The Analysis of Three-Way Contingency Tables by Three-Mode Association Models.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Carolyn J.

1996-01-01

Generalizations of L. A. Goodman's RC(M) association model (1991 and earlier) are presented for three-way tables. These three-mode association models use L. R. Tucker's three-mode components model (1964, 1966) to represent the three-factor interaction or the combined effects of two- and three-factor interactions. (SLD)

WASP (Write a Scientific Paper) using Excel - 10: Contingency tables.

PubMed

Grech, Victor

2018-06-01

Contingency tables may be required to perform chi-test analyses. This provides pointers as to how to do this in Microsoft Excel and explains how to set up methods to calculate confidence intervals for proportions, including proportions with zero numerators. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The exact analysis of contingency tables in medical research.

PubMed

Mehta, C R

1994-01-01

A unified view of exact nonparametric inference, with special emphasis on data in the form of contingency tables, is presented. While the concept of exact tests has been in existence since the early work of RA Fisher, the computational complexity involved in actually executing such tests precluded their use until fairly recently. Modern algorithmic advances, combined with the easy availability of inexpensive computing power, has renewed interest in exact methods of inference, especially because they remain valid in the face of small, sparse, imbalanced, or heavily tied data. After defining exact p-values in terms of the permutation principle, we reference algorithms for computing them. Several data sets are then analysed by both exact and asymptotic methods. We end with a discussion of the available software.

The Information in Contingency Tables - An Application of Information- Theoretic Concepts to the Analysis of Contingency Tables

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-08-04

not significant or that in the parametric representation of the log-odds in (11 .1) the parameter ki T l measuring tao effect of race on the dependent...are o.-]iVce] i. ratio c. , .r,,; anl the a’,,;[’.t ic c:) t:;O a ,~ ;:nll’ is or n olcot i: ’.oi tao ! :r.Ltsta :. te:’, t":2:’ )o< n! .-o -f t- ! L...X(i-k) .ven X(Lj-) alid x(jkJ 2 L(x*:.~ 4 No s,;cond-Order intltCd:tivf 2L1(x:.\\ J Por Lteo pcrt tc.kav dUlt -t i n queti~on h’w\\,- )) WQ ’Q1* , x

Benchmark data on the separability among crops in the southern San Joaquin Valley of California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morse, A.; Card, D. H.

1984-01-01

Landsat MSS data were input to a discriminant analysis of 21 crops on each of eight dates in 1979 using a total of 4,142 fields in southern Fresno County, California. The 21 crops, which together account for over 70 percent of the agricultural acreage in the southern San Joaquin Valley, were analyzed to quantify the spectral separability, defined as omission error, between all pairs of crops. On each date the fields were segregated into six groups based on the mean value of the MSS7/MSS5 ratio, which is correlated with green biomass. Discriminant analysis was run on each group on each date. The resulting contingency tables offer information that can be profitably used in conjunction with crop calendars to pick the best dates for a classification. The tables show expected percent correct classification and error rates for all the crops. The patterns in the contingency tables show that the percent correct classification for crops generally increases with the amount of greenness in the fields being classified. However, there are exceptions to this general rule, notably grain.

Using Log Linear Analysis for Categorical Family Variables.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moen, Phyllis

The Goodman technique of log linear analysis is ideal for family research, because it is designed for categorical (non-quantitative) variables. Variables are dichotomized (for example, married/divorced, childless/with children) or otherwise categorized (for example, level of permissiveness, life cycle stage). Contingency tables are then…

Constrained Principal Component Analysis: Various Applications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunter, Michael; Takane, Yoshio

2002-01-01

Provides example applications of constrained principal component analysis (CPCA) that illustrate the method on a variety of contexts common to psychological research. Two new analyses, decompositions into finer components and fitting higher order structures, are presented, followed by an illustration of CPCA on contingency tables and the CPCA of…

Using Configural Frequency Analysis as a Person-Centered Analytic Approach with Categorical Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stemmler, Mark; Heine, Jörg-Henrik

2017-01-01

Configural frequency analysis and log-linear modeling are presented as person-centered analytic approaches for the analysis of categorical or categorized data in multi-way contingency tables. Person-centered developmental psychology, based on the holistic interactionistic perspective of the Stockholm working group around David Magnusson and Lars…

Testing Spatial Symmetry Using Contingency Tables Based on Nearest Neighbor Relations

PubMed Central

Ceyhan, Elvan

2014-01-01

We consider two types of spatial symmetry, namely, symmetry in the mixed or shared nearest neighbor (NN) structures. We use Pielou's and Dixon's symmetry tests which are defined using contingency tables based on the NN relationships between the data points. We generalize these tests to multiple classes and demonstrate that both the asymptotic and exact versions of Pielou's first type of symmetry test are extremely conservative in rejecting symmetry in the mixed NN structure and hence should be avoided or only the Monte Carlo randomized version should be used. Under RL, we derive the asymptotic distribution for Dixon's symmetry test and also observe that the usual independence test seems to be appropriate for Pielou's second type of test. Moreover, we apply variants of Fisher's exact test on the shared NN contingency table for Pielou's second test and determine the most appropriate version for our setting. We also consider pairwise and one-versus-rest type tests in post hoc analysis after a significant overall symmetry test. We investigate the asymptotic properties of the tests, prove their consistency under appropriate null hypotheses, and investigate finite sample performance of them by extensive Monte Carlo simulations. The methods are illustrated on a real-life ecological data set. PMID:24605061

Using Japanese Onomatopoeias to Explore Perceptual Dimensions in Visual Material Perception.

PubMed

Hanada, Mitsuhiko

2016-01-28

This study examined the perceptual dimensions of visual material properties. Photographs of 50 objects were presented to the participants, and they reported a suitable onomatopoeia (mimetic word) for describing the material of the object in each photograph, based on visual appearance. The participants' responses were collated into a contingency table of photographs × onomatopoeias. After removing some items from the table, correspondence analysis was applied to the contingency table, and a six-dimensional biplot was obtained. By rotating the axes to maximize sparseness of the coordinates for the items in the biplot, three meaningful perceptual dimensions were derived: wetness/stickiness, fluffiness/softness, and smoothness-roughness/gloss-dullness. Two additional possible dimensions were obtained: crumbliness and coldness. These dimensions, except gloss-dullness, were paid little attention to in vision science, though they were suggested as perceptual dimensions of tactile texture. This suggests that the perceptual dimensions that are considered to be primarily related to haptics are also important in visual material perception. © The Author(s) 2016.

Tests of Independence in Contingency Tables with Small Samples: A Comparison of Statistical Power.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parshall, Cynthia G.; Kromrey, Jeffrey D.

1996-01-01

Power and Type I error rates were estimated for contingency tables with small sample sizes for the following four types of tests: (1) Pearson's chi-square; (2) chi-square with Yates's continuity correction; (3) the likelihood ratio test; and (4) Fisher's Exact Test. Various marginal distributions, sample sizes, and effect sizes were examined. (SLD)

Satellite services system analysis study. Volume 4: Service equipment concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

Payload deployment equipment is discussed, including payload separation, retention structures, the remote manipulator system, tilt tables, the payload installation and deployment aid, the handling and positioning aid, and spin tables. Close proximity retrieval, and on-orbit servicing equipment is discussed. Backup and contingency equipment is also discussed. Delivery and retrieval of high-energy payloads are considered. Earth return equipment, the aft flight deck, optional, and advanced equipment are also discussed.

Patterns of Library Use by Undergraduate Students in a Chilean University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jara, Magdalena; Clasing, Paula; Gonzalez, Carlos; Montenegro, Maximiliano; Kelly, Nick; Alarcón, Rosa; Sandoval, Augusto; Saurina, Elvira

2017-01-01

This paper explores the patterns of use of print materials and digital resources in an undergraduate library in a Chilean university, by the students' discipline and year of study. A quantitative analysis was carried out, including descriptive analysis of contingency tables, chi-squared tests, t-tests, and multiple linear regressions. The results…

Significance testing of rules in rule-based models of human problem solving

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewis, C. M.; Hammer, J. M.

1986-01-01

Rule-based models of human problem solving have typically not been tested for statistical significance. Three methods of testing rules - analysis of variance, randomization, and contingency tables - are presented. Advantages and disadvantages of the methods are also described.

Evaluation criteria for software classification inventories, accuracies, and maps

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jayroe, R. R., Jr.

1976-01-01

Statistical criteria are presented for modifying the contingency table used to evaluate tabular classification results obtained from remote sensing and ground truth maps. This classification technique contains information on the spatial complexity of the test site, on the relative location of classification errors, on agreement of the classification maps with ground truth maps, and reduces back to the original information normally found in a contingency table.

Community-wide Validation of Geospace Model Ground Magnetic Field Perturbation Predictions to Support Model Transition to Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pulkkinen, A.; Rastaetter, L.; Kuznetsova, M.; Singer, H.; Balch, C.; Weimer, D.; Toth, G.; Ridley, A.; Gombosi, T.; Wiltberger, M.;

Examining a Terrorist Network Using Contingency Table Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-08-01

Mathematics and Statistics, with a minor in Actuarial Science. This is my second year as a summer student at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL...After graduation, I plan on either attending graduate school to concentrate in applied statistics or becoming a mathematical statistician for the

TETRA-COM: a comprehensive SPSS program for estimating the tetrachoric correlation.

PubMed

Lorenzo-Seva, Urbano; Ferrando, Pere J

2012-12-01

We provide an SPSS program that implements descriptive and inferential procedures for estimating tetrachoric correlations. These procedures have two main purposes: (1) bivariate estimation in contingency tables and (2) constructing a correlation matrix to be used as input for factor analysis (in particular, the SPSS FACTOR procedure). In both cases, the program computes accurate point estimates, as well as standard errors and confidence intervals that are correct for any population value. For purpose (1), the program computes the contingency table together with five other measures of association. For purpose (2), the program checks the positive definiteness of the matrix, and if it is found not to be Gramian, performs a nonlinear smoothing procedure at the user's request. The SPSS syntax, a short manual, and data files related to this article are available as supplemental materials from brm.psychonomic-journals.org/content/supplemental.

WASP (Write a Scientific Paper) using Excel - 12: Odds ratio and relative risk.

PubMed

Grech, Victor

2018-07-01

The calculation of odds ratios and relative risks may be required as part of a data analysis exercise. This paper explains how to set up these calculations in Microsoft Excel from a two by two contingency table. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[The relationship between Ridit analysis and rank sum test for one-way ordinal contingency table in medical research].

PubMed

Wang, Ling; Xia, Jie-lai; Yu, Li-li; Li, Chan-juan; Wang, Su-zhen

2008-06-01

To explore several numerical methods of ordinal variable in one-way ordinal contingency table and their interrelationship, and to compare corresponding statistical analysis methods such as Ridit analysis and rank sum test. Formula deduction was based on five simplified grading approaches including rank_r(i), ridit_r(i), ridit_r(ci), ridit_r(mi), and table scores. Practical data set was verified by SAS8.2 in clinical practice (to test the effect of Shiwei solution in treatment for chronic tracheitis). Because of the linear relationship of rank_r(i) = N ridit_r(i) + 1/2 = N ridit_r(ci) = (N + 1) ridit_r(mi), the exact chi2 values in Ridit analysis based on ridit_r(i), ridit_r(ci), and ridit_r(mi), were completely the same, and they were equivalent to the Kruskal-Wallis H test. Traditional Ridit analysis was based on ridit_r(i), and its corresponding chi2 value calculated with an approximate variance (1/12) was conservative. The exact chi2 test of Ridit analysis should be used when comparing multiple groups in the clinical researches because of its special merits such as distribution of mean ridit value on (0,1) and clear graph expression. The exact chi2 test of Ridit analysis can be output directly by proc freq of SAS8.2 with ridit and modridit option (SCORES =). The exact chi2 test of Ridit analysis is equivalent to the Kruskal-Wallis H test, and should be used when comparing multiple groups in the clinical researches.

The meaning of diagnostic test results: a spreadsheet for swift data analysis.

PubMed

Maceneaney, P M; Malone, D E

2000-03-01

To design a spreadsheet program to: (a) analyse rapidly diagnostic test result data produced in local research or reported in the literature; (b) correct reported predictive values for disease prevalence in any population; (c) estimate the post-test probability of disease in individual patients. Microsoft Excel(TM)was used. Section A: a contingency (2 x 2) table was incorporated into the spreadsheet. Formulae for standard calculations [sample size, disease prevalence, sensitivity and specificity with 95% confidence intervals, predictive values and likelihood ratios (LRs)] were linked to this table. The results change automatically when the data in the true or false negative and positive cells are changed. Section B: this estimates predictive values in any population, compensating for altered disease prevalence. Sections C-F: Bayes' theorem was incorporated to generate individual post-test probabilities. The spreadsheet generates 95% confidence intervals, LRs and a table and graph of conditional probabilities once the sensitivity and specificity of the test are entered. The latter shows the expected post-test probability of disease for any pre-test probability when a test of known sensitivity and specificity is positive or negative. This spreadsheet can be used on desktop and palmtop computers. The MS Excel(TM)version can be downloaded via the Internet from the URL ftp://radiography.com/pub/Rad-data99.xls A spreadsheet is useful for contingency table data analysis and assessment of the clinical meaning of diagnostic test results. Copyright 2000 The Royal College of Radiologists.

A hazards-model analysis of the covariates of infant and child mortality in Sri Lanka.

PubMed

Trussell, J; Hammerslough, C

1983-02-01

The purpose of this paper is twofold: (a) to provide a complete self-contained exposition of estimating life tables with covariates through the use of hazards models, and (b) to illustrate this technique with a substantive analysis of child mortality in Sri Lanka, thereby demonstrating that World Fertility Survey data are a valuable source for the study of child mortality. We show that life tables with covariates can be easily estimated with standard computer packages designed for analysis of contingency tables. The substantive analysis confirms and supplements an earlier study of infant and child mortality in Sri Lanka by Meegama. Those factors found to be strongly associated with mortality are mother's and father's education, time period of birth, urban/rural/estate residence, ethnicity, sex, birth order, age of the mother at the birth, and type of toilet facility.

Demography of black-tailed prairie dog populations reoccupying sites treated with rodenticide

Treesearch

R. P. Cincotta; Daniel W. Uresk; R. M. Hansen

1987-01-01

A rodenticide, zinc phosphide, was applied to remove black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) from 6 haofa prairie dog colony in southwestern South Dakota. Another adjacent 6 ha was left untreated. The removal experiment was repeated two consecutive years. Contingency table analysis showed that the resultant population was not homogeneous;...

Statistical analysis of atom probe data: detecting the early stages of solute clustering and/or co-segregation.

PubMed

Hyde, J M; Cerezo, A; Williams, T J

2009-04-01

Statistical analysis of atom probe data has improved dramatically in the last decade and it is now possible to determine the size, the number density and the composition of individual clusters or precipitates such as those formed in reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steels during irradiation. However, the characterisation of the onset of clustering or co-segregation is more difficult and has traditionally focused on the use of composition frequency distributions (for detecting clustering) and contingency tables (for detecting co-segregation). In this work, the authors investigate the possibility of directly examining the neighbourhood of each individual solute atom as a means of identifying the onset of solute clustering and/or co-segregation. The methodology involves comparing the mean observed composition around a particular type of solute with that expected from the overall composition of the material. The methodology has been applied to atom probe data obtained from several irradiated RPV steels. The results show that the new approach is more sensitive to fine scale clustering and co-segregation than that achievable using composition frequency distribution and contingency table analyses.

Information analysis of a spatial database for ecological land classification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Frank W.; Dozier, Jeff

1990-01-01

An ecological land classification was developed for a complex region in southern California using geographic information system techniques of map overlay and contingency table analysis. Land classes were identified by mutual information analysis of vegetation pattern in relation to other mapped environmental variables. The analysis was weakened by map errors, especially errors in the digital elevation data. Nevertheless, the resulting land classification was ecologically reasonable and performed well when tested with higher quality data from the region.

An Analysis of Adult-Child Interaction Patterns in Three-Generational Black Families.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Melvin N.; Tolson, Timothy F. J.

This report describes results of contingency-table analyses conducted on four types of black families. Eight families from a sample of 30 families who had been filmed on four occasions during evening meals are discussed as case studies. Two families chosen from each cell of a 2 x 2 factorial design consisting of family structure (one versus two…

Increasing the Transparency of Stated Choice Studies for Policy Analysis: Designing Experiments to Produce Raw Response Graphs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sur, Dipika; Cook, Joseph; Chatterjee, Susmita; Deen, Jacqueline; Whittington, Dale

2007-01-01

We believe a lack of transparency undermines both the credibility of, and interest in, stated choice studies among policy makers. Unlike articles reporting the results of contingent valuation studies, papers in the stated choice literature rarely present simple tabulations of raw response data (that is, a table or graph showing the percentage of…

On Determining the Rise, Size, and Duration Classes of a Sunspot Cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, Robert M.; Hathaway, David H.; Reichmann, Edwin J.

1996-09-01

The behavior of ascent duration, maximum amplitude, and period for cycles 1 to 21 suggests that they are not mutually independent. Analysis of the resultant three-dimensional contingency table for cycles divided according to rise time (ascent duration), size (maximum amplitude), and duration (period) yields a chi-square statistic (= 18.59) that is larger than the test statistic (= 9.49 for 4 degrees-of-freedom at the 5-percent level of significance), thereby, inferring that the null hypothesis (mutual independence) can be rejected. Analysis of individual 2 by 2 contingency tables (based on Fisher's exact test) for these parameters shows that, while ascent duration is strongly related to maximum amplitude in the negative sense (inverse correlation) - the Waldmeier effect, it also is related (marginally) to period, but in the positive sense (direct correlation). No significant (or marginally significant) correlation is found between period and maximum amplitude. Using cycle 22 as a test case, we show that by the 12th month following conventional onset, cycle 22 appeared highly likely to be a fast-rising, larger-than-average-size cycle. Because of the inferred correlation between ascent duration and period, it also seems likely that it will have a period shorter than average length.

On Determining the Rise, Size, and Duration Classes of a Sunspot Cycle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, Robert M.; Hathaway, David H.; Reichmann, Edwin J.

1996-01-01

The behavior of ascent duration, maximum amplitude, and period for cycles 1 to 21 suggests that they are not mutually independent. Analysis of the resultant three-dimensional contingency table for cycles divided according to rise time (ascent duration), size (maximum amplitude), and duration (period) yields a chi-square statistic (= 18.59) that is larger than the test statistic (= 9.49 for 4 degrees-of-freedom at the 5-percent level of significance), thereby, inferring that the null hypothesis (mutual independence) can be rejected. Analysis of individual 2 by 2 contingency tables (based on Fisher's exact test) for these parameters shows that, while ascent duration is strongly related to maximum amplitude in the negative sense (inverse correlation) - the Waldmeier effect, it also is related (marginally) to period, but in the positive sense (direct correlation). No significant (or marginally significant) correlation is found between period and maximum amplitude. Using cycle 22 as a test case, we show that by the 12th month following conventional onset, cycle 22 appeared highly likely to be a fast-rising, larger-than-average-size cycle. Because of the inferred correlation between ascent duration and period, it also seems likely that it will have a period shorter than average length.

Analysis of Whole-Sky Imager Data to Determine the Validity of PCFLOS models

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-12-01

included in the data sample. 2-5 3.1. Data arrangement for a r x c contingency table ....................... 3-2 3.2. ARIMA models estimated for each...satellites. This model uses the multidimen- sional Boehm Sawtooth Wave Model to establish climatic probabilities through repetitive simula- tions of...analysis techniques to develop an ARIMAe model for each direction at the Columbia and Kirtland sites. Then, the models can be compared and analyzed to

Adaptive Non-Interventional Heuristics for Covariation Detection in Causal Induction: Model Comparison and Rational Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hattori, Masasi; Oaksford, Mike

2007-01-01

In this article, 41 models of covariation detection from 2 x 2 contingency tables were evaluated against past data in the literature and against data from new experiments. A new model was also included based on a limiting case of the normative phi-coefficient under an extreme rarity assumption, which has been shown to be an important factor in…

Long-Range Forecasting in Support of Operations in Pakistan

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-01

climate variation, respectively. ....... 11 Table 2. Schematic contingency table used to verify hindcasts of Jul-Aug Pakistan PR. The cells of the table...IRI is a component of Columbia University located in Palisades , NY. IRI’s mission is to increase society’s awareness of the impact of climate on...Jul-Aug Pakistan PR. The cells of the table represent the number and combinations of observed occurrences (obs Y), observed non- occurrences (obs N

Fracture pattern interpretation in the skull: differentiating blunt force from ballistics trauma using concentric fractures.

PubMed

Hart, Gina O

2005-11-01

There have been several anthropological studies on trauma analysis in recent literature, but few studies have focused on the differences between the three mechanisms of trauma (sharp force trauma, blunt force trauma and ballistics trauma). The hypothesis of this study is that blunt force and ballistics fracture patterns in the skull can be differentiated using concentric fractures. Two-hundred and eleven injuries from skulls exhibiting concentric fractures were examined to determine if the mechanism of trauma could be determined by beveling direction. Fractures occurring in buttressed and non-buttressed regions were examined separately. Contingency tables and Pearson's Chi-Square were used to evaluate the relationship between the two variables (the mechanism of trauma and the direction of beveling), while Pearson's r correlation was used to determine the strength of the relationship. Contingency tables and Chi-square tests among the entire sample, the buttressed areas, and the non-buttressed areas led to the null hypothesis (no relationship) to be rejected. Pearson's r correlation indicated that the relationship between the variables studied is greater than chance allocation.

Bayes’ theorem, the ROC diagram and reference values: Definition and use in clinical diagnosis

PubMed Central

Kallner, Anders

2017-01-01

Medicine is diagnosis, treatment and care. To diagnose is to consider the probability of the cause of discomfort experienced by the patient. The physician may face many options and all decisions are liable to uncertainty to some extent. The rational action is to perform selected tests and thereby increase the pre-test probability to reach a superior post-test probability of a particular option. To draw the right conclusions from a test, certain background information about the performance of the test is necessary. We set up a partially artificial dataset with measured results obtained from the laboratory information system and simulated diagnosis attached. The dataset is used to explore the use of contingency tables with a unique graphic design and software to establish and compare ROC graphs. The loss of information in the ROC curve is compensated by a cumulative data analysis (CDA) plot linked to a display of the efficiency and predictive values. A standard for the contingency table is suggested and the use of dynamic reference intervals discussed. PMID:29209139

40 CFR 49.10711 - Federal Implementation Plan for the Astaris-Idaho LLC Facility (formerly owned by FMC Corporation...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... to which emissions reduce the transmission of light and obscure the view of an object in the...: main shale pile (Table 1 of this section, source 2), emergency/contingency raw ore shale pile (Table 1...

Contingencies of Self-Worth and Psychological Distress in Iranian Patients Seeking Cosmetic Surgery: Integrative Self-Knowledge as Mediator.

PubMed

Valikhani, Ahmad; Goodarzi, Mohammad Ali

2017-08-01

Although previous studies have shown that people applying for cosmetic surgery experience high-intensity psychological distress, important variables that function as protective factors have rarely been the subject of study in this population. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the role of low and high self-knowledge in experiencing psychological distress and contingencies of self-worth to appearance and approval from others and to identify the mediatory role of the integrative self-knowledge in patients seeking cosmetic surgery. Eighty-eight patients seeking cosmetic surgery were selected and completed the contingencies of self-worth and integrative self-knowledge scales, as well as the depression, anxiety and stress scale. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and path analysis using 5000 bootstrap resampling. The results of MANOVA showed that patients seeking cosmetic surgery with high self-knowledge had lower levels of depression, anxiety and stress compared to patients with low self-knowledge. They also gained lower scores in contingencies of self-worth to appearance and approval from others. The results of path analysis indicated that self-knowledge is a complete mediator in the relationship between contingencies of self-worth to appearance and approval from others and psychological distress. Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that self-knowledge as a protective factor plays a major role in relation to the psychological distress experienced by the patients seeking cosmetic surgery. In fact, by increasing self-knowledge among this group of patients, their psychological distress can be decreased. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Tanker Airlift Control Elements (TALCEs) and Contingency Response Units (CRUs): Does Air Force Operational Doctrine Need to Change?

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-06-01

34 Table 4. Pros and Cons of Alternate Solutions ................................................................. 43 viii Abstract...the best structure for the Air Force goes beyond the scope of this paper. The table below summarizes the pros and cons of the three alternate...solutions presented. Table 4. Pros and Cons of Alternate Solutions Solution Pros Cons No CRU Centralized management and training, few MOG limitations

26 CFR 20.2031-7A - Valuation of annuities, interests for life or term of years, and remainder or reversionary...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

..., and life contingencies are determined as to each male and female life involved, from values that are set forth in Table LN. Table LN contains values that are taken from the life table for total males and... is the right of a person for his or her life, or for the life of another person, to receive the...

Current Methodologies for the Analysis of Contingency Tables: Robustness with Respect to Small Expected Values.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-06-09

40 @ "o VAi %P t 00493f "f t0 IVI Ř "f %,?I 0N% &p &~9. - 4F.904 S d @ 4P099 4U d 909@ 00F 99@ 5 44%4#f m 999F.490F~pPd.5 WAPd 040Pdp.4Pd44090095...64 គ 67 22 21 63 គ 51 18 51 គ ’-, IS N -- -. - . . . . . . . . . - .. .. - .. - 71 264 MINIMUM N (N) TABLE: 2 x5 .10__ .05 .01 VECTOR K P G K P...the Use and Interpretation of Certain Test Cviteria for the Purpose of Statistical Inference, Part II", Biometrika, 20, 264 -299. Odoroff, C. L. (1970

Testing for independence in J×K contingency tables with complex sample survey data.

PubMed

Lipsitz, Stuart R; Fitzmaurice, Garrett M; Sinha, Debajyoti; Hevelone, Nathanael; Giovannucci, Edward; Hu, Jim C

2015-09-01

The test of independence of row and column variables in a (J×K) contingency table is a widely used statistical test in many areas of application. For complex survey samples, use of the standard Pearson chi-squared test is inappropriate due to correlation among units within the same cluster. Rao and Scott (1981, Journal of the American Statistical Association 76, 221-230) proposed an approach in which the standard Pearson chi-squared statistic is multiplied by a design effect to adjust for the complex survey design. Unfortunately, this test fails to exist when one of the observed cell counts equals zero. Even with the large samples typical of many complex surveys, zero cell counts can occur for rare events, small domains, or contingency tables with a large number of cells. Here, we propose Wald and score test statistics for independence based on weighted least squares estimating equations. In contrast to the Rao-Scott test statistic, the proposed Wald and score test statistics always exist. In simulations, the score test is found to perform best with respect to type I error. The proposed method is motivated by, and applied to, post surgical complications data from the United States' Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) complex survey of hospitals in 2008. © 2015, The International Biometric Society.

Validation of Volcanic Ash Forecasting Performed by the Washington Volcanic Ash Advisory Center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salemi, A.; Hanna, J.

2009-12-01

In support of NOAA’s mission to protect life and property, the Satellite Analysis Branch (SAB) uses satellite imagery to monitor volcanic eruptions and track volcanic ash. The Washington Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) was established in late 1997 through an agreement with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). A volcanic ash advisory (VAA) is issued every 6 hours while an eruption is occurring. Information about the current location and height of the volcanic ash as well as any pertinent meteorological information is contained within the VAA. In addition, when ash is detected in satellite imagery, 6-, 12- and 18-hour forecasts of ash height and location are provided. This information is garnered from many sources including Meteorological Watch Offices (MWOs), pilot reports (PIREPs), model forecast winds, radiosondes and volcano observatories. The Washington VAAC has performed a validation of their 6, 12 and 18 hour airborne volcanic ash forecasts issued since October, 2007. The volcanic ash forecasts are viewed dichotomously (yes/no) with the frequency of yes and no events placed into a contingency table. A large variety of categorical statistics useful in describing forecast performance are then computed from the resulting contingency table.

The price of privately releasing contingency tables, and the spectra of random matrices with correlated rows

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

Kasiviswanathan, Shiva; Rudelson, Mark; Smith, Adam

2009-01-01

Contingency tables are the method of choice of government agencies for releasing statistical summaries of categorical data. In this paper, we consider lower bounds on how much distortion (noise) is necessary in these tables to provide privacy guarantees when the data being summarized is sensitive. We extend a line of recent work on lower bounds on noise for private data analysis [10, 13. 14, 15] to a natural and important class of functionalities. Our investigation also leads to new results on the spectra of random matrices with correlated rows. Consider a database D consisting of n rows (one per individual),more » each row comprising d binary attributes. For any subset of T attributes of size |T| = k, the marginal table for T has 2{sup k} entries; each entry counts how many times in the database a particular setting of these attributes occurs. Imagine an agency that wishes to release all (d/k) contingency tables for a given database. For constant k, previous work showed that distortion {tilde {Omicron}}(min{l_brace}n, (n{sup 2}d){sup 1/3}, {radical}d{sup k}{r_brace}) is sufficient for satisfying differential privacy, a rigorous definition of privacy that has received extensive recent study. Our main contributions are: (1) For {epsilon}- and ({epsilon}, {delta})-differential privacy (with {epsilon} constant and {delta} = 1/poly(n)), we give a lower bound of {tilde {Omega}}(min{l_brace}{radical}n, {radical}d{sup k}{r_brace}), which is tight for n = {tilde {Omega}}(d{sup k}). Moreover, for a natural and popular class of mechanisms based on additive noise, our bound can be strengthened to {Omega}({radical}d{sup k}), which is tight for all n. Our bounds extend even to non-constant k, losing roughly a factor of {radical}2{sup k} compared to the best known upper bounds for large n. (2) We give efficient polynomial time attacks which allow an adversary to reconstruct sensitive infonnation given insufficiently perturbed contingency table releases. For constant k, we obtain a lower bound of {tilde {Omega}}(min{l_brace}{radical}n, {radical}d{sup k}{r_brace}) that applies to a large class of privacy notions, including K-anonymity (along with its variants) and differential privacy. In contrast to our bounds for differential privacy, this bound (a) is shown only for constant k, but (b) is tight for all values of n when k is constant. (3) Our reconstruction-based attacks require a new lower bound on the least singular values of random matrices with correlated rows. For a constant k, consider a matrix M with (d/k) rows which are formed by taking all possible k-way entry-wise products of an underlying set of d random vectors. We show that even for nearly square matrices with d{sup k}/log d columns, the least singular value is {Omega}({radical}d{sup k}) with high probability - asymptotically, the same bound as one gets for a matrix with independent rows. The proof requires several new ideas for analyzing random matrices and could be of independent interest.« less

Multi-way multi-group segregation and diversity indices.

PubMed

Gorelick, Root; Bertram, Susan M

2010-06-01

How can we compute a segregation or diversity index from a three-way or multi-way contingency table, where each variable can take on an arbitrary finite number of values and where the index takes values between zero and one? Previous methods only exist for two-way contingency tables or dichotomous variables. A prototypical three-way case is the segregation index of a set of industries or departments given multiple explanatory variables of both sex and race. This can be further extended to other variables, such as disability, number of years of education, and former military service. We extend existing segregation indices based on Euclidean distance (square of coefficient of variation) and Boltzmann/Shannon/Theil index from two-way to multi-way contingency tables by including multiple summations. We provide several biological applications, such as indices for age polyethism and linkage disequilibrium. We also provide a new heuristic conceptualization of entropy-based indices. Higher order association measures are often independent of lower order ones, hence an overall segregation or diversity index should be the arithmetic mean of the normalized association measures at all orders. These methods are applicable when individuals self-identify as multiple races or even multiple sexes and when individuals work part-time in multiple industries. The policy implications of this work are enormous, allowing people to rigorously test whether employment or biological diversity has changed.

Comparing Performances of Multiple Comparison Methods in Commonly Used 2 × C Contingency Tables.

PubMed

Cangur, Sengul; Ankarali, Handan; Pasin, Ozge

2016-12-01

This study aims at mentioning briefly multiple comparison methods such as Bonferroni, Holm-Bonferroni, Hochberg, Hommel, Marascuilo, Tukey, Benjamini-Hochberg and Gavrilov-Benjamini-Sarkar for contingency tables, through the data obtained from a medical research and examining their performances by simulation study which was constructed as the total 36 scenarios to 2 × 4 contingency table. As results of simulation, it was observed that when the sample size is more than 100, the methods which can preserve the nominal alpha level are Gavrilov-Benjamini-Sarkar, Holm-Bonferroni and Bonferroni. Marascuilo method was found to be a more conservative than Bonferroni. It was found that Type I error rate for Hommel method is around 2 % in all scenarios. Moreover, when the proportions of the three populations are equal and the proportion value of the fourth population is far at a level of ±3 standard deviation from the other populations, the power value for Unadjusted All-Pairwise Comparison approach is at least a bit higher than the ones obtained by Gavrilov-Benjamini-Sarkar, Holm-Bonferroni and Bonferroni. Consequently, Gavrilov-Benjamini-Sarkar and Holm-Bonferroni methods have the best performance according to simulation. Hommel and Marascuilo methods are not recommended to be used because they have medium or lower performance. In addition, we have written a Minitab macro about multiple comparisons for use in scientific research.

A Delphi Study of Additive Manufacturing Applicability for United States Air Force Civil Engineer Contingency Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-03-26

10 Table 2. Additive Manufacturing Categories (ASTM International , 2012) ..................... 14 Table 3. Delphi... flexibility in the design and structure of manufactured parts. It also allows for the creation of thousands of possible parts or tools from a single...machine. These benefits of 3 precision and flexibility in design and manufacturing show promising possibilities for addressing the general nature of

TEAM: efficient two-locus epistasis tests in human genome-wide association study.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiang; Huang, Shunping; Zou, Fei; Wang, Wei

2010-06-15

As a promising tool for identifying genetic markers underlying phenotypic differences, genome-wide association study (GWAS) has been extensively investigated in recent years. In GWAS, detecting epistasis (or gene-gene interaction) is preferable over single locus study since many diseases are known to be complex traits. A brute force search is infeasible for epistasis detection in the genome-wide scale because of the intensive computational burden. Existing epistasis detection algorithms are designed for dataset consisting of homozygous markers and small sample size. In human study, however, the genotype may be heterozygous, and number of individuals can be up to thousands. Thus, existing methods are not readily applicable to human datasets. In this article, we propose an efficient algorithm, TEAM, which significantly speeds up epistasis detection for human GWAS. Our algorithm is exhaustive, i.e. it does not ignore any epistatic interaction. Utilizing the minimum spanning tree structure, the algorithm incrementally updates the contingency tables for epistatic tests without scanning all individuals. Our algorithm has broader applicability and is more efficient than existing methods for large sample study. It supports any statistical test that is based on contingency tables, and enables both family-wise error rate and false discovery rate controlling. Extensive experiments show that our algorithm only needs to examine a small portion of the individuals to update the contingency tables, and it achieves at least an order of magnitude speed up over the brute force approach.

A sequential test for assessing observed agreement between raters.

PubMed

Bersimis, Sotiris; Sachlas, Athanasios; Chakraborti, Subha

2018-01-01

Assessing the agreement between two or more raters is an important topic in medical practice. Existing techniques, which deal with categorical data, are based on contingency tables. This is often an obstacle in practice as we have to wait for a long time to collect the appropriate sample size of subjects to construct the contingency table. In this paper, we introduce a nonparametric sequential test for assessing agreement, which can be applied as data accrues, does not require a contingency table, facilitating a rapid assessment of the agreement. The proposed test is based on the cumulative sum of the number of disagreements between the two raters and a suitable statistic representing the waiting time until the cumulative sum exceeds a predefined threshold. We treat the cases of testing two raters' agreement with respect to one or more characteristics and using two or more classification categories, the case where the two raters extremely disagree, and finally the case of testing more than two raters' agreement. The numerical investigation shows that the proposed test has excellent performance. Compared to the existing methods, the proposed method appears to require significantly smaller sample size with equivalent power. Moreover, the proposed method is easily generalizable and brings the problem of assessing the agreement between two or more raters and one or more characteristics under a unified framework, thus providing an easy to use tool to medical practitioners. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Analyzing thematic maps and mapping for accuracy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rosenfield, G.H.

1982-01-01

Two problems which exist while attempting to test the accuracy of thematic maps and mapping are: (1) evaluating the accuracy of thematic content, and (2) evaluating the effects of the variables on thematic mapping. Statistical analysis techniques are applicable to both these problems and include techniques for sampling the data and determining their accuracy. In addition, techniques for hypothesis testing, or inferential statistics, are used when comparing the effects of variables. A comprehensive and valid accuracy test of a classification project, such as thematic mapping from remotely sensed data, includes the following components of statistical analysis: (1) sample design, including the sample distribution, sample size, size of the sample unit, and sampling procedure; and (2) accuracy estimation, including estimation of the variance and confidence limits. Careful consideration must be given to the minimum sample size necessary to validate the accuracy of a given. classification category. The results of an accuracy test are presented in a contingency table sometimes called a classification error matrix. Usually the rows represent the interpretation, and the columns represent the verification. The diagonal elements represent the correct classifications. The remaining elements of the rows represent errors by commission, and the remaining elements of the columns represent the errors of omission. For tests of hypothesis that compare variables, the general practice has been to use only the diagonal elements from several related classification error matrices. These data are arranged in the form of another contingency table. The columns of the table represent the different variables being compared, such as different scales of mapping. The rows represent the blocking characteristics, such as the various categories of classification. The values in the cells of the tables might be the counts of correct classification or the binomial proportions of these counts divided by either the row totals or the column totals from the original classification error matrices. In hypothesis testing, when the results of tests of multiple sample cases prove to be significant, some form of statistical test must be used to separate any results that differ significantly from the others. In the past, many analyses of the data in this error matrix were made by comparing the relative magnitudes of the percentage of correct classifications, for either individual categories, the entire map or both. More rigorous analyses have used data transformations and (or) two-way classification analysis of variance. A more sophisticated step of data analysis techniques would be to use the entire classification error matrices using the methods of discrete multivariate analysis or of multiviariate analysis of variance.

Analyzing Contingency Contracting Purchases for Operation Iraqi Freedom (Unrestricted Version)

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-01

that could inform such strategic purchasing decisions. 14 We used the unique contract identification number to check for cross -organization...beds, mattresses, dressers , footlockers) Other (stools, rugs, seats, cabinets, tables, folding chairs, paintings) Generators Various power generators

Mapping invasive wetland plants in the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve using quickbird satellite imagery

USGS Publications Warehouse

Laba, M.; Downs, R.; Smith, S.; Welsh, S.; Neider, C.; White, S.; Richmond, M.; Philpot, W.; Baveye, P.

2008-01-01

The National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) program is a nationally coordinated research and monitoring program that identifies and tracks changes in ecological resources of representative estuarine ecosystems and coastal watersheds. In recent years, attention has focused on using high spatial and spectral resolution satellite imagery to map and monitor wetland plant communities in the NERRs, particularly invasive plant species. The utility of this technology for that purpose has yet to be assessed in detail. To that end, a specific high spatial resolution satellite imagery, QuickBird, was used to map plant communities and monitor invasive plants within the Hudson River NERR (HRNERR). The HRNERR contains four diverse tidal wetlands (Stockport Flats, Tivoli Bays, Iona Island, and Piermont), each with unique water chemistry (i.e., brackish, oligotrophic and fresh) and, consequently, unique assemblages of plant communities, including three invasive plants (Trapa natans, Phragmites australis, and Lythrum salicaria). A maximum-likelihood classification was used to produce 20-class land cover maps for each of the four marshes within the HRNERR. Conventional contingency tables and a fuzzy set analysis served as a basis for an accuracy assessment of these maps. The overall accuracies, as assessed by the contingency tables, were 73.6%, 68.4%, 67.9%, and 64.9% for Tivoli Bays, Stockport Flats, Piermont, and Iona Island, respectively. Fuzzy assessment tables lead to higher estimates of map accuracies of 83%, 75%, 76%, and 76%, respectively. In general, the open water/tidal channel class was the most accurately mapped class and Scirpus sp. was the least accurately mapped. These encouraging accuracies suggest that high-resolution satellite imagery offers significant potential for the mapping of invasive plant species in estuarine environments. ?? 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The cross-cut statistic and its sensitivity to bias in observational studies with ordered doses of treatment.

PubMed

Rosenbaum, Paul R

2016-03-01

A common practice with ordered doses of treatment and ordered responses, perhaps recorded in a contingency table with ordered rows and columns, is to cut or remove a cross from the table, leaving the outer corners--that is, the high-versus-low dose, high-versus-low response corners--and from these corners to compute a risk or odds ratio. This little remarked but common practice seems to be motivated by the oldest and most familiar method of sensitivity analysis in observational studies, proposed by Cornfield et al. (1959), which says that to explain a population risk ratio purely as bias from an unobserved binary covariate, the prevalence ratio of the covariate must exceed the risk ratio. Quite often, the largest risk ratio, hence the one least sensitive to bias by this standard, is derived from the corners of the ordered table with the central cross removed. Obviously, the corners use only a portion of the data, so a focus on the corners has consequences for the standard error as well as for bias, but sampling variability was not a consideration in this early and familiar form of sensitivity analysis, where point estimates replaced population parameters. Here, this cross-cut analysis is examined with the aid of design sensitivity and the power of a sensitivity analysis. © 2015, The International Biometric Society.

Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-10

MRA -OCO) and International Disaster Assistance (IDA-OCO) accounts. A further $155 million from the Economic Support Fund-Overseas Contingency...table does not show, $1.1 billion within Migration and Refugee Assistance ( MRA -OCO) and International Disaster Assistance (IDA-OCO) accounts

Environmental Health Standards for Human Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

James John T.

2010-01-01

The discussion of air and water quality standards includes evidence-based standards, factors unique to spaceflight, effects from exposures to combinations of compounds, contingency versus nominal standards, tables of ISO standards for air quality (ppm) and water quality (mg/L), and updating of standards.

78 FR 4133 - Procurement List; Proposed Additions and Deletion

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-18

... specific tasks including preparation of menu boards, table bussing service, guest flow rate, service of food, replenishing of food, unloading, storing, and shelving of supplies, food preparation, cashier... the event of contingency, perform all required tasks to include cooking to ensure continued service...

A revisit to contingency table and tests of independence: bootstrap is preferred to Chi-square approximations as well as Fisher's exact test.

PubMed

Lin, Jyh-Jiuan; Chang, Ching-Hui; Pal, Nabendu

2015-01-01

To test the mutual independence of two qualitative variables (or attributes), it is a common practice to follow the Chi-square tests (Pearson's as well as likelihood ratio test) based on data in the form of a contingency table. However, it should be noted that these popular Chi-square tests are asymptotic in nature and are useful when the cell frequencies are "not too small." In this article, we explore the accuracy of the Chi-square tests through an extensive simulation study and then propose their bootstrap versions that appear to work better than the asymptotic Chi-square tests. The bootstrap tests are useful even for small-cell frequencies as they maintain the nominal level quite accurately. Also, the proposed bootstrap tests are more convenient than the Fisher's exact test which is often criticized for being too conservative. Finally, all test methods are applied to a few real-life datasets for demonstration purposes.

Comparison of Measures of Predictive Power.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tarling, Roger

1982-01-01

The Mean Cost Rating, P(A) from Signal Detection Theory, Kendall's rank correlation coefficient tau, and Goodman and Kruskal's gamma measures of predictive power are compared and shown to be different transformations of the statistic S. Gamma is generally preferred for hypothesis testing. Measures of association for ordered contingency tables are…

A SAS IML Macro for Loglinear Smoothing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moses, Tim; von Davier, Alina

2011-01-01

Polynomial loglinear models for one-, two-, and higher-way contingency tables have important applications to measurement and assessment. They are essentially regarded as a smoothing technique, which is commonly referred to as loglinear smoothing. A SAS IML (SAS Institute, 2002a) macro was created to implement loglinear smoothing according to…

Red Hair, Hot Tempers, and Hasty Assertions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Ivan; Ryan, Alan

1983-01-01

Explains the use of contingency tables as a tool in assessing variables to determine whether a relationship exists. Develops an example hypothesis step-by-step, noting the scientific processes and attitudes being addressed. Cautions that a large difference, which suggests a relationship, is not explanation since correlation does not guarantee…

Using known map category marginal frequencies to improve estimates of thematic map accuracy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Card, D. H.

1982-01-01

By means of two simple sampling plans suggested in the accuracy-assessment literature, it is shown how one can use knowledge of map-category relative sizes to improve estimates of various probabilities. The fact that maximum likelihood estimates of cell probabilities for the simple random sampling and map category-stratified sampling were identical has permitted a unified treatment of the contingency-table analysis. A rigorous analysis of the effect of sampling independently within map categories is made possible by results for the stratified case. It is noted that such matters as optimal sample size selection for the achievement of a desired level of precision in various estimators are irrelevant, since the estimators derived are valid irrespective of how sample sizes are chosen.

Mapping permafrost in the boreal forest with Thematic Mapper satellite data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrissey, L. A.; Strong, L. L.; Card, D. H.

1986-01-01

A geographic data base incorporating Landsat TM data was used to develop and evaluate logistic discriminant functions for predicting the distribution of permafrost in a boreal forest watershed. The data base included both satellite-derived information and ancillary map data. Five permafrost classifications were developed from a stratified random sample of the data base and evaluated by comparison with a photo-interpreted permafrost map using contingency table analysis and soil temperatures recorded at sites within the watershed. A classification using a TM thermal band and a TM-derived vegetation map as independent variables yielded the highest mapping accuracy for all permafrost categories.

Utility of the Mantel-Haenszel Procedure for Detecting Differential Item Functioning in Small Samples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fidalgo, Angel M.; Ferreres, Doris; Muniz, Jose

2004-01-01

Sample-size restrictions limit the contingency table approaches based on asymptotic distributions, such as the Mantel-Haenszel (MH) procedure, for detecting differential item functioning (DIF) in many practical applications. Within this framework, the present study investigated the power and Type I error performance of empirical and inferential…

A Simulation Study of Rater Agreement Measures with 2x2 Contingency Tables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ato, Manuel; Lopez, Juan Jose; Benavente, Ana

2011-01-01

A comparison between six rater agreement measures obtained using three different approaches was achieved by means of a simulation study. Rater coefficients suggested by Bennet's [sigma] (1954), Scott's [pi] (1955), Cohen's [kappa] (1960) and Gwet's [gamma] (2008) were selected to represent the classical, descriptive approach, [alpha] agreement…

What to Do about Zero Frequency Cells when Estimating Polychoric Correlations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Savalei, Victoria

2011-01-01

Categorical structural equation modeling (SEM) methods that fit the model to estimated polychoric correlations have become popular in the social sciences. When population thresholds are high in absolute value, contingency tables in small samples are likely to contain zero frequency cells. Such cells make the estimation of the polychoric…

The Associations Between Clerkship Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) Grades and Subsequent Performance.

PubMed

Dong, Ting; Zahn, Christopher; Saguil, Aaron; Swygert, Kimberly A; Yoon, Michelle; Servey, Jessica; Durning, Steven

2017-01-01

Construct: We investigated the extent of the associations between medical students' clinical competency measured by performance in Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE) during Obstetrics/Gynecology and Family Medicine clerkships and later performance in both undergraduate and graduate medical education. There is a relative dearth of studies on the correlations between undergraduate OSCE scores and future exam performance within either undergraduate or graduate medical education and almost none on linking these simulated encounters to eventual patient care. Of the research studies that do correlate clerkship OSCE scores with future performance, these often have a small sample size and/or include only 1 clerkship. Students in USU graduating classes of 2007 through 2011 participated in the study. We investigated correlations between clerkship OSCE grades with United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 2 Clinical Knowledge, Clinical Skills, and Step 3 Exams scores as well as Postgraduate Year 1 program director's evaluation scores on Medical Expertise and Professionalism. We also conducted contingency table analysis to examine the associations between poor performance on clerkship OSCEs with failing Step 3 and receiving poor program director ratings. The correlation coefficients were weak between the clerkship OSCE grades and the outcomes. The strongest correlations existed between the clerkship OSCE grades and the Step 2 CS Integrated Clinical Encounter component score, Step 2 Clinical Skills, and Step 3 scores. Contingency table associations between poor performances on both clerkships OSCEs and poor Postgraduate Year 1 Program Director ratings were significant. The results of this study provide additional but limited validity evidence for the use of OSCEs during clinical clerkships given their associations with subsequent performance measures.

TENSOR DECOMPOSITIONS AND SPARSE LOG-LINEAR MODELS

PubMed Central

Johndrow, James E.; Bhattacharya, Anirban; Dunson, David B.

2017-01-01

Contingency table analysis routinely relies on log-linear models, with latent structure analysis providing a common alternative. Latent structure models lead to a reduced rank tensor factorization of the probability mass function for multivariate categorical data, while log-linear models achieve dimensionality reduction through sparsity. Little is known about the relationship between these notions of dimensionality reduction in the two paradigms. We derive several results relating the support of a log-linear model to nonnegative ranks of the associated probability tensor. Motivated by these findings, we propose a new collapsed Tucker class of tensor decompositions, which bridge existing PARAFAC and Tucker decompositions, providing a more flexible framework for parsimoniously characterizing multivariate categorical data. Taking a Bayesian approach to inference, we illustrate empirical advantages of the new decompositions. PMID:29332971

Performance Evaluation of Counter-Based Dynamic Load Balancing Schemes for Massive Contingency Analysis with Different Computing Environments

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

Chen, Yousu; Huang, Zhenyu; Chavarría-Miranda, Daniel

Contingency analysis is a key function in the Energy Management System (EMS) to assess the impact of various combinations of power system component failures based on state estimation. Contingency analysis is also extensively used in power market operation for feasibility test of market solutions. High performance computing holds the promise of faster analysis of more contingency cases for the purpose of safe and reliable operation of today’s power grids with less operating margin and more intermittent renewable energy sources. This paper evaluates the performance of counter-based dynamic load balancing schemes for massive contingency analysis under different computing environments. Insights frommore » the performance evaluation can be used as guidance for users to select suitable schemes in the application of massive contingency analysis. Case studies, as well as MATLAB simulations, of massive contingency cases using the Western Electricity Coordinating Council power grid model are presented to illustrate the application of high performance computing with counter-based dynamic load balancing schemes.« less

Cyber Contingency Analysis version 1.x

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

Contingency analysis based approach for quantifying and examining the resiliency of a cyber system in respect to confidentiality, integrity and availability. A graph representing an organization's cyber system and related resources is used for the availability contingency analysis. The mission critical paths associated with an organization are used to determine the consequences of a potential contingency. A node (or combination of nodes) are removed from the graph to analyze a particular contingency. The value of all mission critical paths that are disrupted by that contingency are used to quantify its severity. A total severity score can be calculated based onmore » the complete list of all these contingencies. A simple n1 analysis can be done in which only one node is removed at a time for the analysis. We can also compute nk analysis, where k is the number of nodes to simultaneously remove for analysis. A contingency risk score can also be computed, which takes the probability of the contingencies into account. In addition to availability, we can also quantify confidentiality and integrity scores for the system. These treat user accounts as potential contingencies. The amount (and type) of files that an account can read to is used to compute the confidentiality score. The amount (and type) of files that an account can write to is used to compute the integrity score. As with availability analysis, we can use this information to compute total severity scores in regards to confidentiality and integrity. We can also take probability into account to compute associated risk scores.« less

Using M and S to Improve Human Decision Making and Achieve Effective Problem Solving in an International Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Christie, Vanessa L.; Landess, David J.

2012-01-01

In the international arena, decision makers are often swayed away from fact-based analysis by their own individual cultural and political bias. Modeling and Simulation-based training can raise awareness of individual predisposition and improve the quality of decision making by focusing solely on fact vice perception. This improved decision making methodology will support the multinational collaborative efforts of military and civilian leaders to solve challenges more effectively. The intent of this experimental research is to create a framework that allows decision makers to "come to the table" with the latest and most significant facts necessary to determine an appropriate solution for any given contingency.

50 CFR Table 2b to Part 660... - 2012, and beyond, Allocations by Species or Species Group (final 2012 allocations for assessed...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... or Species Group (final 2012 allocations for assessed flatfish are contingent upon potential changes to flatfish status determination criteria and the harvest control rule, and, for overfished species... Part 660, Subpart C—2012, and beyond, Allocations by Species or Species Group (final 2012 allocations...

[METHOD FOR DETERMINING EROSIVE LESIONS OF THE GASTRIC MUCOUSA IN CHILDREN WITH JUVENILE ARTHRITIS].

PubMed

Listopadova, A P; Novikova, V P; Melnikova, I U; Petrovskiy, A N; Slizovskiy, N V

2015-01-01

To detect the clinical diagnostic criteria for non-invasive diagnosis of erosive gastritis in children with juvenile arthritis have been studied the 92 children aged 9 to 16 years (mean age-13,9 ± 2,3 years) with verified diagnosis of juvenile arthritis, of whom 10 had erosive gastritis (group 1) and 82 without erosions (group 2). A comparison of the groups on 23 grounds by analysis of contingency tables and the subsequent discriminant analysis, has developed a new non-invasive method for determining the erosive lesions of the mucous membrane of the stomach in children with juvenile arthritis, including a score of history, complaints and the results of laboratory studies the level of the G-17, pepsinogen I, pepsinogen II, and the ratio of pepsinogen I to pepsinogen II, the presence of autoantibodies to the H+, K+/ATPase of the parietal cells of the stomach, the test for occult blood "Colon View Hb and Hb/Hp". Developed a diagnostic table, including 11 features with scores each. The total score 27 or higher allows a high degree of probability to determine the erosive lesions of the gastric mucosa in children with juvenile arthritis.

Evaluation of Counter-Based Dynamic Load Balancing Schemes for Massive Contingency Analysis on Over 10,000 Cores

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

Chen, Yousu; Huang, Zhenyu; Rice, Mark J.

Contingency analysis studies are necessary to assess the impact of possible power system component failures. The results of the contingency analysis are used to ensure the grid reliability, and in power market operation for the feasibility test of market solutions. Currently, these studies are performed in real time based on the current operating conditions of the grid with a set of pre-selected contingency list, which might result in overlooking some critical contingencies caused by variable system status. To have a complete picture of a power grid, more contingencies need to be studied to improve grid reliability. High-performance computing techniques holdmore » the promise of being able to perform the analysis for more contingency cases within a much shorter time frame. This paper evaluates the performance of counter-based dynamic load balancing schemes for a massive contingency analysis program on 10,000+ cores. One million N-2 contingency analysis cases with a Western Electricity Coordinating Council power grid model have been used to demonstrate the performance. The speedup of 3964 with 4096 cores and 7877 with 10240 cores are obtained. This paper reports the performance of the load balancing scheme with a single counter and two counters, describes disk I/O issues, and discusses other potential techniques for further improving the performance.« less

Longitudinal analysis of categorical epidemiological data: a study of Three Mile Island.

PubMed

Fienberg, S E; Bromet, E J; Follmann, D; Lambert, D; May, S M

1985-11-01

The accident at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in 1979 led to an unprecedented set of events with potentially life threatening implications. This paper focusses on the analysis of a longitudinal study of the psychological well-being of the mothers of young children living within 10 miles of the plant. The initial analyses of the data utilize loglinear/logit model techniques from the contingency table literature, and involve the fitting of a sequence of logit models. The inadequancies of these analyses are noted, and a new class of mixture models for logistic response structures is introduced to overcome the noted shortcomings. The paper includes a brief outline of the methodology relevant for the fitting of these models using the method of maximum likelihood, and then the model is applied to the TMI data. The paper concludes with a discussion of some of the substantive implications of the mixture model analysis.

Predictability of Seasonal Rainfall over the Greater Horn of Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ngaina, J. N.

2016-12-01

The El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is a primary mode of climate variability in the Greater of Africa (GHA). The expected impacts of climate variability and change on water, agriculture, and food resources in GHA underscore the importance of reliable and accurate seasonal climate predictions. The study evaluated different model selection criteria which included the Coefficient of determination (R2), Akaike's Information Criterion (AIC), Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC), and the Fisher information approximation (FIA). A forecast scheme based on the optimal model was developed to predict the October-November-December (OND) and March-April-May (MAM) rainfall. The predictability of GHA rainfall based on ENSO was quantified based on composite analysis, correlations and contingency tables. A test for field-significance considering the properties of finiteness and interdependence of the spatial grid was applied to avoid correlations by chance. The study identified FIA as the optimal model selection criterion. However, complex model selection criteria (FIA followed by BIC) performed better compared to simple approach (R2 and AIC). Notably, operational seasonal rainfall predictions over the GHA makes of simple model selection procedures e.g. R2. Rainfall is modestly predictable based on ENSO during OND and MAM seasons. El Nino typically leads to wetter conditions during OND and drier conditions during MAM. The correlations of ENSO indices with rainfall are statistically significant for OND and MAM seasons. Analysis based on contingency tables shows higher predictability of OND rainfall with the use of ENSO indices derived from the Pacific and Indian Oceans sea surfaces showing significant improvement during OND season. The predictability based on ENSO for OND rainfall is robust on a decadal scale compared to MAM. An ENSO-based scheme based on an optimal model selection criterion can thus provide skillful rainfall predictions over GHA. This study concludes that the negative phase of ENSO (La Niña) leads to dry conditions while the positive phase of ENSO (El Niño) anticipates enhanced wet conditions

Decomposition and model selection for large contingency tables.

PubMed

Dahinden, Corinne; Kalisch, Markus; Bühlmann, Peter

2010-04-01

Large contingency tables summarizing categorical variables arise in many areas. One example is in biology, where large numbers of biomarkers are cross-tabulated according to their discrete expression level. Interactions of the variables are of great interest and are generally studied with log-linear models. The structure of a log-linear model can be visually represented by a graph from which the conditional independence structure can then be easily read off. However, since the number of parameters in a saturated model grows exponentially in the number of variables, this generally comes with a heavy computational burden. Even if we restrict ourselves to models of lower-order interactions or other sparse structures, we are faced with the problem of a large number of cells which play the role of sample size. This is in sharp contrast to high-dimensional regression or classification procedures because, in addition to a high-dimensional parameter, we also have to deal with the analogue of a huge sample size. Furthermore, high-dimensional tables naturally feature a large number of sampling zeros which often leads to the nonexistence of the maximum likelihood estimate. We therefore present a decomposition approach, where we first divide the problem into several lower-dimensional problems and then combine these to form a global solution. Our methodology is computationally feasible for log-linear interaction models with many categorical variables each or some of them having many levels. We demonstrate the proposed method on simulated data and apply it to a bio-medical problem in cancer research.

Estimating consumer willingness to pay a price premium for Alaska secondary wood products.

Treesearch

Geoffrey H. Donovan; David L. Nicholls

2003-01-01

Dichotomous choice contingent valuation survey techniques were used to estimate mean willingness to pay (WTP) a price premium for made-in-Alaska secondary wood products. Respondents were asked to compare two superficially identical end tables, one made in China and one made in Alaska. The surveys were administered at home shows in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Sitka in...

Limited-Information Goodness-of-Fit Testing of Diagnostic Classification Item Response Theory Models. CRESST Report 840

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, Mark; Cai, Li; Monroe, Scott; Li, Zhen

2014-01-01

It is a well-known problem in testing the fit of models to multinomial data that the full underlying contingency table will inevitably be sparse for tests of reasonable length and for realistic sample sizes. Under such conditions, full-information test statistics such as Pearson's X[superscript 2]?? and the likelihood ratio statistic…

A look-ahead probabilistic contingency analysis framework incorporating smart sampling techniques

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

Chen, Yousu; Etingov, Pavel V.; Ren, Huiying

2016-07-18

This paper describes a framework of incorporating smart sampling techniques in a probabilistic look-ahead contingency analysis application. The predictive probabilistic contingency analysis helps to reflect the impact of uncertainties caused by variable generation and load on potential violations of transmission limits.

Step 1: Human System Integration (HSI) FY05 Pilot-Technology Interface Requirements for Contingency Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

This document involves definition of technology interface requirements for Contingency Management. This was performed through a review of Contingency Management-related, HSI requirements documents, standards, and recommended practices. Technology concepts in use by the Contingency Management Work Package were considered. Beginning with HSI high-level functional requirements for Contingency Management, and Contingency Management technology elements, HSI requirements for the interface to the pilot were identified. Results of the analysis describe (1) the information required by the pilot to have knowledge of system failures and associated contingency procedures, and (2) the control capability needed by the pilot to obtain system status and procedure information. Fundamentally, these requirements provide the candidate Contingency Management technology concepts with the necessary human-related elements to make them compatible with human capabilities and limitations. The results of the analysis describe how Contingency Management operations and functions should interface with the pilot to provide the necessary Contingency Management functionality to the UA-pilot system. Requirements and guidelines for Contingency Management are partitioned into four categories: (1) Health and Status and (2) Contingency Management. Each requirement is stated and is supported with a rationale and associated reference(s).

Contingencies and metacontingencies: Toward a synthesis of behavior analysis and cultural materialism

PubMed Central

Glenn, Sigrid S.

1988-01-01

A synthesis of cultural materialism and behavior analysis might increase the scientific and technological value of both fields. Conceptual and substantive relations between the two fields show important similarities, particularly with regard to the causal role of the environment in behavioral and cultural evolution. Key concepts in Marvin Harris's cultural materialist theories are outlined. A distinction is made between contingencies at the behavioral level of analysis (contingencies of reinforcement) and contingencies at the cultural level of analysis (metacontingencies). Relations between the two kinds of contingencies are explored in cultural practices from paleolithic to industrial sociocultural systems. A synthesis of these two fields may offer the opportunity to resolve serious problems currently facing modern cultures. PMID:22478011

A Comparison of the Logistic Regression and Contingency Table Methods for Simultaneous Detection of Uniform and Nonuniform DIF

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guler, Nese; Penfield, Randall D.

2009-01-01

In this study, we investigate the logistic regression (LR), Mantel-Haenszel (MH), and Breslow-Day (BD) procedures for the simultaneous detection of both uniform and nonuniform differential item functioning (DIF). A simulation study was used to assess and compare the Type I error rate and power of a combined decision rule (CDR), which assesses DIF…

Point-by-point compositional analysis for atom probe tomography.

PubMed

Stephenson, Leigh T; Ceguerra, Anna V; Li, Tong; Rojhirunsakool, Tanaporn; Nag, Soumya; Banerjee, Rajarshi; Cairney, Julie M; Ringer, Simon P

2014-01-01

This new alternate approach to data processing for analyses that traditionally employed grid-based counting methods is necessary because it removes a user-imposed coordinate system that not only limits an analysis but also may introduce errors. We have modified the widely used "binomial" analysis for APT data by replacing grid-based counting with coordinate-independent nearest neighbour identification, improving the measurements and the statistics obtained, allowing quantitative analysis of smaller datasets, and datasets from non-dilute solid solutions. It also allows better visualisation of compositional fluctuations in the data. Our modifications include:.•using spherical k-atom blocks identified by each detected atom's first k nearest neighbours.•3D data visualisation of block composition and nearest neighbour anisotropy.•using z-statistics to directly compare experimental and expected composition curves. Similar modifications may be made to other grid-based counting analyses (contingency table, Langer-Bar-on-Miller, sinusoidal model) and could be instrumental in developing novel data visualisation options.

Adaptive non-interventional heuristics for covariation detection in causal induction: model comparison and rational analysis.

PubMed

Hattori, Masasi; Oaksford, Mike

2007-09-10

In this article, 41 models of covariation detection from 2 × 2 contingency tables were evaluated against past data in the literature and against data from new experiments. A new model was also included based on a limiting case of the normative phi-coefficient under an extreme rarity assumption, which has been shown to be an important factor in covariation detection (McKenzie & Mikkelsen, 2007) and data selection (Hattori, 2002; Oaksford & Chater, 1994, 2003). The results were supportive of the new model. To investigate its explanatory adequacy, a rational analysis using two computer simulations was conducted. These simulations revealed the environmental conditions and the memory restrictions under which the new model best approximates the normative model of covariation detection in these tasks. They thus demonstrated the adaptive rationality of the new model. 2007 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Identifying Contingency Requirements using Obstacle Analysis on an Unpiloted Aerial Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lutz, Robyn R.; Nelson, Stacy; Patterson-Hine, Ann; Frost, Chad R.; Tal, Doron

2005-01-01

This paper describes experience using Obstacle Analysis to identify contingency requirements on an unpiloted aerial vehicle. A contingency is an operational anomaly, and may or may not involve component failure. The challenges to this effort were: ( I ) rapid evolution of the system while operational, (2) incremental autonomy as capabilities were transferred from ground control to software control and (3) the eventual safety-criticality of such systems as they begin to fly over populated areas. The results reported here are preliminary but show that Obstacle Analysis helped (1) identify new contingencies that appeared as autonomy increased; (2) identify new alternatives for handling both previously known and new contingencies; and (3) investigate the continued validity of existing software requirements for contingency handling. Since many mobile, intelligent systems are built using a development process that poses the same challenges, the results appear to have applicability to other similar systems.

30 Brigade Combat Teams: Is the Army too Small

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-01

are described in Table 3. Each entity travels through five servers.  Deploy: This server represents the time it takes to deploy from home station...estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instruction, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining...ABSTRACT (maximum 200 words) The purpose of this thesis is to determine the impact of a contingency operation on Army dwell time . The Department of

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

Morley, Steven

The PyForecastTools package provides Python routines for calculating metrics for model validation, forecast verification and model comparison. For continuous predictands the package provides functions for calculating bias (mean error, mean percentage error, median log accuracy, symmetric signed bias), and for calculating accuracy (mean squared error, mean absolute error, mean absolute scaled error, normalized RMSE, median symmetric accuracy). Convenience routines to calculate the component parts (e.g. forecast error, scaled error) of each metric are also provided. To compare models the package provides: generic skill score; percent better. Robust measures of scale including median absolute deviation, robust standard deviation, robust coefficient ofmore » variation and the Sn estimator are all provided by the package. Finally, the package implements Python classes for NxN contingency tables. In the case of a multi-class prediction, accuracy and skill metrics such as proportion correct and the Heidke and Peirce skill scores are provided as object methods. The special case of a 2x2 contingency table inherits from the NxN class and provides many additional metrics for binary classification: probability of detection, probability of false detection, false alarm ration, threat score, equitable threat score, bias. Confidence intervals for many of these quantities can be calculated using either the Wald method or Agresti-Coull intervals.« less

Oil, biological communities and contingency planning

USGS Publications Warehouse

Albers, P.H.; Frink, Lynne; Ball-Weir, Katherine; Smith, Charlotte

1995-01-01

The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 mandates the inclusion of a fish and wildlife response plan in the National Contingency Plan (NCP) and the creation of Area Committees that must develop an Area Contingency Plan (ACP). Area Contingency Plans must include a detailed annex containing a Fish and Wildlife and Sensitive Environments Plan. Tank vessels, offshore facilities, and certain onshore facilities must have response plans consistent with the requirements of the NCP and the ACP. New regulations to supersede the Type A and B procedures of the Natural Resources Damage Assessment Regulations are being developed for oil spills. Currently, four assessment methods have been proposed: (1) Type A, (2) comprehensive (Type B), (3) intermediate (between types A and B), and (4) compensation tables. The Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund is approaching its ceiling of $1 billion, but only $50 million has been appropriated. Effective biological contingency planning requires extensive knowledge of (1) the environmental fate of petroleum, (2) the effects of petroleum on organisms, (3) the existing biological resources, and (4) the establishment of a system of biological priorities. The characteristics and fate of petroleum and the biological effects of petroleum are reviewed. Assessment of biological resources includes plant and animal distributions, important habitat, endangered or threatened species, and economic considerations. The establishment by Area Committees of priorities for environmental protection, injury assessment, and restoration will promote efficient spill response. Three special issues are discussed: (1) improving our ability to restore natural resources, (2) the potential role of biological diversity in spill response planning, and (3) planning for animal rehabilitation.

Statistical analysis of NWP rainfall data from Poland..

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Starosta, Katarzyna; Linkowska, Joanna

2010-05-01

A goal of this work is to summarize the latest results of precipitation verification in Poland. In IMGW, COSMO_PL version 4.0 has been running. The model configuration is: 14 km horizontal grid spacing, initial time at 00 UTC and 12 UTC, the forecast range 72 h. The fields from the model had been verified with Polish SYNOP stations. The verification was performed using a new verification tool. For the accumulated precipitation indices FBI, POD, FAR, ETS from contingency table are calculated. In this paper the comparison of monthly and seasonal verification of 6h, 12h, 24h accumulated precipitation in 2009 is presented. Since February 2010 the model with 7 km grid spacing will be running in IMGW. The results of precipitation verification for two different models' resolution will be shown.

Relationships between narrative language samples and norm-referenced test scores in language assessments of school-age children.

PubMed

Danahy Ebert, Kerry; Scott, Cheryl M

2014-10-01

Both narrative language samples and norm-referenced language tests can be important components of language assessment for school-age children. The present study explored the relationship between these 2 tools within a group of children referred for language assessment. The study is a retrospective analysis of clinical records from 73 school-age children. Participants had completed an oral narrative language sample and at least one norm-referenced language test. Correlations between microstructural language sample measures and norm-referenced test scores were compared for younger (6- to 8-year-old) and older (9- to 12-year-old) children. Contingency tables were constructed to compare the 2 types of tools, at 2 different cutpoints, in terms of which children were identified as having a language disorder. Correlations between narrative language sample measures and norm-referenced tests were stronger for the younger group than the older group. Within the younger group, the level of language assessed by each measure contributed to associations among measures. Contingency analyses revealed moderate overlap in the children identified by each tool, with agreement affected by the cutpoint used. Narrative language samples may complement norm-referenced tests well, but age combined with narrative task can be expected to influence the nature of the relationship.

A comparison of analysis methods to estimate contingency strength.

PubMed

Lloyd, Blair P; Staubitz, Johanna L; Tapp, Jon T

2018-05-09

To date, several data analysis methods have been used to estimate contingency strength, yet few studies have compared these methods directly. To compare the relative precision and sensitivity of four analysis methods (i.e., exhaustive event-based, nonexhaustive event-based, concurrent interval, concurrent+lag interval), we applied all methods to a simulated data set in which several response-dependent and response-independent schedules of reinforcement were programmed. We evaluated the degree to which contingency strength estimates produced from each method (a) corresponded with expected values for response-dependent schedules and (b) showed sensitivity to parametric manipulations of response-independent reinforcement. Results indicated both event-based methods produced contingency strength estimates that aligned with expected values for response-dependent schedules, but differed in sensitivity to response-independent reinforcement. The precision of interval-based methods varied by analysis method (concurrent vs. concurrent+lag) and schedule type (continuous vs. partial), and showed similar sensitivities to response-independent reinforcement. Recommendations and considerations for measuring contingencies are identified. © 2018 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

A simple test of association for contingency tables with multiple column responses.

PubMed

Decady, Y J; Thomas, D R

2000-09-01

Loughin and Scherer (1998, Biometrics 54, 630-637) investigated tests of association in two-way tables when one of the categorical variables allows for multiple-category responses from individual respondents. Standard chi-squared tests are invalid in this case, and they developed a bootstrap test procedure that provides good control of test levels under the null hypothesis. This procedure and some others that have been proposed are computationally involved and are based on techniques that are relatively unfamiliar to many practitioners. In this paper, the methods introduced by Rao and Scott (1981, Journal of the American Statistical Association 76, 221-230) for analyzing complex survey data are used to develop a simple test based on a corrected chi-squared statistic.

Generalizing the Iterative Proportional Fitting Procedure.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-04-01

Csiszar gives conditions under which P (R) exists (it is always unique) and develops a geometry of I-divergence by using an analogue of Pythagoras ...8217 Theorem . As our goal is to study maximum likelihood estimation in contingency tables, we turn briefly to the problem of estimating a multinomial...envoke a result of Csiszir (due originally to Kullback (1959)), giving the form of the density of the I-projection. Csiszar’s Theorem 3.1, which we

Computing Maximum Likelihood Estimates of Loglinear Models from Marginal Sums with Special Attention to Loglinear Item Response Theory. [Project Psychometric Aspects of Item Banking No. 53.] Research Report 91-1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelderman, Henk

In this paper, algorithms are described for obtaining the maximum likelihood estimates of the parameters in log-linear models. Modified versions of the iterative proportional fitting and Newton-Raphson algorithms are described that work on the minimal sufficient statistics rather than on the usual counts in the full contingency table. This is…

An Analysis of Group-Oriented Contingencies and Associated Side Effects in Preschool Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Payne, Steven W.; Dozier, Claudia L.; Briggs, Adam M.; Newquist, Matthew H.

2017-01-01

Group-oriented contingencies are arranged to target the behavior of a group of people simultaneously. Overall, group-oriented contingencies have been shown to be effective in both decreasing problem behavior and increasing appropriate behavior. However, results are mixed regarding which type(s) of group-oriented contingency is most effective for…

Contingency Space Analysis: An Alternative Method for Identifying Contingent Relations from Observational Data

PubMed Central

Martens, Brian K; DiGennaro, Florence D; Reed, Derek D; Szczech, Frances M; Rosenthal, Blair D

2008-01-01

Descriptive assessment methods have been used in applied settings to identify consequences for problem behavior, thereby aiding in the design of effective treatment programs. Consensus has not been reached, however, regarding the types of data or analytic strategies that are most useful for describing behavior–consequence relations. One promising approach involves the analysis of conditional probabilities from sequential recordings of behavior and events that follow its occurrence. In this paper we review several strategies for identifying contingent relations from conditional probabilities, and propose an alternative strategy known as a contingency space analysis (CSA). Step-by-step procedures for conducting and interpreting a CSA using sample data are presented, followed by discussion of the potential use of a CSA for conducting descriptive assessments, informing intervention design, and evaluating changes in reinforcement contingencies following treatment. PMID:18468280

Performance analysis of landslide early warning systems at regional scale: the EDuMaP method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piciullo, Luca; Calvello, Michele

2016-04-01

Landslide early warning systems (LEWSs) reduce landslide risk by disseminating timely and meaningful warnings when the level of risk is judged intolerably high. Two categories of LEWSs, can be defined on the basis of their scale of analysis: "local" systems and "regional" systems. LEWSs at regional scale (ReLEWSs) are used to assess the probability of occurrence of landslides over appropriately-defined homogeneous warning zones of relevant extension, typically through the prediction and monitoring of meteorological variables, in order to give generalized warnings to the public. Despite many studies on ReLEWSs, no standard requirements exist for assessing their performance. Empirical evaluations are often carried out by simply analysing the time frames during which significant high-consequence landslides occurred in the test area. Alternatively, the performance evaluation is based on 2x2 contingency tables computed for the joint frequency distribution of landslides and alerts, both considered as dichotomous variables. In all these cases, model performance is assessed neglecting some important aspects which are peculiar to ReLEWSs, among which: the possible occurrence of multiple landslides in the warning zone; the duration of the warnings in relation to the time of occurrence of the landslides; the level of the warning issued in relation to the landslide spatial density in the warning zone; the relative importance system managers attribute to different types of errors. An original approach, called EDuMaP method, is proposed to assess the performance of landslide early warning models operating at regional scale. The method is composed by three main phases: Events analysis, Duration Matrix, Performance analysis. The events analysis phase focuses on the definition of landslide (LEs) and warning events (WEs), which are derived from available landslides and warnings databases according to their spatial and temporal characteristics by means of ten input parameters. The evaluation of time associated with the occurrence of landslide events (LE) in relation to the occurrence of warning events (WE) in their respective classes is a fundamental step to determine the duration matrix elements. On the other hand the classification of LEs and WEs establishes the structure of the duration matrix. Indeed, the number of rows and columns of the matrix is equal to the number of classes defined for the warning and landslide events, respectively. Thus the matrix is not expressed as a 2x2 contingency and LEs and WEs are not expressed as dichotomous variables. The final phase of the method is the evaluation of the duration matrix based on a set of performance criteria assigning a performance meaning to the element of the matrix. To this aim different criteria can be defined, for instance employing an alert classification scheme derived from 2x2 contingency tables or assigning a colour code to the elements of the matrix in relation to their grade of correctness. Finally, performance indicators can be derived from the performance criteria to quantify successes and errors of the early warning models. EDuMaP has been already applied to different real case studies, highlighting the adaptability of the method to analyse the performance of structurally different ReLEWSs.

Multiple-labelling immunoEM using different sizes of colloidal gold: alternative approaches to test for differential distribution and colocalization in subcellular structures.

PubMed

Mayhew, Terry M; Lucocq, John M

2011-03-01

Various methods for quantifying cellular immunogold labelling on transmission electron microscope thin sections are currently available. All rely on sound random sampling principles and are applicable to single immunolabelling across compartments within a given cell type or between different experimental groups of cells. Although methods are also available to test for colocalization in double/triple immunogold labelling studies, so far, these have relied on making multiple measurements of gold particle densities in defined areas or of inter-particle nearest neighbour distances. Here, we present alternative two-step approaches to codistribution and colocalization assessment that merely require raw counts of gold particles in distinct cellular compartments. For assessing codistribution over aggregate compartments, initial statistical evaluation involves combining contingency table and chi-squared analyses to provide predicted gold particle distributions. The observed and predicted distributions allow testing of the appropriate null hypothesis, namely, that there is no difference in the distribution patterns of proteins labelled by different sizes of gold particle. In short, the null hypothesis is that of colocalization. The approach for assessing colabelling recognises that, on thin sections, a compartment is made up of a set of sectional images (profiles) of cognate structures. The approach involves identifying two groups of compartmental profiles that are unlabelled and labelled for one gold marker size. The proportions in each group that are also labelled for the second gold marker size are then compared. Statistical analysis now uses a 2 × 2 contingency table combined with the Fisher exact probability test. Having identified double labelling, the profiles can be analysed further in order to identify characteristic features that might account for the double labelling. In each case, the approach is illustrated using synthetic and/or experimental datasets and can be refined to correct observed labelling patterns to specific labelling patterns. These simple and efficient approaches should be of more immediate utility to those interested in codistribution and colocalization in multiple immunogold labelling investigations.

Decision Support Model to Optimize Site Characterization Activities Taken in Compliance with the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-12-01

Contingency Plan ............................... 10 Table 2: Summary of Inhalation Emission Factors (K) for Equation ( 1 ...surveys for exposure factors commonly used in risk assessment (EPA, 1989a: 1 - 1 ). Exposure can take place via three possible routes, the inhalation ...Equation ( 1 ) calculates the dose for the inhalation route (USEPA, 1991 a:51-52; USEPA, 1989b:6-44). Dose - (C)(IRXETXEFXED) (K)(BWXAT) where C

A latent class distance association model for cross-classified data with a categorical response variable.

PubMed

Vera, José Fernando; de Rooij, Mark; Heiser, Willem J

2014-11-01

In this paper we propose a latent class distance association model for clustering in the predictor space of large contingency tables with a categorical response variable. The rows of such a table are characterized as profiles of a set of explanatory variables, while the columns represent a single outcome variable. In many cases such tables are sparse, with many zero entries, which makes traditional models problematic. By clustering the row profiles into a few specific classes and representing these together with the categories of the response variable in a low-dimensional Euclidean space using a distance association model, a parsimonious prediction model can be obtained. A generalized EM algorithm is proposed to estimate the model parameters and the adjusted Bayesian information criterion statistic is employed to test the number of mixture components and the dimensionality of the representation. An empirical example highlighting the advantages of the new approach and comparing it with traditional approaches is presented. © 2014 The British Psychological Society.

Breaking the Myth of Flexible Work: Contingent Work in Toronto. A Study Conducted by the Contingent Workers Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Wolff, Alice

A survey of 205 people, 4 group interviews with approximately 30 people, and 6 design and analysis meetings involving approximately 40 people were conducted in a 1999 participatory study of contingent workers in Toronto. (Contingent work was defined to be lower-waged forms of non-permanent work arrangements that include contracting, employment…

Using pebble lithology and roundness to interpret gravel provenance in piedmont fluvial systems of the Rocky Mountains, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lindsey, D.A.; Langer, W.H.; Van Gosen, B. S.

2007-01-01

Clast populations in piedmont fluvial systems are products of complex histories that complicate provenance interpretation. Although pebble counts of lithology are widely used, the information provided by a pebble count has been filtered by a potentially large number of processes and circumstances. Counts of pebble lithology and roundness together offer more power than lithology alone for the interpretation of provenance. In this study we analyze pebble counts of lithology and roundness in two contrasting fluvial systems of Pleistocene age to see how provenance varies with drainage size. The two systems are 1) a group of small high-gradient incised streams that formed alluvial fans and terraces and 2) a piedmont river that formed terraces in response to climate-driven cycles of aggradation and incision. We first analyze the data from these systems within their geographic and geologic context. After this is done, we employ contingency table analysis to complete the interpretation of pebble provenance. Small tributary streams that drain rugged mountains on both sides of the Santa Cruz River, southeast Arizona, deposited gravel in fan and terrace deposits of Pleistocene age. Volcanic, plutonic and, to a lesser extent, sedimentary rocks are the predominant pebble lithologies. Large contrasts in gravel lithology are evident among adjacent fans. Subangular to subrounded pebbles predominate. Contingency table analysis shows that hard volcanic rocks tend to remain angular and, even though transport distances have been short, soft tuff and sedimentary rocks tend to become rounded. The Wind River, a major piedmont stream in Wyoming, drains rugged mountains surrounding the northwest part of the Wind River basin. Under the influence of climate change and glaciation during the Pleistocene, the river deposited an extensive series of terrace gravels. In contrast to Santa Cruz tributary gravel, most of the Wind River gravel is relatively homogenous in lithology and is rounded to well-rounded. Detailed analysis reveals a multitude of sources in the headwaters and the basin itself, but lithologies from these sources are combined downstream. Well-rounded volcanic and recycled quartzite clasts were derived from the headwaters. Precambrian igneous and metamorphic clasts were brought down tributary valleys to the Wind River by glaciers, and sandstone was added where the river enters the Wind River structural basin.

Contingency Analysis Post-Processing With Advanced Computing and Visualization

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

Chen, Yousu; Glaesemann, Kurt; Fitzhenry, Erin

Contingency analysis is a critical function widely used in energy management systems to assess the impact of power system component failures. Its outputs are important for power system operation for improved situational awareness, power system planning studies, and power market operations. With the increased complexity of power system modeling and simulation caused by increased energy production and demand, the penetration of renewable energy and fast deployment of smart grid devices, and the trend of operating grids closer to their capacity for better efficiency, more and more contingencies must be executed and analyzed quickly in order to ensure grid reliability andmore » accuracy for the power market. Currently, many researchers have proposed different techniques to accelerate the computational speed of contingency analysis, but not much work has been published on how to post-process the large amount of contingency outputs quickly. This paper proposes a parallel post-processing function that can analyze contingency analysis outputs faster and display them in a web-based visualization tool to help power engineers improve their work efficiency by fast information digestion. Case studies using an ESCA-60 bus system and a WECC planning system are presented to demonstrate the functionality of the parallel post-processing technique and the web-based visualization tool.« less

Qualitative analysis of precipiation distribution in Poland with use of different data sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walawender, J.; Dyras, I.; Łapeta, B.; Serafin-Rek, D.; Twardowski, A.

2008-04-01

Geographical Information Systems (GIS) can be used to integrate data from different sources and in different formats to perform innovative spatial and temporal analysis. GIS can be also applied for climatic research to manage, investigate and display all kinds of weather data. The main objective of this study is to demonstrate that GIS is a useful tool to examine and visualise precipitation distribution obtained from different data sources: ground measurements, satellite and radar data. Three selected days (30 cases) with convective rainfall situations were analysed. Firstly, scalable GRID-based approach was applied to store data from three different sources in comparable layout. Then, geoprocessing algorithm was created within ArcGIS 9.2 environment. The algorithm included: GRID definition, reclassification and raster algebra. All of the calculations and procedures were performed automatically. Finally, contingency tables and pie charts were created to show relationship between ground measurements and both satellite and radar derived data. The results were visualised on maps.

Failure detection and recovery in the assembly/contingency subsystem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gantenbein, Rex E.

1993-01-01

The Assembly/Contingency Subsystem (ACS) is the primary communications link on board the Space Station. Any failure in a component of this system or in the external devices through which it communicates with ground-based systems will isolate the Station. The ACS software design includes a failure management capability (ACFM) that provides protocols for failure detection, isolation, and recovery (FDIR). The the ACFM design requirements as outlined in the current ACS software requirements specification document are reviewed. The activities carried out in this review include: (1) an informal, but thorough, end-to-end failure mode and effects analysis of the proposed software architecture for the ACFM; and (2) a prototype of the ACFM software, implemented as a C program under the UNIX operating system. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the FDIR protocols specified in the ACS design and the specifications themselves in light of their use in implementing the ACFM. The basis of failure detection in the ACFM is the loss of signal between the ground and the Station, which (under the appropriate circumstances) will initiate recovery to restore communications. This recovery involves the reconfiguration of the ACS to either a backup set of components or to a degraded communications mode. The initiation of recovery depends largely on the criticality of the failure mode, which is defined by tables in the ACFM and can be modified to provide a measure of flexibility in recovery procedures.

Computer Programs for Sun and Moon Illuminance with Contingent Tables and Diagrams

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-02-19

36 1930 215 /// /// 35 2012 154 /// /// 34 2109 125 /// /// 17 39 1903 229 /// III 38 1936 212 /// /// 37 2017 151 /// /// 36 2113 123 /// /// 35... Texarkana 122 38 Nape 105 39 Colorado Springs 91 36 TftfaWB 115 35 Needle« 107 41 Columbine 91 36 Tuekerman 122 38 Oakland 109 37 Cortez 94 35 Van...Christiansburg 96 33 Tarrall 112 40 Provo 77 37 Claramont 94 33 Texarkana 111 42 Randolph 80 38 Clifton Forge 99 33 Threekmorton 112 39 Richfield 82

An analysis of autism as a contingency-shaped disorder of verbal behavior

PubMed Central

Drash, Philip W.; Tudor, Roger M.

2004-01-01

This paper analyzes autism as a contingency-shaped disorder of verbal behavior. Contingencies of reinforcement in effect during the first to third year of a child's life may operate to establish and maintain those behaviors that later result in a diagnosis of autism. While neurobiological variables may, in some cases, predispose some children to be more or less responsive to environmental variables than others, our analysis suggests that reliance on neurobiological variables as causal factors in autism is unnecessary. We present six paradigms that may play critical etiologic roles in the development of behaviors labeled as autistic. Recognizing these contingencies and their resulting behaviors during the first two years of a child's life may contribute substantially to earlier identification, more effective treatment and, quite possibly, to the development of Applied Behavior Analysis programs for the prevention of autism that could be implemented immediately. Conceptualizing autism as a contingency-shaped disorder of verbal behavior may provide a new and potentially more effective paradigm for behavioral research and treatment in autism. PMID:22477283

Advanced Online Survival Analysis Tool for Predictive Modelling in Clinical Data Science.

PubMed

Montes-Torres, Julio; Subirats, José Luis; Ribelles, Nuria; Urda, Daniel; Franco, Leonardo; Alba, Emilio; Jerez, José Manuel

2016-01-01

One of the prevailing applications of machine learning is the use of predictive modelling in clinical survival analysis. In this work, we present our view of the current situation of computer tools for survival analysis, stressing the need of transferring the latest results in the field of machine learning to biomedical researchers. We propose a web based software for survival analysis called OSA (Online Survival Analysis), which has been developed as an open access and user friendly option to obtain discrete time, predictive survival models at individual level using machine learning techniques, and to perform standard survival analysis. OSA employs an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) based method to produce the predictive survival models. Additionally, the software can easily generate survival and hazard curves with multiple options to personalise the plots, obtain contingency tables from the uploaded data to perform different tests, and fit a Cox regression model from a number of predictor variables. In the Materials and Methods section, we depict the general architecture of the application and introduce the mathematical background of each of the implemented methods. The study concludes with examples of use showing the results obtained with public datasets.

Advanced Online Survival Analysis Tool for Predictive Modelling in Clinical Data Science

PubMed Central

Montes-Torres, Julio; Subirats, José Luis; Ribelles, Nuria; Urda, Daniel; Franco, Leonardo; Alba, Emilio; Jerez, José Manuel

2016-01-01

One of the prevailing applications of machine learning is the use of predictive modelling in clinical survival analysis. In this work, we present our view of the current situation of computer tools for survival analysis, stressing the need of transferring the latest results in the field of machine learning to biomedical researchers. We propose a web based software for survival analysis called OSA (Online Survival Analysis), which has been developed as an open access and user friendly option to obtain discrete time, predictive survival models at individual level using machine learning techniques, and to perform standard survival analysis. OSA employs an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) based method to produce the predictive survival models. Additionally, the software can easily generate survival and hazard curves with multiple options to personalise the plots, obtain contingency tables from the uploaded data to perform different tests, and fit a Cox regression model from a number of predictor variables. In the Materials and Methods section, we depict the general architecture of the application and introduce the mathematical background of each of the implemented methods. The study concludes with examples of use showing the results obtained with public datasets. PMID:27532883

The Earth Science Afternoon Constellation Contingency Procedures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Case, Warren F.; Richon, Karen

2005-01-01

The Earth Science Afternoon Constellation comprises NASA missions Aqua, Aura, CloudSat and the Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO), the joint NASA/CNES mission CALIPSO and the CNES mission PARASOL. Both NASA and CNES offices are responsible for ensuring that contingency plans or other arrangements exist to cope with contingencies within their respective jurisdictions until the conclusion of all Afternoon Constellation operations. The Mission Operations Working Group, comprised of members from each of the missions, has developed the high-level procedures for maintaining the safety of this constellation. Each contingency situation requires detailed analyses before any decisions are made. This paper describes these procedures, and includes defining what constitutes a contingency situation, the pertinent parameters involved in the contingency analysis and guidelines for the actions required, based on the results of the contingency analyses.

The marketing firm and consumer choice: implications of bilateral contingency for levels of analysis in organizational neuroscience

PubMed Central

Foxall, Gordon R.

2014-01-01

The emergence of a conception of the marketing firm (Foxall, 1999a) conceived within behavioral psychology and based on a corresponding model of consumer choice, (Foxall, 1990/2004) permits an assessment of the levels of behavioral and organizational analysis amenable to neuroscientific examination. This paper explores the ways in which the bilateral contingencies that link the marketing firm with its consumerate allow appropriate levels of organizational neuroscientific analysis to be specified. Having described the concept of the marketing firm and the model of consumer behavior on which it is based, the paper analyzes bilateral contingencies at the levels of (i) market exchange, (ii) emotional reward, and (iii) neuroeconomics. Market exchange emerges as a level of analysis that lends itself predominantly to the explanation of firm—consumerate interactions in terms of the super-personal level of reinforcing and punishing contingencies: the marketing firm can be treated as a contextual or operant system in its own right. However, the emotional reward and neuroeconomic levels of analysis should be confined to the personal level of analysis represented by individual managers on the one hand and individual consumers on the other. This also entails a level of abstraction but it is one that can be satisfactorily handled in terms of the concept of bilateral contingency. PMID:25071506

The marketing firm and consumer choice: implications of bilateral contingency for levels of analysis in organizational neuroscience.

PubMed

Foxall, Gordon R

2014-01-01

The emergence of a conception of the marketing firm (Foxall, 1999a) conceived within behavioral psychology and based on a corresponding model of consumer choice, (Foxall, 1990/2004) permits an assessment of the levels of behavioral and organizational analysis amenable to neuroscientific examination. This paper explores the ways in which the bilateral contingencies that link the marketing firm with its consumerate allow appropriate levels of organizational neuroscientific analysis to be specified. Having described the concept of the marketing firm and the model of consumer behavior on which it is based, the paper analyzes bilateral contingencies at the levels of (i) market exchange, (ii) emotional reward, and (iii) neuroeconomics. Market exchange emerges as a level of analysis that lends itself predominantly to the explanation of firm-consumerate interactions in terms of the super-personal level of reinforcing and punishing contingencies: the marketing firm can be treated as a contextual or operant system in its own right. However, the emotional reward and neuroeconomic levels of analysis should be confined to the personal level of analysis represented by individual managers on the one hand and individual consumers on the other. This also entails a level of abstraction but it is one that can be satisfactorily handled in terms of the concept of bilateral contingency.

Comparisons of synthesized and individual reinforcement contingencies during functional analysis.

PubMed

Fisher, Wayne W; Greer, Brian D; Romani, Patrick W; Zangrillo, Amanda N; Owen, Todd M

2016-09-01

Researchers typically modify individual functional analysis (FA) conditions after results are inconclusive (Hanley, Iwata, & McCord, 2003). Hanley, Jin, Vanselow, and Hanratty (2014) introduced a marked departure from this practice, using an interview-informed synthesized contingency analysis (IISCA). In the test condition, they delivered multiple contingencies simultaneously (e.g., attention and escape) after each occurrence of problem behavior; in the control condition, they delivered those same reinforcers noncontingently and continuously. In the current investigation, we compared the results of the IISCA with a more traditional FA in which we evaluated each putative reinforcer individually. Four of 5 participants displayed destructive behavior that was sensitive to the individual contingencies evaluated in the traditional FA. By contrast, none of the participants showed a response pattern consistent with the assumption of the IISCA. We discuss the implications of these findings on the development of accurate and efficient functional analyses. © 2016 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Log-Linear Models for Gene Association

PubMed Central

Hu, Jianhua; Joshi, Adarsh; Johnson, Valen E.

2009-01-01

We describe a class of log-linear models for the detection of interactions in high-dimensional genomic data. This class of models leads to a Bayesian model selection algorithm that can be applied to data that have been reduced to contingency tables using ranks of observations within subjects, and discretization of these ranks within gene/network components. Many normalization issues associated with the analysis of genomic data are thereby avoided. A prior density based on Ewens’ sampling distribution is used to restrict the number of interacting components assigned high posterior probability, and the calculation of posterior model probabilities is expedited by approximations based on the likelihood ratio statistic. Simulation studies are used to evaluate the efficiency of the resulting algorithm for known interaction structures. Finally, the algorithm is validated in a microarray study for which it was possible to obtain biological confirmation of detected interactions. PMID:19655032

An application of the lottery competition model to a montane rainforest community of two canopy trees, ohia (Metrosideros polymorpha) and koa (Acacia koa) on Mauna Loa, Hawaii

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hatfield, J.S.; Link, W.A.; Dawson, D.K.; Lindquist, E.L.

1992-01-01

This rainforest occurs on Mauna Loa at 1500-2000 m elevation. Earthwatch volunteers, studying the habitat of 8 native forest bird species (3 endangered), identified 2382 living canopy trees, and 99 dead trees, on 68 study plots, 400 m2 each. Ohia made up 88% of the canopy; koa was 12%. The two-species lottery competition model, a stochastic model in which coexistence of species results from variation in recruitment and death rates, predicts a quadratic-beta distribution for the proportion of space occupied by one species. A discrete version was fit to the live tree data and a likelihood ratio test (p=0.02) was used to test if the mean death rates were equal. This test was corroborated by a contingency table analysis (p=0.03) based on dead trees. Parameter estimates from the two analyses were similar.

Predicting failing performance on a standardized patient clinical performance examination: the importance of communication and professionalism skills deficits.

PubMed

Chang, Anna; Boscardin, Christy; Chou, Calvin L; Loeser, Helen; Hauer, Karen E

2009-10-01

The purpose is to determine which assessment measures identify medical students at risk of failing a clinical performance examination (CPX). Retrospective case-control, multiyear design, contingency table analysis, n = 149. We identified two predictors of CPX failure in patient-physician interaction skills: low clerkship ratings (odds ratio 1.79, P = .008) and student progress review for communication or professionalism concerns (odds ratio 2.64, P = .002). No assessments predicted CPX failure in clinical skills. Performance concerns in communication and professionalism identify students at risk of failing the patient-physician interaction portion of a CPX. This correlation suggests that both faculty and standardized patients can detect noncognitive traits predictive of failing performance. Early identification of these students may allow for development of a structured supplemental curriculum with increased opportunities for practice and feedback. The lack of predictors in the clinical skills portion suggests limited faculty observation or feedback.

Analysis and machine mapping of the distribution of band recoveries

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cowardin, L.M.

1977-01-01

A method of calculating distance and bearing from banding site to recovery location based on the solution of a spherical triangle is presented. X and Y distances on an ordinate grid were applied to computer plotting of recoveries on a map. The advantages and disadvantages of tables of recoveries by State or degree block, axial lines, and distance of recovery from banding site for presentation and comparison of the spatial distribution of band recoveries are discussed. A special web-shaped partition formed by concentric circles about the point of banding and great circles at 30-degree intervals through the point of banding has certain advantages over other methods. Comparison of distributions by means of a X? contingency test is illustrated. The statistic V = X?/N can be used as a measure of difference between two distributions of band recoveries and its possible use is illustrated as a measure of the degree of migrational homing.

Contingency contracting with school problems

PubMed Central

Cantrell, Robert P.; Cantrell, Mary Lynn; Huddleston, Clifton M.; Wooldridge, Ralph L.

1969-01-01

Contingency contracting procedures used in managing problems with school-age children involved analyzing teacher and/or parental reports of behavior problem situations, isolating the most probable contingencies then in effect, the range of reinforcers presently available, and the ways in which they were obtained. The authors prepared written contracts delineating remediative changes in reinforcement contingencies. These contracts specified ways in which the child could obtain existing individualized reinforcers contingent upon approximations to desired appropriate behaviors chosen as incompatible with the referral problem behaviors. Contract procedures were administered by the natural contingency managers, parents and/or teachers, who kept daily records of contracted behaviors and reinforcers. These records were sent to the authors and provided feedback on the progress of the case. Initial results of this procedure have been sufficiently encouraging to warrant recommending an experimental analysis of contingency contracting as a clinical method. PMID:16795222

The Southern Oscillation and Prediction of `Der' Season Rainfall in Somalia.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hutchinson, P.

1992-05-01

Somalia survives in semiarid to arid conditions, with annual rainfall totals rarely exceeding 700 mm, which are divided between two seasons. Many areas are arid, with negligible precipitation. Seasonal totals are highly variable. Thus, any seasonal rainfall forecast would be of significant importance to both the agricultural and animal husbandry communities. An investigation was carried out to determine whether there is a relationship between the Southern Oscillation and seasonal rainfall. No relationship exists between the Southern Oscillation and rainfall during the midyear `Gu' season, but it is shown that the year-end `Der' season precipitation is attected by the Southern Oscillation in southern and central areas of Somalia. Three techniques were used: correlation, regression, and simple contingency tables. Correlations between the SOI (Southern Oscillation index) and seasonal rainfall vary from zero up to about 0.8, with higher correlations in the south, both for individual stations and for area-averaged rainfall. Regression provides some predictive capacity, but the `explanation' of the variation in rainfall is not particularly high. The contingency tables revealed that there were very few occasions of both high SOI and high seasonal rainfall, although there was a wide scatter of seasonal rainfall associated with a low SOI.It is concluded that the SOI would be useful for planners, governments, and agencies as one tool in food/famine early warning but that the relationships are not strong enough for the average farmer to place much reliance on forecasts produced solely using the SOI.

Operations analysis (study 2.1). Contingency analysis. [of failure modes anticipated during space shuttle upper stage planning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

Future operational concepts for the space transportation system were studied in terms of space shuttle upper stage failure contingencies possible during deployment, retrieval, or space servicing of automated satellite programs. Problems anticipated during mission planning were isolated using a modified 'fault tree' technique, normally used in safety analyses. A comprehensive space servicing hazard analysis is presented which classifies possible failure modes under the catagories of catastrophic collision, failure to rendezvous and dock, servicing failure, and failure to undock. The failure contingencies defined are to be taken into account during design of the upper stage.

An Analysis of Response-Contingent Learning Experiences for Young Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanson, Marci J.; Hanline, Mary Frances

1985-01-01

Three children with severe and multiple disabilities (8-25 months old) were provided contingent learning experiences via electromechanical apparatus. Results indicated that all three children increased the frequency of the target behavior. The data are equivocal as to whether or not children showed an awareness of the response-contingent feedback.…

Contingency Contracting and Operant Behavior Change: An Exercise in Applied Behavior Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mann, Ronald A.

Until recently, the use of contingency contracting has been largely an issue of theory and discussion with little experimental research evidence gathered to support efficacy. Two major reasons for this problem are suggested and discussed: (1) the concept of contingency contracting has not been adequately defined nor its minimal requirements…

A Contingency View of Problem Solving in Schools: A Case Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanson, E. Mark; Brown, Michael E.

Patterns of problem-solving activity in one middle-class urban high school are examined and a problem solving model rooted in a conceptual framework of contingency theory is presented. Contingency theory stresses that as political, economic, and social conditions in an organization's environment become problematic, the internal structures of the…

Revisiting the relation between contingency awareness and attention: evaluative conditioning relies on a contingency focus.

PubMed

Kattner, Florian

2012-01-01

Although evaluative conditioning has occasionally been demonstrated in the absence of contingency awareness, many recent studies imply that its acquisition depends on the availability of attentional resources during conditioning. In previous experiments attention has typically been manipulated in a general way rather than looking at the particular focus of attention. The present study investigated the role of a focus on the CS-US contingency. Two separate distraction tasks were designed that either diverted attention from the stimuli or directed it to the stimuli while drawing attention away from the contingency between the stimuli. Both types of distraction were shown to eliminate evaluative conditioning. Significant evaluative conditioning was observed in a third group of participants who were required to attend the contingencies. A mediation analysis showed that the observed discrepancy in evaluative conditioning effects between groups was mediated by contingency awareness. The results imply that attention in terms of a stimulus focus is not sufficient for evaluative conditioning to occur. Rather, attention to the contingencies between stimuli appears to be crucial in evaluative conditioning, because it is supposed to foster the acquisition of contingency awareness.

Contingent Needs Analysis for Task Implementation: An Activity Systems Analysis of Group Writing Conferences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mochizuki, Naoko

2017-01-01

Needs analysis (NA) plays a significant role in developing tasks that create opportunities for natural language use in classrooms. Preemptive NA, however, does not necessarily predict the contingently emerging interpersonal and social variables which influence learners and teachers' behaviours. These unpredictable variables often lead to a gap…

Contingent workers: Workers' compensation data analysis strategies and limitations.

PubMed

Foley, Michael; Ruser, John; Shor, Glenn; Shuford, Harry; Sygnatur, Eric

2014-07-01

The growth of the contingent workforce presents many challenges in the occupational safety and health arena. State and federal laws impose obligations and rights on employees and employers, but contingent work raises issues regarding responsibilities to maintain a safe workplace and difficulties in collecting and reporting data on injuries and illnesses. Contingent work may involve uncertainty about the length of employment, control over the labor process, degree of regulatory, or statutory protections, and access to benefits under workers' compensation. The paper highlights differences in regulatory protections and benefits among various types of contingent workers and how these different arrangements affect safety incentives. It discusses challenges caused by contingent work for accurate data reporting in existing injury and illness surveillance and benefit programs, differences between categories of contingent work in their coverage in various data sources, and opportunities for overcoming obstacles to effectively using workers' compensation data. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

An analysis of contingency statements in a DRO procedure: A case report.

PubMed

Gerow, Stephanie; Rispoli, Mandy; Boles, Margot B; Neely, Leslie C

2015-06-01

To examine latency to criterion for reduction of challenging behaviour with and without stating a contingency statement immediately prior to a DRO procedure. An ABAC design in which A was baseline, B was used to evaluate the efficacy of a DRO procedure, and C was used to evaluate the efficacy of a DRO procedure with a contingency statement. The DRO with the contingency statement intervention was associated with a shorter latency to behaviour change than the DRO procedure without the contingency statement. These preliminary findings from this case study highlight the importance of examining the efficiency of behaviour change procedures. Directions for future research are provided.

Estimating residential price elasticity of demand for water: A contingent valuation approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, John F.; Syme, Geoffrey J.

1988-11-01

Residential households in Perth, Western Australia have access to privately extracted groundwater as well as a public mains water supply, which has been charged through a two-part block tariff. A contingent valuation approach is developed to estimate price elasticity of demand for public supply. Results are compared with those of a multivariate time series analysis. Validation tests for the contingent approach are proposed, based on a comparison of predicted behaviors following hypothesised price changes with relevant independent data. Properly conducted, the contingent approach appears to be reliable, applicable where the available data do not favor regression analysis, and a fruitful source of information about social, technical, and behavioral responses to change in the price of water.

Psychophysics of associative learning: Quantitative properties of subjective contingency.

PubMed

Maia, Susana; Lefèvre, Françoise; Jozefowiez, Jérémie

2018-01-01

Allan and collaborators (Allan, Hannah, Crump, & Siegel, 2008; Allan, Siegel, & Tangen, 2005; Siegel, Allan, Hannah, & Crump, 2009) recently proposed to apply signal detection theory to the analysis of contingency judgment tasks. When exposed to a flow of stimuli, participants are asked to judge whether there is a contingent relation between a cue and an outcome, that is, whether the subjective cue-outcome contingency exceeds a decision threshold. In this context, we tested the following hypotheses regarding the relation between objective and subjective cue-outcome contingency: (a) The underlying distributions of subjective cue-outcome contingency are Gaussian; (b) The mean distribution of subjective contingency is a linear function of objective cue-outcome contingency; and (c) The variance in the distribution of subjective contingency is constant. The hypotheses were tested by combining a streamed-trial contingency assessment task with a confidence rating procedure. Participants were exposed to rapid flows of stimuli at the end of which they had to judge whether an outcome was more (Experiment 1) or less (Experiment 2) likely to appear following a cue and how sure they were of their judgment. We found that although Hypothesis A seems reasonable, Hypotheses B and C were not. Regarding Hypothesis B, participants were more sensitive to positive than to negative contingencies. Regarding Hypothesis C, the perceived cue-outcome contingency became more variable when the contingency became more positive or negative, but only to a slight extent. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Diagnostik von Kontingenzerfahrungen in der fruehen Kindheit. Forschungsbericht Rapport Scientifique. Nr. 68. (Methods of Social Contingency Analysis. FB Nr. 68).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perrez, Meinrad

Written in German, this article demonstrates the influence of different types of contingency information on the development of infant's locus of control and causal attribution, and discusses empirical models for calculating contingency parameters of the microsocial environment of infants, toddlers, and preschool children. Models discussed include:…

Accuracy of responses from postal surveys about continuing medical education and information behavior: experiences from a survey among German diabetologists

PubMed Central

Trelle, Sven

2002-01-01

Background Postal surveys are a popular instrument for studies about continuing medical education habits. But little is known about the accuracy of responses in such surveys. The objective of this study was to quantify the magnitude of inaccurate responses in a postal survey among physicians. Methods A sub-analysis of a questionnaire about continuing medical education habits and information management was performed. The five variables used for the quantitative analysis are based on a question about the knowledge of a fictitious technical term and on inconsistencies in contingency tables of answers to logically connected questions. Results Response rate was 52%. Non-response bias is possible but seems not very likely since an association between demographic variables and inconsistent responses could not be found. About 10% of responses were inaccurate according to the definition. Conclusion It was shown that a sub-analysis of a questionnaire makes a quantification of inaccurate responses in postal surveys possible. This sub-analysis revealed that a notable portion of responses in a postal survey about continuing medical education habits and information management was inaccurate. PMID:12153701

Changes Are Needed to the Army Contract with Sikorsky to Use Existing DoD Inventory and Control Costs at the Corpus Christi Army Depot

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-11-03

contingency stock for requirements outside the CCAD/Sikorsky contract. 6 The DoD EMALL is a full-service eCommerce site, which strives to be the single...such quantity as (A) will result in the total cost and unit cost most advantageous to the United States where practicable.” Having more than one...practice and frequently does not allow DoD to take advantage of economic order quantities. Table 15 shows examples where higher quantities procured

Astronaut Musgrave performing EVA during STS-6

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1983-01-01

Views of Mission Specialist F. Story Musgrave performing an extravehicular activity (EVA) during the STS-6 mission. In this view, Musgrave uses hand holds in the payload bay door hinge line to move towards the aft payload bay (30215); Musgrave conducts a simulation of a contingency EVA in the aft payload bay. This was designed to return the inertial upper stage (IUS) support equipment's tilt table device to its normal stowed configuration in the event of failure of an automatic system. A cloud-covered earth can be seen in the background (30216).

Hybrid Cascading Outage Analysis of Extreme Events with Optimized Corrective Actions

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

Vallem, Mallikarjuna R.; Vyakaranam, Bharat GNVSR; Holzer, Jesse T.

2017-10-19

Power system are vulnerable to extreme contingencies (like an outage of a major generating substation) that can cause significant generation and load loss and can lead to further cascading outages of other transmission facilities and generators in the system. Some cascading outages are seen within minutes following a major contingency, which may not be captured exclusively using the dynamic simulation of the power system. The utilities plan for contingencies either based on dynamic or steady state analysis separately which may not accurately capture the impact of one process on the other. We address this gap in cascading outage analysis bymore » developing Dynamic Contingency Analysis Tool (DCAT) that can analyze hybrid dynamic and steady state behavior of the power system, including protection system models in dynamic simulations, and simulating corrective actions in post-transient steady state conditions. One of the important implemented steady state processes is to mimic operator corrective actions to mitigate aggravated states caused by dynamic cascading. This paper presents an Optimal Power Flow (OPF) based formulation for selecting corrective actions that utility operators can take during major contingency and thus automate the hybrid dynamic-steady state cascading outage process. The improved DCAT framework with OPF based corrective actions is demonstrated on IEEE 300 bus test system.« less

Electronic Health Record System Contingency Plan Coordination: A Strategy for Continuity of Care Considering Users' Needs.

PubMed

Fernández, Marcela T; Gómez, Adrián R; Santojanni, Américo M; Cancio, Alfredo H; Luna, Daniel R; Benítez, Sonia E

2015-01-01

Electronic Health Record system downtimes may have a great impact on patient care continuity. This paper describes the analysis and actions taken to redesign the Contingency Plan Procedure for the Electronic Health Record System of Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires. After conducting a thorough analysis of the data gathered at post-contingency meetings, weaknesses were identified in the procedure; thus, strategic actions were recommended to redesign the Contingency Plan to secure an effective communications channel, as well as a formal structure for functions that may support the decision-making process. The main actions were: 1) to incorporate the IT Contingencies Committee (Plan management); 2) to incorporate the Coordinator (general supervision of the procedure); and 3) to redefine the role of the Clinical Informatics Resident, who will be responsible for managing communication between the technical team and Electronic Health Record users. As users need the information for continuity of care, key users evaluated the impact of the new strategy with an adapted survey.

Contingency management: perspectives of Australian service providers.

PubMed

Cameron, Jacqui; Ritter, Alison

2007-03-01

Given the very positive and extensive research evidence demonstrating efficacy and effectiveness of contingency management, it is important that Australia explore whether contingency management has a role to play in our own treatment context. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 30 experienced alcohol and drug practitioners, service managers and policy-makers in Victoria. Interviewees were selected to represent the range of drug treatment services types and included rural representation. A semi-structured interview schedule, covering their perceptions and practices of contingency management was used. All interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using N2 qualitative data analysis program. The majority of key informants were positively inclined toward contingency management, notwithstanding some concerns about the philosophical underpinnings. Concerns were raised in relation to the use of monetary rewards. Examples of the use of contingency management provided by key informants demonstrated an over-inclusive definition: all the examples did not adhere to the key principles of contingency management. This may create problems if a structured contingency management were to be introduced in Australia. Contingency management is an important adjunctive treatment intervention and its use in Australia has the potential to enhance treatment outcomes. No unmanageable barriers were identified in this study.

Contingency learning without awareness: evidence for implicit control.

PubMed

Schmidt, James R; Crump, Matthew J C; Cheesman, Jim; Besner, Derek

2007-06-01

The results of four experiments provide evidence for controlled processing in the absence of awareness. Participants identified the colour of a neutral distracter word. Each of four words (e.g., MOVE) was presented in one of the four colours 75% of the time (Experiments 1 and 4) or 50% of the time (Experiments 2 and 3). Colour identification was faster when the words appeared in the colour they were most often presented in relative to when they appeared in another colour, even for participants who were subjectively unaware of any contingencies between the words and the colours. An analysis of sequence effects showed that participants who were unaware of the relation between distracter words and colours nonetheless controlled the impact of the word on performance depending on the nature of the previous trial. A block analysis of contingency-unaware participants revealed that contingencies were learned rapidly in the first block of trials. Experiment 3 showed that the contingency effect does not depend on the level of awareness, thus ruling out explicit strategy accounts. Finally, Experiment 4 showed that the contingency effect results from behavioural control and not from semantic association or stimulus familiarity. These results thus provide evidence for implicit control.

Equilibria of perceptrons for simple contingency problems.

PubMed

Dawson, Michael R W; Dupuis, Brian

2012-08-01

The contingency between cues and outcomes is fundamentally important to theories of causal reasoning and to theories of associative learning. Researchers have computed the equilibria of Rescorla-Wagner models for a variety of contingency problems, and have used these equilibria to identify situations in which the Rescorla-Wagner model is consistent, or inconsistent, with normative models of contingency. Mathematical analyses that directly compare artificial neural networks to contingency theory have not been performed, because of the assumed equivalence between the Rescorla-Wagner learning rule and the delta rule training of artificial neural networks. However, recent results indicate that this equivalence is not as straightforward as typically assumed, suggesting a strong need for mathematical accounts of how networks deal with contingency problems. One such analysis is presented here, where it is proven that the structure of the equilibrium for a simple network trained on a basic contingency problem is quite different from the structure of the equilibrium for a Rescorla-Wagner model faced with the same problem. However, these structural differences lead to functionally equivalent behavior. The implications of this result for the relationships between associative learning, contingency theory, and connectionism are discussed.

Evaluating Precipitation from Orbital Data Products of TRMM and GPM over the Indian Subcontinent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jayaluxmi, I.; Kumar, D. N.

2015-12-01

The rapidly growing records of microwave based precipitation data made available from various earth observation satellites have instigated a pressing need towards evaluating the associated uncertainty which arise from different sources such as retrieval error, spatial/temporal sampling error and sensor dependent error. Pertaining to microwave remote sensing, most of the studies in literature focus on gridded data products, fewer studies exist on evaluating the uncertainty inherent in orbital data products. Evaluation of the latter are essential as they potentially cause large uncertainties during real time flood forecasting studies especially at the watershed scale. The present study evaluates the uncertainty of precipitation data derived from the orbital data products of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite namely the 2A12, 2A25 and 2B31 products. Case study results over the flood prone basin of Mahanadi, India, are analyzed for precipitation uncertainty through these three facets viz., a) Uncertainty quantification using the volumetric metrics from the contingency table [Aghakouchak and Mehran 2014] b) Error characterization using additive and multiplicative error models c) Error decomposition to identify systematic and random errors d) Comparative assessment with the orbital data from GPM mission. The homoscedastic random errors from multiplicative error models justify a better representation of precipitation estimates by the 2A12 algorithm. It can be concluded that although the radiometer derived 2A12 precipitation data is known to suffer from many sources of uncertainties, spatial analysis over the case study region of India testifies that they are in excellent agreement with the reference estimates for the data period considered [Indu and Kumar 2015]. References A. AghaKouchak and A. Mehran (2014), Extended contingency table: Performance metrics for satellite observations and climate model simulations, Water Resources Research, vol. 49, 7144-7149; J. Indu and D. Nagesh Kumar (2015), Evaluation of Precipitation Retrievals from Orbital Data Products of TRMM over a Subtropical basin in India, IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, in press, doi: 10.1109/TGRS.2015.2440338.

A general framework for the use of logistic regression models in meta-analysis.

PubMed

Simmonds, Mark C; Higgins, Julian Pt

2016-12-01

Where individual participant data are available for every randomised trial in a meta-analysis of dichotomous event outcomes, "one-stage" random-effects logistic regression models have been proposed as a way to analyse these data. Such models can also be used even when individual participant data are not available and we have only summary contingency table data. One benefit of this one-stage regression model over conventional meta-analysis methods is that it maximises the correct binomial likelihood for the data and so does not require the common assumption that effect estimates are normally distributed. A second benefit of using this model is that it may be applied, with only minor modification, in a range of meta-analytic scenarios, including meta-regression, network meta-analyses and meta-analyses of diagnostic test accuracy. This single model can potentially replace the variety of often complex methods used in these areas. This paper considers, with a range of meta-analysis examples, how random-effects logistic regression models may be used in a number of different types of meta-analyses. This one-stage approach is compared with widely used meta-analysis methods including Bayesian network meta-analysis and the bivariate and hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic (ROC) models for meta-analyses of diagnostic test accuracy. © The Author(s) 2014.

Rapid Diagnostic Test Performance Assessed Using Latent Class Analysis for the Diagnosis of Plasmodium falciparum Placental Malaria.

PubMed

Liu, Yunhao; Mwapasa, Victor; Khairallah, Carole; Thwai, Kyaw L; Kalilani-Phiri, Linda; Ter Kuile, Feiko O; Meshnick, Steven R; Taylor, Steve M

2016-10-05

Placental malaria causes low birth weight and neonatal mortality in malaria-endemic areas. The diagnosis of placental malaria is important for program evaluation and clinical care, but is compromised by the suboptimal performance of current diagnostics. Using placental and peripheral blood specimens collected from delivering women in Malawi, we compared estimation of the operating characteristics of microscopy, rapid diagnostic test (RDT), polymerase chain reaction, and histopathology using both a traditional contingency table and a latent class analysis (LCA) approach. The prevalence of placental malaria by histopathology was 13.8%; concordance between tests was generally poor. Relative to histopathology, RDT sensitivity was 79.5% in peripheral and 66.2% in placental blood; using LCA, RDT sensitivities increased to 93.7% and 80.2%, respectively. Our results, if replicated in other cohorts, indicate that RDT testing of peripheral or placental blood may be suitable approaches to detect placental malaria for surveillance programs, including areas where intermittent preventive therapy in pregnancy is not used. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

An Analytical Evaluation of Contingency Contracting Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan: Capturing Critical Corporate Knowledge for the Future

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-07

Contingency Operations Task Force, 2011, p. 4)...........................68  Figure 25.  Original Organizational Makeup for the CASO (After Deputy...Workforce CAP Civilian Augmentation Program CAP Crisis Action Planning CASO Contingency Acquisition Support Office CBP Capability-Based...its inclusion in joint exercises;  Identify and assign responsibilities to institutionalize OCS lesson development, analysis, documentation and use

Retrospective Study of Obesity in Children with Down Syndrome.

PubMed

Basil, Janet S; Santoro, Stephanie L; Martin, Lisa J; Healy, Katherine Wusik; Chini, Barbara A; Saal, Howard M

2016-06-01

To assess whether children with Down syndrome in the US are at an increased risk for obesity, we determined the obesity prevalence and analyzed obesity development throughout childhood in a cohort of children with Down syndrome. In addition, we analyzed a comorbidity that is associated with Down syndrome and obesity, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). This study was a retrospective chart review that evaluated 303 children ages 2 through 18 years with a diagnosis of Down syndrome. All children were patients at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center with multiple height and weight measurements. To determine obesity burden, the rate of obesity was compared with a local control cohort using contingency tables. Change in obesity rate through time was determined with mixed models. Association of obesity with OSAS was determined with contingency tables. We evaluated 303 individuals, 47.8% of whom were obese (body mass index ≥95th percentile for age and sex). This was significantly higher than the general pediatric population, which had a 12.1% obesity rate (P < .0001). Body mass index z-scores did not change markedly over time (P = .40). The majority of children with Down syndrome also had OSAS (74.0% of the 177 children who had polysomnography studies). However, OSAS risk was elevated in obese children (risk ratio = 2.4, P = .0015). Our results indicate that children with Down syndrome are at a substantial risk for obesity and OSAS. These findings support the need for more aggressive weight management in early childhood and throughout the lifespan. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

STS-78 Space Shuttle Mission Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fricke, Robert W., Jr.

1996-01-01

The STS-78 Space Shuttle Program Mission Report summarizes the Payload activities as well as the Orbiter, External Tank (ET), Solid Rocket Booster (SRB), Reusable Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM), and the Space Shuttle main engine (SSME) systems performance during the seventy-eighth flight of the Space Shuttle Program, the fifty-third flight since the return-to-flight, and the twentieth flight of the Orbiter Columbia (OV-102). In addition to the Orbiter, the flight vehicle consisted of an ET that was designated ET-79; three SSME's that were designated as serial numbers 2041, 2039, and 2036 in positions 1, 2, and 3, respectively; and two SRB's that were designated BI-081. The RSRM's, designated RSRM-55, were installed in each SRB and the individual RSRM's were designated as 360L055A for the left SRB, and 360L055B for the right SRB. The STS-78 Space Shuttle Program Mission Report fulfills the Space Shuttle Program requirement as documented in NSTS 07700, Volume 7, Appendix E. The requirement stated in that document is that each organizational element supporting the Program will report the results of their hardware (and software) evaluation and mission performance plus identify all related in-flight anomalies. The primary objective of this flight was to successfully perform the planned operations of the Life and Microgravity Spacelab experiments. The secondary objectives of this flight were to complete the operations of the Orbital Acceleration Research Experiment (OARE), Biological Research in Canister Unit-Block II (BRIC), and the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment II-Configuration C (SAREX-II). The STS-78 mission was planned as a 16-day, plus one day flight plus two contingency days, which were available for weather avoidance or Orbiter contingency operations. The sequence of events for the STS-78 mission is shown in Table 1, and the Space Shuttle Vehicle Management Office Problem Tracking List is shown in Table 2. The Government Furnished Equipment/Flight Crew Equipment (GFE/FCE) Problem Tracking List is shown in Table 3. The Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Problem Tracking List is shown in Table 4. Appendix A lists the sources of data, both formal and informal, that were used to prepare this report. Appendix B provides the definition of acronyms and abbreviations used throughout the report. All times during the flight are given in Greenwich mean time (G.m.t.) and mission elapsed time (MET).

Programming a randomized dependent group contingency and common stimuli to promote durable behavior change.

PubMed

Cariveau, Tom; Kodak, Tiffany

2017-01-01

Low levels of academic engagement may impede students' acquisition of skills. Intervening on student behavior using group contingencies may be a feasible way to increase academic engagement during group instruction. The current study examined the effect of a randomized dependent group contingency on levels of academic engagement for second-grade participants receiving small-group reading and writing instruction. The results showed that a randomized dependent group contingency increased the academic engagement of primary participants and several of the other participants during small-group instruction. The findings also showed that high levels of academic engagement were maintained when common stimuli were present and the dependent group contingency was withdrawn. © 2016 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Structure and dynamics of European sports science textual contents: Analysis of ECSS abstracts (1996-2014).

PubMed

Hristovski, Robert; Aceski, Aleksandar; Balague, Natalia; Seifert, Ludovic; Tufekcievski, Aleksandar; Cecilia, Aguirre

2017-02-01

The article discusses general structure and dynamics of the sports science research content as obtained from the analysis of 21998 European College of Sport Science abstracts belonging to 12 science topics. The structural analysis showed intertwined multidisciplinary and unifying tendencies structured along horizontal (scope) and vertical (level) axes. Methodological (instrumental and mode of inquiry) integrative tendencies are dominant. Theoretical integrative tendencies are much less detectable along both horizontal and vertical axes. The dynamic analysis of written abstracts text content over the 19 years reveals the contextualizing and guiding role of thematic skeletons of each sports science topic in forming more detailed contingent research ideas and the role of the latter in stabilizing and procreating the former. This circular causality between both hierarchical levels and functioning on separate characteristic time scales is crucial for understanding how stable research traditions self-maintain and self-procreate through innovative contingencies. The structure of sports science continuously rebuilds itself through use and re-use of contingent research ideas. The thematic skeleton ensures its identity and the contingent conceptual sets its flexibility and adaptability to different research or applicative problems.

Visual Analytics for Power Grid Contingency Analysis

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

Wong, Pak C.; Huang, Zhenyu; Chen, Yousu

2014-01-20

Contingency analysis is the process of employing different measures to model scenarios, analyze them, and then derive the best response to remove the threats. This application paper focuses on a class of contingency analysis problems found in the power grid management system. A power grid is a geographically distributed interconnected transmission network that transmits and delivers electricity from generators to end users. The power grid contingency analysis problem is increasingly important because of both the growing size of the underlying raw data that need to be analyzed and the urgency to deliver working solutions in an aggressive timeframe. Failure tomore » do so may bring significant financial, economic, and security impacts to all parties involved and the society at large. The paper presents a scalable visual analytics pipeline that transforms about 100 million contingency scenarios to a manageable size and form for grid operators to examine different scenarios and come up with preventive or mitigation strategies to address the problems in a predictive and timely manner. Great attention is given to the computational scalability, information scalability, visual scalability, and display scalability issues surrounding the data analytics pipeline. Most of the large-scale computation requirements of our work are conducted on a Cray XMT multi-threaded parallel computer. The paper demonstrates a number of examples using western North American power grid models and data.« less

Community-wide validation of geospace model local K-index predictions to support model transition to operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glocer, A.; Rastätter, L.; Kuznetsova, M.; Pulkkinen, A.; Singer, H. J.; Balch, C.; Weimer, D.; Welling, D.; Wiltberger, M.; Raeder, J.; Weigel, R. S.; McCollough, J.; Wing, S.

2016-07-01

We present the latest result of a community-wide space weather model validation effort coordinated among the Community Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC), NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC), model developers, and the broader science community. Validation of geospace models is a critical activity for both building confidence in the science results produced by the models and in assessing the suitability of the models for transition to operations. Indeed, a primary motivation of this work is supporting NOAA/SWPC's effort to select a model or models to be transitioned into operations. Our validation efforts focus on the ability of the models to reproduce a regional index of geomagnetic disturbance, the local K-index. Our analysis includes six events representing a range of geomagnetic activity conditions and six geomagnetic observatories representing midlatitude and high-latitude locations. Contingency tables, skill scores, and distribution metrics are used for the quantitative analysis of model performance. We consider model performance on an event-by-event basis, aggregated over events, at specific station locations, and separated into high-latitude and midlatitude domains. A summary of results is presented in this report, and an online tool for detailed analysis is available at the CCMC.

Community-Wide Validation of Geospace Model Local K-Index Predictions to Support Model Transition to Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glocer, A.; Rastaetter, L.; Kuznetsova, M.; Pulkkinen, A.; Singer, H. J.; Balch, C.; Weimer, D.; Welling, D.; Wiltberger, M.; Raeder, J.;

Instructional influences on analogue functional analysis outcomes.

PubMed Central

Northup, John; Kodak, Tiffany; Grow, Laura; Lee, Jennifer; Coyne, Amanda

2004-01-01

Analogue assessments were conducted with a common contingency (escape from tasks) that varied only by three different instructions describing the contingency. In one condition, the contingency was described as "taking a break," in another condition it was described as "time-out," and no description of the contingency was provided in a third condition. The participant was a typically developing 5-year-old child with a diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Rates of inappropriate behavior varied substantially across the three conditions as an apparent effect of the prior instructions. Some implications for conducting functional analyses with verbal children are discussed. PMID:15669409

Demonstration of a software design and statistical analysis methodology with application to patient outcomes data sets

PubMed Central

Mayo, Charles; Conners, Steve; Warren, Christopher; Miller, Robert; Court, Laurence; Popple, Richard

2013-01-01

Purpose: With emergence of clinical outcomes databases as tools utilized routinely within institutions, comes need for software tools to support automated statistical analysis of these large data sets and intrainstitutional exchange from independent federated databases to support data pooling. In this paper, the authors present a design approach and analysis methodology that addresses both issues. Methods: A software application was constructed to automate analysis of patient outcomes data using a wide range of statistical metrics, by combining use of C#.Net and R code. The accuracy and speed of the code was evaluated using benchmark data sets. Results: The approach provides data needed to evaluate combinations of statistical measurements for ability to identify patterns of interest in the data. Through application of the tools to a benchmark data set for dose-response threshold and to SBRT lung data sets, an algorithm was developed that uses receiver operator characteristic curves to identify a threshold value and combines use of contingency tables, Fisher exact tests, Welch t-tests, and Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests to filter the large data set to identify values demonstrating dose-response. Kullback-Leibler divergences were used to provide additional confirmation. Conclusions: The work demonstrates the viability of the design approach and the software tool for analysis of large data sets. PMID:24320426

Demonstration of a software design and statistical analysis methodology with application to patient outcomes data sets.

PubMed

Mayo, Charles; Conners, Steve; Warren, Christopher; Miller, Robert; Court, Laurence; Popple, Richard

2013-11-01

With emergence of clinical outcomes databases as tools utilized routinely within institutions, comes need for software tools to support automated statistical analysis of these large data sets and intrainstitutional exchange from independent federated databases to support data pooling. In this paper, the authors present a design approach and analysis methodology that addresses both issues. A software application was constructed to automate analysis of patient outcomes data using a wide range of statistical metrics, by combining use of C#.Net and R code. The accuracy and speed of the code was evaluated using benchmark data sets. The approach provides data needed to evaluate combinations of statistical measurements for ability to identify patterns of interest in the data. Through application of the tools to a benchmark data set for dose-response threshold and to SBRT lung data sets, an algorithm was developed that uses receiver operator characteristic curves to identify a threshold value and combines use of contingency tables, Fisher exact tests, Welch t-tests, and Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests to filter the large data set to identify values demonstrating dose-response. Kullback-Leibler divergences were used to provide additional confirmation. The work demonstrates the viability of the design approach and the software tool for analysis of large data sets.

A new indicator for the measurement of change with ordinal scores.

PubMed

Ferreira, Mario Luiz Pinto; Almeida, Renan Moritz V R; Luiz, Ronir Raggio

2013-10-01

Studies on how to better measure change have been published at least since the third decade of the last century, but no general indicator or strategy of measurement is currently agreed upon. The aim of this study is to propose a new indicator, the indicator of positive change, as an option for the assessment of change when ordinal scores are used in pretest and posttest designs. The basic idea is to measure the proportion of possible (positive) change inside a group that can be attributed to an intervention. The approach is based on the joint distribution of the before and after scores (differences), represented by the cells (i, j) of a contingency table m × m (m is the number of classes of the ordinal measurement scale; i and j are the lines and columns of the table, respectively). By convention, higher classes are the most unfavorable on the scale such that subjects that improve "migrate" from the higher to the lower classes as a result of an intervention and vice versa. The introduced indicator offers a new strategy for the analysis of change when dealing with repeated measurements of the same subject, assuming that the measured variable is ordinal (e.g., clinician-rating scales). The presented approach is easily interpretable and avoids the problems that arise, for instance, in those cases where a large concentration of high/low scores is present at the baseline.

PBOOST: a GPU-based tool for parallel permutation tests in genome-wide association studies.

PubMed

Yang, Guangyuan; Jiang, Wei; Yang, Qiang; Yu, Weichuan

2015-05-01

The importance of testing associations allowing for interactions has been demonstrated by Marchini et al. (2005). A fast method detecting associations allowing for interactions has been proposed by Wan et al. (2010a). The method is based on likelihood ratio test with the assumption that the statistic follows the χ(2) distribution. Many single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) pairs with significant associations allowing for interactions have been detected using their method. However, the assumption of χ(2) test requires the expected values in each cell of the contingency table to be at least five. This assumption is violated in some identified SNP pairs. In this case, likelihood ratio test may not be applicable any more. Permutation test is an ideal approach to checking the P-values calculated in likelihood ratio test because of its non-parametric nature. The P-values of SNP pairs having significant associations with disease are always extremely small. Thus, we need a huge number of permutations to achieve correspondingly high resolution for the P-values. In order to investigate whether the P-values from likelihood ratio tests are reliable, a fast permutation tool to accomplish large number of permutations is desirable. We developed a permutation tool named PBOOST. It is based on GPU with highly reliable P-value estimation. By using simulation data, we found that the P-values from likelihood ratio tests will have relative error of >100% when 50% cells in the contingency table have expected count less than five or when there is zero expected count in any of the contingency table cells. In terms of speed, PBOOST completed 10(7) permutations for a single SNP pair from the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium (WTCCC) genome data (Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium, 2007) within 1 min on a single Nvidia Tesla M2090 device, while it took 60 min in a single CPU Intel Xeon E5-2650 to finish the same task. More importantly, when simultaneously testing 256 SNP pairs for 10(7) permutations, our tool took only 5 min, while the CPU program took 10 h. By permuting on a GPU cluster consisting of 40 nodes, we completed 10(12) permutations for all 280 SNP pairs reported with P-values smaller than 1.6 × 10⁻¹² in the WTCCC datasets in 1 week. The source code and sample data are available at http://bioinformatics.ust.hk/PBOOST.zip. gyang@ust.hk; eeyu@ust.hk Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Secrets of Scheherazade: Toward a Functional Analysis of Imaginative Literature

PubMed Central

Grant, Lyle K

2005-01-01

A functional analysis of selected aspects of imaginative literature is presented. Reading imaginative literature is described as a process in which the reader makes indirect contact with the contingencies operating on the behavior of story characters. A functional story grammar is proposed in which the reader's experience with a story is interpreted in terms of escape contingencies in which the author initially introduces an establishing operation consisting of a source of tension, which is resolved in some way by the outcome of the story. Although escape contingencies represent the functional basis for the structure of stories, they are to be understood in a context of many other reinforcers for reading fiction. Other contingencies that maintain reading are discussed. Functional analyses of imaginative literature have much to offer, both in improving literary education and in understanding the behavioral processes that occur on the part of the reader. PMID:22477324

Implications of Contingency Planning Support for Weather and Icing Information

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vigeant-Langlois, Laurence; Hansman, R. John, Jr.

2003-01-01

A human-centered systems analysis was applied to the adverse aircraft weather encounter problem in order to identify desirable functions of weather and icing information. The importance of contingency planning was identified as emerging from a system safety design methodology as well as from results of other aviation decision-making studies. The relationship between contingency planning support and information on regions clear of adverse weather was investigated in a scenario- based analysis. A rapid prototype example of the key elements in the depiction of icing conditions was developed in a case study, and the implications for the components of the icing information system were articulated.

Comparison and optimization of radar-based hail detection algorithms in Slovenia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stržinar, Gregor; Skok, Gregor

2018-05-01

Four commonly used radar-based hail detection algorithms are evaluated and optimized in Slovenia. The algorithms are verified against ground observations of hail at manned stations in the period between May and August, from 2002 to 2010. The algorithms are optimized by determining the optimal values of all possible algorithm parameters. A number of different contingency-table-based scores are evaluated with a combination of Critical Success Index and frequency bias proving to be the best choice for optimization. The best performance indexes are given by Waldvogel and the severe hail index, followed by vertically integrated liquid and maximum radar reflectivity. Using the optimal parameter values, a hail frequency climatology map for the whole of Slovenia is produced. The analysis shows that there is a considerable variability of hail occurrence within the Republic of Slovenia. The hail frequency ranges from almost 0 to 1.7 hail days per year with an average value of about 0.7 hail days per year.

The relationship between twelve-month home stimulation and school achievement.

PubMed

van Doorninck, W J; Caldwell, B M; Wright, C; Frankenburg, W K

1981-09-01

Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) was designed to reflect parental support of early cognitive and socioemotional development. 12-month HOME scores were correlated with elementary school achievement, 5--9 years later. 50 low-income children were rank ordered by a weighted average of centile estimates of achievement test scores, letter grades, and curriculum levels in reading and math. 24 children were classified as having significant school achievement problems. The HOME total score correlated significantly, r = .37, with school centile scores among the low-income families. The statistically more appropriate contingency table analysis revealed a 68% correct classification rate and a significantly reduced error rate over random or blanket prediction. The results supported the predictive value of the 12-month HOME for school achievement among low-income families. In an additional sample of 21 middle-income families, there was insufficient variability among HOME scores to allow prediction. The HOME total scores were highly correlated, r = .86, among siblings tested at least 10 months apart.

Addiction treatment-related Employment barriers: the impact of methadone maintenance

PubMed Central

Richardson, Lindsey; Wood, Evan; Montaner, Julio; Kerr, Thomas

2012-01-01

Employment is commonly upheld as an important outcome of addiction treatment. To explore this attribution we assessed whether treatment enrolment predicts employment initiation among participants enrolled in a community-recruited Canadian cohort of people who inject drugs (IDU) (n=1579). Survival analysis initially found no association between addiction treatment enrolment and employment initiation. However, when methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) was separated from other treatment modalities, non-MMT treatment positively predicted employment transitions, while MMT was negatively associated with employment initiation. Sub-analyses examining transitions into temporary, informal and under-the-table income generation echo these results. Findings suggest that individual factors impacting employment transitions may systematically apply to MMT clients, and that, in this setting, the impact of treatment on employment outcomes is contingent on treatment type and design. Treatment-specific differences underscore the need to expand low-threshold MMT, explore MMT alternatives and evaluate the impact of treatment design on the social and economic activity of IDU. PMID:22301085

Influence of firm size on the competencies required to management engineers in the Jordanian telecommunications sector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conchado Peiró, Andrea; Bas Cerdá, María del Carmen; Gharaibeh, Khaled M.; Kaylani, Hazem

2017-09-01

The objective of this study is to identify the competencies required to achieve success in the transition from higher education to the labour market based on the perceptions of employers. This paper analyses the assessments made by a group of engineering company employers. An item-battery of 20 competencies was grouped into 3 dimensions by using factor analysis. Subsequently, respondents' scores were also clustered into three groups and characterised through contingency tables. The competencies demanded by employers were grouped into business and finance, problem-solving and strategic planning. Significant differences were found between responses from employers working in medium and small companies, who placed more importance on competencies related to problem-solving and strategic planning, and employers in big companies, who were more concerned about the difficulties of finding well-trained graduates. The findings from this paper have important implications for research in the areas of higher education and organisations that usually employ graduate engineers.

A Simulation Based Approach for Contingency Planning for Aircraft Turnaround Operation System Activities in Airline Hubs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adeleye, Sanya; Chung, Christopher

2006-01-01

Commercial aircraft undergo a significant number of maintenance and logistical activities during the turnaround operation at the departure gate. By analyzing the sequencing of these activities, more effective turnaround contingency plans may be developed for logistical and maintenance disruptions. Turnaround contingency plans are particularly important as any kind of delay in a hub based system may cascade into further delays with subsequent connections. The contingency sequencing of the maintenance and logistical turnaround activities were analyzed using a combined network and computer simulation modeling approach. Experimental analysis of both current and alternative policies provides a framework to aid in more effective tactical decision making.

Understanding apple consumers' expectations in terms of likes and dislikes. Use of comment analysis in a cross-cultural study.

PubMed

Galmarini, M V; Symoneaux, R; Chollet, S; Zamora, M C

2013-03-01

Apple consumers' expectations in Argentina and France were studied by comment analysis of open-ended questions. In an on-line survey consumers stated: attributes which defined quality in an apple; visual, flavor and texture characteristics they liked/did not like to find in an apple. Influence of country, consumption frequency and cultivar knowledge were analyzed by contingency tables, Chi-square per cell tests and Multiple Factor Analysis. Consumers' quality expectations were not the same in both countries. Argentineans and French consumers agreed that quality apples should be juicy (most used term in both countries), tasty, firm and fresh. However, for Argentineans quality was more related to visual characteristics, whereas for French it was driven by flavor. Argentineans used more words but French were more specific, particularly for flavour description. Moreover, frequency of consumption, varieties knowledge and the number of terms given were highly related. Frequent consumers knew more varieties and were more prolific in relation to flavour. Less frequent consumers knew fewer apple varieties and gave more words in the visual category. The use of comment analysis allowed identifying the terms that consumers used in their day to day life to describe apples, finding separately likes and dislikes, in spite of the different languages. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Effectiveness of Gaze-Contingent Control in Computer Games.

PubMed

Orlov, Paul A; Apraksin, Nikolay

2015-01-01

Eye-tracking technology and gaze-contingent control in human-computer interaction have become an objective reality. This article reports on a series of eye-tracking experiments, in which we concentrated on one aspect of gaze-contingent interaction: Its effectiveness compared with mouse-based control in a computer strategy game. We propose a measure for evaluating the effectiveness of interaction based on "the time of recognition" the game unit. In this article, we use this measure to compare gaze- and mouse-contingent systems, and we present the analysis of the differences as a function of the number of game units. Our results indicate that performance of gaze-contingent interaction is typically higher than mouse manipulation in a visual searching task. When tested on 60 subjects, the results showed that the effectiveness of gaze-contingent systems over 1.5 times higher. In addition, we obtained that eye behavior stays quite stabile with or without mouse interaction. © The Author(s) 2015.

Strategic Anslysis of Two Joint Contingency Operations: Lebanon 1958 and Dominican Republic 1965

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-01-01

political aims in Lebanon 1958 and the Dominican Republic 1965. The study uses the Strategic Analysis Model, developed at the Command and General Staff...employment and be followed by political negotiations with participation by all factions. U UNCLASS IFIED STRATEGIC ANALYSIS OF TWO JOINT CONTINGENCY...United States use of military power to achieve political aims in Lebanon 1958 and the Dominican Republic 1965. The study uses the Strategic Analysis

Counterfactuals and history: Contingency and convergence in histories of science and life.

PubMed

Hesketh, Ian

2016-08-01

This article examines a series of recent histories of science that have attempted to consider how science may have developed in slightly altered historical realities. These works have, moreover, been influenced by debates in evolutionary science about the opposing forces of contingency and convergence in regard to Stephen Jay Gould's notion of "replaying life's tape." The article argues that while the historians under analysis seem to embrace contingency in order to present their counterfactual narratives, for the sake of historical plausibility they are forced to accept a fairly weak role for contingency in shaping the development of science. It is therefore argued that Simon Conway Morris's theory of evolutionary convergence comes closer to describing the restrained counterfactual worlds imagined by these historians of science than does contingency. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Functional analysis of inappropriate social interactions in students with Asperger's syndrome.

PubMed

Roantree, Christina F; Kennedy, Craig H

2012-01-01

We analyzed the inappropriate social interactions of 3 students with Asperger's syndrome whose behavior was maintained by social positive reinforcement. We tested whether inappropriate social behavior was sensitive to social positive reinforcement contingencies and whether such contingencies could be reversed to increase the probability of socially appropriate responding. Our results show that social positive reinforcers can be identified for inappropriate social interactions and that appropriate social behaviors can be sensitive to reinforcement contingency reversals.

Employment-based abstinence reinforcement promotes opiate and cocaine abstinence in out-of-treatment injection drug users.

PubMed

Holtyn, August F; Koffarnus, Mikhail N; DeFulio, Anthony; Sigurdsson, Sigurdur O; Strain, Eric C; Schwartz, Robert P; Silverman, Kenneth

2014-01-01

We examined the use of employment-based abstinence reinforcement in out-of-treatment injection drug users, in this secondary analysis of a previously reported trial. Participants (N = 33) could work in the therapeutic workplace, a model employment-based program for drug addiction, for 30 weeks and could earn approximately $10 per hr. During a 4-week induction, participants only had to work to earn pay. After induction, access to the workplace was contingent on enrollment in methadone treatment. After participants met the methadone contingency for 3 weeks, they had to provide opiate-negative urine samples to maintain maximum pay. After participants met those contingencies for 3 weeks, they had to provide opiate- and cocaine-negative urine samples to maintain maximum pay. The percentage of drug-negative urine samples remained stable until the abstinence reinforcement contingency for each drug was applied. The percentage of opiate- and cocaine-negative urine samples increased abruptly and significantly after the opiate- and cocaine-abstinence contingencies, respectively, were applied. These results demonstrate that the sequential administration of employment-based abstinence reinforcement can increase opiate and cocaine abstinence among out-of-treatment injection drug users. © Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Aerobic Steps As Measured by Pedometry and Their Relation to Central Obesity

PubMed Central

DUCHEČKOVÁ, Petra; FOREJT, Martin

2014-01-01

Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to examine the relation between daily steps and aerobic steps, and anthropometric variables, using the waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR). Methods The participants in this cross-sectional study were taken the measurements of by a trained anthropologist and then instructed to wear an Omron pedometer for seven consecutive days. A series of statistical tests (Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA, multiple comparisons of z’ values and contingency tables) was performed in order to assess the relation between daily steps and aerobic steps, and anthropometric variables. Results A total of 507 individuals (380 females and 127 males) participated in the study. The average daily number of steps and aerobic steps was significantly lower in the individuals with risky WHR and WHtR as compared to the individuals with normal WHR (P=0.005) and WHtR (P=0.000). A comparison of age and anthropometric variables across aerobic steps activity categories was statistically significant for all the studied parameters. According to the contingency tables for normal steps, there is a 5.75x higher risk in the low-activity category of having WHtR>0.50 as compared to the high-activity category. Conclusions Both normal and aerobic steps are significantly associated with central obesity and other body composition variables. This result is important for older people, who are more likely to perform low-intensity activities rather than moderate- or high-intensity activities. Our results also indicate that risk of having WHtR>0.50 can be reduced by almost 6x by increasing daily steps over 8985 steps per day. PMID:25927036

Tensiomyographic Markers Are Not Sensitive for Monitoring Muscle Fatigue in Elite Youth Athletes: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Wiewelhove, Thimo; Raeder, Christian; de Paula Simola, Rauno Alvaro; Schneider, Christoph; Döweling, Alexander; Ferrauti, Alexander

2017-01-01

Objective: Tensiomyography (TMG) is an indirect measure of a muscle's contractile properties and has the potential as a technique for detecting exercise-induced skeletal muscle fatigue. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the sensitivity of tensiomyographic markers to identify reduced muscular performance in elite youth athletes. Methods: Fourteen male junior tennis players (age: 14.9 ± 1.2 years) with an international (International Tennis Federation) ranking position participated in this pre-post single group trial. They completed a 4-day high-intensity interval training (HIT) microcycle, which was composed of seven training sessions. TMG markers; countermovement jump (CMJ) performance (criterion measure of fatigue); delayed onset muscle soreness; and perceived recovery and stress were measured 24 h before and after the training program. The TMG measures included maximal radial deformation of the rectus femoris muscle belly (Dm), contraction time between 10 and 90% Dm (Tc) and the rate of deformation until 10% (V10) and 90% Dm (V90), respectively. Diagnostic characteristics were assessed with a receiver-operating curve (ROC) analysis and a contingency table, in which the area under the curve (AUC), Youden's index, sensitivity, specificity, and the diagnostic effectiveness (DE) of TMG measures were reported. A minimum AUC of 0.70 and a lower confidence interval (CI) >0.50 classified "good" diagnostic markers to assess performance changes. Results: Twenty-four hours after the microcycle, CMJ performance was observed to be significantly ( p < 0.001) reduced (Effect Size [ES] = -0.68), and DOMS (ES = 3.62) as well as perceived stress were significantly ( p < 0.001) increased. In contrast, Dm (ES = -0.35), Tc (ES = 0.04), V10 (ES = -0.32), and V90 (ES = -0.33) remained unchanged ( p > 0.05) throughout the study. ROC analysis and the data derived from the contingency table revealed that none of the tensiomyographic markers were effective diagnostic tools for detecting impaired muscular performance in elite youth athletes (AUC, 95% CI, DE%; Dm: 0.46, 0.15-0.77, 35.7%; Tc: 0.29, 0.03-0.59, 35.7%; V10: 0.71, 0.27-1.00, 35.7%; V90: 0.37, 0.10-0.65, 35.7%). Conclusion: The tensiomyographic parameters that were assessed in this study were not sensitive enough to detect muscular performance changes in elite youth athletes.However, due to the preliminary nature of the study, further research is needed to investigate the sensitivity of TMG in this population.

Tensiomyographic Markers Are Not Sensitive for Monitoring Muscle Fatigue in Elite Youth Athletes: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Wiewelhove, Thimo; Raeder, Christian; de Paula Simola, Rauno Alvaro; Schneider, Christoph; Döweling, Alexander; Ferrauti, Alexander

2017-01-01

Objective: Tensiomyography (TMG) is an indirect measure of a muscle's contractile properties and has the potential as a technique for detecting exercise-induced skeletal muscle fatigue. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the sensitivity of tensiomyographic markers to identify reduced muscular performance in elite youth athletes. Methods: Fourteen male junior tennis players (age: 14.9 ± 1.2 years) with an international (International Tennis Federation) ranking position participated in this pre-post single group trial. They completed a 4-day high-intensity interval training (HIT) microcycle, which was composed of seven training sessions. TMG markers; countermovement jump (CMJ) performance (criterion measure of fatigue); delayed onset muscle soreness; and perceived recovery and stress were measured 24 h before and after the training program. The TMG measures included maximal radial deformation of the rectus femoris muscle belly (Dm), contraction time between 10 and 90% Dm (Tc) and the rate of deformation until 10% (V10) and 90% Dm (V90), respectively. Diagnostic characteristics were assessed with a receiver-operating curve (ROC) analysis and a contingency table, in which the area under the curve (AUC), Youden's index, sensitivity, specificity, and the diagnostic effectiveness (DE) of TMG measures were reported. A minimum AUC of 0.70 and a lower confidence interval (CI) >0.50 classified “good” diagnostic markers to assess performance changes. Results: Twenty-four hours after the microcycle, CMJ performance was observed to be significantly (p < 0.001) reduced (Effect Size [ES] = −0.68), and DOMS (ES = 3.62) as well as perceived stress were significantly (p < 0.001) increased. In contrast, Dm (ES = −0.35), Tc (ES = 0.04), V10 (ES = −0.32), and V90 (ES = −0.33) remained unchanged (p > 0.05) throughout the study. ROC analysis and the data derived from the contingency table revealed that none of the tensiomyographic markers were effective diagnostic tools for detecting impaired muscular performance in elite youth athletes (AUC, 95% CI, DE%; Dm: 0.46, 0.15–0.77, 35.7%; Tc: 0.29, 0.03–0.59, 35.7%; V10: 0.71, 0.27–1.00, 35.7%; V90: 0.37, 0.10–0.65, 35.7%). Conclusion: The tensiomyographic parameters that were assessed in this study were not sensitive enough to detect muscular performance changes in elite youth athletes.However, due to the preliminary nature of the study, further research is needed to investigate the sensitivity of TMG in this population. PMID:28670284

75 FR 17863 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Delaware; Reasonable Further...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-08

... Inventory, Reasonably Available Control Measures, Contingency Measures, and Transportation Conformity... emissions inventory, contingency measures, and the reasonably available control measure (RACM) analysis... Resources & Environmental Control, 89 Kings Highway, P.O. Box 1401, Dover, Delaware 19903. FOR FURTHER...

A meta-analytic review of experiments examining the effects of extrinsic rewards on intrinsic motivation.

PubMed

Deci, E L; Koestner, R; Ryan, R M

1999-11-01

A meta-analysis of 128 studies examined the effects of extrinsic rewards on intrinsic motivation. As predicted, engagement-contingent, completion-contingent, and performance-contingent rewards significantly undermined free-choice intrinsic motivation (d = -0.40, -0.36, and -0.28, respectively), as did all rewards, all tangible rewards, and all expected rewards. Engagement-contingent and completion-contingent rewards also significantly undermined self-reported interest (d = -0.15, and -0.17), as did all tangible rewards and all expected rewards. Positive feedback enhanced both free-choice behavior (d = 0.33) and self-reported interest (d = 0.31). Tangible rewards tended to be more detrimental for children than college students, and verbal rewards tended to be less enhancing for children than college students. The authors review 4 previous meta-analyses of this literature and detail how this study's methods, analyses, and results differed from the previous ones.

Passage of Campylobacter jejuni through the chicken reservoir or mice promotes phase variation in contingency genes Cj0045 and Cj0170 that strongly associates with colonization and disease in a mouse model

PubMed Central

Kim, Joo-Sung; Artymovich, Katherine A.; Hall, David F.; Smith, Eric J.; Fulton, Richard; Bell, Julia; Dybas, Leslie; Mansfield, Linda S.; Tempelman, Robert; Wilson, David L.

2012-01-01

Human illness due to Camplyobacter jejuni infection is closely associated with consumption of poultry products. We previously demonstrated a 50 % shift in allele frequency (phase variation) in contingency gene Cj1139 (wlaN) during passage of C. jejuni NCTC11168 populations through Ross 308 broiler chickens. We hypothesized that phase variation in contingency genes during chicken passage could promote subsequent colonization and disease in humans. To test this hypothesis, we passaged C. jejuni strains NCTC11168, 33292, 81-176, KanR4 and CamR2 through broiler chickens and analysed the ability of passaged and non-passaged populations to colonize C57BL6 IL-10-deficient mice, our model for human colonization and disease. We utilized fragment analysis and nucleotide sequence analysis to measure phase variation in contingency genes. Passage through the chicken reservoir promoted phase variation in five specific contingency genes, and these ‘successful’ populations colonized mice. When phase variation did not occur in these same five contingency genes during chicken passage, these ‘unsuccessful’ populations failed to colonize mice. Phase variation during chicken passage generated small insertions or deletions (indels) in the homopolymeric tract (HT) in contingency genes. Single-colony isolates of C. jejuni strain KanR4 carrying an allele of contingency gene Cj0170 with a10G HT colonized mice at high frequency and caused disease symptoms, whereas single-colony isolates carrying the 9G allele failed to colonize mice. Supporting results were observed for the successful 9G allele of Cj0045 in strain 33292. These data suggest that phase variation in Cj0170 and Cj0045 is strongly associated with mouse colonization and disease, and that the chicken reservoir can play an active role in natural selection, phase variation and disease. PMID:22343355

Passage of Campylobacter jejuni through the chicken reservoir or mice promotes phase variation in contingency genes Cj0045 and Cj0170 that strongly associates with colonization and disease in a mouse model.

PubMed

Kim, Joo-Sung; Artymovich, Katherine A; Hall, David F; Smith, Eric J; Fulton, Richard; Bell, Julia; Dybas, Leslie; Mansfield, Linda S; Tempelman, Robert; Wilson, David L; Linz, John E

2012-05-01

Human illness due to Camplyobacter jejuni infection is closely associated with consumption of poultry products. We previously demonstrated a 50 % shift in allele frequency (phase variation) in contingency gene Cj1139 (wlaN) during passage of C. jejuni NCTC11168 populations through Ross 308 broiler chickens. We hypothesized that phase variation in contingency genes during chicken passage could promote subsequent colonization and disease in humans. To test this hypothesis, we passaged C. jejuni strains NCTC11168, 33292, 81-176, KanR4 and CamR2 through broiler chickens and analysed the ability of passaged and non-passaged populations to colonize C57BL6 IL-10-deficient mice, our model for human colonization and disease. We utilized fragment analysis and nucleotide sequence analysis to measure phase variation in contingency genes. Passage through the chicken reservoir promoted phase variation in five specific contingency genes, and these 'successful' populations colonized mice. When phase variation did not occur in these same five contingency genes during chicken passage, these 'unsuccessful' populations failed to colonize mice. Phase variation during chicken passage generated small insertions or deletions (indels) in the homopolymeric tract (HT) in contingency genes. Single-colony isolates of C. jejuni strain KanR4 carrying an allele of contingency gene Cj0170 with a10G HT colonized mice at high frequency and caused disease symptoms, whereas single-colony isolates carrying the 9G allele failed to colonize mice. Supporting results were observed for the successful 9G allele of Cj0045 in strain 33292. These data suggest that phase variation in Cj0170 and Cj0045 is strongly associated with mouse colonization and disease, and that the chicken reservoir can play an active role in natural selection, phase variation and disease.

Pattern Analyses Reveal Separate Experience-Based Fear Memories in the Human Right Amygdala.

PubMed

Braem, Senne; De Houwer, Jan; Demanet, Jelle; Yuen, Kenneth S L; Kalisch, Raffael; Brass, Marcel

2017-08-23

Learning fear via the experience of contingencies between a conditioned stimulus (CS) and an aversive unconditioned stimulus (US) is often assumed to be fundamentally different from learning fear via instructions. An open question is whether fear-related brain areas respond differently to experienced CS-US contingencies than to merely instructed CS-US contingencies. Here, we contrasted two experimental conditions where subjects were instructed to expect the same CS-US contingencies while only one condition was characterized by prior experience with the CS-US contingency. Using multivoxel pattern analysis of fMRI data, we found CS-related neural activation patterns in the right amygdala (but not in other fear-related regions) that dissociated between whether a CS-US contingency had been instructed and experienced versus merely instructed. A second experiment further corroborated this finding by showing a category-independent neural response to instructed and experienced, but not merely instructed, CS presentations in the human right amygdala. Together, these findings are in line with previous studies showing that verbal fear instructions have a strong impact on both brain and behavior. However, even in the face of fear instructions, the human right amygdala still shows a separable neural pattern response to experience-based fear contingencies. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In our study, we addressed a fundamental problem of the science of human fear learning and memory, namely whether fear learning via experience in humans relies on a neural pathway that can be separated from fear learning via verbal information. Using two new procedures and recent advances in the analysis of brain imaging data, we localized purely experience-based fear processing and memory in the right amygdala, thereby making a direct link between human and animal research. Copyright © 2017 the authors 0270-6474/17/378116-15$15.00/0.

A systems view of mother-infant face-to-face communication.

PubMed

Beebe, Beatrice; Messinger, Daniel; Bahrick, Lorraine E; Margolis, Amy; Buck, Karen A; Chen, Henian

2016-04-01

Principles of a dynamic, dyadic systems view of mother-infant face-to-face communication, which considers self- and interactive processes in relation to one another, were tested. The process of interaction across time in a large low-risk community sample at infant age 4 months was examined. Split-screen videotape was coded on a 1-s time base for communication modalities of attention, affect, orientation, touch, and composite facial-visual engagement. Time-series approaches generated self- and interactive contingency estimates in each modality. Evidence supporting the following principles was obtained: (a) Significant moment-to-moment predictability within each partner (self-contingency) and between the partners (interactive contingency) characterizes mother-infant communication. (b) Interactive contingency is organized by a bidirectional, but asymmetrical, process: Maternal contingent coordination with infant is higher than infant contingent coordination with mother. (c) Self-contingency organizes communication to a far greater extent than interactive contingency. (d) Self- and interactive contingency processes are not separate; each affects the other in communication modalities of facial affect, facial-visual engagement, and orientation. Each person's self-organization exists in a dynamic, homoeostatic (negative feedback) balance with the degree to which the person coordinates with the partner. For example, those individuals who are less facially stable are likely to coordinate more strongly with the partner's facial affect and vice versa. Our findings support the concept that the dyad is a fundamental unit of analysis in the investigation of early interaction. Moreover, an individual's self-contingency is influenced by the way the individual coordinates with the partner. Our results imply that it is not appropriate to conceptualize interactive processes without simultaneously accounting for dynamically interrelated self-organizing processes. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

A Systems View of Mother-Infant Face-to-Face Communication

PubMed Central

Beebe, Beatrice; Messinger, Daniel; Bahrick, Lorraine E.; Margolis, Amy; Buck, Karen A.; Chen, Henian

2016-01-01

Principles of a dynamic, dyadic systems view of mother-infant face-to-face communication, which considers self- and interactive processes in relation to one another, were tested. We examined the process of interaction across time in a large, low-risk community sample, at infant age 4 months. Split-screen videotape was coded on a 1-s time base for communication modalities of attention, affect, orientation, touch and composite facial-visual engagement. Time-series approaches generated self- and interactive contingency estimates in each modality. Evidence supporting the following principles was obtained: (1) Significant moment-to-moment predictability within each partner (self-contingency) and between the partners (interactive contingency) characterizes mother-infant communication. (2) Interactive contingency is organized by a bi-directional, but asymmetrical, process: maternal contingent coordination with infant is higher than infant contingent coordination with mother. (3) Self-contingency organizes communication to a far greater extent than interactive contingency. (4) Self-and interactive contingency processes are not separate; each affects the other, in communication modalities of facial affect, facial-visual engagement, and orientation. Each person’s self-organization exists in a dynamic, homoeostatic (negative feedback) balance with the degree to which the person coordinates with the partner. For example, those individuals who are less facially stable are likely to coordinate more strongly with the partner’s facial affect; and vice-versa. Our findings support the concept that the dyad is a fundamental unit of analysis in the investigation of early interaction. Moreover, an individual’s self-contingency is influenced by the way the individual coordinates with the partner. Our results imply that it is not appropriate to conceptualize interactive processes without simultaneously accounting for dynamically inter-related self-organizing processes. PMID:26882118

Graphical Contingency Analysis for the Nation's Electric Grid

ScienceCinema

Zhenyu (Henry) Huang

2017-12-09

PNNL has developed a new tool to manage the electric grid more effectively, helping prevent blackouts and brownouts--and possibly avoiding millions of dollars in fines for system violations. The Graphical Contingency Analysis tool monitors grid performance, shows prioritized lists of problems, provides visualizations of potential consequences, and helps operators identify the most effective courses of action. This technology yields faster, better decisions and a more stable and reliable power grid.

Reinforcement and substitution in humans: a multiple-response analysis1

PubMed Central

Bernstein, Daniel J.; Ebbesen, Ebbe B.

1978-01-01

Three adult human subjects engaged in activities such as reading, sewing, artwork, and candlemaking while living alone in a laboratory apartment 24 hours per day for several weeks. After a baseline period in which the activities were fully available, access to a particular activity (contingent response) was made dependent on engaging in another less-preferred activity (instrumental response). The contingencies produced substantial increases in instrumental responding, and responding decreased toward baseline levels when the dependency was removed. Under the contingent conditions, time earned for the concurrent activity was always less than the baseline level. To determine the contribution of this reduction to the instrumental increase, access to the contingent activity was restricted in the absence of any dependency. The results indicated that increases among responses that filled the newly available time could be selective, e.g., artwork increased when reading was restricted but candlemaking did not. It was concluded that the reductions in the contingent response that accompany contingencies usually do not exclusively determine instrumental increases, but selective increases can contribute to the increase in time devoted to the instrumental response. PMID:16812105

Goodness-of-fit tests for open capture-recapture models

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pollock, K.H.; Hines, J.E.; Nichols, J.D.

1985-01-01

General goodness-of-fit tests for the Jolly-Seber model are proposed. These tests are based on conditional arguments using minimal sufficient statistics. The tests are shown to be of simple hypergeometric form so that a series of independent contingency table chi-square tests can be performed. The relationship of these tests to other proposed tests is discussed. This is followed by a simulation study of the power of the tests to detect departures from the assumptions of the Jolly-Seber model. Some meadow vole capture-recapture data are used to illustrate the testing procedure which has been implemented in a computer program available from the authors.

Effect of PTSD diagnosis and contingency management procedures on cocaine use in dually cocaine and opioid-dependent individuals maintained on LAAM: A retrospective analysis

PubMed Central

Mancino, M.; McGaugh, J.; Feldman, Z.; Poling, J.; Oliveto, A.

2012-01-01

This randomized clinical trial retrospectively examined the effect of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and contingency management (CM) on cocaine use in opioid and cocaine dependent individuals maintained on high or low-dose LAAM randomly assigned to CM or a yoked-control condition. Cocaine-positive urines decreased more rapidly over time in those without PTSD versus those with PTSD in the non-contingency condition. In participants with PTSD, CM resulted in fewer cocaine positive urines compared to the non-contingent condition. This suggests that CM may help improve the potentially worse outcomes in opioid-and cocaine dependent individuals with PTSD compared to those without PTSD. PMID:20163389

Contingency interaction analysis in psychotherapy.

PubMed

Canfield, M L; Walker, W R; Brown, L G

1991-02-01

This article introduces (a) a computerized coding procedure that rates words and utterances in terms of emotion, cognition, and contract and (b) a contingency method of analyzing verbal interactions. Using transcripts of sessions conducted by 3 master therapists with 1 client, the rating procedure and contingency correlation analyses supported the study's hypotheses. Therapists' utterances were characterized by significantly different amounts of emotion, cognition, and contracts, indicating that communication styles varied in the relative emphasis placed on these attributes. Differences suggest that the therapists responded differently to emotional, cognitive, and contract utterances and that the client's responses were different across the 3 therapist interviews. Split halves of the interviews within therapists and within client sessions were not different, providing further evidence of reliability of the coding and contingency procedures.

Application of Bayesian configural frequency analysis (BCFA) to determine characteristics user and non-user motor X

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mawardi, Muhamad Iqbal; Padmadisastra, Septiadi; Tantular, Bertho

2018-03-01

Configural Frequency Analysis is a method for cell-wise testing in contingency tables for exploratory search type and antitype, that can see the existence of discrepancy on the model by existence of a significant difference between the frequency of observation and frequency of expectation. This analysis focuses on whether or not the interaction among categories from different variables, and not the interaction among variables. One of the extensions of CFA method is Bayesian CFA, this alternative method pursue the same goal as frequentist version of CFA with the advantage that adjustment of the experiment-wise significance level α is not necessary and test whether groups of types and antitypes form composite types or composite antitypes. Hence, this research will present the concept of the Bayesian CFA and how it works for the real data. The data on this paper is based on case studies in a company about decrease Brand Awareness & Image motor X on Top Of Mind Unit indicator in Cirebon City for user 30.8% and non user 9.8%. From the result of B-CFA have four characteristics from deviation, one of the four characteristics above that is the configuration 2212 need more attention by company to determine promotion strategy to maintain and improve Top Of Mind Unit in Cirebon City.

A comparison of three methods of assessing differential item functioning (DIF) in the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale: ordinal logistic regression, Rasch analysis and the Mantel chi-square procedure.

PubMed

Cameron, Isobel M; Scott, Neil W; Adler, Mats; Reid, Ian C

2014-12-01

It is important for clinical practice and research that measurement scales of well-being and quality of life exhibit only minimal differential item functioning (DIF). DIF occurs where different groups of people endorse items in a scale to different extents after being matched by the intended scale attribute. We investigate the equivalence or otherwise of common methods of assessing DIF. Three methods of measuring age- and sex-related DIF (ordinal logistic regression, Rasch analysis and Mantel χ(2) procedure) were applied to Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS) data pertaining to a sample of 1,068 patients consulting primary care practitioners. Three items were flagged by all three approaches as having either age- or sex-related DIF with a consistent direction of effect; a further three items identified did not meet stricter criteria for important DIF using at least one method. When applying strict criteria for significant DIF, ordinal logistic regression was slightly less sensitive. Ordinal logistic regression, Rasch analysis and contingency table methods yielded consistent results when identifying DIF in the HADS depression and HADS anxiety scales. Regardless of methods applied, investigators should use a combination of statistical significance, magnitude of the DIF effect and investigator judgement when interpreting the results.

Prize-based contingency management for the treatment of substance abusers: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Benishek, Lois A; Dugosh, Karen L; Kirby, Kim C; Matejkowski, Jason; Clements, Nicolle T; Seymour, Brittany L; Festinger, David S

2014-09-01

To review randomized controlled trials to assess efficacy of a prize-based contingency management procedure in reducing substance use (where a drug-free breath or urine sample provides a chance of winning a prize). A meta-analysis was conducted on papers published from January 2000 to February 2013 to determine the effect size of studies comparing prize-based contingency management to a treatment-as-usual control condition (k = 19 studies). Parallel analyses evaluated the efficacy of both short- (k = nine studies) and long-term outcomes (k = six studies) of prize-based contingency management. The average end-of-treatment effect size (Cohen's d) was 0.46 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.37, 0.54]. This effect size decreased at the short-term (≤3-month) post-intervention follow-up to 0.33 (95% CI = 0.12, 0.54) and at the 6-month follow-up time-point there was no detectable effect [d = -0.09 (95% CI = -0.28, 0.10)]. Adding prize-based contingency management to behavioral support for substance use disorders can increase short-term abstinence, but the effect does not appear to persist to 6 months. © 2014 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Neural Events in the Reinforcement Contingency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silva, Maria Teresa Araujo; Goncalves, Fabio Leyser; Garcia-Mijares, Miriam

2007-01-01

When neural events are analyzed as stimuli and responses, functional relations among them and among overt stimuli and responses can be unveiled. The integration of neuroscience and the experimental analysis of behavior is beginning to provide empirical evidence of involvement of neural events in the three-term contingency relating discriminative…

Functional Analysis of Inappropriate Social Interactions in Students with Asperger's Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roantree, Christina F.; Kennedy, Craig H.

2012-01-01

We analyzed the inappropriate social interactions of 3 students with Asperger's syndrome whose behavior was maintained by social positive reinforcement. We tested whether inappropriate social behavior was sensitive to social positive reinforcement contingencies and whether such contingencies could be reversed to increase the probability of…

A Contingent Analysis of the Relationship between IS Implementation Strategies and IS Success.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Sang-Hoon; Lee, Jinjoo

1991-01-01

Considers approaches to dealing with user attitudes toward newly implemented information systems (IS), and suggests that behavioral management strategies relevant to IS fall into three categories: (1) empirical/rational; (2) normative/reeducative; and (3) power/coercive, based on "planned change" theories. An integrative contingent model…

Caregiver Sensitivity, Contingent Social Responsiveness, and Secure Infant Attachment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunst, Carl J.; Kassow, Danielle Z.

2008-01-01

Findings from two research syntheses of the relationship between caregiver sensitivity and secure infant attachment and one research synthesis of factors associated with increased caregiver use of a sensitive interactional style are presented. The main focus of analysis was the extent to which different measures of caregiver contingent social…

Efficient statistical tests to compare Youden index: accounting for contingency correlation.

PubMed

Chen, Fangyao; Xue, Yuqiang; Tan, Ming T; Chen, Pingyan

2015-04-30

Youden index is widely utilized in studies evaluating accuracy of diagnostic tests and performance of predictive, prognostic, or risk models. However, both one and two independent sample tests on Youden index have been derived ignoring the dependence (association) between sensitivity and specificity, resulting in potentially misleading findings. Besides, paired sample test on Youden index is currently unavailable. This article develops efficient statistical inference procedures for one sample, independent, and paired sample tests on Youden index by accounting for contingency correlation, namely associations between sensitivity and specificity and paired samples typically represented in contingency tables. For one and two independent sample tests, the variances are estimated by Delta method, and the statistical inference is based on the central limit theory, which are then verified by bootstrap estimates. For paired samples test, we show that the estimated covariance of the two sensitivities and specificities can be represented as a function of kappa statistic so the test can be readily carried out. We then show the remarkable accuracy of the estimated variance using a constrained optimization approach. Simulation is performed to evaluate the statistical properties of the derived tests. The proposed approaches yield more stable type I errors at the nominal level and substantially higher power (efficiency) than does the original Youden's approach. Therefore, the simple explicit large sample solution performs very well. Because we can readily implement the asymptotic and exact bootstrap computation with common software like R, the method is broadly applicable to the evaluation of diagnostic tests and model performance. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Modeling Zone-3 Protection with Generic Relay Models for Dynamic Contingency Analysis

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

Huang, Qiuhua; Vyakaranam, Bharat GNVSR; Diao, Ruisheng

This paper presents a cohesive approach for calculating and coordinating the settings of multiple zone-3 protections for dynamic contingency analysis. The zone-3 protections are represented by generic distance relay models. A two-step approach for determining zone-3 relay settings is proposed. The first step is to calculate settings, particularly, the reach, of each zone-3 relay individually by iteratively running line open-end fault short circuit analysis; the blinder is also employed and properly set to meet the industry standard under extreme loading conditions. The second step is to systematically coordinate the protection settings of the zone-3 relays. The main objective of thismore » coordination step is to address the over-reaching issues. We have developed a tool to automate the proposed approach and generate the settings of all distance relays in a PSS/E dyr format file. The calculated zone-3 settings have been tested on a modified IEEE 300 system using a dynamic contingency analysis tool (DCAT).« less

Behaviorism: part of the problem or part of the solution.

PubMed Central

Holland, J G

1978-01-01

The form frequently taken by behavior-modification programs is analyzed in terms of the parent science, Behaviorism. Whereas Behaviorism assumes that behavior is the result of contingencies, and that lasting behavior change involves changing the contingencies that give rise to and support the behavior, most behavior-modification programs merely arrange special contingencies in a special environment to eliminate the "problem" behavior. Even when the problem behavior is as widespread as alcoholism and crime, behavior modifiers focus on "fixing" the alcoholic and the criminal, not on changing the societal contingencies that prevail outside the therapeutic environment and continue to produce alcoholics and criminals. The contingencies that shape this method of dealing with behavioral problems are also analyzed, and this analysis leads to a criticism of the current social structure as a behavior control system. Although applied behaviorists have frequently focused on fixing individuals, the science of Behaviorism provides the means to analyze the structures, the system, and the forms of societal control that produce the "problems". PMID:649524

Calibration and validation of rainfall thresholds for shallow landslide forecasting in Sicily, southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gariano, S. L.; Brunetti, M. T.; Iovine, G.; Melillo, M.; Peruccacci, S.; Terranova, O.; Vennari, C.; Guzzetti, F.

2015-01-01

Empirical rainfall thresholds are tools to forecast the possible occurrence of rainfall-induced shallow landslides. Accurate prediction of landslide occurrence requires reliable thresholds, which need to be properly validated before their use in operational warning systems. We exploited a catalogue of 200 rainfall conditions that have resulted in at least 223 shallow landslides in Sicily, southern Italy, in the 11-year period 2002-2011, to determine regional event duration-cumulated event rainfall (ED) thresholds for shallow landslide occurrence. We computed ED thresholds for different exceedance probability levels and determined the uncertainty associated to the thresholds using a consolidated bootstrap nonparametric technique. We further determined subregional thresholds, and we studied the role of lithology and seasonal periods in the initiation of shallow landslides in Sicily. Next, we validated the regional rainfall thresholds using 29 rainfall conditions that have resulted in 42 shallow landslides in Sicily in 2012. We based the validation on contingency tables, skill scores, and a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis for thresholds at different exceedance probability levels, from 1% to 50%. Validation of rainfall thresholds is hampered by lack of information on landslide occurrence. Therefore, we considered the effects of variations in the contingencies and the skill scores caused by lack of information. Based on the results obtained, we propose a general methodology for the objective identification of a threshold that provides an optimal balance between maximization of correct predictions and minimization of incorrect predictions, including missed and false alarms. We expect that the methodology will increase the reliability of rainfall thresholds, fostering the operational use of validated rainfall thresholds in operational early warning system for regional shallow landslide forecasting.

Getting help quickly: older people and community worker perspectives of contingency planning for falls management.

PubMed

Charlton, Kimberly; Murray, Carolyn M; Kumar, Saravana

2018-01-01

Older people living in the community need to plan for getting help quickly if they have a fall. In this paper planning for falls is referred to as contingency planning and is not a falls prevention strategy but rather a falls management strategy. This research explored the perspectives of older people and community workers (CWs) about contingency planning for a fall. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, participants were recruited through a community agency that supports older people. In-depth interviews were conducted with seven older people (67-89 years of age) and a focus group was held with seven workers of mixed disciplines from the same agency. Older people who hadn't fallen were included but were assumed to be at risk of falls because they were in receipt of services. Thematic analysis and concept mapping combined the data from the two participant groups. Four themes including preconceptions about planning ahead for falling, a fall changes perception, giving, and receiving advice about contingency plans and what to do about falling. Both CWs and older people agree contingency planning requires understanding of individual identity and circumstances. CWs have limited knowledge about contingency planning and may be directive, informative, or conservative. Implications for Rehabilitation Falls can result in serious consequences for older people. There is an evidence-practice gap as availability of and access to contingency planning does not necessarily mean older people will use it in a falls emergency. Older people prefer community workers to be directive or informative about contingency planning options but they do want choice and control. Increased community workers knowledge of, and collaborative decision-making about, contingency planning may promote patient-centered services and assist in closing the evidence-practice gap.

Contingency Analysis of Caregiver Behavior: Implications for Parent Training and Future Directions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stocco, Corey S.; Thompson, Rachel H.

2015-01-01

Parent training is often a required component of effective treatment for a variety of common childhood problems. Although behavior analysts have developed several effective parent-training technologies, we know little about the contingencies that affect parent behavior. Child behavior is one source of control for parent behavior that likely…

A Contingency View of Problem Solving in Schools: A Case Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanson, E. Mark; Brown, Michael E.

1977-01-01

Gives definition to the problem-solving process as a cycle of events. The cycle contains numerous stages at which the problem can be deflected in any number of directions depending on the various contingencies surrounding the situation. As a result, problem solving is often an unpredictable process. (Author/IRT)

Accuracy assessment/validation methodology and results of 2010–11 land-cover/land-use data for Pools 13, 26, La Grange, and Open River South, Upper Mississippi River System

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jakusz, J.W.; Dieck, J.J.; Langrehr, H.A.; Ruhser, J.J.; Lubinski, S.J.

2016-01-11

Similar to an AA, validation involves generating random points based on the total area for each map class. However, instead of collecting field data, two or three individuals not involved with the photo-interpretative mapping separately review each of the points onscreen and record a best-fit vegetation type(s) for each site. Once the individual analyses are complete, results are joined together and a comparative analysis is performed. The objective of this initial analysis is to identify areas where the validation results were in agreement (matches) and areas where validation results were in disagreement (mismatches). The two or three individuals then perform an analysis, looking at each mismatched site, and agree upon a final validation class. (If two vegetation types at a specific site appear to be equally prevalent, the validation team is permitted to assign the site two best-fit vegetation types.) Following the validation team’s comparative analysis of vegetation assignments, the data are entered into a database and compared to the mappers’ vegetation assignments. Agreements and disagreements between the map and validation classes are identified, and a contingency table is produced. This document presents the AA processes/results for Pools 13 and La Grange, as well as the validation process/results for Pools 13 and 26 and Open River South.

Analysis Method for Non-Nominal First Acquisition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sieg, Detlef; Mugellesi-Dow, Roberta

2007-01-01

First this paper describes a method how the trajectory of the launcher can be modelled for the contingency analysis without having much information about the launch vehicle itself. From a dense sequence of state vectors a velocity profile is derived which is sufficiently accurate to enable the Flight Dynamics Team to integrate parts of the launcher trajectory on its own and to simulate contingency cases by modifying the velocity profile. Then the paper focuses on the thorough visibility analysis which has to follow the contingency case or burn performance simulations. In the ideal case it is possible to identify a ground station which is able to acquire the satellite independent from the burn performance. The correlations between the burn performance and the pointing at subsequent ground stations are derived with the aim of establishing simple guidelines which can be applied quickly and which significantly improve the chance of acquisition at subsequent ground stations. In the paper the method is applied to the Soyuz/Fregat launch with the MetOp satellite. Overall the paper shows that the launcher trajectory modelling with the simulation of contingency cases in connection with a ground station visibility analysis leads to a proper selection of ground stations and acquisition methods. In the MetOp case this ensured successful contact of all ground stations during the first hour after separation without having to rely on any early orbit determination result or state vector update.

Multilevel linear modelling of the response-contingent learning of young children with significant developmental delays.

PubMed

Raab, Melinda; Dunst, Carl J; Hamby, Deborah W

2018-02-27

The purpose of the study was to isolate the sources of variations in the rates of response-contingent learning among young children with multiple disabilities and significant developmental delays randomly assigned to contrasting types of early childhood intervention. Multilevel, hierarchical linear growth curve modelling was used to analyze four different measures of child response-contingent learning where repeated child learning measures were nested within individual children (Level-1), children were nested within practitioners (Level-2), and practitioners were nested within the contrasting types of intervention (Level-3). Findings showed that sources of variations in rates of child response-contingent learning were associated almost entirely with type of intervention after the variance associated with differences in practitioners nested within groups were accounted for. Rates of child learning were greater among children whose existing behaviour were used as the building blocks for promoting child competence (asset-based practices) compared to children for whom the focus of intervention was promoting child acquisition of missing skills (needs-based practices). The methods of analysis illustrate a practical approach to clustered data analysis and the presentation of results in ways that highlight sources of variations in the rates of response-contingent learning among young children with multiple developmental disabilities and significant developmental delays. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Bayesian inference for psychology. Part II: Example applications with JASP.

PubMed

Wagenmakers, Eric-Jan; Love, Jonathon; Marsman, Maarten; Jamil, Tahira; Ly, Alexander; Verhagen, Josine; Selker, Ravi; Gronau, Quentin F; Dropmann, Damian; Boutin, Bruno; Meerhoff, Frans; Knight, Patrick; Raj, Akash; van Kesteren, Erik-Jan; van Doorn, Johnny; Šmíra, Martin; Epskamp, Sacha; Etz, Alexander; Matzke, Dora; de Jong, Tim; van den Bergh, Don; Sarafoglou, Alexandra; Steingroever, Helen; Derks, Koen; Rouder, Jeffrey N; Morey, Richard D

2018-02-01

Bayesian hypothesis testing presents an attractive alternative to p value hypothesis testing. Part I of this series outlined several advantages of Bayesian hypothesis testing, including the ability to quantify evidence and the ability to monitor and update this evidence as data come in, without the need to know the intention with which the data were collected. Despite these and other practical advantages, Bayesian hypothesis tests are still reported relatively rarely. An important impediment to the widespread adoption of Bayesian tests is arguably the lack of user-friendly software for the run-of-the-mill statistical problems that confront psychologists for the analysis of almost every experiment: the t-test, ANOVA, correlation, regression, and contingency tables. In Part II of this series we introduce JASP ( http://www.jasp-stats.org ), an open-source, cross-platform, user-friendly graphical software package that allows users to carry out Bayesian hypothesis tests for standard statistical problems. JASP is based in part on the Bayesian analyses implemented in Morey and Rouder's BayesFactor package for R. Armed with JASP, the practical advantages of Bayesian hypothesis testing are only a mouse click away.

Herbicides and nitrates in groundwater of Maryland and childhood cancers: a geographic information systems approach.

PubMed

Thorpe, Nancy; Shirmohammadi, Adel

2005-01-01

This hypothesis-generating study explores spatial patterns of childhood cancers in Maryland and investigates their potential associations with herbicides and nitrates in groundwater. The Maryland Cancer Registry (MCR) provided data for bone and brain cancers, leukemia, and lymphoma, for ages 0-17, during the years 1992-1998. Cancer clusters and relative risks generated in the study indicate higher relative risk areas and potential clusters in several counties. Contingency table analysis indicates a potential association with several herbicides and nitrates. Cancer rates for the four types have a crude odds ratio (OR) = 1.10 (0.78-1.56) in relationship to atrazine, and an OR = 1.54 (1.14-2.07) for metolachlor. Potential association to mixtures of three compounds give an OR = 7.56 (4.16-13.73). A potential association is indicated between leukemia and nitrates, OR = 1.81 (1.35-2.42), and bone cancer with metolachlor, OR = 2.26 (0.97-5.24). These results give insight to generate a hypothesis of the potential association between exposure to these herbicides and nitrates and specific types of childhood cancer.

Thermostability of heterophile antibodies from human sera infected with Schistosoma mansoni and geo-helminths. An immuno-metric statistical analysis.

PubMed

Chamone, Munir; Atuncar, Gregorio S; Coelho, Paulo Marcos Zech

2006-01-01

Antibody in human sera that induces lysis of sheep erythrocytes in hemolytic assay was investigated. The present study showed that the presence in serum of the thermostable cytolytic anti-sheep red blood cells antibodies is dependent on the Schistosoma mansoni infection, and this is more frequent in adults than in children. The thermostable characteristic of hemolysins in normal sera was not dependent on the presence of Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura or hookworm geo-helminths. Further, thermostable complement-activating heterophile antibodies were noticed in children in association with massive number of S. mansoni eggs. The results were obtained by using the z- and the chi-square tests. The z-test allows us to formulate a one-sided alternative, i.e., a tendency of one of the attributes. On the other hand, the chi-square test analyzes the independence between attributes by using a contingency table. Besides the obtained results being interesting in the field of schistosomiasis mansoni, they can provide a new insight into the use of statistics in medical science.

[Adverse events in patients from a pediatric hospital.

PubMed

Ornelas-Aguirre, José Manuel; Arriaga-Dávila, José de Jesús; Domínguez-Serrano, María Isabel; Guzmán-Bihouet, Beatriz Filomena; Navarrete-Navarro, Susana

2013-01-01

Background: detection of adverse events is part of the safety management in hospitalized patients. The objective of this study was to describe the incidence of adverse events that occurred in a pediatric hospital. Methods: cross-sectional study of the adverse events occurred in a pediatric hospital from 2007 to 2009. Factors associated with their developmental causes were identified. The statistical analysis was descriptive and bivariate, with contingency tables to estimate the relationship between those factors. A p value = 0.05 was considered significant. Results: a total of 177 adverse events were registered. When they began, human factor occurred in 23 cases (13 %, OR = 1.41, p = 0.001), organizational factor was present in 71 cases (40 %, OR = 1.91, p = 0.236) and technical factor in 46 cases (26 %, OR = 0.87, p = 0.01). Blows or bruises from falls as a result of adverse events occurred in 71 cases (40 %, 95 % CI = 64-78). Conclusions: we found 1.84 events per 100 hospital discharges during the study period. The fall of patients ranked first of the adverse events identified.

Re-assessing the relationship between sporozoite dose and incubation period in Plasmodium vivax malaria: a systematic re-analysis.

PubMed

Lover, Andrew A; Coker, Richard J

2014-05-01

Infections with the malaria parasite Plasmodium vivax are noteworthy for potentially very long incubation periods (6-9 months), which present a major barrier to disease elimination. Increased sporozoite challenge has been reported to be associated with both shorter incubation and pre-patent periods in a range of human challenge studies. However, this evidence base has scant empirical foundation, as these historical analyses were limited by available analytic methods, and provides no quantitative estimates of effect size. Following a comprehensive literature search, we re-analysed all identified studies using survival and/or logistic models plus contingency tables. We have found very weak evidence for dose-dependence at entomologically plausible inocula levels. These results strongly suggest that sporozoite dosage is not an important driver of long-latency. Evidence presented suggests that parasite strain and vector species have quantitatively greater impacts, and the potential existence of a dose threshold for human dose-response to sporozoites. Greater consideration of the complex interplay between these aspects of vectors and parasites are important for human challenge experiments, vaccine trials, and epidemiology towards global malaria elimination.

Relationship power and HIV risk among young Black men who have sex with men in the Southern United States.

PubMed

Ricks, JaNelle M; Crosby, Richard A; Mena, Leandro

2018-05-01

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of relationship power on HIV risk behaviour among young Black men who have sex with men (MSM) in the Southern US. Methods: Data from 425 Black/African American males aged 18-29 years who reported recent anal intercourse with a male partner were analysed. Five selected measures of relationship power were tested for correlation and association with protected receptive anal intercourse using contingency tables and logistic regression analysis. Results: Acts of 100% protected receptive anal intercourse were common (n=277, 65.2%). Men who reported low barriers to condom negotiation were significantly more likely to report protected acts (P<0.001). Men who reported 100% protected acts were less likely to report financial dependence on male sexual partners and serosorting behaviour (12.0% vs 20.7%, P=0.02; 31.5% vs 49.8%, P<0.001 respectively). Conclusion: Future efforts should further examine the role of relationship power in HIV risk among young Black MSM, including the intersection of individual, dyadic and social-structure risks.

A Policy Analysis: Military Medical Treatment Facility Contingency Inpatient Expansion

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-06-06

Immunology 3 71B Biochemistry 2 Nurse Corps 66H Medical Surgical Nurse 688 66E Operating Room Nurse 72 66C Psychiatry 30 66N Nurse Administration 18...To) 06-06-2005 Final Report I July 2005 to July 2005 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER A Policy Analysis: Military Medical Treatment Facility...Contingency Inpatient Expansion 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER Kalamaras, Peter Jr., Major, Medical

Phase Zero Operations for Contingency and Expeditionary Contracting-Keys to Fully Integrating Contracting into Operational Planning and Execution

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-08-02

Cost and Price Analysis & Negotiations (5-2)—DAU CON 217 & CON 218 Certified; MN3318 Contingency Contracting (3-0)—DAU CON 234 Certified; and...MN3315 Advanced Contract Management (4-0)—DAU CON 214 & CON 215 Certified. CDR (Ret) Yoder has recently been published or cited in the following works...certified as the primary guide for all DAU CON 234 course deliveries. Contracting Out Government Procurement Functions: An Analysis (NPS-CM-07-105), E

An empirical study of software design practices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Card, David N.; Church, Victor E.; Agresti, William W.

1986-01-01

Software engineers have developed a large body of software design theory and folklore, much of which was never validated. The results of an empirical study of software design practices in one specific environment are presented. The practices examined affect module size, module strength, data coupling, descendant span, unreferenced variables, and software reuse. Measures characteristic of these practices were extracted from 887 FORTRAN modules developed for five flight dynamics software projects monitored by the Software Engineering Laboratory (SEL). The relationship of these measures to cost and fault rate was analyzed using a contingency table procedure. The results show that some recommended design practices, despite their intuitive appeal, are ineffective in this environment, whereas others are very effective.

Direct and vicarious violent victimization and juvenile delinquency: an application of general strain theory.

PubMed

Lin, Wen-Hsu; Cochran, John K; Mieczkowski, Thomas

2011-01-01

Using a national probability sample of adolescents (12–17), this study applies general strain theory to how violent victimization, vicarious violent victimization, and dual violent victimization affect juvenile violent/property crime and drug use. In addition, the mediating effect and moderating effect of depression, low social control, and delinquent peer association on the victimization–delinquency relationship is also examined. Based on SEM analyses and contingency tables, the results indicate that all three types of violent victimization have significant and positive direct effects on violent/property crime and drug use. In addition, the expected mediating effects and moderating effects are also found. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

Pharmacogenetics and Predictive Testing of Drug Hypersensitivity Reactions.

PubMed

Böhm, Ruwen; Cascorbi, Ingolf

2016-01-01

Adverse drug reactions adverse drug reaction (ADR) occur in approximately 17% of patients. Avoiding ADR is thus mandatory from both an ethical and an economic point of view. Whereas, pharmacogenetics changes of the pharmacokinetics may contribute to the explanation of some type A reactions, strong relationships of genetic markers has also been shown for drug hypersensitivity belonging to type B reactions. We present the classifications of ADR, discuss genetic influences and focus on delayed-onset hypersensitivity reactions, i.e., drug-induced liver injury, drug-induced agranulocytosis, and severe cutaneous ADR. A guidance how to read and interpret the contingency table is provided as well as an algorithm whether and how a test for a pharmacogenetic biomarker should be conducted.

An Analysis of Home Contingencies to Improve School Behavior with Disruptive Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trice, Ashton D.; And Others

1983-01-01

Home contingencies (allowance and curfews) based on daily reports of the academic and conduct performance of four 16-year-old disruptive students increased appropriate behavior in six areas. The least costly and simplest form of feedback--the good day card--showed modest treatment advantages over more complex methods and was preferred by parents.…

Meta-Analysis of Day Treatment and Contingency-Management Dismantling Research: Birmingham Homeless Cocaine Studies (1990-2006)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schumacher, Joseph E.; Milby, Jesse B.; Wallace, Dennis; Meehan, Dawna-Cricket; Kertesz, Stefan; Vuchinich, Rudy; Dunning, Jonathan; Usdan, Stuart

2007-01-01

Four successive randomized clinical trials studying contingency management (CM), involving various treatment arms of drug-abstinent housing and work therapy and day treatment (DT) with a behavioral component, were compared on common drug abstinence outcomes at 2 treatment completion points (2 and 6 months). The clinical trials were conducted from…

Treatment of Escape-Maintained Behavior with Positive Reinforcement: The Role of Reinforcement Contingency and Density

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ingvarsson, Einar T.; Hanley, Gregory P.; Welter, Katherine M.

2009-01-01

Functional analyses suggested that the disruptive behavior of three preschool children was maintained by escape from demands. While keeping the escape contingency intact, we conducted (a) a density analysis in which the children earned preferred items for task completion according to two schedules that varied in reinforcement density, and (b) a…

An Analysis of Organizational Behavior Management Research in Terms of the Three-Contingency Model of Performance Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weatherly, Nicholas L.; Malott, Richard W.

2008-01-01

The three-contingency model of performance management (Malott, 1992, 1993, 1999) was used to analyze interventions in the "Journal of Organizational Behavior Management (JOBM)" from the years 1990 through 2005 (Volume 11[1]-Volume 25[4]). The current article extends previous reviews (Malott, Shimamune, & Malott, 1992; Otto & Malott, 2004) by…

A Meta-Analysis of School-Based Group Contingency Interventions for Students with Challenging Behavior: An Update

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maggin, Daniel M.; Pustejovsky, James E.; Johnson, Austin H.

2017-01-01

Group contingencies are recognized as a potent intervention for addressing challenging student behavior in the classroom, with research reviews supporting the use of this intervention platform going back more than four decades. Over this time period, the field of education has increasingly emphasized the role of research evidence for informing…

Teaching Children with Autism to Follow Rules Specifying a Behavior and Consequence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wymer, Sarah C.; Tarbox, Jonathan; Beavers, Gracie A.; Tullis, Christopher A.

2016-01-01

Rule-governed behavior (RGB) results from contact with a verbal description of a contingency as opposed to prior contact with that contingency. Despite its importance, research on the establishment of RGB with learners who do not display the skill is limited. Tarbox, Zuckerman, Bishop, Olive, and O'Hora ("The Analysis of Verbal…

Smart Sampling and HPC-based Probabilistic Look-ahead Contingency Analysis Implementation and its Evaluation with Real-world Data

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

Chen, Yousu; Etingov, Pavel V.; Ren, Huiying

This paper describes a probabilistic look-ahead contingency analysis application that incorporates smart sampling and high-performance computing (HPC) techniques. Smart sampling techniques are implemented to effectively represent the structure and statistical characteristics of uncertainty introduced by different sources in the power system. They can significantly reduce the data set size required for multiple look-ahead contingency analyses, and therefore reduce the time required to compute them. High-performance-computing (HPC) techniques are used to further reduce computational time. These two techniques enable a predictive capability that forecasts the impact of various uncertainties on potential transmission limit violations. The developed package has been tested withmore » real world data from the Bonneville Power Administration. Case study results are presented to demonstrate the performance of the applications developed.« less

The problem of parental nonadherence in clinical behavior analysis: effective treatment is not enough.

PubMed Central

Allen, K D; Warzak, W J

2000-01-01

Applied behavior analysts have developed many effective interventions for common childhood problems and have repeatedly demonstrated that childhood behavior responds to properly managed contingencies. The success of these interventions is dependent upon their basic effectiveness, as demonstrated in the literature, their precise delivery by the clinician to the parent, and adherence to or consistent implementation of the intervention. Unfortunately, arranging the consistent implementation of effective parenting strategies is a significant challenge for behavior analysts who work in homes, schools, and outpatient or primary care clinics. Much has been done to address issues of adherence or implementation in the clinic, but relatively little has been done to increase our understanding of the contingencies that affect parental adherence beyond the supervised clinic environment. An analysis of the contingencies that strengthen or weaken adherence might suggest strategies to improve implementation outside the clinic setting. What follows is an analysis of the variables associated with adherence by parents to recommendations designed to solve common childhood problems. PMID:11051583

Impaired flexible decision-making in Major Depressive Disorder.

PubMed

Cella, Matteo; Dymond, Simon; Cooper, Andy

2010-07-01

Depression is associated with dysfunctional affective states, neuropsychological impairment and altered sensitivity to reward and punishment. These impairments can influence complex decision-making in changing environments. The contingency shifting variant Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) was used to assess flexible decision-making performance in a group of medicated unipolar Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) patients (n=19) and a group of healthy control volunteers (n=20). The task comprised the standard IGT followed by a contingency-shift phase where decks progressively changed reward and punishment schedule. Patients with MDD showed impaired performance compared to controls during both the standard and the contingency-shift phases of the IGT. Analysis of the contingency-shift phase demonstrated that individuals with depression had difficulties perceiving when a previously bad contingency became good. The present findings have several limitations including small sample size, the possible confounding role of medication and absence of other neuropsychological tests (i.e., executive function). Depressed patients show impaired decision-making behaviour in static and dynamic environments. Altered sensitivity to reward and punishment is proposed as the mechanism responsible for the lack of advantageous choices and poor adjustment to a changing environment.

Effect of Reinforcement Probability and Prize Size on Cocaine and Heroin Abstinence in Prize-Based Contingency Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ghitza, Udi E.; Epstein, David H.; Schmittner, John; Vahabzadeh, Massoud; Lin, Jia-Ling; Preston, Kenzie L.

2008-01-01

Although treatment outcome in prize-based contingency management has been shown to depend on reinforcement schedule, the optimal schedule is still unknown. Therefore, we conducted a retrospective analysis of data from a randomized clinical trial (Ghitza et al., 2007) to determine the effects of the probability of winning a prize (low vs. high) and…

Sex Differences in Learned Helplessness: II. The Contingencies of Evaluative Feedback in the Classroom and III. An Experimental Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dweck, Carol S.; And Others

1978-01-01

In Study I, teachers' work-related feedback to boys and girls was observed in a classroom situation. In Study II, the different contingencies of work-related criticism observed for boys and girls in the first study were programed in an experimental situation and the children's attributions for failure feedback were assessed. (JMB)

Analysis of Contemporary Contingency Contracting Educational Resources

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-12-01

Afghanistan by providing base operations support (e.g., food and housing); communication services; tactical and nontactical vehicle maintenance...Contingency Contracting Handbook on which it is based) and CON 334, mentioned earlier, are widely accessible to all acquisition communities across the DoD...missions, and humanitarian relief efforts. The services provided include base operations support (e.g., food and housing), communication services

Rules, culture, and fitness

PubMed Central

Baum, William M.

1995-01-01

Behavior analysis risks intellectual isolation unless it integrates its explanations with evolutionary theory. Rule-governed behavior is an example of a topic that requires an evolutionary perspective for a full understanding. A rule may be defined as a verbal discriminative stimulus produced by the behavior of a speaker under the stimulus control of a long-term contingency between the behavior and fitness. As a discriminative stimulus, the rule strengthens listener behavior that is reinforced in the short run by socially mediated contingencies, but which also enters into the long-term contingency that enhances the listener's fitness. The long-term contingency constitutes the global context for the speaker's giving the rule. When a rule is said to be “internalized,” the listener's behavior has switched from short- to long-term control. The fitness-enhancing consequences of long-term contingencies are health, resources, relationships, or reproduction. This view ties rules both to evolutionary theory and to culture. Stating a rule is a cultural practice. The practice strengthens, with short-term reinforcement, behavior that usually enhances fitness in the long run. The practice evolves because of its effect on fitness. The standard definition of a rule as a verbal statement that points to a contingency fails to distinguish between a rule and a bargain (“If you'll do X, then I'll do Y”), which signifies only a single short-term contingency that provides mutual reinforcement for speaker and listener. In contrast, the giving and following of a rule (“Dress warmly; it's cold outside”) can be understood only by reference also to a contingency providing long-term enhancement of the listener's fitness or the fitness of the listener's genes. Such a perspective may change the way both behavior analysts and evolutionary biologists think about rule-governed behavior. ImagesFigure 1 PMID:22478201

The price of performance: a cost and performance analysis of the implementation of cell-free fetal DNA testing for Down syndrome in Ontario, Canada.

PubMed

Okun, N; Teitelbaum, M; Huang, T; Dewa, C S; Hoch, J S

2014-04-01

To examine the cost and performance implications of introducing cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA) testing within modeled scenarios in a publicly funded Canadian provincial Down syndrome (DS) prenatal screening program. Two clinical algorithms were created: the first to represent the current screening program and the second to represent one that incorporates cffDNA testing. From these algorithms, eight distinct scenarios were modeled to examine: (1) the current program (no cffDNA), (2) the current program with first trimester screening (FTS) as the nuchal translucency-based primary screen (no cffDNA), (3) a program substituting current screening with primary cffDNA, (4) contingent cffDNA with current FTS performance, (5) contingent cffDNA at a fixed price to result in overall cost neutrality,(6) contingent cffDNA with an improved detection rate (DR) of FTS, (7) contingent cffDNA with higher uptake of FTS, and (8) contingent cffDNA with optimized FTS (higher uptake and improved DR). This modeling study demonstrates that introducing contingent cffDNA testing improves performance by increasing the number of cases of DS detected prenatally, and reducing the number of amniocenteses performed and concomitant iatrogenic pregnancy loss of pregnancies not affected by DS. Costs are modestly increased, although the cost per case of DS detected is decreased with contingent cffDNA testing. Contingent models of cffDNA testing can improve overall screening performance while maintaining the provision of an 11- to 13-week scan. Costs are modestly increased, but cost per prenatally detected case of DS is decreased. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Dengue Contingency Planning: From Research to Policy and Practice.

PubMed

Runge-Ranzinger, Silvia; Kroeger, Axel; Olliaro, Piero; McCall, Philip J; Sánchez Tejeda, Gustavo; Lloyd, Linda S; Hakim, Lokman; Bowman, Leigh R; Horstick, Olaf; Coelho, Giovanini

2016-09-01

Dengue is an increasingly incident disease across many parts of the world. In response, an evidence-based handbook to translate research into policy and practice was developed. This handbook facilitates contingency planning as well as the development and use of early warning and response systems for dengue fever epidemics, by identifying decision-making processes that contribute to the success or failure of dengue surveillance, as well as triggers that initiate effective responses to incipient outbreaks. Available evidence was evaluated using a step-wise process that included systematic literature reviews, policymaker and stakeholder interviews, a study to assess dengue contingency planning and outbreak management in 10 countries, and a retrospective logistic regression analysis to identify alarm signals for an outbreak warning system using datasets from five dengue endemic countries. Best practices for managing a dengue outbreak are provided for key elements of a dengue contingency plan including timely contingency planning, the importance of a detailed, context-specific dengue contingency plan that clearly distinguishes between routine and outbreak interventions, surveillance systems for outbreak preparedness, outbreak definitions, alert algorithms, managerial capacity, vector control capacity, and clinical management of large caseloads. Additionally, a computer-assisted early warning system, which enables countries to identify and respond to context-specific variables that predict forthcoming dengue outbreaks, has been developed. Most countries do not have comprehensive, detailed contingency plans for dengue outbreaks. Countries tend to rely on intensified vector control as their outbreak response, with minimal focus on integrated management of clinical care, epidemiological, laboratory and vector surveillance, and risk communication. The Technical Handbook for Surveillance, Dengue Outbreak Prediction/ Detection and Outbreak Response seeks to provide countries with evidence-based best practices to justify the declaration of an outbreak and the mobilization of the resources required to implement an effective dengue contingency plan.

[Diversity and frequency of scientific research design and statistical methods in the "Arquivos Brasileiros de Oftalmologia": a systematic review of the "Arquivos Brasileiros de Oftalmologia"--1993-2002].

PubMed

Crosta, Fernando; Nishiwaki-Dantas, Maria Cristina; Silvino, Wilmar; Dantas, Paulo Elias Correa

2005-01-01

To verify the frequency of study design, applied statistical analysis and approval by institutional review offices (Ethics Committee) of articles published in the "Arquivos Brasileiros de Oftalmologia" during a 10-year interval, with later comparative and critical analysis by some of the main international journals in the field of Ophthalmology. Systematic review without metanalysis was performed. Scientific papers published in the "Arquivos Brasileiros de Oftalmologia" between January 1993 and December 2002 were reviewed by two independent reviewers and classified according to the applied study design, statistical analysis and approval by the institutional review offices. To categorize those variables, a descriptive statistical analysis was used. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 584 articles for evaluation of statistical analysis and, 725 articles for evaluation of study design were reviewed. Contingency table (23.10%) was the most frequently applied statistical method, followed by non-parametric tests (18.19%), Student's t test (12.65%), central tendency measures (10.60%) and analysis of variance (9.81%). Of 584 reviewed articles, 291 (49.82%) presented no statistical analysis. Observational case series (26.48%) was the most frequently used type of study design, followed by interventional case series (18.48%), observational case description (13.37%), non-random clinical study (8.96%) and experimental study (8.55%). We found a higher frequency of observational clinical studies, lack of statistical analysis in almost half of the published papers. Increase in studies with approval by institutional review Ethics Committee was noted since it became mandatory in 1996.

The Impact of Individual Differences on E-Learning System Behavioral Intention

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liao, Peiwen; Yu, Chien; Yi, Chincheh

This study investigated the impact of contingent variables on the relationship between four predictors and employees' behavioral intention with e-learning. Seven hundred and twenty-two employees in online training and education were asked to answer questionnaires about their learning styles, perceptions of the quality of the proposed predictors and behavioral intention with e-learning systems. The results of analysis showed that three contingent variables, gender, job title and industry, significantly influenced the perceptions of predictors and employees' behavioral intention with the e-learning system. This study also found a statistically significant moderating effect of two contingent variables, gender, job title and industry, on the relationship between predictors and e-learning system behavioral intention. The results suggest that a serious consideration of contingent variables is crucial for improving e-learning system behavioral intention. The implications of these results for the management of e-learning systems are discussed.

How much spare capacity is necessary for the security of resource networks?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Qian-Chuan; Jia, Qing-Shan; Cao, Yang

2007-01-01

The balance between the supply and demand of some kind of resource is critical for the functionality and security of many complex networks. Local contingencies that break this balance can cause a global collapse. These contingencies are usually dealt with by spare capacity, which is costly especially when the network capacity (the total amount of the resource generated/consumed in the network) grows. This paper studies the relationship between the spare capacity and the collapse probability under separation contingencies when the network capacity grows. Our results are obtained based on the analysis of the existence probability of balanced partitions, which is a measure of network security when network splitting is unavoidable. We find that a network with growing capacity will inevitably collapse after a separation contingency if the spare capacity in each island increases slower than a linear function of the network capacity and there is no suitable global coordinator.

Comparing associative, statistical, and inferential reasoning accounts of human contingency learning.

PubMed

Pineño, Oskar; Miller, Ralph R

2007-03-01

For more than two decades, researchers have contrasted the relative merits of associative and statistical theories as accounts of human contingency learning. This debate, still far from resolution, has led to further refinement of models within each family of theories. More recently, a third theoretical view has joined the debate: the inferential reasoning account. The explanations of these three accounts differ critically in many aspects, such as level of analysis and their emphasis on different steps within the information-processing sequence. Also, each account has important advantages (as well as critical flaws) and emphasizes experimental evidence that poses problems to the others. Some hybrid models of human contingency learning have attempted to reconcile certain features of these accounts, thereby benefiting from some of the unique advantages of different families of accounts. A comparison of these families of accounts will help us appreciate the challenges that research on human contingency learning will face over the coming years.

[Numerical analysis of inter-specific relationships in the estuary salt marsh plant community of southern Chongming Dongtan, Shanghai.

PubMed

Ding, Wen Hui; Li, Xiu Zhen; Jiang, Jun Yan; Huang, Xing; Zhang, Yun Qing; Zhang, Qian; Zhou, Yun Xuan

2016-05-01

The salt marsh plant communities were investigated with quadrats in the southern Chongming Dongtan. Based on the vegetation coverage and the 2×2 contingency table, 8 common species among the 17 higher plants recorded were analyzed. The variance ratio of overall association, Chi-square test and Spearman rank correlation coefficient were used to describe the relevance and correlations between species pairs. The results showed that W (48.61), a statistical index to test the variance ratio (VR=0.61), fell outside of the range of Chi-square test, indicating that the overall correlation of all vegetation species was significantly negative. According to the environment adaptation mode of dominant species and the main influencing factors, the species were divided into 4 ecological groups, i.e., Phragmites australis, Carex scabrifolia-Scirpus triqueter - Juncellus serotinus, Spartina alterniflora - Scirpus mariqueter, Echinochloa crusgalli - Imperata cylindrica, based on the ranking of Spearman correlation coefficient. The inter-specific relationships in the salt marsh plant community of southern Chongming Dongtan were complicated and extremely unstable with species sensitive to environmental impacts. According to the analysis of relationships between the species and their pre-sent distribution, we suggested using S. mariqueter as target species to provide strategies for protecting native species based habitats.

Does Employment-Related Resilience Affect the Relationship between Childhood Adversity, Community Violence, and Depression?

PubMed

Welles, Seth L; Patel, Falguni; Chilton, Mariana

2017-04-01

Depression is a barrier to employment among low-income caregivers receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and exposure to community violence (ECV) are often associated with depression. Using baseline data of 103 TANF caregivers of young children of the Building Wealth and Health Network Randomized Controlled Trial Pilot, this study investigated associations of two forms of employment-related resilience-self-efficacy and employment hope-with exposure to adversity/violence and depression, measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) short form. Using contingency table analysis and regression analysis, we identified associations between ACEs and depression [OR = 1.70 (1.25-2.32), p = 0.0008] and having high levels of ECV with a 6.9-fold increased risk for depression when compared with those without ECV [OR = 6.86 (1.43-33.01), p = 0.02]. While self-efficacy and employment hope were significantly associated with depression, neither resilience factor impacted the association of ACE level and depression, whereas self-efficacy and employment hope modestly reduced the associations between ECV and depression, 13 and 16%, respectively. Results suggest that self-efficacy and employment hope may not have an impact on the strong associations between adversity, violence, and depression.

Modeling the influence of snow cover temperature and water content on wet-snow avalanche runout

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valero, Cesar Vera; Wever, Nander; Christen, Marc; Bartelt, Perry

2018-03-01

Snow avalanche motion is strongly dependent on the temperature and water content of the snow cover. In this paper we use a snow cover model, driven by measured meteorological data, to set the initial and boundary conditions for wet-snow avalanche calculations. The snow cover model provides estimates of snow height, density, temperature and liquid water content. This information is used to prescribe fracture heights and erosion heights for an avalanche dynamics model. We compare simulated runout distances with observed avalanche deposition fields using a contingency table analysis. Our analysis of the simulations reveals a large variability in predicted runout for tracks with flat terraces and gradual slope transitions to the runout zone. Reliable estimates of avalanche mass (height and density) in the release and erosion zones are identified to be more important than an exact specification of temperature and water content. For wet-snow avalanches, this implies that the layers where meltwater accumulates in the release zone must be identified accurately as this defines the height of the fracture slab and therefore the release mass. Advanced thermomechanical models appear to be better suited to simulate wet-snow avalanche inundation areas than existing guideline procedures if and only if accurate snow cover information is available.

Religious behaviors as strategies for organizing groups of people: A social contingency analysis

PubMed Central

Guerin, Bernard

1998-01-01

A social contingency analysis of religion is presented, arguing that individual religious behaviors are principally maintained by the many powerful benefits of participating in social groups rather than by any immediate or obvious consequences of the religious behaviors. Six common strategies are outlined that can shape the behaviors of large groups of people. More specifically, religious behavior is shaped and maintained by making already-existing contingencies contingent upon low-probability, but socially beneficial, group behaviors. Many specific examples of religious themes are then analyzed in terms of these common strategies for social shaping, including taboos, rituals, totems, personal religious crises, and symbolic expression. For example, a common view is that people are anxious about life, death, and the unknown, and that the direct function of religious behaviors is to provide escape from such anxiety. Such an explanation is instead reversed—that any such anxiety is utilized or created by groups through having escape contingent upon members performing less probable behaviors that nonetheless provide important benefits to most individual group members. These generalized beneficial outcomes, rather than escape from anxiety, maintain the religious behaviors and this fits with observations that religions typically act to increase anxiety rather than to reduce it. An implication of this theory is that there is no difference in principle between religious and nonreligious social control, and it is demonstrated that the same social strategies are utilized in both contexts, although religion has been the more historically important form of social control. PMID:22478297

Religious behaviors as strategies for organizing groups of people: A social contingency analysis.

PubMed

Guerin, B

1998-01-01

A social contingency analysis of religion is presented, arguing that individual religious behaviors are principally maintained by the many powerful benefits of participating in social groups rather than by any immediate or obvious consequences of the religious behaviors. Six common strategies are outlined that can shape the behaviors of large groups of people. More specifically, religious behavior is shaped and maintained by making already-existing contingencies contingent upon low-probability, but socially beneficial, group behaviors. Many specific examples of religious themes are then analyzed in terms of these common strategies for social shaping, including taboos, rituals, totems, personal religious crises, and symbolic expression. For example, a common view is that people are anxious about life, death, and the unknown, and that the direct function of religious behaviors is to provide escape from such anxiety. Such an explanation is instead reversed-that any such anxiety is utilized or created by groups through having escape contingent upon members performing less probable behaviors that nonetheless provide important benefits to most individual group members. These generalized beneficial outcomes, rather than escape from anxiety, maintain the religious behaviors and this fits with observations that religions typically act to increase anxiety rather than to reduce it. An implication of this theory is that there is no difference in principle between religious and nonreligious social control, and it is demonstrated that the same social strategies are utilized in both contexts, although religion has been the more historically important form of social control.

Genetic association studies of the FOXP3 gene in Graves' disease and autoimmune Addison's disease in the United Kingdom population.

PubMed

Owen, Catherine J; Eden, James A; Jennings, Claire E; Wilson, Valerie; Cheetham, Tim D; Pearce, Simon H S

2006-08-01

Regulatory T lymphocytes play a crucial role in modulating potentially self-reactive clones, and dysfunction of this cell type contributes to autoimmune disease. FOXP3 is a critical determinant of CD(4+)CD(25+)T regulatory (T(reg)) cell development and function. The aim of this study was to investigate whether genetic polymorphisms at the FOXP3 locus predispose to autoimmune endocrinopathies. Five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and two microsatellite polymorphisms were genotyped in our Caucasian cohorts of 633 unrelated Graves' disease (GD) subjects, 104 autoimmune Addison's disease (AAD) subjects and 528 healthy controls. SNP genotyping was performed by either restriction enzyme digestion or by primer-extension-MALDI-TOF (matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight) assay. Microsatellites were analysed using fluorescent PCR. Case-control analysis was performed using chi(2) testing on contingency tables for allele frequency. Haplotype analysis was performed using the UNPHASED package. No evidence for disease association was found with any of the seven polymorphisms in either of the GD or AAD subjects as compared with controls (P = 0.26-0.94). Haplotype analysis found a weak evidence for the association of a minor haplotype with GD; this was not significant when corrected for multiple testing. This study has found no robust evidence that FOXP3 gene polymorphism contributes to the susceptibility to GD or AAD in the UK population.

Bayesian Nonparametric Ordination for the Analysis of Microbial Communities.

PubMed

Ren, Boyu; Bacallado, Sergio; Favaro, Stefano; Holmes, Susan; Trippa, Lorenzo

2017-01-01

Human microbiome studies use sequencing technologies to measure the abundance of bacterial species or Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) in samples of biological material. Typically the data are organized in contingency tables with OTU counts across heterogeneous biological samples. In the microbial ecology community, ordination methods are frequently used to investigate latent factors or clusters that capture and describe variations of OTU counts across biological samples. It remains important to evaluate how uncertainty in estimates of each biological sample's microbial distribution propagates to ordination analyses, including visualization of clusters and projections of biological samples on low dimensional spaces. We propose a Bayesian analysis for dependent distributions to endow frequently used ordinations with estimates of uncertainty. A Bayesian nonparametric prior for dependent normalized random measures is constructed, which is marginally equivalent to the normalized generalized Gamma process, a well-known prior for nonparametric analyses. In our prior, the dependence and similarity between microbial distributions is represented by latent factors that concentrate in a low dimensional space. We use a shrinkage prior to tune the dimensionality of the latent factors. The resulting posterior samples of model parameters can be used to evaluate uncertainty in analyses routinely applied in microbiome studies. Specifically, by combining them with multivariate data analysis techniques we can visualize credible regions in ecological ordination plots. The characteristics of the proposed model are illustrated through a simulation study and applications in two microbiome datasets.

How people respond to contingent valuation question: A verbal protocol analysis of willingness to pay for an environmental regulation

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

Schkade, D.A.; Payne, J.W.

This paper investigates what a respondent is thinking when answering a willingness-to-pay question in a contingent valuation, using a [open quotes]think aloud[close quotes] technique for psychology called verbal protocol analysis. The willingness-to-pay responses we observed seem to be constructed from a variety of considerations, including an obligation to pay a fair share of the cost of the solution and signaling concern for a larger set of environmental issues. The finding that respondents seem to construct their values at the time they are asked, rather than reporting a more well-defined value, is seen as consistent with over two decades of researchmore » on the psychology of decision making. Potential uses of verbal protocols in contingent valuation studies are also discussed. 64 refs., 6 tabs.« less

Saugus River and Tributaries Flood Damage Reduction Study: Lynn, Malden, Revere and Saugus, Massachusetts. Section 1. Feasibility Report.

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-12-01

57 Table 5 Sensitivity Analysis - Point of Pines LPP 61 Table 6 Plan Comparison 64 Table 7 NED Plan Project Costs 96 Table 8 Estimated Operation...Costs 99 Table 13 Selected Plan/Estimated Annual Benefits 101 Table 14 Comparative Impacts - NED Regional Floodgate Plan 102 Table 15 Economic Analysis ...Includes detailed descriptions, plans and profiles and design considerations of the selected plan; coastal analysis of the shorefront; detailed project

Pivot tables for mortality analysis, or who needs life tables anyway?

PubMed

Wesley, David; Cox, Hugh F

2007-01-01

Actuarial life-table analysis has long been used by life insurance medical directors for mortality abstraction from clinical studies. Ironically, today's life actuary instead uses pivot tables to analyze mortality. Pivot tables (a feature/function in MS Excel) collapse various dimensions of data that were previously arranged in an "experience study" format. Summary statistics such as actual deaths, actual and expected mortality (usually measured in dollars), and calculated results such as actual to expected ratios, are then displayed in a 2-dimensional grid. The same analytic process, excluding the dollar focus, can be used for clinical mortality studies. For raw survival data, especially large datasets, this combination of experience study data and pivot tables has clear advantages over life-table analysis in both accuracy and flexibility. Using the SEER breast cancer data, we compare the results of life-table analysis and pivot-table analysis.

Beyond Technology, an Analysis of the Perceived Impact of Transformational Leadership and Contingent Rewards as Extrinsic Motivation on Virtual Team Member Satisfaction and Leadership Effectiveness: A Quantitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mawanda, Haruna Juko

2012-01-01

The primary purpose of this nonexperimental, correlational, and descriptive quantitative study research was to gain an empirical understanding of the effects of transformational leadership and contingent reward as extrinsic motivation on employee satisfaction with leadership and leadership effectiveness in virtual team workplace environments.…

Synergy and contingency as driving forces for the evolution of multiple secondary metabolite production by Streptomyces species.

PubMed

Challis, Gregory L; Hopwood, David A

2003-11-25

In this article we briefly review theories about the ecological roles of microbial secondary metabolites and discuss the prevalence of multiple secondary metabolite production by strains of Streptomyces, highlighting results from analysis of the recently sequenced Streptomyces coelicolor and Streptomyces avermitilis genomes. We address this question: Why is multiple secondary metabolite production in Streptomyces species so commonplace? We argue that synergy or contingency in the action of individual metabolites against biological competitors may, in some cases, be a powerful driving force for the evolution of multiple secondary metabolite production. This argument is illustrated with examples of the coproduction of synergistically acting antibiotics and contingently acting siderophores: two well-known classes of secondary metabolite. We focus, in particular, on the coproduction of beta-lactam antibiotics and beta-lactamase inhibitors, the coproduction of type A and type B streptogramins, and the coregulated production and independent uptake of structurally distinct siderophores by species of Streptomyces. Possible mechanisms for the evolution of multiple synergistic and contingent metabolite production in Streptomyces species are discussed. It is concluded that the production by Streptomyces species of two or more secondary metabolites that act synergistically or contingently against biological competitors may be far more common than has previously been recognized, and that synergy and contingency may be common driving forces for the evolution of multiple secondary metabolite production by these sessile saprophytes.

Synergy and contingency as driving forces for the evolution of multiple secondary metabolite production by Streptomyces species

PubMed Central

Challis, Gregory L.; Hopwood, David A.

2003-01-01

In this article we briefly review theories about the ecological roles of microbial secondary metabolites and discuss the prevalence of multiple secondary metabolite production by strains of Streptomyces, highlighting results from analysis of the recently sequenced Streptomyces coelicolor and Streptomyces avermitilis genomes. We address this question: Why is multiple secondary metabolite production in Streptomyces species so commonplace? We argue that synergy or contingency in the action of individual metabolites against biological competitors may, in some cases, be a powerful driving force for the evolution of multiple secondary metabolite production. This argument is illustrated with examples of the coproduction of synergistically acting antibiotics and contingently acting siderophores: two well-known classes of secondary metabolite. We focus, in particular, on the coproduction of β-lactam antibiotics and β-lactamase inhibitors, the coproduction of type A and type B streptogramins, and the coregulated production and independent uptake of structurally distinct siderophores by species of Streptomyces. Possible mechanisms for the evolution of multiple synergistic and contingent metabolite production in Streptomyces species are discussed. It is concluded that the production by Streptomyces species of two or more secondary metabolites that act synergistically or contingently against biological competitors may be far more common than has previously been recognized, and that synergy and contingency may be common driving forces for the evolution of multiple secondary metabolite production by these sessile saprophytes. PMID:12970466

Towards a balanced account of autism etiology

PubMed Central

Hall, Genae A.

2004-01-01

Drash and Tudor describe six sets of reinforcement contingencies which may be present in the environments of some children eventually diagnosed with autism and suggest that these contingencies account for the etiology of “autistic” behaviors. Nevertheless, merely observing such contingencies in the environments of these children is insufficient to establish a positive correlation between the contingencies and “autistic” behaviors, let alone a causal relationship. To demonstrate a positive correlation, it is necessary to present evidence that the relevant contingencies are present more often in the environments of children exhibiting these behaviors than in the environments of children not exhibiting these behaviors. This condition has not been met, since no evidence to the effect that such contingencies are absent in the environments of typical children or children with disabilities other than autism has been presented. In fact, the opposite appears to be true, as is argued in the present commentary. It appears that Drash and Tudor's account of autism etiology is incomplete in that it neglects the role of unlearned differences between children and their possible interactions with the social environment in shaping “autistic” behaviors. Despite the misconception held by some that behavior analysis is a radically environmental approach, unlearned differences may be discussed within a behavioral framework. A “completely behavioral” account may discuss such differences in terms of susceptibility to reinforcement or punishment, speed of conditioning, or other unlearned characteristics which are potentially testable. PMID:22477286

Is there a relationship between periodontal conditions and number of medications among the elderly?

PubMed

Natto, Zuhair S; Aladmawy, Majdi; Alshaeri, Heba K; Alasqah, Mohammed; Papas, Athena

2016-03-01

To investigate possible correlations of clinical attachment level and pocket depth with number of medications in elderly individuals. Intra-oral examinations for 139 patients visiting Tufts dental clinic were done. Periodontal assessments were performed with a manual UNC-15 periodontal probe to measure probing depth (PD) and clinical attachment level (CAL) at 6 sites. Complete lists of patients' medications were obtained during the examinations. Statistical analysis involved Kruskal-Wallis, chi square and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Age and health status attained statistical significance (p< 0.05), in contingency table analysis with number of medications. Number of medications had an effect on CAL: increased attachment loss was observed when 4 or more medications were being taken by the patient. Number of medications did not have any effect on periodontal PD. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, 6 or more medications had a higher risk of attachment loss (>3mm) when compared to the no-medication group, in crude OR (1.20, 95% CI:0.22-6.64), and age adjusted (OR=1.16, 95% CI:0.21-6.45), but not with the multivariate model (OR=0.71, 95% CI:0.11-4.39). CAL seems to be more sensitive to the number of medications taken, when compared to PD. However, it is not possible to discriminate at exactly what number of drug combinations the breakdown in CAL will happen. We need to do further analysis, including more subjects, to understand the possible synergistic mechanisms for different drug and periodontal responses.

Progressing from programmatic to discovery research: a case example with the overjustification effect.

PubMed

Roane, Henry S; Fisher, Wayne W; McDonough, Erin M

2003-01-01

Scientific research progresses along planned (programmatic research) and unplanned (discovery research) paths. In the current investigation, we attempted to conduct a single-case evaluation of the overjustification effect (i.e., programmatic research). Results of the initial analysis were contrary to the overjustification hypothesis in that removal of the reward contingency produced an increase in responding. Based on this unexpected finding, we conducted subsequent analyses to further evaluate the mechanisms underlying these results (i.e., discovery research). Results of the additional analyses suggested that the reward contingency functioned as punishment (because the participant preferred the task to the rewards) and that withdrawal of the contingency produced punishment contrast.

Progressing from programmatic to discovery research: a case example with the overjustification effect.

PubMed Central

Roane, Henry S; Fisher, Wayne W; McDonough, Erin M

2003-01-01

Scientific research progresses along planned (programmatic research) and unplanned (discovery research) paths. In the current investigation, we attempted to conduct a single-case evaluation of the overjustification effect (i.e., programmatic research). Results of the initial analysis were contrary to the overjustification hypothesis in that removal of the reward contingency produced an increase in responding. Based on this unexpected finding, we conducted subsequent analyses to further evaluate the mechanisms underlying these results (i.e., discovery research). Results of the additional analyses suggested that the reward contingency functioned as punishment (because the participant preferred the task to the rewards) and that withdrawal of the contingency produced punishment contrast. PMID:12723865

Does evaluative learning rely on the perception of contingency?: manipulating contingency and US density during evaluative conditioning.

PubMed

Kattner, Florian; Ellermeier, Wolfgang

2011-01-01

An experiment is reported studying the impact of objective contingency and contingency judgments on cross-modal evaluative conditioning (EC). Both contingency judgments and evaluative responses were measured after a contingency learning task in which previously neutral sounds served as either weak or strong predictors of affective pictures. Experimental manipulations of contingency and US density were shown to affect contingency judgments. Stronger contingencies were perceived with high contingency and with low US density. The contingency learning task also produced a reliable EC effect. The magnitude of this effect was influenced by an interaction of statistical contingency and US density. Furthermore, the magnitude of EC was correlated with the subjective contingency judgments. Taken together, the results imply that propositional knowledge about the CS-US relationship, as reflected in contingency judgments, moderates evaluative learning. The data are discussed with respect to different accounts of EC.

Contingency proportion systematically influences contingency learning.

PubMed

Forrin, Noah D; MacLeod, Colin M

2018-01-01

In the color-word contingency learning paradigm, each word appears more often in one color (high contingency) than in the other colors (low contingency). Shortly after beginning the task, color identification responses become faster on the high-contingency trials than on the low-contingency trials-the contingency learning effect. Across five groups, we varied the high-contingency proportion in 10% steps, from 80% to 40%. The size of the contingency learning effect was positively related to high-contingency proportion, with the effect disappearing when high contingency was reduced to 40%. At the two highest contingency proportions, the magnitude of the effect increased over trials, the pattern suggesting that there was an increasing cost for the low-contingency trials rather than an increasing benefit for the high-contingency trials. Overall, the results fit a modified version of Schmidt's (2013, Acta Psychologica, 142, 119-126) parallel episodic processing account in which prior trial instances are routinely retrieved from memory and influence current trial performance.

EMPLOYMENT-BASED ABSTINENCE REINFORCEMENT PROMOTES OPIATE AND COCAINE ABSTINENCE IN OUT-OF-TREATMENT INJECTION DRUG USERS

PubMed Central

Holtyn, August F.; Koffarnus, Mikhail N.; DeFulio, Anthony; Sigurdsson, Sigurdur O.; Strain, Eric C.; Schwartz, Robert P.; Silverman, Kenneth

2016-01-01

We examined the use of employment-based abstinence reinforcement in out-of-treatment injection drug users, in this secondary analysis of a previously reported trial. Participants (N = 33) could work in the therapeutic workplace, a model employment-based program for drug addiction, for 30 weeks and could earn approximately $10 per hr. During a 4-week induction, participants only had to work to earn pay. After induction, access to the workplace was contingent on enrollment in methadone treatment. After participants met the methadone contingency for 3 weeks, they had to provide opiate-negative urine samples to maintain maximum pay. After participants met those contingencies for 3 weeks, they had to provide opiate- and cocaine-negative urine samples to maintain maximum pay. The percentage of drug-negative urine samples remained stable until the abstinence reinforcement contingency for each drug was applied. The percentage of opiate- and cocaine-negative urine samples increased abruptly and significantly after the opiate- and cocaine-abstinence contingencies, respectively, were applied. These results demonstrate that the sequential administration of employment-based abstinence reinforcement can increase opiate and cocaine abstinence among out-of-treatment injection drug users. PMID:25292399

Rule-governed behavior and behavioral anthropology

PubMed Central

Malott, Richard W.

1988-01-01

According to cultural materialism, cultural practices result from the materialistic outcomes of those practices, not from sociobiological, mentalistic, or mystical predispositions (e.g., Hindus worship cows because, in the long run, that worship results in more food, not less food). However, according to behavior analysis, such materialistic outcomes do not reinforce or punish the cultural practices, because such outcomes are too delayed, too improbable, or individually too small to directly reinforce or punish the cultural practices (e.g., the food increase is too delayed to reinforce the cow worship). Therefore, the molar, materialistic contingencies need the support of molecular, behavioral contingencies. And according to the present theory of rule-governed behavior, the statement of rules describing those molar, materialistic contingencies can establish the needed molecular contingencies. Given the proper behavioral history, such rule statements combine with noncompliance to produce a learned aversive condition (often labeled fear, anxiety, or guilt). The termination of this aversive condition reinforces compliance, just as its presentation punishes noncompliance (e.g., the termination of guilt reinforces the tending to a sick cow). In addition, supernatural rules often supplement these materialistic rules. Furthermore, the production of both materialistic and supernatural rules needs cultural designers who understand the molar, materialistic contingencies. PMID:22478012

Behavioral Impulsivity Does Not Predict Naturalistic Alcohol Consumption or Treatment Outcomes

PubMed Central

Mullen, Jillian; Mathias, Charles W.; Karns, Tara E.; Liang, Yuanyuan; Hill-Kapturczak, Nathalie; Roache, John D.; Lamb, Richard J.; Dougherty, Donald M.

2016-01-01

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine if behavioral impulsivity under multiple conditions (baseline, after alcohol consumption or after serotonin depletion) predicted naturalistic alcohol use or treatment outcomes from a moderation-based contingency management intervention. Method The current data analysis pulls information from three phases of a large study: 1) Phase 1 examined baseline and the effects of alcohol use and serotonin depletion on three types of behavioral impulsivity: response initiation (IMT task), response inhibition (GoStop task), and delay discounting (SKIP task); 2) Phase 2 involved 28 days of naturalistic drinking; and 3) Phase 3 involved 3 months of contingency management. During phases 2 and 3 alcohol use was measured objectively using transdermal alcohol monitors. The results of each individual phase has been previously published showing that at a group level the effects of alcohol consumption on impulsivity were dependent on the component of impulsivity being measured and the dose of alcohol consumed but serotonin depletion had no effect on impulsivity, and that a moderation-based contingency management intervention reduced heavy drinking. Results The current analysis combining data from those who completed all three phases (n = 67) showed that impulsivity measured at baseline, after alcohol consumption, or after serotonin depletion did not predict naturalistic drinking or treatment outcomes from a moderation-based CM treatment. Conclusions Contingency management interventions may prove to be an effective intervention for impulsive individuals, however, normal variations in measured impulsivity do not seem to relate to normal variations in drinking pattern or response to moderation-based contingency management. PMID:27746702

Building a bonfire that remains stoked: sustainment of a contingency management intervention developed through collaborative design.

PubMed

Hartzler, Bryan

2015-08-06

Community dissemination of empirically-supported behavior therapies is fostered by collaborative design, a joint process pooling expertise of purveyors and treatment personnel to contextualize a therapy for sustainable use. The adaptability of contingency management renders it an exemplary therapy to model this collaborative design process. At conclusion of an implementation/effectiveness hybrid trial conducted at an opiate treatment program, a group elicitation interview was conducted with the setting's five managerial staff to cull qualitative impressions of a collaboratively-designed contingency management intervention after 90 days of provisional implementation in the setting. Two independent raters reviewed the audio-recording and conducted a phenomenological narrative analysis, extracting themes and selecting excerpts to correspond with innovation attributes (i.e., relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, observability) of a well-known implementation science framework. This qualitative analysis suggested the intervention was regarded as: (1) cost-effective and clinically useful relative to prior practices, (2) a strong fit with existing service structure and staffing resources, (3) procedurally uncomplicated, with staff consistently implementing it as intended, (4) providing site-specific data to sufficiently inform decisions about its sustainment, and (5) offering palpable benefits to staff-patient interactions. The current work complements prior reports of positive implementation outcomes and intervention effectiveness for the parent trial, mapping qualitative managerial accounts of this contingency management intervention to a set of attributes thought to influence the speed and effectiveness with which an innovative practice is disseminated. Findings support the incorporation of collaborative design processes in future efforts to transport contingency management to the addiction treatment community.

Preparing Peacekeepers: An Analysis of the African Contingency Operations, Training, and Assistance Program Command and Staff Operational Skills Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karis, Daniel Gerald

2010-01-01

The United States (U.S.) response to events in Africa in the 1990s--warlords in Somalia, the genocide in Rwanda, the crisis in Burundi, and the destruction of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania--was the development of the African Crisis Response Initiative (ACRI) followed by the African Contingency Operations Training and Assistance (ACOTA)…

Anatomy of deception: a behavioral contingency analysis.

PubMed

Mechner, Francis

2010-05-01

Deception, a basic and pervasive biological phenomenon, takes many forms, variously referred to as mimicry, trickery, seduction, pretense, feigning, masquerading, impersonation, distraction, or false promises, and these share certain common distinguishing behavioral elements that permit them to be classified into categories. A symbolic language for the codification and analysis of behavioral contingencies shows that all instances of deception are based on a misperception, misprediction, non-perception, or non-prediction by the deceived party, and can be further categorized based on features of the contingencies that define them. Instances of particular interest are those in which a deceiving party predicts (and in that sense "intends") the deception. In those instances, the effect of the deception is usually to the deceiving party's benefit and to the deceived party's detriment. In economics, finance, business, military operations, public affairs, education, and everyday social interaction, deception takes numerous forms. Special forms, usually involving obfuscation, concealment, counterfeiting, and misrepresentation, occur in certain prevalent types of property transfer, including securitization, the creation of derivatives, and various types of Ponzi schemes. Such property transfers tend to be driven by opportunities for deception. They all involve blurring and clouding of the contingencies that defined the transferred properties, thus permitting their obfuscation. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Accuracy for detection of simulated lesions: comparison of fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery, proton density--weighted, and T2-weighted synthetic brain MR imaging

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herskovits, E. H.; Itoh, R.; Melhem, E. R.

2001-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The objective of our study was to determine the effects of MR sequence (fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery [FLAIR], proton density--weighted, and T2-weighted) and of lesion location on sensitivity and specificity of lesion detection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We generated FLAIR, proton density-weighted, and T2-weighted brain images with 3-mm lesions using published parameters for acute multiple sclerosis plaques. Each image contained from zero to five lesions that were distributed among cortical-subcortical, periventricular, and deep white matter regions; on either side; and anterior or posterior in position. We presented images of 540 lesions, distributed among 2592 image regions, to six neuroradiologists. We constructed a contingency table for image regions with lesions and another for image regions without lesions (normal). Each table included the following: the reviewer's number (1--6); the MR sequence; the side, position, and region of the lesion; and the reviewer's response (lesion present or absent [normal]). We performed chi-square and log-linear analyses. RESULTS: The FLAIR sequence yielded the highest true-positive rates (p < 0.001) and the highest true-negative rates (p < 0.001). Regions also differed in reviewers' true-positive rates (p < 0.001) and true-negative rates (p = 0.002). The true-positive rate model generated by log-linear analysis contained an additional sequence-location interaction. The true-negative rate model generated by log-linear analysis confirmed these associations, but no higher order interactions were added. CONCLUSION: We developed software with which we can generate brain images of a wide range of pulse sequences and that allows us to specify the location, size, shape, and intrinsic characteristics of simulated lesions. We found that the use of FLAIR sequences increases detection accuracy for cortical-subcortical and periventricular lesions over that associated with proton density- and T2-weighted sequences.

Effects of pay resets following drug use on attendance and hours worked in a therapeutic workplace.

PubMed

Holtyn, August F; Silverman, Kenneth

2016-06-01

This secondary data analysis examined effects of an abstinence contingency on participation in a therapeutic workplace. Participants exposed to a pay reset after drug use did not differ in overall attendance from participants who were not exposed to a pay reset after drug use; however, they initially worked less after a pay reset than participants who did not receive a pay reset, and their attendance increased as their pay increased. Overall participation was not influenced by the abstinence contingency, but transient decreases in attendance occurred. © 2016 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Comparing associative, statistical, and inferential reasoning accounts of human contingency learning

PubMed Central

Pineño, Oskar; Miller, Ralph R.

2007-01-01

For more than two decades, researchers have contrasted the relative merits of associative and statistical theories as accounts of human contingency learning. This debate, still far from resolution, has led to further refinement of models within each family of theories. More recently, a third theoretical view has joined the debate: the inferential reasoning account. The explanations of these three accounts differ critically in many aspects, such as level of analysis and their emphasis on different steps within the information-processing sequence. Also, each account has important advantages (as well as critical flaws) and emphasizes experimental evidence that poses problems to the others. Some hybrid models of human contingency learning have attempted to reconcile certain features of these accounts, thereby benefiting from some of the unique advantages of different families of accounts. A comparison of these families of accounts will help us appreciate the challenges that research on human contingency learning will face over the coming years. PMID:17366303

Maternal Responsiveness and Sensitivity Re-Considered: Some Is More

PubMed Central

Bornstein, Marc H.; Manian, Nanmathi

2013-01-01

Is it always or necessarily the case that common and important parenting practices are better insofar as they occur more often, or worse because they occur less often? Perhaps, less is more, or some is more. To address this question, we studied mothers’ microcoded contingent responsiveness to their infants (M = 5.4 months, SD = 0.2) in relation to independent global judgments of the same mothers’ parenting sensitivity. In a community sample of 335 European American dyads, videorecorded infant and maternal behaviors were timed microanalytically throughout an extended home observation; separately and independently, global maternal sensitivity was rated macroanalytically. Sequential analysis and spline regression showed that, as maternal contingent responsiveness increased, judged maternal sensitivity increased to significance on the contingency continuum, after which mothers who were even more contingent were judged less sensitive. Just significant levels of maternal responsiveness are deemed optimally sensitive. Implications of these findings for typical and atypical parenting, child development, and intervention science are discussed. PMID:24229542

Toxicological Assessment of ISS Air Quality: April - May 2013. [Increment 35

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyers, Valerie

2013-01-01

A summary of the analytical results from 4 mini-grab sample (mGSCs) collected on ISS and returned aboard 33S is shown in Table 1. Due to the launch delay of the ATV4 resupply mission, monthly samples were reduced in April and May by omitting sampling of the Service Module in order to ensure contingency samplers were available if needed. Complete data tables of all measured concentrations and corresponding T-values based on 180-day SMACs are enclosed. detection limit for all target compounds, except m/p-xylenes and hexachloro-1, 3-butadiene was 0.025 mg/cu m. The detection limit for m/p-xylenes and hexachloro-1, 3-butadiene and all non-target compounds was 0.05 mg/cu m. The average recoveries of the 3 surrogate standards from the mGSCs were as follows: C-13-acetone, 116 +/- 12%; D-5-fluorobenzene, 117 +/- 7%; and D-5-chlorobenzene, 111 +/- 15%. Initial measured sample pressures were between 13.9 and 14.1 psia for all samples, indicating nominal sample collection. A summary of the analytical results from 3 pairs of passive-diffusion formaldehyde badges collected on ISS and returned aboard 33S is also provided in Table 1. In an effort to conserve samples due to the delay of the ATV4 resupply mission, FMK sampling was only conducted in the US Lab in May. Positive control recoveries (1 trip and 2 lab controls) were 79%, 87%, and 116% respectively.

New Horizons Launch Contingency Effort

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Yale; Lear, Matthew H.; McGrath, Brian E.; Heyler, Gene A.; Takashima, Naruhisa; Owings, W. Donald

2007-01-01

On 19 January 2006 at 2:00 PM EST, the NASA New Horizons spacecraft (SC) was launched from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), FL, onboard an Atlas V 551/Centaur/STAR™ 48B launch vehicle (LV) on a mission to explore the Pluto Charon planetary system and possibly other Kuiper Belt Objects. It carried a single Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (RTG). As part of the joint NASA/US Department of Energy (DOE) safety effort, contingency plans were prepared to address the unlikely events of launch accidents leading to a near-pad impact, a suborbital reentry, an orbital reentry, or a heliocentric orbit. As the implementing organization. The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL) had expanded roles in the New Horizons launch contingency effort over those for the Cassini mission and Mars Exploration Rovers missions. The expanded tasks included participation in the Radiological Control Center (RADCC) at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), preparation of contingency plans, coordination of space tracking assets, improved aerodynamics characterization of the RTG's 18 General Purpose Heat Source (GPHS) modules, and development of spacecraft and RTG reentry breakup analysis tools. Other JHU/APL tasks were prediction of the Earth impact footprints (ElFs) for the GPHS modules released during the atmospheric reentry (for purposes of notification and recovery), prediction of the time of SC reentry from a potential orbital decay, pre-launch dissemination of ballistic coefficients of various possible reentry configurations, and launch support of an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) on the JHU/APL campus. For the New Horizons launch, JHU/APL personnel at the RADCC and at the EOC were ready to implement any real-time launch contingency activities. A successful New Horizons launch and interplanetary injection precluded any further contingency actions. The New Horizons launch contingency was an interagency effort by several organizations. This paper describes JHU/APL's roles and responsibilities in the launch contingency effort, and the specific tasks to fulfill those responsibilities. The overall effort contributed to mission safety and demonstrated successful cooperation between several agencies.

Dengue Contingency Planning: From Research to Policy and Practice

PubMed Central

Runge-Ranzinger, Silvia; Kroeger, Axel; Olliaro, Piero; McCall, Philip J.; Sánchez Tejeda, Gustavo; Lloyd, Linda S.; Hakim, Lokman; Bowman, Leigh R.; Horstick, Olaf; Coelho, Giovanini

2016-01-01

Background Dengue is an increasingly incident disease across many parts of the world. In response, an evidence-based handbook to translate research into policy and practice was developed. This handbook facilitates contingency planning as well as the development and use of early warning and response systems for dengue fever epidemics, by identifying decision-making processes that contribute to the success or failure of dengue surveillance, as well as triggers that initiate effective responses to incipient outbreaks. Methodology/Principal findings Available evidence was evaluated using a step-wise process that included systematic literature reviews, policymaker and stakeholder interviews, a study to assess dengue contingency planning and outbreak management in 10 countries, and a retrospective logistic regression analysis to identify alarm signals for an outbreak warning system using datasets from five dengue endemic countries. Best practices for managing a dengue outbreak are provided for key elements of a dengue contingency plan including timely contingency planning, the importance of a detailed, context-specific dengue contingency plan that clearly distinguishes between routine and outbreak interventions, surveillance systems for outbreak preparedness, outbreak definitions, alert algorithms, managerial capacity, vector control capacity, and clinical management of large caseloads. Additionally, a computer-assisted early warning system, which enables countries to identify and respond to context-specific variables that predict forthcoming dengue outbreaks, has been developed. Conclusions/Significance Most countries do not have comprehensive, detailed contingency plans for dengue outbreaks. Countries tend to rely on intensified vector control as their outbreak response, with minimal focus on integrated management of clinical care, epidemiological, laboratory and vector surveillance, and risk communication. The Technical Handbook for Surveillance, Dengue Outbreak Prediction/ Detection and Outbreak Response seeks to provide countries with evidence-based best practices to justify the declaration of an outbreak and the mobilization of the resources required to implement an effective dengue contingency plan. PMID:27653786

Regression-based statistical mediation and moderation analysis in clinical research: Observations, recommendations, and implementation.

PubMed

Hayes, Andrew F; Rockwood, Nicholas J

2017-11-01

There have been numerous treatments in the clinical research literature about various design, analysis, and interpretation considerations when testing hypotheses about mechanisms and contingencies of effects, popularly known as mediation and moderation analysis. In this paper we address the practice of mediation and moderation analysis using linear regression in the pages of Behaviour Research and Therapy and offer some observations and recommendations, debunk some popular myths, describe some new advances, and provide an example of mediation, moderation, and their integration as conditional process analysis using the PROCESS macro for SPSS and SAS. Our goal is to nudge clinical researchers away from historically significant but increasingly old school approaches toward modifications, revisions, and extensions that characterize more modern thinking about the analysis of the mechanisms and contingencies of effects. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Organization in memory and behavior1

PubMed Central

Shimp, Charles P.

1976-01-01

Some common reinforcement contingencies make the delivery of a reinforcer depend on the occurrence of behavior lacking significant temporal structure: a reinforcer may be contingent on nearly instantaneous responses such as a pigeon's key peck, a rat's lever press, a human's button press or brief verbal utterance, and so on. Such a reinforcement contingency conforms much more closely to the functionalist tradition in experimental psychology than to the structuralist tradition. Until recently, the functionalist tradition, in the form of a kind of associationism, typified most research on human learning and memory. Recently, however, research on human memory has focused more on structural issues: now the basic unit of analysis often involves an organized temporal pattern of behavior. A focus on the interrelations between the function and structure of behavior identifies a set of independent and dependent variables different from those identified by certain common kinds of “molar” behavioral analyses. In so doing, such a focus redefines some of the significant issues in the experimental analysis of behavior. PMID:16811925

Computerized quantitative evaluation of mammographic accreditation phantom images

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

Lee, Yongbum; Tsai, Du-Yih; Shinohara, Norimitsu

2010-12-15

Purpose: The objective was to develop and investigate an automated scoring scheme of the American College of Radiology (ACR) mammographic accreditation phantom (RMI 156, Middleton, WI) images. Methods: The developed method consisted of background subtraction, determination of region of interest, classification of fiber and mass objects by Mahalanobis distance, detection of specks by template matching, and rule-based scoring. Fifty-one phantom images were collected from 51 facilities for this study (one facility provided one image). A medical physicist and two radiologic technologists also scored the images. The human and computerized scores were compared. Results: In terms of meeting the ACR's criteria,more » the accuracies of the developed method for computerized evaluation of fiber, mass, and speck were 90%, 80%, and 98%, respectively. Contingency table analysis revealed significant association between observer and computer scores for microcalcifications (p<5%) but not for masses and fibers. Conclusions: The developed method may achieve a stable assessment of visibility for test objects in mammographic accreditation phantom image in whether the phantom image meets the ACR's criteria in the evaluation test, although there is room left for improvement in the approach for fiber and mass objects.« less

NOAA/NOS coastal and ocean assessment GIS: Initial application to environmental sensitivity index data

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

Monaco, M.E.; Battista, T.A.; Gill, T.A.

1997-06-01

NOAA`s National Ocean Service (NOS) is developing a suite of desktop geographic information system (GIS) tools to define, assess, and solve coastal resource management issues. This paper describes one component of the emerging NOS Coastal and Ocean Assessment GIS: Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) data with emphasis on living marine resource information. This work is underway through a unique federal, state, and private-sector partnership. The desktop GIS is a versatile, user-friendly system designed to provide coastal managers with mapping and analysis capabilities. These functions are under development using the recently generated North Carolina ESI data, with emphasis on accessing, analyzing, andmore » mapping estuarine species distributions. Example system features include: a user-friendly front end, generation of ESI maps and tables, and custom spatial and temporal analyses. Partners in the development of the desktop system include: NOAA`s Office of Ocean Resources Conservation and Assessment (ORCA) and Coastal Services Center, the Minerals Management Service (MMS), Florida Marine Research Institute, Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc., and Research Planning, Inc. This work complements and supports MMS`s Gulf-wide Information System designed to support oil-spill contingency planning.« less

Aircraft and related factors in crashes involving spatial disorientation: 15 years of U.S. Air Force data.

PubMed

Lyons, Terence J; Ercoline, William; O'Toole, Kevin; Grayson, Kevin

2006-07-01

Previous studies have determined that spatial disorientation (SD) causes 0.5-23% of aircraft crashes, but SD-related crash and fatality rates in different aircraft types have not been systematically studied. SD crashes for the fiscal years 1990 to 2004 and aircraft sortie numbers for all U.S. Air Force (USAF) aircraft were obtained from the USAF Safety Center. Contingency table analysis and Chi-squared tests were used to evaluate differences in SD rates. SD accounted for 11% of USAF crashes with an overall rate of 2.9 per million sorties and a crash fatality rate of 69%. The SD rate was higher in fighter/attack aircraft and helicopters than in training and transport aircraft. The risk of SD was increased at night with 23% of night crashes being caused by SD. But the SD rate and crash fatality rate were not higher in single-crewmember aircraft. SD risk is significantly increased in helicopters and fighter/attack aircraft and at night. The data suggest that a second crewmember does not protect against SD. Further study of specific SD scenarios could lead to focused interventions for SD prevention.

Notes on testing equality and interval estimation in Poisson frequency data under a three-treatment three-period crossover trial.

PubMed

Lui, Kung-Jong; Chang, Kuang-Chao

2016-10-01

When the frequency of event occurrences follows a Poisson distribution, we develop procedures for testing equality of treatments and interval estimators for the ratio of mean frequencies between treatments under a three-treatment three-period crossover design. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we evaluate the performance of these test procedures and interval estimators in various situations. We note that all test procedures developed here can perform well with respect to Type I error even when the number of patients per group is moderate. We further note that the two weighted-least-squares (WLS) test procedures derived here are generally preferable to the other two commonly used test procedures in the contingency table analysis. We also demonstrate that both interval estimators based on the WLS method and interval estimators based on Mantel-Haenszel (MH) approach can perform well, and are essentially of equal precision with respect to the average length. We use a double-blind randomized three-treatment three-period crossover trial comparing salbutamol and salmeterol with a placebo with respect to the number of exacerbations of asthma to illustrate the use of these test procedures and estimators. © The Author(s) 2014.

The SPA Factor or Not? Distinguishing Sex on the Basis of Stereotyped Tooth Characteristics.

PubMed

Hottel, Timothy L; Ivanoff, Chris S; Anotonelli, John; Balanoff, William; Habib-Chiang, Rose Ann; Hottel, Stefan A

2016-06-01

The study examines whether faculty, dental students, or laypeople can determine the sex of a patient solely by looking at the shape of their teeth. Fifty faculty, 100 students, and 50 patients evaluated 40 photographed smiles for 8,000 observations. The subject group was comprised of 20 males and 20 females. Contingency table analysis was used to determine whether all study participants labeled the smiles similarly and to look for differences within each group. Care was taken to model the effect of individual variation. A nested logistic regression was employed to ascertain differences between faculty, students, and laypeople and to account for the correlation within subjects' responses. It was expected that 50% of the smiles would be labeled as male and 50% as female. Statistical differences were found for the total group, as all participants were more likely to rate a smile as female (χ2 = 38.19, P < .0001). Using the odds ratio, study participants were 1.32 times more likely to view a smile as female. Stereotyped "feminine" and "masculine" tooth anatomy characteristics could not predictably be related to the sample smiles either by faculty, students, or public.

ANALYSIS OF A CLASSIFICATION ERROR MATRIX USING CATEGORICAL DATA TECHNIQUES.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rosenfield, George H.; Fitzpatrick-Lins, Katherine

1984-01-01

Summary form only given. A classification error matrix typically contains tabulation results of an accuracy evaluation of a thematic classification, such as that of a land use and land cover map. The diagonal elements of the matrix represent the counts corrected, and the usual designation of classification accuracy has been the total percent correct. The nondiagonal elements of the matrix have usually been neglected. The classification error matrix is known in statistical terms as a contingency table of categorical data. As an example, an application of these methodologies to a problem of remotely sensed data concerning two photointerpreters and four categories of classification indicated that there is no significant difference in the interpretation between the two photointerpreters, and that there are significant differences among the interpreted category classifications. However, two categories, oak and cottonwood, are not separable in classification in this experiment at the 0. 51 percent probability. A coefficient of agreement is determined for the interpreted map as a whole, and individually for each of the interpreted categories. A conditional coefficient of agreement for the individual categories is compared to other methods for expressing category accuracy which have already been presented in the remote sensing literature.

CSER 01-008 Canning of Thermally Stabilized Plutonium Oxide Powder in PFP Glovebox HC-21A

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

ERICKSON, D.G.

This document presents the analysis performed to support the canning operation in HC-21A. Most of the actual analysis was performed for the operation in HC-18M and HA-20MB, and is documented in HNF-2707 Rev I a (Erickson 2001a). This document will reference Erickson (2001a) as necessary to support the operation in HC-21A. The plutonium stabilization program at the Plutonium Finishing Plant (PFP) uses heat to convert plutonium-bearing materials into dry powder that is chemically stable for long term storage. The stabilized plutonium is transferred into one of several gloveboxes for the canning process, Gloveboxes HC-18M in Room 228'2, HA-20MB in Roommore » 235B, and HC-21A in Room 230B are to be used for this process. This document presents the analysis performed to support the canning operation in HC-21A. Most of the actual analysis was performed for the operation in HC-I8M and HA-20MB, and is documented in HNF-2707 Rev l a (Erickson 2001a). This document will reference Erickson (2001a) as necessary to support the operation in HC-21A. Evaluation of this operation included normal, base cases, and contingencies. The base cases took the normal operations for each type of feed material and added the likely off-normal events. Each contingency is evaluated assuming the unlikely event happens to the conservative base case. Each contingency was shown to meet the double contingency requirement. That is, at least two unlikely, independent, and concurrent changes in process conditions are required before a criticality is possible.« less

Contingency Management interventions for non-prescribed drug use during treatment for opiate addiction: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Ainscough, Tom S; McNeill, Ann; Strang, John; Calder, Robert; Brose, Leonie S

2017-09-01

Use of non-prescribed drugs during treatment for opiate addiction reduces treatment success, creating a need for effective interventions. This review aimed to assess the efficacy of contingency management, a behavioural treatment that uses rewards to encourage desired behaviours, for treating non-prescribed drug use during opiate addiction treatment. A systematic search of the databases Embase, PsychInfo, PsychArticles and Medline from inception to March 2015 was performed. Random effects meta-analysis tested the use of contingency management to treat the use of drugs during opiate addiction treatment, using either longest duration of abstinence (LDA) or percentage of negative samples (PNS). Random effects moderator analyses were performed for six potential moderators: drug targeted for intervention, decade in which the study was carried out, study quality, intervention duration, type of reinforcer, and form of opiate treatment. The search returned 3860 papers; 22 studies met inclusion criteria and were meta-analysed. Follow-up data was only available for three studies, so all analyses used end of treatment data. Contingency management performed significantly better than control in reducing drug use measured using LDA (d=0.57, 95% CI: 0.42-0.72) or PNS (d=0.41) (95% CI: 0.28-0.54). This was true for all drugs other than opiates. The only significant moderator was drug targeted (LDA: Q=10.75, p=0.03). Contingency management appears to be efficacious for treating most drug use during treatment for opiate addiction. Further research is required to ascertain the full effects of moderating variables, and longer term effects. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Orbiter Repair Maneuver Contingency Separation Methods and Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Machula, Michael

2005-01-01

Repairing damaged thermal protection system tile requires the Space Shuttle to be oriented such that repair platform access from the International Space Station (ISS) is possible. To do this, the Space Shuttle uses the Orbiter Repair Maneuver (ORM), which utilizes the Shuttle Remote Manipulator System (SRMS) to rotate the Space Shuttle in relation to the ISS, for extended periods of time. These positions cause difficulties and challenges to performing a safe separation (no collision or thruster plume damage to sensitive ISS structures) should an inadvertent release occur or a contingency procedure require it. To help protect for an SRMS failure or other failures, a method for separating without collision and the ability to redock to ISS from the ORM configuration was needed. The contingency ORM separation solution elegantly takes advantage of orbital mechanics between ISS and the separating Space Shuttle. By pitching the ISS down approximately 45 degrees, in a majority of the ORM repair positions, the altitude difference between the ISS and Space Shuttle center of gravity is maximized. This altitude difference results in different orbital energies (orbital periods) causing objects to separate from each other without requiring translational firings. Using this method, a safe contingency ORM separation is made possible in many odd positions even though some separation positions point high powered thrusters directly at fragile ISS and Soyuz solar arrays. Documented in this paper are the development simulations and procedures of the contingency ORM separation and the challenges encountered with large constraints to work around. Lastly, a method of returning to redock with the ISS to pick up the stranded crew members (or transfer the final crew members) is explained as well as the thruster and ISS loads analysis.

Statistical properties of Fermi GBM GRBs' spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rácz, István I.; Balázs, Lajos G.; Horvath, Istvan; Tóth, L. Viktor; Bagoly, Zsolt

2018-03-01

Statistical studies of gamma-ray burst (GRB) spectra may result in important information on the physics of GRBs. The Fermi GBM catalogue contains GRB parameters (peak energy, spectral indices, and intensity) estimated fitting the gamma-ray spectral energy distribution of the total emission (fluence, flnc), and during the time of the peak flux (pflx). Using contingency tables, we studied the relationship of the models best-fitting pflx and flnc time intervals. Our analysis revealed an ordering of the spectra into a power law - Comptonized - smoothly broken power law - Band series. This result was further supported by a correspondence analysis of the pflx and flnc spectra categorical variables. We performed a linear discriminant analysis (LDA) to find a relationship between categorical (spectral) and model independent physical data. LDA resulted in highly significant physical differences among the spectral types, that is more pronounced in the case of the pflx spectra, than for the flnc spectra. We interpreted this difference as caused by the temporal variation of the spectrum during the outburst. This spectral variability is confirmed by the differences in the low-energy spectral index and peak energy, between the pflx and flnc spectra. We found that the synchrotron radiation is significant in GBM spectra. The mean low-energy spectral index is close to the canonical value of α = -2/3 during the peak flux. However, α is ˜ -0.9 for the spectra of the fluences. We interpret this difference as showing that the effect of cooling is important only for the fluence spectra.

[Diet composition and ontogenetic variation in feeding habits of Cleithenes herzensteini in central Yellow Sea].

PubMed

Zhang, Bo

2007-08-01

In the bottom trawl surveys in central Yellow Sea from January 2004 to October 2005, 622 samples of plaice Cleithenes herzensteini were collected, and their stomach contents were analyzed. The results indicated that the prey items of the plaice included 11 groups or 38 prey species, but only Crustacea and Lamellibranchia were the most important prey groups, accounting for 99% of the total food composition by percentage of index of relative importance. Euphausia pacific, Crangon affinis and Tellinidae were the dominant prey species. Comparing with the 1980s, the feeding activity of plaice declined significantly, and the diet composition changed. Fishes were no longer the dominant prey, and the proportion of anchovy in the diet decreased. Cluster analysis and two-way contingency table analysis were used to study the ontogenetic variations in the feeding habits of plaice, and the results showed that the feeding activity of plaice did not vary significantly among 7 size classes within the size between 51 mm and 370 mm, but ontogenetic variations were found in the diet composition. In the size class < 119 mm, the diet mainly included Euphausiacea and Decapoda. In the diets of fish with the size between 120 mm and 199 mm, the proportion of Lamellibranchia and fishes increased markedly. In the size class > 200 mm, plaice mainly fed on Decapoda and fishes.

Privacy-preserving heterogeneous health data sharing.

PubMed

Mohammed, Noman; Jiang, Xiaoqian; Chen, Rui; Fung, Benjamin C M; Ohno-Machado, Lucila

2013-05-01

Privacy-preserving data publishing addresses the problem of disclosing sensitive data when mining for useful information. Among existing privacy models, ε-differential privacy provides one of the strongest privacy guarantees and makes no assumptions about an adversary's background knowledge. All existing solutions that ensure ε-differential privacy handle the problem of disclosing relational and set-valued data in a privacy-preserving manner separately. In this paper, we propose an algorithm that considers both relational and set-valued data in differentially private disclosure of healthcare data. The proposed approach makes a simple yet fundamental switch in differentially private algorithm design: instead of listing all possible records (ie, a contingency table) for noise addition, records are generalized before noise addition. The algorithm first generalizes the raw data in a probabilistic way, and then adds noise to guarantee ε-differential privacy. We showed that the disclosed data could be used effectively to build a decision tree induction classifier. Experimental results demonstrated that the proposed algorithm is scalable and performs better than existing solutions for classification analysis. The resulting utility may degrade when the output domain size is very large, making it potentially inappropriate to generate synthetic data for large health databases. Unlike existing techniques, the proposed algorithm allows the disclosure of health data containing both relational and set-valued data in a differentially private manner, and can retain essential information for discriminative analysis.

Privacy-preserving heterogeneous health data sharing

PubMed Central

Mohammed, Noman; Jiang, Xiaoqian; Chen, Rui; Fung, Benjamin C M; Ohno-Machado, Lucila

2013-01-01

Objective Privacy-preserving data publishing addresses the problem of disclosing sensitive data when mining for useful information. Among existing privacy models, ε-differential privacy provides one of the strongest privacy guarantees and makes no assumptions about an adversary's background knowledge. All existing solutions that ensure ε-differential privacy handle the problem of disclosing relational and set-valued data in a privacy-preserving manner separately. In this paper, we propose an algorithm that considers both relational and set-valued data in differentially private disclosure of healthcare data. Methods The proposed approach makes a simple yet fundamental switch in differentially private algorithm design: instead of listing all possible records (ie, a contingency table) for noise addition, records are generalized before noise addition. The algorithm first generalizes the raw data in a probabilistic way, and then adds noise to guarantee ε-differential privacy. Results We showed that the disclosed data could be used effectively to build a decision tree induction classifier. Experimental results demonstrated that the proposed algorithm is scalable and performs better than existing solutions for classification analysis. Limitation The resulting utility may degrade when the output domain size is very large, making it potentially inappropriate to generate synthetic data for large health databases. Conclusions Unlike existing techniques, the proposed algorithm allows the disclosure of health data containing both relational and set-valued data in a differentially private manner, and can retain essential information for discriminative analysis. PMID:23242630

Intentionality of organ/tissues donation for transplantation within a Brazilian hospital complex.

PubMed

Houri, L F; de Oliveira, C D; de Souza, C V; de Moura, M R; de Araújo Ferreira, L M; Oliveira, V D M M; Pereira, W A

2012-10-01

Considering the challenges faced by members of the Intrahospital Committee of Organ and Tissue Donation for Transplantation (CIHDOTT) of a Brazilian hospital complex in Santa Casa of Belo Horizonte in the execution of multiple donations of organs and tissues, this study aimed to investigate the issues involved in the intention to donate within this population. This research sought to promote the work of CIHDOTT by planning strategies for conducting of family interviews to best meet the needs of this population, thereby contributing to reduce the wait-list for transplantations in this state hospital of Minas Gerais. The survey was performed by applying a standard questionnaire to 602 respondents comprising patients and families/caregivers. The analysis of the collected data was developed from studies of contingency tables based on chi- square and Fisher exact tests. The analysis revealed that 94% of the population to be favorable to donation. It also showed a significant influence of the following factors to determining the likelihood of organ donation: knowledge of religion (35%), spouse's opinion (17%), as well as belief in the possibility of interference or delay of the funeral as a result of donation (6%). Although the population expressed a willingness to donate, there were significant contravening factors that may be addressed by professional training and informational activities. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of manual sleep staging with automated neural network-based analysis in clinical practice.

PubMed

Caffarel, Jennifer; Gibson, G John; Harrison, J Phil; Griffiths, Clive J; Drinnan, Michael J

2006-03-01

We have compared sleep staging by an automated neural network (ANN) system, BioSleep (Oxford BioSignals) and a human scorer using the Rechtschaffen and Kales scoring system. Sleep study recordings from 114 patients with suspected obstructed sleep apnoea syndrome (OSA) were analysed by ANN and by a blinded human scorer. We also examined human scorer reliability by calculating the agreement between the index scorer and a second independent blinded scorer for 28 of the 114 studies. For each study, we built contingency tables on an epoch-by-epoch (30 s epochs) comparison basis. From these, we derived kappa (kappa) coefficients for different combinations of sleep stages. The overall agreement of automatic and manual scoring for the 114 studies for the classification {wake / light-sleep / deep-sleep / REM} was poor (median kappa = 0.305) and only a little better (kappa = 0.449) for the crude {wake / sleep} distinction. For the subgroup of 28 randomly selected studies, the overall agreement of automatic and manual scoring was again relatively low (kappa = 0.331 for {wake light-sleep / deep-sleep REM} and kappa = 0.505 for {wake / sleep}), whereas inter-scorer reliability was higher (kappa = -0.641 for {wake / light-sleep / deep-sleep / REM} and kappa = 0.737 for {wake / sleep}). We conclude that such an ANN-based analysis system is not sufficiently accurate for sleep study analyses using the R&K classification system.

Inductive Double-Contingency Analysis of UO2 Powder Bulk Blending Operations at a Commercial Fuel Plant (U)

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

Skiles, S. K.

1994-12-22

An inductive double-contingency analysis (DCA) method developed by the criticality safety function at the Savannah River Site, was applied in Criticality Safety Evaluations (CSEs) of five major plant process systems at the Westinghouse Electric Corporation`s Commercial Nuclear Fuel Manufacturing Plant in Columbia, South Carolina (WEC-Cola.). The method emphasizes a thorough evaluation of the controls intended to provide barriers against criticality for postulated initiating events, and has been demonstrated effective at identifying common mode failure potential and interdependence among multiple controls. A description of the method and an example of its application is provided.

40 CFR 264.53 - Copies of contingency plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Copies of contingency plan. 264.53... Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures § 264.53 Copies of contingency plan. A copy of the contingency plan... called upon to provide emergency services. [Comment: The contingency plan must be submitted to the...

A Comparison of Probabilistic and Deterministic Campaign Analysis for Human Space Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Merrill, R. Gabe; Andraschko, Mark; Stromgren, Chel; Cirillo, Bill; Earle, Kevin; Goodliff, Kandyce

2008-01-01

Human space exploration is by its very nature an uncertain endeavor. Vehicle reliability, technology development risk, budgetary uncertainty, and launch uncertainty all contribute to stochasticity in an exploration scenario. However, traditional strategic analysis has been done in a deterministic manner, analyzing and optimizing the performance of a series of planned missions. History has shown that exploration scenarios rarely follow such a planned schedule. This paper describes a methodology to integrate deterministic and probabilistic analysis of scenarios in support of human space exploration. Probabilistic strategic analysis is used to simulate "possible" scenario outcomes, based upon the likelihood of occurrence of certain events and a set of pre-determined contingency rules. The results of the probabilistic analysis are compared to the nominal results from the deterministic analysis to evaluate the robustness of the scenario to adverse events and to test and optimize contingency planning.

Learning, awareness, and instruction: subjective contingency awareness does matter in the colour-word contingency learning paradigm.

PubMed

Schmidt, James R; De Houwer, Jan

2012-12-01

In three experiments, each of a set colour-unrelated distracting words was presented most often in a particular target print colour (e.g., "month" most often in red). In Experiment 1, half of the participants were told the word-colour contingencies in advance (instructed) and half were not (control). The instructed group showed a larger learning effect. This instruction effect was fully explained by increases in subjective awareness with instruction. In Experiment 2, contingency instructions were again given, but no contingencies were actually present. Although many participants claimed to be aware of these (non-existent) contingencies, they did not produce an instructed contingency effect. In Experiment 3, half of the participants were given contingency instructions that did not correspond to the correct contingencies. Participants with these false instructions learned the actual contingencies worse than controls. Collectively, our results suggest that conscious contingency knowledge might play a moderating role in the strength of implicit learning. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessment of carbon monoxide values in smokers: a comparison of carbon monoxide in expired air and carboxyhaemoglobin in arterial blood.

PubMed

Andersson, Mette F; Møller, Ann M

2010-09-01

Smoking increases perioperative complications. Carbon monoxide concentrations can estimate patients' smoking status and might be relevant in preoperative risk assessment. In smokers, we compared measurements of carbon monoxide in expired air (COexp) with measurements of carboxyhaemoglobin (COHb) in arterial blood. The objectives were to determine the level of correlation and to determine whether the methods showed agreement and evaluate them as diagnostic tests in discriminating between heavy and light smokers. The study population consisted of 37 patients. The Micro Smokerlyzer was used to measure COexp; it measures COexp in parts per million (ppm) and converts it to the percentage of haemoglobin combined with carbon monoxide (%Hb). COHb in arterial blood was measured by the ABL 725. Correlation analysis and Bland-Altman analysis were performed, and 2 x 2 contingency tables and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis were conducted. The correlation between the methods was high (rho = 0.964). Bland-Altman analysis demonstrated that the Micro Smokerlyzer underestimated COHb values. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves were 0.746 (ABL 725) and 0.754 (Micro Smokerlyzer) and, by comparison, no statistically significant difference was found (P = 0.815). The two methods showed a high level of correlation, but poor agreement. The Micro Smokerlyzer systematically underestimated COHb values and, in order to avoid this, we suggested an alternative algorithm for converting COexp from ppm to %Hb. The ABL 725 and Micro Smokerlyzer were fair diagnostic tests in distinguishing between heavy and light smokers, but the longer the patients' smoking cessation time, the poorer the ability as diagnostic tests.

The acquisition of simple associations as observed in color-word contingency learning.

PubMed

Lin, Olivia Y-H; MacLeod, Colin M

2018-01-01

Three experiments investigated the learning of simple associations in a color-word contingency task. Participants responded manually to the print colors of 3 words, with each word associated strongly to 1 of the 3 colors and weakly to the other 2 colors. Despite the words being irrelevant, response times to high-contingency stimuli and to low-contingency stimuli quickly diverged. This high-low difference remained quite constant over successive blocks of trials, evidence of stable contingency learning. Inclusion of a baseline condition-an item having no color-word contingency-permitted separation of the contingency learning effect into 2 components: a cost due to low contingency and a benefit due to high contingency. Both cost and benefit were quick to acquire, quick to extinguish, and quick to reacquire. The color-word contingency task provides a simple way to directly study the learning of associations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

An Analysis of Class II Supplies Requisitions in the Korean Army’s Organizational Supply

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-26

five methods for qualitative research : Case study , Ethnography , 45 Phenomenological study , Grounded theory , and...Approaches .. 42 Table 9 Five Qualitative Research Methods ..................................................................... 45 Table 10 Six...Content analysis. Table 9 provides a brief overview of the five methods . Table 9 Five Qualitative

Contingency learning in human fear conditioning involves the ventral striatum.

PubMed

Klucken, Tim; Tabbert, Katharina; Schweckendiek, Jan; Merz, Christian Josef; Kagerer, Sabine; Vaitl, Dieter; Stark, Rudolf

2009-11-01

The ability to detect and learn contingencies between fearful stimuli and their predictive cues is an important capacity to cope with the environment. Contingency awareness refers to the ability to verbalize the relationships between conditioned and unconditioned stimuli. Although there is a heated debate about the influence of contingency awareness on conditioned fear responses, neural correlates behind the formation process of contingency awareness have gained only little attention in human fear conditioning. Recent animal studies indicate that the ventral striatum (VS) could be involved in this process, but in human studies the VS is mostly associated with positive emotions. To examine this question, we reanalyzed four recently published classical fear conditioning studies (n = 117) with respect to the VS at three distinct levels of contingency awareness: subjects, who did not learn the contingencies (unaware), subjects, who learned the contingencies during the experiment (learned aware) and subjects, who were informed about the contingencies in advance (instructed aware). The results showed significantly increased activations in the left and right VS in learned aware compared to unaware subjects. Interestingly, this activation pattern was only found in learned but not in instructed aware subjects. We assume that the VS is not involved when contingency awareness does not develop during conditioning or when contingency awareness is unambiguously induced already prior to conditioning. VS involvement seems to be important for the transition from a contingency unaware to a contingency aware state. Implications for fear conditioning models as well as for the contingency awareness debate are discussed.

Striatal dopamine depletion in rats produces variable effects on contingency detection: task-related influences.

PubMed

Braun, Stephanie; Hauber, Wolfgang

2012-02-01

Dopamine (DA) depletion of the posterior dorsomedial striatum (pDMS) can impair the capability of rats to detect changes in the causal efficacy of actions. Here we sought to characterize in more detail the effects of pDMS DA depletions on contingency detection as a function of different contingency degradation training protocols. In experiment 1, sham controls and rats with pDMS DA depletions received limited contingency degradation training (4 days) that involved an invariable and high degree of degradation to one of two contingencies controlling instrumental choice behaviour. The results demonstrated that lesioned rats were insensitive to contingency manipulations both during contingency degradation training and in the subsequent extinction test. Experiment 2 further indicated that rats with pDMS DA depletion subjected to extended contingency degradation training (12 days) became sensitive to contingency manipulations during the training phase but not in the subsequent extinction test. In experiment 3, an extended but more complex contingency degradation training protocol (12 days) was used that involved a gradual shift from a low to an intermediate and a high degree of contingency degradation rather than a high and invariable degree of contingency degradation as in experiments 1 and 2. Notably, lesioned rats were sensitive to contingency manipulations both during the contingency degradation training phase and in the subsequent extinction test. Thus, pDMS DA depletions can impair the capability to detect changes in the causal efficacy of actions; however, the occurrence and pattern of impairments depend on the contingency degradation training protocol being used. © 2012 The Authors. European Journal of Neuroscience © 2012 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Historical contingency and its biophysical basis in glucocorticoid receptor evolution.

PubMed

Harms, Michael J; Thornton, Joseph W

2014-08-14

Understanding how chance historical events shape evolutionary processes is a central goal of evolutionary biology. Direct insights into the extent and causes of evolutionary contingency have been limited to experimental systems, because it is difficult to know what happened in the deep past and to characterize other paths that evolution could have followed. Here we combine ancestral protein reconstruction, directed evolution and biophysical analysis to explore alternative 'might-have-been' trajectories during the ancient evolution of a novel protein function. We previously found that the evolution of cortisol specificity in the ancestral glucocorticoid receptor (GR) was contingent on permissive substitutions, which had no apparent effect on receptor function but were necessary for GR to tolerate the large-effect mutations that caused the shift in specificity. Here we show that alternative mutations that could have permitted the historical function-switching substitutions are extremely rare in the ensemble of genotypes accessible to the ancestral GR. In a library of thousands of variants of the ancestral protein, we recovered historical permissive substitutions but no alternative permissive genotypes. Using biophysical analysis, we found that permissive mutations must satisfy at least three physical requirements--they must stabilize specific local elements of the protein structure, maintain the correct energetic balance between functional conformations, and be compatible with the ancestral and derived structures--thus revealing why permissive mutations are rare. These findings demonstrate that GR evolution depended strongly on improbable, non-deterministic events, and this contingency arose from intrinsic biophysical properties of the protein.

Effects of Contingency Management and Bupropion on Cigarette Smoking in Smokers with Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Tidey, Jennifer W.; Rohsenow, Damaris J.; Kaplan, Gary B.; Swift, Robert M; Reid, Netesha

2013-01-01

Rationale Individuals with schizophrenia have high smoking-related morbidity and mortality rates and need powerful and innovative smoking cessation interventions. Objectives This proof-of-concept study investigated the feasibility and initial efficacy of combining a contingency management intervention with bupropion to reduce smoking in people with schizophrenia. Methods Using a double-blind, placebo-controlled, between-groups design, 57 non-treatment seeking participants were randomized to receive 300 mg/day bupropion or placebo. One week later, participants were randomized to a contingency management (CM) intervention in which reductions in urinary cotinine levels were reinforced, or a non-contingent reinforcement (NR) condition in which session attendance was reinforced, regardless of cotinine level. Over the 22-day study period, participants visited the laboratory approximately three times per week to provide urine samples for analysis of cotinine levels, to give breath samples for analysis of carbon monoxide (CO) levels, and to report number of cigarettes smoked per day, nicotine withdrawal symptoms, cigarette craving and psychiatric symptoms. Results Cotinine and CO levels significantly decreased during the study period in participants randomized to the CM condition, but not the NR condition. Bupropion did not reduce cotinine levels or increase the efficacy of CM. Cigarette craving and psychiatric symptom levels significantly decreased during the study in all groups. Conclusions The results of this study indicate the efficacy and feasibility of this CM intervention for reducing smoking in individuals with schizophrenia. PMID:21475970

40 CFR 265.54 - Amendment of contingency plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 27 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Amendment of contingency plan. 265.54... DISPOSAL FACILITIES Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures § 265.54 Amendment of contingency plan. The contingency plan must be reviewed, and immediately amended, if necessary, whenever: (a) Applicable regulations...

40 CFR 265.54 - Amendment of contingency plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Amendment of contingency plan. 265.54... DISPOSAL FACILITIES Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures § 265.54 Amendment of contingency plan. The contingency plan must be reviewed, and immediately amended, if necessary, whenever: (a) Applicable regulations...

48 CFR 31.205-7 - Contingencies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Contingencies. 31.205-7... Contingencies. (a) Contingency, as used in this subpart, means a possible future event or condition arising from... contingencies are generally unallowable for historical costing purposes because such costing deals with costs...

40 CFR 264.54 - Amendment of contingency plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Amendment of contingency plan. 264.54 Section 264.54 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES... Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures § 264.54 Amendment of contingency plan. The contingency plan must be...

40 CFR 265.54 - Amendment of contingency plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Amendment of contingency plan. 265.54... DISPOSAL FACILITIES Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures § 265.54 Amendment of contingency plan. The contingency plan must be reviewed, and immediately amended, if necessary, whenever: (a) Applicable regulations...

Effect of components of a workplace lactation program on breastfeeding duration among employees of a public-sector employer.

PubMed

Balkam, Jane A Johnston; Cadwell, Karin; Fein, Sara B

2011-07-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of the individual services offered via a workplace lactation program of one large public-sector employer on the duration of any breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding. Exclusive breastfeeding was defined as exclusive feeding of human milk for the milk feeding. A cross-sectional mailed survey approach was used. The sample (n = 128) consisted of women who had used at least one component of the lactation program in the past 3 years and who were still employed at the same organization when data were collected. Descriptive statistics included frequency distributions and contingency table analysis. Chi-square analysis was used for comparison of groups, and both analysis of variance (ANOVA) and univariate analysis of variance from a general linear model were used for comparison of means. The survey respondents were primarily older, white, married, well-educated, high-income women. More of the women who received each lactation program service were exclusively breastfeeding at 6 months of infant age in all categories of services, with significant differences in the categories of telephone support and return to work consultation. After adjusting for race and work status, logistic regression analysis showed the number of services received was positively related to exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months and participation in a return to work consultation was positively related to any breastfeeding at 6 months. The study demonstrated that the workplace lactation program had a positive impact on duration of breastfeeding for the women who participated. Participation in the telephone support and return to work consultation services, and the total number of services used were related to longer duration of exclusive and/or any breastfeeding.

Treatment persistence & health care costs of adult MDD patients treated with escitalopram vs. citalopram in a medicaid population.

PubMed

Wu, Eric Q; Ben-Hamadi, Rym; Lu, Mei; Beaulieu, Nicolas; Yu, Andrew P; Erder, M Haim

2012-01-01

Compare treatment persistence and health care costs of major depressive disorder (MDD) Medicaid patients treated with escitalopram versus citalopram. Retrospective analysis of Medicaid administrative claims data. Analyzed administrative claims data from the Florida Medicaid program (07/2002-06/2006) for patients ages 18-64 years with 21 inpatient claim or 2 independent medical claims for MDD. Outcomes included discontinuation and switching rates and prescription drug, medical, and total health care costs, all-cause and related to mental disorder. Contingency table analysis and survival analysis were used to compare outcomes between treatment groups, using both unadjusted analysis and multivariate analysis adjusting for baseline characteristics. The study included 2,650 patients initiated on escitalopram and 630 patients initiated on citalopram. Patients treated with escitalopram were less likely to discontinue the index drug (63.7% vs. 68.9%, P=0.015) or to switch to another second-generation antidepressant (14.9% vs. 18.4%, P=0.029) over the six months post-index date. Patients treated with escitalopram had $1,014 lower total health care costs (P=0.032) and $519 lower health care costs related to mental disorder (P=0.023). More than half of the total cost difference was attributable to savings in inpatient hospitalizations related to mental disorder ($571, P=0.003) and to outpatient costs ($53, P<0.001). Escitalopram therapy was also associated with $736 lower medical costs related to mental disorder (P=0.009). In the Florida Medicaid program, compared to adult MDD patients initiated on citalopram, escitalopram patients have better treatment persistence and lower total health care costs due to any cause and due to mental disorder, mostly driven by lower hospitalization costs related to mental disorder.

Biometrical issues in the analysis of adverse events within the benefit assessment of drugs.

PubMed

Bender, Ralf; Beckmann, Lars; Lange, Stefan

2016-07-01

The analysis of adverse events plays an important role in the benefit assessment of drugs. Consequently, results on adverse events are an integral part of reimbursement dossiers submitted by pharmaceutical companies to health policy decision-makers. Methods applied in the analysis of adverse events commonly include simple standard methods for contingency tables. However, the results produced may be misleading if observations are censored at the time of discontinuation due to treatment switching or noncompliance, resulting in unequal follow-up periods. In this paper, we present examples to show that the application of inadequate methods for the analysis of adverse events in the reimbursement dossier can lead to a downgrading of the evidence on a drug's benefit in the subsequent assessment, as greater harm from the drug cannot be excluded with sufficient certainty. Legal regulations on the benefit assessment of drugs in Germany are presented, in particular, with regard to the analysis of adverse events. Differences in safety considerations between the drug approval process and the benefit assessment are discussed. We show that the naive application of simple proportions in reimbursement dossiers frequently leads to uninterpretable results if observations are censored and the average follow-up periods differ between treatment groups. Likewise, the application of incidence rates may be misleading in the case of recurrent events and unequal follow-up periods. To allow for an appropriate benefit assessment of drugs, adequate survival time methods accounting for time dependencies and duration of follow-up are required, not only for time-to-event efficacy endpoints but also for adverse events. © 2016 The Authors. Pharmaceutical Statistics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. © 2016 The Authors. Pharmaceutical Statistics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

40 CFR 264.54 - Amendment of contingency plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Amendment of contingency plan. 264.54... Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures § 264.54 Amendment of contingency plan. The contingency plan must be reviewed, and immediately amended, if necessary, whenever: (a) The facility permit is revised; (b) The plan...

40 CFR 264.54 - Amendment of contingency plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 27 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Amendment of contingency plan. 264.54... Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures § 264.54 Amendment of contingency plan. The contingency plan must be reviewed, and immediately amended, if necessary, whenever: (a) The facility permit is revised; (b) The plan...

48 CFR 403.405 - Misrepresentations or violations of the Covenant Against Contingent Fees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... violations of the Covenant Against Contingent Fees. 403.405 Section 403.405 Federal Acquisition Regulations... Contingent Fees 403.405 Misrepresentations or violations of the Covenant Against Contingent Fees. (a) A suspected misrepresentation or violation of the Covenant Against Contingent Fees shall be documented in...

A Study of the Impact of Peak Demand on Increasing Vulnerability of Cascading Failures to Extreme Contingency Events

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

Vyakaranam, Bharat GNVSR; Vallem, Mallikarjuna R.; Nguyen, Tony B.

The vulnerability of large power systems to cascading failures and major blackouts has become evident since the Northeast blackout in 1965. Based on analyses of the series of cascading blackouts in the past decade, the research community realized the urgent need to develop better methods, tools, and practices for performing cascading-outage analysis and for evaluating mitigations that are easily accessible by utility planning engineers. PNNL has developed the Dynamic Contingency Analysis Tool (DCAT) as an open-platform and publicly available methodology to help develop applications that aim to improve the capabilities of power planning engineers to assess the impact and likelihoodmore » of extreme contingencies and potential cascading events across their systems and interconnections. DCAT analysis will help identify potential vulnerabilities and allow study of mitigation solutions to reduce the risk of cascading outages in technically sound and effective ways. Using the DCAT capability, we examined the impacts of various load conditions to identify situations in which the power grid may encounter cascading outages that could lead to potential blackouts. This paper describes the usefulness of the DCAT tool and how it helps to understand potential impacts of load demand on cascading failures on the power system.« less

Use of continuous transdermal alcohol monitoring during a contingency management procedure to reduce excessive alcohol use.

PubMed

Dougherty, Donald M; Hill-Kapturczak, Nathalie; Liang, Yuanyuan; Karns, Tara E; Cates, Sharon E; Lake, Sarah L; Mullen, Jillian; Roache, John D

2014-09-01

Research on contingency management to treat excessive alcohol use is limited due to feasibility issues with monitoring adherence. This study examined the effectiveness of using transdermal alcohol monitoring as a continuous measure of alcohol use to implement financial contingencies to reduce heavy drinking. Twenty-six male and female drinkers (from 21 to 39 years old) were recruited from the community. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the two treatment sequences. Sequence 1 received 4 weeks of no financial contingency (i.e., $0) drinking followed by 4 weeks each of $25 and then $50 contingency management; Sequence 2 received 4 weeks of $25 contingency management followed by 4 weeks each of no contingency (i.e., $0) and then $50 contingency management. During the $25 and $50 contingency management conditions, participants were paid each week when the Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitor (SCRAM-II™) identified no heavy drinking days. Participants in both contingency management conditions had fewer drinking episodes and reduced frequencies of heavy drinking compared to the $0 condition. Participants randomized to Sequence 2 (receiving $25 contingency before the $0 condition) exhibited less frequent drinking and less heavy drinking in the $0 condition compared to participants from Sequence 1. Transdermal alcohol monitoring can be used to implement contingency management programs to reduce excessive alcohol consumption. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Use of Continuous Transdermal Alcohol Monitoring during a Contingency Management Procedure to Reduce Excessive Alcohol Use

PubMed Central

Dougherty, Donald M.; Hill-Kapturczak, Nathalie; Liang, Yuanyuan; Karns, Tara E.; Cates, Sharon E.; Lake, Sarah L.; Mullen, Jillian; Roache, John D.

2014-01-01

Background Research on contingency management to treat excessive alcohol use is limited due to feasibility issues with monitoring adherence. This study examined the effectiveness of using transdermal alcohol monitoring as a continuous measure of alcohol use to implement financial contingencies to reduce heavy drinking. Methods Twenty-six male and female drinkers (from 21–39 years old) were recruited from the community. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two treatment sequences. Sequence 1 received 4 weeks of no financial contingency (i.e., $0) drinking followed by 4 weeks each of $25 and then $50 contingency management; Sequence 2 received 4 weeks of $25 contingency management followed by 4 weeks each of no contingency (i.e., $0) and then $50 contingency management. During the $25 and $50 contingency management conditions, participants were paid each week when the Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitor (SCRAM-II™) identified no heavy drinking days. Results Participants in both contingency management conditions had fewer drinking episodes and reduced frequencies of heavy drinking compared to the $0 condition. Participants randomized to Sequence 2 (receiving $25 contingency before the $0 condition) exhibited less frequent drinking and less heavy drinking in the $0 condition compared to participants from Sequence 1. Conclusions Transdermal alcohol monitoring can be used to implement contingency management programs to reduce excessive alcohol consumption. PMID:25064019

30 CFR 282.26 - Contingency Plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Contingency Plan. 282.26 Section 282.26 Mineral... § 282.26 Contingency Plan. (a) When required by the Director, a lessee shall include a Contingency Plan as part of its request for approval of a Delineation, Testing, or Mining Plan. The Contingency Plan...

40 CFR 264.53 - Copies of contingency plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Copies of contingency plan. 264.53... Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures § 264.53 Copies of contingency plan. A copy of the contingency plan and all revisions to the plan must be: (a) Maintained at the facility; and (b) Submitted to all local...

40 CFR 265.52 - Content of contingency plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Content of contingency plan. 265.52... DISPOSAL FACILITIES Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures § 265.52 Content of contingency plan. (a) The contingency plan must describe the actions facility personnel must take to comply with §§ 265.51 and 265.56 in...

40 CFR 265.52 - Content of contingency plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 27 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Content of contingency plan. 265.52... DISPOSAL FACILITIES Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures § 265.52 Content of contingency plan. (a) The contingency plan must describe the actions facility personnel must take to comply with §§ 265.51 and 265.56 in...

40 CFR 267.54 - When must I amend the contingency plan?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 28 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false When must I amend the contingency plan... STANDARDIZED PERMIT Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures § 267.54 When must I amend the contingency plan? You must review, and immediately amend the contingency plan, if necessary, whenever: (a) The facility...

40 CFR 265.53 - Copies of contingency plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Copies of contingency plan. 265.53... DISPOSAL FACILITIES Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures § 265.53 Copies of contingency plan. A copy of the contingency plan and all revisions to the plan must be: (a) Maintained at the facility; and (b...

40 CFR 264.53 - Copies of contingency plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 27 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Copies of contingency plan. 264.53... Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures § 264.53 Copies of contingency plan. A copy of the contingency plan and all revisions to the plan must be: (a) Maintained at the facility; and (b) Submitted to all local...

40 CFR 265.52 - Content of contingency plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Content of contingency plan. 265.52... DISPOSAL FACILITIES Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures § 265.52 Content of contingency plan. (a) The contingency plan must describe the actions facility personnel must take to comply with §§ 265.51 and 265.56 in...

40 CFR 267.54 - When must I amend the contingency plan?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 28 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false When must I amend the contingency plan... STANDARDIZED PERMIT Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures § 267.54 When must I amend the contingency plan? You must review, and immediately amend the contingency plan, if necessary, whenever: (a) The facility...

40 CFR 267.54 - When must I amend the contingency plan?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 27 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false When must I amend the contingency plan... STANDARDIZED PERMIT Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures § 267.54 When must I amend the contingency plan? You must review, and immediately amend the contingency plan, if necessary, whenever: (a) The facility...

40 CFR 264.53 - Copies of contingency plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 27 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Copies of contingency plan. 264.53... Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures § 264.53 Copies of contingency plan. A copy of the contingency plan and all revisions to the plan must be: (a) Maintained at the facility; and (b) Submitted to all local...

40 CFR 264.53 - Copies of contingency plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Copies of contingency plan. 264.53... Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures § 264.53 Copies of contingency plan. A copy of the contingency plan and all revisions to the plan must be: (a) Maintained at the facility; and (b) Submitted to all local...

40 CFR 265.52 - Content of contingency plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 27 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Content of contingency plan. 265.52... DISPOSAL FACILITIES Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures § 265.52 Content of contingency plan. (a) The contingency plan must describe the actions facility personnel must take to comply with §§ 265.51 and 265.56 in...

40 CFR 265.53 - Copies of contingency plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 27 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Copies of contingency plan. 265.53... DISPOSAL FACILITIES Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures § 265.53 Copies of contingency plan. A copy of the contingency plan and all revisions to the plan must be: (a) Maintained at the facility; and (b...

40 CFR 265.53 - Copies of contingency plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Copies of contingency plan. 265.53... DISPOSAL FACILITIES Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures § 265.53 Copies of contingency plan. A copy of the contingency plan and all revisions to the plan must be: (a) Maintained at the facility; and (b...

40 CFR 265.53 - Copies of contingency plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 27 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Copies of contingency plan. 265.53... DISPOSAL FACILITIES Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures § 265.53 Copies of contingency plan. A copy of the contingency plan and all revisions to the plan must be: (a) Maintained at the facility; and (b...

48 CFR 303.405 - Misrepresentations or violations of the Covenant Against Contingent Fees clause.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... violations of the Covenant Against Contingent Fees clause. 303.405 Section 303.405 Federal Acquisition... INTEREST Contingent Fees 303.405 Misrepresentations or violations of the Covenant Against Contingent Fees... Covenant Against Contingent Fees clause to the Contracting Officer. (b)(4) The HCA shall provide a copy of...

40 CFR 265.53 - Copies of contingency plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Copies of contingency plan. 265.53... DISPOSAL FACILITIES Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures § 265.53 Copies of contingency plan. A copy of the contingency plan and all revisions to the plan must be: (a) Maintained at the facility; and (b...

25 CFR 39.500 - What emergency and contingency funds are available?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false What emergency and contingency funds are available? 39... SCHOOL EQUALIZATION PROGRAM Contingency Fund § 39.500 What emergency and contingency funds are available... unforeseen contingencies affecting educational programs; (b) Can carry over to the next fiscal year a maximum...

An Analysis of Vocal Stereotypy and Therapist Fading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Athens, Elizabeth S.; Vollmer, Timothy R.; Sloman, Kimberly N.; Pipkin, Claire St. Peter

2008-01-01

A functional analysis for a boy with Down syndrome and autism suggested that vocal stereotypy was maintained by automatic reinforcement. The analysis also showed that instructions and noncontingent attention suppressed vocal stereotypy. A treatment package consisting of noncontingent attention, contingent demands, and response cost effectively…

Cell-free fetal DNA screening in the USA: a cost analysis of screening strategies.

PubMed

Evans, M I; Sonek, J D; Hallahan, T W; Krantz, D A

2015-01-01

To determine whether implementation of primary cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA) screening would be cost-effective in the USA and to evaluate potential lower-cost alternatives. Three strategies to screen for trisomy 21 were evaluated using decision tree analysis: 1) a primary strategy in which cffDNA screening was offered to all patients, 2) a contingent strategy in which cffDNA screening was offered only to patients who were high risk on traditional first-trimester screening and 3) a hybrid strategy in which cffDNA screening was offered to all patients ≥ 35 years of age and only to patients < 35 years who were high risk after first-trimester screening. Four traditional screening protocols were evaluated, each assessing nuchal translucency (NT) and pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) along with either free or total beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG), with or without nasal bone (NB) assessment. Utilizing a primary cffDNA screening strategy, the cost per patient was 1017 US$. With a traditional screening protocol using free β-hCG, PAPP-A and NT assessment as part of a hybrid screening strategy, a contingent strategy with a 1/300 cut-off and a contingent strategy with a 1/1000 cut-off, the cost per patient was 474, 430 and 409 US$, respectively. Findings were similar using the other traditional screening protocols. Marginal cost per viable case detected for the primary screening strategy as compared to the other strategies was 3-16 times greater than the cost of care for a missed case. Primary cffDNA screening is not currently a cost-effective strategy. The contingent strategy was the lowest-cost alternative, especially with a risk cut-off of 1/1000. The hybrid strategy, although less costly than primary cffDNA screening, was more costly than the contingent strategy. Copyright © 2014 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

EFFECTS OF PAY RESETS FOLLOWING DRUG USE ON ATTENDANCE AND HOURS WORKED IN A THERAPEUTIC WORKPLACE

PubMed Central

Holtyn, August F.; Silverman, Kenneth

2016-01-01

This secondary data analysis examined effects of an abstinence contingency on participation in a therapeutic workplace. Participants exposed to a pay reset after drug use did not differ in overall attendance from participants who were not exposed to a pay reset after drug use; however, they initially worked less after a pay reset than participants who did not receive a pay reset, and their attendance increased as their pay increased. Overall participation was not influenced by the abstinence contingency, but transient decreases in attendance occurred. PMID:26990530

Analysis of free-time contingencies as positive versus negative reinforcement.

PubMed

Zarcone, J R; Fisher, W W; Piazza, C C

1996-01-01

Providing a short break contingent on completed work may increase responding through positive reinforcement (e.g., access to preferred activities) or negative reinforcement (e.g., escape form work). In this investigation, three analyses conducted with a boy with profound mental retardation showed that (a) a 20-s break increased responding more than a positive reinforcer (cola) did, and (b) the reinforcing effect of a 20-s break were affected by the availability of positive reinforcers during the break were affected by the availability of positive reinforcers during the break.

Lookup Tables Versus Stacked Rasch Analysis in Comparing Pre- and Postintervention Adult Strabismus-20 Data.

PubMed

Leske, David A; Hatt, Sarah R; Liebermann, Laura; Holmes, Jonathan M

2016-02-01

We compare two methods of analysis for Rasch scoring pre- to postintervention data: Rasch lookup table versus de novo stacked Rasch analysis using the Adult Strabismus-20 (AS-20). One hundred forty-seven subjects completed the AS-20 questionnaire prior to surgery and 6 weeks postoperatively. Subjects were classified 6 weeks postoperatively as "success," "partial success," or "failure" based on angle and diplopia status. Postoperative change in AS-20 scores was compared for all four AS-20 domains (self-perception, interactions, reading function, and general function) overall and by success status using two methods: (1) applying historical Rasch threshold measures from lookup tables and (2) performing a stacked de novo Rasch analysis. Change was assessed by analyzing effect size, improvement exceeding 95% limits of agreement (LOA), and score distributions. Effect sizes were similar for all AS-20 domains whether obtained from lookup tables or stacked analysis. Similar proportions exceeded 95% LOAs using lookup tables versus stacked analysis. Improvement in median score was observed for all AS-20 domains using lookup tables and stacked analysis ( P < 0.0001 for all comparisons). The Rasch-scored AS-20 is a responsive and valid instrument designed to measure strabismus-specific health-related quality of life. When analyzing pre- to postoperative change in AS-20 scores, Rasch lookup tables and de novo stacked Rasch analysis yield essentially the same results. We describe a practical application of lookup tables, allowing the clinician or researcher to score the Rasch-calibrated AS-20 questionnaire without specialized software.

Lookup Tables Versus Stacked Rasch Analysis in Comparing Pre- and Postintervention Adult Strabismus-20 Data

PubMed Central

Leske, David A.; Hatt, Sarah R.; Liebermann, Laura; Holmes, Jonathan M.

2016-01-01

Purpose We compare two methods of analysis for Rasch scoring pre- to postintervention data: Rasch lookup table versus de novo stacked Rasch analysis using the Adult Strabismus-20 (AS-20). Methods One hundred forty-seven subjects completed the AS-20 questionnaire prior to surgery and 6 weeks postoperatively. Subjects were classified 6 weeks postoperatively as “success,” “partial success,” or “failure” based on angle and diplopia status. Postoperative change in AS-20 scores was compared for all four AS-20 domains (self-perception, interactions, reading function, and general function) overall and by success status using two methods: (1) applying historical Rasch threshold measures from lookup tables and (2) performing a stacked de novo Rasch analysis. Change was assessed by analyzing effect size, improvement exceeding 95% limits of agreement (LOA), and score distributions. Results Effect sizes were similar for all AS-20 domains whether obtained from lookup tables or stacked analysis. Similar proportions exceeded 95% LOAs using lookup tables versus stacked analysis. Improvement in median score was observed for all AS-20 domains using lookup tables and stacked analysis (P < 0.0001 for all comparisons). Conclusions The Rasch-scored AS-20 is a responsive and valid instrument designed to measure strabismus-specific health-related quality of life. When analyzing pre- to postoperative change in AS-20 scores, Rasch lookup tables and de novo stacked Rasch analysis yield essentially the same results. Translational Relevance We describe a practical application of lookup tables, allowing the clinician or researcher to score the Rasch-calibrated AS-20 questionnaire without specialized software. PMID:26933524

Contingency Operations of Americas Next Moon Rocket, Ares V

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jaap, John; Richardson, Lea

2010-01-01

America has begun the development of a new space vehicle system which will enable humans to return to the moon and reach even farther destinations. The system is called Constellation: it has 2 earth-launch vehicles, Ares I and Ares V; a crew module, Orion; and a lander, Altair with descent and ascent stages. Ares V will launch an Earth Departure Stage (EDS) and Altair into low earth orbit. Ares I will launch the Orion crew module into low earth orbit where it will rendezvous and dock with the Altair and EDS "stack". After rendezvous, the stack will contain four complete rocket systems, each capable of independent operations. Of course this multiplicity of vehicles provides a multiplicity of opportunities for off-nominal behavior and multiple mitigation options for each. Contingency operations are complicated by the issues of crew safety and the possibility of debris from the very large components impacting the ground. This paper examines contingency operations of the EDS in low earth orbit, during the boost to translunar orbit, and after the translunar boost. Contingency operations under these conditions have not been a consideration since the Apollo era and analysis of the possible contingencies and mitigations will take some time to evolve. Since the vehicle has not been designed, much less built, it is not possible to evaluate contingencies from a root-cause basis or from a probability basis; rather they are discussed at an effects level (such as the reaction control system is consuming propellant at a high rate). Mitigations for the contingencies are based on the severity of the off-nominal condition, the time of occurrence, recovery options, options for alternate missions, crew safety, evaluation of the condition (forensics) and future prevention. Some proposed mitigations reflect innovation in thinking and make use of the multiplicity of on-orbit resources including the crew; example: Orion could do a "fly around" to allow the crew to determine the condition and cause of a partially separated payload shroud. Other mitigations are really alternate missions; example, an engine out on during ascent resulted in insufficient propellant for the lunar mission, but the on-orbit vehicle stack is otherwise perfect and can pursue an alternate mission, such as a high ballistic trajectory to test the high-speed atmospheric reentry of Orion. Evaluation and presentation of contingency operations at this early stage of the development of the Ares V rocket will improve the design of the vehicle and lay the groundwork for the exhaustive contingency planning which must be done after the vehicle is built as preparations for operations.

40 CFR 264.52 - Content of contingency plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Content of contingency plan. 264.52... Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures § 264.52 Content of contingency plan. (a) The contingency plan must describe the actions facility personnel must take to comply with §§ 264.51 and 264.56 in response to fires...

40 CFR 267.52 - What must be in the contingency plan?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 27 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false What must be in the contingency plan... STANDARDIZED PERMIT Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures § 267.52 What must be in the contingency plan? (a) Your contingency plan must: (1) Describe the actions facility personnel will take to comply with §§ 267...

40 CFR 267.52 - What must be in the contingency plan?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 27 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false What must be in the contingency plan... STANDARDIZED PERMIT Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures § 267.52 What must be in the contingency plan? (a) Your contingency plan must: (1) Describe the actions facility personnel will take to comply with §§ 267...

40 CFR 264.52 - Content of contingency plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 27 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Content of contingency plan. 264.52... Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures § 264.52 Content of contingency plan. (a) The contingency plan must describe the actions facility personnel must take to comply with §§ 264.51 and 264.56 in response to fires...

40 CFR 264.52 - Content of contingency plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Content of contingency plan. 264.52... Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures § 264.52 Content of contingency plan. (a) The contingency plan must describe the actions facility personnel must take to comply with §§ 264.51 and 264.56 in response to fires...

40 CFR 267.52 - What must be in the contingency plan?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 28 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false What must be in the contingency plan... STANDARDIZED PERMIT Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures § 267.52 What must be in the contingency plan? (a) Your contingency plan must: (1) Describe the actions facility personnel will take to comply with §§ 267...

40 CFR 267.52 - What must be in the contingency plan?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 28 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false What must be in the contingency plan... STANDARDIZED PERMIT Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures § 267.52 What must be in the contingency plan? (a) Your contingency plan must: (1) Describe the actions facility personnel will take to comply with §§ 267...

25 CFR 39.503 - How can a school use contingency funds?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false How can a school use contingency funds? 39.503 Section 39.503 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR EDUCATION THE INDIAN SCHOOL EQUALIZATION PROGRAM Contingency Fund § 39.503 How can a school use contingency funds? Contingency funds can be...

45 CFR 264.77 - How will we determine if a State met its Contingency Fund expenditure requirements?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Contingency Fund expenditure requirements? 264.77 Section 264.77 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public... Contingency Fund? § 264.77 How will we determine if a State met its Contingency Fund expenditure requirements? (a) States receiving contingency funds for a fiscal year must complete the quarterly TANF Financial...

25 CFR 39.501 - What is an emergency or unforeseen contingency?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false What is an emergency or unforeseen contingency? 39.501... EQUALIZATION PROGRAM Contingency Fund § 39.501 What is an emergency or unforeseen contingency? An emergency or unforeseen contingency is an event that meets all of the following criteria: (a) It could not be planned for...

Influence of land use and climate on Salmonella carrier status in the small Indian mongoose (Herpestes auropunctatus) in Grenada, West Indies.

PubMed

Miller, Steven; Zieger, Ulrike; Ganser, Claudia; Satterlee, S Andrew; Bankovich, Brittany; Amadi, Victor; Hariharan, Harry; Stone, Diana; Wisely, Samantha M

2015-01-01

Invasive mammals can be important reservoirs for human pathogens. A recent study showed that 12% of mongooses carried Salmonella spp. in their large intestines. We investigated whether anthropogenic, environmental and climatic variables predicted Salmonella status in mongooses (Herpestes auropunctatus) in Grenada. Using multivariate logistic regression and contingency table analysis, we found that increased human density, decreased distance from roads, and low monthly precipitation were associated with increased probability of Salmonella carriage. Areas with higher human density likely support a higher abundance of mongooses because of greater food availability. These areas also are a likely source for infection to mongooses due to high densities of livestock and rodents shedding Salmonella. The higher probability of Salmonella carriage in mongooses during drier months and closer to roadsides is likely due to water drainage patterns and limited water availability. Although the overall prevalence of Salmonella in mongooses was moderate, the strong patterns of ecologic correlates, combined with the high density of mongooses throughout Grenada suggest that the small Indian mongoose could be a useful sentinel for Salmonella surveillance. Its affinity for human-associated habitats suggests that the small Indian mongoose is also a risk factor in the maintenance and possible spread of Salmonella species to humans and livestock in Grenada.

Sequences of emotional distress expressed by clients and acknowledged by therapists: are they associated more with some therapists than others?

PubMed

Viney, L L

1994-11-01

When clients come to psychotherapy they are distressed, this distress usually being expressed in the form of anxiety, hostility, depression and helplessness. This study explored the sequences of emotional distress expressed by clients and acknowledged by therapists, and examined their associations with other factors. The transcripts of five therapists (two single sessions each) were content-analysed: they used personal construct, client centered, rational-emotive, Gestalt and transactional analysis therapy. Log-linear analyses of appropriate contingency table cell frequencies were conducted to test associations between identified sequences and the two variables of therapist and timing of completion of the sequence. Therapist-client sequences of Anxiety-Anxiety, Anxiety-Hostility and Helplessness-Hostility were found to be associated more with the personal construct and client centred therapists than with the rational-emotive therapist. Client-therapist sequences of Anxiety-Anxiety, Helplessness-Anxiety and Helplessness-Helplessness were more often found with the client centred therapist than the other therapists. For most of these sequences timing had an effect, yet timing rarely interacted with the therapist variable. The findings are discussed in terms of their relevance to the theoretical positions represented, the shortcomings of the research and the value of this methodology in studies linking therapy process with outcome.

Smallholder Farmers' Livelihood Security Options amidst Climate Variability and Change in Rural Ghana

PubMed Central

Appiah, Divine O.; Pokuaa-Siaw, Lawrencia; Asante, Felix

2017-01-01

Farming as a livelihood activity in the Bosomtwe District is threatened by climate change. This paper ascertained the alternative livelihood options of smallholder farmers against climate variability and change in the Bosomtwe District. Using a cross-sectional survey, 152 smallholder farmers were sampled from 12 communities using a multistage sampling procedure. The quantitative data collected were subjected to binary logistic regression analysis, contingency tables, frequencies, and Nagelkerke tests of association, embedded in the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) v.17. The results indicate that farmers are resorting to alternative livelihood activities that are less capital intensive and require less skill in order to secure income and household food supply. Significant determinants of farmers' alternative livelihood are age, household size, and household food supply, which were significant at p < .030, p < .019, and p < .012, respectively. At a 95% confidence interval (CI), these variables had lower to upper CIs for each of the EXP (B), respectively, at CI = 1.134–12.524, CI = 1.359–30.224, and CI = 1.781–104.561, respectively. The paper recommends that government institutes policies that will create opportunities and draw on various local/grassroots opportunities and resources to expand farmers' asset base for sustainable livelihood strategies. PMID:29348969

The use of instruments by Iranian endodontics and general practioners.

PubMed

Elham, Farokh Gisour; Sedigheh, Zarmehi

2012-01-01

The current clinical practice of endodontics involves utilization of a variety of new technological advances and materials. Technologies available for use in endodontic offices today include battery or electric motors using NiTi rotary file systems, new generation of electronic apex locators (EALs), improved digital radiographic sensors, surgical microscopes, and ultrasonic units. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and use of newer technologies among Iranian dental practitioners. The population under study included the dental practitioners participating in the 49th and 50(th) Congress of Dentistry, who were selected with a simple sampling method. Data was collected by questionnaires which were completed by the participants in an anonymous manner. The contingency table and chi-squared test were used for data analysis by SPSS 13.5 software. A total of 700 dental practitioners participated in the study; NiTi rotary systems were used by 50.1%; electronic apex locators were often employed by 46.3%; 21.7% reported that ultrasonic units were often used. Only 1.1% frequently used surgical microscopes. Males and females differed with respect to the use of newer technologies (P<0.05). Based on the results of the present study, it seems necessary for dentists to take part in continuing dental education programs related to the newer technologies to improve their knowledge and practice.

Tanning accelerators: prevalence, predictors of use, and adverse effects.

PubMed

Herrmann, Jennifer L; Cunningham, Rachel; Cantor, Alan; Elewski, Boni E; Elmets, Craig A

2015-01-01

Tanning accelerators are topical products used by indoor tanners to augment and hasten the tanning process. These products contain tyrosine, psoralens, and/or other chemicals. We sought to better define the population using accelerators, identify predictors of their use, and describe any related adverse effects. This cross-sectional study surveyed 200 indoor tanners about their tanning practices and accelerator use. Primary analysis compared accelerator users with nonusers with respect to questionnaire variables. Descriptive statistics and χ(2) contingency tables were applied to identify statistically significant variables. Of respondents, 53% used accelerators; 97% were female and 3% were male with a median age of 22 years (range: 19-67). Users were more likely to spray tan, tan frequently, and be addicted to tanning. Acne and rashes were more common in accelerator users. Adverse reactions to accelerators prevented their further use 31% of the time. A limited adult population was evaluated; exact accelerator ingredients were not examined. Tanning accelerator users are high-risk indoor tanners who tan more frequently and who are more likely addicted to tanning. Acne and rashes are more common with these products and act as only mild deterrents to continued use. Additional research should investigate accelerators' longer-term health effects. Copyright © 2014 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Risk factors associated with parvovirus enteritis in dogs: 283 cases (1982-1991).

PubMed

Houston, D M; Ribble, C S; Head, L L

1996-02-15

To determine breed, sex, and seasonal predisposition for development of canine parvovirus (CPV) enteritis in dogs. Retrospective case-control study. Medical records from 283 dogs with confirmed CPV enteritis and from 834 age-matched control dogs that were healthy or had been admitted with nonenteric illness. Effects of season, breed, sex, and neutering on the risk of developing CPV enteritis were examined by calculation of unadjusted odds ratios and performance of multivariate analysis. Stratified and contingency table analyses were performed to identify interactions and confounding among variables. Rottweilers, American Pit Bull Terriers, Doberman Pinschers, and German Shepherd Dogs were at increased risk and Toy Poodles and Cocker Spaniels were at decreased risk for developing CPV enteritis, compared with that for mixed-breed dogs. For dogs more than 6 months old, sexually intact males were twice as likely as intact females to develop CPV enteritis. Dogs were 3 times more likely to be admitted with CPV enteritis in July, August, and September, compared with the rest of the year. Dogs were 12.7 times more likely to be admitted with CPV enteritis if they had not been currently vaccinated. Lack of vaccination is a significant risk factor for development of CPV enteritis. Seasonal, sex, and breed predispositions for the development of CPV enteritis also exist.

The effects of variable-time versus contingent reinforcement delivery on problem behavior maintained by escape.

PubMed

Lomas Mevers, Joanna E; Fisher, Wayne W; Kelley, Michael E; Fredrick, Laura D

2014-01-01

Results of previous research indicate that the delivery of positive reinforcement (e.g., food) for an appropriate, alternative target response (e.g., compliance) or delivery of food on a time-based schedule can decrease problem behavior reinforced by escape, even when problem behavior continues to produce negative reinforcement (e.g., Lalli et al., ; Lomas, Fisher, & Kelley, ). In this study, we compared the levels of both compliance and problem behavior when food and praise were delivered either contingent on compliance or on a time-based schedule. Results for 3 of the 4 participants showed that contingent delivery of preferred edible items and praise was more effective in both reducing problem behavior and increasing compliance compared to variable-time delivery of these same items. These findings are discussed in the context of motivating operations and competition between positive and negative reinforcement. © Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Evaluating a humane alternative to the bark collar: Automated differential reinforcement of not barking in a home-alone setting.

PubMed

Protopopova, Alexandra; Kisten, Dmitri; Wynne, Clive

2016-12-01

The aim of this study was to develop a humane alternative to the traditional remote devices that deliver punishers contingent on home-alone dog barking. Specifically, we evaluated the use of remote delivery of food contingent on intervals of not barking during the pet owner's absence. In Experiment 1, 5 dogs with a history of home-alone nuisance barking were recruited. Using an ABAB reversal design, we demonstrated that contingent remote delivery of food decreased home-alone barking for 3 of the dogs. In Experiment 2, we demonstrated that it is possible to thin the differential-reinforcement-of-other-behavior (DRO) schedule gradually, resulting in a potentially more acceptable treatment. Our results benefit the dog training community by providing a humane tool to combat nuisance barking. © 2016 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Decision support systems and methods for complex networks

DOEpatents

Huang, Zhenyu [Richland, WA; Wong, Pak Chung [Richland, WA; Ma, Jian [Richland, WA; Mackey, Patrick S [Richland, WA; Chen, Yousu [Richland, WA; Schneider, Kevin P [Seattle, WA

2012-02-28

Methods and systems for automated decision support in analyzing operation data from a complex network. Embodiments of the present invention utilize these algorithms and techniques not only to characterize the past and present condition of a complex network, but also to predict future conditions to help operators anticipate deteriorating and/or problem situations. In particular, embodiments of the present invention characterize network conditions from operation data using a state estimator. Contingency scenarios can then be generated based on those network conditions. For at least a portion of all of the contingency scenarios, risk indices are determined that describe the potential impact of each of those scenarios. Contingency scenarios with risk indices are presented visually as graphical representations in the context of a visual representation of the complex network. Analysis of the historical risk indices based on the graphical representations can then provide trends that allow for prediction of future network conditions.

First trimester contingent testing with either nuchal translucency or cell-free DNA. Cost efficiency and the role of ultrasound dating.

PubMed

Conner, Peter; Gustafsson, Sven; Kublickas, Marius

2015-04-01

To evaluate the performance and cost efficacy of different first-trimester contingent screening strategies based on an initial analysis of biochemical markers. Retrospective study. Swedish National Quality Register for prenatal diagnosis. 35,780 women with singleton pregnancies. Serum values from first trimester biochemistry were re-analyzed in a contingent approach. For risks between 1:40 and 1:1000, risk estimates from nuchal translucency measurements were added and outcomes were compared using either a final cut-off risk of 1:200 to proceed with invasive testing or offering non-invasive prenatal testing. In a subgroup of 12,836 women with regular menstrual cycles the same analyses were performed using data on the last menstrual period for determining gestational age. The costs of detecting one case of aneuploidy were compared. Comparison of screening strategies. The detection rate was the same (87%) in the contingent group as in complete combined screening, with only 41% requiring a nuchal translucency scan. As an alternative, offering non-invasive prenatal testing to the intermediate risk group would result in a detection rate of 98%, but the cost to detect one case of trisomy 21 would be 83% higher than the cost associated with traditional combined screening. First trimester examination using a contingent approach will achieve similar results compared with full combined screening. Non-invasive prenatal testing will not be cost-effective when a high proportion of pregnancies need further testing. © 2015 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Contingency management adapted for African-American adolescents with obesity enhances youth weight loss with caregiver participation: a multiple baseline pilot study.

PubMed

Hartlieb, Kathryn Brogan; Naar, Sylvie; Ledgerwood, David M; Templin, Thomas N; Ellis, Deborah A; Donohue, Bradley; Cunningham, Phillippe B

2015-12-07

Contingency management (CM) interventions, which use operant conditioning principles to encourage completion of target behavioral goals, may be useful for improving adherence to behavioral skills training (BST). Research-to-date has yet to explore CM for weight loss in minority adolescents. To examine the effects of CM in improving adolescent weight loss when added to BST. The study utilized an innovative experimental design that builds upon multiple baseline approaches as recommended by the National Institutes of Health. Six obese African-American youth and their primary caregivers living in Detroit, Michigan, USA. Adolescents received between 4 and 12 weeks of BST during a baseline period and subsequently received CM targeting weight loss. Youth weight. Linear mixed effects modeling was used in the analysis. CM did not directly affect adolescent weight loss above that of BST (p=0.053). However, when caregivers were involved in CM session treatment, contingency management had a positive effect on adolescent weight loss. The estimated weight loss due to CM when caregivers also attended was 0.66 kg/week (p<0.001, [95% CI; -1.96, -0.97]) relative to the baseline trajectory. This study demonstrates application of a novel experimental approach to intervention development and demonstrated the importance of parent involvement when delivering contingency management for minority youth weight loss. Lessons learned from contingency management program implementation are also discussed in order to inform practice.

Is there a relationship between periodontal disease and causes of death? A cross sectional study.

PubMed

Natto, Zuhair S; Aladmawy, Majdi; Alasqah, Mohammed; Papas, Athena

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether there is any correlation between periodontal disease and mortality contributing factors, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus in the elderly population. A dental evaluation was performed by a single examiner at Tufts University dental clinics for 284 patients. Periodontal assessments were performed by probing with a manual UNC-15 periodontal probe to measure pocket depth and clinical attachment level (CAL) at 6 sites. Causes of death abstracted from death certificate. Statistical analysis involved ANOVA, chi-square and multivariate logistic regression analysis. The demographics of the population sample indicated that, most were females (except for diabetes mellitus), white, married, completed 13 years of education and were 83 years old on average. CAL (continuous or dichotomous) and marital status attained statistical significance (p<0.05) in contingency table analysis (Chi-square for independence). Individuals with increased CAL were 2.16 times more likely (OR=2.16, 95% CI=1.47-3.17) to die due to CVD and this effect persisted even after control for age, marital status, gender, race, years of education (OR=2.03, 95% CI=1.35-3.03). CAL (continuous or dichotomous) was much higher among those who died due to diabetes mellitus or out of state of Massachusetts. However, these results were not statistically significant. The same pattern was observed with pocket depth (continuous or dichotomous), but these results were not statistically significant either. CAL seems to be more sensitive to chronic diseases than pocket depth. Among those conditions, cardiovascular disease has the strongest effect.

Genetic Variation in the Raptor Gene Is Associated With Overweight But Not Hypertension in American Men of Japanese Ancestry

PubMed Central

Carnes, Bruce A.; Chen, Randi; Donlon, Timothy A.; He, Qimei; Grove, John S.; Masaki, Kamal H.; Elliott, Ayako; Willcox, Donald C.; Allsopp, Richard; Willcox, Bradley J.

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway is pivotal for cell growth. Regulatory associated protein of mTOR complex I (Raptor) is a unique component of this pro-growth complex. The present study tested whether variation across the raptor gene (RPTOR) is associated with overweight and hypertension. METHODS We tested 61 common (allele frequency ≥ 0.1) tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that captured most of the genetic variation across RPTOR in 374 subjects of normal lifespan and 439 subjects with a lifespan exceeding 95 years for association with overweight/obesity, essential hypertension, and isolated systolic hypertension. Subjects were drawn from the Honolulu Heart Program, a homogeneous population of American men of Japanese ancestry, well characterized for phenotypes relevant to conditions of aging. Hypertension status was ascertained when subjects were 45–68 years old. Statistical evaluation involved contingency table analysis, logistic regression, and the powerful method of recursive partitioning. RESULTS After analysis of RPTOR genotypes by each statistical approach, we found no significant association between genetic variation in RPTOR and either essential hypertension or isolated systolic hypertension. Models generated by recursive partitioning analysis showed that RPTOR SNPs significantly enhanced the ability of the model to accurately assign individuals to either the overweight/obese or the non-overweight/obese groups (P = 0.008 by 1-tailed Z test). CONCLUSION Common genetic variation in RPTOR is associated with overweight/obesity but does not discernibly contribute to either essential hypertension or isolated systolic hypertension in the population studied. PMID:25249372

Synovial Fluid α-Defensin as a Biomarker for Peri-Prosthetic Joint Infection: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Li, Bin; Chen, Fei; Liu, Yi; Xu, Guokang

Total joint arthroplasty (TJA) has been one of the most beneficial interventions for treating patients suffering from joint disorders. However, peri-prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a serious complication that often accompanies TJA and the diagnosis of PJI is remains difficult. Questions remain regarding whether certain biomarkers can be valuable in the diagnosis of PJI. We conducted our systematic review by searching PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, and Science Direct with the key words "periprosthetic joint infection," "synovial fluid," and "α-defensin." Studies that provided sufficient data to construct 2 × 2 contingency tables were chosen based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The quality of included studies was assessed according to the revised Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2) criteria. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) were calculated for the included studies. The summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve and the area under the summary receiver operating characteristic (AUSROC) were used to evaluate the overall diagnostic performance. Eight studies were included in this systematic review. Among them four articles were included in meta-analysis. A total of 421 participants were studied in the meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and DOR were 0.98 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.94-1.00), 0.97 (95% CI: 0.95-0.99), and 1095.49 (95% CI: 283.68.58-4230.45), respectively. The AUSROC was 0.9949 (standard error [SE] 0.0095). Synovial fluid α-defensin is a biomarker of high sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of PJI.

Evaluation of TRMM multi-satellite precipitation analysis (TMPA) against terrestrial measurement over a humid sub-tropical basin, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Dheeraj; Gautam, Amar Kant; Palmate, Santosh S.; Pandey, Ashish; Suryavanshi, Shakti; Rathore, Neha; Sharma, Nayan

2017-08-01

To support the GPM mission which is homologous to its predecessor, the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM), this study has been undertaken to evaluate the accuracy of Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission multi-satellite precipitation analysis (TMPA) daily-accumulated precipitation products for 5 years (2008-2012) using the statistical methods and contingency table method. The analysis was performed on daily, monthly, seasonal and yearly basis. The TMPA precipitation estimates were also evaluated for each grid point i.e. 0.25° × 0.25° and for 18 rain gauge stations of the Betwa River basin, India. Results indicated that TMPA precipitation overestimates the daily and monthly precipitation in general, particularly for the middle sub-basin in the non-monsoon season. Furthermore, precision of TMPA precipitation estimates declines with the decrease of altitude at both grid and sub-basin scale. The study also revealed that TMPA precipitation estimates provide better accuracy in the upstream of the basin compared to downstream basin. Nevertheless, the detection capability of daily TMPA precipitation improves with increase in altitude for drizzle rain events. However, the detection capability decreases during non-monsoon and monsoon seasons when capturing moderate and heavy rain events, respectively. The veracity of TMPA precipitation estimates was improved during the rainy season than during the dry season at all scenarios investigated. The analyses suggest that there is a need for better precipitation estimation algorithm and extensive accuracy verification against terrestrial precipitation measurement to capture the different types of rain events more reliably over the sub-humid tropical regions of India.

Investigating Group Contingencies to Promote Brief Abstinence from Cigarette Smoking

PubMed Central

Meredith, Steven E.; Dallery, Jesse

2013-01-01

In contingency management (CM), monetary incentives are contingent on evidence of drug abstinence. Typically, incentives (e.g., “vouchers” exchangeable for goods or services) are contingent on individual performance. We programmed vouchers contingent on group performance to investigate whether these contingencies would promote brief abstinence from cigarette smoking. Thirty-two participants were divided into small teams (n = 3 per team). During three 5-day within-subject experimental conditions, participants submitted video recordings of breath carbon monoxide (CO) measures twice daily via Mōtiv8 Systems™, an Internet-based remote monitoring application. During the interdependent contingency condition, participants earned vouchers each time they and their teammates submitted breath CO samples indicative of abstinence (i.e., negative samples). During the independent contingency condition, participants earned vouchers each time they submitted negative samples, regardless of their teammates' performance. During the no vouchers condition, no monetary incentives were contingent on abstinence. In addition, half of the participants (n = 16) could communicate with their teammates through an online peer support forum. Although forum access did not appear to promote smoking abstinence, monetary incentives did promote brief abstinence. Significantly more negative samples were submitted when vouchers were contingent on individual performance (56%) or team performance (53%) relative to when no vouchers were available (35%; F = 6.9, p = 0.002). The results show that interdependent contingencies can promote brief abstinence from cigarette smoking. Moreover, the results suggest that these contingencies may help lower treatment costs and promote social support. PMID:23421358

Going for gold: blood planning for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

PubMed

Glasgow, S M; Allard, S; Rackham, R; Doughty, H

2014-06-01

The Olympics is one of the largest sporting events in the world. Major events may be complicated by disruption of normal activity and major incidents. Health care and transfusion planners should be prepared for both. Previously, transfusion contingency planning has focused on seasonal blood shortages and pandemic influenzas. This article is the first published account of transfusion contingency planning for a major event. We describe the issues encountered and the lessons identified during transfusion planning for the London 2012 Olympics. Planning was started 18 months in advance and was led by a project team reporting to the Executive. Planning was based on three periods of Gamestime. The requirements were planned with key stakeholders using normal processes enhanced by service developments. Demand planning was based on literature review together with computer modelling. The aim was blood-stock sufficiency complimented by a high readiness donor panel to minimise waste. Plans were widely communicated and table-top exercised. Full transfusion services were maintained during both Games with all demands met. The new service improvements and high readiness donors worked well. Emergency command and control have been upgraded. Red cell concentrate (RCC) stock aged but wastage was not significantly increased. The key to success was: early planning, stakeholder engagement, service developments, integration of transfusion service planning within the wider health care community and conduct within an assurance framework. © 2014 The Authors. Transfusion Medicine © 2014 British Blood Transfusion Society.

25 CFR 39.502 - How does a school apply for contingency funds?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false How does a school apply for contingency funds? 39.502... EQUALIZATION PROGRAM Contingency Fund § 39.502 How does a school apply for contingency funds? To apply for contingency funds, a school must send a request to the ELO. The ELO must send the request to the Director for...

45 CFR 264.72 - What requirements are imposed on a State if it receives contingency funds?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... receives contingency funds? 264.72 Section 264.72 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare... Contingency Fund? § 264.72 What requirements are imposed on a State if it receives contingency funds? (a)(1) A State must meet a Contingency Fund MOE level of 100 percent of historic State expenditures for FY 1994...

45 CFR 264.70 - What makes a State eligible to receive a provisional payment of contingency funds?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... provisional payment of contingency funds? 264.70 Section 264.70 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public... Contingency Fund? § 264.70 What makes a State eligible to receive a provisional payment of contingency funds? (a) In order to receive a provisional payment of contingency funds, a State must: (1) Be a needy...

Motor contingency learning and infants with Spina Bifida.

PubMed

Taylor, Heather B; Barnes, Marcia A; Landry, Susan H; Swank, Paul; Fletcher, Jack M; Huang, Furong

2013-02-01

Infants with Spina Bifida (SB) were compared to typically developing infants (TD) using a conjugate reinforcement paradigm at 6 months-of-age (n = 98) to evaluate learning, and retention of a sensory-motor contingency. Analyses evaluated infant arm-waving rates at baseline (wrist not tethered to mobile), during acquisition of the sensory-motor contingency (wrist tethered), and immediately after the acquisition phase and then after a delay (wrist not tethered), controlling for arm reaching ability, gestational age, and socioeconomic status. Although both groups responded to the contingency with increased arm-waving from baseline to acquisition, 15% to 29% fewer infants with SB than TD were found to learn the contingency depending on the criterion used to determine contingency learning. In addition, infants with SB who had learned the contingency had more difficulty retaining the contingency over time when sensory feedback was absent. The findings suggest that infants with SB do not learn motor contingencies as easily or at the same rate as TD infants, and are more likely to decrease motor responses when sensory feedback is absent. Results are discussed with reference to research on contingency learning in infants with and without neurodevelopmental disorders, and with reference to motor learning in school-age children with SB.

TSP Symposium 2012 Proceedings

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-11-01

and Statistical Model 78 7.3 Analysis and Results 79 7.4 Threats to Validity and Limitations 85 7.5 Conclusions 86 7.6 Acknowledgments 87 7.7...Table 12: Overall Statistics of the Experiment 32 Table 13: Results of Pairwise ANOVA Analysis, Highlighting Statistically Significant Differences...we calculated the percentage of defects injected. The distribution statistics are shown in Table 2. Table 2: Mean Lower, Upper Confidence Interval

Carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus by veterinarians in Australia.

PubMed

Jordan, D; Simon, J; Fury, S; Moss, S; Giffard, P; Maiwald, M; Southwell, P; Barton, M D; Axon, J E; Morris, S G; Trott, D J

2011-05-01

To estimate the prevalence of carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) among Australian veterinarians. Individuals attending veterinary conferences in Australia in 2009 were recruited to provide nasal swabs and complete a questionnaire about their professional activities. Swabs were processed by standard methods for detecting MRSA and questionnaire responses were used to group veterinarians according to their areas of major work emphasis (species and practice type). Prevalence was estimated for each of these grouping and contingency tables and regression tree analysis used to explain the variation in MRSA carriage. Among the 771 respondents 'industry and government veterinarians' (controls) had the lowest prevalence of MRSA carriage at 0.9%. Veterinarians with horses as a major area of work emphasis had a prevalence of 11.8% (13-fold that of controls) and those whose only major emphasis was horses had a prevalence of 21.4% (23-fold that of controls). Veterinarians with dogs and cats as a major activity had a 4.9% prevalence (5-fold that of controls). Prevalence rates for other major activities (pigs, dairy and beef cattle, avian and wildlife) were also increased, but were estimated from smaller numbers of respondents. Regression tree analysis clearly isolated equine veterinarians and dog and cat practitioners as groups at increased risk of carriage of MRSA. Carriage of MRSA is a notable occupational health issue for veterinarians in clinical practice in Australia, particularly those who work with horses. © 2011 The Authors. Australian Veterinary Journal © 2011 Australian Veterinary Association.

Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography in the diagnosis of pancreas divisum: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Rustagi, Tarun; Njei, Basile

2014-08-01

This study aimed to perform a structured meta-analysis of all eligible studies to assess the overall diagnostic use of magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) alone or with secretin enhancement (secretin-enhanced MRCP [S-MRCP]) in the detection of pancreas divisum. Two authors independently performed a comprehensive search of PubMed, MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Library from inception to September 2013. Studies were included if they allowed construction of 2 × 2 contingency tables of MRCP and/or S-MRCP compared with criterion standard. DerSimonian-Laird random effect models were used to estimate the pooled sensitivity, specificity, specificity, and quantitative receiver operating characteristics. Of 51 citations, 10 studies with 1474 patients were included. Secretin-enhanced MRCP had a higher overall diagnostic performance than MRCP (S-MRCP: pooled sensitivity, 86% [95% confidence interval (CI), 77%-93%]; specificity, 97% [95% CI, 94%-99%]; and area under the curve, 0.93 ± 0.056 compared with MRCP: sensitivity, 52% [95% CI, 45%-59%]; specificity, 97% [95% CI, 94%-99%]; and area under the curve, 0.76 ± 0.104). Pooled diagnostic odds ratios were 72.19 (95% CI, 5.66-938.8) and 23.39 (95% CI, 7.93-69.02) for S-MRCP and MRCP, respectively. Visual inspection of the funnel plot showed low potential for publication bias. Secretin-enhanced MRCP has a much higher diagnostic accuracy than MRCP and should be preferred for diagnosis of pancreas divisum.

Dosimetric and clinical predictors for radiation-induced esophageal injury.

PubMed

Ahn, Sung-Ja; Kahn, Daniel; Zhou, Sumin; Yu, Xiaoli; Hollis, Donna; Shafman, Timothy D; Marks, Lawrence B

2005-02-01

To evaluate the clinical and three-dimensional dosimetric parameters associated with esophageal injury after radiotherapy (RT) for non-small-cell lung cancer. The records of 254 patients treated for non-small-cell lung cancer between 1992 and 2001 were reviewed. A variety of metrics describing the esophageal dose were extracted. The Radiation Therapy Oncology Group toxicity criteria for grading of esophageal injury were used. The median follow-up time for all patients was 43 months (range, 0.5-120 months). Logistic regression analysis, contingency table analyses, and Fisher's exact tests were used for statistical analysis. Acute toxicity occurred in 199 (78%) of 254 patients. For acute toxicity of Grade 2 or worse, twice-daily RT, age, nodal stage of N2 or worse, and most dosimetric parameters were predictive. Late toxicity occurred in 17 (7%) of 238 patients. The median and maximal time to the onset of late toxicity was 5 and 40 months after RT, respectively. Late toxicity occurred in 2%, 3%, 17%, 26%, and 100% of patients with acute Grade 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 toxicity, respectively. For late toxicity, the severity of acute toxicity was most predictive. A variety of dosimetric parameters are predictive of acute and late esophageal injury. A strong correlation between the dosimetric parameters prevented a comparison between the predictive abilities of these metrics. The presence of acute injury was the most predictive factor for the development of late injury. Additional studies to define better the predictors of RT-induced esophageal injury are needed.

Statistical testing of association between menstruation and migraine.

PubMed

Barra, Mathias; Dahl, Fredrik A; Vetvik, Kjersti G

2015-02-01

To repair and refine a previously proposed method for statistical analysis of association between migraine and menstruation. Menstrually related migraine (MRM) affects about 20% of female migraineurs in the general population. The exact pathophysiological link from menstruation to migraine is hypothesized to be through fluctuations in female reproductive hormones, but the exact mechanisms remain unknown. Therefore, the main diagnostic criterion today is concurrency of migraine attacks with menstruation. Methods aiming to exclude spurious associations are wanted, so that further research into these mechanisms can be performed on a population with a true association. The statistical method is based on a simple two-parameter null model of MRM (which allows for simulation modeling), and Fisher's exact test (with mid-p correction) applied to standard 2 × 2 contingency tables derived from the patients' headache diaries. Our method is a corrected version of a previously published flawed framework. To our best knowledge, no other published methods for establishing a menstruation-migraine association by statistical means exist today. The probabilistic methodology shows good performance when subjected to receiver operator characteristic curve analysis. Quick reference cutoff values for the clinical setting were tabulated for assessing association given a patient's headache history. In this paper, we correct a proposed method for establishing association between menstruation and migraine by statistical methods. We conclude that the proposed standard of 3-cycle observations prior to setting an MRM diagnosis should be extended with at least one perimenstrual window to obtain sufficient information for statistical processing. © 2014 American Headache Society.

Partnerships: The Path to Improving Crisis Communication

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-01

News Media Perceives Relationships with Public Safety.................32 Table 4. Public Safety SWOT Analysis ...opportunities and threats ( SWOT ) of the Seattle fire and police departments. The SWOT analysis is an assessment tool common to strategic planning for...requirements for training • Lack of strategic planning experience Table 4. Public Safety SWOT Analysis 46 Table 4 compares the strengths and

Does contingency in adults' responding influence 12-month-old infants' social referencing?

PubMed

Stenberg, Gunilla

2017-11-01

In two experiments we examined the influence of contingent versus non-contingent responding on infant social referencing behavior. EXPERIMENT 1: Forty 12-month-old infants were exposed to an ambiguous toy in a social referencing situation. In one condition an unfamiliar adult who in a previous play situation had responded contingently to the infant's looks gave the infant positive information about the toy. In the other condition an unfamiliar adult who previously had not responded contingently delivered the positive information. EXPERIMENT 2: Forty-eight 12-month-old infants participated in Experiment 2. In this experiment it was examined whether the familiarity of the adult influences infants' reactions to contingency in responding. In one condition a parent who previously had responded contingently to the infant's looks provided positive information about the ambiguous toy, and in the other condition a parent who previously had not responded contingently provided the positive information. The infants looked more at the contingent experimenter in Experimenter 1, and also played more with the toy after receiving positive information from the contingent experimenter. No differences in looking at the parent and in playing with the toy were found in Experiment 2. The results indicate that contingency in responding, as well as the familiarity of the adult, influence infants' social referencing behavior. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Does contingency in adults' responding influence 12-month-old infants' social referencing?

PubMed

Stenberg, Gunilla

2017-02-01

In two experiments we examined the influence of contingent versus non-contingent responding on infant social referencing behavior. EXPERIMENT 1: Forty 12-month-old infants were exposed to an ambiguous toy in a social referencing situation. In one condition an unfamiliar adult who in a previous play situation had responded contingently to the infant's looks gave the infant positive information about the toy. In the other condition an unfamiliar adult who previously had not responded contingently delivered the positive information. EXPERIMENT 2: Forty-eight 12-month-old infants participated in Experiment 2. In this experiment it was examined whether the familiarity of the adult influences infants' reactions to contingency in responding. In one condition a parent who previously had responded contingently to the infant's looks provided positive information about the ambiguous toy, and in the other condition a parent who previously had not responded contingently provided the positive information. The infants looked more at the contingent experimenter in Experimenter 1, and also played more with the toy after receiving positive information from the contingent experimenter. No differences in looking at the parent and in playing with the toy were found in Experiment 2. The results indicate that contingency in responding, as well as the familiarity of the adult, influence infants' social referencing behavior. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Better Off Jobless? Scarring Effects of Contingent Employment in Japan

PubMed Central

Yu, Wei-hsin

2011-01-01

Previous research fails to address whether contingent employment benefits individuals’ careers more than the alternative they often face: being without a job. Using work history data from Japan, this study shows that accepting a contingent job delays individuals’ transition to standard employment more than remaining jobless. Moreover, having a contingent job, rather than having no job, leads Japanese men to have lower occupational status after they transition back to standard employment. I argue that in a highly segmented labor market like Japan’s, the strict separation of labor pools for standard and contingent jobs makes being labeled as a contingent worker particularly detrimental. Meanwhile, the legacy of Japan’s welfare corporatism alleviates the stigma of unemployment, making individuals better off jobless than having a contingent job. This research thus demonstrates the importance of labor-market contexts in shaping the scarring effects of contingent work arrangements. PMID:22859864

Heart Rate Reactivity during Contingency Learning in 5- to 10-Month-Old at-Risk and Non-Risk Babies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Millar, W. S.; Weir, C. G.

2007-01-01

The study investigated the dynamic relation between contingency learning and heart rate with risk and non-risk babies 5- to 10-months-old. Four groups were compared in a two contingency treatments (contingent, yoked) x two risk status design. Concurrent heart rate was monitored during three phases of a contingency learning task (baseline,…

The multiple decrement life table: a unifying framework for cause-of-death analysis in ecology.

PubMed

Carey, James R

1989-01-01

The multiple decrement life table is used widely in the human actuarial literature and provides statistical expressions for mortality in three different forms: i) the life table from all causes-of-death combined; ii) the life table disaggregated into selected cause-of-death categories; and iii) the life table with particular causes and combinations of causes eliminated. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the multiple decrement life table to the ecological literature by applying the methods to published death-by-cause information on Rhagoletis pomonella. Interrelations between the current approach and conventional tools used in basic and applied ecology are discussed including the conventional life table, Key Factor Analysis and Abbott's Correction used in toxicological bioassay.

Association Analysis of FOXO3 Longevity Variants With Blood Pressure and Essential Hypertension

PubMed Central

Chen, Randi; Donlon, Timothy A.; Evans, Daniel S.; Tranah, Gregory J.; Parimi, Neeta; Ehret, Georg B.; Newton-Cheh, Christopher; Seto, Todd; Willcox, D. Craig; Masaki, Kamal H.; Kamide, Kei; Ryuno, Hirochika; Oguro, Ryosuke; Nakama, Chikako; Kabayama, Mai; Yamamoto, Koichi; Sugimoto, Ken; Ikebe, Kazunori; Masui, Yukie; Arai, Yasumichi; Ishizaki, Tatsuro; Gondo, Yasuyuki; Rakugi, Hiromi; Willcox, Bradley J.

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND The minor alleles of 3 FOXO3 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)—rs2802292, rs2253310, and rs2802288—are associated with human longevity. The aim of the present study was to test these SNPs for association with blood pressure (BP) and essential hypertension (EHT). METHODS In a primary study involving Americans of Japanese ancestry drawn from the Family Blood Pressure Program II we genotyped 411 female and 432 male subjects aged 40–79 years and tested for statistical association by contingency table analysis and generalized linear models that included logistic regression adjusting for sibling correlation in the data set. Replication of rs2802292 with EHT was attempted in Japanese SONIC study subjects and of each SNP in a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies of BP in individuals of European ancestry. RESULTS In Americans of Japanese ancestry, women homozygous for the longevity-associated (minor) allele of each FOXO3 SNP had 6mm Hg lower systolic BP and 3mm Hg lower diastolic BP compared with major allele homozygotes (Bonferroni corrected P < 0.05 and >0.05, respectively). Frequencies of minor allele homozygotes were 3.3–3.9% in women with EHT compared with 9.5–9.6% in normotensive women (P = 0.03–0.04; haplotype analysis P = 0.0002). No association with BP or EHT was evident in males. An association with EHT was seen for the minor allele of rs2802292 in the Japanese SONIC cohort (P = 0.03), while in European subjects the minor allele of each SNP was associated with higher systolic and diastolic BP. CONCLUSION Longevity-associated FOXO3 variants may be associated with lower BP and EHT in Japanese women. PMID:26476085

Association Analysis of FOXO3 Longevity Variants With Blood Pressure and Essential Hypertension.

PubMed

Morris, Brian J; Chen, Randi; Donlon, Timothy A; Evans, Daniel S; Tranah, Gregory J; Parimi, Neeta; Ehret, Georg B; Newton-Cheh, Christopher; Seto, Todd; Willcox, D Craig; Masaki, Kamal H; Kamide, Kei; Ryuno, Hirochika; Oguro, Ryosuke; Nakama, Chikako; Kabayama, Mai; Yamamoto, Koichi; Sugimoto, Ken; Ikebe, Kazunori; Masui, Yukie; Arai, Yasumichi; Ishizaki, Tatsuro; Gondo, Yasuyuki; Rakugi, Hiromi; Willcox, Bradley J

2016-11-01

The minor alleles of 3 FOXO3 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)- rs2802292 , rs2253310 , and rs2802288 -are associated with human longevity. The aim of the present study was to test these SNPs for association with blood pressure (BP) and essential hypertension (EHT). In a primary study involving Americans of Japanese ancestry drawn from the Family Blood Pressure Program II we genotyped 411 female and 432 male subjects aged 40-79 years and tested for statistical association by contingency table analysis and generalized linear models that included logistic regression adjusting for sibling correlation in the data set. Replication of rs2802292 with EHT was attempted in Japanese SONIC study subjects and of each SNP in a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies of BP in individuals of European ancestry. In Americans of Japanese ancestry, women homozygous for the longevity-associated (minor) allele of each FOXO3 SNP had 6mm Hg lower systolic BP and 3mm Hg lower diastolic BP compared with major allele homozygotes (Bonferroni corrected P < 0.05 and >0.05, respectively). Frequencies of minor allele homozygotes were 3.3-3.9% in women with EHT compared with 9.5-9.6% in normotensive women ( P = 0.03-0.04; haplotype analysis P = 0.0002). No association with BP or EHT was evident in males. An association with EHT was seen for the minor allele of rs2802292 in the Japanese SONIC cohort ( P = 0.03), while in European subjects the minor allele of each SNP was associated with higher systolic and diastolic BP. Longevity-associated FOXO3 variants may be associated with lower BP and EHT in Japanese women.

Evaluation of various modelling approaches in flood routing simulation and flood area mapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papaioannou, George; Loukas, Athanasios; Vasiliades, Lampros; Aronica, Giuseppe

2016-04-01

An essential process of flood hazard analysis and mapping is the floodplain modelling. The selection of the modelling approach, especially, in complex riverine topographies such as urban and suburban areas, and ungauged watersheds may affect the accuracy of the outcomes in terms of flood depths and flood inundation area. In this study, a sensitivity analysis implemented using several hydraulic-hydrodynamic modelling approaches (1D, 2D, 1D/2D) and the effect of modelling approach on flood modelling and flood mapping was investigated. The digital terrain model (DTMs) used in this study was generated from Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) point cloud data. The modelling approaches included 1-dimensional hydraulic-hydrodynamic models (1D), 2-dimensional hydraulic-hydrodynamic models (2D) and the coupled 1D/2D. The 1D hydraulic-hydrodynamic models used were: HECRAS, MIKE11, LISFLOOD, XPSTORM. The 2D hydraulic-hydrodynamic models used were: MIKE21, MIKE21FM, HECRAS (2D), XPSTORM, LISFLOOD and FLO2d. The coupled 1D/2D models employed were: HECRAS(1D/2D), MIKE11/MIKE21(MIKE FLOOD platform), MIKE11/MIKE21 FM(MIKE FLOOD platform), XPSTORM(1D/2D). The validation process of flood extent achieved with the use of 2x2 contingency tables between simulated and observed flooded area for an extreme historical flash flood event. The skill score Critical Success Index was used in the validation process. The modelling approaches have also been evaluated for simulation time and requested computing power. The methodology has been implemented in a suburban ungauged watershed of Xerias river at Volos-Greece. The results of the analysis indicate the necessity of sensitivity analysis application with the use of different hydraulic-hydrodynamic modelling approaches especially for areas with complex terrain.

ERAP1 variants are associated with ankylosing spondylitis in East Asian population: a new Chinese case-control study and meta-analysis of published series.

PubMed

Chen, C; Zhang, X

2015-06-01

Endoplasmic reticulum aminopeptidase 1 (ERAP1) has been confirmed to be associated with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in Caucasian. However, whether they are associated with AS in East Asian population remains unidentified. We investigated this relationship by a new Chinese case-control study and a meta-analysis of published series. 368 cases and 460 controls were recruited in the Chinese case-control study. Genotyping was completed using the chip-based matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Allelic associations were analysed using contingency tables. In the meta-analysis, up to 2748 cases and 2774 controls from seven different studies and the new Chinese study were combined using Review Manager software version 5.1.1. Mantel-Haenszel or Inverse Variance test was used to calculate fixed or random-effects pooled ORs. In the new Chinese study, strong association with AS was observed for marker rs10050860, rs27434 and rs1065407 at P value of <0.001. Moderate association was observed for rs30187 at P value of <0.01, while no association was observed for rs27044 (P = 0.37) and rs2287987 (P = 0.23). The meta-analysis showed that rs27037 and rs30187 were strongly associated with AS (P < 0.00001). Significant association was also observed for rs27434 (P = 0.001). No association was shown for rs27044 (P = 0.70). We concluded that ERAP1 variants are associated with AS in East Asian population, indicating a common pathogenic mechanism for AS in East Asians and Caucasians. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Relative speed of processing determines color-word contingency learning.

PubMed

Forrin, Noah D; MacLeod, Colin M

2017-10-01

In three experiments, we tested a relative-speed-of-processing account of color-word contingency learning, a phenomenon in which color identification responses to high-contingency stimuli (words that appear most often in particular colors) are faster than those to low-contingency stimuli. Experiment 1 showed equally large contingency-learning effects whether responding was to the colors or to the words, likely due to slow responding to both dimensions because of the unfamiliar mapping required by the key press responses. For Experiment 2, participants switched to vocal responding, in which reading words is considerably faster than naming colors, and we obtained a contingency-learning effect only for color naming, the slower dimension. In Experiment 3, previewing the color information resulted in a reduced contingency-learning effect for color naming, but it enhanced the contingency-learning effect for word reading. These results are all consistent with contingency learning influencing performance only when the nominally irrelevant feature is faster to process than the relevant feature, and therefore are entirely in accord with a relative-speed-of-processing explanation.

Dogs Identify Agents in Third-Party Interactions on the Basis of the Observed Degree of Contingency.

PubMed

Tauzin, Tibor; Kovács, Krisztina; Topál, József

2016-08-01

To investigate whether dogs could recognize contingent reactivity as a marker of agents' interaction, we performed an experiment in which dogs were presented with third-party contingent events. In the perfect-contingency condition, dogs were shown an unfamiliar self-propelled agent (SPA) that performed actions corresponding to audio clips of verbal commands played by a computer. In the high-but-imperfect-contingency condition, the SPA responded to the verbal commands on only two thirds of the trials; in the low-contingency condition, the SPA responded to the commands on only one third of the trials. In the test phase, the SPA approached one of two tennis balls, and then the dog was allowed to choose one of the balls. The proportion of trials on which a dog chose the object indicated by the SPA increased with the degree of contingency: Dogs chose the target object significantly above chance level only in the perfect-contingency condition. This finding suggests that dogs may use the degree of temporal contingency observed in third-party interactions as a cue to identify agents. © The Author(s) 2016.

Comparison of different strategies in prenatal screening for Down's syndrome: cost effectiveness analysis of computer simulation.

PubMed

Gekas, Jean; Gagné, Geneviève; Bujold, Emmanuel; Douillard, Daniel; Forest, Jean-Claude; Reinharz, Daniel; Rousseau, François

2009-02-13

To assess and compare the cost effectiveness of three different strategies for prenatal screening for Down's syndrome (integrated test, sequential screening, and contingent screenings) and to determine the most useful cut-off values for risk. Computer simulations to study integrated, sequential, and contingent screening strategies with various cut-offs leading to 19 potential screening algorithms. The computer simulation was populated with data from the Serum Urine and Ultrasound Screening Study (SURUSS), real unit costs for healthcare interventions, and a population of 110 948 pregnancies from the province of Québec for the year 2001. Cost effectiveness ratios, incremental cost effectiveness ratios, and screening options' outcomes. The contingent screening strategy dominated all other screening options: it had the best cost effectiveness ratio ($C26,833 per case of Down's syndrome) with fewer procedure related euploid miscarriages and unnecessary terminations (respectively, 6 and 16 per 100,000 pregnancies). It also outperformed serum screening at the second trimester. In terms of the incremental cost effectiveness ratio, contingent screening was still dominant: compared with screening based on maternal age alone, the savings were $C30,963 per additional birth with Down's syndrome averted. Contingent screening was the only screening strategy that offered early reassurance to the majority of women (77.81%) in first trimester and minimised costs by limiting retesting during the second trimester (21.05%). For the contingent and sequential screening strategies, the choice of cut-off value for risk in the first trimester test significantly affected the cost effectiveness ratios (respectively, from $C26,833 to $C37,260 and from $C35,215 to $C45,314 per case of Down's syndrome), the number of procedure related euploid miscarriages (from 6 to 46 and from 6 to 45 per 100,000 pregnancies), and the number of unnecessary terminations (from 16 to 26 and from 16 to 25 per 100,000 pregnancies). Contingent screening, with a first trimester cut-off value for high risk of 1 in 9, is the preferred option for prenatal screening of women for pregnancies affected by Down's syndrome.

The Vaiont Slide. A Geotechnical Analysis Based on New Geologic Observations of the Failure Surface. Volume 2. Appendices A through G

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-06-01

Al B , STATIC SLOPE ANALYSIS METHOD USED FOR THE WAONT SLIDE -ANALYSES~ty D. L. Anderson ................................... B1 C SECTIONS,,USED...years 1960, 1961, 1962 and 1963 are given in this appendix in Tables Al , A2, A3 and A4, respectively. These were supplied through the courtesy of E.N.E.L...Tables Table Al . Daily precipitation record, Erto - 1960 Table A2. Daily precipitation record, Erto - 1961 Table A3. Daily precipitation record, Erto

Electrophysiological brain indices of risk behavior modification induced by contingent feedback.

PubMed

Megías, Alberto; Torres, Miguel Angel; Catena, Andrés; Cándido, Antonio; Maldonado, Antonio

2018-02-01

The main aim of this research was to study the effects of response feedback on risk behavior and the neural and cognitive mechanisms involved, as a function of the feedback contingency. Sixty drivers were randomly assigned to one of three feedback groups: contingent, non-contingent and no feedback. The participants' task consisted of braking or not when confronted with a set of risky driving situations, while their electroencephalographic activity was continuously recorded. We observed that contingent feedback, as opposed to non-contingent feedback, promoted changes in the response bias towards safer decisions. This behavioral modification implied a higher demand on cognitive control, reflected in a larger amplitude of the N400 component. Moreover, the contingent feedback, being predictable and entailing more informative value, gave rise to smaller SPN and larger FRN scores when compared with non-contingent feedback. Taken together, these findings provide a new and complex insight into the neurophysiological basis of the influence of feedback contingency on the processing of decision-making under risk. We suggest that response feedback, when contingent upon the risky behavior, appears to improve the functionality of the brain mechanisms involved in decision-making and can be a powerful tool for reducing the tendency to choose risky options in risk-prone individuals. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Motor Contingency Learning and Infants with Spina Bifida

PubMed Central

Taylor, Heather B.; Barnes, Marcia A.; Landry, Susan H.; Swank, Paul; Fletcher, Jack M.; Huang, Furong

2014-01-01

Infants with Spina Bifida (SB) were compared to typically developing infants (TD) using a conjugate reinforcement paradigm at 6 months-of-age (n = 98) to evaluate learning, and retention of a sensory-motor contingency. Analyses evaluated infant arm-waving rates at baseline (wrist not tethered to mobile), during acquisition of the sensory-motor contingency (wrist tethered), and immediately after the acquisition phase and then after a delay (wrist not tethered), controlling for arm reaching ability, gestational age, and socioeconomic status. Although both groups responded to the contingency with increased arm-waving from baseline to acquisition, 15% to 29% fewer infants with SB than TD were found to learn the contingency depending on the criterion used to determine contingency learning. In addition, infants with SB who had learned the contingency had more difficulty retaining the contingency over time when sensory feedback was absent. The findings suggest that infants with SB do not learn motor contingencies as easily or at the same rate as TD infants, and are more likely to decrease motor responses when sensory feedback is absent. Results are discussed with reference to research on contingency learning in infants with and without neurodevelopmental disorders, and with reference to motor learning in school-age children with SB. PMID:23298791

I spy with my little eye - the detection of intentional contingency in early psychosis.

PubMed

Fett, Anne-Kathrin J; González Berdugo, Clara Isabel; Hanssen, Esther; Lemmers-Jansen, Imke; Shergill, Sukhi S; Krabbendam, Lydia

2015-01-01

Paranoid delusions have been associated with a tendency to over-attribute intentionality and contingency to others' actions and incidental events in individuals with chronic psychosis. However, this hyper-associative perception bias has not been investigated in the early illness stages of psychosis, during which it may play a particularly crucial role in the formation of symptoms. We used an experimental paradigm with 20 short film clips of simple animate and inanimate shapes that either moved in a contingent or non-contingent manner to investigate the perception of contingency in 38 adolescents with early psychosis and 93 healthy control adolescents. Participants rated the contingency between the shapes' movements on a scale from 0 to 10. The data were analysed with multilevel regression analyses to account for repeated measures within subjects. There were no significant differences between patients and controls; both perceived the contingency of the shapes' movements similarly across all conditions and patients' contingency perception was unrelated to their levels of paranoid delusions. Contingency perception was unimpaired in patients with early psychosis, suggesting that it might still be intact in the early illness stages. Future studies should set out to determine whether the early illness stages could offer a window for interventions that counteract the development of hyper-associative perceptions of contingency.

Strategic Planning for Cardiac Services

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-04-13

Support Delivery Strategies 38 8. Action Plan 40 CT Strategy Plan List of Tables Table 1. CT program SWOT analysis Table 2. Critical strengths and...activities will give an overview to form a thorough SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis by uncovering crucial elements...Potential Strategies To understand potential strategies available to DDEAMC and Augusta VAMC, a SWOT analysis was completed to clearly identify

Rapid extraction of auditory feature contingencies.

PubMed

Bendixen, Alexandra; Prinz, Wolfgang; Horváth, János; Trujillo-Barreto, Nelson J; Schröger, Erich

2008-07-01

Contingent relations between sensory events render the environment predictable and thus facilitate adaptive behavior. The human capacity to detect such relations has been comprehensively demonstrated in paradigms in which contingency rules were task-relevant or in which they applied to motor behavior. The extent to which contingencies can also be extracted from events that are unrelated to the current goals of the organism has remained largely unclear. The present study addressed the emergence of contingency-related effects for behaviorally irrelevant auditory stimuli and the cortical areas involved in the processing of such contingency rules. Contingent relations between different features of temporally separate events were embedded in a new dynamic protocol. Participants were presented with the auditory stimulus sequences while their attention was captured by a video. The mismatch negativity (MMN) component of the event-related brain potential (ERP) was employed as an electrophysiological correlate of contingency detection. MMN generators were localized by means of scalp current density (SCD) and primary current density (PCD) analyses with variable resolution electromagnetic tomography (VARETA). Results show that task-irrelevant contingencies can be extracted from about fifteen to twenty successive events conforming to the contingent relation. Topographic and tomographic analyses reveal the involvement of the auditory cortex in the processing of contingency violations. The present data provide evidence for the rapid encoding of complex extrapolative relations in sensory areas. This capacity is of fundamental importance for the organism in its attempt to model the sensory environment outside the focus of attention.

[COSMOS motion design optimization in the CT table].

PubMed

Shang, Hong; Huang, Jian; Ren, Chao

2013-03-01

Through the CT Table dynamic simulation by COSMOS Motion, analysis the hinge of table and the motor force, then optimize the position of the hinge of table, provide the evidence of selecting bearing and motor, meanwhile enhance the design quality of the CT table and reduce the product design cost.

48 CFR 18.201 - Contingency operation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Contingency operation. 18.201 Section 18.201 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION CONTRACTING METHODS AND CONTRACT TYPES EMERGENCY ACQUISITIONS Emergency Acquisition Flexibilities 18.201 Contingency operation. (a) Contingency operation is...

Supervisory Styles: A Contingency Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boehe, Dirk Michael

2016-01-01

While the contingent nature of doctoral supervision has been acknowledged, the literature on supervisory styles has yet to deliver a theory-based contingency framework. A contingency framework can assist supervisors and research students in identifying appropriate supervisory styles under varying circumstances. The conceptual study reported here…

Benchmarking in Universities: League Tables Revisited

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, David

2005-01-01

This paper examines the practice of benchmarking universities using a "league table" approach. Taking the example of the "Sunday Times University League Table", the author reanalyses the descriptive data on UK universities. Using a linear programming technique, data envelope analysis (DEA), the author uses the re-analysis to…

A cascading failure analysis tool for post processing TRANSCARE simulations

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

This is a MATLAB-based tool to post process simulation results in the EPRI software TRANSCARE, for massive cascading failure analysis following severe disturbances. There are a few key modules available in this tool, including: 1. automatically creating a contingency list to run TRANSCARE simulations, including substation outages above a certain kV threshold, N-k (1, 2 or 3) generator outages and branche outages; 2. read in and analyze a CKO file of PCG definition, an initiating event list, and a CDN file; 3. post process all the simulation results saved in a CDN file and perform critical event corridor analysis; 4.more » provide a summary of TRANSCARE simulations; 5. Identify the most frequently occurring event corridors in the system; and 6. Rank the contingencies using a user defined security index to quantify consequences in terms of total load loss, total number of cascades, etc.« less

Meta-analysis of the effects of academic interventions and modifications on student behavior outcomes.

PubMed

Warmbold-Brann, Kristy; Burns, Matthew K; Preast, June L; Taylor, Crystal N; Aguilar, Lisa N

2017-09-01

The current study examined the effect of academic interventions and modifications on behavioral outcomes in a meta-analysis of 32 single-case design studies. Academic interventions included modifying task difficulty, providing instruction in reading, mathematics, or writing, and contingent reinforcement for academic performance. There was an overall small to moderate effect (ϕ = .56) on behavioral outcomes, with a stronger effect on increasing time on task (ϕ = .64) than on decreasing disruptive behavior (ϕ = .42). There was a small effect for using a performance-based contingent reinforcer (ϕ = .48). Interventions completed in an individual setting resulted in a moderate to large effects on behavior outcomes. Results of the current meta-analysis suggest that academic interventions can offer both positive academic and behavioral outcomes. Practical implications and suggestions for future research are included. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Probabilistic Seeking Prediction in P2P VoD Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Weiwei; Xu, Tianyin; Gao, Yang; Lu, Sanglu

In P2P VoD streaming systems, user behavior modeling is critical to help optimise user experience as well as system throughput. However, it still remains a challenging task due to the dynamic characteristics of user viewing behavior. In this paper, we consider the problem of user seeking prediction which is to predict the user's next seeking position so that the system can proactively make response. We present a novel method for solving this problem. In our method, frequent sequential patterns mining is first performed to extract abstract states which are not overlapped and cover the whole video file altogether. After mapping the raw training dataset to state transitions according to the abstract states, we use a simpel probabilistic contingency table to build the prediction model. We design an experiment on the synthetic P2P VoD dataset. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of our method.

Use of loglinear models to assess factors influencing concern for the natural environment.

PubMed

Lakhan, V Chris; Lavalle, Placido D

2002-07-01

Since it is necessary to isolate the most significant factors influencing personal concern for the environment, this paper utilizes loglinear models for identifying the interactions and interrelationships underlying multidimensional environmental survey data. A field study in Guyana conducted face-to-face interviews with 1600 citizens. Acquired categorical data were then subjected to loglinear modeling techniques to determine what significance the factors education, age, residential location, and gender have on personal concern for the environment. The loglinear models obtained from the five-dimensional contingency table suggest that there is a direct relationship between education and personal concern for the environment. Age has an interaction with education, and some influence on environmental concern, with younger respondents expressing higher concern for the environment than older respondents. Other results from the loglinear model demonstrate that residential location and the gender of the respondents do not have any statistically significant association with personal concern for the environment.

Efficient Exact Inference With Loss Augmented Objective in Structured Learning.

PubMed

Bauer, Alexander; Nakajima, Shinichi; Muller, Klaus-Robert

2016-08-19

Structural support vector machine (SVM) is an elegant approach for building complex and accurate models with structured outputs. However, its applicability relies on the availability of efficient inference algorithms--the state-of-the-art training algorithms repeatedly perform inference to compute a subgradient or to find the most violating configuration. In this paper, we propose an exact inference algorithm for maximizing nondecomposable objectives due to special type of a high-order potential having a decomposable internal structure. As an important application, our method covers the loss augmented inference, which enables the slack and margin scaling formulations of structural SVM with a variety of dissimilarity measures, e.g., Hamming loss, precision and recall, Fβ-loss, intersection over union, and many other functions that can be efficiently computed from the contingency table. We demonstrate the advantages of our approach in natural language parsing and sequence segmentation applications.

Motivation and Contingency Management Treatments for Substance Use Disorders.

PubMed

Walter, Kimberly N; Petry, Nancy M

2016-01-01

Contingency management (CM) is a highly efficacious psychosocial treatment for substance use disorders based on the principles of behavioral analysis. CM involves delivering a tangible positive reinforcer following objective evidence of submission of a drug-negative urine sample. Although CM interventions primarily involve applying extrinsic rewards, a patient's intrinsic motivation to change substance use behavior may also be impacted by CM. This chapter provides an introduction to CM interventions for substance use disorders and examines the impact of CM on intrinsic motivation . It also addresses applications of this intervention to other conditions and patient populations.

Life-table methods for detecting age-risk factor interactions in long-term follow-up studies.

PubMed

Logue, E E; Wing, S

1986-01-01

Methodological investigation has suggested that age-risk factor interactions should be more evident in age of experience life tables than in follow-up time tables due to the mixing of ages of experience over follow-up time in groups defined by age at initial examination. To illustrate the two approaches, age modification of the effect of total cholesterol on ischemic heart disease mortality in two long-term follow-up studies was investigated. Follow-up time life table analysis of 116 deaths over 20 years in one study was more consistent with a uniform relative risk due to cholesterol, while age of experience life table analysis was more consistent with a monotonic negative age interaction. In a second follow-up study (160 deaths over 24 years), there was no evidence of a monotonic negative age-cholesterol interaction by either method. It was concluded that age-specific life table analysis should be used when age-risk factor interactions are considered, but that both approaches yield almost identical results in absence of age interaction. The identification of the more appropriate life-table analysis should be ultimately guided by the nature of the age or time phenomena of scientific interest.

47 CFR 73.3517 - Contingent applications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Contingent applications. 73.3517 Section 73... BROADCAST SERVICES Rules Applicable to All Broadcast Stations § 73.3517 Contingent applications. Contingent applications for new stations and for changes in facilities of existing stations are not acceptable for filing...

78 FR 44909 - Regional Reliability Standard BAL-002-WECC-2-Contingency Reserve

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-25

...] Regional Reliability Standard BAL-002-WECC-2--Contingency Reserve AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory...-002-WECC-2 (Contingency Reserve). The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) and... contingency reserve required to ensure reliability under normal and abnormal conditions. The Commission also...

50 CFR 296.3 - Fishermen's contingency fund.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 9 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Fishermen's contingency fund. 296.3... ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE CONTINENTAL SHELF FISHERMEN'S CONTINGENCY FUND § 296.3 Fishermen's contingency fund. (a) General. There is established in the Treasury of the United States the Fishermen's...

50 CFR 296.3 - Fishermen's contingency fund.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Fishermen's contingency fund. 296.3... ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE CONTINENTAL SHELF FISHERMEN'S CONTINGENCY FUND § 296.3 Fishermen's contingency fund. (a) General. There is established in the Treasury of the United States the Fishermen's...

30 CFR 218.152 - Fishermen's Contingency Fund.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Fishermen's Contingency Fund. 218.152 Section 218.152 Mineral Resources MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MINERALS REVENUE..., Offshore § 218.152 Fishermen's Contingency Fund. Upon the establishment of the Fishermen's Contingency Fund...

Dissociating contingency awareness and conditioned attitudes: evidence of contingency-unaware evaluative conditioning.

PubMed

Hütter, Mandy; Sweldens, Steven; Stahl, Christoph; Unkelbach, Christian; Klauer, Karl Christoph

2012-08-01

Whether human evaluative conditioning can occur without contingency awareness has been the subject of an intense and ongoing debate for decades, troubled by a wide array of methodological difficulties. Following recent methodological innovations, the available evidence currently points to the conclusion that evaluative conditioning effects do not occur without contingency awareness. In a simulation, we demonstrate, however, that these innovations are strongly biased toward the conclusion that evaluative conditioning requires contingency awareness, confounding the measurement of contingency memory with conditioned attitudes. We adopt a process-dissociation procedure to separate the memory and attitude components. In 4 studies, the attitude parameter is validated using existing attitudes and applied to probe for contingency-unaware evaluative conditioning. A fifth experiment incorporates a time-delay manipulation confirming the dissociability of the attitude and memory components. The results indicate that evaluative conditioning can produce attitudes without conscious awareness of the contingencies. Implications for theories of evaluative conditioning and associative learning are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).

Contingent imitation increases verbal interaction in children with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Ishizuka, Yuka; Yamamoto, Jun-Ichi

2016-11-01

Several studies have suggested that contingent adult imitation increase nonverbal communication, such as attention and proximity to adults, in children with autism spectrum disorders. However, few studies have shown the effect of contingent imitation on verbal communication. This study examined whether children with autism were able to promote verbal interaction such as vocal imitation, vocalization, and vocal turn-taking via contingent imitation. We used an alternating treatment design composed of the conditions of contingent imitation and control for six children with autism (aged 33-63 months). For contingent imitation condition, adults imitated children's vocalization immediately. For control condition, adults did not imitate but gave a vocal response immediately. Results showed that in contingent imitation condition, all children increased the number of vocal imitations and vocal turn-takings compared with control condition. The number of vocalizations increased in both condition for all children. Overall, it is suggested that all children promote verbal interaction via contingent imitation. © The Author(s) 2016.

Modes of relating to contingency: An exploration of experiences in advanced cancer patients.

PubMed

Kruizinga, Renske; Hartog, Iris D; Scherer-Rath, Michael; Schilderman, Hans; Van Laarhoven, Hanneke

2017-08-01

Throughout their lives, people are confronted with unexpected life events, which can be difficult to incorporate into their life narratives. Such a confrontation can result in an experience of contingency. Different ways of relating to contingency have been described by Wuchterl: denying, acknowledging, and "encounter with the Other." In the present article, we aim to trace these theoretical distinctions in real-life experiences of patients. We analyzed 45 interviews using the constant comparative method with a directed content analysis approach in the Atlas.ti coding program. The interviews originated from a randomized controlled trial evaluating an assisted reflection on life events and ultimate life goals. Seven spiritual counselors from six hospitals in the Netherlands conducted the interviews from July of 2014 to March of 2016. All 45 patients had advanced cancer. We found four different modes into which relating to contingency can be classified: denying, acknowledging, accepting, and receiving. With denying, patients did not mention any impact of the life event on their lives. In acknowledging, the impact was recognized and a start was made to incorporate the event into their life. In accepting, patients went through a process of reinterpretation of the event. In receiving, patients talked about receiving insights from their illness and living a more conscious life. Our study is the first to investigate the different ways of relating to contingency in clinical practice. The defined modes will improve our understanding of the various ways in which cancer patients relate to their disease, allowing caregivers to better target and shape individual care.

The role of feedback contingency in perceptual category learning.

PubMed

Ashby, F Gregory; Vucovich, Lauren E

2016-11-01

Feedback is highly contingent on behavior if it eventually becomes easy to predict, and weakly contingent on behavior if it remains difficult or impossible to predict even after learning is complete. Many studies have demonstrated that humans and nonhuman animals are highly sensitive to feedback contingency, but no known studies have examined how feedback contingency affects category learning, and current theories assign little or no importance to this variable. Two experiments examined the effects of contingency degradation on rule-based and information-integration category learning. In rule-based tasks, optimal accuracy is possible with a simple explicit rule, whereas optimal accuracy in information-integration tasks requires integrating information from 2 or more incommensurable perceptual dimensions. In both experiments, participants each learned rule-based or information-integration categories under either high or low levels of feedback contingency. The exact same stimuli were used in all 4 conditions, and optimal accuracy was identical in every condition. Learning was good in both high-contingency conditions, but most participants showed little or no evidence of learning in either low-contingency condition. Possible causes of these effects, as well as their theoretical implications, are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

The Role of Feedback Contingency in Perceptual Category Learning

PubMed Central

Ashby, F. Gregory; Vucovich, Lauren E.

2016-01-01

Feedback is highly contingent on behavior if it eventually becomes easy to predict, and weakly contingent on behavior if it remains difficult or impossible to predict even after learning is complete. Many studies have demonstrated that humans and nonhuman animals are highly sensitive to feedback contingency, but no known studies have examined how feedback contingency affects category learning, and current theories assign little or no importance to this variable. Two experiments examined the effects of contingency degradation on rule-based and information-integration category learning. In rule-based tasks, optimal accuracy is possible with a simple explicit rule, whereas optimal accuracy in information-integration tasks requires integrating information from two or more incommensurable perceptual dimensions. In both experiments, participants each learned rule-based or information-integration categories under either high or low levels of feedback contingency. The exact same stimuli were used in all four conditions and optimal accuracy was identical in every condition. Learning was good in both high-contingency conditions, but most participants showed little or no evidence of learning in either low-contingency condition. Possible causes of these effects are discussed, as well as their theoretical implications. PMID:27149393

77 FR 76815 - Handling of Animals; Contingency Plans

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-31

... contingency plan system be implemented to accommodate small businesses. As a practical matter, one would... No. APHIS-2006-0159] RIN 0579-AC69 Handling of Animals; Contingency Plans AGENCY: Animal and Plant... regulations to add requirements for contingency planning and training of personnel by research facilities and...

Lupus nephritis and Raynaud's phenomenon are significant risk factors for vascular thrombosis in SLE patients with positive antiphospholipid antibodies.

PubMed

Choojitarom, Kittiwan; Verasertniyom, Orawan; Totemchokchyakarn, Kitti; Nantiruj, Kanokrat; Sumethkul, Vasant; Janwityanujit, Suchela

2008-03-01

This study is aimed to determine the predictors of nongravid vascular thrombosis in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with positive antiphospholipid antibodies (SLE-aPL). A cohort of 67 SLE-aPL patients who had at least one positive test for lupus anticoagulant (LA), anticardiolipin (aCL), or anti-beta2glycoprotein-1(B2) was examined. Main outcome was the presence of vascular thrombosis. Association between thrombosis and risk factors was examined by contingency table. The odds ratio (OR) of significant predictors was determined by logistic regression. Three percent of patients were LA(+), 6% were aCL(+), 31% were B2(+), 3% were aCL(+)LA(+), 35.8% were aCL(+)B2(+), 7.5% were LA(+)B2(+), and 13.4% were positive for all tests. As for clinical manifestations, 79% had lymphopenia, 76% had lupus nephritis (LN), 41.8% had autoimmune hemolytic anemia, 34.3% had thrombocytopenia, 20.9% had abortion, and 19.4% had Raynaud's phenomenon (RP). Thrombosis occurred in 26 patients. The prevalence of thrombosis for SLE-aPL was 38.8%. Thrombosis was observed more frequently in patients with LA(+) (12 of 18) than the others (14 of 49; p = 0.01). Two-by-two table showed that oral contraceptive and LN were significantly associated with increased risk of thrombosis, while lymphopenia and antimalarials were significantly associated with decreased risk of thrombosis. Multivariate analysis confirmed that LN and RP were associated with increased risk of thrombosis (OR = 6.2 and 3.2; p = 0.005 and 0.008), while lymphopenia and antimalarials were associated with decreased risk of thrombosis (OR = 0.86 and 0.18; p = 0.02 and 0.034). LA is the strongest test to determine the risk of thrombosis in SLE-aPL. The presence of LN and RP strongly predicts thrombosis, while lymphopenia and antimalarials are protective. These findings help to identify patients who may benefit from prophylactic therapy.

Standardized Pearson type 3 density function area tables

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cohen, A. C.; Helm, F. R.; Sugg, M.

1971-01-01

Tables constituting extension of similar tables published in 1936 are presented in report form. Single and triple parameter gamma functions are discussed. Report tables should interest persons concerned with development and use of numerical analysis and evaluation methods.

Arkansas, 2009 forest inventory and analysis factsheet

Treesearch

James F. Rosson

2011-01-01

The summary includes estimates of forest land area (table 1), ownership (table 2), forest-type groups (table 3), volume (tables 4 and 5), biomass (tables 6 and 7), and pine plantation area (table 8) along with maps of Arkansas’ survey units (fig. 1), percent forest by county (fig. 2), and distribution of pine plantations (fig. 3). The estimates are presented by survey...

Contingency learning is reduced for high conflict stimuli.

PubMed

Whitehead, Peter S; Brewer, Gene A; Patwary, Nowed; Blais, Chris

2016-09-16

Recent theories have proposed that contingency learning occurs independent of control processes. These parallel processing accounts propose that behavioral effects originally thought to be products of control processes are in fact products solely of contingency learning. This view runs contrary to conflict-mediated Hebbian-learning models that posit control and contingency learning are parts of an interactive system. In this study we replicate the contingency learning effect and modify it to further test the veracity of the parallel processing accounts in comparison to conflict-mediated Hebbian-learning models. This is accomplished by manipulating conflict to test for an interaction, or lack thereof, between conflict and contingency learning. The results are consistent with conflict-mediated Hebbian-learning in that the addition of conflict reduces the magnitude of the contingency learning effect. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An Analysis of Turnover Intentions: A Reexamination of Air Force Civil Engineering Company Grade Officers

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-01

edu 75 Appendix C Factor Analysis of Measurement Items Interrole conflict Factor Analysis (FA): Table: KMO and Bartlett’s Test Kaiser-Meyer...Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis. Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization. 77 POS FA: Table: KMO and Bartlett’s...Tempo FA: Table: KMO and Bartlett’s Test Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy. .733 Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity Approx. Chi-Square

The Effects of Non-Contingent Reinforcement on Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tramill, James L.; Kleinhammer, P. Jeannie

Typical learned helplessness research has involved the presentation of non-contingent, aversive events followed by measures of performance on subsequent tasks; recent investigations have focused on the effect of non-contingent rewards. To examine the effects of non-contingent rewards on children, two studies were conducted, in which children were…

A Review of the Use of Group Contingencies in Preschool Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pokorski, Elizabeth A.; Barton, Erin E.; Ledford, Jennifer R.

2017-01-01

Individual contingency management systems have been used successfully to improve behaviors in school settings--including preschools--but often come with associated challenges in time and personnel management. Group contingencies, in the form of independent, interdependent, and dependent contingencies, have been used in preschools to address these…

Treating aerophagia with contingent physical guidance.

PubMed

Garcia, D; Starin, S; Churchill, R M

2001-01-01

Contingent physical guidance was used to treat chronic aerophagia. This consisted of guiding the participant's hand over her mouth following each attempt to engage in aerophagia. A wristwatch was then correlated with the contingent physical guidance procedure. Responding remained low in the presence of the wristwatch, even after contingent physical guidance was withdrawn.

76 FR 73719 - Order Contingently Delegating Authority to the Chairman, the General Counsel, and the Chief...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-29

... NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD Order Contingently Delegating Authority to the Chairman, the...: Notice of Order Contingently Delegating Authority to the Chairman, the General Counsel, and the Chief Administrative Law Judge. SUMMARY: The National Labor Relations Board has issued an Order contingently delegating...

Contingency diagrams as teaching tools.

PubMed

Mattaini, M A

1995-01-01

Contingency diagrams are particularly effective teaching tools, because they provide a means for students to view the complexities of contingency networks present in natural and laboratory settings while displaying the elementary processes that constitute those networks. This paper sketches recent developments in this visualization technology and illustrates approaches for using contingency diagrams in teaching.

77 FR 66783 - National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan; Revision To Increase Public...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-07

...-AG73] National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan; Revision To Increase Public... Contingency Plan, to acknowledge advancements in technologies used to manage and convey information to the... Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP), to acknowledge advancements in technologies used to manage and...

Effects of Individual and Group Contingency Interventions on Attendance in Adolescent Part-Time Employees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berkovits, Shira Melody; Sturmey, Peter; Alvero, Alicia M.

2012-01-01

This study examined the effects of individual and group monetary contingencies on the attendance of adolescent part-time employees. Attendance increased in both individual and group contingency phases; however staff questionnaire responses indicated a preference for the individual contingencies. Future research should consider staff acceptability…

48 CFR 252.232-7011 - Payments in Support of Emergencies and Contingency Operations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Emergencies and Contingency Operations. 252.232-7011 Section 252.232-7011 Federal Acquisition Regulations... Emergencies and Contingency Operations. As prescribed in section 232.908, use the following clause: PAYMENTS IN SUPPORT OF EMERGENCIES AND CONTINGENCY OPERATIONS (JUL 2010) (a) Definitions of pertinent terms...

40 CFR 51.1012 - Requirement for contingency measures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Requirement for contingency measures... Implementation of PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standards § 51.1012 Requirement for contingency measures... contingency measures to be undertaken if the area fails to make reasonable further progress, or fails to...

49 CFR 1542.301 - Contingency plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 9 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Contingency plan. 1542.301 Section 1542.301..., DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY CIVIL AVIATION SECURITY AIRPORT SECURITY Contingency Measures § 1542.301 Contingency plan. (a) Each airport operator required to have a security program under § 1542.103(a) and (b...

40 CFR 264.227 - Emergency repairs; contingency plans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Emergency repairs; contingency plans... FACILITIES Surface Impoundments § 264.227 Emergency repairs; contingency plans. (a) A surface impoundment... days after detecting the problem. (c) As part of the contingency plan required in subpart D of this...

Contingency Software in Autonomous Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lutz, Robyn; Patterson-Hine, Ann

2006-01-01

This viewgraph presentation reviews the development of contingency software for autonomous systems. Autonomous vehicles currently have a limited capacity to diagnose and mitigate failures. There is a need to be able to handle a broader range of contingencies. The goals of the project are: 1. Speed up diagnosis and mitigation of anomalous situations.2.Automatically handle contingencies, not just failures.3.Enable projects to select a degree of autonomy consistent with their needs and to incrementally introduce more autonomy.4.Augment on-board fault protection with verified contingency scripts

Tank 241-B-108, cores 172 and 173 analytical results for the final report

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

Nuzum, J.L., Fluoro Daniel Hanford

1997-03-04

The Data Summary Table (Table 3) included in this report compiles analytical results in compliance with all applicable DQOS. Liquid subsamples that were prepared for analysis by an acid adjustment of the direct subsample are indicated by a `D` in the A column in Table 3. Solid subsamples that were prepared for analysis by performing a fusion digest are indicated by an `F` in the A column in Table 3. Solid subsamples that were prepared for analysis by performing a water digest are indicated by a I.wl. or an `I` in the A column of Table 3. Due to poormore » precision and accuracy in original analysis of both Lower Half Segment 2 of Core 173 and the core composite of Core 173, fusion and water digests were performed for a second time. Precision and accuracy improved with the repreparation of Core 173 Composite. Analyses with the repreparation of Lower Half Segment 2 of Core 173 did not show improvement and suggest sample heterogeneity. Results from both preparations are included in Table 3.« less

Adaptive Planning: Understanding Organizational Workload to Capability/ Capacity through Modeling and Simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hase, Chris

2010-01-01

In August 2003, the Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) established the Adaptive Planning (AP) initiative [1] with an objective of reducing the time necessary to develop and revise Combatant Commander (COCOM) contingency plans and increase SECDEF plan visibility. In addition to reducing the traditional plan development timeline from twenty-four months to less than twelve months (with a goal of six months)[2], AP increased plan visibility to Department of Defense (DoD) leadership through In-Progress Reviews (IPRs). The IPR process, as well as the increased number of campaign and contingency plans COCOMs had to develop, increased the workload while the number of planners remained fixed. Several efforts from collaborative planning tools to streamlined processes were initiated to compensate for the increased workload enabling COCOMS to better meet shorter planning timelines. This paper examines the Joint Strategic Capabilities Plan (JSCP) directed contingency planning and staffing requirements assigned to a combatant commander staff through the lens of modeling and simulation. The dynamics of developing a COCOM plan are captured with an ExtendSim [3] simulation. The resulting analysis provides a quantifiable means by which to measure a combatant commander staffs workload associated with development and staffing JSCP [4] directed contingency plans with COCOM capability/capacity. Modeling and simulation bring significant opportunities in measuring the sensitivity of key variables in the assessment of workload to capability/capacity analysis. Gaining an understanding of the relationship between plan complexity, number of plans, planning processes, and number of planners with time required for plan development provides valuable information to DoD leadership. Through modeling and simulation AP leadership can gain greater insight in making key decisions on knowing where to best allocate scarce resources in an effort to meet DoD planning objectives.

Counterfactual reasoning for regretted situations involving controllable versus uncontrollable events: the modulating role of contingent self-esteem.

PubMed

Wilkinson, Meredith R; Ball, Linden J; Alford, David

2015-01-01

We report a study that examined the modulating impact of contingent self-esteem on regret intensity for regretted outcomes associated with controllable versus uncontrollable events. The Contingent Self-Esteem Scale (e.g., Kernis & Goldman, 2006) was used to assess the extent to which a person's sense of self-worth is based on self and others' expectations. We found that there was an influence of self-esteem contingency for controllable but not for uncontrollable regret types. For controllable regret types individuals with a high contingent (i.e., unstable) self-esteem reported greater regret intensity than those with a low contingent (i.e., stable) self-esteem. We interpret this finding as reflecting a functional and adaptive role of high contingent self-esteem in terms of mobilizing the application of counterfactual reasoning and planning mechanisms that can enable personal expectations to be achieved in the future.

Counterfactual Reasoning for Regretted Situations Involving Controllable Versus Uncontrollable Events: The Modulating Role of Contingent Self-Esteem

PubMed Central

Wilkinson, Meredith R.; Ball, Linden J.; Alford, David

2015-01-01

We report a study that examined the modulating impact of contingent self-esteem on regret intensity for regretted outcomes associated with controllable versus uncontrollable events. The Contingent Self-Esteem Scale (e.g., Kernis & Goldman, 2006) was used to assess the extent to which a person’s sense of self-worth is based on self and others’ expectations. We found that there was an influence of self-esteem contingency for controllable but not for uncontrollable regret types. For controllable regret types individuals with a high contingent (i.e., unstable) self-esteem reported greater regret intensity than those with a low contingent (i.e., stable) self-esteem. We interpret this finding as reflecting a functional and adaptive role of high contingent self-esteem in terms of mobilizing the application of counterfactual reasoning and planning mechanisms that can enable personal expectations to be achieved in the future. PMID:25883697

Converging technologies: a critical analysis of cognitive enhancement for public policy application.

PubMed

Makridis, Christos

2013-09-01

This paper investigates cognitive enhancement, specifically biological cognitive enhancement (BCE), as a converging technology, and its implications for public policy. With an increasing rate of technological advancements, the legal, social, and economic frameworks lag behind the scientific advancements that they support. This lag poses significant challenges for policymakers if it is not dealt with sufficiently within the right analytical context. Therefore, the driving question behind this paper is, "What contingencies inform the advancement of biological cognitive enhancement, and what would society look like under this set of assumptions?" The paper is divided into five components: (1) defining the current policy context for BCEs, (2) analyzing the current social and economic outcomes to BCEs, (3) investigating the context of cost-benefit arguments in relation to BCEs, (4) proposing an analytical model for evaluating contingencies for BCE development, and (5) evaluating a simulated policy, social, technological, and economic context given the contingencies. In order to manage the risk and uncertainty inherent in technological change, BCEs' drivers must be scrutinized and evaluated.

Verification of aerial photo stand volume tables for southeast Alaska.

Treesearch

Theodore S. Setzer; Bert R. Mead

1988-01-01

Aerial photo volume tables are used in the multilevel sampling system of Alaska Forest Inventory and Analysis. These volume tables are presented with a description of the data base and methods used to construct the tables. Volume estimates compiled from the aerial photo stand volume tables and associated ground-measured values are compared and evaluated.

Development of Medical Technology for Contingency Response to Marrow Toxic Agents

DTIC Science & Technology

1. Contingency Preparedness: Collect information from transplant centers, build awareness of the Transplant Center Contingency Planning Committee and...Matched Donors: Increase operational efficiencies that accelerate the search process and increase patient access are key to preparedness in a contingency ...Transplantation: Create a platform that facilitates multicenter collaboration and data management.

The Role of Feedback Contingency in Perceptual Category Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ashby, F. Gregory; Vucovich, Lauren E.

2016-01-01

Feedback is highly contingent on behavior if it eventually becomes easy to predict, and weakly contingent on behavior if it remains difficult or impossible to predict even after learning is complete. Many studies have demonstrated that humans and nonhuman animals are highly sensitive to feedback contingency, but no known studies have examined how…

Treating aerophagia with contingent physical guidance.

PubMed Central

Garcia, D; Starin, S; Churchill, R M

2001-01-01

Contingent physical guidance was used to treat chronic aerophagia. This consisted of guiding the participant's hand over her mouth following each attempt to engage in aerophagia. A wristwatch was then correlated with the contingent physical guidance procedure. Responding remained low in the presence of the wristwatch, even after contingent physical guidance was withdrawn. PMID:11317995

40 CFR 267.53 - Who must have copies of the contingency plan?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... contingency plan? 267.53 Section 267.53 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... UNDER A STANDARDIZED PERMIT Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures § 267.53 Who must have copies of the contingency plan? (a) You must maintain a copy of the plan with all revisions at the facility; and...

40 CFR 267.53 - Who must have copies of the contingency plan?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... contingency plan? 267.53 Section 267.53 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... UNDER A STANDARDIZED PERMIT Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures § 267.53 Who must have copies of the contingency plan? (a) You must maintain a copy of the plan with all revisions at the facility; and...

40 CFR 267.53 - Who must have copies of the contingency plan?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... contingency plan? 267.53 Section 267.53 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... UNDER A STANDARDIZED PERMIT Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures § 267.53 Who must have copies of the contingency plan? (a) You must maintain a copy of the plan with all revisions at the facility; and...

40 CFR 267.53 - Who must have copies of the contingency plan?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... contingency plan? 267.53 Section 267.53 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... UNDER A STANDARDIZED PERMIT Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures § 267.53 Who must have copies of the contingency plan? (a) You must maintain a copy of the plan with all revisions at the facility; and...

40 CFR 109.5 - Development and implementation criteria for State, local and regional oil removal contingency plans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... assistance from Federal authorities operating under existing national and regional contingency plans. (3) A... criteria for State, local and regional oil removal contingency plans. 109.5 Section 109.5 Protection of... OIL REMOVAL CONTINGENCY PLANS § 109.5 Development and implementation criteria for State, local and...

40 CFR 109.5 - Development and implementation criteria for State, local and regional oil removal contingency plans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... assistance from Federal authorities operating under existing national and regional contingency plans. (3) A... for State, local and regional oil removal contingency plans. 109.5 Section 109.5 Protection of... OIL REMOVAL CONTINGENCY PLANS § 109.5 Development and implementation criteria for State, local and...

48 CFR 225.7303-4 - Contingent fees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Contingent fees. 225.7303....7303-4 Contingent fees. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection, contingent fees are generally allowable under DoD contracts, provided— (1) The fees are paid to a bona fide employee or a bona...

78 FR 64402 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; California; South Coast; Contingency Measures...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-29

...] Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; California; South Coast; Contingency Measures for 1997...) contingency measure requirements for the 1997 annual and 24-hour national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS... Contingency Measures for the 2007 PM 2.5 SIP'' (dated October 2011), which the California Air Resources Board...

The Graduate School and Its Organizational Structure: A Contingency Theory Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanford, Judith Babcock

Contingency theory, the formal structure of graduate schools, and the applicability of contingency variables to graduate schools as organizations are examined. Contingency theory is based on an open systems concept that views an organization as composed of many interdependent parts that are interacting with one another. It also holds that under…

78 FR 34303 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; North Carolina; Removal of Stage II Gasoline...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-07

... associated maintenance plans, North Carolina provided contingency measures that included regulation 15A North... contingency measures that were also included in the 1- hour ozone maintenance plans. These contingency... the contingency measures in its SIP for the Charlotte-Gastonia, Greensboro-Winston-Salem-High Point...

29 CFR 4022.27 - Phase-in of guarantee of unpredictable contingent event benefits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 29 Labor 9 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Phase-in of guarantee of unpredictable contingent event... Guaranteed Benefits § 4022.27 Phase-in of guarantee of unpredictable contingent event benefits. (a) Scope... event benefit (UCEB) and that is payable with respect to an unpredictable contingent event (UCE) that...

Early Child Contingency Learning and Detection: Research Evidence and Implications for Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunst, Carl J.; Trivette, Carol M.; Raab, Melinda; Masiello, Tracy L.

2008-01-01

The types of contingency experiences infants and young children are typically exposed to are examined with a focus on the implications for early childhood intervention with young children who have developmental disabilities and delays. Studies of response-contingent child learning, the manner in which contingencies are not under direct child…

40 CFR 267.53 - Who must have copies of the contingency plan?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... contingency plan? 267.53 Section 267.53 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... UNDER A STANDARDIZED PERMIT Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures § 267.53 Who must have copies of the contingency plan? (a) You must maintain a copy of the plan with all revisions at the facility; and...

Contingent self-worth moderates the relationship between school stressors and psychological stress responses.

PubMed

Ishizu, Kenichiro

2017-04-01

This study examined the moderating role of contingent self-worth on the relationships between school stressors and psychological stress responses among Japanese adolescents. A total of 371 Japanese junior high school students (184 boys and 187 girls, M age  = 12.79 years, SD = 0.71) completed the Japanese version of the Self-Worth Contingency Questionnaire and a mental health checklist at two points separated by a two-month interval. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were then used to determine whether contingent self-worth moderated the relationship between school stressors and psychological stress responses. The results indicated that, when psychological stress responses were controlled for at Time 1, contingent self-worth did not predict the psychological stress responses at Time 2. However, a two-way interaction between contingent self-worth and stressors was found to significantly influence psychological stress responses, thus indicating that stressors had a stronger impact on psychological stress responses among those with high contingent self-worth compared to those with low contingent self-worth. Copyright © 2017 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Contingency Management of Health Care Organizations: It Depends.

PubMed

Olden, Peter C

Managers in health care organizations (HCOs) must perform many processes and activities, such as planning goals, designing organization structure, leading people, motivating employees, making decisions, and resolving conflict. How they do all this strongly affects the performance and outcomes of their organizations and themselves. Some managers develop a usual way of performing their jobs and achieve some success with a preferred method of leading or a favorite approach to motivating. However, their success will be limited if they always rely on a standard "1-size-fits-all" approach. This is because contingency factors influence the effectiveness of a given approach to managing. The "best" approach depends on contingency factors, including the situation and the people involved. Managers should choose an approach to fit with the changing contingency factors. This article explains why and how managers should develop a contingency approach to managing HCOs. The development of contingency theory is briefly described. Practical application of contingency management is explained for leading, motivating, decision making, and resolving conflict. By using a contingency approach, managers can be more effective when managing their HCOs.

Image Analysis Program for Measuring Particles with the Zeiss CSM 950 Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-01-01

7 𔄁 . ,: 1& *U _’ ś TECHNICAL REPORT AD NATICK/TR-90/014 (V) N* IMAGE ANALYSIS PROGRAM FOR MEASURING PARTICLES < WITH THE ZEISS CSM 950 SCANNING... image analysis program for measuring particles using the Zeiss CSM 950/Kontron system is as follows: A>CSM calls the image analysis program. Press D to...27 vili LIST OF TABLES TABLE PAGE 1. Image Analysis Program for Measuring 29 Spherical Particles 14 2. Printout of Statistical Data Frcm Table 1 16 3

Contingency learning is not affected by conflict experience: Evidence from a task conflict-free, item-specific Stroop paradigm.

PubMed

Levin, Yulia; Tzelgov, Joseph

2016-02-01

A contingency learning account of the item-specific proportion congruent effect has been described as an associative stimulus-response learning process that has nothing to do with controlling the Stroop conflict. As supportive evidence, contingency learning has been demonstrated with response conflict-free stimuli, such as neutral words. However, what gives rise to response conflict and to Stroop interference in general is task conflict. The present study investigated whether task conflict can constitute a trigger or, alternatively, a booster to the contingency learning process. This was done by employing a "task conflict-free" condition (i.e., geometric shapes) and comparing it with a "task conflict" condition (i.e., neutral words). The results showed a significant contingency learning effect in both conditions, refuting the possibility that contingency learning is triggered by the presence of a task conflict. Contingency learning was also not enhanced by the task conflict experience, indicating its complete insensitivity to Stroop conflict(s). Thus, the results showed no evidence that performance optimization as a result of contingency learning is greater under conflict, implying that contingency learning is not recruited to assist the control system to overcome conflict. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of contingency awareness on neural, electrodermal and evaluative responses during fear conditioning

PubMed Central

Merz, Christian J.; Klucken, Tim; Schweckendiek, Jan; Vaitl, Dieter; Wolf, Oliver T.; Stark, Rudolf

2011-01-01

In an fMRI study, effects of contingency awareness on conditioned responses were assessed in three groups comprising 118 subjects. A differential fear-conditioning paradigm with visual conditioned stimuli, an electrical unconditioned stimulus and two distractors was applied. The instructed aware group was informed about the contingencies, whereas the distractors prevented contingency detection in the unaware group. The third group (learned aware) was not informed about the contingencies, but learned them despite the distractors. Main effects of contingency awareness on conditioned responses emerged in several brain structures. Post hoc tests revealed differential dorsal anterior cingulate, insula and ventral striatum responses in aware conditioning only, whereas the amygdala was activated independent of contingency awareness. Differential responses of the hippocampus were specifically observed in learned aware subjects, indicating a role in the development of contingency awareness. The orbitofrontal cortex showed varying response patterns: lateral structures showed higher responses in instructed aware than unaware subjects, the opposite was true for medial parts. Conditioned subjective and electrodermal responses emerged only in the two aware groups. These results confirm the independence of conditioned amygdala responses from contingency awareness and indicate specific neural circuits for different aspects of fear acquisition in unaware, learned aware and instructed aware subjects. PMID:20693389

Does temporal contiguity moderate contingency learning in a speeded performance task?

PubMed

Schmidt, James R; De Houwer, Jan

2012-01-01

In four experiments, we varied the time between the onset of distracting nonwords and target colour words in a word-word version of the colour-word contingency learning paradigm. Contingencies were created by pairing a distractor nonword more often with one target colour word than with other colour words. A contingency effect corresponds to faster responses to the target colour word on high-contingency trials (i.e., distractor nonword followed by the target colour word with which it appears most often) than on low-contingency trials (i.e., distractor nonword followed by a target colour word with which it appears only occasionally). Roughly equivalent-sized contingency effects were found at stimulus-onset asynchronies (SOAs) of 50, 250, and 450 ms in Experiment 1, and 50, 500, and 1,000 ms in Experiment 2. In Experiment 3, a contingency effect was observed at SOAs of -50, -200, and -350 ms. In Experiment 4, interstimulus interval (ISI) was varied along with SOA, and learning was equivalent for 200-, 700-, and 1,200-ms SOAs. Together, these experiments suggest that the distracting stimulus does not need to be presented in close temporal contiguity with the response to induce learning. Relations to past research on causal judgement and implications for further contingency learning research are discussed.

Functional Analysis and Treatment of Noncompliance by Preschool Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilder, David A.; Harris, Carelle; Reagan, Renee; Rasey, Amy

2007-01-01

A functional analysis showed that noncompliance occurred most often for 2 preschoolers when it resulted in termination of a preferred activity, suggesting that noncompliance was maintained by positive reinforcement. A differential reinforcement procedure, which involved contingent access to coupons that could be exchanged for uninterrupted access…

Internet-based group contingency management to promote abstinence from cigarette smoking: A feasibility study

PubMed Central

Meredith, Steven E.; Grabinski, Michael J.; Dallery, Jesse

2011-01-01

Background In contingency management (CM) interventions, monetary consequences are contingent on evidence of drug abstinence. Typically, these consequences are contingent on individual performance. Consequences contingent on group performance may promote social support (e.g., praise). Methods Thus, to combine social support with the monetary incentives of CM, we integrated independent and interdependent group contingencies of reinforcement into an Internet-based intervention to promote smoking abstinence. Breath carbon monoxide (CO) measures were compared between treatment conditions and a baseline control condition. Thirteen participants were divided into 5 groups or “teams” (n = 2–3 per team). Each participant submitted video recordings of CO measurement twice daily via the Internet. Teammates could monitor each other’s progress and communicate with one another through an online peer support forum. During a 4-day tapering condition, vouchers exchangeable for goods were contingent on gradual reductions in breath CO. During a 10-day abstinence induction condition, vouchers were contingent on abstinence (CO ≤4 ppm). In both treatment conditions, concurrent independent and interdependent group contingencies were arranged (i.e., a mixed contingency arrangement). Results Less than 1% of CO samples submitted during baseline were ≤4 ppm, compared to 57% submitted during abstinence induction. Sixty-five percent of participants’ comments on the online peer support forum were rated as positive by independent observers. Participants rated the intervention favorably on a treatment acceptability questionnaire. Conclusion The results suggest that the intervention is feasible and acceptable for promoting abstinence from cigarette smoking. PMID:21414733

Impaired awareness of action-outcome contingency and causality during healthy ageing and following ventromedial prefrontal cortex lesions.

PubMed

O'Callaghan, Claire; Vaghi, Matilde M; Brummerloh, Berit; Cardinal, Rudolf N; Robbins, Trevor W

2018-02-02

Detecting causal relationships between actions and their outcomes is fundamental to guiding goal-directed behaviour. The ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) has been extensively implicated in computing these environmental contingencies, via animal lesion models and human neuroimaging. However, whether the vmPFC is critical for contingency learning, and whether it can occur without subjective awareness of those contingencies, has not been established. To address this, we measured response adaption to contingency and subjective awareness of action-outcome relationships in individuals with vmPFC lesions and healthy elderly subjects. We showed that in both vmPFC damage and ageing, successful behavioural adaptation to variations in action-outcome contingencies was maintained, but subjective awareness of these contingencies was reduced. These results highlight two contexts where performance and awareness have been dissociated, and show that learning response-outcome contingencies to guide behaviour can occur without subjective awareness. Preserved responding in the vmPFC group suggests that this region is not critical for computing action-outcome contingencies to guide behaviour. In contrast, our findings highlight a critical role for the vmPFC in supporting awareness, or metacognitive ability, during learning. We further advance the hypothesis that responding to changing environmental contingencies, whilst simultaneously maintaining conscious awareness of those statistical regularities, is a form of dual-tasking that is impaired in ageing due to reduced prefrontal function. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Are behaviors at one alternative in concurrent schedules independent of contingencies at the other alternative?

PubMed

MacDonall, James S

2017-09-01

Some have reported changing the schedule at one alternative of a concurrent schedule changed responding at the other alternative (Catania, 1969), which seems odd because no contingencies were changed there. When concurrent schedules are programmed using two schedules, one associated with each alternative that operate continuously, changing the schedule at one alternative also changes the switch schedule at the other alternative. Thus, changes in responding at the constant alternative could be due to the change in the switch schedule. To assess this possibility, six rats were exposed to a series of conditions that alternated between pairs of interval schedules at both alternatives and a pair of interval schedules at one, constant, alternative and a pair of extinction schedules at the other alternative. Comparing run lengths, visit durations and response rates at the constant alternative in the alternating conditions did not show consistent increases and decreases when a strict criterion for changes was used. Using a less stringent definition (any change in mean values) showed changes. The stay/switch analysis suggests it may be inaccurate to apply behavioral contrast to procedures that change from concurrent variable-interval variable-interval schedules to concurrent variable-interval extinction schedules because the contingencies in neither alternative are constant. © 2017 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Validation and evaluation of epistemic uncertainty in rainfall thresholds for regional scale landslide forecasting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gariano, Stefano Luigi; Brunetti, Maria Teresa; Iovine, Giulio; Melillo, Massimo; Peruccacci, Silvia; Terranova, Oreste Giuseppe; Vennari, Carmela; Guzzetti, Fausto

2015-04-01

Prediction of rainfall-induced landslides can rely on empirical rainfall thresholds. These are obtained from the analysis of past rainfall events that have (or have not) resulted in slope failures. Accurate prediction requires reliable thresholds, which need to be validated before their use in operational landslide warning systems. Despite the clear relevance of validation, only a few studies have addressed the problem, and have proposed and tested robust validation procedures. We propose a validation procedure that allows for the definition of optimal thresholds for early warning purposes. The validation is based on contingency table, skill scores, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. To establish the optimal threshold, which maximizes the correct landslide predictions and minimizes the incorrect predictions, we propose an index that results from the linear combination of three weighted skill scores. Selection of the optimal threshold depends on the scope and the operational characteristics of the early warning system. The choice is made by selecting appropriately the weights, and by searching for the optimal (maximum) value of the index. We discuss weakness in the validation procedure caused by the inherent lack of information (epistemic uncertainty) on landslide occurrence typical of large study areas. When working at the regional scale, landslides may have occurred and may have not been reported. This results in biases and variations in the contingencies and the skill scores. We introduce two parameters to represent the unknown proportion of rainfall events (above and below the threshold) for which landslides occurred and went unreported. We show that even a very small underestimation in the number of landslides can result in a significant decrease in the performance of a threshold measured by the skill scores. We show that the variations in the skill scores are different for different uncertainty of events above or below the threshold. This has consequences in the ROC analysis. We applied the proposed procedure to a catalogue of rainfall conditions that have resulted in landslides, and to a set of rainfall events that - presumably - have not resulted in landslides, in Sicily, in the period 2002-2012. First, we determined regional event duration-cumulated event (ED) rainfall thresholds for shallow landslide occurrence using 200 rainfall conditions that have resulted in 223 shallow landslides in Sicily in the period 2002-2011. Next, we validated the thresholds using 29 rainfall conditions that have triggered 42 shallow landslides in Sicily in 2012, and 1250 rainfall events that presumably have not resulted in landslides in the same year. We performed a back analysis simulating the use of the thresholds in a hypothetical landslide warning system operating in 2012.

An Investigation of the Effects of Deposit Feeding Invertebrates on the Structural Properties of Clay Minerals.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-07-01

Dennis M. Lavoie of NORDA for chemical analysis of clay minerals with the x-ray energy dispersive spectrometer. We thank Fred Bowles, Peter Fleischer...diffractograi of Nuculana acuta fecal pellet 11 residue (illite experiment). TABLES TABLE 1. X-ray energy dispersive spectrometer chemical 8 analysis for...inontmorillonite experiments. Counts for elements after background counts removed. TABLE 2. X-ray energy dispersive spectroneter chemical analysis 12 for

Mobile Wastewater Treatment Technology for Contingency Bases

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-05-24

Def nse Cent rgy and Environment Contingency Base Wastewater Treatment Options Option Advantages Disadvantages Tanking and Trucking Offsite Low...National Defense Center for Energy and Environment Mobile Wastewater Treatment f or Contingency Bases, May 2012 1 National Def nse Cent rgy and...Environment DoD Executive Agent Mobile Wastewater Treatment Technology for Contingency Bases Shan Abeywickrama, NDCEE/CTC Elizabeth Keysar

48 CFR 50.205-3 - Authorization of offers contingent upon SAFETY Act designation or certification before contract...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

...— (i) For offers contingent upon SAFETY Act designation, a pre-qualification designation notice or a block designation; or (ii) For offers contingent upon SAFETY Act certification, a block certification... contingent upon SAFETY Act designation or certification before contract award. 50.205-3 Section 50.205-3...

25 CFR 39.504 - May schools carry over contingency funds to a subsequent fiscal year?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false May schools carry over contingency funds to a subsequent fiscal year? 39.504 Section 39.504 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR EDUCATION THE INDIAN SCHOOL EQUALIZATION PROGRAM Contingency Fund § 39.504 May schools carry over contingency...

Temporal contingency

PubMed Central

Gallistel, C.R.; Craig, Andrew R.; Shahan, Timothy A.

2015-01-01

Contingency, and more particularly temporal contingency, has often figured in thinking about the nature of learning. However, it has never been formally defined in such a way as to make it a measure that can be applied to most animal learning protocols. We use elementary information theory to define contingency in such a way as to make it a measurable property of almost any conditioning protocol. We discuss how making it a measurable construct enables the exploration of the role of different contingencies in the acquisition and performance of classically and operantly conditioned behavior. PMID:23994260

When does self-esteem relate to deviant behavior? The role of contingencies of self-worth.

PubMed

Ferris, D Lance; Brown, Douglas J; Lian, Huiwen; Keeping, Lisa M

2009-09-01

Researchers have assumed that low self-esteem predicts deviance, but empirical results have been mixed. This article draws upon recent theoretical developments regarding contingencies of self-worth to clarify the self-esteem/deviance relation. It was predicted that self-esteem level would relate to deviance only when self-esteem was not contingent on workplace performance. In this manner, contingent self-esteem is a boundary condition for self-consistency/behavioral plasticity theory predictions. Using multisource data collected from 123 employees over 6 months, the authors examined the interaction between level (high/low) and type (contingent/noncontingent) of self-esteem in predicting workplace deviance. Results support the hypothesized moderating effects of contingent self-esteem; implications for self-esteem theories are discussed.

Skype me! Socially Contingent Interactions Help Toddlers Learn Language

PubMed Central

Roseberry, Sarah; Hirsh-Pasek, Kathy; Golinkoff, Roberta Michnick

2013-01-01

Language learning takes place in the context of social interactions, yet the mechanisms that render social interactions useful for learning language remain unclear. This paper focuses on whether social contingency might support word learning. Toddlers aged 24- to 30-months (N=36) were exposed to novel verbs in one of three conditions: live interaction training, socially contingent video training over video chat, and non-contingent video training (yoked video). Results suggest that children only learned novel verbs in socially contingent interactions (live interactions and video chat). The current study highlights the importance of social contingency in interactions for language learning and informs the literature on learning through screen media as the first study to examine word learning through video chat technology. PMID:24112079

Risk Factors for Sexual Violence in the Military: An Analysis of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Incidents and Reporting

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-01

53 ix LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Descriptive Statistics for Control Variables by... Statistics for Control Variables by Gender (Random Subsample with Complete Survey) ............................................................30 Table...empirical analysis. Chapter IV describes the summary statistics and results. Finally, Chapter V offers concluding thoughts, study limitations, and

A Process Improvement Study on a Military System of Clinics to Manage Patient Demand and Resource Utilization Using Discrete-Event Simulation, Sensitivity Analysis, and Cost-Benefit Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-03-12

26 Table 3: Optometry Clinic Frequency Count... Optometry Clinic Frequency Count.................................................................. 86 Table 22: Probability Distribution Summary Table...Clinic, the Audiology Clinic, and the Optometry Clinic. Methodology Overview The overarching research goal is to identify feasible solutions to

Financial prep for Y2K.

PubMed

Lewis, A G; Weingart, V S

1999-01-01

The financial impact of Y2K will be significant and, in some cases, devastating. Careful analysis will help health care organizations prepare for all contingencies and set aside the necessary resources to become compliant.

Analysis of integrated healthcare networks' performance: a contingency-strategic management perspective.

PubMed

Lin, B Y; Wan, T T

1999-12-01

Few empirical analyses have been done in the organizational researches of integrated healthcare networks (IHNs) or integrated healthcare delivery systems. Using a contingency derived contact-process-performance model, this study attempts to explore the relationships among an IHN's strategic direction, structural design, and performance. A cross-sectional analysis of 100 IHNs suggests that certain contextual factors such as market competition and network age and tax status have statistically significant effects on the implementation of an IHN's service differentiation strategy, which addresses coordination and control in the market. An IHN's service differentiation strategy is positively related to its integrated structural design, which is characterized as integration of administration, patient care, and information system across different settings. However, no evidence supports that the development of integrated structural design may benefit an IHN's performance in terms of clinical efficiency and financial viability.

Comparison of escitalopram versus citalopram for the treatment of major depressive disorder in a geriatric population.

PubMed

Wu, Eric; Greenberg, Paul E; Yang, Elaine; Yu, Andrew; Erder, M Haim

2008-09-01

To compare escitalopram versus citalopram for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) in geriatric patients. Administrative claims data (2003-2005) were analyzed for patients aged > or =65 years with at least one inpatient claim or two independent medical claims associated with MDD diagnosis. Patients were continuously enrolled for at least 12 months, filled at least one prescription for citalopram or escitalopram and had no second generation antidepressant use during the 6-month pre-index date. Contingency table analysis and survival analysis were used to compare outcomes between the two treatment groups. Treatment persistence, hospitalization utilization, and prescription drug, medical, and total healthcare costs were analyzed. Outcomes were compared between patients initiated on escitalopram and those initiated on citalopram both descriptively and using multivariate analysis adjusting for baseline characteristics. Among 691 geriatric patients, escitalopram-treated patients (n=459) were less likely to discontinue treatment (hazard ratio [HR]=0.83, p=0.049) or switch to another second generation antidepressant (HR=0.62, p=0.001) compared to patients treated with citalopram (n=232). Patients treated with escitalopram had a significantly lower hospitalization rate (31.2% vs. 38.8%, p=0.045) and 66% fewer hospitalization days based on negative binomial regression (p<0.001). While escitalopram patients had comparable prescription drug costs, they had lower total medical service costs (regression: $9748 vs. $19,208, p<0.001) and lower total healthcare costs (regression: $11,434 vs. $20,601, p<0.001). This study's limitations include its small sample size, short observational periods and exclusivity of indirect costs. Geriatric patients treated with escitalopram had better treatment persistence, fewer hospitalizations, and lower medical and total healthcare costs than patients treated with citalopram. Most of the cost reduction was attributable to significantly lower hospitalizations and total medical costs.

SOCR Analyses - an Instructional Java Web-based Statistical Analysis Toolkit.

PubMed

Chu, Annie; Cui, Jenny; Dinov, Ivo D

2009-03-01

The Statistical Online Computational Resource (SOCR) designs web-based tools for educational use in a variety of undergraduate courses (Dinov 2006). Several studies have demonstrated that these resources significantly improve students' motivation and learning experiences (Dinov et al. 2008). SOCR Analyses is a new component that concentrates on data modeling and analysis using parametric and non-parametric techniques supported with graphical model diagnostics. Currently implemented analyses include commonly used models in undergraduate statistics courses like linear models (Simple Linear Regression, Multiple Linear Regression, One-Way and Two-Way ANOVA). In addition, we implemented tests for sample comparisons, such as t-test in the parametric category; and Wilcoxon rank sum test, Kruskal-Wallis test, Friedman's test, in the non-parametric category. SOCR Analyses also include several hypothesis test models, such as Contingency tables, Friedman's test and Fisher's exact test.The code itself is open source (http://socr.googlecode.com/), hoping to contribute to the efforts of the statistical computing community. The code includes functionality for each specific analysis model and it has general utilities that can be applied in various statistical computing tasks. For example, concrete methods with API (Application Programming Interface) have been implemented in statistical summary, least square solutions of general linear models, rank calculations, etc. HTML interfaces, tutorials, source code, activities, and data are freely available via the web (www.SOCR.ucla.edu). Code examples for developers and demos for educators are provided on the SOCR Wiki website.In this article, the pedagogical utilization of the SOCR Analyses is discussed, as well as the underlying design framework. As the SOCR project is on-going and more functions and tools are being added to it, these resources are constantly improved. The reader is strongly encouraged to check the SOCR site for most updated information and newly added models.

Lack of validation of genetic variants associated with anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy response in rheumatoid arthritis: a genome-wide association study replication and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Márquez, Ana; Ferreiro-Iglesias, Aida; Dávila-Fajardo, Cristina L; Montes, Ariana; Pascual-Salcedo, Dora; Perez-Pampin, Eva; Moreno-Ramos, Manuel J; García-Portales, Rosa; Navarro, Federico; Moreira, Virginia; Magro, César; Caliz, Rafael; Ferrer, Miguel Angel; Alegre-Sancho, Juan José; Joven, Beatriz; Carreira, Patricia; Balsa, Alejandro; Vasilopoulos, Yiannis; Sarafidou, Theologia; Cabeza-Barrera, José; Narvaez, Javier; Raya, Enrique; Cañete, Juan D; Fernández-Nebro, Antonio; Ordóñez, María del Carmen; de la Serna, Arturo R; Magallares, Berta; Gomez-Reino, Juan J; González, Antonio; Martín, Javier

2014-03-11

In this study, our aim was to elucidate the role of four polymorphisms identified in a prior large genome-wide association study (GWAS) in which the investigators analyzed the responses of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to treatment with tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi). The authors of that study reported that the four genetic variants were significantly associated. However, none of the associations reached GWAS significance, and two subsequent studies failed to replicate these associations. The four polymorphisms (rs12081765, rs1532269, rs17301249 and rs7305646) were genotyped in a total of 634 TNFi-treated RA patients of Spanish Caucasian origin. Four outcomes were evaluated: changes in the Disease Activity Score in 28 joints (DAS28) after 6 and 12 months of treatment and classification according to the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) response criteria at the same time points. Association with DAS28 changes was assessed by linear regression using an additive genetic model. Contingency tables of genotype and allele frequencies between EULAR responder and nonresponder patients were compared. In addition, we combined our data with those of previously reported studies in a meta-analysis including 2,998 RA patients. None of the four genetic variants showed an association with response to TNFi in any of the four outcomes analyzed in our Spanish patients. In addition, only rs1532269 yielded a suggestive association (P = 0.0033) with the response to TNFi when available data from previous studies were combined in the meta-analysis. Our data suggest that the rs12081765, rs1532269, rs17301249 and rs7305646 genetic variants do not have a role as genetic predictors of TNFi treatment outcomes.

A meta-analysis of use of Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System Version 2 (PI-RADS V2) with multiparametric MR imaging for the detection of prostate cancer.

PubMed

Zhang, Li; Tang, Min; Chen, Sipan; Lei, Xiaoyan; Zhang, Xiaoling; Huan, Yi

2017-12-01

This meta-analysis was undertaken to review the diagnostic accuracy of PI-RADS V2 for prostate cancer (PCa) detection with multiparametric MR (mp-MR). A comprehensive literature search of electronic databases was performed by two observers independently. Inclusion criteria were original research using the PI-RADS V2 system in reporting prostate MRI. The methodological quality was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2) tool. Data necessary to complete 2 × 2 contingency tables were obtained from the included studies. Thirteen studies (2,049 patients) were analysed. This is an initial meta-analysis of PI-RADs V2 and the overall diagnostic accuracy in diagnosing PCa was as follows: pooled sensitivity, 0.85 (0.78-0.91); pooled specificity, 0.71 (0.60-0.80); pooled positive likelihood ratio (LR+), 2.92 (2.09-4.09); pooled negative likelihood ratio (LR-), 0.21 (0.14-0.31); pooled diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), 14.08 (7.93-25.01), respectively. Positive predictive values ranged from 0.54 to 0.97 and negative predictive values ranged from 0.26 to 0.92. Currently available evidence indicates that PI-RADS V2 appears to have good diagnostic accuracy in patients with PCa lesions with high sensitivity and moderate specificity. However, no recommendation regarding the best threshold can be provided because of heterogeneity. • PI-RADS V2 shows good diagnostic accuracy for PCa detection. • Initially pooled specificity of PI-RADS v2 remains moderate. • PCa detection is increased by experienced radiologists. • There is currently a high heterogeneity in prostate diagnostics with MRI.

Genetic variation in the raptor gene is associated with overweight but not hypertension in American men of Japanese ancestry.

PubMed

Morris, Brian J; Carnes, Bruce A; Chen, Randi; Donlon, Timothy A; He, Qimei; Grove, John S; Masaki, Kamal H; Elliott, Ayako; Willcox, Donald C; Allsopp, Richard; Willcox, Bradley J

2015-04-01

The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway is pivotal for cell growth. Regulatory associated protein of mTOR complex I (Raptor) is a unique component of this pro-growth complex. The present study tested whether variation across the raptor gene (RPTOR) is associated with overweight and hypertension. We tested 61 common (allele frequency ≥ 0.1) tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that captured most of the genetic variation across RPTOR in 374 subjects of normal lifespan and 439 subjects with a lifespan exceeding 95 years for association with overweight/obesity, essential hypertension, and isolated systolic hypertension. Subjects were drawn from the Honolulu Heart Program, a homogeneous population of American men of Japanese ancestry, well characterized for phenotypes relevant to conditions of aging. Hypertension status was ascertained when subjects were 45-68 years old. Statistical evaluation involved contingency table analysis, logistic regression, and the powerful method of recursive partitioning. After analysis of RPTOR genotypes by each statistical approach, we found no significant association between genetic variation in RPTOR and either essential hypertension or isolated systolic hypertension. Models generated by recursive partitioning analysis showed that RPTOR SNPs significantly enhanced the ability of the model to accurately assign individuals to either the overweight/obese or the non-overweight/obese groups (P = 0.008 by 1-tailed Z test). Common genetic variation in RPTOR is associated with overweight/obesity but does not discernibly contribute to either essential hypertension or isolated systolic hypertension in the population studied. © American Journal of Hypertension, Ltd 2014. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Factors That Influence Women to Disclose Sexual Assault History to Health Care Providers.

PubMed

Berry, Kate M; Rutledge, Carolyn M

2016-01-01

To examine women's experiences with sexual assault screening by health care professionals and identify factors that influence women to disclose their sexual assault history to providers. Cross-sectional descriptive survey with correlational analysis. On-line survey distributed nationally. One hundred forty-three women. Participants were recruited through social media; the authors e-mailed organizations across the nation and asked them to share links to a Facebook page connected to the survey. Descriptive statistics, Spearman's rho, and contingency tables were calculated, and qualitative content analysis was performed by thematic analysis. Most (n = 103, 72.5%) participants reported that they felt comfortable with being asked about sexual assault, but only 41 (28.7%) participants were screened for sexual assault by health care professionals. Positive attitude and increased comfort level with screening were associated with increased intention to disclose past assault (p < .05). A total of 113 (82.5%) women reported intentions to disclose sexual assault to a provider if asked, whereas only 35 (24.6%) women would voluntarily disclose. Women identified prevention of medical and physical consequences as main facilitators to disclosure, and provider attitude and demeanor as the main barriers. Sixty-nine (48.9%) participants were victims of sexual assault. Women with a history of sexual assault were no more likely than women not victimized to have been screened for sexual assault. Study findings suggest that women are often not screened for sexual assault despite being receptive to inquiry. Health care professionals often do not identify those who have been sexually assaulted because they do not ask. Thus, many victims do not receive needed sexual assault resources and support. Copyright © 2016 AWHONN, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of catchment properties and flood generation regime on copula selection for bivariate flood frequency analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Filipova, Valeriya; Lawrence, Deborah; Klempe, Harald

2018-02-01

Applying copula-based bivariate flood frequency analysis is advantageous because the results provide information on both the flood peak and volume. More data are, however, required for such an analysis, and it is often the case that only data series with a limited record length are available. To overcome this issue of limited record length, data regarding climatic and geomorphological properties can be used to complement statistical methods. In this paper, we present a study of 27 catchments located throughout Norway, in which we assess whether catchment properties, flood generation processes and flood regime have an effect on the correlation between flood peak and volume and, in turn, on the selection of copulas. To achieve this, the annual maximum flood events were first classified into events generated primarily by rainfall, snowmelt or a combination of these. The catchments were then classified into flood regime, depending on the predominant flood generation process producing the annual maximum flood events. A contingency table and Fisher's exact test were used to determine the factors that affect the selection of copulas in the study area. The results show that the two-parameter copulas BB1 and BB7 are more commonly selected in catchments with high steepness, high mean annual runoff and rainfall flood regime. These findings suggest that in these types of catchments, the dependence structure between flood peak and volume is more complex and cannot be modeled effectively using a one-parameter copula. The results illustrate that by relating copula types to flood regime and catchment properties, additional information can be supplied for selecting copulas in catchments with limited data.

Cascade detection for the extraction of localized sequence features; specificity results for HIV-1 protease and structure-function results for the Schellman loop.

PubMed

Newell, Nicholas E

2011-12-15

The extraction of the set of features most relevant to function from classified biological sequence sets is still a challenging problem. A central issue is the determination of expected counts for higher order features so that artifact features may be screened. Cascade detection (CD), a new algorithm for the extraction of localized features from sequence sets, is introduced. CD is a natural extension of the proportional modeling techniques used in contingency table analysis into the domain of feature detection. The algorithm is successfully tested on synthetic data and then applied to feature detection problems from two different domains to demonstrate its broad utility. An analysis of HIV-1 protease specificity reveals patterns of strong first-order features that group hydrophobic residues by side chain geometry and exhibit substantial symmetry about the cleavage site. Higher order results suggest that favorable cooperativity is weak by comparison and broadly distributed, but indicate possible synergies between negative charge and hydrophobicity in the substrate. Structure-function results for the Schellman loop, a helix-capping motif in proteins, contain strong first-order features and also show statistically significant cooperativities that provide new insights into the design of the motif. These include a new 'hydrophobic staple' and multiple amphipathic and electrostatic pair features. CD should prove useful not only for sequence analysis, but also for the detection of multifactor synergies in cross-classified data from clinical studies or other sources. Windows XP/7 application and data files available at: https://sites.google.com/site/cascadedetect/home. nacnewell@comcast.net Supplementary information is available at Bioinformatics online.

Demographic Faultlines: A Meta-Analysis of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thatcher, Sherry M. B.; Patel, Pankaj C.

2011-01-01

We propose and test a theoretical model focusing on antecedents and consequences of demographic faultlines. We also posit contingencies that affect overall team dynamics in the context of demographic faultlines, such as the study setting and performance measurement. Using meta-analysis structural equation modeling with a final data set consisting…

Is What Is Good for General Motors Good for Architecture?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Myrick, Richard; And Others

1966-01-01

Problems of behavioral evaluation and determination of initial building stimuli are discussed in terms of architectural analysis. Application of management research techniques requires problem and goal definition. Analysis of both lower and higher order needs is contingent upon these definitions. Lower order needs relate to more abstract…

Learning from Hong Kong Alumni: Lessons for School Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jabal, Eric

2006-01-01

A secondary analysis of interview and survey data was undertaken to explore what could be learnt about school leadership from international schools alumni. Using a framework of "values-led contingency" leadership, three features of effective principalship guide the analysis. The results highlight three salutary lessons for school…

Contingency Power Study for Short Haul Civil Tiltrotor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eisenberg, Joseph D. (Technical Monitor); Wait, John

2003-01-01

AlliedSignal Engines (AE) defined a number of concepts that significantly increased the horsepower of a turboshaft engine to accommodate the loss of an engine and enable the safe landing of a twin-engined, 40-passenger, short haul civil tiltrotor. From these concepts, "Water/Methanol Injection," a "Better Power Turbine Than Required," and a "Secondary Combustor For Interturbine Reheat" were chosen, based on system safety and economics, for more detailed examination. Engine performance, mission, and cost analysis of these systems indicated contingency power levels of 26 to 70 percent greater than normal rated takeoff could be attained for short durations, thus enabling direct operating cost savings between 2 and 6 percent.

Relating to the Experience of Contingency in Patients With Advanced Cancer: An Interview Study in U.S. Patients.

PubMed

Kruizinga, Renske; Jafari, Najmeh; Scherer-Rath, Michael; Schilderman, Hans; Bires, Jennifer; Puchalski, Christina; van Laarhoven, Hanneke

2018-03-01

Being diagnosed with incurable cancer can be a life-changing experience, evoking different spiritual questions and needs. Confronting a serious life-threatening event occurs not only often unexpected but also can disrupt a person's self-image and ideals of their personhood. This confrontation makes it difficult for people to integrate it into their personal life story-otherwise referred to as an experience of contingency. Different modes of relating to the contingent life event of having cancer have been studied in a Dutch patient population. Here we present an interview study in an U.S. population with advanced cancer patients. We included eight American patients with advanced cancer from the George Washington University Cancer Center. All patients were interviewed twice discussing their life events and life goals using a semistructured interview model. All interviews were transcribed and analyzed focusing on how patients described the way they related to the experience of having advanced cancer. The constant comparative method with a directed content analysis approach was used to code the themes in the interviews. The analyses show that the four modes of relating to contingency that we found in the Dutch study population can also be found in an American advanced cancer patient population. Differences were found in the extended way American patients described the fourth mode of "receiving." This study ensures a broader and deeper understanding of relating to the experience of contingency in having incurable cancer, which is crucial in developing accurate spiritual care in the palliative phase of patients. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of Behavioral Contingencies on Adolescent Active Videogame Play and Overall Activity: A Randomized Trial.

PubMed

Norman, Gregory J; Adams, Marc A; Ramirez, Ernesto R; Carlson, Jordan A; Kerr, Jacqueline; Godbole, Suneeta; Dillon, Lindsay; Marshall, Simon J

2013-06-01

This study evaluated the effect of four active videogames (AVGs) varying in behavioral contingencies (behavior-consequence relations) on adolescent AVG play and overall activity levels over 4 weeks. Each AVG, manufactured by SSD/Xavix(®) (Shiseido Co. of Japan, Tokyo, Japan), was coded and scored for the number of positive and aversive behavioral contingencies within the games. "Bowling" and "Tennis" were classified as having "higher contingency scores," and "Boxing" and aerobic fitness training were classified as having "lower contingency scores." Adolescents (n=63; 11-15 years old; 62% male; 38% Hispanic; 44% overweight or obese) were randomized to play one of the four AVGs at home and recorded game play sessions in a paper log. Baseline and week 4 assessments were completed at home; week 1, 2, and 3 assessments were completed by telephone. Accelerometers were worn during baseline and weeks 1 and 4. Accelerometer-measured sedentary and light activity hours/day were stable over time, whereas moderate-vigorous physical activity minutes/day increased in the higher contingency group and decreased in the lower contingency group (interaction effect, 6.43, P=0.024). Reported game play minutes decreased in both groups from week 1 to week 4 (-29.42 minutes, P=0.001). There was some support for the hypothesis that AVGs with more behavioral contingencies, compared with AVGs with fewer behavioral contingencies, result in more physical activity. However, overall AVG play decreased substantially after the first week. Further study is needed to better understand how behavioral contingencies can be used in AVGs to enhance their potential to provide health benefits to game players.

MATERNAL ANXIETY SYMPTOMS AND MOTHER–INFANT SELF- AND INTERACTIVE CONTINGENCY

PubMed Central

Beebe, Beatrice; Steele, Miriam; Jaffe, Joseph; Buck, Karen A.; Chen, Henian; Cohen, Patricia; Kaitz, Marsha; Markese, Sara; Andrews, Howard; Margolis, Amy; Feldstein, Stanley

2014-01-01

Associations of maternal self-report anxiety-related symptoms with mother–infant 4-month face-to-face play were investigated in 119 pairs. Attention, affect, spatial orientation, and touch were coded from split-screen videotape on a 1-s time base. Self- and interactive contingency were assessed by time-series methods. Because anxiety symptoms signal emotional dysregulation, we expected to find atypical patterns of mother–infant interactive contingencies, and of degree of stability/lability within an individual’s own rhythms of behavior (self-contingencies). Consistent with our optimum midrange model, maternal anxiety-related symptoms biased the interaction toward interactive contingencies that were both heightened (vigilant) in some modalities and lowered (withdrawn) in others; both may be efforts to adapt to stress. Infant self-contingency was lowered (“destabilized”) with maternal anxiety symptoms; however, maternal self-contingency was both lowered in some modalities and heightened (overly stable) in others. Interactive contingency patterns were characterized by intermodal discrepancies, confusing forms of communication. For example, mothers vigilantly monitored infants visually, but withdrew from contingently coordinating with infants emotionally, as if mothers were “looking through” them. This picture fits descriptions of mothers with anxiety symptoms as overaroused/fearful, leading to vigilance, but dealing with their fear through emotional distancing. Infants heightened facial affect coordination (vigilance), but dampened vocal affect coordination (withdrawal), with mother’s face—a pattern of conflict. The maternal and infant patterns together generated a mutual ambivalence. PMID:25983359