BACKGROUND: Slow-fast analysis is a simple and effective method to reduce the influence of substitution saturation, one of the causes of phylogenetic noise and long branch attraction (LBA) artifacts. In several steps of increasing stringency, the slow-fast analysis omits the fastest substituting alignment positions from the analysed dataset and thus increases its signal/noise ratio. RESULTS: Our program SlowFaster automates the process of assessing the substitution rate of the alignment positions and the process of producing new alignments by deleting the saturated positions. Its use is very simple. It goes through the whole process in several steps: data input - necessary choices - production of new alignments. CONCLUSION: SlowFaster is a user-friendly tool providing new alignments prepared with slow-fast analysis. These data can be used for further phylogenetic analyses with lower risk of long branch attraction artifacts.
Cíl: předvést praktické využití protokolu, který vydal v roce 2006 CLSI (Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute) pod označením EP15-A2 Vol.25 No.17„User Verification of Performance for Precision and Trueness; Approved Guideline, Second Edition“ [1], dále jen EP15-A2, za účelem uživatelské verifikace preciznosti analytické metody deklarované výrobci IVD MD pro klinické laboratoře. Výsledky: verifikace preciznosti deklarovaná výrobcem se prováděla na koncentraci katalytické aktivity enzymu γ-glutamyltransferázy v lidském séru (měřená veličina), a měření se provádělo na dvou koncentračních hladinách vždy ve třech opakováních v průběhu pěti dní. Diskuse: upozornit na existenci potenciálního úskalí alternativního způsobu odhadu mezilehlé preciznosti měřicího postupu nazvaného „Varianta 1“ a uveřejněného v tomto časopise (dále jen KBM), č. 1/2011, ve sdělení českého kolektivu autorů „Doporučení k provádění validace a verifikace analytických metod v klinických laboratořích“ [2], dále jen „Doporučení“. Závěr: hodnocení čtyřkrokové aplikace protokolu EP15-A2 v praxi, přísliby nové verze EP15-A3, preciznost.
Objective: to demonstrate the practical application of the EP15-A2 Vol. 25 No.17 CLSI document titled as „User Verification of Performance for Precision and Trueness; Approved Guideline, Second edition“ [1], next only EP15-A2, to the user verification („spot-checking“) analytical methods precision of manufacturer claims in clinical laboratories, which was published by CLSI 2006. Results: the precision manufacturer precision claims were tested on the gamma-glutamyltransferase catalytic concentration in human serum (measurand), at two levels, running 3 replicates on each of the 5 days. Discussion: the possible pitfalls of the analytical method precision alternative verification way when the intermediate precision is assessed as the „Option 1“ formerly published in „Recommendation to perform the analytical methods validation and verification in clinical laboratories“ [2], next only „Recommendation“, in this journal „Clinical biochemistry and metabolism“, next only KBM, No. 1/2011, by the Czech authors collective. Conclusion: the evaluation of 4-steps EP15-A2 protocol application in practice, the new version EP15-A3 promises.
... S19 Vestibular Dysfunction -- S20 Current Treatment/Rehabilitation -- S20 Basis for Development of a New ... ... Seasickness/Space Sickness -- S33 Current Treatment/Rehabilitation\' -- S33 Basis of Development of a New ...
The laryngoscope, ISSN 0023-852X Volume 121, supplementum 2, 2011
strany 17-35 : ilustrace, tabulky ; 28 cm
- MeSH
- Smart Glasses MeSH
- Motion Sickness MeSH
- Spatial Behavior MeSH
- Rehabilitation MeSH
- Vestibular Diseases MeSH
- Conspectus
- Patologie. Klinická medicína
- NML Fields
- otorinolaryngologie
- NML Publication type
- studie
Motivation: Modern molecular methods have increased our ability to describe microbial communities. Along with the advances brought by new sequencing technologies, we now require intensive computational resources to make sense of the large numbers of sequences continuously produced. The software developed by the scientific community to address this demand, although very useful, require experience of the command-line environment, extensive training and have steep learning curves, limiting their use. We created SEED 2, a graphical user interface for handling high-throughput amplicon-sequencing data under Windows operating systems. Results: SEED 2 is the only sequence visualizer that empowers users with tools to handle amplicon-sequencing data of microbial community markers. It is suitable for any marker genes sequences obtained through Illumina, IonTorrent or Sanger sequencing. SEED 2 allows the user to process raw sequencing data, identify specific taxa, produce of OTU-tables, create sequence alignments and construct phylogenetic trees. Standard dual core laptops with 8 GB of RAM can handle ca. 8 million of Illumina PE 300 bp sequences, ca. 4 GB of data. Availability and implementation: SEED 2 was implemented in Object Pascal and uses internal functions and external software for amplicon data processing. SEED 2 is a freeware software, available at http://www.biomed.cas.cz/mbu/lbwrf/seed/ as a self-contained file, including all the dependencies, and does not require installation. Supplementary data contain a comprehensive list of supported functions. Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
In this paper, a new web solution for administering allergies, asthma and rhinitis in a pan-European level is described. The proposed system was designed to provide: professionals with easy workload and access educational and informational material; sufferers with personalised management tools and educational sources; and citizens with rich informational material. The IREMMA system architecture embeds the existing information networks and data sources on allergy by offering high data integration and multi-modal access to its users, through a multi-service tool and high-distributed architecture. Hence, IREMMA sets the ground for establishing a wide integrated network for environmental monitoring and diffusion of health information. User feedback was collected through extensive pilot trials with real users and the results were used to improve the IREMMA services and the designing and the content specification.
- Keywords
- IREMMA,
- MeSH
- Allergens immunology classification adverse effects MeSH
- Hypersensitivity diagnosis prevention & control MeSH
- Asthma diagnosis prevention & control MeSH
- Databases as Topic standards MeSH
- Epidemiologic Factors MeSH
- Financing, Organized MeSH
- Internet trends MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Environmental Monitoring standards MeSH
- Online Systems standards MeSH
- Pollen immunology classification adverse effects MeSH
- Rhinitis diagnosis prevention & control MeSH
- Systems Integration MeSH
- Medical Order Entry Systems utilization MeSH
- Information Storage and Retrieval methods utilization MeSH
- User-Computer Interface MeSH
- Geography MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Geographicals
- Greece MeSH
- Spain MeSH
1st ed. XXVII, 570 s.
VÝCHODISKA: V posledních letech můžeme být svědky nárůstu výskytu nových psychoaktivních substancí (NPS) neboli také takzvaných „legal highs" a rozšíření iejich užívání v běžné populaci. Užívání takovýchto látek představuje hrozbu jak pro individuální zdraví jedince, tak veřejné zdraví populace. Práce si stanovila za hlavní cíle analyzovat, (i) jak uživatelé NSD vnímají rizika spojená s jejich užíváním a (ii) jaké strategie používají uživatelé NSD, aby předešli rizikům, která mohou být spojena s užíváním těchto látek. DATA A METODA: V rámci výzkumu byla využita kvalitativní obsahová analýza internetových diskusních fór sdružujících uživatele NPS (16 internetových diskusnich fór s celkovým počtem 832 příspěvků) a kvalitativní analýza polostrukturovaných rozhovorů s 9 uživateli NSD; při analýze byla využita metoda zakotvené teorie. VÝSLEDKY: Pokud jde o vnímání rizikovosti, existuje skupina uživatelů, kteří rizikovost těchto látek vnímají jako malou, což souvisí i s tím, že „legálnost" látek považují za signál ohledně jejich nízké účinnosti. Vnímání rizikovosti se v průběhu užívání NPS mění a uživatelé se vůči dříve podceňovaným NPS chovají obezřetněji na základě vlastnich zkušeností, nebo zkušeností ze svého okolí a z diskusnich fór. Uživatelé NPS využívali jako nástroje snižování rizik NPS užívání menšího množství látky (obzvláště při prvním užitO, volbou vhodného settingu a snahou nekombinovat NPS s jinými psychoaktivními látkami a navzájem. Jako důležitou pro minimalizaci výskytu případných poIkození vnímají uživatelé zjištění si potřebných informací o užívané látce. ZÁVĚRY: Oficiální zdroje informací neporažují uživatelé NPS za důvěryhodné, informace podávané samotnými prodejci konkrétních látek, kteří se tak chrání před případným právním postihem, považují za nedostatečné. Nejvíce využívaným a relevantním zdrojem jsou tak internetová fóra sdružující uživatele NPS a zkušenosti přátel a známých. Tyto komunikační kanály by měly být podpórovány a užívány v programech snižování rizik.
Recent years have witnessed an increase in the incidence of new psychoactive substances (NPSs), also referred to as “legal highs”, on the market and a spread of their use in the general population. The use of such substances poses a threat to the health of individuals and the public. This paper presents the results of research, the main objective of which was to analyse (i) how users of NPSs perceive the risks associated with their use and (ii) what strategies are applied by NPS users to avoid the risks that may be associated with the use of these substances. DATA AND METHODS: The research was a qualitative content analysis of online discussion fora associating NPS users (16 fora with a total of 832 posts) and qualitative analysis of interviews with 9 NPS users; the method of grounded theory was used to make the analysis. RESULTS: Regarding the perception of risk, there is a group of users who perceive the risk of these substances as low, as a result of their “legal” status, which they take as a signal of their mild effects. The perception of risk changes in the course of using NPSs and users who previously underestimated NPSs start to behave more cautiously given their own experience or the experience of people around them and the contributors to the fora. The strategies to reduce NPS-related risk were as follows: using the NPS in small amounts (especially on the first occasion of their use), selecting an appropriate setting, and trying not to combine NPSs with other psychoactive substances and other NPSs. Having enough relevant information about a substance before using it is viewed by the users as an important risk minimisation tool. CONCLUSIONS: The official sources of information were not considered reliable by the NPS users. The information provided by the sellers of particular substances was considered insufficient. The information sources of the greatest relevance and those which were utilised the most were online discussion fora associating NPS users and the expe- riences of friends and acquaintances. These communica- tion channels should be encouraged and actively used in risk reduction programmes.
- Keywords
- volný prodej, internetové diskuse, nové psychoaktivní látky, on-line diskusní fóra, Amsterdam-SHOP,
- MeSH
- Information Seeking Behavior MeSH
- Risk Reduction Behavior MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Risk Assessment * MeSH
- Internet utilization MeSH
- Qualitative Research MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Marketing MeSH
- Young Adult MeSH
- Designer Drugs MeSH
- Commerce legislation & jurisprudence MeSH
- Substance-Related Disorders MeSH
- Psychotropic Drugs * supply & distribution MeSH
- Interviews as Topic MeSH
- Harm Reduction MeSH
- Drug Users * psychology MeSH
- Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice MeSH
- Focus Groups MeSH
- Check Tag
- Adult MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Young Adult MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- MeSH
- Databases as Topic standards instrumentation trends MeSH
- Hemodynamics physiology MeSH
- Clinical Trials as Topic methods instrumentation utilization MeSH
- Blood Pressure Determination methods instrumentation utilization MeSH
- Blood Pressure Monitors standards trends utilization MeSH
- Oscillometry methods instrumentation trends MeSH
- User-Computer Interface MeSH
- Equipment and Supplies standards MeSH
[1st ed.] xxiii, 297 s.
In 2008, the Czech Republic instituted a new policy that requires most patients to pay a small fee for some inpatient and outpatient healthcare services. Using the Survey of Health Aging and Retirement in Europe, this article examines the changes in healthcare utilization of Czechs 50 years and older following the new fee requirement by constructing difference-in-differences regression models focusing on four outcome measures: any visits to primary care physician, any hospitalization, number of visits to the primary care physician and number of nights hospitalized. For this population, I find that the likelihood of having any primary care visit decreased after the policy was instituted. The likelihood of reporting any hospitalization was not significantly changed. The predicted number of primary care visits per person declined, but the predicted number of nights spent in a hospital did not. I find only mixed evidence of greater effect of the user fees on some subpopulations compared with others. Those 65 or older reduced their use more than those between 50 and 64, and so did those who consider their health to be good, and the less educated.
- MeSH
- Health Services Accessibility economics MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Longitudinal Studies MeSH
- Patient Acceptance of Health Care * MeSH
- Fee-for-Service Plans * MeSH
- Primary Health Care economics statistics & numerical data MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Health Surveys MeSH
- Check Tag
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH
- Geographicals
- Czech Republic MeSH
