Results from a blind and a non-blind randomised trial run in parallel: experience from the Estonian Postmenopausal Hormone Therapy (EPHT) Trial.

PubMed

Veerus, Piret; Fischer, Krista; Hakama, Matti; Hemminki, Elina

2012-04-04

The Estonian Postmenopausal Hormone Therapy (EPHT) Trial assigned 4170 potential participants prior to recruitment to blind or non-blind hormone therapy (HT), with placebo or non-treatment the respective alternatives. Before having to decide on participation, women were told whether they had been randomised to the blind or non-blind trial. Eligible women who were still willing to join the trial were recruited. After recruitment participants in the non-blind trial (N = 1001) received open-label HT or no treatment, participants in the blind trial (N = 777) remained blinded until the end of the trial. The aim of this paper is to analyse the effect of blinding on internal and external validity of trial outcomes. Effect of blinding was calculated as the hazard ratio of selected chronic diseases, total mortality and all outcomes. For analysing the effect of blinding on external validity, the hazard ratios from women recruited to the placebo arm and to the non-treatment arm were compared with those not recruited; for analysing the effect of blinding on internal validity, the hazard ratios from the blind trial were compared with those from the non-blind trial. The women recruited to the placebo arm had less cerebrovascular disease events (HR 0.43; 95% CI: 0.26-0.71) and all outcomes combined (HR 0.76; 95% CI: 0.63-0.91) than those who were not recruited. Among women recruited or not recruited to the non-treatment arm, no differences were observed for any of the outcomes studied.Among women recruited to the trial, the risk for coronary heart disease events (HR 0.77; 95% CI: 0.64-0.93), cerebrovascular disease events (HR 0.66; 95%CI: 0.47-0.92), and all outcomes combined (HR 0.82; 95% CI: 0.72-0.94) was smaller among participants in the blind trial than in the non-blind trial. There was no difference between the blind and the non-blind trial for total cancer (HR 0.95; 95% CI: 0.64-1.42), bone fractures (0.93; 95% CI: 0.74-1.16), and total mortality (HR 1.03; 95% CI: 0.53-1.98). The results from blind and non-blind trials may differ, even if the target population is the same. Blinding may influence both internal and external validity. The effect of blinding may vary for different outcome events. [ISRCTN35338757].

CADASTER QSPR Models for Predictions of Melting and Boiling Points of Perfluorinated Chemicals.

PubMed

Bhhatarai, Barun; Teetz, Wolfram; Liu, Tao; Öberg, Tomas; Jeliazkova, Nina; Kochev, Nikolay; Pukalov, Ognyan; Tetko, Igor V; Kovarich, Simona; Papa, Ester; Gramatica, Paola

2011-03-14

Quantitative structure property relationship (QSPR) studies on per- and polyfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) on melting point (MP) and boiling point (BP) are presented. The training and prediction chemicals used for developing and validating the models were selected from Syracuse PhysProp database and literatures. The available experimental data sets were split in two different ways: a) random selection on response value, and b) structural similarity verified by self-organizing-map (SOM), in order to propose reliable predictive models, developed only on the training sets and externally verified on the prediction sets. Individual linear and non-linear approaches based models developed by different CADASTER partners on 0D-2D Dragon descriptors, E-state descriptors and fragment based descriptors as well as consensus model and their predictions are presented. In addition, the predictive performance of the developed models was verified on a blind external validation set (EV-set) prepared using PERFORCE database on 15 MP and 25 BP data respectively. This database contains only long chain perfluoro-alkylated chemicals, particularly monitored by regulatory agencies like US-EPA and EU-REACH. QSPR models with internal and external validation on two different external prediction/validation sets and study of applicability-domain highlighting the robustness and high accuracy of the models are discussed. Finally, MPs for additional 303 PFCs and BPs for 271 PFCs were predicted for which experimental measurements are unknown. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Attack and improvements of fair quantum blind signature schemes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zou, Xiangfu; Qiu, Daowen

2013-06-01

Blind signature schemes allow users to obtain the signature of a message while the signer learns neither the message nor the resulting signature. Therefore, blind signatures have been used to realize cryptographic protocols providing the anonymity of some participants, such as: secure electronic payment systems and electronic voting systems. A fair blind signature is a form of blind signature which the anonymity could be removed with the help of a trusted entity, when this is required for legal reasons. Recently, a fair quantum blind signature scheme was proposed and thought to be safe. In this paper, we first point out that there exists a new attack on fair quantum blind signature schemes. The attack shows that, if any sender has intercepted any valid signature, he (she) can counterfeit a valid signature for any message and can not be traced by the counterfeited blind signature. Then, we construct a fair quantum blind signature scheme by improved the existed one. The proposed fair quantum blind signature scheme can resist the preceding attack. Furthermore, we demonstrate the security of the proposed fair quantum blind signature scheme and compare it with the other one.

Blind separation of incoherent and spatially disjoint sound sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Bin; Antoni, Jérôme; Pereira, Antonio; Kellermann, Walter

2016-11-01

Blind separation of sound sources aims at reconstructing the individual sources which contribute to the overall radiation of an acoustical field. The challenge is to reach this goal using distant measurements when all sources are operating concurrently. The working assumption is usually that the sources of interest are incoherent - i.e. statistically orthogonal - so that their separation can be approached by decorrelating a set of simultaneous measurements, which amounts to diagonalizing the cross-spectral matrix. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is traditionally used to this end. This paper reports two new findings in this context. First, a sufficient condition is established under which "virtual" sources returned by PCA coincide with true sources; it stipulates that the sources of interest should be not only incoherent but also spatially orthogonal. A particular case of this instance is met by spatially disjoint sources - i.e. with non-overlapping support sets. Second, based on this finding, a criterion that enforces both statistical and spatial orthogonality is proposed to blindly separate incoherent sound sources which radiate from disjoint domains. This criterion can be easily incorporated into acoustic imaging algorithms such as beamforming or acoustical holography to identify sound sources of different origins. The proposed methodology is validated on laboratory experiments. In particular, the separation of aeroacoustic sources is demonstrated in a wind tunnel.

Perceived functional ability assessed with the spinal function sort: is it valid for European rehabilitation settings in patients with non-specific non-acute low back pain?

PubMed Central

Hilfiker, R.; Kool, J. P.; Bachmann, S.; Hagen, K. B.

2010-01-01

The aim of this study involving 170 patients suffering from non-specific low back pain was to test the validity of the spinal function sort (SFS) in a European rehabilitation setting. The SFS, a picture-based questionnaire, assesses perceived functional ability of work tasks involving the spine. All measurements were taken by a blinded research assistant; work status was assessed with questionnaires. Our study demonstrated a high internal consistency shown by a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.98, reasonable evidence for unidimensionality, spearman correlations of >0.6 with work activities, and discriminating power for work status at 3 and 12 months by ROC curve analysis (area under curve = 0.760 (95% CI 0.689–0.822), respectively, 0.801 (95% CI 0.731–0.859). The standardised response mean within the two treatment groups was 0.18 and −0.31. As a result, we conclude that the perceived functional ability for work tasks can be validly assessed with the SFS in a European rehabilitation setting in patients with non-specific low back pain, and is predictive for future work status. PMID:20490874

Systematic reviews of animal studies; missing link in translational research?

PubMed

van Luijk, Judith; Bakker, Brenda; Rovers, Maroeska M; Ritskes-Hoitinga, Merel; de Vries, Rob B M; Leenaars, Marlies

2014-01-01

The methodological quality of animal studies is an important factor hampering the translation of results from animal studies to a clinical setting. Systematic reviews of animal studies may provide a suitable method to assess and thereby improve their methodological quality. The aims of this study were: 1) to evaluate the risk of bias assessment in animal-based systematic reviews, and 2) to study the internal validity of the primary animal studies included in these systematic reviews. We systematically searched Pubmed and Embase for SRs of preclinical animal studies published between 2005 and 2012. A total of 91 systematic reviews met our inclusion criteria. The risk of bias was assessed in 48 (52.7%) of these 91 systematic reviews. Thirty-three (36.3%) SRs provided sufficient information to evaluate the internal validity of the included studies. Of the evaluated primary studies, 24.6% was randomized, 14.6% reported blinding of the investigator/caretaker, 23.9% blinded the outcome assessment, and 23.1% reported drop-outs. To improve the translation of animal data to clinical practice, systematic reviews of animal studies are worthwhile, but the internal validity of primary animal studies needs to be improved. Furthermore, risk of bias should be assessed by systematic reviews of animal studies to provide insight into the reliability of the available evidence.

Development and Psychometric Properties of a Standardized Assessment for Adults Who Are Deaf-Blind

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dalby, Dawn M.; Hirdes, John P.; Stolee, Paul; Strong, J. Graham; Poss, Jeff; Tjam, Erin Y.; Bowman, Lindsay; Ashworth, Melody

2009-01-01

The internal consistency and validity of the interRAI Community Health Assessment and Deafblind Supplement were tested with 182 persons with deaf-blindness. All subscales demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency, and expected associations provided evidence of convergent validity. This instrument can facilitate standardized service…

New validated recipes for double-blind placebo-controlled low-dose food challenges.

PubMed

Winberg, Anna; Nordström, Lisbeth; Strinnholm, Åsa; Nylander, Annica; Jonsäll, Anette; Rönmark, Eva; West, Christina E

2013-05-01

Double-blind placebo-controlled food challenges are considered the most reliable method to diagnose or rule out food allergy. Despite this, there are few validated challenge recipes available. The present study aimed to validate new recipes for low-dose double-blind placebo-controlled food challenges in school children, by investigating whether there were any sensory differences between the active materials containing cow's milk, hen's egg, soy, wheat or cod, and the placebo materials. The challenge materials contained the same hypoallergenic amino acid-based product, with or without added food allergens. The test panels consisted of 275 school children, aged 8-10 and 14-15 yr, respectively, from five Swedish schools. Each participant tested at least one recipe. Standardized blinded triangle tests were performed to investigate whether any sensory differences could be detected between the active and placebo materials. In our final recipes, no significant differences could be detected between the active and placebo materials for any challenge food (p > 0.05). These results remained after stratification for age and gender. The taste of challenge materials was acceptable, and no unfavourable side effects related to test materials were observed. In summary, these new validated recipes for low-dose double-blinded food challenges contain common allergenic foods in childhood; cow's milk, hen's egg, soy, wheat and cod. All test materials contain the same liquid vehicle, which facilitates preparation and dosing. Our validated recipes increase the range of available recipes, and as they are easily prepared and dosed, they may facilitate the use of double-blind placebo-controlled food challenges in daily clinical practice. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

[Pilot study to investigate sleep disorders in the blind and persons with relevant visual impairment].

PubMed

Dirks, C; Grünewald, D; Young, P; Heidbreder, A

2018-05-22

Sleep disorders are associated with serious health problems in blind and visually impaired persons. Loss of light perception may result in a shift of sleep-wake pattern, which may lead to significant impairments in daily life--the so-called non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder. To date, epidemiologic data on non-24 only exist for the USA. This pilot study was conducted to provide first epidemiologic data for the prevalence of non-24 and other sleep disorders among blind and visually impaired persons in Germany. Recruited were 111 blind and visually impaired subjects (36 subjects without light perception; male [m] = 56, 27-85 years, average [Mx] = 59.53, standard deviation [SD] = 14.69) and 111 sighted controls (m = 41, 27-88 years, Mx = 58.32, SD = 14.21), who answered a set of validated questionnaires referring to general health status (SF-36), sleep characteristics (PSQI), and daytime sleepiness (ESS). In addition, a questionnaire to predict non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder, which is not yet validated in German, was provided. The prevalence of 72.2% for the non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder in blind people is in accordance with results from the USA. In contrast, our results indicated non-24 in only 21.3% of the subjects with residual light perception. Furthermore, other sleep disorders like problems falling asleep (100% vs. 79.9%), maintaining sleep (90% vs. 88.1%), sleep-disordered breathing (19.4% vs. 32%), or sleep-related movement disorders (28.1% vs. 32.9%) were also common in the group of blind or visually impaired persons. The non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder is a frequent problem among people with no light perception, associated with problems falling asleep, maintaining sleep, and daytime sleepiness. The perception of light as an external cue for our circadian rhythm plays a key role. However, sleep disruption is not fully explained by non-24, making a detailed sleep history essential.

Systematic Analysis of Challenge-Driven Improvements in Molecular Prognostic Models for Breast Cancer

PubMed Central

Margolin, Adam A.; Bilal, Erhan; Huang, Erich; Norman, Thea C.; Ottestad, Lars; Mecham, Brigham H.; Sauerwine, Ben; Kellen, Michael R.; Mangravite, Lara M.; Furia, Matthew D.; Vollan, Hans Kristian Moen; Rueda, Oscar M.; Guinney, Justin; Deflaux, Nicole A.; Hoff, Bruce; Schildwachter, Xavier; Russnes, Hege G.; Park, Daehoon; Vang, Veronica O.; Pirtle, Tyler; Youseff, Lamia; Citro, Craig; Curtis, Christina; Kristensen, Vessela N.; Hellerstein, Joseph; Friend, Stephen H.; Stolovitzky, Gustavo; Aparicio, Samuel; Caldas, Carlos; Børresen-Dale, Anne-Lise

2013-01-01

Although molecular prognostics in breast cancer are among the most successful examples of translating genomic analysis to clinical applications, optimal approaches to breast cancer clinical risk prediction remain controversial. The Sage Bionetworks–DREAM Breast Cancer Prognosis Challenge (BCC) is a crowdsourced research study for breast cancer prognostic modeling using genome-scale data. The BCC provided a community of data analysts with a common platform for data access and blinded evaluation of model accuracy in predicting breast cancer survival on the basis of gene expression data, copy number data, and clinical covariates. This approach offered the opportunity to assess whether a crowdsourced community Challenge would generate models of breast cancer prognosis commensurate with or exceeding current best-in-class approaches. The BCC comprised multiple rounds of blinded evaluations on held-out portions of data on 1981 patients, resulting in more than 1400 models submitted as open source code. Participants then retrained their models on the full data set of 1981 samples and submitted up to five models for validation in a newly generated data set of 184 breast cancer patients. Analysis of the BCC results suggests that the best-performing modeling strategy outperformed previously reported methods in blinded evaluations; model performance was consistent across several independent evaluations; and aggregating community-developed models achieved performance on par with the best-performing individual models. PMID:23596205

100 positive double-blind studies: enough or too little?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuner, Jan; Hode, Lars

2000-06-01

A major argument among the opponents of laser therapy has been the absence of scientific documentation. This was a valid position in the 80s and partly in the 90s. But today, is this still a sound argument. There are more than 2,000 published studies in the field, including meeting abstracts and anecdotal reports. The vast majority of these papers reports positive effects of LLLT in vitro and in vivo. It is fair to argue that negative results are less prone to be published, but certainly more than 80 percent of the published studies are positive. In the field of dentistry, for instance, the positive percentage is well above 90 percent. The present literature study will look at the heart of the positive documentation: the positive double blind studies. It may come as a surprise to many critics that there are more than 100 positive double blind studies in the field laser therapy. This is a god base for a further understanding of the effects of low level laser in the clinical setting. We must, however, be as critical as the sceptics themselves in order to obtain a constructive dialogue between 'attorneys' and sceptics. In this paper, a critical review of 100 positive double blind studies will be presented.

Experimental validation and model development for thermal transmittances of porous window screens and horizontal louvred blind systems

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

Hart, Robert; Goudey, Howdy; Curcija, D. Charlie

Virtually every home in the US has some form of shades, blinds, drapes, or other window attachment, but few have been designed for energy savings. In order to provide a common basis of comparison for thermal performance it is important to have validated simulation tools. This study outlines a review and validation of the ISO 15099 centre-of-glass thermal transmittance correlations for naturally ventilated cavities through measurement and detailed simulations. The focus is on the impacts of room-side ventilated cavities, such as those found with solar screens and horizontal louvred blinds. The thermal transmittance of these systems is measured experimentally, simulatedmore » using computational fluid dynamics analysis, and simulated utilizing simplified correlations from ISO 15099. Finally, correlation coefficients are proposed for the ISO 15099 algorithm that reduces the mean error between measured and simulated heat flux for typical solar screens from 16% to 3.5% and from 13% to 1% for horizontal blinds.« less

Experimental validation and model development for thermal transmittances of porous window screens and horizontal louvred blind systems

DOE PAGES

Hart, Robert; Goudey, Howdy; Curcija, D. Charlie

2017-05-16

Virtually every home in the US has some form of shades, blinds, drapes, or other window attachment, but few have been designed for energy savings. In order to provide a common basis of comparison for thermal performance it is important to have validated simulation tools. This study outlines a review and validation of the ISO 15099 centre-of-glass thermal transmittance correlations for naturally ventilated cavities through measurement and detailed simulations. The focus is on the impacts of room-side ventilated cavities, such as those found with solar screens and horizontal louvred blinds. The thermal transmittance of these systems is measured experimentally, simulatedmore » using computational fluid dynamics analysis, and simulated utilizing simplified correlations from ISO 15099. Finally, correlation coefficients are proposed for the ISO 15099 algorithm that reduces the mean error between measured and simulated heat flux for typical solar screens from 16% to 3.5% and from 13% to 1% for horizontal blinds.« less

Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM)-profiling for biomarker discovery applied to human polycystic ovarian syndrome.

PubMed

Cordeiro, Fernanda B; Ferreira, Christina R; Sobreira, Tiago Jose P; Yannell, Karen E; Jarmusch, Alan K; Cedenho, Agnaldo P; Lo Turco, Edson G; Cooks, R Graham

2017-09-15

We describe multiple reaction monitoring (MRM)-profiling, which provides accelerated discovery of discriminating molecular features, and its application to human polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) diagnosis. The discovery phase of the MRM-profiling seeks molecular features based on some prior knowledge of the chemical functional groups likely to be present in the sample. It does this through use of a limited number of pre-chosen and chemically specific neutral loss and/or precursor ion MS/MS scans. The output of the discovery phase is a set of precursor/product transitions. In the screening phase these MRM transitions are used to interrogate multiple samples (hence the name MRM-profiling). MRM-profiling was applied to follicular fluid samples of 22 controls and 29 clinically diagnosed PCOS patients. Representative samples were delivered by flow injection to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer set to perform a number of pre-chosen and chemically specific neutral loss and/or precursor ion MS/MS scans. The output of this discovery phase was a set of 1012 precursor/product transitions. In the screening phase each individual sample was interrogated for these MRM transitions. Principal component analysis (PCA) and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used for statistical analysis. To evaluate the method's performance, half the samples were used to build a classification model (testing set) and half were blinded (validation set). Twenty transitions were used for the classification of the blind samples, most of them (N = 19) showed lower abundances in the PCOS group and corresponded to phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylserine (PS) lipids. Agreement of 73% with clinical diagnosis was found when classifying the 26 blind samples. MRM-profiling is a supervised method characterized by its simplicity, speed and the absence of chromatographic separation. It can be used to rapidly isolate discriminating molecules in healthy/disease conditions by tailored screening of signals associated with hundreds of molecules in complex samples. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Techniques to Collect and Analyze the Cognitive Map Knowledge of Persons with Visual Impairment or Blindness: Issues of Validity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kitchin, R. M.; Jacobson, R. D.

1997-01-01

Assesses techniques used by researchers to collect and analyze data on how people with visual impairments or blindness learn, understand, and think about geographic space. Recommendations are made for increasing the validity of studies, including the use of multiple, mutually supportive tests; larger samples; and real-world environments.…

A Quantum Proxy Blind Signature Scheme Based on Genuine Five-Qubit Entangled State

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Chuan; Zhang, Jian-Zhong; Xie, Shu-Cui

2017-06-01

In this paper, a quantum proxy blind signature scheme based on controlled quantum teleportation is proposed. This scheme uses a genuine five-qubit entangled state as quantum channel and adopts the classical Vernam algorithm to blind message. We use the physical characteristics of quantum mechanics to implement delegation, signature and verification. Security analysis shows that our scheme is valid and satisfy the properties of a proxy blind signature, such as blindness, verifiability, unforgeability, undeniability.

How "Blind" Are Double-Blind Studies?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Margraf, Jurgen; And Others

1991-01-01

Compared alprazolam, imipramine, and placebo in the treatment of panic disorder patients (n=59) to investigate concerns about the internal validity of the double-blind design. Found that the great majority of patients and physicians were able to rate accurately whether active drug or placebo had been given and physicians could distinguish between…

Development and validation of risk prediction equations to estimate future risk of blindness and lower limb amputation in patients with diabetes: cohort study

PubMed Central

Coupland, Carol

2015-01-01

Study question Is it possible to develop and externally validate risk prediction equations to estimate the 10 year risk of blindness and lower limb amputation in patients with diabetes aged 25-84 years? Methods This was a prospective cohort study using routinely collected data from general practices in England contributing to the QResearch and Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) databases during the study period 1998-2014. The equations were developed using 763 QResearch practices (n=454 575 patients with diabetes) and validated in 254 different QResearch practices (n=142 419) and 357 CPRD practices (n=206 050). Cox proportional hazards models were used to derive separate risk equations for blindness and amputation in men and women that could be evaluated at 10 years. Measures of calibration and discrimination were calculated in the two validation cohorts. Study answer and limitations Risk prediction equations to quantify absolute risk of blindness and amputation in men and women with diabetes have been developed and externally validated. In the QResearch derivation cohort, 4822 new cases of lower limb amputation and 8063 new cases of blindness occurred during follow-up. The risk equations were well calibrated in both validation cohorts. Discrimination was good in men in the external CPRD cohort for amputation (D statistic 1.69, Harrell’s C statistic 0.77) and blindness (D statistic 1.40, Harrell’s C statistic 0.73), with similar results in women and in the QResearch validation cohort. The algorithms are based on variables that patients are likely to know or that are routinely recorded in general practice computer systems. They can be used to identify patients at high risk for prevention or further assessment. Limitations include lack of formally adjudicated outcomes, information bias, and missing data. What this study adds Patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes are at increased risk of blindness and amputation but generally do not have accurate assessments of the magnitude of their individual risks. The new algorithms calculate the absolute risk of developing these complications over a 10 year period in patients with diabetes, taking account of their individual risk factors. Funding, competing interests, data sharing JH-C is co-director of QResearch, a not for profit organisation which is a joint partnership between the University of Nottingham and Egton Medical Information Systems, and is also a paid director of ClinRisk Ltd. CC is a paid consultant statistician for ClinRisk Ltd. PMID:26560308

Development and validation of risk prediction equations to estimate future risk of blindness and lower limb amputation in patients with diabetes: cohort study.

PubMed

Hippisley-Cox, Julia; Coupland, Carol

2015-11-11

Is it possible to develop and externally validate risk prediction equations to estimate the 10 year risk of blindness and lower limb amputation in patients with diabetes aged 25-84 years? This was a prospective cohort study using routinely collected data from general practices in England contributing to the QResearch and Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) databases during the study period 1998-2014. The equations were developed using 763 QResearch practices (n=454,575 patients with diabetes) and validated in 254 different QResearch practices (n=142,419) and 357 CPRD practices (n=206,050). Cox proportional hazards models were used to derive separate risk equations for blindness and amputation in men and women that could be evaluated at 10 years. Measures of calibration and discrimination were calculated in the two validation cohorts. Risk prediction equations to quantify absolute risk of blindness and amputation in men and women with diabetes have been developed and externally validated. In the QResearch derivation cohort, 4822 new cases of lower limb amputation and 8063 new cases of blindness occurred during follow-up. The risk equations were well calibrated in both validation cohorts. Discrimination was good in men in the external CPRD cohort for amputation (D statistic 1.69, Harrell's C statistic 0.77) and blindness (D statistic 1.40, Harrell's C statistic 0.73), with similar results in women and in the QResearch validation cohort. The algorithms are based on variables that patients are likely to know or that are routinely recorded in general practice computer systems. They can be used to identify patients at high risk for prevention or further assessment. Limitations include lack of formally adjudicated outcomes, information bias, and missing data. Patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes are at increased risk of blindness and amputation but generally do not have accurate assessments of the magnitude of their individual risks. The new algorithms calculate the absolute risk of developing these complications over a 10 year period in patients with diabetes, taking account of their individual risk factors. JH-C is co-director of QResearch, a not for profit organisation which is a joint partnership between the University of Nottingham and Egton Medical Information Systems, and is also a paid director of ClinRisk Ltd. CC is a paid consultant statistician for ClinRisk Ltd. © Hippisley-Cox et al 2015.

Development and Validation of the Self-Acceptance Scale for Persons with Early Blindness: The SAS-EB

PubMed Central

Morgado, Fabiane Frota da Rocha; Campana, Angela Nogueira Neves Betanho; Tavares, Maria da Consolação Gomes Cunha Fernandes

2014-01-01

Investigations of self-acceptance are critical to understanding the development and maintenance of psychological health. However, valid and reliable instruments for measuring self-acceptance in persons with early blindness have yet to be developed. The current research describes three studies designed to develop and validate the Self-acceptance Scale for Persons with Early Blindness (SAS-EB). In Study 1, we developed the initial item pool. Thirty-three items were generated, based on data from specialized literature and from 2 focus groups. Items were organized in a three-factor structure, theoretically predicted for SAS-EB - (1) body acceptance, (2) self-protection from social stigmas, and (3) feeling and believing in one's capacities. In Study 2, information obtained from a panel of 9 experts and 22 persons with early blindness representing the target population was used to refine the initial item pool, generating a new pool of 27 items. In Study 3, 318 persons with early blindness (141 women and 177 men), between 18 and 60 years of age (M = 37.74 years, SD = 12.37) answered the new pool of 27 items. After the elimination of 9 items using confirmatory factor analysis, we confirmed the theoretical three-factor structure of the SAS-EB. Study 3 also provided support for the scale's internal consistency and construct validity. Finally, the psychometric properties of the SAS-EB, its utility, and its limitations are discussed along with considerations for future research. PMID:25268633

Reliability and validity of generalizable skills instruments for students who are deaf, blind, or visually impaired.

PubMed

Loeding, B L; Greenan, J P

1998-12-01

The study examined the validity and reliability of four assessments, with three instruments per domain. Domains included generalizable mathematics, communication, interpersonal relations, and reasoning skills. Participants were deaf, legally blind, or visually impaired students enrolled in vocational classes at residential secondary schools. The researchers estimated the internal consistency reliability, test-retest reliability, and construct validity correlations of three subinstruments: student self-ratings, teacher ratings, and performance assessments. The data suggest that these instruments are highly internally consistent measures of generalizable vocational skills. Four performance assessments have high-to-moderate test-retest reliability estimates, and were generally considered to possess acceptable validity and reliability.

Validity of False Belief Tasks in Blind Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brambring, Michael; Asbrock, Doreen

2010-01-01

Previous studies have reported that congenitally blind children without any additional impairment reveal a developmental delay of at least 4 years in perspective taking based on testing first-order false-belief tasks. These authors interpret this delay as a sign of autism-like behavior. However, the delay may be caused by testing blind children…

Validation of the phase II feasibility study in a palliative care setting: gastrografin in malignant bowel obstruction.

PubMed

Lee, Cindy; Vather, Ryash; O'Callaghan, Anne; Robinson, Jackie; McLeod, Briar; Findlay, Michael; Bissett, Ian

2013-12-01

Malignant bowel obstruction (MBO) is common in patients with advanced cancer. To perform a phase II study to assess the feasibility of conducting a phase III trial investigating the therapeutic value of gastrografin in MBO. Randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled feasibility study. Participants received 100 mL of either gastrografin or placebo. Over 8 months, 57 patients were screened and 9 enrolled (15.8% recruitment rate). Of the 9 enrolled, 4 received gastrografin (with 2 completing assessment) and 5 received placebo (with 4 completing assessment). It is not feasible to conduct a phase III trial using the same study protocol. This study validates the use of the phase II feasibility study to assess protocol viability in a palliative population prior to embarking on a larger trial.

Numerical Study of Controlling Jet Flow and Noise using Pores on Nozzle Inner Wall

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Jian; Shi, Zhixiao; Lai, Huanxin

2018-04-01

In this paper, the feasibility of controlling the subsonic jet flow and its noise using pores of blind holes added on the nozzle inner wall is explored numerically. These pores are intended to introduce disturbances to the shear layer so as to change the flow mixing. This passive strategy has not been attempted so far. A convergent nozzle with a cylindrical extension is selected as the baseline case. Three nozzles with pores on the inner wall are set up. Validations of the numerical settings are carried out, then the compressible turbulent jets at the exit Mach number M j = 0.6 in the four nozzles are calculated by large eddy simulations (LES), while the radiated sounds are predicted by the FW-H acoustic analogy. The results show that the blind holes have produced some effects on weakening the turbulence intensity in the shear layer. Comparison reveals that both temporal and spatial correlations of the turbulent fluctuations in the modified cases are suppressed to some extent. Meanwhile, the porous nozzles are shown to suppress the pairing of vortices and enhance the flow mixing, and therefore, the development of shear layer and the fragmentation of large scale vortices are accelerated.

Continued Validation of the O-SCORE (Ottawa Surgical Competency Operating Room Evaluation): Use in the Simulated Environment.

PubMed

MacEwan, Matthew J; Dudek, Nancy L; Wood, Timothy J; Gofton, Wade T

2016-01-01

CONSTRUCT: The Ottawa Surgical Competency Operating Room Evaluation (O-SCORE) is a 9-item surgical evaluation tool designed to assess technical competence in surgical trainees using behavioral anchors. The initial development of the O-SCORE produced evidence for valid results. Further work is required to determine if the use of a single surgeon or an unblinded rater introduces bias. In addition, the relationship of the O-SCORE to other currently used technical assessment tools should be explored to provide validity evidence related to the relationship to other measures. We have designed this project to provide continued validity evidence for the O-SCORE related to these two issues. Nineteen residents and 2 staff Orthopedic Surgeons from the University of Ottawa volunteered to participate in a 2-part OSCE style station. Participants completed a written questionnaire followed by a videotaped 10-minute simulated open reduction and internal fixation of a midshaft radius fracture. Videos were rated individually by 2 blinded staff orthopedic surgeons using an Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS) global rating scale, an OSATS checklist, and the O-SCORE in random order. O-SCORE results appeared sensitive to surgical training level even when raters were blinded. In addition, strong agreement between two independent observers using the O-SCORE suggests that the measure captures a performance easily recognized by surgical observers. Ratings on the O-SCORE also were strongly associated with global ratings on the currently most validated technical evaluation tool (OSATS). Collectively, these results suggest that the O-SCORE generates accurate, reproducible, and meaningful results when used in a randomized and blinded fashion, providing continued validity evidence for using this tool to evaluate surgical trainee competence. The O-SCORE was able to differentiate surgical trainee level using blinded raters providing further evidence of validity for the O-SCORE. There was strong agreement between two independent observers using the O-SCORE. Ratings on the O-SCORE also demonstrated equivalence to scores on the most validated technical evaluation tool (OSATS). These results suggest that the O-SCORE demonstrates accurate and reproducible results when used in a randomized and blinded fashion providing continued validity evidence for this tool in the evaluation of surgical competence in the trainees.

Screening for Depression in Medical Settings with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ): A Diagnostic Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Richards, David; Brealey, Stephen; Hewitt, Catherine

2007-01-01

Objective To summarize the psychometric properties of the PHQ2 and PHQ9 as screening instruments for depression. Interventions We identified 17 validation studies conducted in primary care; medical outpatients; and specialist medical services (cardiology, gynecology, stroke, dermatology, head injury, and otolaryngology). Electronic databases from 1994 to February 2007 (MEDLINE, PsycLIT, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane registers) plus study reference lists have been used for this study. Translations included US English, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, German and Arabic). Summary sensitivity, specificity, likelihood and diagnostic odds ratios (OR) against a gold standard (DSM-IV) Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) were calculated for each study. We used random effects bivariate meta-analysis at recommended cut points to produce summary receiver–operator characteristic (sROC) curves. We explored heterogeneity with metaregression. Measurements and Main Results Fourteen studies (5,026 participants) validated the PHQ9 against MDD: sensitivity = 0.80 (95% CI 0.71–0.87); specificity = 0.92 (95% CI 0.88–0.95); positive likelihood ratio = 10.12 (95% CI 6.52–15.67); negative likelihood ratio = 0.22 (0.15 to 0.32). There was substantial heterogeneity (Diagnostic Odds Ratio heterogeneity I2 = 82%), which was not explained by study setting (primary care versus general hospital); method of scoring (cutoff ≥ 10 versus “diagnostic algorithm”); or study quality (blinded versus unblinded). The diagnostic validity of the PHQ2 was only validated in 3 studies and showed wide variability in sensitivity. Conclusions The PHQ9 is acceptable, and as good as longer clinician-administered instruments in a range of settings, countries, and populations. More research is needed to validate the PHQ2 to see if its diagnostic properties approach those of the PHQ9. PMID:17874169

A Simple Endoscopic Technique for Measuring the Cross-Sectional Area of the Upper Airway in a Rabbit Model.

PubMed

Wistermayer, Paul R; McIlwain, Wesley R; Ieronimakis, Nicholas; Rogers, Derek J

2018-04-01

Validate an accurate and reproducible method of measuring the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the upper airway. This is a prospective animal study done at a tertiary care medical treatment facility. Control images were obtained using endotracheal tubes of varying sizes. In vivo images were obtained from various timepoints of a concurrent study on subglottic stenosis. Using a 0° rod telescope, an instrument was placed at the level of interest, and a photo was obtained. Three independent and blinded raters then measured the CSA of the narrowest portion of the airway using open source image analysis software. Each blinded rater measured the CSA of 79 photos. The t testing to assess for accuracy showed no difference between measured and known CSAs of the control images ( P = .86), with an average error of 1.5% (SD = 5.5%). All intraclass correlation (ICC) values for intrarater agreement showed excellent agreement (ICC > .75). Interrater reliability among all raters in control (ICC = .975; 95% CI, .817-.995) and in vivo (ICC = .846;, 95% CI, .780-.896) images showed excellent agreement. We validate a simple, accurate, and reproducible method of measuring the CSA of the airway that can be used in a clinical or research setting.

Construction and Initial Validation of the Color-Blind Racial Attitudes Scale (CoBRAS).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neville, Helen A.; Lilly, Roderick L.; Duran, Georgia; Lee, Richard M.; Browne, LaVonne

2000-01-01

Describes development of a conceptually grounded scale to assess cognitive aspects of color-blind racial attitudes. Factor analysis suggests that the 3-factor model is a good fit of data. States that CoBRAS was positively related to other indexes of racial attitudes indicating that greater endorsement of color-blind racial attitudes was related to…

Can training in empathetic validation improve medical students' communication with patients suffering pain? A test of concept.

PubMed

Linton, Steven J; Flink, Ida K; Nilsson, Emma; Edlund, Sara

2017-05-01

Patient-centered, empathetic communication has been recommended as a means for improving the health care of patients suffering pain. However, a problem has been training health care providers since programs may be time-consuming and difficult to learn. Validation, a form of empathetic response that communicates that what a patient experiences is accepted as true, has been suggested as an appropriate method for improving communication with patients suffering pain. We study the immediate effects of providing medical students with a 2-session (45-minute duration each) program in validation skills on communication. A one group, pretest vs posttest design was employed with 22 volunteer medical students. To control patient variables, actors simulated 1 of 2 patient scenarios (randomly provided at pretest and posttest). Video recordings were blindly evaluated. Self-ratings of validation and satisfaction were also employed. Observed validation responses increased significantly after training and corresponded to significant reductions in invalidating responses. Both the patient simulators and the medical students were significantly more satisfied after the training. We demonstrated that training empathetic validation results in improved communication thus extending previous findings to a medical setting with patients suffering pain. Our results suggest that it would be feasible to provide validation training for health care providers and this warrants further investigation in controlled studies.

Validation of motion correction techniques for liver CT perfusion studies

PubMed Central

Chandler, A; Wei, W; Anderson, E F; Herron, D H; Ye, Z; Ng, C S

2012-01-01

Objectives Motion in images potentially compromises the evaluation of temporally acquired CT perfusion (CTp) data; image registration should mitigate this, but first requires validation. Our objective was to compare the relative performance of manual, rigid and non-rigid registration techniques to correct anatomical misalignment in acquired liver CTp data sets. Methods 17 data sets in patients with liver tumours who had undergone a CTp protocol were evaluated. Each data set consisted of a cine acquisition during a breath-hold (Phase 1), followed by six further sets of cine scans (each containing 11 images) acquired during free breathing (Phase 2). Phase 2 images were registered to a reference image from Phase 1 cine using two semi-automated intensity-based registration techniques (rigid and non-rigid) and a manual technique (the only option available in the relevant vendor CTp software). The performance of each technique to align liver anatomy was assessed by four observers, independently and blindly, on two separate occasions, using a semi-quantitative visual validation study (employing a six-point score). The registration techniques were statistically compared using an ordinal probit regression model. Results 306 registrations (2448 observer scores) were evaluated. The three registration techniques were significantly different from each other (p=0.03). On pairwise comparison, the semi-automated techniques were significantly superior to the manual technique, with non-rigid significantly superior to rigid (p<0.0001), which in turn was significantly superior to manual registration (p=0.04). Conclusion Semi-automated registration techniques achieved superior alignment of liver anatomy compared with the manual technique. We hope this will translate into more reliable CTp analyses. PMID:22374283

CoMFA, LeapFrog and blind docking studies on sulfonanilide derivatives acting as selective aromatase expression regulators.

PubMed

Gueto, Carlos; Torres, Juan; Vivas-Reyes, Ricardo

2009-09-01

Aromatase, the enzyme responsible for estrogen biosynthesis, is an attractive target in the treatment of hormone-dependent breast cancer. In this manuscript, the structure-based drug design approach of sulfonanilide analogues as potential selective aromatase expression regulators (SAERs) is described. Receptor-independent CoMFA (Comparative Molecular Field Analysis) maps were employed for generating a pseudocavity for LeapFrog calculation. A robust model, using 45 and 10 molecules in the training and test sets, respectively, was developed producing statistically significant results with cross-validated and conventional correlation coefficients of 0.656 and 0.956, respectively. This model was used to predict the activity of newly proposed molecules as SAERs candidates being two magnitude orders more potent than the previously reported compounds. Also in the present study, the computational blind docking method using eHiTS is tested on molecules study group and COX-2 enzyme. Future perspectives of the method in the screening of SAERs candidates with no COX-2 inhibitory activity are discussed.

Multi-laboratory validation study of multilocus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) for Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis, 2015

PubMed Central

Peters, Tansy; Bertrand, Sophie; Björkman, Jonas T; Brandal, Lin T; Brown, Derek J; Erdõsi, Tímea; Heck, Max; Ibrahem, Salha; Johansson, Karin; Kornschober, Christian; Kotila, Saara M; Le Hello, Simon; Lienemann, Taru; Mattheus, Wesley; Nielsen, Eva Møller; Ragimbeau, Catherine; Rumore, Jillian; Sabol, Ashley; Torpdahl, Mia; Trees, Eija; Tuohy, Alma; de Pinna, Elizabeth

2017-01-01

Multilocus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) is a rapid and reproducible typing method that is an important tool for investigation, as well as detection, of national and multinational outbreaks of a range of food-borne pathogens. Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis is the most common Salmonella serovar associated with human salmonellosis in the European Union/European Economic Area and North America. Fourteen laboratories from 13 countries in Europe and North America participated in a validation study for MLVA of S. Enteritidis targeting five loci. Following normalisation of fragment sizes using a set of reference strains, a blinded set of 24 strains with known allele sizes was analysed by each participant. The S. Enteritidis 5-loci MLVA protocol was shown to produce internationally comparable results as more than 90% of the participants reported less than 5% discrepant MLVA profiles. All 14 participating laboratories performed well, even those where experience with this typing method was limited. The raw fragment length data were consistent throughout, and the inter-laboratory validation helped to standardise the conversion of raw data to repeat numbers with at least two countries updating their internal procedures. However, differences in assigned MLVA profiles remain between well-established protocols and should be taken into account when exchanging data. PMID:28277220

RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY OF SUBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT OF LUMBAR LORDOSIS IN CONVENTIONAL RADIOGRAPHY.

PubMed

Ruhinda, E; Byanyima, R K; Mugerwa, H

2014-10-01

Reliability and validity studies of different lumbar curvature analysis and measurement techniques have been documented however there is limited literature on the reliability and validity of subjective visual analysis. Radiological assessment of lumbar lordotic curve aids in early diagnosis of conditions even before neurologic changes set in. To ascertain the level of reliability and validity of subjective assessment of lumbar lordosis in conventional radiography. A blinded, repeated-measures diagnostic test was carried out on lumbar spine x-ray radiographs. Radiology Department at Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC), Mengo-Kampala-Uganda. Seventy (70) lateral lumbar x-ray films were used for this study and were obtained from the archive of JCRC radiology department at Butikiro house, Mengo-Kampala. Poor observer agreement, both inter- and intra-observer, with kappa values of 0.16 was found. Inter-observer agreement was poorer than intra-observer agreement. Kappa values significantly rose when the lumbar lordosis was clustered into four categories without grading each abnormality. The results confirm that subjective assessment of lumbar lordosis has low reliability and validity. Film quality has limited influence on the observer reliability. This study further shows that fewer scale categories of lordosis abnormalities produce better observer reliability.

In blind pursuit of racial equality?

PubMed

Apfelbaum, Evan P; Pauker, Kristin; Sommers, Samuel R; Ambady, Nalini

2010-11-01

Despite receiving little empirical assessment, the color-blind approach to managing diversity has become a leading institutional strategy for promoting racial equality, across domains and scales of practice. We gauged the utility of color blindness as a means to eliminating future racial inequity--its central objective--by assessing its impact on a sample of elementary-school students. Results demonstrated that students exposed to a color-blind mind-set, as opposed to a value-diversity mind-set, were actually less likely both to detect overt instances of racial discrimination and to describe such events in a manner that would prompt intervention by certified teachers. Institutional messages of color blindness may therefore artificially depress formal reporting of racial injustice. Color-blind messages may thus appear to function effectively on the surface even as they allow explicit forms of bias to persist.

Prevalence and causes of blindness and visual impairment and their associated risk factors, in three tribal areas of Andhra Pradesh, India.

PubMed

Singh, Nakul; Eeda, Shiva Shankar; Gudapati, Bala Krishna; Reddy, Srinivasa; Kanade, Pushkar; Shantha, Ghanshyam Palamaner Subash; Rani, Padmaja Kumari; Chakrabarti, Subhabrata; Khanna, Rohit C

2014-01-01

To assess the prevalence of blindness and visual impairment (VI), their associated causes and underlying risk factors in three tribal areas of Andhra Pradesh, India and compare this data in conjunction with data from other countries with low and middle income settings. Using a validated Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness methodology, a two stage sampling survey was performed in these areas involving probability proportionate to size sampling and compact segment sampling methods. Blindness, VI and severe visual impairment (SVI) were defined as per the WHO guidelines and Indian definitions. Based on a prior enumeration, 7281 (97.1%) subjects were enrolled (mean age = 61.0+/-7.9 years). Based on the presenting visual acuity (PVA), the prevalences of VI, SVI and blindness were 16.9% (95% CI: 15.7-18.1), 2.9% (95% CI: 2.5-3.4), and 2.3% (95% CI: 1.9-2.7), respectively. When based on the Pinhole corrected visual acuity (PCVA), the prevalences were lower in VI (6.2%, 95% CI: 5.4-6.9), SVI (1.5%, 95% CI: 1.2-1.9) and blindness (2.1%, 95% CI: 1.7-2.5). Refractive error was the major cause of VI (71.4%), whereas, cataract was the major cause of SVI and blindness (70.3%). Based on the PVA, the odds ratio (OR) of blindness increased in the age groups of 60-69 years (OR = 3.8, 95% CI: 2.8, 5.1), 70-79 years (OR = 10.6, 95% CI: 7.2, 15.5) and 80 years and above (OR = 30.7, 95% CI: 19.2, 49). The ORs were relatively higher in females (OR = 1.3, 95% CI: 1.0, 1.6) and illiterate subjects (OR = 4.3, 95% CI: 2.2, 8.5), but lower in those wearing glasses (OR = 0.2, 95% CI: 0.1, 0.4). This is perhaps the first study to assess the prevalence of blindness and VI in these tribal regions and the majority of the causes of blindness and SVI were avoidable (88.5%). These findings may be useful for planning eye care services in these underserved regions.

Prevalence and Causes of Blindness and Visual Impairment and Their Associated Risk Factors, in Three Tribal Areas of Andhra Pradesh, India

PubMed Central

Singh, Nakul; Eeda, Shiva Shankar; Gudapati, Bala Krishna; Reddy, Srinivasa; Kanade, Pushkar; Shantha, Ghanshyam Palamaner Subash; Rani, Padmaja Kumari; Chakrabarti, Subhabrata; Khanna, Rohit C

2014-01-01

Objective To assess the prevalence of blindness and visual impairment (VI), their associated causes and underlying risk factors in three tribal areas of Andhra Pradesh, India and compare this data in conjunction with data from other countries with low and middle income settings. Methods Using a validated Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness methodology, a two stage sampling survey was performed in these areas involving probability proportionate to size sampling and compact segment sampling methods. Blindness, VI and severe visual impairment (SVI) were defined as per the WHO guidelines and Indian definitions. Results Based on a prior enumeration, 7281 (97.1%) subjects were enrolled (mean age  = 61.0+/−7.9 years). Based on the presenting visual acuity (PVA), the prevalences of VI, SVI and blindness were 16.9% (95% CI: 15.7–18.1), 2.9% (95% CI: 2.5–3.4), and 2.3% (95% CI: 1.9–2.7), respectively. When based on the Pinhole corrected visual acuity (PCVA), the prevalences were lower in VI (6.2%, 95% CI: 5.4–6.9), SVI (1.5%, 95% CI: 1.2–1.9) and blindness (2.1%, 95% CI: 1.7–2.5). Refractive error was the major cause of VI (71.4%), whereas, cataract was the major cause of SVI and blindness (70.3%). Based on the PVA, the odds ratio (OR) of blindness increased in the age groups of 60–69 years (OR = 3.8, 95% CI: 2.8, 5.1), 70–79 years (OR = 10.6, 95% CI: 7.2, 15.5) and 80 years and above (OR = 30.7, 95% CI: 19.2, 49). The ORs were relatively higher in females (OR = 1.3, 95% CI: 1.0, 1.6) and illiterate subjects (OR = 4.3, 95% CI: 2.2, 8.5), but lower in those wearing glasses (OR = 0.2, 95% CI: 0.1, 0.4). Conclusions This is perhaps the first study to assess the prevalence of blindness and VI in these tribal regions and the majority of the causes of blindness and SVI were avoidable (88.5%). These findings may be useful for planning eye care services in these underserved regions. PMID:25007075

Face-blind for other-race faces: Individual differences in other-race recognition impairments.

PubMed

Wan, Lulu; Crookes, Kate; Dawel, Amy; Pidcock, Madeleine; Hall, Ashleigh; McKone, Elinor

2017-01-01

We report the existence of a previously undescribed group of people, namely individuals who are so poor at recognition of other-race faces that they meet criteria for clinical-level impairment (i.e., they are "face-blind" for other-race faces). Testing 550 participants, and using the well-validated Cambridge Face Memory Test for diagnosing face blindness, results show the rate of other-race face blindness to be nontrivial, specifically 8.1% of Caucasians and Asians raised in majority own-race countries. Results also show risk factors for other-race face blindness to include: a lack of interracial contact; and being at the lower end of the normal range of general face recognition ability (i.e., even for own-race faces); but not applying less individuating effort to other-race than own-race faces. Findings provide a potential resolution of contradictory evidence concerning the importance of the other-race effect (ORE), by explaining how it is possible for the mean ORE to be modest in size (suggesting a genuine but minor problem), and simultaneously for individuals to suffer major functional consequences in the real world (e.g., eyewitness misidentification of other-race offenders leading to wrongful imprisonment). Findings imply that, in legal settings, evaluating an eyewitness's chance of having made an other-race misidentification requires information about the underlying face recognition abilities of the individual witness. Additionally, analogy with prosopagnosia (inability to recognize even own-race faces) suggests everyday social interactions with other-race people, such as those between colleagues in the workplace, will be seriously impacted by the ORE in some people. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Blind Quantum Signature with Blind Quantum Computation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Wei; Shi, Ronghua; Guo, Ying

2017-04-01

Blind quantum computation allows a client without quantum abilities to interact with a quantum server to perform a unconditional secure computing protocol, while protecting client's privacy. Motivated by confidentiality of blind quantum computation, a blind quantum signature scheme is designed with laconic structure. Different from the traditional signature schemes, the signing and verifying operations are performed through measurement-based quantum computation. Inputs of blind quantum computation are securely controlled with multi-qubit entangled states. The unique signature of the transmitted message is generated by the signer without leaking information in imperfect channels. Whereas, the receiver can verify the validity of the signature using the quantum matching algorithm. The security is guaranteed by entanglement of quantum system for blind quantum computation. It provides a potential practical application for e-commerce in the cloud computing and first-generation quantum computation.

Comparison of the Diagnostic Image Quality of the Canine Maxillary Dentoalveolar Structures Obtained by Cone Beam Computed Tomography and 64-Multidetector Row Computed Tomography.

PubMed

Soukup, Jason W; Drees, Randi; Koenig, Lisa J; Snyder, Christopher J; Hetzel, Scott; Miles, Chanda R; Schwarz, Tobias

2015-01-01

The objective of this blinded study was to validate the use of cone beam computed tomography (C) for imaging of the canine maxillary dentoalveolar structures by comparing its diagnostic image quality with that of 64-multidetector row CT Sagittal slices of a tooth-bearing segment of the maxilla of a commercially purchased dog skull embedded in methylmethacrylate were obtained along a line parallel with the dental arch using a commercial histology diamond saw. The slice of tooth-bearing bone that best depicted the dentoalveolar structures was chosen and photographed. The maxillary segment was imaged with cone beam CT and 64-multidetector row CT. Four blinded evaluators compared the cone beam CT and 64-multidetector row CT images and image quality was scored as it related to the anatomy of dentoalveolar structures. Trabecular bone, enamel, dentin, pulp cavity, periodontal ligament space, and lamina dura were scored In addition, a score depicting the evaluators overall impression of the image was recorded. Images acquired with cone beam CT were found to be significantly superior in image quality to images acquired with 64-multidetector row CT overall, and in all scored categories. In our study setting cone beam CT was found to be a valid and clinically superior imaging modality for the canine maxillary dentoalveolar structures when compared to 64-multidetector row CT.

Comparison of the Diagnostic Image Quality of the Canine Maxillary Dentoalveolar Structures Obtained by Cone Beam Computed Tomography and 64-Multidetector Row Computed Tomography

PubMed Central

Soukup, Jason W.; Drees, Randi; Koenig, Lisa J.; Snyder, Christopher J.; Hetzel, Scott; Miles, Chanda R.; Schwarz, Tobias

2016-01-01

Summary The objective of this blinded study was to validate the use of cone beam computed tomography (CT) for imaging of the canine maxillary dentoalveolar structures by comparing its diagnostic image quality with that of 64-multidetector row CT. Sagittal slices of a tooth-bearing segment of the maxilla of a commercially purchased dog skull embedded in methyl methacrylate were obtained along a line parallel with the dental arch using a commercial histology diamond saw. The slice of tooth-bearing bone that best depicted the dentoalveolar structures was chosen and photographed. The maxilla segment was imaged with cone beam CT and 64-multidetector row CT. Four blinded evaluators compared the cone beam CT and 64-multidetector row CT images and image quality was scored as it related to the anatomy of dentoalveolar structures. Trabecular bone, enamel, dentin, pulp cavity, periodontal ligament space, and lamina dura were scored. In addition, a score depicting the evaluators overall impression of the image was recorded. Images acquired with cone beam CT were found to be significantly superior in image quality to images acquired with 64-multidetector row CT overall, and in all scored categories. In our study setting, cone beam CT was found to be a valid and clinically superior imaging modality for the canine maxillary dentoalveolar structures when compared to 64-multidetector row CT. PMID:26415384

Sleep-Wake Evaluation from Whole-Night Non-Contact Audio Recordings of Breathing Sounds

PubMed Central

Dafna, Eliran; Tarasiuk, Ariel; Zigel, Yaniv

2015-01-01

Study Objectives To develop and validate a novel non-contact system for whole-night sleep evaluation using breathing sounds analysis (BSA). Design Whole-night breathing sounds (using ambient microphone) and polysomnography (PSG) were simultaneously collected at a sleep laboratory (mean recording time 7.1 hours). A set of acoustic features quantifying breathing pattern were developed to distinguish between sleep and wake epochs (30 sec segments). Epochs (n = 59,108 design study and n = 68,560 validation study) were classified using AdaBoost classifier and validated epoch-by-epoch for sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, accuracy, and Cohen's kappa. Sleep quality parameters were calculated based on the sleep/wake classifications and compared with PSG for validity. Setting University affiliated sleep-wake disorder center and biomedical signal processing laboratory. Patients One hundred and fifty patients (age 54.0±14.8 years, BMI 31.6±5.5 kg/m2, m/f 97/53) referred for PSG were prospectively and consecutively recruited. The system was trained (design study) on 80 subjects; validation study was blindly performed on the additional 70 subjects. Measurements and Results Epoch-by-epoch accuracy rate for the validation study was 83.3% with sensitivity of 92.2% (sleep as sleep), specificity of 56.6% (awake as awake), and Cohen's kappa of 0.508. Comparing sleep quality parameters of BSA and PSG demonstrate average error of sleep latency, total sleep time, wake after sleep onset, and sleep efficiency of 16.6 min, 35.8 min, and 29.6 min, and 8%, respectively. Conclusions This study provides evidence that sleep-wake activity and sleep quality parameters can be reliably estimated solely using breathing sound analysis. This study highlights the potential of this innovative approach to measure sleep in research and clinical circumstances. PMID:25710495

Development of a Deep Learning Algorithm for Automatic Diagnosis of Diabetic Retinopathy.

PubMed

Raju, Manoj; Pagidimarri, Venkatesh; Barreto, Ryan; Kadam, Amrit; Kasivajjala, Vamsichandra; Aswath, Arun

2017-01-01

This paper mainly focuses on the deep learning application in classifying the stage of diabetic retinopathy and detecting the laterality of the eye using funduscopic images. Diabetic retinopathy is a chronic, progressive, sight-threatening disease of the retinal blood vessels. Ophthalmologists diagnose diabetic retinopathy through early funduscopic screening. Normally, there is a time delay in reporting and intervention, apart from the financial cost and risk of blindness associated with it. Using a convolutional neural network based approach for automatic diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy, we trained the prediction network on the publicly available Kaggle dataset. Approximately 35,000 images were used to train the network, which observed a sensitivity of 80.28% and a specificity of 92.29% on the validation dataset of ~53,000 images. Using 8,810 images, the network was trained for detecting the laterality of the eye and observed an accuracy of 93.28% on the validation set of 8,816 images.

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.

First results of the CINDI-2 semi-blind MAX-DOAS intercomparison

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kreher, Karin; van Roozendael, Michel; Hendrick, Francois; Apituley, Arnoud; Friess, Udo; Lampel, Johannes; Piters, Ankie; Richter, Andreas; Wagner, Thomas; Cindi-2 Participants, All

2017-04-01

The second Cabauw Intercomparison campaign for Nitrogen Dioxide measuring Instruments (CINDI-2) took place at the Cabauw Experimental Site for Atmospheric Research (CESAR; Utrecht area, The Netherlands) from 25 August until 7 October 2016. The goals of this inter-comparison campaign are to support the creation of high-quality ground-based data sets (e.g. to provide reliable long-term time series for trend analysis and satellite data validation), to characterise and better understand the differences between a large number of MAX-DOAS and DOAS instruments and analysis methods, and to contribute to a harmonisation of the measurement settings and retrieval methods. During a time period of 17 days, from 12 to 28 September 2016, a formal semi-blind intercomparison was held following a detailed measurement protocol. The development of this protocol was based on the experience gained during the first CINDI campaign held in 2009 as well as more recent projects and campaigns such as the MADCAT campaign in Mainz, Germany, in 2013. Strong emphasis was put on the careful synchronisation of the measurement sequence and on exact alignment of the elevation angles using horizon scans and lamp measurements. In this presentation, we provide an overview and some highlights of the MAX-DOAS semi-blind intercomparison campaign. We will introduce the participating groups, their instruments and the measurement protocol details, and then summarize the campaign outcomes to date. The CINDI-2 data sets have been investigated using a range of diagnostics including comparisons of daily time series and relative differences between the data sets, regression analysis and correlation plots. The data products so far investigated are NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) in the UV and visible wavelength region, O4 (oxygen dimer) in the same two wavelength intervals, O3 (ozone) in the UV and visible wavelength region, HCHO (formaldehyde) and NO2 in an additional (smaller) wavelength range in the visible. The results based on the regression analysis are presented in summary plots and tables, addressing MAX-DOAS and twilight zenith sky measurements separately. Further information on instrumental details such as the alignment of the viewing direction and elevation and the field of view are also summarized and included in the overall interpretation.

A Multiplexed Serum Biomarker Immunoassay Panel Discriminates Clinical Lung Cancer Patients from High-Risk Individuals Found to be Cancer-Free by CT Screening

PubMed Central

Bigbee, William L.; Gopalakrishnan, Vanathi; Weissfeld, Joel L.; Wilson, David O.; Dacic, Sanja; Lokshin, Anna E.; Siegfried, Jill M.

2012-01-01

Introduction Clinical decision-making in the setting of CT screening could benefit from accessible biomarkers that help predict the level of lung cancer risk in high-risk individuals with indeterminate pulmonary nodules. Methods To identify candidate serum biomarkers, we measured 70 cancer-related proteins by Luminex xMAP® multiplexed immunoassays in a training set of sera from 56 patients with biopsy-proven primary non small cell lung cancer and 56 age-, sex- and smoking-matched CT-screened controls. Results We identified a panel of 10 serum biomarkers – prolactin, transthyretin, thrombospondin-1, E-selectin, C-C motif chemokine 5, macrophage migration inhibitory factor, plasminogen activator inhibitor, receptor tyrosine-protein kinase, Cyfra 21.1, and serum amyloid A – that distinguished lung cancer from controls with an estimated balanced accuracy (average of sensitivity and specificity) of 76.0%±3.8% from 20-fold internal cross-validation. We then iteratively evaluated this model in independent test and verification case/control studies confirming the initial classification performance of the panel. The classification performance of the 10-biomarker panel was also analytically validated using ELISAs in a second independent case/control population further validating the robustness of the panel. Conclusions The performance of this 10-biomarker panel based model was 77.1% sensitivity/76.2% specificity in cross-validation in the expanded training set, 73.3% sensitivity/93.3% specificity (balanced accuracy 83.3%) in the blinded verification set with the best discriminative performance in Stage I/II cases: 85% sensitivity (balanced accuracy 89.2%). Importantly, the rate of misclassification of CT-screened controls was not different in most control subgroups with or without airflow obstruction or emphysema or pulmonary nodules. These biomarkers have potential to aid in the early detection of lung cancer and more accurate interpretation of indeterminate pulmonary nodules detected by screening CT. PMID:22425918

Using the epigenetic field defect to detect prostate cancer in biopsy negative patients.

PubMed

Truong, Matthew; Yang, Bing; Livermore, Andrew; Wagner, Jennifer; Weeratunga, Puspha; Huang, Wei; Dhir, Rajiv; Nelson, Joel; Lin, Daniel W; Jarrard, David F

2013-06-01

We determined whether a novel combination of field defect DNA methylation markers could predict the presence of prostate cancer using histologically normal transrectal ultrasound guided biopsy cores. Methylation was assessed using quantitative Pyrosequencing® in a training set consisting of 65 nontumor and tumor associated prostate tissues from University of Wisconsin. A multiplex model was generated using multivariate logistic regression and externally validated in blinded fashion in a set of 47 nontumor and tumor associated biopsy specimens from University of Washington. We observed robust methylation differences in all genes at all CpGs assayed (p <0.0001). Regression models incorporating individual genes (EVX1, CAV1 and FGF1) and a gene combination (EVX1 and FGF1) discriminated nontumor from tumor associated tissues in the original training set (AUC 0.796-0.898, p <0.001). On external validation uniplex models incorporating EVX1, CAV1 or FGF1 discriminated tumor from nontumor associated biopsy negative specimens (AUC 0.702, 0.696 and 0.658, respectively, p <0.05). A multiplex model (EVX1 and FGF1) identified patients with prostate cancer (AUC 0.774, p = 0.001) and had a negative predictive value of 0.909. Comparison between 2 separate cores in patients in this validation set revealed similar methylation defects, indicating detection of a widespread field defect. A widespread epigenetic field defect can be used to detect prostate cancer in patients with histologically negative biopsies. To our knowledge this assay is unique, in that it detects alterations in nontumor cells. With further validation this marker combination (EVX1 and FGF1) has the potential to decrease the need for repeat prostate biopsies, a procedure associated with cost and complications. Copyright © 2013 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Component-Based Study of the Effect of Diameter on Bond and Anchorage Characteristics of Blind-Bolted Connections

PubMed Central

Amin, Muhammad Nasir; Zaheer, Salman; Alazba, Abdulrahman Ali; Saleem, Muhammad Umair; Niazi, Muhammad Umar Khan; Khurram, Nauman; Amin, Muhammad Tahir

2016-01-01

Structural hollow sections are gaining worldwide importance due to their structural and architectural advantages over open steel sections. The only obstacle to their use is their connection with other structural members. To overcome the obstacle of tightening the bolt from one side has given birth to the concept of blind bolts. Blind bolts, being the practical solution to the connection hindrance for the use of hollow and concrete filled hollow sections play a vital role. Flowdrill, the Huck High Strength Blind Bolt and the Lindapter Hollobolt are the well-known commercially available blind bolts. Although the development of blind bolts has largely resolved this issue, the use of structural hollow sections remains limited to shear resistance. Therefore, a new modified version of the blind bolt, known as the “Extended Hollo-Bolt” (EHB) due to its enhanced capacity for bonding with concrete, can overcome the issue of low moment resistance capacity associated with blind-bolted connections. The load transfer mechanism of this recently developed blind bolt remains unclear, however. This study uses a parametric approach to characterising the EHB, using diameter as the variable parameter. Stiffness and load-carrying capacity were evaluated at two different bolt sizes. To investigate the load transfer mechanism, a component-based study of the bond and anchorage characteristics was performed by breaking down the EHB into its components. The results of the study provide insight into the load transfer mechanism of the blind bolt in question. The proposed component-based model was validated by a spring model, through which the stiffness of the EHB was compared to that of its components combined. The combined stiffness of the components was found to be roughly equivalent to that of the EHB as a whole, validating the use of this component-based approach. PMID:26901866

A Component-Based Study of the Effect of Diameter on Bond and Anchorage Characteristics of Blind-Bolted Connections.

PubMed

Amin, Muhammad Nasir; Zaheer, Salman; Alazba, Abdulrahman Ali; Saleem, Muhammad Umair; Niazi, Muhammad Umar Khan; Khurram, Nauman; Amin, Muhammad Tahir

2016-01-01

Structural hollow sections are gaining worldwide importance due to their structural and architectural advantages over open steel sections. The only obstacle to their use is their connection with other structural members. To overcome the obstacle of tightening the bolt from one side has given birth to the concept of blind bolts. Blind bolts, being the practical solution to the connection hindrance for the use of hollow and concrete filled hollow sections play a vital role. Flowdrill, the Huck High Strength Blind Bolt and the Lindapter Hollobolt are the well-known commercially available blind bolts. Although the development of blind bolts has largely resolved this issue, the use of structural hollow sections remains limited to shear resistance. Therefore, a new modified version of the blind bolt, known as the "Extended Hollo-Bolt" (EHB) due to its enhanced capacity for bonding with concrete, can overcome the issue of low moment resistance capacity associated with blind-bolted connections. The load transfer mechanism of this recently developed blind bolt remains unclear, however. This study uses a parametric approach to characterising the EHB, using diameter as the variable parameter. Stiffness and load-carrying capacity were evaluated at two different bolt sizes. To investigate the load transfer mechanism, a component-based study of the bond and anchorage characteristics was performed by breaking down the EHB into its components. The results of the study provide insight into the load transfer mechanism of the blind bolt in question. The proposed component-based model was validated by a spring model, through which the stiffness of the EHB was compared to that of its components combined. The combined stiffness of the components was found to be roughly equivalent to that of the EHB as a whole, validating the use of this component-based approach.

Validation of a classification system to grade fractionation in atrial fibrillation and correlation with automated detection systems.

PubMed

Hunter, Ross J; Diab, Ihab; Thomas, Glyn; Duncan, Edward; Abrams, Dominic; Dhinoja, Mehul; Sporton, Simon; Earley, Mark J; Schilling, Richard J

2009-12-01

We tested application of a grading system describing complex fractionated electrograms (CFE) in atrial fibrillation (AF) and used it to validate automated CFE detection (AUTO). Ten seconds bipolar electrograms were classified by visual inspection (VI) during ablation of persistent AF and the result compared with offline manual measurement (MM) by a second blinded operator: Grade 1 uninterrupted fractionated activity (defined as segments > or =70 ms) for > or =70% of recording and uninterrupted > or =1 s; Grade 2 interrupted fractionated activity > or =70% of recording; Grade 3 intermittent fractionated activity 30-70%; Grade 4 discrete (<70 ms) complex electrogram (> or =5 direction changes); Grade 5 discrete simple electrograms (< or =4 direction changes); Grade 6 scar. Grade by VI and MM for 100 electrograms agreed in 89%. Five hundred electrograms were graded on Carto and NavX by VI to validate AUTO in (i) detection of CFE (grades 1-4 considered CFE), and (ii) assessing degree of fractionation by correlating grade and score by AUTO (data shown as sensitivity, specificity, r): NavX 'CFE mean' 92%, 91%, 0.56; Carto 'interval confidence level' using factory settings 89%, 62%, -0.72, and other published settings 80%, 74%, -0.65; Carto 'shortest confidence interval' 74%, 70%, 0.43; Carto 'average confidence interval' 86%, 66%, 0.53. Grading CFE by VI is accurate and correlates with AUTO.

Multi-laboratory validation study of multilocus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) for Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis, 2015.

PubMed

Peters, Tansy; Bertrand, Sophie; Björkman, Jonas T; Brandal, Lin T; Brown, Derek J; Erdõsi, Tímea; Heck, Max; Ibrahem, Salha; Johansson, Karin; Kornschober, Christian; Kotila, Saara M; Le Hello, Simon; Lienemann, Taru; Mattheus, Wesley; Nielsen, Eva Møller; Ragimbeau, Catherine; Rumore, Jillian; Sabol, Ashley; Torpdahl, Mia; Trees, Eija; Tuohy, Alma; de Pinna, Elizabeth

2017-03-02

Multilocus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) is a rapid and reproducible typing method that is an important tool for investigation, as well as detection, of national and multinational outbreaks of a range of food-borne pathogens. Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis is the most common Salmonella serovar associated with human salmonellosis in the European Union/European Economic Area and North America. Fourteen laboratories from 13 countries in Europe and North America participated in a validation study for MLVA of S. Enteritidis targeting five loci. Following normalisation of fragment sizes using a set of reference strains, a blinded set of 24 strains with known allele sizes was analysed by each participant. The S. Enteritidis 5-loci MLVA protocol was shown to produce internationally comparable results as more than 90% of the participants reported less than 5% discrepant MLVA profiles. All 14 participating laboratories performed well, even those where experience with this typing method was limited. The raw fragment length data were consistent throughout, and the inter-laboratory validation helped to standardise the conversion of raw data to repeat numbers with at least two countries updating their internal procedures. However, differences in assigned MLVA profiles remain between well-established protocols and should be taken into account when exchanging data. This article is copyright of The Authors, 2017.

Non-invasive fetal sex determination by maternal plasma sequencing and application in X-linked disorder counseling.

PubMed

Pan, Xiaoyu; Zhang, Chunlei; Li, Xuchao; Chen, Shengpei; Ge, Huijuan; Zhang, Yanyan; Chen, Fang; Jiang, Hui; Jiang, Fuman; Zhang, Hongyun; Wang, Wei; Zhang, Xiuqing

2014-12-01

To develop a fetal sex determination method based on maternal plasma sequencing (MPS), assess its performance and potential use in X-linked disorder counseling. 900 cases of MPS data from a previous study were reviewed, in which 100 and 800 cases were used as training and validation set, respectively. The percentage of uniquely mapped sequencing reads on Y chromosome was calculated and used to classify male and female cases. Eight pregnant women who are carriers of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) mutations were recruited, whose plasma were subjected to multiplex sequencing and fetal sex determination analysis. In the training set, a sensitivity of 96% and false positive rate of 0% for male cases detection were reached in our method. The blinded validation results showed 421 in 423 male cases and 374 in 377 female cases were successfully identified, revealing sensitivity and specificity of 99.53% and 99.20% for fetal sex determination, at as early as 12 gestational weeks. Fetal sex for all eight DMD genetic counseling cases were correctly identified, which were confirmed by amniocentesis. Based on MPS, high accuracy of non-invasive fetal sex determination can be achieved. This method can potentially be used for prenatal genetic counseling.

Structured assessment of microsurgery skills in the clinical setting.

PubMed

Chan, WoanYi; Niranjan, Niri; Ramakrishnan, Venkat

2010-08-01

Microsurgery is an essential component in plastic surgery training. Competence has become an important issue in current surgical practice and training. The complexity of microsurgery requires detailed assessment and feedback on skills components. This article proposes a method of Structured Assessment of Microsurgery Skills (SAMS) in a clinical setting. Three types of assessment (i.e., modified Global Rating Score, errors list and summative rating) were incorporated to develop the SAMS method. Clinical anastomoses were recorded on videos using a digital microscope system and were rated by three consultants independently and in a blinded fashion. Fifteen clinical cases of microvascular anastomoses performed by trainees and a consultant microsurgeon were assessed using SAMS. The consultant had consistently the highest scores. Construct validity was also demonstrated by improvement of SAMS scores of microsurgery trainees. The overall inter-rater reliability was strong (alpha=0.78). The SAMS method provides both formative and summative assessment of microsurgery skills. It is demonstrated to be a valid, reliable and feasible assessment tool of operating room performance to provide systematic and comprehensive feedback as part of the learning cycle. Copyright 2009 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A generic minimization random allocation and blinding system on web.

PubMed

Cai, Hongwei; Xia, Jielai; Xu, Dezhong; Gao, Donghuai; Yan, Yongping

2006-12-01

Minimization is a dynamic randomization method for clinical trials. Although recommended by many researchers, the utilization of minimization has been seldom reported in randomized trials mainly because of the controversy surrounding the validity of conventional analyses and its complexity in implementation. However, both the statistical and clinical validity of minimization were demonstrated in recent studies. Minimization random allocation system integrated with blinding function that could facilitate the implementation of this method in general clinical trials has not been reported. SYSTEM OVERVIEW: The system is a web-based random allocation system using Pocock and Simon minimization method. It also supports multiple treatment arms within a trial, multiple simultaneous trials, and blinding without further programming. This system was constructed with generic database schema design method, Pocock and Simon minimization method and blinding method. It was coded with Microsoft Visual Basic and Active Server Pages (ASP) programming languages. And all dataset were managed with a Microsoft SQL Server database. Some critical programming codes were also provided. SIMULATIONS AND RESULTS: Two clinical trials were simulated simultaneously to test the system's applicability. Not only balanced groups but also blinded allocation results were achieved in both trials. Practical considerations for minimization method, the benefits, general applicability and drawbacks of the technique implemented in this system are discussed. Promising features of the proposed system are also summarized.

32 CFR 260.4 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... DoD Component having accountability for real property shall extend priority on such property to the blind when implementing the Randolph-Sheppard Act, as set out in the following paragraphs: (a) The blind shall be given priority in the establishment and operation of vending facilities. (b) The blind shall be...

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

Kelbe, David; Oak Ridge National Lab.; van Aardt, Jan

Terrestrial laser scanning has demonstrated increasing potential for rapid comprehensive measurement of forest structure, especially when multiple scans are spatially registered in order to reduce the limitations of occlusion. Although marker-based registration techniques (based on retro-reflective spherical targets) are commonly used in practice, a blind marker-free approach is preferable, insofar as it supports rapid operational data acquisition. To support these efforts, we extend the pairwise registration approach of our earlier work, and develop a graph-theoretical framework to perform blind marker-free global registration of multiple point cloud data sets. Pairwise pose estimates are weighted based on their estimated error, in ordermore » to overcome pose conflict while exploiting redundant information and improving precision. The proposed approach was tested for eight diverse New England forest sites, with 25 scans collected at each site. Quantitative assessment was provided via a novel embedded confidence metric, with a mean estimated root-mean-square error of 7.2 cm and 89% of scans connected to the reference node. Lastly, this paper assesses the validity of the embedded multiview registration confidence metric and evaluates the performance of the proposed registration algorithm.« less

Iterative Refinement of a Binding Pocket Model: Active Computational Steering of Lead Optimization

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Computational approaches for binding affinity prediction are most frequently demonstrated through cross-validation within a series of molecules or through performance shown on a blinded test set. Here, we show how such a system performs in an iterative, temporal lead optimization exercise. A series of gyrase inhibitors with known synthetic order formed the set of molecules that could be selected for “synthesis.” Beginning with a small number of molecules, based only on structures and activities, a model was constructed. Compound selection was done computationally, each time making five selections based on confident predictions of high activity and five selections based on a quantitative measure of three-dimensional structural novelty. Compound selection was followed by model refinement using the new data. Iterative computational candidate selection produced rapid improvements in selected compound activity, and incorporation of explicitly novel compounds uncovered much more diverse active inhibitors than strategies lacking active novelty selection. PMID:23046104

Full immersion simulation: validation of a distributed simulation environment for technical and non-technical skills training in Urology.

PubMed

Brewin, James; Tang, Jessica; Dasgupta, Prokar; Khan, Muhammad S; Ahmed, Kamran; Bello, Fernando; Kneebone, Roger; Jaye, Peter

2015-07-01

To evaluate the face, content and construct validity of the distributed simulation (DS) environment for technical and non-technical skills training in endourology. To evaluate the educational impact of DS for urology training. DS offers a portable, low-cost simulated operating room environment that can be set up in any open space. A prospective mixed methods design using established validation methodology was conducted in this simulated environment with 10 experienced and 10 trainee urologists. All participants performed a simulated prostate resection in the DS environment. Outcome measures included surveys to evaluate the DS, as well as comparative analyses of experienced and trainee urologist's performance using real-time and 'blinded' video analysis and validated performance metrics. Non-parametric statistical methods were used to compare differences between groups. The DS environment demonstrated face, content and construct validity for both non-technical and technical skills. Kirkpatrick level 1 evidence for the educational impact of the DS environment was shown. Further studies are needed to evaluate the effect of simulated operating room training on real operating room performance. This study has shown the validity of the DS environment for non-technical, as well as technical skills training. DS-based simulation appears to be a valuable addition to traditional classroom-based simulation training. © 2014 The Authors BJU International © 2014 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Chinese restaurant syndrome: an anecdote revisited.

PubMed

Kenney, R A

1986-04-01

The Chinese Restaurant Syndrome arose from an anecdote of discomfort experienced after eating Chinese cuisine. Monosodium glutamate has been implicated as the causative agent. Work over the past 17 years has consistently failed to reveal any objective sign accompanying the transient sensations that some individuals experience after the experimental ingestion of monosodium glutamate and it is questionable whether the term 'Chinese Restaurant Syndrome' has any validity. When some common food materials are used in the same experimental setting, similar symptoms can be produced in a limited number of people. Double-blind testing of individuals who identify themselves as suffering the 'syndrome' has failed to confirm the role of monosodium glutamate as the provocative agent.

Finding a needle in a haystack: toward a psychologically informed method for aviation security screening.

PubMed

Ormerod, Thomas C; Dando, Coral J

2015-02-01

Current aviation security systems identify behavioral indicators of deception to assess risks to flights, but they lack a strong psychological basis or empirical validation. We present a new method that tests the veracity of passenger accounts. In an in vivo double-blind randomized-control trial conducted in international airports, security agents detected 66% of deceptive passengers using the veracity test method compared with less than 5% using behavioral indicator recognition. As well as revealing advantages of veracity testing over behavioral indicator identification, the study provides the highest levels to date of deception detection in a realistic setting where the known base rate of deceptive individuals is low.

The Nature of the Social Experiences of Students with Deaf-Blindness Who Are Educated in Inclusive Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Correa-Torres, Silvia M.

2008-01-01

This qualitative case study investigated the nature of social experiences and opportunities for communication among students who are deaf-blind, their sighted peers with no hearing loss, and adults in inclusive settings. Strategies used by adults to promote interaction were also observed. Implications and suggestions for future research are…

Validity of false belief tasks in blind children.

PubMed

Brambring, Michael; Asbrock, Doreen

2010-12-01

Previous studies have reported that congenitally blind children without any additional impairment reveal a developmental delay of at least 4 years in perspective taking based on testing first-order false-belief tasks. These authors interpret this delay as a sign of autism-like behavior. However, the delay may be caused by testing blind children with false-belief tasks that require visual experience. Therefore, the present study gave alternative false-belief tasks based on tactile or auditory experience to 45 congenitally blind 4-10-year-olds and 37 sighted 3-6-year-olds. Results showed criterion performance at 80 months (6; 8 years) in blind children compared with 61 months (5; 1 years) in sighted controls. It is concluded that this 19-month (1; 7 year) difference, which is comparable with delays in other developmental areas, is a developmental delay caused by the fact of congenital blindness rather than a sign of a psychopathological disorder of autism-like behavior.

A Weak Quantum Blind Signature with Entanglement Permutation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lou, Xiaoping; Chen, Zhigang; Guo, Ying

2015-09-01

Motivated by the permutation encryption algorithm, a weak quantum blind signature (QBS) scheme is proposed. It involves three participants, including the sender Alice, the signatory Bob and the trusted entity Charlie, in four phases, i.e., initializing phase, blinding phase, signing phase and verifying phase. In a small-scale quantum computation network, Alice blinds the message based on a quantum entanglement permutation encryption algorithm that embraces the chaotic position string. Bob signs the blinded message with private parameters shared beforehand while Charlie verifies the signature's validity and recovers the original message. Analysis shows that the proposed scheme achieves the secure blindness for the signer and traceability for the message owner with the aid of the authentic arbitrator who plays a crucial role when a dispute arises. In addition, the signature can neither be forged nor disavowed by the malicious attackers. It has a wide application to E-voting and E-payment system, etc.

Zone calculation as a tool for assessing performance outcome in laparoscopic suturing.

PubMed

Buckley, Christina E; Kavanagh, Dara O; Nugent, Emmeline; Ryan, Donncha; Traynor, Oscar J; Neary, Paul C

2015-06-01

Simulator performance is measured by metrics, which are valued as an objective way of assessing trainees. Certain procedures such as laparoscopic suturing, however, may not be suitable for assessment under traditionally formulated metrics. Our aim was to assess if our new metric is a valid method of assessing laparoscopic suturing. A software program was developed to order to create a new metric, which would calculate the percentage of time spent operating within pre-defined areas called "zones." Twenty-five candidates (medical students N = 10, surgical residents N = 10, and laparoscopic experts N = 5) performed the laparoscopic suturing task on the ProMIS III(®) simulator. New metrics of "in-zone" and "out-zone" scores as well as traditional metrics of time, path length, and smoothness were generated. Performance was also assessed by two blinded observers using the OSATS and FLS rating scales. This novel metric was evaluated by comparing it to both traditional metrics and subjective scores. There was a significant difference in the average in-zone and out-zone scores between all three experience groups (p < 0.05). The new zone metrics scores correlated significantly with the subjective-blinded observer scores of OSATS and FLS (p = 0.0001). The new zone metric scores also correlated significantly with the traditional metrics of path length, time, and smoothness (p < 0.05). The new metric is a valid tool for assessing laparoscopic suturing objectively. This could be incorporated into a competency-based curriculum to monitor resident progression in the simulated setting.

Impact on caesarean section rates following injections of sterile water (ICARIS): a multicentre randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Lee, Nigel; Mårtensson, Lena B; Homer, Caroline; Webster, Joan; Gibbons, Kristen; Stapleton, Helen; Dos Santos, Natalie; Beckmann, Michael; Gao, Yu; Kildea, Sue

2013-05-03

Sterile water injections have been used as an effective intervention for the management of back pain during labour. The objective of the current research is to determine if sterile water injections, as an intervention for back pain in labour, will reduce the intrapartum caesarean section rate. A double blind randomised placebo controlled trialSetting: Maternity hospitals in AustraliaParticipants: 1866 women in labour, ≥18 years of age who have a singleton pregnancy with a fetus in a cephalic presentation at term (between 37 + 0 and 41 + 6 weeks gestation), who assess their back pain as equal to or greater than seven on a visual analogue scale when requesting analgesia and able to provide informed consent. Participants will be randomised to receive either 0.1 to 0.3 millilitres of sterile water or a normal saline placebo via four intradermal injections into four anatomical points surrounding the Michaelis' rhomboid over the sacral area. Two injections will be administered over the posterior superior iliac spine (PSIS) and the remaining two at two centimetres posterior, and one centimetre medial to the PSIS respectively. Proportion of women who have a caesarean section in labour.Randomisation: Permuted blocks stratified by research site.Blinding (masking):Double-blind trial in which participants, clinicians and research staff blinded to group assignment. Funded by the National Health and Medical Research CouncilTrial registration:Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (No ACTRN12611000221954). Sterile water injections, which may have a positive effect on reducing the CS rate, have been shown to be a safe and simple analgesic suitable for most maternity settings. A procedure that could reduce intervention rates without adversely affecting safety for mother and baby would benefit Australian families and taxpayers and would reduce requirements for maternal operating theatre time. Results will have external validity, as the technique may be easily applied to maternity populations outside Australia. In summary, the results of this trial will contribute High level evidence on the impact of SWI on intrapartum CS rates and provide evidence of the analgesic effect of SWI on back pain.

Exposing Color Blindness/Grounding Color Consciousness: Challenges for Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ullucci, Kerri; Battey, Dan

2011-01-01

As teacher educators we have been struck by the consistency, urgency, and frequency in which students employ color-blind perspectives. This orientation has negative consequences in K-12 settings. In this manuscript, we lay out the multiple meanings of color blindness, drawing from legal, educational, and social science traditions, and offer…

A Virtual Blind Cane Using a Line Laser-Based Vision System and an Inertial Measurement Unit

PubMed Central

Dang, Quoc Khanh; Chee, Youngjoon; Pham, Duy Duong; Suh, Young Soo

2016-01-01

A virtual blind cane system for indoor application, including a camera, a line laser and an inertial measurement unit (IMU), is proposed in this paper. Working as a blind cane, the proposed system helps a blind person find the type of obstacle and the distance to it. The distance from the user to the obstacle is estimated by extracting the laser coordinate points on the obstacle, as well as tracking the system pointing angle. The paper provides a simple method to classify the obstacle’s type by analyzing the laser intersection histogram. Real experimental results are presented to show the validity and accuracy of the proposed system. PMID:26771618

Blind-type optical configuration for the high heat solar collectors

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

Vasilyev, V.P.

1996-12-31

Blind approach in constructing high heat solar collectors with the one-stage light flux concentration is presented. Shown are diverse multielement optical configurations that can be built on the basis of a blind-type concept. Their two main versions using the set of concave parabolic reflecting elements are described. A preliminary estimation of the flux concentration level for a circle-blind collector shows it reaching up to half of the thermodynamic limit.

The Influence of Attention Set, Working Memory Capacity, and Expectations on Inattentional Blindness.

PubMed

Kreitz, Carina; Furley, Philip; Memmert, Daniel; Simons, Daniel J

2016-04-01

The probability of inattentional blindness, the failure to notice an unexpected object when attention is engaged on some primary task, is influenced by contextual factors like task demands, features of the unexpected object, and the observer's attention set. However, predicting who will notice an unexpected object and who will remain inattentionally blind has proven difficult, and the evidence that individual differences in cognition affect noticing remains ambiguous. We hypothesized that greater working memory capacity might modulate the effect of attention sets on noticing because working memory is associated with the ability to focus attention selectively. People with greater working memory capacity might be better able to attend selectively to target items, thereby increasing the chances of noticing unexpected objects that were similar to the attended items while decreasing the odds of noticing unexpected objects that differed from the attended items. Our study (N = 120 participants) replicated evidence that task-induced attention sets modulate noticing but found no link between noticing and working memory capacity. Our results are largely consistent with the idea that individual differences in working memory capacity do not predict noticing of unexpected objects in an inattentional blindness task. © The Author(s) 2015.

ToxiM: A Toxicity Prediction Tool for Small Molecules Developed Using Machine Learning and Chemoinformatics Approaches.

PubMed

Sharma, Ashok K; Srivastava, Gopal N; Roy, Ankita; Sharma, Vineet K

2017-01-01

The experimental methods for the prediction of molecular toxicity are tedious and time-consuming tasks. Thus, the computational approaches could be used to develop alternative methods for toxicity prediction. We have developed a tool for the prediction of molecular toxicity along with the aqueous solubility and permeability of any molecule/metabolite. Using a comprehensive and curated set of toxin molecules as a training set, the different chemical and structural based features such as descriptors and fingerprints were exploited for feature selection, optimization and development of machine learning based classification and regression models. The compositional differences in the distribution of atoms were apparent between toxins and non-toxins, and hence, the molecular features were used for the classification and regression. On 10-fold cross-validation, the descriptor-based, fingerprint-based and hybrid-based classification models showed similar accuracy (93%) and Matthews's correlation coefficient (0.84). The performances of all the three models were comparable (Matthews's correlation coefficient = 0.84-0.87) on the blind dataset. In addition, the regression-based models using descriptors as input features were also compared and evaluated on the blind dataset. Random forest based regression model for the prediction of solubility performed better ( R 2 = 0.84) than the multi-linear regression (MLR) and partial least square regression (PLSR) models, whereas, the partial least squares based regression model for the prediction of permeability (caco-2) performed better ( R 2 = 0.68) in comparison to the random forest and MLR based regression models. The performance of final classification and regression models was evaluated using the two validation datasets including the known toxins and commonly used constituents of health products, which attests to its accuracy. The ToxiM web server would be a highly useful and reliable tool for the prediction of toxicity, solubility, and permeability of small molecules.

ToxiM: A Toxicity Prediction Tool for Small Molecules Developed Using Machine Learning and Chemoinformatics Approaches

PubMed Central

Sharma, Ashok K.; Srivastava, Gopal N.; Roy, Ankita; Sharma, Vineet K.

2017-01-01

The experimental methods for the prediction of molecular toxicity are tedious and time-consuming tasks. Thus, the computational approaches could be used to develop alternative methods for toxicity prediction. We have developed a tool for the prediction of molecular toxicity along with the aqueous solubility and permeability of any molecule/metabolite. Using a comprehensive and curated set of toxin molecules as a training set, the different chemical and structural based features such as descriptors and fingerprints were exploited for feature selection, optimization and development of machine learning based classification and regression models. The compositional differences in the distribution of atoms were apparent between toxins and non-toxins, and hence, the molecular features were used for the classification and regression. On 10-fold cross-validation, the descriptor-based, fingerprint-based and hybrid-based classification models showed similar accuracy (93%) and Matthews's correlation coefficient (0.84). The performances of all the three models were comparable (Matthews's correlation coefficient = 0.84–0.87) on the blind dataset. In addition, the regression-based models using descriptors as input features were also compared and evaluated on the blind dataset. Random forest based regression model for the prediction of solubility performed better (R2 = 0.84) than the multi-linear regression (MLR) and partial least square regression (PLSR) models, whereas, the partial least squares based regression model for the prediction of permeability (caco-2) performed better (R2 = 0.68) in comparison to the random forest and MLR based regression models. The performance of final classification and regression models was evaluated using the two validation datasets including the known toxins and commonly used constituents of health products, which attests to its accuracy. The ToxiM web server would be a highly useful and reliable tool for the prediction of toxicity, solubility, and permeability of small molecules. PMID:29249969

14 CFR 216.2 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... REGULATIONS COMMINGLING OF BLIND SECTOR TRAFFIC BY FOREIGN AIR CARRIERS § 216.2 Applicability. This part sets... of commingling blind sector traffic with air transportation traffic carried pursuant to a foreign air...

Behavioral interventions in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials across multiple outcome domains.

PubMed

Daley, David; van der Oord, Saskia; Ferrin, Maite; Danckaerts, Marina; Doepfner, Manfred; Cortese, Samuele; Sonuga-Barke, Edmund J S

2014-08-01

Behavioral interventions are recommended as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) treatments. However, a recent meta-analysis found no effects on core ADHD symptoms when raters were probably blind to treatment allocation. The present analysis is extended to a broader range of child and parent outcomes. A systematic search in PubMed, Ovid, Web of Knowledge, ERIC, and CINAHAL databases (up to February 5, 2013) identified published randomized controlled trials measuring a range of patient and parent outcomes for children and adolescents diagnosed with ADHD (or who met validated cutoffs on rating scales). Thirty-two of 2,057 nonduplicate screened records were analyzed. For assessments made by individuals closest to the treatment setting (usually unblinded), there were significant improvements in parenting quality (standardized mean difference [SMD] for positive parenting 0.68; SMD for negative parenting 0.57), parenting self-concept (SMD 0.37), and child ADHD (SMD 0.35), conduct problems (SMD 0.26), social skills (SMD 0.47), and academic performance (SMD 0.28). With probably blinded assessments, significant effects persisted for parenting (SMD for positive parenting 0.63; SMD for negative parenting 0.43) and conduct problems (SMD 0.31). In contrast to the lack of blinded evidence of ADHD symptom decrease, behavioral interventions have positive effects on a range of other outcomes when used with patients with ADHD. There is blinded evidence that they improve parenting and decrease childhood conduct problems. These effects also may feed through into a more positive parenting self-concept but not improved parent mental well-being. Copyright © 2014 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of cognitive stimulation therapy Japanese version (CST-J) for people with dementia: a single-blind, controlled clinical trial

PubMed Central

Yamanaka, Katsuo; Kawano, Yoshiyuki; Noguchi, Dai; Nakaaki, Shutaro; Watanabe, Norio; Amano, Takashi; Spector, Aimee

2013-01-01

Objectives Cognitive stimulation therapy (CST) has shown to have significant benefits in improving the cognitive function and quality of life (QOL) in people with mild-to-moderate dementia in a UK randomized controlled trial (RCT). We developed and examined the Japanese version of group CST (CST-J) in a single-blind, controlled clinical trial. Method CST-J consisting of 14 sessions was administered to a treatment group (n = 26) twice a week for 7 weeks. The treatment group was compared with a control group (n = 30). Based on single-blindness, cognition was evaluated by a researcher, and QOL and mood were rated by the participants themselves. Additionally, QOL and mood of participants were rated by care workers who were not blind but who observed them most directly in their daily life (important for social validity). Results A linear mixed model was used for analyses of cognition and QOL. There were significant improvements in cognition [COGNISTAT (Neurobehavioral Cognitive Status Examination) and MMSE (Mini-Mental State Examination)] for the treatment group compared with the control group (p < 0.01). Regarding QOL, the EQ-5D was significant (p = 0.019) and the QoL-AD (Quality of Life – Alzheimer's Disease) showed a positive trend (p = 0.06) when rated by care workers, although not when rated by the participants themselves. Using a nonparametrical analysis, there were significant improvements in the face scale for mood when rated by both the participants (p < 0.01) and the care workers (p = 0.017). Conclusion The CST-J shows promising improvements in cognition, mood, and aspects of QOL for people with dementia in Japanese care settings. A large RCT is now needed. PMID:23550665

Validity of EuroQOL-5D, time trade-off, and standard gamble for age-related macular degeneration in the Singapore population

PubMed Central

Au Eong, K G; Chan, E W; Luo, N; Wong, S H; Tan, N W H; Lim, T H; Wagle, A M

2012-01-01

Background/aims Utility values of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in Asian patients are unknown. This study aims to assess utility values and construct validity of the EuroQOL-5D (EQ-5D), time trade-off (TTO), and standard gamble (SG) instruments in the Singapore multi-ethnic AMD population. Methods Cross-sectional, two-centre, institution-based study. Visual acuity (VA), clinical AMD severity, and utility scores on the EQ-5D, TTO, and SG were obtained from 338 AMD patients. VA was analysed in terms of the better-seeing eye (BEVA), worse-seeing eye (WEVA), and weighted average of both eyes (WVA). We evaluated SG on the perfect health-death (SG(death)) and binocular perfect vision-binocular blindness (SG(blindness)) scales. Construct validity was determined by testing a priorihypotheses relating the EQ-5D, TTO, and SG utility scores to VA and clinical AMD severity. Results The mean utilities on the EQ-5D, TTO, SG(death), and SG(blindness) were 0.89, 0.81, 0.86, and 0.90, respectively. EQ-5D scores correlated weakly with BEVA, WEVA, and WVA (Pearson's correlation coefficients −0.291, −0.247, and −0.305 respectively, P<0.001 for all). SG(death) and SG(blindness) demonstrated no correlation with BEVA, WEVA, or WVA (Pearson's correlation coefficients, range −0.06 to −0.125). TTO showed weak association only with WEVA and WVA (correlation coefficients −0.237, −0.228, P<0.0001), but not with BEVA (correlation coefficient −0.161). Clinical AMD severity correlated with EQ-5D and SG(death), but not with TTO and SG(blindness) (P=0.004, 0.002, 0.235, and 0.069, respectively). Conclusions AMD has a negative impact on utilities, although utility scores were high compared with Western cohorts. EQ-5D, TTO, and SG showed suboptimal construct validity, suggesting that health status utilities may not be sufficiently robust for cost-utility analyses in this population. PMID:22222257

Correspondence between Simulator and On-Road Drive Performance: Implications for Assessment of Driving Safety.

PubMed

Aksan, Nazan; Hacker, Sarah D; Sager, Lauren; Dawson, Jeffrey; Anderson, Steven; Rizzo, Matthew

2016-03-01

Forty-two younger (Mean age = 35) and 37 older drivers (Mean age = 77) completed four similar simulated drives. In addition, 32 younger and 30 older drivers completed a standard on-road drive in an instrumented vehicle. Performance in the simulated drives was evaluated using both electronic drive data and video-review of errors. Safety errors during the on-road drive were evaluated by a certified driving instructor blind to simulator performance, using state Department of Transportation criteria. We examined the degree of convergence in performance across the two platforms on various driving tasks including lane change, lane keeping, speed control, stopping, turns, and overall performance. Differences based on age group indicated a pattern of strong relative validity for simulator measures. However, relative rank-order in specific metrics of performance suggested a pattern of moderate relative validity. The findings have implications for the use of simulators in assessments of driving safety as well as its use in training and/or rehabilitation settings.

Correspondence between Simulator and On-Road Drive Performance: Implications for Assessment of Driving Safety

PubMed Central

Aksan, Nazan; Hacker, Sarah D.; Sager, Lauren; Dawson, Jeffrey; Anderson, Steven; Rizzo, Matthew

2017-01-01

Forty-two younger (Mean age = 35) and 37 older drivers (Mean age = 77) completed four similar simulated drives. In addition, 32 younger and 30 older drivers completed a standard on-road drive in an instrumented vehicle. Performance in the simulated drives was evaluated using both electronic drive data and video-review of errors. Safety errors during the on-road drive were evaluated by a certified driving instructor blind to simulator performance, using state Department of Transportation criteria. We examined the degree of convergence in performance across the two platforms on various driving tasks including lane change, lane keeping, speed control, stopping, turns, and overall performance. Differences based on age group indicated a pattern of strong relative validity for simulator measures. However, relative rank-order in specific metrics of performance suggested a pattern of moderate relative validity. The findings have implications for the use of simulators in assessments of driving safety as well as its use in training and/or rehabilitation settings. PMID:28649572

A Program for the Blind at Randolph Technical College.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wells, Richard T.

Randolph Technical College (RTC) and the Division of Services for the Blind of the North Carolina Department of Human Resources have cooperated for two years on a program to provide blind students with the opportunity to receive instruction in a traditional classroom setting on a college campus. Problems encountered in the early stages of the…

Post-traumatic transient cortical blindness in a child with occipital bone fracture.

PubMed

Ng, Rachel H C

2016-12-01

Cortical blindness as sequelae of trauma has been reported in literature but mostly in the setting of occipital cortex or visual tract damages. We present a case of transient cortical blindness in a child following a closed head injury with a non-displaced occipital bone fracture and underlying occipital lobe contusion. We discuss the pathophysiology behind Post-traumatic transient cortical blindness, relevant investigations, and current management. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Soil moisture mapping using Sentinel 1 images: the proposed approach and its preliminary validation carried out in view of an operational product

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paloscia, S.; Pettinato, S.; Santi, E.; Pierdicca, N.; Pulvirenti, L.; Notarnicola, C.; Pace, G.; Reppucci, A.

2011-11-01

The main objective of this research is to develop, test and validate a soil moisture (SMC)) algorithm for the GMES Sentinel-1 characteristics, within the framework of an ESA project. The SMC product, to be generated from Sentinel-1 data, requires an algorithm able to process operationally in near-real-time and deliver the product to the GMES services within 3 hours from observations. Two different complementary approaches have been proposed: an Artificial Neural Network (ANN), which represented the best compromise between retrieval accuracy and processing time, thus allowing compliance with the timeliness requirements and a Bayesian Multi-temporal approach, allowing an increase of the retrieval accuracy, especially in case where little ancillary data are available, at the cost of computational efficiency, taking advantage of the frequent revisit time achieved by Sentinel-1. The algorithm was validated in several test areas in Italy, US and Australia, and finally in Spain with a 'blind' validation. The Multi-temporal Bayesian algorithm was validated in Central Italy. The validation results are in all cases very much in line with the requirements. However, the blind validation results were penalized by the availability of only VV polarization SAR images and MODIS lowresolution NDVI, although the RMS is slightly > 4%.

Development and evaluation of a novel, real time mobile telesonography system in management of patients with abdominal trauma: study protocol.

PubMed

Ogedegbe, Chinwe; Morchel, Herman; Hazelwood, Vikki; Chaplin, William F; Feldman, Joseph

2012-12-18

Despite the use of e-FAST in management of patients with abdominal trauma, its utility in prehospital setting is not widely adopted. The goal of this study is to develop a novel portable telesonography (TS) system and evaluate the comparability of the quality of images obtained via this system among healthy volunteers who undergo e-FAST abdominal examination in a moving ambulance and at the ED. We hypothesize that: (1) real-time ultrasound images of acute trauma patients in the pre-hospital setting can be obtained and transmitted to the ED via the novel TS system; and (2) Ultrasound images transmitted to the hospital from the real-time TS system will be comparable in quality to those obtained in the ED. Study participants are three healthy volunteers (one each with normal, overweight and obese BMI category). The ultrasound images will be obtained by two ultrasound-trained physicians The TS is a portable sonogram (by Sonosite) interfaced with a portable broadcast unit (by Live-U). Two UTPs will conduct e-FAST examinations on healthy volunteers in moving ambulances and transmit the images via cellular network to the hospital server, where they are stored. Upon arrival in the ED, the same UTPs will obtain another set of images from the volunteers, which are then compared to those obtained in the moving ambulances by another set of blinded UTPs (evaluators) using a validated image quality scale, the Questionnaire for User Interaction Satisfaction (QUIS). Findings from this study will provide needed data on the validity of the novel TS in transmitting live images from moving ambulances to images obtained in the ED thus providing opportunity to facilitate medical care of a patient located in a remote or austere setting.

Kurtosis Approach for Nonlinear Blind Source Separation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duong, Vu A.; Stubbemd, Allen R.

2005-01-01

In this paper, we introduce a new algorithm for blind source signal separation for post-nonlinear mixtures. The mixtures are assumed to be linearly mixed from unknown sources first and then distorted by memoryless nonlinear functions. The nonlinear functions are assumed to be smooth and can be approximated by polynomials. Both the coefficients of the unknown mixing matrix and the coefficients of the approximated polynomials are estimated by the gradient descent method conditional on the higher order statistical requirements. The results of simulation experiments presented in this paper demonstrate the validity and usefulness of our approach for nonlinear blind source signal separation.

Adapting Diagrams from Physics Textbooks: A Way to Improve the Autonomy of Blind Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dickman, A. G.; Martins, A. O.; Ferreira, A. C.; Andrade, L. M.

2014-01-01

We devise and test a set of tactile symbols to represent elements frequently used in mechanics diagrams, such as vectors, ropes, pulleys, blocks and surfaces, that can be used to adapt drawings of physics situations in textbooks for blind students. We also investigate how figures are described for blind students in classroom activities and exams,…

A Description of a Blind Student's Science Process Skills through Health Physics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bülbül, M. Sahin

2013-01-01

This study describes an approach for blind students thought health physics about how they could set a hypothesis and test it. The participant of the study used some health materials designed for high school blind student and tested her hypothesis with the data she gathered with those materials. It was asked that she should hypothesize which could…

Pre-Placement Program for Severely Multi-Handicapped Deaf-Blind Children, 1980-1981. Final Evaluation Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tobias, Robert; And Others

Evaluation of the sixth and final year of operation for a preplacement program for 13 severely multiply handicapped deaf blind children, located in the Industrial Home for the Blind, is reported. The program is explained to prepare students for entrance into their existing special education programs. Qualitative findings on the physical setting,…

Challenges and Successful Pedagogical Strategies: Experiences from Six Swedish Students with Blindness and Autism in Different School Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Verdier, Kim; Fernell, Elisabeth; Ek, Ulla

2018-01-01

The prevalence of autism in children with blindness is much higher than in the general population. There are many challenges regarding the school situation for children with this complex dual disability. This study explored challenges and successful strategies in school for a sample of six Swedish children with blindness and autism, with and…

Effects of Intranasal Oxytocin Administration on Sexual Functions in Healthy Women: A Laboratory Paradigm.

PubMed

Kruger, Tillmann H C; Deiter, Frank; Zhang, Yuanyuan; Jung, Stefanie; Schippert, Cordula; Kahl, Kai G; Heinrichs, Markus; Schedlowski, Manfred; Hartmann, Uwe

2018-06-01

The neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) has a variety of physiological functions in maternal behavior and attachment including sexual behavior. Based on animal research and our previous human studies, we set out to investigate intranasal administration of OXT and hypothesized that OXT should be able to modulate sexual function in women. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover laboratory setting, the acute effects of intranasal administered OXT (24 international units) on sexual drive, arousal, orgasm, and refractory aspects of sexual behavior were analyzed in 27 healthy females (mean age ± SD, 27.52 ± 8.04) together with physiological parameters using vaginal photoplethysmography. Oxytocin administration showed no effect on subjective sexual parameters (eg, postorgasmic tension; P = 0.051). Physiological parameters (vaginal photoplethysmography amplitude and vaginal blood volume) showed a response pattern towards sexual arousal but were not affected by OXT. Using a well-established laboratory paradigm, we did not find that intranasal OXT influences female sexual parameters. Also, sexual drive and other functions were not affected by OXT. These findings indicate that OXT is not able to significantly increase subjective and objective parameters of sexual function in a setting with high internal validity; however, this might be different in a more naturalistic setting.

Validation of the Headache Impact Test (HIT-6) in patients with chronic migraine.

PubMed

Rendas-Baum, Regina; Yang, Min; Varon, Sepideh F; Bloudek, Lisa M; DeGryse, Ronald E; Kosinski, Mark

2014-08-01

The Headache Impact Test (HIT)-6 was developed and has been validated in patients with various types of headache. The objective of this study was to report the psychometric properties of the HIT-6 among patients with chronic migraine. Data came from two international, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials of chronic migraine patients (N = 1,384) undergoing prophylaxis therapy. Confirmatory factor analysis and differential item functioning (DIF) analysis were used to test the latent structure and cross-cultural comparability of the HIT-6. Reliability, construct validity, and responsiveness were assessed. Two sets of criterion groups were used: (1) 28-day headache frequency: <10, 10-14, and ≥15 days; (2) sample quartiles of the total cumulative hours of headache: <140, 140 to <280, 280 to <420, and ≥420 hours. Two sets of responsiveness categories were defined as reduction of <30%, 30% to <50%, or ≥50% in (1) number of headache days and (2) cumulative hours of headache. Measurement invariance tests supported the stability of the HIT-6 latent structure across studies. DIF analysis supported cross-cultural comparability. Good reliability was observed across studies (Cronbach's α: 0.75-0.92; intraclass correlation coefficient: 0.76-0.80). HIT-6 scores correlated strongly (-0.86 to -0.59) with scores of the Migraine-Specific Quality-of-Life Questionnaire. Analysis of variance indicated that HIT-6 scores discriminated across both types of criterion groups (P<0.001), across studies and time points. HIT-6 change scores were significantly higher in magnitude in groups experiencing greater improvement (P<0.001). All measurement properties were consistently verified across the two studies, supporting the validity of the HIT-6 among chronic migraine patients. NCT00156910 and NCT00168428 on www.ClinicalTrials.gov.

Taking Race Off the Table: Agenda Setting and Support for Color-Blind Public Policy.

PubMed

Chow, Rosalind M; Knowles, Eric D

2016-01-01

Whites are theorized to support color-blind policies as an act of racial agenda setting-an attempt to defend the existing hierarchy by excluding race from public and institutional discourse. The present analysis leverages work distinguishing between two forms of social dominance orientation (SDO): passive opposition to equality (SDO-E) and active desire for dominance (SDO-D). We hypothesized that agenda setting, as a subtle hierarchy-maintenance strategy, would be uniquely tied to high levels of SDO-E. When made to believe that the hierarchy was under threat, Whites high in SDO-E increased their endorsement of color-blind policy (Study 1), particularly when the racial hierarchy was framed as ingroup advantage (Study 2), and became less willing to include race as a topic in a hypothetical presidential debate (Study 3). Across studies, Whites high in SDO-D showed no affinity for agenda setting as a hierarchy-maintenance strategy. © 2015 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

On using the Hilbert transform for blind identification of complex modes: A practical approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antunes, Jose; Debut, Vincent; Piteau, Pilippe; Delaune, Xavier; Borsoi, Laurent

2018-01-01

The modal identification of dynamical systems under operational conditions, when subjected to wide-band unmeasured excitations, is today a viable alternative to more traditional modal identification approaches based on processing sets of measured FRFs or impulse responses. Among current techniques for performing operational modal identification, the so-called blind identification methods are the subject of considerable investigation. In particular, the SOBI (Second-Order Blind Identification) method was found to be quite efficient. SOBI was originally developed for systems with normal modes. To address systems with complex modes, various extension approaches have been proposed, in particular: (a) Using a first-order state-space formulation for the system dynamics; (b) Building complex analytic signals from the measured responses using the Hilbert transform. In this paper we further explore the latter option, which is conceptually interesting while preserving the model order and size. Focus is on applicability of the SOBI technique for extracting the modal responses from analytic signals built from a set of vibratory responses. The novelty of this work is to propose a straightforward computational procedure for obtaining the complex cross-correlation response matrix to be used for the modal identification procedure. After clarifying subtle aspects of the general theoretical framework, we demonstrate that the correlation matrix of the analytic responses can be computed through a Hilbert transform of the real correlation matrix, so that the actual time-domain responses are no longer required for modal identification purposes. The numerical validation of the proposed technique is presented based on time-domain simulations of a conceptual physical multi-modal system, designed to display modes ranging from normal to highly complex, while keeping modal damping low and nearly independent of the modal complexity, and which can prove very interesting in test bench applications. Numerical results for complex modal identifications are presented, and the quality of the identified modal matrix and modal responses, extracted using the complex SOBI technique and implementing the proposed formulation, is assessed.

Adapting diagrams from physics textbooks: a way to improve the autonomy of blind students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dickman, A. G.; Martins, A. O.; Ferreira, A. C.; Andrade, L. M.

2014-09-01

We devise and test a set of tactile symbols to represent elements frequently used in mechanics diagrams, such as vectors, ropes, pulleys, blocks and surfaces, that can be used to adapt drawings of physics situations in textbooks for blind students. We also investigate how figures are described for blind students in classroom activities and exams, by interviewing three blind students using the oral history method. The symbols were tested at a specialized school for the blind. Our results indicate that, with training, blind students become familiar with the symbols and can identify them in a problem without the need for a spoken description. This educational product can help blind students to achieve the same conditions of autonomy as sighted ones when studying physics.

Multiview marker-free registration of forest terrestrial laser scanner data with embedded confidence metrics

DOE PAGES

Kelbe, David; Oak Ridge National Lab.; van Aardt, Jan; ...

2016-10-18

Terrestrial laser scanning has demonstrated increasing potential for rapid comprehensive measurement of forest structure, especially when multiple scans are spatially registered in order to reduce the limitations of occlusion. Although marker-based registration techniques (based on retro-reflective spherical targets) are commonly used in practice, a blind marker-free approach is preferable, insofar as it supports rapid operational data acquisition. To support these efforts, we extend the pairwise registration approach of our earlier work, and develop a graph-theoretical framework to perform blind marker-free global registration of multiple point cloud data sets. Pairwise pose estimates are weighted based on their estimated error, in ordermore » to overcome pose conflict while exploiting redundant information and improving precision. The proposed approach was tested for eight diverse New England forest sites, with 25 scans collected at each site. Quantitative assessment was provided via a novel embedded confidence metric, with a mean estimated root-mean-square error of 7.2 cm and 89% of scans connected to the reference node. Lastly, this paper assesses the validity of the embedded multiview registration confidence metric and evaluates the performance of the proposed registration algorithm.« less

Do People Who Became Blind Early in Life Develop a Better Sense of Smell? A Psychophysical Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cuevas, Isabel; Plaza, Paula; Rombaux, Phillippe; Collignon, Olivier; De Volder, Anne G.; Renier, Laurent

2010-01-01

Using a set of psychophysical tests, we compared the olfactory abilities of 8 persons who became blind early in life and 16 sighted persons in a control group who were matched for age, sex, and handedness. The results indicated that those who became blind early in life developed compensatory perceptual mechanisms in the olfactory domain that…

Validity and reliability of global operative assessment of laparoscopic skills (GOALS) in novice trainees performing a laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

PubMed

Kramp, Kelvin H; van Det, Marc J; Hoff, Christiaan; Lamme, Bas; Veeger, Nic J G M; Pierie, Jean-Pierre E N

2015-01-01

Global Operative Assessment of Laparoscopic Skills (GOALS) assessment has been designed to evaluate skills in laparoscopic surgery. A longitudinal blinded study of randomized video fragments was conducted to estimate the validity and reliability of GOALS in novice trainees. In total, 10 trainees each performed 6 consecutive laparoscopic cholecystectomies. Sixty procedures were recorded on video. Video fragments of (1) opening of the peritoneum; (2) dissection of Calot's triangle and achievement of critical view of safety; and (3) dissection of the gallbladder from the liver bed were blinded, randomized, and rated by 2 consultant surgeons using GOALS. Also, a grade was given for overall competence. The correlation of GOALS with live observation Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS) scores was calculated. Construct validity was estimated using the Friedman 2-way analysis of variance by ranks and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The interrater reliability was calculated using the absolute and consistency agreement 2-way random-effects model intraclass correlation coefficient. A high correlation was found between mean GOALS score (r = 0.879, p = 0.021) and mean OSATS score. The GOALS score increased significantly across the 6 procedures (p = 0.002). The trainees performed significantly better on their sixth when compared with their first cholecystectomy (p = 0.004). The consistency agreement interrater reliability was 0.37 for the mean GOALS score (p = 0.002) and 0.55 for overall competence (p < 0.001) of the 3 video fragments. The validity observed in this randomized blinded longitudinal study supports the existing evidence that GOALS is a valid tool for assessment of novice trainees. A relatively low reliability was found in this study. Copyright © 2014 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A surgical skills laboratory improves residents' knowledge and performance of episiotomy repair.

PubMed

Banks, Erika; Pardanani, Setul; King, Mary; Chudnoff, Scott; Damus, Karla; Freda, Margaret Comerford

2006-11-01

This study was undertaken to assess whether a surgical skills laboratory improves residents' knowledge and performance of episiotomy repair. Twenty-four first- and second-year residents were randomly assigned to either a surgical skills laboratory on episiotomy repair or traditional teaching alone. Pre- and posttests assessed basic knowledge. Blinded attending physicians assessed performance, evaluating residents on second-degree laceration/episiotomy repairs in the clinical setting with 3 validated tools: a task-specific checklist, global rating scale, and a pass-fail grade. Postgraduate year 1 (PGY-1) residents participating in the laboratory scored significantly better on all 3 surgical assessment tools: the checklist, the global score, and the pass/fail analysis. All the residents who had the teaching laboratory demonstrated significant improvements on knowledge and the skills checklist. PGY-2 residents did not benefit as much as PGY-1 residents. A surgical skills laboratory improved residents' knowledge and performance in the clinical setting. Improvement was greatest for PGY-1 residents.

The Nakuru posterior segment eye disease study: methods and prevalence of blindness and visual impairment in Nakuru, Kenya.

PubMed

Mathenge, Wanjiku; Bastawrous, Andrew; Foster, Allen; Kuper, Hannah

2012-10-01

To estimate the prevalence of blindness and visual impairment (VI) in adults aged ≥50 years in the Nakuru district of Kenya and to identify sociodemographic risk factors for these conditions. We also sought to validate the Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness (RAAB) methodology. There were 5010 subjects enumerated for this study. Of these, 4414 participants underwent examination, for a response rate of 88.1%. Cross-sectional, population-based survey. Cluster random samplings with probability proportionate to size procedures were used to select a representative cross-sectional sample of adults aged ≥50 years. Each participant was interviewed, had distance visual acuity (VA) measured with reduced logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution tumbling-E chart, underwent autorefraction, and thereby had measurements of presenting, uncorrected, and best-corrected VA. All participants, regardless of vision, underwent detailed ophthalmic examinations including slit-lamp assessment and dilated retinal photographs. Visual acuity of <6/12. A representative sample of 4414 adults were enumerated (response rate, 88.1%). The prevalence of blindness (VA < 3/60 in better eye) was 1.6% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2-2.1%) and of VI, 0.4% (95% CI, 0.3-0.7%); 8.1% (95% CI, 7.2-9.2%); and 5.1% (95% CI, 4.3-6.1%) were severely (<6/60-3/60), moderately (<6/18-6/60), or mildly (<6/12-6/18) visually impaired, respectively. Being male, having less education, having Kalenjin tribal origin, and being ≥80 years old were associated with increased blindness prevalence. Prevalence estimates were comparable to a RAAB performed in the same area 2 years earlier. This survey provides reliable estimates of blindness and VI prevalence in Nakuru. Older age and tribal origin were identified as predictors of these conditions. This survey validates the use of RAAB as a method of estimating blindness and VI prevalence. Copyright © 2012 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Looking beyond general metrics for model evaluation - lessons from an international model intercomparison study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouaziz, Laurène; de Boer-Euser, Tanja; Brauer, Claudia; Drogue, Gilles; Fenicia, Fabrizio; Grelier, Benjamin; de Niel, Jan; Nossent, Jiri; Pereira, Fernando; Savenije, Hubert; Thirel, Guillaume; Willems, Patrick

2016-04-01

International collaboration between institutes and universities is a promising way to reach consensus on hydrological model development. Education, experience and expert knowledge of the hydrological community have resulted in the development of a great variety of model concepts, calibration methods and analysis techniques. Although comparison studies are very valuable for international cooperation, they do often not lead to very clear new insights regarding the relevance of the modelled processes. We hypothesise that this is partly caused by model complexity and the used comparison methods, which focus on a good overall performance instead of focusing on specific events. We propose an approach that focuses on the evaluation of specific events. Eight international research groups calibrated their model for the Ourthe catchment in Belgium (1607 km2) and carried out a validation in time for the Ourthe (i.e. on two different periods, one of them on a blind mode for the modellers) and a validation in space for nested and neighbouring catchments of the Meuse in a completely blind mode. For each model, the same protocol was followed and an ensemble of best performing parameter sets was selected. Signatures were first used to assess model performances in the different catchments during validation. Comparison of the models was then followed by evaluation of selected events, which include: low flows, high flows and the transition from low to high flows. While the models show rather similar performances based on general metrics (i.e. Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency), clear differences can be observed for specific events. While most models are able to simulate high flows well, large differences are observed during low flows and in the ability to capture the first peaks after drier months. The transferability of model parameters to neighbouring and nested catchments is assessed as an additional measure in the model evaluation. This suggested approach helps to select, among competing model alternatives, the most suitable model for a specific purpose.

Kurtosis Approach Nonlinear Blind Source Separation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duong, Vu A.; Stubbemd, Allen R.

2005-01-01

In this paper, we introduce a new algorithm for blind source signal separation for post-nonlinear mixtures. The mixtures are assumed to be linearly mixed from unknown sources first and then distorted by memoryless nonlinear functions. The nonlinear functions are assumed to be smooth and can be approximated by polynomials. Both the coefficients of the unknown mixing matrix and the coefficients of the approximated polynomials are estimated by the gradient descent method conditional on the higher order statistical requirements. The results of simulation experiments presented in this paper demonstrate the validity and usefulness of our approach for nonlinear blind source signal separation Keywords: Independent Component Analysis, Kurtosis, Higher order statistics.

Mining the human urine proteome for monitoring renal transplant injury

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

Sigdel, Tara K.; Gao, Yuqian; He, Jintang

The human urinary proteome reflects systemic and inherent renal injury perturbations and can be analyzed to harness specific biomarkers for different kidney transplant injury states. 396 unique urine samples were collected contemporaneously with an allograft biopsy from 396 unique kidney transplant recipients. Centralized, blinded histology on the graft was used to classify matched urine samples into categories of acute rejection (AR), chronic allograft nephropathy (CAN), BK virus nephritis (BKVN), and stable graft (STA). Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) based proteomics using iTRAQ based discovery (n=108) and global label-free LC-MS analyses of individual samples (n=137) for quantitative proteome assessment were used inmore » the discovery step. Selected reaction monitoring (SRM) was applied to identify and validate minimal urine protein/peptide biomarkers to accurately segregate organ injury causation and pathology on unique urine samples (n=151). A total of 958 proteins were initially quantified by iTRAQ, 87% of which were also identified among 1574 urine proteins detected in LC-MS validation. 103 urine proteins were significantly (p<0.05) perturbed in injury and enriched for humoral immunity, complement activation, and lymphocyte trafficking. A set of 131 peptides corresponding to 78 proteins were assessed by SRM for their significance in an independent sample cohort. A minimal set of 35 peptides mapping to 33 proteins, were modeled to segregate different injury groups (AUC =93% for AR, 99% for CAN, 83% for BKVN). Urinary proteome discovery and targeted validation identified urine protein fingerprints for non-invasive differentiation of kidney transplant injuries, thus opening the door for personalized immune risk assessment and therapy.« less

Characterizing Disease Burden and Progression of Geographic Atrophy Secondary to Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

PubMed

Chakravarthy, Usha; Bailey, Clare C; Johnston, Robert L; McKibbin, Martin; Khan, Rehna S; Mahmood, Sajjad; Downey, Louise; Dhingra, Narendra; Brand, Christopher; Brittain, Christopher J; Willis, Jeffrey R; Rabhi, Sarah; Muthutantri, Anushini; Cantrell, Ronald A

2018-06-01

To understand levels of disease burden and progression in a real-world setting among patients from the United Kingdom with bilateral geographic atrophy (GA) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Retrospective cohort analysis of a multicenter electronic medical record (EMR) database. Patients who were aged ≥50 years with bilateral GA and no history of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) and who attended 1 of 10 clinical sites using the EMR. A deidentified data set was constructed from the records held at the 10 sites. An algorithm was used to extract cases with a GA diagnosis, of which 1901 had bilateral GA and form the basis of this report. A sample of records randomly selected from each center was used to validate disease definitions. Progression to blindness (visual acuity [VA] <20 letters or Snellen 3/60 in the better-seeing eye), driving ineligibility (VA ≤70 letters or Snellen 6/12 in the better-seeing eye), progression to CNV, loss of 10 or more letters, and mean change in VA over time. At first record of GA, 7.1% had a VA in the better-seeing eye equal to or lower than the cutoff for blindness registration and 71.1% had a VA that would have rendered them ineligible to drive. Over time, 16% became legally blind (median time to outcome, 6.2 years) and 66.7% became ineligible to drive (median time to outcome, 1.6 years). In the worse-seeing eye, 40.1% lost ≥10 letters in 2.4 years. Among patients with baseline and 24-month VA measurements, mean VA decline was 6.1 letters in the worse-seeing eye (n = 413) and 12.4 letters in the better-seeing eye (n = 414). The rate of progression to CNV in either eye was 7.4% per patient-year. At initial diagnosis, based on VA in the better-seeing eye, a high proportion of patients with bilateral GA were ineligible to drive and approximately 7% were eligible for UK blindness registration. The subsequent reduction in VA that occurred in the better-seeing eye would render a further two-thirds ineligible to drive. These findings emphasize the severity of the visual disability associated with GA secondary to AMD. Copyright © 2018 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

PROSTVAC® targeted immunotherapy candidate for prostate cancer.

PubMed

Shore, Neal D

2014-01-01

Targeted immunotherapies represent a valid strategy for the treatment of metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer. A randomized, double-blind, Phase II clinical trial of PROSTVAC® demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in overall survival and a large, global, Phase III trial with overall survival as the primary end point is ongoing. PROSTVAC immunotherapy contains the transgenes for prostate-specific antigen and three costimulatory molecules (designated TRICOM). Research suggests that PROSTVAC not only targets prostate-specific antigen, but also other tumor antigens via antigen cascade. PROSTVAC is well tolerated and has been safely combined with other cancer therapies, including hormonal therapy, radiotherapy, another immunotherapy and chemotherapy. Even greater benefits of PROSTVAC may be recognized in earlier-stage disease and low-disease burden settings where immunotherapy can trigger a long-lasting immune response.

NDSC Lidar Intercomparisons and Validation: OPAL and MLO3 Campaigns in 1995

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McDermid, Stuart; McGee, Thomas J.; Stuart, Daan P. J.

1996-01-01

The Network for the Detection of Stratospheric Change (NDSC) has developed and adopted a Validation Policy in order to ensure that the results submitted and stored in its archives are of a known, high quality. As a part of this validation policy, blind instrument intercomparisons are considered an essential element in the certification of NDSC instruments and a specific format for these campaigns has been recommended by the NDSC-Steering Committee.

Reliable and valid assessment of point-of-care ultrasonography.

PubMed

Todsen, Tobias; Tolsgaard, Martin Grønnebæk; Olsen, Beth Härstedt; Henriksen, Birthe Merete; Hillingsø, Jens Georg; Konge, Lars; Jensen, Morten Lind; Ringsted, Charlotte

2015-02-01

To explore the reliability and validity of the Objective Structured Assessment of Ultrasound Skills (OSAUS) scale for point-of-care ultrasonography (POC US) performance. POC US is increasingly used by clinicians and is an essential part of the management of acute surgical conditions. However, the quality of performance is highly operator-dependent. Therefore, reliable and valid assessment of trainees' ultrasonography competence is needed to ensure patient safety. Twenty-four physicians, representing novices, intermediates, and experts in POC US, scanned 4 different surgical patient cases in a controlled set-up. All ultrasound examinations were video-recorded and assessed by 2 blinded radiologists using OSAUS. Reliability was examined using generalizability theory. Construct validity was examined by comparing performance scores between the groups and by correlating physicians' OSAUS scores with diagnostic accuracy. The generalizability coefficient was high (0.81) and a D-study demonstrated that 1 assessor and 5 cases would result in similar reliability. The construct validity of the OSAUS scale was supported by a significant difference in the mean scores between the novice group (17.0; SD 8.4) and the intermediate group (30.0; SD 10.1), P = 0.007, as well as between the intermediate group and the expert group (72.9; SD 4.4), P = 0.04, and by a high correlation between OSAUS scores and diagnostic accuracy (Spearman ρ correlation coefficient = 0.76; P < 0.001). This study demonstrates high reliability as well as evidence of construct validity of the OSAUS scale for assessment of POC US competence. Hence, the OSAUS scale may be suitable for both in-training as well as end-of-training assessment.

PARENT Quick Blind Round-Robin Test Report

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

Braatz, Brett G.; Heasler, Patrick G.; Meyer, Ryan M.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has established the Program to Assess the Reliability of Emerging Nondestructive Techniques (PARENT) whose goal is to investigate the effectiveness of current and novel nondestructive examination procedures and techniques to find flaws in nickel-alloy welds and base materials. This is to be done by conducting a series of open and blind international round-robin tests on a set of piping components that include large-bore dissimilar metal welds, small-bore dissimilar metal welds, and bottom-mounted instrumentation penetration welds. The blind testing is being conducted in two segments, one is called Quick-Blind and the other is called Blind. Themore » Quick-Blind testing and destructive analysis of the test blocks has been completed. This report describes the four Quick-Blind test blocks used, summarizes their destructive analysis, gives an overview of the nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques applied, provides an analysis inspection data, and presents the conclusions drawn.« less

[Synthesis of the blindness situation in the countries of the Organization for Cooperation and Coordination in the Control of Major Endemic Diseases].

PubMed

Auzemery, A; Ceccon, J F; Ducousso, F; Huguet, P; Traoré, J; Audugé, A; Diallo, A; Schémann, J F

1998-01-01

The major causes of blindness in the OCCCMED states are cataracts, trachoma, glaucoma and oncocercosis. The prevalence of blindness is about 1.2% and there are about 880,000 blind individuals and 2,500,000 people with impaired vision. Cataracts were the cause of blindness in 440,000 people and the cause of visual impairment in 1,320,000 individuals. About 1,500,000 people were found to have oncocercosis, and about 24,000 were blind. The true rate of trachoma is unknown. Thirteen thousand cataracts are surgically removed in the region each year, the CSR (cataract surgery rate) being 210. In the last few years, national programs have been set up to combat blindness and equipment and training have been established. With a ratio of 1 ophthalmologist per 523,000 people, the WHO's objectives are becoming attainable.

Epidemiology of blindness in children.

PubMed

Solebo, Ameenat Lola; Teoh, Lucinda; Rahi, Jugnoo

2017-09-01

An estimated 14 million of the world's children are blind. A blind child is more likely to live in socioeconomic deprivation, to be more frequently hospitalised during childhood and to die in childhood than a child not living with blindness. This update of a previous review on childhood visual impairment focuses on emerging therapies for children with severe visual disability (severe visual impairment and blindness or SVI/BL).For children in higher income countries, cerebral visual impairment and optic nerve anomalies remain the most common causes of SVI/BL, while retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and cataract are now the most common avoidable causes. The constellation of causes of childhood blindness in lower income settings is shifting from infective and nutritional corneal opacities and congenital anomalies to more resemble the patterns seen in higher income settings. Improvements in maternal and neonatal health and investment in and maintenance of national ophthalmic care infrastructure are the key to reducing the burden of avoidable blindness. New therapeutic targets are emerging for childhood visual disorders, although the safety and efficacy of novel therapies for diseases such as ROP or retinal dystrophies are not yet clear. Population-based epidemiological research, particularly on cerebral visual impairment and optic nerve hypoplasia, is needed in order to improve understanding of risk factors and to inform and support the development of novel therapies for disorders currently considered 'untreatable'. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

[To promote universal eye health to push forward sustaining development of the prevention of blindness in China].

PubMed

Zhao, Jialiang

2014-03-01

Action plan for the prevention of avoidable blindness and visual impairment for 2014-2019 endorsed by 66(th) World Health Assembly is an important document for promoting the global prevention of blindness. This action plan summarized the experiences and lessons in the global prevention of avoidable blindness and visual impairment from 2009 to 2013, raised the global goal for the prevention of blindness-the reduction in prevalence of avoidable visual impairment by 25% by 2019 from the baseline of 2010, set up the monitoring indicators for realizing the global goal. This document can be served as a roadmap to consolidate joint efforts aimed at working towards universal eye health in the world. This action plan must give a deep and important impact on the prevention of blindness in China.We should implement the action plan for the prevention of avoidable blindness and visual impairment for 2014-2019 to push forward sustaining development of the prevention of blindness in China.

The effectiveness of dental health education tools for visually impaired students in Bukit Mertajam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shahabudin, Saadiah; Hashim, Hasnah; Omar, Maizurah

2016-12-01

Oral health is a vital component of overall health. It is important in adults and children alike, however, it is even more crucial for children with special needs as they have limited ability to perform oral health practices. Disabled children deserve the same opportunity for oral health as normal children. Unfortunately, oral health care is the most unattended health needs of the disabled children. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of dental health education tools for visually impaired students in two schools in Bukit Mertajam, Penang. The project utilized dental health education tools consisting of an oral health module (printed in braille for the blind and in font 18px for the partially blind), an audio narration of the module were prepared and content-validated by an expert panel. Baseline plaque scores of 38 subjects aged 6-17 years were determined by a trained dental staff nurse. The module was then administered to the subjects facilitated by the teachers. Post intervention plaque scores were recorded again after one month. The pre and post intervention data were analyzed using Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test with a significant p value set at < 0.05. The results showed that there was a reduction in the overall median plaque score in both partially blind (n = 22) and totally blind (n = 16) subjects (2.2 (IQR 0.7) to 1.8 (IQR 0.5) and 2.1 (IQR 0.4) to 2.0 0 (IQR 0.7) respectively). The score difference in the totally blind group was significant (p=0.025). Reductions in plaque scores were also observed in stratified data (based on age); with the partially blind aged 12-17 years showing the greatest reduction. However, the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.067). At younger age, tooth brushing should be supervised by parents as their manual dexterity and cognitive ability is still low. In addition, the younger subjects are less motivated if compared to the older ones. These factors could affect the result of the overall mean OHI-score in this study. In conclusion, the tools appeared to have a positive effect on promoting good oral hygiene among students with visual impairment. We recommend for further studies to be conducted on a bigger sample.

An automatic alignment tool to improve repeatability of left ventricular function and dyssynchrony parameters in serial gated myocardial perfusion SPECT studies

PubMed Central

Zhou, Yanli; Faber, Tracy L.; Patel, Zenic; Folks, Russell D.; Cheung, Alice A.; Garcia, Ernest V.; Soman, Prem; Li, Dianfu; Cao, Kejiang; Chen, Ji

2013-01-01

Objective Left ventricular (LV) function and dyssynchrony parameters measured from serial gated single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) using blinded processing had a poorer repeatability than when manual side-by-side processing was used. The objective of this study was to validate whether an automatic alignment tool can reduce the variability of LV function and dyssynchrony parameters in serial gated SPECT MPI. Methods Thirty patients who had undergone serial gated SPECT MPI were prospectively enrolled in this study. Thirty minutes after the first acquisition, each patient was repositioned and a gated SPECT MPI image was reacquired. The two data sets were first processed blinded from each other by the same technologist in different weeks. These processed data were then realigned by the automatic tool, and manual side-by-side processing was carried out. All processing methods used standard iterative reconstruction and Butterworth filtering. The Emory Cardiac Toolbox was used to measure the LV function and dyssynchrony parameters. Results The automatic tool failed in one patient, who had a large, severe scar in the inferobasal wall. In the remaining 29 patients, the repeatability of the LV function and dyssynchrony parameters after automatic alignment was significantly improved from blinded processing and was comparable to manual side-by-side processing. Conclusion The automatic alignment tool can be an alternative method to manual side-by-side processing to improve the repeatability of LV function and dyssynchrony measurements by serial gated SPECT MPI. PMID:23211996

Diagnostic Accuracy of a New Cardiac Electrical Biomarker for Detection of Electrocardiogram Changes Suggestive of Acute Myocardial Ischemic Injury

PubMed Central

Schreck, David M; Fishberg, Robert D

2014-01-01

Objective A new cardiac “electrical” biomarker (CEB) for detection of 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) changes indicative of acute myocardial ischemic injury has been identified. Objective was to test CEB diagnostic accuracy. Methods This is a blinded, observational retrospective case-control, noninferiority study. A total of 508 ECGs obtained from archived digital databases were interpreted by cardiologist and emergency physician (EP) blinded reference standards for presence of acute myocardial ischemic injury. CEB was constructed from three ECG cardiac monitoring leads using nonlinear modeling. Comparative active controls included ST voltage changes (J-point, ST area under curve) and a computerized ECG interpretive algorithm (ECGI). Training set of 141 ECGs identified CEB cutoffs by receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) analysis. Test set of 367 ECGs was analyzed for validation. Poor-quality ECGs were excluded. Sensitivity, specificity, and negative and positive predictive values were calculated with 95% confidence intervals. Adjudication was performed by consensus. Results CEB demonstrated noninferiority to all active controls by hypothesis testing. CEB adjudication demonstrated 85.3–94.4% sensitivity, 92.5–93.0% specificity, 93.8–98.6% negative predictive value, and 74.6–83.5% positive predictive value. CEB was superior against all active controls in EP analysis, and against ST area under curve and ECGI by cardiologist. Conclusion CEB detects acute myocardial ischemic injury with high diagnostic accuracy. CEB is instantly constructed from three ECG leads on the cardiac monitor and displayed instantly allowing immediate cost-effective identification of patients with acute ischemic injury during cardiac rhythm monitoring. PMID:24118724

A Biomarker Bakeoff in Early Stage Pancreatic Cancer — EDRN Public Portal

Cancer.gov

Previous research in EDRN laboratories and elsewhere has produced several candidate biomarker(s) for the detection of early-stage pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), many of which show promise for significantly improving upon the performance of the current best marker, CA19-9. As yet, the relative performance of the markers in combination is not known because a rigorous comparison using a common sample set has not been performed. A direct comparison of the potential biomarkers in a comparative study (“biomarker bakeoff”) would enable an objective determination of which candidates should move forward for further validation, as well as an assessment of the potential value of using novel combinations of the biomarkers. The gastrointestinal collaborative group within the EDRN is in an optimal position to carry out such a study given its shared resources and interactive structure. In this project, the two pancreatic CVCs in the EDRN will provide samples to be distributed to four laboratories with promising biomarkers. The laboratories will run their own assays and perform initial analyses on the blinded PDAC and control samples. Our biostatistical collaborator, Dr. Huang at FHCRC, will perform the statistical evaluations. Biomarkers meeting the predetermined performance criteria will move forward to further validation using the EDRN reference set. In addition, we will determine whether any novel combinations of biomarkers should be further tested.

Acute effect of whole body vibration on postural control in congenitally blind subjects: a preliminary evidence.

PubMed

di Cagno, Alessandra; Giombini, Arrigo; Iuliano, Enzo; Moffa, Stefano; Caliandro, Tiziana; Parisi, Attilio; Borrione, Paolo; Calcagno, Giuseppe; Fiorilli, Giovanni

2017-07-11

The purpose of this study was to investigate the acute effects of whole body vibration at optimal frequency, on postural control in blind subjects. Twenty-four participants, 12 congenital blind males (Experimental Group), and 12 non-disabled males with no visual impairment (Control Groups) were recruited. The area of the ellipse and the total distance of the center of pressure displacements, as postural control parameters, were evaluated at baseline (T0), immediately after the vibration (T1), after 10 min (T10) and after 20 min (T20). Whole body vibration protocol consisted into 5 sets of 1 min for each vibration, with 1 min rest between each set on a vibrating platform. The total distance of center of pressure showed a significant difference (p < 0.05) amongst groups, while the area remained constant. No significant differences were detected among times of assessments, or in the interaction group × time. No impairments in static balance were found after an acute bout of whole body vibration at optimal frequency in blind subjects and, consequently, whole body vibration may be considered as a safe application in individuals who are blind.

Universal Blind Quantum Computation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fitzsimons, Joseph; Kashefi, Elham

2012-02-01

Blind Quantum Computing (BQC) allows a client to have a server carry out a quantum computation for them such that the client's inputs, outputs and computation remain private. Recently we proposed a universal unconditionally secure BQC scheme, based on the conceptual framework of the measurement-based quantum computing model, where the client only needs to be able to prepare single qubits in separable states randomly chosen from a finite set and send them to the server, who has the balance of the required quantum computational resources. Here we present a refinement of the scheme which vastly expands the class of quantum circuits which can be directly implemented as a blind computation, by introducing a new class of resource states which we term dotted-complete graph states and expanding the set of single qubit states the client is required to prepare. These two modifications significantly simplify the overall protocol and remove the previously present restriction that only nearest-neighbor circuits could be implemented as blind computations directly. As an added benefit, the refined protocol admits a substantially more intuitive and simplified verification mechanism, allowing the correctness of a blind computation to be verified with arbitrarily small probability of error.

Blindness and visual impairment in opera.

PubMed

Aydin, Pinar; Ritch, Robert; O'Dwyer, John

2018-01-01

The performing arts mirror the human condition. This study sought to analyze the reasons for inclusion of visually impaired characters in opera, the cause of the blindness or near blindness, and the dramatic purpose of the blindness in the storyline. We reviewed operas from the 18 th century to 2010 and included all characters with ocular problems. We classified the cause of each character's ocular problem (organic, nonorganic, and other) in relation to the thematic setting of the opera: biblical and mythical, blind beggars or blind musicians, historical (real or fictional characters), and contemporary or futuristic. Cases of blindness in 55 characters (2 as a choir) from 38 operas were detected over 3 centuries of repertoire: 11 had trauma-related visual impairment, 5 had congenital blindness, 18 had visual impairment of unknown cause, 9 had psychogenic or malingering blindness, and 12 were symbolic or miracle-related. One opera featured an ophthalmologist curing a patient. The research illustrates that visual impairment was frequently used as an artistic device to enhance the intent and situate an opera in its time.

Analytical performance study of solar blind non-line-of-sight ultraviolet short-range communication links.

PubMed

Xu, Zhengyuan; Ding, Haipeng; Sadler, Brian M; Chen, Gang

2008-08-15

Motivated by recent advances in solid-state incoherent ultraviolet sources and solar blind detectors, we study communication link performance over a range of less than 1 km with a bit error rate (BER) below 10(-3) in solar blind non-line-of-sight situation. The widely adopted yet complex single scattering channel model is significantly simplified by means of a closed-form expression for tractable analysis. Path loss is given as a function of transceiver geometry as well as atmospheric scattering and attenuation and is compared with experimental data for model validation. The BER performance of a shot-noise-limited receiver under this channel model is demonstrated.

How Many Separable Sources? Model Selection In Independent Components Analysis

PubMed Central

Woods, Roger P.; Hansen, Lars Kai; Strother, Stephen

2015-01-01

Unlike mixtures consisting solely of non-Gaussian sources, mixtures including two or more Gaussian components cannot be separated using standard independent components analysis methods that are based on higher order statistics and independent observations. The mixed Independent Components Analysis/Principal Components Analysis (mixed ICA/PCA) model described here accommodates one or more Gaussian components in the independent components analysis model and uses principal components analysis to characterize contributions from this inseparable Gaussian subspace. Information theory can then be used to select from among potential model categories with differing numbers of Gaussian components. Based on simulation studies, the assumptions and approximations underlying the Akaike Information Criterion do not hold in this setting, even with a very large number of observations. Cross-validation is a suitable, though computationally intensive alternative for model selection. Application of the algorithm is illustrated using Fisher's iris data set and Howells' craniometric data set. Mixed ICA/PCA is of potential interest in any field of scientific investigation where the authenticity of blindly separated non-Gaussian sources might otherwise be questionable. Failure of the Akaike Information Criterion in model selection also has relevance in traditional independent components analysis where all sources are assumed non-Gaussian. PMID:25811988

Current concepts in the pharmacotherapy of pseudobulbar affect.

PubMed

Pioro, Erik P

2011-06-18

Arising in settings of CNS insult, pseudobulbar affect (PBA) consists of uncontrollable episodes of crying or laughter incongruent to the patient's mood. The syndrome has been described by a plethora of names, including pathological laughing and crying, emotional lability, emotionalism and emotional incontinence, which hampers efforts to survey published assessments of pharmacological intervention. Still, until quite recently, all treatment has unavoidably been off-label, chiefly involving antidepressants. Using PBA and other syndrome names as search terms, a PubMed search for English-language case reports and therapeutic trials involving at least five patients identified 22 such publications from 1980 through to 2010. Among the seven randomized, double-blind, antidepressant studies with placebo control, two trials assessed 106 and 123 subjects, respectively. However, the other five assessed only 12-28 subjects, and only one of these seven trials (with 28 subjects) measured change in syndrome severity using a validated scale. The three randomized, double-blind studies of dextromethorphan plus quinidine assessed 129, 150 and 326 subjects. Among these studies, two were placebo-controlled and all three used a validated severity scale. Across all placebo-controlled trials, response to active treatment - either an antidepressant or dextromethorphan/quinidine - has in general been significantly greater than response to placebo, but placebo response has sometimes been substantial, suggesting caution in interpreting uncontrolled findings. In October 2010, dextromethorphan/quinidine received approval from the US FDA as first-in-class PBA pharmacotherapy. Advocates of a continuing role for antidepressants, notably selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, can point to numerous positive case reports and trials, the potential benefit of attempting to treat PBA and concomitant depression without using multiple drugs, and the ever-present need to tailor treatment to the individual patient.

Princeton_TIGRESS 2.0: High refinement consistency and net gains through support vector machines and molecular dynamics in double-blind predictions during the CASP11 experiment.

PubMed

Khoury, George A; Smadbeck, James; Kieslich, Chris A; Koskosidis, Alexandra J; Guzman, Yannis A; Tamamis, Phanourios; Floudas, Christodoulos A

2017-06-01

Protein structure refinement is the challenging problem of operating on any protein structure prediction to improve its accuracy with respect to the native structure in a blind fashion. Although many approaches have been developed and tested during the last four CASP experiments, a majority of the methods continue to degrade models rather than improve them. Princeton_TIGRESS (Khoury et al., Proteins 2014;82:794-814) was developed previously and utilizes separate sampling and selection stages involving Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations and classification using an SVM predictor. The initial implementation was shown to consistently refine protein structures 76% of the time in our own internal benchmarking on CASP 7-10 targets. In this work, we improved the sampling and selection stages and tested the method in blind predictions during CASP11. We added a decomposition of physics-based and hybrid energy functions, as well as a coordinate-free representation of the protein structure through distance-binning Cα-Cα distances to capture fine-grained movements. We performed parameter estimation to optimize the adjustable SVM parameters to maximize precision while balancing sensitivity and specificity across all cross-validated data sets, finding enrichment in our ability to select models from the populations of similar decoys generated for targets in CASPs 7-10. The MD stage was enhanced such that larger structures could be further refined. Among refinement methods that are currently implemented as web-servers, Princeton_TIGRESS 2.0 demonstrated the most consistent and most substantial net refinement in blind predictions during CASP11. The enhanced refinement protocol Princeton_TIGRESS 2.0 is freely available as a web server at http://atlas.engr.tamu.edu/refinement/. Proteins 2017; 85:1078-1098. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Iterated Gate Teleportation and Blind Quantum Computation.

PubMed

Pérez-Delgado, Carlos A; Fitzsimons, Joseph F

2015-06-05

Blind quantum computation allows a user to delegate a computation to an untrusted server while keeping the computation hidden. A number of recent works have sought to establish bounds on the communication requirements necessary to implement blind computation, and a bound based on the no-programming theorem of Nielsen and Chuang has emerged as a natural limiting factor. Here we show that this constraint only holds in limited scenarios, and show how to overcome it using a novel method of iterated gate teleportations. This technique enables drastic reductions in the communication required for distributed quantum protocols, extending beyond the blind computation setting. Applied to blind quantum computation, this technique offers significant efficiency improvements, and in some scenarios offers an exponential reduction in communication requirements.

Electroencephalography: Subdural Multi-Electrode Brain Chip.

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-12-01

showing a blind subject reading Braille letters that had been inserted into his visual cortex by stimulating appropriate sets of electrodes. The...subject in Dobelle’s experiment 50 had been blind for 10 years and was able to read Braille at 30 letters a minute using a 64 electrode array for...Evans, "’ Braille ’ Reading by a Blind Volunteer by Visual cortex Stimulation," Nature, 259: 111-112 (January 1976). A.K. Engel, et al. "Temporal Coding

Protocol for determining the diagnostic validity of physical examination maneuvers for shoulder pathology.

PubMed

Somerville, Lyndsay; Bryant, Dianne; Willits, Kevin; Johnson, Andrew

2013-02-08

Shoulder complaints are the third most common musculoskeletal problem in the general population. There are an abundance of physical examination maneuvers for diagnosing shoulder pathology. The validity of these maneuvers has not been adequately addressed. We propose a large Phase III study to investigate the accuracy of these tests in an orthopaedic setting. We will recruit consecutive new shoulder patients who are referred to two tertiary orthopaedic clinics. We will select which physical examination tests to include using a modified Delphi process. The physician will take a thorough history from the patient and indicate their certainty about each possible diagnosis (certain the diagnosis is absent, present or requires further testing). The clinician will only perform the physical examination maneuvers for diagnoses where uncertainty remains. We will consider arthroscopy the reference standard for patients who undergo surgery within 8 months of physical examination and magnetic resonance imaging with arthrogram for patients who do not. We will calculate the sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative likelihood ratios and investigate whether combinations of the top tests provide stronger predictions of the presence or absence of disease. There are several considerations when performing a diagnostic study to ensure that the results are applicable in a clinical setting. These include, 1) including a representative sample, 2) selecting an appropriate reference standard, 3) avoiding verification bias, 4) blinding the interpreters of the physical examination tests to the interpretation of the gold standard and, 5) blinding the interpreters of the gold standard to the interpretation of the physical examination tests. The results of this study will inform clinicians of which tests, or combination of tests, successfully reduce diagnostic uncertainty, which tests are misleading and how physical examination may affect the magnitude of the confidence the clinician feels about their diagnosis. The results of this study may reduce the number of costly and invasive imaging studies (MRI, CT or arthrography) that are requisitioned when uncertainty about diagnosis remains following history and physical exam. We also hope to reduce the variability between specialists in which maneuvers are used during physical examination and how they are used, all of which will assist in improving consistency of care between centres.

Challenges of Ophthalmic Care in the Developing World

PubMed Central

Sommer, Alfred; Taylor, Hugh R.; Ravilla, Thulasiraj D.; West, Sheila; Lietman, Thomas M.; Keenan, Jeremy D.; Chiang, Michael F.; Robin, Alan L.; Mills, Richard P.

2014-01-01

Global blindness exacts an enormous financial and social cost on developing countries. Reducing the prevalence of blindness globally requires a set of strategies that are different from those typically employed in developed countries. This was the subject of the 2013 Knapp symposium at the American Ophthalmological Society Annual Meeting, and this article summarizes the presentations of epidemiologists, health care planners, and ophthalmologists. It explores a range of successful strategies from the multinational Vision 2020 Initiative to disease-specific schemes in cataract, trachoma control, infectious corneal ulceration, cytomegalovirus retinitis, and retinopathy of prematurity. In each example, the importance of an attitudinal set towards the public health becomes clear. There is reason for optimism in the struggle against global blindness, in large measure because of innovative programs like those described here. PMID:24604415

Procedure-specific assessment tool for flexible pharyngo-laryngoscopy: gathering validity evidence and setting pass-fail standards.

PubMed

Melchiors, Jacob; Petersen, K; Todsen, T; Bohr, A; Konge, Lars; von Buchwald, Christian

2018-06-01

The attainment of specific identifiable competencies is the primary measure of progress in the modern medical education system. The system, therefore, requires a method for accurately assessing competence to be feasible. Evidence of validity needs to be gathered before an assessment tool can be implemented in the training and assessment of physicians. This evidence of validity must according to the contemporary theory on validity be gathered from specific sources in a structured and rigorous manner. The flexible pharyngo-laryngoscopy (FPL) is central to the otorhinolaryngologist. We aim to evaluate the flexible pharyngo-laryngoscopy assessment tool (FLEXPAT) created in a previous study and to establish a pass-fail level for proficiency. Eighteen physicians with different levels of experience (novices, intermediates, and experienced) were recruited to the study. Each performed an FPL on two patients. These procedures were video recorded, blinded, and assessed by two specialists. The score was expressed as the percentage of a possible max score. Cronbach's α was used to analyze internal consistency of the data, and a generalizability analysis was performed. The scores of the three different groups were explored, and a pass-fail level was determined using the contrasting groups' standard setting method. Internal consistency was strong with a Cronbach's α of 0.86. We found a generalizability coefficient of 0.72 sufficient for moderate stakes assessment. We found a significant difference between the novice and experienced groups (p < 0.001) and strong correlation between experience and score (Pearson's r = 0.75). The pass/fail level was established at 72% of the maximum score. Applying this pass-fail level in the test population resulted in half of the intermediary group receiving a failing score. We gathered validity evidence for the FLEXPAT according to the contemporary framework as described by Messick. Our results support a claim of validity and are comparable to other studies exploring clinical assessment tools. The high rate of physicians underperforming in the intermediary group demonstrates the need for continued educational intervention. Based on our work, we recommend the use of the FLEXPAT in clinical assessment of FPL and the application of a pass-fail level of 72% for proficiency.

Evaluation of the attentional capacities and working memory of early and late blind persons.

PubMed

Pigeon, Caroline; Marin-Lamellet, Claude

2015-02-01

Although attentional processes and working memory seem to be significantly involved in the daily activities (particularly during navigating) of persons who are blind and who use these abilities to compensate for their lack of vision, few studies have investigated these mechanisms in this population. The aim of this study is to evaluate the selective, sustained and divided attention, attentional inhibition and switching and working memory of blind persons. Early blind, late blind and sighted participants completed neuropsychological tests that were designed or adapted to be achievable in the absence of vision. The results revealed that the early blind participants outperformed the sighted ones in selective, sustained and divided attention and working memory tests, and the late blind participants outperformed the sighted participants in selective, sustained and divided attention. However, no differences were found between the blind groups and the sighted group in the attentional inhibition and switching tests. Furthermore, no differences were found between the early and late blind participants in this set of tests. These results suggest that early and late blind persons can compensate for the lack of vision by an enhancement of the attentional and working memory capacities. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

What's past is past: Neither perceptual preactivation nor prior motivational relevance decrease subsequent inattentional blindness.

PubMed

Kreitz, Carina; Schnuerch, Robert; Furley, Philip A; Memmert, Daniel

2018-03-01

Inattentional blindness-the phenomenon that clearly visible, yet currently unexpected objects go unnoticed when our attention is focused elsewhere-is an ecologically valid failure of awareness. It is currently subject to debate whether previous events and experiences determine whether or not inattentional blindness occurs. Using a simple two-phase paradigm in the present study, we found that the likelihood of missing an unexpected object due to inattention did not change when its defining characteristic (its color) was perceptually preactivated (Experiment 1; N = 188). Likewise, noticing rates were not significantly reduced if the object's color was previously motivationally relevant during an unrelated detection task (Experiment 2; N = 184). These results corroborate and extend recent findings questioning the influence of previous experience on subsequent inattentional blindness. This has implications for possible countermeasures intended to thwart the potentially harmful effects of inattention. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Improving the blind restoration of retinal images by means of point-spread-function estimation assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marrugo, Andrés. G.; Millán, María. S.; Å orel, Michal; Kotera, Jan; Å roubek, Filip

2015-01-01

Retinal images often suffer from blurring which hinders disease diagnosis and progression assessment. The restoration of the images is carried out by means of blind deconvolution, but the success of the restoration depends on the correct estimation of the point-spread-function (PSF) that blurred the image. The restoration can be space-invariant or space-variant. Because a retinal image has regions without texture or sharp edges, the blind PSF estimation may fail. In this paper we propose a strategy for the correct assessment of PSF estimation in retinal images for restoration by means of space-invariant or space-invariant blind deconvolution. Our method is based on a decomposition in Zernike coefficients of the estimated PSFs to identify valid PSFs. This significantly improves the quality of the image restoration revealed by the increased visibility of small details like small blood vessels and by the lack of restoration artifacts.

Predicting Job Performance for the Visually Impaired: Validity of the Fine Finger Dexterity Work Task.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giesen, J. Martin; And Others

The study was designed to determine the reliability and criterion validity of a psychomotor performance test (the Fine Finger Dexterity Work Task Unit) with 40 partially or totally blind adults. Reliability was established by using the test-retest method. A supervisory rating was developed and the reliability established by using the split-half…

Do open label blinded outcome studies of novel anticoagulants versus warfarin have equivalent validity to those carried out under double-blind conditions?

PubMed

O'Neil, William M; Welner, Sharon A; Lip, Gregory Y H

2013-03-01

Recent anticoagulants for stroke prevention in AF have been tested in active comparator controlled studies versus warfarin using two designs: double-blind, double-dummy and prospective randomised, open blinded endpoint (PROBE). The former requires elaborate procedures to maintain blinding, while PROBE does not. Outcomes of double-blind and PROBE designed studies of novel anticoagulants for AF, focusing on warfarin controls, were explored. Major, Phase III warfarin-controlled trials for stroke prevention in AF were identified. Odds ratios (ORs) of key outcomes for active comparators versus VKA and event rates for VKA arms were compared between designs, in context of baseline demographics and inclusion criteria. Identified trials studied five novel anticoagulants in three each of PROBE and double-blind design. For ORs of results across studies and outcomes, there was little pattern differentiating the two designs. Among VKA-control subjects, event rates for the primary outcome (stroke or systemic embolism) in PROBE trials at 1.74 %/year (95% confidence interval: 1.54-1.95) was not significantly different from that in double-blind trials, at 1.88 (1.73-2.03). Among other outcomes, VKA-treated subjects in both trial designs had similar event rates, apart from higher all-cause mortality in ROCKET AF, and lower myocardial infarction rates among the PROBE study patients. Although there are differences in outcome between PROBE and double blind trials, they do not appear to be design-related. The exacting requirements of double-blinding in AF trials may not be necessary.

Stereotyped Behaviors in Blind Children: Relationships to Motility Behaviors of Autism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iverson, Landa J.

Three groups of visually impaired children--10 with rubella, 7 with retrolental fibroplasia (RLF), and 9 with blindness other than rubella or RLF--were observed for stereotypic behaviors. Ss were observed in four different environmental settings: classroom/instruction; mealtime activity/breakfast, lunch, or supper; physical education/movement…

Audiological Assessment of Deaf-Blind Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernstein, Phyllis F.; Roeser, Ross J.

The audiological assessment of 50 deaf blind children, 6 months to 14 years of age, in an outpatient setting is described, as are testing procedures and results. Etiological factors are given which include maternal rubella (accounting for 27 children), meningitis, prematurity, neonatal anoxia, and Rh incompatability. Discussed are the following…

A Novel Quantum Blind Signature Scheme with Four-Particle Cluster States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Ling

2016-03-01

In an arbitrated quantum signature scheme, the signer signs the message and the receiver verifies the signature's validity with the assistance of the arbitrator. We present an arbitrated quantum blind signature scheme by measuring four-particle cluster states and coding. By using the special relationship of four-particle cluster states, we cannot only support the security of quantum signature, but also guarantee the anonymity of the message owner. It has a wide application to E-payment system, E-government, E-business, and etc.

Blood-Bourne MicroRNA Biomarker Evaluation in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder of Han Chinese Individuals: An Exploratory Study.

PubMed

Wang, Liang-Jen; Li, Sung-Chou; Lee, Min-Jing; Chou, Miao-Chun; Chou, Wen-Jiun; Lee, Sheng-Yu; Hsu, Chih-Wei; Huang, Lien-Hung; Kuo, Ho-Chang

2018-01-01

Background: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a highly genetic neurodevelopmental disorder, and its dysregulation of gene expression involves microRNAs (miRNAs). The purpose of this study was to identify potential miRNAs biomarkers and then use these biomarkers to establish a diagnostic panel for ADHD. Design and methods: RNA samples from white blood cells (WBCs) of five ADHD patients and five healthy controls were combined to create one pooled patient library and one control library. We identified 20 candidate miRNAs with the next-generation sequencing (NGS) technique (Illumina). Blood samples were then collected from a Training Set (68 patients and 54 controls) and a Testing Set (20 patients and 20 controls) to identify the expression profiles of these miRNAs with real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). We used receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and the area under the curve (AUC) to evaluate both the specificity and sensitivity of the probability score yielded by the support vector machine (SVM) model. Results: We identified 13 miRNAs as potential ADHD biomarkers. The ΔCt values of these miRNAs in the Training Set were integrated to create a biomarker model using the SVM algorithm, which demonstrated good validity in differentiating ADHD patients from control subjects (sensitivity: 86.8%, specificity: 88.9%, AUC: 0.94, p < 0.001). The results of the blind testing showed that 85% of the subjects in the Testing Set were correctly classified using the SVM model alignment (AUC: 0.91, p < 0.001). The discriminative validity is not influenced by patients' age or gender, indicating both the robustness and the reliability of the SVM classification model. Conclusion: As measured in peripheral blood, miRNA-based biomarkers can aid in the differentiation of ADHD in clinical settings. Additional studies are needed in the future to clarify the ADHD-associated gene functions and biological mechanisms modulated by miRNAs.

strange beta: An assistance system for indoor rock climbing route setting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phillips, C.; Becker, L.; Bradley, E.

2012-03-01

This paper applies the mathematics of chaos to the task of designing indoor rock-climbing routes. Chaotic variation has been used to great advantage on music and dance, but the challenges here are quite different, beginning with the representation. We present a formalized system for transcribing rock climbing problems and then describe a variation generator that is designed to support human route-setters in designing new and interesting climbing problems. This variation generator, termed strange beta, uses chaos to introduce novelty. We validated this approach with a large blinded study in a commercial climbing gym, in cooperation with experienced climbers and expert route setters. The results show that strange beta can help a human setter produce routes that are at least as good as, and in some cases better than, those produced in the traditional manner.

A benchmark for evaluation of algorithms for identification of cellular correlates of clinical outcomes.

PubMed

Aghaeepour, Nima; Chattopadhyay, Pratip; Chikina, Maria; Dhaene, Tom; Van Gassen, Sofie; Kursa, Miron; Lambrecht, Bart N; Malek, Mehrnoush; McLachlan, G J; Qian, Yu; Qiu, Peng; Saeys, Yvan; Stanton, Rick; Tong, Dong; Vens, Celine; Walkowiak, Sławomir; Wang, Kui; Finak, Greg; Gottardo, Raphael; Mosmann, Tim; Nolan, Garry P; Scheuermann, Richard H; Brinkman, Ryan R

2016-01-01

The Flow Cytometry: Critical Assessment of Population Identification Methods (FlowCAP) challenges were established to compare the performance of computational methods for identifying cell populations in multidimensional flow cytometry data. Here we report the results of FlowCAP-IV where algorithms from seven different research groups predicted the time to progression to AIDS among a cohort of 384 HIV+ subjects, using antigen-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples analyzed with a 14-color staining panel. Two approaches (FlowReMi.1 and flowDensity-flowType-RchyOptimyx) provided statistically significant predictive value in the blinded test set. Manual validation of submitted results indicated that unbiased analysis of single cell phenotypes could reveal unexpected cell types that correlated with outcomes of interest in high dimensional flow cytometry datasets. © 2015 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry.

Adapting diagrams from physics textbooks: improving the autonomy of blind students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dickman, Adriana; Martins, Alexandre; Ferreira, Amauri

2014-03-01

In this work we elaborate and test a glossary consisting of a set of objects and their symbols. The symbols are designed to represent objects frequently used in mechanics diagrams, such as vectors, ropes, pulleys, blocks and surfaces, and can be used to adapt drawings of physics situations in textbooks for blind high school students. The educational product was tested at a specialized school for the blind. The results indicate that adequate training can help blind students to become familiar with the symbols, and to identify them in a problem without the need of a description. This educational product can help blind students to achieve the same conditions of autonomy as sighted ones, when studying physics. Research supported by CNPq, Capes, Fapemig and FIP/PUC-MG (Brazil).

Development and validation of a simple algorithm for initiation of CPAP in neonates with respiratory distress in Malawi

PubMed Central

Hundalani, Shilpa G; Richards-Kortum, Rebecca; Oden, Maria; Kawaza, Kondwani; Gest, Alfred; Molyneux, Elizabeth

2015-01-01

Background Low-cost bubble continuous positive airway pressure (bCPAP) systems have been shown to improve survival in neonates with respiratory distress, in developing countries including Malawi. District hospitals in Malawi implementing CPAP requested simple and reliable guidelines to enable healthcare workers with basic skills and minimal training to determine when treatment with CPAP is necessary. We developed and validated TRY (T: Tone is good, R: Respiratory Distress and Y=Yes) CPAP, a simple algorithm to identify neonates with respiratory distress who would benefit from CPAP. Objective To validate the TRY CPAP algorithm for neonates with respiratory distress in a low-resource setting. Methods We constructed an algorithm using a combination of vital signs, tone and birth weight to determine the need for CPAP in neonates with respiratory distress. Neonates admitted to the neonatal ward of Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, in Blantyre, Malawi, were assessed in a prospective, cross-sectional study. Nurses and paediatricians-in-training assessed neonates to determine whether they required CPAP using the TRY CPAP algorithm. To establish the accuracy of the TRY CPAP algorithm in evaluating the need for CPAP, their assessment was compared with the decision of a neonatologist blinded to the TRY CPAP algorithm findings. Results 325 neonates were evaluated over a 2-month period; 13% were deemed to require CPAP by the neonatologist. The inter-rater reliability with the algorithm was 0.90 for nurses and 0.97 for paediatricians-in-training using the neonatologist's assessment as the reference standard. Conclusions The TRY CPAP algorithm has the potential to be a simple and reliable tool to assist nurses and clinicians in identifying neonates who require treatment with CPAP in low-resource settings. PMID:25877290

Sensitive Detection of Colorectal Cancer in Peripheral Blood by Septin 9 DNA Methylation Assay

PubMed Central

Grützmann, Robert; Molnar, Bela; Pilarsky, Christian; Habermann, Jens K.; Schlag, Peter M.; Saeger, Hans D.; Miehlke, Stephan; Stolz, Thomas; Model, Fabian; Roblick, Uwe J.; Bruch, Hans-Peter; Koch, Rainer; Liebenberg, Volker; deVos, Theo; Song, Xiaoling; Day, Robert H.; Sledziewski, Andrew Z.; Lofton-Day, Catherine

2008-01-01

Background Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer deaths despite the fact that detection of this cancer in early stages results in over 90% survival rate. Currently less than 45% of at-risk individuals in the US are screened regularly, exposing a need for better screening tests. We performed two case-control studies to validate a blood-based test that identifies methylated DNA in plasma from all stages of CRC. Methodology/Principal Findings Using a PCR assay for analysis of Septin 9 (SEPT9) hypermethylation in DNA extracted from plasma, clinical performance was optimized on 354 samples (252 CRC, 102 controls) and validated in a blinded, independent study of 309 samples (126 CRC, 183 controls). 168 polyps and 411 additional disease controls were also evaluated. Based on the training study SEPT9-based classification detected 120/252 CRCs (48%) and 7/102 controls (7%). In the test study 73/126 CRCs (58%) and 18/183 control samples (10%) were positive for SEPT9 validating the training set results. Inclusion of an additional measurement replicate increased the sensitivity of the assay in the testing set to 72% (90/125 CRCs detected) while maintaining 90% specificity (19/183 for controls). Positive rates for plasmas from the other cancers (11/96) and non-cancerous conditions (41/315) were low. The rate of polyp detection (>1 cm) was ∼20%. Conclusions/Significance Analysis of SEPT9 DNA methylation in plasma represents a straightforward, minimally invasive method to detect all stages of CRC with potential to satisfy unmet needs for increased compliance in the screening population. Further clinical testing is warranted. PMID:19018278

Blind Source Parameters for Performance Evaluation of Despeckling Filters.

PubMed

Biradar, Nagashettappa; Dewal, M L; Rohit, ManojKumar; Gowre, Sanjaykumar; Gundge, Yogesh

2016-01-01

The speckle noise is inherent to transthoracic echocardiographic images. A standard noise-free reference echocardiographic image does not exist. The evaluation of filters based on the traditional parameters such as peak signal-to-noise ratio, mean square error, and structural similarity index may not reflect the true filter performance on echocardiographic images. Therefore, the performance of despeckling can be evaluated using blind assessment metrics like the speckle suppression index, speckle suppression and mean preservation index (SMPI), and beta metric. The need for noise-free reference image is overcome using these three parameters. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of eleven types of despeckling filters for echocardiographic images in terms of blind and traditional performance parameters along with clinical validation. The noise is effectively suppressed using the logarithmic neighborhood shrinkage (NeighShrink) embedded with Stein's unbiased risk estimation (SURE). The SMPI is three times more effective compared to the wavelet based generalized likelihood estimation approach. The quantitative evaluation and clinical validation reveal that the filters such as the nonlocal mean, posterior sampling based Bayesian estimation, hybrid median, and probabilistic patch based filters are acceptable whereas median, anisotropic diffusion, fuzzy, and Ripplet nonlinear approximation filters have limited applications for echocardiographic images.

Blind Source Parameters for Performance Evaluation of Despeckling Filters

PubMed Central

Biradar, Nagashettappa; Dewal, M. L.; Rohit, ManojKumar; Gowre, Sanjaykumar; Gundge, Yogesh

2016-01-01

The speckle noise is inherent to transthoracic echocardiographic images. A standard noise-free reference echocardiographic image does not exist. The evaluation of filters based on the traditional parameters such as peak signal-to-noise ratio, mean square error, and structural similarity index may not reflect the true filter performance on echocardiographic images. Therefore, the performance of despeckling can be evaluated using blind assessment metrics like the speckle suppression index, speckle suppression and mean preservation index (SMPI), and beta metric. The need for noise-free reference image is overcome using these three parameters. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of eleven types of despeckling filters for echocardiographic images in terms of blind and traditional performance parameters along with clinical validation. The noise is effectively suppressed using the logarithmic neighborhood shrinkage (NeighShrink) embedded with Stein's unbiased risk estimation (SURE). The SMPI is three times more effective compared to the wavelet based generalized likelihood estimation approach. The quantitative evaluation and clinical validation reveal that the filters such as the nonlocal mean, posterior sampling based Bayesian estimation, hybrid median, and probabilistic patch based filters are acceptable whereas median, anisotropic diffusion, fuzzy, and Ripplet nonlinear approximation filters have limited applications for echocardiographic images. PMID:27298618

Transfer of learning on a spatial memory task between the blind and sighted people.

PubMed

Akpinar, Selcuk; Popović, Stevo; Kirazci, Sadettin

2012-12-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of two different types of feedback on a spatial memory task between the blind and blindfolded-sighted participants. Participants tried to estimate the predetermined distance by using their dominant hands. Both blind and blindfolded-sighted groups were randomly divided into two feedback subgroups as "100% frequency" and "10% bandwidth". The score of the participants was given verbally to the participants as knowledge of results (KR). The target distance was set as 60 cm. Sixty acquisition trials were performed in 4 sets each including 15 repetition afterwards immediate and delayed retention tests were undertaken. Moreover, 24 hours past the delayed retention test, the participants completed 15 no-KR trials as a transfer test (target distance was 30 cm). The results of the statistical analyses revealed no significant differences for both acquisition and retention tests. However, a significant difference was found at transfer test. 100% frequency blind group performed significantly less accurate than all other groups. As a result, it can be concluded that different types of feedback have similar effect on spatial memory task used in this study. However, types of feedback can change the performance of accuracy on transferring this skill among the blind.

Performance of Blind Children on Digit-Span Tests.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hull, T.; Mason, H.

1995-01-01

This article reports the results of digit-span tests administered to 314 children who were visually impaired. Results found that gender, first language, and educational setting had no effect on the children's scores and that the congenitally totally blind children scored higher than did sighted children, whereas those who had had some sight did…

A "Musical Pathway" for Spatially Disoriented Blind Residents of a Skilled Nursing Facility.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uslan, M. M.; And Others

1988-01-01

The "Auditory Directional System" designed to help blind persons get to interior destinations in an institutional setting, uses a compact disc player, a network of speakers, infrared "people" detection equipment, and a computer controlled speaker-sequencing system. After initial destination selection, musical cues are activated as the person…

Use of Dual Communication Boards at Vocational Sites by Students Who Are Deaf-Blind.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heller, Kathryn Wolff; And Others

1996-01-01

This study evaluated the effectiveness and desirability of dual communication boards as receptive and expressive forms of communication by 3 deaf-blind students (ages 16-21) in community-based vocational instruction settings. One year after implementation, students and communication partners were successfully using the boards. Use of dual boards…

Assistive Technologies for Second-Year Statistics Students Who Are Blind

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erhardt, Robert J.; Shuman, Michael P.

2015-01-01

At Wake Forest University, a student who is blind enrolled in a second course in statistics. The course covered simple and multiple regression, model diagnostics, model selection, data visualization, and elementary logistic regression. These topics required that the student both interpret and produce three sets of materials: mathematical writing,…

Random forest feature selection, fusion and ensemble strategy: Combining multiple morphological MRI measures to discriminate among healhy elderly, MCI, cMCI and alzheimer's disease patients: From the alzheimer's disease neuroimaging initiative (ADNI) database.

PubMed

Dimitriadis, S I; Liparas, Dimitris; Tsolaki, Magda N

2018-05-15

In the era of computer-assisted diagnostic tools for various brain diseases, Alzheimer's disease (AD) covers a large percentage of neuroimaging research, with the main scope being its use in daily practice. However, there has been no study attempting to simultaneously discriminate among Healthy Controls (HC), early mild cognitive impairment (MCI), late MCI (cMCI) and stable AD, using features derived from a single modality, namely MRI. Based on preprocessed MRI images from the organizers of a neuroimaging challenge, 3 we attempted to quantify the prediction accuracy of multiple morphological MRI features to simultaneously discriminate among HC, MCI, cMCI and AD. We explored the efficacy of a novel scheme that includes multiple feature selections via Random Forest from subsets of the whole set of features (e.g. whole set, left/right hemisphere etc.), Random Forest classification using a fusion approach and ensemble classification via majority voting. From the ADNI database, 60 HC, 60 MCI, 60 cMCI and 60 CE were used as a training set with known labels. An extra dataset of 160 subjects (HC: 40, MCI: 40, cMCI: 40 and AD: 40) was used as an external blind validation dataset to evaluate the proposed machine learning scheme. In the second blind dataset, we succeeded in a four-class classification of 61.9% by combining MRI-based features with a Random Forest-based Ensemble Strategy. We achieved the best classification accuracy of all teams that participated in this neuroimaging competition. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme to simultaneously discriminate among four groups using morphological MRI features for the very first time in the literature. Hence, the proposed machine learning scheme can be used to define single and multi-modal biomarkers for AD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reliable and valid assessment of Lichtenstein hernia repair skills.

PubMed

Carlsen, C G; Lindorff-Larsen, K; Funch-Jensen, P; Lund, L; Charles, P; Konge, L

2014-08-01

Lichtenstein hernia repair is a common surgical procedure and one of the first procedures performed by a surgical trainee. However, formal assessment tools developed for this procedure are few and sparsely validated. The aim of this study was to determine the reliability and validity of an assessment tool designed to measure surgical skills in Lichtenstein hernia repair. Key issues were identified through a focus group interview. On this basis, an assessment tool with eight items was designed. Ten surgeons and surgical trainees were video recorded while performing Lichtenstein hernia repair, (four experts, three intermediates, and three novices). The videos were blindly and individually assessed by three raters (surgical consultants) using the assessment tool. Based on these assessments, validity and reliability were explored. The internal consistency of the items was high (Cronbach's alpha = 0.97). The inter-rater reliability was very good with an intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.93. Generalizability analysis showed a coefficient above 0.8 even with one rater. The coefficient improved to 0.92 if three raters were used. One-way analysis of variance found a significant difference between the three groups which indicates construct validity, p < 0.001. Lichtenstein hernia repair skills can be assessed blindly by a single rater in a reliable and valid fashion with the new procedure-specific assessment tool. We recommend this tool for future assessment of trainees performing Lichtenstein hernia repair to ensure that the objectives of competency-based surgical training are met.

Refinement and partial validation of the UNESP-Botucatu multidimensional composite pain scale for assessing postoperative pain in horses.

PubMed

Taffarel, Marilda Onghero; Luna, Stelio Pacca Loureiro; de Oliveira, Flavia Augusta; Cardoso, Guilherme Schiess; Alonso, Juliana de Moura; Pantoja, Jose Carlos; Brondani, Juliana Tabarelli; Love, Emma; Taylor, Polly; White, Kate; Murrell, Joanna C

2015-04-01

Quantification of pain plays a vital role in the diagnosis and management of pain in animals. In order to refine and validate an acute pain scale for horses a prospective, randomized, blinded study was conducted. Twenty-four client owned adult horses were recruited and allocated to one of four following groups: anaesthesia only (GA); pre-emptive analgesia and anaesthesia (GAA,); anaesthesia, castration and postoperative analgesia (GC); or pre-emptive analgesia, anaesthesia and castration (GCA). One investigator, unaware of the treatment group, assessed all horses at time-points before and after intervention and completed the pain scale. Videos were also obtained at these time-points and were evaluated by a further four blinded evaluators who also completed the scale. The data were used to investigate the relevance, specificity, criterion validity and inter- and intra-observer reliability of each item on the pain scale, and to evaluate construct validity and responsiveness of the scale. Construct validity was demonstrated by the observed differences in scores between the groups, four hours after anaesthetic recovery and before administration of systemic analgesia in the GC group. Inter- and intra-observer reliability for the items was only satisfactory. Subsequently the pain scale was refined, based on results for relevance, specificity and total item correlation. Scale refinement and exclusion of items that did not meet predefined requirements generated a selection of relevant pain behaviours in horses. After further validation for reliability, these may be used to evaluate pain under clinical and experimental conditions.

Nonpharmacological interventions for ADHD: systematic review and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials of dietary and psychological treatments.

PubMed

Sonuga-Barke, Edmund J S; Brandeis, Daniel; Cortese, Samuele; Daley, David; Ferrin, Maite; Holtmann, Martin; Stevenson, Jim; Danckaerts, Marina; van der Oord, Saskia; Döpfner, Manfred; Dittmann, Ralf W; Simonoff, Emily; Zuddas, Alessandro; Banaschewski, Tobias; Buitelaar, Jan; Coghill, David; Hollis, Chris; Konofal, Eric; Lecendreux, Michel; Wong, Ian C K; Sergeant, Joseph

2013-03-01

Nonpharmacological treatments are available for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), although their efficacy remains uncertain. The authors undertook meta-analyses of the efficacy of dietary (restricted elimination diets, artificial food color exclusions, and free fatty acid supplementation) and psychological (cognitive training, neurofeedback, and behavioral interventions) ADHD treatments. Using a common systematic search and a rigorous coding and data extraction strategy across domains, the authors searched electronic databases to identify published randomized controlled trials that involved individuals who were diagnosed with ADHD (or who met a validated cutoff on a recognized rating scale) and that included an ADHD outcome. Fifty-four of the 2,904 nonduplicate screened records were included in the analyses. Two different analyses were performed. When the outcome measure was based on ADHD assessments by raters closest to the therapeutic setting, all dietary (standardized mean differences=0.21-0.48) and psychological (standardized mean differences=0.40-0.64) treatments produced statistically significant effects. However, when the best probably blinded assessment was employed, effects remained significant for free fatty acid supplementation (standardized mean difference=0.16) and artificial food color exclusion (standardized mean difference=0.42) but were substantially attenuated to nonsignificant levels for other treatments. Free fatty acid supplementation produced small but significant reductions in ADHD symptoms even with probably blinded assessments, although the clinical significance of these effects remains to be determined. Artificial food color exclusion produced larger effects but often in individuals selected for food sensitivities. Better evidence for efficacy from blinded assessments is required for behavioral interventions, neurofeedback, cognitive training, and restricted elimination diets before they can be supported as treatments for core ADHD symptoms.

Blinded evaluation of interrater reliability of an operative competency assessment tool for direct laryngoscopy and rigid bronchoscopy.

PubMed

Ishman, Stacey L; Benke, James R; Johnson, Kaalan Erik; Zur, Karen B; Jacobs, Ian N; Thorne, Marc C; Brown, David J; Lin, Sandra Y; Bhatti, Nasir; Deutsch, Ellen S

2012-10-01

OBJECTIVES To confirm interrater reliability using blinded evaluation of a skills-assessment instrument to assess the surgical performance of resident and fellow trainees performing pediatric direct laryngoscopy and rigid bronchoscopy in simulated models. DESIGN Prospective, paired, blinded observational validation study. SUBJECTS Paired observers from multiple institutions simultaneously evaluated residents and fellows who were performing surgery in an animal laboratory or using high-fidelity manikins. The evaluators had no previous affiliation with the residents and fellows and did not know their year of training. INTERVENTIONS One- and 2-page versions of an objective structured assessment of technical skills (OSATS) assessment instrument composed of global and a task-specific surgical items were used to evaluate surgical performance. RESULTS Fifty-two evaluations were completed by 17 attending evaluators. The instrument agreement for the 2-page assessment was 71.4% when measured as a binary variable (ie, competent vs not competent) (κ = 0.38; P = .08). Evaluation as a continuous variable revealed a 42.9% percentage agreement (κ = 0.18; P = .14). The intraclass correlation was 0.53, considered substantial/good interrater reliability (69% reliable). For the 1-page instrument, agreement was 77.4% when measured as a binary variable (κ = 0.53, P = .0015). Agreement when evaluated as a continuous measure was 71.0% (κ = 0.54, P < .001). The intraclass correlation was 0.73, considered high interrater reliability (85% reliable). CONCLUSIONS The OSATS assessment instrument is an effective tool for evaluating surgical performance among trainees with acceptable interrater reliability in a simulator setting. Reliability was good for both the 1- and 2-page OSATS checklists, and both serve as excellent tools to provide immediate formative feedback on operational competency.

CB Database: A change blindness database for objects in natural indoor scenes.

PubMed

Sareen, Preeti; Ehinger, Krista A; Wolfe, Jeremy M

2016-12-01

Change blindness has been a topic of interest in cognitive sciences for decades. Change detection experiments are frequently used for studying various research topics such as attention and perception. However, creating change detection stimuli is tedious and there is no open repository of such stimuli using natural scenes. We introduce the Change Blindness (CB) Database with object changes in 130 colored images of natural indoor scenes. The size and eccentricity are provided for all the changes as well as reaction time data from a baseline experiment. In addition, we have two specialized satellite databases that are subsets of the 130 images. In one set, changes are seen in rooms or in mirrors in those rooms (Mirror Change Database). In the other, changes occur in a room or out a window (Window Change Database). Both the sets have controlled background, change size, and eccentricity. The CB Database is intended to provide researchers with a stimulus set of natural scenes with defined stimulus parameters that can be used for a wide range of experiments. The CB Database can be found at http://search.bwh.harvard.edu/new/CBDatabase.html .

Proteomic study of benign and malignant pleural effusion.

PubMed

Li, Hongqing; Tang, Zhonghao; Zhu, Huili; Ge, Haiyan; Cui, Shilei; Jiang, Weiping

2016-06-01

Lung adenocarcinoma can easily cause malignant pleural effusion which was difficult to discriminate from benign pleural effusion. Now there was no biomarker with high sensitivity and specificity for the malignant pleural effusion. This study used proteomics technology to acquire and analyze the protein profiles of the benign and malignant pleural effusion, to seek useful protein biomarkers with diagnostic value and to establish the diagnostic model. We chose the weak cationic-exchanger magnetic bead (WCX-MB) to purify peptides in the pleural effusion, used matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) to obtain peptide expression profiles from the benign and malignant pleural effusion samples, established and validated the diagnostic model through a genetic algorithm (GA) and finally identified the most promising protein biomarker. A GA diagnostic model was established with spectra of 3930.9 and 2942.8 m/z in the training set including 25 malignant pleural effusion and 26 benign pleural effusion samples, yielding both 100 % sensitivity and 100 % specificity. The accuracy of diagnostic prediction was validated in the independent testing set with 58 malignant pleural effusion and 34 benign pleural effusion samples. Blind evaluation was as follows: the sensitivity was 89.6 %, specificity 88.2 %, PPV 92.8 %, NPV 83.3 % and accuracy 89.1 % in the independent testing set. The most promising peptide biomarker was identified successfully: Isoform 1 of caspase recruitment domain-containing protein 9 (CARD9), with 3930.9 m/z, was decreased in the malignant pleural effusion. This model is suitable to discriminate benign and malignant pleural effusion and CARD9 can be used as a new peptide biomarker.

Natural Language Processing for Asthma Ascertainment in Different Practice Settings.

PubMed

Wi, Chung-Il; Sohn, Sunghwan; Ali, Mir; Krusemark, Elizabeth; Ryu, Euijung; Liu, Hongfang; Juhn, Young J

We developed and validated NLP-PAC, a natural language processing (NLP) algorithm based on predetermined asthma criteria (PAC) for asthma ascertainment using electronic health records at Mayo Clinic. To adapt NLP-PAC in a different health care setting, Sanford Children Hospital, by assessing its external validity. The study was designed as a retrospective cohort study that used a random sample of 2011-2012 Sanford Birth cohort (n = 595). Manual chart review was performed on the cohort for asthma ascertainment on the basis of the PAC. We then used half of the cohort as a training cohort (n = 298) and the other half as a blind test cohort to evaluate the adapted NLP-PAC algorithm. Association of known asthma-related risk factors with the Sanford-NLP algorithm-driven asthma ascertainment was tested. Among the eligible test cohort (n = 297), 160 (53%) were males, 268 (90%) white, and the median age was 2.3 years (range, 1.5-3.1 years). NLP-PAC, after adaptation, and the human abstractor identified 74 (25%) and 72 (24%) subjects, respectively, with 66 subjects identified by both approaches. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for the NLP algorithm in predicting asthma status were 92%, 96%, 89%, and 97%, respectively. The known risk factors for asthma identified by NLP (eg, smoking history) were similar to the ones identified by manual chart review. Successful implementation of NLP-PAC for asthma ascertainment in 2 different practice settings demonstrates the feasibility of automated asthma ascertainment leveraging electronic health record data with a potential to enable large-scale, multisite asthma studies to improve asthma care and research. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Four-sample lactose hydrogen breath test for diagnosis of lactose malabsorption in irritable bowel syndrome patients with diarrhea

PubMed Central

Yang, Jian-Feng; Fox, Mark; Chu, Hua; Zheng, Xia; Long, Yan-Qin; Pohl, Daniel; Fried, Michael; Dai, Ning

2015-01-01

AIM: To validate 4-sample lactose hydrogen breath testing (4SLHBT) compared to standard 13-sample LHBT in the clinical setting. METHODS: Irritable bowel syndrome patients with diarrhea (IBS-D) and healthy volunteers (HVs) were enrolled and received a 10 g, 20 g, or 40 g dose lactose hydrogen breath test (LHBT) in a randomized, double-blinded, controlled trial. The lactase gene promoter region was sequenced. Breath samples and symptoms were acquired at baseline and every 15 min for 3 h (13 measurements). The detection rates of lactose malabsorption (LM) and lactose intolerance (LI) for a 4SLHBT that acquired four measurements at 0, 90, 120, and 180 min from the same data set were compared with the results of standard LHBT. RESULTS: Sixty IBS-D patients and 60 HVs were studied. The genotype in all participants was C/C-13910. LM and LI detection rates increased with lactose dose from 10 g, 20 g to 40 g in both groups (P < 0.001). 4SLHBT showed excellent diagnostic concordance with standard LHBT (97%-100%, Kappa​​ 0.815-0.942) with high sensitivity (90%-100%) and specificity (100%) at all three lactose doses in both groups. CONCLUSION: Reducing the number of measurements from 13 to 4 samples did not significantly impact on the accuracy of LHBT in health and IBS-D. 4SLHBT is a valid test for assessment of LM and LI in clinical practice. PMID:26140004

Four-sample lactose hydrogen breath test for diagnosis of lactose malabsorption in irritable bowel syndrome patients with diarrhea.

PubMed

Yang, Jian-Feng; Fox, Mark; Chu, Hua; Zheng, Xia; Long, Yan-Qin; Pohl, Daniel; Fried, Michael; Dai, Ning

2015-06-28

To validate 4-sample lactose hydrogen breath testing (4SLHBT) compared to standard 13-sample LHBT in the clinical setting. Irritable bowel syndrome patients with diarrhea (IBS-D) and healthy volunteers (HVs) were enrolled and received a 10 g, 20 g, or 40 g dose lactose hydrogen breath test (LHBT) in a randomized, double-blinded, controlled trial. The lactase gene promoter region was sequenced. Breath samples and symptoms were acquired at baseline and every 15 min for 3 h (13 measurements). The detection rates of lactose malabsorption (LM) and lactose intolerance (LI) for a 4SLHBT that acquired four measurements at 0, 90, 120, and 180 min from the same data set were compared with the results of standard LHBT. Sixty IBS-D patients and 60 HVs were studied. The genotype in all participants was C/C-13910. LM and LI detection rates increased with lactose dose from 10 g, 20 g to 40 g in both groups (P < 0.001). 4SLHBT showed excellent diagnostic concordance with standard LHBT (97%-100%, Kappa​​ 0.815-0.942) with high sensitivity (90%-100%) and specificity (100%) at all three lactose doses in both groups. Reducing the number of measurements from 13 to 4 samples did not significantly impact on the accuracy of LHBT in health and IBS-D. 4SLHBT is a valid test for assessment of LM and LI in clinical practice.

Analytical validation of an ultra low-cost mobile phone microplate reader for infectious disease testing.

PubMed

Wang, Li-Ju; Naudé, Nicole; Demissie, Misganaw; Crivaro, Anne; Kamoun, Malek; Wang, Ping; Li, Lei

2018-07-01

Most mobile health (mHealth) diagnostic devices for laboratory tests only analyze one sample at a time, which is not suitable for large volume serology testing, especially in low-resource settings with shortage of health professionals. In this study, we developed an ultra-low-cost clinically-accurate mobile phone microplate reader (mReader), and clinically validated this optical device for 12 infectious disease tests. The mReader optically reads 96 samples on a microplate at one time. 771 de-identified patient samples were tested for 12 serology assays for bacterial/viral infections. The mReader and the clinical instrument blindly read and analyzed all tests in parallel. The analytical accuracy and the diagnostic performance of the mReader were evaluated across the clinical reportable categories by comparison with clinical laboratorial testing results. The mReader exhibited 97.59-99.90% analytical accuracy and <5% coefficient of variation (CV). The positive percent agreement (PPA) in all 12 tests achieved 100%, negative percent agreement (NPA) was higher than 83% except for one test (42.86%), and overall percent agreement (OPA) ranged 89.33-100%. We envision the mReader can benefit underserved areas/populations and low-resource settings in rural clinics/hospitals at a low cost (~$50 USD) with clinical-level analytical quality. It has the potential to improve health access, speed up healthcare delivery, and reduce health disparities and education disparities by providing access to a low-cost spectrophotometer. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Immediate Memory for Haptically-Examined Braille Symbols by Blind and Sighted Subjects.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newman, Slater E.; And Others

The paper reports on two experiments in Braille learning which compared blind and sighted subjects on the immediate recall of haptically-examined Braille symbols. In the first study, sighted subjects (N=64) haptically examined each of a set of Braille symbols with their preferred or nonpreferred hand and immediately recalled the symbol by drawing…

Blindness and Selective Mutism: One Student's Response to Voice-Output Devices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holley, Mary; Johnson, Ashli; Herzberg, Tina

2014-01-01

This case study was designed to measure the response of one student with blindness and selective mutism to the intervention of voice-output devices across two years and two different teachers in two instructional settings. Before the introduction of the voice output devices, the student did not choose to communicate using spoken language or…

Effects of Weighted Vests on Classroom Behavior for Children with Autism and Cognitive Impairments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hodgetts, Sandra; Magill-Evans, Joyce; Misiaszek, John

2011-01-01

This randomized controlled single-case study investigated the effects of weighted vests for 10 children with autism in a classroom setting. Blinded observers rated targeted behaviors through video taken during structured table-top activities typically part of the classroom routine. Blinded teachers rated each child's behavior with the Conners'…

A Novel Quantum Blind Signature Scheme with Four-particle GHZ States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Ling; Zhang, Ke-Jia; Qin, Su-Juan; Guo, Fen-Zhuo

2016-02-01

In an arbitrated quantum signature scheme, the signer signs the message and the receiver verifies the signature's validity with the assistance of the arbitrator. We present an arbitrated quantum blind signature scheme by using four-particle entangled Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) states. By using the special relationship of four-particle GHZ states, we cannot only support the security of quantum signature, but also guarantee the anonymity of the message owner. It has a wide application to E-payment system, E-government, E-business, and etc.

``From Earth to the Solar System'' Traveling Exhibit Visits Puerto Rico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pantoja, C. A.; Lebrón, M. E.; Isidro, G. M.

2013-04-01

Puerto Rico was selected as one of the venues for the exhibit “From Earth to the Solar System” (FETTSS) during the month of October 2011. A set of outreach activities were organized to take place during the month of October aligned with the FETTSS themes. These activities included the following: 1) Main Exhibit, 2) Guided tours for school groups, 3) Planet Festival, 4) Film Festival and 5) Astronomy Conferences. We describe this experience and in particular the work with a group of undergraduate students from the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) that assisted in the outreach events. Among this group were three blind students. The FETTSS exhibit included a set of tactile and Braille images for the blind and visually impaired. A special exhibit was prepared with additional adapted materials for the visually impaired. This allowed blind visitors to participate and the general public to become more aware of the needs of this population.

The use of volumetric projections in Digital Human Modelling software for the identification of Large Goods Vehicle blind spots.

PubMed

Summerskill, Stephen; Marshall, Russell; Cook, Sharon; Lenard, James; Richardson, John

2016-03-01

The aim of the study is to understand the nature of blind spots in the vision of drivers of Large Goods Vehicles caused by vehicle design variables such as the driver eye height, and mirror designs. The study was informed by the processing of UK national accident data using cluster analysis to establish if vehicle blind spots contribute to accidents. In order to establish the cause and nature of blind spots six top selling trucks in the UK, with a range of sizes were digitized and imported into the SAMMIE Digital Human Modelling (DHM) system. A novel CAD based vision projection technique, which has been validated in a laboratory study, allowed multiple mirror and window aperture projections to be created, resulting in the identification and quantification of a key blind spot. The identified blind spot was demonstrated to have the potential to be associated with the scenarios that were identified in the accident data. The project led to the revision of UNECE Regulation 46 that defines mirror coverage in the European Union, with new vehicle registrations in Europe being required to meet the amended standard after June of 2015. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Catch-up validation study of an in vitro skin irritation test method based on an open source reconstructed epidermis (phase II).

PubMed

Groeber, F; Schober, L; Schmid, F F; Traube, A; Kolbus-Hernandez, S; Daton, K; Hoffmann, S; Petersohn, D; Schäfer-Korting, M; Walles, H; Mewes, K R

2016-10-01

To replace the Draize skin irritation assay (OECD guideline 404) several test methods based on reconstructed human epidermis (RHE) have been developed and were adopted in the OECD test guideline 439. However, all validated test methods in the guideline are linked to RHE provided by only three companies. Thus, the availability of these test models is dependent on the commercial interest of the producer. To overcome this limitation and thus to increase the accessibility of in vitro skin irritation testing, an open source reconstructed epidermis (OS-REp) was introduced. To demonstrate the capacity of the OS-REp in regulatory risk assessment, a catch-up validation study was performed. The participating laboratories used in-house generated OS-REp to assess the set of 20 reference substances according to the performance standards amending the OECD test guideline 439. Testing was performed under blinded conditions. The within-laboratory reproducibility of 87% and the inter-laboratory reproducibility of 85% prove a high reliability of irritancy testing using the OS-REp protocol. In addition, the prediction capacity was with an accuracy of 80% comparable to previous published RHE based test protocols. Taken together the results indicate that the OS-REp test method can be used as a standalone alternative skin irritation test replacing the OECD test guideline 404. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

An augmented classical least squares method for quantitative Raman spectral analysis against component information loss.

PubMed

Zhou, Yan; Cao, Hui

2013-01-01

We propose an augmented classical least squares (ACLS) calibration method for quantitative Raman spectral analysis against component information loss. The Raman spectral signals with low analyte concentration correlations were selected and used as the substitutes for unknown quantitative component information during the CLS calibration procedure. The number of selected signals was determined by using the leave-one-out root-mean-square error of cross-validation (RMSECV) curve. An ACLS model was built based on the augmented concentration matrix and the reference spectral signal matrix. The proposed method was compared with partial least squares (PLS) and principal component regression (PCR) using one example: a data set recorded from an experiment of analyte concentration determination using Raman spectroscopy. A 2-fold cross-validation with Venetian blinds strategy was exploited to evaluate the predictive power of the proposed method. The one-way variance analysis (ANOVA) was used to access the predictive power difference between the proposed method and existing methods. Results indicated that the proposed method is effective at increasing the robust predictive power of traditional CLS model against component information loss and its predictive power is comparable to that of PLS or PCR.

Action video game play and transfer of navigation and spatial cognition skills in adolescents who are blind.

PubMed

Connors, Erin C; Chrastil, Elizabeth R; Sánchez, Jaime; Merabet, Lotfi B

2014-01-01

For individuals who are blind, navigating independently in an unfamiliar environment represents a considerable challenge. Inspired by the rising popularity of video games, we have developed a novel approach to train navigation and spatial cognition skills in adolescents who are blind. Audio-based Environment Simulator (AbES) is a software application that allows for the virtual exploration of an existing building set in an action video game metaphor. Using this ludic-based approach to learning, we investigated the ability and efficacy of adolescents with early onset blindness to acquire spatial information gained from the exploration of a target virtual indoor environment. Following game play, participants were assessed on their ability to transfer and mentally manipulate acquired spatial information on a set of navigation tasks carried out in the real environment. Success in transfer of navigation skill performance was markedly high suggesting that interacting with AbES leads to the generation of an accurate spatial mental representation. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between success in game play and navigation task performance. The role of virtual environments and gaming in the development of mental spatial representations is also discussed. We conclude that this game based learning approach can facilitate the transfer of spatial knowledge and further, can be used by individuals who are blind for the purposes of navigation in real-world environments.

Action video game play and transfer of navigation and spatial cognition skills in adolescents who are blind

PubMed Central

Connors, Erin C.; Chrastil, Elizabeth R.; Sánchez, Jaime; Merabet, Lotfi B.

2014-01-01

For individuals who are blind, navigating independently in an unfamiliar environment represents a considerable challenge. Inspired by the rising popularity of video games, we have developed a novel approach to train navigation and spatial cognition skills in adolescents who are blind. Audio-based Environment Simulator (AbES) is a software application that allows for the virtual exploration of an existing building set in an action video game metaphor. Using this ludic-based approach to learning, we investigated the ability and efficacy of adolescents with early onset blindness to acquire spatial information gained from the exploration of a target virtual indoor environment. Following game play, participants were assessed on their ability to transfer and mentally manipulate acquired spatial information on a set of navigation tasks carried out in the real environment. Success in transfer of navigation skill performance was markedly high suggesting that interacting with AbES leads to the generation of an accurate spatial mental representation. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between success in game play and navigation task performance. The role of virtual environments and gaming in the development of mental spatial representations is also discussed. We conclude that this game based learning approach can facilitate the transfer of spatial knowledge and further, can be used by individuals who are blind for the purposes of navigation in real-world environments. PMID:24653690

Iridology: A systematic review.

PubMed

Ernst, E

1999-02-01

Iridologists claim to be able to diagnose medical conditions through abnormalities of pigmentation in the iris. This technique is popular in many countries. Therefore it is relevant to ask whether it is valid. To systematically review all interpretable tests of the validity of iridology as a diagnostic tool. DATA SOURCE AND EXTRACTION: Three independent literature searches were performed to identify all blinded tests. Data were extracted in a predefined, standardized fashion. Four case control studies were found. The majority of these investigations suggests that iridology is not a valid diagnostic method. The validity of iridology as a diagnostic tool is not supported by scientific evaluations. Patients and therapists should be discouraged from using this method.

Reproduction accuracy of articulator mounting with an arbitrary face-bow vs. average values-a controlled, randomized, blinded patient simulator study.

PubMed

Ahlers, M Oliver; Edelhoff, Daniel; Jakstat, Holger A

2018-06-21

The benefit from positioning the maxillary casts with the aid of face-bows has been questioned in the past. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the reliability and validity of arbitrary face-bow transfers compared to a process solely based on the orientation by means of average values. For optimized validity, the study was conducted using a controlled, randomized, anonymized, and blinded patient simulator study design. Thirty-eight undergraduate dental students were randomly divided into two groups; both groups were applied to both methods, in opposite sequences. Investigated methods were the transfer of casts using an arbitrary face-bow in comparison to the transfer using average values based on Bonwill's triangle and the Balkwill angle. The "patient" used in this study was a patient simulator. All casts were transferred to the same individual articulator, and all the transferred casts were made using type IV special hard stone plaster; for the attachment into the articulator, type II plaster was used. A blinded evaluation was performed based on three-dimensional measurements of three reference points. The results are presented three-dimensionally in scatterplots. Statistical analysis indicated a significantly smaller variance (Student's t test, p < 0.05) for the transfer using a face-bow, applicable for all three reference points. The use of an arbitrary face-bow significantly improves the transfer reliability and hence the validity. To simulate the patient situation in an individual articulator correctly, casts should be transferred at least by means of an arbitrary face-bow.

Automated Detection of Diabetic Retinopathy using Deep Learning.

PubMed

Lam, Carson; Yi, Darvin; Guo, Margaret; Lindsey, Tony

2018-01-01

Diabetic retinopathy is a leading cause of blindness among working-age adults. Early detection of this condition is critical for good prognosis. In this paper, we demonstrate the use of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) on color fundus images for the recognition task of diabetic retinopathy staging. Our network models achieved test metric performance comparable to baseline literature results, with validation sensitivity of 95%. We additionally explored multinomial classification models, and demonstrate that errors primarily occur in the misclassification of mild disease as normal due to the CNNs inability to detect subtle disease features. We discovered that preprocessing with contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization and ensuring dataset fidelity by expert verification of class labels improves recognition of subtle features. Transfer learning on pretrained GoogLeNet and AlexNet models from ImageNet improved peak test set accuracies to 74.5%, 68.8%, and 57.2% on 2-ary, 3-ary, and 4-ary classification models, respectively.

Concerning the Development of the Wide-Field Optics for WFXT Including Methods of Optimizing X-Ray Optical Prescriptions for Wide-Field Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weisskopf, M. C.; Elsner, R. F.; O'Dell, S. L.; Ramsey, B. D.

2010-01-01

We present a progress report on the various endeavors we are undertaking at MSFC in support of the Wide Field X-Ray Telescope development. In particular we discuss assembly and alignment techniques, in-situ polishing corrections, and the results of our efforts to optimize mirror prescriptions including polynomial coefficients, relative shell displacements, detector placements and tilts. This optimization does not require a blind search through the multi-dimensional parameter space. Under the assumption that the parameters are small enough so that second order expansions are valid, we show that the performance at the detector can be expressed as a quadratic function with numerical coefficients derived from a ray trace through the underlying Wolter I optic. The optimal values for the parameters are found by solving the linear system of equations creating by setting derivatives of this function with respect to each parameter to zero.

Histopathology of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and its clinical implications.

PubMed

Torres, A; Fábregas, N; Arce, Y; López-Boado, M A

1999-01-01

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a diffuse polymicrobial and dynamic process, with heterogeneous distribution of lesions, showing different degrees of histological evolution predominating in the dependent lung zones, in which microbiology and histology can be dissociated. This might explain why blind endobronchial techniques to collect respiratory secretions have similar accuracy compared to visually guided samples, explaining the difficulties in validating any methods for its diagnosis. In the clinical setting the association of acute lung injury (ALI) and pneumonia is controversial. However, it is rare to detect diffuse alveolar damage (DAD) in absence of histological signs of pneumonia, probably evidencing that ALI favors the development of pneumonia. Histopathologically, it is difficult to distinguish initial and resolution phases of DAD from pneumonia and vice versa. On the other hand, there is a clear relationship between antimicrobial treatment and the decreased lung bacterial burden which strengthens the importance of distal airway sampling before starting antibiotic therapy.

Perceptions of racial confrontation: the role of color blindness and comment ambiguity.

PubMed

Zou, Linda X; Dickter, Cheryl L

2013-01-01

Because of its emphasis on diminishing race and avoiding racial discourse, color-blind racial ideology has been suggested to have negative consequences for modern day race relations. The current research examined the influence of color blindness and the ambiguity of a prejudiced remark on perceptions of a racial minority group member who confronts the remark. One hundred thirteen White participants responded to a vignette depicting a White character making a prejudiced comment of variable ambiguity, after which a Black target character confronted the comment. Results demonstrated that the target confronter was perceived more negatively and as responding less appropriately by participants high in color blindness, and that this effect was particularly pronounced when participants responded to the ambiguous comment. Implications for the ways in which color blindness, as an accepted norm that is endorsed across legal and educational settings, can facilitate Whites' complicity in racial inequality are discussed.

White Pre-Service Teachers and "De-Privileged Spaces"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adair, Jennifer

2008-01-01

In their classic article, "Culture as Disability," McDermott and Varenne (1995) retell the fable of the seeing man who, upon finding himself in the "country of the blind" thought he could easily rule it. His efforts were fruitless because he could not make sense of their world. Daily life was set up for the blind to be successful. The seeing man…

Braille, Amma and Integration: The Hybrid Evolution of Education for the Blind in Taiwan, 1870s-1970s

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiu, Tasing

2014-01-01

Industrialisation and mass education have long been considered two main determinants in the emergence of special education, but in many formerly colonised countries, such as Taiwan, historical development did not follow along these lines. In Taiwan, schools for the blind were initially set up by missionaries and colonisers, and were primarily…

Raised-Line Pictures, Blindness, and Tactile "Beliefs": An Observational Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

D'Angiulli, Amedeo

2007-01-01

In this observational case study, a 13-year old boy, Carlo, who was born completely blind, was invited to explore and identify, a set of raised-line pictures without receiving feedback about the accuracy of his identification. He was then asked to explain, verbally or by drawing, why he believed that the names he suggested accurately identified…

The Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Workflow

PubMed Central

Bolster, Nigel M.; Giardini, Mario E.; Bastawrous, Andrew

2015-01-01

Complications of diabetes mellitus, namely diabetic retinopathy and diabetic maculopathy, are the leading cause of blindness in working aged people. Sufferers can avoid blindness if identified early via retinal imaging. Systematic screening of the diabetic population has been shown to greatly reduce the prevalence and incidence of blindness within the population. Many national screening programs have digital fundus photography as their basis. In the past 5 years several techniques and adapters have been developed that allow digital fundus photography to be performed using smartphones. We review recent progress in smartphone-based fundus imaging and discuss its potential for integration into national systematic diabetic retinopathy screening programs. Some systems have produced promising initial results with respect to their agreement with reference standards. However further multisite trialling of such systems’ use within implementable screening workflows is required if an evidence base strong enough to affect policy change is to be established. If this were to occur national diabetic retinopathy screening would, for the first time, become possible in low- and middle-income settings where cost and availability of trained eye care personnel are currently key barriers to implementation. As diabetes prevalence and incidence is increasing sharply in these settings, the impact on global blindness could be profound. PMID:26596630

Impact of domain knowledge on blinded predictions of binding energies by alchemical free energy calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mey, Antonia S. J. S.; Jiménez, Jordi Juárez; Michel, Julien

2018-01-01

The Drug Design Data Resource (D3R) consortium organises blinded challenges to address the latest advances in computational methods for ligand pose prediction, affinity ranking, and free energy calculations. Within the context of the second D3R Grand Challenge several blinded binding free energies predictions were made for two congeneric series of Farsenoid X Receptor (FXR) inhibitors with a semi-automated alchemical free energy calculation workflow featuring FESetup and SOMD software tools. Reasonable performance was observed in retrospective analyses of literature datasets. Nevertheless, blinded predictions on the full D3R datasets were poor due to difficulties encountered with the ranking of compounds that vary in their net-charge. Performance increased for predictions that were restricted to subsets of compounds carrying the same net-charge. Disclosure of X-ray crystallography derived binding modes maintained or improved the correlation with experiment in a subsequent rounds of predictions. The best performing protocols on D3R set1 and set2 were comparable or superior to predictions made on the basis of analysis of literature structure activity relationships (SAR)s only, and comparable or slightly inferior, to the best submissions from other groups.

Validation of the SunTech Medical Advantage Model 2 Series Automated Blood Pressure Module in Pregnancy.

PubMed

Kuper, Spencer G; Dotson, Kristin N; Anderson, Sarah B; Harris, Stacy L; Harper, Lorie M; Tita, Alan T

2018-06-15

 We sought to validate the SunTech Medical Advantage Model 2 Series with firmware LX 3.40.8 algorithm noninvasive blood pressure module in a pregnant population, including those with preeclampsia.  Validation study of an oscillometric noninvasive blood pressure module using the ANSI/AAMI ISO 81060-2:2013 standard guidelines. Pregnant women were enrolled into three subgroups: normotensive, hypertensive without proteinuria, and preeclampsia (hypertensive with random protein-to-creatinine ratio ≥ 0.3 or a 24-hour urine protein > 300 mg). Two trained research nurses, blinded to each other's measurements, used a mercury sphygmomanometer to validate the module by following the protocol set forth in the ANSI/AAMI ISO 81060-2:2013 standard guidelines.  A total of 45 patients, 15 in each subgroup, were included. The mean systolic and diastolic differences with standard deviations between the module and the mean observers' measurements for all participants were -2.3 ± 7.3 and 0.2 ± 6.5 mm Hg, respectively. The systolic and diastolic standard deviations of the mean of the individual patient's paired module and observers' measurements were 6.27 and 5.98 mm Hg, respectively. The test device, relative to a mercury sphygmomanometer, underestimated the systolic blood pressure in patients with preeclampsia by at least 10 mm Hg in 24% (11/45) of paired measurements.  The SunTech Medical Advantage Model 2 Series with firmware LX 3.40.8 algorithm noninvasive blood pressure module is validated in pregnancy, including patients with preeclampsia; however, it may underestimate systolic blood pressure measurements in patients with preeclampsia. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Monitoring potential adverse event rate differences using data from blinded trials: the canary in the coal mine.

PubMed

Gould, A Lawrence; Wang, William B

2017-01-15

The development of drugs and biologicals whose mechanisms of action may extend beyond their target indications has led to a need to identify unexpected potential toxicities promptly even while blinded clinical trials are under way. One component of recently issued FDA rules regarding safety reporting requirements raises the possibility of breaking the blind for pre-identified serious adverse events that are not the clinical endpoints of a blinded study. Concern has been expressed that unblinding individual cases of frequently occurring adverse events could compromise the overall validity of the study. However, if external information is available about adverse event rates among patients not receiving the test product in populations similar to the study population, then it may be possible to address the potential for elevated risk without unblinding the trial. This article describes a Bayesian approach for determining the likelihood of elevated risk suitable binomial or Poisson likelihoods that applies regardless of the metric used to express the difference. The method appears to be particularly appropriate for routine monitoring of safety information for project development programs that include large blinded trials. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Development and validation of a questionnaire assessing the quality of life impact of Colour Blindness (CBQoL).

PubMed

Barry, John A; Mollan, Susan; Burdon, Michael A; Jenkins, Michelle; Denniston, Alastair K

2017-10-02

Congenital colour vision deficiency (CVD), commonly called 'colour blindness', affects around 8% of men and 0.4% of women. Although many aspects of health (e.g. change in colour of urine) and healthcare (e.g. coloured medication, colour-coded diagnostic tests), and modern life depend upon colour coding (e.g. graphs, maps, signals), the impact of colour blindness on everyday life is not generally considered a topic of importance. This study is the first to create and validate a questionnaire measuring the quality of life (QoL) impact of being colour blind. This study consisted of two phases. Firstly, the questionnaire design and development phase was led by an expert panel and piloted on a focus group. Secondly, an online sample of 128 men and 291 women filled in the questionnaire, and the psychometric properties of the questionnaire were analysed using principal components analysis (PCA). The scores of colour blind (CB) participants and normal-sighted controls, controlling for age and sex, were compared using matched t-tests. The PCA resulted in a questionnaire with three domains (or subscales): QoL for Health & Lifestyle, QoL for Work, and QoL for Emotions. Controlling for age, there was a significantly greater negative impact on QoL for CB people than normal-sighted controls in regards to confusion over colour in various aspects of their health (p = 5 × 10 -7 ), work (p = 1.3 × 10 -7 ), and emotional life (p = 6 × 10 -5 ). Colour blindness can significantly impact quality of life for health, emotions, and especially careers. The tool developed here could be useful in future clinical studies to measure changes in CBQoL in response to therapy in conditions where colour vision is affected. We also discuss ways in which everyday problems related to colour vision might be reduced, for example, workplaces could avoid colour coding where a non-colour alternative is possible.

A Label-Free Porous Silicon Immunosensor for Broad Detection of Opiates in a Blind Clinical Study and Result Comparison to Commercial Analytical Chemistry Techniques

PubMed Central

Bonanno, Lisa M.; Kwong, Tai C.; DeLouise, Lisa A.

2010-01-01

In this work we evaluate for the first time the performance of a label-free porous silicon (PSi) immunosensor assay in a blind clinical study designed to screen authentic patient urine specimens for a broad range of opiates. The PSi opiate immunosensor achieved 96% concordance with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) results on samples that underwent standard opiate testing (n=50). In addition, successful detection of a commonly abused opiate, oxycodone, resulted in 100% qualitative agreement between the PSi opiate sensor and LC-MS/MS. In contrast, a commercial broad opiate immunoassay technique (CEDIA®) achieved 65% qualitative concordance with LC-MS/MS. Evaluation of important performance attributes including precision, accuracy, and recovery was completed on blank urine specimens spiked with test analytes. Variability of morphine detection as a model opiate target was < 9% both within-run and between-day at and above the cutoff limit of 300 ng ml−1. This study validates the analytical screening capability of label-free PSi opiate immunosensors in authentic patient samples and is the first semi-quantitative demonstration of the technology’s successful clinical use. These results motivate future development of PSi technology to reduce complexity and cost of diagnostic testing particularly in a point-of-care setting. PMID:21062030

Development and Preliminary Evaluation of a Multivariate Index Assay for Ovarian Cancer

PubMed Central

Chen, Tzong-Hao; Bergstrom, Katharine J.; Zhao, Jinghua; Seshaiah, Partha; Yip, Ping; Mansfield, Brian C.

2009-01-01

Background Most women with a clinical presentation consistent with ovarian cancer have benign conditions. Therefore methods to distinguish women with ovarian cancer from those with benign conditions would be beneficial. We describe the development and preliminary evaluation of a serum-based multivariate assay for ovarian cancer. This hypothesis-driven study examined whether an informative pattern could be detected in stage I disease that persists through later stages. Methodology/Principal Findings Sera, collected under uniform protocols from multiple institutions, representing 176 cases and 187 controls from women presenting for surgery were examined using high-throughput, multiplexed immunoassays. All stages and common subtypes of epithelial ovarian cancer, and the most common benign ovarian conditions were represented. A panel of 104 antigens, 44 autoimmune and 56 infectious disease markers were assayed and informative combinations identified. Using a training set of 91 stage I data sets, representing 61 individual samples, and an equivalent number of controls, an 11-analyte profile, composed of CA-125, CA 19-9, EGF-R, C-reactive protein, myoglobin, apolipoprotein A1, apolipoprotein CIII, MIP-1α, IL-6, IL-18 and tenascin C was identified and appears informative for all stages and common subtypes of ovarian cancer. Using a testing set of 245 samples, approximately twice the size of the model building set, the classifier had 91.3% sensitivity and 88.5% specificity. While these preliminary results are promising, further refinement and extensive validation of the classifier in a clinical trial is necessary to determine if the test has clinical value. Conclusions/Significance We describe a blood-based assay using 11 analytes that can distinguish women with ovarian cancer from those with benign conditions. Preliminary evaluation of the classifier suggests it has the potential to offer approximately 90% sensitivity and 90% specificity. While promising, the performance needs to be assessed in a blinded clinical validation study. PMID:19240799

Validity and reliability of the iPhone to measure rib hump in scoliosis.

PubMed

Balg, Frederic; Juteau, Mathieu; Theoret, Chantal; Svotelis, Amy; Grenier, Guillaume

2014-12-01

This was a prospective blinded validity and reliability analysis. The aim of this study was validation and reliability evaluation of the Scoligauge iPhone app. The scoliometer is used to clinically measure the rib hump in scoliosis as a means to evaluate the axial trunk rotation. The increasing availability of smartphone with built-in accelerometer led to the development of a vast number of applications to measure angles. Of these, the Scoligauge mimics a scoliometer. The aim of this study was to compare the validity of the Scoligauge iPhone application without an associated adapter with the traditional scoliometer and to test the reliability of the application in a clinical setting. Two observers measured the rib hump deformity on 34 consecutive patients with idiopathic scoliosis with an average Cobb angle of 24.2 ± 13.5 degrees (range, 4 to 65 degrees). Measurements were made with an iPhone without the adapter and with a scoliometer. The validity as well as the interobserver and intraobserver reliability were calculated using the intraclass coefficient (ICC) and the Bland-Altman test. The mean difference between the scoliometer and the Scoligauge application was 0.4 degrees [95% confidence interval (CI) of ± 3.1 degrees] with an ICC of 0.947 (P < 0.001). The intraobserver and interobserver ICC were 0.961 (P < 0.001) and 0.901 (P < 0.001), respectively. The mean intraobserver difference was 0.0 degrees (95% CI of ± 2.7 degrees) and the mean interobserver difference was 0.1 degrees (95% CI of ± 4.4 degrees). The intraobserver and interobserver reliability of the Scoligauge iPhone app, as well as its validity compared with the scoliometer, are excellent. The mean differences between measurements are small and clinically not significant. Thus, the Scoligauge application is valid for clinical evaluation even without special adapter. Level I (Diagnostic Study).

Use of a standardized JaCVAM in vivo rat comet assay protocol to assess the genotoxicity of three coded test compounds; ampicillin trihydrate, 1,2-dimethylhydrazine dihydrochloride, and N-nitrosodimethylamine.

PubMed

McNamee, J P; Bellier, P V

2015-07-01

As part of the Japanese Center for the Validation of Alternative Methods (JaCVAM)-initiative international validation study of the in vivo rat alkaline comet assay (comet assay), our laboratory examined ampicillin trihydrate (AMP), 1,2-dimethylhydrazine dihydrochloride (DMH), and N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDA) using a standard comet assay validation protocol (v14.2) developed by the JaCVAM validation management team (VMT). Coded samples were received by our laboratory along with basic MSDS information. Solubility analysis and range-finding experiments of the coded test compounds were conducted for dose selection. Animal dosing schedules, the comet assay processing and analysis, and statistical analysis were conducted in accordance with the standard protocol. Based upon our blinded evaluation, AMP was not found to exhibit evidence of genotoxicity in either the rat liver or stomach. However, both NDA and DMH were observed to cause a significant increase in % tail DNA in the rat liver at all dose levels tested. While acute hepatoxicity was observed for these compounds in the high dose group, in the investigators opinion there were a sufficient number of consistently damaged/measurable cells at the medium and low dose groups to judge these compounds as genotoxic. There was no evidence of genotoxicity from either NDA or DMH in the rat stomach. In conclusion, our laboratory observed increased DNA damage from two blinded test compounds in rat liver (later identified as genotoxic carcinogens), while no evidence of genotoxicity was observed for the third blinded test compound (later identified as a non-genotoxic, non-carcinogen). This data supports the use of a standardized protocol of the in vivo comet assay as a cost-effective alternative genotoxicity assay for regulatory testing purposes. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Blinded randomized controlled study of a web-based otoscopy simulator in undergraduate medical education.

PubMed

Stepniak, Camilla; Wickens, Brandon; Husein, Murad; Paradis, Josee; Ladak, Hanif M; Fung, Kevin; Agrawal, Sumit K

2017-06-01

OtoTrain is a Web-based otoscopy simulator that has previously been shown to have face and content validity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of this Web-based otoscopy simulator in teaching diagnostic otoscopy to novice learners STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, blinded randomized control trial. Second-year medical students were invited to participate in the study. A pretest consisted of a series of otoscopy videos followed by an open-answer format assessment pertaining to the characteristics and diagnosis of each video. Participants were then randomly divided into a control group and a simulator group. Following the pretest, both groups attended standard otology lectures, but the simulator group was additionally given unlimited access to OtoTrain for 1 week. A post-test was completed using a separate set of otoscopy videos. Tests were graded based on a comprehensive marking scheme. The pretest and post-test were anonymized, and the three evaluators were blinded to student allotment. A total of 41 medical students were enrolled in the study and randomized to the control group (n = 20) and the simulator group (n = 21). There was no significant difference between the two groups on their pretest scores. With the standard otology lectures, the control group had a 31% improvement in their post-test score (mean ± standard error of the mean, 30.4 ± 1.5) compared with their pretest score (23.3 ± 1.8) (P < .001). The simulator group had the addition of OtoTrain to the otology lectures, and their score improved by 71% on their post-test (37.8 ± 1.6) compared to their pretest (22.1 ± 1.9) (P < .001). Comparing the post-test results, the simulator group had a 24% higher score than the control group (P < .002). Inter-rater reliability between the blinded evaluators was excellent (r = 0.953, P < .001). The use of OtoTrain increased the diagnostic otoscopic performance in novice learners. OtoTrain may be an effective teaching adjunct for undergraduate medical students. 1b. Laryngoscope, 127:1306-1311, 2017. © 2016 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

Access to healthcare for disabled persons. How are blind people reached by HIV services?

PubMed

Saulo, Bryson; Walakira, Eddy; Darj, Elisabeth

2012-03-01

Disabled people are overlooked and marginalised globally. There is a lack of information on blind people and HIV-related services and it is unclear how HIV-services target blind people in a sub-Saharan urban setting. To explore how blind people are reached by HIV-services in Kampala, Uganda. A purposeful sample of blind people and seeing healthcare workers were interviewed, and data on their opinions and experiences were collected. The data were analysed by qualitative content analysis, with a focus on manifest content. Three categories emerged from the study, reaching for HIV information and knowledge, lack of services, and experiences of discrimination. General knowledge on HIV prevention/transmission methods was good; however, there was scepticism about condom use. Blind people mainly relied on others for accessing HIV information, and a lack of special services for blind people to be able to test for HIV was expressed. The health service for blind people was considered inadequate, unequal and discriminatory, and harassment by healthcare staff was expressed, but not sexual abuse. Concerns about disclosure of personal medical information were revealed. Access to HIV services and other healthcare related services for blind people is limited and the objectives of the National Strategic Plan for HIV/AIDS 2007-2012 have not been achieved. There is a need for alternative methods for sensitisation and voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) for blind people. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Prevalence and causes of severe visual impairment and blindness among children in the lorestan province of iran, using the key informant method.

PubMed

Razavi, Hessom; Kuper, Hannah; Rezvan, Farhad; Amelie, Khatere; Mahboobi-Pur, Hassan; Oladi, Mohammad Reza; Muhit, Mohammad; Hashemi, Hassan

2010-03-01

To estimate the prevalence and causes of severe visual impairment and blindness among children in Lorestan province of Iran, and to assess the feasibility of the Key Informant Method in this setting. Potential cases were identified using the Key Informant Method, in 3 counties of Lorestan province during June through August 2008, and referred for examination. Causes of severe visual impairment/blindness were determined and categorized using standard World Health Organization methods. Of 123 children referred for examination, 27 children were confirmed to have severe visual impairment/blindness or blindness. The median age was11 years (interquartile range 6-13), and 59% were girls. After adjusting for non-attenders, the estimated prevalence of severe visual impairment/blindness was 0.04% (0.03-0.05). The main site of abnormality was retina (44%), followed by disorders of the whole eye (33%). The majority of causes had a hereditary etiology (70%), which was associated with a family history of blindness (P = 0.002). Potentially avoidable causes of severe visual impairment/blindness were found in 14 children (52%). Almost all children with severe visual impairment/blindness had a history of parental consanguinity (93%). Our findings suggest a moderate prevalence of childhood blindness in the Lorestan province of Iran, a high proportion of which may be avoidable, given improved access to ophthalmic and genetic counselling services in rural areas. The Key Informant Method is feasible in Iran; future research is discussed.

Spatiotemporal characteristics of motor actions by blind long jump athletes.

PubMed

Torralba, Miguel Angel; Padullés, José María; Losada, Jose Luis; López, Jose Luis

2017-01-01

Blind people depend on spatial and temporal representations to perform activities of daily living and compete in sport. The aim of this study is to determine the spatiotemporal characteristics of long jumps performed by blind athletes and compare findings with those reported for sighted athletes. We analysed a sample of 12 male athletes competing in the F11 Long Jump Finals at the Paralympic Games in London 2012. Performances were recorded using four high-speed cameras, and speeds were measured using a radar speed gun. The images were processed using validated image analysis software. The long jump run-up is shorter in blind athletes than in sighted athletes. We observed statistically significant differences for body centre of mass velocity and an increase in speed over the last three strides prior to take-off, contrasting with reports for sighted athletes and athletes with less severe visual impairment, who maintain or reduce their speed during the last stride. Stride length for the last three strides was the only spatial characteristic that was not significantly associated with effective jump distance. Blind long jumpers extend rather than shorten their last stride. Contact time with the take-off board is longer than that reported for sighted athletes. The actions of blind long jumpers, unlike those without disabilities, do not vary their leg actions during the final runway approach for optimal placement on the take-off board.

Comparison of two modalities: a novel technique, 'chromohysteroscopy', and blind endometrial sampling for the evaluation of abnormal uterine bleeding.

PubMed

Alay, Asli; Usta, Taner A; Ozay, Pinar; Karadugan, Ozgur; Ates, Ugur

2014-05-01

The objective of this study was to compare classical blind endometrial tissue sampling with hysteroscopic biopsy sampling following methylene blue dyeing in premenopausal and postmenopausal patients with abnormal uterine bleeding. A prospective case-control study was carried out in the Office Hysteroscopy Unit. Fifty-four patients with complaints of abnormal uterine bleeding were evaluated. Data of 38 patients were included in the statistical analysis. Three groups were compared by examining samples obtained through hysteroscopic biopsy before and after methylene blue dyeing, and classical blind endometrial tissue sampling. First, uterine cavity was evaluated with office hysteroscopy. Methylene blue dye was administered through the hysteroscopic inlet. Tissue samples were obtained from stained and non-stained areas. Blind endometrial sampling was performed in the same patients immediately after the hysteroscopy procedure. The results of hysteroscopic biopsy from methylene blue stained and non-stained areas and blind biopsy were compared. No statistically significant differences were determined in the comparison of biopsy samples obtained from methylene-blue stained, non-stained areas and blind biopsy (P > 0.05). We suggest that chromohysteroscopy is not superior to endometrial sampling in cases of abnormal uterine bleeding. Further studies with greater sample sizes should be performed to assess the validity of routine use of endometrial dyeing. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research © 2014 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Protocol for determining the diagnostic validity of physical examination maneuvers for shoulder pathology

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Shoulder complaints are the third most common musculoskeletal problem in the general population. There are an abundance of physical examination maneuvers for diagnosing shoulder pathology. The validity of these maneuvers has not been adequately addressed. We propose a large Phase III study to investigate the accuracy of these tests in an orthopaedic setting. Methods We will recruit consecutive new shoulder patients who are referred to two tertiary orthopaedic clinics. We will select which physical examination tests to include using a modified Delphi process. The physician will take a thorough history from the patient and indicate their certainty about each possible diagnosis (certain the diagnosis is absent, present or requires further testing). The clinician will only perform the physical examination maneuvers for diagnoses where uncertainty remains. We will consider arthroscopy the reference standard for patients who undergo surgery within 8 months of physical examination and magnetic resonance imaging with arthrogram for patients who do not. We will calculate the sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative likelihood ratios and investigate whether combinations of the top tests provide stronger predictions of the presence or absence of disease. Discussion There are several considerations when performing a diagnostic study to ensure that the results are applicable in a clinical setting. These include, 1) including a representative sample, 2) selecting an appropriate reference standard, 3) avoiding verification bias, 4) blinding the interpreters of the physical examination tests to the interpretation of the gold standard and, 5) blinding the interpreters of the gold standard to the interpretation of the physical examination tests. The results of this study will inform clinicians of which tests, or combination of tests, successfully reduce diagnostic uncertainty, which tests are misleading and how physical examination may affect the magnitude of the confidence the clinician feels about their diagnosis. The results of this study may reduce the number of costly and invasive imaging studies (MRI, CT or arthrography) that are requisitioned when uncertainty about diagnosis remains following history and physical exam. We also hope to reduce the variability between specialists in which maneuvers are used during physical examination and how they are used, all of which will assist in improving consistency of care between centres. PMID:23394210

An Investigation of the Motivational Effects of Talking Pedometers among Children with Visual Impairments and Deaf-Blindness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lieberman, Lauren J.; Stuart, Moira E.; Hand, Karen; Robinson, Barbara

2006-01-01

This study sought to determine the effects of using a talking pedometer on walking behavior and the value placed on walking by 22 children who are visually impaired or deaf-blind. The results revealed that the children were motivated to set challenging goals for increasing daily activity levels through the feedback provided by the talking…

Visual impairment and blindness among the students of blind schools in Allahabad and its vicinity: A causal assessment

PubMed Central

Bhalerao, Sushank Ashok; Tandon, Mahesh; Singh, Satyaprakash; Dwivedi, Shraddha; Kumar, Santosh; Rana, Jagriti

2015-01-01

Background/Aims: Information on eye diseases in blind school children in Allahabad is rare and sketchy. A cross-sectional study was performed to identify causes of blindness (BL) in blind school children with an aim to gather information on ocular morbidity in the blind schools in Allahabad and in its vicinity. Study Design and Setting: A cross-sectional study was carried out in all the four blind schools in Allahabad and its vicinity. Materials and Methods: The students in the blind schools visited were included in the study and informed consents from parents were obtained. Relevant ocular history and basic ocular examinations were carried out on the students of the blind schools. Results: A total of 90 students were examined in four schools of the blind in Allahabad and in the vicinity. The main causes of severe visual impairment and BL in the better eye of students were microphthalmos (34.44%), corneal scar (22.23%), anophthalmos (14.45%), pseudophakia (6.67%), optic nerve atrophy (6.67%), buphthalmos/glaucoma (3.33%), cryptophthalmos (2.22%), staphyloma (2.22%), cataract (2.22%), retinal dystrophy (2.22%), aphakia (1.11%), coloboma (1.11%), retinal detachment (1.11%), etc. Of these, 22 (24.44%) students had preventable causes of BL and another 12 (13.33%) students had treatable causes of BL. Conclusion: It was found that hereditary diseases, corneal scar, glaucoma and cataract were the prominent causes of BL among the students of blind schools. Almost 38% of the students had preventable or treatable causes, indicating the need of genetical counseling and focused intervention. PMID:25971172

Smartphone based face recognition tool for the blind.

PubMed

Kramer, K M; Hedin, D S; Rolkosky, D J

2010-01-01

The inability to identify people during group meetings is a disadvantage for blind people in many professional and educational situations. To explore the efficacy of face recognition using smartphones in these settings, we have prototyped and tested a face recognition tool for blind users. The tool utilizes Smartphone technology in conjunction with a wireless network to provide audio feedback of the people in front of the blind user. Testing indicated that the face recognition technology can tolerate up to a 40 degree angle between the direction a person is looking and the camera's axis and a 96% success rate with no false positives. Future work will be done to further develop the technology for local face recognition on the smartphone in addition to remote server based face recognition.

The Nottingham Adjustment Scale: a validation study.

PubMed

Dodds, A G; Flannigan, H; Ng, L

1993-09-01

The concept of adjustment to acquired sight loss is examined in the context of existing loss models. An alternative conceptual framework is presented which addresses the 'blindness experience', and which suggests that the depression so frequently encountered in those losing their sight can be understood better by recourse to cognitive factors than to psychoanalytically based theories of grieving. A scale to measure psychological status before and after rehabilitation is described, its factorial validity is demonstrated, and its validity in enabling changes to be measured. Practitioners are encouraged to adopt a similar perspective in other areas of acquired disability.

On the role of visual experience in mathematical development: Evidence from blind mathematicians.

PubMed

Amalric, Marie; Denghien, Isabelle; Dehaene, Stanislas

2018-04-01

Advanced mathematical reasoning, regardless of domain or difficulty, activates a reproducible set of bilateral brain areas including intraparietal, inferior temporal and dorsal prefrontal cortex. The respective roles of genetics, experience and education in the development of this math-responsive network, however, remain unresolved. Here, we investigate the role of visual experience by studying the exceptional case of three professional mathematicians who were blind from birth (n=1) or became blind during childhood (n=2). Subjects were scanned with fMRI while they judged the truth value of spoken mathematical and nonmathematical statements. Blind mathematicians activated the classical network of math-related areas during mathematical reflection, similar to that found in a group of sighted professional mathematicians. Thus, brain networks for advanced mathematical reasoning can develop in the absence of visual experience. Additional activations were found in occipital cortex, even in individuals who became blind during childhood, suggesting that either mental imagery or a more radical repurposing of visual cortex may occur in blind mathematicians. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Inequality in cataract blindness and services: moving beyond unidimensional analyses of social position.

PubMed

Ramke, Jacqueline; Zwi, Anthony B; Lee, Arier C; Blignault, Ilse; Gilbert, Clare E

2017-04-01

Inequalities in cataract blindness are well known, but data are rarely disaggregated to explore the combined effects of a range of axes describing social disadvantage. We examined inequalities in cataract blindness and services at the intersection of three social axes. Three dichotomous social variables (sex (male/female); place of residence (urban/rural); literacy (literate/illiterate)) from cross-sectional national blindness surveys in Pakistan (2001-2004; n=16 507) and Nigeria (2005-2007; n=13 591) were used to construct eight subgroups, with disadvantaged subgroups selected a priori (ie, women, rural dwellers, illiterate). In each data set, the social distribution of cataract blindness, cataract surgical coverage (CSC) and effective cataract surgical coverage (eCSC) were examined. Inequalities were assessed comparing the best-off and worst-off subgroups using rate differences and rate ratios (RRs). Logistic regression was used to assess cumulative effects of multiple disadvantage. Disadvantaged subgroups experienced higher prevalence of cataract blindness, lower CSC and lower eCSC in both countries. A social gradient was present for CSC and eCSC, with coverage increasing as social position improved. Relative inequality in eCSC was approximately twice as high as CSC (Pakistan: eCSC RR 2.7 vs CSC RR 1.3; Nigeria: eCSC RR 8.7 vs CSC RR 4.1). Cumulative disadvantage was observed for all outcomes, deteriorating further with each additional axis along which disadvantage was experienced. Each outcome tended to be worse with the addition of each layer of social disadvantage. Illiterate, rural women fared worst in both settings. Moving beyond unidimensional analyses of social position identified subgroups in most need; this permits a more nuanced response to addressing the inequitable distribution of cataract blindness. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Methodology used in comparative studies assessing programmes of transition from paediatrics to adult care programmes: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Le Roux, E; Mellerio, H; Guilmin-Crépon, S; Gottot, S; Jacquin, P; Boulkedid, R; Alberti, C

2017-01-01

Objective To explore the methodologies employed in studies assessing transition of care interventions, with the aim of defining goals for the improvement of future studies. Design Systematic review of comparative studies assessing transition to adult care interventions for young people with chronic conditions. Data sources MEDLINE, EMBASE, ClinicalTrial.gov. Eligibility criteria for selecting studies 2 reviewers screened comparative studies with experimental and quasi-experimental designs, published or registered before July 2015. Eligible studies evaluate transition interventions at least in part after transfer to adult care of young people with chronic conditions with at least one outcome assessed quantitatively. Results 39 studies were reviewed, 26/39 (67%) published their final results and 13/39 (33%) were in progress. In 9 studies (9/39, 23%) comparisons were made between preintervention and postintervention in a single group. Randomised control groups were used in 9/39 (23%) studies. 2 (2/39, 5%) reported blinding strategies. Use of validated questionnaires was reported in 28% (11/39) of studies. In terms of reporting in published studies 15/26 (58%) did not report age at transfer, and 6/26 (23%) did not report the time of collection of each outcome. Conclusions Few evaluative studies exist and their level of methodological quality is variable. The complexity of interventions, multiplicity of outcomes, difficulty of blinding and the small groups of patients have consequences on concluding on the effectiveness of interventions. The evaluation of the transition interventions requires an appropriate and common methodology which will provide access to a better level of evidence. We identified areas for improvement in terms of randomisation, recruitment and external validity, blinding, measurement validity, standardised assessment and reporting. Improvements will increase our capacity to determine effective interventions for transition care. PMID:28131998

Earthquake Source Inversion Blindtest: Initial Results and Further Developments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mai, P.; Burjanek, J.; Delouis, B.; Festa, G.; Francois-Holden, C.; Monelli, D.; Uchide, T.; Zahradnik, J.

2007-12-01

Images of earthquake ruptures, obtained from modelling/inverting seismic and/or geodetic data exhibit a high degree in spatial complexity. This earthquake source heterogeneity controls seismic radiation, and is determined by the details of the dynamic rupture process. In turn, such rupture models are used for studying source dynamics and for ground-motion prediction. But how reliable and trustworthy are these earthquake source inversions? Rupture models for a given earthquake, obtained by different research teams, often display striking disparities (see http://www.seismo.ethz.ch/srcmod) However, well resolved, robust, and hence reliable source-rupture models are an integral part to better understand earthquake source physics and to improve seismic hazard assessment. Therefore it is timely to conduct a large-scale validation exercise for comparing the methods, parameterization and data-handling in earthquake source inversions.We recently started a blind test in which several research groups derive a kinematic rupture model from synthetic seismograms calculated for an input model unknown to the source modelers. The first results, for an input rupture model with heterogeneous slip but constant rise time and rupture velocity, reveal large differences between the input and inverted model in some cases, while a few studies achieve high correlation between the input and inferred model. Here we report on the statistical assessment of the set of inverted rupture models to quantitatively investigate their degree of (dis-)similarity. We briefly discuss the different inversion approaches, their possible strength and weaknesses, and the use of appropriate misfit criteria. Finally we present new blind-test models, with increasing source complexity and ambient noise on the synthetics. The goal is to attract a large group of source modelers to join this source-inversion blindtest in order to conduct a large-scale validation exercise to rigorously asses the performance and reliability of current inversion methods and to discuss future developments.

Ambulatory monitoring of activities and motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Zwartjes, Daphne G M; Heida, Tjitske; van Vugt, Jeroen P P; Geelen, Jan A G; Veltink, Peter H

2010-11-01

Ambulatory monitoring of motor symptoms in Parkinsons disease (PD) can improve our therapeutic strategies, especially in patients with motor fluctuations. Previously published monitors usually assess only one or a few basic aspects of the cardinal motor symptoms in a laboratory setting. We developed a novel ambulatory monitoring system that provides a complete motor assessment by simultaneously analyzing current motor activity of the patient (e.g. sitting, walking) and the severity of many aspects related to tremor, bradykinesia, and hypokinesia. The monitor consists of a set of four inertial sensors. Validity of our monitor was established in seven healthy controls and six PD patients treated with deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus. Patients were tested at three different levels of DBS treatment. Subjects were monitored while performing different tasks, including motor tests of the Unified Parkinsons Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). Output of the monitor was compared to simultaneously recorded videos. The monitor proved very accurate in discriminating between several motor activities. Monitor output correlated well with blinded UPDRS ratings during different DBS levels. The combined analysis of motor activity and symptom severity by our PD monitor brings true ambulatory monitoring of a wide variety of motor symptoms one step closer..

Validation of the Lung Subtyping Panel in Multiple Fresh-Frozen and Formalin-Fixed, Paraffin-Embedded Lung Tumor Gene Expression Data Sets.

PubMed

Faruki, Hawazin; Mayhew, Gregory M; Fan, Cheng; Wilkerson, Matthew D; Parker, Scott; Kam-Morgan, Lauren; Eisenberg, Marcia; Horten, Bruce; Hayes, D Neil; Perou, Charles M; Lai-Goldman, Myla

2016-06-01

Context .- A histologic classification of lung cancer subtypes is essential in guiding therapeutic management. Objective .- To complement morphology-based classification of lung tumors, a previously developed lung subtyping panel (LSP) of 57 genes was tested using multiple public fresh-frozen gene-expression data sets and a prospectively collected set of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded lung tumor samples. Design .- The LSP gene-expression signature was evaluated in multiple lung cancer gene-expression data sets totaling 2177 patients collected from 4 platforms: Illumina RNAseq (San Diego, California), Agilent (Santa Clara, California) and Affymetrix (Santa Clara) microarrays, and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Gene centroids were calculated for each of 3 genomic-defined subtypes: adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and neuroendocrine, the latter of which encompassed both small cell carcinoma and carcinoid. Classification by LSP into 3 subtypes was evaluated in both fresh-frozen and formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor samples, and agreement with the original morphology-based diagnosis was determined. Results .- The LSP-based classifications demonstrated overall agreement with the original clinical diagnosis ranging from 78% (251 of 322) to 91% (492 of 538 and 869 of 951) in the fresh-frozen public data sets and 84% (65 of 77) in the formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded data set. The LSP performance was independent of tissue-preservation method and gene-expression platform. Secondary, blinded pathology review of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples demonstrated concordance of 82% (63 of 77) with the original morphology diagnosis. Conclusions .- The LSP gene-expression signature is a reproducible and objective method for classifying lung tumors and demonstrates good concordance with morphology-based classification across multiple data sets. The LSP panel can supplement morphologic assessment of lung cancers, particularly when classification by standard methods is challenging.

Optimized blind gamma-ray pulsar searches at fixed computing budget

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

Pletsch, Holger J.; Clark, Colin J., E-mail: holger.pletsch@aei.mpg.de

The sensitivity of blind gamma-ray pulsar searches in multiple years worth of photon data, as from the Fermi LAT, is primarily limited by the finite computational resources available. Addressing this 'needle in a haystack' problem, here we present methods for optimizing blind searches to achieve the highest sensitivity at fixed computing cost. For both coherent and semicoherent methods, we consider their statistical properties and study their search sensitivity under computational constraints. The results validate a multistage strategy, where the first stage scans the entire parameter space using an efficient semicoherent method and promising candidates are then refined through a fullymore » coherent analysis. We also find that for the first stage of a blind search incoherent harmonic summing of powers is not worthwhile at fixed computing cost for typical gamma-ray pulsars. Further enhancing sensitivity, we present efficiency-improved interpolation techniques for the semicoherent search stage. Via realistic simulations we demonstrate that overall these optimizations can significantly lower the minimum detectable pulsed fraction by almost 50% at the same computational expense.« less

Improved MIMO radar GMTI via cyclic-shift transmission of orthogonal frequency division signals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Fuyou; He, Feng; Dong, Zhen; Wu, Manqing

2018-05-01

Minimum detectable velocity (MDV) and maximum detectable velocity are both important in ground moving target indication (GMTI) systems. Smaller MDV can be achieved by longer baseline via multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar. Maximum detectable velocity is decided by blind velocities associated with carrier frequencies, and blind velocities can be mitigated by orthogonal frequency division signals. However, the scattering echoes from different carrier frequencies are independent, which is not good for improving MDV performance. An improved cyclic-shift transmission is applied in MIMO GMTI system in this paper. MDV performance is improved due to the longer baseline, and maximum detectable velocity performance is improved due to the mitigation of blind velocities via multiple carrier frequencies. The signal model for this mode is established, the principle of mitigating blind velocities with orthogonal frequency division signals is presented; the performance of different MIMO GMTI waveforms is analysed; and the performance of different array configurations is analysed. Simulation results by space-time-frequency adaptive processing proves that our proposed method is a valid way to improve GMTI performance.

Retrobulbar chlorpromazine in management of painful eye in blind or low vision patients.

PubMed

Ortiz, A; Galvis, V; Tello, A; Miro-Quesada, J J; Barrera, R; Ochoa, M

2017-04-01

To evaluate the results of applying retrobulbar chlorpromazine in the management of patients with painful blind eyes or with very poor vision. A retrospective, descriptive review was carried out on the medical records of 33 patients who were treated with a retrobulbar injection of chlorpromazine (25mg) for the management of painful blind eyes in Centro Oftalmológico Virgilio Galvis. Pain control was achieved in 90% of cases (with mean follow-up of 2.1 years). The mean intraocular pressure decreased by 37%. In 7 out of 12 eyes that maintained residual vision, loss of some degree of vision was acknowledged. One patient required an additional cyclodestructive procedure, another one required an absolute alcohol injection, and in an additional case evisceration surgery was necessary to achieve pain control. No serious complications were noted with this therapy. Retrobulbar injection of chlorpromazine is a valid option in painful, blind eye cases (or with very poor vision) with a poor visual prognosis. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Oftalmología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

How many CT detector rows are necessary to perform adequate three dimensional visualization?

PubMed

Fischer, Lars; Tetzlaff, Ralf; Schöbinger, Max; Radeleff, Boris; Bruckner, Thomas; Meinzer, H P; Büchler, M W; Schemmer, Peter

2010-06-01

The technical development of computer tomography (CT) imaging has experienced great progress. As consequence, CT data to be used for 3D visualization is not only based on 4 row CTs and 16 row CTs but also on 64 row CTs, respectively. The main goal of this study was to examine whether the increased amount of CT detector rows is correlated with improved quality of the 3D images. All CTs were acquired during routinely performed preoperative evaluation. Overall, there were 12 data sets based on 4 detector row CT, 12 data sets based on 16 detector row CT, and 10 data sets based on 64 detector row CT. Imaging data sets were transferred to the DKFZ Heidelberg using the CHILI teleradiology system. For the analysis all CT scans were examined in a blinded fashion, i.e. both the name of the patient as well as the name of the CT brand were erased. For analysis, the time for segmentation of liver, both portal and hepatic veins as well as the branching depth of portal veins and hepatic veins was recorded automatically. In addition, all results were validated in a blinded fashion based on given quality index. Segmentation of the liver was performed in significantly shorter time (p<0.01, Kruskal-Wallis test) in the 16 row CT (median 479 s) compared to 4 row CT (median 611 s), and 64 row CT (median 670 s), respectively. The branching depth of the portal vein did not differ significantly among the 3 different data sets (p=0.37, Kruskal-Wallis test). However, the branching depth of the hepatic veins was significantly better (p=0.028, Kruskal-Wallis test) in the 4 row CT and 16 row CT compared to 64 row CT. The grading of the quality index was not statistically different for portal veins and hepatic veins (p=0.80, Kruskal-Wallis test). Even though the total quality index was better for the vessel tree based on 64 row CT data sets (mean scale 2.6) compared to 4 CT row data (mean scale 3.25) and 16 row CT data (mean scale 3.0), these differences did not reach statistical difference (p=0.53, Kruskal-Wallis test). Even though 3D visualization is useful in operation planning, the quality of the 3D images appears to be not dependent of the number of CT detector rows. Copyright (c) 2009. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

45 CFR 162.1011 - Valid code sets.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Valid code sets. 162.1011 Section 162.1011 Public Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ADMINISTRATIVE DATA STANDARDS AND RELATED REQUIREMENTS ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS Code Sets § 162.1011 Valid code sets. Each code set is valid within the dates...

45 CFR 162.1011 - Valid code sets.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Valid code sets. 162.1011 Section 162.1011 Public Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ADMINISTRATIVE DATA STANDARDS AND RELATED REQUIREMENTS ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS Code Sets § 162.1011 Valid code sets. Each code set is valid within the dates...

45 CFR 162.1011 - Valid code sets.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Valid code sets. 162.1011 Section 162.1011 Public Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ADMINISTRATIVE DATA STANDARDS AND RELATED REQUIREMENTS ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS Code Sets § 162.1011 Valid code sets. Each code set is valid within the dates...

45 CFR 162.1011 - Valid code sets.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Valid code sets. 162.1011 Section 162.1011 Public Welfare Department of Health and Human Services ADMINISTRATIVE DATA STANDARDS AND RELATED REQUIREMENTS ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS Code Sets § 162.1011 Valid code sets. Each code set is valid within the dates...

45 CFR 162.1011 - Valid code sets.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Valid code sets. 162.1011 Section 162.1011 Public Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ADMINISTRATIVE DATA STANDARDS AND RELATED REQUIREMENTS ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS Code Sets § 162.1011 Valid code sets. Each code set is valid within the dates...

The impact of persistent bacterial bronchitis on the pulmonary microbiome of children

PubMed Central

Bingle, Lynne; Cookson, William O. C. M.; Everard, Mark L.; Moffatt, Miriam F.

2017-01-01

Introduction Persistent bacterial bronchitis (PBB) is a leading cause of chronic wet cough in young children. This study aimed to characterise the respiratory bacterial microbiota of healthy children and to assess the impact of the changes associated with the development of PBB. Blind, protected brushings were obtained from 20 healthy controls and 24 children with PBB, with an additional directed sample obtained from PBB patients. DNA was extracted, quantified using a 16S rRNA gene quantitative PCR assay prior to microbial community analysis by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Results No significant difference in bacterial diversity or community composition (R2 = 0.01, P = 0.36) was observed between paired blind and non-blind brushes, showing that blind brushings are a valid means of accessing the airway microbiota. This has important implications for collecting lower respiratory samples from healthy children. A significant decrease in bacterial diversity (P < 0.001) and change in community composition (R2 = 0.08, P = 0.004) was observed among controls, in comparison with patients. Bacterial communities within patients with PBB were dominated by Proteobacteria, and indicator species analysis showed that Haemophilus and Neisseria were significantly associated with the patient group. In 15 (52.9%) cases the dominant organism by sequencing was not identified by standard routine clinical culture. Conclusion The bacteria present in the lungs of patients with PBB were less diverse in terms of richness and evenness. The results validate the clinical diagnosis, and suggest that more attention to bacterial communities in children with chronic cough may lead to more rapid recognition of this condition with earlier treatment and reduction in disease burden. PMID:29281698

Testing for qualitative heterogeneity: An application to composite endpoints in survival analysis.

PubMed

Oulhaj, Abderrahim; El Ghouch, Anouar; Holman, Rury R

2017-01-01

Composite endpoints are frequently used in clinical outcome trials to provide more endpoints, thereby increasing statistical power. A key requirement for a composite endpoint to be meaningful is the absence of the so-called qualitative heterogeneity to ensure a valid overall interpretation of any treatment effect identified. Qualitative heterogeneity occurs when individual components of a composite endpoint exhibit differences in the direction of a treatment effect. In this paper, we develop a general statistical method to test for qualitative heterogeneity, that is to test whether a given set of parameters share the same sign. This method is based on the intersection-union principle and, provided that the sample size is large, is valid whatever the model used for parameters estimation. We propose two versions of our testing procedure, one based on a random sampling from a Gaussian distribution and another version based on bootstrapping. Our work covers both the case of completely observed data and the case where some observations are censored which is an important issue in many clinical trials. We evaluated the size and power of our proposed tests by carrying out some extensive Monte Carlo simulations in the case of multivariate time to event data. The simulations were designed under a variety of conditions on dimensionality, censoring rate, sample size and correlation structure. Our testing procedure showed very good performances in terms of statistical power and type I error. The proposed test was applied to a data set from a single-center, randomized, double-blind controlled trial in the area of Alzheimer's disease.

Determination of the optimal number of components in independent components analysis.

PubMed

Kassouf, Amine; Jouan-Rimbaud Bouveresse, Delphine; Rutledge, Douglas N

2018-03-01

Independent components analysis (ICA) may be considered as one of the most established blind source separation techniques for the treatment of complex data sets in analytical chemistry. Like other similar methods, the determination of the optimal number of latent variables, in this case, independent components (ICs), is a crucial step before any modeling. Therefore, validation methods are required in order to decide about the optimal number of ICs to be used in the computation of the final model. In this paper, three new validation methods are formally presented. The first one, called Random_ICA, is a generalization of the ICA_by_blocks method. Its specificity resides in the random way of splitting the initial data matrix into two blocks, and then repeating this procedure several times, giving a broader perspective for the selection of the optimal number of ICs. The second method, called KMO_ICA_Residuals is based on the computation of the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) index of the transposed residual matrices obtained after progressive extraction of ICs. The third method, called ICA_corr_y, helps to select the optimal number of ICs by computing the correlations between calculated proportions and known physico-chemical information about samples, generally concentrations, or between a source signal known to be present in the mixture and the signals extracted by ICA. These three methods were tested using varied simulated and experimental data sets and compared, when necessary, to ICA_by_blocks. Results were relevant and in line with expected ones, proving the reliability of the three proposed methods. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Detection of QT prolongation using a novel electrocardiographic analysis algorithm applying intelligent automation: prospective blinded evaluation using the Cardiac Safety Research Consortium electrocardiographic database.

PubMed

Green, Cynthia L; Kligfield, Paul; George, Samuel; Gussak, Ihor; Vajdic, Branislav; Sager, Philip; Krucoff, Mitchell W

2012-03-01

The Cardiac Safety Research Consortium (CSRC) provides both "learning" and blinded "testing" digital electrocardiographic (ECG) data sets from thorough QT (TQT) studies annotated for submission to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to developers of ECG analysis technologies. This article reports the first results from a blinded testing data set that examines developer reanalysis of original sponsor-reported core laboratory data. A total of 11,925 anonymized ECGs including both moxifloxacin and placebo arms of a parallel-group TQT in 181 subjects were blindly analyzed using a novel ECG analysis algorithm applying intelligent automation. Developer-measured ECG intervals were submitted to CSRC for unblinding, temporal reconstruction of the TQT exposures, and statistical comparison to core laboratory findings previously submitted to FDA by the pharmaceutical sponsor. Primary comparisons included baseline-adjusted interval measurements, baseline- and placebo-adjusted moxifloxacin QTcF changes (ddQTcF), and associated variability measures. Developer and sponsor-reported baseline-adjusted data were similar with average differences <1 ms for all intervals. Both developer- and sponsor-reported data demonstrated assay sensitivity with similar ddQTcF changes. Average within-subject SD for triplicate QTcF measurements was significantly lower for developer- than sponsor-reported data (5.4 and 7.2 ms, respectively; P < .001). The virtually automated ECG algorithm used for this analysis produced similar yet less variable TQT results compared with the sponsor-reported study, without the use of a manual core laboratory. These findings indicate that CSRC ECG data sets can be useful for evaluating novel methods and algorithms for determining drug-induced QT/QTc prolongation. Although the results should not constitute endorsement of specific algorithms by either CSRC or FDA, the value of a public domain digital ECG warehouse to provide prospective, blinded comparisons of ECG technologies applied for QT/QTc measurement is illustrated. Copyright © 2012 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Seronegative neuromyelitis optica after cardiac transplantation.

PubMed

Kim, Elecia; Van Vrancken, Michael; Shaji, Mohamed; Mir, Osman; Spak, Cedric W; Gupta, Manu; Shamim, Sadat A

2016-01-01

We report a case of a 42-year-old man who presented with progressive weakness and blindness over the course of several months and met criteria for seronegative neuromyelitis optica. This presentation was in the setting of immunosuppression following cardiac transplant. No infectious causes were found within the neuroaxis, and he ultimately died with complete blindness, quadriplegia, and respiratory failure attributed to panmyelitis and brain stem inflammation despite aggressive therapies.

Seronegative neuromyelitis optica after cardiac transplantation

PubMed Central

Kim, Elecia; Van Vrancken, Michael; Shaji, Mohamed; Mir, Osman; Spak, Cedric W.; Gupta, Manu

2016-01-01

We report a case of a 42-year-old man who presented with progressive weakness and blindness over the course of several months and met criteria for seronegative neuromyelitis optica. This presentation was in the setting of immunosuppression following cardiac transplant. No infectious causes were found within the neuroaxis, and he ultimately died with complete blindness, quadriplegia, and respiratory failure attributed to panmyelitis and brain stem inflammation despite aggressive therapies. PMID:26722177

Pragmatic Abilities in Children with Congenital Visual Impairment: An Exploration of Non-Literal Language and Advanced Theory of Mind Understanding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pijnacker, Judith; Vervloed, Mathijs P. J.; Steenbergen, Bert

2012-01-01

Children with congenital visual impairment have been reported to be delayed in theory of mind development. So far, research focused on first-order theory of mind, and included mainly blind children, whereas the majority of visually impaired children is not totally blind. The present study set out to explore whether children with a broader range of…

The Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Workflow: Potential for Smartphone Imaging.

PubMed

Bolster, Nigel M; Giardini, Mario E; Bastawrous, Andrew

2015-11-23

Complications of diabetes mellitus, namely diabetic retinopathy and diabetic maculopathy, are the leading cause of blindness in working aged people. Sufferers can avoid blindness if identified early via retinal imaging. Systematic screening of the diabetic population has been shown to greatly reduce the prevalence and incidence of blindness within the population. Many national screening programs have digital fundus photography as their basis. In the past 5 years several techniques and adapters have been developed that allow digital fundus photography to be performed using smartphones. We review recent progress in smartphone-based fundus imaging and discuss its potential for integration into national systematic diabetic retinopathy screening programs. Some systems have produced promising initial results with respect to their agreement with reference standards. However further multisite trialling of such systems' use within implementable screening workflows is required if an evidence base strong enough to affect policy change is to be established. If this were to occur national diabetic retinopathy screening would, for the first time, become possible in low- and middle-income settings where cost and availability of trained eye care personnel are currently key barriers to implementation. As diabetes prevalence and incidence is increasing sharply in these settings, the impact on global blindness could be profound. © 2015 Diabetes Technology Society.

Eye injuries from laser exposure: a review.

PubMed

Hudson, S J

1998-05-01

Lasers pose a significant threat to vision in modern military operations. Anti-personnel lasers have been designed that can cause intentional blindness in large numbers of personnel. Although the use of blinding laser weapons during combat has been prohibited by international legislation, research and development of these weapons have not been prohibited, and significant controversy remains. Unintentional blinding can also result from other types of lasers used on the battlefield, such as range-finders and anti-material lasers. Lasers that are capable of producing blindness operate within specific wavelength parameters and include visible and near infrared lasers. Patients who suffer from laser eye injuries usually complain of flash blindness, followed by transient or permanent visual loss. Laser retinal damage should be suspected in any patient with visual complaints in an operational setting. The treatment for laser retinal injuries is extremely limited, and prevention is essential. Improved protective eyeware and other countermeasures to laser eye injury are necessary as long as the threat remains.

SENSITIVITY OF BLIND PULSAR SEARCHES WITH THE FERMI LARGE AREA TELESCOPE

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

Dormody, M.; Johnson, R. P.; Atwood, W. B.

2011-12-01

We quantitatively establish the sensitivity to the detection of young to middle-aged, isolated, gamma-ray pulsars through blind searches of Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) data using a Monte Carlo simulation. We detail a sensitivity study of the time-differencing blind search code used to discover gamma-ray pulsars in the first year of observations. We simulate 10,000 pulsars across a broad parameter space and distribute them across the sky. We replicate the analysis in the Fermi LAT First Source Catalog to localize the sources, and the blind search analysis to find the pulsars. We analyze the results and discuss the effect ofmore » positional error and spin frequency on gamma-ray pulsar detections. Finally, we construct a formula to determine the sensitivity of the blind search and present a sensitivity map assuming a standard set of pulsar parameters. The results of this study can be applied to population studies and are useful in characterizing unidentified LAT sources.« less

Assessment of the in vivo genotoxicity of cadmium chloride, chloroform, and D,L-menthol as coded test chemicals using the alkaline comet assay.

PubMed

Wada, Kunio; Fukuyama, Tomoki; Nakashima, Nobuaki; Matsumoto, Kyomu

2015-07-01

As part of the Japanese Center for the Validation of Alternative Methods (JaCVAM) international validation study of in vivo rat alkaline comet assays, we examined cadmium chloride, chloroform, and D,L-menthol under blind conditions as coded chemicals in the liver and stomach of Sprague-Dawley rats after 3 days of administration. Cadmium chloride showed equivocal responses in the liver and stomach, supporting previous reports of its poor mutagenic potential and non-carcinogenic effects in these organs. Treatment with chloroform, which is a non-genotoxic carcinogen, did not induce DNA damage in the liver or stomach. Some histopathological changes, such as necrosis and degeneration, were observed in the liver; however, they did not affect the comet assay results. D,L-Menthol, a non-genotoxic non-carcinogen, did not induce liver or stomach DNA damage. These results indicate that the comet assay can reflect genotoxic properties under blind conditions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Validation of Placebo in a Manual Therapy Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Chaibi, Aleksander; Šaltytė Benth, Jūratė; Bjørn Russell, Michael

2015-01-01

At present, no consensus exists among clinical and academic experts regarding an appropriate placebo for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of spinal manipulative therapy (SMT). Therefore, we investigated whether it was possible to conduct a chiropractic manual-therapy RCT with placebo. Seventy migraineurs were randomized to a single-blinded placebo-controlled clinical trial that consisted of 12 treatment sessions over 3 months. The participants were randomized to chiropractic SMT or placebo (sham manipulation). After each session, the participants were surveyed on whether they thought they had undergone active treatment (“yes” or “no”) and how strongly they believed that active treatment was received (numeric rating scale 0–10). The outcome measures included the rate of successful blinding and the certitude of the participants’ beliefs in both treatment groups. At each treatment session, more than 80% of the participants believed that they had undergone active treatment, regardless of group allocation. The odds ratio for believing that active treatment was received was >10 for all treatment sessions in both groups (all p < 0.001). The blinding was maintained throughout the RCT. Our results strongly demonstrate that it is possible to conduct a single-blinded manual-therapy RCT with placebo and to maintain the blinding throughout 12 treatment sessions given over 3 months. PMID:26145718

AAV Gene Therapy for MPS1-associated Corneal Blindness.

PubMed

Vance, Melisa; Llanga, Telmo; Bennett, Will; Woodard, Kenton; Murlidharan, Giridhar; Chungfat, Neil; Asokan, Aravind; Gilger, Brian; Kurtzberg, Joanne; Samulski, R Jude; Hirsch, Matthew L

2016-02-22

Although cord blood transplantation has significantly extended the lifespan of mucopolysaccharidosis type 1 (MPS1) patients, over 95% manifest cornea clouding with about 50% progressing to blindness. As corneal transplants are met with high rejection rates in MPS1 children, there remains no treatment to prevent blindness or restore vision in MPS1 children. Since MPS1 is caused by mutations in idua, which encodes alpha-L-iduronidase, a gene addition strategy to prevent, and potentially reverse, MPS1-associated corneal blindness was investigated. Initially, a codon optimized idua cDNA expression cassette (opt-IDUA) was validated for IDUA production and function following adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector transduction of MPS1 patient fibroblasts. Then, an AAV serotype evaluation in human cornea explants identified an AAV8 and 9 chimeric capsid (8G9) as most efficient for transduction. AAV8G9-opt-IDUA administered to human corneas via intrastromal injection demonstrated widespread transduction, which included cells that naturally produce IDUA, and resulted in a >10-fold supraphysiological increase in IDUA activity. No significant apoptosis related to AAV vectors or IDUA was observed under any conditions in both human corneas and MPS1 patient fibroblasts. The collective preclinical data demonstrate safe and efficient IDUA delivery to human corneas, which may prevent and potentially reverse MPS1-associated cornea blindness.

AAV Gene Therapy for MPS1-associated Corneal Blindness

PubMed Central

Vance, Melisa; Llanga, Telmo; Bennett, Will; Woodard, Kenton; Murlidharan, Giridhar; Chungfat, Neil; Asokan, Aravind; Gilger, Brian; Kurtzberg, Joanne; Samulski, R. Jude; Hirsch, Matthew L.

2016-01-01

Although cord blood transplantation has significantly extended the lifespan of mucopolysaccharidosis type 1 (MPS1) patients, over 95% manifest cornea clouding with about 50% progressing to blindness. As corneal transplants are met with high rejection rates in MPS1 children, there remains no treatment to prevent blindness or restore vision in MPS1 children. Since MPS1 is caused by mutations in idua, which encodes alpha-L-iduronidase, a gene addition strategy to prevent, and potentially reverse, MPS1-associated corneal blindness was investigated. Initially, a codon optimized idua cDNA expression cassette (opt-IDUA) was validated for IDUA production and function following adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector transduction of MPS1 patient fibroblasts. Then, an AAV serotype evaluation in human cornea explants identified an AAV8 and 9 chimeric capsid (8G9) as most efficient for transduction. AAV8G9-opt-IDUA administered to human corneas via intrastromal injection demonstrated widespread transduction, which included cells that naturally produce IDUA, and resulted in a >10-fold supraphysiological increase in IDUA activity. No significant apoptosis related to AAV vectors or IDUA was observed under any conditions in both human corneas and MPS1 patient fibroblasts. The collective preclinical data demonstrate safe and efficient IDUA delivery to human corneas, which may prevent and potentially reverse MPS1-associated cornea blindness. PMID:26899286

Quadratic Blind Linear Unmixing: A Graphical User Interface for Tissue Characterization

PubMed Central

Gutierrez-Navarro, O.; Campos-Delgado, D.U.; Arce-Santana, E. R.; Jo, Javier A.

2016-01-01

Spectral unmixing is the process of breaking down data from a sample into its basic components and their abundances. Previous work has been focused on blind unmixing of multi-spectral fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (m-FLIM) datasets under a linear mixture model and quadratic approximations. This method provides a fast linear decomposition and can work without a limitation in the maximum number of components or end-members. Hence this work presents an interactive software which implements our blind end-member and abundance extraction (BEAE) and quadratic blind linear unmixing (QBLU) algorithms in Matlab. The options and capabilities of our proposed software are described in detail. When the number of components is known, our software can estimate the constitutive end-members and their abundances. When no prior knowledge is available, the software can provide a completely blind solution to estimate the number of components, the end-members and their abundances. The characterization of three case studies validates the performance of the new software: ex-vivo human coronary arteries, human breast cancer cell samples, and in-vivo hamster oral mucosa. The software is freely available in a hosted webpage by one of the developing institutions, and allows the user a quick, easy-to-use and efficient tool for multi/hyper-spectral data decomposition. PMID:26589467

Quadratic blind linear unmixing: A graphical user interface for tissue characterization.

PubMed

Gutierrez-Navarro, O; Campos-Delgado, D U; Arce-Santana, E R; Jo, Javier A

2016-02-01

Spectral unmixing is the process of breaking down data from a sample into its basic components and their abundances. Previous work has been focused on blind unmixing of multi-spectral fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (m-FLIM) datasets under a linear mixture model and quadratic approximations. This method provides a fast linear decomposition and can work without a limitation in the maximum number of components or end-members. Hence this work presents an interactive software which implements our blind end-member and abundance extraction (BEAE) and quadratic blind linear unmixing (QBLU) algorithms in Matlab. The options and capabilities of our proposed software are described in detail. When the number of components is known, our software can estimate the constitutive end-members and their abundances. When no prior knowledge is available, the software can provide a completely blind solution to estimate the number of components, the end-members and their abundances. The characterization of three case studies validates the performance of the new software: ex-vivo human coronary arteries, human breast cancer cell samples, and in-vivo hamster oral mucosa. The software is freely available in a hosted webpage by one of the developing institutions, and allows the user a quick, easy-to-use and efficient tool for multi/hyper-spectral data decomposition. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Revisiting the blind tests in crystal structure prediction: accurate energy ranking of molecular crystals.

PubMed

Asmadi, Aldi; Neumann, Marcus A; Kendrick, John; Girard, Pascale; Perrin, Marc-Antoine; Leusen, Frank J J

2009-12-24

In the 2007 blind test of crystal structure prediction hosted by the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre (CCDC), a hybrid DFT/MM method correctly ranked each of the four experimental structures as having the lowest lattice energy of all the crystal structures predicted for each molecule. The work presented here further validates this hybrid method by optimizing the crystal structures (experimental and submitted) of the first three CCDC blind tests held in 1999, 2001, and 2004. Except for the crystal structures of compound IX, all structures were reminimized and ranked according to their lattice energies. The hybrid method computes the lattice energy of a crystal structure as the sum of the DFT total energy and a van der Waals (dispersion) energy correction. Considering all four blind tests, the crystal structure with the lowest lattice energy corresponds to the experimentally observed structure for 12 out of 14 molecules. Moreover, good geometrical agreement is observed between the structures determined by the hybrid method and those measured experimentally. In comparison with the correct submissions made by the blind test participants, all hybrid optimized crystal structures (apart from compound II) have the smallest calculated root mean squared deviations from the experimentally observed structures. It is predicted that a new polymorph of compound V exists under pressure.

Inattentional blindness: A combination of a relational set and a feature inhibition set?

PubMed

Goldstein, Rebecca R; Beck, Melissa R

2016-07-01

Two experiments were conducted to directly test the feature set hypothesis and the relational set hypothesis in an inattentional blindness task. The feature set hypothesis predicts that unexpected objects that match the to-be-attended stimuli will be reported most. The relational set hypothesis predicts that unexpected objects that match the relationship between the to-be-attended and the to-be-ignored stimuli will be reported the most. Experiment 1 manipulated the luminance of the stimuli. Participants were instructed to monitor the gray letter shapes and to ignore either black or white letter shapes. The unexpected objects that exhibited the luminance relation of the to-be-attended to the to-be-ignored stimuli were reported by participants the most. Experiment 2 manipulated the color of the stimuli. Participants were instructed to monitor the yellower orange or the redder orange letter shapes and to ignore the redder orange or yellower letter shapes. The unexpected objects that exhibited the color relation of the to-be-attended to the to-be-ignored stimuli were reported the most. The results do not support the use of a feature set to accomplish the task and instead support the use of a relational set. In addition, the results point to the concurrent use of multiple attentional sets that are both excitatory and inhibitory.

Risk factors for visual impairment and blindness amongst black adult diabetics receiving treatment at Government healthcare facilities in Mopani District, Limpopo province, South Africa

PubMed Central

Oduntan, Olalekan A.

2014-01-01

Abstract Background Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common systemic disease amongst Black South Africans. It may lead to diabetic retinopathy (DR), a common cause of visual impairment (VI) and blindness. DR may significantly increase the prevalence of VI and blindness. Aim To assess risk factors for VI and blindness amongst a black diabetic South African population aged ≥ 40 years. Setting The study was conducted in seven Government healthcare facilities (two hospitals, four clinics and one health centre) in Mopani District, Limpopo province, South Africa. Methods This was a cross-sectional health facility-based quantitative study. Structured interviews were used to obtain information, which included sociodemographic profile, knowledge about DM and its ocular complications, presence of hypertension and accessibility to health facilities. Subsequently participants were examined for VI and blindness using an autorefractor, pinhole disc, ophthalmoscope and logMAR visual acuity chart. Anthropometric measurements (height, weight and waist) were also taken. Associations between 31 risk factors and VI as well as blindness were statistically examined. Results Participants (N = 225) included 161 women and 64 men aged 40–90 years (mean 61.5 ± 10.49 years); 41.3% of them had VI and 3.6% were blind. Cataracts (76.8%) and DR (7.1%) were the common causes of compensated VI and blindness. Risk factors that were associated with VI and blindness were age, monthly income, compliance with losing weight and physical activity. Conclusion Findings suggest that lifestyle intervention and appropriate eyecare programmes may reduce VI and blindness in this population. PMID:26245418

A fully organic retinal prosthesis restores vision in a rat model of degenerative blindness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maya-Vetencourt, José Fernando; Ghezzi, Diego; Antognazza, Maria Rosa; Colombo, Elisabetta; Mete, Maurizio; Feyen, Paul; Desii, Andrea; Buschiazzo, Ambra; di Paolo, Mattia; di Marco, Stefano; Ticconi, Flavia; Emionite, Laura; Shmal, Dmytro; Marini, Cecilia; Donelli, Ilaria; Freddi, Giuliano; Maccarone, Rita; Bisti, Silvia; Sambuceti, Gianmario; Pertile, Grazia; Lanzani, Guglielmo; Benfenati, Fabio

2017-06-01

The degeneration of photoreceptors in the retina is one of the major causes of adult blindness in humans. Unfortunately, no effective clinical treatments exist for the majority of retinal degenerative disorders. Here we report on the fabrication and functional validation of a fully organic prosthesis for long-term in vivo subretinal implantation in the eye of Royal College of Surgeons rats, a widely recognized model of retinitis pigmentosa. Electrophysiological and behavioural analyses reveal a prosthesis-dependent recovery of light sensitivity and visual acuity that persists up to 6-10 months after surgery. The rescue of the visual function is accompanied by an increase in the basal metabolic activity of the primary visual cortex, as demonstrated by positron emission tomography imaging. Our results highlight the possibility of developing a new generation of fully organic, highly biocompatible and functionally autonomous photovoltaic prostheses for subretinal implants to treat degenerative blindness.

A study on independently using static and dynamic light scattering methods to determine the coagulation rate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Hongwei; Xu, Shenghua; Mi, Li; Sun, Zhiwei; Qin, Yanming

2014-09-01

Absolute coagulation rate constants were determined by independently, instead of simultaneously, using static and dynamic light scattering with the requested optical factors calculated by T-matrix method. The aggregating suspensions of latex particles with diameters of 500, 700, and 900 nm, that are all beyond validity limit of the traditional Rayleigh-Debye-Gans approximation, were adopted. The results from independent static and dynamic light scattering measurements were compared with those by simultaneously using static and dynamic light scattering; and three of them show good consistency. We found, theoretically and experimentally, that for independent static light scattering measurements there are blind scattering angles at that the scattering measurements become impossible and the number of blind angles increases rapidly with particle size. For independent dynamic light scattering measurements, however, there is no such a blind angle at all. A possible explanation of the observed phenomena is also presented.

Retrieving the Quantitative Chemical Information at Nanoscale from Scanning Electron Microscope Energy Dispersive X-ray Measurements by Machine Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jany, B. R.; Janas, A.; Krok, F.

2017-11-01

The quantitative composition of metal alloy nanowires on InSb(001) semiconductor surface and gold nanostructures on germanium surface is determined by blind source separation (BSS) machine learning (ML) method using non negative matrix factorization (NMF) from energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) spectrum image maps measured in a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The BSS method blindly decomposes the collected EDX spectrum image into three source components, which correspond directly to the X-ray signals coming from the supported metal nanostructures, bulk semiconductor signal and carbon background. The recovered quantitative composition is validated by detailed Monte Carlo simulations and is confirmed by separate cross-sectional TEM EDX measurements of the nanostructures. This shows that SEM EDX measurements together with machine learning blind source separation processing could be successfully used for the nanostructures quantitative chemical composition determination.

A fully organic retinal prosthesis restores vision in a rat model of degenerative blindness

PubMed Central

Antognazza, Maria Rosa; Colombo, Elisabetta; Mete, Maurizio; Feyen, Paul; Desii, Andrea; Buschiazzo, Ambra; Di Paolo, Mattia; Di Marco, Stefano; Ticconi, Flavia; Emionite, Laura; Shmal, Dmytro; Marini, Cecilia; Donelli, Ilaria; Freddi, Giuliano; Maccarone, Rita; Bisti, Silvia; Sambuceti, Gianmario; Pertile, Grazia; Lanzani, Guglielmo; Benfenati, Fabio

2017-01-01

The degeneration of photoreceptors in the retina is one of the major causes of adult blindness in humans. Unfortunately, no effective clinical treatments exist for the majority of retinal degenerative disorders. Here we report on the fabrication and functional validation of a fully organic prosthesis for long-term in vivo subretinal implantation in the eye of Royal College of Surgeons rats, a widely recognized model of Retinitis pigmentosa. Electrophysiological and behavioral analyses reveal a prosthesis-dependent recovery of light-sensitivity and visual acuity that persists up to 6-10 months after surgery. The rescue of the visual function is accompanied by an increase in the basal metabolic activity of the primary visual cortex, as demonstrated by positron emission tomography imaging. Our results highlight the possibility of developing a new generation of fully organic, highly biocompatible and functionally autonomous photovoltaic prostheses for subretinal implants to treat degenerative blindness. PMID:28250420

Quality assessment for color reproduction using a blind metric

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bringier, B.; Quintard, L.; Larabi, M.-C.

2007-01-01

This paper deals with image quality assessment. This field plays nowadays an important role in various image processing applications. Number of objective image quality metrics, that correlate or not, with the subjective quality have been developed during the last decade. Two categories of metrics can be distinguished, the first with full-reference and the second with no-reference. Full-reference metric tries to evaluate the distortion introduced to an image with regards to the reference. No-reference approach attempts to model the judgment of image quality in a blind way. Unfortunately, the universal image quality model is not on the horizon and empirical models established on psychophysical experimentation are generally used. In this paper, we focus only on the second category to evaluate the quality of color reproduction where a blind metric, based on human visual system modeling is introduced. The objective results are validated by single-media and cross-media subjective tests.

Development of a QSAR Model for Thyroperoxidase Inhbition ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

hyroid hormones (THs) are involved in multiple biological processes and are critical modulators of fetal development. Even moderate changes in maternal or fetal TH levels can produce irreversible neurological deficits in children, such as lower IQ. The enzyme thyroperoxidase (TPO) plays a key role in the synthesis of THs, and inhibition of TPO by xenobiotics results in decreased TH synthesis. Recently, a high-throughput screening assay for TPO inhibition (AUR-TPO) was developed and used to test the ToxCast Phase I and II chemicals. In the present study, we used the results from AUR-TPO to develop a Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship (QSAR) model for TPO inhibition. The training set consisted of 898 discrete organic chemicals: 134 inhibitors and 764 non-inhibitors. A five times two-fold cross-validation of the model was performed, yielding a balanced accuracy of 78.7%. More recently, an additional ~800 chemicals were tested in the AUR-TPO assay. These data were used for a blinded external validation of the QSAR model, demonstrating a balanced accuracy of 85.7%. Overall, the cross- and external validation indicate a robust model with high predictive performance. Next, we used the QSAR model to predict 72,526 REACH pre-registered substances. The model could predict 49.5% (35,925) of the substances in its applicability domain and of these, 8,863 (24.7%) were predicted to be TPO inhibitors. Predictions from this screening can be used in a tiered approach to

Systematic survey of the design, statistical analysis, and reporting of studies published in the 2008 volume of the Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism.

PubMed

Vesterinen, Hanna M; Vesterinen, Hanna V; Egan, Kieren; Deister, Amelie; Schlattmann, Peter; Macleod, Malcolm R; Dirnagl, Ulrich

2011-04-01

Translating experimental findings into clinically effective therapies is one of the major bottlenecks of modern medicine. As this has been particularly true for cerebrovascular research, attention has turned to the quality and validity of experimental cerebrovascular studies. We set out to assess the study design, statistical analyses, and reporting of cerebrovascular research. We assessed all original articles published in the Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism during the year 2008 against a checklist designed to capture the key attributes relating to study design, statistical analyses, and reporting. A total of 156 original publications were included (animal, in vitro, human). Few studies reported a primary research hypothesis, statement of purpose, or measures to safeguard internal validity (such as randomization, blinding, exclusion or inclusion criteria). Many studies lacked sufficient information regarding methods and results to form a reasonable judgment about their validity. In nearly 20% of studies, statistical tests were either not appropriate or information to allow assessment of appropriateness was lacking. This study identifies a number of factors that should be addressed if the quality of research in basic and translational biomedicine is to be improved. We support the widespread implementation of the ARRIVE (Animal Research Reporting In Vivo Experiments) statement for the reporting of experimental studies in biomedicine, for improving training in proper study design and analysis, and that reviewers and editors adopt a more constructively critical approach in the assessment of manuscripts for publication.

Multicenter comparison of two clinical decision rules for the use of radiography in acute, high-risk knee injuries.

PubMed

Seaberg, D C; Yealy, D M; Lukens, T; Auble, T; Mathias, S

1998-07-01

Two separate clinical decision rules, one developed in Ottawa and the other in Pittsburgh, for the use of radiography in acute knee injuries have been previously validated and published. In this study, the rules were prospectively validated and compared in a new set of patients. A prospective, blinded, multicenter trial was conducted in the emergency departments of three urban teaching hospitals. A convenience sample of 934 patients with knee pain requiring radiographs was enrolled. A standardized data form was completed for each patient, comprising the 10 clinical variables included in the two rules. Standard knee radiographs were then taken in each patient. The rules were interpreted by the primary investigator on the basis of the data sheet and the final radiologist radiograph reading. In the 745 patients in whom the Pittsburgh rules could be applied there were 91 fractures (12.2%). The use of the Pittsburgh rule missed one fracture, yielding a sensitivity of 99% (95% confidence interval [CI], 94% to 100%); the specificity was 60% (95% CI, 56% to 64%). The Ottawa inclusion criteria were met by 750 patients, with 87 fractures (11.6%). The Ottawa rule missed three fractures, for a sensitivity of 97% (95% CI, 90% to 99%); specificity was 27% (95% CI, 23% to 30%). Prospective validation and comparison found the Pittsburgh rule for knee radiographs to be more specific without loss of sensitivity compared with the Ottawa rule.

Systematic survey of the design, statistical analysis, and reporting of studies published in the 2008 volume of the Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism

PubMed Central

Vesterinen, Hanna V; Egan, Kieren; Deister, Amelie; Schlattmann, Peter; Macleod, Malcolm R; Dirnagl, Ulrich

2011-01-01

Translating experimental findings into clinically effective therapies is one of the major bottlenecks of modern medicine. As this has been particularly true for cerebrovascular research, attention has turned to the quality and validity of experimental cerebrovascular studies. We set out to assess the study design, statistical analyses, and reporting of cerebrovascular research. We assessed all original articles published in the Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism during the year 2008 against a checklist designed to capture the key attributes relating to study design, statistical analyses, and reporting. A total of 156 original publications were included (animal, in vitro, human). Few studies reported a primary research hypothesis, statement of purpose, or measures to safeguard internal validity (such as randomization, blinding, exclusion or inclusion criteria). Many studies lacked sufficient information regarding methods and results to form a reasonable judgment about their validity. In nearly 20% of studies, statistical tests were either not appropriate or information to allow assessment of appropriateness was lacking. This study identifies a number of factors that should be addressed if the quality of research in basic and translational biomedicine is to be improved. We support the widespread implementation of the ARRIVE (Animal Research Reporting In Vivo Experiments) statement for the reporting of experimental studies in biomedicine, for improving training in proper study design and analysis, and that reviewers and editors adopt a more constructively critical approach in the assessment of manuscripts for publication. PMID:21157472

Development and validation of self-reported line drawings of the modified Beighton score for the assessment of generalised joint hypermobility.

PubMed

Cooper, Dale J; Scammell, Brigitte E; Batt, Mark E; Palmer, Debbie

2018-01-17

The impracticalities and comparative expense of carrying out a clinical assessment is an obstacle in many large epidemiological studies. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a series of electronic self-reported line drawing instruments based on the modified Beighton scoring system for the assessment of self-reported generalised joint hypermobility. Five sets of line drawings were created to depict the 9-point Beighton score criteria. Each instrument consisted of an explanatory question whereby participants were asked to select the line drawing which best represented their joints. Fifty participants completed the self-report online instrument on two occasions, before attending a clinical assessment. A blinded expert clinical observer then assessed participants' on two occasions, using a standardised goniometry measurement protocol. Validity of the instrument was assessed by participant-observer agreement and reliability by participant repeatability and observer repeatability using unweighted Cohen's kappa (k). Validity and reliability were assessed for each item in the self-reported instrument separately, and for the sum of the total scores. An aggregate score for generalised joint hypermobility was determined based on a Beighton score of 4 or more out of 9. Observer-repeatability between the two clinical assessments demonstrated perfect agreement (k 1.00; 95% CI 1.00, 1.00). Self-reported participant-repeatability was lower but it was still excellent (k 0.91; 95% CI 0.74, 1.00). The participant-observer agreement was excellent (k 0.96; 95% CI 0.87, 1.00). Validity was excellent for the self-report instrument, with a good sensitivity of 0.87 (95% CI 0.81, 0.91) and excellent specificity of 0.99 (95% CI 0.98, 1.00). The self-reported instrument provides a valid and reliable assessment of the presence of generalised joint hypermobility and may have practical use in epidemiological studies.

Efficient summary statistical representation when change localization fails.

PubMed

Haberman, Jason; Whitney, David

2011-10-01

People are sensitive to the summary statistics of the visual world (e.g., average orientation/speed/facial expression). We readily derive this information from complex scenes, often without explicit awareness. Given the fundamental and ubiquitous nature of summary statistical representation, we tested whether this kind of information is subject to the attentional constraints imposed by change blindness. We show that information regarding the summary statistics of a scene is available despite limited conscious access. In a novel experiment, we found that while observers can suffer from change blindness (i.e., not localize where change occurred between two views of the same scene), observers could nevertheless accurately report changes in the summary statistics (or "gist") about the very same scene. In the experiment, observers saw two successively presented sets of 16 faces that varied in expression. Four of the faces in the first set changed from one emotional extreme (e.g., happy) to another (e.g., sad) in the second set. Observers performed poorly when asked to locate any of the faces that changed (change blindness). However, when asked about the ensemble (which set was happier, on average), observer performance remained high. Observers were sensitive to the average expression even when they failed to localize any specific object change. That is, even when observers could not locate the very faces driving the change in average expression between the two sets, they nonetheless derived a precise ensemble representation. Thus, the visual system may be optimized to process summary statistics in an efficient manner, allowing it to operate despite minimal conscious access to the information presented.

Validation of Innovative Exploration Technologies for Newberry Volcano: Drill Site Location Map 2010

DOE Data Explorer

Jaffe, Todd

2012-01-01

Newberry seeks to explore "blind" (no surface evidence) convective hydrothermal systems associated with a young silicic pluton on the flanks of Newberry Volcano. This project will employ a combination of innovative and conventional techniques to identify the location of subsurface geothermal fluids associated with the hot pluton. Newberry project drill site location map 2010. Once the exploration mythology is validated, it can be applied throughout the Cascade Range and elsewhere to locate and develop “blind” geothermal resources.

[Methodological quality of an article on the treatment of gastric cancer adopted as protocol by some Chilean hospitals].

PubMed

Manterola, Carlos; Torres, Rodrigo; Burgos, Luis; Vial, Manuel; Pineda, Viviana

2006-07-01

Surgery is a curative treatment for gastric cancer (GC). As relapse is frequent, adjuvant therapies such as postoperative chemo radiotherapy have been tried. In Chile, some hospitals adopted Macdonald's study as a protocol for the treatment of GC. To determine methodological quality and internal and external validity of the Macdonald study. Three instruments were applied that assess methodological quality. A critical appraisal was done and the internal and external validity of the methodological quality was analyzed with two scales: MINCIR (Methodology and Research in Surgery), valid for therapy studies and CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials), valid for randomized controlled trials (RCT). Guides and scales were applied by 5 researchers with training in clinical epidemiology. The reader's guide verified that the Macdonald study was not directed to answer a clearly defined question. There was random assignment, but the method used is not described and the patients were not considered until the end of the study (36% of the group with surgery plus chemo radiotherapy did not complete treatment). MINCIR scale confirmed a multicentric RCT, not blinded, with an unclear randomized sequence, erroneous sample size estimation, vague objectives and no exclusion criteria. CONSORT system proved the lack of working hypothesis and specific objectives as well as an absence of exclusion criteria and identification of the primary variable, an imprecise estimation of sample size, ambiguities in the randomization process, no blinding, an absence of statistical adjustment and the omission of a subgroup analysis. The instruments applied demonstrated methodological shortcomings that compromise the internal and external validity of the.

Calibration and validation of the Physical Activity Barrier Scale for persons who are blind or visually impaired.

PubMed

Lee, Miyoung; Zhu, Weimo; Ackley-Holbrook, Elizabeth; Brower, Diana G; McMurray, Bryan

2014-07-01

It is critical to employ accurate measures when assessing physical activity (PA) barriers in any subpopulation, yet existing measures are not appropriate for persons with blindness or visual impairment (PBVI) due to a lack of validity or reliability evidence. To develop and calibrate a PA barrier scale for PBVI. An expert panel (n = 3) and 18 PBVI were recruited to establish content validity for a PA barriers subscale; 160 PBVI (96 females) completed the scale along with the Physical Activity Scale for Individuals with Physical Disabilities for calibration. To establish construct-related validity evidence, Confirmative factor analysis (CFA) and Rasch analysis were applied. To investigate internal consistency and reliability, Cronbach's alpha and the reliability coefficient (R) were employed, respectively. Following CFA and Rasch analyses, five items were eliminated due to misfits; reliability coefficients were unchanged upon deletion of these items. The barriers perceived by PBVI to have the most negative impact on PA included "lack of self-discipline" (logit = 1.40) and "lack of motivation" (logit = 1.27). "Too many stairs in the exercise facility" (logit = -1.49) was perceived to have the least impact. The newly-developed scale was found to be a valid and reliable tool for evaluating PA barriers in PBVI. To enhance promotion of health-producing levels of PA in PBVI, practitioners should consider applying this new tool as a precursor to programs aimed at improving PA participation in this group. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Validation of the geriatric anxiety inventory in a duloxetine clinical trial for elderly adults with generalized anxiety disorder.

PubMed

Ball, Susan G; Lipsius, Sarah; Escobar, Rodrigo

2015-09-01

The Generalized Anxiety Inventory (GAI) has been developed for use in the assessment of anxiety symptoms in older adults (≥ 65 years), but previous validation work has not examined the psychometric qualities of the instrument in relation to treatment. The objective of this study was to examine the performance of the GAI for its internal reliability, convergent and divergent validity, and its sensitivity to treatment. Elderly patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) participated in a 10-week double-blind study of duloxetine treatment for patients with GAD. Anxiety symptoms were assessed with the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) anxiety and depression subscales, and the GAI. Internal reliability of the GAI was assessed with Cronbach's α. Correlations among the HAMA, HADS, and GAI scores were analyzed to determine convergent and divergent validity. Patients were also compared on remission status using recommended cut-off scores for the GAI. Patients with GAD, who were at least 65 years of age, were randomly assigned to double-blind treatment with either duloxetine (N = 151) or placebo (N = 140) for 10 weeks acute therapy. The mean change on the GAI was significantly greater with duloxetine compared with placebo treatment (-8.36 vs. -4.96, respectively, p ≤ 0.001). The GAI demonstrated good internal consistency, good convergent and divergent validity, but suggested cut-off values for caseness with the GAI did not correspond to remission status as measured by the HAMA. Within an elderly patient population with GAD, the GAI demonstrated sound psychometric qualities and sensitivity to change with treatment.

Diagnosis of acute puerperal metritis by electronic nose device analysis of vaginal discharge in dairy cows.

PubMed

Burfeind, O; Bruins, M; Bos, A; Sannmann, I; Voigtsberger, R; Heuwieser, W

2014-07-01

The objective of this study was to estimate the diagnostic accuracy of an electronic nose device using vaginal discharge samples to diagnose acute puerperal metritis (APM) in dairy cows. Uterine fluid was sampled manually with a gloved hand and under sterile conditions for electronic nose device analysis (day in milk (DIM) 2, 5, and 10) and bacteriologic examination (DIM 5), respectively, and on additional days, if APM was diagnosed during the daily clinical examinations. A dataset containing samples from 70 cows was used to create a model and to validate the APM status predicted by this model, respectively. Half of the dataset (n = 35; 14 healthy and 21 metritic cows) was provided with information regarding the APM diagnosis and contained all three measurements (DIM 2, 5, and 10) for each cow and was used as a training set whereas the second half was blinded (n = 35; 14 healthy and 21 metritic cows) and contained only the samples collected on DIM 5 of each cow and was used to validate the created prediction model. A receiver operating characteristic curve was calculated using the prediction results of the validation test. The best observed sensitivity was 100% with specificity of 91.6% when using a threshold value of 0.3. The calculated P-value for the receiver operating characteristic curve was less than 0.01. Overall, Escherichia coli was isolated in eight of 28 (28.6%) and 22 of 42 (52.4%) samples collected from healthy and metritic cows, respectively. Trueperella pyogenes and Fusobacterium necrophorum were isolated in 14 and six of 28 (50.0% and 21.4%) and 17 and 16 of 42 (40.5% and 38.1%) samples collected from healthy and metritic cows, respectively. The prevalence of Escherichia coli and Trueperella pyogenes was similar in the samples obtained from metritic cows used for the training set and the validation test. The results are promising especially because of the objective nature of the measurements obtained by the electronic nose device. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Identification of Long Bone Fractures in Radiology Reports Using Natural Language Processing to support Healthcare Quality Improvement.

PubMed

Grundmeier, Robert W; Masino, Aaron J; Casper, T Charles; Dean, Jonathan M; Bell, Jamie; Enriquez, Rene; Deakyne, Sara; Chamberlain, James M; Alpern, Elizabeth R

2016-11-09

Important information to support healthcare quality improvement is often recorded in free text documents such as radiology reports. Natural language processing (NLP) methods may help extract this information, but these methods have rarely been applied outside the research laboratories where they were developed. To implement and validate NLP tools to identify long bone fractures for pediatric emergency medicine quality improvement. Using freely available statistical software packages, we implemented NLP methods to identify long bone fractures from radiology reports. A sample of 1,000 radiology reports was used to construct three candidate classification models. A test set of 500 reports was used to validate the model performance. Blinded manual review of radiology reports by two independent physicians provided the reference standard. Each radiology report was segmented and word stem and bigram features were constructed. Common English "stop words" and rare features were excluded. We used 10-fold cross-validation to select optimal configuration parameters for each model. Accuracy, recall, precision and the F1 score were calculated. The final model was compared to the use of diagnosis codes for the identification of patients with long bone fractures. There were 329 unique word stems and 344 bigrams in the training documents. A support vector machine classifier with Gaussian kernel performed best on the test set with accuracy=0.958, recall=0.969, precision=0.940, and F1 score=0.954. Optimal parameters for this model were cost=4 and gamma=0.005. The three classification models that we tested all performed better than diagnosis codes in terms of accuracy, precision, and F1 score (diagnosis code accuracy=0.932, recall=0.960, precision=0.896, and F1 score=0.927). NLP methods using a corpus of 1,000 training documents accurately identified acute long bone fractures from radiology reports. Strategic use of straightforward NLP methods, implemented with freely available software, offers quality improvement teams new opportunities to extract information from narrative documents.

Development and validation of a simple algorithm for initiation of CPAP in neonates with respiratory distress in Malawi.

PubMed

Hundalani, Shilpa G; Richards-Kortum, Rebecca; Oden, Maria; Kawaza, Kondwani; Gest, Alfred; Molyneux, Elizabeth

2015-07-01

Low-cost bubble continuous positive airway pressure (bCPAP) systems have been shown to improve survival in neonates with respiratory distress, in developing countries including Malawi. District hospitals in Malawi implementing CPAP requested simple and reliable guidelines to enable healthcare workers with basic skills and minimal training to determine when treatment with CPAP is necessary. We developed and validated TRY (T: Tone is good, R: Respiratory Distress and Y=Yes) CPAP, a simple algorithm to identify neonates with respiratory distress who would benefit from CPAP. To validate the TRY CPAP algorithm for neonates with respiratory distress in a low-resource setting. We constructed an algorithm using a combination of vital signs, tone and birth weight to determine the need for CPAP in neonates with respiratory distress. Neonates admitted to the neonatal ward of Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, in Blantyre, Malawi, were assessed in a prospective, cross-sectional study. Nurses and paediatricians-in-training assessed neonates to determine whether they required CPAP using the TRY CPAP algorithm. To establish the accuracy of the TRY CPAP algorithm in evaluating the need for CPAP, their assessment was compared with the decision of a neonatologist blinded to the TRY CPAP algorithm findings. 325 neonates were evaluated over a 2-month period; 13% were deemed to require CPAP by the neonatologist. The inter-rater reliability with the algorithm was 0.90 for nurses and 0.97 for paediatricians-in-training using the neonatologist's assessment as the reference standard. The TRY CPAP algorithm has the potential to be a simple and reliable tool to assist nurses and clinicians in identifying neonates who require treatment with CPAP in low-resource settings. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Gear Tooth Wear Detection Algorithm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delgado, Irebert R.

2015-01-01

Vibration-based condition indicators continue to be developed for Health Usage Monitoring of rotorcraft gearboxes. Testing performed at NASA Glenn Research Center have shown correlations between specific condition indicators and specific types of gear wear. To speed up the detection and analysis of gear teeth, an image detection program based on the Viola-Jones algorithm was trained to automatically detect spiral bevel gear wear pitting. The detector was tested using a training set of gear wear pictures and a blind set of gear wear pictures. The detector accuracy for the training set was 75 percent while the accuracy for the blind set was 15 percent. Further improvements on the accuracy of the detector are required but preliminary results have shown its ability to automatically detect gear tooth wear. The trained detector would be used to quickly evaluate a set of gear or pinion pictures for pits, spalls, or abrasive wear. The results could then be used to correlate with vibration or oil debris data. In general, the program could be retrained to detect features of interest from pictures of a component taken over a period of time.

The Cardiac Safety Research Consortium ECG database.

PubMed

Kligfield, Paul; Green, Cynthia L

2012-01-01

The Cardiac Safety Research Consortium (CSRC) ECG database was initiated to foster research using anonymized, XML-formatted, digitized ECGs with corresponding descriptive variables from placebo- and positive-control arms of thorough QT studies submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by pharmaceutical sponsors. The database can be expanded to other data that are submitted directly to CSRC from other sources, and currently includes digitized ECGs from patients with genotyped varieties of congenital long-QT syndrome; this congenital long-QT database is also linked to ambulatory electrocardiograms stored in the Telemetric and Holter ECG Warehouse (THEW). Thorough QT data sets are available from CSRC for unblinded development of algorithms for analysis of repolarization and for blinded comparative testing of algorithms developed for the identification of moxifloxacin, as used as a positive control in thorough QT studies. Policies and procedures for access to these data sets are available from CSRC, which has developed tools for statistical analysis of blinded new algorithm performance. A recently approved CSRC project will create a data set for blinded analysis of automated ECG interval measurements, whose initial focus will include comparison of four of the major manufacturers of automated electrocardiographs in the United States. CSRC welcomes application for use of the ECG database for clinical investigation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Spatiotemporal characteristics of motor actions by blind long jump athletes

PubMed Central

Torralba, Miguel Angel; Padullés, José María; Losada, Jose Luis; López, Jose Luis

2017-01-01

Background Blind people depend on spatial and temporal representations to perform activities of daily living and compete in sport. Objective The aim of this study is to determine the spatiotemporal characteristics of long jumps performed by blind athletes and compare findings with those reported for sighted athletes. Methods We analysed a sample of 12 male athletes competing in the F11 Long Jump Finals at the Paralympic Games in London 2012. Performances were recorded using four high-speed cameras, and speeds were measured using a radar speed gun. The images were processed using validated image analysis software. Results The long jump run-up is shorter in blind athletes than in sighted athletes. We observed statistically significant differences for body centre of mass velocity and an increase in speed over the last three strides prior to take-off, contrasting with reports for sighted athletes and athletes with less severe visual impairment, who maintain or reduce their speed during the last stride. Stride length for the last three strides was the only spatial characteristic that was not significantly associated with effective jump distance. Blind long jumpers extend rather than shorten their last stride. Contact time with the take-off board is longer than that reported for sighted athletes. Conclusion The actions of blind long jumpers, unlike those without disabilities, do not vary their leg actions during the final runway approach for optimal placement on the take-off board. PMID:29018542

Validation of a new menstrual pictogram (superabsorbent polymer-c version) for use with ultraslim towels that contain superabsorbent polymers.

PubMed

Magnay, Julia L; Nevatte, Tracy M; O'Brien, Shaughn; Gerlinger, Christoph; Seitz, Christian

2014-02-01

To validate the menstrual pictogram (superabsorbent polymer-c version) for Always Ultra-slim feminine towels containing superabsorbent polymers. Prospective, multicenter, evaluator-blinded study. Three gynecology research clinics in the United Kingdom. Women with self-perceived light, normal, or heavy menstrual periods who had not previously used a graphical method to assess their menstrual loss. One hundred twenty-two women were asked to complete the menstrual pictogram throughout two menstrual periods and collect their feminine towels for measurements of menstrual blood loss (MBL) by the alkaline hematin method and total menstrual fluid loss (MFL) by fluid weight. Agreement of menstrual pictogram MBL and MFL scores with alkaline hematin and towel weight, respectively. The percentage blood fraction was determined at various volumes of menstrual discharge. Alkaline hematin and fluid weight were highly correlated (r = .97). However, the percentage blood fraction progressively increased with total MFL and MBL score. After correction for this incremental rise in blood fraction, the menstrual pictogram gave a sensitivity of 82% and a specificity of 92% for a diagnosis of heavy menstrual bleeding. The menstrual pictogram (superabsorbent polymer-c version) provides a simple means of measuring MBL in the clinical setting. Copyright © 2014 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Validation of Shear Wave Elastography Cutoff Values on the Supersonic Aixplorer for Practical Clinical Use in Liver Fibrosis Staging.

PubMed

Dhyani, Manish; Grajo, Joseph R; Bhan, Atul K; Corey, Kathleen; Chung, Raymond; Samir, Anthony E

2017-06-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the validity of previously established ultrasound shear wave elastography (SWE) cut-off values (≥F2 fibrosis) on an independent cohort of patients with chronic liver disease. In this cross-sectional study, approved by the institutional review board and compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, 338 patients undergoing liver biopsy underwent SWE using an Aixplorer ultrasound machine (SuperSonic Imagine, Aix-en-Provence, France). Median SWE values were calculated from sets of 10 elastograms. A single blinded pathologist evaluated METAVIR fibrosis staging as the gold standard. The study analyzed 277 patients with a mean age of 48 y. On pathologic examination, 212 patients (76.5%) had F0-F1 fibrosis, whereas 65 (23.5%) had ≥F2 fibrosis. Spearman's correlation of fibrosis with SWE was 0.456 (p < 0.001). A cut-off value of 7.29 kPa yielded sensitivity of 95.4% and specificity of 50.5% for the diagnosis of METAVIR stage ≥F2 liver fibrosis in patients with liver disease using the SuperSonic Imagine Aixplorer SWE system. Copyright © 2017 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

NLP based congestive heart failure case finding: A prospective analysis on statewide electronic medical records.

PubMed

Wang, Yue; Luo, Jin; Hao, Shiying; Xu, Haihua; Shin, Andrew Young; Jin, Bo; Liu, Rui; Deng, Xiaohong; Wang, Lijuan; Zheng, Le; Zhao, Yifan; Zhu, Chunqing; Hu, Zhongkai; Fu, Changlin; Hao, Yanpeng; Zhao, Yingzhen; Jiang, Yunliang; Dai, Dorothy; Culver, Devore S; Alfreds, Shaun T; Todd, Rogow; Stearns, Frank; Sylvester, Karl G; Widen, Eric; Ling, Xuefeng B

2015-12-01

In order to proactively manage congestive heart failure (CHF) patients, an effective CHF case finding algorithm is required to process both structured and unstructured electronic medical records (EMR) to allow complementary and cost-efficient identification of CHF patients. We set to identify CHF cases from both EMR codified and natural language processing (NLP) found cases. Using narrative clinical notes from all Maine Health Information Exchange (HIE) patients, the NLP case finding algorithm was retrospectively (July 1, 2012-June 30, 2013) developed with a random subset of HIE associated facilities, and blind-tested with the remaining facilities. The NLP based method was integrated into a live HIE population exploration system and validated prospectively (July 1, 2013-June 30, 2014). Total of 18,295 codified CHF patients were included in Maine HIE. Among the 253,803 subjects without CHF codings, our case finding algorithm prospectively identified 2411 uncodified CHF cases. The positive predictive value (PPV) is 0.914, and 70.1% of these 2411 cases were found to be with CHF histories in the clinical notes. A CHF case finding algorithm was developed, tested and prospectively validated. The successful integration of the CHF case findings algorithm into the Maine HIE live system is expected to improve the Maine CHF care. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Development and validation of self-reported line drawings for assessment of knee malalignment and foot rotation: a cross-sectional comparative study

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background For large scale epidemiological studies clinical assessments and radiographs can be impractical and expensive to apply to more than just a sample of the population examined. The study objectives were to develop and validate two novel instruments for self-reported knee malalignment and foot rotation suitable for use in questionnaire studies of knee pain and osteoarthritis. Methods Two sets of line drawings were developed using similar methodology. Each instrument consisted of an explanatory question followed by a set of drawings showing straight alignment, then two each at 7.5° angulation and 15° angulation in the varus/valgus (knee) and inward/outward (foot) directions. Forty one participants undertaking a community study completed the instruments on two occasions. Participants were assessed once by a blinded expert clinical observer with demonstrated excellent reproducibility. Validity was assessed by sensitivity, specificity and likelihood ratio (LR) using the observer as the reference standard. Reliability was assessed using weighted kappa (κ). Knee malalignment was measured on 400 knee radiographs. General linear model was used to assess for the presence of a linear increase in knee alignment angle (measured medially) from self-reported severe varus to mild varus, straight, mild valgus and severe valgus deformity. Results Observer reproducibility (κ) was 0.89 and 0.81 for the knee malalignment and foot rotation instruments respectively. Self-reported participant reproducibility was also good for the knee (κ 0.73) and foot (κ 0.87) instruments. Validity was excellent for the knee malalignment instrument, with a sensitivity of 0.74 (95%CI 0.54, 0.93) and specificity of 0.97 (95%CI 0.94, 1.00). Similarly the foot rotation instrument was also found to have high sensitivity (0.92, 95%CI 0.83, 1.01) and specificity (0.96, 95%CI 0.93, 1.00). The knee alignment angle increased progressively from self reported severe varus to mild varus, straight, mild valgus and severe valgus knee malalignment (ptrend <0.001). Conclusions The two novel instruments appear to provide a valid and reliable assessment of self-reported knee malalignment and foot rotation, and may have a practical use in epidemiological studies. PMID:20565825

An evaluation of the cognitive and mood effects of an energy shot over a 6h period in volunteers: a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled, cross-over study.

PubMed

Wesnes, Keith A; Barrett, Marilyn L; Udani, Jay K

2013-08-01

Energy drinks are widely available mostly containing glucose, and several have been demonstrated to improve alertness and cognitive function; these effects generally being identified 30-60min after administration. The present study assessed whether an energy shot without carbohydrates would affect major aspects of cognitive function and also mood in volunteers over a 6h time period. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled,crossover study compared the acute effects of the energy shot with a matching placebo in 94 healthy volunteers. Cognitive function was assessed with a widely used set of automated tests of attention and memory. Mood was assessed with the Bond-Lader, Beck Anxiety Index, Beck Depression Index, Chalder Fatigue Scales (CFS), and the POMS. The volunteers were requested to limit their sleep to between 3 and 6h the night before each testing day. Compared to the placebo, the energy shot significantly improved 6 validated composite cognitive function measures from the CDR System as well as self-rated alertness; the benefits on 4 of the cognitive measures still remaining at 6h. The overall effect sizes of the performance improvements were in the small to medium range and thus notable in this field. In conclusion, an energy shot can significantly improve important aspects of cognitive function for up to 6h compared to placebo in partially sleep-deprived healthy volunteers. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multisensory Stimulation to Improve Low- and Higher-Level Sensory Deficits after Stroke: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Tinga, Angelica Maria; Visser-Meily, Johanna Maria Augusta; van der Smagt, Maarten Jeroen; Van der Stigchel, Stefan; van Ee, Raymond; Nijboer, Tanja Cornelia Wilhelmina

2016-03-01

The aim of this systematic review was to integrate and assess evidence for the effectiveness of multisensory stimulation (i.e., stimulating at least two of the following sensory systems: visual, auditory, and somatosensory) as a possible rehabilitation method after stroke. Evidence was considered with a focus on low-level, perceptual (visual, auditory and somatosensory deficits), as well as higher-level, cognitive, sensory deficits. We referred to the electronic databases Scopus and PubMed to search for articles that were published before May 2015. Studies were included which evaluated the effects of multisensory stimulation on patients with low- or higher-level sensory deficits caused by stroke. Twenty-one studies were included in this review and the quality of these studies was assessed (based on eight elements: randomization, inclusion of control patient group, blinding of participants, blinding of researchers, follow-up, group size, reporting effect sizes, and reporting time post-stroke). Twenty of the twenty-one included studies demonstrate beneficial effects on low- and/or higher-level sensory deficits after stroke. Notwithstanding these beneficial effects, the quality of the studies is insufficient for valid conclusion that multisensory stimulation can be successfully applied as an effective intervention. A valuable and necessary next step would be to set up well-designed randomized controlled trials to examine the effectiveness of multisensory stimulation as an intervention for low- and/or higher-level sensory deficits after stroke. Finally, we consider the potential mechanisms of multisensory stimulation for rehabilitation to guide this future research.

Norwegian version of the rating anxiety in dementia scale (RAID-N): a validity and reliability study.

PubMed

Goyal, Alka R; Bergh, Sverre; Engedal, Knut; Kirkevold, Marit; Kirkevold, Øyvind

2017-12-01

Dementia-specific anxiety scales in the Norwegian language are lacking; the aim of this study was to investigate the validity and inter-rater reliability of a Norwegian version of the Rating Anxiety in Dementia (RAID-N) scale. The validity of the RAID-N was tested in a sample of 101 patients with dementia from seven Norwegian nursing homes. One psychogeriatrician (n = 50) or a physician with long experience with nursing home patients (n = 51) 'blind' to the RAID-N score diagnosed anxiety according to DSM-5 criteria of generalised anxiety disorder (GAD). A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis assessed the best cut-off point for the RAID-N, and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated. Inter-rater reliability was tested in a subgroup of 53 patients by intraclass correlation (ICC) and Cohen's kappa. Twenty-eight of 101 (27.7%) met the GAD criteria. The mean RAID-N score for patients with GAD was 16.1 (SD 6.3) and without GAD, 8.8 (SD 6.5) (p < 0.001). A cut-off score of ≥12 on the RAID-N gave a sensitivity of 82.1%, specificity of 70.0%, and 73.3% accuracy in identifying clinically significant GAD in patients with dementia. Inter-rater reliability on overall RAID-N items was good (ICC = 0.82), Cohen's kappa was 0.58 for total RAID-N score, with satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.81). The RAID-N has fairly good validity and inter-rater reliability, and could be useful to assess GAD in patients with dementia. Further studies should investigate the optimal RAID-N cut-off score in different settings.

On Disciplinary Judgement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muller, Johan

2011-01-01

This paper enquires into the grounds for convergence of judgements in a situation of blind peer review, where reviewers are asked to assess the standing of scholars in a disciplinary field. The paper first considers traditional accounts of peer review and threats to its reliability and validity. Next it examines the grounds for disciplinary…

A Test of Tactile Concentration and Short-Term Memory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kainthola, S. D.; Singh, T. B.

1992-01-01

Twenty students and 45 adults with visual impairments or blindness were administered a test of tactile concentration and short-term memory involving the reproduction of the order of finger stimulation using the Finger Knocking Box. Reliability and validity scores indicated encouraging results with use of the instrument. (JDD)

The CAST (Childhood Asperger Syndrome Test)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Jo; Scott, Fiona; Stott, Carol; Allison, Carrie; Bolton, Patrick; Baron-Cohen, Simon; Brayne, Carol

2005-01-01

The Childhood Asperger Syndrome Test (CAST) is a parental questionnaire to screen for autism spectrum conditions. In this validation study, the CAST was distributed to 1925 children aged 5-11 in mainstream Cambridgeshire schools. A sample of participants received a full diagnostic assessment, conducted blind to screen status. The sensitivity of…

Neural responses in the macaque v1 to bar stimuli with various lengths presented on the blind spot.

PubMed

Matsumoto, Masayuki; Komatsu, Hidehiko

2005-05-01

Although there is no retinal input within the blind spot, it is filled with the same visual attributes as its surround. Earlier studies showed that neural responses are evoked at the retinotopic representation of the blind spot in the primary visual cortex (V1) when perceptual filling-in of a surface or completion of a bar occurs. To determine whether these neural responses correlate with perception, we recorded from V1 neurons whose receptive fields overlapped the blind spot. Bar stimuli of various lengths were presented at the blind spots of monkeys while they performed a fixation task. One end of the bar was fixed at a position outside the blind spot, and the position of the other end was varied. Perceived bar length was measured using a similar set of bar stimuli in human subjects. As long as one end of the bar was inside the blind spot, the perceived bar length remained constant, and when the bar exceeded the blind spot, perceptual completion occurred, and the perceived bar length increased substantially. Some V1 neurons of the monkey exhibited a significant increase in their activity when the bar exceeded the blind spot, even though the amount of the retinal stimulation increased only slightly. These response increases coincided with perceptual completion observed in human subjects and were much larger than would be expected from simple spatial summation and could not be explained by contextual modulation. We conclude that the completed bar appearing on the part of the receptive field embedded within the blind spot gave rise to the observed increase in neuronal activity.

Virtual temporal bone dissection system: OSU virtual temporal bone system: development and testing.

PubMed

Wiet, Gregory J; Stredney, Don; Kerwin, Thomas; Hittle, Bradley; Fernandez, Soledad A; Abdel-Rasoul, Mahmoud; Welling, D Bradley

2012-03-01

The objective of this project was to develop a virtual temporal bone dissection system that would provide an enhanced educational experience for the training of otologic surgeons. A randomized, controlled, multi-institutional, single-blinded validation study. The project encompassed four areas of emphasis: structural data acquisition, integration of the system, dissemination of the system, and validation. Structural acquisition was performed on multiple imaging platforms. Integration achieved a cost-effective system. Dissemination was achieved on different levels including casual interest, downloading of software, and full involvement in development and validation studies. A validation study was performed at eight different training institutions across the country using a two-arm randomized trial where study subjects were randomized to a 2-week practice session using either the virtual temporal bone or standard cadaveric temporal bones. Eighty subjects were enrolled and randomized to one of the two treatment arms; 65 completed the study. There was no difference between the two groups using a blinded rating tool to assess performance after training. A virtual temporal bone dissection system has been developed and compared to cadaveric temporal bones for practice using a multicenter trial. There was no statistical difference between practice on the current simulator compared to practice on human cadaveric temporal bones. Further refinements in structural acquisition and interface design have been identified, which can be implemented prior to full incorporation into training programs and used for objective skills assessment. Copyright © 2012 The American Laryngological, Rhinological, and Otological Society, Inc.

Coil geometry effects on scanning single-coil magnetic induction tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feldkamp, Joe R.; Quirk, Stephen

2017-09-01

Alternative coil designs for single coil magnetic induction tomography are considered in this work, with the intention of improving upon the standard design used previously. In particular, we note that the blind spot associated with this coil type, a portion of space along its axis where eddy current generation can be very weak, has an important effect on performance. The seven designs tested here vary considerably in the size of their blind spot. To provide the most discerning test possible, we use laboratory phantoms containing feature dimensions similar to blind spot size. Furthermore, conductivity contrasts are set higher than what would occur naturally in biological systems, which has the effect of weakening eddy current generation at coil locations that straddle the border between high and low conductivity features. Image reconstruction results for the various coils show that coils with smaller blind spots give markedly better performance, though improvements in signal-to-noise ratio could alter that conclusion.

Placebo Devices as Effective Control Methods in Acupuncture Clinical Trials: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Zhang, Claire Shuiqing; Tan, Hsiewe Ying; Zhang, George Shengxi; Zhang, Anthony Lin; Xue, Charlie Changli; Xie, Yi Min

2015-01-01

While the use of acupuncture has been recognised by the World Health Organisation, its efficacy for many of the common clinical conditions is still undergoing validation through randomised controlled trials (RCTs). A credible placebo control for such RCTs to enable meaningful evaluation of its efficacy is to be established. While several non-penetrating acupuncture placebo devices, namely the Streitberger, the Park and the Takakura Devices, have been developed and used in RCTs, their suitability as inert placebo controls needs to be rigorously determined. This article systematically reviews these devices as placebo interventions. Electronic searches were conducted on four English and two Chinese databases from their inceptions to July 2014; hand searches of relevant references were also conducted. RCTs, in English or Chinese language, comparing acupuncture with one of the aforementioned devices as the control intervention on human participants with any clinical condition and evaluating clinically related outcomes were included. Thirty-six studies were included for qualitative analysis while 14 were in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis does not support the notion of either the Streitberger or the Park Device being inert control interventions while none of the studies involving the Takakura Device was included in the meta-analysis. Sixteen studies reported the occurrence of adverse events, with no significant difference between verum and placebo acupuncture. Author-reported blinding credibility showed that participant blinding was successful in most cases; however, when blinding index was calculated, only one study, which utilised the Park Device, seemed to have an ideal blinding scenario. Although the blinding index could not be calculated for the Takakura Device, it was the only device reported to enable practitioner blinding. There are limitations with each of the placebo devices and more rigorous studies are needed to further evaluate their effects and blinding credibility. PMID:26536619

Preventing diabetes blindness: cost effectiveness of a screening programme using digital non-mydriatic fundus photography for diabetic retinopathy in a primary health care setting in South Africa.

PubMed

Khan, Taskeen; Bertram, Melanie Y; Jina, Ruxana; Mash, Bob; Levitt, Naomi; Hofman, Karen

2013-08-01

South Africa like many other developing countries is experiencing an epidemiologic transition with a marked increase in the non-communicable disease (NCD) burden. Diabetic retinopathy is the most common cause of incidental blindness in adults. A screening programme using a mobile fundal camera in a primary care setting has been shown to be effective in the country. Information on affordability and cost is essential for policymakers to consider its adoption. Economic evaluation is the comparative analysis of competing alternative interventions in terms of costs and consequences. A cost effectiveness analysis was done using actual costs from the primary care screening programme. A total of 14,541 patients were screened in three primary healthcare facilities in the Western Cape. Photographs were taken by a trained technician with supervision by an ophthalmic nurse. The photographs were then read by a medical officer with ophthalmic experience. A cost effective ratio of $1206 per blindness case averted was obtained. This included costs for screening and treating an individual. The cost just to screen a patient for retinopathy was $22. The costs of screening and treating all incident cases of blindness due to diabetes in South Africa would be 168,000,000 ZAR ($19,310,344) per annum. Non mydriatic digital fundoscopy is a cost effective measure in the screening and diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy in a primary care setting in South Africa. The major savings in the long term are a result of avoiding government disability grant for people who suffer loss of vision. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Blindness following bleb-related infection in open angle glaucoma.

PubMed

Yamada, Hiroki; Sawada, Akira; Kuwayama, Yasuaki; Yamamoto, Tetsuya

2014-11-01

To estimate the risk of blindness following bleb-related infection after trabeculectomy with mitomycin C in open angle glaucoma, utilizing data obtained from two prospective multicenter studies. The incidence of bleb-related infection in open angle glaucoma after the first or second glaucoma surgery was calculated using a Kaplan-Meier analysis and data from the Collaborative Bleb-related Infection Incidence and Treatment Study (CBIITS). The rate of blindness following bleb-related infection was calculated using data from the Japan Glaucoma Society Survey of Bleb-related Infection (JGSSBI). Finally, the rate of blindness following bleb-related infection after filtering surgery was estimated based on the above two data sets. Blindness was defined as an eye with a visual acuity of 0.04 or less. The incidences of development of bleb-related infection at 5 years were 2.6 ± 0.7 % (calculated cumulative incidence ± standard error) for all infections and 0.9 ± 0.4 % for endophthalmitis in all cases in the CBIITS data. The rates of blindness in the JGSSBI data were 14 % for the total cases with bleb-related infection and 30 % for the endophthalmitis subgroup. The rate of blindness developing within 5 years following trabeculectomy was estimated to be approximately 0.24-0.36 %. The rate of blindness following bleb-related infection within 5 years after trabeculectomy is considerable and thus careful consideration must be given to the indication for trabeculectomy and the selection of surgical techniques.

The South Asian Origins of the Global Network to Eradicate Blindness: WHO, NGOs, and Decentralization.

PubMed

Williams, Logan D A

2018-03-01

The global network to eradicate blindness emerged out of the work of Western and South Asian professionals to eradicate smallpox which was endemic in South Asia. The history of the emergence of the global network to eradicate blindness demonstrates a shift from vertical command and control public health programs directed by the WHO, to the decentralized public health services originating in non-profit, non-governmental organizations and coordinated by the WHO. The WHO constitution started with a federal regionalist structure that encouraged collaboration and coordination with NGOs. In South Asia in particular, epidemiologists and general medical practitioners moved from eradicating smallpox through the WHO to creating their own domestic and international NGOs based in various countries with a mission to control blindness in South Asia and Africa. In 1975, pushed by the WHO Director General, these new NGOs in turn joined with individual ophthalmologists and existing blind member associations to form the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness. Thus, the WHO was shaped by, and shaping, international NGOs such as the IAPB. The IAPB pushed for the formation of the WHO Prevention of Blindness program. This was the earliest example of how the IAPB facilitates bottom-up agenda-setting in the WHO. In 1980, when the WHO officially closed the smallpox program, the Prevention of Blindness program first received independent funding. Presently, the IAPB acts as a decentralized arm of the WHO. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Blinded Validation of Breath Biomarkers of Lung Cancer, a Potential Ancillary to Chest CT Screening

PubMed Central

Phillips, Michael; Bauer, Thomas L.; Cataneo, Renee N.; Lebauer, Cassie; Mundada, Mayur; Pass, Harvey I.; Ramakrishna, Naren; Rom, William N.; Vallières, Eric

2015-01-01

Background Breath volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have been reported as biomarkers of lung cancer, but it is not known if biomarkers identified in one group can identify disease in a separate independent cohort. Also, it is not known if combining breath biomarkers with chest CT has the potential to improve the sensitivity and specificity of lung cancer screening. Methods Model-building phase (unblinded): Breath VOCs were analyzed with gas chromatography mass spectrometry in 82 asymptomatic smokers having screening chest CT, 84 symptomatic high-risk subjects with a tissue diagnosis, 100 without a tissue diagnosis, and 35 healthy subjects. Multiple Monte Carlo simulations identified breath VOC mass ions with greater than random diagnostic accuracy for lung cancer, and these were combined in a multivariate predictive algorithm. Model-testing phase (blinded validation): We analyzed breath VOCs in an independent cohort of similar subjects (n = 70, 51, 75 and 19 respectively). The algorithm predicted discriminant function (DF) values in blinded replicate breath VOC samples analyzed independently at two laboratories (A and B). Outcome modeling: We modeled the expected effects of combining breath biomarkers with chest CT on the sensitivity and specificity of lung cancer screening. Results Unblinded model-building phase. The algorithm identified lung cancer with sensitivity 74.0%, specificity 70.7% and C-statistic 0.78. Blinded model-testing phase: The algorithm identified lung cancer at Laboratory A with sensitivity 68.0%, specificity 68.4%, C-statistic 0.71; and at Laboratory B with sensitivity 70.1%, specificity 68.0%, C-statistic 0.70, with linear correlation between replicates (r = 0.88). In a projected outcome model, breath biomarkers increased the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of chest CT for lung cancer when the tests were combined in series or parallel. Conclusions Breath VOC mass ion biomarkers identified lung cancer in a separate independent cohort, in a blinded replicated study. Combining breath biomarkers with chest CT could potentially improve the sensitivity and specificity of lung cancer screening. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00639067 PMID:26698306

Safety, Tolerability and Pharmacokinetics of Single Doses of Oxytocin Administered via an Inhaled Route in Healthy Females: Randomized, Single-blind, Phase 1 Study.

PubMed

Fernando, Disala; Siederer, Sarah; Singh, Sunita; Schneider, Ian; Gupta, Ashutosh; Powell, Marcy; Richards, Duncan; McIntosh, Michelle P; Lambert, Peter; Fowles, Susan

2017-08-01

The utility of intramuscular (IM) oxytocin for the prevention of postpartum hemorrhage in resource-poor settings is limited by the requirement for temperature-controlled storage and skilled staff to administer the injection. We evaluated the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics (PK) of a heat-stable, inhaled (IH) oxytocin formulation. This phase 1, randomized, single-center, single-blind, dose-escalation, fixed-sequence study (NCT02542813) was conducted in healthy, premenopausal, non-pregnant, non-lactating women aged 18-45years. Subjects initially received IM oxytocin 10 international units (IU) on day 1, IH placebo on day 2, and IH oxytocin 50μg on day 3. Subjects were then randomized 4:1 using validated GSK internal software to IH placebo or ascending doses of IH oxytocin (200, 400, 600μg). PK was assessed by comparing systemic exposure (maximum observed plasma concentration, area under the concentration-time curve, and plasma concentrations at 10 and 30min post dose) for IH versus IM oxytocin. Adverse events (AEs), spirometry, laboratory tests, vital signs, electrocardiograms, physical examinations, and cardiac telemetry were assessed. Subjects were recruited between September 14, 2015 and October 12, 2015. Of the 16 subjects randomized following initial dosing, 15 (IH placebo n=3; IH oxytocin n=12) completed the study. IH (all doses) and IM oxytocin PK profiles were comparable in shape. However, systemic exposure with IH oxytocin 400μg most closely matched IM oxytocin 10IU. Systemic exposure was approximately dose proportional for IH oxytocin. No serious AEs were reported. No clinically significant findings were observed for any safety parameters. These data suggest that similar oxytocin systemic exposure can be achieved with IM and IH administration routes, and no safety concerns were identified with either route. The inhalation route may offer the opportunity to increase access to oxytocin for women giving birth in resource-poor settings. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

International Meeting To Discuss Audio Technology as Applied to Library Services for Blind Individuals (3rd, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, April 20-22, 1995). Volumes 1-3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Library of Congress, Washington, DC. National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.

This three-day conference on the subject of audio technology for the production of materials for the blind, takes the court reporter approach to recording the speeches and discussions of the meeting. The result is a three volume set of complete transcripts, one volume for each day of the meeting, but continuous in form. The highlights of each…

A Comparison of Change Blindness in Real-World and On-Screen Viewing of Museum Artefacts

PubMed Central

Attwood, Jonathan E.; Kennard, Christopher; Harris, Jim; Humphreys, Glyn; Antoniades, Chrystalina A.

2018-01-01

Change blindness is a phenomenon of visual perception that occurs when a stimulus undergoes a change without this being noticed by its observer. To date, the effect has been produced by changing images displayed on screen as well as changing people and objects in an individual’s environment. In this experiment, we combine these two approaches to directly compare the levels of change blindness produced in real-world vs. on-screen viewing of museum artefacts. In the real-world viewing condition, one group of participants viewed a series of pairs of similar but slightly different artefacts across eye saccades, while in the on-screen viewing condition, a second group of participants viewed the same artefacts across camera pans on video captured from a head-mounted camera worn by the first set of participants. We present three main findings. First, that change blindness does occur in a museum setting when similar ancient artefacts are viewed briefly one after another in both real-world and on-screen viewing conditions. We discuss this finding in relation to the notion that visual perceptual performance may be enhanced within museums. Second, we found that there was no statistically significant difference between the mean levels of change blindness produced in real-world and on-screen viewing conditions (real-world 42.62%, on-screen 47.35%, X2 = 1.626, p > 0.05 1 d.f.). We discuss possible implications of these results for understanding change blindness, such as the role of binocular vs. monocular vision and that of head and eye movements, as well as reflecting on the evolution of change detection systems, and the impact of the experimental design itself on our results. Third, we combined the data from both viewing conditions to identify groups of artefacts that were independently associated with high and low levels of change blindness, and show that change detection rates were influenced mainly by bottom-up factors, including the visible area and contrast of changes. Finally, we discuss the limitations of this experiment and look to future directions for research into museum perception, change blindness, real-world and on-screen comparisons, and the role of bottom-up and top-down factors in the perception of change. PMID:29503625

A Comparison of Change Blindness in Real-World and On-Screen Viewing of Museum Artefacts.

PubMed

Attwood, Jonathan E; Kennard, Christopher; Harris, Jim; Humphreys, Glyn; Antoniades, Chrystalina A

2018-01-01

Change blindness is a phenomenon of visual perception that occurs when a stimulus undergoes a change without this being noticed by its observer. To date, the effect has been produced by changing images displayed on screen as well as changing people and objects in an individual's environment. In this experiment, we combine these two approaches to directly compare the levels of change blindness produced in real-world vs. on-screen viewing of museum artefacts. In the real-world viewing condition, one group of participants viewed a series of pairs of similar but slightly different artefacts across eye saccades, while in the on-screen viewing condition, a second group of participants viewed the same artefacts across camera pans on video captured from a head-mounted camera worn by the first set of participants. We present three main findings. First, that change blindness does occur in a museum setting when similar ancient artefacts are viewed briefly one after another in both real-world and on-screen viewing conditions. We discuss this finding in relation to the notion that visual perceptual performance may be enhanced within museums. Second, we found that there was no statistically significant difference between the mean levels of change blindness produced in real-world and on-screen viewing conditions (real-world 42.62%, on-screen 47.35%, X 2 = 1.626, p > 0.05 1 d.f.). We discuss possible implications of these results for understanding change blindness, such as the role of binocular vs. monocular vision and that of head and eye movements, as well as reflecting on the evolution of change detection systems, and the impact of the experimental design itself on our results. Third, we combined the data from both viewing conditions to identify groups of artefacts that were independently associated with high and low levels of change blindness, and show that change detection rates were influenced mainly by bottom-up factors, including the visible area and contrast of changes. Finally, we discuss the limitations of this experiment and look to future directions for research into museum perception, change blindness, real-world and on-screen comparisons, and the role of bottom-up and top-down factors in the perception of change.

Does semantic preactivation reduce inattentional blindness?

PubMed

Kreitz, Carina; Schnuerch, Robert; Furley, Philip A; Gibbons, Henning; Memmert, Daniel

2015-04-01

We are susceptible to failures of awareness if a stimulus occurs unexpectedly and our attention is focused elsewhere. Such inattentional blindness is modulated by various parameters, including stimulus attributes, the observer's cognitive resources, and the observer's attentional set regarding the primary task. In three behavioral experiments with a total of 360 participants, we investigated whether mere semantic preactivation of the color of an unexpected object can reduce inattentional blindness. Neither explicitly mentioning the color several times before the occurrence of the unexpected stimulus nor priming the color more implicitly via color-related concepts could significantly reduce the susceptibility to inattentional blindness. Even putting the specific color concept in the main focus of the primary task did not lead to reduced inattentional blindness. Thus, we have shown that the failure to consciously perceive unexpected objects was not moderated by semantic preactivation of the objects' most prominent feature: its color. We suggest that this finding reflects the rather general principle that preactivations that are not motivationally relevant for one's current selection goals do not suffice to make an unexpected object overcome the threshold of awareness.

Vision after 53 years of blindness.

PubMed

Sikl, Radovan; Simecček, Michal; Porubanová-Norquist, Michaela; Bezdíček, Ondřej; Kremláček, Jan; Stodůlka, Pavel; Fine, Ione; Ostrovsky, Yuri

2013-01-01

Several studies have shown that visual recovery after blindness that occurs early in life is never complete. The current study investigated whether an extremely long period of blindness might also cause a permanent impairment of visual performance, even in a case of adult-onset blindness. We examined KP, a 71-year-old man who underwent a successful sight-restoring operation after 53 years of blindness. A set of psychophysical tests designed to assess KP's face perception, object recognition, and visual space perception abilities were conducted six months and eight months after the surgery. The results demonstrate that regardless of a lengthy period of normal vision and rich pre-accident perceptual experience, KP did not fully integrate this experience, and his visual performance remained greatly compromised. This was particularly evident when the tasks targeted finer levels of perceptual processing. In addition to the decreased robustness of his memory representations, which was hypothesized as the main factor determining visual impairment, other factors that may have affected KP's performance were considered, including compromised visual functions, problems with perceptual organization, deficits in the simultaneous processing of visual information, and reduced cognitive abilities.

Blindness and scalp haematoma in a child following a snakebite.

PubMed

Katibi, Oludolapo Sherifat; Adepoju, Feyiyemi Grace; Olorunsola, Benedict Oluwasesan; Ernest, Samuel Kolade; Monsudi, Kehinde Fasasi

2015-09-01

Snake envenomation is a major public health problem of the Savannah regions of West Africa. Ocular manifestations of snakebites are rare with few reports documenting blindness as a complication. To highlight an unusual manifestation of snake bites and its attendant problems. A report of scalp haematoma and blindness in a 10 year old child presenting 2 weeks after a snake bite (presumably carpet viper) is a rare manifestation. Local swelling, epistaxis, bilateral proptosis, exposure keratopathy and use of traditional eye medications were associated findings. Anti-venom though administered late saved the child's life but blindness could not be reversed. Ocular ultrasonography revealed layered retrobulbar collection in the left eye, presumably due to hemorrhage. The skull x-ray showed a soft tissue swelling and aspirate from scalp swelling was bloody. Cranial Computed Tomography (CT) scan done late detected no abnormalities. Snakebite is associated with lifelong morbidity. Ocular manifestations must be treated as emergency. This case highlights the effect of ignorance and poverty in a setting of a common medical emergency leading to blindness and reduced quality of life.

Of blind men and elephants: suggesting SDM-MASS as a compound measure for shared decision making integrating patient, physician and observer views.

PubMed

Geiger, Friedemann; Kasper, Jürgen

2012-01-01

Shared decision making (SDM) between patient and physician is an interpersonal process. Most SDM measures use the view of one party (patient, physician or observer) as a proxy to capture this process although these views typically diverge. This study suggests the compound measure SDM(MASS) (SDM Meeting its concept's ASSumptions) integrating these three perspectives in one single index. SDM(MASS) was derived theoretically and compared empirically to unilateral perspectives of patients, physicians and observers by application to a data set of 10 physicians (40 consultations) receiving an SDM training. The constituting parts of SDM(MASS) were highly reliable (Cronbach's alpha .94; interrater reliability .74-.87). Unilateral appraisal of training effects was divergent. SDM(MASS) revealed no effect. SDM(MASS) combines noteworthy information about SDM processes from different viewpoints and thereby delivers plausible assessments. It could overcome immanent shortcomings of unilateral approaches. However, it is a complex measure needing further validation. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Methodology for clinical trials involving patients with cancer who have febrile neutropenia: updated guidelines of the Immunocompromised Host Society/Multinational Association for Supportive Care in Cancer, with emphasis on outpatient studies.

PubMed

Feld, Ronald; Paesmans, Marianne; Freifeld, Alison G; Klastersky, Jean; Pizzo, Philip A; Rolston, Kenneth V I; Rubenstein, Edward; Talcott, James A; Walsh, Thomas J

2002-12-15

Two multinational organizations, the Immunocompromised Host Society and the Multinational Association for Supportive Care in Cancer, have produced for investigators and regulatory bodies a set of guidelines on methodology for clinical trials involving patients with febrile neutropenia. The guidelines suggest that response (i.e., success of initial empirical antibiotic therapy without any modification) be determined at 72 h and again on day 5, and the reasons for modification should be stated. Blinding and stratification are to be encouraged, as should statistical consideration of trials specifically designed for showing equivalence. Patients enrolled in outpatient studies should be selected by use of a validated risk model, and patients should be carefully monitored after discharge from the hospital. Response and safety parameters should be recorded along with readmission rates. If studies use these guidelines, comparisons between studies will be simpler and will lead to further improvements in patient therapy.

Nonlinear Blind Compensation for Array Signal Processing Application

PubMed Central

Ma, Hong; Jin, Jiang; Zhang, Hua

2018-01-01

Recently, nonlinear blind compensation technique has attracted growing attention in array signal processing application. However, due to the nonlinear distortion stemming from array receiver which consists of multi-channel radio frequency (RF) front-ends, it is too difficult to estimate the parameters of array signal accurately. A novel nonlinear blind compensation algorithm aims at the nonlinearity mitigation of array receiver and its spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR) improvement, which will be more precise to estimate the parameters of target signals such as their two-dimensional directions of arrival (2-D DOAs). Herein, the suggested method is designed as follows: the nonlinear model parameters of any channel of RF front-end are extracted to synchronously compensate the nonlinear distortion of the entire receiver. Furthermore, a verification experiment on the array signal from a uniform circular array (UCA) is adopted to testify the validity of our approach. The real-world experimental results show that the SFDR of the receiver is enhanced, leading to a significant improvement of the 2-D DOAs estimation performance for weak target signals. And these results demonstrate that our nonlinear blind compensation algorithm is effective to estimate the parameters of weak array signal in concomitance with strong jammers. PMID:29690571

Prevalence and causes of low vision and blindness in an urban population: The Chennai Glaucoma Study

PubMed Central

Vijaya, Lingam; George, Ronnie; Asokan, Rashima; Velumuri, Lokapavani; Ramesh, Sathyamangalam Ve

2014-01-01

Aim: To evaluate the prevalence and causes of low vision and blindness in an urban south Indian population. Settings and Design: Population-based cross-sectional study. Exactly 3850 subjects aged 40 years and above from Chennai city were examined at a dedicated facility in the base hospital. Materials and Methods: All subjects had a complete ophthalmic examination that included best-corrected visual acuity. Low vision and blindness were defined using World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. The influence of age, gender, literacy, and occupation was assessed using multiple logistic regression. Statistical Analysis: Chi-square test, t-test, and multivariate analysis were used. Results: Of the 4800 enumerated subjects, 3850 subjects (1710 males, 2140 females) were examined (response rate, 80.2%). The prevalence of blindness was 0.85% (95% CI 0.6–1.1%) and was positively associated with age and illiteracy. Cataract was the leading cause (57.6%) and glaucoma was the second cause (16.7%) for blindness. The prevalence of low vision was 2.9% (95% CI 2.4–3.4%) and visual impairment (blindness + low vision) was 3.8% (95% CI 3.2–4.4%). The primary causes for low vision were refractive errors (68%) and cataract (22%). Conclusions: In this urban population based study, cataract was the leading cause for blindness and refractive error was the main reason for low vision. PMID:23619490

Reliable and valid assessment of competence in endoscopic ultrasonography and fine-needle aspiration for mediastinal staging of non-small cell lung cancer.

PubMed

Konge, L; Vilmann, P; Clementsen, P; Annema, J T; Ringsted, C

2012-10-01

Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) guided by endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) is important in mediastinal staging of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Training standards and implementation strategies of this technique are currently under discussion. The aim of this study was to explore the reliability and validity of a newly developed EUS Assessment Tool (EUSAT) designed to measure competence in EUS - FNA for mediastinal staging of NSCLC. A total of 30 patients with proven or suspected NSCLC underwent EUS - FNA for mediastinal staging by three trainees and three experienced physicians. Their performances were assessed prospectively by three experts in EUS under direct observation and again 2 months later in a blinded fashion using digital video-recordings. Based on the assessments, intra-rater reliability, inter-rater reliability, and construct validity were explored. The intra-rater reliability was good (Cronbach's α = 0.80), but comparison of results based on direct observations and blinded video-recordings indicated a significant bias favoring consultants (P = 0.022). Inter-rater reliability was very good (Cronbach's α = 0.93). However, one rater assessing five procedures or two raters each assessing four procedures were necessary to secure a generalizability coefficient of 0.80. The assessment tool demonstrated construct validity by discriminating between trainees and experienced physicians (P = 0.034). Competency in mediastinal staging of NSCLC using EUS and EUS - FNA can be assessed in a reliable and valid way using the EUSAT assessment tool. Measuring and defining competency and training requirements could improve EUS quality and benefit patient care. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Blindness and low vision in The Netherlands from 2000 to 2020-modeling as a tool for focused intervention.

PubMed

Limburg, Hans; Keunen, Jan E E

2009-01-01

To estimate the magnitude and causes of blindness and low vision in The Netherlands from 2000 to 2020. Recent population-based blindness surveys in established market economies were reviewed. Age and gender specific prevalence and causes of blindness and low vision were extracted and calculated for six population subgroups in The Netherlands. A mathematical model was developed to relate the epidemiologic data with demographic data for each subgroup for each year between 2000 and 2020. In 2008 an estimated 311,000 people are visually impaired in The Netherlands: 77,000 are blind and 234,000 have low vision. With the current intervention the number may increase by 18% to 367,000 in 2020. Visual impairment is most prevalent among residents of nursing homes and care institutions for the elderly, intellectually disabled persons and people aged 50+ living independently. Of all people with visual impairment 31% is male (97,000) and 69% female (214,000). More than half of all visual impairment (56%; 174,000 persons) is avoidable. A variation of around 20% might be applied to the numbers in these estimates. The aim of VISION 2020: The Right to Sight to reduce avoidable visual impairment is also relevant for developed countries like The Netherlands. Vision screening and awareness campaigns focusing on the identified risk groups can reduce avoidable blindness considerably. Regular updates of the model will ensure that the prognoses remain valid and relevant. With appropriate demographic data, the model can also be used in other established market economies.

Use of the recognition heuristic depends on the domain's recognition validity, not on the recognition validity of selected sets of objects.

PubMed

Pohl, Rüdiger F; Michalkiewicz, Martha; Erdfelder, Edgar; Hilbig, Benjamin E

2017-07-01

According to the recognition-heuristic theory, decision makers solve paired comparisons in which one object is recognized and the other not by recognition alone, inferring that recognized objects have higher criterion values than unrecognized ones. However, success-and thus usefulness-of this heuristic depends on the validity of recognition as a cue, and adaptive decision making, in turn, requires that decision makers are sensitive to it. To this end, decision makers could base their evaluation of the recognition validity either on the selected set of objects (the set's recognition validity), or on the underlying domain from which the objects were drawn (the domain's recognition validity). In two experiments, we manipulated the recognition validity both in the selected set of objects and between domains from which the sets were drawn. The results clearly show that use of the recognition heuristic depends on the domain's recognition validity, not on the set's recognition validity. In other words, participants treat all sets as roughly representative of the underlying domain and adjust their decision strategy adaptively (only) with respect to the more general environment rather than the specific items they are faced with.

Patterns of Individual Variation in Visual Pathway Structure and Function in the Sighted and Blind

PubMed Central

Datta, Ritobrato; Benson, Noah C.; Prasad, Sashank; Jacobson, Samuel G.; Cideciyan, Artur V.; Bridge, Holly; Watkins, Kate E.; Butt, Omar H.; Dain, Aleksandra S.; Brandes, Lauren; Gennatas, Efstathios D.

2016-01-01

Many structural and functional brain alterations accompany blindness, with substantial individual variation in these effects. In normally sighted people, there is correlated individual variation in some visual pathway structures. Here we examined if the changes in brain anatomy produced by blindness alter the patterns of anatomical variation found in the sighted. We derived eight measures of central visual pathway anatomy from a structural image of the brain from 59 sighted and 53 blind people. These measures showed highly significant differences in mean size between the sighted and blind cohorts. When we examined the measurements across individuals within each group we found three clusters of correlated variation, with V1 surface area and pericalcarine volume linked, and independent of the thickness of V1 cortex. These two clusters were in turn relatively independent of the volumes of the optic chiasm and lateral geniculate nucleus. This same pattern of variation in visual pathway anatomy was found in the sighted and the blind. Anatomical changes within these clusters were graded by the timing of onset of blindness, with those subjects with a post-natal onset of blindness having alterations in brain anatomy that were intermediate to those seen in the sighted and congenitally blind. Many of the blind and sighted subjects also contributed functional MRI measures of cross-modal responses within visual cortex, and a diffusion tensor imaging measure of fractional anisotropy within the optic radiations and the splenium of the corpus callosum. We again found group differences between the blind and sighted in these measures. The previously identified clusters of anatomical variation were also found to be differentially related to these additional measures: across subjects, V1 cortical thickness was related to cross-modal activation, and the volume of the optic chiasm and lateral geniculate was related to fractional anisotropy in the visual pathway. Our findings show that several of the structural and functional effects of blindness may be reduced to a smaller set of dimensions. It also seems that the changes in the brain that accompany blindness are on a continuum with normal variation found in the sighted. PMID:27812129

Sensory Augmentation for the Blind

PubMed Central

Kärcher, Silke M.; Fenzlaff, Sandra; Hartmann, Daniela; Nagel, Saskia K.; König, Peter

2012-01-01

Common navigational aids used by blind travelers during large-scale navigation divert attention away from important cues of the immediate environment (i.e., approaching vehicles). Sensory augmentation devices, relying on principles similar to those at work in sensory substitution, can potentially bypass the bottleneck of attention through sub-cognitive implementation of a set of rules coupling motor actions with sensory stimulation. We provide a late blind subject with a vibrotactile belt that continually signals the direction of magnetic north. The subject completed a set of behavioral tests before and after an extended training period. The tests were complemented by questionnaires and interviews. This newly supplied information improved performance on different time scales. In a pointing task we demonstrate an instant improvement of performance based on the signal provided by the device. Furthermore, the signal was helpful in relevant daily tasks, often complicated for the blind, such as keeping a direction over longer distances or taking shortcuts in familiar environments. A homing task with an additional attentional load demonstrated a significant improvement after training. The subject found the directional information highly expedient for the adjustment of his inner maps of familiar environments and describes an increase in his feeling of security when exploring unfamiliar environments with the belt. The results give evidence for a firm integration of the newly supplied signals into the behavior of this late blind subject with better navigational performance and more courageous behavior in unfamiliar environments. Most importantly, the complementary information provided by the belt lead to a positive emotional impact with enhanced feeling of security. The present experimental approach demonstrates the positive potential of sensory augmentation devices for the help of handicapped people. PMID:22403535

Quantitative measurements of tumoral p95HER2 protein expression in metastatic breast cancer patients treated with trastuzumab: independent validation of the p95HER2 clinical cutoff.

PubMed

Duchnowska, Renata; Sperinde, Jeff; Chenna, Ahmed; Haddad, Mojgan; Paquet, Agnes; Lie, Yolanda; Weidler, Jodi M; Huang, Weidong; Winslow, John; Jankowski, Tomasz; Czartoryska-Arłukowicz, Bogumiła; Wysocki, Piotr J; Foszczyńska-Kłoda, Małgorzata; Radecka, Barbara; Litwiniuk, Maria M; Zok, Jolanta; Wiśniewski, Michał; Zuziak, Dorota; Biernat, Wojciech; Jassem, Jacek

2014-05-15

P95HER2 (p95) is a truncated form of the HER2, which lacks the trastuzumab-binding site and contains a hyperactive kinase domain. Previously, an optimal clinical cutoff of p95 expression for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) was defined using a quantitative VeraTag assay (Monogram Biosciences) in a training set of trastuzumab-treated metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients. In the current study, the predictive value of the p95 VeraTag assay cutoff established in the training set was retrospectively validated for PFS and OS in an independent series of 240 trastuzumab-treated MBC patients from multiple institutions. In the subset of 190 tumors assessed as HER2-total (H2T)-positive using the quantitative HERmark assay (Monogram Biosciences), p95 VeraTag values above the predefined cutoff correlated with shorter PFS (HR = 1.43; P = 0.039) and shorter OS (HR = 1.94; P = 0.0055) where both outcomes were stratified by hormone receptor status and tumor grade. High p95 expression correlated with shorter PFS (HR = 2.41; P = 0.0003) and OS (HR = 2.57; P = 0.0025) in the hormone receptor-positive subgroup of patients (N = 78), but not in the hormone receptor-negative group. In contrast with the quantitative p95 VeraTag measurements, p95 immunohistochemical expression using the same antibody was not significantly correlated with outcomes. The consistency in the p95 VeraTag cutoff across different cohorts of patients with MBC treated with trastuzumab justifies additional studies using blinded analyses in larger series of patients. ©2014 American Association for Cancer Research.

Quality Assurance in Trichiasis Surgery: a methodology

PubMed Central

Buchan, John C; Limburg, Hans; Burton, Matthew J

2013-01-01

SUMMARY Trachoma remains a significant cause of blindness in many parts of the world. The major route to blindness involves upper lid entropion leading to trachomatous trichiasis (TT) which promotes progressive corneal opacification. The provision of surgery to correct TT in the populations most severely affected is a major challenge for the global effort to eliminate Trachoma blindness by the year 2020. Most attention has been paid to increasing the quantity of TT surgery performed, and large numbers of non-doctor operators have been trained to this end. Surgical audit by those performing TT surgery is not a routine part of any national trachoma control programme, and no effective mechanism exists for identifying surgeons experiencing poor outcomes. We propose a methodology for surgical audit at the level of the individual surgeon based on Lot Quality Assurance. A set number of patients operated on previously for upper eyelid TT are examined to detect the recurrence of TT. The number of recurrent cases found will lead to categorisation of the TT surgeon to either “high recurrence” or “low recurrence” with reasonable confidence. The threshold of unacceptability can be set by individual programmes according to previous local studies of recurrence rates or those from similar settings. Identification of surgeons delivering unacceptably high levels of recurrent TT will guide managers on the need for remedial intervention such as re-training. PMID:20881027

Combining Qualitative and Quantitative Data: An Example.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sikka, Anjoo; And Others

Methodology from an ongoing research study to validate teaching techniques for deaf and blind students provides an example of the ways that several types of quantitative and qualitative data can be combined in analysis. Four teacher and student pairs were selected. The students were between 14 and 21 years old, had both auditory and visual…

20 CFR 416.1231 - Burial spaces and certain funds set aside for burial expenses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Burial spaces and certain funds set aside for burial expenses. 416.1231 Section 416.1231 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME FOR THE AGED, BLIND, AND DISABLED Resources and Exclusions § 416.1231 Burial...

Enhanced perception of pitch changes in speech and music in early blind adults.

PubMed

Arnaud, Laureline; Gracco, Vincent; Ménard, Lucie

2018-06-12

It is well known that congenitally blind adults have enhanced auditory processing for some tasks. For instance, they show supra-normal capacity to perceive accelerated speech. However, only a few studies have investigated basic auditory processing in this population. In this study, we investigated if pitch processing enhancement in the blind is a domain-general or domain-specific phenomenon, and if pitch processing shares the same properties as in the sighted regarding how scores from different domains are associated. Fifteen congenitally blind adults and fifteen sighted adults participated in the study. We first created a set of personalized native and non-native vowel stimuli using an identification and rating task. Then, an adaptive discrimination paradigm was used to determine the frequency difference limen for pitch direction identification of speech (native and non-native vowels) and non-speech stimuli (musical instruments and pure tones). The results show that the blind participants had better discrimination thresholds than controls for native vowels, music stimuli, and pure tones. Whereas within the blind group, the discrimination thresholds were smaller for musical stimuli than speech stimuli, replicating previous findings in sighted participants, we did not find this effect in the current control group. Further analyses indicate that older sighted participants show higher thresholds for instrument sounds compared to speech sounds. This effect of age was not found in the blind group. Moreover, the scores across domains were not associated to the same extent in the blind as they were in the sighted. In conclusion, in addition to providing further evidence of compensatory auditory mechanisms in early blind individuals, our results point to differences in how auditory processing is modulated in this population. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Randomized, Controlled Trial of Intranasal Oxytocin as an Adjunct to Behavioral Therapy for Autism Spectrum Disorder

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-01

o Aude Henin, Ph.D. (MGH PI) o Dina Hirshfeld- Becker , Ph.D. (independent evaluator at MGH) o Angela Utschig, Ph.D. (study therapist at MGH) o...intranasal oxytocin or placebo. Participants and evaluators will be blind to treatment condition. In year 1 of the study, we set up the study framework...experimental treatment, and OT before 12 sessions of CBT treatment. Volunteers (patients) and evaluators will be blind to condition assignment

Commentary on Reconstituting Fibrinogen Concentrate to Maintain Blinding in a Double-blind, Randomized Trial in an Emergency Setting.

PubMed

Bruynseels, Daniel; Solomon, Cristina; Hallam, Angela; Collins, Peter W; Collis, Rachel E; Hamlyn, Vincent; Hall, Judith E

2016-01-01

The gold standard of trial design is the double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial. Intravenous medication, which needs reconstitution by the attending clinician in an emergency situation, can be challenging to incorporate into a suitably blinded study. We have developed a method of blindly reconstituting and administering fibrinogen concentrate (presented as a lyophilized powder), where the placebo is normal saline. Fibrinogen concentrate is increasingly being used early in the treatment of major hemorrhage. Our methodology was designed for a multicenter study investigating the role of fibrinogen concentrate in the treatment of the coagulopathy associated with major obstetric hemorrhage. The method has been verified by a stand-alone pharmaceutical manufacturing unit with an investigational medicinal products license, and to date has successfully been applied 45 times in four study centers. There have been no difficulties in reconstitution and no related adverse events reported. We feel our method is simple to perform and maintains blinding throughout, making it potentially suitable for use in other trials conducted in psychologically high-pressure environments. Although fibrinogen concentrate was the focus of our study, it is likely that the method is applicable to other lyophilized medication with limited shelf life (e.g., antibiotics). Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Blinded interpretation of study results can feasibly and effectively diminish interpretation bias.

PubMed

Järvinen, Teppo L N; Sihvonen, Raine; Bhandari, Mohit; Sprague, Sheila; Malmivaara, Antti; Paavola, Mika; Schünemann, Holger J; Guyatt, Gordon H

2014-07-01

Controversial and misleading interpretation of data from randomized trials is common. How to avoid misleading interpretation has received little attention. Herein, we describe two applications of an approach that involves blinded interpretation of the results by study investigators. The approach involves developing two interpretations of the results on the basis of a blinded review of the primary outcome data (experimental treatment A compared with control treatment B). One interpretation assumes that A is the experimental intervention and another assumes that A is the control. After agreeing that there will be no further changes, the investigators record their decisions and sign the resulting document. The randomization code is then broken, the correct interpretation chosen, and the manuscript finalized. Review of the document by an external authority before finalization can provide another safeguard against interpretation bias. We found the blinded preparation of a summary of data interpretation described in this article practical, efficient, and useful. Blinded data interpretation may decrease the frequency of misleading data interpretation. Widespread adoption of blinded data interpretation would be greatly facilitated were it added to the minimum set of recommendations outlining proper conduct of randomized controlled trials (eg, the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials statement). Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Construction and Initial Validation of the Multiracial Experiences Measure (MEM)

PubMed Central

Yoo, Hyung Chol; Jackson, Kelly; Guevarra, Rudy P.; Miller, Matthew J.; Harrington, Blair

2015-01-01

This article describes the development and validation of the Multiracial Experiences Measure (MEM): a new measure that assesses uniquely racialized risks and resiliencies experienced by individuals of mixed racial heritage. Across two studies, there was evidence for the validation of the 25-item MEM with 5 subscales including Shifting Expressions, Perceived Racial Ambiguity, Creating Third Space, Multicultural Engagement, and Multiracial Discrimination. The 5-subscale structure of the MEM was supported by a combination of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Evidence of criterion-related validity was partially supported with MEM subscales correlating with measures of racial diversity in one’s social network, color-blind racial attitude, psychological distress, and identity conflict. Evidence of discriminant validity was supported with MEM subscales not correlating with impression management. Implications for future research and suggestions for utilization of the MEM in clinical practice with multiracial adults are discussed. PMID:26460977

Construction and initial validation of the Multiracial Experiences Measure (MEM).

PubMed

Yoo, Hyung Chol; Jackson, Kelly F; Guevarra, Rudy P; Miller, Matthew J; Harrington, Blair

2016-03-01

This article describes the development and validation of the Multiracial Experiences Measure (MEM): a new measure that assesses uniquely racialized risks and resiliencies experienced by individuals of mixed racial heritage. Across 2 studies, there was evidence for the validation of the 25-item MEM with 5 subscales including Shifting Expressions, Perceived Racial Ambiguity, Creating Third Space, Multicultural Engagement, and Multiracial Discrimination. The 5-subscale structure of the MEM was supported by a combination of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Evidence of criterion-related validity was partially supported with MEM subscales correlating with measures of racial diversity in one's social network, color-blind racial attitude, psychological distress, and identity conflict. Evidence of discriminant validity was supported with MEM subscales not correlating with impression management. Implications for future research and suggestions for utilization of the MEM in clinical practice with multiracial adults are discussed. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Quantitative validation of carbon-fiber laminate low velocity impact simulations

DOE PAGES

English, Shawn A.; Briggs, Timothy M.; Nelson, Stacy M.

2015-09-26

Simulations of low velocity impact with a flat cylindrical indenter upon a carbon fiber fabric reinforced polymer laminate are rigorously validated. Comparison of the impact energy absorption between the model and experiment is used as the validation metric. Additionally, non-destructive evaluation, including ultrasonic scans and three-dimensional computed tomography, provide qualitative validation of the models. The simulations include delamination, matrix cracks and fiber breaks. An orthotropic damage and failure constitutive model, capable of predicting progressive damage and failure, is developed in conjunction and described. An ensemble of simulations incorporating model parameter uncertainties is used to predict a response distribution which ismore » then compared to experimental output using appropriate statistical methods. Lastly, the model form errors are exposed and corrected for use in an additional blind validation analysis. The result is a quantifiable confidence in material characterization and model physics when simulating low velocity impact in structures of interest.« less

A new framework for the documentation and interpretation of oral food challenges in population-based and clinical research.

PubMed

Grabenhenrich, L B; Reich, A; Bellach, J; Trendelenburg, V; Sprikkelman, A B; Roberts, G; Grimshaw, K E C; Sigurdardottir, S; Kowalski, M L; Papadopoulos, N G; Quirce, S; Dubakiene, R; Niggemann, B; Fernández-Rivas, M; Ballmer-Weber, B; van Ree, R; Schnadt, S; Mills, E N C; Keil, T; Beyer, K

2017-03-01

The conduct of oral food challenges as the preferred diagnostic standard for food allergy (FA) was harmonized over the last years. However, documentation and interpretation of challenge results, particularly in research settings, are not sufficiently standardized to allow valid comparisons between studies. Our aim was to develop a diagnostic toolbox to capture and report clinical observations in double-blind placebo-controlled food challenges (DBPCFC). A group of experienced allergists, paediatricians, dieticians, epidemiologists and data managers developed generic case report forms and standard operating procedures for DBPCFCs and piloted them in three clinical centres. The follow-up of the EuroPrevall/iFAAM birth cohort and other iFAAM work packages applied these methods. A set of newly developed questionnaire or interview items capture the history of FA. Together with sensitization status, this forms the basis for the decision to perform a DBPCFC, following a standardized decision algorithm. A generic form including details about severity and timing captures signs and symptoms observed during or after the procedures. In contrast to the commonly used dichotomous outcome FA vs no FA, the allergy status is interpreted in multiple categories to reflect the complexity of clinical decision-making. The proposed toolbox sets a standard for improved documentation and harmonized interpretation of DBPCFCs. By a detailed documentation and common terminology for communicating outcomes, these tools hope to reduce the influence of subjective judgment of supervising physicians. All forms are publicly available for further evolution and free use in clinical and research settings. © 2016 The Authors. Allergy Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Classification and virtual screening of androgen receptor antagonists.

PubMed

Li, Jiazhong; Gramatica, Paola

2010-05-24

Computational tools, such as quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR), are highly useful as screening support for prioritization of substances of very high concern (SVHC). From the practical point of view, QSAR models should be effective to pick out more active rather than inactive compounds, expressed as sensitivity in classification works. This research investigates the classification of a big data set of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs)-androgen receptor (AR) antagonists, mainly aiming to improve the external sensitivity and to screen for potential AR binders. The kNN, lazy IB1, and ADTree methods and the consensus approach were used to build different models, which improve the sensitivity on external chemicals from 57.1% (literature) to 76.4%. Additionally, the models' predictive abilities were further validated on a blind collected data set (sensitivity: 85.7%). Then the proposed classifiers were used: (i) to distinguish a set of AR binders into antagonists and agonists; (ii) to screen a combined estrogen receptor binder database to find out possible chemicals that can bind to both AR and ER; and (iii) to virtually screen our in-house environmental chemical database. The in silico screening results suggest: (i) that some compounds can affect the normal endocrine system through a complex mechanism binding both to ER and AR; (ii) new EDCs, which are nonER binders, but can in silico bind to AR, are recognized; and (iii) about 20% of compounds in a big data set of environmental chemicals are predicted as new AR antagonists. The priority should be given to them to experimentally test the binding activities with AR.

Polycystic ovary syndrome

PubMed Central

Pedersen, Sue D.; Brar, Sony; Faris, Peter; Corenblum, Bernard

2007-01-01

OBJECTIVE To construct and validate a questionnaire for use in diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). DESIGN All participants completed a questionnaire, which asked clinical questions designed to assist in the diagnosis of PCOS, before their appointments with an endocrinologist. Following completion of the questionnaire, the endocrinologist (blinded to the answers) made or excluded a diagnosis of PCOS using clinical criteria and biochemical data as indicated. Questions were then evaluated for their power to predict PCOS, and a model was constructed using the most reliable items to establish a system to predict a diagnosis of PCOS. SETTING An outpatient reproductive endocrinology clinic in Calgary, Alta. PARTICIPANTS Adult women patients who had been referred to the clinic. Fifty patients with PCOS and 50 patients without PCOS were included in the study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Demographic information, medical history, related diagnoses, menstrual history, and fertility history. RESULTS A history of infrequent menses, hirsutism, obesity, and acne were strongly predictive of a diagnosis of PCOS, whereas a history of failed pregnancy attempts was not useful. A history of nipple discharge outside of pregnancy strongly predicted no diagnosis of PCOS. We constructed a 4-item questionnaire for use in diagnosis of PCOS; the questionnaire yielded a sensitivity of 85% and a specificity of 85% on multivariate logistic regression and a sensitivity of 77% and a specificity of 94% using the 4-item questionnaire. Predictive accuracy was validated using a second sample of 117 patients, in addition to internal validation using bootstrap analysis. CONCLUSION We have constructed a simple clinical tool to help diagnose PCOS. This questionnaire can be easily incorporated into family physicians’ busy practices. PMID:17872783

Causes of childhood blindness in the northeastern states of India

PubMed Central

Bhattacharjee, Harsha; Das, Kalyan; Borah, Rishi Raj; Guha, Kamalesh; Purukayastha, S; Gilbert, Clare

2008-01-01

Background: The northeastern region (NER) of India is geographically isolated and ethno-culturally different from the rest of the country. There is lacuna regarding the data on causes of blindness and severe visual impairment in children from this region. Aim: To determine the causes of severe visual impairment and blindness amongst children from schools for the blind in the four states of NER of India. Design and Setting: Survey of children attending special education schools for the blind in the NER. Materials and Methods: Blind and severely visually impaired children (best corrected visual acuity <20/200 in the better eye, aged up to 16 years) underwent visual acuity estimation, external ocular examination, retinoscopy and fundoscopy. Refraction and low vision workup was done where indicated. World Health Organization′s reporting form was used to code anatomical and etiological causes of visual loss. Statistical Analysis: Microsoft Excel Windows software with SPSS. Results: A total of 376 students were examined of whom 258 fulfilled the eligibility criteria. The major anatomical causes of visual loss amongst the 258 were congenital anomalies (anophthalmos, microphthalmos) 93 (36.1%); corneal conditions (scarring, vitamin A deficiency) 94 (36.7%); cataract or aphakia 28 (10.9%), retinal disorders 15 (5.8%) and optic atrophy 14 (5.3%). Nearly half of the children were blind from conditions which were either preventable or treatable (48.5%). Conclusion: Nearly half the childhood blindness in the NER states of India is avoidable and Vitamin A deficiency forms an important component unlike other Indian states. More research and multisectorial effort is needed to tackle congenital anomalies. PMID:18974521

Elimination of avoidable blindness due to cataract: Where do we prioritize and how should we monitor this decade?

PubMed Central

Murthy, Gudlavalleti V S; John, Neena; Shamanna, Bindiganavale R; Pant, Hira B

2012-01-01

Background: In the final push toward the elimination of avoidable blindness, cataract occupies a position of eminence for the success of the Right to Sight initiative. Aims: Review existing situation and assess what monitoring indicators may be useful to chart progress towards attaining the goals of Vision 2020. Settings and Design: Review of published papers from low and middle income countries since 2000. Materials and Methods: Published population-based data on prevalence of cataract blindness/visual impairment were accessed and prevalence of cataract blindness/visual impairment computed, where not reported. Data on prevalence of cataract blindness, cataract surgical coverage at different visual acuity cut offs, surgical outcomes, and prevalence of cataract surgery were analyzed. Scatter plots were used to look at relationships of some variables, with Human Development Index (HDI) rank. Available data on Cataract Surgical Rate (CSR) was plotted against prevalence of cataract surgery reported from surveys. Results: Worse HDI Ranks were associated with higher prevalence of cataract blindness. Most studies showed that a significant proportion of the blind were covered by surgery, while a fifth showed that a significant proportion, were operated before they went blind. A good visual outcome after surgery was positively correlated with higher surgical coverage. CSR was positively correlated with cataract surgical coverage. Conclusions: Cataract surgical coverage is increasing in most countries at vision <3/60 and visual outcomes after cataract surgery are improving. Establishing population-based surveillance of cataract surgical need and performance is a strong monitoring tool and will help program planners immensely. PMID:22944756

A Cross-sectional Study of Prevalence and Etiology of Childhood Visual Impairment in Auckland, New Zealand.

PubMed

Chong, Chee Foong; McGhee, Charles N J; Dai, Shuan

2014-01-01

Childhood visual impairment has significant individual and socioeconomic costs with global differences in etiology and prevalence. This study aimed to determine prevalence, etiology, and avoidable causes of childhood visual impairment in New Zealand. Retrospective data analysis from a national referral center, the Blind and Low Vision Education Network New Zealand, Auckland. The World Health Organization Program for Prevention of Blindness eye examination records for visually impaired children, 16 years or younger, registered with the Auckland Visual Resource Centre, were included. Data analyzed included demographics, etiology, visual acuity, visual fields, educational setting, and rehabilitation plan. Charts of 340 children were examined, of which 267 children (144 blind, 123 low vision) were included in the analysis, whereas the remaining 73 charts of children with no visual impairment were excluded. The calculated prevalence of blindness and low vision was 0.05% and 0.04%, respectively, in the Auckland region. Principal causes of blindness affecting 91 children (63.9%) were cerebral visual impairment in 61 children (42.4%), optic nerve atrophy in 18 children (12.5%), and retinal dystrophy in 13 children (9.0%). The main potentially avoidable causes of blindness in 27 children (19%) were neonatal trauma, asphyxia in 9 children (33%), and nonaccidental injury 6 children (22%). This first report of prevalence for childhood blindness and low vision in New Zealand is similar to data from Established Market Economy countries. The leading causes of blindness are also comparable to other high-income countries; however, proportions of avoidable causes differ significantly.

Methodology used in comparative studies assessing programmes of transition from paediatrics to adult care programmes: a systematic review.

PubMed

Le Roux, E; Mellerio, H; Guilmin-Crépon, S; Gottot, S; Jacquin, P; Boulkedid, R; Alberti, C

2017-01-27

To explore the methodologies employed in studies assessing transition of care interventions, with the aim of defining goals for the improvement of future studies. Systematic review of comparative studies assessing transition to adult care interventions for young people with chronic conditions. MEDLINE, EMBASE, ClinicalTrial.gov. 2 reviewers screened comparative studies with experimental and quasi-experimental designs, published or registered before July 2015. Eligible studies evaluate transition interventions at least in part after transfer to adult care of young people with chronic conditions with at least one outcome assessed quantitatively. 39 studies were reviewed, 26/39 (67%) published their final results and 13/39 (33%) were in progress. In 9 studies (9/39, 23%) comparisons were made between preintervention and postintervention in a single group. Randomised control groups were used in 9/39 (23%) studies. 2 (2/39, 5%) reported blinding strategies. Use of validated questionnaires was reported in 28% (11/39) of studies. In terms of reporting in published studies 15/26 (58%) did not report age at transfer, and 6/26 (23%) did not report the time of collection of each outcome. Few evaluative studies exist and their level of methodological quality is variable. The complexity of interventions, multiplicity of outcomes, difficulty of blinding and the small groups of patients have consequences on concluding on the effectiveness of interventions. The evaluation of the transition interventions requires an appropriate and common methodology which will provide access to a better level of evidence. We identified areas for improvement in terms of randomisation, recruitment and external validity, blinding, measurement validity, standardised assessment and reporting. Improvements will increase our capacity to determine effective interventions for transition care. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Current hydration guidelines are erroneous: dehydration does not impair exercise performance in the heat.

PubMed

Wall, Bradley A; Watson, Greig; Peiffer, Jeremiah J; Abbiss, Chris R; Siegel, Rodney; Laursen, Paul B

2015-08-01

Laboratory studies that support the hydration guidelines of leading governing bodies have shown that dehydration to only -2% of body mass can lead to increase in body temperature and heart rate during exercise, and decrease in performance. These studies, however, have been conducted in relatively windless environments (ie, wind speed <12.9 km/h), without participants being blinded to their hydration status. To investigate the effect of blinded hydration status on cycling time-trial performance in the heat with ecologically valid facing wind speed conditions. During three experimental trials, 10 cyclists were dehydrated to -3% body mass by performing 2 h of submaximal exercise (walking and cycling) in the heat, before being reinfused with saline to replace 100%, 33% or 0% of fluid losses, leaving them 0%, -2% or -3% hypohydrated, respectively. Participants then completed a 25 km time trial in the heat (33°C, 40% relative humidity; wind speed 32 km/h) during which their starting hydration status was maintained by infusing saline at a rate equal to their sweat rate. The treatment was participant-blinded and the order was randomised. Completion time, power output, heart rate, rectal temperature and perceptual variables were measured. While rectal temperature was higher beyond 17 km of the time trial in the -3% vs 0% conditions (38.9±0.3°C vs 38.6±0.3°C; p<0.05), no other differences between trials were shown. When well-trained cyclists performed a 25 km cycling time trial under ecologically valid conditions and were blinded to their hydration status, performance, physiological and perceptual variables were not different between trials. These data do not support the residing basis behind many of the current hydration guidelines. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Reliable assessment of laparoscopic performance in the operating room using videotape analysis.

PubMed

Chang, Lily; Hogle, Nancy J; Moore, Brianna B; Graham, Mark J; Sinanan, Mika N; Bailey, Robert; Fowler, Dennis L

2007-06-01

The Global Operative Assessment of Laparoscopic Skills (GOALS) is a valid assessment tool for objectively evaluating the technical performance of laparoscopic skills in surgery residents. We hypothesized that GOALS would reliably differentiate between an experienced (expert) and an inexperienced (novice) laparoscopic surgeon (construct validity) based on a blinded videotape review of a laparoscopic cholecystectomy procedure. Ten board-certified surgeons actively engaged in the practice and teaching of laparoscopy reviewed and evaluated the videotaped operative performance of one novice and one expert laparoscopic surgeon using GOALS. Each reviewer recorded a score for both the expert and the novice videotape reviews in each of the 5 domains in GOALS (depth perception, bimanual dexterity, efficiency, tissue handling, and overall competence). The scores for the expert and the novice were compared and statistically analyzed using single-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA). The expert scored significantly higher than the novice did in the domains of depth perception (p = .005), bimanual dexterity (p = .001), efficiency (p = .001), and overall competence ( p = .001). Interrater reliability for the reviewers of the novice tape was Cronbach alpha = .93 and the expert tape was Cronbach alpha = .87. There was no difference between the two for tissue handling. The Global Operative Assessment of Laparoscopic Skills is a valid, objective assessment tool for evaluating technical surgical performance when used to blindly evaluate an intraoperative videotape recording of a laparoscopic procedure.

A Modular Set of Mixed Reality Simulators for Blind and Guided Procedures

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-08-01

AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-14-1-0113 TITLE: A Modular Set of Mixed Reality Simulators for “blind” and Guided Procedures PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR...2015 – 07/31/2016 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER A Modular Set of Mixed Reality Simulators for “Blind” and Guided Procedures 5b...editor developed to facilitate creation by non-technical educators of ITs for the set of modular simulators, (c) a curriculum for self-study and self

Directed Design of Experiments for Validating Probability of Detection Capability of a Testing System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Generazio, Edward R. (Inventor)

2012-01-01

A method of validating a probability of detection (POD) testing system using directed design of experiments (DOE) includes recording an input data set of observed hit and miss or analog data for sample components as a function of size of a flaw in the components. The method also includes processing the input data set to generate an output data set having an optimal class width, assigning a case number to the output data set, and generating validation instructions based on the assigned case number. An apparatus includes a host machine for receiving the input data set from the testing system and an algorithm for executing DOE to validate the test system. The algorithm applies DOE to the input data set to determine a data set having an optimal class width, assigns a case number to that data set, and generates validation instructions based on the case number.

The Exploration of Peptide Biomarkers in Malignant Pleural Effusion of Lung Cancer Using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry

PubMed Central

Xu, Jing; Xu, Bin; Tang, Chuanhao; Li, Xiaoyan; Qin, Haifeng; Wang, Weixia; Wang, Hong; Wang, Zhongyuan; Li, Liangliang; Li, Zhihua; Gao, Hongjun

2017-01-01

Background. Diagnoses of malignant pleural effusion (MPE) are a crucial problem in clinics. In our study, we compared the peptide profiles of MPE and tuberculosis pleural effusion (TPE) to investigate the value of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) in diagnosis of MPE. Material and Methods. The 46 MPE and 32 TPE were randomly assigned to training set and validation set. Peptides were isolated by weak cation exchange magnetic beads and peaks in the m/z range of 800–10000 Da were analyzed. Comparing the peptide profile between 30 MPE and 22 TPE samples in training set by ClinProTools software, we screened the specific biomarkers and established a MALDI-TOF-MS classification of MPE. Finally, the other 16 MPE and 10 TPE were included to verify the model. We additionally determined carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in MPE and TPE samples using electrochemiluminescent immunoassay method. Results. Five peptide peaks (917.37 Da, 4469.39 Da, 1466.5 Da, 4585.21 Da, and 3216.87 Da) were selected to separate MPE and TPE by MALDI-TOF-MS. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the classification were 93.75%, 100%, and 96.15%, respectively, after blinded test. The sensitivity of CEA was significantly lower than MALDI-TOF-MS classification (P = 0.035). Conclusions. The results indicate MALDI-TOF-MS is a potential method for diagnosing MPE. PMID:28386154

The Exploration of Peptide Biomarkers in Malignant Pleural Effusion of Lung Cancer Using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry.

PubMed

Xu, Jing; Xu, Bin; Tang, Chuanhao; Li, Xiaoyan; Qin, Haifeng; Wang, Weixia; Wang, Hong; Wang, Zhongyuan; Li, Liangliang; Li, Zhihua; Gao, Hongjun; He, Kun; Liu, Xiaoqing

2017-01-01

Background . Diagnoses of malignant pleural effusion (MPE) are a crucial problem in clinics. In our study, we compared the peptide profiles of MPE and tuberculosis pleural effusion (TPE) to investigate the value of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) in diagnosis of MPE. Material and Methods . The 46 MPE and 32 TPE were randomly assigned to training set and validation set. Peptides were isolated by weak cation exchange magnetic beads and peaks in the m / z range of 800-10000 Da were analyzed. Comparing the peptide profile between 30 MPE and 22 TPE samples in training set by ClinProTools software, we screened the specific biomarkers and established a MALDI-TOF-MS classification of MPE. Finally, the other 16 MPE and 10 TPE were included to verify the model. We additionally determined carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in MPE and TPE samples using electrochemiluminescent immunoassay method. Results . Five peptide peaks (917.37 Da, 4469.39 Da, 1466.5 Da, 4585.21 Da, and 3216.87 Da) were selected to separate MPE and TPE by MALDI-TOF-MS. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the classification were 93.75%, 100%, and 96.15%, respectively, after blinded test. The sensitivity of CEA was significantly lower than MALDI-TOF-MS classification ( P = 0.035). Conclusions . The results indicate MALDI-TOF-MS is a potential method for diagnosing MPE.

Causes of low vision and blindness in rural Indonesia

PubMed Central

Saw, S-M; Husain, R; Gazzard, G M; Koh, D; Widjaja, D; Tan, D T H

2003-01-01

Aim: To determine the prevalence rates and major contributing causes of low vision and blindness in adults in a rural setting in Indonesia Methods: A population based prevalence survey of adults 21 years or older (n=989) was conducted in five rural villages and one provincial town in Sumatra, Indonesia. One stage household cluster sampling procedure was employed where 100 households were randomly selected from each village or town. Bilateral low vision was defined as habitual VA (measured using tumbling “E” logMAR charts) in the better eye worse than 6/18 and 3/60 or better, based on the WHO criteria. Bilateral blindness was defined as habitual VA worse than 3/60 in the better eye. The anterior segment and lens of subjects with low vision or blindness (both unilateral and bilateral) (n=66) were examined using a portable slit lamp and fundus examination was performed using indirect ophthalmoscopy. Results: The overall age adjusted (adjusted to the 1990 Indonesia census population) prevalence rate of bilateral low vision was 5.8% (95% confidence interval (CI) 4.2 to 7.4) and bilateral blindness was 2.2% (95% CI 1.1 to 3.2). The rates of low vision and blindness increased with age. The major contributing causes for bilateral low vision were cataract (61.3%), uncorrected refractive error (12.9%), and amblyopia (12.9%), and the major cause of bilateral blindness was cataract (62.5%). The major causes of unilateral low vision were cataract (48.0%) and uncorrected refractive error (12.0%), and major causes of unilateral blindness were amblyopia (50.0%) and trauma (50.0%). Conclusions: The rates of habitual low vision and blindness in provincial Sumatra, Indonesia, are similar to other developing rural countries in Asia. Blindness is largely preventable, as the major contributing causes (cataract and uncorrected refractive error) are amenable to treatment. PMID:12928268

Assessing Discriminative Performance at External Validation of Clinical Prediction Models

PubMed Central

Nieboer, Daan; van der Ploeg, Tjeerd; Steyerberg, Ewout W.

2016-01-01

Introduction External validation studies are essential to study the generalizability of prediction models. Recently a permutation test, focusing on discrimination as quantified by the c-statistic, was proposed to judge whether a prediction model is transportable to a new setting. We aimed to evaluate this test and compare it to previously proposed procedures to judge any changes in c-statistic from development to external validation setting. Methods We compared the use of the permutation test to the use of benchmark values of the c-statistic following from a previously proposed framework to judge transportability of a prediction model. In a simulation study we developed a prediction model with logistic regression on a development set and validated them in the validation set. We concentrated on two scenarios: 1) the case-mix was more heterogeneous and predictor effects were weaker in the validation set compared to the development set, and 2) the case-mix was less heterogeneous in the validation set and predictor effects were identical in the validation and development set. Furthermore we illustrated the methods in a case study using 15 datasets of patients suffering from traumatic brain injury. Results The permutation test indicated that the validation and development set were homogenous in scenario 1 (in almost all simulated samples) and heterogeneous in scenario 2 (in 17%-39% of simulated samples). Previously proposed benchmark values of the c-statistic and the standard deviation of the linear predictors correctly pointed at the more heterogeneous case-mix in scenario 1 and the less heterogeneous case-mix in scenario 2. Conclusion The recently proposed permutation test may provide misleading results when externally validating prediction models in the presence of case-mix differences between the development and validation population. To correctly interpret the c-statistic found at external validation it is crucial to disentangle case-mix differences from incorrect regression coefficients. PMID:26881753

Assessing Discriminative Performance at External Validation of Clinical Prediction Models.

PubMed

Nieboer, Daan; van der Ploeg, Tjeerd; Steyerberg, Ewout W

2016-01-01

External validation studies are essential to study the generalizability of prediction models. Recently a permutation test, focusing on discrimination as quantified by the c-statistic, was proposed to judge whether a prediction model is transportable to a new setting. We aimed to evaluate this test and compare it to previously proposed procedures to judge any changes in c-statistic from development to external validation setting. We compared the use of the permutation test to the use of benchmark values of the c-statistic following from a previously proposed framework to judge transportability of a prediction model. In a simulation study we developed a prediction model with logistic regression on a development set and validated them in the validation set. We concentrated on two scenarios: 1) the case-mix was more heterogeneous and predictor effects were weaker in the validation set compared to the development set, and 2) the case-mix was less heterogeneous in the validation set and predictor effects were identical in the validation and development set. Furthermore we illustrated the methods in a case study using 15 datasets of patients suffering from traumatic brain injury. The permutation test indicated that the validation and development set were homogenous in scenario 1 (in almost all simulated samples) and heterogeneous in scenario 2 (in 17%-39% of simulated samples). Previously proposed benchmark values of the c-statistic and the standard deviation of the linear predictors correctly pointed at the more heterogeneous case-mix in scenario 1 and the less heterogeneous case-mix in scenario 2. The recently proposed permutation test may provide misleading results when externally validating prediction models in the presence of case-mix differences between the development and validation population. To correctly interpret the c-statistic found at external validation it is crucial to disentangle case-mix differences from incorrect regression coefficients.

Flow Ambiguity: A Path Towards Classically Driven Blind Quantum Computation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mantri, Atul; Demarie, Tommaso F.; Menicucci, Nicolas C.; Fitzsimons, Joseph F.

2017-07-01

Blind quantum computation protocols allow a user to delegate a computation to a remote quantum computer in such a way that the privacy of their computation is preserved, even from the device implementing the computation. To date, such protocols are only known for settings involving at least two quantum devices: either a user with some quantum capabilities and a remote quantum server or two or more entangled but noncommunicating servers. In this work, we take the first step towards the construction of a blind quantum computing protocol with a completely classical client and single quantum server. Specifically, we show how a classical client can exploit the ambiguity in the flow of information in measurement-based quantum computing to construct a protocol for hiding critical aspects of a computation delegated to a remote quantum computer. This ambiguity arises due to the fact that, for a fixed graph, there exist multiple choices of the input and output vertex sets that result in deterministic measurement patterns consistent with the same fixed total ordering of vertices. This allows a classical user, computing only measurement angles, to drive a measurement-based computation performed on a remote device while hiding critical aspects of the computation.

Advances in Raman spectroscopy for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sudworth, Caroline D.; Archer, John K. J.; Black, Richard A.; Mann, David

2006-02-01

Within the next 50 years Alzheimer's disease is expected to affect 100 million people worldwide. The progressive decline in the mental health of the patient is caused by severe brain atrophy generated by the breakdown and aggregation of proteins, resulting in β-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. The greatest challenge to Alzheimer's disease lies in the pursuit of an early and definitive diagnosis, in order that suitable treatment can be administered. At the present time, definitive diagnosis is restricted to post-mortem examination. Alzheimer's disease also remains without a long-term cure. This research demonstrates the potential role of Raman spectroscopy, combined with principle components analysis (PCA), as a diagnostic method. Analyses of ethically approved ex vivo post-mortem brain tissues (originating from frontal and occipital lobes) from control (3 normal elderly subjects and 3 Huntingdon's disease subjects) and Alzheimer's disease (12 subjects) brain sections, and a further set of 12 blinded samples are presented. Spectra originating from these tissues are highly reproducible, and initial results indicate a vital difference in protein content and conformation, relating to the abnormally high levels of aggregated proteins in the diseased tissues. Further examination of these spectra using PCA allows for the separation of control from diseased tissues. The validation of the PCA models using blinded samples also displays promise for the identification of Alzheimer's disease, in conjunction with secondary information regarding other brain diseases and dementias. These results provide a route for Raman spectroscopy as a possible non-invasive, non-destructive tool for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.

Nanomechanical sensor applied to blood culture pellets: a fast approach to determine the antibiotic susceptibility against agents of bloodstream infections.

PubMed

Stupar, P; Opota, O; Longo, G; Prod'hom, G; Dietler, G; Greub, G; Kasas, S

2017-06-01

The management of bloodstream infection, a life-threatening disease, largely relies on early detection of infecting microorganisms and accurate determination of their antibiotic susceptibility to reduce both mortality and morbidity. Recently we developed a new technique based on atomic force microscopy capable of detecting movements of biologic samples at the nanoscale. Such sensor is able to monitor the response of bacteria to antibiotic's pressure, allowing a fast and versatile susceptibility test. Furthermore, rapid preparation of a bacterial pellet from a positive blood culture can improve downstream characterization of the recovered pathogen as a result of the increased bacterial concentration obtained. Using artificially inoculated blood cultures, we combined these two innovative procedures and validated them in double-blind experiments to determine the susceptibility and resistance of Escherichia coli strains (ATCC 25933 as susceptible and a characterized clinical isolate as resistant strain) towards a selection of antibiotics commonly used in clinical settings. On the basis of the variance of the sensor movements, we were able to positively discriminate the resistant from the susceptible E. coli strains in 16 of 17 blindly investigated cases. Furthermore, we defined a variance change threshold of 60% that discriminates susceptible from resistant strains. By combining the nanomotion sensor with the rapid preparation method of blood culture pellets, we obtained an innovative, rapid and relatively accurate method for antibiotic susceptibility test directly from positive blood culture bottles, without the need for bacterial subculture. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Effect of virtual reality training on laparoscopic surgery: randomised controlled trial

PubMed Central

Soerensen, Jette L; Grantcharov, Teodor P; Dalsgaard, Torur; Schouenborg, Lars; Ottosen, Christian; Schroeder, Torben V; Ottesen, Bent S

2009-01-01

Objective To assess the effect of virtual reality training on an actual laparoscopic operation. Design Prospective randomised controlled and blinded trial. Setting Seven gynaecological departments in the Zeeland region of Denmark. Participants 24 first and second year registrars specialising in gynaecology and obstetrics. Interventions Proficiency based virtual reality simulator training in laparoscopic salpingectomy and standard clinical education (controls). Main outcome measure The main outcome measure was technical performance assessed by two independent observers blinded to trainee and training status using a previously validated general and task specific rating scale. The secondary outcome measure was operation time in minutes. Results The simulator trained group (n=11) reached a median total score of 33 points (interquartile range 32-36 points), equivalent to the experience gained after 20-50 laparoscopic procedures, whereas the control group (n=10) reached a median total score of 23 (22-27) points, equivalent to the experience gained from fewer than five procedures (P<0.001). The median total operation time in the simulator trained group was 12 minutes (interquartile range 10-14 minutes) and in the control group was 24 (20-29) minutes (P<0.001). The observers’ inter-rater agreement was 0.79. Conclusion Skills in laparoscopic surgery can be increased in a clinically relevant manner using proficiency based virtual reality simulator training. The performance level of novices was increased to that of intermediately experienced laparoscopists and operation time was halved. Simulator training should be considered before trainees carry out laparoscopic procedures. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00311792. PMID:19443914

Pirate Stealth or Inattentional Blindness? The Effects of Target Relevance and Sustained Attention on Security Monitoring for Experienced and Naïve Operators

PubMed Central

Näsholm, Erika; Rohlfing, Sarah; Sauer, James D.

2014-01-01

Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) operators are responsible for maintaining security in various applied settings. However, research has largely ignored human factors that may contribute to CCTV operator error. One important source of error is inattentional blindness – the failure to detect unexpected but clearly visible stimuli when attending to a scene. We compared inattentional blindness rates for experienced (84 infantry personnel) and naïve (87 civilians) operators in a CCTV monitoring task. The task-relevance of the unexpected stimulus and the length of the monitoring period were manipulated between participants. Inattentional blindness rates were measured using typical post-event questionnaires, and participants' real-time descriptions of the monitored event. Based on the post-event measure, 66% of the participants failed to detect salient, ongoing stimuli appearing in the spatial field of their attentional focus. The unexpected task-irrelevant stimulus was significantly more likely to go undetected (79%) than the unexpected task-relevant stimulus (55%). Prior task experience did not inoculate operators against inattentional blindness effects. Participants' real-time descriptions revealed similar patterns, ruling out inattentional amnesia accounts. PMID:24465932

Blind quantum computing with weak coherent pulses.

PubMed

Dunjko, Vedran; Kashefi, Elham; Leverrier, Anthony

2012-05-18

The universal blind quantum computation (UBQC) protocol [A. Broadbent, J. Fitzsimons, and E. Kashefi, in Proceedings of the 50th Annual IEEE Symposiumon Foundations of Computer Science (IEEE Computer Society, Los Alamitos, CA, USA, 2009), pp. 517-526.] allows a client to perform quantum computation on a remote server. In an ideal setting, perfect privacy is guaranteed if the client is capable of producing specific, randomly chosen single qubit states. While from a theoretical point of view, this may constitute the lowest possible quantum requirement, from a pragmatic point of view, generation of such states to be sent along long distances can never be achieved perfectly. We introduce the concept of ϵ blindness for UBQC, in analogy to the concept of ϵ security developed for other cryptographic protocols, allowing us to characterize the robustness and security properties of the protocol under possible imperfections. We also present a remote blind single qubit preparation protocol with weak coherent pulses for the client to prepare, in a delegated fashion, quantum states arbitrarily close to perfect random single qubit states. This allows us to efficiently achieve ϵ-blind UBQC for any ϵ>0, even if the channel between the client and the server is arbitrarily lossy.

Blind Quantum Computing with Weak Coherent Pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunjko, Vedran; Kashefi, Elham; Leverrier, Anthony

2012-05-01

The universal blind quantum computation (UBQC) protocol [A. Broadbent, J. Fitzsimons, and E. Kashefi, in Proceedings of the 50th Annual IEEE Symposiumon Foundations of Computer Science (IEEE Computer Society, Los Alamitos, CA, USA, 2009), pp. 517-526.] allows a client to perform quantum computation on a remote server. In an ideal setting, perfect privacy is guaranteed if the client is capable of producing specific, randomly chosen single qubit states. While from a theoretical point of view, this may constitute the lowest possible quantum requirement, from a pragmatic point of view, generation of such states to be sent along long distances can never be achieved perfectly. We introduce the concept of ɛ blindness for UBQC, in analogy to the concept of ɛ security developed for other cryptographic protocols, allowing us to characterize the robustness and security properties of the protocol under possible imperfections. We also present a remote blind single qubit preparation protocol with weak coherent pulses for the client to prepare, in a delegated fashion, quantum states arbitrarily close to perfect random single qubit states. This allows us to efficiently achieve ɛ-blind UBQC for any ɛ>0, even if the channel between the client and the server is arbitrarily lossy.

Designing a stable feedback control system for blind image deconvolution.

PubMed

Cheng, Shichao; Liu, Risheng; Fan, Xin; Luo, Zhongxuan

2018-05-01

Blind image deconvolution is one of the main low-level vision problems with wide applications. Many previous works manually design regularization to simultaneously estimate the latent sharp image and the blur kernel under maximum a posterior framework. However, it has been demonstrated that such joint estimation strategies may lead to the undesired trivial solution. In this paper, we present a novel perspective, using a stable feedback control system, to simulate the latent sharp image propagation. The controller of our system consists of regularization and guidance, which decide the sparsity and sharp features of latent image, respectively. Furthermore, the formational model of blind image is introduced into the feedback process to avoid the image restoration deviating from the stable point. The stability analysis of the system indicates the latent image propagation in blind deconvolution task can be efficiently estimated and controlled by cues and priors. Thus the kernel estimation used for image restoration becomes more precision. Experimental results show that our system is effective on image propagation, and can perform favorably against the state-of-the-art blind image deconvolution methods on different benchmark image sets and special blurred images. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Interlaboratory Reproducibility of Droplet Digital Polymerase Chain Reaction Using a New DNA Reference Material Format.

PubMed

Pinheiro, Leonardo B; O'Brien, Helen; Druce, Julian; Do, Hongdo; Kay, Pippa; Daniels, Marissa; You, Jingjing; Burke, Daniel; Griffiths, Kate; Emslie, Kerry R

2017-11-07

Use of droplet digital PCR technology (ddPCR) is expanding rapidly in the diversity of applications and number of users around the world. Access to relatively simple and affordable commercial ddPCR technology has attracted wide interest in use of this technology as a molecular diagnostic tool. For ddPCR to effectively transition to a molecular diagnostic setting requires processes for method validation and verification and demonstration of reproducible instrument performance. In this study, we describe the development and characterization of a DNA reference material (NMI NA008 High GC reference material) comprising a challenging methylated GC-rich DNA template under a novel 96-well microplate format. A scalable process using high precision acoustic dispensing technology was validated to produce the DNA reference material with a certified reference value expressed in amount of DNA molecules per well. An interlaboratory study, conducted using blinded NA008 High GC reference material to assess reproducibility among seven independent laboratories demonstrated less than 4.5% reproducibility relative standard deviation. With the exclusion of one laboratory, laboratories had appropriate technical competency, fully functional instrumentation, and suitable reagents to perform accurate ddPCR based DNA quantification measurements at the time of the study. The study results confirmed that NA008 High GC reference material is fit for the purpose of being used for quality control of ddPCR systems, consumables, instrumentation, and workflow.

Combined Sensory Impairment (Deaf-Blindness) in Five Percent of Adults with Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meuwese-Jongejeugd, Anneke; van Splunder, Jacques; Vink, Marianne; Stilma, Jan Sietse; van Zanten, Bert; Verschuure, Hans; Bernsen, Roos; Evenhuis, Heleen

2008-01-01

Our purpose in this cross-sectional study with 1,598 adult clients who had intellectual disabilities was to obtain valid prevalences of sensory impairments and to identify associations. The diagnoses were made through ophthalmologic and audiometric assessments, applying WHO/IASSID definitions. Re-weighted prevalences were 5.0% (95% CI 3.9-6.2%)…

Optimization of Army-Navy/Portable Special Search (AN/PSS)-14 Operator Training

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-10-01

instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection information...penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information if it does not display a currently valid OMB control number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN...17 iv 3.2.6 Blind Search Observation Data Worksheet

Iterative algorithm for joint zero diagonalization with application in blind source separation.

PubMed

Zhang, Wei-Tao; Lou, Shun-Tian

2011-07-01

A new iterative algorithm for the nonunitary joint zero diagonalization of a set of matrices is proposed for blind source separation applications. On one hand, since the zero diagonalizer of the proposed algorithm is constructed iteratively by successive multiplications of an invertible matrix, the singular solutions that occur in the existing nonunitary iterative algorithms are naturally avoided. On the other hand, compared to the algebraic method for joint zero diagonalization, the proposed algorithm requires fewer matrices to be zero diagonalized to yield even better performance. The extension of the algorithm to the complex and nonsquare mixing cases is also addressed. Numerical simulations on both synthetic data and blind source separation using time-frequency distributions illustrate the performance of the algorithm and provide a comparison to the leading joint zero diagonalization schemes.

Challenges and Successful Pedagogical Strategies: Experiences from Six Swedish Students with Blindness and Autism in Different School Settings.

PubMed

de Verdier, Kim; Fernell, Elisabeth; Ek, Ulla

2018-02-01

The prevalence of autism in children with blindness is much higher than in the general population. There are many challenges regarding the school situation for children with this complex dual disability. This study explored challenges and successful strategies in school for a sample of six Swedish children with blindness and autism, with and without intellectual disability, through qualitative interviews with students, teachers and parents. All students displayed executive functioning deficits, and the teaching situation entailed several challenges. Our research points to the importance of adopting evidence-based practices for ASD, but adapted according to the students lack of vision. For this to be possible, close collaboration between teachers, parents and specialists in the field of visual impairment and autism is necessary.

20 CFR 404.1513 - Medical and other evidence of your impairment(s).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... in a school setting, for purposes of establishing mental retardation, learning disabilities, and..., SURVIVORS AND DISABILITY INSURANCE (1950- ) Determining Disability and Blindness Evidence § 404.1513 Medical...

SELDI-TOF-MS proteomic profiling of serum, urine, and amniotic fluid in neural tube defects.

PubMed

Liu, Zhenjiang; Yuan, Zhengwei; Zhao, Qun

2014-01-01

Neural tube defects (NTDs) are common birth defects, whose specific biomarkers are needed. The purpose of this pilot study is to determine whether protein profiling in NTD-mothers differ from normal controls using SELDI-TOF-MS. ProteinChip Biomarker System was used to evaluate 82 maternal serum samples, 78 urine samples and 76 amniotic fluid samples. The validity of classification tree was then challenged with a blind test set including another 20 NTD-mothers and 18 controls in serum samples, and another 19 NTD-mothers and 17 controls in urine samples, and another 20 NTD-mothers and 17 controls in amniotic fluid samples. Eight proteins detected in serum samples were up-regulated and four proteins were down-regulated in the NTD group. Four proteins detected in urine samples were up-regulated and one protein was down-regulated in the NTD group. Six proteins detected in amniotic fluid samples were up-regulated and one protein was down-regulated in the NTD group. The classification tree for serum samples separated NTDs from healthy individuals, achieving a sensitivity of 91% and a specificity of 97% in the training set, and achieving a sensitivity of 90% and a specificity of 97% and a positive predictive value of 95% in the test set. The classification tree for urine samples separated NTDs from controls, achieving a sensitivity of 95% and a specificity of 94% in the training set, and achieving a sensitivity of 89% and a specificity of 82% and a positive predictive value of 85% in the test set. The classification tree for amniotic fluid samples separated NTDs from controls, achieving a sensitivity of 93% and a specificity of 89% in the training set, and achieving a sensitivity of 90% and a specificity of 88% and a positive predictive value of 90% in the test set. These suggest that SELDI-TOF-MS is an additional method for NTDs pregnancies detection.

The DUNDRUM-1 structured professional judgment for triage to appropriate levels of therapeutic security: retrospective-cohort validation study

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The assessment of those presenting to prison in-reach and court diversion services and those referred for admission to mental health services is a triage decision, allocating the patient to the appropriate level of therapeutic security. This is a critical clinical decision. We set out to improve on unstructured clinical judgement. We collated qualitative information and devised an 11 item structured professional judgment instrument for this purpose then tested for validity. Methods All those assessed following screening over a three month period at a busy remand committals prison (n = 246) were rated in a retrospective cohort design blind to outcome. Similarly, all those admitted to a mental health service from the same prison in-reach service over an overlapping two year period were rated blind to outcome (n = 100). Results The 11 item scale had good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.95) and inter-rater reliability. The scale score did not correlate with the HCR-20 'historical' score. For the three month sample, the receiver operating characteristic area under the curve (AUC) for those admitted to hospital was 0.893 (95% confidence interval 0.843 to 0.943). For the two year sample, AUC distinguished at each level between those admitted to open wards, low secure units or a medium/high secure service. Open wards v low secure units AUC = 0.805 (95% CI 0.680 to 0.930); low secure v medium/high secure AUC = 0.866, (95% CI 0.784 to 0.949). Item to outcome correlations were significant for all 11 items. Conclusions The DUNDRUM-1 triage security scale and its items performed to criterion levels when tested against the real world outcome. This instrument can be used to ensure consistency in decision making when deciding who to admit to secure forensic hospitals. It can also be used to benchmark admission thresholds between services and jurisdictions. In this study we found some divergence between assessed need and actual placement. This provides fertile ground for future research as well as practical assistance in assessing unmet need, auditing case mix and planning care pathways. PMID:21410967

Evaluation of status of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium levels in biological samples in children of different age groups with normal vision and night blindness.

PubMed

Afridi, Hassan Imran; Kazi, Tasneem Gul; Kazi, Naveed; Kandhro, Ghulam Abbas; Baig, Jameel Ahmed; Shah, Abdul Qadir; Khan, Sumaira; Kolachi, Nida Fatima; Wadhwa, Sham Kumar; Shah, Faheem

2011-01-01

The most common cause of blindness in developing countries is vitamin A deficiency. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates 13.8 million children have some degree of visual loss related to vitamin A deficiency. The causes of night blindness in children are multifactorial and particular consideration has been given to childhood nutritional deficiency, which is the most common problem found in underdeveloped countries. Such deficiency can result in physiological and pathological processes that in turn influence biological sample composition. Vitamin and mineral deficiency prevents more than two billion people from achieving their full intellectual and physical potential. This study was designed to compare the levels of magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), potassium (K), and sodium (Na) in scalp hair, serum, blood, and urine of night blindness children in two age groups, (1-5) and (6-10) years, of both genders comparing them to sex- and age-matched controls. A microwave assisted wet acid digestion procedure was developed as a sample pretreatment for the determination of Mg, Ca, K, and Na in biological samples of children with night blindness. The proposed method was validated by using conventional wet digestion and certified reference samples of hair, serum, blood, and urine. The digests of all biological samples were analysed for Mg, Ca, K, and Na by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) using an air/acetylene flame. The results indicated significantly lower levels of Mg, Ca, and K in the biological samples (blood, serum, and scalp hair) of male and female children with night blindness and higher values of Na compared with control subjects of both genders. These data present guidance to clinicians and other professionals investigating deficiency of essential mineral elements in biological samples (scalp hair, serum, and blood) of children with night blindness.

Selective Listening Point Audio Based on Blind Signal Separation and Stereophonic Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niwa, Kenta; Nishino, Takanori; Takeda, Kazuya

A sound field reproduction method is proposed that uses blind source separation and a head-related transfer function. In the proposed system, multichannel acoustic signals captured at distant microphones are decomposed to a set of location/signal pairs of virtual sound sources based on frequency-domain independent component analysis. After estimating the locations and the signals of the virtual sources by convolving the controlled acoustic transfer functions with each signal, the spatial sound is constructed at the selected point. In experiments, a sound field made by six sound sources is captured using 48 distant microphones and decomposed into sets of virtual sound sources. Since subjective evaluation shows no significant difference between natural and reconstructed sound when six virtual sources and are used, the effectiveness of the decomposing algorithm as well as the virtual source representation are confirmed.

Note: The performance of new density functionals for a recent blind test of non-covalent interactions

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

Mardirossian, Narbe; Head-Gordon, Martin

Benchmark datasets of non-covalent interactions are essential for assessing the performance of density functionals and other quantum chemistry approaches. In a recent blind test, Taylor et al. benchmarked 14 methods on a new dataset consisting of 10 dimer potential energy curves calculated using coupled cluster with singles, doubles, and perturbative triples (CCSD(T)) at the complete basis set (CBS) limit (80 data points in total). Finally, the dataset is particularly interesting because compressed, near-equilibrium, and stretched regions of the potential energy surface are extensively sampled.

Note: The performance of new density functionals for a recent blind test of non-covalent interactions

DOE PAGES

Mardirossian, Narbe; Head-Gordon, Martin

2016-11-09

Benchmark datasets of non-covalent interactions are essential for assessing the performance of density functionals and other quantum chemistry approaches. In a recent blind test, Taylor et al. benchmarked 14 methods on a new dataset consisting of 10 dimer potential energy curves calculated using coupled cluster with singles, doubles, and perturbative triples (CCSD(T)) at the complete basis set (CBS) limit (80 data points in total). Finally, the dataset is particularly interesting because compressed, near-equilibrium, and stretched regions of the potential energy surface are extensively sampled.

Multiple Versus Single Set Validation of Multivariate Models to Avoid Mistakes.

PubMed

Harrington, Peter de Boves

2018-01-02

Validation of multivariate models is of current importance for a wide range of chemical applications. Although important, it is neglected. The common practice is to use a single external validation set for evaluation. This approach is deficient and may mislead investigators with results that are specific to the single validation set of data. In addition, no statistics are available regarding the precision of a derived figure of merit (FOM). A statistical approach using bootstrapped Latin partitions is advocated. This validation method makes an efficient use of the data because each object is used once for validation. It was reviewed a decade earlier but primarily for the optimization of chemometric models this review presents the reasons it should be used for generalized statistical validation. Average FOMs with confidence intervals are reported and powerful, matched-sample statistics may be applied for comparing models and methods. Examples demonstrate the problems with single validation sets.

Efficacy of a Methylphenidate Transdermal System versus t.i.d. Methylphenidate in a Laboratory Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pelham, William E.; Waxmonsky, James G.; Schentag, Jerome; Ballow, Charles H.; Panahon, Carlos J.; Gnagy, Elizabeth M.; Hoffman, Martin T.; Burrows-MacLean, Lisa; Meichenbaum, David L.; Forehand, Gregory L.; Fabiano, Gregory A.; Tresco, Katy E.; Lopez-Williams, Andy; Coles, Erika K.; Gonzalez, Mario A.

2011-01-01

Objective: To test the efficacy and tolerability of the methylphenidate transdermal formulation (MTS) against immediate-release methylphenidate (IR MPH) and placebo in a 12-hr analog classroom setting. Method: A total of nine boys ages 6 to 9 years, medicated with MPH for ADHD, complete a within-subject, double-blind study. For the purpose of the…

Identification of Long Bone Fractures in Radiology Reports Using Natural Language Processing to Support Healthcare Quality Improvement

PubMed Central

Masino, Aaron J.; Casper, T. Charles; Dean, Jonathan M.; Bell, Jamie; Enriquez, Rene; Deakyne, Sara; Chamberlain, James M.; Alpern, Elizabeth R.

2016-01-01

Summary Background Important information to support healthcare quality improvement is often recorded in free text documents such as radiology reports. Natural language processing (NLP) methods may help extract this information, but these methods have rarely been applied outside the research laboratories where they were developed. Objective To implement and validate NLP tools to identify long bone fractures for pediatric emergency medicine quality improvement. Methods Using freely available statistical software packages, we implemented NLP methods to identify long bone fractures from radiology reports. A sample of 1,000 radiology reports was used to construct three candidate classification models. A test set of 500 reports was used to validate the model performance. Blinded manual review of radiology reports by two independent physicians provided the reference standard. Each radiology report was segmented and word stem and bigram features were constructed. Common English “stop words” and rare features were excluded. We used 10-fold cross-validation to select optimal configuration parameters for each model. Accuracy, recall, precision and the F1 score were calculated. The final model was compared to the use of diagnosis codes for the identification of patients with long bone fractures. Results There were 329 unique word stems and 344 bigrams in the training documents. A support vector machine classifier with Gaussian kernel performed best on the test set with accuracy=0.958, recall=0.969, precision=0.940, and F1 score=0.954. Optimal parameters for this model were cost=4 and gamma=0.005. The three classification models that we tested all performed better than diagnosis codes in terms of accuracy, precision, and F1 score (diagnosis code accuracy=0.932, recall=0.960, precision=0.896, and F1 score=0.927). Conclusions NLP methods using a corpus of 1,000 training documents accurately identified acute long bone fractures from radiology reports. Strategic use of straightforward NLP methods, implemented with freely available software, offers quality improvement teams new opportunities to extract information from narrative documents. PMID:27826610

Using the AUDIT-PC to predict alcohol withdrawal in hospitalized patients.

PubMed

Pecoraro, Anna; Ewen, Edward; Horton, Terry; Mooney, Ruth; Kolm, Paul; McGraw, Patty; Woody, George

2014-01-01

Alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) occurs when alcohol-dependent individuals abruptly reduce or stop drinking. Hospitalized alcohol-dependent patients are at risk. Hospitals need a validated screening tool to assess withdrawal risk, but no validated tools are currently available. To examine the admission Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-(Piccinelli) Consumption (AUDIT-PC) ability to predict the subsequent development of AWS among hospitalized medical-surgical patients admitted to a non-intensive care setting. Retrospective case–control study of patients discharged from the hospital with a diagnosis of AWS. All patients with AWS were classified as presenting with AWS or developing AWS later during admission. Patients admitted to an intensive care setting and those missing AUDIT-PC scores were excluded from analysis. A hierarchical (by hospital unit) logistic regression was performed and receiver-operating characteristics were examined on those developing AWS after admission and randomly selected controls. Because those diagnosing AWS were not blinded to the AUDIT-PC scores, a sensitivity analysis was performed. The study cohort included all patients age ≥18 years admitted to any medical or surgical units in a single health care system from 6 October 2009 to 7 October 2010. After exclusions, 414 patients were identified with AWS. The 223 (53.9 %) who developed AWS after admission were compared to 466 randomly selected controls without AWS. An AUDIT-PC score ≥4 at admission provides 91.0 % sensitivity and 89.7 % specificity (AUC=0.95; 95 % CI, 0.94–0.97) for AWS, and maximizes the correct classification while resulting in 17 false positives for every true positive identified. Performance remained excellent on sensitivity analysis (AUC=0.92; 95 % CI, 0.90–0.93). Increasing AUDIT-PC scores were associated with an increased risk of AWS (OR=1.68, 95 % CI 1.55–1.82, p<0.001). The admission AUDIT-PC score is an excellent discriminator of AWS and could be an important component of future clinical prediction rules. Calibration and further validation on a large prospectivecohort is indicated.

Effective Energy Simulation and Optimal Design of Side-lit Buildings with Venetian Blinds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Tian

Venetian blinds are popularly used in buildings to control the amount of incoming daylight for improving visual comfort and reducing heat gains in air-conditioning systems. Studies have shown that the proper design and operation of window systems could result in significant energy savings in both lighting and cooling. However, there is no convenient computer tool that allows effective and efficient optimization of the envelope of side-lit buildings with blinds now. Three computer tools, Adeline, DOE2 and EnergyPlus widely used for the above-mentioned purpose have been experimentally examined in this study. Results indicate that the two former tools give unacceptable accuracy due to unrealistic assumptions adopted while the last one may generate large errors in certain conditions. Moreover, current computer tools have to conduct hourly energy simulations, which are not necessary for life-cycle energy analysis and optimal design, to provide annual cooling loads. This is not computationally efficient, particularly not suitable for optimal designing a building at initial stage because the impacts of many design variations and optional features have to be evaluated. A methodology is therefore developed for efficient and effective thermal and daylighting simulations and optimal design of buildings with blinds. Based on geometric optics and radiosity method, a mathematical model is developed to reasonably simulate the daylighting behaviors of venetian blinds. Indoor illuminance at any reference point can be directly and efficiently computed. They have been validated with both experiments and simulations with Radiance. Validation results show that indoor illuminances computed by the new models agree well with the measured data, and the accuracy provided by them is equivalent to that of Radiance. The computational efficiency of the new models is much higher than that of Radiance as well as EnergyPlus. Two new methods are developed for the thermal simulation of buildings. A fast Fourier transform (FFT) method is presented to avoid the root-searching process in the inverse Laplace transform of multilayered walls. Generalized explicit FFT formulae for calculating the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) are developed for the first time. They can largely facilitate the implementation of FFT. The new method also provides a basis for generating the symbolic response factors. Validation simulations show that it can generate the response factors as accurate as the analytical solutions. The second method is for direct estimation of annual or seasonal cooling loads without the need for tedious hourly energy simulations. It is validated by hourly simulation results with DOE2. Then symbolic long-term cooling load can be created by combining the two methods with thermal network analysis. The symbolic long-term cooling load can keep the design parameters of interest as symbols, which is particularly useful for the optimal design and sensitivity analysis. The methodology is applied to an office building in Hong Kong for the optimal design of building envelope. Design variables such as window-to-wall ratio, building orientation, and glazing optical and thermal properties are included in the study. Results show that the selected design values could significantly impact the energy performance of windows, and the optimal design of side-lit buildings could greatly enhance energy savings. The application example also demonstrates that the developed methodology significantly facilitates the optimal building design and sensitivity analysis, and leads to high computational efficiency.

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

English, Shawn A.; Briggs, Timothy M.; Nelson, Stacy M.

Simulations of low velocity impact with a flat cylindrical indenter upon a carbon fiber fabric reinforced polymer laminate are rigorously validated. Comparison of the impact energy absorption between the model and experiment is used as the validation metric. Additionally, non-destructive evaluation, including ultrasonic scans and three-dimensional computed tomography, provide qualitative validation of the models. The simulations include delamination, matrix cracks and fiber breaks. An orthotropic damage and failure constitutive model, capable of predicting progressive damage and failure, is developed in conjunction and described. An ensemble of simulations incorporating model parameter uncertainties is used to predict a response distribution which ismore » then compared to experimental output using appropriate statistical methods. Lastly, the model form errors are exposed and corrected for use in an additional blind validation analysis. The result is a quantifiable confidence in material characterization and model physics when simulating low velocity impact in structures of interest.« less

Development and Standardization of an Alienation Scale for Visually Impaired Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Punia, Poonam; Berwal, Sandeep

2017-01-01

Introduction: The present study was undertaken to develop a valid and reliable scale for measuring a feeling of alienation in students with visual impairments (that is, those who are blind or have low vision). Methods: In this study, a pool of 60 items was generated to develop an Alienation Scale for Visually Impaired Students (AL-VI) based on a…

Validation of a digital audio recording method for the objective assessment of cough in the horse.

PubMed

Duz, M; Whittaker, A G; Love, S; Parkin, T D H; Hughes, K J

2010-10-01

To validate the use of digital audio recording and analysis for quantification of coughing in horses. Part A: Nine simultaneous digital audio and video recordings were collected individually from seven stabled horses over a 1 h period using a digital audio recorder attached to the halter. Audio files were analysed using audio analysis software. Video and audio recordings were analysed for cough count and timing by two blinded operators on two occasions using a randomised study design for determination of intra-operator and inter-operator agreement. Part B: Seventy-eight hours of audio recordings obtained from nine horses were analysed once by two blinded operators to assess inter-operator repeatability on a larger sample. Part A: There was complete agreement between audio and video analyses and inter- and intra-operator analyses. Part B: There was >97% agreement between operators on number and timing of 727 coughs recorded over 78 h. The results of this study suggest that the cough monitor methodology used has excellent sensitivity and specificity for the objective assessment of cough in horses and intra- and inter-operator variability of recorded coughs is minimal. Crown Copyright 2010. Published by Elsevier India Pvt Ltd. All rights reserved.

CFD-RANS prediction of individual exposure from continuous release of hazardous airborne materials in complex urban environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Efthimiou, G. C.; Andronopoulos, S.; Bartzis, J. G.; Berbekar, E.; Harms, F.; Leitl, B.

2017-02-01

One of the key issues of recent research on the dispersion inside complex urban environments is the ability to predict individual exposure (maximum dosages) of an airborne material which is released continuously from a point source. The present work addresses the question whether the computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) methodology can be used to predict individual exposure for various exposure times. This is feasible by providing the two RANS concentration moments (mean and variance) and a turbulent time scale to a deterministic model. The whole effort is focused on the prediction of individual exposure inside a complex real urban area. The capabilities of the proposed methodology are validated against wind-tunnel data (CUTE experiment). The present simulations were performed 'blindly', i.e. the modeller had limited information for the inlet boundary conditions and the results were kept unknown until the end of the COST Action ES1006. Thus, a high uncertainty of the results was expected. The general performance of the methodology due to this 'blind' strategy is good. The validation metrics fulfil the acceptance criteria. The effect of the grid and the turbulence model on the model performance is examined.

Sorting Through the Safety Data Haystack: Using Machine Learning to Identify Individual Case Safety Reports in Social-Digital Media.

PubMed

Comfort, Shaun; Perera, Sujan; Hudson, Zoe; Dorrell, Darren; Meireis, Shawman; Nagarajan, Meenakshi; Ramakrishnan, Cartic; Fine, Jennifer

2018-06-01

There is increasing interest in social digital media (SDM) as a data source for pharmacovigilance activities; however, SDM is considered a low information content data source for safety data. Given that pharmacovigilance itself operates in a high-noise, lower-validity environment without objective 'gold standards' beyond process definitions, the introduction of large volumes of SDM into the pharmacovigilance workflow has the potential to exacerbate issues with limited manual resources to perform adverse event identification and processing. Recent advances in medical informatics have resulted in methods for developing programs which can assist human experts in the detection of valid individual case safety reports (ICSRs) within SDM. In this study, we developed rule-based and machine learning (ML) models for classifying ICSRs from SDM and compared their performance with that of human pharmacovigilance experts. We used a random sampling from a collection of 311,189 SDM posts that mentioned Roche products and brands in combination with common medical and scientific terms sourced from Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, and a spectrum of news media blogs to develop and evaluate three iterations of an automated ICSR classifier. The ICSR classifier models consisted of sub-components to annotate the relevant ICSR elements and a component to make the final decision on the validity of the ICSR. Agreement with human pharmacovigilance experts was chosen as the preferred performance metric and was evaluated by calculating the Gwet AC1 statistic (gKappa). The best performing model was tested against the Roche global pharmacovigilance expert using a blind dataset and put through a time test of the full 311,189-post dataset. During this effort, the initial strict rule-based approach to ICSR classification resulted in a model with an accuracy of 65% and a gKappa of 46%. Adding an ML-based adverse event annotator improved the accuracy to 74% and gKappa to 60%. This was further improved by the addition of an additional ML ICSR detector. On a blind test set of 2500 posts, the final model demonstrated a gKappa of 78% and an accuracy of 83%. In the time test, it took the final model 48 h to complete a task that would have taken an estimated 44,000 h for human experts to perform. The results of this study indicate that an effective and scalable solution to the challenge of ICSR detection in SDM includes a workflow using an automated ML classifier to identify likely ICSRs for further human SME review.

Pancreatic Reference Set Application: Brian Haab-Van Andel (2012) — EDRN Public Portal

Cancer.gov

New markers are greatly needed for the detection and diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Patients at high risk for developing pancreatic cancer (for, example because of genetic predisposition or health status) can be screened by endoscopy or a related imaging procedure, but these methods are expensive and burdensome to the patient. Blood-based markers would facilitate regular screening. In addition, patients with known abnormalities of the pancreas (for example, as observed incidentally from an abdominal scan) need to determine whether they have cancer or not. The great majority of patients with pancreatic findings by CT do not have conditions that require treatment, yet nearly all patients undergo invasive and burdensome procedures as a consequence of the CT. Again, a blood-based marker could alleviate this situation and potentially add accuracy to the diagnosis. In preliminary work we showed the potential for highly-accurate discrimination of pancreatic cancer from pancreatitis and healthy control subjects using a panel of protein and glycan markers in the serum. We used an antibody array platform in which we can obtain sensitive, reproducible measurements of protein abundance and glycosylation status in low sample volumes. The detection of the glycosylation status is important for the high accuracy of the test because the glycans attached to the marker proteins are altered in cancer patients. Based on the good performance in these early studies, we now want to validate the performance in rigorously controlled, blinded sample sets. The reference set developed by the EDRN will enable a definitive characterization of our marker performance. In addition, we can make an accurate comparison to other markers that will be applied to the same set and determine whether disparate markers could be used together for added benefit.

A gp41-based heteroduplex mobility assay provides rapid and accurate assessment of intrasubtype epidemiological linkage in HIV type 1 heterosexual transmission Pairs.

PubMed

Manigart, Olivier; Boeras, Debrah I; Karita, Etienne; Hawkins, Paulina A; Vwalika, Cheswa; Makombe, Nathan; Mulenga, Joseph; Derdeyn, Cynthia A; Allen, Susan; Hunter, Eric

2012-12-01

A critical step in HIV-1 transmission studies is the rapid and accurate identification of epidemiologically linked transmission pairs. To date, this has been accomplished by comparison of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified nucleotide sequences from potential transmission pairs, which can be cost-prohibitive for use in resource-limited settings. Here we describe a rapid, cost-effective approach to determine transmission linkage based on the heteroduplex mobility assay (HMA), and validate this approach by comparison to nucleotide sequencing. A total of 102 HIV-1-infected Zambian and Rwandan couples, with known linkage, were analyzed by gp41-HMA. A 400-base pair fragment within the envelope gp41 region of the HIV proviral genome was PCR amplified and HMA was applied to both partners' amplicons separately (autologous) and as a mixture (heterologous). If the diversity between gp41 sequences was low (<5%), a homoduplex was observed upon gel electrophoresis and the transmission was characterized as having occurred between partners (linked). If a new heteroduplex formed, within the heterologous migration, the transmission was determined to be unlinked. Initial blind validation of gp-41 HMA demonstrated 90% concordance between HMA and sequencing with 100% concordance in the case of linked transmissions. Following validation, 25 newly infected partners in Kigali and 12 in Lusaka were evaluated prospectively using both HMA and nucleotide sequences. Concordant results were obtained in all but one case (97.3%). The gp41-HMA technique is a reliable and feasible tool to detect linked transmissions in the field. All identified unlinked results should be confirmed by sequence analyses.

The Dartmouth COOP Charts: a simple, reliable, valid and responsive quality of life tool for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

PubMed

Eaton, T; Young, P; Fergusson, W; Garrett, J E; Kolbe, J

2005-04-01

The negative impact of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on health-related quality of life (HRQL) is substantial. Measurement of HRQL is increasingly advocated in clinical practice; traditional outcome measures such as lung function are poorly responsive. However many HRQL tools are not user-friendly in the clinic setting. Hence HRQL is often neglected. The Dartmouth Cooperative Functional Assessment Charts (COOP) have the requisite attributes of a tool suitable for routine clinical practice: they are simple, reliable, quick and easy to perform and score and well accepted. We aimed to determine the reliability, validity and responsiveness of the COOP in patients with significant COPD. HRQL was assessed during a prospective, randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind, 12 week cross-over interventional study of ambulatory oxygen in patients (n = 50) with COPD. Test-retest reliability of the COOP domains was only modest however it was measured over a 2 month period. Significant correlations ranging between 0.4 and 0.8 were observed between all comparable domains of the COOP and the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-form Health Survey, Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire (CRQ) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale. Following ambulatory oxygen significant improvements were noted in all CRQ and HAD domains. Several domains of the generic SF-36 (role emotional, social functioning, role-physical) showed significant improvements. Comparable domains of the COOP (social activities, feelings) also showed significant improvements. The COOP change in health domain improved very significantly. The COOP is a simple, reliable HRQL tool which proved valid and responsive in our study population of COPD patients and may have a valuable role in routine clinical practice.

QNOTE: an instrument for measuring the quality of EHR clinical notes.

PubMed

Burke, Harry B; Hoang, Albert; Becher, Dorothy; Fontelo, Paul; Liu, Fang; Stephens, Mark; Pangaro, Louis N; Sessums, Laura L; O'Malley, Patrick; Baxi, Nancy S; Bunt, Christopher W; Capaldi, Vincent F; Chen, Julie M; Cooper, Barbara A; Djuric, David A; Hodge, Joshua A; Kane, Shawn; Magee, Charles; Makary, Zizette R; Mallory, Renee M; Miller, Thomas; Saperstein, Adam; Servey, Jessica; Gimbel, Ronald W

2014-01-01

The outpatient clinical note documents the clinician's information collection, problem assessment, and patient management, yet there is currently no validated instrument to measure the quality of the electronic clinical note. This study evaluated the validity of the QNOTE instrument, which assesses 12 elements in the clinical note, for measuring the quality of clinical notes. It also compared its performance with a global instrument that assesses the clinical note as a whole. Retrospective multicenter blinded study of the clinical notes of 100 outpatients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who had been seen in clinic on at least three occasions. The 300 notes were rated by eight general internal medicine and eight family medicine practicing physicians. The QNOTE instrument scored the quality of the note as the sum of a set of 12 note element scores, and its inter-rater agreement was measured by the intraclass correlation coefficient. The Global instrument scored the note in its entirety, and its inter-rater agreement was measured by the Fleiss κ. The overall QNOTE inter-rater agreement was 0.82 (CI 0.80 to 0.84), and its note quality score was 65 (CI 64 to 66). The Global inter-rater agreement was 0.24 (CI 0.19 to 0.29), and its note quality score was 52 (CI 49 to 55). The QNOTE quality scores were consistent, and the overall QNOTE score was significantly higher than the overall Global score (p=0.04). We found the QNOTE to be a valid instrument for evaluating the quality of electronic clinical notes, and its performance was superior to that of the Global instrument. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Development of a new assessment tool for cervical myelopathy using hand-tracking sensor: Part 1: validity and reliability.

PubMed

Alagha, M Abdulhadi; Alagha, Mahmoud A; Dunstan, Eleanor; Sperwer, Olaf; Timmins, Kate A; Boszczyk, Bronek M

2017-04-01

To assess the reliability and validity of a hand motion sensor, Leap Motion Controller (LMC), in the 15-s hand grip-and-release test, as compared against human inspection of an external digital camera recording. Fifty healthy participants were asked to fully grip-and-release their dominant hand as rapidly as possible for two trials with a 10-min rest in-between, while wearing a non-metal wrist splint. Each test lasted for 15 s, and a digital camera was used to film the anterolateral side of the hand on the first test. Three assessors counted the frequency of grip-and-release (G-R) cycles independently and in a blinded fashion. The average mean of the three was compared with that measured by LMC using the Bland-Altman method. Test-retest reliability was examined by comparing the two 15-s tests. The mean number of G-R cycles recorded was: 47.8 ± 6.4 (test 1, video observer); 47.7 ± 6.5 (test 1, LMC); and 50.2 ± 6.5 (test 2, LMC). Bland-Altman indicated good agreement, with a low bias (0.15 cycles) and narrow limits of agreement. The ICC showed high inter-rater agreement and the coefficient of repeatability for the number of cycles was ±5.393, with a mean bias of 3.63. LMC appears to be valid and reliable in the 15-s grip-and-release test. This serves as a first step towards the development of an objective myelopathy assessment device and platform for the assessment of neuromotor hand function in general. Further assessment in a clinical setting and to gauge healthy benchmark values is warranted.

Direct Analysis in Real Time-Mass Spectrometry & Kohonen Artificial Neural Networks for the Rapid Species Identification of Larvae, Pupae and Adult Life Stages of Carrion Insects.

PubMed

Beyramysoltan, Samira; Giffen, Justine E; Rosati, Jennifer Y; Musah, Rabi Ann

2018-06-20

Species determination of the various life stages of flies (order: Diptera) is challenging, particularly for the immature forms, because analogous life stages of different species are difficult to differentiate morphologically. It is demonstrated here that DART high-resolution mass spectrometry (DART-HRMS) combined with supervised Kohonen Self-Organizing Maps (SOM) enables accomplishment of species-level identification of larvae, pupae and adult life stages of carrion flies. DART-HRMS data for each life stage were acquired from analysis of ethanol suspensions representing Calliphoridae, Phoridae and Sarcophagidae families, without additional sample preparation. After preprocessing, the data were subjected to a combination of minimum Redundancy Maximal Relevance (mRMR) and Sparse Discriminant Analysis (SDA) methods to select the most significant variables for creating accurate SOM models. The resulting data were divided into training and validation sets, and then analyzed by the SOM method to define the proper discrimination models. The 5-fold venetian blind cross-validation misclassification error was below 7% for all life stages, and the validation samples were correctly identified in all cases. The multiclass SOM model also revealed which chemical components were the most significant markers for each species, with several of these being amino acids. The results show that processing of DART-HRMS data using artificial neural networks (ANNs) based on the Kohonen SOM approach enables rapid discrimination and identification of fly species even for the immature life stages. The ANNs can be continuously expanded to include a larger number of species, and can be used to screen DART-HRMS data from unknowns to rapidly determine species identity.

The benefit of lithium carbonate adjunct in refractory depression--fact or fiction?

PubMed

Kantor, D; McNevin, S; Leichner, P; Harper, D; Krenn, M

1986-06-01

Our group attempted to validate previous claims of rapid success with lithium carbonate adjunct therapy in antidepressant-resistant depression. Seven depressed patients volunteered for a study of placebo controlled, double-blind design. During their treatment on general hospital psychiatric wards, these patients received antidepressant medication for a period of at least 21 days. While continuing to receive antidepressant medication after the 21 day period, four of the patients then received lithium carbonate, and three received placebo. This combination pharmacological therapy continued for a 48 hour period. After this time, six of the seven patients showed no significant improvement. The remaining patient, who had received lithium carbonate, improved markedly over the 48 hour period. However, this patient relapsed within one week. A review of the two most extensive studies claiming significant results with the lithium carbonate adjunct therapy was performed. We feel that they, as presented, leave serious doubt as to the validity of their conclusions. We conclude that on the basis of our work up to this point in time and the analysis of previous reports claiming otherwise, no valid evidence exists for a consistent therapeutic effect of lithium carbonate adjunct in antidepressant-resistant depression. It was also found that methodologic contamination necessitated the exclusion of an additional six patients from the double-blind trial. We conclude that in order to objectively examine the rapidly expanding field of biological psychiatry, teaching of clinical staff in basic research procedure should be stressed as a part of routine ward orientation.

Data Driven Smart Proxy for CFD Application of Big Data Analytics & Machine Learning in Computational Fluid Dynamics, Report Two: Model Building at the Cell Level

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

Ansari, A.; Mohaghegh, S.; Shahnam, M.

To ensure the usefulness of simulation technologies in practice, their credibility needs to be established with Uncertainty Quantification (UQ) methods. In this project, smart proxy is introduced to significantly reduce the computational cost of conducting large number of multiphase CFD simulations, which is typically required for non-intrusive UQ analysis. Smart proxy for CFD models are developed using pattern recognition capabilities of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data Mining (DM) technologies. Several CFD simulation runs with different inlet air velocities for a rectangular fluidized bed are used to create a smart CFD proxy that is capable of replicating the CFD results formore » the entire geometry and inlet velocity range. The smart CFD proxy is validated with blind CFD runs (CFD runs that have not played any role during the development of the smart CFD proxy). The developed and validated smart CFD proxy generates its results in seconds with reasonable error (less than 10%). Upon completion of this project, UQ studies that rely on hundreds or thousands of smart CFD proxy runs can be accomplished in minutes. Following figure demonstrates a validation example (blind CFD run) showing the results from the MFiX simulation and the smart CFD proxy for pressure distribution across a fluidized bed at a given time-step (the layer number corresponds to the vertical location in the bed).« less

Test-treatment RCTs are susceptible to bias: a review of the methodological quality of randomized trials that evaluate diagnostic tests.

PubMed

Ferrante di Ruffano, Lavinia; Dinnes, Jacqueline; Sitch, Alice J; Hyde, Chris; Deeks, Jonathan J

2017-02-24

There is a growing recognition for the need to expand our evidence base for the clinical effectiveness of diagnostic tests. Many international bodies are calling for diagnostic randomized controlled trials to provide the most rigorous evidence of impact to patient health. Although these so-called test-treatment RCTs are very challenging to undertake due to their methodological complexity, they have not been subjected to a systematic appraisal of their methodological quality. The extent to which these trials may be producing biased results therefore remains unknown. We set out to address this issue by conducting a methodological review of published test-treatment trials to determine how often they implement adequate methods to limit bias and safeguard the validity of results. We ascertained all test-treatment RCTs published 2004-2007, indexed in CENTRAL, including RCTs which randomized patients to diagnostic tests and measured patient outcomes after treatment. Tests used for screening, monitoring or prognosis were excluded. We assessed adequacy of sequence generation, allocation concealment and intention-to-treat, appropriateness of primary analyses, blinding and reporting of power calculations, and extracted study characteristics including the primary outcome. One hundred three trials compared 105 control with 119 experimental interventions, and reported 150 primary outcomes. Randomization and allocation concealment were adequate in 57 and 37% of trials. Blinding was uncommon (patients 5%, clinicians 4%, outcome assessors 21%), as was an adequate intention-to-treat analysis (29%). Overall 101 of 103 trials (98%) were at risk of bias, as judged using standard Cochrane criteria. Test-treatment trials are particularly susceptible to attrition and inadequate primary analyses, lack of blinding and under-powering. These weaknesses pose much greater methodological and practical challenges to conducting reliable RCT evaluations of test-treatment strategies than standard treatment interventions. We suggest a cautious approach that first examines whether a test-treatment intervention can accommodate the methodological safeguards necessary to minimize bias, and highlight that test-treatment RCTs require different methods to ensure reliability than standard treatment trials. Please see the companion paper to this article: http://bmcmedresmethodol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12874-016-0286-0 .

Public Perception of the Burden of Microtia.

PubMed

Byun, Stephanie; Hong, Paul; Bezuhly, Michael

2016-10-01

Microtia is associated with psychosocial burden and stigma. The authors' objective was to determine the potential impact of being born with microtia by using validated health state utility assessment measures. An online utility assessment using visual analogue scale, time tradeoff, and standard gamble was used to determine utilities for microtia with or without ipsilateral deafness, monocular blindness, and binocular blindness from a prospective sample of the general population. Utility scores were compared between health states using Wilcoxon and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Univariate regression was performed using sex, age, race, and education as independent predictors of utility scores. Over a 6-month enrollment period, 104 participants were included in the analysis. Visual analogue scale (median 0.80, interquartile range [0.72-0.85]), time tradeoff (0.88 [0.77-0.91]), and standard gamble (0.91 [0.84-0.97]) scores for microtia with ipsilateral deafness were higher (P <0.01) than those of binocular blindness (visual analogue scale, 0.30 [0.20-0.45]; time tradeoff, 0.42 [0.17-0.67]; and standard gamble, 0.52 [0.36-0.78]). Time trade-off scores for microtia with deafness were not different from monocular blindness (0.83 [0.67-0.91]). Higher level of education was associated with higher time tradeoff and standard gamble scores for microtia with or without deafness (P <0.05). Using objective health state utility scores, the current study demonstrates that the perceived burden of microtia with or without deafness is no different or less than monocular blindness. Given high utility scores for microtia, delaying autologous reconstruction beyond school entrance age may be justified.

Drawing enhances cross-modal memory plasticity in the human brain: a case study in a totally blind adult

PubMed Central

Likova, Lora T.

2012-01-01

In a memory-guided drawing task under blindfolded conditions, we have recently used functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to demonstrate that the primary visual cortex (V1) may operate as the visuo-spatial buffer, or “sketchpad,” for working memory. The results implied, however, a modality-independent or amodal form of its operation. In the present study, to validate the role of V1 in non-visual memory, we eliminated not only the visual input but all levels of visual processing by replicating the paradigm in a congenitally blind individual. Our novel Cognitive-Kinesthetic method was used to train this totally blind subject to draw complex images guided solely by tactile memory. Control tasks of tactile exploration and memorization of the image to be drawn, and memory-free scribbling were also included. FMRI was run before training and after training. Remarkably, V1 of this congenitally blind individual, which before training exhibited noisy, immature, and non-specific responses, after training produced full-fledged response time-courses specific to the tactile-memory drawing task. The results reveal the operation of a rapid training-based plasticity mechanism that recruits the resources of V1 in the process of learning to draw. The learning paradigm allowed us to investigate for the first time the evolution of plastic re-assignment in V1 in a congenitally blind subject. These findings are consistent with a non-visual memory involvement of V1, and specifically imply that the observed cortical reorganization can be empowered by the process of learning to draw. PMID:22593738

Drawing enhances cross-modal memory plasticity in the human brain: a case study in a totally blind adult.

PubMed

Likova, Lora T

2012-01-01

In a memory-guided drawing task under blindfolded conditions, we have recently used functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to demonstrate that the primary visual cortex (V1) may operate as the visuo-spatial buffer, or "sketchpad," for working memory. The results implied, however, a modality-independent or amodal form of its operation. In the present study, to validate the role of V1 in non-visual memory, we eliminated not only the visual input but all levels of visual processing by replicating the paradigm in a congenitally blind individual. Our novel Cognitive-Kinesthetic method was used to train this totally blind subject to draw complex images guided solely by tactile memory. Control tasks of tactile exploration and memorization of the image to be drawn, and memory-free scribbling were also included. FMRI was run before training and after training. Remarkably, V1 of this congenitally blind individual, which before training exhibited noisy, immature, and non-specific responses, after training produced full-fledged response time-courses specific to the tactile-memory drawing task. The results reveal the operation of a rapid training-based plasticity mechanism that recruits the resources of V1 in the process of learning to draw. The learning paradigm allowed us to investigate for the first time the evolution of plastic re-assignment in V1 in a congenitally blind subject. These findings are consistent with a non-visual memory involvement of V1, and specifically imply that the observed cortical reorganization can be empowered by the process of learning to draw.

Validation of the Spanish Version of the Eating Assessment Tool-10 (EAT-10spa) in Colombia. A Blinded Prospective Cohort Study.

PubMed

Giraldo-Cadavid, Luis Fernando; Gutiérrez-Achury, Alejandra María; Ruales-Suárez, Karem; Rengifo-Varona, Maria Leonor; Barros, Camilo; Posada, Andrés; Romero, Carlos; Galvis, Ana María

2016-06-01

Dysphagia might affect 12 % of the general population, and its complications include pneumonia, malnutrition, social isolation, and death. No validated Spanish symptom survey exists to quantify dysphagia symptoms among Latin Americans. Therefore, we performed a prospective cohort study in a tertiary care university hospital to validate the Spanish version of the 10-Item Eating-Assessment-Tool (EAT-10spa) for use in Colombia. After an interdisciplinary committee of five bilingual specialists evaluated the EAT-10spa (translated and validated in Spain) and deemed it appropriate for the Colombian culture, its feasibility, reliability, validity, sensitivity to change, and diagnostic capacity were evaluated. As a reference standard, we used the flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing with sensory testing and a standardized clinical evaluation. All assessments were blinded. In total, 133 subjects were included (52 % women, mean age 55 years) and completed the EAT-10spa (median completion time: 2 min [IQR 1-3 min]), 39 % of whom had an elementary-level education. Cronbach's α coefficient: 0.91; test-retest intra-class correlation coefficient: 0.94. The Spearman's correlation coefficient of the EAT-10spa with the 8-point penetration-aspiration scale was 0.54 (P < 0.001). The area under the receiver-operating-characteristic-curve (AUC-ROC) for dysphagia and aspiration were 0.79 (P < 0.001) and 0.81 (P < 0.001), respectively. The best cut-off points for dysphagia and aspiration were EAT-10spa ≥2 (sensitivity 93.6 %, specificity 36.4 %) and EAT-10spa ≥4 (sensitivity 94.3 %, specificity 49.5 %), respectively. A reduction in the EAT-10 ≥3 was the best cut-off point for a clinically significant improvement (AUC-ROC 0.83; P < 0.0001). The EAT-10spa showed excellent psychometric properties and discriminatory capacity for use in Colombia.

Verification of the change blindness phenomenon while managing critical events on a combat information display.

PubMed

DiVita, Joseph; Obermayer, Richard; Nugent, William; Linville, James M

2004-01-01

Change blindness occurs when humans are unable to detect significant changes in objects and scenes after their attention is momentarily diverted. Because change blindness is relevant in many applied settings, the current study investigated the phenomenon in the context of tasks performed by naval command and control system personnel. Operators of such systems are often heavily loaded with concurrent visual search, situation assessment, voice communications, and control-display manipulation tasks at large, physically dispersed tactical situation displays. As the operators' attention shifts from one display to another, it creates an opportunity for changes to occur on unattended screens with potentially negative consequences. Our results show that on a display containing 8 objects of interest, considerable change blindness was demonstrated in that participants required 2 or more selections to correctly identify a changed object on nearly 1/3 of the test trials. Further, operator performance on 15% of the trials was equivalent to randomly guessing with replacement after making 3 incorrect selections. This research underscores the need for developing effective countermeasures to the change blindness phenomenon. Actual or potential uses of this research include interface design of computer workstations for military, nuclear power industry, air traffic control, crisis response center, and hospital emergency room applications.

Blind prediction of noncanonical RNA structure at atomic accuracy.

PubMed

Watkins, Andrew M; Geniesse, Caleb; Kladwang, Wipapat; Zakrevsky, Paul; Jaeger, Luc; Das, Rhiju

2018-05-01

Prediction of RNA structure from nucleotide sequence remains an unsolved grand challenge of biochemistry and requires distinct concepts from protein structure prediction. Despite extensive algorithmic development in recent years, modeling of noncanonical base pairs of new RNA structural motifs has not been achieved in blind challenges. We report a stepwise Monte Carlo (SWM) method with a unique add-and-delete move set that enables predictions of noncanonical base pairs of complex RNA structures. A benchmark of 82 diverse motifs establishes the method's general ability to recover noncanonical pairs ab initio, including multistrand motifs that have been refractory to prior approaches. In a blind challenge, SWM models predicted nucleotide-resolution chemical mapping and compensatory mutagenesis experiments for three in vitro selected tetraloop/receptors with previously unsolved structures (C7.2, C7.10, and R1). As a final test, SWM blindly and correctly predicted all noncanonical pairs of a Zika virus double pseudoknot during a recent community-wide RNA-Puzzle. Stepwise structure formation, as encoded in the SWM method, enables modeling of noncanonical RNA structure in a variety of previously intractable problems.

Clinical Validation of a Smartphone-Based Adapter for Optic Disc Imaging in Kenya.

PubMed

Bastawrous, Andrew; Giardini, Mario Ettore; Bolster, Nigel M; Peto, Tunde; Shah, Nisha; Livingstone, Iain A T; Weiss, Helen A; Hu, Sen; Rono, Hillary; Kuper, Hannah; Burton, Matthew

2016-02-01

Visualization and interpretation of the optic nerve and retina are essential parts of most physical examinations. To design and validate a smartphone-based retinal adapter enabling image capture and remote grading of the retina. This validation study compared the grading of optic nerves from smartphone images with those of a digital retinal camera. Both image sets were independently graded at Moorfields Eye Hospital Reading Centre. Nested within the 6-year follow-up (January 7, 2013, to March 12, 2014) of the Nakuru Eye Disease Cohort in Kenya, 1460 adults (2920 eyes) 55 years and older were recruited consecutively from the study. A subset of 100 optic disc images from both methods were further used to validate a grading app for the optic nerves. Data analysis was performed April 7 to April 12, 2015. Vertical cup-disc ratio for each test was compared in terms of agreement (Bland-Altman and weighted κ) and test-retest variability. A total of 2152 optic nerve images were available from both methods (also 371 from the reference camera but not the smartphone, 170 from the smartphone but not the reference camera, and 227 from neither the reference camera nor the smartphone). Bland-Altman analysis revealed a mean difference of 0.02 (95% CI, -0.21 to 0.17) and a weighted κ coefficient of 0.69 (excellent agreement). The grades of an experienced retinal photographer were compared with those of a lay photographer (no health care experience before the study), and no observable difference in image acquisition quality was found. Nonclinical photographers using the low-cost smartphone adapter were able to acquire optic nerve images at a standard that enabled independent remote grading of the images comparable to those acquired using a desktop retinal camera operated by an ophthalmic assistant. The potential for task shifting and the detection of avoidable causes of blindness in the most at-risk communities makes this an attractive public health intervention.

Comparative Analysis of Automatic Exudate Detection between Machine Learning and Traditional Approaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sopharak, Akara; Uyyanonvara, Bunyarit; Barman, Sarah; Williamson, Thomas

To prevent blindness from diabetic retinopathy, periodic screening and early diagnosis are neccessary. Due to lack of expert ophthalmologists in rural area, automated early exudate (one of visible sign of diabetic retinopathy) detection could help to reduce the number of blindness in diabetic patients. Traditional automatic exudate detection methods are based on specific parameter configuration, while the machine learning approaches which seems more flexible may be computationally high cost. A comparative analysis of traditional and machine learning of exudates detection, namely, mathematical morphology, fuzzy c-means clustering, naive Bayesian classifier, Support Vector Machine and Nearest Neighbor classifier are presented. Detected exudates are validated with expert ophthalmologists' hand-drawn ground-truths. The sensitivity, specificity, precision, accuracy and time complexity of each method are also compared.

[A guide dog in the life of the blind--experiences, insights, considerations].

PubMed

Küpfer, R

1992-02-01

A guide dog user himself, the author nevertheless sets out to put forth in as unprejudiced a manner as possible the pros and cons of this mobility aid for blind persons. After a brief outline of the history and present situation of guide dog use in Germany, the author addresses the skills such a service animal must be provided with, dealing both with genetic and biographic issues relative to his or her suitability and training. Also, the team, conceived as a differentiated action entity, is set out in some detail due to its unique structure and dynamics, dealing also with its intricate relationship with the environment. Concluding, the author on the one hand addresses the psychologically important adjustment difficulties a person without previous experience in using this aid may be faced with, and on the other the partnership-based position of the guide dog in private and occupational social interaction.

Variability in Puff Topography and Exhaled CO in Waterpipe Tobacco Smoking.

PubMed

Kim, Hyoshin; Brinkman, Marielle C; Sharma, Eva; Gordon, Sydney M; Clark, Pamela I

2016-10-01

We examined intra-individual variability in puff topography and CO measures collected during laboratory waterpipe (WP) tobacco smoking using a research-grade waterpipe (RWP). WP smoking topography and exhaled CO measures were obtained from 10 established WP smokers in a single-blind, crossover design. Using a previously validated RWP, each participant smoked "Two Apples" WP tobacco ad libitum with a single quick-light charcoal to satiation in 3 laboratory sessions spaced at least one week apart. To examine the intra-individual variability, the intraclass correlation coefficient ( ρ ) for topography and CO measures were estimated. Results: The majority of the topography and CO measures were stable. Most stable were puff frequency ( ρ = 0.88), number of puffs ( ρ = 0.86), and puff duration (ρ = 0.80). Less stable were peak flow ( ρ = 0.57) and total puff volume ( ρ = 0.52). The results provide the first set of empirical evidence that most topography and CO measurements collected using the RWP from a single laboratory smoking session are stable such that they can be representative of a smoker's puffing behaviors and reproducible among 3 sessions spread equally across 3 weeks.

Investigation of Finite Sources through Time Reversal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kremers, S.; Brietzke, G.; Igel, H.; Larmat, C.; Fichtner, A.; Johnson, P. A.; Huang, L.

2008-12-01

Under certain conditions time reversal is a promising method to determine earthquake source characteristics without any a-priori information (except the earth model and the data). It consists of injecting flipped-in-time records from seismic stations within the model to create an approximate reverse movie of wave propagation from which the location of the source point and other information might be inferred. In this study, the backward propagation is performed numerically using a spectral element code. We investigate the potential of time reversal to recover finite source characteristics (e.g., size of ruptured area, location of asperities, rupture velocity etc.). We use synthetic data from the SPICE kinematic source inversion blind test initiated to investigate the performance of current kinematic source inversion approaches (http://www.spice- rtn.org/library/valid). The synthetic data set attempts to reproduce the 2000 Tottori earthquake with 33 records close to the fault. We discuss the influence of relaxing the ignorance to prior source information (e.g., origin time, hypocenter, fault location, etc.) on the results of the time reversal process.

Modern modeling techniques had limited external validity in predicting mortality from traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

van der Ploeg, Tjeerd; Nieboer, Daan; Steyerberg, Ewout W

2016-10-01

Prediction of medical outcomes may potentially benefit from using modern statistical modeling techniques. We aimed to externally validate modeling strategies for prediction of 6-month mortality of patients suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI) with predictor sets of increasing complexity. We analyzed individual patient data from 15 different studies including 11,026 TBI patients. We consecutively considered a core set of predictors (age, motor score, and pupillary reactivity), an extended set with computed tomography scan characteristics, and a further extension with two laboratory measurements (glucose and hemoglobin). With each of these sets, we predicted 6-month mortality using default settings with five statistical modeling techniques: logistic regression (LR), classification and regression trees, random forests (RFs), support vector machines (SVM) and neural nets. For external validation, a model developed on one of the 15 data sets was applied to each of the 14 remaining sets. This process was repeated 15 times for a total of 630 validations. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used to assess the discriminative ability of the models. For the most complex predictor set, the LR models performed best (median validated AUC value, 0.757), followed by RF and support vector machine models (median validated AUC value, 0.735 and 0.732, respectively). With each predictor set, the classification and regression trees models showed poor performance (median validated AUC value, <0.7). The variability in performance across the studies was smallest for the RF- and LR-based models (inter quartile range for validated AUC values from 0.07 to 0.10). In the area of predicting mortality from TBI, nonlinear and nonadditive effects are not pronounced enough to make modern prediction methods beneficial. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bias and precision of selected analytes reported by the National Atmospheric Deposition Program and National Trends Network, 1984

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brooks, M.H.; Schroder, L.J.; Willoughby, T.C.

1987-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey operated a blind audit sample program during 1974 to test the effects of the sample handling and shipping procedures used by the National Atmospheric Deposition Program and National Trends Network on the quality of wet deposition data produced by the combined networks. Blind audit samples, which were dilutions of standard reference water samples, were submitted by network site operators to the central analytical laboratory disguised as actual wet deposition samples. Results from the analyses of blind audit samples were used to calculate estimates of analyte bias associated with all network wet deposition samples analyzed in 1984 and to estimate analyte precision. Concentration differences between double blind samples that were submitted to the central analytical laboratory and separate analyses of aliquots of those blind audit samples that had not undergone network sample handling and shipping were used to calculate analyte masses that apparently were added to each blind audit sample by routine network handling and shipping procedures. These calculated masses indicated statistically significant biases for magnesium, sodium , potassium, chloride, and sulfate. Median calculated masses were 41.4 micrograms (ug) for calcium, 14.9 ug for magnesium, 23.3 ug for sodium, 0.7 ug for potassium, 16.5 ug for chloride and 55.3 ug for sulfate. Analyte precision was estimated using two different sets of replicate measures performed by the central analytical laboratory. Estimated standard deviations were similar to those previously reported. (Author 's abstract)

Randomized, Blinded Pilot Testing of Nonconventional Stimulation Patterns and Shapes in Parkinson's Disease and Essential Tremor: Evidence for Further Evaluating Narrow and Biphasic Pulses

PubMed Central

Akbar, Umer; Raike, Robert S.; Hack, Nawaz; Hess, Christopher W.; Skinner, Jared; Martinez‐Ramirez, Daniel; DeJesus, Sol

2016-01-01

Objectives Evidence suggests that nonconventional programming may improve deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy for movement disorders. The primary objective was to assess feasibility of testing the tolerability of several nonconventional settings in Parkinson's disease (PD) and essential tremor (ET) subjects in a single office visit. Secondary objectives were to explore for potential efficacy signals and to assess the energy demand on the implantable pulse‐generators (IPGs). Materials and Methods A custom firmware (FW) application was developed and acutely uploaded to the IPGs of eight PD and three ET subjects, allowing delivery of several nonconventional DBS settings, including narrow pulse widths, square biphasic pulses, and irregular pulse patterns. Standard clinical rating scales and several objective measures were used to compare motor outcomes with sham, clinically‐optimal and nonconventional settings. Blinded and randomized testing was conducted in a traditional office setting. Results Overall, the nonconventional settings were well tolerated. Under these conditions it was also possible to detect clinically‐relevant differences in DBS responses using clinical rating scales but not objective measures. Compared to the clinically‐optimal settings, some nonconventional settings appeared to offer similar benefit (e.g., narrow pulse widths) and others lesser benefit. Moreover, the results suggest that square biphasic pulses may deliver greater benefit. No unexpected IPG efficiency disadvantages were associated with delivering nonconventional settings. Conclusions It is feasible to acutely screen nonconventional DBS settings using controlled study designs in traditional office settings. Simple IPG FW upgrades may provide more DBS programming options for optimizing therapy. Potential advantages of narrow and biphasic pulses deserve follow up. PMID:27000764

Randomized, Blinded Pilot Testing of Nonconventional Stimulation Patterns and Shapes in Parkinson's Disease and Essential Tremor: Evidence for Further Evaluating Narrow and Biphasic Pulses.

PubMed

Akbar, Umer; Raike, Robert S; Hack, Nawaz; Hess, Christopher W; Skinner, Jared; Martinez-Ramirez, Daniel; DeJesus, Sol; Okun, Michael S

2016-06-01

Evidence suggests that nonconventional programming may improve deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy for movement disorders. The primary objective was to assess feasibility of testing the tolerability of several nonconventional settings in Parkinson's disease (PD) and essential tremor (ET) subjects in a single office visit. Secondary objectives were to explore for potential efficacy signals and to assess the energy demand on the implantable pulse-generators (IPGs). A custom firmware (FW) application was developed and acutely uploaded to the IPGs of eight PD and three ET subjects, allowing delivery of several nonconventional DBS settings, including narrow pulse widths, square biphasic pulses, and irregular pulse patterns. Standard clinical rating scales and several objective measures were used to compare motor outcomes with sham, clinically-optimal and nonconventional settings. Blinded and randomized testing was conducted in a traditional office setting. Overall, the nonconventional settings were well tolerated. Under these conditions it was also possible to detect clinically-relevant differences in DBS responses using clinical rating scales but not objective measures. Compared to the clinically-optimal settings, some nonconventional settings appeared to offer similar benefit (e.g., narrow pulse widths) and others lesser benefit. Moreover, the results suggest that square biphasic pulses may deliver greater benefit. No unexpected IPG efficiency disadvantages were associated with delivering nonconventional settings. It is feasible to acutely screen nonconventional DBS settings using controlled study designs in traditional office settings. Simple IPG FW upgrades may provide more DBS programming options for optimizing therapy. Potential advantages of narrow and biphasic pulses deserve follow up. © 2016 The Authors. Neuromodulation: Technology at the Neural Interface published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Neuromodulation Society.

Situating Standard Setting within Argument-Based Validity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papageorgiou, Spiros; Tannenbaum, Richard J.

2016-01-01

Although there has been substantial work on argument-based approaches to validation as well as standard-setting methodologies, it might not always be clear how standard setting fits into argument-based validity. The purpose of this article is to address this lack in the literature, with a specific focus on topics related to argument-based…

Predictive Structure-Based Toxicology Approaches To Assess the Androgenic Potential of Chemicals.

PubMed

Trisciuzzi, Daniela; Alberga, Domenico; Mansouri, Kamel; Judson, Richard; Novellino, Ettore; Mangiatordi, Giuseppe Felice; Nicolotti, Orazio

2017-11-27

We present a practical and easy-to-run in silico workflow exploiting a structure-based strategy making use of docking simulations to derive highly predictive classification models of the androgenic potential of chemicals. Models were trained on a high-quality chemical collection comprising 1689 curated compounds made available within the CoMPARA consortium from the US Environmental Protection Agency and were integrated with a two-step applicability domain whose implementation had the effect of improving both the confidence in prediction and statistics by reducing the number of false negatives. Among the nine androgen receptor X-ray solved structures, the crystal 2PNU (entry code from the Protein Data Bank) was associated with the best performing structure-based classification model. Three validation sets comprising each 2590 compounds extracted by the DUD-E collection were used to challenge model performance and the effectiveness of Applicability Domain implementation. Next, the 2PNU model was applied to screen and prioritize two collections of chemicals. The first is a small pool of 12 representative androgenic compounds that were accurately classified based on outstanding rationale at the molecular level. The second is a large external blind set of 55450 chemicals with potential for human exposure. We show how the use of molecular docking provides highly interpretable models and can represent a real-life option as an alternative nontesting method for predictive toxicology.

The First Attempt at Non-Linear in Silico Prediction of Sampling Rates for Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Samplers (POCIS)

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Modeling and prediction of polar organic chemical integrative sampler (POCIS) sampling rates (Rs) for 73 compounds using artificial neural networks (ANNs) is presented for the first time. Two models were constructed: the first was developed ab initio using a genetic algorithm (GSD-model) to shortlist 24 descriptors covering constitutional, topological, geometrical and physicochemical properties and the second model was adapted for Rs prediction from a previous chromatographic retention model (RTD-model). Mechanistic evaluation of descriptors showed that models did not require comprehensive a priori information to predict Rs. Average predicted errors for the verification and blind test sets were 0.03 ± 0.02 L d–1 (RTD-model) and 0.03 ± 0.03 L d–1 (GSD-model) relative to experimentally determined Rs. Prediction variability in replicated models was the same or less than for measured Rs. Networks were externally validated using a measured Rs data set of six benzodiazepines. The RTD-model performed best in comparison to the GSD-model for these compounds (average absolute errors of 0.0145 ± 0.008 L d–1 and 0.0437 ± 0.02 L d–1, respectively). Improvements to generalizability of modeling approaches will be reliant on the need for standardized guidelines for Rs measurement. The use of in silico tools for Rs determination represents a more economical approach than laboratory calibrations. PMID:27363449

Faculty development to enhance humanistic teaching and role modeling: a collaborative study at eight institutions.

PubMed

Branch, William T; Chou, Calvin L; Farber, Neil J; Hatem, David; Keenan, Craig; Makoul, Gregory; Quinn, Mariah; Salazar, William; Sillman, Jane; Stuber, Margaret; Wilkerson, LuAnn; Mathew, George; Fost, Michael

2014-09-01

There is increased emphasis on practicing humanism in medicine but explicit methods for faculty development in humanism are rare. We sought to demonstrate improved faculty teaching and role modeling of humanistic and professional values by participants in a multi-institutional faculty development program as rated by their learners in clinical settings compared to contemporaneous controls. Blinded learners in clinical settings rated their clinical teachers, either participants or controls, on the previously validated 10-item Humanistic Teaching Practices Effectiveness (HTPE) questionnaire. Groups of 7-9 participants at 8 academic medical centers completed an 18-month faculty development program. Participating faculty were chosen by program facilitators at each institution on the basis of being promising teachers, willing to participate in the longitudinal faculty development program. Our 18-month curriculum combined experiential learning of teaching skills with critical reflection using appreciative inquiry narratives about their experiences as teachers and other reflective discussions. The main outcome was the aggregate score of the ten items on the questionnaire at all institutions. The aggregate score favored participants over controls (P = 0.019) independently of gender, experience on faculty, specialty area, and/or overall teaching skills. Longitudinal, intensive faculty development that employs experiential learning and critical reflection likely enhances humanistic teaching and role modeling. Almost all participants completed the program. Results are generalizable to other schools.

Dosimetric Improvements with a Novel Breast Stereotactic Radiotherapy Device for Delivery of Preoperative Partial-Breast Irradiation.

PubMed

Snider, James W; Mutaf, Yildirim; Nichols, Elizabeth; Hall, Andrea; Vadnais, Patrick; Regine, William F; Feigenberg, Steven J

2017-01-01

Partial-breast irradiation (PBI) with external-beam radiotherapy has produced higher than expected rates of fair-to-poor cosmesis. Worsened outcomes have been correlated with larger volumes of breast tissue exposed to radiation. A novel breast-specific stereotactic radiotherapy (BSRT) device (BSRTD) has been developed at our institution and has shown promise in delivering highly conformal dose distributions. We compared normal tissue sparing with this device with that achieved with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)-PBI. Fifteen women previously treated with breast conservation therapy were enrolled on an institutional review board-approved protocol. Each of them underwent CT simulation in the prone position using the BSRTD-specific immobilization system. Simulated postoperative and preoperative treatment volumes were generated based on surgical bed/clip position. Blinded planners generated IMRT-PBI plans and BSRT plans for each set of volumes. These plans were compared based on clinically validated markers for cosmetic outcome and toxicity using a Wilcoxon rank-sum test. The BSRT plans consistently reduced the volumes receiving each of several dose levels (Vx) to breast tissue, the chest wall, the lung, the heart, and the skin in both preoperative and postoperative settings (p < 0.05). Preoperative BSRT yielded particularly dramatic improvements. The novel BSRTD has demonstrated significant dosimetric benefits over IMRT-PBI. Further investigation is currently proceeding through initial clinical trials. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Validation of a New Placebo Interferential Current Method: A New Placebo Method of Electrostimulation.

PubMed

Mendonça Araújo, Fernanda; Alves Menezes, Mayara; Martins de Araújo, Ariane; Abner Dos Santos Sousa, Thiago; Vasconcelos Lima, Lucas; Ádan Nunes Carvalho, Elyson; Melo DeSantana, Josimari

2017-01-01

The present study aimed to investigate if a new placebo device for interferential current (IFC) that delivers current during only the first 40 seconds of stimulation is effective at promoting adequate subject blinding. Seventy-five subjects were recruited and enrolled into three groups: active IFC, inactive placebo, and new placebo. Pressure pain threshold (PPT), cutaneous sensory threshold (CST), and pain intensity were measured before and after the intervention. After the final assessment, the subjects and the investigator who applied the current were asked about the type of stimulation administered. None of the placebo forms studied resulted in significant changes to PPT, CST, or pain intensity. The subjects stimulated with active IFC at high intensities (> 17 mA) of stimulation showed higher PPT and CST and lower pain intensity than subjects stimulated at low intensities ( p < 0.03). The new placebo method blinded the investigator in 100% of cases of IFC and 60% of subjects stimulated, whereas for inactive placebo, the investigator was blinded at a rate of 0% and 34% of subjects. The new method of placebo IFC was effective for blinding of research investigators and most of the active IFC-treated subjects, promoting an appropriate placebo method. © 2016 American Academy of Pain Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Goal setting as an outcome measure: A systematic review.

PubMed

Hurn, Jane; Kneebone, Ian; Cropley, Mark

2006-09-01

Goal achievement has been considered to be an important measure of outcome by clinicians working with patients in physical and neurological rehabilitation settings. This systematic review was undertaken to examine the reliability, validity and sensitivity of goal setting and goal attainment scaling approaches when used with working age and older people. To review the reliability, validity and sensitivity of both goal setting and goal attainment scaling when employed as an outcome measure within a physical and neurological working age and older person rehabilitation environment, by examining the research literature covering the 36 years since goal-setting theory was proposed. Data sources included a computer-aided literature search of published studies examining the reliability, validity and sensitivity of goal setting/goal attainment scaling, with further references sourced from articles obtained through this process. There is strong evidence for the reliability, validity and sensitivity of goal attainment scaling. Empirical support was found for the validity of goal setting but research demonstrating its reliability and sensitivity is limited. Goal attainment scaling appears to be a sound measure for use in physical rehabilitation settings with working age and older people. Further work needs to be carried out with goal setting to establish its reliability and sensitivity as a measurement tool.

Smartphone-Based System for Learning and Inferring Hearing Aid Settings.

PubMed

Aldaz, Gabriel; Puria, Sunil; Leifer, Larry J

2016-10-01

Previous research has shown that hearing aid wearers can successfully self-train their instruments' gain-frequency response and compression parameters in everyday situations. Combining hearing aids with a smartphone introduces additional computing power, memory, and a graphical user interface that may enable greater setting personalization. To explore the benefits of self-training with a smartphone-based hearing system, a parameter space was chosen with four possible combinations of microphone mode (omnidirectional and directional) and noise reduction state (active and off). The baseline for comparison was the "untrained system," that is, the manufacturer's algorithm for automatically selecting microphone mode and noise reduction state based on acoustic environment. The "trained system" first learned each individual's preferences, self-entered via a smartphone in real-world situations, to build a trained model. The system then predicted the optimal setting (among available choices) using an inference engine, which considered the trained model and current context (e.g., sound environment, location, and time). To develop a smartphone-based prototype hearing system that can be trained to learn preferred user settings. Determine whether user study participants showed a preference for trained over untrained system settings. An experimental within-participants study. Participants used a prototype hearing system-comprising two hearing aids, Android smartphone, and body-worn gateway device-for ∼6 weeks. Sixteen adults with mild-to-moderate sensorineural hearing loss (HL) (ten males, six females; mean age = 55.5 yr). Fifteen had ≥6 mo of experience wearing hearing aids, and 14 had previous experience using smartphones. Participants were fitted and instructed to perform daily comparisons of settings ("listening evaluations") through a smartphone-based software application called Hearing Aid Learning and Inference Controller (HALIC). In the four-week-long training phase, HALIC recorded individual listening preferences along with sensor data from the smartphone-including environmental sound classification, sound level, and location-to build trained models. In the subsequent two-week-long validation phase, participants performed blinded listening evaluations comparing settings predicted by the trained system ("trained settings") to those suggested by the hearing aids' untrained system ("untrained settings"). We analyzed data collected on the smartphone and hearing aids during the study. We also obtained audiometric and demographic information. Overall, the 15 participants with valid data significantly preferred trained settings to untrained settings (paired-samples t test). Seven participants had a significant preference for trained settings, while one had a significant preference for untrained settings (binomial test). The remaining seven participants had nonsignificant preferences. Pooling data across participants, the proportion of times that each setting was chosen in a given environmental sound class was on average very similar. However, breaking down the data by participant revealed strong and idiosyncratic individual preferences. Fourteen participants reported positive feelings of clarity, competence, and mastery when training via HALIC. The obtained data, as well as subjective participant feedback, indicate that smartphones could become viable tools to train hearing aids. Individuals who are tech savvy and have milder HL seem well suited to take advantages of the benefits offered by training with a smartphone. American Academy of Audiology

Recommendations for safety testing with the in vivo comet assay.

PubMed

Vasquez, Marie Z

2012-08-30

While the in vivo comet assay increases its role in regulatory safety testing, deliberations about the interpretation of comet data continue. Concerns can arise regarding comet assay publications with limited data from non-blind testing of positive control compounds and using protocols (e.g. dose concentrations, sample times, and tissues) known to give an expected effect. There may be a tendency towards bias when the validation or interpretation of comet assay data is based on results generated by widely accepted but non-validated assays. The greatest advantages of the comet assay are its sensitivity and its ability to detect genotoxicity in tissues and at sample times that could not previously be evaluated. Guidelines for its use and interpretation in safety testing should take these factors into account. Guidelines should be derived from objective review of data generated by blind testing of unknown compounds dosed at non-toxic concentrations and evaluated in a true safety-testing environment, where the experimental design and conclusions must be defensible. However, positive in vivo comet findings with such compounds are rarely submitted to regulatory agencies and this data is typically unavailable for publication due to its proprietary nature. To enhance the development of guidelines for safety testing with the comet assay, and with the permission of several sponsors, this paper presents and discusses relevant data from multiple GLP comet studies conducted blind, with unknown pharmaceuticals and consumer products. Based on these data and the lessons we have learned through the course of conducting these studies, I suggest significant adjustments to the current conventions, and I provide recommendations for interpreting in vivo comet assay results in situations where risk must be evaluated in the absence of carcinogenicity or clinical data. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comprehensive, blinded assessment of balance in orthostatic tremor.

PubMed

Bhatti, Danish; Thompson, Rebecca; Xia, Yiwen; Hellman, Amy; Schmaderer, Lorene; Suing, Katie; McKune, Jennifer; Penke, Cynthia; Iske, Regan; Roeder, Bobbi Jo; Siu, Ka-Chun; Bertoni, John M; Torres-Russotto, Diego

2018-02-01

Orthostatic Tremor (OT) is a movement disorder characterized by a sensation of unsteadiness and tremors in the 13-18 Hz range present upon standing. The pathophysiology of OT is not well understood but there is a relationship between the sensation of instability and leg tremors. Despite the sensation of unsteadiness, OT patients do not fall often and balance in OT has not been formally assessed. We present a prospective blinded study comparing balance assessment in patients with OT versus healthy controls. We prospectively enrolled 34 surface Electromyography (EMG)-confirmed primary OT subjects and 21 healthy controls. Participants underwent evaluations of balance by blinded physical therapists (PT) with standardized, validated, commonly used balance scales and tasks. OT subjects were mostly female (30/34, 88%) and controls were majority males (13/20, 65%). The average age of OT subjects was 68.5 years (range 54-87) and for controls was 69.4 (range 32-86). The average duration of OT symptoms was 18 years. OT subjects did significantly worse on all the balance scales and on most balance tasks including Berg Balance Scale, Functional Gait Assessment, Dynamic Gait Index, Unipedal Stance Test, Functional Reach Test and pull test. Gait speed and five times sit to stand were normal in OT. Common validated balance scales are significantly abnormal in primary OT. Despite the objective finding of impaired balance, OT patients do not commonly have falls. The reported sensation of unsteadiness in this patient population seems to be out of proportion to the number of actual falls. Further studies are needed to determine which components of commonly used balance scales are affected by a sensation of unsteadiness and fear of falling. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development and validation of a novel algorithm based on the ECG magnet response for rapid identification of any unknown pacemaker.

PubMed

Squara, Fabien; Chik, William W; Benhayon, Daniel; Maeda, Shingo; Latcu, Decebal Gabriel; Lacaze-Gadonneix, Jonathan; Tibi, Thierry; Thomas, Olivier; Cooper, Joshua M; Duthoit, Guillaume

2014-08-01

Pacemaker (PM) interrogation requires correct manufacturer identification. However, an unidentified PM is a frequent occurrence, requiring time-consuming steps to identify the device. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a novel algorithm for PM manufacturer identification, using the ECG response to magnet application. Data on the magnet responses of all recent PM models (≤15 years) from the 5 major manufacturers were collected. An algorithm based on the ECG response to magnet application to identify the PM manufacturer was subsequently developed. Patients undergoing ECG during magnet application in various clinical situations were prospectively recruited in 7 centers. The algorithm was applied in the analysis of every ECG by a cardiologist blinded to PM information. A second blinded cardiologist analyzed a sample of randomly selected ECGs in order to assess the reproducibility of the results. A total of 250 ECGs were analyzed during magnet application. The algorithm led to the correct single manufacturer choice in 242 ECGs (96.8%), whereas 7 (2.8%) could only be narrowed to either 1 of 2 manufacturer possibilities. Only 2 (0.4%) incorrect manufacturer identifications occurred. The algorithm identified Medtronic and Sorin Group PMs with 100% sensitivity and specificity, Biotronik PMs with 100% sensitivity and 99.5% specificity, and St. Jude and Boston Scientific PMs with 92% sensitivity and 100% specificity. The results were reproducible between the 2 blinded cardiologists with 92% concordant findings. Unknown PM manufacturers can be accurately identified by analyzing the ECG magnet response using this newly developed algorithm. Copyright © 2014 Heart Rhythm Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A randomised, controlled, single-blinded study on the impact of a single rhythmical massage (anthroposophic medicine) on well-being and salivary cortisol in healthy adults.

PubMed

Kanitz, Jenny Lena; Reif, Marcus; Rihs, Carolina; Krause, Ingrid; Seifert, Georg

2015-10-01

Rhythmical massage (RM) has evolved from classical massage and is based on the principles of Anthroposophic medicine. The goal of this randomized, single-blinded study was to assess the efficacy of a single RM intervention with either aroma oil (RA) or a neutral oil (RM) compared to a sham massage (SM) on several dimensions of well-being and salivary cortisol in a laboratory setting. 118 healthy adults (mean age: 25.2 years; SD: 4.7) were randomized to one of three groups (RM, RA or SM). After baseline measurements, all subjects were exposed to an experimental stressful situation (Trier Social Stress Test, TSST), before receiving a single massage intervention of about 60 min including a 20-minute rest period. Well-being as the main outcome parameter was assessed by standardized questionnaires (MDBF, Bf-S, B-L) and visual analogue scales (VAS) prior to the beginning of the massage and subsequently. Salivary cortisol and heart rate variability (data are shown elsewhere) were also measured. Participants who received RM or RA showed no statistically significant improvements (MDBF, Bf-S, B-L) compared to the SM group after adjusting for baseline differences observed between the treatment groups. Furthermore, no statistically significant differences were found between the RM and RA groups in any of the analyses. Within a follow-up survey all participants from the RA and 82% from the RM group described the intervention as "relaxing" compared with 42% in the SM group. Salivary cortisol did not differ statistically significantly between the three groups over time. We found no significant effect within this trial. This may be due to the methodological complexity of massage research and especially the sham-controlled design with only one single intervention examined. The influence of the setting, and the expectations of and interaction between participant and practitioner seem to play a role that needs to be verified. Therefore the true potential of rhythmical massage intervention still needs to be validated. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reliability of mercury-in-silastic strain gauge plethysmography curve reading: influence of clinical clues and observer variation.

PubMed

Høyer, Christian; Pavar, Susanne; Pedersen, Begitte H; Biurrun Manresa, José A; Petersen, Lars J

2013-08-01

Mercury-in-silastic strain gauge pletysmography (SGP) is a well-established technique for blood flow and blood pressure measurements. The aim of this study was to examine (i) the possible influence of clinical clues, e.g. the presence of wounds and color changes during blood pressure measurements, and (ii) intra- and inter-observer variation of curve interpretation for segmental blood pressure measurements. A total of 204 patients with known or suspected peripheral arterial disease (PAD) were included in a diagnostic accuracy trial. Toe and ankle pressures were measured in both limbs, and primary observers analyzed a total of 804 pressure curve sets. The SGP curves were later reanalyzed separately by two observers blinded to clinical clues. Intra- and inter-observer agreement was quantified using Cohen's kappa and reliability was quantified using intra-class correlation coefficients, coefficients of variance, and Bland-Altman analysis. There was an overall agreement regarding patient diagnostic classification (PAD/not PAD) in 202/204 (99.0%) for intra-observer (κ = 0.969, p < 0.001), and 201/204 (98.5%) for inter-observer readings (κ = 0.953, p < 0.001). Reliability analysis showed excellent correlation between blinded versus non-blinded and inter-observer readings for determination of absolute segmental pressures (all intraclass correlation coefficients ≥ 0.984). The coefficient of variance for determination of absolute segmental blood pressure ranged from 2.9-3.4% for blinded/non-blinded data and from 3.8-5.0% for inter-observer data. This study shows a low inter-observer variation among experienced laboratory technicians for reading strain gauge curves. The low variation between blinded/non-blinded readings indicates that SGP measurements are minimally biased by clinical clues.

Bridging the gap between DeafBlind minds: interactional and social foundations of intention attribution in the Seattle DeafBlind community

PubMed Central

Edwards, Terra

2015-01-01

This article is concerned with social and interactional processes that simplify pragmatic acts of intention attribution. The empirical focus is a series of interactions among DeafBlind people in Seattle, Washington, where pointing signs are used to individuate objects of reference in the immediate environment. Most members of this community are born deaf and slowly become blind. They come to Seattle using Visual American Sign Language, which has emerged and developed in a field organized around visual modes of access. As vision deteriorates, however, links between deictic signs (such as pointing) and the present, remembered, or imagined environment erode in idiosyncratic ways across the community of language-users, and as a result, it becomes increasingly difficult for participants to converge on objects of reference. In the past, DeafBlind people addressed this problem by relying on sighted interpreters. Under the influence of the recent “pro-tactile” movement, they have turned instead to one another to find new solutions to these referential problems. Drawing on analyses of 120 h of videorecorded interaction and language-use, detailed fieldnotes collected during 12 months of sustained anthropological fieldwork, and more than 15 years of involvement in this community in a range of capacities, I argue that DeafBlind people are generating new and reciprocal modes of access to their environment, and this process is aligning language with context in novel ways. I discuss two mechanisms that can account for this process: embedding in the social field and deictic integration. I argue that together, these social and interactional processes yield a deictic system set to retrieve a restricted range of values from the extra-linguistic context, thereby attenuating the cognitive demands of intention attribution and narrowing the gap between DeafBlind minds. PMID:26500576

Survey of Low Vision among Students Attending Schools for the Blind in Nigeria: A Descriptive and Interventional Study

PubMed Central

Mosuro, Adedamola L.; Ajaiyeoba, Ayotunde I.; Bekibele, Charles O.; Eniola, Michael S.; Adedokun, Babatunde A.

2012-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of low vision among students attending all the schools for the blind in Oyo State, Nigeria. The study set out to determine the proportion of students with low vision/severe visual impairment after best correction, to determine the causes of the low vision, to document the associated pathologies, to determine the types of treatment and visual aid devices required, and to provide the visual aids needed to the students in the schools. Materials and Methods: All schools students for the blind in Oyo State were evaluated between August 2007 and January 2008. All the students underwent a thorough ophthalmic examination that included measurement of visual acuity, retinoscopy and subjective refraction, tests for visual aids where indicated, and a structured questionnaire was administered. Results: A total of 86 students were included in the study and the mean age was 19.4 ± 8.19 years. Twenty six (30%) were under 16 years of age. The most common cause of blindness was bilateral measles keratopathy/vitamin A deficiency (VAD) in 25 students (29.1%). The most common site affected was the cornea in 25 students (29.1%), the lens in 23 (26.7%), and the retina/optic nerve in 16 (18.6%). Preventable blindness was mainly from measles keratopathy/VAD (29.1%). Eleven students benefited from refraction and correction with visual aids; two having severe visual impairment (SVI), and nine having visual impairment (VI) after correction. Conclusion: The prevalence of low vision in the schools for the blind in Oyo State is 2.3%, while the prevalence of visual impairment is 10.5%. These results suggest that preventable and treatable ocular conditions are the source of significant childhood blindness in Oyo State. PMID:23248540

Survey of low vision among students attending schools for the blind in Nigeria: a descriptive and interventional study.

PubMed

Mosuro, Adedamola L; Ajaiyeoba, Ayotunde I; Bekibele, Charles O; Eniola, Michael S; Adedokun, Babatunde A

2012-10-01

The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of low vision among students attending all the schools for the blind in Oyo State, Nigeria. The study set out to determine the proportion of students with low vision/severe visual impairment after best correction, to determine the causes of the low vision, to document the associated pathologies, to determine the types of treatment and visual aid devices required, and to provide the visual aids needed to the students in the schools. All schools students for the blind in Oyo State were evaluated between August 2007 and January 2008. All the students underwent a thorough ophthalmic examination that included measurement of visual acuity, retinoscopy and subjective refraction, tests for visual aids where indicated, and a structured questionnaire was administered. A total of 86 students were included in the study and the mean age was 19.4 ± 8.19 years. Twenty six (30%) were under 16 years of age. The most common cause of blindness was bilateral measles keratopathy/vitamin A deficiency (VAD) in 25 students (29.1%). The most common site affected was the cornea in 25 students (29.1%), the lens in 23 (26.7%), and the retina/optic nerve in 16 (18.6%). Preventable blindness was mainly from measles keratopathy/VAD (29.1%). Eleven students benefited from refraction and correction with visual aids; two having severe visual impairment (SVI), and nine having visual impairment (VI) after correction. The prevalence of low vision in the schools for the blind in Oyo State is 2.3%, while the prevalence of visual impairment is 10.5%. These results suggest that preventable and treatable ocular conditions are the source of significant childhood blindness in Oyo State.

Four-gene Pan-African Blood Signature Predicts Progression to Tuberculosis.

PubMed

Suliman, Sara; Thompson, Ethan; Sutherland, Jayne; Weiner Rd, January; Ota, Martin O C; Shankar, Smitha; Penn-Nicholson, Adam; Thiel, Bonnie; Erasmus, Mzwandile; Maertzdorf, Jeroen; Duffy, Fergal J; Hill, Philip C; Hughes, E Jane; Stanley, Kim; Downing, Katrina; Fisher, Michelle L; Valvo, Joe; Parida, Shreemanta K; van der Spuy, Gian; Tromp, Gerard; Adetifa, Ifedayo M O; Donkor, Simon; Howe, Rawleigh; Mayanja-Kizza, Harriet; Boom, W Henry; Dockrell, Hazel; Ottenhoff, Tom H M; Hatherill, Mark; Aderem, Alan; Hanekom, Willem A; Scriba, Thomas J; Kaufmann, Stefan He; Zak, Daniel E; Walzl, Gerhard

2018-04-06

Contacts of tuberculosis (TB) patients constitute an important target population for preventative measures as they are at high risk of infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and progression to disease. We investigated biosignatures with predictive ability for incident tuberculosis. In a case-control study nested within the Grand Challenges 6-74 longitudinal HIV-negative African cohort of exposed household contacts, we employed RNA sequencing, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the Pair Ratio algorithm in a training/test set approach. Overall, 79 progressors, who developed tuberculosis between 3 and 24 months following exposure, and 328 matched non-progressors, who remained healthy during 24 months of follow-up, were investigated. A four-transcript signature (RISK4), derived from samples in a South African and Gambian training set, predicted progression up to two years before onset of disease in blinded test set samples from South Africa, The Gambia and Ethiopia with little population-associated variability and also validated on an external cohort of South African adolescents with latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. By contrast, published diagnostic or prognostic tuberculosis signatures predicted on samples from some but not all 3 countries, indicating site-specific variability. Post-hoc meta-analysis identified a single gene pair, C1QC/TRAV27, that would consistently predict TB progression in household contacts from multiple African sites but not in infected adolescents without known recent exposure events. Collectively, we developed a simple whole blood-based PCR test to predict tuberculosis in household contacts from diverse African populations, with potential for implementation in national TB contact investigation programs.

Criterion-Related Validity of the Short Form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire in Adults Who Are Blind

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marmeleira, Jose; Laranjo, Luis; Marques, Olga; Batalha, Nuno

2013-01-01

This article describes the results of a recommendation from the World Health Organization (2004) that it was important to examine whether high-risk groups meet the current general recommendation of at least 30 minutes of moderate or greater physical activity per day. Doing so required an accurate measurement of physical activity for supporting the…

Support Vector Data Description Model to Map Specific Land Cover with Optimal Parameters Determined from a Window-Based Validation Set.

PubMed

Zhang, Jinshui; Yuan, Zhoumiqi; Shuai, Guanyuan; Pan, Yaozhong; Zhu, Xiufang

2017-04-26

This paper developed an approach, the window-based validation set for support vector data description (WVS-SVDD), to determine optimal parameters for support vector data description (SVDD) model to map specific land cover by integrating training and window-based validation sets. Compared to the conventional approach where the validation set included target and outlier pixels selected visually and randomly, the validation set derived from WVS-SVDD constructed a tightened hypersphere because of the compact constraint by the outlier pixels which were located neighboring to the target class in the spectral feature space. The overall accuracies for wheat and bare land achieved were as high as 89.25% and 83.65%, respectively. However, target class was underestimated because the validation set covers only a small fraction of the heterogeneous spectra of the target class. The different window sizes were then tested to acquire more wheat pixels for validation set. The results showed that classification accuracy increased with the increasing window size and the overall accuracies were higher than 88% at all window size scales. Moreover, WVS-SVDD showed much less sensitivity to the untrained classes than the multi-class support vector machine (SVM) method. Therefore, the developed method showed its merits using the optimal parameters, tradeoff coefficient ( C ) and kernel width ( s ), in mapping homogeneous specific land cover.

Development of the caffeine withdrawal symptom questionnaire: caffeine withdrawal symptoms cluster into 7 factors.

PubMed

Juliano, Laura M; Huntley, Edward D; Harrell, Paul T; Westerman, Ashley T

2012-08-01

Habitual caffeine consumers who abstain from caffeine experience withdrawal symptoms such as headache, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, mood disturbances, and flu-like symptoms (Juliano and Griffiths, 2004). The caffeine withdrawal syndrome has been documented across many experimental studies; however, little is known about how withdrawal symptoms co-vary during a discrete episode. Furthermore, a validated measure of caffeine withdrawal is lacking. To develop, evaluate, and reduce a 23-item measure of caffeine withdrawal symptoms; the Caffeine Withdrawal Symptom Questionnaire (CWSQ), to a set of composite variables. Caffeine consumers (N=213) completed the CWSQ after 16h of caffeine abstinence. A subset of participants also completed the CWSQ during a preceding baseline period and/or after double-blind consumption of caffeinated coffee. Principal components analysis resulted in a solution comprised of 7-factors: (1) Fatigue/drowsiness; (2) Low alertness/difficulty concentrating; (3) Mood disturbances; (4) Low sociability/motivation to work; (5) Nausea/upset stomach; (6) Flu-like feelings; and (7) Headache. With the exception of nausea/upset stomach, the CWSQ total score and individual composite scores were significantly greater during caffeine abstinence relative to both baseline and double-blind consumption of caffeinated coffee, thereby demonstrating sensitivity of the measure. Compared to non-daily coffee consumers, daily consumers had greater increases in total withdrawal, fatigue/drowsiness, low alertness/difficulty concentrating, mood disturbances, and headache. Future directions include replication, assessment on a clinical population, and further examination of psychometric properties of the CWSQ. The CWSQ should facilitate the assessment and diagnosis of caffeine withdrawal and increase our knowledge of the caffeine withdrawal syndrome. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Marker-free registration of forest terrestrial laser scanner data pairs with embedded confidence metrics

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

Van Aardt, Jan; Romanczyk, Paul; van Leeuwen, Martin

Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) has emerged as an effective tool for rapid comprehensive measurement of object structure. Registration of TLS data is an important prerequisite to overcome the limitations of occlusion. However, due to the high dissimilarity of point cloud data collected from disparate viewpoints in the forest environment, adequate marker-free registration approaches have not been developed. The majority of studies instead rely on the utilization of artificial tie points (e.g., reflective tooling balls) placed within a scene to aid in coordinate transformation. We present a technique for generating view-invariant feature descriptors that are intrinsic to the point cloud datamore » and, thus, enable blind marker-free registration in forest environments. To overcome the limitation of initial pose estimation, we employ a voting method to blindly determine the optimal pairwise transformation parameters, without an a priori estimate of the initial sensor pose. To provide embedded error metrics, we developed a set theory framework in which a circular transformation is traversed between disjoint tie point subsets. This provides an upper estimate of the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) confidence associated with each pairwise transformation. Output RMSE errors are commensurate with the RMSE of input tie points locations. Thus, while the mean output RMSE=16.3cm, improved results could be achieved with a more precise laser scanning system. This study 1) quantifies the RMSE of the proposed marker-free registration approach, 2) assesses the validity of embedded confidence metrics using receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves, and 3) informs optimal sample spacing considerations for TLS data collection in New England forests. Furthermore, while the implications for rapid, accurate, and precise forest inventory are obvious, the conceptual framework outlined here could potentially be extended to built environments.« less

Marker-free registration of forest terrestrial laser scanner data pairs with embedded confidence metrics

DOE PAGES

Van Aardt, Jan; Romanczyk, Paul; van Leeuwen, Martin; ...

2016-04-04

Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) has emerged as an effective tool for rapid comprehensive measurement of object structure. Registration of TLS data is an important prerequisite to overcome the limitations of occlusion. However, due to the high dissimilarity of point cloud data collected from disparate viewpoints in the forest environment, adequate marker-free registration approaches have not been developed. The majority of studies instead rely on the utilization of artificial tie points (e.g., reflective tooling balls) placed within a scene to aid in coordinate transformation. We present a technique for generating view-invariant feature descriptors that are intrinsic to the point cloud datamore » and, thus, enable blind marker-free registration in forest environments. To overcome the limitation of initial pose estimation, we employ a voting method to blindly determine the optimal pairwise transformation parameters, without an a priori estimate of the initial sensor pose. To provide embedded error metrics, we developed a set theory framework in which a circular transformation is traversed between disjoint tie point subsets. This provides an upper estimate of the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) confidence associated with each pairwise transformation. Output RMSE errors are commensurate with the RMSE of input tie points locations. Thus, while the mean output RMSE=16.3cm, improved results could be achieved with a more precise laser scanning system. This study 1) quantifies the RMSE of the proposed marker-free registration approach, 2) assesses the validity of embedded confidence metrics using receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves, and 3) informs optimal sample spacing considerations for TLS data collection in New England forests. Furthermore, while the implications for rapid, accurate, and precise forest inventory are obvious, the conceptual framework outlined here could potentially be extended to built environments.« less

Visual Impairment and Blindness in Adults in the United States: Demographic and Geographic Variations from 2015 to 2050

PubMed Central

Varma, Rohit; Vajaranant, Thasarat S.; Burkemper, Bruce; Wu, Shuang; Torres, Mina; Hsu, Chunyi; Choudhury, Farzana; McKean-Cowdin, Roberta

2016-01-01

Importance This paper describes the current and projected prevalence of visual impairment (VI) (visual acuity worse than 20/40, but better than 20/200) and blindness (visual acuity 20/200 or worse) in the United States. Objective To determine the demographic and geographic variations in VI and blindness in adults in the US population in 2015 and to estimate the projected prevalence through 2050 Design Descriptive Setting Population-based cross-sectional Participants Pooled data from adults, 40 years and older, from six major population-based studies on VI and blindness in the US. Prevalence of VI and blindness were reported by age, sex, race/ethnicity, and per capita prevalence by state, using the US census projections (2015 – 2050). Main Outcome and Measures Prevalence of VI and blindness Results In 2015, 1.02 million people were blind, and approximately 3.22 million people in the US had VI (best-corrected VA in the better-seeing eye), while up to 8.2 million people had VI due to uncorrected refractive error. By 2050, the number of these conditions are projected to double to approximately 2.01 million people with blindness, 6.95 million people with VI, and 16.4 million with VI due to uncorrected refractive error. The highest numbers of these conditions are predicted among non-Hispanic whites, women, and older adults, however African Americans are projected to experience the highest prevalence of blindness. By 2050, the highest prevalence of VI among minorities will shift from African Americans to Hispanics. From 2015-2050, the states projected to have the highest per-capita prevalence of VI are Florida and Hawaii and highest projected per-capita prevalence of blindness are Mississippi, Louisiana, and Florida. Conclusion & Relevance These data suggest that vision screening for refractive error and early eye disease may reduce or prevent a high proportion of individuals from experiencing unnecessary vision loss and blindness, decrease associated costs to the US economy for medical services and lost productivity, and contribute to better quality of life. Targeted education and screening programs for non-Hispanic white women and minorities should become increasingly important due to the projected growth of these populations and their relative contribution to the overall numbers of these conditions. PMID:27197072

The importance of molecular structures, endpoints' values, and predictivity parameters in QSAR research: QSAR analysis of a series of estrogen receptor binders.

PubMed

Li, Jiazhong; Gramatica, Paola

2010-11-01

Quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) methodology aims to explore the relationship between molecular structures and experimental endpoints, producing a model for the prediction of new data; the predictive performance of the model must be checked by external validation. Clearly, the qualities of chemical structure information and experimental endpoints, as well as the statistical parameters used to verify the external predictivity have a strong influence on QSAR model reliability. Here, we emphasize the importance of these three aspects by analyzing our models on estrogen receptor binders (Endocrine disruptor knowledge base (EDKB) database). Endocrine disrupting chemicals, which mimic or antagonize the endogenous hormones such as estrogens, are a hot topic in environmental and toxicological sciences. QSAR shows great values in predicting the estrogenic activity and exploring the interactions between the estrogen receptor and ligands. We have verified our previously published model for additional external validation on new EDKB chemicals. Having found some errors in the used 3D molecular conformations, we redevelop a new model using the same data set with corrected structures, the same method (ordinary least-square regression, OLS) and DRAGON descriptors. The new model, based on some different descriptors, is more predictive on external prediction sets. Three different formulas to calculate correlation coefficient for the external prediction set (Q2 EXT) were compared, and the results indicated that the new proposal of Consonni et al. had more reasonable results, consistent with the conclusions from regression line, Williams plot and root mean square error (RMSE) values. Finally, the importance of reliable endpoints values has been highlighted by comparing the classification assignments of EDKB with those of another estrogen receptor binders database (METI): we found that 16.1% assignments of the common compounds were opposite (20 among 124 common compounds). In order to verify the real assignments for these inconsistent compounds, we predicted these samples, as a blind external set, by our regression models and compared the results with the two databases. The results indicated that most of the predictions were consistent with METI. Furthermore, we built a kNN classification model using the 104 consistent compounds to predict those inconsistent ones, and most of the predictions were also in agreement with METI database.

An Improved Image Ringing Evaluation Method with Weighted Sum of Gray Extreme Value

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Ling; Meng, Yanhua; Wang, Bo; Bai, Xu

2018-03-01

Blind image restoration algorithm usually produces ringing more obvious at the edges. Ringing phenomenon is mainly affected by noise, species of restoration algorithm, and the impact of the blur kernel estimation during restoration. Based on the physical mechanism of ringing, a method of evaluating the ringing on blind restoration images is proposed. The method extracts the ringing image overshooting and ripple region to make the weighted statistics for the regional gradient value. According to the weights set by multiple experiments, the edge information is used to characterize the details of the edge to determine the weight, quantify the seriousness of the ring effect, and propose the evaluation method of the ringing caused by blind restoration. The experimental results show that the method can effectively evaluate the ring effect in the restoration images under different restoration algorithms and different restoration parameters. The evaluation results are consistent with the visual evaluation results.

Classical-processing and quantum-processing signal separation methods for qubit uncoupling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deville, Yannick; Deville, Alain

2012-12-01

The Blind Source Separation problem consists in estimating a set of unknown source signals from their measured combinations. It was only investigated in a non-quantum framework up to now. We propose its first quantum extensions. We thus introduce the Quantum Source Separation field, investigating both its blind and non-blind configurations. More precisely, we show how to retrieve individual quantum bits (qubits) only from the global state resulting from their undesired coupling. We consider cylindrical-symmetry Heisenberg coupling, which e.g. occurs when two electron spins interact through exchange. We first propose several qubit uncoupling methods which typically measure repeatedly the coupled quantum states resulting from individual qubits preparations, and which then statistically process the classical data provided by these measurements. Numerical tests prove the effectiveness of these methods. We then derive a combination of quantum gates for performing qubit uncoupling, thus avoiding repeated qubit preparations and irreversible measurements.

The Preschool Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU (psCAM-ICU): Valid and Reliable Delirium Monitoring for Critically Ill Infants and Children

PubMed Central

Smith, Heidi A.B.; Gangopadhyay, Maalobeeka; Goben, Christina M.; Jacobowski, Natalie L.; Chestnut, Mary Hamilton; Savage, Shane; Rutherford, Michael T.; Denton, Danica; Thompson, Jennifer L.; Chandrasekhar, Rameela; Acton, Michelle; Newman, Jessica; Noori, Hannah P.; Terrell, Michelle K.; Williams, Stacey R.; Griffith, Katherine; Cooper, Timothy J.; Ely, E. Wesley; Fuchs, D. Catherine; Pandharipande, Pratik P.

2015-01-01

RATIONALE and OBJECTIVE Delirium assessments in critically ill infants and young children pose unique challenges due to evolution of cognitive and language skills. The objectives of this study were to determine the validity and reliability of a fundamentally objective and developmentally appropriate delirium assessment tool for critically ill infants and preschool-aged children, and to determine delirium prevalence. DESIGN and SETTING Prospective, observational cohort validation study of the PreSchool Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU (psCAM-ICU) in a tertiary medical center pediatric ICU. PATIENTS Participants aged 6 months to 5 years and admitted to the pediatric ICU regardless of admission diagnosis were enrolled. INTERVENTIONS, MEASUREMENTS and MAIN RESULTS An interdisciplinary team created the psCAM-ICU for pediatric delirium monitoring. To assess validity, patients were independently assessed for delirium daily by the research team using the psCAM-ICU and by a child psychiatrist using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria. Reliability was assessed using blinded, concurrent psCAM-ICU evaluations by research staff. A total of 530-paired delirium assessments were completed among 300 patients, with a median age of 20 months (IQR 11, 37) and 43% requiring mechanical ventilation. The psCAM-ICU demonstrated a specificity of 91% (95%CI 90, 93), sensitivity of 75% (72, 78), negative predictive value of 86% (84, 88), positive predictive value of 84% (81, 87), and a reliability kappa statistic of 0.79 (0.76, 0.83). Delirium prevalence was 44% using the psCAM-ICU and 47% by the reference-rater. The rates of delirium were 53% vs. 56% in patients < 2 years of age and 33% vs. 35% in patients ≥ 2 - 5 years of age using the psCAM-ICU and reference-rater respectively. The short-form psCAM-ICU maintained a high specificity (87%) and sensitivity (78%) in post-hoc analysis. CONCLUSIONS The psCAM-ICU is a highly valid and reliable delirium instrument for critically ill infants and preschool-aged children, in whom delirium is extremely prevalent. PMID:26565631

Reliability and validity of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) for detecting perinatal common mental disorders (PCMDs) among women in low-and lower-middle-income countries: a systematic review.

PubMed

Shrestha, Sumitra Devi; Pradhan, Rina; Tran, Thach D; Gualano, Rosa C; Fisher, Jane R W

2016-04-04

The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), originally developed in Britain, is one of the most widely used screening instruments for assessing symptoms of the Perinatal Common Mental Disorders (PCMDs) of depression and anxiety. However, its potential to detect PCMDs in culturally diverse low- and lower-middle income countries (LALMICs) is unclear. This systematic review aimed to appraise formally validated local language versions of the EPDS from these resource-constrained settings. Following the PRISMA protocol, we searched MEDLINE-OVID, CINAHL-Plus and PUBMED to identify studies reporting translation, cultural adaptation and formal validation of the EPDS to detect PCMDs among women in LALMICs. The quality of the studies meeting inclusion criteria was assessed using standard criteria and a new process-based criteria; which was developed specifically for this study. We identified 1281 records among which 16 met inclusion criteria; three further papers were identified by hand-searching reference lists. The publications reported findings from 12 LALMICs in 14 native languages. Most of these local language versions of the EPDS (LLV-EPDS) had lower precision for identifying true cases of PCMDs among women in the general perinatal population compared to the original English version. Only one study met all criteria for culturally sensitive translation, the others had not established the comprehensibility of the local version amongst representative groups of women in pre-testing. Many studies tested the LLV-EPDS only amongst convenience samples recruited at single health facilities. Diagnostic interviews for confirmation of mental disorders could have been influenced by the mental health professionals' lack of blinding to the initial screening results. Additionally, even when diagnostic-interviews were carried out in the local language, questions might not have been understood as most studies followed standard diagnostic protocol which had not been culturally adapted. Most of the LLV-EPDS from non-English speaking low- and middle-income-countries did not meet all criteria for formal validation of a screening instrument. Psychometric properties of LLV-EPDS could be enhanced by adopting the new process-based criteria for translation, adaptation and validation.

Validation of a Wireless, Self-Application, Ambulatory Electroencephalographic Sleep Monitoring Device in Healthy Volunteers.

PubMed

Finan, Patrick H; Richards, Jessica M; Gamaldo, Charlene E; Han, Dingfen; Leoutsakos, Jeannie Marie; Salas, Rachel; Irwin, Michael R; Smith, Michael T

2016-11-15

To evaluate the validity of an ambulatory electroencephalographic (EEG) monitor for the estimation of sleep continuity and architecture in healthy adults. Healthy, good sleeping participants (n = 14) were fit with both an ambulatory EEG monitor (Sleep Profiler) and a full polysomnography (PSG) montage. EEG recordings were gathered from both devices on the same night, during which sleep was permitted uninterrupted for eight hours. The study was set in an inpatient clinical research suite. PSG and Sleep Profiler records were scored by a neurologist board certified in sleep medicine, blinded to record identification. Agreement between the scored PSG record, the physician-scored Sleep Profiler record, and the Sleep Profiler record scored by an automatic algorithm was evaluated for each sleep stage, with the PSG record serving as the reference. Results indicated strong percent agreement across stages. Kappa was strongest for Stage N3 and REM. Specificity was high for all stages; sensitivity was low for Wake and Stage N1, and high for Stage N2, Stage N3, and REM. Agreement indices improved for the manually scored Sleep Profiler record relative to the autoscore record. Overall, the Sleep Profiler yields an EEG record with comparable sleep architecture estimates to PSG. Future studies should evaluate agreement between devices with a clinical sample that has greater periods of wake in order to better understand utility of this device for estimating sleep continuity indices, such as sleep onset latency and wake after sleep onset. © 2016 American Academy of Sleep Medicine

Parameterization of Model Validating Sets for Uncertainty Bound Optimizations. Revised

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lim, K. B.; Giesy, D. P.

2000-01-01

Given measurement data, a nominal model and a linear fractional transformation uncertainty structure with an allowance on unknown but bounded exogenous disturbances, easily computable tests for the existence of a model validating uncertainty set are given. Under mild conditions, these tests are necessary and sufficient for the case of complex, nonrepeated, block-diagonal structure. For the more general case which includes repeated and/or real scalar uncertainties, the tests are only necessary but become sufficient if a collinearity condition is also satisfied. With the satisfaction of these tests, it is shown that a parameterization of all model validating sets of plant models is possible. The new parameterization is used as a basis for a systematic way to construct or perform uncertainty tradeoff with model validating uncertainty sets which have specific linear fractional transformation structure for use in robust control design and analysis. An illustrative example which includes a comparison of candidate model validating sets is given.

Older adult mistreatment risk screening: contribution to the validation of a screening tool in a domestic setting.

PubMed

Lindenbach, Jeannette M; Larocque, Sylvie; Lavoie, Anne-Marise; Garceau, Marie-Luce

2012-06-01

ABSTRACTThe hidden nature of older adult mistreatment renders its detection in the domestic setting particularly challenging. A validated screening instrument that can provide a systematic assessment of risk factors can facilitate this detection. One such instrument, the "expanded Indicators of Abuse" tool, has been previously validated in the Hebrew language in a hospital setting. The present study has contributed to the validation of the "e-IOA" in an English-speaking community setting in Ontario, Canada. It consisted of two phases: (a) a content validity review and adaptation of the instrument by experts throughout Ontario, and (b) an inter-rater reliability assessment by home visiting nurses. The adaptation, the "Mistreatment of Older Adult Risk Factors" tool, offers a comprehensive tool for screening in the home setting. This instrument is significant to professional practice as practitioners working with older adults will be better equipped to assess for risk of mistreatment.

Medical student and patient perceptions of quality of life associated with vision loss.

PubMed

Chaudry, Imtiaz; Brown, Gary C; Brown, Melissa M

2015-06-01

Because most medical schools in the United States and Canada require no formal ophthalmology training, the authors queried medical student and ophthalmic patients to compare their perceptions of the quality of life (QOL) associated with vision loss. Cross-sectional comparative study of consecutive medical students and patients with vision loss using a validated, reliable, time trade-off utility instrument. Consecutive Jefferson Medical College medical students (cohort 1: 145 second-year student; cohort 2: 112 third-year/fourth-year students) and 283 patients with vision loss (patient cohort). Time trade-off vision utilities with anchors of 0.0 (death) to 1.0 (normal vision permanently) were used to quantify the QOL associated with vision loss. Students were asked to assume they had: (i) mild vision loss (20/40 to 20/50 vision in the better-seeing eye), (ii) legal blindness (20/200 in the better-seeing eye), and (iii) absolute blindness (no light perception bilaterally). Mean utilities for cohort 1/cohort 2 were 0.96/0.95 (p = 0.20) for mild vision loss, 0.88/0.84 for legal blindness (p = 0.009), and 0.80/0.67 (p < 0.0001) for absolute blindness. Medical student/patient mean utilities were 0.96/0.79 (p < 0.0001) for mild vision loss, 0.85/0.62 for legal blindness (p < 0.0001), and 0.74/0.26 (p < 0.0001) for absolute blindness. Overall, medical students underestimated the QOL associated with vision loss referent to patients with vision loss by 153%-425%. Medical students dramatically underestimated the impact of vision loss on patient QOL. Clinical training slightly improved medical student perceptions. Trivialization of vision loss could result in systemic health harm, less ophthalmic research dollars, loss of the finest medical students entering ophthalmology, and overall adverse financial effects for the field. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

MP3: a software tool for the prediction of pathogenic proteins in genomic and metagenomic data.

PubMed

Gupta, Ankit; Kapil, Rohan; Dhakan, Darshan B; Sharma, Vineet K

2014-01-01

The identification of virulent proteins in any de-novo sequenced genome is useful in estimating its pathogenic ability and understanding the mechanism of pathogenesis. Similarly, the identification of such proteins could be valuable in comparing the metagenome of healthy and diseased individuals and estimating the proportion of pathogenic species. However, the common challenge in both the above tasks is the identification of virulent proteins since a significant proportion of genomic and metagenomic proteins are novel and yet unannotated. The currently available tools which carry out the identification of virulent proteins provide limited accuracy and cannot be used on large datasets. Therefore, we have developed an MP3 standalone tool and web server for the prediction of pathogenic proteins in both genomic and metagenomic datasets. MP3 is developed using an integrated Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Hidden Markov Model (HMM) approach to carry out highly fast, sensitive and accurate prediction of pathogenic proteins. It displayed Sensitivity, Specificity, MCC and accuracy values of 92%, 100%, 0.92 and 96%, respectively, on blind dataset constructed using complete proteins. On the two metagenomic blind datasets (Blind A: 51-100 amino acids and Blind B: 30-50 amino acids), it displayed Sensitivity, Specificity, MCC and accuracy values of 82.39%, 97.86%, 0.80 and 89.32% for Blind A and 71.60%, 94.48%, 0.67 and 81.86% for Blind B, respectively. In addition, the performance of MP3 was validated on selected bacterial genomic and real metagenomic datasets. To our knowledge, MP3 is the only program that specializes in fast and accurate identification of partial pathogenic proteins predicted from short (100-150 bp) metagenomic reads and also performs exceptionally well on complete protein sequences. MP3 is publicly available at http://metagenomics.iiserb.ac.in/mp3/index.php.

MP3: A Software Tool for the Prediction of Pathogenic Proteins in Genomic and Metagenomic Data

PubMed Central

Gupta, Ankit; Kapil, Rohan; Dhakan, Darshan B.; Sharma, Vineet K.

2014-01-01

The identification of virulent proteins in any de-novo sequenced genome is useful in estimating its pathogenic ability and understanding the mechanism of pathogenesis. Similarly, the identification of such proteins could be valuable in comparing the metagenome of healthy and diseased individuals and estimating the proportion of pathogenic species. However, the common challenge in both the above tasks is the identification of virulent proteins since a significant proportion of genomic and metagenomic proteins are novel and yet unannotated. The currently available tools which carry out the identification of virulent proteins provide limited accuracy and cannot be used on large datasets. Therefore, we have developed an MP3 standalone tool and web server for the prediction of pathogenic proteins in both genomic and metagenomic datasets. MP3 is developed using an integrated Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Hidden Markov Model (HMM) approach to carry out highly fast, sensitive and accurate prediction of pathogenic proteins. It displayed Sensitivity, Specificity, MCC and accuracy values of 92%, 100%, 0.92 and 96%, respectively, on blind dataset constructed using complete proteins. On the two metagenomic blind datasets (Blind A: 51–100 amino acids and Blind B: 30–50 amino acids), it displayed Sensitivity, Specificity, MCC and accuracy values of 82.39%, 97.86%, 0.80 and 89.32% for Blind A and 71.60%, 94.48%, 0.67 and 81.86% for Blind B, respectively. In addition, the performance of MP3 was validated on selected bacterial genomic and real metagenomic datasets. To our knowledge, MP3 is the only program that specializes in fast and accurate identification of partial pathogenic proteins predicted from short (100–150 bp) metagenomic reads and also performs exceptionally well on complete protein sequences. MP3 is publicly available at http://metagenomics.iiserb.ac.in/mp3/index.php. PMID:24736651

Assessing the validity of commercial and municipal food environment data sets in Vancouver, Canada.

PubMed

Daepp, Madeleine Ig; Black, Jennifer

2017-10-01

The present study assessed systematic bias and the effects of data set error on the validity of food environment measures in two municipal and two commercial secondary data sets. Sensitivity, positive predictive value (PPV) and concordance were calculated by comparing two municipal and two commercial secondary data sets with ground-truthed data collected within 800 m buffers surrounding twenty-six schools. Logistic regression examined associations of sensitivity and PPV with commercial density and neighbourhood socio-economic deprivation. Kendall's τ estimated correlations between density and proximity of food outlets near schools constructed with secondary data sets v. ground-truthed data. Vancouver, Canada. Food retailers located within 800 m of twenty-six schools RESULTS: All data sets scored relatively poorly across validity measures, although, overall, municipal data sets had higher levels of validity than did commercial data sets. Food outlets were more likely to be missing from municipal health inspections lists and commercial data sets in neighbourhoods with higher commercial density. Still, both proximity and density measures constructed from all secondary data sets were highly correlated (Kendall's τ>0·70) with measures constructed from ground-truthed data. Despite relatively low levels of validity in all secondary data sets examined, food environment measures constructed from secondary data sets remained highly correlated with ground-truthed data. Findings suggest that secondary data sets can be used to measure the food environment, although estimates should be treated with caution in areas with high commercial density.

Accessibility Standards, Illustrated.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Michael A.

The book sets forth Illinois environmental accessibility standards for disabled persons based on observation and interview data. Photographs, drawings, and detailed floor plans are included in sections dealing with human data (including space requirements for maneuvering wheelchairs, color blindness, incontinence, and severe auditory or visual…

Comprehensive simulation-enhanced training curriculum for an advanced minimally invasive procedure: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Zevin, Boris; Dedy, Nicolas J; Bonrath, Esther M; Grantcharov, Teodor P

2017-05-01

There is no comprehensive simulation-enhanced training curriculum to address cognitive, psychomotor, and nontechnical skills for an advanced minimally invasive procedure. 1) To develop and provide evidence of validity for a comprehensive simulation-enhanced training (SET) curriculum for an advanced minimally invasive procedure; (2) to demonstrate transfer of acquired psychomotor skills from a simulation laboratory to live porcine model; and (3) to compare training outcomes of SET curriculum group and chief resident group. University. This prospective single-blinded, randomized, controlled trial allocated 20 intermediate-level surgery residents to receive either conventional training (control) or SET curriculum training (intervention). The SET curriculum consisted of cognitive, psychomotor, and nontechnical training modules. Psychomotor skills in a live anesthetized porcine model in the OR was the primary outcome. Knowledge of advanced minimally invasive and bariatric surgery and nontechnical skills in a simulated OR crisis scenario were the secondary outcomes. Residents in the SET curriculum group went on to perform a laparoscopic jejunojejunostomy in the OR. Cognitive, psychomotor, and nontechnical skills of SET curriculum group were also compared to a group of 12 chief surgery residents. SET curriculum group demonstrated superior psychomotor skills in a live porcine model (56 [47-62] versus 44 [38-53], P<.05) and superior nontechnical skills (41 [38-45] versus 31 [24-40], P<.01) compared with conventional training group. SET curriculum group and conventional training group demonstrated equivalent knowledge (14 [12-15] versus 13 [11-15], P = 0.47). SET curriculum group demonstrated equivalent psychomotor skills in the live porcine model and in the OR in a human patient (56 [47-62] versus 63 [61-68]; P = .21). SET curriculum group demonstrated inferior knowledge (13 [11-15] versus 16 [14-16]; P<.05), equivalent psychomotor skill (63 [61-68] versus 68 [62-74]; P = .50), and superior nontechnical skills (41 [38-45] versus 34 [27-35], P<.01) compared with chief resident group. Completion of the SET curriculum resulted in superior training outcomes, compared with conventional surgery training. Implementation of the SET curriculum can standardize training for an advanced minimally invasive procedure and can ensure that comprehensive proficiency milestones are met before exposure to patient care. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Bariatric Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A pediatric epilepsy diagnostic tool for use in resource-limited settings: A pilot study.

PubMed

Patel, Archana A; Ciccone, Ornella; Njau, Adrian; Shanungu, Sandra; Grollnek, Alice Kabwe; Fredrick, Francis; Hodgeman, Ryan; Sideridis, Georgios D; Kapur, Kush; Harini, Chellamani; Kija, Edward; Peters, Jurriaan M

2016-06-01

It is estimated that nearly 80% of the 50 million people affected with epilepsy globally live in regions where specialist care and diagnostic tests are scarce and care is often delivered through a primary health provider with limited training. To improve diagnostic accuracy of the history and physical examination, we developed and piloted a questionnaire to discriminate between focal versus generalized epilepsy, with the future goal to guide medication choices. Through literature review and retrospective chart review of 75 children with epilepsy at Boston Children's Hospital, a 15-item questionnaire was developed. Simple motor seizures were excluded for the purposes of this questionnaire. The questionnaire was then translated in local dialects and prospectively validated at Muhimbili National Hospital in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, and University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka, Zambia. Children 6months-18years of age with suspected or active epilepsy were identified, and a nonphysician administered the questionnaire to the patient's caregiver. Next, each patient was evaluated by a pediatric neurologist blinded to the questionnaire results, and together with locally obtained but remotely interpreted EEG, an electroclinical diagnosis was made. The questionnaire data were compared with this clinical gold standard. A total of 59 children participated: 28 from Tanzania and 31 from Zambia. Sixteen patients were excluded: 5 were excluded because of incomplete data, and 11 did not meet criteria for epilepsy based on initial screening questions. Of the remaining 43 patients, 28 had focal or multifocal epilepsy (65%), and 15 (35%) had generalized epilepsy. The questionnaire had a sensitivity of 78% and positive predictive value of 81.5%. Data were analyzed using a Rasch model, testing the questionnaire's internal consistency, reliability, and its discriminative validity in classifying focal versus generalized epilepsy against an electroclinical diagnosis. The mean epilepsy score for focal epilepsy was 0.084 logits compared with -1.147 logits for generalized epilepsy, demonstrating a large effect size [F (1, 41)=13.490, p<0.001]. Our questionnaire provides a straightforward method to improve diagnostic accuracy, and could assist in bridging the diagnostic gap in pediatric epilepsy in resource-limited settings. This tool was specifically designed to be easily implemented by any healthcare provider. This pilot study prompts broader prospective validation in additional settings for further refinement, and for performance assessment of impact on provider's practice, ability to guide medication choices, and ultimately improve treatment outcomes in resource-limited regions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Utrecht questionnaire (U-CEP) measuring knowledge on clinical epidemiology proved to be valid.

PubMed

Kortekaas, Marlous F; Bartelink, Marie-Louise E L; de Groot, Esther; Korving, Helen; de Wit, Niek J; Grobbee, Diederick E; Hoes, Arno W

2017-02-01

Knowledge on clinical epidemiology is crucial to practice evidence-based medicine. We describe the development and validation of the Utrecht questionnaire on knowledge on Clinical epidemiology for Evidence-based Practice (U-CEP); an assessment tool to be used in the training of clinicians. The U-CEP was developed in two formats: two sets of 25 questions and a combined set of 50. The validation was performed among postgraduate general practice (GP) trainees, hospital trainees, GP supervisors, and experts. Internal consistency, internal reliability (item-total correlation), item discrimination index, item difficulty, content validity, construct validity, responsiveness, test-retest reliability, and feasibility were assessed. The questionnaire was externally validated. Internal consistency was good with a Cronbach alpha of 0.8. The median item-total correlation and mean item discrimination index were satisfactory. Both sets were perceived as relevant to clinical practice. Construct validity was good. Both sets were responsive but failed on test-retest reliability. One set took 24 minutes and the other 33 minutes to complete, on average. External GP trainees had comparable results. The U-CEP is a valid questionnaire to assess knowledge on clinical epidemiology, which is a prerequisite for practicing evidence-based medicine in daily clinical practice. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A novel classifier based on three preoperative tumor markers predicting the cancer-specific survival of gastric cancer (CEA, CA19-9 and CA72-4).

PubMed

Guo, Jing; Chen, Shangxiang; Li, Shun; Sun, Xiaowei; Li, Wei; Zhou, Zhiwei; Chen, Yingbo; Xu, Dazhi

2018-01-12

Several studies have highlighted the prognostic value of the individual and the various combinations of the tumor markers for gastric cancer (GC). Our study was designed to assess establish a new novel model incorporating carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), carbohydrate antigen 72-4 (CA72-4). A total of 1,566 GC patients (Primary cohort) between Jan 2000 and July 2013 were analyzed. The Primary cohort was randomly divided into Training set (n=783) and Validation set (n=783). A three-tumor marker classifier was developed in the Training set and validated in the Validation set by multivariate regression and risk-score analysis. We have identified a three-tumor marker classifier (including CEA, CA19-9 and CA72-4) for the cancer specific survival (CSS) of GC (p<0.001). Consistent results were obtained in the both Training set and Validation set. Multivariate analysis showed that the classifier was an independent predictor of GC (All p value <0.001 in the Training set, Validation set and Primary cohort). Furthermore, when the leave-one-out approach was performed, the classifier showed superior predictive value to the individual or two of them (with the highest AUC (Area Under Curve); 0.618 for the Training set, and 0.625 for the Validation set), which ascertained its predictive value. Our three-tumor marker classifier is closely associated with the CSS of GC and may serve as a novel model for future decisions concerning treatments.

A Fresh Pair of Eyes: A Blind Observation Method for Evaluating Social Skills of Children with ASD in a Naturalistic Peer Situation in School.

PubMed

Dekker, Vera; Nauta, Maaike H; Mulder, Erik J; Sytema, Sjoerd; de Bildt, Annelies

2016-09-01

The Social skills Observation Measure (SOM) is a direct observation method for social skills used in naturalistic everyday situations in school. This study describes the development of the SOM and investigates its psychometric properties in 86 children with Autism spectrum disorder, aged 9.8-13.1 years. The interrater reliability was found to be good to excellent. The convergent validity was low in relation to parent and teacher reports of social skills, and also to parent interview on adaptive social functioning. Therefore this direct observation seems to provide additional information on the frequency and quality of social behaviors in daily life situations. As such it contributes to parent and teacher information as a blind measurement to evaluate Social Skills Training.

Dark current suppression of MgZnO metal-semiconductor-metal solar-blind ultraviolet photodetector by asymmetric electrode structures.

PubMed

Wang, Ping; Zheng, Qinghong; Tang, Qing; Yang, Yintang; Guo, Lixin; Huang, Feng; Song, Zhenjie; Zhang, Zhiyong

2014-01-15

The application of asymmetric Schottky barrier and electrode area in an MgZnO metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) solar-blind ultraviolet photodetector has been investigated by a physical-based numerical model in which the electron mobility is obtained by an ensemble Monte Carlo simulation combined with first principle calculations using the density functional theory. Compared with the experimental data of symmetric and asymmetric MSM structures based on ZnO substrate, the validity of this model is verified. The asymmetric Schottky barrier and electrode area devices exhibit reductions of 20 times and 1.3 times on dark current, respectively, without apparent photocurrent scarification. The plots of photo-to-dark current ratio (PDR) indicate that the asymmetric MgZnO MSM structure has better dark current characteristic than that of the symmetric one.

Drawing in the blind and the sighted as a probe of cortical reorganization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Likova, Lora T.

2010-02-01

In contrast to other arts, such as music, there is a very little neuroimaging research on visual art and in particular - on drawing. Drawing - from artistic to technical - involves diverse aspects of spatial cognition, precise sensorimotor planning and control as well as a rich set of higher cognitive functions. A new method for learning the drawing skill in the blind that we have developed, and the technological advances of a multisensory MR-compatible drawing system, allowed us to run for the first time a comparative fMRI study on drawing in the blind and the sighted. In each population, we identified widely distributed cortical networks, extending from the occipital and temporal cortices, through the parietal to the frontal lobe. This is the first neuroimaging study of drawing in blind novices, as well as the first study on the learning to draw in either population. We sought to determine the cortical reorganization taking place as a result of learning to draw, despite the lack of visual input to the brains of the blind. Remarkably, we found massive recruitment of the visual cortex on learning to draw, although our subjects had no previous experience, but only a short training with our new drawing method. This finding implies a rapid, learning-based plasticity mechanism. We further proposed that the functional level of the brain reorganization in the blind may still differ from that in the sighted even in areas that overlap between the two populations, such as in the visual cortex. We tested this idea in the framework of saccadic suppression. A methodological innovation allowed us to estimate the retinotopic regions locations in the blind brain. Although the visual cortex of both groups was greatly recruited, only the sighted experienced dramatic suppression in hMT+ and V1, while there was no sign of an analogous process in the blind. This finding has important implications and suggests that the recruitment of the visual cortex in the blind does not assure a full functional parallel.

The role of mineral elements and other chemical compounds used in balneology: data from double-blind randomized clinical trials.

PubMed

Morer, Carla; Roques, Christian-François; Françon, Alain; Forestier, Romain; Maraver, Francisco

2017-12-01

The aims of this study were to conduct a systematic literature review on balneotherapy about the specific therapeutic role of mineral elements and other chemical compounds of mineral waters and derivate peloids/muds and to discuss the study methods used to evaluate it (in musculoskeletal conditions). We searched Medline by PubMed using the following key words: "spa therapy" "balneotherapy" "mud" "peloid" "mud pack Therapy" in combination with "randomized controlled trial" "double blind trial." We also reviewed the reference list of articles retrieved by the Medline search. We selected the double-blind randomized clinical trials that assessed the effects of mineral water or mud treatments compared to tap water, attenuated peloid/mud therapy or similar treatments without the specific minerals or chemical compounds of the treatment group ("non-mineral"). We evaluated the internal validity and the quality of the statistical analysis of these trials. The final selection comprised 27 double-blind randomized clinical trials, 20 related to rheumatology. A total of 1118 patients with rheumatological and other musculoskeletal diseases were evaluated in these studies: 552 of knee osteoarthritis, 47 of hand osteoarthritis, 147 chronic low back pain, 308 of reumathoid arthritis, and 64 of osteoporosis; 293 of these participants were assigned to the experimental groups of knee osteoarthritis, 24 in hand osteoarthritis, 82 of low back pain, 152 with reumathoid arthritis, and 32 with osteoporosis. They were treated with mineral water baths and/or mud/peloid (with or without other forms of treatment, like physical therapy, exercise…). The rest were allocated to the control groups; they received mainly tap water and/or "non-mineral" mud/peloid treatments. Mineral water or mud treatments had better and longer improvements in pain, function, quality of life, clinical parameters, and others in some rheumatologic diseases (knee and hand osteoarthritis, chronic low back pain, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoporosis) compared to baseline and non-mineral similar treatments. Internal validity and other limitations of the study's methodology impede causal relation of spa therapy on these improvements. Randomized clinical trials are very heterogeneous. Double-blind randomized clinical trials seem to be the key for studying the role of mineral elements and other chemical compounds, observing enough consistency to demonstrate better and longer improvements for mineral waters or derivate compared to tap water; but due to heterogeneity and gaps on study protocol and methodology, existing research is not sufficiently strong to draw firm conclusions. Well-designed studies in larger patients' population are needed to establish the role of minerals and other chemical compounds in spa therapy.

The role of mineral elements and other chemical compounds used in balneology: data from double-blind randomized clinical trials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morer, Carla; Roques, Christian-François; Françon, Alain; Forestier, Romain; Maraver, Francisco

2017-12-01

The aims of this study were to conduct a systematic literature review on balneotherapy about the specific therapeutic role of mineral elements and other chemical compounds of mineral waters and derivate peloids/muds and to discuss the study methods used to evaluate it (in musculoskeletal conditions). We searched Medline by PubMed using the following key words: "spa therapy" "balneotherapy" "mud" "peloid" "mud pack Therapy" in combination with "randomized controlled trial" "double blind trial." We also reviewed the reference list of articles retrieved by the Medline search. We selected the double-blind randomized clinical trials that assessed the effects of mineral water or mud treatments compared to tap water, attenuated peloid/mud therapy or similar treatments without the specific minerals or chemical compounds of the treatment group ("non-mineral"). We evaluated the internal validity and the quality of the statistical analysis of these trials. The final selection comprised 27 double-blind randomized clinical trials, 20 related to rheumatology. A total of 1118 patients with rheumatological and other musculoskeletal diseases were evaluated in these studies: 552 of knee osteoarthritis, 47 of hand osteoarthritis, 147 chronic low back pain, 308 of reumathoid arthritis, and 64 of osteoporosis; 293 of these participants were assigned to the experimental groups of knee osteoarthritis, 24 in hand osteoarthritis, 82 of low back pain, 152 with reumathoid arthritis, and 32 with osteoporosis. They were treated with mineral water baths and/or mud/peloid (with or without other forms of treatment, like physical therapy, exercise…). The rest were allocated to the control groups; they received mainly tap water and/or "non-mineral" mud/peloid treatments. Mineral water or mud treatments had better and longer improvements in pain, function, quality of life, clinical parameters, and others in some rheumatologic diseases (knee and hand osteoarthritis, chronic low back pain, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoporosis) compared to baseline and non-mineral similar treatments. Internal validity and other limitations of the study's methodology impede causal relation of spa therapy on these improvements. Randomized clinical trials are very heterogeneous. Double-blind randomized clinical trials seem to be the key for studying the role of mineral elements and other chemical compounds, observing enough consistency to demonstrate better and longer improvements for mineral waters or derivate compared to tap water; but due to heterogeneity and gaps on study protocol and methodology, existing research is not sufficiently strong to draw firm conclusions. Well-designed studies in larger patients' population are needed to establish the role of minerals and other chemical compounds in spa therapy.

A quantum-like model of homeopathy clinical trials: importance of in situ randomization and unblinding.

PubMed

Beauvais, Francis

2013-04-01

The randomized controlled trial (RCT) is the 'gold standard' of modern clinical pharmacology. However, for many practitioners of homeopathy, blind RCTs are an inadequate research tool for testing complex therapies such as homeopathy. Classical probabilities used in biological sciences and in medicine are only a special case of the generalized theory of probability used in quantum physics. I describe homeopathy trials using a quantum-like statistical model, a model inspired by quantum physics and taking into consideration superposition of states, non-commuting observables, probability interferences, contextuality, etc. The negative effect of blinding on success of homeopathy trials and the 'smearing effect' ('specific' effects of homeopathy medicine occurring in the placebo group) are described by quantum-like probabilities without supplementary ad hoc hypotheses. The difference of positive outcome rates between placebo and homeopathy groups frequently vanish in centralized blind trials. The model proposed here suggests a way to circumvent such problems in masked homeopathy trials by incorporating in situ randomization/unblinding. In this quantum-like model of homeopathy clinical trials, success in open-label setting and failure with centralized blind RCTs emerge logically from the formalism. This model suggests that significant differences between placebo and homeopathy in blind RCTs would be found more frequently if in situ randomization/unblinding was used. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Validity and validation of expert (Q)SAR systems.

PubMed

Hulzebos, E; Sijm, D; Traas, T; Posthumus, R; Maslankiewicz, L

2005-08-01

At a recent workshop in Setubal (Portugal) principles were drafted to assess the suitability of (quantitative) structure-activity relationships ((Q)SARs) for assessing the hazards and risks of chemicals. In the present study we applied some of the Setubal principles to test the validity of three (Q)SAR expert systems and validate the results. These principles include a mechanistic basis, the availability of a training set and validation. ECOSAR, BIOWIN and DEREK for Windows have a mechanistic or empirical basis. ECOSAR has a training set for each QSAR. For half of the structural fragments the number of chemicals in the training set is >4. Based on structural fragments and log Kow, ECOSAR uses linear regression to predict ecotoxicity. Validating ECOSAR for three 'valid' classes results in predictivity of > or = 64%. BIOWIN uses (non-)linear regressions to predict the probability of biodegradability based on fragments and molecular weight. It has a large training set and predicts non-ready biodegradability well. DEREK for Windows predictions are supported by a mechanistic rationale and literature references. The structural alerts in this program have been developed with a training set of positive and negative toxicity data. However, to support the prediction only a limited number of chemicals in the training set is presented to the user. DEREK for Windows predicts effects by 'if-then' reasoning. The program predicts best for mutagenicity and carcinogenicity. Each structural fragment in ECOSAR and DEREK for Windows needs to be evaluated and validated separately.

Maximum type I error rate inflation from sample size reassessment when investigators are blind to treatment labels.

PubMed

Żebrowska, Magdalena; Posch, Martin; Magirr, Dominic

2016-05-30

Consider a parallel group trial for the comparison of an experimental treatment to a control, where the second-stage sample size may depend on the blinded primary endpoint data as well as on additional blinded data from a secondary endpoint. For the setting of normally distributed endpoints, we demonstrate that this may lead to an inflation of the type I error rate if the null hypothesis holds for the primary but not the secondary endpoint. We derive upper bounds for the inflation of the type I error rate, both for trials that employ random allocation and for those that use block randomization. We illustrate the worst-case sample size reassessment rule in a case study. For both randomization strategies, the maximum type I error rate increases with the effect size in the secondary endpoint and the correlation between endpoints. The maximum inflation increases with smaller block sizes if information on the block size is used in the reassessment rule. Based on our findings, we do not question the well-established use of blinded sample size reassessment methods with nuisance parameter estimates computed from the blinded interim data of the primary endpoint. However, we demonstrate that the type I error rate control of these methods relies on the application of specific, binding, pre-planned and fully algorithmic sample size reassessment rules and does not extend to general or unplanned sample size adjustments based on blinded data. © 2015 The Authors. Statistics in Medicine Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. © 2015 The Authors. Statistics in Medicine Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A novel diagnostic biomarker panel for obesity-related nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

PubMed

Younossi, Zobair M; Jarrar, Mohammed; Nugent, Clare; Randhawa, Manpreet; Afendy, Mariam; Stepanova, Maria; Rafiq, Nila; Goodman, Zachary; Chandhoke, Vikas; Baranova, Ancha

2008-11-01

Within the spectrum of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), only patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) show convincing evidence for progression. To date, liver biopsy remains the gold standard for the diagnosis of NASH; however, liver biopsy is expensive and associated with a small risk, emphasizing the urgent need for noninvasive diagnostic biomarkers. Recent findings suggest a role for apoptosis and adipocytokines in the pathogenesis of NASH. The aim of this study was to develop a noninvasive diagnostic biomarker for NASH. The study included 101 patients with liver biopsies who were tested with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-based assays. Of these, 69 were included in the biomarker development set and 32 were included in the biomarker validation set. Clinical data and serum samples were collected at the time of biopsy. Fasting serum samples were assayed for adiponectin, resistin, insulin, glucose, TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-8, cytokeratin CK-18 (M65 antigen), and caspase-cleaved CK-18 (M30 antigen). Data analysis revealed that the levels of M30 antigen (cleaved CK-18) predicted histological NASH with 70% sensitivity and 83.7% specificity and area under the curve (AUC) = 0.711, p < 10(-4), whereas the predictive value of the levels of intact CK-18 (M65) was higher (63.6% sensitivity and 89.4% specificity and AUC = 0.814, p < 10(-4)). Histological NASH could be predicted by a combination of Cleaved CK-18, a product of the subtraction of Cleaved CK-18 level from intact CK-18 level, serum adiponectin, and serum resistin with a sensitivity of 95.45% sensitivity, specificity of 70.21%, and AUC of 0.908 (p < 10(-4)). Blinded validation of this model confirmed its reliability for separating NASH from simple steatosis. Four ELISA-based tests were combined to form a simple diagnostic biomarker for NASH.

Discovery and Validation of a Six-Marker Serum Protein Signature for the Diagnosis of Active Pulmonary Tuberculosis.

PubMed

De Groote, Mary A; Sterling, David G; Hraha, Thomas; Russell, Theresa M; Green, Louis S; Wall, Kirsten; Kraemer, Stephan; Ostroff, Rachel; Janjic, Nebojsa; Ochsner, Urs A

2017-10-01

New non-sputum biomarker tests for active tuberculosis (TB) diagnostics are of the highest priority for global TB control. We performed in-depth proteomic analysis using the 4,000-plex SOMAscan assay on 1,470 serum samples from seven countries where TB is endemic. All samples were from patients with symptoms and signs suggestive of active pulmonary TB that were systematically confirmed or ruled out for TB by culture and clinical follow-up. HIV coinfection was present in 34% of samples, and 25% were sputum smear negative. Serum protein biomarkers were identified by stability selection using L1-regularized logistic regression and by Kolmogorov-Smirnov (KS) statistics. A naive Bayes classifier using six host response markers (HR6 model), including SYWC, kallistatin, complement C9, gelsolin, testican-2, and aldolase C, performed well in a training set (area under the sensitivity-specificity curve [AUC] of 0.94) and in a blinded verification set (AUC of 0.92) to distinguish TB and non-TB samples. Differential expression was also highly significant ( P < 10 -20 ) for previously described TB markers, such as IP-10, LBP, FCG3B, and TSP4, and for many novel proteins not previously associated with TB. Proteins with the largest median fold changes were SAA (serum amyloid protein A), NPS-PLA2 (secreted phospholipase A2), and CA6 (carbonic anhydrase 6). Target product profiles (TPPs) for a non-sputum biomarker test to diagnose active TB for treatment initiation (TPP#1) and for a community-based triage or referral test (TPP#2) have been published by the WHO. With 90% sensitivity and 80% specificity, the HR6 model fell short of TPP#1 but reached TPP#2 performance criteria. In conclusion, we identified and validated a six-marker signature for active TB that warrants diagnostic development on a patient-near platform. Copyright © 2017 De Groote et al.

Discovery and Validation of a Six-Marker Serum Protein Signature for the Diagnosis of Active Pulmonary Tuberculosis

PubMed Central

De Groote, Mary A.; Sterling, David G.; Hraha, Thomas; Russell, Theresa M.; Green, Louis S.; Wall, Kirsten; Kraemer, Stephan; Ostroff, Rachel; Janjic, Nebojsa

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT New non-sputum biomarker tests for active tuberculosis (TB) diagnostics are of the highest priority for global TB control. We performed in-depth proteomic analysis using the 4,000-plex SOMAscan assay on 1,470 serum samples from seven countries where TB is endemic. All samples were from patients with symptoms and signs suggestive of active pulmonary TB that were systematically confirmed or ruled out for TB by culture and clinical follow-up. HIV coinfection was present in 34% of samples, and 25% were sputum smear negative. Serum protein biomarkers were identified by stability selection using L1-regularized logistic regression and by Kolmogorov-Smirnov (KS) statistics. A naive Bayes classifier using six host response markers (HR6 model), including SYWC, kallistatin, complement C9, gelsolin, testican-2, and aldolase C, performed well in a training set (area under the sensitivity-specificity curve [AUC] of 0.94) and in a blinded verification set (AUC of 0.92) to distinguish TB and non-TB samples. Differential expression was also highly significant (P < 10−20) for previously described TB markers, such as IP-10, LBP, FCG3B, and TSP4, and for many novel proteins not previously associated with TB. Proteins with the largest median fold changes were SAA (serum amyloid protein A), NPS-PLA2 (secreted phospholipase A2), and CA6 (carbonic anhydrase 6). Target product profiles (TPPs) for a non-sputum biomarker test to diagnose active TB for treatment initiation (TPP#1) and for a community-based triage or referral test (TPP#2) have been published by the WHO. With 90% sensitivity and 80% specificity, the HR6 model fell short of TPP#1 but reached TPP#2 performance criteria. In conclusion, we identified and validated a six-marker signature for active TB that warrants diagnostic development on a patient-near platform. PMID:28794177

The potential of immobilized artificial membrane chromatography to predict human oral absorption.

PubMed

Tsopelas, Fotios; Vallianatou, Theodosia; Tsantili-Kakoulidou, Anna

2016-01-01

The potential of immobilized artificial membrane (IAM) chromatography to estimate human oral absorption (%HOA) was investigated. For this purpose, retention indices on IAM stationary phases reported previously by our group or measured by other authors under similar conditions were used to model %HOA data, compiled from literature sources. Considering the pH gradient in gastrointestinal tract, the highest logkw(IAM) values were considered, obtained either at pH7.4 or 5.5, defined as logkw(IAM)(best). Non linear models were established upon introduction of additional parameters and after exclusion of drugs which are substrates either to efflux or uptake transporters. The best model included Abraham's hydrogen-bond acidity parameter, molecular weight as well as the positively and negatively charged molecular fractions. For reasons of comparison between IAM chromatography and traditional lipophilicity, corresponding models were derived by replacing IAM retention factors with octanol-water distribution coefficients (logD). An overexpression of electrostatic interactions with phosphate anions was observed in the case of IAM retention as expressed by the negative contribution of the positively charged fraction F(+). The same parameter is statistically significant also in the logD model, but with a positive sign, indicating the attraction of basic drugs in the negatively charged inner membrane. To validate the obtained models a blind test set of 22 structurally diverse drugs was used, whose logkw(IAM)(best) values were determined and analyzed in the present study under similar conditions. IAM retention factors were further compared with MDCK cell lines permeability data taken from literature for a set of validation drugs. The overexpression of electrostatic interactions with phosphate anions on IAM surface was also evident in respect to MDCK permeability. In contrast to the clear classification between drugs with high and poor (or intermediate) absorption provided by MDCK permeability, %HOA plotted versus both IAM and logD data result in a saturation curve with a smoother ascending line. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Label-Free Quantitative Proteomics Identifies Novel Plasma Biomarkers for Distinguishing Pulmonary Tuberculosis and Latent Infection.

PubMed

Sun, Huishan; Pan, Liping; Jia, Hongyan; Zhang, Zhiguo; Gao, Mengqiu; Huang, Mailing; Wang, Jinghui; Sun, Qi; Wei, Rongrong; Du, Boping; Xing, Aiying; Zhang, Zongde

2018-01-01

The lack of effective differential diagnostic methods for active tuberculosis (TB) and latent infection (LTBI) is still an obstacle for TB control. Furthermore, the molecular mechanism behind the progression from LTBI to active TB has been not elucidated. Therefore, we performed label-free quantitative proteomics to identify plasma biomarkers for discriminating pulmonary TB (PTB) from LTBI. A total of 31 overlapping proteins with significant difference in expression level were identified in PTB patients ( n = 15), compared with LTBI individuals ( n = 15) and healthy controls (HCs, n = 15). Eight differentially expressed proteins were verified using western blot analysis, which was 100% consistent with the proteomics results. Statistically significant differences of six proteins were further validated in the PTB group compared with the LTBI and HC groups in the training set ( n = 240), using ELISA. Classification and regression tree (CART) analysis was employed to determine the ideal protein combination for discriminating PTB from LTBI and HC. A diagnostic model consisting of alpha-1-antichymotrypsin (ACT), alpha-1-acid glycoprotein 1 (AGP1), and E-cadherin (CDH1) was established and presented a sensitivity of 81.2% (69/85) and a specificity of 95.2% (80/84) in discriminating PTB from LTBI, and a sensitivity of 81.2% (69/85) and a specificity of 90.1% (64/81) in discriminating PTB from HCs. Additional validation was performed by evaluating the diagnostic model in blind testing set ( n = 113), which yielded a sensitivity of 75.0% (21/28) and specificity of 96.1% (25/26) in PTB vs. LTBI, 75.0% (21/28) and 92.3% (24/26) in PTB vs. HCs, and 75.0% (21/28) and 81.8% (27/33) in PTB vs. lung cancer (LC), respectively. This study obtained the plasma proteomic profiles of different M.TB infection statuses, which contribute to a better understanding of the pathogenesis involved in the transition from latent infection to TB activation and provide new potential diagnostic biomarkers for distinguishing PTB and LTBI.

Avoiding pitfalls of internal controls: validation of reference genes for analysis by qRT-PCR and Western blot throughout rat retinal development.

PubMed

Rocha-Martins, Maurício; Njaine, Brian; Silveira, Mariana S

2012-01-01

Housekeeping genes have been commonly used as reference to normalize gene expression and protein content data because of its presumed constitutive expression. In this paper, we challenge the consensual idea that housekeeping genes are reliable controls for expression studies in the retina through the investigation of a panel of reference genes potentially suitable for analysis of different stages of retinal development. We applied statistical tools on combinations of retinal developmental stages to assess the most stable internal controls for quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR). The stability of expression of seven putative reference genes (Actb, B2m, Gapdh, Hprt1, Mapk1, Ppia and Rn18s) was analyzed using geNorm, BestKeeper and Normfinder software. In addition, several housekeeping genes were tested as loading controls for Western blot in the same sample panel, using Image J. Overall, for qRT-PCR the combination of Gapdh and Mapk1 showed the highest stability for most experimental sets. Actb was downregulated in more mature stages, while Rn18s and Hprt1 showed the highest variability. We normalized the expression of cyclin D1 using various reference genes and demonstrated that spurious results may result from blind selection of internal controls. For Western blot significant variation could be seen among four putative internal controls (β-actin, cyclophilin b, α-tubulin and lamin A/C), while MAPK1 was stably expressed. Putative housekeeping genes exhibit significant variation in both mRNA and protein content during retinal development. Our results showed that distinct combinations of internal controls fit for each experimental set in the case of qRT-PCR and that MAPK1 is a reliable loading control for Western blot. The results indicate that biased study outcomes may follow the use of reference genes without prior validation for qRT-PCR and Western blot.

Characterization and identification of ubiquitin conjugation sites with E3 ligase recognition specificities.

PubMed

Nguyen, Van-Nui; Huang, Kai-Yao; Huang, Chien-Hsun; Chang, Tzu-Hao; Bretaña, Neil; Lai, K; Weng, Julia; Lee, Tzong-Yi

2015-01-01

In eukaryotes, ubiquitin-conjugation is an important mechanism underlying proteasome-mediated degradation of proteins, and as such, plays an essential role in the regulation of many cellular processes. In the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, E3 ligases play important roles by recognizing a specific protein substrate and catalyzing the attachment of ubiquitin to a lysine (K) residue. As more and more experimental data on ubiquitin conjugation sites become available, it becomes possible to develop prediction models that can be scaled to big data. However, no development that focuses on the investigation of ubiquitinated substrate specificities has existed. Herein, we present an approach that exploits an iteratively statistical method to identify ubiquitin conjugation sites with substrate site specificities. In this investigation, totally 6259 experimentally validated ubiquitinated proteins were obtained from dbPTM. After having filtered out homologous fragments with 40% sequence identity, the training data set contained 2658 ubiquitination sites (positive data) and 5532 non-ubiquitinated sites (negative data). Due to the difficulty in characterizing the substrate site specificities of E3 ligases by conventional sequence logo analysis, a recursively statistical method has been applied to obtain significant conserved motifs. The profile hidden Markov model (profile HMM) was adopted to construct the predictive models learned from the identified substrate motifs. A five-fold cross validation was then used to evaluate the predictive model, achieving sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 73.07%, 65.46%, and 67.93%, respectively. Additionally, an independent testing set, completely blind to the training data of the predictive model, was used to demonstrate that the proposed method could provide a promising accuracy (76.13%) and outperform other ubiquitination site prediction tool. A case study demonstrated the effectiveness of the characterized substrate motifs for identifying ubiquitination sites. The proposed method presents a practical means of preliminary analysis and greatly diminishes the total number of potential targets required for further experimental confirmation. This method may help unravel their mechanisms and roles in E3 recognition and ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation.

Assurance of MOZAIC/IAGOS relative humidity data quality by evaluating the Capacitive Hygrometer during airborne field studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neis, Patrick; Smit, Herman G. J.; Rohs, Susanne; Rolf, Christian; Krämer, Martina; Ebert, Volker; Buchholz, Bernhard; Bundke, Ulrich; Finger, Fanny; Klingebiel, Marcus; Petzold, Andreas

2015-04-01

Water vapour is a major parameter in weather prediction and climate research but the interaction between the water vapour in the upper troposphere and lowermost stratosphere (UT/LS) and tropopause dynamics are not well understood. A continuous measurement of upper tropospheric humidity (UTH) is difficult because the abundance of UTH is highly variable on spatial and temporal scales that cannot be resolved, neither by the global radiosondes network nor by satellites. Since 1994, data with high spatial and temporal resolution for relative humidity are provided by the in-situ measurements aboard civil passenger aircraft from the MOZAIC/IAGOS-programme (www.iagos.org). The data set emerging from this long-term observation effort builds the backbone of the ongoing in-situ UTH climatology and trend analyses. In order to assess the validity of the long-term water vapour data and its limitations, an analysis of the humidity data sets of two field campaigns is presented. The validation of applied measurement methods, i.e. the MOZAIC/IAGOS Capacitive Hygrometer, is valued on the basis of the aircraft campaigns CIRRUS-III (2006) and AIRTOSS-ICE (2013), where research-grade water vapour instruments were operated simultaneously to the MOZAIC/IAGOS Capacitive Hygrometers. The performance of the MOZAIC Capacitive Hygrometer (MCH; operated from 1994 to 2014 on MOZAIC aircraft) and the advanced IAGOS Capacitive Hygrometer (ICH; operated since 2011 on IAGOS aircraft) are explored in clear sky, in the vicinity of and inside cirrus clouds as a blind intercomparison to the research-grade water vapour instruments. From these intercomparisons the qualification of the Capacitive Hygrometer for the use in long-term observation programmes is successfully demonstrated and the continuation of high data quality is confirmed for the transition from MCH to ICH. In particular the Capacitive Hygrometer response time to changes in relative humidity could be determined for the full range of temperatures in the comparison against the research-grade instruments.

Smartphone-Based System for Learning and Inferring Hearing Aid Settings

PubMed Central

Aldaz, Gabriel; Puria, Sunil; Leifer, Larry J.

2017-01-01

Background Previous research has shown that hearing aid wearers can successfully self-train their instruments’ gain-frequency response and compression parameters in everyday situations. Combining hearing aids with a smartphone introduces additional computing power, memory, and a graphical user interface that may enable greater setting personalization. To explore the benefits of self-training with a smartphone-based hearing system, a parameter space was chosen with four possible combinations of microphone mode (omnidirectional and directional) and noise reduction state (active and off). The baseline for comparison was the “untrained system,” that is, the manufacturer’s algorithm for automatically selecting microphone mode and noise reduction state based on acoustic environment. The “trained system” first learned each individual’s preferences, self-entered via a smartphone in real-world situations, to build a trained model. The system then predicted the optimal setting (among available choices) using an inference engine, which considered the trained model and current context (e.g., sound environment, location, and time). Purpose To develop a smartphone-based prototype hearing system that can be trained to learn preferred user settings. Determine whether user study participants showed a preference for trained over untrained system settings. Research Design An experimental within-participants study. Participants used a prototype hearing system—comprising two hearing aids, Android smartphone, and body-worn gateway device—for ~6 weeks. Study Sample Sixteen adults with mild-to-moderate sensorineural hearing loss (HL) (ten males, six females; mean age = 55.5 yr). Fifteen had ≥6 mo of experience wearing hearing aids, and 14 had previous experience using smartphones. Intervention Participants were fitted and instructed to perform daily comparisons of settings (“listening evaluations”) through a smartphone-based software application called Hearing Aid Learning and Inference Controller (HALIC). In the four-week-long training phase, HALIC recorded individual listening preferences along with sensor data from the smartphone—including environmental sound classification, sound level, and location—to build trained models. In the subsequent two-week-long validation phase, participants performed blinded listening evaluations comparing settings predicted by the trained system (“trained settings”) to those suggested by the hearing aids’ untrained system (“untrained settings”). Data Collection and Analysis We analyzed data collected on the smartphone and hearing aids during the study. We also obtained audiometric and demographic information. Results Overall, the 15 participants with valid data significantly preferred trained settings to untrained settings (paired-samples t test). Seven participants had a significant preference for trained settings, while one had a significant preference for untrained settings (binomial test). The remaining seven participants had nonsignificant preferences. Pooling data across participants, the proportion of times that each setting was chosen in a given environmental sound class was on average very similar. However, breaking down the data by participant revealed strong and idiosyncratic individual preferences. Fourteen participants reported positive feelings of clarity, competence, and mastery when training via HALIC. Conclusions The obtained data, as well as subjective participant feedback, indicate that smartphones could become viable tools to train hearing aids. Individuals who are tech savvy and have milder HL seem well suited to take advantages of the benefits offered by training with a smartphone. PMID:27718350

How to test validity in orthodontic research: a mixed dentition analysis example.

PubMed

Donatelli, Richard E; Lee, Shin-Jae

2015-02-01

The data used to test the validity of a prediction method should be different from the data used to generate the prediction model. In this study, we explored whether an independent data set is mandatory for testing the validity of a new prediction method and how validity can be tested without independent new data. Several validation methods were compared in an example using the data from a mixed dentition analysis with a regression model. The validation errors of real mixed dentition analysis data and simulation data were analyzed for increasingly large data sets. The validation results of both the real and the simulation studies demonstrated that the leave-1-out cross-validation method had the smallest errors. The largest errors occurred in the traditional simple validation method. The differences between the validation methods diminished as the sample size increased. The leave-1-out cross-validation method seems to be an optimal validation method for improving the prediction accuracy in a data set with limited sample sizes. Copyright © 2015 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Design, objectives, execution and reporting of published open-label extension studies.

PubMed

Megan, Bowers; Pickering, Ruth M; Weatherall, Mark

2012-04-01

Open-label extension (OLE) studies following blinded randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of pharmaceuticals are increasingly being carried out but do not conform to regulatory standards and questions surround the validity of their evidence. OLE studies are usually discussed as a homogenous group, yet substantial differences in study design still meet the definition of an OLE. We describe published papers reporting OLE studies focussing on stated objectives, design, conduct and reporting. A search of Embase and Medline databases for 1996 to July 2008 revealed 268 papers reporting OLE studies that met our eligibility criteria. A random sample of 50 was selected for detailed review. Over 80% of the studies had efficacy stated as an objective. The most common methods of allocation at the start of the OLE were for all RCT participants to switch to one active treatment or for only participants on the new drug to continue, but in three studies all participants were re-randomized at the start of the OLE. Eligibility criteria and other selection factors resulted in on average of 74% of participants in the preceding RCT(s) enrolling in the OLE and only 57% completed it. Published OLE studies do not form a homogenous group with respect to design or retention of participants, and thus the validity of evidence from an OLE should be judged on an individual basis. The term 'open label' suggests bias through lack of blinding, but slippage in relation to the sample randomized in the preceding RCT may be the more important threat to validity. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Fighting Crime by Fighting Misconceptions and Blind Spots in Policy Theories: An Evidence-Based Evaluation of Interventions and Assumed Causal Mechanisms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Noije, Lonneke; Wittebrood, Karin

2010-01-01

How effective are policy interventions to fight crime and how valid is the policy theory that underlies them? This is the twofold research question addressed in this article, which presents an evidence-based evaluation of Dutch social safety policy. By bridging the gap between actual effects and assumed effects, this study seeks to make fuller use…

Benchmarking homogenization algorithms for monthly data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venema, V. K. C.; Mestre, O.; Aguilar, E.; Auer, I.; Guijarro, J. A.; Domonkos, P.; Vertacnik, G.; Szentimrey, T.; Stepanek, P.; Zahradnicek, P.; Viarre, J.; Müller-Westermeier, G.; Lakatos, M.; Williams, C. N.; Menne, M. J.; Lindau, R.; Rasol, D.; Rustemeier, E.; Kolokythas, K.; Marinova, T.; Andresen, L.; Acquaotta, F.; Fratiannil, S.; Cheval, S.; Klancar, M.; Brunetti, M.; Gruber, C.; Prohom Duran, M.; Likso, T.; Esteban, P.; Brandsma, T.; Willett, K.

2013-09-01

The COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) Action ES0601: Advances in homogenization methods of climate series: an integrated approach (HOME) has executed a blind intercomparison and validation study for monthly homogenization algorithms. Time series of monthly temperature and precipitation were evaluated because of their importance for climate studies. The algorithms were validated against a realistic benchmark dataset. Participants provided 25 separate homogenized contributions as part of the blind study as well as 22 additional solutions submitted after the details of the imposed inhomogeneities were revealed. These homogenized datasets were assessed by a number of performance metrics including i) the centered root mean square error relative to the true homogeneous values at various averaging scales, ii) the error in linear trend estimates and iii) traditional contingency skill scores. The metrics were computed both using the individual station series as well as the network average regional series. The performance of the contributions depends significantly on the error metric considered. Although relative homogenization algorithms typically improve the homogeneity of temperature data, only the best ones improve precipitation data. Moreover, state-of-the-art relative homogenization algorithms developed to work with an inhomogeneous reference are shown to perform best. The study showed that currently automatic algorithms can perform as well as manual ones.

Development of an audio-based virtual gaming environment to assist with navigation skills in the blind.

PubMed

Connors, Erin C; Yazzolino, Lindsay A; Sánchez, Jaime; Merabet, Lotfi B

2013-03-27

Audio-based Environment Simulator (AbES) is virtual environment software designed to improve real world navigation skills in the blind. Using only audio based cues and set within the context of a video game metaphor, users gather relevant spatial information regarding a building's layout. This allows the user to develop an accurate spatial cognitive map of a large-scale three-dimensional space that can be manipulated for the purposes of a real indoor navigation task. After game play, participants are then assessed on their ability to navigate within the target physical building represented in the game. Preliminary results suggest that early blind users were able to acquire relevant information regarding the spatial layout of a previously unfamiliar building as indexed by their performance on a series of navigation tasks. These tasks included path finding through the virtual and physical building, as well as a series of drop off tasks. We find that the immersive and highly interactive nature of the AbES software appears to greatly engage the blind user to actively explore the virtual environment. Applications of this approach may extend to larger populations of visually impaired individuals.

Burst Out of the Dead Land by the Help of Spirituality: A Case Study of Living with Blindness and Cancer.

PubMed

Seyed Bagheri, Seyed Hamid; Dehghan, Mahlagha; Alavi, Seyyed Hamidreza; Iranmanesh, Sedigheh; Khoshab, Hadi

2017-06-01

Blindness is one of the most complex problems related to health throughout the world. The condition is worse when such stress is accompanied with cancer. The aim of this case study was to introduce a patient with both these conditions who could come over her problems well. A phenomenological hermeneutic approach influenced by Ricoeur was used to explore the experience of the patient. Data were collected through unstructured and deep interview and by checking patient medical records. The patient is an Iranian 58-year-old teacher residing in Kerman who became blind at age 32 due to bloodshed inside the eye and was affected by breast cancer at age 52. The patient could come over these divine tests through the help of spirituality so that she believed blindness and cancer was the best events in her life. Spirituality is one of the human aspects that give meaning and purposes to life. Health care providers are suggested to implement spiritual strategies such as instructional workshops for increasing spirituality in settings, such as oncologic wards for patients to pass stages of adaptation to such great stresses easily and rapidly.

Teaching the blind to find their way by playing video games.

PubMed

Merabet, Lotfi B; Connors, Erin C; Halko, Mark A; Sánchez, Jaime

2012-01-01

Computer based video games are receiving great interest as a means to learn and acquire new skills. As a novel approach to teaching navigation skills in the blind, we have developed Audio-based Environment Simulator (AbES); a virtual reality environment set within the context of a video game metaphor. Despite the fact that participants were naïve to the overall purpose of the software, we found that early blind users were able to acquire relevant information regarding the spatial layout of a previously unfamiliar building using audio based cues alone. This was confirmed by a series of behavioral performance tests designed to assess the transfer of acquired spatial information to a large-scale, real-world indoor navigation task. Furthermore, learning the spatial layout through a goal directed gaming strategy allowed for the mental manipulation of spatial information as evidenced by enhanced navigation performance when compared to an explicit route learning strategy. We conclude that the immersive and highly interactive nature of the software greatly engages the blind user to actively explore the virtual environment. This in turn generates an accurate sense of a large-scale three-dimensional space and facilitates the learning and transfer of navigation skills to the physical world.

Learning Receptive Fields and Quality Lookups for Blind Quality Assessment of Stereoscopic Images.

PubMed

Shao, Feng; Lin, Weisi; Wang, Shanshan; Jiang, Gangyi; Yu, Mei; Dai, Qionghai

2016-03-01

Blind quality assessment of 3D images encounters more new challenges than its 2D counterparts. In this paper, we propose a blind quality assessment for stereoscopic images by learning the characteristics of receptive fields (RFs) from perspective of dictionary learning, and constructing quality lookups to replace human opinion scores without performance loss. The important feature of the proposed method is that we do not need a large set of samples of distorted stereoscopic images and the corresponding human opinion scores to learn a regression model. To be more specific, in the training phase, we learn local RFs (LRFs) and global RFs (GRFs) from the reference and distorted stereoscopic images, respectively, and construct their corresponding local quality lookups (LQLs) and global quality lookups (GQLs). In the testing phase, blind quality pooling can be easily achieved by searching optimal GRF and LRF indexes from the learnt LQLs and GQLs, and the quality score is obtained by combining the LRF and GRF indexes together. Experimental results on three publicly 3D image quality assessment databases demonstrate that in comparison with the existing methods, the devised algorithm achieves high consistent alignment with subjective assessment.

A review of multivariate methods in brain imaging data fusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sui, Jing; Adali, Tülay; Li, Yi-Ou; Yang, Honghui; Calhoun, Vince D.

2010-03-01

On joint analysis of multi-task brain imaging data sets, a variety of multivariate methods have shown their strengths and been applied to achieve different purposes based on their respective assumptions. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive review on optimization assumptions of six data fusion models, including 1) four blind methods: joint independent component analysis (jICA), multimodal canonical correlation analysis (mCCA), CCA on blind source separation (sCCA) and partial least squares (PLS); 2) two semi-blind methods: parallel ICA and coefficient-constrained ICA (CC-ICA). We also propose a novel model for joint blind source separation (BSS) of two datasets using a combination of sCCA and jICA, i.e., 'CCA+ICA', which, compared with other joint BSS methods, can achieve higher decomposition accuracy as well as the correct automatic source link. Applications of the proposed model to real multitask fMRI data are compared to joint ICA and mCCA; CCA+ICA further shows its advantages in capturing both shared and distinct information, differentiating groups, and interpreting duration of illness in schizophrenia patients, hence promising applicability to a wide variety of medical imaging problems.

Mechanism of variable structural colour in the neon tetra: quantitative evaluation of the Venetian blind model.

PubMed

Yoshioka, S; Matsuhana, B; Tanaka, S; Inouye, Y; Oshima, N; Kinoshita, S

2011-01-06

The structural colour of the neon tetra is distinguishable from those of, e.g., butterfly wings and bird feathers, because it can change in response to the light intensity of the surrounding environment. This fact clearly indicates the variability of the colour-producing microstructures. It has been known that an iridophore of the neon tetra contains a few stacks of periodically arranged light-reflecting platelets, which can cause multilayer optical interference phenomena. As a mechanism of the colour variability, the Venetian blind model has been proposed, in which the light-reflecting platelets are assumed to be tilted during colour change, resulting in a variation in the spacing between the platelets. In order to quantitatively evaluate the validity of this model, we have performed a detailed optical study of a single stack of platelets inside an iridophore. In particular, we have prepared a new optical system that can simultaneously measure both the spectrum and direction of the reflected light, which are expected to be closely related to each other in the Venetian blind model. The experimental results and detailed analysis are found to quantitatively verify the model.

Reducing the negative vocal effects of superficial laryngeal dehydration with humidification.

PubMed

Levendoski, Elizabeth Erickson; Sundarrajan, Anusha; Sivasankar, M Preeti

2014-07-01

Environmental humidification is a simple, cost-effective method believed to reduce superficial laryngeal drying. This study sought to validate this belief by investigating whether humidification treatment would reduce the negative effects of superficial laryngeal dehydration on phonation threshold pressure (PTP). Phonation threshold pressure data analysis may be vulnerable to bias because of lack of investigator blinding. Consequently, this study investigated the extent of PTP analysis reliability between unblinded and blinded investigators. Healthy male and female adults were assigned to a vocal fatigue (n = 20) or control group (n = 20) based on their responses to a questionnaire. PTP was assessed after 2 hours of mouth breathing in low humidity (dehydration challenge), following a 5-minute break in ambient humidity, and after 2 hours of mouth breathing in high humidity (humidification). PTP significantly increased following the laryngeal dehydration challenge. After humidification, PTP returned toward baseline. These effects were observed in both subject groups. PTP measurements were highly correlated between the unblinded and blinded investigator. Humidification may be an effective approach to decrease the detrimental voice effects of superficial laryngeal dehydration. These data lay the foundation for future investigations aimed at preventing and treating the negative voice changes associated with chronic, surface laryngeal drying.

Double-blinded, placebo-controlled study to evaluate an antipruritic shampoo for dogs with allergic pruritus.

PubMed

Schilling, J; Mueller, R S

2012-07-28

Shampoo therapy is frequently used on pruritic dogs. However, there are few double-blinded, placebo-controlled studies of this form of therapy. This randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study evaluated the efficacy of a commercial medicated shampoo (DermaTopic; Almapharm) containing chlorhexidine, lactoferrin, piroctone olamine, chitosan and essential fatty acids in 27 dogs with mild to moderate allergic pruritus without secondary skin infections. All dogs received shampoo therapy with either DermaTopic or a shampoo vehicle as placebo twice weekly for four weeks. The extent of pruritus was evaluated before the study and then on a daily basis by the owners using a visual analogue scale. Before beginning the treatment and after four weeks, the skin lesions were evaluated by an experienced clinician with a validated lesion score (Canine Atopic Dermatitis Extent and Severity Index - CADESI). The pruritus was reduced significantly by both DermaTopic and placebo. However, there was no significant difference between both groups. There was no statistically significant difference in the CADESI scores pre- and post-treatment in either group or between the two types of treatment. This study provides further evidence of the benefit of shampoo therapy for pruritic dogs.

Blood Glucose Meters That Are Accessible to Blind and Visually Impaired Persons

PubMed Central

Uslan, Mark M.; Burton, Darren M.; Clements, Charles W.

2008-01-01

Blood glucose meters (BGMs) that can be used nonvisually or with a visual limitation were introduced in the mid-1990s, but it was not until 2006 and 2007 that a new set of meters with accessibility features were introduced: Prodigy, Prodigy Autocode, and Prodigy Voice (Diagnostic Devices, Charlotte, NC), and Advocate and Advocate Redi-Code (TaiDoc, Taiwan). Accessibility attributes of the newly introduced BGMs were tabulated, and product design features were examined and documented. The Prodigy Voice was found to be the only one of these new BGMs that is fully usable by blind and visually impaired persons. PMID:19885356

Blood glucose meters that are accessible to blind and visually impaired persons.

PubMed

Uslan, Mark M; Burton, Darren M; Clements, Charles W

2008-03-01

Blood glucose meters (BGMs) that can be used nonvisually or with a visual limitation were introduced in the mid-1990s, but it was not until 2006 and 2007 that a new set of meters with accessibility features were introduced: Prodigy, Prodigy Autocode, and Prodigy Voice (Diagnostic Devices, Charlotte, NC), and Advocate and Advocate Redi-Code (TaiDoc, Taiwan). Accessibility attributes of the newly introduced BGMs were tabulated, and product design features were examined and documented. The Prodigy Voice was found to be the only one of these new BGMs that is fully usable by blind and visually impaired persons.

Reliability and Validity of 10 Different Standard Setting Procedures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halpin, Glennelle; Halpin, Gerald

Research indicating that different cut-off points result from the use of different standard-setting techniques leaves decision makers with a disturbing dilemma: Which standard-setting method is best? This investigation of the reliability and validity of 10 different standard-setting approaches was designed to provide information that might help…

A Model for Pharmacological Research-Treatment of Cocaine Dependence

PubMed Central

Montoya, Ivan D.; Hess, Judith M.; Preston, Kenzie L.; Gorelick, David A.

2008-01-01

Major problems for research on pharmacological treatments for cocaine dependence are lack of comparability of results from different treatment research programs and poor validity and/or reliability of results. Double-blind, placebo-controlled, random assignment, experimental designs, using standard intake and assessment procedures help to reduce these problems. Cessation or reduction of drug use and/or craving, retention in treatment, and medical and psychosocial improvement are some of the outcome variables collected in treatment research programs. A model to be followed across different outpatient clinical trials for pharmacological treatment of cocaine dependence is presented here. This model represents an effort to standardize data collection to make results more valid and comparable. PMID:8749725

Imposed Power of Breathing Associated With Use of an Impedance Threshold Device

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-02-01

threshold device and a sham impedance threshold device. DESIGN: Prospective randomized blinded protocol. SETTING: University medical center. PATIENTS...for males). METHODS: The volunteers completed 2 trials of breathing through a face mask fitted with an active impedance threshold device set to open...at -7cmH 2 O pressure, or with a sham impedance threshold device, which was identical to the active device except that it did not contain an

Through the eyes of a child: preschoolers' identification of emotional expressions from the child affective facial expression (CAFE) set.

PubMed

LoBue, Vanessa; Baker, Lewis; Thrasher, Cat

2017-08-10

Researchers have been interested in the perception of human emotional expressions for decades. Importantly, most empirical work in this domain has relied on controlled stimulus sets of adults posing for various emotional expressions. Recently, the Child Affective Facial Expression (CAFE) set was introduced to the scientific community, featuring a large validated set of photographs of preschool aged children posing for seven different emotional expressions. Although the CAFE set was extensively validated using adult participants, the set was designed for use with children. It is therefore necessary to verify that adult validation applies to child performance. In the current study, we examined 3- to 4-year-olds' identification of a subset of children's faces in the CAFE set, and compared it to adult ratings cited in previous research. Our results demonstrate an exceptionally strong relationship between adult ratings of the CAFE photos and children's ratings, suggesting that the adult validation of the set can be applied to preschool-aged participants. The results are discussed in terms of methodological implications for the use of the CAFE set with children, and theoretical implications for using the set to study the development of emotion perception in early childhood.

DNA methylation-based forensic age prediction using artificial neural networks and next generation sequencing.

PubMed

Vidaki, Athina; Ballard, David; Aliferi, Anastasia; Miller, Thomas H; Barron, Leon P; Syndercombe Court, Denise

2017-05-01

The ability to estimate the age of the donor from recovered biological material at a crime scene can be of substantial value in forensic investigations. Aging can be complex and is associated with various molecular modifications in cells that accumulate over a person's lifetime including epigenetic patterns. The aim of this study was to use age-specific DNA methylation patterns to generate an accurate model for the prediction of chronological age using data from whole blood. In total, 45 age-associated CpG sites were selected based on their reported age coefficients in a previous extensive study and investigated using publicly available methylation data obtained from 1156 whole blood samples (aged 2-90 years) analysed with Illumina's genome-wide methylation platforms (27K/450K). Applying stepwise regression for variable selection, 23 of these CpG sites were identified that could significantly contribute to age prediction modelling and multiple regression analysis carried out with these markers provided an accurate prediction of age (R 2 =0.92, mean absolute error (MAE)=4.6 years). However, applying machine learning, and more specifically a generalised regression neural network model, the age prediction significantly improved (R 2 =0.96) with a MAE=3.3 years for the training set and 4.4 years for a blind test set of 231 cases. The machine learning approach used 16 CpG sites, located in 16 different genomic regions, with the top 3 predictors of age belonged to the genes NHLRC1, SCGN and CSNK1D. The proposed model was further tested using independent cohorts of 53 monozygotic twins (MAE=7.1 years) and a cohort of 1011 disease state individuals (MAE=7.2 years). Furthermore, we highlighted the age markers' potential applicability in samples other than blood by predicting age with similar accuracy in 265 saliva samples (R 2 =0.96) with a MAE=3.2 years (training set) and 4.0 years (blind test). In an attempt to create a sensitive and accurate age prediction test, a next generation sequencing (NGS)-based method able to quantify the methylation status of the selected 16 CpG sites was developed using the Illumina MiSeq ® platform. The method was validated using DNA standards of known methylation levels and the age prediction accuracy has been initially assessed in a set of 46 whole blood samples. Although the resulted prediction accuracy using the NGS data was lower compared to the original model (MAE=7.5years), it is expected that future optimization of our strategy to account for technical variation as well as increasing the sample size will improve both the prediction accuracy and reproducibility. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Making Semantic Waves: A Key to Cumulative Knowledge-Building

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maton, Karl

2013-01-01

The paper begins by arguing that knowledge-blindness in educational research represents a serious obstacle to understanding knowledge-building. It then offers sociological concepts from Legitimation Code Theory--"semantic gravity" and "semantic density"--that systematically conceptualize one set of organizing principles underlying knowledge…

Joint Blind Source Separation by Multi-set Canonical Correlation Analysis

PubMed Central

Li, Yi-Ou; Adalı, Tülay; Wang, Wei; Calhoun, Vince D

2009-01-01

In this work, we introduce a simple and effective scheme to achieve joint blind source separation (BSS) of multiple datasets using multi-set canonical correlation analysis (M-CCA) [1]. We first propose a generative model of joint BSS based on the correlation of latent sources within and between datasets. We specify source separability conditions, and show that, when the conditions are satisfied, the group of corresponding sources from each dataset can be jointly extracted by M-CCA through maximization of correlation among the extracted sources. We compare source separation performance of the M-CCA scheme with other joint BSS methods and demonstrate the superior performance of the M-CCA scheme in achieving joint BSS for a large number of datasets, group of corresponding sources with heterogeneous correlation values, and complex-valued sources with circular and non-circular distributions. We apply M-CCA to analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from multiple subjects and show its utility in estimating meaningful brain activations from a visuomotor task. PMID:20221319

European validation of The Comprehensive International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Set for Osteoarthritis from the perspective of patients with osteoarthritis of the knee or hip.

PubMed

Weigl, Martin; Wild, Heike

2017-09-15

To validate the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Comprehensive Core Set for Osteoarthritis from the patient perspective in Europe. This multicenter cross-sectional study involved 375 patients with knee or hip osteoarthritis. Trained health professionals completed the Comprehensive Core Set, and patients completed the Short-Form 36 questionnaire. Content validity was evaluated by calculating prevalences of impairments in body function and structures, limitations in activities and participation and environmental factors, which were either barriers or facilitators. Convergent construct validity was evaluated by correlating the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health categories with the Short-Form 36 Physical Component Score and the SF-36 Mental Component Score in a subgroup of 259 patients. The prevalences of all body function, body structure and activities and participation categories were >40%, >32% and >20%, respectively, and all environmental factors were relevant for >16% of patients. Few categories showed relevant differences between knee and hip osteoarthritis. All body function categories and all but two activities and participation categories showed significant correlations with the Physical Component Score. Body functions from the ICF chapter Mental Functions showed higher correlations with the Mental Component Score than with the Physical Component Score. This study supports the validity of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Comprehensive Core Set for Osteoarthritis. Implications for Rehabilitation Comprehensive International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Sets were developed as practical tools for application in multidisciplinary assessments. The validity of the Comprehensive International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Set for Osteoarthritis in this study supports its application in European patients with osteoarthritis. The differences in results between this Europe validation study and a previous Singaporean validation study underscore the need to validate the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Sets in different regions of the world.

Validation of tsunami inundation model TUNA-RP using OAR-PMEL-135 benchmark problem set

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koh, H. L.; Teh, S. Y.; Tan, W. K.; Kh'ng, X. Y.

2017-05-01

A standard set of benchmark problems, known as OAR-PMEL-135, is developed by the US National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program for tsunami inundation model validation. Any tsunami inundation model must be tested for its accuracy and capability using this standard set of benchmark problems before it can be gainfully used for inundation simulation. The authors have previously developed an in-house tsunami inundation model known as TUNA-RP. This inundation model solves the two-dimensional nonlinear shallow water equations coupled with a wet-dry moving boundary algorithm. This paper presents the validation of TUNA-RP against the solutions provided in the OAR-PMEL-135 benchmark problem set. This benchmark validation testing shows that TUNA-RP can indeed perform inundation simulation with accuracy consistent with that in the tested benchmark problem set.

A New Clinicobiological Scoring System for the Prediction of Infection-Related Mortality and Survival after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

PubMed

Forcina, Alessandra; Rancoita, Paola M V; Marcatti, Magda; Greco, Raffaella; Lupo-Stanghellini, Maria Teresa; Carrabba, Matteo; Marasco, Vincenzo; Di Serio, Clelia; Bernardi, Massimo; Peccatori, Jacopo; Corti, Consuelo; Bondanza, Attilio; Ciceri, Fabio

2017-12-01

Infection-related mortality (IRM) is a substantial component of nonrelapse mortality (NRM) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). No scores have been developed to predict IRM before transplantation. Pretransplantation clinical and biochemical data were collected from a study cohort of 607 adult patients undergoing allo-HSCT between January 2009 and February 2017. In a training set of 273 patients, multivariate analysis revealed that age >60 years (P = .003), cytomegalovirus host/donor serostatus different from negative/negative (P < .001), pretransplantation IgA level <1.11 g/L (P = .004), and pretransplantation IgM level <.305 g/L (P = .028) were independent predictors of increased IRM. Based on these results, we developed and subsequently validated a 3-tiered weighted prognostic index for IRM in a retrospective set of patients (n = 219) and a prospective set of patients (n = 115). Patients were assigned to 3 different IRM risk classes based on this index score. The score significantly predicted IRM in the training set, retrospective validation set, and prospective validation set (P < .001, .044, and .011, respectively). In the training set, 100-day IRM was 5% for the low-risk group, 11% for the intermediate-riak group, and 16% for the high-risk groups. In the retrospective validation set, the respective 100-day IRM values were 7%, 17%, and 28%, and in the prospective set, they were 0%, 5%, and 7%. This score predicted also overall survival (P < .001 in the training set, P < 041 in the retrospective validation set, and P < .023 in the prospective validation set). Because pretransplantation levels of IgA/IgM can be modulated by the supplementation of enriched immunoglobulins, these results suggest the possibility of prophylactic interventional studies to improve transplantation outcomes. Copyright © 2017 The American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Computationally efficient confidence intervals for cross-validated area under the ROC curve estimates.

PubMed

LeDell, Erin; Petersen, Maya; van der Laan, Mark

In binary classification problems, the area under the ROC curve (AUC) is commonly used to evaluate the performance of a prediction model. Often, it is combined with cross-validation in order to assess how the results will generalize to an independent data set. In order to evaluate the quality of an estimate for cross-validated AUC, we obtain an estimate of its variance. For massive data sets, the process of generating a single performance estimate can be computationally expensive. Additionally, when using a complex prediction method, the process of cross-validating a predictive model on even a relatively small data set can still require a large amount of computation time. Thus, in many practical settings, the bootstrap is a computationally intractable approach to variance estimation. As an alternative to the bootstrap, we demonstrate a computationally efficient influence curve based approach to obtaining a variance estimate for cross-validated AUC.

Computationally efficient confidence intervals for cross-validated area under the ROC curve estimates

PubMed Central

Petersen, Maya; van der Laan, Mark

2015-01-01

In binary classification problems, the area under the ROC curve (AUC) is commonly used to evaluate the performance of a prediction model. Often, it is combined with cross-validation in order to assess how the results will generalize to an independent data set. In order to evaluate the quality of an estimate for cross-validated AUC, we obtain an estimate of its variance. For massive data sets, the process of generating a single performance estimate can be computationally expensive. Additionally, when using a complex prediction method, the process of cross-validating a predictive model on even a relatively small data set can still require a large amount of computation time. Thus, in many practical settings, the bootstrap is a computationally intractable approach to variance estimation. As an alternative to the bootstrap, we demonstrate a computationally efficient influence curve based approach to obtaining a variance estimate for cross-validated AUC. PMID:26279737

ASSP Advanced Sensor Signal Processor.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-06-01

Field of Regard ±150 Time to Impact : - 4 seconds Guidance Stop: 3.5 seconds after start (blind range of i I seeker at 100 feet above target) The control...These will be integrated across the engagement time in open-loop fashion and will typically lead to terminal impact inaccuracies. The validation was...15) with a natural frequency of around 3 Hz. The frequency and damping do not change substantially over the flight regime, where impact velocities

Blind restoration of retinal images degraded by space-variant blur with adaptive blur estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marrugo, Andrés. G.; Millán, María. S.; Å orel, Michal; Å roubek, Filip

2013-11-01

Retinal images are often degraded with a blur that varies across the field view. Because traditional deblurring algorithms assume the blur to be space-invariant they typically fail in the presence of space-variant blur. In this work we consider the blur to be both unknown and space-variant. To carry out the restoration, we assume that in small regions the space-variant blur can be approximated by a space-invariant point-spread function (PSF). However, instead of deblurring the image on a per-patch basis, we extend individual PSFs by linear interpolation and perform a global restoration. Because the blind estimation of local PSFs may fail we propose a strategy for the identification of valid local PSFs and perform interpolation to obtain the space-variant PSF. The method was tested on artificial and real degraded retinal images. Results show significant improvement in the visibility of subtle details like small blood vessels.

Blind system identification of two-thermocouple sensor based on cross-relation method.

PubMed

Li, Yanfeng; Zhang, Zhijie; Hao, Xiaojian

2018-03-01

In dynamic temperature measurement, the dynamic characteristics of the sensor affect the accuracy of the measurement results. Thermocouples are widely used for temperature measurement in harsh conditions due to their low cost, robustness, and reliability, but because of the presence of the thermal inertia, there is a dynamic error in the dynamic temperature measurement. In order to eliminate the dynamic error, two-thermocouple sensor was used to measure dynamic gas temperature in constant velocity flow environments in this paper. Blind system identification of two-thermocouple sensor based on a cross-relation method was carried out. Particle swarm optimization algorithm was used to estimate time constants of two thermocouples and compared with the grid based search method. The method was validated on the experimental equipment built by using high temperature furnace, and the input dynamic temperature was reconstructed by using the output data of the thermocouple with small time constant.

Online blind source separation using incremental nonnegative matrix factorization with volume constraint.

PubMed

Zhou, Guoxu; Yang, Zuyuan; Xie, Shengli; Yang, Jun-Mei

2011-04-01

Online blind source separation (BSS) is proposed to overcome the high computational cost problem, which limits the practical applications of traditional batch BSS algorithms. However, the existing online BSS methods are mainly used to separate independent or uncorrelated sources. Recently, nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF) shows great potential to separate the correlative sources, where some constraints are often imposed to overcome the non-uniqueness of the factorization. In this paper, an incremental NMF with volume constraint is derived and utilized for solving online BSS. The volume constraint to the mixing matrix enhances the identifiability of the sources, while the incremental learning mode reduces the computational cost. The proposed method takes advantage of the natural gradient based multiplication updating rule, and it performs especially well in the recovery of dependent sources. Simulations in BSS for dual-energy X-ray images, online encrypted speech signals, and high correlative face images show the validity of the proposed method.

Blind system identification of two-thermocouple sensor based on cross-relation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yanfeng; Zhang, Zhijie; Hao, Xiaojian

2018-03-01

In dynamic temperature measurement, the dynamic characteristics of the sensor affect the accuracy of the measurement results. Thermocouples are widely used for temperature measurement in harsh conditions due to their low cost, robustness, and reliability, but because of the presence of the thermal inertia, there is a dynamic error in the dynamic temperature measurement. In order to eliminate the dynamic error, two-thermocouple sensor was used to measure dynamic gas temperature in constant velocity flow environments in this paper. Blind system identification of two-thermocouple sensor based on a cross-relation method was carried out. Particle swarm optimization algorithm was used to estimate time constants of two thermocouples and compared with the grid based search method. The method was validated on the experimental equipment built by using high temperature furnace, and the input dynamic temperature was reconstructed by using the output data of the thermocouple with small time constant.

Gradient-index phononic crystal lens-based enhancement of elastic wave energy harvesting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tol, S.; Degertekin, F. L.; Erturk, A.

2016-08-01

We explore the enhancement of structure-borne elastic wave energy harvesting, both numerically and experimentally, by exploiting a Gradient-Index Phononic Crystal Lens (GRIN-PCL) structure. The proposed GRIN-PCL is formed by an array of blind holes with different diameters on an aluminum plate, where the blind hole distribution is tailored to obtain a hyperbolic secant gradient profile of refractive index guided by finite-element simulations of the lowest asymmetric mode Lamb wave band diagrams. Under plane wave excitation from a line source, experimentally measured wave field validates the numerical simulation of wave focusing within the GRIN-PCL domain. A piezoelectric energy harvester disk located at the first focus of the GRIN-PCL yields an order of magnitude larger power output as compared to the baseline case of energy harvesting without the GRIN-PCL on the uniform plate counterpart.

A blind test of nondestructive underground void detection by ground penetrating radar (GPR)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, Wallace W. L.; Chang, Ray K. W.; Sham, Janet F. C.

2018-02-01

Blind test/experiment is widely adopted in various scientific disciplines like medicine drug testing/clinical trials/psychology, but not popular in nondestructive testing and evaluation (NDTE) nor near-surface geophysics (NSG). This paper introduces a blind test of nondestructive underground void detection in highway/pavement using ground penetrating radar (GPR). Purpose of which is to help the Highways Department (HyD) of the Hong Kong Government to evaluate the feasibility of large-scale and nationwide application, and examine the ability of appropriate service providers to carry out such works. In the past failure case of such NDTE/NSG based on lowest bid price, it is not easy to know which part(s) in SWIMS (S - service provider, i.e. people; W - work procedure; I - instrumentation; M - materials in the complex underground; S - specifications by client) fails, and how it/they fail(s). This work attempts to carry out the blind test by burying fit balls (as voids) under a site with reinforced concrete road and paving block by PolyU team A. The blind test about the void centroid, spread and cover depth was then carried out by PolyU team B without prior information given. Then with this baseline, a marking scheme, acceptance criteria and passing mark were set to test six local commercial service providers, determine their scores and evaluate the performance. A pass is a prerequisite of the award of a service contract of similar nature. In this first attempt of the blind test, results were not satisfactory and it is concluded that 'S-service provider' and 'W-work procedure' amongst SWIMS contributed to most part of the unsatisfactory performance.+

Inattentional blindness in older adults: Effects of attentional set and to-be-ignored distractors.

PubMed

Horwood, Sally; Beanland, Vanessa

2016-04-01

Inattentional blindness (IB) involves failing to detect an unexpected visual stimulus while undertaking another task. Previous research has predominantly investigated IB using young adult samples, with few studies exploring whether or how an observer's age affects their detection of unexpected events. To help address this gap, we compared younger adults (18-25 years of age) and older adults (60-80 years of age) on two IB tasks: one dynamic, one static. In the static task, older age was associated with substantially increased IB rates: 89 % for older adults versus 5 % for younger adults. In the dynamic task, we systematically manipulated the presence of to-be-ignored distractors and whether the unexpected stimulus color matched the observers' attentional set. We found a main effect of age on IB: As in the static task, older age was associated with increased IB rates (38 % for older adults vs. 8 % for younger adults). The presence of to-be-ignored distractors and attentional set mismatch interacted to substantially increase IB rates, but age did not interact with either factor. Overall, the results indicate that older age is associated with large increases in IB rates across a range of tasks. The pattern of results is consistent with attentional capacity models of cognitive aging, suggesting that older adults' reduced cognitive resources result in failure to consciously process stimuli that are inconsistent with their attentional set.

Promotion of anagen, increased hair density and reduction of hair fall in a clinical setting following identification of FGF5-inhibiting compounds via a novel 2-stage process

PubMed Central

Burg, Dominic; Yamamoto, Masakuni; Namekata, Masato; Haklani, Joseph; Koike, Koichiro; Halasz, Maria

2017-01-01

Background There are very few effective, scientifically validated treatments with known mechanisms of action for treatment of hair loss in both men and women. Fibroblast growth factor 5 (FGF5) is an important factor in the irreversible transition from anagen to catagen, and inhibition of FGF5 prolongs anagen phase and reduces hair loss. Objective We aimed to screen botanically derived molecules for FGF5 inhibitory activity in vitro and assess efficacy in a clinical setting. Methods We screened for FGF5 inhibitory efficacy via a novel 2-step in vitro pipeline consisting of an engineered FGF5 responsive cell line, followed by an activated dermal papillae (DP) cell method. Efficacy in a clinical setting was assessed in a randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled trial against early- to mid-stage pattern hair loss in men and women. Results We observed FGF5 inhibitory activity for a number of compounds from the monoterpenoid family, many showing greater inhibitory efficacy than our previously reported crude plant extracts. Evaluation of a lead candidate in a clinical study over 112 days showed a significant improvement in anagen:telogen (AT) ratio (p = 0.002), reduced hair fall (p = 0.007) and improved visual grading (p = 0.004). Scientifically matched photography on a subgroup of randomly chosen participants highlighted significant improvement in hair density, with increases evident in all tested participants compared to baseline. Conclusion Isolates from the monoterpenoid family displayed efficacy in FGF5 inhibition in vitro. A topical formulation containing a leading isolate significantly improved AT ratio, reduced hair fall and increased apparent hair density in the tested population of men and women. PMID:28280377

Exploring threats to generalisability in a large international rehabilitation trial (AVERT)

PubMed Central

Bernhardt, Julie; Raffelt, Audrey; Churilov, Leonid; Lindley, Richard I; Speare, Sally; Ancliffe, Jacqueline; Katijjahbe, Md Ali; Hameed, Shahul; Lennon, Sheila; McRae, Anna; Tan, Dawn; Quiney, Jan; Williamson, Hannah C; Collier, Janice; Dewey, Helen M; Donnan, Geoffrey A; Langhorne, Peter; Thrift, Amanda G

2015-01-01

Objective The purpose of this paper is to examine potential threats to generalisability of the results of a multicentre randomised controlled trial using data from A Very Early Rehabilitation Trial (AVERT). Design AVERT is a prospective, parallel group, assessor-blinded randomised clinical trial. This paper presents data assessing the generalisability of AVERT. Setting Acute stroke units at 44 hospitals in 8 countries. Participants The first 20 000 patients screened for AVERT, of whom 1158 were recruited and randomised. Model We use the Proximal Similarity Model, which considers the person, place, and setting and practice, as a framework for considering generalisability. As well as comparing the recruited patients with the target population, we also performed an exploratory analysis of the demographic, clinical, site and process factors associated with recruitment. Results The demographics and stroke characteristics of the included patients in the trial were broadly similar to population-based norms, with the exception that AVERT had a greater proportion of men. The most common reason for non-recruitment was late arrival to hospital (ie, >24 h). Overall, being older and female reduced the odds of recruitment to the trial. More women than men were excluded for most of the reasons, including refusal. The odds of exclusion due to early deterioration were particularly high for those with severe stroke (OR=10.4, p<0.001, 95% CI 9.27 to 11.65). Conclusions A model which explores person, place, and setting and practice factors can provide important information about the external validity of a trial, and could be applied to other clinical trials. Trial registration number Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12606000185561) and Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01846247). PMID:26283667

Performance Reviews for the Orchestral Musician

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, Amanda; Forrest, David

2014-01-01

Musicians are appointed to positions in professional symphony orchestras--both rank and file and section principals--following a blind audition process. They perform set repertoire works and orchestral excerpts behind a screen. In many higher education programs, musicians focus on learning the orchestral excerpts and instrumental repertoire that…

Creativity, Problem Solving, and Solution Set Sightedness: Radically Reformulating BVSR

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simonton, Dean Keith

2012-01-01

Too often, psychological debates become polarized into dichotomous positions. Such polarization may have occurred with respect to Campbell's (1960) blind variation and selective retention (BVSR) theory of creativity. To resolve this unnecessary controversy, BVSR was radically reformulated with respect to creative problem solving. The reformulation…

[The study of establishment of the " Chinese provincial Blindness prevention technical guidance group performance evaluation system"].

PubMed

Lu, L N; He, X G; Zhu, J F; Xu, X; Zhang, R; Hu, X; Zou, H D

2016-11-11

Objective: To establish an assessment system, including indexes and scoring methods, that can be used for performance evaluation of the provincial blindness prevention technical guidance group properly and effectively . Methods: The indexes and scoring methods were set based on the core content of The " National Plan of Prevention and Treatment of Blindness (2012-2015)" , the specific requirement and target of the World Health Organization (WHO) "For the General Eye Health: Global plan of Action (2014-2019)" , and the current situation of the China's provinces and autonomous regions. These indexes should be of effectiveness, feasibility, comparability, guidance and advancing. Formed by a literature review of candidate indicators, the framework of the system is built by qualitative assessment. With the Delphi method, the system was further revised and improved. Empirical pilot study was then used to prove the feasibility, followed by the final qualitative analysis that establish the " Chinese provincial Blindness prevention technical guidance group performance evaluation system" . Results: Through the literature review and qualitative assessment, a six dimensional system framework was built, including 6 first-level indicators, 16 second-level indicators, and 29 third-level indicators through Delphi method evaluation. With the variation coefficient method, the coeffiences of the first-level index weight were calculated as: Organization and management 0.15, Development and implementation of blindness prevention plans 0.15, Implementation of blindness prevention projects 0.14, Training 0.17, Health education 0.18, and Cooperation and exchanges 0.21. The specific scoring method for this system is confirmed as: data and files check, field interview, and record interview, sampling investigation. Empirical pilot study was conducted in the Jilin, Guizhou and Gansu provinces, and the self-assessment results from local experts were consistent with the scores from the systems. Conclusion: This system established is appropriate at current time, and it can effectively evaluate the performance of the Chinese provincial Blindness prevention technical guidance group. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2016, 52:814-824) .

Bilateral blindness following anterior nasal packing in a case of nasopharyngeal angiofibroma.

PubMed

Sahoo, A K; Preetam, C; Kumar, R; Samal, D K

2016-11-01

Epistaxis is the most common ENT emergency encountered in the Emergency Department. Most cases can be managed by simple anterior nasal packing. This is usually a safe and very effective option in an emergency situation, requiring minimal expertise and infrastructure. This paper describes a rare instance of a serious complication following anterior nasal packing in a case of nasopharyngeal angiofibroma. A 27-year-old man diagnosed with nasopharyngeal angiofibroma presented to the Emergency Department with bilateral epistaxis. The patient was stabilised and anterior nasal packing was performed, which controlled the bleeding. Three hours later, the patient developed complete blindness in both eyes. Aggressive medical management was initiated immediately, but failed to restore the patient's vision. Anterior nasal packing is a simple and minimally invasive procedure practised regularly in an Emergency Department setting. However, it can occasionally lead to serious complications such as blindness. Thus, obtaining informed consent is essential to avoid medico-legal consequences in high-risk cases.

Correcting Evaluation Bias of Relational Classifiers with Network Cross Validation

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

classi- fication algorithms: simple random resampling (RRS), equal-instance random resampling (ERS), and network cross-validation ( NCV ). The first two... NCV procedure that eliminates overlap between test sets altogether. The procedure samples for k disjoint test sets that will be used for evaluation...propLabeled ∗ S) nodes from train Pool in f erenceSet =network − trainSet F = F ∪ < trainSet, test Set, in f erenceSet > end for output: F NCV addresses

Factors associated with childhood ocular morbidity and blindness in three ecological regions of Nepal: Nepal pediatric ocular disease study.

PubMed

Adhikari, Srijana; Shrestha, Mohan Krishna; Adhikari, Kamala; Maharjan, Nhukesh; Shrestha, Ujjowala Devi

2014-10-23

Nepal Pediatric Ocular Diseases Study is a three year longitudinal population based study. Here we present the baseline survey report which aims to investigate various risk factors associated with childhood ocular morbidity and blindness in three ecological regions of Nepal. This baseline survey is a population based cross sectional study. The investigation was conducted in a district from each of the following regions: Terai, Hill and Mountain. The Village Development Committees (VDCs) from each district were selected by random sampling. Three Community health workers were given training on vision screening and identification of abnormal ocular signs in children. They conducted a house to house survey in their respected districts examining the children and gathering a standardized set of data variables. Children with abnormal vision or ocular signs were then further examined by pediatric ophthalmologists. A total of 10950 children aged 0-10 years (5403 from Terai, 3204 from the hills, 2343 from the mountains) were enrolled in the study. However 681 (6.2%) were non responders. The male to female ratio was 1.03. The overall prevalence of ocular morbidity was 3.7% (95% CI of 3.4%-4%) and blindness was 0.07% (95% CI of 0.02%-0.12%). Ocular morbidity was more prevalent in the mountain region whereas blindness was more prevalent in the Terai region.Children from the Terai region were more likely to suffer from congenital ocular anomalies compared to the other regions. Children whose mother smoked, drank alcohol, or was illiterate were significantly afflicted with ocular diseases (p < 0.05). In addition,a higher prevalence of ocular disease was related to children with past medical history of systemic illnesses, abnormal postnatal period or missing childhood vaccinations. Blindness was more prevalent in children who suffered from a systemic illness. Females and under-nourished children were more likely to have ocular morbidity and blindness. It was found that childhood blindness was more prevalent in the Terai region, the undernourished, females and in those with co-morbid systemic illnesses. This study strongly suggests that prevention of childhood blindness requires additional resources to address these disparity.

American Alcohol Photo Stimuli (AAPS): A standardized set of alcohol and matched non-alcohol images.

PubMed

Stauffer, Christopher S; Dobberteen, Lily; Woolley, Joshua D

2017-11-01

Photographic stimuli are commonly used to assess cue reactivity in the research and treatment of alcohol use disorder. The stimuli used are often non-standardized, not properly validated, and poorly controlled. There are no previously published, validated, American-relevant sets of alcohol images created in a standardized fashion. We aimed to: 1) make available a standardized, matched set of photographic alcohol and non-alcohol beverage stimuli, 2) establish face validity, the extent to which the stimuli are subjectively viewed as what they are purported to be, and 3) establish construct validity, the degree to which a test measures what it claims to be measuring. We produced a standardized set of 36 images consisting of American alcohol and non-alcohol beverages matched for basic color, form, and complexity. A total of 178 participants (95 male, 82 female, 1 genderqueer) rated each image for appetitiveness. An arrow-probe task, in which matched pairs were categorized after being presented for 200 ms, assessed face validity. Criteria for construct validity were met if variation in AUDIT scores were associated with variation in performance on tasks during alcohol image presentation. Overall, images were categorized with >90% accuracy. Participants' AUDIT scores correlated significantly with alcohol "want" and "like" ratings [r(176) = 0.27, p = <0.001; r(176) = 0.36, p = <0.001] and arrow-probe latency [r(176) = -0.22, p = 0.004], but not with non-alcohol outcomes. Furthermore, appetitive ratings and arrow-probe latency for alcohol, but not non-alcohol, differed significantly for heavy versus light drinkers. Our image set provides valid and reliable alcohol stimuli for both explicit and implicit tests of cue reactivity. The use of standardized, validated, reliable image sets may improve consistency across research and treatment paradigms.

Effects of intravenous secretin on language and behavior of children with autism and gastrointestinal symptoms: a single-blinded, open-label pilot study.

PubMed

Lightdale, J R; Hayer, C; Duer, A; Lind-White, C; Jenkins, S; Siegel, B; Elliott, G R; Heyman, M B

2001-11-01

Autism is a severe developmental disorder with poorly understood etiology. A recently published case series describes 3 autistic children with gastrointestinal symptoms who underwent endoscopy and intravenous administration of secretin and were subsequently noted by their parents to demonstrate improved language skills over a 5-week period. This report sparked tremendous public interest, and investigators at several sites moved quickly to design controlled trials to test the efficacy of secretin as a therapy for autistic children. However, this is the first effort specifically designed to replicate the initial reported findings in terms of patient age, presenting symptoms, and drug administration. To rigorously apply the scientific method by assessing the reproducibility of the reported effects of intravenous secretin on the language of young children with autism and gastrointestinal symptoms. We performed a single-blinded, prospective, open-label trial by conducting formal language testing and blinded behavioral rating both before and repeatedly after a standardized infusion of secretin. We selected autistic children who were similar in age and profile to those described in the published retrospective case review. Inclusion criteria for study participation included age (3-6 years), confirmed diagnosis of autism, and reported gastrointestinal symptoms (16 had chronic diarrhea, 2 had gastroesophageal reflux, and 2 had chronic constipation). Twenty children (18 male) were admitted to the Pediatric Clinical Research Center at the University of California, San Francisco after administration of the Preschool Language Scale-3 (PLS-3). A 3 CU/kg dose of secretin (Secretin-Ferring) was administered intravenously (upper endoscopy was not performed). Behavioral ratings were derived using the Autism Observation Scale applied to a 30-minute time sample of the child's behavior consisting of a videotape of the PLS-3 (structured setting) and a second free play session with a standard set of developmentally appropriate toys. Participants then returned for follow-up evaluations, with readministrations of the PLS-3 at 1, 2, 3, and 5 weeks' postinfusion, and videotaping of each session for later blinded review by 2 independent observers using the Autism Observation Scale, uninformed about week of posttreatment. We also surveyed parents of our study children about their impressions of the effects of secretin using a 5-point Likert scale for parents to rate changes seen in their child. With a total study completion rate across all participants of 96%, repeated measures analyses of variance revealed no significant increases in children's language skills from baseline across all 5 study time periods after a single infusion of secretin. Similarly, neither significant decreases in atypical behaviors nor increases in prosocial behaviors and developmentally appropriate play skills emerged. Furthermore, no relationship was found between parental reports of change and observable improvement in the sample. Despite the objective lack of drug effect, 70% of parents in our study reported moderate to high change in their child's language and behavior. Furthermore, 85% of parents reported that they felt that their child would obtain at least some additional benefits from another infusion of secretin. The results of our pilot study indicate that intravenous secretin had no effects in a 5-week period on the language and behavior of 20 children with autism and gastrointestinal symptoms. The open-label, prospective design of our study with blinded reviews of patients both before and after secretin administration follows the scientific method by seeking to reproduce an observed phenomenon using validating and reliable outcome measures. Pilot studies remain a mandatory step for the design of future randomized, clinical trials investigating potential treatments for children with autism.

Results from the Super Cryogenic Dark Matter Search Experiment at Soudan

DOE PAGES

Agnese, R.; Aramaki, T.; Arnquist, I. J.; ...

2018-02-09

Here, we report the result of a blinded search for weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) using the majority of the SuperCDMS Soudan data set. With an exposure of 1690 kg d, a single candidate event is observed, consistent with expected backgrounds. This analysis (combined with previous Ge results) sets an upper limit on the spin-independent WIMP–nucleon cross section of 1.4×10 -44 (1.0×10 -44) cm 2 at 46 GeV/c 2. These results set the strongest limits for WIMP–germanium-nucleus interactions for masses >12 GeV/c 2.

Results from the Super Cryogenic Dark Matter Search Experiment at Soudan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agnese, R.; Aramaki, T.; Arnquist, I. J.; Baker, W.; Balakishiyeva, D.; Banik, S.; Barker, D.; Basu Thakur, R.; Bauer, D. A.; Binder, T.; Bowles, M. A.; Brink, P. L.; Bunker, R.; Cabrera, B.; Caldwell, D. O.; Calkins, R.; Cartaro, C.; Cerdeño, D. G.; Chang, Y.; Chen, Y.; Cooley, J.; Cornell, B.; Cushman, P.; Daal, M.; Di Stefano, P. C. F.; Doughty, T.; Fascione, E.; Figueroa-Feliciano, E.; Fritts, M.; Gerbier, G.; Germond, R.; Ghaith, M.; Godfrey, G. L.; Golwala, S. R.; Hall, J.; Harris, H. R.; Hong, Z.; Hoppe, E. W.; Hsu, L.; Huber, M. E.; Iyer, V.; Jardin, D.; Jastram, A.; Jena, C.; Kelsey, M. H.; Kennedy, A.; Kubik, A.; Kurinsky, N. A.; Loer, B.; Lopez Asamar, E.; Lukens, P.; MacDonell, D.; Mahapatra, R.; Mandic, V.; Mast, N.; Miller, E. H.; Mirabolfathi, N.; Mohanty, B.; Morales Mendoza, J. D.; Nelson, J.; Orrell, J. L.; Oser, S. M.; Page, K.; Page, W. A.; Partridge, R.; Penalver Martinez, M.; Pepin, M.; Phipps, A.; Poudel, S.; Pyle, M.; Qiu, H.; Rau, W.; Redl, P.; Reisetter, A.; Reynolds, T.; Roberts, A.; Robinson, A. E.; Rogers, H. E.; Saab, T.; Sadoulet, B.; Sander, J.; Schneck, K.; Schnee, R. W.; Scorza, S.; Senapati, K.; Serfass, B.; Speller, D.; Stein, M.; Street, J.; Tanaka, H. A.; Toback, D.; Underwood, R.; Villano, A. N.; von Krosigk, B.; Welliver, B.; Wilson, J. S.; Wilson, M. J.; Wright, D. H.; Yellin, S.; Yen, J. J.; Young, B. A.; Zhang, X.; Zhao, X.; SuperCDMS Collaboration

2018-02-01

We report the result of a blinded search for weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) using the majority of the SuperCDMS Soudan data set. With an exposure of 1690 kg d, a single candidate event is observed, consistent with expected backgrounds. This analysis (combined with previous Ge results) sets an upper limit on the spin-independent WIMP-nucleon cross section of 1.4 ×10-44 (1.0 ×10-44) cm2 at 46 GeV /c2 . These results set the strongest limits for WIMP-germanium-nucleus interactions for masses >12 GeV /c2.

Results from the Super Cryogenic Dark Matter Search Experiment at Soudan

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

Agnese, R.; Aramaki, T.; Arnquist, I. J.

Here, we report the result of a blinded search for weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) using the majority of the SuperCDMS Soudan data set. With an exposure of 1690 kg d, a single candidate event is observed, consistent with expected backgrounds. This analysis (combined with previous Ge results) sets an upper limit on the spin-independent WIMP–nucleon cross section of 1.4×10 -44 (1.0×10 -44) cm 2 at 46 GeV/c 2. These results set the strongest limits for WIMP–germanium-nucleus interactions for masses >12 GeV/c 2.

Training self-feeding skills in children who are deaf and blind.

PubMed

Luiselli, J K

1993-10-01

There are very few studies that describe programs to train self-feeding skills in young children who are deaf and blind. This research reports two single-case studies on the acquisition of self-feeding in children with developmental disabilities and combined visual and auditory impairments. Study 1 included the use of prompting, prompt-fading, and contingent sensory reinforcement procedures to train independent self-feeding in a 7-year-old girl. Study 2 incorporated social reinforcement and response interruption to refine the self-feeding skills of a 6-year-old boy. Both studies were conducted by direct-care providers within an educational setting and reported maintenance of skill acquisition at 4 and 8 months posttraining.

Variability in the blood/breath alcohol ratio and implications for evidentiary purposes.

PubMed

Jaffe, Dena H; Siman-Tov, Maya; Gopher, Asher; Peleg, Kobi

2013-09-01

The breath analyzer is an indispensable tool for identifying alcohol levels among drivers. While numerous studies have shown high correlations between blood and breath alcohol concentrations, most are limited by the study design. This study seeks to assess this relationship by minimizing potential measurement bias, document time from alcohol consumption to testing, and adjusting for potential confounders. A blinded study was performed using conditions closely resembling those in the field. The Draeger 7110 MKIII IL breath analyzer was used to assess breath alcohol concentrations (BrAC). Participants were 61 healthy volunteers aged 21-37 years with body mass index ≤30 and no history of alcoholism. A total of 242 valid blood/breath tests were performed in four test sets. The study results showed a high correlation coefficient between BrAC and blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels (r = 0.983) with high sensitivity (97%) and specificity (93%). This strong association between the breath analyzer and BAC persisted even after adjustment for various stages of alcohol absorption. These results illustrate the high diagnostic sensitivity of the breath analyzer in field-tested conditions. © 2013 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Glaucoma risk index: automated glaucoma detection from color fundus images.

PubMed

Bock, Rüdiger; Meier, Jörg; Nyúl, László G; Hornegger, Joachim; Michelson, Georg

2010-06-01

Glaucoma as a neurodegeneration of the optic nerve is one of the most common causes of blindness. Because revitalization of the degenerated nerve fibers of the optic nerve is impossible early detection of the disease is essential. This can be supported by a robust and automated mass-screening. We propose a novel automated glaucoma detection system that operates on inexpensive to acquire and widely used digital color fundus images. After a glaucoma specific preprocessing, different generic feature types are compressed by an appearance-based dimension reduction technique. Subsequently, a probabilistic two-stage classification scheme combines these features types to extract the novel Glaucoma Risk Index (GRI) that shows a reasonable glaucoma detection performance. On a sample set of 575 fundus images a classification accuracy of 80% has been achieved in a 5-fold cross-validation setup. The GRI gains a competitive area under ROC (AUC) of 88% compared to the established topography-based glaucoma probability score of scanning laser tomography with AUC of 87%. The proposed color fundus image-based GRI achieves a competitive and reliable detection performance on a low-priced modality by the statistical analysis of entire images of the optic nerve head. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automatic Hazard Detection for Landers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huertas, Andres; Cheng, Yang; Matthies, Larry H.

2008-01-01

Unmanned planetary landers to date have landed 'blind'; that is, without the benefit of onboard landing hazard detection and avoidance systems. This constrains landing site selection to very benign terrain,which in turn constrains the scientific agenda of missions. The state of the art Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) technology can land a spacecraft on Mars somewhere within a 20-100km landing ellipse.Landing ellipses are very likely to contain hazards such as craters, discontinuities, steep slopes, and large rocks, than can cause mission-fatal damage. We briefly review sensor options for landing hazard detection and identify a perception approach based on stereo vision and shadow analysis that addresses the broadest set of missions. Our approach fuses stereo vision and monocular shadow-based rock detection to maximize spacecraft safety. We summarize performance models for slope estimation and rock detection within this approach and validate those models experimentally. Instantiating our model of rock detection reliability for Mars predicts that this approach can reduce the probability of failed landing by at least a factor of 4 in any given terrain. We also describe a rock detector/mapper applied to large-high-resolution images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) for landing site characterization and selection for Mars missions.

Assessment of Shape Changes of Mistletoe Berries: A New Software Approach to Automatize the Parameterization of Path Curve Shaped Contours

PubMed Central

Derbidge, Renatus; Feiten, Linus; Conradt, Oliver; Heusser, Peter; Baumgartner, Stephan

2013-01-01

Photographs of mistletoe (Viscum album L.) berries taken by a permanently fixed camera during their development in autumn were subjected to an outline shape analysis by fitting path curves using a mathematical algorithm from projective geometry. During growth and maturation processes the shape of mistletoe berries can be described by a set of such path curves, making it possible to extract changes of shape using one parameter called Lambda. Lambda describes the outline shape of a path curve. Here we present methods and software to capture and measure these changes of form over time. The present paper describes the software used to automatize a number of tasks including contour recognition, optimization of fitting the contour via hill-climbing, derivation of the path curves, computation of Lambda and blinding the pictures for the operator. The validity of the program is demonstrated by results from three independent measurements showing circadian rhythm in mistletoe berries. The program is available as open source and will be applied in a project to analyze the chronobiology of shape in mistletoe berries and the buds of their host trees. PMID:23565255

Validation of the English version of the UNESP-Botucatu multidimensional composite pain scale for assessing postoperative pain in cats

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background A scale validated in one language is not automatically valid in another language or culture. The purpose of this study was to validate the English version of the UNESP-Botucatu multidimensional composite pain scale (MCPS) to assess postoperative pain in cats. The English version was developed using translation, back-translation, and review by individuals with expertise in feline pain management. In sequence, validity and reliability tests were performed. Results Of the three domains identified by factor analysis, the internal consistency was excellent for ‘pain expression’ and ‘psychomotor change’ (0.86 and 0.87) but not for ‘physiological variables’ (0.28). Relevant changes in pain scores at clinically distinct time points (e.g., post-surgery, post-analgesic therapy), confirmed the construct validity and responsiveness (Wilcoxon test, p < 0.001). Favorable correlation with the IVAS scores (p < 0.001) and moderate to very good agreement between blinded observers and ‘gold standard’ evaluations, supported criterion validity. The cut-off point for rescue analgesia was > 7 (range 0–30 points) with 96.5% sensitivity and 99.5% specificity. Conclusions The English version of the UNESP-Botucatu-MCPS is a valid, reliable and responsive instrument for assessing acute pain in cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy, when used by anesthesiologists or anesthesia technicians. The cut-off point for rescue analgesia provides an additional tool for guiding analgesic therapy. PMID:23867090

Validation of the English version of the UNESP-Botucatu multidimensional composite pain scale for assessing postoperative pain in cats.

PubMed

Brondani, Juliana T; Mama, Khursheed R; Luna, Stelio P L; Wright, Bonnie D; Niyom, Sirirat; Ambrosio, Jennifer; Vogel, Pamela R; Padovani, Carlos R

2013-07-17

A scale validated in one language is not automatically valid in another language or culture. The purpose of this study was to validate the English version of the UNESP-Botucatu multidimensional composite pain scale (MCPS) to assess postoperative pain in cats. The English version was developed using translation, back-translation, and review by individuals with expertise in feline pain management. In sequence, validity and reliability tests were performed. Of the three domains identified by factor analysis, the internal consistency was excellent for 'pain expression' and 'psychomotor change' (0.86 and 0.87) but not for 'physiological variables' (0.28). Relevant changes in pain scores at clinically distinct time points (e.g., post-surgery, post-analgesic therapy), confirmed the construct validity and responsiveness (Wilcoxon test, p < 0.001). Favorable correlation with the IVAS scores (p < 0.001) and moderate to very good agreement between blinded observers and 'gold standard' evaluations, supported criterion validity. The cut-off point for rescue analgesia was > 7 (range 0-30 points) with 96.5% sensitivity and 99.5% specificity. The English version of the UNESP-Botucatu-MCPS is a valid, reliable and responsive instrument for assessing acute pain in cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy, when used by anesthesiologists or anesthesia technicians. The cut-off point for rescue analgesia provides an additional tool for guiding analgesic therapy.

A Formal Approach to Empirical Dynamic Model Optimization and Validation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crespo, Luis G; Morelli, Eugene A.; Kenny, Sean P.; Giesy, Daniel P.

2014-01-01

A framework was developed for the optimization and validation of empirical dynamic models subject to an arbitrary set of validation criteria. The validation requirements imposed upon the model, which may involve several sets of input-output data and arbitrary specifications in time and frequency domains, are used to determine if model predictions are within admissible error limits. The parameters of the empirical model are estimated by finding the parameter realization for which the smallest of the margins of requirement compliance is as large as possible. The uncertainty in the value of this estimate is characterized by studying the set of model parameters yielding predictions that comply with all the requirements. Strategies are presented for bounding this set, studying its dependence on admissible prediction error set by the analyst, and evaluating the sensitivity of the model predictions to parameter variations. This information is instrumental in characterizing uncertainty models used for evaluating the dynamic model at operating conditions differing from those used for its identification and validation. A practical example based on the short period dynamics of the F-16 is used for illustration.

The Fifth Calibration/Data Product Validation Panel Meeting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

The minutes and associated documents prepared from presentations and meetings at the Fifth Calibration/Data Product Validation Panel meeting in Boulder, Colorado, April 8 - 10, 1992, are presented. Key issues include (1) statistical characterization of data sets: finding statistics that characterize key attributes of the data sets, and defining ways to characterize the comparisons among data sets; (2) selection of specific intercomparison exercises: selecting characteristic spatial and temporal regions for intercomparisons, and impact of validation exercises on the logistics of current and planned field campaigns and model runs; and (3) preparation of data sets for intercomparisons: characterization of assumptions, transportable data formats, labeling data files, content of data sets, and data storage and distribution (EOSDIS interface).

Analysis of blind identification methods for estimation of kinetic parameters in dynamic medical imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riabkov, Dmitri

Compartment modeling of dynamic medical image data implies that the concentration of the tracer over time in a particular region of the organ of interest is well-modeled as a convolution of the tissue response with the tracer concentration in the blood stream. The tissue response is different for different tissues while the blood input is assumed to be the same for different tissues. The kinetic parameters characterizing the tissue responses can be estimated by blind identification methods. These algorithms use the simultaneous measurements of concentration in separate regions of the organ; if the regions have different responses, the measurement of the blood input function may not be required. In this work it is shown that the blind identification problem has a unique solution for two-compartment model tissue response. For two-compartment model tissue responses in dynamic cardiac MRI imaging conditions with gadolinium-DTPA contrast agent, three blind identification algorithms are analyzed here to assess their utility: Eigenvector-based Algorithm for Multichannel Blind Deconvolution (EVAM), Cross Relations (CR), and Iterative Quadratic Maximum Likelihood (IQML). Comparisons of accuracy with conventional (not blind) identification techniques where the blood input is known are made as well. The statistical accuracies of estimation for the three methods are evaluated and compared for multiple parameter sets. The results show that the IQML method gives more accurate estimates than the other two blind identification methods. A proof is presented here that three-compartment model blind identification is not unique in the case of only two regions. It is shown that it is likely unique for the case of more than two regions, but this has not been proved analytically. For the three-compartment model the tissue responses in dynamic FDG PET imaging conditions are analyzed with the blind identification algorithms EVAM and Separable variables Least Squares (SLS). A method of identification that assumes that FDG blood input in the brain can be modeled as a function of time and several parameters (IFM) is analyzed also. Nonuniform sampling SLS (NSLS) is developed due to the rapid change of the FDG concentration in the blood during the early postinjection stage. Comparisons of accuracy of EVAM, SLS, NSLS and IFM identification techniques are made.

Multimodal MR-imaging reveals large-scale structural and functional connectivity changes in profound early blindness

PubMed Central

Bauer, Corinna M.; Hirsch, Gabriella V.; Zajac, Lauren; Koo, Bang-Bon; Collignon, Olivier

2017-01-01

In the setting of profound ocular blindness, numerous lines of evidence demonstrate the existence of dramatic anatomical and functional changes within the brain. However, previous studies based on a variety of distinct measures have often provided inconsistent findings. To help reconcile this issue, we used a multimodal magnetic resonance (MR)-based imaging approach to provide complementary structural and functional information regarding this neuroplastic reorganization. This included gray matter structural morphometry, high angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI) of white matter connectivity and integrity, and resting state functional connectivity MRI (rsfcMRI) analysis. When comparing the brains of early blind individuals to sighted controls, we found evidence of co-occurring decreases in cortical volume and cortical thickness within visual processing areas of the occipital and temporal cortices respectively. Increases in cortical volume in the early blind were evident within regions of parietal cortex. Investigating white matter connections using HARDI revealed patterns of increased and decreased connectivity when comparing both groups. In the blind, increased white matter connectivity (indexed by increased fiber number) was predominantly left-lateralized, including between frontal and temporal areas implicated with language processing. Decreases in structural connectivity were evident involving frontal and somatosensory regions as well as between occipital and cingulate cortices. Differences in white matter integrity (as indexed by quantitative anisotropy, or QA) were also in general agreement with observed pattern changes in the number of white matter fibers. Analysis of resting state sequences showed evidence of both increased and decreased functional connectivity in the blind compared to sighted controls. Specifically, increased connectivity was evident between temporal and inferior frontal areas. Decreases in functional connectivity were observed between occipital and frontal and somatosensory-motor areas and between temporal (mainly fusiform and parahippocampus) and parietal, frontal, and other temporal areas. Correlations in white matter connectivity and functional connectivity observed between early blind and sighted controls showed an overall high degree of association. However, comparing the relative changes in white matter and functional connectivity between early blind and sighted controls did not show a significant correlation. In summary, these findings provide complimentary evidence, as well as highlight potential contradictions, regarding the nature of regional and large scale neuroplastic reorganization resulting from early onset blindness. PMID:28328939

Detection of Gastric Cancer with Novel Methylated DNA Markers: Discovery, Tissue Validation, and Pilot Testing in Plasma.

PubMed

Anderson, Bradley W; Suh, Yun-Suhk; Choi, Boram; Lee, Hyuk-Joon; Yab, Tracy C; Taylor, William; Dukek, Brian A; Berger, Calise K; Cao, Xiaoming; Foote, Patrick H; Devens, Mary E; Boardman, Lisa A; Kisiel, John B; Mahoney, Douglas W; Slettedahl, Seth W; Allawi, Hatim T; Lidgard, Graham P; Smyrk, Thomas C; Yang, Han-Kwang; Ahlquist, David A

2018-05-29

Gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC) is the third most common cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Accurate and affordable non-invasive detection methods have potential value for screening and surveillance. Herein, we identify novel methylated DNA markers (MDMs) for GAC, validate their discrimination for GAC in tissues from geographically separate cohorts, explore marker acquisition through the oncogenic cascade, and describe distributions of candidate MDMs in plasma from GAC cases and normal controls. Following discovery by unbiased whole methylome sequencing, candidate MDMs were validated by blinded methylation-specific PCR in archival case-control tissues from U.S. and South Korean patients. Top MDMs were then assayed by an analytically sensitive method (quantitative real-time allele-specific target and signal amplification) in a blinded pilot study on archival plasma from GAC cases and normal controls. Whole methylome discovery yielded novel and highly discriminant candidate MDMs. In tissue, a panel of candidate MDMs detected GAC in 92-100% of U.S. and S. Korean cohorts at 100% specificity. Levels of most MDMs increased progressively from normal mucosa through metaplasia, adenoma, and GAC with variation in points of greatest marker acquisition. In plasma, a 3 marker panel ( ELMO1 , ZNF569 , C13orf18) detected 86% (95% CI 71-95%) of GACs at 95% specificity. Novel MDMs appear to accurately discriminate GAC from normal controls in both tissue and plasma. The point of aberrant methylation during oncogenesis varies by MDM, which may have relevance to marker selection in clinical applications. Further exploration of these MDMs for GAC screening and surveillance is warranted. Copyright ©2018, American Association for Cancer Research.

Validation of a Projection-domain Insertion of Liver Lesions into CT Images

PubMed Central

Chen, Baiyu; Ma, Chi; Leng, Shuai; Fidler, Jeff L.; Sheedy, Shannon P.; McCollough, Cynthia H.; Fletcher, Joel G.; Yu, Lifeng

2016-01-01

Rationale and Objectives The aim of this study was to validate a projection-domain lesion-insertion method with observer studies. Materials and Methods A total of 51 proven liver lesions were segmented from computed tomography images, forward projected, and inserted into patient projection data. The images containing inserted and real lesions were then reconstructed and examined in consensus by two radiologists. First, 102 lesions (51 original, 51 inserted) were viewed in a randomized, blinded fashion and scored from 1 (absolutely inserted) to 10 (absolutely real). Statistical tests were performed to compare the scores for inserted and real lesions. Subsequently, a two-alternative-forced-choice test was conducted, with lesions viewed in pairs (real vs. inserted) in a blinded fashion. The radiologists selected the inserted lesion and provided a confidence level of 1 (no confidence) to 5 (completely certain). The number of lesion pairs that were incorrectly classified was calculated. Results The scores for inserted and proven lesions had the same median (8) and similar interquartile ranges (inserted, 5.5–8; real, 6.5–8). The means scores were not significantly different between real and inserted lesions (P value = 0.17). The receiver operating characteristic curve was nearly diagonal, with an area under the curve of 0.58 ± 0.06. For the two-alternative-forced-choice study, the inserted lesions were incorrectly identified in 49% (25 out of 51) of pairs; radiologists were incorrect in 38% (3 out of 8) of pairs even when they felt very confident in identifying the inserted lesion (confidence level ≥4). Conclusions Radiologists could not distinguish between inserted and real lesions, thereby validating the lesion-insertion technique, which may be useful for conducting virtual clinical trials to optimize image quality and radiation dose. PMID:27432267

Pressure RElieving Support SUrfaces: a Randomised Evaluation 2 (PRESSURE 2) photographic validation sub-study: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

McGinnis, Elizabeth; Brown, Sarah; Collier, Howard; Faulks, Phil; Gilberts, Rachael; Greenwood, Clare; Henderson, Valerie; Muir, Delia; Nelson, Andrea; Nixon, Jane; Smith, Isabelle; Stubbs, Nikki; Walker, Kay; Wilson, Lyn; Coleman, Susanne

2017-03-20

PRESSURE 2 is a randomised evaluation of the clinical and cost effectiveness of two types of pressure relieving mattress for the prevention of pressure ulcers. The primary endpoint is the time to development of a Category ≥2 pressure ulcer. The current 'gold standard' for the identification of a Category ≥2 pressure ulcer is expert clinical assessment. Due to the appearance of the bed, it is not possible to achieve blinding of the endpoint. This therefore poses a risk to the internal validity of the study. A possible approach is to use photographs of skin sites, with central blinded review. However, there are practical and scientific concerns including whether patients would agree to photographs; the burden of data collection; the quality of photographs; the completeness of data; and how the use of photographs compares with the current 'gold standard'. This validation sub-study aims to assess and quantify potential bias in the reporting of the trial endpoint. Patients will be specifically asked to consent to photographs being taken of their skin sites. Photographs will be taken at first observation or when patients develop a new Category ≥2 pressure ulcer (to assess over-reporting). A 10% random sample of patients will be identified for additional photographs of two skin sites (one torso and one limb) with and without a pressure ulcer (if present) by an independent assessor (to assess the potential for under-reporting). Staff will be trained to take photographs using a standardised camera and photographic technique. A 'grey scale' will be included in the photo to correct white balance. Photographs will be securely transferred for central review. Photographs will have white balance corrected, and the computer monitor will be calibrated prior to review. Analysis will include assessment of under- and over-reporting, acceptability of photography to patients, secure transfer of data, quality of and confidence in blinded photograph review and sensitivity analysis using photograph assessment of primary outcome. This study will use photographs to contribute to the primary outcome of the trial. It will inform our understanding of the acceptability of photography for prevention trials and the possibility of other uses of photographic data in clinical work and research. ISRCTN, ISRCTN01151335 . Registered on 14 May 2013.