Roll variability analysis for non-statisticians

Roll variability can be characterized by several different methods. Off line cross-direction (CD) scans of thickness or coat weight give a snapshot of CD variation over a small machine-direction (MD) range. Roll hardness profiles have long been used to evaluate web uniformity in wound roll form - particularly for flagging potential web bagginess. Roll hardness profiles are easy to measure, but a strong correlation to roll quality depends on having a somewhat stable CD thickness or coat weight profile and relatively low MD or time variation.Summary statistics from in-line scanning gauges (mean, range and standard deviation) sample the entire roll, but don't describe the distribution or location of the variation. 2D contour plots are helpful for visualizing roll variation, but alone aren't enough to translate that variation into a useful specification.Since specification limits for good web processing are often much tighter than limits for good end use function, making the best use of scanning gauge data is helpful for efficiently focusing process improvement efforts. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) is able to evaluate the uniformity of a web property (thickness, coat weight) from an inline scanning gauge and partition the roll variance in the MD and CD directions.This paper shows how the combination of ANOVA, control charting, and contour plotting can be used to both quantify and visualize roll variability within and between rolls in order to drive web uniformity improvement

New genetic loci link adipose and insulin biology to body fat distribution.

Body fat distribution is a heritable trait and a well-established predictor of adverse metabolic outcomes, independent of overall adiposity. To increase our understanding of the genetic basis of body fat distribution and its molecular links to cardiometabolic traits, here we conduct genome-wide association meta-analyses of traits related to waist and hip circumferences in up to 224,459 individuals. We identify 49 loci (33 new) associated with waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for body mass index (BMI), and an additional 19 loci newly associated with related waist and hip circumference measures (P < 5 × 10(-8)). In total, 20 of the 49 waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for BMI loci show significant sexual dimorphism, 19 of which display a stronger effect in women. The identified loci were enriched for genes expressed in adipose tissue and for putative regulatory elements in adipocytes. Pathway analyses implicated adipogenesis, angiogenesis, transcriptional regulation and insulin resistance as processes affecting fat distribution, providing insight into potential pathophysiological mechanisms

A qualitative evaluation of general practitioners' views on protocol-driven eReferral in Scotland

&lt;b&gt;Background&lt;/b&gt; The ever increasing volume of referrals from primary care to specialist services is putting considerable pressure on resource-constrained health services while effective communication across fragmented services remains a substantial challenge. Previous studies have suggested that electronic referrals (eReferral) can bear important benefits for cross-organisational processes and patient care management.&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Methods&lt;/b&gt; We conducted 25 semi-structured interviews and 1 focus group with primary care providers to elucidate General Practitioners' (GPs) perspectives on information management processes in the patient pathway in NHSScotland, 1 focus group with members of the Scottish Electronic Patient Record programme and one interview with a senior architect of the Scottish Care Information national eReferral System (SCI Gateway). Using Normalisation Process Theory, we performed a qualitative analysis to elucidate GPs' perspectives on eReferral to identify the factors which they felt either facilitated or hindered referral processes.&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Results&lt;/b&gt; The majority of GPs interviewed felt that eReferral substantially streamlined communication processes, with the immediate transfer of referral documents and the availability of an electronic audit trail perceived as two substantial improvements over paper-based referrals. Most GPs felt that the SCI Gateway system was reasonably straightforward to use. Referral protocols and templates could be perceived as useful by some GPs while others considered them to be cumbersome at times.&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Conclusion&lt;/b&gt; Our study suggests that the deployment and adoption of eReferral across the NHS in Scotland has been achieved by a combination of factors: (i) a policy context - including national mandatory targets for eRefferal - which all NHS health-boards were bound to operationalise through their Local Delivery Plans and also (ii) the fact that primary care doctors considered that the overall benefits brought by the deployment of eReferral throughout the patient pathway significantly outweigh any potential disbenefits