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Generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) is a rare, chronic, heterogeneous, and potentially life‐threatening disease characterized by primary, sterile, and macroscopically visible pustules with or without systemic symptoms. There are ethnic differences in the genetic mutations associated with GPP that might affect the clinical manifestations and treatment responses. Currently, there is limited evidence from the patient population in the Asia‐Pacific (APAC) region, resulting in a general paucity of information on the effective management of patients with GPP in this region. This modified Delphi panel study aimed to identify current evidence and gain advanced insights to facilitate the development of a regionally tailored APAC consensus on the management of GPP. A systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted to identify published literature and develop consensus statements on (i) definition and clinical course, (ii) diagnosis of GPP, (iii) treatment outcomes, goals, and monitoring measures, and (iv) optimal management strategies and clinical practices. Statements were rated by a panel of dermatologists in two rounds, with the threshold for consensus at ≥80% agreement. Twenty experts from the APAC region reached consensus on 106 statements that were developed based on the SLR and experts' collective expertise. The experts agreed that GPP is a rare, severe, and potentially life‐threatening condition that is distinct from plaque psoriasis. This consensus emphasized the importance of a tailored treatment strategy taking into account the GPP flare severity and each patient's unique clinical circumstances. The experts reached consensus on the severity classification of GPP flares and recommended first‐line and maintenance treatment options for adult GPP, childhood GPP, and GPP in pregnancy. These consensus outcomes have been synthesized into treatment algorithms to guide dermatologists in the APAC region in their clinical decision‐making processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Existing approaches in cancer survivorship care delivery have proven to be insufficient to engage primary care. This study aimed to identify stakeholder‐informed priorities to improve primary care engagement in breast cancer survivorship care. Methods: Experts in U.S. cancer survivorship care delivery were invited to participate in a 4‐round online Delphi panel to identify and evaluate priorities for defining and fostering primary care's engagement in breast cancer survivorship. Panelists were asked to identify and then assess (ratings of 1–9) the importance and feasibility of priority items to support primary care engagement in survivorship. Panelists were asked to review the group results and reevaluate the importance and feasibility of each item, aiming to reach consensus. Results: Respondent panelists (n = 23, response rate 57.5%) identified 31 priority items to support survivorship care. Panelists consistently rated three items most important (scored 9) but with uncertain feasibility (scored 5–6). These items emphasized the need to foster connections and improve communication between primary care and oncology. Panelists reached consensus on four items evaluated as important and feasible: (1) educating patients on survivorship, (2) enabling screening reminders and monitoring alerts in the electronic medical record, (3) identifying patient resources for clinicians to recommend, and (4) distributing accessible reference guides of common breast cancer drugs. Conclusion: Role clarity and communication between oncology and primary care were rated as most important; however, uncertainty about feasibility remains. These findings indicate that cross‐disciplinary capacity building to address feasibility issues may be needed to make the most important priority items actionable in primary care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the last 20 years, there has been an increased interest among academics and practitioners in the area of business incubation. However, limited attention has been devoted to developing a comprehensive framework that can measure business incubators' performances. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an appropriate, robust and useable performance framework. In this paper, we present a comprehensive framework using a weighted fuzzy inference system for business incubation centres' (BIC) performance measurement. The proposed approach utilises the input of a Delphi panel to identify criteria and subcriteria. Then a fuzzy analytic hierarchy process is used to weigh the criteria. Subsequently, a weighted fuzzy inference system is developed and applied to provide results based on the identified criteria and subcriteria. To show the proficiency and applicability of the proposed framework, a case study of Irish BICs is applied. The comprehensive performance measurement framework presented in this paper provides for accurate evaluation and monitoring across six criteria. The six criteria are facilities and infrastructure; clients; networking and marketing; products and services; finance; and human capital. The results show that although most of the BICs focus on facilities and infrastructure, there is a need to concentrate more on factors such as networking, marketing and finance. The detailed approach presented in this paper can be used by academics and practitioners who wish to apply fuzzy inference systems to performance measurement. In addition, the results from our pilot can be used by BIC managers and policymakers to improve performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defining habitat suitability criteria (HSC) of aquatic biota can be a key component to environmental flow science. HSC can be developed through numerous methods; however, few studies have evaluated the consistency of HSC developed by different methodologies. We directly compared HSC for depth and velocity developed by the Delphi method (expert opinion) and by two primary literature meta-analyses (literature-derived range and interquartile range) to assess whether these independent methods produce analogous criteria for multiple species (rainbow trout, brown trout, American shad, and shallow fast guild) and life stages. We further evaluated how these two independently developed HSC affect calculations of habitat availability under three alternative reservoir management scenarios in the upper Delaware River at a mesohabitat (main channel, stream margins, and flood plain), reach, and basin scale. In general, literature-derived HSC fell within the range of the Delphi HSC, with highest congruence for velocity habitat. Habitat area predicted using the Delphi HSC fell between the habitat area predicted using two literature-derived HSC, both at the basin and the site scale. Predicted habitat increased in shallow regions (stream margins and flood plain) using literature-derived HSC while Delphi-derived HSC predicted increased channel habitat. HSC generally favoured the same reservoir management scenario; however, no favoured reservoir management scenario was the most common outcome when applying the literature range HSC. The differences found in this study lend insight into how different methodologies can shape HSC and their consequences for predicted habitat and water management decisions. Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Framework for K-12 Science Education details ambitious goals for students' learning of science content and practices. However, this document provides science teachers little guidance about instructional practices that are central to helping students achieve these goals. Research indicates that a teacher's instructional practice can impact student interest and achievement more than advanced degrees or teaching experience and thus, identifying a core set of science teaching practices may be one key to improving science education. Based on a practice-based theory of teaching, this study used a panel of expert science teachers and university faculty to identify a set of core science teaching practices. The Delphi methodology used in this study engaged the expert panel in three anonymous and iterative rounds of voting and justification of science teaching practices. Nine of the fifty-one suggested practices met the pre-determined consensus criteria. Three major themes emerged from the results. First, a majority of practices, like 'Engaging Students in Investigations' and 'Facilitating Classroom Discourse,' promote an interactive and dialogic science classroom. Second, the discussion among panel members across the three rounds indicates the need to develop a more common language and understanding of science teaching practice. Third, the panel highlighted the important role that on-going assessment plays in science teaching with practices like 'Eliciting, Using, and Assessing Student Thinking about Science' and 'Providing Feedback.' This study lays the groundwork for the further decomposition of these core teaching practices and provides the foundation for further empirical research on how these practices are learned and executed by teachers, and their impact on student learning. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 51: 1185-1217, 2014 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]