This study was conducted to determine if specialty areas are emerging in the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) profession due to advancements made in the medical sciences, imaging technology, and clinical applications used in MRI that would require new developments in education/training programs and national registry examinations. In this exploratory study, statistical analysis incorporated the use of factor analysis and chi square. Factor analysis was used to group tasks performed by MRI technologists into factors to better identify emerging specialty areas within the MRI profession. Chi square was used to analyze the association between the tasks performed in (a) the employment setting, and (b) hospital size. Factor analysis identified four meaningful factors. The four named factors were: (a) Routine Imaging non-Central Nervous System Imaging; (b) Advanced Imaging; (c) Routine Imaging with Central Nervous System Imaging; and (d) Musculoskeletal and Spine Imaging. From the four named factors, three emerging specialty areas were identified: (a) central nervous system imaging; (b) vascular/cardiovascular imaging; and (c) musculoskeletal imaging. Chi square analysis identified 47 of the 78 tasks as being significant when finding an association between the employment setting and the frequency of tasks performed. Cramer's V was used to measure the strength of their association. The more complicated the procedure the more likely this procedure is performed in either a university or private hospital. Further, chi square analysis identified 42 of the 78 tasks as being significant when finding the association between the hospital size and the frequency of tasks performed. Gamma was used to measure the strength of their association. This means the larger the hospital, the more frequent the tasks were performed.

With criminal cases continuing to be exonerated across the United States, research must be done on the subject to advance current practices to reduce its occurrence in the future. This study combines county population data with the National Registry of Exonerations to analyze the contributing factors to wrongful convictions and the possible effect of population on their frequency. The objective of this study was to identify specific policy changes based on the five contributing factors to wrongful convictions that could be applied to population specific areas. The results yielded multiple patterns that are discussed thoroughly. These findings allowed the introduction of policy changes and proposals for future research.

nÃo hà / O presente trabalho promoveu uma anÃlise do Cadastro Nacional de ReclamaÃÃes Fundamentadas do ano de 2011 (publicaÃÃo ocorrida em 2012) cuja base de dados possui 153.094 observaÃÃes, as quais representam todas as reclamaÃÃes formuladas neste perÃodo nos ÃrgÃos de defesa do consumidor espalhados em todas as regiÃes do territÃrio nacional. Foram realizadas regressÃes logÃsticas de modo a determinar uma medida probabilÃstica que retrata as possibilidades de Ãxito nas demandas dos consumidores junto Ãs entidades e ÃrgÃos criados para a discussÃo e processamento das mesmas. O modelo economÃtrico proposto considerou sexo e faixa etÃria dos consumidores, o assunto discutido nos processos, a localizaÃÃo geogrÃfica onde se deu a reclamaÃÃo, alÃm do ramo de atividade dos fornecedores reclamados. Com as simulaÃÃes realizadas, entre outros resultados, constatou-se que as maiores chances de Ãxito no cenÃrio nacional, para pessoas do sexo feminino na faixa etÃria de 31 a 40 anos, sÃo para as demandas que envolvem produtos (67,3%) e que o setor de habitaÃÃo apresentou a menor probabilidade de celebraÃÃo de conciliaÃÃo entre as partes (39,1%). / The present work promoted an analysis of the National Register of founded Complaints of the year 2011 (publication happened in 2012) whose base of data possesses 153.094 observations, which represent all of the complaints formulated in this period in consumer defense organs spreaded in all areas of the national territory. Logistic Regressions were performed in order to determine a probabilistic measure that reflects the possibilities of success to consumers' demands together the entities and organizations created for discussion and processing of demands. The proposed econometric model took into account sex and consumers' age group, the subject discussed in the processes, the geographical location where happened the complaint, besides the field of activity of the claimed suppliers. With the accomplished simulations, among other results, it was verified that the largest success chances on the national scene for females aged 31-40 years are for the demands that involve products (67.3%) and that the housing sector presented the lowest probability of celebrating conciliation between the parties (39.1%).

Rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis belong among serious disorders, that effect joints and connective tissue. The patients suffer from pain and stiffness. Disease modifying drugs are an important part in the management of rheumatical disorders. When disease modifying drugs are failing, than biologic treatment is applied. For biologic treatment are registred etanercept (Enbrel), adalimumab (Humira), rituximab (MabThera), abatacept (Orencia) and infliximab (Remicade). In the Czech Republic was established the National registry of rheumatic disorders. There is a need of long term observations of patients, who have biologic treatment, to evaluate safety and socioeconomic data of the biologic treatment.

Increasing time trends in the recorded incidence of childhood cancer have been reported in many different settings. The extent to which these trends reflect real changes in incidence, rather than improvements in methods for diagnosis and registration, is controversial. Using data from the National Registry of Childhood Tumours (NRCT), this thesis investigates time trends in cancer diagnosed under age 15 in residents of Britain during 1966-2005 (54650 cases), and considers potential sources of artefact in detail. Several different methods are used to estimate completeness of NRCT registration. The history of methods for diagnosis and registration of childhood cancers in Britain is described, and predictions are made for effects on recorded incidence. For each of the 12 main diagnostic groups, Poisson regression is used to fit continuous time trends and ‘step’ models to the annual age-sex-standardised rates by year of birth and year of diagnosis. Age-specific rates by period, and quinquennial standardised rates for diagnostic subgroups, are shown graphically. For three broad groups (leukaemia, CNS tumours and other cancer), geographical variation is compared by period of diagnosis. The results of these analyses are discussed in relation to the predicted artefacts. The evidence for a positive association between affluence and recorded incidence of childhood leukaemia is briefly reviewed. A special form of diagnostic artefact, the ‘fatal infection’ hypothesis, is proposed as an explanation of both this association and the leukaemia time trend. This hypothesis is examined in a novel test based on clinical data. The recorded incidence of childhood cancer in Britain increased in each of 12 diagnostic groups during 1966-2005 (from 0.5% per year for bone cancer to 2.5% for hepatic cancer, with 0.7% for leukaemia). Evidence presented here suggests that these increases are probably artefacts of diagnosis and registration. The potential implications for epidemiological studies of childhood cancer should be considered.