Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Scoring framework”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 739 records · Page 41Linked to original sources

Preliminary interspecific genetic maps of the populus genome constructed from RAPD markers.

We have constructed RAPD-based linkage maps for an interspecific cross between two species of the genus Populus (P. adenopoda and P. alba), based on a double pseudo-test-cross strategy. Of a total of 360 polymorphic fragments scored, 290 showed a test-cross configuration, corresponding to DNA polymorphisms heterozygous in one parent and null in the other. In the female parent, P. adenopoda, 82 markers were grouped in 19 different linkage groups (553 cM), whereas in the male parent P. alba, 197 markers established a much more complete framework map with an observed genome length of 2300 cM covering 87% of the total P. alba genome. The larger number of test-cross markers detected for the P. alba parent than for the P. adenopoda parent might be due to a higher level of heterozygosity in the former than in the latter. In this study, we detected only a small percentage (2%) of the intercross dominant markers heterozygous in both parents and segregating 3:1 in the progeny. The further focus in this mapping study should be on the identification of more intercross markers, to align the two parent-specific maps into a consensus map for mapping important genes causing species differentiation during long evolutionary divergences.

Chromosome Mapping↗

Evaluation of web accessibility of consumer health information websites.

The objectives of the study are to construct a comprehensive framework for web accessibility evaluation, to evaluate the current status of web accessibility of consumer health information websites and to investigate the relationship between web accessibility and property of the websites. We selected 108 consumer health information websites from the directory service of a Web search engine. We used Web accessibility specifications to construct a framework for the measurement of Web Accessibility Barriers (WAB) of website. We found that none of the websites is completely accessible to people with disabilities, but governmental and educational health information websites exhibit better performance on web accessibility than other categories of websites. We also found that the correlation between the WAB score and the popularity of a website is statistically significant.

Persons with Disabilities↗

Polygenic risk scores in major depressive disorder: A systematic review across diagnostic, treatment, course/severity, and subtype domains.

BACKGROUND: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is heterogeneous across diagnostic, treatment-related, course/severity, and subtype domains. Polygenic risk score (PRS) studies have examined these domains, but differences in PRS sources, samples, methods, and endpoint definitions have fragmented the evidence. We synthesised findings and examined potential contributors to heterogeneity. METHODS: PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and Web of Science were searched for studies published from January 2016 through 25 November 2025. Result records were synthesised using SWiM, and certainty was assessed with an adapted GRADE framework. RESULTS: Sixty studies contributed 493 retained records; 450 were descriptively classified as positive, null, or reverse, although records were not independent. Positive findings accounted for 44/56 diagnostic, 61/273 treatment-related, 64/100 course/severity, and 14/21 subtype records. For MDD/depression-derived PRSs and case-control MDD status, all 10 contributing studies showed higher liability in cases (exploratory exact sign test p = 0.002; FDR q = 0.004). The same PRS group showed positive findings for overall depressive symptom severity (14/18), although the study-level test was imprecise (5/5 studies; p = 0.063). Pharmacological response/remission findings for these PRSs were mostly null or directionally mixed (10 positive, 18 null, and 9 reverse). Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) findings differed by operational definition. Atypical and psychotic subtype signals arose mainly from single-study PRS and endpoint contrasts. CONCLUSIONS: PRS evidence was clearest for MDD diagnostic status and showed a tentative pattern for overall symptom burden. Treatment and subtype findings were less consistent or less replicated. Larger, ancestrally diverse studies with standardised endpoints and transparent PRS methods are needed.

Humans↗

Efficient calculation of interval scores for DNA copy number data analysis.

DNA amplifications and deletions characterize cancer genome and are often related to disease evolution. Microarray-based techniques for measuring these DNA copy-number changes use fluorescence ratios at arrayed DNA elements (BACs, cDNA, or oligonucleotides) to provide signals at high resolution, in terms of genomic locations. These data are then further analyzed to map aberrations and boundaries and identify biologically significant structures. We develop a statistical framework that enables the casting of several DNA copy number data analysis questions as optimization problems over real-valued vectors of signals. The simplest form of the optimization problem seeks to maximize phi(I) = Sigmanu(i)/radical|I| over all subintervals I in the input vector. We present and prove a linear time approximation scheme for this problem, namely, a process with time complexity O (nepsilon(-2)) that outputs an interval for which phi(I) is at least Opt/alpha(epsilon), where Opt is the actual optimum and alpha(epsilon) --> 1 as epsilon --> 0. We further develop practical implementations that improve the performance of the naive quadratic approach by orders of magnitude. We discuss properties of optimal intervals and how they apply to the algorithm performance. We benchmark our algorithms on synthetic as well as publicly available DNA copy number data. We demonstrate the use of these methods for identifying aberrations in single samples as well as common alterations in fixed sets and subsets of breast cancer samples.

Algorithms↗

A model for prion protein dimerisation based on alpha-helical packing.

Residues 109-122 of the human prion protein (PrP) are highly conserved across species, and are predicted to be alpha-helical in PrPc, the cellular form. A computational search of the potential for alpha-helical dimerisation has been made for residues 109-122. The conformation which consistently scores highest in terms of burying non-polar surface area is a tight association involving alanine, glycine and valine residues. A model of heterodimerisation for PrPc and PrPSc (the misfolded form) is presented in which species barrier mutations would arise from interaction specificities that would follow, at least in part, the same framework as formation of a putative homodimer.

Alanine↗

Toward an international measure of job satisfaction.

The purpose of this study was to assess the validity of the McCloskey/Mueller Satisfaction Scale (MMSS) in the West Bank, a dissimilar society and culture from the United States, where the instrument was developed. A second purpose was to measure the correlation between the MMSS total score and a single-item measure of job satisfaction. In contrast to the 31-item scale with eight factors of Mueller and McCloskey, four factors emerged in the current study: Interaction, Extrinsic Rewards, Control Over Work Environment, and Professional Participation. The resulting model is more similar to the original 1974 McCloskey conceptual framework than the 1990 eight-factor model.

Adult↗

Health patterns in aging women as expanding consciousness.

Newman's model of health as expanding consciousness provided the framework for investigation of the phenomenon of powerlessness among aging women. The study sought to identify a pattern of relationships among the impact of chronic illness, frame of temporal reference, death anxiety, hopelessness, and powerlessness. However, subjects manifested high levels of perceived situational control or powerfulness, with restricted range and variance of powerlessness scores. Thus the research questions were not answered. A profile of health patterns among active, aging women did emerge from the findings that it is congruent with Newman's model of health as expanding consciousness.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Development of an evaluation of medical student competence in evidence-based medicine using a computer-based OSCE station.

BACKGROUND: Instruction in evidence-based medicine (EBM) has been widely incorporated into medical school curricula with little evidence of its effectiveness. Our goal was to create, implement, and validate a computer-based assessment tool that measured medical students' EBM skills. DESCRIPTION: As part of a required objective structured clinical examination, we developed a specific case scenario in which students (a) asked a structured clinical question using a standard framework, (b) generated effective MEDLINE search terms to answer a specific question, and (c) elected the most appropriate of 3 abstracts generated from a search justifying which best applies to the patient scenario. EVALUATION: Between the 3 blinded raters, there was very good interrater reliability with 84, 94, and 96% agreement on the scoring for each component, respectively (k = .64, .82, and .91, respectively). In addition, students found the station appropriately difficult for their level of training. CONCLUSIONS: This computer-based tool appears to measure several EBM skills independently and combines simple administration and scoring. Its generalizability to other cases and settings requires further study.

Clinical Competence↗

Comparative effectiveness of torsemide vs furosemide in the management of heart failure patients: Win-ratio reanalysis of the TRANSFORM-HF trial.

BACKGROUND: Loop diuretics are widely used for managing congestion in patients with heart failure (HF). The TRANSFORM-HF trial is a multicenter randomized study that enrolled heart failure patients, comparing a strategy of torsemide vs furosemide. The time-to-event analysis demonstrated neutral effects on all-cause death at 30 months and the composite of all-cause death and first rehospitalization at 12 months. We evaluated whether a hierarchical win-ratio (WR) framework integrating mortality, recurrent hospitalization, and patient-reported health status provides additional interpretive insight. METHODS: This study is a secondary analysis of the pragmatic, multicenter, open-label, randomized TRANSFORM-HF trial, conducted across 60 US hospitals that randomized 2,859 patients hospitalized with HF to torsemide or furosemide. The primary 12-month hierarchical composite outcome was defined as (1) all-cause mortality, (2) recurrent all-cause hospitalizations, and (3) lack of improvement in the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire Clinical Summary Score (KCCQ-CSS). The primary statistical method was a WR analysis adjusting covariates via inverse probability weighting. Subgroup analyses evaluated potential heterogeneity across patient demographics and clinical characteristics. RESULTS: In the primary 12-month intention-to-treat analysis, the adjusted WR was 1.07 (95% CI, 0.98-1.16; P = .13), indicating no significant difference between torsemide and furosemide. A supplementary 30-month analysis with extended mortality follow-up yielded a similar estimate (adjusted WR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.98-1.16; P = .14); hospitalization and KCCQ-CSS components were assessed through 12 months. As-treated sensitivity analyses were consistent with the neutral primary findings. Exploratory subgroup analyses were not adjusted for multiplicity and should be considered hypothesis-generating. CONCLUSIONS: The overall WR comparison between torsemide and furosemide showed no statistically significant difference in the primary 12-month analysis. The WR framework provided an interpretive decomposition across outcome domains but did not establish superiority of either loop diuretic strategy. All findings should be considered exploratory. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03296813, https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03296813.

Aged↗

Techniques to improve physicians' use of diagnostic tests: a new conceptual framework.

OBJECTIVES: To review the published literature on interventions aimed at improving physicians' testing practices and propose methodologic standards for these studies and to review selected studies using the PRECEDE framework, a behavioral model that helps categorize interventions based on which behavioral factors are being affected. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and HEALTHStar databases were searched for the years 1966 to January 1, 1998, for English-language articles pertaining to diagnostic testing behavior; bibliographies were scanned to identify articles of potential interest; and researchers in health services, health behavior, and behavior modification were contacted for proprietary and other unpublished articles. STUDY SELECTION: A total of 102 articles were identified that described the results of interventions aimed at changing physicians' testing practices. We included the 49 studies that compared diagnostic testing practices in intervention and control groups. DATA EXTRACTION: Two investigators independently reviewed each article in a blinded fashion using a standard data collection form to obtain a methodologic score and to abstract the key elements of each intervention. DATA SYNTHESIS: On a 38-point methodologic criteria scale, the mean +/- SD score was 13+/-4.4. The desired behavior change was reported in the intervention group in 37 (76%) of 49 studies. Twenty-four (86%) of 28 interventions targeted at many behavioral factors were successful, while 13 (62%) of 21 studies aimed at a single behavioral factor were successful (P=.12). CONCLUSIONS: A majority of interventions to improve physicians' testing practices reported in the literature claimed success, with interventions based on multiple behavioral factors trending toward being more successful. While methodologic flaws hamper drawing strong conclusions from this literature, application of a behavioral framework appears to be useful in explaining interventions that are successful and can facilitate interpretation of intervention results.

Clinical Laboratory Techniques↗

An ecological analysis of A-B and its relationship to field dependence.

Because of conceptual and methodological problems of the A-B categorization, several authorities (Gomes-Schwartz, Hadley, & Strupp, 1978; Stephens, Shaffer & Zlotowitz, 1975) have suggested that a moratorium on A-B research deserves serious consideration. In anticipation of this possibility, and to attempt to clarify the confusing findings with regard to the nature of A-B and the relationships of A-B and Field Dependence, the authors initiated this study of the ecological framework of a psychiatric ward and the role characteristics of both staff and patients (N = 99). The results of the study supported the two major hypotheses that were derived from a functional analysis of the demand characteristics for both patients and staff on an inpatient psychiatric unit. First, it was found that the staff scored higher on type A characteristics than on type B characteristics and, second, it was found that the patients scored higher on type B characteristics than on type A characteristics.

Female↗

Clinical identification of cognitive impairment in ICU survivors: insights for intensivists.

BACKGROUND: A growing body of research has demonstrated the presence of ongoing cognitive impairment in large numbers of ICU survivors. OBJECTIVE: This review offers a practical framework for practicing intensivists and those following patients after their ICU stay for the identification of cognitive impairment in ICU survivors. CONCLUSIONS: Early detection of cognitive impairment in critically ill patients is an important and achievable goal, but overt cognitive impairment remains unrecognized in most cases. However, it can be identified by objective (test scores) or subjective evidence (clinical judgment, patient observation, family interaction).

Cognition Disorders↗

Health status and mortality in Holocaust survivors living in Jerusalem 40-50 years later.

The long-term health sequelae of the Holocaust were assessed 40-50 years later in the framework of a Jerusalem community health study. Holocaust survivors (N = 288, mean age = 67.6 years) and European-born Jews, not exposed to the Holocaust (N = 486, mean age = 68.9 years), were studied in 1985-87. Our objective was to compare psychobehavioral factors, clinical variables, and mortality outcomes. The comparisons revealed higher emotional distress scores in female Holocaust survivors than in unexposed women and poorer self-appraised health status in male Holocaust survivors than unexposed men. A 10-year mortality follow-up that terminated in April 1996 showed no significant association with Holocaust exposure. Long-term Holocaust survivors may represent a selective resilient group.

Aged↗

Development of a preliminary diabetes dietary satisfaction and outcomes measure for patients with type 2 diabetes.

Adopting dietary lifestyle changes for diabetes management is often difficult for patients; yet the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) outcomes of dietary management for the patient are not extensively developed in the HRQOL assessments now widely used in diabetes research. This study developed a preliminary instrument, the diabetes dietary satisfaction and outcomes measure, to assess outcomes of individuals' experiences in following a meal plan for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. A theoretical framework and preliminary focus group data guided the design of a 47-item questionnaire, administered to 239 patients with type 2 diabetes. Medical file data was obtained on 180 of these patients. Fifty-four percent of respondents were women, with mean age of 64 +/- 12 years and diabetes duration of 10 +/- 8 years. Scores for the satisfaction and other outcome measures discriminated between patient groups by age, gender, medication use, depression diagnosis, meal plan status, and employment status. Significant correlations also occurred with diet adherence, number of co-morbidities, and glycemic control as measured by glycolated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Future research with additional patient samples is needed to refine the measure for use in diabetes education programs.

Adult↗

Advancing health disparities research: can we afford to ignore measurement issues?

BACKGROUND: Research on racial and ethnic health disparities in the United States requires that self-report measures, developed primarily in mainstream samples, are appropriate when applied in diverse groups. To compare groups, mean scores must reflect true scores and have minimal bias, assumptions that have not been tested for many self-report measures used in this research. OBJECTIVE: To identify conceptual and psychometric issues that need to be addressed to assure the quality of self-report measures being used in health disparities research. METHODS: We present 2 broad conceptual frameworks for health disparities research and describe the main research questions and measurement issues for 4 key concepts hypothesized as potential mechanisms of health disparities: socioeconomic status, discrimination, acculturation, and quality of care. This article is based on a small conference convened by 6 Resource Centers for Minority Aging Research (RCMAR) measurement cores. We integrate written materials prepared for the conference by quantitative and qualitative measurement specialists and cross-cultural researchers, conference discussions, and current literature. RESULTS: Problems in the quality of the conceptualizations and measures were found for all 4 concepts, and little is known about the extent to which measures of these concepts can be interpreted similarly across diverse groups. Many problems also apply to other concepts relevant to health disparities. We propose an agenda for accomplishing this challenging measurement research. CONCLUSIONS: The current national commitment to reduce health disparities may be compromised without more research on measurement quality. Integrated, systematic efforts are needed to move this work forward, including collaborative efforts and special initiatives.

Acculturation↗

Prevalence and predictors of disability in valued life activities among individuals with rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the prevalence of disability in a wide range of life activities and identify factors associated with such disability using the Verbrugge and Jette disablement model as a framework. METHODS: Data were from a panel study of 548 individuals with rheumatoid arthritis, interviewed annually by telephone. Valued life activity (VLA) disability was assessed using a 26-item scale rating difficulty in carrying out each activity. Three types of summary measure were calculated: activities unable to perform, activities affected, and mean difficulty. Subscale scores were also calculated, corresponding to obligatory, committed, and discretionary activities, as defined in the disablement model. Disease status measures were examined as predictors of VLA disability using multiple regression analyses. RESULTS: Half the subjects were unable to do at least one VLA. Approximately 2%, 31.3%, and 40.2% were unable to do at least one obligatory, committed, and discretionary activity, respectively. Almost all (95%) reported at least one VLA affected by rheumatoid arthritis; 68.4%, 91.4%, and 92.5% reported at least one obligatory, committed, and discretionary activity, respectively, affected. Disease status measures were robust predictors of VLA disability, accounting for 22-47% of the variation in VLA disability (with one exception). Adding the health assessment questionnaire (HAQ) to these models increased (p<0.0001) all model R2 values. HAQ score mediated the effects of many disease measures, consistent with the disablement model. CONCLUSION: VLA disability was common, with more disability noted in committed and discretionary than obligatory activities. Because VLA disability has been linked to psychological wellbeing in previous studies, identification of factors that may protect against such disability is important.

Activities of Daily Living↗

A comparative map of interstitial bovine chromosome 5 with human chromosomes 12 and 22.

We have constructed a high-density comparative radiation hybrid map of the interstitial region of bovine chromosome 5 (BTA5) using a recently constructed 12,000-rad, whole-genome, cattle-hamster radiation hybrid (WGRH) panel. Sixty-two bovine EST markers were selected which have orthologous sequences on human chromosomes 12 and 22 (HSA12 and HSA22). Sixty markers were included in the multi-point framework map at LOD 3.0. Our comprehensive RH map contains more than twice as many markers (88) than previous generation maps. Because of a higher marker density and increased resolution of the RH(12,000) panel, all markers were placed into a single linkage group based on two-point analysis at a LOD score 6.0. As a result, this new comparative map reveals new blocks of synteny and extensive gene order alterations between species. Breakpoints of synteny are located with high accuracy. Overall, this work reveals widespread chromosomal rearrangements between bovine, human and mouse genomes.

Animals↗

Determinants of coping: some alternative explanations and measurement issues.

The determinants of coping may be better understood if we considered the different constructs--stressors, strain, and coping within a transactional framework: a framework wherein stress is viewed as resulting from the transaction between the individual and the environment. Adopting such an approach may also require researchers to consider how stressful encounters are appraised--the meanings given to events, how coping strategies are classified, and how they are used in the coping process, whether linear additive coping scores really tell us anything about how individuals actually cope and whether it is now time to consider alternative methodologies if we are to better understand the complexities of the stress process.

Adaptation, Psychological↗