Built to last? the sustainability of health system improvements, interventions and change strategies: A study protocol for a systematic review

© 2017 Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article). All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted. Introduction The sustainability of healthcare interventions and change programmes is of increasing importance to researchers and healthcare stakeholders interested in creating sustainable health systems to cope with mounting stressors. The aim of this protocol is to extend earlier work and describe a systematic review to identify, synthesise and draw meaning from studies published within the last 5 years that measure the sustainability of interventions, improvement efforts and change strategies in the health system. Methods and analysis The protocol outlines a method by which to execute a rigorous systematic review. The design includes applying primary and secondary data collection techniques, consisting of a comprehensive database search complemented by contact with experts, and searching secondary databases and reference lists, using snowballing techniques. The review and analysis process will occur via an abstract review followed by a full-text screening process. The inclusion criteria include English-language, peer-reviewed, primary, empirical research articles published after 2011 in scholarly journals, for which the full text is available. No restrictions on location will be applied. The review that results from this protocol will synthesise and compare characteristics of the included studies. Ultimately, it is intended that this will help make it easier to identify and design sustainable interventions, improvement efforts and change strategies. Ethics and dissemination As no primary data were collected, ethical approval was not required. Results will be disseminated in conference presentations, peer-reviewed publications and among policymaker bodies interested in creating sustainable health systems

Interpersonal relations between principals and teachers: communication, tension, and attitudes in a women's religious teaching order

Master of EducationAn atmosphere of mutual trust and openness of communication between principal and teacher is considered highly important for the effective functioning of a school. However, educationalists have expressed concern that the hierarchical administrative structures of schools may hinder such open communication, and hence affect principal-teacher relationships. This investigation is concerned with communication and interpersonal attitudes between principals and teachers. The 85 principals and teachers surveyed were members of a group of teaching Sisters (or "nuns"). The principal and teacher(s) of a particular school usually lived together. A study of relevant literature and research concerned relationships between aspects of communication (including conflict resolution), tension, and such interpersonal attitudes as trust, respect and liking. The effects of living and working together, and of status differences between principal and teacher, were considered. Appropriate models of inter-relationships between variables were discussed, a bi-directional Model A was proposed, and relevant hypotheses presented. Derived uni-directional models B and C indicated the possible effects of communication and tension on interpersonal attitudes. Data were obtained by means of a self-administered questionnaire. Correlational analysis of the data was used to examine specific hypotheses. Subsequent path analysis led to modification of Models B and C. The results were seen to have implications for principals and teachers in school, and also for persons living and working together. These implications were related to current educational trends, and directions for further research were indicated

Who has been hiding in your tonsillectomy tray? Eponymous instruments in tonsillectomy surgery

Background: Surgeons regularly use eponymous instruments when performing tonsillectomies, yet the stories behind each are not commonly known. Method and results: This paper presents the instruments within the tonsillectomy tray, providing a brief biography of their respective surgeon namesakes. The list captures over two centuries of surgical history, and spans the disciplines of ENT, general surgery, gynaecology, anaesthetics and paediatric surgery. Conclusion: This is the first publication to undertake a historical study of the ensemble of surgeon inventors responsible for the instruments in the tonsillectomy tray as it is today. In furthering knowledge of our forbearer surgeon inventors, who have shaped the tonsillectomy procedure as it is safely performed today, we enrich our understanding of the history of our profession and build appreciation for the instruments employed daily. We may even be inspired to continue the tradition of evolving the craft

Pitar Römer from Australian and adjacent waters, with descriptions of four new species (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Veneridae)

Twenty seven species of Pitar (Veneroidea, Veneridae) occur in Australian waters. All are figured and described, including four new species, P. (Hyphantosoma) caperi sp. nov., P. (Pitarina) queenslandica sp. nov., P. (P.) curnowae sp. nov. and P. (P.) thornleyae sp. nov. and one new record P. (H.) intricata (Dautzenberg, 1907). P. (H.) caperi sp. nov. is also recorded from New Caledonian waters. P. (Hyphantosoma) is recorded from Australia for the first time, with five species assignable including three formerly included in P. (Pitarina) viz. P. (H.) spoori Lamprell & Whitehead, 1990, P. (H.) nancyae Lamprell & Whitehead, 1990 and P. (H.) limatula (Sowerby, 1853)

A review of the Indo-Pacific Lioconcha Morch (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Veneridae). Including a description of four species from Queensland, New Caledonia and the Phillipine Islands

The Indo-West Pacific venerid genus Lioconcha is reviewed, with special emphasis on species occurring in the Australian and New Caledonian regions. Nineteen species, including four new species, are recognised: Lioconcha castrensis (Linnaeus, 1758), L. macaulayi n. sp., L. hieroglyphica (Conrad, 1837), L. tigrina (Lamarck, 1818), L. fastigiata (Sowerby, 1851), L. annettae Lamprell & Whitehead, 1990, L. pseudofastigiata n. sp., L. ornata (Dillwyn, 1817), L. berthaulti n. sp., L. sowerbyi (Deshayes, 1853), L. polita (Röding, 1798), L. schioettei n. sp., L. trimaculata (Lamarck, 1818), L. philippinarum (Hanley, 1844), L. dautzenbergi (Prashad, 1932), L. melharteae Lamprell & Stanisic, 1996, L. caledonensis Harte & Lamprell, 1999, L. richerdeforgesi Lamprell & Stanisic, 1996 and L. gordoni (E. A. Smith, 1885). Colour variation within species ranges from very high (L. ornata, L. castrensis) to very low (L. melharteae, L. caledonensis, L. philippinarum). All species are figured, diagnosed and discussed and a key is presented. Types of the following taxa are also figured: neotype of Venus ornata Dillwyn, 1817; holotypes of Lioconcha berthaulti n. sp.; L. macaulayi n. sp.; L. pseudofastigiata n. sp.; L. schioettei n. sp.; L. annettae Lamprell & Whitehead, 1990; Cytherea tigrina Lamarck, 1818; Hysteroconcha (?Lamelliconcha) dautzenbergi Prashad, 1932 and Cytherea sulcatina Lamarck, 1818; lectotypes of Cytherea hebraea Sowerby, 1851 and Circe sowerbyi Deshayes, 1853. Lectotypes of Cytherea hieroglyphica Conrad and C. fastigiata Sowerby are based on original figures, in the absence of other undoubted type material. Subdivision of Lioconcha into two subgenera (Lioconcha sensu stricto and Sulcilioconcha), based solely on the presence or absence of concentric ridge sculpture, appears unwarranted

New species of Pteriidae, Pinnidae, Veneridae, Euciroidae and Corbulidae from Australia (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Veneroida)

Seven new species of bivalves from Australia are figured and described: Pteria howensis sp. nov and P. cooki sp. nov. (Pteriidae); Atrina (Servatrina) palmensis sp. nov. (Pinnidae); Dosinia carpentariana sp. nov. (Veneridae); Euciroa queenslandica sp. nov. (Euciroidae); Corbula (Serracorbula) moretonensis sp.nov and C. (Anisocorbula) stephensoni sp. nov. (Corbulidae). All species are from Queensland except Pteria howensis, which is known only from Lord Howe Island

Correction and response to: Grommets in HBOT patients: GA vs. LA, unanswered questions

[Extract] We thank Gibbs and Commons for their interest in our paper. There is a key difference between the datasets for Commons et al and our study. Our data set, has grouped five years of data according to the calendar year. This is different from Commons et al's study population recruited between 01 June 2009 and 31 May 2010. We feel this may explain the difference of one case between the two papers in 2010. Our data collection used the standard clinic and operating theatre databases, and we were advised that there was no searchable clinical code for grommet procedures undertaken with local anaesthetic (LA) in the outpatient clinic. The alternative, to review many hundreds of patients, was considered beyond the study's scope. Instead, the TTH Hyperbaric Medicine Unit (HMU) database was used to recruit cases and cross checked with operating theatre data. We have since re-investigated the operating theatre database to identify any additional bilateral grommet procedures during 2008 to 2012 and cross checked these with the HMU database. This has identified one to four additional patients per year in the general anaesthesia (GA) group and one additional LA patient that meet the criteria for recruitment into the study. There was one further unconfirmed patient from each of 2008 and 2010, whose charts were unavailable for this response, and have not been included in this amendment. The corrected Figure 1 reflects these changes. Despite the additional cases, the frequency spike during 2010 remains. A published audit of the number of middle ear barotrauma (MEBT) cases between 2007-2010 also reports an increased incidence of MEBT in 2009-2010 compared with previous years at our unit. Possible reasons for this may be the introduction of new technology at the unit, in the form of the digital Macro View™ otoscope during this period, leading to a possible change in clinical practice and an increased detection of MEBT, or a lower threshold for ENT referral for grommet placement

The \u27water-trap\u27 spiny oyster, Spondylus varius G.B. Sowerby I, 1827 (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Spondylidae) from Australia

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