scholarly journals Reference letters for subspecialty medicine residency positions: Are they valuable for decision-making? Results from a Canadian study.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deepti Chopra ◽  
Mala Joneja ◽  
Gurjit Sandhu ◽  
Christopher A. Smith ◽  
Catherine M. Spagnuolo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Composite Endpoint ◽  
Program Director ◽  
Improvement Program ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Large Sample ◽  
Home Institution ◽  
Essential Components ◽  
Letters Of Recommendation

Abstract Background: The letter of recommendation is currently an integral part of applicant selection for residency programs. Internal medicine residents will spend much time and expense completing sub-specialty away electives to obtain a letter of recommendation. The purpose of this study was 1) to examine a large sample of reference letters in order to define essential components of a high-quality letter, and 2) to elucidate the relationship between quality of reference letter and the letter writer. Methods: We conducted a two-phase study. In phase one, a large sample of letters of recommendation was examined using an audit tool as a coding framework. A 5-point composite endpoint of high-quality letter components was subsequently developed. In phase two, program director letters were compared to non-program director home institution and non-home institution elective letters based on inclusion of components of the 5-point composite endpoint using Chi square testing. Results: 715 letters were examined (398 non-program director home institution letters, 201 program director letters, and 116 non-home institution elective letters). High-quality letter components were: nature of relationship, duration of relationship, In Training Evaluation Report information, research involvement and comments on areas for improvement. Program director letters had a significantly higher proportion (10.4%) of all 5 high-quality components, compared to 0% in both non-program director home institution letters and elective letters (p<0.001). A significantly higher proportion of program director letters had 4-5 high-quality components (62.5%) compared to 2% of non-program director home institution letters and 0% of elective letters (p<0.0001). Conclusions: Letters of recommendation from elective rotations are of the poorest quality and such rotations should not be pursued for the sole purpose of obtaining a letter. The low quality of elective letters leads to the recommendation that writers should decline to write them, programs should not require them and trainees should not request them. Program directors write the highest quality letters and should be a resource for faculty development. Clinical supervisors can use the 5-point composite endpoint as a guide when writing letters for applicants.

scholarly journals Reference letters for subspecialty medicine residency positions: are they valuable for decision-making? Results from a Canadian study

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Deepti Chopra ◽  
Mala Joneja ◽  
Gurjit Sandhu ◽  
Christopher A. Smith ◽  
Catherine M. Spagnuolo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Composite Endpoint ◽  
Program Director ◽  
Improvement Program ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Large Sample ◽  
Home Institution ◽  
Essential Components ◽  
Letters Of Recommendation

Abstract Background The letter of recommendation is currently an integral part of applicant selection for residency programs. Internal medicine residents will spend much time and expense completing sub-specialty away electives to obtain a letter of recommendation. The purpose of this study was 1) to examine a large sample of reference letters in order to define essential components of a high-quality letter, and 2) to elucidate the relationship between quality of reference letter and the letter writer. Methods We conducted a two-phase study. In phase one, a large sample of letters of recommendation was examined using an audit tool as a coding framework. A 5-point composite endpoint of high-quality letter components was subsequently developed. In phase two, program director letters were compared to non-program director home institution and non-home institution elective letters based on inclusion of components of the 5-point composite endpoint using Chi square testing. Results 715 letters were examined (398 non-program director home institution letters, 201 program director letters, and 116 non-home institution elective letters). High-quality letter components were: nature of relationship, duration of relationship, In Training Evaluation Report information, research involvement and comments on areas for improvement. Program director letters had a significantly higher proportion (10.4%) of all 5 high-quality components, compared to 0% in both non-program director home institution letters and elective letters (p < 0.001). A significantly higher proportion of program director letters had 4–5 high-quality components (62.5%) compared to 2% of non-program director home institution letters and 0% of elective letters (p < 0.0001). Conclusions Letters of recommendation from elective rotations are of the poorest quality and such rotations should not be pursued for the sole purpose of obtaining a letter. The low quality of elective letters leads to the recommendation that writers should decline to write them, programs should not require them and trainees should not request them. Program directors write the highest quality letters and should be a resource for faculty development. Clinical supervisors can use the 5-point composite endpoint as a guide when writing letters for applicants.

scholarly journals Reference letters for subspecialty medicine residency positions: Are they valuable for decision-making? Results from a Canadian mixed method study.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deepti Chopra ◽  
Mala Joneja ◽  
Gurjit Sandhu ◽  
Christopher A. Smith ◽  
Catherine M. Spagnuolo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Composite Endpoint ◽  
Program Director ◽  
Improvement Program ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Large Sample ◽  
Home Institution ◽  
Essential Components ◽  
Letters Of Recommendation

Abstract Background The letter of recommendation is currently an integral part of applicant selection for residency programs. Internal medicine residents will spend much time and expense completing sub-specialty away electives to obtain a letter of recommendation. The purpose of this study was 1) to examine a large sample of reference letters in order to define essential components of a high-quality letter, and 2) to elucidate the relationship between quality of reference letter and the letter writer. Methods We conducted a two-phase mixed methods study. In phase one, a large sample of letters of recommendation was examined using an audit tool as a coding framework. A 5-point composite endpoint of high-quality letter components was subsequently developed. In phase two, program director letters were compared to non-program director home institution and elective letters based on inclusion of components of the 5-point composite endpoint using Chi square testing. Results 715 letters were examined (398 non-program director home institution letters, 201 program director letters, and 116 elective letters). High-quality letter components were: nature of relationship, duration of relationship, In Training Evaluation Report information, research involvement and comments on areas for improvement. Program director letters had a significantly higher proportion (10.4%) of all 5 high-quality components, compared to 0% in both non-program director home institution letters and elective letters (p < 0.001). A significantly higher proportion of program director letters had 4–5 high-quality components (62.5%) compared to 2% of non-program director home institution letters and 0% of elective letters (p < 0.0001). Conclusions Letters of recommendation from elective rotations are of the poorest quality and such rotations should not be pursued for the sole purpose of obtaining a letter. The low quality of elective letters leads to the recommendation that writers should decline to write them, programs should not require them and trainees should not request them. Program directors write the highest quality letters and should be a resource for faculty development. Clinical supervisors can use the 5-point composite endpoint as a guide when writing letters for applicants.

scholarly journals Capital Structure Decisions around the World: Which Factors Are Reliably Important?

2015 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 301-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Özde Öztekin
Keyword(s):  
Capital Structure ◽  
Firm Size ◽  
Creditor Protection ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Large Sample ◽  
The World ◽  
Adjustment Speed ◽  
Target Leverage ◽  
Debt Holders

AbstractThis article examines the international determinants of capital structure using a large sample of firms from 37 countries. The reliable determinants for leverage are firm size, tangibility, industry leverage, profits, and inflation. The quality of the countries’ institutions affects leverage and the adjustment speed toward target leverage in significant ways. High-quality institutions lead to faster leverage adjustments, whereas laws and traditions that safeguard debt holders relative to stockholders (e.g., more effective bankruptcy procedures and stronger creditor protection) lead to higher leverage.

scholarly journals Alabama's Foundation Sweetpotato Program Maintains Root Quality

1994 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 224b-227
Author(s):  
James M. Dangler
Keyword(s):  
Crop Improvement ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Improvement Program ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Control Quality ◽  
Root Quality

Many sweetpotato growers produce their own transplants to control quality, assure timely availability, and reduce production costs. The Alabama Crop Improvement Association, Inc., maintains Foundation, Registered, and Certified stocks to provide sweetpotato producers with high-quality sweetpotatoes. These sweetpotato roots are available to growers in any state to improve the quality of their rootstock. Sweetpotatoes produced in the crop improvement program are examined in the bed and the field. They are inspected by the Alabama Dept. of Agriculture and Industries, stored in approved facilities, graded, and shipped in clean crates that are tagged prior to transport and delivery to producers. As a result of the program, sweetpotatoes are produced free of serious diseases and pests, and exhibit the characteristics of the variety.

scholarly journals Rationale, design and objectives of two phase III, randomised, placebo-controlled studies of GLPG1690, a novel autotaxin inhibitor, in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (ISABELA 1 and 2)

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. e000422 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toby M Maher ◽  
Michael Kreuter ◽  
David J Lederer ◽  
Kevin K Brown ◽  
Wim Wuyts ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis ◽  
Pulmonary Fibrosis ◽  
Disease Progression ◽  
Composite Endpoint ◽  
Phase Iii ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Link Type ◽  
All Cause Mortality

IntroductionWhile current standard of care (SOC) for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) slows disease progression, prognosis remains poor. Therefore, an unmet need exists for novel, well-tolerated agents that reduce lung function decline and improve quality of life. Here we report the design of two phase III studies of the novel IPF therapy, GLPG1690.Methods and analysisTwo identically designed, phase III, international, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, multicentre studies (ISABELA 1 and 2) were initiated in November 2018. It is planned that, in each study, 750 subjects with IPF will be randomised 1:1:1 to receive oral GLPG1690 600 mg, GLPG1690 200 mg or placebo, once daily, on top of local SOC, for at least 52 weeks. The primary endpoint is rate of decline of forced vital capacity (FVC) over 52 weeks. Key secondary endpoints are week 52 composite endpoint of disease progression or all-cause mortality (defined as composite endpoint of first occurrence of ≥10% absolute decline in per cent predicted FVC or all-cause mortality at week 52); time to first respiratory-related hospitalisation until end of study; and week 52 change from baseline in the St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire total score (a quality-of-life measure).Ethics and disseminationStudies will be conducted in accordance with Good Clinical Practice guidelines, Declaration of Helsinki principles, and local ethical and legal requirements. Results will be reported in a peer-reviewed publication.Trial registration numbersNCT03711162; NCT03733444.

Influence of technology parameters of free-cutting steel continuous casting on the billet internal structure

2020 ◽  
Vol 76 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-142
Author(s):  
A. T. Kunakbaeva ◽  
A. M. Stolyarov ◽  
M. V. Potapova
Keyword(s):  
Regression Analysis ◽  
Continuous Casting ◽  
Internal Structure ◽  
Sulfur Content ◽  
Manganese Content ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Correlation And Regression Analysis ◽  
Cutting Steel ◽  
Continuously Cast

Free-cutting steel gains specific working properties thanks to the high content of sulfur and phosphorus. These elements, especially sulfur, have a rather high tendency to segregation. Therefore, segregation defects in free-cutting steel continuously cast billets can be significantly developed. The aim of the work was to study the influence of the chemical composition of freecutting steel and casting technological parameters on the quality of the macrostructure of continuously cast billets. A metallographic assessment of the internal structure of cast metal made of free-cutting steel and data processing by application of correlation and regression analysis were the research methods. The array of production data of 43 heats of free-cutting steel of grade A12 was studied. Steel casting on a five-strand radial type continuous casting machine was carried out by various methods of metal pouring from tundish into the molds. Metal of 19 heats was poured with an open stream, and 24 heats – by a closed stream through submerged nozzles with a vertical hole. High-quality billets had a cross-sectional size of 150×150 mm. The macrostructure of high-quality square billets made of free-cutting steel of A12 grade is characterized by the presence of central porosity, axial segregation and peripheral point contamination, the degree of development of which was in the range from 1.5 to 2.0 points, segregation cracks and strips – about 1.0 points. In the course of casting with an open stream, almost all of these defects are more developed comparing with the casting by a closed stream. As a result of correlation and regression analysis, linear dependences of the development degree of segregation cracks and strips both axial and angular on the sulfur content in steel and on the ratio of manganese content to sulfur content were established. The degree of these defects development increases with growing of sulfur content in steel of A12 grade. These defects had especially strong development when sulfur content in steel was of more than 0.10%. To improve the quality of cast metal, it is necessary to have the ratio of the manganese content to the sulfur content in the metal more than eight.

Experience of clinical testing of personal telemedicine system ‘Obereg’ for remote monitoring of patients in intensive care units

2020 ◽  
pp. 52-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. A. Eryomenko ◽  
N. V. Rostunova ◽  
S. A. Budagyan ◽  
V. V. Stets
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care ◽  
Intensive Care Units ◽  
Remote Monitoring ◽  
Clinical Testing ◽  
Transportation Of Patients ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Telemedicine System ◽  
Accuracy Of Measurements ◽  
Hospital Equipment

The experience of clinical testing of the personal telemedicine system ‘Obereg’ for remote monitoring of patients at the intensive care units of leading Russian clinics is described. The high quality of communication with the remote receiving devices of doctors, the accuracy of measurements, resistance to interference from various hospital equipment and the absence of its own impact on such equipment were confirmed. There are significant advantages compared to stationary patient monitors, in particular, for intra and out-of-hospital transportation of patients.

METHODOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF VISUALIZATION OF CORONARY ARTERIES WITH TRANSTHORACIC ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY

2018 ◽  
pp. 26-35
Author(s):  
Z. A. Agaeva ◽  
K. B. Baghdasaryan
Keyword(s):  
Blood Flow ◽  
Coronary Blood Flow ◽  
Coronary Arteries ◽  
Transthoracic Echocardiography ◽  
Second Harmonic ◽  
Anatomic Reconstruction ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Acoustic Window ◽  
Methodological Aspects

The transthoracic echocardiography made by multifrequency probes with support of the mode of the second harmonic imaging, is a competitive method for visualization of the main coronary arteries and allows to estimate coronary blood flow with high quality. Of course, the method has considerable restrictions, most important of which is the low spatial resolution of a method, due to small acoustic window. Because of this the transthoracic visualization of coronary arteries perhaps will not become the leading method of anatomic reconstruction of separately taken coronary artery and especially all coronary arteries system. However uniqueness and indisputable advantage of this method is an opportunity to noninvasively estimate a coronary blood flow both once, and in dynamics.

Estimates on poverty in Russia and the additional measures to reduce it at the regional level

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 739-752 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.M. Sadykov
Keyword(s):  
Poverty Rate ◽  
Regional Level ◽  
Living Standards ◽  
Standard Of Living ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Social Standard ◽  
Republic Of Bashkortostan ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Sociological Studies

Subject. This article deals with the issues of social justice and a high quality of life, creating favorable economic and social conditions. Objectives. The article aims to assess the rate and changes in poverty in Russia and the Republic of Bashkortostan and develop complementary measures to reduce it. Methods. For the study, I used the methods of logical, comparative, economic and statistical analyses, the results of sociological studies, and official statistics. Results. The article highlights additional measures to reduce poverty in the region, including the establishment of a minimum social standard of living in each particular region that determines the poverty rate. Conclusions. Various factors, such as economic sanctions, economic slowdowns, territorial and regional imbalances, lead to living standards decline and poverty rise.

SCIENTIFIC BASIS OF POSTGRADUATE TRAINING FOR OFFICER WORKING ETHNIC AFFAIRS USING STATE BUDGET IN THE PERIOD OF 2018 – 2025

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
La Duc Minh ◽  
Nguyen Thi Hao ◽  
Vu Thi Thuy
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Ethnic Groups ◽  
Human Resource ◽  
Postgraduate Training ◽  
Scientific Basis ◽  
National Defense ◽  
High Quality ◽  
State Budget ◽  
International Integration

Ethnic affairs play an important role in socio of ethnic groups’ solidarity, assurance of security and national defense stability. In -economic development, maintenanceorder to improve the quality of ethnic affairs, it is practical to carry out postgraduate training of officer implementing ethnic affairs using state budget with the aim of encouraging and enhancing officer quality to satisfy high-quality human resource in international integration.

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