-DOAS are certainly useful in a climatological sense. A major difference between the two methods is the dynamic range of retrieved characteristic profile heights which is larger for method B than for method A. This effect is most pronounced for HCHO, where retrieved profile shapes with method A are very close to the a priori, and moderate for NO2 and aerosol extinction which on average show quite good agreement for characteristic profile heights below 1.5 km. One of the main advantages of method A is the stability, even under suboptimal conditions (e.g. in the presence of clouds). Method B is generally more unstable and this explains probably a substantial part of the quite large relative differences between the two methods. However, despite a relatively low precision for individual profile retrievals it appears as if seasonally averaged profile heights retrieved with method B are less biased towards a priori assumptions than those retrieved with method A. This gives confidence in the result obtained with method B, namely that aerosol extinction profiles tend on average to be higher than NO2 profiles in spring and summer, whereas they seem on average to be of the same height in winter, a result which is especially relevant in relation to the validation of satellite retrievals.


2009 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 234-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diná de Almeida Lopes Monteiro da Cruz ◽  
Cibele Andrucioli de Mattos Pimenta ◽  
Maria Fernanda Vita Pedrosa ◽  
Antônio Fernandes da Costa Lima ◽  
Raquel Rapone Gaidzinski

This article reports on a study on nurses' perception of power regarding their clinical role before and after implementation of a nursing diagnosis classification. Sixty clinical nurses (average age = 37.2 ± 7.0 years) from a Brazilian teaching hospital answered the Power as Knowing Participation in Change Tool (PKPCT) before and after the implementation of a diagnosis classification. PKPCT has four domains and provides total and partial scores. Reliability coefficients ranged from 0.88 to 0.98. Total scores were not statistically different between assessments (p=0.21), although scores in the "Involvement in Creating Change" domain were higher in the second assessment (p=0.04). Further studies providing sound evidence regarding the impact of nursing classification systems on nurses' power perception are needed to guide decisions on teaching and clinical practice.


1963 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 242-245 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. W. Watson ◽  
A. J. Howard ◽  
N. E. Miller ◽  
R. M. Shiffrin

With an all-metal “swing separator” having unique features, thermal diffusion factors αT for He3/He4 and Ne20Ne22 have been measured with improved accuracy down to average gas temperatures T̅=136°K. For helium αT is 0.0696 ± 0.0010 at 136°K, dropping gradually to 0.0651 ±0.0010 at 313°K. These data, plus measurements by Van der Valk and de Vries at somewhat higher temperatures, agree best with values predicted by an exp-six intermolecular potential with ε/k=9.16 and α=12.7. We are extending these helium measurements down to T=4°K for the lower temperature, to detect if possible quantum corrections to the intermolecular potential. For neon αT increases from 0.0166 ± 0.0010 at 136°K to 0.0233 ± 0.0020 at 310°K, considerably higher than our previously reported values. These T. D. factors for neon are in good agreement with values calculated from an exp-six potential with ε/k = 46.0 ± 0.6 and α=13.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyoeun Bae ◽  
Yong Won Cho ◽  
Keun Tae Kim ◽  
Richard P. Allen ◽  
Christopher J. Earley

Pregabalin is increasingly being used as a first-line treatment for symptomatic control of restless legs syndrome (RLS). This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of pregabalin as add-on therapy in RLS patients already taking dopamine agonists (DA) but still in need of further management. Patients with idiopathic RLS were enrolled, and all had already been prescribed DA for at least 3 months but still had either persistent symptoms, side effects, or comorbid insomnia. An initial dose of 75 mg pregabalin was begun, adjusted as needed, and maintained at a stable dose for 4 weeks, followed by observation for a total of 8 weeks. RLS symptoms and insomnia scores were evaluated before and after add-on pregabalin treatment. Patients were monitored for side effects that could be attributed to pregabalin. A total of 32 RLS patients were enrolled, and 20 subjects remained until the endpoint. After the pregabalin add-on, the mean IRLS score showed significant improvement compared to the baseline (p &lt; 0.001). The insomnia severity index score also improved (p = 0.036), and no serious adverse effects were observed. Our preliminary data suggests the potential for pregabalin as an add-on therapy to DA with regards to both efficacy and safety in patients who have inadequate RLS improvement.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
George Paschalidis ◽  
Ilias IIordanidis ◽  
Petros Anagnostopoulos

Abstract The purpose of this study is the evaluation of runoff and sediment transport in the basin of the Nestos River (Northern Greece) downstream of the dam of Platanovrisi, constructed in 1998. The model used for the simulation was AGNPS, which is based on the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE), combined with a GIS interface. Two different simulations were conducted, one for the years 1980-1990 and another for the period 2006-2030, before and after the construction of the dam respectively. For the simulation for the period 1980-1990 existing meteorological data were employed, and the results were in good agreement with those of a different study (Hrissanthou, 2002). The simulation for the period 2006-2030 was based on rainfall and climatic data generated from the software packages GlimClim and ClimGen. The mean runoff was by 5% lower and the mean annual sediment yield by 20% lower than the corresponding values for the period 1980-1990.


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