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Background: Primary care practices are responding to calls to incorporate patients' social risk factors, such as housing, food, and economic insecurity, into clinical care. Healthcare likely relies on the expertise and resources of community-based organizations to improve patients' social conditions, yet little is known about the referral process.Objective: To characterize referrals to community-based organizations by primary care practices.Design: Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with healthcare administrators responsible for social care efforts in their organization.Participants: Administrators at 50 diverse US healthcare organizations with efforts to address patients' social risks.Main Measures: Approaches used in primary care to implement social needs referral to community-based organizations.Results: Interviewed administrators reported that social needs referrals were an essential element in their social care activities. Administrators described the ideal referral programs as placing limited burden on care teams, providing patients with customized referrals, and facilitating closed-loop referrals. We identified three key challenges organizations experience when trying to implement the ideal referrals program: (1) developing and maintaining resources lists; (2) aligning referrals with patient needs; and (3) measuring the efficacy of referrals. Collectively, these challenges led to organizations relying on staff to manually develop and update resource lists and, in most cases, provide patients with generic referrals. Administrators not only hoped that referral platforms may help overcome some of these barriers, but also reported implementation challenges with platforms including inconsistent buy-in and use across staff; integration with electronic health records; management and prioritization of resources; and alignment with other organizations in their market.Conclusion and Relevance: Referrals to community-based organizations were used in primary care to improve patients' social conditions, but despite strong motivations, interviewees reported challenges providing tailored and up-to-date information to patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The knowledge regarding meniscus has vastly evolved over the past few decades. The meniscus's intact, injured, and repaired status can affect other joint structures, i.e., ligaments, articular surfaces, and overall biomechanics of the knee joint. Due to available evidence's extensiveness, it is challenging to determine the most influential topics and the emerging trends in concurrent meniscus research. This study aims to identify the top fifty cited papers in meniscus research and concurrent knee issues and analyse their characteristics. Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted on the Thompson Reuters Web of Science database to prepare a list of top fifty cited articles that included original articles and review articles concerning meniscus. The included articles were analysed for the source journal, investigating institution, country of the corresponding author, year of publication, total citations, annual citation rate, and a qualitative review. Results: The search strategy resulted in 6768 original articles and 453 review articles. The top fifty cited articles were published from 1969 to 2014 and belonged to 14 journal sources. There were 43 original articles and seven review articles. The average citations per article were 417.4 and the average citations per paper per year were 22.6. Besides the meniscus, a general interest in the clinical assessment scores, anterior cruciate ligament, long-term osteoarthritis, and cartilage was observed. Conclusion: Most of the research concerning meniscus relates to the importance of meniscus preservation, the link between meniscus injuries and concomitant anterior cruciate ligament and chondral injuries, and its role in long-term gonarthrosis. The western countries have contributed the maximum to the top-cited evidence concerning meniscus. The meniscus repair and transplantation techniques have recently gained importance and need further research to qualify for the top-cited evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The commentary considers when it is acceptable to make prescriptive statements in educational research articles. It begins with a consensus view, agreeing with the analysis offered by Marley and Levin (Educational Psychology Review, 2011), that experimental evidence is necessary. Other forms of evidence are considered (e.g., observational, case-based, qualitative); these are described as correlational in nature and considered to be of uncertain value for making causal, prescriptive statements. The essay further considers whether theory is necessary for prescriptive statements, notes the philosophical divide between those who embrace experimental methods and those who do not, and considers both contemporary policies and specific publication strategies that can create a priority for the use of experimental evidence in support of prescriptive statements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The technique of qualitative thermal analysis is described by the example of the study of a Cu-Ni binary system. The main parameters affecting the results of determination of phase transformation temperatures are listed. Recommendations are given for choosing experimental conditions for determining the liquidus and solidus temperatures of multicomponent systems. Techniques for processing the results of differential thermal analysis are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with disabilities often require healthcare accommodations in order to access high-quality, equitable healthcare services. While attention has been paid to accommodation needs in specific disability populations, limited research to date has explored healthcare accommodations that cross-cut diverse disability populations.Objective: To identify a deeper understanding regarding accommodations in healthcare settings that could apply across disability populations and promote equitable healthcare.Design: We conducted qualitative focus groups with patients with disabilities and caregivers to understand their experiences and preferences for healthcare accommodations.Participants: We recruited patients and caregivers across all major disability categories to participate in focus groups. Participants were recruited through advocacy organizations and healthcare settings in Southeastern Minnesota.Approach: A total of eight focus groups were conducted with 56 participants. Participants described their healthcare experiences and desires for healthcare accommodations. The multidisciplinary research team recorded, transcribed verbatim, and coded all focus groups. The team thematically coded transcripts using content analysis within and across focus groups to identify major themes.Key Results: Patients identified four challenges and corresponding steps healthcare team could take to promote equitable care: (1) consistent documentation of disabilities and needed accommodations in the medical record; (2) allowance for accommodations to the environment, including adapting physical space, physical structures, and scheduling and rooming processes; (3) provide accommodations for administrative tasks, such as completing paper or electronic forms; and (4) adapt communication during interactions, such as speaking slower or using terms that patients can easily understand.Conclusion: These identified themes represent specific opportunities for healthcare teams to effectively provide accessible care to patients with disabilities. Many of the accommodations require minimal financial investment, but did require behavioral changes by the healthcare team to ensure equitable healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The use of electronic health records has generated an increase in after-hours and weekend work for providers. To alleviate this situation, the hiring of medical scribes has rapidly increased. Given the lack of scribe industry standards and the wide variance in how providers and scribes work together, it could potentially create new patient safety-related risks. Objective: The purpose of this paper was to identify how providers can optimize the effective and safe use of scribes. Design: The research team conducted a secondary analysis of qualitative data where we reanalyzed data from interview transcripts, field notes, and transcribed group discussions generated by four previous projects related to medical scribes. Participants: Purposively selected participants included subject matter experts, providers, informaticians, medical scribes, medical assistants, administrators, social scientists, medical students, and qualitative researchers. Approach: The team used NVivo12 to assist with the qualitative analysis. We used a template method followed by word queries to identify an optimum level of scribe utilization. We then used an inductive interpretive theme-generation process. Key Results: We identified three themes: (1) communication aspects, (2) teamwork efforts, and (3) provider characteristics. Each theme contained specific practices so providers can use scribes safely and in a standardized way. Conclusion: We utilized a secondary qualitative data analysis methodology to develop themes describing how providers can optimize their use of scribes. This new knowledge could increase provider efficiency and safety and be incorporated into further and future training tools for them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing from previous research on domestic violence and stalking, this study addresses children's experiences of their family relations in post-separation parental stalking contexts from the perspective of stalking as a form of violence against women and children. Despite the fact that violence perpetrated by a parent fundamentally changes family dynamics and children's perceptions of family security, research on children's family relations in the course of domestic violence or stalking has rarely addressed children's sense of belonging. The aim of this paper is to augment our understanding of children's experiences of family relations in connection with parental stalking. The research question is: How do children experience their belonging in family relations in the context of post-separation parental stalking? A total of 31 children and young people aged 2–21 participated in the study. The data were collected through interviews and therapeutic action group sessions with the children. The qualitative data analysis was content-oriented. Four dimensions of children's sense of belonging were identified: (1) Varying belonging, (2) distancing belonging, (3) non-belonging and (4) holding belonging. The first three dimensions are constructed in relation to the child's stalking father, while the fourth one includes the mother, siblings and other relationships that provide safety and comfort. The dimensions are parallel and not mutually exclusive. The study indicates that a finer-grained understanding of children's sense of belonging in family relations is needed when social and health care and law enforcement professionals evaluate the child's safety and best interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The Profile of Fatigue and Discomfort–Sicca Symptoms Inventory–Short Form (PROFAD-SSI-SF) is a 19-item patient-reported outcome (PRO) measure to assess pain, fatigue, and dryness in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). This analysis identified concepts important to measure, and evaluated the content validity and measurement properties of the PROFAD-SSI-SF, in patients with pSS. Methods: Qualitative analyses (GSK Study 208396) used transcripts from an online concept elicitation (CE) discussion forum with patients with pSS and interviews with key opinion leaders (KOLs) to finalize a disease model depicting important concepts for patients with pSS. Cognitive debriefing (CD) interviews with patients with pSS were conducted to further evaluate the content validity of the PROFAD-SSI-SF. Quantitative analyses (GSK Study 213253) used post hoc analyses of blinded data from a phase 2 trial to assess PROFAD-SSI-SF measurement properties. Results: The CE discussion forum (N = 46) revealed dryness (oral 87.0%, ocular 73.9%, cutaneous 37.0%, vaginal 23.9%, nasal 15.2%, otic 6.5%), pain (89.1%), and fatigue (87.0%) as the most reported symptoms. KOLs (N = 5) found the concepts identified in the disease model accurate and understandable, and confirmed that PROs used in pSS studies should focus on dryness, joint pain, and fatigue. In the CD interviews (N = 20), of the 19 participants asked, all found the PROFAD-SSI-SF easy to understand, and 14/19 items were considered relevant by ≥ 18/20 participants. The quantitative analyses found an acceptable fit of the PROFAD-SSI-SF factor structure, with adequate internal consistency, test–retest reliability, convergent validity with other PRO measures, known-groups validity with Patient Global Assessment, and ability to detect change in patients with pSS. Conclusion: The final disease model confirmed that the PROFAD-SSI-SF assesses concepts that are relevant and important to patients with pSS. Our findings support the content validity and measurement properties of the PROFAD-SSI-SF as a fit-for-purpose PRO measure appropriate for use in clinical trials in patients with pSS. Clinical Trial Registration number for the phase 2 trial: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02631538 Plain Language Summary: Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) is a disease where the immune system attacks the body, causing a number of symptoms, most notably dryness (sicca) of the eyes and mouth. The Profile of Fatigue and Discomfort–Sicca Symptoms Inventory–Short Form (PROFAD-SSI-SF) is a questionnaire for patients with pSS that asks about their symptoms. This paper evaluates how relevant the PROFAD-SSI-SF questions are to patients with pSS, and how consistently and accurately the questionnaire can measure changes in their symptoms. We reviewed information about the symptoms and impacts of pSS from an online discussion forum for patients with pSS. Patients said that dryness, fatigue, and pain were the symptoms that most affected their day-to-day lives and well-being. We combined this information with previous research on pSS to design a diagram explaining the key symptoms and day-to-day impacts of pSS, which was reviewed by five experts in pSS. In doing so, we aimed to confirm whether the most important things to patients about living with pSS are asked in the PROFAD-SSI-SF questionnaire. Next, we asked 20 patients with pSS how easy they found the PROFAD-SSI-SF to complete and if any important concepts were missing; they reported that the PROFAD-SSI-SF was easy to fill in and that the important questions were included. Finally, we looked at data from a clinical trial that used the PROFAD-SSI-SF and found it accurately measures changes in symptoms of patients with pSS. This means that the PROFAD-SSI-SF could be used in clinical trials to help assess new medicines for pSS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engaging patients in the research process helps to ensure researchers ask meaningful questions and generate useful evidence to inform healthcare decisions. In 2015, the Veterans Health Administration (VA) Health Services Research & Development (HSR&D) service convened a Veteran engagement workgroup, comprised of researchers, clinicians, and Veterans, to identify ways to integrate Veteran engagement into HSR&D. A subgroup was designated to explore the utility of health experiences research (research focused on enhancing understanding of people's experiences with healthcare and illnesses) as a mechanism to complement and broaden traditional engagement mechanisms. The subgroup recommended the VA adopt the Database of Individual Patient Experiences (DIPEx) methodology for conducting and disseminating health experiences research (HER). In this paper, we describe (1) the key components of the DIPEx approach, (2) how these components complement and broaden current methods of Veteran engagement, (3) an update on VA activities using the DIPEx approach, and (4) a roadmap for future VA HER activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Narrative assessment data are valuable in understanding struggles in resident performance. However, it remains unknown which themes in narrative data that occur early in training may indicate a higher likelihood of struggles later in training, allowing programs to intervene sooner. Methods: Using learning analytics, we identified 26 internal medicine residents in three cohorts that were below expected entrustment during training. We compiled all narrative data in the first 6 months of training for these residents as well as 13 typically performing residents for comparison. Narrative data were blinded for all 39 residents during initial phases of an inductive thematic analysis for initial coding. Results: Many similarities were identified between the two cohorts. Codes that differed between typical and lower entrusted residents were grouped into two types of themes: three explicit/manifest and three implicit/latent with six total themes. The explicit/manifest themes focused on specific aspects of resident performance with assessors describing 1) Gaps in attention to detail, 2) Communication deficits with patients, and 3) Difficulty recognizing the "big picture" in patient care. Three implicit/latent themes, focused on how narrative data were written, were also identified: 1) Feedback described as a deficiency rather than an opportunity to improve, 2) Normative comparisons to identify a resident as being behind their peers, and 3) Warning of possible risk to patient care. Discussion: Clinical competency committees (CCCs) usually rely on accumulated data and trends. Using the themes in this paper while reviewing narrative comments may help CCCs with earlier recognition and better allocation of resources to support residents' development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Qualitative inquiry is increasingly popular in health professions education, and there has been a move to solidify processes of analysis to demystify the practice and increase rigour. Whilst important, being bound too heavily by methodological processes potentially represses the imaginative creativity of qualitative expression and interpretation—traditional cornerstones of the approach. Rigid adherence to analytic steps risks leaving no time or space for moments of 'wonder' or emotional responses which facilitate rich engagement. Poetic inquiry, defined as research which uses poetry 'as, in, [or] for inquiry', offers ways to encourage creativity and deep engagement with qualitative data within health professions education. Poetic inquiry attends carefully to participant language, can deepen researcher reflexivity, may increase the emotive impact of research, and promotes an efficiency of qualitative expression through the use of 'razor sharp' language. This A Qualitative Space paper introduces the approach by outlining how it may be applied to inquiry within health professions education. Approaches to engaging with poetic inquiry are discussed and illustrated using examples from the field's scholarship. Finally, recommendations for interested researchers on how to engage with poetic inquiry are made, including suggestions as to how to poetize existing qualitative research practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flood early warning systems (FLEWSs) contribute remarkably to reducing economic and life losses during a flood. The theory of critical slowing down (CSD) has been successfully used as a generic indicator of early warning signals in various fields. A new tool called persistent homology (PH) was recently introduced for data analysis. PH employs a qualitative approach to assess a data set and provide new information on the topological features of the data set. In the present paper, we propose the use of PH as a preprocessing step to achieve a FLEWS through CSD. We test our proposal on water level data of the Kelantan River, which tends to flood nearly every year. The results suggest that the new information obtained by PH exhibits CSD and, therefore, can be used as a signal for a FLEWS. Further analysis of the signal, we manage to establish an early warning signal for ten of the twelve flood events recorded in the river; the two other events are detected on the first day of the flood. Finally, we compare our results with those of a FLEWS constructed directly from water level data and find that FLEWS via PH creates fewer false alarms than the conventional technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: High stakes are involved in student selection, for both medical schools and applicants. This thesis investigated the effects of selection on the medical student population and applicant pool in the Dutch setting.Methods: This thesis consists of six papers: two quantitative studies, one qualitative study, two mixed methods studies and one perspective paper based on a review of the literature.Results: (1) Compared with a lottery, selection does not result in a student population with better motivation, engagement and performance, both in the clinical and pre-clinical phases of the study. (2) Selection seems to have a temporary stimulating effect on student motivation through enhancing perceived autonomy, competence and relatedness. (3) Applicants adopt a strategic approach, based on the selection procedure, in their choice of medical school. (4) The description of an applicant’s motivation is not a reliable and valid tool to assess motivation during selection. (5) Gaining healthcare experience is crucial for applicants’ motivation, but inequalities in access to such experiences can demotivate certain student groups from applying to medical school. (6) The gains yielded from selection compared with a lottery seem to be small. Unintentionally induced self-selection among certain groups of students and biased selection procedures may compromise student diversity.Discussion: The added value of selection procedures compared with a weighted lottery for admitting students to medical school is questionable. Students are generally motivated and perform well, irrespective of how they enrolled in medical school. Selection yields only small gains, while student diversity may be hampered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Potential research participants, particularly those from racial and ethnic groups underrepresented in medical research, often decide to participate based on how they judge people, places, and study protocols as trustworthy. And yet, few studies have explored notions of trustworthiness or determinants of trustworthiness from the perspective of potential medical research participants. Objective: This paper describes how racially and ethnically diverse potential medical research participants conceptualize what makes researchers, research settings, and research protocols seem trustworthy. Design: Using a criterion sampling strategy, we recruited African American, Latinx, and White adults for participation in focus groups conducted at a community center servings the Latinx community and at a health clinic that primarily serves the African American community. Participants: A total of 57 African American, Latinx, and White adults Approach: We conducted seven focus groups that explored perceptions and determinants of research, trust, privacy, confidentiality, and research participation. We used a phenomenological thematic analytic approach to explore the determinants of trustworthiness to conduct medical research. Results: In our effort to identify the factors that affect potential research participants' perspectives on the trustworthiness of medical research, we found three themes: Who is trustworthy to conduct medical research? What influences perceptions of trustworthiness in medical research? And what institutions or settings are trustworthy to conduct medical research? Conclusions: These findings highlight that one's willingness to participate in research is driven in part by their perception of the trustworthiness of researchers, research institutions, and the information they are given about potential research opportunities. There are important and modifiable determinants of trustworthiness that may facilitate minority participation in research. We found that research, researchers, and research institutions each have things that can be done to increase trustworthiness and minority participation in research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to investigate the researchers' approach to the publication of and misconceptions in regard with scientific outputs and affecting factors. The present study was carried out using exploratory qualitative research method and semi-structured interviews in 2017. The research community comprised of faculty members, editors of journals, jury of papers and dissertations, researchers, and graduate students of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. The sample size of the research was firstly selected through targeted sampling and then with snowball method. The MAXQDA v10 software was used to analyze the findings. Regarding the researchers' approach, a total number of 5 themes were identified. The lengthy process of arbitrating journals and the requirement for a university to publish a specific scientific output leads to inappropriate approaches to the dissemination of scientific outputs. It seems that revising quantitative views on the work of researchers and the development of ethics of science, with emphasis on compliance with the criteria of writing, quality and education of research misconduct in the form of appropriate training and supervision courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scale development process is critical to building knowledge in human and social sciences. The present paper aimed (a) to provide a systematic review of the published literature regarding current practices of the scale development process, (b) to assess the main limitations reported by the authors in these processes, and (c) to provide a set of recommendations for best practices in future scale development research. Papers were selected in September 2015, with the search terms 'scale development' and 'limitations' from three databases: Scopus, PsycINFO, and Web of Science, with no time restriction. We evaluated 105 studies published between 1976 and 2015. The analysis considered the three basic steps in scale development: item generation, theoretical analysis, and psychometric analysis. The study identified ten main types of limitation in these practices reported in the literature: sample characteristic limitations, methodological limitations, psychometric limitations, qualitative research limitations, missing data, social desirability bias, item limitations, brevity of the scale, difficulty controlling all variables, and lack of manual instructions. Considering these results, various studies analyzed in this review clearly identified methodological weaknesses in the scale development process (e.g., smaller sample sizes in psychometric analysis), but only a few researchers recognized and recorded these limitations. We hope that a systematic knowledge of the difficulties usually reported in scale development will help future researchers to recognize their own limitations and especially to make the most appropriate choices among different conceptions and methodological strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scale development process is critical to building knowledge in human and social sciences. The present paper aimed (a) to provide a systematic review of the published literature regarding current practices of the scale development process, (b) to assess the main limitations reported by the authors in these processes, and (c) to provide a set of recommendations for best practices in future scale development research. Papers were selected in September 2015, with the search terms 'scale development' and 'limitations' from three databases: Scopus, PsycINFO, and Web of Science, with no time restriction. We evaluated 105 studies published between 1976 and 2015. The analysis considered the three basic steps in scale development: item generation, theoretical analysis, and psychometric analysis. The study identified ten main types of limitation in these practices reported in the literature: sample characteristic limitations, methodological limitations, psychometric limitations, qualitative research limitations, missing data, social desirability bias, item limitations, brevity of the scale, difficulty controlling all variables, and lack of manual instructions. Considering these results, various studies analyzed in this review clearly identified methodological weaknesses in the scale development process (e.g., smaller sample sizes in psychometric analysis), but only a few researchers recognized and recorded these limitations. We hope that a systematic knowledge of the difficulties usually reported in scale development will help future researchers to recognize their own limitations and especially to make the most appropriate choices among different conceptions and methodological strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Improving care coordination is a key priority for many healthcare systems. However, initiatives to improve care coordination are complex to implement and have produced mixed results. A better understanding of how to craft and support implementation of effective care coordination strategies is needed.Objective: To identify and understand the challenges and factors encountered by Patient-Aligned Care Team (PACT) staff in performing care coordination tasks in outpatient clinics in the Veterans Health Administration (VA).Design: Qualitative study using semi-structured formative evaluation interviews.Participants: Fourteen interviews with 18 clinical frontline managers and staff from 12 clinic sites across five VA health systems.Interventions: This paper reports on baseline data collected for the Coordination Toolkit and Coaching (CTAC) project. CTAC aims to improve patients' experience of care coordination within VA primary care and between PACT and other outpatient and community settings.Approach: We conducted pre-implementation telephone interviews with frontline managers and staff, primarily nurse managers.Key Results: PACT staff described challenges in aligning care coordination priorities across different levels of the VA system, including staff, patients, and leadership. Additionally, PACT staff noted challenges coordinating care both within and outside the VA, and identified resource barriers impeding their care coordination efforts. To address these challenges, staff made several recommendations for improvement, including (1) contingency staffing to address staff burnout; (2) additional PACT training for new staff; (3) clarification of care coordination roles and responsibilities; and (4) and care coordination initiatives that align both with centrally initiated care coordination programs and frontline needs.Conclusion: In the VA and similarly complex healthcare systems, our findings suggest the need for care coordination strategies that are buttressed by a system-level vision for care coordination, backed up by clear roles and responsibilities for information exchange between primary care staff and other settings, and multidimensional accountability metrics that encompass patient-, staff-, and system-level goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decade, mass spectrometry (MS)-based “shotgun lipidomics” has emerged as a powerful tool for quantitative and qualitative analysis of the complex lipids in the biological system. The aim of this critical review is to give the interested reader a concise overview of the current state of the technology, focused on lipidomic analysis by mass spectrometry. The pros and cons, and pitfalls associated with each available “shotgun lipidomics” method are discussed; and the new strategies for improving the current methods are described. A list of important papers and reviews that are sufficient rather than comprehensive, covering all the aspects of lipidomics including the workflow, methodology, and fundamentals is also compiled for readers to follow.ᅟ [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study large c conformal blocks outside the known limits. This work seems to be hard, but it is possible numerically by using the Zamolodchikov recursion relation. As a result, we find new some properties of large c conformal blocks with a pair of two different dimensions for any channel and with various internal dimensions. With light intermediate states, we find a Cardy-like asymptotic formula for large c conformal blocks and also we find that the qualitative behavior of various large c blocks drastically changes when the dimensions of external primary states reach the value c=32. And we proceed to the study of blocks with heavy intermediate states hp and we find some simple dependence on heavy hp for large c blocks. The results in this paper can be applied to, for example, the calculation of OTOC or Entanglement Entropy. In the end, we comment on the application to the conformal bootstrap in large c CFTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, technologies such as face detection, facial landmark localisation and face recognition and verification have matured enough to provide effective and efficient solutions for imagery captured under arbitrary conditions (referred to as “in-the-wild”). This is partially attributed to the fact that comprehensive “in-the-wild” benchmarks have been developed for face detection, landmark localisation and recognition/verification. A very important technology that has not been thoroughly evaluated yet is deformable face tracking “in-the-wild”. Until now, the performance has mainly been assessed qualitatively by visually assessing the result of a deformable face tracking technology on short videos. In this paper, we perform the first, to the best of our knowledge, thorough evaluation of state-of-the-art deformable face tracking pipelines using the recently introduced 300 VW benchmark. We evaluate many different architectures focusing mainly on the task of on-line deformable face tracking. In particular, we compare the following general strategies: (a) generic face detection plus generic facial landmark localisation, (b) generic model free tracking plus generic facial landmark localisation, as well as (c) hybrid approaches using state-of-the-art face detection, model free tracking and facial landmark localisation technologies. Our evaluation reveals future avenues for further research on the topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Change makers are visionaries who wish to bring change to their respective fields. As technological change is accelerating, it is relevant to consider, how the way and what we teach can evolve with the future to remain meaningful and pioneering. Design Factory at Aalto University, as an innovative experimental ecosystem with interdisciplinary principles and new teaching methodologies has been successful in and at the forefront in educating the students to be change-makers. The paper presents a case study of holistically anticipating plausible futures for innovative experimental ecosystems utilizing a foresight approach. We analyze how the ways of working, spaces, and teaching methods of one such ecosystem, Design Factory at Aalto University in Finland, could support students learning in the year 20 × 6 {x = 2, 3}. We present the process of drawing virtual lines that connect trends, future drivers, visions, and scenarios using a contemporary approach that fuses qualitative and quantitative methods. The results from the study are six future scenarios for the Design Factory, that have implications for innovation ecosystems in general. These results are expected to further foster or trigger new research and development experiments, directions for building radical environments, new teaching methods and ways of working. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a logical framework for representing static and dynamic properties of different kinds of individual and collective attitudes. A complete axiomatization as well as a decidability result for the logic are given. The logic is applied to game theory by providing a formal analysis of the epistemic conditions of iterated deletion of weakly dominated strategies (IDWDS), or iterated weak dominance for short. The main difference between the analysis of the epistemic conditions of iterated weak dominance given in this paper and other analysis is that we use a semi-qualitative approach to uncertainty based on the notion of plausibility first introduced by Spohn, whereas other analysis are based on a quantitative representation of uncertainty in terms of probabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper means to demonstrate the theoretical-and-methodological potential of a particular pattern of thought about culture. Employing an end-means and absolute value plus concept of reality approach, the continuous model of culture aims to embrace from one holistic standpoint various concepts and debates of the modern human, social, and political sciences. The paper revisits the fact versus value, nature versus culture, culture versus structure, agency versus structure, and economics versus politics debates and offers the concepts of the rule of law, state capitalism, a dialectical model of progress, and interpretative qualitative research, as well as of cultural diffusion, autonomy, alienation, and individuality. This model distinguishes between the ideal-symbolical and the instrumental functions of culture, sees culture as being sewn from universal binaries, and provides a certain understanding of the cognitive function of a value judgment, with positivism so far vague about the topic. It, too, suggests an extra method for investigating culture(s): the comparative literature study of culture(s) enables social science to view literature as its potential in-depth interviewee-a case for arguing for a certain conception of interdisciplinarity as well. In addition, it predicts that cultural particularism or individuality remains an essential factor of human existence. Analyzing the issue of Eurocentrism in social science, the model finds modernity's concept of reality to be involved in 'methodological' intellectualistic reductionism, characterizing it since the empiricism/rationalism origination. Systematically confusing the universal oppositions in a Eurocentric manner, intellectualism becomes a contributing factor in unfolding post-modernity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Short Creek is a largely closed and isolated community on the border between Utah and Arizona, made up of the sister towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Arizona. Beginning from childhood, the 6,000 or so members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) are brought up in a lifestyle of plural marriage, meaning a marriage among one man and more than one woman, and are surrounded by their peers in 'the covenant.' A lifestyle of plural marriage is likely to affect the health of community members, but its effects have not been studied because of the community's isolation and distrust of outsiders. This paper addresses several questions that arise in contemplating the health of the Short Creek community: What are the health beliefs in this community, and what are their historical bases? Where do families seek medical care, and for what or at what threshold of illness or injury? What is the attitude of care providers serving this community, and how are the providers viewed by the community? More broadly, this paper examines the ways in which polygamy configures health. In order to meet this objective, this paper aims first to provide a brief account of this community's history and demographic profile, followed by a discussion of health care in this community and how it is affected by the practice of plural marriage, with the data comprised of qualitative interviews with health care providers to the community. The goals of this project are to gain a rich, historically nuanced understanding of the health of community members, and to identify directions for further academic and policy research. Our findings indicate that health in this community is shaped by limited resources, an attitude of health fatalism, and a profound insularity and corresponding isolation from the outside world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatiotemporal patterns driven by cross-diffusion of a uni-directional consumer-resource (C-R) system with Holling-II type functional response are investigated in this paper. The existence of a unique positive steady state of the considered system is studied first. The linear stability analysis shows that the cross-diffusion is the key mechanism for the formation of spatiotemporal patterns through Turing bifurcation. We choose the cross-diffusion coefficient as bifurcation parameter and discuss three different types of Turing bifurcations, corresponding to simple, double non-resonant and double resonant cases. Based on weakly nonlinear analysis with the multiple scale method and the adjoint system theory, we derive the amplitude equations of the Turing patterns near the Turing bifurcation point and obtain the analytical approximation solutions of the patterns for each case. Specially, some qualitative results of amplitude equations of the resonant case are given in detail. Finally, numerical simulations are performed to illustrate the weakly nonlinear theoretical predictions and through these simulations some patterns (single mode pattern, mixed-mode pattern, super-squares pattern, roll pattern, hexagonal pattern) are found. Simultaneously, numerical simulations show that the resource supplying rate has an important impact on the direction of Turing bifurcation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This paper presents some of the work conducted in FP7 VRUITS project to draw a set of general recommendations for actions at the EU level aiming to enhance the deployment of ITS systems directed to improve the safety, mobility and comfort of vulnerable road users. Method: The work started by identifying potential barriers, as well as recommendations to overcome these barriers. After that, similar recommendations were combined and prioritised, which are discussed via a workshop and questionnaire. In addition, a qualitative analysis was used to select thirteen main recommendations, for which a quantitative Benefit Analyses and a Multi-Criteria analysis were conducted. Results: In total, over 200 barriers and recommendations were identified for the 10 selected ITS systems. After several steps 13 main general recommendations were selected and ranked according to priority. Conclusions: 1) A wide range of different type of measures directed to different stakeholders is needed 2) Focus should be on facilitating the implementation of the 13 main recommendations, 3) Benefits of implementation of the recommendations can be in the order of billion(s) of euros, and 4) Main challenges are achieving cooperation between the different stakeholders, the different environments, the long time horizon for implementation and the high implementation costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rise of 'big biology' is bringing academic and industrial scientists together in large consortia to address translational challenges in the life sciences. In order to assess the impact of this change, this paper examines the existing norms and styles of collaboration in one high profile translational domain; stem cell research. Data is drawn from qualitative interviews with academic and industry scientists working in a large European stem cell research project. Respondents discussed what they perceived as the main benefits and risks of collaborative research, what styles of collaboration they were familiar with, and what collaborative work in stem cell science normally involves. A wide range of materials, data, and expertise can be exchanged during collaborative work. Informal collaborations are governed by an ethos of reciprocity and mediated by trust while formal project agreements can provide a safe space for sharing between unfamiliar partners. These characteristics make stem cell research well suited to pre-competitive public-private ventures but translation of new products to market may be more challenging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Medical education researchers increasingly collaborate in international teams, collecting data in different languages and from different parts of the world, and then disseminating them in English-language journals. Although this requires an ever-present need to translate, it often occurs uncritically. With this paper we aim to enhance researchers' awareness and reflexivity regarding translations in qualitative research. Methods: In an international study, we carried out interviews in both Dutch and English. To enable joint data analysis, we translated Dutch data into English, making choices regarding when and how to translate. In an iterative process, we contextualized our experiences, building on the social sciences and general health literature about cross-language/cross-cultural research. Results: We identified three specific translation challenges: attending to grammar or syntax differences, grappling with metaphor, and capturing semantic or sociolinguistic nuances. Literature findings informed our decisions regarding the validity of translations, translating in different stages of the research process, coding in different languages, and providing 'ugly' translations in published research reports. Discussion: The lessons learnt were threefold. First, most researchers, including ourselves, do not consciously attend to translations taking place in international qualitative research. Second, translation challenges arise not only from differences in language, but also from cultural or societal differences. Third, by being reflective about translations, we found meaningful differences, even between settings with many cultural and societal similarities. This conscious process of negotiating translations was enriching. We recommend researchers to be more conscious and transparent about their translation strategies, to enhance the trustworthiness and quality of their work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Looking back on the many prophets who tried to predict the future as if it were predetermined, at first sight any forward-looking activity is reminiscent of making predictions with a crystal ball. In contrast to fortune tellers, today's exercises do not predict, but try to show different paths that an open future could take. A key motivation to undertake forward-looking activities is broadening the information basis for decision-makers to help them actively shape the future in a desired way. Experts, laypeople, or stakeholders may have different sets of values and priorities with regard to pending decisions on any issue related to the future. Therefore, considering and incorporating their views can, in the best case scenario, lead to more robust decisions and strategies. However, transferring this plurality into a form that decision-makers can consider is a challenge in terms of both design and facilitation of participatory processes. In this paper, we will introduce and critically assess a new qualitative method for forward-looking activities, namely CIVISTI (Citizen Visions on Science, Technology and Innovation; ), which was developed during an EU project of the same name. Focussing strongly on participation, with clear roles for citizens and experts, the method combines expert, stakeholder and lay knowledge to elaborate recommendations for decision-making in issues related to today's and tomorrow's science, technology and innovation. Consisting of three steps, the process starts with citizens' visions of a future 30-40 years from now. Experts then translate these visions into practical recommendations which the same citizens then validate and prioritise to produce a final product. The following paper will highlight the added value as well as limits of the CIVISTI method and will illustrate potential for the improvement of future processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the analysis of Semi-Markovian single server retrial queues by means of Markov Regenerative Stochastic Petri Nets ( MRSPN) is considered. We propose MRSPN models for the two retrial queues M/G/1/N/N and M/G/1/N/N with orbital search. By inspecting the reduced reachability graph of both MRSPN models, the qualitative analysis is obtained. The quantitative analysis is carried out after constructing their one step transition probability matrix and computing the steady state probability distribution of each tangible marking. As an example, the queue $$M/Hypo_{2}/1/2/2$$ is treated in order to illustrate the functionality of the MRSPN approach. The exact performance measures (mean number of customers in the system, mean response time, mean waiting time,...) are computed for different parameters of the two systems by an algorithm elaborated in Matlab environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the use of the telephone has increased as a means of collecting research data in a range of areas, there are few examples of studies where telephone interviews have been conducted to collect qualitative data. The field of educational research is no exception to this. This paper focuses on a study carried out in Higher Education (HE) investigating student withdrawal. It explores the ethics of interviewing by telephone a group of former students; issues that arose in the carrying out of the research, particularly relating to the quality of the data; and the impact of the study's purpose on its conduct. The paper discusses the value of telephone interviewing to collect qualitative data and offers some practical suggestions for future use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Time geography uses space-time volumes to represent the possible locations of a mobile agent over time in a x- y- t space. A volume is a qualitative representation of the fact that the agent is at a particular time t inside of the volume's base at t. Space-time volumes enable qualitative analysis such as potential encounters between agents. In this paper the qualitative statements of time geography will be quantified. For this purpose an agent's possible locations are modeled from a stochastic perspective. It is shown that probability is not equally distributed in a space-time volume, i.e., a quantitative analysis cannot be based simply on proportions of intersections. The actual probability distribution depends on the degree of a priori knowledge about the agent's behavior. This paper starts with the standard assumption of time geography (no further knowledge), and develops the appropriate probability distribution by three equivalent approaches. With such a model any analysis of the location of an agent, or relations between the locations of two agents, can be improved in expressiveness as well as accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the role of voluntary environmental initiatives by the tourism industry to alleviate social dilemmas for the management of natural resources. The objective is to explore whether previous findings on the determinants of voluntary action in the management of common-pool resources (CPR) also apply to a sector, such as tourism, where non-extractive uses are dominant. The paper applies the social-ecological systems framework recently developed by Ostrom (Science, 325, 419-422, 2009) to analyze qualitative data from meta-analyses of successful voluntary environmental initiatives in tourism. Results show that the determinants of voluntary action in tourism are partially consistent with previous research on CPR, finding relevant the presence of leadership, norms of behavior among members of the voluntary initiatives, shared mental modes, salience of the resource for users, and substantial productivity of the resource system in the likelihood of self-organization. However, other variables that have been shown to be relevant in non-tourism CPR situations are not supported by this analysis, such as: most variables regarding the ecological system (its size, predictability, and the mobility of its derived resource units) as well as the number of users and supportive collective choice rules that enable users to craft and enforce some of their own rules. The implications of this partial mismatch in findings are not straightforward. The paper presents a set of research questions that open a path for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: General practitioners (GPs) are often faced with complicated, vague problems in situations of uncertainty that they have to solve at short notice. In such situations, gut feelings seem to play a substantial role in their diagnostic process. Qualitative research distinguished a sense of alarm and a sense of reassurance. However, not every GP trusted their gut feelings, since a scientific explanation is lacking.Objective: This paper explains how gut feelings arise and function in GPs' diagnostic reasoning.Approach: The paper reviews literature from medical, psychological and neuroscientific perspectives.Conclusions: Gut feelings in general practice are based on the interaction between patient information and a GP's knowledge and experience. This is visualized in a knowledge-based model of GPs' diagnostic reasoning emphasizing that this complex task combines analytical and non-analytical cognitive processes. The model integrates the two well-known diagnostic reasoning tracks of medical decision-making and medical problem-solving, and adds gut feelings as a third track. Analytical and non-analytical diagnostic reasoning interacts continuously, and GPs use elements of all three tracks, depending on the task and the situation. In this dual process theory, gut feelings emerge as a consequence of non-analytical processing of the available information and knowledge, either reassuring GPs or alerting them that something is wrong and action is required. The role of affect as a heuristic within the physician's knowledge network explains how gut feelings may help GPs to navigate in a mostly efficient way in the often complex and uncertain diagnostic situations of general practice. Emotion research and neuroscientific data support the unmistakable role of affect in the process of making decisions and explain the bodily sensation of gut feelings.The implications for health care practice and medical education are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Establishing content validity for both new and existing patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures is central to a scientifically sound instrument development process. Methodological and logistical issues present a challenge in regard to determining the best practices for establishing content validity. This paper provides an overview of the current state of knowledge regarding qualitative research to establish content validity based on the scientific methodological literature and authors’ experience. Conceptual issues and frameworks for qualitative interview research, developing the interview discussion guide, reaching saturation, analysis of data, developing a theoretical model, item generation and cognitive debriefing are presented. Suggestions are offered for dealing with logistical issues regarding facilitator qualifications, ethics approval, sample recruitment, group logistics, taping and transcribing interviews, honoraria and documenting content validity. It is hoped this paper will stimulate further discussion regarding best practices for establishing content validity so that, as the PRO field moves forward, qualitative research can be evaluated for quality and acceptability according to scientifically established principles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insights into students’ understandings of disciplinary concepts are fundamental to effective curriculum development. This paper argues that a rounded picture of students’ understandings is required to support such development. It is argued that one element of this picture may be provided through the use of the Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes (SOLO) taxonomy which provides a normative structure for the identification of variation in students’ understandings. The paper describes a process whereby the de-contextualised SOLO descriptors can be contextualised within a discipline, illustrating this through the analysis of two key concepts within introductory accounting. The substantive findings indicate that the majority of students did not meet with lecturer expectations, i.e. they did not engage with the abstract nature of accounting and the formal reasoning required to support explanations. Moreover students’ responses include a variety of “misconceptions” that appear to arise from everyday/intuitive understandings of accounting and rote usage or mimicry of accounting terms. The paper concludes with a discussion of the pedagogic implications of both the theoretical framework and substantive findings, and identifies areas for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the advantages and challenges of using qualitative methods to elicit poor children’s perspectives about threats and positive influences on their wellbeing. It draws on research carried out by the author on the subjective experiences of poor children in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia in terms of their understandings of wellbeing, threats to their wellbeing, coping strategies, and positive or resilient outcomes. After a brief introduction reviewing previous approaches to child poverty in general and research on Ethiopian children in particular, the second section describes the research setting and the ethical approach to the study, which influenced how consent was obtained and the data analysed. The paper then describes the use of qualitative methods such as semi-structured interviews, draw-and-tell, and diaries, the kinds of data they produced and the methodological and ethical dilemmas and tensions encountered in using them. It concludes that despite the challenges qualitative methods are invaluable in order to understand what poor children see as threats and positive influences on their wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

‘Wellbeing’ is a key concept in the study of children’s lives over time, given its potential to link the objective, subjective, and inter-subjective dimensions of their experiences in ways that are holistic, contextualized and longitudinal. For this reason wellbeing is one of the core concepts used by Young Lives, a 15-year project (2000–2015) that follows the lives of 12,000 children growing up in the context of poverty in Ethiopia, Peru, Vietnam and Andhra Pradesh (India) (see ). This paper examines a selection of methods being used by Young Lives to capture aspects of child wellbeing in the context of a range of children’s life experiences related to poverty, specific risks and protective processes. It draws on a review of the literature on child-focused methods and on recent experiences piloting three core qualitative methods in the four study countries. The paper reports the development of a methodology that is child-centred, but also acknowledges that every child is embedded within a network of social and economic relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In numerous studies dealing with roots of woody plants, a description of the root system architecture is needed. During the twentieth century, several manual measurement methods were used, depending on the objectives of study. Due to the difficulties in accessing the roots and the duration of measurements, the studies generally involved a low number of root systems, were often qualitative and focused only on one specific application. Quantitative methods in plant architecture were largely developed in the last 40 years for aerial architecture. However, root systems have particular features and often need specific procedures. Since the end of the 1990s, new devices and techniques have been available for coarse root architecture measurements including volume location techniques (non-invasive or destructive) and manual or semi-automatic 3D digitising. Full 3D root system architecture dynamics was also reconstructed from partial measurements using modelling procedures. On the one hand, non-invasive and automatic techniques need more development to obtain full 3D architecture, i.e. geometry and topology. On the other hand, both one inexpensive manual and one semi-automatic digitizing procedure are now available to measure precisely and rapidly the full 3D architecture of uprooted and excavated coarse root systems. Specific software and a large number of functions are also available for an in-depth analysis of root architecture and have already been used in a dozen of research papers including a fairly large sample of mature trees. A comprehensive analysis of root architecture can be achieved by classifying individual roots in several root types through architectural analysis. The objective of this paper is both to give a detailed overview of the state of the art techniques for 3D root system architecture measurement and analysis and to give examples of applications in this field. Practical details are also given so that this paper can be used as a sort of manual for people who want to improve their practice or to enter this quite new research field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper inquires about the conditions that enable the rise of new applied undergraduate fields in American universities and colleges. After identifying high-growth fields since 1950, the paper traces their professional development from an embryonic stage until universities and colleges started offering bachelor’s degrees in those fields. The experiences of the six fields of this study show that although pressures for academic differentiation were evident, governmental intervention was ultimately crucial. Qualitative evidence indicates that the independence of a new field hinges on the interaction of four factors: societal pressures, state intervention, academic resourcefulness of the field, and professional institutional processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study design:Meta-synthesis of qualitative research.Objectives:To identify, compare and synthesize published qualitative evidence concerning the experience of rehabilitation following spinal cord injury (SCI).Methods:Published articles were identified from the Medline, CINAHL and Sociological abstracts databases, a hand search through selected journals published since 1990, and from reference lists. These were assessed for their relevance to the focus of interest and appraised for rigour. The key themes that emerged from the data were summarized, compared and synthesized.Results:The search located 64 papers and four books, of which eight papers (describing seven studies) met the review criteria for relevance and rigour. Thematic comparison and synthesis resulted in the identification of seven concepts that encapsulate the important dimensions of rehabilitation from participants' perspectives: (1) the importance of specific staff qualities; (2) the need for a vision of future life possibilities; (3) the importance of peers; (4) the relevance of programme content; (5) the institutional context of rehabilitation; (6) the importance of reconnecting the past to the future; (7) the importance of meeting the needs of the real world.Conclusions:If rehabilitation services are to be evidence-based, relevant and effective in meeting the needs of people with SCI they must be informed by the perspectives of people with SCI. The findings of this review suggest that the most important dimension of rehabilitation for people with SCI is the calibre and vision of the rehabilitation staff.Sponsorship:N/A.Spinal Cord (2007) 45, 260–274. doi:10.1038/sj.sc.3102034; published online 20 February 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study design:Meta-synthesis of qualitative research.Objectives:To identify, compare and synthesize the factors found to contribute to, or detract from the experience of a life worth living following spinal cord injury (SCI).Methods:Published articles were identified from the Medline, CINAHL and Sociological Abstracts databases, a hand search through selected journals published since 1990, and from reference lists. These were assessed for their relevance to the focus of interest and appraised for rigour and quality. The key themes that emerged from the data were summarized, compared and synthesized.Results:The search located 64 papers and four books, of which seven papers met the review criteria for relevance and rigour, and in which 10 main concepts were identified: (1) body problems, (2) loss, (3) relationships, (4) responsibility for, and control of one's life, (5) occupation, and ability to contribute, (6) environmental context, (7) new values/perspective transformation, (8) good and bad days, (9) self-worth, (10) self-continuity.Conclusions:This study demonstrates the utility of synthesizing qualitative research to provide a greater depth of insight into the factors that contribute to, and detract from, quality of life (QOL) after SCI. It also provides a more nuanced understanding of the experience of QOL following SCI than is achievable by quantitative methods. Future qualitative research is required to probe further the concepts and connections identified in this study, and to identify how rehabilitation services might best address these issues.Sponsorship:N/A.Spinal Cord (2007) 45, 124–139. doi:10.1038/sj.sc.3101992; published online 7 November 2006 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-completed questionnaires (usually distributed by post) and visual analogue scales (VAS) are common means for collecting valuations for hypothetical EQ-5D health states. Although opportunities for respondents to comment on aspects of the exercise are often included, these data have rarely been the focus of analyses. This paper, therefore, reports on solicited and unsolicited written comments received in a New Zealand survey in 1999 to which 1360 people responded of whom approximately 50% made comments. The comments were systematically analysed via an inductive process that allowed principal themes to emerge with respect to understanding the peculiarities of respondents' valuations, particularly common 'data problems', and their perceptions as to the adequacy or otherwise of the EQ-5D classification system. From our findings we conclude that the valuation exercise imposes a substantial cognitive burden on respondents and many do not understand it (for a variety of reasons documented in the paper). Also, although there is some evidence for expanding the EQ-5D (generic) health-related quality of life dimensions, more research as to whether this holds for a larger sample and across cultural settings is needed. We offer recommendations for future research into understanding respondents' cognitive processes and possible revisions to the design and administration of the EQ-5D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

STUDY DESIGN::Review. OBJECTIVES::To explore the concept of quality of life (QOL), critique the practice and problems of assessing QOL following spinal cord injury (SCI) and to review the findings of studies into QOL for people with SCI both below and above the level of C4. METHODS::Relevant articles were identified from the Medline and CINAHL databases for approximately the period 1990-2003, cross-indexing‘spinal cord injury’or‘quadriplegia/tetraplegia’with‘quality of life’,‘life satisfaction’,‘social adjustment’or‘psychological adaptation’. This search was augmented through papers identified in reference lists. Articles were excluded if they were designed solely to examine the impact of a specific intervention upon QOL; or if they examined satisfaction with various life domains without explicitly linking these to perceptions of QOL. Papers were also accessed that addressed the philosophical and epistemological issues involved in QOL conceptions and assessment. RESULTS::Review of the literature highlights the philosophical and methodological difficulties associated with the quantitative measurement of a qualitative experience; and with the assessment of life domains chosen by researchers. Analysis of QOL research undertaken among people with all levels of SCI demonstrates that dissatisfaction with life following injury arises primarily from social disadvantage. However, little research has been conducted specifically to ascertain perceptions of QOL among people with high SCI. CONCLUSIONS::Ensuring the relevance of future research into QOL following high SCI requires qualitative methodology and mixed methods. Further research is needed to determine how rehabilitation professionals can act on the findings of their QOL assessments and enhance the QOL experienced by people with spinal cord injury in the context of their environments. SPONSORSHIP::The early phase of this study was supported by: University of British Columbia Graduate Fellowship; Rick Hansen Man in Motion Foundation (studentship); Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada: doctoral fellowship.Spinal Cord (2004) 42, 491-502. doi:10.1038/sj.sc.3101636 Published online 20 July 2004 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some important work (Bulmer, Harvey) in the history of sociology questions whether the Chicago School should be identified with qualitative as opposed to more quantitative, statistical, and correlational methods. This paper will examine whether this characterization is a "myth" or whether there was some real basis for this association of Chicago sociology with qualitative research and a broader epistemological stance critical of radical neo-positivism. It does so by utilizing Floyd Nelson House's (1893-1975) The Development of Sociology (1936) as a primary source for answering these questions. House received his Ph.D. from Chicago in 1924, taught there in 1925-1926, and continued to identify himself as a Chicagoan after his appointment to the University of Virginia. Although his book provides a long historical survey, House paid ample attention to the development of American sociology. He frequently drew attention to the differences between Chicago sociology and that produced by the First Columbia School of Sociology founded by the radical neo-positivist Franklin H. Giddings. These differences focused on methods and epistemological stances. House identified himself as part of a Chicago "Group of Five" (including Park, Blumer, Eubank, and Bogardus) which questioned "concrete sociological research" in the absence of careful conceptualization. The contrast between Columbia and Chicago sociology in both descriptive and evaluative terms is, in fact, a leitmotif of what appears to be on the surface an impartial textbook. This paper concludes that the depiction of the Chicago School as welcoming to qualitative methods and much less inclined to radical neo-positivism than the First Columbia School is not a latter-day construction of neo or "wannabe" Chicagoans but has its roots in contemporary developments of the Chicago School in its heyday of the 1920s and 1930s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The notion of feedback has been exploited with considerable success in scientific and technological fields as well as in the sciences of man and society. Its use in philosophical, cultural and educational contexts, however, is still rather meagre, even if some notable attempts can be found in the literature. This paper shows that the feedback concept can help learn and understand some classical philosophical theories. In particular, attention focuses on Fichte's doctrine of science, usually presented in obscure terms following its inventor's style, and on the vulgate version of Hegel's dialectic. Also a classic problem of linguistics concerning the meaning of sentences in partially unknown languages is interpreted with the aid of feedback diagrams. Even if the analysis is only qualitative, it is believed that it may serve as a useful tool for thought for both students and researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To eliminate the staircasing effect for total variation filter and synchronously avoid the edges blurring for fourth-order PDE filter, a hybrid regularizers-based adaptive anisotropic diffusion is proposed for image denoising. In the proposed model, the $$H^{-1}$$ -norm is considered as the fidelity term and the regularization term is composed of a total variation regularization and a fourth-order filter. The two filters can be adaptively selected according to the diffusion function. When the pixels locate at the edges, the total variation filter is selected to filter the image, which can preserve the edges. When the pixels belong to the flat regions, the fourth-order filter is adopted to smooth the image, which can eliminate the staircase artifacts. In addition, the split Bregman and relaxation approach are employed in our numerical algorithm to speed up the computation. Experimental results demonstrate that our proposed model outperforms the state-of-the-art models cited in the paper in both the qualitative and quantitative evaluations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adults with mental illness who are homeless experience multiple barriers to employment, contributing to difficulties securing and maintaining housing. Housing First programs provide quick, low-barrier access to housing and support services for this population, but their success in improving employment outcomes has been limited. Supported employment interventions may augment Housing First programs and address barriers to employment for homeless adults with mental illness. The present paper presents data from qualitative interviews to shed light on the persisting barriers to employment among people formerly homeless. Once housed, barriers to employment persisted, including the following: (1) worries about disclosing sensitive information, (2) fluctuating motivation, (3) continued substance use, and (4) fears about re-experiencing homelessness-related trauma. Nevertheless, participants reported that their experiences of homelessness helped them develop interpersonal strength and resilience. Discussing barriers with an employment specialist helps participants develop strategies to overcome them, but employment specialists must be sensitive to specific homelessness-related experiences that may not be immediately evident. Supported housing was insufficient to help people return to employment. Supported employment may help people return to work by addressing persisting barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supplier selection is one of the most important tasks for supply chain decision making, and there are many quantitative and qualitative factors that affect this process. This paper develops a simple and user-friendly supplier selection process for a supply chain which considers various selection criteria for managing supply risks. A rule-based fuzzy inference system (FIS) model is developed using the fuzzy logic toolbox in MATLAB R2012a to select the most excellent supplier by considering both quantitative and qualitative selection criteria. We identify a total of 18 selection criteria, of which four are quantitative and 14 qualitative. Risk factors are also incorporated in the model by developing fuzzy input and output criteria, and the best supplier is selected based on the aggregated supplier ranking index value. Finally, a numerical example presented to explain the usefulness of the developed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]