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This partnered scoping review investigates the program properties and outcome evaluations in dance for health research studies for older people. To identify potential ‘active ingredients’ of dancing, we must define the contents of dance programs and how they vary, understand how change in health outcomes is estimated, and identify outcomes that are under-represented in research, but important for an ageing population. The goal of the ‘inputs’ scoping review is to identify current reporting practices of dance programs in published studies, and variability in the development, design, artistic qualities, and delivery of these programs. The ‘outputs’ scoping review aims to describe outcome domains, measurement tools and potential heterogeneity of measures used to evaluate dance programs for older adults. These partnered reviews are the first to map program properties and outcome evaluation measures of dance for health programs.

Seasonal flu vaccination rates among university students are exceedingly low and research focused on voluntarily influencing vaccination uptake is limited. This study outlines the development, implementation, and evaluation of a theory-driven social marketing vaccination intervention following the co-create-build-engage (CBE) framework. This study drew upon a pre-intervention segmentation study and co-created interventions targeted at receptive segments. The intervention delivered a significant 343% increase in vaccination rates using a difference-in-difference analysis. Online communication channels effectively engaged students to register for and receive their flu vaccine Almost 90% of students who received vaccinations signed up in the first two weeks of the intervention program indicating that those who can be motivated will act early in the flu season. Financial incentives, as found in previous studies, were confirmed as highly effective in increasing awareness and influencing vaccination uptake behaviours. Friend referral incentives were also found to be influential in motivating vaccination uptake. Suggestions are provided for future research and practical implementation of interventions on university campuses to motivate flu vaccination and other health behaviours.

Introduction Flavored tobacco appeals to new users. This paper describes evaluation results of California’s early ordinances restricting flavored tobacco sales. Methods A multicomponent evaluation of proximal policy outcomes involved the following: (a) tracking the reach of local ordinances; (b) a retail observation survey; and (c) a statewide opinion poll of tobacco retailers. Change in the population covered by local ordinances was computed. Retail observations compared availability of flavored tobacco at retailers in jurisdictions with and without an ordinance. Mixed models compared ordinance and matched no-ordinance jurisdictions and adjusted for store type. An opinion poll assessed retailers’ awareness and ease of compliance with local ordinances, comparing respondents in ordinance jurisdictions with the rest of California. Results The proportion of Californians living in a jurisdiction with an ordinance increased from 0.6% in April 2015 to 5.82% by January 1, 2019. Flavored tobacco availability was significantly lower in ordinance jurisdictions than in matched jurisdictions: menthol cigarettes (40.6% vs. 95.0%), cigarillos/cigar wraps with explicit flavor descriptors (56.4% vs. 85.0%), and vaping products with explicit flavor descriptors (6.1% vs. 56.9%). Over half of retailers felt compliance was easy; however, retailers in ordinance jurisdictions expressed lower support for flavor sales restrictions. Conclusions The proportion of California’s population covered by a flavor ordinance increased nine-fold between April 2015 and January 2019. Fewer retailers in ordinance jurisdictions had flavored tobacco products available compared to matched jurisdictions without an ordinance, but many still advertised flavored products they could not sell. Comprehensive ordinances and retailer outreach may facilitate sales-restriction support and compliance.

BackgroundCompliant flooring may prevent fall injuries in residential care, but evidence is inconclusive. We investigate compliant sports floors and fall-related injuries in a residential care setting and update a meta-analysis from a recent systematic review on compliant flooring.MethodsA non-randomised study comparing outcomes in a residential care unit that installed sports flooring in bedrooms with four units with regular flooring in a Norwegian municipality (n=193). Data on falls were collected for a period of 46 months (323 falls on sports flooring; 414 on regular flooring). Outcomes were injurious falls per person bed-day, falls per person bed-day and injury risks per fall. Confounding was adjusted for using Andersen-Gill proportional hazards and log-binomial regression models. Random-effects inverse variance models were used to pool estimates.ResultsInjurious fall rates were 13% lower in the unit with sports flooring (adjusted HR (aHR): 0.87 (95% CI: 0.55 to 1.37)). There was limited evidence of adverse effects on fall rates (aHR: 0.93 (95% CI: 0.63 to 1.38)) and the injury risk per fall was lower in fall events that occurred on sports floors (adjusted relative risk (RR): 0.75 (95% CI: 0.53 to 1.08)). Pooling these estimates with previous research added precision, but the overall pattern was the same (pooled RR for injurious falls: 0.66 (95% CI: 0.39 to 1.12); fall rates: 0.87 (95% CI: 0.68 to 1.12); injury risks per fall: 0.71 (95% CI: 0.52 to 0.97)).ConclusionSports floors may be an alternative to novel shock-absorbing floors in care settings; however, more research is needed to improve precision.

Social comparison is a common behavior that largely determines people’s experience of decision outcome. Previous research has showed that interpersonal relationship plays a pivotal role in social comparison. In the current study, we investigated whether the manipulation of context-based relationship would affect participants’ comparison of self-outcome and other-outcome. Participants first finished a trust game with likeable (dislikeable) partner and then they were involved in a gambling task and observed the outcomes for themselves and for partners. According to self-reports, participants were more satisfied with likeable partner’s gains than losses only when they received gains, but they were always more satisfied with dislikeable player’s losses compared to gains. Event-related potentials including the feedback-related negativity (FRN), P3 and late positive component (LPC) were sensitive to context-based relationship. Specifically, the prediction error signal (indexed by the FRN) was largest when participants received losses but dislikeable player received gains. Meanwhile, the P3 indicates that participants had stronger motivation to outperform dislikeable player. Finally, the LPC was larger when participants received the same outcomes with dislikeable players. In general, our results support the key point of the self-evaluation maintenance model that personal closeness modulates subjective sensitivity when drawing a comparison of one’s outcomes with other’s outcomes.

Recent research suggests that exposure to monetary cues strengthens an individual’s motivation to pursue monetary rewards by inducing the ‘market mode’ (i.e. thinking and behaving in accordance with market principles). Here, we examined the effect of market mode on social reward processes by means of event-related potentials (ERPs). Participants primed with monetary images or neutral images acted as advisors who selected one of two options for a putative advisee. Subsequently, all participants passively observed the advisee accepting or rejecting their advice and receiving a gain or loss outcome. After money priming, the feedback-related negativity (FRN) to the advisee’s gain/loss outcome was larger following incorrect as compared to correct advice irrespective of whether the advice had been accepted or rejected. A smaller P3 following incorrect advice showed only when the advice was rejected. After neutral priming, the FRN was larger for incorrect relative to correct advice only when the advice had been rejected. However, the P3 was larger for correct relative to incorrect advice irrespective of the advisee’s final choice. These findings suggest that the market mode facilitates early and automatic feedback processing but reduces later and controlled responding to outcomes that had been accepted.

Background Shared decision-making (SDM) is preferred by many patients in cancer care. However, despite scientific evidence and promotion by health policy makers, SDM implementation in routine health care lags behind. This study aimed to evaluate an empirically and theoretically grounded implementation program for SDM in cancer care. Methods In a stepped wedge design, three departments of a comprehensive cancer center sequentially received the implementation program in a randomized order. It included six components: training for health care professionals (HCPs), individual coaching for physicians, patient activation intervention, patient information material/decision aids, revision of quality management documents, and reflection on multidisciplinary team meetings (MDTMs). Outcome evaluation comprised four measurement waves. The primary endpoint was patient-reported SDM uptake using the 9-item Shared Decision Making Questionnaire. Several secondary implementation outcomes were assessed. A mixed-methods process evaluation was conducted to evaluate reach and fidelity. Data were analyzed using mixed linear models, qualitative content analysis, and descriptive statistics. Results A total of 2,128 patient questionnaires, 559 questionnaires from 408 HCPs, 132 audio recordings of clinical encounters, and 842 case discussions from 66 MDTMs were evaluated. There was no statistically significant improvement in the primary endpoint SDM uptake. Patients in the intervention condition were more likely to experience shared or patient-lead decision-making than in the control condition (d=0.24). HCPs in the intervention condition reported more knowledge about SDM than in the control condition (d = 0.50). In MDTMs the quality of psycho-social information was lower in the intervention than in the control condition (d = − 0.48). Further secondary outcomes did not differ statistically significantly between conditions. All components were implemented in all departments, but reach was limited (e.g., training of 44% of eligible HCPs) and several adaptations occurred (e.g., reduced dose of coaching). Conclusions The process evaluation provides possible explanations for the lack of statistically significant effects in the primary and most of the secondary outcomes. Low reach and adaptations, particularly in dose, may explain the results. Other or more intensive approaches are needed for successful department-wide implementation of SDM in routine cancer care. Further research is needed to understand factors influencing implementation of SDM in cancer care. Trial registration clinicaltrials.gov, NCT03393351, registered 8 January 2018.

Current approaches for the surgical correction of craniosynostosis are highly dependent on surgeon experience. Therefore, outcomes are often inadequate, causing suboptimal esthetic results. Novel methods for cranial shape analysis based on statistical shape models enable accurate and objective diagnosis from preoperative 3D photographs or computed tomography scans. Moreover, advanced algorithms are now available to calculate a reference cranial shape for each patient from a multi-atlas of healthy cases, and to determine the most optimal approach to restore normal calvarial shape. During surgery, multiple technologies are available to ensure accurate translation of the preoperative virtual plan into the operating room. Patient-specific cutting guides and templates can be designed and manufactured to assist during osteotomy and remodeling. Then, intraoperative navigation and augmented reality visualization can provide real-time guidance during the placement and fixation of the remodeled bone. Finally, 3D photography enables intraoperative surgical outcome evaluation and postoperative patient follow-up. This chapter summarizes recent literature on all these technologies, showing how their integration into the surgical workflow could increase reproducibility and reduce inter-surgeon variability in open cranial vault remodeling procedures. Supported by projects PI18/01625 (Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, Instituto de Salud Carlos III and European Regional Development Fund "Una manera de hacer Europa") and IND2018/TIC-9753 (Comunidad de Madrid).

Background Previous systematic reviews of the impact of multi-component community-based health promotion interventions on reducing health inequalities by socio-economic status (SES) were restricted to physical activity and smoking behavior, and revealed limited and rather disillusioning evidence. Therefore, we conducted a comprehensive review worldwide to close this gap, including a wide range of health outcomes. Methods The Pubmed and PsycINFO databases were screened for relevant articles published between January 1999 and August 2019, revealing 87 potentially eligible publications out of 2876 hits. In addition, three studies out of a prior review on the effectiveness of community-based interventions were reanalyzed under the new research question. After a systematic review process, 23 papers met the inclusion criteria and were included in the synthesis. Results More than half (56.5%) of the studies reported improvements of socially disadvantaged communities overall (i.e. reduced inequalities at the area level) in at least one health behavior and/or health status outcome. Amongst the remaining studies we found some beneficial effects in the most deprived sub-groups of residents (8.2%) and studies with no differences between intervention and control areas (34.8%). There was no evidence that any program under review resulted in an increase in health disparity. Conclusions Our results confirm that community-based interventions may be reducing absolute health inequalities of deprived and disadvantaged populations, but their potential so far is not fully realized. For the future, greater attention should be paid to inequalities between sub-groups within communities when analyzing changes in health inequality over time.

As social signals, identical facial expressions can be perceived differently, even oppositely, depending on the circumstances. Fast and accurate understanding of the information conveyed by others' facial expressions is crucial for successful social interaction. In the current study, we used electroencephalographic analysis of several event-related potentials (ERPs) to investigate how the brain processes the facial expressions of others when they indicate different self-outcomes. In half of the trial blocks, a happy face indicated "Win" and an angry face indicated "Lose." In the other half of the blocks, the rule was reversed. The results showed that the N170 could distinguish expression valence and the N300 could distinguish outcome valence. The valence of the expression (happy or angry) and the valence of the outcome (Win or Loss) interacted with each other in the early, automatic perceptual processing stage (N1) as well as in the later, cognitive evaluation stage (P300). Standardized Low-Resolution Electromagnetic Tomography (sLORETA) results indicated that the N1 modulation only occurred for happy faces, which may relate to automatic emotion regulation, while the interaction on P300 was significant only for angry faces, which might be associated with the regulation of negative emotions.

Impact and process evaluations are increasingly used in international development; however they are generally retrospective in outlook. A more timely approach to evaluation aims to identify necessary, feasible and effective changes during a programme or intervention’s lifetime. This paper aims to identify, categorise, describe and critically appraise methods to support more timely evaluation in international development. Potential methods were identified through scoping seminar, public symposium, targeted review of the literature, and the authors’ own experiences and opinions.Findings from the different data sources were reviewed collectively by the author group and triangulated to develop an analytical framework. We identified four purposes of timely evaluation for international development, and critiqued the use of approaches against four dimensions of timeliness and flexibility. Whilst we found significant interest in more timelyapproaches to evaluation in international development, there was a dearth of published empirical evidence upon which to base strong recommendations. There is significant potential for timely evaluation to improve international development outcomes. New approaches to mixing and adapting existing methods, together with new technologies offer increased potential. Research is needed to provide an empirical evidence base upon which to further develop the application, across sectors andcontexts, of timely evaluation in international development.

La gestión de lo público se desarrolla en un entorno de racionalidad limitada en los términos de Simon, aquella caracterizada por el hecho irrefutable de que el tiempo, los recursos, la información y los conocimientos disponibles son siempre limitados cuando se toman decisiones sobre política pública. En ese contexto, la evaluación ejecutiva o “rápida” se presenta como una forma eficiente de apoyar dicho proceso de toma-de-decisiones-en-lamarcha de manera ilustrada; particularmente cuando el propósito es dar cuenta de los resultados alcanzados y proveer información útil para mejorar el desempeño del programa o política en “tiempo real”. En ese sentido, la evaluación ejecutiva propuesta en el presente artículo se presenta como una metodología que apela al conocimiento con que gozan actores relevantes en el terreno, y al uso de instrumentos simples, adaptativos y relevantes en funciónde las necesidades de información con la que los tomadores de decisión pueden hacerse una idea certera sobre el desempeño de la política o el programa en cuestión. Simon (1976) argues that public management takes place in a bounded-rationality context, in which time, resources, information and knowledge are always limited resources available for policy decision making. In such context, Executive Evaluation or ‘quick evaluation’ is an efficient mechanism to support decision-making-in-ongoing-processes in an enlightened way; particularly when the goal is to account for the accomplished results (if any), and provide information for ‘real-time’ program improvement. This article describes an approach to Executive Evaluation. Methodologically it appeals to knowledge held by relevant local actors, as well as the use of simple, adaptive and relevant instruments. It considers the specificity of information needed by decision makers, so that they can have a precise assessment of policy or program performance.

The aim of this study was to analyze changes in pink and white esthetics in the anterior zone through evaluation of an immediately placed zirconia implant using the Pink and White Esthetic Scores (PES and WES) in 20 patients. Two clinical photographs were compared: one taken directly after placement of the permanent crown (mean PES = 12.8; mean WES = 8.5) and the other taken at a later time (mean PES = 12.8; mean WES = 8.6; not significant). Volunteers found it difficult to correctly identify the implant. Patients completed a questionnaire regarding the pink and white implant esthetics. A mean outcome of 8.5 on a point scale of 0 to 10 was found. The esthetic appearance of a restored zirconia implant is excellent and stable over time. Patients are generally satisfied with the result.

This article examines the role of psychological assessment in modern clinical psychology. Based upon survey research, it is argued that there has been a decline in the importance of assessment in practice despite the recent increase in opportunities. Forensic psychology, outcome evaluation, and therapeutic assessment were identified as areas of opportunity. This decline has been attributed to changes in psychiatric practice, declining reimbursement for services, office expenses for assessment psychologists, and declining education and training in graduate schools. These trends are alarming because of the threat that they pose to the continued practice of psychological assessment. The importance of assessment for the identity of psychologists as well as for optimum treatment is stressed and several recommendations are made for increasing the visibility of assessment within psychology and for research designed to demonstrate its value. Trends in the United States are briefly compared with those in other countries, including Serbia.

Rationale Competency‐based medical education (CBME) has gained momentum as an improved training model, but literature on outcomes of CBME, including evaluation of implementation processes, is minimal. We present a case for the following: (a) the development of a program theory is essential prior to or in the initial stages of implementation of CBME; (b) the program theory should guide the strategies and methods for evaluation that will answer questions about anticipated and unintended outcomes; and (c) the iterative process of testing assumptions and hypotheses will lead to modifications to the program theory to inform best practices of implementing CBME. Methods We use the Triple C Competency‐based Curriculum as a worked example to illustrate how process and outcome evaluation, guided by a program theory, can lead to meaningful enhancement of CBME curriculum, assessment, and implementation strategies. Using a mixed methods design, the processes and outcomes of Triple C were explored through surveys, interviews, and historical document review, which captured the experiences of various stakeholders. Findings The theory‐led program evaluation process was able to identify areas that supported CBME implementation: the value of a strong nondirective national vertical core supporting the transformation in education, program autonomy, and adaptability to pre‐existing local context. Areas in need of improvement included the need for ongoing support from College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) and better planning for shifts in program leadership over time. Conclusions Deliberately pairing evaluation alongside change is an important activity and, when accomplished, yields valuable information from the experiences of those implementing and experiencing a program. Evaluation and the development of an updated program theory facilitate the introduction of new changes and theories that build on these findings, which also supports the desired goal of contributing toward cumulative science rather than “reinventing the wheel.”

Background: An evaluation of a transport subsidisation programme in the Western Cape, South Africa, was undertaken to capture the outcomes and benefits of the service from the perspective of the bus user. Objectives: The objective of this article was to compare the findings from the adopted parallel mixed-methods design that included a perception survey and the Most Significant Change (MSC) technique. The article presented the advantages of each approach and reflected on the benefits and challenges in applying the MSC technique. Method: Data on the intended outcomes of the Provincial Transport Operations Grant programme were collected from 458 commuters on four bus routes through a structured close-ended questionnaire. The MSC technique was applied to collect 69 stories of change that captured changes regarded as most significant by beneficiaries of the public transport subsidy. Results: It was found that the survey better captured the intended and predetermined objectives of the programme, while the large response group allowed for comparisons and cross-tabulations. The MSC interviews better captured the real-life experience of participants and identified the benefits most valued by commuters, including outcomes not specifically anticipated by the programme. It also served to clarify contradicting responses or ratings on the closed-ended questionnaire and informed further bivariate analysis of the structured questionnaire data. Conclusion: To maximise benefits from the MSC technique, sufficient time is needed to solicit value responses from respondents, while decision-makers should allow time for multiple iterations and discussions at different levels of the hierarchy.

Due to recent increases in the use of feedback from outcome measures in mental health settings, we systematically reviewed evidence regarding the impact of feedback from outcome measures on treatment effectiveness, treatment efficiency, and collaborative practice. In over half of 32 studies reviewed, the feedback condition had significantly higher levels of treatment effectiveness on at least one treatment outcome variable. Feedback was particularly effective for not-on-track patients or when it was provided to both clinicians and patients. The findings for treatment efficiency and collaborative practice were less consistent. Given the heterogeneity of studies, more research is needed to determine when and for whom feedback is most effective. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s10488-015-0710-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The aim of this review is to present the available radiobiological, technical and clinical data about extreme hypofractionation in primary prostate cancer radiotherapy. The interest in this technique is based on the favourable radiobiological characteristics of prostate cancer and supported by advantageous logistic aspects deriving from short overall treatment time. The clinical validity of short-term treatment schedule is proven by a body of non-randomised studies, using both isocentric (LINAC-based) or non-isocentric (CyberKnife®-based) stereotactic body irradiation techniques. Twenty clinical studies, each enrolling more than 40 patients for a total of 1874 treated patients, were revised in terms of technological setting, toxicity, outcome and quality of life assessment. The implemented strategies for the tracking of the prostate and the sparing of the rectal wall have been investigated with particular attention. The urinary toxicity after prostate stereotactic body irradiation seems slightly more pronounced as compared to rectal adverse events, and this is more evident for late occurring events, but no worse as respect to conventional fractionation schemes. As far as the rate of severe acute toxicity is concerned, in all the available studies the treatment was globally well tolerated. While awaiting long-term data on efficacy and toxicity, the analysed studies suggest that the outcome profile of this approach, alongside the patient convenience and reduced costs, is promising. Forty-eight ongoing clinical trials are also presented as a preview of the expectation from the near future.

Background In 2002, the MOREOB (Managing Obstetrical Risk Efficiently) obstetrical patient safety program was phased-in across hospitals in Ontario, Canada. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the effect of the MOREOB program on rates of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. Methods A retrospective cohort study, using province-wide administrative hospitalization data. We included maternal and neonatal records between fiscal years 2002–2003 and 2013–2014, for deliveries taking place at the 67 Ontario hospitals where the MOREOB program was implemented between 2002 and 2012. After accounting for institutional mergers and excluding very small hospitals, 55 hospitals (1,447,073 deliveries) were included. Multivariable logistic and linear mixed effects regression analysis were used, accounting for secular trends, within hospital correlation and over time correlation, and adjusting for a maternal comorbidity index, hospital annual birth volume, and level of care. The main outcome measure was a composite individual-level indicator of incidence of any adverse events, and a hospital-level score, called the Weighted Adverse Outcome Score (WAOS) capturing both maternal and neonatal adverse outcomes. Results Across the 12 years of follow up, there were 98,789 adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes, a rate of 6.83 per 100 deliveries (6.66 per 100 occurring before, 6.91 per 100 during, and 6.84 per 100 after program implementation). The multivariable analysis found no statistically significant decrease in adverse events associated with program implementation (OR for adverse events after versus before =1.11 (95% CI: 1.06 to 1.17, change in mean WAOS score after minus before =0.15 (− 0.36 to 0.67)). Conclusions We did not find a reduction in the incidence of maternal and neonatal adverse outcomes associated with the MOREOB program, and small yet statistically significant increases in some adverse events were observed. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12884-019-2296-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

People are strongly motivated to pursue social equality during social interactions. Previous studies have shown that outcome equality influences the neural activities of monetary feedback processing in socioeconomic games; however, it remains unclear whether perception of opportunity equality affects outcome evaluation even when outcomes are maintained equal. The current study investigated the electrophysiological activities of outcome evaluation in different instructed opportunity equality conditions with event-related potentials (ERPs). Participants were asked to play a competitive dice game against an opponent to win money. Opportunity equality was manipulated in three conditions, depending on whether participants were allowed the opportunity to throw less, equal, or more dice compared to their opponents. Although participants received a winning outcome with approximately 50% chance in all equality conditions, they selectively exhibited sensitivity to the less-dice condition by reporting stronger feelings of unfairness and unpleasantness than in the equal and more-dice conditions. In line with the behavioral results, larger reward positivity amplitudes were elicited by the monetary outcome in the less-dice condition than in the other two conditions, reflecting intensified reward prediction error (RPE) signals under negative emotional arousal. Further, P3 amplitudes were enhanced following reward feedback only in the unequal conditions, perhaps due to the high-level motivational and affective processing associated with resolving conflict between social norms and self-interest. The present findings elucidate the complex temporal course of outcome evaluation processes in different opportunity equality conditions.

The aim of this study is to assess if laser evoked potentials (LEPs) examination should be considered as an objective evidence of potential or residual pain perception capacity in vegetative (VS) and minimally conscious state (MCS) patients and if it could be a feasible methodology in order to differentiate these two clinical entities.This is a cross-sectional observational study focusing on the role of LEP examination, which is an easy and objective neurophysiological approach of the nociceptive system.Thirteen VS and 10 MCS patients were enrolled. All subjects were evaluated clinically by using validated behavioural scales and underwent to upper and lower limbs LEP recording.Intra-group LEPs analysis in VS patients highlighted significant differences for N2P2 latency (p = 0.036) and amplitude (p = 0.018). Inter-group LEPs analysis showed significant differences in post-anoxic condition for N2P2 latency (p = 0.034), amplitude (p = 0.034) and a trend in N2P2 latency in brain trauma (p = 0.07). Interestingly, correlation analysis showed a significant relationship between N2P2 amplitude and Coma Recovery Scale-Revised scoring in the post-traumatic VS (r = 0.823, p = 0.044).The findings lead to detection of potential markers of conscious pain perception in patients with DOC, with important impact on therapeutic and rehabilitative management, and provide new information that may allow a better differential diagnosis.

Social value orientation (SVO) is a stable personality trait that reflects how people evaluate interdependent outcomes for themselves and others in social environments. Generally, people can be classified into two types: proselfs and prosocials. The present study examined how SVO affects the processing of outcome evaluation temporally using the event-related potential (ERP). Young adults with two different SVO types participated in a simple gambling task in which they received outcome distributions for themselves and others. The results showed that for the self outcomes, the feedback-related negativity (FRN) was more negative for self-loss than self-gain, and the P3 and late positive component (LPC) was larger for self-gain than self-loss in both prosocial and proself groups. For the other outcomes, however, the FRN, P3 and LPC were sensitive to other’s gain and loss only in the prosocial group but not in the proself group. These findings suggest that outcomes for oneself and others are processed differently at different stages of evaluation processing in the brains of individuals with distinct SVOs.

Background Although the term “polytrauma” has been in use for decades, no generally accepted definition exists. The aim of this study was to demonstrate that different polytrauma definitions applied to a specific patient population result in diverse subgroups of individuals, who in turn present a varying outcome. Methods All patients (≥18 years) treated at our level I trauma center within a time period of three years were classified according to 11 selected polytrauma definitions and included in our study, if they were rated “polytraumatized” by at least one of these definitions. All patients, who met the criteria of a certain definition, were combined to the relevant definition-positive group, thus resulting in 11 patient subgroups. Their demographic data (number of patients, mean patient age, mean Injury Severity Score value, median number of ventilator days, median length of stay at the intensive care unit and at the hospital, mortality rate and odds ratio) were statistically compared. Results Three hundred seventy-five patients (73% male) with a mean age of 47 years met the inclusion criteria and were allocated to the relevant subgroups; their patient number varied from 55 to 346 and their mean Injury Severity Score value ranged from 4 to 75. Not surprisingly, all examined parameters were subject to variations. Whereas most definition-positive groups showed a mortality rate of about 21% to 30%, 18% of the individuals, who met the criteria according to Blacker, and 40% of the polytrauma victims according to Schalamon died. The Pape 1-, Schalamon-, and Berlin-positive groups presented a significant odds ratio with regard to mortality that considerably exceeded 1. Discussion A polytrauma definition can only be a reliable tool in classifying trauma victims if it provides a significant odds ratio with regard to mortality that considerably exceeds 1 and if it succeeds in capturing patients with multiple severe injuries and a higher mortality rate without reducing the number of polytraumatized patients to a not representatively small number. Conclusions Solely the Berlin definition resulted in a patient number reflecting clinical reality, thus enabling a transparent evaluation of treatment results provided by different institutions and allowing objective comparison of published studies.

Several recent studies have suggested that cues that predict outcomes elicit a feedback-related-like negativity (FRN-like negativity) reflecting initial appraisals of whether desired outcomes are probable. Some other studies, however, have found that the cues that predict outcomes elicited event-related potentials (ERPs) that reflect the expectation to outcomes (e.g., outcome expectations). Given these mixed findings, this study aimed to examine whether the brain activity elicited by predictive cues in a gambling task reflected the initial evaluations of the outcomes, the outcome expectations, or both. We used a gambling task in which the participants were told to guess which of two doors hid a reward. At the beginning of each trial, a cue was presented to inform the participants of how many doors hid a reward. We found that these predictive cues elicited a FRN-like negativity at the frontal sites within around 200-300 ms. However, this negativity did not significantly differ between the cues that fully predicted gains and the cues that fully predicted losses. Furthermore, predictive cues elicited an expectation-related slow wave, and cues that predicted gains with a 50% probability elicited a larger expectation-related slow wave than cues that fully predicted gains or losses. Our results suggest that cues predicting outcomes reflect outcome expectations rather than initial evaluations of the forthcoming outcomes.

The stigma of nasal deformity due to a congenital cleft lip-palate has an undeniable influence on the affected patient's life. It is therefore of interest to investigate if efforts to reduce esthetic and functional impairments by rhinoplasty (single or multiple) can result in an increased satisfaction with appearance and a self-perception similar to the noncleft population. Retrospective scoring before and after rhinoplasty using the validated Derriford Appearance Scale (DAS-59) and subsequent statistical evaluation and comparison to datasets available in the literature for further classification was used. Of the 61 patients who underwent at least one rhinoplasty, 26 responded to all questions. The mean age of responders was approximately 30 years of age and the male:female ratio was 1:1.2. The scale showed a significant overall improvement after surgery. The full scale and all subscale scores of the DAS-59 were significantly reduced after surgery demonstrating an improvement in the respective categories. Most importantly, if postoperative results were compared with a population concerned and unconcerned about appearance, no difference "facial self-consciousness" of appearance was apparent. Also postoperative subscores for "general self-consciousness" (GSC) and "social self-consciousness" of appearance (SSC) showed no difference from those obtained from the population concerned about appearance. The postoperative subscore for "sexual and bodily self-consciousness" of appearance (SBSC) indicated improvement beyond the level found in the concerned control population. Due to only a low improvement in the difference compared with the subscore representing a "negative self-concept," a statistically significant difference to the concerned population remained, possibly indicating that therapy beyond surgery is needed for improvement. After rhinoplasty, the investigated group of cleft lip-palate patients with nasal deformities showed an improvement in their self-conceived appearance as measured by the DAS-59. Their assessment of self-appearance was comparable to that of a group of noncleft persons with concern about their appearance. Taken together, rhinoplasties, primary and revision, add to the psychosocial well-being and an improved self-perception enhancing quality of life and enabling a more normal life. Further research is needed to clarify how the low reduction found in the "negative self-concept" may be addressed successfully.

Vrednovanje efekata realizacije seminara stručnog usavršavanja profesionalaca u obrazovanju treba da omogući da se objektivno sagledava šta su učesnici naučili na seminaru, na koje načine su to primenili u praksi i koji su efekti primene naučenog u praksi. Zbog toga postupci vrednovanja efekata realizacije seminara imaju svoju ulogu u ukupnoj proceni vrednosti programa seminara, onim što seminar obezbeđuje učesnicima u pogledu kompetencija koje se kod njih razvijaju i mogućnosti da se određenim promenama obezbedi unapređenje efikasnosti i efektivnosti programa seminara. Ključni akteri vrednovanja jesu upravo učesnici seminara, od kojih se očekuje da na objektivan način sagledaju i procene efekte njegove realizacije. U tom pogledu, značajna je i percepcija nastavnika koja se odnosi na kvalitet vrednovanja efekata realizacije seminara stručnog usavršavanja, što je bio predmet proučavanja ovog rada. Outcome evaluation of professional development for educators is meant to enable an objective insight into participants' learning outcomes, practical application of these outcomes, as well as the effects of such application. Thus, the mechanisms of outcome evaluation for professional development seminars play a role in the overall assessment of the value of the seminar programme, of the seminar outcomes for the participants, the competencies they develop, as well as of the potential for increasing the programme's efficiency and effectiveness by implementing certain changes. Seminar participants are in fact the key evaluation actors, as they are expected to objectively view and assess seminar outcomes. In that sense, also important is the teacher's perception of the quality of evaluation of professional development seminars, and this is the subject of the study.

Two studies examined the effect of affective states on decision outcome evaluation under the presence or absence of salient alternative reference points. Alternative reference points exist when there are 2 possible referents from which an outcome can be evaluated, and the outcome is judged as good from the perspective of one referent and bad from the perspective of the other. The results support a motivational process of evaluating outcomes in which individuals select the reference point that allows them to maintain positive mood or improve negative mood. Mood measurements taken before and after the task revealed that those in positive moods maintained their mood whether or not they had alternative reference points in the evaluation of their outcomes. Those in negative affective states improved their mood only when there was an alternative reference point that allowed the outcome to be compared favorably; when there was no such alternative reference point, they maintained their negative mood.

A new ambulatory technique for qualitative and quantitative movement analysis of the humerus is presented. 3D gyroscopes attached on the humerus were used to recognize the movement of the arm and to classify it as flexion, abduction and internal/external rotations. The method was first validated in a laboratory setting and then tested on 31 healthy volunteer subjects while carrying the ambulatory system during 8 h of their daily life. For each recording, the periods of sitting, standing and walking during daily activity were detected using an inertial sensor attached on the chest. During each period of daily activity the type of arm movement (flexion, abduction, internal/external rotation) its velocity and frequency (number of movement/hour) were estimated. The results showed that during the whole daily activity and for each activity (i.e. walking, sitting and walking) the frequency of internal/external rotation was significantly higher while the frequency of abduction was the lowest (P < 0.009). In spite of higher number of flexion, abduction and internal/external rotation in the dominant arm, we have not observed in our population a significant difference with the non-dominant arm, implying that in healthy subjects the arm dominance does not lie considerably on the number of movements. As expected, the frequency of the movement increased from sitting to standing and from standing to walking, while we provide a quantitative value of this change during daily activity. This study provides preliminary evidence that this system is a useful tool for objectively assessing upper-limb activity during daily activity. The results obtained with the healthy population could be used as control data to evaluate arm movement of patients with shoulder diseases during daily activity.

Previous studies on social anxiety have demonstrated negative-expectancy bias in social contexts. In this study, we used a paradigm that employed self-relevant positive or negative social feedback, in order to test whether this negative expectancy manifests in event-related potentials (ERPs) during social evaluation among socially anxious individuals. Behavioral data revealed that individuals with social anxiety disorder (SAD) showed more negative expectancy of peer acceptance both in the experiment and in daily life than did the healthy control participants. Regarding ERP results, we found a overally larger P2 for positive social feedback and also a group main effect, such that the P2 was smaller in SAD group. SAD participants demonstrated a larger feedback-related negativity (FRN) to positive feedback than to negative feedback. In addition, SAD participants showed a more positive ΔFRN (ΔFRN = negative - positive). Furthermore, acceptance expectancy in daily life correlated negatively with ΔFRN amplitude, while the Interaction Anxiousness Scale (IAS) score correlated positively with the ΔFRN amplitude. Finally, the acceptance expectancy in daily life fully mediated the relationship between the IAS and ΔFRN. These results indicated that both groups could differentiate between positive and negative social feedback in the early stage of social feedback processing (reflected on the P2). However, the SAD group exhibited a larger FRN to positive social feedback than to negative social feedback, demonstrating their dysfunction in the late stage of social feedback processing. In our opinion, such dysfunction is due to their greater negative social feedback expectancy.

Background: Serious digital games can be effective at changing healthy lifestyles, but large differences in their effectiveness exist. The extent of user involvement in game design may contribute to game effectiveness by creating a better fit with user preferences. Participatory design (PD), which represents active user involvement as informant (ie, users are asked for input and feedback) or codesigner (ie, users as equal partners in the design) early on and throughout the game development, may be associated with higher game effectiveness, as opposed to no user involvement or limited user involvement. Objective: This paper reports the results of a meta-analysis examining the moderating role of PD in the effectiveness of serious digital games for healthy lifestyle promotion. Methods: Four databases were searched for peer-reviewed papers in English that were published or in press before October 2014, using a (group-) randomized controlled trial design. Effectiveness data were derived from another meta-analysis assessing the role of behavior change techniques and game features in serious game effectiveness. Results: A total of 58 games evaluated in 61 studies were included. As previously reported, serious digital games had positive effects on healthy lifestyles and their determinants. Unexpectedly, PD (g=0.075, 95% CI 0.017 to 0.133) throughout game development was related to lower game effectiveness on behavior (Q=6.74, P

Background: Despite the need for centreand home-based long-term care services (CHLTCS) among patients to be discharged from acute care hospitals, the services take-up rate is about 50% in Singapore. A re-engineered acute-to-CHLTCS transition process that reduces resource duplication and that provides timely and accurate service information is evaluated on its ability to reduce patient waiting time, and increase take-up rate. Methods: Data was obtained from records of patients who were assessed to be likely to benefit from CHLTCS prior to discharge from an acute care hospital. The intervention group comprised 39 patients from six clinical specialty wards, which submitted the highest number of CHLTCS referrals among all wards over the past year, over a fiveand an eight-day period in July and August 2013. CHLTCS referral management staff were deployed alongside the hospital team to assess these patients’ care needs, provide information on alternative services and service providers, and obtain the patients and families’ commitment to a service provider before a CHLTCS referral was submitted via the national referral management system, and a service provider assigned. The comparator group comprised 209 patients from all wards in May and June 2013. These patients underwent the existing care transition process where they were assessed and referred to CHLTCS by only the hospital team. CHLTCS referral management staff assessed the merits of these submitted referrals, checked the patient and family’s preference on service providers, before assigning a service provider. Results: Prior to referral submission, 34% of the intervention group patients declined the CHLTCS referral while none from the comparator group declined. Among patients with a submitted CHLTCS referral, the intervention group’s take-up rate was higher than the comparator group’s (82% v 50%). More patients in the intervention group were referred to CHLTCS service within one day of hospital discharge (77% v 58%) and assigned to service providers on the day of referral submission (76% v 46%). World Congress on Integrated Care 2014, Sydney, November 23-26, 2014. International Journal of Integrated Care – Volume 14, 8 December – URN:NBN:NL:UI:10-1-116670– http://www.ijic.org/ Discussions: The joint deployment of the hospital and CHLTCS referral management teams reduced the duplication of and streamlined the assessment and referral submission processes between the teams. The timely provision of accurate information on alternative services and service providers allowed informed care decisions to be made by patients and families early, which, in turn, reduced unproductive efforts in referral management. Conclusion: The re-engineered care transition process increased CHLTCS take-up rate substantially, suggesting that there is potential continued need for CHLTCS in Singapore. Lessons learned: The key ingredients of success in this pilot are informed care decisions made early and shorter overall processing time from care needs assessment to service provider assignment. Limitations: The most important limitation in this study was the non-random selection of clinical specialty wards in the intervention group. Additionally, the intervention period was short, resulting in a small study sample taken from only one hospital. Suggestions for future research: Future research should involve random sampling of patients from all hospital wards, and examine the impact of this re-engineered care transition process on the hospital length of stay and re-admission rate of patients.

Background: Outcome feedback which indicates behavioral consequences are crucial for reinforcement learning and environmental adaptation. Nevertheless, outcome information in daily life is often totally or partially ambiguous. Studying how people interpret this kind of information would provide important knowledge about the human evaluative system.Methods: This study concentrates on the neural processing of partially ambiguous feedback, that is, either its valence or magnitude is unknown to participants. To address this topic, we sequentially presented valence and magnitude information; electroencephalography (EEG) response to each kind of presentation was recorded and analyzed. The event-related potential components feedback-related negativity (FRN) and P3 were used as indices of neural activity.Results: Consistent with previous literature, the FRN elicited by ambiguous valence was not significantly different from that elicited by negative valence. On the other hand, the FRN elicited by ambiguous magnitude was larger than both the large and small magnitude, indicating the motivation to seek unambiguous magnitude information. The P3 elicited by ambiguous valence and ambiguous magnitude was not significantly different from that elicited by negative valence and small magnitude, respectively, indicating the emotional significance of feedback ambiguity. Finally, the aforementioned effects also manifested in the stage of information integration.Conclusion: These findings indicate both similarities and discrepancies between the processing of valence ambiguity and that of magnitude ambiguity, which may help understand the mechanisms of ambiguous information processing.

The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) The Real Cost campaign advertisements (ads) have targeted U.S. youth with messages designed to prevent and reduce tobacco use. This study examined exposure to The Real Cost campaign, including ad and slogan recall, and associations with attitudes and risk perceptions among U.S. adolescents. We analyzed data from a nationally representative sample of adolescents aged 13 to 17 years (n = 1125) surveyed by phone from October 2014 to June 2015. We assessed aided recall of and attitudes toward four campaign ads and the one slogan. Logistic regression models assessed whether aided recall of The Real Cost ads or slogan was associated with perceived likelihood of serious health consequences of cigarette smoking. Most (88%) adolescents reported seeing or hearing at least one of four ads for The Real Cost, and 54% recalled The Real Cost slogan. The majority of adolescents reported more negative attitudes toward tobacco products after seeing or hearing the ads. Recall of any The Real Cost ad was significantly associated with greater perceptions of serious health consequences of cigarette smoking (Adjusted Odd Ratios (AOR) = 5.58, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.20–25.90). The FDA’s The Real Cost campaign has achieved very high reach and is associated with more negative attitudes toward tobacco products and greater risk perceptions of cigarette smoking among U.S. adolescents.

Background Mentoring as a knowledge translation (KT) intervention uses social influence among healthcare professionals to increase use of evidence in clinical practice. Aim To determine the effectiveness of mentoring as a KT intervention designed to increase healthcare professionals’ use of evidence in clinical practice. Methods A systematic review was conducted using electronic databases (i.e., MEDLINE, CINAHL), grey literature, and hand searching. Eligible studies evaluated mentoring of healthcare professionals responsible for patient care to enhance the uptake of evidence into practice. Mentoring is defined as (a) a mentor more experienced than mentee; (b) individualized support based on mentee's needs; and (c) involved in an interpersonal relationship as indicated by mutual benefit, engagement, and commitment. Two reviewers independently screened citations for eligibility, extracted data, and appraised quality of studies. Data were analyzed descriptively. Results Of 10,669 citations from 1988 to 2012, 10 studies were eligible. Mentoring as a KT intervention was evaluated in Canada, USA, and Australia. Exposure to mentoring compared to no mentoring improved some behavioral outcomes (one study). Compared to controls or other multifaceted interventions, multifaceted interventions with mentoring improved practitioners’ knowledge (four of five studies), beliefs (four of six studies), and impact on organizational outcomes (three of four studies). There were mixed findings for changes in professionals’ behaviors and impact on practitioners’ and patients’ outcomes: some outcomes improved, while others showed no difference. Linking Evidence to Action Only one study evaluated the effectiveness of mentoring alone as a KT intervention and showed improvement in some behavioral outcomes. The other nine studies that evaluated the effectiveness of mentoring as part of a multifaceted intervention showed mixed findings, making it difficult to determine the added effect of mentoring. Further research is needed to identify effective mentoring as a KT intervention.

Background Several studies suggest that most school-age children are poorly informed about cancer risk factors. This study examines the effectiveness of the ‘Be smart against cancer’ (BSAC) program in promoting cancer awareness and intentions to engage in health-promoting behavior. Methods 235 seventh-grade students were randomized to either the intervention (N = 152) or the wait-control group (N = 83). The intervention included the modules: “What is cancer?,” “Sun protection,” “Non smoking,” and “Physical activity, Healthy nutrition, and Limited alcohol consumption.” Outcomes measured at baseline and at the end of the one week BSAC program included knowledge of cancer and its behavioral risk factors, health-promoting intentions, and reported risk behavior. Results BSAC was effective in increasing knowledge about cancer and risk factors for cancer (p

Orientation: The World Health Organisation (WHO) (2005) reported that at least 260 mothers and babies die every day in South Africa. Most of these deaths are attributed to low standards of maternal and infant care. Research has shown that one way of reducing the maternal and infant mortality rates in hospitals is to improve the standard of care. Research purpose: The Perinatal Education Programme (PEP) has been introduced in the Western Cape in South Africa, and the main aim of this evaluation was to provide information regarding the effectiveness of perinatal training in a single maternity hospital in this province. Motivation for the study: There are a few evaluation studies of the PEP in different South African contexts. These evaluations have shown that the programme was effective in improving the knowledge of midwives. The current evaluation was motivated by the need for more research on the programme’s effectiveness. Research design, approach and method: A quasi-experimental design was used to determine knowledge and skills acquisition of midwives. The sample consisted of 42 midwives. Programme records and questionnaire results were used as data. Main findings: This evaluation showed that the PEP is an effective programme endorsed by participants and supervisors alike. Practical/managerial implications: This specific hospital added group facilitation to the self-study mode of the programme. This mode of study produced additional increases in knowledge, skills and group work. Contributions/value-add: The evaluation has provided sound evidence for programme managers to increase programme coverage and continue the good work already evident from the results.

Pediatric audiologists lack evidence-based, age-appropriate outcome evaluation tools with well-developed normative data that could be used to evaluate the auditory development and performance of children aged birth to 6 years with permanent childhood hearing impairment. Bagatto and colleagues recommend a battery of outcome tools that may be used with this population. This article provides results of an evaluation of the individual components of the University of Western Ontario Pediatric Audiological Monitoring Protocol (UWO PedAMP) version 1.0 by the audiologists associated with the Network of Pediatric Audiologists of Canada. It also provides information regarding barriers and facilitators to implementing outcome measures in clinical practice. Results indicate that when compared to the Parents’ Evaluation of Aural/Oral Performance of Children (PEACH) Diary, audiologists found the PEACH Rating Scale to be a more clinically feasible evaluation tool to implement in practice from a time, task, and consistency of use perspective. Results also indicate that the LittlEARS® Auditory Questionnaire could be used to evaluate the auditory development and performance of children aged birth to 6 years with permanent childhood hearing impairment (PCHI). The most cited barrier to implementation is time. The result of this social collaboration was the creation of a knowledge product, the UWO PedAMP v1.0, which has the potential to be useful to audiologists and the children and families they serve.

Paper present basic concepts and principles, as well as critical consideration of philosophy and practice of restorative justice. Analysis is focused on axiological and methodological perspective and issues of power, gender and diversity as a core for effective application of restorative justice concept in practice. Proclaimed values and principles as crucial characteristic of restorative justice are related with empirical requirement of evaluation of practical effect of this 'philosophy'. . U radu su prikazane osnovne postavke i principi restorativne pravde, kao i kritička razmatranja ovog koncepta i prakse koja iz njega proizilazi. Analiza se fokusira na aksiološku i metodološku perspektivu i pitanja moći, roda i razlika kao suštinskih za efektivnu primenu koncepata restorativne pravde u praksi. Proklamovani vrednosni principi, kao bitne odrednice restorativne pravde, dovode se u vezu sa empirijskim zahtevima evaluacije efekata ove 'filozofije' primenjene u praksi. .

"Collaborative management has gained popularity across the United States as a means of addressing the sustainability of mixed-ownership landscapes and resolving persistent conflicts in public lands management. At the same time, it has generated skepticism because its ecological and social outcomes are seldom measured. Evaluating the success of collaborative efforts is difficult because frameworks to assess on-the-ground outcomes are poorly developed or altogether lacking. Ecosystem health indicators are valuable tools for evaluating site-specific outcomes of collaboration based on the effects of collaboration on ecological and socioeconomic conditions. We present the holistic ecosystem health indicator, a promising framework for evaluating the outcomes of collaborative processes, which uses ecological, social, and interactive indicators to monitor conditions through time. Finally, we draw upon our experience working with the Diablo Trust, a community-based collaborative group in northern Arizona, USA, to illustrate the development of an indicator selection model generated through a stakeholder-driven process."

From the results of empirical research, the communication examines different dimensions of performance evaluation within context of R&D projects. Our results show that it is more relevant to evaluate the dimensions of R&D project performance on the basis of “process evaluation” than on the basis “outcome evaluation” for improvement of R&D project performance.

Previous behavioral studies have shown that initial ownership influences individuals' fairness consideration and other-regarding behavior. However, it is not entirely clear whether initial ownership influences the brain activity when a recipient evaluates the fairness of asset distribution. In this study, we randomly assigned the bargaining property (monetary reward) to either the allocator or the recipient in the ultimatum game and let participants of the study, acting as recipients, receive either disadvantageous unequal, equal, or advantageous unequal offers from allocators while the event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded. Behavioral results showed that participants were more likely to reject disadvantageous unequal and equal offers when they initially owned the property as compared to when they did not. The two types of unequal offers evoked more negative going ERPs (the MFN) than the equal offers in an early time window and the differences were not modulated by the initial ownership. In a late time window, however, the P300 responses to division schemes were affected not only by the type of unequal offers but also by whom the property was initially assigned to. These findings suggest that while the MFN may function as a general mechanism that evaluates whether the offer is consistent or inconsistent with the equity rule, the P300 is sensitive to top-down controlled processes, into which factors related to the allocation of attentional resources, including initial ownership and personal interests, come to play, Previous behavioral studies have shown that initial ownership influences individuals’ fairness consideration and other-regarding behavior. However, it is not entirely clear whether initial ownership influences the brain activity when a recipient evaluates the fairness of asset distribution. In this study, we randomly assigned the bargaining property (monetary reward) to either the allocator or the recipient in the ultimatum game and let participants of the study, acting as recipients, receive either disadvantageous unequal, equal, or advantageous unequal offers from allocators while the event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded. Behavioral results showed that participants were more likely to reject disadvantageous unequal and equal offers when they initially owned the property as compared to when they did not. The two types of unequal offers evoked more negative going ERPs (the MFN) than the equal offers in an early time window and the differences were not modulated by the initial ownership. In a late time window, however, the P300 responses to division schemes were affected not only by the type of unequal offers but also by whom the property was initially assigned to. These findings suggest that while the MFN may function as a general mechanism that evaluates whether the offer is consistent or inconsistent with the equity rule, the P300 is sensitive to top-down controlled processes, into which factors related to the allocation of attentional resources, including initial ownership and personal interests, come to play.

In clinical settings, functional evaluation of shoulder movement is primarily based on what the patient thinks he/she is able to do rather than what he/she is actually performing. We proposed a new approach for shoulder assessment based on inertial sensors to monitor arm movement in the daily routine. The detection of movement of the humerus relative to the trunk was first validated in a laboratory setting (sensitivity > 95%, specificity > 97%). Then, 41 control subjects and 21 patients suffering from a rotator cuff tear were evaluated (before and after surgery) using clinical questionnaires and a one-day measurement of arm movement. The quantity of movement was estimated with the movement frequency and its symmetry index (SIFr). The quality of movement was assessed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov distance (KS) between the cumulative distribution of the arm velocity for controls and the same distribution for each patient. SIFr presented differences between patients and controls at 3 month follow-up (p < 0.05) while KS showed differences also after 6 months (p < 0.01). SIFr illustrated a change in dominance due to the disorder whereas KS, which appeared independent of the dominance and occupation, showed a change in movement velocity. Both parameters were correlated to clinical scores (R-2 reaching 0.5). This approach provides clinicians with new objective parameters for evaluating the functional ability of the shoulder in daily conditions, which could be useful for outcome assessment after surgery. (C) 2012 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.

A new method of scoring systems for the functional assessment of the shoulder is presented. 3D accelerometers and gyroscopes attached on the humerus were used to differentiate a healthy from a painful shoulder. The method was first tested on 10 healthy volunteer subjects with no shoulder pathology. The system was then tested on 10 patients with unilateral shoulder pathology (rotator cuff disease, osteoarthritis) before and after surgery (3, 6 months). In order to evaluate the system, nine tests based on the Simple Shoulder Test (SST) were performed on each shoulder for each patient. Three scores were defined: the P score was based on the angular velocities and accelerations of the humerus; the RAV score was based only on the angular velocities of the humerus; the M score was based on the sum of all moments of the humerus. Our kinematic scores indicated significant differences between baseline and follow-up (p

Krishin Vigyan Kendras-KVKs (Farm Science Centres) have been established by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research in 569 districts. The trust areas of KVKs are refinement and demonstration of technologies, and training of farmers and extension functionaries. Imparting vocational trainings in agriculture and allied fields for the rural youth is one of its mandates. The study was undertaken to do a formative and summative (outcome and impact) evaluation of the beekeeping and mushroom growing vocational training programmes in the Indian state of Punjab. One-group pre and post evaluation design was employed for conducting a formative and outcome evaluation. The knowledge tests were administered to 35 beekeeping and 25 mushroom cultivation trainees, before and after the training programmes organized in 2004. The trainees significantly gained in knowledge. A separate sample of 640 trainees, trained prior to 2004, was selected for finding the adoption status. Out of 640, a sample of 200 was selected by proportionate sampling technique out of three categories, namely: non-adopters, discontinued-adopters and continued-adopters for evaluating the long-term impact of these training programmes. Ex-post-facto one-shot case study design was applied for this impact analysis. The vocational training programmes have resulted in continued-adoption of beekeeping and mushroom cultivation enterprises by 20% and 51% trained farmers, respectively. Age and trainee occupation had significant influence on the adoption decision of beekeeping vocation, whereas education and family income significantly affected the adoption decision of mushroom cultivation. The continued adopters of beekeeping and mushroom growing had increased their family income by 49% and 24%, respectively. These training programmes are augmenting the dwindling farm income of the farmers in Indian Punjab.