Examining the Association Between Rurality and Positive Childhood Experiences Among a National Sample

Purpose The present study examines the association between rurality and positive childhood experiences (PCEs) among children and adolescents across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Recent work has quantified the prevalence of PCEs at the national level, but these studies have been based on public use data files, which lack rurality information for 19 states. Methods Data for this cross-sectional analysis were drawn from 2016 to 2018 National Survey of Children\u27s Health (NSCH), using the full data set with restricted geographic data (n = 63,000). Descriptive statistics and bivariate analyses were used to calculate proportions and unadjusted associations. Multivariable regression models were used to examine the association between residence and the PCEs that were significant in the bivariate analyses. Findings Rural children were more likely than urban children to be reported as having PCEs: volunteering in their community (aOR 1.29; 95% CI 1.18-1.42), having a guiding mentor (aOR 1.75; 95% CI 1.45-2.10), residing in a safe neighborhood (aOR 1.97; 95% CI 1.54-2.53), and residing in a supportive neighborhood (aOR 1.10; 95% CI 1.01-1.20) than urban children. Conclusions The assessment of rural-urban differences in PCEs using the full NSCH is a unique opportunity to quantify exposure to PCEs. Given the higher baseline rate of PCEs in rural than urban children, programs to increase opportunities for PCEs in urban communities are warranted. Future research should delve further into whether these PCEs translate to better mental health outcomes in rural children

Lab-Scale Fiber Spinning Experimental Design Cost Comparison

Many statistical experimental designs are too costlyor require too much raw material to be feasible forlab-scale fiber spinning experiments. In this study afour-factor response surface design is presented tostudy the fiber spinning process in detail at the labscale. The time, cost, and amount of raw materialrequired to execute the proposed design are comparedto the typical completely randomized 24 factorialdesign used in fiber spinning experiments and also toa standard four-factor response surface design.Sample fiber data as well as analysis from a typicalstatistical software package is provided to furtherdemonstrate the differences between each design. Bydesignating some treatment factors in the design ashard-to-change, split-plotting is used to reduce thetime, cost, and amount of raw material required tocomplete the experiment. The proposed split-plotdesign is faster and less expensive than a typicalfactorial design and has the advantage of fitting amore complex second-order model to the system.When compared to a standard response surfacedesign, the proposed split-plot design provides thesame second-order modeling capabilities but reducesthe cost of the experiment by 53%, the total time by36%, and the amount of polymer required by 24%.Thus, a split-plot response surface design based onhard-to-change factors is recommended in lab-scalespinning

Simulation of C-CP Fiber-Based Air Filtration

The overall goal of this project is to develop High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter media, using conventional fiber spinning techniques, with lower pressure drop than current media through the use of shaped fibers. Capillary-channeled polymer (C-CP) fibers are gaining interest for use in a range of separations applications. This paper focuses on modeling air filtration where the filter consists of C-CP fibers. A variety of numerical tools are being used in this effort, including a finite element flow solver and Brownian dynamics simulation. Aspects of these techniques in relation to the problem at hand will be described, and simulation results including comparisons to round-fiber filters will be presented. The primary result presented here is the significant difference in predicted pressure drop between a prototype C-CP filter and a round-fiber filter with equal total cross-sectional area

Education of the clinical embryology laboratory professional: development of a novel program delivered in a laboratory medicine department

Clinical embryologists are responsible for the handling, evaluation, and care of human gametes and preimplantation embryos within the context of an assisted reproductive technology laboratory. They are integral members of a team of professionals who provide care for fertility patients. Despite the increasing recognition of clinical embryologists as professionals, training requirements, continuing professional development, and appropriate credentialing have lagged in several countries. In many cases, individuals enter the profession with training limited to technical aspects provided by individual laboratory directors through an apprenticeship model. In this article, we present the rationale for rigorous formal training in clinical embryology, introduce CanEMB competencies for practicing professional clinical embryologists that are founded on CanMEDs role principles, and present a nascent Masters of Health Sciences degree program in Laboratory Medicine with a specialization in clinical embryology. This 2-year program has unique features including a Clinical Embryology Skills Development Laboratory, research capstone project, and 200-hour placement within a practicing assisted reproductive technology laboratory. Importantly, this program is delivered through a university-based Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology in partnership with a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Thus, this program represents a formal acceptance of clinical embryology as a clinical laboratory science. It can be adopted elsewhere to provide a relevant, robust education that will meet current and future needs of the profession

Review The Henry Ford Production System: LEAN Process Redesign Improves Service in the Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory A Paper from the 2008 William Beaumont Hospital Symposium on Molecular Pathology

Accurate and timely molecular test results play an important role in patient management; consequently, there is a customer expectation of short testing turnaround times. Baseline data analysis revealed that the greatest challenge to timely result generation occurred in the preanalytic phase of specimen collection and transport. Here , we describe our efforts to improve molecular testing turnaround times by focusing primarily on redesign of preanalytic processes using the principles of LEAN production. Our goal was to complete greater than 90% of the molecular tests in less than 3 days. The project required cooperation from different laboratory disciplines as well as individuals outside of the laboratory. The redesigned processes involved defining and standardizing the protocols and approaching blood and tissue specimens as analytes for molecular testing. The LEAN process resulted in fewer steps , approaching the ideal of a one-piece flow for specimens through collection/ retrieval , transport , and different aspects of the testing process. The outcome of introducing the LEAN process has been a 44% reduction in molecular test turnaround time for tissue specimens, from an average of 2.7 to 1.5 days. In addition, extending LEAN work principles to the clinician suppliers has resulted in a markedly increased number of properly collected and shipped blood specimens (from 50 to 87%). These continuous quality improvements were accomplished by empowered workers in a blame-free environment and are now being sustained with minimal management involvement. Molecular diagnostic laboratories, just as for other areas of pathology, face challenges associated with increasing testing volumes, decreasing reimbursement, and maintaining and improving quality levels. Diagnostic accuracy is crucial in pathology; nucleic acid-based diagnostic test results are often important for subsequent therapeutic decision making. Accurate and timely molecular testing can add a great deal of value to total patient management. Specimen types such as peripheral blood, bone marrow aspirates, and formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue, are routinely evaluated using molecular techniques. For tissue-based nucleic acid assays to enter a clinical setting, nucleic acids must be obtainable through current practices of diagnostic pathology. This might involve dealing with individuals who are based at off-site locations, have different priorities, and often have very little understanding of molecular testing requirements. Finally, the isolation of nucleic acids from FFPE tissue, which makes it possible to bring molecular testing to surgical pathology, requires close collaboration between molecular and histology personnel. For accurate and reliable test results, FFPE tissue must be handled in a standardized fashion, similar to how blood an