Services
The Assessment, Intervention and Measurement (AIM) Core offers a range of services that includes both research support and data support.
Most of our services are priced based upon the hours of effort by core staff to complete the request. The fitness and body composition assessments are priced on a per-test basis. Detailed cost estimates are provided to investigators prior to the execution of any service agreements.
Our services include:
Consultation
- Assistance with grant proposals is provided at no charge, if the AIM services are included in the grant budget
- Select items from our library (e.g., questionnaires in the public domain and validation articles) are provided at no charge. We also provide information on the required permission or license fees for questionnaire administration. We can provide more extensive research for specific measures for a small fee.
Clinical Research Support
- Development and maintenance of a patient-reported outcomes (PRO) questionnaire library
- Questionnaire selection assistance and/or development
- Protocol assistance and submission
- Data collection procedure development
- Data collection by phone, mail, internet and in clinic, as well as questionnaire data entry
- Qualitative data collection, including focus groups and structured interviews
- Qualitative analysis assistance, including coding and reports using Atlas.ti software
- Phlebotomy services
- Data abstraction from electronic medical records
Data Support
- Design and development of web-based recruitment and participant tracking databases
- Simple computerized randomization modules
- Computer-assisted data collection instruments and procedures
- Set up of computerized adaptive tests for PROs, using tools developed by the Patient Reported Measurement Information System (PROMIS) network (an NIH Roadmap Initiative)
- Develop web-based surveys
- Preparation of data sets for analysis
- Psychometric analysis
Mobile/Web Technology Support
We're a team of full stack developers specializing in high-performance, secure and user-centered web and mobile applications development.
- Websites and mobile applications design, development and maintenance (internal, public facing)
- Development of mobile applications for Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA), including optional participant compensation component
- Integrate third party APIs (e.g. Fitbit, AWS, Withings, Apple Health, etc.) into web and mobile applications or dashboards, or pull raw data for analysis
- User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) design following latest guidelines from MD Anderson Brand Central, as well as the industry standards such as Google Material design and Apple Human Interface guidelines; we build our designs based on research, data and target audience
- Deploy mobile and web applications to our internal servers and app stores, and ensure they adhere to MD Anderson Information Security requirements, and allocate the resources needed for their high availability
- Development of sensor application programming interface (API) scripts for Ecological Momentary Interventions (EMI)
- Design of SMS/MMS texting systems for mobile interventions
- Development of custom Content Management System (CMS) for website or mobile management by customer
- Social media development, including programming of Facebook apps and widgets
Fitness & Body Composition Assessments
- VO2 Max testing
- Resting Metabolic Rate assessment
- Accelerometers to measure activity, including the ability to lease accelerometers for a study
- Anthropometric measurements
- Physical functioning tests
- Balance assessment using Biodex Balance SystemTM SD
- DXA scans for research purposes
- Perometer assessment for lymphedema
- GAITRiteTM gait analysis system
- Exercise sessions
- Exercise prescriptions
- Venous blood draws
The following equipment is available for these assessments:
Metabolic carts (2): The ParvoMedics True One® 2400 Metabolic Measurement System measures inspiratory/expiratory gases for assessing cardiovascular functionality as well as estimating energy expenditures. The Parvo Medics True One 2400 is a complete, integrated metabolic measurement system for maximal oxygen consumption testing and indirect calorimetry assessment.
Electrocardiogram (ECG; 2): The Quinton Q-Stress® System for cardiac monitoring (ECG) has programming capabilities for individualized or standard protocol as well as alarming, recording and printing capabilities.
Treadmill (1): The Tracmaster TMX 425C is also programmable and can be interfaced to both the ParvoMedics System and the Quinton Q-Stress® System.
Cycle ergometers (2): The Lode Corival V2 is programmable and interfaces to the ParvoMedics System.
Biodex: The Biodex Balance System SD has been designed to
- improve balance,
- increase agility,
- develop muscle tone,
- treat a wide variety of pathologies
- Provide
- fast, accurate Fall Risk Screening and Conditioning Program for older adults
- closed-chain, weight-bearing assessment and training for lower extremity patients
Perometer: A portable Pero-system Messgeraete GmbH manual perometer, type 1000M (Wuppertal, Germany; distributed in the US by Juzo USA), which measures limb circumference and volume using infrared light to scan an image of the limb.
DXA: The Hologic Bone Densitometer (Discovery A) provides assessment of body composition (fat, lean tissue % and mass) and bone mineral density.
Gait analysis: The CIR Systems, Inc. GAITRite Portable Walkway System provides temporal-spatial measures of gait with calibrated pressure, and uses a real-time motion capture system to evaluate and measure body movements, body mechanics and the activity of the muscles.
Safety equipment: Within 30 feet of the exercise laboratory rooms is a fully equipped institution-standard emergency crash cart. The cart is complete with emergency drugs, oxygen tank, ventilation equipment, and a Zoll M series biphasic portable defibrillator/pacer. Within 10 feet of the exercise laboratory rooms is a Zoll series automatic external defibrillator (AED).
AIM Library
The AIM Library site is one of MD Anderson's sources for obtaining information about questionnaires that can be used in psychological, behavioral and quality of life studies. The AIM library database gives all MD Anderson faculty and staff access to information on more than100 questionnaires that have been used in these types of studies.
The library contains information about the author, the purpose of the questionnaire, related articles and number of items in the questionnaire. The library also provides information on the cost of using the questionnaire and the translations available.