Motivation: SNOMED CT provides about 300,000 codes with fine-grained definitions to support interoperability of health data. However, even experienced human coders tend to disagree about which codes to choose for expressing clinical content. Results: 20 short clinical text fragments were independently annotated with SNOMED CT codes by two terminology experts. We analysed each disagreement insta...

The concept of cognitive insight was introduced in 2004 to describe the capacity of patients with psychosis to distance themselves from their psychotic experiences, reflect on them, and respond to corrective feedback. The Beck Cognitive Insight Scale (BCIS) was developed to evaluate these aspects of cognitive flexibility and to complement scales that describe the lack of awareness of mental ill...

BACKGROUND The triad of quality, innovation and economic restraint is as important in health care as it is in the business world. There are many proposals for the assessment of quality and of economic restraints in health care but only a few address assessment of innovations. We propose a strategy and new structures to standardize the description of health care innovations and to quantify them....

Screening programs for late-onset, biotin-responsive, multiple carboxylase deficiency (LMCD) detect colormetrically the presence of biotinidase activity in dried samples of whole-blood spotted on filter-papers as used in the neonatal screening of phenylketonuria. A sensitive and stable qualitative technique is described using 10 microliter of serum that avoids problems associated with poor samp...

Pluvial or surface flooding can cause significant damage and disruption as it often affects highly urbanised areas. Therefore it is essential to accurately identify consequences and assess the risks associated with such phenomena. The aim of this study is to present the results and investigate the applicability of a qualitative flood risk assessment methodology in urban areas. This methodology ...

James BEEBE presents a model for doing what he labels the Rapid Assessment Process (RAP). This review essay provides a critical review of and commentary on BEEBE's text for qualitative researchers to use for applied evaluation projects. The RAP model is a systematic approach based upon collaborative inclusion of insider and outsider perspectives in building a research team that collectively con...

Background Assessment is an important part of student learning. Probably the most important part since the method of assessment has a major influence on the way students accomplish their studies. It is very important to use this fact in order to create the best possible circumstances for student learning. If we want learning to be more qualitative than quantitative, deep oriented and not surfac...

Abstract Information security risk assessment was an important component of information systems security engineering and the selection of assessment method had a direct impact on the final results of the assessment. But there were too many elements in the process of information security risk assessment. How to find the optimal elements from many elements to simplify the calculation of risk valu...

In order to improve software maintenance processes, we first need to be able to characterize and assess them. These tasks must be performed in depth and with objectivity since the problems are complex. One approach is to set up a measurement-based software process improvement program specifically aimed at maintenance. However, establishing a measurement program requires that one understands the...

Scientific assessment of affective states in animals is challenging but vital for animal welfare studies. One possible approach is Qualitative Behavioural Assessment (QBA), a 'whole animal' methodology which integrates information from multiple behavioural signals and styles of behavioural expression (body language) directly in terms of an animal's emotional expression. If QBA provides a valid ...