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PubMed1983

The effects of presentation modality upon learning in a comprehension task using oral, manual, and dual mode stimulus cues.

Interest in how and why the use of nonspeech symbols such as manual signs facilitates the communication development of language-handicapped individuals has been growing. One question of interest is whether comprehension is facilitated because manual sign cues are in the same stimulus modality (visual) as the objects or events to which they refer, in contrast to oral cues, which are in a different modality (auditory). Another question is, when total communication (words and manual signs) is used, which modality, visual or auditory, actually controls responding? Previous analogue research with normal adults has not controlled for representational iconicity and/or has utilized tasks different than those used with handicapped populations. In this study, 15 undergraduate students were trained to a criterion to identify abstract forms in response to manual sign, CVC nonsense syllables, or combined manual sign plus CVC nonsense syllables. Signed English signs normally representing common objects were matched to the abstract forms. Results from learning probes indicated that performance improved significantly following training for all types of labels. Performance on learning probes of responses to manual labels was significantly poorer than performance on probes of responses to oral labels, to manual labels previously used in combined labels, and to oral labels previously used in combined labels. However, there was no difference in performance among these latter three conditions. These results suggest that the facilitative effects of manual sign labels upon comprehension found in other research may be due to the iconic relationship between signs and their referents.

Adult↗

PubMed1979

A survey of the use and educational value of the hospital formularly manual.

The medical and nursing staffs of two affiliated hospitals were surveyed on their frequency and purpose of use of their hospital's formulary manual. A numerical rating of the perceived educational value of the manuals was also requested. Twenty-two per cent (141/650) of those surveyed completed their questionnaires. Ninety-six per cent of the respondents indicated use of the formulary manuals at least once a month; 62% used the manuals at least once a week. The frequency and character of use of various sections of the formulary manuals are presented. The perceived educational value of the manuals was rated 3 or greater on a scale of 1 (no value) to 5 (greatest value) by 80% of the respondents. The hospitals' formulary manuals are frequently referred to for various types of drug information. The professional staffs perceive the formulary manuals to be educationally valuable sources of drug information. Reasons for the low rate of response to the survey are presented. A plan of how to increase the response rate in a planned future survey is also presented.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

PubMed1998

Removing the mystery: evaluation of a parent manual by adolescent parents.

The purposes of this study were to (1) have adolescents evaluate a parent manual that had been developed specifically for parents of children from birth to age 3, and (2) modify the manual based upon the results of the evaluation. The manual was designed to be easily read and understood by parents with low education levels, the focus being to promote quality parent-child interactions. The study was designed to determine the usability of the manual by gathering information pertaining to format, readability, and content. Participants were between 14 and 18 years of age and were enrolled in a high school program for teenage mothers. Both written and verbal responses were collected and a qualitative approach was used to analyze the data. Results showed that overall comments about the manual were favorable; the manual was readable and usable by adolescent mothers of young children. However, responses indicated that the manual may not have been as relevant for adolescents expecting their first child. They suggested including more basic child-care information instead of primarily focusing on typical development and parent-child interactions. Participant recommendations were considered and the manual was revised.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Manual therapy for asthma.

BACKGROUND: A variety of manual therapies with similar postulated biologic mechanisms of action are commonly used to treat patients with asthma. Manual therapy practitioners are also varied, including physiotherapists, respiratory therapists, chiropractic and osteopathic physicians. A systematic review across disciplines is warranted. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the evidence for the effects of manual therapies for treatment of patients with bronchial asthma. SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched for trials in computerized general (EMBASE, CINAHL and MEDLINE) and specialized databases (Cochrane Complementary Medicine Field, Cochrane Rehabilitation Field, Index to Chiropractic Literature (ICL), and Manual, Alternative and Natural Therapy (MANTIS)). In addition, we assessed bibliographies from included studies, and contacted authors of known studies for additional information about published and unpublished trials. Date of most recent search: August 2004. SELECTION CRITERIA: Trials were included if they: (1) were randomised; (2) included asthmatic children or adults; (3) examined one or more types of manual therapy; and (4) included clinical outcomes with observation periods of at least two weeks. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: All three reviewers independently extracted data and assessed trial quality using a standard form. MAIN RESULTS: From 473 unique citations, 68 full text articles were retrieved and evaluated, which resulted in nine citations to three RCTs (156 patients) suitable for inclusion. Trials could not be pooled statistically because studies that addressed similar interventions used disparate patient groups or outcomes. The methodological quality of one of two trials examining chiropractic manipulation was good and neither trial found significant differences between chiropractic spinal manipulation and a sham manoeuvre on any of the outcomes measured. One small trial compared massage therapy with a relaxation control group and found significant differences in many of the lung function measures obtained. However, this trial had poor reporting characteristics and the data have yet to be confirmed. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: There is insufficient evidence to support the use of manual therapies for patients with asthma. There is a need to conduct adequately-sized RCTs that examine the effects of manual therapies on clinically relevant outcomes. Future trials should maintain observer blinding for outcome assessments, and report on the costs of care and adverse events. Currently, there is insufficient evidence to support or refute the use of manual therapy for patients with asthma.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Coding neuroradiology reports for the Northern Manhattan Stroke Study: a comparison of natural language processing and manual review.

Automated systems using natural language processing may greatly speed chart review tasks for clinical research, but their accuracy in this setting is unknown. The objective of this study was to compare the accuracy of automated and manual coding in the data acquisition tasks of an ongoing clinical research study, the Northern Manhattan Stroke Study(NOMASS). We identified 471 neuroradiology reports of brain images used in the NOMASS study. Using both automated and manual coding, we completed a standardized NOMASS imaging form with the information contained in these reports. We then generated ROC curves for both manual and automated coding by comparing our results to the original NOMASS data, where study in investigators directly coded their interpretations of brain images. The areas under the ROC curves for both manual and automated coding were the main outcome measure. The overall predictive value of the automated system (ROC area 0.85, 95% CI 0.84-0.87) was not statistically different from the predictive value of the manual coding (ROC area 0.87, 95% CI 0.83-0.91). Measured in terms of accuracy, the automated system performed slightly worse than manual coding. The overall accuracy of the automated system was 84% (CI 83-85%). The overall accuracy of manual coding was 86% (CI 84-88%). The difference in accuracy between the two methods was small but statistically significant (P = 0.026). Errors in manual coding appeared to be due to differences between neurologists' and nueroradiologists' interpretation, different use of detailed anatomic terms, and lack of clinical information. Automated systems can use natural language processing to rapidly perform complex data acquisition tasks. Although there is a small decrease in the accuracy of the data as compared to traditional methods, automated systems may greatly expand the power of chart review in clinical research design and implementation.

Brain↗

PubMed1999

[Manual therapy in lumbo-vertebral syndromes].

Based upon the shortly presented survey among the members of the Swiss Medical Association for Manual Medicine, the low back pain problems are approached by the means of manual therapy on average 805 times per year and physician. On average each case with low back pain is treated 1,4 times by a general practitioner with experience in manual medicine while specialists who are dealing with more complex cases on average 4 to 5 times. The functional disorders of the lumbar spine treated by manual therapy are superior to the physiotherapy approach or in comparison with a "placebo group" (information by general practitioner about low back pain and application of medication). An appropriate indication for manual therapy is relevant to avoid or reduce the possible risk of the treatment procedure. The physician who performs the manual therapy has to know the limits of the method. Also the knowledge of contraindications for manual therapy will reduce the incidence of possible complication. However based upon the survey among the swiss association the side effects and complications due to manual therapy of the lumbal spine are extremely seldom.

Humans↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Computerized patient anesthesia records: less time and better quality than manually produced anesthesia records.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To compare manual and computerized anesthesia information management systems (AIMS's) with respect to time demands on the anesthetist and record quality. DESIGN: Videotaped clinical anesthesia cases were independently reviewed along with the records produced. SETTING: Private practice anesthesia at a 150-bed community hospital. PATIENTS: Ten consecutive ASA physical status I patients having video arthroscopy of the knee by the same surgeon and having general anesthesia. INTERVENTIONS: One anesthetist recorded six cases: three with the computer and three manually. Two more anesthetists each recorded two cases: one with the computer and one manually. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The proportion of the anesthetist's time spent on the documentation for the computer records was significantly less than that spent on manual records (14.9% vs. 36.6%; p < 0.001). Nevertheless, significantly more vital sign data points were recorded on the computer than on the manual records (245.2 vs. 45.0 vital sign points per case; p < 0.001), as well as significantly more notes and drug information (61.0 vs. 40.0 notes per case; p < 0.02). The computer record was always legible, but this was not the case with the manual records. There was no significant difference in the number of artifacts detected on the records. CONCLUSION: The concern that the introduction of computerized AIMS's may complicate the anesthesia working environment by requiring more time than manual AIMS's and thus detracting from direct patient care is not supported by this study. In fact, this computer approach not only required less time but also produced a more complete and higher-quality record than did the manual AIMS.

Anesthesiology↗

PubMed2006

The validity of manual examination in assessing patients with neck pain.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Although manual therapists believe that they can diagnose symptomatic joints in the neck by manual examination, that conviction is based on only one study. That study claimed that manual examination of the neck had 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity for diagnosing painful zygapophyseal joints. However, the study indicated that its results should be reproduced before they could be generalized. PURPOSE: The present study was undertaken to answer the call for replication studies. The objective was to determine the sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratio of manual examination for the diagnosis of cervical zygapophyseal joint pain. STUDY DESIGN: The study was conducted in a private practice located in a rural town. The practice specialized in musculoskeletal pain problems. PATIENT SAMPLE: The study sample was 173 patients with neck pain in whom cervical zygapophyseal joint pain was suspected on clinical examination, and who were willing to undergo controlled diagnostic blocks of the suspected joint or joints. OUTCOME MEASURES: The validity of manual diagnosis was determined by calculating its sensitivity, specificity, and positive likelihood ratio. METHODS: Patients who exhibited the putatively diagnostic physical signs of cervical zygapophyseal joint pain were referred to a radiologist who performed controlled, diagnostic blocks of the suspected joint, and other joints if indicated. The results of the blocks constituted the criterion standard, against which the clinical diagnosis was compared, by creating contingency tables. RESULTS: Manual examination had a high sensitivity for cervical zygapophyseal joint pain, at the segmental levels commonly symptomatic, but its specificity was poor. Likelihood ratios barely greater than 1.0 indicated that manual examination lacked validity. Although the results obtained were less favorable than those of the previous study, paradoxically they were statistically not different. CONCLUSIONS: The present study found manual examination of the cervical spine to lack validity for the diagnosis of cervical zygapophyseal joint pain. It refutes the conclusion of the one previous study. The paradoxical lack of statistical difference between the two studies is accounted for by the small sample size of the previous study.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Effects of manual hyperinflation and suctioning in respiratory mechanics in mechanically ventilated patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia.

Ventilator-associated pneumonia results from bacterial colonisation of the aerodigestive tract or aspiration of contaminated secretions into the lower airways. As a consequence of infection of the lung parenchyma and alveolitis, accumulation of inflammatory exudates and infiltration of airway mucosa can lead to unfavourable respiratory mechanics in ventilator-associated pneumonia. Tracheal suction is often employed by nursing staff in the management of mechanically ventilated patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia but this technique has the potential to increase respiratory resistance. Manual hyperinflation is used by physiotherapists to improve lung volume and mobilise secretions and has been shown to increase lung compliance. The effect of manual hyperinflation on airway resistance has not been studied. This study aims to demonstrate an additional mechanical benefit to the respiratory system when manual hyperinflation and suction techniques are combined, by comparing the application of manual hyperinflation and suction with suction alone on static lung compliance (C(L)) and inspiratory resistance (R(AW)) in mechanically ventilated patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia. Fifteen adult patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia were recruited and acted as their own controls. Manual hyperinflation followed by suction (manual hyperinflation plus suction) and suction alone were applied consecutively, in random order, on two occasions, four hours apart. Respiratory variables, C(L) and R(AW), were measured five times and the averaged value documented. Data were recorded before, immediately after, and 30 minutes after each intervention protocol. C(L) increased by 22% and R(AW) decreased by 21%, up to 30 minutes after manual hyperinflation plus suction, but not after suction alone. This study suggests that manual hyperinflation in conjunction with suction induces beneficial changes in respiratory mechanics in mechanically ventilated patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia.

Adult↗

PubMed1993

A comparison of chest compressions between mechanical and manual CPR by monitoring end-tidal PCO2 during human cardiac arrest.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To compare the use of mechanical and manual chest compressions during cardiac arrest based on continuous monitoring of end-tidal PCO2 (PETCO2). DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, crossover design. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Fifteen consecutive adults ranging in age from 33 to 78 years who presented in nontraumatic cardiac arrest to the emergency department of a large teaching hospital. INTERVENTIONS: Study protocols were begun late in the resuscitation after initial resuscitation attempts were unsuccessful. Patients received four alternating five-minute trials (two manual and two mechanical), being randomized to begin with either technique. Mechanical compressions were performed by a mechanical device at a compression depth of 2 in. Both mechanical and manual compressions were delivered at a rate of 80 with a ventilation delivered after every fifth compression. Persons performing manual CPR were experienced American Heart Association basic life support providers, and no person performed manual CPR more than once during the study period. No resuscitative drugs were administered during the study period. PETCO2 was monitored continuously; those performing manual CPR were blinded to the PETCO2 monitor. Data were analyzed with repeated-measures analysis of variance and Scheffé multiple comparisons with the alpha error rate set of .05. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Mean PETCO2 during mechanical CPR was 13.6 +/- 4.14 mm Hg compared with 6.9 +/- 2.42 mm Hg during manually performed CPR (P < .001), a difference of 97%. Average mechanical CPR PETCO2 was higher in all cases. No patient was resuscitated successfully. Capnography also indicated that most CPR providers were inconsistent in their chest compressions. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that cardiac output produced with mechanical chest compressions is greater than that produced with manual compressions as demonstrated by the significantly higher PETCO2 levels during mechanical CPR. Reasons for this are unclear. In addition, monitoring of PETCO2 may help optimize chest compressions during CPR.

Adult↗

PubMed1990

The role of bicarbonate and fluid loading in improving resuscitation from prolonged cardiac arrest with rapid manual chest compression CPR.

Rapid manual chest compression (120 compressions/min) CPR has been shown to improve hemodynamics and survival when compared with standard CPR (60 compressions/min) in a canine model of prolonged cardiac arrest. The study showing improved survival with rapid manual CPR empirically included treatment with bicarbonate and initial fluid loading. To determine the role of bicarbonate and fluid loading in the success of rapid manual chest compression CPR, 31 mongrel dogs were studied. After instrumentation with micromanometer-tipped catheters to measure aortic and right atrial pressures, the animals were assigned sequentially to three treatment groups. Group A underwent rapid manual chest compressions at 120 compressions/min, bicarbonate treatment, and initial fluid loading. Group B underwent rapid manual compressions at 120 compressions/min without bicarbonate or fluid loading. Group C underwent standard CPR at 80 compressions/min with bicarbonate and fluid loading. After 30 minutes of ventricular fibrillation, defibrillation was attempted. Seven of 11 dogs in group A survived 24 hours. None of the animals in group B resuscitated or survived. Three of the ten dogs in group C survived 24 hours. Survival with rapid manual CPR without bicarbonate and initial fluid loading was significantly less than when these interventions were used (P less than .01). To examine the separate contribution of bicarbonate and fluid therapy, two additional groups of animals were studied. Fourteen animals (group D) received rapid manual CPR with bicarbonate therapy, and 12 (group E) received rapid manual CPR with fluid loading only.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Phacoemulsification with indocyanine green versus manual expression extracapsular cataract extraction for advanced cataract.

PURPOSE: To compare the outcomes of indocyanine green dye (ICG)-assisted phacoemulsification with manual expression extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE) in eyes with advanced cataract. SETTING: Parkland Memorial Hospital and Dallas Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA. METHODS: In this retrospective study, 72 consecutive cases of advanced or mature cataract extractions performed in a 1-year period were reviewed. Fifty-nine eyes met the inclusion and exclusion criteria; 33 had ICG-assisted phacoemulsification and 26, manual expression ECCE. Preoperative and intraoperative findings and the postoperative outcomes up to 6 months were analyzed. RESULTS: Intraoperative complications included posterior capsule tear with vitreous prolapse in 2 eyes (6.6%) and conversion to manual expression ECCE in 1 eye (3.3%) in the ICG phacoemulsification group. There was no intraoperative complication in the manual expression ECCE group. There were significantly more patients with a best corrected visual acuity of 20/30 or better in the ICG phacoemulsification group than in the manual expression ECCE group at all postoperative periods. The mean logMAR visual acuities were significantly better in the ICG phacoemulsification group at all postoperative intervals. The ICG phacoemulsification group had significantly less postoperative astigmatism. There was no significant difference between the groups in the early postoperative intraocular pressure. CONCLUSIONS: Phacoemulsification with ICG led to better postoperative visual acuity and less postoperative astigmatism than manual expression ECCE. Phacoemulsification with ICG was associated with more intraoperative complications than manual expression ECCE; however, the complication rate is comparable to a previously published rate for phacoemulsification performed in a university training program. Phacoemulsification with ICG appears to be a reasonable alternative to manual expression ECCE for advanced cataract.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2026

Manual, digital, and AI tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte scoring: a secondary analysis of the APHINITY randomised trial.

BACKGROUND: Stromal tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (sTILs) are prognostic in early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer, but their role in the context of dual HER2 blockade remains undefined. We evaluated manual, digital, and artificial intelligence (AI)-based sTIL quantification, together with AI-derived spatial metrics, for prognostic and treatment-benefit stratification using tumour samples from the phase 3 APHINITY trial. METHODS: In the APHINITY trial, 4805 patients were randomly assigned to receive chemotherapy plus trastuzumab with pertuzumab or chemotherapy plus trastuzumab with placebo. Median follow-up was 74·1 months (IQR 68·3-75·4). We analysed 4262 haematoxylin and eosin-stained images using manual assessment, an automated digital approach, AI-based lymphocyte quantification (AI percentage lymphocytes), and two AI-derived spatial features (AI-TIL and immune hotspot). Interobserver reproducibility was assessed in 262 randomly chosen tumour samples scored independently by five pathologists. Multivariable Cox models were used to assess associations between TIL levels and invasive disease-free survival (primary outcome in APHINITY), distant recurrence-free interval, and overall survival. The heterogeneity of pertuzumab benefit was evaluated using subgroup analyses, subpopulation treatment effect pattern plot analyses, and nested Cox models with treatment-by-biomarker interaction terms. FINDINGS: Manual scoring showed high interobserver reproducibility (intraclass correlation coefficient 0·84 [95% CI 0·79-0·88]). Concordance between manual and automated methods was modest. AI-based scoring (AI percentage lymphocytes) reclassified 120 (11·6%) of 1035 node-positive tumours from immune-low (by manual scoring) to immune-high; this subgroup of patients showed greater separation of 5-year invasive disease-free survival curves between pertuzumab and placebo groups compared with patients whose tumours were concordantly classified as immune-low by both manual and AI-based approaches. Higher levels of TILs were associated with improved invasive disease-free survival for all sTIL measurement approaches and spatial measurements (hazard ratios [HRs] 0·41-0·93). Pertuzumab was associated with improved invasive disease-free survival at higher sTIL levels across all measurement approaches (HRs 0·36-0·48), but was not associated with higher values of spatial measures. The largest 6-year absolute improvements with pertuzumab were observed in patients with node-positive disease whose tumours scored in the highest level of immune infiltration of manual sTIL scoring (≥70·0%; mean absolute improvement 12·1 percentage points [SD 2·8]). In nested prognostic and predictive models, AI-based immune hotspot scores provided the most consistent additional information when combined with any sTIL measurement (all p<0·010). INTERPRETATION: Standardised manual sTIL scoring was reproducible, and digital and AI-based methods showed consistent prognostic stratification and potential for treatment-benefit stratification despite only modest correlation between platforms. AI spatial metrics provided complementary information beyond sTIL density and could support more scalable immune assessment. Future studies are needed to validate these approaches in independent cohorts and to clarify their clinical utility for stratifying contemporary HER2-directed therapies. FUNDING: None.

Humans↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Lymphokine-activated killer cell generation and recovery. Comparison of an automated cell processing device and a manual procedure.

This report describes the separation or processing of leukapheresis-derived peripheral blood mononuclear cells, their culture in the presence of interleukin-2 (IL-2) to generate lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells, and the harvest of LAK cells using the Du Pont SteriCell processor and culture containers. The report compares this automated closed system to the standard National Cancer Institute (NCI) manual protocols. Lymphocytes (approximately 2.0 x 10(10)) were harvested on the Cobe 2997 blood cell separator for each set of experiments. A set of experiments using automated Ficoll-Isopaque (FI) separation and a set of experiments using an automated wash for platelet reduction were compared to the respective manual methods. SteriCell culture containers were compared to roller bottles, and automated harvest was compared to manual harvest. The cytolytic activity of LAK cells was assayed against that of Daudi cells in a standard 51Cr release assay. The cytolytic activity of LAK cells prepared by a manual method and by the automated SteriCell method are equivalent. The manual and SteriCell FI separation procedures were substantially equivalent. The SteriCell harvest method gave higher recoveries than the manual harvest method (p = 0.04 and p = 0.07), but the overall recovery of LAK cells was not significantly different. Differential counts on the products were similar. Platelet reduction by the SteriCell automated wash procedure was greater than that by the manual procedure (p = 0.05). The SteriCell system represents an acceptable alternative to the manual methods for LAK cell generation and recovery.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

A pilot study of functional magnetic resonance imaging of the brain during manual and electroacupuncture stimulation of acupuncture point (LI-4 Hegu) in normal subjects reveals differential brain activation between methods.

OBJECTIVES: To characterize the brain activation patterns evoked by manual and electroacupuncture on normal human subjects. DESIGN: We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate the brain regions involved in electroacupuncture and manual acupuncture needle stimulation. A block design was adopted for the study. Each functional run consists of 5 minutes, starting with 1-minute baseline and two 1-minute stimulation, the interval between the two stimuli was 1 minute. Four functional runs were performed on each subject, two runs for electroacupuncture and two runs for manual acupuncture. The order of the two modalities was randomized among subjects. During the experiment, acupuncture needle manipulation was performed at Large Intestine 4 (LI4, Hegu) on the left hand. For each subject, before scanning started, the needle was inserted perpendicular to the skin surface to a depth of approximately 1.0 cm. Electroacupuncture stimulation was delivered using a continuous rectangular wave form (pulse width 30 ms) at a frequency of 3 Hz. For manual acupuncture, the needle was rotated manually clockwise and counterclockwise at a rate of about 180 times per minute (3 Hz). SUBJECTS: Eleven right-handed, normal, healthy volunteer adults, 6 male and 5 female, ages 21-64 participated in the experiment. RESULTS: Results showed that electroacupuncture mainly produced fMRI signal increases in precentral gyrus, postcentral gyrus/inferior parietal lobule, and putamen/insula; in contrast, manual needle manipulation produced prominent decreases of fMRI signals in posterior cingulate, superior temporal gyrus, putamen/insula. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that different brain networks are involved during manual and electroacupuncture stimulation. It suggests that different brain mechanisms may be recruited during manual and electroacupuncture.

Acupuncture Points↗

PubMed1999

Intra- and inter-laboratory variability in the assessment of sperm morphology by strict criteria: impact of semen preparation, staining techniques and manual versus computerized analysis.

We designed prospective studies to compare manual and computerized analysis of sperm morphology by strict criteria using different semen processing and staining techniques. A total of 54 semen samples were studied; slides were prepared from each subject from liquefied semen and after washing, and stained with Diff-Quik or Papanicolaou. An intra-laboratory, blind assessment was performed manually (two observers) and using a computerized analyser (two readings). This demonstrated a very good correlation between manual analysis of liquefied and washed samples with both staining techniques [intraclass coefficient (ICC) = 0.93 and 0.83]. Greater agreement was observed between computerized readings (washed samples) of Diff-Quik (ICC = 0.93) than of Papanicolaou-stained slides (ICC = 0.66). An excellent intra-laboratory correlation was observed for within-computer readings (ICC = 0.93). There was moderate agreement between inter-laboratory computer readings (two centres, ICC = 0.72). Although there was lower inter-laboratory agreement for manual and manual versus computer readings, overall results of all manual and computer analyses showed good agreement (ICC = 0.73). Diff-Quik staining is reliable for both manual (liquefied) and computer (washed) analysis of strict sperm morphology. Intra- and inter-computer analyses using this method reached satisfactory levels of agreement. There is still high inter-laboratory variability for the manual method.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

A comparison of manual versus computer-assisted radiographic measurement. Intraobserver measurement variability for Cobb angles.

STUDY DESIGN: A comparison between computer-assisted measurement using digitized radiographs, which has the potential to reduce error, and manual measurement using standard radiographs. OBJECTIVE: To assess measurement variability for the Cobb method on digital radiographs and compare it with that of manual measurements on standard radiographs. BACKGROUND DATA: Studies of the Cobb method have demonstrated multiple sources of error leading to significant intraobserver measurement variability. Estimates for the 95% confidence interval for intraobserver variability range from 2.8 degrees to 10 degrees. METHODS: Twenty-four scoliosis radiographs were measured by six examiners. Two measurement sets were done manually ("manual set"), and two measurement sets were done on digitized images using a computer mouse ("computer set"). RESULTS: For the manual set, the 95% confidence interval for intraobserver variability was 3.3 degrees (range, 2.5-4.5 degrees). For the computer set, the value was 2.6 degrees (range, 2.3-3.3 degrees). This difference in 95% confidence intervals between the manual and computer sets was statistically significant (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study demonstrate that intraobserver variability for manual and computer Cobb angle measurements yield a 95% confidence interval of approximately 3 degrees, with the computer having a slightly lower variability. The computer technique removes sources of intrinsic error, e.g., the variability introduced by using different manual protractors, the inaccuracy of standard protractors, and the use of wide-diameter radiographic markers. Identical digital images can be shared electronically between centers, without having to duplicate and mail films. Multicenter studies in which different examiners will be measuring Cobb angles may consider using the computer as a measuring device to reduce intrinsic measurement errors.

Arthrography↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Are manual therapies effective in reducing pain from tension-type headache?: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: A systematic review was performed to establish whether manual therapies have specific efficacy in reducing pain from tension-type headache (TTH). METHODS: Computerized literature searches were performed in MEDLINE, EMBASE, AMED, MANTIS, CINAHL, PEDro, and Cochrane databases. Papers were included if they described clinical (open noncontrolled studies) or randomized controlled trials in which any form of manual therapy was used for TTH, and if they were published after 1994 in the English language. The methodologic quality of the trials was assessed using the PEDro scale. Levels of scientific evidence, based on the quality and the outcomes of the studies, were established for each manual therapy: strong, moderate, limited, and inconclusive evidence. RESULTS: Only six studies met the inclusion criteria. These trials evaluated different manual therapy modalities: spinal manipulation (three trials), classic massage (one trial), connective tissue manipulation (two trials), soft tissue massage (one trial), Dr. Cyriax's vertebral mobilization (one trial), manual traction (one trial), and CV-4 craniosacral technique (one trial). Methodologic PEDro quality scores ranged from 2 to 8 points out of a theoretical maximum of 10 points (mean=5.8+/-2.1). Analysis of the quality and the outcomes of all trials did not provide rigorous evidence that manual therapies have a positive effect in reducing pain from TTH: spinal manipulative therapy showed inconclusive evidence of effectiveness (level 4), whereas soft tissue techniques showed limited evidence (level 3). CONCLUSIONS: The authors found no rigorous evidence that manual therapies have a positive effect in the evolution of TTH. The most urgent need for further research is to establish the efficacy beyond placebo of the different manual therapies currently applied in patients with TTH.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗