Mugerauer, Robert. (2021). Professional Judgement in Clinical Practice (Part 1): Recovering Original, Moderate Evidence-Based Health Care. Journal Of Evaluation In Clinical Practice, 27(3), 592 – 602.
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Abstract
Evidence-based medicine announced its entry as heralding a new paradigm in health care practices, but it has been widely criticized for lacking a coherent theoretical basis. This paper presents the first part of a three-article series examining the epistemological, practical, and ethical dimensions of strong EBM, as well as considering alternatives that promise potential solutions to chronic conceptual and practical problems. While the focus is on the details of the arguments and evidence in thoughtful debates over the last 30 years, it is worthwhile to keep in mind the overall trajectory of modern thought, because strong EBM continues discredited positivist positions, thus repeating its major assumptions and inadequacies, now transferred to the medical sphere and vocabulary. Part 1 of the series examines the development of strong EBM by clarifying and critiquing its somewhat discontinuous accounts of scientific knowledge and epistemology, evidence, the differences between statistical probability in regard to populations and understanding the health of individuals, and its claims for direct transfer of research findings to clinical settings-all of which raises more questions regarding its application to provider-patient decision making, pedagogy, and policy.
Keywords
Evidence-based Medicine; Theory Of Knowledge; Medical Ethics; Decision Making In Clinical Medicine; Policy Sciences; Clinical Practice; Epistemology; Ethics; Evidence; Evidence‚Äêbased Medicine; 2009 Cancer-control; Integrating Evidence; Decision-making; G. H.; Tonelli; Discourse; Knowledge; Ashcroft; Guyatt; Evidence‐ Based Medicine
Lindell, Michael K.; Prater, Carla S.; House, Donald H. (2022). Cascadia Subduction Zone Residents’ Tsunami Evacuation Expectations. Geosciences (2076-3263), 12(5).
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Abstract
The U.S. Pacific Northwest coast must be prepared to evacuate immediately after a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake. This requires coastal residents to understand the tsunami threat, have accurate expectations about warning sources, engage in preimpact evacuation preparedness actions, and plan (and practice) their evacuation logistics, including an appropriate transportation mode, evacuation route, and destination. A survey of 221 residents in three communities identified areas in which many coastal residents have reached adequate levels of preparedness. Moreover, residents who are not adequately prepared are willing to improve their performance in most of the areas in which they fall short. However, many respondents expect to engage in time-consuming evacuation preparations before evacuating. Additionally, their estimates of evacuation travel time might be inaccurate because only 28-52% had practiced their evacuation routes. These results indicate that more coastal residents should prepare grab-and-go kits to speed their departure, as well as practice evacuation preparation and evacuation travel to test the accuracy of these evacuation time estimates. Overall, these results, together with recommendations for overcoming them, can guide CSZ emergency managers in methods of improving hazard awareness and education programs. In addition, these data can guide transportation engineers' evacuation analyses and evacuation plans.
Keywords
Subduction Zones; Tsunamis; Tsunami Warning Systems; Civilian Evacuation; Earthquake Zones; Transportation Engineering; Expectation (psychology); Residents; Cascadia Subduction Zone; Evacuation Preparedness; Evacuation Time Estimates; Tsunami; Natural Warning Signs; Coastal Communities; American-samoa; New-zealand; Earthquake; Behavior; Preparedness; Awareness; Japan; Washington; Earthquakes; Transportation; Evacuations & Rescues; Travel Time; Subduction; Surveying; Evacuation; Travel; Coasts; Emergency Warning Programs; Seismic Activity; Emergency Preparedness; Perceptions; Traveltime; Coastal Zone; Peers; Estimates; Logistics; Evacuation Routing; Subduction (geology); Households; United States--us; Pacific Northwest; Cascadia
Inanici, Mehlika. (2010). Evalution of High Dynamic Range Image-Based Sky Models in Lighting Simulation. Leukos, 7(2), 69 – 84.
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Abstract
High Dynamic Range (HDR) Photography is used to capture 180 degrees images of the sky dome and provide data for image-based lighting in lieu of CIE sky models.
Moudon, Anne Vernez; Sohn, D. W.; Kavage, Sarah E.; Mabry, Jean E. (2011). Transportation-Efficient Land Use Mapping Index (TELUMI), a Tool to Assess Multimodal Transportation Options in Metropolitan Regions. International Journal Of Sustainable Transportation, 5(2), 111 – 133.
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Abstract
The Transportation-Efficient Land Use Mapping Index (TELUMI) is a tool to visualize and to quantify micro-level metropolitan land use and development patterns as they affect travel demand. It can assist transportation and urban planning authorities in identifying zones where land use supports multimodal travel and in determining a region's transportation system efficiency. An application of the TELUMI in the Seattle region showed that residential units and employment concentrated in transportation-efficient areas covering less than 20 percent of the region. An interactive, multi-scaled tool, the TELUMI can also support scenario building to simulate land use changes that improve transportation system performance.
Keywords
Urban; Geographic Information Systems; Land Use; Mapping Index; Metropolitan; Multimodal Travel; Transportation Efficiency
Rehm, Colin D.; Moudon, Anne V.; Hurvitz, Philip M.; Drewnowski, Adam. (2012). Residential Property Values are Associated with Obesity among Women in King County, WA, USA. Social Science & Medicine, 75(3), 491 – 495.
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Abstract
Studies of social determinants of weight and health in the US have typically relied on self-reported education and incomes as the two primary measures of socioeconomic status (SES). The assessed value of one's home, an important component of wealth, may be a better measure of the underlying SES construct and a better predictor of obesity. The Seattle Obesity Study (SOS), conducted in 2008-9, was a cross-sectional random digit dial telephone survey of 2001 adults in King County, Washington State, US. Participants' addresses were geocoded and residential property values for each tax parcel were obtained from the county tax assessor's database. Prevalence ratios of obesity by property values, education, and household income were estimated separately for women and men, after adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, household size, employment status and home ownership. Among women, the inverse association between property values and obesity was very strong and independent of other SES factors. Women in the bottom quartile of property values were 3.4 times more likely to be obese than women in the top quartile. No association between property values and obesity was observed for men. The present data strengthen the evidence for a social gradient in obesity among women. Property values may represent a novel and objective measure of SES at the individual level in the US. Measures based on tax assessment data will provide a valuable resource for future health studies. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords
Communities; Employment; Income; Obesity; Poisson Distribution; Probability Theory; Research Funding; Self-evaluation; Sex Distribution; Social Classes; Statistics; Surveys; Data Analysis; Educational Attainment; Cross-sectional Method; Data Analysis Software; Descriptive Statistics; Washington (state); Health Status Disparities; Health Surveys; Social Class; Socioeconomic Factors; Usa; Women; Body-mass Index; Socioeconomic-status; Aged Men; Health; Weight; Disparities; Overweight; Disease; Poverty; Height
Gatti, U.; Migliaccio, G.; Bogus, S.M.; Priyadarshini, S.; Scharrer, A. (2013). Using Workforce’s Physiological Strain Monitoring to Enhance Social Sustainability of Construction. Journal Of Architectural Engineering, 19(3), 179 – 85.
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Abstract
Sustainability is often described in terms of the triple bottom line, which refers to its environmental, economic, and social dimensions. However, the economic and environmental impacts of decisions have been easier to determine than have been the social impacts. One area of social sustainability that is particularly applicable to construction projects is that of construction workforce safety and well-being. This is a critical part of sustainability, and a socially sustainable construction industry needs to consider the safety and well-being of construction workers. However, construction activities are generally physically demanding and performed in harsh environments. Monitoring workers' physical strain may be an important step toward enhancing the social sustainability of construction. Recently introduced physiological status monitors (PSMs) have overcome the past limitations, allowing physical strain to be monitored without hindering workers' activities. Three commercially available PSMs have been selected and tested to assess their reliability in monitoring a construction workforce during dynamic activities. The results show that two of the PSMs are suitable candidates for monitoring the physiological conditions of construction workers. A survey was also conducted among industry practitioners to gain insight into industry needs and challenges for physical strain monitoring.
Keywords
Construction Industry; Environmental Factors; Labour Resources; Occupational Safety; Socio-economic Effects; Sustainable Development; Workforce Physiological Strain Monitoring; Social Sustainability; Socioeconomic Impacts; Environmental Impacts; Social Impacts; Construction Projects; Construction Workforce Safety; Physical Strain
Burpee, Heather; McDade, Erin. (2014). Comparative Analysis of Hospital Energy Use: Pacific Northwest and Scandinavia. Health Environments Research & Design Journal (HERD) (Vendome Group LLC), 8(1), 20 – 44.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to establish the potential for significant energy reduction in hospitals in the United States by providing evidence of Scandinavian operational precedents with high Interior Environmental Quality (IEQ) and substantially lower energy profiles than comparable U.S. facilities. These facilities set important precedents for design teams seeking operational examples for achieving aggressive energy and interior environmental quality goals. This examination of operational hospitals is intended to offer hospital owners, designers, and building managers a strong case and concrete framework for strategies to achieve exceptionally high performing buildings. BACKGROUND: Energy efficient hospitals have the potential to significantly impact the U.S.'s overall energy profile, and key stakeholders in the hospital industry need specific, operationally grounded precedents in order to successfully implement informed energy reduction strategies. This study is an outgrowth of previous research evaluating high quality, low energy hospitals that serve as examples for new high performance hospital design, construction, and operation. Through extensive interviews, numerous site visits, the development of case studies, and data collection, this team has established thorough qualitative and quantitative analyses of several contemporary hospitals in Scandinavia and the Pacific Northwest. Many Scandinavian hospitals demonstrate a low energy profile, and when analyzed in comparison with U.S. hospitals, such Scandinavian precedents help define the framework required to make significant changes in the U.S. hospital building industry. METHODS: Eight hospitals, four Scandinavian and four Pacific Northwest, were quantitatively compared using the Environmental Protection Agency's Portfolio Manager, allowing researchers to answer specific questions about the impact of energy source and architectural and mechanical strategies on energy efficiency in operational hospitals. RESULTS: Specific architectural, mechanical, and plant systems make these Scandinavian hospitals more energy efficient than their Pacific Northwest counterparts. More importantly, synergistic systems integration allows for their significant reductions in energy consumption. CONCLUSIONS: This quantitative comparison of operational Scandinavian and Pacific Northwest hospitals resulted in compelling evidence of the potential for deep energy savings in the U.S., and allowed researchers to outline specific strategies for achieving such reductions.
Keywords
Environmental Quality; Energy Consumption; Health Facility Design & Construction; Comparative Studies; Energy Consumption In Hospitals; Pacific Northwest; Scandinavia; Built Environment; Case Study; Design Process; Healthcare Facility Design; Hospital; Post Occupancy
Kim, Sang-Chul; Kim, Yong-Woo. (2014). Computerized Integrated Project Management System for a Material Pull Strategy. Journal Of Civil Engineering And Management, 20(6), 849 – 863.
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Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to present a computerized integrated project management system and report results of a survey on the effectiveness of the system. The system consists of a scheduling system, material management system, labor/equipment system, and safety/quality control system. The backbone system is a scheduling system that adopts a production planning system and a project scheduling system. The lowest level in the scheduling system is a daily work management system, which is linked to each functional management system (i.e. material management system, labor/equipment system, and safety/quality control system). The paper focuses on the material management and scheduling systems to implement a material pull system to reduce material inventories on site. Details of material management and scheduling systems are discussed, and a sample application is presented to demonstrate the features of the proposed computer application system. The paper presents practitioners and researchers with a practical tool to integrate material management and scheduling systems for site personnel.
Keywords
Construction; Lean Construction; Material Management System; Integrated System; Daily Work Management
Alberti, Marina. (2015). Eco-Evolutionary Dynamics in an Urbanizing Planet. Trends In Ecology & Evolution, 30(2), 114 – 126.
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Abstract
A great challenge for ecology in the coming decades is to understand the role humans play in eco-evolutionary dynamics. If, as emerging evidence shows, rapid evolutionary change affects ecosystem functioning and stability, current rapid environmental change and its evolutionary effects might have significant implications for ecological and human wellbeing on a relatively short time scale. Humans are major selective agents with potential for unprecedented evolutionary consequences for Earth's ecosystems, especially as cities expand rapidly. In this review, I identify emerging hypotheses on how urbanization drives eco-evolutionary dynamics. Studying how human-driven micro-evolutionary changes interact with ecological processes offers us the chance to advance our understanding of eco-evolutionary feedbacks and will provide new insights for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem function over the long term.
Keywords
Biological Evolution; Urbanization; Climate Change; Ecosystems; Well-being; Co-evolution; Eco-evolutionary Dynamics; Ecosystem Function; Urban Ecosystems; Ecological Consequences; Phenotypic Plasticity; Rapid Evolution; Regime Shifts; Elevated Co2; Biodiversity; Selection; Community; Patterns
Migliaccio, G. C.; Zandbergen, Paul; Martinez, A. A. (2015). Empirical Comparison of Methods for Estimating Location Cost Adjustments Factors. Journal Of Management In Engineering, 31(2).
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Abstract
Location factors are used to adjust conceptual cost estimates by project location. Presently, the construction industry has adopted a simple, proximity-based interpolation method to estimate location factors for missing locations. Although this approach is widely accepted, its validity has not been statistically substantiated. This study assessed the current method of adjusting conceptual cost estimates by project location and compared its performance against two alternative spatial interpolation methods. A Moran's I test was used to confirm the presence of strong spatial autocorrelation, which supports the use of proximity-based methods. Additional statistical evaluations of current and alternative methods were also conducted. Results provided statistical justification for the current method. However, an alternative method was proven to outperform the current method. Moreover, several opportunities for future research were identified as a result of this exploratory study. (C) 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
Keywords
Construction Industry; Interpolation; Statistical Analysis; Location Cost Adjustment Factor; Proximity-based Interpolation Method; Project Location; Spatial Interpolation Method; Moran I Test; Spatial Autocorrelation; Statistical Evaluation; Geographical Information-systems; Construction; Layout; Gis; Conceptual Estimating; Geographic Information Systems; Construction Costs; Planning; Location Adjustments