Importance of computer aided measurement techniques for the controlling industrial manufacturing and testing technical products with high accuracy, increases more than ever with the general goal of ...improving the quality of all kinds of manufactured patient products. Rapid development in biomedical techniques demands the application of modern computerized measurement techniques and utilization of measuring devices with new technologies. Especially computer aided co-ordinate measuring technique can be applied to evaluate the shape of non technical structures (objects), such as human limbs or joints with high accuracy. Measurement results create the basis for the improvement and optimization of future work in biomedical techniques and related areas.
The permanent increasing of quality standards, world wide competition, as well as the legislation of regulation of the product responsibility, require not only a proper documentation of the ...measurement data of the production, but also the continuous supervision of measuring and test equipment. Especially in modern flexible and intelligent production environment, measuring devices are often connected directly with the manufacturing process. This causes direct or indirect influences on the quality level, therefore the supervision and management of measuring and test equipment is becoming a significant part of the quality management for the entire production. The supervision of measuring equipment is an essential quality requirement for modern production especially at the higher demands of micro and nano technology. The efficiency of the confirmation can be increased and expenses can be reduced substantially through computer assistance with flexible checking intervals. A special method developed for this purpose allows to increase of the flexibility level and efficiency of a system for the intelligent management and supervision of measuring devices.
Background
Esophageal atresia (EA) is a rare congenital anomaly characterized by a discontinuity of the esophagus. Following surgical repair, survival rates have improved dramatically the past ...decenniums and today exceed 90%, but the children commonly present with esophageal and respiratory morbidity. In 2018, a condition-specific quality-of-life questionnaire for children with esophageal atresia (EA) aged 2–7 in Sweden-Germany was finalized (The EA-QOL questionnaire). The study aim was to describe the evaluation of the new translations across 12 new countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, Central-and North America.
Methods
Following forward-backward translation into the new languages, the 17-item EA-QOL questionnaire was tested in cognitive debriefing interviews with parents of children with EA aged 2–7. Parents rated if each item was easy to understand (clarity) and sensitive to answer (interference with personal integrity). They could skip responding to a non-applicable/problematic item and give open comments. Predefined psychometric criteria were used; item clarity ≥80%/item sensitive to answer ≤20%/item feasibility ≤5% missing item responses. The decision to modify the translation was based on native expert, patient stakeholder, and instrument developer review, and the need for harmonization between translations.
Results
Similar to findings in the Swedish-German cognitive debriefing, the cross-cultural analysis of input from 116 parents from 12 new countries (4–14 parents, median 9 parents/country) showed that all items in the EA-QOL questionnaire fulfilled the criteria for item clarity ≥80% and sensitive to answer (ranging from 1%-4.5%), although results varied between countries. Four items had missing responses between 5.2% and 13.4%, three within the same domain and were in line with parents’ explanations. Poor translations and feasibility were improved.
Conclusions
Based on parent input, the collaboration between native experts, patient stakeholders, and instrument developers, a linguistic version of the EA-QOL questionnaire for children aged 2–7 for use in and across 14 countries has been established. These efforts have set the conditions for a cross-cultural field test of the EA-QOL questionnaire and will open the doors for a new chapter in outcome research, registries, and clinical practice concerning children with EA. In the long-term, this will help increase knowledge of the disease's burden, promote patient-centeredness, exchange of information between nations, and strengthen evidence-based treatments for children born with EA.
Abstract
Aim
The data of the Turkish Esophageal Atresia Registry (TEAR) was evaluated to define the survival rate and risk factors of mortality in infants with esophageal atresia (EA).
Methods
The ...data of 389 cases registered by 23 centers between 2014 and 2018 were evaluated for demographic features, associated anomalies, surgical treatment and mortality-related outcome. Each parameter was evaluated for cases with mortality (CM) and compared with the results of survivors. Also, prognostic factors were investigated in CM.
Results
The overall survival rate was 81.09% and the mortality was 19.02% (n = 74). The male/female ratio was 1:1 in CM and 1.2:1 in survivors. The mean weight and height measurements in CM were lower than in survivors (1956 ± 658 g- 43.2 ± 5.7 cm vs 2534 ± 609 g-46.4 ± 4.3 cm) (P < 0.05). The incidence of associated anomalies was 90.6% in CM and significantly higher than survivors (59.6%) (P < 0.05). Neurological, cardiovascular, vertebral, and extremity anomalies were significantly higher in CM (P < 0.001). The most common type of anomaly was EA with distal fistula 89.2% in CM and 74.6% in survivors. The rate of primary anastomosis was also significantly lower in CM (67.6% vs 84.3%, P < 0.05). The gap length did not show statistical difference between CM and survivors (P > 0.05). Tube feeding was more common in CM and the incidence of full oral feedings was significantly higher in survivors (P < 0.01). According to the Spitz classification, the survival rate was 87.1% in Class I, 55.3% in Class II, and 16.7% in Class III. The most common causes of mortality were associated with cardiovascular disease, pneumonia, and sepsis.
Conclusion
The majority of national TEAR data comes from tertiary healthcare centers in Turkey. Therefore, the slightly increased mortality rates could be related to the inclusion of more complex and complicated cases. Birth weight–height, associated anomalies, and Spitz classification are significant risk factors of mortality in cases with EA.
Intelligent measurement system confirmation Osanna, P.H.; Durakbasa, M.N.
Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Intelligent Processing and Manufacturing of Materials. IPMM'99 (Cat. No.99EX296),
1999, Letnik:
2
Conference Proceeding
Through the dynamification of testing intervals the flexibility level of confirmation systems for measuring equipment can be increased considerably. Since confirmation of inspection, measuring and ...testing equipment is a significant part of quality management and an essential requirement for the entire production process, especially with the increasing demands of micro- and nanotechnology, it is absolutely necessary to increase the efficiency of confirmation systems. Through a special method developed for this purpose, the flexibility level and efficiency of confirmation systems can be achieved and the expenses can be substantially reduced by the use of fuzzy logic for dynamification of testing intervals.
To meet market demands in present and future global industrial world, manufacturing enterprises must be flexible and agile enough to quickly respond to product demand changes. With support of ...artificial intelligence and modern information technology it is possible to realize modern cost-effective customer-driven design and manufacturing taking into account the importance and basic role of quality management and metrology. This will be especially possible on the basis of an innovative concept and model for modern enterprises the so-called Multi-Functions Integrated Factory (MFIF) that makes possible an agile and optimal industrial production.
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