Antwortverzerrungen im Interview - wie läßt sich die Güte der Daten verbessern?

Auf der Grundlage einer Studie des Statistischen Amtes und des Gesundheitsdienstes der USA werden Gültigkeitsprobleme bei Umfragedaten diskutiert. Die Daten zeigen, daß der Zeitabstand zwischen Ergebnis und Befragung, die individuelle Wichtigkeit des angesprochenen Ereignisses und die soziale Wünschbarkeit Einfluß auf die Genauigkeit der Verhaltensangaben in Interviews haben. In vielen Fällen werden auf seiten des Befragten nicht die Informationen produziert, die vom Interviewer erwartet werden. Zur Erklärung dieses Sachverhalts wird ein mehrstufiges Modell entwickelt, das den Frage-Antwort-Prozeß während eines Interviews schematisch wiedergibt. Dabei werden vor allem kognitive und motivationale Schwierigkeiten des Befragten betont. Es wird darauf hingewiesen, daß einige Verhaltensweisen von Interviewern, z.B. das Herstellen von Rapport oder Formen von Nachfragen, ebenfalls zu Antwortverzerrungen führen können. Es wird gefordert, die Verhaltensweisen von Interviewern stärker zu standardisierten und eine allgemeine Umfragemethodologie zu entwickeln, die auch die Verbesserung der Fragebogenkonstruktion umfassen müßte. (GB

Collaboration in electronic resource provision in university libraries: SHEDL, a Scottish case study

This case study examines the growth of collaboration among Scottish higher education institutions. Following a summary of the work of the Scottish Confederation of University and Research Libraries (SCURL), more detailed information is provided on collaboration in the fields of acquisition, licensing, selection, and purchasing. Some of the UK background is outlined, relating to NESLi2 in particular, in order to illuminate the options within Scotland. The origins of negotiations on electronic resource provision within Scotland are described, drawing on developments in other countries including Ireland and Scandinavia. After initial setbacks, the implementation of the Scottish Higher Education Digital Library (SHEDL) from 2007 to 2009 is detailed. Current benefits arising from SHEDL are explained, and some possible future developments are discussed

On the epidemiology of influenza: reply to Radonovich et al

On the epidemiology of influenza: reply to Radonovich LJ, Martinello RA, Hodgson M, Milton DK, Nardell EA. Influenza and ultraviolet germicidal irradiation. Virol J. 2008, 5:14

On the epidemiology of influenza

The epidemiology of influenza swarms with incongruities, incongruities exhaustively detailed by the late British epidemiologist, Edgar Hope-Simpson. He was the first to propose a parsimonious theory explaining why influenza is, as Gregg said, "seemingly unmindful of traditional infectious disease behavioral patterns." Recent discoveries indicate vitamin D upregulates the endogenous antibiotics of innate immunity and suggest that the incongruities explored by Hope-Simpson may be secondary to the epidemiology of vitamin D deficiency. We identify – and attempt to explain – nine influenza conundrums: (1) Why is influenza both seasonal and ubiquitous and where is the virus between epidemics? (2) Why are the epidemics so explosive? (3) Why do they end so abruptly? (4) What explains the frequent coincidental timing of epidemics in countries of similar latitude? (5) Why is the serial interval obscure? (6) Why is the secondary attack rate so low? (7) Why did epidemics in previous ages spread so rapidly, despite the lack of modern transport? (8) Why does experimental inoculation of seronegative humans fail to cause illness in all the volunteers? (9) Why has influenza mortality of the aged not declined as their vaccination rates increased? We review recent discoveries about vitamin D's effects on innate immunity, human studies attempting sick-to-well transmission, naturalistic reports of human transmission, studies of serial interval, secondary attack rates, and relevant animal studies. We hypothesize that two factors explain the nine conundrums: vitamin D's seasonal and population effects on innate immunity, and the presence of a subpopulation of "good infectors." If true, our revision of Edgar Hope-Simpson's theory has profound implications for the prevention of influenza

On the Epidemiology of Influenza: Reply to Radonovich et al

On the epidemiology of influenza: reply to Radonovich LJ, Martinello RA, Hodgson M, Milton DK, Nardell EA. Influenza and ultraviolet germicidal irradiation. Virol J. 2008, 5:14

Blinatumomab consolidation and maintenance therapy in adults with relapsed/refractory B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia

In a phase 3 clinical study of heavily pretreated adults with relapsed/refractory (R/R) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), overall survival (OS) following blinatumomab, a BiTE (bispeci\ufb01c T-cell engager) immunooncology therapy, was signi\ufb01cantly improved vs chemotherapy following induction (cycles 1 to 2). Here we report the e\ufb03cacy and safety of those who received additional cycles of blinatumomab. Blinatumomab was administered as a continuous IV infusion for 4 weeks in a 6-week cycle. Patients who achieved a bone marrow response (#5% blasts) or complete remission (full, partial, or incomplete hematological recovery) during induction could receive additional cycles of blinatumomab. OS and relapse-free survival (RFS) for consolidation (cycles 3 to 5) vs no consolidation, and maintenance (cycles $6) vs no maintenance were analyzed using Simon-Makuch and Mantel-Byar odds ratios. Of 267 patients who received blinatumomab induction, 86 (32%) entered consolidation and 36 (13%) entered maintenance. Evidence of longer OS was demonstrated among the maintenance group compared with no-maintenance (median OS [95% con\ufb01dence interval, CI]: not reached for maintenance vs 15.5 months for no maintenance). Median RFS (months; 95% CI) was numerically longer among maintenance group (14.5; 7.1 to 21.9) compared with no-maintenance (9.8; 8.5 to 11.1). A lower incidence of adverse events was seen during maintenance (72.2%) compared with induction (97.2%) and consolidation (86.1%). Adults with R/R ALL who achieved remission following blinatumomab induction had longer survival on continuation therapy than those who discontinued blinatumomab early, supporting the use of blinatumomab as long-term therapy. No new safety signals were reported. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02013167

Cellular Hypertrophy and Increased Susceptibility to Spontaneous Calcium-Release of Rat Left Atrial Myocytes Due to Elevated Afterload

Atrial remodeling due to elevated arterial pressure predisposes the heart to atrial fibrillation (AF). Although abnormal sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) function has been associated with AF, there is little information on the effects of elevated afterload on atrial Ca2+-handling. We investigated the effects of ascending aortic banding (AoB) on Ca2+-handling in rat isolated atrial myocytes in comparison to age-matched sham-operated animals (Sham). Myocytes were either labelled for ryanodine receptor (RyR) or loaded with fluo-3-AM and imaged by confocal microscopy. AoB myocytes were hypertrophied in comparison to Sham controls (P<0.0001). RyR labeling was localized to the z-lines and to the cell edge. There were no differences between AoB and Sham in the intensity or pattern of RyR-staining. In both AoB and Sham, electrical stimulation evoked robust SR Ca2+-release at the cell edge whereas Ca2+ transients at the cell center were much smaller. Western blotting showed a decreased L-type Ca channel expression but no significant changes in RyR or RyR phosphorylation or in expression of Na+/Ca2+ exchanger, SR Ca2+ ATPase or phospholamban. Mathematical modeling indicated that [Ca2+]i transients at the cell center were accounted for by simple centripetal diffusion of Ca2+ released at the cell edge. In contrast, caffeine (10 mM) induced Ca2+ release was uniform across the cell. The caffeine-induced transient was smaller in AoB than in Sham, suggesting a reduced SR Ca2+-load in hypertrophied cells. There were no significant differences between AoB and Sham cells in the rate of Ca2+ extrusion during recovery of electrically-stimulated or caffeine-induced transients. The incidence and frequency of spontaneous Ca2+-transients following rapid-pacing (4 Hz) was greater in AoB than in Sham myocytes. In conclusion, elevated afterload causes cellular hypertrophy and remodeling of atrial SR Ca2+-release

Spiral Defect Chaos in Large Aspect Ratio Rayleigh-Benard Convection

We report experiments on convection patterns in a cylindrical cell with a large aspect ratio. The fluid had a Prandtl number of approximately 1. We observed a chaotic pattern consisting of many rotating spirals and other defects in the parameter range where theory predicts that steady straight rolls should be stable. The correlation length of the pattern decreased rapidly with increasing control parameter so that the size of a correlated area became much smaller than the area of the cell. This suggests that the chaotic behavior is intrinsic to large aspect ratio geometries.Comment: Preprint of experimental paper submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett. May 12 1993. Text is preceeded by many TeX macros. Figures 1 and 2 are rather lon