Elusive data

Occasionally one encounters the situation where information is present within a system but it remains difficult for the user to find. Most patient records contain a mixed bag of disparate facts, opinion and supposition and it is a challenge for system designers to provide users with an intuitive means of navigating and making sense of this rich data. The clinical record can be visualised as a series of pockets in which nuggets of information reside perhaps one for medications, orders, appointments, admissions, etc. Some pockets will be deeper than others and not all will contain information relevant to every clinician. With potentially many hundreds of pockets to put our hands into, which ones do we choose for any particular patient encounter given the time constraints clinicians face  

To some extent it is the responsibility of the clinician to correctly delve into the pockets which are relevant to supporting the clinical decision they are faced with. However, there has to be some recognition that unless a pocket is seen to be bulging 

The risk associated with issues of this nature depends on the extent to which the hidden information is relied upon clinically. But there is another factor to consider when information is inappropriately hidden not only do we fail to take it into account but from time to time clinicians will make positive assumptions based on its apparent absence. For example, suppose the system fails to correctly indicate that a CT scan has been carried out when in fact it has. Firstly, by not reviewing the result of the scan we may introduce a delay in care and secondly, we might fail to acquaint ourselves with any clinical activity triggered by the result of the CT scan. Finally we may assume that the original order has failed and issue a new request - unnecessarily exposing the patient to additional ionising radiation. Whilst these user behaviours can be difficult to predict they should at least be considered by the analytical team during hazard analysis. 

---

The discussion and analyses of Chap. 5 have shown how forced-convection heat transfer may be calculated for several cases of practical interest the problems considered, however, were those which could be solved in an analytical fashion. In this way, the principles of the convection process and their relation to fluid dynamics were demonstrated, with primary emphasis being devoted to a clear understanding of physical mechanism. Regrettably, it is not always possible to obtain analytical solutions to convection problems, and the individual is forced to resort to experimental methods to obtain design information, as well as to secure the more elusive data which increase the physical understanding of the heat-transfer processes. 

In tire preceding example, tire stmcture of tire catalyst combined witli reactants and products was detennined and tire data were used to infer a cycle. Stmctures of tire highly reactive intennediates in catalysis are generally elusive and infonnation about tliem based only on inference. In prospect, tire most incisive infonnation about tire workings of a catalyst can be obtained by observations of tire catalyst in action. The following example illustrates this... 

The role of quality in reliability would seem obvious, and yet at times has been rather elusive. While it seems intuitively correct, it is difficult to measure. Since much of the equipment discussed in this book is built as a custom engineered product, the classic statistical methods do not readily apply. Even for the smaller, more standardized rotary units discussed in Chapter 4, the production runs are not high, keeping the sample size too small for a classical statistical analysis. Run adjustments are difficult if the run is complete before the data can be analyzed. However, modified methods have been developed that do provide useful statistical information. These data can be used to determine a machine tool s capability, which must be known for proper machine selection to match the required precision of a part. The information can also be used to test for continuous improvement in the work process. 

The goal of this chapter is to review recent morphologic studies in which current anatomic me ods have been used to characterize the neurotoxic effects of psychoactive amphetamine derivatives. Several strategies combining anatomic with biochemical data have been employed to analyze the effects of selected drugs in this class. These studies show that psychoactive drugs that have selective neurotoxic effects can be useful experimental tools to study the neural mechanisms of elusive brain functions such as affective state control and perceptual integration. 

Since the discovery of anandamide in 1992, a number of studies have examined its pharmacological properties. Although its roles are still elusive, a plethora of data supports the initial postulate that anandamide is the major endogenous cannabinoid ligand. As mentioned earlier, anandamide binds to CB1 from brain preparations and displaces various well-... 

Now, what can EPA or anyone else do about this elusive but real problem A start has already been made via a data quality workshop which was initiated by the CMA (Chemical Manufacturers Association) and co-sponsored by EPA, NBS (National Bureau of Standards) and NAS (National Academy of Sciences). This resulted in a group of about 40 experienced participants from government, industry and academia reviewing criteria for data quality in four areas of information relating to properties, health and environmental effects. From this beginning, we eventually hope to see the contents of data-bases or data files identified as to the level of reliability of extracted information. The user will then at least have the ability to judge the value of the information he received. 

Carbohydrate recovered through the elusive analytical procedures were in the range 101% (lyxose, xylose, galactose) to 108% (glucose). Reproducibility data is quoted in Table 4.2. Down to O.lpg of each monosaccharide can be determined in a sample hydrolysate. 

Numerous semiempirical studies have been made of semibullvalene and a wide range of derivatives (see Williams and Kurtz, 1988 Dewar and Jie, 1988, and references cited therein). Agreement with experimental data, where available, is excellent. Several target molecules are predicted to exhibit the elusive goal of neutral homoaromaticity which provides an enticing challenge for synthetic efforts. 

Although Zuckerman (1988) later concludes that science appears to exhibit some of the same structures of discrimination as other occupations, she cautions that available data at the time suggest that the scientific community is marked by an intense commitment to achievement over ascription. She contends that her thorough review of the relevant literature reveals a lack of compelling evidence of discrimination in the American scientific community. Today, few scholars of the social studies of science accept this view. White women have, without a doubt, made substantial progress in science careers over the last two decades. Nonetheless, in many areas, full gender equity still remains elusive (Long, 2001). 

The term noumenon (in the sense of Kantian philosophy) is deadly correct for describing atoms-in-a-molecule as a conceptual construct ultimately unknowable by observation or unique definition, but conceivable by reason. Cbemical science is built upon the atom, and the atom in a molecule is a vital, central concept, yet forever elusive there are multiple ways to partition molecules into atoms that ate consistent with various observed chemical trends and experimental data. 

---