Repurposing NGO data for better research outcomes: A scoping review of the use and secondary analysis of NGO data in health policy and systems research

Background Non-government organisations (NGOs) collect and generate vast amounts of potentially rich data, most of which are not used for research purposes. Secondary analysis of NGO data (their use and analysis in a study for which they were not originally collected) presents an important but largely unrealised opportunity to provide new research insights in critical areas including the evaluation of health policy and programmes. Methods A scoping review of the published literature was performed to identify the extent to which secondary analysis of NGO data has been used in health policy and systems research (HPSR). A tiered analytic approach provided a comprehensive overview and descriptive analyses of the studies which: 1) used data produced or collected by or about NGOs; 2) performed secondary analysis of the NGO data (beyond use of an NGO report as a supporting reference); 3) used NGO-collected clinical data. Results Of the 156 studies which performed secondary analysis of NGO-produced or collected data, 64% (n=100) used NGO-produced reports (e.g. to critique NGO activities and as a contextual reference) and 8% (n=13) analysed NGO-collected clinical data.. Of the studies, 55% investigated service delivery research topics, with 48% undertaken in developing countries and 17% in both developing and developed. NGO-collected clinical data enabled HPSR within marginalised groups (e.g. migrants, people in conflict-affected areas), with some limitations such as inconsistencies and missing data. Conclusion We found evidence that NGO-collected and produced data are most commonly perceived as a source of supporting evidence for HPSR and not as primary source data. However, these data can facilitate research in under-researched marginalised groups and in contexts that are hard to reach by academics, such as conflict-affected areas. NGO–academic collaboration could help address issues of NGO data quality to facilitate their more widespread use in research. Their use could enable relevant and timely research in the areas of health policy, programme evaluation and advocacy to improve health and reduce health inequalities, especially in marginalised groups and developing countries

Analysis of genetic control of â-carotene and L-ascorbic acid accumulation from a wild cherry orange-brownish tomato accession

[EN] An additive-dominance, additive 9 additive (ADAA) and genotype 9 environment interaction mix model was used to study the genetic control of beta-carotene and L-ascorbic acid in six basic generations (P-1, P-2, F-1, F-2, BC1P1 and BC1P2) of tomato derived from the cross CDP8779 accession (Solanum lycopersicum L.) x CDP4777 accession (S. lycopersicum var. cerasiforme). The study was performed in two environments: (1) open field; (2) protected environment, consisting of hydroponic cultivation in a glasshouse. The results indicate that beta-carotene accumulation was mainly additive (32.2% of the genetic component), with a small dominant component (4.2%) and an important additive x environment interaction contribution (63.6%). In target environments with moderate to high temperatures and no limiting radiation, this the expression additive x environment interaction could substantially enhance the beta-carotene content. This trait showed also a high narrow-sense heritability (h(2) = 0.62). Ascorbic acid accumulation was also mainly additive (61.7% of the genetic component), with a minor additive epistatic component (21.5%). This epistatic effect caused a negative heterosis that reduced the positive main additive effect. Nevertheless, in the described target environments, the additive 9 environment interaction contribution (16.8%) may enhance the ascorbic acid content and compensate for the negative heterosis effect. The total narrow-sense heritability of this trait can be considered useful (h(2) = 0.52). In conclusion, the CDP4777 accession is a very interesting donor parent for the joint improvement of beta-carotene (without diminishing lycopene content) and ascorbic acid content in commercial nutraceutical tomato breeding programmes; the F-1 hybrids derived from this accession showed nearly 450% of the commonly reported average beta-carotene content and close to 130% of the ascorbic acid content of the female parent.This research was financed by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICINN) (project AGL2005-08083-C03-01). The authors thank Dr. Luis Mejia and the Universidad de San Carlos of Guatemala for providing the CPD4777 accession, among others. The authors thank Professor Jun Zhu, director of the Bioinformatics Institute, Zhejiang University, China, for his comments and for kindly providing the software used in the data analyses.Adalid Martinez, AM.; Rosello Ripolles, S.; Valcárcel Germes, M.; Nuez Viñals, F. (2011). Analysis of genetic control of â-carotene and L-ascorbic acid accumulation from a wild cherry orange-brownish tomato accession. Euphytica. 184(2):251-263. doi:10.1007/s10681-011-0584-xS251263184

Advances in molecular quantum chemistry contained in the Q-Chem 4 program package

A summary of the technical advances that are incorporated in the fourth major release of the Q-Chem quantum chemistry program is provided, covering approximately the last seven years. These include developments in density functional theory methods and algorithms, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) property evaluation, coupled cluster and perturbation theories, methods for electronically excited and open-shell species, tools for treating extended environments, algorithms for walking on potential surfaces, analysis tools, energy and electron transfer modelling, parallel computing capabilities, and graphical user interfaces. In addition, a selection of example case studies that illustrate these capabilities is given. These include extensive benchmarks of the comparative accuracy of modern density functionals for bonded and non-bonded interactions, tests of attenuated second order Møller-Plesset (MP2) methods for intermolecular interactions, a variety of parallel performance benchmarks, and tests of the accuracy of implicit solvation models. Some specific chemical examples include calculations on the strongly correlated Cr2 dimer, exploring zeolite-catalysed ethane dehydrogenation, energy decomposition analysis of a charged ter-molecular complex arising from glycerol photoionisation, and natural transition orbitals for a Frenkel exciton state in a nine-unit model of a self-assembling nanotube