Report to the Ethics Committee, 1994.

Reports the number and types of complaints investigated by the Ethics Committee of the American Psychological Association (APA) for 1994. The most significant activity was the approval of a revision of APA Bylaws related to ethics. Topics discussed include Ethics Committee membership, Ad Hoc Policy and Education Committee activities, Ethics office staff, Ethics case data, and examples of specific complaints. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Program of External Quality Evaluation in Clinical Chemistry. An overview and evaluation after 11 years of functioning

After an eleven-year period, the goals and way of functioning are remembered the External Quality Assessment Scheme in Clinical Chemistry, under the responsibility of the National Institute of Health. The authors try to evaluate the quality of results obtained at the time by the 160 participant laboratories, belonging to the public and private sectors as well as to the Portuguese reference laboratories which have to assign the expected values on the control sera to be analysed. As regards the 22 biochemical blood parameters, we came to the conclusion that there is a high performance level in what concerns the reference laboratories and a quality level of participant laboratories in accordance with their considered peer foreign laboratories.     

Benchmarks for surgical gynecology: results of the German Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics Quality Assurance Study

Profiling of performance and quality in gynecological surgery is discussed. Unfortunately, most report cards miss valid clinical benchmarks. Within the German study on quality assurance in gynecological surgery we explored whether indicators of quality were suitable as clinical benchmarks. Using a factor analytic approach, we reduced the number of indicators and obtained in a set of 13 indicators of clinical quality. On the basis of the study data on post operative infections we show that these indicators are suitable as clinical benchmarks: the clinical benchmarks are able to make health care quality transparent and demonstrate opportunities for improvement of the processes of gynecological care.     

Quality of patient care in the Medicare End-Stage Renal Disease Program: the basis and implementation of the 1994-1997 End-Stage Renal Disease Health Care Quality Improvement Program

In a population-based prospective study of epileptic seizures in adult s aged > 17 years, we identified 563 patients with possible seizures in a period of 34 months. Seizures were unprovoked in 160 patients, an incidence of 56 in 100,000 person-years. There was no difference in incidence between sexes. Age-specific incidences of unprovoked seizures increased sharply in men from age 60 years and in women from age 70 years. The incidence of unprovoked seizures in those aged > 65 years was 139 (men 166, women 116). The cumulative incidence of unprovoked seizures between the ages of 17 and 84 years was 4.6%. The proportion with an identified presumptive cause for unprovoked seizures increased with advancing age. A presumed etiology was identified in 77% of persons aged > 60 years. Stroke was the most common etiology, detected in 30% (incidence 16) and in 45% at ages > 60 years. Tumors were detected in 11% (incidence 6) and Alzheimer's disease was detected in 7% (incidence 4). Eighteen percent of patients were demented. Unprovoked seizures were partial in 68% of cases (incidence 38), and generalized in 16% (incidence 9). Another 13% of patients had generalized seizures, but seizure onset was not witnessed (incidence 7). In 16%, there was a delay of > 1 year from the first unprovoked seizure to initial diagnosis.     

Time of Sampling Strategies for Asphalt Pavement Quality Assurance

The cost of quality assurance programs in asphalt road construction is high in part because of the need for daily testing. This paper demonstrates the methodology used to investigate the timing of sampling and its effect on the quality assurance program. Fourteen lots over two highway paving projects were tested twice: during construction on a daily basis, and after construction was complete. Three quality measures were compared, namely asphalt content, degree of compaction, and aggregate gradation. The test data during construction were obtained from two sources: the consultant’s quality assurance, and the contractor’s quality control. One-way ANOVA tests and T-tests were used to compare the means. In addition, the arithmetic difference between the means was reviewed to understand how the time of sampling might affect contractor payment adjustments.     

Wisconsin Cytology Proficiency Testing Program. Results of voluntary testing in 1994

OBJECTIVE: The Wisconsin Cytology Proficiency Testing Program (WCPTP) was developed cooperatively by the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene, the Wisconsin Society of Pathologists and the Wisconsin Society of Cytology to enable pathologists and cytotechnologists in Wisconsin to meet Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act of 1988 (CLIA '88) requirements for proficiency testing (PT). STUDY DESIGN: A joint steering committee designed the WCPTP to comply with all CLIA '88 regulations. The WCPTP application to the Health Care Financing Administration received tentative approval in May 1994. In 1994, mock PT was conducted at meetings of both state societies, and voluntary, on-site PT was conducted at 19 laboratories. RESULTS: Each of the 119 participants (49 pathologists, 70 cytotechnologists) was tested with sets of 10 glass slides, each representing one of four specified categories: A, unsatisfactory; B, normal/benign; C, low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion; and D, high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion and cancer. The failure rate for pathologists was 22.5% (11/49) and for cytotechnologists, 1.4% (1/70). The CLIA '88 scoring system for pathologists is more stringent. If cytotechnologists were scored as pathologists, 10% (7/70) would have failed. Using the cytotechnologist grid, 14.5% (7/49) of the pathologists would have failed. CONCLUSION: This voluntary program provided some preliminary insights into the issues related to PT evaluation of personnel competence and diagnostic criteria.     

全国钢标准化技术委员会2007年工作总结及2008年工作要点

1 2007年主要工作回顾 2007年是国家标准制修订任务非常繁重的一年，全国钢标委在按时完成上级下达的国家标准、行业标准制修订项目计划的同时，积极申报和组建分技术委员会，在完善委员会组织建设上取得了突破性的进展，开创了崭新的工作局面。     

The College of American Pathologists, 1946-1996. Quality Assurance Service

Since its creation in 1970, the College of American Pathologists Quality Assurance Service Committee has provided important and highly respected interlaboratory programs for daily quality control. In 1988, this committee extended its domain by announcing Q-Probes, a unique benchmarking program for laboratory quality assurance. Because of the success and rapid growth of this program during the next 2 years, the Quality Assurance Service Committee expanded into two committees, namely, QAS-QC and QAS-QA, with expertise concentrated, respectively, in quality control and quality assurance. These committees have compiled a history of significant scientific and educational contributions to members, the international laboratory community, other physicians, and patients. New directions for both committees are now underway so that their contributions can continue in the rapidly changing field of pathology and laboratory medicine.     

External defibrillation: the need for uniformity in analyzing and reporting results

A 74-year-old woman was scheduled for surgical treatment of a carpal tunnel syndrome. An intravenous (i.v.) regional anaesthetic was performed using 1% prilocaine standard technique. Three minutes after injection of the local anaesthetic mild to moderate central nervous system symptoms developed, along with tachycardia, sweating and peri-oral paraesthesia. The evolution was favourable, no convulsions or other more serious events occurred. Despite showing adequate pressure inflation the tourniquet failed to accomplish its purpose. The patient recovered well without any sequelae.     

Stimulation Program Health Research. XI. Evaluation of the section 'Rehabilitation Medicine'

As a part of the SGO Health Research Promotion Programme a research programme on rehabilitation medicine was realized. Aim of the programme was to strengthen clinical research in this field by training clinical researchers and improving clinical research infrastructure. Three clinical specialists have been trained to become senior clinical researchers by a 4-year training programme, concentrated within 2 clusters of a medical faculty, a university hospital and one or more centres for rehabilitation medicine. As a follow-up to the programme a 6-week educational course was developed for intending MDs in rehabilitation medicine and five intending rehabilitation medicine specialists receive a PhD research training during their clinical specialisation.     

济钢第三炼钢厂板坯连铸机计算机质量控制模型

济钢第三炼钢厂板坯连铸机计算机质量控制系统(CAQ)由冶金知识库、生产实绩参数表、质量管理、质量情况浏览及质量信息报表等组成,具有简明的层次化设计,可提供可靠、方便的操作,为冶炼优质高品质钢种、生产无缺陷板坯提供了良好的技术条件。     

Bulletin of breast disease: results of the 1990-1994 quinquennium

All mammary lesions diagnosed at the Institute of Pathological Anatomy of the University of Modena have been systematically filed since 1990 and reported in a bulletin, which is issued twice a year and delivered to health operators. So far, 5.188 cases of breast lesions, comprising 1.999 non-neoplastic pathologies, 1.040 benign tumors, 1.943 primary malignant neoplasms and 206 recurrences, have been filed. During the quinquennium 1990-1994, a progressive numerical reduction in diagnoses of non-neoplastic lesions coupled to an increase of benign tumors has been observed, whereas the number of primary malignant tumors has not changed. In particular, a statistically significant increase in diagnoses of carcinoma-in-situ and of fibrocystic disease associated with moderate-risk lesions (atypical hyperplasias) has been detected, whereas the number of cases of single fibrocystic disease has decreased. This reduction, however, is not significant. A slight increase of breast carcinomas smaller than 1 cm and 2 cm, coupled to a decrease of those exhibiting dimensions between 2 and 5 cm, has been found. The collection and systematic analysis of cases of mammary lesions appears to represent a useful tool to study the incidence of different breast pathologies in the general populations. It can also be viewed as a simple way to test the reliability of diagnostic methods used for selection of surgical cases.     

本科生导师制的实施措施及质量保证探讨

本科生导师制是高校正在探索实践的一项新的人才培养模式,是现行教育制度的补充,是落实学分制的保证,是确保本科生质量和创新能力的有益尝试。目前本科生导师制实施过程中存在的主要问题是导师指导的内容随意、指导的学生过多、指导的积极性不高、指导的效果不明显。为此,学校应建立完善的激励制度,教师应树立强烈的育人意识,明确"如何导和导什么",学生应积极、主动与导师沟通,以确保导师制应有的功能和作用。     

Routine antenatal screening for syphilis in Lothian: a study of the results 1988 to 1994

A retrospective study was carried out of the cases of positive syphilis serology detected by routine antenatal screening within Edinburgh (and surrounding district) over the six years 1988 to 1994. The study demonstrated a low incidence of syphilis with only 15 pregnancies in 58,445 screened. In eight cases serology and history were suggestive of late latent syphilis and in the remainder of previous infection which had been treated. All women were delivered of liveborn infants at term without stigmata of congenital syphilis. Lack of identifiable risk factors in women with positive serology suggests that routine rather than selective screening should continue.     

Standardization of the Functional Assessment and Intervention Program (FAIP) with Children Who Have Externalizing Behaviors.

The purpose of this study was to develop standardization data for the Functional Assessment Intervention Program (FAIP; University of Utah, Utah State University, & Utah State Office of Education, 1999), a computerized, functional behavioral assessment expert system. Reliability, validity, and utility analyses were conducted with students serving in either regular or special education classrooms who were rated by their teachers as having externalizing problematic behaviors. Results suggest that the FAIP demonstrated evidence of good interrater agreement and test-retest reliability for both behavior function and overall agreement. The FAIP also shows evidence of concurrent validity when identified behavior functions are compared to behavior functions identified on the Motivational Assessment Scale (MAS; Durand & Crimmins, 1992) and the Functional Assessment Interview (FAI; O'Neill et al., 1997). Most users preferred the FAIP to the two other functional assessments (MAS and FAI), ranking it higher overall and on an item-by-item basis. Implications for school psychologists using the FAIP with students who exhibit externalizing behavior disorders are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Stimulation Program Health Research. X. Evaluation of the program section 'Psychogeriatrics'

In the programme section 'Psychogeriatrics' of the SGO Health Research Promotion Programme a longitudinal study was carried out in Amsterdam from 1989 until 1994, concerning the course of mild cognitive decline in elderly people (the AMSTEL project). The scientific aims were the development of diagnostical instruments for the early diagnosis of dementia, the development of criteria which predict the course of mild cognitive impairment and the expansion of knowledge on the relationship between somatic and psychiatric pathology and dementia. The programme also had aims regarding medical education and patient care. The results include the following: in order to diagnose dementia in general practice questions regarding orientation and short-term memory are helpful. Risk factors for cognitive deterioration in elderly people include hippocampal atrophy on the MRI scan, a low level of education and subjective complaints regarding memory. Subjective complaints regarding memory are not primarily caused by a depressive mood, as is often thought, but are important as correct self-observations of cognitive deterioration, and go with an increased risk of developing dementia. Besides the AMSTEL project a feasibility study was carried out concerning a psychogeriatric case register in Amsterdam.