A Comprehensive Framework for Measuring the Immediate Impact of TV Advertisements: TV-Impact.

Measuring the immediate impact of television advertisements (TV ads) on online traffic poses significant challenges in many aspects. Nonetheless, a comprehensive consideration is essential to fully grasp consumer reactions to TV ads. So far, the measurement of this effect has not been studied to a large extent. Existing studies have either determined how a specific focus group, i.e., toddlers, people of a certain age group, etc., react to ads via simple statistical tests using a case study approach or have examined the effects of advertising with simple regression models. This study introduces a comprehensive framework called TV-Impact. The framework uses a Bayesian structural time-series model called CausalImpact. There are additional novel approaches developed within the framework. One of the novelties of TV-Impact lies in its dynamic algorithm for selecting control variables which are supporting data sources and presumed to be unaffected by TV ads. In addition, we proposed the concept of Group Ads to combine overlapping ads into a single ad structure. Then, Random Forest Regressor, which is a commonly preferred supervised learning method, is used to decompose the impact into single ads. The TV-Impact framework was applied to the data of iLab, a venture company in Turkey, and manages its companies' advertising strategies. The findings reveal that the TV-Impact model positively influenced the companies' strategies for allocating their TV advertisement budgets and increased the amount of traffic driven to company websites, serving as an effective decision support system.

Uncovering culinary medicine research themes: Current status and future direction.

Background: Culinary medicine (CM), an emerging discipline, is a novel approach that focuses on the art of food and cooking to prevent or improve health outcomes among chronic patients suffering from lifestyle diseases. The concept originated in the USA, gaining interest from scholars in medicine, nutrition, nursing, and the gastronomic discipline. Notably, in the last five years, there has been exponential growth in CM literature. In this regard, this study sought to examine the growth, performance and distinct research themes of CM literature over time. Methods: To achieve the study's objectives, this study employs descriptive, performance and bibliometric analysis. The descriptive analysis was applied to examine the growth of the CM literature since its emergence. The performance analysis was used to identify the most influential journals, articles, and authors in the CM domain. The bibliographic coupling analysis was adopted to discover the various research themes of the CM knowledge base. Results: This study identifies three stages of literature development: Early stage, modest growth stage, and emerging stage. Further, the results indicate that most of the studies on CM had been conducted in developed countries. Our findings reveal a clear interest in integrating the CM curriculum into medical/nutrition education programs in recent years. Additionally, the study discovers four distinct main research themes: knowledge assessment, impact measurement, acceptance and efficacy, and implementation of CM. Conclusions: These findings are helpful for scholars in medicine, nutrition, nursing, and gastronomy as they provide an overview of CM's development and research focus. Future studies could focus on expanding the geographical distribution of research on CM and further exploring the identified research themes to gain a deeper understanding of the potential of this approach for improving health outcomes among chronic disease patients.

Consensus Head Acceleration Measurement Practices (CHAMP): Study Design and Statistical Analysis.

Head impact measurement devices enable opportunities to collect impact data directly from humans to study topics like concussion biomechanics, head impact exposure and its effects, and concussion risk reduction techniques in sports when paired with other relevant data. With recent advances in head impact measurement devices and cost-effective price points, more and more investigators are using them to study brain health questions. However, as the field's literature grows, the variance in study quality is apparent. This brief paper aims to provide a high-level set of key considerations for the design and analysis of head impact measurement studies that can help avoid flaws introduced by sampling biases, false data, missing data, and confounding factors. We discuss key points through four overarching themes: study design, operational management, data quality, and data analysis.

Exercise and Rehabilitation in People With Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome: A Systematic Review.

Objective: To conduct a systematic review examining the effect of exercise and rehabilitation in people with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). Data Sources: The following databases were systematically searched: MEDLINE, MEDLINE In-Process/ePubs, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PsycINFO, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health. The final time point captured by the search is November 27, 2020. Study Selection: Eligible study designs included case-control, case-series, prospective cohort, retrospective cohort, and intervention studies of structured exercise or rehabilitation interventions. Eligible populations included adults (18 years or older) with EDS (all subtypes) and hypermobility spectrum disorders. The search was restricted to articles published in English. Data Extraction: Data were extracted by 2 independent reviewers. Risk of bias was assessed using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and Risk Of Bias In Nonrandomized Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I) for non-RCTs. Reporting quality of RCTs was assessed using the Consolidated Standards for Reporting of Trials statement with the harms extension. Reporting was guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses checklist. Data Synthesis: The search yielded 10 eligible studies including 330 participants. The study designs included 5 RCTs, 1 cohort, 2 single-arm interventions, 1 retrospective, and 1 feasibility study. All studies showed some improvement in a physical and/or psychological outcome after the intervention period. One adverse event (nonserious) potentially related to the intervention was reported. Of the 5 RCTs, 2 were rated as high quality with low risk of bias using PEDro, and the majority of non-RCTs were rated as critical risk of bias by ROBINS-I. Conclusions: The results suggest that exercise and rehabilitation may be beneficial for various physical and psychological outcomes. Adequately powered and rigorous RCTs of exercise and rehabilitation interventions for people with EDS are needed.

The Relation Between Pet Ownership, Anxiety, and Depressive Symptoms in Late Life: Propensity Score Matched Analyses.

The purpose of this study was to explore the differences in anxiety and depressive symptoms between older adult pet owners and non-pet owners after accounting for various correlates. Research findings on the anxiety-relieving and antidepressant effects of late-life pet ownership are mixed and limited. This may be due in part to various characteristics that impact the likelihood of owning a pet. Propensity score matching was used to pair 169 pet owners with 169 non-pet owners aged 70 to 91 years who participated in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Study of Aging. One set of propensity scores was created using age, sex, race, rurality, marital status, and income, as well as self-reported health, difficulty with activities of daily living, and difficulty with instrumental activities of daily living. A second set of scores was created using age, sex, race, rurality, marital status, and income. Multiple linear regression analyses were then used to explore the relation between pet ownership status and anxiety or depressive symptoms, controlling for the other symptoms. Pet ownership was significantly associated with lower self-reported anxiety symptoms (ß = -0.14) but not depressive symptoms (ß = -0.03) in the data matched without health variables. When propensity score matching included health variables, pet ownership was related to neither symptoms of anxiety (ß = -0.08) nor depression (ß = 0.05). These results suggest that owning a pet in later life is related to fewer anxiety symptoms, over and above the impact of depressive symptoms, even after accounting for various demographic and economic covariates. However, general and functional health appear to be critical to this relation, but the direction of this relation could not be determined from our analyses (i.e., it is not clear whether the relation between pet ownership and anxiety symptoms is confounded by, mediates, or is mediated by health). This study is the first large-scale analysis to find a significant relation between pet ownership and fewer anxiety symptoms in older adults.

Success Factors of Artificial Intelligence Implementation in Healthcare.

Background: Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare has demonstrated high efficiency in academic research, while only few, and predominantly small, real-world AI applications exist in the preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic contexts. Our identification and analysis of success factors for the implementation of AI aims to close the gap between recent years' significant academic AI advancements and the comparably low level of practical application in healthcare. Methods: A literature and real life cases analysis was conducted in Scopus and OpacPlus as well as the Google advanced search database. The according search queries have been defined based on success factor categories for AI implementation derived from a prior World Health Organization survey about barriers of adoption of Big Data within 125 countries. The eligible publications and real life cases were identified through a catalog of in- and exclusion criteria focused on concrete AI application cases. These were then analyzed to deduct and discuss success factors that facilitate or inhibit a broad-scale implementation of AI in healthcare. Results: The analysis revealed three categories of success factors, namely (1) policy setting, (2) technological implementation, and (3) medical and economic impact measurement. For each of them a set of recommendations has been deducted: First, a risk adjusted policy frame is required that distinguishes between precautionary and permissionless principles, and differentiates among accountability, liability, and culpability. Second, a "privacy by design" centered technology infrastructure shall be applied that enables practical and legally compliant data access. Third, the medical and economic impact need to be quantified, e.g., through the measurement of quality-adjusted life years while applying the CHEERS and PRISMA reporting criteria. Conclusions: Private and public institutions can already today leverage AI implementation based on the identified results and thus drive the translation from scientific development to real world application. Additional success factors could include trust-building measures, data categorization guidelines, and risk level assessments and as the success factors are interlinked, future research should elaborate on their optimal interaction to utilize the full potential of AI in real world application.

Measuring employment impact: applications and cases

Applying the Impact-Weighted Accounts Initiative's employment impact methodology, on eight leading companies, we document wide variability in employment impacts as a percentage of salaries paid, ranging between 59 and 80 percent. We identify opportunities for improvement and discuss transition plans for companies to create more positive employment impact. We conclude with a call for disclosure of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission EEO-1 reports, paid leave, childcare and healthcare benefits, which would greatly facilitate the comparable and reliable measurement of employment impact in the future.(AU)

Bibliometrics approach to evaluating the research impact of CTSAs: A pilot study.

INTRODUCTION: To enhance the performance evaluation of Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) hubs, we examined the utility of advanced bibliometric measures that go beyond simple publication counts to demonstrate the impact of translational research output. METHODS: The sampled data included North Carolina Translational and Clinical Science Institute (NC TraCS)-supported publications produced between September 2008 and March 2017. We adopted advanced bibliometric measures and a state-of-the-art bibliometric network analysis tool to assess research productivity, citation impact, the scope of research collaboration, and the clusters of research topics. RESULTS: Totally, 754 NC TraCS-supported publications generated over 24,000 citation counts by April 2017 with an average of 33 cites per article. NC TraCS-supported research papers received more than twice as many cites per year as the average National Institute of Health-funded research publications from the same field and time. We identified the top productive researchers and their networks within the CTSA hub. Findings demonstrated the impact of NC TraCS in facilitating interdisciplinary collaborations within the CTSA hub and across the CTSA consortium and connecting researchers with right peers and organizations. CONCLUSION: Both improved bibliometrics measures and bibliometric network analysis can bring new perspectives to CTSA evaluation via citation influence and the scope of research collaborations.

A framework for product impact-weighted accounts

While there has been significant progress in the measurement of an organization's environmental and social impacts from its operations, metrics to evaluate the impact of products once they come to market lag far behind. In this paper, we provide a framework for systematic measurement of product impact in monetary terms and delve into the rationale for the framework's seven elements. We then apply the whole framework to two competitor companies to show the feasibility of measuring product impact and the actionability of the framework. We indicate the value of impactweighted financial statement analysis with examples of insights enabled by industry-wide product impact measurement. We see our results as a first step, rather than a definitive answer, towards more systematic measurement of product impact in monetary terms that can then be reflected in financial statements with the purpose of creating impact-weighted financial accounts.(AU)

PVDF Nanofiber Sensor for Vibration Measurement in a String.

Flexible, self-powered and miniaturized sensors are extensively used in the areas of sports, soft robotics, health care and communication devices. Measurement of vibration is important for determining the mechanical properties of a structure, specifically the string tension in strings. In this work, a flexible, lightweight and self-powered sensor is developed and attached to a string to measure vibrations characteristics in strings. Electrospun poly(vinylidene) fluoride (PVDF) nanofibers are deposited on a flexible liquid crystal polymer (LCP) substrate for the development of the sensor. The electrospinning process is optimized for different needle sizes (0.34-0.84 mm) and flow rates (0.6-3 mL/h). The characterization of the sensor is done in a cantilever configuration and the test results indicate the sensor's capability to measure the frequency and strain in the required range. The comparison of the results from the developed PVDF sensor and a commercial Laser Displacement Sensor (LDS) showed good resemblance (±0.2%) and a linear voltage profile (0.2 mV/µÎµ). The sensor, upon attachment to a racket string, is able to measure single impacts and sinusoidal vibrations. The repeatability of the results on the measurement of vibrations produced by an impact hammer and a mini shaker demonstrate an exciting new application for piezoelectric sensors.

Assessing the impact of law enforcement to reduce over-the-counter (OTC) sales of antibiotics in low- and middle-income countries; a systematic literature review.

BACKGROUND: Many low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) are moving towards enforcing prescription-only access to antibiotics. This systematic literature review aims to assess the interventions used to enforce existing legislation prohibiting over-the-counter (OTC) sales of antibiotics in LMICs, their impact and examine the methods chosen for impact measurement including their strengths and weaknesses. METHODS: Both PubMed and Embase were systematically searched for studies reporting on impact measurement in moving towards prescription only access to antibiotics in LMICs. The PRISMA methodological review framework was used to ensure systematic data collection and analysis of literature. Narrative data synthesis was used due to heterogeneity of study designs. RESULTS: In total, 15 studies were included that assessed policy impact in 10 different countries. Strategies employed to enforce regulations prohibiting OTC sales of systemic antibiotics included retention of prescriptions for antibiotics by pharmacies, government inspections, engaging pharmacists in the design of interventions, media campaigns for the general public and educational activities for health care workers. A variety of outcomes was used to assess the policy impact; changes in antimicrobial resistance rates, changes in levels of antibiotic use, changes in trends of antibiotic use, changes in OTC supply of antibiotics, and changes in reported practices and knowledge of pharmacists, medicine sellers and the general public. Differences in methodological approaches and outcome assessment made it difficult to compare the effectiveness of law enforcement activities. Most effective appeared to be multifaceted approaches that involved all stakeholders. Monitoring of the impact on total sales of antibiotics by means of an interrupted time series (ITS) analysis and analysis of pharmacies selling antibiotics OTC using mystery clients were the methodologically strongest designs used. CONCLUSIONS: The published literature describing activities to enforce prescription-only access to antibiotics in LMICs is sparse and offers limited guidance. Most likely to be effective are comprehensive multifaceted interventions targeting all stakeholders with regular reinforcement of messages. Policy evaluation should be planned as part of implementation to assess the impact and effectiveness of intervention strategies and to identify targets for further activities. Robust study designs such as ITS analyses and mystery client surveys should be used to monitor policy impact.

The role of demographic and clinical variables in assessing the quality of life of outpatients with rheumatoid arthritis.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to assess quality of life among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated as outpatients. The specific question was: does the quality of life of RA patients depend on demographic variables and clinical variables? MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 240 patients with RA recruited from outpatients. To assess quality of life, the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales 2 was applied. Clinical tests: VAS, Morning Stiffness, Grip Strength, Richie Articular Index. RESULTS: The analysis of life quality for the total group was carried out in the particular AIMS2 of the mean scores for arthritis pain - 7.37; walking and bending - 6.62; social activity - 5.52; level of tension - 5.17; satisfaction - 5.17; hand and finger function - 4.28; mood - 4.03; physical activity - 3.27; arm function - 3.16; household tasks - 2.67; self-care - 2.18; and support from family and friends - 1.75. The arthritis impact score was 6.01. The analysis of the correlation between clinical variables and individual AIMS2 subscales showed a statistically significant relationship between the VAS Pain, Grip Strength Measurement, Morning Stiffness and quality of life subscales (p < 0.01). VAS Pain, Morning Stiffness, and Grip Strength Measurement were the most important predictors among clinical variables of physical component, affect and symptoms (p < 0.001). Among demographic variables: age over 60 years and low education were the most important predictors of physical component (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The study results may be helpful for further health-related studies on quality of life among RA studies and in making therapeutic decisions concerning quality of life improvement.

The leap from ROI to SROI: Farther than expected?

Social return on investment (SROI) is a popular method for evaluating the impact that organizations have on society and the environment. It has its roots in finance, where return on investment (ROI) is used to evaluate investments. Over the past ten years, SROI has made the leap from a tool for building private wealth to one that advances the public good. Has it landed us in a better place? To answer the question, I describe the general approach to financial analysis, how it is applied to financial decisions, and how it has been adapted to evaluate impact. I then consider the strengths and weaknesses of SROI, and suggest how, by pushing beyond the constraints of financial analysis, it can give stakeholders voice and provide evidence of success from diverse perspectives. Along the way, I propose a conceptual model for value, a foundational concept in SROI that has been criticized by some as underdeveloped, and I include a technical appendix that identifies potential sources of statistical bias in SROI estimates. I conclude by acknowledging our growing need to incorporate efficiency as one of multiple success criteria and the role that SROI-properly implemented-can play.

Hacia la medición del impacto de las prácticas de apropiación social de la ciencia y la tecnología: propuesta de una batería de indicadores / Measuring the impact of practices of social appropriation of science and technology: a proposal for a set of indicators

Resumen Se presenta una propuesta de indicadores cualitativos para hacer un seguimiento de las prácticas de apropiación social de la ciencia y la tecnología. La batería se diseñó a partir del caso de Maloka, pero puede ser de utilidad para múltiples actores que realizan ejercicios de ASCyT. La introducción presenta una discusión sobre el concepto de ASCyT. La primera sección muestra una revisión bibliográfica sobre la medición de actividades que vinculan ciencia y sociedad. La segunda explica por qué es importante el desarrollo de este tipo de mediciones. La tercera muestra la metodología seguida para el diseño de la batería. La cuarta explica la batería de indicadores y la quinta reflexiona sobre este proceso.

Abstract We propose a set of qualitative indicators for monitoring practices of social appropriation of science and technology. The design of this set is based on the Maloka case, but it can be of use to multiple actors involved in the social appropriation of science and technology (referred to by its Spanish acronym, ASCyT). The introduction discusses the concept of ASCyT. The first section provides a review of the literature about measuring activities that link science and society. The second section explains why it is important to develop this type of measurement. The third section lays out the methodology used in designing the indicators. The fourth section explains the set of indicators and the fifth reflects on that process.

The History of Patient-Reported Outcomes in Rheumatology.

The rheumatology community began incorporating patient-reported outcomes in the early 1980s, helping shift the care of chronic diseases from a narrower biomedical model to a broader biopsychosocial model of health. Early efforts were focused primarily in clinical trials and clinical research, but over the last decade there has been increasing use in routine rheumatology clinical care. More than 250 valid and reliable scales to assess domains of importance to patients with rheumatic conditions have been developed. The approach to measurement continues to be refined. Rheumatology has much to be proud of in contributions to the important field of patient-reported outcomes.

Self-reported activity and functioning in daily life; the perspective of persons with haemophilia living in Sweden.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the self-estimated function, activity and participation in daily life of persons with severe or moderate haemophilia A and B (PWH) living in Sweden. The secondary aim was to explore the differences between participants with early treatment onset and later. METHODS: The Haemophilia Activity List (HAL), Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales (AIMS2) and Impact on Participation and Autonomy (IPA-S) were distributed by mail to 225 PWH with an invitation to participate in the study. The median and min-max are given for the different domains; a higher value indicates more disability. RESULTS: Eighty-four PWH (18-80 years) participated. The HAL indicated more problems in the legs [40 (0-100)] than in self-care [4 (0-92)] and household tasks [3 (0-87)]. The AIMS2 scores confirmed this (physical activity 12 (0-64.5) as well as somewhat reduced autonomy outdoors [IPA-S 17.5 (0-90)]. More limitations in daily life were reported by participants with later treatment onset. CONCLUSION: The PWH reported greater disability in the domains related to activities using the lower extremities compared to domains related to upper extremity. This study pointed out the need of using different questionnaires to capture patients own perspective and as useful supplement to other clinical assessment instruments.

Calidad de vida y Nivel de salud percibido en personas con artritis reumatoide / Quality of life and perceived level of health in people with rheumatoid arthritis

A través de un estudio correlacional explicativo, se determinó la relación entre las características de la calidad de vida, el nivel de salud y los factores sociodemográficos y de acceso a la seguridad social en una muestra de 635 personas con artritis reumatoide. El trabajo se realizó en la Ciudad de Bogotá Colombia en una institución de salud de referencia a nivel nacional. Los participantes fueron entrevistados directamente por la investigadora en el momento de la consulta de enfermería previo al control programado de reumatología. Para la medición de calidad de vida y nivel de salud se aplicó la ficha de caracterización de paciente crónico, el instrumento QOL-RA y AIMS a los cuales se les realizó pruebas de validez facial y de contenido. Con los datos obtenidos se describieron los principales hallazgos sociodemográficos donde se muestra una prevalencia de artritis reumatoide más en mujeres que en hombres en un 87%. Se encontró una correlación positiva moderada de 0,596 estadísticamente significativa P= 0,001 entre la calidad de vida y el nivel de salud. Los factores sociodemográficos que se asocian a una peor percepción de calidad de vida y nivel de salud de los participantes son la característica ser mujer, que reduce el nivel promedio de calidad de vida (valor Beta -4,116 puntos P= 0,001) y del nivel de salud (Beta -19,83 puntos P= 0,001) con respecto a ser hombre; pertenecer al grupo de primaria o primaria incompleta, (Beta -4,38 P= 0,000) reduce el nivel promedio de calidad de vida y de nivel de salud percibido con respecto al grupo que refiere un mayor nivel educativo; el estrato socioeconómico 2 o menos se asocia a una peor calidad de vida y a un nivel bajo de salud (Beta -9,288 P= 0,000) con respecto a pertenecer a un mayor estrato socio-económico. Finalmente a través de un modelo teórico path que se probó preliminarmente a través de un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales de covarianza, se corroboraron algunos aspectos observados en los análisis de regresión como: ser mujer, pertenecer a un estrato inferior y un nivel de educación primaria o menos que afectan negativamente la calidad de vida y el nivel de salud. Los componentes social y de actividades cotidianas afectan en menor medida la calidad de vida y el nivel de salud.

Through a correlational explanatory study it was determined the relationship between characteristics of quality of life, health status, socio-demographic factors and access to social security in a sample of 635 people with rheumatoid arthritis. This study was carried out in the city of Bogota, Colombia in a national referral health institution. Participants were interviewed directly by the researcher at the time of the nursing consultation before to the scheduled rheumatology control. To measure quality of life and health status, characterization tab of chronic patient, and QOL-RA and AIMS instruments were applied which were tested for face and content validity. With the data obtained major socio-demographic findings were described, where it is shown a higher prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis in women than in men in 87%. A moderate positive correlation of 0.596 statistically significant (P = 0.001) between quality of life and health status was found. Socio-demographic factors associated to a worse perception of quality of life and health status of the participants are the characteristics of being woman which reducing the average level of quality of life (Beta value -4,116 points P= 0.001) and health status (Beta -19,83 points P= 0.001) respect to be a man. Belonging to the group of elementary or incomplete elementary school (Beta -4.38 P= 0.000) reduces the average level of quality of life and perceived health status respect to the group referred to a higher level of education. Socioeconomic status 2 or less is associated to a poorer quality of life and a low level of health (Beta = -9.288 P 0.000) respect to belong to a higher socio-economic stratum. Finally, through a theoretical model path preliminarily tested through a structural covariance equation model, some aspects observed in the regression analyzes were corroborated such as: being woman, belonging to a lower stratum and elementary or less school level adversely affect quality of life and level of health. The daily activities and social components affect less quality of life and level of health.