Improving Central Monitoring of Fieldwork in Cross-national Surveys: The Case of the Fieldwork Management System in the European Social Survey

Cross-national surveys face the particular challenge of trying to balance optimal survey quality within a country with comparability across countries in terms of data quality. Addressing this challenge during fieldwork requires effective management of fieldwork data, a task made more difficult by the inherent differences between countries. This article argues that changes to the comprehensiveness, timeliness, consistency, and accessibility of fieldwork data facilitate monitoring and represent a necessary step forward towards achieving optimal data quality in cross-national surveys. It discusses the approach of the European Social Survey (ESS) for monitoring fieldwork cross-nationally, and specifically, the improvements made to central monitoring with the introduction of the Fieldwork Management System (FMS). Through real-life examples of the use of FMS by the central team, the article reflects and discusses the impact of the changes to fieldwork monitoring. The ESS experience demonstrates that there is more than one way to realise the benefits of improved fieldwork data management and provides insights about the process of improving central monitoring of fieldwork for other cross-national surveys

NANOMEFOS (Nanometer Accuracy Non-contact Measurement of Free-form Optical Surfaces)

This paper describes a conceptual measurement machine design, aiming for universal and noncontact form measurement of free-form optical surfaces up to Ø 500 mm with an uncertainty of 30 nm (k = 2). This conceptual design is the result of a M.Sc. graduation assignment done within Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) in collaboration with TNO TPD. Recently a PhD study has started at TU/e called NANOMEFOS (Nanometer Accuracy Non-contact Measurement of Free-form Optical Surfaces), to further develop this concept. In this paper, first the requirements and current metrology methods with respect to these requirements will be discussed. Next, the machine concept and the calculation of the error budget will be explained. Finally, a short overview of the current design will be given

NANOMEFOS (Nanometer Accuracy Non-contact Measurement of Free-form Optical Surfaces)

This paper describes a conceptual measurement machine design, aiming for universal and noncontact form measurement of free-form optical surfaces up to Ø 500 mm with an uncertainty of 30 nm (k = 2). This conceptual design is the result of a M.Sc. graduation assignment done within Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) in collaboration with TNO TPD. Recently a PhD study has started at TU/e called NANOMEFOS (Nanometer Accuracy Non-contact Measurement of Free-form Optical Surfaces), to further develop this concept. In this paper, first the requirements and current metrology methods with respect to these requirements will be discussed. Next, the machine concept and the calculation of the error budget will be explained. Finally, a short overview of the current design will be given

Examining the divergent effects of perceived inclusion of ethnic minorities on majority and minority groups’ inter-ethnic responses

This study examines the paradoxical effects of a perceived inclusive environment for ethnic minorities. We argue that while perceptions of an inclusive environment may be associated with more positive intergroup attitudes and affect among minority groups, they may instill a sense of threat among the majority group, resulting in negative intergroup sentiments and attitudes towards minorities. We analyzed data from two waves of a nationally representative survey conducted in the Netherlands (ntotal = 11,897) comprising minority and majority groups. We find support for the proposed paradoxical relationship between the perceived inclusionary climate towards minorities and the attitudes of the majority and minority groups. The results indicate that when perceiving the national climate to be more inclusive towards minorities, the majority group tends to report higher levels of ethnocentrism, avoid direct inter-ethnic contact, and oppose ethnic diversity in general. Among minority groups, a perceived inclusive climate is linked to lower levels of ethnocentrism and a higher willingness to engage in inter-ethnic interactions with the majority group. The results unexpectedly also show that the perception of an inclusionary climate is positively related to opposition to increased ethnic diversity among minority groups. We discuss theoretical and societal implications, while also considering the contextual relevance and limitations of our approach.</p

Extracapsular cataract extraction : the fate of retained lens material and intraocular lenses

The aim of this study was to examine the fate of the lens material that remains in the eye after an extracapsular cataract extraction both with and without insertion of an intraocular lens. Apart from this, the development of precipitates on the intraocular lenses was morphologically investigated in order to get a better understanding of the interactions between eye and intraocular lens. This thesis is divided into a first part covering animal experiments and a second part about morphological studies on human material, i.e. autopsy eyes or explanted intraocular lenses. For obvious reasons it is nearly impossible to obtain human eyes after a short implantation time. Therefore in order to study the early events I had to turn to an animal model. Between these two parts we have summarized our data on human anterior lens capsules obtained from extracapsular cataract extractions

Data collection quality assurance in cross-national surveys: the example of the ESS

"The significance of cross-national surveys for the social sciences has increased over the past decades and with it the number of cross-national datasets that researchers have access to. Cross-national surveys are typically large enterprises that demand dedicated efforts to coordinate the process of data collection in the participating countries. While cross-national surveys have addressed many important methodological problems, such as translation and the cultural applicability of concepts, the management of the data collection process has yet had little place in cross-national survey methodology. This paper describes the quality standards for data collection and their monitoring in the European Social Survey (ESS). In the ESS data are collected via face-to-face interviewing. In each country a different survey organisation carries out the data collection. Assuring the quality across the large number of survey organisations is a complex but indispensable task to achieve valid and comparable data." (author's abstract)"International vergleichende Umfragen haben in den vergangenen Jahrzehnten zunehmende Bedeutung in den Sozialwissenschaften erlangt. Diese Umfragen sind für gewöhnlich große Unterfangen, die gezielte Anstrengungen zur Koordinierung der Datenerhebung in den teilnehmenden Ländern erfordern. Probleme des Managements der Datenerhebung bei international vergleichenden Umfragen haben bislang jedoch nur wenig Aufmerksamkeit gefunden, im Unterschied etwa zu anderen methodischen Herausforderungen wie Fragen der Übersetzung oder der interkulturellen Übertragbarkeit von theoretischen Konzepten. Der vorliegende Beitrag beschreibt die Qualitätsstandards für die Datenerhebung und deren Überwachung im European Social Survey (ESS). Im ESS werden Daten in persönlich-mündlichen Interviews erhoben; in jedem Teilnehmerland ist ein anderes Umfrageinstitut mit der Feldarbeit betraut. Um valide und vergleichbare Daten zu erzielen, sind Maßnahmen zur Sicherung der Qualität der Datenerhebung über die große Zahl von Umfrageinstituten hinweg unverzichtbar." (Autorenreferat

Stroke Etiology and Thrombus Computed Tomography Characteristics in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke:A MR CLEAN Registry Substudy

Background and Purpose - If a relationship between stroke etiology and thrombus computed tomography characteristics exists, assessing these characteristics in clinical practice could serve as a useful additional diagnostic tool for the identification of stroke subtype. Our purpose was to study the association of stroke etiology and thrombus computed tomography characteristics in patients with acute ischemic stroke due to a large vessel occlusion. Methods - For 1429 consecutive patients enrolled in the MR CLEAN Registry, we determined stroke cause as defined by the TOAST (Trial of ORG 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment) criteria. The association of stroke etiology with the hyperdense artery sign, clot burden score, and thrombus location was estimated with univariable and multivariable binary and ordinal logistic regression. Additionally, for 367 patients with available thin-section imaging, we assessed the association of stroke etiology with absolute and relative thrombus attenuation, distance from internal carotid artery-terminus to thrombus, thrombus length, and thrombus attenuation increase with univariable and multivariable linear regression. Results - Compared with cardioembolic strokes, noncardioembolic strokes were associated with presence of hyperdense artery sign (odds ratio, 2.2 [95% CI, 1.6-3.0]), lower clot burden score (common odds ratio, 0.4 [95% CI, 0.3-0.6]), shift towards a more proximal thrombus location (common odds ratio, 0.2 [95% CI, 0.2-0.3]), higher absolute thrombus attenuation (β, 3.6 [95% CI, 0.9-6.4]), decrease in distance from the ICA-terminus (β, -5.7 [95% CI, -8.3 to -3.0]), and longer thrombi (β, 8.6 [95% CI, 6.5-10.7]), based on univariable analysis. Thrombus characteristics of strokes with undetermined cause were similar to those of cardioembolic strokes. Conclusions - Thrombus computed tomography characteristics of cardioembolic stroke are distinct from those of noncardioembolic stroke. Additionally, our study supports the general hypothesis that many cryptogenic strokes have a cardioembolic cause. Further research should focus on the use of thrombus computed tomography characteristics as a diagnostic tool for stroke cause in clinical practice