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At least 505 records · Page 28Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

The "chewing wheel" device: plaque-removing efficiency and use in oral hygiene programs.

Control of bacterial plaque on tooth surfaces is the most important method of controlling dental disease. The patient's ability to achieve good plaque control is of utmost importance in preventing the occurrence of periodontal disease and in maintaining periodontal health. The search for better methods that enable easier and more effective plaque control has led to the development of the "chewing wheel." A clinical trial was conducted to compare the plaque-removing efficiency of the chewing wheel to that of a manual toothbrush. The tested device removed 18% to 37% of the accumulated dental deposits. In spite of its limited efficiency, the wheel can be used as part of an oral hygiene program for individuals with perceptomotor dysfunctions.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A comparison of mental health center operated detoxification programs in North Carolina.

The mental health center program in North Carolina provides detoxification services for substance abusers in community-based detoxification programs. Some of these programs are licensed as "social setting" and other as "medical nonhospital." Evaluation of one medical program and comparison with social setting programs revealed that the cost per bed in the social setting is 58% less, and that the cost for physicians and drugs constitute 17% of the medical detoxification program. However, because of the efficiency of the medical program, the costs per patient treated are comparable. Sixty-nine percent of the patients receive librium in the first 24 h after admission and 26% in the second 24 h in doses of 109 mg and 59 mg, respectively, and 62% required medication other than librium. As judged by the staff, 68% of the patients treated successfully completed the program. Follow-up of patients 30 days after discharge revealed that approximately 50% were in recovery.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Efficient hyperkernel learning using second-order cone programming.

The kernel function plays a central role in kernel methods. Most existing methods can only adapt the kernel parameters or the kernel matrix based on empirical data. Recently, Ong et al. introduced the method of hyperkernels which can be used to learn the kernel function directly in an inductive setting. However, the associated optimization problem is a semidefinite program (SDP), which is very computationally expensive, even with the recent advances in interior point methods. In this paper, we show that this learning problem can be equivalently reformulated as a second-order cone program (SOCP), which can then be solved more efficiently than SDPs. Comparison is also made with the kernel matrix learning method proposed by Lanckriet et aL Experimental results on both classification and regression problems, with toy and real-world data sets, show that our proposed SOCP formulation has significant speedup over the original SDP formulation. Moreover, it yields better generalization than Lanckriet et al.'s method, with a speed that is comparable, or sometimes even faster, than their quadratically constrained quadratic program (QCQP) formulation.

Algorithms↗
PubMed1994

Constructing gene models from accurately predicted exons: an application of dynamic programming.

This paper presents a computationally efficient algorithm, the Gene Assembly Program III (GAP III), for constructing gene models from a set of accurately-predicted 'exons'. The input to the algorithm is a set of clusters of exon candidates, generated by a new version of the GRAIL coding region recognition system. The exon candidates of a cluster differ in their presumed edges and occasionally in their reading frames. Each exon candidate has a numerical score representing its 'probability' of being an actual exon. GAP III uses a dynamic programming algorithm to construct a gene model, complete or partial, by optimizing a predefined objective function. The optimal gene models constructed by GAP III correspond very well with the structures of genes which have been determined experimentally and reported in the Genome Sequence Database (GSDB). On a test set of 137 human and mouse DNA sequences consisting of 954 true exons, GAP III constructed 137 gene models using 892 exons, among which 859 (859/954 = 90%) are true exons and 33 (33/892 = 3%) are false positive. Among the 859 true positives, 635 (74%) match the actual exons exactly, and 838 (98%) have at least one edge correct. GAP III is computationally efficient. If we use E and C to represent the total number of exon candidates in all clusters and the number of clusters, respectively, the running time of GAP III is proportional to (E x C).

Algorithms↗
PubMed2004

Computer program for determining fluorescence resonance energy transfer efficiency from flow cytometric data on a cell-by-cell basis.

The determination of fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) with flow cytometry (FCET) is one of the most efficient tools to study the proximity relationships of cell membrane components in cell populations on a cell-by-cell basis. Because of the high amount of data and the relatively tedious calculations, this procedure should be assisted by powerful data processing software. The currently available programs are not able to fulfill this requirement. We developed a Windows-based program to calculate fluorescence resonance energy transfer efficiency values from list mode flow cytometry standard (FCS) files. This program displays the measured data in standard plots by generating one- and two-parameter histograms on linear or logarithmic scales. A graphical gating tool allows the user to select the desired cell population according to any combination of the parameter values. The program performs several statistical calculations, including mean, S.D., percent of the gated data. We have implemented two types of data sheet for FRET calculations to aid and guide the user during the analysis: one with population-mean-based autofluorescence correction and the other with spectrum-based cell-by-cell autofluorescence correction. In this paper, we describe the gating algorithms, the file opening procedure and the rules of gating. The structure of the program and a short description of the graphical user-interface (GUI) are also presented in this article.

Algorithms↗
PubMed1992

Dynamic programming algorithms for restriction map comparison.

For most sequence comparison problems there is a corresponding map comparison algorithm. While map data may appear to be incompatible with dynamic programming, we show in this paper that the rigor and efficiency of dynamic programming algorithms carry over to the map comparison algorithms. We present algorithms for restriction map comparison that deal with two types of map errors: (i) closely spaced sites for different enzymes can be ordered incorrectly, and (ii) closely spaced sites for the same enzyme can be mapped as a single site. The new algorithms are a natural extension of a previous map comparison model. Dynamic programming algorithms for computing optimal global and local alignments under the new model are described. The new algorithms take about the same order of time as previous map comparison algorithms. Programs implementing some of the new algorithms are used to find similar regions within the Escherichia coli restriction map of Kohara et al.

Algorithms↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A comparison of two mobile treatment programs for the homebound and nursing home patient.

Two mobile treatment programs using portable equipment transported in vans to serve homebound persons in Denver and Chicago are compared for types of patients treated, use by local dentists, types of services provided, fees generated, and costs involved in operation during the 2-year period (1985-86). Both programs treated a similar, largely nursing home-based white female population that was predominantly older. Volunteer dentist participation varied greatly, with more than twice the number of dentists using the service in Chicago. Both programs accomplished essentially the same number of visits for the biennium studied, with 1,324 for Chicago and 1,320 for Denver. The Denver program was more efficient, generating more visits each time a dentist used the program. The services provided in total were about the same for both programs, with Denver generating 4,887 procedures and Chicago 4,602 for the biennium, but Denver had a more favorable ratio of diagnostic to treatment services. The costs of both programs were close, averaging about $60,000 per year. Denver was able to generate far more in equivalent fees than Chicago for the biennium, but Chicago dentists donated a greater percentage of services (67) than did Denver dentists (62).

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A comprehensive cardiovascular waveform analysis program for IBM-compatible personal computers.

Computerized cardiovascular waveform processing has become a necessary and fundamental tool in the analysis of physiologic data. The availability of numerous commercial data-analysis programs has significantly enhanced the efficiency of waveform analysis. Many such programs come with their own programming language, which enables the researcher to create an application program suited to a specific series of calculations. Once written, an application program can significantly increase the efficiency with which data from a specific experiment can be analyzed. However, creating or modifying a program for each new experimental protocol can be time-consuming, especially in the error-detection and verification stages. Single-purpose programs also prove somewhat inflexible to unexpected changes in experimental formats. These problems suggested the need for a more flexible program, but one that is nevertheless specifically suited to the analysis of cardiovascular signals. This need led to the development of a program designed in collaboration with surgeons and physiologists. This program addresses some important analysis problems in cardiovascular research, and allows the user to survey and manipulate cardiovascular waveforms in an intuitive and spontaneous manner.

Algorithms↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The POP Program: the patient education advantage.

In 1992, a preoperative education program was developed for total joint replacement patients in a small community hospital. The goals of the program were to increase educational opportunities for the joint replacement patients, prepare patients for hospitalization, plan for discharge needs, and increase efficiency of the orthopaedic program. Since 1992, approximately 600 patients have attended the education program. Outcomes have included positive responses from patients regarding their preparedness for surgery, increased participation in their plan of care, coordinated discharge planning, decreased length of stay, and progression across the continuum of care. A multidisciplinary approach to preparing patients for surgery allows for a comprehensive and efficient education program. Marketing of successful programs can enhance an institution's competitive advantage and help ensure the hospital's viability in the current health care arena.

Arthroplasty, Replacement↗
PubMed1983

Competition and efficiency in the end stage renal disease program.

Estimated coefficients for medical service production or cost functions are subject to a 'competitive amenity bias' which may result in the failure to identify factors that affect economic efficiency. Our investigation of productivity of dialysis facilities did indeed indicate both the likelihood of bias and some qualitative results. These results suggest that it will be difficult to estimate cost and that variation in the level of reimbursement will, in competitive markets, affect the level of amenity delivered to patients. Incurred cost, amenity, and patient well-being will all vary positively with the reimbursement level. Determining the 'right' level of reimbursement requires a policy decision on how much total amenity society wishes to deliver to beneficiaries of public programs.

Costs and Cost Analysis↗
PubMed1998

The suitability and efficiency of human follicular fluid as a protein supplement in human in vitro fertilization programs.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the suitability and efficiency of human follicular fluid (HFF) as a protein supplement in human IVF programs. DESIGN: Comparative study of the effects of HFF and other protein supplements on the in vitro development of mouse oocytes and on the pregnancy rate in human IVF programs. SETTING: In Vitro Fertilization Center, Hanna Women's Clinic, Seoul, Korea. PATIENT(S): Three hundred twenty-seven patients (388 cycles) who were down-regulated with GnRH agonist and stimulated with hMG. INTERVENTION(S): The suitability was evaluated with the results of animal studies and the efficiency of HFF was investigated with the results of human IVF programs. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Meiotic maturation of mouse oocytes, development of mouse embryos, morphological grades of human embryos, pregnancy rate in human IVF programs, and electrophoresis. RESULT(S): Human follicular fluid significantly stimulated meiotic resumption in mouse oocytes, even in the presence of meiotic inhibitors, and enhanced the developmental potential of mouse embryos in vitro. Compared with human fetal cord serum, human follicular fluid also improved the morphological grade of human embryos by reducing cytoplasmic fragmentation. In conventional IVF cycles of human IVF programs, use of HFF significantly increased the clinical PR (109/234 cycles, 46.5%; P < .05), compared with use of human fetal cord serum (14/52 cycles, 26.9%). However, in intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles, there was no difference in PRs between use of HFF (38/85 cycles, 44.7%) and use of human fetal cord serum (7/17 cycles, 41.1%). When the protein compositions of human fetal cord serum and HFF were investigated by electrophoresis, a protein of 21 kD was detected specifically in HFF. CONCLUSION(S): Human follicular fluid is suitable for use as a protein supplement and is effective in increasing the pregnancy rate in human IVF programs.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

A chance-constrained multiobjective model for mental health services planning.

Mental health services planning, and particularly the planning for deinstitutionalization, is a very complex problem. This paper suggests a chance-constrained goal programming (CCGP) approach to mental health services planning. The CCGP approach is based on the sequential solution of a linear programming formulation, allowing efficient solution of large-scale planning problems using commercially available linear programming computer codes. The procedure is demonstrated with a case example and implementation of the approach is discussed.

Deinstitutionalization↗
PubMed2003

The measurement of influenza vaccine coverage among health care workers.

BACKGROUND: Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for health care workers in both the United States and Canada. Estimations of vaccine coverage are commonly used to evaluate these vaccination programs. PURPOSE: We identify, discuss, and illustrate challenges including definitions of health care worker (HCW), selection of indicators, and data sources in the estimation of staff influenza vaccination coverage rates. METHODS: To illustrate the impact of the factors we discuss, we created a database of a simulated pool of HCWs that included varying proportions of permanent, casual, and contract staff under differing scenarios of staff turnover and differing probabilities of individuals being vaccinated. The Excel 97 random number generator (Microsoft) was used to randomly allocate the HCW to different strata under differing staff turnover rates and to designate individuals as being vaccinated. RESULTS: The nature of the staff targeted in the program policy has a large impact on the estimations of vaccine coverage. Different indicators provide data that might be useful for different purposes. The counts in the numerator and denominator of a period prevalence may be useful for estimation of the total workload required of the vaccination program. An incidence density might be useful as an indicator of the efficiency of the program in "capturing" staff for vaccination. The indicator that may be easiest is the point prevalence. CONCLUSION: Program evaluators must think carefully when planning to estimate staff vaccination coverage to avoid invalid comparisons of estimates over time and place. State or province-wide targets for health care worker (HCW) vaccination may be meaningless unless appropriate criteria for the calculation of influenza vaccination rates are developed and specified.

Allied Health Personnel↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Mission, staffing, and budget data of flight programs in the United States.

INTRODUCTION: Manage care and other health care reform initiatives have forced all hospitals to evaluate their work processes. In this era of cost containment, many flight programs are examining the structure of their programs to determined whether they are functioning in an efficient, cost-effective fashion. METHODS: A survey was sent to the chief flight nurse of 240 flight programs in the United States. RESULTS: Eighty-five programs (35.4%) responded. Data were collected on demographics, management structure, mission information, staffing issues, and budgets. Results in each program varied widely. CONCLUSION: Benchmark data are available against which programs can compare themselves. Such comparisons may allow the discovery of opportunities to enhance program efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Air Ambulances↗
PubMed1992

High utilization rate offsets efficiencies in pilot military mental healthcare program.

Higher than expected utilization has resulted in millions of dollars in unexpected costs in a pilot project designed to fill gaps in mental health services for children of Army families. While the plan has succeeded in paring costs per patient, the overall price tag has called into question the ability of the military to design and operate a managed-care delivery system economically.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Efficiency of kinesi- and hydrokinesitherapy in children with bronchial asthma].

The authors review efficiency of various programs of kinesi and hydrokinesitherapy of children with atopic bronchial asthma (BA). Efficiency of the treatment was assessed by quality of life using the questionnaire by A. West, D. French "Childhood asthma questionnaire" (adapted for Russia by V. I. Petrov et al). Monitoring of the activity of allergic inflammation of the upper respiratory tracts was performed by examination of the nasal lavage fluid for nitric oxide metabolites, of the lower respiratory tracts--by the metabolites in the condensate of the expired air. It is shown that hydrokinesitherapy raises BA children's quality of life and declines inflammation activity leading to reduction of the number of BA exacerbations and hospitalizations. The above criteria of the treatment efficacy proved sensitive.

Adolescent↗