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Background/aim Recording of traumatic dental injuries in the emergency situation with a simple and easily recordable index that will also enable computer registration is advantageous. The aim of this paper is to present a new index to facilitate recording traumatic dental injuries and assess its face and content validity. Materials and methods The index included information on the type of injury related to the affected structures (enamel, dentin, cement, pulp, periodontal ligament, and alveolar bone) in accordance with Andreasen's classification. In addition, injuries to the alveolar bone and the maturity of the root were included. Fifteen dental trauma experts from 11 different countries rated the codes and content of the "Eden Baysal Dental Trauma Index" using the RAND modified e-Delphi consensus method. A statement was considered valid after reaching 75% consensus among panel members. Two rounds were necessary for reaching consensus on seven statements and the definition. The last version of the index was then presented online to a feedback group that included 10 experts from five countries to determine the external validity by representative cases. Results The wording of the definition showed 92.8% agreement in the first round. Statements 1 and 2 gave information about the structure of the index and both reached 90% agreement in the first round. Definition and statements from 1 to 7 reached agreement as 93.3%, 93.3%, 100%, 93.3%, 80%, 93.3%, 80%, and 93.3%, respectively, in the second round. Most of the experts in the feedback group reported that the index was useful and user-friendly. Conclusion After a total of two rounds with the panel members and one round with the feedback group, the "Eden Baysal Dental Trauma Index" was approved for face and content validity and external validity was obtained.

Background Depending on the severity and region of baldness, numerous researchers proposed different classifications of alopecia. However, these previous classifications have some limitations. The study aimed to establish a semiquantitative grading scale for frontal and vertex androgenetic alopecia (AGA) in both males and females. Methods Standardized pictures from 1,602 AGA cases were obtained. Three sets of reference photographs with different alopecia extents from scale 0 to 5 were developed with detailed description. The photographs covered the vertex, frontal of men, and vertex + frontal (V+F) area of the scalp of women. Hair density and the ratio of vellus and terminal hairs in the alopecia area were quantitatively measured by DermDOC® dermoscopy. Hair coverage rate of alopecia area was calculated by Photoshop software. Multirater consensus method was used to test the reliability and validity of the alopecia scale. Results Fleiss-Kappa coefficients of the three sets of reference photographs for interobserver analysis reached 0.81-0.89. The overall Kendall's coefficients for intraobserver assessment totaled 0.934-0.963. Conclusion This new grading scale is a more sensitive and objective quantitative grading scale for alopecia and treatment response compared with the existing classification.

Summary Background Effective learning from simulation-based training depends on expert facilitation by skilled faculty members, but there are few guidelines upon which to base simulation development. A collaborative approach was taken in the East of England to determine the agreed content of such a course. Methods A modified Delphi method was used to determine consensus amongst the simulation-provider leads in the East of England on what should be the essential elements of a training course for faculty members. A questionnaire designed by a steering group was circulated to the consensus group, and their responses were used to modify subsequent questionnaires. There was enough agreement after two rounds not to require a third round. Results After two rounds there was high level of agreement that the educational content should include scenario design, creating a supportive learning environment, structured debriefing formats, human factors, educational feedback and communication. There was also agreement on preferred teaching methods, minimum qualification and continuing development for faculty members. There was moderate agreement on the prior experience required of faculty members, and no agreement on the costs of courses. Effective learning from simulation-based training depends upon expert facilitation by skilled faculty members Discussion By using a consensus method to determine the content and format of a simulation development course designed for faculty members, there is agreement in the East of England on what constitutes an educationally sound programme. This should provide assurance to both simulation providers and commissioners of education that despite the absence of guidelines, there is an agreed practice standard for simulation-based training in the region.

Many consensus clustering methods have been applied in different areas such as pattern recognition, machine learning, information theory and bioinformatics. However, few methods have been used for chemical compounds clustering. In this paper, an information theory and voting based algorithm (Adaptive Cumulative Voting-based Aggregation Algorithm A-CVAA) was examined for combining multiple clusterings of chemical structures. The effectiveness of clusterings was evaluated based on the ability of the clustering method to separate active from inactive molecules in each cluster, and the results were compared with Ward's method. The chemical dataset MDL Drug Data Report (MDDR) and the Maximum Unbiased Validation (MUV) dataset were used. Experiments suggest that the adaptive cumulative voting-based consensus method can improve the effectiveness of combining multiple clusterings of chemical structures.

Objectives To describe the ‘Caries Assessment Spectrum and Treatment’ (CAST) instrument, its origin and content, and to provide an example of how results can be reported. Methods The CAST instrument covers the complete range of stages of carious lesion progression: from no carious lesion, through caries protection (sealant) and lesion care (restoration) to lesions in enamel and dentine, the advanced stages of carious lesion progression in pulpal and its consequences on tooth-surrounding tissue and tooth loss due to caries. Using the RAND modified e-Delphi consensus method two independent panels, comprising a total of 56 epidemiologists from 27 countries, determined the face and content validity of CAST. Panellists assessed 17 statements related to the content, description, suitability and international use of CAST. Agreement of 75% or higher was required for reaching consensus on a statement. Construct validity and reliability testing of CAST have been carried out, but results are not yet available. Results All 17 statements were approved by the panellists, who found the RAND modified e-Delphi consensus method suitable for achieving consensus. The CAST codes were ordered hierarchically. External validity was obtained. Reporting using CAST can be performed for orally healthy dentitions and those having morbidity and mortality. A DMF score can easily be calculated from the CAST codes, thereby enabling retention of the use of existing DMF scores. Conclusion The CAST instrument for use in epidemiological surveys is very promising. Face and content validation is obtained. Construct validity and reliability testing will be completed soon. A structure for reporting results in a comprehensive, pragmatic and easily understood way is being developed.

Purpose To propose and validate an algorithm to analyze the reports of suspected therapeutic failure (TF) received in pharmacovigilance programs. Methods A Delphi consensus method with a group of 12 international experts was used to identify the different causes that prompt TF and to propose an algorithm to analyze reports of suspected lack of efficacy of medicines. A pilot analysis of 50 reports was the basis to evaluate the interrater and intrarater validity of the algorithm. Results A 10-question algorithm was proposed. The evaluation of 50 reports of suspected TF showed that only 8% could be actually attributed to a manufacturing quality problem, whereas the real reason underlying the alleged TF was the inappropriate use of the prescribed drug in 28%. Minimum information to attribute the cause to a TF was lacking in 31% of these reports. The interrater reliability was “moderate” (kappa coefficient=0.55), and the intrarater reliability ranged from 0.732 to 0.908 (“substantial” to “almost perfect”). Conclusions The proposed TF algorithm is a valid, reliable, and reproducible analysis tool that can help to disentangle the frequent and complex reports of suspected TF. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Apprehending those who utilize improvised explosive devices (IEDs) is a national priority owing to their use both domestically and abroad. IEDs are often concealed in bags, boxes, or backpacks to prevent their detection. Given this, the goal of the research presented was to identify IED handlers through postblast DNA recovery from IED containers. Study participants were asked to use backpacks for 11 days, after which they served as containers for pipe bombs. Eleven postdeflagration backpack regions likely to be handled were swabbed and analyzed via mini-short tandem repeats (miniSTRs) and alleles were called blind. An experimental consensus method was examined in which profiles from all regions were considered, to help identify spurious drop-in/out. Results were correct for all loci, except one that remained ambiguous. The results show that recovering DNA from IED containers is a viable approach for aiding in the identification of those who may have been involved in an IED event. Language: en

A ll medical schools are obliged to provide some experience of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (O&G) to their students. However, less time is dedicated to teaching O&G than used to be the case, and labour ward experience in the UK has changed emphasis, with students rarely performing deliveries themselves. Increased student numbers, limited consultant time for teaching, and decreased lengths of hospital stay have reduced both formal teaching time and opportunities for hands-on experiential learning throughout a range of specialities, including O&G.

The aims of the study are to identify and prioritize research questions of importance to nurses in North Glasgow University Hospitals NHS Trust and to investigate and describe the existing evidence base for the highest priority questions identified. The consensus method known as the Delphi technique was used. Systematic searching of the literature for each question identified from the research priorities enabled the existing evidence base to be characterized. The following priorities were identified as the most important (in descending order of importance): Recruitment and Retention of Nursing Staff; Staff Stress & Morale; Training & Education of Nursing Staff; Infection Control; and Pain Management. The Delphi technique proved a useful method to determine and prioritize research areas in nursing.

Relevance judgment has traditionally been considered a personal and subjective matter. A user's search and the search result are treated as an isolated event. To consider the collaborative nature of information retrieval (IR) in a group/organization or even societal context, this article proposes a method that measures relevance based on group/peer consensus. The method can be used in IR experiments. In this method, the relevance of a document is decided by group consensus, or more specifically, by the number of users (or experiment participants) who retrieve it for the same search question. The more users who retrieve it, the more relevant the document will be considered. A user's search performance can be measured by a relevance score based on this notion. The article reports the results of an experiment using this method to compare the search performance of different types of users. Related issues with the method and future directions are also discussed.