Quality of core collections for effective utilisation of genetic resources review, discussion and interpretation

Definition of clear criteria for evaluation of the quality of core collections is a prerequisite for selecting high-quality cores. However, a critical examination of the different methods used in literature, for evaluating the quality of core collections, shows that there are no clear guidelines on the choices of quality evaluation criteria and as a result, inappropriate analyses are sometimes made leading to false conclusions being drawn regarding the quality of core collections and the methods to select such core collections. The choice of criteria for evaluating core collections appears to be based mainly on the fact that those criteria have been used in earlier publications rather than on the actual objectives of the core collection. In this study, we provide insight into different criteria used for evaluating core collections. We also discussed different types of core collections and related each type of core collection to their respective evaluation criteria. Two new criteria based on genetic distance are introduced. The consequences of the different evaluation criteria are illustrated using simulated and experimental data. We strongly recommend the use of the distance-based criteria since they not only allow the simultaneous evaluation of all variables describing the accessions, but they also provide intuitive and interpretable criteria, as compared with the univariate criteria generally used for the evaluation of core collections. Our findings will provide genebank curators and researchers with possibilities to make informed choices when creating, comparing and using core collections.     

Applicability of the WHO Maternal Near Miss Criteria in a Low-Resource Setting

Background

Maternal near misses are increasingly used to study quality of obstetric care. Inclusion criteria for the identification of near misses are diverse and studies not comparable. WHO developed universal near miss inclusion criteria in 2009 and these criteria have been validated in Brazil and Canada.

Objectives

To validate and refine the WHO near miss criteria in a low-resource setting.

Methods

A prospective cross-sectional study was performed in a rural referral hospital in Tanzania. From November 2009 until November 2011, all cases of maternal death (MD) and maternal near miss (MNM) were included. For identification of MNM, a local modification of the WHO near miss criteria was used, because most laboratory-based and some management-based criteria could not be applied in this setting. Disease-based criteria were added as they reflect severe maternal morbidity. In the absence of a gold standard for identification of MNM, the clinical WHO criteria were validated for identification of MD.

Results

32 MD and 216 MNM were identified using the locally adapted near miss criteria; case fatality rate (CFR) was 12.9%. WHO near miss criteria identified only 60 MNM (CFR 35.6%). All clinical criteria, 25% of the laboratory-based criteria and 50% of the management-based criteria could be applied. The threshold of five units of blood for identification of MNM led to underreporting of MNM. Clinical criteria showed specificity of 99.5% (95%CI: 99.4%–99.7%) and sensitivity of 100% (95%CI: 91.1%–100%). Some inclusion criteria did not contribute to the identification of cases and therefore may be eligible for removal.

Conclusion

The applicability of the WHO near miss criteria depends on the local context, e.g. level of health care. The clinical criteria showed good validity. Lowering the threshold for blood transfusion from five to two units in settings without blood bank and addition of disease-based criteria in low-resource settings is recommended.     

Life cycle inventory dataset review criteria—a new proposal

Purpose

A review of LCA process datasets is an important element of quality assurance for databases and for other systems to provide LCA datasets. Somewhat surprisingly, a broadly accepted and applicable set of criteria for a review of LCA process datasets was lacking so far. Different LCA databases and frameworks are proposing and using different criteria for reviewing datasets. To close this gap, a set of criteria for reviewing LCA dataset has been developed within the Life Cycle Initiative.

Methods

Previous contributions to LCA dataset review have been analysed for a start, from ISO and various LCA databases. To avoid somewhat arbitrary review criteria, four basic rules are proposed which are to be fulfilled by any dataset. Further, concepts for assessing representativeness and relevance are introduced into the criteria set from established practices in statistics and materiality. To better structure the criteria and to ease their application, they are grouped into clusters. A first version of the developed review criteria was presented in two workshops with database providers and users on different levels of experience, and draft versions of the criteria were shared within the initiative. The current version of the criteria reflects feedback received from various stakeholders and has been applied and tested in a review for newly developed datasets in Brazil, Malaysia and Thailand.

Results and discussion

Overall, 14 criteria are proposed, which are organised in clusters. The clusters are goal, model, value, relevance and procedure. For several criteria, a more science-based definition and evaluation is proposed in comparison to ‘traditional’ LCA. While most of the criteria depend on the goal and scope of dataset development, a core set of criteria are seen as essential and independent from specific LCA modelling. For all the criteria, value scales are developed, typically using an ordinal scale, following the pedigree approach.

Conclusions

Review criteria for LCI datasets are now defined based on a stringent approach. They aim to be globally acceptable, considering also database interoperability and database management aspects, as well as feedback received from various stakeholders, and thus close an important gap in LCA dataset quality assurance. The criteria take many elements of already existing criteria but are the first to fully reflect the implications of the ISO data quality definition, and add new concepts for representativeness and relevance with the idea to better reflect scientific practice outside of the LCA domain. A first application in a review showed to be feasible, with a level of effort similar to applying other review criteria. Aspects not addressed yet are the review procedure and the mutual recognition of dataset reviews, and their application for a very high number of datasets.

     

A stakeholder-informed approach to the identification of criteria for the prioritization of zoonoses in Canada

Background

Zoonotic diseases account for over 60% of all communicable diseases causing illness in humans and 75% of recently emerging infectious diseases. As limited resources are available for the control and prevention of zoonotic diseases, it is necessary to prioritize diseases in order to direct resources into those with the greatest needs. The selection of criteria for prioritization has traditionally been on the basis of expert opinion; however, details of the methods used to identify criteria from expert opinion often are not published and a full range of criteria may not be captured by expert opinion.

Methodology/Principal Findings

This study used six focus groups to identify criteria for the prioritization of zoonotic diseases in Canada. Focus groups included people from the public, animal health professionals and human health professionals. A total of 59 criteria were identified for prioritizing zoonotic diseases. Human-related criteria accounted for the highest proportion of criteria identified (55%), followed by animal-related criteria (26%) then pathogen/disease-related criteria (19%).Similarities and differences were observed in the identification and scoring of criteria for disease prioritization between groups; the public groups were strongly influenced by the individual-level of disease burden, the responsibility of the scientific community in disease prioritization and the experiences of recent events while the professional groups were influenced by the societal- and population-level of disease burden and political and public pressure.

Conclusions/Significance

This was the first study to describe a mixed semi-quantitative and qualitative approach to deriving criteria for disease prioritization. This was also the first study to involve the opinion of the general public regarding disease prioritization. The number of criteria identified highlights the difficulty in prioritizing zoonotic diseases. The method presented in this paper has formulated a comprehensive list of criteria that can be used to inform future disease prioritization studies.     

The WHO Maternal Near Miss Approach: Consequences at Malawian District Level

Introduction

WHO proposes a set of organ-failure based criteria for maternal near miss. Our objective was to evaluate what implementation of these criteria would mean for the analysis of a cohort of 386 women in Thyolo District, Malawi, who sustained severe acute maternal morbidity according to disease-based criteria.

Methods and Findings

A WHO Maternal Near Miss (MNM) Tool, created to compare disease-, intervention- and organ-failure based criteria for maternal near miss, was completed for each woman, based on a review of all available medical records. Using disease-based criteria developed for the local setting, 341 (88%) of the 386 women fulfilled the WHO disease-based criteria provided by the WHO MNM Tool, 179 (46%) fulfilled the intervention-based criteria, and only 85 (22%) the suggested organ-failure based criteria.

Conclusions

In this low-resource setting, application of these organ-failure based criteria that require relatively sophisticated laboratory and clinical monitoring underestimates the occurrence of maternal near miss. Therefore, these criteria and the suggested WHO approach may not be suited to compare maternal near miss across all settings.     

Using the Fuzzy DEMATEL to Determine Environmental Performance: A Case of Printed Circuit Board Industry in Taiwan

The method by which high-technology product manufacturers balance profits and environmental performance is of crucial concern for governments and enterprises. To examine the environmental performance of manufacturers, the present study applied Fuzzy-DEMATEL model to examine environmental performance of the PCB industry in Taiwan. Fuzzy theory was employed to examine the environmental performance criteria of manufacturers and analyse fuzzy linguistics. The fuzzy-DEMATEL model was then employed to assess the direction and level of interaction between environmental performance criteria. The core environmental performance criteria which were critical for enhancing environmental performance of the PCB industry in Taiwan were identified and presented. The present study revealed that green design (a1), green material procurement (a2), and energy consumption (b3) constitute crucial reason criteria, the core criteria influencing other criteria, and the driving factors for resolving problems.     

两种药物性肝炎诊断评分标准的临床应用分析

目的:比较Maria药物性肝损害(1997年)诊断标准和我国常用诊断标准对药物性肝损害的效价。方法:回顾性分析我院2005年1月至2006年4月期间经肝穿病理诊断为药物性肝损害的54例病例,分别按照上述两个标准评分。评价每一标准的准确性。结果:符合Maria药物性肝损害(1997年)诊断标准的(>10分)有45例,占83%;符合我国常用诊断标准的有39例,占72%。结论:两个诊断标准符合率较高,均可做为药物性肝损害的诊断标准,但仍有部分病例不能准确诊断,需进一步完善。     

Sex-determination of Continental European Robins Erithacus r. rubecula

Existing morphological sex-determination criteria for Continental European Robins proved inadequate when applied to birds captured in western Denmark. Only 49% of captured birds met with the wing-length criteria resulting in the classification of 2% males and 47% females respectively. This article presents a primer for correct sexing of Robins by amplification of a female-specific DNA element by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on genomic DNA. Further, two new criteria for sex-determination are proposed based on logistic regression and discriminant function analysis using morphological measures from birds with DNA-verified sex. Success rates of 80–81% for the new criteria were a considerable improvement compared with a success rate of only 36% for the old criteria.     

Technical note: The use and misuse of threshold diagnostic criteria in paleopathology

Weighted threshold diagnostic criteria approaches have emerged for diseases that involve skeletal/bony tissue that are readily diagnosed in the field of paleopathology such as Vitamin C deficiency (scurvy), Vitamin D deficiency (rickets) and treponemal disease. These criteria differ from traditional differential diagnosis in that they involve standardized inclusion criteria based on the lesion's specificity to the disease. Here I discuss the limitations and benefits of threshold criteria. I argue that while these criteria will benefit from further revision such as inclusion of lesion severity, and the incorporation of exclusion criteria, threshold diagnostic approaches have considerable value in the future of diagnosis in the field.     

Set of criteria for the actual quality evaluation of the elite basketball players

The paper comprises a proposition of nineteen criteria for the actual quality (situation-related efficiency/performance) evaluation in the elite basketball players (seven criteria for the efficiency on defence and twelve for the efficiency on offence) regarding all the playing positions. Coaches and other practitioners connected to the domain of basketball could utilize this set of criteria for the individual and team aspects of the performance follow-up and assessment in players throughout their sports career, from the cadettes' to the senior selections. Proposed set of criteria is the pressumption for the exact scientific and expert approach to the basketball performance (situation-related efficiency) evaluation and prediction--criterion variable. Weighting factors (coefficients of significance) for each criterion in relation to the playing positions should be determined on the next stage of developing a system of the performance evaluation criteria.     

Criteria of reliability for light microscopic immunocytochemical staining

Summary The following criteria of reliability are defined and discussed for immunocytochemical staining at the light microscopical level: efficiency, accuracy, precision, sensitivity, and specificity. Whenever practical, tests are suggested for obtaining information on the extent to which these criteria are fulfilled in a given system, and procedures are outlined for improving immunocytochemical staining in terms of these criteria. It is suggested that consideration of reliability criteria will help investigators in their choice of methodology, design of experimental strategy, and valid interpretation of the results.     

Biomechanics justification for empirical head tolerance criteria

Criticisms of existing tolerance criteria are assessed briefly in the context of their relevance and importance in the design of protective systems. A biomechanics analysis is given for head impact, with emphasis on the general form of derived tolerance criteria rather than on their detailed evaluation. Head materials are assumed to be inhomogeneous, nonlinear and viscoelastic, and related materials failure criteria are used to derive appropriate head injury criteria. It is shown that the Gadd Severity Index and the Head Injury Criterion are plausible and fundamentally correct forms of criteria, in contrast to criticisms which have appeared in the literature. The present analysis gives credibility to these empirical criteria, indicates their limitations and the assumptions upon which they are based, and enables them to be seen in the context of other proposed head tolerance criteria.     

Baseline criteria and the evolution of hosts and parasites: D0, R0 and competition for resources between strains

Our understanding of the evolution of diseases has been greatly aided by the use of baseline criteria. Here we examine the theoretical and biological relationships of the well known baseline criteria for the evolution of disease (R0) and the recently introduced corresponding criterion for the evolution of resistance in hosts (D0). We show that there is a formal theoretical equivalence between the two criteria and discuss the characteristics of seperability that determine whether the criteria define the course of evolution. These theoretical determinants correspond biologically to whether strains compete for resources or not. We discuss the biological application of the criteria and argue that D0 may be less widely applicable than R0, but does determine the evolution of resistance in populations with fixed carrying capacities.     

Cytology of prostatic carcinoma. Quantification and validation of diagnostic criteria

The validity of diagnostic criteria for the cytologic differentiation between benign and malignant cases and between normal (hyperplastic) and inflammation-activated (prostatitis) prostatic cells was tested by means of semiautomated image analysis and cytophotometry. The following criteria were found to have significant differences between benign and malignant prostatic cells: nucleoli (number, size and size variability), regularity of nuclear arrangement, anisonucleosis, nuclear size, nuclear polymorphism and dissociation of cells. The following criteria were found to be invalid for the detection of prostatic cancer cells: nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio, hyperchromasia and anisochromasia. the cytologic diagnosis of prostatic cancer was achieved by observing a variable constellation of at least three of six pathognomically altered diagnostic criteria. No fixed pattern of diagnostic criteria was found either for prostatic cancer cells in general or for the different malignancy grades.     

siRNA selection criteria--statistical analyses of applicability and significance

RNA interference is a powerful tool for gene silencing, which is mediated by introducing siRNA. In the present study, statistical analyses of published siRNA selection criteria, the interpretation of some criteria and systematic searching for new criteria have been carried out for CGB siRNA and siRecords databases. The results of the analyses are as follows: (i) Our study supports the two-state model of the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC). (ii) Stable 5'-S ends of a siRNA sequence, higher stability of the whole siRNA, and low breaking energy of siRNA duplex occurs in effective siRNA sequences. Also low internal stability of the 5'-AS terminus is preferred. (iii) Secondary structure can be successfully used as an RNAi selection criterion. (iv) Several published sequence criteria have been confirmed and also new criteria have been developed. (v) Also a Target Patterns criterion, which is comparable or better than the best known criteria, has been created.     

Methods of assessment celery leaf spot (Septoria apiicola) in relation to fungicide evaluation

Six criteria for evaluating fungicides for control of celery leaf spot (Septoria apiicola) were compared. Two of these criteria consisted of yield measurements, of which marketable yield gave better statistical separation of the fungicides than gross yield. Of the other four criteria, assessment of leaf spot on a whole-plot basis was the most valuable. Overall disease rating on individual intact plants, rating of each petiole and numbers of diseased petioles per plant were less useful assessment criteria.     

Stadium Woods: A dendroecological analysis of an old-growth forest fragment on a university campus

On the Virginia Tech campus, adjacent to the football stadium is a 4.6-ha forest fragment that contains a population of unusually large white oak (Quercus alba L.) trees. We used dendroecology and sampled vegetation in fixed area plots to reconstruct the disturbance history of this forest fragment and compared the radial-growth averaging criteria and the boundary-line release criteria for identifying canopy disturbances. Structurally, the Stadium Woods has an inverse-J diameter distribution and trees present in all canopy strata. The oldest white oak had periods of asynchronous suppression and release indicating a closed canopy forest with periodic canopy disturbances. The boundary-line release criteria detect a broader range of growth releases, whereas the radial-growth averaging criteria are more specialized for capturing canopy gaps. Release events identified with the boundary-line release criteria lagged an average of 5.8 years behind those identified with the radial-growth averaging criteria because the boundary line release criteria identifies the year of maximum percent growth change, whereas the radial-growth averaging criteria identifies the first year with a detectable increase in radial growth. The Stadium Woods represents a unique collection of unusually large white oak trees growing in a heavily populated area and reveals the importance of long-term tree-ring chronologies stored within urban forest fragments.     

The vexed question of authorship: views of researchers in a British medical faculty.

OBJECTIVE: To assess knowledge, views, and behaviour of researchers on criteria for authorship and causes and control of gift authorship. DESIGN: Interview survey of stratified sample of researchers. SETTING: University medical faculty. SUBJECTS: 66 staff (94% response rate) comprising several levels of university academic and research appointments. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Awareness and use of criteria for authorship, views on which contributions to research merit authorship, perceptions about gift authorship and strategies for reducing it, and experiences of authorship problems. RESULTS: 50 (76%) respondents supported criteria for authorship, but few knew about or used available criteria. Of the five people who could specify all three criteria of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, only one knew that all criteria had to be met. Forty one respondents (62%) disagreed with this stipulation. A range of practical and academic contributions were seen as sufficient for authorship. Gift authorship was perceived as common, promoted by pressure to publish, to motivate research teams, and to maintain working relationships. A signed statement justifying authorship and a published statement of the contribution of each author were perceived as practical ways of tackling gift authorship. Most researchers had experienced problems with authorship, most commonly the perception that authorship had been deserved but not awarded (49%). CONCLUSION: There seems to be a gap between editors'' criteria for authorship and researchers'' practice. Lack of awareness of criteria is only a partial explanation. Researchers give more weight than editors to practical research contributions. Future criteria should be agreed by researchers and not be imposed by editors.     

Reproducibility of diagnostic criteria associated with atypical breast cytology

Objective

The aim of this project was to assess the interobserver and intraobserver variability when identifying cytological criteria, which were found to have a statistically significant association with C3 within a workplace environment.

Methods

Sixty C3 cases with known endpoints of malignant, benign proliferative or benign non‐proliferative diagnoses were blindly and independently screened by seven experienced cytologists to identify previously reported statistically significant criteria associated with the C3 category. The criteria included the presence of myoepithelial cells or bare bipolar nuclei, cohesiveness, cystic background, papillary fragments with fibrovascular cores and tubular structures. Kappa statistics were used to measure interobserver variability. Two cytologists repeated the process 6 months later to obtain intraobserver data.

Results

The interobserver agreement was poor for all criteria except tubules which performed badly. The intraobserver variability for the two cytologists showed that one cytologist achieved moderate intraobserver agreement for all the criteria except cohesion which was poor, whilst the second cytologist showed poor agreement for all criteria. The reasons for the variability are multifactorial and include threshold effects where criteria lack good definition or error in identifying the criteria.

Conclusion

Interobserver and intraobserver variability remains a significant challenge for cytologists. Despite attempts to define significant criteria associated with C3, good reproducibility could not be achieved. The C3 category is imprecise and highlights the inadequacy of the current classification reporting categories for breast FNA. The impending review of reporting breast cytology by the International Academy of Cytology is timely and appropriate.