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3,673 results for “practices”
Data from: Prospective, observational study comparing automated and visual point-of-care urinalysis in general practice
Objective Point-of-care testing (POCT) urinalysis might reduce errors in (subjective) reading, registration and communication of test results, and might also improve diagnostic outcome and optimise patient management. Evidence is lacking. In the present study, we have studied the analytical performance of automated urinalysis and visual urinalysis compared with a reference standard in routine general practice. Setting The study was performed in six general practitioner (GP) group practices in the Netherlands. Automated urinalysis was compared with visual urinalysis in these practices. Reference testing was performed in a primary care laboratory (Saltro, Utrecht, The Netherlands). Primary and secondary outcome measures Analytical performance of automated and visual urinalysis compared with the reference laboratory method was the primary outcome measure, analysed by calculating sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) and Cohen's κ coefficient for agreement. Secondary outcome measure was the user-friendliness of the POCT analyser. Results Automated urinalysis by experienced and routinely trained practice assistants in general practice performs as good as visual urinalysis for nitrite, leucocytes and erythrocytes. Agreement for nitrite is high for automated and visual urinalysis. κ's are 0.824 and 0.803 (ranked as very good and good, respectively). Agreement with the central laboratory reference standard for automated and visual urinalysis for leucocytes is rather poor (0.256 for POCT and 0.197 for visual, respectively, ranked as fair and poor). κ's for erythrocytes are higher: 0.517 (automated) and 0.416 (visual), both ranked as moderate. The Urisys 1100 analyser was easy to use and considered to be not prone to flaws. Conclusions Automated urinalysis performed as good as traditional visual urinalysis on reading of nitrite, leucocytes and erythrocytes in routine general practice. Implementation of automated urinalysis in general practice is justified as automation is expected to reduce human errors in patient identification and transcribing of results.
Data from: The role of deliberate practice in expert performance: revisiting Ericsson, Krampe, & Tesch-Römer
We sought to replicate Ericsson, Krampe, and Tesch-Römer's (1993) seminal study on deliberate practice. Ericsson et al. (1993) found that differences in retrospective estimates of accumulated amounts of deliberate practice corresponded to each skill level of student violinists. They concluded, "individual differences in ultimate performance can largely be accounted for by differential amounts of past and current levels of practice" (p. 392). We reproduced the methodology with notable exceptions, namely 1) employing a double-blind procedure, 2) conducting analyses better suited to the study design, and 3) testing previously-unanswered questions about teacher-designed practice—that is, we examined the way Ericsson et al. (1993) operationalized deliberate practice (practice alone), and their theoretical but previously unmeasured definition of deliberate practice (teacher-designed practice), and compared them. We did not replicate the core finding, that accumulated amounts of deliberate practice corresponded to each skill level. Overall, the size of the effect was substantial, but considerably smaller than the original study's effect size. Teacher-designed practice was perceived as less relevant to improving performance on the violin than practice alone. Further, amount of teacher-designed practice did not account for more variance in performance than amount of practice alone. Implications for the deliberate practice theory are discussed.
Data from: Seed priming and Zaï pit practice improve field performance of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) in the Sahelian zone of Mali
Poor seed germination caused by a variety of seed, soil and environmental factors lead to suboptimal seedling stand and ultimately yield suffers a serious setback. A number of priming techniques have been found to be effective in increasing germination and seedling growth and development. This includes techniques such as on-farm hydro-priming (seed soaking in well water) and osmo-priming (seed soaking in low osmotic solutions of Potassium silicate). Also, Zaï practice, a cropping system concentrating runoff water and manure in pits, may be a simple solution in addition to seed priming techniques for crop establishment under early drought and heat prone areas and for increased productivity of poor soils. This study aims to evaluate the combined effect of priming and cultural practices (ridge and zaï pits) on three sorghum varieties in the Sahelian zone of Mali. Data were collected during two growing seasons in 2014 and 2015. Monitored parameters were assessed by comparing the impact of priming with untreated sorghum seeds (the control) cultivated on ridges and zaï pits with or without compost. We also compared the effect of hydro-priming in water from well to osmo-priming using K2SiO3 performance. Hence, each of the 3 sorghum variety seeds were subjected to 3 different priming, sowed on ridges and zaï treatments. Variety banidoka and CSM63E recorded the maximum GP (54.0%) which was significantly higher than saba-tienda GP (48%). The priming treatments were not statistically different for germination but showed slight improvement in GP for primed (54%) compared to unprimed (48%). Germination percentages were significantly higher in zaï pits practice without (55%) and with compost (55%) compared to ridges (48%). Grain yield varied significantly among sorghum varieties (p<0. 04) and cultural practices (p<0. 01). There was no significant difference among priming treatments for grain yield. However, variety banidoka produced the highest grain yield (961 kg ha-1) followed by CSM63E (874 kg ha-1) and lastly saba-tienda (671 kg ha-1) with banidoka showing statistically different yield compared to saba-tienda. Zaï pits practice with compost obtained the highest GY (1131 kg ha-1), which was statistically different from the GY of zaï pits practice without compost (695 kg ha-1) and ridge practice (742 kg ha-1). Zaï pits practice without compost did not statistically differ from ridge practice. The findings showed that seed priming in addition to zaï pits practice improves seed germination and seedling development of sorghum probably by accelerating imbibition and providing continuous moisture during the germination phase. Combining seed priming and zai pit practice with compost appears a simple practice that will improve crop establishment and grain yield in the Sahelian zone of West Africa.
Data from: Diversification practices reduce organic to conventional yield gap
Agriculture today places great strains on biodiversity, soils, water and the atmosphere, and these strains will be exacerbated if current trends in population growth, meat and energy consumption, and food waste continue. Thus, farming systems that are both highly productive and minimize environmental harms are critically needed. How organic agriculture may contribute to world food production has been subject to vigorous debate over the past decade. Here, we revisit this topic comparing organic and conventional yields with a new meta-dataset three times larger than previously used (115 studies containing more than 1000 observations) and a new hierarchical analytical framework that can better account for the heterogeneity and structure in the data. We find organic yields are only 19.2% (±3.7%) lower than conventional yields, a smaller yield gap than previous estimates. More importantly, we find entirely different effects of crop types and management practices on the yield gap compared with previous studies. For example, we found no significant differences in yields for leguminous versus non-leguminous crops, perennials versus annuals or developed versus developing countries. Instead, we found the novel result that two agricultural diversification practices, multi-cropping and crop rotations, substantially reduce the yield gap (to 9 ± 4% and 8 ± 5%, respectively) when the methods were applied in only organic systems. These promising results, based on robust analysis of a larger meta-dataset, suggest that appropriate investment in agroecological research to improve organic management systems could greatly reduce or eliminate the yield gap for some crops or regions.
Data from: A practical introduction to microbial molecular ecology through the use of isolation chips
In the context of anti-microbial resistance as one of the most serious issues faced globally by health providers, we explored a practical introduction to molecular microbial ecology. We designed field work and practical experiments for third year members of a four year undergraduate Masters Programme in which the students employed traditional and novel isolation techniques to identify antimicrobial activities from soil dwelling microorganisms. Students gained experience in isolating DNA from complex microbial communities, amplifying 16S rRNA genes and applied richness / diversity indices as well as principal coordinates analyses to the interpretation of the data they obtained from high throughput sequencing. Our results confirmed that isolation chips (iChips) facilitate the growth of a greater diversity and different species subset from the complex soil microorganism community than traditional plate spreading techniques. However, rarefaction of 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing data showed that the majority of observed species in soil remain unculturable by current methods. Based on the written reports produced by the students carrying out the work, we concluded that the described protocols are robust and informative, that these activities provide a good practical introduction to the theories and practice of molecular ecology and can be easily deployed to groups of six or more students in a cost-effective manner.
Data from: Gynaecological cancer follow-up: national survey of current practice in the UK
Objective: To establish a baseline of national practice for follow-up after treatment for gynaecological cancer. Design: Questionnaire survey. Setting: Gynaecological cancer centres and units. Geographical location: UK Participants: Members of the British Gynaecological Cancer Society and the National Forum of Gynaecological Oncology Nurses. Interventions: A questionnaire survey. Outcome measures: To determine schedules of follow-up, who provides it and what routine testing is used for patients who have had previous gynaecological cancer. Results: A total of 117 responses were obtained; 115 (98%) reported hospital scheduled regular follow-up appointments. Two involved General Practitioners. Follow-up was augmented or replaced by telephone follow-up in 29 (25%) and patient initiated appointments in 38 responses (32%). A total of 80 (68%) cancer specialists also offered combined follow-up clinics with other specialties. Clinical examinations for hospital based follow-up were mainly performed by doctors (67% for scheduled regular appointments and 63% for patient initiated appointments) while telephone follow-up care was provided in the majority by nurses (76%). Most respondents provided routine tests (76/117 (65%)), from which 66/76 (87%) reported carrying out surveillance tests for ovarian cancer, 35/76 (46%) for cervical cancer, 8/76 (11%) for vulval cancer and 7/76 (9%) for endometrial cancer. Usually patients were discharged after five years (82/117 (70%)), whereas three (3%) were discharged after four years, nine (8%) after three and one (1%) after two years. Conclusions: Practice varied but most used a standard hospital based protocol of appointments for five years and routine tests were performed usually for women with ovarian cancer. A minority utilised nurse-led or telephone follow-up. General Practitioners were rarely involved in routine care. A randomised study comparing various models of follow-up could be considered.
Data from: Diversity patterns of non-mammalian cynodonts (Synapsida, Therapsida) and the impact of taxonomic practice and research history on diversity estimates
Non-mammalian cynodonts represent a speciose and ecologically diverse group with a fossil record stretching from the late Permian until the Cretaceous. Because of their role as major components of Triassic terrestrial ecosystems and as the direct ancestors of mammals, cynodonts are an important group for understanding Mesozoic tetrapod diversity. We examine patterns of non-mammalian cynodont species richness and the quality of their fossil record. A supertree of cynodonts is constructed from recently published trees and time-calibrated using a Bayesian approach. While this approach pushes the root of Cynodontia back to the earliest Guadalupian, the origins of Cynognathia and Probainognathia are close to their first appearance in the fossil record. Taxic, subsampled and phylogenetic diversity estimates support a major cynodont radiation following the end-Permian mass extinction, but conflicting signals are observed at the end of the Triassic. The taxic diversity estimate shows high diversity in the Rhaetian and a drop across the Triassic/Jurassic boundary, while the phylogenetic diversity indicates an earlier extinction between the Norian and Rhaetian. The difference is attributed to the prevalence of taxa based solely on teeth in the Rhaetian, which are not included in the phylogenetic diversity estimate. Examining the completeness of cynodont specimens through geological time does not support a decrease in preservation potential; although the median completeness score decreases in the Late Triassic, the range of values remains consistent. Instead, the poor completeness scores are attributed to a shift in sampling and taxonomic practices: an increased prevalence in microvertebrate sampling and the naming of fragmentary material.
Data from: Practical performance of tree comparison metrics
The phylogenetic literature contains numerous measures for assessing differences between two phylogenetic trees. Individual measures have been criticized on various grounds, but little is known about their comparative performance in typical applications. We evaluate the performance of nine tree distance measures on two tasks: (1) distinguishing trees separated by lesser versus greater numbers of recombinations, and (2) distinguishing trees inferred with lower versus higher quality data. We find that when the trees being compared are similar, measures which make use of branch lengths are superior, with the branch-length version of the Robinson-Foulds metric (Robinson & Foulds, 1979) performing best. In contrast, for dissimilar trees topology-only measures are superior, with the Alignment metric of Nye et al. (2006) performing best. We also apply the measures to a mammalian data set and observe that the best metric depends on whether branch-length information is of interest. We give practical recommendations for choosing a tree distance metric in different applications.
Data from: No enhancement of 24-hour visuomotor skill retention by post-practice caffeine administration
Caffeine is widely consumed throughout the world and appears to indirectly facilitate learning and memory through effects on attention and motivation. Animal work indicates that post-training caffeine administration augments inhibitory avoidance memory, spatial memory, and object memory. In humans, post-training caffeine administration enhances the ability to discern between familiar images and new, similar images. However, the effect of post-training caffeine administration on motor memory has not been examined. Therefore, we tested two groups of low caffeine consumers (average weekly consumption ≤500 mg) in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study involving acquisition of a continuous isometric visuomotor tracking skill. On Day 1, subjects completed 5 blocks (150 repetitions) of training on the continuous isometric visuomotor skill and subsequently ingested either 200 mg of caffeine or placebo. On day 2, subjects completed an additional 5 blocks of training. Day 1 mean performance and performance variability were both similar between groups, suggesting that both groups acquired the motor skill similarly. For mean performance on Day 2, patterns of re-learning, mean performance learning magnitudes, mean performance learning rates, and mean performance retention magnitudes were all similar between groups. For performance variability on Day 2, there was a small trend towards increased variability in the caffeine group during re-learning, but performance variability learning magnitudes and performance variability retention magnitudes did not differ between groups. Because motor skill acquisition can also be conceptualized as a reduction in performance variability, these results suggest that there may be a small negative effect of post-practice caffeine administration on memory of a newly-learned visuomotor skill. Overall, we found no evidence to suggest that post-training caffeine administration enhances 24-hour retention of a newly-learned continuous visuomotor skill, and these results support the notion that memory-enhancing effects of post-training caffeine ingestion may be task-specific.
Data from: A practical introduction to random forest for genetic association studies in ecology and evolution
Large genomic studies are becoming increasingly common with advances in sequencing technology, and our ability to understand how genomic variation influences phenotypic variation between individuals has never been greater. The exploration of such relationships first requires the identification of associations between molecular markers and phenotypes. Here we explore the use of Random Forest (RF), a powerful machine learning algorithm, in genomic studies to discern loci underlying both discrete and quantitative traits, particularly when studying wild or non-model organisms. RF is becoming increasingly used in ecological and population genetics because, unlike traditional methods, it can efficiently analyze thousands of loci simultaneously and account for non-additive interactions. However, understanding both the power and limitations of Random Forest is important for its proper implementation and the interpretation of results. We therefore provide a practical introduction to the algorithm and its use for identifying associations between molecular markers and phenotypes, discussing such topics as data limitations, algorithm initiation and optimization, as well as interpretation. We also provide short R tutorials as examples, with the aim of providing a guide to the implementation of the algorithm. Topics discussed here are intended to serve as an entry point for molecular ecologists interested in employing Random Forest to identify trait associations in genomic data sets.
Data from: Analytical performance, agreement and user-friendliness of six point of care testing urine analysers for urinary tract infection in general practice.
Objective: Various point-of-care testing (POCT) urine analysers are commercially available for routine urine analysis in general practice. The present study compares analytical performance, agreement and user-friendliness of six different POCT urine analysers for diagnosing urinary tract infection in general practice. Setting: All testing procedures were performed at a diagnostic centre for primary care in the Netherlands. Urine samples were collected at four general practices. Primary and secondary outcome measures: Analytical performance and agreement of the POCT analysers regarding nitrite, leucocytes and erythrocytes, with the laboratory reference standard, was the primary outcome measure, and analysed by calculating sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value, and Cohen's κ coefficient for agreement. Secondary outcome measures were the user-friendliness of the POCT analysers, in addition to other characteristics of the analysers. Results: The following six POCT analysers were evaluated: Uryxxon Relax (Macherey Nagel), Urisys 1100 (Roche), Clinitek Status (Siemens), Aution 11 (Menarini), Aution Micro (Menarini) and Urilyzer (Analyticon). Analytical performance was good for all analysers. Compared with laboratory reference standards, overall agreement was good, but differed per parameter and per analyser. Concerning the nitrite test, the most important test for clinical practice, all but one showed perfect agreement with the laboratory standard. For leucocytes and erythrocytes specificity was high, but sensitivity was considerably lower. Agreement for leucocytes varied between good to very good, and for the erythrocyte test between fair and good. First-time users indicated that the analysers were easy to use. They expected higher productivity and accuracy when using these analysers in daily practice. Conclusions: The overall performance and user-friendliness of all six commercially available POCT urine analysers was sufficient to justify routine use in suspected urinary tract infections in general practice.
Data from: The effect of neighborhood size on effective population size in theory and in practice
The distinction between the effective size of a population (Ne) and the effective size of its neighborhoods (Nn) has sometimes become blurred. Ne reflects the effect of random sampling on the genetic composition of a population of size N, whereas Nn is a measure of within-population spatial genetic structure and depends strongly on the dispersal characteristics of a species. Although Nn is independent of Ne, the reverse is not true. Using simulations of a population of annual plants, it was found that the effect of Nn on Ne was well approximated by Ne=N/(1−FIS), where FIS (determined by Nn) was evaluated population wide. Nn only had a notable influence of increasing Ne as it became smaller (less than or equal to16). In contrast, the effect of Nn on genetic estimates of Ne was substantial. Using the temporal method (a standard two-sample approach) based on 1000 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and varying sampling method, sample size (2–25% of N) and interval between samples (T=1–32 generations), estimates of Ne ranged from infinity to <0.1% of the true value (defined as Ne based on 100% sampling). Estimates were never accurate unless Nn and T were large. Three sampling techniques were tested: same-site resampling, different-site resampling and random sampling. Random sampling was the least biased method. Extremely low estimates often resulted when different-site resampling was used, especially when the population was large and the sample fraction was small, raising the possibility that this estimation bias could be a factor determining some very low Ne/N that have been published.
Data from: Implementation of an automated early warning scoring system in a surgical ward: practical use and effects on patient outcomes
Introduction: Early warning scores (EWS) are being increasingly embedded in hospitals over the world due to their promise to reduce adverse events and improve the outcomes of clinical patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical use of an automated modified EWS (MEWS) for patients after surgery. Methods: This study conducted retrospective before-and-after comparative analysis of non-automated and automated MEWS for patients admitted to the surgical high-dependency unit in a tertiary hospital. Operational outcomes included number of recorded assessments of the individual MEWS elements, number of complete MEWS assessments, as well as adherence rate to related protocols. Clinical outcomes included hospital length of stay, in-hospital and 28-day mortality, and ICU readmission rate. Results: Recordings in the electronic medical record from the control period contained 7929 assessments of MEWS elements and were performed in 320 patients. Recordings from the intervention period contained 8781 assessments of MEWS elements in 273 patients, of which 3418 were performed with the automated EWS system. During the control period, 199 (2.5%) complete MEWS were recorded versus 3991 (45.5%) during intervention period. With the automated MEWS systems, the percentage of missing assessments and the time until the next assessment for patients with a MEWS of ≥2 decreased significantly. The protocol adherence improved from 1.1% during the control period to 25.4% when the automated MEWS system was involved. There were no significant differences in clinical outcomes. Conclusion: Implementation of an automated EWS system on a surgical high dependency unit improves the number of complete MEWS assessments, registered vital signs, and adherence to the EWS hospital protocol. However, this positive effect did not translate into a significant decrease in mortality, hospital length of stay, or ICU readmissions. Future research and development on automated EWS systems should focus on data management and technology interoperability.
Withdrawing Performance Indicators: Retrospective Analysis of General Practice Performance Under the UKs Quality and Outcomes Framework
<p>No description provided.</p>
The application of filter based assembly model to develop best practices for Pannonian sand grassland restoration
<p>Data used for a manuscript sent to JAE in 2015.</p>
Assessing Iterative Practical Software Engineering Courses with Play Money (Raw data of survey)
<p>This is the raw data of the surveys conducted for a paper / poster " Assessing Iterative Practical Software Engineering Courses with Play Money" at the ICSE 2016.</p>
EFFICIENT GENERATION OF RECEIVER OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS FOR THE EVALUATION OF DAMAGE DETECTION IN PRACTICAL STRUCTURAL HEALTH MONITORING APPLICATIONS
<p>Experimentally measured guided wave signal on a pipe over temperature cycles, used in the paper to construct synthetic datasets to evaluate performance of damage detection methods.</p>
Agile Practices Set _ Repo
Open the record for dataset details and reuse information.
Statistically Significant Correlations from SBR Practices Survey
Open the record for dataset details and reuse information.
DEVELOPMENT OF PRACTICAL AND CREATIVE SKILLS THROUGH THE EGC (ENGINEERING GRAPHIC COURSE) PLATFORM AS AN EXAMPLE OF STUDENTS OF TECHNICAL HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
<p>This article describes the importance of the EGC (Engineering Graphics Course) platform in developing students' practical and creative skills in the design process and developing self-directed learning processes. Theoretical and practical results of the role of the EGC (Engineering graphic course) platform in the implementation of the design process are explained when students master it using modern graphics programs such as KOMPAS 3D V20.0.1., AutoCAD, SolidWorks, 3D Max.</p>
ScienceDex guides
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These curated guides explain access requirements, typical timelines, costs, and reuse considerations for widely used research datasets.
Allen Brain Atlas
Allen Brain Atlas is an Allen Institute collection of brain map atlases, datasets, APIs, and analysis tools covering mouse, human, and non-human primate brain resources.
Annotated Behaviour and Observability Dataset (ABODe)
ABODe is a University of Edinburgh DataShare dataset for behavior classification in group-housed mice using home-cage video, identities, bounding boxes, ground-plate positions, and annotator labels.
DANDI Archive for NWB datasets
DANDI is a BRAIN Initiative archive for publishing and sharing neurophysiology data, including electrophysiology, optophysiology, and behavioral data packaged as NWB and related standards.
International Brain Laboratory public data
The International Brain Laboratory public data releases expose standardized mouse decision-making experiments, including Neuropixels recordings, widefield calcium imaging, behavior, and session metadata accessed through the ONE API.
OpenNeuro
OpenNeuro is a free, open platform for sharing neuroimaging datasets, with public search, dataset pages, and download paths for web, S3, DataLad, and the OpenNeuro CLI.