Detection of bioagents using a shear horizontal surface acoustic wave biosensor

DOEpatents

Larson, Richard S; Hjelle, Brian; Hall, Pam R; Brown, David C; Bisoffi, Marco; Brozik, Susan M; Branch, Darren W; Edwards, Thayne L; Wheeler, David

2014-04-29

A biosensor combining the sensitivity of surface acoustic waves (SAW) generated at a frequency of 325 MHz with the specificity provided by antibodies and other ligands for the detection of viral agents. In a preferred embodiment, a lithium tantalate based SAW transducer with silicon dioxide waveguide sensor platform featuring three test and one reference delay lines was used to adsorb antibodies directed against Coxsackie virus B4 or the negative-stranded category A bioagent Sin Nombre virus (SNV). Rapid detection of increasing concentrations of viral particles was linear over a range of order of magnitude for both viruses, and the sensor's selectivity for its target was not compromised by the presence of confounding Herpes Simplex virus type 1 The biosensor was able to delect SNV at doses lower than the load of virus typically found in a human patient suffering from hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS).

Microfluidics-based integrated airborne pathogen detection systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Northrup, M. Allen; Alleman-Sposito, Jennifer; Austin, Todd; Devitt, Amy; Fong, Donna; Lin, Phil; Nakao, Brian; Pourahmadi, Farzad; Vinas, Mary; Yuan, Bob

2006-09-01

Microfluidic Systems is focused on building microfluidic platforms that interface front-end mesofluidics to handle real world sample volumes for optimal sensitivity coupled to microfluidic circuitry to process small liquid volumes for complex reagent metering, mixing, and biochemical analysis, particularly for pathogens. MFSI is the prime contractor on two programs for the US Department of Homeland Security: BAND (Bioagent Autonomous Networked Detector) and IBADS (Instantaneous Bio-Aerosol Detection System). The goal of BAND is to develop an autonomous system for monitoring the air for known biological agents. This consists of air collection, sample lysis, sample purification, detection of DNA, RNA, and toxins, and a networked interface to report the results. For IBADS, MFSI is developing the confirmatory device which must verify the presence of a pathogen with 5 minutes of an air collector/trigger sounding an alarm. Instrument designs and biological assay results from both BAND and IBADS will be presented.

2D fluorescence spectra measurement of six kinds of bioagents simulants by short range Lidar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanpedro, Man

2018-02-01

Pantoea agglomerans (Pan), Staphylococcus aureus (Sta), Bacillus globigii (BG) and Escherichia coli (EH), these four kinds of bioagents simulants of were cultured and then their growth curves were measured, the generation time was 0.99h, 0.835h, 1.07h and 1.909h, respectively. A small short range fluorescence lidar working at wavelengths of 266nm and 355nm was designed and used to measure the two-dimensional fluorescence spectra of bioagents simulants in the amino acid segment and NADH segment, respectively. In a controllable fluorescence measurement chamber, the two-dimensional fluorescence spectra of vegetative liquid bacterial aerosols as well as BSA and OVA, two protein toxinic simulants were measured with a resolution of 4nm. The two-dimensional fluorescence spectral shape of Pan, Sta, EH and BG, BSA and OVA were consistent with the standard fluorescent component tryptophan in the amino acid band with FWHM of 60nm, but the central wavelength of the fluorescence spectra of these simulants blue/purple shifted obviously as affected by the external biochemical environment, concentration and ratio of different bacterial internal fluorophores, so the energy level between the excited state and the ground state of the fluorescence molecule increased. Differently, weak NADH fluorescence spectra with 100nm FWHM inside the four vegetative bacteria aerosols were detected, but Rayleigh scattering, Raman scattering contribution of water, nitrogen in the fluorescence spectra could not be effectively extracted. The second - order derivative fluorescence spectra of four simulants showed that the high - order processing and recognition of the fluorescence spectra was feasible.

Engineer Novel Anticancer Bioagents

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-10-01

selection (hence to create marker-free genetically modified organism – GMO as required by FDA regulations) have failed. The overall transformation...free genetically modified organism – GMO , as required by FDA regulations). Key Research Status 1. Reconstitution of a complete FK228 biosynthetic

The microfluidic bioagent autonomous networked detector (M-BAND): an update. Fully integrated, automated, and networked field identification of airborne pathogens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanchez, M.; Probst, L.; Blazevic, E.; Nakao, B.; Northrup, M. A.

2011-11-01

We describe a fully automated and autonomous air-borne biothreat detection system for biosurveillance applications. The system, including the nucleic-acid-based detection assay, was designed, built and shipped by Microfluidic Systems Inc (MFSI), a new subsidiary of PositiveID Corporation (PSID). Our findings demonstrate that the system and assay unequivocally identify pathogenic strains of Bacillus anthracis, Yersinia pestis, Francisella tularensis, Burkholderia mallei, and Burkholderia pseudomallei. In order to assess the assay's ability to detect unknown samples, our team also challenged it against a series of blind samples provided by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). These samples included natural occurring isolated strains, near-neighbor isolates, and environmental samples. Our results indicate that the multiplex assay was specific and produced no false positives when challenged with in house gDNA collections and DHS provided panels. Here we present another analytical tool for the rapid identification of nine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention category A and B biothreat organisms.

A novel route in bone tissue engineering: magnetic biomimetic scaffolds.

PubMed

Bock, N; Riminucci, A; Dionigi, C; Russo, A; Tampieri, A; Landi, E; Goranov, V A; Marcacci, M; Dediu, V

2010-03-01

In recent years, interest in tissue engineering and its solutions has increased considerably. In particular, scaffolds have become fundamental tools in bone graft substitution and are used in combination with a variety of bio-agents. However, a long-standing problem in the use of these conventional scaffolds lies in the impossibility of re-loading the scaffold with the bio-agents after implantation. This work introduces the magnetic scaffold as a conceptually new solution. The magnetic scaffold is able, via magnetic driving, to attract and take up in vivo growth factors, stem cells or other bio-agents bound to magnetic particles. The authors succeeded in developing a simple and inexpensive technique able to transform standard commercial scaffolds made of hydroxyapatite and collagen in magnetic scaffolds. This innovative process involves dip-coating of the scaffolds in aqueous ferrofluids containing iron oxide nanoparticles coated with various biopolymers. After dip-coating, the nanoparticles are integrated into the structure of the scaffolds, providing the latter with magnetization values as high as 15 emu g(-)(1) at 10 kOe. These values are suitable for generating magnetic gradients, enabling magnetic guiding in the vicinity and inside the scaffold. The magnetic scaffolds do not suffer from any structural damage during the process, maintaining their specific porosity and shape. Moreover, they do not release magnetic particles under a constant flow of simulated body fluids over a period of 8 days. Finally, preliminary studies indicate the ability of the magnetic scaffolds to support adhesion and proliferation of human bone marrow stem cells in vitro. Hence, this new type of scaffold is a valuable candidate for tissue engineering applications, featuring a novel magnetic guiding option. Copyright 2009 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Use of a Mixture of Surrogates for Infectious Bioagents in a Standard Approach to Assessing Disinfection of Environmental Surfaces ▿

PubMed Central

Sabbah, Safaa; Springthorpe, Susan; Sattar, Syed A.

2010-01-01

We used a mixture of surrogates (Acinetobacter baumannii, Mycobacterium terrae, hepatitis A virus, and spores of Geobacillus stearothermophilus) for bioagents in a standardized approach to test environmental surface disinfectants. Each carrier containing 10 μl of mixture received 50 μl of a test chemical or saline at 22 ± 2°C. Disinfectant efficacy criteria were ≥6 log10 reduction for the bacteria and the spores and ≥3 log10 reduction for the virus. Peracetic acid (1,000 ppm) was effective in 5 min against the two bacteria and the spores but not against the virus. Chlorine dioxide (CD; 500 and 1,000 ppm) and domestic bleach (DB; 2,500, 3,500, and 5,000 ppm) were effective in 5 min, except for sporicidal activity, which needed 20 min of contact with either 1,000 ppm of CD or the two higher concentrations of DB. PMID:20639366

Energetic Materials for Bio-Agent Destruction

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-01

Delocalization of electrons in 4 The structure of 5 was obtained by X-ray single crystal crystallography . The crystallographic data are summarized in...4 22.2 49.6 - - 8.36 5 18.8 41.7 - - 5.07 The structure of 5 was obtained by X-ray single crystal crystallography . The

Nanoparticle-labeled DNA capture elements for detection and identification of biological agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiel, Johnathan L.; Holwitt, Eric A.; Parker, Jill E.; Vivekananda, Jeevalatha; Franz, Veronica

2004-12-01

Aptamers, synthetic DNA capture elements (DCEs), can be made chemically or in genetically engineered bacteria. DNA capture elements are artificial DNA sequences, from a random pool of sequences, selected for their specific binding to potential biological warfare or terrorism agents. These sequences were selected by an affinity method using filters to which the target agent was attached and the DNA isolated and amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in an iterative, increasingly stringent, process. The probes can then be conjugated to Quantum Dots and super paramagnetic nanoparticles. The former provide intense, bleach-resistant fluorescent detection of bioagent and the latter provide a means to collect the bioagents with a magnet. The fluorescence can be detected in a flow cytometer, in a fluorescence plate reader, or with a fluorescence microscope. To date, we have made DCEs to Bacillus anthracis spores, Shiga toxin, Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis (VEE) virus, and Francisella tularensis. DCEs can easily distinguish Bacillus anthracis from its nearest relatives, Bacillus cereus and Bacillus thuringiensis. Development of a high through-put process is currently being investigated.

Micro-fluidic (Lab-on the- Chip) PCR Array Cartridge for Biological Screening in a Hand Held Device: FInal Report for CRADA no 264. PNNL-T2-258-RU with CombiMatrix Corp

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rainina, Evguenia I.

2010-10-31

The worldwide emergence of both new and old diseases resulting from human expansion and also human and materials mobility has and will continue to place stress on both medical and clinical diagnostics. The classical approach to bioagents detection involves the use of differential metabolic assays to determine species type in the case of most bacteria, or the use of cell culture and electron microscopy to diagnose viruses and some bacteria that are intracellular parasites. The long-term goal in bioagent detection is to develop a hand-held instrument featuring disposable cartridges which contain all the necessary reagents, reaction chambers, waste chambers, andmore » micro-fluidics to extract, concentrate, amplify, and analyze nucleic acids. This GIPP project began development of a sensory platform using nucleic-acid based probes. Although research was not completed, initial findings indicated that an advanced sensing device could theoretically be built on a DNA/RNA-based technology platform.« less

Biobriefcase electrostatic aerosol collector

DOEpatents

Bell, Perry M [Tracy, CA; Christian, Allen T [Madison, WI; Bailey, Christopher G [Pleasanton, CA; Willis, Ladona [Manteca, CA; Masquelier, Donald A [Tracy, CA; Nasarabadi, Shanavaz L [Livermore, CA

2009-03-17

A system for sampling air and collecting particles entrained in the air comprising a receiving surface, a liquid input that directs liquid to the receiving surface and produces a liquid surface, an air input that directs the air so that the air with particles entrained in the air impact the liquid surface, and an electrostatic contact connected to the liquid that imparts an electric charge to the liquid. The particles potentially including bioagents become captured in the liquid by the air with particles entrained in the air impacting the liquid surface. Collection efficiency is improved by the electrostatic contact electrically charging the liquid. The effects of impaction and adhesion due to electrically charging the liquid allows a unique combination in a particle capture medium that has a low fluid consumption rate while maintaining high efficiency.

Engineer Novel Anticancer Bioagents

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-10-01

Nonribosomally by Bacteria Gene depH is depicted as one of the three post- nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS; dark red)/ polyketide synthase (PKS... polyketide synthase -NRPS pathway for FK228 biosynthesis in C. violaceum no. 968 (Cheng et al., 2007). This pathway would lead to the production of an imme...biosynthesis revealing unprecedented architectural complexity for a hybrid polyketide synthase and nonribosomal peptide synthetase. Chem. Biol. 11, 33–45

Rational Design and Development of Reactive Multifunctional Micellar Composite Nano-particles for Destruction of Bio-agents

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-02-01

nanoparticles, , multifunction porous metal oxide -silica composites, porous silicon - Titania and PSi-silver heterojunctions ) have been successfully...nanoparticles, multifunctional porous metal oxide -silica composites, porous silicon -Titania and PSi-silver heterojunctions ) have been successfully...generated charge separation and enhance the photocatalytic oxidation . In the PSi-Ag heterojunctions , Ag can not only act as time-honored antibacterial

Neutralization of Aerosolized Bio-Agents by Filled Nanocomposite Materials through Thermal and Chemical Inactivation Mechanisms

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-01

Bio -agents by Filled Nanocomposite Materials through Thermal and Chemical Inactivation Mechanisms Distribution Statement A. Approved for public...of Cincinnati Project Title: Neutralization of Aerosolized Bio -agents by Filled Nanocomposite Materials through Thermal and Chemical Inactivation...fire ball, where they will not effectively interact with any viable bio -aerosol. 1.1.4. Conclusions Cryo-milling is necessary to achieve a

The standoff aerosol active signature testbed (SAAST) at MIT Lincoln Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richardson, Jonathan M.; Aldridge, John C.

2005-11-01

Standoff LIDAR detection of BW agents depends on accurate knowledge of the infrared and ultraviolet optical elastic scatter (ES) and ultraviolet fluorescence (UVF) signatures of bio-agents and interferents. MIT Lincoln Laboratory has developed the Standoff Aerosol Active Signature Testbed (SAAST) for measuring ES cross sections from BW simulants and interferents at all angles including 180º (direct backscatter). Measurements of interest include the dependence of the ES and UVF signatures on several spore production parameters including growth medium, sporulation protocol, washing protocol, fluidizing additives, and degree of aggregation. Using SAAST, we have made measurements of the ES signature of Bacillus globigii (atropheaus, Bg) spores grown under different growth methods. We have also investigated one common interferent (Arizona Test Dust). Future samples will include pollen and diesel exhaust. This paper presents the details of the SAAST apparatus along with the results of recent measurements.

Subscale testing of prompt agent defeat formulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knott, A.; Stamatis, D.; Svingala, F.; Lightstone, J.; Miller, K.; Bensman, M.; Bohmke, M.

2017-01-01

There is a need to improve the current bioagent defeat systems with formulations that produce lower peak pressure and impulse, sustained high temperatures, and release of biocidal species for prompt defeat applications. In this work, explosive charge configurations similar to fuel-air explosives were detonated in a semi-enclosed chamber configuration. Binder type and fuel-to-oxidizer ratios were varied to observe the effects on combustion performance. Thermocouple measurements and high-speed video were used to monitor the combustion of the dispersed formulation. The down-selected formulations were then tested in a sub-scale vented agent defeat system developed to evaluate performance of formulations against aerosolized Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) spores. Diagnostics including thermocouples and piezoelectric pressure gauges were utilized to characterize the detonation event. Biological sampling with surface coupons, liquid impingement, and filters of the post detonation environment were utilized to determine spore survivability and to rank the relative effectiveness of each formulation.

BACTrack: A Surveillance Technique for Detecting and Locating Bioagent Attacks

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-06-10

Implementation • Location History – Location tracking/storage using cell - phone network (geo-location mandated by 2006) • Subscription Services...Reporting – User reports symptoms through automated cell - phone interface using password Individual reports only releasable with password Summary...Earlier detection and location relative to medical surveillance • The cell - phone location based service market can offer a means to implement BACTrack and to distribute its costs

Control of wilt disease of lentil through bio control agents and organic amendments in Tarai region of Uttarakhand, India.

PubMed

Garkoti, Ankita; Kumar, Vijay; Tripathi, H S

2014-11-01

The present work aimed at evaluating the efficacy of bioagents and organic amendments against lentil wilt pathogen. Field trials were carried out consecutively during Rabi 2010-11 and 2011-12 crop seasons in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications, using 'Pant L-639' a popular cultivar. The plot size was 3.0 x 1.5 m2 with row spacing of 30 cm. Effect of selected bioagents and organic amendments on disease incidence, 1000 grain weight and yield kg ha' of lentil was recorded. It was observed that seed treatment with Trichoderma harizanum + Pseudomonas fluorescens significant by reduced 1.73% (2010-11) and 1.93% (2011-12) in Fusarium wilt disease incidence and increase in grain yield 507.6 kg ha(-1) and 496.0 kg ha(-1) respectively during both crop seasons. Among organic amendments, minimum wilt disease incidence of 1.69% (2010-11) and 1.81% (2011-12) and maximum grain yield 496.3 kg ha(-1) (2010-11) and 484.0 kg ha(-1) (2011-12) were observed in farm yard manure + spent compost treated plots. This indicates that these treatments have important roles in biologically based management strategies for controling Fusarium wilt disease under organic mode of lentil cultivation in Uttarakhand State.

Different strategies for the detection of bioagents using electrochemical and photoelectrochemical genosensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voccia, Diego; Bettazi, Francesca; Palchetti, Ilaria

2015-10-01

In recent years various kinds of biosensors for the detection of pathogens have been developed. A genosensor consists in the immobilization, onto the surface of a chosen transducer, of an oligonucleotide with a specific base sequence called capture probe. The complementary sequence (the analytical target, i.e. a specific sequence of the DNA/RNA of the pathogen) present in the sample is recognized and captured by the probe through the hybridization reaction. The evaluation of the extent of the hybridization allows one to confirm whether the sample contains the complementary sequence of the probe or not. Electrochemical transducers have received considerable attention in connection with the detection of DNA hybridization. Moreover, recently, with the emergence of novel photoelectrochemically active species and new detection schemes, photoelectrochemistry has resulted in substantial progress in its analytical performance for biosensing applications. In this paper, some examples of electrochemical genosensors for multiplexed pathogen detection are shown. Moreover, the preliminary experiments towards the development of a photoelectrochemical genosensor using a TiO2 - nanocrystal-modified ITO electrode are discussed.

Standoff detection and classification of bacteria by multispectral laser-induced fluorescence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duschek, Frank; Fellner, Lea; Gebert, Florian; Grünewald, Karin; Köhntopp, Anja; Kraus, Marian; Mahnke, Peter; Pargmann, Carsten; Tomaso, Herbert; Walter, Arne

2017-04-01

Biological hazardous substances such as certain fungi and bacteria represent a high risk for the broad public if fallen into wrong hands. Incidents based on bio-agents are commonly considered to have unpredictable and complex consequences for first responders and people. The impact of such an event can be minimized by an early and fast detection of hazards. The presented approach is based on optical standoff detection applying laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) on bacteria. The LIF bio-detector has been designed for outdoor operation at standoff distances from 20 m up to more than 100 m. The detector acquires LIF spectral data for two different excitation wavelengths (280 and 355 nm) which can be used to classify suspicious samples. A correlation analysis and spectral classification by a decision tree is used to discriminate between the measured samples. In order to demonstrate the capabilities of the system, suspensions of the low-risk and non-pathogenic bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis, Bacillus atrophaeus, Bacillus subtilis, Brevibacillus brevis, Micrococcus luteus, Oligella urethralis, Paenibacillus polymyxa and Escherichia coli (K12) have been investigated with the system, resulting in a discrimination accuracy of about 90%.

Conflict in the 21st Century: Counterstrategies for the WMD Terrorist

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-04-01

general categories of bio-agents: bacteria , fungi , rickettsiae, chlamydia, viruses , and toxins.18 Anthrax, plague, and tularemia are some of the better...real threat may be a terrorist organization with the will and capability to use a nuclear, chemical, or biological weapon against America’s territory...nervous system .8 These are some of the most lethal substances known to man. Chemical agents are most hazardous when they attack the body passively

Comparative Analysis of Two Biological Warfare Air Samplers Using Live Surrogate Agents

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-01

extensively for Phosphate Buffer Saline (PBS) solution and water , and, to a very limited degree in AF evaluations, for virus preserving media, specifically...or water . Furthermore, viral studies have been conducted comparing the effectiveness of utilizing the reduced secondary flow rate on the XMX/2L...with using bioagent aerosols rated BSL-2 or higher. Male Specific Coliphage 2 (MS2), American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) 15597-B1, was selected

Utilization of brewery wastewater for culturing yeast cells for use in river water remediation.

PubMed

Chang, Su-Yun; Sun, Jing-Mei; Song, Shu-Qiang; Sun, Bao-Sheng

2012-01-01

Successful in situ bio-augmentation of contaminated river water involves reducing the cost of the bio-agent. In this study, brewery wastewater was used to culture yeast cells for degrading the COD(Cr) from a contaminated river. The results showed that 15 g/L of yeast cells could be achieved after being cultured in the autoclaved brewery wastewater with 5 mL/L of saccharified starch and 9 g/L of corn steep liquor. The COD(Cr) removal efficiency was increased from 22% to 33% when the cells were cultured using the mentioned method. Based on the market price of materials used in this method, the cost of the medium for remediating 1 m3 of river water was 0.0076 US dollars. If the additional cost of field implementation is included, the total cost is less than 0.016 US dollars for treating 1 m3 of river water. The final cost was dependent on the size of remediation: the larger the scale, the lower the cost. By this method, the nutrient in the brewery wastewater was reused, the cost of brewery wastewater treatment was saved and the cost of the remediation using bio-augmentation was reduced. Hence, it is suggested that using brewery wastewater to culture a bio-agent for bio-augmentation is a cost-effective method.

Concentration methods for high-resolution THz spectroscopy of nucleic-acid biomolecules and crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, E. R.; Zhang, W.; Mendoza, E. A.; Kuznetsova, Y.; Brueck, S. R. J.; Rahman, M.; Norton, M. L.

2012-03-01

Biomolecules can exhibit low-lying vibrational modes in the THz region which are detectable in transmission given a strong molecular dipole moment and optical depth, and a spectrometer of adequate sensitivity. The nucleic acids are particularly interesting because of applications such as label-free gene assay, bio-agent detection, etc. However for nucleic acids, sample preparation and THz coupling are of paramount importance because of the strong absorption by liquid water and the small concentration of molecules present in physiological solutions. Concentration methods become necessary to make the THz vibrational modes detectable, either by concentrating the nucleic-acid sample itself in a small volume but large area, or by concentrating the THz radiation down to the volume of the sample. This paper summarizes one type of the first method: nanofluidic channel arrays for biological nucleic acids; and two types of the second method: (1) a circular-waveguide pinhole, and (2) a circular-waveguide, conical-horn coupling structure, both for DNA crystals. The first method has been demonstrated on a very short artificial nucleic acid [small-interfering (si) RNA (17-to-25 bp)] and a much longer, biological molecule [Lambda-phage DNA (48.5 kbp)]. The second method has been demonstrated on small (~100 micron) single crystals of DNA grown by the sitting-drop method.

Green synthesis of AuNPs for eco-friendly functionalization of cellulosic substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibrahim, Nabil A.; Eid, Basma M.; Abdel-Aziz, Mohamed S.

2016-12-01

In this research work, extracellular biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using marine bacterial isolates (Streptomyces sp.) as a reducing/capping/stabilizing bio-agent and chlolauric acid (HAuCl4) as a precursor has been investigated. Surface modification of cotton and viscose knitted fabrics using O2-plasma followed by subsequent treatment with bio-synthesized AuNPs alone and in combination with TiO2NPs or ZnONPs to impart new functional properties namely antibacterial and UV-blocking were studied. The results show that loading of nominated nanomaterials onto the activated fabric samples results in a significant improvement in antibacterial activity against both G+ve (S. aureus) and G-ve (E. coli) along with a remarkable enhancement in the UV-protection functionality of the treated fabrics. The highest antibacterial and anti-UV values were obtained when O2-plasma treated fabrics were loaded with AuNPs/ZnONPs combination, irrespective of the used substrate. The imparted functional properties demonstrated remarkable retention even after 15 washings.

Three Models of Anthrax Toxin Effects on the MAP-Kinase Pathway and Macrophage Survival

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-03-01

USAMRIID, April 2005. van Aken, Jan and Edward Hammond. “Genetic engineering and biological weapons,” EMBO Reports, 4:S57-S60 (2003). Vitale, Gaetano...must be preventable or treatable ( van Aken and Hammond, 2003:S58). The latter requirement applies primarily to a nation state using bioagents against...where the only specification not met is in the ability to successfully treat anthrax victims “even several days after infection” ( van Aken and

Functional Polymer Surfaces for Binding, Sensing and Destruction of Bioagents

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-01

unlimited. September 2011 HDTRA 1-07-1-0036 David Whitten Prepared by: The Regents of the University of New Mexico 1 - University of New Mexico ...ORGANIZATION The Regents of the University ofNew Mexico REPORT NUMBER 1 -University of New Mexico OVPRED798B Albuquerque, NM 87 I 3 l -000 l 9...University of New Mexico ; John McCoy, New Mexico Tech Objectivc(s) The objectives ofthis research are to: 1) Understand the chemical and physical reasons

Towards Fieldable Rapid Bioagent Detection: advanced Resonant Optical Waveguide and Biolayer Structures for Integrated Biosensing

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-11-01

waveguide approach in which a right-angled gadolinium gallium garnet (GGG) glass prism of index 1.965 at 633 nm is used to couple light from a HeNe laser of...SPARROW sensor consists of two planar, single mode aluminum oxide waveguides separated vertically by a lower refractive index silicon dioxide layer...and high stability could be formed on aluminum oxide, the binding of an alkyl carboxylic acid, stearic acid (n-octadecanoic acid), was investigated

Integrated chemical/biochemical sample collection, pre-concentration, and analysis on a digital microfluidic lab-on-a-chip platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fair, Richard B.; Khlystov, A.; Srinivasan, Vijay; Pamula, Vamsee K.; Weaver, Kathryn N.

2004-12-01

An ideal on-site chemical/biochemical analysis system must be inexpensive, sensitive, fully automated and integrated, reliable, and compatible with a broad range of samples. The advent of digital microfluidic lab-on-a-chip (LoC) technology offers such a detection system due to the advantages in portability, reduction of the volumes of the sample and reagents, faster analysis times, increased automation, low power consumption, compatibility with mass manufacturing, and high throughput. We describe progress towards integrating sample collection onto a digital microfluidic LoC that is a component of a cascade impactor device. The sample collection is performed by impacting airborne particles directly onto the surface of the chip. After the collection phase, the surface of the chip is washed with a micro-droplet of solvent. The droplet will be digitally directed across the impaction surface, dissolving sample constituents. Because of the very small droplet volume used for extraction of the sample from a wide colection area, the resulting solution is realatively concentrated and the analytes can be detected after a very short sampling time (1 min) due to such pre-concentration. After the washing phase, the droplet is mixed with specific reagents that produce colored reaction products. The concentration of the analyte is quantitatively determined by measuring absorption at target wavelengths using a simple light emitting diode and photodiode setup. Specific applications include automatic measurements of major inorganic ions in aerosols, such as sulfate, nitrate and ammonium, with a time resolution of 1 min and a detection limit of 30 nm/m3. We have already demonstrated the detection and quantification of nitroaromatic explosives without integrating the sample collection. Other applications being developed include airborne bioagent detection.

Modeling Turbulent Mixing/Combustion of Bio-Agents Behind Detonations: Effect of Instabilities, Dense Clustering, and Trace Survivability

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-01

observed in earlier numerical and experimental investigations. Similar quasi -detonation mode is observed for the case of channel with d/2 = 4 cm. The... control number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. 1. REPORT DATE (DD-MM-YYYY) 2. REPORT TYPE 3. DATES COVERED (From - To...joule (J) erg 1 × 10 –7 joule (J) kiloton (kt) (TNT equivalent ) 4.184 × 10 12 joule (J) British thermal unit (Btu) (thermochemical) 1.054 350 × 10

Printed Flexible Plastic Microchip for Viral Load Measurement through Quantitative Detection of Viruses in Plasma and Saliva

PubMed Central

Shafiee, Hadi; Kanakasabapathy, Manoj Kumar; Juillard, Franceline; Keser, Mert; Sadasivam, Magesh; Yuksekkaya, Mehmet; Hanhauser, Emily; Henrich, Timothy J.; Kuritzkes, Daniel R.; Kaye, Kenneth M.; Demirci, Utkan

2015-01-01

We report a biosensing platform for viral load measurement through electrical sensing of viruses on a flexible plastic microchip with printed electrodes. Point-of-care (POC) viral load measurement is of paramount importance with significant impact on a broad range of applications, including infectious disease diagnostics and treatment monitoring specifically in resource-constrained settings. Here, we present a broadly applicable and inexpensive biosensing technology for accurate quantification of bioagents, including viruses in biological samples, such as plasma and artificial saliva, at clinically relevant concentrations. Our microchip fabrication is simple and mass-producible as we print microelectrodes on flexible plastic substrates using conductive inks. We evaluated the microchip technology by detecting and quantifying multiple Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) subtypes (A, B, C, D, E, G, and panel), Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), and Kaposi’s Sarcoma-associated Herpes Virus (KSHV) in a fingerprick volume (50 µL) of PBS, plasma, and artificial saliva samples for a broad range of virus concentrations between 102 copies/mL and 107 copies/mL. We have also evaluated the microchip platform with discarded, de-identified HIV-infected patient samples by comparing our microchip viral load measurement results with reverse transcriptase-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) as the gold standard method using Bland-Altman Analysis. PMID:26046668

Combining Advanced Turbulent Mixing and Combustion Models with Advanced Multi-Phase CFD Code to Simulate Detonation and Post-Detonation Bio-Agent Mixing and Destruction

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

perturbations in the energetic material to study their effects on the blast wave formation. The last case also makes use of the same PBX, however, the...configuration, Case A: Spore cloud located on the top of the charge at an angle 45 degree, Case B: Spore cloud located at an angle 45 degree from the charge...theoretical validation. The first is the Sedov case where the pressure decay and blast wave front are validated based on analytical solutions. In this test

The Existence and Stability Analysis of the Equilibria in Dengue Disease Infection Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anggriani, N.; Supriatna, A. K.; Soewono, E.

2015-06-01

In this paper we formulate an SIR (Susceptible - Infective - Recovered) model of Dengue fever transmission with constant recruitment. We found a threshold parameter K0, known as the Basic Reproduction Number (BRN). This model has two equilibria, disease-free equilibrium and endemic equilibrium. By constructing suitable Lyapunov function, we show that the disease- free equilibrium is globally asymptotic stable whenever BRN is less than one and when it is greater than one, the endemic equilibrium is globally asymptotic stable. Numerical result shows the dynamic of each compartment together with effect of multiple bio-agent intervention as a control to the dengue transmission.

Standoff laser-induced fluorescence of suspensions from different bacterial strains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duschek, Frank; Walter, Arne; Fellner, Lea; Grünewald, Karin; Pargmann, Carsten; Handke, Jürgen; Tomaso, Herbert

2016-10-01

Biological hazardous substances like certain fungi and bacteria represent a high risk for the broad public if fallen into wrong hands. Incidents based on bio agents are commonly considered to have incalculable and complex consequences for first responders and people. The impact of such an event can be minimized by a combination of different sensor technologies that have been developed to detect bio-threats and to gather information after an incident. Sensors for bio-agents can be grouped into two categories. Sampling devices collect material from locations supposed to be contaminated, and they are able to identify biological material with high sensitivity and selectivity. However, these point sensors need to be positioned correctly in advance of an attack, and moving sources of biological material cannot be tracked. A different approach is based on optical standoff detection. For biological samples laser induced florescence (LIF) has been proven to get real time data on location and type of hazards without being in contact with the suspicious substance. This work is based on a bio-detector developed at the DLR Lampoldshausen. The LIF detection has been designed for outdoor operation at standoff distances from 20 m up to more than 100 m. The detector acquires LIF spectral data for two different excitation wavelengths (280 and 355 nm) as well as time resolved information for the fluorescence decay which can be used to classify suspicious samples. While the classification device had been trained on uncritical samples (like amino acids, NADH, yeast, chemicals, oils), this work presents the progress to more relevant, living bacteria of different strains. The low risk and non-pathogenic bacteria Bacillus thuringensis, Bacillus atrophaeus, Bacillus subtilis, Brevibacillus brevis, Micrococcus luteus, Oligella urethralis, Paenibacillus polymyxa and Escherichia coli (K12) have been investigated with the above set-up at both excitation wavelengths

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

United States. Bonneville Power Administration, Portland, OR; Oregon Department of Agriculture Noxious Weed Control Program

During the 1996 season ODA executed the contract between BPA and ODA. Execution of this contract included the following activities: Survey for target noxious weeds, such as Gorse; collection and redistribution of biological control agents, for example, Apion seed weevils for Scotch broom, bioagents for diffuse and spotted knapweed, Gorse spider mite, and gall fly releases for control of Canada thistle and bull thistle; and control of isolated infestations of Gorse on BPA rights-of-way. Training was provided for line crews at the Chemawa, Alevy and North Bend districts. The purpose of the program is to assist BPA in the integratedmore » prevention and control of noxious weed species on BPA transmission line maintenance right-of-ways.« less

Hematoma-inspired alginate/platelet releasate/CaPO4 composite: initiation of the inflammatory-mediated response associated with fracture repair in vitro and ex vivo injection delivery.

PubMed

McCanless, Jonathan D; Jennings, Lisa K; Bumgardner, Joel D; Cole, Judith A; Haggard, Warren O

2012-08-01

A clinical need continues for consistent bone remodeling within problematic sites such as those of fracture nonunion, avascular necrosis, or irregular bone formations. In attempt to address such needs, a biomaterial system is proposed to induce early inflammatory responses after implantation and to provide later osteoconductive scaffolding for bone regeneration. Biomaterial-induced inflammation would parallel the early stage of hematoma-induced fracture repair and allow scaffold-promoted remodeling of osseous tissue to a healthy state. Initiation of the wound healing cascade by two human concentrated platelet releasate-containing alginate/β-tricalcium phosphate biocomposites has been studied in vitro using the TIB-71™ RAW264.7 mouse monocyte cell line. Inflammatory responses inherent to the base material were found and could be modulated through incorporation of platelet releasate. Differences in hydrogel wt% (2 vs. 8 %) and/or calcium phosphate granule vol.% (20 vs. 10 %) allowed for tuning the response associated with platelet releasate-associated growth factor elution. Tunability from completely suppressing the inflammatory response to augmenting the response was observed through varied elution profiles of both releasate-derived bioagents and impurities inherent to alginate. A 2.5-fold upregulation of inducible-nitric oxide synthase gene expression followed by a tenfold increase in nitrite media levels was induced by inclusion of releasate within the 8 wt%/10 vol.% formulation and was comparable to an endotoxin positive control. Whereas, near complete elimination of inflammation was seen when releasate was included within the 2 wt%/20 vol.% formulation. These in vitro results suggested tunable interactions between the multiple platelet releasate-derived bioagents and the biocomposites for enhancing hematoma-like fracture repair. Additionally, minimally invasive delivery for in situ curing of the implant system via injection was demonstrated in rat tail vertebrae using microcomputed tomography.

Decontamination of VX, GD, and HD on a surface using modified vaporized hydrogen peroxide.

PubMed

Wagner, George W; Sorrick, David C; Procell, Lawrence R; Brickhouse, Mark D; Mcvey, Iain F; Schwartz, Lewis I

2007-01-30

Vaporized hydrogen peroxide (VHP) has proven efficacy for biological decontamination and is a common gaseous sterilant widely used by industry. Regarding chemical warfare agent decontamination, VHP is also effective against HD and VX, but not GD. Simple addition of ammonia gas to VHP affords reactivity toward GD, while maintaining efficacy for HD (and bioagents) and further enhancing efficacy for VX. Thus, modified VHP is a broad-spectrum CB decontaminant suitable for fumigant-type decontamination scenarios, i.e., building, aircraft, and vehicle interiors and sensitive equipment. Finally, as an interesting aside to the current study, commercial ammonia-containing cleaners are also shown to be effective surface decontaminants for GD, but not for VX or HD.

A Simple and Robust Method for Partially Matched Samples Using the P-Values Pooling Approach

PubMed Central

Kuan, Pei Fen; Huang, Bo

2013-01-01

This paper focuses on statistical analyses in scenarios where some samples from the matched pairs design are missing, resulting in partially matched samples. Motivated by the idea of meta-analysis, we recast the partially matched samples as coming from two experimental designs, and propose a simple yet robust approach based on the weighted Z-test to integrate the p-values computed from these two designs. We show that the proposed approach achieves better operating characteristics in simulations and a case study, compared to existing methods for partially matched samples. PMID:23417968

Do Pigeons Prefer Information in the Absence of Differential Reinforcement?

PubMed Central

Zentall, Thomas R.; Stagner, Jessica P.

2012-01-01

Prior research indicates that pigeons do not prefer an alternative that provides a sample (for matching-to-sample) over an alternative that does not provide a sample (i.e., there is no indication of which comparison stimulus is correct). However, Zentall and Stagner (2010) showed that when delay of reinforcement was controlled, pigeons had a strong preference for matching over pseudo-matching (there was a sample but it did not indicate which comparison stimulus was correct). Experiment 1 of the present study replicated and extended the results of the Zentall and Stagner study by including an identity relation between the sample and one of the comparison stimuli in both the matching and pseudo-matching tasks. In Experiment 2, when we asked if the pigeons would still prefer matching if we equated the two tasks for probability of reinforcement, we found no systematic preference for matching over pseudo-matching. Thus, it appears that in the absence of differential reinforcement, the information provided by a sample that signals which of the two comparison stimuli is correct is insufficient to produce a preference for that alternative. PMID:22367755

Algicidal effects of a novel marine actinomycete on the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium tamarense.

PubMed

Bai, Shijie J; Huang, Liping P; Su, Jianqiang Q; Tian, Yun; Zheng, Tianling L

2011-06-01

A marine actinomycete strain BS01 with algicidal activity to the toxic dinoflagellate, Alexandrium tamarense, was isolated from Xiamen Bay, China. Sequence analysis of 16S rDNA demonstrates that BS01 is closely related to the genus Brevibacterium of Actinomycetales. BS01 exhibited algicidal activity in an indirect manner. Additional organic nutrients, but not algal-derived dissolved organic matter, were necessary for the synthesis of yet unidentified algicidal compounds (molecular weight less than 100), which were heat tolerant, a stable in acidic or alkali conditions, and exhibited a wide range of algicidal activity. This is the first report of an actinomycete algicide to the toxic dinoflagellate A. tamarense. Our results indicate that BS01 could be a potential bio-agent for controlling harmful algal blooms.

Science & Technology Review September 2006

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Radousky, H B

2006-07-18

This month's article has the following articles: (1) Simulations Help Plan for Large Earthquakes--Commentary by Jane C. S. Long; (2) Re-creating the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake--Supercomputer simulations of Bay Area earthquakes are providing insight into the great 1906 quake and future temblors along several faults; (3) Decoding the Origin of a Bioagent--The microstructure of a bacterial organism can be linked to the methods used to formulate the pathogen; (4) A New Look at How Aging Bones Fracture--Livermore scientists find that the increased risk of fracture from osteoporosis may be due to a change in the physical structure of trabecular bone;more » and (5) Fusion Targets on the Double--Advances in precision manufacturing allow the production of double-shell fusion targets with submicrometer tolerances.« less

Mechanical properties of bio self-healing concrete containing immobilized bacteria with iron oxide nanoparticles.

PubMed

Seifan, Mostafa; Sarmah, Ajit K; Samani, Ali Khajeh; Ebrahiminezhad, Alireza; Ghasemi, Younes; Berenjian, Aydin

2018-05-01

Concrete is arguably one of the most important and widely used materials in the world, responsible for the majority of the industrial revolution due to its unique properties. However, it is susceptible to cracking under internal and external stresses. The generated cracks result in a significant reduction in the concrete lifespan and an increase in maintenance and repair costs. In recent years, the implementation of bacterial-based healing agent in the concrete matrix has emerged as one of the most promising approaches to address the concrete cracking issue. However, the bacterial cells need to be protected from the high pH content of concrete as well as the exerted shear forces during preparation and hardening stages. To address these issues, we propose the magnetic immobilization of bacteria with iron oxide nanoparticles (IONs). In the present study, the effect of the designed bio-agent on mechanical properties of concrete (compressive strength and drying shrinkage) is investigated. The results indicate that the addition of immobilized Bacillus species with IONs in concrete matrix contributes to increasing the compressive strength. Moreover, the precipitates in the bio-concrete specimen were characterized using scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The characterization studies confirm that the precipitated crystals in bio-concrete specimen were CaCO 3 , while no precipitation was observed in the control sample.

Fixed-interval matching-to-sample: intermatching time and intermatching error runs1

PubMed Central

Nelson, Thomas D.

1978-01-01

Four pigeons were trained on a matching-to-sample task in which reinforcers followed either the first matching response (fixed interval) or the fifth matching response (tandem fixed-interval fixed-ratio) that occurred 80 seconds or longer after the last reinforcement. Relative frequency distributions of the matching-to-sample responses that concluded intermatching times and runs of mismatches (intermatching error runs) were computed for the final matching responses directly followed by grain access and also for the three matching responses immediately preceding the final match. Comparison of these two distributions showed that the fixed-interval schedule arranged for the preferential reinforcement of matches concluding relatively extended intermatching times and runs of mismatches. Differences in matching accuracy and rate during the fixed interval, compared to the tandem fixed-interval fixed-ratio, suggested that reinforcers following matches concluding various intermatching times and runs of mismatches influenced the rate and accuracy of the last few matches before grain access, but did not control rate and accuracy throughout the entire fixed-interval period. PMID:16812032

Database crime to crime match rate calculation.

PubMed

Buckleton, John; Bright, Jo-Anne; Walsh, Simon J

2009-06-01

Guidance exists on how to count matches between samples in a crime sample database but we are unable to locate a definition of how to estimate a match rate. We propose a method that does not proceed from the match counting definition but which has a strong logic.

Delayed matching to two-picture samples by individuals with and without disabilities: an analysis of the role of naming.

PubMed

Gutowski, Stanley J; Stromer, Robert

2003-01-01

Delayed matching to complex, two-picture samples (e.g., cat-dog) may be improved when the samples occasion differential verbal behavior. In Experiment 1, individuals with mental retardation matched picture comparisons to identical single-picture samples or to two-picture samples, one of which was identical to a comparison. Accuracy scores were typically high on single-picture trials under both simultaneous and delayed matching conditions. Scores on two-picture trials were also high during the simultaneous condition but were lower during the delay condition. However, scores improved on delayed two-picture trials when each of the sample pictures was named aloud before comparison responding. Experiment 2 replicated these results with preschoolers with typical development and a youth with mental retardation. Sample naming also improved the preschoolers' matching when the samples were pairs of spoken names and the correct comparison picture matched one of the names. Collectively, the participants could produce the verbal behavior that might have improved performance, but typically did not do so unless the procedure required it. The success of the naming intervention recommends it for improving the observing and remembering of multiple elements of complex instructional stimuli.

Multisensory information boosts numerical matching abilities in young children.

PubMed

Jordan, Kerry E; Baker, Joseph

2011-03-01

This study presents the first evidence that preschool children perform more accurately in a numerical matching task when given multisensory rather than unisensory information about number. Three- to 5-year-old children learned to play a numerical matching game on a touchscreen computer, which asked them to match a sample numerosity with a numerically equivalent choice numerosity. Samples consisted of a series of visual squares on some trials, a series of auditory tones on other trials, and synchronized squares and tones on still other trials. Children performed at chance on this matching task when provided with either type of unisensory sample, but improved significantly when provided with multisensory samples. There was no speed–accuracy tradeoff between unisensory and multisensory trial types. Thus, these findings suggest that intersensory redundancy may improve young children’s abilities to match numerosities.

Empirical Validation of a Procedure to Correct Position and Stimulus Biases in Matching-to-Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kangas, Brian D.; Branch, Marc N.

2008-01-01

The development of position and stimulus biases often occurs during initial training on matching-to-sample tasks. Furthermore, without intervention, these biases can be maintained via intermittent reinforcement provided by matching-to-sample contingencies. The present study evaluated the effectiveness of a correction procedure designed to…

Using ancestry matching to combine family-based and unrelated samples for genome-wide association studies‡

PubMed Central

Crossett, Andrew; Kent, Brian P.; Klei, Lambertus; Ringquist, Steven; Trucco, Massimo; Roeder, Kathryn; Devlin, Bernie

2015-01-01

We propose a method to analyze family-based samples together with unrelated cases and controls. The method builds on the idea of matched case–control analysis using conditional logistic regression (CLR). For each trio within the family, a case (the proband) and matched pseudo-controls are constructed, based upon the transmitted and untransmitted alleles. Unrelated controls, matched by genetic ancestry, supplement the sample of pseudo-controls; likewise unrelated cases are also paired with genetically matched controls. Within each matched stratum, the case genotype is contrasted with control pseudo-control genotypes via CLR, using a method we call matched-CLR (mCLR). Eigenanalysis of numerous SNP genotypes provides a tool for mapping genetic ancestry. The result of such an analysis can be thought of as a multidimensional map, or eigenmap, in which the relative genetic similarities and differences amongst individuals is encoded in the map. Once constructed, new individuals can be projected onto the ancestry map based on their genotypes. Successful differentiation of individuals of distinct ancestry depends on having a diverse, yet representative sample from which to construct the ancestry map. Once samples are well-matched, mCLR yields comparable power to competing methods while ensuring excellent control over Type I error. PMID:20862653

Matching- and Nonmatching-to-Sample Concept Learning in Rats Using Olfactory Stimuli

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

April, L. Brooke; Bruce, Katherine; Galizio, Mark

2011-01-01

Previous research has shown that rats can learn matching-to-sample relations with olfactory stimuli; however, the specific characteristics of this relational control are unclear. In Experiment 1, 6 rats were trained to either match or nonmatch to sample in a modified operant chamber using common household spices as olfactory stimuli. After…

Effects of Acute and Chronic Cocaine Administration on Titrating-Delay Matching-to-Sample Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kangas, Brian D.; Branch, Marc N.

2012-01-01

The effects of cocaine were examined under a titrating-delay matching-to-sample procedure. In this procedure, the delay between sample stimulus offset and comparison stimuli onset adjusts as a function of the subject's performance. Specifically, matches increase the delay and mismatches decrease the delay. Titrated delay values served as the…

Emergent, untrained stimulus relations in many-to-one matching-to-sample discriminations in rats.

PubMed

Nakagawa, Esho

2005-03-01

The present experiment investigated whether rats formed emergent, untrained stimulus relations in many-to-one matching-to-sample discriminations. In Phase 1, rats were trained to match two samples (triangle and horizontal stripes) to a common comparison (horizontal stripes) and two additional samples (circle or vertical stripes) to another comparison (vertical stripes). Then, in Phase 2, the rats were trained to match the one sample (triangle) to a new comparison (black) and the other sample (circle) to another comparison (white). In the Phase 3 test, half the rats (consistent group) were given two new tasks in which the sample-correct comparison relation was consistent with any emergent stimulus relations that previously may have been learned. The remaining 6 rats (inconsistent group) were given two new tasks in which the sample-correct comparison relation was not consistent with any previously learned emergent stimulus relations. Rats in the consistent group showed more accurate performance at the start of Phase 3, and faster learning to criterion in this phase, as compared with rats in the inconsistent group. This finding suggests that rats may form emergent, untrained stimulus relations between the discriminative stimuli in many-to-one matching-to-sample discriminations.

Accurate recapture identification for genetic mark–recapture studies with error-tolerant likelihood-based match calling and sample clustering

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sethi, Suresh; Linden, Daniel; Wenburg, John; Lewis, Cara; Lemons, Patrick R.; Fuller, Angela K.; Hare, Matthew P.

2016-01-01

Error-tolerant likelihood-based match calling presents a promising technique to accurately identify recapture events in genetic mark–recapture studies by combining probabilities of latent genotypes and probabilities of observed genotypes, which may contain genotyping errors. Combined with clustering algorithms to group samples into sets of recaptures based upon pairwise match calls, these tools can be used to reconstruct accurate capture histories for mark–recapture modelling. Here, we assess the performance of a recently introduced error-tolerant likelihood-based match-calling model and sample clustering algorithm for genetic mark–recapture studies. We assessed both biallelic (i.e. single nucleotide polymorphisms; SNP) and multiallelic (i.e. microsatellite; MSAT) markers using a combination of simulation analyses and case study data on Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) and fishers (Pekania pennanti). A novel two-stage clustering approach is demonstrated for genetic mark–recapture applications. First, repeat captures within a sampling occasion are identified. Subsequently, recaptures across sampling occasions are identified. The likelihood-based matching protocol performed well in simulation trials, demonstrating utility for use in a wide range of genetic mark–recapture studies. Moderately sized SNP (64+) and MSAT (10–15) panels produced accurate match calls for recaptures and accurate non-match calls for samples from closely related individuals in the face of low to moderate genotyping error. Furthermore, matching performance remained stable or increased as the number of genetic markers increased, genotyping error notwithstanding.

Aligned Silver Nanorod Array as SERS Substrates for Viral Sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Yiping; Shanmukh, Saratchandra; Chaney, Stephen B.; Jones, Les; Dluhy, Richard A.; Tripp, Ralph A.

2006-03-01

The aligned silver nanorod array substrates prepared by the oblique angle deposition method are capable of providing extremely high enhancement factors (˜10^9) at near-infrared wavelengths (785 nm) for a standard reporter molecule 1,2 trans-(bis)pyridyl-ethene (BPE). The enhancement factor depends strongly on the length of the Ag nanorods, the substrate coating, as well as the polarization of the excitation laser beam. With the current optimum structure, we demonstrate that the detection limit for BPE can be lower than 0.1 fM. The applicability of this substrate to the detection of bioagents has been investigated by looking several viruses, such as Adenovirus, HIV, Rhinovirus and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), at low quantities (˜0.5uL). Different viruses have different fingerprint Raman spectrum. The detection of virus presented in infected cells has also been demonstrated.

Multilayered Magnetic Gelatin Membrane Scaffolds

PubMed Central

Samal, Sangram K.; Goranov, Vitaly; Dash, Mamoni; Russo, Alessandro; Shelyakova, Tatiana; Graziosi, Patrizio; Lungaro, Lisa; Riminucci, Alberto; Uhlarz, Marc; Bañobre-López, Manuel; Rivas, Jose; Herrmannsdörfer, Thomas; Rajadas, Jayakumar; De Smedt, Stefaan; Braeckmans, Kevin; Kaplan, David L.; Dediu, V. Alek

2016-01-01

A versatile approach for the design and fabrication of multilayer magnetic scaffolds with tunable magnetic gradients is described. Multilayer magnetic gelatin membrane scaffolds with intrinsic magnetic gradients were designed to encapsulate magnetized bioagents under an externally applied magnetic field for use in magnetic-field-assisted tissue engineering. The temperature of the individual membranes increased up to 43.7 °C under an applied oscillating magnetic field for 70 s by magnetic hyperthermia, enabling the possibility of inducing a thermal gradient inside the final 3D multilayer magnetic scaffolds. On the basis of finite element method simulations, magnetic gelatin membranes with different concentrations of magnetic nanoparticles were assembled into 3D multilayered scaffolds. A magnetic-gradient-controlled distribution of magnetically labeled stem cells was demonstrated in vitro. This magnetic biomaterial–magnetic cell strategy can be expanded to a number of different magnetic biomaterials for various tissue engineering applications. PMID:26451743

Multilayered Magnetic Gelatin Membrane Scaffolds.

PubMed

Samal, Sangram K; Goranov, Vitaly; Dash, Mamoni; Russo, Alessandro; Shelyakova, Tatiana; Graziosi, Patrizio; Lungaro, Lisa; Riminucci, Alberto; Uhlarz, Marc; Bañobre-López, Manuel; Rivas, Jose; Herrmannsdörfer, Thomas; Rajadas, Jayakumar; De Smedt, Stefaan; Braeckmans, Kevin; Kaplan, David L; Dediu, V Alek

2015-10-21

A versatile approach for the design and fabrication of multilayer magnetic scaffolds with tunable magnetic gradients is described. Multilayer magnetic gelatin membrane scaffolds with intrinsic magnetic gradients were designed to encapsulate magnetized bioagents under an externally applied magnetic field for use in magnetic-field-assisted tissue engineering. The temperature of the individual membranes increased up to 43.7 °C under an applied oscillating magnetic field for 70 s by magnetic hyperthermia, enabling the possibility of inducing a thermal gradient inside the final 3D multilayer magnetic scaffolds. On the basis of finite element method simulations, magnetic gelatin membranes with different concentrations of magnetic nanoparticles were assembled into 3D multilayered scaffolds. A magnetic-gradient-controlled distribution of magnetically labeled stem cells was demonstrated in vitro. This magnetic biomaterial-magnetic cell strategy can be expanded to a number of different magnetic biomaterials for various tissue engineering applications.

Shear horizontal surface acoustic wave microsensor for Class A viral and bacterial detection.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Branch, Darren W.; Huber, Dale L.; Brozik, Susan Marie

The rapid autonomous detection of pathogenic microorganisms and bioagents by field deployable platforms is critical to human health and safety. To achieve a high level of sensitivity for fluidic detection applications, we have developed a 330 MHz Love wave acoustic biosensor on 36{sup o} YX Lithium Tantalate (LTO). Each die has four delay-line detection channels, permitting simultaneous measurement of multiple analytes or for parallel detection of single analyte containing samples. Crucial to our biosensor was the development of a transducer that excites the shear horizontal (SH) mode, through optimization of the transducer, minimizing propagation losses and reducing undesirable modes. Detectionmore » was achieved by comparing the reference phase of an input signal to the phase shift from the biosensor using an integrated electronic multi-readout system connected to a laptop computer or PDA. The Love wave acoustic arrays were centered at 330 MHz, shifting to 325-328 MHz after application of the silicon dioxide waveguides. The insertion loss was -6 dB with an out-of-band rejection of 35 dB. The amplitude and phase ripple were 2.5 dB p-p and 2-3{sup o} p-p, respectively. Time-domain gating confirmed propagation of the SH mode while showing suppression of the triple transit. Antigen capture and mass detection experiments demonstrate a sensitivity of 7.19 {+-} 0.74{sup o} mm{sup 2}/ng with a detection limit of 6.7 {+-} 0.40 pg/mm{sup 2} for each channel.« less

Sample Stimulus Control Shaping and Restricted Stimulus Control in Capuchin Monkeys: A Methodological Note

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brino, Ana Leda F., Barros, Romariz S., Galvao, Ol; Garotti, M.; Da Cruz, Ilara R. N.; Santos, Jose R.; Dube, William V.; McIlvane, William J.

2011-01-01

This paper reports use of sample stimulus control shaping procedures to teach arbitrary matching-to-sample to 2 capuchin monkeys ("Cebus apella"). The procedures started with identity matching-to-sample. During shaping, stimulus features of the sample were altered gradually, rendering samples and comparisons increasingly physically dissimilar. The…

Propensity-score matching in the cardiovascular surgery literature from 2004 to 2006: a systematic review and suggestions for improvement.

PubMed

Austin, Peter C

2007-11-01

I conducted a systematic review of the use of propensity score matching in the cardiovascular surgery literature. I examined the adequacy of reporting and whether appropriate statistical methods were used. I examined 60 articles published in the Annals of Thoracic Surgery, European Journal of Cardio-thoracic Surgery, Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery, and the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2006. Thirty-one of the 60 studies did not provide adequate information on how the propensity score-matched pairs were formed. Eleven (18%) of studies did not report on whether matching on the propensity score balanced baseline characteristics between treated and untreated subjects in the matched sample. No studies used appropriate methods to compare baseline characteristics between treated and untreated subjects in the propensity score-matched sample. Eight (13%) of the 60 studies explicitly used statistical methods appropriate for the analysis of matched data when estimating the effect of treatment on the outcomes. Two studies used appropriate methods for some outcomes, but not for all outcomes. Thirty-nine (65%) studies explicitly used statistical methods that were inappropriate for matched-pairs data when estimating the effect of treatment on outcomes. Eleven studies did not report the statistical tests that were used to assess the statistical significance of the treatment effect. Analysis of propensity score-matched samples tended to be poor in the cardiovascular surgery literature. Most statistical analyses ignored the matched nature of the sample. I provide suggestions for improving the reporting and analysis of studies that use propensity score matching.

Assessing Generative Braille Responding Following Training in a Matching-to-Sample Format

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Putnam, Brittany C.; Tiger, Jeffrey H.

2016-01-01

We evaluated the effects of teaching sighted college students to select printed text letters given a braille sample stimulus in a matching-to-sample (MTS) format on the emergence of untrained (a) construction of print characters given braille samples, (b) construction of braille characters given print samples, (c) transcription of print characters…

Teaching Identity Matching of Braille Characters to Beginning Braille Readers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toussaint, Karen A.; Scheithauer, Mindy C.; Tiger, Jeffrey H.; Saunders, Kathryn J.

2017-01-01

We taught three children with visual impairments to make tactile discriminations of the braille alphabet within a matching-to-sample format. That is, we presented participants with a braille character as a sample stimulus, and they selected the matching stimulus from a three-comparison array. In order to minimize participant errors, we initially…

Creating Matched Samples Using Exact Matching. Statistical Report 2016-3

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Godfrey, Kelly E.

2016-01-01

By creating and analyzing matched samples, researchers can simplify their analyses to include fewer covariate variables, relying less on model assumptions, and thus generating results that may be easier to report and interpret. When two groups essentially "look" the same, it is easier to explore their differences and make comparisons…

Errorless Establishment of a Match-to-Sample Form Discrimination in Preschool Children. I. A Modification of Animal Laboratory Procedures for Children, II. A Comparison of Errorless and Trial-and-Error Discrimination. Progress Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LeBlanc, Judith M.

A sequence of studies compared two types of discrimination formation: errorless learning and trial-and-error procedures. The subjects were three boys and five girls from a university preschool. The children performed the experimental tasks at a typical match-to-sample apparatus with one sample window above and four match (response) windows below.…

Constructed-response matching to sample and spelling instruction.

PubMed Central

Dube, W V; McDonald, S J; McIlvane, W J; Mackay, H A

1991-01-01

The development of interactive programmed instruction using a microcomputer as a teaching machine is described. The program applied a constructed-response matching-to-sample procedure to computer-assisted spelling instruction and review. On each trial, subjects were presented with a sample stimulus and a choice pool consisting of 10 individual letters. In initial training, sample stimuli were arrays of letters, and subjects were taught to construct identical arrays by touching the matching letters in the choice pool. After generalized constructed-response identity matching was established, pictures (line drawings) of common objects were presented as samples. At first, correct spelling was prompted by also presenting the printed name to be "copied" via identity matching; then the prompts were faded out. The program was implemented with 2 mentally retarded individuals. Assessment trials determined appropriate words for training. Correct spelling was established via the prompt-fading procedure; training trials were interspersed among baseline trials that reviewed and maintained spelling of previously learned words. As new words were learned, they were added to a cumulative baseline to generate an individualized review and practice battery for each subject. PMID:1890049

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kreuzer, Helen W.; Horita, Juske; Moran, James J.

Sodium and potassium cyanide are highly toxic, produced in large amounts by the chemical industry, and linked to numerous high-profile crimes. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified cyanide as one of the most probable agents to be used in a future chemical terrorism event. We investigated whether stable C and N isotopic content of sodium and potassium cyanide could serve as a forensic signature for sample matching, using a collection of 65 cyanide samples. A few of these samples displayed non-homogeneous isotopic content associated with degradation to a carbonate salt and loss of hydrogen cyanide. Mostmore » samples had highly reproducible isotope content. Of these, >95% could be properly matched based on C and N isotope ratios, with a false match rate <3%. These results suggest that stable C and N isotope ratios are a useful forensic signature for matching cyanide samples.« less

On the Effects of Signaling Reinforcer Probability and Magnitude in Delayed Matching to Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Glenn S.; White, K. Geoffrey

2005-01-01

Two experiments examined whether postsample signals of reinforcer probability or magnitude affected the accuracy of delayed matching to sample in pigeons. On each trial, red or green choice responses that matched red or green stimuli seen shortly before a variable retention interval were reinforced with wheat access. In Experiment 1, the…

Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios of sodium and potassium cyanide as a forensic signature.

PubMed

Kreuzer, Helen W; Horita, Juske; Moran, James J; Tomkins, Bruce A; Janszen, Derek B; Carman, April

2012-01-01

Sodium and potassium cyanide are highly toxic, produced in large amounts by the chemical industry, and linked to numerous high-profile crimes. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified cyanide as one of the most probable agents to be used in a chemical terrorism event. We investigated whether stable C and N isotopic content of sodium and potassium cyanide could serve as a forensic signature for sample matching, using a collection of 65 cyanide samples. Upon analysis, a few of the cyanide samples displayed nonhomogeneous isotopic content associated with degradation to a carbonate salt and loss of hydrogen cyanide. Most samples had highly reproducible isotope content. Of the 65 cyanide samples, >95% could be properly matched based on C and N isotope ratios, with a false match rate <3%. These results suggest that stable C and N isotope ratios are a useful forensic signature for matching cyanide samples. © 2011 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Template matching for auditing hospital cost and quality.

PubMed

Silber, Jeffrey H; Rosenbaum, Paul R; Ross, Richard N; Ludwig, Justin M; Wang, Wei; Niknam, Bijan A; Mukherjee, Nabanita; Saynisch, Philip A; Even-Shoshan, Orit; Kelz, Rachel R; Fleisher, Lee A

2014-10-01

Develop an improved method for auditing hospital cost and quality. Medicare claims in general, gynecologic and urologic surgery, and orthopedics from Illinois, Texas, and New York between 2004 and 2006. A template of 300 representative patients was constructed and then used to match 300 patients at hospitals that had a minimum of 500 patients over a 3-year study period. From each of 217 hospitals we chose 300 patients most resembling the template using multivariate matching. The matching algorithm found close matches on procedures and patient characteristics, far more balanced than measured covariates would be in a randomized clinical trial. These matched samples displayed little to no differences across hospitals in common patient characteristics yet found large and statistically significant hospital variation in mortality, complications, failure-to-rescue, readmissions, length of stay, ICU days, cost, and surgical procedure length. Similar patients at different hospitals had substantially different outcomes. The template-matched sample can produce fair, directly standardized audits that evaluate hospitals on patients with similar characteristics, thereby making benchmarking more believable. Through examining matched samples of individual patients, administrators can better detect poor performance at their hospitals and better understand why these problems are occurring. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Decreasing Errors in Reading-Related Matching to Sample Using a Delayed-Sample Procedure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doughty, Adam H.; Saunders, Kathryn J.

2009-01-01

Two men with intellectual disabilities initially demonstrated intermediate accuracy in two-choice matching-to-sample (MTS) procedures. A printed-letter identity MTS procedure was used with 1 participant, and a spoken-to-printed-word MTS procedure was used with the other participant. Errors decreased substantially under a delayed-sample procedure,…

Matching motivation enhancement treatment to client motivation: re-examining the Project MATCH motivation matching hypothesis.

PubMed

Witkiewitz, Katie; Hartzler, Bryan; Donovan, Dennis

2010-08-01

The current study was designed to re-examine the motivation matching hypothesis from Project MATCH using growth mixture modeling, an analytical technique that models variation in individual drinking patterns. Secondary data analyses of data from Project MATCH (n = 1726), a large multi-site alcoholism treatment-matching study. Percentage of drinking days was the primary outcome measure, assessed from 1 month to 12 months following treatment. Treatment assignment, alcohol dependence symptoms and baseline percentage of drinking days were included as covariates. The results provided support for the motivation matching hypothesis in the out-patient sample and among females in the aftercare sample: the majority of individuals with lower baseline motivation had better outcomes if assigned to motivation enhancement treatment (MET) compared to those assigned to cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT). In the aftercare sample there was a moderating effect of gender and alcohol dependence severity, whereby males with lower baseline motivation and greater alcohol dependence drank more frequently if assigned to MET compared to those assigned to CBT. Results from the current study lend partial support to the motivation-matching hypothesis and also demonstrated the importance of moderating influences on treatment matching effectiveness. Based upon these findings, individuals with low baseline motivation in out-patient settings and males with low levels of alcohol dependence or females in aftercare settings may benefit more from motivational enhancement techniques than from cognitive-behavioral techniques.

Pituitary gland volumes in bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Clark, Ian A; Mackay, Clare E; Goodwin, Guy M

2014-12-01

Bipolar disorder has been associated with increased Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis function. The mechanism is not well understood, but there may be associated increases in pituitary gland volume (PGV) and these small increases may be functionally significant. However, research investigating PGV in bipolar disorder reports mixed results. The aim of the current study was twofold. First, to assess PGV in two novel samples of patients with bipolar disorder and matched healthy controls. Second, to perform a meta-analysis comparing PGV across a larger sample of patients and matched controls. Sample 1 consisted of 23 established patients and 32 matched controls. Sample 2 consisted of 39 medication-naïve patients and 42 matched controls. PGV was measured on structural MRI scans. Seven further studies were identified comparing PGV between patients and matched controls (total n; 244 patients, 308 controls). Both novel samples showed a small (approximately 20mm(3) or 4%), but non-significant, increase in PGV in patients. Combining the two novel samples showed a significant association of age and PGV. Meta-analysis showed a trend towards a larger pituitary gland in patients (effect size: .23, CI: -.14, .59). While results suggest a possible small difference in pituitary gland volume between patients and matched controls, larger mega-analyses with sample sizes greater even than those used in the current meta-analysis are still required. There is a small but potentially functionally significant increase in PGV in patients with bipolar disorder compared to controls. Results demonstrate the difficulty of finding potentially important but small effects in functional brain disorders. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Relationship between Performance in near Match-to-Sample Tasks and Fluid Intelligence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frey, Meredith C.

2011-01-01

Match-to-sample is a timed task in which a subject is presented with a visual stimulus (the probe) and must select a match to that stimulus (the target) from among an array of distractors. These tasks are frequently employed as tests of basic cognitive abilities and demonstrate consistent correlations with measures of intelligence. In the current…

Oral fluid vs. Urine Analysis to Monitor Synthetic Cannabinoids and Classic Drugs Recent Exposure

PubMed Central

Blandino, Vincent; Wetzel, Jillian; Kim, Jiyoung; Haxhi, Petrit; Curtis, Richard; Concheiro, Marta

2018-01-01

Background Urine is a common biological sample to monitor recent drug exposure, and oral fluid is an alternative matrix of increasing interest in clinical and forensic toxicology. Limited data are available about oral fluid vs. urine drug disposition, especially for synthetic cannabinoids. Objective To compare urine and oral fluid as biological matrices to monitor recent drug exposure among HIV-infected homeless individuals. Methods Seventy matched urine and oral fluid samples were collected from 13 participants. Cannabis, amphetamines, benzodiazepines, cocaine and opiates were analyzed in urine by the enzyme-multiplied-immunoassay-technique and in oral fluid by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MSMS). Eleven synthetic cannabinoids were analyzed in urine and in oral fluid by LC-MSMS. Results Five oral fluid samples were positive for AB-FUBINACA. In urine, 4 samples tested positive for synthetic cannabinoids PB-22, 5-Fluoro-PB-22, AB-FUBINACA, and metabolites UR-144 5-pentanoic acid and UR-144 4-hydroxypentyl. In only one case, oral fluid and urine results matched, both specimens being AB-FUBINACA positive. For cannabis, 40 samples tested positive in urine and 30 in oral fluid (85.7% match). For cocaine, 37 urine and 52 oral fluid samples were positive (75.7% match). Twenty-four urine samples were positive for opiates, and 25 in oral fluid (81.4% match). For benzodiazepines, 23 samples were positive in urine and 25 in oral fluid (85.7% match). Conclusion/Discussion These results offer new information about drugs disposition between urine and oral fluid. Oral fluid is a good alternative matrix to urine for monitoring cannabis, cocaine, opiates and benzodiazepines recent use; however, synthetic cannabinoids showed mixed results. PMID:29173162

Oral Fluid vs. Urine Analysis to Monitor Synthetic Cannabinoids and Classic Drugs Recent Exposure.

PubMed

Blandino, Vincent; Wetzel, Jillian; Kim, Jiyoung; Haxhi, Petrit; Curtis, Richard; Concheiro, Marta

2017-01-01

Urine is a common biological sample to monitor recent drug exposure, and oral fluid is an alternative matrix of increasing interest in clinical and forensic toxicology. Limited data are available about oral fluid vs. urine drug disposition, especially for synthetic cannabinoids. To compare urine and oral fluid as biological matrices to monitor recent drug exposure among HIV-infected homeless individuals. Seventy matched urine and oral fluid samples were collected from 13 participants. Cannabis, amphetamines, benzodiazepines, cocaine and opiates were analyzed in urine by the enzyme-multipliedimmunoassay- technique and in oral fluid by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LCMSMS). Eleven synthetic cannabinoids were analyzed in urine and in oral fluid by LC-MSMS. Five oral fluid samples were positive for AB-FUBINACA. In urine, 4 samples tested positive for synthetic cannabinoids PB-22, 5-Fluoro-PB-22, AB-FUBINACA, and metabolites UR-144 5-pentanoic acid and UR-144 4-hydroxypentyl. In only one case, oral fluid and urine results matched, both specimens being AB-FUBINACA positive. For cannabis, 40 samples tested positive in urine and 30 in oral fluid (85.7% match). For cocaine, 37 urine and 52 oral fluid samples were positive (75.7% match). Twenty-four urine samples were positive for opiates, and 25 in oral fluid (81.4% match). For benzodiazepines, 23 samples were positive in urine and 25 in oral fluid (85.7% match). These results offer new information about drugs disposition between urine and oral fluid. Oral fluid is a good alternative matrix to urine for monitoring cannabis, cocaine, opiates and benzodiazepines recent use; however, synthetic cannabinoids showed mixed results. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Model for spectral and chromatographic data

DOEpatents

Jarman, Kristin [Richland, WA; Willse, Alan [Richland, WA; Wahl, Karen [Richland, WA; Wahl, Jon [Richland, WA

2002-11-26

A method and apparatus using a spectral analysis technique are disclosed. In one form of the invention, probabilities are selected to characterize the presence (and in another form, also a quantification of a characteristic) of peaks in an indexed data set for samples that match a reference species, and other probabilities are selected for samples that do not match the reference species. An indexed data set is acquired for a sample, and a determination is made according to techniques exemplified herein as to whether the sample matches or does not match the reference species. When quantification of peak characteristics is undertaken, the model is appropriately expanded, and the analysis accounts for the characteristic model and data. Further techniques are provided to apply the methods and apparatuses to process control, cluster analysis, hypothesis testing, analysis of variance, and other procedures involving multiple comparisons of indexed data.

Individually identifiable body odors are produced by the gorilla and discriminated by humans.

PubMed

Hepper, Peter G; Wells, Deborah L

2010-05-01

Many species produce odor cues that enable them to be identified individually, as well as providing other socially relevant information. Study of the role of odor cues in the social behavior of great apes is noticeable by its absence. Olfaction has been viewed as having little role in guiding behavior in these species. This study examined whether Western lowland gorillas produce an individually identifiable odor. Odor samples were obtained by placing cloths in the gorilla's den. A delayed matching to sample task was used with human participants (n = 100) to see if they were able to correctly match a target odor sample to a choice of either: 2 odors (the target sample and another, Experiment 1) and 6 odors (the target sample and 5 others, Experiment 2). Participants were correctly able to identify the target odor when given either 2 or 6 matches. Subjects made fewest errors when matching the odor of the silverback, whereas matching the odors of the young gorillas produced most errors. The results indicate that gorillas do produce individually identifiable body odors and introduce the possibility that odor cues may play a role in gorilla social behavior.

BioAerosol Mass Spectrometry: Reagentless Detection of Individual Airborne Spores and Other Bioagent Particles Based on Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Steele, Paul Thomas

2004-09-01

Better devices are needed for the detection of aerosolized biological warfare agents. Advances in the ongoing development of one such device, the BioAerosol Mass Spectrometry (BAMS) system, are described here in detail. The system samples individual, micrometer-sized particles directly from the air and analyzes them in real-time without sample preparation or use of reagents. At the core of the BAMS system is a dual-polarity, single-particle mass spectrometer with a laser based desorption and ionization (DI) system. The mass spectra produced by early proof-of-concept instruments were highly variable and contained limited information to differentiate certain types of similar biological particles. Themore » investigation of this variability and subsequent changes to the DI laser system are described. The modifications have reduced the observed variability and thereby increased the usable information content in the spectra. These improvements would have little value without software to analyze and identify the mass spectra. Important improvements have been made to the algorithms that initially processed and analyzed the data. Single particles can be identified with an impressive level of accuracy, but to obtain significant reductions in the overall false alarm rate of the BAMS instrument, alarm decisions must be made dynamically on the basis of multiple analyzed particles. A statistical model has been developed to make these decisions and the resulting performance of a hypothetical BAMS system is quantitatively predicted. The predictions indicate that a BAMS system, with reasonably attainable characteristics, can operate with a very low false alarm rate (orders of magnitude lower than some currently fielded biodetectors) while still being sensitive to small concentrations of biological particles in a large range of environments. Proof-of-concept instruments, incorporating some of the modifications described here, have already performed well in independent testing.« less

Effects of aniracetam on delayed matching-to-sample performance of monkeys and pigeons.

PubMed

Pontecorvo, M J; Evans, H L

1985-05-01

A 3-choice, variable-delay, matching-to-sample procedure was used to evaluate drugs in both pigeons and monkeys while tested under nearly-identical conditions. Aniracetam (Roche 13-5057) improved accuracy of matching at all retention intervals following oral administration (12.5, 25 and 50 mg/kg) to macaque monkeys, with a maximal effect at 25 mg/kg. Aniracetam also antagonized scopolamine-induced impairment of the monkey's performance. Intramuscular administration of these same doses of aniracetam produced a similar, but not significant trend toward improved matching accuracy in pigeons.

Stable Carbon and Nitrogen Isotope Ratios of Sodium and Potassium Cyanide as a Forensic Signature

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kruzer, Helen W; Horita, Juske; Moran, James J

2012-01-01

Sodium and potassium cyanide are highly toxic, produced in large amounts by the chemical industry, and linked to numerous high-profile crimes. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified cyanide as one of the most probable agents to be used in a future chemical terrorism event. We investigated whether stable C and N isotopic content of sodium and potassium cyanide could serve as a forensic signature for sample matching, using a collection of 65 cyanide samples. A few of these samples displayed non-homogeneous isotopic content associated with degradation to a carbonate salt and loss of hydrogen cyanide. Mostmore » samples had highly reproducible isotope content. Of these, >95% could be properly matched based on C and N isotope ratios, with a false match rate <3%. These results suggest that stable C and N isotope ratios are a useful forensic signature for matching cyanide samples.« less

Template Matching for Auditing Hospital Cost and Quality

PubMed Central

Silber, Jeffrey H; Rosenbaum, Paul R; Ross, Richard N; Ludwig, Justin M; Wang, Wei; Niknam, Bijan A; Mukherjee, Nabanita; Saynisch, Philip A; Even-Shoshan, Orit; Kelz, Rachel R; Fleisher, Lee A

2014-01-01

Objective Develop an improved method for auditing hospital cost and quality. Data Sources/Setting Medicare claims in general, gynecologic and urologic surgery, and orthopedics from Illinois, Texas, and New York between 2004 and 2006. Study Design A template of 300 representative patients was constructed and then used to match 300 patients at hospitals that had a minimum of 500 patients over a 3-year study period. Data Collection/Extraction Methods From each of 217 hospitals we chose 300 patients most resembling the template using multivariate matching. Principal Findings The matching algorithm found close matches on procedures and patient characteristics, far more balanced than measured covariates would be in a randomized clinical trial. These matched samples displayed little to no differences across hospitals in common patient characteristics yet found large and statistically significant hospital variation in mortality, complications, failure-to-rescue, readmissions, length of stay, ICU days, cost, and surgical procedure length. Similar patients at different hospitals had substantially different outcomes. Conclusion The template-matched sample can produce fair, directly standardized audits that evaluate hospitals on patients with similar characteristics, thereby making benchmarking more believable. Through examining matched samples of individual patients, administrators can better detect poor performance at their hospitals and better understand why these problems are occurring. PMID:24588413

Order of Stimulus Presentation Influences Children's Acquisition in Receptive Identification Tasks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petursdottir, Anna Ingeborg; Aguilar, Gabriella

2016-01-01

Receptive identification is usually taught in matching-to-sample format, which entails the presentation of an auditory sample stimulus and several visual comparison stimuli in each trial. Conflicting recommendations exist regarding the order of stimulus presentation in matching-to-sample trials. The purpose of this study was to compare acquisition…

Rigorous Training of Dogs Leads to High Accuracy in Human Scent Matching-To-Sample Performance

PubMed Central

Marchal, Sophie; Bregeras, Olivier; Puaux, Didier; Gervais, Rémi; Ferry, Barbara

2016-01-01

Human scent identification is based on a matching-to-sample task in which trained dogs are required to compare a scent sample collected from an object found at a crime scene to that of a suspect. Based on dogs’ greater olfactory ability to detect and process odours, this method has been used in forensic investigations to identify the odour of a suspect at a crime scene. The excellent reliability and reproducibility of the method largely depend on rigor in dog training. The present study describes the various steps of training that lead to high sensitivity scores, with dogs matching samples with 90% efficiency when the complexity of the scents presented during the task in the sample is similar to that presented in the in lineups, and specificity reaching a ceiling, with no false alarms in human scent matching-to-sample tasks. This high level of accuracy ensures reliable results in judicial human scent identification tests. Also, our data should convince law enforcement authorities to use these results as official forensic evidence when dogs are trained appropriately. PMID:26863620

Constructed-Response Matching to Sample and Spelling Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dube, William V.; And Others

1991-01-01

This paper describes a computer-based spelling program grounded in programed instructional techniques and using constructed-response matching-to-sample procedures. Following use of the program, two mentally retarded men successfully spelled previously misspelled words. (JDD)

Analogical reasoning in amazons.

PubMed

Obozova, Tanya; Smirnova, Anna; Zorina, Zoya; Wasserman, Edward

2015-11-01

Two juvenile orange-winged amazons (Amazona amazonica) were initially trained to match visual stimuli by color, shape, and number of items, but not by size. After learning these three identity matching-to-sample tasks, the parrots transferred discriminative responding to new stimuli from the same categories that had been used in training (other colors, shapes, and numbers of items) as well as to stimuli from a different category (stimuli varying in size). In the critical testing phase, both parrots exhibited reliable relational matching-to-sample (RMTS) behavior, suggesting that they perceived and compared the relationship between objects in the sample stimulus pair to the relationship between objects in the comparison stimulus pairs, even though no physical matches were possible between items in the sample and comparison pairs. The parrots spontaneously exhibited this higher-order relational responding without having ever before been trained on RMTS tasks, therefore joining apes and crows in displaying this abstract cognitive behavior.

Towards Single-Shot Detection of Bacterial Endospores via Coherent Raman Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pestov, Dmitry; Wang, Xi; Ariunbold, Gombojav; Murawski, Robert; Sautenkov, Vladimir; Sokolov, Alexei; Scully, Marlan

2007-10-01

Recent advances in coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) spectroscopy hold exciting promise to make the most out of now readily available ultrafast laser sources. Techniques have been devised to mitigate the nonresonant four-wave-mixing in favor of informative Raman-resonant signal. In particular, a hybrid technique for CARS (see Science 316, 265 (2007)) brings together the advantages of coherent broadband pump-Stokes excitation of molecular vibrations and their time-delayed but frequency-resolved probing via a spectrally narrowed and shaped laser pulse. We apply this technique to the problem of real-time detection of warfare bioagents and report single-shot acquisition of a distinct CARS spectrum from a small volume of B. subtilis endospores (˜10^4 spores), a harmless surrogate for B. anthracis. We study the dependence of the CARS signal on the energy of the ultrashort preparation pulses and find the limit on the pulse energy fluence (˜0.2 J/cm^2), imposed by the laser-induced damage of the spores.

Construction Biotechnology: a new area of biotechnological research and applications.

PubMed

Stabnikov, Viktor; Ivanov, Volodymyr; Chu, Jian

2015-09-01

A new scientific and engineering discipline, Construction Biotechnology, is developing exponentially during the last decade. The major directions of this discipline are selection of microorganisms and development of the microbially-mediated construction processes and biotechnologies for the production of construction biomaterials. The products of construction biotechnologies are low cost, sustainable, and environmentally friendly microbial biocements and biogrouts for the construction ground improvement. The microbial polysaccharides are used as admixtures for cement. Microbially produced biodegradable bioplastics can be used for the temporarily constructions. The bioagents that are used in construction biotechnologies are either pure or enrichment cultures of microorganisms or activated indigenous microorganisms of soil. The applications of microorganisms in the construction processes are bioaggregation, biocementation, bioclogging, and biodesaturation of soil. The biotechnologically produced construction materials and the microbially-mediated construction technologies have a lot of advantages in comparison with the conventional construction materials and processes. Proper practical implementations of construction biotechnologies could give significant economic and environmental benefits.

Studies on the management of root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita-wilt fungus, Fusarium oxysporum disease complex of green gram, Vigna radiata cv ML-1108

PubMed Central

Haseeb, Akhtar; Sharma, Anita; Shukla, Prabhat Kuma

2005-01-01

Studies were conducted under pot conditions to determine the comparative efficacy of carbofuran at 1 mg a.i./kg soil, bavistin at 1 mg a.i./kg soil, neem (Azadirachta indica) seed powder at 50 mg/kg soil, green mould (Trichoderma harzianum) at 50.0 ml/kg soil, rhizobacteria (Pseudomonas fluorescens) at 50.0 ml/kg soil against root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita–wilt fungus, Fusarium oxysporum disease complex on green gram, Vigna radiata cv ML-1108. All the treatments significantly improved the growth of the plants as compared to untreated inoculated plants. Analysis of data showed that carbofuran and A. indica seed powder increased plant growth and yield significantly more in comparison to bavistin and P. fluorescens. Carbofuran was highly effective against nematode, bavistin against fungus, A. indica seed powder against both the pathogens and both the bioagents were moderately effective against both the pathogens. PMID:16052706

First Evidence of Altererythrobacter sp. LY02 with Indirect Algicidal Activity on the Toxic Dinoflagellate, Alexandrium tamarense.

PubMed

Li, Yi; Liu, Lei; Xu, Yanting; Guan, Chengwei; Lei, Xueqian; Zheng, Wei; Wang, Hailei; Zheng, Tianling

2016-10-01

Alexandrium tamarense is a toxic harmful algal blooms (HABs) causing species, which poses great threat to human health and marine economy. In this study, we isolated an algicidal bacterium Altererythrobacter sp. LY02 towards to A. tamarense and later investigated the algicidal activity, algicidal mode, characteristics of algicidal active substance and algicidal procedure. The results indicated that the cell-free filtrate of strain LY02 showed high algicidal effect on algal growth, however, bacterial cells almost lost algicidal activity. The algicidal active substance was temperature- and pH-stability, and its molecular weight was less than 1000 Da, and was a non-proteinaceous material or non-polysaccharide, mid-polar substance. Under the algicidal effect of active substance, the morphology and structure of A. tamarense cells were seriously damaged as well as organelles. Our study confirmed that the algicidal active substance could be used as an excellent bio-agent for controlling HABs caused by A. tamarense.

Analysis of variation in virulence of Beauveria bassiana against insect pests of pigeonpea using qPCR.

PubMed

Senthilraja, Govindasamy; Anand, Theerthagiri; Mohankumar, Subbarayalu; Raguchander, Thiruvengadam; Samiyappan, Ramasamy

2018-03-01

Beauveria bassiana is a broad spectrum microbial bioagent used for the control of agriculturally important insect pests. However, in our experiments, two virulent isolates of B. bassiana (B2 and B10) showed specific preference toward Maruca vitrata and Helicoverpa armigera of pigeonpea. To better understand this feature, we developed a qPCR assay to quantify the chitinase (virulence factor) of B. bassiana during the infection process. Isolates of B. bassiana were grown on insect cuticle amended medium and minimal medium (without insect cuticle) to assess the induction of chitinase. Our results revealed a positive correlation between expression of chitinase by B. bassiana and the substrates (with or without cuticles of M. vitrata and H. armigera) used. This study showcases the methodology to quantify the chitinase and analysis of variation in virulence of B. bassiana (B2 and B10) against M. vitrata and H. armigera. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Agents in bioinformatics, computational and systems biology.

PubMed

Merelli, Emanuela; Armano, Giuliano; Cannata, Nicola; Corradini, Flavio; d'Inverno, Mark; Doms, Andreas; Lord, Phillip; Martin, Andrew; Milanesi, Luciano; Möller, Steffen; Schroeder, Michael; Luck, Michael

2007-01-01

The adoption of agent technologies and multi-agent systems constitutes an emerging area in bioinformatics. In this article, we report on the activity of the Working Group on Agents in Bioinformatics (BIOAGENTS) founded during the first AgentLink III Technical Forum meeting on the 2nd of July, 2004, in Rome. The meeting provided an opportunity for seeding collaborations between the agent and bioinformatics communities to develop a different (agent-based) approach of computational frameworks both for data analysis and management in bioinformatics and for systems modelling and simulation in computational and systems biology. The collaborations gave rise to applications and integrated tools that we summarize and discuss in context of the state of the art in this area. We investigate on future challenges and argue that the field should still be explored from many perspectives ranging from bio-conceptual languages for agent-based simulation, to the definition of bio-ontology-based declarative languages to be used by information agents, and to the adoption of agents for computational grids.

Establishing Lagrangian connections between observations within air masses crossing the Atlantic during the International Consortium for Atmospheric Research on Transport and Transformation experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Methven, J.; Arnold, S. R.; Stohl, A.; Evans, M. J.; Avery, M.; Law, K.; Lewis, A. C.; Monks, P. S.; Parrish, D. D.; Reeves, C. E.; Schlager, H.; Atlas, E.; Blake, D. R.; Coe, H.; Crosier, J.; Flocke, F. M.; Holloway, J. S.; Hopkins, J. R.; McQuaid, J.; Purvis, R.; Rappenglück, B.; Singh, H. B.; Watson, N. M.; Whalley, L. K.; Williams, P. I.

2006-12-01

The ITCT-Lagrangian-2K4 (Intercontinental Transport and Chemical Transformation) experiment was conceived with an aim to quantify the effects of photochemistry and mixing on the transformation of air masses in the free troposphere away from emissions. To this end, attempts were made to intercept and sample air masses several times during their journey across the North Atlantic using four aircraft based in New Hampshire (USA), Faial (Azores) and Creil (France). This article begins by describing forecasts from two Lagrangian models that were used to direct the aircraft into target air masses. A novel technique then identifies Lagrangian matches between flight segments. Two independent searches are conducted: for Lagrangian model matches and for pairs of whole air samples with matching hydrocarbon fingerprints. The information is filtered further by searching for matching hydrocarbon samples that are linked by matching trajectories. The quality of these "coincident matches" is assessed using temperature, humidity and tracer observations. The technique pulls out five clear Lagrangian cases covering a variety of situations and these are examined in detail. The matching trajectories and hydrocarbon fingerprints are shown, and the downwind minus upwind differences in tracers are discussed.

Establishing Lagrangian Connections between Observations within Air Masses Crossing the Atlantic during the ICARTT Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Methven, J.; Arnold, S. R.; Stohl, A.; Evans, M. J.; Avery, M.; Law, K.; Lewis, A. C.; Monks, P. S.; Parrish, D.; Reeves, C.;

Knowledge-based nonuniform sampling in multidimensional NMR.

PubMed

Schuyler, Adam D; Maciejewski, Mark W; Arthanari, Haribabu; Hoch, Jeffrey C

2011-07-01

The full resolution afforded by high-field magnets is rarely realized in the indirect dimensions of multidimensional NMR experiments because of the time cost of uniformly sampling to long evolution times. Emerging methods utilizing nonuniform sampling (NUS) enable high resolution along indirect dimensions by sampling long evolution times without sampling at every multiple of the Nyquist sampling interval. While the earliest NUS approaches matched the decay of sampling density to the decay of the signal envelope, recent approaches based on coupled evolution times attempt to optimize sampling by choosing projection angles that increase the likelihood of resolving closely-spaced resonances. These approaches employ knowledge about chemical shifts to predict optimal projection angles, whereas prior applications of tailored sampling employed only knowledge of the decay rate. In this work we adapt the matched filter approach as a general strategy for knowledge-based nonuniform sampling that can exploit prior knowledge about chemical shifts and is not restricted to sampling projections. Based on several measures of performance, we find that exponentially weighted random sampling (envelope matched sampling) performs better than shift-based sampling (beat matched sampling). While shift-based sampling can yield small advantages in sensitivity, the gains are generally outweighed by diminished robustness. Our observation that more robust sampling schemes are only slightly less sensitive than schemes highly optimized using prior knowledge about chemical shifts has broad implications for any multidimensional NMR study employing NUS. The results derived from simulated data are demonstrated with a sample application to PfPMT, the phosphoethanolamine methyltransferase of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum.

Matching on the Disease Risk Score in Comparative Effectiveness Research of New Treatments

PubMed Central

Wyss, Richard; Ellis, Alan R.; Brookhart, M. Alan; Funk, Michele Jonsson; Girman, Cynthia J.; Simpson, Ross J.; Stürmer, Til

2016-01-01

Purpose We use simulations and an empirical example to evaluate the performance of disease risk score (DRS) matching compared with propensity score (PS) matching when controlling large numbers of covariates in settings involving newly introduced treatments. Methods We simulated a dichotomous treatment, a dichotomous outcome, and 100 baseline covariates that included both continuous and dichotomous random variables. For the empirical example, we evaluated the comparative effectiveness of dabigatran versus warfarin in preventing combined ischemic stroke and all-cause mortality. We matched treatment groups on a historically estimated DRS and again on the PS. We controlled for a high-dimensional set of covariates using 20% and 1% samples of Medicare claims data from October 2010 through December 2012. Results In simulations, matching on the DRS versus the PS generally yielded matches for more treated individuals and improved precision of the effect estimate. For the empirical example, PS and DRS matching in the 20% sample resulted in similar hazard ratios (0.88 and 0.87) and standard errors (0.04 for both methods). In the 1% sample, PS matching resulted in matches for only 92.0% of the treated population and a hazard ratio and standard error of 0.89 and 0.19, respectively, while DRS matching resulted in matches for 98.5% and a hazard ratio and standard error of 0.85 and 0.16, respectively. Conclusions When PS distributions are separated, DRS matching can improve the precision of effect estimates and allow researchers to evaluate the treatment effect in a larger proportion of the treated population. However, accurately modeling the DRS can be challenging compared with the PS. PMID:26112690

Matching on the disease risk score in comparative effectiveness research of new treatments.

PubMed

Wyss, Richard; Ellis, Alan R; Brookhart, M Alan; Jonsson Funk, Michele; Girman, Cynthia J; Simpson, Ross J; Stürmer, Til

2015-09-01

We use simulations and an empirical example to evaluate the performance of disease risk score (DRS) matching compared with propensity score (PS) matching when controlling large numbers of covariates in settings involving newly introduced treatments. We simulated a dichotomous treatment, a dichotomous outcome, and 100 baseline covariates that included both continuous and dichotomous random variables. For the empirical example, we evaluated the comparative effectiveness of dabigatran versus warfarin in preventing combined ischemic stroke and all-cause mortality. We matched treatment groups on a historically estimated DRS and again on the PS. We controlled for a high-dimensional set of covariates using 20% and 1% samples of Medicare claims data from October 2010 through December 2012. In simulations, matching on the DRS versus the PS generally yielded matches for more treated individuals and improved precision of the effect estimate. For the empirical example, PS and DRS matching in the 20% sample resulted in similar hazard ratios (0.88 and 0.87) and standard errors (0.04 for both methods). In the 1% sample, PS matching resulted in matches for only 92.0% of the treated population and a hazard ratio and standard error of 0.89 and 0.19, respectively, while DRS matching resulted in matches for 98.5% and a hazard ratio and standard error of 0.85 and 0.16, respectively. When PS distributions are separated, DRS matching can improve the precision of effect estimates and allow researchers to evaluate the treatment effect in a larger proportion of the treated population. However, accurately modeling the DRS can be challenging compared with the PS. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Signature-Discovery Approach for Sample Matching of a Nerve-Agent Precursor using Liquid Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry, XCMS, and Chemometrics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fraga, Carlos G.; Clowers, Brian H.; Moore, Ronald J.

2010-05-15

This report demonstrates the use of bioinformatic and chemometric tools on liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) data for the discovery of ultra-trace forensic signatures for sample matching of various stocks of the nerve-agent precursor known as methylphosphonic dichloride (dichlor). The use of the bioinformatic tool known as XCMS was used to comprehensively search and find candidate LC-MS peaks in a known set of dichlor samples. These candidate peaks were down selected to a group of 34 impurity peaks. Hierarchal cluster analysis and factor analysis demonstrated the potential of these 34 impurities peaks for matching samples based on their stock source.more » Only one pair of dichlor stocks was not differentiated from one another. An acceptable chemometric approach for sample matching was determined to be variance scaling and signal averaging of normalized duplicate impurity profiles prior to classification by k-nearest neighbors. Using this approach, a test set of dichlor samples were all correctly matched to their source stock. The sample preparation and LC-MS method permitted the detection of dichlor impurities presumably in the parts-per-trillion (w/w). The detection of a common impurity in all dichlor stocks that were synthesized over a 14-year period and by different manufacturers was an unexpected discovery. Our described signature-discovery approach should be useful in the development of a forensic capability to help in criminal investigations following chemical attacks.« less

Varieties of Stimulus Control in Matching-to-Sample: A Kernel Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fields, Lanny; Garruto, Michelle; Watanabe, Mari

2010-01-01

Conditional discrimination or matching-to-sample procedures have been used to study a wide range of complex psychological phenomena with infrahuman and human subjects. In most studies, the percentage of trials in which a subject selects the comparison stimulus that is related to the sample stimulus is used to index the control exerted by the…

Assessing generative braille responding following training in a matching-to-sample format.

PubMed

Putnam, Brittany C; Tiger, Jeffrey H

2016-12-01

We evaluated the effects of teaching sighted college students to select printed text letters given a braille sample stimulus in a matching-to-sample (MTS) format on the emergence of untrained (a) construction of print characters given braille samples, (b) construction of braille characters given print samples, (c) transcription of print characters given braille sample sentences, and (d) vocal reading given braille sample passages. The results demonstrated the generative development of these repertoires given MTS instruction. © 2016 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Reinforcer Control by Comparison-Stimulus Color and Location in a Delayed Matching-to-Sample Task

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alsop, Brent; Jones, B. Max

2008-01-01

Six pigeons were trained in a delayed matching-to-sample task involving bright- and dim-yellow samples on a central key, a five-peck response requirement to either sample, a constant 1.5-s delay, and the presentation of comparison stimuli composed of red on the left key and green on the right key or vice versa. Green-key responses were…

Comparison of spectra using a Bayesian approach. An argument using oil spills as an example.

PubMed

Li, Jianfeng; Hibbert, D Brynn; Fuller, Steven; Cattle, Julie; Pang Way, Christopher

2005-01-15

The problem of assigning a probability of matching a number of spectra is addressed. The context is in environmental spills when an EPA needs to show that the material from a polluting spill (e.g., oil) is likely to have originated at a particular site (factory, refinery) or from a vehicle (road tanker or ship). Samples are taken from the spill, and candidate sources and are analyzed by spectroscopy (IR, fluorescence) or chromatography (GC or GC/MS). A matching algorithm is applied to pairs of spectra giving a single statistic (R). This can be a point-to-point match giving a correlation coefficient or a Euclidean distance or a derivative of these parameters. The distributions of R for same and different samples are established from existing data. For matching statistics with values in the range {0,1} corresponding to no match (0) to a perfect match (1) a beta distribution can be fitted to most data. The values of R from the match of the spectrum of a spilled oil and of each of a number of suspects are calculated and Bayes' theorem is applied to give a probability of matches between spill sample and each candidate and the probability of no match at all. The method is most effective when simple inspection of the matching parameters does not lead to an obvious conclusion; i.e., there is overlap of the distributions giving rise to dubiety of an assignment. The probability of finding a matching statistic if there were a match to the probability of finding it if there were no match, expressed as a ratio (called the likelihood ratio), is a sensitive and useful parameter to guide the analyst. It is proposed that this approach may be acceptable to a court of law and avoid challenges of apparently subjective opinion of an analyst. Examples of matching the fluorescence and infrared spectra of diesel oils are given.

Numerical methods for comparing fresh and weathered oils by their FTIR spectra.

PubMed

Li, Jianfeng; Hibbert, D Brynn; Fuller, Stephen

2007-08-01

Four comparison statistics ('similarity indices') for the identification of the source of a petroleum oil spill based on the ASTM standard test method D3414 were investigated. Namely, (1) first difference correlation coefficient squared and (2) correlation coefficient squared, (3) first difference Euclidean cosine squared and (4) Euclidean cosine squared. For numerical comparison, an FTIR spectrum is divided into three regions, described as: fingerprint (900-700 cm(-1)), generic (1350-900 cm(-1)) and supplementary (1770-1685 cm(-1)), which are the same as the three major regions recommended by the ASTM standard. For fresh oil samples, each similarity index was able to distinguish between replicate independent spectra of the same sample and between different samples. In general, the two first difference-based indices worked better than their parent indices. To provide samples to reveal relationships between weathered and fresh oils, a simple artificial weathering procedure was carried out. Euclidean cosine and correlation coefficients both worked well to maintain identification of a match in the fingerprint region and the two first difference indices were better in the generic region. Receiver operating characteristic curves (true positive rate versus false positive rate) for decisions on matching using the fingerprint region showed two samples could be matched when the difference in weathering time was up to 7 days. Beyond this time the true positive rate falls and samples cannot be reliably matched. However, artificial weathering of a fresh source sample can aid the matching of a weathered sample to its real source from a pool of very similar candidates.

Double propensity-score adjustment: A solution to design bias or bias due to incomplete matching.

PubMed

Austin, Peter C

2017-02-01

Propensity-score matching is frequently used to reduce the effects of confounding when using observational data to estimate the effects of treatments. Matching allows one to estimate the average effect of treatment in the treated. Rosenbaum and Rubin coined the term "bias due to incomplete matching" to describe the bias that can occur when some treated subjects are excluded from the matched sample because no appropriate control subject was available. The presence of incomplete matching raises important questions around the generalizability of estimated treatment effects to the entire population of treated subjects. We describe an analytic solution to address the bias due to incomplete matching. Our method is based on using optimal or nearest neighbor matching, rather than caliper matching (which frequently results in the exclusion of some treated subjects). Within the sample matched on the propensity score, covariate adjustment using the propensity score is then employed to impute missing potential outcomes under lack of treatment for each treated subject. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we found that the proposed method resulted in estimates of treatment effect that were essentially unbiased. This method resulted in decreased bias compared to caliper matching alone and compared to either optimal matching or nearest neighbor matching alone. Caliper matching alone resulted in design bias or bias due to incomplete matching, while optimal matching or nearest neighbor matching alone resulted in bias due to residual confounding. The proposed method also tended to result in estimates with decreased mean squared error compared to when caliper matching was used.

Estimating the Size of the Methamphetamine-Using Population in New York City Using Network Sampling Techniques.

PubMed

Dombrowski, Kirk; Khan, Bilal; Wendel, Travis; McLean, Katherine; Misshula, Evan; Curtis, Ric

2012-12-01

As part of a recent study of the dynamics of the retail market for methamphetamine use in New York City, we used network sampling methods to estimate the size of the total networked population. This process involved sampling from respondents' list of co-use contacts, which in turn became the basis for capture-recapture estimation. Recapture sampling was based on links to other respondents derived from demographic and "telefunken" matching procedures-the latter being an anonymized version of telephone number matching. This paper describes the matching process used to discover the links between the solicited contacts and project respondents, the capture-recapture calculation, the estimation of "false matches", and the development of confidence intervals for the final population estimates. A final population of 12,229 was estimated, with a range of 8235 - 23,750. The techniques described here have the special virtue of deriving an estimate for a hidden population while retaining respondent anonymity and the anonymity of network alters, but likely require larger sample size than the 132 persons interviewed to attain acceptable confidence levels for the estimate.

Differences in Preschool Children's Conceptual Strategies When Thinking about Animate Entities and Artifacts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blanchet, Nicole; Dunham, Philip J.; Dunham, Frances

2001-01-01

Preschoolers viewed stimulus sets comprised of a sample picture and three types of matches and were asked to choose a match that "went with" each sample. Children's choices indicated that a shift occurs between 3 and 4 years of age from a taxonomic bias to a thematic bias. Animate sample stimuli enhanced children's tendency to adopt…

Asymmetrical Sample Training and Asymmetrical Retention Functions in One-to-One and Many-to-One Matching in Pigeons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grant, Douglas S.

2006-01-01

Pigeons were trained in a matching task with either color (group color-first) or line (group line-first) samples. After asymmetrical training in which each group was initially trained with the same sample on all trials, marked retention asymmetries were obtained. In both groups, accuracy dropped precipitously on trials involving the initially…

Double propensity-score adjustment: A solution to design bias or bias due to incomplete matching

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Propensity-score matching is frequently used to reduce the effects of confounding when using observational data to estimate the effects of treatments. Matching allows one to estimate the average effect of treatment in the treated. Rosenbaum and Rubin coined the term “bias due to incomplete matching” to describe the bias that can occur when some treated subjects are excluded from the matched sample because no appropriate control subject was available. The presence of incomplete matching raises important questions around the generalizability of estimated treatment effects to the entire population of treated subjects. We describe an analytic solution to address the bias due to incomplete matching. Our method is based on using optimal or nearest neighbor matching, rather than caliper matching (which frequently results in the exclusion of some treated subjects). Within the sample matched on the propensity score, covariate adjustment using the propensity score is then employed to impute missing potential outcomes under lack of treatment for each treated subject. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we found that the proposed method resulted in estimates of treatment effect that were essentially unbiased. This method resulted in decreased bias compared to caliper matching alone and compared to either optimal matching or nearest neighbor matching alone. Caliper matching alone resulted in design bias or bias due to incomplete matching, while optimal matching or nearest neighbor matching alone resulted in bias due to residual confounding. The proposed method also tended to result in estimates with decreased mean squared error compared to when caliper matching was used. PMID:25038071

Crows spontaneously exhibit analogical reasoning.

PubMed

Smirnova, Anna; Zorina, Zoya; Obozova, Tanya; Wasserman, Edward

2015-01-19

Analogical reasoning is vital to advanced cognition and behavioral adaptation. Many theorists deem analogical thinking to be uniquely human and to be foundational to categorization, creative problem solving, and scientific discovery. Comparative psychologists have long been interested in the species generality of analogical reasoning, but they initially found it difficult to obtain empirical support for such thinking in nonhuman animals (for pioneering efforts, see [2, 3]). Researchers have since mustered considerable evidence and argument that relational matching-to-sample (RMTS) effectively captures the essence of analogy, in which the relevant logical arguments are presented visually. In RMTS, choice of test pair BB would be correct if the sample pair were AA, whereas choice of test pair EF would be correct if the sample pair were CD. Critically, no items in the correct test pair physically match items in the sample pair, thus demanding that only relational sameness or differentness is available to support accurate choice responding. Initial evidence suggested that only humans and apes can successfully learn RMTS with pairs of sample and test items; however, monkeys have subsequently done so. Here, we report that crows too exhibit relational matching behavior. Even more importantly, crows spontaneously display relational responding without ever having been trained on RMTS; they had only been trained on identity matching-to-sample (IMTS). Such robust and uninstructed relational matching behavior represents the most convincing evidence yet of analogical reasoning in a nonprimate species, as apes alone have spontaneously exhibited RMTS behavior after only IMTS training. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A client-treatment matching protocol for therapeutic communities: first report.

PubMed

Melnick, G; De Leon, G; Thomas, G; Kressel, D

2001-10-01

The present study is the first report on a client-treatment matching protocol (CMP) to guide admissions to residential and outpatient substance abuse treatment settings. Two cohorts, a field test sample (n = 318) and cross-validation (n = 407) sample were drawn from consecutive admissions to nine geographically distributed multisetting therapeutic communities (TCs). A passive matching design was employed. Clients received the CMP on admission, but agencies were "blind" to the CMP treatment recommendation (i.e., match) and assigned clients to treatment by the usual intake procedures. Bivariate and logistical regression analyses show that positive treatment dispositions (treatment completion or longer retention in treatment)) were significantly higher among the CMP-matched clients. The present findings provide the empirical basis for studies assessing the validity and utility of the CMP with controlled designs. Though limited to TC-oriented agencies, the present research supports the use of objective matching criteria to improve treatment.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Radio-loud and radio-quiet quasars sample (Gupta+, 2016)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, M.; Sikora, M.; Nalewajko, K.

2017-11-01

We performed matching of the FR II quasar sample of van Velzen et al. (2015, Cat. J/MNRAS/446/2985) (1108 sources) with the SDSS DR7 quasar catalogue (Schneider et al., 2010AJ....139.2360S, Cat. VII/260) (105 783 sources). We used a matching radius of 5 arcsec and obtained 899 objects. This resulting sample of FR II quasars was then matched with the sample of SDSS DR7 quasars detected by the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) (Wu et al., 2012, Cat. J/AJ/144/49). This gave us 895 FR II quasars detected in the MIR band. The RQ sample with MIR data is constructed by matching the DR7 quasar catalogue (Schneider et al., 2010AJ....139.2360S, Cat. VII/260) and Wise all-sky catalogue (Wu et al., 2012, Cat. J/AJ/144/49), using a matching radius of 1 arcsec, resulting in 101 853 objects. From these we remove the 899 RL quasars matched with the catalogue by van Velzen et al. (2015, Cat. J/MNRAS/446/2985), this leaves us with 100 958 quasars. We then remove objects that were detected by the FIRST survey (Becker et al. 1995ApJ...450..559B, Cat. VIII/92), this gives us 92 648. We repeat the same process with the NVSS (Condon, Cotton & Broderick, 1998AJ....115.1693C, Cat. VIII/65) and end up with 92 445 objects. We also removed those objects that were outside the FIRST observation region. (2 data files).

Multisensory Information Boosts Numerical Matching Abilities in Young Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jordan, Kerry E.; Baker, Joseph

2011-01-01

This study presents the first evidence that preschool children perform more accurately in a numerical matching task when given multisensory rather than unisensory information about number. Three- to 5-year-old children learned to play a numerical matching game on a touchscreen computer, which asked them to match a sample numerosity with a…

DNA analysis in Disaster Victim Identification.

PubMed

Montelius, Kerstin; Lindblom, Bertil

2012-06-01

DNA profiling and matching is one of the primary methods to identify missing persons in a disaster, as defined by the Interpol Disaster Victim Identification Guide. The process to identify a victim by DNA includes: the collection of the best possible ante-mortem (AM) samples, the choice of post-mortem (PM) samples, DNA-analysis, matching and statistical weighting of the genetic relationship or match. Each disaster has its own scenario, and each scenario defines its own methods for identification of the deceased.

Derived Relational Responding: A Comparison of Match-to-Sample and the Relational Completion Procedure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dymond, Simon; Whelan, Robert

2010-01-01

Previous research suggests that the Relational Completion Procedure may be an effective alternative procedure for studying derived relational responding. However, the parameters that make it effective, relative to traditional match-to-sample, remain to be determined. The present experiment compared the Relational Completion Procedure and…

Magnetic Bead Based Immunoassay for Autonomous Detection of Toxins

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kwon, Y; Hara, C A; Knize, M G

2008-05-01

As a step towards toward the development of a rapid, reliable analyzer for bioagents in the environment, we are developing an automated system for the simultaneous detection of a group of select agents and toxins. To detect toxins, we modified and automated an antibody-based approach previously developed for manual medical diagnostics that uses fluorescent eTag{trademark} reporter molecules and is suitable for highly multiplexed assays. Detection is based on two antibodies binding simultaneously to a single antigen, one of which is labeled with biotin while the other is conjugated to a fluorescent eTag{trademark} through a cleavable linkage. Aqueous samples are incubatedmore » with the mixture of antibodies along with streptavidin-coated magnetic beads coupled to a photo-activatable porphyrin complex. In the presence of antigen, a molecular complex is formed where the cleavable linkage is held in proximity to the photoactivable group. Upon excitation at 680 nm, free radicals are generated, which diffuse and cleave the linkage, releasing the eTags{trademark}. Released eTags{trademark} are analyzed using capillary gel electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection. Limits of detection for ovalbumin and botulinum toxoid individually were 4 ng/mL (or 80 pg) and 16 ng/mL (or 320 pg), respectively, using the manual assay. In addition, we demonstrated the use of pairs of antibodies from different sources in a single assay to decrease the rate of false positives. Automation of the assay was demonstrated on a flow-through format with higher LODs of 125 ng/mL (or 2.5 ng) each of a mixture of ovalbumin and botulinum toxoid. This versatile assay can be easily modified with the appropriate antibodies to detect a wide range of toxins and other proteins.« less

Equivalence-Equivalence: Matching Stimuli with Same Discriminative Functions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carpentier, Franck; Smeets, Paul M.; Barnes-Holmes, Dermot

2004-01-01

Previous studies have shown that after being trained on A-B and A-C match-to-sample tasks, adults match not only same-class B and C stimuli (equivalence) but also BC compounds with same-class elements and with different-class elements (BC-BC). The assumption was that the BC-BC performances are based on matching equivalence and nonequivalence…

Applying Matched Sampling to Evaluate a University Tutoring Program for First-Year Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walvoord, Mark E.; Pleitz, Jacob D.

2016-01-01

Our study used a case-control matching design to assess the influence of a voluntary tutoring program in improving first-year students' Grade Point Averages (GPA). To evaluate program effectiveness, we applied case-control matching to obtain 215 pairs of students with or without participation in tutoring, but matched on high school GPA and…

Multi-pulse multi-delay (MPMD) multiple access modulation for UWB

DOEpatents

Dowla, Farid U.; Nekoogar, Faranak

2007-03-20

A new modulation scheme in UWB communications is introduced. This modulation technique utilizes multiple orthogonal transmitted-reference pulses for UWB channelization. The proposed UWB receiver samples the second order statistical function at both zero and non-zero lags and matches the samples to stored second order statistical functions, thus sampling and matching the shape of second order statistical functions rather than just the shape of the received pulses.

ADAPTIVE MATCHING IN RANDOMIZED TRIALS AND OBSERVATIONAL STUDIES

PubMed Central

van der Laan, Mark J.; Balzer, Laura B.; Petersen, Maya L.

2014-01-01

SUMMARY In many randomized and observational studies the allocation of treatment among a sample of n independent and identically distributed units is a function of the covariates of all sampled units. As a result, the treatment labels among the units are possibly dependent, complicating estimation and posing challenges for statistical inference. For example, cluster randomized trials frequently sample communities from some target population, construct matched pairs of communities from those included in the sample based on some metric of similarity in baseline community characteristics, and then randomly allocate a treatment and a control intervention within each matched pair. In this case, the observed data can neither be represented as the realization of n independent random variables, nor, contrary to current practice, as the realization of n/2 independent random variables (treating the matched pair as the independent sampling unit). In this paper we study estimation of the average causal effect of a treatment under experimental designs in which treatment allocation potentially depends on the pre-intervention covariates of all units included in the sample. We define efficient targeted minimum loss based estimators for this general design, present a theorem that establishes the desired asymptotic normality of these estimators and allows for asymptotically valid statistical inference, and discuss implementation of these estimators. We further investigate the relative asymptotic efficiency of this design compared with a design in which unit-specific treatment assignment depends only on the units’ covariates. Our findings have practical implications for the optimal design and analysis of pair matched cluster randomized trials, as well as for observational studies in which treatment decisions may depend on characteristics of the entire sample. PMID:25097298

Preliminary evaluation of a gel tube agglutination major cross-match method in dogs.

PubMed

Villarnovo, Dania; Burton, Shelley A; Horney, Barbara S; MacKenzie, Allan L; Vanderstichel, Raphaël

2016-09-01

A major cross-match gel tube test is available for use in dogs yet has not been clinically evaluated. This study compared cross-match results obtained using the gel tube and the standard tube methods for canine samples. Study 1 included 107 canine sample donor-recipient pairings cross-match tested with the RapidVet-H method gel tube test and compared results with the standard tube method. Additionally, 120 pairings using pooled sera containing anti-canine erythrocyte antibody at various concentrations were tested with leftover blood from a hospital population to assess sensitivity and specificity of the gel tube method in comparison with the standard method. The gel tube method had a good relative specificity of 96.1% in detecting lack of agglutination (compatibility) compared to the standard tube method. Agreement between the 2 methods was moderate. Nine of 107 pairings showed agglutination/incompatibility on either test, too few to allow reliable calculation of relative sensitivity. Fifty percent of the gel tube method results were difficult to interpret due to sample spreading in the reaction and/or negative control tubes. The RapidVet-H method agreed with the standard cross-match method on compatible samples, but detected incompatibility in some sample pairs that were compatible with the standard method. Evaluation using larger numbers of incompatible pairings is needed to assess diagnostic utility. The gel tube method results were difficult to categorize due to sample spreading. Weak agglutination reactions or other factors such as centrifuge model may be responsible. © 2016 American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology.

Effect of Sampling Schedule on Pharmacokinetic Parameter Estimates of Promethazine in Astronauts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boyd, Jason L.; Wang, Zuwei; Putcha, Lakshmi

2005-01-01

Six astronauts on the Shuttle Transport System (STS) participated in an investigation on the pharmacokinetics of promethazine (PMZ), a medication used for the treatment of space motion sickness (SMS) during flight. Each crewmember completed the protocol once during flight and repeated thirty days after returned to Earth. Saliva samples were collected at scheduled times for 72 h after PMZ administration; more frequent samples were collected on the ground than during flight owing to schedule constraints in flight. PMZ concentrations in saliva were determined by a liquid chromatographic/mass spectrometric (LC-MS) assay and pharmacokinetic parameters (PKPs) were calculated using actual flight and ground-based data sets and using time-matched sampling schedule on ground to that during flight. Volume of distribution (V(sub c)) and clearance (Cl(sub s),) decreased during flight compared to that from time-matched ground data set; however, Cl(sub s) and V(sub c) estimates were higher for all subjects when partial ground data sets were used for analysis. Area under the curve (AUC) normalized with administered dose was similar in flight and partial ground data; however AUC was significantly lower using time-matched sampling compared with the full data set on ground. Half life (t(sub 1/2)) was longest during flight, shorter with matched-sampling schedule on ground and shortest when complete data set from ground was used. Maximum concentration (C(sub max)), time for C(sub max), (t(sub max)), parameters of drug absorption, depicted a similar trend with lowest and longest respectively, during flight, lower with time-matched ground data and highest and shortest with full ground data.

Effect of sampling schedule on pharmacokinetic parameter estimates of promethazine in astronauts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boyd, Jason L.; Wang, Zuwei; Putcha, Lakshmi

2005-08-01

Six astronauts on the Shuttle Transport System (STS) participated in an investigation on the pharmacokinetics of promethazine (PMZ), a medication used for the treatment of space motion sickness (SMS) during flight. Each crewmember completed the protocol once during flight and repeated thirty days after returned to Earth. Saliva samples were collected at scheduled times for 72 h after PMZ administration; more frequent samples were collected on the ground than during flight owing to schedule constraints in flight. PMZ concentrations in saliva were determined by a liquid chromatographic/mass spectrometric (LC-MS) assay and pharmacokinetic parameters (PKPs) were calculated using actual flight and ground-based data sets and using time-matched sampling schedule on ground to that during flight. Volume of distribution (Vc) and clearance (Cls) decreased during flight compared to that from time-matched ground data set; however, ClS and Vc estimates were higher for all subjects when partial ground data sets were used for analysis. Area under the curve (AUC) normalized with administered dose was similar in flight and partial ground data; however AUC was significantly lower using time-matched sampling compared with the full data set on ground. Half life (t1/2) was longest during flight, shorter with matched-sampling schedule on ground and shortest when complete data set from ground was used. Maximum concentration (Cmax), time for Cmax (tmax), parameters of drug absorption, depicted a similar trend with lowest and longest respectively, during flight, lower with time- matched ground data and highest and shortest with full ground data.

A Surrogate-based Adaptive Sampling Approach for History Matching and Uncertainty Quantification

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Weixuan; Zhang, Dongxiao; Lin, Guang

A critical procedure in reservoir simulations is history matching (or data assimilation in a broader sense), which calibrates model parameters such that the simulation results are consistent with field measurements, and hence improves the credibility of the predictions given by the simulations. Often there exist non-unique combinations of parameter values that all yield the simulation results matching the measurements. For such ill-posed history matching problems, Bayesian theorem provides a theoretical foundation to represent different solutions and to quantify the uncertainty with the posterior PDF. Lacking an analytical solution in most situations, the posterior PDF may be characterized with a samplemore » of realizations, each representing a possible scenario. A novel sampling algorithm is presented here for the Bayesian solutions to history matching problems. We aim to deal with two commonly encountered issues: 1) as a result of the nonlinear input-output relationship in a reservoir model, the posterior distribution could be in a complex form, such as multimodal, which violates the Gaussian assumption required by most of the commonly used data assimilation approaches; 2) a typical sampling method requires intensive model evaluations and hence may cause unaffordable computational cost. In the developed algorithm, we use a Gaussian mixture model as the proposal distribution in the sampling process, which is simple but also flexible to approximate non-Gaussian distributions and is particularly efficient when the posterior is multimodal. Also, a Gaussian process is utilized as a surrogate model to speed up the sampling process. Furthermore, an iterative scheme of adaptive surrogate refinement and re-sampling ensures sampling accuracy while keeping the computational cost at a minimum level. The developed approach is demonstrated with an illustrative example and shows its capability in handling the above-mentioned issues. Multimodal posterior of the history matching problem is captured and are used to give a reliable production prediction with uncertainty quantification. The new algorithm reveals a great improvement in terms of computational efficiency comparing previously studied approaches for the sample problem.« less

Automated CD-SEM recipe creation technology for mass production using CAD data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawahara, Toshikazu; Yoshida, Masamichi; Tanaka, Masashi; Ido, Sanyu; Nakano, Hiroyuki; Adachi, Naokaka; Abe, Yuichi; Nagatomo, Wataru

2011-03-01

Critical Dimension Scanning Electron Microscope (CD-SEM) recipe creation needs sample preparation necessary for matching pattern registration, and recipe creation on CD-SEM using the sample, which hinders the reduction in test production cost and time in semiconductor manufacturing factories. From the perspective of cost reduction and improvement of the test production efficiency, automated CD-SEM recipe creation without the sample preparation and the manual operation has been important in the production lines. For the automated CD-SEM recipe creation, we have introduced RecipeDirector (RD) that enables the recipe creation by using Computer-Aided Design (CAD) data and text data that includes measurement information. We have developed a system that automatically creates the CAD data and the text data necessary for the recipe creation on RD; and, for the elimination of the manual operation, we have enhanced RD so that all measurement information can be specified in the text data. As a result, we have established an automated CD-SEM recipe creation system without the sample preparation and the manual operation. For the introduction of the CD-SEM recipe creation system using RD to the production lines, the accuracy of the pattern matching was an issue. The shape of design templates for the matching created from the CAD data was different from that of SEM images in vision. Thus, a development of robust pattern matching algorithm that considers the shape difference was needed. The addition of image processing of the templates for the matching and shape processing of the CAD patterns in the lower layer has enabled the robust pattern matching. This paper describes the automated CD-SEM recipe creation technology for the production lines without the sample preparation and the manual operation using RD applied in Sony Semiconductor Kyusyu Corporation Kumamoto Technology Center (SCK Corporation Kumamoto TEC).

Acquisition of delayed matching in the pigeon.

PubMed

Berryman, R; Cumming, W W; Nevin, J A

1963-01-01

Pigeons were exposed to three successive matching-to-sample procedures. On a given trial, the sample (red, green or blue light) appeared on a center key; observing responses to this key produced the comparison stimuli on two side keys. Seven different experimental conditions could govern the temporal relations between the sample and comparison stimuli. In the "simultaneous" condition, the center key response was followed immediately by illumination of the side key comparison stimuli, with the center key remaining on. In "zero delay" the center key response simultaneously turned the side keys on and the center key off, while in the "variable delay" conditions, intervals of 1, 2, 4, 10, and 24 sec were interposed between the offset of the sample and the appearance of the comparison stimuli on the side keys. In all conditions, a response to the side key of matching hue produced reinforcement, while a response to the non-matching side key was followed by a blackout. In procedure I all seven experimental conditions were presented in randomly permutated order. After nine sessions of exposure (at 191 trials per session, for a total of 1719 trials) the birds gave no evidence of acquisition in any of the conditions. They were therefore transferred to Procedure II, which required them to match only in the "simultaneous" condition, with both the sample and comparison stimuli present at the same time. With the exception of one bird, all subjects acquired this performance to near 100% levels. Next, in Procedure III, they were once more exposed to presentation of all seven experimental conditions in random order. In contrast to Procedure I, they now acquired the delay performance, and were able to match effectively at delays of about 4 sec.

Salmonella recovery following air chilling for matched neck-skin and whole carcass sampling methodologies

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The prevalence and serogroups of Salmonella recovered following air chilling were determined for both enriched neck skin and matching enriched whole carcass samples. Commercially processed and eviscerated carcasses were air chilled to 4C before removing the neck skin (8.3 g) and stomaching in 83 mL...

Signal-Detection Analyses of Conditional Discrimination and Delayed Matching-to-Sample Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alsop, Brent

2004-01-01

Quantitative analyses of stimulus control and reinforcer control in conditional discriminations and delayed matching-to-sample procedures often encounter a problem; it is not clear how to analyze data when subjects have not made errors. The present article examines two common methods for overcoming this problem. Monte Carlo simulations of…

A Comparison of Match-to-Sample and Respondent-Type Training of Equivalence Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clayton, Michael C.; Hayes, Linda J.

2004-01-01

Throughout the 25-year history of research on stimulus equivalence, one feature of the training procedure has remained constant, namely, the requirement of operant responding during the training procedures. The present investigation compared the traditional match-to-sample (MTS) training with a more recent respondent-type (ReT) procedure. Another…

The Effects of Client-Counselor Racial Matching on Therapeutic Outcome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Eunha; Kang, Minchul

2018-01-01

This study explored the effects of ethnic/racial matching on psychotherapy outcomes via the number of counseling sessions attended by clients, using clinical data collected from a university's counseling center. A total sample of 644 clients (193 men, 448 women) was selected and the ethnic/racial distribution of the sample comprised 499…

Hearing Abilities of Down Syndrome and Other Mentally Handicapped Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marcell, Michael M.; And Others

This study explored the hearing capabilities of Down Syndrome (DS) adolescents and young adults relative to a matched sample of non-DS trainable mentally handicapped (MH) individuals, and examined the relationship between hearing ability and performance on several cognitive tasks. Samples of 26 DS and 26 MH individuals were matched on intelligence…

Matched spectral filter based on reflection holograms for analyte identification.

PubMed

Cao, Liangcai; Gu, Claire

2009-12-20

A matched spectral filter set that provides automatic preliminary analyte identification is proposed and analyzed. Each matched spectral filter in the set containing the multiple spectral peaks corresponding to the Raman spectrum of a substance is capable of collecting the specified spectrum into the detector simultaneously. The filter set is implemented by multiplexed volume holographic reflection gratings. The fabrication of a matched spectral filter in an Fe:LiNbO(3) crystal is demonstrated to match the Raman spectrum of the sample Rhodamine 6G (R6G). An interference alignment method is proposed and used in the fabrication to ensure that the multiplexed gratings are in the same direction at a high angular accuracy of 0.0025 degrees . Diffused recording beams are used to control the bandwidth of the spectral peaks. The reflection spectrum of the filter is characterized using a modified Raman spectrometer. The result of the filter's reflection spectrum matches that of the sample R6G. A library of such matched spectral filters will facilitate a fast detection with a higher sensitivity and provide a capability for preliminary molecule identification.

Evaluation of subset matching methods and forms of covariate balance.

PubMed

de Los Angeles Resa, María; Zubizarreta, José R

2016-11-30

This paper conducts a Monte Carlo simulation study to evaluate the performance of multivariate matching methods that select a subset of treatment and control observations. The matching methods studied are the widely used nearest neighbor matching with propensity score calipers and the more recently proposed methods, optimal matching of an optimally chosen subset and optimal cardinality matching. The main findings are: (i) covariate balance, as measured by differences in means, variance ratios, Kolmogorov-Smirnov distances, and cross-match test statistics, is better with cardinality matching because by construction it satisfies balance requirements; (ii) for given levels of covariate balance, the matched samples are larger with cardinality matching than with the other methods; (iii) in terms of covariate distances, optimal subset matching performs best; (iv) treatment effect estimates from cardinality matching have lower root-mean-square errors, provided strong requirements for balance, specifically, fine balance, or strength-k balance, plus close mean balance. In standard practice, a matched sample is considered to be balanced if the absolute differences in means of the covariates across treatment groups are smaller than 0.1 standard deviations. However, the simulation results suggest that stronger forms of balance should be pursued in order to remove systematic biases due to observed covariates when a difference in means treatment effect estimator is used. In particular, if the true outcome model is additive, then marginal distributions should be balanced, and if the true outcome model is additive with interactions, then low-dimensional joints should be balanced. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Control of Root Rot and Wilt Diseases of Roselle under Field Conditions

PubMed Central

Hassan, Naglaa; Elsharkawy, Mohsen Mohamed; Shimizu, Masafumi

2014-01-01

Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) is one of the most important medicinal crops in many parts of the world. In this study, the effects of microelements, antioxidants, and bioagents on Fusarium oxysporum, F. solani, and Macrophomina phaseolina, the causal pathogens of root rot and wilt diseases in roselle, were examined under field conditions. Preliminary studies were carried out in vitro in order to select the most effective members to be used in field control trials. Our results showed that microelements (copper and manganese), antioxidants (salicylic acid, ascorbic acid, and EDTA), a fungicide (Dithane M45) and biological control agents (Trichoderma harzianum and Bacillus subtilis) were significantly reduced the linear growth of the causal pathogens. Additionally, application of the previous microelements, antioxidants, a fungicide and biological control agents significantly reduced disease incidence of root rot and wilt diseases under field conditions. Copper, salicylic acid, and T. harzianum showed the best results in this respect. In conclusion, microelements, antioxidants, and biocontrol agents could be used as alternative strategies to fungicides for controlling root rot and wilt diseases in roselle. PMID:25606010

Microbial mat of the thermal springs Kuchiger Republic of Buryatia: species composition, biochemical properties and electrogenic activity in biofuel cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aleksandrovich Yuriev, Denis; Viktorovna Zaitseva, Svetlana; Olegovna Zhdanova, Galina; Yurievich Tolstoy, Mikhail; Dondokovna Barkhutova, Darima; Feodorovna Vyatchina, Olga; Yuryevna Konovalova, Elena; Iosifovich Stom, Devard

2018-02-01

Electrogenic, molecular and some other properties of a microbial mat isolated from the Kuchiger hot spring (Kurumkansky District, Republic of Buryatia) were studied. Molecular analysis showed that representatives of Proteobacteria (85.5 % of the number of classified bacterial sequences) prevailed in the microbial mat of the Kuchiger springs, among which sulfur bacteria of the genus Thiothrix were the most numerous. In the microbial mat there were bacteria from the families Rhodocyclaceae, Comamonadaceae and Flavobacteriaceae. Phylum Bacteroidetes, Cyanobacteria/Chloroplast, Fusobacteria, Fibrobacteres, Acidobacteria, Chlorobi, Spirochaetes, Verrucomicrobia, Firmicutes, Deinococcus-Thermus, Chloroflexi and Actinobacteria are also noted in the composition of the microbial mat. Under the experimental conditions using Kuchiger-mat 16 as bioagents, glucose and peptone as substrates, the power of BFC was 240 and 221 mW / m2, respectively. When replacing the substrate with sodium acetate, the efficiency of the BFC was reduced by a factor of 10 (20 mW / m2). The prospects of using a microbial mat “Kuchiger-16” as an electrogen in BFC when utilizing alkaline waste water components to generate electricity are discussed.

Performance Evaluation and Analysis for Gravity Matching Aided Navigation.

PubMed

Wu, Lin; Wang, Hubiao; Chai, Hua; Zhang, Lu; Hsu, Houtse; Wang, Yong

2017-04-05

Simulation tests were accomplished in this paper to evaluate the performance of gravity matching aided navigation (GMAN). Four essential factors were focused in this study to quantitatively evaluate the performance: gravity database (DB) resolution, fitting degree of gravity measurements, number of samples in matching, and gravity changes in the matching area. Marine gravity anomaly DB derived from satellite altimetry was employed. Actual dynamic gravimetry accuracy and operating conditions were referenced to design the simulation parameters. The results verified that the improvement of DB resolution, gravimetry accuracy, number of measurement samples, or gravity changes in the matching area generally led to higher positioning accuracies, while the effects of them were different and interrelated. Moreover, three typical positioning accuracy targets of GMAN were proposed, and the conditions to achieve these targets were concluded based on the analysis of several different system requirements. Finally, various approaches were provided to improve the positioning accuracy of GMAN.

Performance Evaluation and Analysis for Gravity Matching Aided Navigation

PubMed Central

Wu, Lin; Wang, Hubiao; Chai, Hua; Zhang, Lu; Hsu, Houtse; Wang, Yong

2017-01-01

Simulation tests were accomplished in this paper to evaluate the performance of gravity matching aided navigation (GMAN). Four essential factors were focused in this study to quantitatively evaluate the performance: gravity database (DB) resolution, fitting degree of gravity measurements, number of samples in matching, and gravity changes in the matching area. Marine gravity anomaly DB derived from satellite altimetry was employed. Actual dynamic gravimetry accuracy and operating conditions were referenced to design the simulation parameters. The results verified that the improvement of DB resolution, gravimetry accuracy, number of measurement samples, or gravity changes in the matching area generally led to higher positioning accuracies, while the effects of them were different and interrelated. Moreover, three typical positioning accuracy targets of GMAN were proposed, and the conditions to achieve these targets were concluded based on the analysis of several different system requirements. Finally, various approaches were provided to improve the positioning accuracy of GMAN. PMID:28379178

Teaching identity matching of braille characters to beginning braille readers.

PubMed

Toussaint, Karen A; Scheithauer, Mindy C; Tiger, Jeffrey H; Saunders, Kathryn J

2017-04-01

We taught three children with visual impairments to make tactile discriminations of the braille alphabet within a matching-to-sample format. That is, we presented participants with a braille character as a sample stimulus, and they selected the matching stimulus from a three-comparison array. In order to minimize participant errors, we initially arranged braille characters into training sets in which there was a maximum difference in the number of dots comprising the target and nontarget comparison stimuli. As participants mastered these discriminations, we increased the similarity between target and nontarget comparisons (i.e., an approximation of stimulus fading). All three participants' accuracy systematically increased following the introduction of this identity-matching procedure. © 2017 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Reversing the Signaled Magnitude Effect in Delayed Matching to Sample: Delay-Specific Remembering?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, K. Geoffrey; Brown, Glenn S.

2011-01-01

Pigeons performed a delayed matching-to-sample task in which large or small reinforcers for correct remembering were signaled during the retention interval. Accuracy was low when small reinforcers were signaled, and high when large reinforcers were signaled (the signaled magnitude effect). When the reinforcer-size cue was switched from small to…

Relations among Acute and Chronic Nicotine Administration, Short-Term Memory, and Tactics of Data Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kangas, Brian D.; Branch, Marc N.

2012-01-01

Emerging evidence suggests that nicotine may enhance short-term memory. Some of this evidence comes from nonhuman primate research using a procedure called delayed matching-to-sample, wherein the monkey is trained to select a comparison stimulus that matches some physical property of a previously presented sample stimulus. Delays between sample…

Emergent intraverbal responses via tact and match-to-sample instruction.

PubMed

Grannan, Leigh; Rehfeldt, Ruth Anne

2012-01-01

The present investigation evaluated the effectiveness of category tact and match-to-sample instruction in facilitating the emergence of intraverbal responses (i.e., naming several items belonging to a specific category) for 2 children with autism. Results demonstrated the emergence of untaught responses, suggesting an effective instructional protocol for establishing intraverbal responses without direct instruction.

On the Development and Mechanics of Delayed Matching-to-Sample Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kangas, Brian D.; Berry, Meredith S.; Branch, Marc N.

2011-01-01

Despite its frequent use to assess effects of environmental and pharmacological variables on short-term memory, little is known about the development of delayed matching-to-sample (DMTS) performance. This study was designed to examine the dimensions and dynamics of DMTS performance development over a long period of exposure to provide a more…

Comparing Psychosocial Adjustment across the College Transition in a Matched Heterosexual and Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirsch, Alexandra C.; Conley, Colleen S.; Riley, Tracey J.

2015-01-01

We compared a matched sample of heterosexual and lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) students on 5 psychosocial adjustment composites, longitudinally across the transitional first year of college. Both LGB and heterosexual students experienced a significant increase in psychological distress over the first semester, along with significant decreases…

Accurate Delayed Matching-to-Sample Responding without Rehearsal: An Unintentional Demonstration with Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ratkos, Thom; Frieder, Jessica E.; Poling, Alan

2016-01-01

Research on joint control has focused on mediational responses, in which simultaneous stimulus control from two sources leads to the emission of a single response, such as choosing a comparison stimulus in delayed matching-to-sample. Most recent studies of joint control examined the role of verbal mediators (i.e., rehearsal) in evoking accurate…

A computer program to obtain time-correlated gust loads for nonlinear aircraft using the matched-filter-based method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scott, Robert C.; Pototzky, Anthony S.; Perry, Boyd, III

1994-01-01

NASA Langley Research Center has, for several years, conducted research in the area of time-correlated gust loads for linear and nonlinear aircraft. The results of this work led NASA to recommend that the Matched-Filter-Based One-Dimensional Search Method be used for gust load analyses of nonlinear aircraft. This manual describes this method, describes a FORTRAN code which performs this method, and presents example calculations for a sample nonlinear aircraft model. The name of the code is MFD1DS (Matched-Filter-Based One-Dimensional Search). The program source code, the example aircraft equations of motion, a sample input file, and a sample program output are all listed in the appendices.

Equivalent Stimuli Are More Strongly Related after Training with Delayed Matching than after Simultaneous Matching: A Study Using the Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bortoloti, Renato; de Rose, Julio C.

2012-01-01

Bortoloti and de Rose (2009) found evidence that the level of functional transfer is higher in equivalence classes generated by delayed matching to sample (DMTS) than in classes generated by simultaneous matching (SMTS). We attempted to replicate these findings with the Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP). Two experimental groups…

Elemental source attribution signatures for calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) fertilizers used in homemade explosives

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fraga, Carlos G.; Mitroshkov, Alexander V.; Mirjankar, Nikhil S.

Calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) is a widely available fertilizer composed of ammonium nitrate mixed with some form of calcium carbonate such as limestone or dolomite. CAN is also frequently used to make homemade explosives. The potential of using elemental profiling and chemometrics to match both pristine and reprocessed CAN fertilizers to their factories for use in future forensic investigations was examined. Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis was performed on 64 elements in 125 samples from 11 CAN stocks from 6 different CAN factories. Fisher ratio, degree-of-class-separation, and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLSDA) were used to develop a modelmore » using the concentrations of Na, V, Mn, Cu, Ga, Sr, Ba and U to classify a validation set of CAN samples into 5 factory groups; one group was two factories from the same fertilizer company. In terms of the pristine CAN samples, i.e., unadulterated prills, 64% of the test samples were matched to their correct factory group with zero false positives. The same PLSDA model was used to correctly match 100% of the CAN samples that were reprocessed by crushing and mixing the CAN with powdered sugar. In the case of crushed CAN samples mixed with aluminum powder, correct matches were made for zero to 100% of the samples depending on the factory the CAN originated. Remarkably, for one factory, 100% of the ammonium nitrate samples that were extracted from CAN using tap or bottled water were matched to the correct CAN factory group. Lastly, the water-insoluble (calcium carbonate) portions of CAN provided a greater degree of discrimination between factories than the water-soluble portions of CAN. In summary, this work illustrates that sourcing unadulterated CAN fertilizer can potentially be done with high frequency and high confidence using elemental profiling and chemometrics while the sourcing of reprocessed CAN is dependent on how much an adulterant alters the recovered elemental profile of CAN.« less

How many genetic markers to tag an individual? An empirical assessment of false matching rates among close relatives.

PubMed

Rew, Mary Beth; Robbins, Jooke; Mattila, David; Palsbøll, Per J; Bérube, Martine

2011-04-01

Genetic identification of individuals is now commonplace, enabling the application of tagging methods to elusive species or species that cannot be tagged by traditional methods. A key aspect is determining the number of loci required to ensure that different individuals have non-matching multi-locus genotypes. Closely related individuals are of particular concern because of elevated matching probabilities caused by their recent co-ancestry. This issue may be addressed by increasing the number of loci to a level where full siblings (the relatedness category with the highest matching probability) are expected to have non-matching multi-locus genotypes. However, increasing the number of loci to meet this "full-sib criterion" greatly increases the laboratory effort, which in turn may increase the genotyping error rate resulting in an upward-biased mark-recapture estimate of abundance as recaptures are missed due to genotyping errors. We assessed the contribution of false matches from close relatives among 425 maternally related humpback whales, each genotyped at 20 microsatellite loci. We observed a very low (0.5-4%) contribution to falsely matching samples from pairs of first-order relatives (i.e., parent and offspring or full siblings). The main contribution to falsely matching individuals from close relatives originated from second-order relatives (e.g., half siblings), which was estimated at 9%. In our study, the total number of observed matches agreed well with expectations based upon the matching probability estimated for unrelated individuals, suggesting that the full-sib criterion is overly conservative, and would have required a 280% relative increase in effort. We suggest that, under most circumstances, the overall contribution to falsely matching samples from close relatives is likely to be low, and hence applying the full-sib criterion is unnecessary. In those cases where close relatives may present a significant issue, such as unrepresentative sampling, we propose three different genotyping strategies requiring only a modest increase in effort, which will greatly reduce the number of false matches due to the presence of related individuals.

Enhancement of low sampling frequency recordings for ECG biometric matching using interpolation.

PubMed

Sidek, Khairul Azami; Khalil, Ibrahim

2013-01-01

Electrocardiogram (ECG) based biometric matching suffers from high misclassification error with lower sampling frequency data. This situation may lead to an unreliable and vulnerable identity authentication process in high security applications. In this paper, quality enhancement techniques for ECG data with low sampling frequency has been proposed for person identification based on piecewise cubic Hermite interpolation (PCHIP) and piecewise cubic spline interpolation (SPLINE). A total of 70 ECG recordings from 4 different public ECG databases with 2 different sampling frequencies were applied for development and performance comparison purposes. An analytical method was used for feature extraction. The ECG recordings were segmented into two parts: the enrolment and recognition datasets. Three biometric matching methods, namely, Cross Correlation (CC), Percent Root-Mean-Square Deviation (PRD) and Wavelet Distance Measurement (WDM) were used for performance evaluation before and after applying interpolation techniques. Results of the experiments suggest that biometric matching with interpolated ECG data on average achieved higher matching percentage value of up to 4% for CC, 3% for PRD and 94% for WDM. These results are compared with the existing method when using ECG recordings with lower sampling frequency. Moreover, increasing the sample size from 56 to 70 subjects improves the results of the experiment by 4% for CC, 14.6% for PRD and 0.3% for WDM. Furthermore, higher classification accuracy of up to 99.1% for PCHIP and 99.2% for SPLINE with interpolated ECG data as compared of up to 97.2% without interpolation ECG data verifies the study claim that applying interpolation techniques enhances the quality of the ECG data. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Can Palliative Home Care Reduce 30-Day Readmissions? Results of a Propensity Score Matched Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Ranganathan, Anjana; Dougherty, Meredith; Waite, David

2013-01-01

Abstract Objective This study examined the impact of palliative home nursing care on rates of hospital 30-day readmissions. Methods The electronic health record based retrospective cohort study was performed within home care and palliative home care programs. Participants were home care patients discharged from one of three urban teaching hospitals. Outcome measures were propensity score matched rates of hospital readmissions within 30 days of hospital discharge. Results Of 406 palliative home care patients, matches were identified for 392 (96%). Of 15,709 home care patients, 890 were used at least once as a match for palliative care patients, for a total final sample of 1282. Using the matched sample we calculated the average treatment effect for treated patients. In this sample, palliative care patients had a 30-day readmission probability of 9.1% compared to a probability of 17.4% in the home care group (mean ATT: 8.3%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 8.0%–8.6%). This effect persisted after adjustment for visit frequency. Conclusions Palliative home care may offer benefits to health systems by allowing patients to remain at home and thereby avoiding 30-day rehospitalizations. PMID:24007348

Prevalence of Learned Grapheme-Color Pairings in a Large Online Sample of Synesthetes

PubMed Central

Witthoft, Nathan; Winawer, Jonathan; Eagleman, David M.

2015-01-01

In this paper we estimate the minimum prevalence of grapheme-color synesthetes with letter-color matches learned from an external stimulus, by analyzing a large sample of English-speaking grapheme-color synesthetes. We find that at least 6% (400/6588 participants) of the total sample learned many of their matches from a widely available colored letter toy. Among those born in the decade after the toy began to be manufactured, the proportion of synesthetes with learned letter-color pairings approaches 15% for some 5-year periods. Among those born 5 years or more before it was manufactured, none have colors learned from the toy. Analysis of the letter-color matching data suggests the only difference between synesthetes with matches to the toy and those without is exposure to the stimulus. These data indicate learning of letter-color pairings from external contingencies can occur in a substantial fraction of synesthetes, and are consistent with the hypothesis that grapheme-color synesthesia is a kind of conditioned mental imagery. PMID:25739095

Examples of kinship analysis where Profiler Plus™ was not discriminatory enough for the identification of victims using DNA identification.

PubMed

Hartman, D; Benton, L; Morenos, L; Beyer, J; Spiden, M; Stock, A

2011-02-25

The identification of the victims of the 2009 Victorian bushfires disaster, as in other mass disasters, relied on a number of scientific disciplines - including DNA analysis. As part of the DVI response, DNA analysis was performed to assist in the identification of victims through kinship (familial matching to relatives) or direct (self source of sample) matching of DNA profiles. The majority of the DNA identifications made (82%) were achieved through kinship matching of familial reference samples to post mortem (PM) samples obtained from the victims. Although each location affected by the bushfires could be treated as a mini-disaster (having a small closed-set of victims), with many such sites spread over vast areas, DNA analysis requires that the short tandem repeat (STR) system used be able to afford enough discrimination between all the DVI cases to assign a match. This publication highlights that although a 9-loci multiplex was sufficient for a DVI of this nature, there were instances that brought to light the short comings of using a 9-loci multiplex for kinship matching--particularly where multiple family members are victims. Moreso it serves to reinforce the recommendation that a minimum of 12 autosomal STR markers (plus Amelogenin) be used for DNA identification of victims which relies heavily on kinship matching. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Betting on Illusory Patterns: Probability Matching in Habitual Gamblers.

PubMed

Gaissmaier, Wolfgang; Wilke, Andreas; Scheibehenne, Benjamin; McCanney, Paige; Barrett, H Clark

2016-03-01

Why do people gamble? A large body of research suggests that cognitive distortions play an important role in pathological gambling. Many of these distortions are specific cases of a more general misperception of randomness, specifically of an illusory perception of patterns in random sequences. In this article, we provide further evidence for the assumption that gamblers are particularly prone to perceiving illusory patterns. In particular, we compared habitual gamblers to a matched sample of community members with regard to how much they exhibit the choice anomaly 'probability matching'. Probability matching describes the tendency to match response proportions to outcome probabilities when predicting binary outcomes. It leads to a lower expected accuracy than the maximizing strategy of predicting the most likely event on each trial. Previous research has shown that an illusory perception of patterns in random sequences fuels probability matching. So does impulsivity, which is also reported to be higher in gamblers. We therefore hypothesized that gamblers will exhibit more probability matching than non-gamblers, which was confirmed in a controlled laboratory experiment. Additionally, gamblers scored much lower than community members on the cognitive reflection task, which indicates higher impulsivity. This difference could account for the difference in probability matching between the samples. These results suggest that gamblers are more willing to bet impulsively on perceived illusory patterns.

Brief Report: The Effect of Delayed Matching to Sample on Stimulus Over-Selectivity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reed, Phil

2012-01-01

Stimulus over-selectivity occurs when one aspect of the environment controls behavior at the expense of other equally salient aspects. Participants were trained on a match-to-sample (MTS) discrimination task. Levels of over-selectivity in a group of children (4-18 years) with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) were compared with a mental-aged matched…

Teaching Manual Signs to Adults with Mental Retardation Using Matching-to-Sample Procedures and Stimulus Equivalence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elias, N. C.; Goyos, C.; Saunders, M.; Saunders, R.

2008-01-01

The objective of this study was to teach manual signs through an automated matching-to-sample procedure and to test for the emergence of new conditional relations and imitative behaviors. Seven adults with mild to severe mental retardation participated. Four were also hearing impaired. Relations between manual signs (set A) and pictures (set B)…

Intertrial Sources of Stimulus Control and Delayed Matching-to-Sample Performance in Humans

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Dean C.; Johnston, Mark D.; Saunders, Kathryn J.

2006-01-01

Two experiments compared delayed matching-to-sample (DMTS) accuracy under 2 procedures in adults with mental retardation. In the trial-unique procedure, every trial in a session contained different stimuli. Thus, comparison stimuli that were correct on one trial were never incorrect on other trials in that session (or vice versa). In the 2-sample…

Re-Emergence of Under-Selected Stimuli, after the Extinction of Over-Selected Stimuli in an Automated Match to Samples Procedure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broomfield, Laura; McHugh, Louise; Reed, Phil

2008-01-01

Stimulus over-selectivity occurs when one of potentially many aspects of the environment comes to control behaviour. In two experiments, adults with no developmental disabilities, were trained and tested in an automated match to samples (MTS) paradigm. In Experiment 1, participants completed two conditions, in one of which the over-selected…

Population-specific FST values for forensic STR markers: A worldwide survey.

PubMed

Buckleton, John; Curran, James; Goudet, Jérôme; Taylor, Duncan; Thiery, Alexandre; Weir, B S

2016-07-01

The interpretation of matching between DNA profiles of a person of interest and an item of evidence is undertaken using population genetic models to predict the probability of matching by chance. Calculation of matching probabilities is straightforward if allelic probabilities are known, or can be estimated, in the relevant population. It is more often the case, however, that the relevant population has not been sampled and allele frequencies are available only from a broader collection of populations as might be represented in a national or regional database. Variation of allele probabilities among the relevant populations is quantified by the population structure quantity FST and this quantity affects matching proportions. Matching within a population can be interpreted only with respect to matching between populations and we show here that FST, can be estimated from sample allelic matching proportions within and between populations. We report such estimates from data we extracted from 250 papers in the forensic literature, representing STR profiles at up to 24 loci from nearly 500,000 people in 446 different populations. The results suggest that theta values in current forensic use do not have the buffer of conservatism often thought. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Population-specific FST values for forensic STR markers: A worldwide survey

PubMed Central

Buckleton, John; Curran, James; Goudet, Jérôme; Taylor, Duncan; Thiery, Alexandre; Weir, B.S.

2016-01-01

The interpretation of matching between DNA profiles of a person of interest and an item of evidence is undertaken using population genetic models to predict the probability of matching by chance. Calculation of matching probabilities is straightforward if allelic probabilities are known, or can be estimated, in the relevant population. It is more often the case, however, that the relevant population has not been sampled and allele frequencies are available only from a broader collection of populations as might be represented in a national or regional database. Variation of allele probabilities among the relevant populations is quantified by the population structure quantity FST and this quanity affects matching propoptions. Matching within a population can be interpreted only with respect to matching between populations and we show here that FST, can be estimated from sample allelic matching proportions within and between populations. We report such estimates from data we extracted from 250 papers in the forensic literature, representing STR profiles at up to 24 loci from nearly 500,000 people in 446 different populations. The results suggest that theta values in current forensic use do not have the buffer of conservativism often thought. PMID:27082756

Arsenic contamination in New Orleans soil: temporal changes associated with flooding.

PubMed

Rotkin-Ellman, Miriam; Solomon, Gina; Gonzales, Christopher R; Agwaramgbo, Lovell; Mielke, Howard W

2010-01-01

The flooding of New Orleans in late August and September 2005 caused widespread sediment deposition in the flooded areas of the city. Post-flood sampling by US EPA revealed that 37% of sediment samples exceeded Louisiana corrective screening guidelines for arsenic of 12mg/kg, but there was debate over whether this contamination was pre-existing, as almost no pre-flood soil sampling for arsenic had been done in New Orleans. In this study, archived soil samples collected in 1998-1999 were location-matched with 70 residential sites in New Orleans where post-flood arsenic concentrations were elevated. Those same locations were sampled again during the recovery period 18 months later. During the recovery period, sampling for arsenic was also done for the first time at school sites and playgrounds within the flooded zone. Every sample of sediment taken 1-10 months after the flood exceeded the arsenic concentration found in the matched pre-flood soils. The average difference between the two sampling periods was 19.67mg/kg (95% CI 16.63-22.71) with a range of 3.60-74.61mg/kg. At virtually all of these sites (97%), arsenic concentrations decreased substantially by 18 months into the recovery period when the average concentration of matched samples was 3.26mg/kg (95% CI 1.86-4.66). However, 21 (30%) of the samples taken during the recovery period still had higher concentrations of arsenic than the matched sample taken prior to the flooding. In addition, 33% of samples from schoolyards and 13% of samples from playgrounds had elevated arsenic concentrations above the screening guidelines during the recovery period. These findings suggest that the flooding resulted in the deposition of arsenic-contaminated sediments. Diminution of the quantity of sediment at many locations has significantly reduced overall soil arsenic concentrations, but some locations remain of concern for potential long-term soil contamination.

Physical and Chemical Analytical Analysis: A key component of Bioforensics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Velsko, S P

The anthrax letters event of 2001 has raised our awareness of the potential importance of non-biological measurements on samples of biological agents used in a terrorism incident. Such measurements include a variety of mass spectral, spectroscopic, and other instrumental techniques that are part of the current armamentarium of the modern materials analysis or analytical chemistry laboratory. They can provide morphological, trace element, isotopic, and other molecular ''fingerprints'' of the agent that may be key pieces of evidence, supplementing that obtained from genetic analysis or other biological properties. The generation and interpretation of such data represents a new domain of forensicmore » science, closely aligned with other areas of ''microbial forensics''. This paper describes some major elements of the R&D agenda that will define this sub-field in the immediate future and provide the foundations for a coherent national capability. Data from chemical and physical analysis of BW materials can be useful to an investigation of a bio-terror event in two ways. First, it can be used to compare evidence samples collected at different locations where such incidents have occurred (e.g. between the powders in the New York and Washington letters in the Amerithrax investigation) or between the attack samples and those seized during the investigation of sites where it is suspected the material was manufactured (if such samples exist). Matching of sample properties can help establish the relatedness of disparate incidents, and mis-matches might exclude certain scenarios, or signify a more complex etiology of the events under investigation. Chemical and morphological analysis for sample matching has a long history in forensics, and is likely to be acceptable in principle in court, assuming that match criteria are well defined and derived from known limits of precision of the measurement techniques in question. Thus, apart from certain operational issues (such as how to prioritize such measurements in the face of limited sample availability, or how to render samples safe for handling in the analytical laboratory,) instrumental analysis of biological agents for purposes of sample matching alone is unlikely to present fundamental problems that require extensive research and development investments. The second way that the data generated by instrumental analysis can be useful to an investigation is through inferences that can be drawn regarding the processes used to grow and ''weaponize'' the agent. In contrast to the case of sample matching, there are significant R&D challenges associated with developing a robust capability that will reliably permit such inferential uses of instrumental data. Elaborating these challenges occupies the major portion of this paper.« less

Language Helps Children Succeed on a Classic Analogy Task

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christie, Stella; Gentner, Dedre

2014-01-01

Adult humans show exceptional relational ability relative to other species. In this research, we trace the development of this ability in young children. We used a task widely used in comparative research--the relational match-to-sample task, which requires participants to notice and match the identity relation: for example, AA should match BB…

Audiovisual Matching in Speech and Nonspeech Sounds: A Neurodynamical Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loh, Marco; Schmid, Gabriele; Deco, Gustavo; Ziegler, Wolfram

2010-01-01

Audiovisual speech perception provides an opportunity to investigate the mechanisms underlying multimodal processing. By using nonspeech stimuli, it is possible to investigate the degree to which audiovisual processing is specific to the speech domain. It has been shown in a match-to-sample design that matching across modalities is more difficult…

Stroop interference in a delayed match-to-sample task: evidence for semantic competition

PubMed Central

Sturz, Bradley R.; Green, Marshall L.; Locker, Lawrence; Boyer, Ty W.

2013-01-01

Discussions of the source of the Stroop interference effect continue to pervade the literature. Semantic competition posits that interference results from competing semantic activation of word and color dimensions of the stimulus prior to response selection. Response competition posits that interference results from competing responses for articulating the word dimension vs. the color dimension at the time of response selection. We embedded Stroop stimuli into a delayed match-to-sample (DMTS) task in an attempt to test semantic and response competition accounts of the interference effect. Participants viewed a sample color word in black or colored fonts that were congruent or incongruent with respect to the color word itself. After a 5 s delay, participants were presented with two targets (i.e., a match and a foil) and were instructed to select the correct match. We probed each dimension independently during target presentations via color targets (i.e., two colors) or word targets (i.e., two words) and manipulated whether the semantic content of the foil was related to the semantic content of the irrelevant sample dimension (e.g., word sample “red” in blue font with the word “red” as the match and the word “blue” as the foil). We provide evidence for Stroop interference such that response times (RTs) increased for incongruent trials even in the presence of a response option with semantic content unrelated to the semantic content of the irrelevant sample dimension. Accuracy also deteriorated during the related foil trials. A follow-up experiment with a 10 s delay between sample and targets replicated the results. Results appear to provide converging evidence for Stroop interference in a DMTS task in a manner that is consistent with an explanation based upon semantic competition and inconsistent with an explanation based upon response competition. PMID:24298264

The ionisation parameter of star-forming galaxies evolves with the specific star formation rate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaasinen, Melanie; Kewley, Lisa; Bian, Fuyan; Groves, Brent; Kashino, Daichi; Silverman, John; Kartaltepe, Jeyhan

2018-04-01

We investigate the evolution of the ionisation parameter of star-forming galaxies using a high-redshift (z ˜ 1.5) sample from the FMOS-COSMOS survey and matched low-redshift samples from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. By constructing samples of low-redshift galaxies for which the stellar mass (M*), star formation rate (SFR) and specific star formation rate (sSFR) are matched to the high-redshift sample we remove the effects of an evolution in these properties. We also account for the effect of metallicity by jointly constraining the metallicity and ionisation parameter of each sample. We find an evolution in the ionisation parameter for main-sequence, star-forming galaxies and show that this evolution is driven by the evolution of sSFR. By analysing the matched samples as well as a larger sample of z < 0.3, star-forming galaxies we show that high ionisation parameters are directly linked to high sSFRs and are not simply the byproduct of an evolution in metallicity. Our results are physically consistent with the definition of the ionisation parameter, a measure of the hydrogen ionising photon flux relative to the number density of hydrogen atoms.

Targeted or whole genome sequencing of formalin fixed tissue samples: potential applications in cancer genomics.

PubMed

Munchel, Sarah; Hoang, Yen; Zhao, Yue; Cottrell, Joseph; Klotzle, Brandy; Godwin, Andrew K; Koestler, Devin; Beyerlein, Peter; Fan, Jian-Bing; Bibikova, Marina; Chien, Jeremy

2015-09-22

Current genomic studies are limited by the poor availability of fresh-frozen tissue samples. Although formalin-fixed diagnostic samples are in abundance, they are seldom used in current genomic studies because of the concern of formalin-fixation artifacts. Better characterization of these artifacts will allow the use of archived clinical specimens in translational and clinical research studies. To provide a systematic analysis of formalin-fixation artifacts on Illumina sequencing, we generated 26 DNA sequencing data sets from 13 pairs of matched formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) and fresh-frozen (FF) tissue samples. The results indicate high rate of concordant calls between matched FF/FFPE pairs at reference and variant positions in three commonly used sequencing approaches (whole genome, whole exome, and targeted exon sequencing). Global mismatch rates and C · G > T · A substitutions were comparable between matched FF/FFPE samples, and discordant rates were low (<0.26%) in all samples. Finally, low-pass whole genome sequencing produces similar pattern of copy number alterations between FF/FFPE pairs. The results from our studies suggest the potential use of diagnostic FFPE samples for cancer genomic studies to characterize and catalog variations in cancer genomes.

The choice of product indicators in latent variable interaction models: post hoc analyses.

PubMed

Foldnes, Njål; Hagtvet, Knut Arne

2014-09-01

The unconstrained product indicator (PI) approach is a simple and popular approach for modeling nonlinear effects among latent variables. This approach leaves the practitioner to choose the PIs to be included in the model, introducing arbitrariness into the modeling. In contrast to previous Monte Carlo studies, we evaluated the PI approach by 3 post hoc analyses applied to a real-world case adopted from a research effort in social psychology. The measurement design applied 3 and 4 indicators for the 2 latent 1st-order variables, leaving the researcher with a choice among more than 4,000 possible PI configurations. Sixty so-called matched-pair configurations that have been recommended in previous literature are of special interest. In the 1st post hoc analysis we estimated the interaction effect for all PI configurations, keeping the real-world sample fixed. The estimated interaction effect was substantially affected by the choice of PIs, also across matched-pair configurations. Subsequently, a post hoc Monte Carlo study was conducted, with varying sample sizes and data distributions. Convergence, bias, Type I error and power of the interaction test were investigated for each matched-pair configuration and the all-pairs configuration. Variation in estimates across matched-pair configurations for a typical sample was substantial. The choice of specific configuration significantly affected convergence and the interaction test's outcome. The all-pairs configuration performed overall better than the matched-pair configurations. A further advantage of the all-pairs over the matched-pairs approach is its unambiguity. The final study evaluates the all-pairs configuration for small sample sizes and compares it to the non-PI approach of latent moderated structural equations. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

A Common Representational System Governed by Weber's Law: Nonverbal Numerical Similarity Judgments in 6-Year-Olds and Rhesus Macaques

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jordan, Kerry E.; Brannon, Elizabeth M.

2006-01-01

This study compared nonverbal numerical processing in 6-year-olds with that in nonhuman animals using a numerical bisection task. In the study, 16 children were trained on a delayed match-to-sample paradigm to match exemplars of two anchor numerosities. Children were then required to indicate whether a sample intermediate to the anchor values was…

Multi-GHz Synchronous Waveform Acquisition With Real-Time Pattern-Matching Trigger Generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kleinfelder, Stuart A.; Chiang, Shiuh-hua Wood; Huang, Wei

2013-10-01

A transient waveform capture and digitization circuit with continuous synchronous 2-GHz sampling capability and real-time programmable windowed trigger generation has been fabricated and tested. Designed in 0.25 μm CMOS, the digitizer contains a circular array of 128 sample and hold circuits for continuous sample acquisition, and attains 2-GHz sample speeds with over 800-MHz analog bandwidth. Sample clock generation is synchronous, combining a phase-locked loop for high-speed clock generation and a high-speed fully-differential shift register for distributing clocks to all 128 sample circuits. Using two comparators per sample, the sampled voltage levels are compared against two reference levels, a high threshold and a low threshold, that are set via per-comparator digital to analog converters (DACs). The 256 per-comparator 5-bit DACs compensate for comparator offsets and allow for fine reference level adjustment. The comparator results are matched in 8-sample-wide windows against up to 72 programmable patterns in real time using an on-chip programmable logic array. Each 8-sample trigger window is equivalent to 4 ns of acquisition, overlapped sample by sample in a circular fashion through the entire 128-sample array. The 72 pattern-matching trigger criteria can be programmed to be any combination of High-above the high threshold, Low-below the low threshold, Middle-between the two thresholds, or “Don't Care”-any state is accepted. A trigger pattern of “HLHLHLHL,” for example, watches for a waveform that is oscillating at about 1 GHz given the 2-GHz sample rate. A trigger is flagged in under 20 ns if there is a match, after which sampling is stopped, and on-chip digitization can proceed via 128 parallel 10-bit converters, or off-chip conversion can proceed via an analog readout. The chip exceeds 11 bits of dynamic range, nets over 800-MHz -3-dB bandwidth in a realistic system, and jitter in the PLL-based sampling clock has been measured to be about 1 part per million, RMS.

Extracting Exact Answers to Questions Based on Structural Links

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-01-01

type of asking point and answer point (e.g. NePerson asking point matches NePerson and its sub-types NeMan and NeWoman; ‘how’ matches manner-modifier...NePerson V-S win [John Smith]/ NeMan Some sample results are given in section 4 to illustrate how answer-points are identified based on matching binary

Generality of the Matching Law as a Descriptor of Shot Selection in Basketball

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alferink, Larry A.; Critchfield, Thomas S.; Hitt, Jennifer L.; Higgins, William J.

2009-01-01

Based on a small sample of highly successful teams, past studies suggested that shot selection (two- vs. three-point field goals) in basketball corresponds to predictions of the generalized matching law. We examined the generality of this finding by evaluating shot selection of college (Study 1) and professional (Study 3) players. The matching law…

Monkeys Match and Tally Quantities across Senses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jordan, Kerry E.; MacLean, Evan L.; Brannon, Elizabeth M.

2008-01-01

We report here that monkeys can actively match the number of sounds they hear to the number of shapes they see and present the first evidence that monkeys sum over sounds and sights. In Experiment 1, two monkeys were trained to choose a simultaneous array of 1-9 squares that numerically matched a sample sequence of shapes or sounds. Monkeys…

Delayed Match Retrieval: A Novel Anticipation-Based Visual Working Memory Paradigm

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaldy, Zsuzsa; Guillory, Sylvia B.; Blaser, Erik

2016-01-01

We tested 8- and 10-month-old infants' visual working memory (VWM) for object-location bindings--"what is where"--with a novel paradigm, Delayed Match Retrieval, that measured infants' anticipatory gaze responses (using a Tobii T120 eye tracker). In an inversion of Delayed-Match-to-Sample tasks and with inspiration from the game…

Revictimization After Adolescent Dating Violence in a Matched, National Sample of Youth.

PubMed

Exner-Cortens, Deinera; Eckenrode, John; Bunge, John; Rothman, Emily

2017-02-01

To assess if adolescent dating violence was associated with physical intimate partner violence victimization in adulthood, using a comprehensive propensity score to create a matched group of victims and nonvictims. Secondary analysis of waves 1 (1994-1995), 2 (1996), 3 (2001-2002) and 4 (2007-2008) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, a nationally representative sample of US high schools and middle schools. Individuals aged 12-18 reporting adolescent dating violence between the wave 1 and 2 interviews (n = 732) were matched to nonvictimized participants of the same sex (n = 1,429) using propensity score matching. These participants were followed up approximately 5 (wave 3) and 12 (wave 4) years later. At both follow-up points, physical violence victimization by a current partner was assessed. Data were analyzed using path models. Compared with the matched no victimization group, individuals reporting adolescent dating violence were more likely to experience physical intimate partner violence approximately 12 years later (wave 4), through the experience of 5-year (wave 3) victimization. This path held for males and females. Results from this sample matched on key risk variables suggest that violence first experienced in adolescent relationships may become chronic, confirming adolescent dating violence as an important risk factor for adult partner violence. Findings from this study underscore the critical role of primary and secondary prevention for adolescent dating violence. Copyright © 2016 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Alcohol marketing in televised international football: frequency analysis.

PubMed

Adams, Jean; Coleman, James; White, Martin

2014-05-20

Alcohol marketing includes sponsorship of individuals, organisations and sporting events. Football (soccer) is one of the most popular spectator sports worldwide. No previous studies have quantified the frequency of alcohol marketing in a high profile international football tournament. The aims were to determine: the frequency and nature of visual references to alcohol in a representative sample of EURO2012 matches broadcast in the UK; and if frequency or nature varied between matches broadcast on public service and commercial channels, or between matches that did and did not feature England. Eight matches selected by stratified random sampling were recorded. All visual references to alcohol were identified using a tool with high inter-rater reliability. 1846 visual references to alcohol were identified over 1487 minutes of broadcast--an average of 1.24 references per minute. The mean number of references per minute was higher in matches that did vs did not feature England (p = 0.004), but did not differ between matches broadcast on public service vs commercial channels (p = 0.92). The frequency of visual references to alcohol was universally high and higher in matches featuring the only UK home team--England--suggesting that there may be targeting of particularly highly viewed matches. References were embedded in broadcasts, and not particular to commercial channels including paid-for advertising. New UK codes-of-conduct on alcohol marketing at sporting events will not reduce the level of marketing reported here.

Seasonal Variation in Pigeon Body Weight and Delayed Matching-to-sample Performance

PubMed Central

Sargisson, Rebecca J; McLean, Ian G; Brown, Glenn S; White, K Geoffrey

2007-01-01

The weights of 5 pigeons with free access to food, monitored over 3 calendar years in the laboratory, were found to fluctuate with season. All pigeons were at their heaviest in the winter and were lightest in the summer. Five different pigeons performed a standard delayed matching-to-sample task for 44 weeks from January to November. Their weights were held at 85% of their summer free-feeding weights, making their predicted deprivation level higher in the winter relative to predicted winter free-feeding weights. Slopes of forgetting functions fit to weekly response totals for each pigeon were shallower in winter, showing an improvement in accuracy with longer delays. Thus, delayed matching-to-sample performance may have been affected by the practice of maintaining the pigeons at a constant body weight throughout the calendar year. PMID:18047229

Using a colorimeter to develop an intrinsic silicone shade guide for facial prostheses.

PubMed

Over, L M; Andres, C J; Moore, B K; Goodacre, C J; Muñoz, C A

1998-12-01

To determine if using CIE L*a*b* color measurements of white facial skin could be correlated to those of silicone shade samples that visually matched the skin. Secondly, to see if a correlation in color measurements could be achieved between the silicone shade samples and duplicated silicone samples made using a shade-guide color formula. A color booth was designed according to ASTM specifications, and painted using a Munsell Value 8 gray. A Minolta colorimeter was used to make facial skin measurements on 15 white adults. The skin color was duplicated using custom-shaded silicone samples. A 7-step wedge silicone shade guide was then fabricated, representing the commonly encountered thicknesses when fabricating facial prostheses. The silicone samples were then measured with the Minolta colorimeter. The readings were compared with the previous L*a*b* readings from the corresponding patient's skin measurements, and the relative color difference was then calculated. Silicone samples were fabricated and analyzed for three of the patients to determine if duplication of the visually matched silicone specimen was possible using the silicone color formula, and if the duplicates were visually and colorimetrically equivalent to each other. The color difference Delta E and chromaticity was calculated, and the data were analyzed using a coefficient-of-variation formula expressed by percent. A Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient was performed to determine if a correlation existed between the skin and the silicone samples at the p < or = .05 level. The highest correlation was found in the b* dimension for silicone thicknesses of 1 to 4 mm. For silicone thicknesses of 6 to 10 mm, the highest correlation was found in the L* dimension. All three dimensions had positive correlations (R2 > 0), but only the 1-mm and 4-mm b* readings were very strong. Patient and silicone L*a*b* measurement results showed very little change in the a* axis, while the L* and b* measurements showed more change in their numbers, with changes in depth for all patient silicone samples. Delta E numbers indicated the lowest Delta E at the 1-mm depth and the highest Delta E at the 10-mm depth. All duplicated samples matched their original silicone samples to a degree that visual evaluation could not distinguish any color differences. Using volumetric measurements, a shade guide was developed for all 15 patients. There was good correlation between the patient's colorimeter measurements and the silicone samples, with the b* color dimension the most reproducible, followed by the L* and the a*. Silicone samples at 6, 8, and 10 mm matched the patient the best, and this study showed that silicone samples can be duplicated successfully if a good patient-silicone match is obtained. Rayon flocking fibers and liquid makeup are effective at matching facial prostheses and can be used to develop a simple shade guide for patient application.

Utilizing the Zero-One Linear Programming Constraints to Draw Multiple Sets of Matched Samples from a Non-Treatment Population as Control Groups for the Quasi-Experimental Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Yuan H.; Yang, Yu N.; Tompkins, Leroy J.; Modarresi, Shahpar

2005-01-01

The statistical technique, "Zero-One Linear Programming," that has successfully been used to create multiple tests with similar characteristics (e.g., item difficulties, test information and test specifications) in the area of educational measurement, was deemed to be a suitable method for creating multiple sets of matched samples to be…

Using the Multiple-Matched-Sample and Statistical Controls to Examine the Effects of Magnet School Programs on the Reading and Mathematics Performance of Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Yu N.; Li, Yuan H.; Tompkins, Leroy J.; Modarresi, Shahpar

2005-01-01

This summative evaluation of magnet programs employed a quasi-experimental design to investigate whether or not students enrolled in magnet programs gained any achievement advantage over students who were not enrolled in a magnet program. Researchers used Zero-One Linear Programming to draw multiple sets of matched samples from the non-magnet…

The Effect of Observing Response Procedures on the Reduction of Over-Selectivity in a Match to Sample Task: Immediate but Not Long Term Benefits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broomfield, Laura; McHugh, Louise; Reed, Phil

2008-01-01

Stimulus over-selectivity occurs when only one of potentially many aspects of the environment comes to control behavior. In three experiments, adult participants with no developmental disabilities were trained and tested in a match to samples (MTS) paradigm. Participants in Experiment 1 were assigned to one of two conditions, which differed on…

Stimulus Equivalence, Generalization, and Contextual Stimulus Control in Verbal Classes

PubMed Central

Sigurðardóttir, Zuilma Gabriela; Mackay, Harry A; Green, Gina

2012-01-01

Stimulus generalization and contextual control affect the development of equivalence classes. Experiment 1 demonstrated primary stimulus generalization from the members of trained equivalence classes. Adults were taught to match six spoken Icelandic nouns and corresponding printed words and pictures to one another in computerized three-choice matching-to-sample tasks. Tests confirmed that six equivalence classes had formed. Without further training, plural forms of the stimuli were presented in tests for all matching performances. All participants demonstrated virtually errorless performances. In Experiment 2, classifications of the nouns used in Experiment 1 were brought under contextual control. Three nouns were feminine and three were masculine. The match-to-sample training taught participants to select a comparison of the same number as the sample (i.e., singular or plural) in the presence of contextual stimulus A regardless of noun gender. Concurrently, in the presence of contextual stimulus B, participants were taught to select a comparison of the same gender as the sample (i.e., feminine or masculine), regardless of number. Generalization was assessed using a card-sorting test. All participants eventually sorted the cards correctly into gender and number stimulus classes. When printed words used in training were replaced by their picture equivalents, participants demonstrated almost errorless performances. PMID:22754102

Validating internet research: a test of the psychometric equivalence of internet and in-person samples.

PubMed

Meyerson, Paul; Tryon, Warren W

2003-11-01

This study evaluated the psychometric equivalency of Web-based research. The Sexual Boredom Scale was presented via the World-Wide Web along with five additional scales used to validate it. A subset of 533 participants that matched a previously published sample (Watt & Ewing, 1996) on age, gender, and race was identified. An 8 x 8 correlation matrix from the matched Internet sample was compared via structural equation modeling with a similar 8 x 8 correlation matrix from the previously published study. The Internet and previously published samples were psychometrically equivalent. Coefficient alpha values calculated on the matched Internet sample yielded reliability coefficients almost identical to those for the previously published sample. Factors such as computer administration and uncontrollable administration settings did not appear to affect the results. Demographic data indicated an overrepresentation of males by about 6% and Caucasians by about 13% relative to the U.S. Census (2000). A total of 2,230 participants were obtained in about 8 months without remuneration. These results suggest that data collection on the Web is (1) reliable, (2) valid, (3) reasonably representative, (4) cost effective, and (5) efficient.

An adaptive clustering algorithm for image matching based on corner feature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhe; Dong, Min; Mu, Xiaomin; Wang, Song

2018-04-01

The traditional image matching algorithm always can not balance the real-time and accuracy better, to solve the problem, an adaptive clustering algorithm for image matching based on corner feature is proposed in this paper. The method is based on the similarity of the matching pairs of vector pairs, and the adaptive clustering is performed on the matching point pairs. Harris corner detection is carried out first, the feature points of the reference image and the perceived image are extracted, and the feature points of the two images are first matched by Normalized Cross Correlation (NCC) function. Then, using the improved algorithm proposed in this paper, the matching results are clustered to reduce the ineffective operation and improve the matching speed and robustness. Finally, the Random Sample Consensus (RANSAC) algorithm is used to match the matching points after clustering. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can effectively eliminate the most wrong matching points while the correct matching points are retained, and improve the accuracy of RANSAC matching, reduce the computation load of whole matching process at the same time.

Peer Victimization and Sexual Risk Differences Between Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, or Questioning and Nontransgender Heterosexual Youths in Grades 7–12

PubMed Central

Espelage, Dorothy L.

2013-01-01

Objectives. Before and after accounting for peer victimization, we estimated sexual risk disparities between students who self-identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (LGBTQ) and students who self-identified as nontransgender heterosexual. Methods. Students in grades 7 through 12 in Dane County, Wisconsin, were given the Web-administered Dane County Youth Assessment. One set of analyses was based on a sample that included 11 337 students. Subsequent analyses were based on a sample from which we screened out students who may not have been responding to survey items truthfully. Various multilevel-modeling and propensity-score-matching strategies ensured robustness of the results, examined disparities at lower and higher victimization rates, and explored heterogeneity among LGBTQ-identified youths. Finally, propensity-score-matching strategies estimated LGBTQ–heterosexual disparities in 2 matched samples: a sample that reported higher victimization and one that reported lower victimization. Results. Across 7 sexual risk outcomes, and in middle and high school, LGBTQ-identified youths reported engaging in riskier behavior than did heterosexual-identified youths after we accounted for peer victimization. Risk differentials were present in middle and high school. The LGBTQ group was heterogeneous, with lesbian/gay- and bisexual-identified youths generally appearing most risky, and questioning-identified youths least risky. In the matched sample with lower average victimization rates, LGBTQ-identified youths perceived a greater risk of sexually transmitted infections despite not engaging in sexually risky behavior at significantly higher rates; in the matched sample with higher average victimization rates, all outcomes were significantly different. Conclusions. Demonstrated LGBTQ–heterosexual risk differentials in grades 7 through 8 suggest that interventions need to be implemented during middle school. These interventions should also be differentiated to address the unique risk patterns among LGBTQ subgroups. Finally, models of sexual risk disparities must expand beyond peer victimization. PMID:23947999

Energetics demands and physiological responses to boxing match and subsequent recovery.

PubMed

Nassib, Sabri; Hammoudi-Nassib, Sarra; Chtara, Mokhtar; Mkaouer, Bessem; Maaouia, Ghazwa; Bezrati-Benayed, Ikram; Chamari, Karim

2017-01-01

Determining the physiological profile of athletes in boxing match is important for defining aspects of physical performance that are important to competitive performance. Therefore, examination of the energy pathway of high-level boxers' athletes can be very helpful for optimizing training and then improving boxing physical fitness and performance. The aim of the present study was to assess the physiological and cardiovascular responses during boxing matches and subsequent recovery. Fifteen male international level boxers (mean age 19.56±3.6 years; mean body mass 72.46±11.86 kg; mean height 176.50±7.22 cm) participated in this study. Blood samples were drawn from the antecubital vein before and after the boxing matches (T1: pre-match rest measure around 11:00 a.m., T2: measure at 3 minutes of post-match recovery; T3: measure at 60 minutes of recovery; T4: measure at 24 hours post-match - the match started around 11:30 a.m.). An analysis of glucose, triglycerides, lactate, cholesterol, creatinine, uric-acid, high density lipoprotein, and low density lipoprotein concentrations was performed for each sample. Participants did perform a maximal incremental test to measure maximal heart rate (HRmax). Heart rate responses to the matches were measured and expressed in percentage of HRmax. The average HR recorded during the match corresponded to 93±3.26% of HRmax. The levels of glucose, lactate, and cholesterol increased significantly from T1 to T2. Likewise, creatinine levels increased significantly from T1 to T2 and T3. However, the cholesterol level decreased significantly at T3 in comparison with T1. Moreover, 24-hour post-match creatinine levels were significantly lower and triglyceride levels were significantly higher compared with T1. The main results of this study revealed that the boxing matches stress the lipid metabolism system during boxing and post-match (for at least 24 hours) even if it is widely recognized boxing being mainly composed of repeated short-duration anaerobic efforts.

Matching technique yields optimum LNA performance. [Low Noise Amplifiers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sifri, J. D.

1986-01-01

The present article is concerned with a case in which an optimum noise figure and unconditional stability have been designed into a 2.385-GHz low-noise preamplifier via an unusual method for matching the input with a suspended line. The results obtained with several conventional line-matching techniques were not satisfactory. Attention is given to the minimization of thermal noise, the design procedure, requirements for a high-impedance line, a sampling of four matching networks, the noise figure of the single-line matching network as a function of frequency, and the approaches used to achieve unconditional stability.

Effect of Intermittent Reinforcement on Acquisition and Retention in Delayed Matching-to-Sample in Pigeons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grant, Douglas S.

2011-01-01

Experiments 1 and 2 involved independent groups that received primary reinforcement after a correct match with a probability of 1.0, 0.50 or 0.25. Correct matches that did not produce primary reinforcement produced a conditioned reinforcer. Both experiments revealed little evidence that acquisition or retention was adversely affected by use of…

The ionization parameter of star-forming galaxies evolves with the specific star formation rate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaasinen, Melanie; Kewley, Lisa; Bian, Fuyan; Groves, Brent; Kashino, Daichi; Silverman, John; Kartaltepe, Jeyhan

2018-07-01

We investigate the evolution of the ionization parameter of star-forming galaxies using a high-redshift (z˜ 1.5) sample from the FMOS-COSMOS (Fibre Multi-Object Spectrograph-COSMic evOlution Survey) and matched low-redshift samples from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. By constructing samples of low-redshift galaxies for which the stellar mass (M*), star formation rate (SFR), and specific star formation rate (sSFR) are matched to the high-redshift sample, we remove the effects of an evolution in these properties. We also account for the effect of metallicity by jointly constraining the metallicity and ionization parameter of each sample. We find an evolution in the ionization parameter for main-sequence, star-forming galaxies and show that this evolution is driven by the evolution of sSFR. By analysing the matched samples as well as a larger sample of z< 0.3, star-forming galaxies we show that high ionization parameters are directly linked to high sSFRs and are not simply the by-product of an evolution in metallicity. Our results are physically consistent with the definition of the ionization parameter, a measure of the hydrogen ionizing photon flux relative to the number density of hydrogen atoms.

A methodological study of genome-wide DNA methylation analyses using matched archival formalin-fixed paraffin embedded and fresh frozen breast tumors.

PubMed

Espinal, Allyson C; Wang, Dan; Yan, Li; Liu, Song; Tang, Li; Hu, Qiang; Morrison, Carl D; Ambrosone, Christine B; Higgins, Michael J; Sucheston-Campbell, Lara E

2017-02-28

DNA from archival formalin-fixed and paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissue is an invaluable resource for genome-wide methylation studies although concerns about poor quality may limit its use. In this study, we compared DNA methylation profiles of breast tumors using DNA from fresh-frozen (FF) tissues and three types of matched FFPE samples. For 9/10 patients, correlation and unsupervised clustering analysis revealed that the FF and FFPE samples were consistently correlated with each other and clustered into distinct subgroups. Greater than 84% of the top 100 loci previously shown to differentiate ER+ and ER- tumors in FF tissues were also FFPE DML. Weighted Correlation Gene Network Analyses (WCGNA) grouped the DML loci into 16 modules in FF tissue, with ~85% of the module membership preserved across tissue types. Restored FFPE and matched FF samples were profiled using the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450K platform. Methylation levels (β-values) across all loci and the top 100 loci previously shown to differentiate tumors by estrogen receptor status (ER+ or ER-) in a larger FF study, were compared between matched FF and FFPE samples using Pearson's correlation, hierarchical clustering and WCGNA. Positive predictive values and sensitivity levels for detecting differentially methylated loci (DML) in FF samples were calculated in an independent FFPE cohort. FFPE breast tumors samples show lower overall detection of DMLs versus FF, however FFPE and FF DMLs compare favorably. These results support the emerging consensus that the 450K platform can be employed to investigate epigenetics in large sets of archival FFPE tissues.

Video-task assessment of learning and memory in Macaques (Macaca mulatta) - Effects of stimulus movement on performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Washburn, David A.; Hopkins, William D.; Rumbaugh, Duane M.

1989-01-01

Effects of stimulus movement on learning, transfer, matching, and short-term memory performance were assessed with 2 monkeys using a video-task paradigm in which the animals responded to computer-generated images by manipulating a joystick. Performance on tests of learning set, transfer index, matching to sample, and delayed matching to sample in the video-task paradigm was comparable to that obtained in previous investigations using the Wisconsin General Testing Apparatus. Additionally, learning, transfer, and matching were reliably and significantly better when the stimuli or discriminanda moved than when the stimuli were stationary. External manipulations such as stimulus movement may increase attention to the demands of a task, which in turn should increase the efficiency of learning. These findings have implications for the investigation of learning in other populations, as well as for the application of the video-task paradigm to comparative study.

ESTCP Live Site Demonstrations Former Camp Beale

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-01

Mode Tx Mode Hold-Off Time (µs) Block Period (s) Rep Fctr Dec Fctr (%) Stk Const Base Freq (Hz) Decay Time (us) No. Gates Sample...contained in the AcqParams block of the TEM data file. It is not used for static data interpretation. Sample Period: The Block Time * Stk Constant...Analyze returned a 0.8016 confidence metric match between target BE-1500 and a 105mm projectile, the polarizability curves did not visually match those

Origin and Correction of Magnetic Field Inhomogeneity at the Interface in Biphasic NMR Samples

PubMed Central

Martin, Bryan T.; Chingas, G. C.

2012-01-01

The use of susceptibility matching to minimize spectral distortion of biphasic samples layered in a standard 5 mm NMR tube is described. The approach uses magic angle spinning (MAS) to first extract chemical shift differences by suppressing bulk magnetization. Then, using biphasic coaxial samples, magnetic susceptibilities are matched by titration with a paramagnetic salt. The matched phases are then layered in a standard NMR tube where they can be shimmed and examined. Line widths of two distinct spectral lines, selected to characterize homogeneity in each phase, are simultaneously optimized. Two-dimensional distortion-free, slice-resolved spectra of an octanol/water system illustrate the method. These data are obtained using a 2D stepped-gradient pulse sequence devised for this application. Advantages of this sequence over slice-selective methods are that acquisition efficiency is increased and processing requires only conventional software. PMID:22459062

Susceptibility-matched plugs for microcoil NMR probes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kc, Ravi; Gowda, Yashas N.; Djukovic, Danijel; Henry, Ian D.; Park, Gregory H. J.; Raftery, Daniel

2010-07-01

For mass-limited samples, the residual sample volume outside the detection coil is an important concern, as is good base line resolution. Here, we present the construction and evaluation of magnetic susceptibility-matched plugs for microcoil NMR sample cells which address these issues. Mixed-epoxy glue and ultem tube plugs that have susceptibility values close to those of perfluorocarbon FC-43 (fluorinert) and copper were used in small volume (0.5-2 μL) and larger volume (15-20 μL) thin glass capillary sample cells. Using these plugs, the sample volume efficiency (i.e. ratio of active volume to total sample volume in the microcoil NMR cell) was improved by 6-12-fold without sensitivity and resolution trade-offs. Comparison with laser etched or heat etched microcoil sample cells is provided. The approaches described are potentially useful in metabolomics for biomarkers detection in mass limited biological samples.

Susceptibility-matched plugs for microcoil NMR probes.

PubMed

Kc, Ravi; Gowda, Yashas N; Djukovic, Danijel; Henry, Ian D; Park, Gregory H J; Raftery, Daniel

2010-07-01

For mass-limited samples, the residual sample volume outside the detection coil is an important concern, as is good base line resolution. Here, we present the construction and evaluation of magnetic susceptibility-matched plugs for microcoil NMR sample cells which address these issues. Mixed-epoxy glue and ultem tube plugs that have susceptibility values close to those of perfluorocarbon FC-43 (fluorinert) and copper were used in small volume (0.5-2 microL) and larger volume (15-20 microL) thin glass capillary sample cells. Using these plugs, the sample volume efficiency (i.e. ratio of active volume to total sample volume in the microcoil NMR cell) was improved by 6-12-fold without sensitivity and resolution trade-offs. Comparison with laser etched or heat etched microcoil sample cells is provided. The approaches described are potentially useful in metabolomics for biomarkers detection in mass limited biological samples. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Susceptibility-matched plugs for microcoil NMR probes

PubMed Central

Kc, Ravi; Gowda, Yashas N.; Djukovic, Danijel; Henry, Ian D; Park, Gregory H J; Raftery, Daniel

2010-01-01

For mass limited samples, the residual sample volume outside the detection coil is an important concern, as is good base line resolution. Here, we present the construction and evaluation of magnetic susceptibility-matched plugs for microcoil NMR sample cells which address these issues. Mixed-epoxy glue and ultem tube plugs that have susceptibility values close to those of perfluorocarbon FC-43 (fluorinert) and copper were used in small volume (0.5 to 2 μL) and larger volume (15 to 20 μL) thin glass capillary sample cells. Using these plugs, the sample volume efficiency (i.e. ratio of active volume to total sample volume in the microcoil NMR cell) was improved by 6 to 12 fold without sensitivity and resolution trade-offs. Comparison with laser etched or heat etched microcoil sample cells is provided. The approaches described are potentially useful in metabolomics for biomarkers detection in mass limited biological samples. PMID:20510638

Sequential effects in pigeon delayed matching-to-sample performance.

PubMed

Roitblat, H L; Scopatz, R A

1983-04-01

Pigeons were tested in a three-alternative delayed matching-to-sample task in which second-choices were permitted following first-choice errors. Sequences of responses both within and between trials were examined in three experiments. The first experiment demonstrates that the sample information contained in first-choice errors is not sufficient to account for the observed pattern of second choices. This result implies that second-choices following first-choice errors are based on a second examination of the contents of working memory. Proactive interference was found in the second experiment in the form of a dependency, beyond that expected on the basis of trial independent response bias, of first-choices from one trial on the first-choice emitted on the previous trial. Samples from the previous trial were not found to exert a significant influence on later trials. The magnitude of the intertrial association (Experiment 3) did not depend on the duration of the intertrial interval. In contrast, longer intertrial intervals and longer sample durations did facilitate choice accuracy, by strengthening the association between current samples and choices. These results are incompatible with a trace-decay and competition model; they suggest strongly that multiple influences act simultaneously and independently to control delayed matching-to-sample responding. These multiple influences include memory for the choice occurring on the previous trial, memory for the sample, and general effects of trial spacing.

Real-Time Detection Method And System For Identifying Individual Aerosol Particles

DOEpatents

Gard, Eric Evan; Fergenson, David Philip

2005-10-25

A method and system of identifying individual aerosol particles in real time. Sample aerosol particles are compared against and identified with substantially matching known particle types by producing positive and negative test spectra of an individual aerosol particle using a bipolar single particle mass spectrometer. Each test spectrum is compared to spectra of the same respective polarity in a database of predetermined positive and negative spectra for known particle types and a set of substantially matching spectra is obtained. Finally the identity of the individual aerosol particle is determined from the set of substantially matching spectra by determining a best matching one of the known particle types having both a substantially matching positive spectrum and a substantially matching negative spectrum associated with the best matching known particle type.

Alcohol marketing in televised international football: frequency analysis

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Alcohol marketing includes sponsorship of individuals, organisations and sporting events. Football (soccer) is one of the most popular spectator sports worldwide. No previous studies have quantified the frequency of alcohol marketing in a high profile international football tournament. The aims were to determine: the frequency and nature of visual references to alcohol in a representative sample of EURO2012 matches broadcast in the UK; and if frequency or nature varied between matches broadcast on public service and commercial channels, or between matches that did and did not feature England. Methods Eight matches selected by stratified random sampling were recorded. All visual references to alcohol were identified using a tool with high inter-rater reliability. Results 1846 visual references to alcohol were identified over 1487 minutes of broadcast - an average of 1.24 references per minute. The mean number of references per minute was higher in matches that did vs did not feature England (p = 0.004), but did not differ between matches broadcast on public service vs commercial channels (p = 0.92). Conclusions The frequency of visual references to alcohol was universally high and higher in matches featuring the only UK home team - England - suggesting that there may be targeting of particularly highly viewed matches. References were embedded in broadcasts, and not particular to commercial channels including paid-for advertising. New UK codes-of-conduct on alcohol marketing at sporting events will not reduce the level of marketing reported here. PMID:24885718

The statistical evaluation of duct tape end match as physical evidence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chan, Ka Lok

Duct tapes are often submitted to crime laboratories as evidence associated with abductions, homicides, or construction of explosive devices. As a result, trace evidence examiners are often asked to analyze and compare commercial duct tapes so that they can establish possible evidentiary links. Duct tape end matches are believed to be the strongest association between exemplar and question samples because they are considered as evidence with unique individual characteristics. While end match analysis and comparison have long been undertaken by trace evidence examiners, there is a significant lack of scientific research for associating two or more segments of duct tapes. This study is designed to obtain statistical inferences on the uniqueness of duct tape tears. Three experiments were devised to compile the basis for a statistical assessment of the probability of duct tape end matches along with a proposed error rate. In one experiment, we conducted the equivalent of 10,000 end match examinations with an error rate of 0%. In the second experiment, we performed 2,704 end match examinations having 0% error rate. In the third experiment, using duct tape by an Elmendorf Tear tester, we conducted 576 end match examinations with an error rate of 0% and having all samples correctly associated. The results of this study indicate that end matches are distinguishable among a single roll of duct tape and between two different rolls of duct tape having very similar surface features and weave pattern.

Porosity of the Marcellus Shale: A contrast matching small-angle neutron scattering study

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bahadur, Jitendra; Ruppert, Leslie F.; Pipich, Vitaliy; Sakurovs, Richard; Melnichenko, Yuri B.

2018-01-01

Neutron scattering techniques were used to determine the effect of mineral matter on the accessibility of water and toluene to pores in the Devonian Marcellus Shale. Three Marcellus Shale samples, representing quartz-rich, clay-rich, and carbonate-rich facies, were examined using contrast matching small-angle neutron scattering (CM-SANS) at ambient pressure and temperature. Contrast matching compositions of H2O, D2O and toluene, deuterated toluene were used to probe open and closed pores of these three shale samples. Results show that although the mean pore radius was approximately the same for all three samples, the fractal dimension of the quartz-rich sample was higher than for the clay-rich and carbonate-rich samples, indicating different pore size distributions among the samples. The number density of pores was highest in the clay-rich sample and lowest in the quartz-rich sample. Contrast matching with water and toluene mixtures shows that the accessibility of pores to water and toluene also varied among the samples. In general, water accessed approximately 70–80% of the larger pores (>80 nm radius) in all three samples. At smaller pore sizes (~5–80 nm radius), the fraction of accessible pores decreases. The lowest accessibility to both fluids is at pore throat size of ~25 nm radii with the quartz-rich sample exhibiting lower accessibility than the clay- and carbonate-rich samples. The mechanism for this behaviour is unclear, but because the mineralogy of the three samples varies, it is likely that the inaccessible pores in this size range are associated with organics and not a specific mineral within the samples. At even smaller pore sizes (~<2.5 nm radius), in all samples, the fraction of accessible pores to water increases again to approximately 70–80%. Accessibility to toluene generally follows that of water; however, in the smallest pores (~<2.5 nm radius), accessibility to toluene decreases, especially in the clay-rich sample which contains about 30% more closed pores than the quartz- and carbonate-rich samples. Results from this study show that mineralogy of producing intervals within a shale reservoir can affect accessibility of pores to water and toluene and these mineralogic differences may affect hydrocarbon storage and production and hydraulic fracturing characteristics

Doppler Processing with Ultra-Wideband (UWB) Radar Revisited

DTIC Science & Technology

2018-01-01

grating lobes as compared to the conventional Doppler processing counterpart. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Doppler radar, UWB radar, matched filter , ambiguity...maps by the matched filter method, illustrating the radar data support in (a) the frequency-slow time domain and (b) the ρ-u domain. The samples...example, obtained by the matched filter method, for a 1.2-s CPI centered at t = 1.5 s

Phonology and Vocal Behavior in Toddlers with Autism Spectrum Disorders

PubMed Central

Schoen, Elizabeth; Paul, Rhea; Chawarska, Katyrzyna

2011-01-01

Scientific Abstract The purpose of this study is to examine the phonological and other vocal productions of children, 18-36 months, with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and to compare these productions to those of age-matched and language-matched controls. Speech samples were obtained from 30 toddlers with ASD, 11 age-matched toddlers and 23 language-matched toddlers during either parent-child or clinician-child play sessions. Samples were coded for a variety of speech-like and non-speech vocalization productions. Toddlers with ASD produced speech-like vocalizations similar to those of language-matched peers, but produced significantly more atypical non-speech vocalizations when compared to both control groups.Toddlers with ASD show speech-like sound production that is linked to their language level, in a manner similar to that seen in typical development. The main area of difference in vocal development in this population is in the production of atypical vocalizations. Findings suggest that toddlers with autism spectrum disorders might not tune into the language model of their environment. Failure to attend to the ambient language environment negatively impacts the ability to acquire spoken language. PMID:21308998

Short-Term Memory Trace in Rapidly Adapting Synapses of Inferior Temporal Cortex

PubMed Central

Sugase-Miyamoto, Yasuko; Liu, Zheng; Wiener, Matthew C.; Optican, Lance M.; Richmond, Barry J.

2008-01-01

Visual short-term memory tasks depend upon both the inferior temporal cortex (ITC) and the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Activity in some neurons persists after the first (sample) stimulus is shown. This delay-period activity has been proposed as an important mechanism for working memory. In ITC neurons, intervening (nonmatching) stimuli wipe out the delay-period activity; hence, the role of ITC in memory must depend upon a different mechanism. Here, we look for a possible mechanism by contrasting memory effects in two architectonically different parts of ITC: area TE and the perirhinal cortex. We found that a large proportion (80%) of stimulus-selective neurons in area TE of macaque ITCs exhibit a memory effect during the stimulus interval. During a sequential delayed matching-to-sample task (DMS), the noise in the neuronal response to the test image was correlated with the noise in the neuronal response to the sample image. Neurons in perirhinal cortex did not show this correlation. These results led us to hypothesize that area TE contributes to short-term memory by acting as a matched filter. When the sample image appears, each TE neuron captures a static copy of its inputs by rapidly adjusting its synaptic weights to match the strength of their individual inputs. Input signals from subsequent images are multiplied by those synaptic weights, thereby computing a measure of the correlation between the past and present inputs. The total activity in area TE is sufficient to quantify the similarity between the two images. This matched filter theory provides an explanation of what is remembered, where the trace is stored, and how comparison is done across time, all without requiring delay period activity. Simulations of a matched filter model match the experimental results, suggesting that area TE neurons store a synaptic memory trace during short-term visual memory. PMID:18464917

Pornography actresses: an assessment of the damaged goods hypothesis.

PubMed

Griffith, James D; Mitchell, Sharon; Hart, Christian L; Adams, Lea T; Gu, Lucy L

2013-01-01

The damaged goods hypothesis posits that female performers in the adult entertainment industry have higher rates of childhood sexual abuse (CSA), psychological problems, and drug use compared to the typical woman. The present study compared the self-reports of 177 porn actresses to a sample of women matched on age, ethnicity, and marital status. Comparisons were conducted on sexual behaviors and attitudes, self-esteem, quality of life, and drug use. Porn actresses were more likely to identify as bisexual, first had sex at an earlier age, had more sexual partners, were more concerned about contracting a sexually transmitted disease (STD), and enjoyed sex more than the matched sample, although there were no differences in incidence of CSA. In terms of psychological characteristics, porn actresses had higher levels of self-esteem, positive feelings, social support, sexual satisfaction, and spirituality compared to the matched group. Last, female performers were more likely to have ever used 10 different types of drugs compared to the comparison group. A discriminant function analysis was able to correctly classify 83% of the participants concerning whether they were a porn actress or member of the matched sample. These findings did not provide support for the damaged goods hypothesis.

Control of Working Memory in Rhesus Monkeys (Macaca mulatta)

PubMed Central

Tu, Hsiao-Wei; Hampton, Robert R.

2014-01-01

Cognitive control is critical for efficiently using the limited resources in working memory. It is well established that humans use rehearsal to increase the probability of remembering needed information, but little is known in nonhumans, with some studies reporting the absence of active control and others subject to alternative explanations. We trained monkeys in a visual matching-to-sample paradigm with a post-sample memory cue. Monkeys either saw a remember cue that predicted the occurrence of a matching test that required memory for the sample, or a forget cue that predicted a discrimination test that did not require memory of the sample. Infrequent probe trials on which monkeys were given tests of the type not cued on that trial were used to assess whether memory was under cognitive control. Our procedures controlled for reward expectation and for the surprising nature of the probes. Monkeys matched less accurately after forget cues, while discrimination accuracy was equivalent in the two cue conditions. We also tested monkeys with lists of two consecutive sample images that shared the same cue. Again, memory for expected memory tests was superior to that on unexpected tests. Together these results show that monkeys cognitively control their working memory. PMID:25436219

Auditory memory in monkeys: costs and benefits of proactive interference.

PubMed

Bigelow, James; Poremba, Amy

2013-05-01

Proactive interference (PI) has traditionally been understood as an adverse consequence of stimulus repetition during memory tasks. Herein, we present data that emphasize costs as well as benefits of PI for monkeys performing an auditory delayed matching-to-sample (DMTS) task. The animals made same/different judgments for a variety of simple and complex sounds separated by a 5-s memory delay. Each session used a stimulus set that included eight sounds; thus, each sound was repeated multiple times per session for match trials and for nonmatch trials as the sample (Cue 1) or test (Cue 2) stimulus. For nonmatch trials, performance was substantially diminished when the test stimulus had been previously presented on a recent trial. However, when the sample stimulus had been recently presented, performance was significantly improved. We also observed a marginal performance benefit when stimuli for match trials had been recently presented. The costs of PI for nonmatch test stimuli were greater than the combined benefits of PI for nonmatch sample stimuli and match trials, indicating that the net influence of PI is detrimental. For all three manifestations of PI, the effects are shown to extend beyond the immediately subsequent trial. Our data suggest that PI in auditory DMTS is best understood as an enduring influence that can be both detrimental and beneficial to memory-task performance. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Role of color memory in successive color constancy.

PubMed

Ling, Yazhu; Hurlbert, Anya

2008-06-01

We investigate color constancy for real 2D paper samples using a successive matching paradigm in which the observer memorizes a reference surface color under neutral illumination and after a temporal interval selects a matching test surface under the same or different illumination. We find significant effects of the illumination, reference surface, and their interaction on the matching error. We characterize the matching error in the absence of illumination change as the "pure color memory shift" and introduce a new index for successive color constancy that compares this shift against the matching error under changing illumination. The index also incorporates the vector direction of the matching errors in chromaticity space, unlike the traditional constancy index. With this index, we find that color constancy is nearly perfect.

Comparison of chain sampling plans with single and double sampling plans

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stephens, K. S.; Dodge, H. F.

1976-01-01

The efficiency of chain sampling is examined through matching of operating characteristics (OC) curves of chain sampling plans (ChSP) with single and double sampling plans. In particular, the operating characteristics of some ChSP-0, 3 and 1, 3 as well as ChSP-0, 4 and 1, 4 are presented, where the number pairs represent the first and the second cumulative acceptance numbers. The fact that the ChSP procedure uses cumulative results from two or more samples and that the parameters can be varied to produce a wide variety of operating characteristics raises the question whether it may be possible for such plans to provide a given protection with less inspection than with single or double sampling plans. The operating ratio values reported illustrate the possibilities of matching single and double sampling plans with ChSP. It is shown that chain sampling plans provide improved efficiency over single and double sampling plans having substantially the same operating characteristics.

Order of stimulus presentation influences children's acquisition in receptive identification tasks.

PubMed

Petursdottir, Anna Ingeborg; Aguilar, Gabriella

2016-03-01

Receptive identification is usually taught in matching-to-sample format, which entails the presentation of an auditory sample stimulus and several visual comparison stimuli in each trial. Conflicting recommendations exist regarding the order of stimulus presentation in matching-to-sample trials. The purpose of this study was to compare acquisition in receptive identification tasks under 2 conditions: when the sample was presented before the comparisons (sample first) and when the comparisons were presented before the sample (comparison first). Participants included 4 typically developing kindergarten-age boys. Stimuli, which included birds and flags, were presented on a computer screen. Acquisition in the 2 conditions was compared in an adapted alternating-treatments design combined with a multiple baseline design across stimulus sets. All participants took fewer trials to meet the mastery criterion in the sample-first condition than in the comparison-first condition. © 2015 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

False match elimination for face recognition based on SIFT algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, Xuyuan; Shi, Ping; Shao, Meide

2011-06-01

The SIFT (Scale Invariant Feature Transform) is a well known algorithm used to detect and describe local features in images. It is invariant to image scale, rotation and robust to the noise and illumination. In this paper, a novel method used for face recognition based on SIFT is proposed, which combines the optimization of SIFT, mutual matching and Progressive Sample Consensus (PROSAC) together and can eliminate the false matches of face recognition effectively. Experiments on ORL face database show that many false matches can be eliminated and better recognition rate is achieved.

Average probability that a "cold hit" in a DNA database search results in an erroneous attribution.

PubMed

Song, Yun S; Patil, Anand; Murphy, Erin E; Slatkin, Montgomery

2009-01-01

We consider a hypothetical series of cases in which the DNA profile of a crime-scene sample is found to match a known profile in a DNA database (i.e., a "cold hit"), resulting in the identification of a suspect based only on genetic evidence. We show that the average probability that there is another person in the population whose profile matches the crime-scene sample but who is not in the database is approximately 2(N - d)p(A), where N is the number of individuals in the population, d is the number of profiles in the database, and p(A) is the average match probability (AMP) for the population. The AMP is estimated by computing the average of the probabilities that two individuals in the population have the same profile. We show further that if a priori each individual in the population is equally likely to have left the crime-scene sample, then the average probability that the database search attributes the crime-scene sample to a wrong person is (N - d)p(A).

Association study of dopamine D3 receptor gene and schizophrenia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kennedy, J.L.; Billett, E.A.; Macciardi, F.M.

Several groups have reported an association between schizophrenia and the MscI polymorphism in the first exon of the dopamine D3 receptor gene (DRD3). We studied this polymorphism using a North American sample (117 patients plus 188 controls) and an Italian sample (97 patients plus 64 controls). In the first part of the study, we compared allele frequencies of schizophrenia patients and unmatched controls and observed a significant difference in the total sample (P = 0.01). The second part of the study involved a case control approach in which each schizophrenia patient was matched to a control of the same sex,more » and of similar age and ethnic background. The DRD3 allele frequencies of patients and controls revealed no significant difference between the two groups in the Italian (N = 53) or the North American (N = 54) matched populations; however, when these two matched samples were combined, a significant difference was observed (P = 0.026). Our results suggest that the MscI polymorphism may be associated with schizophrenia in the populations studied. 32 refs., 2 tabs.« less

Performance of biometric quality measures.

PubMed

Grother, Patrick; Tabassi, Elham

2007-04-01

We document methods for the quantitative evaluation of systems that produce a scalar summary of a biometric sample's quality. We are motivated by a need to test claims that quality measures are predictive of matching performance. We regard a quality measurement algorithm as a black box that converts an input sample to an output scalar. We evaluate it by quantifying the association between those values and observed matching results. We advance detection error trade-off and error versus reject characteristics as metrics for the comparative evaluation of sample quality measurement algorithms. We proceed this with a definition of sample quality, a description of the operational use of quality measures. We emphasize the performance goal by including a procedure for annotating the samples of a reference corpus with quality values derived from empirical recognition scores.

A methodological study of genome-wide DNA methylation analyses using matched archival formalin-fixed paraffin embedded and fresh frozen breast tumors

PubMed Central

Yan, Li; Liu, Song; Tang, Li; Hu, Qiang; Morrison, Carl D.; Ambrosone, Christine B.; Higgins, Michael J.; Sucheston-Campbell, Lara E.

2017-01-01

Background DNA from archival formalin-fixed and paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissue is an invaluable resource for genome-wide methylation studies although concerns about poor quality may limit its use. In this study, we compared DNA methylation profiles of breast tumors using DNA from fresh-frozen (FF) tissues and three types of matched FFPE samples. Results For 9/10 patients, correlation and unsupervised clustering analysis revealed that the FF and FFPE samples were consistently correlated with each other and clustered into distinct subgroups. Greater than 84% of the top 100 loci previously shown to differentiate ER+ and ER– tumors in FF tissues were also FFPE DML. Weighted Correlation Gene Network Analyses (WCGNA) grouped the DML loci into 16 modules in FF tissue, with ~85% of the module membership preserved across tissue types. Materials and Methods Restored FFPE and matched FF samples were profiled using the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450K platform. Methylation levels (β-values) across all loci and the top 100 loci previously shown to differentiate tumors by estrogen receptor status (ER+ or ER−) in a larger FF study, were compared between matched FF and FFPE samples using Pearson's correlation, hierarchical clustering and WCGNA. Positive predictive values and sensitivity levels for detecting differentially methylated loci (DML) in FF samples were calculated in an independent FFPE cohort. Conclusions FFPE breast tumors samples show lower overall detection of DMLs versus FF, however FFPE and FF DMLs compare favorably. These results support the emerging consensus that the 450K platform can be employed to investigate epigenetics in large sets of archival FFPE tissues. PMID:28118602

An Array-Based Analysis of MicroRNA Expression Comparing Matched Frozen and Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded Human Tissue Samples

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xiao; Chen, Jiamin; Radcliffe, Tom; LeBrun, Dave P.; Tron, Victor A.; Feilotter, Harriet

2008-01-01

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, noncoding RNAs that suppress gene expression at the posttranscriptional level via an antisense RNA-RNA interaction. miRNAs used for array-based profiling are generally purified from either snap-frozen or fresh samples. Because tissues found in most pathology departments are available only in formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) states, we sought to evaluate miRNA derived from FFPE samples for microarray analysis. In this study, miRNAs extracted from matched snap-frozen and FFPE samples were profiled using the Agilent miRNA array platform (Agilent, Santa Clara, CA). Each miRNA sample was hybridized to arrays containing probes interrogating 470 human miRNAs. Seven cases were compared in either duplicate or triplicate. Intrachip and interchip analyses demonstrated that the processes of miRNA extraction, labeling, and hybridization from both frozen and FFPE samples are highly reproducible and add little variation to the results; technical replicates showed high correlations with one another (Kendall tau, 0.722 to 0.853; Spearman rank correlation coefficient, 0.891 to 0.954). Our results showed consistent high correlations between matched frozen and FFPE samples (Kendall tau, 0.669 to 0.815; Spearman rank correlation coefficient, 0.847 to 0.948), supporting the use of FFPE-derived miRNAs for array-based, gene expression profiling. PMID:18832457

Salivary Biomarker Responses to Two Final Matches in Women’s Professional Football

PubMed Central

Maya, Javiera; Marquez, Pablo; Peñailillo, Luis; Contreras-Ferrat, Ariel; Deldicque, Louise; Zbinden-Foncea, Hermann

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the link between salivary concentrations of cortisol, testosterone, immunoglobulin A (IgA) and the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) as a measure of internal load after two final matches played 3 days apart by professional women football players. Saliva samples were taken before and after the two matches (M1, M2). RPE was used to monitor the exercise intensity after each match. Testosterone concentrations increased after each match (M1: +42%, p = 0.002; M2: +50%, p < 0.001) while cortisol increased only after M1 (+116%, p < 0.001). The testosterone-to-cortisol ratio decreased only after M1 (-32.4%, p < 0.001). IgA concentration did not change after any match. Testosterone concentrations were correlated with IgA concentrations after each match (M1: R = 0.59, p = 0.008; M2: R=0.51, p = 0.02). RPE was correlated with cortisol concentrations after M1 (R = 0.57; p = 0.01), but not after M2 (R = 0.38; p = 0.07). All these results suggest that salivary cortisol and testosterone concentrations increase especially after the first match of a final, without affecting IgA levels. We speculate that increased testosterone concentration in women after football matches may play a protecting role against immune suppression usually observed after intense exercise. Key points In our sample space, IgA concentrations did not change for teams even, before and after separated match. Suggesting that salivary IgA determinations after physical activities remain under debate. Testosterone concentrations were the only one hormone showing a consequent increase in both matches after physical activity carrying. The T/C ratio decrease only after M1 according with a higher cortisol level reach after M1 get-together, suggesting a differential impact over anxiety-associated team performance. So M2 play gives a more stable psychological state. PMID:27274677

Automated matching of corresponding seed images of three simulator radiographs to allow 3D triangulation of implanted seeds.

PubMed

Altschuler, M D; Kassaee, A

1997-02-01

To match corresponding seed images in different radiographs so that the 3D seed locations can be triangulated automatically and without ambiguity requires (at least) three radiographs taken from different perspectives, and an algorithm that finds the proper permutations of the seed-image indices. Matching corresponding images in only two radiographs introduces inherent ambiguities which can be resolved only with the use of non-positional information obtained with intensive human effort. Matching images in three or more radiographs is an 'NP (Non-determinant in Polynomial time)-complete' problem. Although the matching problem is fundamental, current methods for three-radiograph seed-image matching use 'local' (seed-by-seed) methods that may lead to incorrect matchings. We describe a permutation-sampling method which not only gives good 'global' (full permutation) matches for the NP-complete three-radiograph seed-matching problem, but also determines the reliability of the radiographic data themselves, namely, whether the patient moved in the interval between radiographic perspectives.

Automated matching of corresponding seed images of three simulator radiographs to allow 3D triangulation of implanted seeds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Altschuler, Martin D.; Kassaee, Alireza

1997-02-01

To match corresponding seed images in different radiographs so that the 3D seed locations can be triangulated automatically and without ambiguity requires (at least) three radiographs taken from different perspectives, and an algorithm that finds the proper permutations of the seed-image indices. Matching corresponding images in only two radiographs introduces inherent ambiguities which can be resolved only with the use of non-positional information obtained with intensive human effort. Matching images in three or more radiographs is an `NP (Non-determinant in Polynomial time)-complete' problem. Although the matching problem is fundamental, current methods for three-radiograph seed-image matching use `local' (seed-by-seed) methods that may lead to incorrect matchings. We describe a permutation-sampling method which not only gives good `global' (full permutation) matches for the NP-complete three-radiograph seed-matching problem, but also determines the reliability of the radiographic data themselves, namely, whether the patient moved in the interval between radiographic perspectives.

Positional demands of international rugby union: evaluation of player actions and movements.

PubMed

Quarrie, Kenneth L; Hopkins, Will G; Anthony, Mike J; Gill, Nicholas D

2013-07-01

In rugby union, published analyses of actions and movements of players during matches have been limited to small samples of games at regional or national level. To analyse movements and activities of players in international rugby union matches with a sample size sufficient to clearly delineate positional roles. Observational study. Actions of 763 players were coded from video recordings of 90 international matches played by the New Zealand national team (the All Blacks) from 2004 to 2010. Movements of players were coded for 27 of these matches via a semi-automated player-tracking system. Movements and activities of all players from both teams were coded. Cluster analysis of activities and time-motion variables produced five subgroups of forwards (props, hookers, locks, flankers, Number 8 forwards) and five subgroups of backs (scrum-half, fly-half, midfield backs, wings and fullbacks). Forwards sustained much higher contact loads per match than backs, via scrums, rucks, tackles and mauls. Mean distance covered per match ranged from 5400 to 6300m, with backs generally running further than forwards. There were marked differences between positional groups in the amount of distance covered at various speeds. The amount of play per match varies by position due to differences in rates at which players are substituted. The distance covered by players at relatively fast running speeds (in excess of 5ms(-1)) appears to be higher during international matches than when competing at lower levels of the professional game. The specific match demands for positional groups need to be considered when managing player workloads. Copyright © 2012 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cold-Induced Impairment of Delayed Matching in Rats

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-01-01

rather than a decrease at longer delay intervals (cf. Roitblat & Harley, 1988; White, 1985). However, the contribution of interference, either...Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes. 4, 219-236. Roitblat , H. L., & Harley, H. E. (1988). Spatial delayed matching-to-sample

Exome copy number variation detection: Use of a pool of unrelated healthy tissue as reference sample.

PubMed

Wenric, Stephane; Sticca, Tiberio; Caberg, Jean-Hubert; Josse, Claire; Fasquelle, Corinne; Herens, Christian; Jamar, Mauricette; Max, Stéphanie; Gothot, André; Caers, Jo; Bours, Vincent

2017-01-01

An increasing number of bioinformatic tools designed to detect CNVs (copy number variants) in tumor samples based on paired exome data where a matched healthy tissue constitutes the reference have been published in the recent years. The idea of using a pool of unrelated healthy DNA as reference has previously been formulated but not thoroughly validated. As of today, the gold standard for CNV calling is still aCGH but there is an increasing interest in detecting CNVs by exome sequencing. We propose to design a metric allowing the comparison of two CNV profiles, independently of the technique used and assessed the validity of using a pool of unrelated healthy DNA instead of a matched healthy tissue as reference in exome-based CNV detection. We compared the CNV profiles obtained with three different approaches (aCGH, exome sequencing with a matched healthy tissue as reference, exome sequencing with a pool of eight unrelated healthy tissue as reference) on three multiple myeloma samples. We show that the usual analyses performed to compare CNV profiles (deletion/amplification ratios and CNV size distribution) lack in precision when confronted with low LRR values, as they only consider the binary status of each CNV. We show that the metric-based distance constitutes a more accurate comparison of two CNV profiles. Based on these analyses, we conclude that a reliable picture of CNV alterations in multiple myeloma samples can be obtained from whole-exome sequencing in the absence of a matched healthy sample. © 2016 WILEY PERIODICALS, INC.

High quality copy number and genotype data from FFPE samples using Molecular Inversion Probe (MIP) microarrays

PubMed Central

Wang, Yuker; Carlton, Victoria EH; Karlin-Neumann, George; Sapolsky, Ronald; Zhang, Li; Moorhead, Martin; Wang, Zhigang C; Richardson, Andrea L; Warren, Robert; Walther, Axel; Bondy, Melissa; Sahin, Aysegul; Krahe, Ralf; Tuna, Musaffe; Thompson, Patricia A; Spellman, Paul T; Gray, Joe W; Mills, Gordon B; Faham, Malek

2009-01-01

Background A major challenge facing DNA copy number (CN) studies of tumors is that most banked samples with extensive clinical follow-up information are Formalin-Fixed Paraffin Embedded (FFPE). DNA from FFPE samples generally underperforms or suffers high failure rates compared to fresh frozen samples because of DNA degradation and cross-linking during FFPE fixation and processing. As FFPE protocols may vary widely between labs and samples may be stored for decades at room temperature, an ideal FFPE CN technology should work on diverse sample sets. Molecular Inversion Probe (MIP) technology has been applied successfully to obtain high quality CN and genotype data from cell line and frozen tumor DNA. Since the MIP probes require only a small (~40 bp) target binding site, we reasoned they may be well suited to assess degraded FFPE DNA. We assessed CN with a MIP panel of 50,000 markers in 93 FFPE tumor samples from 7 diverse collections. For 38 FFPE samples from three collections we were also able to asses CN in matched fresh frozen tumor tissue. Results Using an input of 37 ng genomic DNA, we generated high quality CN data with MIP technology in 88% of FFPE samples from seven diverse collections. When matched fresh frozen tissue was available, the performance of FFPE DNA was comparable to that of DNA obtained from matched frozen tumor (genotype concordance averaged 99.9%), with only a modest loss in performance in FFPE. Conclusion MIP technology can be used to generate high quality CN and genotype data in FFPE as well as fresh frozen samples. PMID:19228381

Muscle Glycogen Utilisation during an Australian Rules Football Game.

PubMed

Routledge, Harry E; Leckey, Jill J; Lee, Matt J; Garnham, Andrew; Graham, Stuart; Burgess, Darren; Burke, Louise M; Erskine, Robert M; Close, Graeme L; Morton, James P

2018-06-12

To better understand the carbohydrate (CHO) requirement of Australian Football (AF) match play by quantifying muscle glycogen utilisation during an in-season AF match. After a 24 h CHO loading protocol of 8 g/kg and 2 g/kg in the pre-match meal, two elite male forward players had biopsies sampled from m. vastus lateralis before and after participation in a South Australian Football League game. Player A (87.2kg) consumed water only during match play whereas player B (87.6kg) consumed 88 g CHO via CHO gels. External load was quantified using global positioning system technology. Player A completed more minutes on the ground (115 vs. 98 min) and covered greater total distance (12.2 vs. 11.2 km) than Player B, though with similar high-speed running (837 vs. 1070 m) and sprinting (135 vs. 138 m), respectively. Muscle glycogen decreased by 66% in Player A (Pre-: 656, Post-: 223 mmol∙kg-1 dw) and 24% in Player B (Pre-: 544, Post-: 416 mmol∙kg-1 dw), respectively. Pre-match CHO loading elevated muscle glycogen concentrations (i.e. >500 mmol.kg-1 dw), the magnitude of which appears sufficient to meet the metabolic demands of elite AF match play. The glycogen cost of AF match play may be greater than soccer and rugby and CHO feeding may also spare muscle glycogen use. Further studies using larger sample sizes are now required to quantify the inter-individual variability of glycogen cost of match play (including muscle and fibre-type specific responses) as well examine potential metabolic and ergogenic effects of CHO feeding.

Fire and Ice: Thermoluminescent Temperature Sensing in High-Explosive Detonations and Optical Characterization Methods for Glacier Ice Boreholes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mah, Merlin Lyn

The environment around a detonating high explosive is incredibly energetic and dynamic, generating shock waves, turbulent mixing, chemical reactions, and temperature excursions of thousands of Kelvin. Probing this violent but short-lived phenomena requires durable sensors with fast response times. By contrast, the glacier ice sheets of Antarctica and Greenland change on geologic time scales; the accumulation and compression of snow into ice preserves samples of atmospheric gas, dust, and volcanic ash, while the crystal orientations of the ice reflect its conditions and movement over hundreds of thousands of years. Here, difficulty of characterization stems primarily from the location, scale, and depth of the ice sheet. This work describes new sensing technologies for both of these environments. Microparticles of thermoluminescent materials are proposed as high-survivability, bulk-deployable temperature sensors for applications such as assessing bioagent inactivation. A technique to reconstruct thermal history from subsequent thermoluminescence observations is described. MEMS devices were designed and fabricated to assist in non-detonation testing: large-area electrostatic membrane actuators were used to apply mechanical stress to thermoluminescent Y2O3 :Tb thin film, and microheaters impose rapid temperature excursions upon particles of Mg2SiO4:Tb,Co to demonstrate predictable thermoluminescent response. Closed- and open-chamber explosive detonation tests using dosimetric LiF:Mg,Ti and two experimental thermometry materials were performed to test survivability and attempt thermal event reconstruction. Two borehole logging devices are described for optical characterization of glacier ice. For detecting and recording layers of volcanic ash in glacier ice, we developed a lightweight, compact probe which uses optical fibers and purely passive downhole components to detect single-scattered long-wavelength light. To characterize ice fabric orientation, we propose a technique which uses reflection measurements from a small, fixed set of geometries. The design and construction of a borehole logger implementing these techniques is described, and its testing discussed.

Breeding patterns of the JE vector Culex gelidus and its insect predators in rice cultivation areas of northern peninsular Malaysia.

PubMed

Abu Hassan, A; Hamady, D; Tomomitsu, S; Michael, B; Jameel S L, A S

2010-12-01

Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus activity is an important cause of viral encephalitis in Southeast Asia. In Malaysia, JEV activity has been first detected in Culex gelidus in 1976. Since then, no study has fully addressed the seasonal dynamics of this mosquito. As irrigated rice production expands, the incidence of JEV vectors, particularly Cx. gelidus is expected to increase. We surveyed Penang Island to determine the breeding patterns of Cx. gelidus and their potential insect predators, in relation to habitat/niche and rice growing period. Six rice fields proper (RFP) and related drainage canals (DC) were visited through three cultivation cycles (CCs) over 17 months. Weekly visits were performed to each of the 36 sites and mosquito larvae and aquatic insects were sampled from RFP and DCs using dippers. Culex gelidus was abundant in RFP and almost absent in DCs. Its densities usually were high during the first and 3rd CC and when the RFs were in Fp, Pp and Gp. In DCs, the mosquito was abundant during Mp, e.g., 2nd CC. Predators, especially those belonging to the families Corixidae, Coenagrionidae and Dytiscidae, were more present in RFP. Predator numbers usually were high during the first CC; in some cases predator abundance peaked during other CCs, e.g., corixids and dysticids. In RFP, neither corixids nor coenagrionids showed any positive correlation with densities of Cx. gelidus. However, dytiscids' population peaked when the mosquito densities were on the rise. These observations suggest that Cx. gelidus is active during the period of rice cultivation. Operational vector control through bio-control or with insecticides near the end of the rice cultivation season in RFP may prove beneficial in reducing the density of Cx. gelidus, but also the amount of bio-agent or insecticide applied on riceland.

Delayed matching to sample and concurrent learning in nonamnesic humans with alcohol dependence.

PubMed

Bowden, S C; Benedikt, R; Ritter, A J

1992-05-01

Small samples of alcohol-dependent subjects who showed no clinical signs of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome were compared with nonalcohol-dependent controls on two animal memory tests which are performed poorly by human amnesics. Compared to the control subjects, the alcohol-dependent subjects' performance was impaired on a version of the delayed matching to sample task. On concurrent discrimination learning the overall group difference just failed to reach significance. The results are interpreted as suggesting that behavioural impairment may occur in alcohol-dependent subjects who are not clinically amnesic, and that the impairment is similar in type to that observed in cases of severe Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.

On the Origins of Emergent Differential Sample Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Urcuioli, Peter J.; Vasconcelos, Marco

2008-01-01

Two experiments evaluated the source(s) of emergent differential sample behavior in pigeons. Initially, pigeons learned two-sample, two-alternative symbolic matching in which different patterns of sample responding were required to produce the comparisons. Afterwards, two other samples nominally identical to the comparisons were added to the…

Effects of within-Class Differences in Sample Responding on Acquired Sample Equivalence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Urcuioli, Peter J.; Vasconcelos, Maarco

2008-01-01

Two experiments examined whether acquired sample equivalence in many-to-one matching was affected by variation in sample-response requirements. In each experiment, pigeons responded on either identical or different response schedules to the sample stimuli that occasioned the same reinforced comparison choice (i.e., to the within-class samples).…

Empirical Implications of Matching Children With Specific Language Impairment to Children With Typical Development on Nonverbal IQ.

PubMed

Earle, F Sayako; Gallinat, Erica L; Grela, Bernard G; Lehto, Alexa; Spaulding, Tammie J

This study determined the effect of matching children with specific language impairment (SLI) and their peers with typical development (TD) for nonverbal IQ on the IQ test scores of the resultant groups. Studies published between January 2000 and May 2012 reporting standard nonverbal IQ scores for SLI and age-matched TD controls were categorized into those that matched and did not match children with SLI and TD on nonverbal IQ. We then compared the nonverbal IQ scores across matching criterions within each diagnostic category. In studies that matched children on nonverbal IQ, children with SLI scored significantly higher on nonverbal IQ tests relative to children with SLI in studies that did not match on this criterion. Therefore, it appears that the nonverbal IQ performance of children with SLI is not comparable across studies that do and do not match samples on nonverbal IQ. This suggests that the practice of nonverbal IQ matching may have unintended consequences for the generalization of research findings to the broader SLI population.

Matching algorithm of missile tail flame based on back-propagation neural network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Da; Huang, Shucai; Tang, Yidong; Zhao, Wei; Cao, Wenhuan

2018-02-01

This work presents a spectral matching algorithm of missile plume detection that based on neural network. The radiation value of the characteristic spectrum of the missile tail flame is taken as the input of the network. The network's structure including the number of nodes and layers is determined according to the number of characteristic spectral bands and missile types. We can get the network weight matrixes and threshold vectors through training the network using training samples, and we can determine the performance of the network through testing the network using the test samples. A small amount of data cause the network has the advantages of simple structure and practicality. Network structure composed of weight matrix and threshold vector can complete task of spectrum matching without large database support. Network can achieve real-time requirements with a small quantity of data. Experiment results show that the algorithm has the ability to match the precise spectrum and strong robustness.

Understanding the Psychological Processes of the Racial Match Effect in Asian Americans

PubMed Central

Meyer, Oanh; Zane, Nolan; Cho, Young Il

2014-01-01

Some studies on mental health outcomes research have found that when clients and therapists are ethnically or racially matched, this tends to be related to greater satisfaction and better outcomes. However, the precise underlying mechanism for the match effect has not been extensively examined. In this experimental study, we tested the effect of racial match on critical counseling processes (i.e., therapist credibility and the working alliance) using a sample of 171 Asian American respondents. We also examined Asian ethnic identification as a potential moderator of the racial match effect. Structural equation modeling analyses indicated that racially matched individuals perceived greater experiential similarity with the therapist than nonmatched individuals, and experiential similarity was positively associated with therapist credibility. Although racial match did not predict attitudinal similarity, attitudinal similarity was strongly related to the working alliance and therapist credibility. Counseling implications are discussed. PMID:21574698

A Modified Protocol with Improved Detection Rate for Mis-Matched Donor HLA from Low Quantities of DNA in Urine Samples from Kidney Graft Recipients.

PubMed

Kwok, Janette; Choi, Leo C W; Ho, Jenny C Y; Chan, Gavin S W; Mok, Maggie M Y; Lam, Man-Fei; Chak, Wai-Leung; Cheuk, Au; Chau, Ka-Foon; Tong, Matthew; Chan, Kwok-Wah; Chan, Tak-Mao

2016-01-01

Urine from kidney transplant recipient has proven to be a viable source for donor DNA. However, an optimized protocol would be required to determine mis-matched donor HLA specificities in view of the scarcity of DNA obtained in some cases. In this study, fresh early morning urine specimens were obtained from 155 kidney transplant recipients with known donor HLA phenotype. DNA was extracted and typing of HLA-A, B and DRB1 loci by polymerase chain reaction-specific sequence primers was performed using tailor-made condition according to the concentration of extracted DNA. HLA typing of DNA extracted from urine revealed both recipient and donor HLA phenotypes, allowing the deduction of the unknown donor HLA and hence the degree of HLA mis-match. By adopting the modified procedures, mis-matched donor HLA phenotypes were successfully deduced in all of 35 tested urine samples at DNA quantities spanning the range of 620-24,000 ng. This urine-based method offers a promising and reliable non-invasive means for the identification of mis-matched donor HLA antigens in kidney transplant recipients with unknown donor HLA phenotype or otherwise inadequate donor information.

Moral Attitudes Predict Cheating and Gamesmanship Behaviors Among Competitive Tennis Players

PubMed Central

Lucidi, Fabio; Zelli, Arnaldo; Mallia, Luca; Nicolais, Giampaolo; Lazuras, Lambros; Hagger, Martin S.

2017-01-01

Background: The present study tested Lee et al.’s (2008) model of moral attitudes and cheating behavior in sports in an Italian sample of young tennis players and extended it to predict behavior in actual match play. In the first phase of the study we proposed that moral, competence and status values would predict prosocial and antisocial moral attitudes directly, and indirectly through athletes’ goal orientations. In the second phase, we hypothesized that moral attitudes would directly predict actual cheating behavior observed during match play. Method: Adolescent competitive tennis players (N = 314, 76.75% males, M age = 14.36 years, SD = 1.50) completed measures of values, goal orientations, and moral attitudes. A sub-sample (n = 90) was observed in 45 competitive tennis matches by trained observers who recorded their cheating and gamesmanship behaviors on a validated checklist. Results: Consistent with hypotheses, athletes’ values predicted their moral attitudes through the effects of goal orientations. Anti-social attitudes directly predicted cheating behavior in actual match play providing support for a direct link between moral attitude and actual behavior. Conclusion: The present study findings support key propositions of Lee and colleagues’ model, and extended its application to competitive athletes in actual match play. PMID:28446891

Hunger and overweight in Canadian school-aged children: A propensity score matching analysis.

PubMed

Sentenac, Mariane; Gariepy, Geneviève; McKinnon, Britt; Elgar, Frank J

2016-12-27

The last decade saw a higher prevalence of overweight reported among food-insecure families in Canada, but no robust evidence exists on the covariate-adjusted association in children. In this study, we examined the association between hunger and overweight in Canadian students, using a propensity score matching analysis to reduce confounding. This research used data from the 2009/2010 Canadian Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study on a representative national sample of students in Grades 6 through 10. Students self-reported their height and weight and how often they have gone to school or to bed hungry due to a lack of food at home. Multivariate logistic regression modeling was conducted on the total sample (N = 17,694) and on the sample matched on propensity scores (n = 7,788). The overall prevalence of overweight among students was 20.2% with a significant difference between students who reported hunger (24.0%; 95% CI: 22.1-26.0) and students who did not (19.0%; 95% CI: 17.9-20.2). Analysis on the matched sample revealed a significant association between hunger and overweight in children (adjusted odds ratio: 1.30; 95% CI: 1.12-1.50). A substantial number of Canadian students have reported being hungry because of a lack of food at home. These students are at increased risk of overweight, regardless of their social class. Child hunger and household food insecurity exist in Canada and constitute a call for policy action at a national level.

A rapid and high-precision method for sulfur isotope δ(34)S determination with a multiple-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer: matrix effect correction and applications for water samples without chemical purification.

PubMed

Lin, An-Jun; Yang, Tao; Jiang, Shao-Yong

2014-04-15

Previous studies have indicated that prior chemical purification of samples, although complex and time-consuming, is essential in obtaining precise and accurate results for sulfur isotope ratios using multiple-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS). In this study, we introduce a new, rapid and precise MC-ICP-MS method for sulfur isotope determination from water samples without chemical purification. The analytical work was performed on an MC-ICP-MS instrument with medium mass resolution (m/Δm ~ 3000). Standard-sample bracketing (SSB) was used to correct samples throughout the analytical sessions. Reference materials included an Alfa-S (ammonium sulfate) standard solution, ammonium sulfate provided by the lab of the authors and fresh seawater from the South China Sea. A range of matrix-matched Alfa-S standard solutions and ammonium sulfate solutions was used to investigate the matrix (salinity) effect (matrix was added in the form of NaCl). A seawater sample was used to confirm the reliability of the method. Using matrix-matched (salinity-matched) Alfa-S as the working standard, the measured δ(34)S value of AS (-6.73 ± 0.09‰) was consistent with the reference value (-6.78 ± 0.07‰) within the uncertainty, suggesting that this method could be recommended for the measurement of water samples without prior chemical purification. The δ(34)S value determination for the unpurified seawater also yielded excellent results (21.03 ± 0.18‰) that are consistent with the reference value (20.99‰), thus confirming the feasibility of the technique. The data and the results indicate that it is feasible to use MC-ICP-MS and matrix-matched working standards to measure the sulfur isotopic compositions of water samples directly without chemical purification. In comparison with the existing MC-ICP-MS techniques, the new method is better for directly measuring δ(34)S values in water samples with complex matrices; therefore, it can significantly accelerate analytical turnover. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Best-Matched Internal Standard Normalization in Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Metabolomics Applied to Environmental Samples.

PubMed

Boysen, Angela K; Heal, Katherine R; Carlson, Laura T; Ingalls, Anitra E

2018-01-16

The goal of metabolomics is to measure the entire range of small organic molecules in biological samples. In liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based metabolomics, formidable analytical challenges remain in removing the nonbiological factors that affect chromatographic peak areas. These factors include sample matrix-induced ion suppression, chromatographic quality, and analytical drift. The combination of these factors is referred to as obscuring variation. Some metabolomics samples can exhibit intense obscuring variation due to matrix-induced ion suppression, rendering large amounts of data unreliable and difficult to interpret. Existing normalization techniques have limited applicability to these sample types. Here we present a data normalization method to minimize the effects of obscuring variation. We normalize peak areas using a batch-specific normalization process, which matches measured metabolites with isotope-labeled internal standards that behave similarly during the analysis. This method, called best-matched internal standard (B-MIS) normalization, can be applied to targeted or untargeted metabolomics data sets and yields relative concentrations. We evaluate and demonstrate the utility of B-MIS normalization using marine environmental samples and laboratory grown cultures of phytoplankton. In untargeted analyses, B-MIS normalization allowed for inclusion of mass features in downstream analyses that would have been considered unreliable without normalization due to obscuring variation. B-MIS normalization for targeted or untargeted metabolomics is freely available at https://github.com/IngallsLabUW/B-MIS-normalization .

Reinforcer control by comparison-stimulus color and location in a delayed matching-to-sample task.

PubMed

Alsop, Brent; Jones, B Max

2008-05-01

Six pigeons were trained in a delayed matching-to-sample task involving bright- and dim-yellow samples on a central key, a five-peck response requirement to either sample, a constant 1.5-s delay, and the presentation of comparison stimuli composed of red on the left key and green on the right key or vice versa. Green-key responses were occasionally reinforced following the dimmer-yellow sample, and red-key responses were occasionally reinforced following the brighter-yellow sample. Reinforcer delivery was controlled such that the distribution of reinforcers across both comparison-stimulus color and comparison-stimulus location could be varied systematically and independently across conditions. Matching accuracy was high throughout. The ratio of left to right side-key responses increased as the ratio of left to right reinforcers increased, the ratio of red to green responses increased as the ratio of red to green reinforcers increased, and there was no interaction between these variables. However, side-key biases were more sensitive to the distribution of reinforcers across key location than were comparison-color biases to the distribution of reinforcers across key color. An extension of Davison and Tustin's (1978) model of DMTS performance fit the data well, but the results were also consistent with an alternative theory of conditional discrimination performance (Jones, 2003) that calls for a conceptually distinct quantitative model.

Photovoltaic panel extraction from very high-resolution aerial imagery using region-line primitive association analysis and template matching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Min; Cui, Qi; Sun, Yujie; Wang, Qiao

2018-07-01

In object-based image analysis (OBIA), object classification performance is jointly determined by image segmentation, sample or rule setting, and classifiers. Typically, as a crucial step to obtain object primitives, image segmentation quality significantly influences subsequent feature extraction and analyses. By contrast, template matching extracts specific objects from images and prevents shape defects caused by image segmentation. However, creating or editing templates is tedious and sometimes results in incomplete or inaccurate templates. In this study, we combine OBIA and template matching techniques to address these problems and aim for accurate photovoltaic panel (PVP) extraction from very high-resolution (VHR) aerial imagery. The proposed method is based on the previously proposed region-line primitive association framework, in which complementary information between region (segment) and line (straight line) primitives is utilized to achieve a more powerful performance than routine OBIA. Several novel concepts, including the mutual fitting ratio and best-fitting template based on region-line primitive association analyses, are proposed. Automatic template generation and matching method for PVP extraction from VHR imagery are designed for concept and model validation. Results show that the proposed method can successfully extract PVPs without any user-specified matching template or training sample. High user independency and accuracy are the main characteristics of the proposed method in comparison with routine OBIA and template matching techniques.

Assisted reproductive technology has no association with autism spectrum disorders: The Taiwan Birth Cohort Study.

PubMed

Lung, For-Wey; Chiang, Tung-Liang; Lin, Shio-Jean; Lee, Meng-Chih; Shu, Bih-Ching

2018-04-01

The use of assisted reproduction technology has increased over the last two decades. Autism spectrum disorders and assisted reproduction technology share many risk factors. However, previous studies on the association between autism spectrum disorders and assisted reproduction technology have shown inconsistent results. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between assisted reproduction technology and autism spectrum disorder diagnosis in a national birth cohort database. Furthermore, the results from the assisted reproduction technology and autism spectrum disorder propensity score matching exact matched datasets were compared. For this study, the 6- and 66-month Taiwan Birth Cohort Study datasets were used (N = 20,095). In all, 744 families were propensity score matching exact matched and selected as the assisted reproduction technology sample (ratio of assisted reproduction technology to controls: 1:2) and 415 families as the autism spectrum disorder sample (ratio of autism spectrum disorder to controls: 1:4). Using a national birth cohort dataset, controlling for the confounding factors of assisted reproduction technology conception and autism spectrum disorder diagnosis, both assisted reproduction technology and autism spectrum disorder propensity score matching matched datasets showed the same results of no association between assisted reproduction technology and autism spectrum disorder. Further study on the detailed information regarding the processes and methods of assisted reproduction technology may provide us with more information on the association between assisted reproduction technology and autism spectrum disorder.

GENERALITY OF THE MATCHING LAW AS A DESCRIPTOR OF SHOT SELECTION IN BASKETBALL

PubMed Central

Alferink, Larry A; Critchfield, Thomas S; Hitt, Jennifer L; Higgins, William J

2009-01-01

Based on a small sample of highly successful teams, past studies suggested that shot selection (two- vs. three-point field goals) in basketball corresponds to predictions of the generalized matching law. We examined the generality of this finding by evaluating shot selection of college (Study 1) and professional (Study 3) players. The matching law accounted for the majority of variance in shot selection, with undermatching and a bias for taking three-point shots. Shot-selection matching varied systematically for players who (a) were members of successful versus unsuccessful teams, (b) competed at different levels of collegiate play, and (c) served as regulars versus substitutes (Study 2). These findings suggest that the matching law is a robust descriptor of basketball shot selection, although the mechanism that produces matching is unknown. PMID:20190921

Technical and Tactical Aspects that Differentiate Winning and Losing Performances in Elite Male Karate Fighters.

PubMed

Vidranski, Tihomir; Sertić, Hrvoje; Jukić, Josefina

2015-07-01

The purpose of this research was to identify the fighters' technical and tactical activity indicators in order to determine indicator significance regarding situational efficiency and designation between winning and losing performances in a karate match. We scientifically observed a sample of 274 male contesters of 137 karate matches during the 2008 World Karate Championship in Tokyo. Each individual competitor was observed in maximum of three matches. The matches were recorded using a DVD camera in order to collect data for further analysis, and the sample was further described using 48 technical and tactical indicators of situational efficiency and match outcome variables. The obtained results indicate that a karate match is composed of 91% of non-scoring techniques and 9% of scoring techniques in the total technique frequency. On this basis a significant difference in the situational efficiency between the match winners and the losing contesters has been discovered. Those two groups of fighters exhibit a statistically significant difference (p<0.05) in 11 out of 21 observed variables of situational efficiency in the table of derived situational indicators. A prevalence of non-scoring techniques suggests that energy demand and technical and tactical requirements of a karate match are in the largest extent defined by non-scoring techniques. Therefore, it would be a grave mistake to disregard non-scoring karate techniques in any future situational efficiency studies. It has been discovered that the winners differ from the defeated contesters by a higher level of situational efficiency in their executed techniques, which incorporate versatility, biomechanical and structural complexity, topological diversity and a specific tactical concept of technique use in the attack phase.

Methodological approaches in analysing observational data: A practical example on how to address clustering and selection bias.

PubMed

Trutschel, Diana; Palm, Rebecca; Holle, Bernhard; Simon, Michael

2017-11-01

Because not every scientific question on effectiveness can be answered with randomised controlled trials, research methods that minimise bias in observational studies are required. Two major concerns influence the internal validity of effect estimates: selection bias and clustering. Hence, to reduce the bias of the effect estimates, more sophisticated statistical methods are needed. To introduce statistical approaches such as propensity score matching and mixed models into representative real-world analysis and to conduct the implementation in statistical software R to reproduce the results. Additionally, the implementation in R is presented to allow the results to be reproduced. We perform a two-level analytic strategy to address the problems of bias and clustering: (i) generalised models with different abilities to adjust for dependencies are used to analyse binary data and (ii) the genetic matching and covariate adjustment methods are used to adjust for selection bias. Hence, we analyse the data from two population samples, the sample produced by the matching method and the full sample. The different analysis methods in this article present different results but still point in the same direction. In our example, the estimate of the probability of receiving a case conference is higher in the treatment group than in the control group. Both strategies, genetic matching and covariate adjustment, have their limitations but complement each other to provide the whole picture. The statistical approaches were feasible for reducing bias but were nevertheless limited by the sample used. For each study and obtained sample, the pros and cons of the different methods have to be weighted. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Discrimination training facilitates pigeons' performance on one-trial-per-day delayed matching of key location

PubMed Central

Willson, Robert J.; Wilkie, Donald M.

1991-01-01

Six pigeons were tested on a one-trial-per-day variant of delayed matching of key location. In one condition, a trial began with the illumination of a pair of quasi-randomly selected pecking keys in a large 10-key test box. Pigeons' pecks to one key (the sample) were reinforced with 8-second access to grain on a variable-interval 30-second schedule, whereas pecks to the other key (the distractor) had no scheduled consequences. In the second condition, the nonreinforced distractor was not presented. In both conditions, subjects were removed from the apparatus after 15 minutes and placed in a holding cage. Subjects were subsequently replaced in the box after a delay (retention interval) of 30 seconds and were reexposed to the illuminated sample and distractor keys for 1 minute. If a pigeon made more pecks to the sample during this interval, the distractor was extinguished and subsequent pecks to the sample were reinforced on the previous schedule for an additional 15 minutes. If, however, a pigeon made more pecks to the distractor, both keys were extinguished and the subject was returned to its home cage. For all subjects, matching-to-sample accuracy was higher in the first condition. In a second experiment, the retention interval was increased to 5, 15, and 30 minutes, and then to 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, and 24 hours. Most subjects remembered the correct key location for up to 4 hours, and in one case, up to 24 hours, demonstrating a spatial-memory proficiency far better than previously reported in this species on delayed matching tasks. The results are discussed in terms of the commonly held distinction between working and reference memory. PMID:16812633

Modified Toxicity Probability Interval Design: A Safer and More Reliable Method Than the 3 + 3 Design for Practical Phase I Trials

PubMed Central

Ji, Yuan; Wang, Sue-Jane

2013-01-01

The 3 + 3 design is the most common choice among clinicians for phase I dose-escalation oncology trials. In recent reviews, more than 95% of phase I trials have been based on the 3 + 3 design. Given that it is intuitive and its implementation does not require a computer program, clinicians can conduct 3 + 3 dose escalations in practice with virtually no logistic cost, and trial protocols based on the 3 + 3 design pass institutional review board and biostatistics reviews quickly. However, the performance of the 3 + 3 design has rarely been compared with model-based designs in simulation studies with matched sample sizes. In the vast majority of statistical literature, the 3 + 3 design has been shown to be inferior in identifying true maximum-tolerated doses (MTDs), although the sample size required by the 3 + 3 design is often orders-of-magnitude smaller than model-based designs. In this article, through comparative simulation studies with matched sample sizes, we demonstrate that the 3 + 3 design has higher risks of exposing patients to toxic doses above the MTD than the modified toxicity probability interval (mTPI) design, a newly developed adaptive method. In addition, compared with the mTPI design, the 3 + 3 design does not yield higher probabilities in identifying the correct MTD, even when the sample size is matched. Given that the mTPI design is equally transparent, costless to implement with free software, and more flexible in practical situations, we highly encourage its adoption in early dose-escalation studies whenever the 3 + 3 design is also considered. We provide free software to allow direct comparisons of the 3 + 3 design with other model-based designs in simulation studies with matched sample sizes. PMID:23569307

The gas-phase metallicities of star-forming galaxies in aperture-matched SDSS samples follow potential rather than mass or average surface density

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Eugenio, Francesco; Colless, Matthew; Groves, Brent; Bian, Fuyan; Barone, Tania M.

2018-05-01

We present a comparative study of the relation between the aperture-based gas-phase metallicity and three structural parameters of star-forming galaxies: mass (M ≡ M*), average potential (Φ ≡ M*/Re) and average surface mass density (Σ ≡ M_*/R_e^2; where Re is the effective radius). We use a volume-limited sample drawn from the publicly available SDSS DR7, and base our analysis on aperture-matched sampling by selecting sets of galaxies where the SDSS fibre probes a fixed fraction of Re. We find that between 0.5 and 1.5 Re, the gas-phase metallicity correlates more tightly with Φ than with either {M} or Σ, in that for all aperture-matched samples, the potential-metallicity relation has (i) less scatter, (ii) higher Spearman rank correlation coefficient and (iii) less residual trend with Re than either the mass-metallicity relation and the average surface density-metallicity relation. Our result is broadly consistent with the current models of gas enrichment and metal loss. However, a more natural explanation for our findings is a local relation between the gas-phase metallicity and escape velocity.

[Generalization of money-handling though training in equivalence relationships].

PubMed

Vives-Montero, Carmen; Valero-Aguayo, Luis; Ascanio, Lourdes

2011-02-01

This research used a matching-to-sample procedure and equivalence learning process with language and verbal tasks. In the study, an application of the equivalence relationship of money was used with several kinds of euro coins presented. The sample consisted of 16 children (8 in the experimental group and 8 in the control group) aged 5 years. The prerequisite behaviors, the identification of coins and the practical use of different euro coins, were assessed in the pre and post phases for both groups. The children in the experimental group performed an equivalence task using the matching-to-sample procedure. This consisted of a stimulus sample and four matching stimuli, using a series of euro coins with equivalent value in each set. The children in the control group did not undergo this training process. The results showed a large variability in the children's data of the equivalence tests. The experimental group showed the greatest pre and post changes in the statistically significant data. They also showed a greater generalization in the identification of money and in the use of euro coins than the control group. The implications for educational training and the characteristics of the procedure used here for coin equivalence are discussed.

Growth and characterization of AlInAsSb layers lattice-matched to GaSb

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tournet, J.; Rouillard, Y.; Tournié, E.

2017-11-01

We report on the growth by solid-source MBE of random-alloy AlxIn1-xAsySb1-y layers lattice-matched to (0 0 1)-GaSb substrates, with xAl ∈ [0.25; 0.75]. The samples quality and morphology were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Nomarski microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Layers grown at 400 °C demonstrated smooth surfaces and no sign of phase decomposition. Samples with xAl ≤ 0.60 demonstrated photoluminescence (PL) at 300 K whereas samples with higher Al content only demonstrated PL at low temperature. Samples grown at 430 °C, in contrast, exhibited PL at low temperature only, whatever their composition. Inferred bandgap energies corroborate the estimation of a non-null quaternary bowing parameter made by Donati, Kaspi and Malloy in Journal of Applied Physics 94 (2003) 5814. Upon annealing, the PL peak energies increased, getting even closer to the theoretical values. These results are in agreement with recently published results on digital AlInAsSb alloys. Our work, which reports the first evidence for PL emission from random-alloy AlInAsSb layers lattice-matched to GaSb, opens the way to their use in optoelectronic devices.

Group Matching: Is This a Research Technique to Be Avoided?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Donald C.; Klein, Donald F.

1988-01-01

The variance of the sample difference and the power of the "F" test for mean differences were studied under group matching on covariates and also under random assignment. Results shed light on systematic assignment procedures advocated to provide more precise estimates of treatment effects than simple random assignment. (TJH)

A tunable refractive index matching medium for live imaging cells, tissues and model organisms

PubMed Central

Boothe, Tobias; Hilbert, Lennart; Heide, Michael; Berninger, Lea; Huttner, Wieland B; Zaburdaev, Vasily; Vastenhouw, Nadine L; Myers, Eugene W; Drechsel, David N; Rink, Jochen C

2017-01-01

In light microscopy, refractive index mismatches between media and sample cause spherical aberrations that often limit penetration depth and resolution. Optical clearing techniques can alleviate these mismatches, but they are so far limited to fixed samples. We present Iodixanol as a non-toxic medium supplement that allows refractive index matching in live specimens and thus substantially improves image quality in live-imaged primary cell cultures, planarians, zebrafish and human cerebral organoids. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.27240.001 PMID:28708059

Manual modification and plasma exposure of boron nitride ceramic to study Hall effect thruster plasma channel material erosion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Satonik, Alexander J.

Worn Hall effect thrusters (HET) show a variety of unique microstructures and elemental compositions in the boron nitride thruster channel walls. Worn thruster channels are typically created by running test thrusters in vacuum chambers for hundreds of hours. Studies were undertaken to manually modify samples of boron nitride without the use of a hall effect thruster. Samples were manually abraded with an abrasive blaster and sandpaper, in addition to a vacuum heater. Some of these samples were further exposed to a xenon plasma in a magnetron sputter device. Sandpaper and abrasive blaster tests were used to modify surface roughness values of the samples from 10,000 A to 150,000 A, matching worn thruster values. Vacuum heat treatments were performed on samples. These treatments showed the ability to modify chemical compositions of boron nitride samples, but not in a manner matching changes seen in worn thruster channels. Plasma erosion rate was shown to depend on the grade of the BN ceramic and the preparation of the surface prior to plasma exposure. Abraded samples were shown to erode 43% more than their pristine counterparts. Unique surface features and elemental compositions on the worn thruster channel samples were overwritten by new surface features on the ceramic grains. The microscope images of the ceramic surface show that the magnetron plasma source rounded the edges of the ceramic grains to closely match the worn HET surface. This effect was not as pronounced in studies of ion beam bombardment of the surface and appears to be a result of the quasi-neutral plasma environment.

Matching-to-sample by an echolocating dolphin (Tursiops truncatus).

PubMed

Roitblat, H L; Penner, R H; Nachtigall, P E

1990-01-01

An adult male dolphin was trained to perform a three-alternative delayed matching-to-sample task while wearing eyecups to occlude its vision. Sample and comparison stimuli consisted of a small and a large PVC plastic tube, a water-filled stainless steel sphere, and a solid aluminum cone. Stimuli were presented under water and the dolphin was allowed to identify the stimuli through echolocation. The echolocation clicks emitted by the dolphin to each sample and each comparison stimulus were recorded and analyzed. Over 48 sessions of testing, choice accuracy averaged 94.5% correct. This high level of accuracy was apparently achieved by varying the number of echolocation clicks emitted to various stimuli. Performance appeared to reflect a preexperimental stereotyped search pattern that dictated the order in which comparison items were examined and a complex sequential-sampling decision process. A model for the dolphin's decision-making processes is described.

The Possible Antecedents and Consequences of Matching of Food Intake: Examining the Role of Trait Self-Esteem and Interpersonal Closeness.

PubMed

Hirata, Elizabeth; Lodder, Gerine M A; Kühnen, Ulrich; Lippke, Sonia; Hermans, Roel C J

2015-01-01

Although there is evidence that people tend to match their intake to that of others, less is known about the motives underlying this effect. The current study, therefore, examined the relationship between self-esteem, a specific factor that has been related to the likelihood of social matching. Further, we examined the effects of food matching on interpersonal closeness among eating companions. The sample included 89 female dyads. All dyads had free access to palatable snack food during a 15 min interaction. For each dyad the matching score was calculated, as well as both individual's trait self-esteem scores and interpersonal closeness with their eating partner. The overall degree of matching within dyads was high, replicating the findings of previous research. No relationship, however, was found between trait self-esteem and the degree of matching. Furthermore, there was no effect of matching on perceived interpersonal closeness with or liking of the other person. These results suggest that self-esteem might not be a robust predictor of matching and that matching of food intake may not result in increased perceived interpersonal closeness or liking among eating partners.

The Possible Antecedents and Consequences of Matching of Food Intake: Examining the Role of Trait Self-Esteem and Interpersonal Closeness

PubMed Central

Hirata, Elizabeth; Lodder, Gerine M. A.; Kühnen, Ulrich; Lippke, Sonia; Hermans, Roel C. J.

2015-01-01

Although there is evidence that people tend to match their intake to that of others, less is known about the motives underlying this effect. The current study, therefore, examined the relationship between self-esteem, a specific factor that has been related to the likelihood of social matching. Further, we examined the effects of food matching on interpersonal closeness among eating companions. The sample included 89 female dyads. All dyads had free access to palatable snack food during a 15 min interaction. For each dyad the matching score was calculated, as well as both individual's trait self-esteem scores and interpersonal closeness with their eating partner. The overall degree of matching within dyads was high, replicating the findings of previous research. No relationship, however, was found between trait self-esteem and the degree of matching. Furthermore, there was no effect of matching on perceived interpersonal closeness with or liking of the other person. These results suggest that self-esteem might not be a robust predictor of matching and that matching of food intake may not result in increased perceived interpersonal closeness or liking among eating partners. PMID:26733911

Thematic Matching as Remedial Teaching for Symbolic Matching for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder

PubMed Central

Lionello-DeNolf, Karen M.; Farber, Rachel; Jones, B. Max; Dube, William V.

2014-01-01

Matching-to-sample (MTS) is often used to teach symbolic relationships between spoken or printed words and their referents to children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. However, many children have difficulty learning symbolic matching, even though they may demonstrate generalized identity matching. The current study investigated whether training on symbolic MTS tasks in which the stimuli are physically dissimilar but members of familiar categories (i.e., thematic matching) can remediate an individual’s difficulty learning symbolic MTS tasks involving non-representative stimuli. Three adolescent males diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder were first trained on symbolic MTS tasks with unfamiliar, non-representative form stimuli. Thematic matching was introduced after the participants failed to learn 0, 2 or 4 symbolic MTS tasks and before additional symbolic MTS tasks were introduced. After exposure to thematic matching, accuracy on symbolic MTS tasks with novel stimuli increased to above chance for all participants. For two participants, high accuracy (> 90%) was achieved on a majority of these sessions. Thus, thematic matching may be an effective intervention for students with limited verbal repertoires and who have difficulty learning symbolic MTS tasks. Possible explanations for the facilitative effect of thematic matching are considered and warrant further investigation. PMID:24634695

Athermalization in atomic force microscope based force spectroscopy using matched microstructure coupling.

PubMed

Torun, H; Finkler, O; Degertekin, F L

2009-07-01

The authors describe a method for athermalization in atomic force microscope (AFM) based force spectroscopy applications using microstructures that thermomechanically match the AFM probes. The method uses a setup where the AFM probe is coupled with the matched structure and the displacements of both structures are read out simultaneously. The matched structure displaces with the AFM probe as temperature changes, thus the force applied to the sample can be kept constant without the need for a separate feedback loop for thermal drift compensation, and the differential signal can be used to cancel the shift in zero-force level of the AFM.

The Effect of Asymmetrical Sample Training on Retention Functions for Hedonic Samples in Rats

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simmons, Sabrina; Santi, Angelo

2012-01-01

Rats were trained in a symbolic delayed matching-to-sample task to discriminate sample stimuli that consisted of the presence of food or the absence of food. Asymmetrical sample training was provided in which one group was initially trained with only the food sample and the other group was initially trained with only the no-food sample. In…

A schema-based model of situation awareness: Implications for measuring situation awareness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fracker, Martin L.

1988-01-01

Measures of pilot situation awareness (SA) are needed in order to know whether new concepts in display design help pilots keep track of rapidly changing tactical situations. In order to measure SA, a theory of situation assessment is needed. Such a theory is summarized, encompassing both a definition of SA and a model of situation assessment. SA is defined as the pilot's knowledge about a zone of interest at a given level of abstraction. Pilots develop this knowledge by sampling data from the environment and matching the sampled data to knowledge structures stored in long-term memory. Matched knowledge structures then provide the pilot's assessment of the situation and serve to guide his attention. A number of cognitive biases that result from the knowledge matching process are discussed, as are implications for partial report measures of situation awareness.

A test of the occupational matching hypothesis for rehabilitation clients with severe mental illness.

PubMed

Bond, Gary R; Campbell, Kikuko; Becker, Deborah R

2013-06-01

This study compared job matching rates for clients with severe mental illness enrolled in two types of employment programs. Also examined was the occupational matching hypothesis that job matching is associated with better employment outcomes. The study involved a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial comparing evidence-based supported employment to a diversified placement approach. The study sample consisted of 187 participants, of whom 147 obtained a paid job during the 2-year follow-up. Jobs were coded using the Dictionary of Occupational Titles classification system. Match between initial job preferences and type of job obtained was the predictor variable. Outcomes included time to job start, job satisfaction, and job tenure on first job. Most occupational preferences were for clerical and service jobs, and most participants obtained employment in these two occupational domains. In most cases, the first job obtained matched a participant's occupational preference. The occupational matching hypothesis was not supported for any employment outcome. The occupational matching rate was similar in this study to previous studies. Most clients who obtain employment with the help of evidence-based supported employment or diversified placement services find jobs matching their occupational preference, and most often it is a rough match. Occupational matching is but one aspect of job matching; it may be time to discard actuarial classification systems such as the Dictionary of Occupational Titles as a basis for assessing job match.

Diversity of Salmonella isolates from central Florida surface waters.

PubMed

McEgan, Rachel; Chandler, Jeffrey C; Goodridge, Lawrence D; Danyluk, Michelle D

2014-11-01

Identification of Salmonella serotypes is important for understanding the environmental diversity of the genus Salmonella. This study evaluates the diversity of Salmonella isolates recovered from 165 of 202 Central Florida surface water samples and investigates whether the serotype of the environmental Salmonella isolates can be predicted by a previously published multiplex PCR assay (S. Kim, J. G. Frye, J. Hu, P. J. Fedorka-Cray, R. Gautom, and D. S. Boyle, J. Clin. Microbiol. 44:3608-3615, 2006, http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/JCM.00701-06). Multiplex PCR was performed on 562 Salmonella isolates (as many as 36 isolates per water sample) to predict serotypes. Kauffmann-White serogrouping was used to confirm multiplex PCR pattern groupings before isolates were serotyped, analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and assayed for antimicrobial susceptibility. In 41.2% of the Salmonella-positive water samples, all Salmonella isolates had identical multiplex PCR patterns; in the remaining 58.8%, two or more multiplex PCR patterns were identified. Within each sample, isolates with matching multiplex PCR patterns had matching serogroups. The multiplex patterns of 495 isolates (88.1%) did not match any previously reported pattern. The remaining 68 isolates matched reported patterns but did not match the serotypes for those patterns. The use of the multiplex PCR allowed the number of isolates requiring further analysis to be reduced to 223. Thirty-three Salmonella enterica serotypes were identified; the most frequent included serotypes Muenchen, Rubislaw, Anatum, Gaminara, and IV_50:z4,z23:-. A majority (141/223) of Salmonella isolates clustered into one genotypic group. Salmonella isolates in Central Florida surface waters are serotypically, genotypically, and phenotypically (in terms of antimicrobial susceptibility) diverse. While isolates could be grouped as different or potentially the same using multiplex PCR, the multiplex PCR pattern did not predict the Salmonella serotype. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Effects of computerized match-to-sample training on emergent fraction-decimal relations in individuals with fragile X syndrome.

PubMed

Hammond, Jennifer L; Hirt, Melissa; Hall, Scott S

2012-01-01

Individuals diagnosed with fragile X syndrome (FXS), the most common known form of inherited intellectual disability, are reported to exhibit considerable deficits in mathematical skills that are often attributed to brain-based abnormalities associated with the syndrome. We examined whether participants with FXS would display emergent fraction-decimal relations following brief, intensive match-to-sample training on baseline relations. The performance profiles on tests of symmetry and transitivity/equivalence of 11 participants with FXS, aged 10-23 years, following baseline match-to-sample training were compared to those of 11 age- and IQ-matched controls with idiopathic developmental disability. The results showed that both groups of participants showed significant improvements in the baseline (trained) relations, as expected. However, participants with FXS failed to show significant improvements in the (untrained) symmetry and transitivity/equivalence relations compared to those in the control group. A categorical analysis of the data indicated that five participants with FXS and eight controls showed at least "intermediate" emergence of symmetry relations, whereas one individual with FXS and three controls showed at least intermediate emergence of transitivity/equivalence relations. A correlation analysis of the data indicated that improvements in the symmetry relations were significantly associated with improvements in the transitivity/equivalence relations in the control group (r=.69, p=.018), but this was not the case in the FXS group (r=.34, p>.05). Participant IQ was significantly associated with improvements in the symmetry relations in individuals with FXS (r=.60, p=.049), but not in controls (r=.21, p>.05). Taken together, these results suggest that brief, computerized match-to-sample training may produce emergent mathematical relations for a subset of children with FXS and developmental disabilities. However, the ability of individuals with FXS to form transitivity/equivalence relations may be impaired relative to those with idiopathic developmental disabilities, which may be attributed to neurodevelopmental variables associated with the syndrome. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Diversity of Salmonella Isolates from Central Florida Surface Waters

PubMed Central

McEgan, Rachel; Chandler, Jeffrey C.; Goodridge, Lawrence D.

2014-01-01

Identification of Salmonella serotypes is important for understanding the environmental diversity of the genus Salmonella. This study evaluates the diversity of Salmonella isolates recovered from 165 of 202 Central Florida surface water samples and investigates whether the serotype of the environmental Salmonella isolates can be predicted by a previously published multiplex PCR assay (S. Kim, J. G. Frye, J. Hu, P. J. Fedorka-Cray, R. Gautom, and D. S. Boyle, J. Clin. Microbiol. 44:3608–3615, 2006, http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/JCM.00701-06). Multiplex PCR was performed on 562 Salmonella isolates (as many as 36 isolates per water sample) to predict serotypes. Kauffmann-White serogrouping was used to confirm multiplex PCR pattern groupings before isolates were serotyped, analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and assayed for antimicrobial susceptibility. In 41.2% of the Salmonella-positive water samples, all Salmonella isolates had identical multiplex PCR patterns; in the remaining 58.8%, two or more multiplex PCR patterns were identified. Within each sample, isolates with matching multiplex PCR patterns had matching serogroups. The multiplex patterns of 495 isolates (88.1%) did not match any previously reported pattern. The remaining 68 isolates matched reported patterns but did not match the serotypes for those patterns. The use of the multiplex PCR allowed the number of isolates requiring further analysis to be reduced to 223. Thirty-three Salmonella enterica serotypes were identified; the most frequent included serotypes Muenchen, Rubislaw, Anatum, Gaminara, and IV_50:z4,z23:−. A majority (141/223) of Salmonella isolates clustered into one genotypic group. Salmonella isolates in Central Florida surface waters are serotypically, genotypically, and phenotypically (in terms of antimicrobial susceptibility) diverse. While isolates could be grouped as different or potentially the same using multiplex PCR, the multiplex PCR pattern did not predict the Salmonella serotype. PMID:25172861

Joint histogram-based cost aggregation for stereo matching.

PubMed

Min, Dongbo; Lu, Jiangbo; Do, Minh N

2013-10-01

This paper presents a novel method for performing efficient cost aggregation in stereo matching. The cost aggregation problem is reformulated from the perspective of a histogram, giving us the potential to reduce the complexity of the cost aggregation in stereo matching significantly. Differently from previous methods which have tried to reduce the complexity in terms of the size of an image and a matching window, our approach focuses on reducing the computational redundancy that exists among the search range, caused by a repeated filtering for all the hypotheses. Moreover, we also reduce the complexity of the window-based filtering through an efficient sampling scheme inside the matching window. The tradeoff between accuracy and complexity is extensively investigated by varying the parameters used in the proposed method. Experimental results show that the proposed method provides high-quality disparity maps with low complexity and outperforms existing local methods. This paper also provides new insights into complexity-constrained stereo-matching algorithm design.

Research on sparse feature matching of improved RANSAC algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kong, Xiangsi; Zhao, Xian

2018-04-01

In this paper, a sparse feature matching method based on modified RANSAC algorithm is proposed to improve the precision and speed. Firstly, the feature points of the images are extracted using the SIFT algorithm. Then, the image pair is matched roughly by generating SIFT feature descriptor. At last, the precision of image matching is optimized by the modified RANSAC algorithm,. The RANSAC algorithm is improved from three aspects: instead of the homography matrix, this paper uses the fundamental matrix generated by the 8 point algorithm as the model; the sample is selected by a random block selecting method, which ensures the uniform distribution and the accuracy; adds sequential probability ratio test(SPRT) on the basis of standard RANSAC, which cut down the overall running time of the algorithm. The experimental results show that this method can not only get higher matching accuracy, but also greatly reduce the computation and improve the matching speed.

Reliability of conventional shade guides in teeth color determination.

PubMed

Todorović, Ana; Todorović, Aleksandar; Gostović, Aleksandra Spadijer; Lazić, Vojkan; Milicić, Biljana; Djurisić, Slobodan

2013-10-01

Color matching in prosthodontic therapy is a very important task because it influences the esthetic value of dental restorations. Visual shade matching represents the most frequently applied method in clinical practice. Instrumental measurements provide objective and quantified data in color assessment of natural teeth and restorations. In instrumental shade analysis, the goal is to achieve the smallest deltaE value possible, indicating the most accurate shade match. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of commercially available ceramic shade guides. VITA Easyshade spectrophotometer (VITA, Germany) was used for instrumental color determination. Utilizing this device, color samples of ten VITA Classical and ten VITA 3D - Master shade guides were analyzed. Each color sample from all shade guides was measured three times and the basic parameters of color quality were examined: deltaL, deltaC, deltaH, deltaE, deltaElc. Based on these parameters spectrophotometer marks the shade matching as good, fair or adjust. After performing 1,248 measurements of ceramic color samples, frequency of evaluations adjust, fair and good were statistically significantly different between VITA Classical and VITA 3D Master shade guides (p = 0.002). There were 27.1% cases scored as adjust, 66.3% as fair and 6.7% as good. In VITA 3D - Master shade guides 30.9% cases were evaluated as adjust, 66.4% as fair and 2.7% cases as good. Color samples from different shade guides, produced by the same manufacturer, show variability in basic color parameters, which once again proves the lack of precision and nonuniformity of the conventional method.

LLAMA: nuclear stellar properties of Swift-BAT AGN and matched inactive galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Ming-Yi; Davies, R. I.; Hicks, E. K. S.; Burtscher, L.; Contursi, A.; Genzel, R.; Koss, M.; Lutz, D.; Maciejewski, W.; Müller-Sánchez, F.; Orban de Xivry, G.; Ricci, C.; Riffel, R.; Riffel, R. A.; Rosario, D.; Schartmann, M.; Schnorr-Müller, A.; Shimizu, T.; Sternberg, A.; Sturm, E.; Storchi-Bergmann, T.; Tacconi, L.; Veilleux, S.

2018-02-01

In a complete sample of local 14-195 keV selected active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and inactive galaxies, matched by their host galaxy properties, we study the spatially resolved stellar kinematics and luminosity distributions at near-infrared wavelengths on scales of 10-150 pc, using SINFONI on the VLT. In this paper, we present the first half of the sample, which comprises 13 galaxies, eight AGNs and five inactive galaxies. The stellar velocity fields show a disc-like rotating pattern, for which the kinematic position angle is in agreement with the photometric position angle obtained from large scale images. For this set of galaxies, the stellar surface brightness of the inactive galaxy sample is generally comparable to the matched sample of AGN, but extends to lower surface brightness. After removal of the bulge contribution, we find a nuclear stellar light excess with an extended nuclear disc structure, which exhibits a size-luminosity relation. While we expect the excess luminosity to be associated with a dynamically cooler young stellar population, we do not typically see a matching drop in dispersion. This may be because these galaxies have pseudo-bulges in which the intrinsic dispersion increases towards the centre. And although the young stars may have an impact in the observed kinematics, their fraction is too small to dominate over the bulge and compensate the increase in dispersion at small radii, so no dispersion drop is seen. Finally, we find no evidence for a difference in the stellar kinematics and nuclear stellar luminosity excess between these active and inactive galaxies.

Prevalence Comparison of Past-year Mental Disorders and Suicidal Behaviours in the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian General Population

PubMed Central

Zamorski, Mark A.; Boulos, David; Garber, Bryan G.

2016-01-01

Objective: Military personnel in Canada and elsewhere have been found to have higher rates of certain mental disorders relative to their corresponding general populations. However, published Canadian data have only adjusted for age and sex differences between the populations. Additional differences in the sociodemographic composition, labour force characteristics, and childhood trauma exposure in the populations could be driving these prevalence differences. Our objective is to compare the prevalence of past-year mental disorders and suicidal behaviours in the Canadian Armed Forces Regular Force with the rates in a representative, matched sample of Canadians in the general population (CGP). Methods: Data sources were the 2013 Canadian Forces Mental Health Survey and the 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey–Mental Health. CGP sample was restricted to match the age range, employment status, and history of chronic conditions of Regular Force personnel. An iterative proportional fitting method was used to approximate the marginal distribution of sociodemographic and childhood trauma variables in both samples. Results: Relative to the matched CGP, Regular Force personnel had significantly higher rates of past-year major depressive episode, generalized anxiety disorder, and suicide ideation. However, lower rates of alcohol use disorder were seen in Regular Force personnel relative to the matched CGP sample. Conclusions: Factors other than differences in sociodemographic composition and history of childhood trauma account for the excess burden of mental disorders and suicidal behaviours in the Canadian Armed Forces. Explanations to explore in future research include occupational trauma, selection effects, and differences in the context of administration of the 2 surveys. PMID:27270741

Teaching Manual Signs to Adults With Mental Retardation Using Matching-to-Sample Procedures and Stimulus Equivalence

PubMed Central

Elias, Nassim Chamel; Goyos, Celso; Saunders, Muriel; Saunders, Richard

2008-01-01

The objective of this study was to teach manual signs through an automated matching-to-sample procedure and to test for the emergence of new conditional relations and imitative behaviors. Seven adults with mild to severe mental retardation participated. Four were also hearing impaired. Relations between manual signs (set A) and pictures (set B) were initially taught, followed by the training of corresponding printed words (set C) and pictures (set B). Further presentations of conditional discriminations tested for the emergence of AC, followed by tests for the emergence of imitative signing behavior (D) in the presence of either pictures (B) or printed words (C). Each stimulus set was comprised of 9 elements. The stimuli were still pictures, printed words, and dynamic presentations of manual signs. A pretest was conducted to determine which signs the participants could make pre-experimentally. Teaching was arranged in a multiple baseline design across 3 groups of 3 words each. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether participants would emit manual signs in expressive signs tests as a result of observation (video modeling) during match-to-sample training in the absence of explicit training. Five of the 7 subjects passed tests of emergence and emitted at least 50% of the signs. Two were hearing impaired with signing experience, and 3 were not hearing impaired and had no signing experience. Thus, observation of video recorded manual signs in a matching-to-sample training procedure was effective at establishing some signs by adults with mental retardation. PMID:22477400

Matching native electrical stimulation by graded chemical stimulation in isolated mouse adrenal chromaffin cells.

PubMed

Fulop, Tiberiu; Smith, Corey

2007-11-30

Adrenal chromaffin cells release multiple transmitters in response to sympathetic stimulation. Modest cell firing, matching sympathetic tone, releases small freely soluble catecholamines. Elevated electrical firing rates matching input under sympathetic stress results in release of catecholamines as well as semi-soluble vaso- and neuro-active peptides packaged within the dense core of the secretory granule. This activity-dependent differential transmitter release has been shown to rely on a mechanistic shift in the mode of exocytosis through the regulated dilation of the secretory fusion pore between granule and cell surface membranes. However, biochemical description of the mechanism regulating fusion pore dilation remains elusive. In the experimental setting, electrical stimulation designed to mimic sympathetic input, is achieved through single-cell voltage-clamp. While precise, this approach is incompatible with biochemical and proteomic analysis, both of which require large sample sizes. We address this limitation in the current study. We describe a bulk chemical stimulation paradigm calibrated to match defined electrical activity. We utilize calcium and single-cell amperometric measurements to match extracellular potassium concentrations to physiological electrical stimulation under sympathetic tone as well as acute stress conditions. This approach provides larger samples of uniformly stimulated cells for determining molecular players in activity-dependent differential transmitter release from adrenal chromaffin cells.

Matching a Distribution by Matching Quantiles Estimation

PubMed Central

Sgouropoulos, Nikolaos; Yao, Qiwei; Yastremiz, Claudia

2015-01-01

Motivated by the problem of selecting representative portfolios for backtesting counterparty credit risks, we propose a matching quantiles estimation (MQE) method for matching a target distribution by that of a linear combination of a set of random variables. An iterative procedure based on the ordinary least-squares estimation (OLS) is proposed to compute MQE. MQE can be easily modified by adding a LASSO penalty term if a sparse representation is desired, or by restricting the matching within certain range of quantiles to match a part of the target distribution. The convergence of the algorithm and the asymptotic properties of the estimation, both with or without LASSO, are established. A measure and an associated statistical test are proposed to assess the goodness-of-match. The finite sample properties are illustrated by simulation. An application in selecting a counterparty representative portfolio with a real dataset is reported. The proposed MQE also finds applications in portfolio tracking, which demonstrates the usefulness of combining MQE with LASSO. PMID:26692592

The Interferometric Measurement of Phase Mismatch in Potential Second Harmonic Generators.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinofsky, Edward Lawrence

This dissertation combines aspects of lasers, nonlinear optics and interferometry to measure the linear optical properties involved in phase matched second harmonic generation, (SHG). A new measuring technique has been developed to rapidly analyze the phase matching performance of potential SHGs. The data taken is in the form of interferograms produced by the self referencing nonlinear Fizeau interferometer (NLF), and correctly predicts when phase matched SHG will occur in the sample wedge. Data extracted from the interferograms produced by the NLF, allows us to predict both phase matching temperatures for noncritically phase matchable crystals and crystal orientation for angle tuned crystals. Phase matching measurements can be made for both Type I and Type II configurations. Phase mismatch measurements were made at the fundamental wavelength of 1.32 (mu)m, for: calcite, lithium niobate, and gadolinium molybdate (GMO). Similar measurements were made at 1.06 (mu)m. for calcite. Phase matched SHG was demonstrated in calcite, lithium niobate and KTP, while phase matching by temperature tuning is ruled out for GMO.

The vocabulary profile of Slovak children with primary language impairment compared to typically developing Slovak children measured by LITMUS-CLT.

PubMed

Kapalková, Svetlana; Slančová, Daniela

2017-01-01

This study compared a sample of children with primary language impairment (PLI) and typically developing age-matched children using the crosslinguistic lexical tasks (CLT-SK). We also compared the PLI children with typically developing language-matched younger children who were matched on the basis of receptive vocabulary. Overall, statistical testing showed that the vocabulary of the PLI children was significantly different from the vocabulary of the age-matched children, but not statistically different from the younger children who were matched on the basis of their receptive vocabulary size. Qualitative analysis of the correct answers revealed that the PLI children showed higher rigidity compared to the younger language-matched children who are able to use more synonyms or derivations across word class in naming tasks. Similarly, an examination of the children's naming errors indicated that the language-matched children exhibited more semantic errors, whereas PLI children showed more associative errors.

Maladaptive Personality and Neuropsychological Features of Highly Relationally Aggressive Adolescent Girls

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Savage, Michael; DiBiase, Anne-Marie

2016-01-01

The maladaptive personality and neuropsychological features of highly relationally aggressive females were examined in a group of 30 grade 6, 7, and 8 girls and group-matched controls. Employing a multistage cluster sampling procedure, a group of highly, yet almost exclusively, relationally aggressive females were identified and matched on a…

The Adaptation and Validation of the Emotion Matching Task for Preschool Children in Spain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alonso-Alberca, Natalia; Vergara, Ana I.; Fernandez-Berrocal, Pablo; Johnson, Stacy R.; Izard, Carroll E.

2012-01-01

The Emotion Matching Task (EMT; Izard, Haskins, Schultz, Trentacosta, & King, 2003) was developed to assess emotion knowledge in preschoolers and was demonstrated to show adequate convergent and predictive validity in an American sample (Morgan, Izard, & King, 2010). In light of the need for valid measures for assessing emotion…

A Computer-Based Program to Teach Braille Reading to Sighted Individuals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scheithauer, Mindy C.; Tiger, Jeffrey H.

2012-01-01

Instructors of the visually impaired need efficient braille-training methods. This study conducted a preliminary evaluation of a computer-based program intended to teach the relation between braille characters and English letters using a matching-to-sample format with 4 sighted college students. Each participant mastered matching visual depictions…

A Sorting-to-Matching Method to Teach Compound Matching to Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farber, Rachel S.; Dube, William V.; Dickson, Chata A.

2016-01-01

Individuals with developmental disabilities may fail to attend to multiple features in compound stimuli (e.g., arrays of pictures, letters within words) with detrimental effects on learning. Participants were 5 children with autism spectrum disorder who had low to intermediate accuracy scores (35% to 84%) on a computer-presented compound matching…

Associative Symmetry, Antisymmetry, and a Theory of Pigeons' Equivalence-Class Formation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Urcuioli, Peter J.

2008-01-01

Five experiments assessed associative symmetry in pigeons. In Experiments 1A, 1B and 2, pigeons learned two-alternative symbolic matching with identical sample- and comparison-response requirements and with matching stimuli appearing in all possible locations. Despite controlling for the nature of the functional stimuli and insuring all requisite…

Verbal Counting Moderates Perceptual Biases Found in Children's Cardinality Judgments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Posid, Tasha; Cordes, Sara

2015-01-01

A crucial component of numerical understanding is one's ability to abstract numerical properties regardless of varying perceptual attributes. Evidence from numerical match-to-sample tasks suggests that children find it difficult to match sets based on number in the face of varying perceptual attributes, yet it is unclear whether these findings are…

Control of preference in children by conditioned positive reinforcement.

PubMed

Favell, J E; Favell, J E

1972-07-01

A preference measure was employed with children to evaluate the conditioned positive reinforcing function of a stimulus that preceded reinforcement. A match-to-sample procedure was arranged in which subjects could respond to either the form or color dimension of a compound sample stimulus. Intermittent token reinforcement was provided equally for color and form matches. Two stimuli were employed (Stimulus A and Stimulus B), each consisting of a distinctive tone and colored light. One of these stimuli (the paired stimulus) preceded each token delivery, and the other did not (nonpaired stimulus). The paired stimulus was dependent upon each response to one match dimension, and the nonpaired stimulus followed each response to the other dimension. Three of the five subjects responded primarily to the dimension that was followed by the paired stimulus. This effect was obtained regardless of which stimulus (A or B) was paired and on which match dimension (color or form) the paired stimulus was dependent. These results were unaltered by discontinuing the nonpaired stimulus. The other two subjects demonstrated consistent preferences for the form dimension and Stimulus A, respectively.

DNA Identification of Skeletal Remains from World War II Mass Graves Uncovered in Slovenia

PubMed Central

Marjanović, Damir; Durmić-Pašić, Adaleta; Bakal, Narcisa; Haverić, Sanin; Kalamujić, Belma; Kovačević, Lejla; Ramić, Jasmin; Pojskić, Naris; Škaro, Vedrana; Projić, Petar; Bajrović, Kasim; Hadžiselimović, Rifat; Drobnič, Katja; Huffine, Ed; Davoren, Jon; Primorac, Dragan

2007-01-01

Aim To present the joint effort of three institutions in the identification of human remains from the World War II found in two mass graves in the area of Škofja Loka, Slovenia. Methods The remains of 27 individuals were found in two small and closely located mass graves. The DNA was isolated from bone and teeth samples using either standard phenol/chloroform alcohol extraction or optimized Qiagen DNA extraction procedure. Some recovered samples required the employment of additional DNA purification methods, such as N-buthanol treatment. QuantifilerTM Human DNA Quantification Kit was used for DNA quantification. PowerPlex 16 kit was used to simultaneously amplify 15 short tandem repeat (STR) loci. Matching probabilities were estimated using the DNA View program. Results Out of all processed samples, 15 remains were fully profiled at all 15 STR loci. The other 12 profiles were partial. The least successful profile included 13 loci. Also, 69 referent samples (buccal swabs) from potential living relatives were collected and profiled. Comparison of victims' profile against referent samples database resulted in 4 strong matches. In addition, 5 other profiles were matched to certain referent samples with lower probability. Conclusion Our results show that more than 6 decades after the end of the World War II, DNA analysis may significantly contribute to the identification of the remains from that period. Additional analysis of Y-STRs and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) markers will be performed in the second phase of the identification project. PMID:17696306

DNA methylation markers for diagnosis and prognosis of common cancers

PubMed Central

Hao, Xiaoke; Luo, Huiyan; Krawczyk, Michal; Wei, Wei; Wang, Wenqiu; Wang, Juan; Flagg, Ken; Hou, Jiayi; Zhang, Heng; Yi, Shaohua; Jafari, Maryam; Lin, Danni; Chung, Christopher; Caughey, Bennett A.; Li, Gen; Dhar, Debanjan; Shi, William; Zheng, Lianghong; Hou, Rui; Zhu, Jie; Zhao, Liang; Fu, Xin; Zhang, Edward; Zhang, Charlotte; Zhu, Jian-Kang; Karin, Michael; Xu, Rui-Hua; Zhang, Kang

2017-01-01

The ability to identify a specific cancer using minimally invasive biopsy holds great promise for improving the diagnosis, treatment selection, and prediction of prognosis in cancer. Using whole-genome methylation data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and machine learning methods, we evaluated the utility of DNA methylation for differentiating tumor tissue and normal tissue for four common cancers (breast, colon, liver, and lung). We identified cancer markers in a training cohort of 1,619 tumor samples and 173 matched adjacent normal tissue samples. We replicated our findings in a separate TCGA cohort of 791 tumor samples and 93 matched adjacent normal tissue samples, as well as an independent Chinese cohort of 394 tumor samples and 324 matched adjacent normal tissue samples. The DNA methylation analysis could predict cancer versus normal tissue with more than 95% accuracy in these three cohorts, demonstrating accuracy comparable to typical diagnostic methods. This analysis also correctly identified 29 of 30 colorectal cancer metastases to the liver and 32 of 34 colorectal cancer metastases to the lung. We also found that methylation patterns can predict prognosis and survival. We correlated differential methylation of CpG sites predictive of cancer with expression of associated genes known to be important in cancer biology, showing decreased expression with increased methylation, as expected. We verified gene expression profiles in a mouse model of hepatocellular carcinoma. Taken together, these findings demonstrate the utility of methylation biomarkers for the molecular characterization of cancer, with implications for diagnosis and prognosis. PMID:28652331

The disruptive effects of methamphetamine on delayed-matching-to-sample performance reflect proactive interference and are reduced by SCH23390.

PubMed

Macaskill, Anne C; Harrow, Catherine C; Harper, David N

2015-01-01

Different drugs produce different patterns of impairment on delayed matching-to-sample tasks. For example, (+/-)3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) produces an increase in proactive interference. That is, subjects are less accurate when they are required to make a response different to the one they made on the immediately previous trial. The current study assessed whether methamphetamine also produces this particular pattern of disruption in delayed matching-to-sample performance in rats. Methamphetamine primarily reduced accuracy on trials where the correct response differed from the one made on the previous trial. Thus methamphetamine, like MDMA and other stimulant-based drugs of abuse, increased proactive interference. This impairment was reduced by prior administration of the dopamine D1 antagonist SCH23390. These results further extend a general conclusion that a range of stimulant-based drugs may disrupt working memory function indirectly via a tendency to repeat previously made responses and that this disruption is related to D1 receptor activity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Changes in creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase and aspartate aminotransferase in saliva samples after an intense exercise: a pilot study.

PubMed

Barranco, Tomas; Tvarijonaviciute, Asta; Tecles, Fernando; Carrillo, Jose M; Sánchez-Resalt, Cristina; Jimenez-Reyes, Pedro; Rubio, Monica; García-Balletbó, Monserrat; Cerón, Jose J; Cugat, Ramon

2018-06-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in the enzymes creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in saliva before and after an intense exercise consisting of a futsal match. CK, LDH and AST were analyzed in saliva and serum samples of eleven, injury-free, amateur young men before and 30 minutes, 12 hours and 36 hours after a futsal match. A significant increase in CK, LDH and AST was observed after the game in serum samples. In saliva, although a high interindividual variability was found with some individuals no showing increases, significant increases in CK and LDH were observed after the game. No significant changes were observed in saliva AST after the game. Our study showed for first time that CK and LDH can increase in saliva after an intensive exercise consisting on a futsal match. Results suggest that measurements of CK and LDH in saliva could be potentially used to evaluate possible muscle stress or damage in cases of intensive exercise.

Psychophysics of remembering.

PubMed Central

White, K G; Wixted, J T

1999-01-01

We present a new model of remembering in the context of conditional discrimination. For procedures such as delayed matching to sample, the effect of the sample stimuli at the time of remembering is represented by a pair of Thurstonian (normal) distributions of effective stimulus values. The critical assumption of the model is that, based on prior experience, each effective stimulus value is associated with a ratio of reinforcers obtained for previous correct choices of the comparison stimuli. That ratio determines the choice that is made on the basis of the matching law. The standard deviations of the distributions are assumed to increase with increasing retention-interval duration, and the distance between their means is assumed to be a function of other factors that influence overall difficulty of the discrimination. It is a behavioral model in that choice is determined by its reinforcement history. The model predicts that the biasing effects of the reinforcer differential increase with decreasing discriminability and with increasing retention-interval duration. Data from several conditions using a delayed matching-to-sample procedure with pigeons support the predictions. PMID:10028693

Salivary alpha-amylase, salivary cortisol, and anxiety during a youth taekwondo championship: An observational study.

PubMed

Capranica, Laura; Condello, Giancarlo; Tornello, Francesco; Iona, Teresa; Chiodo, Salvatore; Valenzano, Anna; De Rosas, Mario; Messina, Giovanni; Tessitore, Antonio; Cibelli, Giuseppe

2017-07-01

The aim of this study was to assess the stress-related responses and the coach's capability to match perceived efforts of youth athletes during a taekwondo championship.Using a cross-sectional study design, salivary cortisol (sC) and alpha-amylase (sAA) were measured in 6 males and 3 females young (11.0 ± 0.9 years) athletes at awakening, 5 minutes before, and 1 minute and 30 minutes after official combats. State anxiety was recorded 60 minutes before the first competition, whereas coach's and athletes' ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were obtained at the end of the combats. Time-matched (awakening and pre-competition) salivary samples and trait anxiety were collected 7-day postcompetition during a resting day.No effect for match outcome emerged. No difference emerged between athletes and coach RPEs. Higher (P = .03) state anxiety (41.6 ± 10.9 points) was shown than trait anxiety (34.8 ± 7.1 points). Time-matched sAA were similar. Peak sAA observed at the end of the combat (114.2 ± 108.1 U/mL) was higher (P < .01) than the other samples (range: 20.6-48.1 U/mL), whereas sC increased (P < .05) from awakening (8.0 ± 1.5 nmol/L), with peak levels observed at 30 minutes into the recovery phase (19.3 ± 4.3 nmol/L). Furthermore, pre-competition sC (16.5 ± 4.5 nmol/L) values were higher (P < .01) with respect to time-matched samples during the resting day (4.6 ± 1.0 nmol/L). The 3 athletes engaged in consecutive matches showed a tendency toward increasing sAA and sC.Taekwondo combats pose a high stress on young athletes, eliciting a fast reactivity of the sympathetic-adreno-medullary system relative to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical system. Understanding the athlete's efforts during combats, coaches are recommended to apply effective recovery strategies between matches.

Salivary alpha-amylase, salivary cortisol, and anxiety during a youth taekwondo championship

PubMed Central

Capranica, Laura; Condello, Giancarlo; Tornello, Francesco; Iona, Teresa; Chiodo, Salvatore; Valenzano, Anna; De Rosas, Mario; Messina, Giovanni; Tessitore, Antonio; Cibelli, Giuseppe

2017-01-01

Abstract The aim of this study was to assess the stress-related responses and the coach's capability to match perceived efforts of youth athletes during a taekwondo championship. Using a cross-sectional study design, salivary cortisol (sC) and alpha-amylase (sAA) were measured in 6 males and 3 females young (11.0 ± 0.9 years) athletes at awakening, 5 minutes before, and 1 minute and 30 minutes after official combats. State anxiety was recorded 60 minutes before the first competition, whereas coach's and athletes’ ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were obtained at the end of the combats. Time-matched (awakening and pre-competition) salivary samples and trait anxiety were collected 7-day postcompetition during a resting day. No effect for match outcome emerged. No difference emerged between athletes and coach RPEs. Higher (P = .03) state anxiety (41.6 ± 10.9 points) was shown than trait anxiety (34.8 ± 7.1 points). Time-matched sAA were similar. Peak sAA observed at the end of the combat (114.2 ± 108.1 U/mL) was higher (P < .01) than the other samples (range: 20.6–48.1 U/mL), whereas sC increased (P < .05) from awakening (8.0 ± 1.5 nmol/L), with peak levels observed at 30 minutes into the recovery phase (19.3 ± 4.3 nmol/L). Furthermore, pre-competition sC (16.5 ± 4.5 nmol/L) values were higher (P < .01) with respect to time-matched samples during the resting day (4.6 ± 1.0 nmol/L). The 3 athletes engaged in consecutive matches showed a tendency toward increasing sAA and sC. Taekwondo combats pose a high stress on young athletes, eliciting a fast reactivity of the sympathetic-adreno-medullary system relative to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical system. Understanding the athlete's efforts during combats, coaches are recommended to apply effective recovery strategies between matches. PMID:28700470

Comparative study on the effect of chemicals on Alternaria blight in Indian mustard--a multi-location study in India.

PubMed

Meena, P D; Chattopadhyay, C; Kumar, A; Awasthi, R P; Singh, R; Kaur, S; Thomas, L; Goyal, P; Chand, P

2011-05-01

High severity of Altemaria blight disease is a major constraint in production of rapeseed-mustard in India. The aim of this study was to investigate the suppressive potential of chemicals viz., zinc sulphate, borax, sulphur, potash and calcium sulphate, aqueous extracts viz., Eucalyptus globosus (50 g l-1) leaf extract and garlic (Allium sativum) bulb (20 g l-1) extract, cow urine and bio-agents Trichoderma harzianum, Pseudomonas fluorescence in comparison with the recommended chemical fungicide (mancozeb), against foliar disease Alternaria blight of Indian mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. and Coss] under five different geographical locations of India. Mancozeb recorded the lowest mean severity (leaf: 33.1%; pod: 26.3%) of Alternaria blight with efficacy of garlic bulb extract alone (leaf = 34.4%; pod = 27.3%) or in combination with cow urine (leaf = 34.2%; pod = 28.6%) being statistically at par with the recommended chemical fungicide. Chemicals also proved effective in reducing Alternaria blight severity on leaves and pods of Indian mustard (leaf = 36.3-37.9%; pod = 27.5-30.1%). The effective treatments besides providing significant reduction in disease severity also enabled increase in dry seed yield of the crop (mancozeb = 2052 kg ha-1; garlic = 2006 kg ha-1; control = 1561 kg ha-1).

Chemiluminescence assay for the detection of biological warfare agents

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Langry, K; Horn, J

A chemiluminescent homogeneous immunoassay and a hand-size multiassay reader are described that could be used for detecting biological materials. The special feature of the assay is that it employs two different antibodies that each bind to a unique epitope on the same antigen. Each group of epitope-specific antibodies has linked to it an enzyme of a proximal-enzyme pair. One enzyme of the pair utilizes a substrate in high concentration to produce a second substrate required by the second enzyme. This new substrate enables the second enzyme to function. The reaction of the second enzyme is configured to produce light. Thismore » chemiluminescence is detected with a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera. The proximal pair enzymes must be in close proximity to one another to allow the second enzyme to react with the product of the first enzyme. This only occurs when the enzyme-linked antibodies are attached to the antigen, whether antigen is a single protein with multiple epitopes or the surface of a cell with a variety of different antigens. As a result of their juxtaposition, the enzymes produce light only in the presence of the biological material. A brief description is given as to how this assay could be utilized in a personal bio-agent detector system.« less

A marine algicidal actinomycete and its active substance against the harmful algal bloom species Phaeocystis globosa.

PubMed

Zheng, Xiaowei; Zhang, Bangzhou; Zhang, Jinlong; Huang, Liping; Lin, Jing; Li, Xinyi; Zhou, Yanyan; Wang, Hui; Yang, Xiaoru; Su, Jianqiang; Tian, Yun; Zheng, Tianling

2013-10-01

A strain O4-6, which had pronounced algicidal effects to the harmful algal bloom causing alga Phaeocystis globosa, was isolated from mangrove sediments in the Yunxiao Mangrove National Nature Reserve, Fujian, China. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence and morphological characteristics, the isolate was found to be phylogenetically related to the genus Streptomyces and identified as Streptomyces malaysiensis O4-6. Heat stability, pH tolerance, molecular weight range and aqueous solubility were tested to characterize the algicidal compound secreted from O4-6. Results showed that the algicidal activity of this compound was not heat stable and not affected by pH changes. Residue extracted from the supernatant of O4-6 fermentation broth by ethyl acetate, was purified by Sephadex LH-20 column and silica gel column chromatography before further structure determination. Chemical structure of the responsible compound, named NIG355, was illustrated based on quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (Q-TOF-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra. And this compound showed a stronger algicidal activity compared with other reported algicides. Furthermore, this article represents the first report of an algicide against P. globosa, and the compound may be potentially used as a bio-agent for controlling harmful algal blooms.

AC electrothermal mixing for high conductive biofluids by arc-electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meng, Jiyu; Li, Shanshan; Li, Junwei; Yu, Chengzhuang; Wei, Chunyang; Dai, Shijie

2018-06-01

As a platform to mix the bioagents (i.e. serum, urine), we take advantage of the alternating current electrothermal (ACET) effect which is quite suitable for rapid pumping/mixing of high conductive biomicrofluids. Here we demonstrate the concept of a high-efficient mixing microfluidic chip as a basic unit to provide rapid mixing for lab-on-a-chip applications. As an active mixer, two streams are introduced into a ring-shape microchamber by a passive flow rate regulator, and then the microfluids in the chamber are actuated by a nonuniform electric field with a phase shift of 180°. It shows perfect mixing performance by arranging four arc-electrodes around the ring-shape microchamber subsequently. Taking the Joule heating and conductivity/permittivity changes into consideration, a temperature dependent fully coupled numerical model is presented. Then, the effects of applied voltages on mixing performance and temperature rise are provided to get an optimized design for ACET mixer. Moreover, the arrangement of the electrode array is analyzed to show the effects of electrode patterns on the swirls and mixing efficiencies. Since all the electrodes here are located along a ring-shape central microchamber, the ring-shape micromixer is quite suitable to function as a compact element modular for integrated microfluidic chips.

A novel serine protease, Sep1, from Bacillus firmus DS-1 has nematicidal activity and degrades multiple intestinal-associated nematode proteins.

PubMed

Geng, Ce; Nie, Xiangtao; Tang, Zhichao; Zhang, Yuyang; Lin, Jian; Sun, Ming; Peng, Donghai

2016-04-27

Plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) cause serious harm to agricultural production. Bacillus firmus shows excellent control of PPNs and has been produced as a commercial nematicide. However, its nematicidal factors and mechanisms are still unknown. In this study, we showed that B. firmus strain DS-1 has high toxicity against Meloidogyne incognita and soybean cyst nematode. We sequenced the whole genome of DS-1 and identified multiple potential virulence factors. We then focused on a peptidase S8 superfamily protein called Sep1 and demonstrated that it had toxicity against the nematodes Caenorhabditis elegans and M. incognita. The Sep1 protein exhibited serine protease activity and degraded the intestinal tissues of nematodes. Thus, the Sep1 protease of B. firmus is a novel biocontrol factor with activity against a root-knot nematode. We then used C. elegans as a model to elucidate the nematicidal mechanism of Sep1, and the results showed that Sep1 could degrade multiple intestinal and cuticle-associated proteins and destroyed host physical barriers. The knowledge gained in our study will lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms of B. firmus against PPNs and will aid in the development of novel bio-agents with increased efficacy for controlling PPNs.

A Robust False Matching Points Detection Method for Remote Sensing Image Registration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shan, X. J.; Tang, P.

2015-04-01

Given the influences of illumination, imaging angle, and geometric distortion, among others, false matching points still occur in all image registration algorithms. Therefore, false matching points detection is an important step in remote sensing image registration. Random Sample Consensus (RANSAC) is typically used to detect false matching points. However, RANSAC method cannot detect all false matching points in some remote sensing images. Therefore, a robust false matching points detection method based on Knearest- neighbour (K-NN) graph (KGD) is proposed in this method to obtain robust and high accuracy result. The KGD method starts with the construction of the K-NN graph in one image. K-NN graph can be first generated for each matching points and its K nearest matching points. Local transformation model for each matching point is then obtained by using its K nearest matching points. The error of each matching point is computed by using its transformation model. Last, L matching points with largest error are identified false matching points and removed. This process is iterative until all errors are smaller than the given threshold. In addition, KGD method can be used in combination with other methods, such as RANSAC. Several remote sensing images with different resolutions and terrains are used in the experiment. We evaluate the performance of KGD method, RANSAC + KGD method, RANSAC, and Graph Transformation Matching (GTM). The experimental results demonstrate the superior performance of the KGD and RANSAC + KGD methods.

The trade balance of grooming and its coordination of reciprocation and tolerance in Indonesian long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis).

PubMed

Gumert, Michael D; Ho, Moon-Ho R

2008-07-01

We collected data on grooming, proximity, and aggression in long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) in Kalimantan, Indonesia. We used this data to study how grooming influenced a receiver's (B) behavior towards the bout's initiator (A). In our first analysis, post-grooming samples were collected after A groomed B. These were compared to matched-control samples of similar conditions but A had not previously groomed B. This comparison was performed on 26 individuals (16 female, 3 male, 7 immature) and tested whether A's initial act of grooming increased the pair's time in proximity and the amount of time B groomed A. We also tested if A's grooming decreased B's aggression towards A per time in proximity. Rates of B-->A aggression per time in proximity with A for 39 individuals (18 female, 5 male, 16 immature) were compared between post-grooming and focal sample data. Finally, we studied 248 grooming bouts to test if the first two grooming episodes were time matched. We assessed the influence of age, sex, rank and inferred kinship on time matching, and controlled for individual variation and tendency to groom using a general linear mixed model. Our results showed that A-->B grooming acted to increase B-->A grooming and the pair's proximity, while lowering B-->A aggression. Despite these effects, episodes in grooming bouts were generally not matched, except weakly among similar partners (i.e., female pairs and immature pairs). Grooming imbalance was greatest across age-sex class (i.e., male-female and adult-immature pairs). In similar pairs, grooming duration was skewed in favor of high-ranking individuals. We conclude grooming established tolerance and increased the likelihood that grooming reciprocation would occur, but grooming durations were not typically matched within bouts. Lack of time matching may be the result of grooming that is performed to coordinate interchanges of other social services.

Optical clearing of skin using flash lamp-induced enhancement of epidermal permeability.

PubMed

Tuchin, V V; Altshuler, G B; Gavrilova, A A; Pravdin, A B; Tabatadze, D; Childs, J; Yaroslavsky, I V

2006-10-01

Strong light scattering in skin prevents precise targeting of optical energy in therapeutic and diagnostic applications. Optical immersion based on matching refractive index of scattering centers with that of surrounding matter through introduction of an exogenous index-matching agent can alleviate the problem. However, slow diffusion of the index-matching agent through skin barrier makes practical implementation of this approach difficult. We propose a method of accelerating penetration of the index-matching compounds by enhancing skin permeability through creating a lattice of micro-zones (islets) of limited thermal damage in the stratum corneum (SC). A flash lamp (intense pulsed light) system and an island mask with a pattern of absorbing centers (center size approximately 75-120 microm, lattice pitch approximately 450-500 microm) were used to create the lattice of islets of damage (LID). Index-matching agents, such as glucose solution, propylene glycol solution, and glycerol solution, were applied. Experimental results of optical clearing ex vivo rat and pig skin, and ex vivo and in vivo human skin are presented. Optical transmission spectra of the skin samples with LID were measured during some 2 hours after application of index-matching chemical agents. In order to assess and compare the clearing rate under different treatment and clearing agents we calculated the quantity that we call "relative transmittance": T(rel) = I(t)(lambda)/I(0)(lambda), were I(t)(lambda) is the intensity measured at elapsed time t. The dynamics of relative transmittance of skin samples at 470 and 650 nm shows that the implementation of limited thermal damage technique leads to a 3-10-fold increase of optical clearing (rise of transmittance) rate compared to the results obtained when the samples were treated with high-intensity light pulses but without the use of island damage mask (IDM). It was observed from the plotted spectra of relative transmittance that the maximum increase of transmitted light intensity has been obtained with glucose solution as a clearing agent. Noteworthy is the difference in the trend of spectral curves: relative transmittance spectrum for glycerol reveals, on the whole, a greater slope which may be indicative of higher extent of index matching between the scattering centers and base material for this index-matching agent. Under the transillumination of the skin sample by the wide flat beam the more effective clearing (the increase of transmitted intensity) is attained within the hemoglobin absorption bands; with the narrow quasi-collimated beam the higher relative transmittance was observed over the intervals of minimum absorption. The use of specially designed island mask combined with non-laser intensive pulse irradiation produces a lattice of islands of limited thermal damage in SC that substantially enhances the penetration rate of topically applied index-matching agents. The suggested technique gave comparable magnitudes of clearing dynamics enhancement for glucose solution, glycerol solution, and propylene glycol solution applied to mammalian skin.

The Critical Importance of Data Reduction Calibrations in the Interpretability of S-type Asteroid Spectra

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gaffey, Michael J.

2005-01-01

There is significant dispute concerning the interpretation and meteoritic affinities of S-type asteroids. Some of this arises from the use of inappropriate analysis methods and the derivation of conclusions which cannot be supported by those interpretive methodologies [1]. The most frequently applied inappropriate technique is curve matching. Whether matching spectra from a spectral library or mixing end-member spectra to match the asteroid spectrum, curve matching for S-type spectra suffers from a suite of weaknesses that are virtually impossible to overcome. Chief among these is the lack of a comprehensive comparison set. Lacking a complete library that includes both the mineralogical variations and the spectrally significant physical variations (e.g., particle size, petrographic relationships, etc.), curve matches are plagued with potential unresolved ambiguities. The other major weakness of virtually all curve matching efforts is that equal weight is given to matching all portions of the spectrum. In actuality, some portions of the spectrum (e.g., centers of absorption features) must be matched very accurately while other portions of the spectrum (e.g., continuum regions and overall slopes) do not require good matches since they are strongly effected by parameters unrelated to the mineralogy of the sample.

A functional analysis of photo-object matching skills of severely retarded adolescents.

PubMed

Dixon, L S

1981-01-01

Matching-to-sample procedures were used to assess picture representation skills of severely retarded, nonverbal adolescents. Identity matching within the classes of objects and life-size, full-color photos of the objects was first used to assess visual discrimination, a necessary condition for picture representation. Picture representation was then assessed through photo-object matching tasks. Five students demonstrated visual discrimination (identity matching) within the two classes of photos and the objects. Only one student demonstrated photo-object matching. The results of the four students who failed to demonstrate photo-object matching suggested that physical properties of photos (flat, rectangular) and depth dimensions of objects may exert more control over matching than the similarities of the objects and images within the photos. An analysis of figure-ground variables was conducted to provide an empirical basis for program development in the use of pictures. In one series of tests, rectangular shape and background were removed by cutting out the figures in the photos. The edge shape of the photo and the edge shape of the image were then identical. The results suggest that photo-object matching may be facilitated by using cut-out figures rather than the complete rectangular photo.

Observing Behavior and Atypically Restricted Stimulus Control

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dube, William V.; Dickson, Chata A.; Balsamo, Lyn M.; O'Donnell, Kristin Lombard; Tomanari, Gerson Y.; Farren, Kevin M.; Wheeler, Emily E.; McIlvane, William J.

2010-01-01

Restricted stimulus control refers to discrimination learning with atypical limitations in the range of controlling stimuli or stimulus features. In the study reported here, 4 normally capable individuals and 10 individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) performed two-sample delayed matching to sample. Sample-stimulus observing was recorded…

Comparison of outcomes and other variables between conference abstracts and subsequent peer-reviewed papers involving pre-harvest or abattoir-level interventions against foodborne pathogens.

PubMed

Snedeker, Kate G; Campbell, Mollie; Totton, Sarah C; Guthrie, Alessia; Sargeant, Jan M

2010-11-01

Accuracy in the reporting of studies in conference abstracts is important because the majority of studies in such abstracts are never further detailed in peer-reviewed publications, and data from such abstracts may be used in systematic reviews. Previous research on interventional studies in human biomedicine indicates that there is no guarantee of consistency between a conference abstract and paper in the reporting of results and other key variables. However, no research has been done to determine if this lack of reporting consistency in abstracts and papers extends to interventional studies in pre-harvest/harvest-level food safety. The goal of this study was to compare outcome results and other key variables between conference abstracts and subsequent peer-reviewed publications describing studies of pre-harvest and abattoir-level interventions against foodborne pathogens, and to determine whether the agreement in the results or key variables was associated with the time to full publication. A systematic search identified 59 conference abstracts with matching peer-reviewed papers (matches), and data on variables including outcome measures and results, pathogens, species, interventions, overall efficacy of intervention, sample size and housing were extracted from both the conference abstracts and the papers. The matching of variables between abstracts and papers was described, and logistic regression used to test for associations between variable matching and time to publication. Sample size was only provided for both abstract and paper in 24 matches; the same sample size was reported in 20 of these matches. Most other variables were reported in the majority of abstracts/papers, and with the exception of outcomes and intervention effect, the reporting of variables was relatively consistent. There was no significant difference in the numbers of authors, with the first author the same in 78.3% of matches. Of 231 outcome measures reported in both abstracts and papers, nearly one third (77% or 32.2%) had different results, with 32 changing direction of effect. More than a quarter of matches involved at least one significant change in outcome result. The overall conclusion on the efficacy of the intervention changed in 10.7% of matches. There was a significant association between increased time to publication and differences in the number of authors, and having fewer outcome measures in the abstract reported in the paper. These results suggest that data from conference abstracts should be considered with caution. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Monitoring the impact of human papillomavirus vaccines on high-grade pre-invasive cervical lesions: designing a framework of linked immunization information system and cancer registry data in Michigan.

PubMed

Potter, Rachel C; Flagg, Elaine W; Datta, S Deblina; Saraiya, Mona; Copeland, Glenn

2015-03-10

State immunization and cancer registries contain data that, if linked, could be used to monitor the impact of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine on cervical cancer and precancer. Michigan is uniquely positioned to examine these outcomes using two population-based resources: the state-wide cancer registry and immunization information system (IIS). We assessed the feasibility of identifying females in the IIS who had continuous Michigan residence and linking them to the cancer registry. We considered continuous residence necessary for future studies of vaccine impact to avoid misclassifying those who may have been immunized while residing out-of-state and whose immunization therefore may not have been reported in Michigan. We identified females with 1976-1996 birthdates in the IIS and used probabilistic linkage software to match them with Michigan birth records. A stratified random sample of IIS-birth matches was provided to a commercial locator service to identify females with continuous Michigan residence. Cervical carcinoma in situ cases diagnosed in 2006 among females aged 10 through 30 years were also matched with the birth records; cancer registry-birth matches were merged with the IIS-birth matches using the birth record identifier. Overall, 68% of the 1274,282 IIS and 61% of the 1358 cancer registry records could be matched with birth records. Among the sample of IIS-birth matches, most (86%) were continuous residents. Seventy percent or more of cancer registry-birth matches merged with IIS-birth matches for cases born after 1984. This is the first effort in the U.S. to show that linking records across IIS and cancer registries is practical and reasonably efficient. The increasing proportion of matches between the registries and live birth file with birth year, and the use of population-based data, strengthen the utility of this approach. Future steps include use of this method to examine incidence of cervical cancer precursors in HPV immunization-eligible females. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Spatiotemporal Path-Matching for Comparisons Between Ground- Based and Satellite Lidar Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berkoff, Timothy A.; Valencia, Sandra; Welton, Ellsworth J.; Spinhirne, James D.

2005-01-01

The spatiotemporal sampling differences between ground-based and satellite lidar data can contribute to significant errors for direct measurement comparisons. Improvement in sample correspondence is examined by the use of radiosonde wind velocity to vary the time average in ground-based lidar data to spatially match coincident satellite lidar measurements. Results are shown for the 26 February 2004 GLAS/ICESat overflight of a ground-based lidar stationed at NASA GSFC. Statistical analysis indicates that improvement in signal correlation is expected under certain conditions, even when a ground-based observation is mismatched in directional orientation to the satellite track.

Mullen scales of early learning: the utility in assessing children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, cerebral palsy, and epilepsy.

PubMed

Burns, Thomas G; King, Tricia Z; Spencer, Katherine S

2013-01-01

A group of 47 patients diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders were compared to 47 age-, gender-, and racially matched typically developing children to examine the frequency of impairment across domains of the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL). The MSEL is a comprehensive measure of cognitive functioning designed to assess infants and preschool children between the ages of birth to 68 months. In the neurodevelopmental group, the sample was composed of children 2 to 4 years of age who were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD; n = 19), cerebral palsy (CP; n = 14), and epilepsy (EPI; n = 14). A sample of 47 matched controls, taken from the normative sample of the MSEL, was used as a comparison group. Each one of the clinical groups comprising the neurodevelopmental sample demonstrated statistically significant delays across domains relative to the respective matched control group (p < .001). Children failed to demonstrate a "signature" profile for a diagnosis of ASD, CP, or EPI. The clinical sensitivity of the MSEL and the need for obtaining specific intervention services for children diagnosed with these conditions are presented. Finally, these results are discussed within the context of the clinical sensitivity of the MSEL in working with these clinical populations.

Evaluation of chromium, cobalt and manganese in biological samples (scalp hair, blood, and urine) of Pakistani viral hepatitis (A-E) patients and controls.

PubMed

Afridi, Hassan Imran; Kazi, Tasneem Gul; Kazi, Naveed; Naeemullah; Arain, Sadaf Sadia; Brahman, Kapil Dev; Wadhwa, Sham Kumar

2013-01-01

The aim of the present study was to compare the level of chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), and manganese (Mn) in biological samples (blood, urine, and scalp hair) of patients suffering from different types of viral hepatitis (A, B, C, D, and E; n = 521) of both genders, ages ranging from 31 - 45 years. For comparative study, 255 age-matched control subjects of both genders residing in the same city were selected as referents. The digests of all biological samples were analysed for Cr, Co, and Mn by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS). The validity and accuracy of the methodology was checked by using certified reference materials (CRMs) and compared with those values obtained by conventional wet acid digestion method on same CRMs. The results of this study showed that the mean values of Cr, Co, and Mn were higher in blood and scalp hair samples of hepatitis patients than in age-matched control subjects. The urinary levels of these elements were found to be higher in the hepatitis patients than in the age-matched healthy controls (p <0.001). These results are consistent with literature-reported data, confirming that the overload of these trace elements can directly cause lipid peroxidation and eventually hepatic damage.

Shade guide optimization--a novel shade arrangement principle for both ceramic and composite shade guides when identifying composite test objects.

PubMed

Østervemb, Niels; Jørgensen, Jette Nedergaard; Hørsted-Bindslev, Preben

2011-02-01

The most widely used shade guide for composite materials is made of ceramic and arranged according to a non-proven method. There is a need for a composite shade guide using a scientifically based arrangement principle. To compare the shade tab arrangement of the Vitapan Classical shade guide and an individually made composite shade guide using both the originally proposed arrangement principle and arranged according to ΔE2000 values with hue group division. An individual composite shade guide made from Filtek Supreme XT body colors was compared to the Vitapan Classical shade guide. Twenty-five students matched color samples made from Filtek Supreme XT body colors using the two shade guides arranged after the two proposed principles--four shade guides in total. Age, sequence, gender, time, and number of correct matches were recorded. The proposed visually optimal composite shade guide was both fastest and had the highest number of correct matches. Gender was significantly associated with time used for color sampling but not regarding the number of correct shade matches. A composite shade guide is superior compared to the ceramic Vitapan Classical guide when using composite test objects. A rearrangement of the shade guide according to hue, subdivided according to ΔE2000, significantly reduces the time needed to take a color sample and increases the number of correct shade matches. Total color difference in relation to the lightest tab with hue group division is recommended as a possible and universally applicable mode of tab arrangement in dental color standards. Moreover, a shade guide made of the composite materials itself is to be preferred as both a faster and more accurate method of determining color. © 2011, COPYRIGHT THE AUTHORS. JOURNAL COMPILATION © 2011, WILEY PERIODICALS, INC.

Alcohol intoxication at Swedish football matches: A study using biological sampling to assess blood alcohol concentration levels among spectators.

PubMed

Durbeej, Natalie; Elgán, Tobias H; Jalling, Camilla; Gripenberg, Johanna

2017-01-01

Alcohol use and alcohol-related problems, including accidents, vandalism and violence, at sporting events are of increased concern in Sweden and other countries. The relationship between alcohol use and violence has been established and can be explained by the level of intoxication. Given the occurrence of alcohol use and alcohol-related problems at sporting events, research has assessed intoxication levels measured through biological sampling among spectators. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the level of alcohol intoxication among spectators at football matches in the Swedish Premier Football League. Spectators were randomly selected and invited to participate in the study. Alcohol intoxication was measured with a breath analyser for Blood Alcohol Concentration levels, and data on gender, age, and recent alcohol use were gathered through a face-to-face interview. Blood Alcohol Concentration samples from 4420 spectators were collected. Almost half (46.8%) had a positive Blood Alcohol Concentration level, with a mean value of 0.063%, while 8.9% had a Blood Alcohol Concentration level ≥ 0.1%, with a mean value of 0.135%. Factors that predicted a higher Blood Alcohol Concentration level included male gender (p = 0.005), lower age (p < 0.001), attending a local derby (p < 0.001), alcohol use prior to having entered the arena (p < 0.001), attending a weekend match (p < 0.001), and being a spectator at supporter sections (p < 0.001). About half of all spectators at football matches in the Swedish Premier Football League drink alcohol in conjunction with the match. Approximately one tenth have a high level of alcohol intoxication.

Community integration outcomes of people with spinal cord injury and multiple matched controls: A pilot study.

PubMed

Callaway, Libby; Enticott, Joanne; Farnworth, Louise; McDonald, Rachael; Migliorini, Christine; Willer, Barry

2017-06-01

Australia's National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is designed to influence home, social and economic participation for Scheme participants. Given the major disability reform underway, this pilot study aimed to: (i) examine community integration outcomes of people with spinal cord injury (SCI); (ii) compare findings with multiple matched controls and (iii) consider findings within the context of Australia's NDIS. Setting: Victoria, Australia. Matched analysis (people with and without SCI). Community Integration Questionnaire (CIQ). n = 40 adults with SCI (M age = 52.8 years; 61% male; 77% traumatic SCI). Matched analyses from each SCI subject aged <70 years (n = 31) with four CIQ normative data subjects (from n = 1927) was undertaken, with key demographic variables matched (age range, gender, living location and living situation). Risk of low CIQ score as a function of SCI was also examined using conditional Poisson regression. With key demographic variables held constant, small to medium effect sizes were found in favour of the normative sample, with statistically significant differences in home (ρ = 0.003) and productivity integration (ρ = 0.02). Relative risk of low home integration was significant in the SCI cohort (conditional RR (95% CI) = 3.1 (1.5-6.3), ρ = 0.001). Relative risk of low CIQ total, social integration and productivity scores did not reach significance. This cohort of SCI participants was less integrated into home and productive occupations than matched norms, holding implications for planning and allocation of supports to influence outcomes within an NDIS. Further research is necessary to understand community integration outcomes in larger matched samples. © 2016 Occupational Therapy Australia.

Neural correlates of auditory short-term memory in rostral superior temporal cortex

PubMed Central

Scott, Brian H.; Mishkin, Mortimer; Yin, Pingbo

2014-01-01

Summary Background Auditory short-term memory (STM) in the monkey is less robust than visual STM and may depend on a retained sensory trace, which is likely to reside in the higher-order cortical areas of the auditory ventral stream. Results We recorded from the rostral superior temporal cortex as monkeys performed serial auditory delayed-match-to-sample (DMS). A subset of neurons exhibited modulations of their firing rate during the delay between sounds, during the sensory response, or both. This distributed subpopulation carried a predominantly sensory signal modulated by the mnemonic context of the stimulus. Excitatory and suppressive effects on match responses were dissociable in their timing, and in their resistance to sounds intervening between the sample and match. Conclusions Like the monkeys’ behavioral performance, these neuronal effects differ from those reported in the same species during visual DMS, suggesting different neural mechanisms for retaining dynamic sounds and static images in STM. PMID:25456448

A robust approach to optimal matched filter design in ultrasonic non-destructive evaluation (NDE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Minghui; Hayward, Gordon

2017-02-01

The matched filter was demonstrated to be a powerful yet efficient technique to enhance defect detection and imaging in ultrasonic non-destructive evaluation (NDE) of coarse grain materials, provided that the filter was properly designed and optimized. In the literature, in order to accurately approximate the defect echoes, the design utilized the real excitation signals, which made it time consuming and less straightforward to implement in practice. In this paper, we present a more robust and flexible approach to optimal matched filter design using the simulated excitation signals, and the control parameters are chosen and optimized based on the real scenario of array transducer, transmitter-receiver system response, and the test sample, as a result, the filter response is optimized and depends on the material characteristics. Experiments on industrial samples are conducted and the results confirm the great benefits of the method.

On the precision of automated activation time estimation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaplan, D. T.; Smith, J. M.; Rosenbaum, D. S.; Cohen, R. J.

1988-01-01

We examined how the assignment of local activation times in epicardial and endocardial electrograms is affected by sampling rate, ambient signal-to-noise ratio, and sinx/x waveform interpolation. Algorithms used for the estimation of fiducial point locations included dV/dtmax, and a matched filter detection algorithm. Test signals included epicardial and endocardial electrograms overlying both normal and infarcted regions of dog myocardium. Signal-to-noise levels were adjusted by combining known data sets with white noise "colored" to match the spectral characteristics of experimentally recorded noise. For typical signal-to-noise ratios and sampling rates, the template-matching algorithm provided the greatest precision in reproducibly estimating fiducial point location, and sinx/x interpolation allowed for an additional significant improvement. With few restrictions, combining these two techniques may allow for use of digitization rates below the Nyquist rate without significant loss of precision.

Spot the match – wildlife photo-identification using information theory

PubMed Central

Speed, Conrad W; Meekan, Mark G; Bradshaw, Corey JA

2007-01-01

Background Effective approaches for the management and conservation of wildlife populations require a sound knowledge of population demographics, and this is often only possible through mark-recapture studies. We applied an automated spot-recognition program (I3S) for matching natural markings of wildlife that is based on a novel information-theoretic approach to incorporate matching uncertainty. Using a photo-identification database of whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) as an example case, the information criterion (IC) algorithm we developed resulted in a parsimonious ranking of potential matches of individuals in an image library. Automated matches were compared to manual-matching results to test the performance of the software and algorithm. Results Validation of matched and non-matched images provided a threshold IC weight (approximately 0.2) below which match certainty was not assured. Most images tested were assigned correctly; however, scores for the by-eye comparison were lower than expected, possibly due to the low sample size. The effect of increasing horizontal angle of sharks in images reduced matching likelihood considerably. There was a negative linear relationship between the number of matching spot pairs and matching score, but this relationship disappeared when using the IC algorithm. Conclusion The software and use of easily applied information-theoretic scores of match parsimony provide a reliable and freely available method for individual identification of wildlife, with wide applications and the potential to improve mark-recapture studies without resorting to invasive marking techniques. PMID:17227581

Conditional Discriminations by Preverbal Children in an Identity Matching-to-Sample Task

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Alcantara Gil, Maria Stella C.; de Oliveira, Thais Porlan; McIlvane, William J.

2011-01-01

This study sought to develop methodology for assessing whether children ages 16-21 months could learn to match stimuli on the basis of physical identity in conditional discrimination procedures routinely used in stimulus equivalence research with older participants. The study was conducted in a private room at a day-care center for children and…

Student Plagiarism in Higher Education in Vietnam: An Empirical Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Do Ba, Khang; Do Ba, Khai; Lam, Quoc Dung; Le, Dao Thanh Binh An; Nguyen, Phuong Lien; Nguyen, Phuong Quynh; Pham, Quoc Loc

2017-01-01

This paper assesses and compares the prevalence of plagiarism across different student and assignment characteristics at a university in Vietnam, using the similarity index reported by the text-matching software Turnitin as a proxy measure of plagiarism on a sample of 681 student papers. The findings present a level of match higher than reported…

Return to College Education Revisited: Is Relevance Relevant?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yakusheva, Olga

2010-01-01

This study examines whether the size of the college earnings premium varies depending on the quality of the match between an individual's degree field and his/her occupation. The study uses the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) to obtain a new measure of the quality of occupational match for a sample of 2268 young adults with post-secondary…

Valve For Extracting Samples From A Process Stream

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Callahan, Dave

1995-01-01

Valve for extracting samples from process stream includes cylindrical body bolted to pipe that contains stream. Opening in valve body matched and sealed against opening in pipe. Used to sample process streams in variety of facilities, including cement plants, plants that manufacture and reprocess plastics, oil refineries, and pipelines.

Strelka: accurate somatic small-variant calling from sequenced tumor-normal sample pairs.

PubMed

Saunders, Christopher T; Wong, Wendy S W; Swamy, Sajani; Becq, Jennifer; Murray, Lisa J; Cheetham, R Keira

2012-07-15

Whole genome and exome sequencing of matched tumor-normal sample pairs is becoming routine in cancer research. The consequent increased demand for somatic variant analysis of paired samples requires methods specialized to model this problem so as to sensitively call variants at any practical level of tumor impurity. We describe Strelka, a method for somatic SNV and small indel detection from sequencing data of matched tumor-normal samples. The method uses a novel Bayesian approach which represents continuous allele frequencies for both tumor and normal samples, while leveraging the expected genotype structure of the normal. This is achieved by representing the normal sample as a mixture of germline variation with noise, and representing the tumor sample as a mixture of the normal sample with somatic variation. A natural consequence of the model structure is that sensitivity can be maintained at high tumor impurity without requiring purity estimates. We demonstrate that the method has superior accuracy and sensitivity on impure samples compared with approaches based on either diploid genotype likelihoods or general allele-frequency tests. The Strelka workflow source code is available at ftp://strelka@ftp.illumina.com/. csaunders@illumina.com

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moran, James J.; Kreuzer, Helen W.; Carman, April J.

Acid scavengers are frequently used as stabilizer compounds in a variety of applications. When used to stabilize volatile compounds such as nerve agents, the lower volatility and higher stability of acid scavengers make them more persistent in a post-event forensic setting. We are employing compound-specific stable isotope analysis of the carbon, nitrogen, and hydrogen components of three acid scavenging compounds (N,N-diethylaniline, tributylamine, and triethylamine) as a tool for distinguishing between different samples of the stabilizers. Combined analysis of three stable isotopes in these samples improves the technique’s resolving potential, enhancing sample matching capabilities. The compound specific methods developed here canmore » be applied to instances where these compounds are not pure, such as when mixed with an agent or when found as a residue at an event site. Effective sample matching can be crucial for linking compounds at multiple event sites or linking a supply inventory to an event.« less

Authentication of Closely Related Fish and Derived Fish Products Using Tandem Mass Spectrometry and Spectral Library Matching.

PubMed

Nessen, Merel A; van der Zwaan, Dennis J; Grevers, Sander; Dalebout, Hans; Staats, Martijn; Kok, Esther; Palmblad, Magnus

2016-05-11

Proteomics methodology has seen increased application in food authentication, including tandem mass spectrometry of targeted species-specific peptides in raw, processed, or mixed food products. We have previously described an alternative principle that uses untargeted data acquisition and spectral library matching, essentially spectral counting, to compare and identify samples without the need for genomic sequence information in food species populations. Here, we present an interlaboratory comparison demonstrating how a method based on this principle performs in a realistic context. We also increasingly challenge the method by using data from different types of mass spectrometers, by trying to distinguish closely related and commercially important flatfish, and by analyzing heavily contaminated samples. The method was found to be robust in different laboratories, and 94-97% of the analyzed samples were correctly identified, including all processed and contaminated samples.

Brief report: accuracy and response time for the recognition of facial emotions in a large sample of children with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Fink, Elian; de Rosnay, Marc; Wierda, Marlies; Koot, Hans M; Begeer, Sander

2014-09-01

The empirical literature has presented inconsistent evidence for deficits in the recognition of basic emotion expressions in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), which may be due to the focus on research with relatively small sample sizes. Additionally, it is proposed that although children with ASD may correctly identify emotion expression they rely on more deliberate, more time-consuming strategies in order to accurately recognize emotion expressions when compared to typically developing children. In the current study, we examine both emotion recognition accuracy and response time in a large sample of children, and explore the moderating influence of verbal ability on these findings. The sample consisted of 86 children with ASD (M age = 10.65) and 114 typically developing children (M age = 10.32) between 7 and 13 years of age. All children completed a pre-test (emotion word-word matching), and test phase consisting of basic emotion recognition, whereby they were required to match a target emotion expression to the correct emotion word; accuracy and response time were recorded. Verbal IQ was controlled for in the analyses. We found no evidence of a systematic deficit in emotion recognition accuracy or response time for children with ASD, controlling for verbal ability. However, when controlling for children's accuracy in word-word matching, children with ASD had significantly lower emotion recognition accuracy when compared to typically developing children. The findings suggest that the social impairments observed in children with ASD are not the result of marked deficits in basic emotion recognition accuracy or longer response times. However, children with ASD may be relying on other perceptual skills (such as advanced word-word matching) to complete emotion recognition tasks at a similar level as typically developing children.

Changes to Serum Sample Tube and Processing Methodology Does Not Cause Inter-Individual Variation in Automated Whole Serum N-Glycan Profiling in Health and Disease

PubMed Central

Shubhakar, Archana; Kalla, Rahul; Nimmo, Elaine R.; Fernandes, Daryl L.; Satsangi, Jack; Spencer, Daniel I. R.

2015-01-01

Introduction Serum N-glycans have been identified as putative biomarkers for numerous diseases. The impact of different serum sample tubes and processing methods on N-glycan analysis has received relatively little attention. This study aimed to determine the effect of different sample tubes and processing methods on the whole serum N-glycan profile in both health and disease. A secondary objective was to describe a robot automated N-glycan release, labeling and cleanup process for use in a biomarker discovery system. Methods 25 patients with active and quiescent inflammatory bowel disease and controls had three different serum sample tubes taken at the same draw. Two different processing methods were used for three types of tube (with and without gel-separation medium). Samples were randomised and processed in a blinded fashion. Whole serum N-glycan release, 2-aminobenzamide labeling and cleanup was automated using a Hamilton Microlab STARlet Liquid Handling robot. Samples were analysed using a hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography/ethylene bridged hybrid(BEH) column on an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography instrument. Data were analysed quantitatively by pairwise correlation and hierarchical clustering using the area under each chromatogram peak. Qualitatively, a blinded assessor attempted to match chromatograms to each individual. Results There was small intra-individual variation in serum N-glycan profiles from samples collected using different sample processing methods. Intra-individual correlation coefficients were between 0.99 and 1. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering and principal coordinate analyses accurately matched samples from the same individual. Qualitative analysis demonstrated good chromatogram overlay and a blinded assessor was able to accurately match individuals based on chromatogram profile, regardless of disease status. Conclusions The three different serum sample tubes processed using the described methods cause minimal inter-individual variation in serum whole N-glycan profile when processed using an automated workstream. This has important implications for N-glycan biomarker discovery studies using different serum processing standard operating procedures. PMID:25831126

Changes to serum sample tube and processing methodology does not cause Intra-Individual [corrected] variation in automated whole serum N-glycan profiling in health and disease.

PubMed

Ventham, Nicholas T; Gardner, Richard A; Kennedy, Nicholas A; Shubhakar, Archana; Kalla, Rahul; Nimmo, Elaine R; Fernandes, Daryl L; Satsangi, Jack; Spencer, Daniel I R

2015-01-01

Serum N-glycans have been identified as putative biomarkers for numerous diseases. The impact of different serum sample tubes and processing methods on N-glycan analysis has received relatively little attention. This study aimed to determine the effect of different sample tubes and processing methods on the whole serum N-glycan profile in both health and disease. A secondary objective was to describe a robot automated N-glycan release, labeling and cleanup process for use in a biomarker discovery system. 25 patients with active and quiescent inflammatory bowel disease and controls had three different serum sample tubes taken at the same draw. Two different processing methods were used for three types of tube (with and without gel-separation medium). Samples were randomised and processed in a blinded fashion. Whole serum N-glycan release, 2-aminobenzamide labeling and cleanup was automated using a Hamilton Microlab STARlet Liquid Handling robot. Samples were analysed using a hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography/ethylene bridged hybrid(BEH) column on an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography instrument. Data were analysed quantitatively by pairwise correlation and hierarchical clustering using the area under each chromatogram peak. Qualitatively, a blinded assessor attempted to match chromatograms to each individual. There was small intra-individual variation in serum N-glycan profiles from samples collected using different sample processing methods. Intra-individual correlation coefficients were between 0.99 and 1. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering and principal coordinate analyses accurately matched samples from the same individual. Qualitative analysis demonstrated good chromatogram overlay and a blinded assessor was able to accurately match individuals based on chromatogram profile, regardless of disease status. The three different serum sample tubes processed using the described methods cause minimal inter-individual variation in serum whole N-glycan profile when processed using an automated workstream. This has important implications for N-glycan biomarker discovery studies using different serum processing standard operating procedures.

Evaluation of epidural analgesia for open major liver resection surgery from a US inpatient sample.

PubMed

Rosero, Eric B; Cheng, Gloria S; Khatri, Kinnari P; Joshi, Girish P

2014-10-01

The aim of this study was to assess the nationwide use of epidural analgesia (EA) and the incidence of postoperative complications in patients undergoing major liver resections (MLR) with and without EA in the United States. The 2001 to 2010 Nationwide Inpatient Sample was queried to identify adult patients undergoing MLR. A 1:1 matched cohort of patients having MLR with and without EA was assembled using propensity-score matching techniques. Differences in the rate of postoperative complications were compared between the matched groups. We identified 68,028 MLR. Overall, 5.9% of patients in the database had procedural codes for postoperative EA. A matched cohort of 802 patients per group was derived from the propensity-matching algorithm. Although use of EA was associated with more blood transfusions (relative risk, 1.36; 95% confidence interval, 1.12-1.65; P = 0.001) and longer hospital stay (median [interquartile range], 6 [5-8] vs 6 [4-8] days), the use of coagulation factors and the incidence of postoperative hemorrhage/hematomas or other postoperative complications were not higher in patients receiving EA. In conclusion, the use of EA for MLR is low, and EA does not seem to influence the incidence of postoperative complications. EA, however, was associated with an increased use of blood transfusions and a longer hospital stay.

Evaluation of epidural analgesia for open major liver resection surgery from a US inpatient sample

PubMed Central

Cheng, Gloria S.; Khatri, Kinnari P.; Joshi, Girish P.

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the nationwide use of epidural analgesia (EA) and the incidence of postoperative complications in patients undergoing major liver resections (MLR) with and without EA in the United States. The 2001 to 2010 Nationwide Inpatient Sample was queried to identify adult patients undergoing MLR. A 1:1 matched cohort of patients having MLR with and without EA was assembled using propensity-score matching techniques. Differences in the rate of postoperative complications were compared between the matched groups. We identified 68,028 MLR. Overall, 5.9% of patients in the database had procedural codes for postoperative EA. A matched cohort of 802 patients per group was derived from the propensity-matching algorithm. Although use of EA was associated with more blood transfusions (relative risk, 1.36; 95% confidence interval, 1.12–1.65; P = 0.001) and longer hospital stay (median [interquartile range], 6 [5–8] vs 6 [4–8] days), the use of coagulation factors and the incidence of postoperative hemorrhage/hematomas or other postoperative complications were not higher in patients receiving EA. In conclusion, the use of EA for MLR is low, and EA does not seem to influence the incidence of postoperative complications. EA, however, was associated with an increased use of blood transfusions and a longer hospital stay. PMID:25484494

Monkeys rely on recency of stimulus repetition when solving short-term memory tasks.

PubMed

Wittig, John H; Richmond, Barry J

2014-05-16

Seven monkeys performed variants of two short-term memory tasks that others have used to differentiate between selective and nonselective memory mechanisms. The first task was to view a list of sequentially presented images and identify whether a test matched any image from the list, but not a distractor from a preceding list. Performance was best when the test matched the most recently presented image. Response rates depended linearly on recency of repetition whether the test matched a sample from the current list or a distractor from a preceding list, suggesting nonselective memorization of all images viewed instead of just the sample images. The second task was to remember just the first image in a list selectively and ignore subsequent distractors. False alarms occurred frequently when the test matched a distractor presented near the beginning of the sequence. In a pilot experiment, response rates depended linearly on recency of repetition irrespective of whether the test matched the first image or a distractor, again suggesting nonselective memorization of all images instead of just the first image. Modification of the second task improved recognition of the first image, but did not abolish use of recency. Monkeys appear to perform nonspatial visual short-term memory tasks often (or exclusively) using a single, nonselective, memory mechanism that conveys the recency of stimulus repetition. Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

Human Milk and Matched Serum Demonstrate Concentration of Select miRNAs.

PubMed

Qin, Wenyi; Dasgupta, Santanu; Corradi, John; Sauter, Edward R

Pregnancy-associated breast cancers (PABCs), especially those diagnosed after childbirth, are often aggressive, with a poor prognosis. Factors influencing PABC are largely unknown. Micro(mi)RNAs are present in many human body fluids and shown to influence cancer development and/or growth. In six nursing mothers, we determined if breast cancer-associated miRNAs were (1) detectable in human breast milk and (2) if detectable, their relative expression in milk fractions compared to matched serum. We evaluated by quantitative PCR the expression of 11 cancer-associated miRNAs (10a-5p, 16, 21, 100, 140, 145, 155, 181, 199, 205, 212) in breast milk cells, fat and supernatant (skim milk), and matched serum. miRNA expression was detectable in all samples. For 10/11 miRNAs, mean relative expression compared to control (ΔCt) values was lowest in milk cells, the exception being miR205. Relative concentration was highest in the skim fraction of milk for all miRNAs. Expression was higher in skim milk than matched serum for 7/11 miRNAs and in serum for 4/11 miRNAs. miR205 expression was higher in all milk fractions than in matched serum. In conclusion, the expression of breast cancer-associated miRNAs is detectable in human breast milk and serum samples. The concentration is highest in skim milk, but is also detectable in milk fat and milk cells.

Muscle damage produced during a simulated badminton match in competitive male players.

PubMed

Abián, Pablo; Del Coso, Juan; Salinero, Juan José; Gallo-Salazar, César; Areces, Francisco; Ruiz-Vicente, Diana; Lara, Beatriz; Soriano, Lidón; Muñoz, Victor; Lorenzo-Capella, Irma; Abián-Vicén, Javier

2016-01-01

The purpose of the study was to assess the occurrence of muscle damage after a simulated badminton match and its influence on physical and haematological parameters. Sixteen competitive male badminton players participated in the study. Before and just after a 45-min simulated badminton match, maximal isometric force and badminton-specific running/movement velocity were measured to assess muscle fatigue. Blood samples were also obtained before and after the match. The badminton match did not affect maximal isometric force or badminton-specific velocity. Blood volume and plasma volume were significantly reduced during the match and consequently haematite, leucocyte, and platelet counts significantly increased. Blood myoglobin and creatine kinase concentrations increased from 26.5 ± 11.6 to 197.3 ± 70.2 µg·L(-1) and from 258.6 ± 192.2 to 466.0 ± 296.5 U·L(-1), respectively. In conclusion, a simulated badminton match modified haematological parameters of whole blood and serum blood that indicate the occurrence of muscle fibre damage. However, the level of muscle damage did not produce decreased muscle performance.

Matched samples logistic regression in case-control studies with missing values: when to break the matches.

PubMed

Hansson, Lisbeth; Khamis, Harry J

2008-12-01

Simulated data sets are used to evaluate conditional and unconditional maximum likelihood estimation in an individual case-control design with continuous covariates when there are different rates of excluded cases and different levels of other design parameters. The effectiveness of the estimation procedures is measured by method bias, variance of the estimators, root mean square error (RMSE) for logistic regression and the percentage of explained variation. Conditional estimation leads to higher RMSE than unconditional estimation in the presence of missing observations, especially for 1:1 matching. The RMSE is higher for the smaller stratum size, especially for the 1:1 matching. The percentage of explained variation appears to be insensitive to missing data, but is generally higher for the conditional estimation than for the unconditional estimation. It is particularly good for the 1:2 matching design. For minimizing RMSE, a high matching ratio is recommended; in this case, conditional and unconditional logistic regression models yield comparable levels of effectiveness. For maximizing the percentage of explained variation, the 1:2 matching design with the conditional logistic regression model is recommended.

Learning Strategies in Matching to Sample: If-then and Configural Learning by Pigeons

PubMed Central

Katz, Jeffrey S.; Bodily, Kent D.; Wright, Anthony A.

2008-01-01

Pigeons learned a matching-to-sample task with a split training-set design in which half of the stimulus displays were untrained and tested following acquisition. Transfer to the untrained displays along with no novel-stimulus transfer indicated that these pigeons learned the task (partially) via if-then rules. Comparisons to other performance measures indicated that they also partially learned the task via configural learning (learning the gestalt of the whole stimulus display). Differences in the FR-sample requirement (1 vs. 20) had no systematic effect on the type of learning or level of learning obtained. Differences from a previous study (Wright, 1997) are discussed, including the effect of displaying the stimuli vertically (traditional display orientation) or horizontally from the floor. PMID:18079071

Microbial Analysis of Bite Marks by Sequence Comparison of Streptococcal DNA

PubMed Central

Kennedy, Darnell M.; Stanton, Jo-Ann L.; García, José A.; Mason, Chris; Rand, Christy J.; Kieser, Jules A.; Tompkins, Geoffrey R.

2012-01-01

Bite mark injuries often feature in violent crimes. Conventional morphometric methods for the forensic analysis of bite marks involve elements of subjective interpretation that threaten the credibility of this field. Human DNA recovered from bite marks has the highest evidentiary value, however recovery can be compromised by salivary components. This study assessed the feasibility of matching bacterial DNA sequences amplified from experimental bite marks to those obtained from the teeth responsible, with the aim of evaluating the capability of three genomic regions of streptococcal DNA to discriminate between participant samples. Bite mark and teeth swabs were collected from 16 participants. Bacterial DNA was extracted to provide the template for PCR primers specific for streptococcal 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) gene, 16S–23S intergenic spacer (ITS) and RNA polymerase beta subunit (rpoB). High throughput sequencing (GS FLX 454), followed by stringent quality filtering, generated reads from bite marks for comparison to those generated from teeth samples. For all three regions, the greatest overlaps of identical reads were between bite mark samples and the corresponding teeth samples. The average proportions of reads identical between bite mark and corresponding teeth samples were 0.31, 0.41 and 0.31, and for non-corresponding samples were 0.11, 0.20 and 0.016, for 16S rRNA, ITS and rpoB, respectively. The probabilities of correctly distinguishing matching and non-matching teeth samples were 0.92 for ITS, 0.99 for 16S rRNA and 1.0 for rpoB. These findings strongly support the tenet that bacterial DNA amplified from bite marks and teeth can provide corroborating information in the identification of assailants. PMID:23284761

Spectral matching research for light-emitting diode-based neonatal jaundice therapeutic device light source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gan, Ruting; Guo, Zhenning; Lin, Jieben

2015-09-01

To decrease the risk of bilirubin encephalopathy and minimize the need for exchange transfusions, we report a novel design for light source of light-emitting diode (LED)-based neonatal jaundice therapeutic device (NJTD). The bilirubin absorption spectrum in vivo was regarded as target. Based on spectral constructing theory, we used commercially available LEDs with different peak wavelengths and full width at half maximum as matching light sources. Simple genetic algorithm was first proposed as the spectral matching method. The required LEDs number at each peak wavelength was calculated, and then, the commercial light source sample model of the device was fabricated to confirm the spectral matching technology. In addition, the corresponding spectrum was measured and the effect was analyzed finally. The results showed that fitted spectrum was very similar to the target spectrum with 98.86 % matching degree, and the actual device model has a spectrum close to the target with 96.02 % matching degree. With higher fitting degree and efficiency, this matching algorithm is very suitable for light source matching technology of LED-based spectral distribution, and bilirubin absorption spectrum in vivo will be auspicious candidate for the target spectrum of new LED-based NJTD light source.

Increased Prevalence of Bent Lobes for Double-lobed Radio Galaxies in Dense Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silverstein, Ezekiel M.; Anderson, Michael E.; Bregman, Joel N.

2018-01-01

Double-lobed radio galaxies (DLRGs) often have radio lobes that subtend an angle of less than 180°, and these bent DLRGs have been shown to associate preferentially with galaxy clusters and groups. In this study, we utilize a catalog of DLRGs in SDSS quasars with radio lobes visible in VLA FIRST 20 cm radio data. We cross-match this catalog against three catalogs of galaxies over the redshift range 0< z< 0.70, obtaining 81 tentative matches. We visually examine each match and apply a number of selection criteria, eventually obtaining a sample of 44 securely detected DLRGs, which are paired to a nearby massive galaxy, galaxy group, or galaxy cluster. Most of the DLRGs identified in this manner are not central galaxies in the systems to which they are matched. Using this sample, we quantify the projected density of these matches as a function of projected separation from the central galaxy, finding a very steep decrease in matches as the impact parameter increases (for {{Σ }}\\propto {b}-m we find m={2.5}-0.3+0.4) out to b∼ 2 Mpc. In addition, we show that the fraction of DLRGs with bent lobes also decreases with radius, so that if we exclude DLRGs associated with the central galaxy in the system, the bent fraction is 78% within 1 Mpc and 56% within 2 Mpc, compared to just 29% in the field; these differences are significant at 3.6σ and 2.8σ , respectively. This behavior is consistent with ram pressure being the mechanism that causes the lobes to bend.

Real-time UAV trajectory generation using feature points matching between video image sequences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Byun, Younggi; Song, Jeongheon; Han, Dongyeob

2017-09-01

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), equipped with navigation systems and video capability, are currently being deployed for intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance mission. In this paper, we present a systematic approach for the generation of UAV trajectory using a video image matching system based on SURF (Speeded up Robust Feature) and Preemptive RANSAC (Random Sample Consensus). Video image matching to find matching points is one of the most important steps for the accurate generation of UAV trajectory (sequence of poses in 3D space). We used the SURF algorithm to find the matching points between video image sequences, and removed mismatching by using the Preemptive RANSAC which divides all matching points to outliers and inliers. The inliers are only used to determine the epipolar geometry for estimating the relative pose (rotation and translation) between image sequences. Experimental results from simulated video image sequences showed that our approach has a good potential to be applied to the automatic geo-localization of the UAVs system

The effect of high level tennis matches on urine steroid profiles in professional tennis players.

PubMed

Muñoz, D; Toribio, F; Timón, R; Olcina, G; Maynar, J I; Maynar, M

2010-12-01

Modern day, tennis matches are characterized by shorter and more intense efforts with players enduring great physical and psychological stress. The aim of this study was to evaluate acute changes in the urinary steroid profile of elite tennis players following professional tournament matches. Eight professional male tennis players participated in this study. Urine samples were collected before and after tennis matches corresponding to the quarter finals of the Spanish Tennis Masters. After the match, there was a significant fall (P<0.05) in testosterone, androsterone, etiocholanolone, and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Cortisone increased whereas tetrahydrocortisone (THE) decreased. The anabolic/catabolic hormone ratio also decreased, although only the fall in total suprarenal androgen (TSA)/total corticosteroid (TC) and DHEA/(THE+THF) ratios had a significant decrease (P<0.05). These results indicate that a professional tennis match modifies the urine steroid profiles of players, increasing corticosteroid and decreasing androgen excretion in urine, suggesting an important adrenal activation.

Sampling design by the core-food approach for the Taiwan total diet study on veterinary drugs.

PubMed

Chen, Chien-Chih; Tsai, Ching-Lun; Chang, Chia-Chin; Ni, Shih-Pei; Chen, Yi-Tzu; Chiang, Chow-Feng

2017-06-01

The core-food (CF) approach, first adopted in the United States in the 1980s, has been widely used by many countries to assess the exposure to dietary hazards at a population level. However, the reliability of exposure estimates (C × CR) depends critically on sampling methods designed for the detected chemical concentrations (C) of each CF to match with the corresponding consumption rate (CR) estimated from the surveyed intake data. In order to reduce the uncertainty of food matching, this study presents a sampling design scheme, namely the subsample method, for the 2016 Taiwan total diet study (TDS) on veterinary drugs. We first combined the four sets of national dietary recall data that covered the entire age strata (1-65+ years), and aggregated them into 307 CFs by their similarity in nutritional values, manufacturing and cooking methods. The 40 CFs pertinent to veterinary drug residues were selected for this study, and 16 subsamples for each CF were designed by weighing their quantities in CR, product brands, manufacturing, processing and cooking methods. The calculated food matching rates of each CF from this study were 84.3-97.3%, which were higher than those obtained from many previous studies using the representative food (RF) method (53.1-57.8%). The subsample method not only considers the variety of food processing and cooking methods, but also it provides better food matching and reduces the uncertainty of exposure assessment.

Effect of acoustic similarity on short-term auditory memory in the monkey.

PubMed

Scott, Brian H; Mishkin, Mortimer; Yin, Pingbo

2013-04-01

Recent evidence suggests that the monkey's short-term memory in audition depends on a passively retained sensory trace as opposed to a trace reactivated from long-term memory for use in working memory. Reliance on a passive sensory trace could render memory particularly susceptible to confusion between sounds that are similar in some acoustic dimension. If so, then in delayed matching-to-sample, the monkey's performance should be predicted by the similarity in the salient acoustic dimension between the sample and subsequent test stimulus, even at very short delays. To test this prediction and isolate the acoustic features relevant to short-term memory, we examined the pattern of errors made by two rhesus monkeys performing a serial, auditory delayed match-to-sample task with interstimulus intervals of 1 s. The analysis revealed that false-alarm errors did indeed result from similarity-based confusion between the sample and the subsequent nonmatch stimuli. Manipulation of the stimuli showed that removal of spectral cues was more disruptive to matching behavior than removal of temporal cues. In addition, the effect of acoustic similarity on false-alarm response was stronger at the first nonmatch stimulus than at the second one. This pattern of errors would be expected if the first nonmatch stimulus overwrote the sample's trace, and suggests that the passively retained trace is not only vulnerable to similarity-based confusion but is also highly susceptible to overwriting. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A multicomponent matched filter cluster confirmation tool for eROSITA: initial application to the RASS and DES-SV data sets

DOE PAGES

Klein, M.; Mohr, J. J.; Desai, S.; ...

2017-11-14

We describe a multi-component matched filter cluster confirmation tool (MCMF) designed for the study of large X-ray source catalogs produced by the upcoming X-ray all-sky survey mission eROSITA. We apply the method to confirm a sample of 88 clusters with redshifts $0.05

A multicomponent matched filter cluster confirmation tool for eROSITA: initial application to the RASS and DES-SV data sets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Klein, M.; Mohr, J. J.; Desai, S.

We describe a multi-component matched filter cluster confirmation tool (MCMF) designed for the study of large X-ray source catalogs produced by the upcoming X-ray all-sky survey mission eROSITA. We apply the method to confirm a sample of 88 clusters with redshifts $0.05

Unsupervised learning of discriminative edge measures for vehicle matching between nonoverlapping cameras.

PubMed

Shan, Ying; Sawhney, Harpreet S; Kumar, Rakesh

2008-04-01

This paper proposes a novel unsupervised algorithm learning discriminative features in the context of matching road vehicles between two non-overlapping cameras. The matching problem is formulated as a same-different classification problem, which aims to compute the probability of vehicle images from two distinct cameras being from the same vehicle or different vehicle(s). We employ a novel measurement vector that consists of three independent edge-based measures and their associated robust measures computed from a pair of aligned vehicle edge maps. The weight of each measure is determined by an unsupervised learning algorithm that optimally separates the same-different classes in the combined measurement space. This is achieved with a weak classification algorithm that automatically collects representative samples from same-different classes, followed by a more discriminative classifier based on Fisher' s Linear Discriminants and Gibbs Sampling. The robustness of the match measures and the use of unsupervised discriminant analysis in the classification ensures that the proposed method performs consistently in the presence of missing/false features, temporally and spatially changing illumination conditions, and systematic misalignment caused by different camera configurations. Extensive experiments based on real data of over 200 vehicles at different times of day demonstrate promising results.

Matrix-Matching as an Improvement Strategy for the Detection of Pesticide Residues.

PubMed

Giacinti, Géraldine; Raynaud, Christine; Capblancq, Sophie; Simon, Valérie

2016-05-01

More than 90% of the pesticides residues in apples are located in the peel. We developed a gas chromatography/ion trap tandem mass spectrometry method for investigating all detectable residues in the peel of 3 apple varieties. Sample preparation is based on the use of the Quick Easy Cheap Effective Rugged and Safe method on the whole fruit, the flesh, and the peel. Pesticide residues were quantified with solvent-matched and matrix-matched standards, by spiking apple sample extracts. Matrix effects dependent on the type of extract (fruit, flesh, or peel) and the apple variety were detected. The best data processing methods involved normalizing matrix effect rates by matrix-matched internal/external calibration. Boscalid, captan, chlorpyrifos, fludioxonil, and pyraclostrobin were the most frequently detected pesticides. However, their concentrations in the whole fruit were below European maximum residue levels. Despite negative matrix effects, the residues in peel were detected at concentrations up to 10 times higher than those in whole fruits. Consequently, other pesticide residues present at concentrations below the limit of quantification in the whole fruit were detected in the peel. © 2016 Institute of Food Technologists®

Long-term trends in breeding birds in an old-growth Adirondack forest and the surrounding region

USGS Publications Warehouse

McNulty, S.A.; Droege, S.; Masters, R.D.

2008-01-01

Breeding bird populations were sampled between 1954 and 1963, and 1990 and 2000 in an old-growth forest, the Natural Area of Huntington Wildlife Forest (HWF), in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. Trends were compared with data from regional North American Breeding Bird Surveys (BBS) and from a forest plot at Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, New Hampshire. Trends for 22 species in the HWF Natural Area were negative, eight were positive, and one was zero; 20 were significant. Fifteen of 17 long-distance migrants declined, whereas 7 of 14 short-distance migrants and permanent residents declined. Most (74%) HWF Natural Area species, despite differences in sampling periods and local habitat features, matched in sign of trend when compared to Adirondack BBS routes, 61% matched northeastern BBS routes, and 71% matched eastern United States BBS routes, while 66% matched Hubbard Brook species. The agreement in population trends suggests that forest interior birds, especially long-distance migrants, are affected more by regional than local factors. The analysis indicated that bird trends generated from BBS routes may not be as biased toward roads as previously suggested.

A computer program for automated flutter solution and matched point determination

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhatia, K. G.

1973-01-01

The use of a digital computer program (MATCH) for automated determination of the flutter velocity and the matched-point flutter density is described. The program is based on the use of the modified Laguerre iteration formula to converge to a flutter crossing or a matched-point density. A general description of the computer program is included and the purpose of all subroutines used is stated. The input required by the program and various input options are detailed, and the output description is presented. The program can solve flutter equations formulated with up to 12 vibration modes and obtain flutter solutions for up to 10 air densities. The program usage is illustrated by a sample run, and the FORTRAN program listing is included.

Biomarker discovery study design for type 1 diabetes in The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) study.

PubMed

Lee, Hye-Seung; Burkhardt, Brant R; McLeod, Wendy; Smith, Susan; Eberhard, Chris; Lynch, Kristian; Hadley, David; Rewers, Marian; Simell, Olli; She, Jin-Xiong; Hagopian, Bill; Lernmark, Ake; Akolkar, Beena; Ziegler, Anette G; Krischer, Jeffrey P

2014-07-01

The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young planned biomarker discovery studies on longitudinal samples for persistent confirmed islet cell autoantibodies and type 1 diabetes using dietary biomarkers, metabolomics, microbiome/viral metagenomics and gene expression. This article describes the details of planning The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young biomarker discovery studies using a nested case-control design that was chosen as an alternative to the full cohort analysis. In the frame of a nested case-control design, it guides the choice of matching factors, selection of controls, preparation of external quality control samples and reduction of batch effects along with proper sample allocation. Our design is to reduce potential bias and retain study power while reducing the costs by limiting the numbers of samples requiring laboratory analyses. It also covers two primary end points (the occurrence of diabetes-related autoantibodies and the diagnosis of type 1 diabetes). The resulting list of case-control matched samples for each laboratory was augmented with external quality control samples. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Methodologic considerations in the design and analysis of nested case-control studies: association between cytokines and postoperative delirium.

PubMed

Ngo, Long H; Inouye, Sharon K; Jones, Richard N; Travison, Thomas G; Libermann, Towia A; Dillon, Simon T; Kuchel, George A; Vasunilashorn, Sarinnapha M; Alsop, David C; Marcantonio, Edward R

2017-06-06

The nested case-control study (NCC) design within a prospective cohort study is used when outcome data are available for all subjects, but the exposure of interest has not been collected, and is difficult or prohibitively expensive to obtain for all subjects. A NCC analysis with good matching procedures yields estimates that are as efficient and unbiased as estimates from the full cohort study. We present methodological considerations in a matched NCC design and analysis, which include the choice of match algorithms, analysis methods to evaluate the association of exposures of interest with outcomes, and consideration of overmatching. Matched, NCC design within a longitudinal observational prospective cohort study in the setting of two academic hospitals. Study participants are patients aged over 70 years who underwent scheduled major non-cardiac surgery. The primary outcome was postoperative delirium from in-hospital interviews and medical record review. The main exposure was IL-6 concentration (pg/ml) from blood sampled at three time points before delirium occurred. We used nonparametric signed ranked test to test for the median of the paired differences. We used conditional logistic regression to model the risk of IL-6 on delirium incidence. Simulation was used to generate a sample of cohort data on which unconditional multivariable logistic regression was used, and the results were compared to those of the conditional logistic regression. Partial R-square was used to assess the level of overmatching. We found that the optimal match algorithm yielded more matched pairs than the greedy algorithm. The choice of analytic strategy-whether to consider measured cytokine levels as the predictor or outcome-- yielded inferences that have different clinical interpretations but similar levels of statistical significance. Estimation results from NCC design using conditional logistic regression, and from simulated cohort design using unconditional logistic regression, were similar. We found minimal evidence for overmatching. Using a matched NCC approach introduces methodological challenges into the study design and data analysis. Nonetheless, with careful selection of the match algorithm, match factors, and analysis methods, this design is cost effective and, for our study, yields estimates that are similar to those from a prospective cohort study design.

Using CRANID to test the population affinity of known crania.

PubMed

Kallenberger, Lauren; Pilbrow, Varsha

2012-11-01

CRANID is a statistical program used to infer the source population of a cranium of unknown origin by comparing its cranial dimensions with a worldwide craniometric database. It has great potential for estimating ancestry in archaeological, forensic and repatriation cases. In this paper we test the validity of CRANID in classifying crania of known geographic origin. Twenty-three crania of known geographic origin but unknown sex were selected from the osteological collections of the University of Melbourne. Only 18 crania showed good statistical match with the CRANID database. Without considering accuracy of sex allocation, 11 crania were accurately classified into major geographic regions and nine were correctly classified to geographically closest available reference populations. Four of the five crania with poor statistical match were nonetheless correctly allocated to major geographical regions, although none was accurately assigned to geographically closest reference samples. We conclude that if sex allocations are overlooked, CRANID can accurately assign 39% of specimens to geographically closest matching reference samples and 48% to major geographic regions. Better source population representation may improve goodness of fit, but known sex-differentiated samples are needed to further test the utility of CRANID. © 2012 The Authors Journal of Anatomy © 2012 Anatomical Society.

Optimal background matching camouflage.

PubMed

Michalis, Constantine; Scott-Samuel, Nicholas E; Gibson, David P; Cuthill, Innes C

2017-07-12

Background matching is the most familiar and widespread camouflage strategy: avoiding detection by having a similar colour and pattern to the background. Optimizing background matching is straightforward in a homogeneous environment, or when the habitat has very distinct sub-types and there is divergent selection leading to polymorphism. However, most backgrounds have continuous variation in colour and texture, so what is the best solution? Not all samples of the background are likely to be equally inconspicuous, and laboratory experiments on birds and humans support this view. Theory suggests that the most probable background sample (in the statistical sense), at the size of the prey, would, on average, be the most cryptic. We present an analysis, based on realistic assumptions about low-level vision, that estimates the distribution of background colours and visual textures, and predicts the best camouflage. We present data from a field experiment that tests and supports our predictions, using artificial moth-like targets under bird predation. Additionally, we present analogous data for humans, under tightly controlled viewing conditions, searching for targets on a computer screen. These data show that, in the absence of predator learning, the best single camouflage pattern for heterogeneous backgrounds is the most probable sample. © 2017 The Authors.

A behavior analytic analogue of learning to use synonyms, syntax, and parts of speech.

PubMed

Chase, Philip N; Ellenwood, David W; Madden, Gregory

2008-01-01

Matching-to-sample and sequence training procedures were used to develop responding to stimulus classes that were considered analogous to 3 aspects of verbal behavior: identifying synonyms and parts of speech, and using syntax. Matching-to-sample procedures were used to train 12 paired associates from among 24 stimuli. These pairs were analogous to synonyms. Then, sequence characteristics were trained to 6 of the stimuli. The result was the formation of 3 classes of 4 stimuli, with the classes controlling a sequence response analogous to a simple ordering syntax: first, second, and third. Matching-to-sample procedures were then used to add 4 stimuli to each class. These stimuli, without explicit sequence training, also began to control the same sequence responding as the other members of their class. Thus, three 8-member functionally equivalent sequence classes were formed. These classes were considered to be analogous to parts of speech. Further testing revealed three 8-member equivalence classes and 512 different sequences of first, second, and third. The study indicated that behavior analytic procedures may be used to produce some generative aspects of verbal behavior related to simple syntax and semantics.

Primer on statistical interpretation or methods report card on propensity-score matching in the cardiology literature from 2004 to 2006: a systematic review.

PubMed

Austin, Peter C

2008-09-01

Propensity-score matching is frequently used in the cardiology literature. Recent systematic reviews have found that this method is, in general, poorly implemented in the medical literature. The study objective was to examine the quality of the implementation of propensity-score matching in the general cardiology literature. A total of 44 articles published in the American Heart Journal, the American Journal of Cardiology, Circulation, the European Heart Journal, Heart, the International Journal of Cardiology, and the Journal of the American College of Cardiology between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2006, were examined. Twenty of the 44 studies did not provide adequate information on how the propensity-score-matched pairs were formed. Fourteen studies did not report whether matching on the propensity score balanced baseline characteristics between treated and untreated subjects in the matched sample. Only 4 studies explicitly used statistical methods appropriate for matched studies to compare baseline characteristics between treated and untreated subjects. Only 11 (25%) of the 44 studies explicitly used statistical methods appropriate for the analysis of matched data when estimating the effect of treatment on the outcomes. Only 2 studies described the matching method used, assessed balance in baseline covariates by appropriate methods, and used appropriate statistical methods to estimate the treatment effect and its significance. Application of propensity-score matching was poor in the cardiology literature. Suggestions for improving the reporting and analysis of studies that use propensity-score matching are provided.

Distribution of copper, iron, and zinc in biological samples (scalp hair, serum, blood, and urine) of Pakistani viral hepatitis (A-E) patients and controls.

PubMed

Kolachi, Nida Fatima; Kazi, Tasneem Gul; Afridi, Hassan Imran; Kazi, Naveed; Kandhro, Ghulam Abbas; Shah, Abdul Qadir; Baig, Jameel Ahmed; Wadhwa, Sham Kumar; Khan, Sumaira; Shah, Faheem; Jamali, Mohammad Khan; Arain, Mohammad Balal

2011-10-01

The aim of the present study was to compare the level of copper (Cu), iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) in biological samples (serum, blood, urine, and scalp hair) of patients suffering from different viral hepatitis (A, B, C, D, and E; n = 521) of both gender age ranged 31-45 years. For comparative study, 255 age-matched control subjects, of both genders residing in the same city were selected as referents. The elements in the biological samples were analyzed by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry, prior to microwave-assisted acid digestion. The validity and accuracy of the methodology was checked by using certified reference materials (CRMs) and with those values obtained by conventional wet acid digestion method on same CRMs. The results of this study showed that the mean values of Cu and Fe were higher in blood, sera, and scalp hair samples of hepatitis patients, while Zn level was found to be lower than age-matched control subjects. The urinary levels of these elements were found to be higher in the hepatitis patients than in the age-matched healthy controls (p < 0.05). These results are consistent with literature-reported data, confirming that the deficiency of zinc and hepatic iron and copper overload can directly cause lipid peroxidation and eventually hepatic damage.

Improved pulse laser ranging algorithm based on high speed sampling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Xuan-yi; Qian, Rui-hai; Zhang, Yan-mei; Li, Huan; Guo, Hai-chao; He, Shi-jie; Guo, Xiao-kang

2016-10-01

Narrow pulse laser ranging achieves long-range target detection using laser pulse with low divergent beams. Pulse laser ranging is widely used in military, industrial, civil, engineering and transportation field. In this paper, an improved narrow pulse laser ranging algorithm is studied based on the high speed sampling. Firstly, theoretical simulation models have been built and analyzed including the laser emission and pulse laser ranging algorithm. An improved pulse ranging algorithm is developed. This new algorithm combines the matched filter algorithm and the constant fraction discrimination (CFD) algorithm. After the algorithm simulation, a laser ranging hardware system is set up to implement the improved algorithm. The laser ranging hardware system includes a laser diode, a laser detector and a high sample rate data logging circuit. Subsequently, using Verilog HDL language, the improved algorithm is implemented in the FPGA chip based on fusion of the matched filter algorithm and the CFD algorithm. Finally, the laser ranging experiment is carried out to test the improved algorithm ranging performance comparing to the matched filter algorithm and the CFD algorithm using the laser ranging hardware system. The test analysis result demonstrates that the laser ranging hardware system realized the high speed processing and high speed sampling data transmission. The algorithm analysis result presents that the improved algorithm achieves 0.3m distance ranging precision. The improved algorithm analysis result meets the expected effect, which is consistent with the theoretical simulation.

Joint modeling and registration of cell populations in cohorts of high-dimensional flow cytometric data.

PubMed

Pyne, Saumyadipta; Lee, Sharon X; Wang, Kui; Irish, Jonathan; Tamayo, Pablo; Nazaire, Marc-Danie; Duong, Tarn; Ng, Shu-Kay; Hafler, David; Levy, Ronald; Nolan, Garry P; Mesirov, Jill; McLachlan, Geoffrey J

2014-01-01

In biomedical applications, an experimenter encounters different potential sources of variation in data such as individual samples, multiple experimental conditions, and multivariate responses of a panel of markers such as from a signaling network. In multiparametric cytometry, which is often used for analyzing patient samples, such issues are critical. While computational methods can identify cell populations in individual samples, without the ability to automatically match them across samples, it is difficult to compare and characterize the populations in typical experiments, such as those responding to various stimulations or distinctive of particular patients or time-points, especially when there are many samples. Joint Clustering and Matching (JCM) is a multi-level framework for simultaneous modeling and registration of populations across a cohort. JCM models every population with a robust multivariate probability distribution. Simultaneously, JCM fits a random-effects model to construct an overall batch template--used for registering populations across samples, and classifying new samples. By tackling systems-level variation, JCM supports practical biomedical applications involving large cohorts. Software for fitting the JCM models have been implemented in an R package EMMIX-JCM, available from http://www.maths.uq.edu.au/~gjm/mix_soft/EMMIX-JCM/.

A sensitive chemiluminescence enzyme immunoassay based on molecularly imprinted polymers solid-phase extraction of parathion.

PubMed

Chen, Ge; Jin, Maojun; Du, Pengfei; Zhang, Chan; Cui, Xueyan; Zhang, Yudan; She, Yongxin; Shao, Hua; Jin, Fen; Wang, Shanshan; Zheng, Lufei; Wang, Jing

2017-08-01

The chemiluminescence enzyme immunoassay (CLEIA) method responds differently to various sample matrices because of the matrix effect. In this work, the CLEIA method was coupled with molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) synthesized by precipitation polymerization to study the matrix effect. The sample recoveries ranged from 72.62% to 121.89%, with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 3.74-18.14%.The ratio of the sample matrix-matched standard curve slope rate to the solvent standard curve slope was 1.21, 1.12, 1.17, and 0.85 for apple, rice, orange and cabbage in samples pretreated with the mixture of PSA and C 18 . However, the ratio of sample (apple, rice, orange, and cabbage) matrix-matched standard-MIPs curve slope rate to the solvent standard curve was 1.05, 0.92, 1.09, and 1.05 in samples pretreated with MIPs, respectively. The results demonstrated that the matrices of the samples greatly interfered with the detection of parathion residues by CLEIA. The MIPs bound specifically to the parathion in the samples and eliminated the matrix interference effect. Therefore, the CLEIA method have successfully applied MIPs in sample pretreatment to eliminate matrix interference effects and provided a new sensitive assay for agro-products. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An Evaluation of Minority and Female Performance in Army Rotary Wing Aviation Training. Volume II: Evaluation Report. Research Report 1319.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, William R.; And Others

An evaluation was conducted of minority (Black, Hispanic, Asian, American Indian) and female performance in the Army's Initial Entry Rotary Wing flight training program. Each minority group was compared to a matched sample of majority students. The groups were matched on several test scores, education level, age, rank, and source of entry. The…

Cognitive State Verbs and Complement Clauses in Children with SLI and Their Typically Developing Peers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Horne, Amanda J. Owen; Lin, Shanju

2011-01-01

This study investigated the use of cognitive state verbs (CSVs) and complement clauses in children with specific language impairment (SLI) and their typically developing (TD) peers. In Study 1, conversational samples from 23 children with SLI (M = 6;2), 24 age-matched TD children (M = 6;2) and 21 vocabulary-matched TD children (M = 4;9) were…

JHK photometry of selected Trojan and Hilda asteroids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Dale W.; Johnson, Paul E.; Buckingham, William L.; Shorthill, Richard W.

1992-01-01

No entirely satisfactory match has been established between the present JHK photometry of selected Hilda and Trojan asteroids and photometry for both main belt asteroids and laboratory samples. It is noted that while the leading Trojans and Hildas exhibit similar and homogeneous JHK colors, the trailing Trojans appear to be more heterogeneous. Charcoal and magnetite provide the best match in terms of JHK colors.

Psychopysics of Remembering: To Bias or Not to Bias?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, K. Geoffrey; Wixted, John T.

2010-01-01

Delayed matching to sample is typically a two-alternative forced-choice procedure with two sample stimuli. In this task the effects of varying the probability of reinforcers for correct choices and the resulting receiver operating characteristic are symmetrical. A version of the task where a sample is present on some trials and absent on others is…

The Effect of Color on the Use of Electronic Body Protectors in Taekwondo Matches.

PubMed

Falcó, Coral; Conchado, Andrea; Estevan, Isaac

2016-06-01

This study investigated the relationship between the color protector and success in taekwondo combats in the qualification championships, when electronic body protectors were used. Moreover, it analyzed the confounding effect of a participant being a top-ranked athlete in the 2012 London Olympic Games, in a sample of 462 matches. Results from the entire sample showed a non-significant relationship between the combat outcome and the winner's color electronic protector. At the level of the tournament, the results showed a significant relationship between wearing a red electronic protector and winning the combat in the Asian and the European qualification tournaments. For gender and weight categories, there was no clear color effect. A significant association was, however, found between wearing red and winning the match in the female featherweight category. The inclusion of electronic body protectors and a counterbalanced seed-condition seem to be effective for controlling the effect of the protector's color on the outcomes of combats. © The Author(s) 2016.

Wheat gliadin: digital imaging and database construction using a 4-band reference system of agarose isoelectric focusing patterns.

PubMed

Black, J A; Waggamon, K A

1992-01-01

An isoelectric focusing method using thin-layer agarose gel has been developed for wheat gliadin. Using flat-bed units with a third electrode, up to 72 samples per gel may be analyzed. Advantages over traditional acid polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis methodology include: faster run times, nontoxic media, and greater sample capacity. The method is suitable for fingerprinting or purity testing of wheat varieties. Using digital images captured by a flat-bed scanner, a 4-band reference system using isoelectric points was devised. Software enables separated bands to be assigned pI values based upon reference tracks. Precision of assigned isoelectric points is shown to be on the order of 0.02 pH units. Captured images may be stored in a computer database and compared to unknown patterns to enable an identification. Parameters for a match with a stored pattern may be adjusted for pI interval required for a match, and number of best matches.

Visual short-term memory guides infants' visual attention.

PubMed

Mitsven, Samantha G; Cantrell, Lisa M; Luck, Steven J; Oakes, Lisa M

2018-08-01

Adults' visual attention is guided by the contents of visual short-term memory (VSTM). Here we asked whether 10-month-old infants' (N = 41) visual attention is also guided by the information stored in VSTM. In two experiments, we modified the one-shot change detection task (Oakes, Baumgartner, Barrett, Messenger, & Luck, 2013) to create a simplified cued visual search task to ask how information stored in VSTM influences where infants look. A single sample item (e.g., a colored circle) was presented at fixation for 500 ms, followed by a brief (300 ms) retention interval and then a test array consisting of two items, one on each side of fixation. One item in the test array matched the sample stimulus and the other did not. Infants were more likely to look at the non-matching item than at the matching item, demonstrating that the information stored rapidly in VSTM guided subsequent looking behavior. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparative Analysis of Mass Spectral Similarity Measures on Peak Alignment for Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Peak alignment is a critical procedure in mass spectrometry-based biomarker discovery in metabolomics. One of peak alignment approaches to comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC×GC-MS) data is peak matching-based alignment. A key to the peak matching-based alignment is the calculation of mass spectral similarity scores. Various mass spectral similarity measures have been developed mainly for compound identification, but the effect of these spectral similarity measures on the performance of peak matching-based alignment still remains unknown. Therefore, we selected five mass spectral similarity measures, cosine correlation, Pearson's correlation, Spearman's correlation, partial correlation, and part correlation, and examined their effects on peak alignment using two sets of experimental GC×GC-MS data. The results show that the spectral similarity measure does not affect the alignment accuracy significantly in analysis of data from less complex samples, while the partial correlation performs much better than other spectral similarity measures when analyzing experimental data acquired from complex biological samples. PMID:24151524

Mnemonic neuronal activity in somatosensory cortex.

PubMed Central

Zhou, Y D; Fuster, J M

1996-01-01

Single-unit activity was recorded from the hand areas of the somatosensory cortex of monkeys trained to perform a haptic delayed matching to sample task with objects of identical dimensions but different surface features. During the memory retention period of the task (delay), many units showed sustained firing frequency change, either excitation or inhibition. In some cases, firing during that period was significantly higher after one sample object than after another. These observations indicate the participation of somatosensory neurons not only in the perception but in the short-term memory of tactile stimuli. Neurons most directly implicated in tactile memory are (i) those with object-selective delay activity, (ii) those with nondifferential delay activity but without activity related to preparation for movement, and (iii) those with delay activity in the haptic-haptic delayed matching task but no such activity in a control visuo-haptic delayed matching task. The results indicate that cells in early stages of cortical somatosensory processing participate in haptic short-term memory. PMID:8927629

A tiger cannot change its stripes: using a three-dimensional model to match images of living tigers and tiger skins.

PubMed

Hiby, Lex; Lovell, Phil; Patil, Narendra; Kumar, N Samba; Gopalaswamy, Arjun M; Karanth, K Ullas

2009-06-23

The tiger is one of many species in which individuals can be identified by surface patterns. Camera traps can be used to record individual tigers moving over an array of locations and provide data for monitoring and studying populations and devising conservation strategies. We suggest using a combination of algorithms to calculate similarity scores between pattern samples scanned from the images to automate the search for a match to a new image. We show how using a three-dimensional surface model of a tiger to scan the pattern samples allows comparison of images that differ widely in camera angles and body posture. The software, which is free to download, considerably reduces the effort required to maintain an image catalogue and we suggest it could be used to trace the origin of a tiger skin by searching a central database of living tigers' images for matches to an image of the skin.

A tiger cannot change its stripes: using a three-dimensional model to match images of living tigers and tiger skins

PubMed Central

Hiby, Lex; Lovell, Phil; Patil, Narendra; Kumar, N. Samba; Gopalaswamy, Arjun M.; Karanth, K. Ullas

2009-01-01

The tiger is one of many species in which individuals can be identified by surface patterns. Camera traps can be used to record individual tigers moving over an array of locations and provide data for monitoring and studying populations and devising conservation strategies. We suggest using a combination of algorithms to calculate similarity scores between pattern samples scanned from the images to automate the search for a match to a new image. We show how using a three-dimensional surface model of a tiger to scan the pattern samples allows comparison of images that differ widely in camera angles and body posture. The software, which is free to download, considerably reduces the effort required to maintain an image catalogue and we suggest it could be used to trace the origin of a tiger skin by searching a central database of living tigers' images for matches to an image of the skin. PMID:19324633

Neural correlates of auditory short-term memory in rostral superior temporal cortex.

PubMed

Scott, Brian H; Mishkin, Mortimer; Yin, Pingbo

2014-12-01

Auditory short-term memory (STM) in the monkey is less robust than visual STM and may depend on a retained sensory trace, which is likely to reside in the higher-order cortical areas of the auditory ventral stream. We recorded from the rostral superior temporal cortex as monkeys performed serial auditory delayed match-to-sample (DMS). A subset of neurons exhibited modulations of their firing rate during the delay between sounds, during the sensory response, or during both. This distributed subpopulation carried a predominantly sensory signal modulated by the mnemonic context of the stimulus. Excitatory and suppressive effects on match responses were dissociable in their timing and in their resistance to sounds intervening between the sample and match. Like the monkeys' behavioral performance, these neuronal effects differ from those reported in the same species during visual DMS, suggesting different neural mechanisms for retaining dynamic sounds and static images in STM. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mapping cell populations in flow cytometry data for cross‐sample comparison using the Friedman–Rafsky test statistic as a distance measure

PubMed Central

Hsiao, Chiaowen; Liu, Mengya; Stanton, Rick; McGee, Monnie; Qian, Yu

2015-01-01

Abstract Flow cytometry (FCM) is a fluorescence‐based single‐cell experimental technology that is routinely applied in biomedical research for identifying cellular biomarkers of normal physiological responses and abnormal disease states. While many computational methods have been developed that focus on identifying cell populations in individual FCM samples, very few have addressed how the identified cell populations can be matched across samples for comparative analysis. This article presents FlowMap‐FR, a novel method for cell population mapping across FCM samples. FlowMap‐FR is based on the Friedman–Rafsky nonparametric test statistic (FR statistic), which quantifies the equivalence of multivariate distributions. As applied to FCM data by FlowMap‐FR, the FR statistic objectively quantifies the similarity between cell populations based on the shapes, sizes, and positions of fluorescence data distributions in the multidimensional feature space. To test and evaluate the performance of FlowMap‐FR, we simulated the kinds of biological and technical sample variations that are commonly observed in FCM data. The results show that FlowMap‐FR is able to effectively identify equivalent cell populations between samples under scenarios of proportion differences and modest position shifts. As a statistical test, FlowMap‐FR can be used to determine whether the expression of a cellular marker is statistically different between two cell populations, suggesting candidates for new cellular phenotypes by providing an objective statistical measure. In addition, FlowMap‐FR can indicate situations in which inappropriate splitting or merging of cell populations has occurred during gating procedures. We compared the FR statistic with the symmetric version of Kullback–Leibler divergence measure used in a previous population matching method with both simulated and real data. The FR statistic outperforms the symmetric version of KL‐distance in distinguishing equivalent from nonequivalent cell populations. FlowMap‐FR was also employed as a distance metric to match cell populations delineated by manual gating across 30 FCM samples from a benchmark FlowCAP data set. An F‐measure of 0.88 was obtained, indicating high precision and recall of the FR‐based population matching results. FlowMap‐FR has been implemented as a standalone R/Bioconductor package so that it can be easily incorporated into current FCM data analytical workflows. © 2015 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry PMID:26274018

Mapping cell populations in flow cytometry data for cross-sample comparison using the Friedman-Rafsky test statistic as a distance measure.

PubMed

Hsiao, Chiaowen; Liu, Mengya; Stanton, Rick; McGee, Monnie; Qian, Yu; Scheuermann, Richard H

2016-01-01

Flow cytometry (FCM) is a fluorescence-based single-cell experimental technology that is routinely applied in biomedical research for identifying cellular biomarkers of normal physiological responses and abnormal disease states. While many computational methods have been developed that focus on identifying cell populations in individual FCM samples, very few have addressed how the identified cell populations can be matched across samples for comparative analysis. This article presents FlowMap-FR, a novel method for cell population mapping across FCM samples. FlowMap-FR is based on the Friedman-Rafsky nonparametric test statistic (FR statistic), which quantifies the equivalence of multivariate distributions. As applied to FCM data by FlowMap-FR, the FR statistic objectively quantifies the similarity between cell populations based on the shapes, sizes, and positions of fluorescence data distributions in the multidimensional feature space. To test and evaluate the performance of FlowMap-FR, we simulated the kinds of biological and technical sample variations that are commonly observed in FCM data. The results show that FlowMap-FR is able to effectively identify equivalent cell populations between samples under scenarios of proportion differences and modest position shifts. As a statistical test, FlowMap-FR can be used to determine whether the expression of a cellular marker is statistically different between two cell populations, suggesting candidates for new cellular phenotypes by providing an objective statistical measure. In addition, FlowMap-FR can indicate situations in which inappropriate splitting or merging of cell populations has occurred during gating procedures. We compared the FR statistic with the symmetric version of Kullback-Leibler divergence measure used in a previous population matching method with both simulated and real data. The FR statistic outperforms the symmetric version of KL-distance in distinguishing equivalent from nonequivalent cell populations. FlowMap-FR was also employed as a distance metric to match cell populations delineated by manual gating across 30 FCM samples from a benchmark FlowCAP data set. An F-measure of 0.88 was obtained, indicating high precision and recall of the FR-based population matching results. FlowMap-FR has been implemented as a standalone R/Bioconductor package so that it can be easily incorporated into current FCM data analytical workflows. © The Authors. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of ISAC.

Method for hot press forming articles

DOEpatents

Baker, Robert R.; Hartsock, Dale L.

1982-01-01

This disclosure relates to an improved method for achieving the best bond strength and for minimizing distortion and cracking of hot pressed articles. In particular, in a method for hot press forming both an outer facing circumferential surface of and an inner portion of a hub, and of bonding that so-formed outer facing circumferential surface to an inner facing circumferential surface of a pre-formed ring thereby to form an article, the following improvement is made. Normally, in this method, the outside ring is restrained by a restraining sleeve of ring-shaped cross-section having an inside diameter. A die member, used to hot press form the hub, is so-formed as to have an outside diameter sized to engage the inside diameter of the restraining sleeve in a manner permitting relative movement therebetween. The improved method is one in which several pairs of matched restraining sleeve and die member are formed with each matched pair having a predetermined diameter. The predetermined diameter of each matched pair is different from another matched pair by stepped increments. The largest inside diameter of a restraining sleeve is equal to the diameter of the outer facing circumferential surface of the hub. Each pair of the matched restraining sleeve and die member is used to form an article in which an inside hub is bonded to an outside ring. The several samples so-formed are evaluated to determine which sample has the best bond formed between the hub and the ring with the least or no cracking or distortion in the ring portion of the article. Thereafter, the matched restraining sleeve and die member which form the article having the best bonding characteristics and least distortion cracking is then used for repeated formations of articles.

Combined use of ESI-QqTOF-MS and ESI-QqTOF-MS/MS with mass-spectral library search for qualitative analysis of drugs.

PubMed

Pavlic, Marion; Libiseller, Kathrin; Oberacher, Herbert

2006-09-01

The potential of the combined use of ESI-QqTOF-MS and ESI-QqTOF-MS/MS with mass-spectral library search for the identification of therapeutic and illicit drugs has been evaluated. Reserpine was used for standardizing experimental conditions and for characterization of the performance of the applied mass spectrometric system. Experiments revealed that because of the mass accuracy, the stability of calibration, and the reproducibility of fragmentation, the QqTOF mass spectrometer is an appropriate platform for establishment of a tandem-mass-spectral library. Three-hundred and nineteen substances were used as reference samples to build the spectral library. For each reference compound, product-ion spectra were acquired at ten different collision-energy values between 5 eV and 50 eV. For identification of unknown compounds, a library search algorithm was developed. The closeness of matching between a measured product-ion spectrum and a spectrum stored in the library was characterized by a value called "match probability", which took into account the number of matched fragment ions, the number of fragment ions observed in the two spectra, and the sum of the intensity differences calculated for matching fragments. A large value for the match probability indicated a close match between the measured and the reference spectrum. A unique feature of the library search algorithm-an implemented spectral purification option-enables characterization of multi-contributor fragment-ion spectra. With the aid of this software feature, substances comprising only 1.0% of the total amount of binary mixtures were unequivocally assigned, in addition to the isobaric main contributors. The spectral library was successfully applied to the characterization of 39 forensic casework samples.

Influence of dyadic matching of affect on infant self-regulation.

PubMed

Noe, Daniela; Schluckwerder, Sabine; Reck, Corinna

2015-01-01

Affective behavioural matching during face-to-face interaction fosters the transition from mutual regulation to infant self-regulation. Optimum midrange models of mother-infant interaction hold that moderate degrees of dyadic matching facilitate infant socio-emotional development. The aim of this study was to examine which degree of dyadic matching is most beneficial for infant self-regulation. To evaluate this model, 3 groups of highly, midrange and poorly matched dyads were created from a mixed sample of 68 dyads with healthy and post-partum depressed mothers and their infants (age range = 1-8 months, mean age = 3.9 months). Mother-infant interactions were videotaped in the face-to-face still-face paradigm (FFSF) and micro-analytically coded. Specifically, the relation between affective behavioural matching in FFSF play and infant positive and negative affect in FFSF still face and FFSF reunion was explored. Contrary to our expectation, we found a monotonous trend for all groups: the more matching in FFSF play, the more positive and less negative affect the infant showed in FFSF still face and FFSF reunion, respectively. The present findings further illuminate the association between different degrees of dyadic matching in early mother-infant interaction and infant self-regulation. Further research should focus on the integration and replication of findings and conceptual approaches to further evaluate and refine the concept of midrange matching and make it applicable to therapeutic work with mothers and their infants.

Effects of age, maturity and body dimensions on match running performance in highly trained under-15 soccer players.

PubMed

Buchheit, Martin; Mendez-Villanueva, Alberto

2014-01-01

The aim of the present study was to compare, in 36 highly trained under-15 soccer players, the respective effects of age, maturity and body dimensions on match running performance. Maximal sprinting (MSS) and aerobic speeds were estimated. Match running performance was analysed with GPS (GPSport, 1 Hz) during 19 international friendly games (n = 115 player-files). Total distance and distance covered >16 km h(-1) (D > 16 km h(-1)) were collected. Players advanced in age and/or maturation, or having larger body dimensions presented greater locomotor (Cohen's d for MSS: 0.5-1.0, likely to almost certain) and match running performances (D > 16 km h(-1): 0.2-0.5, possibly to likely) than their younger, less mature and/or smaller teammates. These age-, maturation- and body size-related differences were of larger magnitude for field test measures versus match running performance. Compared with age and body size (unclear to likely), maturation (likely to almost certainly for all match variables) had the greatest impact on match running performance. The magnitude of the relationships between age, maturation and body dimensions and match running performance were position-dependent. Within a single age-group in the present player sample, maturation had a substantial impact on match running performance, especially in attacking players. Coaches may need to consider players' maturity status when assessing their on-field playing performance.

Variability of soccer referees' match performances.

PubMed

Weston, M; Drust, B; Atkinson, G; Gregson, W

2011-03-01

The aim of the present study was to determine the between-match variability in soccer referees' match performances. 1 269 individual match observations were undertaken on 59 referees (range 2-79 games per referee) officiating in the English Premier League and Championship from 2003/2004 to 2007/2008 using a computerised tracking system (Prozone (®), Leeds, England). Between-match coefficients of variation (CV) were calculated for all games and then compared between referee age and experience groups. High mean CVs were observed for high-speed running distance (25.9±10.1%), recovery time (32.7±13.8%), explosive sprints (34.3±16.6%), total number of sprints (54.0±20.7%) and number of match fouls (28±4.6%). Smaller CVs were observed for total distance covered (3.8±1.5%), top sprinting speed (5.6±10.9%), distance from the ball (4.2±1.9%) and the distance from fouls (9.9±4.3%). Variability in match activities was not influenced by referee age or experience. The present study's findings demonstrate that variability in soccer referees' match performances is high in some variables and not dependent on referee age or experience. Such variability means that research requires large sample sizes to detect real systematic changes in a number of performance characteristics when studied during matches. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Evaluating the Use of Existing Data Sources, Probabilistic Linkage, and Multiple Imputation to Build Population-based Injury Databases Across Phases of Trauma Care

PubMed Central

Newgard, Craig; Malveau, Susan; Staudenmayer, Kristan; Wang, N. Ewen; Hsia, Renee Y.; Mann, N. Clay; Holmes, James F.; Kuppermann, Nathan; Haukoos, Jason S.; Bulger, Eileen M.; Dai, Mengtao; Cook, Lawrence J.

2012-01-01

Objectives The objective was to evaluate the process of using existing data sources, probabilistic linkage, and multiple imputation to create large population-based injury databases matched to outcomes. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study of injured children and adults transported by 94 emergency medical systems (EMS) agencies to 122 hospitals in seven regions of the western United States over a 36-month period (2006 to 2008). All injured patients evaluated by EMS personnel within specific geographic catchment areas were included, regardless of field disposition or outcome. The authors performed probabilistic linkage of EMS records to four hospital and postdischarge data sources (emergency department [ED] data, patient discharge data, trauma registries, and vital statistics files) and then handled missing values using multiple imputation. The authors compare and evaluate matched records, match rates (proportion of matches among eligible patients), and injury outcomes within and across sites. Results There were 381,719 injured patients evaluated by EMS personnel in the seven regions. Among transported patients, match rates ranged from 14.9% to 87.5% and were directly affected by the availability of hospital data sources and proportion of missing values for key linkage variables. For vital statistics records (1-year mortality), estimated match rates ranged from 88.0% to 98.7%. Use of multiple imputation (compared to complete case analysis) reduced bias for injury outcomes, although sample size, percentage missing, type of variable, and combined-site versus single-site imputation models all affected the resulting estimates and variance. Conclusions This project demonstrates the feasibility and describes the process of constructing population-based injury databases across multiple phases of care using existing data sources and commonly available analytic methods. Attention to key linkage variables and decisions for handling missing values can be used to increase match rates between data sources, minimize bias, and preserve sampling design. PMID:22506952

Genome-wide association analysis accounting for environmental factors through propensity-score matching: application to stressful live events in major depressive disorder.

PubMed

Power, Robert A; Cohen-Woods, Sarah; Ng, Mandy Y; Butler, Amy W; Craddock, Nick; Korszun, Ania; Jones, Lisa; Jones, Ian; Gill, Michael; Rice, John P; Maier, Wolfgang; Zobel, Astrid; Mors, Ole; Placentino, Anna; Rietschel, Marcella; Aitchison, Katherine J; Tozzi, Federica; Muglia, Pierandrea; Breen, Gerome; Farmer, Anne E; McGuffin, Peter; Lewis, Cathryn M; Uher, Rudolf

2013-09-01

Stressful life events are an established trigger for depression and may contribute to the heterogeneity within genome-wide association analyses. With depression cases showing an excess of exposure to stressful events compared to controls, there is difficulty in distinguishing between "true" cases and a "normal" response to a stressful environment. This potential contamination of cases, and that from genetically at risk controls that have not yet experienced environmental triggers for onset, may reduce the power of studies to detect causal variants. In the RADIANT sample of 3,690 European individuals, we used propensity score matching to pair cases and controls on exposure to stressful life events. In 805 case-control pairs matched on stressful life event, we tested the influence of 457,670 common genetic variants on the propensity to depression under comparable level of adversity with a sign test. While this analysis produced no significant findings after genome-wide correction for multiple testing, we outline a novel methodology and perspective for providing environmental context in genetic studies. We recommend contextualizing depression by incorporating environmental exposure into genome-wide analyses as a complementary approach to testing gene-environment interactions. Possible explanations for negative findings include a lack of statistical power due to small sample size and conditional effects, resulting from the low rate of adequate matching. Our findings underscore the importance of collecting information on environmental risk factors in studies of depression and other complex phenotypes, so that sufficient sample sizes are available to investigate their effect in genome-wide association analysis. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Identification of eukaryotic open reading frames in metagenomic cDNA libraries made from environmental samples.

PubMed

Grant, Susan; Grant, William D; Cowan, Don A; Jones, Brian E; Ma, Yanhe; Ventosa, Antonio; Heaphy, Shaun

2006-01-01

Here we describe the application of metagenomic technologies to construct cDNA libraries from RNA isolated from environmental samples. RNAlater (Ambion) was shown to stabilize RNA in environmental samples for periods of at least 3 months at -20 degrees C. Protocols for library construction were established on total RNA extracted from Acanthamoeba polyphaga trophozoites. The methodology was then used on algal mats from geothermal hot springs in Tengchong county, Yunnan Province, People's Republic of China, and activated sludge from a sewage treatment plant in Leicestershire, United Kingdom. The Tenchong libraries were dominated by RNA from prokaryotes, reflecting the mainly prokaryote microbial composition. The majority of these clones resulted from rRNA; only a few appeared to be derived from mRNA. In contrast, many clones from the activated sludge library had significant similarity to eukaryote mRNA-encoded protein sequences. A library was also made using polyadenylated RNA isolated from total RNA from activated sludge; many more clones in this library were related to eukaryotic mRNA sequences and proteins. Open reading frames (ORFs) up to 378 amino acids in size could be identified. Some resembled known proteins over their full length, e.g., 36% match to cystatin, 49% match to ribosomal protein L32, 63% match to ribosomal protein S16, 70% to CPC2 protein. The methodology described here permits the polyadenylated transcriptome to be isolated from environmental samples with no knowledge of the identity of the microorganisms in the sample or the necessity to culture them. It has many uses, including the identification of novel eukaryotic ORFs encoding proteins and enzymes.

Identity matching in a patient with Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Steinunn Steingrimsdottir, Hanna; Arntzen, Erik

2011-05-01

Difficulties with short-term memory are one of the main problems in patients with dementia. Therefore, one purpose of this study was to examine the effects of simultaneous vs delayed presentation of comparison stimuli in a matching-to-sample (MTS) task using computerized training. By using an identity MTS procedure, the participant was trained to select a comparison stimulus identical to a sample stimulus. A 2nd purpose was to study the effect of the number of choices presented, thereby evaluating short-term memory deficits and possible deterioration of deficits over time. In this study, an 80-year-old-male with a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of 10 was exposed to 4 experimental conditions. The results showed that using 3 comparison stimuli presented simultaneously with the sample stimulus on the screen resulted in more incorrect responding than when using 2 comparison stimuli. Furthermore, when adding a 0-second delay between the presentation of the sample stimulus and the 2 comparison stimuli, the number of correct responses did not exceed chance level.

Robust matching for voice recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Higgins, Alan; Bahler, L.; Porter, J.; Blais, P.

1994-10-01

This paper describes an automated method of comparing a voice sample of an unknown individual with samples from known speakers in order to establish or verify the individual's identity. The method is based on a statistical pattern matching approach that employs a simple training procedure, requires no human intervention (transcription, work or phonetic marketing, etc.), and makes no assumptions regarding the expected form of the statistical distributions of the observations. The content of the speech material (vocabulary, grammar, etc.) is not assumed to be constrained in any way. An algorithm is described which incorporates frame pruning and channel equalization processes designed to achieve robust performance with reasonable computational resources. An experimental implementation demonstrating the feasibility of the concept is described.

Individual and interpersonal emotion regulation among adults with substance use disorders and matched controls.

PubMed

Dingle, Genevieve A; Neves, Diana da Costa; Alhadad, Sakinah S J; Hides, Leanne

2018-06-01

Self-report studies show that negative emotional states and ineffective use of emotion regulation strategies are key maintaining factors of substance use disorders (SUD). However, experimental research into emotional processing in adults with SUD is in its infancy. Theoretical conceptualizations of emotion regulation have shifted from a focus on individual (internal) processes to one that encompasses social and interpersonal functions - including the regulation of facial expression of emotion. The purpose of this study was to examine the individual and interpersonal emotion regulation capacity of 35 adults in residential treatment diagnosed with a SUD compared to 35 demographically matched controls (both samples M age  = 25 years; 37% females). Participants completed a facial emotion expression flexibility task while viewing emotive images, as well as the Difficulties of Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) and the Social (Emotion) Expectancy Scale (SES). Adults in SUD treatment experienced significantly more emotion regulation difficulties on all DERS subscales than controls. They also reported higher levels of negative self-evaluation and social expectancies not to feel negative emotions (anxiety and depression) compared to controls. Moreover, when viewing emotive images, the treatment sample showed significantly less flexibility of their emotional expression compared to the control sample. These findings demonstrate that the awareness, expression, and regulation of emotions are particularly difficult for people with SUD and this may maintain their substance use and provide an important target for treatment. Compared to matched controls, adults with substance use disorders self-report significantly more difficulties with emotional awareness and regulation. Compared to matched controls, adults with substance use disorders report significantly greater expectancies not to show depression and anxiety. When viewing positive and negative images, adults with substance use disorders are significantly less flexible in their facial expression of emotion than matched controls in response to regulatory instructions. Emotion regulation should be measured and addressed as part of substance use disorder treatment. © 2017 Commonwealth of Australia. British Journal of Clinical Psychology © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

The use of forensic botany and geology in war crimes investigations in NE Bosnia.

PubMed

Brown, A G

2006-11-22

From 1997 to 2002 the United Nations International Criminal Tribune for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) undertook the exhumation of mass graves in NE Bosnia as part of the war crimes investigations aimed at providing evidence for the prosecution of war criminals in The Hague. This involved the location and exhumation of seven former mass graves (primary sites) dug following the fall of Srebrenica in July 1995. These primary mass graves were secretly and hurriedly exhumed three months later and most of the bodies or body parts transported and reburied in a large number of secondary sites many of which were subsequently exhumed by ICTY. The aim of the pollen and soil/sediment studies was to provide an 'environmental profile' of the original site of the samples and use this to match the relocated bodies to the original mass graves. This was part of completing the chain of evidence, providing evidence of the scale and organization of the original atrocities and the subsequent attempts to conceal the evidence related to them. All the primary sites were located in areas of contrasting geology, soils and vegetation, and this allowed matching of the sediment transported in intimate contact with the bodies to the original burial sites, which in some cases were also the execution sites. In all, over 24 sites were investigated, over 240 samples collected and analyzed under low power microscopy and 65 pollen sub-samples fully analyzed. The pollen and sediment descriptions were used in conjunction with the mineralogy (using XRD) of primary and secondary sites in order to provide matches. These matches were then compared with matching evidence from ballistic studies and clothing. The evidence has been used in court and is now in the public domain. It is believed this is the first time 'environmental profiling' techniques have been used in a systematic manner in a war crimes investigation.

Using complex auditory-visual samples to produce emergent relations in children with autism.

PubMed

Groskreutz, Nicole C; Karsina, Allen; Miguel, Caio F; Groskreutz, Mark P

2010-03-01

Six participants with autism learned conditional relations between complex auditory-visual sample stimuli (dictated words and pictures) and simple visual comparisons (printed words) using matching-to-sample training procedures. Pre- and posttests examined potential stimulus control by each element of the complex sample when presented individually and emergence of additional conditional relations and oral labeling. Tests revealed class-consistent performance for all participants following training.

Fixture congestion modulates post-match recovery kinetics in professional soccer players.

PubMed

Lundberg, Tommy R; Weckström, Kristoffer

2017-01-01

This study examined the influence of fixture congestion on physical performance and biochemical variables in professional male footballers. After 3 competitive matches within a week (3M cycle), 16 players underwent blood sampling and field testing 72 h after the last match. The same tests were performed after a regular 1 match-week cycle (1M cycle). The 1M vs. 3M change scores were compared between Congested (high match exposure) and non-selected Control players. The change score in muscle soreness was greater (effect size 1.0; CI 0.0-1.9) in the Congested players than Controls, indicating a possible negative effect of fixture congestion. There were no effects on sprint and jump performance. The change in plasma (P)-Urea was greater in Congested players than controls (effect size 1.3; CI 0.3-2.2). The effects on other blood variables were either non-existing/trivial, or unclear. Altogether, physical fitness and immune function were not compromised by match congestion, yet some indices of physiological stress and muscle damage were still evident.

Performance of Disease Risk Score Matching in Nested Case-Control Studies: A Simulation Study.

PubMed

Desai, Rishi J; Glynn, Robert J; Wang, Shirley; Gagne, Joshua J

2016-05-15

In a case-control study, matching on a disease risk score (DRS), which includes many confounders, should theoretically result in greater precision than matching on only a few confounders; however, this has not been investigated. We simulated 1,000 hypothetical cohorts with a binary exposure, a time-to-event outcome, and 13 covariates. Each cohort comprised 2 subcohorts of 10,000 patients each: a historical subcohort and a concurrent subcohort. DRS were estimated in the historical subcohorts and applied to the concurrent subcohorts. Nested case-control studies were conducted in the concurrent subcohorts using incidence density sampling with 2 strategies-matching on age and sex, with adjustment for additional confounders, and matching on DRS-followed by conditional logistic regression for 9 outcome-exposure incidence scenarios. In all scenarios, DRS matching yielded lower average standard errors and mean squared errors than did matching on age and sex. In 6 scenarios, DRS matching also resulted in greater empirical power. DRS matching resulted in less relative bias than did matching on age and sex at lower outcome incidences but more relative bias at higher incidences. Post-hoc analysis revealed that the effect of DRS model misspecification might be more pronounced at higher outcome incidences, resulting in higher relative bias. These results suggest that DRS matching might increase the statistical efficiency of case-control studies, particularly when the outcome is rare. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Veterinary antibiotics in animal waste, its distribution in soil and uptake by plants: A review.

PubMed

Tasho, Reep Pandi; Cho, Jae Yong

2016-09-01

Therapeutic and sub-therapeutic use of antibiotics in livestock farming is and has been, a common practice worldwide. These bioactive organic compounds have short retention period and partial uptake into the animal system. The uptake effects of this pharmaceutics, with plants as the primary focus, has not been reviewed so far. This review addresses three main concerns 1) the extensive use of veterinary antibiotics in livestock farming, 2) disposal of animal waste containing active biosolids and 3) effects of veterinary antibiotics in plants. Depending upon the plant species and the antibiotic used, the response can be phytotoxic, hormetic as well as mutational. Additionally, the physiological interactions that make the uptake of these compounds relatively easy have also been discussed. High water solubility, longer half-lives, and continued introduction make them relatively persistent in the environment. Lastly, some prevention measures that can help limit their impact on the environment have been reviewed. There are three methods of control: treatment of animal manure before field application, an alternative bio-agent for disease treatment and a well targeted legalized use of antibiotics. Limiting the movement of these biosolids in the environment can be a challenge because of their varying physiological interactions. Electron irradiation and supervised inoculation of beneficial microorganisms can be effective remediation strategies. Thus, extensive future research should be focused in this area. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fast-growing algicidal Streptomyces sp. U3 and its potential in harmful algal bloom controls.

PubMed

Yu, Xiaoqi; Cai, Guanjing; Wang, Hui; Hu, Zhong; Zheng, Wei; Lei, Xueqian; Zhu, Xiaoying; Chen, Yao; Chen, Qiuliang; Din, Hongyan; Xu, Hong; Tian, Yun; Fu, Lijun; Zheng, Tianling

2018-01-05

To find the potential algicidal microorganisms and apply them to prevent and terminate harmful algal blooms (HABs), we isolated an actinomycete U3 from Mangrove, which had a potent algicidal effect on the harmful alga Heterosigma akashiwo. It could completely lyse the algal cells by producing active compounds, which were highly sensitive to high temperature and strong alkaline, but resistant to acid. One μg/mL of crude extract of the fermentation supernatant could kill 70% of H. akashiwo cells in 3 d. Unlike most of the other known algicidal Streptomyces, U3 showed strong ability of proliferation with the algal inclusion as the nutrient source. The washed mycelial pellets also gradually exhibited significant algicidal effect during the visible growth in the algal culture. It suggests that U3 could efficiently absorb nutrients from algal culture to support its growth and produce algicidal compounds that might cause the autophagy of algal cells. Therefore, applying U3, as a long-term and environmentally friendly bio-agent to control the harmful blooms of H. akashiwo, would be effective and promising. And the decrease of bioavailable DOM and increase of bio-refractory DOM during the algicidal process of U3 provided new insights into the ecological influence of algicial microorganisms on marine ecosystem. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Isolation, identification and characterization of an algicidal bacterium from Lake Taihu and preliminary studies on its algicidal compounds.

PubMed

Tian, Chuan; Liu, Xianglong; Tan, Jing; Lin, Shengqin; Li, Daotang; Yang, Hong

2012-01-01

In an effort to identify a bio-agent capable of controlling cyanobacterial blooms, we isolated a bacterial strain, A27, which exhibited strong algicidal activity against the dominant bloom-forming species of Microcystis aeruginosa in Lake Taihu. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, this strain belongs to the genus Exiguobacterium. This is the first report of an algicidal bacterial strain belonging to the genus Exiguobacterium. Strain A27 exhibited algicidal activity against a broad range of cyanobacteria, but elicited little or no algicidal activity against the two green algal strains tested. The algicidal activity of strain A27 was shown to be dependent on the density of the bacteria and to have a threshold density of 1.5x10(6) CFU/mL. Our data also showed that the algicidal activity of strain A27 depended on different growth stages of Microcystis aeruginosa (exponential approximately lag phase > early stationary) rather than that of the bacterium itself. Our results also suggested the algicidal activity of strain A27 occurred via the production of extracellular algicidal compounds. Investigation of the algicidal compounds revealed that there were at least two different algicidal compounds produced by strain A27. These results indicated that strain A27 has great potential for use in the control of outbreaks of cyanobacterial blooms in Lake Taihu.

Structural and mechanistic analysis of engineered trichodiene synthase enzymes from Trichoderma harzianum: towards higher catalytic activities empowering sustainable agriculture.

PubMed

Kumari, Indu; Chaudhary, Nitika; Sandhu, Padmani; Ahmed, Mushtaq; Akhter, Yusuf

2016-06-01

Trichoderma spp. are well-known bioagents for the plant growth promotion and pathogen suppression. The beneficial activities of the fungus Trichoderma spp. are attributed to their ability to produce and secrete certain secondary metabolites such as trichodermin that belongs to trichothecene family of molecules. The initial steps of trichodermin biosynthetic pathway in Trichoderma are similar to the trichothecenes from Fusarium sporotrichioides. Trichodiene synthase (TS) encoded by tri5 gene in Trichoderma catalyses the conversion of farnesyl pyrophosphate to trichodiene as reported earlier. In this study, we have carried out a comprehensive comparative sequence and structural analysis of the TS, which revealed the conserved residues involved in catalytic activity of the protein. In silico, modelled tertiary structure of TS protein showed stable structural behaviour during simulations. Two single-substitution mutants, i.e. D109E, D248Y and one double-substitution mutant (D109E and D248Y) of TS with potentially higher activities are screened out. The mutant proteins showed more stability than the wild type, an increased number of electrostatic interactions and better binding energies with the ligand, which further elucidates the amino acid residues involved in the reaction mechanism. These results will lead to devise strategies for higher TS activity to ultimately enhance the trichodermin production by Trichoderma spp. for its better exploitation in the sustainable agricultural practices.

Chemopreventive effect and lack of genotoxicity and mutagenicity of the exopolysaccharide botryosphaeran on human lymphocytes.

PubMed

Malini, M; Camargo, M S; Hernandes, L C; Vargas-Rechia, C G; Varanda, E A; Barbosa, A M; Dekker, R F H; Matsumoto, S T; Antunes, L M G; Cólus, I M S

2016-10-01

Carbohydrate biopolymers of fungal-origin are an important natural resource in the search for new bioagents with therapeutic and nutraceutical potential. In this study the mutagenic, genotoxic, antigenotoxic and antioxidant properties of the fungal exopolysaccharide botryosphaeran, a (1→3)(1→6)-β-D-glucan, from Botryosphaeria rhodina MAMB-05, was evaluated. The mutagenicity was assessed at five concentrations in Salmonella typhimurium by the Ames test. Normal and tumor (Jurkat cells) human T lymphocyte cultures were used to evaluate the genotoxicity and antigenotoxicity (Comet assay) of botryosphaeran alone and in combination with the mutagen methyl methanesulfonate (MMS). The ability of botryosphaeran to reduce the production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) generated by hydrogen peroxide was assessed using the CM-H2DCFDA probe in lymphocyte cultures under different treatment times. None of the evaluated botryosphaeran concentrations were mutagenic in bacteria, nor induced genotoxicity in normal and tumor lymphocytes. Botryosphaeran protected lymphocyte DNA against damage caused by MMS under simultaneous treatment and post-treatment conditions. However, botryosphaeran was not able to reduce the RONS generated by H2O2. Besides the absence of genotoxicity, botryosphaeran exerted a protective effect on human lymphocytes against genotoxic damage caused by MMS. These results are important in the validation of botryosphaeran as a therapeutic agent targeting health promotion. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Heavy metal pollution in aquatic ecosystems and its phytoremediation using wetland plants: An ecosustainable approach

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rai, P.K.

This review addresses the global problem of heavy metal pollution originating from increased industrialization and urbanization and its amelioration by using wetland plants both in a microcosm as well as natural/field condition. This review mentions salient features of wetland ecosystems, their vegetation component, and the pros and cons involved in heavy metal removal. Wetland plants are preferred over other bio-agents due to their low cost, frequent abundance in aquatic ecosystems, and easy handling. Constructed wetlands proved to be effective for the abatement of heavy metal pollution from acid mine drainage; landfill leachate; thermal power; and municipal, agricultural, refinery, and chlor-alkalimore » effluent. the physicochemical properties of wetlands provide many positive attributes for remediating heavy metals. Typha, Phragmites, Eichhornia, Azolla, Lemna, and other aquatic macrophytes are some of the potent wetland plants for heavy metal removal. Biomass disposal problem and seasonal growth of aquatic macrophytes are some limitations in the transfer of phytoremediation technology from the laboratory to the field. However, the disposed biomass of macrophytes may be used for various fruitful applications. An ecosustainable model has been developed through the author's various works, which may ameliorate some of the limitations. The creation of more areas for phytoremediation may also aid in wetlands conservation. Genetic engineering and biodiversity prospecting of endangered wetland plants are important future prospects in this regard.« less

Child Maltreatment as a Risk Factor for Opioid Dependence: Comparison of Family Characteristics and Type and Severity of Child Maltreatment with a Matched Control Group

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conroy, Elizabeth; Degenhardt, Louisa; Mattick, Richard P.; Nelson, Elliot C.

2009-01-01

Objective: To examine the prevalence, characteristics and risk factors for child maltreatment among opioid-dependent persons compared to a community sample of similar social disadvantage. Method: The study employed a case-control design. Cases had a history of opioid pharmacotherapy. Controls were frequency matched to cases with regard to age, sex…

1979 Reserve Force Studies Surveys: User’s Manual and Codebooks.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-09-01

units, for instance, artillery, which have the same manpower demand characteristics (similar size, skills and grade structure) provided better...personnel groups. With random cluster sampling, the pattern of questionnaire returns for each group of analytic interest should match the Guard and...marking the matching bubbles. First, although the instructions ask the respondent to "zero-fill" and "right-justify," some respondents entered the value

Development of Medical Technology for Contingency Response to Marrow Toxic Agents

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-30

mismatches may differ in their impact on transplant outcome, therefore, it is important to identify and quantify the influence of specific HLA ...evaluate HLA disparity and impact on HSC transplantation by adding selected pairs to the Donor/Recipient Pair project utilizing sample selection...to assay the impact of DNA-based HLA matching on unrelated donor transplant outcome, develop strategies for optimal HLA matching, evaluate the

Comparative measurements of stratospheric particulate content by aircraft and ground-based lidar. [aerosol sampling and scattering data analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Viezee, W.; Russell, P. B.; Hake, R. D., Jr.

1974-01-01

The matching method of lidar data analysis is explained, and the results from two flights studying the stratospheric aerosol using lidar techniques are summarized and interpreted. Support is lent to the matching method of lidar data analysis by the results, but it is not yet apparent that the analysis technique leads to acceptable results on all nights in all seasons.

Convex Hull Aided Registration Method (CHARM).

PubMed

Fan, Jingfan; Yang, Jian; Zhao, Yitian; Ai, Danni; Liu, Yonghuai; Wang, Ge; Wang, Yongtian

2017-09-01

Non-rigid registration finds many applications such as photogrammetry, motion tracking, model retrieval, and object recognition. In this paper we propose a novel convex hull aided registration method (CHARM) to match two point sets subject to a non-rigid transformation. First, two convex hulls are extracted from the source and target respectively. Then, all points of the point sets are projected onto the reference plane through each triangular facet of the hulls. From these projections, invariant features are extracted and matched optimally. The matched feature point pairs are mapped back onto the triangular facets of the convex hulls to remove outliers that are outside any relevant triangular facet. The rigid transformation from the source to the target is robustly estimated by the random sample consensus (RANSAC) scheme through minimizing the distance between the matched feature point pairs. Finally, these feature points are utilized as the control points to achieve non-rigid deformation in the form of thin-plate spline of the entire source point set towards the target one. The experimental results based on both synthetic and real data show that the proposed algorithm outperforms several state-of-the-art ones with respect to sampling, rotational angle, and data noise. In addition, the proposed CHARM algorithm also shows higher computational efficiency compared to these methods.

Double-adjustment in propensity score matching analysis: choosing a threshold for considering residual imbalance.

PubMed

Nguyen, Tri-Long; Collins, Gary S; Spence, Jessica; Daurès, Jean-Pierre; Devereaux, P J; Landais, Paul; Le Manach, Yannick

2017-04-28

Double-adjustment can be used to remove confounding if imbalance exists after propensity score (PS) matching. However, it is not always possible to include all covariates in adjustment. We aimed to find the optimal imbalance threshold for entering covariates into regression. We conducted a series of Monte Carlo simulations on virtual populations of 5,000 subjects. We performed PS 1:1 nearest-neighbor matching on each sample. We calculated standardized mean differences across groups to detect any remaining imbalance in the matched samples. We examined 25 thresholds (from 0.01 to 0.25, stepwise 0.01) for considering residual imbalance. The treatment effect was estimated using logistic regression that contained only those covariates considered to be unbalanced by these thresholds. We showed that regression adjustment could dramatically remove residual confounding bias when it included all of the covariates with a standardized difference greater than 0.10. The additional benefit was negligible when we also adjusted for covariates with less imbalance. We found that the mean squared error of the estimates was minimized under the same conditions. If covariate balance is not achieved, we recommend reiterating PS modeling until standardized differences below 0.10 are achieved on most covariates. In case of remaining imbalance, a double adjustment might be worth considering.

Repeat sample intraocular pressure variance in induced and naturally ocular hypertensive monkeys.

PubMed

Dawson, William W; Dawson, Judyth C; Hope, George M; Brooks, Dennis E; Percicot, Christine L

2005-12-01

To compare repeat-sample means variance of laser induced ocular hypertension (OH) in rhesus monkeys with the repeat-sample mean variance of natural OH in age-range matched monkeys of similar and dissimilar pedigrees. Multiple monocular, retrospective, intraocular pressure (IOP) measures were recorded repeatedly during a short sampling interval (SSI, 1-5 months) and a long sampling interval (LSI, 6-36 months). There were 5-13 eyes in each SSI and LSI subgroup. Each interval contained subgroups from the Florida with natural hypertension (NHT), induced hypertension (IHT1) Florida monkeys, unrelated (Strasbourg, France) induced hypertensives (IHT2), and Florida age-range matched controls (C). Repeat-sample individual variance means and related IOPs were analyzed by a parametric analysis of variance (ANOV) and results compared to non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis ANOV. As designed, all group intraocular pressure distributions were significantly different (P < or = 0.009) except for the two (Florida/Strasbourg) induced OH groups. A parametric 2 x 4 design ANOV for mean variance showed large significant effects due to treatment group and sampling interval. Similar results were produced by the nonparametric ANOV. Induced OH sample variance (LSI) was 43x the natural OH sample variance-mean. The same relationship for the SSI was 12x. Laser induced ocular hypertension in rhesus monkeys produces large IOP repeat-sample variance mean results compared to controls and natural OH.

Probabilistic seismic history matching using binary images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davolio, Alessandra; Schiozer, Denis Jose

2018-02-01

Currently, the goal of history-matching procedures is not only to provide a model matching any observed data but also to generate multiple matched models to properly handle uncertainties. One such approach is a probabilistic history-matching methodology based on the discrete Latin Hypercube sampling algorithm, proposed in previous works, which was particularly efficient for matching well data (production rates and pressure). 4D seismic (4DS) data have been increasingly included into history-matching procedures. A key issue in seismic history matching (SHM) is to transfer data into a common domain: impedance, amplitude or pressure, and saturation. In any case, seismic inversions and/or modeling are required, which can be time consuming. An alternative to avoid these procedures is using binary images in SHM as they allow the shape, rather than the physical values, of observed anomalies to be matched. This work presents the incorporation of binary images in SHM within the aforementioned probabilistic history matching. The application was performed with real data from a segment of the Norne benchmark case that presents strong 4D anomalies, including softening signals due to pressure build up. The binary images are used to match the pressurized zones observed in time-lapse data. Three history matchings were conducted using: only well data, well and 4DS data, and only 4DS. The methodology is very flexible and successfully utilized the addition of binary images for seismic objective functions. Results proved the good convergence of the method in few iterations for all three cases. The matched models of the first two cases provided the best results, with similar well matching quality. The second case provided models presenting pore pressure changes according to the expected dynamic behavior (pressurized zones) observed on 4DS data. The use of binary images in SHM is relatively new with few examples in the literature. This work enriches this discussion by presenting a new application to match pressure in a reservoir segment with complex pressure behavior.

African-American mitochondrial DNAs often match mtDNAs found in multiple African ethnic groups

PubMed Central

Ely, Bert; Wilson, Jamie Lee; Jackson, Fatimah; Jackson, Bruce A

2006-01-01

Background Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotypes have become popular tools for tracing maternal ancestry, and several companies offer this service to the general public. Numerous studies have demonstrated that human mtDNA haplotypes can be used with confidence to identify the continent where the haplotype originated. Ideally, mtDNA haplotypes could also be used to identify a particular country or ethnic group from which the maternal ancestor emanated. However, the geographic distribution of mtDNA haplotypes is greatly influenced by the movement of both individuals and population groups. Consequently, common mtDNA haplotypes are shared among multiple ethnic groups. We have studied the distribution of mtDNA haplotypes among West African ethnic groups to determine how often mtDNA haplotypes can be used to reconnect Americans of African descent to a country or ethnic group of a maternal African ancestor. The nucleotide sequence of the mtDNA hypervariable segment I (HVS-I) usually provides sufficient information to assign a particular mtDNA to the proper haplogroup, and it contains most of the variation that is available to distinguish a particular mtDNA haplotype from closely related haplotypes. In this study, samples of general African-American and specific Gullah/Geechee HVS-I haplotypes were compared with two databases of HVS-I haplotypes from sub-Saharan Africa, and the incidence of perfect matches recorded for each sample. Results When two independent African-American samples were analyzed, more than half of the sampled HVS-I mtDNA haplotypes exactly matched common haplotypes that were shared among multiple African ethnic groups. Another 40% did not match any sequence in the database, and fewer than 10% were an exact match to a sequence from a single African ethnic group. Differences in the regional distribution of haplotypes were observed in the African database, and the African-American haplotypes were more likely to match haplotypes found in ethnic groups from West or West Central Africa than those found in eastern or southern Africa. Fewer than 14% of the African-American mtDNA sequences matched sequences from only West Africa or only West Central Africa. Conclusion Our database of sub-Saharan mtDNA sequences includes the most common haplotypes that are shared among ethnic groups from multiple regions of Africa. These common haplotypes have been found in half of all sub-Saharan Africans. More than 60% of the remaining haplotypes differ from the common haplotypes at a single nucleotide position in the HVS-I region, and they are likely to occur at varying frequencies within sub-Saharan Africa. However, the finding that 40% of the African-American mtDNAs analyzed had no match in the database indicates that only a small fraction of the total number of African haplotypes has been identified. In addition, the finding that fewer than 10% of African-American mtDNAs matched mtDNA sequences from a single African region suggests that few African Americans might be able to trace their mtDNA lineages to a particular region of Africa, and even fewer will be able to trace their mtDNA to a single ethnic group. However, no firm conclusions should be made until a much larger database is available. It is clear, however, that when identical mtDNA haplotypes are shared among many ethnic groups from different parts of Africa, it is impossible to determine which single ethnic group was the source of a particular maternal ancestor based on the mtDNA sequence. PMID:17038170

Construction of Fine Particles Source Spectrum Bank in Typical Region and Empirical Research of Matching Diagnosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xing; Sun, Wenliang; Guo, Min; Li, Minjiao; Li, Wan

2018-01-01

The research object of this paper is fine particles in typical region. The construction of component spectrum bank is based on the technology of online source apportionment, then the result of the apportionment is utilized to verify the effectiveness of fine particles component spectrum bank and which also act as the matching basis of online source apportionment receptor sample. On the next, the particle source of air pollution is carried through the matching diagnosis empirical research by utilizing online source apportionment technology, to provide technical support for the cause analysis and treatment of heavy pollution weather.

Predictors of Multiple Suicide Attempts among Suicidal Black Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merchant, Christopher; Kramer, Anne; Joe, Sean; Venkataraman, Sanjeev; King, Cheryl A.

2009-01-01

Psychopathology, social support, and interpersonal orientation were studied in relation to suicide attempt status in acutely suicidal, psychiatrically hospitalized Black adolescents and a matched sample of White adolescents. In the total sample, multiple attempters were differentiated by lower perceived support. Within the Black youth subsample,…

Using the MMPI-2-RF to discriminate psychometrically identified schizotypic college students from a matched comparison sample.

PubMed

Hunter, Helen K; Bolinskey, P Kevin; Novi, Jonathan H; Hudak, Daniel V; James, Alison V; Myers, Kevin R; Schuder, Kelly M

2014-01-01

This study investigates the extent to which the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) profiles of 52 individuals making up a psychometrically identified schizotypes (SZT) sample could be successfully discriminated from the protocols of 52 individuals in a matched comparison (MC) sample. Replication analyses were performed with an additional 53 pairs of SZT and MC participants. Results showed significant differences in mean T-score values between these 2 groups across a variety of MMPI-2-RF scales. Results from discriminant function analyses indicate that schizotypy can be predicted effectively using 4 MMPI-2-RF scales and that this method of classification held up on replication. Additional results demonstrated that these MMPI-2-RF scales nominally outperformed MMPI-2 scales suggested by previous research as being indicative of schizophrenia liability. Directions for future research with the MMPI-2-RF are suggested.

Identification of Missing Norwegian World War II Soldiers, in Karelia Russia.

PubMed

Morild, Inge; Hamre, Stian S; Huel, Rene; Parsons, Thomas J

2015-07-01

This article presents the multidisciplinary effort in trying to identify the skeletal remains of 100 Norwegian soldiers serving in the German army, killed in Karelia Russia in 1944, from the recovery of the remains through the final identification using DNA. Of the 150 bone samples sent for DNA testing, 93 DNA profiles were obtained relating to 57 unique individuals. The relatives could not be directly contacted as the soldiers were considered as traitors to Norway; therefore, only 45 reference samples, relating to 42 cases of the missing, were donated. DNA matches for 14 soldiers and 12 additional body part re-associations for these individuals were found. Another 24 bone samples were re-associated with 16 individuals, but no familial match was found. More than six decades after the end of WWII, DNA analysis can significantly contribute to the identification of the remains. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

The role of coherence of mind and reflective functioning in understanding binge-eating disorder and co-morbid overweight.

PubMed

Maxwell, Hilary; Tasca, Giorgio A; Grenon, Renee; Faye, Megan; Ritchie, Kerri; Bissada, Hany; Balfour, Louise

2017-08-01

Coherence of mind and reflective functioning may impact negative affect and interpersonal functioning over and above the effects of symptoms of depression and interpersonal problems that contribute to symptoms of binge-eating disorder (BED) and overweight/obesity. Matched samples of overweight women with BED and overweight and normal weight women without BED completed the Adult Attachment Interview, a measure of depressive symptoms, and a measure of interpersonal problems. Greater symptoms of depression distinguished women with BED from the matched comparison samples. Greater interpersonal problems differentiated women with BED from overweight women without BED. Coherence of Mind scores did not differentiate the samples. However, lower Reflective Functioning scores did distinguish both women with BED and overweight women without BED from normal weight women. Lower reflective functioning may lead to binge eating independent of depressive symptoms and interpersonal problems.

Identification and selection of cases and controls in the Pneumonia Etiology Research for Child Health project.

PubMed

Deloria-Knoll, Maria; Feikin, Daniel R; Scott, J Anthony G; O'Brien, Katherine L; DeLuca, Andrea N; Driscoll, Amanda J; Levine, Orin S

2012-04-01

Methods for the identification and selection of patients (cases) with severe or very severe pneumonia and controls for the Pneumonia Etiology Research for Child Health (PERCH) project were needed. Issues considered include eligibility criteria and sampling strategies, whether to enroll hospital or community controls, whether to exclude controls with upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) or nonsevere pneumonia, and matching criteria, among others. PERCH ultimately decided to enroll community controls and an additional human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected control group at high HIV-prevalence sites matched on age and enrollment date of cases; controls with symptoms of URTI or nonsevere pneumonia will not be excluded. Systematic sampling of cases (when necessary) and random sampling of controls will be implemented. For each issue, we present the options that were considered, the advantages and disadvantages of each, the rationale for the methods selected for PERCH, and remaining implications and limitations.

Parenting Stress: A Comparison of Grandmother Caretakers and Mothers

PubMed Central

Musil, Carol M.; Youngblut, JoAnne M.; Ahn, Sukhee; Curry, Vanessa L.

2011-01-01

Parenting stress in grandmother caretakers has not been directly compared with a matched sample of mothers in the caretaker role. This study examined the main and interaction effects of caretaker status, employment, and race on parenting stress and whether these factors affect parenting stress in a convenience sample of grandmothers raising grandchildren (n = 86) and a sample of mothers of preschoolers (n = 86), matched for women’s partner status, race, and employment. Grandmothers raising grandchildren reported more overall parenting stress and parental distress than mothers. Non-employed women reported more negative perceptions of their children and more difficult interactions with them. When controlling for contextual variables, grandmother caretakers showed greater parenting distress, but employment was not related to parenting stress. Being Caucasian and caretaking of older children affected overall parenting stress, parent-child interactions, and perceptions of one’s children. Future research needs to consider the effect of outside influences on grandmothers’ stress. PMID:21966182

Effect of acoustic similarity on short-term auditory memory in the monkey

PubMed Central

Scott, Brian H.; Mishkin, Mortimer; Yin, Pingbo

2013-01-01

Recent evidence suggests that the monkey’s short-term memory in audition depends on a passively retained sensory trace as opposed to a trace reactivated from long-term memory for use in working memory. Reliance on a passive sensory trace could render memory particularly susceptible to confusion between sounds that are similar in some acoustic dimension. If so, then in delayed matching-to-sample, the monkey’s performance should be predicted by the similarity in the salient acoustic dimension between the sample and subsequent test stimulus, even at very short delays. To test this prediction and isolate the acoustic features relevant to short-term memory, we examined the pattern of errors made by two rhesus monkeys performing a serial, auditory delayed match-to-sample task with interstimulus intervals of 1 s. The analysis revealed that false-alarm errors did indeed result from similarity-based confusion between the sample and the subsequent nonmatch stimuli. Manipulation of the stimuli showed that removal of spectral cues was more disruptive to matching behavior than removal of temporal cues. In addition, the effect of acoustic similarity on false-alarm response was stronger at the first nonmatch stimulus than at the second one. This pattern of errors would be expected if the first nonmatch stimulus overwrote the sample’s trace, and suggests that the passively retained trace is not only vulnerable to similarity-based confusion but is also highly susceptible to overwriting. PMID:23376550

The Trauma of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Youth: A Comparison of CSE Victims to Sexual Abuse Victims in a Clinical Sample.

PubMed

Cole, Jennifer; Sprang, Ginny; Lee, Robert; Cohen, Judith

2016-01-01

This study examined the demographic features, trauma profiles, clinical severity indicators, problem behaviors, and service utilization characteristics of youth victims of commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) compared with a matched sample of sexually abused/assaulted youth who were not exploited in commercial sex. Secondary data analysis and propensity score matching were used to select a sample of 215 help-seeking youth who were exploited in prostitution (n = 43) or who were sexually abused/assaulted but not exploited in prostitution (n = 172) from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network Core Data Set (NCTSN CDS). Propensity Score Matching was used to select a comparison sample based on age, race, ethnicity, and primary residence. Statistically significant differences were noted between the groups on standardized (e.g., UCLA Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Reaction Index [PTSD-RI], Child Behavior Checklist [CBCL]) and other measures of emotional and behavioral problems (e.g., avoidance and hyperarousal symptoms, dissociation, truancy, running away, conduct disorder, sexualized behaviors, and substance abuse). This study provides useful insight into the symptom and service utilization profiles of youth exploited in commercial sex as compared with youth with other types of sexually exploitive experiences. Targeted screening and event-sensitive measures are recommended to more accurately identify youth exploited in commercial sex. More research is needed to determine if and what modifications to trauma therapies may be required to address the more severe symptomatology and behavior problems associated with youth exploited in commercial sex. © The Author(s) 2014.

Impaired limb position sense after stroke: a quantitative test for clinical use.

PubMed

Carey, L M; Oke, L E; Matyas, T A

1996-12-01

A quantitative measure of wrist position sense was developed to advance clinical measurement of proprioceptive limb sensibility after stroke. Test-retest reliability, normative standards, and ability to discriminate impaired and unimpaired performance were investigated. Retest reliability was assessed over three sessions, and a matched-pairs study compared stroke and unimpaired subjects. Both wrists were tested, in counterbalanced order. Patients were tested in hospital-based rehabilitation units. Reliability was investigated on a consecutive sample of 35 adult stroke patients with a range of proprioceptive discrimination abilities and no evidence of neglect. A consecutive sample of 50 stroke patients and convenience sample of 50 healthy volunteers, matched for age, sex, and hand dominance, were tested in the normative-discriminative study. Age and sex were representative of the adult stroke population. The test required matching of imposed wrist positions using a pointer aligned with the axis of movement and a protractor scale. The test was reliable (r = .88 and .92) and observed changes of 8 degrees can be interpreted, with 95% confidence, as genuine. Scores of healthy volunteers ranged from 3.1 degrees to 10.9 degrees average error. The criterion of impairment was conservatively defined as 11 degrees (+/-4.8 degrees) average error. Impaired and unimpaired performance were well differentiated. Clinicians can confidently and quantitatively sample one aspect of proprioceptive sensibility in stroke patients using the wrist position sense test. Development of tests on other joints using the present approach is supported by our findings.

Image Registration Algorithm Based on Parallax Constraint and Clustering Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhe; Dong, Min; Mu, Xiaomin; Wang, Song

2018-01-01

To resolve the problem of slow computation speed and low matching accuracy in image registration, a new image registration algorithm based on parallax constraint and clustering analysis is proposed. Firstly, Harris corner detection algorithm is used to extract the feature points of two images. Secondly, use Normalized Cross Correlation (NCC) function to perform the approximate matching of feature points, and the initial feature pair is obtained. Then, according to the parallax constraint condition, the initial feature pair is preprocessed by K-means clustering algorithm, which is used to remove the feature point pairs with obvious errors in the approximate matching process. Finally, adopt Random Sample Consensus (RANSAC) algorithm to optimize the feature points to obtain the final feature point matching result, and the fast and accurate image registration is realized. The experimental results show that the image registration algorithm proposed in this paper can improve the accuracy of the image matching while ensuring the real-time performance of the algorithm.

The concentration dependence of the galaxy–halo connection: Modeling assembly bias with abundance matching

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lehmann, Benjamin V.; Mao, Yao -Yuan; Becker, Matthew R.

Empirical methods for connecting galaxies to their dark matter halos have become essential for interpreting measurements of the spatial statistics of galaxies. In this work, we present a novel approach for parameterizing the degree of concentration dependence in the abundance matching method. Furthermore, this new parameterization provides a smooth interpolation between two commonly used matching proxies: the peak halo mass and the peak halo maximal circular velocity. This parameterization controls the amount of dependence of galaxy luminosity on halo concentration at a fixed halo mass. Effectively this interpolation scheme enables abundance matching models to have adjustable assembly bias in the resulting galaxy catalogs. With the newmore » $$400\\,\\mathrm{Mpc}\\,{h}^{-1}$$ DarkSky Simulation, whose larger volume provides lower sample variance, we further show that low-redshift two-point clustering and satellite fraction measurements from SDSS can already provide a joint constraint on this concentration dependence and the scatter within the abundance matching framework.« less

The concentration dependence of the galaxy–halo connection: Modeling assembly bias with abundance matching

DOE PAGES

Lehmann, Benjamin V.; Mao, Yao -Yuan; Becker, Matthew R.; ...

2016-12-28

Empirical methods for connecting galaxies to their dark matter halos have become essential for interpreting measurements of the spatial statistics of galaxies. In this work, we present a novel approach for parameterizing the degree of concentration dependence in the abundance matching method. Furthermore, this new parameterization provides a smooth interpolation between two commonly used matching proxies: the peak halo mass and the peak halo maximal circular velocity. This parameterization controls the amount of dependence of galaxy luminosity on halo concentration at a fixed halo mass. Effectively this interpolation scheme enables abundance matching models to have adjustable assembly bias in the resulting galaxy catalogs. With the newmore » $$400\\,\\mathrm{Mpc}\\,{h}^{-1}$$ DarkSky Simulation, whose larger volume provides lower sample variance, we further show that low-redshift two-point clustering and satellite fraction measurements from SDSS can already provide a joint constraint on this concentration dependence and the scatter within the abundance matching framework.« less

Comparison of two methods of MMPI-2 profile classification.

PubMed

Munley, P H; Germain, J M

2000-10-01

The present study investigated the extent of agreement of the highest scale method and the best-fit method in matching MMPI-2 profiles to database code-type profiles and considered profile characteristics that may relate to agreement or disagreement of code-type matches by these two methods. A sample of 519 MMPI-2 profiles that had been classified into database profile code types by these two methods was studied. Resulting code-type matches were classified into three groups: identical (30%), similar (39%), and different (31%), and the profile characteristics of profile elevation, dispersion, and profile code-type definition were studied. Profile code-type definition was significantly different across the three groups with identical and similar match profile groups showing greater profile code-type definition and the different group consisting of profiles that were less well-defined.

Morphological Differences Between Seyfert Hosts and Normal Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shlosman, Isaac

Using new sub-arcsecond resolution imaging we compare large-scale stellar bar fraction in CfA sample of Seyferts and a closely matched control sample of normal galaxies. We find a difference between the samples on the 2.5σ level. We further compare the axial ratios of bars in all available samples quoted in the literature and find a deficiency of small axial ratio bars in Seyferts compared to normal galaxies.

Consumer sensory acceptance and value of wet-aged and dry-aged beef steaks.

PubMed

Sitz, B M; Calkins, C R; Feuz, D M; Umberger, W J; Eskridge, K M

2006-05-01

To determine sensory preference and value of fresh beef steak differing in aging technique, strip steaks were evaluated by consumers in Denver (n = 132 consumers) and Chicago (n = 141 consumers). Wet-aged Choice strip loins were matched with dry-aged Choice strip loins, whereas wet-aged Prime strip loins were matched with dry-aged Prime strip loins. Dry-aged strip loins were commercially aged in air in a controlled environment for 30 d and vacuum-aged for 7 d during shipping and storage. Wet-aged strip loins were vacuum-packaged and aged for 37 d in a 1 degrees C cooler. Pairs of strip loins were matched to similar Warner-Bratzler shear force values and marbling scores. Twelve sensory evaluation panels (of 12 scheduled panelists each) were conducted over a 3-d period in each city. Individual samples from a pair of steaks were evaluated by the panelists for sensory traits. Bids were placed on the samples after sensory traits were obtained utilizing a variation of the Vickery auction with silent, sealed bids. No significant differences for sensory traits of flavor, juiciness, tenderness, or overall acceptability were detected between wet-aged Choice samples and dry-aged Choice samples. Although wet-aged Choice samples were numerically superior for all sensory traits, consumers placed similar bid values (P = 0.12) on wet- and dry-aged Choice samples ($3.82 per 0.45 kg and $3.57 per 0.45 kg, respectively). Wet-aged Prime samples were rated more desirable (P < 0.001) for flavor, tenderness, and overall acceptability than dry-aged Prime samples. Wet-aged Prime samples were valued at $4.02 per 0.45 kg, whereas dry-aged Prime samples brought $3.58 per 0.45 kg (P = 0.008). Consumers (29.3%) who preferred the dry-aged Choice samples over the wet-aged Choice samples were willing to pay $1.99/0.45 kg more (P < 0.001) for dry-aged samples. The consumers who preferred the wet-aged Choice over the dry-aged Choice samples (39.2%) were willing to pay $1.77/0.45 kg more (P < 0.0001). Consumers who preferred wet-aged Prime over dry-aged Prime samples (45.8%) paid $1.92/0.45 kg more (P < 0.0001). Consumers who preferred dry-aged Prime samples (27.5%) were willing to pay $1.92/0.45 kg more than for the wet-aged Prime samples. Although more consumers preferred wet-aged samples, markets do exist for dry-aged beef, and consumers are willing to pay a premium for this product.

Sleep Disturbance Preceding Completed Suicide in Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldstein, Tina R.; Bridge, Jeffrey A.; Brent, David A.

2008-01-01

We examined sleep difficulties preceding death in a sample of adolescent suicide completers as compared with a matched sample of community control adolescents. Sleep disturbances were assessed in 140 adolescent suicide victims with a psychological autopsy protocol and in 131 controls with a similar semistructured psychiatric interview. Rates of…

A Method for Identifying Pollution Sources of Heavy Metals and PAH for a Risk-Based Management of a Mediterranean Harbour

PubMed Central

Moranda, Arianna

2017-01-01

A procedure for assessing harbour pollution by heavy metals and PAH and the possible sources of contamination is proposed. The procedure is based on a ratio-matching method applied to the results of principal component analysis (PCA), and it allows discrimination between point and nonpoint sources. The approach can be adopted when many sources of pollution can contribute in a very narrow coastal ecosystem, both internal and outside but close to the harbour, and was used to identify the possible point sources of contamination in a Mediterranean Harbour (Port of Vado, Savona, Italy). 235 sediment samples were collected in 81 sampling points during four monitoring campaigns and 28 chemicals were searched for within the collected samples. PCA of total samples allowed the assessment of 8 main possible point sources, while the refining ratio-matching identified 1 sampling point as a possible PAH source, 2 sampling points as Cd point sources, and 3 sampling points as C > 12 point sources. By a map analysis it was possible to assess two internal sources of pollution directly related to terminals activity. The study is the prosecution of a previous work aimed at assessing Savona-Vado Harbour pollution levels and suggested strategies to regulate the harbour activities. PMID:29270328

A Method for Identifying Pollution Sources of Heavy Metals and PAH for a Risk-Based Management of a Mediterranean Harbour.

PubMed

Paladino, Ombretta; Moranda, Arianna; Seyedsalehi, Mahdi

2017-01-01

A procedure for assessing harbour pollution by heavy metals and PAH and the possible sources of contamination is proposed. The procedure is based on a ratio-matching method applied to the results of principal component analysis (PCA), and it allows discrimination between point and nonpoint sources. The approach can be adopted when many sources of pollution can contribute in a very narrow coastal ecosystem, both internal and outside but close to the harbour, and was used to identify the possible point sources of contamination in a Mediterranean Harbour (Port of Vado, Savona, Italy). 235 sediment samples were collected in 81 sampling points during four monitoring campaigns and 28 chemicals were searched for within the collected samples. PCA of total samples allowed the assessment of 8 main possible point sources, while the refining ratio-matching identified 1 sampling point as a possible PAH source, 2 sampling points as Cd point sources, and 3 sampling points as C > 12 point sources. By a map analysis it was possible to assess two internal sources of pollution directly related to terminals activity. The study is the prosecution of a previous work aimed at assessing Savona-Vado Harbour pollution levels and suggested strategies to regulate the harbour activities.

Tactile priming modulates the activation of the fronto-parietal circuit during tactile angle match and non-match processing: an fMRI study

PubMed Central

Yang, Jiajia; Yu, Yinghua; Kunita, Akinori; Huang, Qiang; Wu, Jinglong; Sawamoto, Nobukatsu; Fukuyama, Hidenao

2014-01-01

The repetition of a stimulus task reduces the neural activity within certain cortical regions responsible for working memory (WM) processing. Although previous evidence has shown that repeated vibrotactile stimuli reduce the activation in the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, whether the repeated tactile spatial stimuli triggered the priming effect correlated with the same cortical region remains unclear. Therefore, we used event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and a delayed match-to-sample task to investigate the contributions of the priming effect to tactile spatial WM processing. Fourteen healthy volunteers were asked to encode three tactile angle stimuli during the encoding phase and one tactile angle stimulus during the recognition phase. Then, they answered whether the last angle stimulus was presented during the encoding phase. As expected, both the Match and Non-Match tasks activated a similar cerebral network. The critical new finding was decreased brain activity in the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), the right posterior parietal cortex (PPC) and bilateral medial frontal gyri (mFG) for the match task compared to the Non-Match task. Therefore, we suggest that the tactile priming engaged repetition suppression mechanisms during tactile angle matching, and this process decreased the activation of the fronto-parietal circuit, including IFG, mFG and PPC. PMID:25566010

A dynamic programming approach for the alignment of signal peaks in multiple gas chromatography-mass spectrometry experiments.

PubMed

Robinson, Mark D; De Souza, David P; Keen, Woon Wai; Saunders, Eleanor C; McConville, Malcolm J; Speed, Terence P; Likić, Vladimir A

2007-10-29

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is a robust platform for the profiling of certain classes of small molecules in biological samples. When multiple samples are profiled, including replicates of the same sample and/or different sample states, one needs to account for retention time drifts between experiments. This can be achieved either by the alignment of chromatographic profiles prior to peak detection, or by matching signal peaks after they have been extracted from chromatogram data matrices. Automated retention time correction is particularly important in non-targeted profiling studies. A new approach for matching signal peaks based on dynamic programming is presented. The proposed approach relies on both peak retention times and mass spectra. The alignment of more than two peak lists involves three steps: (1) all possible pairs of peak lists are aligned, and similarity of each pair of peak lists is estimated; (2) the guide tree is built based on the similarity between the peak lists; (3) peak lists are progressively aligned starting with the two most similar peak lists, following the guide tree until all peak lists are exhausted. When two or more experiments are performed on different sample states and each consisting of multiple replicates, peak lists within each set of replicate experiments are aligned first (within-state alignment), and subsequently the resulting alignments are aligned themselves (between-state alignment). When more than two sets of replicate experiments are present, the between-state alignment also employs the guide tree. We demonstrate the usefulness of this approach on GC-MS metabolic profiling experiments acquired on wild-type and mutant Leishmania mexicana parasites. We propose a progressive method to match signal peaks across multiple GC-MS experiments based on dynamic programming. A sensitive peak similarity function is proposed to balance peak retention time and peak mass spectra similarities. This approach can produce the optimal alignment between an arbitrary number of peak lists, and models explicitly within-state and between-state peak alignment. The accuracy of the proposed method was close to the accuracy of manually-curated peak matching, which required tens of man-hours for the analyzed data sets. The proposed approach may offer significant advantages for processing of high-throughput metabolomics data, especially when large numbers of experimental replicates and multiple sample states are analyzed.

Statistical methods for the forensic analysis of striated tool marks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hoeksema, Amy Beth

In forensics, fingerprints can be used to uniquely identify suspects in a crime. Similarly, a tool mark left at a crime scene can be used to identify the tool that was used. However, the current practice of identifying matching tool marks involves visual inspection of marks by forensic experts which can be a very subjective process. As a result, declared matches are often successfully challenged in court, so law enforcement agencies are particularly interested in encouraging research in more objective approaches. Our analysis is based on comparisons of profilometry data, essentially depth contours of a tool mark surface taken alongmore » a linear path. In current practice, for stronger support of a match or non-match, multiple marks are made in the lab under the same conditions by the suspect tool. We propose the use of a likelihood ratio test to analyze the difference between a sample of comparisons of lab tool marks to a field tool mark, against a sample of comparisons of two lab tool marks. Chumbley et al. (2010) point out that the angle of incidence between the tool and the marked surface can have a substantial impact on the tool mark and on the effectiveness of both manual and algorithmic matching procedures. To better address this problem, we describe how the analysis can be enhanced to model the effect of tool angle and allow for angle estimation for a tool mark left at a crime scene. With sufficient development, such methods may lead to more defensible forensic analyses.« less

Survival Time of Cross-Match Incompatible Red Blood Cells in Adult Horses.

PubMed

Tomlinson, J E; Taberner, E; Boston, R C; Owens, S D; Nolen-Walston, R D

2015-01-01

There is a markedly reduced half-life of transfused RBCs when donor and recipient cats or humans are cross-match incompatible. Only 10-20% of horses have naturally occurring alloantibodies. Therefore, cross-match testing before blood transfusion is not always performed. Cross-match incompatibility predicts shortened RBC survival time as compared to that of compatible or autologous blood. Twenty healthy adult horses. Prospective trial. Blood type, anti-RBC antibody screen (before and 1 month after transfusion) and major and minor cross-match determined 10 donor-recipient pairs. Two pairs were cross-match compatible, the remainder incompatible. Donor blood (4 L) was collected into citrate phosphate dextrose adenine-1, labeled with NHS-biotin, and transfused into recipients. Samples were collected at 1 hour and 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35 days after transfusion, and biotinylated RBCs were detected by flow cytometry. Horses were monitored for transfusion reaction during transfusion and daily for 5 days. Cross-match incompatibility was significantly associated with decreased RBC survival time (P < .001). The half-life of transfused incompatible (cross-match >1+) allogenic equine RBCs was 4.7 (95% CI, 3.2-6.2) days versus 33.5 (24-43) days for compatible pairings. Cross-match incompatibility was associated with acute febrile transfusion reaction (P = .0083). At day 30, only 1 horse had developed novel anti-RBC antibodies. Cross-match incompatibility was predictive of febrile transfusion reaction and shortened transfused RBC survival, but did not result in production of anti-RBC antibodies at 30 days. Cross-match testing before transfusion is recommended. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

The Emergence of Symmetry in a Conditional Discrimination Task Using Different Responses as Propioceptive Samples in Pigeons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garcia, Andres; Benjumea, Santiago

2006-01-01

In Experiment 1, 10 pigeons were exposed to a successive symbolic matching-to-sample procedure in which the sample was generated by the pigeons' own behavior. Each trial began with both response keys illuminated white, one being the "correct" key and the other the "incorrect" key. The pigeons had no way of discriminating which key was correct and…

Plasma Accelerator and Energy Conversion Research

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-10-29

performance tests have been accomplished. A self-contained recirculating AMTEC device with a thermal to electric conversion efficiency of 19% has been...combined efficiency . These two match up particularly well, because thermionic conversion is a high temperature technique, whereas AMTEC is limited to...EXPERIENTAL: Samples: The samples were prepared with a high rate DC magnetron sputtering apparatus ( SFI model 1 ). The sample set consisted of four

Energy demands in competitive soccer.

PubMed

Bangsbo, J

1994-01-01

In elite outfield players, the average work rate during a soccer match, as estimated from variables such as heart rate, is approximately 70% of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max). This corresponds to an energy production of approximately 5700 kJ (1360 kcal) for a person weighing 75 kg with a VO2 max of 60 ml kg-1 min-1. Aerobic energy production appears to account for more than 90% of total energy consumption. Nevertheless, anaerobic energy production plays an essential role during soccer matches. During intensive exercise periods of a game, creatine phosphate, and to a lesser extent the stored adenosine triphosphate, are utilized. Both compounds are partly restored during a subsequent prolonged rest period. In blood samples taken after top-class soccer matches, the lactate concentration averages 3-9 mM, and individual values frequently exceed 10 mM during match-play. Furthermore, the adenosine diphosphate degradation products--ammonia/ammonium, hypoxanthine and uric acid--are elevated in the blood during soccer matches. Thus, the anaerobic energy systems are heavily taxes during periods of match-play. Glycogen in the working muscle seems to be the most important substrate for energy production during soccer matches. However, muscle triglycerides, blood free fatty acids and glucose are also used as substrates for oxidative metabolism in the muscles.

Session RPE and salivary immune-endocrine responses to simulated and official basketball matches in elite young male athletes.

PubMed

Moreira, A; Crewther, B; Freitas, C G; Arruda, A F S; Costa, E C; Aoki, M S

2012-12-01

The present study compared the ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) and immune-endocrine (IgA and cortisol) responses to simulated training matches (TM) and official matches (OM) in elite young male basketball players (N.=10). Saliva samples were collected from each player before and after three TM and two OM and subsequently tested for cortisol and IgA concentrations by immunoassay. The perceived intensity of each match was rated using a RPE scale (CR-10). The training match and official match data were pooled to provide an aggregate value for each setting. The session RPE scores from the OM were significantly (P<0.05) greater than the simulated TM. Pre- and postcortisol concentrations assessed during the OM were also found to be significantly higher than the TM (P<0.05). No significant changes in salivary IgA concentrations were observed across either the simulated or official match settings. In summary, the OM induced greater RPE and salivary cortisol responses than the simulated TM, probably due to the additional stressors associated with real competition. The data also suggests that acute changes in cortisol concentrations do not play a role in the regulation of salivary IgA under the current testing conditions.

Fast group matching for MR fingerprinting reconstruction.

PubMed

Cauley, Stephen F; Setsompop, Kawin; Ma, Dan; Jiang, Yun; Ye, Huihui; Adalsteinsson, Elfar; Griswold, Mark A; Wald, Lawrence L

2015-08-01

MR fingerprinting (MRF) is a technique for quantitative tissue mapping using pseudorandom measurements. To estimate tissue properties such as T1 , T2 , proton density, and B0 , the rapidly acquired data are compared against a large dictionary of Bloch simulations. This matching process can be a very computationally demanding portion of MRF reconstruction. We introduce a fast group matching algorithm (GRM) that exploits inherent correlation within MRF dictionaries to create highly clustered groupings of the elements. During matching, a group specific signature is first used to remove poor matching possibilities. Group principal component analysis (PCA) is used to evaluate all remaining tissue types. In vivo 3 Tesla brain data were used to validate the accuracy of our approach. For a trueFISP sequence with over 196,000 dictionary elements, 1000 MRF samples, and image matrix of 128 × 128, GRM was able to map MR parameters within 2s using standard vendor computational resources. This is an order of magnitude faster than global PCA and nearly two orders of magnitude faster than direct matching, with comparable accuracy (1-2% relative error). The proposed GRM method is a highly efficient model reduction technique for MRF matching and should enable clinically relevant reconstruction accuracy and time on standard vendor computational resources. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Comparison of plasma and tissue samples in epidermal growth factor receptor mutation by ARMS in advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

PubMed

Ma, MeiLi; Shi, ChunLei; Qian, JiaLin; Teng, JiaJun; Zhong, Hua; Han, BaoHui

2016-10-10

The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness and accuracy of blood-based circulating-free tumor DNA on testing epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations. In total, 219 non-small cell lung cancer patients in stages III-IV were enrolled into this study. All patients had tissue samples and matched plasma DNA samples. EGFR gene mutations were detected by the Amplification Refractory Mutation System (ARMS). We compared the mutations in tumor tissue samples with matched plasma samples and determined the correlation between EGFR mutation status and clinical pathologic characteristics. The overall concordance rate of EGFR mutation status between the 219 matched plasma and tissue samples was 82% (179/219). The sensitivity and specificity for the ARMS EGFR mutation test in the plasma compared with tumor tissue were 60% (54/90) and 97% (125/129), respectively. The positive predictive value was 93% (54/58) and the negative predictive value was 78% (125/161). The median overall survival was longer for those with EGFR mutations than for those without EGFR mutations both in tissue samples (23.98 vs. 12.16months; P<0.001) and in plasma (19.96 vs. 13.63months; P=0.009). For the 68 patients treated with EGFR- tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), the median progression-free survival (PFS) was significantly prolonged in the EGFR mutant group compared to the non-mutation group in tumor tissue samples (12.26months vs. 2.40months, P<0.001). In plasma samples, the PFS of the mutant group was longer than that of the non-mutant group. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups (10.88months vs. 9.89months, P=0.411). The detection of EGFR mutations in plasma using ARMS is relatively sensitive and highly specific. However, EGFR mutation status tested by ARMS in plasma cannot replace a tumor tissue biopsy. Positive EGFR mutation results detected in plasma are fairly reliable, but negative results are hampered by a high rate of false negatives. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Improved molecular level identification of organic compounds using comprehensive two-dimensional chromatography, dual ionization energies and high resolution mass spectrometry

DOE PAGES

Worton, David R.; Decker, Monika; Isaacman-VanWertz, Gabriel; ...

2017-05-22

A new analytical methodology combining comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC), dual ionization energies and high resolution time of flight mass spectrometry has been developed that improves molecular level identification of organic compounds in complex environmental samples. GC×GC maximizes compound separation providing cleaner mass spectra by minimizing erroneous fragments from interferences and co-eluting peaks. Traditional electron ionization (EI, 70 eV) provides MS fragmentation patterns that can be matched to published EI MS libraries while vacuum ultraviolet photoionization (VUV, 10.5 eV) yields MS with reduced fragmentation enhancing the abundance of the molecular ion providing molecular formulas when combined with high resolution massmore » spectrometry. We demonstrate this new approach by applying it to a sample of organic aerosol. In this sample, 238 peaks were matched to EI MS library data with FM ≥ 800 but a fifth (42 compounds) were determined to be incorrectly identified because the molecular formula was not confirmed by the VUV MS data. This highlights the importance of using a complementary technique to confirm compound identifications even for peaks with very good matching statistics. In total, 171 compounds were identified by EI MS matching to library spectra with confirmation of the molecular formula from the high resolution VUV MS data and were not dependent on the matching statistics being above a threshold value. A large number of unidentified peaks were still observed with FM < 800, which in routine analysis would typically be neglected. Where possible, these peaks were assigned molecular formulas from the VUV MS data (211 in total). In total, the combination of EI and VUV MS data provides more than twice as much molecular level peak information than traditional approaches and improves confidence in the identification of individual organic compounds. The molecular formula data from the VUV MS data was used, in conjunction with GC×GC retention times and the observed EI MS, to generate a new, searchable EI MS library compatible with the standard NIST MS search program. This library is deliberately dynamic and editable so that other end users can add new entries and update existing entries as new information becomes available.A new analytical methodology has been developed to improve molecular level identification of organic compounds in complex samples.« less

Improved molecular level identification of organic compounds using comprehensive two-dimensional chromatography, dual ionization energies and high resolution mass spectrometry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Worton, David R.; Decker, Monika; Isaacman-VanWertz, Gabriel

A new analytical methodology combining comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC), dual ionization energies and high resolution time of flight mass spectrometry has been developed that improves molecular level identification of organic compounds in complex environmental samples. GC×GC maximizes compound separation providing cleaner mass spectra by minimizing erroneous fragments from interferences and co-eluting peaks. Traditional electron ionization (EI, 70 eV) provides MS fragmentation patterns that can be matched to published EI MS libraries while vacuum ultraviolet photoionization (VUV, 10.5 eV) yields MS with reduced fragmentation enhancing the abundance of the molecular ion providing molecular formulas when combined with high resolution massmore » spectrometry. We demonstrate this new approach by applying it to a sample of organic aerosol. In this sample, 238 peaks were matched to EI MS library data with FM ≥ 800 but a fifth (42 compounds) were determined to be incorrectly identified because the molecular formula was not confirmed by the VUV MS data. This highlights the importance of using a complementary technique to confirm compound identifications even for peaks with very good matching statistics. In total, 171 compounds were identified by EI MS matching to library spectra with confirmation of the molecular formula from the high resolution VUV MS data and were not dependent on the matching statistics being above a threshold value. A large number of unidentified peaks were still observed with FM < 800, which in routine analysis would typically be neglected. Where possible, these peaks were assigned molecular formulas from the VUV MS data (211 in total). In total, the combination of EI and VUV MS data provides more than twice as much molecular level peak information than traditional approaches and improves confidence in the identification of individual organic compounds. The molecular formula data from the VUV MS data was used, in conjunction with GC×GC retention times and the observed EI MS, to generate a new, searchable EI MS library compatible with the standard NIST MS search program. This library is deliberately dynamic and editable so that other end users can add new entries and update existing entries as new information becomes available.A new analytical methodology has been developed to improve molecular level identification of organic compounds in complex samples.« less

Tunable Twin Matching Frequency (fm1/fm2) Behavior of Ni1−xZnxFe2O4/NBR Composites over 2–12.4 GHz: A Strategic Material System for Stealth Applications

PubMed Central

Saini, Lokesh; Patra, Manoj Kumar; Jani, Raj Kumar; Gupta, Goutam Kumar; Dixit, Ambesh; Vadera, Sampat Raj

2017-01-01

The gel to carbonate precipitate route has been used for the synthesis of Ni1−xZnxFe2O4 (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75) bulk inverse spinel ferrite powder samples. The optimal zinc (50%) substitution has shown the maximum saturation magnetic moment and resulted into the maximum magnetic loss tangent (tanδm) > −1.2 over the entire 2–10 GHz frequency range with an optimum value ~−1.75 at 6 GHz. Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4- Acrylo-Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR) composite samples are prepared at different weight percentage (wt%) of ferrite loading fractions in rubber for microwave absorption evaluation. The 80 wt% loaded Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4/NBR composite (FMAR80) sample has shown two reflection loss (RL) peaks at 5 and 10 GHz. Interestingly, a single peak at 10 GHz for 3.25 mm thickness, can be scaled down to 5 GHz by increasing the thickness up to 4.6 mm. The onset of such twin matching frequencies in FMAR80 composite sample is attributed to the spin resonance relaxation at ~5 GHz (fm1) and destructive interference at λm/4 matched thickness near ~10 GHz (fm2) in these composite systems. These studies suggest the potential of tuning the twin frequencies in Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4/NBR composite samples for possible microwave absorption applications. PMID:28294151

Tunable Twin Matching Frequency (fm1/fm2) Behavior of Ni1-xZnxFe2O4/NBR Composites over 2-12.4 GHz: A Strategic Material System for Stealth Applications.

PubMed

Saini, Lokesh; Patra, Manoj Kumar; Jani, Raj Kumar; Gupta, Goutam Kumar; Dixit, Ambesh; Vadera, Sampat Raj

2017-03-15

The gel to carbonate precipitate route has been used for the synthesis of Ni 1-x Zn x Fe 2 O 4 (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75) bulk inverse spinel ferrite powder samples. The optimal zinc (50%) substitution has shown the maximum saturation magnetic moment and resulted into the maximum magnetic loss tangent (tanδ m ) > -1.2 over the entire 2-10 GHz frequency range with an optimum value ~-1.75 at 6 GHz. Ni 0.5 Zn 0.5 Fe 2 O 4 - Acrylo-Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR) composite samples are prepared at different weight percentage (wt%) of ferrite loading fractions in rubber for microwave absorption evaluation. The 80 wt% loaded Ni 0.5 Zn 0.5 Fe 2 O 4 /NBR composite (FMAR80) sample has shown two reflection loss (RL) peaks at 5 and 10 GHz. Interestingly, a single peak at 10 GHz for 3.25 mm thickness, can be scaled down to 5 GHz by increasing the thickness up to 4.6 mm. The onset of such twin matching frequencies in FMAR80 composite sample is attributed to the spin resonance relaxation at ~5 GHz (f m1 ) and destructive interference at λ m /4 matched thickness near ~10 GHz (f m2 ) in these composite systems. These studies suggest the potential of tuning the twin frequencies in Ni 0.5 Zn 0.5 Fe 2 O 4 /NBR composite samples for possible microwave absorption applications.

Tunable Twin Matching Frequency (fm1/fm2) Behavior of Ni1-xZnxFe2O4/NBR Composites over 2-12.4 GHz: A Strategic Material System for Stealth Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saini, Lokesh; Patra, Manoj Kumar; Jani, Raj Kumar; Gupta, Goutam Kumar; Dixit, Ambesh; Vadera, Sampat Raj

2017-03-01

The gel to carbonate precipitate route has been used for the synthesis of Ni1-xZnxFe2O4 (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75) bulk inverse spinel ferrite powder samples. The optimal zinc (50%) substitution has shown the maximum saturation magnetic moment and resulted into the maximum magnetic loss tangent (tanδm) > -1.2 over the entire 2-10 GHz frequency range with an optimum value ~-1.75 at 6 GHz. Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4- Acrylo-Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR) composite samples are prepared at different weight percentage (wt%) of ferrite loading fractions in rubber for microwave absorption evaluation. The 80 wt% loaded Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4/NBR composite (FMAR80) sample has shown two reflection loss (RL) peaks at 5 and 10 GHz. Interestingly, a single peak at 10 GHz for 3.25 mm thickness, can be scaled down to 5 GHz by increasing the thickness up to 4.6 mm. The onset of such twin matching frequencies in FMAR80 composite sample is attributed to the spin resonance relaxation at ~5 GHz (fm1) and destructive interference at λm/4 matched thickness near ~10 GHz (fm2) in these composite systems. These studies suggest the potential of tuning the twin frequencies in Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4/NBR composite samples for possible microwave absorption applications.

ATYPICAL CHLAMYDIACEAE IN WILD POPULATIONS OF HAWKS ( BUTEO SPP.) IN CALIFORNIA.

PubMed

Luján-Vega, Charlene; Hawkins, Michelle G; Johnson, Christine K; Briggs, Christopher; Vennum, Chris; Bloom, Peter H; Hull, Joshua M; Cray, Carolyn; Pesti, Denise; Johnson, Lisa; Ciembor, Paula; Ritchie, Branson R

2018-03-01

Chlamydiaceae bacteria infect many vertebrate hosts, and previous reports based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays and serologic assays that are prone to cross-reaction among chlamydial organisms have been used to describe the prevalence of either DNA fragments or antibodies to Chlamydia spp. in wild raptorial populations. This study reports the PCR-based prevalence of Chlamydiaceae DNA that does not 100% match any avian or mammalian Chlamydiaceae in wild populations of hawks in California Buteo species. In this study, multimucosal swab samples ( n = 291) for quantitative PCR (qPCR) and plasma ( n = 78) for serology were collected from wild hawks. All available plasma samples were negative for antibodies using a C. psittaci-specific elementary body agglutination test (EBA; n = 78). For IgY antibodies all 51 available samples were negative using the indirect immunofluorescent assay. The overall prevalence of Chlamydiaceae DNA detection in wild Buteo species sampled was 1.37% (4/291) via qPCR-based analysis. Two fledgling Swainson's hawks ( Buteo swainsoni) and two juvenile red-tailed hawks ( Buteo jamaicensis) were positive by qPCR-based assay for an atypical chlamydial sequence that did not 100% match any known C. psittaci genotype. Positive swab samples from these four birds were sequenced based on the ompA gene and compared by high-resolution melt analysis with all known avian and mammalian Chlamydiaceae. The amplicon sequence did not 100% match any known avian chlamydial sequence; however, it was most similar (98.6%) to C. psittaci M56, a genotype that is typically found in muskrats and hares. Culture and full genome sequence analysis of Chlamydia spp. isolated from diseased hawks will be necessary to classify this organism and to better understand its epizootiology and potential health impact on wild Buteo populations in California.

Subjective cognitive concerns are associated with objective memory performance in Caucasian but not African-American persons.

PubMed

Jackson, Jonathan D; Rentz, Dorene M; Aghjayan, Sarah L; Buckley, Rachel F; Meneide, Tamy-Fee; Sperling, Reisa A; Amariglio, Rebecca E

2017-11-01

subjective cognitive concerns (SCC) have been proposed as a means of identifying individuals at risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the utility of SCCs has not been well-explored for African-Americans, who are twice as likely to develop AD dementia as Caucasians. We investigated whether race affects the association between SCCs and objective memory performance. we used a composite of three SCC questionnaires, and three challenging episodic memory tests. We studied 289 (61% female; African-American n = 47) clinically normal older individuals. Two hierarchical linear regressions assessed the modifying role of race on the association between SCC and objective memory performance. The first regression was conducted on the full sample, while the second matched the racial groups on age, estimated verbal IQ and socioeconomic status. in the full sample, both groups reported similar levels of SCCs, P = 0.10, although African-Americans performed worse on the memory tasks, P < 0.001. No group differences were observed in the matched sample. The SCC × race interaction term was nonsignificant in the full sample, β = 0.109, P = 0.09, but was significant in the matched sample, β = 0.422, P = 0.037. While a significant correlation was observed between SCCs and memory among Caucasians, r = -0.401, the correlation was not found among African-Americans, r = -0.052. results suggest that the dissociation between SCCs and memory performance in African-Americans may indicate qualitative differences in how diverse groups endorse cognitive concerns, even after considering socioeconomic and educational factors. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society.All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Measurement of macrocyclic trichothecene in floor dust of water-damaged buildings using gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry—dust matrix effects

PubMed Central

Saito, Rena; Park, Ju-Hyeong; LeBouf, Ryan; Green, Brett J.; Park, Yeonmi

2017-01-01

Gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) was used to detect fungal secondary metabolites. Detection of verrucarol, the hydrolysis product of Stachybotrys chartarum macrocyclic trichothecene (MCT), was confounded by matrix effects associated with heterogeneous indoor environmental samples. In this study, we examined the role of dust matrix effects associated with GC-MS/ MS to better quantify verrucarol in dust as a measure of total MCT. The efficiency of the internal standard (ISTD, 1,12-dodecanediol), and application of a matrix-matched standard correction method in measuring MCT in floor dust of water-damaged buildings was additionally examined. Compared to verrucarol, ISTD had substantially higher matrix effects in the dust extracts. The results of the ISTD evaluation showed that without ISTD adjustment, there was a 280% ion enhancement in the dust extracts compared to neat solvent. The recovery of verrucarol was 94% when the matrix-matched standard curve without the ISTD was used. Using traditional calibration curves with ISTD adjustment, none of the 21 dust samples collected from water damaged buildings were detectable. In contrast, when the matrix-matched calibration curves without ISTD adjustment were used, 38% of samples were detectable. The study results suggest that floor dust of water-damaged buildings may contain MCT. However, the measured levels of MCT in dust using the GC-MS/MS method could be significantly under- or overestimated, depending on the matrix effects, the inappropriate ISTD, or combination of the two. Our study further shows that the routine application of matrix-matched calibration may prove useful in obtaining accurate measurements of MCT in dust derived from damp indoor environments, while no isotopically labeled verrucarol is available. PMID:26853932

Measurement of macrocyclic trichothecene in floor dust of water-damaged buildings using gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry-dust matrix effects.

PubMed

Saito, Rena; Park, Ju-Hyeong; LeBouf, Ryan; Green, Brett J; Park, Yeonmi

2016-01-01

Gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) was used to detect fungal secondary metabolites. Detection of verrucarol, the hydrolysis product of Stachybotrys chartarum macrocyclic trichothecene (MCT), was confounded by matrix effects associated with heterogeneous indoor environmental samples. In this study, we examined the role of dust matrix effects associated with GC-MS/MS to better quantify verrucarol in dust as a measure of total MCT. The efficiency of the internal standard (ISTD, 1,12-dodecanediol), and application of a matrix-matched standard correction method in measuring MCT in floor dust of water-damaged buildings was additionally examined. Compared to verrucarol, ISTD had substantially higher matrix effects in the dust extracts. The results of the ISTD evaluation showed that without ISTD adjustment, there was a 280% ion enhancement in the dust extracts compared to neat solvent. The recovery of verrucarol was 94% when the matrix-matched standard curve without the ISTD was used. Using traditional calibration curves with ISTD adjustment, none of the 21 dust samples collected from water damaged buildings were detectable. In contrast, when the matrix-matched calibration curves without ISTD adjustment were used, 38% of samples were detectable. The study results suggest that floor dust of water-damaged buildings may contain MCT. However, the measured levels of MCT in dust using the GC-MS/MS method could be significantly under- or overestimated, depending on the matrix effects, the inappropriate ISTD, or combination of the two. Our study further shows that the routine application of matrix-matched calibration may prove useful in obtaining accurate measurements of MCT in dust derived from damp indoor environments, while no isotopically labeled verrucarol is available.

Use of Self-Matching to Control for Stable Patient Characteristics While Addressing Time-Varying Confounding on Treatment Effect: A Case Study of Older Intensive Care Patients.

PubMed

Han, Ling; Pisani, M A; Araujo, K L B; Allore, Heather G

Exposure-crossover design offers a non-experimental option to control for stable baseline confounding through self-matching while examining causal effect of an exposure on an acute outcome. This study extends this approach to longitudinal data with repeated measures of exposure and outcome using data from a cohort of 340 older medical patients in an intensive care unit (ICU). The analytic sample included 92 patients who received ≥1 dose of haloperidol, an antipsychotic medication often used for patients with delirium. Exposure-crossover design was implemented by sampling the 3-day time segments prior ( Induction) and posterior ( Subsequent) to each treatment episode of receiving haloperidol. In the full cohort, there was a trend of increasing delirium severity scores (Mean±SD: 4.4±1.7) over the course of the ICU stay. After exposure-crossover sampling, the delirium severity score decreased from the Induction (4.9) to the Subsequent (4.1) intervals, with the treatment episode falling in-between (4.5). Based on a GEE Poisson model accounting for self-matching and within-subject correlation, the unadjusted mean delirium severity scores was -0.55 (95% CI: -1.10, -0.01) points lower for the Subsequent than the Induction intervals. The association diminished by 32% (-0.38, 95%CI: -0.99, 0.24) after adjusting only for ICU confounding, while being slightly increased by 7% (-0.60, 95%CI: -1.15, -0.04) when adjusting only for baseline characteristics. These results suggest that longitudinal exposure-crossover design is feasible and capable of partially removing stable baseline confounding through self-matching. Loss of power due to eliminating treatment-irrelevant person-time and uncertainty around allocating person-time to comparison intervals remain methodological challenges.

Cell block samples from malignant pleural effusion might be valid alternative samples for anaplastic lymphoma kinase detection in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

PubMed

Zhou, Jianya; Yao, Hongtian; Zhao, Jing; Zhang, Shumeng; You, Qihan; Sun, Ke; Zou, Yinying; Zhou, Caicun; Zhou, Jianying

2015-06-01

To evaluate the clinical value of cell block samples from malignant pleural effusion (MPE) as alternative samples to tumour tissue for anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) detection in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Fifty-two matched samples were eligible for analysis. ALK status was detected by Ventana immunohistochemistry (IHC) (with the D5F3 clone), reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) in MPE cell block samples, and by FISH in tumour tissue block samples. In total, ALK FISH results were obtained for 52 tumour tissue samples and 41 MPE cell block samples. Eight cases (15.4%) were ALK-positive in tumour tissue samples by FISH, and among matched MPE cell block samples, five were ALK-positive by FISH, seven were ALK-positive by RT-PCR, and eight were ALK-positive by Ventana IHC. The ALK status concordance rates between tumour tissue and MPE cell block samples were 78.9% by FISH, 98.1% by RT-PCR, and 100% by Ventana IHC. In MPE cell block samples, the sensitivity and specificity of Ventana IHC (100% and 100%) and RT-PCR (87.5% and 100%) were higher than those of FISH (62.5% and 100%). Malignant pleural effusion cell block samples had a diagnostic performance for ALK detection in advanced NSCLC that was comparable to that of tumour tissue samples. MPE cell block samples might be valid alternative samples for ALK detection when tissue is not available. Ventana IHC could be the most suitable method for ALK detection in MPE cell block samples. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A prototypic small molecule database for bronchoalveolar lavage-based metabolomics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walmsley, Scott; Cruickshank-Quinn, Charmion; Quinn, Kevin; Zhang, Xing; Petrache, Irina; Bowler, Russell P.; Reisdorph, Richard; Reisdorph, Nichole

2018-04-01

The analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) using mass spectrometry-based metabolomics can provide insight into lung diseases, such as asthma. However, the important step of compound identification is hindered by the lack of a small molecule database that is specific for BALF. Here we describe prototypic, small molecule databases derived from human BALF samples (n=117). Human BALF was extracted into lipid and aqueous fractions and analyzed using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. Following filtering to reduce contaminants and artifacts, the resulting BALF databases (BALF-DBs) contain 11,736 lipid and 658 aqueous compounds. Over 10% of these were found in 100% of samples. Testing the BALF-DBs using nested test sets produced a 99% match rate for lipids and 47% match rate for aqueous molecules. Searching an independent dataset resulted in 45% matching to the lipid BALF-DB compared to<25% when general databases are searched. The BALF-DBs are available for download from MetaboLights. Overall, the BALF-DBs can reduce false positives and improve confidence in compound identification compared to when general databases are used.

Laryngospasm during emergency department ketamine sedation: a case-control study.

PubMed

Green, Steven M; Roback, Mark G; Krauss, Baruch

2010-11-01

The objective of this study was to assess predictors of emergency department (ED) ketamine-associated laryngospasm using case-control techniques. We performed a matched case-control analysis of a sample of 8282 ED ketamine sedations (including 22 occurrences of laryngospasm) assembled from 32 prior published series. We sequentially studied the association of each of 7 clinical variables with laryngospasm by assigning 4 controls to each case while matching for the remaining 6 variables. We then used univariate statistics and conditional logistic regression to analyze the matched sets. We found no statistical association of age, dose, oropharyngeal procedure, underlying physical illness, route, or coadministered anticholinergics with laryngospasm. Coadministered benzodiazepines showed a borderline association in the multivariate but not univariate analysis that was considered anomalous. This case-control analysis of the largest available sample of ED ketamine-associated laryngospasm did not demonstrate evidence of association with age, dose, or other clinical factors. Such laryngospasm seems to be idiosyncratic, and accordingly, clinicians administering ketamine must be prepared for its rapid identification and management. Given no evidence that they decrease the risk of laryngospasm, coadministered anticholinergics seem unnecessary.

Image registration based on subpixel localization and Cauchy-Schwarz divergence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ge, Yongxin; Yang, Dan; Zhang, Xiaohong; Lu, Jiwen

2010-07-01

We define a new matching metric-corner Cauchy-Schwarz divergence (CCSD) and present a new approach based on the proposed CCSD and subpixel localization for image registration. First, we detect the corners in an image by a multiscale Harris operator and take them as initial interest points. And then, a subpixel localization technique is applied to determine the locations of the corners and eliminate the false and unstable corners. After that, CCSD is defined to obtain the initial matching corners. Finally, we use random sample consensus to robustly estimate the parameters based on the initial matching. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm has a good performance in terms of both accuracy and efficiency.

Dependence of NMR noise line shapes on tuning, matching, and transmission line properties

PubMed Central

Bendet-Taicher, Eli; Müller, Norbert; Jerschow, Alexej

2014-01-01

The tuning and matching conditions of rf circuits, as well as the properties of the transmission lines connecting these to the preamplifier, have direct consequences for NMR probe sensitivity and as for the optimum delivery of rf power to the sample. In addition, tuning/matching conditions influence radiation damping effects, which manifest themselves as fast signal flip-back and line broadening effects, and can lead to concentration-dependent frequency shifts. Previous studies have also shown that the appearance of spin-noise and absorbed circuit noise signals heavily depended on tuning settings. Consequently, all these phenomena are linked together. The mutual connections and interdependences of these effects are highlighted and reviewed here. PMID:25505374

The role of language in mathematical development: evidence from children with specific language impairments.

PubMed

Donlan, Chris; Cowan, Richard; Newton, Elizabeth J; Lloyd, Delyth

2007-04-01

A sample (n=48) of eight-year-olds with specific language impairments is compared with age-matched (n=55) and language matched controls (n=55) on a range of tasks designed to test the interdependence of language and mathematical development. Performance across tasks varies substantially in the SLI group, showing profound deficits in production of the count word sequence and basic calculation and significant deficits in understanding of the place-value principle in Hindu-Arabic notation. Only in understanding of arithmetic principles does SLI performance approximate that of age-matched-controls, indicating that principled understanding can develop even where number sequence production and other aspects of number processing are severely compromised.

Preparing Monodisperse Macromolecular Samples for Successful Biological Small-Angle X-ray and Neutron Scattering Experiments

PubMed Central

Jeffries, Cy M.; Graewert, Melissa A.; Blanchet, Clément E.; Langley, David B.; Whitten, Andrew E.; Svergun, Dmitri I

2017-01-01

Small-angle X-ray and neutron scattering (SAXS and SANS) are techniques used to extract structural parameters and determine the overall structures and shapes of biological macromolecules, complexes and assemblies in solution. The scattering intensities measured from a sample contain contributions from all atoms within the illuminated sample volume including the solvent and buffer components as well as the macromolecules of interest. In order to obtain structural information, it is essential to prepare an exactly matched solvent blank so that background scattering contributions can be accurately subtracted from the sample scattering to obtain the net scattering from the macromolecules in the sample. In addition, sample heterogeneity caused by contaminants, aggregates, mismatched solvents, radiation damage or other factors can severely influence and complicate data analysis so it is essential that the samples are pure and monodisperse for the duration of the experiment. This Protocol outlines the basic physics of SAXS and SANS and reveals how the underlying conceptual principles of the techniques ultimately ‘translate’ into practical laboratory guidance for the production of samples of sufficiently high quality for scattering experiments. The procedure describes how to prepare and characterize protein and nucleic acid samples for both SAXS and SANS using gel electrophoresis, size exclusion chromatography and light scattering. Also included are procedures specific to X-rays (in-line size exclusion chromatography SAXS) and neutrons, specifically preparing samples for contrast matching/variation experiments and deuterium labeling of proteins. PMID:27711050

Modification Site Localization in Peptides.

PubMed

Chalkley, Robert J

2016-01-01

There are a large number of search engines designed to take mass spectrometry fragmentation spectra and match them to peptides from proteins in a database. These peptides could be unmodified, but they could also bear modifications that were added biologically or during sample preparation. As a measure of reliability for the peptide identification, software normally calculates how likely a given quality of match could have been achieved at random, most commonly through the use of target-decoy database searching (Elias and Gygi, Nat Methods 4(3): 207-214, 2007). Matching the correct peptide but with the wrong modification localization is not a random match, so results with this error will normally still be assessed as reliable identifications by the search engine. Hence, an extra step is required to determine site localization reliability, and the software approaches to measure this are the subject of this part of the chapter.

Finding evolved stars in the inner Galactic disk with Gaia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quiroga-Nuñez, L. H.; van Langevelde, H. J.; Pihlström, Y. M.; Sjouwerman, L. O.; Brown, A. G. A.

2018-04-01

The Bulge Asymmetries and Dynamical Evolution (BAaDE) survey will provide positions and line-of-sight velocities of ~20, 000 evolved, maser bearing stars in the Galactic plane. Although this Galactic region is affected by optical extinction, BAaDE targets may have Gaia cross-matches, eventually providing additional stellar information. In an initial attempt to cross-match BAaDE targets with Gaia, we have found more than 5,000 candidates. Of these, we may expect half to show SiO emission, which will allow us to obtain velocity information. The cross-match is being refined to avoid false positives using different criteria based on distance analysis, flux variability, and color assessment in the mid- and near-IR. Once the cross-matches can be confirmed, we will have a unique sample to characterize the stellar population of evolved stars in the Galactic bulge, which can be considered fossils of the Milky Way formation.

Perceived match or mismatch on the Gottman conflict styles: associations with relationship outcome variables.

PubMed

Busby, Dean M; Holman, Thomas B

2009-12-01

Gottman has proposed that there are 3 functional styles of conflict management in couple relationships, labeled Avoidant, Validating, and Volatile, and 1 dysfunctional style, labeled Hostile. Using a sample of 1,983 couples in a committed relationship, we test the association of perceived matches or mismatches on these conflict styles with relationship outcome variables. The results indicate that 32% of the participants perceive there is a mismatch with their conflict style and that of their partner. The Volatile-Avoidant mismatch was particularly problematic and was associated with more stonewalling, relationship problems, and lower levels of relationship satisfaction and stability than the Validating matched style and than other mismatched styles. The most problematic style was the Hostile style. Contrary to existing assumptions by Gottman, the 3 matched functional styles were not equivalent, as the Validating Style was associated with substantially better results on relationship outcome measures than the Volatile and Avoidant styles.

Matching Navy Recruiting Needs with Social Network Profiles Using Lexical Link Analysis. N1 FY10 Research Project

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

recruiting needs and candidate profiles – Link the features in context of dynamic social network environments, learn from on-going market...universities, companies, etc.) • Friends list fandom (fan of) , • Endorsements (supporter of) • Navy Enlisted Rating descriptions – Hard Cards...the samples into a validation and a learning set Set aside . the validation set. Use the learning set to match the recruit ratings with the

Effects of a School Mental Health Project: A One-Year Follow-Up

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lorion, Raymond P.; And Others

1976-01-01

Matched samples of children who had (Terminators) or had not (Nonterminators) successfully participated in a school-based project for the early detection and treatment of school maladaption were compared on teacher ratings of adjustment with a control sample. Terminators were found to have more positive school adjustment ratings that…

Exercise and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Graduate Students: A Longitudinal, Observational Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Racette, Susan B.; Inman, Cindi L.; Clark, B. Ruth; Royer, Nathaniel K.; Steger-May, Karen; Deusinger, Susan S.

2014-01-01

Objective: To evaluate cardiometabolic risk of students longitudinally and compare them with age-matched national samples. Participants: Participants are 134 graduate students enrolled between August 2005 and May 2010. Methods: Students were assessed at the beginning and end of their 3-year curriculum. Comparative samples included 966 National…

Some Tests of Response Membership in Acquired Equivalence Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Urcuioli, Peter J.; Lionello-DeNolf, Karen; Michalek, Sarah; Vasconcelos, Marco

2006-01-01

Pigeons were trained on many-to-one matching in which pairs of samples, each consisting of a visual stimulus and a distinctive pattern of center-key responding, occasioned the same reinforced comparison choice. Acquired equivalence between the visual and response samples then was evaluated by reinforcing new comparison choices to one set of…

Over-Selectivity as a Learned Response

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reed, Phil; Petrina, Neysa; McHugh, Louise

2011-01-01

An experiment investigated the effects of different levels of task complexity in pre-training on over-selectivity in a subsequent match-to-sample (MTS) task. Twenty human participants were divided into two groups; exposed either to a 3-element, or a 9-element, compound stimulus as a sample during MTS training. After the completion of training,…

Lightning-Strike Disaster: Effects on Children's Fears and Worries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dollinger, Stephen J.; And Others

1984-01-01

Compares fears of lightning-strike victims (N=29) with matched control children (N=58), using fear reports from children and their mothers. Differences between samples were most pronounced for child-reported fears. Correspondence between mothers' and children's reports of intense storm-related fears was markedly larger in the lightning sample than…

DNA profiling in peripheral blood, buccal swabs, hair follicles and semen from a patient following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells transplantation

PubMed Central

LI, YA-TING; XIE, MING-KUN; WU, JIN

2014-01-01

Allogeneic peripheral blood stem cells transplantation (allo-PBSCT) or allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (allo-BMT) have been widely used to treat patients exhibiting certain severe illnesses. However, previous studies have shown that the biological materials of allo-PBSCT or allo-BMT recipients may not constitute credible materials for personal identification. In the present study, four types of commonly used samples were collected from a male individual following gender-matched allo-BMT. Autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) and Y-STR markers analysis, based on polymerase chain reaction, were used to evaluate the chimerism status. The results showed that the blood sample were all donor type, the buccal swab sample were mixed chimerism, and the sperm and hair follicle samples maintained a recipient origin of 100%. In conclusion, identical results were obtained by the two methods and it was confirmed that DNA extracted from hair follicles and sperm can be used as a reference for the pre-transplant genotype DNA profile of the recipient in the gender-match allo-BMT or -PBSCT. PMID:25279149

Improved optics for an ultracentrifuge

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, C. G.; Stephens, J. B.

1980-01-01

Ultracentrifuge is important tool in study of polymers, biomolecules, and cell structures. In typical ultracentrifuge rotor supports pair of optically matched vials; one contains sample mixed in solvent, and other is reference that contains only solvent. Doubleslit optical system, transverse to rotor, creates interference pattern on photographic plate each time vials pass through optics. Medium in sample vial displaces interference maximums such that shift gives measurement of density distribution along length of sample.

Isotopic studies in returned lunar samples

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alexander, E. C., Jr.

1971-01-01

Analysis of lunar soil samples returned by Apollo 11 and 12 flights are discussed. Isotopic studies of the rare gases from Apollo 11 flight lunar samples are presented. The lunar soil analyses indicated the following: (1) high concentrations of solar wind rare gases, (2) isotopic match between solar wind gases and gas components in gas-rich meteorites, and (3) rare gases attributable to spallation reactions induced in heavier nuclides by cosmic ray particles.

Persistent spatial information in the frontal eye field during object-based short-term memory.

PubMed

Clark, Kelsey L; Noudoost, Behrad; Moore, Tirin

2012-08-08

Spatial attention is known to gate entry into visual short-term memory, and some evidence suggests that spatial signals may also play a role in binding features or protecting object representations during memory maintenance. To examine the persistence of spatial signals during object short-term memory, the activity of neurons in the frontal eye field (FEF) of macaque monkeys was recorded during an object-based delayed match-to-sample task. In this task, monkeys were trained to remember an object image over a brief delay, regardless of the locations of the sample or target presentation. FEF neurons exhibited visual, delay, and target period activity, including selectivity for sample location and target location. Delay period activity represented the sample location throughout the delay, despite the irrelevance of spatial information for successful task completion. Furthermore, neurons continued to encode sample position in a variant of the task in which the matching stimulus never appeared in their response field, confirming that FEF maintains sample location independent of subsequent behavioral relevance. FEF neurons also exhibited target-position-dependent anticipatory activity immediately before target onset, suggesting that monkeys predicted target position within blocks. These results show that FEF neurons maintain spatial information during short-term memory, even when that information is irrelevant for task performance.

Successful Application of Microarray Technology to Microdissected Formalin-Fixed, Paraffin-Embedded Tissue

PubMed Central

Coudry, Renata A.; Meireles, Sibele I.; Stoyanova, Radka; Cooper, Harry S.; Carpino, Alan; Wang, Xianqun; Engstrom, Paul F.; Clapper, Margie L.

2007-01-01

The establishment of a reliable method for using RNA from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue would provide an opportunity to obtain novel gene expression data from the vast amounts of archived tissue. A custom-designed 22,000 oligonucleotide array was used in the present study to compare the gene expression profile of colonic epithelial cells isolated by laser capture microdissection from FFPE-archived samples with that of the same cell population from matched frozen samples, the preferred source of RNA. Total RNA was extracted from FFPE tissues, amplified, and labeled using the Paradise Reagent System. The quality of the input RNA was assessed by the Bioanalyzer profile, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, and agarose gel electrophoresis. The results demonstrate that it is possible to obtain reliable microarray data from FFPE samples using RNA acquired by laser capture microdissection. The concordance between matched FFPE and frozen samples was evaluated and expressed as a Pearson’s correlation coefficient, with values ranging from 0.80 to 0.97. The presence of ribosomal RNA peaks in FFPE-derived RNA was reflected by a high correlation with paired frozen samples. A set of practical recommendations for evaluating the RNA integrity and quality in FFPE samples is reported. PMID:17251338

Estimation of the Human Extrathoracic Deposition Fraction of Inhaled Particles Using a Polyurethane Foam Collection Substrate in an IOM Sampler.

PubMed

Sleeth, Darrah K; Balthaser, Susan A; Collingwood, Scott; Larson, Rodney R

2016-03-07

Extrathoracic deposition of inhaled particles (i.e., in the head and throat) is an important exposure route for many hazardous materials. Current best practices for exposure assessment of aerosols in the workplace involve particle size selective sampling methods based on particle penetration into the human respiratory tract (i.e., inhalable or respirable sampling). However, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has recently adopted particle deposition sampling conventions (ISO 13138), including conventions for extrathoracic (ET) deposition into the anterior nasal passage (ET₁) and the posterior nasal and oral passages (ET₂). For this study, polyurethane foam was used as a collection substrate inside an inhalable aerosol sampler to provide an estimate of extrathoracic particle deposition. Aerosols of fused aluminum oxide (five sizes, 4.9 µm-44.3 µm) were used as a test dust in a low speed (0.2 m/s) wind tunnel. Samplers were placed on a rotating mannequin inside the wind tunnel to simulate orientation-averaged personal sampling. Collection efficiency data for the foam insert matched well to the extrathoracic deposition convention for the particle sizes tested. The concept of using a foam insert to match a particle deposition sampling convention was explored in this study and shows promise for future use as a sampling device.

Estimation of the Human Extrathoracic Deposition Fraction of Inhaled Particles Using a Polyurethane Foam Collection Substrate in an IOM Sampler

PubMed Central

Sleeth, Darrah K.; Balthaser, Susan A.; Collingwood, Scott; Larson, Rodney R.

2016-01-01

Extrathoracic deposition of inhaled particles (i.e., in the head and throat) is an important exposure route for many hazardous materials. Current best practices for exposure assessment of aerosols in the workplace involve particle size selective sampling methods based on particle penetration into the human respiratory tract (i.e., inhalable or respirable sampling). However, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has recently adopted particle deposition sampling conventions (ISO 13138), including conventions for extrathoracic (ET) deposition into the anterior nasal passage (ET1) and the posterior nasal and oral passages (ET2). For this study, polyurethane foam was used as a collection substrate inside an inhalable aerosol sampler to provide an estimate of extrathoracic particle deposition. Aerosols of fused aluminum oxide (five sizes, 4.9 µm–44.3 µm) were used as a test dust in a low speed (0.2 m/s) wind tunnel. Samplers were placed on a rotating mannequin inside the wind tunnel to simulate orientation-averaged personal sampling. Collection efficiency data for the foam insert matched well to the extrathoracic deposition convention for the particle sizes tested. The concept of using a foam insert to match a particle deposition sampling convention was explored in this study and shows promise for future use as a sampling device. PMID:26959046

Monkeys have a limited form of short-term memory in audition.

PubMed

Scott, Brian H; Mishkin, Mortimer; Yin, Pingbo

2012-07-24

A stimulus trace may be temporarily retained either actively [i.e., in working memory (WM)] or by the weaker mnemonic process we will call passive short-term memory, in which a given stimulus trace is highly susceptible to "overwriting" by a subsequent stimulus. It has been suggested that WM is the more robust process because it exploits long-term memory (i.e., a current stimulus activates a stored representation of that stimulus, which can then be actively maintained). Recent studies have suggested that monkeys may be unable to store acoustic signals in long-term memory, raising the possibility that they may therefore also lack auditory WM. To explore this possibility, we tested rhesus monkeys on a serial delayed match-to-sample (DMS) task using a small set of sounds presented with ~1-s interstimulus delays. Performance was accurate whenever a match or a nonmatch stimulus followed the sample directly, but it fell precipitously if a single nonmatch stimulus intervened between sample and match. The steep drop in accuracy was found to be due not to passive decay of the sample's trace, but to retroactive interference from the intervening nonmatch stimulus. This "overwriting" effect was far greater than that observed previously in serial DMS with visual stimuli. The results, which accord with the notion that WM relies on long-term memory, indicate that monkeys perform serial DMS in audition remarkably poorly and that whatever success they had on this task depended largely, if not entirely, on the retention of stimulus traces in the passive form of short-term memory.

The role of the medial caudate nucleus, but not the hippocampus, in a matching-to sample task for a motor response.

PubMed

Kesner, Raymond P; Gilbert, Paul E

2006-04-01

A delayed-match-to-sample task was used to assess memory for motor responses in rats with control, hippocampus, or medial caudate nucleus (MCN) lesions. All testing was conducted on a cheeseboard maze in complete darkness using an infrared camera. A start box was positioned in the centre of the maze facing a randomly determined direction on each trial. On the sample phase, a phosphorescent object was randomly positioned to cover a baited food well in one of five equally spaced positions around the circumference of the maze forming a 180-degree arc 60 cm from the box. The rat had to displace the object to receive food and return to the start box. The box was then rotated to face a different direction. An identical baited phosphorescent object was placed in the same position relative to the start box. A second identical object was positioned to cover a different unbaited well. On the choice phase, the rat must remember the motor response made on the sample phase and make the same motor response on the choice phase to receive a reward. Hippocampus lesioned and control rats improved as a function of increased angle separation used to separate the correct object from the foil (45, 90, 135, and 180 degrees) and matched the performance of controls. However, rats with MCN lesions were impaired across all separations. Results suggest that the MCN, but not the hippocampus, supports working memory and/or a process aimed at reducing interference for motor response selection based on vector angle information.

Tensile behavior of porous scaffolds made from poly(para phenylene) - biomed 2013.

PubMed

Dirienzo, Amy L; Yakacki, Christopher M; Safranski, David L; Frick, Carl P

2013-01-01

The goal of this study was to fabricate and mechanically characterize a high-strength porous polymer scaffold for potential use as an orthopedic device. Poly(para-phenylene) (PPP) is an excellent candidate due to its exceptional strength and stiffness and relative inertness, but has never been explicitly investigated for use as a biomedical device. PPP has strength values 3 to 10 times higher and an elastic modulus nearly an order of magnitude higher than traditional polymers such as poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), polycaprolactone (PCL), ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), and polyurethane (PU) and is significantly stronger and stiffer than polyetheretherketone (PEEK). By utilizing PPP we can overcome the mechanical limitations of traditional porous polymeric scaffolds since the outstanding stiffness of PPP allows for a highly porous structure appropriate for osteointegration that can match the stiffness of bone (100-250 MPa), while maintaining suitable mechanical properties for soft-tissue fixation. Porous samples were manufactured by powder sintering followed by particle leaching. The pore volume fraction was systematically varied from 50–80 vol% for a pore sizes from150-500 µm, as indicated by previous studies for optimal osteointegration. The tensile modulus of the porous samples was compared to the rule of mixtures, and closely matches foam theory up to 70 vol%. The experimental modulus for 70 vol% porous samples matches the stiffness of bone and contains pore sizes optimal for osteointegration.

Molecular characterization of circulating colorectal tumor cells defines genetic signatures for individualized cancer care.

PubMed

Kong, Say Li; Liu, Xingliang; Suhaimi, Nur-Afidah Mohamed; Koh, Kenneth Jia Hao; Hu, Min; Lee, Daniel Yoke San; Cima, Igor; Phyo, Wai Min; Lee, Esther Xing Wei; Tai, Joyce A; Foong, Yu Miin; Vo, Jess Honganh; Koh, Poh Koon; Zhang, Tong; Ying, Jackie Y; Lim, Bing; Tan, Min-Han; Hillmer, Axel M

2017-09-15

Studies on circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have largely focused on platform development and CTC enumeration rather than on the genomic characterization of CTCs. To address this, we performed targeted sequencing of CTCs of colorectal cancer patients and compared the mutations with the matched primary tumors. We collected preoperative blood and matched primary tumor samples from 48 colorectal cancer patients. CTCs were isolated using a label-free microfiltration device on a silicon microsieve. Upon whole genome amplification, we performed amplicon-based targeted sequencing on a panel of 39 druggable and frequently mutated genes on both CTCs and fresh-frozen tumor samples. We developed an analysis pipeline to minimize false-positive detection of somatic mutations in amplified DNA. In 60% of the CTC-enriched blood samples, we detected primary tumor matching mutations. We found a significant positive correlation between the allele frequencies of somatic mutations detected in CTCs and abnormal CEA serum level. Strikingly, we found driver mutations and amplifications in cancer and druggable genes such as APC, KRAS, TP53, ERBB3 , FBXW7 and ERBB2 . In addition, we found that CTCs carried mutation signatures that resembled the signatures of their primary tumors. Cumulatively, our study defined genetic signatures and somatic mutation frequency of colorectal CTCs. The identification of druggable mutations in CTCs of preoperative colorectal cancer patients could lead to more timely and focused therapeutic interventions.

Molecular characterization of circulating colorectal tumor cells defines genetic signatures for individualized cancer care

PubMed Central

Kong, Say Li; Liu, Xingliang; Suhaimi, Nur-Afidah Mohamed; Koh, Kenneth Jia Hao; Hu, Min; Lee, Daniel Yoke San; Cima, Igor; Phyo, Wai Min; Lee, Esther Xing Wei; Tai, Joyce A.; Foong, Yu Miin; Vo, Jess Honganh; Koh, Poh Koon; Zhang, Tong; Ying, Jackie Y.; Lim, Bing; Tan, Min-Han; Hillmer, Axel M.

2017-01-01

Studies on circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have largely focused on platform development and CTC enumeration rather than on the genomic characterization of CTCs. To address this, we performed targeted sequencing of CTCs of colorectal cancer patients and compared the mutations with the matched primary tumors. We collected preoperative blood and matched primary tumor samples from 48 colorectal cancer patients. CTCs were isolated using a label-free microfiltration device on a silicon microsieve. Upon whole genome amplification, we performed amplicon-based targeted sequencing on a panel of 39 druggable and frequently mutated genes on both CTCs and fresh-frozen tumor samples. We developed an analysis pipeline to minimize false-positive detection of somatic mutations in amplified DNA. In 60% of the CTC-enriched blood samples, we detected primary tumor matching mutations. We found a significant positive correlation between the allele frequencies of somatic mutations detected in CTCs and abnormal CEA serum level. Strikingly, we found driver mutations and amplifications in cancer and druggable genes such as APC, KRAS, TP53, ERBB3, FBXW7 and ERBB2. In addition, we found that CTCs carried mutation signatures that resembled the signatures of their primary tumors. Cumulatively, our study defined genetic signatures and somatic mutation frequency of colorectal CTCs. The identification of druggable mutations in CTCs of preoperative colorectal cancer patients could lead to more timely and focused therapeutic interventions. PMID:28978093

Microbiota fingerprints lose individually identifying features over time.

PubMed

Wilkins, David; Leung, Marcus H Y; Lee, Patrick K H

2017-01-09

Humans host individually unique skin microbiota, suggesting that microbiota traces transferred from skin to surfaces could serve as forensic markers analogous to fingerprints. While it is known that individuals leave identifiable microbiota traces on surfaces, it is not clear for how long these traces persist. Moreover, as skin and surface microbiota change with time, even persistent traces may lose their forensic potential as they would cease to resemble the microbiota of the person who left them. We followed skin and surface microbiota within households for four seasons to determine whether accurate microbiota-based matching of individuals to their households could be achieved across long time delays. While household surface microbiota traces could be matched to the correct occupant or occupants with 67% accuracy, accuracy decreased substantially when skin and surface samples were collected in different seasons, and particularly when surface samples were collected long after skin samples. Most OTUs persisted on skin or surfaces for less than one season, indicating that OTU loss was the major cause of decreased matching accuracy. OTUs that were more useful for individual identification persisted for less time and were less likely to be deposited from skin to surface, suggesting a trade-off between the longevity and identifying value of microbiota traces. While microbiota traces have potential forensic value, unlike fingerprints they are not static and may degrade in a way that preferentially erases features useful in identifying individuals.

Body-image, quality of life and psychological distress: a comparison between kidney transplant patients and a matching healthy sample.

PubMed

Yagil, Yaron; Geller, Shulamit; Levy, Sigal; Sidi, Yael; Aharoni, Shiri

2018-04-01

The purpose of the current study was to assess the uniqueness of the condition of kidney transplant recipients in comparison to a sample of matching healthy peers in relation to body-image dissatisfaction and identification, quality of life and psychological distress. Participants were 45 kidney transplant recipients who were under follow-up care at a Transplant Unit of a major Medical Center, and a sample of 45 matching healthy peers. Measures were taken using self-report questionnaires [Body-Image Ideals Questionnaire (BIIQ), Body Identification Questionnaire (BIQ), Brief Symptoms Inventory (BSI), and the SF-12]. The major findings were the following: (i) kidney transplant recipients reported lower levels of quality of life and higher levels of PsD when compared to their healthy peers; (ii) no difference in body-image dissatisfaction was found between the two studied groups; (iii) significant correlations between body-image dissatisfaction quality of life and PsD were found only in the kidney transplant recipients. The kidney transplantation condition has a moderating effect in the association between body-image dissatisfaction PsD but not in the association between body-image dissatisfaction and quality of life; (iv) kidney transplant recipients experienced higher levels of body identification than did their healthy peers. Taken together, these findings highlight the unique condition of kidney transplant recipients, as well as the function that body-image plays within the self.

An Integrated Ransac and Graph Based Mismatch Elimination Approach for Wide-Baseline Image Matching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasheminasab, M.; Ebadi, H.; Sedaghat, A.

2015-12-01

In this paper we propose an integrated approach in order to increase the precision of feature point matching. Many different algorithms have been developed as to optimizing the short-baseline image matching while because of illumination differences and viewpoints changes, wide-baseline image matching is so difficult to handle. Fortunately, the recent developments in the automatic extraction of local invariant features make wide-baseline image matching possible. The matching algorithms which are based on local feature similarity principle, using feature descriptor as to establish correspondence between feature point sets. To date, the most remarkable descriptor is the scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT) descriptor , which is invariant to image rotation and scale, and it remains robust across a substantial range of affine distortion, presence of noise, and changes in illumination. The epipolar constraint based on RANSAC (random sample consensus) method is a conventional model for mismatch elimination, particularly in computer vision. Because only the distance from the epipolar line is considered, there are a few false matches in the selected matching results based on epipolar geometry and RANSAC. Aguilariu et al. proposed Graph Transformation Matching (GTM) algorithm to remove outliers which has some difficulties when the mismatched points surrounded by the same local neighbor structure. In this study to overcome these limitations, which mentioned above, a new three step matching scheme is presented where the SIFT algorithm is used to obtain initial corresponding point sets. In the second step, in order to reduce the outliers, RANSAC algorithm is applied. Finally, to remove the remained mismatches, based on the adjacent K-NN graph, the GTM is implemented. Four different close range image datasets with changes in viewpoint are utilized to evaluate the performance of the proposed method and the experimental results indicate its robustness and capability.

Factors associated with successful matching to dermatology residency programs by reapplicants and other applicants who previously graduated from medical school.

PubMed

Stratman, Erik J; Ness, Rachel M

2011-02-01

To identify factors associated with and not associated with successful matching and matriculation (hereinafter "matching") to dermatology residency programs for applicants who previously graduated from medical school and to distinguish which factors are within applicants' control. Observational cohort study. Six accredited academic dermatology residency training programs in the United States. A total of 221 residency applicants who previously graduated from medical school and who applied through standardized electronic application to 1 or more of the participating residency training programs. Matriculation to a dermatology residency program by August 2008 following the 2006 residency application period. Forty-six of 221 former medical school graduates included in this study matched to a dermatology residency program. Factors strongly associated with matching included United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 3 score; submission of letters written by dermatologists from institutions that train dermatology residents; completion of preliminary medicine internships rather than transitional or other internship types; listing of research experience; publishing of medical manuscripts; and completion of non-Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Examination dermatology fellowships. Factors not associated with increased matching included volunteer work; PhD status; sex; number of posters or presentations at dermatology conferences; quality of journal publications; and first authorship. Most successful applicants limited personal statements to 1 page and did not mention previously failing to match. The study sample represented at least 86% of such nontraditional applicants who matched in 2006. For candidates seeking to match into dermatology residency programs after graduating from medical school, there are factors within their control that are associated with higher rates of match success. This study provides evidence to assist mentors who counsel such candidates. ©2011 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.

The Comparison of Matching Methods Using Different Measures of Balance: Benefits and Risks Exemplified within a Study to Evaluate the Effects of German Disease Management Programs on Long-Term Outcomes of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.

PubMed

Fullerton, Birgit; Pöhlmann, Boris; Krohn, Robert; Adams, John L; Gerlach, Ferdinand M; Erler, Antje

2016-10-01

To present a case study on how to compare various matching methods applying different measures of balance and to point out some pitfalls involved in relying on such measures. Administrative claims data from a German statutory health insurance fund covering the years 2004-2008. We applied three different covariance balance diagnostics to a choice of 12 different matching methods used to evaluate the effectiveness of the German disease management program for type 2 diabetes (DMPDM2). We further compared the effect estimates resulting from applying these different matching techniques in the evaluation of the DMPDM2. The choice of balance measure leads to different results on the performance of the applied matching methods. Exact matching methods performed well across all measures of balance, but resulted in the exclusion of many observations, leading to a change of the baseline characteristics of the study sample and also the effect estimate of the DMPDM2. All PS-based methods showed similar effect estimates. Applying a higher matching ratio and using a larger variable set generally resulted in better balance. Using a generalized boosted instead of a logistic regression model showed slightly better performance for balance diagnostics taking into account imbalances at higher moments. Best practice should include the application of several matching methods and thorough balance diagnostics. Applying matching techniques can provide a useful preprocessing step to reveal areas of the data that lack common support. The use of different balance diagnostics can be helpful for the interpretation of different effect estimates found with different matching methods. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

The effects of neutralized particles on the sampling efficiency of polyurethane foam used to estimate the extrathoracic deposition fraction.

PubMed

Tomyn, Ronald L; Sleeth, Darrah K; Thiese, Matthew S; Larson, Rodney R

2016-01-01

In addition to chemical composition, the site of deposition of inhaled particles is important for determining the potential health effects from an exposure. As a result, the International Organization for Standardization adopted a particle deposition sampling convention. This includes extrathoracic particle deposition sampling conventions for the anterior nasal passages (ET1) and the posterior nasal and oral passages (ET2). This study assessed how well a polyurethane foam insert placed in an Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) sampler can match an extrathoracic deposition sampling convention, while accounting for possible static buildup in the test particles. In this way, the study aimed to assess whether neutralized particles affected the performance of this sampler for estimating extrathoracic particle deposition. A total of three different particle sizes (4.9, 9.5, and 12.8 µm) were used. For each trial, one particle size was introduced into a low-speed wind tunnel with a wind speed set a 0.2 m/s (∼40 ft/min). This wind speed was chosen to closely match the conditions of most indoor working environments. Each particle size was tested twice either neutralized, using a high voltage neutralizer, or left in its normal (non neutralized) state as standard particles. IOM samplers were fitted with a polyurethane foam insert and placed on a rotating mannequin inside the wind tunnel. Foam sampling efficiencies were calculated for all trials to compare against the normalized ET1 sampling deposition convention. The foam sampling efficiencies matched well to the ET1 deposition convention for the larger particle sizes, but had a general trend of underestimating for all three particle sizes. The results of a Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test also showed that only at 4.9 µm was there a statistically significant difference (p-value = 0.03) between the foam sampling efficiency using the standard particles and the neutralized particles. This is interpreted to mean that static buildup may be occurring and neutralizing the particles that are 4.9 µm diameter in size did affect the performance of the foam sampler when estimating extrathoracic particle deposition.

Exploring Robust Methods for Evaluating Treatment and Comparison Groups in Chronic Care Management Programs

PubMed Central

Hamar, Brent; Bradley, Chastity; Gandy, William M.; Harrison, Patricia L.; Sidney, James A.; Coberley, Carter R.; Rula, Elizabeth Y.; Pope, James E.

2013-01-01

Abstract Evaluation of chronic care management (CCM) programs is necessary to determine the behavioral, clinical, and financial value of the programs. Financial outcomes of members who are exposed to interventions (treatment group) typically are compared to those not exposed (comparison group) in a quasi-experimental study design. However, because member assignment is not randomized, outcomes reported from these designs may be biased or inefficient if study groups are not comparable or balanced prior to analysis. Two matching techniques used to achieve balanced groups are Propensity Score Matching (PSM) and Coarsened Exact Matching (CEM). Unlike PSM, CEM has been shown to yield estimates of causal (program) effects that are lowest in variance and bias for any given sample size. The objective of this case study was to provide a comprehensive comparison of these 2 matching methods within an evaluation of a CCM program administered to a large health plan during a 2-year time period. Descriptive and statistical methods were used to assess the level of balance between comparison and treatment members pre matching. Compared with PSM, CEM retained more members, achieved better balance between matched members, and resulted in a statistically insignificant Wald test statistic for group aggregation. In terms of program performance, the results showed an overall higher medical cost savings among treatment members matched using CEM compared with those matched using PSM (-$25.57 versus -$19.78, respectively). Collectively, the results suggest CEM is a viable alternative, if not the most appropriate matching method, to apply when evaluating CCM program performance. (Population Health Management 2013;16:35–45) PMID:22788834

Feature extraction and descriptor calculation methods for automatic georeferencing of Philippines' first microsatellite imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tupas, M. E. A.; Dasallas, J. A.; Jiao, B. J. D.; Magallon, B. J. P.; Sempio, J. N. H.; Ramos, M. K. F.; Aranas, R. K. D.; Tamondong, A. M.

2017-10-01

The FAST-SIFT corner detector and descriptor extractor combination was used to automatically georeference DIWATA-1 Spaceborne Multispectral Imager images. Features from the Fast Accelerated Segment Test (FAST) algorithm detects corners or keypoints in an image, and these robustly detected keypoints have well-defined positions. Descriptors were computed using Scale-Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) extractor. FAST-SIFT method effectively SMI same-subscene images detected by the NIR sensor. The method was also tested in stitching NIR images with varying subscene swept by the camera. The slave images were matched to the master image. The keypoints served as the ground control points. Random sample consensus was used to eliminate fall-out matches and ensure accuracy of the feature points from which the transformation parameters were derived. Keypoints are matched based on their descriptor vector. Nearest-neighbor matching is employed based on a metric distance between the descriptors. The metrics include Euclidean and city block, among others. Rough matching outputs not only the correct matches but also the faulty matches. A previous work in automatic georeferencing incorporates a geometric restriction. In this work, we applied a simplified version of the learning method. RANSAC was used to eliminate fall-out matches and ensure accuracy of the feature points. This method identifies if a point fits the transformation function and returns inlier matches. The transformation matrix was solved by Affine, Projective, and Polynomial models. The accuracy of the automatic georeferencing method were determined by calculating the RMSE of interest points, selected randomly, between the master image and transformed slave image.

Language style matching in writing: synchrony in essays, correspondence, and poetry.

PubMed

Ireland, Molly E; Pennebaker, James W

2010-09-01

Each relationship has its own personality. Almost immediately after a social interaction begins, verbal and nonverbal behaviors become synchronized. Even in asocial contexts, individuals tend to produce utterances that match the grammatical structure of sentences they have recently heard or read. Three projects explore language style matching (LSM) in everyday writing tasks and professional writing. LSM is the relative use of 9 function word categories (e.g., articles, personal pronouns) between any 2 texts. In the first project, 2 samples totaling 1,744 college students answered 4 essay questions written in very different styles. Students automatically matched the language style of the target questions. Overall, the LSM metric was internally consistent and reliable across writing tasks. Women, participants of higher socioeconomic status, and students who earned higher test grades matched with targets more than others did. In the second project, 74 participants completed cliffhanger excerpts from popular fiction. Judges' ratings of excerpt-response similarity were related to content matching but not function word matching, as indexed by LSM. Further, participants were not able to intentionally increase style or content matching. In the final project, an archival study tracked the professional writing and personal correspondence of 3 pairs of famous writers across their relationships. Language matching in poetry and letters reflected fluctuations in the relationships of 3 couples: Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning, and Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes. Implications for using LSM as an implicit marker of social engagement and influence are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved).

Exploring robust methods for evaluating treatment and comparison groups in chronic care management programs.

PubMed

Wells, Aaron R; Hamar, Brent; Bradley, Chastity; Gandy, William M; Harrison, Patricia L; Sidney, James A; Coberley, Carter R; Rula, Elizabeth Y; Pope, James E

2013-02-01

Evaluation of chronic care management (CCM) programs is necessary to determine the behavioral, clinical, and financial value of the programs. Financial outcomes of members who are exposed to interventions (treatment group) typically are compared to those not exposed (comparison group) in a quasi-experimental study design. However, because member assignment is not randomized, outcomes reported from these designs may be biased or inefficient if study groups are not comparable or balanced prior to analysis. Two matching techniques used to achieve balanced groups are Propensity Score Matching (PSM) and Coarsened Exact Matching (CEM). Unlike PSM, CEM has been shown to yield estimates of causal (program) effects that are lowest in variance and bias for any given sample size. The objective of this case study was to provide a comprehensive comparison of these 2 matching methods within an evaluation of a CCM program administered to a large health plan during a 2-year time period. Descriptive and statistical methods were used to assess the level of balance between comparison and treatment members pre matching. Compared with PSM, CEM retained more members, achieved better balance between matched members, and resulted in a statistically insignificant Wald test statistic for group aggregation. In terms of program performance, the results showed an overall higher medical cost savings among treatment members matched using CEM compared with those matched using PSM (-$25.57 versus -$19.78, respectively). Collectively, the results suggest CEM is a viable alternative, if not the most appropriate matching method, to apply when evaluating CCM program performance.

Extensive monitoring through multiple blood samples in professional soccer players.

PubMed

Heisterberg, Mette F; Fahrenkrug, Jan; Krustrup, Peter; Storskov, Anders; Kjær, Michael; Andersen, Jesper L

2013-05-01

The aim of this study was to make a comprehensive gathering of consecutive detailed blood samples from professional soccer players and to analyze different blood parameters in relation to seasonal changes in training and match exposure. Blood samples were collected 5 times during a 6-month period and analyzed for 37 variables in 27 professional soccer players from the best Danish league. Additionally, the players were tested for body composition, V[Combining Dot Above]O2max and physical performance by the Yo-Yo intermittent endurance submax test (IE2). Multiple variations in blood parameters occurred during the observation period, including a decrease in hemoglobin and an increase in hematocrit as the competitive season progressed. Iron and transferrin were stable, whereas ferritin showed a decrease at the end of the season. The immunoglobulin A (IgA) and IgM increased in the period with basal physical training and at the end of the season. Leucocytes decreased with increased physical training. Lymphocytes decreased at the end of the season. The V[Combining Dot Above]O2max decreased toward the end of the season, whereas no significant changes were observed in the IE2 test. The regular blood samples from elite soccer players reveal significant changes that may be related to changes in training pattern, match exposure, or length of the match season. Especially the end of the preparation season and at the end of the competitive season seem to be time points were the blood-derived values indicate that the players are under excessive physical strain and might be more subjected to a possible overreaching-overtraining conditions. We suggest that regular analyses of blood samples could be an important initiative to optimize training adaptation, training load, and game participation, but sampling has to be regular, and a database has to be built for each individual player.

Energy demands during a judo match and recovery.

PubMed

Degoutte, F; Jouanel, P; Filaire, E

2003-06-01

To assess energy demand during a judo match and the kinetics of recovery by measuring the metabolites of the oxypurine cascade, lipolytic activity, and glycolytic pathway. Venous blood samples were taken from 16 national judoists (mean (SEM) age 18.4 (1.6) years), before (T(1)) and three minutes (T(2)), one hour (T(3)), and 24 hours (T(4)) after a match. A seven day diet record was used to evaluate nutrient intake. Nutrient analysis indicated that these athletes followed a low carbohydrate diet. Plasma lactate concentration had increased to 12.3 (1.8) mmol/l at the end of the match. An increase in the levels of extracellular markers of muscle adenine nucleotide catabolism, urea, and creatinine was observed at T(2), while uric acid levels remained unchanged. High concentrations of urea persisted for 24 hours during the recovery period. Ammonia, hypoxanthine, xanthine, and creatinine returned to control levels within the 24 hour recovery period. Uric acid concentrations rose from T(3) and had not returned to baseline 24 hours after the match. The levels of triglycerides, glycerol, and free fatty acids had increased significantly (p<0.05) after the match (T(2)) but returned to baseline values within 24 hours. Concentrations of high density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol were significantly increased after the match. These results show that a judo match induces both protein and lipid metabolism. Carbohydrate availability, training adaptation, and metabolic stress may explain the requirement for these types of metabolism.

Cross-modal Associations between Real Tastes and Colors.

PubMed

Saluja, Supreet; Stevenson, Richard J

2018-06-02

People make reliable and consistent matches between taste and color. However, in contrast to other cross-modal correspondences, all of the research to date has used only taste words (and often color words too), potentially limiting our understanding of how taste-color matches arise. Here, participants sampled the five basic tastes, at three concentration steps, and selected their best matching color from a color-wheel. This test was repeated, and in addition, participants evaluated the valence of the taste and their color choice, as well as the qualities/intensities of the taste stimuli. Participants were then presented with taste names and asked to generate the best matching color name, as well as reporting how they made their earlier choices. Color selections were reliable and consistent, and closely followed those based on taste word matches obtained in this and prior studies. Most participants reported basing their color choices on their associated taste-object (often foods). There was marked similarity in valence between taste and color choices, and the saturation of color choices was related to tastant concentration. We discuss what drives color-taste pairings, with learning suggested as one possible mechanism.

CLARREO Approach for Reference Intercalibration of Reflected Solar Sensors: On-Orbit Data Matching and Sampling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roithmayr, Carlos; Lukashin, Constantine; Speth, Paul W.; Kopp, Gregg; Thome, Kurt; Wielicki, Bruce A.; Young, David F.

2014-01-01

The implementation of the Climate Absolute Radiance and Refractivity Observatory (CLARREO) mission was recommended by the National Research Council in 2007 to provide an on-orbit intercalibration standard with accuracy of 0.3% (k = 2) for relevant Earth observing sensors. The goal of reference intercalibration, as established in the Decadal Survey, is to enable rigorous high-accuracy observations of critical climate change parameters, including reflected broadband radiation [Clouds and Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES)], cloud properties [Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS)], and changes in surface albedo, including snow and ice albedo feedback. In this paper, we describe the CLARREO approach for performing intercalibration on orbit in the reflected solar (RS) wavelength domain. It is based on providing highly accurate spectral reflectance and reflected radiance measurements from the CLARREO Reflected Solar Spectrometer (RSS) to establish an on-orbit reference for existing sensors, namely, CERES and VIIRS on Joint Polar Satellite System satellites, Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer and follow-on imagers on MetOp, Landsat imagers, and imagers on geostationary platforms. One of two fundamental CLARREO mission goals is to provide sufficient sampling of high-accuracy observations that are matched in time, space, and viewing angles with measurements made by existing instruments, to a degree that overcomes the random error sources from imperfect data matching and instrument noise. The data matching is achieved through CLARREO RSS pointing operations on orbit that align its line of sight with the intercalibrated sensor. These operations must be planned in advance; therefore, intercalibration events must be predicted by orbital modeling. If two competing opportunities are identified, one target sensor must be given priority over the other. The intercalibration method is to monitor changes in targeted sensor response function parameters: effective offset, gain, nonlinearity, optics spectral response, and sensitivity to polarization. In this paper, we use existing satellite data and orbital simulationmethods to determinemission requirements for CLARREO, its instrument pointing ability, methodology, and needed intercalibration sampling and data matching for accurate intercalibration of RS radiation sensors on orbit.

Toward high-resolution NMR spectroscopy of microscopic liquid samples

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Butler, Mark C.; Mehta, Hardeep S.; Chen, Ying

A longstanding limitation of high-resolution NMR spectroscopy is the requirement for samples to have macroscopic dimensions. Commercial probes, for example, are designed for volumes of at least 5 mL, in spite of decades of work directed toward the goal of miniaturization. Progress in miniaturizing inductive detectors has been limited by a perceived need to meet two technical requirements: (1) minimal separation between the sample and the detector, which is essential for sensitivity, and (2) near-perfect magnetic-field homogeneity at the sample, which is typically needed for spectral resolution. The first of these requirements is real, but the second can be relaxed,more » as we demonstrate here. By using pulse sequences that yield high-resolution spectra in an inhomogeneous field, we eliminate the need for near-perfect field homogeneity and the accompanying requirement for susceptibility matching of microfabricated detector components. With this requirement removed, typical imperfections in microfabricated components can be tolerated, and detector dimensions can be matched to those of the sample, even for samples of volume << 5 uL. Pulse sequences that are robust to field inhomogeneity thus enable small-volume detection with optimal sensitivity. We illustrate the potential of this approach to miniaturization by presenting spectra acquired with a flat-wire detector that can easily be scaled to subnanoliter volumes. In particular, we report high-resolution NMR spectroscopy of an alanine sample of volume 500 pL.« less

Performing a urine dipstick test with a clean-catch urine sample is an accurate screening method for urinary tract infections in young infants.

PubMed

Herreros, María Luisa; Tagarro, Alfredo; García-Pose, Araceli; Sánchez, Aida; Cañete, Alfonso; Gili, Pablo

2018-01-01

This study evaluated using urine dipstick tests with the clean-catch method to screen for urinary tract infection (UTI) in febrile infants under 90 days of age. We carried out a comparative diagnostic accuracy study of infants under 90 days old, who were studied for unexplained fever without any source, in the emergency room of a hospital in Madrid from January 2011 to January 2013. We obtained matched samples of urine using two different methods: a clean-catch, standardised stimulation technique and catheterisation collection. The results of the leucocyte esterase test and nitrite test were compared with their urine cultures. We obtained 60 pairs of matched samples. A combined analysis of leukocyte esterase and, or, nitrites yielded a sensitivity of 86% and a specificity of 80% for the diagnosis of UTIs in clean-catch samples. The sensitivity of leukocyte esterase and, or, nitrites in samples obtained by catheterisation were not statistically different to the clean-catch samples (p = 0.592). Performing urine dipstick tests using urine samples obtained by the clean-catch method was an accurate screening test for diagnosing UTIs in febrile infants of less than 90 days old. This provided a good alternative to bladder catheterisation when screening for UTIs. ©2017 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Comparing fixed sampling with minimizer sampling when using k-mer indexes to find maximal exact matches.

PubMed

Almutairy, Meznah; Torng, Eric

2018-01-01

Bioinformatics applications and pipelines increasingly use k-mer indexes to search for similar sequences. The major problem with k-mer indexes is that they require lots of memory. Sampling is often used to reduce index size and query time. Most applications use one of two major types of sampling: fixed sampling and minimizer sampling. It is well known that fixed sampling will produce a smaller index, typically by roughly a factor of two, whereas it is generally assumed that minimizer sampling will produce faster query times since query k-mers can also be sampled. However, no direct comparison of fixed and minimizer sampling has been performed to verify these assumptions. We systematically compare fixed and minimizer sampling using the human genome as our database. We use the resulting k-mer indexes for fixed sampling and minimizer sampling to find all maximal exact matches between our database, the human genome, and three separate query sets, the mouse genome, the chimp genome, and an NGS data set. We reach the following conclusions. First, using larger k-mers reduces query time for both fixed sampling and minimizer sampling at a cost of requiring more space. If we use the same k-mer size for both methods, fixed sampling requires typically half as much space whereas minimizer sampling processes queries only slightly faster. If we are allowed to use any k-mer size for each method, then we can choose a k-mer size such that fixed sampling both uses less space and processes queries faster than minimizer sampling. The reason is that although minimizer sampling is able to sample query k-mers, the number of shared k-mer occurrences that must be processed is much larger for minimizer sampling than fixed sampling. In conclusion, we argue that for any application where each shared k-mer occurrence must be processed, fixed sampling is the right sampling method.

Comparing fixed sampling with minimizer sampling when using k-mer indexes to find maximal exact matches

PubMed Central

Torng, Eric

2018-01-01

Bioinformatics applications and pipelines increasingly use k-mer indexes to search for similar sequences. The major problem with k-mer indexes is that they require lots of memory. Sampling is often used to reduce index size and query time. Most applications use one of two major types of sampling: fixed sampling and minimizer sampling. It is well known that fixed sampling will produce a smaller index, typically by roughly a factor of two, whereas it is generally assumed that minimizer sampling will produce faster query times since query k-mers can also be sampled. However, no direct comparison of fixed and minimizer sampling has been performed to verify these assumptions. We systematically compare fixed and minimizer sampling using the human genome as our database. We use the resulting k-mer indexes for fixed sampling and minimizer sampling to find all maximal exact matches between our database, the human genome, and three separate query sets, the mouse genome, the chimp genome, and an NGS data set. We reach the following conclusions. First, using larger k-mers reduces query time for both fixed sampling and minimizer sampling at a cost of requiring more space. If we use the same k-mer size for both methods, fixed sampling requires typically half as much space whereas minimizer sampling processes queries only slightly faster. If we are allowed to use any k-mer size for each method, then we can choose a k-mer size such that fixed sampling both uses less space and processes queries faster than minimizer sampling. The reason is that although minimizer sampling is able to sample query k-mers, the number of shared k-mer occurrences that must be processed is much larger for minimizer sampling than fixed sampling. In conclusion, we argue that for any application where each shared k-mer occurrence must be processed, fixed sampling is the right sampling method. PMID:29389989

Multiplex picodroplet digital PCR to detect KRAS mutations in circulating DNA from the plasma of colorectal cancer patients.

PubMed

Taly, Valerie; Pekin, Deniz; Benhaim, Leonor; Kotsopoulos, Steve K; Le Corre, Delphine; Li, Xinyu; Atochin, Ivan; Link, Darren R; Griffiths, Andrew D; Pallier, Karine; Blons, Hélène; Bouché, Olivier; Landi, Bruno; Hutchison, J Brian; Laurent-Puig, Pierre

2013-12-01

Multiplex digital PCR (dPCR) enables noninvasive and sensitive detection of circulating tumor DNA with performance unachievable by current molecular-detection approaches. Furthermore, picodroplet dPCR facilitates simultaneous screening for multiple mutations from the same sample. We investigated the utility of multiplex dPCR to screen for the 7 most common mutations in codons 12 and 13 of the KRAS (Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog) oncogene from plasma samples of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. Fifty plasma samples were tested from patients for whom the primary tumor biopsy tissue DNA had been characterized by quantitative PCR. Tumor characterization revealed that 19 patient tumors had KRAS mutations. Multiplex dPCR analysis of the plasma DNA prepared from these samples identified 14 samples that matched the mutation identified in the tumor, 1 sample contained a different KRAS mutation, and 4 samples had no detectable mutation. Among the tumor samples that were wild type for KRAS, 2 KRAS mutations were identified in the corresponding plasma samples. Duplex dPCR (i.e., wild-type and single-mutation assay) was also used to analyze plasma samples from patients with KRAS-mutated tumors and 5 samples expected to contain the BRAF (v-raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B) V600E mutation. The results for the duplex analysis matched those for the multiplex analysis for KRAS-mutated samples and, owing to its higher sensitivity, enabled detection of 2 additional samples with low levels of KRAS-mutated DNA. All 5 samples with BRAF mutations were detected. This work demonstrates the clinical utility of multiplex dPCR to screen for multiple mutations simultaneously with a sensitivity sufficient to detect mutations in circulating DNA obtained by noninvasive blood collection.

Optical Rotation Curves and Linewidths for Tully-Fisher Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Courteau, Stephane

1997-12-01

We present optical long-slit rotation curves for 304 northern Sb-Sc UGC galaxies from a sample designed for Tully-Fisher (TF) applications. Matching r-band photometry exists for each galaxy. We describe the procedures of rotation curve (RC) extraction and construction of optical profiles analogous to 21 cm integrated linewidths. More than 20% of the galaxies were observed twice or more, allowing for a proper determination of systematic errors. Various measures of maximum rotational velocity to be used as input in the TF relation are tested on the basis of their repeatability, minimization of TF scatter, and match with 21 cm linewidths. The best measure of TF velocity, V2.2 is given at the location of peak rotational velocity of a pure exponential disk. An alternative measure to V2.2 which makes no assumption about the luminosity profile or shape of the rotation curve is Vhist, the 20% width of the velocity histogram, though the match with 21 cm linewidths is not as good. We show that optical TF calibrations yield internal scatter comparable to, if not smaller than, the best calibrations based on single-dish 21 cm radio linewidths. Even though resolved H I RCs are more extended than their optical counterpart, a tight match between optical and radio linewidths exists since the bulk of the H I surface density is enclosed within the optical radius. We model the 304 RCs presented here plus a sample of 958 curves from Mathewson et al. (1992, APJS, 81, 413) with various fitting functions. An arctan function provides an adequate simple fit (not accounting for non-circular motions and spiral arms). More elaborate, empirical models may yield a better match at the expense of strong covariances. We caution against physical or "universal" parametrizations for TF applications.

fMRI characterization of visual working memory recognition.

PubMed

Rahm, Benjamin; Kaiser, Jochen; Unterrainer, Josef M; Simon, Juliane; Bledowski, Christoph

2014-04-15

Encoding and maintenance of information in visual working memory have been extensively studied, highlighting the crucial and capacity-limiting role of fronto-parietal regions. In contrast, the neural basis of recognition in visual working memory has remained largely unspecified. Cognitive models suggest that recognition relies on a matching process that compares sensory information with the mental representations held in memory. To characterize the neural basis of recognition we varied both the need for recognition and the degree of similarity between the probe item and the memory contents, while independently manipulating memory load to produce load-related fronto-parietal activations. fMRI revealed a fractionation of working memory functions across four distributed networks. First, fronto-parietal regions were activated independent of the need for recognition. Second, anterior parts of load-related parietal regions contributed to recognition but their activations were independent of the difficulty of matching in terms of sample-probe similarity. These results argue against a key role of the fronto-parietal attention network in recognition. Rather the third group of regions including bilateral temporo-parietal junction, posterior cingulate cortex and superior frontal sulcus reflected demands on matching both in terms of sample-probe-similarity and the number of items to be compared. Also, fourth, bilateral motor regions and right superior parietal cortex showed higher activation when matching provided clear evidence for a decision. Together, the segregation between the well-known fronto-parietal activations attributed to attentional operations in working memory from those regions involved in matching supports the theoretical view of separable attentional and mnemonic contributions to working memory. Yet, the close theoretical and empirical correspondence to perceptual decision making may call for an explicit consideration of decision making mechanisms in conceptions of working memory. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Do Right- and Left-Handed Monkeys Differ on Cognitive Measures?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hopkins, William D.; Washburn, David A.

1994-01-01

Twelve left- and 14 right-handed monkeys were compared on 6 measures of cognitive performance (2 maze-solving tasks, matching-to-sample, delayed matching-to-sample, delayed response using spatial cues, and delayed response using form cues). The dependent variable was trials-to-training criterion for each of the 6 tasks. Significant differences were found between left- and right-handed monkeys on the 2 versions of the delayed response task. Right-handed monkeys reached criterion significantly faster on the form cue version of the task, whereas left-handed monkeys reached criterion significantly faster on delayed response for spatial position (p less than .05). The results suggest that sensitive hand preference measures of laterality can reveal differences in cognitive performance, which in turn may reflect underlying laterality in functional organization of the nervous system.

Object representation in the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus): integration of visual and echoic information.

PubMed

Harley, H E; Roitblat, H L; Nachtigall, P E

1996-04-01

A dolphin performed a 3-alternative matching-to-sample task in different modality conditions (visual/echoic, both vision and echolocation: visual, vision only; echoic, echolocation only). In Experiment 1, training occurred in the dual-modality (visual/echoic) condition. Choice accuracy in tests of all conditions was above chance without further training. In Experiment 2, unfamiliar objects with complementary similarity relations in vision and echolocation were presented in single-modality conditions until accuracy was about 70%. When tested in the visual/echoic condition, accuracy immediately rose (95%), suggesting integration across modalities. In Experiment 3, conditions varied between presentation of sample and alternatives. The dolphin successfully matched familiar objects in the cross-modal conditions. These data suggest that the dolphin has an object-based representational system.

Recovery Kinetics of Knee Flexor and Extensor Strength after a Football Match

PubMed Central

Draganidis, Dimitrios; Chatzinikolaou, Athanasios; Avloniti, Alexandra; Barbero-Álvarez, José C.; Mohr, Magni; Malliou, Paraskevi; Gourgoulis, Vassilios; Deli, Chariklia K.; Douroudos, Ioannis I.; Margonis, Konstantinos; Gioftsidou, Asimenia; Fouris, Andreas D.; Jamurtas, Athanasios Z.; Koutedakis, Yiannis; Fatouros, Ioannis G.

2015-01-01

We examined the temporal changes of isokinetic strength performance of knee flexor (KF) and extensor (KE) strength after a football match. Players were randomly assigned to a control (N = 14, participated only in measurements and practices) or an experimental group (N = 20, participated also in a football match). Participants trained daily during the two days after the match. Match and training overload was monitored with GPS devices. Venous blood was sampled and muscle damage was assessed pre-match, post-match and at 12h, 36h and 60h post-match. Isometric strength as well as eccentric and concentric peak torque of knee flexors and extensors in both limbs (dominant and non-dominant) were measured on an isokinetic dynamometer at baseline and at 12h, 36h and 60h after the match. Functional (KFecc/KEcon) and conventional (KFcon/KEcon) ratios were then calculated. Only eccentric peak torque of knee flexors declined at 60h after the match in the control group. In the experimental group: a) isometric strength of knee extensors and knee flexors declined (P<0.05) at 12h (both limbs) and 36h (dominant limb only), b) eccentric and concentric peak torque of knee extensors and flexors declined (P<0.05) in both limbs for 36h at 60°/s and for 60h at 180°/s with eccentric peak torque of knee flexors demonstrating a greater (P<0.05) reduction than concentric peak torque, c) strength deterioration was greater (P<0.05) at 180°/s and in dominant limb, d) the functional ratio was more sensitive to match-induced fatigue demonstrating a more prolonged decline. Discriminant and regression analysis revealed that strength deterioration and recovery may be related to the amount of eccentric actions performed during the match and athletes' football-specific conditioning. Our data suggest that recovery kinetics of knee flexor and extensor strength after a football match demonstrate strength, limb and velocity specificity and may depend on match physical overload and players' physical conditioning level. PMID:26043222

The Improved Locating Algorithm of Particle Filter Based on ROS Robot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Xun; Fu, Xiaoyang; Sun, Ming

2018-03-01

This paperanalyzes basic theory and primary algorithm of the real-time locating system and SLAM technology based on ROS system Robot. It proposes improved locating algorithm of particle filter effectively reduces the matching time of laser radar and map, additional ultra-wideband technology directly accelerates the global efficiency of FastSLAM algorithm, which no longer needs searching on the global map. Meanwhile, the re-sampling has been largely reduced about 5/6 that directly cancels the matching behavior on Roboticsalgorithm.