3 Corresponding author: [email protected]; (609) 258-2392 ABSTRACT: Regional distribution and abundance data for invasive plant species are urgently needed for management planning, modeling of invasion risks and impacts, and communicating the scope of the problem. Yet, regional distribution data are rare in the United States. Here, we present a web-based mapping tool designed for efficient...

Each year, over a billion Muslims fast worldwide during the month of Ramadan.  Through this religious practice, not only will one have spiritual growth, but can improve his/her diet, which is of pivotal importance in this month. Conversely, the available evidence regarding the health benefits of Ramadan fasting is scarce and highly contentious. Although Islam exempts patients from fasting, many...

12 A case is made for a wider perspective on expert opinion in environmental modelling on the basis of the 13 inevitable, though frequently informal, role of expert opinion in any model, the increasing number of models 14 incorporating expert opinion formally, and the substantive value of non-scientific knowledge for modelling. 15 Based on an extensive literature review, the paper exposes infor...

each year, over a billion muslims fast worldwide during the month of ramadan.  through this religious practice, not only will one have spiritual growth, but can improve his/her diet, which is of pivotal importance in this month. conversely, the available evidence regarding the health benefits of ramadan fasting is scarce and highly contentious. although islam exempts patients from fasting, many...

BACKGROUND A significant gap has been documented between best practice and the actual practice of surgery. Our group identified that colorectal cancer staging in Ontario was suboptimal and subsequently developed a knowledge translation strategy using the principles of social marketing and the influence of expert and local opinion leaders for colorectal cancer. METHODS/DESIGN Opinion leaders w...

The Roland Hetzer International Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery Society (RHICS), held its 2nd Expert Forum on February 11th 2012 in Freiburg, Germany, just three months after the 1st Expert Forum which took place in Lisbon, Portugal, in pursuit of its goals and objectives, which are primarily to provide a forum for expert discussion on relevant cardiothoracic issues and to set up guidelines...

This paper takes an argumentation approach to find the place of trust in a method for evaluating arguments from expert opinion. The method uses the argumentation scheme for argument from expert opinion along with its matching set of critical questions. It shows how to use this scheme in three formal computational argumentation models that provide tools to analyse and evaluate instances of argum...

Expert opinion is often sought by government regulatory agencies when there is insufficient empirical evidence to judge the safety implications of a course of action. However, it can be reckless to continue following expert opinion when a preponderance of evidence is amassed that conflicts with this opinion. Factual evidence should always trump opinion in prioritizing the information that is us...

History and physical examination can distinguish among most physiologic, pharmacologic, or pathologic causes of an elevated serum prolactin level (SPL) (strength of recommendation [SOR]: C, expert opinion). Patients with unexplained elevations of serum prolactin or with a level above 200 ng/mL should undergo imaging of the sella turcica (SOR: C, expert opinion). Mildly elevated SPL due to physi...