Environmental Screening for the Scedosporium apiospermum Species Complex in Public Parks in Bangkok, Thailand

PubMed Central

Pumeesat, Potjaman; Muangkaew, Watcharamat; Wongsuk, Thanwa; Alastruey-Izquierdo, Ana

2016-01-01

The Scedosporium apiospermum species complex, comprising filamentous fungal species S. apiospermum sensu stricto, S. boydii, S. aurantiacum, S. dehoogii and S. minutispora, are important pathogens that cause a wide variety of infections. Although some species (S. boydii and S. apiospermum) have been isolated from patients in Thailand, no environmental surveys of these fungi have been performed in Thailand or surrounding countries. In this study, we isolated and identified species of these fungi from 68 soil and 16 water samples randomly collected from 10 parks in Bangkok. After filtration and subsequent inoculation of samples on Scedo-Select III medium, colony morphological examinations and microscopic observations were performed. Scedosporium species were isolated from soil in 8 of the 10 parks, but were only detected in one water sample. Colony morphologies of isolates from 41 of 68 soil samples (60.29%) and 1 of 15 water samples (6.67%) were consistent with that of the S. apiospermum species complex. Each morphological type was selected for species identification based on DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the β-tubulin gene. Three species of the S. apiospermum species complex were identified: S. apiospermum (71 isolates), S. aurantiacum (6 isolates) and S. dehoogii (5 isolates). In addition, 16 sequences could not be assigned to an exact Scedosporium species. According to our environmental survey, the S. apiospermum species complex is widespread in soil in Bangkok, Thailand. PMID:27467209

Examination of Libby, Montana, Fill Material for Background Levels of Amphibole from the Rainy Creek Complex Using Scanning Electron Microscopy and X-Ray Microanalysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Adams, David T.; Langer, William H.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Van Gosen, Bradley S.; Meeker, Gregory P.

2010-01-01

Natural background levels of Libby-type amphibole in the sediment of the Libby valley in Montana have not, up to this point, been determined. The purpose of this report is to provide the preliminary findings of a study designed by both the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and performed by the U.S. Geological Survey. The study worked to constrain the natural background levels of fibrous amphiboles potentially derived from the nearby Rainy Creek Complex. The material selected for this study was sampled from three localities, two of which are active open-pit sand and gravel mines. Seventy samples were collected in total and examined using a scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive x-ray spectrometer. All samples contained varying amounts of feldspars, ilmenite, magnetite, quartz, clay minerals, pyroxene minerals, and non-fibrous amphiboles such as tremolite, actinolite, and magnesiohornblende. Of the 70 samples collected, only three had detectable levels of fibrous amphiboles compatible with those found in the rainy creek complex. The maximum concentration, identified here, of the amphiboles potentially from the Rainy Creek Complex is 0.083 percent by weight.

Space-Time Smoothing of Complex Survey Data: Small Area Estimation for Child Mortality.

PubMed

Mercer, Laina D; Wakefield, Jon; Pantazis, Athena; Lutambi, Angelina M; Masanja, Honorati; Clark, Samuel

2015-12-01

Many people living in low and middle-income countries are not covered by civil registration and vital statistics systems. Consequently, a wide variety of other types of data including many household sample surveys are used to estimate health and population indicators. In this paper we combine data from sample surveys and demographic surveillance systems to produce small area estimates of child mortality through time. Small area estimates are necessary to understand geographical heterogeneity in health indicators when full-coverage vital statistics are not available. For this endeavor spatio-temporal smoothing is beneficial to alleviate problems of data sparsity. The use of conventional hierarchical models requires careful thought since the survey weights may need to be considered to alleviate bias due to non-random sampling and non-response. The application that motivated this work is estimation of child mortality rates in five-year time intervals in regions of Tanzania. Data come from Demographic and Health Surveys conducted over the period 1991-2010 and two demographic surveillance system sites. We derive a variance estimator of under five years child mortality that accounts for the complex survey weighting. For our application, the hierarchical models we consider include random effects for area, time and survey and we compare models using a variety of measures including the conditional predictive ordinate (CPO). The method we propose is implemented via the fast and accurate integrated nested Laplace approximation (INLA).

Approximate median regression for complex survey data with skewed response.

PubMed

Fraser, Raphael André; Lipsitz, Stuart R; Sinha, Debajyoti; Fitzmaurice, Garrett M; Pan, Yi

2016-12-01

The ready availability of public-use data from various large national complex surveys has immense potential for the assessment of population characteristics using regression models. Complex surveys can be used to identify risk factors for important diseases such as cancer. Existing statistical methods based on estimating equations and/or utilizing resampling methods are often not valid with survey data due to complex survey design features. That is, stratification, multistage sampling, and weighting. In this article, we accommodate these design features in the analysis of highly skewed response variables arising from large complex surveys. Specifically, we propose a double-transform-both-sides (DTBS)'based estimating equations approach to estimate the median regression parameters of the highly skewed response; the DTBS approach applies the same Box-Cox type transformation twice to both the outcome and regression function. The usual sandwich variance estimate can be used in our approach, whereas a resampling approach would be needed for a pseudo-likelihood based on minimizing absolute deviations (MAD). Furthermore, the approach is relatively robust to the true underlying distribution, and has much smaller mean square error than a MAD approach. The method is motivated by an analysis of laboratory data on urinary iodine (UI) concentration from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. © 2016, The International Biometric Society.

Approximate Median Regression for Complex Survey Data with Skewed Response

PubMed Central

Fraser, Raphael André; Lipsitz, Stuart R.; Sinha, Debajyoti; Fitzmaurice, Garrett M.; Pan, Yi

2016-01-01

Summary The ready availability of public-use data from various large national complex surveys has immense potential for the assessment of population characteristics using regression models. Complex surveys can be used to identify risk factors for important diseases such as cancer. Existing statistical methods based on estimating equations and/or utilizing resampling methods are often not valid with survey data due to complex survey design features. That is, stratification, multistage sampling and weighting. In this paper, we accommodate these design features in the analysis of highly skewed response variables arising from large complex surveys. Specifically, we propose a double-transform-both-sides (DTBS) based estimating equations approach to estimate the median regression parameters of the highly skewed response; the DTBS approach applies the same Box-Cox type transformation twice to both the outcome and regression function. The usual sandwich variance estimate can be used in our approach, whereas a resampling approach would be needed for a pseudo-likelihood based on minimizing absolute deviations (MAD). Furthermore, the approach is relatively robust to the true underlying distribution, and has much smaller mean square error than a MAD approach. The method is motivated by an analysis of laboratory data on urinary iodine (UI) concentration from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. PMID:27062562

Prevalence of Obesity Among Adults and Youth: United States, 2011-2014

MedlinePlus

... sample is selected through a complex, multistage probability design. In 2011–2012 and 2013–2014, non-Hispanic ... All variance estimates accounted for the complex survey design by using Taylor series linearization. Pregnant females were ...

Space-Time Smoothing of Complex Survey Data: Small Area Estimation for Child Mortality

PubMed Central

Mercer, Laina D; Wakefield, Jon; Pantazis, Athena; Lutambi, Angelina M; Masanja, Honorati; Clark, Samuel

2016-01-01

Many people living in low and middle-income countries are not covered by civil registration and vital statistics systems. Consequently, a wide variety of other types of data including many household sample surveys are used to estimate health and population indicators. In this paper we combine data from sample surveys and demographic surveillance systems to produce small area estimates of child mortality through time. Small area estimates are necessary to understand geographical heterogeneity in health indicators when full-coverage vital statistics are not available. For this endeavor spatio-temporal smoothing is beneficial to alleviate problems of data sparsity. The use of conventional hierarchical models requires careful thought since the survey weights may need to be considered to alleviate bias due to non-random sampling and non-response. The application that motivated this work is estimation of child mortality rates in five-year time intervals in regions of Tanzania. Data come from Demographic and Health Surveys conducted over the period 1991–2010 and two demographic surveillance system sites. We derive a variance estimator of under five years child mortality that accounts for the complex survey weighting. For our application, the hierarchical models we consider include random effects for area, time and survey and we compare models using a variety of measures including the conditional predictive ordinate (CPO). The method we propose is implemented via the fast and accurate integrated nested Laplace approximation (INLA). PMID:27468328

Trends in Elevated Triglyceride in Adults: United States, 2001-2012

MedlinePlus

... All variance estimates accounted for the complex survey design using Taylor series linearization ( 10 ). Percentage estimates for the total adult ... al. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey: Sample design, 2007–2010. ... KM. Taylor series methods. In: Introduction to variance estimation. 2nd ed. ...

Health Insurance Coverage: Early Release of Estimates from the National Health Interview Survey, January -- June 2013

MedlinePlus

... Park, NC) to account for the complex sample design of NHIS, taking into account stratum and primary sampling unit (PSU) identifiers. The Taylor series linearization method was chosen for variance estimation. Trends ...

Geochemistry of Rock Samples Collected from the Iron Hill Carbonatite Complex, Gunnison County, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Van Gosen, Bradley S.

2008-01-01

A study conducted in 2006 by the U.S. Geological Survey collected 57 surface rock samples from nine types of intrusive rock in the Iron Hill carbonatite complex. This intrusive complex, located in Gunnison County of southwestern Colorado, is known for its classic carbonatite-alkaline igneous geology and petrology. The Iron Hill complex is also noteworthy for its diverse mineral resources, including enrichments in titanium, rare earth elements, thorium, niobium (columbium), and vanadium. This study was performed to reexamine the chemistry and metallic content of the major rock units of the Iron Hill complex by using modern analytical techniques, while providing a broader suite of elements than the earlier published studies. The report contains the geochemical analyses of the samples in tabular and digital spreadsheet format, providing the analytical results for 55 major and trace elements.

[National Health and Nutrition Survey 2012: design and coverage].

PubMed

Romero-Martínez, Martín; Shamah-Levy, Teresa; Franco-Núñez, Aurora; Villalpando, Salvador; Cuevas-Nasu, Lucía; Gutiérrez, Juan Pablo; Rivera-Dommarco, Juan Ángel

2013-01-01

To describe the design and population coverage of the National Health and Nutrition Survey 2012 (NHNS 2012). The design of the NHNS 2012 is reported, as a probabilistic population based survey with a multi-stage and stratified sampling, as well as the sample inferential properties, the logistical procedures, and the obtained coverage. Household response rate for the NHNS 2012 was 87%, completing data from 50,528 households, where 96 031 individual interviews selected by age and 14,104 of ambulatory health services users were also obtained. The probabilistic design of the NHNS 2012 as well as its coverage allowed to generate inferences about health and nutrition conditions, health programs coverage, and access to health services. Because of their complex designs, all estimations from the NHNS 2012 must use the survey design: weights, primary sampling units, and stratus variables.

[New design of the Health Survey of Catalonia (Spain, 2010-2014): a step forward in health planning and evaluation].

PubMed

Alcañiz-Zanón, Manuela; Mompart-Penina, Anna; Guillén-Estany, Montserrat; Medina-Bustos, Antonia; Aragay-Barbany, Josep M; Brugulat-Guiteras, Pilar; Tresserras-Gaju, Ricard

2014-01-01

This article presents the genesis of the Health Survey of Catalonia (Spain, 2010-2014) with its semiannual subsamples and explains the basic characteristics of its multistage sampling design. In comparison with previous surveys, the organizational advantages of this new statistical operation include rapid data availability and the ability to continuously monitor the population. The main benefits are timeliness in the production of indicators and the possibility of introducing new topics through the supplemental questionnaire as a function of needs. Limitations consist of the complexity of the sample design and the lack of longitudinal follow-up of the sample. Suitable sampling weights for each specific subsample are necessary for any statistical analysis of micro-data. Accuracy in the analysis of territorial disaggregation or population subgroups increases if annual samples are accumulated. Copyright © 2013 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

The APOGEE-2 Survey of the Orion Star-forming Complex. I. Target Selection and Validation with Early Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cottle, J.’Neil; Covey, Kevin R.; Suárez, Genaro; Román-Zúñiga, Carlos; Schlafly, Edward; Downes, Juan Jose; Ybarra, Jason E.; Hernandez, Jesus; Stassun, Keivan; Stringfellow, Guy S.; Getman, Konstantin; Feigelson, Eric; Borissova, Jura; Kim, J. Serena; Roman-Lopes, A.; Da Rio, Nicola; De Lee, Nathan; Frinchaboy, Peter M.; Kounkel, Marina; Majewski, Steven R.; Mennickent, Ronald E.; Nidever, David L.; Nitschelm, Christian; Pan, Kaike; Shetrone, Matthew; Zasowski, Gail; Chambers, Ken; Magnier, Eugene; Valenti, Jeff

2018-06-01

The Orion Star-forming Complex (OSFC) is a central target for the APOGEE-2 Young Cluster Survey. Existing membership catalogs span limited portions of the OSFC, reflecting the difficulty of selecting targets homogeneously across this extended, highly structured region. We have used data from wide-field photometric surveys to produce a less biased parent sample of young stellar objects (YSOs) with infrared (IR) excesses indicative of warm circumstellar material or photometric variability at optical wavelengths across the full 420 square degree extent of the OSFC. When restricted to YSO candidates with H < 12.4, to ensure S/N ∼ 100 for a six-visit source, this uniformly selected sample includes 1307 IR excess sources selected using criteria vetted by Koenig & Liesawitz (2014) and 990 optical variables identified in the Pan-STARRS1 3π survey: 319 sources exhibit both optical variability and evidence of circumstellar disks through IR excess. Objects from this uniformly selected sample received the highest priority for targeting, but required fewer than half of the fibers on each APOGEE-2 plate. We filled the remaining fibers with previously confirmed and new color–magnitude selected candidate OSFC members. Radial velocity measurements from APOGEE-1 and new APOGEE-2 observations taken in the survey’s first year indicate that ∼90% of the uniformly selected targets have radial velocities consistent with Orion membership. The APOGEE-2 Orion survey will include >1100 bona fide YSOs whose uniform selection function will provide a robust sample for comparative analyses of the stellar populations and properties across all sub-regions of Orion.

Fine-Scale Bacterial Beta Diversity within a Complex Ecosystem (Zodletone Spring, OK, USA): The Role of the Rare Biosphere

PubMed Central

Youssef, Noha H.; Couger, M. B.; Elshahed, Mostafa S.

2010-01-01

Background The adaptation of pyrosequencing technologies for use in culture-independent diversity surveys allowed for deeper sampling of ecosystems of interest. One extremely well suited area of interest for pyrosequencing-based diversity surveys that has received surprisingly little attention so far, is examining fine scale (e.g. micrometer to millimeter) beta diversity in complex microbial ecosystems. Methodology/Principal Findings We examined the patterns of fine scale Beta diversity in four adjacent sediment samples (1mm apart) from the source of an anaerobic sulfide and sulfur rich spring (Zodletone spring) in southwestern Oklahoma, USA. Using pyrosequencing, a total of 292,130 16S rRNA gene sequences were obtained. The beta diversity patterns within the four datasets were examined using various qualitative and quantitative similarity indices. Low levels of Beta diversity (high similarity indices) were observed between the four samples at the phylum-level. However, at a putative species (OTU0.03) level, higher levels of beta diversity (lower similarity indices) were observed. Further examination of beta diversity patterns within dominant and rare members of the community indicated that at the putative species level, beta diversity is much higher within rare members of the community. Finally, sub-classification of rare members of Zodletone spring community based on patterns of novelty and uniqueness, and further examination of fine scale beta diversity of each of these subgroups indicated that members of the community that are unique, but non novel showed the highest beta diversity within these subgroups of the rare biosphere. Conclusions/Significance The results demonstrate the occurrence of high inter-sample diversity within seemingly identical samples from a complex habitat. We reason that such unexpected diversity should be taken into consideration when exploring gamma diversity of various ecosystems, as well as planning for sequencing-intensive metagenomic surveys of highly complex ecosystems. PMID:20865128

Best Practices in Using Large, Complex Samples: The Importance of Using Appropriate Weights and Design Effect Compensation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osborne, Jason W.

2011-01-01

Large surveys often use probability sampling in order to obtain representative samples, and these data sets are valuable tools for researchers in all areas of science. Yet many researchers are not formally prepared to appropriately utilize these resources. Indeed, users of one popular dataset were generally found "not" to have modeled…

Statistical assessment on a combined analysis of GRYN-ROMN-UCBN upland vegetation vital signs

USGS Publications Warehouse

Irvine, Kathryn M.; Rodhouse, Thomas J.

2014-01-01

As of 2013, Rocky Mountain and Upper Columbia Basin Inventory and Monitoring Networks have multiple years of vegetation data and Greater Yellowstone Network has three years of vegetation data and monitoring is ongoing in all three networks. Our primary objective is to assess whether a combined analysis of these data aimed at exploring correlations with climate and weather data is feasible. We summarize the core survey design elements across protocols and point out the major statistical challenges for a combined analysis at present. The dissimilarity in response designs between ROMN and UCBN-GRYN network protocols presents a statistical challenge that has not been resolved yet. However, the UCBN and GRYN data are compatible as they implement a similar response design; therefore, a combined analysis is feasible and will be pursued in future. When data collected by different networks are combined, the survey design describing the merged dataset is (likely) a complex survey design. A complex survey design is the result of combining datasets from different sampling designs. A complex survey design is characterized by unequal probability sampling, varying stratification, and clustering (see Lohr 2010 Chapter 7 for general overview). Statistical analysis of complex survey data requires modifications to standard methods, one of which is to include survey design weights within a statistical model. We focus on this issue for a combined analysis of upland vegetation from these networks, leaving other topics for future research. We conduct a simulation study on the possible effects of equal versus unequal probability selection of points on parameter estimates of temporal trend using available packages within the R statistical computing package. We find that, as written, using lmer or lm for trend detection in a continuous response and clm and clmm for visually estimated cover classes with “raw” GRTS design weights specified for the weight argument leads to substantially different results and/or computational instability. However, when only fixed effects are of interest, the survey package (svyglm and svyolr) may be suitable for a model-assisted analysis for trend. We provide possible directions for future research into combined analysis for ordinal and continuous vital sign indictors.

Methods of estimating or accounting for neighborhood associations with health using complex survey data.

PubMed

Brumback, Babette A; Cai, Zhuangyu; Dailey, Amy B

2014-05-15

Reasons for health disparities may include neighborhood-level factors, such as availability of health services, social norms, and environmental determinants, as well as individual-level factors. Investigating health inequalities using nationally or locally representative data often requires an approach that can accommodate a complex sampling design, in which individuals have unequal probabilities of selection into the study. The goal of the present article is to review and compare methods of estimating or accounting for neighborhood influences with complex survey data. We considered 3 types of methods, each generalized for use with complex survey data: ordinary regression, conditional likelihood regression, and generalized linear mixed-model regression. The relative strengths and weaknesses of each method differ from one study to another; we provide an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of each method theoretically, in terms of the nature of the estimable associations and the plausibility of the assumptions required for validity, and also practically, via a simulation study and 2 epidemiologic data analyses. The first analysis addresses determinants of repeat mammography screening use using data from the 2005 National Health Interview Survey. The second analysis addresses disparities in preventive oral health care using data from the 2008 Florida Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey.

Modeling the Stress Complexities of Teaching and Learning of School Physics in Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emetere, Moses E.

2014-01-01

This study was designed to investigate the validity of the stress complexity model (SCM) to teaching and learning of school physics in Abuja municipal area council of Abuja, North. About two hundred students were randomly selected by a simple random sampling technique from some schools within the Abuja municipal area council. A survey research…

Development of a Genome-Proxy Microarray for Profiling Marine Microbial Communities and its Application to a Time Series in Monterey Bay, California

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-01

community representation. 12 survey a complex microbial community. Community DNA or rRNA extracted from a sample may require amplification before...restricted to cultivated clades, since not only do many clades have sufficient database representation due to 16S environmental surveys , but such...well developed for standard and comprehensive surveys . Depending on the population being targeted and the identification method, FCM can be a

Measuring coverage in MNCH: design, implementation, and interpretation challenges associated with tracking vaccination coverage using household surveys.

PubMed

Cutts, Felicity T; Izurieta, Hector S; Rhoda, Dale A

2013-01-01

Vaccination coverage is an important public health indicator that is measured using administrative reports and/or surveys. The measurement of vaccination coverage in low- and middle-income countries using surveys is susceptible to numerous challenges. These challenges include selection bias and information bias, which cannot be solved by increasing the sample size, and the precision of the coverage estimate, which is determined by the survey sample size and sampling method. Selection bias can result from an inaccurate sampling frame or inappropriate field procedures and, since populations likely to be missed in a vaccination coverage survey are also likely to be missed by vaccination teams, most often inflates coverage estimates. Importantly, the large multi-purpose household surveys that are often used to measure vaccination coverage have invested substantial effort to reduce selection bias. Information bias occurs when a child's vaccination status is misclassified due to mistakes on his or her vaccination record, in data transcription, in the way survey questions are presented, or in the guardian's recall of vaccination for children without a written record. There has been substantial reliance on the guardian's recall in recent surveys, and, worryingly, information bias may become more likely in the future as immunization schedules become more complex and variable. Finally, some surveys assess immunity directly using serological assays. Sero-surveys are important for assessing public health risk, but currently are unable to validate coverage estimates directly. To improve vaccination coverage estimates based on surveys, we recommend that recording tools and practices should be improved and that surveys should incorporate best practices for design, implementation, and analysis.

A two-phase sampling survey for nonresponse and its paradata to correct nonresponse bias in a health surveillance survey.

PubMed

Santin, G; Bénézet, L; Geoffroy-Perez, B; Bouyer, J; Guéguen, A

2017-02-01

The decline in participation rates in surveys, including epidemiological surveillance surveys, has become a real concern since it may increase nonresponse bias. The aim of this study is to estimate the contribution of a complementary survey among a subsample of nonrespondents, and the additional contribution of paradata in correcting for nonresponse bias in an occupational health surveillance survey. In 2010, 10,000 workers were randomly selected and sent a postal questionnaire. Sociodemographic data were available for the whole sample. After data collection of the questionnaires, a complementary survey among a random subsample of 500 nonrespondents was performed using a questionnaire administered by an interviewer. Paradata were collected for the complete subsample of the complementary survey. Nonresponse bias in the initial sample and in the combined samples were assessed using variables from administrative databases available for the whole sample, not subject to differential measurement errors. Corrected prevalences by reweighting technique were estimated by first using the initial survey alone and then the initial and complementary surveys combined, under several assumptions regarding the missing data process. Results were compared by computing relative errors. The response rates of the initial and complementary surveys were 23.6% and 62.6%, respectively. For the initial and the combined surveys, the relative errors decreased after correction for nonresponse on sociodemographic variables. For the combined surveys without paradata, relative errors decreased compared with the initial survey. The contribution of the paradata was weak. When a complex descriptive survey has a low response rate, a short complementary survey among nonrespondents with a protocol which aims to maximize the response rates, is useful. The contribution of sociodemographic variables in correcting for nonresponse bias is important whereas the additional contribution of paradata in correcting for nonresponse bias is questionable. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

An open-population hierarchical distance sampling model

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sollmann, Rachel; Beth Gardner,; Richard B Chandler,; Royle, J. Andrew; T Scott Sillett,

2015-01-01

Modeling population dynamics while accounting for imperfect detection is essential to monitoring programs. Distance sampling allows estimating population size while accounting for imperfect detection, but existing methods do not allow for direct estimation of demographic parameters. We develop a model that uses temporal correlation in abundance arising from underlying population dynamics to estimate demographic parameters from repeated distance sampling surveys. Using a simulation study motivated by designing a monitoring program for island scrub-jays (Aphelocoma insularis), we investigated the power of this model to detect population trends. We generated temporally autocorrelated abundance and distance sampling data over six surveys, using population rates of change of 0.95 and 0.90. We fit the data generating Markovian model and a mis-specified model with a log-linear time effect on abundance, and derived post hoc trend estimates from a model estimating abundance for each survey separately. We performed these analyses for varying number of survey points. Power to detect population changes was consistently greater under the Markov model than under the alternatives, particularly for reduced numbers of survey points. The model can readily be extended to more complex demographic processes than considered in our simulations. This novel framework can be widely adopted for wildlife population monitoring.

An open-population hierarchical distance sampling model.

PubMed

Sollmann, Rahel; Gardner, Beth; Chandler, Richard B; Royle, J Andrew; Sillett, T Scott

2015-02-01

Modeling population dynamics while accounting for imperfect detection is essential to monitoring programs. Distance sampling allows estimating population size while accounting for imperfect detection, but existing methods do not allow for estimation of demographic parameters. We develop a model that uses temporal correlation in abundance arising from underlying population dynamics to estimate demographic parameters from repeated distance sampling surveys. Using a simulation study motivated by designing a monitoring program for Island Scrub-Jays (Aphelocoma insularis), we investigated the power of this model to detect population trends. We generated temporally autocorrelated abundance and distance sampling data over six surveys, using population rates of change of 0.95 and 0.90. We fit the data generating Markovian model and a mis-specified model with a log-linear time effect on abundance, and derived post hoc trend estimates from a model estimating abundance for each survey separately. We performed these analyses for varying numbers of survey points. Power to detect population changes was consistently greater under the Markov model than under the alternatives, particularly for reduced numbers of survey points. The model can readily be extended to more complex demographic processes than considered in our simulations. This novel framework can be widely adopted for wildlife population monitoring.

The Danish National Health Survey 2010. Study design and respondent characteristics.

PubMed

Christensen, Anne Illemann; Ekholm, Ola; Glümer, Charlotte; Andreasen, Anne Helms; Hvidberg, Michael Falk; Kristensen, Peter Lund; Larsen, Finn Breinholt; Ortiz, Britta; Juel, Knud

2012-06-01

In 2010 the five Danish regions and the National Institute of Public Health at the University of Southern Denmark conducted a national representative health survey among the adult population in Denmark. This paper describes the study design and the sample and study population as well as the content of the questionnaire. The survey was based on five regional stratified random samples and one national random sample. The samples were mutually exclusive. A total of 298,550 individuals (16 years or older) were invited to participate. Information was collected using a mixed mode approach (paper and web questionnaires). A questionnaire with a minimum of 52 core questions was used in all six subsamples. Calibrated weights were computed in order to take account of the complex survey design and reduce non-response bias. In all, 177,639 individuals completed the questionnaire (59.5%). The response rate varied from 52.3% in the Capital Region of Denmark sample to 65.5% in the North Denmark Region sample. The response rate was particularly low among young men, unmarried people and among individuals with a different ethnic background than Danish. The survey was a result of extensive national cooperation across sectors, which makes it unique in its field of application, e.g. health surveillance, planning and prioritizing public health initiatives and research. However, the low response rate in some subgroups of the study population can pose problems in generalizing data, and efforts to increase the response rate will be important in the forthcoming surveys.

Point prevalence of complex wounds in a defined United Kingdom population.

PubMed

Hall, Jill; Buckley, Hannah L; Lamb, Karen A; Stubbs, Nikki; Saramago, Pedro; Dumville, Jo C; Cullum, Nicky A

2014-01-01

Complex wounds (superficial-, partial-, or full-thickness skin loss wounds healing by secondary intention) are common; however, there is a lack of high-quality, contemporary epidemiological data. This paper presents point prevalence estimates for complex wounds overall as well as for individual types. A multiservice, cross-sectional survey was undertaken across a United Kingdom city (Leeds, population 751,485) during 2 weeks in spring of 2011. The mean age of people with complex wounds was approximately 70 years, standard deviation 19.41. The point prevalence of complex wounds was 1.47 per 1,000 of the population, 95% confidence interval 1.38 to 1.56. While pressure ulcers and leg ulcers were the most frequent, one in five people in the sample population had a less common wound type. Surveys confined to people with specific types of wound would underestimate the overall impact of complex wounds on the population and health care resources. © 2014 The Authors. Wound Repair and Regeneration published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Wound Healing Society.

Marriage, Cohabitation, and Men's Use of Preventive Health Care Services

MedlinePlus

... N.C.) to account for the complex sample design of NHIS. All estimates shown in this report ... Parsons VL, Moriarity C, Jonas K, et al. Design and estimation for the National Health Interview Survey, ...

Measuring Coverage in MNCH: Design, Implementation, and Interpretation Challenges Associated with Tracking Vaccination Coverage Using Household Surveys

PubMed Central

Cutts, Felicity T.; Izurieta, Hector S.; Rhoda, Dale A.

2013-01-01

Vaccination coverage is an important public health indicator that is measured using administrative reports and/or surveys. The measurement of vaccination coverage in low- and middle-income countries using surveys is susceptible to numerous challenges. These challenges include selection bias and information bias, which cannot be solved by increasing the sample size, and the precision of the coverage estimate, which is determined by the survey sample size and sampling method. Selection bias can result from an inaccurate sampling frame or inappropriate field procedures and, since populations likely to be missed in a vaccination coverage survey are also likely to be missed by vaccination teams, most often inflates coverage estimates. Importantly, the large multi-purpose household surveys that are often used to measure vaccination coverage have invested substantial effort to reduce selection bias. Information bias occurs when a child's vaccination status is misclassified due to mistakes on his or her vaccination record, in data transcription, in the way survey questions are presented, or in the guardian's recall of vaccination for children without a written record. There has been substantial reliance on the guardian's recall in recent surveys, and, worryingly, information bias may become more likely in the future as immunization schedules become more complex and variable. Finally, some surveys assess immunity directly using serological assays. Sero-surveys are important for assessing public health risk, but currently are unable to validate coverage estimates directly. To improve vaccination coverage estimates based on surveys, we recommend that recording tools and practices should be improved and that surveys should incorporate best practices for design, implementation, and analysis. PMID:23667334

Chemical data and variation diagrams of igneous rocks from the Timber Mountain-Oasis Valley Caldera Complex, southern Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Quinlivan, W.D.; Byers, F.M.

1977-01-01

Silica variation diagrams presented here are based on 162 chemical analyses of tuffs, lavas, and intrusives, representative of volcanic centers of the Timber Mountain-Oasis Valley caldera complex and cogenetic rocks of the Silent Canyon ca1dera. Most of the volcanic units sampled are shown on the U.S. Geological Survey geologic map of the Timber Mountain caldera area (I-891) and are described in U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 919. Early effusives of the complex, although slightly altered, are probably chemically, and petrographically, more like the calc-alkalic Fraction Tuff (Miocene) of the northern Nellis Air Force Base Bombing and Gunnery Range to the north, whereas effusives of later Miocene age, such as the Paintbrush and Timber Mountain Tuffs, are alkali-calcic.

[Satisfaction and perceived quality of people insured by the Social Health Protection in Mexico. Methodological foundations].

PubMed

Saturno-Hernández, Pedro J; Gutiérrez-Reyes, Juan Pablo; Vieyra-Romero, Waldo Ivan; Romero-Martínez, Martín; O'Shea-Cuevas, Gabriel Jaime; Lozano-Herrera, Javier; Tavera-Martínez, Sonia; Hernández-Ávila, Mauricio

2016-01-01

To describe the conceptual framework and methods for implementation and analysis of the satisfaction survey of the Mexican System for Social Protection in Health. We analyze the methodological elements of the 2013, 2014 and 2015 surveys, including the instrument, sampling method and study design, conceptual framework, and characteristics and indicators of the analysis. The survey captures information on perceived quality and satisfaction. Sampling has national and State representation. Simple and composite indicators (index of satisfaction and rate of reported quality problems) are built and described. The analysis is completed using Pareto diagrams, correlation between indicators and association with satisfaction by means of multivariate models. The measurement of satisfaction and perceived quality is a complex but necessary process to comply with regulations and to identify strategies for improvement. The described survey presents a design and rigorous analysis focused on its utility for improving.

National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey: 2010 Findings on Victimization by Sexual Orientation

MedlinePlus

... information about response and cooperation rates and other methodological details of NISVS can be found in the ... software for analyzing data collected through complex sample design. The estimated number of victims affected by a ...

Complex organic molecules during low-mass star formation: Pilot survey results

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

Öberg, Karin I.; Graninger, Dawn; Lauck, Trish, E-mail: koberg@cfa.harvard.edu

Complex organic molecules (COMs) are known to be abundant toward some low-mass young stellar objects (YSOs), but how these detections relate to typical COM abundance are not yet understood. We aim to constrain the frequency distribution of COMs during low-mass star formation, beginning with this pilot survey of COM lines toward six embedded YSOs using the IRAM 30 m Telescope. The sample was selected from the Spitzer c2d ice sample and covers a range of ice abundances. We detect multiple COMs, including CH{sub 3}CN, toward two of the YSOs, and tentatively toward a third. Abundances with respect to CH{sub 3}OHmore » vary between 0.7% and 10%. This sample is combined with previous COM observations and upper limits to obtain a frequency distributions of CH{sub 3}CN, HCOOCH{sub 3}, CH{sub 3}OCH{sub 3}, and CH{sub 3}CHO. We find that for all molecules more than 50% of the sample have detections or upper limits of 1%-10% with respect to CH{sub 3}OH. Moderate abundances of COMs thus appear common during the early stages of low-mass star formation. A larger sample is required, however, to quantify the COM distributions, as well as to constrain the origins of observed variations across the sample.« less

Estimating survival probabilities by exposure levels: utilizing vital statistics and complex survey data with mortality follow-up.

PubMed

Landsman, V; Lou, W Y W; Graubard, B I

2015-05-20

We present a two-step approach for estimating hazard rates and, consequently, survival probabilities, by levels of general categorical exposure. The resulting estimator utilizes three sources of data: vital statistics data and census data are used at the first step to estimate the overall hazard rate for a given combination of gender and age group, and cohort data constructed from a nationally representative complex survey with linked mortality records, are used at the second step to divide the overall hazard rate by exposure levels. We present an explicit expression for the resulting estimator and consider two methods for variance estimation that account for complex multistage sample design: (1) the leaving-one-out jackknife method, and (2) the Taylor linearization method, which provides an analytic formula for the variance estimator. The methods are illustrated with smoking and all-cause mortality data from the US National Health Interview Survey Linked Mortality Files, and the proposed estimator is compared with a previously studied crude hazard rate estimator that uses survey data only. The advantages of a two-step approach and possible extensions of the proposed estimator are discussed. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Cardiorespiratory Fitness Levels among U.S. Youth Aged 12-15 Years: United States, 1999-2004 and 2012

MedlinePlus

... use a complex, stratified, multistage probability cluster sampling design. NHANES data collection is based on a nationally ... conjunction with the 2012 NHANES and the survey design was based on the design for NHANES, with ...

Dietary Supplement Use Among U.S. Adults Has Increased Since NHANES III (1988-1994)

MedlinePlus

... uses a complex, stratified, multistage probability cluster sampling design and oversamples in order to increase precision in estimates for certain groups. NHANES III was one in a series of periodic surveys conducted in two cycles during ...

TESTING FOR DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CUMULATIVE DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS FROM COMPLEX ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLING SURVEYS

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) employs the cumulative distribution function (cdf) to measure the status of quantitative variables for resources of interest. The ability to compare cdf's for a resource from, say,...

The effect of mode and context on survey results: Analysis of data from the Health Survey for England 2006 and the Boost Survey for London

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Health-related data at local level could be provided by supplementing national health surveys with local boosts. Self-completion surveys are less costly than interviews, enabling larger samples to be achieved for a given cost. However, even when the same questions are asked with the same wording, responses to survey questions may vary by mode of data collection. These measurement differences need to be investigated further. Methods The Health Survey for England in London ('Core') and a London Boost survey ('Boost') used identical sampling strategies but different modes of data collection. Some data were collected by face-to-face interview in the Core and by self-completion in the Boost; other data were collected by self-completion questionnaire in both, but the context differed. Results were compared by mode of data collection using two approaches. The first examined differences in results that remained after adjusting the samples for differences in response. The second compared results after using propensity score matching to reduce any differences in sample composition. Results There were no significant differences between the two samples for prevalence of some variables including long-term illness, limiting long-term illness, current rates of smoking, whether participants drank alcohol, and how often they usually drank. However, there were a number of differences, some quite large, between some key measures including: general health, GHQ12 score, portions of fruit and vegetables consumed, levels of physical activity, and, to a lesser extent, smoking consumption, the number of alcohol units reported consumed on the heaviest day of drinking in the last week and perceived social support (among women only). Conclusion Survey mode and context can both affect the responses given. The effect is largest for complex question modules but was also seen for identical self-completion questions. Some data collected by interview and self-completion can be safely combined. PMID:20868528

Structural Equation Modeling of School Violence Data: Methodological Considerations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayer, Matthew J.

2004-01-01

Methodological challenges associated with structural equation modeling (SEM) and structured means modeling (SMM) in research on school violence and related topics in the social and behavioral sciences are examined. Problems associated with multiyear implementations of large-scale surveys are discussed. Complex sample designs, part of any…

Star Formation in Orion A : Towards Resolved Maps of SFR and SFE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Großschedl, Josefa; Alves, J.; Ascenso, J.; Bouy, H.

2017-06-01

The OrionA GMC is a benchmark for studying star formation. Our goal is to construct a map of SFR and SFE (with Herschel) across the entire complex, for which it is critical to have a reliable and complete sample of YSOs. In this work we present a refined catalogue of YSOs, making use of a new deep NIR survey with VISTA, complemented with archival data. The survey allows us to rule out false positives from previous samples (galaxies, cloud edges, etc.). To add new candidates we use MIR data from WISE for areas not covered by Spitzer to get a complete census of the spatial distribution of YSOs.

Durability of base courses with mineral-cement-emulsion mixes (MCEM)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kukiełka, J.; Sybilski, D.

2018-05-01

Base courses with mineral-cement-emulsion mixes (MCEM) have been the subject of research, surveys and development of e.g. new requirements included in the Guidelines of 2014 [15]. In this paper the results of sample test and survey of road sections, assessment of transverse cracks and load-bearing capacity with FWD after 13 years of exploitation are presented. On the MCEM samples the following tests were carried out: resilient modulus using NAT, complex stiffness modulus (E*), phase shift angle at various temperatures and loading frequencies thereby obtaining master curves, fatigue life and low-temperature resistance by identifying the tensile stress restrained (TSRST) which allowed for general assessment of constructed base courses.

Fisheye Photogrammetry: Tests and Methodologies for the Survey of Narrow Spaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perfetti, L.; Polari, C.; Fassi, F.

2017-02-01

The research illustrated in this article aimed at identifying a good standard methodology to survey very narrow spaces during 3D investigation of Cultural Heritage. It is an important topic in today's era of BIM modelling applied to Cultural Heritage. Spaces like staircases, corridors and passages are very common in the architectural or archaeological fields, and obtaining a 3D-oriented survey of those areas can be a very complex task when completeness of the model and high precision are requested. Photogrammetry appears to be the most promising solution in terms of versatility and manoeuvrability also considering the quality of the required data. Fisheye lenses were studied and tested in depth because of their significant advantage in the field of view if compared with rectilinear lenses. This advantage alone can be crucial to reduce the total amount of photos and, as a consequence, to obtain manageable data, to simplify the survey phase and to significantly reduce the elaboration time. In order to overcome the main issue that arise when using fisheye lenses, which is the lack of rules that can be employed to design the survey, a general mathematical formulation to precisely estimate the GSD (Ground Sampling Distance) for every optical projection is presented here. A complete survey of a real complex case study was performed in order to test and stress the proposed methodology, and to handle a fisheye-based survey from beginning to end: the photogrammetric survey of the Minguzzi Staircase. It is a complex service spiral-staircase located in the Duomo di Milano with a total height of 25 meters and characterized by a narrow walkable space about 70 centimetres wide.

Statistical methods for efficient design of community surveys of response to noise: Random coefficients regression models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tomberlin, T. J.

1985-01-01

Research studies of residents' responses to noise consist of interviews with samples of individuals who are drawn from a number of different compact study areas. The statistical techniques developed provide a basis for those sample design decisions. These techniques are suitable for a wide range of sample survey applications. A sample may consist of a random sample of residents selected from a sample of compact study areas, or in a more complex design, of a sample of residents selected from a sample of larger areas (e.g., cities). The techniques may be applied to estimates of the effects on annoyance of noise level, numbers of noise events, the time-of-day of the events, ambient noise levels, or other factors. Methods are provided for determining, in advance, how accurately these effects can be estimated for different sample sizes and study designs. Using a simple cost function, they also provide for optimum allocation of the sample across the stages of the design for estimating these effects. These techniques are developed via a regression model in which the regression coefficients are assumed to be random, with components of variance associated with the various stages of a multi-stage sample design.

Validating the Psychological Climate Scale in Voluntary Child Welfare

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zeitlin, Wendy; Claiborne, Nancy; Lawrence, Catherine K.; Auerbach, Charles

2016-01-01

Objective: Organizational climate has emerged as an important factor in understanding and addressing the complexities of providing services in child welfare. This research examines the psychometric properties of each of the dimensions of Parker and colleagues' Psychological Climate Survey in a sample of voluntary child welfare workers. Methods:…

Characteristics and Treatment Preferences of People with Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: An Internet Survey

PubMed Central

Spence, Jay; Titov, Nickolai; Solley, Karen; Dear, Blake F.; Johnston, Luke; Wootton, Bethany; Kemp, Alice; Andrews, Gavin; Zou, Judy; Lorian, Carolyn; Choi, Isabella

2011-01-01

Background Although Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a severe and disabling anxiety disorder, relatively few people with this condition access evidence-based care. Barriers to treatment are multiple and complex, but the emerging field of Internet therapy for PTSD may improve access to evidence-based treatment. However, little is known about the characteristics of people with PTSD who seek online treatment, or whether they perceive internet treatment as an acceptable treatment option. Methodology An online survey was used to collect information about the demographic and symptom characteristics of individuals with elevated levels of PTSD symptoms, and this was compared to data from corresponding sample from a national survey. Previous treatment experiences, perceived barriers to treatment and treatment preferences for Internet therapy and face-to-face treatment were also compared. Principal Findings High levels of PTSD symptoms were reported by survey respondents. Psychological distress and disability was greater than reported by individuals with PTSD from a national survey. Half of the sample reported not having received treatment for PTSD; however, 88% of those who reported receiving treatment stated they received an evidence-based treatment. Primary barriers to treatment included cost, poor awareness of service availability, lack of prior treatment response and not perceiving personal distress as severe enough to warrant treatment. Most survey respondents indicated they were willing to try Internet treatment for PTSD. Conclusions The Internet sample was symptomatically severe and multiple barriers existed to treatment. Internet therapy is an acceptable option for the treatment of PTSD in an internet sample. PMID:21818274

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Is Associated With Irritable Bowel Syndrome in African Americans.

PubMed

Iorio, Natalya; Makipour, Kian; Palit, Amiya; Friedenberg, Frank K

2014-10-30

Psychosocial stressors likely play an important role in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The association between IBS and post-trau-matic stress disorder (PTSD) in non-minorities has been described. Our aim was to investigate the potential association between IBS and PTSD in an urban African American population. Our institution maintains a longitudinal population-based survey of African Americans (AA). The survey utilizes a complex, stratified sampling design. The study group consisted of adult AA meeting Rome III criteria for IBS of any subtype. The 4-item Primary Care PTSD screener was administered; score of≥ 3 (range, 0-4) was considered positive for PTSD. Depression (Public Health Questionnaire-9 depression) and anxiety (generalized anxiety disorder-7) levels were measured using standardized scales. To assess quality of life, norm-based physical and mental component summary scores from the short-form 36 health survey ver-sion 2 were obtained. Descriptive and inferential statistics were calculated using Complex Sample Module of SPSS after weight-ing of the study sample. Four hundred nineteen subjects included corresponded to a weighted 21,264 (95% CI, 19,777-22,751) individuals. The preva-lence of IBS in our sample of urban AA was 8.2%. In multivariate regression analysis, female gender, age > 40, higher educa-tional attainment and divorce were independently associated with IBS. Those with IBS were considerably more likely to suffer from PTSD (OR, 4.54; 95% CI, 4.07-5.06). PTSD was independently associated with depression, anxiety, harmful drinking and substance abuse. In AA, PTSD is independently associated with IBS. PTSD has a significantly negative impact on physical and mental self-assess-ment of quality of life. Evaluation of minorities presenting with functional gastrointestinal disorders should include screening for PTSD.(J Neurogastroenterol Motil 2014;20:523-530).

Methods of analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory; determination of methylene blue active substances by spectrophotometry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burkhardt, Mark R.; Cinotto, Pete J.; Frahm, Galen W.; Woodworth, Mark T.; Pritt, Jeffrey W.

1995-01-01

A method for the determination of methylene blue active substances in whole-water samples by liquid-liquid extraction and spectrophotometric detection is described. Sulfate and sulfonate-based surfectants are reacted with methylene blue to form a blue-colored complex. The complex is extracted into chloroform, back-washed with an acidified phosphate-based buffer solution, and measured against external standards with a probe spectrophotometer. The method detection limt for routine analysis is 0.02 milligram per liter. The precision is plus/minus 10 percent relative standard deviation. The positive bias from nitrate and chloride and U.S. Geological Survey method O-3111-83 for methylene blue active substances is minized by adding a back-washing step.

U.S. Geological Survey applied research studies of the Cheyenne River System, South Dakota; description and collation of data, water years 1987-88

USGS Publications Warehouse

Goddard, K. E.

1990-01-01

The Cheyenne River System in western South Dakota has been impacted by the discharge of about 100 million metric tons of gold-mill tailings to Whitewood Creek near Lead, South Dakota. In April 1985, the U.S. Geological Survey initiated an extensive series of research studies to investigate the magnitude of the impact and to define important processes acting on the contaminated sediments present in the system. The report presents all data collected during the 1987 and 1988 water years for these research studies. Some of the data included have been published previously. Data collected in the 1985 and 1986 water years have been published in a companion report (U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 88-484). Hydrologic, geochemical, and biologic data are available for sites on Whitewood Creek, and the Belle Fourche and Cheyenne Rivers. Data complexity varies from routine discharge and water-quality to very complex energy-dispersive x-ray analysis. Methods for sample collection, handling and preservation, and laboratory analysis are also presented. No interpretations or complex statistical summaries are included. (See also W89-08390) (USGS)

Energy Landscape of All-Atom Protein-Protein Interactions Revealed by Multiscale Enhanced Sampling

PubMed Central

Moritsugu, Kei; Terada, Tohru; Kidera, Akinori

2014-01-01

Protein-protein interactions are regulated by a subtle balance of complicated atomic interactions and solvation at the interface. To understand such an elusive phenomenon, it is necessary to thoroughly survey the large configurational space from the stable complex structure to the dissociated states using the all-atom model in explicit solvent and to delineate the energy landscape of protein-protein interactions. In this study, we carried out a multiscale enhanced sampling (MSES) simulation of the formation of a barnase-barstar complex, which is a protein complex characterized by an extraordinary tight and fast binding, to determine the energy landscape of atomistic protein-protein interactions. The MSES adopts a multicopy and multiscale scheme to enable for the enhanced sampling of the all-atom model of large proteins including explicit solvent. During the 100-ns MSES simulation of the barnase-barstar system, we observed the association-dissociation processes of the atomistic protein complex in solution several times, which contained not only the native complex structure but also fully non-native configurations. The sampled distributions suggest that a large variety of non-native states went downhill to the stable complex structure, like a fast folding on a funnel-like potential. This funnel landscape is attributed to dominant configurations in the early stage of the association process characterized by near-native orientations, which will accelerate the native inter-molecular interactions. These configurations are guided mostly by the shape complementarity between barnase and barstar, and lead to the fast formation of the final complex structure along the downhill energy landscape. PMID:25340714

Aerial gamma ray and magnetic survey: Mississippi and Florida airborne survey, Russellville quadrangle, Arkansas

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

Not Available

1980-09-01

The Russellville quadrangle in north central Arkansas overlies thick Paleozoic sediments of the Arkoma Basin. These Paleozoics dominate surface exposure except where covered by Quaternary alluvial materials. Examination of available literature shows no known uranium deposits (or occurrences) within the quadrangle. Eighty-eight groups of uranium samples were defined as anomalies and are discussed briefly. None were considered significant, and most appeared to be of cultural origin. Magnetic data show character that suggest structural and/or lithologic complexity, but imply relatively deep-seated sources.

Exploring the Web : The Active Galaxy Population in the ORELSE Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lubin, Lori

What are the physical processes that trigger starburst and nuclear activity in galaxies and drive galaxy evolution? Studies aimed at understanding this complex issue have largely focused on the cores of galaxy clusters or on field surveys, leaving underexplored intermediate-density regimes where rapid evolution occurs. As a result, we are conducting the ORELSE survey, a search for structure on scales > 10 Mpc around 18 clusters at 0.6 < z < 1.3. The survey covers 5 sq. deg., all targeted at high-density regions, making it comparable to field surveys such as DEEP2 and COSMOS. ORELSE is unmatched, with no other cluster survey having comparable breadth, depth, precision, and multi-band coverage. As such, ORELSE overcomes critical problems with previous high-redshift studies, including cosmic variance, restricted environmental ranges, sparse cluster samples, inconsistent star formation rate measures, and limited spectroscopy. From its initial spectral and photometric components, ORELSE already contains wellmeasured properties such as redshift, color, stellar mass, and star formation rate for a statistical sample of 7000 field+cluster galaxies. Because X-ray and mid-IR observations are crucial for a complete census of the active galaxy population, we propose to use the wealth of archival Chandra, Spitzer, and Herschel data in the ORELSE fields to map AGN and starburst galaxies over large scales. When complete, our sample will exceed by more than an order of magnitude the current samples of spectroscopically-confirmed active galaxies in high-redshift clusters and their environs. Combined with our numerical simulations plus galaxy formation models, we will provide a robust census of the active galaxy population in intermediate and high-density environments at z = 1, constrain the physical processes (e.g., merging, intracluster gas interactions, AGN feedback) responsible for triggering/quenching starburst and nuclear activity, and estimate their associated timescales.

Public computing options for individuals with cognitive impairments: survey outcomes.

PubMed

Fox, Lynn Elizabeth; Sohlberg, McKay Moore; Fickas, Stephen; Lemoncello, Rik; Prideaux, Jason

2009-09-01

To examine availability and accessibility of public computing for individuals with cognitive impairment (CI) who reside in the USA. A telephone survey was administered as a semi-structured interview to 145 informants representing seven types of public facilities across three geographically distinct regions using a snowball sampling technique. An Internet search of wireless (Wi-Fi) hotspots supplemented the survey. Survey results showed the availability of public computer terminals and Internet hotspots was greatest in the urban sample, followed by the mid-sized and rural cities. Across seven facility types surveyed, libraries had the highest percentage of access barriers, including complex queue procedures, login and password requirements, and limited technical support. University assistive technology centres and facilities with a restricted user policy, such as brain injury centres, had the lowest incidence of access barriers. Findings suggest optimal outcomes for people with CI will result from a careful match of technology and the user that takes into account potential barriers and opportunities to computing in an individual's preferred public environments. Trends in public computing, including the emergence of widespread Wi-Fi and limited access to terminals that permit auto-launch applications, should guide development of technology designed for use in public computing environments.

Coding of DNA samples and data in the pharmaceutical industry: current practices and future directions--perspective of the I-PWG.

PubMed

Franc, M A; Cohen, N; Warner, A W; Shaw, P M; Groenen, P; Snapir, A

2011-04-01

DNA samples collected in clinical trials and stored for future research are valuable to pharmaceutical drug development. Given the perceived higher risk associated with genetic research, industry has implemented complex coding methods for DNA. Following years of experience with these methods and with addressing questions from institutional review boards (IRBs), ethics committees (ECs) and health authorities, the industry has started reexamining the extent of the added value offered by these methods. With the goal of harmonization, the Industry Pharmacogenomics Working Group (I-PWG) conducted a survey to gain an understanding of company practices for DNA coding and to solicit opinions on their effectiveness at protecting privacy. The results of the survey and the limitations of the coding methods are described. The I-PWG recommends dialogue with key stakeholders regarding coding practices such that equal standards are applied to DNA and non-DNA samples. The I-PWG believes that industry standards for privacy protection should provide adequate safeguards for DNA and non-DNA samples/data and suggests a need for more universal standards for samples stored for future research.

Multiple Imputation in Two-Stage Cluster Samples Using The Weighted Finite Population Bayesian Bootstrap.

PubMed

Zhou, Hanzhi; Elliott, Michael R; Raghunathan, Trivellore E

2016-06-01

Multistage sampling is often employed in survey samples for cost and convenience. However, accounting for clustering features when generating datasets for multiple imputation is a nontrivial task, particularly when, as is often the case, cluster sampling is accompanied by unequal probabilities of selection, necessitating case weights. Thus, multiple imputation often ignores complex sample designs and assumes simple random sampling when generating imputations, even though failing to account for complex sample design features is known to yield biased estimates and confidence intervals that have incorrect nominal coverage. In this article, we extend a recently developed, weighted, finite-population Bayesian bootstrap procedure to generate synthetic populations conditional on complex sample design data that can be treated as simple random samples at the imputation stage, obviating the need to directly model design features for imputation. We develop two forms of this method: one where the probabilities of selection are known at the first and second stages of the design, and the other, more common in public use files, where only the final weight based on the product of the two probabilities is known. We show that this method has advantages in terms of bias, mean square error, and coverage properties over methods where sample designs are ignored, with little loss in efficiency, even when compared with correct fully parametric models. An application is made using the National Automotive Sampling System Crashworthiness Data System, a multistage, unequal probability sample of U.S. passenger vehicle crashes, which suffers from a substantial amount of missing data in "Delta-V," a key crash severity measure.

Multiple Imputation in Two-Stage Cluster Samples Using The Weighted Finite Population Bayesian Bootstrap

PubMed Central

Zhou, Hanzhi; Elliott, Michael R.; Raghunathan, Trivellore E.

2017-01-01

Multistage sampling is often employed in survey samples for cost and convenience. However, accounting for clustering features when generating datasets for multiple imputation is a nontrivial task, particularly when, as is often the case, cluster sampling is accompanied by unequal probabilities of selection, necessitating case weights. Thus, multiple imputation often ignores complex sample designs and assumes simple random sampling when generating imputations, even though failing to account for complex sample design features is known to yield biased estimates and confidence intervals that have incorrect nominal coverage. In this article, we extend a recently developed, weighted, finite-population Bayesian bootstrap procedure to generate synthetic populations conditional on complex sample design data that can be treated as simple random samples at the imputation stage, obviating the need to directly model design features for imputation. We develop two forms of this method: one where the probabilities of selection are known at the first and second stages of the design, and the other, more common in public use files, where only the final weight based on the product of the two probabilities is known. We show that this method has advantages in terms of bias, mean square error, and coverage properties over methods where sample designs are ignored, with little loss in efficiency, even when compared with correct fully parametric models. An application is made using the National Automotive Sampling System Crashworthiness Data System, a multistage, unequal probability sample of U.S. passenger vehicle crashes, which suffers from a substantial amount of missing data in “Delta-V,” a key crash severity measure. PMID:29226161

Ethnic and Racial Socialization and Self-Esteem of Asian Adoptees: The Mediating Role of Multiple Identities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mohanty, Jayashree

2013-01-01

Positive identity development during adolescence in general is a complex process and may pose additional challenges for adolescents adopted from a different culture. Using a web-based survey design with a sample of 100 internationally adopted Asian adolescent and young adults, the present study examined the mediating role of multiple identities…

Recruitment using mobile telephones in an Irish general population sexual health survey: challenges and practical solutions

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Non-coverage of households without a landline telephone is a major concern of telephone survey researchers. Sampling mobile telephone users in national surveys is vital in order to gain access to the growing proportion of households that use mobile telephones extensively or exclusively. The complex logistics of conducting surveys with mobile telephones have been discussed in the literature. This paper outlines the actual challenges encountered during a recent national sexual health survey in Ireland, which utilized a mobile telephone sampling frame to recruit approximately half of the sample. Method The 2010 Irish Contraception and Crisis Pregnancy Survey (ICCP-2010) is a nationally representative sample of adults aged 18-45 years living in Ireland (n = 3002; 1416 recruited by landline telephone and 1586 recruited by mobile telephone). The overall response rate for the survey was 69% (79% for the landline telephone strand; 61% for the mobile telephone strand). All interviews were conducted using computer-assisting telephone interviewing. Results During the 18-week fieldwork period, five main challenges relating to the use of mobile telephones were encountered: (1) explaining to respondents how random digit dialling works in relation to mobile telephones; (2) establishing the respondent's eligibility; (3) calling the respondent with the Caller ID blocked or withheld; (4) calling the respondent when they are in any number of locations or situations; and (5) explaining to respondents the importance of refusal conversion calls for the response rate calculation. Details of how the survey protocols and procedures were monitored and adapted throughout the study to ensure a high response rate are outlined. Conclusion It is undeniably more challenging to recruit respondents using mobile telephones as opposed to landline telephones. Respondents are generally not familiar with being contacted on their personal mobile telephone for the purposes of being recruited for a research study. The main challenge for survey methodologists and interviewers is to devise simple protocols to explain to respondents why they are being contacted on a mobile telephone. Recommendations for survey researchers interested in using this methodological approach in the future are discussed. PMID:22475155

The Outer Solar System Origins Survey (OSSOS): a status update

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kavelaars, J. J.; Bannister, Michele T.; Gladman, Brett; Petit, Jean-Marc; Gwyn, S.; Chen, Ying-Tung Charles; Alexandersen, Mike; Volk, Kat

2015-11-01

OSSOS is a 560 hour imaging survey using MegaPrime on the CFHT designed to produce a well characterized sample of Kuiper belt objects whose orbital and physical properties will provide useful constraints on the evolutionary history of the outer solar system. Started in 2013, this 4 year project has now entered the finally year of survey operation. With 1/2 (84 square degrees) of the observation fully analyzed, OSOSS has detected and tracked 219 TNOs brighter than our typical flux limit of r' ~ 24.5. This is 30% more detections than the entire Canada-France Ecliptic Plane Survey (CFEPS), a precursor project.Based on the first quarter of the survey the OSSOS project confirms the CFEPS-L7 orbital model of the orbital structure of the TNO population (Petit et al., 2011) and has provided additional evidence of complex structure in the size distribution of scatterin TNOs (Shankman et al., 2015). A number of the OSSOS science teams are presenting results at this meeting: Bannister et al., Benecchi et al., Fraser et al., Volk et al. on a variety of aspects of the orbital and physical properties the OSSOS detected samples. Here we present a summary of the current status of the survey: field locations, basic characterization, detection rates and some global detection statistics.More details on the OSSOS project are available from our web site: www.ossos-survey.org

Smoking estimates from around the world: data from the first 17 participating countries in the World Mental Health Survey Consortium

PubMed Central

Storr, Carla L; Cheng, Hui; Alonso, Jordi; Angermeyer, Matthias; Bruffaerts, Ronny; de Girolamo, Giovanni; de Graaf, Ron; Gureje, Oye; Karam, Elie G; Kostyuchenko, Stanislav; Lee, Sing; Lepine, Jean-Pierre; Mora, Maria Elena Medina; Myer, Landon; Neumark, Yehuda; Posada-Villa, Jose; Watanabe, Makoto; Wells, J Elisabeth; Kessler, Ronald C; Anthony, James C

2014-01-01

Objective To contribute new multinational findings on basic descriptive features of smoking and cessation, based upon standardised community surveys of adults residing in seven low-income and middle-income countries and 10 higher-income countries from all regions of the world. Methods Data were collected using standardised interviews and community probability sample survey methods conducted as part of the WHO World Mental Health Surveys Initiative. Demographic and socioeconomic correlates of smoking are studied using cross-tabulation and logistic regression approaches. Within-country sample weights were applied with variance estimation appropriate for complex sample survey designs. Results Estimated prevalence of smoking experience (history of ever smoking) and current smoking varied across the countries under study. In all but four countries, one out of every four adults currently smoked. In higher-income countries, estimated proportions of former smokers (those who had quit) were roughly double the corresponding estimates for most low-income and middle-income countries. Characteristics of smokers varied within individual countries, and in relation to the World Bank's low-medium-high gradient of economic development. In stark contrast to a sturdy male-female difference in the uptake of smoking seen in each country, there is no consistent sex-associated pattern in the odds of remaining a smoker (versus quitting). Conclusion The World Mental Health Surveys estimates complement existing global tobacco monitoring efforts. The observed global diversity of associations with smoking and smoking cessation underscore reasons for implementation of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control provisions and prompt local adaptation of prevention and control interventions. PMID:19965796

Evaluating autonomous acoustic surveying techniques for rails in tidal marshes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stiffler, Lydia L.; Anderson, James T.; Katzner, Todd

2018-01-01

There is a growing interest toward the use of autonomous recording units (ARUs) for acoustic surveying of secretive marsh bird populations. However, there is little information on how ARUs compare to human surveyors or how best to use ARU data that can be collected continuously throughout the day. We used ARUs to conduct 2 acoustic surveys for king (Rallus elegans) and clapper rails (R. crepitans) within a tidal marsh complex along the Pamunkey River, Virginia, USA, during May–July 2015. To determine the effectiveness of an ARU in replacing human personnel, we compared results of callback point‐count surveys with concurrent acoustic recordings and calculated estimates of detection probability for both rail species combined. The success of ARUs at detecting rails that human observers recorded decreased with distance (P ≤ 0.001), such that at <25 m, 90.3% of human‐recorded rails also were detected by the ARU, but at >75 m, only 34.0% of human‐detected rails were detected by the ARU. To determine a subsampling scheme for continuous ARU data that allows for effective surveying of presence and call rates of rails, we used ARUs to conduct 15 continuous 48‐hr passive surveys, generating 720 hr of recordings. We established 5 subsampling periods of 5, 10, 15, 30, and 45 min to evaluate ARU‐based presence and vocalization detections of rails compared with each of the full 60‐min sampling of ARU‐based detection of rails. All subsampling periods resulted in different (P ≤ 0.001) detection rates and unstandardized vocalization rates compared with the hourly sampling period. However, standardized vocalization counts from the 30‐min subsampling period were not different from vocalization counts of the full hourly sampling period. When surveying rail species in estuarine environments, species‐, habitat‐, and ARU‐specific limitations to ARU sampling should be considered when making inferences about abundances and distributions from ARU data. 

The Guaymas Basin Hiking Guide to Hydrothermal Mounds, Chimneys, and Microbial Mats: Complex Seafloor Expressions of Subsurface Hydrothermal Circulation

PubMed Central

Teske, Andreas; de Beer, Dirk; McKay, Luke J.; Tivey, Margaret K.; Biddle, Jennifer F.; Hoer, Daniel; Lloyd, Karen G.; Lever, Mark A.; Røy, Hans; Albert, Daniel B.; Mendlovitz, Howard P.; MacGregor, Barbara J.

2016-01-01

The hydrothermal mats, mounds, and chimneys of the southern Guaymas Basin are the surface expression of complex subsurface hydrothermal circulation patterns. In this overview, we document the most frequently visited features of this hydrothermal area with photographs, temperature measurements, and selected geochemical data; many of these distinct habitats await characterization of their microbial communities and activities. Microprofiler deployments on microbial mats and hydrothermal sediments show their steep geochemical and thermal gradients at millimeter-scale vertical resolution. Mapping these hydrothermal features and sampling locations within the southern Guaymas Basin suggest linkages to underlying shallow sills and heat flow gradients. Recognizing the inherent spatial limitations of much current Guaymas Basin sampling calls for comprehensive surveys of the wider spreading region. PMID:26925032

Human Caring in the Social Work Context: Continued Development and Validation of a Complex Measure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellis, Jacquelyn I.; Ellett, Alberta J.; DeWeaver, Kevin

2007-01-01

Objectives: (a) to continue the development of a measure of human caring in the context of social work practice and (b) to expand a line of inquiry exploring the relationship between human caring characteristics and the retention of public child welfare workers. Methodology: Surveys were received from a sample (n = 786) child welfare workers in…

Comparison of Efficiency of Jackknife and Variance Component Estimators of Standard Errors. Program Statistics Research. Technical Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Longford, Nicholas T.

Large scale surveys usually employ a complex sampling design and as a consequence, no standard methods for estimation of the standard errors associated with the estimates of population means are available. Resampling methods, such as jackknife or bootstrap, are often used, with reference to their properties of robustness and reduction of bias. A…

Defining and Assessing Parent Empowerment and Its Relationship to Academic Achievement Using the National Household Education Survey: A Focus on Marginalized Parents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Jungnam

2012-01-01

Marginalized parents experience multiple and complex challenges in terms of social isolation, exclusion, and powerlessness. This empirical study investigated the effects of parent empowerment on academic outcomes using a large national representative sample and should provide insights about the importance of parent empowerment in education and…

Perceived Social Relationships and Science Learning Outcomes for Taiwanese Eighth Graders: Structural Equation Modeling with a Complex Sampling Consideration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jen, Tsung-Hau; Lee, Che-Di; Chien, Chin-Lung; Hsu, Ying-Shao; Chen, Kuan-Ming

2013-01-01

Based on the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study 2007 study and a follow-up national survey, data for 3,901 Taiwanese grade 8 students were analyzed using structural equation modeling to confirm a social-relation-based affection-driven model (SRAM). SRAM hypothesized relationships among students' perceived social relationships in…

[Methodological design for the National Survey Violence Against Women in Mexico].

PubMed

Olaiz, Gustavo; Franco, Aurora; Palma, Oswaldo; Echarri, Carlos; Valdez, Rosario; Herrera, Cristina

2006-01-01

To describe the methodology, the research designs used, the estimation and sample selection, variable definitions, collection instruments, and operative design and analytical procedures for the National Survey Violence Against Women in Mexico. A complex (two-step) cross-sectional study was designed and the qualitative design was carried out using in-depth interviews and participant observation in health care units. We obtained for the quantitative study a total of 26 240 interviews in women users of health services and 2 636 questionnaires for health workers; the survey is representative of the 32 Mexican states. For the qualitative study 26 in-depth interviews were conducted with female users and 60 interviews with health workers in the States of Quintana Roo, Coahuila and the Federal District.

The profiles of students with significant cognitive disabilities and complex communication needs.

PubMed

Erickson, Karen A; Geist, Lori A

2016-09-01

Understanding the characteristics of students with complex communication needs and significant cognitive disabilities is an important first step toward creating the kinds of supports and services required to help them successfully access the general education curriculum, achieve grade-level standards, and improve overall communication competence. The First Contact Survey was designed to collect important information about students with significant cognitive disabilities who were eligible to take the Dynamic Learning Maps™ (DLM(®)) alternate assessment based on alternate achievement standards. From November 2012-May 2013, the survey was used to gather information regarding more than 44,787 students. At that time, the goal was to use the data to inform the development of the DLM assessment. Although the survey includes a wealth of information regarding this large sample of students, the reanalysis of the data reported in the current study focused on the motor, sensory, language, reading, and writing skills of students with significant cognitive disabilities, based on their speech production abilities. Significant differences were identified across each of the domains between students who do and do not use speech with or without aided augmentative and alternative communication.

Photometric survey and taxonomic identifications of 92 near-Earth asteroids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Chien-Hsien; Ip, Wing-Huen; Lin, Zhong-Yi; Cheng, Yu-Chi; Lin, Hsing-Wen; Chang, Chan-Kao

2018-03-01

A photometric survey of near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) was conducted from 2012 through 2014 at Lulin Observatory, Taiwan. The measurements of the color indices, B-V, V-R, and V-I allow the classification of 92 NEAs into seven taxonomic types. Of these samples, 39 of them are new classifications. The fractional abundances of these taxonomic complexes are: A ∼3%, C∼6.5%, D∼8%, Q∼26%, S∼37%, V∼6.5%, and X∼13%. This result is similar to that of Thomas et al. (2011) even though the populations of the D- and X-complex with low albedos are under-represented. The ratio of the C-cluster to the total population of S + C clusters are 0.22 ± 0.06 for H ≤ 17.0 and 0.31 ± 0.06 for H > 17.0, indicating a slightly higher fraction of dark-object population with sizes smaller than 1 km.

Antecedents of Psychological Contract Breach: The Role of Job Demands, Job Resources, and Affect

PubMed Central

Vantilborgh, Tim; Bidee, Jemima; Pepermans, Roland; Griep, Yannick; Hofmans, Joeri

2016-01-01

While it has been shown that psychological contract breach leads to detrimental outcomes, relatively little is known about factors leading to perceptions of breach. We examine if job demands and resources predict breach perceptions. We argue that perceiving high demands elicits negative affect, while perceiving high resources stimulates positive affect. Positive and negative affect, in turn, influence the likelihood that psychological contract breaches are perceived. We conducted two experience sampling studies to test our hypotheses: the first using daily surveys in a sample of volunteers, the second using weekly surveys in samples of volunteers and paid employees. Our results confirm that job demands and resources are associated with negative and positive affect respectively. Mediation analyses revealed that people who experienced high job resources were less likely to report psychological contract breach, because they experienced high levels of positive affect. The mediating role of negative affect was more complex, as it increased the likelihood to perceive psychological contract breach, but only in the short-term. PMID:27171275

Antecedents of Psychological Contract Breach: The Role of Job Demands, Job Resources, and Affect.

PubMed

Vantilborgh, Tim; Bidee, Jemima; Pepermans, Roland; Griep, Yannick; Hofmans, Joeri

2016-01-01

While it has been shown that psychological contract breach leads to detrimental outcomes, relatively little is known about factors leading to perceptions of breach. We examine if job demands and resources predict breach perceptions. We argue that perceiving high demands elicits negative affect, while perceiving high resources stimulates positive affect. Positive and negative affect, in turn, influence the likelihood that psychological contract breaches are perceived. We conducted two experience sampling studies to test our hypotheses: the first using daily surveys in a sample of volunteers, the second using weekly surveys in samples of volunteers and paid employees. Our results confirm that job demands and resources are associated with negative and positive affect respectively. Mediation analyses revealed that people who experienced high job resources were less likely to report psychological contract breach, because they experienced high levels of positive affect. The mediating role of negative affect was more complex, as it increased the likelihood to perceive psychological contract breach, but only in the short-term.

Use of the internet to study the utility values of the public.

PubMed Central

Lenert, Leslie A.; Sturley, Ann E.

2002-01-01

One of the most difficult tasks in cost-effectiveness analysis is the measurement of quality weights (utilities) for health states. The task is difficult because subjects often lack familiarity with health states they are asked to rate and because utilities measures such as the standard gamble, ask subjects to perform tasks that are complex and far from everyday experience. A large body of research suggests that computer methods can play an important role in explaining health states and measuring utilities. However, administering computer surveys to a "general public" sample, the most relevant sample for cost-effectiveness analysis, is logistically difficult. In this paper, we describe a software system designed to allow the study of general population preferences in a volunteer Internet survey panel. The approach, which relied on over sampling of ethnic groups and older members of the panel, produced a data set with an ethnically, chronologically and geographically diverse group of respondents, but was not successful in replicating the joint distribution of demographic patterns in the population. PMID:12463862

U.S. Geological Survey applied research studies of the Cheyenne River system, South Dakota; description and collation of data, water years 1985-86

USGS Publications Warehouse

Goddard, Kimball E.

1988-01-01

The Cheyenne River system in Western South Dakota has been impacted by the discharge of about 100 million metric tons of gold-mill tailings to Whitewood Creek near Lead, South Dakota. In April 1985, the U.S. Geological Survey initiated an extensive series of research studies to investigate the magnitude of the impact and to define important processes acting on the contaminated sediments present in the system. The report presents all data collected during the 1985 and 1986 water years for these research studies. Some of the data included have been published previously. Hydrologic, geochemical, and biologic data are available for sites on Whitewood Creek, the Belle Fourche and Cheyenne Rivers, and for the Cheyenne River arm of Lake Oahe. Data complexity varies from routine discharge and water quality to very complex photon-correlation spectroscopy and energy-dispersive x-ray analysis. Methods for sample collection, handling and preservation, and laboratory analysis are also presented. No interpretations or complex statistical summaries are included. (USGS)

Mail merge can be used to create personalized questionnaires in complex surveys.

PubMed

Taljaard, Monica; Chaudhry, Shazia Hira; Brehaut, Jamie C; Weijer, Charles; Grimshaw, Jeremy M

2015-10-16

Low response rates and inadequate question comprehension threaten the validity of survey results. We describe a simple procedure to implement personalized-as opposed to generically worded-questionnaires in the context of a complex web-based survey of corresponding authors of a random sample of 300 published cluster randomized trials. The purpose of the survey was to gather more detailed information about informed consent procedures used in the trial, over and above basic information provided in the trial report. We describe our approach-which allowed extensive personalization without the need for specialized computer technology-and discuss its potential application in similar settings. The mail merge feature of standard word processing software was used to generate unique, personalized questionnaires for each author by incorporating specific information from the article, including naming the randomization unit (e.g., family practice, school, worksite), and identifying specific individuals who may have been considered research participants at the cluster level (family doctors, teachers, employers) and individual level (patients, students, employees) in questions regarding informed consent procedures in the trial. The response rate was relatively high (64%, 182/285) and did not vary significantly by author, publication, or study characteristics. The refusal rate was low (7%). While controlled studies are required to examine the specific effects of our approach on comprehension, quality of responses, and response rates, we showed how mail merge can be used as a simple but useful tool to add personalized fields to complex survey questionnaires, or to request additional information required from study authors. One potential application is in eliciting specific information about published articles from study authors when conducting systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

Microgravity Testing of a Surface Sampling System for Sample Return from Small Solar System Bodies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Franzen, M. A.; Preble, J.; Schoenoff, M.; Halona, K.; Long, T. E.; Park, T.; Sears, D. W. G.

2004-01-01

The return of samples from solar system bodies is becoming an essential element of solar system exploration. The recent National Research Council Solar System Exploration Decadal Survey identified six sample return missions as high priority missions: South-Aitken Basin Sample Return, Comet Surface Sample Return, Comet Surface Sample Return-sample from selected surface sites, Asteroid Lander/Rover/Sample Return, Comet Nucleus Sample Return-cold samples from depth, and Mars Sample Return [1] and the NASA Roadmap also includes sample return missions [2] . Sample collection methods that have been flown on robotic spacecraft to date return subgram quantities, but many scientific issues (like bulk composition, particle size distributions, petrology, chronology) require tens to hundreds of grams of sample. Many complex sample collection devices have been proposed, however, small robotic missions require simplicity. We present here the results of experiments done with a simple but innovative collection system for sample return from small solar system bodies.

On Galactic Density Modeling in the Presence of Dust Extinction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bovy, Jo; Rix, Hans-Walter; Green, Gregory M.; Schlafly, Edward F.; Finkbeiner, Douglas P.

2016-02-01

Inferences about the spatial density or phase-space structure of stellar populations in the Milky Way require a precise determination of the effective survey volume. The volume observed by surveys such as Gaia or near-infrared spectroscopic surveys, which have good coverage of the Galactic midplane region, is highly complex because of the abundant small-scale structure in the three-dimensional interstellar dust extinction. We introduce a novel framework for analyzing the importance of small-scale structure in the extinction. This formalism demonstrates that the spatially complex effect of extinction on the selection function of a pencil-beam or contiguous sky survey is equivalent to a low-pass filtering of the extinction-affected selection function with the smooth density field. We find that the angular resolution of current 3D extinction maps is sufficient for analyzing Gaia sub-samples of millions of stars. However, the current distance resolution is inadequate and needs to be improved by an order of magnitude, especially in the inner Galaxy. We also present a practical and efficient method for properly taking the effect of extinction into account in analyses of Galactic structure through an effective selection function. We illustrate its use with the selection function of red-clump stars in APOGEE using and comparing a variety of current 3D extinction maps.

Comparing two remote video survey methods for spatial predictions of the distribution and environmental niche suitability of demersal fishes.

PubMed

Galaiduk, Ronen; Radford, Ben T; Wilson, Shaun K; Harvey, Euan S

2017-12-15

Information on habitat associations from survey data, combined with spatial modelling, allow the development of more refined species distribution modelling which may identify areas of high conservation/fisheries value and consequentially improve conservation efforts. Generalised additive models were used to model the probability of occurrence of six focal species after surveys that utilised two remote underwater video sampling methods (i.e. baited and towed video). Models developed for the towed video method had consistently better predictive performance for all but one study species although only three models had a good to fair fit, and the rest were poor fits, highlighting the challenges associated with modelling habitat associations of marine species in highly homogenous, low relief environments. Models based on baited video dataset regularly included large-scale measures of structural complexity, suggesting fish attraction to a single focus point by bait. Conversely, models based on the towed video data often incorporated small-scale measures of habitat complexity and were more likely to reflect true species-habitat relationships. The cost associated with use of the towed video systems for surveying low-relief seascapes was also relatively low providing additional support for considering this method for marine spatial ecological modelling.

Microfluidic-Mass Spectrometry Interfaces for Translational Proteomics.

PubMed

Pedde, R Daniel; Li, Huiyan; Borchers, Christoph H; Akbari, Mohsen

2017-10-01

Interfacing mass spectrometry (MS) with microfluidic chips (μchip-MS) holds considerable potential to transform a clinician's toolbox, providing translatable methods for the early detection, diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of noncommunicable diseases by streamlining and integrating laborious sample preparation workflows on high-throughput, user-friendly platforms. Overcoming the limitations of competitive immunoassays - currently the gold standard in clinical proteomics - μchip-MS can provide unprecedented access to complex proteomic assays having high sensitivity and specificity, but without the labor, costs, and complexities associated with conventional MS sample processing. This review surveys recent μchip-MS systems for clinical applications and examines their emerging role in streamlining the development and translation of MS-based proteomic assays by alleviating many of the challenges that currently inhibit widespread clinical adoption. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Seafloor geology and benthic habitats, San Pedro Shelf, southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wong, Florence L.; Dartnell, Peter; Edwards, Brian D.; Phillips, Eleyne L.

2012-01-01

Seafloor samples, videography, still photography, and real-time descriptions of geologic and biologic constituents at or near the seafloor of the San Pedro Shelf, southern California, advance the study of natural and man-made processes on this coastal area off the metropolitan Los Angeles area. Multibeam echo-sounder data collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in 1998 and 1999 guided sampling and camera work in 2004 resulting in a new seafloor character map that shows possible benthic habitats in much higher resolution (4- and 16-m pixels) than previously available. The seafloor is characterized by primarily muddy sand and sand with outcrops of Miocene and Pliocene bedrock along the Palos Verdes Fault Zone. Observed benthic populations indicate low abiotic complexity, low biotic complexity, and low biotic coverage. The data are provided for use in geographic information systems (GIS).

Family Structure and Child Well-Being: Integrating Family Complexity

PubMed Central

Brown, Susan L.; Manning, Wendy D.; Stykes, J. Bart

2014-01-01

Although children’s family lives are diverse, the measurement of children’s living arrangements has lagged, focusing on the relationships of children to parents while largely ignoring sibling composition. Using data from the 2008 Survey of Income and Program Participation (N = 23,985) the authors documented patterns of family complexity among a nationally representative sample of children ages 0–17 living in a range of family structures. They also examined the independent and joint associations of family structure and family complexity on child economic well-being. Family complexity was independently related to economic disadvantage, namely, a lower income-to-needs ratio and a higher likelihood of public assistance receipt. The role of family complexity was partially contingent on family structure, with the positive association between family complexity and receipt of public assistance more pronounced for children in families with 2 married biological parents. This study demonstrates the utility of integrating family structure and family complexity in studies of children’s well-being. PMID:25620810

A Principle Component Analysis of Galaxy Properties from a Large, Gas-Selected Sample

DOE PAGES

Chang, Yu-Yen; Chao, Rikon; Wang, Wei-Hao; ...

2012-01-01

Disney emore » t al. (2008) have found a striking correlation among global parameters of H i -selected galaxies and concluded that this is in conflict with the CDM model. Considering the importance of the issue, we reinvestigate the problem using the principal component analysis on a fivefold larger sample and additional near-infrared data. We use databases from the Arecibo Legacy Fast Arecibo L -band Feed Array Survey for the gas properties, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey for the optical properties, and the Two Micron All Sky Survey for the near-infrared properties. We confirm that the parameters are indeed correlated where a single physical parameter can explain 83% of the variations. When color ( g - i ) is included, the first component still dominates but it develops a second principal component. In addition, the near-infrared color ( i - J ) shows an obvious second principal component that might provide evidence of the complex old star formation. Based on our data, we suggest that it is premature to pronounce the failure of the CDM model and it motivates more theoretical work.« less

Poly-Tobacco Use among High School Students

PubMed Central

Kowitt, Sarah D.; Patel, Tanha; Ranney, Leah M.; Huang, Li-Ling; Sutfin, Erin L.; Goldstein, Adam O.

2015-01-01

Although cigarette use by adolescents is declining, emerging tobacco products are becoming increasingly popular and youth may use more than one type of tobacco product. The purposes of this study were: (1) to assess patterns of poly-tobacco use among a representative sample of high school students and (2) to determine how beliefs correlate with poly-tobacco use. Data came from the 2013 North Carolina Youth Tobacco Survey (n = 4092). SAS logistic regression survey procedures were used to account for the complex survey design and sampling weights. Among all high school students in NC in 2013, 29.7% reported current any tobacco use, with 19.1% reporting current poly-tobacco use, and 10.6% reporting current use of only one product. Among poly-tobacco users, 59.3% reported that one of the products they currently used was cigarettes. Positive tobacco product beliefs were found to be significantly associated with poly-tobacco use. Communication campaigns, policy efforts, and future research are needed for prevention, regulation, and control of poly-tobacco use among adolescents, which represents a significant public health problem. PMID:26580636

Occurrence and impact of xerostomia among dentate adult New Zealanders: findings from a national survey.

PubMed

Benn, A M L; Broadbent, J M; Thomson, W M

2015-09-01

We investigated the prevalence, associations and impact of xerostomia in a nationally representative sample of dentate adult community-dwelling New Zealanders aged 18 years and over. The data were collected from a representative sample of 2209 adults, as part of the 2009 New Zealand Oral Health Survey (NZOHS). Data were collected using face-to-face interviews, dental examinations and the short-form Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14). Data analysis used appropriate weighting for all procedures to account for the complex survey design. The overall prevalence estimate for xerostomia was 13.1% (95% CI 11.7, 14.7), and it was more common among females. Those in the 75+  and 25-34 age groups were more likely (odds ratios of 6.5 and 4.0, respectively) to have xerostomia. After controlling for sociodemographic characteristics and clinical oral disease, the mean OHIP-14 score among xerostomics was 50% higher than among those who did not have the condition. These data indicate that xerostomia is a common condition which can affect quality of life among people of all ages. © 2015 Australian Dental Association.

Locomotor disability: meaning, causes and effects of interventions.

PubMed

Ebrahim, Shah; Adamson, Joy; Ayis, Salma; Beswick, Andrew; Gooberman-Hill, Rachael

2008-10-01

This paper provides a synopsis of a long-term programme of MRC-funded work on locomotor disability in older people. Specifically it describes the meaning and experience of disability, examines the risk factors for disability and systematically reviews the evidence from randomized trials of complex interventions for disability. We undertook a national prospective study of a representative sample of 999 people aged 65 years or more plus in-depth interviews with a small subsample and a selected sample obtained from hospital sources. Secondary analysis of several large prospective studies was carried out and a systematic review and meta-analysis of published randomized controlled trials of the effects of complex interventions for disability. Very few participants subscribed to the constructs of longstanding illness, disability or infirmity that surveys often use. A wide range of social and psychological factors, independently of chronic diseases, were strongly associated with disability. People with greater functional reserve capacity and those with greater self-efficacy were generally less likely to suffer from catastrophic decline in ability and had better quality of life in the face of disability. In reviewing 89 trials (over 97,000 participants) of complex interventions for disability, evidence of benefits was found although no relationship with intensity of intervention was apparent. Our findings on the meaning and experience of disability suggest the need for modifications to routinely used survey questions and for different ways of understanding the need for and receipt of care among older people with disabilities. The diverse risk factors for disability suggest that novel approaches across social, psychological as well as more traditional rehabilitation and behavioural risk factor modification would be worth exploring. Complex interventions appeared to help older people to live independently and limit functional decline irrespective of age and health status.

Horvitz-Thompson survey sample methods for estimating large-scale animal abundance

USGS Publications Warehouse

Samuel, M.D.; Garton, E.O.

1994-01-01

Large-scale surveys to estimate animal abundance can be useful for monitoring population status and trends, for measuring responses to management or environmental alterations, and for testing ecological hypotheses about abundance. However, large-scale surveys may be expensive and logistically complex. To ensure resources are not wasted on unattainable targets, the goals and uses of each survey should be specified carefully and alternative methods for addressing these objectives always should be considered. During survey design, the impoflance of each survey error component (spatial design, propofiion of detected animals, precision in detection) should be considered carefully to produce a complete statistically based survey. Failure to address these three survey components may produce population estimates that are inaccurate (biased low), have unrealistic precision (too precise) and do not satisfactorily meet the survey objectives. Optimum survey design requires trade-offs in these sources of error relative to the costs of sampling plots and detecting animals on plots, considerations that are specific to the spatial logistics and survey methods. The Horvitz-Thompson estimators provide a comprehensive framework for considering all three survey components during the design and analysis of large-scale wildlife surveys. Problems of spatial and temporal (especially survey to survey) heterogeneity in detection probabilities have received little consideration, but failure to account for heterogeneity produces biased population estimates. The goal of producing unbiased population estimates is in conflict with the increased variation from heterogeneous detection in the population estimate. One solution to this conflict is to use an MSE-based approach to achieve a balance between bias reduction and increased variation. Further research is needed to develop methods that address spatial heterogeneity in detection, evaluate the effects of temporal heterogeneity on survey objectives and optimize decisions related to survey bias and variance. Finally, managers and researchers involved in the survey design process must realize that obtaining the best survey results requires an interactive and recursive process of survey design, execution, analysis and redesign. Survey refinements will be possible as further knowledge is gained on the actual abundance and distribution of the population and on the most efficient techniques for detection animals.

Enantioselective determination by capillary electrophoresis with cyclodextrins as chiral selectors.

PubMed

Fanali, S

2000-04-14

This review surveys the separation of enantiomers by capillary electrophoresis using cyclodextrins as chiral selector. Cyclodextrins or their derivatives have been widely employed for the direct chiral resolution of a wide number of enantiomers, mainly of pharmaceutical interest, selected examples are reported in the tables. For method optimisation, several parameters influencing the enantioresolution, e.g., cyclodextrin type and concentration, buffer pH and composition, presence of organic solvents or complexing additives in the buffer were considered and discussed. Finally, selected applications to real samples such as pharmaceutical formulations, biological and medical samples are also discussed.

Effects of personal and occupational stress on injuries in a young, physically active population: a survey of military personnel.

PubMed

Bedno, Sheryl; Hauret, Keith; Loringer, Kelly; Kao, Tzu-Cheg; Mallon, Timothy; Jones, Bruce

2014-11-01

The aim of this study was to document risk factors for any injury and sports- and exercise-related injuries, including personal and occupational stress among active duty service members (SMs) in the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, and Navy. A total of 10,692 SMs completed the April 2008 Status of Forces Survey of Active Duty Members. The survey asked about demographics, personal stress and occupational stress, injuries from any cause, and participation in sports- and exercise- related activities in the past year. The survey used a complex sampling procedure to create a representative sample of SMs. Logistic regression was used to examine the associations of injury outcomes with potential risk factors. 49% of SMs sought medical care for an injury in the past year and 25% sustained a sports- and exercise-related activities injury. Odds of injury were higher for the Army and Marine Corps than for the Air Force or Navy. This survey showed that higher personal and occupational stress was associated with higher risks of injury. SMs who experienced higher levels of personal or occupational stress reported higher risks of injuries. The effects of stress reduction programs on injury risks should be evaluated in military and other young physically active populations. Reprint & Copyright © 2014 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: JCMT Gould Belt Survey: W40 complex (Rumble+, 2016)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rumble, D.; Hatchell, J.; Pattle, K.; Kirk, H.; Wilson, T.; Buckle, J.; Berry, D. S.; Broekhoven-Fiene, H.; Currie, M. J.; Fich, M.; Jenness, T.; Johnstone, D.; Mottram, J. C.; Nutter, D.; Pineda, J. E.; Quinn, C.; Salji, C.; Tisi, S.; Walker-Smith, S.; di, Francesco J.; Hogerheijde, M. R.; Ward-Thompson, D.; Bastien, P.; Bresnahan, D.; Butner, H.; Chen, M.; Chrysostomou, A.; Coude, S.; Davis, C. J.; Drabek-Maunder, E.; Duarte-Cabral, A.; Fiege, J.; Friberg, P.; Friesen, R.; Fuller, G. A.; Graves, S.; Greaves, J.; Gregson, J.; Holland, W.; Joncas, G.; Kirk, J. M.; Knee, L. B. G.; Mairs, S.; Marsh, K.; Matthews, B. C.; Moriarty-Schieven, G.; Mowat, C.; Rawlings, J.; Richer, J.; Robertson, D.; Rosolowsky, E.; Sadavoy, S.; Thomas, H.; Tothill, N.; Viti, S.; White, G. J.; Wouterloot, J.; Yates, J.; Zhu, M.

2017-11-01

Aquila was observed with SCUBA-2 (Holland et al., 2013MNRAS.430.2513H) between 2012 April 21 and July 5 as part of the JCMT GBS MJLSG33 SCUBA-2 Serpens Campaign. Four separate fully sampled 30 arcmin diameter circular continuum observations (PONG1800 mapping mode) were taken simultaneously at 850um and 450um, and subsequently combined into mosaics. (3 data files).

State-Of in Uav Remote Sensing Survey - First Insights Into Applications of Uav Sensing Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aasen, H.

2017-08-01

UAVs are increasingly adapted as remote sensing platforms. Together with specialized sensors, they become powerful sensing systems for environmental monitoring and surveying. Spectral data has great capabilities to the gather information about biophysical and biochemical properties. Still, capturing meaningful spectral data in a reproducible way is not trivial. Since a couple of years small and lightweight spectral sensors, which can be carried on small flexible platforms, have become available. With their adaption in the community, the responsibility to ensure the quality of the data is increasingly shifted from specialized companies and agencies to individual researchers or research teams. Due to the complexity of the data acquisition of spectral data, this poses a challenge for the community and standardized protocols, metadata and best practice procedures are needed to make data intercomparable. In November 2016, the ESSEM COST action Innovative optical Tools for proximal sensing of ecophysiological processes (OPTIMISE; http://optimise.dcs.aber.ac.uk/) held a workshop on best practices for UAV spectral sampling. The objective of this meeting was to trace the way from particle to pixel and identify influences on the data quality / reliability, to figure out how well we are currently doing with spectral sampling from UAVs and how we can improve. Additionally, a survey was designed to be distributed within the community to get an overview over the current practices and raise awareness for the topic. This talk will introduce the approach of the OPTIMISE community towards best practises in UAV spectral sampling and present first results of the survey (http://optimise.dcs.aber.ac.uk/uav-survey/). This contribution briefly introduces the survey and gives some insights into the first results given by the interviewees.

Assessing angler effort, catch, and harvest and the efficacy of a use-estimation system on a multi-lake fishery in middle Georgia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Roop, Hunter J.; Poudyal, Neelam C.; Jennings, Cecil A.

2018-01-01

Creel surveys are valuable tools in recreational fisheries management. However, multiple‐impoundment fisheries of complex spatial structure can complicate survey designs and pose logistical challenges for management agencies. Marben Public Fishing Area in Mansfield, GA is a multi‐impoundment fishery with many access points, and these features prevent or complicate use of traditional on‐site contact methods such as standard roving‐ or access‐point designs because many anglers may be missed during the survey process. Therefore, adaptation of a traditional survey method is often required for sampling this special case of multi‐lake fisheries to develop an accurate fishery profile. Accordingly, a modified non‐uniform probability roving creel survey was conducted at the Marben PFA during 2013 to estimate fishery characteristics relating to fishing effort, catch, and fish harvest. Monthly fishing effort averaged 7,523 angler‐hours (h) (SD = 5,956) and ranged from 1,301 h (SD = 562) in December to 21,856 h (SD = 5909) in May. A generalized linear mixed model was used to determine that angler catch and harvest rates were significantly higher in the spring and summer (all p < 0.05) than in the other seasons, but did not vary by fishing location. Our results demonstrate the utility of modifying existing creel methodology for monitoring small, spatially complex, intensely managed impoundments that support quality recreational fisheries and provide a template for the assessment and management of similar regional fisheries.

Management Strategies for Vitamin K Antagonists Reversal in Patients With Major Bleeding: A Survey of Italian Emergency Departments.

PubMed

Bernardi, Enrico; Imberti, Davide; Ferrari, Annamaria

2017-01-01

Emergency physicians frequently deal with patients on vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) suffering major bleeding events, and rapid reversal of anticoagulation in this setting is of paramount importance. In Italy, given the absence of specific national guidelines, local policies are likely to differ, possibly impacting on clinical outcomes. We decided to perform a telephone survey among Italian emergency physicians to evaluate management strategies for VKAs reversal in patients with major bleeding. We conducted a computer-assisted, 10-minute telephone survey of 15 questions, focusing on the local prevalence, assessment, and management strategies of major and intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) occurring in patients on VKAs. We planned to interview a sample of 320 Italian emergency physicians. Institutions from all geographic areas of Italy were to participate in the survey. Of the 320 physicians contacted, 150 (47%) completed the survey, 95% being employed in public hospitals. Focusing on ICH, only 29% of the responders stated they would reverse anticoagulation irrespective of the international normalized ratio value, and only 27% would use prothrombin-complex concentrate as first-line agent. In patients needing urgent neurosurgical operation, less than 50% would administer prothrombin-complex concentrate before surgery. The average knowledge of management strategies for reversal of anticoagulation displayed by Italian emergency physicians appears to be unsatisfactory. The need for an extensive educational program and for the implementation of specific guidelines, possibly endorsed by Scientific Societies, cannot be underemphasized. © The Author(s) 2015.

The RMS survey: galactic distribution of massive star formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urquhart, J. S.; Figura, C. C.; Moore, T. J. T.; Hoare, M. G.; Lumsden, S. L.; Mottram, J. C.; Thompson, M. A.; Oudmaijer, R. D.

2014-01-01

We have used the well-selected sample of ˜1750 embedded, young, massive stars identified by the Red MSX Source (RMS) survey to investigate the Galactic distribution of recent massive star formation. We present molecular line observations for ˜800 sources without existing radial velocities. We describe the various methods used to assign distances extracted from the literature and solve the distance ambiguities towards approximately 200 sources located within the solar circle using archival H I data. These distances are used to calculate bolometric luminosities and estimate the survey completeness (˜2 × 104 L⊙). In total, we calculate the distance and luminosity of ˜1650 sources, one third of which are above the survey's completeness threshold. Examination of the sample's longitude, latitude, radial velocities and mid-infrared images has identified ˜120 small groups of sources, many of which are associated with well-known star formation complexes, such as G305, G333, W31, W43, W49 and W51. We compare the positional distribution of the sample with the expected locations of the spiral arms, assuming a model of the Galaxy consisting of four gaseous arms. The distribution of young massive stars in the Milky Way is spatially correlated with the spiral arms, with strong peaks in the source position and luminosity distributions at the arms' Galactocentric radii. The overall source and luminosity surface densities are both well correlated with the surface density of the molecular gas, which suggests that the massive star formation rate per unit molecular mass is approximately constant across the Galaxy. A comparison of the distribution of molecular gas and the young massive stars to that in other nearby spiral galaxies shows similar radial dependences. We estimate the total luminosity of the embedded massive star population to be ˜0.76 × 108 L⊙, 30 per cent of which is associated with the 10 most active star-forming complexes. We measure the scaleheight as a function of the Galactocentric distance and find that it increases only modestly from ˜20-30 pc between 4 and 8 kpc, but much more rapidly at larger distances.

A GALEX-BASED SEARCH FOR THE SPARSE YOUNG STELLAR POPULATION IN THE TAURUS-AURIGAE STAR FORMING REGION

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

Gómez de Castro, Ana I.; Lopez-Santiago, Javier; López-Martínez, Fatima

2015-02-01

In this work, we identify 63 bona fide new candidates to T Tauri stars (TTSs) in the Taurus-Auriga region, using its ultraviolet excess as our baseline. The initial data set was defined from the GALEX all sky survey (AIS). The GALEX satellite obtained images in the near-ultraviolet (NUV) and far-ultraviolet (FUV) bands where TTSs show a prominent excess compared with main-sequence or giants stars. GALEX AIS surveyed the Taurus-Auriga molecular complex, as well as a fraction of the California Nebula and the Perseus complex; bright sources and dark clouds were avoided. The properties of TTSs in the ultraviolet (GALEX), opticalmore » (UCAC4), and infrared (2MASS) have been defined using the TTSs observed with the International Ultraviolet Explorer reference sample. The candidates were identified by means of a mixed ultraviolet-optical-infrared excess set of colors; we found that the FUV-NUV versus J–K color-color diagram is ideally suited for this purpose. From an initial sample of 163,313 bona fide NUV sources, a final list of 63 new candidates to TTSs in the region was produced. The search procedure has been validated by its ability to detect all known TTSs in the area surveyed: 31 TTSs. Also, we show that the weak-lined TTSs are located in a well-defined stripe in the FUV-NUV versus J–K diagram. Moreover, in this work, we provide a list of TTSs photometric standards for future GALEX-based studies of the young stellar population in star forming regions.« less

Vertical Accuracy Evaluation of Aster GDEM2 Over a Mountainous Area Based on Uav Photogrammetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Y.; Qu, Y.; Guo, D.; Cui, T.

2018-05-01

Global digital elevation models (GDEM) provide elementary information on heights of the Earth's surface and objects on the ground. GDEMs have become an important data source for a range of applications. The vertical accuracy of a GDEM is critical for its applications. Nowadays UAVs has been widely used for large-scale surveying and mapping. Compared with traditional surveying techniques, UAV photogrammetry are more convenient and more cost-effective. UAV photogrammetry produces the DEM of the survey area with high accuracy and high spatial resolution. As a result, DEMs resulted from UAV photogrammetry can be used for a more detailed and accurate evaluation of the GDEM product. This study investigates the vertical accuracy (in terms of elevation accuracy and systematic errors) of the ASTER GDEM Version 2 dataset over a complex terrain based on UAV photogrammetry. Experimental results show that the elevation errors of ASTER GDEM2 are in normal distribution and the systematic error is quite small. The accuracy of the ASTER GDEM2 coincides well with that reported by the ASTER validation team. The accuracy in the research area is negatively correlated to both the slope of the terrain and the number of stereo observations. This study also evaluates the vertical accuracy of the up-sampled ASTER GDEM2. Experimental results show that the accuracy of the up-sampled ASTER GDEM2 data in the research area is not significantly reduced by the complexity of the terrain. The fine-grained accuracy evaluation of the ASTER GDEM2 is informative for the GDEM-supported UAV photogrammetric applications.

Association between edentulism and angina pectoris in Mexican adults aged 35 years and older: a multivariate analysis of a population-based survey.

PubMed

Medina-Solís, Carlo Eduardo; Pontigo-Loyola, América Patricia; Pérez-Campos, Eduardo; Hernández-Cruz, Pedro; Ávila-Burgos, Leticia; Kowolik, Michael J; Maupomé, Gerardo

2014-03-01

The possible association between oral infection and chronic inflammation and cardiovascular disease risk has been studied intensively. The present study is designed to determine the strength of association between edentulism and angina pectoris in Mexican adults aged 35 years and older. Using the tools and sampling strategies of the World Health Survey of the World Health Organization, cross-sectional data were collected in Mexico in the National Performance Assessment Survey (probabilistic, multistage, and cluster sampling). Dental information was available for 20 of the 32 states of Mexico. Angina and edentulism are self-reported in this study. Statistical analysis was performed using binary logistic regression adjusting for complex samples. A total of 13,966 participants, representing a population of 29,853,607 individuals, were included. Of the complete study population, 3,052,263 (10.2%) were completely toothless, and 673,810 (2.3%) were diagnosed with angina pectoris. After adjusting for smoking, alcohol consumption, diabetes, body mass index, and sex, the effect of edentulism on angina was modified by age (interaction), being more marked in the younger age group (odds ratio [OR] = exp(2.5597) =12.93) than in the older individuals surveyed (OR = exp(2.5597 + (-0.0334)) =12.51). Additionally, low physical activity (OR = 1.51; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.03 to 2.22) and higher socioeconomic status (OR = 1.37; 95% CI = 1.00 to 1.90) were more likely to be associated with angina pectoris. Overall, the results of this study, conducted in a representative sample of Mexican adults, suggest that an association exists between edentulism and angina pectoris. Additional studies are necessary to elucidate the underlying mechanism for this association.

Community Clinicians and the Veterans Choice Program for PTSD Care: Understanding Provider Interest During Early Implementation.

PubMed

Finley, Erin P; Noël, Polly H; Mader, Michael; Haro, Elizabeth; Bernardy, Nancy; Rosen, Craig S; Bollinger, Mary; Garcia, Hector; Sherrieb, Kathleen; Pugh, Mary Jo V

2017-07-01

In 2014, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) implemented the Veterans Choice Program (VCP) to provide reimbursement for community-based care to eligible veterans. Inadequate networks of participating providers may impact the utility of VCP for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a complex condition occurring at lower frequency among civilians. To compare characteristics and attitudes of community-based primary care and mental health providers reporting interest or no interest in VCP participation during early implementation; and to examine perceptions and experiences of VCP among "early adopters." Cross-sectional surveys with 2 samples: a stratified random sample of mental health and primary care prescribers and psychotherapists drawn from state licensing boards (Community Sample); and a stratified random sample of prescribers and psychotherapists identified as VCP-authorized providers (VCP-Authorized). Five hundred fifty-three respondents in the Community Sample and 115 in the VCP-Authorized (total, n=668; 21.1% response). Surveys assessed provider and practice characteristics, attitudes to VA and VCP, and experiences and satisfaction with the VCP; an open-ended survey item assessed providers' reasons for interest or lack of interest in VCP participation. Few providers reported VCP participation during this period. Interest in VCP participation was associated across provider groups with factors including being a veteran and receiving VA reimbursement; currently providing treatment for PTSD was associated with interest in VCP participation among psychotherapists, but not prescribers. Developing networks of VCP providers to serve Veterans with PTSD is likely to require targeting more receptive provider groups, reducing barriers to participation, and more effectively communicating the value of VCP participation to providers.

A 3-year survey of Italian honey bee-collected pollen reveals widespread contamination by agricultural pesticides.

PubMed

Tosi, Simone; Costa, Cecilia; Vesco, Umberto; Quaglia, Giancarlo; Guido, Giovanni

2018-02-15

Honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) health is compromised by complex interactions between multiple stressors, among which pesticides play a major role. To better understand the extent of honey bee colonies' exposure to pesticides in time and space, we conducted a survey by collecting corbicular pollen from returning honey bee foragers in 53 Italian apiaries during the active beekeeping season of 3 subsequent years (2012-2014). Of 554 pollen samples analysed for pesticide residues, 62% contained at least one pesticide. The overall rate of multiresidual samples (38%) was higher than the rate of single pesticide samples (24%), reaching a maximum of 7 pesticides per sample (1%). Over 3years, 18 different pesticides were detected (10 fungicides and 8 insecticides) out of 66 analysed. Pesticide concentrations reached the level of concern for bee health (Hazard Quotient (HQ) higher than 1000) at least once in 13% of the apiaries and exceeded the thresholds of safety for human dietary intake (Acute Reference Dose (ARfD), the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI), and the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL)) in 39% of the analysis. The pesticide which was most frequently detected was the insecticide chlorpyrifos (30% of the samples overall, exceeding ARfD, ADI, or MRL in 99% of the positive ones), followed by the fungicides mandipropamid (19%), metalaxyl (16%), spiroxamine (15%), and the neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid (12%). Imidacloprid had also the highest HQ level (5054, with 12% of its positive samples with HQ higher than 1000). This 3year survey provides further insights on the contamination caused by agricultural pesticide use on honey bee colonies. Bee-collected pollen is shown to be a valuable tool for environmental monitoring, and for the detection of illegal uses of pesticides. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Prospective evaluation of a complex public health intervention: lessons from an initial and follow-up cross-sectional survey of the tuberculosis strain typing service in England.

PubMed

Mears, Jessica; Abubakar, Ibrahim; Crisp, Debbie; Maguire, Helen; Innes, John A; Lilley, Mike; Lord, Joanne; Cohen, Ted; Borgdorff, Martien W; Vynnycky, Emilia; McHugh, Timothy D; Sonnenberg, Pam

2014-10-02

The national tuberculosis strain typing service (TB-STS) was introduced in England in 2010. The TB-STS involves MIRU-VNTR typing of isolates from all TB patients for the prospective identification, reporting and investigation of TB strain typing clusters. As part of a mixed-method evaluation, we report on a repeated cross-sectional survey to illustrate the challenges surrounding the evaluation of a complex national public health intervention. An online initial and follow-up questionnaire survey assessed the knowledge, attitudes and practices of public health staff, physicians and nurses working in TB control in November 2010 and March 2012. It included questions on the implementation, experience and uptake of the TB-STS. Participants that responded to both surveys were included in the analysis. 248 participants responded to the initial survey and 137 of these responded to the follow-up survey (56% retention). Knowledge: A significant increase in knowledge was observed, including a rise in the proportion of respondents who had received training (28.6% to 67.9%, p = 0.003), and the self-rated knowledge of how to use strain typing had improved ('no knowledge' decreased from 43.2% to 27.4%). Attitudes: The majority of respondents found strain typing useful; the proportion that reported strain typing to be useful was similar across the two surveys (95.7% to 94.7%, p = 0.67). Practices: There were significant increases between the initial and follow-up surveys in the number of respondents who reported using strain typing (57.0% to 80.5%, p < 0.001) and the proportion of time health protection staff spent on investigating TB (2.74% to 7.08%, p = 0.04). Evaluation of a complex public health intervention is challenging. In this example, the immediate national roll-out of the TB-STS meant that a controlled survey design was not possible. This study informs the future development of the TB-STS by identifying the need for training to reach wider professional groups, and argues for its continuation based on service users' perception that it is useful. By highlighting the importance of a well-defined sampling frame, collecting baseline information, and including all stakeholders, it provides lessons for the implementation of similar services in other countries and future evaluations of public health interventions.

Very Low Food Security in US Households Is Predicted by Complex Patterns of Health, Economics, and Service Participation.

PubMed

Choi, Seul Ki; Fram, Maryah S; Frongillo, Edward A

2017-10-01

Background: Very low food security (VLFS) happens at the intersection of nuanced and complex patterns of risk characteristics across multiple domains. Little is known about the idiosyncratic situations that lead households to experience VLFS. Objective: We used classification and regression tree (CART) analysis, which can handle complex combinations of predictors, to identify patterns of characteristics that distinguish VLFS households in the United States from other households. Methods: Data came from 3 surveys, the 2011-2014 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), the 2005-2012 NHANES, and the 2002-2012 Current Population Survey (CPS), with sample participants aged ≥18 y and households with income <300% of the federal poverty line. Survey participants were stratified into households with children, adult-only households, and older-adult households (NHIS, CPS) or individuals aged 18-64 y and individuals aged ≥65 y (NHANES). Household food security was measured with the use of the 10-item US Adult Food Security Scale. Variables from multiple domains, including sociodemographic characteristics, health, health care, and participation in social welfare and food assistance programs, were considered as predictors. The 3 data sources were analyzed separately with the use of CART analysis. Results: Household experiences of VLFS were associated with different predictors for different types of households and often occurred at the intersection of multiple characteristics spanning unmet medical needs, poor health, disability, limitation, depressive symptoms, low income, and food assistance program participation. These predictors built complex trees with various combinations in different types of households. Conclusions: This study showed that multiple characteristics across multiple domains distinguished VLFS households. Flexible and nonlinear methods focusing on a wide range of risk characteristics should be used to identify VLFS households and to inform policies and programs that can address VLFS households' various needs. © 2017 American Society for Nutrition.

ON GALACTIC DENSITY MODELING IN THE PRESENCE OF DUST EXTINCTION

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

Bovy, Jo; Rix, Hans-Walter; Schlafly, Edward F.

Inferences about the spatial density or phase-space structure of stellar populations in the Milky Way require a precise determination of the effective survey volume. The volume observed by surveys such as Gaia or near-infrared spectroscopic surveys, which have good coverage of the Galactic midplane region, is highly complex because of the abundant small-scale structure in the three-dimensional interstellar dust extinction. We introduce a novel framework for analyzing the importance of small-scale structure in the extinction. This formalism demonstrates that the spatially complex effect of extinction on the selection function of a pencil-beam or contiguous sky survey is equivalent to amore » low-pass filtering of the extinction-affected selection function with the smooth density field. We find that the angular resolution of current 3D extinction maps is sufficient for analyzing Gaia sub-samples of millions of stars. However, the current distance resolution is inadequate and needs to be improved by an order of magnitude, especially in the inner Galaxy. We also present a practical and efficient method for properly taking the effect of extinction into account in analyses of Galactic structure through an effective selection function. We illustrate its use with the selection function of red-clump stars in APOGEE using and comparing a variety of current 3D extinction maps.« less

Molecular Analyzer for Complex Refractory Organic-Rich Surfaces (MACROS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Getty, Stephanie A.; Cook, Jamie E.; Balvin, Manuel; Brinckerhoff, William B.; Li, Xiang; Grubisic, Andrej; Cornish, Timothy; Ferrance, Jerome; Southard, Adrian

2017-01-01

The Molecular Analyzer for Complex Refractory Organic-rich Surfaces, MACROS, is a novel instrument package being developed at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. MACROS enables the in situ characterization of a sample's composition by coupling two powerful techniques into one compact instrument package: (1) laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LDMS) for broad detection of inorganic mineral composition and non-volatile organics, and (2) liquid-phase extraction methods to gently isolate the soluble organic and inorganic fraction of a planetary powder for enrichment and detailed analysis by liquid chromatographic separation coupled to LDMS. The LDMS is capable of positive and negative ion detection, precision mass selection, and fragment analysis. Two modes are included for LDMS: single laser LDMS as the broad survey mode and two step laser mass spectrometry (L2MS). The liquid-phase extraction will be done in a newly designed extraction module (EM) prototype, providing selectivity in the analysis of a complex sample. For the sample collection, a diamond drill front end will be used to collect rock/icy powder. With all these components and capabilities together, MACROS offers a versatile analytical instrument for a mission targeting an icy moon, carbonaceous asteroid, or comet, to fully characterize the surface composition and advance our understanding of the chemical inventory present on that body.

Chicxulub Impact Crater and Yucatan Carbonate Platform - PEMEX Oil Exploratory Wells Revisited

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pérez-Drago, G.; Gutierrez-Cirlos, A. G.; Pérez-Cruz, L.; Urrutia-Fucugauchi, J.

2008-12-01

Geophysical oil exploration surveys carried out by PEMEX in the 1940's revealed occurrence of an anomalous pattern of semi-circular concentric gravity anomalies. The Bouguer gravity anomalies covered an extensive area over the flat carbonate platform in the northwestern Yucatan Peninsula; strong density contrasts were suggestive of a buried igneous complex or basement uplift beneath the carbonates, which was referred as the Chicxulub structure. The exploration program carried out afterwards included a drilling program, starting with Chicxulub-1 well in 1952 and comprising eight deep boreholes through the 1970s. An aeromagnetic survey in late 1970's showed high amplitude anomalies in the gravity anomaly central sector. Thus, research showing Chicxulub as a large complex impact crater formed at the K/T boundary was built on the PEMEX decades-long exploration program. Despite frequent reference to PEMEX information and samples, original data and cores have not been openly available for detailed evaluation and integration with results from recent investigations. Core samples largely remain to be analyzed and interpreted in the context of recent marine, aerial and terrestrial geophysical surveys and the drilling/coring projects of UNAM and ICDP. In this presentation we report on the stratigraphy and paleontological data for PEMEX wells: Chicxulub- 1 (1582m), Sacapuc-1 (1530m), Yucatan-6 (1631m), Ticul-1 (3575m) Yucatan-4 (2398m), Yucatan-2 (3474m), Yucatan-5A (3003m) and Yucatan-1 (3221m). These wells remain the deepest drilled in Chicxulub, providing samples of impact lithologies, carbonate sequences and basement, which give information on post- and pre-impact stratigraphy and crystalline basement. We concentrate on stratigraphic columns, lateral correlations and integration with UNAM and ICDP borehole data. Current plans for deep drilling in Chicxulub crater target the peak ring and central sector, with offshore and onshore boreholes proposed to the IODP and ICDP programs.

Imaging the internal structure of fluid upflow zones with detailed digital Parasound echosounder surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spiess, V.; Zuehlsdorff, L.; von Lom-Keil, H.; Schwenk, T.

2001-12-01

Sites of venting fluids both with continuous and episodic supply often reveal complex surface and internal structures, which are difficult to image and cause problems to transfer results from local sampling towards a structural reconstruction and a quantification of (average) flux rates. Detailed acoustic and seismic surveys would be required to retrieve this information, but also an appropriate environment, where fluid migration can be properly imaged from contrasts to unaffected areas. Hemipelagic sediments are most suitable, since typically reflectors are coherent and of low lateral amplitude variation and structures are continuous over distances much longer than the scale of fluid migration features. During RV Meteor Cruise M473 and RV Sonne Cruise SO 149 detailed studies were carried out in the vicinity of potential fluid upflow zones in the Lower Congo Basin at 5oS in 3000 m water depth and at the Northern Cascadia Margin in 1000 m water depth. Unexpected sampling of massive gas hydrates from the sea floor as well as of carbonate concretions, shell fragments and different liveforms indicated active fluid venting in a typically hemipelagic realm. The acoustic signature of such zones includes columnar blanking, pockmark depressions at the sea floor, association with small offset faults (< 1m). A dedicated survey with closely spaced grid lines was carried out with the Parasound sediment echosounder (4 kHz), which data were digitally acquired with the ParaDigMA System for further processing and display, to image the spatial structure of the upflow zones. Due to the high data density amplitudes and other acoustic properties could be investigated in a 3D volume and time slices as well as reflector surfaces were analyzed. Pronounced lateral variations of reflection amplitudes within a complex pattern indicate potential pathways for fluid/gas migration and occurrences of near-surface gas hydrate deposits, which may be used to trace detailed surface evidence from side scan sonar imaging down to depth and support dedicated sampling.

Characterizing the bioactivity of complex environmental ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Bioassays can be employed to evaluate the integrated effects of complex mixtures of both known and unidentified contaminants present in environmental samples. However, such methods have typically focused on one or a few bioactivities despite the fact that the chemicals in a mixture may exhibit a wide range of activities. High throughput toxicology approaches that can rapidly screen samples for a broad diversity of biological activities offer a means to provide a more comprehensive characterization. To test this concept, twenty-four ambient water samples were collected, extracted, and screened for their ability to interact with or modulate over 80 different transcription factors using the Attagene subset of assays utilized by the US EPA’s ToxCast Program. Samples evaluated included water collected at five sites along a spatial gradient centered around a wastewater discharge into the Maumee River, Ohio, USA; 10 samples were collected in varying proximity to a wastewater discharge within the St. Louis River Area of Concern (AOC), MN; and eight samples were associated with a nation-wide US Geological Survey Mixture Study. Samples collected along the Maumee River showed a gradient response in the number of observed activities, ranging from three positive assay responses observed far upstream of discharge to seven positive responses in water from the mixing zone. TGFb signaling and the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activation were the biological activities obser

Using SEM to Analyze Complex Survey Data: A Comparison between Design-Based Single-Level and Model-Based Multilevel Approaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Jiun-Yu; Kwok, Oi-man

2012-01-01

Both ad-hoc robust sandwich standard error estimators (design-based approach) and multilevel analysis (model-based approach) are commonly used for analyzing complex survey data with nonindependent observations. Although these 2 approaches perform equally well on analyzing complex survey data with equal between- and within-level model structures…

HIV prevalence among men who have sex with men in Brazil: results of the 2nd national survey using respondent-driven sampling.

PubMed

Kerr, Ligia; Kendall, Carl; Guimarães, Mark Drew Crosland; Salani Mota, Rosa; Veras, Maria Amélia; Dourado, Inês; Maria de Brito, Ana; Merchan-Hamann, Edgar; Pontes, Alexandre Kerr; Leal, Andréa Fachel; Knauth, Daniela; Castro, Ana Rita Coimbra Motta; Macena, Raimunda Hermelinda Maia; Lima, Luana Nepomuceno Costa; Oliveira, Lisangela Cristina; Cavalcantee, Maria do Socorro; Benzaken, Adele Schwartz; Pereira, Gerson; Pimenta, Cristina; Pascom, Ana Roberta Pati; Bermudez, Ximena Pamela Diaz; Moreira, Regina Célia; Brígido, Luis Fernando Macedo; Camillo, Ana Cláudia; McFarland, Willi; Johnston, Lisa G

2018-05-01

This paper reports human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) prevalence in the 2nd National Biological and Behavioral Surveillance Survey (BBSS) among men who have sex with men (MSM) in 12 cities in Brazil using respondent-driven sampling (RDS).Following formative research, RDS was applied in 12 cities in the 5 macroregions of Brazil between June and December 2016 to recruit MSM for BBSS. The target sample size was 350 per city. Five to 6 seeds were initially selected to initiate recruitment and coupons and interviews were managed online. On-site rapid testing was used for HIV screening, and confirmed by a 2nd test. Participants were weighted using Gile estimator. Data from all 12 cities were merged and analyzed with Stata 14.0 complex survey data analysis tools in which each city was treated as its own strata. Missing data for those who did not test were imputed HIV+ if they reported testing positive before and were taking antiretroviral therapy.A total of 4176 men were recruited in the 12 cities. The average time to completion was 10.2 weeks. The longest chain length varied from 8 to 21 waves. The sample size was achieved in all but 2 cities.A total of 3958 of the 4176 respondents agreed to test for HIV (90.2%). For results without imputation, 17.5% (95%CI: 14.7-20.7) of our sample was HIV positive. With imputation, 18.4% (95%CI: 15.4-21.7) were seropositive.HIV prevalence increased beyond expectations from the results of the 2009 survey (12.1%; 95%CI: 10.0-14.5) to 18.4%; CI95%: 15.4 to 21.7 in 2016. This increase accompanies Brazil's focus on the treatment to prevention strategy, and a decrease in support for community-based organizations and community prevention programs.

HIV prevalence among men who have sex with men in Brazil: results of the 2nd national survey using respondent-driven sampling

PubMed Central

Kerr, Ligia; Kendall, Carl; Guimarães, Mark Drew Crosland; Salani Mota, Rosa; Veras, Maria Amélia; Dourado, Inês; Maria de Brito, Ana; Merchan-Hamann, Edgar; Pontes, Alexandre Kerr; Leal, Andréa Fachel; Knauth, Daniela; Castro, Ana Rita Coimbra Motta; Macena, Raimunda Hermelinda Maia; Lima, Luana Nepomuceno Costa; Oliveira, Lisangela Cristina; Cavalcantee, Maria do Socorro; Benzaken, Adele Schwartz; Pereira, Gerson; Pimenta, Cristina; Pascom, Ana Roberta Pati; Bermudez, Ximena Pamela Diaz; Moreira, Regina Célia; Brígido, Luis Fernando Macedo; Camillo, Ana Cláudia; McFarland, Willi; Johnston, Lisa G.

2018-01-01

Abstract This paper reports human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) prevalence in the 2nd National Biological and Behavioral Surveillance Survey (BBSS) among men who have sex with men (MSM) in 12 cities in Brazil using respondent-driven sampling (RDS). Following formative research, RDS was applied in 12 cities in the 5 macroregions of Brazil between June and December 2016 to recruit MSM for BBSS. The target sample size was 350 per city. Five to 6 seeds were initially selected to initiate recruitment and coupons and interviews were managed online. On-site rapid testing was used for HIV screening, and confirmed by a 2nd test. Participants were weighted using Gile estimator. Data from all 12 cities were merged and analyzed with Stata 14.0 complex survey data analysis tools in which each city was treated as its own strata. Missing data for those who did not test were imputed HIV+ if they reported testing positive before and were taking antiretroviral therapy. A total of 4176 men were recruited in the 12 cities. The average time to completion was 10.2 weeks. The longest chain length varied from 8 to 21 waves. The sample size was achieved in all but 2 cities. A total of 3958 of the 4176 respondents agreed to test for HIV (90.2%). For results without imputation, 17.5% (95%CI: 14.7–20.7) of our sample was HIV positive. With imputation, 18.4% (95%CI: 15.4–21.7) were seropositive. HIV prevalence increased beyond expectations from the results of the 2009 survey (12.1%; 95%CI: 10.0–14.5) to 18.4%; CI95%: 15.4 to 21.7 in 2016. This increase accompanies Brazil's focus on the treatment to prevention strategy, and a decrease in support for community-based organizations and community prevention programs. PMID:29794604

Breccia 66055 and related clastic materials from the Descartes region, Apollo 16

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fruchter, J. S.; Kridelbaugh, S. J.; Robyn, M. A.; Goles, G. G.

1974-01-01

Trace and major element contents obtained by instrumental neutron activation are reported for a number of Apollo 16 soil samples and miscellaneous breccia fragments. In addition, data obtained by instrumental neutron activation and electron microprobe techniques along with petrographic descriptions are presented for selected subsamples of breccia 66055. The compositions of our soil samples can be modeled by mixtures of various amounts of anorthosite, anorthositic gabbro and low-K Fra Mauro basalt components. These mixtures are typical of those found in a number of petrographic surveys of the fines. Breccia 66055 is a complex regolith breccia which consists of at least four distinct types of microbreccias. No systematic relation with respect to stratigraphic age among the various microbreccia types was observed. Compositionally and texturally, the clasts which compose breccia 66055 are similar to a number of previously reported rock types from the Apollo 16 area. The entire breccia appears to have undergone a complex history of thermal metamorphism. We conclude from the study of these samples that the Cayley Formation is probably homogeneous in its gross compositional and petrographic aspects.

Spatial scale analysis in geophysics - Integrating surface and borehole geophysics in groundwater studies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Paillet, Frederick L.; Singhroy, V.H.; Hansen, D.T.; Pierce, R.R.; Johnson, A.I.

2002-01-01

Integration of geophysical data obtained at various scales can bridge the gap between localized data from boreholes and site-wide data from regional survey profiles. Specific approaches to such analysis include: 1) comparing geophysical measurements in boreholes with the same measurement made from the surface; 2) regressing geophysical data obtained in boreholes with water-sample data from screened intervals; 3) using multiple, physically independent measurements in boreholes to develop multivariate response models for surface geophysical surveys; 4) defining subsurface cell geometry for most effective survey inversion methods; and 5) making geophysical measurements in boreholes to serve as independent verification of geophysical interpretations. Integrated analysis of surface electromagnetic surveys and borehole geophysical logs at a study site in south Florida indicates that salinity of water in the surficial aquifers is controlled by a simple wedge of seawater intrusion along the coast and by a complex pattern of upward brine seepage from deeper aquifers throughout the study area. This interpretation was verified by drilling three additional test boreholes in carefully selected locations.

Exploratory Spectroscopy of Magnetic Cataclysmic Variables Candidates and Other Variable Objects

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

Oliveira, A. S.; Palhares, M. S.; Rodrigues, C. V.

2017-04-01

The increasing number of synoptic surveys made by small robotic telescopes, such as the photometric Catalina Real-Time Transient Survey (CRTS), provides a unique opportunity to discover variable sources and improves the statistical samples of such classes of objects. Our goal is the discovery of magnetic Cataclysmic Variables (mCVs). These are rare objects that probe interesting accretion scenarios controlled by the white-dwarf magnetic field. In particular, improved statistics of mCVs would help to address open questions on their formation and evolution. We performed an optical spectroscopy survey to search for signatures of magnetic accretion in 45 variable objects selected mostly from themore » CRTS. In this sample, we found 32 CVs, 22 being mCV candidates, 13 of which were previously unreported as such. If the proposed classifications are confirmed, it would represent an increase of 4% in the number of known polars and 12% in the number of known IPs. A fraction of our initial sample was classified as extragalactic sources or other types of variable stars by the inspection of the identification spectra. Despite the inherent complexity in identifying a source as an mCV, variability-based selection, followed by spectroscopic snapshot observations, has proved to be an efficient strategy for their discoveries, being a relatively inexpensive approach in terms of telescope time.« less

Detailed Quantitative Classifications of Galaxy Morphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nair, Preethi

2018-01-01

Understanding the physical processes responsible for the growth of galaxies is one of the key challenges in extragalactic astronomy. The assembly history of a galaxy is imprinted in a galaxy’s detailed morphology. The bulge-to-total ratio of galaxies, the presence or absence of bars, rings, spiral arms, tidal tails etc, all have implications for the past merger, star formation, and feedback history of a galaxy. However, current quantitative galaxy classification schemes are only useful for broad binning. They cannot classify or exploit the wide variety of galaxy structures seen in nature. Therefore, comparisons of observations with theoretical predictions of secular structure formation have only been conducted on small samples of visually classified galaxies. However large samples are needed to disentangle the complex physical processes of galaxy formation. With the advent of large surveys, like the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and the upcoming Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) and WFIRST, the problem of statistics will be resolved. However, the need for a robust quantitative classification scheme will still remain. Here I will present early results on promising machine learning algorithms that are providing detailed classifications, identifying bars, rings, multi-armed spiral galaxies, and Hubble type.

Repeat participation in annual cross-sectional surveys of drug users and its implications for analysis.

PubMed

Agius, P A; Aitken, C K; Breen, C; Dietze, P M

2018-06-04

We sought to establish the extent of repeat participation in a large annual cross-sectional survey of people who inject drugs and assess its implications for analysis. We used "porn star names" (the name of each participant's first pet followed by the name of the first street in which they lived) to identify repeat participation in three Australian Illicit Drug Reporting System surveys. Over 2013-2015, 2468 porn star names (96.2%) appeared only once, 88 (3.4%) twice, and nine (0.4%) in all 3 years. We measured design effects, based on the between-cluster variability for selected estimates, of 1.01-1.07 for seven key variables. These values indicate that the complex sample is (e.g.) 7% less efficient in estimating prevalence of heroin use (ever) than a simple random sample, and 1% less efficient in estimating number of heroin overdoses (ever). Porn star names are a useful means of tracking research participants longitudinally while maintaining their anonymity. Repeat participation in the Australian Illicit Drug Reporting System is low (less than 5% per annum), meaning point-prevalence and effect estimation without correction for the lack of independence in observations is unlikely to seriously affect population inference.

Hierarchical Probabilistic Inference of Cosmic Shear

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, Michael D.; Hogg, David W.; Marshall, Philip J.; Dawson, William A.; Meyers, Joshua; Bard, Deborah J.; Lang, Dustin

2015-07-01

Point estimators for the shearing of galaxy images induced by gravitational lensing involve a complex inverse problem in the presence of noise, pixelization, and model uncertainties. We present a probabilistic forward modeling approach to gravitational lensing inference that has the potential to mitigate the biased inferences in most common point estimators and is practical for upcoming lensing surveys. The first part of our statistical framework requires specification of a likelihood function for the pixel data in an imaging survey given parameterized models for the galaxies in the images. We derive the lensing shear posterior by marginalizing over all intrinsic galaxy properties that contribute to the pixel data (i.e., not limited to galaxy ellipticities) and learn the distributions for the intrinsic galaxy properties via hierarchical inference with a suitably flexible conditional probabilitiy distribution specification. We use importance sampling to separate the modeling of small imaging areas from the global shear inference, thereby rendering our algorithm computationally tractable for large surveys. With simple numerical examples we demonstrate the improvements in accuracy from our importance sampling approach, as well as the significance of the conditional distribution specification for the intrinsic galaxy properties when the data are generated from an unknown number of distinct galaxy populations with different morphological characteristics.

Fusarium diversity in soil using a specific molecular approach and a cultural approach.

PubMed

Edel-Hermann, Véronique; Gautheron, Nadine; Mounier, Arnaud; Steinberg, Christian

2015-04-01

Fusarium species are ubiquitous in soil. They cause plant and human diseases and can produce mycotoxins. Surveys of Fusarium species diversity in environmental samples usually rely on laborious culture-based methods. In the present study, we have developed a molecular method to analyze Fusarium diversity directly from soil DNA. We designed primers targeting the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (EF-1α) gene and demonstrated their specificity toward Fusarium using a large collection of fungi. We used the specific primers to construct a clone library from three contrasting soils. Sequence analysis confirmed the specificity of the assay, with 750 clones identified as Fusarium and distributed among eight species or species complexes. The Fusarium oxysporum species complex (FOSC) was the most abundant one in the three soils, followed by the Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC). We then compared our molecular approach results with those obtained by isolating Fusarium colonies on two culture media and identifying species by sequencing part of the EF-1α gene. The 750 isolates were distributed into eight species or species complexes, with the same dominant species as with the cloning method. Sequence diversity was much higher in the clone library than in the isolate collection. The molecular approach proved to be a valuable tool to assess Fusarium diversity in environmental samples. Combined with high throughput sequencing, it will allow for in-depth analysis of large numbers of samples. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The effects of sampling bias and model complexity on the predictive performance of MaxEnt species distribution models.

PubMed

Syfert, Mindy M; Smith, Matthew J; Coomes, David A

2013-01-01

Species distribution models (SDMs) trained on presence-only data are frequently used in ecological research and conservation planning. However, users of SDM software are faced with a variety of options, and it is not always obvious how selecting one option over another will affect model performance. Working with MaxEnt software and with tree fern presence data from New Zealand, we assessed whether (a) choosing to correct for geographical sampling bias and (b) using complex environmental response curves have strong effects on goodness of fit. SDMs were trained on tree fern data, obtained from an online biodiversity data portal, with two sources that differed in size and geographical sampling bias: a small, widely-distributed set of herbarium specimens and a large, spatially clustered set of ecological survey records. We attempted to correct for geographical sampling bias by incorporating sampling bias grids in the SDMs, created from all georeferenced vascular plants in the datasets, and explored model complexity issues by fitting a wide variety of environmental response curves (known as "feature types" in MaxEnt). In each case, goodness of fit was assessed by comparing predicted range maps with tree fern presences and absences using an independent national dataset to validate the SDMs. We found that correcting for geographical sampling bias led to major improvements in goodness of fit, but did not entirely resolve the problem: predictions made with clustered ecological data were inferior to those made with the herbarium dataset, even after sampling bias correction. We also found that the choice of feature type had negligible effects on predictive performance, indicating that simple feature types may be sufficient once sampling bias is accounted for. Our study emphasizes the importance of reducing geographical sampling bias, where possible, in datasets used to train SDMs, and the effectiveness and essentialness of sampling bias correction within MaxEnt.

Using decision pathway surveys to inform climate engineering policy choices

PubMed Central

Gregory, Robin; Satterfield, Terre; Hasell, Ariel

2016-01-01

Over the coming decades citizens living in North America and Europe will be asked about a variety of new technological and behavioral initiatives intended to mitigate the worst impacts of climate change. A common approach to public input has been surveys whereby respondents’ attitudes about climate change are explained by individuals’ demographic background, values, and beliefs. In parallel, recent deliberative research seeks to more fully address the complex value tradeoffs linked to novel technologies and difficult ethical questions that characterize leading climate mitigation alternatives. New methods such as decision pathway surveys may offer important insights for policy makers by capturing much of the depth and reasoning of small-group deliberations while meeting standard survey goals including large-sample stakeholder engagement. Pathway surveys also can help participants to deepen their factual knowledge base and arrive at a more complete understanding of their own values as they apply to proposed policy alternatives. The pathway results indicate more fully the conditional and context-specific nature of support for several “upstream” climate interventions, including solar radiation management techniques and carbon dioxide removal technologies. PMID:26729883

Using decision pathway surveys to inform climate engineering policy choices.

PubMed

Gregory, Robin; Satterfield, Terre; Hasell, Ariel

2016-01-19

Over the coming decades citizens living in North America and Europe will be asked about a variety of new technological and behavioral initiatives intended to mitigate the worst impacts of climate change. A common approach to public input has been surveys whereby respondents' attitudes about climate change are explained by individuals' demographic background, values, and beliefs. In parallel, recent deliberative research seeks to more fully address the complex value tradeoffs linked to novel technologies and difficult ethical questions that characterize leading climate mitigation alternatives. New methods such as decision pathway surveys may offer important insights for policy makers by capturing much of the depth and reasoning of small-group deliberations while meeting standard survey goals including large-sample stakeholder engagement. Pathway surveys also can help participants to deepen their factual knowledge base and arrive at a more complete understanding of their own values as they apply to proposed policy alternatives. The pathway results indicate more fully the conditional and context-specific nature of support for several "upstream" climate interventions, including solar radiation management techniques and carbon dioxide removal technologies.

Complexity Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gordon, Sandra L.; Anderson, Beth C.

To determine whether consensus existed among teachers about the complexity of common classroom materials, a survey was administered to 66 pre-service and in-service kindergarten and prekindergarten teachers. Participants were asked to rate 14 common classroom materials as simple, complex, or super-complex. Simple materials have one obvious part,…

Agency, access, and Anopheles: neighborhood health perceptions and the implications for community health interventions in Accra, Ghana

PubMed Central

Jankowska, Marta M.; Stoler, Justin; Ofiesh, Caetlin; Rain, David; Weeks, John R.

2015-01-01

Background Social and environmental factors are increasingly recognized for their ability to influence health outcomes at both individual and neighborhood scales in the developing urban world. Yet issues of spatial heterogeneity in these complex environments may obscure unique elements of neighborhood life that may be protective or harmful to human health. Resident perceptions of neighborhood effects on health may help to fill gaps in our interpretation of household survey results and better inform how to plan and execute neighborhood-level health interventions. Objective We evaluate differences in housing and socioeconomic indicators and health, environment, and neighborhood perceptions derived from the analysis of a household survey and a series of focus groups in Accra, Ghana. We then explore how neighborhood perceptions can inform survey results and ultimately neighborhood-level health interventions. Design Eleven focus groups were conducted across a socioeconomically stratified sample of neighborhoods in Accra, Ghana. General inductive themes from the focus groups were analyzed in tandem with data collected in a 2009 household survey of 2,814 women. In-depth vignettes expand upon the three most salient emergent themes. Results Household and socioeconomic characteristics derived from the focus groups corroborated findings from the survey data. Focus group and survey results diverged for three complex health issues: malaria, health-care access, and sense of personal agency in promoting good health. Conclusion Three vignettes reflecting community views about malaria, health-care access, and sense of personal agency in promoting good health highlight the challenges facing community health interventions in Accra and exemplify how qualitatively derived neighborhood-level health effects can help shape health interventions. PMID:25997424

It's all about balance: propensity score matching in the context of complex survey data.

PubMed

Lenis, David; Nguyen, Trang Quynh; Dong, Nianbo; Stuart, Elizabeth A

2017-12-27

Many research studies aim to draw causal inferences using data from large, nationally representative survey samples, and many of these studies use propensity score matching to make those causal inferences as rigorous as possible given the non-experimental nature of the data. However, very few applied studies are careful about incorporating the survey design with the propensity score analysis, which may mean that the results do not generate population inferences. This may be because few methodological studies examine how to best combine these methods. Furthermore, even fewer of them investigate different non-response mechanisms. This study examines methods for handling survey weights in propensity score matching analyses of survey data under different non-response mechanisms. Our main conclusions are: (i) whether the survey weights are incorporated in the estimation of the propensity score does not impact estimation of the population treatment effect, as long as good population treated-comparison balance is achieved on confounders, (ii) survey weights must be used in the outcome analysis, and (iii) the transferring of survey weights (i.e., assigning the weights of the treated units to the comparison units matched to them) can be beneficial under certain non-response mechanisms. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A novel method for extracting nucleic acids from dried blood spots for ultrasensitive detection of low-density Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax infections.

PubMed

Zainabadi, Kayvan; Adams, Matthew; Han, Zay Yar; Lwin, Hnin Wai; Han, Kay Thwe; Ouattara, Amed; Thura, Si; Plowe, Christopher V; Nyunt, Myaing M

2017-09-18

Greater Mekong Subregion countries are committed to eliminating Plasmodium falciparum malaria by 2025. Current elimination interventions target infections at parasite densities that can be detected by standard microscopy or rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs). More sensitive detection methods have been developed to detect lower density "asymptomatic" infections that may represent an important transmission reservoir. These ultrasensitive polymerase chain reaction (usPCR) tests have been used to identify target populations for mass drug administration (MDA). To date, malaria usPCR tests have used either venous or capillary blood sampling, which entails complex sample collection, processing and shipping requirements. An ultrasensitive method performed on standard dried blood spots (DBS) would greatly facilitate the molecular surveillance studies needed for targeting elimination interventions. A highly sensitive method for detecting Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax 18S ribosomal RNA from DBS was developed by empirically optimizing nucleic acid extraction conditions. The limit of detection (LoD) was determined using spiked DBS samples that were dried and stored under simulated field conditions. Further, to assess its utility for routine molecular surveillance, two cross-sectional surveys were performed in Myanmar during the wet and dry seasons. The lower LoD of the DBS-based ultrasensitive assay was 20 parasites/mL for DBS collected on Whatman 3MM filter paper and 23 parasites/mL for Whatman 903 Protein Saver cards-equivalent to 1 parasite per 50 µL DBS. This is about 5000-fold more sensitive than standard RDTs and similar to the LoD of ≤16-22 parasites/mL reported for other ultrasensitive methods based on whole blood. In two cross-sectional surveys in Myanmar, nearly identical prevalence estimates were obtained from contemporaneous DBS samples and capillary blood samples collected during the wet and dry season. The DBS-based ultrasensitive method described in this study shows equal sensitivity as previously described methods based on whole blood, both in its limit of detection and prevalence estimates in two field surveys. The reduced cost and complexity of this method will allow for the scale-up of surveillance studies to target MDA and other malaria elimination interventions, and help lead to a better understanding of the epidemiology of low-density malaria infections.

Association of Family Composition and Metabolic Syndrome in Korean Adults Aged over 45 Years Old.

PubMed

Kim, Young-Ju

2015-12-01

This study investigated the relationship between family composition and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome by gender in Korean adults aged 45 years and older. The sample consisted of 11,291 participants in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2010 to 2012. We used complex sample analyses, including strata, cluster, and sample weighting, to allow generalization to the Korean population. Complex samples crosstabs and chi-square tests were conducted to compare the percentage of sociodemographic characteristics to the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its components by gender and family composition. Next, a complex sample logistic regression was performed to examine the association between family composition and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome by gender. The percentage of adults living alone was 5.6% for men and 13.9% for women. Slightly more women (14.0%) than men (10.1%) reported living with three generations. The percentage of metabolic syndrome in Korean adults aged 45 years and older was 53.2% for men and 35.7% for women. For women, we found that living with one or three generations was significantly associated with a higher risk of metabolic syndrome, blood pressure, and triglyceride abnormality after adjusting for age, education, household income, smoking, physical activity, and body mass index, when compared to living alone. No significant relationships were found for men. A national strategy, tailored on gender and family composition, needs to be developed in order to prevent the increase of metabolic syndrome in Korean women over middle age. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Customizing model membranes and samples for NMR spectroscopic studies of complex membrane proteins.

PubMed

Sanders, C R; Oxenoid, K

2000-11-23

Both solution and solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques for structural determination are advancing rapidly such that it is possible to contemplate bringing these techniques to bear upon integral membrane proteins having multiple transmembrane segments. This review outlines existing and emerging options for model membrane media for use in such studies and surveys the special considerations which must be taken into account when preparing larger membrane proteins for NMR spectroscopic studies.

What's Wrong with the Tap? Examining Perceptions of Tap Water and Bottled Water at Purdue University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saylor, Amber; Prokopy, Linda Stalker; Amberg, Shannon

2011-09-01

The environmental impacts of bottled water prompted us to explore drinking water choices at Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, IN. A random sample of 2,045 Purdue University students, staff, and faculty was invited to participate in an online survey. The survey assessed current behaviors as well as perceived barriers and benefits to drinking tap water versus bottled water. 677 surveys were completed for a response rate of 33.1%. We then conducted qualitative interviews with a purposive sample of university undergraduates ( n = 21) to obtain contextual insights into the survey results and the beliefs of individuals with a variety of drinking water preferences. This study revealed that women drink disproportionately more bottled water then men while undergraduate students drink more than graduate students, staff and faculty. The study also uncovered a widespread belief that recycling eliminates the environmental impacts of bottled water. Important barriers to drinking tap water at Purdue include: perceived risks from tap water and the perceived safety of bottled water, preferring the taste of bottled water, and the convenience of drinking bottled water. The qualitative interviews revealed that drinking water choices can be influenced by several factors—especially whether individuals trust tap water to be clean—but involve varying levels of complexity. The implications of these results for social marketing strategies to promote tap water are discussed.

Beliefs in the paranormal: age and sex differences among elderly persons and undergraduate students.

PubMed

Vitulli, W F; Tipton, S M; Rowe, J L

1999-12-01

Beliefs in the paranormal were rated stronger in younger as compared to elderly adults by Emmons and Sobal in 1981, and sex correlates of paranormal beliefs appeared to be stronger in women than in men by Irwin in 1994. This research studied possible linkages between age and sex with a comparative analysis between results of Vitulli and Luper's 1998 survey among undergraduate students and data from elderly men (M = 72 yr., SD = 9.2, n = 21) and women (M = 69.3 yr., SD = 7.7, n = 55). Crawford and Christensen's 1995 12-item Extrasensory Perception Survey was administered to elderly persons living in apartment complexes and private homes, participating in activities in a recreation center, or attending a continuing-education seminar. A 2 x 2 multivariate analysis of variance from responses on the 12-item survey showed that undergraduate men and elderly women had the highest ratings on paranormal beliefs. The self-selecting characteristics of a segment of the elderly sample led to a post hoc univariate analysis of variance by partitioning that sample into those who were attending a continuing-education seminar versus all other elderly persons. Summated ratings (total scores) for this survey showed main effects for these subsamples and for sex. Sex and age differences were discussed in the context of the hypothesis of social marginality.

What's wrong with the tap? Examining perceptions of tap water and bottled water at Purdue University.

PubMed

Saylor, Amber; Prokopy, Linda Stalker; Amberg, Shannon

2011-09-01

The environmental impacts of bottled water prompted us to explore drinking water choices at Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, IN. A random sample of 2,045 Purdue University students, staff, and faculty was invited to participate in an online survey. The survey assessed current behaviors as well as perceived barriers and benefits to drinking tap water versus bottled water. 677 surveys were completed for a response rate of 33.1%. We then conducted qualitative interviews with a purposive sample of university undergraduates (n = 21) to obtain contextual insights into the survey results and the beliefs of individuals with a variety of drinking water preferences. This study revealed that women drink disproportionately more bottled water then men while undergraduate students drink more than graduate students, staff and faculty. The study also uncovered a widespread belief that recycling eliminates the environmental impacts of bottled water. Important barriers to drinking tap water at Purdue include: perceived risks from tap water and the perceived safety of bottled water, preferring the taste of bottled water, and the convenience of drinking bottled water. The qualitative interviews revealed that drinking water choices can be influenced by several factors-especially whether individuals trust tap water to be clean-but involve varying levels of complexity. The implications of these results for social marketing strategies to promote tap water are discussed.

Magnetic mapping of (carbonated) oceanic crust-mantle boundary: New insights from Linnajavri, northern Norway

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tominaga, M.; Beinlich, A.; Tivey, M.; Andrade Lima, E.; Weiss, B. P.

2012-12-01

The contribution of lower oceanic crust and upper mantle to marine magnetic anomalies has long been recognized, but the detailed magnetic character of this non-volcanic source layer remains to be fully defined. Here, we report preliminary results of a magnetic survey and source characterization of a "carbonated" oceanic Moho (petrological "Mohorovicic discontinuity") sequence observed at the Linnajavri Serpentinite Complex (LSC), northern Norway. The LSC is located at 67° 36'N and 16° 24'E within the upper Allochthon of the Norwegian Caledonides and represents a dismembered ophiolite. Particularly in the southern ("Ridoalggicohkka") area of the LSC, gabbro, serpentinite and its talc-carbonate (soapstone) and quartz-carbonate (listvenite) altered equivalents are extraordinarily well-exposed [1]. An intact oceanic Moho is exposed here, despite its complex tectonic setting. The small degree of arctic rock weathering (≤ 2 mm weathering surface) allowed for detailed regional-scale surface magnetic mapping across alteration fronts (serpentinite-soapstone; soapstone-listvenite) and lithological contacts (soapstone-gabbro). Magnetic mapping was conducted using a handheld 3-axis magnetometer, surface-towed resistivity meter and Teka surface magnetic susceptometer with sample spacing of 1 m. Geophysical field mapping was combined with petrological observations and scanning SQUID microscopy (SM) mapping conducted on thin sections from rock samples that were drilled along the survey lines. Regional scale magnetic mapping indicates that the total magnetic field across both the "carbonated" Moho and the soapstone-serpentinite interfaces show higher frequency changes in their magnetic anomaly character and amplitudes than the surface-towed resistivity data. SQUID microscopy mapping of both natural remanence magnetization (NRM) and anhysteretic remanence magnetization (ARM) on gabbro, serpentinite, soapstone, and listvenite samples, with a sensor-sample separation of ˜190 μm, show that the distribution of microscopically measurable ferromagnetic and possibly sulfide minerals produces a different bulk intensity for each of the rock types. SM vector magnetic field maps of these samples also reveal that the magnetization associated with these grains (observed as dipole-like fields in SM maps) is variable in direction from grain to grain, which may result from different alteration histories for each grain. These complex magnetization patterns acquired through thermal and chemical alteration history may explain the short wavelength magnetic anomalies observed along our traverse lines. [1] Beinlich, A., Plümper, O., Hövelmann, J., Austrheim, H. and Jamtveit, B. (2012), Terra Nova, in press.

Serum Lipid Levels in Relation to Consumption of Yogurt: The 2012 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

PubMed Central

Seo, Bong-Kyung; Kim, Nam-Eun; Park, Kyong-Min; Park, Kye-Yeung; Park, Hoon-Ki

2017-01-01

Background The purpose of this study was to evaluate serum lipid levels in Korean adults after consumption of different types of yogurt. Methods Study subjects were 3,038 individuals (≥19 years of age) who participated in the 2012 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Yogurt intake was assessed with a food frequency questionnaire by using the 24-hour recall method. We conducted complex samples general linear analysis with adjustment for covariates. Results The serum triglyceride levels in the group consuming viscous yogurt were lower than those in the group consuming non-viscous yogurt. Conclusion Consumption of viscous yogurt is associated with low serum triglyceride levels in Korean adults. PMID:29026484

Completion of a Liver Surgery Complexity Score and Classification Based on an International Survey of Experts.

PubMed

Lee, Major K; Gao, Feng; Strasberg, Steven M

2016-08-01

Liver resections have classically been distinguished as "minor" or "major," based on number of segments removed. This is flawed because the number of segments resected alone does not convey the complexity of a resection. We recently developed a 3-tiered classification for the complexity of liver resections based on utility weighting by experts. This study aims to complete the earlier classification and to illustrate its application. Two surveys were administered to expert liver surgeons. Experts were asked to rate the difficulty of various open liver resections on a scale of 1 to 10. Statistical methods were then used to develop a complexity score for each procedure. Sixty-six of 135 (48.9%) surgeons responded to the earlier survey, and 66 of 122 (54.1%) responded to the current survey. In all, 19 procedures were rated. The lowest mean score of 1.36 (indicating least difficult) was given to peripheral wedge resection. Right hepatectomy with IVC reconstruction was deemed most difficult, with a score of 9.35. Complexity scores were similar for 9 procedures present in both surveys. Caudate resection, hepaticojejunostomy, and vascular reconstruction all increased the complexity of standard resections significantly. These data permit quantitative assessment of the difficulty of a variety of liver resections. The complexity scores generated allow for separation of liver resections into 3 categories of complexity (low complexity, medium complexity, and high complexity) on a quantitative basis. This provides a more accurate representation of the complexity of procedures in comparative studies. Copyright © 2016 American College of Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Measurements for the BETC in-situ combustion experiment. [Post test surveys

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

Wayland, J.R.; Bartel, L.C.

The Bartlesville Energy Technology Center (BETC) in situ combustion pilot project near Bartlette, Kansas, was studied using controlled source audio-magnetotelluric (CSAMT) mapping, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), conventional geophysical logging and modeling of the fireflood. Measurements of formation resistivity changes induced by in situ combustion indicate that CSAMT resistivity maps should show an increase in apparent resistivity. The substantial decrease of apparent resistivity measured within the five spot pattern indicated a complex sequence of events. Using the results from the CSAMT surveys the fire front was located and posttest core samples were obtained. The posttest core samples were examined using TGAmore » techniques, and using information from combustion tube runs as standards, the location of the fire front in the core samples from the posttest holes was inferred. Models of the reservoir in situ combustion process were developed to help analyze the field results. The combustion kinematics, when used in conjunction with CSAMT and TGA techniques, indicated that considerable bypass of injected air occurred with an influx of brine into previously burned zones. This experiment offered an opportunity to integrate several new techniques into a systematic study of a difficult problem.« less

In-Source Fragmentation and the Sources of Partially Tryptic Peptides in Shotgun Proteomics

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

Kim, Jong-Seo; Monroe, Matthew E.; Camp, David G.

2013-02-01

Partially tryptic peptides are often identified in shotgun proteomics using trypsin as the proteolytic enzyme; however, it has been controversial regarding the sources of such partially tryptic peptides. Herein we investigate the impact of in-source fragmentation on shotgun proteomics using three biological samples, including a standard protein mixture, a mouse brain tissue homogenate, and a mouse plasma sample. Since the in-source fragments of a peptide retain the same elution time with its parent fully tryptic peptide, the partially tryptic peptides from in-source fragmentation can be distinguished from the other partially tryptic peptides by plotting the observed retention times against themore » computationally predicted retention times. Most partially tryptic in-source fragmentation artifacts were misaligned from the linear distribution of fully tryptic peptides. The impact of in-source fragmentation on peptide identifications was clearly significant in a less complex sample such as a standard protein digest, where ~60 % of unique peptides were observed as partially tryptic peptides from in-source fragmentation. In mouse brain or mouse plasma samples, in-source fragmentation contributed to 1-3 % of all identified peptides. The other major source of partially tryptic peptides in complex biological samples is presumably proteolytic processing by endogenous proteases in the samples. By filtering out the in-source fragmentation artifacts from the identified partially tryptic or non-tryptic peptides, it is possible to directly survey in-vivo proteolytic processing in biological samples such as blood plasma.« less

Financial risk sharing with providers in health maintenance organizations, 1999.

PubMed

Gold, Marsha R; Lake, Timothy; Hurley, Robert; Sinclair, Michael

2002-01-01

The transfer of financial risk from health maintenance organizations (HMOs) to providers is controversial. To provide timely national data on these practices, we conducted a telephone survey in 1999 of a multi-staged probability sample of HMOs in 20 of the nation's 60 largest markets, accounting for 86% of all HMO enrollees nationally. Among those sampled, 82% responded. We found that HMOs' provider networks with physicians, hospitals, skilled nursing homes, and home health agencies are complex and multi-tiered Seventy-six percent of HMOs in our study use contracts for their HMO products that involve global, professional services, or hospital risk capitation to intermediate entities. These arrangements account for between 24.5 million and 27.4 million of the 55.9 million commercial and Medicare HMO enrollees in the 60 largest markets. While capitation arrangements are particularly common in California, they are more common elsewhere than many assume. The complex layering of risk sharing and delegation of care management responsibility raise questions about accountability and administrative costs in managed care. Do complex structures provide a way to involve providers more directly in managed care, or do they diffuse authority and add to administrative costs?

Suitability of river delta sediment as proppant, Missouri and Niobrara Rivers, Nebraska and South Dakota, 2015

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zelt, Ronald B.; Hobza, Christopher M.; Burton, Bethany L.; Schaepe, Nathaniel J.; Piatak, Nadine

2017-11-16

Sediment management is a challenge faced by reservoir managers who have several potential options, including dredging, for mitigation of storage capacity lost to sedimentation. As sediment is removed from reservoir storage, potential use of the sediment for socioeconomic or ecological benefit could potentially defray some costs of its removal. Rivers that transport a sandy sediment load will deposit the sand load along a reservoir-headwaters reach where the current of the river slackens progressively as its bed approaches and then descends below the reservoir water level. Given a rare combination of factors, a reservoir deposit of alluvial sand has potential to be suitable for use as proppant for hydraulic fracturing in unconventional oil and gas development. In 2015, the U.S. Geological Survey began a program of researching potential sources of proppant sand from reservoirs, with an initial focus on the Missouri River subbasins that receive sand loads from the Nebraska Sand Hills. This report documents the methods and results of assessments of the suitability of river delta sediment as proppant for a pilot study area in the delta headwaters of Lewis and Clark Lake, Nebraska and South Dakota. Results from surface-geophysical surveys of electrical resistivity guided borings to collect 3.7-meter long cores at 25 sites on delta sandbars using the direct-push method to recover duplicate, 3.8-centimeter-diameter cores in April 2015. In addition, the U.S. Geological Survey collected samples of upstream sand sources in the lower Niobrara River valley.At the laboratory, samples were dried, weighed, washed, dried, and weighed again. Exploratory analysis of natural sand for determining its suitability as a proppant involved application of a modified subset of the standard protocols known as American Petroleum Institute (API) Recommended Practice (RP) 19C. The RP19C methods were not intended for exploration-stage evaluation of raw materials. Results for the washed samples are not directly applicable to evaluations of suitability for use as fracture sand because, except for particle-size distribution, the API-recommended practices for assessing proppant properties (sphericity, roundness, bulk density, and crush resistance) require testing of specific proppant size classes. An optical imaging particle-size analyzer was used to make measurements of particle-size distribution and particle shape. Measured samples were sieved to separate the dominant-size fraction, and the separated subsample was further tested for roundness, sphericity, bulk density, and crush resistance.For the bulk washed samples collected from the Missouri River delta, the geometric mean size averaged 0.27 millimeters (mm), 80 percent of the samples were predominantly sand in the API 40/70 size class, and 17 percent were predominantly sand in the API 70/140 size class. Distributions of geometric mean size among the four sandbar complexes were similar, but samples collected from sandbar complex B were slightly coarser sand than those from the other three complexes. The average geometric mean sizes among the four sandbar complexes ranged only from 0.26 to 0.30 mm. For 22 main-stem sampling locations along the lower Niobrara River, geometric mean size averaged 0.26 mm, an average of 61 percent was sand in the API 40/70 size class, and 28 percent was sand in the API 70/140 size class. Average composition for lower Niobrara River samples was 48 percent medium sand, 37 percent fine sand, and about 7 percent each very fine sand and coarse sand fractions. On average, samples were moderately well sorted.Particle shape and strength were assessed for the dominant-size class of each sample. For proppant strength, crush resistance was tested at a predetermined level of stress (34.5 megapascals [MPa], or 5,000 pounds-force per square inch). To meet the API minimum requirement for proppant, after the crush test not more than 10 percent of the tested sample should be finer than the precrush dominant-size class. For particle shape, all samples surpassed the recommended minimum criteria for sphericity and roundness, with most samples being well-rounded. For proppant strength, of 57 crush-resistance tested Missouri River delta samples of 40/70-sized sand, 23 (40 percent) were interpreted as meeting the minimum criterion at 34.5 MPa, or 5,000 pounds-force per square inch. Of 12 tested samples of 70/140-sized sand, 9 (75 percent) of the Missouri River delta samples had less than 10 percent fines by volume following crush testing, achieving the minimum criterion at 34.5 MPa. Crush resistance for delta samples was strongest at sandbar complex A, where 67 percent of tested samples met the 10-percent fines criterion at the 34.5-MPa threshold. This frequency was higher than was indicated by samples from sandbar complexes B, C, and D that had rates of 50, 46, and 42 percent, respectively. The group of sandbar complex A samples also contained the largest percentages of samples dominated by the API 70/140 size class, which overall had a higher percentage of samples meeting the minimum criterion compared to samples dominated by coarser size classes; however, samples from sandbar complex A that had the API 40/70 size class tested also had a higher rate for meeting the minimum criterion (57 percent) than did samples from sandbar complexes B, C, and D (50, 43, and 40 percent, respectively). For samples collected along the lower Niobrara River, of the 25 tested samples of 40/70-sized sand, 9 samples passed the API minimum criterion at 34.5 MPa, but only 3 samples passed the more-stringent criterion of 8 percent postcrush fines. All four tested samples of 70/140 sand passed the minimum criterion at 34.5 MPa, with postcrush fines percentage of at most 4.1 percent.For two reaches of the lower Niobrara River, where hydraulic sorting was energized artificially by the hydraulic head drop at and immediately downstream from Spencer Dam, suitability of channel deposits for potential use as fracture sand was confirmed by test results. All reach A washed samples were well-rounded and had sphericity scores above 0.65, and samples for 80 percent of sampled locations met the crush-resistance criterion at the 34.5-MPa stress level. A conservative lower-bound estimate of sand volume in the reach A deposits was about 86,000 cubic meters. All reach B samples were well-rounded but sphericity averaged 0.63, a little less than the average for upstream reaches A and SP. All four samples tested passed the crush-resistance test at 34.5 MPa. Of three reach B sandbars, two had no more than 3 percent fines after the crush test, surpassing more stringent criteria for crush resistance that accept a maximum of 6 percent fines following the crush test for the API 70/140 size class.Relative to the crush-resistance test results for the API 40/70 size fraction of two samples of mine output from Loup River settling-basin dredge spoils near Genoa, Nebr., four of five reach A sample locations compared favorably. The four samples had increases in fines composition of 1.6–5.9 percentage points, whereas fines in the two mine-output samples increased by an average 6.8 percentage points.

Use of methods for specifying the target difference in randomised controlled trial sample size calculations: Two surveys of trialists' practice.

PubMed

Cook, Jonathan A; Hislop, Jennifer M; Altman, Doug G; Briggs, Andrew H; Fayers, Peter M; Norrie, John D; Ramsay, Craig R; Harvey, Ian M; Vale, Luke D

2014-06-01

Central to the design of a randomised controlled trial (RCT) is a calculation of the number of participants needed. This is typically achieved by specifying a target difference, which enables the trial to identify a difference of a particular magnitude should one exist. Seven methods have been proposed for formally determining what the target difference should be. However, in practice, it may be driven by convenience or some other informal basis. It is unclear how aware the trialist community is of these formal methods or whether they are used. To determine current practice regarding the specification of the target difference by surveying trialists. Two surveys were conducted: (1) Members of the Society for Clinical Trials (SCT): participants were invited to complete an online survey through the society's email distribution list. Respondents were asked about their awareness, use of, and willingness to recommend methods; (2) Leading UK- and Ireland-based trialists: the survey was sent to UK Clinical Research Collaboration registered Clinical Trials Units, Medical Research Council UK Hubs for Trial Methodology Research, and the Research Design Services of the National Institute for Health Research. This survey also included questions about the most recent trial developed by the respondent's group. Survey 1: Of the 1182 members on the SCT membership email distribution list, 180 responses were received (15%). Awareness of methods ranged from 69 (38%) for health economic methods to 162 (90%) for pilot study. Willingness to recommend among those who had used a particular method ranged from 56% for the opinion-seeking method to 89% for the review of evidence-base method. Survey 2: Of the 61 surveys sent out, 34 (56%) responses were received. Awareness of methods ranged from 33 (97%) for the review of evidence-base and pilot methods to 14 (41%) for the distribution method. The highest level of willingness to recommend among users was for the anchor method (87%). Based upon the most recent trial, the target difference was usually one viewed as important by a stakeholder group, mostly also viewed as a realistic difference given the interventions under evaluation, and sometimes one that led to an achievable sample size. The response rates achieved were relatively low despite the surveys being short, well presented, and having utilised reminders. Substantial variations in practice exist with awareness, use, and willingness to recommend methods varying substantially. The findings support the view that sample size calculation is a more complex process than would appear to be the case from trial reports and protocols. Guidance on approaches for sample size estimation may increase both awareness and use of appropriate formal methods. © The Author(s), 2014.

Transplantation of epiphytic bioaccumulators (Tillandsia capillaris) for high spatial resolution biomonitoring of trace elements and point sources deconvolution in a complex mining/smelting urban context

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goix, Sylvaine; Resongles, Eléonore; Point, David; Oliva, Priscia; Duprey, Jean Louis; de la Galvez, Erika; Ugarte, Lincy; Huayta, Carlos; Prunier, Jonathan; Zouiten, Cyril; Gardon, Jacques

2013-12-01

Monitoring atmospheric trace elements (TE) levels and tracing their source origin is essential for exposure assessment and human health studies. Epiphytic Tillandsia capillaris plants were used as bioaccumulator of TE in a complex polymetallic mining/smelting urban context (Oruro, Bolivia). Specimens collected from a pristine reference site were transplanted at a high spatial resolution (˜1 sample/km2) throughout the urban area. About twenty-seven elements were measured after a 4-month exposure, also providing new information values for reference material BCR482. Statistical power analysis for this biomonitoring mapping approach against classical aerosols surveys performed on the same site showed the better aptitude of T. Capillaris to detect geographical trend, and to deconvolute multiple contamination sources using geostatistical principal component analysis. Transplanted specimens in the vicinity of the mining and smelting areas were characterized by extreme TE accumulation (Sn > Ag > Sb > Pb > Cd > As > W > Cu > Zn). Three contamination sources were identified: mining (Ag, Pb, Sb), smelting (As, Sn) and road traffic (Zn) emissions, confirming results of previous aerosol survey.

An analysis of the adoption of managerial innovation: cost accounting systems in hospitals.

PubMed

Glandon, G L; Counte, M A

1995-11-01

The adoption of new medical technologies has received significant attention in the hospital industry, in part, because of its observed relation to hospital cost increases. However, few comprehensive studies exist regarding the adoption of non-medical technologies in the hospital setting. This paper develops and tests a model of the adoption of a managerial innovation, new to the hospital industry, that of cost accounting systems based upon standard costs. The conceptual model hypothesizes that four organizational context factors (size, complexity, ownership and slack resources) and two environmental factors (payor mix and interorganizational dependency) influence hospital adoption of cost accounting systems. Based on responses to a mail survey of hospitals in the Chicago area and AHA annual survey information for 1986, a sample of 92 hospitals was analyzed. Greater hospital size, complexity, slack resources, and interorganizational dependency all were associated with adoption. Payor mix had no significant influence and the hospital ownership variables had a mixed influence. The logistic regression model was significant overall and explained over 15% of the variance in the adoption decision.

Analyzing Complex Survey Data.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodgers-Farmer, Antoinette Y.; Davis, Diane

2001-01-01

Uses data from the 1994 AIDS Knowledge and Attitudes Supplement to the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) to illustrate that biased point estimates, inappropriate standard errors, and misleading tests of significance can result from using traditional software packages, such as SPSS or SAS, for complex survey analysis. (BF)

Demographic and socioeconomic disparity in knowledge about tuberculosis in Inner Mongolia, China.

PubMed

Ma, Enbo; Ren, Liping; Wang, Wensheng; Takahashi, Hideto; Wagatsuma, Yukiko; Ren, Yulin; Gao, Fei; Gao, Fangfang; Wang, Wenrui; Bi, Lifu

2015-01-01

The aim of this study is to evaluate the awareness status, attitudes, and care-seeking behaviors concerning tuberculosis (TB) and associated factors among the public in Inner Mongolia, China. A five-stage sampling was conducted, in which counties as the primary survey units and towns, villages, and households as sub-survey units were selected progressively. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect TB information. Complex survey analysis methods, including the procedures of survey frequency and survey logistic regression, were applied for analysis of TB knowledge and associated factors. The sample was weighted by survey design, non-respondent, and post-stratification adjustment. Among 10 581 respondents, awareness that TB is an infectious disease was 86.7%. Knowing that a cough lasting ≥3 weeks is suggestive of TB was 26.9%. Knowledge about TB dispensaries in county administrative areas was reported by 68.3% of respondents, and knowledge about the free TB detection/treatment policy was reported by 57.5% of respondents. About 52.5% of participants would stigmatize TB patients. Compared with the majority Han ethnic group, Mongolians and other minorities were 1.52-2.18 times more likely to know about TB curability, TB symptoms, the free detection/treatment policy, and TB dispensaries' locations, but were less likely to know about the TB transmission mode (odds ratio, 0.74; 95% confidence interval, 0.65-0.84). The main sources of TB information were TV (65.6%) and other persons (47.2%). In the past year, 19.7% of TB knowledge was from acquaintances, and 16.1% was from TB institutes. Improvement in knowledge about TB risk (symptoms and transmission), the free treatment policy, and facilities is necessary and should be provided through effective multimedia for different target populations.

Demographic and Socioeconomic Disparity in Knowledge About Tuberculosis in Inner Mongolia, China

PubMed Central

Ma, Enbo; Ren, Liping; Wang, Wensheng; Takahashi, Hideto; Wagatsuma, Yukiko; Ren, Yulin; Gao, Fei; Gao, Fangfang; Wang, Wenrui; Bi, Lifu

2015-01-01

Background The aim of this study is to evaluate the awareness status, attitudes, and care-seeking behaviors concerning tuberculosis (TB) and associated factors among the public in Inner Mongolia, China. Methods A five-stage sampling was conducted, in which counties as the primary survey units and towns, villages, and households as sub-survey units were selected progressively. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect TB information. Complex survey analysis methods, including the procedures of survey frequency and survey logistic regression, were applied for analysis of TB knowledge and associated factors. The sample was weighted by survey design, non-respondent, and post-stratification adjustment. Results Among 10 581 respondents, awareness that TB is an infectious disease was 86.7%. Knowing that a cough lasting ≥3 weeks is suggestive of TB was 26.9%. Knowledge about TB dispensaries in county administrative areas was reported by 68.3% of respondents, and knowledge about the free TB detection/treatment policy was reported by 57.5% of respondents. About 52.5% of participants would stigmatize TB patients. Compared with the majority Han ethnic group, Mongolians and other minorities were 1.52–2.18 times more likely to know about TB curability, TB symptoms, the free detection/treatment policy, and TB dispensaries’ locations, but were less likely to know about the TB transmission mode (odds ratio, 0.74; 95% confidence interval, 0.65–0.84). The main sources of TB information were TV (65.6%) and other persons (47.2%). In the past year, 19.7% of TB knowledge was from acquaintances, and 16.1% was from TB institutes. Conclusions Improvement in knowledge about TB risk (symptoms and transmission), the free treatment policy, and facilities is necessary and should be provided through effective multimedia for different target populations. PMID:25797599

Using stable isotopes to monitor forms of sulfur during desulfurization processes: A quick screening method

USGS Publications Warehouse

Liu, Chao-Li; Hackley, Keith C.; Coleman, D.D.; Kruse, C.W.

1987-01-01

A method using stable isotope ratio analysis to monitor the reactivity of sulfur forms in coal during thermal and chemical desulfurization processes has been developed at the Illinois State Geological Survey. The method is based upon the fact that a significant difference exists in some coals between the 34S/32S ratios of the pyritic and organic sulfur. A screening method for determining the suitability of coal samples for use in isotope ratio analysis is described. Making these special coals available from coal sample programs would assist research groups in sorting out the complex sulfur chemistry which accompanies thermal and chemical processing of high sulfur coals. ?? 1987.

Mars Sample Return Using Commercial Capabilities: Propulsive Entry, Descent and Landing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lemke, Lawrence G.; Gonzales, Andrew A.; Huynh, Loc C.

2014-01-01

Mars Sample Return (MSR) is the highest priority science mission for the next decade as recommended by the recent Decadal Survey of Planetary Science. The objective of the study was to determine whether emerging commercial capabilities can be integrated into to such a mission. The premise of the study is that commercial capabilities can be more efficient than previously described systems, and by using fewer systems and fewer or less extensive launches, overall mission cost can be reduced. This presentation describes an EDL technique using planned upgrades to the Dragon capsule to perform a Supersonic Retropulsion Entry - Red Dragon concept. Landed Payload capability meets mission requirements for a MSR Architecture that reduces complexity.

Statistical Methods for Detecting Differentially Abundant Features in Clinical Metagenomic Samples

PubMed Central

White, James Robert; Nagarajan, Niranjan; Pop, Mihai

2009-01-01

Numerous studies are currently underway to characterize the microbial communities inhabiting our world. These studies aim to dramatically expand our understanding of the microbial biosphere and, more importantly, hope to reveal the secrets of the complex symbiotic relationship between us and our commensal bacterial microflora. An important prerequisite for such discoveries are computational tools that are able to rapidly and accurately compare large datasets generated from complex bacterial communities to identify features that distinguish them. We present a statistical method for comparing clinical metagenomic samples from two treatment populations on the basis of count data (e.g. as obtained through sequencing) to detect differentially abundant features. Our method, Metastats, employs the false discovery rate to improve specificity in high-complexity environments, and separately handles sparsely-sampled features using Fisher's exact test. Under a variety of simulations, we show that Metastats performs well compared to previously used methods, and significantly outperforms other methods for features with sparse counts. We demonstrate the utility of our method on several datasets including a 16S rRNA survey of obese and lean human gut microbiomes, COG functional profiles of infant and mature gut microbiomes, and bacterial and viral metabolic subsystem data inferred from random sequencing of 85 metagenomes. The application of our method to the obesity dataset reveals differences between obese and lean subjects not reported in the original study. For the COG and subsystem datasets, we provide the first statistically rigorous assessment of the differences between these populations. The methods described in this paper are the first to address clinical metagenomic datasets comprising samples from multiple subjects. Our methods are robust across datasets of varied complexity and sampling level. While designed for metagenomic applications, our software can also be applied to digital gene expression studies (e.g. SAGE). A web server implementation of our methods and freely available source code can be found at http://metastats.cbcb.umd.edu/. PMID:19360128

The History and Rate of Star Formation within the G305 Complex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faimali, Alessandro Daniele

2013-07-01

Within this thesis, we present an extended multiwavelength analysis of the rich massive Galactic star-forming complex G305. We have focused our attention on studying the both the embedded massive star-forming population within G305, while also identifying the intermediate-, to lowmass content of the region also. Though massive stars play an important role in the shaping and evolution of their host galaxies, the physics of their formation still remains unclear. We have therefore set out to studying the nature of star formation within this complex, and also identify the impact that such a population has on the evolution of G305. We firstly present a Herschel far-infrared study towards G305, utilising PACS 70, 160 micron and SPIRE 250, 350, and 500 micron observations from the Hi-GAL survey of the Galactic plane. The focus of this study is to identify the embedded massive star-forming population within G305, by combining far-infrared data with radio continuum, H2O maser, methanol maser, MIPS, and Red MSX Source survey data available from previous studies. From this sample we identify some 16 candidate associations are identified as embedded massive star-forming regions, and derive a two-selection colour criterion from this sample of log(F70/F500) >= 1 and log(F160/F350) >= 1.6 to identify an additional 31 embedded massive star candidates with no associated star-formation tracers. Using this result, we are able to derive a star formation rate (SFR) of 0.01 - 0.02 Msun/yr. Comparing this resolved star formation rate, to extragalactic star formation rate tracers (based on the Kennicutt-Schmidt relation), we find the star formation activity is underestimated by a factor of >=2 in comparison to the SFR derived from the YSO population. By next combining data available from 2MASS and VVV, Spitzer GLIMPSE and MIPSGAL, MSX, and Herschel Hi-GAL, we are able to identify the low-, to intermediate-mass YSOs present within the complex. Employing a series of stringent colour selection criteria and fitting reddened stellar atmosphere models, we are able remove a significant amount of contaminating sources from our sample, leaving us with a highly reliable sample of some 599 candidate YSOs. From this sample, we derive a present-day SFR of 0.005±0.001 Msun/yr, and find the YSO mass function (YMF) of G305 to be significantly steeper than the standard Salpeter-Kroupa IMF. We find evidence of mass segregation towards G305, with a significant variation of the YMF both with the active star-forming region, and the outer region. The spatial distribution, and age gradient, of our 601 candidate YSOs also seem to rule out the scenario of propagating star formation within G305, with a more likely scenario of punctuated star formation over the lifetime of the complex.

1990 National Water Quality Laboratory Services Catalog

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pritt, Jeffrey; Jones, Berwyn E.

1989-01-01

PREFACE This catalog provides information about analytical services available from the National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) to support programs of the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey. To assist personnel in the selection of analytical services, the catalog lists cost, sample volume, applicable concentration range, detection level, precision of analysis, and preservation techniques for samples to be submitted for analysis. Prices for services reflect operationa1 costs, the complexity of each analytical procedure, and the costs to ensure analytical quality control. The catalog consists of five parts. Part 1 is a glossary of terminology; Part 2 lists the bottles, containers, solutions, and other materials that are available through the NWQL; Part 3 describes the field processing of samples to be submitted for analysis; Part 4 describes analytical services that are available; and Part 5 contains indices of analytical methodology and Chemical Abstract Services (CAS) numbers. Nomenclature used in the catalog is consistent with WATSTORE and STORET. The user is provided with laboratory codes and schedules that consist of groupings of parameters which are measured together in the NWQL. In cases where more than one analytical range is offered for a single element or compound, different laboratory codes are given. Book 5 of the series 'Techniques of Water Resources Investigations of the U.S. Geological Survey' should be consulted for more information about the analytical procedures included in the tabulations. This catalog supersedes U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 86-232 '1986-87-88 National Water Quality Laboratory Services Catalog', October 1985.

M DWARF ACTIVITY IN THE PAN-STARRS1 MEDIUM-DEEP SURVEY: FIRST CATALOG AND ROTATION PERIODS

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

Kado-Fong, E.; Williams, P. K. G.; Berger, E.

2016-12-20

We report on an ongoing project to investigate activity in the M dwarf stellar population observed by the Pan-STARRS1 Medium-Deep Survey (PS1-MDS). Using a custom-built pipeline, we refine an initial sample of ∼4 million sources in PS1-MDS to a sample of 184,148 candidate cool stars using color cuts. Motivated by the well-known relationship between rotation and stellar activity, we use a multiband periodogram analysis and visual vetting to identify 270 sources that are likely rotating M dwarfs. We derive a new set of polynomials relating M dwarf PS1 colors to fundamental stellar parameters and use them to estimate the masses, distances, effective temperatures, andmore » bolometric luminosities of our sample. We present a catalog containing these values, our measured rotation periods, and cross-matches to other surveys. Our final sample spans periods of ≲1–130 days in stars with estimated effective temperatures of ∼2700–4000 K. Twenty-two of our sources have X-ray cross-matches, and they are found to be relatively X-ray bright as would be expected from selection effects. Our data set provides evidence that Kepler -based searches have not been sensitive to very slowly rotating stars ( P {sub rot} ≳ 70 day), implying that the observed emergence of very slow rotators in studies of low-mass stars may be a systematic effect. We also see a lack of low-amplitude (<2%) variability in objects with intermediate (10–40 day) rotation periods, which, considered in conjunction with other observational results, may be a signpost of a loss of magnetic complexity associated with a phase of rapid spin-down in intermediate-age M dwarfs. This work represents just a first step in exploring stellar variability in data from the PS1-MDS and, in the farther future, Large Synoptic Survey Telescope.« less

M Dwarf Activity in the Pan-STARRS1 Medium-Deep Survey: First Catalog and Rotation Periods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kado-Fong, E.; Williams, P. K. G.; Mann, A. W.; Berger, E.; Burgett, W. S.; Chambers, K. C.; Huber, M. E.; Kaiser, N.; Kudritzki, R.-P.; Magnier, E. A.; Rest, A.; Wainscoat, R. J.; Waters, C.

2016-12-01

We report on an ongoing project to investigate activity in the M dwarf stellar population observed by the Pan-STARRS1 Medium-Deep Survey (PS1-MDS). Using a custom-built pipeline, we refine an initial sample of ˜4 million sources in PS1-MDS to a sample of 184,148 candidate cool stars using color cuts. Motivated by the well-known relationship between rotation and stellar activity, we use a multiband periodogram analysis and visual vetting to identify 270 sources that are likely rotating M dwarfs. We derive a new set of polynomials relating M dwarf PS1 colors to fundamental stellar parameters and use them to estimate the masses, distances, effective temperatures, and bolometric luminosities of our sample. We present a catalog containing these values, our measured rotation periods, and cross-matches to other surveys. Our final sample spans periods of ≲1-130 days in stars with estimated effective temperatures of ˜2700-4000 K. Twenty-two of our sources have X-ray cross-matches, and they are found to be relatively X-ray bright as would be expected from selection effects. Our data set provides evidence that Kepler-based searches have not been sensitive to very slowly rotating stars (P rot ≳ 70 day), implying that the observed emergence of very slow rotators in studies of low-mass stars may be a systematic effect. We also see a lack of low-amplitude (<2%) variability in objects with intermediate (10-40 day) rotation periods, which, considered in conjunction with other observational results, may be a signpost of a loss of magnetic complexity associated with a phase of rapid spin-down in intermediate-age M dwarfs. This work represents just a first step in exploring stellar variability in data from the PS1-MDS and, in the farther future, Large Synoptic Survey Telescope.

The Australian longitudinal study on male health sampling design and survey weighting: implications for analysis and interpretation of clustered data.

PubMed

Spittal, Matthew J; Carlin, John B; Currier, Dianne; Downes, Marnie; English, Dallas R; Gordon, Ian; Pirkis, Jane; Gurrin, Lyle

2016-10-31

The Australian Longitudinal Study on Male Health (Ten to Men) used a complex sampling scheme to identify potential participants for the baseline survey. This raises important questions about when and how to adjust for the sampling design when analyzing data from the baseline survey. We describe the sampling scheme used in Ten to Men focusing on four important elements: stratification, multi-stage sampling, clustering and sample weights. We discuss how these elements fit together when using baseline data to estimate a population parameter (e.g., population mean or prevalence) or to estimate the association between an exposure and an outcome (e.g., an odds ratio). We illustrate this with examples using a continuous outcome (weight in kilograms) and a binary outcome (smoking status). Estimates of a population mean or disease prevalence using Ten to Men baseline data are influenced by the extent to which the sampling design is addressed in an analysis. Estimates of mean weight and smoking prevalence are larger in unweighted analyses than weighted analyses (e.g., mean = 83.9 kg vs. 81.4 kg; prevalence = 18.0 % vs. 16.7 %, for unweighted and weighted analyses respectively) and the standard error of the mean is 1.03 times larger in an analysis that acknowledges the hierarchical (clustered) structure of the data compared with one that does not. For smoking prevalence, the corresponding standard error is 1.07 times larger. Measures of association (mean group differences, odds ratios) are generally similar in unweighted or weighted analyses and whether or not adjustment is made for clustering. The extent to which the Ten to Men sampling design is accounted for in any analysis of the baseline data will depend on the research question. When the goals of the analysis are to estimate the prevalence of a disease or risk factor in the population or the magnitude of a population-level exposure-outcome association, our advice is to adopt an analysis that respects the sampling design.

Complex reference values for endocrine and special chemistry biomarkers across pediatric, adult, and geriatric ages: establishment of robust pediatric and adult reference intervals on the basis of the Canadian Health Measures Survey.

PubMed

Adeli, Khosrow; Higgins, Victoria; Nieuwesteeg, Michelle; Raizman, Joshua E; Chen, Yunqi; Wong, Suzy L; Blais, David

2015-08-01

Defining laboratory biomarker reference values in a healthy population and understanding the fluctuations in biomarker concentrations throughout life and between sexes are critical to clinical interpretation of laboratory test results in different disease states. The Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS) has collected blood samples and health information from the Canadian household population. In collaboration with the Canadian Laboratory Initiative on Pediatric Reference Intervals (CALIPER), the data have been analyzed to determine reference value distributions and reference intervals for several endocrine and special chemistry biomarkers in pediatric, adult, and geriatric age groups. CHMS collected data and blood samples from thousands of community participants aged 3 to 79 years. We used serum samples to measure 13 immunoassay-based special chemistry and endocrine markers. We assessed reference value distributions and, after excluding outliers, calculated age- and sex-specific reference intervals, along with corresponding 90% CIs, according to CLSI C28-A3 guidelines. We observed fluctuations in biomarker reference values across the pediatric, adult, and geriatric age range, with stratification required on the basis of age for all analytes. Additional sex partitions were required for apolipoprotein AI, homocysteine, ferritin, and high sensitivity C-reactive protein. The unique collaboration between CALIPER and CHMS has enabled, for the first time, a detailed examination of the changes in various immunochemical markers that occur in healthy individuals of different ages. The robust age- and sex-specific reference intervals established in this study provide insight into the complex biological changes that take place throughout development and aging and will contribute to improved clinical test interpretation. © 2015 American Association for Clinical Chemistry.

Monsters and babies from the first/IRAS survey

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

Van Bruegel, W J M

Radio continuum emission at cm wavelengths is relatively little affected by extinction. When combined with far-infrared (FIR) surveys this provides for a convenient and unbiased method to select (radio-loud) AGN and starbursts deeply embedded in gas and dust-rich galaxies. Such radio-selected FIR samples are useful for detailed investigations of the complex relationships between (radio) galaxy and starburst activity, and to determine whether ULIRGs are powered by hidden quasars (monsters) or young stars (babies). We present the results of a large program to obtain identifications and spectra of radio-sleected, optically faint IRAS/FSC objects using the FIRST/VLA 20 cm survey (Becker, Whitemore » and Helfand 1995). These objects are all radio-'quiet' in the sense that their radio power/FIR luminosities follow the well-known radio/FIR relationship for star forming galaxies. We compare these results to a previous study by our group of a sample of radio-'loud' IRAS/FSC ULIRGs selected from the Texas 365 MHz survey (Douglas et al. 1996). Many of these objects also show evidence for dominant, A-type stellar populations, as well as high ionization lines usually associated with AGN. These radio-loud ULIRGs have properties intermediate between those of starbursts and quasars, suggesting a possibile evolutionary connection. Deep Keck spectroscopic observations of three ULIRGs from these samples are presented, including high signal-to-noise spectropolarimetry. The polarimetry observations failed to show evidence of a hidden quasar in polarized (scattered) light in the two systems in which the stellar light was dominated by A-type stars. Although observations of a larger sample would be needed to allow a general conclusion, our current data suggest that a large fraction of ULIRGs may be powered by luminous starbursts, not by hidden, luminous AGN (quasars). While we used radio-selected FIR sources to search for evidence of a causal AGN/starburst connection, we conclude our presentation with a dramatic example of an AGN/starburst object from an entirely unrelated quasar survey selected at the opposite, blue end of the spectrum.« less

Non-invasive investigative techniques for the diachronic study of territorial compartments: a case study for the documentation and analysis of architectural complexes.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Lieto, Marco; Marchetta, Isabella; Ciriello, Rosanna; De Martino, Gregory; Della Mora, Dario

2014-05-01

The trend in the study of areas of land in their integrity and as dynamic, anthropic units in diachronic history has initiated long survey campaigns over several decades that have covered large areas mapping the evidence and attempting a reconstruction of the evolution of ancient settlements. The need for further study to disentangle the knots of modes and types of settlement boosted further investigations of targeted excavations, based on the quality and density of the findings from the field. Currently archaeological research can rely on non-invasive integrated methods to better define the areas to be investigated systematically obtaining new typologies of information and better management of time and research costs. In this paper we present a specific case study in which a variety of integrated survey methods have contributed to the documentation and analysis of monumental complexes linked to specific local contexts. The area under investigation lies in Italy, in the province of Potenza and, specifically in the town of Forenza. The survey activities, involving the entire municipality, have been running on and off for about 2 years and have already resulted in the collection of a lot of interesting data that will be useful to essential fieldwork. In particular, we carried out different types of investigation in three different sample sites: 1. monumental complex of Santa Maria de 'Armenis: to complement previous excavations which involved only a portion of the estimated area of interest, we carried out magnetometric and geo-electrical surveys aimed at a more precise definition of the true extent and interpretation of the monument in antiquity; 2. site of Monte Caruso: we carried out remote sensing using a remote-controlled UAV hexakopter drone with stereoscopic photogrammetric survey techniques aimed at the detailed documentation of the monumental evidence of a structure visible in elevation but in a context difficult to approach with traditional surveying systems; 3. wine presses in the "palmienti" district: we also tested here using remote sensing with a remote-controlled UAV hexakopter drone, introducing the automatic flight mode on waypoints in order to obtain precise photogrammetric strips and the creation of a detailed 3D model to document the complex geomorphology of the site, optimising time and the limited resources available. In conclusion, the integrated use of these non-invasive investigative techniques had the advantage of obtaining valuable information and optimising the limited resources, creating an effective working basis for future project development, and immediately usable data for informational purposes, for the sponsors.

Nonprobability Web Surveys to Measure Sexual Behaviors and Attitudes in the General Population: A Comparison With a Probability Sample Interview Survey

PubMed Central

Burkill, Sarah; Couper, Mick P; Conrad, Frederick; Clifton, Soazig; Tanton, Clare; Phelps, Andrew; Datta, Jessica; Mercer, Catherine H; Sonnenberg, Pam; Prah, Philip; Mitchell, Kirstin R; Wellings, Kaye; Johnson, Anne M; Copas, Andrew J

2014-01-01

Background Nonprobability Web surveys using volunteer panels can provide a relatively cheap and quick alternative to traditional health and epidemiological surveys. However, concerns have been raised about their representativeness. Objective The aim was to compare results from different Web panels with a population-based probability sample survey (n=8969 aged 18-44 years) that used computer-assisted self-interview (CASI) for sensitive behaviors, the third British National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-3). Methods Natsal-3 questions were included on 4 nonprobability Web panel surveys (n=2000 to 2099), 2 using basic quotas based on age and sex, and 2 using modified quotas based on additional variables related to key estimates. Results for sociodemographic characteristics were compared with external benchmarks and for sexual behaviors and opinions with Natsal-3. Odds ratios (ORs) were used to express differences between the benchmark data and each survey for each variable of interest. A summary measure of survey performance was the average absolute OR across variables. Another summary measure was the number of key estimates for which the survey differed significantly (at the 5% level) from the benchmarks. Results For sociodemographic variables, the Web surveys were less representative of the general population than Natsal-3. For example, for men, the average absolute OR for Natsal-3 was 1.14, whereas for the Web surveys the average absolute ORs ranged from 1.86 to 2.30. For all Web surveys, approximately two-thirds of the key estimates of sexual behaviors were different from Natsal-3 and the average absolute ORs ranged from 1.32 to 1.98. Differences were appreciable even for questions asked by CASI in Natsal-3. No single Web survey performed consistently better than any other did. Modified quotas slightly improved results for men, but not for women. Conclusions Consistent with studies from other countries on less sensitive topics, volunteer Web panels provided appreciably biased estimates. The differences seen with Natsal-3 CASI questions, where mode effects may be similar, suggest a selection bias in the Web surveys. The use of more complex quotas may lead to some improvement, but many estimates are still likely to differ. Volunteer Web panels are not recommended if accurate prevalence estimates for the general population are a key objective. PMID:25488851

Using lot quality-assurance sampling and area sampling to identify priority areas for trachoma control: Viet Nam.

PubMed

Myatt, Mark; Mai, Nguyen Phuong; Quynh, Nguyen Quang; Nga, Nguyen Huy; Tai, Ha Huy; Long, Nguyen Hung; Minh, Tran Hung; Limburg, Hans

2005-10-01

To report on the use of lot quality-assurance sampling (LQAS) surveys undertaken within an area-sampling framework to identify priority areas for intervention with trachoma control activities in Viet Nam. The LQAS survey method for the rapid assessment of the prevalence of active trachoma was adapted for use in Viet Nam with the aim of classifying individual communes by the prevalence of active trachoma among children in primary school. School-based sampling was used; school sites to be sampled were selected using an area-sampling approach. A total of 719 communes in 41 districts in 18 provinces were surveyed. Survey staff found the LQAS survey method both simple and rapid to use after initial problems with area-sampling methods were identified and remedied. The method yielded a finer spatial resolution of prevalence than had been previously achieved in Viet Nam using semiquantitative rapid assessment surveys and multistage cluster-sampled surveys. When used with area-sampling techniques, the LQAS survey method has the potential to form the basis of survey instruments that can be used to efficiently target resources for interventions against active trachoma. With additional work, such methods could provide a generally applicable tool for effective programme planning and for the certification of the elimination of trachoma as a blinding disease.

The prevalence of selected potentially hazardous workplace exposures in the US: findings from the 2010 National Health Interview Survey.

PubMed

Calvert, Geoffrey M; Luckhaupt, Sara E; Sussell, Aaron; Dahlhamer, James M; Ward, Brian W

2013-06-01

Assess the national prevalence of current workplace exposure to potential skin hazards, secondhand smoke (SHS), and outdoor work among various industry and occupation groups. Also, assess the national prevalence of chronic workplace exposure to vapors, gas, dust, and fumes (VGDF) among these groups. Data were obtained from the 2010 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). NHIS is a multistage probability sample survey of the civilian non-institutionalized population of the US. Prevalence rates and their variances were calculated using SUDAAN to account for the complex NHIS sample design. The data for 2010 were available for 17,524 adults who worked in the 12 months that preceded interview. The highest prevalence rates of hazardous workplace exposures were typically in agriculture, mining, and construction. The prevalence rate of frequent handling of or skin contact with chemicals, and of non-smokers frequently exposed to SHS at work was highest in mining and construction. Outdoor work was most common in agriculture (85%), construction (73%), and mining (65%). Finally, frequent occupational exposure to VGDF was most common among mining (67%), agriculture (53%), and construction workers (51%). We identified industries and occupations with the highest prevalence of potentially hazardous workplace exposures, and provided targets for investigation and intervention activities. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

HIERARCHICAL PROBABILISTIC INFERENCE OF COSMIC SHEAR

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

Schneider, Michael D.; Dawson, William A.; Hogg, David W.

2015-07-01

Point estimators for the shearing of galaxy images induced by gravitational lensing involve a complex inverse problem in the presence of noise, pixelization, and model uncertainties. We present a probabilistic forward modeling approach to gravitational lensing inference that has the potential to mitigate the biased inferences in most common point estimators and is practical for upcoming lensing surveys. The first part of our statistical framework requires specification of a likelihood function for the pixel data in an imaging survey given parameterized models for the galaxies in the images. We derive the lensing shear posterior by marginalizing over all intrinsic galaxymore » properties that contribute to the pixel data (i.e., not limited to galaxy ellipticities) and learn the distributions for the intrinsic galaxy properties via hierarchical inference with a suitably flexible conditional probabilitiy distribution specification. We use importance sampling to separate the modeling of small imaging areas from the global shear inference, thereby rendering our algorithm computationally tractable for large surveys. With simple numerical examples we demonstrate the improvements in accuracy from our importance sampling approach, as well as the significance of the conditional distribution specification for the intrinsic galaxy properties when the data are generated from an unknown number of distinct galaxy populations with different morphological characteristics.« less

The Prevalence of Selected Potentially Hazardous Workplace Exposures in the US: Findings From the 2010 National Health Interview Survey

PubMed Central

Calvert, Geoffrey M.; Luckhaupt, Sara E.; Sussell, Aaron; Dahlhamer, James M.; Ward, Brian W.

2015-01-01

Objective Assess the national prevalence of current workplace exposure to potential skin hazards, secondhand smoke (SHS), and outdoor work among various industry and occupation groups. Also, assess the national prevalence of chronic workplace exposure to vapors, gas, dust, and fumes (VGDF) among these groups. Methods Data were obtained from the 2010 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). NHIS is a multistage probability sample survey of the civilian non-institutionalized population of the US. Prevalence rates and their variances were calculated using SUDAAN to account for the complex NHIS sample design. Results The data for 2010 were available for 17,524 adults who worked in the 12 months that preceded interview. The highest prevalence rates of hazardous workplace exposures were typically in agriculture, mining, and construction. The prevalence rate of frequent handling of or skin contact with chemicals, and of non-smokers frequently exposed to SHS at work was highest in mining and construction. Outdoor work was most common in agriculture (85%), construction (73%), and mining (65%). Finally, frequent occupational exposure to VGDF was most common among mining (67%), agriculture (53%), and construction workers (51%). Conclusion We identified industries and occupations with the highest prevalence of potentially hazardous workplace exposures, and provided targets for investigation and intervention activities. PMID:22821700

The Relationship among Caregiving Characteristics, Caregiver Strain, and Health-Related Quality of Life: Evidence from the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin

PubMed Central

Litzelman, Kristin; Skinner, Halcyon G.; Gangnon, Ronald E.; Nieto, F. Javier; Malecki, Kristen; Witt, Whitney P.

2015-01-01

Purpose In order to better understand how family caregiving may contribute to poor health outcomes, this study sought to determine 1) if and to what extent caregiving characteristics were associated with caregiver strain and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and 2) whether caregiver strain mediated this association. Methods Data were from the 2008–2010 Survey of the Health of Wisconsin, a representative sample of Wisconsin adults aged 21–74 years. Participants completed questionnaires about their caregiving, sociodemographics, and HRQoL; 264 caregivers were identified. Staged generalized additive models assessed the associations between caregiving characteristics, caregiver strain, and HRQoL; survey weights were applied to account for the complex sampling design. Results More hours per week of care and greater duration of caregiving were associated with higher levels of strain. Greater caregiver strain was in turn associated with worse mental HRQoL. However, most caregiving characteristics were not directly associated with mental or physical HRQoL. Conclusions The findings suggest a chains-of-risk model in which caregiving may increase strain, which may in turn adversely influence mental HRQoL. Using this perspective to refine interventions may improve our ability to support caregivers on practice and policy levels. PMID:25427430

The relationship among caregiving characteristics, caregiver strain, and health-related quality of life: evidence from the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin.

PubMed

Litzelman, Kristin; Skinner, Halcyon G; Gangnon, Ronald E; Nieto, F Javier; Malecki, Kristen; Witt, Whitney P

2015-06-01

In order to better understand how family caregiving may contribute to poor health outcomes, this study sought to determine (1) if and to what extent caregiving characteristics were associated with caregiver strain and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and (2) whether caregiver strain mediated this association. Data were from the 2008-2010 Survey of the Health of Wisconsin, a representative sample of Wisconsin adults aged 21-74 years. Participants completed questionnaires about their caregiving, sociodemographics, and HRQoL; 264 caregivers were identified. Staged generalized additive models assessed the associations among caregiving characteristics, caregiver strain, and HRQoL; survey weights were applied to account for the complex sampling design. More hours per week of care and greater duration of caregiving were associated with higher levels of strain. Greater caregiver strain was in turn associated with worse mental HRQoL. However, most caregiving characteristics were not directly associated with mental or physical HRQoL. The findings suggest a chains-of-risk model in which caregiving may increase strain, which may in turn adversely influence mental HRQoL. Using this perspective to refine interventions may improve our ability to support caregivers on practice and policy levels.

Relating Factors for Depression in Korean Working Women: Secondary Analysis of the Fifth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES V).

PubMed

Lee, Kyung-Jae; Kim, Jeung-Im

2015-09-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the health behaviors and risk factors for self-reported depression in Korean working women. This study adopted a secondary analysis from the fifth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES-V) for the Health Examination Survey and Health Behavior Survey, using stratified, multi-stage, cluster-sampling design to obtain a nationally representative sample. Data were gathered on extensive information including sociodemographic, occupational characteristics, health behaviors and depression. Multiple logistic regression analysis was employed to compute the odds ratio (OR) between health behaviors and depression to identify the health behaviors and the risk factors for depression with adjustment for the complex sample design of the survey. The prevalence rate of depression was 15.5% among working women. Depression was more common in older female workers and in those with part-time job. Current smokers were significantly more likely to be depression-positive. In a multiple logistic regression analysis, significant variables of depression were marital status (OR = 2.02; 95% CI [1.05, 3.89]), smoking status (OR = 1.55; 95% CI [1.01, 2.38]), stress (OR = 0.20; 95% CI [0.15, 0.26]), employment condition (OR = 1.77; 95% CI [1.34, 2.33]) and health status (OR = 2.10; 95% CI [1.53, 2.87]). Based on the study, factors leading to depression were marital status, current smoking, stress, employment condition and self-reported health status. Further studies are expected to unravel the characteristics of stress. Health care providers for women need to evaluate underreported depression and change their associated health behaviors. Also it is necessary to establish preventive strategies for female workers to control the negative effect of depression in the workplace. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Using iMCFA to Perform the CFA, Multilevel CFA, and Maximum Model for Analyzing Complex Survey Data.

PubMed

Wu, Jiun-Yu; Lee, Yuan-Hsuan; Lin, John J H

2018-01-01

To construct CFA, MCFA, and maximum MCFA with LISREL v.8 and below, we provide iMCFA (integrated Multilevel Confirmatory Analysis) to examine the potential multilevel factorial structure in the complex survey data. Modeling multilevel structure for complex survey data is complicated because building a multilevel model is not an infallible statistical strategy unless the hypothesized model is close to the real data structure. Methodologists have suggested using different modeling techniques to investigate potential multilevel structure of survey data. Using iMCFA, researchers can visually set the between- and within-level factorial structure to fit MCFA, CFA and/or MAX MCFA models for complex survey data. iMCFA can then yield between- and within-level variance-covariance matrices, calculate intraclass correlations, perform the analyses and generate the outputs for respective models. The summary of the analytical outputs from LISREL is gathered and tabulated for further model comparison and interpretation. iMCFA also provides LISREL syntax of different models for researchers' future use. An empirical and a simulated multilevel dataset with complex and simple structures in the within or between level was used to illustrate the usability and the effectiveness of the iMCFA procedure on analyzing complex survey data. The analytic results of iMCFA using Muthen's limited information estimator were compared with those of Mplus using Full Information Maximum Likelihood regarding the effectiveness of different estimation methods.

Thousands of Stellar SiO masers in the Galactic center: The Bulge Asymmetries and Dynamic Evolution (BAaDE) survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sjouwerman, Loránt O.; Pihlström, Ylva M.; Rich, R. Michael; Morris, Mark R.; Claussen, Mark J.

2017-01-01

A radio survey of red giant SiO sources in the inner Galaxy and bulge is not hindered by extinction. Accurate stellar velocities (<1 km/s) are obtained with minimal observing time (<1 min) per source. Detecting over 20,000 SiO maser sources yields data comparable to optical surveys with the additional strength of a much more thorough coverage of the highly obscured inner Galaxy. Modeling of such a large sample would reveal dynamical structures and minority populations; the velocity structure can be compared to kinematic structures seen in molecular gas, complex orbit structure in the bar, or stellar streams resulting from recently infallen systems. Our Bulge Asymmetries and Dynamic Evolution (BAaDE) survey yields bright SiO masers suitable for follow-up Galactic orbit and parallax determination using VLBI. Here we outline our early VLA observations at 43 GHz in the northern bulge and Galactic plane (0

An evaluation of the quality of statistical design and analysis of published medical research: results from a systematic survey of general orthopaedic journals.

PubMed

Parsons, Nick R; Price, Charlotte L; Hiskens, Richard; Achten, Juul; Costa, Matthew L

2012-04-25

The application of statistics in reported research in trauma and orthopaedic surgery has become ever more important and complex. Despite the extensive use of statistical analysis, it is still a subject which is often not conceptually well understood, resulting in clear methodological flaws and inadequate reporting in many papers. A detailed statistical survey sampled 100 representative orthopaedic papers using a validated questionnaire that assessed the quality of the trial design and statistical analysis methods. The survey found evidence of failings in study design, statistical methodology and presentation of the results. Overall, in 17% (95% confidence interval; 10-26%) of the studies investigated the conclusions were not clearly justified by the results, in 39% (30-49%) of studies a different analysis should have been undertaken and in 17% (10-26%) a different analysis could have made a difference to the overall conclusions. It is only by an improved dialogue between statistician, clinician, reviewer and journal editor that the failings in design methodology and analysis highlighted by this survey can be addressed.

Human Papillomavirus Community in Healthy Persons, Defined by Metagenomics Analysis of Human Microbiome Project Shotgun Sequencing Data Sets

PubMed Central

Ma, Yingfei; Madupu, Ramana; Karaoz, Ulas; Nossa, Carlos W.; Yang, Liying; Yooseph, Shibu; Yachimski, Patrick S.; Brodie, Eoin L.; Nelson, Karen E.

2014-01-01

ABSTRACT Human papillomavirus (HPV) causes a number of neoplastic diseases in humans. Here, we show a complex normal HPV community in a cohort of 103 healthy human subjects, by metagenomics analysis of the shotgun sequencing data generated from the NIH Human Microbiome Project. The overall HPV prevalence was 68.9% and was highest in the skin (61.3%), followed by the vagina (41.5%), mouth (30%), and gut (17.3%). Of the 109 HPV types as well as additional unclassified types detected, most were undetectable by the widely used commercial kits targeting the vaginal/cervical HPV types. These HPVs likely represent true HPV infections rather than transitory exposure because of strong organ tropism and persistence of the same HPV types in repeat samples. Coexistence of multiple HPV types was found in 48.1% of the HPV-positive samples. Networking between HPV types, cooccurrence or exclusion, was detected in vaginal and skin samples. Large contigs assembled from short HPV reads were obtained from several samples, confirming their genuine HPV origin. This first large-scale survey of HPV using a shotgun sequencing approach yielded a comprehensive map of HPV infections among different body sites of healthy human subjects. IMPORTANCE This nonbiased survey indicates that the HPV community in healthy humans is much more complex than previously defined by widely used kits that are target selective for only a few high- and low-risk HPV types for cervical cancer. The importance of nononcogenic viruses in a mixed HPV infection could be for stimulating or inhibiting a coexisting oncogenic virus via viral interference or immune cross-reaction. Knowledge gained from this study will be helpful to guide the designing of epidemiological and clinical studies in the future to determine the impact of nononcogenic HPV types on the outcome of HPV infections. PMID:24522917

CD3-negative lymphoproliferative disease of granular lymphocytes containing Epstein-Barr viral DNA.

PubMed

Kawa-Ha, K; Ishihara, S; Ninomiya, T; Yumura-Yagi, K; Hara, J; Murayama, F; Tawa, A; Hirai, K

1989-07-01

Lymphoproliferative disease of granular lymphocytes (LDGL) is a heterogeneous disorder and the pathogenesis is likely to be complex. Some patients with chronic active EBV (CAEBV) infection also have LDGL. To investigate the relationship between EBV infection and the pathogenesis of LDGL, we conducted a survey for EBV DNA sequences by Southern blot analysis of DNA obtained from the peripheral blood of seven patients with LDGL, including one with CAEBV infection. Interestingly, EBV DNA was detected in the sample from the patient with CAEBV infection, and in the samples from four other patients with CD3-LDGL. Moreover, a single band for the joined termini of the EBV genome was demonstrated in two samples, suggesting a clonal disorder of those LDGL. These findings strongly suggest that EBV may play a pathogenic role in some cases of LDGL.

Environmental exposures to lead, mercury, and cadmium among South Korean teenagers (KNHANES 2010-2013): Body burden and risk factors.

PubMed

Kim, Nam-Soo; Ahn, Jaeouk; Lee, Byung-Kook; Park, Jungsun; Kim, Yangho

2017-07-01

Limited information is available on the association of age and sex with blood concentrations of heavy metals in teenagers. In addition, factors such as a shared family environment may have an association. We analyzed data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES, 2010-2013) to determine whether blood levels of heavy metals differ by risk factors such as age, sex, and shared family environment in a representative sample of teenagers. This study used data obtained in the KNHANES 2010-2013, which had a rolling sampling design that involved a complex, stratified, multistage, probability-cluster survey of a representative sample of the non-institutionalized civilian population in South Korea. Our cross-sectional analysis was restricted to teenagers and their parents who completed the health examination survey, and for whom blood measurements of cadmium, lead, and mercury were available. The final analytical sample consisted of 1585 teenagers, and 376 fathers and 399 mothers who provided measurements of blood heavy metal concentrations. Male teenagers had greater blood levels of lead and mercury, but sex had no association with blood cadmium level. There were age-related increases in blood cadmium, but blood lead decreased with age, and age had little association with blood mercury. The concentrations of cadmium and mercury declined from 2010 to 2013. The blood concentrations of lead, cadmium, and mercury in teenagers were positively associated with the levels in their parents after adjustment for covariates. Our results show that blood heavy metal concentrations differ by risk factors such as age, sex, and shared family environment in teenagers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Diabetes mellitus is an independent risk for gastroesophageal reflux disease among urban African Americans.

PubMed

Natalini, J; Palit, A; Sankineni, A; Friedenberg, F K

2015-07-01

An association between gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and diabetes mellitus (DM) has been reported. Studies have not been population-based and have failed to include a representative sample of African American subjects. The aim of the study was to determine if DM is independently associated with GERD among urban African Americans. Single-center, population-based survey utilizing a complex, stratified sampling design. To obtain a simple random sample of the entire African American community, targeted survey zones and hand-delivered invitations were identified. Participating subjects had to be self-described African American, age ≥18. Surveys were completed at a computer terminal assisted by a research coordinator. Four hundred nineteen subjects (weighted sample size of 21 264 [20 888-23 930]). GERD prevalence was 23.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 23.2-23.9). GERD prevalence was 41.5 % in those with DM versus 20.6 % for those without (P < 0.001). Those with GERD had DM longer but had lower glycohemoglobin levels. The prevalence of ≥2 DM comorbidities was higher in those with GERD (odds ratio [OR] = 2.06; 95% CI 1.71-2.48). In the final model, age >40, DM, increasing body mass index, harmful drinking, and increasing smoking dependence were independently associated with GERD. For DM, there was significant effect modification by gender. In males, the risk was (OR = 4.63; 95% CI 3.96-5.40), while in females, the risk was markedly attenuated (OR = 1.79; 95% CI 1.61-2.00). Among urban African Americans, there is an independent association between DM and GERD that appears to be stronger in men. More information is needed to understand this association. © 2014 International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus.

Lensing is low: cosmology, galaxy formation or new physics?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leauthaud, Alexie; Saito, Shun; Hilbert, Stefan; Barreira, Alexandre; More, Surhud; White, Martin; Alam, Shadab; Behroozi, Peter; Bundy, Kevin; Coupon, Jean; Erben, Thomas; Heymans, Catherine; Hildebrandt, Hendrik; Mandelbaum, Rachel; Miller, Lance; Moraes, Bruno; Pereira, Maria E. S.; Rodríguez-Torres, Sergio A.; Schmidt, Fabian; Shan, Huan-Yuan; Viel, Matteo; Villaescusa-Navarro, Francisco

2017-05-01

We present high signal-to-noise galaxy-galaxy lensing measurements of the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey constant mass (CMASS) sample using 250 deg2 of weak-lensing data from Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Lensing Survey and Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Stripe 82 Survey. We compare this signal with predictions from mock catalogues trained to match observables including the stellar mass function and the projected and two-dimensional clustering of CMASS. We show that the clustering of CMASS, together with standard models of the galaxy-halo connection, robustly predicts a lensing signal that is 20-40 per cent larger than observed. Detailed tests show that our results are robust to a variety of systematic effects. Lowering the value of S_8=σ _8 \\sqrt{Ω _m/0.3} compared to Planck Collaboration XIII reconciles the lensing with clustering. However, given the scale of our measurement (r < 10 h-1 Mpc), other effects may also be at play and need to be taken into consideration. We explore the impact of baryon physics, assembly bias, massive neutrinos and modifications to general relativity on ΔΣ and show that several of these effects may be non-negligible given the precision of our measurement. Disentangling cosmological effects from the details of the galaxy-halo connection, the effect of baryons, and massive neutrinos, is the next challenge facing joint lensing and clustering analyses. This is especially true in the context of large galaxy samples from Baryon Acoustic Oscillation surveys with precise measurements but complex selection functions.

50 CFR 648.90 - NE multispecies assessment, framework procedures and specifications, and flexible area action...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

...; survey results; stock status; current estimates of fishing mortality and overfishing levels; social and... survey data or, if sea sampling data are unavailable, length frequency information from trawl surveys... size; sea sampling, port sampling, and survey data or, if sea sampling data are unavailable, length...

A high definition view of the COSMOS Wall at z ~ 0.73

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iovino, A.; Petropoulou, V.; Scodeggio, M.; Bolzonella, M.; Zamorani, G.; Bardelli, S.; Cucciati, O.; Pozzetti, L.; Tasca, L.; Vergani, D.; Zucca, E.; Finoguenov, A.; Ilbert, O.; Tanaka, M.; Salvato, M.; Kovač, K.; Cassata, P.

2016-08-01

Aims: We present a study of a large filamentary structure at z ~ 0.73 in the field of the COSMOS survey, the so-called COSMOS Wall. This structure encompasses a comprehensive range of environments from a dense cluster and a number of galaxy groups to filaments, less dense regions, and adjacent voids. It thus provides a valuable laboratory for the accurate mapping of environmental effects on galaxy evolution at a look-back time of ~6.5 Gyr, when the Universe was roughly half its present age. Methods: We performed deep spectroscopic observations with VIMOS at VLT of a K-band selected sample of galaxies in this complex structure, building a sample of galaxies complete in galaxy stellar mass down to a lower limit of log(ℳ∗/ℳ⊙) ~ 9.8, which is significantly deeper than previously available data. Thanks to its location within the COSMOS survey, each galaxy benefits from a wealth of ancillary information: HST-ACS data with I-band exposures down to IAB ~ 28 complemented by extensive multiwavelength ground- and space-based observations spanning the entire electromagnetic spectrum. Results: In this paper we detail the survey strategy and weighting scheme adopted to account for the biases introduced by the photometric preselection of our targets. We present our galaxy stellar mass and rest-frame magnitudes estimates together with a group catalog obtained with our new data and their member galaxies color/mass distribution. Conclusions: Owing to our new sample we can perform a detailed, high definition mapping of the complex COSMOS Wall structure. The sharp environmental information, coupled with high quality spectroscopic information and rich ancillary data available in the COSMOS field, enables a detailed study of galaxy properties as a function of local environment in a redshift slice where environmental effects are important, and in a stellar mass range where mass and environment driven effects are both at work. Based on observations collected at the European Southern Observatory, Cerro Paranal, Chile, using the Very Large Telescope under program ESO 085.A-0664.

What Are Probability Surveys used by the National Aquatic Resource Surveys?

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The National Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS) use probability-survey designs to assess the condition of the nation’s waters. In probability surveys (also known as sample-surveys or statistical surveys), sampling sites are selected randomly.

Uncontrolled Web-based administration of surveys on factual health-related knowledge: a randomized study of untimed versus timed quizzing.

PubMed

Domnich, Alexander; Panatto, Donatella; Signori, Alessio; Bragazzi, Nicola Luigi; Cristina, Maria Luisa; Amicizia, Daniela; Gasparini, Roberto

2015-04-13

Health knowledge and literacy are among the main determinants of health. Assessment of these issues via Web-based surveys is growing continuously. Research has suggested that approximately one-fifth of respondents submit cribbed answers, or cheat, on factual knowledge items, which may lead to measurement error. However, little is known about methods of discouraging cheating in Web-based surveys on health knowledge. This study aimed at exploring the usefulness of imposing a survey time limit to prevent help-seeking and cheating. On the basis of sample size estimation, 94 undergraduate students were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to complete a Web-based survey on nutrition knowledge, with or without a time limit of 15 minutes (30 seconds per item); the topic of nutrition was chosen because of its particular relevance to public health. The questionnaire consisted of two parts. The first was the validated consumer-oriented nutrition knowledge scale (CoNKS) consisting of 20 true/false items; the second was an ad hoc questionnaire (AHQ) containing 10 questions that would be very difficult for people without health care qualifications to answer correctly. It therefore aimed at measuring cribbing and not nutrition knowledge. AHQ items were somewhat encyclopedic and amenable to Web searching, while CoNKS items had more complex wording, so that simple copying/pasting of a question in a search string would not produce an immediate correct answer. A total of 72 of the 94 subjects started the survey. Dropout rates were similar in both groups (11%, 4/35 and 14%, 5/37 in the untimed and timed groups, respectively). Most participants completed the survey from portable devices, such as mobile phones and tablets. To complete the survey, participants in the untimed group took a median 2.3 minutes longer than those in the timed group; the effect size was small (Cohen's r=.29). Subjects in the untimed group scored significantly higher on CoNKS (mean difference of 1.2 points, P=.008) and the effect size was medium (Cohen's d=0.67). By contrast, no significant between-group difference in AHQ scores was documented. Unexpectedly high AHQ scores were recorded in 23% (7/31) and 19% (6/32) untimed and timed respondents, respectively, very probably owing to "e-cheating". Cribbing answers to health knowledge items in researcher-uncontrolled conditions is likely to lead to overestimation of people's knowledge; this should be considered during the design and implementation of Web-based surveys. Setting a time limit alone may not completely prevent cheating, as some cheats may be very fast in Web searching. More complex and contextualized wording of items and checking for the "findability" properties of items before implementing a Web-based health knowledge survey may discourage help-seeking, thus reducing measurement error. Studies with larger sample sizes and diverse populations are needed to confirm our results.

Uncontrolled Web-Based Administration of Surveys on Factual Health-Related Knowledge: A Randomized Study of Untimed Versus Timed Quizzing

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Background Health knowledge and literacy are among the main determinants of health. Assessment of these issues via Web-based surveys is growing continuously. Research has suggested that approximately one-fifth of respondents submit cribbed answers, or cheat, on factual knowledge items, which may lead to measurement error. However, little is known about methods of discouraging cheating in Web-based surveys on health knowledge. Objective This study aimed at exploring the usefulness of imposing a survey time limit to prevent help-seeking and cheating. Methods On the basis of sample size estimation, 94 undergraduate students were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to complete a Web-based survey on nutrition knowledge, with or without a time limit of 15 minutes (30 seconds per item); the topic of nutrition was chosen because of its particular relevance to public health. The questionnaire consisted of two parts. The first was the validated consumer-oriented nutrition knowledge scale (CoNKS) consisting of 20 true/false items; the second was an ad hoc questionnaire (AHQ) containing 10 questions that would be very difficult for people without health care qualifications to answer correctly. It therefore aimed at measuring cribbing and not nutrition knowledge. AHQ items were somewhat encyclopedic and amenable to Web searching, while CoNKS items had more complex wording, so that simple copying/pasting of a question in a search string would not produce an immediate correct answer. Results A total of 72 of the 94 subjects started the survey. Dropout rates were similar in both groups (11%, 4/35 and 14%, 5/37 in the untimed and timed groups, respectively). Most participants completed the survey from portable devices, such as mobile phones and tablets. To complete the survey, participants in the untimed group took a median 2.3 minutes longer than those in the timed group; the effect size was small (Cohen’s r=.29). Subjects in the untimed group scored significantly higher on CoNKS (mean difference of 1.2 points, P=.008) and the effect size was medium (Cohen’s d=0.67). By contrast, no significant between-group difference in AHQ scores was documented. Unexpectedly high AHQ scores were recorded in 23% (7/31) and 19% (6/32) untimed and timed respondents, respectively, very probably owing to “e-cheating”. Conclusions Cribbing answers to health knowledge items in researcher-uncontrolled conditions is likely to lead to overestimation of people’s knowledge; this should be considered during the design and implementation of Web-based surveys. Setting a time limit alone may not completely prevent cheating, as some cheats may be very fast in Web searching. More complex and contextualized wording of items and checking for the “findability” properties of items before implementing a Web-based health knowledge survey may discourage help-seeking, thus reducing measurement error. Studies with larger sample sizes and diverse populations are needed to confirm our results. PMID:25872617

Using lot quality-assurance sampling and area sampling to identify priority areas for trachoma control: Viet Nam.

PubMed Central

Myatt, Mark; Mai, Nguyen Phuong; Quynh, Nguyen Quang; Nga, Nguyen Huy; Tai, Ha Huy; Long, Nguyen Hung; Minh, Tran Hung; Limburg, Hans

2005-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To report on the use of lot quality-assurance sampling (LQAS) surveys undertaken within an area-sampling framework to identify priority areas for intervention with trachoma control activities in Viet Nam. METHODS: The LQAS survey method for the rapid assessment of the prevalence of active trachoma was adapted for use in Viet Nam with the aim of classifying individual communes by the prevalence of active trachoma among children in primary school. School-based sampling was used; school sites to be sampled were selected using an area-sampling approach. A total of 719 communes in 41 districts in 18 provinces were surveyed. FINDINGS: Survey staff found the LQAS survey method both simple and rapid to use after initial problems with area-sampling methods were identified and remedied. The method yielded a finer spatial resolution of prevalence than had been previously achieved in Viet Nam using semiquantitative rapid assessment surveys and multistage cluster-sampled surveys. CONCLUSION: When used with area-sampling techniques, the LQAS survey method has the potential to form the basis of survey instruments that can be used to efficiently target resources for interventions against active trachoma. With additional work, such methods could provide a generally applicable tool for effective programme planning and for the certification of the elimination of trachoma as a blinding disease. PMID:16283052

Physical properties of repressurized samples recovered during the 2006 National Gas Hydrate Program expedition offshore India

USGS Publications Warehouse

Winters, William J.; Waite, William F.; Mason, David H.; Kumar, P.

2008-01-01

As part of an international cooperative research program, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and researchers from the National Gas Hydrate Program (NGHP) of India are studying the physical properties of sediment recovered during the NGHP-01 cruise conducted offshore India during 2006. Here we report on index property, acoustic velocity, and triaxial shear test results for samples recovered from the Krishna-Godavari Basin. In addition, we discuss the effects of sample storage temperature, handling, and change in structure of fine-grained sediment. Although complex, sub-vertical planar gas-hydrate structures were observed in the silty clay to clayey silt samples prior to entering the Gas Hydrate And Sediment Test Laboratory Instrument (GHASTLI), the samples yielded little gas post test. This suggests most, if not all, gas hydrate dissociated during sample transfer. Mechanical properties of hydrate-bearing marine sediment are best measured by avoiding sample depressurization. By contrast, mechanical properties of hydrate-free sediments, that are shipped and stored at atmospheric pressure can be approximated by consolidating core material to the original in situ effective stress.

Surveying immigrants without sampling frames - evaluating the success of alternative field methods.

PubMed

Reichel, David; Morales, Laura

2017-01-01

This paper evaluates the sampling methods of an international survey, the Immigrant Citizens Survey, which aimed at surveying immigrants from outside the European Union (EU) in 15 cities in seven EU countries. In five countries, no sample frame was available for the target population. Consequently, alternative ways to obtain a representative sample had to be found. In three countries 'location sampling' was employed, while in two countries traditional methods were used with adaptations to reach the target population. The paper assesses the main methodological challenges of carrying out a survey among a group of immigrants for whom no sampling frame exists. The samples of the survey in these five countries are compared to results of official statistics in order to assess the accuracy of the samples obtained through the different sampling methods. It can be shown that alternative sampling methods can provide meaningful results in terms of core demographic characteristics although some estimates differ to some extent from the census results.

The 2003 Australian Breast Health Survey: survey design and preliminary results.

PubMed

Villanueva, Elmer V; Jones, Sandra; Nehill, Caroline; Favelle, Simone; Steel, David; Iverson, Donald; Zorbas, Helen

2008-01-14

The Breast Health Surveys, conducted by the National Breast Cancer Centre (NBCC) in 1996 and 2003, are designed to gain insight into the knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of a nationally representative sample of Australian women on issues relevant to breast cancer. In this article, we focus on major aspects of the design and present results on respondents' knowledge about mammographic screening. The 2003 BHS surveyed English-speaking Australian women aged 30-69 without a history of breast cancer using computer-assisted telephone interviewing. Questions covered the following themes: knowledge and perceptions about incidence, mortality and risk; knowledge and behaviour regarding early detection, symptoms and diagnosis; mammographic screening; treatment; and accessibility and availability of information and services. Respondents were selected using a complex sample design involving stratification. Sample weights against Australian population benchmarks were used in all statistical analyses. Means and proportions for the entire population and by age group and area of residence were calculated. Statistical tests were conducted using a level of significance of 0.01. Of the 3,144 respondents who consented to being interviewed, 138 (4.4%) had a previous diagnosis of breast cancer and were excluded leaving 3,006 completed interviews eligible for analysis. A majority of respondents (61.1%) reported ever having had a mammogram and 29.1% identified mammography as being the best way of finding breast cancer. A majority of women (85.9%) had heard of the BreastScreen Australia (BSA) program, the national mammographic screening program providing free biennial screening mammograms, with 94.5% believing that BSA attendance was available regardless of the presence or absence of symptoms. There have been substantial gains in women's knowledge about mammographic screening over the seven years between the two surveys. The NBCC Breast Health Surveys provide a valuable picture of the knowledge of Australian women about a range of issues. The present analysis shows significant gains in knowledge and behaviours relating to mammographic screening, while identifying additional areas for targeted improvement, as in the need to better communicate with women about screening and diagnostic services. Further analysis of additional core topic areas (eg., incidence, mortality, risk and treatment) will provide equally noteworthy insight.

Relations among obesity, family socioeconomic status, oral health behaviors, and dental caries in adolescents: the 2010-2012 Korea National Health and nutrition examination survey.

PubMed

Kim, Jin Ah; Choi, Hayon Michelle; Seo, Yunhee; Kang, Dae Ryong

2018-06-22

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among obesity, family socioeconomic status, oral health behaviors, and dental caries and to identify possible differences in factors related with dental caries according to gender among a representative sample of Korean adolescents. Data were obtained from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which was conducted between 2010 and 2012. This nationally representative cross-sectional survey included approximately 10,000 individuals, including adolescents, each year as a survey sample, and collected information on socioeconomic status, health-related behaviors, quality of life, healthcare utilization, anthropometric measures, biochemical and clinical profiles for non-communicable diseases, and dietary intake via three component surveys (health interview, health examination, and nutrition survey). The health interview and health examination were conducted by trained staff members. A total of 1646 adolescents of ages 13 to 18 years old were included in this study; there were 879 males and 767 females. Data were analyzed by t-test, X 2 -test, and univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses using SAS 9.4 and 'R' statistical software for Windows to account for the complex sampling design. In males, significant associations between family income and dental caries on permanent teeth were noted after adjusting for confounding variables; the odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals thereof were 0.43(0.24-0.76), 0.41(0.24-0.70), and 0.28(0.16-0.49) for low-middle, middle-high, and high family income, respectively. Smoking experience showed a significant association with dental caries on permanent teeth in females. Oral health behaviors, such as tooth brushing frequency, were associated with dental caries in only male adolescents. There was no association between obesity and dental caries on permanent teeth in either male or female adolescents. The present study demonstrated that factors associated with dental caries in adolescents differ according to gender. Therefore, gender-specific interventions may be warranted to improve dental health among adolescents.

PanFP: Pangenome-based functional profiles for microbial communities

DOE PAGES

Jun, Se -Ran; Hauser, Loren John; Schadt, Christopher Warren; ...

2015-09-26

For decades there has been increasing interest in understanding the relationships between microbial communities and ecosystem functions. Current DNA sequencing technologies allows for the exploration of microbial communities in two principle ways: targeted rRNA gene surveys and shotgun metagenomics. For large study designs, it is often still prohibitively expensive to sequence metagenomes at both the breadth and depth necessary to statistically capture the true functional diversity of a community. Although rRNA gene surveys provide no direct evidence of function, they do provide a reasonable estimation of microbial diversity, while being a very cost effective way to screen samples of interestmore » for later shotgun metagenomic analyses. However, there is a great deal of 16S rRNA gene survey data currently available from diverse environments, and thus a need for tools to infer functional composition of environmental samples based on 16S rRNA gene survey data. As a result, we present a computational method called pangenome based functional profiles (PanFP), which infers functional profiles of microbial communities from 16S rRNA gene survey data for Bacteria and Archaea. PanFP is based on pangenome reconstruction of a 16S rRNA gene operational taxonomic unit (OTU) from known genes and genomes pooled from the OTU s taxonomic lineage. From this lineage, we derive an OTU functional profile by weighting a pangenome s functional profile with the OTUs abundance observed in a given sample. We validated our method by comparing PanFP to the functional profiles obtained from the direct shotgun metagenomic measurement of 65 diverse communities via Spearman correlation coefficients. These correlations improved with increasing sequencing depth, within the range of 0.8 0.9 for the most deeply sequenced Human Microbiome Project mock community samples. PanFP is very similar in performance to another recently released tool, PICRUSt, for almost all of survey data analysed here. But, our method is unique in that any OTU building method can be used, as opposed to being limited to closed reference OTU picking strategies against specific reference sequence databases. In conclusion, we developed an automated computational method, which derives an inferred functional profile based on the 16S rRNA gene surveys of microbial communities. The inferred functional profile provides a cost effective way to study complex ecosystems through predicted comparative functional metagenomes and metadata analysis. All PanFP source code and additional documentation are freely available online at GitHub.« less

PanFP: pangenome-based functional profiles for microbial communities.

PubMed

Jun, Se-Ran; Robeson, Michael S; Hauser, Loren J; Schadt, Christopher W; Gorin, Andrey A

2015-09-26

For decades there has been increasing interest in understanding the relationships between microbial communities and ecosystem functions. Current DNA sequencing technologies allows for the exploration of microbial communities in two principle ways: targeted rRNA gene surveys and shotgun metagenomics. For large study designs, it is often still prohibitively expensive to sequence metagenomes at both the breadth and depth necessary to statistically capture the true functional diversity of a community. Although rRNA gene surveys provide no direct evidence of function, they do provide a reasonable estimation of microbial diversity, while being a very cost-effective way to screen samples of interest for later shotgun metagenomic analyses. However, there is a great deal of 16S rRNA gene survey data currently available from diverse environments, and thus a need for tools to infer functional composition of environmental samples based on 16S rRNA gene survey data. We present a computational method called pangenome-based functional profiles (PanFP), which infers functional profiles of microbial communities from 16S rRNA gene survey data for Bacteria and Archaea. PanFP is based on pangenome reconstruction of a 16S rRNA gene operational taxonomic unit (OTU) from known genes and genomes pooled from the OTU's taxonomic lineage. From this lineage, we derive an OTU functional profile by weighting a pangenome's functional profile with the OTUs abundance observed in a given sample. We validated our method by comparing PanFP to the functional profiles obtained from the direct shotgun metagenomic measurement of 65 diverse communities via Spearman correlation coefficients. These correlations improved with increasing sequencing depth, within the range of 0.8-0.9 for the most deeply sequenced Human Microbiome Project mock community samples. PanFP is very similar in performance to another recently released tool, PICRUSt, for almost all of survey data analysed here. But, our method is unique in that any OTU building method can be used, as opposed to being limited to closed-reference OTU picking strategies against specific reference sequence databases. We developed an automated computational method, which derives an inferred functional profile based on the 16S rRNA gene surveys of microbial communities. The inferred functional profile provides a cost effective way to study complex ecosystems through predicted comparative functional metagenomes and metadata analysis. All PanFP source code and additional documentation are freely available online at GitHub ( https://github.com/srjun/PanFP ).

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

Jun, Se -Ran; Hauser, Loren John; Schadt, Christopher Warren

For decades there has been increasing interest in understanding the relationships between microbial communities and ecosystem functions. Current DNA sequencing technologies allows for the exploration of microbial communities in two principle ways: targeted rRNA gene surveys and shotgun metagenomics. For large study designs, it is often still prohibitively expensive to sequence metagenomes at both the breadth and depth necessary to statistically capture the true functional diversity of a community. Although rRNA gene surveys provide no direct evidence of function, they do provide a reasonable estimation of microbial diversity, while being a very cost effective way to screen samples of interestmore » for later shotgun metagenomic analyses. However, there is a great deal of 16S rRNA gene survey data currently available from diverse environments, and thus a need for tools to infer functional composition of environmental samples based on 16S rRNA gene survey data. As a result, we present a computational method called pangenome based functional profiles (PanFP), which infers functional profiles of microbial communities from 16S rRNA gene survey data for Bacteria and Archaea. PanFP is based on pangenome reconstruction of a 16S rRNA gene operational taxonomic unit (OTU) from known genes and genomes pooled from the OTU s taxonomic lineage. From this lineage, we derive an OTU functional profile by weighting a pangenome s functional profile with the OTUs abundance observed in a given sample. We validated our method by comparing PanFP to the functional profiles obtained from the direct shotgun metagenomic measurement of 65 diverse communities via Spearman correlation coefficients. These correlations improved with increasing sequencing depth, within the range of 0.8 0.9 for the most deeply sequenced Human Microbiome Project mock community samples. PanFP is very similar in performance to another recently released tool, PICRUSt, for almost all of survey data analysed here. But, our method is unique in that any OTU building method can be used, as opposed to being limited to closed reference OTU picking strategies against specific reference sequence databases. In conclusion, we developed an automated computational method, which derives an inferred functional profile based on the 16S rRNA gene surveys of microbial communities. The inferred functional profile provides a cost effective way to study complex ecosystems through predicted comparative functional metagenomes and metadata analysis. All PanFP source code and additional documentation are freely available online at GitHub.« less

Aerial Survey of Ames Research Center - Flight Simulation Complex' Flight simulators create an

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1967-01-01

Aerial Survey of Ames Research Center - Flight Simulation Complex' Flight simulators create an authentic aircraft environment by generating the appropriate physical cues that provide the sensations of flight.

Vulnerability, risk perception, and health profile of marginalized people exposed to multiple built-environment stressors in Worcester, Massachusetts: a pilot project.

PubMed

Downs, Timothy J; Ross, Laurie; Goble, Robert; Subedi, Rajendra; Greenberg, Sara; Taylor, Octavia

2011-04-01

Millions of low-income people of diverse ethnicities inhabit stressful old urban industrial neighborhoods. Yet we know little about the health impacts of built-environment stressors and risk perceptions in such settings; we lack even basic health profiles. Difficult access is one reason (it took us 30 months to survey 80 households); the lack of multifaceted survey tools is another. We designed and implemented a pilot vulnerability assessment tool in Worcester, Massachusetts. We answer: (1) How can we assess vulnerability to multiple stressors? (2) What is the nature of complex vulnerability-including risk perceptions and health profiles? (3) How can findings be used by our wider community, and what lessons did we learn? (4) What implications arise for science and policy? We sought a holistic picture of neighborhood life. A reasonably representative sample of 80 respondents captured data for 254 people about: demographics, community concerns and resources, time-activity patterns, health information, risk/stress perceptions, and resources/capacities for coping. Our key findings derive partly from the survey data and partly from our experience in obtaining those data. Data strongly suggest complex vulnerability dominated by psychosocial stress. Unexpected significant gender and ethnic disease disparities emerged: notably, females have twice the disease burden of males, and white females twice the burden of females of color (p < 0.01). Self-reported depression differentiated by gender and age is illustrative. Community based participatory research (CBPR) approaches require active engagement with marginalized populations, including representatives as funded partners. Complex vulnerability necessitates holistic, participatory approaches to improve scientific understanding and societal responses. © 2010 Society for Risk Analysis.

[Comparison study on sampling methods of Oncomelania hupensis snail survey in marshland schistosomiasis epidemic areas in China].

PubMed

An, Zhao; Wen-Xin, Zhang; Zhong, Yao; Yu-Kuan, Ma; Qing, Liu; Hou-Lang, Duan; Yi-di, Shang

2016-06-29

To optimize and simplify the survey method of Oncomelania hupensis snail in marshland endemic region of schistosomiasis and increase the precision, efficiency and economy of the snail survey. A quadrate experimental field was selected as the subject of 50 m×50 m size in Chayegang marshland near Henghu farm in the Poyang Lake region and a whole-covered method was adopted to survey the snails. The simple random sampling, systematic sampling and stratified random sampling methods were applied to calculate the minimum sample size, relative sampling error and absolute sampling error. The minimum sample sizes of the simple random sampling, systematic sampling and stratified random sampling methods were 300, 300 and 225, respectively. The relative sampling errors of three methods were all less than 15%. The absolute sampling errors were 0.221 7, 0.302 4 and 0.047 8, respectively. The spatial stratified sampling with altitude as the stratum variable is an efficient approach of lower cost and higher precision for the snail survey.

Fungal community, Fusarium head blight complex and secondary metabolites associated with malting barley grains harvested in Umbria, central Italy.

PubMed

Beccari, Giovanni; Senatore, Maria Teresa; Tini, Francesco; Sulyok, Michael; Covarelli, Lorenzo

2018-05-20

In recent years, due to the negative impact of toxigenic mycobiota and of the accumulation of their secondary metabolites in malting barley grains, monitoring the evolution of fungal communities in a certain cultivation area as well as detecting the different mycotoxins present in the raw material prior to malting and brewing processes have become increasingly important. In this study, a survey was carried out on malting barley samples collected after their harvest in the Umbria region (central Italy). Samples were analyzed to determine the composition of the fungal community, to identify the isolated Fusarium species, to quantify fungal secondary metabolites in the grains and to characterize the in vitro mycotoxigenic profile of a subset of the isolated Fusarium strains. The fungal community of barley grains was mainly composed of microorganisms belonging to the genus Alternaria (77%), followed by those belonging to the genus Fusarium (27%). The Fusarium head blight (FHB) complex was represented by nine species with the predominance of Fusarium poae (37%), followed by Fusarium avenaceum (23%), Fusarium graminearum (22%) and Fusarium tricinctum (7%). Secondary metabolites biosynthesized by Alternaria and Fusarium species were present in the analyzed grains. Among those biosynthesized by Fusarium species, nivalenol and enniatins were the most prevalent ones. Type A trichothecenes (T-2 and HT-2 toxins) as well as beauvericin were also present with a high incidence. Conversely, the number of samples contaminated with deoxynivalenol was low. Conjugated forms, such as deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside and HT-2-glucoside, were detected for the first time in malting barley grains cultivated in the surveyed area. In addition, strains of F. avenaceum and F. tricinctum showed the ability to biosynthesize in vitro high concentrations of enniatins. The analysis of fungal secondary metabolites, both in the grains and in vitro, revealed also the presence of other compounds, for which further investigations will be required. The combination of microbiological analyses, of molecular biology assays and of multi-mycotoxin screening shed light on the complexity of the fungal community and its secondary metabolites released in malting barley. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The VMC Survey. XXVII. Young Stellar Structures in the LMC’s Bar Star-forming Complex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Ning-Chen; de Grijs, Richard; Subramanian, Smitha; Bekki, Kenji; Bell, Cameron P. M.; Cioni, Maria-Rosa L.; Ivanov, Valentin D.; Marconi, Marcella; Oliveira, Joana M.; Piatti, Andrés E.; Ripepi, Vincenzo; Rubele, Stefano; Tatton, Ben L.; van Loon, Jacco Th.

2017-11-01

Star formation is a hierarchical process, forming young stellar structures of star clusters, associations, and complexes over a wide range of scales. The star-forming complex in the bar region of the Large Magellanic Cloud is investigated with upper main-sequence stars observed by the VISTA Survey of the Magellanic Clouds. The upper main-sequence stars exhibit highly nonuniform distributions. Young stellar structures inside the complex are identified from the stellar density map as density enhancements of different significance levels. We find that these structures are hierarchically organized such that larger, lower-density structures contain one or several smaller, higher-density ones. They follow power-law size and mass distributions, as well as a lognormal surface density distribution. All these results support a scenario of hierarchical star formation regulated by turbulence. The temporal evolution of young stellar structures is explored by using subsamples of upper main-sequence stars with different magnitude and age ranges. While the youngest subsample, with a median age of log(τ/yr) = 7.2, contains the most substructure, progressively older ones are less and less substructured. The oldest subsample, with a median age of log(τ/yr) = 8.0, is almost indistinguishable from a uniform distribution on spatial scales of 30-300 pc, suggesting that the young stellar structures are completely dispersed on a timescale of ˜100 Myr. These results are consistent with the characteristics of the 30 Doradus complex and the entire Large Magellanic Cloud, suggesting no significant environmental effects. We further point out that the fractal dimension may be method dependent for stellar samples with significant age spreads.

Why Don't We Ask? A Complementary Method for Assessing the Status of Great Apes

PubMed Central

Meijaard, Erik; Mengersen, Kerrie; Buchori, Damayanti; Nurcahyo, Anton; Ancrenaz, Marc; Wich, Serge; Atmoko, Sri Suci Utami; Tjiu, Albertus; Prasetyo, Didik; Nardiyono; Hadiprakarsa, Yokyok; Christy, Lenny; Wells, Jessie; Albar, Guillaume; Marshall, Andrew J.

2011-01-01

Species conservation is difficult. Threats to species are typically high and immediate. Effective solutions for counteracting these threats, however, require synthesis of high quality evidence, appropriately targeted activities, typically costly implementation, and rapid re-evaluation and adaptation. Conservation management can be ineffective if there is insufficient understanding of the complex ecological, political, socio-cultural, and economic factors that underlie conservation threats. When information about these factors is incomplete, conservation managers may be unaware of the most urgent threats or unable to envision all consequences of potential management strategies. Conservation research aims to address the gap between what is known and what knowledge is needed for effective conservation. Such research, however, generally addresses a subset of the factors that underlie conservation threats, producing a limited, simplistic, and often biased view of complex, real world situations. A combination of approaches is required to provide the complete picture necessary to engage in effective conservation. Orangutan conservation (Pongo spp.) offers an example: standard conservation assessments employ survey methods that focus on ecological variables, but do not usually address the socio-cultural factors that underlie threats. Here, we evaluate a complementary survey method based on interviews of nearly 7,000 people in 687 villages in Kalimantan, Indonesia. We address areas of potential methodological weakness in such surveys, including sampling and questionnaire design, respondent biases, statistical analyses, and sensitivity of resultant inferences. We show that interview-based surveys can provide cost-effective and statistically robust methods to better understand poorly known populations of species that are relatively easily identified by local people. Such surveys provide reasonably reliable estimates of relative presence and relative encounter rates of such species, as well as quantifying the main factors that threaten them. We recommend more extensive use of carefully designed and implemented interview surveys, in conjunction with more traditional field methods. PMID:21483859

D Survey in Complex Archaeological Environments: AN Approach by Terrestrial Laser Scanning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebolese, D.; Dardanelli, G.; Lo Brutto, M.; Sciortino, R.

2018-05-01

The survey of archaeological sites by appropriate geomatics technologies is an important research topic. In particular, the 3D survey by terrestrial laser scanning has become a common practice for 3D archaeological data collection. Even if terrestrial laser scanning survey is quite well established, due to the complexity of the most archaeological contexts, many issues can arise and make the survey more difficult. The aim of this work is to describe the methodology chosen for a terrestrial laser scanning survey in a complex archaeological environment according to the issues related to the particular structure of the site. The developed approach was used for the terrestrial laser scanning survey and documentation of a part of the archaeological site of Elaiussa Sebaste in Turkey. The proposed technical solutions have allowed providing an accurate and detailed 3D dataset of the study area. In addition, further products useful for archaeological analysis were also obtained from the 3D dataset of the study area.

Why do we see Broad Lines in X-ray Absorbed, Red AGN?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilkes, B. J.; Ghosh, Himel; Cutri, R.; Hines, D.; Nelson, B.; Schmidt, G. D.; Smith, P. S.

2003-05-01

The Two Micron All-Sky Survey (2MASS) red AGN catalog has revealed a previously unknown population whose number density rivals that of optically-selected AGN as found in the many, relatively shallow surveys (e.g. PG, Hamburg). The Chandra X-ray spectra of these red, mostly broad-line AGN are hard. This, combined with their unusually high optical polarization, suggests substantial obscuration (log NH = 21-23 cm-2) toward the nuclear energy source, despite a clear view of the broad emission line region. We have expanded our Chandra-observed sub-sample to include 20 more 2MASS AGN yielding a set of 46 which includes all available optical classes. This sample is thus pre-selected for complex absorption and sufficient to study the relative X-ray and optical obscuration for each AGN class. Those observed to date continue the lack of a relation between the X-ray hardness ratio and optical class noted in our earlier sample. Combining this with X-ray spectral fits where we have sufficient counts and with our multi-wavelength data, we compare the spectral energy distributions with those of normal and other red AGN and investigate possible scenarios for the absorbing material. We gratefully ackowledge the financial support of NASA grant: GO1-2112A

Aspects of High-Resolution Gas Chromatography as Applied to the Analysis of Hydrocarbon Fuels and Other Complex Organic Mixtures. Volume 2. Survey of Sample Insertion Techniques.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-06-01

packed column, with low liquid loading (2. 0 mm ID, 4% liquid phase loading on diatomaceous earth *) 0.3 Medium bore analytical packed column, with...moderate liquid loading (4. 5 mm ID, 8%16 liquid phase loading on diatomaceous earth *) 3.0 -3 * diatomaceous earth density 0.24 gm cm 12 associated with the...hydrocarbon fuels. Certain injector inserts have contained packed chromatographic media, e.g., stationary phases coated onto diatomaceous earth . This type

Participation in Decision Making as a Property of Complex Adaptive Systems: Developing and Testing a Measure

PubMed Central

Anderson, Ruth A.; Hsieh, Pi-Ching; Su, Hui Fang; Landerman, Lawrence R.; McDaniel, Reuben R.

2013-01-01

Objectives. To (1) describe participation in decision-making as a systems-level property of complex adaptive systems and (2) present empirical evidence of reliability and validity of a corresponding measure. Method. Study 1 was a mail survey of a single respondent (administrators or directors of nursing) in each of 197 nursing homes. Study 2 was a field study using random, proportionally stratified sampling procedure that included 195 organizations with 3,968 respondents. Analysis. In Study 1, we analyzed the data to reduce the number of scale items and establish initial reliability and validity. In Study 2, we strengthened the psychometric test using a large sample. Results. Results demonstrated validity and reliability of the participation in decision-making instrument (PDMI) while measuring participation of workers in two distinct job categories (RNs and CNAs). We established reliability at the organizational level aggregated items scores. We established validity of the multidimensional properties using convergent and discriminant validity and confirmatory factor analysis. Conclusions. Participation in decision making, when modeled as a systems-level property of organization, has multiple dimensions and is more complex than is being traditionally measured. Managers can use this model to form decision teams that maximize the depth and breadth of expertise needed and to foster connection among them. PMID:24349771

Participation in decision making as a property of complex adaptive systems: developing and testing a measure.

PubMed

Anderson, Ruth A; Plowman, Donde; Corazzini, Kirsten; Hsieh, Pi-Ching; Su, Hui Fang; Landerman, Lawrence R; McDaniel, Reuben R

2013-01-01

Objectives. To (1) describe participation in decision-making as a systems-level property of complex adaptive systems and (2) present empirical evidence of reliability and validity of a corresponding measure. Method. Study 1 was a mail survey of a single respondent (administrators or directors of nursing) in each of 197 nursing homes. Study 2 was a field study using random, proportionally stratified sampling procedure that included 195 organizations with 3,968 respondents. Analysis. In Study 1, we analyzed the data to reduce the number of scale items and establish initial reliability and validity. In Study 2, we strengthened the psychometric test using a large sample. Results. Results demonstrated validity and reliability of the participation in decision-making instrument (PDMI) while measuring participation of workers in two distinct job categories (RNs and CNAs). We established reliability at the organizational level aggregated items scores. We established validity of the multidimensional properties using convergent and discriminant validity and confirmatory factor analysis. Conclusions. Participation in decision making, when modeled as a systems-level property of organization, has multiple dimensions and is more complex than is being traditionally measured. Managers can use this model to form decision teams that maximize the depth and breadth of expertise needed and to foster connection among them.

Changes of Multiple Metal Accumulation (MMA) in New Orleans Soil: Preliminary Evaluation of Differences between Survey I (1992) and Survey II (2000)

PubMed Central

Mielke, Howard W.; Gonzales, Christopher; Powell, Eric; MielkeJr, Paul W.

2005-01-01

Soil metal surveys were conducted in Baltimore, MD (1976–1979), Minnesota (1981–1988) and most recently, New Orleans, LA (1989-present). The unique characteristic of New Orleans is that it has two surveys; Survey I was completed in 1992 and Survey II was completed in 2000. This paper seeks to determine if there is a perceptible change in the amount of metals during less than a decade that separated these surveys. The Survey I collection was 4,026 samples stratified by 283 census tracts. All samples were collected in residential neighborhoods at least one block from a busy street. The Survey II collection was 5,467 samples stratified by 286 census tracts (plus City Park). The Survey II collection included busy streets as a category of samples. For comparison, the busy street category of 1,078 samples was excluded from Survey II for a total of 4,388 samples. The extraction methods of the two surveys used the same protocol for strength of acid (1 M HNO3), shaker-time (2 hours), and room temperature (~22ºC). However, Survey II differed in amount of sample used in extraction. For Surveys I and II, 4.0g and 0.4g were used respectively. The same ICP-AES was used to measure 8 metals in both surveys. To evaluate the analytical results of the two methods, reference soil samples (n=36) from the Wageningen Evaluating Programs for Analytical Laboratories, International Soil-analytical Exchange (WEPAL; ISE) were used. The relationship between the 4.0 and 0.4 g results were linear and the Survey I results were adjusted for sample:acid ratio. Further evaluation was done by creating interpolated Multiple Metal Accumulation (MMA) maps based on the median MMA for each census tract. A new map was created by dividing Survey II MMA by Survey I MMA. The ratio indicates increases of soil metals in the inner city and decreases of soil metals in the outlying areas of Metropolitan New Orleans. Comparing fresh parent alluvium from the Mississippi River with urban soil metal quantities demonstrates that the soils of New Orleans have undergone a massive accumulation of metals. The preliminary results provide ideas about methods needed to further evaluate the changes between these surveys. PMID:16705833

Design-based and model-based inference in surveys of freshwater mollusks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dorazio, R.M.

1999-01-01

Well-known concepts in statistical inference and sampling theory are used to develop recommendations for planning and analyzing the results of quantitative surveys of freshwater mollusks. Two methods of inference commonly used in survey sampling (design-based and model-based) are described and illustrated using examples relevant in surveys of freshwater mollusks. The particular objectives of a survey and the type of information observed in each unit of sampling can be used to help select the sampling design and the method of inference. For example, the mean density of a sparsely distributed population of mollusks can be estimated with higher precision by using model-based inference or by using design-based inference with adaptive cluster sampling than by using design-based inference with conventional sampling. More experience with quantitative surveys of natural assemblages of freshwater mollusks is needed to determine the actual benefits of different sampling designs and inferential procedures.

Public attitudes toward larger cigarette pack warnings: Results from a nationally representative U.S. sample

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

A large body of evidence supports the effectiveness of larger health warnings on cigarette packages. However, there is limited research examining attitudes toward such warning labels, which has potential implications for implementation of larger warning labels. The purpose of the current study was to examine attitudes toward larger warning sizes on cigarette packages and examine variables associated with more favorable attitudes. In a nationally representative survey of U.S. adults (N = 5,014), participants were randomized to different warning size conditions, assessing attitude toward “a health warning that covered (25, 50, 75) % of a cigarette pack.” SAS logistic regression survey procedures were used to account for the complex survey design and sampling weights. Across experimental groups, nearly three-quarters (72%) of adults had attitudes supportive of larger warning labels on cigarette packs. Among the full sample and smokers only (N = 1,511), most adults had favorable attitudes toward labels that covered 25% (78.2% and 75.2%, respectively), 50% (70% and 58.4%, respectively), and 75% (67.9% and 61%, respectively) of a cigarette pack. Young adults, females, racial/ethnic minorities, and non-smokers were more likely to have favorable attitudes toward larger warning sizes. Among smokers only, females and those with higher quit intentions held more favorable attitudes toward larger warning sizes. Widespread support exists for larger warning labels on cigarette packages among U.S. adults, including among smokers. Our findings support the implementation of larger health warnings on cigarette packs in the U.S. as required by the 2009 Tobacco Control Act. PMID:28253257

Didelphis marsupialis (common opossum): a potential reservoir host for zoonotic leishmaniasis in the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais, Brazil).

PubMed

Schallig, Henk D F H; da Silva, Eduardo S; van der Meide, Wendy F; Schoone, Gerard J; Gontijo, Celia M F

2007-01-01

Identification of the zoonotic reservoir is important for leishmaniasis control program. A number of (wild) animal species may serve as reservoir hosts, including the opossum Didelphis marsupialis. A survey carried out in Didelphis specimens (n = 111) from the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte, an important focus of human leishmaniasis in Brazil, is reported. All animals were serologically tested with indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFAT) and direct agglutination tests (DAT) based on L. (L.) donovani or L. (V.) braziliensis antigen. A sub-population (n = 20) was analyzed with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of Leishmania-specific DNA. For species identification, PCR-positive samples were subjected to restriction enzyme fragment polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. Depending on the sero-diagnostic test employed, the sero-prevalence varied between 8.1% (9/111 animals positive with DAT test based on L. braziliensis antigen) and 21.6% (24/111 animals positive with IFAT). Five out of 20 samples analyzed with PCR tested positive for the presence of Leishmania-specific DNA. RFLP analysis revealed that two samples contained L. braziliensis complex DNA, one contained L. donovani complex DNA, and two samples could not be typed with the methodology used. These data suggest a potential role for the opossum as a reservoir host for zoonotic leishmaniasis in the region.

Complex adaptive systems (CAS): an overview of key elements, characteristics and application to management theory.

PubMed

Ellis, Beverley; Herbert, Stuart Ian

2011-01-01

To identify key elements and characteristics of complex adaptive systems (CAS) relevant to implementing clinical governance, drawing on lessons from quality improvement programmes and the use of informatics in primary care. The research strategy includes a literature review to develop theoretical models of clinical governance of quality improvement in primary care organisations (PCOs) and a survey of PCOs. Complex adaptive system theories are a valuable tool to help make sense of natural phenomena, which include human responses to problem solving within the sampled PCOs. The research commenced with a survey; 76% (n16) of respondents preferred to support the implementation of clinical governance initiatives guided by outputs from general practice electronic health records. There was considerable variation in the way in which consultation data was captured, recorded and organised. Incentivised information sharing led to consensus on coding policies and models of data recording ahead of national contractual requirements. Informatics was acknowledged as a mechanism to link electronic health record outputs, quality improvement and resources. Investment in informatics was identified as a development priority in order to embed clinical governance principles in practice. Complex adaptive system theory usefully describes evolutionary change processes, providing insight into how the origins of quality assurance were predicated on rational reductionism and linearity. New forms of governance do not neutralise previous models, but add further dimensions to them. Clinical governance models have moved from deterministic and 'objective' factors to incorporate cultural aspects with feedback about quality enabled by informatics. The socio-technical lessons highlighted should inform healthcare management.

Post-sampling mortality and non-response patterns in the English Cancer Patient Experience Survey: Implications for epidemiological studies based on surveys of cancer patients.

PubMed

Abel, Gary A; Saunders, Catherine L; Lyratzopoulos, Georgios

2016-04-01

Surveys of the experience of cancer patients are increasingly being introduced in different countries and used in cancer epidemiology research. Sampling processes, post-sampling mortality and survey non-response can influence the representativeness of cancer patient surveys. We examined predictors of post-sampling mortality and non-response among patients initially included in the sampling frame of the English Cancer Patient Experience Survey. We also compared the respondents' diagnostic case-mix to other relevant populations of cancer patients, including incident and prevalent cases. Of 109,477 initially sampled cancer patients, 6273 (5.7%) died between sampling and survey mail-out. Older age and diagnosis of brain, lung and pancreatic cancer were associated with higher risk of post-sampling mortality. The overall response rate was 67% (67,713 respondents), being >70% for the most affluent patients and those diagnosed with colon or breast cancer and <50% for Asian or Black patients, those under 35 and those diagnosed with brain cancer. The diagnostic case-mix of respondents varied substantially from incident or prevalent cancer cases. Respondents to the English Cancer Patient Experience Survey represent a population of recently treated cancer survivors. Although patient survey data can provide unique insights for improving cancer care quality, features of survey populations need to be acknowledged when analysing and interpreting findings from studies using such data. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

CD3-negative lymphoproliferative disease of granular lymphocytes containing Epstein-Barr viral DNA.

PubMed Central

Kawa-Ha, K; Ishihara, S; Ninomiya, T; Yumura-Yagi, K; Hara, J; Murayama, F; Tawa, A; Hirai, K

1989-01-01

Lymphoproliferative disease of granular lymphocytes (LDGL) is a heterogeneous disorder and the pathogenesis is likely to be complex. Some patients with chronic active EBV (CAEBV) infection also have LDGL. To investigate the relationship between EBV infection and the pathogenesis of LDGL, we conducted a survey for EBV DNA sequences by Southern blot analysis of DNA obtained from the peripheral blood of seven patients with LDGL, including one with CAEBV infection. Interestingly, EBV DNA was detected in the sample from the patient with CAEBV infection, and in the samples from four other patients with CD3-LDGL. Moreover, a single band for the joined termini of the EBV genome was demonstrated in two samples, suggesting a clonal disorder of those LDGL. These findings strongly suggest that EBV may play a pathogenic role in some cases of LDGL. Images PMID:2544630

Factors that affect college students' perceptions of rape: what is the role of gender and other situational factors?

PubMed

Vandiver, Donna M; Dupalo, Jessica Rager

2013-05-01

Prior research has shown that various situational factors and behaviors can affect one's perception of whether a rape has occurred. Moreover, some hold false beliefs about rape. This can also affect one's perception of ambiguous situations. This study included the administration of a survey to 584 college students; the survey examined the prevalence of rape myths and responses to vignettes of potential rape scenarios. It was found that although the majority of this sample did not support rape myths, male students were significantly more likely than female students to support rape myths. Furthermore, approximately 20% of students did support one subscale of the rape myth scale: He didn't mean to [commit rape]. The results also revealed an interaction effect between the observer's sex and the victim's sex, suggesting a complex gender relationship.

Health system reconstruction: Perspectives of Iraqi physicians

PubMed Central

Squires, A.; Sindi, A.; Fennie, K.

2010-01-01

In conflict or post-conflict situations, health system reconstruction becomes a critical component of ensuring stability. The purpose of this study was to determine the priorities for health system reconstruction among Iraqi physicians residing in the northern region of the country. A convenience sample of practicing male and female physicians residing in the Kurdish region completed a 13-item survey about health system reconstruction. A total of 1001 practitioners completed the survey with gender breakdown of 29% female and 71% male, all working in different specialty areas. Significant differences between the providers based on gender (p = 0.001), specialty (p = 0.001) and geographic location (p = 0.004) were found to affect the responses of the participants. This study demonstrates that input from healthcare professionals is important for health system reconstruction, but that gender, geography and medical specialty make the process complex. PMID:20155543

A STUDY OF BROADBAND FARADAY ROTATION AND POLARIZATION BEHAVIOR OVER 1.3–10 GHz IN 36 DISCRETE RADIO SOURCES

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

Anderson, C. S.; Gaensler, B. M.; Feain, I. J., E-mail: craiga@physics.usyd.edu.au

We present a broadband polarization analysis of 36 discrete polarized radio sources over a very broad, densely sampled frequency band. Our sample was selected on the basis of polarization behavior apparent in narrowband archival data at 1.4 GHz: half the sample shows complicated frequency-dependent polarization behavior (i.e., Faraday complexity) at these frequencies, while half shows comparatively simple behavior (i.e., they appear Faraday simple ). We re-observed the sample using the Australia Telescope Compact Array in full polarization, with 6 GHz of densely sampled frequency coverage spanning 1.3–10 GHz. We have devised a general polarization modeling technique that allows us tomore » identify multiple polarized emission components in a source, and to characterize their properties. We detect Faraday complex behavior in almost every source in our sample. Several sources exhibit particularly remarkable polarization behavior. By comparing our new and archival data, we have identified temporal variability in the broadband integrated polarization spectra of some sources. In a number of cases, the characteristics of the polarized emission components, including the range of Faraday depths over which they emit, their temporal variability, spectral index, and the linear extent of the source, allow us to argue that the spectropolarimetric data encode information about the magneto-ionic environment of active galactic nuclei themselves. Furthermore, the data place direct constraints on the geometry and magneto-ionic structure of this material. We discuss the consequences of restricted frequency bands on the detection and interpretation of polarization structures, and the implications for upcoming spectropolarimetric surveys.« less

End to End Digitisation and Analysis of Three-Dimensional Coral Models, from Communities to Corallites.

PubMed

Gutierrez-Heredia, Luis; Benzoni, Francesca; Murphy, Emma; Reynaud, Emmanuel G

2016-01-01

Coral reefs hosts nearly 25% of all marine species and provide food sources for half a billion people worldwide while only a very small percentage have been surveyed. Advances in technology and processing along with affordable underwater cameras and Internet availability gives us the possibility to provide tools and softwares to survey entire coral reefs. Holistic ecological analyses of corals require not only the community view (10s to 100s of meters), but also the single colony analysis as well as corallite identification. As corals are three-dimensional, classical approaches to determine percent cover and structural complexity across spatial scales are inefficient, time-consuming and limited to experts. Here we propose an end-to-end approach to estimate these parameters using low-cost equipment (GoPro, Canon) and freeware (123D Catch, Meshmixer and Netfabb), allowing every community to participate in surveys and monitoring of their coral ecosystem. We demonstrate our approach on 9 species of underwater colonies in ranging size and morphology. 3D models of underwater colonies, fresh samples and bleached skeletons with high quality texture mapping and detailed topographic morphology were produced, and Surface Area and Volume measurements (parameters widely used for ecological and coral health studies) were calculated and analysed. Moreover, we integrated collected sample models with micro-photogrammetry models of individual corallites to aid identification and colony and polyp scale analysis.

End to End Digitisation and Analysis of Three-Dimensional Coral Models, from Communities to Corallites

PubMed Central

Gutierrez-Heredia, Luis; Benzoni, Francesca; Murphy, Emma; Reynaud, Emmanuel G.

2016-01-01

Coral reefs hosts nearly 25% of all marine species and provide food sources for half a billion people worldwide while only a very small percentage have been surveyed. Advances in technology and processing along with affordable underwater cameras and Internet availability gives us the possibility to provide tools and softwares to survey entire coral reefs. Holistic ecological analyses of corals require not only the community view (10s to 100s of meters), but also the single colony analysis as well as corallite identification. As corals are three-dimensional, classical approaches to determine percent cover and structural complexity across spatial scales are inefficient, time-consuming and limited to experts. Here we propose an end-to-end approach to estimate these parameters using low-cost equipment (GoPro, Canon) and freeware (123D Catch, Meshmixer and Netfabb), allowing every community to participate in surveys and monitoring of their coral ecosystem. We demonstrate our approach on 9 species of underwater colonies in ranging size and morphology. 3D models of underwater colonies, fresh samples and bleached skeletons with high quality texture mapping and detailed topographic morphology were produced, and Surface Area and Volume measurements (parameters widely used for ecological and coral health studies) were calculated and analysed. Moreover, we integrated collected sample models with micro-photogrammetry models of individual corallites to aid identification and colony and polyp scale analysis. PMID:26901845

Risk of suicidal ideation in diabetes varies by diabetes regimen, diabetes duration, and HbA1c level.

PubMed

Lee, Hoo-Yeon; Hahm, Myung-Il; Lee, Sang Gyu

2014-04-01

To investigate patient subgroups based on the clinical characteristics of diabetes to evaluate risk factors for suicidal ideation using a large population-based sample in South Korea. Data from the Fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a cross-sectional, nationally representative survey, were analyzed. The participants were 9159 subjects aged ≥40years. We defined patients with diabetes based on self-reported physician-diagnosed diabetes. We evaluated clinical risk factors for suicidal ideation according to diabetes regimen, diabetes duration, and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level compared with no diabetes. Given the complex sample design and unequal weights, we analyzed weighted percentages and used survey logistic regression. Diabetes per se was not associated with suicidal ideation. However, suicidal ideation was significantly more prevalent among patients who had injected insulin, had a duration of diabetes ≥5years and had HbA1c levels ≥6.5 compared with those without diabetes. Depressive symptoms were the most prominent predictor of suicidal ideation. Insulin therapy, diabetes of long duration, and unsatisfactory glycemic control were identified as risk factors for suicidal ideation; thus, patients with these characteristics warrant special attention. Our findings suggest the need to integrate efforts to manage emotional distress into diabetes care. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

43 CFR 3162.4-2 - Samples, tests, and surveys.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 43 Public Lands: Interior 2 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Samples, tests, and surveys. 3162.4-2... for Operating Rights Owners and Operators § 3162.4-2 Samples, tests, and surveys. (a) During the... tests, run logs, and make other surveys reasonably necessary to determine the presence, quantity, and...

43 CFR 3162.4-2 - Samples, tests, and surveys.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 43 Public Lands: Interior 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Samples, tests, and surveys. 3162.4-2... for Operating Rights Owners and Operators § 3162.4-2 Samples, tests, and surveys. (a) During the... tests, run logs, and make other surveys reasonably necessary to determine the presence, quantity, and...

43 CFR 3162.4-2 - Samples, tests, and surveys.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 43 Public Lands: Interior 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Samples, tests, and surveys. 3162.4-2... for Operating Rights Owners and Operators § 3162.4-2 Samples, tests, and surveys. (a) During the... tests, run logs, and make other surveys reasonably necessary to determine the presence, quantity, and...

Lot quality assurance sampling techniques in health surveys in developing countries: advantages and current constraints.

PubMed

Lanata, C F; Black, R E

1991-01-01

Traditional survey methods, which are generally costly and time-consuming, usually provide information at the regional or national level only. The utilization of lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS) methodology, developed in industry for quality control, makes it possible to use small sample sizes when conducting surveys in small geographical or population-based areas (lots). This article describes the practical use of LQAS for conducting health surveys to monitor health programmes in developing countries. Following a brief description of the method, the article explains how to build a sample frame and conduct the sampling to apply LQAS under field conditions. A detailed description of the procedure for selecting a sampling unit to monitor the health programme and a sample size is given. The sampling schemes utilizing LQAS applicable to health surveys, such as simple- and double-sampling schemes, are discussed. The interpretation of the survey results and the planning of subsequent rounds of LQAS surveys are also discussed. When describing the applicability of LQAS in health surveys in developing countries, the article considers current limitations for its use by health planners in charge of health programmes, and suggests ways to overcome these limitations through future research. It is hoped that with increasing attention being given to industrial sampling plans in general, and LQAS in particular, their utilization to monitor health programmes will provide health planners in developing countries with powerful techniques to help them achieve their health programme targets.

Surveying Your Alumni: Guidelines and 22 Sample Questionnaires.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKenna, Barbara, Comp.

A guide for conducting alumni surveys is presented, including 22 sample questionnaires. The first section on planning an effective survey strategy includes the following five articles: "Let's Take a Survey" (Cletis Pride); "Surveying Your Alumni: Or an Unexamined College Is Not Worth Loving" (Jocelyn Bartkevicius); "Make Your Survey Scientific"…

Near-infrared study of new embedded clusters in the Carina complex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oliveira, R. A. P.; Bica, E.; Bonatto, C.

2018-05-01

We analyse the nature of a sample of stellar overdensities that we found projected on the Carina complex. This study is based on the Two Micron All Sky Survey photometry and involves the photometry decontamination of field stars, elaboration of intrinsic colour-magnitude diagrams [CMDs; J × (J - Ks)], colour-colour diagrams (J - H) × (H - Ks), and radial density profiles, in order to determine the structure and the main astrophysical parameters of the best candidates. The verification of an overdensity as an embedded cluster requires a CMD consistent with a PMS content and MS stars, if any. From these results, we are able to verify if they are, in fact, embedded clusters. The results were, in general, rewarding: in a sample of 101 overdensities, the analysis provided 15 candidates, of which three were previously catalogued as clusters (CCCP-Cl 16, Treasure Chest, and FSR 1555), and the 12 remaining are discoveries that provided significant results, with ages not above 4.5 Myr and distances compatible with the studied complex. The resulting values for the differential reddening of most candidates were relatively high, confirming that these clusters are still (partially or fully) embedded in the surrounding gas and dust, as a rule within a shell. Histograms with the distribution of the masses, ages, and distances were also produced, to give an overview of the results. We conclude that all the 12 newly found embedded clusters are related to the Carina complex.

Impact of Weight of the Nation Community Screenings on Obesity-Related Beliefs

PubMed Central

Luecking, Courtney T.; Noar, Seth M.; Dooley, Rachel M.; Gizlice, Ziya; Ammerman, Alice S.

2017-01-01

Introduction HBO’s Weight of the Nation was a collaborative effort among several national organizations to raise awareness about the complexity of the obesity epidemic and promote action through media and community forums. The primary aim of this study was to assess the short-term effects of Weight of the Nation community screenings on obesity-related beliefs, intentions, and policy support. Methods Five Prevention Research Centers across the U.S. administered surveys at nine Weight of the Nation community screenings between September 2012 and May 2013. Adults aged ≥18 years who completed pre–post surveys were included. The survey assessed demographic information, perceptions of the documentary, efficacy to take action and influence policies that affect obesity, intentions to take actions to support a healthy weight, and positions on policy changes that impact food systems. Data were analyzed in 2015. Results A convenience sample of 442 individuals completed surveys. The sample was mostly health workers, female, college educated, aged 25–44 years, and racially and ethnically diverse. Significant increases (p<0.001) were observed for perceived self- and collective efficacy that individuals and communities can influence policies and environmental factors that affect obesity, intentions to take actions that contribute to a healthy weight, and support for policies that change the food system. Conclusions A broad, nationwide effort, such as Weight of the Nation, that combines media with opportunities to bring community members together for discussion, may play a role in influencing beliefs, intentions, and policy support regarding obesity prevention. PMID:28215388

Impact of Weight of the Nation Community Screenings on Obesity-Related Beliefs.

PubMed

Luecking, Courtney T; Noar, Seth M; Dooley, Rachel M; Gizlice, Ziya; Ammerman, Alice S

2017-03-01

HBO's Weight of the Nation was a collaborative effort among several national organizations to raise awareness about the complexity of the obesity epidemic and promote action through media and community forums. The primary aim of this study was to assess the short-term effects of Weight of the Nation community screenings on obesity-related beliefs, intentions, and policy support. Five Prevention Research Centers across the U.S. administered surveys at nine Weight of the Nation community screenings between September 2012 and May 2013. Adults aged ≥18 years who completed pre-post surveys were included. The survey assessed demographic information, perceptions of the documentary, efficacy to take action and influence policies that affect obesity, intentions to take actions to support a healthy weight, and positions on policy changes that impact food systems. Data were analyzed in 2015. A convenience sample of 442 individuals completed surveys. The sample was mostly health workers, female, college educated, aged 25-44 years, and racially and ethnically diverse. Significant increases (p<0.001) were observed for perceived self- and collective efficacy that individuals and communities can influence policies and environmental factors that affect obesity, intentions to take actions that contribute to a healthy weight, and support for policies that change the food system. A broad, nationwide effort, such as Weight of the Nation, that combines media with opportunities to bring community members together for discussion, may play a role in influencing beliefs, intentions, and policy support regarding obesity prevention. Copyright © 2016 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mixed Picture of Readiness for Adoption of Evidence-Based Prevention Programs in Communities: Exploratory Surveys of State Program Delivery Systems

PubMed Central

Schainker, Lisa M.; Redmond, Cleve; Ralston, Ekaterina; Yeh, Hsiu-Chen; Perkins, Daniel F.

2015-01-01

An emerging literature highlights the potential for broader dissemination of evidence-based prevention programs in communities through existing state systems, such as the land grant university Extension outreach system and departments of public education and health (DOE– DPH). This exploratory study entailed surveying representatives of the national Extension system and DOE– DPH, to evaluate dissemination readiness factors, as part of a larger project on an evidence-based program delivery model called PROSPER. In addition to assessing systems’ readiness factors, differences among US regions and comparative levels of readiness between state systems were evaluated. The Extension web-based survey sample N was 958 and the DOE–DPH telephone survey N was 338, with response rates of 23 and 79 %, respectively. Extension survey results suggested only a moderate level of overall readiness nationally, with relatively higher perceived need for collaborative efforts and relatively lower perceived resource availability. There were significant regional differences on all factors, generally favoring the Northeast. Results from DOE–DPH surveys showed significantly higher levels for all readiness factors, compared with Extension systems. Overall, the findings present a mixed picture. Although there were clear challenges related to measuring readiness in complex systems, addressing currently limited dissemination resources, and devising strategies for optimizing readiness, all systems showed some readiness-related strengths. PMID:25791916

Use of the transect method in satellite survey missions with application to the infrared astronomical satellite /IRAS/

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mclaughlin, W. I.; Lundy, S. A.; Ling, H. Y.; Stroberg, M. W.

1980-01-01

The coverage of the celestial sphere or the surface of the earth with a narrow-field instrument onboard a satellite can be described by a set of swaths on the sphere. A transect is a curve on this sphere constructed to sample the coverage. At each point on the transect the number of times that the field-of-view of the instrument has passed over the point is recorded. This information is conveniently displayed as an integer-valued histogram over the length of the transect. The effectiveness of the transect method for a particular observing plan and the best placement of the transects depends upon the structure of the set of observations. Survey missions are usually characterized by a somewhat parallel alignment of the instrument swaths. Using autocorrelation and cross-correlation functions among the histograms the structure of a survey has been analyzed into two components, and each is illustrated by a simple mathematical model. The complex, all-sky survey to be performed by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) is synthesized in some detail utilizing the objectives and constraints of that mission. It is seen that this survey possesses the components predicted by the simple models and this information is useful in characterizing the properties of the IRAS survey and the placement of the transects as a function of celestial latitude and certain structural properties of the coverage.

Airborne Lidar-Based Estimates of Tropical Forest Structure in Complex Terrain: Opportunities and Trade-Offs for REDD+

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leitold, Veronika; Keller, Michael; Morton, Douglas C.; Cook, Bruce D.; Shimabukuro, Yosio E.

2015-01-01

Background: Carbon stocks and fluxes in tropical forests remain large sources of uncertainty in the global carbon budget. Airborne lidar remote sensing is a powerful tool for estimating aboveground biomass, provided that lidar measurements penetrate dense forest vegetation to generate accurate estimates of surface topography and canopy heights. Tropical forest areas with complex topography present a challenge for lidar remote sensing. Results: We compared digital terrain models (DTM) derived from airborne lidar data from a mountainous region of the Atlantic Forest in Brazil to 35 ground control points measured with survey grade GNSS receivers. The terrain model generated from full-density (approx. 20 returns/sq m) data was highly accurate (mean signed error of 0.19 +/-0.97 m), while those derived from reduced-density datasets (8/sq m, 4/sq m, 2/sq m and 1/sq m) were increasingly less accurate. Canopy heights calculated from reduced-density lidar data declined as data density decreased due to the inability to accurately model the terrain surface. For lidar return densities below 4/sq m, the bias in height estimates translated into errors of 80-125 Mg/ha in predicted aboveground biomass. Conclusions: Given the growing emphasis on the use of airborne lidar for forest management, carbon monitoring, and conservation efforts, the results of this study highlight the importance of careful survey planning and consistent sampling for accurate quantification of aboveground biomass stocks and dynamics. Approaches that rely primarily on canopy height to estimate aboveground biomass are sensitive to DTM errors from variability in lidar sampling density.

Airborne lidar-based estimates of tropical forest structure in complex terrain: opportunities and trade-offs for REDD+

PubMed

Leitold, Veronika; Keller, Michael; Morton, Douglas C; Cook, Bruce D; Shimabukuro, Yosio E

2015-12-01

Carbon stocks and fluxes in tropical forests remain large sources of uncertainty in the global carbon budget. Airborne lidar remote sensing is a powerful tool for estimating aboveground biomass, provided that lidar measurements penetrate dense forest vegetation to generate accurate estimates of surface topography and canopy heights. Tropical forest areas with complex topography present a challenge for lidar remote sensing. We compared digital terrain models (DTM) derived from airborne lidar data from a mountainous region of the Atlantic Forest in Brazil to 35 ground control points measured with survey grade GNSS receivers. The terrain model generated from full-density (~20 returns m -2 ) data was highly accurate (mean signed error of 0.19 ± 0.97 m), while those derived from reduced-density datasets (8 m -2 , 4 m -2 , 2 m -2 and 1 m -2 ) were increasingly less accurate. Canopy heights calculated from reduced-density lidar data declined as data density decreased due to the inability to accurately model the terrain surface. For lidar return densities below 4 m -2 , the bias in height estimates translated into errors of 80-125 Mg ha -1 in predicted aboveground biomass. Given the growing emphasis on the use of airborne lidar for forest management, carbon monitoring, and conservation efforts, the results of this study highlight the importance of careful survey planning and consistent sampling for accurate quantification of aboveground biomass stocks and dynamics. Approaches that rely primarily on canopy height to estimate aboveground biomass are sensitive to DTM errors from variability in lidar sampling density.

Gross Motor Development in Children Aged 3-5 Years, United States 2012.

PubMed

Kit, Brian K; Akinbami, Lara J; Isfahani, Neda Sarafrazi; Ulrich, Dale A

2017-07-01

Objective Gross motor development in early childhood is important in fostering greater interaction with the environment. The purpose of this study is to describe gross motor skills among US children aged 3-5 years using the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-2). Methods We used 2012 NHANES National Youth Fitness Survey (NNYFS) data, which included TGMD-2 scores obtained according to an established protocol. Outcome measures included locomotor and object control raw and age-standardized scores. Means and standard errors were calculated for demographic and weight status with SUDAAN using sample weights to calculate nationally representative estimates, and survey design variables to account for the complex sampling methods. Results The sample included 339 children aged 3-5 years. As expected, locomotor and object control raw scores increased with age. Overall mean standardized scores for locomotor and object control were similar to the mean value previously determined using a normative sample. Girls had a higher mean locomotor, but not mean object control, standardized score than boys (p < 0.05). However, the mean locomotor standardized scores for both boys and girls fell into the range categorized as "average." There were no other differences by age, race/Hispanic origin, weight status, or income in either of the subtest standardized scores (p > 0.05). Conclusions In a nationally representative sample of US children aged 3-5 years, TGMD-2 mean locomotor and object control standardized scores were similar to the established mean. These results suggest that standardized gross motor development among young children generally did not differ by demographic or weight status.

The investigation of chemical quality of water in tidal rivers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Keighton, Walter B.

1954-01-01

This report has been prepared for the guidance of personnel of the Water Resources Division who are engaged in water-quality investigations of tidal rivers. The study of tidal rivers is beset with many complexities not present in the investigation of non-tidal rivers. The periodic rise and fall of the tide may result in a corresponding periodic change in salinity at a sampling location on the tidal river. When the fresh water discharge is low, saline water may intrude up-river, and any factor changing the relative elevations of the ocean and the mean river level has an effect on the extent of salt-water intrusion. Variations in water composition between samples taken at several locations up or down river, at different depths, or at several locations across the stream are likely to be more pronounced than for similar sets of samples from a non-tidal stream. The nature of these variations and factors responsible for them are discussed, and the need for consideration of them in planning a sampling routine is stressed. The nature and mechanism of ocean-water intrusion in tidal rivers is discussed and sampling procedures for its detection are described. lllustrative examples - mostly from the work of the United States Geological Survey or State agencies - show various methods for correlating and presenting data from quality-of-water surveys of tidal rivers. Each tidal river presents an individual problem which can best be understood from a study of the factors involved. To that end the report is supplemented by an annotated bibliography of selected publications in the field.

The Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey: The First National Survey of State Health Agency Employees

PubMed Central

Sellers, Katie; Leider, Jonathon P.; Harper, Elizabeth; Castrucci, Brian C.; Bharthapudi, Kiran; Liss-Levinson, Rivka; Jarris, Paul E.; Hunter, Edward L.

2015-01-01

Context: Public health practitioners, policy makers, and researchers alike have called for more data on individual worker's perceptions about workplace environment, job satisfaction, and training needs for a quarter of a century. The Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS) was created to answer that call. Objective: Characterize key components of the public health workforce, including demographics, workplace environment, perceptions about national trends, and perceived training needs. Design: A nationally representative survey of central office employees at state health agencies (SHAs) was conducted in 2014. Approximately 25 000 e-mail invitations to a Web-based survey were sent out to public health staff in 37 states, based on a stratified sampling approach. Balanced repeated replication weights were used to account for the complex sampling design. Setting and Participants: A total of 10 246 permanently employed SHA central office employees participated in PH WINS (46% response rate). Main Outcome Measures: Perceptions about training needs; workplace environment and job satisfaction; national initiatives and trends; and demographics. Results: Although the majority of staff said they were somewhat or very satisfied with their job (79%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 78-80), as well as their organization (65%; 95% CI, 64-66), more than 42% (95% CI, 41-43) were considering leaving their organization in the next year or retiring before 2020; 4% of those were considering leaving for another job elsewhere in governmental public health. The majority of public health staff at SHA central offices are female (72%; 95% CI, 71-73), non-Hispanic white (70%; 95% CI, 69-71), and older than 40 years (73%; 95% CI, 72-74). The greatest training needs include influencing policy development, preparing a budget, and training related to the social determinants of health. Conclusions: PH WINS represents the first nationally representative survey of SHA employees. It holds significant potential to help answer previously unaddressed questions in public health workforce research and provides actionable findings for SHA leaders. PMID:26422482

Gear and survey efficiency of patent tongs for oyster populations on restoration reefs.

PubMed

Schulte, David M; Lipcius, Romuald N; Burke, Russell P

2018-01-01

Surveys of restored oyster reefs need to produce accurate population estimates to assess the efficacy of restoration. Due to the complex structure of subtidal oyster reefs, one effective and efficient means to sample is by patent tongs, rather than SCUBA, dredges, or bottom cores. Restored reefs vary in relief and oyster density, either of which could affect survey efficiency. This study is the first to evaluate gear (the first full grab) and survey (which includes selecting a specific half portion of the first grab for further processing) efficiencies of hand-operated patent tongs as a function of reef height and oyster density on subtidal restoration reefs. In the Great Wicomico River, a tributary of lower Chesapeake Bay, restored reefs of high- and low-relief (25-45 cm, and 8-12 cm, respectively) were constructed throughout the river as the first large-scale oyster sanctuary reef restoration effort (sanctuary acreage > 20 ha at one site) in Chesapeake Bay. We designed a metal frame to guide a non-hydraulic mechanical patent tong repeatedly into the same plot on a restored reef until all oysters within the grab area were captured. Full capture was verified by an underwater remotely-operated vehicle. Samples (n = 19) were taken on nine different reefs, including five low- (n = 8) and four high-relief reefs (n = 11), over a two-year period. The gear efficiency of the patent tong was estimated to be 76% (± 5% standard error), whereas survey efficiency increased to 81% (± 10%) due to processing. Neither efficiency differed significantly between young-of-the-year oysters (spat) and adults, high- and low-relief reefs, or years. As this type of patent tong is a common and cost-effective tool to evaluate oyster restoration projects as well as population density on fished habitat, knowing the gear and survey efficiencies allows for accurate and precise population estimates.

The Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey: The First National Survey of State Health Agency Employees.

PubMed

Sellers, Katie; Leider, Jonathon P; Harper, Elizabeth; Castrucci, Brian C; Bharthapudi, Kiran; Liss-Levinson, Rivka; Jarris, Paul E; Hunter, Edward L

2015-01-01

Public health practitioners, policy makers, and researchers alike have called for more data on individual worker's perceptions about workplace environment, job satisfaction, and training needs for a quarter of a century. The Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS) was created to answer that call. Characterize key components of the public health workforce, including demographics, workplace environment, perceptions about national trends, and perceived training needs. A nationally representative survey of central office employees at state health agencies (SHAs) was conducted in 2014. Approximately 25,000 e-mail invitations to a Web-based survey were sent out to public health staff in 37 states, based on a stratified sampling approach. Balanced repeated replication weights were used to account for the complex sampling design. A total of 10,246 permanently employed SHA central office employees participated in PH WINS (46% response rate). Perceptions about training needs; workplace environment and job satisfaction; national initiatives and trends; and demographics. Although the majority of staff said they were somewhat or very satisfied with their job (79%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 78-80), as well as their organization (65%; 95% CI, 64-66), more than 42% (95% CI, 41-43) were considering leaving their organization in the next year or retiring before 2020; 4% of those were considering leaving for another job elsewhere in governmental public health. The majority of public health staff at SHA central offices are female (72%; 95% CI, 71-73), non-Hispanic white (70%; 95% CI, 69-71), and older than 40 years (73%; 95% CI, 72-74). The greatest training needs include influencing policy development, preparing a budget, and training related to the social determinants of health. PH WINS represents the first nationally representative survey of SHA employees. It holds significant potential to help answer previously unaddressed questions in public health workforce research and provides actionable findings for SHA leaders.

The complex evolutionary history of big-eared horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus macrotis complex): insights from genetic, morphological and acoustic data

PubMed Central

Sun, Keping; Kimball, Rebecca T.; Liu, Tong; Wei, Xuewen; Jin, Longru; Jiang, Tinglei; Lin, Aiqing; Feng, Jiang

2016-01-01

Palaeoclimatic oscillations and different landscapes frequently result in complex population-level structure or the evolution of cryptic species. Elucidating the potential mechanisms is vital to understanding speciation events. However, such complex evolutionary patterns have rarely been reported in bats. In China, the Rhinolophus macrotis complex contains a large form and a small form, suggesting the existence of a cryptic bat species. Our field surveys found these two sibling species have a continuous and widespread distribution with partial sympatry. However, their evolutionary history has received little attention. Here, we used extensive sampling, morphological and acoustic data, as well as different genetic markers to investigate their evolutionary history. Genetic analyses revealed discordance between the mitochondrial and nuclear data. Mitochondrial data identified three reciprocally monophyletic lineages: one representing all small forms from Southwest China, and the other two containing all large forms from Central and Southeast China, respectively. The large form showed paraphyly with respect to the small form. However, clustering analyses of microsatellite and Chd1 gene sequences support two divergent clusters separating the large form and the small form. Moreover, morphological and acoustic analyses were consistent with nuclear data. This unusual pattern in the R. macrotis complex might be accounted for by palaeoclimatic oscillations, shared ancestral polymorphism and/or interspecific hybridization. PMID:27748429

Evaluation of analytical methodology for the detection of hormones and their attenuation during aquifer recharge and recovery cycles.

PubMed

de Lima Stebbins, Daniela; Docs, Jon; Lowe, Paula; Cohen, Jason; Lei, Hongxia

2016-05-18

The hormones listed in the screening survey list 2 of the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 3 (estrone, 17-β-estradiol, 17-α-ethynylestradiol, 16-α-hydroxyestradiol (estriol), equilin, testosterone and 4-androstene-3,17-dione) were analyzed by liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS). Two analytical methods were compared: EPA method 539 and the isotope dilution method. EPA method 539 was successfully utilized in river and drinking water matrices with fortified recoveries of 98.9 to 108.5%. Samples from the Hillsborough River reflected levels below the method detection limit (MDL) for the majority of the analytes, except estrone (E1), which was detected at very low concentrations (<0.5 to 1 ng L(-1)) in the majority of samples. No hormones were detected in drinking water samples. The isotope dilution method was used to analyze reclaimed and aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) water samples as a result of strong matrix/solid phase extraction (SPE) losses observed in these more complex matrices. Most of the compounds were not detected or found at relatively low concentrations in the ASR samples. Attenuation of 50 to 99.1% was observed as a result of the ASR recharge/recovery cycles for most of the hormones, except for estriol (E3). Relatively stable concentrations of E3 were found, with only 10% attenuation at one of the sites and no measureable attenuation at another location. These results have substantiated that while EPA method 539 works well for most environmental samples, the isotope dilution method is more robust when dealing with complex matrices such as reclaimed and ASR samples.

Men who have sex with men in Great Britain: comparing methods and estimates from probability and convenience sample surveys

PubMed Central

Prah, Philip; Hickson, Ford; Bonell, Chris; McDaid, Lisa M; Johnson, Anne M; Wayal, Sonali; Clifton, Soazig; Sonnenberg, Pam; Nardone, Anthony; Erens, Bob; Copas, Andrew J; Riddell, Julie; Weatherburn, Peter; Mercer, Catherine H

2016-01-01

Objective To examine sociodemographic and behavioural differences between men who have sex with men (MSM) participating in recent UK convenience surveys and a national probability sample survey. Methods We compared 148 MSM aged 18–64 years interviewed for Britain's third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-3) undertaken in 2010–2012, with men in the same age range participating in contemporaneous convenience surveys of MSM: 15 500 British resident men in the European MSM Internet Survey (EMIS); 797 in the London Gay Men's Sexual Health Survey; and 1234 in Scotland's Gay Men's Sexual Health Survey. Analyses compared men reporting at least one male sexual partner (past year) on similarly worded questions and multivariable analyses accounted for sociodemographic differences between the surveys. Results MSM in convenience surveys were younger and better educated than MSM in Natsal-3, and a larger proportion identified as gay (85%–95% vs 62%). Partner numbers were higher and same-sex anal sex more common in convenience surveys. Unprotected anal intercourse was more commonly reported in EMIS. Compared with Natsal-3, MSM in convenience surveys were more likely to report gonorrhoea diagnoses and HIV testing (both past year). Differences between the samples were reduced when restricting analysis to gay-identifying MSM. Conclusions National probability surveys better reflect the population of MSM but are limited by their smaller samples of MSM. Convenience surveys recruit larger samples of MSM but tend to over-represent MSM identifying as gay and reporting more sexual risk behaviours. Because both sampling strategies have strengths and weaknesses, methods are needed to triangulate data from probability and convenience surveys. PMID:26965869

Extending cluster Lot Quality Assurance Sampling designs for surveillance programs

PubMed Central

Hund, Lauren; Pagano, Marcello

2014-01-01

Lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS) has a long history of applications in industrial quality control. LQAS is frequently used for rapid surveillance in global health settings, with areas classified as poor or acceptable performance based on the binary classification of an indicator. Historically, LQAS surveys have relied on simple random samples from the population; however, implementing two-stage cluster designs for surveillance sampling is often more cost-effective than simple random sampling. By applying survey sampling results to the binary classification procedure, we develop a simple and flexible non-parametric procedure to incorporate clustering effects into the LQAS sample design to appropriately inflate the sample size, accommodating finite numbers of clusters in the population when relevant. We use this framework to then discuss principled selection of survey design parameters in longitudinal surveillance programs. We apply this framework to design surveys to detect rises in malnutrition prevalence in nutrition surveillance programs in Kenya and South Sudan, accounting for clustering within villages. By combining historical information with data from previous surveys, we design surveys to detect spikes in the childhood malnutrition rate. PMID:24633656

Extending cluster lot quality assurance sampling designs for surveillance programs.

PubMed

Hund, Lauren; Pagano, Marcello

2014-07-20

Lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS) has a long history of applications in industrial quality control. LQAS is frequently used for rapid surveillance in global health settings, with areas classified as poor or acceptable performance on the basis of the binary classification of an indicator. Historically, LQAS surveys have relied on simple random samples from the population; however, implementing two-stage cluster designs for surveillance sampling is often more cost-effective than simple random sampling. By applying survey sampling results to the binary classification procedure, we develop a simple and flexible nonparametric procedure to incorporate clustering effects into the LQAS sample design to appropriately inflate the sample size, accommodating finite numbers of clusters in the population when relevant. We use this framework to then discuss principled selection of survey design parameters in longitudinal surveillance programs. We apply this framework to design surveys to detect rises in malnutrition prevalence in nutrition surveillance programs in Kenya and South Sudan, accounting for clustering within villages. By combining historical information with data from previous surveys, we design surveys to detect spikes in the childhood malnutrition rate. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Characterizing the Protostars in the Herschel Survey of Cygnus-X

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirk, James; Hora, J. L.; Smith, H. A.; Herschel Cygnus-X Group

2014-01-01

The Cygnus-X complex is an extremely active region of massive star formation at a distance of ~1.4 kpc which can be studied with higher sensitivity and less confusion than more distant regions. The study of this region is important in improving our understanding of the formation processes and protostellar phases of massive stars. A previous Spitzer Legacy survey of Cygnus-X mapped the distributions of Class I and Class II YSOs within the region and studied the interaction between massive young stars and clusters of YSOs. Using data from the recent Herschel survey of the region, taken with the PACS and SPIRE instrument (70-500 microns), we are expanding this study of star formation to the youngest and most deeply embedded objects. Using these data we will expand the sample of massive protostars and YSOs in Cygnus-X, analyze the population of infrared dark clouds and their embedded objects, construct Spectral Energy Distributions (SEDs) using pre-existing Spitzer and near-IR data sets (1-500 microns), and fit these sources with models of protostars to derive luminosities and envelope masses. The derived luminosities and masses will enable us to create evolutionary diagrams and test models of high-mass star formation. We will also investigate what role OB associations, such as Cyg OB2, play in causing subsequent star formation in neighboring clouds, providing us with a comprehensive picture of star formation within this extremely active complex.

Astrochemical evolution along star formation: Overview of the IRAM Large Program ASAI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lefloch, Bertrand; Bachiller, R.; Ceccarelli, C.; Cernicharo, J.; Codella, C.; Fuente, A.; Kahane, C.; López-Sepulcre, A.; Tafalla, M.; Vastel, C.; Caux, E.; González-García, M.; Bianchi, E.; Gómez-Ruiz, A.; Holdship, J.; Mendoza, E.; Ospina-Zamudio, J.; Podio, L.; Quénard, D.; Roueff, E.; Sakai, N.; Viti, S.; Yamamoto, S.; Yoshida, K.; Favre, C.; Monfredini, T.; Quitián-Lara, H. M.; Marcelino, N.; Roberty, H. Boechat; Cabrit, S.

2018-04-01

Evidence is mounting that the small bodies of our Solar System, such as comets and asteroids, have at least partially inherited their chemical composition from the first phases of the Solar System formation. It then appears that the molecular complexity of these small bodies is most likely related to the earliest stages of star formation. It is therefore important to characterize and to understand how the chemical evolution changes with solar-type protostellar evolution. We present here the Large Program "Astrochemical Surveys At IRAM" (ASAI). Its goal is to carry out unbiased millimeter line surveys between 80 and 272 GHz of a sample of ten template sources, which fully cover the first stages of the formation process of solar-type stars, from prestellar cores to the late protostellar phase. In this article, we present an overview of the surveys and results obtained from the analysis of the 3 mm band observations. The number of detected main isotopic species barely varies with the evolutionary stage and is found to be very similar to that of massive star-forming regions. The molecular content in O- and C- bearing species allows us to define two chemical classes of envelopes, whose composition is dominated by either a) a rich content in O-rich complex organic molecules, associated with hot corino sources, or b) a rich content in hydrocarbons, typical of Warm Carbon Chain Chemistry sources. Overall, a high chemical richness is found to be present already in the initial phases of solar-type star formation.

Predictors of actual turnover in a national sample of newly licensed registered nurses employed in hospitals.

PubMed

Brewer, Carol S; Kovner, Christine T; Greene, William; Tukov-Shuser, Magdalene; Djukic, Maja

2012-03-01

This paper is a report of a study of factors that affect turnover of newly licensed registered nurses in United States hospitals. There is a large body of research related to nursing retention; however, there is little information specific to newly licensed registered nurse turnover. Incidence rates of turnover among new nurses are unknown because most turnover data are not from nationally representative samples of nurses. This study used a longitudinal panel design to obtain data from 1653 registered nurses who were recently licensed by examination for the first time. We mailed surveys to a nationally representative sample of hospital registered nurses 1 year apart. The analytic sample consisted of 1653 nurses who responded to both survey mailings in January of 2006 and 2007. Full-time employment and more sprains and strains (including back injuries) result in more turnover. Higher intent to stay and hours of voluntary overtime and more than one job for pay reduces turnover. When we omitted intent to stay from the probit model, less job satisfaction and organizational commitment led to more turnover, confirming their importance to turnover. Magnet Recognition Award(®) hospitals and several other work attributes had no effect on turnover.   Turnover problems are complex, which means that there is no one solution to decreasing turnover. Multiple points of intervention exist. One specific approach that may improve turnover rates is hospital policies that reduce strains and sprains. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Advanced Nursing © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Isotopes, Inventories and Seasonality: Unraveling Methane Source Distribution in the Complex Landscapes of the United Kingdom.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lowry, D.; Fisher, R. E.; Zazzeri, G.; Lanoisellé, M.; France, J.; Allen, G.; Nisbet, E. G.

2017-12-01

Unlike the big open landscapes of many continents with large area sources dominated by one particular methane emission type that can be isotopically characterized by flight measurements and sampling, the complex patchwork of urban, fossil and agricultural methane sources across NW Europe require detailed ground surveys for characterization (Zazzeri et al., 2017). Here we outline the findings from multiple seasonal urban and rural measurement campaigns in the United Kingdom. These surveys aim to: 1) Assess source distribution and baseline in regions of planned fracking, and relate to on-site continuous baseline climatology. 2) Characterize spatial and seasonal differences in the isotopic signatures of the UNFCCC source categories, and 3) Assess the spatial validity of the 1 x 1 km UK inventory for large continuous emitters, proposed point sources, and seasonal / ephemeral emissions. The UK inventory suggests that 90% of methane emissions are from 3 source categories, ruminants, landfill and gas distribution. Bag sampling and GC-IRMS delta13C analysis shows that landfill gives a constant signature of -57 ±3 ‰ throughout the year. Fugitive gas emissions are consistent regionally depending on the North Sea supply regions feeding the network (-41 ± 2 ‰ in N England, -37 ± 2 ‰ in SE England). Ruminant, mostly cattle, emissions are far more complex as these spend winters in barns and summers in fields, but are essentially a mix of 2 end members, breath at -68 ±3 ‰ and manure at -51 ±3 ‰, resulting in broad summer field emission plumes of -64 ‰ and point winter barn emission plumes of -58 ‰. The inventory correctly locates emission hotspots from landfill, larger sewage treatment plants and gas compressor stations, giving a broad overview of emission distribution for regional model validation. Mobile surveys are adding an extra layer of detail to this which, combined with isotopic characterization, has identified spatial distribution of gas pipe leaks, some persisting since 2013 (Zazzeri et al., 2015), and seasonality and spatial variability of livestock emissions. Importantly existing significant gas leaks close to proposed fracking sites have been characterized so that any emissions to atmosphere with a different isotopic signature will be detected. Zazzeri, G., Atm. Env. 110, 151-162 (2015); Zazzeri, G., Sci. Rep. 7, 4854 (2017).

Are comparisons of patient experiences across hospitals fair? A study in Veterans Health Administration hospitals.

PubMed

Cleary, Paul D; Meterko, Mark; Wright, Steven M; Zaslavsky, Alan M

2014-07-01

Surveys are increasingly used to assess patient experiences with health care. Comparisons of hospital scores based on patient experience surveys should be adjusted for patient characteristics that might affect survey results. Such characteristics are commonly drawn from patient surveys that collect little, if any, clinical information. Consequently some hospitals, especially those treating particularly complex patients, have been concerned that standard adjustment methods do not adequately reflect the challenges of treating their patients. To compare scores for different types of hospitals after making adjustments using only survey-reported patient characteristics and using more complete clinical and hospital information. We used clinical and survey data from a national sample of 1858 veterans hospitalized for an initial acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical center during fiscal years 2003 and 2004. We used VA administrative data to characterize hospitals. The survey asked patients about their experiences with hospital care. The clinical data included 14 measures abstracted from medical records that are predictive of survival after an AMI. Comparisons of scores across hospitals adjusted only for patient-reported health status and sociodemographic characteristics were similar to those that also adjusted for patient clinical characteristics; the Spearman rank-order correlations between the 2 sets of adjusted scores were >0.97 across 9 dimensions of inpatient experience. This study did not support concerns that measures of patient care experiences are unfair because commonly used models do not adjust adequately for potentially confounding patient clinical characteristics.

Culturally appropriate methodology in obtaining a representative sample of South Australian Aboriginal adults for a cross-sectional population health study: challenges and resolutions.

PubMed

Marin, Tania; Taylor, Anne Winifred; Grande, Eleonora Dal; Avery, Jodie; Tucker, Graeme; Morey, Kim

2015-05-19

The considerably lower average life expectancy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, compared with non-Aboriginal and non-Torres Strait Islander Australians, has been widely reported. Prevalence data for chronic disease and health risk factors are needed to provide evidence based estimates for Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders population health planning. Representative surveys for these populations are difficult due to complex methodology. The focus of this paper is to describe in detail the methodological challenges and resolutions of a representative South Australian Aboriginal population-based health survey. Using a stratified multi-stage sampling methodology based on the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2006 Census with culturally appropriate and epidemiological rigorous methods, 11,428 randomly selected dwellings were approached from a total of 209 census collection districts. All persons eligible for the survey identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander and were selected from dwellings identified as having one or more Aboriginal person(s) living there at the time of the survey. Overall, the 399 interviews from an eligible sample of 691 SA Aboriginal adults yielded a response rate of 57.7%. These face-to-face interviews were conducted by ten interviewers retained from a total of 27 trained Aboriginal interviewers. Challenges were found in three main areas: identification and recruitment of participants; interviewer recruitment and retainment; and using appropriate engagement with communities. These challenges were resolved, or at least mainly overcome, by following local protocols with communities and their representatives, and reaching agreement on the process of research for Aboriginal people. Obtaining a representative sample of Aboriginal participants in a culturally appropriate way was methodologically challenging and required high levels of commitment and resources. Adhering to these principles has resulted in a rich and unique data set that provides an overview of the self-reported health status for Aboriginal people living in South Australia. This process provides some important principles to be followed when engaging with Aboriginal people and their communities for the purpose of health research.

An innovative survey design to understand sustainable travel behaviors : potential of a rolling sample survey to replace traditional household travel surveys.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-10-01

We propose an innovative survey with rolling samples to address a major fiscal challenge faced by many MPOs. Faced with a small, but : continuous budget, MPOs are increasingly unable to continue the current survey practice: conducting a large survey ...

CCP Astronauts at LC 39A and SpaceX Recovery Ship

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-03-28

Commercial Crew Astronauts Bob Behnken , Eric Boe, Doug Hurley, and Suni Williams survey SpaceX's progress at Launch Complex 39 A. The survey helped ensure the was familiar with the launch complex and recovery ship prior to missions to station.

Educational Attainment of the Public Health Workforce and Its Implications for Workforce Development.

PubMed

Leider, Jonathon P; Harper, Elizabeth; Bharthapudi, Kiran; Castrucci, Brian C

2015-01-01

Educational attainment is a critical issue in public health workforce development. However, relatively little is known about the actual attainment of staff in state health agencies (SHAs). Ascertain the levels of educational attainment among SHA employees, as well as the correlates of attainment. Using a stratified sampling approaching, staff from SHAs were surveyed using the Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS) instrument in late 2014. A nationally representative sample was drawn across 5 geographic (paired adjacent HHS) regions. Descriptive and inferential statistics were analyzed using balanced repeated replication weights to account for complex sampling. A logistic regression was conducted with attainment of a bachelor's degree as the dependent variable and age, region, supervisory status, race/ethnicity, gender, and staff type as independent variables. Web-based survey of SHA central office employees. Educational attainment overall, as well as receipt of a degree with a major in public health. A total of 10,246 permanently-employed SHA central office staff participated in the survey (response rate 46%). Seventy-five percent (95% confidence interval [CI], 74-77) had a bachelor's degree, 38% (95% CI, 37-40) had a master's degree, and 9% (95% CI, 8%-10%) had a doctoral degree. A logistic regression showed Asian staff had the highest odds of having a bachelor's degree (odds ratio [OR] = 2.8; 95% CI, 2.2-3.7) compared with non-Hispanic whites, and Hispanic/Latino staff had lower odds (OR = 0.6; 95% CI, 0.4-0.8). Women had lower odds of having a bachelor's degree than men (OR = 0.5; 95% CI, 0.4-0.6). About 17% of the workforce (95% CI, 16-18) had a degree in public health at any level. Educational attainment among SHA central office staff is high, but relatively few have formal training of any sort in public health. This makes efforts to increase availability of on-the-job training and distance learning all the more critical.

A robust clustering algorithm for identifying problematic samples in genome-wide association studies.

PubMed

Bellenguez, Céline; Strange, Amy; Freeman, Colin; Donnelly, Peter; Spencer, Chris C A

2012-01-01

High-throughput genotyping arrays provide an efficient way to survey single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across the genome in large numbers of individuals. Downstream analysis of the data, for example in genome-wide association studies (GWAS), often involves statistical models of genotype frequencies across individuals. The complexities of the sample collection process and the potential for errors in the experimental assay can lead to biases and artefacts in an individual's inferred genotypes. Rather than attempting to model these complications, it has become a standard practice to remove individuals whose genome-wide data differ from the sample at large. Here we describe a simple, but robust, statistical algorithm to identify samples with atypical summaries of genome-wide variation. Its use as a semi-automated quality control tool is demonstrated using several summary statistics, selected to identify different potential problems, and it is applied to two different genotyping platforms and sample collections. The algorithm is written in R and is freely available at www.well.ox.ac.uk/chris-spencer chris.spencer@well.ox.ac.uk Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Aquifer environment selects for microbial species cohorts in sediment and groundwater

PubMed Central

Hug, Laura A; Thomas, Brian C; Brown, Christopher T; Frischkorn, Kyle R; Williams, Kenneth H; Tringe, Susannah G; Banfield, Jillian F

2015-01-01

Little is known about the biogeography or stability of sediment-associated microbial community membership because these environments are biologically complex and generally difficult to sample. High-throughput-sequencing methods provide new opportunities to simultaneously genomically sample and track microbial community members across a large number of sampling sites or times, with higher taxonomic resolution than is associated with 16 S ribosomal RNA gene surveys, and without the disadvantages of primer bias and gene copy number uncertainty. We characterized a sediment community at 5 m depth in an aquifer adjacent to the Colorado River and tracked its most abundant 133 organisms across 36 different sediment and groundwater samples. We sampled sites separated by centimeters, meters and tens of meters, collected on seven occasions over 6 years. Analysis of 1.4 terabase pairs of DNA sequence showed that these 133 organisms were more consistently detected in saturated sediments than in samples from the vadose zone, from distant locations or from groundwater filtrates. Abundance profiles across aquifer locations and from different sampling times identified organism cohorts that comprised subsets of the 133 organisms that were consistently associated. The data suggest that cohorts are partly selected for by shared environmental adaptation. PMID:25647349

Designing occupancy studies: general advice and allocating survey effort

USGS Publications Warehouse

MacKenzie, D.I.; Royle, J. Andrew

2005-01-01

1. The fraction of sampling units in a landscape where a target species is present (occupancy) is an extensively used concept in ecology. Yet in many applications the species will not always be detected in a sampling unit even when present, resulting in biased estimates of occupancy. Given that sampling units are surveyed repeatedly within a relatively short timeframe, a number of similar methods have now been developed to provide unbiased occupancy estimates. However, practical guidance on the efficient design of occupancy studies has been lacking. 2. In this paper we comment on a number of general issues related to designing occupancy studies, including the need for clear objectives that are explicitly linked to science or management, selection of sampling units, timing of repeat surveys and allocation of survey effort. Advice on the number of repeat surveys per sampling unit is considered in terms of the variance of the occupancy estimator, for three possible study designs. 3. We recommend that sampling units should be surveyed a minimum of three times when detection probability is high (> 0.5 survey-1), unless a removal design is used. 4. We found that an optimal removal design will generally be the most efficient, but we suggest it may be less robust to assumption violations than a standard design. 5. Our results suggest that for a rare species it is more efficient to survey more sampling units less intensively, while for a common species fewer sampling units should be surveyed more intensively. 6. Synthesis and applications. Reliable inferences can only result from quality data. To make the best use of logistical resources, study objectives must be clearly defined; sampling units must be selected, and repeated surveys timed appropriately; and a sufficient number of repeated surveys must be conducted. Failure to do so may compromise the integrity of the study. The guidance given here on study design issues is particularly applicable to studies of species occurrence and distribution, habitat selection and modelling, metapopulation studies and monitoring programmes.

Predicting data saturation in qualitative surveys with mathematical models from ecological research.

PubMed

Tran, Viet-Thi; Porcher, Raphael; Tran, Viet-Chi; Ravaud, Philippe

2017-02-01

Sample size in surveys with open-ended questions relies on the principle of data saturation. Determining the point of data saturation is complex because researchers have information on only what they have found. The decision to stop data collection is solely dictated by the judgment and experience of researchers. In this article, we present how mathematical modeling may be used to describe and extrapolate the accumulation of themes during a study to help researchers determine the point of data saturation. The model considers a latent distribution of the probability of elicitation of all themes and infers the accumulation of themes as arising from a mixture of zero-truncated binomial distributions. We illustrate how the model could be used with data from a survey with open-ended questions on the burden of treatment involving 1,053 participants from 34 different countries and with various conditions. The performance of the model in predicting the number of themes to be found with the inclusion of new participants was investigated by Monte Carlo simulations. Then, we tested how the slope of the expected theme accumulation curve could be used as a stopping criterion for data collection in surveys with open-ended questions. By doubling the sample size after the inclusion of initial samples of 25 to 200 participants, the model reliably predicted the number of themes to be found. Mean estimation error ranged from 3% to 1% with simulated data and was <2% with data from the study of the burden of treatment. Sequentially calculating the slope of the expected theme accumulation curve for every five new participants included was a feasible approach to balance the benefits of including these new participants in the study. In our simulations, a stopping criterion based on a value of 0.05 for this slope allowed for identifying 97.5% of the themes while limiting the inclusion of participants eliciting nothing new in the study. Mathematical models adapted from ecological research can accurately predict the point of data saturation in surveys with open-ended questions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Practical Guidelines for Evaluating Sampling Designs in Survey Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fan, Xitao; Wang, Lin

The popularity of sample surveys in evaluation and research makes it necessary for consumers to tell a good survey from a poor one. Several sources were identified that gave advice on how to evaluate a sample design used in a survey study. The sources are either too limited or too extensive to be useful practically. The purpose of this paper is to…

[Sexual behavior and associated factors among Korean junior high school students].

PubMed

Lee, Gyuyoung; Song, Seunghun

2015-01-01

The study purpose was to identify the sexual behavior and associated factors of Korean junior high school students. Raw data from the 2013 Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey were used. Among the data from 72,435 students, 36,530 junior high school students were analyzed. Complex sample frequency analysis and complex sample chi-square were used to identify the condition of sexual behavior, and complex sample logistic regression was used to examine the factors related to sexual behavior. Among the students, 3.8% responded that they had experienced sexual intercourse, and the prevalence of sexual intercourse was higher among male students (5.0%) compared to female students (2.5%). Among male students, those who had the following were more likely to have had sexual intercourse: perceived high economic status, living with a relative, experience with a partti-me job, a foreign father, experience with smoking and drinking during the past month, experience with drug use, and depression during the past 12 months. Among the female students who were more likely to have had sexual intercourse, the following were ascertained: higher grades, perceived high economic status, living with a relative or in childcare facilities, experience with a part-time job, a foreign father or mother, experience with smoking and drinking during the past month, and experience with drug use. The results suggest that it is important to develop a comprehensive approach program not only focused on sexual behavior but also including mental health or other health behaviors to effectively reduce the likelihood of sexual intercourse among Korean junior high school students.

Can we estimate molluscan abundance and biomass on the continental shelf?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Powell, Eric N.; Mann, Roger; Ashton-Alcox, Kathryn A.; Kuykendall, Kelsey M.; Chase Long, M.

2017-11-01

Few empirical studies have focused on the effect of sample density on the estimate of abundance of the dominant carbonate-producing fauna of the continental shelf. Here, we present such a study and consider the implications of suboptimal sampling design on estimates of abundance and size-frequency distribution. We focus on a principal carbonate producer of the U.S. Atlantic continental shelf, the Atlantic surfclam, Spisula solidissima. To evaluate the degree to which the results are typical, we analyze a dataset for the principal carbonate producer of Mid-Atlantic estuaries, the Eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica, obtained from Delaware Bay. These two species occupy different habitats and display different lifestyles, yet demonstrate similar challenges to survey design and similar trends with sampling density. The median of a series of simulated survey mean abundances, the central tendency obtained over a large number of surveys of the same area, always underestimated true abundance at low sample densities. More dramatic were the trends in the probability of a biased outcome. As sample density declined, the probability of a survey availability event, defined as a survey yielding indices >125% or <75% of the true population abundance, increased and that increase was disproportionately biased towards underestimates. For these cases where a single sample accessed about 0.001-0.004% of the domain, 8-15 random samples were required to reduce the probability of a survey availability event below 40%. The problem of differential bias, in which the probabilities of a biased-high and a biased-low survey index were distinctly unequal, was resolved with fewer samples than the problem of overall bias. These trends suggest that the influence of sampling density on survey design comes with a series of incremental challenges. At woefully inadequate sampling density, the probability of a biased-low survey index will substantially exceed the probability of a biased-high index. The survey time series on the average will return an estimate of the stock that underestimates true stock abundance. If sampling intensity is increased, the frequency of biased indices balances between high and low values. Incrementing sample number from this point steadily reduces the likelihood of a biased survey; however, the number of samples necessary to drive the probability of survey availability events to a preferred level of infrequency may be daunting. Moreover, certain size classes will be disproportionately susceptible to such events and the impact on size frequency will be species specific, depending on the relative dispersion of the size classes.

Migration and depressive symptoms in migrant-sending areas: findings from the survey of internal migration and health in China.

PubMed

Lu, Yao; Hu, Peifeng; Treiman, Donald J

2012-08-01

China has experienced large-scale internal migration and growing mental health disorders. Limited research has examined the relationship between the two processes. We examined the association between labor out-migration and depressive symptoms of family members left behind in migrant-sending areas. We conducted a multistage probability sample survey of Chinese adults in 2008 ("Internal Migration and Health in China"), including 787 people in rural migrant-sending areas. To study whether adults in out-migrant households were more likely to experience depressive symptoms (CES-D) than were adults in non-migrant households, we used multivariate regressions and adjusted for a wide range of confounding factors and for the complex sampling design. Adults in households with labor out-migrants were more likely to report depressive symptoms than those in households without out-migrants, presumably a result of the absence of family members. However, monetary remittances from labor migrants buffered the mental health costs of out-migration. Labor out-migration has important consequences for the mental health in migrant-sending communities. There is an urgent need to address the psychological costs of migration and to promote regular remittances.

Estimating regression coefficients from clustered samples: Sampling errors and optimum sample allocation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kalton, G.

1983-01-01

A number of surveys were conducted to study the relationship between the level of aircraft or traffic noise exposure experienced by people living in a particular area and their annoyance with it. These surveys generally employ a clustered sample design which affects the precision of the survey estimates. Regression analysis of annoyance on noise measures and other variables is often an important component of the survey analysis. Formulae are presented for estimating the standard errors of regression coefficients and ratio of regression coefficients that are applicable with a two- or three-stage clustered sample design. Using a simple cost function, they also determine the optimum allocation of the sample across the stages of the sample design for the estimation of a regression coefficient.

Exploratory Spectroscopy of Magnetic Cataclysmic Variables Candidates and Other Variable Objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oliveira, A. S.; Rodrigues, C. V.; Cieslinski, D.; Jablonski, F. J.; Silva, K. M. G.; Almeida, L. A.; Rodríguez-Ardila, A.; Palhares, M. S.

2017-04-01

The increasing number of synoptic surveys made by small robotic telescopes, such as the photometric Catalina Real-Time Transient Survey (CRTS), provides a unique opportunity to discover variable sources and improves the statistical samples of such classes of objects. Our goal is the discovery of magnetic Cataclysmic Variables (mCVs). These are rare objects that probe interesting accretion scenarios controlled by the white-dwarf magnetic field. In particular, improved statistics of mCVs would help to address open questions on their formation and evolution. We performed an optical spectroscopy survey to search for signatures of magnetic accretion in 45 variable objects selected mostly from the CRTS. In this sample, we found 32 CVs, 22 being mCV candidates, 13 of which were previously unreported as such. If the proposed classifications are confirmed, it would represent an increase of 4% in the number of known polars and 12% in the number of known IPs. A fraction of our initial sample was classified as extragalactic sources or other types of variable stars by the inspection of the identification spectra. Despite the inherent complexity in identifying a source as an mCV, variability-based selection, followed by spectroscopic snapshot observations, has proved to be an efficient strategy for their discoveries, being a relatively inexpensive approach in terms of telescope time. Based on observations obtained at the Observatório do Pico dos Dias/LNA, and at the Southern Astrophysical Research (SOAR) telescope, which is a joint project of the Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia, e Inovação (MCTI) da República Federativa do Brasil, the U.S. National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO), the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), and Michigan State University (MSU).

Profile of and expenditure on morbidity and hospitalizations among elderly-Analysis of a nationally representative sample survey in India.

PubMed

Jeyashree, Kathiresan; Suliankatchi Abdulkader, Rizwan; Kathirvel, Soundappan; Chinnakali, Palanivel; Kumar Mv, Ajay

2018-01-01

Understanding morbidity pattern and associated expenditure is essential for implementation of appropriate healthcare and social security measures for the elderly. This study aims to assess the proportion of ailing persons (PAP) in the last 15days, the utilization of hospitalization services in the last 365days and the expenditure incurred for hospitalizations among the elderly in India. This study analysed data from a nationally representative survey by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) in 2014-15 on 36,480 rural and 29,452 urban households. Distribution of morbidity and in-patient health care utilisation were analysed by subgroups of sex, residence, wealth quintile and type of health care provider. All estimates were weighted to account for the complex sampling design. Among 27,245 elderly persons, 30.3% reported having suffered an ailment in the past 15days and 8% reported at least one hospitalisation episode in the last 365days. All quintiles, except the lowest, utilized private sector more than the public sector for hospitalisations. The distribution of PAP (Concentration Index (CI)=+0.11; +0.07,+0.15) and the utilization of hospitalisation services (CI=+0.18; +0.11,+0.25) were found to be significantly pro-rich. The median (IQR) expenditure on hospitalization was INR 7370 (2600, 18,060). The wealthiest quintile spent 3.1 times more than the poorest quintile on hospitalisation. Efforts to reduce inequity among elderly persons in health status and healthcare utilization should be integral to any strategy targeting achievement of third sustainable development goal- "ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages". Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sampling bias in an international internet survey of diversion programs in the criminal justice system.

PubMed

Hartford, Kathleen; Carey, Robert; Mendonca, James

2007-03-01

Despite advances in the storage and retrieval of information within health care systems, health researchers conducting surveys for evaluations still face technical barriers that may lead to sampling bias. The authors describe their experience in administering a Web-based, international survey to English-speaking countries. Identifying the sample was a multistage effort involving (a) searching for published e-mail addresses, (b) conducting Web searches for publicly funded agencies, and (c) performing literature searches, personal contacts, and extensive Internet searches for individuals. After pretesting, the survey was converted into an electronic format accessible by multiple Web browsers. Sampling bias arose from (a) system incompatibility, which did not allow potential respondents to open the survey, (b) varying institutional gate-keeping policies that "recognized" the unsolicited survey as spam, (c) culturally unique program terminology, which confused some respondents, and (d) incomplete sampling frames. Solutions are offered to the first three problems, and the authors note that sampling bias remains a crucial problem.

Using GIS to generate spatially balanced random survey designs for natural resource applications.

PubMed

Theobald, David M; Stevens, Don L; White, Denis; Urquhart, N Scott; Olsen, Anthony R; Norman, John B

2007-07-01

Sampling of a population is frequently required to understand trends and patterns in natural resource management because financial and time constraints preclude a complete census. A rigorous probability-based survey design specifies where to sample so that inferences from the sample apply to the entire population. Probability survey designs should be used in natural resource and environmental management situations because they provide the mathematical foundation for statistical inference. Development of long-term monitoring designs demand survey designs that achieve statistical rigor and are efficient but remain flexible to inevitable logistical or practical constraints during field data collection. Here we describe an approach to probability-based survey design, called the Reversed Randomized Quadrant-Recursive Raster, based on the concept of spatially balanced sampling and implemented in a geographic information system. This provides environmental managers a practical tool to generate flexible and efficient survey designs for natural resource applications. Factors commonly used to modify sampling intensity, such as categories, gradients, or accessibility, can be readily incorporated into the spatially balanced sample design.

Models of optical quantum computing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krovi, Hari

2017-03-01

I review some work on models of quantum computing, optical implementations of these models, as well as the associated computational power. In particular, we discuss the circuit model and cluster state implementations using quantum optics with various encodings such as dual rail encoding, Gottesman-Kitaev-Preskill encoding, and coherent state encoding. Then we discuss intermediate models of optical computing such as boson sampling and its variants. Finally, we review some recent work in optical implementations of adiabatic quantum computing and analog optical computing. We also provide a brief description of the relevant aspects from complexity theory needed to understand the results surveyed.

Sudbury project (University of Muenster-Ontario Geological Survey): Isotope systematics support the impact origin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deutsch, A.; Buhl, D.; Brockmeyer, P.; Lakomy, R.; Flucks, M.

1992-01-01

Within the framework of the Sudbury project a considerable number of Sr-Nd isotope analyses were carried out on petrographically well-defined samples of different breccia units. Together with isotope data from the literature these data are reviewed under the aspect of a self-consistent impact model. The crucial point of this model is that the Sudbury Igneous Complex (SIC) is interpreted as a differentiated impact melt sheet without any need for an endogenic 'magmatic' component such as 'impact-triggered' magmatism or 'partial' impact melting of the crust and mixing with a mantle-derived magma.

Satellite-aided survey sampling and implementation in low- and middle-income contexts: a low-cost/low-tech alternative.

PubMed

Haenssgen, Marco J

2015-01-01

The increasing availability of online maps, satellite imagery, and digital technology can ease common constraints of survey sampling in low- and middle-income countries. However, existing approaches require specialised software and user skills, professional GPS equipment, and/or commercial data sources; they tend to neglect spatial sampling considerations when using satellite maps; and they continue to face implementation challenges analogous to conventional survey implementation methods. This paper presents an alternative way of utilising satellite maps and digital aides that aims to address these challenges. The case studies of two rural household surveys in Rajasthan (India) and Gansu (China) compare conventional survey sampling and implementation techniques with the use of online map services such as Google, Bing, and HERE maps. Modern yet basic digital technology can be integrated into the processes of preparing, implementing, and monitoring a rural household survey. Satellite-aided systematic random sampling enhanced the spatial representativeness of the village samples and entailed savings of approximately £4000 compared to conventional household listing, while reducing the duration of the main survey by at least 25 %. This low-cost/low-tech satellite-aided survey sampling approach can be useful for student researchers and resource-constrained research projects operating in low- and middle-income contexts with high survey implementation costs. While achieving transparent and efficient survey implementation at low costs, researchers aiming to adopt a similar process should be aware of the locational, technical, and logistical requirements as well as the methodological challenges of this strategy.

Association Between Young Australian's Drinking Behaviours and Their Interactions With Alcohol Brands on Facebook: Results of an Online Survey.

PubMed

Jones, Sandra C; Robinson, Laura; Barrie, Lance; Francis, Kate; Lee, Jeong Kyu

2016-07-01

To examine the association of alcohol-brand social networking pages and Facebook users' drinking attitudes and behaviours. Cross-sectional, self-report data were obtained from a convenience sample of 283 Australian Facebook users aged 16-24 years via an online survey. More than half of the respondents reported using Facebook for more than an hour daily. While only 20% had actively interacted with an alcohol brand on Facebook, we found a significant association between this active interaction and alcohol consumption, and a strong association between engagement with alcohol brands on Facebook and problematic drinking. The findings of this study demonstrate the need for further research into the complex interaction between social networking and alcohol consumption, and add support to calls for effective regulation of alcohol marketing on social network platforms. © The Author 2015. Medical Council on Alcohol and Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

Sudbury project (University of Muenster-Ontario Geological Survey): Field studies 1984-1989 - summary of results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bischoff, L.; Dressler, B. O.; Avermann, M. E.; Brockmeyer, P.; Lakomy, R.; Mueller-Mohr, V.

1992-01-01

In cooperation between the Ontario Geological Survey and the Institute of Geology and Institute of Planetology, geological, petrological, and geochemical studies were carried out on impact-related phenomena of the Sudbury structure during the last decade. The main results of the field studies are briefly reviewed. Footwall rocks, sublayer, and lower sections of the Sudbury Igneous Complex (SIC) were mainly mapped and sampled in the northern (Levack Township) and western (Trillabelle and Sultana Properties) parts of the north range. Within these mapping areas Sudbury Breccias (SB) and Footwall Breccias (FB) were studied; SB were also investigated along extended profiles beyond the north and south ranges up to 55 km from the SIC. The Onaping Formation (OF) and the upper section of the SIC were studied both in the north range (Morgan and Dowling Townships) and in the southern east range (Capreol and McLennan Townships).

Examining the nexus between domestic violence and animal abuse in a national sample of service providers.

PubMed

Krienert, Jessie L; Walsh, Jeffrey A; Matthews, Kevin; McConkey, Kelly

2012-01-01

Companion animals play a complex role in families impacted by violence. An outlet of emotional support for victims, the family pet often becomes a target for physical abuse. Results from a comprehensive e-survey of domestic violence shelters nationwide (N = 767) highlight both improvements and existing gaps in service provision for domestic violence victims and their pets. Quantitative and qualitative data noted frequently encountered obstacles to successful shelter seeking by abuse victims with companion animals including a lack of availability, funding, space, and reliable programming. Although results indicate an overall improvement in organizational awareness, fewer than half of surveyed shelters include intake questions about animals. Continued awareness and an expansion of services is needed to create viable safety planning strategies and reliable alternatives for women with companion animals in order to improve the likelihood that abuse victims will seek escape and refuge for themselves, their children, and their pets.

Student Perceptions of Science Ability, Experiences, Expectations, and Career Choices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cherney, Michael; Cherney, I.

2006-12-01

The decision to study physics or astronomy is affected by many factors, including preferences, motivations, and expectations for success. Differing cognitive profiles contribute to the learning of science through a complex process in which intrinsic capacities are tuned both by everyday experience and by instruction. In an attempt to identify the developmental pathways and intrinsic factors that most strongly influence the choice to study science, we administered an extensive survey to a sample of 400 students. The survey questions were based on Eccles et al.’s model of achievement-related choices and findings showing that previous play experiences, spatial experiences, task beliefs, as well as perceived mathematics ability, motivational and personality characteristics affect mathematics achievement and science career choices. The perceptions of students planning a science career are compared with those planning a career in other areas. Gender differences are also discussed.

Ethnic differences in mental illness and mental health service use among Black fathers.

PubMed

Doyle, Otima; Joe, Sean; Caldwell, Cleopatra H

2012-05-01

We have presented nationally representative data on the prevalence and correlates of mental illness and mental health service use among African American and Caribbean Black (US-born and foreign-born) fathers in the United States. We have reported national estimates of lifetime and 12-month prevalence rates of mental illness, correlates, and service use among African American (n = 1254) and Caribbean Black (n = 633) fathers using data from the National Survey of American Life, a national household survey of Black Americans. We used bivariate cross-tabulations and Cox proportional hazards regression approaches and adjusted for the National Survey of American Life's complex sample design. The prevalence of mental illness, sociodemographic correlates, and service use among Black fathers varied by ethnicity and nativity. US-born Caribbean Black fathers had alarmingly high rates of most disorders, including depression, anxiety, and substance disorders. Mental health service use was particularly low for African American and foreign-born Caribbean Black fathers. These results demonstrate the need for more research on the causes and consequences of mental illness and the help-seeking behavior of ethnically diverse Black fathers.

The Astronomical Zoo in MIPSGAL I and II

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuchar, Thomas A.; Mizuno, D.; Shenoy, S.; Paladini, R.; Kraemer, K.; Price, S.; Marleau, F.; Padgett, D.; Indebetouw, R.; Ingalls, J.; Ali, B.; Berriman, B.; Boulanger, F.; Cutri, R.; Latter, W.; Miville-Deschenes, M.; Molinari, S.; Rebull, L.; Testi, L.; Shipman, R.; Martin, P.; Carey, S.; Noriega-Crespo, A.

2006-12-01

The view of the Galactic Plane at 24 µm is breathtaking. A great part of this beauty arises from the complexity of the Interstellar Medium shaped by endless energetic events driven by HII regions, supernova explosions, Wolf-Rayets, Luminous Blue Variables, and evolved and new born massive stars. A sample of these objects is presented in this poster, gathered from the Multiband Imaging Photometer for Spitzer (MIPS) Survey of the Galactic Plane I and II (MIPSGAL; see Carey et al. 2006, this meeting). The global color properties of these objects are derived by combining the data at 24 and 70um with that from the Galactic Legacy Infrared Mid-Plane Survey Extraordinaire (GLIMPSE), and following similar schemes as those used in the Spitzer Surveys of the Magellanic Clouds (Bolatto et al. 2006, astroph-0608561; Meixner et al. 2006, astroph-0606356). This work is based on observations made with the Spitzer Space Telescope, which is operated by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology under a contract with NASA. Support for this work was provided by NASA in part through an award issued by JPL/Caltech.

Does self-selection affect samples' representativeness in online surveys? An investigation in online video game research.

PubMed

Khazaal, Yasser; van Singer, Mathias; Chatton, Anne; Achab, Sophia; Zullino, Daniele; Rothen, Stephane; Khan, Riaz; Billieux, Joel; Thorens, Gabriel

2014-07-07

The number of medical studies performed through online surveys has increased dramatically in recent years. Despite their numerous advantages (eg, sample size, facilitated access to individuals presenting stigmatizing issues), selection bias may exist in online surveys. However, evidence on the representativeness of self-selected samples in online studies is patchy. Our objective was to explore the representativeness of a self-selected sample of online gamers using online players' virtual characters (avatars). All avatars belonged to individuals playing World of Warcraft (WoW), currently the most widely used online game. Avatars' characteristics were defined using various games' scores, reported on the WoW's official website, and two self-selected samples from previous studies were compared with a randomly selected sample of avatars. We used scores linked to 1240 avatars (762 from the self-selected samples and 478 from the random sample). The two self-selected samples of avatars had higher scores on most of the assessed variables (except for guild membership and exploration). Furthermore, some guilds were overrepresented in the self-selected samples. Our results suggest that more proficient players or players more involved in the game may be more likely to participate in online surveys. Caution is needed in the interpretation of studies based on online surveys that used a self-selection recruitment procedure. Epidemiological evidence on the reduced representativeness of sample of online surveys is warranted.

YSO jets in the Galactic plane from UWISH2 - V. Jets and outflows in M17

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samal, M. R.; Chen, W. P.; Takami, M.; Jose, J.; Froebrich, D.

2018-07-01

Jets and outflows are the first signposts of stellar birth. Emission in the H2 1-0 S(1) line at 2.122- μm is a powerful tracer of shock excitation in these objects. Here we present the analysis of 2.0 × 0.8 deg2 data from the UK Wide-field Infrared Survey for H2 (UWISH2) in the 1-0 S(1) line to identify and characterize the outflows of the M17 complex. We uncover 48 probable outflows, of which 93 per cent are new discoveries. We identified driving source candidates for 60 per cent of outflows. Among the driving source candidate young stellar objects (YSOs), 90 per cent are protostars and the remaining 10 per cent are Class II YSOs. In comparison with results from other surveys, we suggest that H2 emission fades very quickly as the objects evolve from protostars to pre-main-sequence stars. We fit spectral energy distribution (SED) models to 14 candidate outflow-driving sources and conclude that the outflows of our sample are mostly driven by moderate-mass YSOs that are still actively accreting from their protoplanetary disc. We examined the spatial distribution of the outflows with the gas and dust distribution of the complex and observed that the filamentary dark cloud M17SWex, located on the south-western side of the complex, is associated with a greater number of outflows. We find that our results corroborate previous suggestions that, in the M17 complex, M17SWex is the most active site of star formation. Several of our newly identified outflow candidates are excellent targets for follow-up studies to understand better the very early phase of protostellar evolution.

Key Findings from a National Internet Survey of 400 Teachers and 95 Principals Conducted November 12-21, 2008

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCleskey, Nicole

2010-01-01

This paper presents the key findings from a national Internet survey of 400 teachers and 95 principals. This survey was conducted November 12-21, 2008. The sample was based on a list provided by EMI Surveys, a custom online research sample provider with an extensive portfolio of projects. The margin of error for a sample of 495 interviews is [plus…

Effect of questionnaire length, personalisation and reminder type on response rate to a complex postal survey: randomised controlled trial

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Minimising participant non-response in postal surveys helps to maximise the generalisability of the inferences made from the data collected. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of questionnaire length, personalisation and reminder type on postal survey response rate and quality and to compare the cost-effectiveness of the alternative survey strategies. Methods In a pilot study for a population study of travel behaviour, physical activity and the environment, 1000 participants sampled from the UK edited electoral register were randomly allocated using a 2 × 2 factorial design to receive one of four survey packs: a personally addressed long (24 page) questionnaire pack, a personally addressed short (15 page) questionnaire pack, a non-personally addressed long questionnaire pack or a non-personally addressed short questionnaire pack. Those who did not return a questionnaire were stratified by initial randomisation group and further randomised to receive either a full reminder pack or a reminder postcard. The effects of the survey design factors on response were examined using multivariate logistic regression. Results An overall response rate of 17% was achieved. Participants who received the short version of the questionnaire were more likely to respond (OR = 1.48, 95% CI 1.06 to 2.07). In those participants who received a reminder, personalisation of the survey pack and reminder also increased the odds of response (OR = 1.44, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.95). Item non-response was relatively low, but was significantly higher in the long questionnaire than the short (9.8% vs 5.8%; p = .04). The cost per additional usable questionnaire returned of issuing the reminder packs was £23.1 compared with £11.3 for the reminder postcards. Conclusions In contrast to some previous studies of shorter questionnaires, this trial found that shortening a relatively lengthy questionnaire significantly increased the response. Researchers should consider the trade off between the value of additional questions and a larger sample. If low response rates are expected, personalisation may be an important strategy to apply. Sending a full reminder pack to non-respondents appears a worthwhile, albeit more costly, strategy. PMID:21548947

Survey research with a random digit dial national mobile phone sample in Ghana: Methods and sample quality.

PubMed

L'Engle, Kelly; Sefa, Eunice; Adimazoya, Edward Akolgo; Yartey, Emmanuel; Lenzi, Rachel; Tarpo, Cindy; Heward-Mills, Nii Lante; Lew, Katherine; Ampeh, Yvonne

2018-01-01

Generating a nationally representative sample in low and middle income countries typically requires resource-intensive household level sampling with door-to-door data collection. High mobile phone penetration rates in developing countries provide new opportunities for alternative sampling and data collection methods, but there is limited information about response rates and sample biases in coverage and nonresponse using these methods. We utilized data from an interactive voice response, random-digit dial, national mobile phone survey in Ghana to calculate standardized response rates and assess representativeness of the obtained sample. The survey methodology was piloted in two rounds of data collection. The final survey included 18 demographic, media exposure, and health behavior questions. Call outcomes and response rates were calculated according to the American Association of Public Opinion Research guidelines. Sample characteristics, productivity, and costs per interview were calculated. Representativeness was assessed by comparing data to the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey and the National Population and Housing Census. The survey was fielded during a 27-day period in February-March 2017. There were 9,469 completed interviews and 3,547 partial interviews. Response, cooperation, refusal, and contact rates were 31%, 81%, 7%, and 39% respectively. Twenty-three calls were dialed to produce an eligible contact: nonresponse was substantial due to the automated calling system and dialing of many unassigned or non-working numbers. Younger, urban, better educated, and male respondents were overrepresented in the sample. The innovative mobile phone data collection methodology yielded a large sample in a relatively short period. Response rates were comparable to other surveys, although substantial coverage bias resulted from fewer women, rural, and older residents completing the mobile phone survey in comparison to household surveys. Random digit dialing of mobile phones offers promise for future data collection in Ghana and may be suitable for other developing countries.

Survey research with a random digit dial national mobile phone sample in Ghana: Methods and sample quality

PubMed Central

Sefa, Eunice; Adimazoya, Edward Akolgo; Yartey, Emmanuel; Lenzi, Rachel; Tarpo, Cindy; Heward-Mills, Nii Lante; Lew, Katherine; Ampeh, Yvonne

2018-01-01

Introduction Generating a nationally representative sample in low and middle income countries typically requires resource-intensive household level sampling with door-to-door data collection. High mobile phone penetration rates in developing countries provide new opportunities for alternative sampling and data collection methods, but there is limited information about response rates and sample biases in coverage and nonresponse using these methods. We utilized data from an interactive voice response, random-digit dial, national mobile phone survey in Ghana to calculate standardized response rates and assess representativeness of the obtained sample. Materials and methods The survey methodology was piloted in two rounds of data collection. The final survey included 18 demographic, media exposure, and health behavior questions. Call outcomes and response rates were calculated according to the American Association of Public Opinion Research guidelines. Sample characteristics, productivity, and costs per interview were calculated. Representativeness was assessed by comparing data to the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey and the National Population and Housing Census. Results The survey was fielded during a 27-day period in February-March 2017. There were 9,469 completed interviews and 3,547 partial interviews. Response, cooperation, refusal, and contact rates were 31%, 81%, 7%, and 39% respectively. Twenty-three calls were dialed to produce an eligible contact: nonresponse was substantial due to the automated calling system and dialing of many unassigned or non-working numbers. Younger, urban, better educated, and male respondents were overrepresented in the sample. Conclusions The innovative mobile phone data collection methodology yielded a large sample in a relatively short period. Response rates were comparable to other surveys, although substantial coverage bias resulted from fewer women, rural, and older residents completing the mobile phone survey in comparison to household surveys. Random digit dialing of mobile phones offers promise for future data collection in Ghana and may be suitable for other developing countries. PMID:29351349

The Outer Solar System Origin Survey full data release orbit catalog and characterization.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kavelaars, J. J.; Bannister, Michele T.; Gladman, Brett; Petit, Jean-Marc; Gwyn, Stephen; Alexandersen, Mike; Chen, Ying-Tung; Volk, Kathryn; OSSOS Collaboration.

2017-10-01

The Outer Solar System Origin Survey (OSSOS) completed main data acquisition in February 2017. Here we report the release of our full orbit sample, which include 836 TNOs with high precision orbit determination and classification. We combine the OSSOS orbit sample with previously release Canada-France Ecliptic Plane Survey (CFEPS) and a precursor survey to OSSOS by Alexandersen et al. to provide a sample of over 1100 TNO orbits with high precision classified orbits and precisely determined discovery and tracking circumstances (characterization). We are releasing the full sample and characterization to the world community, along with software for conducting ‘Survey Simulations’, so that this sample of orbits can be used to test models of the formation of our outer solar system against the observed sample. Here I will present the characteristics of the data set and present a parametric model for the structure of the classical Kuiper belt.

Acculturation and Health of Korean American Adults.

PubMed

Shin, Cha-Nam; Lach, Helen W

2014-07-01

Increasing cultural diversity in the United States and significant health disparities among immigrant populations make acculturation an important concept to measure in health research. The purpose of this cross-sectional, descriptive study was to examine acculturation and health of Korean American adults. A convenience sample of 517 Korean American adults in a Midwestern city completed a survey in either English or Korean. All four groups of Berry's acculturation model were identified using cluster analysis with Lee's Acculturation Scale. Assimilation, integration, and separation were found in the English survey sample, whereas integration, separation, and marginalization were found in the Korean survey sample. Moreover, the findings revealed that acculturation is a bidimensional process, and the unique nature of samples may determine acculturation groups. Physical health and mental health were significantly related to acculturation in the English survey sample. However, there was not a significant relationship between health and acculturation in the Korean survey sample. © The Author(s) 2014.

Men who have sex with men in Great Britain: comparing methods and estimates from probability and convenience sample surveys.

PubMed

Prah, Philip; Hickson, Ford; Bonell, Chris; McDaid, Lisa M; Johnson, Anne M; Wayal, Sonali; Clifton, Soazig; Sonnenberg, Pam; Nardone, Anthony; Erens, Bob; Copas, Andrew J; Riddell, Julie; Weatherburn, Peter; Mercer, Catherine H

2016-09-01

To examine sociodemographic and behavioural differences between men who have sex with men (MSM) participating in recent UK convenience surveys and a national probability sample survey. We compared 148 MSM aged 18-64 years interviewed for Britain's third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-3) undertaken in 2010-2012, with men in the same age range participating in contemporaneous convenience surveys of MSM: 15 500 British resident men in the European MSM Internet Survey (EMIS); 797 in the London Gay Men's Sexual Health Survey; and 1234 in Scotland's Gay Men's Sexual Health Survey. Analyses compared men reporting at least one male sexual partner (past year) on similarly worded questions and multivariable analyses accounted for sociodemographic differences between the surveys. MSM in convenience surveys were younger and better educated than MSM in Natsal-3, and a larger proportion identified as gay (85%-95% vs 62%). Partner numbers were higher and same-sex anal sex more common in convenience surveys. Unprotected anal intercourse was more commonly reported in EMIS. Compared with Natsal-3, MSM in convenience surveys were more likely to report gonorrhoea diagnoses and HIV testing (both past year). Differences between the samples were reduced when restricting analysis to gay-identifying MSM. National probability surveys better reflect the population of MSM but are limited by their smaller samples of MSM. Convenience surveys recruit larger samples of MSM but tend to over-represent MSM identifying as gay and reporting more sexual risk behaviours. Because both sampling strategies have strengths and weaknesses, methods are needed to triangulate data from probability and convenience surveys. 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/

Design of a national and regional survey among French general practitioners and method of the first wave of survey dedicated to vaccination.

PubMed

Le Maréchal, M; Collange, F; Fressard, L; Peretti-Watel, P; Sebbah, R; Mikol, F; Agamaliyev, E; Gautier, A; Pulcini, C; Verger, P

2015-10-01

France is currently facing a vaccine-hesitancy crisis. We conducted a questionnaire-based telephone interview with a large sample of general practitioners (GPs) as they play a crucial role in the vaccination process. Our main objectives were to study the GPs' vaccination behaviors when it comes to their own vaccination and that of their relatives, and the vaccine recommendations made to their patients. We also aimed to understand their opinion related to the severity of vaccine-preventable diseases and to assess their trust in various sources of information. Finally, we enquired about their opinion in terms of vaccination-related tools that could help them in their daily practice. The article aimed to present the design of this panel and survey. Four samples of GPs (one national and three regional) were selected among all the French GPs (metropolitan France) using random sampling. Five cross-sectional surveys should be conducted with that panel. The mean targeted sample size is 2350 GPs for each survey. The survey dedicated to vaccination was conducted by telephone or on the Internet. GPs were included in the survey between December 2013 and February 2014. The national sample included 1582 GPs (response rate: 46%) and the three regional samples included 1297 GPs (response rate: 44%). The survey dedicated to vaccination was conducted between April and July 2014; the national sample response rate was 92% (1582/1712). The results of the first wave of surveys, conducted on a large sample of French GPs, provide important information to guide the French vaccination policy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Modeling the Sensitivity of Field Surveys for Detection of Environmental DNA (eDNA)

PubMed Central

Schultz, Martin T.; Lance, Richard F.

2015-01-01

The environmental DNA (eDNA) method is the practice of collecting environmental samples and analyzing them for the presence of a genetic marker specific to a target species. Little is known about the sensitivity of the eDNA method. Sensitivity is the probability that the target marker will be detected if it is present in the water body. Methods and tools are needed to assess the sensitivity of sampling protocols, design eDNA surveys, and interpret survey results. In this study, the sensitivity of the eDNA method is modeled as a function of ambient target marker concentration. The model accounts for five steps of sample collection and analysis, including: 1) collection of a filtered water sample from the source; 2) extraction of DNA from the filter and isolation in a purified elution; 3) removal of aliquots from the elution for use in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay; 4) PCR; and 5) genetic sequencing. The model is applicable to any target species. For demonstration purposes, the model is parameterized for bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis) and silver carp (H. molitrix) assuming sampling protocols used in the Chicago Area Waterway System (CAWS). Simulation results show that eDNA surveys have a high false negative rate at low concentrations of the genetic marker. This is attributed to processing of water samples and division of the extraction elution in preparation for the PCR assay. Increases in field survey sensitivity can be achieved by increasing sample volume, sample number, and PCR replicates. Increasing sample volume yields the greatest increase in sensitivity. It is recommended that investigators estimate and communicate the sensitivity of eDNA surveys to help facilitate interpretation of eDNA survey results. In the absence of such information, it is difficult to evaluate the results of surveys in which no water samples test positive for the target marker. It is also recommended that invasive species managers articulate concentration-based sensitivity objectives for eDNA surveys. In the absence of such information, it is difficult to design appropriate sampling protocols. The model provides insights into how sampling protocols can be designed or modified to achieve these sensitivity objectives. PMID:26509674

Modeling the Sensitivity of Field Surveys for Detection of Environmental DNA (eDNA).

PubMed

Schultz, Martin T; Lance, Richard F

2015-01-01

The environmental DNA (eDNA) method is the practice of collecting environmental samples and analyzing them for the presence of a genetic marker specific to a target species. Little is known about the sensitivity of the eDNA method. Sensitivity is the probability that the target marker will be detected if it is present in the water body. Methods and tools are needed to assess the sensitivity of sampling protocols, design eDNA surveys, and interpret survey results. In this study, the sensitivity of the eDNA method is modeled as a function of ambient target marker concentration. The model accounts for five steps of sample collection and analysis, including: 1) collection of a filtered water sample from the source; 2) extraction of DNA from the filter and isolation in a purified elution; 3) removal of aliquots from the elution for use in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay; 4) PCR; and 5) genetic sequencing. The model is applicable to any target species. For demonstration purposes, the model is parameterized for bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis) and silver carp (H. molitrix) assuming sampling protocols used in the Chicago Area Waterway System (CAWS). Simulation results show that eDNA surveys have a high false negative rate at low concentrations of the genetic marker. This is attributed to processing of water samples and division of the extraction elution in preparation for the PCR assay. Increases in field survey sensitivity can be achieved by increasing sample volume, sample number, and PCR replicates. Increasing sample volume yields the greatest increase in sensitivity. It is recommended that investigators estimate and communicate the sensitivity of eDNA surveys to help facilitate interpretation of eDNA survey results. In the absence of such information, it is difficult to evaluate the results of surveys in which no water samples test positive for the target marker. It is also recommended that invasive species managers articulate concentration-based sensitivity objectives for eDNA surveys. In the absence of such information, it is difficult to design appropriate sampling protocols. The model provides insights into how sampling protocols can be designed or modified to achieve these sensitivity objectives.

Galaxy redshift surveys with sparse sampling

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

Chiang, Chi-Ting; Wullstein, Philipp; Komatsu, Eiichiro

2013-12-01

Survey observations of the three-dimensional locations of galaxies are a powerful approach to measure the distribution of matter in the universe, which can be used to learn about the nature of dark energy, physics of inflation, neutrino masses, etc. A competitive survey, however, requires a large volume (e.g., V{sub survey} ∼ 10Gpc{sup 3}) to be covered, and thus tends to be expensive. A ''sparse sampling'' method offers a more affordable solution to this problem: within a survey footprint covering a given survey volume, V{sub survey}, we observe only a fraction of the volume. The distribution of observed regions should bemore » chosen such that their separation is smaller than the length scale corresponding to the wavenumber of interest. Then one can recover the power spectrum of galaxies with precision expected for a survey covering a volume of V{sub survey} (rather than the volume of the sum of observed regions) with the number density of galaxies given by the total number of observed galaxies divided by V{sub survey} (rather than the number density of galaxies within an observed region). We find that regularly-spaced sampling yields an unbiased power spectrum with no window function effect, and deviations from regularly-spaced sampling, which are unavoidable in realistic surveys, introduce calculable window function effects and increase the uncertainties of the recovered power spectrum. On the other hand, we show that the two-point correlation function (pair counting) is not affected by sparse sampling. While we discuss the sparse sampling method within the context of the forthcoming Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment, the method is general and can be applied to other galaxy surveys.« less

Determination of NRHP Eligibility for the Eisenhower Army Medical Center Complex at Fort Gordon, Georgia

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-01

30905 Under Project 450904, “NHPA Building Evaluations at Fort Gordon” ERDC/CERL TR-16-26 ii Abstract This document is an architectural survey of...Carlisle, and Wolff beginning in 1970, with plans finalized in 1971, and construction completed in 1975. This survey satisfies Section 110 of the...hospital complex was previously surveyed for exceptional importance under Criteria Consideration G1 of the NRHP in the Fort Gordon Cold War

Deep Generative Models of Galaxy Images for the Calibration of the Next Generation of Weak Lensing Surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lanusse, Francois; Ravanbakhsh, Siamak; Mandelbaum, Rachel; Schneider, Jeff; Poczos, Barnabas

2017-01-01

Weak gravitational lensing has long been identified as one of the most powerful probes to investigate the nature of dark energy. As such, weak lensing is at the heart of the next generation of cosmological surveys such as LSST, Euclid or WFIRST.One particularly crititcal source of systematic errors in these surveys comes from the shape measurement algorithms tasked with estimating galaxy shapes. GREAT3, the last community challenge to assess the quality of state-of-the-art shape measurement algorithms has in particular demonstrated that all current methods are biased to various degrees and, more importantly, that these biases depend on the details of the galaxy morphologies. These biases can be measured and calibrated by generating mock observations where a known lensing signal has been introduced and comparing the resulting measurements to the ground-truth. Producing these mock observations however requires input galaxy images of higher resolution and S/N than the simulated survey, which typically implies acquiring extremely expensive space-based observations.The goal of this work is to train a deep generative model on already available Hubble Space Telescope data which can then be used to sample new galaxy images conditioned on parameters such as magnitude, size or redshift and exhibiting complex morphologies. Such model can allow us to inexpensively produce large set of realistic realistic images for calibration purposes.We implement a conditional generative model based on state-of-the-art deep learning methods and fit it to deep galaxy images from the COSMOS survey. The quality of the model is assessed by computing an extensive set of galaxy morphology statistics on the generated images. Beyond simple second moment statistics such as size and ellipticity, we apply more complex statistics specifically designed to be sensitive to disturbed galaxy morphologies. We find excellent agreement between the morphologies of real and model generated galaxies.Our results suggest that such deep generative models represent a reliable alternative to the acquisition of expensive high quality observations for generating the calibration data needed by the next generation of weak lensing surveys.

United States anesthesiologists over 50: retirement decision making and workforce implications.

PubMed

Orkin, Fredrick K; McGinnis, Sandra L; Forte, Gaetano J; Peterson, Mary Dale; Schubert, Armin; Katz, Jonathan D; Berry, Arnold J; Cohen, Norman A; Holzman, Robert S; Jackson, Stephen H; Martin, Donald E; Garfield, Joseph M

2012-11-01

Anesthesiology is among the medical specialties expected to have physician shortage. With little known about older anesthesiologists' work effort and retirement decision making, the American Society of Anesthesiologists participated in a 2006 national survey of physicians aged 50-79 yr. Samples of anesthesiologists and other specialists completed a survey of work activities, professional satisfaction, self-defined health and financial status, retirement plans and perspectives, and demographics. A complex survey design enabled adjustments for sampling and response-rate biases so that respondents' characteristics resembled those in the American Medical Association Physician Masterfile. Retirement decision making was modeled with multivariable ordinal logistic regression. Life-table analysis provided a forecast of likely clinical workforce trends over an ensuing 30 yr. Anesthesiologists (N = 3,222; response rate = 37%) reported a mean work week of 49.4 h and a mean retirement age of 62.7 yr, both values similar to those of other older physicians. Work week decreased with age, and part-time work increased. Women worked a shorter work week (mean, 47.9 vs. 49.7 h, P = 0.024), partly due to greater part-time work (20.2 vs. 13.1%, P value less than 0.001). Relative importance of factors reported among those leaving patient care differed by age cohort, subspecialty, and work status. Poor health was cited by 64% of anesthesiologists retiring in their 50s as compared with 43% of those retiring later (P = 0.039). This survey lends support for greater attention to potentially modifiable factors, such as workplace wellness and professional satisfaction, to prevent premature retirement. The growing trend in part-time work deserves further study.

Design and results of the pretest of the IDEFICS study.

PubMed

Suling, M; Hebestreit, A; Peplies, J; Bammann, K; Nappo, A; Eiben, G; Alvira, J M Fernández; Verbestel, V; Kovács, E; Pitsiladis, Y P; Veidebaum, T; Hadjigeorgiou, C; Knof, K; Ahrens, W

2011-04-01

During the preparatory phase of the baseline survey of the IDEFICS (Identification and prevention of dietary- and lifestyle-induced health effects in children and infants) study, standardised survey procedures including instruments, examinations, methods, biological sampling and software tools were developed and pretested for their feasibility, robustness and acceptability. A pretest was conducted of full survey procedures in 119 children aged 2-9 years in nine European survey centres (N(per centre)=4-27, mean 13.22). Novel techniques such as ultrasound measurements to assess subcutaneous fat and bone health, heart rate monitors combined with accelerometers and sensory taste perception tests were used. Biological sampling, physical examinations, sensory taste perception tests, parental questionnaire and medical interview required only minor amendments, whereas physical fitness tests required major adaptations. Callipers for skinfold measurements were favoured over ultrasonography, as the latter showed only a low-to-modest agreement with calliper measurements (correlation coefficients of r=-0.22 and r=0.67 for all children). The combination of accelerometers with heart rate monitors was feasible in school children only. Implementation of the computer-based 24-h dietary recall required a complex and intensive developmental stage. It was combined with the assessment of school meals, which was changed after the pretest from portion weighing to the more feasible observation of the consumed portion size per child. The inclusion of heel ultrasonometry as an indicator of bone stiffness was the most important amendment after the pretest. Feasibility and acceptability of all procedures had to be balanced against their scientific value. Extensive pretesting, training and subsequent refinement of the methods were necessary to assess the feasibility of all instruments and procedures in routine fieldwork and to exchange or modify procedures that would otherwise give invalid or misleading results.

A new all-sky map of Galactic high-velocity clouds from the 21-cm HI4PI survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Westmeier, Tobias

2018-02-01

High-velocity clouds (HVCs) are neutral or ionized gas clouds in the vicinity of the Milky Way that are characterized by high radial velocities inconsistent with participation in the regular rotation of the Galactic disc. Previous attempts to create a homogeneous all-sky H I map of HVCs have been hampered by a combination of poor angular resolution, limited surface brightness sensitivity and suboptimal sampling. Here, a new and improved H I map of Galactic HVCs based on the all-sky HI4PI survey is presented. The new map is fully sampled and provides significantly better angular resolution (16.2 versus 36 arcmin) and column density sensitivity (2.3 versus 3.7 × 1018 cm-2 at the native resolution) than the previously available LAB survey. The new HVC map resolves many of the major HVC complexes in the sky into an intricate network of narrow H I filaments and clumps that were not previously resolved by the LAB survey. The resulting sky coverage fraction of high-velocity H I emission above a column density level of 2 × 1018 cm-2 is approximately 15 per cent, which reduces to about 13 per cent when the Magellanic Clouds and other non-HVC emission are removed. The differential sky coverage fraction as a function of column density obeys a truncated power law with an exponent of -0.93 and a turnover point at about 5 × 1019 cm-2. H I column density and velocity maps of the HVC sky are made publicly available as FITS images for scientific use by the community.

SIGGMA: A SURVEY OF IONIZED GAS IN THE GALAXY, MADE WITH THE ARECIBO TELESCOPE

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

Liu, B.; McIntyre, T.; Terzian, Y.

A Survey of Ionized Gas in the Galaxy, made with the Arecibo telescope (SIGGMA), uses the Arecibo L-band Feed Array (ALFA) to fully sample the Galactic plane (30 Degree-Sign {<=} l {<=} 75 Degree-Sign and -2 Degree-Sign {<=} b {<=} 2 Degree-Sign ; 175 Degree-Sign {<=} l {<=} 207 Degree-Sign and -2 Degree-Sign {<=} b {<=} 1 Degree-Sign ) observable with the telescope in radio recombination lines (RRLs). Processed data sets are being produced in the form of data cubes of 2 Degree-Sign (along l) Multiplication-Sign 4 Degree-Sign (along b) Multiplication-Sign 151 (number of channels), archived and made public. Themore » 151 channels cover a velocity range of 600 km s{sup -1} and the velocity resolution of the survey changes from 4.2 km s{sup -1} to 5.1 km s{sup -1} from the lowest frequency channel to the highest frequency channel. RRL maps with 3.'4 resolution and a line flux density sensitivity of {approx}0.5 mJy will enable us to identify new H II regions, measure their electron temperatures, study the physics of photodissociation regions with carbon RRLs, and investigate the origin of the extended low-density medium. Twelve Hn{alpha} lines fall within the 300 MHz bandpass of ALFA; they are resampled to a common velocity resolution to improve the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) by a factor of three or more and preserve the line width. SIGGMA will produce the most sensitive fully sampled RRL survey to date. Here, we discuss the observing and data reduction techniques in detail. A test observation toward the H II region complex S255/S257 has detected Hn{alpha} and Cn{alpha} lines with S/N > 10.« less

Composition and concentration of hydrocarbons in sediment samples from the oil producing area of the East Shetland Basin, Scotland.

PubMed

Russell, M; Webster, L; Walsham, P; Packer, G; Dalgarno, E J; McIntosh, A D; Fryer, R J; Moffat, C F

2008-04-01

The East Shetland Basin is one of the areas that the Fisheries Research Services (FRS) has concentrated on to assess the possible impacts of oil exploration and production on the marine environment. A stratified random survey of the sediment was carried out in 2002. TOCs were low across the basin and were positively correlated with grain size. The total PAH concentrations (2- to 6-ring parent and alkylated PAHs, including the 16 US EPA PAHs) were less than 150 microg kg(-1) dry weight and their composition indicated a predominantly pyrolytic input to the basin in 2002. Minor unresolved complex mixtures in the n-alkane profiles indicated a slight petrogenic input but further examination of the biomarkers (hopanes and steranes) showed a mixed North Sea and Middle Eastern source. The Middle Eastern source is likely due to inputs from shipping activity, as it is widely used as bunker fuel. Grid surveys were carried out in 1986, 1988-89 and 1994 and areas were selected for which there was data for all the historic grid surveys and the 2002 stratified random survey. Although referring to only a small part of the East Shetland Basin, comparison with these historic surveys shows clearly that the concentrations of Forties crude oil equivalents and total PAH concentrations were highest in 1988-89 and by 2002 had returned to concentrations the same as or less than observed in the original survey in 1986.

Optimizing occupancy surveys by maximizing detection probability: application to amphibian monitoring in the Mediterranean region.

PubMed

Petitot, Maud; Manceau, Nicolas; Geniez, Philippe; Besnard, Aurélien

2014-09-01

Setting up effective conservation strategies requires the precise determination of the targeted species' distribution area and, if possible, its local abundance. However, detection issues make these objectives complex for most vertebrates. The detection probability is usually <1 and is highly dependent on species phenology and other environmental variables. The aim of this study was to define an optimized survey protocol for the Mediterranean amphibian community, that is, to determine the most favorable periods and the most effective sampling techniques for detecting all species present on a site in a minimum number of field sessions and a minimum amount of prospecting effort. We visited 49 ponds located in the Languedoc region of southern France on four occasions between February and June 2011. Amphibians were detected using three methods: nighttime call count, nighttime visual encounter, and daytime netting. The detection nondetection data obtained was then modeled using site-occupancy models. The detection probability of amphibians sharply differed between species, the survey method used and the date of the survey. These three covariates also interacted. Thus, a minimum of three visits spread over the breeding season, using a combination of all three survey methods, is needed to reach a 95% detection level for all species in the Mediterranean region. Synthesis and applications: detection nondetection surveys combined to site occupancy modeling approach are powerful methods that can be used to estimate the detection probability and to determine the prospecting effort necessary to assert that a species is absent from a site.

A Systematic Review of Published Respondent-Driven Sampling Surveys Collecting Behavioral and Biologic Data.

PubMed

Johnston, Lisa G; Hakim, Avi J; Dittrich, Samantha; Burnett, Janet; Kim, Evelyn; White, Richard G

2016-08-01

Reporting key details of respondent-driven sampling (RDS) survey implementation and analysis is essential for assessing the quality of RDS surveys. RDS is both a recruitment and analytic method and, as such, it is important to adequately describe both aspects in publications. We extracted data from peer-reviewed literature published through September, 2013 that reported collected biological specimens using RDS. We identified 151 eligible peer-reviewed articles describing 222 surveys conducted in seven regions throughout the world. Most published surveys reported basic implementation information such as survey city, country, year, population sampled, interview method, and final sample size. However, many surveys did not report essential methodological and analytical information for assessing RDS survey quality, including number of recruitment sites, seeds at start and end, maximum number of waves, and whether data were adjusted for network size. Understanding the quality of data collection and analysis in RDS is useful for effectively planning public health service delivery and funding priorities.

76 FR 17819 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Direct Investment Surveys: BE-15, Annual Survey...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-31

... universe of U.S. affiliates collected once every five years on the BE-12 benchmark survey. The survey forms... that subsequently entered the direct investment universe. The BE-15 is a sample survey, as described; universe estimates are developed from the reported sample data. III. Data OMB Control Number: 0608-0034...

Semi-automatic surface sediment sampling system - A prototype to be implemented in bivalve fishing surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rufino, Marta M.; Baptista, Paulo; Pereira, Fábio; Gaspar, Miguel B.

2018-01-01

In the current work we propose a new method to sample surface sediment during bivalve fishing surveys. Fishing institutes all around the word carry out regular surveys with the aim of monitoring the stocks of commercial species. These surveys comprise often more than one hundred of sampling stations and cover large geographical areas. Although superficial sediment grain sizes are among the main drivers of benthic communities and provide crucial information for studies on coastal dynamics, overall there is a strong lack of this type of data, possibly, because traditional surface sediment sampling methods use grabs, that require considerable time and effort to be carried out on regular basis or on large areas. In face of these aspects, we developed an easy and un-expensive method to sample superficial sediments, during bivalve fisheries monitoring surveys, without increasing survey time or human resources. The method was successfully evaluated and validated during a typical bivalve survey carried out on the Northwest coast of Portugal, confirming that it had any interference with the survey objectives. Furthermore, the method was validated by collecting samples using a traditional Van Veen grabs (traditional method), which showed a similar grain size composition to the ones collected by the new method, on the same localities. We recommend that the procedure is implemented on regular bivalve fishing surveys, together with an image analysis system to analyse the collected samples. The new method will provide substantial quantity of data on surface sediment in coastal areas, using a non-expensive and efficient manner, with a high potential application in different fields of research.

En route care patient safety: thoughts from the field.

PubMed

McNeill, Margaret M; Pierce, Penny; Dukes, Susan; Bridges, Elizabeth J

2014-08-01

The purpose of this study was to describe the patient safety culture of en route care in the United States Air Force aeromedical evacuation system. Almost 100,000 patients have been transported since 2001. Safety concerns in this unique environment are complex because of the extraordinary demands of multitasking, time urgency, long duty hours, complex handoffs, and multiple stressors of flight. An internet-based survey explored the perceptions and experiences of safety issues among nursing personnel involved throughout the continuum of aeromedical evacuation care. A convenience sample of 236 nurses and medical technicians from settings representing the continuum was studied. Descriptive and nonparametric statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data, and thematic analysis was applied to the qualitative data. Results indicate that over 90% of respondents agree or strongly agree safety is a priority in their unit and that their unit is responsive to patient safety initiatives. Many respondents described safety incidents or near misses, and these have been categorized as personnel physical capability limitations, environmental threats, medication and equipment issues, and care process problems. Results suggest the care of patients during transport is influenced by the safety culture, human factors, training, experience, and communication. Suggestions to address safety issues emerged from the survey data. Reprint & Copyright © 2014 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

Using variance components to estimate power in a hierarchically nested sampling design improving monitoring of larval Devils Hole pupfish

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dzul, Maria C.; Dixon, Philip M.; Quist, Michael C.; Dinsomore, Stephen J.; Bower, Michael R.; Wilson, Kevin P.; Gaines, D. Bailey

2013-01-01

We used variance components to assess allocation of sampling effort in a hierarchically nested sampling design for ongoing monitoring of early life history stages of the federally endangered Devils Hole pupfish (DHP) (Cyprinodon diabolis). Sampling design for larval DHP included surveys (5 days each spring 2007–2009), events, and plots. Each survey was comprised of three counting events, where DHP larvae on nine plots were counted plot by plot. Statistical analysis of larval abundance included three components: (1) evaluation of power from various sample size combinations, (2) comparison of power in fixed and random plot designs, and (3) assessment of yearly differences in the power of the survey. Results indicated that increasing the sample size at the lowest level of sampling represented the most realistic option to increase the survey's power, fixed plot designs had greater power than random plot designs, and the power of the larval survey varied by year. This study provides an example of how monitoring efforts may benefit from coupling variance components estimation with power analysis to assess sampling design.

Mars Science with Small Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Calvin, W. M.; Miralles, C.; Clark, B. C.; Wilson, G. R.

2000-01-01

The Mars program has articulated a strategy to answer the question "Could Life have arisen on Mars?" by pursuing an in depth understanding of the location, persistence and expression of water in the surface and sub-surface environments. In addition to the need to understand the role of water in climate and climate history, detailed understanding of the surface and interior of the planet is required as well. Return of samples from the Martian surface is expected to provide key answers and site selection to maximize the science gleaned from samples becomes critical. Current and past orbital platforms have revealed a surface and planetary history of surprising complexity. While these remote views significantly advance our understanding of the planet it is clear that detailed regional surveys can both answer specific open questions as well as provide initial reconnaissance for subsequent landed operations.

Measuring coverage in MNCH: total survey error and the interpretation of intervention coverage estimates from household surveys.

PubMed

Eisele, Thomas P; Rhoda, Dale A; Cutts, Felicity T; Keating, Joseph; Ren, Ruilin; Barros, Aluisio J D; Arnold, Fred

2013-01-01

Nationally representative household surveys are increasingly relied upon to measure maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) intervention coverage at the population level in low- and middle-income countries. Surveys are the best tool we have for this purpose and are central to national and global decision making. However, all survey point estimates have a certain level of error (total survey error) comprising sampling and non-sampling error, both of which must be considered when interpreting survey results for decision making. In this review, we discuss the importance of considering these errors when interpreting MNCH intervention coverage estimates derived from household surveys, using relevant examples from national surveys to provide context. Sampling error is usually thought of as the precision of a point estimate and is represented by 95% confidence intervals, which are measurable. Confidence intervals can inform judgments about whether estimated parameters are likely to be different from the real value of a parameter. We recommend, therefore, that confidence intervals for key coverage indicators should always be provided in survey reports. By contrast, the direction and magnitude of non-sampling error is almost always unmeasurable, and therefore unknown. Information error and bias are the most common sources of non-sampling error in household survey estimates and we recommend that they should always be carefully considered when interpreting MNCH intervention coverage based on survey data. Overall, we recommend that future research on measuring MNCH intervention coverage should focus on refining and improving survey-based coverage estimates to develop a better understanding of how results should be interpreted and used.

Measuring Coverage in MNCH: Total Survey Error and the Interpretation of Intervention Coverage Estimates from Household Surveys

PubMed Central

Eisele, Thomas P.; Rhoda, Dale A.; Cutts, Felicity T.; Keating, Joseph; Ren, Ruilin; Barros, Aluisio J. D.; Arnold, Fred

2013-01-01

Nationally representative household surveys are increasingly relied upon to measure maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) intervention coverage at the population level in low- and middle-income countries. Surveys are the best tool we have for this purpose and are central to national and global decision making. However, all survey point estimates have a certain level of error (total survey error) comprising sampling and non-sampling error, both of which must be considered when interpreting survey results for decision making. In this review, we discuss the importance of considering these errors when interpreting MNCH intervention coverage estimates derived from household surveys, using relevant examples from national surveys to provide context. Sampling error is usually thought of as the precision of a point estimate and is represented by 95% confidence intervals, which are measurable. Confidence intervals can inform judgments about whether estimated parameters are likely to be different from the real value of a parameter. We recommend, therefore, that confidence intervals for key coverage indicators should always be provided in survey reports. By contrast, the direction and magnitude of non-sampling error is almost always unmeasurable, and therefore unknown. Information error and bias are the most common sources of non-sampling error in household survey estimates and we recommend that they should always be carefully considered when interpreting MNCH intervention coverage based on survey data. Overall, we recommend that future research on measuring MNCH intervention coverage should focus on refining and improving survey-based coverage estimates to develop a better understanding of how results should be interpreted and used. PMID:23667331

Alaska Geochemical Database - Mineral Exploration Tool for the 21st Century - PDF of presentation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Granitto, Matthew; Schmidt, Jeanine M.; Labay, Keith A.; Shew, Nora B.; Gamble, Bruce M.

2012-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey has created a geochemical database of geologic material samples collected in Alaska. This database is readily accessible to anyone with access to the Internet. Designed as a tool for mineral or environmental assessment, land management, or mineral exploration, the initial version of the Alaska Geochemical Database - U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 637 - contains geochemical, geologic, and geospatial data for 264,158 samples collected from 1962-2009: 108,909 rock samples; 92,701 sediment samples; 48,209 heavy-mineral-concentrate samples; 6,869 soil samples; and 7,470 mineral samples. In addition, the Alaska Geochemical Database contains mineralogic data for 18,138 nonmagnetic-fraction heavy mineral concentrates, making it the first U.S. Geological Survey database of this scope that contains both geochemical and mineralogic data. Examples from the Alaska Range will illustrate potential uses of the Alaska Geochemical Database in mineral exploration. Data from the Alaska Geochemical Database have been extensively checked for accuracy of sample media description, sample site location, and analytical method using U.S. Geological Survey sample-submittal archives and U.S. Geological Survey publications (plus field notebooks and sample site compilation base maps from the Alaska Technical Data Unit in Anchorage, Alaska). The database is also the repository for nearly all previously released U.S. Geological Survey Alaska geochemical datasets. Although the Alaska Geochemical Database is a fully relational database in Microsoft® Access 2003 and 2010 formats, these same data are also provided as a series of spreadsheet files in Microsoft® Excel 2003 and 2010 formats, and as ASCII text files. A DVD version of the Alaska Geochemical Database was released in October 2011, as U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 637, and data downloads are available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/637/. Also, all Alaska Geochemical Database data have been incorporated into the interactive U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Resource Data web portal, available at http://mrdata.usgs.gov/.

Molecular Survey of Bacterial Communities Associated with Bacterial Chondronecrosis with Osteomyelitis (BCO) in Broilers

PubMed Central

Jiang, Tieshan; Mandal, Rabindra K.; Wideman, Robert F.; Khatiwara, Anita; Pevzner, Igal; Min Kwon, Young

2015-01-01

Bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO) is recognized as an important cause of lameness in commercial broiler chickens (meat-type chickens). Relatively little is known about the microbial communities associated with BCO. This study was conducted to increase our understanding of the microbial factors associated with BCO using a culture-independent approach. Using Illumina sequencing of the hyper-variable region V6 in the 16S rRNA gene, we characterized the bacterial communities in 97 femoral or tibial heads from normal and lame broilers carefully selected to represent diverse variations in age, line, lesion type, floor type, clinical status and bone type. Our in-depth survey based on 14 million assembled sequence reads revealed that complex bacterial communities exist in all samples, including macroscopically normal bones from clinically healthy birds. Overall, Proteobacteria (mean 90.9%) comprised the most common phylum, followed by Firmicutes (6.1%) and Actinobacteria (2.6%), accounting for more than 99% of all reads. Statistical analyses demonstrated that there are differences in bacterial communities in different types of bones (femur vs. tibia), lesion types (macroscopically normal femora or tibiae vs. those with pathognomonic BCO lesions), and among individual birds. This analysis also showed that BCO samples overrepresented genera Staphylococcus, whose species have been frequently isolated in BCO samples in previous studies. Rarefaction analysis demonstrated the general tendency that increased severities of BCO lesions were associated with reduced species diversity in both femoral and tibial samples when compared to macroscopically normal samples. These observations suggest that certain bacterial subgroups are preferentially selected in association with the development of BCO lesions. Understanding the microbial species associated with BCO will identify opportunities for understanding and modulating the pathogenesis of this form of lameness in broilers. PMID:25881241

Phase 1 archaeological investigation, cultural resources survey, Hawaii Geothermal Project, Makawao and Hana districts, south shore of Maui, Hawaii

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

Erkelens, C.

1995-04-01

This report details the archaeological investigation of a 200 foot wide sample corridor extending approximately 9 miles along the southern portion of Maui within the present districts of Hana and Makawao. The survey team documented a total of 51 archaeological sites encompassing 233 surface features. Archaeological sites are abundant throughout the region and only become scarce where vegetation has been bulldozed for ranching activities. At the sea-land transition points for the underwater transmission cable, both Ahihi Bay and Huakini Bay are subjected to seasonal erosion and redeposition of their boulder shorelines. The corridor at the Ahihi Bay transition point runsmore » through the Maonakala Village Complex which is an archaeological site on the State Register of Historic Places within a State Natural Area Reserve. Numerous other potentially significant archaeological sites lie within the project corridor. It is likely that rerouting of the corridor in an attempt to avoid known sites would result in other undocumented sites located outside the sample corridor being impacted. Given the distribution of archaeological sites, there is no alternative route that can be suggested that is likely to avoid encountering sites. Twelve charcoal samples were obtained for potential taxon identification and radiocarbon analysis. Four of these samples were subsequently submitted for dating and species identification. Bird bones from various locations within a lava tube were collected for identification. Sediment samples for subsequent pollen analysis were obtained from within two lava tubes. With these three sources of information it is hoped that paleoenvironmental data can be recovered that will enable a better understanding of the setting for Hawaiian habitation of the area.« less

Perceptions of risk in the management of nuclear wastes: Mapping elite and mass beliefs and attitudes

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

Jenkins-Smith, H.C.; Espey, J.L.; Rouse, A.A.

1991-06-01

This report describes the results of a set of five surveys designed to assess the perceived risks of nuclear waste management policy in Colorado and New Mexico. Within these states, mail surveys of randomly selected samples were taken of members of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, members of the Sierra Club, members of business associations, and state legislators. In addition, a telephone sample of randomly selected households was conducted in Colorado and New Mexico. Using these data, the perceptions of the risk of nuclear waste management -- from production of nuclear energy through permanent storage of nuclearmore » wastes -- are compared for each of the five samples. The degree of trust in, and the perceived political influence of, the more prominent policy actors are assessed. Certain cognitive attributes, including degree of subjective certainty regarding beliefs about risks of nuclear wastes, and likelihood of altering perceived risks when confronted with new information, are compared across samples. In addition, the sample scores from rudimentary knowledge tests about the characteristics of radiation are compared. The relationships among the knowledge scores, cognitive attributes and risk perceptions are evaluated. Perceptions of the balance of media coverage are measured, as are the possible direct and indirect roles of media exposure in risk perception. Aggregate models, testing an array of hypotheses about the bases of nuclear waste risk perceptions, are conducted. These tests indicate that risk perceptions are related to a complex set of factors, and that these factors may differ significantly across the different sub-populations. Finally, the relationships between risk perception and political participation -- including registering to vote, political party affiliation, and level of political activism -- are analyzed. 5 figs., 33 tabs.« less

Statistical Literacy and Sample Survey Results

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McAlevey, Lynn; Sullivan, Charles

2010-01-01

Sample surveys are widely used in the social sciences and business. The news media almost daily quote from them, yet they are widely misused. Using students with prior managerial experience embarking on an MBA course, we show that common sample survey results are misunderstood even by those managers who have previously done a statistics course. In…

Lay Americans' views of why scientists disagree with each other.

PubMed

Johnson, Branden B; Dieckmann, Nathan F

2017-10-01

A survey experiment assessed response to five explanations of scientific disputes: problem complexity, self-interest, values, competence, and process choices (e.g. theories and methods). A US lay sample ( n = 453) did not distinguish interests from values, nor competence from process, as explanations of disputes. Process/competence was rated most likely and interests/values least; all, on average, were deemed likely to explain scientific disputes. Latent class analysis revealed distinct subgroups varying in their explanation preferences, with a more complex latent class structure for participants who had heard of scientific disputes in the past. Scientific positivism and judgments of science's credibility were the strongest predictors of latent class membership, controlling for scientific reasoning, political ideology, confidence in choice, scenario, education, gender, age, and ethnicity. The lack of distinction observed overall between different explanations, as well as within classes, raises challenges for further research on explanations of scientific disputes people find credible and why.

Investigating effects of surrounding landscape composition and complexity on populations of two polyphagous insect pest groups in Iowa soybean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuntz, Cody Daniel

The composition and complexity of agro-ecosystems are important factors influencing the population dynamics of insect pests. Understanding these interactions may improve our ability to predict the spatial occurrence of pest outbreaks, thereby informing scouting and management decisions. In 2012 and 2013, two concurrent studies were conducted to examine the relationship between landscapes surrounding Iowa soybean, Glycine max [L.] Merrill, fields and two polyphagous pest groups; Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica Newman (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), and stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). Population densities were monitored in soybean within simple and complex agricultural landscapes to determine the response of these pests to landscape complexity. Results revealed P. japonica populations were significantly greater in soybean fields within complex landscapes and were positively associated with area of uncultivated land. The specific compositions of surrounding landscapes were also analyzed to determine the landscape features that explain the greatest variation in P. japonica and stink bug population densities. Results suggested that the area of wooded and grass habitat around fields accounted for the greatest variation in P. japonica populations; however, no discernable relationships were observed with stink bug populations. Sampling also sought to survey the community of stink bugs present in Iowa soybean. The community was predominantly comprised of stink bugs in the genus Euschistus, comprising a combined 91.04% of all captures. Additional species included the green stink bug, Acrosternum hilare (Say) (4.48%); spined soldier bug, Podisus maculiventris (Say) (2.99%); and red shouldered stink bug, Thyanta custator accerra (McAtee) (1.49%). Future work will be needed to determine if the landscape effects on P. japonica in soybean reported here are representative of other similar polyphagous pests of soybean and if they extend to other host plants as well. Furthermore, additional comprehensive surveys will be needed to better characterize the existing community of stink bug species present in Iowa field crops.

Are Comparisons of Patient Experiences Across Hospitals Fair? A Study in Veterans Health Administration Hospitals

PubMed Central

Cleary, Paul D.; Meterko, Mark; Wright, Steven M.; Zaslavsky, Alan M.

2015-01-01

Background Surveys are increasingly used to assess patient experiences with health care. Comparisons of hospital scores based on patient experience surveys should be adjusted for patient characteristics that might affect survey results. Such characteristics are commonly drawn from patient surveys that collect little, if any, clinical information. Consequently some hospitals, especially those treating particularly complex patients, have been concerned that standard adjustment methods do not adequately reflect the challenges of treating their patients. Objectives To compare scores for different types of hospitals after making adjustments using only survey-reported patient characteristics and using more complete clinical and hospital information. Research Design We used clinical and survey data from a national sample of 1858 veterans hospitalized for an initial acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical center during fiscal years 2003 and 2004. We used VA administrative data to characterize hospitals. The survey asked patients about their experiences with hospital care. The clinical data included 14 measures abstracted from medical records that are predictive of survival after an AMI. Results Comparisons of scores across hospitals adjusted only for patient-reported health status and sociodemographic characteristics were similar to those that also adjusted for patient clinical characteristics; the Spearman rank-order correlations between the 2 sets of adjusted scores were >0.97 across 9 dimensions of inpatient experience. Conclusions This study did not support concerns that measures of patient care experiences are unfair because commonly used models do not adjust adequately for potentially confounding patient clinical characteristics. PMID:24926709

Anxiety symptoms mediate the relationship between exposure to stressful negative life events and depressive symptoms: A conditional process modelling of the protective effects of resilience.

PubMed

Anyan, Frederick; Worsley, Lyn; Hjemdal, Odin

2017-10-01

Resilience has provided a useful framework that elucidates the effects of protective factors to overcome psychological adversities but studies that address the potential contingencies of resilience to protect against direct and indirect negative effects are lacking. These obvious gaps have also resulted in oversimplification of complex processes that can be clarified by moderated mediation associations. This study examines a conditional process modelling of the protective effects of resilience against indirect effects. Two separate samples were recruited in a cross-sectional survey from Australia and Norway to complete the Patient Health Questionnaire -9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Stressful Negative Life Events Questionnaire and the Resilience Scale for Adults. The final sample sizes were 206 (females=114; males=91; other=1) and 210 (females=155; males=55) for Australia and Norway respectively. Moderated mediation analyses were conducted across the samples. Anxiety symptoms mediated the relationship between exposure to stressful negative life events and depressive symptoms in both samples. Conditional indirect effects of exposure to stressful negative life events on depressive symptoms mediated by anxiety symptoms showed that high subgroup of resilience was associated with less effect of exposure to stressful negative life events through anxiety symptoms on depressive symptoms than the low subgroup of resilience. As a cross-sectional survey, the present study does not answer questions about causal processes despite the use of a conditional process modelling. These findings support that, resilience protective resources can protect against both direct and indirect - through other channels - psychological adversities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comprehensive characterisation of sewage sludge for thermochemical conversion processes - Based on Singapore survey.

PubMed

Chan, Wei Ping; Wang, Jing-Yuan

2016-08-01

Recently, sludge attracted great interest as a potential feedstock in thermochemical conversion processes. However, compositions and thermal degradation behaviours of sludge were highly complex and distinctive compared to other traditional feedstock led to a need of fundamental research on sludge. Comprehensive characterisation of sludge specifically for thermochemical conversion was carried out for all existing Water Reclamation Plants in Singapore. In total, 14 sludge samples collected based on the type, plant, and batch categorisation. Existing characterisation methods for physical and chemical properties were analysed and reviewed using the collected samples. Qualitative similarities and quantitative variations of different sludge samples were identified and discussed. Oxidation of inorganic in sludge during ash forming analysis found to be causing significant deviations on proximate and ultimate analysis. Therefore, alternative parameters and comparison basis including Fixed Residues (FR), Inorganic Matters (IM) and Total Inorganics (TI) were proposed for better understanding on the thermochemical characteristics of sludge. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A neutron activation analysis procedure for the determination of uranium, thorium and potassium in geologic samples

USGS Publications Warehouse

Aruscavage, P. J.; Millard, H.T.

1972-01-01

A neutron activation analysis procedure was developed for the determination of uranium, thorium and potassium in basic and ultrabasic rocks. The three elements are determined in the same 0.5-g sample following a 30-min irradiation in a thermal neutron flux of 2??1012 n??cm-2??sec-1. Following radiochemical separation, the nuclides239U (T=23.5 m),233Th (T=22.2 m) and42K (T=12.36 h) are measured by ??-counting. A computer program is used to resolve the decay curves which are complex owing to contamination and the growth of daughter activities. The method was used to determine uranium, throium and potassium in the U. S. Geological Survey standard rocks DTS-1, PCC-1 and BCR-1. For 0.5-g samples the limits of detection for uranium, throium and potassium are 0.7, 1.0 and 10 ppb, respectively. ?? 1972 Akade??miai Kiado??.

Wet deposition of fission-product isotopes to North America from the Fukushima Dai-ichi incident, March 2011

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wetherbee, Gregory A.; Gay, David A.; Debey, Timothy M.; Lehmann, Christopher M.B.; Nilles, Mark A.

2012-01-01

Using the infrastructure of the National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP), numerous measurements of radionuclide wet deposition over North America were made for 167 NADP sites before and after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station incident of March 12, 2011. For the period from March 8 through April 5, 2011, wet-only precipitation samples were collected by NADP and analyzed for fission-product isotopes within whole-water and filterable solid samples by the United States Geological Survey using gamma spectrometry. Variable amounts of 131I, 134Cs, or 137Cs were measured at approximately 21% of sampled NADP sites distributed widely across the contiguous United States and Alaska. Calculated 1- to 2-week individual radionuclide deposition fluxes ranged from 0.47 to 5100 Becquerels per square meter during the sampling period. Wet deposition activity was small compared to measured activity already present in U.S. soil. NADP networks responded to this complex disaster, and provided scientifically valid measurements that are comparable and complementary to other networks in North America and Europe.

Astrochemical evolution along star formation: overview of the IRAM Large Program ASAI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lefloch, Bertrand; Bachiller, R.; Ceccarelli, C.; Cernicharo, J.; Codella, C.; Fuente, A.; Kahane, C.; López-Sepulcre, A.; Tafalla, M.; Vastel, C.; Caux, E.; González-García, M.; Bianchi, E.; Gómez-Ruiz, A.; Holdship, J.; Mendoza, E.; Ospina-Zamudio, J.; Podio, L.; Quénard, D.; Roueff, E.; Sakai, N.; Viti, S.; Yamamoto, S.; Yoshida, K.; Favre, C.; Monfredini, T.; Quitián-Lara, H. M.; Marcelino, N.; Boechat-Roberty, H. M.; Cabrit, S.

2018-07-01

Evidence is mounting that the small bodies of our Solar system, such as comets and asteroids, have at least partially inherited their chemical composition from the first phases of the Solar system formation. It then appears that the molecular complexity of these small bodies is most likely related to the earliest stages of star formation. It is therefore important to characterize and to understand how the chemical evolution changes with solar-type protostellar evolution. We present here the Large Program `Astrochemical Surveys At IRAM' (ASAI). Its goal is to carry out unbiased millimetre line surveys between 80 and 272 GHz of a sample of 10 template sources, which fully cover the first stages of the formation process of solar-type stars, from pre-stellar cores to the late protostellar phase. In this paper, we present an overview of the surveys and results obtained from the analysis of the 3 mm band observations. The number of detected main isotopic species barely varies with the evolutionary stage and is found to be very similar to that of massive star-forming regions. The molecular content in O- and C-bearing species allows us to define two chemical classes of envelopes, whose composition is dominated by either (a) a rich content in O-rich complex organic molecules, associated with hot corino sources, or (b) a rich content in hydrocarbons, typical of warm carbon-chain chemistry sources. Overall, a high chemical richness is found to be present already in the initial phases of solar-type star formation.

Self-criticism and social phobia in the US national comorbidity survey.

PubMed

Cox, Brian J; Fleet, Claire; Stein, Murray B

2004-10-15

This study sought to extend findings from a preliminary clinical investigation [J. Affect. Disord. 57 (2000) 223] by examining relations between the personality dimension of self-criticism and diagnostic prevalence of social phobia in a large nationally representative sample. Participants were from the national comorbidity survey Part II [n=5877; Arch. Gen. Psychiatry 51 (1994) 8]. Psychiatric diagnoses were made using a modified version of the composite international psychiatric interview. Personality dimensions and distress were assessed using brief self-report measures with strong psychometric properties. Self-criticism was elevated in NCS respondents with a diagnosis of social phobia, even in cases of only past history of social phobia (i.e. >1 year ago), compared to individuals with no psychiatric disorder. The highest levels of self-criticism were reported by people with the complex subtype of social phobia, both with and without comorbid major depression. These levels were significantly greater compared to those observed in another anxiety disorder (panic disorder), the pure speaking subtype of social phobia, and cases of major depression alone. In a regression analysis that controlled for current emotional distress, the broad personality trait of neuroticism, and lifetime histories of mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders, self-criticism remained significantly associated with lifetime prevalence of social phobia. The cross-sectional design of the study does not permit causal inferences. Findings from this general population mental health survey demonstrated that self-criticism is robustly associated with social phobia. It may represent an important core psychological process in the complex subtype of this anxiety disorder.

Estimating under-five mortality in space and time in a developing world context.

PubMed

Wakefield, Jon; Fuglstad, Geir-Arne; Riebler, Andrea; Godwin, Jessica; Wilson, Katie; Clark, Samuel J

2018-01-01

Accurate estimates of the under-five mortality rate in a developing world context are a key barometer of the health of a nation. This paper describes a new model to analyze survey data on mortality in this context. We are interested in both spatial and temporal description, that is wishing to estimate under-five mortality rate across regions and years and to investigate the association between the under-five mortality rate and spatially varying covariate surfaces. We illustrate the methodology by producing yearly estimates for subnational areas in Kenya over the period 1980-2014 using data from the Demographic and Health Surveys, which use stratified cluster sampling. We use a binomial likelihood with fixed effects for the urban/rural strata and random effects for the clustering to account for the complex survey design. Smoothing is carried out using Bayesian hierarchical models with continuous spatial and temporally discrete components. A key component of the model is an offset to adjust for bias due to the effects of HIV epidemics. Substantively, there has been a sharp decline in Kenya in the under-five mortality rate in the period 1980-2014, but large variability in estimated subnational rates remains. A priority for future research is understanding this variability. In exploratory work, we examine whether a variety of spatial covariate surfaces can explain the variability in under-five mortality rate. Temperature, precipitation, a measure of malaria infection prevalence, and a measure of nearness to cities were candidates for inclusion in the covariate model, but the interplay between space, time, and covariates is complex.

Comparison of two mammalian surveys made with camera traps in southeastern Brazil, focusing the abundance of wild mammals and domestic dogs.

PubMed

Carvalho, W D; Adania, C H; Esbérard, C E L

2013-02-01

Sampling allows assessing the impact of human activities on mammal communities. It is also possible to assess the accuracy of different sampling methods, especially when the sampling effort is similar. The present study aimed at comparing two mammalian surveys carried out over a three-year interval, in terms of sampling effort, capture success, abundance of domestic dogs, impact of human activities, and relative biomass using camera traps, in the Serra do Japi Biological Reserve and surroundings, located in Jundiaí, state of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil. The total richness recorded was 13 species, one domestic and 12 wild mammals. Sampling effort in both surveys was similar, but capture success and number of captures differed. The abundance of wild mammals and dogs did also differ between surveys. There was a highly significant correlation between abundance of wild mammals and capture effort for the survey performed in 2006/2007, but not for the survey performed in 2009/2010. The difference between samples may be related to human disturbance, since the number of domestic mammals photographed was higher in the second survey, three years after the first survey. Despite being a reserve, the area is still under pressure from urbanization, biological invasion, environmental degradation, and hunting, which may reduce the abundance of wild mammals.

Uncertainty quantification of seabed parameters for large data volumes along survey tracks with a tempered particle filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dettmer, J.; Quijano, J. E.; Dosso, S. E.; Holland, C. W.; Mandolesi, E.

2016-12-01

Geophysical seabed properties are important for the detection and classification of unexploded ordnance. However, current surveying methods such as vertical seismic profiling, coring, or inversion are of limited use when surveying large areas with high spatial sampling density. We consider surveys based on a source and receiver array towed by an autonomous vehicle which produce large volumes of seabed reflectivity data that contain unprecedented and detailed seabed information. The data are analyzed with a particle filter, which requires efficient reflection-coefficient computation, efficient inversion algorithms and efficient use of computer resources. The filter quantifies information content of multiple sequential data sets by considering results from previous data along the survey track to inform the importance sampling at the current point. Challenges arise from environmental changes along the track where the number of sediment layers and their properties change. This is addressed by a trans-dimensional model in the filter which allows layering complexity to change along a track. Efficiency is improved by likelihood tempering of various particle subsets and including exchange moves (parallel tempering). The filter is implemented on a hybrid computer that combines central processing units (CPUs) and graphics processing units (GPUs) to exploit three levels of parallelism: (1) fine-grained parallel computation of spherical reflection coefficients with a GPU implementation of Levin integration; (2) updating particles by concurrent CPU processes which exchange information using automatic load balancing (coarse grained parallelism); (3) overlapping CPU-GPU communication (a major bottleneck) with GPU computation by staggering CPU access to the multiple GPUs. The algorithm is applied to spherical reflection coefficients for data sets along a 14-km track on the Malta Plateau, Mediterranean Sea. We demonstrate substantial efficiency gains over previous methods. [This research was supported in part by the U.S. Dept of Defense, thought the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP).

A Survey of Current Literature on Sampling, Sample Handling, and Long Term Storage for Environmental Materials.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maienthal, E. J.; Becker, D. A.

This report presents the results of an extensive literature survey undertaken to establish optimum sampling, sample handling and long-term storage techniques for a wide variety of environmental samples to retain sample integrity. The components of interest are trace elements, organics, pesticides, radionuclides and microbiologicals. A bibliography…

Does Self-Selection Affect Samples’ Representativeness in Online Surveys? An Investigation in Online Video Game Research

PubMed Central

van Singer, Mathias; Chatton, Anne; Achab, Sophia; Zullino, Daniele; Rothen, Stephane; Khan, Riaz; Billieux, Joel; Thorens, Gabriel

2014-01-01

Background The number of medical studies performed through online surveys has increased dramatically in recent years. Despite their numerous advantages (eg, sample size, facilitated access to individuals presenting stigmatizing issues), selection bias may exist in online surveys. However, evidence on the representativeness of self-selected samples in online studies is patchy. Objective Our objective was to explore the representativeness of a self-selected sample of online gamers using online players’ virtual characters (avatars). Methods All avatars belonged to individuals playing World of Warcraft (WoW), currently the most widely used online game. Avatars’ characteristics were defined using various games’ scores, reported on the WoW’s official website, and two self-selected samples from previous studies were compared with a randomly selected sample of avatars. Results We used scores linked to 1240 avatars (762 from the self-selected samples and 478 from the random sample). The two self-selected samples of avatars had higher scores on most of the assessed variables (except for guild membership and exploration). Furthermore, some guilds were overrepresented in the self-selected samples. Conclusions Our results suggest that more proficient players or players more involved in the game may be more likely to participate in online surveys. Caution is needed in the interpretation of studies based on online surveys that used a self-selection recruitment procedure. Epidemiological evidence on the reduced representativeness of sample of online surveys is warranted. PMID:25001007

23 CFR Appendix A to Part 1340 - Sample Design

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... OBSERVATIONAL SURVEYS OF SEAT BELT USE Pt. 1340, App. A Appendix A to Part 1340—Sample Design Following is a description of a sample design that meets the final survey guidelines and, based upon NHTSA's experience in.... This information is intended only as an example of a complying survey design and to provide guidance...

76 FR 48172 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-08

...: National Sample Survey of Nurse Practitioners (OMB No. 0915-xxxx)-[NEW] The number of Nurse Practitioners... Professions' National Sample Survey of Nurse Practitioners data collection is to: (1) Improve estimates of NPs... response hours National Sample Survey of Nurse 10,000 1 10,000 .33 3,300 Practitioners Total 10,000 10,000...

Results from a Survey of Current Practices for Sampling of Nervous System in Rodents and Non-rodents in General Toxicity Studies

EPA Science Inventory

A survey of current practices for sampling and examination of the nervous system in rodents and non-rodents for general and neurotoxicity (NT) studies was conducted by the Nervous System Sampling Subcommittee of the STP. For general toxicity studies most of those surveyed (>63%) ...

National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses II. Status of Nurses: November 1980.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bentley, Barbara S.; And Others

This report provides data describing the nursing population as determined by the second national sample survey of registered nurses. A brief introduction is followed by a chapter that presents an overview of the survey methodology, including details on the sampling design, the response rate, and the statistical reliability. Chapter 3 provides a…

36 CFR 9.42 - Well records and reports, plots and maps, samples, tests and surveys.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Well records and reports, plots and maps, samples, tests and surveys. Any technical data gathered... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Well records and reports, plots and maps, samples, tests and surveys. 9.42 Section 9.42 Parks, Forests, and Public Property...

Comparison of Precision of Biomass Estimates in Regional Field Sample Surveys and Airborne LiDAR-Assisted Surveys in Hedmark County, Norway

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Naesset, Erik; Gobakken, Terje; Bollandsas, Ole Martin; Gregoire, Timothy G.; Nelson, Ross; Stahl, Goeran

2013-01-01

Airborne scanning LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) has emerged as a promising tool to provide auxiliary data for sample surveys aiming at estimation of above-ground tree biomass (AGB), with potential applications in REDD forest monitoring. For larger geographical regions such as counties, states or nations, it is not feasible to collect airborne LiDAR data continuously ("wall-to-wall") over the entire area of interest. Two-stage cluster survey designs have therefore been demonstrated by which LiDAR data are collected along selected individual flight-lines treated as clusters and with ground plots sampled along these LiDAR swaths. Recently, analytical AGB estimators and associated variance estimators that quantify the sampling variability have been proposed. Empirical studies employing these estimators have shown a seemingly equal or even larger uncertainty of the AGB estimates obtained with extensive use of LiDAR data to support the estimation as compared to pure field-based estimates employing estimators appropriate under simple random sampling (SRS). However, comparison of uncertainty estimates under SRS and sophisticated two-stage designs is complicated by large differences in the designs and assumptions. In this study, probability-based principles to estimation and inference were followed. We assumed designs of a field sample and a LiDAR-assisted survey of Hedmark County (HC) (27,390 km2), Norway, considered to be more comparable than those assumed in previous studies. The field sample consisted of 659 systematically distributed National Forest Inventory (NFI) plots and the airborne scanning LiDAR data were collected along 53 parallel flight-lines flown over the NFI plots. We compared AGB estimates based on the field survey only assuming SRS against corresponding estimates assuming two-phase (double) sampling with LiDAR and employing model-assisted estimators. We also compared AGB estimates based on the field survey only assuming two-stage sampling (the NFI plots being grouped in clusters) against corresponding estimates assuming two-stage sampling with the LiDAR and employing model-assisted estimators. For each of the two comparisons, the standard errors of the AGB estimates were consistently lower for the LiDAR-assisted designs. The overall reduction of the standard errors in the LiDAR-assisted estimation was around 40-60% compared to the pure field survey. We conclude that the previously proposed two-stage model-assisted estimators are inappropriate for surveys with unequal lengths of the LiDAR flight-lines and new estimators are needed. Some options for design of LiDAR-assisted sample surveys under REDD are also discussed, which capitalize on the flexibility offered when the field survey is designed as an integrated part of the overall survey design as opposed to previous LiDAR-assisted sample surveys in the boreal and temperate zones which have been restricted by the current design of an existing NFI.

Effects of sample survey design on the accuracy of classification tree models in species distribution models

USGS Publications Warehouse

Edwards, T.C.; Cutler, D.R.; Zimmermann, N.E.; Geiser, L.; Moisen, Gretchen G.

2006-01-01

We evaluated the effects of probabilistic (hereafter DESIGN) and non-probabilistic (PURPOSIVE) sample surveys on resultant classification tree models for predicting the presence of four lichen species in the Pacific Northwest, USA. Models derived from both survey forms were assessed using an independent data set (EVALUATION). Measures of accuracy as gauged by resubstitution rates were similar for each lichen species irrespective of the underlying sample survey form. Cross-validation estimates of prediction accuracies were lower than resubstitution accuracies for all species and both design types, and in all cases were closer to the true prediction accuracies based on the EVALUATION data set. We argue that greater emphasis should be placed on calculating and reporting cross-validation accuracy rates rather than simple resubstitution accuracy rates. Evaluation of the DESIGN and PURPOSIVE tree models on the EVALUATION data set shows significantly lower prediction accuracy for the PURPOSIVE tree models relative to the DESIGN models, indicating that non-probabilistic sample surveys may generate models with limited predictive capability. These differences were consistent across all four lichen species, with 11 of the 12 possible species and sample survey type comparisons having significantly lower accuracy rates. Some differences in accuracy were as large as 50%. The classification tree structures also differed considerably both among and within the modelled species, depending on the sample survey form. Overlap in the predictor variables selected by the DESIGN and PURPOSIVE tree models ranged from only 20% to 38%, indicating the classification trees fit the two evaluated survey forms on different sets of predictor variables. The magnitude of these differences in predictor variables throws doubt on ecological interpretation derived from prediction models based on non-probabilistic sample surveys. ?? 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluating the effectiveness of the MASW technique in a geologically complex terrain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anukwu, G. C.; Khalil, A. E.; Abdullah, K. B.

2018-04-01

MASW surveys carried at a number of sites in Pulau Pinang, Malaysia, showed complicated dispersion curves which consequently made the inversion into soil shear velocity model ambiguous. This research work details effort to define the source of these complicated dispersion curves. As a starting point, the complexity of the phase velocity spectrum is assumed to be due to either the surveying parameters or the elastic properties of the soil structures. For the former, the surveying was carried out using different parameters. The complexities were persistent for the different surveying parameters, an indication that the elastic properties of the soil structure could be the reason. In order to exploit this assumption, a synthetic modelling approach was adopted using information from borehole, literature and geologically plausible models. Results suggest that the presence of irregular variation in the stiffness of the soil layers, high stiffness contrast and relatively shallow bedrock, results in a quite complex f-v spectrum, especially at frequencies lower than 20Hz, making it difficult to accurately extract the dispersion curve below this frequency. As such, for MASW technique, especially in complex geological situations as demonstrated, great care should be taken during the data processing and inversion to obtain a model that accurately depicts the subsurface.

Higher Complexity of Infection and Genetic Diversity of Plasmodium vivax Than Plasmodium falciparum Across All Malaria Transmission Zones of Papua New Guinea.

PubMed

Fola, Abebe A; Harrison, G L Abby; Hazairin, Mita Hapsari; Barnadas, Céline; Hetzel, Manuel W; Iga, Jonah; Siba, Peter M; Mueller, Ivo; Barry, Alyssa E

2017-03-01

Abstract Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax have varying transmission dynamics that are informed by molecular epidemiology. This study aimed to determine the complexity of infection and genetic diversity of P. vivax and P. falciparum throughout Papua New Guinea (PNG) to evaluate transmission dynamics across the country. In 2008-2009, a nationwide malaria indicator survey collected 8,936 samples from all 16 endemic provinces of PNG. Of these, 892 positive P. vivax samples were genotyped at PvMS16 and PvmspF3 , and 758 positive P. falciparum samples were genotyped at Pfmsp2 . The data were analyzed for multiplicity of infection (MOI) and genetic diversity. Overall, P. vivax had higher polyclonality (71%) and mean MOI (2.32) than P. falciparum (20%, 1.39). These measures were significantly associated with prevalence for P. falciparum but not for P. vivax . The genetic diversity of P. vivax ( PvMS16 : expected heterozygosity = 0.95, 0.85-0.98; PvMsp1F3 : 0.78, 0.66-0.89) was higher and less variable than that of P. falciparum ( Pfmsp2 : 0.89, 0.65-0.97). Significant associations of MOI with allelic richness (rho = 0.69, P = 0.009) and expected heterozygosity (rho = 0.87, P < 0.001) were observed for P. falciparum . Conversely, genetic diversity was not correlated with polyclonality nor mean MOI for P. vivax . The results demonstrate higher complexity of infection and genetic diversity of P. vivax across the country. Although P. falciparum shows a strong association of these parameters with prevalence, a lack of association was observed for P. vivax and is consistent with higher potential for outcrossing of this species.

Diagnostic reference levels and complexity indices in interventional radiology: a national programme.

PubMed

Ruiz-Cruces, R; Vano, E; Carrera-Magariño, F; Moreno-Rodriguez, F; Soler-Cantos, M M; Canis-Lopez, M; Hernández-Armas, J; Diaz-Romero, F J; Rosales-Espizua, F; Fernandez-Soto, J M; Sanchez-Casanueva, R; Martin-Palanca, A; Perez-Martinez, M; Gil-Agudo, A; Zarca-Diaz, M A; Parra-Osorio, V; Muñoz Ruiz-Canela, J J; Moreno-Sanchez, T; Lopez-Medina, A; Moreno-Saiz, C; Galan-Montenegro, P; Gallego-Beuter, J J; Gonzalez-de-Garay, M; Zapata-Jimenez, J C; Pastor-Vega, J M; Cañete, S

2016-12-01

To propose national diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) for interventional radiology and to evaluate the impact of the procedural complexity on patient doses. Eight interventional radiology units from Spanish hospitals were involved in this project. The participants agreed to undergo common quality control procedures for X-ray systems. Kerma area product (KAP) was collected from a sample of 1,649 procedures. A consensus document established the criteria to evaluate the complexity of seven types of procedures. DRLs were set as the 3rd quartile of KAP values. The KAP (3rd quartile) in Gy cm 2 for the procedures included in the survey were: lower extremity arteriography (n = 784) 78; renal arteriography (n = 37) 107; transjugular hepatic biopsies (THB) (n = 30) 45; biliary drainage (BD) (n = 314) 30; uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) (n = 56) 214; colon endoprostheses (CE) (n = 31) 169; hepatic chemoembolization (HC) (n = 269) 303; femoropopliteal revascularization (FR) (n = 62) 119; and iliac stent (n = 66) 170. The complexity involved the increases in the following KAP factors from simple to complex procedures: THB x4; BD x13; UFE x3; CE x3; HC x5; FR x5 and IS x4. The evaluation of the procedure complexity in patient doses will allow the proper use of DRLs for the optimization of interventional radiology. • National DRLs for interventional procedures have been proposed given level of complexity • For clinical audits, the level of complexity should be taken into account. • An evaluation of the complexity levels of the procedure should be made.

Void statistics of the CfA redshift survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vogeley, Michael S.; Geller, Margaret J.; Huchra, John P.

1991-01-01

Clustering properties of two samples from the CfA redshift survey, each containing about 2500 galaxies, are studied. A comparison of the velocity distributions via a K-S test reveals structure on scales comparable with the extent of the survey. The void probability function (VPF) is employed for these samples to examine the structure and to test for scaling relations in the galaxy distribution. The galaxy correlation function is calculated via moments of galaxy counts. The shape and amplitude of the correlation function roughly agree with previous determinations. The VPFs for distance-limited samples of the CfA survey do not match the scaling relation predicted by the hierarchical clustering models. On scales not greater than 10/h Mpc, the VPFs for these samples roughly follow the hierarchical pattern. A variant of the VPF which uses nearly all the data in magnitude-limited samples is introduced; it accounts for the variation of the sampling density with velocity in a magnitude-limited survey.

Void statistics of the CfA redshift survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogeley, Michael S.; Geller, Margaret J.; Huchra, John P.

1991-11-01

Clustering properties of two samples from the CfA redshift survey, each containing about 2500 galaxies, are studied. A comparison of the velocity distributions via a K-S test reveals structure on scales comparable with the extent of the survey. The void probability function (VPF) is employed for these samples to examine the structure and to test for scaling relations in the galaxy distribution. The galaxy correlation function is calculated via moments of galaxy counts. The shape and amplitude of the correlation function roughly agree with previous determinations. The VPFs for distance-limited samples of the CfA survey do not match the scaling relation predicted by the hierarchical clustering models. On scales not greater than 10/h Mpc, the VPFs for these samples roughly follow the hierarchical pattern. A variant of the VPF which uses nearly all the data in magnitude-limited samples is introduced; it accounts for the variation of the sampling density with velocity in a magnitude-limited survey.

Effects of Environmental Air Pollution on Pulmonary Function Level of Residents in Korean Industrial Complexes.

PubMed

Hong, Eunju; Lee, Seokwon; Kim, Geun-Bae; Kim, Tae-Jong; Kim, Hyoung-Wook; Lee, Kyoungho; Son, Bu-Soon

2018-04-24

This study aims to identify environmental air pollution adversely affecting pulmonary function among a community-based general population living in Korean industrial complexes. A total of 1963 residents participated in a pulmonary function test (PFT). The sample population consisted of an exposed group ( n = 1487) living within a radius of 5 km of industrial complexes and a control group ( n = 476) living over a radius of 10 km from the industrial complexes in Gwangyang and Yeosu cities. PFT results were calculated for each resident of the study population. On-site questionnaire surveys with face-to-face interviews were also conducted to collect more detailed information on personal lifestyles, medical history, exposure to air pollution, and respiratory disease and related symptoms. A total of 486 measured samples were collected by eight automated air-monitoring stations installed in four counties of Gwangyang and four counties of Yeosu in South Korea from January 2006 to February 2007. Mean levels of SO₂ (0.012 ppm), CO (0.648 ppm), NO₂ (0.02 ppm), O₃ (0.034 ppm), and PM 10 (43.07 μg/m³), collected within a radius of 5 km, were significantly higher than those collected over a radius of 10 km from Gwangyang and Yeosu industrial complexes. Prevalence odds ratio (OR) of abnormal pulmonary function in the exposed group of residents (<5 km) was elevated at 1.24 (95% CI 0.71⁻1.96), but not statistically significant ( p > 0.05). In multiple linear regression analysis, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁) and forced vital capacity (FVC) levels significantly declined as SO₂, CO, and O₃ levels increased when adjusting for age, sex, body mass index (BMI), alcohol, smoking, secondhand smoke, and respiratory disease and related symptoms ( n = 1963) ( p < 0.05). These results suggest that exposure to air pollution affects pulmonary function levels of residents living in Korean industrial complexes.

Surveying hospital network structure in New York State: how are they structured?

PubMed

Nauenberg, E; Brewer, C S

2000-01-01

We determine the most common network structures in New York state. The taxonomy employed uses three structural dimensions: integration, complexity, and risk-sharing between organizations. Based on a survey conducted in 1996, the most common type of network (26.4 percent) had medium levels of integration, medium or high levels of complexity, and some risk-sharing. Also common were networks with low levels of integration, low levels of complexity, and no risk-sharing (22.1 percent).

How well do we know the infaunal biomass of the continental shelf?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Powell, Eric N.; Mann, Roger

2016-03-01

Benthic infauna comprise a wide range of taxa of varying abundances and sizes, but large infaunal taxa are infrequently recorded in community surveys of the shelf benthos. These larger, but numerically rare, species may contribute disproportionately to biomass, however. We examine the degree to which standard benthic sampling gear and survey design provide an adequate estimate of the biomass of large infauna using the Atlantic surfclam, Spisula solidissima, on the continental shelf off the northeastern coast of the United States as a test organism. We develop a numerical model that simulates standard survey designs, gear types, and sampling densities to evaluate the effectiveness of vertically-dropped sampling gear (e.g., boxcores, grabs) for estimating density of large species. Simulations of randomly distributed clams at a density of 0.5-1 m-2 within an 0.25-km2 domain show that lower sampling densities (1-5 samples per sampling event) resulted in highly inaccurate estimates of clam density with the presence of clams detected in less than 25% of the sampling events. In all cases in which patchiness was present in the simulated clam population, surveys were prone to very large errors (survey availability events) unless a dense (e.g., 100-sample) sampling protocol was imposed. Thus, commercial quantities of surfclams could easily go completely undetected by any standard benthic community survey protocol using vertically-dropped gear. Without recourse to modern high-volume sampling gear capable of sampling many meters at a swath, such as hydraulic dredges, biomass of the continental shelf will be grievously underestimated if large infauna are present even at moderate densities.

Geochemical surveys in the United States in relation to health.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tourtelot, H.A.

1979-01-01

Geochemical surveys in relation to health may be classified as having one, two or three dimensions. One-dimensional surveys examine relations between concentrations of elements such as Pb in soils and other media and burdens of the same elements in humans, at a given time. The spatial distributions of element concentrations are not investigated. The primary objective of two-dimensional surveys is to map the distributions of element concentrations, commonly according to stratified random sampling designs based on either conceptual landscape units or artificial sampling strata, but systematic sampling intervals have also been used. Political units have defined sample areas that coincide with the units used to accumulate epidemiological data. Element concentrations affected by point sources have also been mapped. Background values, location of natural or technological anomalies and the geographic scale of variation for several elements often are determined. Three-dimensional surveys result when two-dimensional surveys are repeated to detect environmental changes. -Author

Sample Size Calculations for Population Size Estimation Studies Using Multiplier Methods With Respondent-Driven Sampling Surveys.

PubMed

Fearon, Elizabeth; Chabata, Sungai T; Thompson, Jennifer A; Cowan, Frances M; Hargreaves, James R

2017-09-14

While guidance exists for obtaining population size estimates using multiplier methods with respondent-driven sampling surveys, we lack specific guidance for making sample size decisions. To guide the design of multiplier method population size estimation studies using respondent-driven sampling surveys to reduce the random error around the estimate obtained. The population size estimate is obtained by dividing the number of individuals receiving a service or the number of unique objects distributed (M) by the proportion of individuals in a representative survey who report receipt of the service or object (P). We have developed an approach to sample size calculation, interpreting methods to estimate the variance around estimates obtained using multiplier methods in conjunction with research into design effects and respondent-driven sampling. We describe an application to estimate the number of female sex workers in Harare, Zimbabwe. There is high variance in estimates. Random error around the size estimate reflects uncertainty from M and P, particularly when the estimate of P in the respondent-driven sampling survey is low. As expected, sample size requirements are higher when the design effect of the survey is assumed to be greater. We suggest a method for investigating the effects of sample size on the precision of a population size estimate obtained using multipler methods and respondent-driven sampling. Uncertainty in the size estimate is high, particularly when P is small, so balancing against other potential sources of bias, we advise researchers to consider longer service attendance reference periods and to distribute more unique objects, which is likely to result in a higher estimate of P in the respondent-driven sampling survey. ©Elizabeth Fearon, Sungai T Chabata, Jennifer A Thompson, Frances M Cowan, James R Hargreaves. Originally published in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance (http://publichealth.jmir.org), 14.09.2017.

Characterization of measurement errors using structure-from-motion and photogrammetry to measure marine habitat structural complexity.

PubMed

Bryson, Mitch; Ferrari, Renata; Figueira, Will; Pizarro, Oscar; Madin, Josh; Williams, Stefan; Byrne, Maria

2017-08-01

Habitat structural complexity is one of the most important factors in determining the makeup of biological communities. Recent advances in structure-from-motion and photogrammetry have resulted in a proliferation of 3D digital representations of habitats from which structural complexity can be measured. Little attention has been paid to quantifying the measurement errors associated with these techniques, including the variability of results under different surveying and environmental conditions. Such errors have the potential to confound studies that compare habitat complexity over space and time. This study evaluated the accuracy, precision, and bias in measurements of marine habitat structural complexity derived from structure-from-motion and photogrammetric measurements using repeated surveys of artificial reefs (with known structure) as well as natural coral reefs. We quantified measurement errors as a function of survey image coverage, actual surface rugosity, and the morphological community composition of the habitat-forming organisms (reef corals). Our results indicated that measurements could be biased by up to 7.5% of the total observed ranges of structural complexity based on the environmental conditions present during any particular survey. Positive relationships were found between measurement errors and actual complexity, and the strength of these relationships was increased when coral morphology and abundance were also used as predictors. The numerous advantages of structure-from-motion and photogrammetry techniques for quantifying and investigating marine habitats will mean that they are likely to replace traditional measurement techniques (e.g., chain-and-tape). To this end, our results have important implications for data collection and the interpretation of measurements when examining changes in habitat complexity using structure-from-motion and photogrammetry.

Practical Tools for Designing and Weighting Survey Samples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valliant, Richard; Dever, Jill A.; Kreuter, Frauke

2013-01-01

Survey sampling is fundamentally an applied field. The goal in this book is to put an array of tools at the fingertips of practitioners by explaining approaches long used by survey statisticians, illustrating how existing software can be used to solve survey problems, and developing some specialized software where needed. This book serves at least…

Assessment of urinary thiodiglycolic acid exposure in school-aged children in the vicinity of a petrochemical complex in central Taiwan

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

Huang, Po-Chin, E-mail: pchuang@nhri.org.tw

Background: School-aged children living in the vicinity of vinyl chloride (VCM)/polyvinyl chloride (PVC) factories may have an increased risk of exposure to hazardous air pollutants. Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the urinary thiodiglycolic acid (TDGA) level, as TDGA is a major metabolite of VCM, for students at elementary schools near a petrochemical complex in central Taiwan. Methods: We recruited 343 students from 5 elementary schools based on distance to the VCM/PVC factory. First-morning urine and blood samples were obtained from our subjects from October 2013 to September 2014. Urine samples were analyzed for urinary creatinine and TDGA using LC/MS–MS. Hepatitismore » virus infection were assessed using blood samples. We determined their vitamin consumption, resident location, parent’s employment, and other demographic or lifestyle characteristics using a questionnaire. Results: Median urinary TDGA levels for 316 students at 5 elementary schools from the closest (<.9 km) to the farthest (∼8.6 km) with respect to the petrochemical complex were 147.6, 95.5, 115.5, 86.8, and 17.3 μg/g creatinine, respectively. After adjusting for age, gender, hepatitis virus infection, vitamin B consumption, passive smoking, and home to source distance, we found that urinary TDGA levels for the closest students was significantly higher than those at other schools. Further, median urinary TDGA levels for students during school time were 4.1-fold higher than those during summer vacation. Conclusions: After adjusting for confounders, urinary TDGA levels for the school-aged children decreased with increasing distances between the elementary schools and the petrochemical complex. - Highlights: • We conducted a bio-monitoring survey of students nearby a petrochemical complex. • We measured thiodiglycolic acid (TDGA) as a biomarker of vinyl chloride monomer. • Increased urinary TDGA levels in students nearby a VCM factory was found. • Significantly lower urinary TDGA levels for students on summer vacation was found. • Spatial variation of urinary TGDA in students was found after adjustment.« less

Combining Propensity Score Methods and Complex Survey Data to Estimate Population Treatment Effects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stuart, Elizabeth A.; Dong, Nianbo; Lenis, David

2016-01-01

Complex surveys are often used to estimate causal effects regarding the effects of interventions or exposures of interest. Propensity scores (Rosenbaum & Rubin, 1983) have emerged as one popular and effective tool for causal inference in non-experimental studies, as they can help ensure that groups being compared are similar with respect to a…

Species composition and seasonal abundance of stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in Louisiana soybean.

PubMed

Temple, J H; Davis, J A; Micinski, S; Hardke, J T; Price, P; Leonard, B R

2013-08-01

In Louisiana during the last decade, the redbanded stink bug, Piezodorus guildinii (Westwood), has become a significant and yield-limiting pest of soybean. The redbanded stink bug was previously reported in the United States in 1892, but was never considered an economically important pest until recently. Soybeans representing four maturity groups (MG) III, IV, V, and VI were sampled weekly from beginning bloom (R1) to physiological maturity (R8) during 2008-2010 at five locations across Louisiana to determine the Pentatomidae composition. In total, 13,146 stink bugs were captured and subsequently identified to species. The predominant species included the redbanded stink bug (54.2%); southern green stink bug (27.1%), Nezara viridula L.; brown stink bug (6.6%), Euschistus servus (Say); and green stink bug (5.5%), Acrosternum hilare (Say). Redbanded stink bug comprised the largest percentage of the complex collected at four of the five survey sites. Numbers exceeding action thresholds of this stink bug complex were only detected during R4 to R7 growth stages. Redbanded stink bug accounted for the largest percentage of the stink bug complex in early maturing soybean varieties (MG III [86%] and IV [60%]) and declined in later maturing soybeans (MG V [54%] and VI [50%]). The redbanded stink bug was initially identified in southern Louisiana during 2000 and had been reported in all soybean producing regions in Louisiana by 2006. This survey is the first to report the redbanded stink bug as a predominant pest of soybeans from locations within the United States.

Survey of Salmonella and Campylobacter contamination of whole, raw poultry on retail sale in Wales in 2003.

PubMed

Meldrum, R J; Tucker, I D; Smith, R M M; Edwards, C

2005-07-01

A survey of the Salmonella and Campylobacter contamination of raw, whole chickens available to consumers in Wales was performed between March and December 2003. In total, 736 samples were taken, and overall contamination rates of 73.1% for Campylobacter and 5.7% for Salmonella were found. This survey follows a survey performed during 2001 to 2002 by Welsh local authorities and the National Public Health Service for Wales that established updated baseline rates for both pathogens in raw, whole chicken available to consumers in Wales. This survey indicated no difference in Campylobacter rates between fresh and frozen samples or between samples taken from retailers and local butchers, but significant differences existed in Salmonella rates between fresh and frozen samples and between those sampled from retailers and butchers, with frozen chickens and samples taken from retailers having significantly higher rates. However, the difference in Salmonella isolation rate between retailers and butchers was found to be due to the differences in the proportions of fresh and frozen chickens sampled from these locations, with a significantly higher number of frozen chickens (with a higher Salmonella rate) being sampled from retailers.

Complex organic molecules in the interstellar medium: IRAM 30 m line survey of Sagittarius B2(N) and (M)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belloche, A.; Müller, H. S. P.; Menten, K. M.; Schilke, P.; Comito, C.

2013-11-01

Context. The discovery of amino acids in meteorites fallen to Earth and the detection of glycine, the simplest of them, in samples returned from a comet to Earth strongly suggest that the chemistry of the interstellar medium is capable of producing such complex organic molecules and that they may be widespread in our Galaxy. Aims: Our goal is to investigate the degree of chemical complexity that can be reached in the interstellar medium, in particular in dense star-forming regions. Methods: We performed an unbiased, spectral line survey toward Sgr B2(N) and (M), two regions where high-mass stars are formed, with the IRAM 30 m telescope in the 3 mm atmospheric transmission window. Partial surveys at 2 and 1.3 mm were performed in parallel. The spectra were analyzed with a simple radiative transfer model that assumes local thermodynamic equilibrium but takes optical depth effects into account. Results: About 3675 and 945 spectral lines with a peak signal-to-noise ratio higher than 4 are detected at 3 mm toward Sgr B2(N) and (M), i.e. about 102 and 26 lines per GHz, respectively. This represents an increase by about a factor of two over previous surveys of Sgr B2. About 70% and 47% of the lines detected toward Sgr B2(N) and (M) are identified and assigned to 56 and 46 distinct molecules as well as to 66 and 54 less abundant isotopologues of these molecules, respectively. In addition, we report the detection of transitions from 59 and 24 catalog entries corresponding to vibrationally or torsionally excited states of some of these molecules, respectively, up to a vibration energy of 1400 cm-1 (2000 K). Excitation temperatures and column densities were derived for each species but should be used with caution. The rotation temperatures of the detected complex molecules typically range from ~50 to 200 K. Among the detected molecules, aminoacetonitrile, n-propyl cyanide, and ethyl formate were reported for the first time in space based on this survey, as were five rare isotopologues of vinyl cyanide, cyanoacetylene, and hydrogen cyanide. We also report the detection of transitions from within twelve new vibrationally or torsionally excited states of known molecules. Absorption features produced by diffuse clouds along the line of sight are detected in transitions with low rotation quantum numbers of many simple molecules and are modeled with ~30-40 velocity components with typical linewidths of ~3-5 km s-1. Conclusions: Although the large number of unidentified lines may still allow future identification of new molecules, we expect most of these lines to belong to vibrationally or torsionally excited states or to rare isotopologues of known molecules for which spectroscopic predictions are currently missing. Significant progress in extending the inventory of complex organic molecules in Sgr B2(N) and deriving tighter constraints on their location, origin, and abundance is expected in the near future thanks to an ongoing spectral line survey at 3 mm with ALMA in its cycles 0 and 1. The present single-dish survey will serve as a solid basis for the line identification and analysis of such an interferometric survey. Based on observations carried out with the IRAM 30 m telescope. IRAM is supported by INSU/CNRS (France), MPG (Germany), and IGN (Spain).Figures 2-7 and Tables 6-107 are available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.orgThe observed and synthetic 3 mm spectra of Sgr B2(N) and (M), as well as the lists of line identifications corresponding to the blue lab- els in Figs. 2-7, are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (ftp://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/559/A47

Has Adolescent Suicidality Decreased in the United States? Data from Two National Samples of Adolescents Interviewed in 1995 and 2005

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolitzky-Taylor, Kate B.; Ruggiero, Kenneth J.; McCart, Michael R.; Smith, Daniel W.; Hanson, Rochelle F.; Resnick, Heidi S.; de Arellano, Michael A.; Saunders, Benjamin E.; Kilpatrick, Dean G.

2010-01-01

We compared the prevalence and correlates of adolescent suicidal ideation and attempts in two nationally representative probability samples of adolescents interviewed in 1995 (National Survey of Adolescents; N = 4,023) and 2005 (National Survey of Adolescents-Replication; N = 3,614). Participants in both samples completed a telephone survey that…

An Agile Enterprise Regulation Architecture for Health Information Security Management

PubMed Central

Chen, Ying-Pei; Hsieh, Sung-Huai; Chien, Tsan-Nan; Chen, Heng-Shuen; Luh, Jer-Junn; Lai, Jin-Shin; Lai, Feipei; Chen, Sao-Jie

2010-01-01

Abstract Information security management for healthcare enterprises is complex as well as mission critical. Information technology requests from clinical users are of such urgency that the information office should do its best to achieve as many user requests as possible at a high service level using swift security policies. This research proposes the Agile Enterprise Regulation Architecture (AERA) of information security management for healthcare enterprises to implement as part of the electronic health record process. Survey outcomes and evidential experiences from a sample of medical center users proved that AERA encourages the information officials and enterprise administrators to overcome the challenges faced within an electronically equipped hospital. PMID:20815748

Observations of Carbon Chain Chemistry in the Envelopes of Low-Mass Protostars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cordiner, M.; Charnley, S.; Buckle, J. V.; Walsh, C.; Millar, T. J.

2012-01-01

Observational results are reported from our surveys in the Northern Hemisphere (using the Onsala 20 m telescope) and the Southern Hemisphere (using the Mopra 22 m telescope) to search for 3 mm emission lines from carbon-chain-bearing species and other complex molecules in the envelopes of low-mass protostars. Based on a sample of approximately 60 sources, we find that carbon-chain-bearing species including HC3N (and C4H) are highly abundant in the vicinity of more than half of the observed protostars. The origin and evolution of these species, including their likely incorporation into ices in protoplanetary disks will be discussed

An agile enterprise regulation architecture for health information security management.

PubMed

Chen, Ying-Pei; Hsieh, Sung-Huai; Cheng, Po-Hsun; Chien, Tsan-Nan; Chen, Heng-Shuen; Luh, Jer-Junn; Lai, Jin-Shin; Lai, Feipei; Chen, Sao-Jie

2010-09-01

Information security management for healthcare enterprises is complex as well as mission critical. Information technology requests from clinical users are of such urgency that the information office should do its best to achieve as many user requests as possible at a high service level using swift security policies. This research proposes the Agile Enterprise Regulation Architecture (AERA) of information security management for healthcare enterprises to implement as part of the electronic health record process. Survey outcomes and evidential experiences from a sample of medical center users proved that AERA encourages the information officials and enterprise administrators to overcome the challenges faced within an electronically equipped hospital.

Design and Field Procedures in the US National Comorbidity Survey Replication Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A)

PubMed Central

Kessler, Ronald C.; Avenevoli, Shelli; Costello, E. Jane; Green, Jennifer Greif; Gruber, Michael J.; Heeringa, Steven; Merikangas, Kathleen R.; Pennell, Beth-Ellen; Sampson, Nancy A.; Zaslavsky, Alan M.

2009-01-01

An overview is presented of the design and field procedures of the US National Comorbidity Survey Replication Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A), a US face-to-face household survey of the prevalence and correlates of DSM-IV mental disorders. The survey was based on a dual-frame design that included 904 adolescent residents of the households that participated in the US National Comorbidity Survey Replication (85.9% response rate) and 9,244 adolescent students selected from a nationally representative sample of 320 schools (74.7% response rate). After expositing the logic of dual-frame designs, comparisons are presented of sample and population distributions on Census socio-demographic variables and, in the school sample, school characteristics. These document only minor differences between the samples and the population. The results of statistical analysis of the bias-efficiency trade-off in weight trimming are then presented. These show that modest trimming meaningfully reduces mean squared error. Analysis of comparative sample efficiency shows that the household sample is more efficient than the school sample, leading to the household sample getting a higher weight relative to its size in the consolidated sample relative to the school sample. Taken together, these results show that the NCS-A is an efficient sample of the target population with good representativeness on a range of socio-demographic and geographic variables. PMID:19507169

Saint Louis region : small sample travel survey

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1991-02-01

This report summarizes results of the St. Louis Region Small Sample Travel Survey. A total of 1,446 households participated in the survey, which was designed to collect travel characteristics data from residents of the St. Louis metropolitan region. ...

When is the best time to sample aquatic macroinvertebrates in ponds for biodiversity assessment?

PubMed

Hill, M J; Sayer, C D; Wood, P J

2016-03-01

Ponds are sites of high biodiversity and conservation value, yet there is little or no statutory monitoring of them across most of Europe. There are clear and standardised protocols for sampling aquatic macroinvertebrate communities in ponds, but the most suitable time(s) to undertake the survey(s) remains poorly specified. This paper examined the aquatic macroinvertebrate communities from 95 ponds within different land use types over three seasons (spring, summer and autumn) to determine the most appropriate time to undertake sampling to characterise biodiversity. The combined samples from all three seasons provided the most comprehensive record of the aquatic macroinvertebrate taxa recorded within ponds (alpha and gamma diversity). Samples collected during the autumn survey yielded significantly greater macroinvertebrate richness (76% of the total diversity) than either spring or summer surveys. Macroinvertebrate diversity was greatest during autumn in meadow and agricultural ponds, but taxon richness among forest and urban ponds did not differ significantly temporally. The autumn survey provided the highest measures of richness for Coleoptera, Hemiptera and Odonata. However, richness of the aquatic insect order Trichoptera was highest in spring and lowest in autumn. The results illustrate that multiple surveys, covering more than one season, provide the most comprehensive representation of macroinvertebrate biodiversity. When sampling can only be undertaken on one occasion, the most appropriate time to undertake surveys to characterise the macroinvertebrate community biodiversity is during autumn, although this may need to be modified if other floral and faunal groups need to be incorporated into the sampling programme.

Retaining young people in a longitudinal sexual health survey: a trial of strategies to maintain participation

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background There is an increasing trend towards lower participation in questionnaire surveys. This reduces representativeness, increases costs and introduces particular challenges to longitudinal surveys, as researchers have to use complex statistical techniques which attempt to address attrition. This paper describes a trial of incentives to retain longitudinal survey cohorts from ages 16 to 20, to question them on the sensitive topic of sexual health. Methods A longitudinal survey was conducted with 8,430 eligible pupils from two sequential year groups from 25 Scottish schools. Wave 1 (14 years) and Wave 2 (16 years) were conducted largely within schools. For Wave 3 (18 years), when everyone had left school, the sample was split into 4 groups that were balanced across predictors of survey participation: 1) no incentive; 2) chance of winning one of twenty-five vouchers worth £20; 3) chance of winning one £500 voucher; 4) a definite reward of a £10 voucher sent on receipt of their completed questionnaire. Outcomes were participation at Wave 3 and two years later at Wave 4. Analysis used logistic regression and adjusted for clustering at school level. Results The only condition that had a significant and beneficial impact for pupils was to offer a definite reward for participation (Group 4). Forty-one percent of Group 4 participated in Wave 3 versus 27% or less for Groups 1 to 3. At Wave 4, 35% of Group 4 took part versus 25% or less for the other groups. Similarly, 22% of Group 4 participated in all four Waves of the longitudinal study, whereas for the other three groups it was 16% or less that participated in full. Conclusions The best strategy for retaining all groups of pupils and one that improved retention at both age 18 and age 20 was to offer a definite reward for participation. This is expensive, however, given the many benefits of retaining a longitudinal sample, we recommend inclusion of this as a research cost for cohort and other repeat-contact studies. PMID:20109221

The Gaia-ESO Survey: Exploring the complex nature and origins of the Galactic bulge populations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rojas-Arriagada, A.; Recio-Blanco, A.; de Laverny, P.; Mikolaitis, Š.; Matteucci, F.; Spitoni, E.; Schultheis, M.; Hayden, M.; Hill, V.; Zoccali, M.; Minniti, D.; Gonzalez, O. A.; Gilmore, G.; Randich, S.; Feltzing, S.; Alfaro, E. J.; Babusiaux, C.; Bensby, T.; Bragaglia, A.; Flaccomio, E.; Koposov, S. E.; Pancino, E.; Bayo, A.; Carraro, G.; Casey, A. R.; Costado, M. T.; Damiani, F.; Donati, P.; Franciosini, E.; Hourihane, A.; Jofré, P.; Lardo, C.; Lewis, J.; Lind, K.; Magrini, L.; Morbidelli, L.; Sacco, G. G.; Worley, C. C.; Zaggia, S.

2017-05-01

Context. As observational evidence steadily accumulates, the nature of the Galactic bulge has proven to be rather complex: the structural, kinematic, and chemical analyses often lead to contradictory conclusions. The nature of the metal-rich bulge - and especially of the metal-poor bulge - and their relation with other Galactic components, still need to be firmly defined on the basis of statistically significant high-quality data samples. Aims: We used the fourth internal data release of the Gaia-ESO survey to characterize the bulge metallicity distribution function (MDF), magnesium abundance, spatial distribution, and correlation of these properties with kinematics. Moreover, the homogeneous sampling of the different Galactic populations provided by the Gaia-ESO survey allowed us to perform a comparison between the bulge, thin disk, and thick disk sequences in the [Mg/Fe] vs. [Fe/H] plane in order to constrain the extent of their eventual chemical similarities. Methods: We obtained spectroscopic data for 2500 red clump stars in 11 bulge fields, sampling the area -10° ≤ l ≤ + 8° and -10° ≤ b ≤ -4° from the fourth internal data release of the Gaia-ESO survey. A sample of 6300 disk stars was also selected for comparison. Spectrophotometric distances computed via isochrone fitting allowed us to define a sample of stars likely located in the bulge region. Results: From a Gaussian mixture models (GMM) analysis, the bulge MDF is confirmed to be bimodal across the whole sampled area. The relative ratio between the two modes of the MDF changes as a function of b, with metal-poor stars dominating at high latitudes. The metal-rich stars exhibit bar-like kinematics and display a bimodality in their magnitude distribution, a feature which is tightly associated with the X-shape bulge. They overlap with the metal-rich end of the thin disk sequence in the [Mg/Fe] vs. [Fe/H] plane. On the other hand, metal-poor bulge stars have a more isotropic hot kinematics and do not participate in the X-shape bulge. Their Mg enhancement level and general shape in the [Mg/Fe] vs. [Fe/H] plane is comparable to that of the thick disk sequence. The position at which [Mg/Fe] starts to decrease with [Fe/H], called the "knee", is observed in the metal-poor bulge at [Fe/H] knee = -0.37 ± 0.09, being 0.06 dex higher than that of the thick disk. Although this difference is inside the error bars, it suggest a higher star formation rate (SFR) for the bulge than for the thick disk. We estimate an upper limit for this difference of Δ [Fe/H] knee = 0.24 dex. Finally, we present a chemical evolution model that suitably fits the whole bulge sequence by assuming a fast (<1 Gyr) intense burst of stellar formation that takes place at early epochs. Conclusions: We associate metal-rich stars with the bar boxy/peanut bulge formed as the product of secular evolution of the early thin disk. On the other hand, the metal-poor subpopulation might be the product of an early prompt dissipative collapse dominated by massive stars. Nevertheless, our results do not allow us to firmly rule out the possibility that these stars come from the secular evolution of the early thick disk. This is the first time that an analysis of the bulge MDF and α-abundances has been performed in a large area on the basis of a homogeneous, fully spectroscopic analysis of high-resolution, high S/N data. Based on data products from observations made with ESO Telescopes at the La Silla Paranal Observatory under programme ID 188.B-3002. These data products have been processed by the Cambridge Astronomy Survey Unit (CASU) at the Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, and by the FLAMES/UVES reduction team at INAF/Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri. These data have been obtained from the Gaia-ESO Survey Data Archive, prepared and hosted by the Wide Field Astronomy Unit, Institute for Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, which is funded by the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council.

Apollo Experiment Report: Lunar-Sample Processing in the Lunar Receiving Laboratory High-Vacuum Complex

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, D. R.

1976-01-01

A high-vacuum complex composed of an atmospheric decontamination system, sample-processing chambers, storage chambers, and a transfer system was built to process and examine lunar material while maintaining quarantine status. Problems identified, equipment modifications, and procedure changes made for Apollo 11 and 12 sample processing are presented. The sample processing experiences indicate that only a few operating personnel are required to process the sample efficiently, safely, and rapidly in the high-vacuum complex. The high-vacuum complex was designed to handle the many contingencies, both quarantine and scientific, associated with handling an unknown entity such as the lunar sample. Lunar sample handling necessitated a complex system that could not respond rapidly to changing scientific requirements as the characteristics of the lunar sample were better defined. Although the complex successfully handled the processing of Apollo 11 and 12 lunar samples, the scientific requirement for vacuum samples was deleted after the Apollo 12 mission just as the vacuum system was reaching its full potential.

77 FR 52319 - Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests; Institute of Education Sciences; Needs...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-29

... research and evaluation needs in the future. The results of the survey will be used to prioritize the... Sciences; Needs Sensing Survey Under the REL Program: Sample Survey Instrument for School Board Members and District Administrators SUMMARY: The needs assessment consists of an online survey of a sample of school...

Ferritin Levels in Colombian Children: Findings from the 2010 National Nutrition Survey (ENSIN).

PubMed

Ramírez-Vélez, Robinson; Correa-Bautista, Jorge Enrique; Martínez-Torres, Javier; González-Ruíz, Katherine; Lobelo, Felipe

2016-04-05

Low ferritin is associated with many adverse health outcomes and is highly prevalent worldwide. The aim of this study was to describe the key findings related to plasma ferritin levels to identify the prevalence and associated sociodemographic factors in a representative sample of children in Colombia, based on the 2010 National Nutrition Survey. We analyzed cross-sectional data from 6650 Colombian children between the ages of 5 and 12. Plasma ferritin levels were determined by chemiluminescence. Sociodemographic data was assessed by computer-assisted personal interview technology. All analyses were conducted considering the complex nature of the sample. Of the children assessed, 3.5% had low ferritin, defined as levels <12 µg/L. A multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed increased risks for low ferritin levels among black or Afro-Colombian ethnic group and for those living in the northern, western and southern regions of the country. In conclusion, a significant prevalence of anemia caused by low ferritin levels was found and various sociodemographic factors were associated with this finding in Colombia. Continued surveillance and implementation of interventions to improve dietary patterns among the identified high-risk groups should be considered. Implementing these recommendations can help reduce manifestations of iron deficiency (e.g., delays in infant and child development) and thus improve public health.

Ferritin Levels in Colombian Children: Findings from the 2010 National Nutrition Survey (ENSIN)

PubMed Central

Ramírez-Vélez, Robinson; Correa-Bautista, Jorge Enrique; Martínez-Torres, Javier; González-Ruíz, Katherine; Lobelo, Felipe

2016-01-01

Low ferritin is associated with many adverse health outcomes and is highly prevalent worldwide. The aim of this study was to describe the key findings related to plasma ferritin levels to identify the prevalence and associated sociodemographic factors in a representative sample of children in Colombia, based on the 2010 National Nutrition Survey. We analyzed cross-sectional data from 6650 Colombian children between the ages of 5 and 12. Plasma ferritin levels were determined by chemiluminescence. Sociodemographic data was assessed by computer-assisted personal interview technology. All analyses were conducted considering the complex nature of the sample. Of the children assessed, 3.5% had low ferritin, defined as levels <12 µg/L. A multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed increased risks for low ferritin levels among black or Afro-Colombian ethnic group and for those living in the northern, western and southern regions of the country. In conclusion, a significant prevalence of anemia caused by low ferritin levels was found and various sociodemographic factors were associated with this finding in Colombia. Continued surveillance and implementation of interventions to improve dietary patterns among the identified high-risk groups should be considered. Implementing these recommendations can help reduce manifestations of iron deficiency (e.g., delays in infant and child development) and thus improve public health. PMID:27058547

Preliminary report of the uranium favorability of shear zones in the crystalline rocks of the southern Appalachians

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

Penley, H.M.; Schot, E.H.; Sewell, J.M.

1978-11-01

Three sheared areas in the crystalline Piedmont and Blue Ridge provinces, from which uranium occurrences or anomalous radioactivity have been reported, were studied to determine their favorability for uranium mineralization. The study, which involved a literature review, geologic reconnaissance, ground radiometric surveys, and sampling of rock outcrops for petrographic and chemical analyses, indicates that more-detailed investigations of these and similar areas are warranted. In each area, surface leaching and deep residual cover make it difficult to assess the potential for uranium mineralization on the basis of results from chemical analyses for U/sub 3/O/sub 8/ and the radiometric surveys. Although anomalousmore » radioactivity and anomalous chemical uranium values were noted in only a few rock exposures and samples from the shear zones, the potential for uranium mineralization at depth could be much greater than indicated by these surface data. The study indicates that shear zones within Precambiran granitic basement complexes (such as the Wilson Creek Gneiss of western North Carolina, the Cranberry Gneiss of eastern Tennessee, and the Toxaway Gneiss of western South Carolina) are favorable as hosts for uranium and may contain subsurface deposits. Mylonitized graphitic schists immediately north of the Towaliga fault in Alabama and Georgia may be favorable host rocks for uranium.« less

Data collection and compilation for a geodatabase of groundwater, surface-water, water-quality, geophysical, and geologic data, Pecos County Region, Texas, 1930-2011

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pearson, Daniel K.; Bumgarner, Johnathan R.; Houston, Natalie A.; Stanton, Gregory P.; Teeple, Andrew; Thomas, Jonathan V.

2012-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Middle Pecos Groundwater Conservation District, Pecos County, City of Fort Stockton, Brewster County, and Pecos County Water Control and Improvement District No. 1, compiled groundwater, surface-water, water-quality, geophysical, and geologic data for site locations in the Pecos County region, Texas, and developed a geodatabase to facilitate use of this information. Data were compiled for an approximately 4,700 square mile area of the Pecos County region, Texas. The geodatabase contains data from 8,242 sampling locations; it was designed to organize and store field-collected geochemical and geophysical data, as well as digital database resources from the U.S. Geological Survey, Middle Pecos Groundwater Conservation District, Texas Water Development Board, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality,and numerous other State and local databases. The geodatabase combines these disparate database resources into a simple data model. Site locations are geospatially enabled and stored in a geodatabase feature class for cartographic visualization and spatial analysis within a Geographic Information System. The sampling locations are related to hydrogeologic information through the use of geodatabase relationship classes. The geodatabase relationship classes provide the ability to perform complex spatial and data-driven queries to explore data stored in the geodatabase.

Environment-wide association study (EWAS) for type 2 diabetes in the Marshfield Personalized Medicine Research Project Biobank.

PubMed

Hall, Molly A; Dudek, Scott M; Goodloe, Robert; Crawford, Dana C; Pendergrass, Sarah A; Peissig, Peggy; Brilliant, Murray; McCarty, Catherine A; Ritchie, Marylyn D

2014-01-01

Environment-wide association studies (EWAS) provide a way to uncover the environmental mechanisms involved in complex traits in a high-throughput manner. Genome-wide association studies have led to the discovery of genetic variants associated with many common diseases but do not take into account the environmental component of complex phenotypes. This EWAS assesses the comprehensive association between environmental variables and the outcome of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in the Marshfield Personalized Medicine Research Project Biobank (Marshfield PMRP). We sought replication in two National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES). The Marshfield PMRP currently uses four tools for measuring environmental exposures and outcome traits: 1) the PhenX Toolkit includes standardized exposure and phenotypic measures across several domains, 2) the Diet History Questionnaire (DHQ) is a food frequency questionnaire, 3) the Measurement of a Person's Habitual Physical Activity scores the level of an individual's physical activity, and 4) electronic health records (EHR) employs validated algorithms to establish T2D case-control status. Using PLATO software, 314 environmental variables were tested for association with T2D using logistic regression, adjusting for sex, age, and BMI in over 2,200 European Americans. When available, similar variables were tested with the same methods and adjustment in samples from NHANES III and NHANES 1999-2002. Twelve and 31 associations were identified in the Marshfield samples at p<0.01 and p<0.05, respectively. Seven and 13 measures replicated in at least one of the NHANES at p<0.01 and p<0.05, respectively, with the same direction of effect. The most significant environmental exposures associated with T2D status included decreased alcohol use as well as increased smoking exposure in childhood and adulthood. The results demonstrate the utility of the EWAS method and survey tools for identifying environmental components of complex diseases like type 2 diabetes. These high-throughput and comprehensive investigation methods can easily be applied to investigate the relation between environmental exposures and multiple phenotypes in future analyses.

Mass Spectrometry on Future Mars Landers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brinckerhoff, W. B.; Mahaffy, P. R.

2011-01-01

Mass spectrometry investigations on the 2011 Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) and the 2018 ExoMars missions will address core science objectives related to the potential habitability of their landing site environments and more generally the near-surface organic inventory of Mars. The analysis of complex solid samples by mass spectrometry is a well-known approach that can provide a broad and sensitive survey of organic and inorganic compounds as well as supportive data for mineralogical analysis. The science value of such compositional information is maximized when one appreciates the particular opportunities and limitations of in situ analysis with resource-constrained instrumentation in the context of a complete science payload and applied to materials found in a particular environment. The Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) investigation on MSL and the Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer (MOMA) investigation on ExoMars will thus benefit from and inform broad-based analog field site work linked to the Mars environments where such analysis will occur.

Masculinity constructs as protective buffers and risk factors for men's health.

PubMed

Levant, Ronald F; Wimer, David J

2014-03-01

This study was designed to replicate the study of Levant, Wimer, and Williams (2011), which reported complex relationships between masculinity and health behaviors using a more diverse sample and updated measures. A sample of 589 college and community-dwelling men responded to an online survey consisting of five scales. Levant et al.'s (2011) study was partially replicated-some masculinity constructs were identified as protective buffers for some health behaviors and others as risk factors. The vast majority of the findings that were replicated were risk factors, suggesting that traditional masculinity is more of risk than a buffer, and occurred in the analyses involving Avoiding Anger and Stress and Avoiding Substance Use subscales, suggesting that these health behaviors are most closely associated with masculinity. The results are discussed in terms of limitations, suggestions for future research, and implications for health care practice.

Educational Attainment of the Public Health Workforce and Its Implications for Workforce Development

PubMed Central

Leider, Jonathon P.; Harper, Elizabeth; Bharthapudi, Kiran; Castrucci, Brian C.

2015-01-01

Context: Educational attainment is a critical issue in public health workforce development. However, relatively little is known about the actual attainment of staff in state health agencies (SHAs). Objective: Ascertain the levels of educational attainment among SHA employees, as well as the correlates of attainment. Design: Using a stratified sampling approaching, staff from SHAs were surveyed using the Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS) instrument in late 2014. A nationally representative sample was drawn across 5 geographic (paired adjacent HHS) regions. Descriptive and inferential statistics were analyzed using balanced repeated replication weights to account for complex sampling. A logistic regression was conducted with attainment of a bachelor's degree as the dependent variable and age, region, supervisory status, race/ethnicity, gender, and staff type as independent variables. Setting and Participants: Web-based survey of SHA central office employees. Main Outcome Measure: Educational attainment overall, as well as receipt of a degree with a major in public health. Results: A total of 10 246 permanently-employed SHA central office staff participated in the survey (response rate 46%). Seventy-five percent (95% confidence interval [CI], 74-77) had a bachelor's degree, 38% (95% CI, 37-40) had a master's degree, and 9% (95% CI, 8%-10%) had a doctoral degree. A logistic regression showed Asian staff had the highest odds of having a bachelor's degree (odds ratio [OR] = 2.8; 95% CI, 2.2-3.7) compared with non-Hispanic whites, and Hispanic/Latino staff had lower odds (OR = 0.6; 95% CI, 0.4-0.8). Women had lower odds of having a bachelor's degree than men (OR = 0.5; 95% CI, 0.4-0.6). About 17% of the workforce (95% CI, 16-18) had a degree in public health at any level. Conclusions: Educational attainment among SHA central office staff is high, but relatively few have formal training of any sort in public health. This makes efforts to increase availability of on-the-job training and distance learning all the more critical. PMID:26422495

Cryptic relatedness in epidemiologic collections accessed for genetic association studies: experiences from the Epidemiologic Architecture for Genes Linked to Environment (EAGLE) study and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES).

PubMed

Malinowski, Jennifer; Goodloe, Robert; Brown-Gentry, Kristin; Crawford, Dana C

2015-01-01

Epidemiologic collections have been a major resource for genotype-phenotype studies of complex disease given their large sample size, racial/ethnic diversity, and breadth and depth of phenotypes, traits, and exposures. A major disadvantage of these collections is they often survey households and communities without collecting extensive pedigree data. Failure to account for substantial relatedness can lead to inflated estimates and spurious associations. To examine the extent of cryptic relatedness in an epidemiologic collection, we as the Epidemiologic Architecture for Genes Linked to Environment (EAGLE) study accessed the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) linked to DNA samples ("Genetic NHANES") from NHANES III and NHANES 1999-2002. NHANES are population-based cross-sectional surveys conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Genome-wide genetic data is not yet available in NHANES, and current data use agreements prohibit the generation of GWAS-level data in NHANES samples due issues in maintaining confidentiality among other ethical concerns. To date, only hundreds of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) genotyped in a variety of candidate genes are available for analysis in NHANES. We performed identity-by-descent (IBD) estimates in three self-identified subpopulations of Genetic NHANES (non-Hispanic white, non- Hispanic black, and Mexican American) using PLINK software to identify potential familial relationships from presumed unrelated subjects. We then compared the PLINKidentified relationships to those identified by an alternative method implemented in Kinship-based INference for Genome-wide association studies (KING). Overall, both methods identified familial relationships in NHANES III and NHANES 1999-2002 for all three subpopulations, but little concordance was observed between the two methods due in major part to the limited SNP data available in Genetic NHANES. Despite the lack of genome-wide data, our results suggest the presence of cryptic relatedness in this epidemiologic collection and highlight the limitations of restricted datasets such as NHANES in the context of modern day genetic epidemiology studies.

Stratigraphic relationships and timing of the 2012 Havre submarine silicic volcanic eruption revealed by high resolution bathymetric mapping and observations by underwater vehicles.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carey, R.; Soule, S. A.; Houghton, B. F.; White, J. D. L.; Manga, M.; Wysoczanski, R. J.; Tani, K.; McPhie, J.; Fornari, D. J.; Jutzeler, M.; Caratori Tontini, F.; Ikegami, F.; Jones, M.; Murch, A.; Fauria, K.; Mitchell, S. J.; Cahalan, R. C.; Conway, C.; McKenzie, W.

2015-12-01

The 2012 deep rhyolitic caldera eruption of Havre volcano in the Kermadec arc is the first historic observed submarine eruption that produced a pumice raft observed at the ocean's surface. Ship-based bathymetric surveys before and after the eruption permit the intricacies of eruption styles, products and timescales to be quantified. In 2015 we mapped this submarine volcano in unprecedented detail with two submergence vehicles in tandem, facilitating a wide and comprehensive geological survey and sampling mission. These efforts and observations show highly complex and often simultaneous eruptive behavior from more than 14 vents along two 3 km-long fissures that represent massive ruptures of the caldera walls. This survey also revealed an important role for pre- and inter-eruptive periods of mass wasting processes derived from the intrusion of magma and destablisation of caldera walls. The detailed characterization of the eruption products, and quantification of timescales provides the scientific community with the first glimpse of the nature of submarine, intermediate magnitude, deep silicic caldera eruptions and permits unanswered yet first order fundamental questions of submarine eruption and transport processes to be addressed in the decades to come.

Malaria prevalence metrics in low- and middle-income countries: an assessment of precision in nationally-representative surveys.

PubMed

Alegana, Victor A; Wright, Jim; Bosco, Claudio; Okiro, Emelda A; Atkinson, Peter M; Snow, Robert W; Tatem, Andrew J; Noor, Abdisalan M

2017-11-21

One pillar to monitoring progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals is the investment in high quality data to strengthen the scientific basis for decision-making. At present, nationally-representative surveys are the main source of data for establishing a scientific evidence base, monitoring, and evaluation of health metrics. However, little is known about the optimal precisions of various population-level health and development indicators that remains unquantified in nationally-representative household surveys. Here, a retrospective analysis of the precision of prevalence from these surveys was conducted. Using malaria indicators, data were assembled in nine sub-Saharan African countries with at least two nationally-representative surveys. A Bayesian statistical model was used to estimate between- and within-cluster variability for fever and malaria prevalence, and insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) use in children under the age of 5 years. The intra-class correlation coefficient was estimated along with the optimal sample size for each indicator with associated uncertainty. Results suggest that the estimated sample sizes for the current nationally-representative surveys increases with declining malaria prevalence. Comparison between the actual sample size and the modelled estimate showed a requirement to increase the sample size for parasite prevalence by up to 77.7% (95% Bayesian credible intervals 74.7-79.4) for the 2015 Kenya MIS (estimated sample size of children 0-4 years 7218 [7099-7288]), and 54.1% [50.1-56.5] for the 2014-2015 Rwanda DHS (12,220 [11,950-12,410]). This study highlights the importance of defining indicator-relevant sample sizes to achieve the required precision in the current national surveys. While expanding the current surveys would need additional investment, the study highlights the need for improved approaches to cost effective sampling.

Completion summary for borehole USGS 136 near the Advanced Test Reactor Complex, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Twining, Brian V.; Bartholomay, Roy C.; Hodges, Mary K.V.

2012-01-01

In 2011, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, cored and completed borehole USGS 136 for stratigraphic framework analyses and long-term groundwater monitoring of the eastern Snake River Plain aquifer at the Idaho National Laboratory. The borehole was initially cored to a depth of 1,048 feet (ft) below land surface (BLS) to collect core, open-borehole water samples, and geophysical data. After these data were collected, borehole USGS 136 was cemented and backfilled between 560 and 1,048 ft BLS. The final construction of borehole USGS 136 required that the borehole be reamed to allow for installation of 6-inch (in.) diameter carbon-steel casing and 5-in. diameter stainless-steel screen; the screened monitoring interval was completed between 500 and 551 ft BLS. A dedicated pump and water-level access line were placed to allow for aquifer testing, for collecting periodic water samples, and for measuring water levels.Geophysical and borehole video logs were collected after coring and after the completion of the monitor well. Geophysical logs were examined in conjunction with the borehole core to describe borehole lithology and to identify primary flow paths for groundwater, which occur in intervals of fractured and vesicular basalt.A single-well aquifer test was used to define hydraulic characteristics for borehole USGS 136 in the eastern Snake River Plain aquifer. Specific-capacity, transmissivity, and hydraulic conductivity from the aquifer test were at least 975 gallons per minute per foot, 1.4 × 105 feet squared per day (ft2/d), and 254 feet per day, respectively. The amount of measureable drawdown during the aquifer test was about 0.02 ft. The transmissivity for borehole USGS 136 was in the range of values determined from previous aquifer tests conducted in other wells near the Advanced Test Reactor Complex: 9.5 × 103 to 1.9 × 105 ft2/d.Water samples were analyzed for cations, anions, metals, nutrients, total organic carbon, volatile organic compounds, stable isotopes, and radionuclides. Water samples from borehole USGS 136 indicated that concentrations of tritium, sulfate, and chromium were affected by wastewater disposal practices at the Advanced Test Reactor Complex. Depth-discrete groundwater samples were collected in the open borehole USGS 136 near 965, 710, and 573 ft BLS using a thief sampler; on the basis of selected constituents, deeper groundwater samples showed no influence from wastewater disposal at the Advanced Test Reactor Complex.

Robust Abundance Estimation in Animal Abundance Surveys with Imperfect Detection

EPA Science Inventory

Surveys of animal abundance are central to the conservation and management of living natural resources. However, detection uncertainty complicates the sampling process of many species. One sampling method employed to deal with this problem is depletion (or removal) surveys in whi...

Robust Abundance Estimation in Animal Surveys with Imperfect Detection

EPA Science Inventory

Surveys of animal abundance are central to the conservation and management of living natural resources. However, detection uncertainty complicates the sampling process of many species. One sampling method employed to deal with this problem is depletion (or removal) surveys in whi...

Constrained Maximum Likelihood Estimation for Model Calibration Using Summary-level Information from External Big Data Sources

PubMed Central

Chatterjee, Nilanjan; Chen, Yi-Hau; Maas, Paige; Carroll, Raymond J.

2016-01-01

Information from various public and private data sources of extremely large sample sizes are now increasingly available for research purposes. Statistical methods are needed for utilizing information from such big data sources while analyzing data from individual studies that may collect more detailed information required for addressing specific hypotheses of interest. In this article, we consider the problem of building regression models based on individual-level data from an “internal” study while utilizing summary-level information, such as information on parameters for reduced models, from an “external” big data source. We identify a set of very general constraints that link internal and external models. These constraints are used to develop a framework for semiparametric maximum likelihood inference that allows the distribution of covariates to be estimated using either the internal sample or an external reference sample. We develop extensions for handling complex stratified sampling designs, such as case-control sampling, for the internal study. Asymptotic theory and variance estimators are developed for each case. We use simulation studies and a real data application to assess the performance of the proposed methods in contrast to the generalized regression (GR) calibration methodology that is popular in the sample survey literature. PMID:27570323

A survey of rapid sample return needs from Space Station Freedom and potential return systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccandless, Ronald S.; Siegel, Bette; Charlton, Kevin

1991-01-01

Results are presented of a survey conducted among potential users of the life sciences and material sciences facilities at the Space Station Freedom (SSF) to determine the need for a special rapid sample return (RSR) mission to bring the experimental samples from the Space Station Freedom (SSF) to earth between the Space Shuttle visits. The results of the survey show that, while some experimental objectives would benefit from the RSR capability, other available cost- and mission-effective means could be used instead of the RSR proposed. Potential vehicles for transporting samples from the SSF to earth are examined in the context of the survey results.

Changes in the Russian Wheat Aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) Biotype Complex in South Africa.

PubMed

Jankielsohn, Astrid

2016-04-01

Russian wheat aphid Diuraphis noxia (Kurdjumov) has spread from its native area in central Asia to all the major wheat-producing countries in the world to become an international wheat pest. Because the Russian wheat aphid is a serious threat to the wheat industry in South Africa, it is important to investigate the key factors involved in the distribution of Russian wheat aphid biotypes and in the changes of the Russian wheat aphid biotype complex in South Africa. There are currently four known Russian wheat aphid biotypes occurring in South Africa. Russian wheat aphid samples were collected from 2011 to 2014 during the wheat-growing season in spring and summer and these samples were screened to determine the biotype status. RWASA1 occurred predominantly in the Western Cape, while RWASA2 and RWASA3 occurred predominantly in the Eastern Free State. Following the first record of RWASA4 in 2011, this biotype was restricted to the Eastern Free State. The surveys suggest that the Russian wheat aphid bioype complex was more diverse in the Eastern Free State than in the other wheat production areas. There was also a shift in Russian wheat aphid biotype composition over time. The Russian wheat aphid biotype complex is dynamic, influenced by environmental factors such as host plants, altitude, and climate, and it can change and diversify over time causing fluctuation in populations over sites and years. This dynamic nature of the Russian wheat aphid will continue to challenge the development of Russian wheat aphid-resistant wheat cultivars in South Africa, and the continued monitoring of the biotypic and genetic structure, to determine genetic relatedness and variation in different biotypes, of Russian wheat aphid populations is important for protecting wheat.

Gaps in Survey Data on Cancer in American Indian and Alaska Native Populations: Examination of US Population Surveys, 1960–2010

PubMed Central

Duran, Tinka; Stimpson, Jim P.; Smith, Corey

2013-01-01

Introduction Population-based data are essential for quantifying the problems and measuring the progress made by comprehensive cancer control programs. However, cancer information specific to the American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) population is not readily available. We identified major population-based surveys conducted in the United States that contain questions related to cancer, documented the AI/AN sample size in these surveys, and identified gaps in the types of cancer-related information these surveys collect. Methods We conducted an Internet query of US Department of Health and Human Services agency websites and a Medline search to identify population-based surveys conducted in the United States from 1960 through 2010 that contained information about cancer. We used a data extraction form to collect information about the purpose, sample size, data collection methods, and type of information covered in the surveys. Results Seventeen survey sources met the inclusion criteria. Information on access to and use of cancer treatment, follow-up care, and barriers to receiving timely and quality care was not consistently collected. Estimates specific to the AI/AN population were often lacking because of inadequate AI/AN sample size. For example, 9 national surveys reviewed reported an AI/AN sample size smaller than 500, and 10 had an AI/AN sample percentage less than 1.5%. Conclusion Continued efforts are needed to increase the overall number of AI/AN participants in these surveys, improve the quality of information on racial/ethnic background, and collect more information on treatment and survivorship. PMID:23517582

Investigating Star-Gas Correlation and Evolution in the 100pc Cygnus X Complex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gutermuth, Robert

We request support to pursue a substantial refinement of the ongoing characterizations of star and gas surface density in nearby star forming regions by engaging in a focused study of the Cygnus X star forming complex. The substantial physical size of the region and high spatial dynamic range of its surveys enables us to achieve the following science goals: - Characterize the distributions of gas and stellar column densities in a large, nearby starforming complex and integrate those values over successively larger physical scales in order to gauge the effect of varying physical resolution on the measured star-gas correlation. - Validate integrated 24 ¼m luminosity as a method of estimating star formation rate surface density using a region in which the substantial number of known forming members should ensure that the IMF is statistically well-sampled. - Validate 12CO luminosity as a method of estimating molecular gas column density against 13CO column density. tegrated 24 micron and radio continuum luminosity. To achieve these goals, we will perform substantial improvement and expansion of the Cygnus X Spitzer (and 2MASS) Legacy Survey point source catalog using UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey (UKIDSS) near-IR data and WISE mid-IR data. From this catalog, we will produce a comprehensive census of young stellar objects (YSOs) with IR-excess emission over the numerical bulk of the stellar mass function (0.2 2 M ). This YSO catalog is expected to be considerably larger than the entire YSO census of the nearest kiloparsec. Both the point source and YSO catalogs will be contributed to the Infrared Science Archive (IRSA) to facilitate community access to these improved data products. In addition, we will provide a star formation surface density map derived from the MIPS 24 micron map of Cygnus X from the Spitzer Legacy Survey and gas column density maps derived from 12CO and 13CO data from the Exeter-Five College Radio Astronomy Observatory Cygnus Survey. The proposed program will bring to maturity a major new scientific result from the combination of data from several NASA program investments (Spitzer Legacy, WISE, & 2MASS) and some external archives (UKIDSS GPS, Exeter-FCRAO XGRS) that we have shown above add considerable value to the scientific interpretation of the data from the NASA archive. The improvement in effective sensitivity to low mass YSOs from the Cygnus X Legacy Survey source catalog and our targeted science investigation to examine the star-gas correlation (and any deviation that may correlate with local YSO evolutionary age) are relevant to the NASA Astrophysics Theme, Cosmic Origins, which aspires to unveil how the universe developed to the current day configuration of galaxies, stars and planets and the conditions necessary for life.

Longitudinal Weight Calibration with Estimated Control Totals for Cross Sectional Survey Data: Theory and Application

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qing, Siyu

2014-01-01

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Survey of Doctorate Recipients (SDR) collects information on a sample of individuals in the United States with PhD degrees. A significant portion of the sampled individuals appear in multiple survey years and can be linked across time. Survey weights in each year are created and adjusted for oversampling and…

Nutrient intake and use of dietary supplements among US adults with disabilities.

PubMed

An, Ruopeng; Chiu, Chung-Yi; Andrade, Flavia

2015-04-01

Physical, mental, social, and financial hurdles in adults with disabilities may limit their access to adequate nutrition. To examine the impact of dietary supplement use on daily total nutrient intake levels among US adults 20 years and older with disabilities. Study sample came from 2007-2008 and 2009-2010 waves of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a nationally representative repeated cross-sectional survey. Disability was classified into 5 categories using standardized indices. Nutrient intakes from foods and dietary supplements were calculated from 2 nonconsecutive 24-hour dietary recalls. Two-sample proportion tests and multiple logistic regressions were used to examine the adherence rates to the recommended daily nutrient intake levels between dietary supplement users and nonusers in each disability category. The association between sociodemographic characteristics and dietary supplement use was assessed using multiple logistic regressions, accounting for complex survey design. A substantial proportion of the US adult population with disabilities failed to meet dietary guidelines, with insufficient intakes of multiple nutrients. Over half of the US adults with disabilities used dietary supplements. Dietary supplement use was associated with higher adherence rates for vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, and zinc intake among adults with disabilities. Women, non-Hispanic Whites, older age, higher education, and higher household income were found to predict dietary supplement use. Proper use of dietary supplements under the guidance of health care providers may improve the nutritional status among adults with disabilities. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Extension of the Peters–Belson method to estimate health disparities among multiple groups using logistic regression with survey data

PubMed Central

Li, Y.; Graubard, B. I.; Huang, P.; Gastwirth, J. L.

2015-01-01

Determining the extent of a disparity, if any, between groups of people, for example, race or gender, is of interest in many fields, including public health for medical treatment and prevention of disease. An observed difference in the mean outcome between an advantaged group (AG) and disadvantaged group (DG) can be due to differences in the distribution of relevant covariates. The Peters–Belson (PB) method fits a regression model with covariates to the AG to predict, for each DG member, their outcome measure as if they had been from the AG. The difference between the mean predicted and the mean observed outcomes of DG members is the (unexplained) disparity of interest. We focus on applying the PB method to estimate the disparity based on binary/multinomial/proportional odds logistic regression models using data collected from complex surveys with more than one DG. Estimators of the unexplained disparity, an analytic variance–covariance estimator that is based on the Taylor linearization variance–covariance estimation method, as well as a Wald test for testing a joint null hypothesis of zero for unexplained disparities between two or more minority groups and a majority group, are provided. Simulation studies with data selected from simple random sampling and cluster sampling, as well as the analyses of disparity in body mass index in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2004, are conducted. Empirical results indicate that the Taylor linearization variance–covariance estimation is accurate and that the proposed Wald test maintains the nominal level. PMID:25382235

Cadmium exposure and cardiovascular disease in the 2005 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

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

Lee, Mi-Sun; Park, Sung Kyun; Hu, Howard

Background: Limited epidemiologic data are available concerning the cardiovascular effects of cadmium exposure, although recent studies suggest associations with myocardial infarction and peripheral arterial disease. We examined the associations of cadmium exposure with cardiovascular disease in nationally representative general Korean adults. Methods: We used cross-sectional data on blood cadmium and self-reported diagnoses of ischemic heart disease (IHD), stroke, and hypertension in a sub-sample of 1908 adults, aged 20 years and older, who participated in the 2005 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). We used survey logistic regression models accounting for the complex sampling design to estimate the oddsmore » ratios (OR), adjusting for age, education, income, alcohol, smoking, body mass index, waist circumference, family history of hypertension, blood pressure, and blood lead. Results: The geometric mean of blood cadmium was 1.53 {mu}g/L. After adjusting for potential confounders, an interquartile range (IQR) increase in blood cadmium (0.91 {mu}g/L) was found to be associated with an increased risk for IHD (OR 2.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.3-3.4). An IQR increase in blood cadmium was found to be associated with an elevated risk for hypertension only among men (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.1-1.8) but not among women. No association was observed with stroke in both genders. Conclusions: These findings suggest that cadmium in blood may be associated with an increased risk for IHD and hypertension in the general Korean adult population.« less

Astropulse: A Search for Microsecond Transient Radio Signals Using Distributed Computing. I. Methodology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Von Korff, J.; Demorest, P.; Heien, E.; Korpela, E.; Werthimer, D.; Cobb, J.; Lebofsky, M.; Anderson, D.; Bankay, B.; Siemion, A.

2013-04-01

We are performing a transient, microsecond timescale radio sky survey, called "Astropulse," using the Arecibo telescope. Astropulse searches for brief (0.4 μs to 204.8 μs ), wideband (relative to its 2.5 MHz bandwidth) radio pulses centered at 1420 MHz. Astropulse is a commensal (piggyback) survey, and scans the sky between declinations of -1.°33 and 38.°03. We obtained 1540 hr of data in each of seven beams of the ALFA receiver, with two polarizations per beam. The data are one-bit complex sampled at the Nyquist limit of 0.4 μs per sample. Examination of timescales on the order of microseconds is possible because we used coherent dedispersion, a technique that has frequently been used for targeted observations, but has never been associated with a radio sky survey. The more usual technique, incoherent dedispersion, cannot resolve signals below a minimum timescale which depends on the signal's dispersion measure (DM) and frequency. However, coherent dedispersion requires more intensive computation than incoherent dedispersion. The required processing power was provided by BOINC, the Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network Computing. BOINC is a distributed computing system, allowing us to utilize hundreds of thousands of volunteers' computers to perform the necessary calculations for coherent dedispersion. Astrophysical events that might produce brief radio pulses include giant pulses from pulsars, rotating radio transients, exploding primordial black holes, or new sources yet to be imagined. Radio frequency interference and noise contaminate the data; these are mitigated by a number of techniques including multi-polarization correlation, DM repetition detection, and frequency profiling.

Prevalence of substandard and falsified artemisinin-based combination antimalarial medicines on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea.

PubMed

Kaur, Harparkash; Allan, Elizabeth Louise; Mamadu, Ibrahim; Hall, Zoe; Green, Michael D; Swamidos, Isabel; Dwivedi, Prabha; Culzoni, Maria Julia; Fernandez, Facundo M; Garcia, Guillermo; Hergott, Dianna; Monti, Feliciano

2017-01-01

Poor-quality artemisinin-containing antimalarials (ACAs), including falsified and substandard formulations, pose serious health concerns in malaria endemic countries. They can harm patients, contribute to the rise in drug resistance and increase the public's mistrust of health systems. Systematic assessment of drug quality is needed to gain knowledge on the prevalence of the problem, to provide Ministries of Health with evidence on which local regulators can take action. We used three sampling approaches to purchase 677 ACAs from 278 outlets on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea as follows: convenience survey using mystery client (n=16 outlets, 31 samples), full island-wide survey using mystery client (n=174 outlets, 368 samples) and randomised survey using an overt sampling approach (n=88 outlets, 278 samples). The stated active pharmaceutical ingredients (SAPIs) were assessed using high-performance liquid chromatography and confirmed by mass spectrometry at three independent laboratories. Content analysis showed 91.0% of ACAs were of acceptable quality, 1.6% were substandard and 7.4% falsified. No degraded medicines were detected. The prevalence of medicines without the SAPIs was higher for ACAs purchased in the convenience survey compared with the estimates obtained using the full island-wide survey-mystery client and randomised-overt sampling approaches. Comparable results were obtained for full island survey-mystery client and randomised overt. However, the availability of purchased artesunate monotherapies differed substantially according to the sampling approach used (convenience, 45.2%; full island-wide survey-mystery client, 32.6%; random-overt sampling approach, 21.9%). Of concern is that 37.1% (n=62) of these were falsified. Falsified ACAs were found on Bioko Island, with the prevalence ranging between 6.1% and 16.1%, depending on the sampling method used. These findings underscore the vital need for national authorities to track the scale of ineffective medicines that jeopardise treatment of life-threatening diseases and value of a representative sampling approach to obtain/measure the true prevalence of poor-quality medicines.

Automated Protist Analysis of Complex Samples: Recent Investigations Using Motion and Thresholding

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

Report No: CG-D-15-13 Automated Protist Analysis of Complex Samples: Recent Investigations Using Motion and Thresholding...Distribution Statement A: Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. January 2012 Automated Protist Analysis of Complex Samples...Chelsea Street New London, CT 06320 Automated Protist Analysis of Complex Samples iii UNCLAS//PUBLIC | CG-926 R&DC | B. Nelson, et al

Generalizing Observational Study Results: Applying Propensity Score Methods to Complex Surveys

PubMed Central

DuGoff, Eva H; Schuler, Megan; Stuart, Elizabeth A

2014-01-01

ObjectiveTo provide a tutorial for using propensity score methods with complex survey data. Data SourcesSimulated data and the 2008 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Study DesignUsing simulation, we compared the following methods for estimating the treatment effect: a naïve estimate (ignoring both survey weights and propensity scores), survey weighting, propensity score methods (nearest neighbor matching, weighting, and subclassification), and propensity score methods in combination with survey weighting. Methods are compared in terms of bias and 95 percent confidence interval coverage. In Example 2, we used these methods to estimate the effect on health care spending of having a generalist versus a specialist as a usual source of care. Principal FindingsIn general, combining a propensity score method and survey weighting is necessary to achieve unbiased treatment effect estimates that are generalizable to the original survey target population. ConclusionsPropensity score methods are an essential tool for addressing confounding in observational studies. Ignoring survey weights may lead to results that are not generalizable to the survey target population. This paper clarifies the appropriate inferences for different propensity score methods and suggests guidelines for selecting an appropriate propensity score method based on a researcher’s goal. PMID:23855598

Generalizing observational study results: applying propensity score methods to complex surveys.

PubMed

Dugoff, Eva H; Schuler, Megan; Stuart, Elizabeth A

2014-02-01

To provide a tutorial for using propensity score methods with complex survey data. Simulated data and the 2008 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Using simulation, we compared the following methods for estimating the treatment effect: a naïve estimate (ignoring both survey weights and propensity scores), survey weighting, propensity score methods (nearest neighbor matching, weighting, and subclassification), and propensity score methods in combination with survey weighting. Methods are compared in terms of bias and 95 percent confidence interval coverage. In Example 2, we used these methods to estimate the effect on health care spending of having a generalist versus a specialist as a usual source of care. In general, combining a propensity score method and survey weighting is necessary to achieve unbiased treatment effect estimates that are generalizable to the original survey target population. Propensity score methods are an essential tool for addressing confounding in observational studies. Ignoring survey weights may lead to results that are not generalizable to the survey target population. This paper clarifies the appropriate inferences for different propensity score methods and suggests guidelines for selecting an appropriate propensity score method based on a researcher's goal. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Temporally Adaptive Sampling: A Case Study in Rare Species Survey Design with Marbled Salamanders (Ambystoma opacum)

PubMed Central

Charney, Noah D.; Kubel, Jacob E.; Eiseman, Charles S.

2015-01-01

Improving detection rates for elusive species with clumped distributions is often accomplished through adaptive sampling designs. This approach can be extended to include species with temporally variable detection probabilities. By concentrating survey effort in years when the focal species are most abundant or visible, overall detection rates can be improved. This requires either long-term monitoring at a few locations where the species are known to occur or models capable of predicting population trends using climatic and demographic data. For marbled salamanders (Ambystoma opacum) in Massachusetts, we demonstrate that annual variation in detection probability of larvae is regionally correlated. In our data, the difference in survey success between years was far more important than the difference among the three survey methods we employed: diurnal surveys, nocturnal surveys, and dipnet surveys. Based on these data, we simulate future surveys to locate unknown populations under a temporally adaptive sampling framework. In the simulations, when pond dynamics are correlated over the focal region, the temporally adaptive design improved mean survey success by as much as 26% over a non-adaptive sampling design. Employing a temporally adaptive strategy costs very little, is simple, and has the potential to substantially improve the efficient use of scarce conservation funds. PMID:25799224

SMA Spectral Line Survey of the Proto-Planetary Nebula CRL 618

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patel, Nimesh A.; Gottlieb, Carl; Young, Ken; Kaminski, Tomasz Tomek; McCarthy, Michael; Menten, Karl; Primiani, Rurik; Lee, Chin-Fei; Gupta, Harshal

2018-01-01

Carbon-rich Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars are major sources of gas and dust in the interstellar medium. AGB stars remain in their evolutionary stage for 1 to 10 Myrs, during which they have very high mass loss rates that increase at the end. During the brief (~1000 yr) period in the evolution from the AGB to the Planetary Nebula (PN) stage there are dramatic changes in the morphology from nearly spherical symmetry, to bipolar, quadrupolar and more complex structures, with the development of both slow and fast (100 km/s) outflows. The molecular composition of these objects' cirumstellar envelopes also evolves from being similar to that of parent AGB star (mainly diatomic and small polyatomic species), to more complex molecules (including ions).We have started an observational study of a sample of Proto-Planetary nebulae (PPN) with the Submillimeter Array to carry out spectral-line surveys of ~60 GHz frequency coverage in the 345 GHz band (similar to our published IRC+10216 line survey of 2011). Here we present preliminary results from the line survey of the carbon-rich PPN CRL 618, covering a frequency range of 281.9 to 359.4 GHz. Observations were carried out in January 2016 and September 2017, with the SMA in compact (3" angular resolution) and very extended (0.5") configurations, respectively.More than 1100 lines were detected in CRL 618. The majority of them can be attributed to HC3N and c-C3H2, and their isotopologues. About 350 lines are as yet unassigned. The continuum emission is unresolved even at 0.5" resolution. Several hydrogen recombination lines are detected from the central HII region. Lines of CO, HCO+, CS show the fast outflow wings, while the majority of molecular emission arises from a compact region of about 1" diameter. We present LTEmodeling and rotation temperature diagram analysis of HC3N, c-C3H2, CH3CN, and their isotopologues. We plan to observe another PPN, CRL 2688 with the SMA in 2018. Together, these imaging line surveys will provide observational constraints on models of the chemical evolution from AGB stars to Planetary Nebulae.

47 CFR 1.363 - Introduction of statistical data.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... case of sample surveys, there shall be a clear description of the survey design, including the... evidence in common carrier hearing proceedings, including but not limited to sample surveys, econometric... description of the experimental design shall be set forth, including a specification of the controlled...

47 CFR 1.363 - Introduction of statistical data.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... case of sample surveys, there shall be a clear description of the survey design, including the... evidence in common carrier hearing proceedings, including but not limited to sample surveys, econometric... description of the experimental design shall be set forth, including a specification of the controlled...

47 CFR 1.363 - Introduction of statistical data.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... case of sample surveys, there shall be a clear description of the survey design, including the... evidence in common carrier hearing proceedings, including but not limited to sample surveys, econometric... description of the experimental design shall be set forth, including a specification of the controlled...

47 CFR 1.363 - Introduction of statistical data.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... case of sample surveys, there shall be a clear description of the survey design, including the... evidence in common carrier hearing proceedings, including but not limited to sample surveys, econometric... description of the experimental design shall be set forth, including a specification of the controlled...

47 CFR 1.363 - Introduction of statistical data.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... case of sample surveys, there shall be a clear description of the survey design, including the... evidence in common carrier hearing proceedings, including but not limited to sample surveys, econometric... description of the experimental design shall be set forth, including a specification of the controlled...

Variability Analysis: Detection and Classification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eyer, L.

2005-01-01

The Gaia mission will offer an exceptional opportunity to perform variability studies. The data homogeneity, its optimised photometric systems, composed of 11 medium and 4-5 broad bands, the high photometric precision in G band of one milli-mag for V = 13-15, the radial velocity measurements and the exquisite astrometric precision for one billion stars will permit a detailed description of variable objects like stars, quasars and asteroids. However the time sampling and the total number of measurements change from one object to another because of the satellite scanning law. The data analysis is a challenge because of the huge amount of data, the complexity of the observed objects and the peculiarities of the satellite, and needs thorough preparation. Experience can be gained by the study of past and present survey analyses and results, and Gaia should be put in perspective with the future large scale surveys, like PanSTARRS or LSST. We present the activities of the Variable Star Working Group and a general plan to digest this unprecedented data set, focusing here on the photometry.

Sociodemographic Differences by Survey Mode in a Respondent-Driven Sampling Study of Transgender People in Ontario, Canada.

PubMed

Scheim, Ayden I; Bauer, Greta R; Coleman, Todd A

2016-10-01

To describe survey mode uptake and sociodemographic differences by mode among respondents to a respondent-driven sampling survey of transgender people in Ontario, Canada. Survey mode was left to participant choice. Data were collected from 433 transgender Ontarians in 2009-2010 through a self-administered questionnaire, available online, by paper copy, or by telephone with language interpretation. Paper respondents (9.5%) were significantly more likely to be Aboriginal or persons of color, underhoused, sex workers, and unemployed or receiving disability benefits. In Canada and similar high-income countries, sampling transgender populations that are diverse with respect to social determinants of health may be best carried out with multimode surveys.

Testing the Accuracy of Aerial Surveys for Large Mammals: An Experiment with African Savanna Elephants (Loxodonta africana).

PubMed

Schlossberg, Scott; Chase, Michael J; Griffin, Curtice R

2016-01-01

Accurate counts of animals are critical for prioritizing conservation efforts. Past research, however, suggests that observers on aerial surveys may fail to detect all individuals of the target species present in the survey area. Such errors could bias population estimates low and confound trend estimation. We used two approaches to assess the accuracy of aerial surveys for African savanna elephants (Loxodonta africana) in northern Botswana. First, we used double-observer sampling, in which two observers make observations on the same herds, to estimate detectability of elephants and determine what variables affect it. Second, we compared total counts, a complete survey of the entire study area, against sample counts, in which only a portion of the study area is sampled. Total counts are often considered a complete census, so comparing total counts against sample counts can help to determine if sample counts are underestimating elephant numbers. We estimated that observers detected only 76% ± SE of 2% of elephant herds and 87 ± 1% of individual elephants present in survey strips. Detectability increased strongly with elephant herd size. Out of the four observers used in total, one observer had a lower detection probability than the other three, and detectability was higher in the rear row of seats than the front. The habitat immediately adjacent to animals also affected detectability, with detection more likely in more open habitats. Total counts were not statistically distinguishable from sample counts. Because, however, the double-observer samples revealed that observers missed 13% of elephants, we conclude that total counts may be undercounting elephants as well. These results suggest that elephant population estimates from both sample and total counts are biased low. Because factors such as observer and habitat affected detectability of elephants, comparisons of elephant populations across time or space may be confounded. We encourage survey teams to incorporate detectability analysis in all aerial surveys for mammals.

Testing the Accuracy of Aerial Surveys for Large Mammals: An Experiment with African Savanna Elephants (Loxodonta africana)

PubMed Central

Schlossberg, Scott; Chase, Michael J.; Griffin, Curtice R.

2016-01-01

Accurate counts of animals are critical for prioritizing conservation efforts. Past research, however, suggests that observers on aerial surveys may fail to detect all individuals of the target species present in the survey area. Such errors could bias population estimates low and confound trend estimation. We used two approaches to assess the accuracy of aerial surveys for African savanna elephants (Loxodonta africana) in northern Botswana. First, we used double-observer sampling, in which two observers make observations on the same herds, to estimate detectability of elephants and determine what variables affect it. Second, we compared total counts, a complete survey of the entire study area, against sample counts, in which only a portion of the study area is sampled. Total counts are often considered a complete census, so comparing total counts against sample counts can help to determine if sample counts are underestimating elephant numbers. We estimated that observers detected only 76% ± SE of 2% of elephant herds and 87 ± 1% of individual elephants present in survey strips. Detectability increased strongly with elephant herd size. Out of the four observers used in total, one observer had a lower detection probability than the other three, and detectability was higher in the rear row of seats than the front. The habitat immediately adjacent to animals also affected detectability, with detection more likely in more open habitats. Total counts were not statistically distinguishable from sample counts. Because, however, the double-observer samples revealed that observers missed 13% of elephants, we conclude that total counts may be undercounting elephants as well. These results suggest that elephant population estimates from both sample and total counts are biased low. Because factors such as observer and habitat affected detectability of elephants, comparisons of elephant populations across time or space may be confounded. We encourage survey teams to incorporate detectability analysis in all aerial surveys for mammals. PMID:27755570

Morphological characterization of coral reefs by combining lidar and MBES data: A case study from Yuanzhi Island, South China Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Kai; Yang, Fanlin; Zhang, Hande; Su, Dianpeng; Li, QianQian

2017-06-01

The correlation between seafloor morphological features and biological complexity has been identified in numerous recent studies. This research focused on the potential for accurate characterization of coral reefs based on high-resolution bathymetry from multiple sources. A standard deviation (STD) based method for quantitatively characterizing terrain complexity was developed that includes robust estimation to correct for irregular bathymetry and a calibration for the depth-dependent variablity of measurement noise. Airborne lidar and shipborne sonar bathymetry measurements from Yuanzhi Island, South China Sea, were merged to generate seamless high-resolution coverage of coral bathymetry from the shoreline to deep water. The new algorithm was applied to the Yuanzhi Island surveys to generate maps of quantitive terrain complexity, which were then compared to in situ video observations of coral abundance. The terrain complexity parameter is significantly correlated with seafloor coral abundance, demonstrating the potential for accurately and efficiently mapping coral abundance through seafloor surveys, including combinations of surveys using different sensors.

LeMMINGs - I. The eMERLIN legacy survey of nearby galaxies. 1.5-GHz parsec-scale radio structures and cores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baldi, R. D.; Williams, D. R. A.; McHardy, I. M.; Beswick, R. J.; Argo, M. K.; Dullo, B. T.; Knapen, J. H.; Brinks, E.; Muxlow, T. W. B.; Aalto, S.; Alberdi, A.; Bendo, G. J.; Corbel, S.; Evans, R.; Fenech, D. M.; Green, D. A.; Klöckner, H.-R.; Körding, E.; Kharb, P.; Maccarone, T. J.; Martí-Vidal, I.; Mundell, C. G.; Panessa, F.; Peck, A. B.; Pérez-Torres, M. A.; Saikia, D. J.; Saikia, P.; Shankar, F.; Spencer, R. E.; Stevens, I. R.; Uttley, P.; Westcott, J.

2018-05-01

We present the first data release of high-resolution (≤0.2 arcsec) 1.5-GHz radio images of 103 nearby galaxies from the Palomar sample, observed with the eMERLIN array, as part of the LeMMINGs survey. This sample includes galaxies which are active (low-ionization nuclear emission-line regions [LINER] and Seyfert) and quiescent (H II galaxies and absorption line galaxies, ALGs), which are reclassified based upon revised emission-line diagrams. We detect radio emission ≳0.2 mJy for 47/103 galaxies (22/34 for LINERS, 4/4 for Seyferts, 16/51 for H II galaxies, and 5/14 for ALGs) with radio sizes typically of ≲100 pc. We identify the radio core position within the radio structures for 41 sources. Half of the sample shows jetted morphologies. The remaining half shows single radio cores or complex morphologies. LINERs show radio structures more core-brightened than Seyferts. Radio luminosities of the sample range from 1032 to 1040 erg s-1: LINERs and H II galaxies show the highest and lowest radio powers, respectively, while ALGs and Seyferts have intermediate luminosities. We find that radio core luminosities correlate with black hole (BH) mass down to ˜107 M⊙, but a break emerges at lower masses. Using [O III] line luminosity as a proxy for the accretion luminosity, active nuclei and jetted H II galaxies follow an optical Fundamental Plane of BH activity, suggesting a common disc-jet relationship. In conclusion, LINER nuclei are the scaled-down version of FR I radio galaxies; Seyferts show less collimated jets; H II galaxies may host weak active BHs and/or nuclear star-forming cores; and recurrent BH activity may account for ALG properties.

Correlations among Galaxy Properties from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhongmu; Mao, Caiyan

2013-07-01

Galaxies are complex systems with many properties. Correlations among galaxy properties can supply important clues for studying the formation and evolution of galaxies. Using principal component analysis and least-squares fitting, this paper investigates the correlations among galactic parameters involving more properties (color, morphology, stellar population, and absolute magnitude) than previous studies. We use a volume-limited sample (whole sample) of 75,423 galaxies that was selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 2 and divided into two subsamples (blue and red samples) using a critical color of (g - r) = 0.70 mag. In addition to recovering some previous results, we also obtain some new results. First, all separators for dividing galaxies into two groups can be related via good parameter-first principal component (PC1) correlations. A critical PC1 that indicates whether or not stellar age (or the evolution of a stellar population over time) is important can be used to separate galaxies. This suggests that a statistical parameter, PC1, is helpful in understanding the physical separators of galaxies. In addition, stellar age is shown to be unimportant for red galaxies, while both stellar age and mass are dominating parameters of blue galaxies. This suggests that the various numbers of dominating parameters of galaxies may result from the use of different samples. Finally, some parameters are shown to be correlated, and quantitative fits for a few correlations are obtained, e.g., log(t) = 8.57 + 1.65 (g - r) for the age (log t) and color (g - r) of blue galaxies and log (M *) = 4.31 - 0.30 M r for the stellar mass (log M *) and absolute magnitude (M r) of red galaxies. The median relationships between various parameter pairs are also presented for comparison.

Relationship between blood manganese and blood pressure in the Korean general population according to KNHANES 2008

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

Lee, Byung-Kook; Kim, Yangho, E-mail: yanghokm@nuri.net

Introduction: We present data on the association of manganese (Mn) level with hypertension in a representative sample of the adult Korean population who participated in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2008. Methods: This study was based on the data obtained by KNHANES 2008, which was conducted for three years (2007-2009) using a rolling sampling design involving a complex, stratified, multistage, probability-cluster survey of a representative sample of the noninstitutionalized civilian population of South Korea. Results: Multiple regression analysis after controlling for covariates, including gender, age, regional area, education level, smoking, drinking status, hemoglobin, and serum creatinine,more » showed that the beta coefficients of log blood Mn were 3.514, 1.878, and 2.517 for diastolic blood pressure, and 3.593, 2.449, and 2.440 for systolic blood pressure in female, male, and all participants, respectively. Multiple regression analysis including three other blood metals, lead, mercury, and cadmium, revealed no significant effects of the three metals on blood pressure and showed no effect on the association between blood Mn and blood pressure. In addition, doubling the blood Mn increased the risk of hypertension 1.828, 1.573, and 1.567 fold in women, men, and all participants, respectively, after adjustment for covariates. The addition of blood lead, mercury, and cadmium as covariates did not affect the association between blood Mn and the prevalence of hypertension. Conclusion: Blood Mn level was associated with an increased risk of hypertension in a representative sample of the Korean adult population. - Highlights: {yields} We showed the association of manganese with hypertension in Korean population. {yields} This study was based on the data obtained by KNHANES 2008. {yields} Blood manganese level was associated with an increased risk of hypertension.« less

ONLY THE LONELY: H I IMAGING OF VOID GALAXIES

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

Kreckel, K.; Van Gorkom, J. H.; Platen, E.

2011-01-15

Void galaxies, residing within the deepest underdensities of the Cosmic Web, present an ideal population for the study of galaxy formation and evolution in an environment undisturbed by the complex processes modifying galaxies in clusters and groups, as well as provide an observational test for theories of cosmological structure formation. We have completed a pilot survey for the H I imaging aspects of a new Void Galaxy Survey (VGS), imaging 15 void galaxies in H I in local (d < 100 Mpc) voids. H I masses range from 3.5 x 10{sup 8} to 3.8 x 10{sup 9} M{sub sun}, withmore » one nondetection with an upper limit of 2.1 x 10{sup 8} M{sub sun}. Our galaxies were selected using a structural and geometric technique to produce a sample that is purely environmentally selected and uniformly represents the void galaxy population. In addition, we use a powerful new backend of the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope that allows us to probe a large volume around each targeted galaxy, simultaneously providing an environmentally constrained sample of fore- and background control samples of galaxies while still resolving individual galaxy kinematics and detecting faint companions in H I. This small sample makes up a surprisingly interesting collection of perturbed and interacting galaxies, all with small stellar disks. Four galaxies have significantly perturbed H I disks, five have previously unidentified companions at distances ranging from 50 to 200 kpc, two are in interacting systems, and one was found to have a polar H I disk. Our initial findings suggest void galaxies are a gas-rich, dynamic population which present evidence of ongoing gas accretion, major and minor interactions, and filamentary alignment despite the surrounding underdense environment.« less

Ribosomal RNA gene detection and targeted culture of novel nitrogen-responsive fungal taxa from temperate pine forest soil.

PubMed

Hesse, Cedar N; Torres-Cruz, Terry J; Tobias, Terri Billingsley; Al-Matruk, Maryam; Porras-Alfaro, Andrea; Kuske, Cheryl R

Soil fungal communities are responsible for carbon and nitrogen (N) cycling. The high complexity of the soil fungal community and the high proportion of taxonomically unidentifiable sequences confound ecological interpretations in field studies because physiological information is lacking for many organisms known only by their rRNA sequences. This situation forces experimental comparisons to be made at broader taxonomic racks where functions become difficult to infer. The objective of this study was to determine OTU (operational taxonomic units) level responses of the soil fungal community to N enrichment in a temperate pine forest experiment and to use the sequencing data to guide culture efforts of novel N-responsive fungal taxa. Replicate samples from four soil horizons (up to 10 cm depth) were obtained from ambient, enriched CO 2 and N-fertilization plots. Through a fungal large subunit rRNA gene (LSU) sequencing survey, we identified two novel fungal clades that were abundant in our soil sampling (representing up to 27% of the sequences in some samples) and responsive to changes in soil N. The two N-responsive taxa with no predicted taxonomic association were targeted for isolation and culturing from specific soil samples where their sequences were abundant. Representatives of both OTUs were successfully cultured using a filtration approach. One taxon (OTU6) was most closely related to Saccharomycotina; the second taxon (OTU69) was most closely related to Mucoromycotina. Both taxa likely represent novel species. This study shows how observation of specific OTUs level responses to altered N status in a large rRNA gene field survey provided the impetus to design targeted culture approaches for isolation of novel N-responsive fungal taxa.

Comparing flood loss models of different complexity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schröter, Kai; Kreibich, Heidi; Vogel, Kristin; Riggelsen, Carsten; Scherbaum, Frank; Merz, Bruno

2013-04-01

Any deliberation on flood risk requires the consideration of potential flood losses. In particular, reliable flood loss models are needed to evaluate cost-effectiveness of mitigation measures, to assess vulnerability, for comparative risk analysis and financial appraisal during and after floods. In recent years, considerable improvements have been made both concerning the data basis and the methodological approaches used for the development of flood loss models. Despite of that, flood loss models remain an important source of uncertainty. Likewise the temporal and spatial transferability of flood loss models is still limited. This contribution investigates the predictive capability of different flood loss models in a split sample cross regional validation approach. For this purpose, flood loss models of different complexity, i.e. based on different numbers of explaining variables, are learned from a set of damage records that was obtained from a survey after the Elbe flood in 2002. The validation of model predictions is carried out for different flood events in the Elbe and Danube river basins in 2002, 2005 and 2006 for which damage records are available from surveys after the flood events. The models investigated are a stage-damage model, the rule based model FLEMOps+r as well as novel model approaches which are derived using data mining techniques of regression trees and Bayesian networks. The Bayesian network approach to flood loss modelling provides attractive additional information concerning the probability distribution of both model predictions and explaining variables.

Bayesian spatiotemporal analysis of zero-inflated biological population density data by a delta-normal spatiotemporal additive model.

PubMed

Arcuti, Simona; Pollice, Alessio; Ribecco, Nunziata; D'Onghia, Gianfranco

2016-03-01

We evaluate the spatiotemporal changes in the density of a particular species of crustacean known as deep-water rose shrimp, Parapenaeus longirostris, based on biological sample data collected during trawl surveys carried out from 1995 to 2006 as part of the international project MEDITS (MEDiterranean International Trawl Surveys). As is the case for many biological variables, density data are continuous and characterized by unusually large amounts of zeros, accompanied by a skewed distribution of the remaining values. Here we analyze the normalized density data by a Bayesian delta-normal semiparametric additive model including the effects of covariates, using penalized regression with low-rank thin-plate splines for nonlinear spatial and temporal effects. Modeling the zero and nonzero values by two joint processes, as we propose in this work, allows to obtain great flexibility and easily handling of complex likelihood functions, avoiding inaccurate statistical inferences due to misclassification of the high proportion of exact zeros in the model. Bayesian model estimation is obtained by Markov chain Monte Carlo simulations, suitably specifying the complex likelihood function of the zero-inflated density data. The study highlights relevant nonlinear spatial and temporal effects and the influence of the annual Mediterranean oscillations index and of the sea surface temperature on the distribution of the deep-water rose shrimp density. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Payers' experiences with confidential pharmaceutical price discounts: A survey of public and statutory health systems in North America, Europe, and Australasia.

PubMed

Morgan, Steven G; Vogler, Sabine; Wagner, Anita K

2017-04-01

Institutional payers for pharmaceuticals worldwide appear to be increasingly negotiating confidential discounts off of the official list price of pharmaceuticals purchased in the community setting. We conducted an anonymous survey about experiences with and attitudes toward confidential discounts on patented pharmaceuticals in a sample of high-income countries. Confidential price discounts are now common among the ten health systems that participated in our study, though some had only recently begun to use these pricing arrangements on a routine basis. Several health systems had used a wide variety of discounting schemes in the past two years. The most frequent discount received by participating health systems was between 20% and 29% of official list prices; however, six participants reported their health system received one or more discount over the past two years that was valued at 60% or more of the list prices. On average, participants reported that confidential discounts were more common, complex, and significant for specialty pharmaceuticals than for primary care pharmaceuticals. Participants had a more favorable view of the impact of confidential discount schemes on their health systems than on the global marketplace. Overall, the frequency, complexity, and scale of confidential discounts being routinely negotiated suggest that the list prices for medicines bear limited resemblance to what many institutional payers actually pay. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Modelling the contribution of changes in family life to time trends in adolescent conduct problems.

PubMed

Collishaw, Stephan; Goodman, Robert; Pickles, Andrew; Maughan, Barbara

2007-12-01

The past half-century has seen significant changes in family life, including an increase in parental divorce, increases in the numbers of lone parent and stepfamilies, changes in socioeconomic well being, and a decrease in family size. Evidence also shows substantial time trends in adolescent mental health, including a marked increase in conduct problems over the last 25 years of the 20th Century in the UK. The aim of this study was to examine how these two sets of trends may be related. To illustrate the complexity of the issues involved, we focused on three well-established family risks for conduct problems: family type, income and family size. Three community samples of adolescents from England, Scotland and Wales were compared: 10,348 16-year olds assessed in 1974 as part of the National Child Development Study, 7234 16-year olds assessed in 1986 as part of the British Cohort Study, and 860 15-year olds assessed in the 1999 British Child and Adolescent Mental Health Survey. Parents completed comparable ratings of conduct problems in each survey and provided information on family type, income and size. Findings highlight important variations in both the prevalence of these family variables and their associations with conduct problems over time, underscoring the complex conceptual issues involved in testing causes of trends in mental health.

Extreme infrared variables from UKIDSS - II. An end-of-survey catalogue of eruptive YSOs and unusual stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lucas, P. W.; Smith, L. C.; Contreras Peña, C.; Froebrich, D.; Drew, J. E.; Kumar, M. S. N.; Borissova, J.; Minniti, D.; Kurtev, R.; Monguió, M.

2017-12-01

We present a catalogue of 618 high-amplitude infrared variable stars (1 < ΔK < 5 mag) detected by the two widely separated epochs of 2.2 μm data in the UKIDSS Galactic plane survey, from searches covering ∼1470 deg2. Most were discovered by a search of all fields at 30 < l < 230°. Sources include new dusty Mira variables, three new cataclysmic variable candidates, a blazar and a peculiar source that may be an interacting binary system. However, ∼60 per cent are young stellar obbjects (YSOs), based on spatial association with star-forming regions at distances ranging from 300 pc to over 10 kpc. This confirms our initial result in Contreras Peña et al. (Paper I) that YSOs dominate the high-amplitude infrared variable sky in the Galactic disc. It is also supported by recently published VISTA Variables in the Via Lactea (VVV) results at 295 < l < 350°. The spectral energy distributions of the YSOs indicate class I or flat-spectrum systems in most cases, as in the VVV sample. A large number of variable YSOs are associated with the Cygnus X complex and other groups are associated with the North America/Pelican nebula, the Gemini OB1 molecular cloud, the Rosette complex, the Cone nebula, the W51 star-forming region and the S86 and S236 H II regions. Most of the YSO variability is likely due to variable/episodic accretion on time-scales of years, albeit usually less extreme than classical FUors and EXors. Luminosities at the 2010 Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer epoch range from ∼0.1 to 103 L⊙ but only rarely exceed 102.5 L⊙.

Abundance and distribution of feral pigs at Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge, 2010-2013

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hess, Steven C.; Leopold, Christina R.; Kendall, Steven J.

2013-01-01

The Hakalau Forest Unit of the Big Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex has intensively managed feral pigs (Sus scrofa) and monitored feral pig presence with surveys of all managed areas since 1988. Results of all available data regarding pig management activities through 2004 were compiled and analyzed, but no further analyses had been conducted since then. The objective of this report was to analyze recent feral ungulate surveys at the Hakalau Forest Unit to determine current pig abundance and distribution. Activity indices for feral pigs, consisting of the presence of fresh or intermediate sign at 422 stations, each with approximately 20 sample plots, were compiled for years 2010–2013. A calibrated model based on the number of pigs removed from one management unit and concurrent activity surveys was applied to estimate pig abundance in other management units. Although point estimates appeared to decrease from 489.1 (±105.6) in 2010 to 407.6 (±88.0) in 2013, 95% confidence intervals overlapped, indicating no significant change in pig abundance within all management units. Nonetheless, there were significant declines in pig abundance over the four-year period within management units 1, 6, and 7. Areas where pig abundance remained high include the southern portion of Unit 2. Results of these surveys will be useful for directing management actions towards specific management units.

Factors related to unmet oral health needs in older adults living in Chile.

PubMed

Mariño, Rodrigo; Giacaman, Rodrigo A

2014-01-01

To assess the oral health status and treatment needs of an ambulant population of older adults, living in the Maule Region, Chile, and provide descriptive information on its distribution by selected socio-demographic characteristics. The source of primary data was the Regional Oral Health Survey. A stratified random sample of 438 older adults, aged 65-74 years, living independently in the community was orally examined, and underwent an oral health interview. The sample was largely a dentate one (74.9%); with a mean DMFT score of 25.7 (s.d. 6.5) and an average number of missing teeth of 22.4 (s.d. 5.8). Dentate participants had 41% of their restorative care needs unmet, and 68.4% needed oral hygiene instruction plus removal of calculus on their teeth. Almost 30.1% required complex periodontal therapy. 21% of those fully edentulous were in need of full dentures. Comparing these findings with existing data on the oral health of older adults in Chile, participants in this study appear to have lower missing teeth scores and less need for complex periodontal treatment. Inequities were apparent in the proportion of unmet restorative and prosthetics needs. Community-based preventive care programs specifically tailored to older adults are needed to address this challenge. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neighborhood Contributions to Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Obesity Among New York City Adults.

PubMed

Lim, Sungwoo; Harris, Tiffany G

2015-01-01

Objectives. We assessed neighborhood confounding on racial/ethnic obesity disparities among adults in New York City after accounting for complex sampling, and how much neighborhood factors (walkability, percentage Black or Hispanic, poverty) contributed to this effect. Methods. We combined New York City Community Health Survey 2002-2004 data with Census 2000 zip code-level data. We estimated odds ratios (ORs) for obesity with 2 sets of regression analyses. First, we used the method incorporating the conditional pseudolikelihood into complex sample adjustment. Second, we compared ORs for race/ethnicity from a conventional multilevel model for each neighborhood factor with those from a hybrid fixed-effect model. Results. The weighted estimate for obesity for Blacks versus Whites (OR = 1.8; 95% confidence interval = 1.6, 2.0) was attenuated when we controlled neighborhood confounding (OR = 1.4; 95% confidence interval = 1.2, 1.6; first analysis). Percentage of Blacks in the neighborhood made a large contribution whereas the walkability contribution was minimal (second analysis). Conclusions. Percentage of Blacks in New York City neighborhoods explained a large portion of the disparity in obesity between Blacks and Whites. The study highlights the importance of estimating valid neighborhood effects for public health surveillance and intervention.

Genetic Structure of Bluefin Tuna in the Mediterranean Sea Correlates with Environmental Variables

PubMed Central

Riccioni, Giulia; Stagioni, Marco; Landi, Monica; Ferrara, Giorgia; Barbujani, Guido; Tinti, Fausto

2013-01-01

Background Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (ABFT) shows complex demography and ecological variation in the Mediterranean Sea. Genetic surveys have detected significant, although weak, signals of population structuring; catch series analyses and tagging programs identified complex ABFT spatial dynamics and migration patterns. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the genetic structure of the ABFT in the Mediterranean is correlated with mean surface temperature and salinity. Methodology We used six samples collected from Western and Central Mediterranean integrated with a new sample collected from the recently identified easternmost reproductive area of Levantine Sea. To assess population structure in the Mediterranean we used a multidisciplinary framework combining classical population genetics, spatial and Bayesian clustering methods and a multivariate approach based on factor analysis. Conclusions FST analysis and Bayesian clustering methods detected several subpopulations in the Mediterranean, a result also supported by multivariate analyses. In addition, we identified significant correlations of genetic diversity with mean salinity and surface temperature values revealing that ABFT is genetically structured along two environmental gradients. These results suggest that a preference for some spawning habitat conditions could contribute to shape ABFT genetic structuring in the Mediterranean. However, further studies should be performed to assess to what extent ABFT spawning behaviour in the Mediterranean Sea can be affected by environmental variation. PMID:24260341

Zooxanthellae of the Montastraea annularis species complex: patterns of distribution of four taxa of Symbiodinium on different reefs and across depths.

PubMed

Toller, W W; Rowan, R; Knowlton, N

2001-12-01

Corals of the Montastraea annularis complex host several different dinoflagellates in the genus Symbiodinium. Here we address two questions arising from our previous studies of these associations on an offshore reef. First, do the same taxa and patterns of association (Symbiodinium A and B found in higher irradiance habitats than Symbiodinium C) occur on an inshore reef? Second, does M. franksi at the limits of its depth range host only Symbiodinium C, as it does at intermediate depths? In both surveys, a new Symbiodinium taxon and different patterns of distribution (assayed by analyses of small ribosomal subunit RNA genes [srDNA]) were observed. Inshore, a taxon we name Symbiodinium E predominated in higher irradiance habitats in M. franksi and its two sibling species; the only other zooxanthella observed was Symbiodinium C. Offshore, M. franksi mainly hosted Symbiodinium C, but hosted Symbiodinium A, B, C, and E in shallow water and Symbiodinium E and C in very deep water. Symbiodinium E may be stress-tolerant. Observed srDNA heterogeneity within samples of Symbiodinium B, C, and E is interpreted as variation across copies within this multigene family. Experimental bleaching of Symbiodinium C supported this interpretation. Thus sequences from natural samples should be interpreted cautiously.

The Sampling Design of the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS)

PubMed Central

Xie, Yu; Lu, Ping

2018-01-01

The China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) is an on-going, nearly nationwide, comprehensive, longitudinal social survey that is intended to serve research needs on a large variety of social phenomena in contemporary China. In this paper, we describe the sampling design of the CFPS sample for its 2010 baseline survey and methods for constructing weights to adjust for sampling design and survey nonresponses. Specifically, the CFPS used a multi-stage probability strategy to reduce operation costs and implicit stratification to increase efficiency. Respondents were oversampled in five provinces or administrative equivalents for regional comparisons. We provide operation details for both sampling and weights construction. PMID:29854418

A Methodological Intercomparison of Topographic and Aerial Photographic Habitat Survey Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bangen, S. G.; Wheaton, J. M.; Bouwes, N.

2011-12-01

A severe decline in Columbia River salmonid populations and subsequent Federal listing of subpopulations has mandated both the monitoring of populations and evaluation of the status of available habitat. Numerous field and analytical methods exist to assist in the quantification of the abundance and quality of in-stream habitat for salmonids. These methods range from field 'stick and tape' surveys to spatially explicit topographic and aerial photographic surveys from a mix of ground-based and remotely sensed airborne platforms. Although several previous studies have assessed the quality of specific individual survey methods, the intercomparison of competing techniques across a diverse range of habitat conditions (wadeable headwater channels to non-wadeable mainstem channels) has not yet been elucidated. In this study, we seek to enumerate relative quality (i.e. accuracy, precision, extent) of habitat metrics and inventories derived from an array of ground-based and remotely sensed surveys of varying degrees of sophistication, as well as quantify the effort and cost in conducting the surveys. Over the summer of 2010, seven sample reaches of varying habitat complexity were surveyed in the Lemhi River Basin, Idaho, USA. Complete topographic surveys were attempted at each site using rtkGPS, total station, ground-based LiDaR and traditional airborne LiDaR. Separate high spatial resolution aerial imagery surveys were acquired using a tethered blimp, a drone UAV, and a traditional fixed-wing aircraft. Here we also developed a relatively simplistic methodology for deriving bathymetry from aerial imagery that could be readily employed by instream habitat monitoring programs. The quality of bathymetric maps derived from aerial imagery was compared with rtkGPS topographic data. The results are helpful for understanding the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches in specific conditions, and how a hybrid of data acquisition methods can be used to build a more complete quantification of salmonid habitat conditions in streams.

THE VLA SURVEY OF CHANDRA DEEP FIELD SOUTH. V. EVOLUTION AND LUMINOSITY FUNCTIONS OF SUB-MILLIJANSKY RADIO SOURCES AND THE ISSUE OF RADIO EMISSION IN RADIO-QUIET ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI

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

Padovani, P.; Mainieri, V.; Rosati, P.

2011-10-10

We present the evolutionary properties and luminosity functions of the radio sources belonging to the Chandra Deep Field South Very Large Array survey, which reaches a flux density limit at 1.4 GHz of 43 {mu}Jy at the field center and redshift {approx}5 and which includes the first radio-selected complete sample of radio-quiet active galactic nuclei (AGNs). We use a new, comprehensive classification scheme based on radio, far- and near-IR, optical, and X-ray data to disentangle star-forming galaxies (SFGs) from AGNs and radio-quiet from radio-loud AGNs. We confirm our previous result that SFGs become dominant only below 0.1 mJy. The sub-millijanskymore » radio sky turns out to be a complex mix of SFGs and radio-quiet AGNs evolving at a similar, strong rate; non-evolving low-luminosity radio galaxies; and declining radio powerful (P {approx}> 3 x 10{sup 24} W Hz{sup -1}) AGNs. Our results suggest that radio emission from radio-quiet AGNs is closely related to star formation. The detection of compact, high brightness temperature cores in several nearby radio-quiet AGNs can be explained by the coexistence of two components, one non-evolving and AGN related and one evolving and star formation related. Radio-quiet AGNs are an important class of sub-millijansky sources, accounting for {approx}30% of the sample and {approx}60% of all AGNs, and outnumbering radio-loud AGNs at {approx}< 0.1 mJy. This implies that future, large area sub-millijansky surveys, given the appropriate ancillary multiwavelength data, have the potential of being able to assemble vast samples of radio-quiet AGNs, bypassing the problems of obscuration that plague the optical and soft X-ray bands.« less

Public Opinions about Overdiagnosis: A National Community Survey

PubMed Central

Moynihan, Ray; Nickel, Brooke; Hersch, Jolyn; Beller, Elaine; Doust, Jenny; Compton, Shane; Barratt, Alexandra; Bero, Lisa; McCaffery, Kirsten

2015-01-01

Background Despite evidence about the "modern epidemic" of overdiagnosis, and expanding disease definitions that medicalize more people, data are lacking on public views about these issues. Our objective was to measure public perceptions about overdiagnosis and views about financial ties of panels setting disease definitions. Methods We conducted a 15 minute Computer Assisted Telephone Interview with a randomly selected community sample of 500 Australians in January 2014. We iteratively developed and piloted a questionnaire, with a convenience sample (n=20), then with participants recruited by a research company (n=20). Questions included whether respondents had been informed about overdiagnosis; opinions on informing people; and views about financial ties among panels writing disease definitions. Findings Our sample was generally representative, but included a higher proportion of females and seniors, typical of similar surveys. American Association for Public Opinion Research response rate was 20% and cooperation rate was 44%. Only 10% (95% CI 8%–13%) of people reported ever being told about overdiagnosis by a doctor. 18% (95% CI 11%–28%) of men who reported having prostate cancer screening, and 10% (95% CI 6%–15%) of women who reported having mammography said they were told about overdiagnosis. 93% (95% CI 90%–95%) agreed along with screening benefits, people should be informed about overdiagnosis. On panels setting disease definitions, 78% (95% CI 74%–82%) felt ties to pharmaceutical companies inappropriate, and 91% (95% CI 82%–100%) believed panels should have a minority or no members with ties. Limitations included questionnaire novelty and complexity. Conclusions A small minority of Australians surveyed, including those reporting being screened for prostate or breast cancer, reported being informed of overdiagnosis; most believed people should be informed; and a majority felt it inappropriate that doctors with ties to pharmaceutical companies write disease definitions. Results suggest strategies to better inform people about overdiagnosis, and review disease definition processes, have significant public sympathy. PMID:25992887

Public Opinions about Overdiagnosis: A National Community Survey.

PubMed

Moynihan, Ray; Nickel, Brooke; Hersch, Jolyn; Beller, Elaine; Doust, Jenny; Compton, Shane; Barratt, Alexandra; Bero, Lisa; McCaffery, Kirsten

2015-01-01

Despite evidence about the "modern epidemic" of overdiagnosis, and expanding disease definitions that medicalize more people, data are lacking on public views about these issues. Our objective was to measure public perceptions about overdiagnosis and views about financial ties of panels setting disease definitions. We conducted a 15 minute Computer Assisted Telephone Interview with a randomly selected community sample of 500 Australians in January 2014. We iteratively developed and piloted a questionnaire, with a convenience sample (n=20), then with participants recruited by a research company (n=20). Questions included whether respondents had been informed about overdiagnosis; opinions on informing people; and views about financial ties among panels writing disease definitions. Our sample was generally representative, but included a higher proportion of females and seniors, typical of similar surveys. American Association for Public Opinion Research response rate was 20% and cooperation rate was 44%. Only 10% (95% CI 8%-13%) of people reported ever being told about overdiagnosis by a doctor. 18% (95% CI 11%-28%) of men who reported having prostate cancer screening, and 10% (95% CI 6%-15%) of women who reported having mammography said they were told about overdiagnosis. 93% (95% CI 90%-95%) agreed along with screening benefits, people should be informed about overdiagnosis. On panels setting disease definitions, 78% (95% CI 74%-82%) felt ties to pharmaceutical companies inappropriate, and 91% (95% CI 82%-100%) believed panels should have a minority or no members with ties. Limitations included questionnaire novelty and complexity. A small minority of Australians surveyed, including those reporting being screened for prostate or breast cancer, reported being informed of overdiagnosis; most believed people should be informed; and a majority felt it inappropriate that doctors with ties to pharmaceutical companies write disease definitions. Results suggest strategies to better inform people about overdiagnosis, and review disease definition processes, have significant public sympathy.

78 FR 16463 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-15

... evaluations, and as a sampling frame for the American Community Survey and our other demographic current... area and group quarters frame listings for many ongoing demographic surveys (the Current Population... blocks in the area or group quarters frame sample for the demographic surveys. FRs will update existing...

50 CFR 648.90 - NE multispecies assessment, framework procedures and specifications, and flexible area action...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

...; survey results; stock status; current estimates of fishing mortality and overfishing levels; social and...; sea sampling and trawl survey data or, if sea sampling data are unavailable, length frequency information from trawl surveys; impact of other fisheries on herring mortality; and any other relevant...

77 FR 34387 - National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) DNA Samples

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-11

... and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) DNA Samples AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and... Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) will not be receiving DNA proposals in the near future. NHANES is changing its plan for making DNA available for genetic research and its proposal guidelines...

76 FR 72417 - National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) DNA Samples

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-23

... and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) DNA Samples AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and... Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) will not be receiving DNA proposals in 2012. NHANES is changing its plan for making DNA available for genetic research and its proposal guidelines. NHANES...

Use of multispectral data in design of forest sample surveys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Titus, S. J.; Wensel, L. C.

1977-01-01

The use of multispectral data in design of forest sample surveys using a computer software package is described. The system allows evaluation of a number of alternative sampling systems and, with appropriate cost data, estimates the implementation cost for each.

Use of multispectral data in design of forest sample surveys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Titus, S. J.; Wensel, L. C.

1977-01-01

The use of multispectral data in design of forest sample surveys using a computer software package, WILLIAM, is described. The system allows evaluation of a number of alternative sampling systems and, with appropriate cost data, estimates the implementation cost for each.

Measurements of CaII absorption, metals and dust in a sample of z ~= 1 DLAs and subDLAs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nestor, Daniel B.; Pettini, Max; Hewett, Paul C.; Rao, Sandhya; Wild, Vivienne

2008-11-01

We present observations of CaII, ZnII and CrII absorption lines in 16 damped Lyman alpha (DLA) systems and six subDLAs at redshifts 0.6 < zabs < 1.3, obtained for the dual purposes of (i) clarifying the relationship between DLAs and absorption systems selected from their strong CaII lines, and (ii) increasing the still limited sample of Zn and Cr abundance determinations in this redshift range. We find only partial overlap between current samples of intermediate redshift DLAs (which are drawn from magnitude-limited surveys) and strong CaII absorbers: approximately 25 per cent of known DLAs at these redshifts have an associated CaII λ3935 line with a rest-frame equivalent width greater than 0.35 Å, the threshold of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey sample assembled by Wild and her collaborators. The lack of the strongest CaII systems (with equivalent widths greater than 0.5 Å) is consistent with these authors' conclusion that such absorbers are often missed in current DLA surveys because they redden and dim the light of the background quasi-stellar objects. We rule out the suggestion that strong CaII absorption is associated exclusively with the highest column density DLAs. Furthermore, we find no correlation between the strength of the CaII lines and either the metallicity or degree of depletion of refractory elements, although the strongest CaII absorber in our sample is also the most metal-rich DLA yet discovered, with [Zn/H] ~= solar. We conclude that a complex mix of parameters must determine the strengths of the CaII lines, including the density of particles and ultraviolet photons in the interstellar media of the galaxies hosting the DLAs. We find tentative evidence (given the small size of our sample) that strong CaII systems may preferentially sample regions of high gas density, perhaps akin to the DLAs exhibiting molecular hydrogen absorption at redshifts z > 2. If this connection is confirmed, strong CaII absorbers would trace possibly metal rich, H2 bearing columns of cool, dense gas at distances up to tens of kpc from normal galaxies. Based on the observations made with the William Herschel Telescope operated on the island of La Palma by the Isaac Newton Group in the Spanish Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias. E-mail: dbn@ast.cam.ac.uk

A novel, efficient method for estimating the prevalence of acute malnutrition in resource-constrained and crisis-affected settings: A simulation study.

PubMed

Frison, Severine; Kerac, Marko; Checchi, Francesco; Nicholas, Jennifer

2017-01-01

The assessment of the prevalence of acute malnutrition in children under five is widely used for the detection of emergencies, planning interventions, advocacy, and monitoring and evaluation. This study examined PROBIT Methods which convert parameters (mean and standard deviation (SD)) of a normally distributed variable to a cumulative probability below any cut-off to estimate acute malnutrition in children under five using Middle-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC). We assessed the performance of: PROBIT Method I, with mean MUAC from the survey sample and MUAC SD from a database of previous surveys; and PROBIT Method II, with mean and SD of MUAC observed in the survey sample. Specifically, we generated sub-samples from 852 survey datasets, simulating 100 surveys for eight sample sizes. Overall the methods were tested on 681 600 simulated surveys. PROBIT methods relying on sample sizes as small as 50 had better performance than the classic method for estimating and classifying the prevalence of acute malnutrition. They had better precision in the estimation of acute malnutrition for all sample sizes and better coverage for smaller sample sizes, while having relatively little bias. They classified situations accurately for a threshold of 5% acute malnutrition. Both PROBIT methods had similar outcomes. PROBIT Methods have a clear advantage in the assessment of acute malnutrition prevalence based on MUAC, compared to the classic method. Their use would require much lower sample sizes, thus enable great time and resource savings and permit timely and/or locally relevant prevalence estimates of acute malnutrition for a swift and well-targeted response.

Attrition analysed in five waves of a longitudinal yearly survey of smokers: findings from the ITC Netherlands survey.

PubMed

Zethof, Dennis; Nagelhout, Gera E; de Rooij, Mark; Driezen, Pete; Fong, Geoffrey T; van den Putte, Bas; Hummel, Karin; de Vries, Hein; Thompson, Mary E; Willemsen, Marc C

2016-08-01

Attrition bias can affect the external validity of findings. This article analyses attrition bias and assesses the effectiveness of replenishment samples on demographic and smoking-related characteristics for the International Tobacco Control Netherlands Survey, a longitudinal survey among smokers. Attrition analyses were conducted for the first five survey waves (2008-12). We assessed, including and excluding replenishment samples, whether the demographic composition of the samples changed between the first and fifth waves. Replenishment samples were tailored to ensure the sample remained representative of the smoking population. We also constructed a multivariable survival model of attrition that included all five waves with replenishment samples. Of the original 1820 respondents recruited in 2008, 46% participated again in 2012. Demographic differences between waves due to attrition were generally small and replenishment samples tended to minimize them further. The multivariable survival analysis revealed that only two of the 10 variables analysed were significant predictors of attrition: a weak effect for gender (men dropped out more often) and weak to moderate effects for age (respondents aged 15-24 years dropped out more than aged 25-39 years, who dropped out more than those aged 40+ years). Weak to moderate attrition effects were found for men and younger age groups. This information could be used to minimize respondent attrition. Our findings suggest that sampling weights and tailored replenishment samples can effectively compensate for attrition effects. This is already being done for the International Tobacco Control Netherlands Survey, including the categories that significantly predicted attrition in this study. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Reasons for nonresponse in a web-based survey of alcohol involvement among first-year college students.

PubMed

Cranford, James A; McCabe, Sean Esteban; Boyd, Carol J; Slayden, Janie; Reed, Mark B; Ketchie, Julie M; Lange, James E; Scott, Marcia S

2008-01-01

This study conducted a follow-up telephone survey of a probability sample of college students who did not respond to a Web survey to determine correlates of and reasons for nonresponse. A stratified random sample of 2502 full-time first-year undergraduate students was invited to participate in a Web-based survey. A random sample of 221 students who did not respond to the original Web survey completed an abbreviated version of the original survey by telephone. Nonresponse did not vary by gender, but nonresponse was higher among Blacks and Hispanics compared to Whites, and Blacks compared to Asians. Nonresponders reported lower frequency of past 28 days drinking, lower levels of past-year and past 28-days heavy episodic drinking, and more time spent preparing for classes than responders. The most common reasons for nonresponse were "too busy" (45.7%), "not interested" (18.1%), and "forgot to complete survey" (18.1%). Reasons for nonresponse to Web surveys among college students are similar to reasons for nonresponse to mail and telephone surveys, and some nonresponse reasons vary as a function of alcohol involvement.

Sample survey methods as a quality assurance tool in a general practice immunisation audit.

PubMed

Cullen, R

1994-04-27

In a multidoctor family practice there are often just too many sets of patients records to make it practical to repeat an audit by census of even an age band of the practice on a regular basis. This paper attempts to demonstrate how sample survey methodology can be incorporated into the quality assurance cycle. A simple random sample (with replacement) of 120 from 580 children with permanent records who were aged between 6 weeks and 2 years old from an Auckland general practice was performed, with sample size selected to give a predetermined precision. The survey was then repeated after 4 weeks. Both surveys were able to be completed within the course of a normal working day. An unexpectedly low level of under 2 years olds that were recorded as not overdue for any immunisations was found (22.5%) with only a modest improvement after a standard telephone/letter catch up campaign. Seventy-two percent of the sample held a group one community services card. The advantages of properly conducted sample surveys in producing useful estimates of known precision without disrupting office routines excessively were demonstrated. Through some attention to methodology, the trauma of a practice census can be avoided.

Sourcebook of locations of geophysical surveys in tunnels and horizontal holes, including results of seismic refraction surveys, Rainier Mesa, Aqueduct Mesa, and Area 16, Nevada Test Site

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carroll, R.D.; Kibler, J.E.

1983-01-01

Seismic refraction surveys have been obtained sporadically in tunnels in zeolitized tuff at the Nevada Test Site since the late 1950's. Commencing in 1967 and continuing to date (1982), .extensive measurements of shear- and compressional-wave velocities have been made in five tunnel complexes in Rainier and Aqueduct Mesas and in one tunnel complex in Shoshone Mountain. The results of these surveys to 1980 are compiled in this report. In addition, extensive horizontal drilling was initiated in 1967 in connection with geologic exploration in these tunnel complexes for sites for nuclear weapons tests. Seismic and electrical surveys were conducted in the majority of these holes. The type and location of these tunnel and borehole surveys are indexed in this report. Synthesis of the seismic refraction data indicates a mean compressional-wave velocity near the nuclear device point (WP) of 23 tunnel events of 2,430 m/s (7,970 f/s) with a range of 1,846-2,753 m/s (6,060-9,030 f/s). The mean shear-wave velocity of 17 tunnel events is 1,276 m/s (4,190 f/s) with a range of 1,140-1,392 m/s (3,740-4,570 f/s). Experience indicates that these velocity variations are due chiefly to the extent of fracturing and (or) the presence of partially saturated rock in the region of the survey.

The Longitudinal Prevalence of Unfinished Nursing Care at the US Army Burn Center

DTIC Science & Technology

2018-01-02

vocational nurses completed a 50- item, paper survey . Administrative data related to nursing staff supply and working conditions also were collected monthly...from local nurse leaders. Sample: In total, 599 surveys were handed out to 118 nurses; 269 useable surveys were returned (overall response rate... survey . Administrative data related to nursing staff supply and working conditions also were collected monthly from local nurse leaders. Sample

Appendix E: Representative Pedon Descriptions for the Soils of the GLEES Wyoming Soil Survey Area: EGL, WGL & Lost Lake Watersheds

Treesearch

R. W. E. Hopper; P. M. Walthall

1994-01-01

A soil survey was conducted of the East Glacier, West Glacier and Lost Lake watersheds in July-September 1986. Procedures appropriate for an Order 3 soil survey were followed. Fifteen locations were surveyed and a total of 166 samples were analyzed. The 15 series are listed below, along with the soil classification and number of samples analyzed.

23 CFR Appendix A to Part 1340 - Sample Design

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 23 Highways 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Sample Design A Appendix A to Part 1340 Highways... OBSERVATIONAL SURVEYS OF SEAT BELT USE Pt. 1340, App. A Appendix A to Part 1340—Sample Design Following is a description of a sample design that meets the final survey guidelines and, based upon NHTSA's experience in...

Legionella spp. in dental unit waterlines.

PubMed

Sedlata Juraskova, E; Sedlackova, H; Janska, J; Holy, O; Lalova, I; Matouskova, I

2017-01-01

To determine the current presence of Legionella spp. in the output water of dental unit waterlines (DUWLs) and examine its mitigation by disinfection at the Institute of Dentistry and Oral Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc and University Hospital Olomouc. The first stage of our survey involved collecting samples of DUWL output water from 50 dental chair units (DCUs), and 2 samples of the incoming potable water. In October 2015, a one-time disinfection (1 % Stabimed) of DUWLs was conducted. This was followed by collecting 10 control samples (survey stage 2). From the total of 50 samples (survey stage 1), 18 samples (36.0 %) tested positive for Legionella spp. Following the disinfection, nine of the ten samples no longer showed any presence of Legionella. Based on culture results, the one-time disinfection (1 % Stabimed) was effective. We are unable to comment on the duration of positive effect of disinfection on the occurrence of Legionella spp. in the outlet water. It was a one-time survey (Tab. 2, Ref. 32).

A random cluster survey and a convenience sample give comparable estimates of immunity to vaccine preventable diseases in children of school age in Victoria, Australia.

PubMed

Kelly, Heath; Riddell, Michaela A; Gidding, Heather F; Nolan, Terry; Gilbert, Gwendolyn L

2002-08-19

We compared estimates of the age-specific population immunity to measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B and varicella zoster viruses in Victorian school children obtained by a national sero-survey, using a convenience sample of residual sera from diagnostic laboratories throughout Australia, with those from a three-stage random cluster survey. When grouped according to school age (primary or secondary school) there was no significant difference in the estimates of immunity to measles, mumps, hepatitis B or varicella. Compared with the convenience sample, the random cluster survey estimated higher immunity to rubella in samples from both primary (98.7% versus 93.6%, P = 0.002) and secondary school students (98.4% versus 93.2%, P = 0.03). Despite some limitations, this study suggests that the collection of a convenience sample of sera from diagnostic laboratories is an appropriate sampling strategy to provide population immunity data that will inform Australia's current and future immunisation policies. Copyright 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd.

Growing cell-phone population and noncoverage bias in traditional random digit dial telephone health surveys.

PubMed

Lee, Sunghee; Brick, J Michael; Brown, E Richard; Grant, David

2010-08-01

Examine the effect of including cell-phone numbers in a traditional landline random digit dial (RDD) telephone survey. The 2007 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS). CHIS 2007 is an RDD telephone survey supplementing a landline sample in California with a sample of cell-only (CO) adults. We examined the degree of bias due to exclusion of CO populations and compared a series of demographic and health-related characteristics by telephone usage. When adjusted for noncoverage in the landline sample through weighting, the potential noncoverage bias due to excluding CO adults in landline telephone surveys is diminished. Both CO adults and adults who have both landline and cell phones but mostly use cell phones appear different from other telephone usage groups. Controlling for demographic differences did not attenuate the significant distinctiveness of cell-mostly adults. While careful weighting can mitigate noncoverage bias in landline telephone surveys, the rapid growth of cell-phone population and their distinctive characteristics suggest it is important to include a cell-phone sample. Moreover, the threat of noncoverage bias in telephone health survey estimates could mislead policy makers with possibly serious consequences for their ability to address important health policy issues.

Gardening/yard work and depressive symptoms in African Americans

PubMed Central

Torres, Elisa R.; Sampselle, Carolyn M.; Ronis, David L.; Neighbors, Harold W.; Gretebeck, Kimberlee A.

2015-01-01

Background The purpose of this study was to examine the frequency of gardening/yard work in relation to depressive symptoms in African-Americans while controlling for biological and social factors. Methods A secondary analysis was performed on the National Survey of American Life (n=2,903) using logistic regression for complex samples. Gardening/yard work was measured by self-reported frequency. Depressive symptoms were measured with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale. Results Biological and social factors, not gardening/yard work, were associated with depressive symptoms. Conclusions Biological and social factors may need to be addressed before the association between gardening/yard work and depressive symptoms can be determined. PMID:26992864

Gardening/Yard Work and Depressive Symptoms in African Americans.

PubMed

Torres, Elisa R; Sampselle, Carolyn M; Ronis, David L; Neighbors, Harold W; Gretebeck, Kimberlee A

2016-04-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the frequency of gardening/yard work in relation to depressive symptoms in African-Americans while controlling for biological and social factors. A secondary analysis was performed on the National Survey of American Life (n=2,903) using logistic regression for complex samples. Gardening/Yard work was measured by self-reported frequency. Depressive symptoms were measured with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale. Biological and social factors, not gardening/yard work, were associated with depressive symptoms. Biological and social factors may need to be addressed before the association between gardening/yard work and depressive symptoms can be determined. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multidisciplinary aerospace design optimization: Survey of recent developments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sobieszczanski-Sobieski, Jaroslaw; Haftka, Raphael T.

1995-01-01

The increasing complexity of engineering systems has sparked increasing interest in multidisciplinary optimization (MDO). This paper presents a survey of recent publications in the field of aerospace where interest in MDO has been particularly intense. The two main challenges of MDO are computational expense and organizational complexity. Accordingly the survey is focussed on various ways different researchers use to deal with these challenges. The survey is organized by a breakdown of MDO into its conceptual components. Accordingly, the survey includes sections on Mathematical Modeling, Design-oriented Analysis, Approximation Concepts, Optimization Procedures, System Sensitivity, and Human Interface. With the authors' main expertise being in the structures area, the bulk of the references focus on the interaction of the structures discipline with other disciplines. In particular, two sections at the end focus on two such interactions that have recently been pursued with a particular vigor: Simultaneous Optimization of Structures and Aerodynamics, and Simultaneous Optimization of Structures Combined With Active Control.

Developing a weighting strategy to include mobile phone numbers into an ongoing population health survey using an overlapping dual-frame design with limited benchmark information

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background In 2012 mobile phone numbers were included into the ongoing New South Wales Population Health Survey (NSWPHS) using an overlapping dual-frame design. Previously in the NSWPHS the sample was selected using random digit dialing (RDD) of landline phone numbers. The survey was undertaken using computer assisted telephone interviewing (CATI). The weighting strategy needed to be significantly expanded to manage the differing probabilities of selection by frame, including that of children of mobile-only phone users, and to adjust for the increased chance of selection of dual-phone users. This paper describes the development of the final weighting strategy to properly combine the data from two overlapping sample frames accounting for the fact that population benchmarks for the different sampling frames were not available at the state or regional level. Methods Estimates of the number of phone numbers for the landline and mobile phone frames used to calculate the differing probabilities of selection by frame, for New South Wales (NSW) and by stratum, were obtained by apportioning Australian estimates as none were available for NSW. The weighting strategy was then developed by calculating person selection probabilities, selection weights, applying a constant composite factor to the dual-phone users sample weights, and benchmarking to the latest NSW population by age group, sex and stratum. Results Data from the NSWPHS for the first quarter of 2012 was used to test the weighting strategy. This consisted of data on 3395 respondents with 2171 (64%) from the landline frame and 1224 (36%) from the mobile frame. However, in order to calculate the weights, data needed to be available for all core weighting variables and so 3378 respondents, 2933 adults and 445 children, had sufficient data to be included. Average person weights were 3.3 times higher for the mobile-only respondents, 1.3 times higher for the landline-only respondents and 1.7 times higher for dual-phone users in the mobile frame compared to the dual-phone users in the landline frame. The overall weight effect for the first quarter of 2012 was 1.93 and the coefficient of variation of the weights was 0.96. The weight effects for 2012 were similar to, and in many cases less than, the effects found in the corresponding quarter of the 2011 NSWPHS when only a landline based sample was used. Conclusions The inclusion of mobile phone numbers, through an overlapping dual-frame design, improved the coverage of the survey and an appropriate weighing procedure is feasible, although it added substantially to the complexity of the weighting strategy. Access to accurate Australian, State and Territory estimates of the number of landline and mobile phone numbers and type of phone use by at least age group and sex would greatly assist in the weighting of dual-frame surveys in Australia. PMID:25189826

Developing a weighting strategy to include mobile phone numbers into an ongoing population health survey using an overlapping dual-frame design with limited benchmark information.

PubMed

Barr, Margo L; Ferguson, Raymond A; Hughes, Phil J; Steel, David G

2014-09-04

In 2012 mobile phone numbers were included into the ongoing New South Wales Population Health Survey (NSWPHS) using an overlapping dual-frame design. Previously in the NSWPHS the sample was selected using random digit dialing (RDD) of landline phone numbers. The survey was undertaken using computer assisted telephone interviewing (CATI). The weighting strategy needed to be significantly expanded to manage the differing probabilities of selection by frame, including that of children of mobile-only phone users, and to adjust for the increased chance of selection of dual-phone users. This paper describes the development of the final weighting strategy to properly combine the data from two overlapping sample frames accounting for the fact that population benchmarks for the different sampling frames were not available at the state or regional level. Estimates of the number of phone numbers for the landline and mobile phone frames used to calculate the differing probabilities of selection by frame, for New South Wales (NSW) and by stratum, were obtained by apportioning Australian estimates as none were available for NSW. The weighting strategy was then developed by calculating person selection probabilities, selection weights, applying a constant composite factor to the dual-phone users sample weights, and benchmarking to the latest NSW population by age group, sex and stratum. Data from the NSWPHS for the first quarter of 2012 was used to test the weighting strategy. This consisted of data on 3395 respondents with 2171 (64%) from the landline frame and 1224 (36%) from the mobile frame. However, in order to calculate the weights, data needed to be available for all core weighting variables and so 3378 respondents, 2933 adults and 445 children, had sufficient data to be included. Average person weights were 3.3 times higher for the mobile-only respondents, 1.3 times higher for the landline-only respondents and 1.7 times higher for dual-phone users in the mobile frame compared to the dual-phone users in the landline frame. The overall weight effect for the first quarter of 2012 was 1.93 and the coefficient of variation of the weights was 0.96. The weight effects for 2012 were similar to, and in many cases less than, the effects found in the corresponding quarter of the 2011 NSWPHS when only a landline based sample was used. The inclusion of mobile phone numbers, through an overlapping dual-frame design, improved the coverage of the survey and an appropriate weighing procedure is feasible, although it added substantially to the complexity of the weighting strategy. Access to accurate Australian, State and Territory estimates of the number of landline and mobile phone numbers and type of phone use by at least age group and sex would greatly assist in the weighting of dual-frame surveys in Australia.

Social strain and executive function across the lifespan: The dark (and light) sides of social engagement

PubMed Central

Tun, Patricia A.; Miller-Martinez, Dana; Lachman, Margie E.; Seeman, Teresa

2012-01-01

We investigated how the association between social strain and cognitive efficiency varies with task demands across adulthood, from latencies on simpler speeded tasks to tests involving executive function. Participants (N= 3280) were drawn from the MIDUS survey, a large, diverse national sample of adults who completed cognitive tests including speeded task-switching (Tun & Lachman, 2008). After controlling for demographic and health variables, we found that higher levels of reported social strain were associated with slower processing speed, particularly for the complex task-switching test relative to simpler speeded tests. Effects of strain were greatest for those with the lowest general cognitive ability. Moreover, those with very high levels of social strain but low levels of social support gave the poorest task-switching performance. These findings provide further evidence for the complex relationship between the social environment and cognition across adulthood, particularly the association between efficiency of executive functions and negative social interactions. PMID:22873285

Participatory Ethnographic Evaluation and Research: Reflections on the Research Approach Used to Understand the Complexity of Maternal Health Issues in South Sudan

PubMed Central

Elmusharaf, Khalifa; Byrne, Elaine; Manandhar, Mary; Hemmings, Joanne; O’Donovan, Diarmuid

2016-01-01

Many methodological approaches have been used to understand cultural dimensions to maternal health issues. Although a well-designed quantitative survey with a representative sample can provide essential information on trends in behavior, it does not necessarily establish a contextualized understanding of the complexity in which different behaviors occur. This article addresses how contextualized data can be collected in a short time and under conditions in which participants in conflict-affected zones might not have established, or time to establish, trust with the researchers. The solution, the Participatory Ethnographic Evaluation and Research (PEER) approach, is illustrated through a study whereby South Sudanese marginalized women were trained to design research instruments, and collect and analyze qualitative data. PEER overcomes the problem that many ethnographic or participatory approaches face—the extensive time and resources required to develop trusting relationships with the community to understand the local context and the social networks they form. PMID:27811290

Participatory Ethnographic Evaluation and Research: Reflections on the Research Approach Used to Understand the Complexity of Maternal Health Issues in South Sudan.

PubMed

Elmusharaf, Khalifa; Byrne, Elaine; Manandhar, Mary; Hemmings, Joanne; O'Donovan, Diarmuid

2017-07-01

Many methodological approaches have been used to understand cultural dimensions to maternal health issues. Although a well-designed quantitative survey with a representative sample can provide essential information on trends in behavior, it does not necessarily establish a contextualized understanding of the complexity in which different behaviors occur. This article addresses how contextualized data can be collected in a short time and under conditions in which participants in conflict-affected zones might not have established, or time to establish, trust with the researchers. The solution, the Participatory Ethnographic Evaluation and Research (PEER) approach, is illustrated through a study whereby South Sudanese marginalized women were trained to design research instruments, and collect and analyze qualitative data. PEER overcomes the problem that many ethnographic or participatory approaches face-the extensive time and resources required to develop trusting relationships with the community to understand the local context and the social networks they form.

Part C: Geochemistry of Soil Samples from 50 Solution-Collapse Features on the Coconino Plateau, Northern Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Van Gosen, Bradley S.; Wenrich, Karen J.

1991-01-01

Soil sampling surveys were conducted during 1984-1986 across 50 solution-collapse features exposed on the Coconino Plateau of northern Arizona in order to determine whether soil geochemistry can be used to distinguish mineralized breccia pipes from unmineralized collapse features. The 50 sampled features represent the variety of collapse features that crop out on plateau surfaces in northwestern Arizonaoodeeplyorooted solution-collapse breccia pipes, near-surface gypsum collapses, and sinkholes. Of the 50 features that were sampled in this study, 3 are confirmed breccia pipes that contain significant uranium and base-metal minerals, I is believed to be a sinkhole with no economic potential, and 4 are stratabound copper deposits whose possible relationship to breccia pipes is yet to be determined. The remaining collapse features are suspected to overlie breccia pipes, although some of these may represent near surface gypsum collapse features. However, no exploratory drilling results or breccia exposures exist to indicate their underlying structure. The low cost and ease of soil sampling suggested that this technique be evaluated for breccia pipe exploration. This report provides the locations and geochemical results for the soil sampling surveys and brief descriptions of the 50 collapse features. The analytical results of almost 2,000 soil samples are provided in tabular hardcopy and dBase III Plus diskcopy format. The analytical data is provided in digital format to allow the reader to choose their own methods for evaluating the effectiveness of soil sampling over known and suspected breccia pipes. A pilot survey conducted over 17 collapse features in 1984 suggested that soil sampling might be useful in distinguishing mineralized breccia pipes from other circular features. Followup detailed surveys in 1985 and 1986 used a radial sampling pattern at each of 50 sites; at least one third of the samples were collected from areas outside of the collapse feature to provide background data. Samples were consistently collected from 3-4 inches depth after the pilot survey showed that metal concentrations were similar in samples from 3-4 inches and 7-8 inches depth. The geochemical analyses of the <80 mesh fractions of the soil samples were performed by the U.S. Geological Survey Analytical Laboratories and Geochemical Services, Inc. The analytical methods applied to these samples by the U.S. Geological Survey laboratories included inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, neutron activation, atomic absorption, delayed neutron activation, and classical wet chemistry for carbon, fluorine, and sulfur. Geochemical Services, Inc. analyzed the soil samples by inductively coupled plasma emission spectroscopy.

Part B: Geochemistry of Soil Samples from 50 Solution-Collapse Features on the Coconino Plateau, Northern Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Van Gosen, Bradley S.; Wenrich, Karen J.

1991-01-01

Soil sampling surveys were conducted during 1984-1986 across 50 solution-collapse features exposed on the Coconino Plateau of northern Arizona in order to determine whether soil geochemistry can be used to distinguish mineralized breccia pipes from unmineralized collapse features. The 50 sampled features represent the variety of collapse features that crop out on plateau surfaces in northwestern Arizonaoodeeplyorooted solution-collapse breccia pipes, near-surface gypsum collapses, and sinkholes. Of the 50 features that were sampled in this study, 3 are confirmed breccia pipes that contain significant uranium and base-metal minerals, I is believed to be a sinkhole with no economic potential, and 4 are stratabound copper deposits whose possible relationship to breccia pipes is yet to be determined. The remaining collapse features are suspected to overlie breccia pipes, although some of these may represent near surface gypsum collapse features. However, no exploratory drilling results or breccia exposures exist to indicate their underlying structure. The low cost and ease of soil sampling suggested that this technique be evaluated for breccia pipe exploration. This report provides the locations and geochemical results for the soil sampling surveys and brief descriptions of the 50 collapse features. The analytical results of almost 2,000 soil samples are provided in tabular hardcopy and dBase III Plus diskcopy format. The analytical data is provided in digital format to allow the reader to choose their own methods for evaluating the effectiveness of soil sampling over known and suspected breccia pipes. A pilot survey conducted over 17 collapse features in 1984 suggested that soil sampling might be useful in distinguishing mineralized breccia pipes from other circular features. Followup detailed surveys in 1985 and 1986 used a radial sampling pattern at each of 50 sites; at least one third of the samples were collected from areas outside of the collapse feature to provide background data. Samples were consistently collected from 3-4 inches depth after the pilot survey showed that metal concentrations were similar in samples from 3-4 inches and 7-8 inches depth. The geochemical analyses of the <80 mesh fractions of the soil samples were performed by the U.S. Geological Survey Analytical Laboratories and Geochemical Services, Inc. The analytical methods applied to these samples by the U.S. Geological Survey laboratories included inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, neutron activation, atomic absorption, delayed neutron activation, and classical wet chemistry for carbon, fluorine, and sulfur. Geochemical Services, Inc. analyzed the soil samples by inductively coupled plasma emission spectroscopy.

Geochemistry of Soil Samples from 50 Solution-Collapse Features on the Coconino Plateau, Northern Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Van Gosen, Bradley S.; Wenrich, Karen J.

1991-01-01

Soil sampling surveys were conducted during 1984-1986 across 50 solution-collapse features exposed on the Coconino Plateau of northern Arizona in order to determine whether soil geochemistry can be used to distinguish mineralized breccia pipes from unmineralized collapse features. The 50 sampled features represent the variety of collapse features that crop out on plateau surfaces in northwestern Arizonaoodeeplyorooted solution-collapse breccia pipes, near-surface gypsum collapses, and sinkholes. Of the 50 features that were sampled in this study, 3 are confirmed breccia pipes that contain significant uranium and base-metal minerals, I is believed to be a sinkhole with no economic potential, and 4 are stratabound copper deposits whose possible relationship to breccia pipes is yet to be determined. The remaining collapse features are suspected to overlie breccia pipes, although some of these may represent near surface gypsum collapse features. However, no exploratory drilling results or breccia exposures exist to indicate their underlying structure. The low cost and ease of soil sampling suggested that this technique be evaluated for breccia pipe exploration. This report provides the locations and geochemical results for the soil sampling surveys and brief descriptions of the 50 collapse features. The analytical results of almost 2,000 soil samples are provided in tabular hardcopy and dBase III Plus diskcopy format. The analytical data is provided in digital format to allow the reader to choose their own methods for evaluating the effectiveness of soil sampling over known and suspected breccia pipes. A pilot survey conducted over 17 collapse features in 1984 suggested that soil sampling might be useful in distinguishing mineralized breccia pipes from other circular features. Followup detailed surveys in 1985 and 1986 used a radial sampling pattern at each of 50 sites; at least one third of the samples were collected from areas outside of the collapse feature to provide background data. Samples were consistently collected from 3-4 inches depth after the pilot survey showed that metal concentrations were similar in samples from 3-4 inches and 7-8 inches depth. The geochemical analyses of the <80 mesh fractions of the soil samples were performed by the U.S. Geological Survey Analytical Laboratories and Geochemical Services, Inc. The analytical methods applied to these samples by the U.S. Geological Survey laboratories included inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, neutron activation, atomic absorption, delayed neutron activation, and classical wet chemistry for carbon, fluorine, and sulfur. Geochemical Services, Inc. analyzed the soil samples by inductively coupled plasma emission spectroscopy.

Part D: Geochemistry of Soil Samples from 50 Solution-Collapse Features on the Coconino Plateau, Northern Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Van Gosen, Bradley S.; Wenrich, Karen J.

1991-01-01

Soil sampling surveys were conducted during 1984-1986 across 50 solution-collapse features exposed on the Coconino Plateau of northern Arizona in order to determine whether soil geochemistry can be used to distinguish mineralized breccia pipes from unmineralized collapse features. The 50 sampled features represent the variety of collapse features that crop out on plateau surfaces in northwestern Arizonaoodeeplyorooted solution-collapse breccia pipes, near-surface gypsum collapses, and sinkholes. Of the 50 features that were sampled in this study, 3 are confirmed breccia pipes that contain significant uranium and base-metal minerals, I is believed to be a sinkhole with no economic potential, and 4 are stratabound copper deposits whose possible relationship to breccia pipes is yet to be determined. The remaining collapse features are suspected to overlie breccia pipes, although some of these may represent near surface gypsum collapse features. However, no exploratory drilling results or breccia exposures exist to indicate their underlying structure. The low cost and ease of soil sampling suggested that this technique be evaluated for breccia pipe exploration. This report provides the locations and geochemical results for the soil sampling surveys and brief descriptions of the 50 collapse features. The analytical results of almost 2,000 soil samples are provided in tabular hardcopy and dBase III Plus diskcopy format. The analytical data is provided in digital format to allow the reader to choose their own methods for evaluating the effectiveness of soil sampling over known and suspected breccia pipes. A pilot survey conducted over 17 collapse features in 1984 suggested that soil sampling might be useful in distinguishing mineralized breccia pipes from other circular features. Followup detailed surveys in 1985 and 1986 used a radial sampling pattern at each of 50 sites; at least one third of the samples were collected from areas outside of the collapse feature to provide background data. Samples were consistently collected from 3-4 inches depth after the pilot survey showed that metal concentrations were similar in samples from 3-4 inches and 7-8 inches depth. The geochemical analyses of the <80 mesh fractions of the soil samples were performed by the U.S. Geological Survey Analytical Laboratories and Geochemical Services, Inc. The analytical methods applied to these samples by the U.S. Geological Survey laboratories included inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, neutron activation, atomic absorption, delayed neutron activation, and classical wet chemistry for carbon, fluorine, and sulfur. Geochemical Services, Inc. analyzed the soil samples by inductively coupled plasma emission spectroscopy.

Social surveys in HIV/AIDS: telling or writing? A comparison of interview and postal methods.

PubMed

McEwan, R T; Harrington, B E; Bhopal, R S; Madhok, R; McCallum, A

1992-06-01

We compare a probability sample postal questionnaire survey and a quota controlled interview survey, and review the literature on these subjects. In contrast to other studies, where quota samples were not representative because of biased selection of respondents by interviewers, our quota sample was representative. Response rates were similar in our postal and interview surveys (74 and 77%, respectively), although many previous similar postal surveys had poor response rates. As in other comparison studies, costs were higher in our interview survey, substantive responses and the quality of responses to closed-ended questions were similar, and responses to open-ended questions were better in the interview survey. 'Socially unacceptable' responses on sexual behaviour were less likely in interviews. Quota controlled surveys are appropriate in surveys on HIV/AIDS under certain circumstances, e.g. where the population parameters are well known, and where interviewers can gain access to the entire population. Postal questionnaires are better for obtaining information on sexual behaviour, if adequate steps are taken to improve response rates, and when in-depth answers are not needed. For most surveys in the HIV/AIDS field we recommend the postal method.

Measurement Error Calibration in Mixed-Mode Sample Surveys

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buelens, Bart; van den Brakel, Jan A.

2015-01-01

Mixed-mode surveys are known to be susceptible to mode-dependent selection and measurement effects, collectively referred to as mode effects. The use of different data collection modes within the same survey may reduce selectivity of the overall response but is characterized by measurement errors differing across modes. Inference in sample surveys…

1977 Survey of the American Professoriate. Technical Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ladd, Everett Carll, Jr.; And Others

The development and data validation of the 1977 Ladd-Lipset national survey of the American professoriate are described. The respondents were selected from a random sample of colleges and universities and from a random sample of individual faculty members from the universities. The 158 institutions in the 1977 survey were selected from 2,406…

Los Angeles Community College District Fall 1996 Student Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prather, George; Kelly, Dexter

This report presents the results of the 1996 Los Angeles Community College District Student Survey. The survey was administered in a randomly selected group of classes. Each college sample is independent of the others and the proportion of students sampled within each college will vary. Responses were weighted inversely to account for…

Rapid Active Sampling Surveys as a Tool to Evaluate Factors Associated with Acute Gastroenteritis and Norovirus Infection among Children in Rural Guatemala.

PubMed

Olson, Daniel; Lamb, Molly M; Lopez, Maria R; Paniagua-Avila, Maria A; Zacarias, Alma; Samayoa-Reyes, Gabriela; Cordon-Rosales, Celia; Asturias, Edwin J

2017-09-01

We examined burden and factors associated with norovirus (NoV) acute gastroenteritis (AGE) among children in rural Guatemala. Children age 6 weeks to 17 years were enrolled into three AGE surveillance groups, using two-stage cluster sampling: a prospective participatory syndromic surveillance (PSS) cohort and two cross-sectional rapid active sampling (RAS) surveys, conducted from April 2015 to February 2016. Epidemiologic and NoV testing data were used to identify factors associated with NoV infection, AGE, and NoV+ AGE. The three cross-sectional surveys (PSS enrollment visit, RAS Survey 1, and RAS Survey 2) enrolled 1,239 children, who reported 134 (11%) AGE cases, with 20% of AGE and 11% of non-AGE samples positive for NoV. Adjusted analyses identified several modifiable factors associated with AGE and NoV infection. The cross-sectional RAS surveys were practical and cost-effective in identifying population-level risk factors for AGE and NoV, supporting their use as a tool to direct limited public health resources toward high-risk populations.

Genetic signatures of ecological diversity along an urbanization gradient.

PubMed

Kelly, Ryan P; O'Donnell, James L; Lowell, Natalie C; Shelton, Andrew O; Samhouri, Jameal F; Hennessey, Shannon M; Feist, Blake E; Williams, Gregory D

2016-01-01

Despite decades of work in environmental science and ecology, estimating human influences on ecosystems remains challenging. This is partly due to complex chains of causation among ecosystem elements, exacerbated by the difficulty of collecting biological data at sufficient spatial, temporal, and taxonomic scales. Here, we demonstrate the utility of environmental DNA (eDNA) for quantifying associations between human land use and changes in an adjacent ecosystem. We analyze metazoan eDNA sequences from water sampled in nearshore marine eelgrass communities and assess the relationship between these ecological communities and the degree of urbanization in the surrounding watershed. Counter to conventional wisdom, we find strongly increasing richness and decreasing beta diversity with greater urbanization, and similar trends in the diversity of life histories with urbanization. We also find evidence that urbanization influences nearshore communities at local (hundreds of meters) rather than regional (tens of km) scales. Given that different survey methods sample different components of an ecosystem, we then discuss the advantages of eDNA-which we use here to detect hundreds of taxa simultaneously-as a complement to traditional ecological sampling, particularly in the context of broad ecological assessments where exhaustive manual sampling is impractical. Genetic data are a powerful means of uncovering human-ecosystem interactions that might otherwise remain hidden; nevertheless, no sampling method reveals the whole of a biological community.

Beyond Contagion: Reality Mining Reveals Complex Patterns of Social Influence.

PubMed

Alshamsi, Aamena; Pianesi, Fabio; Lepri, Bruno; Pentland, Alex; Rahwan, Iyad

2015-01-01

Contagion, a concept from epidemiology, has long been used to characterize social influence on people's behavior and affective (emotional) states. While it has revealed many useful insights, it is not clear whether the contagion metaphor is sufficient to fully characterize the complex dynamics of psychological states in a social context. Using wearable sensors that capture daily face-to-face interaction, combined with three daily experience sampling surveys, we collected the most comprehensive data set of personality and emotion dynamics of an entire community of work. From this high-resolution data about actual (rather than self-reported) face-to-face interaction, a complex picture emerges where contagion (that can be seen as adaptation of behavioral responses to the behavior of other people) cannot fully capture the dynamics of transitory states. We found that social influence has two opposing effects on states: adaptation effects that go beyond mere contagion, and complementarity effects whereby individuals' behaviors tend to complement the behaviors of others. Surprisingly, these effects can exhibit completely different directions depending on the stable personality or emotional dispositions (stable traits) of target individuals. Our findings provide a foundation for richer models of social dynamics, and have implications on organizational engineering and workplace well-being.

eDNAoccupancy: An R package for multi-scale occupancy modeling of environmental DNA data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dorazio, Robert; Erickson, Richard A.

2017-01-01

In this article we describe eDNAoccupancy, an R package for fitting Bayesian, multi-scale occupancy models. These models are appropriate for occupancy surveys that include three, nested levels of sampling: primary sample units within a study area, secondary sample units collected from each primary unit, and replicates of each secondary sample unit. This design is commonly used in occupancy surveys of environmental DNA (eDNA). eDNAoccupancy allows users to specify and fit multi-scale occupancy models with or without covariates, to estimate posterior summaries of occurrence and detection probabilities, and to compare different models using Bayesian model-selection criteria. We illustrate these features by analyzing two published data sets: eDNA surveys of a fungal pathogen of amphibians and eDNA surveys of an endangered fish species.

Prevalence of overweight and obesity and some associated factors among adult residents of northeast China: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Zhang, Peng; Gao, Chunshi; Li, Zhijun; Lv, Xin; Song, Yuanyuan; Yu, Yaqin; Li, Bo

2016-01-01

Objectives This study aims to estimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity and determine potential influencing factors among adults in northeast China. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Jilin Province, northeast China, in 2012. A total of 9873 men and 10 966 women aged 18–79 years from the general population were included using a multistage stratified random cluster sampling design. Data were obtained from face-to-face interview and physical examination. After being weighted according to a complex sampling scheme, the sample was used to estimate the prevalence of overweight (body mass index (BMI) 24–27.9 kg/m2) and obesity (BMI >28 kg/m2) in Jilin Province, and analyse influencing factors through corresponding statistical methods based on complex sampling design behaviours. Results The overall prevalence of overweight was 32.3% (male 34.3%; female 30.2%), and the prevalence of obesity was 14.6% (male 16.3%; female 12.8%) in Jilin Province. The prevalence of both overweight and obesity were higher in men than women (p<0.001). Influencing factors included sex, age, marriage status, occupation, smoking, drinking, diet and hours of sleep (p<0.05). Conclusions This study estimated that the prevalence of overweight and obesity among adult residents of Jilin Province, northeast China, were high. The results of this study will be submitted to the Health Department of Jilin Province and other relevant departments as a reference, which should inform policy makers in developing education and publicity to prevent and control the occurrence of overweight and obesity. PMID:27456326

Prevalence of overweight and obesity and some associated factors among adult residents of northeast China: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Wang, Rui; Zhang, Peng; Gao, Chunshi; Li, Zhijun; Lv, Xin; Song, Yuanyuan; Yu, Yaqin; Li, Bo

2016-07-25

This study aims to estimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity and determine potential influencing factors among adults in northeast China. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Jilin Province, northeast China, in 2012. A total of 9873 men and 10 966 women aged 18-79 years from the general population were included using a multistage stratified random cluster sampling design. Data were obtained from face-to-face interview and physical examination. After being weighted according to a complex sampling scheme, the sample was used to estimate the prevalence of overweight (body mass index (BMI) 24-27.9 kg/m(2)) and obesity (BMI >28 kg/m(2)) in Jilin Province, and analyse influencing factors through corresponding statistical methods based on complex sampling design behaviours. The overall prevalence of overweight was 32.3% (male 34.3%; female 30.2%), and the prevalence of obesity was 14.6% (male 16.3%; female 12.8%) in Jilin Province. The prevalence of both overweight and obesity were higher in men than women (p<0.001). Influencing factors included sex, age, marriage status, occupation, smoking, drinking, diet and hours of sleep (p<0.05). This study estimated that the prevalence of overweight and obesity among adult residents of Jilin Province, northeast China, were high. The results of this study will be submitted to the Health Department of Jilin Province and other relevant departments as a reference, which should inform policy makers in developing education and publicity to prevent and control the occurrence of overweight and obesity. 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/

Northern Marshall Islands radiological survey: sampling and analysis summary

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

Robison, W.L.; Conrado, C.L.; Eagle, R.J.

1981-07-23

A radiological survey was conducted in the Northern Marshall Islands to document reamining external gamma exposures from nuclear tests conducted at Enewetak and Bikini Atolls. An additional program was later included to obtain terrestrial and marine samples for radiological dose assessment for current or potential atoll inhabitants. This report is the first of a series summarizing the results from the terrestrial and marine surveys. The sample collection and processing procedures and the general survey methodology are discussed; a summary of the collected samples and radionuclide analyses is presented. Over 5400 samples were collected from the 12 atolls and 2 islandsmore » and prepared for analysis including 3093 soil, 961 vegetation, 153 animal, 965 fish composite samples (average of 30 fish per sample), 101 clam, 50 lagoon water, 15 cistern water, 17 groundwater, and 85 lagoon sediment samples. A complete breakdown by sample type, atoll, and island is given here. The total number of analyses by radionuclide are 8840 for /sup 241/Am, 6569 for /sup 137/Cs, 4535 for /sup 239 +240/Pu, 4431 for /sup 90/Sr, 1146 for /sup 238/Pu, 269 for /sup 241/Pu, and 114 each for /sup 239/Pu and /sup 240/Pu. A complete breakdown by sample category, atoll or island, and radionuclide is also included.« less

The COSAS survey I: First results from the IRAM mapping survey of 12CO J=1-0 & J=2-1 emission in AGB and early post-AGB circumstellar envelopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alcolea Jimanez, J.; Castr-Carrizo, A.; Quintana-Lacaci, G.; Neri, R.; Bujarrabal, V.; Schoeier, F. L.; Winters, J. M.; Olofsson, H.; Lindqvist, M.; Lucas, R.; Grewing, M.

Here we present the first result from the COSAS (CO Survey of late AGB Stars) program (P.I. A. Castro-Carrizo), a J=1-0 and J=2-1 line emission mapping survey of a statistically representative sample of circumstellar envelopes around AGB and post-AGB stars. This mapping survey has been carried out to investigate the small and large scale morphological and kinematical properties of the molecular environment surrounding stars in the late AGB and early post-AGB phases. For this, COSAS ideally combines the high spatial resolution and sensitivity of the IRAM Plateau de Bure Interferometer, with the IRAM Pico de Veleta 30m-MRT capabilities to map more extended emission. The whole program includes of 45 stars, selected to sample a wide variety in mass loss rate, chemical type (M, S and C types), variability type (regular variables like Miras and OH/IRs, semiregulars, irregulars, and non varying post-AGBs), evolutionary state, and initial mass. By no means it is an unbiased sample, so results must be interpreted with care, and in terms of the different population of sources represented in the sample. COSAS products (at first. maps and velocity fields, and after modeling, excitation and density profiles across the envelopes) provides means to quantify variations in the mass-loss rate history, assess on the prevalence of different morphological and kinematical features, and investigate the appearance of fast aspherical winds in the late-AGB and early post-AGB phases. This paper, which is the first of a series of COSAS papers, presents the results from the final mapping of a sample of 16 selected sources (about 1/3 of the whole list), namely: WX Psc, IK Tau, TX Cam, RX Boo, X Her, CRL 2362, x Cyg, V Cyg, S Cep, OH 104.9+2.4, R Cas, IRAS 19475+3119, IRAS 20028+3910, IRAS 21282+5050, IRAS 23321+6545 and CRL 2477. The envelopes around late AGB stars are found to be mostly spherical, but often presenting features like concentric arcs (R Cas and TX Cam), spiral density patterns (TX Cam), molecular high density patches testifying to highly irregular mass-loss process (WX Psc, IK Tau, V Cyg, and S Cep), and yet well-defined axis-symmetric morphologies and kinematical patterns (X Her and RX Boo). The molecular envelopes span a large range of sizes, from the relatively compact cases of CRL 2362, OH 104.9+2.4 and CRL 2477, to very large ones, such as in x Cyg and TX Cam. Self- absorption features are observed in some cases, as in IK Tau and x Cyg, testifying to the emergence of (aspherical?) winds in the innermost circumstellar regions. Strong axial structures with more or less complex morphologies are detected in four, out of five, early post-AGB stars of this first sub-sample (IRAS 20028+3910, IRAS 23321+6545, IRAS 19475+3119, and IRAS 21282+5050).

Complexity science and leadership in healthcare.

PubMed

Burns, J P

2001-10-01

The emerging field of complexity science offers an alternative leadership strategy for the chaotic, complex healthcare environment. A survey revealed that healthcare leaders intuitively support principles of complexity science. Leadership that uses complexity principles offers opportunities in the chaotic healthcare environment to focus less on prediction and control and more on fostering relationships and creating conditions in which complex adaptive systems can evolve to produce creative outcomes.

Hazardous-waste-characterization survey of unknown drums at the 21st Tactical Fighter Wing, Elmendorf and Shemya Air Force Bases, and Galena and King Salmon Airports, Alaska. Final report 2-13 Aug 91

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

Bishop, M.S.

1991-12-01

At the request of the USAF Regional Hospital Elmendorf/SGPB (PACAF), the Armstrong Laboratory, Occupational and Environmental Health Directorate, conducted a hazardous waste characterization survey of unknown drums at Elmendorf AFB from 2 Aug - 13 Aug 91. The scope of the survey was to sample and characterize drums of unknown material stored at Elmendorf AFB, Shemya AFB, and Galena and King Salmon Airports. Several waste streams were sampled at Elmendorf AFB to revalidate sample results from a previous survey.

An assessment of Lot Quality Assurance Sampling to evaluate malaria outcome indicators: extending malaria indicator surveys.

PubMed

Biedron, Caitlin; Pagano, Marcello; Hedt, Bethany L; Kilian, Albert; Ratcliffe, Amy; Mabunda, Samuel; Valadez, Joseph J

2010-02-01

Large investments and increased global prioritization of malaria prevention and treatment have resulted in greater emphasis on programme monitoring and evaluation (M&E) in many countries. Many countries currently use large multistage cluster sample surveys to monitor malaria outcome indicators on a regional and national level. However, these surveys often mask local-level variability important to programme management. Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) has played a valuable role for local-level programme M&E. If incorporated into these larger surveys, it would provide a comprehensive M&E plan at little, if any, extra cost. The Mozambique Ministry of Health conducted a Malaria Indicator Survey (MIS) in June and July 2007. We applied LQAS classification rules to the 345 sampled enumeration areas to demonstrate identifying high- and low-performing areas with respect to two malaria program indicators-'household possession of any bednet' and 'household possession of any insecticide-treated bednet (ITN)'. As shown by the MIS, no province in Mozambique achieved the 70% coverage target for household possession of bednets or ITNs. By applying LQAS classification rules to the data, we identify 266 of the 345 enumeration areas as having bednet coverage severely below the 70% target. An additional 73 were identified with low ITN coverage. This article demonstrates the feasibility of integrating LQAS into multistage cluster sampling surveys and using these results to support a comprehensive national, regional and local programme M&E system. Furthermore, in the recommendations we outlined how to integrate the Large Country-LQAS design into macro-surveys while still obtaining results available through current sampling practices.

[Critical care nurse learning of continuous renal replacement therapy: the efficacy of a self-learning manual].

PubMed

Huang, Yi-Chen; Hsu, Li-Ling

2011-02-01

Many nurses have difficulty learning to use the complex, non-traditional, and regularly-updated critical care equipment. Failure to use such equipment properly can seriously compromise treatment and endanger patient health and lives. New self-learning materials for novice nurses are necessary to provide essential and effective guidance as a part of formal nursing training. Such materials can enhance the capabilities of critical care nurses and, thus, improve the general quality of critical care. The purpose of this research was to develop a continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT)-themed self-learning manual that would provide easily absorbed and understood knowledge in an easy-to-carry format for ICU nursing staff. This study also investigated CCRT skill learning efficacy. This study adopted a quasi-experimental design with pretests and posttests. Purposive sampling generated a sample of 66 critical care nurses currently working at one hospital in Taipei City. Participants submitted a completed self-assessment survey that rated their command of continuous renal replacement therapy before and after the self-learning manual intervention. Survey data were analyzed using SPSS Version 17.0 for Windows. The two major findings derived from the study included: (1) The mean response score from the self-assessment survey filled out after the intervention was 91.06 and 79.75 (SD = 9.49 and 11.65), respectively, for experimental and control groups. Such demonstrated significant difference. (2) The mean posttest score after the intervention for the experimental group was 91.06 ± 9.49. This represents a significant increase of 10.35 ± 10.35 over their mean pretest score (80.71 ± 11.82). The experimental group showed other significant differences in terms of the CRRT self-assessment survey posttest. Self-learning manuals may be introduced in nursing education as useful aids and catalysts to achieve more effective and satisfying learning experiences.

The health-related quality of life in long-term colorectal cancer survivors study: objectives, methods and patient sample.

PubMed

Mohler, M Jane; Coons, Stephen Joel; Hornbrook, Mark C; Herrinton, Lisa J; Wendel, Christopher S; Grant, Marcia; Krouse, Robert S

2008-07-01

The objective of this paper is to describe the complex mixed-methods design of a study conducted to assess health-related quality of life (HRQOL) outcomes and ostomy-related obstacles and adjustments among long-term (>5 years) colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors with ostomies (cases) and without ostomies (controls). In addition, details are provided regarding the study sample and the psychometric properties of the quantitative data collection measures used. Subsequent manuscripts will present the study findings. The study design involved a cross-sectional mail survey for collecting quantitative data and focus groups for collecting qualitative data. The study subjects were individuals identified as long-term CRC survivors within a community-based health maintenance organization's enrolled population. Focus groups comprised of cases were conducted. The groups were divided by gender and HRQOL high and low quartile contrasts (based on the mail survey data). The modified City of Hope Quality of Life (mCOH-QOL)-Ostomy and SF-36v2 questionnaires were used in the mail survey. An abridged version of the mCOH-QOL-Ostomy was used for the control subjects. Focus groups explored ostomy-related barriers to self-care, adaptation methods/skills, and advice for others with an ostomy. The survey response rate was 52% (679/1308) and 34 subjects participated in focus groups. The internal consistency reliability estimates for the mCOH-QOL-Ostomy and SF-36v2 questionnaires were very acceptable for group comparisons. In addition, evidence supports the construct validity of the abridged version of the mCOH-QOL-Ostomy. Study limitations include potential non-response bias and limited minority participation. We were able to successfully recruit long-term CRC survivors into this study and the psychometric properties of the quantitative measures used were quite acceptable. Mixed-methods designs, such as the one used in this study, may be useful in identification and further elucidation of common problems, coping strategies, and HRQOL outcomes among long-term cancer survivors.

Does Money Matter: Earnings Patterns Among a National Sample of the US State Governmental Public Health Agency Workforce

PubMed Central

Castrucci, Brian C.; Leider, Jonathon P.; Liss-Levinson, Rivka; Sellers, Katie

2015-01-01

Context: Earnings have been shown to be a critical point in workforce recruitment and retention. However, little is known about how much governmental public health staff are paid across the United States. Objective: To characterize earnings among state health agency central office employees. Design: A cross-sectional survey was conducted of state health agency central office employees in late 2014. The sampling approach was stratified by 5 (paired HHS) regions. Balanced repeated replication weights were used to correctly calculate variance estimates, given the complex sampling design. Descriptive and bivariate statistical comparisons were conducted. A linear regression model was used to examine correlates of earnings among full-time employees. Setting and Participants: A total of 9300 permanently employed, full-time state health agency central office staff who reported earnings information. Main Outcome Measure: Earnings are the main outcomes examined in this article. Results: Central office staff earn between $55 000 and $65 000 on average annually. Ascending supervisory status, educational attainment, and tenure are all associated with greater earnings. Those employed in clinical and laboratory positions and public health science positions earn more than their colleagues in administrative positions. Disparities exist between men and women, with men earning more, all else being equal (P < .001). Racial/ethnic disparities also exist, after accounting for other factors. Conclusions: This study provides baseline information to characterize the workforce and key challenges that result from earnings levels, including disparities in earnings that persist after accounting for education and experience. Data from the survey can inform strategies to address earnings issues and help reduce disparities. PMID:26422496

Does Money Matter: Earnings Patterns Among a National Sample of the US State Governmental Public Health Agency Workforce.

PubMed

Castrucci, Brian C; Leider, Jonathon P; Liss-Levinson, Rivka; Sellers, Katie

2015-01-01

Earnings have been shown to be a critical point in workforce recruitment and retention. However, little is known about how much governmental public health staff are paid across the United States. To characterize earnings among state health agency central office employees. A cross-sectional survey was conducted of state health agency central office employees in late 2014. The sampling approach was stratified by 5 (paired HHS) regions. Balanced repeated replication weights were used to correctly calculate variance estimates, given the complex sampling design. Descriptive and bivariate statistical comparisons were conducted. A linear regression model was used to examine correlates of earnings among full-time employees. A total of 9300 permanently employed, full-time state health agency central office staff who reported earnings information. Earnings are the main outcomes examined in this article. Central office staff earn between $55,000 and $65,000 on average annually. Ascending supervisory status, educational attainment, and tenure are all associated with greater earnings. Those employed in clinical and laboratory positions and public health science positions earn more than their colleagues in administrative positions. Disparities exist between men and women, with men earning more, all else being equal (P < .001). Racial/ethnic disparities also exist, after accounting for other factors. This study provides baseline information to characterize the workforce and key challenges that result from earnings levels, including disparities in earnings that persist after accounting for education and experience. Data from the survey can inform strategies to address earnings issues and help reduce disparities.

A Population-Based Assessment of Heartburn in Urban Black Americans

PubMed Central

Friedenberg, Frank K.; Makipour, Kian; Palit, Amiya; Shah, Sweetang; Vanar, Vishwas; Richter, Joel E.

2013-01-01

Background Prevalence data for heartburn in the urban Black American community is lacking. In order to estimate prevalence for this community we analyzed data from an ongoing cohort study in progress at our hospital. Comprehensive interviews allowed for exploration of factors associated with heartburn. Methods Complex, stratified sampling design. Survey invitations are hand delivered to random blocks in a single zip code tabulation area. One member per eligible household is invited to complete a computer-based survey. Heartburn was defined as ≥ 3 days/week of symptoms as defined by the Montreal Definition and Classification of GERD. Scaling and weighting factors were utilized to estimate population-level prevalence. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify independent predictor variables for heartburn. Results Enrolled 379 participants corresponding to a weighted sample size of 22,409 (20,888–23,930) citizens. Demographic characteristics of the sample closely matched those of the entire targeted population. Overall, the weighted prevalence of heartburn ≥ 3 times per week was 17.6% (16.4%–18.8%). Variables independently associated with heartburn were BMI, daily caloric and fat intake, diabetes mellitus (OR=2.95; 2.59–3.36), cigarette smoking, and alcohol consumption (OR=2.55; 2.25–2.89). Factors inversely associated included illicit drug use and increased physical activity. Waist: hip ratio showed no relationship. Conclusions The prevalence of heartburn ≥ 3 times per week is high in the Black American community. Adverse lifestyle behaviors showed particularly important associations. Our study needs to be replicated in other communities with similar demographics. PMID:23237330

Multi-ethnic minority nurses' knowledge and practice of genetics and genomics.

PubMed

Coleman, Bernice; Calzone, Kathleen A; Jenkins, Jean; Paniagua, Carmen; Rivera, Reynaldo; Hong, Oi Saeng; Spruill, Ida; Bonham, Vence

2014-07-01

Exploratory studies establishing how well nurses have integrated genomics into practice have demonstrated there remains opportunity for education. However, little is known about educational gaps in multi-ethnic minority nurse populations. The purpose of this study was to determine minority nurses' beliefs, practices, and competency in integrating genetics-genomics information into practice using an online survey tool. A cross-sectional survey with registered nurses (RNs) from the participating National Coalition of Ethnic Minority Organizations (NCEMNA). Two phases were used: Phase one had a sample of 27 nurses who determined the feasibility of an online approach to survey completion and need for tool revision. Phase two was a main survey with 389 participants who completed the revised survey. The survey ascertained the genomic knowledge, beliefs, and practice of a sample of multi-ethnic minority nurses who were members of associations comprising the NCEMNA. The survey was administered online. Descriptive survey responses were analyzed using frequencies and percentages. Categorical responses in which comparisons were analyzed used chi square tests. About 40% of the respondents held a master's degree (39%) and 42% worked in direct patient care. The majority of respondents (79%) reported that education in genomics was important. Ninety-five percent agreed or strongly agreed that family health history could identify at-risk families, 85% reported knowing how to complete a second- and third-generation family history, and 63% felt family history was important to nursing. Conversely, 50% of the respondents felt that their understanding of the genetics of common disease was fair or poor, supported by 54% incorrectly reporting they thought heart disease and diabetes are caused by a single gene variant. Only 30% reported taking a genetics course since licensure, and 94% reported interest in learning more about genomics. Eighty-four percent believed that their ethnic minority nurses' organizations should have a visible role in genetics and genomics in their communities. Most respondents felt genomics is important to integrate into practice but demonstrated knowledge deficits. There was strong interest in the need for continuing education and the role of the ethnic minority organizations in facilitating the continuing education efforts. This study provides evidence of the need for targeted genomic education to prepare ethnic minority nurses to better translate genetics and genomics into practice. Genomics is critical to the practice of all nurses, most especially family health history assessment and the genomics of common complex diseases. There is a great opportunity and interest to address the genetic-genomic knowledge deficits in the nursing workforce as a strategy to impact patient outcomes. © 2014 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Prevalence of substandard and falsified artemisinin-based combination antimalarial medicines on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea

PubMed Central

Kaur, Harparkash; Allan, Elizabeth Louise; Mamadu, Ibrahim; Hall, Zoe; Green, Michael D; Swamidos, Isabel; Dwivedi, Prabha; Culzoni, Maria Julia; Fernandez, Facundo M; Garcia, Guillermo; Hergott, Dianna; Monti, Feliciano

2017-01-01

Introduction Poor-quality artemisinin-containing antimalarials (ACAs), including falsified and substandard formulations, pose serious health concerns in malaria endemic countries. They can harm patients, contribute to the rise in drug resistance and increase the public’s mistrust of health systems. Systematic assessment of drug quality is needed to gain knowledge on the prevalence of the problem, to provide Ministries of Health with evidence on which local regulators can take action. Methods We used three sampling approaches to purchase 677 ACAs from 278 outlets on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea as follows: convenience survey using mystery client (n=16 outlets, 31 samples), full island-wide survey using mystery client (n=174 outlets, 368 samples) and randomised survey using an overt sampling approach (n=88 outlets, 278 samples). The stated active pharmaceutical ingredients (SAPIs) were assessed using high-performance liquid chromatography and confirmed by mass spectrometry at three independent laboratories. Results Content analysis showed 91.0% of ACAs were of acceptable quality, 1.6% were substandard and 7.4% falsified. No degraded medicines were detected. The prevalence of medicines without the SAPIs was higher for ACAs purchased in the convenience survey compared with the estimates obtained using the full island-wide survey-mystery client and randomised-overt sampling approaches. Comparable results were obtained for full island survey-mystery client and randomised overt. However, the availability of purchased artesunate monotherapies differed substantially according to the sampling approach used (convenience, 45.2%; full island-wide survey-mystery client, 32.6%; random-overt sampling approach, 21.9%). Of concern is that 37.1% (n=62) of these were falsified. Conclusion Falsified ACAs were found on Bioko Island, with the prevalence ranging between 6.1% and 16.1%, depending on the sampling method used. These findings underscore the vital need for national authorities to track the scale of ineffective medicines that jeopardise treatment of life-threatening diseases and value of a representative sampling approach to obtain/measure the true prevalence of poor-quality medicines. PMID:29082025

United States Air Force Guide to Operational Surveillance of Medically Important Vectors and Pests Operational Entomology

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-08-15

Programs Section 3. Sampling Equipment Sampling Equipment Solid-State Army Miniature (SSAM) trap ABC style trap Encephalitis Vector Survey Trap CDC...Baseline Survey - these are conducted to determine the types of vectors and pests occurring in the area of operations, their respective breeding sites...or source habitat, and seasonal activity patterns. Operational Survey - data collected in an operational survey are used specifically to aid pest

Data Investigation of Bariatric Surgery Outcome and Economic Savings

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-12-15

Age, squared Age as well as interactions for Sex/Age, Sex/BMI and BMI/Age. Data were from the NCHS National Health Interview Survey ( NHIS ...National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey NHIS – National Health Interview Survey OLS – Ordinary Least Squares ORYGB – Open Roux en Y Gastric...a household are reported by a single household member.76 The sampling frame is the National Household Interview Survey ( NHIS ). The NHIS sample

A sampling plan for riparian birds of the Lower Colorado River-Final Report

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bart, Jonathan; Dunn, Leah; Leist, Amy

2010-01-01

A sampling plan was designed for the Bureau of Reclamation for selected riparian birds occurring along the Colorado River from Lake Mead to the southerly International Boundary with Mexico. The goals of the sampling plan were to estimate long-term trends in abundance and investigate habitat relationships especially in new habitat being created by the Bureau of Reclamation. The initial objective was to design a plan for the Gila Woodpecker (Melanerpes uropygialis), Arizona Bell's Vireo (Vireo bellii arizonae), Sonoran Yellow Warbler (Dendroica petechia sonorana), Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra), Gilded Flicker (Colaptes chrysoides), and Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus); however, too little data were obtained for the last two species. Recommendations were therefore based on results for the first four species. The study area was partitioned into plots of 7 to 23 hectares. Plot borders were drawn to place the best habitat for the focal species in the smallest number of plots so that survey efforts could be concentrated on these habitats. Double sampling was used in the survey. In this design, a large sample of plots is surveyed a single time, yielding estimates of unknown accuracy, and a subsample is surveyed intensively to obtain accurate estimates. The subsample is used to estimate detection ratios, which are then applied to the results from the extensive survey to obtain unbiased estimates of density and population size. These estimates are then used to estimate long-term trends in abundance. Four sampling plans for selecting plots were evaluated based on a simulation using data from the Breeding Bird Survey. The design with the highest power involved selecting new plots every year. Power with 80 plots surveyed per year was more than 80 percent for three of the four species. Results from the surveys were used to provide recommendations to the Bureau of Reclamation for their surveys of new habitat being created in the study area.

Experimental study of the complex resistivity and dielectric constant of chrome-contaminated soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Haorui; Yang, Heli; Yi, Fengyan

2016-08-01

Heavy metals such as arsenic and chromium often contaminate soils near industrialized areas. Soil samples, made with different water content and chromate pollutant concentrations, are often needed to test soil quality. Because complex resistivity and complex dielectric characteristics of these samples need to be measured, the relationship between these measurement results and chromium concentration as well as water content was studied. Based on soil sample observations, the amplitude of the sample complex resistivity decreased with an increase of contamination concentration and water content. The phase of complex resistivity takes on a tendency of initially decrease, and then increase with the increasing of contamination concentration and water content. For a soil sample with the same resistivity, the higher the amplitude of complex resistivity, the lower the water content and the higher the contamination concentration. The real and imaginary parts of the complex dielectric constant increase with an increase in contamination concentration and water content. Note that resistivity and complex resistivity methods are necessary to adequately evaluate pollution at various sites.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: GALEX/S4G surface brightness profiles. I. (Bouquin+, 2018)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouquin, A. Y. K.; Gil de, Paz A.; Munoz-Mateos, J. C.; Boissier, S.; Sheth, K.; Zaritsky, D.; Peletier, R. F.; Knapen, J. H.; Gallego, J.

2018-03-01

The Spitzer Survey of Stellar Structure in Galaxies (S4

The Extended Northern ROSAT Galaxy Cluster Survey (NORAS II). I. Survey Construction and First Results

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

Böhringer, Hans; Chon, Gayoung; Trümper, Joachim

As the largest, clearly defined building blocks of our universe, galaxy clusters are interesting astrophysical laboratories and important probes for cosmology. X-ray surveys for galaxy clusters provide one of the best ways to characterize the population of galaxy clusters. We provide a description of the construction of the NORAS II galaxy cluster survey based on X-ray data from the northern part of the ROSAT All-Sky Survey. NORAS II extends the NORAS survey down to a flux limit of 1.8 × 10{sup −12} erg s{sup −1} cm{sup −2} (0.1–2.4 keV), increasing the sample size by about a factor of two. The NORAS IImore » cluster survey now reaches the same quality and depth as its counterpart, the southern REFLEX II survey, allowing us to combine the two complementary surveys. The paper provides information on the determination of the cluster X-ray parameters, the identification process of the X-ray sources, the statistics of the survey, and the construction of the survey selection function, which we provide in numerical format. Currently NORAS II contains 860 clusters with a median redshift of z  = 0.102. We provide a number of statistical functions, including the log N –log S and the X-ray luminosity function and compare these to the results from the complementary REFLEX II survey. Using the NORAS II sample to constrain the cosmological parameters, σ {sub 8} and Ω{sub m}, yields results perfectly consistent with those of REFLEX II. Overall, the results show that the two hemisphere samples, NORAS II and REFLEX II, can be combined without problems into an all-sky sample, just excluding the zone of avoidance.« less

Recruiting migrants for health research through social network sites: an online survey among chinese migrants in australia.

PubMed

Hu, Jie; Wong, Kam Cheong; Wang, Zhiqiang

2015-04-27

Traditionally, postal surveys or face to face interviews are the main approaches for health researchers to obtain essential research data. However, with the prevalence of information technology and Internet, Web-based surveys are gaining popularity in health research. This study aims to report the process and outcomes of recruiting Chinese migrants through social network sites in Australia and to examine the sample characteristics of online recruitment by comparing the sample which was recruited by an online survey to a sample of Australian Chinese migrants collected by a postal survey. Descriptive analyses were performed to describe and compare the process and outcomes of online recruitment with postal survey questionnaires. Chi square tests and t tests were performed to assess the differences between the two samples for categorical and continuous variables respectively. In total, 473 Chinese migrants completed the online health survey from July to October 2013. Out of 426 participants recruited through the three Chinese social network sites in Australia, over 86.6% (369/426) were recruited within six weeks. Participants of the Web-based survey were younger, with a higher education level or had resided in Australia for less time compared to those recruited via a postal survey. However, there was no significant difference in gender, marital status, and professional occupation. The recruitment of Chinese migrants through social network sites in our online survey was feasible. Compared to a postal survey of Chinese migrants, the online survey attracted different group of Chinese migrants who may have diverse health needs and concerns. Our findings provided insightful information for researchers who are considering employing a Web-based approach to recruit migrants and ethnic minority participants.

Design and operation of the national home health aide survey: 2007-2008.

PubMed

Bercovitz, Anita; Moss, Abigail J; Sengupta, Manisha; Harris-Kojetin, Lauren D; Squillace, Marie R; Emily, Rosenoff; Branden, Laura

2010-03-01

This report provides an overview of the National Home Health Aide Survey (NHHAS), the first national probability survey of home health aides. NHHAS was designed to provide national estimates of home health aides who provided assistance in activities of daily living (ADLs) and were directly employed by agencies that provide home health and/or hospice care. This report discusses the need for and objectives of the survey, the design process, the survey methods, and data availability. METHODS NHHAS, a multistage probability sample survey, was conducted as a supplement to the 2007 National Home and Hospice Care Survey (NHHCS). Agencies providing home health and/or hospice care were sampled, and then aides employed by these agencies were sampled and interviewed by telephone. Survey topics included recruitment, training, job history, family life, client relations, work-related injuries, and demographics. NHHAS was virtually identical to the 2004 National Nursing Assistant Survey of certified nursing assistants employed in sampled nursing homes with minor changes to account for differences in workplace environment and responsibilities. RESULTS From September 2007 to April 2008, interviews were completed with 3,416 aides. A public-use data file that contains the interview responses, sampling weights, and design variables is available. The NHHAS overall response rate weighted by the inverse of the probability of selection was 41 percent. This rate is the product of the weighted first-stage agency response rate of 57 percent (i.e., weighted response rate of 59 percent for agency participation in NHHCS times the weighted response rate of 97 percent for agencies participating in NHHCS that also participated in NHHAS) and the weighted second-stage aide response rate of 72 percent to NHHAS.

Statistical literacy and sample survey results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McAlevey, Lynn; Sullivan, Charles

2010-10-01

Sample surveys are widely used in the social sciences and business. The news media almost daily quote from them, yet they are widely misused. Using students with prior managerial experience embarking on an MBA course, we show that common sample survey results are misunderstood even by those managers who have previously done a statistics course. In general, they fare no better than managers who have never studied statistics. There are implications for teaching, especially in business schools, as well as for consulting.

Comparability among four invertebrate sampling methods, Fountain Creek Basin, Colorado, 2010-2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zuellig, Robert E.; Bruce, James F.; Stogner, Sr., Robert W.; Brown, Krystal D.

2014-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Colorado Springs City Engineering and Colorado Springs Utilities, designed a study to determine if sampling method and sample timing resulted in comparable samples and assessments of biological condition. To accomplish this task, annual invertebrate samples were collected concurrently using four sampling methods at 15 U.S. Geological Survey streamflow gages in the Fountain Creek basin from 2010 to 2012. Collectively, the four methods are used by local (U.S. Geological Survey cooperative monitoring program) and State monitoring programs (Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment) in the Fountain Creek basin to produce two distinct sample types for each program that target single-and multiple-habitats. This study found distinguishable differences between single-and multi-habitat sample types using both community similarities and multi-metric index values, while methods from each program within sample type were comparable. This indicates that the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment methods were compatible with the cooperative monitoring program methods within multi-and single-habitat sample types. Comparisons between September and October samples found distinguishable differences based on community similarities for both sample types, whereas only differences were found for single-habitat samples when multi-metric index values were considered. At one site, differences between September and October index values from single-habitat samples resulted in opposing assessments of biological condition. Direct application of the results to inform the revision of the existing Fountain Creek basin U.S. Geological Survey cooperative monitoring program are discussed.

Single-Phase Mail Survey Design for Rare Population Subgroups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brick, J. Michael; Andrews, William R.; Mathiowetz, Nancy A.

2016-01-01

Although using random digit dialing (RDD) telephone samples was the preferred method for conducting surveys of households for many years, declining response and coverage rates have led researchers to explore alternative approaches. The use of address-based sampling (ABS) has been examined for sampling the general population and subgroups, most…

Arkansas’ forests, 2005

Treesearch

James F. Rosson; Anita K. Rose

2010-01-01

The principal fi ndings of the eighth forest survey of Arkansas are presented. This survey marks a major change in the FIA sampling protocol from a periodic prism sample to an annualized fi xed-plot sample. Topics examined include forest area, ownership, forest-type groups, stand structure, basal area, timber volume, growth, removals, and mortality, crown...

Investigations of Sample Stability in Water Chemistry Samples: Implications for the National Aquatic Resource Surveys

EPA Science Inventory

Water samples collected for the EPA's National Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS) typically arrive at an analytical laboratory 2 or 3 days after collection (longer if collected from a remote location), at which point they are stabilized (filtration and/or acid preservation) until an...

New York City School Survey 2008-2010: Assessing the Reliability and Validity of a Progress Report Measure. Technical Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nathanson, Lori; Cole, Rachel; Kemple, James J.; Lent, Jessica; McCormick, Meghan; Segeritz, Micha

2013-01-01

The Research Alliance for New York City Schools examined Department of Education (DOE) School Survey data from 2008-2010 to better understand the richness and complexities of the information elicited by the Survey from parents, students, and teachers. This report provides background information on the development of the NYC School Surveys during…

Interlaboratory comparability, bias, and precision for four laboratories measuring analytes in wet deposition, October 1983-December 1984

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brooks, Myron H.; Schroder, LeRoy J.; Willoughby, Timothy C.

1987-01-01

Four laboratories involved in the routine analysis of wet-deposition samples participated in an interlaboratory comparison program managed by the U.S. Geological Survey. The four participants were: Illinois State Water Survey central analytical laboratory in Champaign, Illinois; U.S. Geological Survey national water-quality laboratories in Atlanta, Georgia, and Denver, Colorado; and Inland Waters Directorate national water-quality laboratory in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. Analyses of interlaboratory samples performed by the four laboratories from October 1983 through December 1984 were compared.Participating laboratories analyzed three types of interlaboratory samples--natural wet deposition, simulated wet deposition, and deionized water--for pH and specific conductance, and for dissolved calcium, magnesium, sodium, sodium, potassium, chloride, sulfate, nitrate, ammonium, and orthophosphate. Natural wet-deposition samples were aliquots of actual wet-deposition samples. Analyses of these samples by the four laboratories were compared using analysis of variance. Test results indicated that pH, calcium, nitrate, and ammonium results were not directly comparable among the four laboratories. Statistically significant differences between laboratory results probably only were meaningful for analyses of dissolved calcium. Simulated wet-deposition samples with known analyte concentrations were used to test each laboratory for analyte bias. Laboratory analyses of calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride, sulfate, and nitrate were not significantly different from the known concentrations of these analytes when tested using analysis of variance. Deionized-water samples were used to test each laboratory for reporting of false positive values. The Illinois State Water Survey Laboratory reported the smallest percentage of false positive values for most analytes. Analyte precision was estimated for each laboratory from results of replicate measurements. In general, the Illinois State Water Survey laboratory achieved the greatest precision, whereas the U.S. Geological Survey laboratories achieved the least precision.

New approaches to the analysis of complex samples using fluorescence lifetime techniques and organized media

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

Hertz, P.R.

Fluorescence spectroscopy is a highly sensitive and selective tool for the analysis of complex systems. In order to investigate the efficacy of several steady state and dynamic techniques for the analysis of complex systems, this work focuses on two types of complex, multicomponent samples: petrolatums and coal liquids. It is shown in these studies dynamic, fluorescence lifetime-based measurements provide enhanced discrimination between complex petrolatum samples. Additionally, improved quantitative analysis of multicomponent systems is demonstrated via incorporation of organized media in coal liquid samples. This research provides the first systematic studies of (1) multifrequency phase-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy for dynamic fluorescence spectralmore » fingerprinting of complex samples, and (2) the incorporation of bile salt micellar media to improve accuracy and sensitivity for characterization of complex systems. In the petroleum studies, phase-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy is used to combine spectral and lifetime information through the measurement of phase-resolved fluorescence intensity. The intensity is collected as a function of excitation and emission wavelengths, angular modulation frequency, and detector phase angle. This multidimensional information enhances the ability to distinguish between complex samples with similar spectral characteristics. Examination of the eigenvalues and eigenvectors from factor analysis of phase-resolved and steady state excitation-emission matrices, using chemometric methods of data analysis, confirms that phase-resolved fluorescence techniques offer improved discrimination between complex samples as compared with conventional steady state methods.« less

Asking about Sex in General Health Surveys: Comparing the Methods and Findings of the 2010 Health Survey for England with Those of the Third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles.

PubMed

Prah, Philip; Johnson, Anne M; Nardone, Anthony; Clifton, Soazig; Mindell, Jennifer S; Copas, Andrew J; Robinson, Chloe; Craig, Rachel; Woodhall, Sarah C; Macdowall, Wendy; Fuller, Elizabeth; Erens, Bob; Sonnenberg, Pam; Wellings, Kaye; Mercer, Catherine H

2015-01-01

Including questions about sexual health in the annual Health Survey for England (HSE) provides opportunities for regular measurement of key public health indicators, augmenting Britain's decennial National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal). However, contextual and methodological differences may limit comparability of the findings. We examine the extent of these differences between HSE 2010 and Natsal-3 and investigate their impact on parameter estimates. Complex survey analyses of data from men and women in the 2010 HSE (n = 2,782 men and 3,588 women) and Natsal-3 undertaken 2010-2012 (n = 4,882 men and 6,869 women) aged 16-69y and resident in England, both using probability sampling, compared their characteristics, the amount of non-response to, and estimates from, sexual health questions. Both surveys used self-completion for the sexual behaviour questions but this was via computer-assisted self-interview (CASI) in Natsal-3 and a pen-and-paper questionnaire in HSE 2010. The surveys achieved similar response rates, both around 60%, and demographic profiles largely consistent with the census, although HSE participants tended to be less educated, and reported worse general health, than Natsal-3 participants. Item non-response to the sexual health questions was typically higher in HSE 2010 (range: 9-18%) relative to Natsal-3 (all <5%). Prevalence estimates for sexual risk behaviours and STI-related indicators were generally slightly lower in HSE 2010 than Natsal-3. While a relatively high response to sexual health questions in HSE 2010 demonstrates the feasibility of asking such questions in a general health survey, differences with Natsal-3 do exist. These are likely due to the HSE's context as a general health survey and methodological limitations such as its current use of pen-and-paper questionnaires. Methodological developments to the HSE should be considered so that its data can be interpreted in combination with those from dedicated sexual health surveys, thus improving our ability to monitor trends in sexual health.

Asking about Sex in General Health Surveys: Comparing the Methods and Findings of the 2010 Health Survey for England with Those of the Third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles

PubMed Central

Prah, Philip; Johnson, Anne M.; Nardone, Anthony; Clifton, Soazig; Mindell, Jennifer S.; Copas, Andrew J.; Robinson, Chloe; Craig, Rachel; Woodhall, Sarah C.; Macdowall, Wendy; Fuller, Elizabeth; Erens, Bob; Sonnenberg, Pam; Wellings, Kaye; Mercer, Catherine H.

2015-01-01

Objectives Including questions about sexual health in the annual Health Survey for England (HSE) provides opportunities for regular measurement of key public health indicators, augmenting Britain's decennial National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal). However, contextual and methodological differences may limit comparability of the findings. We examine the extent of these differences between HSE 2010 and Natsal-3 and investigate their impact on parameter estimates. Methods Complex survey analyses of data from men and women in the 2010 HSE (n = 2,782 men and 3,588 women) and Natsal-3 undertaken 2010–2012 (n = 4,882 men and 6,869 women) aged 16-69y and resident in England, both using probability sampling, compared their characteristics, the amount of non-response to, and estimates from, sexual health questions. Both surveys used self-completion for the sexual behaviour questions but this was via computer-assisted self-interview (CASI) in Natsal-3 and a pen-and-paper questionnaire in HSE 2010. Results The surveys achieved similar response rates, both around 60%, and demographic profiles largely consistent with the census, although HSE participants tended to be less educated, and reported worse general health, than Natsal-3 participants. Item non-response to the sexual health questions was typically higher in HSE 2010 (range: 9–18%) relative to Natsal-3 (all <5%). Prevalence estimates for sexual risk behaviours and STI-related indicators were generally slightly lower in HSE 2010 than Natsal-3. Conclusions While a relatively high response to sexual health questions in HSE 2010 demonstrates the feasibility of asking such questions in a general health survey, differences with Natsal-3 do exist. These are likely due to the HSE’s context as a general health survey and methodological limitations such as its current use of pen-and-paper questionnaires. Methodological developments to the HSE should be considered so that its data can be interpreted in combination with those from dedicated sexual health surveys, thus improving our ability to monitor trends in sexual health. PMID:26252650

5 CFR 532.215 - Establishments included in regular appropriated fund surveys.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... in surveys shall be selected under standard probability sample selection procedures. In areas with... establishment list drawn under statistical sampling procedures. [55 FR 46142, Nov. 1, 1990] ...

The Foundation Supernova Survey: motivation, design, implementation, and first data release

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foley, Ryan J.; Scolnic, Daniel; Rest, Armin; Jha, S. W.; Pan, Y.-C.; Riess, A. G.; Challis, P.; Chambers, K. C.; Coulter, D. A.; Dettman, K. G.; Foley, M. M.; Fox, O. D.; Huber, M. E.; Jones, D. O.; Kilpatrick, C. D.; Kirshner, R. P.; Schultz, A. S. B.; Siebert, M. R.; Flewelling, H. A.; Gibson, B.; Magnier, E. A.; Miller, J. A.; Primak, N.; Smartt, S. J.; Smith, K. W.; Wainscoat, R. J.; Waters, C.; Willman, M.

2018-03-01

The Foundation Supernova Survey aims to provide a large, high-fidelity, homogeneous, and precisely calibrated low-redshift Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) sample for cosmology. The calibration of the current low-redshift SN sample is the largest component of systematic uncertainties for SN cosmology, and new data are necessary to make progress. We present the motivation, survey design, observation strategy, implementation, and first results for the Foundation Supernova Survey. We are using the Pan-STARRS telescope to obtain photometry for up to 800 SNe Ia at z ≲ 0.1. This strategy has several unique advantages: (1) the Pan-STARRS system is a superbly calibrated telescopic system, (2) Pan-STARRS has observed 3/4 of the sky in grizyP1 making future template observations unnecessary, (3) we have a well-tested data-reduction pipeline, and (4) we have observed ˜3000 high-redshift SNe Ia on this system. Here, we present our initial sample of 225 SN Ia grizP1 light curves, of which 180 pass all criteria for inclusion in a cosmological sample. The Foundation Supernova Survey already contains more cosmologically useful SNe Ia than all other published low-redshift SN Ia samples combined. We expect that the systematic uncertainties for the Foundation Supernova Sample will be two to three times smaller than other low-redshift samples. We find that our cosmologically useful sample has an intrinsic scatter of 0.111 mag, smaller than other low-redshift samples. We perform detailed simulations showing that simply replacing the current low-redshift SN Ia sample with an equally sized Foundation sample will improve the precision on the dark energy equation-of-state parameter by 35 per cent, and the dark energy figure of merit by 72 per cent.

Methodology of the National School-based Health Survey in Malaysia, 2012.

PubMed

Yusoff, Fadhli; Saari, Riyanti; Naidu, Balkish M; Ahmad, Noor Ani; Omar, Azahadi; Aris, Tahir

2014-09-01

The National School-Based Health Survey 2012 was a nationwide school health survey of students in Standard 4 to Form 5 (10-17 years of age), who were schooling in government schools in Malaysia during the period of data collection. The survey comprised 3 subsurveys: the Global School Health Survey (GSHS), the Mental Health Survey, and the National School-Based Nutrition Survey. The aim of the survey was to provide data on the health status of adolescents in Malaysia toward strengthening the adolescent health program in the country. The design of the survey was created to fulfill the requirements of the 3 subsurveys. A 2-stage stratified sampling method was adopted in the sampling. The methods for data collection were via questionnaire and physical examination. The National School-Based Health Survey 2012 adopted an appropriate methodology for a school-based survey to ensure valid and reliable findings. © 2014 APJPH.

Performance of small cluster surveys and the clustered LQAS design to estimate local-level vaccination coverage in Mali.

PubMed

Minetti, Andrea; Riera-Montes, Margarita; Nackers, Fabienne; Roederer, Thomas; Koudika, Marie Hortense; Sekkenes, Johanne; Taconet, Aurore; Fermon, Florence; Touré, Albouhary; Grais, Rebecca F; Checchi, Francesco

2012-10-12

Estimation of vaccination coverage at the local level is essential to identify communities that may require additional support. Cluster surveys can be used in resource-poor settings, when population figures are inaccurate. To be feasible, cluster samples need to be small, without losing robustness of results. The clustered LQAS (CLQAS) approach has been proposed as an alternative, as smaller sample sizes are required. We explored (i) the efficiency of cluster surveys of decreasing sample size through bootstrapping analysis and (ii) the performance of CLQAS under three alternative sampling plans to classify local VC, using data from a survey carried out in Mali after mass vaccination against meningococcal meningitis group A. VC estimates provided by a 10 × 15 cluster survey design were reasonably robust. We used them to classify health areas in three categories and guide mop-up activities: i) health areas not requiring supplemental activities; ii) health areas requiring additional vaccination; iii) health areas requiring further evaluation. As sample size decreased (from 10 × 15 to 10 × 3), standard error of VC and ICC estimates were increasingly unstable. Results of CLQAS simulations were not accurate for most health areas, with an overall risk of misclassification greater than 0.25 in one health area out of three. It was greater than 0.50 in one health area out of two under two of the three sampling plans. Small sample cluster surveys (10 × 15) are acceptably robust for classification of VC at local level. We do not recommend the CLQAS method as currently formulated for evaluating vaccination programmes.

Mourning dove population trend estimates from Call-Count and North American Breeding Bird Surveys

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sauer, J.R.; Dolton, D.D.; Droege, S.

1994-01-01

The mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) Callcount Survey and the North American Breeding Bird Survey provide information on population trends of mourning doves throughout the continental United States. Because surveys are an integral part of the development of hunting regulations, a need exists to determine which survey provides precise information. We estimated population trends from 1966 to 1988 by state and dove management unit, and assessed the relative efficiency of each survey. Estimates of population trend differ (P lt 0.05) between surveys in 11 of 48 states; 9 of 11 states with divergent results occur in the Eastern Management Unit. Differences were probably a consequence of smaller sample sizes in the Callcount Survey. The Breeding Bird Survey generally provided trend estimates with smaller variances than did the Callcount Survey. Although the Callcount Survey probably provides more withinroute accuracy because of survey methods and timing, the Breeding Bird Survey has a larger sample size of survey routes and greater consistency of coverage in the Eastern Unit.

Critical review of the United Kingdom's "gold standard" survey of public attitudes to science.

PubMed

Smith, Benjamin K; Jensen, Eric A

2016-02-01

Since 2000, the UK government has funded surveys aimed at understanding the UK public's attitudes toward science, scientists, and science policy. Known as the Public Attitudes to Science series, these surveys and their predecessors have long been used in UK science communication policy, practice, and scholarship as a source of authoritative knowledge about science-related attitudes and behaviors. Given their importance and the significant public funding investment they represent, detailed academic scrutiny of the studies is needed. In this essay, we critically review the most recently published Public Attitudes to Science survey (2014), assessing the robustness of its methods and claims. The review casts doubt on the quality of key elements of the Public Attitudes to Science 2014 survey data and analysis while highlighting the importance of robust quantitative social research methodology. Our analysis comparing the main sample and booster sample for young people demonstrates that quota sampling cannot be assumed equivalent to probability-based sampling techniques. © The Author(s) 2016.

[Study of spatial stratified sampling strategy of Oncomelania hupensis snail survey based on plant abundance].

PubMed

Xun-Ping, W; An, Z

2017-07-27

Objective To optimize and simplify the survey method of Oncomelania hupensis snails in marshland endemic regions of schistosomiasis, so as to improve the precision, efficiency and economy of the snail survey. Methods A snail sampling strategy (Spatial Sampling Scenario of Oncomelania based on Plant Abundance, SOPA) which took the plant abundance as auxiliary variable was explored and an experimental study in a 50 m×50 m plot in a marshland in the Poyang Lake region was performed. Firstly, the push broom surveyed data was stratified into 5 layers by the plant abundance data; then, the required numbers of optimal sampling points of each layer through Hammond McCullagh equation were calculated; thirdly, every sample point in the line with the Multiple Directional Interpolation (MDI) placement scheme was pinpointed; and finally, the comparison study among the outcomes of the spatial random sampling strategy, the traditional systematic sampling method, the spatial stratified sampling method, Sandwich spatial sampling and inference and SOPA was performed. Results The method (SOPA) proposed in this study had the minimal absolute error of 0.213 8; and the traditional systematic sampling method had the largest estimate, and the absolute error was 0.924 4. Conclusion The snail sampling strategy (SOPA) proposed in this study obtains the higher estimation accuracy than the other four methods.

Condition Survey and Paver Implementation Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-02-01

questiotns that the program asks, and then analysis results are produced based on those responses. The analysis reports can only be generated using the...09/01/89 PCI- 36 RATING- POOR CONDITION- RIDING- SAFETY - DRAINAGE- SHOULDERS- OVERALL- TOTAL NUMBER OF SAMPLES IN SECTION- 4 NUMBER OF SAMPLES...CONDITION- RIDING- SAFETY - DRAINAGE- SHOULDERS- OVERALL- TOTAL NUMBER OF SAMPLES IN SECTION- 17 NUMBER OF SAMPLES SURVEYED- 5 RECOMMENDED SAMPLES TO BE

77 FR 42189 - Marine Recreational Fisheries of the United States; National Saltwater Angler Registry and State...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-18

... improvements to the design and management of survey and estimation methods used to produce marine recreational... to these effort surveys provides for continued pilot testing of effort sampling designs that use both... NMFS determine what specific sampling design to use in MRIP effort surveys on the Atlantic and Gulf...

Technical Report and Data File User's Manual for the 1992 National Adult Literacy Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirsch, Irwin; Yamamoto, Kentaro; Norris, Norma; Rock, Donald; Jungeblut, Ann; O'Reilly, Patricia; Berlin, Martha; Mohadjer, Leyla; Waksberg, Joseph; Goksel, Huseyin; Burke, John; Rieger, Susan; Green, James; Klein, Merle; Campbell, Anne; Jenkins, Lynn; Kolstad, Andrew; Mosenthal, Peter; Baldi, Stephane

Chapter 1 of this report and user's manual describes design and implementation of the 1992 National Adult Literacy Survey (NALS). Chapter 2 reviews stages of sampling for national and state survey components; presents weighted and unweighted response rates for the household component; and describes non-incentive and prison sample designs. Chapter…

National Aquatic Resource Surveys: Multiple objectives and constraints lead to design complexity

EPA Science Inventory

The US Environmental Protection Agency began conducting the National Aquatic resource Surveys (NARS) in 2007 with a national survey of lakes (NLA 2007) followed by rivers and streams in 2008-9 (NRSA 2008), coastal waters in 2010 (NCCA 2010) and wetlands in 2011 (NWCA). The surve...

Sexual harassment in Jewish and Arab public schools in Israel.

PubMed

Zeira, Anat; Astor, Ron Avi; Benbenishty, Rami

2002-02-01

Current empirical literature on sexual harassment in schools is mostly based on nonrepresentative samples of middle-class high-school Caucasian female students. Thus the scope of research regarding gender, age, and cultural differences is very limited. This article reports on findings on sexual harassment in Jewish and Arab schools in Israel with regard to gender, age, and cultural differences. The study is part of the first national survey on school violence in Israel. The representative sample includes 10,400 students in grades 7 through 11 attending public schools in Israel. Students were asked to report whether they were victims of specific acts of sexual harassment in school during the month before the survey. Overall, 29.1% of the students were victims of at least one act of harassment. The more common acts were to show offensive pictures or to send obscene letters, to take off or to try to take off part of the student's clothing, and to try to kiss a student. The most vulnerable groups are the Arab boys and 8th grade students. Report rates were the lowest among Arab girls. Sexual harassment is prevalent in Israeli schools. The pattern of victimization is different for boys and girls and for students in Jewish and Arab schools. These patterns are a complex phenomenon that must be considered in the intervention and policy measures addressing sexual harassment at school.

Biodiversity and agriculture in dynamic landscapes: Integrating ground and remotely-sensed baseline surveys.

PubMed

Gillison, Andrew N; Asner, Gregory P; Fernandes, Erick C M; Mafalacusser, Jacinto; Banze, Aurélio; Izidine, Samira; da Fonseca, Ambrósio R; Pacate, Hermenegildo

2016-07-15

Sustainable biodiversity and land management require a cost-effective means of forecasting landscape response to environmental change. Conventional species-based, regional biodiversity assessments are rarely adequate for policy planning and decision making. We show how new ground and remotely-sensed survey methods can be coordinated to help elucidate and predict relationships between biodiversity, land use and soil properties along complex biophysical gradients that typify many similar landscapes worldwide. In the lower Zambezi valley, Mozambique we used environmental, gradient-directed transects (gradsects) to sample vascular plant species, plant functional types, vegetation structure, soil properties and land-use characteristics. Soil fertility indices were derived using novel multidimensional scaling of soil properties. To facilitate spatial analysis, we applied a probabilistic remote sensing approach, analyzing Landsat 7 satellite imagery to map photosynthetically active and inactive vegetation and bare soil along each gradsect. Despite the relatively low sample number, we found highly significant correlations between single and combined sets of specific plant, soil and remotely sensed variables that permitted testable spatial projections of biodiversity and soil fertility across the regional land-use mosaic. This integrative and rapid approach provides a low-cost, high-return and readily transferable methodology that permits the ready identification of testable biodiversity indicators for adaptive management of biodiversity and potential agricultural productivity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Advancing the global proteome survey platform by using an oriented single chain antibody fragment immobilization approach.

PubMed

Säll, Anna; Persson, Helena; Ohlin, Mats; Borrebaeck, Carl A K; Wingren, Christer

2016-09-25

Increasing the understanding of a proteome and how its protein composition is affected by for example different diseases, such as cancer, has the potential to improve strategies for early diagnosis and therapeutics. The Global Proteome Survey or GPS is a method that combines mass spectrometry and affinity enrichment with the use of antibodies. The technology enables profiling of complex proteomes in a species independent manner. The sensitivity of GPS, and other methods relying on affinity enrichment, is largely affected by the activity of the exploited affinity reagent. We here present an improvement of the GPS platform by utilizing an antibody immobilization approach which ensures a controlled immobilization process of the antibody to the magnetic bead support. More specifically, we make use of an antibody format that enables site-directed biotinylation and use this in combination with streptavidin coated magnetic beads. The performance of the expanded GPS platform was evaluated by profiling yeast proteome samples. We demonstrate that the oriented antibody immobilization strategy increases the ability of the GPS platform and results in larger fraction of functional antibodies. Additionally, we show that this new antibody format enabled in-solution capture, i.e. immobilization of the antibodies after sample incubation. A workflow has been established that permit the use of an oriented immobilization strategy for the GPS platform. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.