Comparison of alternative methods of contact tracing in a syphilis control program

The purpose of this study was to compare the relative effectiveness of alternative methods of tracing named contacts of syphilis patients. A total of 236 contacts, identified by patients in two City of Houston Department of Health and Human Services clinics during the period April 1 through July 31, 1987, were studied. After contacts were grouped by sex and age, the proportion brought to examination by each of three methods, and by a combination of methods, was determined for each subgroup.^ The study found that 78.4% of all the 236 named sex contacts reported were located and brought to examination by the various methods of contact tracing and that 21.6% were missed. Of the 185 contacts examined, a combination of methods identified 47.7% of the cases, telephone contact, 28.6%, field contact, 16.9%, and patient referral, 11.8%.^ Of the 236 contacts reported, males made up 56.8% and females 43.2%. Contact tracing was more successful among females, with 81.4% of the 102 named female contacts, as compared to 76.1% of the 134 named male contacts being brought to examination. It is not known whether equal efforts were exerted in the follow-up of both male and female contacts. In both female and male subgroups, a combination of methods brought over 40% of sex contacts to examination. Telephone contact among females yielded 27.7% of the cases and field contact 18.1%, whereas in males, telephone contact identified 29.4% of the cases and field contact 15.7%. Patient referral was the least productive method in both sex groups, locating 12.8% in males as compared to 10.8% in females.^ On an age specific basis, a combination of methods was the most effective method in the 15-39 age group, whereas telephone contact was most effective in the 40-44 age group, and field contact in the 50-54 age group. Of all the methods of contact tracing, patient referral was the least productive in most age groups.^ Future studies of contact tracing should incorporate several important variables which were not examined in this study. ^

The Need for Balanced Methods of Measuring Performance

Michelle Rhee weighs in on measuring success in pubic education.

Placement Methods of Phosphorus and Potassium for Corn and Soybean Managed with No-till and Chisel-plow/Disk Tillage

No-till management limits the incorporation of crop residue and fertilizer with soil resulting in wetter, colder soils and the accumulation of organic matter, phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) near the soil surface. Banding of P and K could be more effective than broadcast fertilization by counteracting stratification, applying nutrients in the root zone (starter effect), and minimizing reactions with the soil that may reduce their availability to plants. Therefore, this long-term study was established in 1994 to evaluate P and K fertilizer placement methods and grain yield of corn-soybean rotations managed with notill and chisel-plow/disk tillage.

Concentration of trace elements in samples of sea water determined by use of two methods of concentrating

A device and a specific procedure for simultaneous concentration of trace ele¬ments from sea water by co-precipitating them in precipitate of magnesium hydroxide obtained by electrolytic alkalization of samples in a two-chamber electrolyzer are described. Analyses of sea water samples for zinc, iron, copper, nickel and lead demonstrate that the method produces a thousand-fold concentration and gives results that agree well with those obtained by extractive concentration using diethyldithiocarbamate and 8-hydroxyquinoline in chloroform. Extracts were analyzed by flame atomic absorption. Correlation coefficients of results obtained with use of these two methods of concentration were 0.76-0.87 for zinc, iron, and copper at confidence levels of 0.05-0.07. Average zinc and iron concentrations determined by the method differed by less than 10%.

Adjustment methods of national input-output tables for harmonized and consistent multi-regional input-output databases

Despite the fact that input–output (IO) tables form a central part of the System of National Accounts, each individual country's national IO table exhibits more or less different features and characteristics, reflecting the country's socioeconomic idiosyncrasies. Consequently, the compilers of a multi-regional input–output table (MRIOT) are advised to thoroughly examine the conceptual as well as methodological differences among countries in the estimation of basic statistics for national IO tables and, if necessary, to carry out pre-adjustment of these tables into a common format prior to the MRIOT compilation. The objective of this study is to provide a practical guide for harmonizing national IO tables to construct a consistent MRIOT, referring to the adjustment practices used by the Institute of Developing Economies, JETRO (IDE-JETRO) in compiling the Asian International Input–Output Table.

Methods of Tree Appraisal: A Review of Their Features and Application Possibilities

Se revisan los métodas de valoración de arbolado

American fishes; a popular treatise upon the game and food fishes of North America, with especial reference to habits and methods of capture, by G. Brown Goode...with numerous illustrations.

1st ed.

New methods of structure refinement for macromolecular structure determination by NMR

Recent advances in multidimensional NMR methodology have permitted solution structures of proteins in excess of 250 residues to be solved. In this paper, we discuss several methods of structure refinement that promise to increase the accuracy of macromolecular structures determined by NMR. These methods include the use of a conformational database potential and direct refinement against three-bond coupling constants, secondary 13C shifts, 1H shifts, T1/T2 ratios, and residual dipolar couplings. The latter two measurements provide long range restraints that are not accessible by other solution NMR parameters.