Technical Needs Assessment of North Dakota Manufacturers

The problem of this study was to identify, document, and prioritize technical assistance needs of North Dakota manufacturers. The primary objective was to determine the technical assistance needs of North Dakota manufacturers as they relate to: a) education; b) consulting; c) research and development. A secondary objective was to prioritize the ten most pertinent technical areas of need as determined by the North Dakota manufacturers. This study used a descriptive survey research method. The researcher devised a survey instrument and was validated by a panel of experts. The instrument included fifty-three technical areas, most of which are emerging technologies. The questionnaire asked the manufacturers to assess their degree of technical need as it related to education, consulting and research and development. The questionnaire was sent to six hundred seventy North Dakota manufacturers. The study was divided into six sections: (a) devise a survey questionnaire, (b) perform a pilot study, (c) identify the population, (d) collect the data, (e) organize the data, and (f) statistical analysis of the data. Central tendency, standard deviation, rank order, and correlation were the four statistical tests used for analyzing the data The following conclusions were made after the completion of the study: 1) The type of technical assistance most evident was for education. 2) The top ten technical areas correlate closely with technical concepts that are on the cutting edge of technology 3) North Dakota manufacturers are interested in acquiring the information needed to make an informative decision on whether or not to implement these pertinent technologies The following recommendations are offered for further study: 1 . A follow-up study be performed in three years to determine if the technical assistance needs of North Dakota manufacturers have changed. 2. Set-up a program that would allow the manufacturers and the higher education community to accumulate and disseminate information pertinent to their wants and needs. 3. A study that encompasses more of the business and administrative end of manufacturing. 4. Design a study that would continue to acquire information for a manufacturers\u27 database for North Dakota. 5. Conduct a feasibility study to determine the need for a manufacturing extension service in North Dakot

Cohort profile:the 'Biomarkers of heterogeneity in type 1 diabetes' study-a national prospective cohort study of clinical and metabolic phenotyping of individuals with long-standing type 1 diabetes in the Netherlands

PURPOSE: The 'Biomarkers of heterogeneity in type 1 diabetes' study cohort was set up to identify genetic, physiological and psychosocial factors explaining the observed heterogeneity in disease progression and the development of complications in people with long-standing type 1 diabetes (T1D). PARTICIPANTS: Data and samples were collected in two subsets. A prospective cohort of 611 participants aged ≥16 years with ≥5 years T1D duration from four Dutch Diabetes clinics between 2016 and 2021 (median age 32 years; median diabetes duration 12 years; 59% female; mean glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) 61 mmol/mol (7.7%); 61% on insulin pump; 23% on continuous glucose monitoring (CGM)). Physical assessments were performed, blood and urine samples were collected, and participants completed questionnaires. A subgroup of participants underwent mixed-meal tolerance tests (MMTTs) at baseline (n=169) and at 1-year follow-up (n=104). Genetic data and linkage to medical and administrative records were also available. A second cross-sectional cohort included participants with ≥35 years of T1D duration (currently n=160; median age 64 years; median diabetes duration 45 years; 45% female; mean HbA1c 58 mmol/mol (7.4%); 51% on insulin pump; 83% on CGM), recruited from five centres and measurements, samples and 5-year retrospective data were collected. FINDINGS TO DATE: Stimulated residual C-peptide was detectable in an additional 10% of individuals compared with fasting residual C-peptide secretion. MMTT measurements at 90 min and 120 min showed good concordance with the MMTT total area under the curve. An overall decrease of C-peptide at 1-year follow-up was observed. Fasting residual C-peptide secretion is associated with a decreased risk of impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia. FUTURE PLANS:Research groups are invited to consider the use of these data and the sample collection. Future work will include additional hormones, beta-cell-directed autoimmunity, specific immune markers, microRNAs, metabolomics and gene expression data, combined with glucometrics, anthropometric and clinical data, and additional markers of residual beta-cell function. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04977635.</p

A PSAD Group response to the Consensus report on the definition and interpretation of remission in type 2 diabetes: a psychosocial perspective is needed

A response to the ADA/EASD consensus report on the definition of "remission" of type 2 diabetes

Data on diabetes-specific distress are needed to improve the quality of diabetes care [Correspondence]

no abstract availabl

Bringing an end to diabetes stigma and discrimination: an international consensus statement on evidence and recommendations

To accelerate an end to diabetes stigma and discrimination an international multi-disciplinary expert panel (N=51 members, 18 countries) conducted rapid reviews and participated in a three-round Delphi survey process. They achieved Consensus on 25 Statements of Evidence and 24 Statements of Recommendations. The Consensus is that diabetes stigma is driven primarily by blame, perceptions of burden/sickness, (in)visibility, and fear/disgust. People with diabetes often encounter sigma (negative social judgments, stereotypes, prejudice), which can adversely affect emotional, mental and physical health, self-care, access to optimal healthcare, and social and professional opportunities. Up to one-in-three experience discrimination (unfair and prejudicial treatment) due to diabetes, e.g., in healthcare, education and employment. Diabetes stigma and discrimination are harmful, unacceptable, unethical and counterproductive. Collective leadership is needed to pro-actively challenge, and bring an end to, diabetes stigma and discrimination. Consequently, the panel achieved unanimous consensus on a pledge to end diabetes stigma and discrimination