The purpose of this article is to provide an empirical comparison of rank-based normalization methods for standardized test scores. A series of Monte Carlo simulations were performed to compare the Blom, Tukey, Van der Waerden and Rankit approximations in terms of achieving the T score's specified mean and standard deviation and unit normal skewness and kurtosis. All four normalization methods ...

OBJECTIVE This study tests the research hypothesis that certified medical directors are able to use their training, education, and knowledge to positively influence quality of care in US nursing homes. DESIGN F-tag numbers were identified within the State Operations Manual that reflect dimensions of quality thought to be impacted by the medical director. A weighting system was developed based...

OBJECTIVE To examine over a period of 5.6 years the prospective associations between physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE), aerobic fitness (Vo(2max)), obesity, and the progression toward the metabolic syndrome in a population-based cohort of middle-aged men and women (n = 605) who were free of the metabolic syndrome at baseline. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS PAEE was measured objectively...

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to collect preliminary information on the possible efficacy and tolerability of EGb 761 standardized plant extract of Ginkgo biloba as a treatment of dyslexia in school-aged children. METHODS Fifteen children (5-16 year old) with dyslexia participated in an open-label trial of EGb 761 given as a single morning dose of 80 mg. Standardized tests for dysl...

AIMS Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) is the optimal treatment for patients presenting with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). An elevated index of microcirculatory resistance (IMR) reflects microvascular function and when measured after PPCI, it can predict an adverse clinical outcome. We measured coronary microvascular function in STEMI patients and compared sequenti...

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the diagnostic value of plasma protein levels for pulmonary vascular permeability and acute respiratory distress syndrome. During acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome, increased vascular permeability induces protein-rich fluid extravasation. We hypothesized that plasma protein levels predict increased vascular permeability and acute respiratory distre...

Introduction: Information Technology (IT), due to its high capacity in production, processing and distribution of knowledge, is of a great sensitivity. That is due to the fact that data and the way they are transferred and processed are essential for organization. Therefore, the present research was conducted aiming to investigate the feasibility of implementing IT capabilities in Bandar Abbas ...

OBJECTIVE The objective was to compare a standardized road test to naturalistic driving by older people who may have cognitive impairment to define improvements that could potentially enhance the validity of road testing in this population. BACKGROUND Road testing has been widely adapted as a tool to assess driving competence of older people who may be at risk for unsafe driving because of de...

In this issue of Family Medicine, Drs Turner and Dankoski1 raise questions about the reliability and validity of objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs). They propose that many institutions may be using an OSCE that does not have adequate reliability, and their interpretation of the literature is that the validity of OSCEs has not been established. I agree with their conclusions. The...