Моніторинг розвитку навичок мовлення та аудіювання

Мета цього дослідження є спостереження та аналіз змін якості навичок володіння мовленням і якості володіння навичками аудіювання в процесі навчання. Завдання дослідження полягає у наступному : а) вивчити яким чином сучасні методи моніторингу впливають на поліпшення якості володіння мовленням, б) простежити якісні зміни знань студентів на трьох етапах: стартовому, поточному та підсумковому. Методами моніторингу є анкетування. самостійна робота, тестування

Decision aids to help older people make health decisions: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Decision aids have been overall successful in improving the quality of health decision making. However, it is unclear whether the impact of the results of using decision aids also apply to older people (aged 65+). We sought to systematically review randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and clinical controlled trials (CCTs) evaluating the efficacy of decision aids as compared to usual care or alternative intervention(s) for older adults facing treatment, screening or care decisions. Methods A systematic search of (1) a Cochrane review of decision aids and (2) MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Cochrane library central registry of studies and Cinahl. We included published RCTs/CCTs of interventions designed to improve shared decision making (SDM) by older adults (aged 65+) and RCTs/CCTs that analysed the effect of the intervention in a subgroup with a mean age of 65+. Based on the International Patient Decision aid Standards (IPDAS), the primary outcomes were attributes of the decision and the decision process. Other behavioral, health, and health system effects were considered as secondary outcomes. If data could be pooled, a meta-analysis was conducted. Data for which meta-analysis was not possible were synthesized qualitatively. Results The search strategy yielded 11,034 references. After abstract and full text screening, 22 papers were included. Decision aids performed better than control resp. usual care interventions by increasing knowledge and accurate risk perception in older people (decision attributes). With regard to decision process attributes, decision aids resulted in lower decisional conflict and more patient participation. Conclusions This review shows promising results on the effectiveness of decision aids for older adults. Decision aids improve older adults’ knowledge, increase their risk perception, decrease decisional conflict and seem to enhance participation in SDM. It must however be noted that the body of literature on the effectiveness of decision aids for older adults is still in its infancy. Only one decision aid was specifically developed for older adults, and the mean age in most studies was between 65 and 70, indicating that the oldest-old were not included. Future research should expand on the design, application and evaluation of decision aids for older, more vulnerable adults

Acetaminophen for self-reported sleep problems in an elderly population (ASLEEP): Study protocol of a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind trial

Background: The prevalence of sleep disorders increases with age. Sleep disorders may have serious health implications and may be related to serious underlying diseases. Many older people use hypnotics, like benzodiazepines, although these medications have serious side effects and often lead to habituation. Acetaminophen is one of the most frequently used off-label drugs for sleep disorders, although little is known about its effects. Our objective is to investigate whether acetaminophen is effective in treating self-reported sleep disorders in older people. Methods/Design: Participants, aged 65 years or older (n = 150), who have sleep disorders will be randomized for treatment with either acetaminophen 1000 mg or placebo, once daily at bedtime in a double-blind design. Eligible patients should be able to give informed consent, should not be cognitively impaired (Minimal Mental State Examination (MMSE) score ≥ 20), should not have pain, and should not use acetaminophen on a regular basis because of pain complaints. The study will take three weeks to complete. During these three weeks, the participants register their sleep behavior in a sleep diary. The participants will use the study medication during the second and third week. The primary endpoint will be the self-reported sleep disorders at the end of week three, as measured by means of the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). To validate these subjective sleep parameters against objectively measured indices of the sleep-wake pattern, we will measure the periods of wakefulness and sleep in a subgroup of participants, using an actigraph worn on the wrist during the entire study period. Discussion: The proposed study will contribute to our knowledge about the treatment of sleep disorders in an older population. There is a need for treatments for sleep disorders without serious adverse effects. Acetaminophen might be a simple and inexpensive alternative for the regimes that are currently used with older people. Trial registration: The Netherlands National Trial Register NTR2747

Publication Bias in Laboratory Animal Research: A Survey on Magnitude, Drivers, Consequences and Potential Solutions

Contains fulltext : 109229.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)CONTEXT: Publication bias jeopardizes evidence-based medicine, mainly through biased literature syntheses. Publication bias may also affect laboratory animal research, but evidence is scarce. OBJECTIVES: To assess the opinion of laboratory animal researchers on the magnitude, drivers, consequences and potential solutions for publication bias. And to explore the impact of size of the animals used, seniority of the respondent, working in a for-profit organization and type of research (fundamental, pre-clinical, or both) on those opinions. DESIGN: Internet-based survey. SETTING: All animal laboratories in The Netherlands. PARTICIPANTS: Laboratory animal researchers. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Median (interquartile ranges) strengths of beliefs on 5 and 10-point scales (1: totally unimportant to 5 or 10: extremely important). RESULTS: Overall, 454 researchers participated. They considered publication bias a problem in animal research (7 (5 to 8)) and thought that about 50% (32-70) of animal experiments are published. Employees (n = 21) of for-profit organizations estimated that 10% (5 to 50) are published. Lack of statistical significance (4 (4 to 5)), technical problems (4 (3 to 4)), supervisors (4 (3 to 5)) and peer reviewers (4 (3 to 5)) were considered important reasons for non-publication (all on 5-point scales). Respondents thought that mandatory publication of study protocols and results, or the reasons why no results were obtained, may increase scientific progress but expected increased bureaucracy. These opinions did not depend on size of the animal used, seniority of the respondent or type of research. CONCLUSIONS: Non-publication of "negative" results appears to be prevalent in laboratory animal research. If statistical significance is indeed a main driver of publication, the collective literature on animal experimentation will be biased. This will impede the performance of valid literature syntheses. Effective, yet efficient systems should be explored to counteract selective reporting of laboratory animal research

Designing tailored maintenance strategies for systematic reviews and clinical practice guidelines using the Portfolio Maintenance by Test-Treatment (POMBYTT) framework

Background: Organizations face diverse contexts and requirements when updating and maintaining their portfolio, or pool, of systematic reviews or clinical practice guidelines they need to manage. We aimed to develop a comprehensive, theoretical framework that might enable the design and tailoring of maintenance strategies for portfolios containing systematic reviews and guidelines. Methods: We employed a conceptual approach combined with a literature review. Components of the diagnostic test-treatment pathway used in clinical healthcare were transferred to develop a framework specifically for systematic review and guideline portfolio maintenance strategies. Results: We developed the Portfolio Maintenance by Test-Treatment (POMBYTT) framework comprising diagnosis, staging, management, and monitoring components. To illustrate the framework’s components and their elements, we provided examples from both a clinical healthcare test-treatment pathway and a clinical practice guideline maintenance scenario. Additionally, our literature review provided possible examples for the elements in the framework, such as detection variables, detection tests, and detection thresholds. We furthermore provide three example strategies using the framework, of which one was based on living recommendations strategies. Conclusions: The developed framework might support the design of maintenance strategies that could contain multiple options besides updating to manage a portfolio (e.g. withdrawing and archiving), even in the absence of the target condition. By making different choices for variables, tests, test protocols, indications, management options, and monitoring, organizations might tailor their maintenance strategy to suit specific contexts and needs. The framework’s elements could potentially aid in the design by being explicit about the operational aspects of maintenance strategies. This might also be helpful for end-users and other stakeholders of systematic reviews and clinical practice guidelines.</p

Introducing re-weighted range voting in clinical practice guideline prioritization:Development and testing of the re-weighted priority-setting (REPS) tool

We aimed to develop and test a tool based on the re-weighted range voting mechanism to prioritize items (i.e. key questions) in a priority-setting assessment for clinical practice guidelines. The secondary aim was to provide methodological context of the tool. We iteratively developed the tool and used qualitative methods (i.e. think-aloud and semi-structured interviews) to test the tool’s usability and make adjustments accordingly. An observational approach was used to test the tool’s outcome satisfaction in a real-world priority-setting assessment within a rare-disease guideline of a European Reference Network and under four different conditions in the tool. Four guideline methodologists tested the usability of the tool. The real-world testing was performed with a guideline panel consisting of a core working group, five expertise working groups, and a working group with patient representatives. Thirty-one panel members assigned scores in the priority-setting assessment. Seventeen panel members rated the priority-setting outcome, and sixteen panel members rated the outputs generated under the four conditions. Upon initial use, guideline methodologists found the tool to be quite overwhelming. However, with some initial effort they were able to easily identify the tool’s structure. Based on observations and feedback, the tool was further refined and user guidance was developed. Guideline panel members expressed (high) satisfaction with the priority-setting outcome. They particularly preferred the condition when using mean subgroup scores as input or employing aggressive penalties in the weighting method to determine the outputs. The tool generates a ranked list of items and offers flexibility for different choices in priority-setting assessments as long as its input format requirements are met. Although it is not a consensus method, the tool assists in narrowing down a set of priority items. Additional steps in the priority-setting assessment can lead to a consensus being reached regarding the final outcome.</p

学会抄録

Rationale for STARD 2015 items. (DOCX 45 kb

Самоподобие массивов сетевых публикаций по компьютерной вирусологии

Описан подход к организации анализа потока тематических публикаций по компьютерной вирусологии, представленных в web-пространстве. Обоснована фрактальная природа информационных потоков, описаны основные алгоритмы, применяемые в процессе исследований, а также приведены прогнозные выводы на основе свойств персистентности временных рядов.Описано підхід до організації аналізу потоку тематичних публікацій з комп’ютерної вірусології, які наведені у web-просторі. Обґрунтовано фрактальну природу інформаційних потоків, описано основні алгоритми, що застосовуються в процесі досліджень, а також наведено прогнозні висновки на базі властивостей персистентності часових рядів.An approach to the organization of the analysis of a thematic publications stream on computer virology, submitted in web-space, is described. The fractal nature of information streams is proved, the basic algorithms used during researches are described and forecasts conclusions on the basis of persistent properties of time series are given