Objective: To propose a tool to assist trialists in making design decisions that are consistent with their trial’s stated purpose. Study Design and Setting: Randomized trials have been broadly categorized as either having a pragmatic or explanatory attitude. Pragmatic trials seek to answer the question, ‘‘Does this intervention work under usual conditions?,’’ whereas explanatory trials are focu...

Objective Despite improvements in its management, infective endocarditis (IE) is associated with poor survival. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a multidisciplinary endocarditis team (ET), including a cardiologist, microbiologist and a cardiac surgeon, on the outcome of patients with acute IE according to medical or surgical treatment strategies. Methods We conducted an obs...

Public shaming has long been thought to promote positive behavioral change. However, studies suggest that shame may be a detrimental response to problematic behavior because it motivates hiding, escape, and general avoidance of the problem. We tested whether shame about one’s past addictive drinking (measured via nonverbal displays and self-report) predicts future drinking behaviors and changes...

ITE JOURNAL / FEBRUARY 2001 ALL OVER THE WORLD, ROAD safety appears to be considered a problem with many (social) consequences. Everywhere in the world people are trying to improve road safety. Yet, relevant literature contains many indications that road safety improvements are moving slowly. Several causes for this are given. First, the political priority is relatively low. Second, it is not w...

BACKGROUND Case review and discussion at multidisciplinary team meetings (MDTMs) have evolved into standard practice in cancer care with the aim to provide evidence-based treatment recommendations. As a basis for work to optimize the MDTMs, we investigated participants' views on the meeting function, including perceived benefits and barriers. METHODS In a cross-sectional study design, 244 hea...

This report recounts one institution's experience in the fundamental reorganization of its institutional review board (IRB). With an appropriate approach, organizational structure, and ethos, the goals of research participant safety, regulatory compliance, and efficiency are not in conflict but, rather, mutually reinforcing. These important goals were realized because all aspects of the IRB reo...

Workshops are an important part of the IFPA annual meeting. At the IFPA meeting 2008 diverse topics were discussed in 12 themed workshops. Topics covered included: immunology of placentation; galectins and trophoblast invasion; signaling in implantation and invasion; markers to identify trophoblast subpopulations; placental pathology; placental toxicology; stereology; placental transport of fat...

Cognitive neuroscience studies how the physical structure of the brain subserves the cognitive processes of the mind. Such studies with humans are hampered by technical difficulties. One classic approach to human subject studies has been observing the cognitive performance of individuals who have suffered focal brain injuries. More recently, non-invasive brain monitoring has allowed investigati...