Sediment acoustic index method for computing continuous suspended-sediment concentrations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Landers, Mark N.; Straub, Timothy D.; Wood, Molly S.; Domanski, Marian M.

2016-07-11

Once developed, sediment acoustic index ratings must be validated with additional suspended-sediment samples, beyond the period of record used in the rating development, to verify that the regression model continues to adequately represent sediment conditions within the stream. Changes in ADVM configuration or installation, or replacement with another ADVM, may require development of a new rating. The best practices described in this report can be used to develop continuous estimates of suspended-sediment concentration and load using sediment acoustic surrogates to enable more informed and accurate responses to diverse sedimentation issues.

Effects of Out-of-hospital Continuing Nursing on Schizophrenia Patients’ Rehabilitation and Quality of Life

PubMed Central

Ye, Maoting; Guo, Jia; Song, Caiping; Zheng, Feiyu

2017-01-01

Abstract Objective This paper aims to explore specific effects of out-of-hospital continuing nursing on schizophrenia patients’ health rehabilitation and quality of life, and further improve application and popularization of out-of-hospital continuing nursing. Methods The 180 schizophrenia patients discharged from our hospital from March 2014 to March 2016 were selected as the subjects. The patients were divided into two groups according to the randomized double-blind method. Both groups received routine discharge guidance, and the observation group received out-of-hospital continuing nursing on this basis. Questionnaires and scales were used to compare differences of the two groups after discharge from hospital, such as medication compliance, recurrence rate of schizophrenia, awareness of health knowledge and quality of life. Results After 6 months of nursing for the observation group, complete medication compliance rate was 71.11% (64/90), awareness rate of schizophrenia-related health knowledge was 96.67% (87/90), and recurrence rate was 8.89% (8/90). For the control group, complete medication compliance rate was 45.56% (41/90), awareness rate of schizophrenia-related knowledge was 46.67% (42/90) and the recurrence rate of disease was 26.67% (24/90). Hence, the observation group enjoys significant advantages compared with the control group. Statistical analysis (P <0.05) showed statistical significance; In addition, life quality scores showed that the quality of life of the observation group was obviously better than the control group; the difference was statistically significant (P <0.05). Conclusion Out-of-hospital continuing nursing for schizophrenia patients after discharge can effectively improve medication compliance, awareness rate of health knowledge, effectively reduce incidence of schizophrenia and improve the quality of life of patients. Thus, the nursing concept and related methods are worthy of publicity and application in a wider range. PMID:29423451

Method of Estimating Continuous Cooling Transformation Curves of Glasses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhu, Dongmei; Zhou, Wancheng; Ray, Chandra S.; Day, Delbert E.

2006-01-01

A method is proposed for estimating the critical cooling rate and continuous cooling transformation (CCT) curve from isothermal TTT data of glasses. The critical cooling rates and CCT curves for a group of lithium disilicate glasses containing different amounts of Pt as nucleating agent estimated through this method are compared with the experimentally measured values. By analysis of the experimental and calculated data of the lithium disilicate glasses, a simple relationship between the crystallized amount in the glasses during continuous cooling, X, and the temperature of undercooling, (Delta)T, was found to be X = AR(sup-4)exp(B (Delta)T), where (Delta)T is the temperature difference between the theoretical melting point of the glass composition and the temperature in discussion, R is the cooling rate, and A and B are constants. The relation between the amount of crystallisation during continuous cooling and isothermal hold can be expressed as (X(sub cT)/X(sub iT) = (4/B)(sup 4) (Delta)T(sup -4), where X(sub cT) stands for the crystallised amount in a glass during continuous cooling for a time t when the temperature comes to T, and X(sub iT) is the crystallised amount during isothermal hold at temperature T for a time t.

Measuring continuous baseline covariate imbalances in clinical trial data

PubMed Central

Ciolino, Jody D.; Martin, Renee’ H.; Zhao, Wenle; Hill, Michael D.; Jauch, Edward C.; Palesch, Yuko Y.

2014-01-01

This paper presents and compares several methods of measuring continuous baseline covariate imbalance in clinical trial data. Simulations illustrate that though the t-test is an inappropriate method of assessing continuous baseline covariate imbalance, the test statistic itself is a robust measure in capturing imbalance in continuous covariate distributions. Guidelines to assess effects of imbalance on bias, type I error rate, and power for hypothesis test for treatment effect on continuous outcomes are presented, and the benefit of covariate-adjusted analysis (ANCOVA) is also illustrated. PMID:21865270

Method for Fabricating Composite Structures Using Continuous Press Forming

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farley, Gary L. (Inventor)

1997-01-01

A method for fabricating composite structures at a low-cost. moderate-to-high production rate. A first embodiment of the method includes employing a continuous press forming fabrication process. A second embodiment of the method includes employing a pultrusion process for obtaining composite structures. The methods include coating yarns with matrix material, weaving the yarn into fabric to produce a continuous fabric supply and feeding multiple layers of net-shaped fabrics having optimally oriented fibers into a debulking tool to form an undebulked preform. The continuous press forming fabrication process includes partially debulking the preform, cutting the partially debulked preform and debulking the partially debulked preform to form a net-shape. An electron-beam or similar technique then cures the structure. The pultrusion fabric process includes feeding the undebulked preform into a heated die and gradually debulking the undebulked preform. The undebulked preform in the heated die changes dimension until a desired cross-sectional dimension is achieved. This process further includes obtaining a net-shaped infiltrated uncured preform, cutting the uncured preform to a desired length and electron-beam curing (or similar technique) the uncured preform. These fabrication methods produce superior structures formed at higher production rates. resulting in lower cost and high structural performance.

A Novel Estimator for the Rate of Information Transfer by Continuous Signals

PubMed Central

Takalo, Jouni; Ignatova, Irina; Weckström, Matti; Vähäsöyrinki, Mikko

2011-01-01

The information transfer rate provides an objective and rigorous way to quantify how much information is being transmitted through a communications channel whose input and output consist of time-varying signals. However, current estimators of information content in continuous signals are typically based on assumptions about the system's linearity and signal statistics, or they require prohibitive amounts of data. Here we present a novel information rate estimator without these limitations that is also optimized for computational efficiency. We validate the method with a simulated Gaussian information channel and demonstrate its performance with two example applications. Information transfer between the input and output signals of a nonlinear system is analyzed using a sensory receptor neuron as the model system. Then, a climate data set is analyzed to demonstrate that the method can be applied to a system based on two outputs generated by interrelated random processes. These analyses also demonstrate that the new method offers consistent performance in situations where classical methods fail. In addition to these examples, the method is applicable to a wide range of continuous time series commonly observed in the natural sciences, economics and engineering. PMID:21494562

Comparison of a discrete steepest ascent method with the continuous steepest ascent method for optimal programing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Childs, A. G.

1971-01-01

A discrete steepest ascent method which allows controls which are not piecewise constant (for example, it allows all continuous piecewise linear controls) was derived for the solution of optimal programming problems. This method is based on the continuous steepest ascent method of Bryson and Denham and new concepts introduced by Kelley and Denham in their development of compatible adjoints for taking into account the effects of numerical integration. The method is a generalization of the algorithm suggested by Canon, Cullum, and Polak with the details of the gradient computation given. The discrete method was compared with the continuous method for an aerodynamics problem for which an analytic solution is given by Pontryagin's maximum principle, and numerical results are presented. The discrete method converges more rapidly than the continuous method at first, but then for some undetermined reason, loses its exponential convergence rate. A comparsion was also made for the algorithm of Canon, Cullum, and Polak using piecewise constant controls. This algorithm is very competitive with the continuous algorithm.

Method of Continuous Variations: Applications of Job Plots to the Study of Molecular Associations in Organometallic Chemistry[**

PubMed Central

Renny, Joseph S.; Tomasevich, Laura L.; Tallmadge, Evan H.; Collum, David B.

2014-01-01

Applications of the method of continuous variations—MCV or the Method of Job—to problems of interest to organometallic chemists are described. MCV provides qualitative and quantitative insights into the stoichiometries underlying association of m molecules of A and n molecules of B to form AmBn. Applications to complex ensembles probe associations that form metal clusters and aggregates. Job plots in which reaction rates are monitored provide relative stoichiometries in rate-limiting transition structures. In a specialized variant, ligand- or solvent-dependent reaction rates are dissected into contributions in both the ground states and transition states, which affords insights into the full reaction coordinate from a single Job plot. Gaps in the literature are identified and critiqued. PMID:24166797

Hormonal and intrauterine methods for contraception for women aged 25 years and younger.

PubMed

Krashin, Jamie; Tang, Jennifer H; Mody, Sheila; Lopez, Laureen M

2015-08-17

Women between the ages of 15 and 24 years have high rates of unintended pregnancy; over half of women in this age group want to avoid pregnancy. However, women under age 25 years have higher typical contraceptive failure rates within the first 12 months of use than older women. High discontinuation rates may also be a problem in this population. Concern that adolescents and young women will not find hormonal or intrauterine contraceptives acceptable or effective might deter healthcare providers from recommending these contraceptive methods. To compare the contraceptive failure (pregnancy) rates and to examine the continuation rates for hormonal and intrauterine contraception among young women aged 25 years and younger. We searched until 4 August 2015 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared hormonal or intrauterine methods of contraception in women aged 25 years and younger. Computerized databases included the Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, POPLINE, CINAHL, and LILACS. We also searched for current trials via ClinicalTrials.gov and the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP). We considered RCTs in any language that reported the contraceptive failure rates for hormonal or intrauterine contraceptive methods, when compared with another contraceptive method, for women aged 25 years and younger. The other contraceptive method could have been another intrauterine contraceptive, another hormonal contraceptive or different dose of the same method, or a non-hormonal contraceptive. Treatment duration must have been at least three months. Eligible trials had to include the primary outcome of contraceptive failure rate (pregnancy). The secondary outcome was contraceptive continuation rate. One author conducted the primary data extraction and entered the information into Review Manager. Another author performed an independent data extraction and verified the initial entry. For dichotomous outcomes, we computed the Mantel-Haenszel odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Because of disparate interventions and outcome measures, we did not conduct meta-analysis. Five trials met the inclusion criteria. The studies included a total of 1503 women, with a mean of 301 participants. The trials compared the following contraceptives: combined oral contraceptive (COC) versus transdermal contraceptive patch, vaginal contraceptive ring, or levonorgestrel intrauterine system 20 µg/day (LNG-IUS 20); LNG-IUS 12 µg/day (LNG-IUS 12) versus LNG-IUS 16 µg/day (LNG-IUS 16); and LNG-IUS 20 versus the copper T380A intrauterine device (IUD). In the trials comparing two different types of methods, the study arms did not differ significantly for contraceptive efficacy or continuation. The sample sizes were small for two of those studies. The only significant outcome was that a COC group had a higher proportion of women who discontinued for 'other personal reasons' compared with the group assigned to the LNG-IUS 20 (OR 0.27, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.85), which may have little clinic relevance. The trial comparing LNG-IUS 12 versus LNG-IUS 16 showed similar efficacy over one and three years. In three trials that examined different LNG-IUS, continuation was at least 75% at 6 to 36 months. We considered the overall quality of evidence to be moderate to low. Limitations were due to trial design or limited reporting. Different doses in the LNG-IUS did not appear to influence efficacy over three years. In another study, continuation of the LNG-IUS appeared at least as high as that for the COC. The current evidence was insufficient to compare efficacy and continuation rates for hormonal and intrauterine contraceptive methods in women aged 25 years and younger.

E-commerce Review System to Detect False Reviews.

PubMed

Kolhar, Manjur

2017-08-15

E-commerce sites have been doing profitable business since their induction in high-speed and secured networks. Moreover, they continue to influence consumers through various methods. One of the most effective methods is the e-commerce review rating system, in which consumers provide review ratings for the products used. However, almost all e-commerce review rating systems are unable to provide cumulative review ratings. Furthermore, review ratings are influenced by positive and negative malicious feedback ratings, collectively called false reviews. In this paper, we proposed an e-commerce review system framework developed using the cumulative sum method to detect and remove malicious review ratings.

Acoustic emission strand burning technique for motor burning rate prediction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Christensen, W. N.

1978-01-01

An acoustic emission (AE) method is being used to measure the burning rate of solid propellant strands. This method has a precision of 0.5% and excellent burning rate correlation with both subscale and large rocket motors. The AE procedure burns the sample under water and measures the burning rate from the acoustic output. The acoustic signal provides a continuous readout during testing, which allows complete data analysis rather than the start-stop clockwires used by the conventional method. The AE method helps eliminate such problems as inhibiting the sample, pressure increase and temperature rise, during testing.

Direct Method for Continuous Determination of Iron Oxidation by Autotrophic Bacteria

PubMed Central

Steiner, Michael; Lazaroff, Norman

1974-01-01

A method for direct, continuous determination of ferric ions produced in autotrophic iron oxidation, which depends upon the measurement of ferric ion absorbance at 304 nm, is described. The use of initial rates is shown to compensate for such changes in extinction during oxidation, which are due to dependence of the extinction coefficient on the ratio of complexing anions to ferric ions. A graphical method and a computer method are given for determination of absolute ferric ion concentration, at any time interval, in reaction mixtures containing Thiobacillus ferrooxidans and ferrous ions at known levels of SO42+ and hydrogen ion concentrations. Some examples are discussed of the applicability of these methods to study of the rates of ferrous ion oxidation related to sulfate concentration. PMID:4441066

Committee Opinion No 699: Adolescent Pregnancy, Contraception, and Sexual Activity.

PubMed

2017-05-01

In 2015, the birth rate among U.S. adolescents and young adults (aged 15-19 years) reached a historic low at 22.3 per 1,000 women. Despite positive trends, the United States continues to have the highest adolescent pregnancy rate among industrialized countries with data. Racial and ethnic disparities in adolescent pregnancy rates continue to exist, as do state-based differences in pregnancy, birth, and abortion rates. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists supports access for adolescents to all contraceptive methods approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In the absence of contraindications, patient choice should be the principal factor in prescribing one method of contraception over another. Dual method use-the use of condoms in combination with more effective contraceptive methods to protect against sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancy-is the ideal contraceptive practice for adolescents. Just as adolescents should have access to the full range of contraceptives, including long-acting reversible contraceptive methods, they should be able to decline and discontinue any method on their own, without barriers. A reproductive justice framework for contraceptive counseling and access is essential to providing equitable health care, accessing and having coverage for contraceptive methods, and resisting potential coercion by health care providers. Successful programs that resulted in measurable changes in adolescent contraceptive practices and sexual behavior have been described, but not implemented uniformly nor supported by policy improvements. More research is needed to determine which programs are most effective and which programs do not work. Continued efforts are integral to further advance positive trends.

Committee Opinion No. 699: Adolescent Pregnancy, Contraception, and Sexual Activity.

PubMed

2017-05-01

In 2015, the birth rate among U.S. adolescents and young adults (aged 15-19 years) reached a historic low at 22.3 per 1,000 women. Despite positive trends, the United States continues to have the highest adolescent pregnancy rate among industrialized countries with data. Racial and ethnic disparities in adolescent pregnancy rates continue to exist, as do state-based differences in pregnancy, birth, and abortion rates. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists supports access for adolescents to all contraceptive methods approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In the absence of contraindications, patient choice should be the principal factor in prescribing one method of contraception over another. Dual method use-the use of condoms in combination with more effective contraceptive methods to protect against sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancy-is the ideal contraceptive practice for adolescents. Just as adolescents should have access to the full range of contraceptives, including long-acting reversible contraceptive methods, they should be able to decline and discontinue any method on their own, without barriers. A reproductive justice framework for contraceptive counseling and access is essential to providing equitable health care, accessing and having coverage for contraceptive methods, and resisting potential coercion by health care providers. Successful programs that resulted in measurable changes in adolescent contraceptive practices and sexual behavior have been described, but not implemented uniformly nor supported by policy improvements. More research is needed to determine which programs are most effective and which programs do not work. Continued efforts are integral to further advance positive trends.

Method for Fabricating Composite Structures Including Continuous Press Forming and Pultrusion Processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farley, Gary L. (Inventor)

1995-01-01

A method for fabricating composite structures at a low-cost, moderate-to-high production rate is disclosed. A first embodiment of the method includes employing a continuous press forming fabrication process. A second embodiment of the method includes employing a pultrusion process for obtaining composite structures. The methods include coating yarns with matrix material, weaving the yarn into fabric to produce a continuous fabric supply, and feeding multiple layers of net-shaped fabrics having optimally oriented fibers into a debulking tool to form an undebulked preform. The continuous press forming fabrication process includes partially debulking the preform, cutting the partially debulked preform, and debulking the partially debulked preform to form a netshape. An electron-beam or similar technique then cures the structure. The pultrusion fabric process includes feeding the undebulked preform into a heated die and gradually debulking the undebulked preform. The undebulked preform in the heated die changes dimension until a desired cross-sectional dimension is achieved. This process further includes obtaining a net-shaped infiltrated uncured preform, cutting the uncured preform to a desired length, and electron-beam curing (or similar technique) the uncured preform. These fabrication methods produce superior structures formed at higher production rates, resulting in lower cost and high structural performance.

Estimation of radionuclide (137Cs) emission rates from a nuclear power plant accident using the Lagrangian Particle Dispersion Model (LPDM).

PubMed

Park, Soon-Ung; Lee, In-Hye; Ju, Jae-Won; Joo, Seung Jin

2016-10-01

A methodology for the estimation of the emission rate of 137 Cs by the Lagrangian Particle Dispersion Model (LPDM) with the use of monitored 137 Cs concentrations around a nuclear power plant has been developed. This method has been employed with the MM5 meteorological model in the 600 km × 600 km model domain with the horizontal grid scale of 3 km × 3 km centered at the Fukushima nuclear power plant to estimate 137 Cs emission rate for the accidental period from 00 UTC 12 March to 00 UTC 6 April 2011. The Lagrangian Particles are released continuously with the rate of one particle per minute at the first level modelled, about 15 m above the power plant site. The presently developed method was able to simulate quite reasonably the estimated 137 Cs emission rate compared with other studies, suggesting the potential usefulness of the present method for the estimation of the emission rate from the accidental power plant without detailed inventories of reactors and fuel assemblies and spent fuels. The advantage of this method is not so complicated but can be applied only based on one-time forward LPDM simulation with monitored concentrations around the power plant, in contrast to other inverse models. It was also found that continuously monitored radionuclides concentrations from possibly many sites located in all directions around the power plant are required to get accurate continuous emission rates from the accident power plant. The current methodology can also be used to verify the previous version of radionuclides emissions used among other modeling groups for the cases of intermittent or discontinuous samplings. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Improving the power of clinical trials of rheumatoid arthritis by using data on continuous scales when analysing response rates: an application of the augmented binary method

PubMed Central

Jenkins, Martin

2016-01-01

Objective. In clinical trials of RA, it is common to assess effectiveness using end points based upon dichotomized continuous measures of disease activity, which classify patients as responders or non-responders. Although dichotomization generally loses statistical power, there are good clinical reasons to use these end points; for example, to allow for patients receiving rescue therapy to be assigned as non-responders. We adopt a statistical technique called the augmented binary method to make better use of the information provided by these continuous measures and account for how close patients were to being responders. Methods. We adapted the augmented binary method for use in RA clinical trials. We used a previously published randomized controlled trial (Oral SyK Inhibition in Rheumatoid Arthritis-1) to assess its performance in comparison to a standard method treating patients purely as responders or non-responders. The power and error rate were investigated by sampling from this study. Results. The augmented binary method reached similar conclusions to standard analysis methods but was able to estimate the difference in response rates to a higher degree of precision. Results suggested that CI widths for ACR responder end points could be reduced by at least 15%, which could equate to reducing the sample size of a study by 29% to achieve the same statistical power. For other end points, the gain was even higher. Type I error rates were not inflated. Conclusion. The augmented binary method shows considerable promise for RA trials, making more efficient use of patient data whilst still reporting outcomes in terms of recognized response end points. PMID:27338084

Continuous Rating for Diggability Assessment in Surface Mines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

IPHAR, Melih

2016-10-01

The rocks can be loosened either by drilling-blasting or direct excavation using powerful machines in opencast mining operations. The economics of rock excavation is considered for each method to be applied. If blasting operation is not preferred and also the geological structures and rock mass properties in site are convenient (favourable ground conditions) for ripping or direct excavation method by mining machines, the next step is to determine which machine or excavator should be selected for the excavation purposes. Many researchers have proposed several diggability or excavatability assessment methods for deciding on excavator type to be used in the field. Most of these systems are generally based on assigning a rating for the parameters having importance in rock excavation process. However, the sharp transitions between the two adjacent classes for a given parameter can lead to some uncertainties. In this paper, it has been proposed that varying rating should be assigned for a given parameter called as “continuous rating” instead of giving constant rating for a given class.

Continuous Hydrolysis of Pectate by Immobilized Endo-polygalacturonase in a Continuously Stirred Tank Reactor.

PubMed

Iwasaki, K; Inoue, M; Matsubara, Y

1998-01-01

Enzymatic hydrolysis of pectate was carried out continuously to produce pectate oligosaccharides by immobilized endo-polygalacturonase in a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) with high efficiency. The enzyme was immobilized on to chitosan beads by the absorption method, and the reaction was performed with an initial pectate concentration of 10 gl(-1) at 35°C and pH 4.0 at a dilution rate of 0.87-2.8 h(-1). The hydrolysis products mainly consisted of mono-, di-, tri-, tetra-, penta-, hexa- and heptasaccharides, with the highest conversion being 0.78. A higher volumetric production rate of the total hydrolyzate, which was dependent on the dilution rate, was obtained than that by a batch reaction. The hydrolysis process was mathematically modeled from the basic material balance and rate equations, and showed agreement between the simulated and experimental results. This reactor system was found to be effective for obtaining pectate oligosaccharides with a high production rate.

Generation of ultrasound in materials using continuous-wave lasers.

PubMed

Caron, James N; DiComo, Gregory P; Nikitin, Sergei

2012-03-01

Generating and detecting ultrasound is a standard method of nondestructive evaluation of materials. Pulsed lasers are used to generate ultrasound remotely in situations that prohibit the use of contact transducers. The scanning rate is limited by the repetition rates of the pulsed lasers, ranging between 10 and 100 Hz for lasers with sufficient pulse widths and energies. Alternately, a high-power continuous-wave laser can be scanned across the surface, creating an ultrasonic wavefront. Since generation is continuous, the scanning rate can be as much as 4 orders of magnitude higher than with pulsed lasers. This paper introduces the concept, comparing the theoretical scanning speed with generation by pulsed laser. © 2012 Optical Society of America

New method of feeding coal - Continuous extrusion of fully plastic coal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ryason, P. R.; England, C.

1978-01-01

Continuous feeding of coal in a compressing screw extruder is described as a method of introducing coal into pressurized systems. The method utilizes the property of many bituminous coals of softening at temperatures from 350 to 400 C. Coal is then fed much in the manner of common thermoplastics, using screw extruders. Preliminary results show that coals can be extruded at rates of about 3.3 kg/MJ, similar to those for plastics.

Method for fabrication of electrodes

DOEpatents

Jankowski, Alan F.; Morse, Jeffrey D.; Barksdale, Randy

2004-06-22

Described herein is a method to fabricate porous thin-film electrodes for fuel cells and fuel cell stacks. Furthermore, the method can be used for all fuel cell electrolyte materials which utilize a continuous electrolyte layer. An electrode layer is deposited on a porous host structure by flowing gas (for example, Argon) from the bottomside of the host structure while simultaneously depositing a conductive material onto the topside of the host structure. By controlling the gas flow rate through the pores, along with the process conditions and deposition rate of the thin-film electrode material, a film of a pre-determined thickness can be formed. Once the porous electrode is formed, a continuous electrolyte thin-film is deposited, followed by a second porous electrode to complete the fuel cell structure.

Method for Fabricating Composite Structures Using Pultrusion Processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farley, Gary L. (Inventor)

2000-01-01

A method for fabricating composite structures at a low-cost, moderate-to-high production rate. A first embodiment of the method includes employing a continuous press forming fabrication process. A second embodiment of the method includes employing a pultrusion process for obtaining composite structures. The methods include coating yarns with matrix material, weaving the yarn into fabric to produce a continuous fabric supply and feeding multiple layers of net-shaped fabrics having optimally oriented fibers into a debulking tool to form an undebulked preform. The continuous press forming fabrication process includes partially debulking the preform, cutting the partially debulked preform and debulking the partially debulked preform to form a net-shape. An electron-beam or similar technique then cures the structure. The pultrusion fabric process includes feeding the undebulked preform into a heated die and gradually debulking the undebulked preform. The undebulked preform in the heated die changes dimension until a desired cross-sectional dimension is achieved. This process further includes obtaining a net-shaped infiltrated uncured preform, cutting the uncured preform to a desired length and electron-beam curing (or similar technique) the uncured preform. These fabrication methods produce superior structures formed at higher production rates, resulting in lower cost and high structural performance.

Method for Fabricating Composite Structures Using Pultrusion Processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farley, Gary L. (Inventor)

2000-01-01

A method for fabricating composite structures at a low-cost, moderate-to-high production rate. A first embodiment of the method includes employing a continuous press forming fabrication process. A second embodiment of the method includes employing a pultrusion process for obtaining composite structures. The methods include coating yarns with matrix material, weaving the yarn into fabric to produce a continuous fabric supply and feeding multiple layers of net-shaped fabrics having optimally oriented fibers into a debulking tool to form an undebulked preform. The continuous press forming fabrication process includes partially debulking the preform, cutting the partially debulked preform and debulking the partially debulked preform to form a netshape. An electron-beam or similar technique then cures the structure. The pultrusion fabric process includes feeding the undebulked preform into a heated die and gradually debulking the undebulked preform. The undebulked preform in the heated die changes dimension until a desired cross-sectional dimension is achieved. This process further includes obtaining a net-shaped infiltrated uncured preform, cutting the uncured preform to a desired length and electronbeam curing (or similar technique) the uncured preform. These fabrication methods produce superior structures formed at higher production rates, resulting in lower cost and high structural performance.

A nondestructive method for continuously monitoring plant growth.

PubMed

Schwartzkopf, S H

1985-06-01

In the past, plant growth generally has been measured using destructive methods. This paper describes a nondestructive technique for continuously monitoring plant growth. The technique provides a means of directly and accurately measuring plant growth over both short and long time intervals. Application of this technique to the direct measurement of plant growth rates is illustrated using corn (Zea mays L.) as an example.

An hp symplectic pseudospectral method for nonlinear optimal control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Haijun; Wang, Xinwei; Li, Mingwu; Chen, Biaosong

2017-01-01

An adaptive symplectic pseudospectral method based on the dual variational principle is proposed and is successfully applied to solving nonlinear optimal control problems in this paper. The proposed method satisfies the first order necessary conditions of continuous optimal control problems, also the symplectic property of the original continuous Hamiltonian system is preserved. The original optimal control problem is transferred into a set of nonlinear equations which can be solved easily by Newton-Raphson iterations, and the Jacobian matrix is found to be sparse and symmetric. The proposed method, on one hand, exhibits exponent convergence rates when the number of collocation points are increasing with the fixed number of sub-intervals; on the other hand, exhibits linear convergence rates when the number of sub-intervals is increasing with the fixed number of collocation points. Furthermore, combining with the hp method based on the residual error of dynamic constraints, the proposed method can achieve given precisions in a few iterations. Five examples highlight the high precision and high computational efficiency of the proposed method.

Continuous method of producing silicon carbide fibers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barnard, Thomas Duncan (Inventor); Nguyen, Kimmai Thi (Inventor); Rabe, James Alan (Inventor)

1999-01-01

This invention pertains to a method for production of polycrystalline ceramic fibers from silicon oxycarbide (SiCO) ceramic fibers wherein the method comprises heating an amorphous ceramic fiber containing silicon and carbon in an inert environment comprising a boron oxide and carbon monoxide at a temperature sufficient to convert the amorphous ceramic fiber to a polycrystalline ceramic fiber. By having carbon monoxide present during the heating of the ceramic fiber, it is possible to achieve higher production rates on a continuous process.

Introduction of cyclofem once-a-month injectable contraceptive in Mexico.

PubMed

Garza-Flores, J; Moraks del Olmo, A; Fuziwara, J L; Figueroa, J G; Alonso, A; Monroy, J; Perez, M; Urbina-Fuentes, M; Guevara, S J; Cedeno, E; Barrios, R; Ferman, J J; Medina, L M; Velazquez, E; Perez-Palacios, G

1998-07-01

A large introductory study of Cyclofem, a once-a-month injectable contraceptive, was conducted in three Mexican provinces. A total of 3457 healthy women participated: 640 women from rural areas (community-based component) and 2817 women from urban and suburban areas (health center-based component). A total of 20,316 women-months of treatment experience were accumulated during a one year period. Cyclofem proved its use-effectiveness (pregnancy rate of 0.03%) and its safety under routine service conditions of family planning facilities in Mexico. The overall life table continuation rate at 1 year was 26.1%. Higher continuation rates were observed in the community-based component (36.6%) as compared to the health center component (23.7%). The most common reason for method discontinuation was change of address. Only 15% of the discontinuations were attributable to the injectable contraceptive method, with the overall 1 year discontinuation rate for bleeding problems (including amenorrhea) was < 11%. These observations underscore the importance of appropriate counseling and follow-up measures, providing convenient access to repeat injections, and other service delivery issues related to continuation of Cyclofem. The results of this trial have once again demonstrated that Cyclofem is a highly effective method with an acceptable side effect profile. In addition, the study provided the elements for its approval by local health authorities and its inclusion into the Ministry of Health Family Planning Program.

Second ventilatory threshold from heart-rate variability: valid when the upper body is involved?

PubMed

Mourot, Laurent; Fabre, Nicolas; Savoldelli, Aldo; Schena, Federico

2014-07-01

To determine the most accurate method based on spectral analysis of heart-rate variability (SA-HRV) during an incremental and continuous maximal test involving the upper body, the authors tested 4 different methods to obtain the heart rate (HR) at the second ventilatory threshold (VT(2)). Sixteen ski mountaineers (mean ± SD; age 25 ± 3 y, height 177 ± 8 cm, mass 69 ± 10 kg) performed a roller-ski test on a treadmill. Respiratory variables and HR were continuously recorded, and the 4 SA-HRV methods were compared with the gas-exchange method through Bland and Altman analyses. The best method was the one based on a time-varying spectral analysis with high frequency ranging from 0.15 Hz to a cutoff point relative to the individual's respiratory sinus arrhythmia. The HR values were significantly correlated (r(2) = .903), with a mean HR difference with the respiratory method of 0.1 ± 3.0 beats/min and low limits of agreements (around -6 /+6 beats/min). The 3 other methods led to larger errors and lower agreements (up to 5 beats/min and around -23/+20 beats/min). It is possible to accurately determine VT(2) with an HR monitor during an incremental test involving the upper body if the appropriate HRV method is used.

Continuous Blood Pressure Monitoring in Daily Life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lopez, Guillaume; Shuzo, Masaki; Ushida, Hiroyuki; Hidaka, Keita; Yanagimoto, Shintaro; Imai, Yasushi; Kosaka, Akio; Delaunay, Jean-Jacques; Yamada, Ichiro

Continuous monitoring of blood pressure in daily life could improve early detection of cardiovascular disorders, as well as promoting healthcare. Conventional ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) equipment can measure blood pressure at regular intervals for 24 hours, but is limited by long measuring time, low sampling rate, and constrained measuring posture. In this paper, we demonstrate a new method for continuous real-time measurement of blood pressure during daily activities. Our method is based on blood pressure estimation from pulse wave velocity (PWV) calculation, which formula we improved to take into account changes in the inner diameter of blood vessels. Blood pressure estimation results using our new method showed a greater precision of measured data during exercise, and a better accuracy than the conventional PWV method.

Single Versus Multiple Events Error Potential Detection in a BCI-Controlled Car Game With Continuous and Discrete Feedback.

PubMed

Kreilinger, Alex; Hiebel, Hannah; Müller-Putz, Gernot R

2016-03-01

This work aimed to find and evaluate a new method for detecting errors in continuous brain-computer interface (BCI) applications. Instead of classifying errors on a single-trial basis, the new method was based on multiple events (MEs) analysis to increase the accuracy of error detection. In a BCI-driven car game, based on motor imagery (MI), discrete events were triggered whenever subjects collided with coins and/or barriers. Coins counted as correct events, whereas barriers were errors. This new method, termed ME method, combined and averaged the classification results of single events (SEs) and determined the correctness of MI trials, which consisted of event sequences instead of SEs. The benefit of this method was evaluated in an offline simulation. In an online experiment, the new method was used to detect erroneous MI trials. Such MI trials were discarded and could be repeated by the users. We found that, even with low SE error potential (ErrP) detection rates, feasible accuracies can be achieved when combining MEs to distinguish erroneous from correct MI trials. Online, all subjects reached higher scores with error detection than without, at the cost of longer times needed for completing the game. Findings suggest that ErrP detection may become a reliable tool for monitoring continuous states in BCI applications when combining MEs. This paper demonstrates a novel technique for detecting errors in online continuous BCI applications, which yields promising results even with low single-trial detection rates.

40 CFR Appendix E to Part 52 - Performance Specifications and, Specification Test Procedures for Monitoring Systems for Effluent...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

..., Specification Test Procedures for Monitoring Systems for Effluent Stream Gas Volumetric Flow Rate E Appendix E... Stream Gas Volumetric Flow Rate 1. Principle and applicability. 1.1Principle. Effluent stream gas... method is applicable to subparts which require continuous gas volumetric flow rate measurement...

40 CFR Appendix E to Part 52 - Performance Specifications and, Specification Test Procedures for Monitoring Systems for Effluent...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., Specification Test Procedures for Monitoring Systems for Effluent Stream Gas Volumetric Flow Rate E Appendix E... Stream Gas Volumetric Flow Rate 1. Principle and applicability. 1.1Principle. Effluent stream gas... method is applicable to subparts which require continuous gas volumetric flow rate measurement...

29 CFR 778.500 - Artificial regular rates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) WAGE AND HOUR DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR STATEMENTS OF GENERAL... provisions of the act cannot be avoided by setting an artificially low hourly rate upon which overtime pay is... for overtime or by any other method or device. (c) Where the employee is hired at a low hourly rate...

Simulation of the Continuous Casting and Cooling Behavior of Metallic Glasses

PubMed Central

Pei, Zhipu; Ju, Dongying

2017-01-01

The development of melt spinning technique for preparation of metallic glasses was summarized. The limitations as well as restrictions of the melt spinning embodiments were also analyzed. As an improvement and variation of the melt spinning method, the vertical-type twin-roll casting (VTRC) process was discussed. As the thermal history experienced by the casting metals to a great extent determines the qualities of final products, cooling rate in the quenching process is believed to have a significant effect on glass formation. In order to estimate the ability to produce metallic glasses by VTRC method, temperature and flow phenomena of the melt in molten pool were computed, and cooling rates under different casting conditions were calculated with the simulation results. Considering the fluid character during casting process, the material derivative method based on continuum theory was adopted in the cooling rate calculation. Results show that the VTRC process has a good ability in continuous casting metallic glassy ribbons. PMID:28772779

Multi-objective optimization of a continuous bio-dissimilation process of glycerol to 1, 3-propanediol.

PubMed

Xu, Gongxian; Liu, Ying; Gao, Qunwang

2016-02-10

This paper deals with multi-objective optimization of continuous bio-dissimilation process of glycerol to 1, 3-propanediol. In order to maximize the production rate of 1, 3-propanediol, maximize the conversion rate of glycerol to 1, 3-propanediol, maximize the conversion rate of glycerol, and minimize the concentration of by-product ethanol, we first propose six new multi-objective optimization models that can simultaneously optimize any two of the four objectives above. Then these multi-objective optimization problems are solved by using the weighted-sum and normal-boundary intersection methods respectively. Both the Pareto filter algorithm and removal criteria are used to remove those non-Pareto optimal points obtained by the normal-boundary intersection method. The results show that the normal-boundary intersection method can successfully obtain the approximate Pareto optimal sets of all the proposed multi-objective optimization problems, while the weighted-sum approach cannot achieve the overall Pareto optimal solutions of some multi-objective problems. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Simulation of the Continuous Casting and Cooling Behavior of Metallic Glasses.

PubMed

Pei, Zhipu; Ju, Dongying

2017-04-17

The development of melt spinning technique for preparation of metallic glasses was summarized. The limitations as well as restrictions of the melt spinning embodiments were also analyzed. As an improvement and variation of the melt spinning method, the vertical-type twin-roll casting (VTRC) process was discussed. As the thermal history experienced by the casting metals to a great extent determines the qualities of final products, cooling rate in the quenching process is believed to have a significant effect on glass formation. In order to estimate the ability to produce metallic glasses by VTRC method, temperature and flow phenomena of the melt in molten pool were computed, and cooling rates under different casting conditions were calculated with the simulation results. Considering the fluid character during casting process, the material derivative method based on continuum theory was adopted in the cooling rate calculation. Results show that the VTRC process has a good ability in continuous casting metallic glassy ribbons.

Psychoacoustic Assessment to Improve Tinnitus Diagnosis

PubMed Central

Hutchins, Sean; Hébert, Sylvie

2013-01-01

The diagnosis of tinnitus relies on self-report. Psychoacoustic measurements of tinnitus pitch and loudness are essential for assessing claims and discriminating true from false ones. For this reason, the quantification of tinnitus remains a challenging research goal. We aimed to: (1) assess the precision of a new tinnitus likeness rating procedure with a continuous-pitch presentation method, controlling for music training, and (2) test whether tinnitus psychoacoustic measurements have the sensitivity and specificity required to detect people faking tinnitus. Musicians and non-musicians with tinnitus, as well as simulated malingerers without tinnitus, were tested. Most were retested several weeks later. Tinnitus pitch matching was first assessed using the likeness rating method: pure tones from 0.25 to 16 kHz were presented randomly to participants, who had to rate the likeness of each tone to their tinnitus, and to adjust its level from 0 to 100 dB SPL. Tinnitus pitch matching was then assessed with a continuous-pitch method: participants had to match the pitch of their tinnitus to an external tone by moving their finger across a touch-sensitive strip, which generated a continuous pure tone from 0.5 to 20 kHz in 1-Hz steps. The predominant tinnitus pitch was consistent across both methods for both musicians and non-musicians, although musicians displayed better external tone pitch matching abilities. Simulated malingerers rated loudness much higher than did the other groups with a high degree of specificity (94.4%) and were unreliable in loudness (not pitch) matching from one session to the other. Retest data showed similar pitch matching responses for both methods for all participants. In conclusion, tinnitus pitch and loudness reliably correspond to the tinnitus percept, and psychoacoustic loudness matches are sensitive and specific to the presence of tinnitus. PMID:24349414

Effects of episodic sediment supply on bedload transport rate in mountain rivers. Detecting debris flow activity using continuous monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uchida, Taro; Sakurai, Wataru; Iuchi, Takuma; Izumiyama, Hiroaki; Borgatti, Lisa; Marcato, Gianluca; Pasuto, Alessandro

2018-04-01

Monitoring of sediment transport from hillslopes to channel networks as a consequence of floods with suspended and bedload transport, hyperconcentrated flows, debris and mud flows is essential not only for scientific issues, but also for prevention and mitigation of natural disasters, i.e. for hazard assessment, land use planning and design of torrent control interventions. In steep, potentially unstable terrains, ground-based continuous monitoring of hillslope and hydrological processes is still highly localized and expensive, especially in terms of manpower. In recent years, new seismic and acoustic methods have been developed for continuous bedload monitoring in mountain rivers. Since downstream bedload transport rate is controlled by upstream sediment supply from tributary channels and bed-external sources, continuous bedload monitoring might be an effective tool for detecting the sediments mobilized by debris flow processes in the upper catchment and thus represent an indirect method to monitor slope instability processes at the catchment scale. However, there is poor information about the effects of episodic sediment supply from upstream bed-external sources on downstream bedload transport rate at a single flood time scale. We have examined the effects of sediment supply due to upstream debris flow events on downstream bedload transport rate along the Yotagiri River, central Japan. To do this, we have conducted continuous bedload observations using a hydrophone (Japanese pipe microphone) located 6.4 km downstream the lower end of a tributary affected by debris flows. Two debris flows occurred during the two-years-long observation period. As expected, bedload transport rate for a given flow depth showed to be larger after storms triggering debris flows. That is, although the magnitude of sediment supply from debris flows is not large, their effect on bedload is propagating >6 km downstream at a single flood time scale. This indicates that continuous bedload observations could be effective for detecting sediment supply as a consequence of debris flow events.

25 MHz clock continuous-variable quantum key distribution system over 50 km fiber channel

PubMed Central

Wang, Chao; Huang, Duan; Huang, Peng; Lin, Dakai; Peng, Jinye; Zeng, Guihua

2015-01-01

In this paper, a practical continuous-variable quantum key distribution system is developed and it runs in the real-world conditions with 25 MHz clock rate. To reach high-rate, we have employed a homodyne detector with maximal bandwidth to 300 MHz and an optimal high-efficiency error reconciliation algorithm with processing speed up to 25 Mbps. To optimize the stability of the system, several key techniques are developed, which include a novel phase compensation algorithm, a polarization feedback algorithm, and related stability method on the modulators. Practically, our system is tested for more than 12 hours with a final secret key rate of 52 kbps over 50 km transmission distance, which is the highest rate so far in such distance. Our system may pave the road for practical broadband secure quantum communication with continuous variables in the commercial conditions. PMID:26419413

Shear rate analysis of water dynamic in the continuous stirred tank

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tulus; Mardiningsih; Sawaluddin; Sitompul, O. S.; Ihsan, A. K. A. M.

2018-02-01

Analysis of mixture in a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) is an important part in some process of biogas production. This paper is a preliminary study of fluid dynamic phenomenon in a continuous stirred tank numerically. The tank is designed in the form of cylindrical tank equipped with a stirrer. In this study, it is considered that the tank is filled with water. Stirring is done with a stirring speed of 10rpm, 15rpm, 20rpm, and 25rpm. Mathematical modeling of stirred tank is derived. The model is calculated by using the finite element method that are calculated using CFD software. The result shows that the shear rate is high on the front end portion of the stirrer. The maximum shear rate tend to a stable behaviour after the stirring time of 2 second. The relation between the speed and the maximum shear rate is in the form of linear equation.

25 MHz clock continuous-variable quantum key distribution system over 50 km fiber channel.

PubMed

Wang, Chao; Huang, Duan; Huang, Peng; Lin, Dakai; Peng, Jinye; Zeng, Guihua

2015-09-30

In this paper, a practical continuous-variable quantum key distribution system is developed and it runs in the real-world conditions with 25 MHz clock rate. To reach high-rate, we have employed a homodyne detector with maximal bandwidth to 300 MHz and an optimal high-efficiency error reconciliation algorithm with processing speed up to 25 Mbps. To optimize the stability of the system, several key techniques are developed, which include a novel phase compensation algorithm, a polarization feedback algorithm, and related stability method on the modulators. Practically, our system is tested for more than 12 hours with a final secret key rate of 52 kbps over 50 km transmission distance, which is the highest rate so far in such distance. Our system may pave the road for practical broadband secure quantum communication with continuous variables in the commercial conditions.

40 CFR Table 12 to Subpart G of... - Monitoring Requirements for Treatment Processes

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Appropriate methods as specified in § 63.143 and as approved by permitting authority. 2. Steam stripper (i... recorder. (ii) Wastewater feed mass flow rate; and Continuously Liquid flow meter installed at stripper... operating temperature Continuously (A) Liquid temperature monitoring device installed at stripper influent...

40 CFR Table 12 to Subpart G of... - Monitoring Requirements for Treatment Processes

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Appropriate methods as specified in § 63.143 and as approved by permitting authority. 2. Steam stripper (i... recorder. (ii) Wastewater feed mass flow rate; and Continuously Liquid flow meter installed at stripper... operating temperature Continuously (A) Liquid temperature monitoring device installed at stripper influent...

40 CFR Table 12 to Subpart G of... - Monitoring Requirements for Treatment Processes

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Appropriate methods as specified in § 63.143 and as approved by permitting authority. 2. Steam stripper (i... recorder. (ii) Wastewater feed mass flow rate; and Continuously Liquid flow meter installed at stripper... operating temperature Continuously (A) Liquid temperature monitoring device installed at stripper influent...

40 CFR Table 12 to Subpart G of... - Monitoring Requirements for Treatment Processes

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Appropriate methods as specified in § 63.143 and as approved by permitting authority. 2. Steam stripper (i... recorder. (ii) Wastewater feed mass flow rate; and Continuously Liquid flow meter installed at stripper... operating temperature Continuously (A) Liquid temperature monitoring device installed at stripper influent...

40 CFR Table 12 to Subpart G of... - Monitoring Requirements for Treatment Processes

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Appropriate methods as specified in § 63.143 and as approved by permitting authority. 2. Steam stripper (i... recorder. (ii) Wastewater feed mass flow rate; and Continuously Liquid flow meter installed at stripper... operating temperature Continuously (A) Liquid temperature monitoring device installed at stripper influent...

Production of egg white protein hydrolysates with improved antioxidant capacity in a continuous enzymatic membrane reactor: optimization of operating parameters by statistical design.

PubMed

Jakovetić Tanasković, Sonja; Luković, Nevena; Grbavčić, Sanja; Stefanović, Andrea; Jovanović, Jelena; Bugarski, Branko; Knežević-Jugović, Zorica

2018-01-01

This study focuses on the influence of operating conditions on Alcalase-catalyzed egg white protein hydrolysis performed in a continuously stirred tank reactor coupled with ultrafiltration module (10 kDa). The permeate flow rate did not significantly affect the degree of hydrolysis (DH), but a significant increase in process productivity was apparent above flow rate of 1.9 cm 3 min -1 . By contrast, an increase in enzyme/substrate ( E / S ) ratio provided an increase in DH, but a negative correlation was observed between E / S ratio and productivity. The relationship between operating conditions and antioxidant properties of the hydrolysates, measured by three methods, was studied using Box-Behnken experimental design and response surface methodology. The statistical analysis showed that each variable (impeller speed, E / S ratio, and permeate flow rate) had a significant effect on the antioxidant capacity of all tested systems. Nevertheless, obtained response functions revealed that antioxidative activity measured by DPPH, ABTS and FRAP methods were affected differently by the same operating conditions. High impeller speeds and low permeate flow rates favor ABTS while high impeller speeds and high permeate flow rates had a positive effect on the DPPH scavenging activity. On the other hand, the best results obtained with FRAP method were achieved under moderate operating conditions. The integration of the reaction and ultrafiltration membrane separation in a continuous manner appears to be a right approach to improve and intensify the enzymatic process, enabling the production of peptides with desired antioxidant activity.

Time series models on analysing mortality rates and acute childhood lymphoid leukaemia.

PubMed

Kis, Maria

2005-01-01

In this paper we demonstrate applying time series models on medical research. The Hungarian mortality rates were analysed by autoregressive integrated moving average models and seasonal time series models examined the data of acute childhood lymphoid leukaemia.The mortality data may be analysed by time series methods such as autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) modelling. This method is demonstrated by two examples: analysis of the mortality rates of ischemic heart diseases and analysis of the mortality rates of cancer of digestive system. Mathematical expressions are given for the results of analysis. The relationships between time series of mortality rates were studied with ARIMA models. Calculations of confidence intervals for autoregressive parameters by tree methods: standard normal distribution as estimation and estimation of the White's theory and the continuous time case estimation. Analysing the confidence intervals of the first order autoregressive parameters we may conclude that the confidence intervals were much smaller than other estimations by applying the continuous time estimation model.We present a new approach to analysing the occurrence of acute childhood lymphoid leukaemia. We decompose time series into components. The periodicity of acute childhood lymphoid leukaemia in Hungary was examined using seasonal decomposition time series method. The cyclic trend of the dates of diagnosis revealed that a higher percent of the peaks fell within the winter months than in the other seasons. This proves the seasonal occurrence of the childhood leukaemia in Hungary.

A Continuation of the Paradigm Wars? Prevalence Rates of Methodological Approaches across the Social/Behavioral Sciences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alise, Mark A.; Teddlie, Charles

2010-01-01

A new line of research has emerged that examines the prevalence rates of mixed methods within disciplines in the social/behavioral sciences. Research presented in this article is unique in that it examines prevalence rates across multiple disciplines using an established cross-disciplinary classification scheme. Results indicate that there are…

What Are Confidence Judgments Made of? Students' Explanations for Their Confidence Ratings and What that Means for Calibration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dinsmore, Daniel L.; Parkinson, Meghan M.

2013-01-01

Although calibration has been widely studied, questions remain about how best to capture confidence ratings, how to calculate continuous variable calibration indices, and on what exactly students base their reported confidence ratings. Undergraduates in a research methods class completed a prior knowledge assessment, two sets of readings and…

Development of the Likelihood of Low Glucose (LLG) algorithm for evaluating risk of hypoglycemia: a new approach for using continuous glucose data to guide therapeutic decision making.

PubMed

Dunn, Timothy C; Hayter, Gary A; Doniger, Ken J; Wolpert, Howard A

2014-07-01

The objective was to develop an analysis methodology for generating diabetes therapy decision guidance using continuous glucose (CG) data. The novel Likelihood of Low Glucose (LLG) methodology, which exploits the relationship between glucose median, glucose variability, and hypoglycemia risk, is mathematically based and can be implemented in computer software. Using JDRF Continuous Glucose Monitoring Clinical Trial data, CG values for all participants were divided into 4-week periods starting at the first available sensor reading. The safety and sensitivity performance regarding hypoglycemia guidance "stoplights" were compared between the LLG method and one based on 10th percentile (P10) values. Examining 13 932 hypoglycemia guidance outputs, the safety performance of the LLG method ranged from 0.5% to 5.4% incorrect "green" indicators, compared with 0.9% to 6.0% for P10 value of 110 mg/dL. Guidance with lower P10 values yielded higher rates of incorrect indicators, such as 11.7% to 38% at 80 mg/dL. When evaluated only for periods of higher glucose (median above 155 mg/dL), the safety performance of the LLG method was superior to the P10 method. Sensitivity performance of correct "red" indicators of the LLG method had an in sample rate of 88.3% and an out of sample rate of 59.6%, comparable with the P10 method up to about 80 mg/dL. To aid in therapeutic decision making, we developed an algorithm-supported report that graphically highlights low glucose risk and increased variability. When tested with clinical data, the proposed method demonstrated equivalent or superior safety and sensitivity performance. © 2014 Diabetes Technology Society.

Signaling on the continuous spectrum of nonlinear optical fiber.

PubMed

Tavakkolnia, Iman; Safari, Majid

2017-08-07

This paper studies different signaling techniques on the continuous spectrum (CS) of nonlinear optical fiber defined by nonlinear Fourier transform. Three different signaling techniques are proposed and analyzed based on the statistics of the noise added to CS after propagation along the nonlinear optical fiber. The proposed methods are compared in terms of error performance, distance reach, and complexity. Furthermore, the effect of chromatic dispersion on the data rate and noise in nonlinear spectral domain is investigated. It is demonstrated that, for a given sequence of CS symbols, an optimal bandwidth (or symbol rate) can be determined so that the temporal duration of the propagated signal at the end of the fiber is minimized. In effect, the required guard interval between the subsequently transmitted data packets in time is minimized and the effective data rate is significantly enhanced. Moreover, by selecting the proper signaling method and design criteria a distance reach of 7100 km is reported by only singling on CS at a rate of 9.6 Gbps.

Estimating Brownian motion dispersal rate, longevity and population density from spatially explicit mark-recapture data on tropical butterflies.

PubMed

Tufto, Jarle; Lande, Russell; Ringsby, Thor-Harald; Engen, Steinar; Saether, Bernt-Erik; Walla, Thomas R; DeVries, Philip J

2012-07-01

1. We develop a Bayesian method for analysing mark-recapture data in continuous habitat using a model in which individuals movement paths are Brownian motions, life spans are exponentially distributed and capture events occur at given instants in time if individuals are within a certain attractive distance of the traps. 2. The joint posterior distribution of the dispersal rate, longevity, trap attraction distances and a number of latent variables representing the unobserved movement paths and time of death of all individuals is computed using Gibbs sampling. 3. An estimate of absolute local population density is obtained simply by dividing the Poisson counts of individuals captured at given points in time by the estimated total attraction area of all traps. Our approach for estimating population density in continuous habitat avoids the need to define an arbitrary effective trapping area that characterized previous mark-recapture methods in continuous habitat. 4. We applied our method to estimate spatial demography parameters in nine species of neotropical butterflies. Path analysis of interspecific variation in demographic parameters and mean wing length revealed a simple network of strong causation. Larger wing length increases dispersal rate, which in turn increases trap attraction distance. However, higher dispersal rate also decreases longevity, thus explaining the surprising observation of a negative correlation between wing length and longevity. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2012 British Ecological Society.

Fenestration system energy performance research, implementation, and international harmonization

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

McGowan, Raymond F

The research conducted by the NFRC and its contractors adds significantly to the understanding of several areas of investigation. NFRC enables manufacturers to rate fenestration energy performance to comply with building energy codes, participate in ENERGY STAR, and compete fairly. NFRC continuously seeks to improve its ratings and also seeks to simplify the rating process. Several research projects investigated rating improvement potential such as • Complex Product VT Rating Research • Window 6 and Therm 6 Validation Research Project • Complex Product VT Rating Research Conclusions from these research projects led to important changes and increased confidence in the existingmore » NFRC rating process. Conclusions from the Window 6/Therm 6 project will enable window manufacturers to rate an expanded array of products and improve existing ratings. Some research lead to an improved new rating method called the Component Modeling Approach. A primary goal of the CMA was a simplification of the commercial energy rating process to increase participation and make the commercial industry more competitive and code compliant. The project below contributed towards CMA development: • Component Modeling Approach Condensation Resistance Research NFRC continues to implement the Component Modeling Approach program. The program includes the CMA software tool, CMAST, and several procedural documents to govern the certification process. This significant accomplishment was a response the commercial fenestration industry’s need for a simplification of the present NFRC energy rating method (named site built). To date, most commercial fenestration is self-rated by a variety of techniques. The CMA enables commercial fenestration manufacturers to rate according to the NFRC 100/200 as most commercial energy codes require. International Harmonization NFRC achieved significant international harmonization success by continuing its licensing agreements with the Australian Fenestration Rating Council and the Association of Architectural Aluminum Manufacturers of South Africa (AAAMSA) to produce NFRC certified product ratings in their respective nations. NFRC worked in several other nations to introduce the NFRC ratings system: • India • China • Japan • Canada • Thailand • South Africa • Brazil • Korea NFRC attended or hosted several meetings in each of these nations establishing academic, commercial, industrial, and governmental contacts. NFRC presented the NFRC process and then necessary infrastructure steps necessary to achieve harmonization with the NFRC labeling system. NFRC looks forward to continued work toward harmonization in these nations and potentially others.« less

An EMG-based system for continuous monitoring of clinical efficacy of Parkinson's disease treatments.

PubMed

Askari, Sina; Zhang, Mo; Won, Deborah S

2010-01-01

Current methods for assessing the efficacy of treatments for Parkinson's disease (PD) rely on physician rated scores. These methods pose three major shortcomings: 1) the subjectivity of the assessments, 2) the lack of precision on the rating scale (6 discrete levels), and 3) the inability to assess symptoms except under very specific conditions and/or for very specific tasks. To address these shortcomings, a portable system was developed to continuously monitor Parkinsonian symptoms with quantitative measures based on electrical signals from muscle activity (EMG). Here, we present the system design and the implementation of methods for system validation. This system was designed to provide continuous measures of tremor, rigidity, and bradykinesia which are related to the neurophysiological source without the need for multiple bulky experimental apparatuses, thus allowing more precise, quantitative indicators of the symptoms which can be measured during practical daily living tasks. This measurement system has the potential to improve the diagnosis of PD as well as the evaluation of PD treatments, which is an important step in the path to improving PD treatments.

Non-contact physiological signal detection using continuous wave Doppler radar.

PubMed

Qiao, Dengyu; He, Tan; Hu, Boping; Li, Ye

2014-01-01

The aim of this work is to show non-contact physiological signal monitoring system based on continuous-wave (CW) Doppler radar, which is becoming highly attractive in the field of health care monitoring of elderly people. Two radar signal processing methods were introduced in this paper: one to extract respiration and heart rates of a single person and the other to separate mixed respiration signals. To verify the validity of the methods, physiological signal is obtained from stationary human subjects using a CW Doppler radar unit. The sensor operating at 24 GHz is located 0.5 meter away from the subject. The simulation results show that the respiration and heart rates are clearly extracted, and the mixed respiration signals are successfully separated. Finally, reference respiration and heart rate signals are measured by an ECG monitor and compared with the results tracked by the CW Doppler radar monitoring system.

Fitting models of continuous trait evolution to incompletely sampled comparative data using approximate Bayesian computation.

PubMed

Slater, Graham J; Harmon, Luke J; Wegmann, Daniel; Joyce, Paul; Revell, Liam J; Alfaro, Michael E

2012-03-01

In recent years, a suite of methods has been developed to fit multiple rate models to phylogenetic comparative data. However, most methods have limited utility at broad phylogenetic scales because they typically require complete sampling of both the tree and the associated phenotypic data. Here, we develop and implement a new, tree-based method called MECCA (Modeling Evolution of Continuous Characters using ABC) that uses a hybrid likelihood/approximate Bayesian computation (ABC)-Markov-Chain Monte Carlo approach to simultaneously infer rates of diversification and trait evolution from incompletely sampled phylogenies and trait data. We demonstrate via simulation that MECCA has considerable power to choose among single versus multiple evolutionary rate models, and thus can be used to test hypotheses about changes in the rate of trait evolution across an incomplete tree of life. We finally apply MECCA to an empirical example of body size evolution in carnivores, and show that there is no evidence for an elevated rate of body size evolution in the pinnipeds relative to terrestrial carnivores. ABC approaches can provide a useful alternative set of tools for future macroevolutionary studies where likelihood-dependent approaches are lacking. © 2011 The Author(s). Evolution© 2011 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Non-contact procedure to measure heart and lung activities in preterm pediatric patients with skin disorders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marchionni, P.; Scalise, L.; Antognoli, L.; Nobile, S.; Carnielli, V. P.

2018-04-01

Preterm patients can have an higher risk of fatalities and can be subjected to long-term disability. With many organs still in the phase of development, the earlier the delivery, the higher the risk and they are therefore hospitalized in specialized neonatal intensive care units) where heart rate and lungs activity are continuously assessed. These are mostly monitored by set of electrodes placed in contact with skin (two in thorax area and one in abdominal area). This paper address the problem of preterm cardiac and respiratory monitoring in a patient with severe skin disorders who can not monitored with standard electrodes because of his dry, thickened, scaly skin. As a solution, we propose a fully non-contact measurement method, based on laser Doppler vibrometry, able to continuously record the movements of wall-chest and extract from this signal, the heart rate and the respiratory activity of the patient. The results show a good agreement between the standard contact measurement methods and the proposed one (no statistical difference between data) with a data uncertainty of 2.9% for the heart rate data and of 9.5% for the respiration rate (k=2), in line with the classical measurement methods.

Design of a lamella settler for biomass recycling in continuous ethanol fermentation process.

PubMed

Tabera, J; Iznaola, M A

1989-04-20

The design and application of a settler to a continuous fermentation process with yeast recycle were studied. The compact lamella-type settler was chosen to avoid large volumes associated with conventional settling tanks. A rationale of the design method is covered. The sedimentation area was determined by classical batch settling rate tests and sedimentation capacity calculation. Limitations on the residence time of the microorganisms in the settler, rather than sludge thickening considerations, was the approach employed for volume calculation. Fermentation rate tests with yeast after different sedimentation periods were carried out to define a suitable residence time. Continuous cell recycle fermentation runs, performed with the old and new sedimentation devices, show that lamella settler improves biomass recycling efficiency, being the process able to operate at higher sugar concentrations and faster dilution rates.

Automated Continuous Distraction Osteogenesis May Allow Faster Distraction Rates: A Preliminary Study

PubMed Central

Peacock, Zachary S.; Tricomi, Brad; Murphy, Brian; Magill, John; Kaban, Leonard B.; Troulis, Maria

2013-01-01

Purpose To determine if automated continuous distraction osteogenesis at rates > 1mm/day would result in clinical and radiographic bone formation in a minipig model. Materials and Methods An automated, continuous, curvilinear distraction device was placed across a mandibular osteotomy in 10 minipigs. After 12 mm of distraction and 24 days fixation, animals were sacrificed and bone healing evaluated. The continuous distraction rates were 1.5 (n=5) and 3 mm/day (n=5). A semiquantitative scale was used to assess ex-vivo clinical appearance of the distraction gap (3= osteotomy not visible; 2= <50%; 1= >50%; 0= 100% visible); stability (3 = no mobility; 2 and 1 = mobility in 2 or 1 plane respectively; 0= mobility in 3 planes); radiographic density (4 = 100% gap opaque, 3= >75%, 2 = 50% – 75%, 1= <50%, or 0 = radiolucent). Groups of 4 minipigs distracted discontinuously at 1, 2, and 4 mm/day served as controls. Results The continuous DO 1.5 mm/day group had significantly higher scores for appearance and radiographic density compared to the discontinuous 4 mm/day group. The continuous DO 3mm/day group had significantly higher scores for appearance and radiographic density compared to the discontinuous 4 mm/day group, and higher stability compared to the discontinuous 2 and 4 mm/day groups. Conclusions Results of this preliminary study indicate that continuous DO at rates of 1.5 and 3.0 mm/day produces better bone formation when compared to discontinuous DO at rates faster than 1mm/day. PMID:23499159

Nutrient Regulation by Continuous Feeding Removes Limitations on Cell Yield in the Large-Scale Expansion of Mammalian Cell Spheroids

PubMed Central

Weegman, Bradley P.; Nash, Peter; Carlson, Alexandra L.; Voltzke, Kristin J.; Geng, Zhaohui; Jahani, Marjan; Becker, Benjamin B.; Papas, Klearchos K.; Firpo, Meri T.

2013-01-01

Cellular therapies are emerging as a standard approach for the treatment of several diseases. However, realizing the promise of cellular therapies across the full range of treatable disorders will require large-scale, controlled, reproducible culture methods. Bioreactor systems offer the scale-up and monitoring needed, but standard stirred bioreactor cultures do not allow for the real-time regulation of key nutrients in the medium. In this study, β-TC6 insulinoma cells were aggregated and cultured for 3 weeks as a model of manufacturing a mammalian cell product. Cell expansion rates and medium nutrient levels were compared in static, stirred suspension bioreactors (SSB), and continuously fed (CF) SSB. While SSB cultures facilitated increased culture volumes, no increase in cell yields were observed, partly due to limitations in key nutrients, which were consumed by the cultures between feedings, such as glucose. Even when glucose levels were increased to prevent depletion between feedings, dramatic fluctuations in glucose levels were observed. Continuous feeding eliminated fluctuations and improved cell expansion when compared with both static and SSB culture methods. Further improvements in growth rates were observed after adjusting the feed rate based on calculated nutrient depletion, which maintained physiological glucose levels for the duration of the expansion. Adjusting the feed rate in a continuous medium replacement system can maintain the consistent nutrient levels required for the large-scale application of many cell products. Continuously fed bioreactor systems combined with nutrient regulation can be used to improve the yield and reproducibility of mammalian cells for biological products and cellular therapies and will facilitate the translation of cell culture from the research lab to clinical applications. PMID:24204645

Analysis of pressure-flow data in terms of computer-derived urethral resistance parameters.

PubMed

van Mastrigt, R; Kranse, M

1995-01-01

The simultaneous measurement of detrusor pressure and flow rate during voiding is at present the only way to measure or grade infravesical obstruction objectively. Numerous methods have been introduced to analyze the resulting data. These methods differ in aim (measurement of urethral resistance and/or diagnosis of obstruction), method (manual versus computerized data processing), theory or model used, and resolution (continuously variable parameters or a limited number of classes, the so-called monogram). In this paper, some aspects of these fundamental differences are discussed and illustrated. Subsequently, the properties and clinical performance of two computer-based methods for deriving continuous urethral resistance parameters are treated.

Filter desulfation system and method

DOEpatents

Lowe, Michael D.; Robel, Wade J.; Verkiel, Maarten; Driscoll, James J.

2010-08-10

A method of removing sulfur from a filter system of an engine includes continuously passing an exhaust flow through a desulfation leg of the filter system during desulfation. The method also includes sensing at least one characteristic of the exhaust flow and modifying a flow rate of the exhaust flow during desulfation in response to the sensing.

40 CFR 60.424 - Test methods and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... (CONTINUED) STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE FOR NEW STATIONARY SOURCES Standards of Performance for Ammonium Sulfate.../ton) of ammonium sulfate produced. cs = concentration of particulate matter, g/dscm (g/dscf). Qsd = volumetric flow rate of effluent gas, dscm/hr (dscf/hr). P = production rate of ammonium sulfate, Mg/hr (ton...

40 CFR 60.404 - Test methods and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... (CONTINUED) STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE FOR NEW STATIONARY SOURCES Standards of Performance for Phosphate Rock.../ton) of phosphate rock feed. cs=concentration of particulate matter, g/dscm (g/dscf). Qsd=volumetric flow rate of effluent gas, dscm/hr (dscf/hr). P=phosphate rock feed rate, Mg/hr (ton/hr). K=conversion...

40 CFR 60.404 - Test methods and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... (CONTINUED) STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE FOR NEW STATIONARY SOURCES Standards of Performance for Phosphate Rock.../ton) of phosphate rock feed. cs = concentration of particulate matter, g/dscm (g/dscf). Qsd = volumetric flow rate of effluent gas, dscm/hr (dscf/hr). P=phosphate rock feed rate, Mg/hr (ton/hr). K...

40 CFR 60.404 - Test methods and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... (CONTINUED) STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE FOR NEW STATIONARY SOURCES Standards of Performance for Phosphate Rock.../ton) of phosphate rock feed. cs=concentration of particulate matter, g/dscm (g/dscf). Qsd=volumetric flow rate of effluent gas, dscm/hr (dscf/hr). P=phosphate rock feed rate, Mg/hr (ton/hr). K=conversion...

40 CFR 60.404 - Test methods and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... (CONTINUED) STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE FOR NEW STATIONARY SOURCES Standards of Performance for Phosphate Rock.../ton) of phosphate rock feed. cs=concentration of particulate matter, g/dscm (g/dscf). Qsd=volumetric flow rate of effluent gas, dscm/hr (dscf/hr). P=phosphate rock feed rate, Mg/hr (ton/hr). K=conversion...

40 CFR 60.404 - Test methods and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... (CONTINUED) STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE FOR NEW STATIONARY SOURCES Standards of Performance for Phosphate Rock.../ton) of phosphate rock feed. cs=concentration of particulate matter, g/dscm (g/dscf). Qsd=volumetric flow rate of effluent gas, dscm/hr (dscf/hr). P=phosphate rock feed rate, Mg/hr (ton/hr). K=conversion...

40 CFR 63.1104 - Process vents from continuous unit operations: applicability assessment procedures and methods.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... accordance with the applicable weight-percent, TOC concentration, or organic HAP concentration requirement in... rate, regulated organic HAP concentration, total organic HAP or TOC concentration, heating value, and... volumetric flow rate, regulated organic HAP concentration, total organic HAP or TOC concentration, and any...

Soot volume fraction fields in unsteady axis-symmetric flames by continuous laser extinction technique.

PubMed

Kashif, Muhammad; Bonnety, Jérôme; Guibert, Philippe; Morin, Céline; Legros, Guillaume

2012-12-17

A Laser Extinction Method has been set up to provide two-dimensional soot volume fraction field time history at a tunable frequency up to 70 Hz inside an axis-symmetric diffusion flame experiencing slow unsteady phenomena preserving the symmetry. The use of a continuous wave laser as the light source enables this repetition rate, which is an incremental advance in the laser extinction technique. The technique is shown to allow a fine description of the soot volume fraction field in a flickering flame exhibiting a 12.6 Hz flickering phenomenon. Within this range of repetition rate, the technique and its subsequent post-processing require neither any method for time-domain reconstruction nor any correction for energy intrusion. Possibly complemented by such a reconstruction method, the technique should support further soot volume fraction database in oscillating flames that exhibit characteristic times relevant to the current efforts in the validation of soot processes modeling.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR METABOLIC ASSAY

DOEpatents

Tolbert, B.M.; Kirk, M.R.; Baker, E.M.

1961-09-19

A method and instrumentation are described for producing an instuntuneous and continuous curve of the rate at which any selected carbon- containing substance is metabolized by a living subject. The substance is prepared with a known proportion of C/sup 14/ and, after administration, the C/ sup 14/ content of the subject's exhalations is continuously monitored along with the total C0/sub 2/ content thereof. The resulting data are continuously compared and displayed in graphical form to give the desired metabolic information. The invention includes specialized radiation counting means as well as means for assuring exact synchronization of the C/sup 14/ and C0/sub 2/ signals.

Patterns of Contraceptive Adoption, Continuation, and Switching after Delivery among Malawian Women.

PubMed

Kopp, Dawn M; Rosenberg, Nora E; Stuart, Gretchen S; Miller, William C; Hosseinipour, Mina C; Bonongwe, Phylos; Mwale, Mwawi; Tang, Jennifer H

2017-01-01

Women who report use of postpartum family planning may not continue their initial method or use it consistently. Understanding the patterns of method uptake, discontinuation, and switching among women after delivery is important to promote uptake and continuation of effective methods of contraception. This is a secondary analysis of 634 Malawian women enrolled into a prospective cohort study after delivery. They completed baseline surveys upon enrollment and follow-up telephone surveys 3, 6, and 12 months post-delivery. Women were included in this analysis if they had completed at least the 3- and 6-month post-delivery surveys. Descriptive statistics were used to assess contraceptive method mix and patterns of switching, whereas Pearson's χ2 tests were used for bivariable analyses to compare characteristics of women who continued and discontinued their initial post-delivery contraceptive method. Among the 479 women included in this analysis, the use of abstinence/traditional methods decreased and the use of long-acting and permanent methods (LAPM) increased over time. Almost half (47%) discontinued the contraceptive method reported at 3-months post-delivery; women using injectables or LAPM at 3-months post-delivery were significantly more likely to continue their method than those using non-modern methods (p<0.001). Of the 216 women who switched methods, 82% switched to a more or equally effective method. The change in contraceptive method mix and high rate of contraceptive switching in the first 12 months postpartum highlights a need to assist women in accessing effective contraceptives soon after delivery.

Computing discharge using the index velocity method

USGS Publications Warehouse

Levesque, Victor A.; Oberg, Kevin A.

2012-01-01

Application of the index velocity method for computing continuous records of discharge has become increasingly common, especially since the introduction of low-cost acoustic Doppler velocity meters (ADVMs) in 1997. Presently (2011), the index velocity method is being used to compute discharge records for approximately 470 gaging stations operated and maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey. The purpose of this report is to document and describe techniques for computing discharge records using the index velocity method. Computing discharge using the index velocity method differs from the traditional stage-discharge method by separating velocity and area into two ratings—the index velocity rating and the stage-area rating. The outputs from each of these ratings, mean channel velocity (V) and cross-sectional area (A), are then multiplied together to compute a discharge. For the index velocity method, V is a function of such parameters as streamwise velocity, stage, cross-stream velocity, and velocity head, and A is a function of stage and cross-section shape. The index velocity method can be used at locations where stage-discharge methods are used, but it is especially appropriate when more than one specific discharge can be measured for a specific stage. After the ADVM is selected, installed, and configured, the stage-area rating and the index velocity rating must be developed. A standard cross section is identified and surveyed in order to develop the stage-area rating. The standard cross section should be surveyed every year for the first 3 years of operation and thereafter at a lesser frequency, depending on the susceptibility of the cross section to change. Periodic measurements of discharge are used to calibrate and validate the index rating for the range of conditions experienced at the gaging station. Data from discharge measurements, ADVMs, and stage sensors are compiled for index-rating analysis. Index ratings are developed by means of regression techniques in which the mean cross-sectional velocity for the standard section is related to the measured index velocity. Most ratings are simple-linear regressions, but more complex ratings may be necessary in some cases. Once the rating is established, validation measurements should be made periodically. Over time, validation measurements may provide additional definition to the rating or result in the creation of a new rating. The computation of discharge is the last step in the index velocity method, and in some ways it is the most straight-forward step. This step differs little from the steps used to compute discharge records for stage-discharge gaging stations. The ratings are entered into database software used for records computation, and continuous records of discharge are computed.

Shape-Controlled Synthesis of Hybrid Nanomaterials via Three-Dimensional Hydrodynamic Focusing

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Shape-controlled synthesis of nanomaterials through a simple, continuous, and low-cost method is essential to nanomaterials research toward practical applications. Hydrodynamic focusing, with its advantages of simplicity, low-cost, and precise control over reaction conditions, has been used for nanomaterial synthesis. While most studies have focused on improving the uniformity and size control, few have addressed the potential of tuning the shape of the synthesized nanomaterials. Here we demonstrate a facile method to synthesize hybrid materials by three-dimensional hydrodynamic focusing (3D-HF). While keeping the flow rates of the reagents constant and changing only the flow rate of the buffer solution, the molar ratio of two reactants (i.e., tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) and HAuCl4) within the reaction zone varies. The synthesized TTF–Au hybrid materials possess very different and predictable morphologies. The reaction conditions at different buffer flow rates are studied through computational simulation, and the formation mechanisms of different structures are discussed. This simple one-step method to achieve continuous shape-tunable synthesis highlights the potential of 3D-HF in nanomaterials research. PMID:25268035

Shape-controlled synthesis of hybrid nanomaterials via three-dimensional hydrodynamic focusing.

PubMed

Lu, Mengqian; Yang, Shikuan; Ho, Yi-Ping; Grigsby, Christopher L; Leong, Kam W; Huang, Tony Jun

2014-10-28

Shape-controlled synthesis of nanomaterials through a simple, continuous, and low-cost method is essential to nanomaterials research toward practical applications. Hydrodynamic focusing, with its advantages of simplicity, low-cost, and precise control over reaction conditions, has been used for nanomaterial synthesis. While most studies have focused on improving the uniformity and size control, few have addressed the potential of tuning the shape of the synthesized nanomaterials. Here we demonstrate a facile method to synthesize hybrid materials by three-dimensional hydrodynamic focusing (3D-HF). While keeping the flow rates of the reagents constant and changing only the flow rate of the buffer solution, the molar ratio of two reactants (i.e., tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) and HAuCl4) within the reaction zone varies. The synthesized TTF-Au hybrid materials possess very different and predictable morphologies. The reaction conditions at different buffer flow rates are studied through computational simulation, and the formation mechanisms of different structures are discussed. This simple one-step method to achieve continuous shape-tunable synthesis highlights the potential of 3D-HF in nanomaterials research.

A mathematical approach for evaluating Markov models in continuous time without discrete-event simulation.

PubMed

van Rosmalen, Joost; Toy, Mehlika; O'Mahony, James F

2013-08-01

Markov models are a simple and powerful tool for analyzing the health and economic effects of health care interventions. These models are usually evaluated in discrete time using cohort analysis. The use of discrete time assumes that changes in health states occur only at the end of a cycle period. Discrete-time Markov models only approximate the process of disease progression, as clinical events typically occur in continuous time. The approximation can yield biased cost-effectiveness estimates for Markov models with long cycle periods and if no half-cycle correction is made. The purpose of this article is to present an overview of methods for evaluating Markov models in continuous time. These methods use mathematical results from stochastic process theory and control theory. The methods are illustrated using an applied example on the cost-effectiveness of antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis B. The main result is a mathematical solution for the expected time spent in each state in a continuous-time Markov model. It is shown how this solution can account for age-dependent transition rates and discounting of costs and health effects, and how the concept of tunnel states can be used to account for transition rates that depend on the time spent in a state. The applied example shows that the continuous-time model yields more accurate results than the discrete-time model but does not require much computation time and is easily implemented. In conclusion, continuous-time Markov models are a feasible alternative to cohort analysis and can offer several theoretical and practical advantages.

Accuracy of acoustic respiration rate monitoring in pediatric patients.

PubMed

Patino, Mario; Redford, Daniel T; Quigley, Thomas W; Mahmoud, Mohamed; Kurth, C Dean; Szmuk, Peter

2013-12-01

Rainbow acoustic monitoring (RRa) utilizes acoustic technology to continuously and noninvasively determine respiratory rate from an adhesive sensor located on the neck. We sought to validate the accuracy of RRa, by comparing it to capnography, impedance pneumography, and to a reference method of counting breaths in postsurgical children. Continuous respiration rate data were recorded from RRa and capnography. In a subset of patients, intermittent respiration rate from thoracic impedance pneumography was also recorded. The reference method, counted respiratory rate by the retrospective analysis of the RRa, and capnographic waveforms while listening to recorded breath sounds were used to compare respiration rate of both capnography and RRa. Bias, precision, and limits of agreement of RRa compared with capnography and RRa and capnography compared with the reference method were calculated. Tolerance and reliability to the acoustic sensor and nasal cannula were also assessed. Thirty-nine of 40 patients (97.5%) demonstrated good tolerance of the acoustic sensor, whereas 25 of 40 patients (62.5%) demonstrated good tolerance of the nasal cannula. Intermittent thoracic impedance produced erroneous respiratory rates (>50 b·min(-1) from the other methods) on 47% of occasions. The bias ± SD and limits of agreement were -0.30 ± 3.5 b·min(-1) and -7.3 to 6.6 b·min(-1) for RRa compared with capnography; -0.1 ± 2.5 b·min(-1) and -5.0 to 5.0 b·min(-1) for RRa compared with the reference method; and 0.2 ± 3.4 b·min(-1) and -6.8 to 6.7 b·min(-1) for capnography compared with the reference method. When compared to nasal capnography, RRa showed good agreement and similar accuracy and precision but was better tolerated in postsurgical pediatric patients. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Sign language spotting with a threshold model based on conditional random fields.

PubMed

Yang, Hee-Deok; Sclaroff, Stan; Lee, Seong-Whan

2009-07-01

Sign language spotting is the task of detecting and recognizing signs in a signed utterance, in a set vocabulary. The difficulty of sign language spotting is that instances of signs vary in both motion and appearance. Moreover, signs appear within a continuous gesture stream, interspersed with transitional movements between signs in a vocabulary and nonsign patterns (which include out-of-vocabulary signs, epentheses, and other movements that do not correspond to signs). In this paper, a novel method for designing threshold models in a conditional random field (CRF) model is proposed which performs an adaptive threshold for distinguishing between signs in a vocabulary and nonsign patterns. A short-sign detector, a hand appearance-based sign verification method, and a subsign reasoning method are included to further improve sign language spotting accuracy. Experiments demonstrate that our system can spot signs from continuous data with an 87.0 percent spotting rate and can recognize signs from isolated data with a 93.5 percent recognition rate versus 73.5 percent and 85.4 percent, respectively, for CRFs without a threshold model, short-sign detection, subsign reasoning, and hand appearance-based sign verification. Our system can also achieve a 15.0 percent sign error rate (SER) from continuous data and a 6.4 percent SER from isolated data versus 76.2 percent and 14.5 percent, respectively, for conventional CRFs.

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

Gyrya, Vitaliy; Mourad, Hashem Mohamed

We present a family of C1-continuous high-order Virtual Element Methods for Poisson-Kirchho plate bending problem. The convergence of the methods is tested on a variety of meshes including rectangular, quadrilateral, and meshes obtained by edge removal (i.e. highly irregular meshes). The convergence rates are presented for all of these tests.

Effects of N and B on continuous cooling transformation diagrams of Mo-V-Ti micro-alloyed steels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuhui, Wang; Bo, Liao; Ligang, Liu; Xianfeng, Li; Hang, Su; Caifu, Yang; Qingfeng, Wang

2012-05-01

Effects of the single addition of nitrogen (N) and boron (B) and the combined addition of N and B on continuous cooling transformation (CCT) diagrams and properties of the three Mo-V-Ti micro-alloyed steels were investigated by means of a combined method of dilatometry and metallography. Microstructures observed in continuous cooled specimens were composed of pearlite (P), quasi-polygonal ferrite (QPF), granular bainite (GB), acicular ferrite (AF), lath-like bainite (LB) and martensite (M) depending on the cooling rates and transformation temperatures. Single addition of 12 ppm B effectively reduced the formation of QPF and broadened the cooling rate region for LB and M. Added N makes the action of B invalid and the QPF region was prominently broadened, and even though the cooling rate is higher than 50°C s-1, it cannot obtain full bainite.

Continuous non-contact vital sign monitoring in neonatal intensive care unit

PubMed Central

Guazzi, Alessandro; Jorge, João; Davis, Sara; Watkinson, Peter; Green, Gabrielle; Shenvi, Asha; McCormick, Kenny; Tarassenko, Lionel

2014-01-01

Current technologies to allow continuous monitoring of vital signs in pre-term infants in the hospital require adhesive electrodes or sensors to be in direct contact with the patient. These can cause stress, pain, and also damage the fragile skin of the infants. It has been established previously that the colour and volume changes in superficial blood vessels during the cardiac cycle can be measured using a digital video camera and ambient light, making it possible to obtain estimates of heart rate or breathing rate. Most of the papers in the literature on non-contact vital sign monitoring report results on adult healthy human volunteers in controlled environments for short periods of time. The authors' current clinical study involves the continuous monitoring of pre-term infants, for at least four consecutive days each, in the high-dependency care area of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. The authors have further developed their video-based, non-contact monitoring methods to obtain continuous estimates of heart rate, respiratory rate and oxygen saturation for infants nursed in incubators. In this Letter, it is shown that continuous estimates of these three parameters can be computed with an accuracy which is clinically useful. During stable sections with minimal infant motion, the mean absolute error between the camera-derived estimates of heart rate and the reference value derived from the ECG is similar to the mean absolute error between the ECG-derived value and the heart rate value from a pulse oximeter. Continuous non-contact vital sign monitoring in the NICU using ambient light is feasible, and the authors have shown that clinically important events such as a bradycardia accompanied by a major desaturation can be identified with their algorithms for processing the video signal. PMID:26609384

Continuous non-contact vital sign monitoring in neonatal intensive care unit.

PubMed

Villarroel, Mauricio; Guazzi, Alessandro; Jorge, João; Davis, Sara; Watkinson, Peter; Green, Gabrielle; Shenvi, Asha; McCormick, Kenny; Tarassenko, Lionel

2014-09-01

Current technologies to allow continuous monitoring of vital signs in pre-term infants in the hospital require adhesive electrodes or sensors to be in direct contact with the patient. These can cause stress, pain, and also damage the fragile skin of the infants. It has been established previously that the colour and volume changes in superficial blood vessels during the cardiac cycle can be measured using a digital video camera and ambient light, making it possible to obtain estimates of heart rate or breathing rate. Most of the papers in the literature on non-contact vital sign monitoring report results on adult healthy human volunteers in controlled environments for short periods of time. The authors' current clinical study involves the continuous monitoring of pre-term infants, for at least four consecutive days each, in the high-dependency care area of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. The authors have further developed their video-based, non-contact monitoring methods to obtain continuous estimates of heart rate, respiratory rate and oxygen saturation for infants nursed in incubators. In this Letter, it is shown that continuous estimates of these three parameters can be computed with an accuracy which is clinically useful. During stable sections with minimal infant motion, the mean absolute error between the camera-derived estimates of heart rate and the reference value derived from the ECG is similar to the mean absolute error between the ECG-derived value and the heart rate value from a pulse oximeter. Continuous non-contact vital sign monitoring in the NICU using ambient light is feasible, and the authors have shown that clinically important events such as a bradycardia accompanied by a major desaturation can be identified with their algorithms for processing the video signal.

Evaluating Rater Accuracy in Rater-Mediated Assessments Using an Unfolding Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Jue; Engelhard, George, Jr.; Wolfe, Edward W.

2016-01-01

The number of performance assessments continues to increase around the world, and it is important to explore new methods for evaluating the quality of ratings obtained from raters. This study describes an unfolding model for examining rater accuracy. Accuracy is defined as the difference between observed and expert ratings. Dichotomous accuracy…

Controlling Item Exposure Conditional on Ability in Computerized Adaptive Testing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stocking, Martha L.; Lewis, Charles

1998-01-01

Ensuring item and pool security in a continuous testing environment is explored through a new method of controlling exposure rate of items conditional on ability level in computerized testing. Properties of this conditional control on exposure rate, when used in conjunction with a particular adaptive testing algorithm, are explored using simulated…

Curriculum renewal in child psychiatry.

PubMed

Hanson, M; Tiberius, R; Charach, A; Ulzen, T; Sackin, D; Jain, U; Reiter, S; Shomair, G

1999-11-01

To ensure uniform design and evaluation of a clerkship curriculum for child and adolescent psychiatry teaching common disorders and problems in an efficient manner across 5 teaching sites and to include structures for continuous improvement. The curriculum committee selected for course inclusion disorders and problems of child psychiatry that were commonly encountered by primary care physicians. Instruction methods that encouraged active student learning were selected. Course coordination across sites was encouraged by several methods: involving faculty, adopting a centralized examination format, and aligning teaching methods with examination format. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to measure students' perceptions of the course's value. These evaluative results were reviewed, and course modifications were implemented and reevaluated. The average adjusted student return rate for course evaluation questionnaires for the 3-year study period was 63%. Clerks' ratings of course learning value demonstrated that the course improved significantly and continually across all sites, according to a Scheffé post-hoc analysis. Analysis of student statements from focus-group transcripts contributed to course modifications, such as the Brief Focused Interview (BFI). Our curriculum in child psychiatry, which focused on common problems and used active learning methods, was viewed as a valuable learning experience by clinical clerks. Curriculum coordination across multiple teaching sites was accomplished by including faculty in the process and by using specific teaching and examination strategies. Structures for continuous course improvement were effective.

Stitching-aware in-design DPT auto fixing for sub-20nm logic devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Soo-Han; Sai Krishna, K. V. V. S.; Pemberton-Smith, David

2017-03-01

As the technology continues to shrink below 20nm, Double Patterning Technology (DPT) becomes one of the mandatory solutions for routing metal layers. From the view point of Place and Route (P&R), the major concerns are how to prevent DPT odd-cycles automatically without sacrificing chip area. Even though the leading-edge P&R tools have advanced algorithms to prevent DPT odd-cycles, it is very hard to prevent the localized DPT odd-cycles, especially in Engineering Change Order (ECO) routing. In the last several years, we developed In-design DPT Auto Fixing method in order to reduce localized DPT odd-cycles significantly during ECO and could achieve remarkable design Turn-Around Times (TATs). But subsequently, as the design complexity continued increasing and chip size continued decreasing, we needed a new In-design DPT Auto Fixing approach to improve the auto. fixing rate. In this paper, we present the Stitching-Aware In-design DPT Auto Fixing method for better fixing rates and smaller chip design. The previous In-design DPT Auto Fixing method detected all DPT odd-cycles and tried to remove oddcycles by increasing the adjacent space. As the metal congestions increase in the newer technology nodes, the older Auto Fixing method has limitations to increase the adjacent space between routing metals. Consequently, the auto fixing rate of older method gets worse with the introduction of the smaller design rules. With DPT stitching enablement at In-design DRC checking procedure, the new Stitching-Aware DPT Auto Fixing method detects the most critical odd-cycles and revolve the odd-cycles automatically. The accuracy of new flow ensures better usage of space in the congested areas, and helps design more smaller chips. By applying the Stitching-Aware DPT Auto Fixing method to sub-20nm logic devices, we can confirm that the auto fixing rate is improved by 2X compared with auto fixing without stitching. Additionally, by developing the better heuristic algorithm and flow for DPT stitching, we can get DPT compliant layout with the acceptable design TATs.

Empirical study on impact of demographic and economic changes on pension cost

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yusof, Shaira; Ibrahim, Rose Irnawaty

2014-06-01

A continuation of the same financial standard of living after retirement as before is very importance to retired person. The pension provider has a responsibility to ensure their employees receive the sufficient benefit after retirement and regularly monitor the factors that cause insufficient funds to pay benefit to retirees. Insufficient funds may be due to increased in pension cost. Some of the factors that increase the cost of pensions are changes in mortality rates and interest rates. This study will used these two factors to determine their sensitivity to pension cost. Two methods which are Accrued Benefit Cost Method and Projected Benefit Cost Method will be used to estimate pension cost. Interest rates has a inversely related to pension cost while mortality rates has a directly related to pension cost.

Reliability of the Parabola Approximation Method in Heart Rate Variability Analysis Using Low-Sampling-Rate Photoplethysmography.

PubMed

Baek, Hyun Jae; Shin, JaeWook; Jin, Gunwoo; Cho, Jaegeol

2017-10-24

Photoplethysmographic signals are useful for heart rate variability analysis in practical ambulatory applications. While reducing the sampling rate of signals is an important consideration for modern wearable devices that enable 24/7 continuous monitoring, there have not been many studies that have investigated how to compensate the low timing resolution of low-sampling-rate signals for accurate heart rate variability analysis. In this study, we utilized the parabola approximation method and measured it against the conventional cubic spline interpolation method for the time, frequency, and nonlinear domain variables of heart rate variability. For each parameter, the intra-class correlation, standard error of measurement, Bland-Altman 95% limits of agreement and root mean squared relative error were presented. Also, elapsed time taken to compute each interpolation algorithm was investigated. The results indicated that parabola approximation is a simple, fast, and accurate algorithm-based method for compensating the low timing resolution of pulse beat intervals. In addition, the method showed comparable performance with the conventional cubic spline interpolation method. Even though the absolute value of the heart rate variability variables calculated using a signal sampled at 20 Hz were not exactly matched with those calculated using a reference signal sampled at 250 Hz, the parabola approximation method remains a good interpolation method for assessing trends in HRV measurements for low-power wearable applications.

Patterns of Contraceptive Adoption, Continuation, and Switching after Delivery among Malawian Women

PubMed Central

Rosenberg, Nora E.; Stuart, Gretchen S.; Miller, William C.; Hosseinipour, Mina C.; Bonongwe, Phylos; Mwale, Mwawi; Tang, Jennifer H.

2017-01-01

Women who report use of postpartum family planning may not continue their initial method or use it consistently. Understanding the patterns of method uptake, discontinuation, and switching among women after delivery is important to promote uptake and continuation of effective methods of contraception. This is a secondary analysis of 634 Malawian women enrolled into a prospective cohort study after delivery. They completed baseline surveys upon enrollment and follow-up telephone surveys 3, 6, and 12 months post-delivery. Women were included in this analysis if they had completed at least the 3- and 6-month post-delivery surveys. Descriptive statistics were used to assess contraceptive method mix and patterns of switching, whereas Pearson’s χ2 tests were used for bivariable analyses to compare characteristics of women who continued and discontinued their initial post-delivery contraceptive method. Among the 479 women included in this analysis, the use of abstinence/traditional methods decreased and the use of long-acting and permanent methods (LAPM) increased over time. Almost half (47%) discontinued the contraceptive method reported at 3-months post-delivery; women using injectables or LAPM at 3-months post-delivery were significantly more likely to continue their method than those using non-modern methods (p<0.001). Of the 216 women who switched methods, 82% switched to a more or equally effective method. The change in contraceptive method mix and high rate of contraceptive switching in the first 12 months postpartum highlights a need to assist women in accessing effective contraceptives soon after delivery. PMID:28107404

New approach to calibrating bed load samplers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hubbell, D.W.; Stevens, H.H.; Skinner, J.V.; Beverage, J.P.

1985-01-01

Cyclic variations in bed load discharge at a point, which are an inherent part of the process of bed load movement, complicate calibration of bed load samplers and preclude the use of average rates to define sampling efficiencies. Calibration curves, rather than efficiencies, are derived by two independent methods using data collected with prototype versions of the Helley‐Smith sampler in a large calibration facility capable of continuously measuring transport rates across a 9 ft (2.7 m) width. Results from both methods agree. Composite calibration curves, based on matching probability distribution functions of samples and measured rates from different hydraulic conditions (runs), are obtained for six different versions of the sampler. Sampled rates corrected by the calibration curves agree with measured rates for individual runs.

Healthcare Utilization Rates after Oregon's 2008 Medicaid Expansion: Within-and between-group differences over time among New, Returning, and Continuously Insured Enrollees

PubMed Central

O'Malley, Jean P.; Rosetti, Maureen O'Keeffe; Lowe, Robert A.; Angier, Heather; Gold, Rachel; Marino, Miguel; Hatch, Brigit; Hoopes, Megan; Bailey, Steffani R.; Heintzman, John; Gallia, Charles; DeVoe, Jennifer E.

2016-01-01

Background Although past research demonstrated that Medicaid expansions were associated with increased emergency department (ED) and primary care (PC) utilization, little is known about how long this increased utilization persists or whether post-coverage utilization is affected by prior insurance status. Objectives (1) To assess changes in ED, PC, mental and behavioral health care (MBHC), and specialty care visit rates among individuals gaining Medicaid over 24 months post-insurance gain; (2) To evaluate the association of previous insurance with utilization. Methods Using claims data, we conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of adults insured for 24 months following Oregon's 2008 Medicaid expansion. Utilization rates among 1,124 new and 1,587 returning enrollees were compared to those among 5,126 enrollees with continuous Medicaid coverage (≥1 year pre-expansion). Visit rates were adjusted for propensity score classes and geographic region. Results PC visit rates in both newly and returning insured individuals significantly exceeded those in the continuously insured in months four through 12, but were not significantly elevated in the second year. In contrast, ED utilization rates were significantly higher in returning insured compared to newly or continuously insured individuals and remained elevated over time. New visits to PC and specialist care were higher among those who gained Medicaid compared to the continuously insured throughout the study period. Conclusions Predicting the effect of insurance expansion on healthcare utilization should account for the prior coverage history of new enrollees. Additionally, utilization of outpatient services changes with time after insurance, so expansion evaluations should allow for rate stabilization. PMID:27547943

Direct risk standardisation: a new method for comparing casemix adjusted event rates using complex models

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Comparison of outcomes between populations or centres may be confounded by any casemix differences and standardisation is carried out to avoid this. However, when the casemix adjustment models are large and complex, direct standardisation has been described as “practically impossible”, and indirect standardisation may lead to unfair comparisons. We propose a new method of directly standardising for risk rather than standardising for casemix which overcomes these problems. Methods Using a casemix model which is the same model as would be used in indirect standardisation, the risk in individuals is estimated. Risk categories are defined, and event rates in each category for each centre to be compared are calculated. A weighted sum of the risk category specific event rates is then calculated. We have illustrated this method using data on 6 million admissions to 146 hospitals in England in 2007/8 and an existing model with over 5000 casemix combinations, and a second dataset of 18,668 adult emergency admissions to 9 centres in the UK and overseas and a published model with over 20,000 casemix combinations and a continuous covariate. Results Substantial differences between conventional directly casemix standardised rates and rates from direct risk standardisation (DRS) were found. Results based on DRS were very similar to Standardised Mortality Ratios (SMRs) obtained from indirect standardisation, with similar standard errors. Conclusions Direct risk standardisation using our proposed method is as straightforward as using conventional direct or indirect standardisation, always enables fair comparisons of performance to be made, can use continuous casemix covariates, and was found in our examples to have similar standard errors to the SMR. It should be preferred when there is a risk that conventional direct or indirect standardisation will lead to unfair comparisons. PMID:24168424

Generalized quantum kinetic expansion: Higher-order corrections to multichromophoric Förster theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Jianlan; Gong, Zhihao; Tang, Zhoufei

2015-08-01

For a general two-cluster energy transfer network, a new methodology of the generalized quantum kinetic expansion (GQKE) method is developed, which predicts an exact time-convolution equation for the cluster population evolution under the initial condition of the local cluster equilibrium state. The cluster-to-cluster rate kernel is expanded over the inter-cluster couplings. The lowest second-order GQKE rate recovers the multichromophoric Förster theory (MCFT) rate. The higher-order corrections to the MCFT rate are systematically included using the continued fraction resummation form, resulting in the resummed GQKE method. The reliability of the GQKE methodology is verified in two model systems, revealing the relevance of higher-order corrections.

Method for grinding precision components

DOEpatents

Ramanath, Srinivasan; Kuo, Shih Yee; Williston, William H.; Buljan, Sergej-Tomislav

2000-01-01

A method for precision cylindrical grinding of hard brittle materials, such as ceramics or glass and composites comprising ceramics or glass, provides material removal rates as high as 19-380 cm.sup.3 /min/cm. The abrasive tools used in the method comprise a strong, light weight wheel core bonded to a continuous rim of abrasive segments containing superabrasive grain in a dense metal bond matrix.

Explaining transgression in respiratory rate observation methods in the emergency department: A classic grounded theory analysis.

PubMed

Flenady, Tracy; Dwyer, Trudy; Applegarth, Judith

2017-09-01

Abnormal respiratory rates are one of the first indicators of clinical deterioration in emergency department(ED) patients. Despite the importance of respiratory rate observations, this vital sign is often inaccurately recorded on ED observation charts, compromising patient safety. Concurrently, there is a paucity of research reporting why this phenomenon occurs. To develop a substantive theory explaining ED registered nurses' reasoning when they miss or misreport respiratory rate observations. This research project employed a classic grounded theory analysis of qualitative data. Seventy-nine registered nurses currently working in EDs within Australia. Data collected included detailed responses from individual interviews and open-ended responses from an online questionnaire. Classic grounded theory (CGT) research methods were utilised, therefore coding was central to the abstraction of data and its reintegration as theory. Constant comparison synonymous with CGT methods were employed to code data. This approach facilitated the identification of the main concern of the participants and aided in the generation of theory explaining how the participants processed this issue. The main concern identified is that ED registered nurses do not believe that collecting an accurate respiratory rate for ALL patients at EVERY round of observations is a requirement, and yet organizational requirements often dictate that a value for the respiratory rate be included each time vital signs are collected. The theory 'Rationalising Transgression', explains how participants continually resolve this problem. The study found that despite feeling professionally conflicted, nurses often erroneously record respiratory rate observations, and then rationalise this behaviour by employing strategies that adjust the significance of the organisational requirement. These strategies include; Compensating, when nurses believe they are compensating for errant behaviour by enhancing the patient's outcome; Minimalizing, when nurses believe that the patient's outcome would be no different if they recorded an accurate respiratory rate or not and; Trivialising, a strategy that sanctions negligent behaviour and occurs when nurses 'cut corners' to get the job done. Nurses' use these strategies to titrate the level ofemotional discomfort associated with erroneous behaviour, thereby rationalising transgression CONCLUSION: This research reveals that despite continuing education regarding gold standard guidelines for respiratory rate collection, suboptimal practice continues. Ideally, to combat this transgression, a culture shift must occur regarding nurses' understanding of acceptable practice methods. Nurses must receive education in a way that permeates their understanding of the relationship between the regular collection of accurate respiratory rate observations and optimal patient outcomes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Correlates of oral contraception continuation.

PubMed

Ewer, P A; Gibbs, J O

1971-05-01

A sample of 139 predominantly black, young, low-income patients who had accepted oral contraception at a publicly supported family planning clinic has been analyzed for correlates of oral contraception continuation. Interviews were conducted 10-12 months after the clinic visit; at this time 38% of the patients continued taking oral contraceptives. It was found that patients with the highest continuation rates were 18-24 years old, in the 2-3 parity group, living with their husbands, had low-parity mothers, and were able to fill prescriptions in less time with more convenient methods of transportation. Discontinuers tended to have high-parity mothers, live with parents or head their own households, and to be in the 13-17 or 25-45 year old age groups. Fear of long-term use of oral contraceptives and perceived side effects appeared to be implicated in discontinuation. The rate of discontinuation may be associated with irregular coital experience and less consistent exposure to pregnancy.

First experiences with methods to measure ammonia emissions from naturally ventilated cattle buildings in the U.K.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demmers, T. G. M.; Burgess, L. R.; Short, J. L.; Phillips, V. R.; Clark, J. A.; Wathes, C. M.

A method has been developed to measure the emission rate of ammonia from naturally ventilated U.K. livestock buildings. The method is based on measurements of ammonia concentration and estimates of the ventilation rate of the building by continuous release of carbon monoxide tracer within the building. The tracer concentration is measured at nine positions in openings around the perimeter of the building, as well as around a ring sampling line. Two criteria were evaluated to decide whether, at any given time, a given opening in the building acted as an air inlet or as an air outlet. Carbon monoxide concentration difference across an opening was found to be a better criterion than the temperature difference across the opening. Ammonia concentrations were measured continuously at the sampling points using a chemiluminescence analyser. The method was applied to a straw-bedded beef unit and to a slurry-based dairy unit. Both buildings were of space-boarded construction. Ventilation rates estimated by the ring line sample were consistently higher than by the perimeter samples. During calm weather, the ventilation estimates by both samples were similar (10-20 air changes h -1). However, during windy conditions (>5 m s -1) the ventilation rate was overestimated by the ring line sample (average 100 air changes h -1) compared to the perimeter samples (average 50 air changes h -1). The difference was caused by incomplete mixing of the tracer within the building. The ventilation rate estimated from the perimeter samples was used for the calculation of the emission rate. Preliminary estimates of the ammonia emission factor were 6.0 kg NH 3 (500 kg live-weight) -1 (190 d) -1 for the slurry-based dairy unit and 3.7 for the straw-bedded beef unit.

[Application of continuous mixing technology in ethanol precipitation process of Salvia miltiorrhiza by using micromixer].

PubMed

Gong, Xing-Chu; Shen, Ji-Chen; Qu, Hai-Bin

2016-12-01

Continuous pharmaceutical manufacturing is one of the development directions in international pharmaceutical technology. In this study, a continuous mixing technology of ethanol and concentrated extract in the ethanol precipitation of Salvia miltiorrhiza was realized by using a membrane dispersion method. The effects of ethanol flowrate, concentrated extract flowrate, and flowrate ratio on ethanol precipitation results were investigated. With the increase of the flowrates of ethanol and concentrated extract, retention rate of active phenolic acids components was increased, and the total solid removal rate was decreased. The purity of active components in supernatants was mainly affected by the ratio of ethanol flowrate and concentrated extract flowrate. The mixing efficiency of adding ethanol under continuous flow mixing mode in this study was comparable to that of industrial ethanol precipitation. Continuous adding ethanol by using a membrane dispersion mixer is a promising technology with many advantages such as easy enlargement, large production per unit volume, and easy control. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Fast all-optical switch

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shay, Thomas M. (Inventor); Poliakov, Evgeni Y. (Inventor); Hazzard, David A. (Inventor)

2001-01-01

An apparatus and method wherein polarization rotation in alkali vapors or other mediums is used for all-optical switching and digital logic and where the rate of operation is proportional to the amplitude of the pump field. High rates of speed are accomplished by Rabi flopping of the atomic states using a continuously operating monochromatic atomic beam as the pump.

Capnography and chest wall impedance algorithms for ventilation detection during cardiopulmonary resuscitation

PubMed Central

Edelson, Dana P.; Eilevstjønn, Joar; Weidman, Elizabeth K.; Retzer, Elizabeth; Vanden Hoek, Terry L.; Abella, Benjamin S.

2009-01-01

Objective Hyperventilation is both common and detrimental during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Chest wall impedance algorithms have been developed to detect ventilations during CPR. However, impedance signals are challenged by noise artifact from multiple sources, including chest compressions. Capnography has been proposed as an alternate method to measure ventilations. We sought to assess and compare the adequacy of these two approaches. Methods Continuous chest wall impedance and capnography were recorded during consecutive in-hospital cardiac arrests. Algorithms utilizing each of these data sources were compared to a manually determined “gold standard” reference ventilation rate. In addition, a combination algorithm, which utilized the highest of the impedance or capnography values in any given minute, was similarly evaluated. Results Data were collected from 37 cardiac arrests, yielding 438 min of data with continuous chest compressions and concurrent recording of impedance and capnography. The manually calculated mean ventilation rate was 13.3±4.3/min. In comparison, the defibrillator’s impedance-based algorithm yielded an average rate of 11.3±4.4/min (p=0.0001) while the capnography rate was 11.7±3.7/min (p=0.0009). There was no significant difference in sensitivity and positive predictive value between the two methods. The combination algorithm rate was 12.4±3.5/min (p=0.02), which yielded the highest fraction of minutes with respiratory rates within 2/min of the reference. The impedance signal was uninterpretable 19.5% of the time, compared with 9.7% for capnography. However, the signals were only simultaneously non-interpretable 0.8% of the time. Conclusions Both the impedance and capnography-based algorithms underestimated the ventilation rate. Reliable ventilation rate determination may require a novel combination of multiple algorithms during resuscitation. PMID:20036047

Continuous measurements of flow rate in a shallow gravel-bed river by a new acoustic system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawanisi, K.; Razaz, M.; Ishikawa, K.; Yano, J.; Soltaniasl, M.

2012-05-01

The continuous measurement of river discharge for long periods of time is crucial in water resource studies. However, the accurate estimation of river discharge is a difficult and labor-intensive procedure; thus, a robust and efficient method of measurement is required. Continuous measurements of flowrate have been carried out in a wide, shallow gravel bed river (water depth ≈ 0.6 m under low-flow conditions, width ≈ 115 m) using Fluvial Acoustic Tomography System (FATS) that has 25 kHz broadband transducers with horizontally omnidirectional and vertically hemispherical beam patterns. Reciprocal sound transmissions were performed between the two acoustic stations located diagonally on both sides of the river. The horizontal distance between the transducers was 301.96 m. FATS enabled the measurement of the depth- and range-averaged sound speed and flow velocity along the ray path. In contrast to traditional point/transect measurements of discharge, in a fraction of a second, FATS covers the entire cross section of river in a single measurement. The flow rates measured by FATS were compared to those estimated by moving boat Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) and rating curve (RC) methods. FATS estimates were in good agreement with ADCP estimates over a range of 20 to 65 m3 s-1. The RMS of residual between the two measurements was 2.41 m3 s-1. On the other hand the flowrate by RC method fairly agreed with FATS estimates for greater discharges than around 40 m3 s-1. This inconsistency arises from biased RC estimates in low flows. Thus, the flow rates derived from FATS could be considered reliable.

Comparing Standard and Selective Degradation DNA Extraction Methods: Results from a Field Experiment with Sexual Assault Kits^.

PubMed

Campbell, Rebecca; Pierce, Steven J; Sharma, Dhruv B; Shaw, Jessica; Feeney, Hannah; Nye, Jeffrey; Schelling, Kristin; Fehler-Cabral, Giannina

2017-01-01

A growing number of U.S. cities have large numbers of untested sexual assault kits (SAKs) in police property facilities. Testing older kits and maintaining current case work will be challenging for forensic laboratories, creating a need for more efficient testing methods. We evaluated selective degradation methods for DNA extraction using actual case work from a sample of previously unsubmitted SAKs in Detroit, Michigan. We randomly assigned 350 kits to either standard or selective degradation testing methods and then compared DNA testing rates and CODIS entry rates between the two groups. Continuation-ratio modeling showed no significant differences, indicating that the selective degradation method had no decrement in performance relative to customary methods. Follow-up equivalence tests indicated that CODIS entry rates for the two methods could differ by more than ±5%. Selective degradation methods required less personnel time for testing and scientific review than standard testing. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

A high-accuracy measurement method of glucose concentration in interstitial fluid based on microdialysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Dachao; Xu, Qingmei; Liu, Yu; Wang, Ridong; Xu, Kexin; Yu, Haixia

2017-11-01

A high-accuracy microdialysis method that can provide the reference values of glucose concentration in interstitial fluid for the accurate evaluation of non-invasive and minimally invasive continuous glucose monitoring is reported in this study. The parameters of the microdialysis process were firstly optimized by testing and analyzing three main factors that impact microdialysis recovery, including the perfusion rate, temperature, and glucose concentration in the area surrounding the microdialysis probe. The precision of the optimized microdialysis method was then determined in a simulation system that was designed and established in this study to simulate variations in continuous glucose concentration in the human body. Finally, the microdialysis method was tested for in vivo interstitial glucose concentration measurement.

Multicenter Study Validating Accuracy of a Continuous Respiratory Rate Measurement Derived From Pulse Oximetry: A Comparison With Capnography

PubMed Central

Bergese, Sergio D.; Kelley, Scott D.; McIntyre, Robert; Uribe, Alberto A.; Sethi, Rakesh; Watson, James N.; Addison, Paul S.

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Intermittent measurement of respiratory rate via observation is routine in many patient care settings. This approach has several inherent limitations that diminish the clinical utility of these measurements because it is intermittent, susceptible to human error, and requires clinical resources. As an alternative, a software application that derives continuous respiratory rate measurement from a standard pulse oximeter has been developed. We sought to determine the performance characteristics of this new technology by comparison with clinician-reviewed capnography waveforms in both healthy subjects and hospitalized patients in a low-acuity care setting. METHODS: Two independent observational studies were conducted to validate the performance of the Medtronic NellcorTM Respiration Rate Software application. One study enrolled 26 healthy volunteer subjects in a clinical laboratory, and a second multicenter study enrolled 53 hospitalized patients. During a 30-minute study period taking place while participants were breathing spontaneously, pulse oximeter and nasal/oral capnography waveforms were collected. Pulse oximeter waveforms were processed to determine respiratory rate via the Medtronic Nellcor Respiration Rate Software. Capnography waveforms reviewed by a clinician were used to determine the reference respiratory rate. RESULTS: A total of 23,243 paired observations between the pulse oximeter-derived respiratory rate and the capnography reference method were collected and examined. The mean reference-based respiratory rate was 15.3 ± 4.3 breaths per minute with a range of 4 to 34 breaths per minute. The Pearson correlation coefficient between the Medtronic Nellcor Respiration Rate Software values and the capnography reference respiratory rate is reported as a linear correlation, R, as 0.92 ± 0.02 (P < .001), whereas Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient indicates an overall agreement of 0.85 ± 0.04 (95% confidence interval [CI] +0.76; +0.93) (healthy volunteers: 0.94 ± 0.02 [95% CI +0.91; +0.97]; hospitalized patients: 0.80 ± 0.06 [95% CI +0.68; +0.92]). The mean bias of the Medtronic Nellcor Respiration Rate Software was 0.18 breaths per minute with a precision (SD) of 1.65 breaths per minute (healthy volunteers: 0.37 ± 0.78 [95% limits of agreement: –1.16; +1.90] breaths per minute; hospitalized patients: 0.07 ± 1.99 [95% limits of agreement: –3.84; +3.97] breaths per minute). The root mean square deviation was 1.35 breaths per minute (healthy volunteers: 0.81; hospitalized patients: 1.60). CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate the performance of the Medtronic Nellcor Respiration Rate Software in healthy subjects and patients hospitalized in a low-acuity care setting when compared with clinician-reviewed capnography. The observed performance of this technology suggests that it may be a useful adjunct to continuous pulse oximetry monitoring by providing continuous respiratory rate measurements. The potential patient safety benefit of using combined continuous pulse oximetry and respiratory rate monitoring warrants assessment. PMID:28099286

Incorporating café design principles into End-of-Life discussions: an innovative method for continuing education.

PubMed

Kanaskie, Mary Louise

2011-04-01

Café design provides an innovative method for conducting continuing education activities. This method was chosen to elicit meaningful conversation based on issues related to End-of-Life care. Café design principles incorporate the following: setting the context, creating hospitable space, exploring questions that matter, encouraging everyone's contributions, connecting diverse perspectives, listening together for insights, and sharing collective discoveries. Key discussion questions were identified from the End-of Life Nursing Education Consortium Core Curriculum. Questions were revised to incorporate the principles of appreciative inquiry, which encourage a shift from traditional methods of problem identification to creation of a positive vision. Participants rated the café design method as an effective way to share their ideas and to stimulate conversation.

Development of a generalized perturbation theory method for sensitivity analysis using continuous-energy Monte Carlo methods

DOE PAGES

Perfetti, Christopher M.; Rearden, Bradley T.

2016-03-01

The sensitivity and uncertainty analysis tools of the ORNL SCALE nuclear modeling and simulation code system that have been developed over the last decade have proven indispensable for numerous application and design studies for nuclear criticality safety and reactor physics. SCALE contains tools for analyzing the uncertainty in the eigenvalue of critical systems, but cannot quantify uncertainty in important neutronic parameters such as multigroup cross sections, fuel fission rates, activation rates, and neutron fluence rates with realistic three-dimensional Monte Carlo simulations. A more complete understanding of the sources of uncertainty in these design-limiting parameters could lead to improvements in processmore » optimization, reactor safety, and help inform regulators when setting operational safety margins. A novel approach for calculating eigenvalue sensitivity coefficients, known as the CLUTCH method, was recently explored as academic research and has been found to accurately and rapidly calculate sensitivity coefficients in criticality safety applications. The work presented here describes a new method, known as the GEAR-MC method, which extends the CLUTCH theory for calculating eigenvalue sensitivity coefficients to enable sensitivity coefficient calculations and uncertainty analysis for a generalized set of neutronic responses using high-fidelity continuous-energy Monte Carlo calculations. Here, several criticality safety systems were examined to demonstrate proof of principle for the GEAR-MC method, and GEAR-MC was seen to produce response sensitivity coefficients that agreed well with reference direct perturbation sensitivity coefficients.« less

NEUTRONIC REACTOR COUNTER METHOD AND SYSTEM

DOEpatents

Graham, C.B.; Spiewak, I.

1960-05-31

An improved method is given for controlling the rate of fission in circulating-fuel neutronic reactors in which the fuel is a homogeneous liquid containing fissionable material and a neutron moderator. A change in the rate of flssion is effected by preferentially retaining apart from the circulating fuel a variable amount of either fissionable material or moderator, thereby varying the concentration of fissionable material in the fuel. In the case of an aqueous fuel solution a portion of the water may be continuously vaporized from the circulating solution and the amount of condensate, or condensate plus make-up water, returned to the solution is varied to control the fission rate.

An in silico method to identify computer-based protocols worthy of clinical study: An insulin infusion protocol use case

PubMed Central

Wong, Anthony F; Pielmeier, Ulrike; Haug, Peter J; Andreassen, Steen

2016-01-01

Objective Develop an efficient non-clinical method for identifying promising computer-based protocols for clinical study. An in silico comparison can provide information that informs the decision to proceed to a clinical trial. The authors compared two existing computer-based insulin infusion protocols: eProtocol-insulin from Utah, USA, and Glucosafe from Denmark. Materials and Methods The authors used eProtocol-insulin to manage intensive care unit (ICU) hyperglycemia with intravenous (IV) insulin from 2004 to 2010. Recommendations accepted by the bedside clinicians directly link the subsequent blood glucose values to eProtocol-insulin recommendations and provide a unique clinical database. The authors retrospectively compared in silico 18 984 eProtocol-insulin continuous IV insulin infusion rate recommendations from 408 ICU patients with those of Glucosafe, the candidate computer-based protocol. The subsequent blood glucose measurement value (low, on target, high) was used to identify if the insulin recommendation was too high, on target, or too low. Results Glucosafe consistently provided more favorable continuous IV insulin infusion rate recommendations than eProtocol-insulin for on target (64% of comparisons), low (80% of comparisons), or high (70% of comparisons) blood glucose. Aggregated eProtocol-insulin and Glucosafe continuous IV insulin infusion rates were clinically similar though statistically significantly different (Wilcoxon signed rank test P = .01). In contrast, when stratified by low, on target, or high subsequent blood glucose measurement, insulin infusion rates from eProtocol-insulin and Glucosafe were statistically significantly different (Wilcoxon signed rank test, P < .001), and clinically different. Discussion This in silico comparison appears to be an efficient nonclinical method for identifying promising computer-based protocols. Conclusion Preclinical in silico comparison analytical framework allows rapid and inexpensive identification of computer-based protocol care strategies that justify expensive and burdensome clinical trials. PMID:26228765

Continuous sweep versus discrete step protocols for studying effects of wearable robot assistance magnitude.

PubMed

Malcolm, Philippe; Rossi, Denise Martineli; Siviy, Christopher; Lee, Sangjun; Quinlivan, Brendan Thomas; Grimmer, Martin; Walsh, Conor J

2017-07-12

Different groups developed wearable robots for walking assistance, but there is still a need for methods to quickly tune actuation parameters for each robot and population or sometimes even for individual users. Protocols where parameters are held constant for multiple minutes have traditionally been used for evaluating responses to parameter changes such as metabolic rate or walking symmetry. However, these discrete protocols are time-consuming. Recently, protocols have been proposed where a parameter is changed in a continuous way. The aim of the present study was to compare effects of continuously varying assistance magnitude with a soft exosuit against discrete step conditions. Seven participants walked on a treadmill wearing a soft exosuit that assists plantarflexion and hip flexion. In Continuous-up, peak exosuit ankle moment linearly increased from approximately 0 to 38% of biological moment over 10 min. Continuous-down was the opposite. In Discrete, participants underwent five periods of 5 min with steady peak moment levels distributed over the same range as Continuous-up and Continuous-down. We calculated metabolic rate for the entire Continuous-up and Continuous-down conditions and the last 2 min of each Discrete force level. We compared kinematics, kinetics and metabolic rate between conditions by curve fitting versus peak moment. Reduction in metabolic rate compared to Powered-off was smaller in Continuous-up than in Continuous-down at most peak moment levels, due to physiological dynamics causing metabolic measurements in Continuous-up and Continuous-down to lag behind the values expected during steady-state testing. When evaluating the average slope of metabolic reduction over the entire peak moment range there was no significant difference between Continuous-down and Discrete. Attempting to correct the lag in metabolics by taking the average of Continuous-up and Continuous-down removed all significant differences versus Discrete. For kinematic and kinetic parameters, there were no differences between all conditions. The finding that there were no differences in biomechanical parameters between all conditions suggests that biomechanical parameters can be recorded with the shortest protocol condition (i.e. single Continuous directions). The shorter time and higher resolution data of continuous sweep protocols hold promise for the future study of human interaction with wearable robots.

Microfluidic-Based Measurement Method of Red Blood Cell Aggregation under Hematocrit Variations

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Red blood cell (RBC) aggregation and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) are considered to be promising biomarkers for effectively monitoring blood rheology at extremely low shear rates. In this study, a microfluidic-based measurement technique is suggested to evaluate RBC aggregation under hematocrit variations due to the continuous ESR. After the pipette tip is tightly fitted into an inlet port, a disposable suction pump is connected to the outlet port through a polyethylene tube. After dropping blood (approximately 0.2 mL) into the pipette tip, the blood flow can be started and stopped by periodically operating a pinch valve. To evaluate variations in RBC aggregation due to the continuous ESR, an EAI (Erythrocyte-sedimentation-rate Aggregation Index) is newly suggested, which uses temporal variations of image intensity. To demonstrate the proposed method, the dynamic characterization of the disposable suction pump is first quantitatively measured by varying the hematocrit levels and cavity volume of the suction pump. Next, variations in RBC aggregation and ESR are quantified by varying the hematocrit levels. The conventional aggregation index (AI) is maintained constant, unrelated to the hematocrit values. However, the EAI significantly decreased with respect to the hematocrit values. Thus, the EAI is more effective than the AI for monitoring variations in RBC aggregation due to the ESR. Lastly, the proposed method is employed to detect aggregated blood and thermally-induced blood. The EAI gradually increased as the concentration of a dextran solution increased. In addition, the EAI significantly decreased for thermally-induced blood. From this experimental demonstration, the proposed method is able to effectively measure variations in RBC aggregation due to continuous hematocrit variations, especially by quantifying the EAI. PMID:28878199

Opportunities to improve the conversion of food waste to lactate: Fine-tuning secondary factors.

PubMed

RedCorn, Raymond; Engelberth, Abigail S

2017-11-01

Extensive research has demonstrated the potential for bioconversion of food waste to lactate, with major emphasis on adjusting temperature, pH, and loading rate of the fermentation. Each of these factors has a significant effect on lactate production; however, additional secondary factors have received little attention. Here we investigate three additional factors where opportunities exist for process improvement: freezing of samples during storage, discontinuous pH control, and holdover of fermentation broth between fermentations. Freezing samples prior to fermentation was shown to reduce the production rate of lactate by 8%, indicating freeze-thaw should be avoided in experiments. Prior work indicated a trade-off in pH control strategies, where discontinuous pH control correlated with higher lactate accumulation while continuous pH control correlated with higher production rate. Here we demonstrate that continuous pH control can achieve both higher lactate accumulation and higher production rate. Finally, holding over fermentation broth was shown to be a simple method to improve production rate (by 18%) at high food waste loading rates (>140 g volatile solids L -1 ) but resulted in lower lactate accumulation (by 17%). The results inform continued process improvements within the waste treatment of food waste through fermentation to lactic acid.

High-efficient and high-content cytotoxic recording via dynamic and continuous cell-based impedance biosensor technology.

PubMed

Hu, Ning; Fang, Jiaru; Zou, Ling; Wan, Hao; Pan, Yuxiang; Su, Kaiqi; Zhang, Xi; Wang, Ping

2016-10-01

Cell-based bioassays were effective method to assess the compound toxicity by cell viability, and the traditional label-based methods missed much information of cell growth due to endpoint detection, while the higher throughputs were demanded to obtain dynamic information. Cell-based biosensor methods can dynamically and continuously monitor with cell viability, however, the dynamic information was often ignored or seldom utilized in the toxin and drug assessment. Here, we reported a high-efficient and high-content cytotoxic recording method via dynamic and continuous cell-based impedance biosensor technology. The dynamic cell viability, inhibition ratio and growth rate were derived from the dynamic response curves from the cell-based impedance biosensor. The results showed that the biosensors has the dose-dependent manners to diarrhetic shellfish toxin, okadiac acid based on the analysis of the dynamic cell viability and cell growth status. Moreover, the throughputs of dynamic cytotoxicity were compared between cell-based biosensor methods and label-based endpoint methods. This cell-based impedance biosensor can provide a flexible, cost and label-efficient platform of cell viability assessment in the shellfish toxin screening fields.

A study of speech emotion recognition based on hybrid algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Ju-xia; Zhang, Chao; Lv, Zhao; Rao, Yao-quan; Wu, Xiao-pei

2011-10-01

To effectively improve the recognition accuracy of the speech emotion recognition system, a hybrid algorithm which combines Continuous Hidden Markov Model (CHMM), All-Class-in-One Neural Network (ACON) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) is proposed. In SVM and ACON methods, some global statistics are used as emotional features, while in CHMM method, instantaneous features are employed. The recognition rate by the proposed method is 92.25%, with the rejection rate to be 0.78%. Furthermore, it obtains the relative increasing of 8.53%, 4.69% and 0.78% compared with ACON, CHMM and SVM methods respectively. The experiment result confirms the efficiency of distinguishing anger, happiness, neutral and sadness emotional states.

A hybrid-system model of the coagulation cascade: simulation, sensitivity, and validation.

PubMed

Makin, Joseph G; Narayanan, Srini

2013-10-01

The process of human blood clotting involves a complex interaction of continuous-time/continuous-state processes and discrete-event/discrete-state phenomena, where the former comprise the various chemical rate equations and the latter comprise both threshold-limited behaviors and binary states (presence/absence of a chemical). Whereas previous blood-clotting models used only continuous dynamics and perforce addressed only portions of the coagulation cascade, we capture both continuous and discrete aspects by modeling it as a hybrid dynamical system. The model was implemented as a hybrid Petri net, a graphical modeling language that extends ordinary Petri nets to cover continuous quantities and continuous-time flows. The primary focus is simulation: (1) fidelity to the clinical data in terms of clotting-factor concentrations and elapsed time; (2) reproduction of known clotting pathologies; and (3) fine-grained predictions which may be used to refine clinical understanding of blood clotting. Next we examine sensitivity to rate-constant perturbation. Finally, we propose a method for titrating between reliance on the model and on prior clinical knowledge. For simplicity, we confine these last two analyses to a critical purely-continuous subsystem of the model.

Practical development of continuous supercritical fluid process using high pressure and high temperature micromixer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawasaki, Shin-Ichiro; Sue, Kiwamu; Ookawara, Ryuto; Wakashima, Yuichiro; Suzuki, Akira

2015-12-01

In the synthesis of metal oxide fine particles by continuous supercritical hydrothermal method, the particle characteristics are greatly affected by not only the reaction conditions (temperature, pressure, residence time, concentration, etc.), but also the heating rate from ambient to reaction temperature. Therefore, the heating method by direct mixing of starting solution at room temperature with supercritical water is a key technology for the particle production having smaller size and narrow distribution. In this paper, mixing engineering study through comparison between conventional T-shaped mixers and recently developed swirl mixers was carried out in the hydrothermal synthesis of NiO nanoparticles from Ni(NO3)2 aqueous solution at 400 °C and 30 MPa. Inner diameter in the mixers and total flow rates were varied. Furthermore, the heating rate was calculated by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation. Relationship between the heating rate and the average particle size were discussed. It was clarified that the miniaturization of mixer inner diameter and the use of the swirl flow were effective for improving mixing performance and contributed to produce small and narrow distribution particle under same experimental condition of flow rate, temperature, pressure, residence time, and concentration of the starting materials. We have focused the mixer optimization due to a difference in fluid viscosity.

Acoustic method respiratory rate monitoring is useful in patients under intravenous anesthesia.

PubMed

Ouchi, Kentaro; Fujiwara, Shigeki; Sugiyama, Kazuna

2017-02-01

Respiratory depression can occur during intravenous general anesthesia without tracheal intubation. A new acoustic method for respiratory rate monitoring, RRa ® (Masimo Corp., Tokyo, Japan), has been reported to show good reliability in post-anesthesia care and emergency units. The purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability of the acoustic method for measurement of respiratory rate during intravenous general anesthesia, as compared with capnography. Patients with dental anxiety undergoing dental treatment under intravenous anesthesia without tracheal intubation were enrolled in this study. Respiratory rate was recorded every 30 s using the acoustic method and capnography, and detectability of respiratory rate was investigated for both methods. This study used a cohort study design. In 1953 recorded respiratory rate data points, the number of detected points by the acoustic method (1884, 96.5 %) was significantly higher than that by capnography (1682, 86.1 %) (P < 0.0001). In the intraoperative period, there was a significant difference in the LOA (95 % limits of agreement of correlation between difference and average of the two methods)/ULLOA (under the lower limit of agreement) in terms of use or non-use of a dental air turbine (P < 0.0001). In comparison between capnography, the acoustic method is useful for continuous monitoring of respiratory rate in spontaneously breathing subjects undergoing dental procedures under intravenous general anesthesia. However, the acoustic method might not accurately detect in cases in with dental air turbine.

Depth of interaction decoding of a continuous crystal detector module.

PubMed

Ling, T; Lewellen, T K; Miyaoka, R S

2007-04-21

We present a clustering method to extract the depth of interaction (DOI) information from an 8 mm thick crystal version of our continuous miniature crystal element (cMiCE) small animal PET detector. This clustering method, based on the maximum-likelihood (ML) method, can effectively build look-up tables (LUT) for different DOI regions. Combined with our statistics-based positioning (SBP) method, which uses a LUT searching algorithm based on the ML method and two-dimensional mean-variance LUTs of light responses from each photomultiplier channel with respect to different gamma ray interaction positions, the position of interaction and DOI can be estimated simultaneously. Data simulated using DETECT2000 were used to help validate our approach. An experiment using our cMiCE detector was designed to evaluate the performance. Two and four DOI region clustering were applied to the simulated data. Two DOI regions were used for the experimental data. The misclassification rate for simulated data is about 3.5% for two DOI regions and 10.2% for four DOI regions. For the experimental data, the rate is estimated to be approximately 25%. By using multi-DOI LUTs, we also observed improvement of the detector spatial resolution, especially for the corner region of the crystal. These results show that our ML clustering method is a consistent and reliable way to characterize DOI in a continuous crystal detector without requiring any modifications to the crystal or detector front end electronics. The ability to characterize the depth-dependent light response function from measured data is a major step forward in developing practical detectors with DOI positioning capability.

Does the expectation or perception of noncontraceptive benefits lead to higher rates of short-acting reversible contraceptive continuation for adolescents and young adult women?

PubMed

Lazorwitz, Aaron; Sheeder, Jeanelle; Teal, Stephanie; Guiahi, Maryam

2015-05-01

Continuation rates of short-acting contraception among young women are low; we attempted to determine if continuation is higher when women expect noncontraceptive benefits at initiation or perceive benefits 6 months later. A total of 243 young women ages 13-24 years initiating short-acting methods in an adolescent-only family planning clinic completed post-visit surveys that included directed and open-ended questions about anticipated noncontraceptive benefits. The study participants were contacted 6 months later. We compared contraceptive continuation between those who expected noncontraceptive benefits and those who did not and between those who reported experiencing benefits and those who did not. We examined the concordance between expectations and reported experiences. Six months after initiation, 69.3% of women were using the same method. Baseline expectation of noncontraceptive benefits was not associated with 6-month continuation. The experience of any benefit listed by the patient (odds ratio=2.69, 95% confidence interval 1.1, 6.0) was associated with greater continuation. Concordance between expectation and perception of noncontraceptive benefits was low (Kappa=0.2). Women who experienced noncontraceptive benefits at 6 months of use were more likely to continue short-acting contraception. Women who expected benefits when initiating were not more likely to report experiencing them, and many women who did not expect benefits reported them and were more likely to continue. These findings imply that building expectations of noncontraceptive benefits, e.g., through counseling, may not improve continuation and that new contraceptive development should include consideration of tangible noncontraceptive benefits. Although adolescents and young women who perceive noncontraceptive benefits after 6 months of use are more likely to continue, the expectation of such benefits does not correlate with continuation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of aeration method and aeration rate on greenhouse gas emissions during composting of pig feces in pilot scale.

PubMed

Jiang, Tao; Li, Guoxue; Tang, Qiong; Ma, Xuguang; Wang, Gang; Schuchardt, Frank

2015-05-01

The aim of this study was to uncover ways to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and reduce energy consumption during the composting process. We assessed the effects of different aeration rates (0, 0.18, 0.36, and 0.54 L/(kg dry matter (dm)·min)) and methods (continuous and intermittent) on GHG emissions. Pig feces and corn stalks were mixed at a ratio of 7:1. The composting process lasted for 10 weeks, and the compost was turned approximately every 2 weeks. Results showed that both aeration rate and method significantly affected GHG emissions. Higher aeration rates increased NH3 and N2O losses, but reduced CH4 emissions. The exception is that the CH4 emission of the passive aeration treatment was lower than that of the low aeration rate treatment. Without forced aeration, the CH4 diffusion rates in the center of the piles were very low and part of the CH4 was oxidized in the surface layer. Intermittent aeration reduced NH3 and CH4 losses, but significantly increased N2O production during the maturing periods. Intermittent aeration increased the nitrification/denitrification alternation and thus enhanced the N2O production. Forced aeration treatments had higher GHG emission rates than the passive aeration treatment. Forced aeration accelerated the maturing process, but could not improve the quality of the end product. Compared with continuous aeration, intermittent aeration could increase the O2 supply efficiency and reduced the total GHG emission by 17.8%, and this reduction increased to 47.4% when composting was ended after 36 days. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Survival of tumor cells after proton irradiation with ultra-high dose rates

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Laser acceleration of protons and heavy ions may in the future be used in radiation therapy. Laser-driven particle beams are pulsed and ultra high dose rates of >109 Gy s-1may be achieved. Here we compare the radiobiological effects of pulsed and continuous proton beams. Methods The ion microbeam SNAKE at the Munich tandem accelerator was used to directly compare a pulsed and a continuous 20 MeV proton beam, which delivered a dose of 3 Gy to a HeLa cell monolayer within < 1 ns or 100 ms, respectively. Investigated endpoints were G2 phase cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and colony formation. Results At 10 h after pulsed irradiation, the fraction of G2 cells was significantly lower than after irradiation with the continuous beam, while all other endpoints including colony formation were not significantly different. We determined the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) for pulsed and continuous proton beams relative to x-irradiation as 0.91 ± 0.26 and 0.86 ± 0.33 (mean and SD), respectively. Conclusions At the dose rates investigated here, which are expected to correspond to those in radiation therapy using laser-driven particles, the RBE of the pulsed and the (conventional) continuous irradiation mode do not differ significantly. PMID:22008289

Gradient perception of children's productions of /s/ and /θ/: A comparative study of rating methods.

PubMed

Schellinger, Sarah K; Munson, Benjamin; Edwards, Jan

2017-01-01

Past studies have shown incontrovertible evidence for the existence of covert contrasts in children's speech, i.e. differences between target productions that are nonetheless transcribed with the same phonetic symbol. Moreover, there is evidence that these are relevant to forming prognoses and tracking progress in children with speech sound disorder. A challenge remains to determine the most efficient and reliable methods for assessing covert contrasts. This study investigates how readily listeners can identify covert contrasts in children's speech when using a continuous rating scale in the form of a visual analogue scale (VAS) to denote children's productions. Individual listeners' VAS responses were found to correlate statistically significantly with a variety of continuous measures of children's production accuracy, including judgements of binary accuracy pooled over a large set of listeners. These findings reinforce the growing body of evidence that VAS judgements are potentially useful clinical measures of covert contrast.

Lifetime evaluation of large format CMOS mixed signal infrared devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Linder, A.; Glines, Eddie

2015-09-01

New large scale foundry processes continue to produce reliable products. These new large scale devices continue to use industry best practice to screen for failure mechanisms and validate their long lifetime. The Failure-in-Time analysis in conjunction with foundry qualification information can be used to evaluate large format device lifetimes. This analysis is a helpful tool when zero failure life tests are typical. The reliability of the device is estimated by applying the failure rate to the use conditions. JEDEC publications continue to be the industry accepted methods.

Impact of Functional Characteristics on Usage of LSS Methods in IT and Perceived Project Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mushi, Francis Jeremiah

2014-01-01

High rates of Information Technology (IT) project failures continues; fail to meet established deadlines, exceeding budget, or not agreed-upon functionality. Failure often results from a fundamental confusion over what is involved in the project. Methods that have provided project success in Service and Manufacturing industries have not been…

High-throughput continuous flow synthesis of nickel nanoparticles for the catalytic hydrodeoxygenation of guaiacol

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

Roberts, Emily J.; Habas, Susan E.; Wang, Lu

2016-11-07

The translation of batch chemistries to high-throughput continuous flow methods dresses scaling, automation, and reproducibility concerns associated with the implementation of colloidally prepared nanoparticle (NP) catalysts for industrial catalytic processes. Nickel NPs were synthesized by the high-temperature amine reduction of a Ni2+ precursor using a continuous millifluidic (mF) flow method, achieving yields greater than 60%. The resulting Ni NP catalysts were compared against catalysts prepared in a batch reaction under conditions analogous to the continuous flow conditions with respect to total reaction volume, time, and temperature and by traditional incipient wetness (IW) impregnation for the hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of guaiacol undermore » ex situ catalytic fast pyrolysis conditions. Compared to the IW method, the colloidally prepared NPs displayed increased morphological control and narrowed size distributions, and the NPs prepared by both methods showed similar size, shape, and crystallinity. The Ni NP catalyst synthesized by the continuous flow method exhibited similar H-adsorption site densities, site-time yields, and selectivities towards deoxygenated products as compared to the analogous batch reaction, and outperformed the IW catalyst with respect to higher selectivity to lower oxygen content products and a 6.9-fold slower deactivation rate. These results demonstrate the utility of synthesizing colloidal Ni NP catalysts using continuous flow methods while maintaining the catalytic properties displayed by the batch equivalent. Finally, this methodology can be extended to other catalytically relevant base metals for the high-throughput synthesis of metal NPs for the catalytic production of biofuels.« less

Direct risk standardisation: a new method for comparing casemix adjusted event rates using complex models.

PubMed

Nicholl, Jon; Jacques, Richard M; Campbell, Michael J

2013-10-29

Comparison of outcomes between populations or centres may be confounded by any casemix differences and standardisation is carried out to avoid this. However, when the casemix adjustment models are large and complex, direct standardisation has been described as "practically impossible", and indirect standardisation may lead to unfair comparisons. We propose a new method of directly standardising for risk rather than standardising for casemix which overcomes these problems. Using a casemix model which is the same model as would be used in indirect standardisation, the risk in individuals is estimated. Risk categories are defined, and event rates in each category for each centre to be compared are calculated. A weighted sum of the risk category specific event rates is then calculated. We have illustrated this method using data on 6 million admissions to 146 hospitals in England in 2007/8 and an existing model with over 5000 casemix combinations, and a second dataset of 18,668 adult emergency admissions to 9 centres in the UK and overseas and a published model with over 20,000 casemix combinations and a continuous covariate. Substantial differences between conventional directly casemix standardised rates and rates from direct risk standardisation (DRS) were found. Results based on DRS were very similar to Standardised Mortality Ratios (SMRs) obtained from indirect standardisation, with similar standard errors. Direct risk standardisation using our proposed method is as straightforward as using conventional direct or indirect standardisation, always enables fair comparisons of performance to be made, can use continuous casemix covariates, and was found in our examples to have similar standard errors to the SMR. It should be preferred when there is a risk that conventional direct or indirect standardisation will lead to unfair comparisons.

GHz laser-free time-resolved transmission electron microscopy: A stroboscopic high-duty-cycle method

DOE PAGES

Qiu, Jiaqi; Zhu, Yimei; Ha, Gwanghui; ...

2015-11-10

In this study, a device and a method for producing ultrashort electron pulses with GHz repetition rates via pulsing an input direct current (dc) electron beam are provided. The device and the method are based on an electromagnetic-mechanical pulser (EMMP) that consists of a series of transverse deflecting cavities and magnetic quadrupoles. The EMMP modulates and chops the incoming dc electron beam and converts it into pico- and sub-pico-second electron pulse sequences (pulse trains) at >1 GHz repetition rates, as well as controllably manipulates the resulting pulses. Ultimately, it leads to negligible electron pulse phase-space degradation compared to the incomingmore » dc beam parameters. The temporal pulse length and repetition rate for the EMMP can be continuously tunable over wide ranges.« less

Improving the analysis of composite endpoints in rare disease trials.

PubMed

McMenamin, Martina; Berglind, Anna; Wason, James M S

2018-05-22

Composite endpoints are recommended in rare diseases to increase power and/or to sufficiently capture complexity. Often, they are in the form of responder indices which contain a mixture of continuous and binary components. Analyses of these outcomes typically treat them as binary, thus only using the dichotomisations of continuous components. The augmented binary method offers a more efficient alternative and is therefore especially useful for rare diseases. Previous work has indicated the method may have poorer statistical properties when the sample size is small. Here we investigate small sample properties and implement small sample corrections. We re-sample from a previous trial with sample sizes varying from 30 to 80. We apply the standard binary and augmented binary methods and determine the power, type I error rate, coverage and average confidence interval width for each of the estimators. We implement Firth's adjustment for the binary component models and a small sample variance correction for the generalized estimating equations, applying the small sample adjusted methods to each sub-sample as before for comparison. For the log-odds treatment effect the power of the augmented binary method is 20-55% compared to 12-20% for the standard binary method. Both methods have approximately nominal type I error rates. The difference in response probabilities exhibit similar power but both unadjusted methods demonstrate type I error rates of 6-8%. The small sample corrected methods have approximately nominal type I error rates. On both scales, the reduction in average confidence interval width when using the adjusted augmented binary method is 17-18%. This is equivalent to requiring a 32% smaller sample size to achieve the same statistical power. The augmented binary method with small sample corrections provides a substantial improvement for rare disease trials using composite endpoints. We recommend the use of the method for the primary analysis in relevant rare disease trials. We emphasise that the method should be used alongside other efforts in improving the quality of evidence generated from rare disease trials rather than replace them.

Continuous cryopump with a device for regenerating the cryosurface

DOEpatents

Foster, C.A.

1988-02-16

A high throughput continuous cryopump is provided. The cryopump incorporates an improved method for regenerating the cryopumping surface while the pump is in continuous operation. The regeneration of the cryopumping surface does not thermally cycle the pump, and to this end a small chamber connected to a secondary pumping source serves to contain and exhaust frost removed from the cryopumping surface during such regeneration. The frost is exhausted at a rate substantially independent of the speed of the cryopump which enhances the capability of the pump to achieve a high compression ratio and allow the pump to operate continuously while the cryopumping surface is being regenerated. 8 figs.

Control of heat transfer in continuous-feeding Czochralski-silicon crystal growth with a water-cooled jacket

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Wenhan; Liu, Lijun

2017-01-01

The continuous-feeding Czochralski method is an effective method to reduce the cost of single crystal silicon. By promoting the crystal growth rate, the cost can be reduced further. However, more latent heat will be released at the melt-crystal interface under a high crystal growth rate. In this study, a water-cooled jacket was applied to enhance the heat transfer at the melt-crystal interface. Quasi-steady-state numerical calculation was employed to investigate the impact of the water-cooled jacket on the heat transfer at the melt-crystal interface. Latent heat released during the crystal growth process at the melt-crystal interface and absorbed during feedstock melting at the feeding zone was modeled in the simulations. The results show that, by using the water-cooled jacket, heat transfer in the growing crystal is enhanced significantly. Melt-crystal interface deflection and thermal stress increase simultaneously due to the increase of radial temperature at the melt-crystal interface. With a modified heat shield design, heat transfer at the melt-crystal interface is well controlled. The crystal growth rate can be increased by 20%.

FPGA Implementation of Heart Rate Monitoring System.

PubMed

Panigrahy, D; Rakshit, M; Sahu, P K

2016-03-01

This paper describes a field programmable gate array (FPGA) implementation of a system that calculates the heart rate from Electrocardiogram (ECG) signal. After heart rate calculation, tachycardia, bradycardia or normal heart rate can easily be detected. ECG is a diagnosis tool routinely used to access the electrical activities and muscular function of the heart. Heart rate is calculated by detecting the R peaks from the ECG signal. To provide a portable and the continuous heart rate monitoring system for patients using ECG, needs a dedicated hardware. FPGA provides easy testability, allows faster implementation and verification option for implementing a new design. We have proposed a five-stage based methodology by using basic VHDL blocks like addition, multiplication and data conversion (real to the fixed point and vice-versa). Our proposed heart rate calculation (R-peak detection) method has been validated, using 48 first channel ECG records of the MIT-BIH arrhythmia database. It shows an accuracy of 99.84%, the sensitivity of 99.94% and the positive predictive value of 99.89%. Our proposed method outperforms other well-known methods in case of pathological ECG signals and successfully implemented in FPGA.

Pulse oximetry-derived respiratory rate in general care floor patients.

PubMed

Addison, Paul S; Watson, James N; Mestek, Michael L; Ochs, James P; Uribe, Alberto A; Bergese, Sergio D

2015-02-01

Respiratory rate is recognized as a clinically important parameter for monitoring respiratory status on the general care floor (GCF). Currently, intermittent manual assessment of respiratory rate is the standard of care on the GCF. This technique has several clinically-relevant shortcomings, including the following: (1) it is not a continuous measurement, (2) it is prone to observer error, and (3) it is inefficient for the clinical staff. We report here on an algorithm designed to meet clinical needs by providing respiratory rate through a standard pulse oximeter. Finger photoplethysmograms were collected from a cohort of 63 GCF patients monitored during free breathing over a 25-min period. These were processed using a novel in-house algorithm based on continuous wavelet-transform technology within an infrastructure incorporating confidence-based averaging and logical decision-making processes. The computed oximeter respiratory rates (RRoxi) were compared to an end-tidal CO2 reference rate (RRETCO2). RRETCO2 ranged from a lowest recorded value of 4.7 breaths per minute (brpm) to a highest value of 32.0 brpm. The mean respiratory rate was 16.3 brpm with standard deviation of 4.7 brpm. Excellent agreement was found between RRoxi and RRETCO2, with a mean difference of -0.48 brpm and standard deviation of 1.77 brpm. These data demonstrate that our novel respiratory rate algorithm is a potentially viable method of monitoring respiratory rate in GCF patients. This technology provides the means to facilitate continuous monitoring of respiratory rate, coupled with arterial oxygen saturation and pulse rate, using a single non-invasive sensor in low acuity settings.

Paramagnetic capture mode magnetophoretic microseparator for high efficiency blood cell separations.

PubMed

Han, Ki-Ho; Frazier, A Bruno

2006-02-01

This paper presents the characterization of continuous single-stage and three-stage cascade paramagnetic capture (PMC) mode magnetophoretic microseparators for high efficiency separation of red and white blood cells from diluted whole blood based on their native magnetic properties. The separation mechanism for both PMC microseparators is based on a high gradient magnetic separation (HGMS) method. This approach enables separation of blood cells without the use of additives such as magnetic beads. Experimental results for the single-stage PMC microseparator show that 91.1% of red blood cells were continuously separated from the sample at a volumetric flow rate of 5 microl h-1. In addition, the three-stage cascade PMC microseparator continuously separated 93.5% of red blood cells and 97.4% of white blood cells from whole blood at a volumetric flow rate of 5 microl h-1.

Steepest descent with momentum for quadratic functions is a version of the conjugate gradient method.

PubMed

Bhaya, Amit; Kaszkurewicz, Eugenius

2004-01-01

It is pointed out that the so called momentum method, much used in the neural network literature as an acceleration of the backpropagation method, is a stationary version of the conjugate gradient method. Connections with the continuous optimization method known as heavy ball with friction are also made. In both cases, adaptive (dynamic) choices of the so called learning rate and momentum parameters are obtained using a control Liapunov function analysis of the system.

Quantification of instantaneous flow rate and dynamically changing effective orifice area using a geometry independent three-dimensional digital color Doppler method: An in vitro study mimicking mitral regurgitation.

PubMed

Li, Xiaokui; Wanitkun, Suthep; Li, Xiang-Ning; Hashimoto, Ikuo; Mori, Yoshiki; Rusk, Rosemary A; Hicks, Shannon E; Sahn, David J

2002-10-01

Our study was intended to test the accuracy of a 3-dimensional (3D) digital color Doppler flow convergence (FC) method for assessing the effective orifice area (EOA) in a new dynamic orifice model mimicking a variety of mitral regurgitation. FC surface area methods for detecting EOA have been reported to be useful for quantifying the severity of valvular regurgitation. With our new 3D digital direct FC method, all raw velocity data are available and variable Nyquist limits can be selected for computation of direct FC surface area for computing instantaneous flow rate and temporal change of EOA. A 7.0-MHz multiplane transesophageal probe from an ultrasound system (ATL HDI 5000) was linked and controlled by a computer workstation to provide 3D images. Three differently shaped latex orifices (zigzag, arc, and straight slit, each with cutting-edge length of 1 cm) were used to mimic the dynamic orifice of mitral regurgitation. 3D FC surface computation was performed on parallel slices through the 3D data set at aliasing velocities (14-48 cm/s) selected to maximize the regularity and minimize lateral dropout of the visualized 3D FC at 5 points per cardiac cycle. Using continuous wave velocity for each, 3D-calculated EOA was compared with EOA determined by using continuous wave Doppler and the flow rate from a reference ultrasonic flow meter. Simultaneous digital video images were also recorded to define the actual orifice size for 9 stroke volumes (15-55 mL/beat with maximum flow rates 45-182 mL/s). Over the 9 pulsatile flow states and 3 orifices, 3D FC EOAs (0.05-0.63 cm(2)) from different phases of the cardiac cycle in each pump setting correlated well with reference EOA (r = 0.89-0.92, SEE = 0.027-0.055cm(2)) and they also correlated well with digital video images of the actual orifice peak (r = 0.97-0.98, SEE = 0.016-0.019 cm(2)), although they were consistently smaller, as expected by the contraction coefficient. The digital 3D FC method can accurately predict flow rate, and, thus, EOA (in conjunction with continuous wave Doppler), because it allows direct FC surface measurement despite temporal variability of FC shape.

Continuous Cooling Transformation in Cast Duplex Stainless Steels CD3MN and CD3MWCuN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Yoon-Jun; Chumbley, L. Scott; Gleeson, Brian

2008-04-01

The kinetics of brittle phase transformation in cast duplex stainless steels CD3MN and CD3MWCuN was investigated under continuous cooling conditions. Cooling rates slower than 5 °C/min. were obtained using a conventional tube furnace with a programable controller. In order to obtain controlled high cooling rates, a furnace equipped to grow crystals by means of the Bridgman method was used. Samples were soaked at 1100 °C for 30 min and cooled at different rates by changing the furnace position at various velocities. The velocity of the furnace movement was correlated to a continuous-cooling-temperature profile for the samples. Continuous-cooling-transformation (CCT) diagrams were constructed based on experimental observations through metallographic sample preparations and optical microscopy. These are compared to calculated diagrams derived from previously determined isothermal transformation diagrams. The theoretical calculations employed a modified Johnson-Mehl-Avrami (JMA) equation (or Avrami equation) under assumption of the additivity rule. Rockwell hardness tests were made to present the correlation between hardness change and the amount of brittle phases (determined by tint-etching to most likely be a combination of sigma + chi) after cooling.

Construction and demolition waste generation rates for high-rise buildings in Malaysia.

PubMed

Mah, Chooi Mei; Fujiwara, Takeshi; Ho, Chin Siong

2016-12-01

Construction and demolition waste continues to sharply increase in step with the economic growth of less developed countries. Though the construction industry is large, it is composed of small firms with individual waste management practices, often leading to the deleterious environmental outcomes. Quantifying construction and demolition waste generation allows policy makers and stakeholders to understand the true internal and external costs of construction, providing a necessary foundation for waste management planning that may overcome deleterious environmental outcomes and may be both economically and environmentally optimal. This study offers a theoretical method for estimating the construction and demolition project waste generation rate by utilising available data, including waste disposal truck size and number, and waste volume and composition. This method is proposed as a less burdensome and more broadly applicable alternative, in contrast to waste estimation by on-site hand sorting and weighing. The developed method is applied to 11 projects across Malaysia as the case study. This study quantifies waste generation rate and illustrates the construction method in influencing the waste generation rate, estimating that the conventional construction method has a waste generation rate of 9.88 t 100 m -2 , the mixed-construction method has a waste generation rate of 3.29 t 100 m -2 , and demolition projects have a waste generation rate of 104.28 t 100 m -2 . © The Author(s) 2016.

Activity recognition of assembly tasks using body-worn microphones and accelerometers.

PubMed

Ward, Jamie A; Lukowicz, Paul; Tröster, Gerhard; Starner, Thad E

2006-10-01

In order to provide relevant information to mobile users, such as workers engaging in the manual tasks of maintenance and assembly, a wearable computer requires information about the user's specific activities. This work focuses on the recognition of activities that are characterized by a hand motion and an accompanying sound. Suitable activities can be found in assembly and maintenance work. Here, we provide an initial exploration into the problem domain of continuous activity recognition using on-body sensing. We use a mock "wood workshop" assembly task to ground our investigation. We describe a method for the continuous recognition of activities (sawing, hammering, filing, drilling, grinding, sanding, opening a drawer, tightening a vise, and turning a screwdriver) using microphones and three-axis accelerometers mounted at two positions on the user's arms. Potentially "interesting" activities are segmented from continuous streams of data using an analysis of the sound intensity detected at the two different locations. Activity classification is then performed on these detected segments using linear discriminant analysis (LDA) on the sound channel and hidden Markov models (HMMs) on the acceleration data. Four different methods at classifier fusion are compared for improving these classifications. Using user-dependent training, we obtain continuous average recall and precision rates (for positive activities) of 78 percent and 74 percent, respectively. Using user-independent training (leave-one-out across five users), we obtain recall rates of 66 percent and precision rates of 63 percent. In isolation, these activities were recognized with accuracies of 98 percent, 87 percent, and 95 percent for the user-dependent, user-independent, and user-adapted cases, respectively.

Dual Contraceptive Method Use Among Youth in Alternative Schools.

PubMed

Coyle, Karin K; Peterson, Amy J; Franks, Heather M; Anderson, Pamela M; Glassman, Jill R

2016-12-01

Dual contraceptive method use, or using a highly effective contraceptive method plus a barrier method like condoms, is gaining attention as a strategy for preventing unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. We investigated rates of dual method use among a sample of youth in urban alternative schools, and explored the relationship between dual method use and sexual partner type. The study analyzed data from 765 students enrolled in 11 district-run continuation high schools in northern California. We explored the association between dual method use and sexual partner type (steady only, a mix of steady and non-steady, and non-steady only) using logistic regression. Differences in dual rates by partner type were statistically significant, with higher rates of dual methods use reported among young people reporting non-steady sexual partners only, as compared to those with steady partners only. The data illustrate that young people in alternative school settings could gain from further intervention on the benefits, skills, and challenges of using two methods of contraception as opposed to one with both steady and non-steady sexual partners.

[Record linkage of the elderly in the national surveys on the geriatric intermediate care facility].

PubMed

Doi, T; Chen, B

1997-07-01

Geriatric intermediate care facility, GICF, have been established since 1986 in Japan. The term of 'intermediate' denotes a facility midpoint between a hospital and home, with a powerful rehabilitation function. The annual governmental survey on GICF has been applied to all GICFs in Japan since 1989. This survey is a cross-sectional-type survey. For evaluating the role of GICF, we considered a type of cohort study using these surveys for four years by means of a record linkage method. This method is possible, because subjects of a survey for any year become subjects in the survey of the following year, if they have been in a GICF for more than one year. In this paper, for the purpose of preparing for a study of the role of GICF, we report some results about a record linkage for these surveys, and two continuing rates were calculated for these cohorts. Sources were personal records in 1989 to 1992 gathered by The National Survey on GICF in Japan. The record linkage method is as follows. We divided the annual personal records into several files by both the periods of the last admission and the survey year. Three cohorts, i.e. a cohort-89, a cohort-90 and a cohort-91 for persons for whom the first survey was 1989, 1990 and 1991, respectively are thus obtained. Next, we identified individuals from the annual files in each cohort. As personal names were not available, we identified individuals by sex, birth date, date of admission and facility number by the use of a personal computer and a FORTRAN program. Results were as follows. 1. Multiple matched persons were few (0.5% or less), and identification rates were 90% or more, despite the fact that basic linking variables were used. 2. Continuing rates were about 40% and decreased with new cohorts, while those of a fixed cohort were increased as length of stay increased. These reveal that recent admissions who stay continuously at a GICF were decreasing, but the longer the period for which the elderly stays at a GICF, the less possibility that he will be discharged. 3. Between record agreement rates for individuals over two years for unchangeable characteristics such as a place before admission which are expected to be 100% were about 80%. 4. A record linkage method appears to be useful for calculating continuing rates classified by any attribute.

FPGA based digital phase-coding quantum key distribution system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, XiaoMing; Zhang, LiJun; Wang, YongGang; Chen, Wei; Huang, DaJun; Li, Deng; Wang, Shuang; He, DeYong; Yin, ZhenQiang; Zhou, Yu; Hui, Cong; Han, ZhengFu

2015-12-01

Quantum key distribution (QKD) is a technology with the potential capability to achieve information-theoretic security. Phasecoding is an important approach to develop practical QKD systems in fiber channel. In order to improve the phase-coding modulation rate, we proposed a new digital-modulation method in this paper and constructed a compact and robust prototype of QKD system using currently available components in our lab to demonstrate the effectiveness of the method. The system was deployed in laboratory environment over a 50 km fiber and continuously operated during 87 h without manual interaction. The quantum bit error rate (QBER) of the system was stable with an average value of 3.22% and the secure key generation rate is 8.91 kbps. Although the modulation rate of the photon in the demo system was only 200 MHz, which was limited by the Faraday-Michelson interferometer (FMI) structure, the proposed method and the field programmable gate array (FPGA) based electronics scheme have a great potential for high speed QKD systems with Giga-bits/second modulation rate.

An efficient genome-wide association test for mixed binary and continuous phenotypes with applications to substance abuse research.

PubMed

Buu, Anne; Williams, L Keoki; Yang, James J

2018-03-01

We propose a new genome-wide association test for mixed binary and continuous phenotypes that uses an efficient numerical method to estimate the empirical distribution of the Fisher's combination statistic under the null hypothesis. Our simulation study shows that the proposed method controls the type I error rate and also maintains its power at the level of the permutation method. More importantly, the computational efficiency of the proposed method is much higher than the one of the permutation method. The simulation results also indicate that the power of the test increases when the genetic effect increases, the minor allele frequency increases, and the correlation between responses decreases. The statistical analysis on the database of the Study of Addiction: Genetics and Environment demonstrates that the proposed method combining multiple phenotypes can increase the power of identifying markers that may not be, otherwise, chosen using marginal tests.

Using Lean Process Improvement to Enhance Safety and Value in Orthopaedic Surgery: The Case of Spine Surgery.

PubMed

Sethi, Rajiv; Yanamadala, Vijay; Burton, Douglas C; Bess, Robert Shay

2017-11-01

Lean methodology was developed in the manufacturing industry to increase output and decrease costs. These labor organization methods have become the mainstay of major manufacturing companies worldwide. Lean methods involve continuous process improvement through the systematic elimination of waste, prevention of mistakes, and empowerment of workers to make changes. Because of the profit and productivity gains made in the manufacturing arena using lean methods, several healthcare organizations have adopted lean methodologies for patient care. Lean methods have now been implemented in many areas of health care. In orthopaedic surgery, lean methods have been applied to reduce complication rates and create a culture of continuous improvement. A step-by-step guide based on our experience can help surgeons use lean methods in practice. Surgeons and hospital centers well versed in lean methodology will be poised to reduce complications, improve patient outcomes, and optimize cost/benefit ratios for patient care.

Fermentation Kinetics and Continuous Process of L-Asparaginase Production

PubMed Central

Liu, F. S.; Zajic, J. E.

1973-01-01

For the purpose of obtaining L-asparaginase in quantities from Erwinia aroideae, cell growth and enzyme formation were investigated in both batch and continuous fermentation. Using yeast extract as a growth-limiting substrate, the relationship between specific growth rate and substrate concentration was found to fit the Monod equation. The optimum temperature for enzyme production was 24 C, although cell growth was higher at 28 C. The enzyme yield reached its maximum of 4 IU/ml during the negative acceleration growth phase which occurs just prior to stationary growth. Compared to batch fermentations, the continuous fermentation process gave a lower enzyme yield except when the fermentation was conducted at a dilution rate of 0.1 hr-1. The graphical method frequently used for prediction of continuous fermentation does not apply to L-asparaginase production by E. aroideae. The optimum temperature for enzyme production in continuous process was 24 C, which was the same as in batch process. Increasing the temperature from 24 to 28 C resulted in a 20% loss of enzyme yield. PMID:4568894

Biohydrogen production in a continuous stirred tank bioreactor from synthesis gas by anaerobic photosynthetic bacterium: Rhodopirillum rubrum.

PubMed

Younesi, Habibollah; Najafpour, Ghasem; Ku Ismail, Ku Syahidah; Mohamed, Abdul Rahman; Kamaruddin, Azlina Harun

2008-05-01

Hydrogen may be considered a potential fuel for the future since it is carbon-free and oxidized to water as a combustion product. Bioconversion of synthesis gas (syngas) to hydrogen was demonstrated in continuous stirred tank bioreactor (CSTBR) utilizing acetate as a carbon source. An anaerobic photosynthetic bacterium, Rhodospirillum rubrum catalyzed water-gas shift reaction which was applied for the bioconversion of syngas to hydrogen. The continuous fermentation of syngas in the bioreactor was continuously operated at various gas flow rates and agitation speeds, for the period of two months. The gas flow rates were varied from 5 to 14 ml/min. The agitation speeds were increasingly altered in the range of 150-500 rpm. The pH and temperature of the bioreactor was set at 6.5 and 30 degrees C. The liquid flow rate was kept constant at 0.65 ml/min for the duration of 60 days. The inlet acetate concentration was fed at 4 g/l into the bioreactor. The hydrogen production rate and yield were 16+/-1.1 mmol g(-1)cell h(-1) and 87+/-2.4% at fixed agitation speed of 500 rpm and syngas flow rate of 14 ml/min, respectively. The mass transfer coefficient (KLa) at this condition was approximately 72.8h(-1). This new approach, using a biocatalyst was considered as an alternative method of conventional Fischer-Tropsch synthetic reactions, which were able to convert syngas into hydrogen.

Escalation: How Much is Enough?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Butts, Glenn

2007-01-01

Determining the escalation percentage to an estimate is often the subject of fierce debate. Cost increases are determined by dynamic relati onships between many factors, including acts of nature, interest rate s, oil prices, global commodity markets, wars, wage rates, and the ov erall health of the economy, as well as supply and demand for the required goods or services. How much escalation is enough? Are the recen t price increases temporary aberrations, or will they continue to pla gue us? This paper examines historical escalation rates, as well as i ndications of trends. Various analysis methods -- Monte Carlo simulations, neural networks, trend impact analysis, and the Delphi method -- are examined in an attempt to determine future trends.

An Indirect System Identification Technique for Stable Estimation of Continuous-Time Parameters of the Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex (VOR)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kukreja, Sunil L.; Wallin, Ragnar; Boyle, Richard D.

2013-01-01

The vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) is a well-known dual mode bifurcating system that consists of slow and fast modes associated with nystagmus and saccade, respectively. Estimation of continuous-time parameters of nystagmus and saccade models are known to be sensitive to estimation methodology, noise and sampling rate. The stable and accurate estimation of these parameters are critical for accurate disease modelling, clinical diagnosis, robotic control strategies, mission planning for space exploration and pilot safety, etc. This paper presents a novel indirect system identification method for the estimation of continuous-time parameters of VOR employing standardised least-squares with dual sampling rates in a sparse structure. This approach permits the stable and simultaneous estimation of both nystagmus and saccade data. The efficacy of this approach is demonstrated via simulation of a continuous-time model of VOR with typical parameters found in clinical studies and in the presence of output additive noise.

Alarm characterization for a continuous glucose monitor that replaces traditional blood glucose monitoring.

PubMed

McGarraugh, Geoffrey

2010-01-01

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices available in the United States are approved for use as adjuncts to self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG); all CGM alarms require SMBG confirmation before treatment. In this report, an analysis method is proposed to determine the CGM threshold alarm accuracy required to eliminate SMBG confirmation. The proposed method builds on the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guideline for evaluating CGM threshold alarms using data from an in-clinic study of subjects with type 1 diabetes. The CLSI method proposes a maximum time limit of +/-30 minutes for the detection of hypo- and hyperglycemic events but does not include limits for glucose measurement accuracy. The International Standards Organization (ISO) standard for SMBG glucose measurement accuracy (ISO 15197) is +/-15 mg/dl for glucose <75 mg/dl and +/-20% for glucose > or = 75 mg/dl. This standard was combined with the CLSI method to more completely characterize the accuracy of CGM alarms. Incorporating the ISO 15197 accuracy margins, FreeStyle Navigator CGM system alarms detected 70 mg/dl hypoglycemia within 30 minutes at a rate of 70.3%, with a false alarm rate of 11.4%. The device detected high glucose in the range of 140-300 mg/dl within 30 minutes at an average rate of 99.2%, with a false alarm rate of 2.1%. Self-monitoring of blood glucose confirmation is necessary for detecting and treating hypoglycemia with the FreeStyle Navigator CGM system, but at high glucose levels, SMBG confirmation adds little incremental value to CGM alarms. 2010 Diabetes Technology Society.

Automatable Measurement of Gas Exchange Rate in Streams: Oxygen-Carbon Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pennington, R.; Haggerty, R.; Argerich, A.; Wondzell, S. M.

2015-12-01

Gas exchange rates between streams and the atmosphere are critically important to measurement of in-stream ecologic processes, as well as fate and transport of hazardous pollutants such as mercury and PCBs. Methods to estimate gas exchange rates include empirical relations to hydraulics, and direct injection of a tracer gas such as propane or SF6. Empirical relations are inconsistent and inaccurate, particularly for lower order, high-roughness streams. Gas injections are labor-intensive, and measured gas exchange rates are difficult to extrapolate in time since they change with discharge and stream geometry. We propose a novel method for calculation of gas exchange rates utilizing O2, pCO2, pH, and temperature data. Measurements, which can be automated using data loggers and probes, are made on the upstream and downstream end of the study reach. Gas exchange rates are then calculated from a solution to the transport equations for oxygen and dissolved inorganic carbon. Field tests in steep, low order, high roughness streams of the HJ Andrews Experimental Forest indicate the method to be viable along stream reaches with high downstream gas concentration gradients and high rates of gas transfer velocity. Automated and continuous collection of oxygen and carbonate chemistry data is increasingly common, thus the method may be used to estimate gas exchange rates through time, and is well suited for interactivity with databases.

Sampling trace organic compounds in water: a comparison of a continuous active sampler to continuous passive and discrete sampling methods

USGS Publications Warehouse

Coes, Alissa L.; Paretti, Nicholas V.; Foreman, William T.; Iverson, Jana L.; Alvarez, David A.

2014-01-01

A continuous active sampling method was compared to continuous passive and discrete sampling methods for the sampling of trace organic compounds (TOCs) in water. Results from each method are compared and contrasted in order to provide information for future investigators to use while selecting appropriate sampling methods for their research. The continuous low-level aquatic monitoring (CLAM) sampler (C.I.Agent® Storm-Water Solutions) is a submersible, low flow-rate sampler, that continuously draws water through solid-phase extraction media. CLAM samplers were deployed at two wastewater-dominated stream field sites in conjunction with the deployment of polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) and the collection of discrete (grab) water samples. All samples were analyzed for a suite of 69 TOCs. The CLAM and POCIS samples represent time-integrated samples that accumulate the TOCs present in the water over the deployment period (19–23 h for CLAM and 29 days for POCIS); the discrete samples represent only the TOCs present in the water at the time and place of sampling. Non-metric multi-dimensional scaling and cluster analysis were used to examine patterns in both TOC detections and relative concentrations between the three sampling methods. A greater number of TOCs were detected in the CLAM samples than in corresponding discrete and POCIS samples, but TOC concentrations in the CLAM samples were significantly lower than in the discrete and (or) POCIS samples. Thirteen TOCs of varying polarity were detected by all of the three methods. TOC detections and concentrations obtained by the three sampling methods, however, are dependent on multiple factors. This study found that stream discharge, constituent loading, and compound type all affected TOC concentrations detected by each method. In addition, TOC detections and concentrations were affected by the reporting limits, bias, recovery, and performance of each method.

Sampling trace organic compounds in water: a comparison of a continuous active sampler to continuous passive and discrete sampling methods.

PubMed

Coes, Alissa L; Paretti, Nicholas V; Foreman, William T; Iverson, Jana L; Alvarez, David A

2014-03-01

A continuous active sampling method was compared to continuous passive and discrete sampling methods for the sampling of trace organic compounds (TOCs) in water. Results from each method are compared and contrasted in order to provide information for future investigators to use while selecting appropriate sampling methods for their research. The continuous low-level aquatic monitoring (CLAM) sampler (C.I.Agent® Storm-Water Solutions) is a submersible, low flow-rate sampler, that continuously draws water through solid-phase extraction media. CLAM samplers were deployed at two wastewater-dominated stream field sites in conjunction with the deployment of polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) and the collection of discrete (grab) water samples. All samples were analyzed for a suite of 69 TOCs. The CLAM and POCIS samples represent time-integrated samples that accumulate the TOCs present in the water over the deployment period (19-23 h for CLAM and 29 days for POCIS); the discrete samples represent only the TOCs present in the water at the time and place of sampling. Non-metric multi-dimensional scaling and cluster analysis were used to examine patterns in both TOC detections and relative concentrations between the three sampling methods. A greater number of TOCs were detected in the CLAM samples than in corresponding discrete and POCIS samples, but TOC concentrations in the CLAM samples were significantly lower than in the discrete and (or) POCIS samples. Thirteen TOCs of varying polarity were detected by all of the three methods. TOC detections and concentrations obtained by the three sampling methods, however, are dependent on multiple factors. This study found that stream discharge, constituent loading, and compound type all affected TOC concentrations detected by each method. In addition, TOC detections and concentrations were affected by the reporting limits, bias, recovery, and performance of each method. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Accuracy of real time radiography burning rate measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olaniyi, Bisola

The design of a solid propellant rocket motor requires the determination of a propellant's burning-rate and its dependency upon environmental parameters. The requirement that the burning-rate be physically measured, establishes the need for methods and equipment to obtain such data. A literature review reveals that no measurement has provided the desired burning rate accuracy. In the current study, flash x-ray modeling and digitized film-density data were employed to predict motor-port area to length ratio. The pre-fired port-areas and base burning rate were within 2.5% and 1.2% of their known values, respectively. To verify the accuracy of the method, a continuous x-ray and a solid propellant rocket motor model (Plexiglas cylinder) were used. The solid propellant motor model was translated laterally through a real-time radiography system at different speeds simulating different burning rates. X-ray images were captured and the burning-rate was then determined. The measured burning rate was within 1.65% of the known values.

Sediment rating curve & Co. - a contest of prediction methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Francke, T.; Zimmermann, A.

2012-04-01

In spite of the recent technological progress in sediment monitoring, often the calculation of sediment yield (SSY) still relies on intermittent measurements because of the use of historic records, instrument-failure in continuous recording or financial constraints. Therefore, available measurements are usually inter- and even extrapolated using the sediment rating curve approach, which uses continuously available discharge data to predict sediment concentrations. Extending this idea by further aspects like the inclusion of other predictors (e.g. rainfall, discharge-characteristics, etc.), or the consideration of prediction uncertainty led to a variety of new methods. Now, with approaches such as Fuzzy Logic, Artificial Neural Networks, Tree-based regression, GLMs, etc., the user is left to decide which method to apply. Trying multiple approaches is usually not an option, as considerable effort and expertise may be needed for their application. To establish a helpful guideline in selecting the most appropriate method for SSY-computation, we initiated a study to compare and rank available methods. Depending on problem attributes like hydrological and sediment regime, number of samples, sampling scheme, and availability of ancillary predictors, the performance of different methods is compared. Our expertise allowed us to "register" Random Forests, Quantile Regression Forests and GLMs for the contest. To include many different methods and ensure their sophisticated use we invite scientists that are willing to benchmark their favourite method(s) with us. The more diverse the participating methods are, the more exciting the contest will be.

Towards 24/7 continuous heart rate monitoring.

PubMed

Tarniceriu, Adrian; Parak, Jakub; Renevey, Philippe; Nurmi, Marko; Bertschi, Mattia; Delgado-Gonzalo, Ricard; Korhonen, Ilkka

2016-08-01

Heart rate (HR) and HR variability (HRV) carry rich information about physical activity, mental and physical load, physiological status, and health of an individual. When combined with activity monitoring and personalized physiological modelling, HR/HRV monitoring may be used for monitoring of complex behaviors and impact of behaviors and external factors on the current physiological status of an individual. Optical HR monitoring (OHR) from wrist provides a comfortable and unobtrusive method for HR/HRV monitoring and is better adhered by users than traditional ECG electrodes or chest straps. However, OHR power consumption is significantly higher than that for ECG based methods due to the measurement principle based on optical illumination of the tissue. We developed an algorithmic approach to reduce power consumption of the OHR in 24/7 HR trending. We use continuous activity monitoring and a fast converging frequency domain algorithm to derive a reliable HR estimate in 7.1s (during outdoor sports, in average) to 10.0s (during daily life). The method allows >80% reduction in power consumption in 24/7 OHR monitoring when average HR monitoring is targeted, without significant reduction in tracking accuracy.

Gully incision rates on the bedrock of a large dip-slope landslide revealed by multi-period LiDAR DEMs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chan, Y. C.; Hsieh, Y. C.

2017-12-01

Recent advances in airborne laser scanning (ALS) technology have provided a great opportunity for characterizing surface erosion through developing improved methods in multi-period DEM differencing and geomorphometry. This study uses three periods of ALS digital elevation model (DEM) data to analyze the short-term erosional features of the Tsaoling landslide triggered by the 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake in Taiwan. Two methods for calculating the bedrock incision rate, the equal-interval cross section selection method and the continuous swath profiles selection method, were used in the study after nearly ten years of gully incision following the earthquake-triggered dip-slope landslide. Multi-temporal gully incision rates were obtained using the continuous swath profiles selection method, which is considered a practical and convenient approach in terrain change studies. After error estimation and comparison of the multi-period ALS DEMs, the terrain change in different periods can be directly calculated, reducing time-consuming fieldwork such as installation of erosion pins and measurement of topographic cross sections on site. In this study, the gully bedrock incision rates ranged between 0.23 and 3.98 m/year, remarkably higher than the typical results from the previous studies. By comparing the DEM data, aerial photos, and precipitation records of this area, the effects of erosion could be observed from the retreat of the Chunqiu Cliff outline during August 2011 to September 2012. It was inferred that the change in the topographic elevation during 2011-2012 was mainly due to the torrential rain brought by Typhoon Soula, which occurred on 30 July 2012. The local gully incision rate in the lower part of the landslide surface was remarkably faster than that of the other regions, suggesting that the fast incision of the toe area possibly contributes to the occurrence of repeated landslides in the Tsaoling area.

A modified dodge algorithm for the parabolized Navier-Stokes equations and compressible duct flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooke, C. H.

1981-01-01

A revised version of a split-velocity method for numerical calculation of compressible duct flow was developed. The revision incorporates balancing of mass flow rates on each marching step in order to maintain front-to-back continuity during the calculation. The (checkerboard) zebra algorithm is applied to solution of the three-dimensional continuity equation in conservative form. A second-order A-stable linear multistep method is employed in effecting a marching solution of the parabolized momentum equations. A checkerboard successive overrelaxation iteration is used to solve the resulting implicit nonlinear systems of finite-difference equations which govern stepwise transition.

High-efficiency reconciliation for continuous variable quantum key distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bai, Zengliang; Yang, Shenshen; Li, Yongmin

2017-04-01

Quantum key distribution (QKD) is the most mature application of quantum information technology. Information reconciliation is a crucial step in QKD and significantly affects the final secret key rates shared between two legitimate parties. We analyze and compare various construction methods of low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes and design high-performance irregular LDPC codes with a block length of 106. Starting from these good codes and exploiting the slice reconciliation technique based on multilevel coding and multistage decoding, we realize high-efficiency Gaussian key reconciliation with efficiency higher than 95% for signal-to-noise ratios above 1. Our demonstrated method can be readily applied in continuous variable QKD.

Scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscopy with low-repetition-rate pulsed light source through phase-domain sampling

PubMed Central

Wang, Haomin; Wang, Le; Xu, Xiaoji G.

2016-01-01

Scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscopy (s-SNOM) allows spectroscopic imaging with spatial resolution below the diffraction limit. With suitable light sources, s-SNOM is instrumental in numerous discoveries at the nanoscale. So far, the light sources have been limited to continuous wave or high-repetition-rate pulsed lasers. Low-repetition-rate pulsed sources cannot be used, due to the limitation of the lock-in detection mechanism that is required for current s-SNOM techniques. Here, we report a near-field signal extraction method that enables low-repetition-rate pulsed light sources. The method correlates scattering signals from pulses with the mechanical phases of the oscillating s-SNOM probe to obtain near-field signal, by-passing the apparent restriction imposed by the Nyquist–Shannon sampling theorem on the repetition rate. The method shall enable s-SNOM with low-repetition-rate pulses with high-peak-powers, such as femtosecond laser amplifiers, to facilitate investigations of strong light–matter interactions and nonlinear processes at the nanoscale. PMID:27748360

RTD-based Material Tracking in a Fully-Continuous Dry Granulation Tableting Line.

PubMed

Martinetz, M C; Karttunen, A-P; Sacher, S; Wahl, P; Ketolainen, J; Khinast, J G; Korhonen, O

2018-06-06

Continuous manufacturing (CM) offers quality and cost-effectiveness benefits over currently dominating batch processing. One challenge that needs to be addressed when implementing CM is traceability of materials through the process, which is needed for the batch/lot definition and control strategy. In this work the residence time distributions (RTD) of single unit operations (blender, roller compactor and tablet press) of a continuous dry granulation tableting line were captured with NIR based methods at selected mass flow rates to create training data. RTD models for continuous operated unit operations and the entire line were developed based on transfer functions. For semi-continuously operated bucket conveyor and pneumatic transport an assumption based the operation frequency was used. For validation of the parametrized process model, a pre-defined API step change and its propagation through the manufacturing line was computed and compared to multi-scale experimental runs conducted with the fully assembled continuous operated manufacturing line. This novel approach showed a very good prediction power at the selected mass flow rates for a complete continuous dry granulation line. Furthermore, it shows and proves the capabilities of process simulation as a tool to support development and control of pharmaceutical manufacturing processes. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Breast Cancer Trend in Iran from 2000 to 2009 and Prediction till 2020 using a Trend Analysis Method.

PubMed

Zahmatkesh, Bibihajar; Keramat, Afsaneh; Alavi, Nasrinossadat; Khosravi, Ahmad; Kousha, Ahmad; Motlagh, Ali Ghanbari; Darman, Mahboobeh; Partovipour, Elham; Chaman, Reza

2016-01-01

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide with a rising incidence rate in most countries. Considering the increase in life expectancy and change in lifestyle of Iranian women, this study investigated the age-adjusted trend of breast cancer incidence during 2000-2009 and predicted its incidence to 2020. The 1997 and 2006 census results were used for the projection of female population by age through the cohort-component method over the studied years. Data from the Iranian cancer registration system were used to calculate the annual incidence rate of breast cancer. The age-adjusted incidence rate was then calculated using the WHO standard population distribution. The five-year-age-specific incidence rates were also obtained for each year and future incidence was determined using the trend analysis method. Annual percentage change (APC) was calculated through the joinpoint regression method. The bias adjusted incidence rate of breast cancer increased from 16.7 per 100,000 women in 2000 to 33.6 per 100,000 women in 2009. The incidence of breast cancer had a growing trend in almost all age groups above 30 years over the studied years. In this period, the age groups of 45-65 years had the highest incidence. Investigation into the joinpoint curve showed that the curve had a steep slope with an APC of 23.4% before the first joinpoint, but became milder after this. From 2005 to 2009, the APC was calculated as 2.7%, through which the incidence of breast cancer in 2020 was predicted as 63.0 per 100,000 women. The age-adjusted incidence rate of breast cancer continues to increas in Iranian women. It is predicted that this trend will continue until 2020. Therefore, it seems necessary to prioritize the prevention, control and care for breast cancer in Iran.

Self-balanced real-time photonic scheme for ultrafast random number generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Pu; Guo, Ya; Guo, Yanqiang; Fan, Yuanlong; Guo, Xiaomin; Liu, Xianglian; Shore, K. Alan; Dubrova, Elena; Xu, Bingjie; Wang, Yuncai; Wang, Anbang

2018-06-01

We propose a real-time self-balanced photonic method for extracting ultrafast random numbers from broadband randomness sources. In place of electronic analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), the balanced photo-detection technology is used to directly quantize optically sampled chaotic pulses into a continuous random number stream. Benefitting from ultrafast photo-detection, our method can efficiently eliminate the generation rate bottleneck from electronic ADCs which are required in nearly all the available fast physical random number generators. A proof-of-principle experiment demonstrates that using our approach 10 Gb/s real-time and statistically unbiased random numbers are successfully extracted from a bandwidth-enhanced chaotic source. The generation rate achieved experimentally here is being limited by the bandwidth of the chaotic source. The method described has the potential to attain a real-time rate of 100 Gb/s.

A continuous quality improvement project to improve the quality of cervical Papanicolaou smears.

PubMed

Burkman, R T; Ward, R; Balchandani, K; Kini, S

1994-09-01

To improve the quality of cervical Papanicolaou smears by continuous quality improvement techniques. The study used a Papanicolaou smear data base of over 200,000 specimens collected between June 1988 and December 1992. A team approach employing techniques such as process flow-charting, cause and effect diagrams, run charts, and a randomized trial of collection methods was used to evaluate potential causes of Papanicolaou smear reports with the notation "inadequate" or "less than optimal" due to too few or absent endocervical cells. Once a key process variable (method of collection) was identified, the proportion of Papanicolaou smears with inadequate or absent endocervical cells was determined before and after employment of a collection technique using a spatula and Cytobrush. We measured the rate of less than optimal Papanicolaou smears due to too few or absent endocervical cells. Before implementing the new collection technique fully by June 1990, the overall rate of less than optimal cervical Papanicolaou smears ranged from 20-25%; by December 1993, it had stabilized at about 10%. Continuous quality improvement can be used successfully to study a clinical process and implement change that will lead to improvement.

Perceived Cooling Using Asymmetrically-Applied Hot and Cold Stimuli.

PubMed

Manasrah, Ahmad; Crane, Nathan; Guldiken, Rasim; Reed, Kyle B

2017-01-01

Temperature perception is a highly nonlinear phenomenon with faster rates of change being perceived at much lower thresholds than slower rates. This paper presents a method that takes advantage of this nonlinear characteristic to generate a perception of continuous cooling even though the average temperature is not changing. The method uses multiple thermal actuators so that a few are cooling quickly while the rest of the actuators are heating slowly. The slowly-heating actuators are below the perceptual threshold temperature change and hence are not perceived, while the quickly-cooling actuators are above the perceptual temperature change, hence are perceived. As a result, a feeling of decreasing temperature was elicited, when in fact, there was no net change in the temperature of the skin. Three sets of judiciously designed experiments were conducted in this study, investigating the effects of actuator sizes, forearm measurement locations, patterns of actuator layout, and various heating/cooling time cycles. Our results showed that 19 out 21 participants perceived the continuous cooling effect as hypothesized. Our research indicates that the measurement location, heating/cooling cycle times, and arrangement of the actuators affect the perception of continuous cooling.

An optimized strain demodulation method for PZT driven fiber Fabry-Perot tunable filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheng, Wenjuan; Peng, G. D.; Liu, Yang; Yang, Ning

2015-08-01

An optimized strain-demodulation-method based on piezo-electrical transducer (PZT) driven fiber Fabry-Perot (FFP) filter is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. Using a parallel processing mode to drive the PZT continuously, the hysteresis effect is eliminated, and the system demodulation rate is increased. Furthermore, an AC-DC compensation method is developed to address the intrinsic nonlinear relationship between the displacement and voltage of PZT. The experimental results show that the actual demodulation rate is improved from 15 Hz to 30 Hz, the random error of the strain measurement is decreased by 95%, and the deviation between the test values after compensation and the theoretical values is less than 1 pm/με.

The Americleft Project: A Modification of Asher-McDade Method for Rating Nasolabial Esthetics in Patients With Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Using Q-sort.

PubMed

Stoutland, Alicia; Long, Ross E; Mercado, Ana; Daskalogiannakis, John; Hathaway, Ronald R; Russell, Kathleen A; Singer, Emily; Semb, Gunvor; Shaw, William C

2017-11-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate ways to improve rater reliability and satisfaction in nasolabial esthetic evaluations of patients with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP), by modifying the Asher-McDade method with use of Q-sort methodology. Blinded ratings of cropped photographs of one hundred forty-nine 5- to 7-year-old consecutively treated patients with complete UCLP from 4 different centers were used in a rating of frontal and profile nasolabial esthetic outcomes by 6 judges involved in the Americleft Project's intercenter outcome comparisons. Four judges rated in previous studies using the original Asher-McDade approach. For the Q-sort modification, rather than projection of images, each judge had cards with frontal and profile photographs of each patient and rated them on a scale of 1 to 5 for vermillion border, nasolabial frontal, and profile, using the Q-sort method with placement of cards into categories 1 to 5. Inter- and intrarater reliabilities were calculated using the Weighted Kappa (95% confidence interval). For 4 raters, the reliabilities were compared with those in previous studies. There was no significant improvement in inter-rater reliabilities using the new method. Intrarater reliability consistently improved. All raters preferred the Q-sort method with rating cards rather than a PowerPoint of photos, which improved internal consistency in rating compared to previous studies using the original Asher-McDade method. All raters preferred this method because of the ability to continuously compare photos and adjust relative ratings between patients.

Change in the Mechanical Energy of the Body Center of Mass in Hemiplegic Gait after Continuous Use of a Plantar Flexion Resistive Ankle-foot Orthosis.

PubMed

Haruna, Hirokazu; Sugihara, Shunichi; Kon, Keisuke; Miyasaka, Tomoya; Hayakawa, Yasuyuki; Nosaka, Toshiya; Kimura, Kazuyuki

2013-11-01

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in mechanical energy due to continuous use of a plantar flexion resistive ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) of subjects with chronic hemiplegia. [Subjects and Methods] The subjects were 5 hemiplegic patients using AFOs without a plantar flexion resistive function in their daily lives. We analyzed the gait of the subjects using a 3D motion capture system under three conditions: patients' use of their own AFOs; after being fitted with a plantar flexion resistive AFO; and after continuous use of the device. The gait efficiency was determined by calculating the mutual exchange of kinetic and potential energy of the center of mass. [Results] An increased exchange rate of the kinetic and potential energy was found for all subjects. A larger increase of energy exchange was shown on the non-paralyzed side, and after continuous use of the plantar flexion resistive AFO. [Conclusion] We found that continuous use of a plantar flexion resistive AFO increased the rate of mutual exchange between kinetic energy and potential energy. The change in the rate was closely related to the role of the non-paretic side, showing that the subjects needed a certain amount of time to adapt to the plantar flexion resistive AFO.

Acoustic resonance frequency locked photoacoustic spectrometer

DOEpatents

Pilgrim, Jeffrey S.; Bomse, David S.; Silver, Joel A.

2003-09-09

A photoacoustic spectroscopy method and apparatus for maintaining an acoustic source frequency on a sample cell resonance frequency comprising: providing an acoustic source to the sample cell, the acoustic source having a source frequency; repeatedly and continuously sweeping the source frequency across the resonance frequency at a sweep rate; and employing an odd-harmonic of the source frequency sweep rate to maintain the source frequency sweep centered on the resonance frequency.

[Efficacy of different preparations of budesonide combined with pulmonary surfactant in the treatment of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome: a comparative analysis].

PubMed

Ke, Hua; Li, Zhan-Kui; Yu, Xi-Ping; Guo, Jin-Zhen

2016-05-01

To study the efficacy of different preparations of budesonide combined with pulmonary surfactant (PS) in improving blood gas levels and preventing bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm infants with neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS). A total of 184 preterm infants who developed NRDS within 4 hours after birth were randomly administered with PS + continuous inhalation of budesonide aerosol (continuous aerosol group), PS+budesonide solution (solution group), PS + single inhalation of budesonide aerosol (single aerosol group), and PS alone, with 46 neonates in each group. The changes in arterial blood gas levels, rate of invasive mechanical ventilation after treatment, time of assisted ventilation, rate of repeated use of PS, and the incidence of BPD were compared between the four groups. On the 2nd to 4th day after treatment, pH, PCO2, and oxygenation index (FiO2/PaO2) showed significant differences among the four groups, and the continuous aerosol group showed the most improvements of all indicators, followed by the solution group, single aerosol group, and PS alone group. The continuous aerosol group had a significantly shorter time of assisted ventilation than the other three groups (P<0.05). The solution group had a significantly shorter time of assisted ventilation than the single aerosol and PS alone groups (P<0.05). The rate of invasive mechanical ventilation after treatment, rate of repeated use of PS, and incidence of BPD showed significant differences among the four groups (P<0.05), and the continuous aerosol group had the lowest rates, followed by the solution group. A combination of PS and continuous inhalation of budesonide aerosol has a better efficacy in the treatment of NRDS than a combination of PS and budesonide solution. The difference in reducing the incidence of BDP between the two administration methods awaits further investigation with a larger sample size.

Continuous cryopump with a device for regenerating the cryosurface

DOEpatents

Foster, Christopher A.

1988-01-01

A high throughput continuous cryopump is provided. The cryopump (10) incorporates an improved method for regenerating the cryopumping surface (22) while the pump is in continuous operation. The regeneration of the cryopumping surface (22) does not thermally cycle the pump, and to this end a small chamber (91) connected to a secondary pumping source (60) serves to contain and exhaust frost removed from the cryopumping surface (22) during such regeneration. The frost is exhausted at a rate substantially independent of the speed of the cryopump which enhances the capability of the pump to achieve a high compression ratio and allow the pump to operate continuously while the cryopumping surface is being regenerated.

Contraceptive method switching in the United States.

PubMed

Grady, William R; Billy, John O G; Klepinger, Daniel H

2002-01-01

Switching among contraceptive method types is the primary determinant of the prevalence of use of specific contraceptive methods, and it has direct implications for women's ability to avoid unintended pregnancies. Yet, method switching among U.S. women has received little attention from researchers. Data from the 1995 National Survey of Family Growth were used to construct multiple-decrement life tables to explore the gross switching rates of married and unmarried women. Within each group, discrete-time hazard models were estimated to determine how women's characteristics affect their switching behavior. Overall rates of method switching are high among both married and unmarried women (40% and 61%, respectively). Married women's two-year switching rates vary from 30% among women who use the implant, injectable, IUD or other reversible methods to 43% among nonusers, while unmarried women's rates vary from 33% among women who use the implant, injectable or IUD to 70% among nonusers. Multivariate analyses of method switching according to women's characteristics indicate that among married women, women without children are less likely than other women to adopt sterilization or a long-term reversible contraceptive (the implant, injectable or IUD). Older married women have a higher rate than their younger counterparts of switching to sterilization, but are also more likely to continue using no method. Among unmarried women, younger and more highly educated women have high rates of switching to the condom and to dual methods. Women's method switching decisions may be driven primarily by concerns related to level and duration of contraceptive effectiveness, health risks associated with contraceptive use and, among single women, sexually transmitted disease prevention.

Hybrid suboptimal control of multi-rate multi-loop sampled-data systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shieh, Leang S.; Chen, Gwangchywan; Tsai, Jason S. H.

1992-01-01

A hybrid state-space controller is developed for suboptimal digital control of multirate multiloop multivariable continuous-time systems. First, an LQR is designed for a continuous-time subsystem which has a large bandwidth and is connnected in the inner loop of the overall system. The designed LQR would optimally place the eigenvalues of a closed-loop subsystem in the common region of an open sector bounded by sector angles + or - pi/2k for k = 2 or 3 from the negative real axis and the left-hand side of a vertical line on the negative real axis in the s-plane. Then, the developed continuous-time state-feedback gain is converted into an equivalent fast-rate discrete-time state-feedback gain via a digital redesign technique (Tsai et al. 1989, Shieh et al. 1990) reviewed here. A real state reconstructor is redeveloped utilizing the fast-rate input-output data of the system of interest. The design procedure of multiloop multivariable systems using multirate samplers is shown, and a terminal homing missile system example is used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Spatiotemporal reconstruction of list-mode PET data.

PubMed

Nichols, Thomas E; Qi, Jinyi; Asma, Evren; Leahy, Richard M

2002-04-01

We describe a method for computing a continuous time estimate of tracer density using list-mode positron emission tomography data. The rate function in each voxel is modeled as an inhomogeneous Poisson process whose rate function can be represented using a cubic B-spline basis. The rate functions are estimated by maximizing the likelihood of the arrival times of detected photon pairs over the control vertices of the spline, modified by quadratic spatial and temporal smoothness penalties and a penalty term to enforce nonnegativity. Randoms rate functions are estimated by assuming independence between the spatial and temporal randoms distributions. Similarly, scatter rate functions are estimated by assuming spatiotemporal independence and that the temporal distribution of the scatter is proportional to the temporal distribution of the trues. A quantitative evaluation was performed using simulated data and the method is also demonstrated in a human study using 11C-raclopride.

Robust numerical solution of the reservoir routing equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fiorentini, Marcello; Orlandini, Stefano

2013-09-01

The robustness of numerical methods for the solution of the reservoir routing equation is evaluated. The methods considered in this study are: (1) the Laurenson-Pilgrim method, (2) the fourth-order Runge-Kutta method, and (3) the fixed order Cash-Karp method. Method (1) is unable to handle nonmonotonic outflow rating curves. Method (2) is found to fail under critical conditions occurring, especially at the end of inflow recession limbs, when large time steps (greater than 12 min in this application) are used. Method (3) is computationally intensive and it does not solve the limitations of method (2). The limitations of method (2) can be efficiently overcome by reducing the time step in the critical phases of the simulation so as to ensure that water level remains inside the domains of the storage function and the outflow rating curve. The incorporation of a simple backstepping procedure implementing this control into the method (2) yields a robust and accurate reservoir routing method that can be safely used in distributed time-continuous catchment models.

Evaluating the efficacy of a centrifugation-flotation method for extracting Ascaris ova from soil.

PubMed

Cranston, Imogen; Teoh, Penelope J; Baker, Sarah M; Sengupta, Mita E; Ensink, Jeroen H J

2016-07-01

Soil transmitted helminths (STH) continue to be associated with high burdens of disease, with an estimated 1.45 billion people infected with STH globally. The promotion and construction of latrines is considered the first barrier to prevent transmission of STH. The absence of a reliable method to extract STH ova from soil makes it challenging to examine whether the use of latrines may or may not have an effect on environmental contamination with ova. The present study evaluated the recovery rate of a method developed to extract STH ova from soil. The adapted centrifugation and flotation technique was applied to 15 soil types, which were seeded with Ascaris suum ova. Soil type, soil moisture content, soil texture and organic matter content were assessed for each soil sample. The average ova recovery rate was 28.2%, with the recovery rate of the method decreasing with increasing soil moisture content, particle size and organic matter content. The association between recovery rate and organic matter content was statistically significant. The present study identified a low recovery rate for an adapted centrifugation-flotation method, although this was similar to the recovery rate demonstrated by other methods developed for soil. Soil organic matter content was significantly associated with ova recovery rates. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Future Declines of Coronary Heart Disease Mortality in England and Wales Could Counter the Burden of Population Ageing

PubMed Central

Guzman Castillo, Maria; Gillespie, Duncan O. S.; Allen, Kirk; Bandosz, Piotr; Schmid, Volker; Capewell, Simon; O’Flaherty, Martin

2014-01-01

Background Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) remains a major cause of mortality in the United Kingdom. Yet predictions of future CHD mortality are potentially problematic due to population ageing and increase in obesity and diabetes. Here we explore future projections of CHD mortality in England & Wales under two contrasting future trend assumptions. Methods In scenario A, we used the conventional counterfactual scenario that the last-observed CHD mortality rates from 2011 would persist unchanged to 2030. The future number of deaths was calculated by applying those rates to the 2012–2030 population estimates. In scenario B, we assumed that the recent falling trend in CHD mortality rates would continue. Using Lee-Carter and Bayesian Age Period Cohort (BAPC) models, we projected the linear trends up to 2030. We validate our methods using past data to predict mortality from 2002–2011. Then, we computed the error between observed and projected values. Results In scenario A, assuming that 2011 mortality rates stayed constant by 2030, the number of CHD deaths would increase 62% or approximately 39,600 additional deaths. In scenario B, assuming recent declines continued, the BAPC model (the model with lowest error) suggests the number of deaths will decrease by 56%, representing approximately 36,200 fewer deaths by 2030. Conclusions The decline in CHD mortality has been reasonably continuous since 1979, and there is little reason to believe it will soon halt. The commonly used assumption that mortality will remain constant from 2011 therefore appears slightly dubious. By contrast, using the BAPC model and assuming continuing mortality falls offers a more plausible prediction of future trends. Thus, despite population ageing, the number of CHD deaths might halve again between 2011 and 2030. This has implications for how the potential benefits of future cardiovascular strategies might best be calculated and presented. PMID:24918442

Assessing dose rate distributions in VMAT plans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mackeprang, P.-H.; Volken, W.; Terribilini, D.; Frauchiger, D.; Zaugg, K.; Aebersold, D. M.; Fix, M. K.; Manser, P.

2016-04-01

Dose rate is an essential factor in radiobiology. As modern radiotherapy delivery techniques such as volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) introduce dynamic modulation of the dose rate, it is important to assess the changes in dose rate. Both the rate of monitor units per minute (MU rate) and collimation are varied over the course of a fraction, leading to different dose rates in every voxel of the calculation volume at any point in time during dose delivery. Given the radiotherapy plan and machine specific limitations, a VMAT treatment plan can be split into arc sectors between Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine control points (CPs) of constant and known MU rate. By calculating dose distributions in each of these arc sectors independently and multiplying them with the MU rate, the dose rate in every single voxel at every time point during the fraction can be calculated. Independently calculated and then summed dose distributions per arc sector were compared to the whole arc dose calculation for validation. Dose measurements and video analysis were performed to validate the calculated datasets. A clinical head and neck, cranial and liver case were analyzed using the tool developed. Measurement validation of synthetic test cases showed linac agreement to precalculated arc sector times within  ±0.4 s and doses  ±0.1 MU (one standard deviation). Two methods for the visualization of dose rate datasets were developed: the first method plots a two-dimensional (2D) histogram of the number of voxels receiving a given dose rate over the course of the arc treatment delivery. In similarity to treatment planning system display of dose, the second method displays the dose rate as color wash on top of the corresponding computed tomography image, allowing the user to scroll through the variation over time. Examining clinical cases showed dose rates spread over a continuous spectrum, with mean dose rates hardly exceeding 100 cGy min-1 for conventional fractionation. A tool to analyze dose rate distributions in VMAT plans with sub-second accuracy was successfully developed and validated. Dose rates encountered in clinical VMAT test cases show a continuous spectrum with a mean less than or near 100 cGy min-1 for conventional fractionation.

Three-part joint modeling methods for complex functional data mixed with zero-and-one-inflated proportions and zero-inflated continuous outcomes with skewness.

PubMed

Li, Haocheng; Staudenmayer, John; Wang, Tianying; Keadle, Sarah Kozey; Carroll, Raymond J

2018-02-20

We take a functional data approach to longitudinal studies with complex bivariate outcomes. This work is motivated by data from a physical activity study that measured 2 responses over time in 5-minute intervals. One response is the proportion of time active in each interval, a continuous proportions with excess zeros and ones. The other response, energy expenditure rate in the interval, is a continuous variable with excess zeros and skewness. This outcome is complex because there are 3 possible activity patterns in each interval (inactive, partially active, and completely active), and those patterns, which are observed, induce both nonrandom and random associations between the responses. More specifically, the inactive pattern requires a zero value in both the proportion for active behavior and the energy expenditure rate; a partially active pattern means that the proportion of activity is strictly between zero and one and that the energy expenditure rate is greater than zero and likely to be moderate, and the completely active pattern means that the proportion of activity is exactly one, and the energy expenditure rate is greater than zero and likely to be higher. To address these challenges, we propose a 3-part functional data joint modeling approach. The first part is a continuation-ratio model to reorder the ordinal valued 3 activity patterns. The second part models the proportions when they are in interval (0,1). The last component specifies the skewed continuous energy expenditure rate with Box-Cox transformations when they are greater than zero. In this 3-part model, the regression structures are specified as smooth curves measured at various time points with random effects that have a correlation structure. The smoothed random curves for each variable are summarized using a few important principal components, and the association of the 3 longitudinal components is modeled through the association of the principal component scores. The difficulties in handling the ordinal and proportional variables are addressed using a quasi-likelihood type approximation. We develop an efficient algorithm to fit the model that also involves the selection of the number of principal components. The method is applied to physical activity data and is evaluated empirically by a simulation study. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Modeling and estimating the jump risk of exchange rates: Applications to RMB

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yiming; Tong, Hanfei

2008-11-01

In this paper we propose a new type of continuous-time stochastic volatility model, SVDJ, for the spot exchange rate of RMB, and other foreign currencies. In the model, we assume that the change of exchange rate can be decomposed into two components. One is the normally small-cope innovation driven by the diffusion motion; the other is a large drop or rise engendered by the Poisson counting process. Furthermore, we develop a MCMC method to estimate our model. Empirical results indicate the significant existence of jumps in the exchange rate. Jump components explain a large proportion of the exchange rate change.

40 CFR 63.7824 - What test methods and other procedures must I use to establish and demonstrate initial compliance...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... select sampling port locations and the number of traverse points. Sampling ports must be located at the... Method 25 (40 CFR part 60, appendix A), milligrams per dry standard cubic meters (mg/dscm) for each day... = Conversion factor (mg/lb); and K = Daily production rate of sinter, tons/hr. (4) Continue the sampling and...

40 CFR 63.7824 - What test methods and other procedures must I use to establish and demonstrate initial compliance...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... select sampling port locations and the number of traverse points. Sampling ports must be located at the... Method 25 (40 CFR part 60, appendix A), milligrams per dry standard cubic meters (mg/dscm) for each day... = Conversion factor (mg/lb); and K = Daily production rate of sinter, tons/hr. (4) Continue the sampling and...

Continuous Control Artificial Potential Function Methods and Optimal Control

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-27

21 CW Clohessy - Wiltshire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 CV Chase Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 TV Target... Clohessy - Wiltshire equa- tions2) until the time rate of change of potential became nonnegative. At that time, a thrust impulse was applied to make the...3.2. 2The Clohessy - Wiltshire equations are introduced in Section 3.5. 7 to eliminate oscillation around the goal point [8, 9]. Such a method is

Zero velocity interval detection based on a continuous hidden Markov model in micro inertial pedestrian navigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Wei; Ding, Wei; Yan, Huifang; Duan, Shunli

2018-06-01

Shoe-mounted pedestrian navigation systems based on micro inertial sensors rely on zero velocity updates to correct their positioning errors in time, which effectively makes determining the zero velocity interval play a key role during normal walking. However, as walking gaits are complicated, and vary from person to person, it is difficult to detect walking gaits with a fixed threshold method. This paper proposes a pedestrian gait classification method based on a hidden Markov model. Pedestrian gait data are collected with a micro inertial measurement unit installed at the instep. On the basis of analyzing the characteristics of the pedestrian walk, a single direction angular rate gyro output is used to classify gait features. The angular rate data are modeled into a univariate Gaussian mixture model with three components, and a four-state left–right continuous hidden Markov model (CHMM) is designed to classify the normal walking gait. The model parameters are trained and optimized using the Baum–Welch algorithm and then the sliding window Viterbi algorithm is used to decode the gait. Walking data are collected through eight subjects walking along the same route at three different speeds; the leave-one-subject-out cross validation method is conducted to test the model. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can accurately detect different walking gaits of zero velocity interval. The location experiment shows that the precision of CHMM-based pedestrian navigation improved by 40% when compared to the angular rate threshold method.

Using Appendicitis to Improve Estimates of Childhood Medicaid Participation Rates.

PubMed

Silber, Jeffrey H; Zeigler, Ashley E; Reiter, Joseph G; Hochman, Lauren L; Ludwig, Justin M; Wang, Wei; Calhoun, Shawna R; Pati, Susmita

2018-03-23

Administrative data are often used to estimate state Medicaid/Children's Health Insurance Program duration of enrollment and insurance continuity, but they are generally not used to estimate participation (the fraction of eligible children enrolled) because administrative data do not include reasons for disenrollment and cannot observe eligible never-enrolled children, causing estimates of eligible unenrolled to be inaccurate. Analysts are therefore forced to either utilize survey information that is not generally linkable to administrative claims or rely on duration and continuity measures derived from administrative data and forgo estimating claims-based participation. We introduce appendectomy-based participation (ABP) to estimate statewide participation rates using claims by taking advantage of a natural experiment around statewide appendicitis admissions to improve the accuracy of participation rate estimates. We used Medicaid Analytic eXtract (MAX) for 2008-2010; and the American Community Survey for 2008-2010 from 43 states to calculate ABP, continuity ratio, duration, and participation based on the American Community Survey (ACS). In the validation study, median participation rate using ABP was 86% versus 87% for ACS-based participation estimates using logical edits and 84% without logical edits. Correlations between ABP and ACS with or without logical edits was 0.86 (P < .0001). Using regression analysis, ABP alone was a significant predictor of ACS (P < .0001) with or without logical edits, and adding duration and/or the continuity ratio did not significantly improve the model. Using the ABP rate derived from administrative claims (MAX) is a valid method to estimate statewide public insurance participation rates in children. Copyright © 2018 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Recovering Paleo-Records from Antarctic Ice-Cores by Coupling a Continuous Melting Device and Fast Ion Chromatography.

PubMed

Severi, Mirko; Becagli, Silvia; Traversi, Rita; Udisti, Roberto

2015-11-17

Recently, the increasing interest in the understanding of global climatic changes and on natural processes related to climate yielded the development and improvement of new analytical methods for the analysis of environmental samples. The determination of trace chemical species is a useful tool in paleoclimatology, and the techniques for the analysis of ice cores have evolved during the past few years from laborious measurements on discrete samples to continuous techniques allowing higher temporal resolution, higher sensitivity and, above all, higher throughput. Two fast ion chromatographic (FIC) methods are presented. The first method was able to measure Cl(-), NO3(-) and SO4(2-) in a melter-based continuous flow system separating the three analytes in just 1 min. The second method (called Ultra-FIC) was able to perform a single chromatographic analysis in just 30 s and the resulting sampling resolution was 1.0 cm with a typical melting rate of 4.0 cm min(-1). Both methods combine the accuracy, precision, and low detection limits of ion chromatography with the enhanced speed and high depth resolution of continuous melting systems. Both methods have been tested and validated with the analysis of several hundred meters of different ice cores. In particular, the Ultra-FIC method was used to reconstruct the high-resolution SO4(2-) profile of the last 10,000 years for the EDML ice core, allowing the counting of the annual layers, which represents a key point in dating these kind of natural archives.

An Analysis of Contraceptive Discontinuation among Female, Reversible Method Users in Urban Honduras

PubMed Central

Barden-O’Fallon, Janine; Speizer, Ilene S.; Cálix, Javier; Rodriguez, Francisco

2013-01-01

A panel study examining the effects of individual characteristics, side effects experienced, and service quality on contraceptive discontinuation was undertaken in four urban areas of Honduras. Data were collected from October 2006 to December 2007. The baseline population included 800 women aged 15–44 who were new or continuing users of the injectable, IUD, or oral contraceptive pill. A total of 671 women (84%) were re-interviewed after one year. Life tables and Cox proportional hazards models are used to present discontinuation rates and factors associated with contraceptive discontinuation. Among new users, discontinuation of the baseline method at 12 months was high (45%); especially for users of the injectable (50%). In the hazards model, service quality had little effect on discontinuation, while individual characteristics and the experience of specific side effects showed significant effects. The results suggest that programs should emphasize continuous contraceptive coverage rather than continuous use of a particular method. PMID:21500697

Multi-offset GPR methods for hyporheic zone investigations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brosten, T.R.; Bradford, J.H.; McNamara, J.P.; Gooseff, M.N.; Zarnetske, J.P.; Bowden, W.B.; Johnston, M.E.

2009-01-01

Porosity of stream sediments has a direct effect on hyporheic exchange patterns and rates. Improved estimates of porosity heterogeneity will yield enhanced simulation of hyporheic exchange processes. Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) velocity measurements are strongly controlled by water content thus accurate measures of GPR velocity in saturated sediments provides estimates of porosity beneath stream channels using petrophysical relationships. Imaging the substream system using surface based reflection measurements is particularly challenging due to large velocity gradients that occur at the transition from open water to saturated sediments. The continuous multi-offset method improves the quality of subsurface images through stacking and provides measurements of vertical and lateral velocity distributions. We applied the continuous multi-offset method to stream sites on the North Slope, Alaska and the Sawtooth Mountains near Boise, Idaho, USA. From the continuous multi-offset data, we measure velocity using reflection tomography then estimate water content and porosity using the Topp equation. These values provide detailed measurements for improved stream channel hydraulic and thermal modelling. ?? 2009 European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers.

Respiratory rate extraction from pulse oximeter and electrocardiographic recordings.

PubMed

Lee, Jinseok; Florian, John P; Chon, Ki H

2011-11-01

We present an algorithm of respiratory rate extraction using particle filter (PF), which is applicable to both photoplethysmogram (PPG) and electrocardiogram (ECG) signals. For the respiratory rate estimation, 1 min data are analyzed with combination of a PF method and an autoregressive model where among the resultant coefficients, the corresponding pole angle with the highest magnitude is searched since this reflects the closest approximation of the true breathing rate. The PPG data were collected from 15 subjects with the metronome breathing rate ranging from 24 to 36 breaths per minute in the supine and upright positions. The ECG data were collected from 11 subjects with spontaneous breathing ranging from 36 to 60 breaths per minute during treadmill exercises. Our method was able to accurately extract respiratory rates for both metronome and spontaneous breathing even during strenuous exercises. More importantly, despite slow increases in breathing rates concomitant with greater exercise vigor with time, our method was able to accurately track these progressive increases in respiratory rates. We quantified the accuracy of our method by using the mean, standard deviation and interquartile range of the error rates which all reflected high accuracy in estimating the true breathing rates. We are not aware of any other algorithms that are able to provide accurate respiratory rates directly from either ECG signals or PPG signals with spontaneous breathing during strenuous exercises. Our method is near real-time realizable because the computational time on 1 min data segment takes only 10 ms on a 2.66 GHz Intel Core2 microprocessor; the data are subsequently shifted every 10 s to obtain near-continuous breathing rates. This is an attractive feature since most other techniques require offline data analyses to estimate breathing rates.

Noncontact Infrared-Mediated Heat Transfer During Continuous Freeze-Drying of Unit Doses.

PubMed

Van Bockstal, Pieter-Jan; De Meyer, Laurens; Corver, Jos; Vervaet, Chris; De Beer, Thomas

2017-01-01

Recently, an innovative continuous freeze-drying concept for unit doses was proposed, based on spinning the vials during freezing. An efficient heat transfer during drying is essential to continuously process these spin frozen vials. Therefore, the applicability of noncontact infrared (IR) radiation was examined. The impact of several process and formulation variables on the mass of sublimed ice after 15 min of primary drying (i.e., sublimation rate) and the total drying time was examined. Two experimental designs were performed in which electrical power to the IR heaters, distance between the IR heaters and the spin frozen vial, chamber pressure, product layer thickness, and 5 model formulations were included as factors. A near-infrared spectroscopy method was developed to determine the end point of primary and secondary drying. The sublimation rate was mainly influenced by the electrical power to the IR heaters and the distance between the IR heaters and the vial. The layer thickness had the largest effect on total drying time. The chamber pressure and the 5 model formulations had no significant impact on sublimation rate and total drying time, respectively. This study shows that IR radiation is suitable to provide the energy during the continuous processing of spin frozen vials. Copyright © 2016 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A comparison between three electronic media and in-person learning for continuing education in physical rehabilitation.

PubMed

Lemaire, Edward; Greene, G

2003-01-01

We produced continuing education material in physical rehabilitation using a variety of electronic media. We compared four methods of delivering the learning modules: in person with a computer projector, desktop videoconferencing, Web pages and CD-ROM. Health-care workers at eight community hospitals and two nursing homes were asked to participate in the project. A total of 394 questionnaires were received for all modalities: 73 for in-person sessions, 50 for desktop conferencing, 227 for Web pages and 44 for CD-ROM. This represents a 100% response rate from the in-person, desktop conferencing and CD-ROM groups; the response rate for the Web group is unknown, since the questionnaires were completed online. Almost all participants found the modules to be helpful in their work. The CD-ROM group gave significantly higher ratings than the Web page group, although all four learning modalities received high ratings. A combination of all four modalities would be required to provide the best possible learning opportunity.

Evaluating the impact of a mandatory pre-abortion ultrasound viewing law: A mixed methods study

PubMed Central

Kimport, Katrina; Belusa, Elise K. O.; Johns, Nicole E.; Laube, Douglas W.; Roberts, Sarah C. M.

2017-01-01

Background Since mid-2013, Wisconsin abortion providers have been legally required to display and describe pre-abortion ultrasound images. We aimed to understand the impact of this law. Methods We used a mixed-methods study design at an abortion facility in Wisconsin. We abstracted data from medical charts one year before the law to one year after and used multivariable models, mediation/moderation analysis, and interrupted time series to assess the impact of the law, viewing, and decision certainty on likelihood of continuing the pregnancy. We conducted in-depth interviews with women in the post-law period about their ultrasound experience and analyzed them using elaborative and modified grounded theory. Results A total of 5342 charts were abstracted; 8.7% continued their pregnancies pre-law and 11.2% post-law (p = 0.002). A multivariable model confirmed the law was associated with higher odds of continuing pregnancy (aOR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.01–1.50). Decision certainty (aOR = 6.39, 95% CI: 4.72–8.64) and having to pay fully out of pocket (aOR = 4.98, 95% CI: 3.86–6.41) were most strongly associated with continuing pregnancy. Ultrasound viewing fully mediated the relationship between the law and continuing pregnancy. Interrupted time series analyses found no significant effect of the law but may have been underpowered to detect such a small effect. Nineteen of twenty-three women interviewed viewed their ultrasound image. Most reported no impact on their abortion decision; five reported a temporary emotional impact or increased certainty about choosing abortion. Two women reported that viewing helped them decide to continue the pregnancy; both also described preexisting decision uncertainty. Conclusions This law caused an increase in viewing rates and a statistically significant but small increase in continuing pregnancy rates. However, the majority of women were certain of their abortion decision and the law did not change their decision. Other factors were more significant in women’s decision-making, suggesting evaluations of restrictive laws should take account of the broader social environment. PMID:28746377

Continuous monitoring of bacterial attachment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koeing, D. W.; Mishra, S. K.; Pierson, D. L.

1994-01-01

A major concern with the Space Station Freedom (SSF) water supply system is the control of longterm microbial contamination and biofilm development in the water storage and distribution systems. These biofilms have the potential for harboring pathogens as well as microbial strains containing resistance factors that could negatively influence crew health. The proposed means for disinfecting the water system on SSF (iodine) may encourage the selection of resistant strains. In fact, biofilm bacteria were observed in water lines from the Space Shuttle Columbia (OV-102); therefore, an alternative remediation method is required to disinfect spacecraft water lines. A thorough understanding of colonization events and the physiological parameters that will influence bacteria adhesion is required. The limiting factor for development of this technology is the ability to continuously monitor adhesion events and the effects of biocides on sessile bacteria. Methods were developed to allow bacterial adhesion and subsequent biocidal treatment to be monitored continuously. This technique couples automated image analysis with a continuous flow of a bacterial suspension through an optical flow cell. A strain of Pseudomonas cepacia isolated from the water supply of the Space Shuttle Discovery (OV-103) during STS-39 was grown in a nitrogen-limited continuous culture. This culture was challenged continuously with iodine during growth, and the adhesion characteristics of this strain was measure with regard to flow rate. Various biocides (ozone, hypochlorite, and iodine) were added to the flow stream to evaluate how well each chemical removed the bacteria. After biocide treatment, a fresh bacterial suspension was introduced into the flow cell, and the attachment rate was evaluated on the previously treated surface. This secondary fouling was again treated with biocide to determine the efficacy of multiple batch chemical treatments in removing biofilm.

Real-time association rate constant measurement using combination tapered fiber-optic biosensor (CTFOB) dip-probes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simmonds, Boris; Wang, Chun-Wei; Kapoor, Rakesh

2010-02-01

This document reports a novel method of measuring association rate constant (ka) for antibody-antigen interaction using evanescent wave-based combination tapered fiber-optic biosensor (CTFOB) dip-probes. The method was demonstrated by measuring association rate constant for bovine serum albumin (BSA) and anti-BSA antibody interaction. "Direct method" was used for detection; goat anti-BSA "capture" antibodies were immobilized on the probe surfaces while the antigen (BSA) was directly labeled with Alexa 488 dye. The probes were subsequently submerged in 3nM Labeled BSA in egg albumin (1 mg/ml). The fluorescence signal recorded was proportional to BSA anti-BSA conjugates and continuous signal was acquired suing a fiber optic spectrometer (Ocean Optics, Inc.). A 476 nm diode laser was use as an excitation source. Association constant was estimated from a plot of signal as a function of time. Measured association rate constant ka for the binding of BSA with anti-BSA at room temperature is (8.33 +/- 0.01) x 104 M-1s-1.

SIERRA - A 3-D device simulator for reliability modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chern, Jue-Hsien; Arledge, Lawrence A., Jr.; Yang, Ping; Maeda, John T.

1989-05-01

SIERRA is a three-dimensional general-purpose semiconductor-device simulation program which serves as a foundation for investigating integrated-circuit (IC) device and reliability issues. This program solves the Poisson and continuity equations in silicon under dc, transient, and small-signal conditions. Executing on a vector/parallel minisupercomputer, SIERRA utilizes a matrix solver which uses an incomplete LU (ILU) preconditioned conjugate gradient square (CGS, BCG) method. The ILU-CGS method provides a good compromise between memory size and convergence rate. The authors have observed a 5x to 7x speedup over standard direct methods in simulations of transient problems containing highly coupled Poisson and continuity equations such as those found in reliability-oriented simulations. The application of SIERRA to parasitic CMOS latchup and dynamic random-access memory single-event-upset studies is described.

Tracking Residents Through Multiple Residency Programs: A Different Approach for Measuring Residents' Rates of Continuing Graduate Medical Education in ACGME-Accredited Programs

PubMed Central

Byrne, Lauren M.; Holt, Kathleen D.; Richter, Thomas; Miller, Rebecca S.; Nasca, Thomas J.

2010-01-01

Background Increased focus on the number and type of physicians delivering health care in the United States necessitates a better understanding of changes in graduate medical education (GME). Data collected by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) allow longitudinal tracking of residents, revealing the number and type of residents who continue GME following completion of an initial residency. We examined trends in the percent of graduates pursuing additional clinical education following graduation from ACGME-accredited pipeline specialty programs (specialties leading to initial board certification). Methods Using data collected annually by the ACGME, we tracked residents graduating from ACGME-accredited pipeline specialty programs between academic year (AY) 2002–2003 and AY 2006–2007 and those pursuing additional ACGME-accredited training within 2 years. We examined changes in the number of graduates and the percent of graduates continuing GME by specialty, by type of medical school, and overall. Results The number of pipeline specialty graduates increased by 1171 (5.3%) between AY 2002–2003 and AY 2006–2007. During the same period, the number of graduates pursuing additional GME increased by 1059 (16.7%). The overall rate of continuing GME increased each year, from 28.5% (6331/22229) in AY 2002–2003 to 31.6% (7390/23400) in AY 2006–2007. Rates differed by specialty and for US medical school graduates (26.4% [3896/14752] in AY 2002–2003 to 31.6% [4718/14941] in AY 2006–2007) versus international medical graduates (35.2% [2118/6023] to 33.8% [2246/6647]). Conclusion The number of graduates and the rate of continuing GME increased from AY 2002–2003 to AY 2006–2007. Our findings show a recent increase in the rate of continued training for US medical school graduates compared to international medical graduates. Our results differ from previously reported rates of subspecialization in the literature. Tracking individual residents through residency and fellowship programs provides a better understanding of residents' pathways to practice. PMID:22132288

Spatial distribution visualization of PWM continuous variable-rate spray

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Chemical application is a dynamic spatial distribution process, during which spray liquid covers the targets with certain thickness and uniformity. Therefore, it is important to study the 2-D and 3-D (dimensional) spray distribution to evaluate spraying quality. The curve-surface generation methods ...

Dual-cycle dielectrophoretic collection rates for probing the dielectric properties of nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Bakewell, David J; Holmes, David

2013-01-01

A new DEP spectroscopy method and supporting theoretical model is developed to systematically quantify the dielectric properties of nanoparticles using continuously pulsed DEP collection rates. Initial DEP collection rates, that are dependent on the nanoparticle dielectric properties, are an attractive alternative to the crossover frequency method for determining dielectric properties. The new method introduces dual-cycle amplitude modulated and frequency-switched DEP (dual-cycle DEP) where the first collection rate with a fixed frequency acts as a control, and the second collection rate frequency is switched to a chosen value, such that, it can effectively probe the dielectric properties of the nanoparticles. The application of the control means that measurement variation between DEP collection experiments is reduced so that the frequency-switched probe collection is more effective. A mathematical model of the dual-cycle method is developed that simulates the temporal dynamics of the dual-cycle DEP nanoparticle collection system. A new statistical method is also developed that enables systematic bivariate fitting of the multifrequency DEP collection rates to the Clausius–Mossotti function, and is instrumental for determining dielectric properties. A Monte-Carlo simulation validates that collection rates improve estimation of the dielectric properties, compared with the crossover method, by exploiting a larger number of independent samples. Experiments using 200 nm diameter latex nanospheres suspended in 0.2 mS/m KCl buffer yield a nanoparticle conductivity of 26 mS/m that lies within 8% of the expected value. The results show that the dual-frequency method has considerable promise particularly for automated DEP investigations and associated technologies. PMID:23172363

Evaluation of a communication campaign to improve continuation among first-time injectable contraceptive users in Nyando District, Kenya.

PubMed

McClain Burke, Holly; Ambasa-Shisanya, Constance

2014-06-01

Communication campaigns might be a viable means of improving contraceptive continuation; however, few such interventions aimed at reducing contraceptive discontinuation have been evaluated. Data were collected from independent samples of new injectable users in Nyando District, Kenya-site of a communication campaign to increase contraceptive continuation-and in a comparison district, nine months before and nine months after intervention implementation. Survival analysis was used to compare the intervention and comparison groups with respect to the distribution of time until first discontinuation of modern method use among women still in need of family planning. Exposure to family planning information was high in both the treatment and the comparison district before (97% and 85%, respectively) and after the intervention (99% and 78%). Postintervention, 5% of women in the comparison district discontinued by 98 days, 8% by 196 days and 23% by 294 days; the proportions in the treatment district were 4%, 6% and 16%, respectively. No significant difference between the districts was found in the ninemonth postintervention contraceptive continuation rates. Having method-related side effects or health concerns was the reason most consistently associated with discontinuation. Other factors associated with discontinuation differed between the districts. Addressing method-related side effects and health concerns will be critical in improving continuation of the injectable.

Motion-compensated noncontact imaging photoplethysmography to monitor cardiorespiratory status during exercise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Yu; Hu, Sijung; Azorin-Peris, Vicente; Greenwald, Stephen; Chambers, Jonathon; Zhu, Yisheng

2011-07-01

With the advance of computer and photonics technology, imaging photoplethysmography [(PPG), iPPG] can provide comfortable and comprehensive assessment over a wide range of anatomical locations. However, motion artifact is a major drawback in current iPPG systems, particularly in the context of clinical assessment. To overcome this issue, a new artifact-reduction method consisting of planar motion compensation and blind source separation is introduced in this study. The performance of the iPPG system was evaluated through the measurement of cardiac pulse in the hand from 12 subjects before and after 5 min of cycling exercise. Also, a 12-min continuous recording protocol consisting of repeated exercises was taken from a single volunteer. The physiological parameters (i.e., heart rate, respiration rate), derived from the images captured by the iPPG system, exhibit functional characteristics comparable to conventional contact PPG sensors. Continuous recordings from the iPPG system reveal that heart and respiration rates can be successfully tracked with the artifact reduction method even in high-intensity physical exercise situations. The outcome from this study thereby leads to a new avenue for noncontact sensing of vital signs and remote physiological assessment, with clear applications in triage and sports training.

A novel yet effective motion artefact reduction method for continuous physiological monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alzahrani, A.; Hu, S.; Azorin-Peris, V.; Kalawsky, R.; Zhang, X.; Liu, C.

2014-03-01

This study presents a non-invasive and wearable optical technique to continuously monitor vital human signs as required for personal healthcare in today's increasing ageing population. The study has researched an effective way to capture human critical physiological parameters, i.e., oxygen saturation (SaO2%), heart rate, respiration rate, body temperature, heart rate variability by a closely coupled wearable opto-electronic patch sensor (OEPS) together with real-time and secure wireless communication functionalities. The work presents the first step of this research; an automatic noise cancellation method using a 3-axes MEMS accelerometer to recover signals corrupted by body movement which is one of the biggest sources of motion artefacts. The effects of these motion artefacts have been reduced by an enhanced electronic design and development of self-cancellation of noise and stability of the sensor. The signals from the acceleration and the opto-electronic sensor are highly correlated thus leading to the desired pulse waveform with rich bioinformatics signals to be retrieved with reduced motion artefacts. The preliminary results from the bench tests and the laboratory setup demonstrate that the goal of the high performance wearable opto-electronics is viable and feasible.

A Continuous Method for Gene Flow

PubMed Central

Palczewski, Michal; Beerli, Peter

2013-01-01

Most modern population genetics inference methods are based on the coalescence framework. Methods that allow estimating parameters of structured populations commonly insert migration events into the genealogies. For these methods the calculation of the coalescence probability density of a genealogy requires a product over all time periods between events. Data sets that contain populations with high rates of gene flow among them require an enormous number of calculations. A new method, transition probability-structured coalescence (TPSC), replaces the discrete migration events with probability statements. Because the speed of calculation is independent of the amount of gene flow, this method allows calculating the coalescence densities efficiently. The current implementation of TPSC uses an approximation simplifying the interaction among lineages. Simulations and coverage comparisons of TPSC vs. MIGRATE show that TPSC allows estimation of high migration rates more precisely, but because of the approximation the estimation of low migration rates is biased. The implementation of TPSC into programs that calculate quantities on phylogenetic tree structures is straightforward, so the TPSC approach will facilitate more general inferences in many computer programs. PMID:23666937

An improved PCA method with application to boiler leak detection.

PubMed

Sun, Xi; Marquez, Horacio J; Chen, Tongwen; Riaz, Muhammad

2005-07-01

Principal component analysis (PCA) is a popular fault detection technique. It has been widely used in process industries, especially in the chemical industry. In industrial applications, achieving a sensitive system capable of detecting incipient faults, which maintains the false alarm rate to a minimum, is a crucial issue. Although a lot of research has been focused on these issues for PCA-based fault detection and diagnosis methods, sensitivity of the fault detection scheme versus false alarm rate continues to be an important issue. In this paper, an improved PCA method is proposed to address this problem. In this method, a new data preprocessing scheme and a new fault detection scheme designed for Hotelling's T2 as well as the squared prediction error are developed. A dynamic PCA model is also developed for boiler leak detection. This new method is applied to boiler water/steam leak detection with real data from Syncrude Canada's utility plant in Fort McMurray, Canada. Our results demonstrate that the proposed method can effectively reduce false alarm rate, provide effective and correct leak alarms, and give early warning to operators.

A comparison of instrumental dewatering methods for the separation and concentration of suspended sediment for subsequent trace element analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Horowitz, A.J.; Elrick, K.A.; Hooper, R.C.

1989-01-01

The continuous-flow centrifuges can process whole water at an influent feed rate of 41 per minute; however, when suspended sediment concentrations are low (<30 mg l-1), when small volumes of whole water are to be processed (30 to 401), or when suspended sediment mean grain size is very fine (<10 ??m), influent feed rates of 21 per minute may be more efficient. Tangential-flow filtration can be used to process samples at the rate of 11 per minute. -from Authors

Tobit analysis of vehicle accident rates on interstate highways.

PubMed

Anastasopoulos, Panagiotis Ch; Tarko, Andrew P; Mannering, Fred L

2008-03-01

There has been an abundance of research that has used Poisson models and its variants (negative binomial and zero-inflated models) to improve our understanding of the factors that affect accident frequencies on roadway segments. This study explores the application of an alternate method, tobit regression, by viewing vehicle accident rates directly (instead of frequencies) as a continuous variable that is left-censored at zero. Using data from vehicle accidents on Indiana interstates, the estimation results show that many factors relating to pavement condition, roadway geometrics and traffic characteristics significantly affect vehicle accident rates.

Patient-Clinician Ethnic Concordance and Communication in Mental Health Intake Visits

PubMed Central

Alegría, Margarita; Roter, Debra L.; Valentine, Anne; Chen, Chih-nan; Li, Xinliang; Lin, Julia; Rosen, Daniel; Lapatin, Sheri; Normand, Sharon-Lise; Larson, Susan; Shrout, Patrick E.

2013-01-01

Objective This study examines how communication patterns vary across racial and ethnic patient-clinician dyads in mental health intake sessions and its relation to continuance in treatment, defined as attending the next scheduled appointment. Methods Observational study of communication patterns among ethnically/racially concordant and discordant patient-clinician dyads. Primary analysis included 93 patients with 38 clinicians in race/ethnic concordant and discordant dyads. Communication was coded using the Roter Interaction Analysis System (RIAS) and the Working Alliance Inventory Observer (WAI-O) bond scale; continuance in care was derived from chart reviews. Results Latino concordant dyad patients were more verbally dominant (p<.05), engaged in more patient-centered communication (p<.05) and scored higher on the (WAI-O) bond scale (all p<.05) than other groups. Latino patients had higher continuance rates than other patients in models that adjusted for non-communication variables. When communication, global affect, and therapeutic process variables were adjusted for, differences were reversed and white dyad patients had higher continuance in care rates than other dyad patients. Conclusion Communication patterns seem to explain the role of ethnic concordance for continuance in care. Practice Implications Improve intercultural communication in cross cultural encounters appears significant for retaining minorities in care. PMID:23896127

Dropout policies and trends for students with and without disabilities.

PubMed

Kemp, Suzanne E

2006-01-01

Students with and without disabilities are dropping out of school at an alarming rate. However, the precise extent of the problem remains elusive because individual schools, school districts, and state departments of education often use different definitional criteria and calculation methods. In addition, specific reasons why students drop out continues to be speculative and minimal research exists validating current dropout prevention programs for students with and without disabilities. This study examined methods secondary school principals used to calculate dropout rates, reasons they believed students dropped out of school, and what prevention programs were being used for students with and without disabilities. Results indicated that school districts used calculation methods that minimized dropout rates, students with and without disabilities dropped out for similar reasons, and few empirically validated prevention programs were being implemented. Implications for practice and directions for future research are discussed.

Doppler Radar Vital Signs Detection Method Based on Higher Order Cyclostationary.

PubMed

Yu, Zhibin; Zhao, Duo; Zhang, Zhiqiang

2017-12-26

Due to the non-contact nature, using Doppler radar sensors to detect vital signs such as heart and respiration rates of a human subject is getting more and more attention. However, the related detection-method research meets lots of challenges due to electromagnetic interferences, clutter and random motion interferences. In this paper, a novel third-order cyclic cummulant (TOCC) detection method, which is insensitive to Gaussian interference and non-cyclic signals, is proposed to investigate the heart and respiration rate based on continuous wave Doppler radars. The k -th order cyclostationary properties of the radar signal with hidden periodicities and random motions are analyzed. The third-order cyclostationary detection theory of the heart and respiration rate is studied. Experimental results show that the third-order cyclostationary approach has better estimation accuracy for detecting the vital signs from the received radar signal under low SNR, strong clutter noise and random motion interferences.

mHealth Series: Text messaging data collection of infant and young child feeding practice in rural China – a feasibility study

PubMed Central

Du, Xiaozhen; Wang, Wei; Helena van Velthoven, Michelle; Chen, Li; Scherpbier, Robert W.; Zhang, Yanfeng; Wu, Qiong; Li, Ye; Rao, Xiuqin; Car, Josip

2013-01-01

Background Face–to–face interviews by trained field workers are commonly used in household surveys. However, this data collection method is labor–intensive, time–consuming, expensive, prone to interviewer and recall bias and not easily scalable to increase sample representativeness. Objective To explore the feasibility of using text messaging to collect information on infant and young child feeding practice in rural China. Methods Our study was part of a clustered randomized controlled trial that recruited 591 mothers of children aged 12 to 29 months in rural China. We used the test–retest method: first we collected data through face–to–face interviews and then through text messages. We asked the same five questions on standard infant and young child feeding indicators for both methods and asked caregivers how they fed their children yesterday. We assessed the response rate of the text messaging method and compared data agreement of the two methods. Finding In the text messaging survey, the response rate for the first question and the completion rate were 56.5% and 48.7%, respectively. Data agreement between the two methods was excellent for whether the baby was breastfed yesterday (question 1) (kappa, κ = 0.81), moderate for the times of drinking infant formula, fresh milk or yoghurt yesterday (question 2) (intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC = 0.46) and whether iron fortified food or iron supplement was consumed (question 3) (κ = 0.44), and poor for 24–hour dietary recall (question 4) (ICC = 0.13) and times of eating solid and semi–solid food yesterday (question 5) (ICC = 0.06). There was no significant difference in data agreement between the two surveys at different time intervals. For infant and young child feeding indicators from both surveys, continued breastfeeding at 1 year (P = 1.000), continued breastfeeding at 2 years (P = 0.688) and minimum meal frequency (P = 0.056) were not significantly different, whereas minimum dietary diversity, minimum accepted diet and consumption of iron–rich or iron fortified foods were significantly different (P < 0.001). Conclusions The response rate for our text messaging survey was moderate compared to response rate of other studies using text messaging method and the data agreement between the two methods varied for different survey questions and infant and young child feeding indicators. Future research is needed to increase the response rate and improve data validity of text messaging data collection. PMID:24363921

Attention and emotion: does rating emotion alter neural responses to amusing and sad films?

PubMed

Hutcherson, C A; Goldin, P R; Ochsner, K N; Gabrieli, J D; Barrett, L Feldman; Gross, J J

2005-09-01

Functional neuroimaging of affective systems often includes subjective self-report of the affective response. Although self-report provides valuable information regarding participants' affective responses, prior studies have raised the concern that the attentional demands of reporting on affective experience may obscure neural activations reflecting more natural affective responses. In the present study, we used potent emotion-eliciting amusing and sad films, employed a novel method of continuous self-reported rating of emotion experience, and compared the impact of rating with passive viewing of amusing and sad films. Subjective rating of ongoing emotional responses did not decrease either self-reported experience of emotion or neural activations relative to passive viewing in any brain regions. Rating, relative to passive viewing, produced increased activity in anterior cingulate, insula, and several other areas associated with introspection of emotion. These results support the use of continuous emotion measures and emotionally engaging films to study the dynamics of emotional responding and suggest that there may be some contexts in which the attention to emotion induced by reporting emotion experience does not disrupt emotional responding either behaviorally or neurally.

Enhancement of Arterial Pressure Pulsatility by Controlling Continuous-Flow Left Ventricular Assist Device Flow Rate in Mock Circulatory System.

PubMed

Bozkurt, Selim; van de Vosse, Frans N; Rutten, Marcel C M

Continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices (CF-LVADs) generally operate at a constant speed, which reduces pulsatility in the arteries and may lead to complications such as functional changes in the vascular system, gastrointestinal bleeding, or both. The purpose of this study is to increase the arterial pulse pressure and pulsatility by controlling the CF-LVAD flow rate. A MicroMed DeBakey pump was used as the CF-LVAD. A model simulating the flow rate through the aortic valve was used as a reference model to drive the pump. A mock circulation containing two synchronized servomotor-operated piston pumps acting as left and right ventricles was used as a circulatory system. Proportional-integral control was used as the control method. First, the CF-LVAD was operated at a constant speed. With pulsatile-speed CF-LVAD assistance, the pump was driven such that the same mean pump output was generated. Continuous and pulsatile-speed CF-LVAD assistance provided the same mean arterial pressure and flow rate, while the index of pulsatility increased significantly for both arterial pressure and pump flow rate signals under pulsatile speed pump support. This study shows the possibility of improving the pulsatility of CF-LVAD support by regulating pump speed over a cardiac cycle without reducing the overall level of support.

Transformations of Supercooled Austenite in a Promising High-Strength Steel Grade Under Continuous Cooling Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maisuradze, M. V.; Ryzhkov, M. A.; Yudin, Yu. V.; Kuklina, A. A.

2017-11-01

Special features of the transformations of supercooled austenite occurring under continuous cooling of a promising high-strength steel grade not standardized in the Russian Federation are determined. A method for evaluating the volume fractions of structure constituents formed in the steel as a result of cooling from 925°C at various constant rates within 0.025 - 75 K/sec is proposed and tested. The results are generalized in the form of a thermokinetic diagram of transformations of supercooled austenite.

Apparatus for producing laser targets

DOEpatents

Jarboe, T.R.; Baker, W.R.

1975-09-23

This patent relates to an apparatus and method for producing deuterium targets or pellets of 25u to 75u diameter. The pellets are sliced from a continuously spun solid deuterium thread at a rate of up to 10 pellets/second. The pellets after being sliced from the continuous thread of deuterium are collimated and directed to a point of use, such as a laser activated combustion or explosion chamber wherein the pellets are imploded by laser energy or laser produced target plasmas for neutral beam injection. (auth)

Occupational commitment and job satisfaction mediate effort-reward imbalance and the intention to continue nursing.

PubMed

Satoh, Miho; Watanabe, Ikue; Asakura, Kyoko

2017-01-01

Occupational commitment and job satisfaction are major predictors of the intention to continue nursing. This study's purpose was to verify the mediating effects of job satisfaction and three components of occupational commitment on the relationship between effort-reward imbalance and the intention to continue nursing. A self-report questionnaire was distributed to 3977 nurses by the nursing department of 12 hospitals in the Tohoku and Kanto districts of Japan in 2013. Of these, 1531 (response rate: 38.5%) nurses returned the questionnaire by mail and the complete data that were provided by 1241 nurses (valid response rate: 31.2%) were analyzed. Structural equation modeling showed that the effort-reward ratio had negative effects on job satisfaction and affective and normative occupational commitment. Job satisfaction and affective and normative occupational commitment had positive effects on the intention to continue nursing, whereas the effort-reward ratio had no direct effect on the intention to continue nursing. Continuance occupational commitment was not a mediator, but it positively influenced the intention to continue nursing. The findings suggest that it is important to increase job satisfaction and affective and normative occupational commitment in order to enhance their buffering effects on the relationship between job stress and the intention to continue nursing. Measures to increase continuance occupational commitment also would be an effective method of strengthening the intention to continue nursing. Improvements in these areas should contribute to an increase in nurses' intention to continue nursing and prevent the loss of this precious human resource from the health sector. © 2016 Japan Academy of Nursing Science.

Estimating time-based instantaneous total mortality rate based on the age-structured abundance index

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yingbin; Jiao, Yan

2015-05-01

The instantaneous total mortality rate ( Z) of a fish population is one of the important parameters in fisheries stock assessment. The estimation of Z is crucial to fish population dynamics analysis, abundance and catch forecast, and fisheries management. A catch curve-based method for estimating time-based Z and its change trend from catch per unit effort (CPUE) data of multiple cohorts is developed. Unlike the traditional catch-curve method, the method developed here does not need the assumption of constant Z throughout the time, but the Z values in n continuous years are assumed constant, and then the Z values in different n continuous years are estimated using the age-based CPUE data within these years. The results of the simulation analyses show that the trends of the estimated time-based Z are consistent with the trends of the true Z, and the estimated rates of change from this approach are close to the true change rates (the relative differences between the change rates of the estimated Z and the true Z are smaller than 10%). Variations of both Z and recruitment can affect the estimates of Z value and the trend of Z. The most appropriate value of n can be different given the effects of different factors. Therefore, the appropriate value of n for different fisheries should be determined through a simulation analysis as we demonstrated in this study. Further analyses suggested that selectivity and age estimation are also two factors that can affect the estimated Z values if there is error in either of them, but the estimated change rates of Z are still close to the true change rates. We also applied this approach to the Atlantic cod ( Gadus morhua) fishery of eastern Newfoundland and Labrador from 1983 to 1997, and obtained reasonable estimates of time-based Z.

A collision history-based approach to Sensitivity/Perturbation calculations in the continuous energy Monte Carlo code SERPENT

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

Giuseppe Palmiotti

In this work, the implementation of a collision history-based approach to sensitivity/perturbation calculations in the Monte Carlo code SERPENT is discussed. The proposed methods allow the calculation of the eects of nuclear data perturbation on several response functions: the eective multiplication factor, reaction rate ratios and bilinear ratios (e.g., eective kinetics parameters). SERPENT results are compared to ERANOS and TSUNAMI Generalized Perturbation Theory calculations for two fast metallic systems and for a PWR pin-cell benchmark. New methods for the calculation of sensitivities to angular scattering distributions are also presented, which adopts fully continuous (in energy and angle) Monte Carlo estimators.

Adaptive single-pixel imaging with aggregated sampling and continuous differential measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huo, Yaoran; He, Hongjie; Chen, Fan; Tai, Heng-Ming

2018-06-01

This paper proposes an adaptive compressive imaging technique with one single-pixel detector and single arm. The aggregated sampling (AS) method enables the reduction of resolutions of the reconstructed images. It aims to reduce the time and space consumption. The target image with a resolution up to 1024 × 1024 can be reconstructed successfully at the 20% sampling rate. The continuous differential measurement (CDM) method combined with a ratio factor of significant coefficient (RFSC) improves the imaging quality. Moreover, RFSC reduces the human intervention in parameter setting. This technique enhances the practicability of single-pixel imaging with the benefits from less time and space consumption, better imaging quality and less human intervention.

Management system of health and safety work (SMK3) with job safety analysis (JSA) in PT. Nira Murni construction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melliana, Armen, Yusrizal, Akmal, Syarifah

2017-11-01

PT Nira Murni construction is a contractor of PT Chevron Pacific Indonesia which engaged in contractor, fabrication, maintenance construction suppliers, and labor services. The high of accident rate in this company is caused the lack of awareness of workplace safety. Therefore, it requires an effort to reduce the accident rate on the company so that the financial losses can be minimized. In this study, Safe T-Score method is used to analyze the accident rate by measuring the level of frequency. Analysis is continued using risk management methods which identify hazards, risk measurement and risk management. The last analysis uses Job safety analysis (JSA) which will identify the effect of accidents. From the result of this study can be concluded that Job Safety Analysis (JSA) methods has not been implemented properly. Therefore, JSA method needs to follow-up in the next study, so that can be well applied as prevention of occupational accidents.

Improving the performance of immobilized β-glucosidase using a microreactor.

PubMed

Wei, Ce; Zhou, Yan; Zhuang, Wei; Li, Ganlu; Jiang, Min; Zhang, Hongman

2018-04-01

Here, we have presented a technically simple and efficient method for preparing a continuous flow microreactor by employing immobilized β-glucosidase in a silica quartz capillary tube. Developing an immobilized enzyme layer on the inner wall of the capillary tube involved the modification of the inner wall using bifunctional crosslinking agents 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane and glutaraldehyde before attaching β-glucosidase. The microreactor afforded unique reaction capacities compared with conventional batch operational configurations. These included enhanced pH and thermal stability during storage tests, increased conversion rates of cellobiose, and reduced product inhibition. The maximum conversion rate of soluble substrate cellobiose digestion in the microreactor was 76% at 50°C and pH 4.8 when the microreactor was operated continually over 10 h at a flow rate of 7 μL/min. This was markedly contrasting to the observed conversion rate of 56% when cellobiose was digested in a conventional batch mode under the same pH and temperature conditions. Reaction inhibition by glucose was significantly reduced in the microreactor. We postulate that the increased capacity of glucose to diffuse into the continual flowing media above the immobilized enzyme layer prevents glucose from reaching inhibitory concentrations at the substrate-enzyme interface. Copyright © 2017 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Physician assessments of the value of therapeutic information delivered via e-mail

PubMed Central

Grad, Roland; Pluye, Pierre; Repchinsky, Carol; Jovaisas, Barbara; Marlow, Bernard; Marques Ricarte, Ivan L.; Galvão, Maria Cristiane Barbosa; Shulha, Michael; de Gaspé Bonar, James

2014-01-01

Abstract Problem addressed Although e-learning programs are popular and access to electronic knowledge resources has improved, raising awareness about updated therapeutic recommendations in practice continues to be a challenge. Objective of program To raise awareness about and document the use of therapeutic recommendations. Program description In 2010, family physicians evaluated e-Therapeutics (e-T) Highlights with a Web-based tool called the Information Assessment Method (IAM). The e-T Highlights consisted of information found in the primary care reference e-Therapeutics+. Each week, family physicians received an e-mail containing a link to 1 Highlight from a different chapter of e-Therapeutics+. Family physicians received continuing medical education credits for each Highlight they rated with the IAM. Of the 5346 participants, 85% of them were full-time or part-time practitioners. A total of 31 429 Highlights ratings were received in 2010 (median of 2 ratings per participant, range 1 to 49). Among participants who rated more than 2 Highlights, the median number of ratings was 7 (mean 11.9). The relevance of the information from individual Highlights varied widely; however, for 90% of the rated Highlights participants indicated total or partial relevance of the information for at least 1 patient. For 41% of rated Highlights, participants expected patient health benefits to result from implementing the recommendation, such as avoiding an unnecessary or inappropriate treatment, or a preventive intervention. Conclusion This continuing medical education program stimulated family physicians to rate therapeutic recommendations that were delivered weekly via e-mail. The process of rating e-T Highlights with the IAM raised awareness about treatment recommendations and documented self-reported use of this information in practice. PMID:24829020

Field-scale fluorescence fingerprinting of biochar-borne dissolved organic carbon

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Biochar continues to receive worldwide enthusiasm as means of augmenting recalcitrant organic carbon in agricultural soils. Realistic biochar amendment rate (typically less than 1 wt%) in the field scale, and loss by sizing, rain, and other transport events demand reliable methods to quantify the r...

Method for the production of ultrafine particles by electrohydrodynamic micromixing

DOEpatents

DePaoli, David W.; Hu, Zhong Cheng; Tsouris, Constantinos

2001-01-01

The present invention relates to a method for the rapid production of homogeneous, ultrafine inorganic material via liquid-phase reactions. The method of the present invention employs electrohydrodynamic flows in the vicinity of an electrified injector tube placed inside another tube to induce efficient turbulent mixing of two fluids containing reactive species. The rapid micromixing allows liquid-phase reactions to be conducted uniformly at high rates. This approach allows continuous production of non-agglomerated, monopispersed, submicron-sized, sphere-like powders.

Selective sequential precipitation of dissolved metals in mine drainage from coal mine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yim, Giljae; Bok, Songmin; Ji, Sangwoo; Oh, Chamteut; Cheong, Youngwook; Han, Youngsoo; Ahn, Joosung

2017-04-01

In abandoned mines in Korea, a large amount of mine drainage continues to flow out and spread pollution. In purification of the mine drainage a massive amount of sludge is generated as waste. Since this metal sludge contains high Fe, Al and Mn oxides, developing the treatment method to recover homogeneous individual metal with high purity may beneficial to recycle waste metals as useful resources and reduce the amount of sludge production. In this regard, we established a dissolved metals selective precipitation process to treat Waryong Industry's mine drainage. The process that selectively precipitates metals dissolved in mine drainage is a continuous Fe-buffer-Al process, and each process consists of the neutralization tank, the coagulation tank, and the settling tank. Based on this process, this study verified the operational applicability of the Fe and Al selective precipitation. Our previous study revealed that high-purity Fe and Al precipitates could be recovered at a flow rate of 1.5 ton/day, while the lower purity was achieved when the rate was increased to about 3 ton/day due to the difficulty in reagent dosage control. In the current study was conducted to increase the capacity of the system to recover Fe and Al as high-purity precipitates at a flow rate of 10 ton/day with the ensured continuous operations by introducing an automatic reagent injection system. The previous study had a difficulty in controlling the pH and operating system continuously due to the manually controlled reagent injection system. To upgrade this and ensure the optimal pH in a stable way, a continuous reagent injection system was installed. The result of operation of the 10 ton/day system confirmed that the scaled-up process could maintain the stable recovery rates and purities of precipitates on site.

Storage capacity in hot dry rock reservoirs

DOEpatents

Brown, D.W.

1997-11-11

A method is described for extracting thermal energy, in a cyclic manner, from geologic strata which may be termed hot dry rock. A reservoir comprised of hot fractured rock is established and water or other liquid is passed through the reservoir. The water is heated by the hot rock, recovered from the reservoir, cooled by extraction of heat by means of heat exchange apparatus on the surface, and then re-injected into the reservoir to be heated again. Water is added to the reservoir by means of an injection well and recovered from the reservoir by means of a production well. Water is continuously provided to the reservoir and continuously withdrawn from the reservoir at two different flow rates, a base rate and a peak rate. Increasing water flow from the base rate to the peak rate is accomplished by rapidly decreasing backpressure at the outlet of the production well in order to meet periodic needs for amounts of thermal energy greater than a baseload amount, such as to generate additional electric power to meet peak demands. The rate of flow of water provided to the hot dry rock reservoir is maintained at a value effective to prevent depletion of the liquid inventory of the reservoir. 4 figs.

Storage capacity in hot dry rock reservoirs

DOEpatents

Brown, Donald W.

1997-01-01

A method of extracting thermal energy, in a cyclic manner, from geologic strata which may be termed hot dry rock. A reservoir comprised of hot fractured rock is established and water or other liquid is passed through the reservoir. The water is heated by the hot rock, recovered from the reservoir, cooled by extraction of heat by means of heat exchange apparatus on the surface, and then re-injected into the reservoir to be heated again. Water is added to the reservoir by means of an injection well and recovered from the reservoir by means of a production well. Water is continuously provided to the reservoir and continuously withdrawn from the reservoir at two different flow rates, a base rate and a peak rate. Increasing water flow from the base rate to the peak rate is accomplished by rapidly decreasing backpressure at the outlet of the production well in order to meet periodic needs for amounts of thermal energy greater than a baseload amount, such as to generate additional electric power to meet peak demands. The rate of flow of water provided to the hot dry rock reservoir is maintained at a value effective to prevent depletion of the liquid

The copper intrauterine device for emergency contraception: an opportunity to provide the optimal emergency contraception method and transition to highly effective contraception.

PubMed

Dermish, Amna I; Turok, David K

2013-07-01

Worldwide, 40% of all pregnancies are unintended. Widespread, over-the-counter availability of oral emergency contraception (EC) has not reduced unintended pregnancy rates. The EC visit presents an opportunity to initiate a highly effective method of contraception in a population at high risk of unintended pregnancy who are actively seeking to avoid pregnancy. The copper intrauterine device (IUD), the most effective method of EC, continues to provide contraception as effective as sterilization for up to 12 years, and it should be offered as the first-line method of EC wherever possible. Increased demand for and supply of the copper IUD for EC may have an important role in reducing rates of unintended pregnancy. The EC visit should include access to the copper IUD as optimal care but should ideally include access to all highly effective methods of contraception.

Development and Evaluation of an Online CO2 Evolution Test and a Multicomponent Biodegradation Test System

PubMed Central

Strotmann, Uwe; Reuschenbach, Peter; Schwarz, Helmut; Pagga, Udo

2004-01-01

Well-established biodegradation tests use biogenously evolved carbon dioxide (CO2) as an analytical parameter to determine the ultimate biodegradability of substances. A newly developed analytical technique based on the continuous online measurement of conductivity showed its suitability over other techniques. It could be demonstrated that the method met all criteria of established biodegradation tests, gave continuous biodegradation curves, and was more reliable than other tests. In parallel experiments, only small variations in the biodegradation pattern occurred. When comparing the new online CO2 method with existing CO2 evolution tests, growth rates and lag periods were similar and only the final degree of biodegradation of aniline was slightly lower. A further test development was the unification and parallel measurement of all three important summary parameters for biodegradation—i.e., CO2 evolution, determination of the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and removal of dissolved organic carbon (DOC)—in a multicomponent biodegradation test system (MCBTS). The practicability of this test method was demonstrated with aniline. This test system had advantages for poorly water-soluble and highly volatile compounds and allowed the determination of the carbon fraction integrated into biomass (heterotrophic yield). The integrated online measurements of CO2 and BOD systems produced continuous degradation curves, which better met the stringent criteria of ready biodegradability (60% biodegradation in a 10-day window). Furthermore the data could be used to calculate maximal growth rates for the modeling of biodegradation processes. PMID:15294794

An automated laboratory-scale methodology for the generation of sheared mammalian cell culture samples.

PubMed

Joseph, Adrian; Goldrick, Stephen; Mollet, Michael; Turner, Richard; Bender, Jean; Gruber, David; Farid, Suzanne S; Titchener-Hooker, Nigel

2017-05-01

Continuous disk-stack centrifugation is typically used for the removal of cells and cellular debris from mammalian cell culture broths at manufacturing-scale. The use of scale-down methods to characterise disk-stack centrifugation performance enables substantial reductions in material requirements and allows a much wider design space to be tested than is currently possible at pilot-scale. The process of scaling down centrifugation has historically been challenging due to the difficulties in mimicking the Energy Dissipation Rates (EDRs) in typical machines. This paper describes an alternative and easy-to-assemble automated capillary-based methodology to generate levels of EDRs consistent with those found in a continuous disk-stack centrifuge. Variations in EDR were achieved through changes in capillary internal diameter and the flow rate of operation through the capillary. The EDRs found to match the levels of shear in the feed zone of a pilot-scale centrifuge using the experimental method developed in this paper (2.4×10 5 W/Kg) are consistent with those obtained through previously published computational fluid dynamic (CFD) studies (2.0×10 5 W/Kg). Furthermore, this methodology can be incorporated into existing scale-down methods to model the process performance of continuous disk-stack centrifuges. This was demonstrated through the characterisation of culture hold time, culture temperature and EDRs on centrate quality. © 2017 The Authors. Biotechnology Journal published by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Measurement of air exchange rates in different indoor environments using continuous CO2 sensors.

PubMed

You, Yan; Niu, Can; Zhou, Jian; Liu, Yating; Bai, Zhipeng; Zhang, Jiefeng; He, Fei; Zhang, Nan

2012-01-01

A new air exchange rate (AER) monitoring method using continuous CO2 sensors was developed and validated through both laboratory experiments and field studies. Controlled laboratory simulation tests were conducted in a 1-m3 environmental chamber at different AERs (0.1-10.0 hr(-1)). AERs were determined using the decay method based on box model assumptions. Field tests were conducted in classrooms, dormitories, meeting rooms and apartments during 2-5 weekdays using CO2 sensors coupled with data loggers. Indoor temperature, relative humidity (RH), and CO2 concentrations were continuously monitored while outdoor parameters combined with on-site climate conditions were recorded. Statistical results indicated that good laboratory performance was achieved: duplicate precision was within 10%, and the measured AERs were 90%-120% of the real AERs. Average AERs were 1.22, 1.37, 1.10, 1.91 and 0.73 hr(-1) in dormitories, air-conditioned classrooms, classrooms with an air circulation cooling system, reading rooms, and meeting rooms, respectively. In an elderly particulate matter exposure study, all the homes had AER values ranging from 0.29 to 3.46 hr(-1) in fall, and 0.12 to 1.39 hr(-1) in winter with a median AER of 1.15.

Ramped-rate vs continuous-rate infusions: An in vitro comparison of convection enhanced delivery protocols.

PubMed

Schomberg, Dominic; Wang, Anyi; Marshall, Hope; Miranpuri, Gurwattan; Sillay, Karl

2013-04-01

Convection enhanced delivery (CED) is a technique using infusion convection currents to deliver therapeutic agents into targeted regions of the brain. Recently, CED is gaining significant acceptance for use in gene therapy of Parkinson's disease (PD) employing direct infusion into the brain. CED offers advantages in that it targets local areas of the brain, bypasses the blood-brain barrier (BBB), minimizes systemic toxicity of the therapeutics, and allows for delivery of larger molecules that diffusion driven methods cannot achieve. Investigating infusion characteristics such as backflow and morphology is important in developing standard and effective protocols in order to successfully deliver treatments into the brain. Optimizing clinical infusion protocols may reduce backflow, improve final infusion cloud morphology, and maximize infusate penetrance into targeted tissue. The purpose of the current study was to compare metrics during ramped-rate and continuous-rate infusions using two different catheters in order to optimize current infusion protocols. Occasionally, the infusate refluxes proximally up the catheter tip, known as backflow, and minimizing this can potentially reduce undesirable effects in the clinical setting. Traditionally, infusions are performed at a constant rate throughout the entire duration, and backflow is minimized only by slow infusion rates, which increases the time required to deliver the desired amount of infusate. In this study, we investigate the effects of ramping and various infusion rates on backflow and infusion cloud morphology. The independent parameters in the study are: ramping, maximum infusion rate, time between rate changes, and increments of rate changes. Backflow was measured using two methods: i) at the point of pressure stabilization within the catheter, and ii) maximum backflow as shown by video data. Infusion cloud morphology was evaluated based on the height-to-width ratio of each infusion cloud at the end of each experiment. Results were tabulated and statistically analyzed to identify any significant differences between protocols. The experimental results show that CED rampedrate infusion protocols result in smaller backflow distances and more spherical cloud morphologies compared to continuous-rate infusion protocols ending at the same maximum infusion rate. Our results also suggest internal-line pressure measurements can approximate the time-point at which backflow ceases. Our findings indicate that ramping CED infusion protocols can potentially minimize backflow and produce more spherical infusion clouds. However, further research is required to determine the strength of this correlation, especially in relation to maximum infusion rates.

Use of long-acting reversible contraceptives to reduce the rate of teen pregnancy.

PubMed

Rome, Ellen

2015-11-01

Long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) are safe for use in adolescents and do not rely on compliance or adherence for effectiveness. Continuation rates are higher and pregnancy rates are lower for adolescent users of LARCs compared with short-acting methods such as oral contraceptives. Similarly, repeat pregnancy rates are lower when LARCs are used compared with other forms of contraception. Myths and misconceptions about LARCs and other contraceptives remain a barrier to their use. Health care providers are in a unique position to provide confidential care to adolescents, and should provide education to them about the various contraceptive options, especially LARCs. Copyright © 2015 Cleveland Clinic.

Structure and Randomness of Continuous-Time, Discrete-Event Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marzen, Sarah E.; Crutchfield, James P.

2017-10-01

Loosely speaking, the Shannon entropy rate is used to gauge a stochastic process' intrinsic randomness; the statistical complexity gives the cost of predicting the process. We calculate, for the first time, the entropy rate and statistical complexity of stochastic processes generated by finite unifilar hidden semi-Markov models—memoryful, state-dependent versions of renewal processes. Calculating these quantities requires introducing novel mathematical objects (ɛ -machines of hidden semi-Markov processes) and new information-theoretic methods to stochastic processes.

Fabrication of very high aspect ratio metal nanowires by a self-propulsion mechanism.

PubMed

Sharabani, Rona; Reuveni, Saada; Noy, Gilad; Shapira, Eyal; Sadeh, Shira; Selzer, Yoram

2008-04-01

A novel synthesis method of very high aspect ratio metal nanowires is described. The synthesis utilizes a nanoporous membrane as a template and self-electrophoresis as a directed force that continuously push formed nanowires out of the pores in a rate that is identical to the rate of their elongation. As a result, while the pores of membranes are only 6 microm long, the formed nanowires could be more than 100 microm long.

Developments in neonatal technology continue to improve infant outcomes.

PubMed

Noble, Lawrence

2003-09-01

The past 20 years have yielded little success in reducing prematurity rates or decreasing the major morbidities of premature infants. Determination of interventions to decrease prematurity rates, and the development of methods to reduce premature neurologic damage, are the challenges for the next 20 years. With the advent of genetic analysis and the ability to study environmental and genetic interactions, we may be on the threshold of another significant decrease in mortality and morbidity in the premature infant.

Controlled release of tocopherols from polymer blend films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Obinata, Noe

Controlled release packaging has great potential to increase storage stability of foods by releasing active compounds into foods continuously over time. However, a major limitation in development of this technology is the inability to control the release and provide rates useful for long term storage of foods. Better understanding of the factors affecting active compound release is needed to overcome this limitation. The objective of this research was to investigate the relationship between polymer composition, polymer processing method, polymer morphology, and release properties of active compounds, and to provide proof of principle that compound release is controlled by film morphology. A natural antioxidant, tocopherol was used as a model active compound because it is natural, effective, heat stable, and soluble in most packaging polymers. Polymer blend films were produced from combination of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) and high density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), or polystyrene (PS) with 3000 ppm mixed tocopherols using conventional blending method and innovative blending method, smart blending with a novel mixer using chaotic advection. Film morphologies were visualized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Release of tocopherols into 95% ethanol as a food simulant was measured by UV/Visible spectrophotometry or HPLC, and diffusivity of tocopherols in the polymers was estimated from this data. Polymer composition (blend proportions) and processing methods have major effects on film morphology. Four different types of morphologies, dispersed, co-continuous, fiber, and multilayer structures were developed by either conventional extrusion or smart blending. With smart blending of fixed polymer compositions, different morphologies were progressively developed with fixed polymer composition as the number of rod rotations increased, providing a way to separate effects of polymer composition and morphology. The different morphologies obtained using conventional and smart blending greatly affected tocopherol release. Strong correlation was observed between morphology and release rate: multilayer, slow release; co-continuous and fiber, moderate; disperse: fast release. Results indicate that morphology can be manipulated by polymer composition and processing method, and release rates of tocopherols are varied with polymer morphology. Manipulating polymer compositions and film morphologies may provide a means to control the release of tocopherols from food contact films.

40 CFR 63.1104 - Process vents from continuous unit operations: applicability assessment procedures and methods.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... permit limit applicable to the process vent. (iv) Design analysis based on accepted chemical engineering... rates, halogenated process vent determinations, process vent TRE index values, and engineering... corrected to 2.3 percent moisture; or (2) The engineering assessment procedures in paragraph (k) of this...

40 CFR 63.1104 - Process vents from continuous unit operations: applicability assessment procedures and methods.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... permit limit applicable to the process vent. (iv) Design analysis based on accepted chemical engineering... rates, halogenated process vent determinations, process vent TRE index values, and engineering... corrected to 2.3 percent moisture; or (2) The engineering assessment procedures in paragraph (k) of this...

40 CFR 63.1104 - Process vents from continuous unit operations: applicability assessment procedures and methods.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... permit limit applicable to the process vent. (iv) Design analysis based on accepted chemical engineering... rates, halogenated process vent determinations, process vent TRE index values, and engineering... corrected to 2.3 percent moisture; or (2) The engineering assessment procedures in paragraph (k) of this...

40 CFR 63.1104 - Process vents from continuous unit operations: applicability assessment procedures and methods.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... permit limit applicable to the process vent. (iv) Design analysis based on accepted chemical engineering... rates, halogenated process vent determinations, process vent TRE index values, and engineering... corrected to 2.3 percent moisture; or (2) The engineering assessment procedures in paragraph (k) of this...

Multi-Method Assessment of ADHD Characteristics in Preschool Children: Relations between Measures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sims, Darcey M.; Lonigan, Christopher J.

2012-01-01

Several forms of assessment tools, including behavioral rating scales and objective tests such as the Continuous Performance Test (CPT), can be used to measure inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive behaviors associated with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). However, research with school-age children has shown that the correlations…

A new highly sensitive method to assess respiration rates and kinetics of natural planktonic communities by use of the switchable trace oxygen sensor and reduced oxygen concentrations.

PubMed

Tiano, Laura; Garcia-Robledo, Emilio; Revsbech, Niels Peter

2014-01-01

Oxygen respiration rates in pelagic environments are often difficult to quantify as the resolutions of our methods for O2 concentration determination are marginal for observing significant decreases during bottle incubations of less than 24 hours. Here we present the assessment of a new highly sensitive method, that combine Switchable Trace Oxygen (STOX) sensors and all-glass bottle incubations, where the O2 concentration was artificially lowered. The detection limit of respiration rate by this method is inversely proportional to the O2 concentration, down to <2 nmol L(-1) h(-1) for water with an initial O2 concentration of 500 nmol L(-1). The method was tested in Danish coastal waters and in oceanic hypoxic waters. It proved to give precise measurements also with low oxygen consumption rates (∼7 nmol L(-1) h(-1)), and to significantly decrease the time required for incubations (≤14 hours) compared to traditional methods. This method provides continuous real time measurements, allowing for a number of diverse possibilities, such as modeling the rate of oxygen decrease to obtain kinetic parameters. Our data revealed apparent half-saturation concentrations (Km values) one order of magnitude lower than previously reported for marine bacteria, varying between 66 and 234 nmol L(-1) O2. Km values vary between different microbial planktonic communities, but our data show that it is possible to measure reliable respiration rates at concentrations ∼0.5-1 µmol L(-1) O2 that are comparable to the ones measured at full air saturation.

Adjacent Vehicle Number-Triggered Adaptive Transmission for V2V Communications.

PubMed

Wei, Yiqiao; Chen, Jingjun; Hwang, Seung-Hoon

2018-03-02

For vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication, such issues as continuity and reliability still have to be solved. Specifically, it is necessary to consider a more scalable physical layer due to the high-speed mobility of vehicles and the complex channel environment. Adaptive transmission has been adapted in channel-dependent scheduling. However, it has been neglected with regards to the physical topology changes in the vehicle network. In this paper, we propose a physical topology-triggered adaptive transmission scheme which adjusts the data rate between vehicles according to the number of connectable vehicles nearby. Also, we investigate the performance of the proposed method using computer simulations and compare it with the conventional methods. The numerical results show that the proposed method can provide more continuous and reliable data transmission for V2V communications.

Identifying the Oscillatory Mechanism of the Glucose Oxidase-Catalase Coupled Enzyme System.

PubMed

Muzika, František; Jurašek, Radovan; Schreiberová, Lenka; Radojković, Vuk; Schreiber, Igor

2017-10-12

We provide experimental evidence of periodic and aperiodic oscillations in an enzymatic system of glucose oxidase-catalase in a continuous-flow stirred reactor coupled by a membrane with a continuous-flow reservoir supplied with hydrogen peroxide. To describe such dynamics, we formulate a detailed mechanism based on partial results in the literature. Finally, we introduce a novel method for estimation of unknown kinetic parameters. The method is based on matching experimental data at an oscillatory instability with stoichiometric constraints of the mechanism formulated by applying the stability theory of reaction networks. This approach has been used to estimate rate coefficients in the catalase part of the mechanism. Remarkably, model simulations show good agreement with the observed oscillatory dynamics, including apparently chaotic intermittent behavior. Our method can be applied to any reaction system with an experimentally observable dynamical instability.

Adjacent Vehicle Number-Triggered Adaptive Transmission for V2V Communications

PubMed Central

Wei, Yiqiao; Chen, Jingjun

2018-01-01

For vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication, such issues as continuity and reliability still have to be solved. Specifically, it is necessary to consider a more scalable physical layer due to the high-speed mobility of vehicles and the complex channel environment. Adaptive transmission has been adapted in channel-dependent scheduling. However, it has been neglected with regards to the physical topology changes in the vehicle network. In this paper, we propose a physical topology-triggered adaptive transmission scheme which adjusts the data rate between vehicles according to the number of connectable vehicles nearby. Also, we investigate the performance of the proposed method using computer simulations and compare it with the conventional methods. The numerical results show that the proposed method can provide more continuous and reliable data transmission for V2V communications. PMID:29498646

Use of technology to facilitate physical activity in children with autism spectrum disorders: A pilot study.

PubMed

Bittner, Melissa D; Rigby, B Rhett; Silliman-French, Lisa; Nichols, David L; Dillon, Suzanna R

2017-08-01

Deficits in social behavior and communication skills are correlated with reduced gross motor skills in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The ExerciseBuddy application (EB app) was designed to communicate these motor skills to those with ASD and integrates evidence-based practices such as visual support and video modeling supported by The National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the EB app in facilitating increased physiologic responses to physical activity via a continuous measurement of energy expenditure and heart rate versus practice-style teaching methods in children with ASD. Six children, ages 5 to 10years, diagnosed with ASD were recruited. Each participant performed a variety of locomotor or object control skills as defined by the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 once per week for 4weeks. Motor skills were communicated and demonstrated using either practice-style teaching methods or the instructional section of the EB app. Energy expenditure and heart rate were measured continuously during each 12-minute session. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test was performed to assess any differences between the use of the app and practice-style teaching methods. The use of the EB app elicited greater values for peak energy expenditure (p=0.043) and peak heart rate response (p=0.028) while performing locomotor skills but no differences were observed while performing object control skills. Similarities were observed with average physiologic responses between the use of the EB app and practice-style teaching methods. The use of the EB app may allow for a greater peak physiologic response during more dynamic movements and a similar average cardiovascular and metabolic response when compared to practice-style teaching methods in children with ASD. Published by Elsevier Inc.

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

Rehman, Nasir, E-mail: nasirzainy1@hotmail.com; Shashiashvili, Malkhaz

The classical Garman-Kohlhagen model for the currency exchange assumes that the domestic and foreign currency risk-free interest rates are constant and the exchange rate follows a log-normal diffusion process.In this paper we consider the general case, when exchange rate evolves according to arbitrary one-dimensional diffusion process with local volatility that is the function of time and the current exchange rate and where the domestic and foreign currency risk-free interest rates may be arbitrary continuous functions of time. First non-trivial problem we encounter in time-dependent case is the continuity in time argument of the value function of the American put optionmore » and the regularity properties of the optimal exercise boundary. We establish these properties based on systematic use of the monotonicity in volatility for the value functions of the American as well as European options with convex payoffs together with the Dynamic Programming Principle and we obtain certain type of comparison result for the value functions and corresponding exercise boundaries for the American puts with different strikes, maturities and volatilities.Starting from the latter fact that the optimal exercise boundary curve is left continuous with right-hand limits we give a mathematically rigorous and transparent derivation of the significant early exercise premium representation for the value function of the American foreign exchange put option as the sum of the European put option value function and the early exercise premium.The proof essentially relies on the particular property of the stochastic integral with respect to arbitrary continuous semimartingale over the predictable subsets of its zeros. We derive from the latter the nonlinear integral equation for the optimal exercise boundary which can be studied by numerical methods.« less

Field studies: Test method for on-line continuous measurement of total hydrocarbons (THC) and non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC) in stack gas

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

Hsiao, H.H.; Lai, C.C.; Chu, H.W.

A new method for on-line monitoring of total hydrocarbons and non-methane hydrocarbons in stack gas simultaneously was developed in this study. Based on the principle of on-line GC/FID, the method was developed and can be considered as a new modification of the Method 25 and 25A of US EPA. Major advantages of the method included (1) capability of distinguishing methane as Method 25; (2) near-real-time results; (3) broad species coverage; (4) monitoring methane in straightforward manner; (5) low operation and maintenance costs. In the proposed method, test samples were continuously pumped from detection sources and loaded with a two-loop samplingmore » valve. The samples were then injected into two GC columns-empty and molecular sieve columns. The empty column was used for detection of THC, and the molecular sieve column was for methane. The detector in this GC was FID. NMHC concentration was obtained by subtracting methane from THC. The tests were carried out to measure the THC and methane in waste gas in various industries, including surface coating, semiconductor manufacturing, synthetic leather industries. Recovery rates of THC in the samples were between 86% to 114% for about 100 m of transfer line of samples. For the standard gas, the recovery rate was about 101%, 6.6 % of measurement precision, and 88%--114% of accuracy. The results showed the promising and reliable measurement of the test method for THC and methane in waste gas.« less

Competing approaches to analysis of failure times with competing risks.

PubMed

Farley, T M; Ali, M M; Slaymaker, E

2001-12-15

For the analysis of time to event data in contraceptive studies when individuals are subject to competing causes for discontinuation, some authors have recently advocated the use of the cumulative incidence rate as a more appropriate measure to summarize data than the complement of the Kaplan-Meier estimate of discontinuation. The former method estimates the rate of discontinuation in the presence of competing causes, while the latter is a hypothetical rate that would be observed if discontinuations for the other reasons could not occur. The difference between the two methods of analysis is the continuous time equivalent of a debate that took place in the contraceptive literature in the 1960s, when several authors advocated the use of net (adjusted or single decrement life table rates) rates in preference to crude rates (multiple decrement life table rates). A small simulation study illustrates the interpretation of the two types of estimate - the complement of the Kaplan-Meier estimate corresponds to a hypothetical rate where discontinuations for other reasons did not occur, while the cumulative incidence gives systematically lower estimates. The Kaplan-Meier estimates are more appropriate when estimating the effectiveness of a contraceptive method, but the cumulative incidence estimates are more appropriate when making programmatic decisions regarding contraceptive methods. Other areas of application, such as cancer studies, may prefer to use the cumulative incidence estimates, but their use should be determined according to the application. Copyright 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Advances in borehole geophysics for hydrology

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

Nelson, P.H.

1982-01-01

Borehole geophysical methods provide vital subsurface information on rock properties, fluid movement, and the condition of engineered borehole structures. Within the first category, salient advances include the continuing improvement of the borehole televiewer, refinement of the electrical conductivity dipmeter for fracture characterization, and the development of a gigahertz-frequency electromagnetic propagation tool for water saturation measurements. The exploration of the rock mass between boreholes remains a challenging problem with high potential; promising methods are now incorporating high-density spatial sampling and sophisticated data processing. Flow-rate measurement methods appear adequate for all but low-flow situations. At low rates the tagging method seems themore » most attractive. The current exploitation of neutron-activation techniques for tagging means that the wellbore fluid itself is tagged, thereby eliminating the mixing of an alien fluid into the wellbore. Another method uses the acoustic noise generated by flow through constrictions and in and behind casing to detect and locate flaws in the production system. With the advent of field-recorded digital data, the interpretation of logs from sedimentary sequences is now reaching a sophisticated level with the aid of computer processing and the application of statistical methods. Lagging behind are interpretive schemes for the low-porosity, fracture-controlled igneous and metamorphic rocks encountered in the geothermal reservoirs and in potential waste-storage sites. Progress is being made on the general problem of fracture detection by use of electrical and acoustical techniques, but the reliable definition of permeability continues to be an elusive goal.« less

Stress reaction process-based hierarchical recognition algorithm for continuous intrusion events in optical fiber prewarning system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qu, Hongquan; Yuan, Shijiao; Wang, Yanping; Yang, Dan

2018-04-01

To improve the recognition performance of optical fiber prewarning system (OFPS), this study proposed a hierarchical recognition algorithm (HRA). Compared with traditional methods, which employ only a complex algorithm that includes multiple extracted features and complex classifiers to increase the recognition rate with a considerable decrease in recognition speed, HRA takes advantage of the continuity of intrusion events, thereby creating a staged recognition flow inspired by stress reaction. HRA is expected to achieve high-level recognition accuracy with less time consumption. First, this work analyzed the continuity of intrusion events and then presented the algorithm based on the mechanism of stress reaction. Finally, it verified the time consumption through theoretical analysis and experiments, and the recognition accuracy was obtained through experiments. Experiment results show that the processing speed of HRA is 3.3 times faster than that of a traditional complicated algorithm and has a similar recognition rate of 98%. The study is of great significance to fast intrusion event recognition in OFPS.

Comparison of Norethindrone-Containing OCPs to Desogestrel OCPs and Depo-Provera in Women

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-10-01

induces amenorrhea (12,20-26). To date, however, no study has directly compared continuation rates among these different methods of contraception. The...height physical standards unique to their branch of the armed forces after long term use. Although consistent exercise may help control this weight gain...a willingness to exercise may be impeded by DMPA use as preliminary studies suggest that this method results in increased fatigue (32). Other issues

Towards continuous monitoring of pulse rate in neonatal intensive care unit with a webcam.

PubMed

Mestha, Lalit K; Kyal, Survi; Xu, Beilei; Lewis, Leslie Edward; Kumar, Vijay

2014-01-01

We describe a novel method to monitor pulse rate (PR) on a continuous basis of patients in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) using videos taken from a high definition (HD) webcam. We describe algorithms that determine PR from videoplethysmographic (VPG) signals extracted from multiple regions of interest (ROI) simultaneously available within the field of view of the camera where cardiac signal is registered. We detect motion from video images and compensate for motion artifacts from each ROI. Preliminary clinical results are presented on 8 neonates each with 30 minutes of uninterrupted video. Comparisons to hospital equipment indicate that the proposed technology can meet medical industry standards and give improved patient comfort and ease of use for practitioners when instrumented with proper hardware.

On the stability, storage capacity, and design of nonlinear continuous neural networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guez, Allon; Protopopsecu, Vladimir; Barhen, Jacob

1988-01-01

The stability, capacity, and design of a nonlinear continuous neural network are analyzed. Sufficient conditions for existence and asymptotic stability of the network's equilibria are reduced to a set of piecewise-linear inequality relations that can be solved by a feedforward binary network, or by methods such as Fourier elimination. The stability and capacity of the network is characterized by the post synaptic firing rate function. An N-neuron network with sigmoidal firing function is shown to have up to 3N equilibrium points. This offers a higher capacity than the (0.1-0.2)N obtained in the binary Hopfield network. Moreover, it is shown that by a proper selection of the postsynaptic firing rate function, one can significantly extend the capacity storage of the network.

Design and testing of an MRI-compatible cycle ergometer for non-invasive cardiac assessments during exercise

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an important tool for cardiac research, and it is frequently used for resting cardiac assessments. However, research into non-pharmacological stress cardiac evaluation is limited. Methods We aimed to design a portable and relatively inexpensive MRI cycle ergometer capable of continuously measuring pedalling workload while patients exercise to maintain target heart rates. Results We constructed and tested an MRI-compatible cycle ergometer for a 1.5 T MRI scanner. Resting and sub-maximal exercise images (at 110 beats per minute) were successfully obtained in 8 healthy adults. Conclusions The MRI-compatible cycle ergometer constructed by our research group enabled cardiac assessments at fixed heart rates, while continuously recording power output by directly measuring pedal force and crank rotation. PMID:22423637

T wave alternans during exercise and atrial pacing in humans

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hohnloser, S. H.; Klingenheben, T.; Zabel, M.; Li, Y. G.; Albrecht, P.; Cohen, R. J.

1997-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Evidence is accumulating that microvolt T wave alternans (TWA) is a marker of increased risk for ventricular tachyarrhythmias. Initially, atrial pacing was used to elevate heart rate and elicit TWA. More recently, a noninvasive approach has been developed that elevates heart rate using exercise. METHODS AND RESULTS: In 30 consecutive patients with a history of ventricular tachyarrhythmias, the spectral method was used to detect TWA during both atrial pacing and submaximal exercise testing. The concordance rate for the presence or absence of TWA using the two measurement methods was 84%. There was a patient-specific heart rate threshold for the detection of TWA that averaged 100 +/- 14 beats/min during exercise compared with 97 +/- 9 beats/min during right atrial pacing (P = NS). Beyond this threshold, there was a significant and comparable increase in level of TWA with decreasing pacing cycle length and increasing exercise heart rates. CONCLUSIONS: The present study is the first to demonstrate that microvolt TWA can be assessed reliably and noninvasively during exercise stress. There is a patient-specific heart rate threshold beyond which TWA continues to increase with increasing heart rates. Heart rate thresholds for the onset of TWA measured during atrial pacing and exercise stress were comparable, indicating that heart rate alone appears to be the main factor of determining the onset of TWA during submaximal exercise stress.

Continuous-variable measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution with virtual photon subtraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Yijia; Zhang, Yichen; Xu, Bingjie; Yu, Song; Guo, Hong

2018-04-01

The method of improving the performance of continuous-variable quantum key distribution protocols by postselection has been recently proposed and verified. In continuous-variable measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (CV-MDI QKD) protocols, the measurement results are obtained from untrusted third party Charlie. There is still not an effective method of improving CV-MDI QKD by the postselection with untrusted measurement. We propose a method to improve the performance of coherent-state CV-MDI QKD protocol by virtual photon subtraction via non-Gaussian postselection. The non-Gaussian postselection of transmitted data is equivalent to an ideal photon subtraction on the two-mode squeezed vacuum state, which is favorable to enhance the performance of CV-MDI QKD. In CV-MDI QKD protocol with non-Gaussian postselection, two users select their own data independently. We demonstrate that the optimal performance of the renovated CV-MDI QKD protocol is obtained with the transmitted data only selected by Alice. By setting appropriate parameters of the virtual photon subtraction, the secret key rate and tolerable excess noise are both improved at long transmission distance. The method provides an effective optimization scheme for the application of CV-MDI QKD protocols.

Method of implementing digital phase-locked loops

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stephens, Scott A. (Inventor); Thomas, Jess Brooks, Jr. (Inventor)

1993-01-01

In a new formulation for digital phase-locked loops, loop-filter constants are determined from loop roots that can each be selectively placed in the s-plane on the basis of a new set of parameters, each with simple and direct physical meaning in terms of loop noise bandwidth, root-specific decay rate, or root-specific damping. Loops of first to fourth order are treated in the continuous-update approximation (BLT yields 0) and in a discrete-update formulation with arbitrary BLT. Deficiencies of the continuous-update approximation in large-BLT applications are avoided in the new discrete-update formulation. A new method for direct, transient-free acquisition with third- and fourth-order loops can improve the versatility and reliability of acquisition with such loops.

A modified Dodge algorithm for the parabolized Navier-Stokes equation and compressible duct flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooke, C. H.

1981-01-01

A revised version of Dodge's split-velocity method for numerical calculation of compressible duct flow was developed. The revision incorporates balancing of mass flow rates on each marching step in order to maintain front-to-back continuity during the calculation. The (checkerboard) zebra algorithm is applied to solution of the three dimensional continuity equation in conservative form. A second-order A-stable linear multistep method is employed in effecting a marching solution of the parabolized momentum equations. A checkerboard iteration is used to solve the resulting implicit nonlinear systems of finite-difference equations which govern stepwise transition. Qualitive agreement with analytical predictions and experimental results was obtained for some flows with well-known solutions.

Biological treatment of soils contaminated with hydrophobic organics using slurry- and solid-phase techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cassidy, Daniel H.; Irvine, Robert L.

1995-10-01

Both slurry-phase and solid-phase bioremediation are effective ex situ soil decontamination methods. Slurrying is energy intensive relative to solid-phase treatment, but provides homogenization and uniform nutrient distribution. Limited contaminant bioavailability at concentrations above the required cleanup level reduces biodegradation rates and renders solid phase bioremediation more cost effective than complete treatment in a bio-slurry reactor. Slurrying followed by solid-phase bioremediation combines the advantages and minimizes the weaknesses of each treatment method when used alone. A biological treatment system consisting of slurrying followed by aeration in solid phase bioreactors was developed and tested in the laboratory using a silty clay loam contaminated with diesel fuel. The first set of experiments was designed to determine the impact of the water content and mixing time during slurrying on the rate an extent of contaminant removal in continuously aerated solid phase bioreactors. The second set of experiments compared the volatile and total diesel fuel removal in solid phase bioreactors using periodic and continuous aeration strategies. Results showed that slurrying for 1.5 hours at a water content less than saturation markedly increased the rate and extent of contaminant biodegradation in the solid phase bioreactors compared with soil having no slurry pretreatment. Slurrying the soil at or above its saturation moisture content resulted in lengthy dewatering times which prohibited aeration, thereby delaying the onset of biological treatment in the solid phase bioreactors. Results also showed that properly operated periodic aeration can provide less volatile contaminant removal and a grater fraction of biological contaminant removal than continuous aeration.

Using high resolution measurements of gas tracers to determine metabolic rates in streams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knapp, J. L.; Osenbrück, K.; Brennwald, M. S.; Cirpka, O. A.

2017-12-01

Hyporheic exchange and other hyporheic processes are strongly linked to stream respiration, as the majority of a streams' microorganisms are located within the streambed. Directly estimating these respiration rates on the reach scale is usually not possible, but they can indirectly be inferred from measurements of dissolved oxygen. This, however, requires determining stream reaeration rates with high precision. Conducting gas-tracer tests has been found to be the most reliable method to estimate stream reaeration, but the majority of field-based sampling techniques for tracer gases are either costly in time and materials, or imprecise. By contrast, on-site gas analysis using gas-equilibrium membrane-inlet mass spectrometers (miniRUEDI, Gasometrix GmbH [1]) avoid the errors caused by sampling, storage, and analysis in the standard sampling techniques. Furthermore, the high analytical frequency of the on-site mass-spectrometer provides concentration data exhibiting a low uncertainty. We present results from gas-tracer tests with a continuous injection of propane and noble gases as tracers in a number of small streams. The concentrations of the tracer gases are recorded continuously over time at the first measurement station to account for fluctuations of the input signal, whereas shorter sample sets are collected at all further measurement stations. Reaeration rate constants are calculated from gas measurements for individual stream sections. These rates are then used to estimate metabolic rates of respiration and primary production based on time series of oxygen measurements. To demonstrate the advancement of the method provided by the on-site analysis, results from measurements performed by on-site mass spectroscopy are compared to those from traditional headspace sampling with gas chromatography analysis. Additionally, differences in magnitude and uncertainty of the obtained reaeration rates of oxygen and calculated metabolic rates from both methods highlight the usefulness of the high-frequency on-site analysis. [1] Brennwald, M. S., Schmidt, M., Oser, J., and Kipfer, R. (2016). A portable and autonomous mass spectrometric system for on-site environmental gas analysis. Environ. Sci. Technol., 50(24):13455-13463. Doi: 10.1021/acs.est.6b03669

Why are breastfeeding rates low in Lebanon? a qualitative study

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Breastfeeding is a cost-effective public health intervention that reduces infant morbidity and mortality in developing countries. In Lebanon, breastfeeding exclusivity and continuation rates are disappointingly low. This qualitative study aims at identifying barriers and promoters of breastfeeding in the Lebanese context by exploring mothers' perceptions and experiences in breastfeeding over a one year period. Methods We conducted focus group discussions in three hospitals in Beirut, Lebanon, and followed up 36 breastfeeding mothers with serial in-depth interviews for one year post-partum or until breastfeeding discontinuation. Results Themes generated from baseline interviews revealed several positive and negative perceptions of breastfeeding. Longitudinal follow up identified insufficient milk, fear of weight gain or breast sagging, pain, sleep deprivation, exhaustion, or maternal employment, as reasons for early breastfeeding discontinuation. Women who continued breastfeeding for one year were more determined to succeed and overcome any barrier, relying mostly on family support and proper time management. Conclusions Increasing awareness of future mothers about breast feeding difficulties, its benefits to children, mothers, and society at large may further promote breastfeeding, and improve exclusivity and continuation rates in Lebanon. A national strategy for early intervention during school years to increase young women's awareness may improve their self-confidence and determination to succeed in breastfeeding later. Moreover, prolonging maternity leave, having day-care facilities at work, creation of lactation peer support groups and hotlines, and training of doctors and nurses in proper lactation support may positively impact breastfeeding exclusivity and continuation rates. Further research is needed to assess the effectiveness of proposed interventions in the Lebanese context. PMID:21878101

Development and psychometric characteristics of a new domain of the stanford faculty development program instrument.

PubMed

Owolabi, Mayowa O

2014-01-01

Teacher's attitude domain, a pivotal aspect of clinical teaching, is missing in the Stanford Faculty Development Program Questionnaire (SFDPQ), the most widely used student-based assessment method of clinical teaching skills. This study was conducted to develop and validate the teacher's attitude domain and evaluate the validity and internal consistency reliability of the augmented SFDPQ. Items generated for the new domain included teacher's enthusiasm, sobriety, humility, thoroughness, empathy, and accessibility. The study involved 20 resident doctors assessed once by 64 medical students using the augmented SFDPQ. Construct validity was explored using correlation among the different domains and a global rating scale. Factor analysis was performed. The response rate was 94%. The new domain had a Cronbach's alpha of 0.89, with 1-factor solution explaining 57.1% of its variance. It showed the strongest correlation to the global rating scale (rho = 0.71). The augmented SFDPQ, which had a Cronbach's alpha of 0.93, correlated better (rho = 0.72, p < 0.00001) to the global rating scale than the original SFDPQ (rho = 0.67, p < 0.00001). The new teacher's attitude domain exhibited good internal consistency and construct and factorial validity. It enhanced the content and construct validity of the SFDPQ. The validated construct of the augmented SFDPQ is recommended for design and evaluation of basic and continuing clinical teaching programs. © 2014 The Alliance for Continuing Education in the Health Professions, the Society for Academic Continuing Medical Education, and the Council on Continuing Medical Education, Association for Hospital Medical Education.

Study of continuous blood pressure estimation based on pulse transit time, heart rate and photoplethysmography-derived hemodynamic covariates.

PubMed

Feng, Jingjie; Huang, Zhongyi; Zhou, Congcong; Ye, Xuesong

2018-06-01

It is widely recognized that pulse transit time (PTT) can track blood pressure (BP) over short periods of time, and hemodynamic covariates such as heart rate, stiffness index may also contribute to BP monitoring. In this paper, we derived a proportional relationship between BP and PPT -2 and proposed an improved method adopting hemodynamic covariates in addition to PTT for continuous BP estimation. We divided 28 subjects from the Multi-parameter Intelligent Monitoring for Intensive Care database into two groups (with/without cardiovascular diseases) and utilized a machine learning strategy based on regularized linear regression (RLR) to construct BP models with different covariates for corresponding groups. RLR was performed for individuals as the initial calibration, while recursive least square algorithm was employed for the re-calibration. The results showed that errors of BP estimation by our method stayed within the Association of Advancement of Medical Instrumentation limits (- 0.98 ± 6.00 mmHg @ SBP, 0.02 ± 4.98 mmHg @ DBP) when the calibration interval extended to 1200-beat cardiac cycles. In comparison with other two representative studies, Chen's method kept accurate (0.32 ± 6.74 mmHg @ SBP, 0.94 ± 5.37 mmHg @ DBP) using a 400-beat calibration interval, while Poon's failed (- 1.97 ± 10.59 mmHg @ SBP, 0.70 ± 4.10 mmHg @ DBP) when using a 200-beat calibration interval. With additional hemodynamic covariates utilized, our method improved the accuracy of PTT-based BP estimation, decreased the calibration frequency and had the potential for better continuous BP estimation.

An intervention to decrease patient identification band errors in a children's hospital.

PubMed

Hain, Paul D; Joers, B; Rush, M; Slayton, J; Throop, P; Hoagg, S; Allen, L; Grantham, J; Deshpande, J K

2010-06-01

Patient misidentification continues to be a quality and safety issue. There is a paucity of US data describing interventions to reduce identification band error rates. Monroe Carell Jr Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt. Percentage of patients with defective identification bands. Web-based surveys were sent, asking hospital personnel to anonymously identify perceived barriers to reaching zero defects with identification bands. Corrective action plans were created and implemented with ideas from leadership, front-line staff and the online survey. Data from unannounced audits of patient identification bands were plotted on statistical process control charts and shared monthly with staff. All hospital personnel were expected to "stop the line" if there were any patient identification questions. The first audit showed a defect rate of 20.4%. The original mean defect rate was 6.5%. After interventions and education, the new mean defect rate was 2.6%. (a) The initial rate of patient identification band errors in the hospital was higher than expected. (b) The action resulting in most significant improvement was staff awareness of the problem, with clear expectations to immediately stop the line if a patient identification error was present. (c) Staff surveys are an excellent source of suggestions for combating patient identification issues. (d) Continued audit and data collection is necessary for sustainable staff focus and continued improvement. (e) Statistical process control charts are both an effective method to track results and an easily understood tool for sharing data with staff.

Crystalline Membranes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tsapatsis, Michael (Inventor); Lai, Zhiping (Inventor)

2008-01-01

In certain aspects, the invention features methods for forming crystalline membranes (e.g., a membrane of a framework material, such as a zeolite) by inducing secondary growth in a layer of oriented seed crystals. The rate of growth of the seed crystals in the plane of the substrate is controlled to be comparable to the rate of growth out of the plane. As a result, a crystalline membrane can form a substantially continuous layer including grains of uniform crystallographic orientation that extend through the depth of the layer.

Identifying heterogeneity in rates of morphological evolution: discrete character change in the evolution of lungfish (Sarcopterygii; Dipnoi).

PubMed

Lloyd, Graeme T; Wang, Steve C; Brusatte, Stephen L

2012-02-01

Quantifying rates of morphological evolution is important in many macroevolutionary studies, and critical when assessing possible adaptive radiations and episodes of punctuated equilibrium in the fossil record. However, studies of morphological rates of change have lagged behind those on taxonomic diversification, and most authors have focused on continuous characters and quantifying patterns of morphological rates over time. Here, we provide a phylogenetic approach, using discrete characters and three statistical tests to determine points on a cladogram (branches or entire clades) that are characterized by significantly high or low rates of change. These methods include a randomization approach that identifies branches with significantly high rates and likelihood ratio tests that pinpoint either branches or clades that have significantly higher or lower rates than the pooled rate of the remainder of the tree. As a test case for these methods, we analyze a discrete character dataset of lungfish, which have long been regarded as "living fossils" due to an apparent slowdown in rates since the Devonian. We find that morphological rates are highly heterogeneous across the phylogeny and recover a general pattern of decreasing rates along the phylogenetic backbone toward living taxa, from the Devonian until the present. Compared with previous work, we are able to report a more nuanced picture of lungfish evolution using these new methods. © 2011 The Author(s). Evolution© 2011 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

CONTINUOUS PRECIPITATION METHOD FOR CONVERSION OF URANYL NITRATE TO URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE

DOEpatents

Reinhart, G.M.; Collopy, T.J.

1962-11-13

A continuous precipitation process is given for converting a uranyl nitrate solution to uranium tetrafluoride. A stream of the uranyl nitrate solution and a stream of an aqueous ammonium hydroxide solution are continuously introduced into an agitated reaction zone maintained at a pH of 5.0 to 6.5. Flow rates are adjusted to provide a mean residence time of the resulting slurry in the reaction zone of at least 30 minutes. After a startup period of two hours the precipitate is recovered from the effluent stream by filtration and is converted to uranium tetrafluoride by reduction to uranium dioxide with hydrogen and reaction of the uranium dioxide with anhydrous hydrogen fluoride. (AEC)

Establishing a method of short-term rainfall forecasting based on GNSS-derived PWV and its application.

PubMed

Yao, Yibin; Shan, Lulu; Zhao, Qingzhi

2017-09-29

Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) can effectively retrieve precipitable water vapor (PWV) with high precision and high-temporal resolution. GNSS-derived PWV can be used to reflect water vapor variation in the process of strong convection weather. By studying the relationship between time-varying PWV and rainfall, it can be found that PWV contents increase sharply before raining. Therefore, a short-term rainfall forecasting method is proposed based on GNSS-derived PWV. Then the method is validated using hourly GNSS-PWV data from Zhejiang Continuously Operating Reference Station (CORS) network of the period 1 September 2014 to 31 August 2015 and its corresponding hourly rainfall information. The results show that the forecasted correct rate can reach about 80%, while the false alarm rate is about 66%. Compared with results of the previous studies, the correct rate is improved by about 7%, and the false alarm rate is comparable. The method is also applied to other three actual rainfall events of different regions, different durations, and different types. The results show that the method has good applicability and high accuracy, which can be used for rainfall forecasting, and in the future study, it can be assimilated with traditional weather forecasting techniques to improve the forecasted accuracy.

Analysis of survival data from telemetry projects

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bunck, C.M.; Winterstein, S.R.; Pollock, K.H.

1985-01-01

Telemetry techniques can be used to study the survival rates of animal populations and are particularly suitable for species or settings for which band recovery models are not. Statistical methods for estimating survival rates and parameters of survival distributions from observations of radio-tagged animals will be described. These methods have been applied to medical and engineering studies and to the study of nest success. Estimates and tests based on discrete models, originally introduced by Mayfield, and on continuous models, both parametric and nonparametric, will be described. Generalizations, including staggered entry of subjects into the study and identification of mortality factors will be considered. Additional discussion topics will include sample size considerations, relocation frequency for subjects, and use of covariates.

Bayesian Statistical Analysis of Historical and Late Holocene Rates of Sea-Level Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cahill, Niamh; Parnell, Andrew; Kemp, Andrew; Horton, Benjamin

2014-05-01

A fundamental concern associated with climate change is the rate at which sea levels are rising. Studies of past sea level (particularly beyond the instrumental data range) allow modern sea-level rise to be placed in a more complete context. Considering this, we perform a Bayesian statistical analysis on historical and late Holocene rates of sea-level change. The data that form the input to the statistical model are tide-gauge measurements and proxy reconstructions from cores of coastal sediment. The aims are to estimate rates of sea-level rise, to determine when modern rates of sea-level rise began and to observe how these rates have been changing over time. Many of the current methods for doing this use simple linear regression to estimate rates. This is often inappropriate as it is too rigid and it can ignore uncertainties that arise as part of the data collection exercise. This can lead to over confidence in the sea-level trends being characterized. The proposed Bayesian model places a Gaussian process prior on the rate process (i.e. the process that determines how rates of sea-level are changing over time). The likelihood of the observed data is the integral of this process. When dealing with proxy reconstructions, this is set in an errors-in-variables framework so as to take account of age uncertainty. It is also necessary, in this case, for the model to account for glacio-isostatic adjustment, which introduces a covariance between individual age and sea-level observations. This method provides a flexible fit and it allows for the direct estimation of the rate process with full consideration of all sources of uncertainty. Analysis of tide-gauge datasets and proxy reconstructions in this way means that changing rates of sea level can be estimated more comprehensively and accurately than previously possible. The model captures the continuous and dynamic evolution of sea-level change and results show that not only are modern sea levels rising but that the rates of rise are continuously increasing. Analysis of the a global tide-gauge record (Church and White, 2011) indicated that the rate of sea-level rise increased continuously since 1880AD and is currently 2.57mm/yr (95% credible interval of 1.71 to 4.35mm/yr). Application of the model a proxy reconstruction from North Carolina (Kemp et al., 2011) indicated that the mean rate of rise in this locality since the middle of the 19th century (current rate of 2.66 mm/yr with a 95% credible interval of 1.29 to 4.59mm/yr) is in agreement with results from the tide gauge analysis and is unprecedented in at least the last 2000 years.

Interactive CT-Video Registration for the Continuous Guidance of Bronchoscopy

PubMed Central

Merritt, Scott A.; Khare, Rahul; Bascom, Rebecca

2014-01-01

Bronchoscopy is a major step in lung cancer staging. To perform bronchoscopy, the physician uses a procedure plan, derived from a patient’s 3D computed-tomography (CT) chest scan, to navigate the bronchoscope through the lung airways. Unfortunately, physicians vary greatly in their ability to perform bronchoscopy. As a result, image-guided bronchoscopy systems, drawing upon the concept of CT-based virtual bronchoscopy (VB), have been proposed. These systems attempt to register the bronchoscope’s live position within the chest to a CT-based virtual chest space. Recent methods, which register the bronchoscopic video to CT-based endoluminal airway renderings, show promise but do not enable continuous real-time guidance. We present a CT-video registration method inspired by computer-vision innovations in the fields of image alignment and image-based rendering. In particular, motivated by the Lucas–Kanade algorithm, we propose an inverse-compositional framework built around a gradient-based optimization procedure. We next propose an implementation of the framework suitable for image-guided bronchoscopy. Laboratory tests, involving both single frames and continuous video sequences, demonstrate the robustness and accuracy of the method. Benchmark timing tests indicate that the method can run continuously at 300 frames/s, well beyond the real-time bronchoscopic video rate of 30 frames/s. This compares extremely favorably to the ≥1 s/frame speeds of other methods and indicates the method’s potential for real-time continuous registration. A human phantom study confirms the method’s efficacy for real-time guidance in a controlled setting, and, hence, points the way toward the first interactive CT-video registration approach for image-guided bronchoscopy. Along this line, we demonstrate the method’s efficacy in a complete guidance system by presenting a clinical study involving lung cancer patients. PMID:23508260

Corn leaf nitrate reductase - A nontoxic alternative to cadmium for photometric nitrate determinations in water samples by air-segmented continuous-flow analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Patton, C.J.; Fischer, A.E.; Campbell, W.H.; Campbell, E.R.

2002-01-01

Development, characterization, and operational details of an enzymatic, air-segmented continuous-flow analytical method for colorimetric determination of nitrate + nitrite in natural-water samples is described. This method is similar to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency method 353.2 and U.S. Geological Survey method 1-2545-90 except that nitrate is reduced to nitrite by soluble nitrate reductase (NaR, EC 1.6.6.1) purified from corn leaves rather than a packed-bed cadmium reactor. A three-channel, air-segmented continuous-flow analyzer-configured for simultaneous determination of nitrite (0.020-1.000 mg-N/L) and nitrate + nitrite (0.05-5.00 mg-N/L) by the nitrate reductase and cadmium reduction methods-was used to characterize analytical performance of the enzymatic reduction method. At a sampling rate of 90 h-1, sample interaction was less than 1% for all three methods. Method detection limits were 0.001 mg of NO2- -N/L for nitrite, 0.003 mg of NO3-+ NO2- -N/L for nitrate + nitrite by the cadmium-reduction method, and 0.006 mg of NO3- + NO2- -N/L for nitrate + nitrite by the enzymatic-reduction method. Reduction of nitrate to nitrite by both methods was greater than 95% complete over the entire calibration range. The difference between the means of nitrate + nitrite concentrations in 124 natural-water samples determined simultaneously by the two methods was not significantly different from zero at the p = 0.05 level.

Reasons for continuing or discontinuing olanzapine in the treatment of schizophrenia from the perspectives of patients and clinicians

PubMed Central

Chen, Jian; Ascher-Svanum, Haya; Nyhuis, Allen W; Case, Michael G; Phillips, Glenn A; Schuh, Kory J; Hoffmann, Vicki Poole

2011-01-01

Background The aim of this study was to assess the reasons for discontinuing or continuing olanzapine in patients with schizophrenia, from the perspectives of the patients and their clinicians. Methods The Reasons for Antipsychotic Discontinuation/Continuation (RAD) is a pair of questionnaires assessing these reasons from the perspectives of patients and their clinicians. Outpatients with schizophrenia (n = 199) who were not acutely ill participated in a 22-week open-label study of olanzapine from November 2006 to September 2008. Reasons for continuing or discontinuing olanzapine (on a five-point scale), along with the single most important reason and the top primary reasons, were identified. Concordance between reasons given by patients and clinicians was assessed. Results The top primary reasons for continuing olanzapine were patients’ perceptions of improvement, improvement of positive symptoms, and improved functioning. The study discontinuation rate was low (30.2%), and only a subset of patients who discontinued reported reasons for medication discontinuation. The top primary reasons for discontinuing olanzapine were insufficient improvement or worsening of positive symptoms, adverse events, and insufficient improvement or worsening of negative symptoms. Ratings given by patients and clinicians were highly concordant. Conclusion The main reason for continuing or discontinuing olanzapine appears to be medication efficacy, especially for positive symptoms. Reasons for medication discontinuation differ somewhat from reasons for continuation, with a high level of concordance between patient and clinician responses. PMID:22114469

PDF turbulence modeling and DNS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hsu, A. T.

1992-01-01

The problem of time discontinuity (or jump condition) in the coalescence/dispersion (C/D) mixing model is addressed in probability density function (pdf). A C/D mixing model continuous in time is introduced. With the continuous mixing model, the process of chemical reaction can be fully coupled with mixing. In the case of homogeneous turbulence decay, the new model predicts a pdf very close to a Gaussian distribution, with finite higher moments also close to that of a Gaussian distribution. Results from the continuous mixing model are compared with both experimental data and numerical results from conventional C/D models. The effect of Coriolis forces on compressible homogeneous turbulence is studied using direct numerical simulation (DNS). The numerical method used in this study is an eight order compact difference scheme. Contrary to the conclusions reached by previous DNS studies on incompressible isotropic turbulence, the present results show that the Coriolis force increases the dissipation rate of turbulent kinetic energy, and that anisotropy develops as the Coriolis force increases. The Taylor-Proudman theory does apply since the derivatives in the direction of the rotation axis vanishes rapidly. A closer analysis reveals that the dissipation rate of the incompressible component of the turbulent kinetic energy indeed decreases with a higher rotation rate, consistent with incompressible flow simulations (Bardina), while the dissipation rate of the compressible part increases; the net gain is positive. Inertial waves are observed in the simulation results.

Model-based flow rate control for an orfice-type low-volume air sampler

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The standard method of measuring air suspended particulate matter concentration per volume of air consists of continuously drawing a defined volume of air across a filter over an extended period of time, then measuring the mass of the filtered particles and dividing it by the total volume sampled ov...

40 CFR 60.624 - Test methods and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...-water separator. Near the end of the recovery cycle, the entire flow of recovered solvent should be... solvent from the solvent recovery dryer at the termination of the recovery cycle is no greater than 0.05... cycle and the monitoring procedure should continue until the flow rate of solvent is less than or equal...

40 CFR 60.624 - Test methods and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

...-water separator. Near the end of the recovery cycle, the entire flow of recovered solvent should be... solvent from the solvent recovery dryer at the termination of the recovery cycle is no greater than 0.05... cycle and the monitoring procedure should continue until the flow rate of solvent is less than or equal...

40 CFR 60.624 - Test methods and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

...-water separator. Near the end of the recovery cycle, the entire flow of recovered solvent should be... solvent from the solvent recovery dryer at the termination of the recovery cycle is no greater than 0.05... cycle and the monitoring procedure should continue until the flow rate of solvent is less than or equal...

40 CFR 60.624 - Test methods and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

...-water separator. Near the end of the recovery cycle, the entire flow of recovered solvent should be... solvent from the solvent recovery dryer at the termination of the recovery cycle is no greater than 0.05... cycle and the monitoring procedure should continue until the flow rate of solvent is less than or equal...

40 CFR 302.8 - Continuous releases.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... that the release is continuous and stable in quantity and rate; (2) Change in the normal range. If... section, continuous and stable in quantity and rate. (b) Definitions. The following definitions apply to... conditions during the preceding year. Only releases that are both continuous and stable in quantity and rate...

Multi-stage microbial system for continuous hydrogen production

DOEpatents

Kosourov, Sergey; Ghirardi, Maria L.; Seibert, Michael

2010-06-08

A method of using sequential chemostat culture vessels to provide continuous H.sub.2 production, in which photosynthetic O.sub.2 evolution and H.sub.2 photoproduction are separated physically into two separate bioreactors, comprising: a) growing a microorganism culture able to continuously generate H.sub.2 by photosynthetically producing cells at about the early-to-late log state in a first photobioreactor operating as a sulfur chemostat under aerobic and/or conditions; b) continuously feeding cells from the first photobioreactor to a second photobioreactor operating under anaerobic conditions and sulfur deprivation conditions resulting from constant uptake of sulfate in the first bioreactor and a low rate of culture flow between the first and second bioreactors, for induction of hydrogenase and H.sub.2 photoproduction to allow for continuous cultivation of the microorganism's cells in the first photobioreactor and constant H.sub.2 production in the second photobioreactor, and c) H.sub.2 gas from the second photobioreactor.

An updated and conservative systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiological evidence on psychotic experiences in children and adults: on the pathway from proneness to persistence to dimensional expression across mental disorders.

PubMed

Linscott, R J; van Os, J

2013-06-01

The psychosis-proneness-persistence-impairment model of psychotic disorder incorporates notions of both phenomenological and temporal continuity (persistence) of psychotic experiences (PE), but not structural continuity. Specific testable propositions of phenomenological continuity and persistence are identified. Method Propositions are tested by systematic reviews of the epidemiology of PE, persistence of PE and disorder outcomes, and meta-analyses (including Monte Carlo permutation sampling, MCPS) of reported rates and odds ratios (ORs). Estimates of the incidence and prevalence of PE obtained from 61 cohorts revealed a median annual incidence of 2.5% and a prevalence of 7.2%. Meta-analysis of risk factors identified age, minority or migrant status, income, education, employment, marital status, alcohol use, cannabis use, stress, urbanicity and family history of mental illness as important predictors of PE. The mode of assessment accounted for significant variance in the observed rates. Across cohorts, the probability of persistence was very strongly related to the rate of PE at baseline. Of those who report PE, ∼20% go on to experience persistent PE whereas for ∼80%, PE remit over time. Of those with baseline PE, 7.4% develop a psychotic disorder outcome. Compelling support is found for the phenomenological and temporal continuity between PE and psychotic disorder and for the fundamental proposition that this relationship is probabilistic. However, imprecision in epidemiological research design, measurement limitations and the epiphenomenological nature of PE invite further robust scrutiny of the continuity theory.

New Laboratory Methods for Characterizing the Immersion Factors for Irradiance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hooker, Stanford B. (Editor); Firestone, Elaine R. (Editor); Zibordi, Giuseppe; DAlimonte, Davide; vaderLinde, Dirk; Brown, James W.

2003-01-01

The experimental determination of the immersion factor, I(sub f)(lambda), of irradiance collectors is a requirement of any in-water radiometer. The eighth SeaWiFS Intercalibration Round-Robin Experiment (SIRREX-8) showed different implementations, at different laboratories, of the same I(sub f)(lambda) measurement protocol. The different implementations make use of different setups, volumes, and water types. Consequently, they exhibit different accuracies and require different execution times for characterizing an irradiance sensor. In view of standardizing the characterization of I(sub f)(lambda) values for in-water radiometers, together with an increase in the accuracy of methods and a decrease in the execution time, alternative methods are presented, and assessed versus the traditional method. The proposed new laboratory methods include: a) the continuous method, in which optical measurements taken with discrete water depths are substituted by continuous profiles created by removing the water from the water vessel at a constant flow rate (which significantly reduces the time required for the characterization of a single radiometer); and b) the Compact Portable Advanced Characterization Tank (ComPACT) method, in which the commonly used large tanks are replaced by a small water vessel, thereby allowing the determination of I(sub f)(lambda) values with a small water volume, and more importantly, permitting I(sub f)(lambda) characterizations with pure water. Intercomparisons between the continuous and the traditional method showed results within the variance of I(sub f) (lambda) determinations. The use of the continuous method, however, showed a much shorter realization time. Intercomparisons between the ComPACT and the traditional method showed generally higher I(sub f)(lambda) values for the former. This is in agreement with the generalized expectations of a reduction in scattering effects, because of the use of pure water with the ComPACT method versus the use of tap water with the traditional method.

Estimation for general birth-death processes

PubMed Central

Crawford, Forrest W.; Minin, Vladimir N.; Suchard, Marc A.

2013-01-01

Birth-death processes (BDPs) are continuous-time Markov chains that track the number of “particles” in a system over time. While widely used in population biology, genetics and ecology, statistical inference of the instantaneous particle birth and death rates remains largely limited to restrictive linear BDPs in which per-particle birth and death rates are constant. Researchers often observe the number of particles at discrete times, necessitating data augmentation procedures such as expectation-maximization (EM) to find maximum likelihood estimates. For BDPs on finite state-spaces, there are powerful matrix methods for computing the conditional expectations needed for the E-step of the EM algorithm. For BDPs on infinite state-spaces, closed-form solutions for the E-step are available for some linear models, but most previous work has resorted to time-consuming simulation. Remarkably, we show that the E-step conditional expectations can be expressed as convolutions of computable transition probabilities for any general BDP with arbitrary rates. This important observation, along with a convenient continued fraction representation of the Laplace transforms of the transition probabilities, allows for novel and efficient computation of the conditional expectations for all BDPs, eliminating the need for truncation of the state-space or costly simulation. We use this insight to derive EM algorithms that yield maximum likelihood estimation for general BDPs characterized by various rate models, including generalized linear models. We show that our Laplace convolution technique outperforms competing methods when they are available and demonstrate a technique to accelerate EM algorithm convergence. We validate our approach using synthetic data and then apply our methods to cancer cell growth and estimation of mutation parameters in microsatellite evolution. PMID:25328261

Estimation for general birth-death processes.

PubMed

Crawford, Forrest W; Minin, Vladimir N; Suchard, Marc A

2014-04-01

Birth-death processes (BDPs) are continuous-time Markov chains that track the number of "particles" in a system over time. While widely used in population biology, genetics and ecology, statistical inference of the instantaneous particle birth and death rates remains largely limited to restrictive linear BDPs in which per-particle birth and death rates are constant. Researchers often observe the number of particles at discrete times, necessitating data augmentation procedures such as expectation-maximization (EM) to find maximum likelihood estimates. For BDPs on finite state-spaces, there are powerful matrix methods for computing the conditional expectations needed for the E-step of the EM algorithm. For BDPs on infinite state-spaces, closed-form solutions for the E-step are available for some linear models, but most previous work has resorted to time-consuming simulation. Remarkably, we show that the E-step conditional expectations can be expressed as convolutions of computable transition probabilities for any general BDP with arbitrary rates. This important observation, along with a convenient continued fraction representation of the Laplace transforms of the transition probabilities, allows for novel and efficient computation of the conditional expectations for all BDPs, eliminating the need for truncation of the state-space or costly simulation. We use this insight to derive EM algorithms that yield maximum likelihood estimation for general BDPs characterized by various rate models, including generalized linear models. We show that our Laplace convolution technique outperforms competing methods when they are available and demonstrate a technique to accelerate EM algorithm convergence. We validate our approach using synthetic data and then apply our methods to cancer cell growth and estimation of mutation parameters in microsatellite evolution.

Trends of Occupational Fatalities Involving Machines, United States, 1992–2010

PubMed Central

Marsh, Suzanne M.; Fosbroke, David E.

2016-01-01

Background This paper describes trends of occupational machine-related fatalities from 1992–2010. We examine temporal patterns by worker demographics, machine types (e.g., stationary, mobile), and industries. Methods We analyzed fatalities from Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. We used injury source to identify machine-related incidents and Poisson regression to assess trends over the 19-year period. Results There was an average annual decrease of 2.8% in overall machine-related fatality rates from 1992 through 2010. Mobile machine-related fatality rates decreased an average of 2.6% annually and stationary machine-related rates decreased an average of 3.5% annually. Groups that continued to be at high risk included older workers; self-employed; and workers in agriculture/forestry/fishing, construction, and mining. Conclusion Addressing dangers posed by tractors, excavators, and other mobile machines needs to continue. High-risk worker groups should receive targeted information on machine safety. PMID:26358658

Development of synchronized, autonomous, and self-regulated oscillations in transpiration rate of a whole tomato plant under water stress.

PubMed

Wallach, Rony; Da-Costa, Noam; Raviv, Michael; Moshelion, Menachem

2010-07-01

Plants respond to many environmental changes by rapidly adjusting their hydraulic conductivity and transpiration rate, thereby optimizing water-use efficiency and preventing damage due to low water potential. A multiple-load-cell apparatus, time-series analysis of the measured data, and residual low-pass filtering methods were used to monitor continuously and analyse transpiration of potted tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum cv. Ailsa Craig) grown in a temperature-controlled greenhouse during well-irrigated and drought periods. A time derivative of the filtered residual time series yielded oscillatory behaviour of the whole plant's transpiration (WPT) rate. A subsequent cross-correlation analysis between the WPT oscillatory pattern and wet-wick evaporation rates (vertical cotton fabric, 0.14 m(2) partly submerged in water in a container placed on an adjacent load cell) revealed that autonomous oscillations in WPT rate develop under a continuous increase in water stress, whereas these oscillations correspond with the fluctuations in evaporation rate when water is fully available. The relative amplitude of these autonomous oscillations increased with water stress as transpiration rate decreased. These results support the recent finding that an increase in xylem tension triggers hydraulic signals that spread instantaneously via the plant vascular system and control leaf conductance. The regulatory role of synchronized oscillations in WPT rate in eliminating critical xylem tension points and preventing embolism is discussed.

The impact of failing to identify suspect effort in patients undergoing adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessment.

PubMed

Marshall, Paul S; Hoelzle, James B; Heyerdahl, Danielle; Nelson, Nathaniel W

2016-10-01

[Correction Notice: An Erratum for this article was reported in Vol 28(10) of Psychological Assessment (see record 2016-22725-001). In the article, the penultimate sentence of the abstract should read “These results suggest that a significant percentage of those making a suspect effort will be diagnosed with ADHD using the most commonly employed assessment methods: an interview alone (71%); an interview and ADHD behavior rating scales combined (65%); and an interview, behavior rating scales, and most continuous performance tests combined (62%).” All versions of this article have been corrected.] This retrospective study examines how many adult patients would plausibly receive a diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) if performance and symptom validity measures were not administered during neuropsychological evaluations. Five hundred fifty-four patients were extracted from an archival clinical dataset. A total of 102 were diagnosed with ADHD based on cognitive testing, behavior rating scales, effort testing, and clinical interview; 115 were identified as putting forth suspect effort in accordance with the Slick, Sherman, and Iverson (1999) criteria. From a clinical decision-making perspective, suspect effort and ADHD groups were nearly indistinguishable on ADHD behavior, executive function, and functional impairment rating scales, as well as on cognitive testing and key clinical interview questions. These results suggest that a significant percentage of those making a suspect effort will be diagnosed with ADHD using the most commonly employed assessment methods: an interview alone (71%); an interview and ADHD behavior rating scales combined (65%); and an interview, behavior rating scales, and most continuous performance tests combined (62%) [corrected]. This research makes clear that it is essential to evaluate task engagement and possible symptom amplification during clinical evaluations. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved

Power-law behaviour evaluation from foreign exchange market data using a wavelet transform method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, H. L.; Billings, S. A.

2009-09-01

Numerous studies in the literature have shown that the dynamics of many time series including observations in foreign exchange markets exhibit scaling behaviours. A simple new statistical approach, derived from the concept of the continuous wavelet transform correlation function (WTCF), is proposed for the evaluation of power-law properties from observed data. The new method reveals that foreign exchange rates obey power-laws and thus belong to the class of self-similarity processes.

A New Highly Sensitive Method to Assess Respiration Rates and Kinetics of Natural Planktonic Communities by Use of the Switchable Trace Oxygen Sensor and Reduced Oxygen Concentrations

PubMed Central

Tiano, Laura; Garcia-Robledo, Emilio; Revsbech, Niels Peter

2014-01-01

Oxygen respiration rates in pelagic environments are often difficult to quantify as the resolutions of our methods for O2 concentration determination are marginal for observing significant decreases during bottle incubations of less than 24 hours. Here we present the assessment of a new highly sensitive method, that combine Switchable Trace Oxygen (STOX) sensors and all-glass bottle incubations, where the O2 concentration was artificially lowered. The detection limit of respiration rate by this method is inversely proportional to the O2 concentration, down to <2 nmol L−1 h−1 for water with an initial O2 concentration of 500 nmol L−1. The method was tested in Danish coastal waters and in oceanic hypoxic waters. It proved to give precise measurements also with low oxygen consumption rates (∼7 nmol L−1 h−1), and to significantly decrease the time required for incubations (≤14 hours) compared to traditional methods. This method provides continuous real time measurements, allowing for a number of diverse possibilities, such as modeling the rate of oxygen decrease to obtain kinetic parameters. Our data revealed apparent half-saturation concentrations (Km values) one order of magnitude lower than previously reported for marine bacteria, varying between 66 and 234 nmol L−1 O2. Km values vary between different microbial planktonic communities, but our data show that it is possible to measure reliable respiration rates at concentrations ∼0.5–1 µmol L−1 O2 that are comparable to the ones measured at full air saturation. PMID:25127458

Continuation rates and reasons for discontinuation of intra-uterine device in three provinces of Pakistan: results of a 24-month prospective client follow-up.

PubMed

Hameed, Waqas; Azmat, Syed Khurram; Ishaque, Muhammad; Hussain, Wajahat; Munroe, Erik; Mustafa, Ghulam; Khan, Omar Farooq; Abbas, Ghazunfer; Ali, Safdar; Asghar, Qaiser Jamshaid; Ali, Sajid; Ahmed, Aftab; Hamza, Hasan Bin

2015-11-25

Long-acting reversible contraceptives, such as the intrauterine device (IUD), remain underutilised in Pakistan with high discontinuation rates. Based on a 24-month prospective client follow-up (nested within a larger quasi-experimental study), this paper presents the comparison of two intervention models, one using private mid-level providers branded as "Suraj" and the other using community midwives (CMWs) of Maternal Newborn and Child Health Programme, for method continuation among IUD users. Moreover, determinants of IUD continuation and the reasons for discontinuation, and switching behaviour were studied within each arm. A total of 1,163 IUD users, 824 from Suraj and 339 from the CMW model, were enrolled in this 24-month prospective client follow-up. Participants were followed-up by female community mobilisers physically every second month to ascertain continued IUD usage and to collect information on associated factors, switching behaviour, reasons for discontinuation, and pregnancy occurrence. The probabilities of IUD continuation and the risk factors for discontinuation were estimated by life table analysis and Cox proportional-hazard techniques, respectively. The cumulative probabilities of IUD continuation at 24 months in Suraj and CMW models were 82% and 80%, respectively. The difference between the two intervention areas was not significant. The probability distributions of IUD continuation were also similar in both interventions (Log rank test: χ(2) = 0.06, df = 1, P = 0.81; Breslow test: χ(2) = 0.6, df = 1, P = 0.44). Health concerns (Suraj = 57.1%, CMW = 38.7%) and pregnancy desire (Suraj = 29.3%, CMW = 40.3%) were reported as the most prominent reasons for IUD discontinuation in both intervention arms. IUD discontinuation was significantly associated with place of residence in Suraj and with age (15-25 years) in the CMW model. CMWs and private providers are equally capable of providing quality IUD services and ensuring higher method continuation. Pakistan's National Maternal Newborn and Child Health programme should consider training CMWs and providing IUDs through them. Moreover, private sector mid-level providers could be engaged in promoting the use of IUDs.

Tobacco use in popular movies during the past decade.

PubMed

Mekemson, C; Glik, D; Titus, K; Myerson, A; Shaivitz, A; Ang, A; Mitchell, S

2004-12-01

The top 50 commercially successful films released per year from 1991 to 2000 were content coded to assess trends in tobacco use over time and attributes of films predictive of higher smoking rates. This observational study used media content analysis methods to generate data about tobacco use depictions in films studied (n = 497). Films are the basic unit of analysis. Once films were coded and preliminary analysis completed, outcome data were transformed to approximate multivariate normality before being analysed with general linear models and longitudinal mixed method regression methods. Tobacco use per minute of film was the main outcome measure used. Predictor variables include attributes of films and actors. Tobacco use was defined as any cigarette, cigar, and chewing tobacco use as well as the display of smoke and cigarette paraphernalia such as ashtrays, brand names, or logos within frames of films reviewed. Smoking rates in the top films fluctuated yearly over the decade with an overall modest downward trend (p < 0.005), with the exception of R rated films where rates went up. The decrease in smoking rates found in films in the past decade is modest given extensive efforts to educate the entertainment industry on this issue over the past decade. Monitoring, education, advocacy, and policy change to bring tobacco depiction rates down further should continue.

Measuring and improving the quality of postoperative epidural analgesia for major abdominal surgery using statistical process control charts.

PubMed

Duncan, Fiona; Haigh, Carol

2013-10-01

To explore and improve the quality of continuous epidural analgesia for pain relief using Statistical Process Control tools. Measuring the quality of pain management interventions is complex. Intermittent audits do not accurately capture the results of quality improvement initiatives. The failure rate for one intervention, epidural analgesia, is approximately 30% in everyday practice, so it is an important area for improvement. Continuous measurement and analysis are required to understand the multiple factors involved in providing effective pain relief. Process control and quality improvement Routine prospectively acquired data collection started in 2006. Patients were asked about their pain and side effects of treatment. Statistical Process Control methods were applied for continuous data analysis. A multidisciplinary group worked together to identify reasons for variation in the data and instigated ideas for improvement. The key measure for improvement was a reduction in the percentage of patients with an epidural in severe pain. The baseline control charts illustrated the recorded variation in the rate of several processes and outcomes for 293 surgical patients. The mean visual analogue pain score (VNRS) was four. There was no special cause variation when data were stratified by surgeons, clinical area or patients who had experienced pain before surgery. Fifty-seven per cent of patients were hypotensive on the first day after surgery. We were able to demonstrate a significant improvement in the failure rate of epidurals as the project continued with quality improvement interventions. Statistical Process Control is a useful tool for measuring and improving the quality of pain management. The applications of Statistical Process Control methods offer the potential to learn more about the process of change and outcomes in an Acute Pain Service both locally and nationally. We have been able to develop measures for improvement and benchmarking in routine care that has led to the establishment of a national pain registry. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Efficacy and Safety of an Injectable Combination Hormonal Contraceptive for Men.

PubMed

Behre, Hermann M; Zitzmann, Michael; Anderson, Richard A; Handelsman, David J; Lestari, Silvia W; McLachlan, Robert I; Meriggiola, M Cristina; Misro, Man Mohan; Noe, Gabriela; Wu, Frederick C W; Festin, Mario Philip R; Habib, Ndema A; Vogelsong, Kirsten M; Callahan, Marianne M; Linton, Kim A; Colvard, Doug S

2016-12-01

The development of a safe and effective reversible method of male contraception is still an unmet need. Evaluation of suppression of spermatogenesis and contraceptive protection by coadministered im injections of progestogen and testosterone. Prospective multicentre study. Ten study centers. Healthy men, aged 18-45 years, and their 18- to 38-year-old female partners, both without known fertility problems. Intramuscular injections of 200-mg norethisterone enanthate combined with 1000-mg testosterone undecanoate, administered every 8 weeks. Suppression of spermatogenesis by ejaculate analysis, contraceptive protection by pregnancy rate. Of the 320 participants, 95.9 of 100 continuing users (95% confidence interval [CI], 92.8-97.9) suppressed to a sperm concentration less than or equal to 1 million/mL within 24 weeks (Kaplan-Meier method). During the efficacy phase of up to 56 weeks, 4 pregnancies occurred among the partners of the 266 male participants, with the rate of 1.57 per 100 continuing users (95% CI, 0.59-4.14). The cumulative reversibility of suppression of spermatogenesis after 52 weeks of recovery was 94.8 per 100 continuing users (95% CI, 91.5-97.1). The most common adverse events were acne, injection site pain, increased libido, and mood disorders. Following the recommendation of an external safety review committee the recruitment and hormone injections were terminated early. The study regimen led to near-complete and reversible suppression of spermatogenesis. The contraceptive efficacy was relatively good compared with other reversible methods available for men. The frequencies of mild to moderate mood disorders were relatively high.

Use of radars to monitor stream discharge by noncontact methods

USGS Publications Warehouse

Costa, J.E.; Cheng, R.T.; Haeni, F.P.; Melcher, N.; Spicer, K.R.; Hayes, E.; Plant, W.; Hayes, K.; Teague, C.; Barrick, D.

2006-01-01

Conventional measurements of river flows are costly, time‐consuming, and frequently dangerous. This report evaluates the use of a continuous wave microwave radar, a monostatic UHF Doppler radar, a pulsed Doppler microwave radar, and a ground‐penetrating radar to measure river flows continuously over long periods and without touching the water with any instruments. The experiments duplicate the flow records from conventional stream gauging stations on the San Joaquin River in California and the Cowlitz River in Washington. The purpose of the experiments was to directly measure the parameters necessary to compute flow: surface velocity (converted to mean velocity) and cross‐sectional area, thereby avoiding the uncertainty, complexity, and cost of maintaining rating curves. River channel cross sections were measured by ground‐penetrating radar suspended above the river. River surface water velocity was obtained by Bragg scattering of microwave and UHF Doppler radars, and the surface velocity data were converted to mean velocity on the basis of detailed velocity profiles measured by current meters and hydroacoustic instruments. Experiments using these radars to acquire a continuous record of flow were conducted for 4 weeks on the San Joaquin River and for 16 weeks on the Cowlitz River. At the San Joaquin River the radar noncontact measurements produced discharges more than 20% higher than the other independent measurements in the early part of the experiment. After the first 3 days, the noncontact radar discharge measurements were within 5% of the rating values. On the Cowlitz River at Castle Rock, correlation coefficients between the USGS stream gauging station rating curve discharge and discharge computed from three different Doppler radar systems and GPR data over the 16 week experiment were 0.883, 0.969, and 0.992. Noncontact radar results were within a few percent of discharge values obtained by gauging station, current meter, and hydroacoustic methods. Time series of surface velocity obtained by different radars in the Cowlitz River experiment also show small‐amplitude pulsations not found in stage records that reflect tidal energy at the gauging station. Noncontact discharge measurements made during a flood on 30 January 2004 agreed with the rated discharge to within 5%. Measurement at both field sites confirm that lognormal velocity profiles exist for a wide range of flows in these rivers, and mean velocity is approximately 0.85 times measured surface velocity. Noncontact methods of flow measurement appear to (1) be as accurate as conventional methods, (2) obtain data when standard contact methods are dangerous or cannot be obtained, and (3) provide insight into flow dynamics not available from detailed stage records alone.

Mathematical modeling of methyl ester concentration distribution in a continuous membrane tubular reactor and comparison with conventional tubular reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Talaghat, M. R.; Jokar, S. M.; Modarres, E.

2017-10-01

The reduction of fossil fuel resources and environmental issues made researchers find alternative fuels include biodiesels. One of the most widely used methods for production of biodiesel on a commercial scale is transesterification method. In this work, the biodiesel production by a transesterification method was modeled. Sodium hydroxide was considered as a catalyst to produce biodiesel from canola oil and methanol in a continuous tubular ceramic membranes reactor. As the Biodiesel production reaction from triglycerides is an equilibrium reaction, the reaction rate constants depend on temperature and related linearly to catalyst concentration. By using the mass balance for a membrane tubular reactor and considering the variation of raw materials and products concentration with time, the set of governing equations were solved by numerical methods. The results clearly show the superiority of membrane reactor than conventional tubular reactors. Afterward, the influences of molar ratio of alcohol to oil, weight percentage of the catalyst, and residence time on the performance of biodiesel production reactor were investigated.

The Use of Long Acting Reversible Contraceptives and the Relationship between Discontinuation Rates due to Menopause and to Female and Male Sterilizations.

PubMed

Ferreira, Jessica Mayra; Monteiro, Ilza; Castro, Sara; Villarroel, Marina; Silveira, Carolina; Bahamondes, Luis

2016-05-01

Introduction Women require effective contraception until they reach menopause. The long acting reversible contraceptives (LARC) and the depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA, Depo-Provera®, Pfizer, Puurs, Belgium) are great options and can replace possible sterilizations. Purpose To assess the relationship between the use of LARCs and DMPA and terminations ascribed to menopause and sterilizations in a Brazilian clinic. Methods We reviewed the records of women between 12 and 50 years of age attending the clinic that chose to use a LARC method or DMPA. Cumulative termination rates due to sterilization or because the woman had reached menopause were computed using single decrement life-table analysis over 32 years. We also examined all records of surgical sterilization at our hospital between the years 1980-2012. Results Three hundred thirty-two women had continuously used the same contraceptive until menopause, and 555 women had discontinued the method because they or their partners underwent sterilization. From year 20 to year 30 of use, levonorgestrel intrauterine-releasing system (LNG-IUS - Mirena®, Bayer Oy, Turku, Finland; available since 1980), copper intrauterine device (IUD - available since 1980) and DMPA users showed a trend of cumulative higher discontinuation rates due to menopause when compared with the discontinuation rates due to sterilization. Over the study period, a steep decline in the use of sterilization occurred. Conclusion Over the past 15 years of research we have observed a trend: women usually preferred to continue using LARC methods or DMPA until menopause rather than decide for sterilization, be it their own, or their partners'. The annual number of sterilizations dropped in the same period. The use of LARC methods and DMPA until menopause is an important option to avoid sterilization, which requires a surgical procedure with potential complications. Thieme Publicações Ltda Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Induction of labour: a continuous quality improvement and peer review program to improve the quality of care

PubMed Central

Harris, Susan; Buchinski, Bev; Gryzbowski, Stefan; Janssen, Patti; Mitchell, G.W. Erle; Farquharson, Duncan

2000-01-01

This article describes a program developed to improve the process of planned induction of labour and to reduce the rates of inappropriate induction. The setting is a tertiary-care maternity hospital in urban Vancouver, BC, in which 7000 deliveries take place annually. Approximately 65% of these can be considered primary care; the remainder are secondary- or tertiary-level cases. Continuous quality improvement (CQI) methods were used by a multidisciplinary team, which included nursing staff, physicians, health records personnel and a CQI facilitator. Interventions included the development of a new induction-booking process, clear criteria for induction, feedback to caregivers about changes and a peer review system to oversee and maintain improvement. The overall induction rate for the institution decreased, and this change has been maintained. PMID:11079064

The surgical learning curve and accuracy of minimally invasive lumbar pedicle screw placement using CT based computer-assisted navigation plus continuous electromyography monitoring – a retrospective review of 627 screws in 150 patients

PubMed Central

McMillen, Jason

2014-01-01

Objective This study retrospectively assessed the accuracy of placement of lumbar pedicle screws placed by a single surgeon using a minimally-invasive, intra-operative CT-based computer navigated technique in combination with continuous electromyography (EMG) monitoring. The rates of incorrectly positioned screws were reviewed in the context of the surgeon's experience and learning curve. Methods Data was retrospectively reviewed from all consecutive minimally invasive lumbar fusions performed by the primary author over a period of over 4 years from April 2008 until October 2012. All cases that had utilized computer-assisted intra-operative CT-based image guidance and continuous EMG monitoring to guide percutaneous pedicle screw placement were analysed for the rates of malposition of the pedicle screws. Pedicle screw malposition was defined as having occurred if the screw trajectory was adjusted intraoperatively due to positive EMG responses, or due to breach of the pedicle cortex by more than 2mm on intraoperative CT imaging performed at the end of the instrumentation procedure. Further analysis of the data was undertaken to determine if the rates of malposition changed with the surgeon's experience with the technique. Results Six hundred and twenty-seven pedicle screws were placed in one hundred and fifty patients. The overall rate of intraoperative malposition and subsequent adjustment of pedicle screw placement was 3.8% (24 of 627 screws). Screw malposition was detected by intraoperative CT imaging. Warning of potential screw misplacement was provided by use of the EMG monitoring. With increased experience with the technique, rates of intraoperative pedicle screw malposition were found to decrease from 5.1% of screws in the first fifty patients, to 2.0% in the last 50 patients. Only one screw was suboptimally placed at the end of surgery, which did not result in a neurological deficit. Conclusion The use of CT-based computer-assisted navigation in combination with continuous EMG monitoring during percutaneous transpedicular screw placement results in very low rates of malposition and neural injury that compare favourably with previously reported rates. Pedicle screw placement accuracy continues to improve as the surgeon becomes more experienced with the technique. PMID:25694919

A direct comparison of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's method 304B and batch tests for determining activated-sludge biodegradation rate constants for volatile organic compounds

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

Cano, M.L.; Wilcox, M.E.; Compernolle, R. van

Biodegradation rate constants for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in activated-sludge systems are needed to quantify emissions. One current US environmental Protection Agency method for determining a biodegradation rate constant is Method 304B. In this approach, a specific activated-sludge unit is simulated by a continuous biological treatment system with a sealed headspace. Batch experiments, however, can be alternatives to Method 304B. Two of these batch methods are the batch test that uses oxygen addition (BOX) and the serum bottle test (SBT). In this study, Method 304B was directly compared to BOX and SBT experiments. A pilot-scale laboratory reactor was constructed tomore » serve as the Method 304B unit. Biomass from the unit was also used to conduct BOX and modified SBT experiments (modification involved use of a sealed draft-tube reactor with a headspace recirculation pump instead of a serum bottle) for 1,2-dichloroethane, diisopropyl ether, methyl tertiary butyl ether, and toluene. Three experimental runs--each consisting of one Method 304B experiment, one BOX experiment, and one modified SBT experiment--were completed. The BOX and SBT data for each run were analyzed using a Monod model, and best-fit biodegradation kinetic parameters were determined for each experiment, including a first-order biodegradation rate constant (K{sub 1}). Experimental results suggest that for readily biodegradable VOCs the two batch techniques can provide improved means of determining biodegradation rate constants compared with Method 304B. In particular, these batch techniques avoid the Method 304B problem associated with steady-state effluent concentrations below analytical detection limits. However, experimental results also suggest that the two batch techniques should not be used to determine biodegradation rate constants for slowly degraded VOCs (i.e., K{sub 1} {lt} 0.1 L/g VSS-h).« less

Multicenter Study Validating Accuracy of a Continuous Respiratory Rate Measurement Derived From Pulse Oximetry: A Comparison With Capnography.

PubMed

Bergese, Sergio D; Mestek, Michael L; Kelley, Scott D; McIntyre, Robert; Uribe, Alberto A; Sethi, Rakesh; Watson, James N; Addison, Paul S

2017-04-01

Intermittent measurement of respiratory rate via observation is routine in many patient care settings. This approach has several inherent limitations that diminish the clinical utility of these measurements because it is intermittent, susceptible to human error, and requires clinical resources. As an alternative, a software application that derives continuous respiratory rate measurement from a standard pulse oximeter has been developed. We sought to determine the performance characteristics of this new technology by comparison with clinician-reviewed capnography waveforms in both healthy subjects and hospitalized patients in a low-acuity care setting. Two independent observational studies were conducted to validate the performance of the Medtronic Nellcor Respiration Rate Software application. One study enrolled 26 healthy volunteer subjects in a clinical laboratory, and a second multicenter study enrolled 53 hospitalized patients. During a 30-minute study period taking place while participants were breathing spontaneously, pulse oximeter and nasal/oral capnography waveforms were collected. Pulse oximeter waveforms were processed to determine respiratory rate via the Medtronic Nellcor Respiration Rate Software. Capnography waveforms reviewed by a clinician were used to determine the reference respiratory rate. A total of 23,243 paired observations between the pulse oximeter-derived respiratory rate and the capnography reference method were collected and examined. The mean reference-based respiratory rate was 15.3 ± 4.3 breaths per minute with a range of 4 to 34 breaths per minute. The Pearson correlation coefficient between the Medtronic Nellcor Respiration Rate Software values and the capnography reference respiratory rate is reported as a linear correlation, R, as 0.92 ± 0.02 (P < .001), whereas Lin's concordance correlation coefficient indicates an overall agreement of 0.85 ± 0.04 (95% confidence interval [CI] +0.76; +0.93) (healthy volunteers: 0.94 ± 0.02 [95% CI +0.91; +0.97]; hospitalized patients: 0.80 ± 0.06 [95% CI +0.68; +0.92]). The mean bias of the Medtronic Nellcor Respiration Rate Software was 0.18 breaths per minute with a precision (SD) of 1.65 breaths per minute (healthy volunteers: 0.37 ± 0.78 [95% limits of agreement: -1.16; +1.90] breaths per minute; hospitalized patients: 0.07 ± 1.99 [95% limits of agreement: -3.84; +3.97] breaths per minute). The root mean square deviation was 1.35 breaths per minute (healthy volunteers: 0.81; hospitalized patients: 1.60). These data demonstrate the performance of the Medtronic Nellcor Respiration Rate Software in healthy subjects and patients hospitalized in a low-acuity care setting when compared with clinician-reviewed capnography. The observed performance of this technology suggests that it may be a useful adjunct to continuous pulse oximetry monitoring by providing continuous respiratory rate measurements. The potential patient safety benefit of using combined continuous pulse oximetry and respiratory rate monitoring warrants assessment.

Continuous extraction of phenolic compounds from pomegranate peel using high voltage electrical discharge.

PubMed

Xi, Jun; He, Lang; Yan, Liang-Gong

2017-09-01

Pomegranate peel, a waste generated from fruit processing industry, is a potential source of phenolic compounds that are known for their anti-oxidative properties. In this study, a continuous high voltage electrical discharge (HVED) extraction system was for the first time designed and optimized for phenolic compounds from pomegranate peel. The optimal conditions for HVED were: flow rate of materials 12mL/min, electrodes gap distance 3.1mm (corresponding to 29kV/cm of electric field intensity) and liquid to solid ratio 35mL/g. Under these conditions, the experimental yield of phenolic compounds was 196.7±6.4mg/g, which closely agreed with the predicted value (199.83mg/g). Compared with the warm water maceration, HVED method possessed higher efficiency for the extraction of phenolic compounds. The results demonstrated that HVED technique could be a very effective method for continuous extraction of natural compounds. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A long-term study on the effect of magnetite supplementation in continuous anaerobic digestion of dairy effluent - Magnetic separation and recycling of magnetite.

PubMed

Baek, Gahyun; Jung, Heejung; Kim, Jaai; Lee, Changsoo

2017-10-01

Promotion of direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) between exoelectrogenic bacteria and electron-utilizing methanogens has recently been discussed as a new method for enhanced biomethanation. This study evaluated the effect of magnetite-promoted DIET in continuous anaerobic digestion of dairy effluent and tested the magnetic separation and recycling of magnetite to avoid continuous magnetite addition. The applied magnetite recycling method effectively supported enhanced DIET activity and biomethanation performance over a long period (>250days) without adding extra magnetite. DIET via magnetite particles as electrical conduits was likely the main mechanism for the enhanced biomethanation. Magnetite formed complex aggregate structures with microbes, and magnetite recycling also helped retain more biomass in the process. Methanosaeta was likely the major methanogen group responsible for DIET-based methanogenesis, in association with Proteobacteria and Chloroflexi populations as syntrophic partners. The recycling approach proved robust and effective, highlighting the potential of magnetite recycling for high-rate biomethanation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of novel stochastic switched SILI epidemic models with continuous and impulsive control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Shujing; Zhong, Deming; Zhang, Yan

2018-04-01

In this paper, we establish two new stochastic switched epidemic models with continuous and impulsive control. The stochastic perturbations are considered for the natural death rate in each equation of the models. Firstly, a stochastic switched SILI model with continuous control schemes is investigated. By using Lyapunov-Razumikhin method, the sufficient conditions for extinction in mean are established. Our result shows that the disease could be die out theoretically if threshold value R is less than one, regardless of whether the disease-free solutions of the corresponding subsystems are stable or unstable. Then, a stochastic switched SILI model with continuous control schemes and pulse vaccination is studied. The threshold value R is derived. The global attractivity of the model is also obtained. At last, numerical simulations are carried out to support our results.

A modified Dodge algorithm for the parabolized Navier-Stokes equations and compressible duct flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooke, C. H.; Dwoyer, D. M.

1983-01-01

A revised version of Dodge's split-velocity method for numerical calculation of compressible duct flow was developed. The revision incorporates balancing of mass flow rates on each marching step in order to maintain front-to-back continuity during the calculation. The (checkerboard) zebra algorithm is applied to solution of the three dimensional continuity equation in conservative form. A second-order A-stable linear multistep method is employed in effecting a marching solution of the parabolized momentum equations. A checkerboard iteration is used to solve the resulting implicit nonlinear systems of finite-difference equations which govern stepwise transition. Qualitative agreement with analytical predictions and experimental results was obtained for some flows with well-known solutions. Previously announced in STAR as N82-16363

The Large Ring Laser G for Continuous Earth Rotation Monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schreiber, K. U.; Klügel, T.; Velikoseltsev, A.; Schlüter, W.; Stedman, G. E.; Wells, J.-P. R.

2009-09-01

Ring Laser gyroscopes exploit the Sagnac effect and measure rotations absolute. They do not require an external reference frame and therefore provide an independent method to monitor Earth rotation. Large-scale versions of these gyroscopes promise to eventually provide a similar high resolution for the measurement of the variations in the Earth rotation rate as the established methods based on VLBI and GNSS. This would open the door to a continuous monitoring of LOD (Length of Day) and polar motion, which is not yet available today. Another advantage is the access to the sub-daily frequency regime of Earth rotation. The ring laser “G” (Grossring), located at the Geodetic Observatory Wettzell (Germany) is the most advanced realization of such a large gyroscope. This paper outlines the current sensor design and properties.

Multimodal game bot detection using user behavioral characteristics.

PubMed

Kang, Ah Reum; Jeong, Seong Hoon; Mohaisen, Aziz; Kim, Huy Kang

2016-01-01

As the online service industry has continued to grow, illegal activities in the online world have drastically increased and become more diverse. Most illegal activities occur continuously because cyber assets, such as game items and cyber money in online games, can be monetized into real currency. The aim of this study is to detect game bots in a massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG). We observed the behavioral characteristics of game bots and found that they execute repetitive tasks associated with gold farming and real money trading. We propose a game bot detection method based on user behavioral characteristics. The method of this paper was applied to real data provided by a major MMORPG company. Detection accuracy rate increased to 96.06 % on the banned account list.

Solar Flare Physics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmahl, Edward J.; Kundu, Mukul R.

1998-01-01

We have continued our previous efforts in studies of fourier imaging methods applied to hard X-ray flares. We have performed physical and theoretical analysis of rotating collimator grids submitted to GSFC(Goddard Space Flight Center) for the High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (HESSI). We have produced simulation algorithms which are currently being used to test imaging software and hardware for HESSI. We have developed Maximum-Entropy, Maximum-Likelihood, and "CLEAN" methods for reconstructing HESSI images from count-rate profiles. This work is expected to continue through the launch of HESSI in July, 2000. Section 1 shows a poster presentation "Image Reconstruction from HESSI Photon Lists" at the Solar Physics Division Meeting, June 1998; Section 2 shows the text and viewgraphs prepared for "Imaging Simulations" at HESSI's Preliminary Design Review on July 30, 1998.

Automated pathologies detection in retina digital images based on complex continuous wavelet transform phase angles.

PubMed

Lahmiri, Salim; Gargour, Christian S; Gabrea, Marcel

2014-10-01

An automated diagnosis system that uses complex continuous wavelet transform (CWT) to process retina digital images and support vector machines (SVMs) for classification purposes is presented. In particular, each retina image is transformed into two one-dimensional signals by concatenating image rows and columns separately. The mathematical norm of phase angles found in each one-dimensional signal at each level of CWT decomposition are relied on to characterise the texture of normal images against abnormal images affected by exudates, drusen and microaneurysms. The leave-one-out cross-validation method was adopted to conduct experiments and the results from the SVM show that the proposed approach gives better results than those obtained by other methods based on the correct classification rate, sensitivity and specificity.

Use of generalised additive models to categorise continuous variables in clinical prediction

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background In medical practice many, essentially continuous, clinical parameters tend to be categorised by physicians for ease of decision-making. Indeed, categorisation is a common practice both in medical research and in the development of clinical prediction rules, particularly where the ensuing models are to be applied in daily clinical practice to support clinicians in the decision-making process. Since the number of categories into which a continuous predictor must be categorised depends partly on the relationship between the predictor and the outcome, the need for more than two categories must be borne in mind. Methods We propose a categorisation methodology for clinical-prediction models, using Generalised Additive Models (GAMs) with P-spline smoothers to determine the relationship between the continuous predictor and the outcome. The proposed method consists of creating at least one average-risk category along with high- and low-risk categories based on the GAM smooth function. We applied this methodology to a prospective cohort of patients with exacerbated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The predictors selected were respiratory rate and partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the blood (PCO2), and the response variable was poor evolution. An additive logistic regression model was used to show the relationship between the covariates and the dichotomous response variable. The proposed categorisation was compared to the continuous predictor as the best option, using the AIC and AUC evaluation parameters. The sample was divided into a derivation (60%) and validation (40%) samples. The first was used to obtain the cut points while the second was used to validate the proposed methodology. Results The three-category proposal for the respiratory rate was ≤ 20;(20,24];> 24, for which the following values were obtained: AIC=314.5 and AUC=0.638. The respective values for the continuous predictor were AIC=317.1 and AUC=0.634, with no statistically significant differences being found between the two AUCs (p =0.079). The four-category proposal for PCO2 was ≤ 43;(43,52];(52,65];> 65, for which the following values were obtained: AIC=258.1 and AUC=0.81. No statistically significant differences were found between the AUC of the four-category option and that of the continuous predictor, which yielded an AIC of 250.3 and an AUC of 0.825 (p =0.115). Conclusions Our proposed method provides clinicians with the number and location of cut points for categorising variables, and performs as successfully as the original continuous predictor when it comes to developing clinical prediction rules. PMID:23802742

Electrooculography-based continuous eye-writing recognition system for efficient assistive communication systems

PubMed Central

Shinozaki, Takahiro

2018-01-01

Human-computer interface systems whose input is based on eye movements can serve as a means of communication for patients with locked-in syndrome. Eye-writing is one such system; users can input characters by moving their eyes to follow the lines of the strokes corresponding to characters. Although this input method makes it easy for patients to get started because of their familiarity with handwriting, existing eye-writing systems suffer from slow input rates because they require a pause between input characters to simplify the automatic recognition process. In this paper, we propose a continuous eye-writing recognition system that achieves a rapid input rate because it accepts characters eye-written continuously, with no pauses. For recognition purposes, the proposed system first detects eye movements using electrooculography (EOG), and then a hidden Markov model (HMM) is applied to model the EOG signals and recognize the eye-written characters. Additionally, this paper investigates an EOG adaptation that uses a deep neural network (DNN)-based HMM. Experiments with six participants showed an average input speed of 27.9 character/min using Japanese Katakana as the input target characters. A Katakana character-recognition error rate of only 5.0% was achieved using 13.8 minutes of adaptation data. PMID:29425248

Remission and Recovery in the Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS): Acute and Long-term Outcomes

PubMed Central

Kennard, Betsy D.; Silva, Susan G.; Tonev, Simon; Rohde, Paul; Hughes, Jennifer L.; Vitiello, Benedetto; Kratochvil, Christopher J.; Curry, John F.; Emslie, Graham J.; Reinecke, Mark; March, John

2010-01-01

Objective We examine remission rate probabilities, recovery rates, and residual symptoms across 36 weeks in the Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS). Method TADS, a multisite clinical trial, randomized 439 adolescents with major depressive disorder (MDD) to 12 weeks of treatment to fluoxetine (FLX), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), their combination (COMB), or pill placebo (PBO). The PBO group, treated openly after week 12, was not included in the subsequent analyses. Treatment differences in remission rates and probabilities of remission over time are compared. Recovery rates in remitters at week 12 (acute phase remitters) and week 18 (continuation phase remitters) are summarized. We also examined whether residual symptoms at the end of 12 weeks of acute treatment predicted later remission. Results At Week 36, the estimated remission rates for intention-to-treat cases were: COMB: 60%, FLX: 55%; CBT: 64%; overall: 60%. Paired comparisons reveal that at week 24 all active treatments converge on remission outcomes. The recovery rate at Week 36 was 65% for acute phase remitters and 71% for continuation phase remitters, with no significant between-treatment differences in recovery rates. Residual symptoms at the end of acute treatment predicted failure to achieve remission at weeks 18 and 36. Conclusions The majority of depressed adolescents in all three treatment modalities achieved remission at the end of nine months of treatment. PMID:19127172

The International Epidemiology of Child Sexual Abuse: A Continuation of Finkelhor (1994)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pereda, Noemi; Guilera, Georgina; Forns, Maria; Gomez-Benito, Juana

2009-01-01

Objective: The purpose of this paper was to compare the prevalence rates of child sexual abuse reported by [Finkelhor, D. (1994). "The international epidemiology of child sexual abuse." "Child Abuse & Neglect," 18 (5), 409-417] with those found in recent publications in order to confirm the widespread prevalence of child sexual abuse. Methods:…

Children's Problems Predict Adults' "DSM-IV" Disorders across 24 Years

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reef, Joni; van Meurs, Inge; Verhulst, Frank C.; van der Ende, Jan

2010-01-01

Objective: The goal of this study was to determine continuities of a broad range of psychopathology from childhood into middle adulthood in a general population sample across a 24-year follow-up. Method: In 1983, parent ratings of children's problems were collected with the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) in a general population sample of 2,076…

Relationship between Effective Application of Machine Learning and Malware Detection: A Quantitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Enfinger, Kerry Wayne

2016-01-01

The number of malicious files present in the public domain continues to rise at a substantial rate. Current anti-malware software utilizes a signature-based method to detect the presence of malicious software. Generating these pattern signatures is time consuming due to malicious code complexity and the need for expert analysis, however, by making…

Songs of Despair: A Case Study of Adolescent Suicide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sapp, Allen D.

This report outlines the extent of the problem of adolescent suicide in the United States, noting that suicide is the third leading cause of death among adolescents in this country and that the rate of suicide by adolescents is expected to continue to increase in the future. It examines one adolescent suicide, using the case study method, to…

29 CFR 776.5 - Coverage not dependent on method of compensation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... less than a specified rate “an hour”. 15 This does not mean that employees cannot be paid on a... Section 776.5 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) WAGE AND HOUR DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR... THE GENERAL COVERAGE OF THE WAGE AND HOURS PROVISIONS OF THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT OF 1938 General...

Cultural Community Connection and College Success: An Examination of Southeast Asian American College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Museus, Samuel D.; Shiroma, Kiana; Dizon, Jude Paul

2016-01-01

Low rates of college success continue to be a persisting problem in the United States, particularly among Southeast Asian Americans and other populations of color. The purpose of the current inquiry was to understand how cultural community connections influence the success of Southeast Asian American college students. Qualitative methods were…

Examining Measurement Invariance and Differential Item Functioning with Discrete Latent Construct Indicators: A Note on a Multiple Testing Procedure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raykov, Tenko; Dimitrov, Dimiter M.; Marcoulides, George A.; Li, Tatyana; Menold, Natalja

2018-01-01

A latent variable modeling method for studying measurement invariance when evaluating latent constructs with multiple binary or binary scored items with no guessing is outlined. The approach extends the continuous indicator procedure described by Raykov and colleagues, utilizes similarly the false discovery rate approach to multiple testing, and…

Modification of the BioMedicus centrifugal pump to provide continuous irrigation for neuroendoscopy: technical note.

PubMed

Koueik, Joyce; Rocque, Brandon G; Henry, Jordan; Bragg, Taryn; Paul, Jennifer; Iskandar, Bermans J

2018-02-01

Continuous irrigation is an important adjunct for successful intraventricular endoscopy, particularly for complex cases. It allows better visualization by washing out blood and debris, improves navigation by expanding the ventricles, and assists with tissue dissection. A method of irrigation delivery using a centrifugal pump designed originally for cardiac surgery is presented. The BioMedicus centrifugal pump has the desirable ability to deliver a continuous laminar flow of fluid that excludes air from the system. A series of modifications to the pump tubing was performed to adapt it to neuroendoscopy. Equipment testing determined flow and pressure responses at various settings and simulated clinical conditions. The pump was then studied clinically in 11 endoscopy cases and eventually used in 310 surgical cases. Modifications of the pump tubing allowed for integration with different endoscopy systems. Constant flow rates were achieved with and without surgical instruments through the working ports. Optimal flow rates ranged between 30 and 100 ml/min depending on endoscope size. Intraoperative use was well tolerated with no permanent morbidity and showed consistent flow rates, minimal air accumulation, and seamless irrigation bag replacement during prolonged surgery. Although the pump is equipped with an internal safety mechanism to protect against pressure buildup when outflow obstructions occur, equipment testing revealed that flow cessation is not instantaneous enough to protect against sudden intracranial pressure elevation. A commonly available cardiac pump system was modified to provide continuous irrigation for intraventricular endoscopy. The system alleviates the problems of inconsistent flow rates, air in the irrigation lines, and delays in changing irrigation bags, thereby optimizing patient safety and surgical efficiency. Safe use of the pump requires good ventricular outflow and, clearly, sound surgical judgment.

Present and future contraception: does discovery of targets lead to new contraceptives?

PubMed

Jensen, Jeffrey T

2015-01-01

Although many highly effective methods of reversible contraception are available, high rates of unintended pregnancy and abortion provide evidence that current methods do not meet the needs of all couples. In recent years, a number of highly specific targets have been identified in key pathways that regulate the development of male and female gametes. Support for development of novel approaches has moved from industry to governmental and foundation funders. Continued public funding will be needed to move promising leads into clinical trials.

Rescuer fatigue during actual in-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation with audiovisual feedback: a prospective multicenter study

PubMed Central

Sugerman, Noah T.; Herzberg, Daniel; Leary, Marion; Weidman, Elizabeth K.; Edelson, Dana P.; Vanden Hoek, Terry L.; Becker, Lance B.; Abella, Benjamin S.

2009-01-01

Background Rescuer fatigue during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a likely contributor to variable CPR quality during clinical resuscitation efforts, yet investigations into fatigue and CPR quality degradation have only been performed in simulated environments, with widely conflicting results. Objective We sought to characterize CPR quality decay during actual in-hospital cardiac arrest, with regard to both chest compression (CC) rate and depth during the delivery of CCs by individual rescuers over time. Methods Using CPR-recording technology to objectively quantify CCs and provide audiovisual feedback, we prospectively collected CPR performance data from arrest events in two hospitals. We identified continuous CPR “blocks” from individual rescuers, assessing CC rate and depth over time. Results 135 blocks of continuous CPR were identified from 42 cardiac arrests at the two institutions. Median duration of continuous CPR blocks was 112 sec (IQR 101–122). CC rate did not change significantly over single rescuer performance, with an initial mean rate of 105 ± 11 / min, and a mean rate after 3 min of 106 ± 9 / min (p=NS). However, CC depth decayed significantly starting between 90 sec and 2 min, falling from a mean of 48.3 ± 9.6 mm to 46.0 ± 9.0 mm (p=0.0006) and to 43.7 ± 7.4 mm by 3 minutes (p=0.002). Conclusions During actual in-hospital CPR with audiovisual feedback, CC depth decay became evident after 90 sec of CPR, but CC rate did not change. These data provide clinical evidence for rescuer fatigue during actual resuscitations and support current guideline recommendations to rotate rescuers during CC delivery. PMID:19581036

Feasibility of a knowledge translation CME program: Courriels Cochrane.

PubMed

Pluye, Pierre; Grad, Roland; Granikov, Vera; Theriault, Guyléne; Frémont, Pierre; Burnand, Bernard; Mercer, Jay; Marlow, Bernard; Arroll, Bruce; Luconi, Francesca; Légaré, France; Labrecque, Michel; Ladouceur, Roger; Bouthillier, France; Sridhar, Soumya Bindiganavile; Moscovici, Jonathan

2012-01-01

Systematic literature reviews provide best evidence, but are underused by clinicians. Thus, integrating Cochrane reviews into continuing medical education (CME) is challenging. We designed a pilot CME program where summaries of Cochrane reviews (Courriels Cochrane) were disseminated by e-mail. Program participants automatically received CME credit for each Courriel Cochrane they rated. The feasibility of this program is reported (delivery, participation, and participant evaluation). We recruited French-speaking physicians through the Canadian Medical Association. Program delivery and participation were documented. Participants rated the informational value of Courriels Cochrane using the Information Assessment Method (IAM), which documented their reflective learning (relevance, cognitive impact, use for a patient, expected health benefits). IAM responses were aggregated and analyzed. The program was delivered as planned. Thirty Courriels Cochrane were delivered to 985 physicians, and 127 (12.9%) completed at least one IAM questionnaire. Out of 1109 Courriels Cochrane ratings, 973 (87.7%) conta-ined 1 or more types of positive cognitive impact, while 835 (75.3%) were clinically relevant. Participants reported the use of information for a patient and expected health benefits in 595 (53.7%) and 569 (51.3%) ratings, respectively. Program delivery required partnering with 5 organizations. Participants valued Courriels Cochrane. IAM ratings documented their reflective learning. The aggregation of IAM ratings documented 3 levels of CME outcomes: participation, learning, and performance. This evaluation study demonstrates the feasibility of the Courriels Cochrane as an approach to further disseminate Cochrane systematic literature reviews to clinicians and document self-reported knowledge translation associated with Cochrane reviews. Copyright © 2012 The Alliance for Continuing Education in the Health Professions, the Society for Academic Continuing Medical Education, and the Council on CME, Association for Hospital Medical Education.

Application of a continuous twin screw-driven process for dilute acid pretreatment of rape straw.

PubMed

Choi, Chang Ho; Oh, Kyeong Keun

2012-04-01

Rape straw, a processing residue generated from the bio-oil industry, was used as a model biomass for application of continuous twin screw-driven dilute acid pretreatment. The screw rotation speed and feeding rate were adjusted to 19.7rpm and 0.5g/min, respectively to maintain a residence time of 7.2min in the reaction zone, respectively. The sulfuric acid concentration was 3.5wt% and the reaction temperature was 165°C. The enzymatic digestibility of the glucan in the pretreated solids was 70.9%. The continuous process routinely gave around 28.8% higher yield for glucan digestibility than did the batch processing method. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Continuously Variable Rating: a new, simple and logical procedure to evaluate original scientific publications

PubMed Central

Silva, Mauricio Rocha e

2011-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Impact Factors (IF) are widely used surrogates to evaluate single articles, in spite of known shortcomings imposed by cite distribution skewness. We quantify this asymmetry and propose a simple computer-based procedure for evaluating individual articles. METHOD: (a) Analysis of symmetry. Journals clustered around nine Impact Factor points were selected from the medical “Subject Categories” in Journal Citation Reports 2010. Citable items published in 2008 were retrieved and ranked by granted citations over the Jan/2008 - Jun/2011 period. Frequency distribution of cites, normalized cumulative cites and absolute cites/decile were determined for each journal cluster. (b) Positive Predictive Value. Three arbitrarily established evaluation classes were generated: LOW (1.3≤IF<2.6); MID: (2.6≤IF<3.9); HIGH: (IF≥3.9). Positive Predictive Value for journal clusters within each class range was estimated. (c) Continuously Variable Rating. An alternative evaluation procedure is proposed to allow the rating of individually published articles in comparison to all articles published in the same journal within the same year of publication. The general guiding lines for the construction of a totally dedicated software program are delineated. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Skewness followed the Pareto Distribution for (1

Highly Controlled Codeposition Rate of Organolead Halide Perovskite by Laser Evaporation Method.

PubMed

Miyadera, Tetsuhiko; Sugita, Takeshi; Tampo, Hitoshi; Matsubara, Koji; Chikamatsu, Masayuki

2016-10-05

Organolead-halide perovskites can be promising materials for next-generation solar cells because of its high power conversion efficiency. The method of precise fabrication is required because both solution-process and vacuum-process fabrication of the perovskite have problems of controllability and reproducibility. Vacuum deposition process was expected to achieve precise control; however, vaporization of amine compound significantly degrades the controllability of deposition rate. Here we achieved the reduction of the vaporization by implementing the laser evaporation system for the codeposition of perovskite. Locally irradiated continuous-wave lasers on the source materials realized the reduced vaporization of CH 3 NH 3 I. The deposition rate was stabilized for several hours by adjusting the duty ratio of modulated laser based on proportional-integral control. Organic-photovoltaic-type perovskite solar cells were fabricated by codeposition of PbI 2 and CH 3 NH 3 I. A power-conversion efficiency of 16.0% with reduced hysteresis was achieved.

Bayesian functional integral method for inferring continuous data from discrete measurements.

PubMed

Heuett, William J; Miller, Bernard V; Racette, Susan B; Holloszy, John O; Chow, Carson C; Periwal, Vipul

2012-02-08

Inference of the insulin secretion rate (ISR) from C-peptide measurements as a quantification of pancreatic β-cell function is clinically important in diseases related to reduced insulin sensitivity and insulin action. ISR derived from C-peptide concentration is an example of nonparametric Bayesian model selection where a proposed ISR time-course is considered to be a "model". An inferred value of inaccessible continuous variables from discrete observable data is often problematic in biology and medicine, because it is a priori unclear how robust the inference is to the deletion of data points, and a closely related question, how much smoothness or continuity the data actually support. Predictions weighted by the posterior distribution can be cast as functional integrals as used in statistical field theory. Functional integrals are generally difficult to evaluate, especially for nonanalytic constraints such as positivity of the estimated parameters. We propose a computationally tractable method that uses the exact solution of an associated likelihood function as a prior probability distribution for a Markov-chain Monte Carlo evaluation of the posterior for the full model. As a concrete application of our method, we calculate the ISR from actual clinical C-peptide measurements in human subjects with varying degrees of insulin sensitivity. Our method demonstrates the feasibility of functional integral Bayesian model selection as a practical method for such data-driven inference, allowing the data to determine the smoothing timescale and the width of the prior probability distribution on the space of models. In particular, our model comparison method determines the discrete time-step for interpolation of the unobservable continuous variable that is supported by the data. Attempts to go to finer discrete time-steps lead to less likely models. Copyright © 2012 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Degassing of H2O in a phonolitic melt: A closer look at decompression experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marxer, Holger; Bellucci, Philipp; Nowak, Marcus

2015-05-01

Melt degassing during magma ascent is controlled by the decompression rate and can be simulated in decompression experiments. H2O-bearing phonolitic melts were decompressed at a super-liquidus T of 1323 K in an internally heated argon pressure vessel, applying continuous decompression (CD) as well as to date commonly used step-wise decompression (SD) techniques to investigate the effect of decompression method on melt degassing. The hydrous melts were decompressed from 200 MPa at nominal decompression rates of 0.0028-1.7 MPa·s- 1. At final pressure (Pfinal), the samples were quenched rapidly at isobaric conditions with ~ 150 K·s- 1. The bubbles in the quenched samples are often deformed and dented. Flow textures in the glass indicate melt transport at high viscosity. We suggest that this observation is due to bubble shrinkage during quench. This general problem was mostly overlooked in the interpretation of experimentally degassed samples to date. Bubble shrinkage due to decreasing molar volume (Vm) of the exsolved H2O in the bubbles occurs during isobaric rapid quench until the melt is too viscous too relax. The decrease of Vm(H2O) during cooling at Pfinal of the experiments results in a decrease of the bubble volume by a shrinking factor Bs: At nominal decompression rates > 0.17 MPa·s- 1 and a Pfinal of 75 MPa, the decompression method has only minor influence on melt degassing. SD and CD result in high bubble number densities of 104-105 mm- 3. Fast P drop leads to immediate supersaturation with H2O in the melt. At such high nominal decompression rates, the diffusional transport of H2O is limited and therefore bubble nucleation is the predominant degassing process. The residual H2O contents in the melts decompressed to 75 MPa increase with nominal decompression rate. After homogeneous nucleation is triggered, CD rates ≤ 0.024 MPa·s- 1 facilitate continuous reduction of the supersaturation by H2O diffusion into previously nucleated bubbles. Bubble number densities of CD samples with low nominal decompression rates are several orders of magnitude lower than for SD experiments and the bubble diameters are larger. The reproducibility of MSD experiments with low nominal decompression rates is worse than for CD runs. Commonly used SD techniques are therefore not suitable to simulate melt degassing during continuous magma ascent with low ascent rates.

Diversity of rhizosphere soil arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in various soybean cultivars under different continuous cropping regimes.

PubMed

Jie, Weiguang; Liu, Xiaorui; Cai, Baiyan

2013-01-01

Recent studies have shown that continuous cropping in soybean causes substantial changes to the microbial community in rhizosphere soil. In this study, we investigated the effects of continuous cropping for various time periods on the diversity of rhizosphere soil arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi in various soybean cultivars at the branching stage. The soybean cultivars Heinong 37 (an intermediate cultivar), Heinong 44 (a high-fat cultivar) and Heinong 48 (a high-protein cultivar) were seeded in a field and continuously cropped for two or three years. We analyzed the diversity of rhizosphere soil AM fungi of these soybean plants at the branching stage using morphological and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) techniques. The clustering analysis of unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic averages (UPGMA) was then used to investigate the AM fungal community shifts. The results showed that increasing the number of years of continuous cropping can improve the colonization rate of AM fungi in different soybean cultivars at the branching stage. The dominant AM fungi in the experimental fields were Funneliformismosseae and Glomus spp. The number of years of continuous cropping and the soybean cultivar both had obvious effects on the diversity of AM fungi, which was consistent with the results of colonization rate analysis. This study establishes a basis for screening dominant AM fungi of soybean. In addition, the results of this study may be useful for the development of AM fungal inoculants.

Diversity of Rhizosphere Soil Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in Various Soybean Cultivars under Different Continuous Cropping Regimes

PubMed Central

Jie, Weiguang; Liu, Xiaorui; Cai, Baiyan

2013-01-01

Recent studies have shown that continuous cropping in soybean causes substantial changes to the microbial community in rhizosphere soil. In this study, we investigated the effects of continuous cropping for various time periods on the diversity of rhizosphere soil arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi in various soybean cultivars at the branching stage. The soybean cultivars Heinong 37 (an intermediate cultivar), Heinong 44 (a high-fat cultivar) and Heinong 48 (a high-protein cultivar) were seeded in a field and continuously cropped for two or three years. We analyzed the diversity of rhizosphere soil AM fungi of these soybean plants at the branching stage using morphological and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) techniques. The clustering analysis of unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic averages (UPGMA) was then used to investigate the AM fungal community shifts. The results showed that increasing the number of years of continuous cropping can improve the colonization rate of AM fungi in different soybean cultivars at the branching stage. The dominant AM fungi in the experimental fields were Funneliformismosseae and Glomus spp. The number of years of continuous cropping and the soybean cultivar both had obvious effects on the diversity of AM fungi, which was consistent with the results of colonization rate analysis. This study establishes a basis for screening dominant AM fungi of soybean. In addition, the results of this study may be useful for the development of AM fungal inoculants. PMID:23977368

Subjective and objective evaluation of visual fatigue on viewing 3D display continuously

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Danli; Xie, Yaohua; Yang, Xinpan; Lu, Yang; Guo, Anxiang

2015-03-01

In recent years, three-dimensional (3D) displays become more and more popular in many fields. Although they can provide better viewing experience, they cause extra problems, e.g., visual fatigue. Subjective or objective methods are usually used in discrete viewing processes to evaluate visual fatigue. However, little research combines subjective indicators and objective ones in an entirely continuous viewing process. In this paper, we propose a method to evaluate real-time visual fatigue both subjectively and objectively. Subjects watch stereo contents on a polarized 3D display continuously. Visual Reaction Time (VRT), Critical Flicker Frequency (CFF), Punctum Maximum Accommodation (PMA) and subjective scores of visual fatigue are collected before and after viewing. During the viewing process, the subjects rate the visual fatigue whenever it changes, without breaking the viewing process. At the same time, the blink frequency (BF) and percentage of eye closure (PERCLOS) of each subject is recorded for comparison to a previous research. The results show that the subjective visual fatigue and PERCLOS increase with time and they are greater in a continuous process than a discrete one. The BF increased with time during the continuous viewing process. Besides, the visual fatigue also induced significant changes of VRT, CFF and PMA.

Continuous versus bolus intermittent loop diuretic infusion in acutely decompensated heart failure: a prospective randomized trial

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Introduction Intravenous loop diuretics are a cornerstone of therapy in acutely decompensated heart failure (ADHF). We sought to determine if there are any differences in clinical outcomes between intravenous bolus and continuous infusion of loop diuretics. Methods Subjects with ADHF within 12 hours of hospital admission were randomly assigned to continuous infusion or twice daily bolus therapy with furosemide. There were three co-primary endpoints assessed from admission to discharge: the mean paired changes in serum creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and reduction in B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP). Secondary endpoints included the rate of acute kidney injury (AKI), change in body weight and six months follow-up evaluation after discharge. Results A total of 43 received a continuous infusion and 39 were assigned to bolus treatment. At discharge, the mean change in serum creatinine was higher (+0.8 ± 0.4 versus -0.8 ± 0.3 mg/dl P <0.01), and eGFR was lower (-9 ± 7 versus +5 ± 6 ml/min/1.73 m2P <0.05) in the continuous arm. There was no significant difference in the degree of weight loss (-4.1 ± 1.9 versus -3.5 ± 2.4 kg P = 0.23). The continuous infusion arm had a greater reduction in BNP over the hospital course, (-576 ± 655 versus -181 ± 527 pg/ml P = 0.02). The rates of AKI were comparable (22% and 15% P = 0.3) between the two groups. There was more frequent use of hypertonic saline solutions for hyponatremia (33% versus 18% P <0.01), intravenous dopamine infusions (35% versus 23% P = 0.02), and the hospital length of stay was longer in the continuous infusion group (14. 3 ± 5 versus 11.5 ± 4 days, P <0.03). At 6 months there were higher rates of re-admission or death in the continuous infusion group, 58% versus 23%, (P = 0.001) and this mode of treatment independently associated with this outcome after adjusting for baseline and intermediate variables (adjusted hazard ratio = 2.57, 95% confidence interval, 1.01 to 6.58 P = 0.04). Conclusions In the setting of ADHF, continuous infusion of loop diuretics resulted in greater reductions in BNP from admission to discharge. However, this appeared to occur at the consequence of worsened renal filtration function, use of additional treatment, and higher rates of rehospitalization or death at six months. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01441245. Registered 23 September 2011. PMID:24974232

A Mobile Device App to Reduce Time to Drug Delivery and Medication Errors During Simulated Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Siebert, Johan N; Ehrler, Frederic; Combescure, Christophe; Lacroix, Laurence; Haddad, Kevin; Sanchez, Oliver; Gervaix, Alain; Lovis, Christian; Manzano, Sergio

2017-02-01

During pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), vasoactive drug preparation for continuous infusion is both complex and time-consuming, placing children at higher risk than adults for medication errors. Following an evidence-based ergonomic-driven approach, we developed a mobile device app called Pediatric Accurate Medication in Emergency Situations (PedAMINES), intended to guide caregivers step-by-step from preparation to delivery of drugs requiring continuous infusion. The aim of our study was to determine whether the use of PedAMINES reduces drug preparation time (TDP) and time to delivery (TDD; primary outcome), as well as medication errors (secondary outcomes) when compared with conventional preparation methods. The study was a randomized controlled crossover trial with 2 parallel groups comparing PedAMINES with a conventional and internationally used drugs infusion rate table in the preparation of continuous drug infusion. We used a simulation-based pediatric CPR cardiac arrest scenario with a high-fidelity manikin in the shock room of a tertiary care pediatric emergency department. After epinephrine-induced return of spontaneous circulation, pediatric emergency nurses were first asked to prepare a continuous infusion of dopamine, using either PedAMINES (intervention group) or the infusion table (control group), and second, a continuous infusion of norepinephrine by crossing the procedure. The primary outcome was the elapsed time in seconds, in each allocation group, from the oral prescription by the physician to TDD by the nurse. TDD included TDP. The secondary outcome was the medication dosage error rate during the sequence from drug preparation to drug injection. A total of 20 nurses were randomized into 2 groups. During the first study period, mean TDP while using PedAMINES and conventional preparation methods was 128.1 s (95% CI 102-154) and 308.1 s (95% CI 216-400), respectively (180 s reduction, P=.002). Mean TDD was 214 s (95% CI 171-256) and 391 s (95% CI 298-483), respectively (177.3 s reduction, P=.002). Medication errors were reduced from 70% to 0% (P<.001) by using PedAMINES when compared with conventional methods. In this simulation-based study, PedAMINES dramatically reduced TDP, to delivery and the rate of medication errors. ©Johan N Siebert, Frederic Ehrler, Christophe Combescure, Laurence Lacroix, Kevin Haddad, Oliver Sanchez, Alain Gervaix, Christian Lovis, Sergio Manzano. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 01.02.2017.

Savings sharing: rewarding staff for responsible decision-making.

PubMed

Jones, Debi

2005-04-01

Shortages of professional nurses create a "buyer's market" in which nurses accept temporary assignments for the highest rates and offer little additional time to the primary employer. Use of temporary personnel use salary dollars at an inordinate rate while offering little continuity or support for the organization's standards. Methods for placing decision-making in the hands of the nurses are needed along with a reward system for establishing a pattern of sound decision-making. The author describes a savings sharing program that is gaining credibility in one organization for addressing both objectives.

[Estimation of infant and child mortality in the eastern provinces of Cuba].

PubMed

Gonzalez, G; Herrera, L

1986-01-01

An estimate of infant and child mortality in the eastern provinces of Cuba is presented using the Brass method as adapted by Trussell. "Estimations by urban and rural zones are also performed within the provinces studied, and results are compared with those possible to obtain by continuous statistics. Results obtained show that in the eastern [part] of the country Holguin and Guantanamo are the provinces with highest infantile mortality rates, and the lowest rates correspond to Granma, followed by Santiago de Cuba." (SUMMARY IN ENG AND FRE) excerpt

[The endpoint detection of cough signal in continuous speech].

PubMed

Yang, Guoqing; Mo, Hongqiang; Li, Wen; Lian, Lianfang; Zheng, Zeguang

2010-06-01

The endpoint detection of cough signal in continuous speech has been researched in order to improve the efficiency and veracity of manual recognition or computer-based automatic recognition. First, using the short time zero crossing ratio(ZCR) for identifying the suspicious coughs and getting the threshold of short time energy based on acoustic characteristics of cough. Then, the short time energy is combined with short time ZCR in order to implement the endpoint detection of cough in continuous speech. To evaluate the effect of the method, first, the virtual number of coughs in each recording was identified by two experienced doctors using the graphical user interface (GUI). Second, the recordings were analyzed by automatic endpoint detection program under Matlab7.0. Finally, the comparison between these two results showed: The error rate of undetected cough is 2.18%, and 98.13% of noise, silence and speech were removed. The way of setting short time energy threshold is robust. The endpoint detection program can remove most speech and noise, thus maintaining a lower rate of error.

Two-year continuation of intrauterine devices and contraceptive implants in a mixed-payer setting: a retrospective review.

PubMed

Sanders, Jessica N; Turok, David K; Gawron, Lori M; Law, Amy; Wen, Lonnie; Lynen, Richard

2017-06-01

As the popularity of long-acting reversible contraception increases, so does the need for accurate data on method continuation in diverse clinical settings. We determined 2-year continuation rates for the levonorgestrel 52-mg intrauterine device, the copper T380A intrauterine device, and the 68-mg etonogestrel contraceptive implant in an academic healthcare system with mixed-payer reimbursement. The purpose of this study was to examine the proportion and characteristics of women who continue intrauterine device and implant use to 2 years and to relate continuation to device type when controlling for patient characteristics. This retrospective chart review assessed University of Utah Healthcare System patients who had an intrauterine device or contraceptive implant inserted between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2012. We identified users and dates of insertions and removals by querying billing, medication, and procedural data in the Electronic Data Warehouse. Multivariable Poisson regression was conducted to estimate incidence risk ratios and to relate the probability of 2-year continuous use to device type. Data on 8603 device insertions were obtained with the following distribution: levonorgestrel 52-mg intrauterine devices (6459; 75.1%), copper T380A intrauterine devices (1136; 13.2%), and 68-mg etonogestrel implant (1008; 11.7%). Two-year continuation rates were 77.8%, 73.1%, and 75.9%, respectively. There was no statistical difference in 2-year continuation between levonorgestrel 52-mg intrauterine device users (adjusted risk ratio, 1.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.0-1.1) and 68-mg etonogestrel implant users (adjusted risk ratio, 1.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.0-1.1) compared with copper device users, after we controlled for age, Hispanic ethnicity, payer type, and year of insertion. Older-age, self-pay, or public payer insurance (reference commercial payer) and Hispanic ethnicity were associated with 2-year continuation. Three-quarters of women with an intrauterine device or implant continue using it for 2 years. In this cohort, the 2-year continuation rates were 77.8%, 73.1%, and 75.9% for the levonorgestrel 52-mg intrauterine device, copper T380A intrauterine device, and 68-mg etonogestrel implant, respectively. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Enzyme and inhibition assay of urease by continuous monitoring of the ammonium formation based on capillary electrophoresis.

PubMed

Liu, Xiaoxia; Yang, Jiqing; Sun, Shucheng; Guo, Liping; Yang, Li

2016-10-01

We present here an easy-to-operate and efficient method for enzyme and inhibition assays of urease, which is a widely distributed and important enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of urea to ammonia and CO 2 . The assay was achieved by integrating CE technique and rapid on-line derivatization method, allowing us to continuously drive the sample to the capillary, thus to measure the amount of the product ammonia from the beginning to the end of the reaction. The method exhibits excellent repeatability with RSD as low as 2.5% for the initial reaction rate (n = 5), with the LOD of ammonia of 20 μM (S/N = 5). The enzyme activity as well as the inhibition of urease by Cu 2+ were investigated using the present method. The results show that Cu 2+ is a noncompetitive inhibitor on urease, in accordance with the result published in the literature. The enzyme activity and inhibition kinetic constants were obtained and were found to be consistent with the results of traditional off-line enzyme assays. Our study indicates that the present approach is a reliable and convenient method for analysis of the urease activity and inhibition kinetics by continuous on-line monitoring of the ammonium formation based on CE. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Lapse in Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee Continuing Reviews.

PubMed

Tsan, Min-Fu; Grabenbauer, Michael; Nguyen, Yen

2016-01-01

The United States federal animal welfare regulations and the Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals require that institutional animal care and use committees (IACUCs) conduct continuing reviews of all animal research activities. However, little is known about the lapse rate of IACUC continuing reviews, and how frequently investigators continue research activities during the lapse. It is also not clear what factors may contribute to an institution's lapse in IACUC continuing reviews. As part of the quality assurance program, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has collected performance metric data for animal care and use programs since 2011. We analyzed IACUC continuing review performance data at 74-75 VA research facilities from 2011 through 2015. The IACUC continuing review lapse rates improved from 5.6% in 2011 to 2.7% in 2015. The rate of investigators continuing research activities during the lapse also decreased from 47.2% in 2012 to 7.4% in 2015. The type of IACUCs used and the size of animal research programs appeared to have no effect in facility's rates of lapse in IACUC continuing reviews. While approximately 80% of facilities reported no lapse in IACUC continuing reviews, approximately 14% of facilities had lapse rates of >10% each year. Some facilities appeared to be repeat offenders. Four facilities had IACUC lapse rates of >10% in at least 3 out of 5 years, suggesting a system problem in these facilities requiring remedial actions to improve their IACUC continuing review processes.

47 CFR 65.800 - Rate base.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 3 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Rate base. 65.800 Section 65.800 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES (CONTINUED) INTERSTATE RATE OF RETURN PRESCRIPTION PROCEDURES AND METHODOLOGIES Rate Base § 65.800 Rate base. The rate base shall...

47 CFR 65.800 - Rate base.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Rate base. 65.800 Section 65.800 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES (CONTINUED) INTERSTATE RATE OF RETURN PRESCRIPTION PROCEDURES AND METHODOLOGIES Rate Base § 65.800 Rate base. The rate base shall...

47 CFR 65.800 - Rate base.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 3 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Rate base. 65.800 Section 65.800 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES (CONTINUED) INTERSTATE RATE OF RETURN PRESCRIPTION PROCEDURES AND METHODOLOGIES Rate Base § 65.800 Rate base. The rate base shall...

47 CFR 65.800 - Rate base.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Rate base. 65.800 Section 65.800 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES (CONTINUED) INTERSTATE RATE OF RETURN PRESCRIPTION PROCEDURES AND METHODOLOGIES Rate Base § 65.800 Rate base. The rate base shall...

Continuation rate of hormone replacement therapy in Hong Kong public health sector.

PubMed

Leung, K Y; Ling, M; Tang, G W K

2004-12-10

To assess the 1-year continuation rate of HRT prescribed in Hong Kong public health sector and to identify factors affecting this continuation rate. All women who received at least one dispensed prescription of estrogens between January 1998 and December 2000 from 36 specialist outpatient clinics of the Hospital Authority were selected, and observed for at least 2 years and at most 3 years. The duration of use and variables including age, types of hormones, routes of delivery, dose of estrogen, and prescribing specialty were retrieved from the central prescription database of the Hospital Authority. Of 12,711 incident users of HRT, more than half were aged 50-59. Most (78.5%) of the users took conjugated equine estrogens (CEE) 0.625 mg or related products. Only a small proportion (3.0%) of women used CEE 0.3 mg. Initial estrogen prescriptions were written by gynaecologists in 86.7%. The overall 1-year continuation rate was 68.3%. The highest and lowest continuation rates were observed in women aged 40-49 and the two extreme age groups (35-39 and 70-79), respectively. Better continuation rate was observed in women taking estrogen-only therapy such as CEE or estradiol (overall 76.3%) than in women using continuous combined therapy (58.6%), sequential combined therapy (64.8%), or transdermal estrogen (60.6%). In the age group 60-69, the use of CEE 0.3 mg was associated with better continuation rate than CEE 0.625 mg. Better continuation rate at 1 year was associated with age younger than 60, oral route of HRT and hysterectomy.

Evaluating the impact of a mandatory pre-abortion ultrasound viewing law: A mixed methods study.

PubMed

Upadhyay, Ushma D; Kimport, Katrina; Belusa, Elise K O; Johns, Nicole E; Laube, Douglas W; Roberts, Sarah C M

2017-01-01

Since mid-2013, Wisconsin abortion providers have been legally required to display and describe pre-abortion ultrasound images. We aimed to understand the impact of this law. We used a mixed-methods study design at an abortion facility in Wisconsin. We abstracted data from medical charts one year before the law to one year after and used multivariable models, mediation/moderation analysis, and interrupted time series to assess the impact of the law, viewing, and decision certainty on likelihood of continuing the pregnancy. We conducted in-depth interviews with women in the post-law period about their ultrasound experience and analyzed them using elaborative and modified grounded theory. A total of 5342 charts were abstracted; 8.7% continued their pregnancies pre-law and 11.2% post-law (p = 0.002). A multivariable model confirmed the law was associated with higher odds of continuing pregnancy (aOR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.01-1.50). Decision certainty (aOR = 6.39, 95% CI: 4.72-8.64) and having to pay fully out of pocket (aOR = 4.98, 95% CI: 3.86-6.41) were most strongly associated with continuing pregnancy. Ultrasound viewing fully mediated the relationship between the law and continuing pregnancy. Interrupted time series analyses found no significant effect of the law but may have been underpowered to detect such a small effect. Nineteen of twenty-three women interviewed viewed their ultrasound image. Most reported no impact on their abortion decision; five reported a temporary emotional impact or increased certainty about choosing abortion. Two women reported that viewing helped them decide to continue the pregnancy; both also described preexisting decision uncertainty. This law caused an increase in viewing rates and a statistically significant but small increase in continuing pregnancy rates. However, the majority of women were certain of their abortion decision and the law did not change their decision. Other factors were more significant in women's decision-making, suggesting evaluations of restrictive laws should take account of the broader social environment.

Survey and analysis for impact factors of psychological distress in HIV-infected pregnant women who continue pregnancy.

PubMed

Qin, Shouxue; Tan, Yanping; Lu, Bingyan; Cheng, Yuqing; Nong, Yanli

2018-05-15

The objective of this study is to explore the psychological distress of HIV-infected pregnant women who continue pregnancy, and analyze the possible influencing factors. A total of 194 HIV-infected pregnant women who continue pregnancy were enrolled for this study by a convenient sampling method during June 2012-August 2016. Participants completed questionnaires including Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Berger HIV Stigma Scale (BHSS), Distress Thermometer (DT) and Problem List (PL), and to determine the cut-off value of DT in the group. The positive detection rate of psychological distress in the HIV-infected pregnant women who continue pregnancy was 69.1%, and the highest frequency of PL was the emotional problems. The positive detection rate of anxiety was 60.8%, the positive detection rate of depression was 54.1%, and the discrimination score was 113.16 ± 19.21. Spearman relevant analysis showed that psychological distress score was positively correlated with anxiety, depression and discrimination score (p < .001). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that relationship between husband and wife, family misfortune, Medicaid, chronic disease or high-risk pregnancy, viral load, CD 4 + T cell count, infection and confidentiality could affect the psychological distress (p < .05). The ideal cut-off value of DT in the group was 5. HIV-infected pregnant women who continue pregnancy have higher incidence of psychological distress, and the psychological distress is not inferior to cancer patients. The influencing factors are mainly related to the infection and pregnancy characteristics, and have nothing to do with the general social demographic characteristics. The DT can be used as a screening tool to quickly identify psychological distress of the group.

Continuous event monitoring via a Bayesian predictive approach.

PubMed

Di, Jianing; Wang, Daniel; Brashear, H Robert; Dragalin, Vladimir; Krams, Michael

2016-01-01

In clinical trials, continuous monitoring of event incidence rate plays a critical role in making timely decisions affecting trial outcome. For example, continuous monitoring of adverse events protects the safety of trial participants, while continuous monitoring of efficacy events helps identify early signals of efficacy or futility. Because the endpoint of interest is often the event incidence associated with a given length of treatment duration (e.g., incidence proportion of an adverse event with 2 years of dosing), assessing the event proportion before reaching the intended treatment duration becomes challenging, especially when the event onset profile evolves over time with accumulated exposure. In particular, in the earlier part of the study, ignoring censored subjects may result in significant bias in estimating the cumulative event incidence rate. Such a problem is addressed using a predictive approach in the Bayesian framework. In the proposed approach, experts' prior knowledge about both the frequency and timing of the event occurrence is combined with observed data. More specifically, during any interim look, each event-free subject will be counted with a probability that is derived using prior knowledge. The proposed approach is particularly useful in early stage studies for signal detection based on limited information. But it can also be used as a tool for safety monitoring (e.g., data monitoring committee) during later stage trials. Application of the approach is illustrated using a case study where the incidence rate of an adverse event is continuously monitored during an Alzheimer's disease clinical trial. The performance of the proposed approach is also assessed and compared with other Bayesian and frequentist methods via simulation. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Evaluation of Potential Continuation Rules for Mepolizumab Treatment of Severe Eosinophilic Asthma.

PubMed

Gunsoy, Necdet B; Cockle, Sarah M; Yancey, Steven W; Keene, Oliver N; Bradford, Eric S; Albers, Frank C; Pavord, Ian D

Mepolizumab significantly reduces exacerbations in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma. The early identification of patients likely to receive long-term benefit from treatment could ensure effective resource allocation. To assess potential continuation rules for mepolizumab in addition to initiation criteria defined as 2 or more exacerbations in the previous year and blood eosinophil counts of 150 cells/μL or more at initiation or 300 cells/μL or more in the previous year. This post hoc analysis included data from 2 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies (NCT01000506 and NCT01691521) of mepolizumab in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma (N = 1,192). Rules based on blood eosinophils, physician-rated response to treatment, FEV 1 , Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ-5) score, and exacerbation reduction were assessed at week 16. To assess these rules, 2 key metrics accounting for the effects observed in the placebo arm were developed. Patients not meeting continuation rules based on physician-rated response, FEV 1 , and the ACQ-5 score still derived long-term benefit from mepolizumab. Nearly all patients failing to reduce blood eosinophils had counts of 150 cells/μL or less at baseline. For exacerbations, assessment after 16 weeks was potentially premature for predicting future exacerbations. There was no evidence of a reliable physician-rated response, ACQ-5 score, or lung function-based continuation rule. The added value of changes in blood eosinophils at week 16 over baseline was marginal. Initiation criteria for mepolizumab treatment provide the best method for assessing patient benefit from mepolizumab treatment, and treatment continuation should be reviewed on the basis of a predefined reduction in long-term exacerbation frequency and/or oral corticosteroid dose. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Epidemiology of suicide among children and adolescents in Austria, 2001-2014.

PubMed

Laido, Zrinka; Voracek, Martin; Till, Benedikt; Pietschnig, Jakob; Eisenwort, Brigitte; Dervic, Kanita; Sonneck, Gernot; Niederkrotenthaler, Thomas

2017-02-01

Previous epidemiological analyses indicated a decreasing trend of suicide rates for 10-19-year-olds in Austria for the period 1970-2001. However, data from the new millennium are missing. This epidemiological update reports on youth suicide in Austria, covering the period 2001-2014 in order to inform suicide preventive interventions targeting adolescents. The data on registered suicides among Austrian minors (10-19 years) and the population size were obtained from Statistics Austria. Chi-squared tests were used to analyze the associations between the suicide methods used and sex, as well as between suicide methods and Austrian federal states. Spearman correlations were calculated to assess time trends in the suicide rates. One-way ANOVA was used to investigate annual suicide rates of age groups 10-14, 15-19, and 10-19 years across the nine Austrian federal states. The total average suicide rate for Austrian minors was 4.57 per 100,000. The male-female ratio was 3.5:1. The total youth suicide rate and male suicide rate significantly declined from 2001 to 2014, whereas there were no significant changes in female rates. More than one third of suicides among Austrian youth occurred through hanging, whereas jumping in front of a moving object was the second-most common suicide method. A spring peak was found, with most suicides occurring in April and May. Suicide rates among minors in Austria continue to decrease. The present findings help to inform the ongoing implementation of the National Austrian Suicide Prevention Plan (SUPRA).

Characterizing regional-scale temporal evolution of air dose rates after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident.

PubMed

Wainwright, Haruko M; Seki, Akiyuki; Mikami, Satoshi; Saito, Kimiaki

2018-09-01

In this study, we quantify the temporal changes of air dose rates in the regional scale around the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan, and predict the spatial distribution of air dose rates in the future. We first apply the Bayesian geostatistical method developed by Wainwright et al. (2017) to integrate multiscale datasets including ground-based walk and car surveys, and airborne surveys, all of which have different scales, resolutions, spatial coverage, and accuracy. This method is based on geostatistics to represent spatial heterogeneous structures, and also on Bayesian hierarchical models to integrate multiscale, multi-type datasets in a consistent manner. We apply this method to the datasets from three years: 2014 to 2016. The temporal changes among the three integrated maps enables us to characterize the spatiotemporal dynamics of radiation air dose rates. The data-driven ecological decay model is then coupled with the integrated map to predict future dose rates. Results show that the air dose rates are decreasing consistently across the region. While slower in the forested region, the decrease is particularly significant in the town area. The decontamination has contributed to significant reduction of air dose rates. By 2026, the air dose rates will continue to decrease, and the area above 3.8 μSv/h will be almost fully contained within the non-residential forested zone. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A repeated measures model for analysis of continuous outcomes in sequential parallel comparison design studies.

PubMed

Doros, Gheorghe; Pencina, Michael; Rybin, Denis; Meisner, Allison; Fava, Maurizio

2013-07-20

Previous authors have proposed the sequential parallel comparison design (SPCD) to address the issue of high placebo response rate in clinical trials. The original use of SPCD focused on binary outcomes, but recent use has since been extended to continuous outcomes that arise more naturally in many fields, including psychiatry. Analytic methods proposed to date for analysis of SPCD trial continuous data included methods based on seemingly unrelated regression and ordinary least squares. Here, we propose a repeated measures linear model that uses all outcome data collected in the trial and accounts for data that are missing at random. An appropriate contrast formulated after the model has been fit can be used to test the primary hypothesis of no difference in treatment effects between study arms. Our extensive simulations show that when compared with the other methods, our approach preserves the type I error even for small sample sizes and offers adequate power and the smallest mean squared error under a wide variety of assumptions. We recommend consideration of our approach for analysis of data coming from SPCD trials. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

An Enhanced Method to Estimate Heart Rate from Seismocardiography via Ensemble Averaging of Body Movements at Six Degrees of Freedom.

PubMed

Lee, Hyunwoo; Lee, Hana; Whang, Mincheol

2018-01-15

Continuous cardiac monitoring has been developed to evaluate cardiac activity outside of clinical environments due to the advancement of novel instruments. Seismocardiography (SCG) is one of the vital components that could develop such a monitoring system. Although SCG has been presented with a lower accuracy, this novel cardiac indicator has been steadily proposed over traditional methods such as electrocardiography (ECG). Thus, it is necessary to develop an enhanced method by combining the significant cardiac indicators. In this study, the six-axis signals of accelerometer and gyroscope were measured and integrated by the L2 normalization and multi-dimensional kineticardiography (MKCG) approaches, respectively. The waveforms of accelerometer and gyroscope were standardized and combined via ensemble averaging, and the heart rate was calculated from the dominant frequency. Thirty participants (15 females) were asked to stand or sit in relaxed and aroused conditions. Their SCG was measured during the task. As a result, proposed method showed higher accuracy than traditional SCG methods in all measurement conditions. The three main contributions are as follows: (1) the ensemble averaging enhanced heart rate estimation with the benefits of the six-axis signals; (2) the proposed method was compared with the previous SCG method that employs fewer-axis; and (3) the method was tested in various measurement conditions for a more practical application.

Shedding light to sleep studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dieffenderfer, James; Krystal, Andrew; Bozkurt, Alper

2017-08-01

This paper presents our efforts in the development of a small wireless, flexible bandage sized near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) system for sleep analysis. The current size of the system is 2.8 cm × 1.7 cm × 0.6 cm. It is capable of performing NIRS with 660nm, 940nm and 850nm wavelengths for up to 11 hours continuously. The device is placed on the forehead to measure from the prefrontal cortex and the raw data is continuously streamed over Bluetooth to a nearby data aggregator such as a smartphone for post processing and cloud connection. In this study, we performed traditional polysomnography simultaneously with NIRS to evaluate agreement with traditional measures of sleep and to provide labelled data for future work involving learning algorithms. Ultimately, we expect a machine learning algorithm to be able to generate characterization of sleep states comparable to traditional methods based on this biophotonics data. The system also includes an inertial measurement unit and the features that can be extracted from the presented system include sleep posture, heart rate, respiratory rate, relative change in oxy and deoxy hemoglobin concentrations and tissue oxygenation and cerebral arterial oxygen extracted from these. Preliminary proof of concept results are promising and demonstrate the capability to measure heart rate, respiratory rate and slow-wave-sleep stages. This system serves as a prototype to evaluate the potential of a small bandage-size continuous-wave NIRS device to be a useful means of studying sleep.

Modeling, Fabrication and Characterization of Scalable Electroless Gold Plated Nanostructures for Enhanced Surface Plasmon Resonance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jang, Gyoung Gug

The scientific and industrial demand for controllable thin gold (Au) film and Au nanostructures is increasing in many fields including opto-electronics, photovoltaics, MEMS devices, diagnostics, bio-molecular sensors, spectro-/microscopic surfaces and probes. In this study, a novel continuous flow electroless (CF-EL) Au plating method is developed to fabricate uniform Au thin films in ambient condition. The enhanced local mass transfer rate and continuous deposition resulting from CF-EL plating improved physical uniformity of deposited Au films and thermally transformed nanoparticles (NPs). Au films and NPs exhibited improved optical photoluminescence (PL) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR), respectively, relative to batch immersion EL (BI-EL) plating. Suggested mass transfer models of Au mole deposition are consistent with optical feature of CF-EL and BI-EL films. The prototype CF-EL plating system is upgraded an automated scalable CF-EL plating system with real-time transmission UV-vis (T-UV) spectroscopy which provides the advantage of CF-EL plating, such as more uniform surface morphology, and overcomes the disadvantages of conventional EL plating, such as no continuous process and low deposition rate, using continuous process and controllable deposition rate. Throughout this work, dynamic morphological and chemical transitions during redox-driven self-assembly of Ag and Au film on silica surfaces under kinetic and equilibrium conditions are distinguished by correlating real-time T-UV spectroscopy with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements. The characterization suggests that four previously unrecognized time-dependent physicochemical regimes occur during consecutive EL deposition of silver (Ag) and Au onto tin-sensitized silica surfaces: self-limiting Ag activation; transitory Ag NP formation; transitional Au-Ag alloy formation during galvanic replacement of Ag by Au; and uniform morphology formation under controlled hydraulic conditions. A method to achieve the time-resolved optical profile of EL Au plating was devised and provided a new transitional EL Au film growth model which validated mass transfer model prediction of the deposited thickness of ≤100 nm thin films. As a part of the project, validation of mass transfer model, a spectrophotometric method for quantitative analysis of metal ion is developed that improves the limit of detection comparable to conventional instrumental analysis. The present work suggests that modeling, fabrication and characterization of this novel CF-EL plating method is performed to achieve an ultimate purpose: developing a reliable, inexpensive wet chemical process for controlled metal thin film and nanostructure fabrication.

Determination of fast ozone oxidation rate for textile dyes by using a continuous quench-flow system.

PubMed

Gomes, Arlindo C; Nunes, José C; Simões, Rogério M S

2010-06-15

To study the fast kinetic decolourisation of textile dyes by ozone a continuous quench-flow system was used. This system has not been used before for these purposes. Reaction times in the range of 7-3000 ms were explored. The reaction was quenched with potassium iodide, which proved to be very effective, and the indigo method was used to follow the ozone concentration. Dyes from the most representative chemical classes currently used in the textile industry, i.e. azo and anthraquinone, were selected. Using the initial slope method, the effect of dye and ozone concentrations was researched and the kinetic equations thus established. Using tert-butyl alcohol, as radical scavenger, and pH close to 2.5, the second-order rate constant of the reactant dyes at 280 K varies in the range of 1.20x10(4)-7.09x10(5)M(-1)s(-1); the Acid Orange 7 exhibiting thus its lowest value, the Acid Blue 45 its highest value and the Acid Green 25 and 27 and Direct Yellow 4 intermediate values (approximately 1.6x10(5)M(-1)s(-1)). Without radical scavenger and the pH close to 4, the reaction rate increases one order of magnitude, but, on the reverse, the efficiency of ozone to decolourisation decreases. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of sequential surface irrigations on field-scale emissions of 1,3-dichloropropene.

PubMed

Yates, S R; Knuteson, J; Ernst, F F; Zheng, W; Wang, Q

2008-12-01

A field experiment was conducted to measure subsurface movement and volatilization of 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D) after shank injection to an agricultural soil. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of sprinkler irrigation on the emissions of 1,3-D to the atmosphere and is based on recent research that has shown that saturating the soil pore space reduces gas-phase diffusion and leads to reduced volatilization rates. Aerodynamic, integrated horizontal flux, and theoretical profile shape methods were used to estimate fumigant volatilization rates and total emission losses. These methods provide estimates of the volatilization rate based on measurements of wind speed, temperature, and 1,3-D concentration in the atmosphere. The volatilization rate was measured continuously for 16 days, and the daily peak volatilization rates for the three methods ranged from 18 to 60 microg m(-2) s(-1). The total 13-D mass entering the atmosphere was approximately 44-68 kg ha(-1), or 10-15% of the applied active ingredient This represents approximately 30-50% reduction in the total emission losses compared to conventional fumigant applications in field and field-plot studies. Significant reduction in volatilization of 1,3-D was observed when five surface irrigations were applied to the field, one immediately after fumigation followed by daily irrigations.

Domain decomposition methods for nonconforming finite element spaces of Lagrange-type

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cowsar, Lawrence C.

1993-01-01

In this article, we consider the application of three popular domain decomposition methods to Lagrange-type nonconforming finite element discretizations of scalar, self-adjoint, second order elliptic equations. The additive Schwarz method of Dryja and Widlund, the vertex space method of Smith, and the balancing method of Mandel applied to nonconforming elements are shown to converge at a rate no worse than their applications to the standard conforming piecewise linear Galerkin discretization. Essentially, the theory for the nonconforming elements is inherited from the existing theory for the conforming elements with only modest modification by constructing an isomorphism between the nonconforming finite element space and a space of continuous piecewise linear functions.

Product mass transfer resistance directly determined during freeze-drying cycle runs using tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) and pore diffusion model.

PubMed

Kuu, Wei Y; O'Bryan, Kevin R; Hardwick, Lisa M; Paul, Timothy W

2011-08-01

The pore diffusion model is used to express the dry layer mass transfer resistance, [Formula: see text], as a function of the ratio r(e)/?, where r(e) is the effective pore radius and ? is the tortuosity factor of the dry layer. Using this model, the effective pore radius of the dry layer can be estimated from the sublimation rate and product temperature profiles measured during primary drying. Freeze-drying cycle runs were performed using the LyoStar II dryer (FTS Systems), with real-time sublimation rate profiles during freeze drying continuously measured by tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS). The formulations chosen for demonstration of the proposed approach include 5% mannitol, 5% sucrose, 5% lactose, 3% mannitol plus 2% sucrose, and a parenteral nutrition formulation denoted VitaM12. The three different methods used for determination of the product resistance are: (1) Using both the sublimation rate and product temperature profiles, (2) using the sublimation rate profile alone, and (3) using the product temperate profile alone. Unlike the second and third methods, the computation procedure of first method does not need solution of the complex heat and mass transfer equations.

Randomized comparison of two Internet-supported fertility-awareness-based methods of family planning.

PubMed

Fehring, Richard J; Schneider, Mary; Raviele, Kathleen; Rodriguez, Dana; Pruszynski, Jessica

2013-07-01

The aim was to compare the efficacy and acceptability of two Internet-supported fertility-awareness-based methods of family planning. Six hundred and sixty-seven women and their male partners were randomized into either an electronic hormonal fertility monitor (EHFM) group or a cervical mucus monitoring (CMM) group. Both groups utilized a Web site with instructions, charts and support. Acceptability was assessed online at 1, 3 and 6 months. Pregnancy rates were determined by survival analysis. The EHFM participants (N=197) had a total pregnancy rate of 7 per 100 users over 12 months of use compared with 18.5 for the CMM group (N=164). The log rank survival test showed a significant difference (p<.01) in survival functions. Mean acceptability for both groups increased significantly over time (p<.0001). Continuation rates at 12 months were 40.6% for the monitor group and 36.6% for the mucus group. In comparison with the CMM, the EHFM method of family planning was more effective. All users had an increase in acceptability over time. Results are tempered by the high dropout rate. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Efficient field testing for load rating railroad bridges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schulz, Jeffrey L.; Brett C., Commander

1995-06-01

As the condition of our infrastructure continues to deteriorate, and the loads carried by our bridges continue to increase, an ever growing number of railroad and highway bridges require load limits. With safety and transportation costs at both ends of the spectrum. the need for accurate load rating is paramount. This paper describes a method that has been developed for efficient load testing and evaluation of short- and medium-span bridges. Through the use of a specially-designed structural testing system and efficient load test procedures, a typical bridge can be instrumented and tested at 64 points in less than one working day and with minimum impact on rail traffic. Various techniques are available to evaluate structural properties and obtain a realistic model. With field data, a simple finite element model is 'calibrated' and its accuracy is verified. Appropriate design and rating loads are applied to the resulting model and stress predictions are made. This technique has been performed on numerous structures to address specific problems and to provide accurate load ratings. The merits and limitations of this approach are discussed in the context of actual examples of both rail and highway bridges that were tested and evaluated.

Microfluidic generation of aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) droplets by controlled pulsating inlet pressures.

PubMed

Moon, Byeong-Ui; Jones, Steven G; Hwang, Dae Kun; Tsai, Scott S H

2015-06-07

We present a technique that generates droplets using ultralow interfacial tension aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS). Our method combines a classical microfluidic flow focusing geometry with precisely controlled pulsating inlet pressure, to form monodisperse ATPS droplets. The dextran (DEX) disperse phase enters through the central inlet with variable on-off pressure cycles controlled by a pneumatic solenoid valve. The continuous phase polyethylene glycol (PEG) solution enters the flow focusing junction through the cross channels at a fixed flow rate. The on-off cycles of the applied pressure, combined with the fixed flow rate cross flow, make it possible for the ATPS jet to break up into droplets. We observe different droplet formation regimes with changes in the applied pressure magnitude and timing, and the continuous phase flow rate. We also develop a scaling model to predict the size of the generated droplets, and the experimental results show a good quantitative agreement with our scaling model. Additionally, we demonstrate the potential for scaling-up of the droplet production rate, with a simultaneous two-droplet generating geometry. We anticipate that this simple and precise approach to making ATPS droplets will find utility in biological applications where the all-biocompatibility of ATPS is desirable.

Modeling multiple time series annotations as noisy distortions of the ground truth: An Expectation-Maximization approach.

PubMed

Gupta, Rahul; Audhkhasi, Kartik; Jacokes, Zach; Rozga, Agata; Narayanan, Shrikanth

2018-01-01

Studies of time-continuous human behavioral phenomena often rely on ratings from multiple annotators. Since the ground truth of the target construct is often latent, the standard practice is to use ad-hoc metrics (such as averaging annotator ratings). Despite being easy to compute, such metrics may not provide accurate representations of the underlying construct. In this paper, we present a novel method for modeling multiple time series annotations over a continuous variable that computes the ground truth by modeling annotator specific distortions. We condition the ground truth on a set of features extracted from the data and further assume that the annotators provide their ratings as modification of the ground truth, with each annotator having specific distortion tendencies. We train the model using an Expectation-Maximization based algorithm and evaluate it on a study involving natural interaction between a child and a psychologist, to predict confidence ratings of the children's smiles. We compare and analyze the model against two baselines where: (i) the ground truth in considered to be framewise mean of ratings from various annotators and, (ii) each annotator is assumed to bear a distinct time delay in annotation and their annotations are aligned before computing the framewise mean.

Dynamic partitioning for hybrid simulation of the bistable HIV-1 transactivation network.

PubMed

Griffith, Mark; Courtney, Tod; Peccoud, Jean; Sanders, William H

2006-11-15

The stochastic kinetics of a well-mixed chemical system, governed by the chemical Master equation, can be simulated using the exact methods of Gillespie. However, these methods do not scale well as systems become more complex and larger models are built to include reactions with widely varying rates, since the computational burden of simulation increases with the number of reaction events. Continuous models may provide an approximate solution and are computationally less costly, but they fail to capture the stochastic behavior of small populations of macromolecules. In this article we present a hybrid simulation algorithm that dynamically partitions the system into subsets of continuous and discrete reactions, approximates the continuous reactions deterministically as a system of ordinary differential equations (ODE) and uses a Monte Carlo method for generating discrete reaction events according to a time-dependent propensity. Our approach to partitioning is improved such that we dynamically partition the system of reactions, based on a threshold relative to the distribution of propensities in the discrete subset. We have implemented the hybrid algorithm in an extensible framework, utilizing two rigorous ODE solvers to approximate the continuous reactions, and use an example model to illustrate the accuracy and potential speedup of the algorithm when compared with exact stochastic simulation. Software and benchmark models used for this publication can be made available upon request from the authors.

Rapid video-referenced ratings of reciprocal social behavior in toddlers: A twin study

PubMed Central

Marrus, Natasha; Glowinski, Anne L.; Jacob, Theodore; Klin, Ami; Jones, Warren; Drain, Caroline E.; Holzhauer, Kieran E.; Hariprasad, Vaishnavi; Fitzgerald, Rob T.; Mortenson, Erika L.; Sant, Sayli M.; Cole, Lyndsey; Siegel, Satchel A.; Zhang, Yi; Agrawal, Arpana; Heath, Andrew; Constantino, John N.

2015-01-01

Background Reciprocal social behavior (RSB) is a developmental prerequisite for social competency, and deficits in RSB constitute a core feature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although clinical screeners categorically ascertain risk of ASD in early childhood, rapid methods for quantitative measurement of RSB in toddlers are not yet established. Such measurements are critical for tracking developmental trajectories and incremental responses to intervention. Methods We developed and validated a 20-minute video-referenced rating scale, the video-referenced rating of reciprocal social behavior (vrRSB), for untrained caregivers to provide standardized ratings of quantitative variation in RSB. Parents of 252 toddler twins [Monozygotic (MZ)=31 pairs, Dizygotic (DZ)=95 pairs] ascertained through birth records, rated their twins’ RSB at two time points, on average 6 months apart, and completed two developmental measures, the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) and the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory Short Form (MCDI-s). Results Scores on the vrRSB were fully continuously distributed, with excellent 6-month test-retest reliability ([intraclass correlation coefficient] ICC=0.704, p<0.000). MZ twins displayed markedly greater trait concordance than DZ twins, (MZ ICC=0.863, p<0.000, DZ ICC=0.231, p<0.012). VrRSB score distributions were highly distinct for children passing versus failing the M-CHAT (t=−8.588, df=31, p<.000), incrementally improved from 18-24 months, and were inversely correlated with receptive and expressive vocabulary on the MCDI-s. Conclusions Like quantitative autistic trait ratings in school-aged children and adults, toddler scores on the vrRSB are continuously distributed and appear highly heritable. These ratings exhibited minimal measurement error, high inter-individual stability, and developmental progression in RSB as children matured from 18-24 months, supporting their potential utility for serially quantifying the severity of early autistic syndromes over time and in response to intervention. In addition, these findings inform the genetic-environmental structure of RSB in early typical development. PMID:25677414

Time stretch and its applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahjoubfar, Ata; Churkin, Dmitry V.; Barland, Stéphane; Broderick, Neil; Turitsyn, Sergei K.; Jalali, Bahram

2017-06-01

Observing non-repetitive and statistically rare signals that occur on short timescales requires fast real-time measurements that exceed the speed, precision and record length of conventional digitizers. Photonic time stretch is a data acquisition method that overcomes the speed limitations of electronic digitizers and enables continuous ultrafast single-shot spectroscopy, imaging, reflectometry, terahertz and other measurements at refresh rates reaching billions of frames per second with non-stop recording spanning trillions of consecutive frames. The technology has opened a new frontier in measurement science unveiling transient phenomena in nonlinear dynamics such as optical rogue waves and soliton molecules, and in relativistic electron bunching. It has also created a new class of instruments that have been integrated with artificial intelligence for sensing and biomedical diagnostics. We review the fundamental principles and applications of this emerging field for continuous phase and amplitude characterization at extremely high repetition rates via time-stretch spectral interferometry.

SITE project. Phase 1: Continuous data bit-error-rate testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fujikawa, Gene; Kerczewski, Robert J.

1992-01-01

The Systems Integration, Test, and Evaluation (SITE) Project at NASA LeRC encompasses a number of research and technology areas of satellite communications systems. Phase 1 of this project established a complete satellite link simulator system. The evaluation of proof-of-concept microwave devices, radiofrequency (RF) and bit-error-rate (BER) testing of hardware, testing of remote airlinks, and other tests were performed as part of this first testing phase. This final report covers the test results produced in phase 1 of the SITE Project. The data presented include 20-GHz high-power-amplifier testing, 30-GHz low-noise-receiver testing, amplitude equalization, transponder baseline testing, switch matrix tests, and continuous-wave and modulated interference tests. The report also presents the methods used to measure the RF and BER performance of the complete system. Correlations of the RF and BER data are summarized to note the effects of the RF responses on the BER.

Towards development of a mobile RF Doppler sensor for continuous heart rate variability and blood pressure monitoring.

PubMed

Insoo Kim; Bhagat, Yusuf A

2016-08-01

The standard in noninvasive blood pressure (BP) measurement is an inflatable cuff device based on the oscillometric method, which poses several practical challenges for continuous BP monitoring. Here, we present a novel ultra-wide band RF Doppler radar sensor for next-generation mobile interface for the purpose of characterizing fluid flow speeds, and for ultimately measuring cuffless blood flow in the human wrist. The system takes advantage of the 7.1~10.5 GHz ultra-wide band signals which can reduce transceiver complexity and power consumption overhead. Moreover, results obtained from hardware development, antenna design and human wrist modeling, and subsequent phantom development are reported. Our comprehensive lab bench system setup with a peristaltic pump was capable of characterizing various speed flow components during a linear velocity sweep of 5~62 cm/s. The sensor holds potential for providing estimates of heart rate and blood pressure.

Practical performance of real-time shot-noise measurement in continuous-variable quantum key distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Tao; Huang, Peng; Zhou, Yingming; Liu, Weiqi; Zeng, Guihua

2018-01-01

In a practical continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CVQKD) system, real-time shot-noise measurement (RTSNM) is an essential procedure for preventing the eavesdropper exploiting the practical security loopholes. However, the performance of this procedure itself is not analyzed under the real-world condition. Therefore, we indicate the RTSNM practical performance and investigate its effects on the CVQKD system. In particular, due to the finite-size effect, the shot-noise measurement at the receiver's side may decrease the precision of parameter estimation and consequently result in a tight security bound. To mitigate that, we optimize the block size for RTSNM under the ensemble size limitation to maximize the secure key rate. Moreover, the effect of finite dynamics of amplitude modulator in this scheme is studied and its mitigation method is also proposed. Our work indicates the practical performance of RTSNM and provides the real secret key rate under it.

Dereverberation and denoising based on generalized spectral subtraction by multi-channel LMS algorithm using a small-scale microphone array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Longbiao; Odani, Kyohei; Kai, Atsuhiko

2012-12-01

A blind dereverberation method based on power spectral subtraction (SS) using a multi-channel least mean squares algorithm was previously proposed to suppress the reverberant speech without additive noise. The results of isolated word speech recognition experiments showed that this method achieved significant improvements over conventional cepstral mean normalization (CMN) in a reverberant environment. In this paper, we propose a blind dereverberation method based on generalized spectral subtraction (GSS), which has been shown to be effective for noise reduction, instead of power SS. Furthermore, we extend the missing feature theory (MFT), which was initially proposed to enhance the robustness of additive noise, to dereverberation. A one-stage dereverberation and denoising method based on GSS is presented to simultaneously suppress both the additive noise and nonstationary multiplicative noise (reverberation). The proposed dereverberation method based on GSS with MFT is evaluated on a large vocabulary continuous speech recognition task. When the additive noise was absent, the dereverberation method based on GSS with MFT using only 2 microphones achieves a relative word error reduction rate of 11.4 and 32.6% compared to the dereverberation method based on power SS and the conventional CMN, respectively. For the reverberant and noisy speech, the dereverberation and denoising method based on GSS achieves a relative word error reduction rate of 12.8% compared to the conventional CMN with GSS-based additive noise reduction method. We also analyze the effective factors of the compensation parameter estimation for the dereverberation method based on SS, such as the number of channels (the number of microphones), the length of reverberation to be suppressed, and the length of the utterance used for parameter estimation. The experimental results showed that the SS-based method is robust in a variety of reverberant environments for both isolated and continuous speech recognition and under various parameter estimation conditions.

Quantifying temporal glucose variability in diabetes via continuous glucose monitoring: mathematical methods and clinical application.

PubMed

Kovatchev, Boris P; Clarke, William L; Breton, Marc; Brayman, Kenneth; McCall, Anthony

2005-12-01

Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) collect detailed blood glucose (BG) time series, which carry significant information about the dynamics of BG fluctuations. In contrast, the methods for analysis of CGM data remain those developed for infrequent BG self-monitoring. As a result, important information about the temporal structure of the data is lost during the translation of raw sensor readings into clinically interpretable statistics and images. The following mathematical methods are introduced into the field of CGM data interpretation: (1) analysis of BG rate of change; (2) risk analysis using previously reported Low/High BG Indices and Poincare (lag) plot of risk associated with temporal BG variability; and (3) spatial aggregation of the process of BG fluctuations and its Markov chain visualization. The clinical application of these methods is illustrated by analysis of data of a patient with Type 1 diabetes mellitus who underwent islet transplantation and with data from clinical trials. Normative data [12,025 reference (YSI device, Yellow Springs Instruments, Yellow Springs, OH) BG determinations] in patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus who underwent insulin and glucose challenges suggest that the 90%, 95%, and 99% confidence intervals of BG rate of change that could be maximally sustained over 15-30 min are [-2,2], [-3,3], and [-4,4] mg/dL/min, respectively. BG dynamics and risk parameters clearly differentiated the stages of transplantation and the effects of medication. Aspects of treatment were clearly visualized by graphs of BG rate of change and Low/High BG Indices, by a Poincare plot of risk for rapid BG fluctuations, and by a plot of the aggregated Markov process. Advanced analysis and visualization of CGM data allow for evaluation of dynamical characteristics of diabetes and reveal clinical information that is inaccessible via standard statistics, which do not take into account the temporal structure of the data. The use of such methods improves the assessment of patients' glycemic control.

Tobacco use in popular movies during the past decade

PubMed Central

Mekemson, C; Glik, D; Titus, K; Myerson, A; Shaivitz, A; Ang, A; Mitchell, S

2004-01-01

Objective: The top 50 commercially successful films released per year from 1991 to 2000 were content coded to assess trends in tobacco use over time and attributes of films predictive of higher smoking rates. Design: This observational study used media content analysis methods to generate data about tobacco use depictions in films studied (n = 497). Films are the basic unit of analysis. Once films were coded and preliminary analysis completed, outcome data were transformed to approximate multivariate normality before being analysed with general linear models and longitudinal mixed method regression methods. Main outcome measures: Tobacco use per minute of film was the main outcome measure used. Predictor variables include attributes of films and actors. Tobacco use was defined as any cigarette, cigar, and chewing tobacco use as well as the display of smoke and cigarette paraphernalia such as ashtrays, brand names, or logos within frames of films reviewed. Results: Smoking rates in the top films fluctuated yearly over the decade with an overall modest downward trend (p < 0.005), with the exception of R rated films where rates went up. Conclusions: The decrease in smoking rates found in films in the past decade is modest given extensive efforts to educate the entertainment industry on this issue over the past decade. Monitoring, education, advocacy, and policy change to bring tobacco depiction rates down further should continue. PMID:15564625

Preventable and Potentially Preventable Traumatic Death Rates in Neurosurgery Department: A Single Center Experience

PubMed Central

Ha, Mahnjeong; Kim, Byung Chul; Choi, Seonuoo; Cho, Won Ho

2016-01-01

Objective Preventable and potentially preventable traumatic death rates is a method to evaluate the preventability of the traumatic deaths in emergency medical department. To evaluate the preventability of the traumatic deaths in patients who were admitted to neurosurgery department, we performed this study. Methods A retrospective review identified 52 patients who admitted to neurosurgery department with severe traumatic brain injuries between 2013 and 2014. Based on radiologic and clinical state at emergency room, each preventability of death was estimated by professional panel discussion. And the final death rates were calculated. Results The preventable and potentially preventable traumatic death rates was 19.2% in this study. This result is lower than that of the research of 2012, Korean preventable and potentially preventable traumatic death rates. The rate of preventable and potentially preventable traumatic death of operation group is lower than that of conservative treatment group. Also, we confirmed that direct transfer and the time to operation are important to reduce the preventability. Conclusion We report the preventable and potentially preventable traumatic death rates of our institute for evaluation of preventability in severe traumatic brain injuries during the last 2 years. For decrease of preventable death, we suggest that continuous survey of the death rate of traumatic brain injury patients is required. PMID:27857910

COMPARISONS OF THE FINITE-ELEMENT-WITH-DISCONTIGUOUS-SUPPORT METHOD TO CONTINUOUS-ENERGY MONTE CARLO FOR PIN-CELL PROBLEMS

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

A. T. Till; M. Hanuš; J. Lou

The standard multigroup (MG) method for energy discretization of the transport equation can be sensitive to approximations in the weighting spectrum chosen for cross-section averaging. As a result, MG often inaccurately treats important phenomena such as self-shielding variations across a material. From a finite-element viewpoint, MG uses a single fixed basis function (the pre-selected spectrum) within each group, with no mechanism to adapt to local solution behavior. In this work, we introduce the Finite-Element-with-Discontiguous-Support (FEDS) method, whose only approximation with respect to energy is that the angular flux is a linear combination of unknowns multiplied by basis functions. A basismore » function is non-zero only in the discontiguous set of energy intervals associated with its energy element. Discontiguous energy elements are generalizations of bands and are determined by minimizing a norm of the difference between snapshot spectra and their averages over the energy elements. We begin by presenting the theory of the FEDS method. We then compare to continuous-energy Monte Carlo for one-dimensional slab and two-dimensional pin-cell problem. We find FEDS to be accurate and efficient at producing quantities of interest such as reaction rates and eigenvalues. Results show that FEDS converges at a rate that is approximately first-order in the number of energy elements and that FEDS is less sensitive to weighting spectrum than standard MG.« less

Converting differential-equation models of biological systems to membrane computing.

PubMed

Muniyandi, Ravie Chandren; Zin, Abdullah Mohd; Sanders, J W

2013-12-01

This paper presents a method to convert the deterministic, continuous representation of a biological system by ordinary differential equations into a non-deterministic, discrete membrane computation. The dynamics of the membrane computation is governed by rewrite rules operating at certain rates. That has the advantage of applying accurately to small systems, and to expressing rates of change that are determined locally, by region, but not necessary globally. Such spatial information augments the standard differentiable approach to provide a more realistic model. A biological case study of the ligand-receptor network of protein TGF-β is used to validate the effectiveness of the conversion method. It demonstrates the sense in which the behaviours and properties of the system are better preserved in the membrane computing model, suggesting that the proposed conversion method may prove useful for biological systems in particular. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 75.36 - Missing data procedures for heat input rate determinations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 16 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Missing data procedures for heat input... (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CONTINUOUS EMISSION MONITORING Missing Data Substitution Procedures § 75.36 Missing data procedures for heat input rate determinations. (a) When hourly heat input rate is...

40 CFR 75.36 - Missing data procedures for heat input rate determinations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 17 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Missing data procedures for heat input... (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CONTINUOUS EMISSION MONITORING Missing Data Substitution Procedures § 75.36 Missing data procedures for heat input rate determinations. (a) When hourly heat input rate is...

40 CFR 75.36 - Missing data procedures for heat input rate determinations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 17 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Missing data procedures for heat input... (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CONTINUOUS EMISSION MONITORING Missing Data Substitution Procedures § 75.36 Missing data procedures for heat input rate determinations. (a) When hourly heat input rate is...

40 CFR 75.36 - Missing data procedures for heat input rate determinations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 16 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Missing data procedures for heat input... (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CONTINUOUS EMISSION MONITORING Missing Data Substitution Procedures § 75.36 Missing data procedures for heat input rate determinations. (a) When hourly heat input rate is...

40 CFR 75.36 - Missing data procedures for heat input rate determinations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 17 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Missing data procedures for heat input... (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CONTINUOUS EMISSION MONITORING Missing Data Substitution Procedures § 75.36 Missing data procedures for heat input rate determinations. (a) When hourly heat input rate is...

Single-layer continuous suture contributes to the reduction of surgical complications in digestive tract anastomosis involving special anatomical locations.

PubMed

Li, Guo-Cai; Zhang, Yu-Chun; Xu, Yong; Zhang, Fang-Cheng; Huang, Wei-Hua; Xu, Jian-Qing; Ma, Qing-Jiu

2014-01-01

The key point of digestive cancer surgery is reconstruction and anastomosis of the digestive tract. Traditional anastomoses involve double-layer interrupted suturing, manually or using a surgical stapler. In special anatomical locations, however, suturing may become increasingly difficult and the complication rate increases accordingly. In this study, we aimed to investigate the feasibility and safety of a new manual suturing method, the single-layer continuous suture in the posterior wall of the anastomosis. Between January, 2007 and August, 2012, 101 patients with digestive cancer underwent surgery in Xi'an Gaoxin Hospital. Of those patients, 27 underwent surgery with the new manual method and the remaining 74 underwent surgery using traditional methods of anastomosis of the digestive tract. Surgical time, intraoperative blood loss, drainage duration, complications, blood tests, postoperative quality of life (QOL) and overall expenditure were recorded and analyzed. No significant differences were observed in surgical time, intraoperative blood loss, temperature, blood tests and postoperative QOL between the two groups. However, compared with the control group, the new manual suture group exhibited a lower surgical complication rate (7.40 vs. 31.08%; P=0.018), lower blood transfusion volume (274.07±419.33 vs. 646.67±1,146.06 ml; P=0.053), shorter postoperative hospital stay (14.60±4.19 vs. 17.60±6.29 days; P=0.038) and lower overall expenditure (3,509.85±768.68 vs. 6,141.83±308.90 renminbi; P=0.001). Our results suggested that single-layer continuous suturing for the anastomosis of the digestive tract is feasible and safe and may contribute to the reduction of surgical complications and overall expenditure.

Single-layer continuous suture contributes to the reduction of surgical complications in digestive tract anastomosis involving special anatomical locations

PubMed Central

LI, GUO-CAI; ZHANG, YU-CHUN; XU, YONG; ZHANG, FANG-CHENG; HUANG, WEI-HUA; XU, JIAN-QING; MA, QING-JIU

2014-01-01

The key point of digestive cancer surgery is reconstruction and anastomosis of the digestive tract. Traditional anastomoses involve double-layer interrupted suturing, manually or using a surgical stapler. In special anatomical locations, however, suturing may become increasingly difficult and the complication rate increases accordingly. In this study, we aimed to investigate the feasibility and safety of a new manual suturing method, the single-layer continuous suture in the posterior wall of the anastomosis. Between January, 2007 and August, 2012, 101 patients with digestive cancer underwent surgery in Xi’an Gaoxin Hospital. Of those patients, 27 underwent surgery with the new manual method and the remaining 74 underwent surgery using traditional methods of anastomosis of the digestive tract. Surgical time, intraoperative blood loss, drainage duration, complications, blood tests, postoperative quality of life (QOL) and overall expenditure were recorded and analyzed. No significant differences were observed in surgical time, intraoperative blood loss, temperature, blood tests and postoperative QOL between the two groups. However, compared with the control group, the new manual suture group exhibited a lower surgical complication rate (7.40 vs. 31.08%; P=0.018), lower blood transfusion volume (274.07±419.33 vs. 646.67±1,146.06 ml; P=0.053), shorter postoperative hospital stay (14.60±4.19 vs. 17.60±6.29 days; P=0.038) and lower overall expenditure (3,509.85±768.68 vs. 6,141.83±308.90 renminbi; P=0.001). Our results suggested that single-layer continuous suturing for the anastomosis of the digestive tract is feasible and safe and may contribute to the reduction of surgical complications and overall expenditure. PMID:24649327

Application of RNAMlet to surface defect identification of steels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Ke; Xu, Yang; Zhou, Peng; Wang, Lei

2018-06-01

As three main production lines of steels, continuous casting slabs, hot rolled steel plates and cold rolled steel strips have different surface appearances and are produced at different speeds of their production lines. Therefore, the algorithms for the surface defect identifications of the three steel products have different requirements for real-time and anti-interference. The existing algorithms cannot be adaptively applied to surface defect identification of the three steel products. A new method of adaptive multi-scale geometric analysis named RNAMlet was proposed. The idea of RNAMlet came from the non-symmetry anti-packing pattern representation model (NAM). The image is decomposed into a set of rectangular blocks asymmetrically according to gray value changes of image pixels. Then two-dimensional Haar wavelet transform is applied to all blocks. If the image background is complex, the number of blocks is large, and more details of the image are utilized. If the image background is simple, the number of blocks is small, and less computation time is needed. RNAMlet was tested with image samples of the three steel products, and compared with three classical methods of multi-scale geometric analysis, including Contourlet, Shearlet and Tetrolet. For the image samples with complicated backgrounds, such as continuous casting slabs and hot rolled steel plates, the defect identification rate obtained by RNAMlet was 1% higher than other three methods. For the image samples with simple backgrounds, such as cold rolled steel strips, the computation time of RNAMlet was one-tenth of the other three MGA methods, while the defect identification rates obtained by RNAMlet were higher than the other three methods.

The Impact of Graduate First Project on Students with Disabilities: Perceptions of Key Personnel

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foley, Tamera Garrett

2012-01-01

The Graduate First initiative was implemented to address the dropout crisis among students with disabilities in the state of Georgia, who continue to demonstrate a rate of attrition twice that of their non-disabled peers (Georgia Department of Education [GA DOE], 2010). This mixed method case study explored the perceptions and experiences of a…

Method of producing microporous joints in metal bodies

DOEpatents

Danko, Joseph C.

1982-01-01

Tungsten is placed in contact with either molybdenum, tantalum, niobium, vanadium, rhenium, or other metal of atoms having a different diffusion coefficient than tungsten. The metals are heated so that the atoms having the higher diffusion coefficient migrate to the metal having the lower diffusion rate, leaving voids in the higher diffusion coefficient metal. Heating is continued until the voids are interconnected.

Student Ratings and Evaluation in Undergraduate Business Law Courses: A Modest Correlative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dhooge, Lucien J.; Eakin, Cynthia F.

2007-01-01

There are few topics more controversial in higher education than the evaluation of teaching effectiveness. The continuing relevancy of issues relating to what constitutes an effective teacher and methods by which to measure such effectiveness is evidenced by the more than 2,000 articles devoted to this topic by researchers in a wide variety of…

Aerodynamic and Acoustic Effects of Abrupt Frequency Changes in Excised Larynges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alipour, Fariborz; Finnegan, Eileen M.; Scherer, Ronald C.

2009-01-01

Purpose: To determine the aerodynamic and acoustic effects due to a sudden change from chest to falsetto register or vice versa. It was hypothesized that the continuous change in subglottal pressure and flow rate alone (pressure-flow sweep [PFS]) can trigger a mode change in the canine larynx. Method: Ten canine larynges were each mounted over a…

Parent Pathways: Recognition and Responses to Developmental Delays in Young Children: A Mixed-Methods Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, Jennifer Tess

2013-01-01

The importance of early recognition and intervention for developmental delays is increasingly acknowledged, yet high rates of under-enrollment and 1-3 year delays in entry to the public early intervention system continue. Much research has examined developmental screening in health and child care settings, but less well understood is what prompts…

Continuity of Depressive Disorders From Childhood and Adolescence to Adulthood: A Naturalistic Study in Community Mental Health Centers

PubMed Central

Carballo, Juan J.; Muñoz-Lorenzo, Laura; Blasco-Fontecilla, Hilario; Lopez-Castroman, Jorge; García-Nieto, Rebeca; Dervic, Kanita; Oquendo, Maria A.

2011-01-01

Objective: To determine and compare rates of homotypic continuity of childhood- and adolescent-onset depression into adulthood. Method: This was a naturalistic, prospective cohort study of children and adolescents receiving psychiatric care at all community mental health centers in Madrid, Spain, from January 1986 to December 2007. Data were obtained from a regional registry wherein all psychiatric visits to public mental health centers are recorded. Patients received their first diagnosis of an ICD-10 F32 or F33 depressive disorder between 6 and 17 years of age and were at least 20 years old at the time of their last visit. Subjects whose first diagnosis was in childhood (aged 6–12 years: depressed-child group) and subjects whose first diagnosis was in adolescence (aged 13–17 years: depressed-adolescent group) were compared in terms of demographic characteristics, psychiatric comorbidity, and rates of homotypic continuity in adulthood. Results: Five hundred twenty-eight patients with depressive disorders met inclusion criteria. The depressed-adolescent group had a higher proportion of girls (60.3%) compared to the depressed-child group, but did not differ on other demographic or clinical variables. Most subjects who later received treatment in adult mental health facilities (n = 243; 57.2%; 95% CI, 50.9–57.2) continued to be diagnosed with a depressive disorder. High rates of anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, personality disorders, and psychotic disorders in adulthood were observed among subjects from both groups. The absence of psychiatric comorbidity prior to age 18 years was associated with homotypic continuity of depressive disorder into adulthood. Conclusions: Subjects with adolescent-onset depression and subjects without comorbid psychiatric disorders in youth appear to have a higher level of homotypic continuity into adulthood. Both children and adolescents with depressive disorders are at risk for other psychiatric disorders in adulthood. PMID:22295270

One-year continuation of copper or levonorgestrel intrauterine devices initiated at the time of emergency contraception.

PubMed

Sanders, J N; Turok, D K; Royer, P A; Thompson, I S; Gawron, L M; Storck, K E

2017-08-01

This study compares 1-year intrauterine device (IUD) continuation among women presenting for emergency contraception (EC) and initiating the copper (Cu T380A) IUD or the levonorgestrel (LNG) 52 mg IUD plus 1.5 mg oral LNG. This cohort study enrolled 188 women who presented at a single family planning clinic in Utah between June 2013 and September 2014 and selected either the Cu T380A IUD or LNG 52 mg IUD plus oral LNG for EC. Trained personnel followed participants by phone, text or e-mail for 12 months or until discontinuation occurred. We assessed reasons for discontinuation and used Cox proportional hazard models, Kaplan-Meier estimates and log-rank tests to assess differences in continuation rates between IUDs. One hundred seventy-six women received IUDs; 66 (37%) chose the Cu T380A IUD and 110 (63%) chose the LNG 52 mg IUD plus oral LNG. At 1 year, we accounted for 147 (84%) participants, 33 (22%) had requested removals, 13 (9%) had an expulsion and declined reinsertion, 3 (2%) had a pregnancy with their IUD in place and 98 (67%) were still using their device. Continuation rates did not differ by IUD type; 60% of Cu T380A IUD users and 70% of LNG 52 mg IUD plus oral LNG users were still using their device at 12 months (adjusted hazard ratio 0.72, 95% confidence interval 0.40-1.3). Two-thirds of women who chose IUD placement at the EC clinical encounter continued use at 1 year. Women initiating Cu T380A IUD and LNG 52 mg IUD had similar 1-year continuation rates. These findings support same-day insertion of IUDs for women who are seeking EC and would like to use a highly effective reversible method going forward. Providing IUD options for EC users presents an opportunity to increase availability of highly effective contraception. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

A comparison of methods for DPLL loop filter design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aguirre, S.; Hurd, W. J.; Kumar, R.; Statman, J.

1986-01-01

Four design methodologies for loop filters for a class of digital phase-locked loops (DPLLs) are presented. The first design maps an optimum analog filter into the digital domain; the second approach designs a filter that minimizes in discrete time weighted combination of the variance of the phase error due to noise and the sum square of the deterministic phase error component; the third method uses Kalman filter estimation theory to design a filter composed of a least squares fading memory estimator and a predictor. The last design relies on classical theory, including rules for the design of compensators. Linear analysis is used throughout the article to compare different designs, and includes stability, steady state performance and transient behavior of the loops. Design methodology is not critical when the loop update rate can be made high relative to loop bandwidth, as the performance approaches that of continuous time. For low update rates, however, the miminization method is significantly superior to the other methods.

Handover Control Method Using Resource Reservation in Mobile Multimedia Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Dong Chun; Lee, Jong Chan

When handover events occur during the transmission of multimedia traffic, efficient handover control procedures and radio resource allocation are necessary to maintain the same QoS of transmitted multimedia traffic because the QoS may be degraded by additional delay and information loss. In this paper we propose a new handover control method for the next generation mobile multimedia networks, in which the handover setup process is done in advance of a handover request by predicting the handover cell from mobile terminal's current position. The handover procedures for real-time sessions are performed based on the handover cell information and the resource reservation condition. The radio resources in the estimated adjacent cells should be reserved and allocated to guarantee the continuity of the real-time sessions. We conduct a simulation model that is focused on the handover failure rate and packet loss rate. The simulation results show that our proposed method provides better performance than the previous methods.

A Convenient and Versatile Method To Control the Electrode Microstructure toward High-Energy Lithium-Ion Batteries

DOE PAGES

Zhao, Hui; Yang, Qing; Yuca, Neslihan; ...

2016-06-23

Control over porous electrode microstructure is critical for the continued improvement of electrochemical performance of lithium ion batteries. This paper describes a convenient and economical method for controlling electrode porosity, thereby enhancing material loading and stabilizing the cycling performance. Sacrificial NaCl is added to a Si-based electrode, which demonstrates an areal capacity of ~4 mAh/cm 2 at a C/10 rate (0.51 mA/cm 2) and an areal capacity of 3 mAh/cm 2 at a C/3 rate (1.7 mA/cm 2), one of the highest material loadings reported for a Si-based anode at such a high cycling rate. X-ray microtomography confirmed the improvedmore » porous architecture of the SiO electrode with NaCl. The method developed here is expected to be compatible with the state-of-the-art lithium ion battery industrial fabrication processes and therefore holds great promise as a practical technique for boosting the electrochemical performance of lithium ion batteries without changing material systems.« less

National suicide rates a century after Durkheim: do we know enough to estimate error?

PubMed

Claassen, Cynthia A; Yip, Paul S; Corcoran, Paul; Bossarte, Robert M; Lawrence, Bruce A; Currier, Glenn W

2010-06-01

Durkheim's nineteenth-century analysis of national suicide rates dismissed prior concerns about mortality data fidelity. Over the intervening century, however, evidence documenting various types of error in suicide data has only mounted, and surprising levels of such error continue to be routinely uncovered. Yet the annual suicide rate remains the most widely used population-level suicide metric today. After reviewing the unique sources of bias incurred during stages of suicide data collection and concatenation, we propose a model designed to uniformly estimate error in future studies. A standardized method of error estimation uniformly applied to mortality data could produce data capable of promoting high quality analyses of cross-national research questions.

Self-tuning control of attitude and momentum management for the Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shieh, L. S.; Sunkel, J. W.; Yuan, Z. Z.; Zhao, X. M.

1992-01-01

This paper presents a hybrid state-space self-tuning design methodology using dual-rate sampling for suboptimal digital adaptive control of attitude and momentum management for the Space Station. This new hybrid adaptive control scheme combines an on-line recursive estimation algorithm for indirectly identifying the parameters of a continuous-time system from the available fast-rate sampled data of the inputs and states and a controller synthesis algorithm for indirectly finding the slow-rate suboptimal digital controller from the designed optimal analog controller. The proposed method enables the development of digitally implementable control algorithms for the robust control of Space Station Freedom with unknown environmental disturbances and slowly time-varying dynamics.

Long-acting reversible contraceptive acceptability and unintended pregnancy among women presenting for short-acting methods: a randomized patient preference trial.

PubMed

Hubacher, David; Spector, Hannah; Monteith, Charles; Chen, Pai-Lien; Hart, Catherine

2017-02-01

Measures of contraceptive effectiveness combine technology and user-related factors. Observational studies show higher effectiveness of long-acting reversible contraception compared with short-acting reversible contraception. Women who choose long-acting reversible contraception may differ in key ways from women who choose short-acting reversible contraception, and it may be these differences that are responsible for the high effectiveness of long-acting reversible contraception. Wider use of long-acting reversible contraception is recommended, but scientific evidence of acceptability and successful use is lacking in a population that typically opts for short-acting methods. The objective of the study was to reduce bias in measuring contraceptive effectiveness and better isolate the independent role that long-acting reversible contraception has in preventing unintended pregnancy relative to short-acting reversible contraception. We conducted a partially randomized patient preference trial and recruited women aged 18-29 years who were seeking a short-acting method (pills or injectable). Participants who agreed to randomization were assigned to 1 of 2 categories: long-acting reversible contraception or short-acting reversible contraception. Women who declined randomization but agreed to follow-up in the observational cohort chose their preferred method. Under randomization, participants chose a specific method in the category and received it for free, whereas participants in the preference cohort paid for the contraception in their usual fashion. Participants were followed up prospectively to measure primary outcomes of method continuation and unintended pregnancy at 12 months. Kaplan-Meier techniques were used to estimate method continuation probabilities. Intent-to-treat principles were applied after method initiation for comparing incidence of unintended pregnancy. We also measured acceptability in terms of level of happiness with the products. Of the 916 participants, 43% chose randomization and 57% chose the preference option. Complete loss to follow-up at 12 months was <2%. The 12-month method continuation probabilities were 63.3% (95% confidence interval, 58.9-67.3) (preference short-acting reversible contraception), 53.0% (95% confidence interval, 45.7-59.8) (randomized short-acting reversible contraception), and 77.8% (95% confidence interval, 71.0-83.2) (randomized long-acting reversible contraception) (P < .001 in the primary comparison involving randomized groups). The 12-month cumulative unintended pregnancy probabilities were 6.4% (95% confidence interval, 4.1-8.7) (preference short-acting reversible contraception), 7.7% (95% confidence interval, 3.3-12.1) (randomized short-acting reversible contraception), and 0.7% (95% confidence interval, 0.0-4.7) (randomized long-acting reversible contraception) (P = .01 when comparing randomized groups). In the secondary comparisons involving only short-acting reversible contraception users, the continuation probability was higher in the preference group compared with the randomized group (P = .04). However, the short-acting reversible contraception randomized group and short-acting reversible contraception preference group had statistically equivalent rates of unintended pregnancy (P = .77). Seventy-eight percent of randomized long-acting reversible contraception users were happy/neutral with their initial method, compared with 89% of randomized short-acting reversible contraception users (P < .05). However, among method continuers at 12 months, all groups were equally happy/neutral (>90%). Even in a typical population of women who presented to initiate or continue short-acting reversible contraception, long-acting reversible contraception proved highly acceptable. One year after initiation, women randomized to long-acting reversible contraception had high continuation rates and consequently experienced superior protection from unintended pregnancy compared with women using short-acting reversible contraception; these findings are attributable to the initial technology and not underlying factors that often bias observational estimates of effectiveness. The similarly patterned experiences of the 2 short-acting reversible contraception cohorts provide a bridge of generalizability between the randomized group and usual-care preference group. Benefits of increased voluntary uptake of long-acting reversible contraception may extend to wider populations than previously thought. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

What Is the Evidence for Use of a Supplemental Feeding Tube Device as an Alternative Supplemental Feeding Method for Breastfed Infants?

PubMed

Penny, Frances; Judge, Michelle; Brownell, Elizabeth; McGrath, Jacqueline M

2018-02-01

According to the Healthy People 2020 goals, the sustainability of breastfeeding duration rates within the United States has not been achieved. To increase these rates, it is important that women with breastfeeding difficulties receive the support needed to continue breastfeeding. When supplementation occurs, it is essential that the breastfeeding relationship be preserved. Various methods of supplementation are often recommended including use of the supplemental feeding tube device (SFTD). The question guiding this brief is "What evidence exists to support the use of an SFTD as a method of supplementation for breastfed infants?" The PubMed and CINAHL databases were queried for original research published in English from 1990 through July 2016. Search terms included "supplemental feeding tube," "breastfeeding," "term infants," "premature infants," "Supplemental Nursing System," "Lact-aid," and "supply line." Very limited research exists on the use of SFTDs as a method of supplementation for breastfed infants; however, existing research suggests that an SFTD may be useful as a supplementation method for breastfed infants. High-quality research is needed to evaluate the efficacy of using an SFTD for supporting exclusive and all breastfeeding rates. Nurses and providers need to be educated and trained in the use of SFTDs as well as all supplemental feeding methods. Information on efficacy and SFTD use should also be included in policies related to breastfeeding and human milk use. Further research should determine best methods of supplementation for breastfed infants and should examine differences in breastfeeding rates when using the SFTD for supplementation.

Field trial of differential-phase-shift quantum key distribution using polarization independent frequency up-conversion detectors.

PubMed

Honjo, T; Yamamoto, S; Yamamoto, T; Kamada, H; Nishida, Y; Tadanaga, O; Asobe, M; Inoue, K

2007-11-26

We report a field trial of differential phase shift quantum key distribution (QKD) using polarization independent frequency up-conversion detectors. A frequency up-conversion detector is a promising device for achieving a high key generation rate when combined with a high clock rate QKD system. However, its polarization dependence prevents it from being applied to practical QKD systems. In this paper, we employ a modified polarization diversity configuration to eliminate the polarization dependence. Applying this method, we performed a long-term stability test using a 17.6-km installed fiber. We successfully demonstrated stable operation for 6 hours and achieved a sifted key generation rate of 120 kbps and an average quantum bit error rate of 3.14 %. The sifted key generation rate was not the estimated value but the effective value, which means that the sifted key was continuously generated at a rate of 120 kbps for 6 hours.

GEE-based SNP set association test for continuous and discrete traits in family-based association studies.

PubMed

Wang, Xuefeng; Lee, Seunggeun; Zhu, Xiaofeng; Redline, Susan; Lin, Xihong

2013-12-01

Family-based genetic association studies of related individuals provide opportunities to detect genetic variants that complement studies of unrelated individuals. Most statistical methods for family association studies for common variants are single marker based, which test one SNP a time. In this paper, we consider testing the effect of an SNP set, e.g., SNPs in a gene, in family studies, for both continuous and discrete traits. Specifically, we propose a generalized estimating equations (GEEs) based kernel association test, a variance component based testing method, to test for the association between a phenotype and multiple variants in an SNP set jointly using family samples. The proposed approach allows for both continuous and discrete traits, where the correlation among family members is taken into account through the use of an empirical covariance estimator. We derive the theoretical distribution of the proposed statistic under the null and develop analytical methods to calculate the P-values. We also propose an efficient resampling method for correcting for small sample size bias in family studies. The proposed method allows for easily incorporating covariates and SNP-SNP interactions. Simulation studies show that the proposed method properly controls for type I error rates under both random and ascertained sampling schemes in family studies. We demonstrate through simulation studies that our approach has superior performance for association mapping compared to the single marker based minimum P-value GEE test for an SNP-set effect over a range of scenarios. We illustrate the application of the proposed method using data from the Cleveland Family GWAS Study. © 2013 WILEY PERIODICALS, INC.

Efficiency of Artemia cysts removal as a model invasive spore using a continuous microwave system with heat recovery.

PubMed

Balasubramanian, Sundar; Ortego, Jeffrey; Rusch, Kelly A; Boldor, Dorin

2008-12-15

A continuous microwave system to treat ballast water inoculated with Artemia salina cysts as a model invasive spore was tested for its efficacy in inactivating the cysts present. The system was tested at two different flow rates (1 and 2 L x min(-1)) and two different power levels (2.5 and 4.5 kW). Temperature profiles indicate that the system could deliver heating loads in excess of 100 degrees C in a uniform and near-instantaneous manner when using a heat recovery system. Except for a power and flow rate combination of 2.5 kW and 2 L x min(-1), complete inactivation of the cysts was observed at all combinations at holding times below 100 s. The microwave treatment was better or equal to the control treatment in inactivating the cysts. Use of heat exchangers increased the power conversion efficiency and the overall efficiency of the treatment system. Cost economics analysis indicates that in the present form of development microwave treatment costs are higher than the existing ballast water treatment methods. Overall, tests results indicated that microwave treatment of ballast water is a promising method that can be used in conjunction with other methods to form an efficient treatment system that can prevent introduction of potentially invasive spore forming species in non-native waters.

Continuous-annealing method for producing a flexible, curved, soft magnetic amorphous alloy ribbon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Francoeur, Bruno; Couture, Pierre

2012-04-01

A method has been developed for continuous annealing of an amorphous alloy ribbon moving forward at several meters per second, giving a curved shape to the ribbon that remains flexible afterward and can be easily wound into a toroidal core with excellent soft magnetic properties. A heat pulse was applied by a compact system on a Metglas 2605HB1 ribbon moving forward at 5 m/s to initiate a thermal treatment at 460 °C, near crystallization onset. The treatment duration was less than 0.1 s, and the heating and cooling rates were above 10 000 °C/s, which helped preserve most of the alloy as-cast ductility state. Such high temperature rates were achieved by forcing a static contact between the moving ribbon and a temperature-controlled roller. A tensile stress and a series of bending configurations were applied on the moving ribbon during the treatment to induce the development of magnetic anisotropy and to obtain the desired natural curvature radius. The core losses at 60 Hz of a toroidal test core wound with the resulting ribbon are lower than the specific values reported by the alloy manufacturer. This method can be implemented at the casting plant for supplying a low-cost, ready-to-use ribbon, easy to handle and cut, for mass production of toroidal cores for distribution transformer kernels (core and coil only), pulse power cores, etc.

Detection of Coronal Mass Ejections Using Multiple Features and Space-Time Continuity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ling; Yin, Jian-qin; Lin, Jia-ben; Feng, Zhi-quan; Zhou, Jin

2017-07-01

Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) release tremendous amounts of energy in the solar system, which has an impact on satellites, power facilities and wireless transmission. To effectively detect a CME in Large Angle Spectrometric Coronagraph (LASCO) C2 images, we propose a novel algorithm to locate the suspected CME regions, using the Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) method and taking into account the features of the grayscale and the texture. Furthermore, space-time continuity is used in the detection algorithm to exclude the false CME regions. The algorithm includes three steps: i) define the feature vector which contains textural and grayscale features of a running difference image; ii) design the detection algorithm based on the ELM method according to the feature vector; iii) improve the detection accuracy rate by using the decision rule of the space-time continuum. Experimental results show the efficiency and the superiority of the proposed algorithm in the detection of CMEs compared with other traditional methods. In addition, our algorithm is insensitive to most noise.

On-demand Reporting of Risk-adjusted and Smoothed Rates for Quality Profiling in ACS NSQIP.

PubMed

Cohen, Mark E; Liu, Yaoming; Huffman, Kristopher M; Ko, Clifford Y; Hall, Bruce L

2016-12-01

Surgical quality improvement depends on hospitals having accurate and timely information about comparative performance. Profiling accuracy is improved by risk adjustment and shrinkage adjustment to stabilize estimates. These adjustments are included in ACS NSQIP reports, where hospital odds ratios (OR) are estimated using hierarchical models built on contemporaneous data. However, the timeliness of feedback remains an issue. We describe an alternative, nonhierarchical approach, which yields risk- and shrinkage-adjusted rates. In contrast to our "Traditional" NSQIP method, this approach uses preexisting equations, built on historical data, which permits hospitals to have near immediate access to profiling results. We compared our traditional method to this new "on-demand" approach with respect to outlier determinations, kappa statistics, and correlations between logged OR and standardized rates, for 12 models (4 surgical groups by 3 outcomes). When both methods used the same contemporaneous data, there were similar numbers of hospital outliers and correlations between logged OR and standardized rates were high. However, larger differences were observed when the effect of contemporaneous versus historical data was added to differences in statistical methodology. The on-demand, nonhierarchical approach provides results similar to the traditional hierarchical method and offers immediacy, an "over-time" perspective, application to a broader range of models and data subsets, and reporting of more easily understood rates. Although the nonhierarchical method results are now available "on-demand" in a web-based application, the hierarchical approach has advantages, which support its continued periodic publication as the gold standard for hospital profiling in the program.

Angular oversampling with temporally offset layers on multilayer detectors in computed tomography

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

Sjölin, Martin, E-mail: martin.sjolin@mi.physics.kth.se; Danielsson, Mats

2016-06-15

Purpose: Today’s computed tomography (CT) scanners operate at an increasingly high rotation speed in order to reduce motion artifacts and to fulfill the requirements of dynamic acquisition, e.g., perfusion and cardiac imaging, with lower angular sampling rate as a consequence. In this paper, a simple method for obtaining angular oversampling when using multilayer detectors in continuous rotation CT is presented. Methods: By introducing temporal offsets between the measurement periods of the different layers on a multilayer detector, the angular sampling rate can be increased by a factor equal to the number of layers on the detector. The increased angular samplingmore » rate reduces the risk of producing aliasing artifacts in the image. A simulation of a detector with two layers is performed to prove the concept. Results: The simulation study shows that aliasing artifacts from insufficient angular sampling are reduced by the proposed method. Specifically, when imaging a single point blurred by a 2D Gaussian kernel, the method is shown to reduce the strength of the aliasing artifacts by approximately an order of magnitude. Conclusions: The presented oversampling method is easy to implement in today’s multilayer detectors and has the potential to reduce aliasing artifacts in the reconstructed images.« less

Microbial removal of alkanes from dilute gaseous waste streams: kinetics and mass transfer considerations.

PubMed

Barton, J W; Klasson, K T; Koran, L J; Davison, B H

1997-01-01

Treatment of dilute gaseous hydrocarbon waste streams remains a current need for many industries, particularly as increasingly stringent environmental regulations and oversight force emission reduction. Biofiltration systems hold promise for providing low-cost alternatives to more traditional, energy-intensive treatment methods such as incineration and adsorption. Elucidation of engineering principles governing the behavior of such systems, including mass transfer limitations, will broaden their applicability. Our processes exploit a microbial consortium to treat a mixture of 0.5% n-pentane and 0.5% isobutane in air. Since hydrocarbon gases are sparingly soluble in water, good mixing and high surface area between the gas and liquid phases are essential for biodegradation to be effective. One liquid-continuous columnar bioreactor was operated for more than 30 months with continued degradation of n-pentane and isobutane as sole carbon and energy sources. The maximum degradation rate observed in this gas-recycle system was 2 g of volatile organic compounds (VOC)/(m3.h). A trickle-bed bioreactor was operated continuously for over 24 months to provide a higher surface area (using a structured packing) with increased rates. Degradation rates consistently achieved were approximately 50 g of VOC/(m3.h) via single pass in this gas-continuous columnar system. Effective mass transfer coefficients comparable to literature values were also measured for this reactor; these values were substantially higher than those found in the gas-recycle reactor. Control of biomass levels was implemented by limiting the level of available nitrogen in the recirculating aqueous media, enabling long-term stability of reactor performance.

Perioperative Care and the Importance of Continuous Quality Improvement—A Controlled Intervention Study in Three Tanzanian Hospitals

PubMed Central

Mtatifikolo, Ferdinand; Ngoli, Baltazar; Neuner, Bruno; Wernecke, Klaus–Dieter; Spies, Claudia

2015-01-01

Introduction Surgical services are increasingly seen to reduce death and disability in Sub-Saharan Africa, where hospital-based mortality remains alarmingly high. This study explores two implementation approaches to improve the quality of perioperative care in a Tanzanian hospital. Effects were compared to a control group of two other hospitals in the region without intervention. Methods All hospitals conducted quality assessments with a Hospital Performance Assessment Tool. Changes in immediate outcome indicators after one and two years were compared to final outcome indicators such as Anaesthetic Complication Rate and Surgical Case Fatality Rate. Results Immediate outcome indicators for Preoperative Care in the intervention hospital improved (52.5% in 2009; 84.2% in 2011, p<0.001). Postoperative Inpatient Care initially improved to then decline again (63.3% in 2009; 70% in 2010; 58.6% in 2011). In the control group, preoperative care declined from 50.8% (2009) to 32.8% (2011, p <0.001), while postoperative care did not significantly change. Anaesthetic Complication Rate in the intervention hospital declined (1.89% before intervention; 0.96% after intervention, p = 0.006). Surgical Case Fatality Rate in the intervention hospital declined from 5.67% before intervention to 2.93% after intervention (p<0.0010). Surgical Case Fatality Rate in the control group was 4% before intervention and 3.8% after intervention (p = 0.411). Anaesthetic Complication Rate in the control group was not available. Discussion Immediate outcome indicators initially improved, while at the same time final outcome declined (Surgical Case Fatality, Anaesthetic Complication Rate). Compared to the control group, final outcome improved more in the intervention hospital, although the effect was not significant over the whole study period. Documentation of final outcome indicators seemed inconsistent. Immediate outcome indicators seem more helpful to steer the Continuous Quality Improvement program. Conclusion Specific interventions as part of Continuous Quality Improvement might lead to sustainable improvement of the quality of care, if embedded in a multi-faceted approach. PMID:26327392

False Discovery Control in Large-Scale Spatial Multiple Testing

PubMed Central

Sun, Wenguang; Reich, Brian J.; Cai, T. Tony; Guindani, Michele; Schwartzman, Armin

2014-01-01

Summary This article develops a unified theoretical and computational framework for false discovery control in multiple testing of spatial signals. We consider both point-wise and cluster-wise spatial analyses, and derive oracle procedures which optimally control the false discovery rate, false discovery exceedance and false cluster rate, respectively. A data-driven finite approximation strategy is developed to mimic the oracle procedures on a continuous spatial domain. Our multiple testing procedures are asymptotically valid and can be effectively implemented using Bayesian computational algorithms for analysis of large spatial data sets. Numerical results show that the proposed procedures lead to more accurate error control and better power performance than conventional methods. We demonstrate our methods for analyzing the time trends in tropospheric ozone in eastern US. PMID:25642138

Radiological reporting that combine continuous speech recognition with error correction by transcriptionists.

PubMed

Ichikawa, Tamaki; Kitanosono, Takashi; Koizumi, Jun; Ogushi, Yoichi; Tanaka, Osamu; Endo, Jun; Hashimoto, Takeshi; Kawada, Shuichi; Saito, Midori; Kobayashi, Makiko; Imai, Yutaka

2007-12-20

We evaluated the usefulness of radiological reporting that combines continuous speech recognition (CSR) and error correction by transcriptionists. Four transcriptionists (two with more than 10 years' and two with less than 3 months' transcription experience) listened to the same 100 dictation files and created radiological reports using conventional transcription and a method that combined CSR with manual error correction by the transcriptionists. We compared the 2 groups using the 2 methods for accuracy and report creation time and evaluated the transcriptionists' inter-personal dependence on accuracy rate and report creation time. We used a CSR system that did not require the training of the system to recognize the user's voice. We observed no significant difference in accuracy between the 2 groups and 2 methods that we tested, though transcriptionists with greater experience transcribed faster than those with less experience using conventional transcription. Using the combined method, error correction speed was not significantly different between two groups of transcriptionists with different levels of experience. Combining CSR and manual error correction by transcriptionists enabled convenient and accurate radiological reporting.

Keeping Pace With Water and Wastewater Rates

DOE PAGES

Stratton, Hannah; Fuchs, Heidi; Chen, Yuting; ...

2017-10-01

We present that water and wastewater treatment and delivery are the most capital-intensive of all utility services. The literature indicates that historically underpriced water and wastewater rates have exhibited steadily high growth in the past 15 years, while the consumer price index (CPI) of water and sewage maintenance has outpaced the general CPI by an increasingly wide margin. This article employs a chained analysis method to examine water and wastewater rates for a group of utilities across US Census regions between 2000 and 2014. Results demonstrate that water and wastewater prices for this sample group have consistently increased and havemore » surpassed CPI growth since 2006. Finally, current and upcoming challenges facing water and wastewater utilities suggest that rate increases are likely to continue in the foreseeable future.« less

Keeping Pace With Water and Wastewater Rates

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

Stratton, Hannah; Fuchs, Heidi; Chen, Yuting

We present that water and wastewater treatment and delivery are the most capital-intensive of all utility services. The literature indicates that historically underpriced water and wastewater rates have exhibited steadily high growth in the past 15 years, while the consumer price index (CPI) of water and sewage maintenance has outpaced the general CPI by an increasingly wide margin. This article employs a chained analysis method to examine water and wastewater rates for a group of utilities across US Census regions between 2000 and 2014. Results demonstrate that water and wastewater prices for this sample group have consistently increased and havemore » surpassed CPI growth since 2006. Finally, current and upcoming challenges facing water and wastewater utilities suggest that rate increases are likely to continue in the foreseeable future.« less

Impact of a Breastfeeding-Friendly Workplace on an Employed Mother's Intention to Continue Breastfeeding After Returning to Work

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Abstract Background Ever-increasing populations of women in their childbearing years are choosing to become employed. Breastfeeding provides unique health advantages to both the infant and mother. A breastfeeding-friendly workplace might be an important factor for predicting breastfeeding rates among working women. To explore the impact of breastfeeding-friendly support on the intention of working mothers to continue breastfeeding, we conducted a survey at a female labor-intensive electronics manufacturer in Taiwan. Subjects and Methods A structured questionnaire survey was administered to 715 working mothers employed in an electronics manufacturing plant in Tainan Science Park in Southern Taiwan. Questionnaire content included female employee demographics, employment characteristics, continued breastfeeding behavior after returning to work, access to lactation rooms, and employee perception of the breastfeeding policy and support when raising their most recently born child. Results A higher education level (odds ratio [OR]=2.66), lower work load (8 work hours/day) (OR=2.66), lactation room with dedicated space (OR=2.38), use of breast pumping breaks (OR=61.6), and encouragement from colleagues (OR=2.78) and supervisors (OR=2.44) to use breast pumping breaks were significant predictors of continued breastfeeding for more than 6 months after returning to work. Conclusions The findings of the present study suggest that to encourage and increase the rate of continued breastfeeding, workplaces should establish dedicated breastfeeding rooms and maintain a comfortable and clean environment. Furthermore, employers should provide encouragement and support for working mothers to continue breastfeeding after returning to work. PMID:23390987

Non-destructive method for determining neutron exposure

DOEpatents

Gold, R.; McElroy, W.N.

1983-11-01

A non-destructive method for determination of neutron exposure in an object, such as a reactor pressure vessel, is based on the observation of characteristic gamma-rays emitted by activation products in the object by using a unique continuous gamma-ray spectrometer. The spectrometer views the object through appropriate collimators to determine the absolute emission rate of these characteristic gamma-rays, thereby ascertaining the absolute activity of given activation products in the object. These data can then be used to deduce the spatial and angular dependence of neutron exposure at regions of interest within the object.

Method of making tapered capillary tips with constant inner diameters

DOEpatents

Kelly, Ryan T [West Richland, WA; Page, Jason S [Kennewick, WA; Tang, Keqi [Richland, WA; Smith, Richard D [Richland, WA

2009-02-17

Methods of forming electrospray ionization emitter tips are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an end portion of a capillary tube can be immersed into an etchant, wherein the etchant forms a concave meniscus on the outer surface of the capillary. Variable etching rates in the meniscus can cause an external taper to form. While etching the outer surface of the capillary wall, a fluid can be flowed through the interior of the capillary tube. Etching continues until the immersed portion of the capillary tube is completely etched away.

Performance and Reliability of Bonded Interfaces for High-temperature Packaging: Annual Progress Report

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

DeVoto, Douglas J.

2017-10-19

As maximum device temperatures approach 200 °Celsius, continuous operation, sintered silver materials promise to maintain bonds at these high temperatures without excessive degradation rates. A detailed characterization of the thermal performance and reliability of sintered silver materials and processes has been initiated for the next year. Future steps in crack modeling include efforts to simulate crack propagation directly using the extended finite element method (X-FEM), a numerical technique that uses the partition of unity method for modeling discontinuities such as cracks in a system.

Method of extracting heat from dry geothermal reservoirs

DOEpatents

Potter, R.M.; Robinson, E.S.; Smith, M.C.

1974-01-22

Hydraulic fracturing is used to interconnect two or more holes that penetrate a previously dry geothermal reservoir, and to produce within the reservoir a sufficiently large heat-transfer surface so that heat can be extracted from the reservoir at a usefully high rate by a fluid entering it through one hole and leaving it through another. Introduction of a fluid into the reservoir to remove heat from it and establishment of natural (unpumped) convective circulation through the reservoir to accomplish continuous heat removal are important and novel features of the method. (auth)

Method of Implementing Digital Phase-Locked Loops

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stephens, Scott A. (Inventor); Thomas, J. Brooks (Inventor)

1997-01-01

In a new formulation for digital phase-locked loops, loop-filter constants are determined from loop roots that can each be selectively placed in the s-plane on the basis of a new set of parameters, each with simple and direct physical meaning in terms of loop noise bandwidth, root-specific decay rate, and root-specific damping. Loops of first to fourth order are treated in the continuous-update approximation (B(sub L)T approaches 0) and in a discrete-update formulation with arbitrary B(sub L)T. Deficiencies of the continuous-update approximation in large-B(sub L)T applications are avoided in the new discrete-update formulation.

Continuous recording of pulmonary artery pressure in unrestricted subjects.

PubMed Central

Ikram, H; Richards, A M; Hamilton, E J; Nicholls, M G

1984-01-01

Continuous ambulatory pulmonary artery pressures were recorded using a conventional No 5 French Goodale-Lubin filled catheter linked to the Oxford Medilog system of a portable transducer-perfusion unit and miniaturised recorder. Data retrieval and analysis were performed using a PB2 Medilog playback unit linked to a PDP 11 computer system. The total system has a frequency response linear to 8 Hz allowing accurate pressure recording over the full range of heart rates. Ten recordings in 10 patients yielded artefact free data for 80% or more of the recorded period. This inexpensive reliable method allows pulmonary artery pressures to be recorded in unrestricted subjects. Images PMID:6704262

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

Aburano, T.; Takayama, T.; Nakajima, K.

The three different methods to evaluate the alterations of split renal function following continued captopril treatment were studied in patients with hypertension. Five patients had unilateral and 2 had bilateral renal artery stenosis, and 13 had normal renal arteries. The studies were performed the day prior to receiving captopril (baseline), and 6th or 7th day following continued captorpril treatment (37.5mg or 75mg/day): Split effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) after injections of I-131 iodohippuran and Tc-99m DTPA were measured respectively by the methods using kidney counting corrected for depth and dose, described by Schlegel and Gates.more » And Tc-99m DMSA uptake was also evaluated qualitatively. In most of patients with renal artery stenosis, split GFR and Tc-99m DMSA uptake in the affected kidney were markedly decreased 6th or 7th day following continued captorpril treatment. These findings suggest that the captopril induced alterations of split renal function may be of importance for the diagnosis of renovascular hypertension. For this purpose, split GFR determination and Tc-99m DMSA study are more useful than split ERPF determination.« less

An enzyme-coupled continuous fluorescence assay for farnesyl diphosphate synthases

PubMed Central

Dozier, Jonathan K; Distefano, Mark D

2012-01-01

Farnesyl diphosphate synthase (FDPS) catalyzes the conversion of isopentenyl diphosphate and dimethylallyl diphosphate to farnesyl diphosphate, a crucial metabolic intermediate in the synthesis of cholesterol, ubiquinone and prenylated proteins; consequently, much effort has gone into developing inhibitors that target FDPS. Currently most FDPS assays use either radiolabeled substrates and are discontinuous, or monitor pyrophosphate release and not farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) creation. Here we report the development of a continuous coupled enzyme assay for FDPS activity that involves the subsequent incorporation of the FPP product of that reaction into a peptide via the action of protein farnesyltransferase (PFTase). By using a dansylated peptide whose fluorescence quantum yield increases upon farnesylation, the rate of FDPS-catalyzed FPP production can be measured. We show that this assay is more sensitive than existing coupled assays, that it can be used to conveniently monitor FDPS activity in a 96-well plate format and that it can reproduce IC50 values for several previously reported FDPS inhibitors. This new method offers a simple, safe and continuous method to assay FDPS activity that should greatly facilitate the screening of inhibitors of this important target. PMID:22085443

26 CFR 1.809-9 - Computation of the differential earnings rate and the recomputed differential earnings rate.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY (CONTINUED) INCOME TAX (CONTINUED) INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED... the amount equal to the product of— (i) The life insurance company's average equity base for the... the excess of— (i) The imputed earnings rate for the taxable year; over (ii) The average mutual...

26 CFR 1.989(b)-1 - Definition of weighted average exchange rate.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 10 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Definition of weighted average exchange rate. 1... (CONTINUED) INCOME TAX (CONTINUED) INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED) Export Trade Corporations § 1.989(b)-1 Definition of weighted average exchange rate. For purposes of section 989(b)(3) and (4), the term “weighted...

Heated, humidified high-flow nasal cannula therapy: yet another way to deliver continuous positive airway pressure?

PubMed

Kubicka, Zuzanna J; Limauro, Joseph; Darnall, Robert A

2008-01-01

The goal was to estimate the level of delivered continuous positive airway pressure by measuring oral cavity pressure with the mouth closed in infants of various weights and ages treated with heated, humidified high-flow nasal cannula at flow rates of 1-5 L/minute. We hypothesized that clinically relevant levels of continuous positive airway pressure would not be achieved if a nasal leak is maintained. After performing bench measurements and demonstrating that oral cavity pressure closely approximated levels of traditionally applied nasal continuous positive airway pressure, we successfully measured oral cavity pressure during heated, humidified, high-flow nasal cannula treatment in 27 infants. Small (outer diameter: 0.2 cm) cannulae were used for all infants, and flow rates were left as ordered by providers. Bench measurements showed that, for any given leak size, there was a nearly linear relationship between flow rate and pressure. The highest pressure achieved was 4.5 cmH2O (flow rate: 8 L/minute; leak: 3 mm). In our study infants (postmenstrual age: 29.1-44.7 weeks; weight: 835-3735 g; flow rate: 1-5 L/minute), no pressure was generated with the mouth open at any flow rate. With the mouth closed, the oral cavity pressure was related to both flow rate and weight. For infants of < or = 1500 g, there was a linear relationship between flow rate and oral cavity pressure. Oral cavity pressure can estimate the level of continuous positive airway pressure. Continuous positive airway pressure generated with heated, humidified, high-flow nasal cannula treatment depends on the flow rate and weight. Only in the smallest infants with the highest flow rates, with the mouth fully closed, can clinically significant but unpredictable levels of continuous positive airway pressure be achieved. We conclude that heated, humidified high-flow nasal cannula should not be used as a replacement for delivering continuous positive airway pressure.

Combining the ASA Physical Classification System and Continuous Intraoperative Surgical Apgar Score Measurement in Predicting Postoperative Risk.

PubMed

Jering, Monika Zdenka; Marolen, Khensani N; Shotwell, Matthew S; Denton, Jason N; Sandberg, Warren S; Ehrenfeld, Jesse Menachem

2015-11-01

The surgical Apgar score predicts major 30-day postoperative complications using data assessed at the end of surgery. We hypothesized that evaluating the surgical Apgar score continuously during surgery may identify patients at high risk for postoperative complications. We retrospectively identified general, vascular, and general oncology patients at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Logistic regression methods were used to construct a series of predictive models in order to continuously estimate the risk of major postoperative complications, and to alert care providers during surgery should the risk exceed a given threshold. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) was used to evaluate the discriminative ability of a model utilizing a continuously measured surgical Apgar score relative to models that use only preoperative clinical factors or continuously monitored individual constituents of the surgical Apgar score (i.e. heart rate, blood pressure, and blood loss). AUROC estimates were validated internally using a bootstrap method. 4,728 patients were included. Combining the ASA PS classification with continuously measured surgical Apgar score demonstrated improved discriminative ability (AUROC 0.80) in the pooled cohort compared to ASA (0.73) and the surgical Apgar score alone (0.74). To optimize the tradeoff between inadequate and excessive alerting with future real-time notifications, we recommend a threshold probability of 0.24. Continuous assessment of the surgical Apgar score is predictive for major postoperative complications. In the future, real-time notifications might allow for detection and mitigation of changes in a patient's accumulating risk of complications during a surgical procedure.

An inverse method to estimate emission rates based on nonlinear least-squares-based ensemble four-dimensional variational data assimilation with local air concentration measurements.

PubMed

Geng, Xiaobing; Xie, Zhenghui; Zhang, Lijun; Xu, Mei; Jia, Binghao

2018-03-01

An inverse source estimation method is proposed to reconstruct emission rates using local air concentration sampling data. It involves the nonlinear least squares-based ensemble four-dimensional variational data assimilation (NLS-4DVar) algorithm and a transfer coefficient matrix (TCM) created using FLEXPART, a Lagrangian atmospheric dispersion model. The method was tested by twin experiments and experiments with actual Cs-137 concentrations measured around the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP). Emission rates can be reconstructed sequentially with the progression of a nuclear accident, which is important in the response to a nuclear emergency. With pseudo observations generated continuously, most of the emission rates were estimated accurately, except under conditions when the wind blew off land toward the sea and at extremely slow wind speeds near the FDNPP. Because of the long duration of accidents and variability in meteorological fields, monitoring networks composed of land stations only in a local area are unable to provide enough information to support an emergency response. The errors in the estimation compared to the real observations from the FDNPP nuclear accident stemmed from a shortage of observations, lack of data control, and an inadequate atmospheric dispersion model without improvement and appropriate meteorological data. The proposed method should be developed further to meet the requirements of a nuclear emergency response. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Breast feeding and society.

PubMed

Hunt, Felicity

2006-10-01

Britain has the lowest breastfeeding rate of all countries in Europe; it is no longer the cultural norm in our society. Breastfeeding rates are affected by public attitude. This state of affairs is partly because of society's views on breastfeeding mothers, even though breastfeeding is known to be the optimum method of infant feeding for the baby, family and society. Common themes in the literature and websites are the economic advantages of breastfeeding, the public health benefits and the social construct of breastfeeding. Paediatric nurses have an important role in supporting breastfeeding mothers so that they are able to continue breastfeeding.

Mechanism of Na+ binding to thrombin resolved by ultra-rapid kinetics

PubMed Central

Gianni, Stefano; Ivarsson, Ylva; Bah, Alaji; Bush-Pelc, Leslie A.; Di Cera, Enrico

2007-01-01

The interaction of Na+ and K+ with proteins is at the basis of numerous processes of biological importance. However, measurement of the kinetic components of the interaction has eluded experimentalists for decades because the rate constants are too fast to resolve with conventional stopped-flow methods. Using a continuous-flow apparatus with a dead time of 50 μs we have been able to resolve the kinetic rate constants and entire mechanism of Na+ binding to thrombin, an interaction that is at the basis of the procoagulant and prothrombotic roles of the enzyme in the blood. PMID:17935858

Refinements of nonuniform estimates of the rate of convergence in the CLT to a stable law

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

Bloznyalis, M.

1994-10-25

In this paper we construct new nonuniform estimates for the rate of convergence to the strictly stable distribution with exponent {alpha} {element_of} [0, 2] in a finite-dimensional CLT. This paper is a continuation of [1,7]. The nonuniform estimates obtained here in terms of truncated pseudomoments (see Theorems 1, 2 below) have in certain cases a better order of decrease than the corresponding estimates [1, 7], where pseudomoments have been used. In the proofs of Theorems 1, 2 we have used basically the methods of [1, 7, 8].

A comparison of methods for deriving solute flux rates using long-term data from streams in the mirror lake watershed

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bukaveckas, P.A.; Likens, G.E.; Winter, T.C.; Buso, D.C.

1998-01-01

Calculation of chemical flux rates for streams requires integration of continuous measurements of discharge with discrete measurements of solute concentrations. We compared two commonly used methods for interpolating chemistry data (time-averaging and flow-weighting) to determine whether discrepancies between the two methods were large relative to other sources of error in estimating flux rates. Flux rates of dissolved Si and SO42- were calculated from 10 years of data (1981-1990) for the NW inlet and Outlet of Mirror Lake and for a 40-day period (March 22 to April 30, 1993) during which we augmented our routine (weekly) chemical monitoring with collection of daily samples. The time-averaging method yielded higher estimates of solute flux during high-flow periods if no chemistry samples were collected corresponding to peak discharge. Concentration-discharge relationships should be used to interpolate stream chemistry during changing flow conditions if chemical changes are large. Caution should be used in choosing the appropriate time-scale over which data are pooled to derive the concentration-discharge regressions because the model parameters (slope and intercept) were found to be sensitive to seasonal and inter-annual variation. Both methods approximated solute flux to within 2-10% for a range of solutes that were monitored during the intensive sampling period. Our results suggest that errors arising from interpolation of stream chemistry data are small compared with other sources of error in developing watershed mass balances.

Direct measurement of the rates of synthesis of plasma proteins in control subjects and patients with gastrointestinal protein loss

PubMed Central

Wochner, R. Dean; Weissman, Sherman M.; Waldmann, Thomas A.; Houston, Delores; Berlin, Nathaniel I.

1968-01-01

The guanido carbon of hepatic arginine is the common precursor of urea and of the arginine of plasma proteins synthesized in the liver. It is possible to measure the momentary synthetic rates of plasma proteins by “pulse labeling” this arginine pool with bicarbonate-14C. In the current study, this method has been adapted in order to use urinary urea data and was applied to control subjects and patients with gastrointestinal protein loss. The assumptions required for this determination are discussed. There was close agreement between albumin synthetic rates measured by this method and albumin catabolic rates derived from simultaneous albumin-131I studies, supporting the validity of the method and suggesting that there is relatively little fluctuation in the rate of albumin synthesis from time to time. The albumin synthetic rates in six control subjects averaged 5.8 mg/kg per hr, while those of five patients with gastrointestinal protein loss averaged 7.2 mg/kg per hr. Thus in these patients, there was relatively little acceleration of albumin synthesis in response to continued loss of plasma proteins into the gastrointestinal tract. Fibrinogen synthetic rates averaged 1.9 mg/kg per hr in five control subjects and 3.2 mg/kg per hr in five patients with gastrointestinal protein loss. Transferrin synthetic rates exhibited considerable individual variation in both groups and averaged 0.24 mg/kg per hr in four control subjects and 0.31 mg/kg per hr in five patients with gastrointestinal protein loss. The method employed in this study offers several advantages in studying plasma protein metabolism. It provides a direct measurement of protein synthesis, applicable to several proteins simultaneously, does not require a long-term steady state in the metabolism of the proteins, and is capable of measuring short-term fluctuations in synthetic rates. Therefore, this approach is applicable to the investigation of the physiological factors controlling the rates of synthesis for plasma proteins. PMID:5239039

Continuing education for pathology laboratory technologists: a needs analysis in a Singapore teaching hospital.

PubMed

Tan, Kong-Bing; Thamboo, Thomas Paulraj; Lim, Yaw-Chyn

2007-11-01

Continuing education is important to laboratory technologists. It helps them keep pace with the advances in medicine and pathology and thus to provide quality service. A survey was conducted to assess the attitudes of pathology laboratory technologists towards different educational activities. Relevant continuing education activities include lectures, case discussions, journal clubs, short courses, scientific conferences and higher educational courses. Technologists were asked for their views on these various activities, scoring each item 1-5 out of 5. The response rate was 66% (19/29); respondents' work experience ranged from <3 years to >20 years. Short courses was rated the most highly; 89% of respondents considered them good/excellent. General medical knowledge and the methods and rationale of key histopathology procedures were the preferred lecture topics. Most respondents (58%) were interested (4-5/5) to have their own journal club. 84% of respondents were fairly keen/keen (4-5/5) to participate in conferences. 74% responded that they were fairly keen/keen to consider pursuing higher education. 84% were fairly keen/keen to upgrade themselves and to assume higher responsibilities. The results indicate a positive outlook of technologists towards continuing education. The planning of future lecture topics has taken into account their preferences, and talks on the pursuit of higher education have been organised. It is hoped that these measures and others, will help boost the usefulness of continuing education and enhance the work environment.

Aerobic Interval Exercise Training Induces Greater Reduction in Cardiac Workload in the Recovery Period in Rats

PubMed Central

Borges, Juliana Pereira; Masson, Gustavo Santos; Tibiriçá, Eduardo; Lessa, Marcos Adriano

2014-01-01

Background Aerobic interval exercise training has greater benefits on cardiovascular function as compared with aerobic continuous exercise training. Objective The present study aimed at analyzing the effects of both exercise modalities on acute and subacute hemodynamic responses of healthy rats. Methods Thirty male rats were randomly assigned into three groups as follows: continuous exercise (CE, n = 10); interval exercise (IE, n = 10); and control (C, n = 10). Both IE and CE groups performed a 30-minute exercise session. The IE group session consisted of three successive 4-minute periods at 60% of maximal velocity (Max Vel), with 4-minute recovery intervals at 40% of Max Vel. The CE group ran continuously at 50% of Max Vel. Heart rate (HR), blood pressure(BP), and rate pressure product (RPP) were measured before, during and after the exercise session. Results The CE and IE groups showed an increase in systolic BP and RPP during exercise as compared with the baseline values. After the end of exercise, the CE group showed a lower response of systolic BP and RPP as compared with the baseline values, while the IE group showed lower systolic BP and mean BP values. However, only the IE group had a lower response of HR and RPP during recovery. Conclusion In healthy rats, one interval exercise session, as compared with continuous exercise, induced similar hemodynamic responses during exercise. However, during recovery, the interval exercise caused greater reductions in cardiac workload than the continuous exercise. PMID:24270864

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy to Prevent Relapse in Pediatric Responders to Pharmacotherapy for Major Depressive Disorder

PubMed Central

Kennard, Betsy D.; Emslie, Graham J.; Mayes, Taryn L.; Nightingale-Teresi, Jeanne; Nakonezny, Paul A.; Hughes, Jennifer L.; Jones, Jessica M.; Tao, Rongrong; Stewart, Sunita M.; Jarrett, Robin B.

2010-01-01

Objective We present results of a feasibility test of a sequential treatment strategy using continuation phase cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to prevent relapse in youths with major depressive disorder (MDD) who have responded to acute phase pharmacotherapy. Method Forty-six youths (ages 11–18 years) who had responded to 12 weeks of treatment with fluoxetine were randomized to receive either 6 months of continued antidepressant medication management (MM) or antidepressant MM plus relapse prevention CBT (MM+CBT). Primary outcome was time to relapse, defined as a Childhood Depression Rating Scale-Revised score of 40 or higher and 2 weeks of symptom worsening or clinical deterioration warranting alteration of treatment to prevent full relapse. Results Cox proportional hazards regression, adjusting for depression severity at randomization and for the hazard of relapsing by age across the trial, revealed that participants in the MM treatment group had a significantly greater risk for relapse than those in the MM+CBT treatment group (hazard ratio = 8.80; 95% confidence interval 1.01–76.89; χ2 = 3.86, p = .049) during 6 months of continuation treatment. In addition, patient satisfaction was significantly higher in the MM+CBT group. No differences were found between the two treatment groups on attrition rate, serious adverse events, and overall global functioning. Conclusions These preliminary results suggest that continuation phase CBT reduces the risk for relapse by eightfold compared with pharmacotherapy responders who received antidepressant medication alone during the 6-month continuation phase. PMID:18978634

Measurement of Passive Uptake Rates for Volatile Organic Compounds on Commercial Thermal Desorption Tubes and the Effect of Ozone on Sampling

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

Maddalena, Randy; Parra, Amanda; Russell, Marion

Diffusive or passive sampling methods using commercially filled axial-sampling thermal desorption tubes are widely used for measuring volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in air. The passive sampling method provides a robust, cost effective way to measure air quality with time-averaged concentrations spanning up to a week or more. Sampling rates for VOCs can be calculated using tube geometry and Fick’s Law for ideal diffusion behavior or measured experimentally. There is evidence that uptake rates deviate from ideal and may not be constant over time. Therefore, experimentally measured sampling rates are preferred. In this project, a calibration chamber with a continuous stirredmore » tank reactor design and constant VOC source was combined with active sampling to generate a controlled dynamic calibration environment for passive samplers. The chamber air was augmented with a continuous source of 45 VOCs ranging from pentane to diethyl phthalate representing a variety of chemical classes and physiochemical properties. Both passive and active samples were collected on commercially filled Tenax TA thermal desorption tubes over an 11-day period and used to calculate passive sampling rates. A second experiment was designed to determine the impact of ozone on passive sampling by using the calibration chamber to passively load five terpenes on a set of Tenax tubes and then exposing the tubes to different ozone environments with and without ozone scrubbers attached to the tube inlet. During the sampling rate experiment, the measured diffusive uptake was constant for up to seven days for most of the VOCs tested but deviated from linearity for some of the more volatile compounds between seven and eleven days. In the ozone experiment, both exposed and unexposed tubes showed a similar decline in terpene mass over time indicating back diffusion when uncapped tubes were transferred to a clean environment but there was no indication of significant loss by ozone reaction.« less

Suicide and self-inflicted injury hospitalizations in Canada (1979 to 2014/15).

PubMed

Skinner, R; McFaull, S; Draca, J; Frechette, M; Kaur, J; Pearson, C; Thompson, W

2016-11-01

The purpose of this paper is to describe the trends and patterns of self-inflicted injuries, available from Canadian administrative data between 1979 and 2014/15, in order to inform and improve suicide prevention efforts. Suicide mortality and hospital separation data were retrieved from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) holdings of Statistics Canada's Canadian Vital Statistics: Death Database (CVS:D) (1979 to 2012); Canadian Socio-Economic Information Management System (CANSIM 2011, 2012); the Hospital Morbidity Database (HMDB) (1994/95 to 2010/11); and the Discharge Abstract Database (2011/12 to 2014/15). Mortality and hospitalization counts and rates were reported by sex, 5-year age groups and method. The Canadian suicide rate (males and females combined, all ages, age-sex standardized rate) has decreased from 14.4/100 000 (n = 3355) in 1979 to 10.4/100 000 (n = 3926) in 2012, with an annual percent change (APC) of -1.2% (95% CI: -1.3 to -1.0). However, this trend was not observed in both sexes: female suicide rates stabilized around 1990, while male rates continued declining over time-yet males still accounted for 75.7% of all suicides in 2012. Suffocation (hanging and strangulation) was the primary method of suicide (46.9%) among Canadians of all ages in 2012, followed by poisoning at 23.3%. In the 2014/15 fiscal year, there were 13 438 hospitalizations in Canada (excluding Quebec) associated with self-inflicted injuries-over 3 times the number of suicides. Over time females have displayed consistently higher rates of hospitalization for self-inflicted injury than males, with 63% of the total. Poisoning was reported as the most frequent means of self-inflicted harm in the fiscal year 2014/15, at 86% of all hospitalizations. Suicides and self-inflicted injuries continue to be a serious - but preventable - public health problem that requires ongoing surveillance.

Effective method of continuous rocuronium administration based on effect-site concentrations using a pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic model during propofol-remifentanil anesthesia.

PubMed

Moriyama, Takahiro; Matsunaga, Akira; Nagata, Osamu; Enohata, Kei; Kamikawaji, Tomomi; Uchino, Erika; Kanmura, Yuichi

2015-08-01

Rocuronium bromide (Rb) is a rapid onset, intermediate-acting neuromuscular blocking agent that is suitable for continuous administration. The appropriate rate of rocuronium administration is, however, difficult to determine due to large interindividual differences in sensitivity to rocuronium. The aim of this study was to clarify whether the simulated rocuronium concentration at the time of recovery to %T1 > 0 % after the initial administration of rocuronium is a good indicator of optimal effect-site concentrations during continuous rocuronium administration. Twenty-one patients were anesthetized with propofol. After induction, Rb 0.6 mg/kg was administered intravenously, and nerve stimulation using the single stimulation mode was conducted every 15 s. When %T1 recovered to >0 % after the initial administration of Rb, the effect-site concentration of rocuronium, calculated by pharmacokinetic simulation with Wierda's set of parameters, was recorded and defined as the recovery concentration (Rb r.c.). The administration rate of rocuronium was adjusted to maintain the Rb r.c. during surgery. Rb administration was discontinued just before the end of surgery, and the recovery time until %T1 > 25 % was recorded. Plasma Rb concentrations were measured at 1 and 3 h after the initiation of continuous Rb administration. The mean Rb r.c. was 1.56 ± 0.35 μg/ml, with minimum and maximum values of 1.09 and 2.08 μg/ml, respectively. The %T1 did not increase above 10 % in any of the patients during continuous administration of Rb, and the recovery period to %T1 > 25 % ranged from 9 to 29 min. The effect-site concentrations of Rb calculated with Wierda's parameters significantly correlated with plasma concentrations (P < 0.01) at both 1 and 3 h after the initial administration of Rb. The results suggest that our method may be one of the most reliable protocols for the continuous administration of Rb described to date for maintaining suitable muscle relaxation during surgery without excessively prolonged effects.

Cardiovascular regulation during sleep quantified by symbolic coupling traces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suhrbier, A.; Riedl, M.; Malberg, H.; Penzel, T.; Bretthauer, G.; Kurths, J.; Wessel, N.

2010-12-01

Sleep is a complex regulated process with short periods of wakefulness and different sleep stages. These sleep stages modulate autonomous functions such as blood pressure and heart rate. The method of symbolic coupling traces (SCT) is used to analyze and quantify time-delayed coupling of these measurements during different sleep stages. The symbolic coupling traces, defined as the symmetric and diametric traces of the bivariate word distribution matrix, allow the quantification of time-delayed coupling. In this paper, the method is applied to heart rate and systolic blood pressure time series during different sleep stages for healthy controls as well as for normotensive and hypertensive patients with sleep apneas. Using the SCT, significant different cardiovascular mechanisms not only between the deep sleep and the other sleep stages but also between healthy subjects and patients can be revealed. The SCT method is applied to model systems, compared with established methods, such as cross correlation, mutual information, and cross recurrence analysis and demonstrates its advantages especially for nonstationary physiological data. As a result, SCT proves to be more specific in detecting delays of directional interactions than standard coupling analysis methods and yields additional information which cannot be measured by standard parameters of heart rate and blood pressure variability. The proposed method may help to indicate the pathological changes in cardiovascular regulation and also the effects of continuous positive airway pressure therapy on the cardiovascular system.

Fetal Electrocardiogram Extraction and Analysis Using Adaptive Noise Cancellation and Wavelet Transformation Techniques.

PubMed

Sutha, P; Jayanthi, V E

2017-12-08

Birth defect-related demise is mainly due to congenital heart defects. In the earlier stage of pregnancy, fetus problem can be identified by finding information about the fetus to avoid stillbirths. The gold standard used to monitor the health status of the fetus is by Cardiotachography(CTG), cannot be used for long durations and continuous monitoring. There is a need for continuous and long duration monitoring of fetal ECG signals to study the progressive health status of the fetus using portable devices. The non-invasive method of electrocardiogram recording is one of the best method used to diagnose fetal cardiac problem rather than the invasive methods.The monitoring of the fECG requires development of a miniaturized hardware and a efficient signal processing algorithms to extract the fECG embedded in the mother ECG. The paper discusses a prototype hardware developed to monitor and record the raw mother ECG signal containing the fECG and a signal processing algorithm to extract the fetal Electro Cardiogram signal. We have proposed two methods of signal processing, first is based on the Least Mean Square (LMS) Adaptive Noise Cancellation technique and the other method is based on the Wavelet Transformation technique. A prototype hardware was designed and developed to acquire the raw ECG signal containing the mother and fetal ECG and the signal processing techniques were used to eliminate the noises and extract the fetal ECG and the fetal Heart Rate Variability was studied. Both the methods were evaluated with the signal acquired from a fetal ECG simulator, from the Physionet database and that acquired from the subject. Both the methods are evaluated by finding heart rate and its variability, amplitude spectrum and mean value of extracted fetal ECG. Also the accuracy, sensitivity and positive predictive value are also determined for fetal QRS detection technique. In this paper adaptive filtering technique uses Sign-sign LMS algorithm and wavelet techniques with Daubechies wavelet, employed along with de noising techniques for the extraction of fetal Electrocardiogram.Both the methods are having good sensitivity and accuracy. In adaptive method the sensitivity is 96.83, accuracy 89.87, wavelet sensitivity is 95.97 and accuracy is 88.5. Additionally, time domain parameters from the plot of heart rate variability of mother and fetus are analyzed.

A modified Dodge algorithm for the parabolized Navier-Stokes equations and compressible duct flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooke, C. H.; Dwoyer, D. M.

1983-01-01

A revised version of Dodge's split-velocity method for numerical calculation of compressible duct flow has been developed. The revision incorporates balancing of massflow rates on each marching step in order to maintain front-to-back continuity during the calculation. Qualitative agreement with analytical predictions and experimental results has been obtained for some flows with well-known solutions.

Theoretical and Experimental Methods in the Solution of Missile Nonlinear Roll Problems

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-03-01

OF ILLUSTRATIONS (Continued) 34 Typical Effect of Slot on Induced Rolling Moment .............. 35 35 Effect of Slot on Amplitude of Induced Rolling...Characteristics of Slotted Fill Vehicle .............. 40 41 Effects of Fin Configuration on Stability ..................... 41 42 Release Envelope...missiles depended strongly upon roll rate. The concept of Magnus instability had been developed earlier from the linear theory of missile dynamics, and

Adolescent Inpatient Behavioral Health Clients: Risk Factors and Methods of Preventing an Increase in HIV Infection among Youth.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hackerman, Ann E.

2002-01-01

There has been a surge in the rates of adolescents who are becoming infected with HIV. This study of 214 at risk clients being treated on an inpatient psychiatric hospitalization basis examines why such clients continue to engage in high-risk behaviors. Results and suggestions for a psychoeducational curriculum for professionals are included.…

A Hybrid Method of Moment Equations and Rate Equations to Modeling Gas-Grain Chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pei, Y.; Herbst, E.

2011-05-01

Grain surfaces play a crucial role in catalyzing many important chemical reactions in the interstellar medium (ISM). The deterministic rate equation (RE) method has often been used to simulate the surface chemistry. But this method becomes inaccurate when the number of reacting particles per grain is typically less than one, which can occur in the ISM. In this condition, stochastic approaches such as the master equations are adopted. However, these methods have mostly been constrained to small chemical networks due to the large amounts of processor time and computer power required. In this study, we present a hybrid method consisting of the moment equation approximation to the stochastic master equation approach and deterministic rate equations to treat a gas-grain model of homogeneous cold cloud cores with time-independent physical conditions. In this model, we use the standard OSU gas phase network (version OSU2006V3) which involves 458 gas phase species and more than 4000 reactions, and treat it by deterministic rate equations. A medium-sized surface reaction network which consists of 21 species and 19 reactions accounts for the productions of stable molecules such as H_2O, CO, CO_2, H_2CO, CH_3OH, NH_3 and CH_4. These surface reactions are treated by a hybrid method of moment equations (Barzel & Biham 2007) and rate equations: when the abundance of a surface species is lower than a specific threshold, say one per grain, we use the ``stochastic" moment equations to simulate the evolution; when its abundance goes above this threshold, we use the rate equations. A continuity technique is utilized to secure a smooth transition between these two methods. We have run chemical simulations for a time up to 10^8 yr at three temperatures: 10 K, 15 K, and 20 K. The results will be compared with those generated from (1) a completely deterministic model that uses rate equations for both gas phase and grain surface chemistry, (2) the method of modified rate equations (Garrod 2008), which partially takes into account the stochastic effect for surface reactions, and (3) the master equation approach solved using a Monte Carlo technique. At 10 K and standard grain sizes, our model results agree well with the above three methods, while discrepancies appear at higher temperatures and smaller grain sizes.

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

Duchaineau, M.; Wolinsky, M.; Sigeti, D.E.

Real-time terrain rendering for interactive visualization remains a demanding task. We present a novel algorithm with several advantages over previous methods: our method is unusually stingy with polygons yet achieves real-time performance and is scalable to arbitrary regions and resolutions. The method provides a continuous terrain mesh of specified triangle count having provably minimum error in restricted but reasonably general classes of permissible meshes and error metrics. Our method provides an elegant solution to guaranteeing certain elusive types of consistency in scenes produced by multiple scene generators which share a common finest-resolution database but which otherwise operate entirely independently. Thismore » consistency is achieved by exploiting the freedom of choice of error metric allowed by the algorithm to provide, for example, multiple exact lines-of-sight in real-time. Our methods rely on an off-line pre-processing phase to construct a multi-scale data structure consisting of triangular terrain approximations enhanced ({open_quotes}thickened{close_quotes}) with world-space error information. In real time, this error data is efficiently transformed into screen-space where it is used to guide a greedy top-down triangle subdivision algorithm which produces the desired minimal error continuous terrain mesh. Our algorithm has been implemented and it operates at real-time rates.« less

47 CFR 51.507 - General rate structure standard.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 3 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false General rate structure standard. 51.507 Section 51.507 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES (CONTINUED) INTERCONNECTION Pricing of Elements § 51.507 General rate structure standard. (a) Element rates...

47 CFR 51.507 - General rate structure standard.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false General rate structure standard. 51.507 Section 51.507 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES (CONTINUED) INTERCONNECTION Pricing of Elements § 51.507 General rate structure standard. (a) Element rates...

47 CFR 51.507 - General rate structure standard.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 3 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false General rate structure standard. 51.507 Section 51.507 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES (CONTINUED) INTERCONNECTION Pricing of Elements § 51.507 General rate structure standard. (a) Element rates...

47 CFR 51.507 - General rate structure standard.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 3 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false General rate structure standard. 51.507 Section 51.507 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES (CONTINUED) INTERCONNECTION Pricing of Elements § 51.507 General rate structure standard. (a) Element rates...

47 CFR 51.507 - General rate structure standard.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false General rate structure standard. 51.507 Section 51.507 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES (CONTINUED) INTERCONNECTION Pricing of Elements § 51.507 General rate structure standard. (a) Element rates...

Influence of PCR reagents on DNA polymerase extension rates measured on real-time PCR instruments.

PubMed

Montgomery, Jesse L; Wittwer, Carl T

2014-02-01

Radioactive DNA polymerase activity methods are cumbersome and do not provide initial extension rates. A simple extension rate assay would enable study of basic assumptions about PCR and define the limits of rapid PCR. A continuous assay that monitors DNA polymerase extension using noncovalent DNA dyes on common real-time PCR instruments was developed. Extension rates were measured in nucleotides per second per molecule of polymerase. To initiate the reaction, a nucleotide analog was heat activated at 95 °C for 5 min, the temperature decreased to 75 °C, and fluorescence monitored until substrate exhaustion in 30-90 min. The assay was linear with time for over 40% of the reaction and for polymerase concentrations over a 100-fold range (1-100 pmol/L). Extension rates decreased continuously with increasing monovalent cation concentrations (lithium, sodium, potassium, cesium, and ammonium). Melting-temperature depressors had variable effects. DMSO increased rates up to 33%, whereas glycerol had little effect. Betaine, formamide, and 1,2-propanediol decreased rates with increasing concentrations. Four common noncovalent DNA dyes inhibited polymerase extension. Heat-activated nucleotide analogs were 92% activated after 5 min, and hot start DNA polymerases were 73%-90% activated after 20 min. Simple DNA extension rate assays can be performed on real-time PCR instruments. Activity is decreased by monovalent cations, DNA dyes, and most melting temperature depressors. Rational inclusion of PCR components on the basis of their effects on polymerase extension is likely to be useful in PCR, particularly rapid-cycle or fast PCR.

Abnormal oral glucose tolerance and glucose malabsorption after vagotomy and pyloroplasty. A tracer method for measuring glucose absorption rates

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

Radziuk, J.; Bondy, D.C.

1982-11-01

The mechanisms underlying the abnormal glucose tolerance in patients who had undergone vagotomy and pyloroplasty were investigated by measuring the rates of absorption of ingested glucose and the clearance rate of glucose using tracer methods. These methods are based on labeling a 100-g oral glucose load with (1-/sup 14/C)glucose and measuring glucose clearance using plasma levels of infused (3-/sup 3/H)glucose. The rate of appearance of both ingested and total glucose is then calculated continuously using a two-compartment model of glucose kinetics. It was found that about 30% of the ingested glucose (100 g) failed to appear in the systemic circulation.more » That this was due to malabsorption was confirmed using breath-hydrogen analysis. The absorption period is short (101 +/- 11 min) compared with normal values but the clearance of glucose is identical to that in control subjects, and it peaks 132 +/- 7 min after glucose loading. The peak plasma insulin values were more than four times higher in patients than in normal subjects, and this may afford an explanation of rates of glucose clearance that are inappropriate for the short absorption period. The combination of glucose malabsorption and this clearance pattern could yield the hypoglycemia that may be observed in patients after gastric surgery.« less

Determination of infiltration and percolation rates along a reach of the Santa Fe River near La Bajada, New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thomas, Carole L.; Stewart, Amy E.; Constantz, Jim E.

2000-01-01

Two methods, one a surface-water method and the second a ground-water method, were used to determine infiltration and percolation rates along a 2.5-kilometer reach of the Santa Fe River near La Bajada, New Mexico. The surface-water method uses streamflow measurements and their differences along a stream reach, streamflow-loss rates, stream surface area, and evaporation rates to determine infiltration rates. The ground-water method uses heat as a tracer to monitor percolation through shallow streambed sediments. Data collection began in October 1996 and continued through December 1997. During that period the stream reach was instrumented with three streamflow gages, and temperature profiles were monitored from the stream-sediment interface to about 3 meters below the streambed at four sites along the reach. Infiltration is the downward flow of water through the stream- sediment interface. Infiltration rates ranged from 92 to 267 millimeters per day for an intense measurement period during June 26- 28, 1997, and from 69 to 256 millimeters per day during September 27-October 6, 1997. Investigators calculated infiltration rates from streamflow loss, stream surface-area measurements, and evaporation-rate estimates. Infiltration rates may be affected by unmeasured irrigation-return flow in the study reach. Although the amount of irrigation-return flow was none to very small, it may result in underestimation of infiltration rates. The infiltration portion of streamflow loss was much greater than the evaporation portion. Infiltration accounted for about 92 to 98 percent of streamflow loss. Evaporation-rate estimates ranged from 3.4 to 7.6 millimeters per day based on pan-evaporation data collected at Cochiti Dam, New Mexico, and accounted for about 2 to 8 percent of streamflow loss. Percolation is the movement of water through saturated or unsaturated sediments below the stream-sediment interface. Percolation rates ranged from 40 to 109 millimeters per day during June 26-28, 1997. Percolation rates were not calculated for the September 27-October 6, 1997, period because a late summer flood removed the temperature sensors from the streambed. Investigators used a heat-and-water flow model, VS2DH (variably saturated, two- dimensional heat), to calculate near-surface streambed infiltration and percolation rates from temperatures measured in the stream and streambed. Near the stream-sediment interface, infiltration and percolation rates are comparable. Comparison of infiltration and percolation rates showed that infiltration rates were greater than percolation rates. The method used to calculate infiltration rates accounted for net loss or gain over the entire stream reach, whereas the method used to calculate percolation was dependent on point measurements and, as applied in this study, neglected the nonvertical component of heat and water fluxes. In general, using the ground-water method was less labor intensive than making a series of streamflow measurements and relied on temperature, an easily measured property. The ground-water method also eliminated the difficulty of measuring or estimating evaporation from the water surface and was therefore more direct. Both methods are difficult to use during periods of flood flow. The ground-water method has problems with the thermocouple-wire temperature sensors washing out during flood events. The surface- water method often cannot be used because of safety concerns for personnel making wading streamflow measurements.

Real-time CT-video registration for continuous endoscopic guidance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Merritt, Scott A.; Rai, Lav; Higgins, William E.

2006-03-01

Previous research has shown that CT-image-based guidance could be useful for the bronchoscopic assessment of lung cancer. This research drew upon the registration of bronchoscopic video images to CT-based endoluminal renderings of the airway tree. The proposed methods either were restricted to discrete single-frame registration, which took several seconds to complete, or required non-real-time buffering and processing of video sequences. We have devised a fast 2D/3D image registration method that performs single-frame CT-Video registration in under 1/15th of a second. This allows the method to be used for real-time registration at full video frame rates without significantly altering the physician's behavior. The method achieves its speed through a gradient-based optimization method that allows most of the computation to be performed off-line. During live registration, the optimization iteratively steps toward the locally optimal viewpoint at which a CT-based endoluminal view is most similar to a current bronchoscopic video frame. After an initial registration to begin the process (generally done in the trachea for bronchoscopy), subsequent registrations are performed in real-time on each incoming video frame. As each new bronchoscopic video frame becomes available, the current optimization is initialized using the previous frame's optimization result, allowing continuous guidance to proceed without manual re-initialization. Tests were performed using both synthetic and pre-recorded bronchoscopic video. The results show that the method is robust to initialization errors, that registration accuracy is high, and that continuous registration can proceed on real-time video at >15 frames per sec. with minimal user-intervention.

Kinetics of waterborne fluoropolymers prepared by one-step semi-continuous emulsion polymerization of chlorotrifluoroethylene, vinyl acetate, butyl acrylate and Veova 10

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, H. Z.; Wang, M. H.; Wang, Z. F.; Bian, J. M.

2018-01-01

Due to using gaseous fluorine monomer with toxicity, waterborne fluoropolymers are synthesized by semi-continuous high-pressure emulsion polymerization method which differs from free-pressure emulsion polymerization. To dates, the research on preparing process and kinetics for high-pressure emulsion polymerization is reported relatively less, which hinders researchers from understanding of mechanisms for monomer-fluorinated emulsion polymerization. The paper also provides a new method by element auxiliary analysis to calculate kinetics parameters of high-pressure emulsion polymerization. Based on aforementioned consideration, waterborne fluoropolymers were prepared by copolymerization of chlorotrifluoroethylene (CTFE), vinyl acetate (VAc), butyl acrylate (BA) and vinyl ester of versatic acid (Veova 10) using potassium persulfate as initiator and mixed surfactants. The kinetics of emulsion polymerization of waterborne fluoropolymers was then investigated. Effects of emulsifier concentration, initiator concentration, and polymerization temperature on polymerization rate (Rp) were evaluated, and relationship was described as Rp∝[I]0.10 and Rp∝[E]0.12. The apparent activation energy was determined to be 33.61 kJ·mol-1. Moreover, the relative conversion rate of CTFE with the other monomers was observed, and results indicated that CTFE monomer more uniformly copolymerized with the other monomers. The resulting emulsion properties and pressure change in an autoclave were evaluated at different stirring rates. The initial reaction time, defined as the beginning time of dropwise addition, was determined by the change in solid content and particle size of emulsion.

Performance of continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) on fermentative biohydrogen production from melon waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cahyari, K.; Sarto; Syamsiah, S.; Prasetya, A.

2016-11-01

This research was meant to investigate performance of continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) as bioreactor for producing biohydrogen from melon waste through dark fermentation method. Melon waste are commonly generated from agricultural processing stages i.e. cultivation, post-harvesting, industrial processing, and transportation. It accounted for more than 50% of total harvested fruit. Feedstock of melon waste was fed regularly to CSTR according to organic loading rate at value 1.2 - 3.6 g VS/ (l.d). Optimum condition was achieved at OLR 2.4 g VS/ (l.d) with the highest total gas volume 196 ml STP. Implication of higher OLR value is reduction of total gas volume due to accumulation of acids (pH 4.0), and lower substrate volatile solid removal. In summary, application of this method might valorize melon waste and generates renewable energy sources.

Control system of water flow and casting speed in continuous steel casting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tirian, G. O.; Gheorghiu, C. A.; Hepuţ, T.; Chioncel, C.

2017-05-01

This paper presents the results of research based on real data taken from the installation process at Arcelor Mittal Hunedoara. Using Matlab Simulink an intelligent system is made that takes in data from the process and makes real time adjustments in the rate of flow of the cooling water and the speed of casting that eliminates fissures in the poured material from the secondary cooling of steel. Using Matlab Simulink simulation environment allowed for qualitative analysis for various real world situations. Thus, compared to the old method of approach for the problem of cracks forming in the crust of the steel in the continuous casting, this new method, proposed and developed, brings safety and precision in this complex process, thus removing any doubt on the existence or non-existence of cracks and takes the necessary steps to prevent and correct them.

Pharmacists’ Perception of Synchronous Versus Asynchronous Distance Learning for Continuing Education Programs

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Objective. To evaluate and compare pharmacists’ satisfaction with the content and learning environment of a continuing education program series offered as either synchronous or asynchronous webinars. Methods. An 8-lecture series of online presentations on the topic of new drug therapies was offered to pharmacists in synchronous and asynchronous webinar formats. Participants completed a 50-question online survey at the end of the program series to evaluate their perceptions of the distance learning experience. Results. Eighty-two participants completed the survey instrument (41 participants from the live webinar series and 41 participants from the asynchronous webinar series.) Responses indicated that while both groups were satisfied with the program content, the asynchronous group showed greater satisfaction with many aspects of the learning environment. Conclusion. The synchronous and asynchronous webinar participants responded positively regarding the quality of the programming and the method of delivery, but asynchronous participants rated their experience more positively overall. PMID:24558276

The impact of cine EPID image acquisition frame rate on markerless soft-tissue tracking

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

Yip, Stephen, E-mail: syip@lroc.harvard.edu; Rottmann, Joerg; Berbeco, Ross

2014-06-15

Purpose: Although reduction of the cine electronic portal imaging device (EPID) acquisition frame rate through multiple frame averaging may reduce hardware memory burden and decrease image noise, it can hinder the continuity of soft-tissue motion leading to poor autotracking results. The impact of motion blurring and image noise on the tracking performance was investigated. Methods: Phantom and patient images were acquired at a frame rate of 12.87 Hz with an amorphous silicon portal imager (AS1000, Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA). The maximum frame rate of 12.87 Hz is imposed by the EPID. Low frame rate images were obtained bymore » continuous frame averaging. A previously validated tracking algorithm was employed for autotracking. The difference between the programmed and autotracked positions of a Las Vegas phantom moving in the superior-inferior direction defined the tracking error (δ). Motion blurring was assessed by measuring the area change of the circle with the greatest depth. Additionally, lung tumors on 1747 frames acquired at 11 field angles from four radiotherapy patients are manually and automatically tracked with varying frame averaging. δ was defined by the position difference of the two tracking methods. Image noise was defined as the standard deviation of the background intensity. Motion blurring and image noise are correlated with δ using Pearson correlation coefficient (R). Results: For both phantom and patient studies, the autotracking errors increased at frame rates lower than 4.29 Hz. Above 4.29 Hz, changes in errors were negligible withδ < 1.60 mm. Motion blurring and image noise were observed to increase and decrease with frame averaging, respectively. Motion blurring and tracking errors were significantly correlated for the phantom (R = 0.94) and patient studies (R = 0.72). Moderate to poor correlation was found between image noise and tracking error with R −0.58 and −0.19 for both studies, respectively. Conclusions: Cine EPID image acquisition at the frame rate of at least 4.29 Hz is recommended. Motion blurring in the images with frame rates below 4.29 Hz can significantly reduce the accuracy of autotracking.« less

Reliability Evaluation for Clustered WSNs under Malware Propagation

PubMed Central

Shen, Shigen; Huang, Longjun; Liu, Jianhua; Champion, Adam C.; Yu, Shui; Cao, Qiying

2016-01-01

We consider a clustered wireless sensor network (WSN) under epidemic-malware propagation conditions and solve the problem of how to evaluate its reliability so as to ensure efficient, continuous, and dependable transmission of sensed data from sensor nodes to the sink. Facing the contradiction between malware intention and continuous-time Markov chain (CTMC) randomness, we introduce a strategic game that can predict malware infection in order to model a successful infection as a CTMC state transition. Next, we devise a novel measure to compute the Mean Time to Failure (MTTF) of a sensor node, which represents the reliability of a sensor node continuously performing tasks such as sensing, transmitting, and fusing data. Since clustered WSNs can be regarded as parallel-serial-parallel systems, the reliability of a clustered WSN can be evaluated via classical reliability theory. Numerical results show the influence of parameters such as the true positive rate and the false positive rate on a sensor node’s MTTF. Furthermore, we validate the method of reliability evaluation for a clustered WSN according to the number of sensor nodes in a cluster, the number of clusters in a route, and the number of routes in the WSN. PMID:27294934

Reliability Evaluation for Clustered WSNs under Malware Propagation.

PubMed

Shen, Shigen; Huang, Longjun; Liu, Jianhua; Champion, Adam C; Yu, Shui; Cao, Qiying

2016-06-10

We consider a clustered wireless sensor network (WSN) under epidemic-malware propagation conditions and solve the problem of how to evaluate its reliability so as to ensure efficient, continuous, and dependable transmission of sensed data from sensor nodes to the sink. Facing the contradiction between malware intention and continuous-time Markov chain (CTMC) randomness, we introduce a strategic game that can predict malware infection in order to model a successful infection as a CTMC state transition. Next, we devise a novel measure to compute the Mean Time to Failure (MTTF) of a sensor node, which represents the reliability of a sensor node continuously performing tasks such as sensing, transmitting, and fusing data. Since clustered WSNs can be regarded as parallel-serial-parallel systems, the reliability of a clustered WSN can be evaluated via classical reliability theory. Numerical results show the influence of parameters such as the true positive rate and the false positive rate on a sensor node's MTTF. Furthermore, we validate the method of reliability evaluation for a clustered WSN according to the number of sensor nodes in a cluster, the number of clusters in a route, and the number of routes in the WSN.

Modelling of slaughterhouse solid waste anaerobic digestion: determination of parameters and continuous reactor simulation.

PubMed

López, Iván; Borzacconi, Liliana

2010-10-01

A model based on the work of Angelidaki et al. (1993) was applied to simulate the anaerobic biodegradation of ruminal contents. In this study, two fractions of solids with different biodegradation rates were considered. A first-order kinetic was used for the easily biodegradable fraction and a kinetic expression that is function of the extracellular enzyme concentration was used for the slowly biodegradable fraction. Batch experiments were performed to obtain an accumulated methane curve that was then used to obtain the model parameters. For this determination, a methodology derived from the "multiple-shooting" method was successfully used. Monte Carlo simulations allowed a confidence range to be obtained for each parameter. Simulations of a continuous reactor were performed using the optimal set of model parameters. The final steady-states were determined as functions of the operational conditions (solids load and residence time). The simulations showed that methane flow peaked at a flow rate of 0.5-0.8 Nm(3)/d/m(reactor)(3) at a residence time of 10-20 days. Simulations allow the adequate selection of operating conditions of a continuous reactor. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Detection of essential hypertension with physiological signals from wearable devices.

PubMed

Ghosh, Arindam; Torres, Juan Manuel Mayor; Danieli, Morena; Riccardi, Giuseppe

2015-08-01

Early detection of essential hypertension can support the prevention of cardiovascular disease, a leading cause of death. The traditional method of identification of hypertension involves periodic blood pressure measurement using brachial cuff-based measurement devices. While these devices are non-invasive, they require manual setup for each measurement and they are not suitable for continuous monitoring. Research has shown that physiological signals such as Heart Rate Variability, which is a measure of the cardiac autonomic activity, is correlated with blood pressure. Wearable devices capable of measuring physiological signals such as Heart Rate, Galvanic Skin Response, Skin Temperature have recently become ubiquitous. However, these signals are not accurate and are prone to noise due to different artifacts. In this paper a) we present a data collection protocol for continuous non-invasive monitoring of physiological signals from wearable devices; b) we implement signal processing techniques for signal estimation; c) we explore how the continuous monitoring of these physiological signals can be used to identify hypertensive patients; d) We conduct a pilot study with a group of normotensive and hypertensive patients to test our techniques. We show that physiological signals extracted from wearable devices can distinguish between these two groups with high accuracy.

Efficacy of cellulose triacetate dialyzer and polysulfone synthetic hemofilter for continuous venovenous hemofiltration in acute renal failure.

PubMed

Pichaiwong, Warangkana; Leelahavanichkul, Asada; Eiam-ong, Somchai

2006-08-01

To compare the clearance performances and biocompatibility between the modified cellulose membrane and the standard synthetic membrane in continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). Seventeen patients with acute renal failure (ARF) were treated with separated continuous veno venous hemofiltration (CVVH) system conducted with the pre-dilution mode. The modified cellulose used was a Sureflux150E (cellulose triacetate) and the standard synthetic membranes used was an AV-400. Blood and replacement flow rate were kept at 100 and 20 mL/min, respectively. Ultrafiltraion rate was 1,200 mL/hr. Samplings of blood and ultrafiltrate were collected at baseline, 2, 8, 16, and 24 hr. Patients in both methods could similarly tolerate CRRT with only minor complications. Sureflux 150E and AV-400 provided comparable values of sieving coefficients and clearances of small solutes. The albumin loss in ultrafiltrate by Sureflux 150E was greater than AV-400. The values of life span and biocompatability of both hemofilters were not different. Because of the excellent efficacy and the much cheaper cost, the modified cellulose membrane could be an appropriate alternative to standard synthetic membrane in CRRT.

Near real-time monitoring of volcanic surface deformation from GPS measurements at Long Valley Caldera, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ji, Kang Hyeun; Herring, Thomas A.; Llenos, Andrea L.

2013-01-01

Long Valley Caldera in eastern California is an active volcanic area and has shown continued unrest in the last three decades. We have monitored surface deformation from Global Positioning System (GPS) data by using a projection method that we call Targeted Projection Operator (TPO). TPO projects residual time series with secular rates and periodic terms removed onto a predefined spatial pattern. We used the 2009–2010 slow deflation as a target spatial pattern. The resulting TPO time series shows a detailed deformation history including the 2007–2009 inflation, the 2009–2010 deflation, and a recent inflation that started in late-2011 and is continuing at the present time (November 2012). The recent inflation event is about four times faster than the previous 2007–2009 event. A Mogi source of the recent event is located beneath the resurgent dome at about 6.6 km depth at a rate of 0.009 km3/yr volume change. TPO is simple and fast and can provide a near real-time continuous monitoring tool without directly looking at all the data from many GPS sites in this potentially eruptive volcanic system.

Methods for accurate cold-chain temperature monitoring using digital data-logger thermometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chojnacky, M. J.; Miller, W. M.; Strouse, G. F.

2013-09-01

Complete and accurate records of vaccine temperature history are vital to preserving drug potency and patient safety. However, previously published vaccine storage and handling guidelines have failed to indicate a need for continuous temperature monitoring in vaccine storage refrigerators. We evaluated the performance of seven digital data logger models as candidates for continuous temperature monitoring of refrigerated vaccines, based on the following criteria: out-of-box performance and compliance with manufacturer accuracy specifications over the range of use; measurement stability over extended, continuous use; proper setup in a vaccine storage refrigerator so that measurements reflect liquid vaccine temperatures; and practical methods for end-user validation and establishing metrological traceability. Data loggers were tested using ice melting point checks and by comparison to calibrated thermocouples to characterize performance over 0 °C to 10 °C. We also monitored logger performance in a study designed to replicate the range of vaccine storage and environmental conditions encountered at provider offices. Based on the results of this study, the Centers for Disease Control released new guidelines on proper methods for storage, handling, and temperature monitoring of vaccines for participants in its federally-funded Vaccines for Children Program. Improved temperature monitoring practices will ultimately decrease waste from damaged vaccines, improve consumer confidence, and increase effective inoculation rates.

7 CFR 1779.33 - Interest rates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 12 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Interest rates. 1779.33 Section 1779.33 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) RURAL UTILITIES SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED) WATER AND WASTE DISPOSAL PROGRAMS GUARANTEED LOANS § 1779.33 Interest rates. (a) General. Rates...

Contribution of propionate to glucose synthesis in sheep

PubMed Central

Leng, R. A.; Steel, J. W.; Luick, J. R.

1967-01-01

1. The production rate of propionate in the rumen and the entry rate of glucose into the body pool of glucose in sheep were measured by isotope-dilution methods. Propionate production rates were measured by using a continuous infusion of specifically labelled [14C]propionate. Glucose entry rates were estimated by using either a primed infusion or a continuous infusion of [U-14C]glucose. 2. The specific radioactivity of plasma glucose was constant between 4 and 9hr. after the commencement of intravenous infusion of [U-14C]glucose and between 1 and 3hr. when a primed infusion was used. 3. Infusion of [14C]propionate intraruminally resulted in a fairly constant specific radioactivity of rumen propionate between about 4 and 9hr. and of plasma glucose between 6 and 9hr. after the commencement of the infusion. Comparison of the mean specific radioactivities of glucose and propionate during these periods allowed estimates to be made of the contribution of propionate to glucose synthesis. 4. Comparisons of the specific radioactivities of plasma glucose and rumen propionate during intraruminal infusions of one of [1-14C]-, [2-14C]-, [3-14C]- and [U-14C]-propionate indicated considerable exchange of C-1 of propionate on conversion into glucose. The incorporation of C-2 and C-3 of propionate into glucose and lactate indicated that 54% of both the glucose and lactate synthesized arose from propionate carbon. 5. No differences were found for glucose entry rates measured either by a primed infusion or by a continuous infusion. The mean entry rate (±s.e.m.) of glucose estimated by using a continuous infusion into sheep was 0·33±0·03 (4) m-mole/min. and by using a primed infusion was 0·32±0·01 (4) m-mole/min. The mean propionate production rate was 1·24±0·03 (8) m-moles/min. The conversion of propionate into glucose was 0·36 m-mole/min., indicating that 32% of the propionate produced in the rumen is used for glucose synthesis. 6. It was indicated that a considerable amount of the propionate converted into glucose was first converted into lactate. PMID:4860545

Effect of pH and dilution rate on specific production rate of extra cellular metabolites by Lactobacillus salivarius UCO_979C in continuous culture.

PubMed

Valenzuela, Javier Ferrer; Pinuer, Luis; Cancino, Apolinaria García; Yáñez, Rodrigo Bórquez

2015-08-01

The effect of pH and dilution rate on the production of extracellular metabolites of Lactobacillus salivarius UCO_979 was studied. The experiments were carried out in continuous mode, with chemically defined culture medium at a temperature of 37 °C, 200 rpm agitation and synthetic air flow of 100 ml/min. Ethanol, acetic acid, formic acid, lactic acid and glucose were quantified through HPLC, while exopolysaccharide (EPS) was extracted with ethanol and quantified through the Dubois method. The results showed no linear trends for the specific production of lactic acid, EPS, acetic acid and ethanol, while the specific glucose consumption and ATP production rates showed linear trends. There was a metabolic change of the strain for dilution rates below 0.3 h(-1). The pH had a significant effect on the metabolism of the strain, which was evidenced by a higher specific glucose consumption and increased production of ATP at pH 6 compared with that obtained at pH 7. This work shows not only the metabolic capabilities of L. salivarius UCO_979C, but also shows that it is possible to quantify some molecules associated with its current use as gastrointestinal probiotic, especially regarding the production of organic acids and EPS.

Assessment and Optimization of the Accuracy of an Aircraft-Based Technique Used to Quantify Greenhouse Gas Emission Rates from Point Sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shepson, P. B.; Lavoie, T. N.; Kerlo, A. E.; Stirm, B. H.

2016-12-01

Understanding the contribution of anthropogenic activities to atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations requires an accurate characterization of emission sources. Previously, we have reported the use of a novel aircraft-based mass balance measurement technique to quantify greenhouse gas emission rates from point and area sources, however, the accuracy of this approach has not been evaluated to date. Here, an assessment of method accuracy and precision was performed by conducting a series of six aircraft-based mass balance experiments at a power plant in southern Indiana and comparing the calculated CO2 emission rates to the reported hourly emission measurements made by continuous emissions monitoring systems (CEMS) installed directly in the exhaust stacks at the facility. For all flights, CO2 emissions were quantified before CEMS data were released online to ensure unbiased analysis. Additionally, we assess the uncertainties introduced to the final emission rate caused by our analysis method, which employs a statistical kriging model to interpolate and extrapolate the CO2 fluxes across the flight transects from the ground to the top of the boundary layer. Subsequently, using the results from these flights combined with the known emissions reported by the CEMS, we perform an inter-model comparison of alternative kriging methods to evaluate the performance of the kriging approach.

The epidemiology of premature ejaculation.

PubMed

Saitz, Theodore Robert; Serefoglu, Ege Can

2016-08-01

Vast advances have occurred over the past decade with regards to understanding the epidemiology, pathophysiology and management of premature ejaculation (PE); however, we still have much to learn about this common sexual problem. As a standardized evidence-based definition of PE has only recently been established, the reported prevalence rates of PE prior to this definition have been difficult to interpret. As a result, a large range of conflicting prevalence rates have been reported. In addition to the lack of a standardized definition and operational criteria, the method of recruitment for study participation and method of data collection have obviously contributed to the broad range of reported prevalence rates. The new criteria and classification of PE will allow for continued research into the diverse phenomenology, etiology and pathogenesis of the disease to be conducted. While the absolute pathophysiology and true prevalence of PE remains unclear, developing a better understanding of the true prevalence of the disease will allow for the completion of more accurate analysis and treatment of the disease.

Population dynamics among Asmat hunter-gatherers of New Guinea: data, methods, comparisons.

PubMed

Van Arsdale, P W

1978-12-01

Since 1953 the Asmat hunter-gatherers of Irian Jaya have been experiencing rapid cultural change, yet demographically they still can be classified as "living primitives." Methods of nonstandard data analysis are used in an effort to provide specific information on age-sex structure, fertility, birthrates, death rates, population growth, internal migration, and life expectancy and to aid in the development of a 2-part model of population growth encompassing the immediate precontact and contact eras. The population data upon which the discussion is based were obtained in 1973 and 1974 as part of a broader field study that aimed at assessing the impact of externally induced culture change. Special attention is given to the continuing although reduced impact of infanticide. Brief comparisons with other Melanesian and 3rd world societies are presented; the Asmat average annual growth rate of 1.5% since 1st permanent contact in 1953 contrasts with the generally higher rates reported for most of these other groups.

East Asia Review, 1973. To sum up.

PubMed

Keeny, S M

1974-05-01

Observations are made related to the review of family planning activities in East Asia in 1973. The number of new acceptors for the region increased from 2.7 million in 1972 to 3.4 million in 1973. The leaders were Indonesia, which almost doubled its achievement of calendar year 1972, the Philippines, and Korea. In Thailand, the number of new acceptors dropped by about 10%. South Vietnam is the only country in the region without an official policy. Most couples still think that the ideal number of children is 4, with at least 2 sons. Some religious opposition does exist, particularly with reference to sterlization and abortion. More attention is being paid to women in their 20s. Sterilization and condoms are becoming more popular. Korea reports a sharp increase in vasectomies. Better methods and continuation rates should be stressed. In Taiwan a couple who start with 1 method and continue to practice some method lower their reproduction rate by 80%. More responsibility is being delegated to nurses and midwives, but too slowly. In Indonesia, the number of field workers rose from 3774 in 1972 to 6275 in 1973. The Philippines and Thailand are experimenting to see what kind of workers get best results and under what kind of salary and incentive arrangements. In-service training tends to be neglected, but preservice training is improving. Costs, in general, have risen, though in Korea the cost per acceptor has dropped from US$8.00 to US$7.80. Korea and Taiwan have reduced their annual population growth rates by more than 1/3 in 10 years, from 30 to 19-20 per 1000 each. Singapore's rate is 17 and Hong Kong's 14 (exclusive of inmigration). The number of couples currently practicing contraception in Singapore is 71%. Target systems assigning quotas to clinics are generally used except in Thailand and Malaysia, where programs emphasize maternal and child health, rather than population planning. Most programs require about 10 years to get the annual growth rate down to 2% by voluntary family planning. To get it down to 1.5% will probably take another 10 years.

Scaling characteristics of mountainous river flow fluctuations determined using a shallow-water acoustic tomography system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al Sawaf, Mohamad Basel; Kawanisi, Kiyosi; Kagami, Junya; Bahreinimotlagh, Masoud; Danial, Mochammad Meddy

2017-10-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the scaling exponent properties of mountainous river flow fluctuations by detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA). Streamflow data were collected continuously using Fluvial Acoustic Tomography System (FATS), which is a novel system for measuring continuous streamflow at high-frequency scales. The results revealed that river discharge fluctuations have two scaling regimes and scaling break. In contrast to the Ranting Curve method (RC), the small-scale exponent detected by the FATS is estimated to be 1.02 ± 0.42% less than that estimated by RC. More importantly, the crossover times evaluated from the FATS delayed approximately by 42 ± 21 hr ≈2-3 days than their counterparts estimated by RC. The power spectral density analysis assists our findings. We found that scaling characteristics information evaluated for a river using flux data obtained by RC approach might not be accurately detected, because this classical method assumes that flow in river is steady and depends on constructing a relationship between discharge and water level, while the discharge obtained by the FATS decomposes velocity and depth into two ratings according to the continuity equation. Generally, this work highlights the performance of FATS as a powerful and effective approach for continuous streamflow measurements at high-frequency levels.

Integral projection models for finite populations in a stochastic environment.

PubMed

Vindenes, Yngvild; Engen, Steinar; Saether, Bernt-Erik

2011-05-01

Continuous types of population structure occur when continuous variables such as body size or habitat quality affect the vital parameters of individuals. These structures can give rise to complex population dynamics and interact with environmental conditions. Here we present a model for continuously structured populations with finite size, including both demographic and environmental stochasticity in the dynamics. Using recent methods developed for discrete age-structured models we derive the demographic and environmental variance of the population growth as functions of a continuous state variable. These two parameters, together with the expected population growth rate, are used to define a one-dimensional diffusion approximation of the population dynamics. Thus, a substantial reduction in complexity is achieved as the dynamics of the complex structured model can be described by only three population parameters. We provide methods for numerical calculation of the model parameters and demonstrate the accuracy of the diffusion approximation by computer simulation of specific examples. The general modeling framework makes it possible to analyze and predict future dynamics and extinction risk of populations with various types of structure, and to explore consequences of changes in demography caused by, e.g., climate change or different management decisions. Our results are especially relevant for small populations that are often of conservation concern.

A Robust Semi-Parametric Test for Detecting Trait-Dependent Diversification.

PubMed

Rabosky, Daniel L; Huang, Huateng

2016-03-01

Rates of species diversification vary widely across the tree of life and there is considerable interest in identifying organismal traits that correlate with rates of speciation and extinction. However, it has been challenging to develop methodological frameworks for testing hypotheses about trait-dependent diversification that are robust to phylogenetic pseudoreplication and to directionally biased rates of character change. We describe a semi-parametric test for trait-dependent diversification that explicitly requires replicated associations between character states and diversification rates to detect effects. To use the method, diversification rates are reconstructed across a phylogenetic tree with no consideration of character states. A test statistic is then computed to measure the association between species-level traits and the corresponding diversification rate estimates at the tips of the tree. The empirical value of the test statistic is compared to a null distribution that is generated by structured permutations of evolutionary rates across the phylogeny. The test is applicable to binary discrete characters as well as continuous-valued traits and can accommodate extremely sparse sampling of character states at the tips of the tree. We apply the test to several empirical data sets and demonstrate that the method has acceptable Type I error rates. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press, on behalf of the Society of Systematic Biologists. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Hypoglycemia prediction with subject-specific recursive time-series models.

PubMed

Eren-Oruklu, Meriyan; Cinar, Ali; Quinn, Lauretta

2010-01-01

Avoiding hypoglycemia while keeping glucose within the narrow normoglycemic range (70-120 mg/dl) is a major challenge for patients with type 1 diabetes. Continuous glucose monitors can provide hypoglycemic alarms when the measured glucose decreases below a threshold. However, a better approach is to provide an early alarm that predicts a hypoglycemic episode before it occurs, allowing enough time for the patient to take the necessary precaution to avoid hypoglycemia. We have previously proposed subject-specific recursive models for the prediction of future glucose concentrations and evaluated their prediction performance. In this work, our objective was to evaluate this algorithm further to predict hypoglycemia and provide early hypoglycemic alarms. Three different methods were proposed for alarm decision, where (A) absolute predicted glucose values, (B) cumulative-sum (CUSUM) control chart, and (C) exponentially weighted moving-average (EWMA) control chart were used. Each method was validated using data from the Diabetes Research in Children Network, which consist of measurements from a continuous glucose sensor during an insulin-induced hypoglycemia. Reference serum glucose measurements were used to determine the sensitivity to predict hypoglycemia and the false alarm rate. With the hypoglycemic threshold set to 60 mg/dl, sensitivity of 89, 87.5, and 89% and specificity of 67, 74, and 78% were reported for methods A, B, and C, respectively. Mean values for time to detection were 30 +/- 5.51 (A), 25.8 +/- 6.46 (B), and 27.7 +/- 5.32 (C) minutes. Compared to the absolute value method, both CUSUM and EWMA methods behaved more conservatively before raising an alarm (reduced time to detection), which significantly decreased the false alarm rate and increased the specificity. 2010 Diabetes Technology Society.

Bystander fatigue and CPR quality by older bystanders: a randomized crossover trial comparing continuous chest compressions and 30:2 compressions to ventilations.

PubMed

Liu, Shawn; Vaillancourt, Christian; Kasaboski, Ann; Taljaard, Monica

2016-11-01

This study sought to measure bystander fatigue and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) quality after five minutes of CPR using the continuous chest compression (CCC) versus the 30:2 chest compression to ventilation method in older lay persons, a population most likely to perform CPR on cardiac arrest victims. This randomized crossover trial took place at three tertiary care hospitals and a seniors' center. Participants were aged ≥55 years without significant physical limitations (frailty score ≤3/7). They completed two 5-minute CPR sessions (using 30:2 and CCC) on manikins; sessions were separated by a rest period. We used concealed block randomization to determine CPR method order. Metronome feedback maintained a compression rate of 100/minute. We measured heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and Borg Exertion Scale. CPR quality measures included total number of compressions and number of adequate compressions (depth ≥5 cm). Sixty-three participants were enrolled: mean age 70.8 years, female 66.7%, past CPR training 60.3%. Bystander fatigue was similar between CPR methods: mean difference in HR -0.59 (95% CI -3.51-2.33), MAP 1.64 (95% CI -0.23-3.50), and Borg 0.46 (95% CI 0.07-0.84). Compared to 30:2, participants using CCC performed more chest compressions (480.0 v. 376.3, mean difference 107.7; p<0.0001) and more adequate chest compressions (381.5 v. 324.9, mean difference. 62.0; p=0.0001), although good compressions/minute declined significantly faster with the CCC method (p=0.0002). CPR quality decreased significantly faster when performing CCC compared to 30:2. However, performing CCC produced more adequate compressions overall with a similar level of fatigue compared to the 30:2 method.

A comparison of groundwater recharge estimation methods in a semi-arid, coastal avocado and citrus orchard (Ventura County, California)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grismer, Mark E.; Bachman, S.; Powers, T.

2000-10-01

We assess the relative merits of application of the most commonly used field methods (soil-water balance (SWB), chloride mass balance (CMB) and soil moisture monitoring (NP)) to determine recharge rates in micro-irrigated and non-irrigated areas of a semi-arid coastal orchard located in a relatively complex geological environment.Application of the CMB method to estimate recharge rates was difficult owing to the unusually high, variable soil-water chloride concentrations. In addition, contrary to that expected, the chloride concentration distribution at depths below the root zone in the non-irrigated soil profiles was greater than that in the irrigated profiles. The CMB method severely underestimated recharge rates in the non-irrigated areas when compared with the other methods, although the CMB method estimated recharge rates for the irrigated areas, that were similar to those from the other methods, ranging from 42 to 141 mm/year.The SWB method, constructed for a 15-year period, provided insight into the recharge process being driven by winter rains rather than summer irrigation and indicated an average rate of 75 mm/year and 164 mm/year for the 1984 - 98 and 1996 - 98 periods, respectively. Assuming similar soil-water holding capacity, these recharge rates applied to both irrigated and non-irrigated areas. Use of the long period of record was important because it encompassed both drought and heavy rainfall years. Successful application of the SWB method, however, required considerable additional field measurements of orchard ETc, soil-water holding capacity and estimation of rainfall interception - runoff losses.Continuous soil moisture monitoring (NP) was necessary to identify both daily and seasonal seepage processes to corroborate the other recharge estimates. Measured recharge rates during the 1996 - 1998 period in both the orchards and non-irrigated site averaged 180 mm/year. The pattern of soil profile drying during the summer irrigation season, followed by progressive wetting during the winter rainy season was observed in both irrigated and non-irrigated soil profiles, confirming that groundwater recharge was rainfall driven and that micro-irrigation did not predispose the soil profile to excess rainfall recharge. The ability to make this recharge assessment, however, depended on making multiple field measurements associated with all three methods, suggesting that any one should not be used alone.

Multi-Method Assessment of ADHD Characteristics in Preschool Children: Relations between Measures

PubMed Central

Sims, Darcey M.; Lonigan, Christopher J.

2011-01-01

Several forms of assessment tools, including behavioral rating scales and objective tests such as the Continuous Performance Test (CPT), can be used to measure inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive behaviors associated with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). However, research with school-age children has shown that the correlations between parent ratings, teacher ratings, and scores on objective measures of ADHD-characteristic behaviors are modest at best. In this study, we examined the relations between parent and teacher ratings of ADHD and CPT scores in a sample of 65 preschoolers ranging from 50 to 72 months of age. No significant associations between teacher and parent ratings of ADHD were found. Parent-ratings of both inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity accounted for variance in CPT omission errors but not CPT commission errors. Teacher ratings showed evidence of convergent and discriminant validity when entered simultaneously in a hierarchical regression. These tools may be measuring different aspects of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity. PMID:22518069

[Technical options of electrotherapy in patients with vasovagal syncope].

PubMed

Bałczewska, Daria; Kaczmarek, Krzysztof; Ptaszyński, Paweł; Wranicz, Jerzy Krzysztof; Cygankiewicz, Iwona

2016-10-19

Syncope is a symptom of the disease with diverse etiology and can be evidence of both benign and very serious life-threatening conditions. Vasovagal syncope(VVS), with prevalence about 35% of the general population, is most frequent causes of transient loss of consciousness (T-LOC). Most cases of vasovagal syncope requires conservative treatment. Although cardioinhibitory type of VVS characterized by a significant bradycardia or pause of the heart rate and can be treated with continuous electrotherapy. This article discuss cardiac pacing and technical solutions for the treatment of VVS. Available cardiac pacing methods used to detect and break VVS such as Rate Drop Response (RDR), Closed Loop Stimulation (CLS) and rate response driven by variations of myocardial contractility like Peak Endocardial Acceleration (PEA), has been presented.

Selective Catalytic Combustion Sensors for Reactive Organic Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Innes, W. B.

1971-01-01

Sensors involving a vanadia-alumina catalyst bed-thermocouple assembly satisfy requirements for simple, reproducible and rapid continuous analysis or reactive organics. Responses generally increase with temperature to 400 C and increase to a maximum with flow rate/catalyst volume. Selectivity decreases with temperature. Response time decreases with flow rate and increases with catalyst volume. At chosen optimum conditions calculated response which is additive and linear agrees better with photochemical reactivity than other methods for various automotive sources, and response to vehicle exhaust is insensitive to flow rate. Application to measurement of total reactive organics in vehicle exhaust as well as for gas chromatography detection illustrate utility. The approach appears generally applicable to high thermal effect reactions involving first order kinetics.

Integrating continuous stocks and flows into state-and-transition simulation models of landscape change

USGS Publications Warehouse

Daniel, Colin J.; Sleeter, Benjamin M.; Frid, Leonardo; Fortin, Marie-Josée

2018-01-01

State-and-transition simulation models (STSMs) provide a general framework for forecasting landscape dynamics, including projections of both vegetation and land-use/land-cover (LULC) change. The STSM method divides a landscape into spatially-referenced cells and then simulates the state of each cell forward in time, as a discrete-time stochastic process using a Monte Carlo approach, in response to any number of possible transitions. A current limitation of the STSM method, however, is that all of the state variables must be discrete.Here we present a new approach for extending a STSM, in order to account for continuous state variables, called a state-and-transition simulation model with stocks and flows (STSM-SF). The STSM-SF method allows for any number of continuous stocks to be defined for every spatial cell in the STSM, along with a suite of continuous flows specifying the rates at which stock levels change over time. The change in the level of each stock is then simulated forward in time, for each spatial cell, as a discrete-time stochastic process. The method differs from the traditional systems dynamics approach to stock-flow modelling in that the stocks and flows can be spatially-explicit, and the flows can be expressed as a function of the STSM states and transitions.We demonstrate the STSM-SF method by integrating a spatially-explicit carbon (C) budget model with a STSM of LULC change for the state of Hawai'i, USA. In this example, continuous stocks are pools of terrestrial C, while the flows are the possible fluxes of C between these pools. Importantly, several of these C fluxes are triggered by corresponding LULC transitions in the STSM. Model outputs include changes in the spatial and temporal distribution of C pools and fluxes across the landscape in response to projected future changes in LULC over the next 50 years.The new STSM-SF method allows both discrete and continuous state variables to be integrated into a STSM, including interactions between them. With the addition of stocks and flows, STSMs provide a conceptually simple yet powerful approach for characterizing uncertainties in projections of a wide range of questions regarding landscape change.

Dose requirements of continuous infusion of rocuronium and atracurium throughout orthotopic liver transplantation in humans

PubMed Central

Weng, Xiao-chuan; Zhou, Liang; Fu, Yin-yan; Zhu, Sheng-mei; He, Hui-liang; Wu, Jian

2005-01-01

Objective: To compare the dose requirements of continuous infusion of rocuronium and atracurium throughout orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) in humans. Methods: Twenty male patients undergoing liver transplantation were randomly assigned to two comparable groups of 10 patients each to receive a continuous infusion of rocuronium or atracurium under intravenous balanced anesthesia. The response of adductor pollicis to train-of-four (TOF) stimulation of unlar nerve was monitored. The infusion rates of rocuronium and atracurium were adjusted to maintain T1/Tc ratio of 2%~10%. The total dose of each drug given during each of the three phases of OLT was recorded. Results: Rocuronium requirement, which were (0.468±0.167) mg/(kg·h) during the paleohepatic phase, decreased significantly during the anhepatic phase to (0.303±0.134) mg/(kg·h) and returned to the initial values at the neohepatic period ((0.429±0.130) mg/(kg·h)); whereas atracuruim requirements remained unchanged during orthotopic liver transplantation. Conclusions: This study showed that the exclusion of the liver from the circulation results in the significantly reduced requirement of rocuronium while the requirement of atracurium was not changed, which suggests that the liver is of major importance in the clearance of rocuronium. A continuous infusion of atracurium with constant rate can provide stable neuromuscular blockade during the three stages of OLT. PMID:16130187

Generalization bounds of ERM-based learning processes for continuous-time Markov chains.

PubMed

Zhang, Chao; Tao, Dacheng

2012-12-01

Many existing results on statistical learning theory are based on the assumption that samples are independently and identically distributed (i.i.d.). However, the assumption of i.i.d. samples is not suitable for practical application to problems in which samples are time dependent. In this paper, we are mainly concerned with the empirical risk minimization (ERM) based learning process for time-dependent samples drawn from a continuous-time Markov chain. This learning process covers many kinds of practical applications, e.g., the prediction for a time series and the estimation of channel state information. Thus, it is significant to study its theoretical properties including the generalization bound, the asymptotic convergence, and the rate of convergence. It is noteworthy that, since samples are time dependent in this learning process, the concerns of this paper cannot (at least straightforwardly) be addressed by existing methods developed under the sample i.i.d. assumption. We first develop a deviation inequality for a sequence of time-dependent samples drawn from a continuous-time Markov chain and present a symmetrization inequality for such a sequence. By using the resultant deviation inequality and symmetrization inequality, we then obtain the generalization bounds of the ERM-based learning process for time-dependent samples drawn from a continuous-time Markov chain. Finally, based on the resultant generalization bounds, we analyze the asymptotic convergence and the rate of convergence of the learning process.