Interventions with care givers of dementia patients: Comparison of two approaches.

We compared the effect of two approaches, family counseling and support groups, for relieving the stress and burden experienced by care givers of dementia patients. Both treatments are designed to implement features of a stress-management model that have been identified in prior research with this population: providing information about the patient's disease and its effects on behavior, teaching behavioral problem solving for managing difficult behavior, and identifying potential support for care givers. Subjects were primary care givers of dementia patients living in the community; they included husbands, wives, daughters, and other relatives. Although subjects in the treatment groups made significant gains over time, they did not differ from wait-list subjects who showed similar improvements. One-year follow-up interviews indicated that gains made during the treatment period were maintained. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparison of Field Data and Water-Balance Predictions for a Capillary Barrier Cover

Predictions of surface runoff (R), evapotranspiration (ET), soil–water storage (S), and percolation obtained using three numerical codes (LEACHM, HYDRUS, and UNSAT-H) employed to simulate the hydrology of water-balance covers are compared to measured water-balance data from a lysimeter used to monitor a capillary barrier cover profile in a subhumid climate. All of the codes captured the seasonal variations in water-balance quantities observed in the field. LEACHM and HYDRUS predicted total R during the monitoring period with reasonable accuracy (within 18?mm using general mean parameters), but the timing of predicted and observed R events was different. In contrast, UNSAT-H consistently overpredicted R by at least 239?mm. Evapotranspiration was predicted reliably (within 60?mm) with all three codes when data from the first year were excluded. However, all three codes overpredicted ET in late winter and early spring, when snowmelt was occurring and S was accumulating in the field. Consequently, S generally was underpredicted by all three codes. Predicted and measured percolation were in good agreement (within 1?mm/year), except during the first year. Results of the comparison indicate that cover modelers should scrutinize runoff predictions for reasonableness and carefully account for snow accumulation, snow melt, and ET during snow cover.     

Case Study of the Big Bay Dam Failure: Accuracy and Comparison of Breach Predictions

The Big Bay Dam embankment failure occurred on March 12, 2004, releasing 17,500,000?m3 (14,200?acre-ft) of water. In all, 104 structures were documented as being damaged or destroyed as a result of this failure. No human lives were lost. This paper documents data gathered and analyses performed on the hydraulics of the failure. High water levels from the failure were marked and measured. A HEC-RAS unsteady flow model was developed. Using observed breach geometry, HEC-RAS provided results that agreed with the measured high water marks from ?0.02?to??0.90?m and 0.01?to?0.62?m with associated modeled flow depths ranging from 9.3?to?5.7?m (from 30?to?19?ft). A peak breach flow of 4,160?m3/s (147,000?ft3/s) was predicted at the embankment. Breach peak flow prediction equations were found to substantially underpredict the peak flow indicated by HEC-RAS for this failure. HEC-RAS modeling utilizing predicted breach geometry and formation time also underpredicted the peak flow, but by a lesser amount. The National Resources Conservation Service models WinTR-20 and TR 66 were also assessed. WinTR-20 results compared reasonably well with the high water marks for this failure. TR-66 results did not compare well.     

Comparison of two devices for wound measurement

Sixty leg ulcers were measured with two techniques, a common paper tape measure and a new technique, a plastic grid device. The plastic grid proved to be a reliable, valid, and feasible method to quickly assess wounds in a busy outpatient setting. The grid was superior to the tape measure in assessing large and/or irregular ulcers.     

Comparison of population-averaged and subject-specific approaches for analyzing repeated binary outcomes

Several approaches have been proposed to model binary outcomes that arise from longitudinal studies. Most of the approaches can be grouped into two classes: the population-averaged and subject-specific approaches. The generalized estimating equations (GEE) method is commonly used to estimate population-averaged effects, while random-effects logistic models can be used to estimate subject-specific effects. However, it is not clear to many epidemiologists how these two methods relate to one another or how these methods relate to more traditional stratified analysis and standard logistic models. The authors address these issues in the context of a longitudinal smoking prevention trial, the Midwestern Prevention Project. In particular, the authors compare results from stratified analysis, standard logistic models, conditional logistic models, the GEE models, and random-effects models by analyzing a binary outcome from two and seven repeated measurements, respectively. In the comparison, the authors focus on the interpretation of both time-varying and time-invariant covariates under different models. Implications of these methods for epidemiologic research are discussed.     

Comparison of two group treatments for bulimia.

28 18–46 yr old female bulimics, who binged and vomited at least twice weekly, participated in a study to examine the relative efficacy of 2 group treatments (cognitive-behavioral and nondirective) for bulimia. All Ss completed an eating-history questionnaire before treatment to determine the duration and severity of bulimia, and they used standardized food records to monitor their eating and vomiting for 1 wk prior to and 1 wk following treatment. The following questionnaires were administered before and after treatment: Beck Depression Inventory, State-Trait Personality Inventory, Eating Attitudes Test, an assertion inventory, and an eating disorders inventory. Both treatment groups met weekly for 16 wks. The cognitive-behavioral group was instructed to make specific changes in their eating and vomiting behavior, whereas the nondirective group was given no such instructions. Results indicate that the cognitive-behavioral treatment had fewer dropouts and yielded significantly greater decreases in bingeing and vomiting than did the nondirective treatment. At 3-mo follow-up, 38% of the cognitive-behavioral and 11% of the nondirective Ss continued to abstain from bingeing and vomiting, but these differences were not statistically significant. (28 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)