Luminol testing in detecting modern human skeletal remains: a test on different types of bone tissue and a caveat for PMI interpretation.

PubMed

Caudullo, Giorgio; Caruso, Valentina; Cappella, Annalisa; Sguazza, Emanuela; Mazzarelli, Debora; Amadasi, Alberto; Cattaneo, Cristina

2017-01-01

When forensic pathologists and anthropologists have to deal with the evaluation of the post-mortem interval (PMI) in skeletal remains, luminol testing is frequently performed as a preliminary screening method. However, the repeatability of this test on the same bone, as well as comparative studies on different bones of the same individual, has never been performed. Therefore, with the aim of investigating the influence that different types of bones may exert on the response to the luminol test, the present study analysed three different skeletal elements (femoral diaphysis, vertebra and cranial vault), gathered from ten recent exhumed skeletons (all with a 20-year PMI). The analysis was performed twice on the same bone after 2 months: the analysis at time 0 concerned the whole bone, whereas the second concerned only a part of the same bone taken during the first test (which already had been broken). The overall results showed different responses, depending on the type of bone and on the integrity of the samples. Negative results at the first analysis (6.6% out of the total of samples) are consistent with what is reported in the literature, whilst at the second analysis, the increase of about 20% of false-negative results highlights that the luminol test ought to be performed with caution in case of broken bones or elements which are taphonomically altered. Results have thus proven that the exposition to environmental agents might result in haemoglobin (Hb) loss, as detected even after only 2 months. The study also focused on the crucial issue of the type of bone subjected to testing, remarking the suitability of the femoral diaphysis (100% of positive responses at the first analysis vs only 18% of false-negative results at the second test, corresponding to 5% of total false-negative results) as opposed to other bone elements that showed a low yield. In particular, the cranial vault gave poor results, with 40% of discrepancy between results from the two analyses, which suggests caution in choosing the type of bone sample to test. In conclusion, luminol testing should be used with caution on bones different from long bones or on non-intact bones.

Integrated Data Collection Analysis (IDCA) Program - Statistical Analysis of RDX Standard Data Sets

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

Sandstrom, Mary M.; Brown, Geoffrey W.; Preston, Daniel N.

2015-10-30

The Integrated Data Collection Analysis (IDCA) program is conducting a Proficiency Test for Small- Scale Safety and Thermal (SSST) testing of homemade explosives (HMEs). Described here are statistical analyses of the results for impact, friction, electrostatic discharge, and differential scanning calorimetry analysis of the RDX Type II Class 5 standard. The material was tested as a well-characterized standard several times during the proficiency study to assess differences among participants and the range of results that may arise for well-behaved explosive materials. The analyses show that there are detectable differences among the results from IDCA participants. While these differences are statisticallymore » significant, most of them can be disregarded for comparison purposes to assess potential variability when laboratories attempt to measure identical samples using methods assumed to be nominally the same. The results presented in this report include the average sensitivity results for the IDCA participants and the ranges of values obtained. The ranges represent variation about the mean values of the tests of between 26% and 42%. The magnitude of this variation is attributed to differences in operator, method, and environment as well as the use of different instruments that are also of varying age. The results appear to be a good representation of the broader safety testing community based on the range of methods, instruments, and environments included in the IDCA Proficiency Test.« less

[Do different interpretative methods used for evaluation of checkerboard synergy test affect the results?].

PubMed

Ozseven, Ayşe Gül; Sesli Çetin, Emel; Ozseven, Levent

2012-07-01

In recent years, owing to the presence of multi-drug resistant nosocomial bacteria, combination therapies are more frequently applied. Thus there is more need to investigate the in vitro activity of drug combinations against multi-drug resistant bacteria. Checkerboard synergy testing is among the most widely used standard technique to determine the activity of antibiotic combinations. It is based on microdilution susceptibility testing of antibiotic combinations. Although this test has a standardised procedure, there are many different methods for interpreting the results. In many previous studies carried out with multi-drug resistant bacteria, different rates of synergy have been reported with various antibiotic combinations using checkerboard technique. These differences might be attributed to the different features of the strains. However, different synergy rates detected by checkerboard method have also been reported in other studies using the same drug combinations and same types of bacteria. It was thought that these differences in synergy rates might be due to the different methods of interpretation of synergy test results. In recent years, multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii has been the most commonly encountered nosocomial pathogen especially in intensive-care units. For this reason, multidrug resistant A.baumannii has been the subject of a considerable amount of research about antimicrobial combinations. In the present study, the in vitro activities of frequently preferred combinations in A.baumannii infections like imipenem plus ampicillin/sulbactam, and meropenem plus ampicillin/sulbactam were tested by checkerboard synergy method against 34 multi-drug resistant A.baumannii isolates. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values for imipenem, meropenem and ampicillin/sulbactam were determined by the broth microdilution method. Subsequently the activity of two different combinations were tested in the dilution range of 4 x MIC and 0.03 x MIC in 96-well checkerboard plates. The results were obtained separately using the four different interpretation methods frequently preferred by researchers. Thus, it was aimed to detect to what extent the rates of synergistic, indifferent and antagonistic interactions were affected by different interpretation methods. The differences between the interpretation methods were tested by chi-square analysis for each combination used. Statistically significant differences were detected between the four different interpretation methods for the determination of synergistic and indifferent interactions (p< 0.0001). Highest rates of synergy were observed with both combinations by the method that used the lowest fractional inhibitory concentration index of all the non-turbid wells along the turbidity/non-turbidity interface. There was no statistically significant difference between the four methods for the detection of antagonism (p> 0.05). In conclusion although there is a standard procedure for checkerboard synergy testing it fails to exhibit standard results owing to different methods of interpretation of the results. Thus, there is a need to standardise the interpretation method for checkerboard synergy testing. To determine the most appropriate method of interpretation further studies investigating the clinical benefits of synergic combinations and additionally comparing the consistency of the results obtained from the other standard combination tests like time-kill studies, are required.

NAEP: Gold Standard or Fool's Gold?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Popham, W. James

2005-01-01

Results of tests of students' skills and knowledge conducted by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and the state accountability tests required by the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) program should not be compared. The two tests are based on different standards and have different measurement functions and judging the results of one…

Do Different Tests of Episodic Memory Produce Consistent Results in Human Adults?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheke, Lucy G.; Clayton, Nicola S.

2013-01-01

A number of different philosophical, theoretical, and empirical perspectives on episodic memory have led to the development of very different tests with which to assess it. Although these tests putatively assess the same psychological capacity, they have rarely been directly compared. Here, a sample of undergraduates was tested on three different…

Emotional distress following genetic testing for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer: a meta-analytic review.

PubMed

Hamilton, Jada G; Lobel, Marci; Moyer, Anne

2009-07-01

Meta-analysis was used to synthesize results of studies on emotional consequences of predictive genetic testing for BRCA1/2 mutations conferring increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer. Studies assessing anxiety or cancer-specific distress before and after provision of test results (k = 20) were analyzed using a random-effects model. Moderator variables included country of data collection and personal cancer history of study participants. Standardized mean gain effect sizes were calculated for mutation carriers, noncarriers, and those with inconclusive results over short (0-4 weeks), moderate (5-24 weeks), or long (25-52 weeks) periods of time after testing. Distress among carriers increased shortly after receiving results and returned to pretesting levels over time. Distress among noncarriers and those with inconclusive results decreased over time. Some distress patterns differed in studies conducted outside the United States and for individuals with varying cancer histories. Results underscore the importance of time; changes in distress observed shortly after test-result disclosure frequently differed from the pattern of distress seen subsequently. Although emotional consequences of this testing appear minimal, it remains possible that testing may affect cognitive and behavioral outcomes, which have rarely been examined through meta-analysis. Testing may also affect understudied subgroups differently.

Glomerular filtration rate

MedlinePlus

... Some labs use different measurements or test different samples. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results. What Abnormal Results Mean Levels below 60 mL/min/1.73 m 2 for 3 or more months ...

The relationship between brain reaction and English reading tests for non-native English speakers.

PubMed

Cheng, Pei-Wen; Tian, Yu-Jie; Kuo, Ting-Hua; Sun, Koun-Tem

2016-07-01

This research analyzed the brain activity of non-native English speakers while engaged in English reading tests. The brain wave event-related potentials (ERPs) of participants were used to analyze the difference between making correct and incorrect choices on English reading test items. Three English reading tests of differing levels were designed and 20 participants, 10 males and 10 females whose ages ranged from 20 to 24, voluntarily participated in the experiment. Experimental results were analyzed by performing independent t-tests on the ERPs of participants for gender, difficulty level, and correct versus wrong options. Participants who chose incorrect options elicited a larger N600, verifying results found in the literature. Another interesting result was found: For incorrectly answered items, different areas of brain showing a significant difference in ERPs between the chosen and non-chosen options corresponded to gender differences; for males, this area was located in the right hemisphere whereas for females, it was located in the left. Experimental results imply that non-native English speaking males and females employ different areas of the brain to comprehend the meaning of difficult items. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reducing measurement errors during functional capacity tests in elders.

PubMed

da Silva, Mariane Eichendorf; Orssatto, Lucas Bet da Rosa; Bezerra, Ewertton de Souza; Silva, Diego Augusto Santos; Moura, Bruno Monteiro de; Diefenthaeler, Fernando; Freitas, Cíntia de la Rocha

2018-06-01

Accuracy is essential to the validity of functional capacity measurements. To evaluate the error of measurement of functional capacity tests for elders and suggest the use of the technical error of measurement and credibility coefficient. Twenty elders (65.8 ± 4.5 years) completed six functional capacity tests that were simultaneously filmed and timed by four evaluators by means of a chronometer. A fifth evaluator timed the tests by analyzing the videos (reference data). The means of most evaluators for most tests were different from the reference (p < 0.05), except for two evaluators for two different tests. There were different technical error of measurement between tests and evaluators. The Bland-Altman test showed difference in the concordance of the results between methods. Short duration tests showed higher technical error of measurement than longer tests. In summary, tests timed by a chronometer underestimate the real results of the functional capacity. Difference between evaluators' reaction time and perception to determine the start and the end of the tests would justify the errors of measurement. Calculation of the technical error of measurement or the use of the camera can increase data validity.

Estimating the Impacts of Educational Interventions Using State Tests or Study-Administered Tests. NCEE 2012-4016

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olsen, Robert B.; Unlu, Fatih; Price, Cristofer; Jaciw, Andrew P.

2011-01-01

This report examines the differences in impact estimates and standard errors that arise when these are derived using state achievement tests only (as pre-tests and post-tests), study-administered tests only, or some combination of state- and study-administered tests. State tests may yield different evaluation results relative to a test that is…

Surface runoff and soil erosion by difference of surface cover characteristics using by an oscillating rainfall simulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, J. K.; Kim, M. S.; Yang, D. Y.

2017-12-01

Sediment transfer within hill slope can be changed by the hydrologic characteristics of surface material on hill slope. To better understand sediment transfer of the past and future related to climate changes, studies for the changes of soil erosion due to hydrological characteristics changes by surface materials on hill slope are needed. To do so, on-situ rainfall simulating test was conducted on three different surface conditions, i.e. well covered with litter layer condition (a), undisturbed bare condition (b), and disturbed bare condition (c) and these results from rainfall simulating test were compared with that estimated using the Limburg Soil Erosion Model (LISEM). The result from the rainfall simulating tests showed differences in the infiltration rate (a > b > c) and the highest soil erosion rate was occurred on c condition. The result from model also was similar to those from rainfall simulating tests, however, the difference from the value of soil erosion rate between two results was quite large on b and c conditions. These results implied that the difference of surface conditions could change the surface runoff and soil erosion and the result from the erosion model might significantly underestimate on bare surface conditions rather than that from rainfall simulating test.

Abnormal Cervical Cancer Screening Test Results

MedlinePlus

... FAQ187 GYNECOLOGIC PROBLEMS Abnormal Cervical Cancer Screening Test Results • What is cervical cancer screening? • What causes abnormal cervical cancer screening test results? • What is the difference between the terms cervical ...

A proposal to standardize reporting units for fecal immunochemical tests for hemoglobin.

PubMed

Fraser, Callum G; Allison, James E; Halloran, Stephen P; Young, Graeme P

2012-06-06

Fecal immunochemical tests for hemoglobin are replacing traditional guaiac fecal occult blood tests in population screening programs for many reasons. However, the many available fecal immunochemical test devices use a range of sampling methods, differ with regard to hemoglobin stability, and report hemoglobin concentrations in different ways. The methods for sampling, the mass of feces collected, and the volume and characteristics of the buffer used in the sampling device also vary among fecal immunochemical tests, making comparisons of test performance characteristics difficult. Fecal immunochemical test results may be expressed as the hemoglobin concentration in the sampling device buffer and, sometimes, albeit rarely, as the hemoglobin concentration per mass of feces. The current lack of consistency in units for reporting hemoglobin concentration is particularly problematic because apparently similar hemoglobin concentrations obtained with different devices can lead to very different clinical interpretations. Consistent adoption of an internationally accepted method for reporting results would facilitate comparisons of outcomes from these tests. We propose a simple strategy for reporting fecal hemoglobin concentration that will facilitate the comparison of results between fecal immunochemical test devices and across clinical studies. Such reporting is readily achieved by defining the mass of feces sampled and the volume of sample buffer (with confidence intervals) and expressing results as micrograms of hemoglobin per gram of feces. We propose that manufacturers of fecal immunochemical tests provide this information and that the authors of research articles, guidelines, and policy articles, as well as pathology services and regulatory bodies, adopt this metric when reporting fecal immunochemical test results.

The six blind men and the elephant: Are episodic memory tasks tests of different things or different tests of the same thing?

PubMed

Cheke, Lucy G; Clayton, Nicola S

2015-09-01

The development of episodic memory in children has been of interest to researchers for more than a century. Current behavioral tests that have been developed to assess episodic memory differ substantially in their surface features. Therefore, it is possible that these tests are assessing different memory processes. In this study, 106 children aged 3 to 6 years were tested on four putative tests of episodic memory. Covariation in performance was investigated in order to address two conflicting hypotheses: (a) that the high level of difference between the tests will result in little covariation in performance despite their being designed to assess the same ability and (b) that the conceptual similarity of these tasks will lead to high levels of covariation despite surface differences. The results indicated a gradual improvement with age on all tests. Performances on many of the tests were related, but not after controlling for age. A principal component analysis found that a single principal component was able to satisfactorily fit the observed data. This principal component produced a marginally stronger correlation with age than any test alone. As such, it might be concluded that different tests of episodic memory are too different to be used in parallel. Nevertheless, if used together, these tests may offer a robust assessment of episodic memory as a complex multifaceted process. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of Test Media on Different EFL Test-Takers in Writing Scores and in the Cognitive Writing Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zou, Xiao-Ling; Chen, Yan-Min

2016-01-01

The effects of computer and paper test media on EFL test-takers with different computer familiarity in writing scores and in the cognitive writing process have been comprehensively explored from the learners' aspect as well as on the basis of related theories and practice. The results indicate significant differences in test scores among the…

Relationship between Omnibus and Post-hoc Tests: An Investigation of performance of the F test in ANOVA.

PubMed

Chen, Tian; Xu, Manfei; Tu, Justin; Wang, Hongyue; Niu, Xiaohui

2018-02-25

Comparison of groups is a common statistical test in many biomedical and psychosocial research studies. When there are more than two groups, one first performs an omnibus test for an overall difference across the groups. If this null is rejected, one then proceeds to the next step of post-hoc pairwise group comparisons to determine sources of difference. Otherwise, one stops and declares no group difference. A common belief is that if the omnibus test is significant, there must exist at least two groups that are significantly different and vice versa. Thus, when the omnibus test is significant, but no post-hoc between-group comparison shows significant difference, one is bewildered at what is going on and wondering how to interpret the results. At the end of the spectrum, when the omnibus test is not significant, one wonders if all post-hoc tests will be non-significant as well so that stopping after a nonsignificant omnibus test will not lead to any missed opportunity of finding group difference. In this report, we investigate this perplexing phenomenon and discuss how to interpret such results.

Comparison of test protocols for standard room/corner tests

Treesearch

R. H. White; M. A. Dietenberger; H. Tran; O. Grexa; L. Richardson; K. Sumathipala; M. Janssens

1998-01-01

As part of international efforts to evaluate alternative reaction-to-fire tests, several series of room/comer tests have been conducted. This paper reviews the overall results of related projects in which different test protocols for standard room/corner tests were used. Differences in the test protocols involved two options for the ignition burner scenario and whether...

Negligible Sex Differences in General Intelligence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colom, Roberto; Juan-Espinosa, Manuel; Abad, Francisco; Garcia, Luis F.

2000-01-01

Studied sex differences in general intelligence in 10,475 adults taking cognitive test batteries. Results suggest a negligible difference in general intelligence, a finding consistent with findings from quite different test batteries and subject samples. (SLD)

Effects of different centrifugation conditions on clinical chemistry and Immunology test results

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The effect of centrifugation time of heparinized blood samples on clinical chemistry and immunology results has rarely been studied. WHO guideline proposed a 15 min centrifugation time without citing any scientific publications. The centrifugation time has a considerable impact on the turn-around-time. Methods We investigated 74 parameters in samples from 44 patients on a Roche Cobas 6000 system, to see whether there was a statistical significant difference in the test results among specimens centrifuged at 2180 g for 15 min, at 2180 g for 10 min or at 1870 g for 7 min, respectively. Two tubes with different plasma separators (both Greiner Bio-One) were used for each centrifugation condition. Statistical comparisons were made by Deming fit. Results Tubes with different separators showed identical results in all parameters. Likewise, excellent correlations were found among tubes to which different centrifugation conditions were applied. Fifty percent of the slopes lay between 0.99 and 1.01. Only 3.6 percent of the statistical tests results fell outside the significance level of p < 0.05, which was less than the expected 5%. This suggests that the outliers are the result of random variation and the large number of statistical tests performed. Further, we found that our data are sufficient not to miss a biased test (beta error) with a probability of 0.10 to 0.05 in most parameters. Conclusion A centrifugation time of either 7 or 10 min provided identical test results compared to the time of 15 min as proposed by WHO under the conditions used in our study. PMID:21569233

Effect of education and language on baseline concussion screening tests in professional baseball players.

PubMed

Jones, Nathaniel S; Walter, Kevin D; Caplinger, Roger; Wright, Daniel; Raasch, William G; Young, Craig

2014-07-01

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the possible effects of sociocultural influences, specifically pertaining to language and education, on baseline neuropsychological concussion testing as obtained via immediate postconcussion assessment and cognitive testing (ImPACT) of players from a professional baseball team. A retrospective chart review. Baseline testing of a professional baseball organization. Four hundred five professional baseball players. Age, languages spoken, hometown country location (United States/Canada vs overseas), and years of education. The 5 ImPACT composite scores (verbal memory, visual memory, visual motor speed, reaction time, impulse control) and ImPACT total symptom score from the initial baseline testing. The result of t tests revealed significant differences (P < 0.05) when comparing native English to native Spanish speakers in many scores. Even when corrected for education, the significant differences (P < 0.05) remained in some scores. Sociocultural differences may result in differences in computer-based neuropsychological testing scores.

Interpersonal Responses Among Sibling Dyads Tested for BRCA1/BRCA2 Gene Mutations

PubMed Central

Hamann, Heidi A.; Croyle, Robert T.; Smith, Timothy W.; Smith, Ken R.; Ruiz, John M.; Kircher, John C.; Botkin, Jeffrey R.

2013-01-01

Objective The familial context plays an important role in psychosocial responses to genetic testing. The purpose of this study was to compare sibling pairs with different combinations of BRCA1/BRCA2 test results on measures of affect, interpersonal responses, and physiological reactions. Design Forty-nine sibling dyads with different combinations of BRCA1/BRCA2 test results (i.e., mixed, positive, negative) completed a questionnaire, and 35 of the dyads also participated in a laboratory-based discussion of genetic testing. Main Outcome Measures The primary outcome variables included participant reports of supportive actions toward their sibling, state anger and anxiety, perceptions of sibling behavior, and electrodermal responses. Results Compared to positive and negative dyads, mixed pairs reported less friendly general support actions, noted more anger, and perceived their sibling to be less friendly and more dominant during the interactions. In comparisons between same-result (i.e., positive, negative) pairs, positive dyads reported more dominant support behaviors and perceived their sibling to be friendlier during the interactions. Conclusion Data suggest that siblings who have different test results may experience more interpersonal strain than siblings who have the same test result. Future research on genetic testing and family relationships can expand upon these findings. PMID:18230020

Gender differences in variance and means on the Naglieri Non-verbal Ability Test: data from the Philippines.

PubMed

Vista, Alvin; Care, Esther

2011-06-01

Research on gender differences in intelligence has focused mostly on samples from Western countries and empirical evidence on gender differences from Southeast Asia is relatively sparse. This article presents results on gender differences in variance and means on a non-verbal intelligence test using a national sample of public school students from the Philippines. More than 2,700 sixth graders from public schools across the country were tested with the Naglieri Non-verbal Ability Test (NNAT). Variance ratios (VRs) and log-transformed VRs were computed. Proportion ratios for each of the ability levels were also calculated and a chi-square goodness-of-fit test was performed. An analysis of variance was performed to determine the overall gender difference in mean scores as well as within each of three age subgroups. Our data show non-existent or trivial gender difference in mean scores. However, the tails of the distributions show differences between the males and females, with greater variability among males in the upper half of the distribution and greater variability among females in the lower half of the distribution. Descriptions of the results and their implications are discussed. Results on mean score differences support the hypothesis that there are no significant gender differences in cognitive ability. The unusual results regarding differences in variance and the male-female proportion in the tails require more complex investigations. ©2010 The British Psychological Society.

Evaluating Equating Results in the Non-Equivalent Groups with Anchor Test Design Using Equipercentile and Equity Criteria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duong, Minh Quang

2011-01-01

Testing programs often use multiple test forms of the same test to control item exposure and to ensure test security. Although test forms are constructed to be as similar as possible, they often differ. Test equating techniques are those statistical methods used to adjust scores obtained on different test forms of the same test so that they are…

Test Bias and the Culturally Different Early Adolescent.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Eileen; DeBlassie, Richard R.

1983-01-01

Defines test bias as a phenomenon in which test scores result in negative outcomes for certain groups, often lower socioeconomic groups and minorities. Discusses three manifestations of test bias including content, atmosphere, and use bias and presents recommendations for remedying bias problems in testing the culturally different. (JAC)

Six-minute walking test done in a hallway or on a treadmill: how close do the two methods agree?

PubMed

Lenssen, Antoine F; Wijnen, Lambert C A M; Vankan, Dion G; Van Eck, Bart H; Berghmans, Danielle P; Roox, George M

2010-12-01

The 6-min walking test (6-MWT) is probably the most widely used test to measure the functional capacity in cardiac rehabilitation. Although the American Thoracic Society recommends testing on a flat surface, treadmills are also used for testing. Therefore, we want to investigate the interchangeability of results of treadmill and hallway 6-MWT in a population of patients participating in a cardiac rehabilitation programme. Preexperimental design. University hospital Department of Cardiology and Physiotherapy. Patients entering the cardiac rehabilitation programme of the Maastricht University Cardiology Department. Agreement in 6-min walking distance between the hallway and treadmill test results were calculated by taking the mean difference between the two methods and the 95% confidence interval of the difference and plotting this against the average of the two test results. A Bland and Altman plot was constructed, showing the mean difference and the 95% limits of agreement between the two methods. Sixty-nine patients participated in this study. Mean difference between walking on a treadmill and walking in a hallway was 9 m in favour of the hallway test. The 95% limits of agreement were±118 m. Results of the 6-MWT conducted in a hallway or on a treadmill are not interchangeable, because of large between-test variations in the distances walked by individual participants.

Subsonic stability and control flight test results of the Space Shuttle /tail cone off/

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooke, D. R.

1980-01-01

The subsonic stability and control testing of the Space Shuttle Orbiter in its two test flights in the tailcone-off configuration is discussed, and test results are presented. Flight test maneuvers were designed to maximize the quality and quantity of stability and control data in the minimal time allotted using the Space Shuttle Functional Simulator and the Modified Maximum Likelihood Estimator (MMLE) programs, and coefficients were determined from standard sensor data sets using the MMLE, despite problems encountered in timing due to the different measurement systems used. Results are included for lateral directional and longitudinal maneuvers as well as the Space Shuttle aerodynamic data base obtained using the results of wind tunnel tests. The flight test data are found to permit greater confidence in the data base since the differences found are well within control system capability. It is suggested that the areas of major differences, including lateral directional data with open speedbrake, roll due to rudder and normal force due to elevon, be investigated in any further subsonic flight testing. Improvements in sensor data and data handling techniques for future orbital test flights are indicated.

Development and Application of Detection Indices for Measuring Guessing Behaviors and Test-Taking Effort in Computerized Adaptive Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Shu-Ren; Plake, Barbara S.; Kramer, Gene A.; Lien, Shu-Mei

2011-01-01

This study examined the amount of time that different ability-level examinees spend on questions they answer correctly or incorrectly across different pretest item blocks presented on a fixed-length, time-restricted computerized adaptive testing (CAT). Results indicate that different ability-level examinees require different amounts of time to…

Effects of different centrifugation conditions on clinical chemistry and Immunology test results.

PubMed

Minder, Elisabeth I; Schibli, Adrian; Mahrer, Dagmar; Nesic, Predrag; Plüer, Kathrin

2011-05-10

The effect of centrifugation time of heparinized blood samples on clinical chemistry and immunology results has rarely been studied. WHO guideline proposed a 15 min centrifugation time without citing any scientific publications. The centrifugation time has a considerable impact on the turn-around-time. We investigated 74 parameters in samples from 44 patients on a Roche Cobas 6000 system, to see whether there was a statistical significant difference in the test results among specimens centrifuged at 2180 g for 15 min, at 2180 g for 10 min or at 1870 g for 7 min, respectively. Two tubes with different plasma separators (both Greiner Bio-One) were used for each centrifugation condition. Statistical comparisons were made by Deming fit. Tubes with different separators showed identical results in all parameters. Likewise, excellent correlations were found among tubes to which different centrifugation conditions were applied. Fifty percent of the slopes lay between 0.99 and 1.01. Only 3.6 percent of the statistical tests results fell outside the significance level of p < 0.05, which was less than the expected 5%. This suggests that the outliers are the result of random variation and the large number of statistical tests performed. Further, we found that our data are sufficient not to miss a biased test (beta error) with a probability of 0.10 to 0.05 in most parameters. A centrifugation time of either 7 or 10 min provided identical test results compared to the time of 15 min as proposed by WHO under the conditions used in our study.

Stability of scores for the Slosson Full-Range Intelligence Test.

PubMed

Williams, Thomas O; Eaves, Ronald C; Woods-Groves, Suzanne; Mariano, Gina

2007-08-01

The test-retest stability of the Slosson Full-Range Intelligence Test by Algozzine, Eaves, Mann, and Vance was investigated with test scores from a sample of 103 students. With a mean interval of 13.7 mo. and different examiners for each of the two test administrations, the test-retest reliability coefficients for the Full-Range IQ, Verbal Reasoning, Abstract Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Memory were .93, .85, .80, .80, and .83, respectively. Mean differences from the test-retest scores were not statistically significantly different for any of the scales. Results suggest that Slosson scores are stable over time even when different examiners administer the test.

A new test method for the assessment of the arc tracking properties of wire insulation in air, oxygen enriched atmospheres and vacuum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koenig, Dieter

1994-01-01

Development of a new test method suitable for the assessment of the resistance of aerospace cables to arc tracking for different specific environmental and network conditions of spacecraft is given in view-graph format. The equipment can be easily adapted for tests at different realistic electrical network conditions incorporating circuit protection and the test system works equally well whatever the test atmosphere. Test results confirm that pure Kapton insulated wire has bad arcing characteristics and ETFE insulated wire is considerably better in air. For certain wires, arc tracking effects are increased at higher oxygen concentrations and significantly increased under vacuum. All tests on different cable insulation materials and in different environments, including enriched oxygen atmospheres, resulted in a more or less rapid extinguishing of all high temperature effects at the beginning of the post-test phase. In no case was a self-maintained fire initiated by the arc.

The analysis of the differences between the results of the thermal response test and the data from the operation of the brine-to-water heat pump's vertical exchanger

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fidorów-Kaprawy, Natalia; Stefanowicz, Ewelina; Mazurek, Wojciech; Szulgowska-Zgrzywa, Małgorzata; Bryszewska-Mazurek, Anna

2017-11-01

The article discusses the principles and the problems of obtaining an accurate data input for the design of brine-to-water heat pump's vertical exchangers. Currently, the most accurate method is the thermal response test (TRT). Unfortunately, the test procedure has its limitations and the quality of the results depends on many factors that cannot be fully controlled during the test. As an illustration of the problems, the results of the TRT were presented. The test was executed on the vertical boreholes (one actively regenerated and one not actively regenerated during the summer) which are parts of the operating heat pump system. The test results were compared to the data from the device's operation, in particular with the measurements of the undisturbed ground temperature profiles and the actual unit energy gains from the boreholes. The level of difference between the results of the test and the data from the operation of the boreholes under the real load and the threats concerning the boreholes overload were shown. Additionally the performance differences between the actively regenerated and not actively regenerated boreholes have been emphasised.

Differences in ME and CFS Symptomology in Patients with Normal and Abnormal Exercise Test Results.

PubMed

McManimen, Stephanie L; Jason, Leonard A

2017-01-01

Post-exertional malaise (PEM) is a cardinal symptom of myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), which often distinguishes patients with this illness from healthy controls or individuals with exclusionary illnesses such as depression. However, occurrence rates for PEM fluctuate from subject to how the symptom is operationalized. One commonly utilized method is exercise testing, maximal or submaximal. Many patients with ME and CFS experience PEM after participating in these tests, and often show abnormal results. However, some patients still exhibit normal results after participating in the exercise testing. This study examined the differences between two patient groups with ME and CFS, those with normal results and those with abnormal results, on several PEM-related symptoms and illness characteristics. The results suggest those that displayed abnormal results following testing have more frequent and severe PEM, worse overall functioning, and are more likely to be bedbound than those that displayed normal results.

Factors Associated with Participation in HIV Antibody Screening and Results Disclosure.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silvestre, Anthony J.; And Others

1993-01-01

Identified differences among 110 gay and bisexual men who decided whether to be tested for antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and, if so, whether to return for results. Fifty percent refused testing. Of those tested, only 35% returned to obtain test results. Education was significantly and inversely related to being tested and to…

Factors associated with a second deferral among donors eligible for re-entry after a false-positive screening test for syphilis, HCV, HBV and HIV.

PubMed

Grégoire, Y; Germain, M; Delage, G

2018-05-01

Since 25 May 2010, all donors at our blood centre who tested false-positive for HIV, HBV, HCV or syphilis are eligible for re-entry after further testing. Donors who have a second false-positive screening test, either during qualification for or after re-entry, are deferred for life. This study reports on factors associated with the occurrence of such deferrals. Rates of second false-positive results were compared by year of deferral, transmissible disease marker, gender, age, donor status (new or repeat) and testing platform (same or different) both at qualification for re-entry and afterwards. Chi-square tests were used to compare proportions. Cox regression was used for multivariate analyses. Participation rates in the re-entry programme were 42·1%: 25·6% failed to qualify for re-entry [different platform: 2·7%; same platform: 42·9% (P < 0·0001)]. After re-entry, rates of deferral for second false-positive results were 8·4% after 3 years [different platform: 1·8%; same platform: 21·4% (P < 0·0001)]. Deferral rates were higher for HIV and HCV than for HBV at qualification when tested on the same platform. The risk, when analysed by multivariate analyses, of a second deferral for a false-positive result, both at qualification and 3 years after re-entry, was lower for donors deferred on a different platform; this risk was higher for HIV, HCV and syphilis than for HBV and for new donors if tested on the same platform. Re-entry is more often successful when donors are tested on a testing platform different from the one on which they obtained their first false-positive result. © 2018 International Society of Blood Transfusion.

Thermal comfort of aeroplane seats: influence of different seat materials and the use of laboratory test methods.

PubMed

Bartels, Volkmar T

2003-07-01

This study determined the influence of different cover and cushion materials on the thermal comfort of aeroplane seats. Different materials as well as ready made seats were investigated by the physiological laboratory test methods Skin Model and seat comfort tester. Additionally, seat trials with human test subjects were performed in a climatic chamber. Results show that a fabric cover produces a considerably higher sweat transport than leather. A three-dimensional knitted spacer fabric turns out to be the better cushion alternative in comparison to a moulded foam pad. Results from the physiological laboratory test methods nicely correspond to the seat trials with human test subjects.

49 CFR 40.105 - What happens if the laboratory reports a result different from that expected for a blind specimen?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Secretary of Transportation PROCEDURES FOR TRANSPORTATION WORKPLACE DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING PROGRAMS Drug Testing Laboratories § 40.105 What happens if the laboratory reports a result different from that expected...

49 CFR 40.105 - What happens if the laboratory reports a result different from that expected for a blind specimen?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... Secretary of Transportation PROCEDURES FOR TRANSPORTATION WORKPLACE DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING PROGRAMS Drug Testing Laboratories § 40.105 What happens if the laboratory reports a result different from that expected...

49 CFR 40.105 - What happens if the laboratory reports a result different from that expected for a blind specimen?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Secretary of Transportation PROCEDURES FOR TRANSPORTATION WORKPLACE DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING PROGRAMS Drug Testing Laboratories § 40.105 What happens if the laboratory reports a result different from that expected...

49 CFR 40.105 - What happens if the laboratory reports a result different from that expected for a blind specimen?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Secretary of Transportation PROCEDURES FOR TRANSPORTATION WORKPLACE DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING PROGRAMS Drug Testing Laboratories § 40.105 What happens if the laboratory reports a result different from that expected...

49 CFR 40.105 - What happens if the laboratory reports a result different from that expected for a blind specimen?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Secretary of Transportation PROCEDURES FOR TRANSPORTATION WORKPLACE DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING PROGRAMS Drug Testing Laboratories § 40.105 What happens if the laboratory reports a result different from that expected...

How Do Experienced Physicians Access and Evaluate Laboratory Test Results for the Chronic Patient? A Qualitative Analysis.

PubMed

Torsvik, Torbjørn; Lillebo, Børge; Hertzum, Morten

2018-04-01

 Electronic health records may present laboratory test results in a variety of ways. Little is known about how the usefulness of different visualizations of laboratory test results is influenced by the complex and varied process of clinical decision making.  The purpose of this study was to investigate how clinicians access and utilize laboratory test results when caring for patients with chronic illness.  We interviewed 10 attending physicians about how they access and assess laboratory tests when following up patients with chronic illness. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed qualitatively.  Informants preferred different visualizations of laboratory test results, depending on what aspects of the data they were interested in. As chronic patients may have laboratory test results that are permanently outside standardized reference ranges, informants would often look for significant change, rather than exact values. What constituted significant change depended on contextual information (e.g., the results of other investigations, intercurrent diseases, and medical interventions) spread across multiple locations in the electronic health record. For chronic patients, the temporal relations between data could often be of special interest. Informants struggled with finding and synthesizing fragmented information into meaningful overviews.  The presentation of laboratory test results should account for the large variety of associated contextual information needed for clinical comprehension. Future research is needed to improve the integration of the different parts of the electronic health record. Schattauer GmbH Stuttgart.

Sensitivity of different Trypanosoma vivax specific primers for the diagnosis of livestock trypanosomosis using different DNA extraction methods.

PubMed

Gonzales, J L; Loza, A; Chacon, E

2006-03-15

There are several T. vivax specific primers developed for PCR diagnosis. Most of these primers were validated under different DNA extraction methods and study designs leading to heterogeneity of results. The objective of the present study was to validate PCR as a diagnostic test for T. vivax trypanosomosis by means of determining the test sensitivity of different published specific primers with different sample preparations. Four different DNA extraction methods were used to test the sensitivity of PCR with four different primer sets. DNA was extracted directly from whole blood samples, blood dried on filter papers or blood dried on FTA cards. The results showed that the sensitivity of PCR with each primer set was highly dependant of the sample preparation and DNA extraction method. The highest sensitivities for all the primers tested were determined using DNA extracted from whole blood samples, while the lowest sensitivities were obtained when DNA was extracted from filter paper preparations. To conclude, the obtained results are discussed and a protocol for diagnosis and surveillance for T. vivax trypanosomosis is recommended.

LOX/GOX mechanical impact tester assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bransford, J. W.; Bryan, C. J.; Frye, G. W.; Stohler, S. L.

1980-01-01

The performances of three existing high pressure oxygen mechanical impact test systems were tested at two different test sites. The systems from one test site were fabricated from the same design drawing, whereas the system tested at the other site was of different design. Energy delivered to the test sample for each test system was evaluated and compared. Results were compared to the reaction rates obtained.

Behavioral and fMRI evidence of the differing cognitive load of domain-specific assessments.

PubMed

Howard, S J; Burianová, H; Ehrich, J; Kervin, L; Calleia, A; Barkus, E; Carmody, J; Humphry, S

2015-06-25

Standards-referenced educational reform has increased the prevalence of standardized testing; however, whether these tests accurately measure students' competencies has been questioned. This may be due to domain-specific assessments placing a differing domain-general cognitive load on test-takers. To investigate this possibility, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to identify and quantify the neural correlates of performance on current, international standardized methods of spelling assessment. Out-of-scanner testing was used to further examine differences in assessment results. Results provide converging evidence that: (a) the spelling assessments differed in the cognitive load placed on test-takers; (b) performance decreased with increasing cognitive load of the assessment; and (c) brain regions associated with working memory were more highly activated during performance of assessments that were higher in cognitive load. These findings suggest that assessment design should optimize the cognitive load placed on test-takers, to ensure students' results are an accurate reflection of their true levels of competency. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Reproducibility of up-flow column percolation tests for contaminated soils

PubMed Central

Naka, Angelica; Sakanakura, Hirofumi; Kurosawa, Akihiko; Inui, Toru; Takeo, Miyuki; Inoba, Seiji; Watanabe, Yasutaka; Fujikawa, Takuro; Miura, Toshihiko; Miyaguchi, Shinji; Nakajou, Kunihide; Sumikura, Mitsuhiro; Ito, Kenichi; Tamoto, Shuichi; Tatsuhara, Takeshi; Chida, Tomoyuki; Hirata, Kei; Ohori, Ken; Someya, Masayuki; Katoh, Masahiko; Umino, Madoka; Negishi, Masanori; Ito, Keijiro; Kojima, Junichi; Ogawa, Shohei

2017-01-01

Up-flow column percolation tests are used at laboratory scale to assess the leaching behavior of hazardous substance from contaminated soils in a specific condition as a function of time. Monitoring the quality of these test results inter or within laboratory is crucial, especially if used for Environment-related legal policy or for routine testing purposes. We tested three different sandy loam type soils (Soils I, II and III) to determine the reproducibility (variability inter laboratory) of test results and to evaluate the difference in the test results within laboratory. Up-flow column percolation tests were performed following the procedure described in the ISO/TS 21268–3. This procedure consists of percolating solution (calcium chloride 1 mM) from bottom to top at a flow rate of 12 mL/h through softly compacted soil contained in a column of 5 cm diameter and 30 ± 5 cm height. Eluate samples were collected at liquid-to-solid ratio of 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1, 2, 5 and 10 L/kg and analyzed for quantification of the target elements (Cu, As, Se, Cl, Ca, F, Mg, DOC and B in this research). For Soil I, 17 institutions in Japan joined this validation test. The up-flow column experiments were conducted in duplicate, after 48 h of equilibration time and at a flow rate of 12 mL/h. Column percolation test results from Soils II and III were used to evaluate the difference in test results from the experiments conducted in duplicate in a single laboratory, after 16 h of equilibration time and at a flow rate of 36 mL/h. Overall results showed good reproducibility (expressed in terms of the coefficient of variation, CV, calculated by dividing the standard deviation by the mean), as the CV was lower than 30% in more than 90% of the test results associated with Soil I. Moreover, low variability (expressed in terms of difference between the two test results divided by the mean) was observed in the test results related to Soils II and III, with a variability lower than 30% in more than 88% of the cases for Soil II and in more than 96% of the cases for Soil III. We also discussed the possible factors that affect the reproducibility and variability in the test results from the up-flow column percolation tests. The low variability inter and within laboratory obtained in this research indicates that the ISO/TS 21268–3 can be successfully upgraded to a fully validated ISO standard. PMID:28582458

Coccidioides complement fixation

MedlinePlus

... antibodies are detected in the blood sample. Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or test different samples. Talk to your health care provider about the meaning of your specific test results.

Perceptual-cognitive expertise of handball coaches in their young and middle adult years.

PubMed

Fischer, Lennart; Baker, Joseph; Rienhoff, Rebecca; Strauß, Bernd; Tirp, Judith; Büsch, Dirk; Schorer, Jörg

2016-09-01

There is little research investigating the maintenance of perceptual-cognitive expertise in general and even less comparing coaches of different ages. The aim of this study was to test for perceptual-cognitive differences between age groups, licence levels, and their interaction. This study investigated differences in skilled performance between young and middle-aged coaches of three different skill levels. Participants performed an accuracy-oriented pattern recall (mean distance in pixel) and a time-oriented flicker test (mean detection time in ms). There were some significant differences between age groups and between skill groups for both tests, but no interactions. For the pattern recall test, the effect sizes were larger for skill level differences, while for the flicker test effects were larger for ageing. These results suggest coaches are able to maintain accuracy skills better than reaction timed tasks. This is in line with findings on speeded performance in general populations, which show declines with age. Moreover, results also support findings on perceptual expertise in skills where accuracy was important.

Actual and Recalled Test Anxiety and Flexibility, Rigidity, and Self-Control.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeVito, Anthony J.; Kubis, Joseph F.

1983-01-01

Compared recalled and actual test anxiety in college students (N=71) and examined the interrelationship of anxiety with personality variables and sex differences. Results showed recalled test anxiety to be significantly higher than actual test anxiety and indicated no significant differences according to sex. (LLL)

Revisiting the role of recollection in item versus forced-choice recognition memory.

PubMed

Cook, Gabriel I; Marsh, Richard L; Hicks, Jason L

2005-08-01

Many memory theorists have assumed that forced-choice recognition tests can rely more on familiarity, whereas item (yes-no) tests must rely more on recollection. In actuality, several studies have found no differences in the contributions of recollection and familiarity underlying the two different test formats. Using word frequency to manipulate stimulus characteristics, the present study demonstrated that the contributions of recollection to item versus forced-choice tests is variable. Low word frequency resulted in significantly more recollection in an item test than did a forced-choice procedure, but high word frequency produced the opposite result. These results clearly constrain any uniform claim about the degree to which recollection supports responding in item versus forced-choice tests.

Explanation of Two Anomalous Results in Statistical Mediation Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fritz, Matthew S.; Taylor, Aaron B.; MacKinnon, David P.

2012-01-01

Previous studies of different methods of testing mediation models have consistently found two anomalous results. The first result is elevated Type I error rates for the bias-corrected and accelerated bias-corrected bootstrap tests not found in nonresampling tests or in resampling tests that did not include a bias correction. This is of special…

Comparing Postsecondary Marketing Student Performance on Computer-Based and Handwritten Essay Tests

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Truell, Allen D.; Alexander, Melody W.; Davis, Rodney E.

2004-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if there were differences in postsecondary marketing student performance on essay tests based on test format (i.e., computer-based or handwritten). Specifically, the variables of performance, test completion time, and gender were explored for differences based on essay test format. Results of the study…

Different Tests for a Difference: How Do We Do Research?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drummond, Gordon B.; Vowler, Sarah L.

2012-01-01

Most biological scientists conduct experiments to look for effects, and test the results statistically. One of the commonly used test is Student's t test. However, this test concentrates on a very limited question. The authors assume that there is no effect in the experiment, and then estimate the possibility that they could have obtained these…

Crash Test of Three Cessna 172 Aircraft at NASA Langley Research Center's Landing and Impact Research Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Littell, Justin D.

2015-01-01

During the summer of 2015, three Cessna 172 aircraft were crash tested at the Landing and Impact Research Facility (LandIR) at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC). The three tests simulated three different crash scenarios. The first simulated a flare-to-stall emergency or hard landing onto a rigid surface such as a road or runway, the second simulated a controlled flight into terrain with a nose down pitch on the aircraft, and the third simulated a controlled flight into terrain with an attempt to unsuccessfully recover the aircraft immediately prior to impact, resulting in a tail strike condition. An on-board data acquisition system captured 64 channels of airframe acceleration, along with acceleration and load in two onboard Hybrid II 50th percentile Anthropomorphic Test Devices, representing the pilot and co-pilot. Each test contained different airframe loading conditions and results show large differences in airframe performance. This paper presents test methods used to conduct the crash tests and will summarize the airframe results from the test series.

"Genetic exceptionalism" in medicine: clarifying the differences between genetic and nongenetic tests.

PubMed

Green, Michael J; Botkin, Jeffrey R

2003-04-01

Predictive genetic tests are now available for assessing susceptibility to a variety of conditions, including breast and colon cancer, hemochromatosis, and Alzheimer and Huntington disease. Much controversy surrounds the application of these tests, stemming from their similarities to and differences from other tests commonly used in asymptomatic persons. Some have argued that genetic tests are unique and therefore justify special consideration with regard to informed consent and privacy. This paper examines the arguments for such "genetic exceptionalism" and concludes that no clear, significant distinctions between genetic and nongenetic tests justify a different approach to testing by clinicians. Nevertheless, with many genetic tests, the results may cause stigmatization, family discord, and psychological distress. Regardless of whether a test is genetic, when this combination of characteristics is present and when health care providers are not specifically trained to interpret results, testing should be performed with particular caution and the highest standards of informed consent and privacy protection should be applied.

Women's and healthcare professionals' preferences for prenatal testing: a discrete choice experiment.

PubMed

Beulen, Lean; Grutters, Janneke P C; Faas, Brigitte H W; Feenstra, Ilse; Groenewoud, Hans; van Vugt, John M G; Bekker, Mireille N

2015-06-01

This study evaluates pregnant women's and healthcare professionals' preferences regarding specific prenatal screening and diagnostic test characteristics. A discrete choice experiment was developed to assess preferences for prenatal tests that differed in seven attributes: minimal gestational age, time to test results, level of information, detection rate, false positive rate, miscarriage risk and costs. The questionnaire was completed by 596 (70.2%) pregnant women and 297 (51.7%) healthcare professionals, of whom 507 (85.1%) and 283 (95.3%), respectively, were included in further analyses as their choice behavior indicated prenatal testing was an option to them. Comparison of results showed differences in relative importance attached to attributes, further reflected by differences in willingness to trade between attributes. Pregnant women are willing to accept a less accurate test to obtain more information on fetal chromosomal status or to exclude the risk of procedure-related miscarriage. Healthcare professionals consider level of information and miscarriage risk to be most important as well but put more emphasis on timing and accuracy. Pregnant women and healthcare professionals differ significantly in their preferences regarding prenatal test characteristics. Healthcare professionals should take these differences into consideration when counseling pregnant women on prenatal testing. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

What Do Differences Between Multi-voxel and Univariate Analysis Mean? How Subject-, Voxel-, and Trial-level Variance Impact fMRI Analysis

PubMed Central

Davis, Tyler; LaRocque, Karen F.; Mumford, Jeanette; Norman, Kenneth A.; Wagner, Anthony D.; Poldrack, Russell A.

2014-01-01

Multi-voxel pattern analysis (MVPA) has led to major changes in how fMRI data are analyzed and interpreted. Many studies now report both MVPA results and results from standard univariate voxel-wise analysis, often with the goal of drawing different conclusions from each. Because MVPA results can be sensitive to latent multidimensional representations and processes whereas univariate voxel-wise analysis cannot, one conclusion that is often drawn when MVPA and univariate results differ is that the activation patterns underlying MVPA results contain a multidimensional code. In the current study, we conducted simulations to formally test this assumption. Our findings reveal that MVPA tests are sensitive to the magnitude of voxel-level variability in the effect of a condition within subjects, even when the same linear relationship is coded in all voxels. We also find that MVPA is insensitive to subject-level variability in mean activation across an ROI, which is the primary variance component of interest in many standard univariate tests. Together, these results illustrate that differences between MVPA and univariate tests do not afford conclusions about the nature or dimensionality of the neural code. Instead, targeted tests of the informational content and/or dimensionality of activation patterns are critical for drawing strong conclusions about the representational codes that are indicated by significant MVPA results. PMID:24768930

Impact of environmental adaptation on tear film assessments.

PubMed

Fagehi, R

2018-03-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of ocular environmental adaptation on clinical tear film assessment. Thirty subjects (male, mean age 23±2.5) participated in this study. A number of clinical tear film tests were applied, including: fluorescein tear break-up time (FTBUT), Schirmer test and tear prism height test (TPH). The tear physiology of each subject was evaluated twice, once immediately when they arrived from the external environment, and then after 30minutes adaptation in the exam room environment. The mean values were: Schirmer test A (22.1±2.99), Schirmer test B (24.2±2.63), FTBUT A (8.00±1.94), FTBUT B (9.13±2.04), TPH A (0.179±0.026) and TPH B* (0.187±0.023). Statistical testing using Wilcoxon-signed rank test showed a significant difference between the Schirmer test results measured at the different times (P=0.008). Also, the FTBUT and tear prism height test results showed significant differences between the two evaluation times, (P=0.001, 0.011, respectively) (A: tear assessed when the subject comes from the outside environment, B: tear film assessed after 30min adaptation in the clinical environment). This study showed a significant difference between the tear film test results evaluated when the subjects were assessed immediately from the outside environment and after an adaptation time in the clinic environment. Practitioners must consider the effect of differences between external and clinical environment adaptation on clinical tear film physiology. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Increasing the reliability of the fluid/crystallized difference score from the Kaufman Adolescent and Adult Intelligence Test with reliable component analysis.

PubMed

Caruso, J C

2001-06-01

The unreliability of difference scores is a well documented phenomenon in the social sciences and has led researchers and practitioners to interpret differences cautiously, if at all. In the case of the Kaufman Adult and Adolescent Intelligence Test (KAIT), the unreliability of the difference between the Fluid IQ and the Crystallized IQ is due to the high correlation between the two scales. The consequences of the lack of precision with which differences are identified are wide confidence intervals and unpowerful significance tests (i.e., large differences are required to be declared statistically significant). Reliable component analysis (RCA) was performed on the subtests of the KAIT in order to address these problems. RCA is a new data reduction technique that results in uncorrelated component scores with maximum proportions of reliable variance. Results indicate that the scores defined by RCA have discriminant and convergent validity (with respect to the equally weighted scores) and that differences between the scores, derived from a single testing session, were more reliable than differences derived from equal weighting for each age group (11-14 years, 15-34 years, 35-85+ years). This reliability advantage results in narrower confidence intervals around difference scores and smaller differences required for statistical significance.

[Reliability for detection of developmental problems using the semaphore from the Child Development Evaluation test: Is a yellow result different from a red result?

PubMed

Rizzoli-Córdoba, Antonio; Ortega-Ríosvelasco, Fernando; Villasís-Keever, Miguel Ángel; Pizarro-Castellanos, Mariel; Buenrostro-Márquez, Guillermo; Aceves-Villagrán, Daniel; O'Shea-Cuevas, Gabriel; Muñoz-Hernández, Onofre

The Child Development Evaluation (CDE) is a screening tool designed and validated in Mexico for detecting developmental problems. The result is expressed through a semaphore. In the CDE test, both yellow and red results are considered positive, although a different intervention is proposed for each. The aim of this work was to evaluate the reliability of the CDE test to discriminate between children with yellow/red result based on the developmental domain quotient (DDQ) obtained through the Battelle Development Inventory, 2nd edition (in Spanish) (BDI-2). The information was obtained for the study from the validation. Children with a normal (green) result in the CDE were excluded. Two different cut-off points of the DDQ were used (BDI-2): <90 to include low average, and developmental delay was considered with a cut-off<80 per domain. Results were analyzed based on the correlation of the CDE test and each domain from the BDI-2 and by subgroups of age. With a cut-off DDQ<90, 86.8% of tests with yellow result (CDE) indicated at least one domain affected and 50% 3 or more compared with 93.8% and 78.8% for red result, respectively. There were differences in every domain (P<0.001) for the percent of children with DDQ<80 between yellow and red result (CDE): cognitive 36.1% vs. 61.9%; communication: 27.8% vs. 50.4%, motor: 18.1% vs. 39.9%; personal-social: 20.1% vs. 28.9%; and adaptive: 6.9% vs. 20.4%. The semaphore result yellow/red allows identifying different magnitudes of delay in developmental domains or subdomains, supporting the recommendation of different interventions for each one. Copyright © 2014 Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez. Publicado por Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

Multidimensional Computerized Adaptive Scholastic Aptitude Test Program Used for Grade 9 Students under Different Reviewing Test Conditions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khunkrai, Naruemon; Sawangboon, Tatsirin; Ketchatturat, Jatuphum

2015-01-01

The aim of this research is to study the accurate prediction of comparing test information and evaluation result by multidimensional computerized adaptive scholastic aptitude test program used for grade 9 students under different reviewing test conditions. Grade 9 students of the Secondary Educational Service Area Office in the North-east of…

Reliability of fracture appearance measurement in the Charpy test

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

Dixon, B.F.

1994-12-31

Despite conventional wisdom, the Charpy fracture appearance transition curve does not always coincide with the energy transition curve. Furthermore, unlike Charpy energy, fracture appearance tells how a specimen failed. It can therefore be used to meaningfully relate the results of Charpy testing to results of other toughness tests which may employ different geometries and loading rates. In order to address the question of consistency, a set of 20 specimens was prepared and used in a `round robin` survey. Results showed that agreement was greatest when operators are experienced, samples are close to fracture appearance transition, and simple, two-dimensional diagrams aremore » sued for assessment. It was also found that certain inconsistencies exist between various assessment techniques for Charpy fracture appearance. As a part of this work, fracture appearance curves were compared to energy impact curves for the Charpy test and a similar test, the Schnadt K{sub o} test, which uses a sharp pressed notch. It was found that energy and fracture appearance transition may differ by as much as 50{degrees}C in the Charpy test while the two curves coincided in the Schnadt test. In series of toughness tests on 132 steels, the average difference between Charpy energy transition and Schnade K{sub o} energy transition was about 27{degrees}C. This is believed to represent the difference in toughness between blunt and sharp notches in Charpy size specimens.« less

Present status of metrology of electro-optical surveillance systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chrzanowski, K.

2017-10-01

There has been a significant progress in equipment for testing electro-optical surveillance systems over the last decade. Modern test systems are increasingly computerized, employ advanced image processing and offer software support in measurement process. However, one great challenge, in form of relative low accuracy, still remains not solved. It is quite common that different test stations, when testing the same device, produce different results. It can even happen that two testing teams, while working on the same test station, with the same tested device, produce different results. Rapid growth of electro-optical technology, poor standardization, limited metrology infrastructure, subjective nature of some measurements, fundamental limitations from laws of physics, tendering rules and advances in artificial intelligence are major factors responsible for such situation. Regardless, next decade should bring significant improvements, since improvement in measurement accuracy is needed to sustain fast growth of electro-optical surveillance technology.

A Multicenter Trial of the Proficiency of Smart Quantitative Sensation Tests

PubMed Central

Dyck, Peter J.; Argyros, Barbara; Russell, James W.; Gahnstrom, Linde E.; Nalepa, Susan; Albers, James W.; Lodermeier, Karen A.; Zafft, Andrew J.; Dyck, P. James B.; Klein, Christopher J.; Litchy, William J.; Davies, Jenny L.; Carter, Rickey E.; Melton, L. Joseph

2014-01-01

Introduction We assessed proficiency (accuracy and intra- and inter-test reproducibility) of smart quantitative sensation tests (smart QSTs) in subjects without and with diabetic polyneuropathy (DSPN). Methods Technologists from 3 medical centers using different but identical QSTs assessed independently 6 modalities of sensation of foot (or leg) twice in patients without (n = 6) and with (n = 6) DSPN using smart computer assisted QSTs. Results Low rates of test abnormalities were observed in health and high rates in DSPN. Very high intra-class correlations were obtained between continuous measures of QSTs and neuropathy signs, symptoms, or nerve conductions (NCs). No significant intra- or inter-test differences were observed. Discussion These results provide proof of concept that smart QSTs provide accurate assessment of sensation loss without intra- or inter-test differences useful for multicenter trials. Smart technology makes possible efficient testing of body surface area sensation loss in symmetric length-dependent sensorimotor polyneuropathies. PMID:23929701

High-impact strength acrylic denture base material processed by autoclave.

PubMed

Abdulwahhab, Salwan Sami

2013-10-01

To investigate the effect of two different cycles of autoclave processing on the transverse strength, impact strength, surface hardness and the porosity of high-impact strength acrylic denture base material. High Impact Acryl was the heat-cured acrylic denture base material included in the study. A total of 120 specimens were prepared, the specimens were grouped into: control groups in which high-impact strength acrylic resins processed by conventional water-bath processing technique (74°C for 1.5 h then boil for 30 min) and experimental groups in which high-impact strength acrylic resins processed by autoclave at 121°C, 210 kPa .The experimental groups were divided into (fast) groups for 15 min, and (slow) groups for 30 min. To study the effect of the autoclave processing (Tuttnauer 2540EA), four tests were conducted transverse strength (Instron universal testing machine), impact strength (Charpy tester), surface hardness (shore D), and porosity test. The results were analyzed to ANOVA and LSD test. In ANOVA test, there were highly significant differences between the results of the processing techniques in transverse, impact, hardness, and porosity test. The LSD test showed a significant difference between control and fast groups in transverse and hardness tests and a non-significant difference in impact test and a highly significant difference in porosity test; while, there were a highly significant differences between control and slow groups in all examined tests; finally, there were a non-significant difference between fast and slow groups in transverse and porosity tests and a highly significant difference in impact and hardness tests. In the autoclave processing technique, the slow (long) curing cycle improved the tested physical and mechanical properties as compared with the fast (short) curing cycle. The autoclave processing technique improved the tested physical and mechanical properties of High Impact Acryl. Copyright © 2013 Japan Prosthodontic Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Testing high SPF sunscreens: a demonstration of the accuracy and reproducibility of the results of testing high SPF formulations by two methods and at different testing sites.

PubMed

Agin, Patricia Poh; Edmonds, Susan H

2002-08-01

The goals of this study were (i) to demonstrate that existing and widely used sun protection factor (SPF) test methodologies can produce accurate and reproducible results for high SPF formulations and (ii) to provide data on the number of test-subjects needed, the variability of the data, and the appropriate exposure increments needed for testing high SPF formulations. Three high SPF formulations were tested, according to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) 1993 tentative final monograph (TFM) 'very water resistant' test method and/or the 1978 proposed monograph 'waterproof' test method, within one laboratory. A fourth high SPF formulation was tested at four independent SPF testing laboratories, using the 1978 waterproof SPF test method. All laboratories utilized xenon arc solar simulators. The data illustrate that the testing conducted within one laboratory, following either the 1978 proposed or the 1993 TFM SPF test method, was able to reproducibly determine the SPFs of the formulations tested, using either the statistical analysis method in the proposed monograph or the statistical method described in the TFM. When one formulation was tested at four different laboratories, the anticipated variation in the data owing to the equipment and other operational differences was minimized through the use of the statistical method described in the 1993 monograph. The data illustrate that either the 1978 proposed monograph SPF test method or the 1993 TFM SPF test method can provide accurate and reproducible results for high SPF formulations. Further, these results can be achieved with panels of 20-25 subjects with an acceptable level of variability. Utilization of the statistical controls from the 1993 sunscreen monograph can help to minimize lab-to-lab variability for well-formulated products.

The relation between peak response magnitudes and agreement in diagnoses obtained from two different phallometric tests for pedophilia.

PubMed

Lykins, Amy D; Cantor, James M; Kuban, Michael E; Blak, Thomas; Dickey, Robert; Klassen, Philip E; Blanchard, Ray

2010-03-01

Phallometric testing is widely considered the best psychophysiological procedure for assessing erotic preferences in men. Researchers have differed, however, on the necessity of setting some minimum criterion of penile response for ascertaining the interpretability of a phallometric test result. Proponents of a minimum criterion have generally based their view on the intuitive notion that "more is better" rather than any formal demonstration of this. The present study was conducted to investigate whether there is any empirical evidence for this intuitive notion, by examining the relation between magnitude of penile response and the agreement in diagnoses obtained in two test sessions using different laboratory stimuli. The results showed that examinees with inconsistent diagnoses responded less on both tests and that examinees with inconsistent diagnoses responded less on the second test after controlling for their response on the first test. Results also indicated that at response levels less than 1 cm(3), diagnostic consistency was no better than chance, supporting the establishment of a minimum response level criterion.

Comparison of Three Different Methods for Pile Integrity Testing on a Cylindrical Homogeneous Polyamide Specimen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lugovtsova, Y. D.; Soldatov, A. I.

2016-01-01

Three different methods for pile integrity testing are proposed to compare on a cylindrical homogeneous polyamide specimen. The methods are low strain pile integrity testing, multichannel pile integrity testing and testing with a shaker system. Since the low strain pile integrity testing is well-established and standardized method, the results from it are used as a reference for other two methods.

Effect of Cu content on wear resistance and mechanical behavior of Ti-Cu binary alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Feifei; Wang, Hefeng; Yuan, Guozheng; Shu, Xuefeng

2017-04-01

Arc melting with nonconsumable tungsten electrode and water-cooled copper crucible was used to fabricate Ti-Cu binary alloys with different Cu contents in an argon atmosphere. The compositions and phase structures of the fabricated alloys were investigated by glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GDOES) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Nanoindentation tests through continuous stiffness measurement were then performed at room temperature to analyze the mechanical behaviors of the alloys. Results indicated that the composition of each Ti-Cu binary alloy was Ti(100- x) Cu x ( x = 43, 60, 69, and 74 at.%). The XRD analysis results showed that the alloys were composed of different phases, indicating that different Cu contents led to the variations in alloy hardness. The wear tests results revealed that elemental Cu positively affects the wear resistance properties of the Ti-Cu alloys. Nanoindentation testing results showed that the moduli of the Ti-Cu alloys were minimally changed at increasing Cu content, whereas their hardness evidently increased according to the wear test results.

40 CFR 1065.720 - Liquefied petroleum gas.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... CONTROLS ENGINE-TESTING PROCEDURES Engine Fluids, Test Fuels, Analytical Gases and Other Calibration....720—Test Fuel Specifications for Liquefied Petroleum Gas Property Value Reference procedure 1 Propane... methods yield different results, use the results from ASTM D1267. 3 The test fuel must not yield a...

Determination of Airloads on Certain Airport Towers Due to Addition of Radomes.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1981-08-01

This report presents the results of wind tunnel tests conducted on three different radome configurations mounted atop three different airport tower designs. The wind tunnel tests were conducted on 1/12th scale models. Field tests were conducted on on...

Effect of geometric size on mechanical properties of dielectric elastomers based on an improved visco-hyperelastic film model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Mengzhou; Wang, Zhenqing; Tong, Liyong; Liang, Wenyan

2017-03-01

Dielectric polymers show complex mechanical behaviors with different boundary conditions, geometry size and pre-stress. A viscoelastic model suitable for inhomogeneous deformation is presented integrating the Kelvin-Voigt model in a new form in this work. For different types of uniaxial tensile test loading along the length direction of sample, single-step-relaxation tests, loading-unloading tests and tensile-creep-relaxation tests the improved model provides a quite favorable comparison with the experiment results. Moreover, The mechanical properties of test sample with several length-width ratios under different boundary conditions are also invested. The influences of the different boundary conditions are calculated with a stress applied on the boundary point and the result show that the fixed boundary will increase the stress compare with homogeneous deformation. In modeling the effect of pre-stress in the shear test, three pre-stressed mode are discussed. The model validation on the general mechanical behavior shows excellent predictive capability.

Advanced Grid Support Functionality Testing for Florida Power and Light

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

Nelson, Austin; Martin, Gregory; Hurtt, James

This report describes the results of laboratory testing of advanced photovoltaic (PV) inverter testing undertaken by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) on behalf of the Florida Power and Light Company (FPL). FPL recently commissioned a 1.1 MW-AC PV installation on a solar carport at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. In addition to providing a source of clean energy production, the site serves as a live test bed with 36 different PV inverters from eight different manufacturers. Each inverter type has varied support for advanced grid support functions (GSFs) that are becoming increasingly commonplace, and are beingmore » required through revised interconnection standards such as UL1741, IEEE1547, and California (CA) Rule 21. FPL is interested in evaluating the trade-offs between different GSFs, their compliance to emerging standards, and their effects on efficiency and reliability. NREL has provided a controlled laboratory environment to undertake such a study. This work covered nine different classes of tests to compare inverter capabilities and performance for four different inverters that were selected by FPL. The test inverters were all three-phase models rated between 24-36 kW, and containing multiple PV input power point trackers. Advanced grid support functions were tested for functional behavior, and included fixed power factor operation, voltage-ride through, frequency ride-through, volt-var control, and frequency-Watt control. Response to abnormal grid conditions with GSFs enabled was studied through anti-islanding, fault, and load rejection overvoltage tests. Finally, efficiency was evaluated across a range of operating conditions that included power factor, output power, and input voltage variations. Test procedures were derived from requirements of a draft revision of UL741, CA Rule 21, and/or previous studies at NREL. This reports summarizes the results of each test case, providing a comparative performance analysis between the four test inverters. Inverters were mostly able to meet the requirements of their stated GSF capabilities, with deviations from expected results discussed throughout the report. There were mixed results across the range of abnormal tests, and results were often dependent on the capability of each test inverter to deploy the GSFs of interest. Detailed test data has been provided to FPL to support future decision making with respect to inverter selection and GSF deployment in the field.« less

Movement compatibility for rotary control and circular display--Computer Simulated Test and real Hardware Test.

PubMed

Chan, W H; Chan, Alan H S

2003-01-01

This experiment studied strength and reversibility of direction-of-motion stereotypes and response times for different configurations of circular displays and rotary knobs. The effect of pointer position, instruction of turn direction, and control plane on movement compatibility was analyzed with precise quantitative measures of strength and reversibility index of stereotype. A comparison of results was made between a Computer Simulated Test and a Hardware Test with real rotary controls. There was consensus in the results of the two tests that strong and significantly reversible clockwise-for-clockwise (CC) and anticlockwise-for-anticlockwise (AA) stereotypes were obtained at the 12 o'clock position. Subjects' response times were found to be generally longer when there were no clear movement stereotypes. Nevertheless, differences of results were observed that while the CC and AA preferences were found to be dominant and reversible at all the planes and pointer positions in the Hardware Test, there was variation in the strength and reversibility of the two stereotypes amongst different testing configurations in the Simulated Test. This phenomenon was explained by the operating of the clockwise-for-right and anticlockwise-for-left principles, as shown in the analysis of contributions of component principles to the overall stereotype. The differences of results from the two tests were discussed with regard to simulation fidelity and it was suggested that a real Hardware Test should be used whenever possible for determination of design parameters of control panels in consideration of movement compatibility. Based on the Hardware Test, a pointer is recommended to be positioned at 12 o'clock position for check reading or resetting purpose, and the frontal plane is the best plane for positioning a rotary control with circular display. The results of this study provided significant implications for the industrial design of control panels used in man-machine interfaces for improved human performance.

Ocular dominance stability and reading skill: a controversial relationship.

PubMed

Zeri, Fabrizio; De Luca, Maria; Spinelli, Donatella; Zoccolotti, Pierluigi

2011-11-01

Evidence is mixed concerning the relationship between stability of ocular dominance and reading deficits. Contrasting results may be due to the use of different tests of dominance, different samples of readers, and different scoring methods. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship among ocular dominance, general visual abilities, and reading performance, and to evaluate the consistency and reliability of different tests of ocular dominance and the effects of different types of eye dominance scoring. In a group of young adults, we measured: (a) main optometric parameters; (b) reading time and accuracy; and (c) ocular dominance in two sighting and four motor tests. Dominance was determined using different scoring methods (relative, absolute, and binary scores). All dominance tests showed good levels of internal reliability. Sighting tests were consistent regardless of the scoring method, and all participants had stable dominance. Three of four motor tests were moderately consistent when dominance was measured with relative scores but not when it was measured with absolute or binary scores. No relationship was found between stability of dominance and reading performance, regardless of the type of test or scoring method. No systematic pattern of correlation was found between binocular vision variables and dominance measures. Choosing the type of motor test to measure ocular dominance is crucial, because the level of consistency among tests is low to moderate. Furthermore, motor tests were not correlated with reading performances. Present results suggest caution when trying to link reading difficulties with specific profiles of ocular dominance.

Lay perceptions of predictive testing for diabetes based on DNA test results versus family history assessment: a focus group study.

PubMed

Wijdenes-Pijl, Miranda; Dondorp, Wybo J; Timmermans, Danielle Rm; Cornel, Martina C; Henneman, Lidewij

2011-07-05

This study assessed lay perceptions of issues related to predictive genetic testing for multifactorial diseases. These perceived issues may differ from the "classic" issues, e.g. autonomy, discrimination, and psychological harm that are considered important in predictive testing for monogenic disorders. In this study, type 2 diabetes was used as an example, and perceptions with regard to predictive testing based on DNA test results and family history assessment were compared. Eight focus group interviews were held with 45 individuals aged 35-70 years with (n = 3) and without (n = 1) a family history of diabetes, mixed groups of these two (n = 2), and diabetes patients (n = 2). All interviews were transcribed and analysed using Atlas-ti. Most participants believed in the ability of a predictive test to identify people at risk for diabetes and to motivate preventive behaviour. Different reasons underlying motivation were considered when comparing DNA test results and a family history risk assessment. A perceived drawback of DNA testing was that diabetes was considered not severe enough for this type of risk assessment. In addition, diabetes family history assessment was not considered useful by some participants, since there are also other risk factors involved, not everyone has a diabetes family history or knows their family history, and it might have a negative influence on family relations. Respect for autonomy of individuals was emphasized more with regard to DNA testing than family history assessment. Other issues such as psychological harm, discrimination, and privacy were only briefly mentioned for both tests. The results suggest that most participants believe a predictive genetic test could be used in the prevention of multifactorial disorders, such as diabetes, but indicate points to consider before both these tests are applied. These considerations differ with regard to the method of assessment (DNA test or obtaining family history) and also differ from monogenic disorders.

The sensitivity and reproducibility of the zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryo test for the screening of waste water quality and for testing the toxicity of chemicals.

PubMed

Lahnsteiner, Franz

2008-07-01

The sensitivity of the zebrafish embryo test, a test proposed for routine waste water control, was compared with the acute fish toxicity test, in the determination of six types of waste water and ten different chemicals. The waste water was sampled from the following industrial processes: paper and cardboard production, hide tanning, metal galvanisation, carcass treatment and utilisation, and sewage treatment. The chemicals tested were: dimethylacetamide, dimethylsulphoxide, cadmium chloride, cyclohexane, hydroquinone, mercuric chloride, nickel chloride, nonylphenol, resmethrin and sodium nitrite. For many of the test substances, the zebrafish embryo test and the acute fish toxicity test results showed high correlations. However, there were certain environmentally-relevant substances for which the results of the zebrafish embryo test and the acute fish toxicity test differed significantly, up to 10,000-fold (Hg(2+) > 150-fold difference; NO(2)(-) > 300-fold; Cd(2+) > 200-fold; resmethrin > 10,000-fold). For the investigated waste water samples and chemicals, the survival rate of the zebrafish embryos showed high variations between different egg samples, within the range of the EC50 concentration. Subsequently, 5-6 parallel assays were deemed to be the appropriate number necessary for the precise evaluation of the toxicity of the test substances. Also, it was found that the sensitivities of different ontogenetic stages to chemical exposure differed greatly. During the first 12 hours after fertilisation (4-cell stage to the 5-somite stage), the embryos reacted most sensitively to test substance exposure, whereas the later ontogenetic stages showed only slight or no response, indicating that the test is most sensitive during the first 24 hours post-fertilisation.

Comparison of counter-immunoelectrophoresis with other serological tests in the diagnosis of human brucellosis

PubMed Central

Díaz, R.; Maravi-Poma, E.; Rivero, A.

1976-01-01

Sera from 65 persons with clinical brucellosis were employed in a comparison of standard and rapid serological tests. The results obtained with the Rose Bengal test correlated very well with those of the standard tube agglutination test, whereas results with the rapid plate agglutination test and the Coombs (antiglobulin) test were inferior. Absorption of patients' sera with specific anti-human immunoglobulin sera showed that IgM was active in the Rose Bengal test but not in the Coombs test, whereas IgG and IgA were active in both tests. In addition to the A & M antigen, which plays the most important role in the agglutination, Rose Bengal, and Coombs tests, other antigenic fractions of Brucella were examined in precipitation tests. A protein antigen reacted with 94% of the sera in counter-immunoelectrophoresis. On the basis of the results with both groups of sera, the Rose Bengal test and counter-immunoelectrophoresis appear to be the most promising methods for diagnosing clinical brucellosis. The tests differ qualitatively since different Brucella antigens are employed. PMID:791532

Screening methods for assessment of biodegradability of chemicals in seawater--results from a ring test

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

Nyholm, N.; Kristensen, P.

1992-04-01

An international ring test involving 14 laboratories was organized on behalf of the Commission of the European Economic Communities (EEC) with the purpose of evaluating two proposed screening methods for assessment of biodegradability in seawater: (a) a shake flask die-away test based primarily on analysis of dissolved organic carbon and (b) a closed bottle test based on determination of dissolved oxygen. Both tests are performed with nutrient-enriched natural seawater as the test medium and with no inoculum added other than the natural seawater microflora. The test methods are seawater versions of the modified OECD screening test and the closed bottlemore » test, respectively, adopted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and by the EEC as tests for ready biodegradability.' The following five chemicals were examined: sodium benzoate, aniline, diethylene glycol, pentaerythritol, and 4-nitrophenol. Sodium benzoate and aniline, which are known to be generally readily biodegradable consistently degraded in practically all tests, thus demonstrating the technical feasibility of the methods. Like in previous ring tests with freshwater screening methods variable results were obtained with the other three compounds, which is believed primarily to be due to site-specific differences between the microflora of the different seawater samples used and to some extent also to differences in the applied concentrations of test material. A positive result with the screening methods indicates that the test substance will most likely degrade relatively rapidly in seawater from the site of collection, while a negative test result does not preclude biodegradability under environmental conditions where the concentrations of chemicals are much lower than the concentrations applied for analytical reasons in screening tests.« less

ATD Occupant Responses from Three Full-Scale General Aviation Crash Tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Littell, Justin D.; Annett, Martin S.

2016-01-01

During the summer of 2015, three Cessna 172 General Aviation (GA) aircraft were crash tested at the Landing and Impact Research (LandIR) Facility at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC). Three different crash scenarios were represented. The first test simulated a flare-to-stall emergency or hard landing onto a rigid surface such as a road or runway. The second test simulated a controlled flight into terrain with a nose down pitch of the aircraft, and the third test simulated a controlled flight into terrain with an attempt to unsuccessfully recover the aircraft immediately prior to impact, resulting in a tail strike condition. An on-board data acquisition system (DAS) captured 64 channels of airframe acceleration, along with accelerations and loads in two onboard Hybrid II 50th percentile Anthropomorphic Test Devices (ATDs) representing the pilot and copilot. Each of the three tests contained different airframe loading conditions and different types of restraints for both the pilot and co-pilot ATDs. The results show large differences in occupant response and restraint performance with varying likelihoods of occupant injury.

Single-Leg Hop Test Performance and Isokinetic Knee Strength After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction in Athletes

PubMed Central

Sueyoshi, Ted; Nakahata, Akihiro; Emoto, Gen; Yuasa, Tomoki

2017-01-01

Background: Isokinetic strength and hop tests are commonly used to assess athletes’ readiness to return to sport after knee surgery. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to investigate the results of single-leg hop and isokinetic knee strength testing in athletes who underwent anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) upon returning to sport participation as well as to study the correlation between these 2 test batteries. The secondary purpose was to compare the test results by graft type (patellar tendon or hamstring). It was hypothesized that there would be no statistically significant limb difference in either isokinetic knee strength or single-leg hop tests, that there would be a moderate to strong correlation between the 2 test batteries, and that there would be no significant difference between graft types. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Twenty-nine high school and collegiate athletes who underwent ACLR participated in this study. At the time of return to full sport participation, a series of hop tests and knee extension/flexion isokinetic strength measurements were conducted. The results were analyzed using analysis of variance and Pearson correlation (r). Results: The timed 6-m hop test was the only hop test that showed a significant difference between the involved and uninvolved limbs (2.3 and 2.2 seconds, respectively; P = .02). A significant difference between limbs in knee strength was found for flexion peak torque/body weight at 180 deg/s (P = .03), flexion total work/body weight at 180 deg/s (P = .04), and flexion peak torque/body weight at 300 deg/s (P = .03). The strongest correlation between the hop tests and knee strength was found between the total distance of the hop tests and flexion total work/body weight at 300 deg/s (r = 0.69) and between the timed 6-m hop test and flexion peak torque/body weight at 300 deg/s (r = –0.54). There was no statistically significant difference in hop test performance or isokinetic knee strength between graft types. Conclusion: The single-leg hop tests and isokinetic strength measurements were both useful for a bilateral comparison of knee functional performance and strength. Knee flexion strength deficits and flexion-to-extension ratios seemed to be correlated with single-leg hop test performance. There was no difference in postoperative hop test performance or knee strength according to graft type. PMID:29164167

Investigation of reliability attributes and accelerated stress factors on terrestrial solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lathrop, J. W.

1982-01-01

The accelerated stress test results obtained on all terrestrial solar cells since the inception of the program are summarized. Tested cells were grouped according to the method used to form the conductive metallization layer: solder dipped, vacuum deposited, screen printed, and copper plated. Although metallization systems within each group were quite similar, they differed in numerous details according to the procedures employed by each manufacturer. Test results were summarized for all cells according to both electrical degradation and catastrophic mechanical changes. These results indicated a variability within each metallization category which was dependent on the manufacturer. Only one manufacturer was represented in the copper plated category and, although these showed no signs of detrimental copper diffusion during high temperature testing, their metallization was removed easily during high humidity pressure cooker testing. Preliminary testing of encapsulated cells showed no major differences between encapsulated and unencapsulated cells when subjected to accelerated testing.

Ranking metrics in gene set enrichment analysis: do they matter?

PubMed

Zyla, Joanna; Marczyk, Michal; Weiner, January; Polanska, Joanna

2017-05-12

There exist many methods for describing the complex relation between changes of gene expression in molecular pathways or gene ontologies under different experimental conditions. Among them, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis seems to be one of the most commonly used (over 10,000 citations). An important parameter, which could affect the final result, is the choice of a metric for the ranking of genes. Applying a default ranking metric may lead to poor results. In this work 28 benchmark data sets were used to evaluate the sensitivity and false positive rate of gene set analysis for 16 different ranking metrics including new proposals. Furthermore, the robustness of the chosen methods to sample size was tested. Using k-means clustering algorithm a group of four metrics with the highest performance in terms of overall sensitivity, overall false positive rate and computational load was established i.e. absolute value of Moderated Welch Test statistic, Minimum Significant Difference, absolute value of Signal-To-Noise ratio and Baumgartner-Weiss-Schindler test statistic. In case of false positive rate estimation, all selected ranking metrics were robust with respect to sample size. In case of sensitivity, the absolute value of Moderated Welch Test statistic and absolute value of Signal-To-Noise ratio gave stable results, while Baumgartner-Weiss-Schindler and Minimum Significant Difference showed better results for larger sample size. Finally, the Gene Set Enrichment Analysis method with all tested ranking metrics was parallelised and implemented in MATLAB, and is available at https://github.com/ZAEDPolSl/MrGSEA . Choosing a ranking metric in Gene Set Enrichment Analysis has critical impact on results of pathway enrichment analysis. The absolute value of Moderated Welch Test has the best overall sensitivity and Minimum Significant Difference has the best overall specificity of gene set analysis. When the number of non-normally distributed genes is high, using Baumgartner-Weiss-Schindler test statistic gives better outcomes. Also, it finds more enriched pathways than other tested metrics, which may induce new biological discoveries.

Free the animals? Investigating attitudes toward animal testing in Britain and the United States.

PubMed

Swami, Viren; Furnham, Adrian; Christopher, Andrew N

2008-06-01

In this study, 185 British and 143 American undergraduates completed a battery of tests that measured attitudes toward animal testing and various individual difference variables. Attitudes toward animal testing factored into two interpretable factors: general attitudes toward animal testing, and animal welfare and conditions of testing. Overall, there was support for animal testing under the right conditions, although there was also concern for the welfare of animals and the conditions under which testing takes place. There were small but significant national difference on both factors (with Americans more positive about testing and less positive about animal welfare), and a significant sex difference on the first factor (women were more negative about testing). Correlation and regression analyses showed that there were few significant individual difference predictors of both factors. These results are discussed in relation to past and future work on attitudes toward animal testing.

Comparison of wheat and rye flour solutions for skin prick testing: a multi-centre study (Stad 1).

PubMed

van Kampen, V; Merget, R; Rabstein, S; Sander, I; Bruening, T; Broding, H C; Keller, C; Muesken, H; Overlack, A; Schultze-Werninghaus, G; Walusiak, J; Raulf-Heimsoth, M

2009-12-01

Skin prick testing (SPT) is the basic method for diagnosing IgE-mediated allergies. However, skin reactivity is related to the quality of allergen extracts, which are often poorly defined for occupational allergens. To compare wheat and rye flour SPT solutions from different producers. Standardized SPTs were performed in seven allergy centres with wheat and rye flour solutions from four producers in 125 symptomatic bakers. Optimal cut-off levels for weal sizes were assessed with the Youden Index. Comparisons between SPT results of different solutions were made with flour-specific IgE (sIgE) as the gold standard. Sensitivities, specificities, positive and negative predictive values, and test efficiencies were calculated and compared with McNemar and chi(2)-tests. The influence of the choice of the gold standard (sIgE or challenge) test was examined for 95 subjects. Additionally, SPT solutions were analysed for protein and antigen content. The optimal cut-off level for all SPT solutions was a weal size of >or=1.5 mm. While differences between wheat and rye flours were small, differences between producers were important. Variability of sensitivities (0.31-0.96), negative predictive values (0.42-0.91), and test efficiencies (0.54-0.90) were higher than variations of specificities (0.74-1.00) and positive predictive values (0.88-1.00). Similar results were obtained when using challenge test results as the gold standard. Variability could be explained by the different antigen contents of the SPT solutions. There is a wide variability of SPT solutions for wheat and rye flour from different producers, mainly with respect to sensitivities, negative predictive values, and test efficiencies. Improvement and standardization of SPT solutions used for the diagnosis of baker's asthma are highly recommended.

Potential of Bacillus spp produces siderophores insuppressing thewilt disease of banana plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kesaulya, H.; Hasinu, J. V.; Tuhumury, G. NC

2018-01-01

In nature, different types of siderophore such as hydroxymate, catecholets and carboxylate, are produced by different bacteria. Bacillus spp were isolated from potato rhizospheric soil can produce siderophore of both catecholets and salicylate type with different concentrations. Various strains of Bacillus spp were tested for pathogen inhibition capability in a dual culture manner. The test results showed the ability of inhibition of pathogen isolated from banana wilt disease. From the result tested were found Bacillus niabensis Strain PT-32-1, Bacillus subtilis Strain SWI16b, Bacillus subtilis Strain HPC21, Bacillus mojavensis Strain JCEN3, and Bacillus subtilis Strain HPC24 showed different capabilities in suppressing pathogen.

A design procedure for fan inflow control structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gedge, M. R.

1980-01-01

Significant differences exist in the noise generated by engine in flight and engines operating on the test stand. It was observed that these differences can be reduced by use of an inflow control structure (ICS) in the static test configuration. The results of the second phase of a three phase program are described and the results of a test program conducted to assess and modify various theoretical models, leading to the development of an ICS design system is summarized.

Team Oriented Robotic Exploration Task on Scorpion and K9 Platforms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kirchner, Frank

2003-01-01

This final report describes the achievements that have been made in the project over the complete period of performance. The technical progress highlights the different areas of work in terms of Progress in Mechatronics, Sensor integration, Software Development. User Interfaces, Behavior Development and Experimental Results and System Testing. The different areas are: Mechatronics, Sensor integration, Software development, Experimental results and Basic System Testing, Behaviors Development and Advanced System Testing, User Interface and Wireless Communication.

Do sediment type and test durations affect results of laboratory-based, accelerated testing studies of permeable pavement clogging?

PubMed

Nichols, Peter W B; White, Richard; Lucke, Terry

2015-04-01

Previous studies have attempted to quantify the clogging processes of Permeable Interlocking Concrete Pavers (PICPs) using accelerated testing methods. However, the results have been variable. This study investigated the effects that three different sediment types (natural and silica), and different simulated rainfall intensities, and testing durations had on the observed clogging processes (and measured surface infiltration rates) of laboratory-based, accelerated PICP testing studies. Results showed that accelerated simulated laboratory testing results are highly dependent on the type, and size of sediment used in the experiments. For example, when using real stormwater sediment up to 1.18 mm in size, the results showed that neither testing duration, nor stormwater application rate had any significant effect on PICP clogging. However, the study clearly showed that shorter testing durations generally increased clogging and reduced the surface infiltration rates of the models when artificial silica sediment was used. Longer testing durations also generally increased clogging of the models when using fine sediment (<300 μm). Results from this study will help researchers and designers better anticipate when and why PICPs are susceptible to clogging, reduce maintenance and extend the useful life of these increasingly common stormwater best management practices. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sensitivity and specificity of presumptive tests for blood, saliva and semen.

PubMed

Vennemann, Marielle; Scott, Georgina; Curran, Lynn; Bittner, Felix; Tobe, Shanan S

2014-03-01

Despite their wide use, the limits of presumptive tests can be poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the specificity and sensitivity of conventional, as well as innovative, presumptive tests for blood, semen and saliva. We investigated Kastle-Meyer (KM) and leucomalachite green (LMG) tests for blood with regard to their sensitivity and specificity in the presence of oxidizing (hypochlorite) and anti-oxidizing (ascorbic acid) agents. The suitability and specificity of the red starch paper (RSP) test for saliva was assessed. Finally, the inhibitory effect of detergent on the acid phosphatase (AP) test for semen was investigated along with possible cross reactions to tea stains. Our results confirm previous findings of higher sensitivity and specificity of the KM test compared to LMG test for blood. Contrary to previous studies, no statistically significant difference was observed in the sensitivity of the tests between dry and wet stains. The novel RSP test was found to successfully detect saliva. We demonstrated that acid phosphatase (AP) testing for semen is possible on used RSP. A common multipurpose detergent had an inhibitory effect on AP tests. False positive results were obtained from tea stains. Testing different sorts of tea (black, green and herbal teas) revealed that only Camellia varieties produce positive result with the AP test, due to AP being present in the plants. From our results we conclude that specific knowledge of each test, including substances that may affect the test outcome, is imperative to ensure correct interpretation of presumptive test results.

Physical Fitness Qualities of Professional Rugby League Football Players: Determination of Positional Differences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meir, Rudi; Newton, Robert; Curtis, Edgar; Fardell, Matthew; Butler, Benjamin

2001-01-01

Australian and English professional rugby players completed various physical fitness performance tests to determine differences when grouping players into three different rugby positional categories. Results found minimal differences in test scores on the basis of players' specific positions on a team, however, when players were grouped according…

Is it necessary to occlude the ear in bone-conduction testing at 4 kHz, in order to prevent air-borne radiation affecting the results?

PubMed

Tate Maltby, Maryanne; Gaszczyk, David

2015-01-01

To re-evaluate the current BSA recommendation that the test ear should be occluded during the bone-conduction procedure at frequencies above 2 kHz to prevent audible air-borne radiation. Pure-tone audiometry was undertaken during routine hearing tests. The audiograms of fifty-two ears met the criteria for the study and were included. Bone conduction at 4 kHz was tested in three different conditions: test ear open/occluded by earplug and occluded by circumaural earphone. Forty-four adults aged 41-77 years with average hearing levels from normal to severe loss. All complied fully with the test procedure. No audiogram had a significant conductive element. There was no significant difference in each of the three test situations. Only two audiograms showed any (5 dB) difference at 4 kHz when bone conduction was retested with the ear occluded. The errors that result in a false air-bone gap at 4 kHz would not appear to be due to air-borne radiation. Failure to occlude the ear canal at 4 kHz, where air-borne radiation is greatest, makes no significant difference to the audiometric results. It is therefore suggested that it is unnecessary to block the test ear during routine pure-tone bone-conduction testing to prevent audible air-borne radiation, and that this should no longer form part of normal clinical practice.

Evaluation of roll designs on a roll-crusher/ crusher/splitter biomass harvester: test bench results

Treesearch

Colin Ashmore; Donald L. Sirois; Bryce J. Stokes

1987-01-01

Four different roll designs were evaluated on a test bench roll crusher/splitter to determine feeding and crushing efficiencies. For each design, different gap settings for the primary and secondary rolls were tested at two hydraulic cylinder pressures on the primary crush roll to determine their ability to crush and/or feed tree bolts. Seven different diameter classes...

Comparison of indoor-outdoor thermal performance for the Sunpak evacuated tube liquid collector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

Performance data for current Sunpak production collectors is presented. The effects of an improved manifold are seen from the test results. The test results show excellent correlation between the solar simulator derived test results and outdoor test results. Also, because of different incident angle modifiers, the all-day efficiency of this collector with a diffuse reflector is comparable to the performance with the standard shaped specular reflector.

CANTAB object recognition and language tests to detect aging cognitive decline: an exploratory comparative study

PubMed Central

Cabral Soares, Fernanda; de Oliveira, Thaís Cristina Galdino; de Macedo, Liliane Dias e Dias; Tomás, Alessandra Mendonça; Picanço-Diniz, Domingos Luiz Wanderley; Bento-Torres, João; Bento-Torres, Natáli Valim Oliver; Picanço-Diniz, Cristovam Wanderley

2015-01-01

Objective The recognition of the limits between normal and pathological aging is essential to start preventive actions. The aim of this paper is to compare the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) and language tests to distinguish subtle differences in cognitive performances in two different age groups, namely young adults and elderly cognitively normal subjects. Method We selected 29 young adults (29.9±1.06 years) and 31 older adults (74.1±1.15 years) matched by educational level (years of schooling). All subjects underwent a general assessment and a battery of neuropsychological tests, including the Mini Mental State Examination, visuospatial learning, and memory tasks from CANTAB and language tests. Cluster and discriminant analysis were applied to all neuropsychological test results to distinguish possible subgroups inside each age group. Results Significant differences in the performance of aged and young adults were detected in both language and visuospatial memory tests. Intragroup cluster and discriminant analysis revealed that CANTAB, as compared to language tests, was able to detect subtle but significant differences between the subjects. Conclusion Based on these findings, we concluded that, as compared to language tests, large-scale application of automated visuospatial tests to assess learning and memory might increase our ability to discern the limits between normal and pathological aging. PMID:25565785

System Description and First Application of an FPGA-Based Simultaneous Multi-Frequency Electrical Impedance Tomography

PubMed Central

Aguiar Santos, Susana; Robens, Anne; Boehm, Anna; Leonhardt, Steffen; Teichmann, Daniel

2016-01-01

A new prototype of a multi-frequency electrical impedance tomography system is presented. The system uses a field-programmable gate array as a main controller and is configured to measure at different frequencies simultaneously through a composite waveform. Both real and imaginary components of the data are computed for each frequency and sent to the personal computer over an ethernet connection, where both time-difference imaging and frequency-difference imaging are reconstructed and visualized. The system has been tested for both time-difference and frequency-difference imaging for diverse sets of frequency pairs in a resistive/capacitive test unit and in self-experiments. To our knowledge, this is the first work that shows preliminary frequency-difference images of in-vivo experiments. Results of time-difference imaging were compared with simulation results and shown that the new prototype performs well at all frequencies in the tested range of 60 kHz–960 kHz. For frequency-difference images, further development of algorithms and an improved normalization process is required to correctly reconstruct and interpreted the resulting images. PMID:27463715

Two different courses of impaired cervical kinaesthesia following a whiplash injury. A one-year prospective study.

PubMed

Oddsdottir, Gudny Lilja; Kristjansson, Eythor

2012-02-01

A longitudinal study was conducted to observe persons with neck pain after motor vehicle collisions. The aims were to reveal the prospective development of cervical kinaesthesia and to investigate the association between the test results and self-reported pain and disabilities. Two different cervical kinaesthetic tests, the Fly test and the Head-Neck Relocation test, measured movement control and the relocation accuracy of the cervical spine, respectively. Self-assessment measures included pain intensity (VAS), neck pain and disability (NDI), fear of re-injury (TAMPA) and psychological distress (GHQ-28). Seventy-four subjects entered the study, but 47 were eligible, as they participated in all 4 measurements at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months post-collision. According to the performances on the two kinaesthetic tests, the subjects could be classified into improvement and non-improvement groups, respectively. The result revealed, for the first time, two different courses of deficient cervical kinaesthesia. About half of the participants showed significant deteriorating performances in both kinaesthetic tests throughout the year (p < 0.002), while the other half improved their performances (p < 0.02). Generally, the relationships between the kinaesthetic tests and the self-assessment scores were not significant, irrespective of the performances on the two kinaesthetic tests. Accordingly, the results of the questionnaires correlated poorly or weakly with the kinaesthetic test results at all assessment points. The need for developing a new questionnaire, capturing the symptoms prevalent in patients with neck pain and cervical sensorimotor impairments is urgent. What determines the two different kinaesthetic courses need to be scrutinised in future research. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lateral-flow colloidal gold-based immunoassay for the rapid detection of deoxynivalenol with two indicator ranges.

PubMed

Kolosova, Anna Yu; Sibanda, Liberty; Dumoulin, Frédéric; Lewis, Janet; Duveiller, Etienne; Van Peteghem, Carlos; De Saeger, Sarah

2008-06-02

A lateral-flow immunoassay using a colloidal gold-labelled monoclonal antibody was developed for the rapid detection of deoxynivalenol (DON). Different parameters, such as the amount of immunoreagents, type of the materials, composition of the blocking solution and of the detector reagent mixture, were investigated to provide the optimum assay performance. The experimental results demonstrated that such a visual test had an indicator range rather than a cut-off value. Thus, tests for DON determination with two different indicator ranges of 250-500 and 1000-2000 microg kg(-1) were designed. The method allowed detection of DON at low and high concentration levels, which could be useful for research and practical purposes. The assay applied to spiked wheat and pig feed samples demonstrated accurate and reproducible results. The applicability of the developed lateral-flow test was also confirmed under real field conditions. The test strips prepared in Belgium were sent to Mexico, where they were used for the screening of DON contamination in different bread wheat entries from Fusarium Head Blight inoculated plots. The results were compared with those obtained by ELISA and LC-MS/MS. A poor correlation between ELISA and LC-MS/MS was observed. Visual results of the dipstick tests were in a good agreement with the results of the LC-MS/MS method. Coupled with a simple and fast sample preparation, this qualitative one-step test based on the visual evaluation of results did not require any equipment. Results could be obtained within 10 min. The described assay format can be used as a simple, rapid, cost-effective and robust on-site screening tool for mycotoxin contamination in different agricultural commodities.

Leaching behaviour of hazardous waste under the impact of different ambient conditions.

PubMed

Pecorini, Isabella; Baldi, Francesco; Bacchi, Donata; Carnevale, Ennio Antonio; Corti, Andrea

2017-05-01

The overall objective of this study is to provide an improved basis for the assessment of the leaching behaviour of waste marked as hazardous partly stabilised (European waste catalogue code 19 03 04 ∗ ). Four samples of hazardous partly stabilised waste were subjected to two leaching tests: up-flow column tests and batch equilibrium tests. The research was carried out in two directions: the first aims at comparing the results of the two experimental setups while the second aims at assessing the impact of different ambient conditions on the leaching behaviour of waste. Concerning this latter objective the effect of mesophilic temperature, mechanical constraints and acid environment were tested through column percolation tests. Results showed no significant differences between batch and column leaching test outcomes when comparing average concentrations calculated at a liquid to solid ratio of 10:1 l kg -1  TS. Among the tested ambient conditions, the presence of an acid environment (pH=4.5) accelerated the leaching process resulting in a higher cumulative released quantity measured on the majority of the investigated polluting substances. On the contrary, the effect of temperature and mechanical constraints seemed to not affect the process showing final contents even lower than values found for the standard test. This result was furthermore confirmed by the application of the principal component analysis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The impact of repeat-testing of common chemistry analytes at critical concentrations.

PubMed

Onyenekwu, Chinelo P; Hudson, Careen L; Zemlin, Annalise E; Erasmus, Rajiv T

2014-12-01

Early notification of critical values by the clinical laboratory to the treating physician is a requirement for accreditation and is essential for effective patient management. Many laboratories automatically repeat a critical value before reporting it to prevent possible misdiagnosis. Given today's advanced instrumentation and quality assurance practices, we questioned the validity of this approach. We performed an audit of repeat-testing in our laboratory to assess for significant differences between initial and repeated test results, estimate the delay caused by repeat-testing and to quantify the cost of repeating these assays. A retrospective audit of repeat-tests for sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium in the first quarter of 2013 at Tygerberg Academic Laboratory was conducted. Data on the initial and repeat-test values and the time that they were performed was extracted from our laboratory information system. The Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment criteria for allowable error were employed to assess for significant difference between results. A total of 2308 repeated tests were studied. There was no significant difference in 2291 (99.3%) of the samples. The average delay ranged from 35 min for magnesium to 42 min for sodium and calcium. At least 2.9% of laboratory running costs for the analytes was spent on repeating them. The practice of repeating a critical test result appears unnecessary as it yields similar results, delays notification to the treating clinician and increases laboratory running costs.

Development of design, qualification, screening, and application requirements for plastic encapsulated solid-state devices for space applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1981-12-01

Test data were collected on 1035 plastic encapsulated devices and 75 hermetically scaled control group devices that were purchased from each of five different manufacturers in the categories of (1) low power Schottsky TTL (bipolar) digital circuits; (2) CMOS digital circuits; (3) operational amplifier linear circuits; and (4) NPN transistors. These parts were subjected to three different initial screening conditions, then to extended life testing, to determine any possible advantages or trends for any particular screen. Several tests were carried out in the areas of flammability testing, humidity testing, high pressure steam (auroclave) testing, and high temperature storage testing. Test results are presented. Procurement and application considerations for use of plastic encapsulated semiconductors are presented and a statistical analysis program written to study the log normal distributions resulting from life testing is concluded.

Development of design, qualification, screening, and application requirements for plastic encapsulated solid-state devices for space applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

Test data were collected on 1035 plastic encapsulated devices and 75 hermetically scaled control group devices that were purchased from each of five different manufacturers in the categories of (1) low power Schottsky TTL (bipolar) digital circuits; (2) CMOS digital circuits; (3) operational amplifier linear circuits; and (4) NPN transistors. These parts were subjected to three different initial screening conditions, then to extended life testing, to determine any possible advantages or trends for any particular screen. Several tests were carried out in the areas of flammability testing, humidity testing, high pressure steam (auroclave) testing, and high temperature storage testing. Test results are presented. Procurement and application considerations for use of plastic encapsulated semiconductors are presented and a statistical analysis program written to study the log normal distributions resulting from life testing is concluded.

Integrated Data Collection Analysis (IDCA) Program - RDX Type II Class 5 Standard, Data Set 1

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

Sandstrom, Mary M.; Brown, Geoffrey W.; Preston, Daniel N.

This document describes the results of the first reference sample material—RDX Type II Class 5—examined in the proficiency study for small-scale safety and thermal (SSST) testing of explosive materials for the Integrated Data Collection Analysis (IDCA) Program. The IDCA program is conducting proficiency testing on homemade explosives (HMEs). The reference sample materials are being studied to establish the accuracy of traditional explosives safety testing for each performing laboratory. These results will be used for comparison to results from testing HMEs. This effort, funded by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), ultimately will put the issues of safe handling of thesemore » materials in perspective with standard military explosives. The results of the study will add SSST testing results for a broad suite of different HMEs to the literature, potentially suggest new guidelines and methods for HME testing, and possibly establish what are the needed accuracies in SSST testing to develop safe handling practices. Described here are the results for impact, friction, electrostatic discharge, and scanning calorimetry analysis of a reference sample of RDX Type II Class 5. The results from each participating testing laboratory are compared using identical test material and preparation methods wherever possible. Note, however, the test procedures differ among the laboratories. These results are then compared to historical data from various sources. The performers involved are Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Air Force Research Laboratory/ RXQL (AFRL), Indian Head Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center, (IHD-NSWC), and Sandia National Laboratories (SNL). These tests are conducted as a proficiency study in order to establish some consistency in test protocols, procedures, and experiments and to understand how to compare results when test protocols are not identical.« less

Choice of Reading Comprehension Test Influences the Outcomes of Genetic Analyses

PubMed Central

Betjemann, Rebecca S.; Keenan, Janice M.; Olson, Richard K.; DeFries, John C.

2010-01-01

Does the choice of test for assessing reading comprehension influence the outcome of genetic analyses? A twin design compared two types of reading comprehension tests classified as primarily associated with word decoding (RC-D) or listening comprehension (RC-LC). For both types of tests, the overall genetic influence is high and nearly identical. However, the tests differed significantly in how they covary with the genes associated with decoding and listening comprehension. Although Cholesky decomposition showed that both types of comprehension tests shared significant genetic influence with both decoding and listening comprehension, RC-D tests shared most genetic variance with decoding, and RC-LC tests shared most with listening comprehension. Thus, different tests used to measure the same construct may manifest very different patterns of genetic covariation. These results suggest that the apparent discrepancies among the findings of previous twin studies of reading comprehension could be due at least in part to test differences. PMID:21804757

Assessment issues in the testing of children at school entry.

PubMed

Rock, Donald A; Stenner, A Jackson

2005-01-01

The authors introduce readers to the research documenting racial and ethnic gaps in school readiness. They describe the key tests, including the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT), the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS), and several intelligence tests, and describe how they have been administered to several important national samples of children. Next, the authors review the different estimates of the gaps and discuss how to interpret these differences. In interpreting test results, researchers use the statistical term "standard deviation" to compare scores across the tests. On average, the tests find a gap of about 1 standard deviation. The ECLS-K estimate is the lowest, about half a standard deviation. The PPVT estimate is the highest, sometimes more than 1 standard deviation. When researchers adjust those gaps statistically to take into account different outside factors that might affect children's test scores, such as family income or home environment, the gap narrows but does not disappear. Why such different estimates of the gap? The authors consider explanations such as differences in the samples, racial or ethnic bias in the tests, and whether the tests reflect different aspects of school "readiness," and conclude that none is likely to explain the varying estimates. Another possible explanation is the Spearman Hypothesis-that all tests are imperfect measures of a general ability construct, g; the more highly a given test correlates with g, the larger the gap will be. But the Spearman Hypothesis, too, leaves questions to be investigated. A gap of 1 standard deviation may not seem large, but the authors show clearly how it results in striking disparities in the performance of black and white students and why it should be of serious concern to policymakers.

Energy Efficiency and Sustainability of Different Building Structures in Latvian Climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jakovičs, A.; Gendelis, S.; Bandeniece, L.

2015-11-01

Five experimental test buildings have been built in Riga, Latvia. They are identical except external walls for which different mainly regional building materials are used. Calculated U-values of the other walls, floor and ceiling are the same for each test building. Initial moisture influences the relative humidity of indoor air, which can be higher in the initial time period; as a result, heat transmittances are also very different and cause different heating/cooling energy consumption. Overheating risk in summer exists for test buildings with the smallest thermal inertia. Both summer and heating seasons have been analysed and differences between five test houses have been discussed in details.

The influence of the test setup on knee joint kinematics - A meta-analysis of tibial rotation.

PubMed

Hacker, Steffen P; Ignatius, Anita; Dürselen, Lutz

2016-09-06

The human knee is one of the most investigated joints in the human body. Various test setups exist to measure and analyse knee kinematics in vitro which differ in a wide range of parameters. The purpose of this article is to find an answer to the question if the test setup influences the kinematic outcome of studies and to what extend the results can be compared. To answer this question, we compared the tibial rotation as a function of flexion angle presented in 19 published studies. Raw data was extracted via image segmentation from the graphs depicted in these publications and the differences between the publications was analysed. Additionally, all test setups were compared regarding four aspects: method for angle calculation, system for data acquisition, loading condition and testing rig design. The resulting correlation matrix shows the influence of the test setup on the study outcome. Our results indicate that each study needs to collect its own reference data. Finally, we provide a mean internal rotation as a function of flexion angle based on more than 140 specimens tested in 14 different studies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Comparison of What Is Part of Usability Testing in Three Countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clemmensen, Torkil

The cultural diversity of users of technology challenges our methods for usability evaluation. In this paper we report and compare three ethnographic interview studies of what is a part of a standard (typical) usability test in a company in Mumbai, Beijing and Copenhagen. At each of these three locations, we use structural and contrast questions do a taxonomic and paradigm analysis of a how a company performs a usability test. We find similar parts across the three locations. We also find different results for each location. In Mumbai, most parts of the usability test are not related to the interactive application that is tested, but to differences in user characteristics, test preparation, method, and location. In Copenhagen, considerations about the client's needs are part of a usability test. In Beijing, the only varying factor is the communication pattern and relation to the user. These results are then contrasted in a cross cultural matrix to identify cultural themes that can help interpret results from existing laboratory research in usability test methods.

Assessment of Fencing on the Orion Heatshield

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alunni, Antonella I.; Gokcen, Tahir

2016-01-01

This paper presents recession measurements of arc-jet test articles that simulate an ablator with gap filler and were exposed to various heating profiles. Results were used to derive empirically-based differential recession models used for the baseline sizing of the Orion block heatshield architecture. The profile test conditions represent different local flight environments associated with different regions of the heatshield. Recession measurements were collected during and after arc-jet tests, and the results were used to observe the heating profiles’ effect on differential recession. Arc-jet tests were conducted at the Aerodynamic Heating Facility at NASA Ames Research Center.

MEASUREMENTS OF GAMMA-RAY DOSES OF DIFFERENT RADIOISOTOPES BY THE TEST-FILM METHOD (in German)

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

Domanus, J.; Halski, L.

The test-film method seems to be most suitable for systematic, periodical measurements of individual doses of ionizing radiation. Persons handling radioisotopes are irradiated with gamma rays of different energies. The energy of gamma radiation lies within much broader limits than is the case with x rays. Therefore it was necessary to check whether the test-film method is suitable for measuring doses of gamma-rays of such different energies and to choose the proper combination of film and screen to reach the necessary measuring range. Polish films, Foton Rentgen and Foton Rentgen Super and films from the German Democratic Republic, Agfa Texomore » R and Agfa Texo S were tested. Expositions were made without intensifying screens as well as with lead and fluorescent screens. The investigations showed that for dosimetric purposes the Foton Rentgen Super films are most suitable. However, not one of the film-screen combinations gave satisfactory results for radioisotopes with radiation of different energies. In such a case the test-film method gives only approximate results. If, on the contrary, gamma energies do not differ greatly, the test- film method proves to be quite good. (auth)« less

Comparison of road load simulator test results with track tests on electric vehicle propulsion system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dustin, M. O.

1983-01-01

A special-purpose dynamometer, the road load simulator (RLS), is being used at NASA's Lewis Research Center to test and evaluate electric vehicle propulsion systems developed under DOE's Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Program. To improve correlation between system tests on the RLS and track tests, similar tests were conducted on the same propulsion system on the RLS and on a test track. These tests are compared in this report. Battery current to maintain a constant vehicle speed with a fixed throttle was used for the comparison. Scatter in the data was greater in the track test results. This is attributable to variations in tire rolling resistance and wind effects in the track data. It also appeared that the RLS road load, determined by coastdown tests on the track, was lower than that of the vehicle on the track. These differences may be due to differences in tire temperature.

Sex Differences in Functional Stress Test Versus CT Angiography in Symptomatic Patients With Suspected CAD: Insights From PROMISE

PubMed Central

Pagidipati, Neha J.; Hemal, Kshipra; Coles, Adrian; Mark, Daniel B.; Dolor, Rowena J.; Pellikka, Patricia A.; Hoffmann, Udo; Litwin, Sheldon E.; Udelson, James; Daubert, Melissa A.; Shah, Svati H.; Martinez, Beth; Lee, Kerry L.; Douglas, Pamela S.

2016-01-01

Background Risk stratification is an important goal of cardiac noninvasive tests (NITs), yet little contemporary data exist on the prognostic value of different NITs by patient sex. Objectives To compare the results and prognostic information derived from anatomic versus stress testing in stable men and women with suspected coronary artery disease. Methods In 8966 PROMISE trial patients tested as randomized (4500 computed tomographic angiography [CTA], 52% female; 4466 stress testing, 53% female), we assessed the relationship between sex and NIT results using logistic regression, and the relationship between sex and a composite of death, myocardial infarction, and unstable angina hospitalization using Cox proportional hazards models. Results In women, a positive CTA (≥70% stenosis) was less likely than a positive stress test (8% vs. 12%, adjusted OR 0.67 [95% CI 0.55-0.82]). Compared with negative tests, a positive CTA was more strongly associated with subsequent clinical events than a positive stress test (CTA adjusted HR 5.86 [95% CI 3.32-10.35]; stress adjusted HR 2.27 [95% CI 1.21-4.25]; adjusted p=0.028). Men were more likely to have a positive CTA than stress test (16% vs. 14%, adjusted OR 1.23 [95% CI 1.04-1.47]). Compared with negative tests, a positive CTA was less strongly associated with subsequent clinical events than a positive stress test in men, although this difference was not statistically significant (CTA adjusted HR 2.80 [95% CI 1.76-4.45]; stress adjusted HR 4.42 [95% CI 2.77-7.07]; adjusted p=0.168). Negative CTA and stress tests were equally likely to predict an event in both sexes (adjusted p-values=NS). A significant interaction between sex, NIT type, and test result (p=0.01) suggests that sex and NIT type jointly influence the relationship between test result and clinical events. Conclusions The prognostic value of an NIT result varies by test type and patient sex. Women appear to derive more prognostic information from a CTA, while men tend to derive similar prognostic value from both test types. PMID:27058908

Standardized verification of fuel cycle modeling

DOE PAGES

Feng, B.; Dixon, B.; Sunny, E.; ...

2016-04-05

A nuclear fuel cycle systems modeling and code-to-code comparison effort was coordinated across multiple national laboratories to verify the tools needed to perform fuel cycle analyses of the transition from a once-through nuclear fuel cycle to a sustainable potential future fuel cycle. For this verification study, a simplified example transition scenario was developed to serve as a test case for the four systems codes involved (DYMOND, VISION, ORION, and MARKAL), each used by a different laboratory participant. In addition, all participants produced spreadsheet solutions for the test case to check all the mass flows and reactor/facility profiles on a year-by-yearmore » basis throughout the simulation period. The test case specifications describe a transition from the current US fleet of light water reactors to a future fleet of sodium-cooled fast reactors that continuously recycle transuranic elements as fuel. After several initial coordinated modeling and calculation attempts, it was revealed that most of the differences in code results were not due to different code algorithms or calculation approaches, but due to different interpretations of the input specifications among the analysts. Therefore, the specifications for the test case itself were iteratively updated to remove ambiguity and to help calibrate interpretations. In addition, a few corrections and modifications were made to the codes as well, which led to excellent agreement between all codes and spreadsheets for this test case. Although no fuel cycle transition analysis codes matched the spreadsheet results exactly, all remaining differences in the results were due to fundamental differences in code structure and/or were thoroughly explained. As a result, the specifications and example results are provided so that they can be used to verify additional codes in the future for such fuel cycle transition scenarios.« less

Test differences in diagnosing reading comprehension deficits.

PubMed

Keenan, Janice M; Meenan, Chelsea E

2014-01-01

The authors examined the implications of test differences for defining and diagnosing comprehension deficits using reading comprehension tests. They had 995 children complete the Gray Oral Reading Test-3, the Qualitative Reading Inventory-3, the Woodcock-Johnson Passage Comprehension-3, and the Peabody Individual Achievement Test and compared which children were identified by each test as being in the lowest 10%. Although a child who performs so poorly might be expected to do poorly on all tests, the authors found that the average overlap between tests in diagnosing comprehension difficulties was only 43%. Consistency in diagnosis was greater for younger children, when comprehension deficits are the result of weaker decoding skills, than for older children. Inconsistencies between tests were just as evident when identifying the top performers. The different children identified as having a comprehension deficit by each test were compared on four profile variables-word decoding skill, IQ, ADHD symptoms, and working memory skill-to understand the nature of the different deficits assessed by each test. Theoretical and practical implications of these test differences in defining and diagnosing comprehension deficits are discussed.

The effect of different methods and image analyzers on the results of the in vivo comet assay.

PubMed

Kyoya, Takahiro; Iwamoto, Rika; Shimanura, Yuko; Terada, Megumi; Masuda, Shuichi

2018-01-01

The in vivo comet assay is a widely used genotoxicity test that can detect DNA damage in a range of organs. It is included in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Guidelines for the Testing of Chemicals. However, various protocols are still used for this assay, and several different image analyzers are used routinely to evaluate the results. Here, we verified a protocol that largely contributes to the equivalence of results, and we assessed the effect on the results when slides made from the same sample were analyzed using two different image analyzers (Comet Assay IV vs Comet Analyzer). Standardizing the agarose concentrations and DNA unwinding and electrophoresis times had a large impact on the equivalence of the results between the different methods used for the in vivo comet assay. In addition, there was some variation in the sensitivity of the two different image analyzers tested; however this variation was considered to be minor and became negligible when the test conditions were standardized between the two different methods. By standardizing the concentrations of low melting agarose and DNA unwinding and electrophoresis times between both methods used in the current study, the sensitivity to detect the genotoxicity of a positive control substance in the in vivo comet assay became generally comparable, independently of the image analyzer used. However, there may still be the possibility that other conditions, except for the three described here, could affect the reproducibility of the in vivo comet assay.

Comparison of Clinical Results, Second-Look Arthroscopic Findings, and MRI Findings Between the Transportal and Outside-In Techniques for Double-Bundle Anatomic Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Prospective, Randomized Controlled Trial With a Minimum 2-Year Follow-up.

PubMed

Kim, Jae Gyoon; Kang, Seung Hoon; Kim, Jun Ho; Lim, Chae Ouk; Wang, Joon Ho

2018-03-01

Although image analysis has shown that the outside-in (OI) technique is associated with different femoral tunnel geometry than the transportal (TP) technique in anatomic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, it is not known whether clinical results differ between the 2 techniques. To compare clinical results, second-look arthroscopic findings, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings between the TP and OI techniques in anatomic double-bundle (DB) ACL reconstruction. Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 2. From November 2010 to March 2013, 128 patients were enrolled in this study and were randomly assigned to either the TP group (64 patients) or the OI group (64 patients), and DB ACL reconstructions were performed. At the minimum 2-year follow-up (34.9 ± 10.9 months), 111 patients (86.7%) were evaluated with multiple clinical scores and stability tests (KT-2000 arthrometer, Lachman test, and pivot-shift test). Ninety-three knees were evaluated for graft continuity, graft tension, and synovialization by use of second-look arthroscopy. Seventy-eight knees were evaluated on MRI for graft continuity, femoral graft tunnel healing, and graft signal/noise quotient (SNQ). The primary outcome was KT-2000 arthrometer results. Results were compared between the TP and OI groups. No significant differences were found between the 2 groups in terms of KT-2000 arthrometer results, which was the primary outcome, and other clinical results, with the exception of the postoperative functional test of International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) objective score. The ratio of grade A and B on the postoperative functional test of IKDC objective score was significantly larger for the OI group (51/58) than the TP group (36/53) ( P = .005). The second-look arthroscopic findings were not significantly different between the 2 groups in either bundle ( P > .05). In addition, MRI findings did not differ significantly between the 2 groups ( P > .05). With the exception of the functional test of IKDC objective score, we found that clinical results, second-look arthroscopic findings, and MRI findings did not differ significantly between the OI and TP techniques for anatomic ACL reconstruction, although femoral tunnel geometries differed significantly between the 2 techniques.

Comparison of Modal Analysis Methods Applied to a Vibro-Acoustic Test Article

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pritchard, Jocelyn; Pappa, Richard; Buehrle, Ralph; Grosveld, Ferdinand

2001-01-01

Modal testing of a vibro-acoustic test article referred to as the Aluminum Testbed Cylinder (ATC) has provided frequency response data for the development of validated numerical models of complex structures for interior noise prediction and control. The ATC is an all aluminum, ring and stringer stiffened cylinder, 12 feet in length and 4 feet in diameter. The cylinder was designed to represent typical aircraft construction. Modal tests were conducted for several different configurations of the cylinder assembly under ambient and pressurized conditions. The purpose of this paper is to present results from dynamic testing of different ATC configurations using two modal analysis software methods: Eigensystem Realization Algorithm (ERA) and MTS IDEAS Polyreference method. The paper compares results from the two analysis methods as well as the results from various test configurations. The effects of pressurization on the modal characteristics are discussed.

Significant vs Meaningful Differences in the Effects of Tangible Reinforcement on Intelligence Test Achievement and Reliability of TMR Subjects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Busch, John Christian; Osborne, William Larry

1976-01-01

The effects of reinforcement on four different intelligence test measures for 72 trainable mentally retarded children was investigated. The Lorge-Thorndike Vocabulary, WISC Arithmetic, Picture Arrangement, and Comprehension subtests were administered. Reinforced administration resulted in superior performance on all but the Comprehension test.…

Is Test Security an Issue in a Multistation Clinical Assessment?--A Preliminary Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stillman, Paula L.; And Others

1991-01-01

A study investigated possible differences in standardized patient examination scores for three groups of undergraduate (n=176) and graduate (n=221) medical students assessed at different sites over two years. Results show no systematic change in scores over testing dates, suggesting no problems with breach of test security. (MSE)

Effects of Irrigating Tree Seedlings with a Nutrient Solution

Treesearch

R. P. Belanger; C. B. Briscoe

1963-01-01

Subsurface irrigation with nutrient solution was found to be biologically feasible under the conditions tested. Growth of seedlings was satisfactory, but not unusually good. On the bases of total height growth, and growth in fresh weight, the various fertilizers tested produced statistically different results. The species tested, members of three different families and...

The Effects of a Translation Bias on the Scores for the "Basic Economics Test"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hahn, Jinsoo; Jang, Kyungho

2012-01-01

International comparisons of economic understanding generally require a translation of a standardized test written in English into another language. Test results can differ based on how researchers translate the English written exam into one in their own language. To confirm this hypothesis, two differently translated versions of the "Basic…

Deducing material quality in cast and hot-forged steels by new bending test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valberg, Henry; Langøy, Morten; Nedreberg, Mette; Helvig, Torgeir

2017-10-01

A special bend test has been developed and applied for the purpose of characterization and comparison of the material ductility in crankpin steel discs manufactured by casting, or casting subsequently followed by hot open-die forging (ODF) or closed-die forging (CDF). The bending test specimen consists of a small rectangular plate of material with a round hole cut out in the middle. The "eye-shape" specimens were cut out from various positions either near to the surface of, or from the interior of the discs. The test method revealed differences in ductility for the investigated materials, and for different depth positions inside the discs. The roughening of the specimen surface on the top-side of the specimen bend also varied dependent on the processing method for the material. Current results show that this test method is useful for evaluation of material quality in differently processed material. Experimental bend test results are presented for differently processed variants of the same material, i.e., crankpin discs either made by solely casting or casting subsequently followed by hot working either by ODF or CDF.

Use of proficiency test performance to determine clinical laboratory director qualifications.

PubMed

Howanitz, P J

1988-04-01

Many activities and policies influence laboratory test quality. Proficiency test results are one measure of laboratory quality, and during the past 25 years, five studies have examined the relationship of laboratory director educational requirements to proficiency test results. Data from three studies support the association between director qualifications and quality as measured by proficiency test performance, whereas no relationship was found in the other two studies. Possible reasons for conflicting results include differences in database size and demographics; in addition, proficiency test results may be inappropriate, although widely used, as the sole measure of laboratory director performance.

Age-related differences in guessing on free and forced recall tests.

PubMed

Huff, Mark J; Meade, Michelle L; Hutchison, Keith A

2011-05-01

This study examined possible age-related differences in recall, guessing, and metacognition on free recall tests and forced recall tests. Participants studied categorised and unrelated word lists and were asked to recall the items under one of the following test conditions: standard free recall, free recall with a penalty for guessing, free recall with no penalty for guessing, or forced recall. The results demonstrated interesting age differences regarding the impact of liberal test instructions (i.e., forced recall and no penalty) relative to more conservative test instructions (i.e., standard free recall and penalty) on memory performance. Specifically, once guessing was controlled, younger adults' recall of categorised lists varied in accordance with test instructions while older adults' recall of categorised lists did not differ between conservative and liberal test instructions, presumably because older adults approach standard free recall tests of categorised lists with a greater propensity towards guessing than young adults.

Tensile-Creep Test Specimen Preparation Practices of Surface Support Liners

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guner, Dogukan; Ozturk, Hasan

2017-12-01

Ground support has always been considered as a challenging issue in all underground operations. Many forms of support systems and supporting techniques are available in the mining/tunnelling industry. In the last two decades, a new polymer based material, Thin Spray-on Liner (TSL), has attained a place in the market as an alternative to the current areal ground support systems. Although TSL provides numerous merits and has different application purposes, the knowledge on mechanical properties and performance of this material is still limited. In laboratory studies, since tensile rupture is the most commonly observed failure mechanism in field applications, researchers have generally studied the tensile testing of TSLs with modification of American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D-638 standards. For tensile creep testing, specimen preparation process also follows the ASTM standards. Two different specimen dimension types (Type I, Type IV) are widely preferred in TSL tensile testing that conform to the related standards. Moreover, molding and die cutting are commonly used specimen preparation techniques. In literature, there is a great variability of test results due to the difference in specimen preparation techniques and practices. In this study, a ductile TSL product was tested in order to investigate the effect of both specimen preparation techniques and specimen dimensions under 7-day curing time. As a result, ultimate tensile strength, tensile yield strength, tensile modulus, and elongation at break values were obtained for 4 different test series. It is concluded that Type IV specimens have higher strength values compared to Type I specimens and moulded specimens have lower results than that of prepared by using die cutter. Moreover, specimens prepared by molding techniques have scattered test results. Type IV specimens prepared by die cutter technique are suggested for preparation of tensile test and Type I specimens prepared by die cutter technique should be preferred for tensile creep tests.

Mobile Romberg test assessment (mRomberg).

PubMed

Galán-Mercant, Alejandro; Cuesta-Vargas, Antonio I

2014-09-12

The diagnosis of frailty is based on physical impairments and clinicians have indicated that early detection is one of the most effective methods for reducing the severity of physical frailty. Maybe, an alternative to the classical diagnosis could be the instrumentalization of classical functional testing, as Romberg test or Timed Get Up and Go Test. The aim of this study was (I) to measure and describe the magnitude of accelerometry values in the Romberg test in two groups of frail and non-frail elderly people through instrumentation with the iPhone 4®, (II) to analyse the performances and differences between the study groups, and (III) to analyse the performances and differences within study groups to characterise accelerometer responses to increasingly difficult challenges to balance. This is a cross-sectional study of 18 subjects over 70 years old, 9 frail subjects and 9 non-frail subjects. The non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test was used for between-group comparisons in means values derived from different tasks. The Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test was used to analyse differences between different variants of the test in both independent study groups. The highest difference between groups was found in the accelerometer values with eyes closed and feet parallel: maximum peak acceleration in the lateral axis (p < 0.01), minimum peak acceleration in the lateral axis (p < 0.01) and minimum peak acceleration from the resultant vector (p < 0.01). Subjects with eyes open and feet parallel, greatest differences found between the groups were in the maximum peak acceleration in the lateral axis (p < 0.01), minimum peak acceleration in the lateral axis (p < 0.01) and minimum peak acceleration from the resultant vector (p < 0.001). With eyes closed and feet in tandem, the greatest differences found between the groups were in the minimum peak acceleration in the lateral axis (p < 0.01). The accelerometer fitted in the iPhone 4® is able to study and analyse the kinematics of the Romberg test between frail and non-frail elderly people. In addition, the results indicate that the accelerometry values also were significantly different between the frail and non-frail groups, and that values from the accelerometer accelerometer increased as the test was made more complicated.

The validity of three tests of temperament in guppies (Poecilia reticulata).

PubMed

Burns, James G

2008-11-01

Differences in temperament (consistent differences among individuals in behavior) can have important effects on fitness-related activities such as dispersal and competition. However, evolutionary ecologists have put limited effort into validating their tests of temperament. This article attempts to validate three standard tests of temperament in guppies: the open-field test, emergence test, and novel-object test. Through multiple reliability trials, and comparison of results between different types of test, this study establishes the confidence that can be placed in these temperament tests. The open-field test is shown to be a good test of boldness and exploratory behavior; the open-field test was reliable when tested in multiple ways. There were problems with the emergence test and novel-object test, which leads one to conclude that the protocols used in this study should not be considered valid tests for this species. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved).

Association of serologic and hematologic test results in dengue infant patients in RSUP. Dr. Hasan Sadikin Bandung

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alam, A.; Handayani, I.; Indrati, A. R.

2018-03-01

The incidence of Dengue virus infection is increasing every year,and the progression of the disease is faster towards severe manifestations in infants than in children and adults.The clinical appearance is still challenging to make for the diagnosis of dengue fever, so routine blood examination becomes one of thefurther enforcement efforts. The gold standard isconfirmatory tests for dengue, but this examination would be difficult in remote areas and also cost more. Research on serological testing and its association with routine blood testing in infant dengue-infected patients is still less publicized. The purpose of this study was to describe theconnection between serological and routine blood test results of infant dengue infection patients in RSUP Dr. Hasan Sadikin. Observational design in dengue 56 infants with 2-12 months age range examined serologic test and routine blood examination. The results showed that serological testing tended to be on routine blood tests. It can be from differences in routine blood tests such as hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelets. Also, there was also no difference in routine blood profile between reactive and non-reactive IgM groups. It suggests that routine blood examination results are still lacking for the diagnosis of dengue.

Comparison of effluent toxicity results using Ceriodaphnia dubia cultured on several diets

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

Norberg-King, T.J.; Schmidt, S.

1993-10-01

Several diets have been proposed for Ceriodaphnia dubia, but no single diet has been universally accepted as optimal for toxicity testing. Although several diets for Ceriodaphnia dubia culturing and testing are commonly used, little or no data exist on whether toxicity varies with the diet. This study evaluated several combinations of yeast-Cerophyl-trout chow (YCT), Selenastrum capricornutum, and Selenastrum capricornutum-Cerophyl foods for routine culture performance and the sensitivity of the offspring in subsequent acute toxicity tests with effluents. Variations in the diets included use of a vitamin-fortified yeast added to the YCT, algae (Selenastrum capricornutum) grown in two different algal media,more » and different feeding rates of the algae-Cerophyl diets. Eleven diets were evaluated in a multigeneration feeding study, but only seven were used in subsequent toxicity tests. The young produced from each of the seven diets were tested in 48-h acute tests with three different effluents across the generations. Toxicity tests with the effluents gave LC50s that were within a factor of two of one another, regardless of the food used for culturing. These results indicate that several diets are satisfactory for culturing Ceriodaphnia dubia and that the results of the toxicity tests are comparable.« less

Robust relationship between reading span and speech recognition in noise

PubMed Central

Souza, Pamela; Arehart, Kathryn

2015-01-01

Objective Working memory refers to a cognitive system that manages information processing and temporary storage. Recent work has demonstrated that individual differences in working memory capacity measured using a reading span task are related to ability to recognize speech in noise. In this project, we investigated whether the specific implementation of the reading span task influenced the strength of the relationship between working memory capacity and speech recognition. Design The relationship between speech recognition and working memory capacity was examined for two different working memory tests that varied in approach, using a within-subject design. Data consisted of audiometric results along with the two different working memory tests; one speech-in-noise test; and a reading comprehension test. Study sample The test group included 94 older adults with varying hearing loss and 30 younger adults with normal hearing. Results Listeners with poorer working memory capacity had more difficulty understanding speech in noise after accounting for age and degree of hearing loss. That relationship did not differ significantly between the two different implementations of reading span. Conclusions Our findings suggest that different implementations of a verbal reading span task do not affect the strength of the relationship between working memory capacity and speech recognition. PMID:25975360

The impact of subliminal haptic perception on the preference discrimination of roughness and compliance.

PubMed

Hilsenrat, Marcos; Reiner, Miriam

2011-06-30

It is well known that unaware exposure to a visual stimulus increases the preferability of the associated object. In this study we examine whether the same phenomena occur for haptic stimuli. Using a touch-enabled virtual environment, we tested whether people that touch two virtual surfaces, which differ by imperceptible differences in roughness or compliance, tend to choose rougher or smoother, softer or stiffer surfaces, in accordance with their natural tendency. In forced choice preference tests, participants were first asked to choose between two surfaces that differ by roughness/stiffness. Stimuli strength was above the aware perception limit. Then, the same test was performed for differences in stimuli strength, which was below the limit of awareness. Finally, we carried out a recognition test: participants were asked to choose between the surfaces presented in the previous step, and point at the smoother or softer surface, respectively. For each stimulus, two groups of 26 subjects participated. Results show that in the unaware preference tests, participants selected the surface in accordance with the aware preference tests, with significant difference from chance (59.5%, and 60.2% for roughness and compliance as a stimulus, respectively). The recognition tests in both experiments were at chance level, suggesting that participants were unaware of the difference in stimuli. These results show that subliminal perception of roughness and compliance strength affects texture preferences. Research data suggest that the amygdala is central in regulating emotional processing of visual stimuli, even if it is presented subliminally. Thus, the results of this study raise the question whether the amygdala also modulates emotional haptic stimuli when they are subliminally perceived. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hearing in Noise Test Brazil: standardization for young adults with normal hearing.

PubMed

Sbompato, Andressa Forlevise; Corteletti, Lilian Cassia Bornia Jacob; Moret, Adriane de Lima Mortari; Jacob, Regina Tangerino de Souza

2015-01-01

Individuals with the same ability of speech recognition in quiet can have extremely different results in noisy environments. To standardize speech perception in adults with normal hearing in the free field using the Brazilian Hearing in Noise Test. Contemporary, cross-sectional cohort study. 79 adults with normal hearing and without cognitive impairment participated in the study. Lists of Hearing in Noise Test sentences were randomly in quiet, noise front, noise right, and noise left. There were no significant differences between right and left ears at all frequencies tested (paired t-1 test). Nor were significant differences observed when comparing gender and interaction between these conditions. A difference was observed among the free field positions tested, except in the situations of noise right and noise left. Results of speech perception in adults with normal hearing in the free field during different listening situations in noise indicated poorer performance during the condition with noise and speech in front, i.e., 0°/0°. The values found in the standardization of the Hearing in Noise Test free field can be used as a reference in the development of protocols for tests of speech perception in noise, and for monitoring individuals with hearing impairment. Copyright © 2015 Associação Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia Cérvico-Facial. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

A statistical assessment of differences and equivalences between genetically modified and reference plant varieties

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Safety assessment of genetically modified organisms is currently often performed by comparative evaluation. However, natural variation of plant characteristics between commercial varieties is usually not considered explicitly in the statistical computations underlying the assessment. Results Statistical methods are described for the assessment of the difference between a genetically modified (GM) plant variety and a conventional non-GM counterpart, and for the assessment of the equivalence between the GM variety and a group of reference plant varieties which have a history of safe use. It is proposed to present the results of both difference and equivalence testing for all relevant plant characteristics simultaneously in one or a few graphs, as an aid for further interpretation in safety assessment. A procedure is suggested to derive equivalence limits from the observed results for the reference plant varieties using a specific implementation of the linear mixed model. Three different equivalence tests are defined to classify any result in one of four equivalence classes. The performance of the proposed methods is investigated by a simulation study, and the methods are illustrated on compositional data from a field study on maize grain. Conclusions A clear distinction of practical relevance is shown between difference and equivalence testing. The proposed tests are shown to have appropriate performance characteristics by simulation, and the proposed simultaneous graphical representation of results was found to be helpful for the interpretation of results from a practical field trial data set. PMID:21324199

Development of Partial Discharging Simulation Test Equipment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kai, Xue; Genghua, Liu; Yan, Jia; Ziqi, Chai; Jian, Lu

2017-12-01

In the case of partial discharge training for recruits who lack of on-site work experience, the risk of physical shock and damage of the test equipment may be due to the limited skill level and improper operation by new recruits. Partial discharge simulation tester is the use of simulation technology to achieve partial discharge test process simulation, relatively true reproduction of the local discharge process and results, so that the operator in the classroom will be able to get familiar with and understand the use of the test process and equipment.The teacher sets up the instrument to display different partial discharge waveforms so that the trainees can analyze the test results of different partial discharge types.

Neural Basis of Cognitive Assessment in Alzheimer Disease, Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Subjective Memory Complaints.

PubMed

Matías-Guiu, Jordi A; Cabrera-Martín, María Nieves; Valles-Salgado, María; Pérez-Pérez, Alicia; Rognoni, Teresa; Moreno-Ramos, Teresa; Carreras, José Luis; Matías-Guiu, Jorge

2017-07-01

Interpreting cognitive tests is often challenging. The same test frequently examines multiple cognitive functions, and the functional and anatomical basis underlying test performance is unknown in many cases. This study analyses the correlation of different neuropsychological test results with brain metabolism in a series of patients evaluated for suspected Alzheimer disease. 20 healthy controls and 80 patients consulting for memory loss were included, in which cognitive study and 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET were performed. Patients were categorized according to Reisberg's Global Deterioration Scale. Voxel-based analysis was used to determine correlations between brain metabolism and performance on the following tests: Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test (FCSRT), Boston Naming Test (BNT), Trail Making Test, Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure test, Visual Object and Space Perception Battery (VOSP), and Tower of London (ToL) test. Mean age in the patient group was 73.9 ± 10.6 years, and 47 patients were women (58.7%). FCSRT findings were positively correlated with metabolism in the medial and anterior temporal region bilaterally, the left precuneus, and posterior cingulate. BNT results were correlated with metabolism in the middle temporal, superior, fusiform, and frontal medial gyri bilaterally. VOSP results were related to the occipital and parietotemporal regions bilaterally. ToL scores were correlated to metabolism in the right temporoparietal and frontal regions. These results suggest that different areas of the brain are involved in the processes required to complete different cognitive tests. Ascertaining the functional basis underlying these tests may prove helpful for understanding and interpreting them. Copyright © 2017 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Role of ocular VEMP test in assessing the occurrence of vertigo in otosclerosis patients.

PubMed

Lin, Kuei-You; Young, Yi-Ho

2015-01-01

This study adopted an inner ear test battery comprising audiometry, caloric test, ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (oVEMP) test and cervical VEMP (cVEMP) test to find the factors related to the occurrence of vertigo in patients with otosclerosis. Fifty otosclerosis patients comprising 27 patients with vertigo (Group A) and 23 patients without vertigo/dizziness (Group B) were enrolled. Each patient underwent otoscopy, image study, audiometry, caloric test, and oVEMP and cVEMP tests via bone vibration stimuli. The sequence of inner ear deficits in Group A was in the order from oVEMP test (84%), cVEMP test (51%), caloric test (38%) and mean bone-conducted (BC) hearing threshold (14%), exhibiting a significantly declining trend (p<0.001). The rate of inner ear dysfunction in Group B also declined significantly but in a different order - cVEMP test (55%), oVEMP test (52%), mean BC hearing threshold (33%), and caloric test (18%). Comparison between the two groups revealed a significant difference in the oVEMP test results (p<0.01), but not in the results of the BC hearing threshold, caloric test or cVEMP test (p>0.05). Further, no significant differences existed between the BC hearing threshold and vestibular function test results. Otosclerosis patients with vertigo have more frequent abnormalities of oVEMPs to impulsive stimulation than do those without, consistent with more frequent abnormalities of the utricle. Abnormalities of oVEMPs and cVEMPs are more frequent than for caloric testing and BC hearing thresholds. The relative frequency of abnormalities may reflect the degree of pathological involvement of the utricle, saccule, semicircular canals and cochlea in otosclerosis patients with vertigo. Copyright © 2014 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Different Results of IgE Binding- and Crosslinking-Based Allergy Tests Caused by Allergen Immobilization.

PubMed

Okamoto-Uchida, Yoshimi; Nakamura, Ryosuke; Matsuzawa, Yumiko; Soma, Megumi; Kawakami, Hiroshi; Ishii-Watabe, Akiko; Nishimaki-Mogami, Tomoko; Teshima, Reiko; Saito, Yoshiro

2016-01-01

The physicochemical nature of allergen molecules differ from the liquid phase to the solid phase. However, conventional allergy tests are based on the detection of immunoglobulin (Ig)E binding to immobilized allergens. We recently developed an in vitro allergy testing method using a luciferase-reporting humanized rat mast cell line to detect IgE crosslinking-induced luciferase expression (EXiLE test). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of antigen immobilization on the results of different in vitro allergy tests using two anti-ovalbumin (OVA) antibodies (Abs), E-C1 and E-G5, with different properties in the OVA-induced allergic reaction. Both Abs showed clear binding to OVA with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and by BIAcore analysis. However, only E-C1 potentiated EXiLE response for the liquid-phase OVA. On the other hand, OVA immobilized on solid-phase induced EXiLE responses in both E-C1 Ab- and E-G5 Ab-sensitized mast cells. Western blotting of OVA indicated that E-C1 Ab binds both to OVA monomers and dimers, unlike E-G5 Ab, which probably binds only to the OVA dimer. These results suggest that antigen immobilization enhanced IgE crosslinking ability through multimerization of allergen molecules in the solid phase, resulting in an increase in false positives in IgE binding-based conventional in vitro allergy tests. These findings shed light on the physicochemical nature of antigens as an important factor for the development and evaluation of in vitro allergy tests and suggest that mast cell activation-based allergy testing with liquid-phase allergens is a promising strategy to evaluate the physiological interactions of IgE and allergens.

Acoustic results from tests of a 36-inch (0.914 m) diameter statorless lift fan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stimpert, D. L.

1973-01-01

A statorless, turbotip lift fan was tested statically outdoors to determine its acoustic characteristics. Spectral and directivity results are presented with comparison to data from the same family of lift fan designs having stator vanes. Modifications to the fan were tested to evaluate circular inlet guide vanes and exhaust treatment. A comparison was made of results obtained at General Electric Edwards Flight Test Center and NASA Ames Research Center with regards to test data and differences in site characteristics.

Scaling effects in direct shear tests

USGS Publications Warehouse

Orlando, A.D.; Hanes, D.M.; Shen, H.H.

2009-01-01

Laboratory experiments of the direct shear test were performed on spherical particles of different materials and diameters. Results of the bulk friction vs. non-dimensional shear displacement are presented as a function of the non-dimensional particle diameter. Simulations of the direct shear test were performed using the Discrete Element Method (DEM). The simulation results show Considerable differences with the physical experiments. Particle level material properties, such as the coefficients of static friction, restitution and rolling friction need to be known a priori in order to guarantee that the simulation results are an accurate representation of the physical phenomenon. Furthermore, laboratory results show a clear size dependency on the results, with smaller particles having a higher bulk friction than larger ones. ?? 2009 American Institute of Physics.

CORRELATION BETWEEN METAL-CERAMIC BOND STRENGTH AND COEFFICIENT OF LINEAR THERMAL EXPANSION DIFFERENCE

PubMed Central

Lopes, Stella Crosara; Pagnano, Valéria Oliveira; Rollo, João Manuel Domingos de Almeida; Leal, Mônica Barbosa; Bezzon, Osvaldo Luiz

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the metal-ceramic bond strength (MCBS) of 6 metal-ceramic pairs (2 Ni-Cr alloys and 1 Pd-Ag alloy with 2 dental ceramics) and correlate the MCBS values with the differences between the coefficients of linear thermal expansion (CTEs) of the metals and ceramics. Verabond (VB) Ni-Cr-Be alloy, Verabond II (VB2), Ni-Cr alloy, Pors-on 4 (P), Pd-Ag alloy, and IPS (I) and Duceram (D) ceramics were used for the MCBS test and dilatometric test. Forty-eight ceramic rings were built around metallic rods (3.0 mm in diameter and 70.0 mm in length) made from the evaluated alloys. The rods were subsequently embedded in gypsum cast in order to perform a tensile load test, which enabled calculating the CMBS. Five specimens (2.0 mm in diameter and 12.0 mm in length) of each material were made for the dilatometric test. The chromel-alumel thermocouple required for the test was welded into the metal test specimens and inserted into the ceramics. ANOVA and Tukey's test revealed significant differences (p=0.01) for the MCBS test results (MPa), with PI showing higher MCBS (67.72) than the other pairs, which did not present any significant differences. The CTE (10-6 °C-1) differences were: VBI (0.54), VBD (1.33), VB2I (-0.14), VB2D (0.63), PI (1.84) and PD (2.62). Pearson's correlation test (r=0.17) was performed to evaluate of correlation between MCBS and CTE differences. Within the limitations of this study and based on the obtained results, there was no correlation between MCBS and CTE differences for the evaluated metal-ceramic pairs. PMID:19274398

Computer versus paper--does it make any difference in test performance?

PubMed

Karay, Yassin; Schauber, Stefan K; Stosch, Christoph; Schüttpelz-Brauns, Katrin

2015-01-01

CONSTRUCT: In this study, we examine the differences in test performance between the paper-based and the computer-based version of the Berlin formative Progress Test. In this context it is the first study that allows controlling for students' prior performance. Computer-based tests make possible a more efficient examination procedure for test administration and review. Although university staff will benefit largely from computer-based tests, the question arises if computer-based tests influence students' test performance. A total of 266 German students from the 9th and 10th semester of medicine (comparable with the 4th-year North American medical school schedule) participated in the study (paper = 132, computer = 134). The allocation of the test format was conducted as a randomized matched-pair design in which students were first sorted according to their prior test results. The organizational procedure, the examination conditions, the room, and seating arrangements, as well as the order of questions and answers, were identical in both groups. The sociodemographic variables and pretest scores of both groups were comparable. The test results from the paper and computer versions did not differ. The groups remained within the allotted time, but students using the computer version (particularly the high performers) needed significantly less time to complete the test. In addition, we found significant differences in guessing behavior. Low performers using the computer version guess significantly more than low-performing students in the paper-pencil version. Participants in computer-based tests are not at a disadvantage in terms of their test results. The computer-based test required less processing time. The reason for the longer processing time when using the paper-pencil version might be due to the time needed to write the answer down, controlling for transferring the answer correctly. It is still not known why students using the computer version (particularly low-performing students) guess at a higher rate. Further studies are necessary to understand this finding.

Material properties and their influence on the behaviour of tungsten as plasma facing material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wirtz, M.; Uytdenhouwen, I.; Barabash, V.; Escourbiac, F.; Hirai, T.; Linke, J.; Loewenhoff, Th.; Panayotis, S.; Pintsuk, G.

2017-06-01

With the aim of a possible improvement of the material specification for tungsten, five different tungsten products by different companies and by different production technologies (forging and rolling) are subject to a materials characterization program. Tungsten produced by forging results in an uniaxial elongated grain shape while rolled products have a plate like grain shape which has an influence on the mechanical properties of the material. The materials were investigated with respect to the following parameters: hardness measurements, microstructural investigations, tensile tests and recrystallisation sensitivity tests at 3 different temperatures. The obtained results show that different production processes have an influence on the resulting anisotropic microstructure and the related material properties of tungsten in the as-received state. Additionally, the recrystallization sensitivity varies between the different products, what could be a result of the different production processes. Additionally, two tungsten products were exposed to thermal shocks. The obtained results show that the improved recrystallisation behaviour has no major impact on the thermal shock performance.

FOD impact testing of composite fan blades

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johns, R. H.

1974-01-01

The results of impact tests on large, fiber composite fan blades for aircraft turbofan engine applications are discussed. Solid composite blades of two different sizes and designs were tested. Both graphite/epoxy and boron/epoxy were evaluated. In addition, a spar-shell blade design was tested that had a boron/epoxy shell bonded to a titanium spar. All blades were tested one at a time in a rotating arm rig to simulate engine operating conditions. Impacting media included small gravel, two inch diameter ice balls, gelatin and RTV foam-simulated birds, as well as starlings and pigeons. The results showed little difference in performance between the graphite and boron/epoxy blades. The results also indicate that composite blades may be able to tolerate ice ball and small bird impacts but need improvement to tolerate birds in the small duck and larger category.

FOD impact testing of composite fan blades

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johns, R. H.

1974-01-01

The results of impact tests on large, fiber composite fan blades for aircraft turbofan engine applications are discussed. Solid composite blades of two different sizes and designs were tested. Both graphite/epoxy and boron/epoxy were evaluated. In addition, a spar-shell blade design was tested that had a boron/epoxy shell bonded to a titanium spar. All blades were tested one at a time in a rotating arm rig to simulate engine operating conditions. Impacting media included small gravel, two inch diameter ice balls, gelatin, and RTV foam-simulated birds, as well as starlings and pigeons. The results showed little difference in performance between the graphite and boron/epoxy blades. The results also indicate that composite blades may be able to tolerate ice ball and small bird impacts but need improvement to tolerate birds in the small duck and larger category.

Impact testing on composite fan blades

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johns, R. H.

1974-01-01

The results of impact tests on large, fiber composite fan blades for aircraft turbofan engine applications are discussed. Solid composite blades of two different sizes and designs were tested. Both graphite/epoxy and boron/epoxy were evaluated. In addition, a spar-shell blade design was tested that had a boron/epoxy shell bonded to a titanium spar. All blades were tested one at a time in a rotating arm rig to simulate engine operating conditions. Impacting media included small gravel, two inch diameter ice balls, gelatin and RTV foam-simulated birds, as well as starlings and pigeons. The results showed little difference in performance between the graphite and boron/epoxy blades. The results also indicate that composite blades may be able to tolerate ice ball and small bird impacts but need improvement to tolerate birds in the small duck and larger category.

Test anxiety and performance-avoidance goals explain gender differences in SAT-V, SAT-M, and overall SAT scores.

PubMed

Hannon, Brenda

2012-11-01

This study uses analysis of co-variance in order to determine which cognitive/learning (working memory, knowledge integration, epistemic belief of learning) or social/personality factors (test anxiety, performance-avoidance goals) might account for gender differences in SAT-V, SAT-M, and overall SAT scores. The results revealed that none of the cognitive/learning factors accounted for gender differences in SAT performance. However, the social/personality factors of test anxiety and performance-avoidance goals each separately accounted for all of the significant gender differences in SAT-V, SAT-M, and overall SAT performance. Furthermore, when the influences of both of these factors were statistically removed simultaneously, all non-significant gender differences reduced further to become trivial by Cohen's (1988) standards. Taken as a whole, these results suggest that gender differences in SAT-V, SAT-M, and overall SAT performance are a consequence of social/learning factors.

A Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing Use of Rapid Molecular Testing for Staphylococcus aureus for Patients With Cutaneous Abscesses in the Emergency Department With Standard of Care

PubMed Central

May, Larissa S.; Rothman, Richard E.; Miller, Loren G.; Brooks, Gillian; Zocchi, Mark; Zatorski, Catherine; Dugas, Andrea F.; Ware, Chelsea E.; Jordan, Jeanne A.

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVE To determine whether real-time availability of rapid molecular results of Staphylococcus aureus would impact emergency department clinician antimicrobial selection for adults with cutaneous abscesses. DESIGN We performed a prospective, randomized controlled trial comparing a rapid molecular test with standard of care culture-based testing. Follow-up telephone calls were made at between 2 and 7 days, 1 month, and 3 months after discharge. SETTING Two urban, academic emergency departments. PATIENTS Patients at least 18 years old presenting with a chief complaint of abscess, cellulitis, or insect bite and receiving incision and drainage were eligible. Seven hundred seventy-eight people were assessed for eligibility and 252 met eligibility criteria. METHODS Clinician antibiotic selection and clinical outcomes were evaluated. An ad hoc outcome of test performance was performed. RESULTS We enrolled 252 patients and 126 were randomized to receive the rapid test. Methicillin-susceptible S. aureus–positive patients receiving rapid test results were prescribed beta-lactams more often than controls (absolute difference, 14.5% [95% CI, 1.1%–30.1%]) whereas methicillin-resistant S. aureus–positive patients receiving rapid test results were more often prescribed anti–methicillin-resistant S. aureus antibiotics (absolute difference, 21.5% [95% CI, 10.1%–33.0%]). There were no significant differences between the 2 groups in 1-week or 3-month clinical outcomes. CONCLUSION Availability of rapid molecular test results after incision and drainage was associated with more-targeted antibiotic selection. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01523899 PMID:26306996

Evaluation of Functional Limitations in Female Soccer Players and Their Relationship with Sports Level – A Cross Sectional Study

PubMed Central

Grygorowicz, Monika; Piontek, Tomasz; Dudzinski, Witold

2013-01-01

The main objective(s) of the study The aim of this study was to analyze: a) abnormalities in the length of lower limb muscles, b) the correctness of movement patterns, and c) the impact of functional limitations of muscles on the correctness of fundamental movement patterns in a group of female soccer players, in relation to their skill level. Materials and Methods 21 female soccer players from Polish Ekstraklasa and 22 players from the 1st Division were tested for lower limb muscle length restrictions and level of fundamental movement skills (with the Fundamental Movement Screen™ test concept by Gray Cook). Chi-square test was used for categorical unrelated variables. Differences between groups in absolute point values were analyzed using the non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results Statistically significant higher number of measurements indicating an abnormal length of rectus femoris was observed in the 1st Division group (p = 0.0433). In the group of Ekstraklasa the authors obtained a significantly higher number of abnormal hamstring test results (p = 0.0006). Ekstraklasa players scored higher in the rotational stability test of the trunk (p = 0.0008), whereas the 1st Division players scored higher in the following tests: deep squat (p = 0.0220), in-line lunge (p = 0.0042) and active straight leg raise (p = 0.0125). The results suggest that there are different functional reasons affecting point values obtained in the FMS™ tests in both analyzed groups. Conclusions The differences in the flexibility of rectus femoris and hamstring muscle observed between female soccer players with different levels of training, may result from a long-term impact of soccer training on the muscle-tendon system and articular structures. Different causes of abnormalities in fundamental movement patterns in both analyzed groups suggest the need for tailoring prevention programs to the level of sport skills represented by the players. PMID:23825579

Variability of strength measurement in postmenopausal women who are overweight or obese: a Monet study.

PubMed

St-Onge, Maxime; Mathieu, Marie-Eve; Tousignant, Benoit; Faraj, May; Lavoie, Jean-Marc

2009-12-01

The main objective of this study was to establish whether a stable measurement of strength could be obtained without prior exercise familiarization in postmenopausal women who were overweight or obese. A second objective was to evaluate the influence of physical activity on the variability of strength measurement. Thirty postmenopausal women (age: 57.9 yr; SD: 5 yr; body mass index: 31.0 kg/m2; SD: 4 kg/m2) underwent 3 strength testing sessions (48 hr apart) each including 3 exercises (leg press, chest press, and lat pull down). Energy expenditure was measured before the strength testing week with the doubly labelled water method over a 10-day period. Resting metabolic rate was measured by indirect calorimetry. Physical activity energy expenditure was calculated as follows: total energy expenditure x 0.9, minus the resting metabolic rate. Repeated analysis of variance and paired t-test were used to assess the difference and the reliability of the testing sequence. Results from leg press and chest press exercises indicated no significant difference among the 3 testing sessions. The lat pull down exercise was associated with a significant systematic bias between sessions 1 and 2 (mean difference: 1.4 kg; SD: 3 kg; 95% confidence intervals; 0.2-2.7 kg), but the difference disappeared at the third testing session (mean difference: 0.7 kg; SD: 3 kg; 95% confidence intervals; 0.5-2 kg). Physical activity did not influence the variability of the strength results. Overall, our results showed that a relatively stable strength measurement can be obtained within a maximum of 3 testing sessions without prior familiarization. In addition, physical activity did not influence strength testing in postmenopausal women who were overweight or obese.

Analysis of the binder yield energy test as an indicator of fatigue behaviour of asphalt mixes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Connell, Johan; Mturi, Georges A. J.; Komba, Julius; Du Plessis, Louw

2017-09-01

Empirical binder testing has increasingly failed to predict pavement performance in South Africa, with fatigue cracking being one of the major forms of premature pavement distress. In response, it has become a national aspiration to incorporate a performance related fatigue test into the binder specifications for South Africa. The Binder Yield Energy Test (BYET) was the first in a series of tests analysed for its potential to predict the fatigue performance of the binder. The test is performed with the dynamic shear rheometer, giving two key parameters, namely, yield energy and shear strain at maximum shear stress (γτmax). The objective of the investigation was to perform a rudimentary evaluation of the BYET; followed by a more in-depth investigation should the initial BYET results prove promising. The paper discusses the results generated from the BYET under eight different conditions, using six different binders. The results are then correlated with four point bending beam fatigue test results obtained from asphalt mix samples that were manufactured from the same binders. Final results indicate that the BYET is not ideal as an indicator of fatigue performance.

Quantifiable Lateral Flow Assay Test Strips

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

As easy to read as a home pregnancy test, three Quantifiable Lateral Flow Assay (QLFA) strips used to test water for E. coli show different results. The brightly glowing control line on the far right of each strip indicates that all three tests ran successfully. But the glowing test line on the middle left and bottom strips reveal their samples were contaminated with E. coli bacteria at two different concentrations. The color intensity correlates with concentration of contamination.

Towards standard testbeds for numerical relativity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alcubierre, Miguel; Allen, Gabrielle; Bona, Carles; Fiske, David; Goodale, Tom; Guzmán, F. Siddhartha; Hawke, Ian; Hawley, Scott H.; Husa, Sascha; Koppitz, Michael; Lechner, Christiane; Pollney, Denis; Rideout, David; Salgado, Marcelo; Schnetter, Erik; Seidel, Edward; Shinkai, Hisa-aki; Shoemaker, Deirdre; Szilágyi, Béla; Takahashi, Ryoji; Winicour, Jeff

2004-01-01

In recent years, many different numerical evolution schemes for Einstein's equations have been proposed to address stability and accuracy problems that have plagued the numerical relativity community for decades. Some of these approaches have been tested on different spacetimes, and conclusions have been drawn based on these tests. However, differences in results originate from many sources, including not only formulations of the equations, but also gauges, boundary conditions, numerical methods and so on. We propose to build up a suite of standardized testbeds for comparing approaches to the numerical evolution of Einstein's equations that are designed to both probe their strengths and weaknesses and to separate out different effects, and their causes, seen in the results. We discuss general design principles of suitable testbeds, and we present an initial round of simple tests with periodic boundary conditions. This is a pivotal first step towards building a suite of testbeds to serve the numerical relativists and researchers from related fields who wish to assess the capabilities of numerical relativity codes. We present some examples of how these tests can be quite effective in revealing various limitations of different approaches, and illustrating their differences. The tests are presently limited to vacuum spacetimes, can be run on modest computational resources and can be used with many different approaches used in the relativity community.

An Evaluation of Different Statistical Targets for Assembling Parallel Forms in Item Response Theory

PubMed Central

Ali, Usama S.; van Rijn, Peter W.

2015-01-01

Assembly of parallel forms is an important step in the test development process. Therefore, choosing a suitable theoretical framework to generate well-defined test specifications is critical. The performance of different statistical targets of test specifications using the test characteristic curve (TCC) and the test information function (TIF) was investigated. Test length, the number of test forms, and content specifications are considered as well. The TCC target results in forms that are parallel in difficulty, but not necessarily in terms of precision. Vice versa, test forms created using a TIF target are parallel in terms of precision, but not necessarily in terms of difficulty. As sometimes the focus is either on TIF or TCC, differences in either difficulty or precision can arise. Differences in difficulty can be mitigated by equating, but differences in precision cannot. In a series of simulations using a real item bank, the two-parameter logistic model, and mixed integer linear programming for automated test assembly, these differences were found to be quite substantial. When both TIF and TCC are combined into one target with manipulation to relative importance, these differences can be made to disappear.

Posture Influence on the Pendulum Test of Spasticity in Patients with Spinal Cord Injury.

PubMed

de Azevedo, Eliza Regina Ferreira Braga Machado; Maria, Renata Manzano; Alonso, Karina Cristina; Cliquet, Alberto

2015-12-01

The study aims to investigate the influence of different postures on spasticity results by pendulum test in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). The setting was at the University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil. Five individuals with SCI and five individuals in the control group were included. All individuals went through the pendulum test in three different positions: supine, semi-supine at an angle of 30°, and sitting up at an angle of 60°. An electrogoniometer was attached to the right leg for measurement of knee joint angles. All situations were performed five times. Blood pressure was monitored during tests. Relaxation index (RI), normalized relaxation index (RIn), test duration in seconds, initial flexion angle, and resting angle were analyzed at three different positions. Results were compared between different positions, and statistically no differences were found. In individuals with SCI, RI (1.83 ± 0.2), RIn (1.14 ± 0.13), and test duration values (13.95 ± 4.14), in sitting up position, were similar to the control group results. In sitting up position, patients showed spasticity reduction. However, the other two postures produce pain and increase blood pressure in patients with tetraplegia. Therefore, these postures should be avoided in patients with lesions above T6, due to possible autonomic dysreflexia symptoms. Copyright © 2015 International Center for Artificial Organs and Transplantation and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Benchmarking contactless acquisition sensor reproducibility for latent fingerprint trace evidence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hildebrandt, Mario; Dittmann, Jana

2015-03-01

Optical, nano-meter range, contactless, non-destructive sensor devices are promising acquisition techniques in crime scene trace forensics, e.g. for digitizing latent fingerprint traces. Before new approaches are introduced in crime investigations, innovations need to be positively tested and quality ensured. In this paper we investigate sensor reproducibility by studying different scans from four sensors: two chromatic white light sensors (CWL600/CWL1mm), one confocal laser scanning microscope, and one NIR/VIS/UV reflection spectrometer. Firstly, we perform an intra-sensor reproducibility testing for CWL600 with a privacy conform test set of artificial-sweat printed, computer generated fingerprints. We use 24 different fingerprint patterns as original samples (printing samples/templates) for printing with artificial sweat (physical trace samples) and their acquisition with contactless sensory resulting in 96 sensor images, called scan or acquired samples. The second test set for inter-sensor reproducibility assessment consists of the first three patterns from the first test set, acquired in two consecutive scans using each device. We suggest using a simple feature space set in spatial and frequency domain known from signal processing and test its suitability for six different classifiers classifying scan data into small differences (reproducible) and large differences (non-reproducible). Furthermore, we suggest comparing the classification results with biometric verification scores (calculated with NBIS, with threshold of 40) as biometric reproducibility score. The Bagging classifier is nearly for all cases the most reliable classifier in our experiments and the results are also confirmed with the biometric matching rates.

Gender Differences in Variance and Means on the Naglieri Non-Verbal Ability Test: Data from the Philippines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vista, Alvin; Care, Esther

2011-01-01

Background: Research on gender differences in intelligence has focused mostly on samples from Western countries and empirical evidence on gender differences from Southeast Asia is relatively sparse. Aims: This article presents results on gender differences in variance and means on a non-verbal intelligence test using a national sample of public…

Does Test Anxiety Induce Measurement Bias in Cognitive Ability Tests?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reeve, Charlie L.; Bonaccio, Silvia

2008-01-01

Although test anxiety is typically negatively related to performance on cognitive ability tests, little research has systematically investigated whether differences in test anxiety result in measurement bias on cognitive ability tests. The current paper uses a structural equation modeling technique to explicitly test for measurement bias due to…

EDUCATION AND PSYCHOLOGICAL TEST SCORES

PubMed Central

Pershad, Dwarka; Verma, S. K.

1980-01-01

Education, a long neglected variable affecting psychological test score, is in search of reemphasis. Some evidence for this has accumulated on the psychological tests constructed and standardized here at the department of Psychiatry, P.G.I., Chandigarh. Tentative norms prepared education wise on WAIS-Verbal section, PGI-Memory Scale, Proverb and Similarity Tests, Psychoticism Questionnaire, and PGI MQN 2, for adults, in the age range of 16-50, are reported. The results showed marked difference in the mean scores of different educational categories and thus stressed the need for reporting norms separately for different educational levels. PMID:22064617

Results of Energy-Loss Measurements on Passenger Car Tires Operating in the Free-Rolling and Braking/Traction Modes

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1980-01-01

This report described the results of tests on twelve passenger car tires performed on Calspan's Tire Research Facility (CTRF). The tests were used to measure energy loss under three different test conditions: 1) with the tire in a straight, free-roll...

The science achievement of various subgroups on alternative assessment formats

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawrenz, Frances; Huffman, Douglas; Welch, Wayne

2001-05-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the science achievement outcomes for different subgroups of students using different assessment formats. A nationally representative sample of approximately 3,500 ninth grade science students from 13 high schools throughout the United States completed a series of science assessments designed to measure their level of achievement on the national science education standards. All of the schools were using a curriculum designed to meet the standards. The assessments included a multiple-choice test, a written open-ended test, a hands-on lab skills test, and a hands-on full investigation. The results show that the student outcomes on the different assessment formats are more highly correlated for higher achieving students than for lower achieving students. Patterns for different cultural groups also vary by assessment format. There were no differences found for sex. The results support the notion that different assessment formats assess different competencies and that the achievement of students from different subgroups varies by assessment format.

Reliability of a science admission test (HAM-Nat) at Hamburg medical school

PubMed Central

Hissbach, Johanna; Klusmann, Dietrich; Hampe, Wolfgang

2011-01-01

Objective: The University Hospital in Hamburg (UKE) started to develop a test of knowledge in natural sciences for admission to medical school in 2005 (Hamburger Auswahlverfahren für Medizinische Studiengänge, Naturwissenschaftsteil, HAM-Nat). This study is a step towards establishing the HAM-Nat. We are investigating parallel forms reliability, the effect of a crash course in chemistry on test results, and correlations of HAM-Nat test results with a test of scientific reasoning (similar to a subtest of the "Test for Medical Studies", TMS). Methods: 316 first-year students participated in the study in 2007. They completed different versions of the HAM-Nat test which consisted of items that had already been used (HN2006) and new items (HN2007). Four weeks later half of the participants were tested on the HN2007 version of the HAM-Nat again, while the other half completed the test of scientific reasoning. Within this four week interval students were offered a five day chemistry course. Results: Parallel forms reliability for four different test versions ranged from rtt=.53 to rtt=.67. The retest reliabilities of the HN2007 halves were rtt=.54 and rtt =.61. Correlations of the two HAM-Nat versions with the test of scientific reasoning were r=.34 und r=.21. The crash course in chemistry had no effect on HAM-Nat scores. Conclusions: The results suggest that further versions of the test of natural sciences will not easily conform to the standards of internal consistency, parallel-forms reliability and retest reliability. Much care has to be taken in order to assemble items which could be used interchangeably for the construction of new test versions. The test of scientific reasoning and the HAM-Nat are tapping different constructs. Participation in a chemistry course did not improve students’ achievement, probably because the content of the course was not coordinated with the test and many students lacked of motivation to do well in the second test. PMID:21866246

The Stability of Individual Differences in Mental Ability from Childhood to Old Age: Follow-up of the 1932 Scottish Mental Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deary, Ian J.; Whalley, Lawrence J.; Lemmon, Helen; Crawford, J. R.; Starr, John M.

2000-01-01

Tested 101 adults, aged 77, who had completed psychometric intelligence testing in 1932, with the same test of mental ability. Results of this study, the longest follow-up study reported to date, show substantial stability in mental ability differences from childhood to late life. (SLD)

Assessment accommodations on tests of academic achievement for students who are deaf or hard of hearing: a qualitative meta-analysis of the research literature.

PubMed

Cawthon, Stephanie; Leppo, Rachel

2013-01-01

The authors conducted a qualitative meta-analysis of the research on assessment accommodations for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. There were 16 identified studies that analyzed the impact of factors related to student performance on academic assessments across different educational settings, content areas, and types of assessment accommodations. The meta-analysis found that the results of analyses of group effects of accommodated versus unaccommodated test formats are often not significant, test-level factors exist that can affect how students perceive the assessments, and differences exist in how test items function across different conditions. Student-level factors, including educational context and academic proficiency, influence accommodations' role in assessment processes. The results of this analysis highlight the complexity of and intersections between student-level factors, test-level factors, and larger policy contexts. Findings are discussed within the context of larger changes in academic assessment, including computer-based administration and high-stakes testing.

Effects of Testing Conditions on Self-Concept Measurement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chandler, Theodore A.; And Others

1976-01-01

Many self-concept measures employ several different scales to which the subject responds in a set order at one sitting. This study examined effects of different testing conditions. The Index of Adjustment and Values (IAV) was administered to 191 graduate students under two different sequences and two time delay conditions. Results indicate…

On sample size and different interpretations of snow stability datasets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schirmer, M.; Mitterer, C.; Schweizer, J.

2009-04-01

Interpretations of snow stability variations need an assessment of the stability itself, independent of the scale investigated in the study. Studies on stability variations at a regional scale have often chosen stability tests such as the Rutschblock test or combinations of various tests in order to detect differences in aspect and elevation. The question arose: ‘how capable are such stability interpretations in drawing conclusions'. There are at least three possible errors sources: (i) the variance of the stability test itself; (ii) the stability variance at an underlying slope scale, and (iii) that the stability interpretation might not be directly related to the probability of skier triggering. Various stability interpretations have been proposed in the past that provide partly different results. We compared a subjective one based on expert knowledge with a more objective one based on a measure derived from comparing skier-triggered slopes vs. slopes that have been skied but not triggered. In this study, the uncertainties are discussed and their effects on regional scale stability variations will be quantified in a pragmatic way. An existing dataset with very large sample sizes was revisited. This dataset contained the variance of stability at a regional scale for several situations. The stability in this dataset was determined using the subjective interpretation scheme based on expert knowledge. The question to be answered was how many measurements were needed to obtain similar results (mainly stability differences in aspect or elevation) as with the complete dataset. The optimal sample size was obtained in several ways: (i) assuming a nominal data scale the sample size was determined with a given test, significance level and power, and by calculating the mean and standard deviation of the complete dataset. With this method it can also be determined if the complete dataset consists of an appropriate sample size. (ii) Smaller subsets were created with similar aspect distributions to the large dataset. We used 100 different subsets for each sample size. Statistical variations obtained in the complete dataset were also tested on the smaller subsets using the Mann-Whitney or the Kruskal-Wallis test. For each subset size, the number of subsets were counted in which the significance level was reached. For these tests no nominal data scale was assumed. (iii) For the same subsets described above, the distribution of the aspect median was determined. A count of how often this distribution was substantially different from the distribution obtained with the complete dataset was made. Since two valid stability interpretations were available (an objective and a subjective interpretation as described above), the effect of the arbitrary choice of the interpretation on spatial variability results was tested. In over one third of the cases the two interpretations came to different results. The effect of these differences were studied in a similar method as described in (iii): the distribution of the aspect median was determined for subsets of the complete dataset using both interpretations, compared against each other as well as to the results of the complete dataset. For the complete dataset the two interpretations showed mainly identical results. Therefore the subset size was determined from the point at which the results of the two interpretations converged. A universal result for the optimal subset size cannot be presented since results differed between different situations contained in the dataset. The optimal subset size is thus dependent on stability variation in a given situation, which is unknown initially. There are indications that for some situations even the complete dataset might be not large enough. At a subset size of approximately 25, the significant differences between aspect groups (as determined using the whole dataset) were only obtained in one out of five situations. In some situations, up to 20% of the subsets showed a substantially different distribution of the aspect median. Thus, in most cases, 25 measurements (which can be achieved by six two-person teams in one day) did not allow to draw reliable conclusions.

Can effective teaching and learning strategies help student nurses to retain drug calculation skills?

PubMed

Wright, Kerri

2008-10-01

Student nurses need to develop and retain drug calculation skills in order accurately to calculate drug dosages in clinical practice. If student nurses are to qualify and be fit to practise accurate drug calculation skills, then educational strategies need to not only show that the skills of student nurses have improved but that these skills have been retained over a period of time. A quasi-experimental approach was used to test the effectiveness of a range of strategies in improving retention of drug calculation skills. The results from an IV additive drug calculation test were used to compare the drug calculation skills of student nurses between two groups of students who had received different approaches to teaching drug calculation skills. The sample group received specific teaching and learning strategies in relation to drug calculation skills and the second group received only lectures on drug calculation skills. All test results for students were anonymous. The results from the test for both groups were statistically analysed using the Mann Whitney test to ascertain whether the range of strategies improved the results for the IV additive test. The results were further analysed and compared to ascertain the types and numbers of errors made in each of the sample groups. The results showed that there is a highly significant difference between the two samples using a two-tailed test (U=39.5, p<0.001). The strategies implemented therefore did make a difference to the retention of drug calculation skills in the students in the intervention group. Further research is required into the retention of drug calculation skills by students and nurses, but there does appears to be evidence to suggest that sound teaching and learning strategies do result in better retention of drug calculation skills.

On the tree stability risk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giambastiani, Yamuna; Preti, Federico; Errico, Alessandro; Penna, Daniele

2017-04-01

There is growing interest in developing models for predicting how root anchorage and tree bracing could influence tree stability. This work presents the results of different experiments aimed at evaluating the mechanical response of plate roots to pulling tests. Pulling tests have been executed with increasing soil water content and soil of different texture. Different types of tree bracing have been examined for evaluating its impact on plant stiffness. Root plate was anchored with different systems for evaluating the change in overturning resistance. The first results indicate that soil water content contributed to modify both the soil cohesion and the stabilizing forces. Wind effect, slope stability and root reinforcement could be better quantified by means of such a results.

Introduction of a method for presenting health-based impacts of the emission from products, based on emission measurements of materials used in manufacturing of the products

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

Jørgensen, Rikke Bramming, E-mail: rikke.jorgensen@iot.ntnu.no

A method for presenting the health impact of emissions from furniture is introduced, which could be used in the context of environmental product declarations. The health impact is described by the negative indoor air quality potential, the carcinogenic potential, the mutagenic and reprotoxic potential, the allergenic potential, and the toxicological potential. An experimental study of emissions from four pieces of furniture is performed by testing both the materials used for production of the furniture and the complete piece of furniture, in order to compare the results gained by adding emissions of material with results gained from testing the finished piecemore » of furniture. Calculating the emission from a product based on the emission from materials used in the manufacture of the product is a new idea. The relation between calculated results and measured results from the same products differ between the four pieces of furniture tested. Large differences between measured and calculated values are seen for leather products. More knowledge is needed to understand why these differences arise. Testing materials allows us to compare different suppliers of the same material. Four different foams and three different timber materials are tested, and the results vary between materials of the same type. If the manufacturer possesses this type of knowledge of the materials from the subcontractors it could be used as a selection criterion according to production of low emission products. -- Highlights: • A method for presenting health impact of emissions is introduced. • An experimental study of emissions from four pieces of furniture is performed. • Health impact is calculated based on sum of contribution from the materials used. • Calculated health impact is compared to health impact of the manufactured product. • The results show that health impact could be useful in product development and for presentation in EPDs.« less

Effects of different base agents on prediction of skin irritation by sodium lauryl sulfate using patch testing and repeated application test.

PubMed

Horita, Kotomi; Horita, Daisuke; Tomita, Hiroyuki; Yasoshima, Mitsue; Yagami, Akiko; Matsunaga, Kayoko

2017-05-01

Animal testing for cosmetics was banned in the European Union (EU) in 2013; therefore, human tests to predict and ensure skin safety such as the patch test or usage test are now in demand in Japan as well as in the EU. In order to investigate the effects of different bases on the findings of tests to predict skin irritation, we performed patch testing (PT) and the repeated application test (RAT) using sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), a well-known irritant, dissolved in 6 different base agents to examine the effects of these bases on skin irritation by SLS. The bases for PT were distilled water, 50% ethanol, 100% ethanol, a gel containing 50% ethanol, white petrolatum, and hydrophilic cream. The concentrations of SLS were 0.2% and 0.5%. Twelve different base combinations were applied to the normal back skin of 19 individuals for 24h. RAT was performed with distilled water, 50% ethanol, 100% ethanol, a gel containing 50% ethanol, white petrolatum, and hydrophilic cream containing SLS at concentrations of 0.2%, 2%, and 5%, being applied to the arms of the same PT subjects. The test preparation of each base was applied at the same site, with 0.2% SLS being used in the first week, 2% SLS in the following week, and 5% SLS in the final week. The results of PT revealed that skin irritation scores varied when SLS at the same concentration was dissolved in a different base. The results of RAT showed that although skin irritation appeared with every base at a concentration of 5%, the positive rate was approximately the same. In conclusion, our results suggest that skin irritation elicited in PT depends on the base, while in RAT, it does not depend on the type of base employed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dual-task results and the lateralization of spatial orientation: artifact of test selection?

PubMed

Bowers, C A; Milham, L M; Price, C

1998-01-01

An investigation was conducted to identify the degree to which results regarding the lateralization of spatial orientation among men and women are artifacts of test selection. A dual-task design was used to study possible lateralization differences, providing baseline and dual-task measures of spatial-orientation performance, right- and left-hand tapping, and vocalization of "cat, dog, horse." The Guilford-Zimmerman Test (Guilford & Zimmerman, 1953), the Eliot-Price Test (Eliot & Price, 1976), and the Stumpf-Fay Cube Perspectives Test (Stumpf & Fay, 1983) were the three spatial-orientation tests used to investigate possible artifacts of test selection. Twenty-eight right-handed male and 39 right-handed female undergraduates completed random baseline and dual-task sessions. Analyses indicated no significant sex-related differences in spatial-orientation ability for all three tests. Furthermore, there was no evidence of differential lateralization of spatial orientation between the sexes.

Protective clothing for pesticide operators: part I--selection of a reference test chemical for penetration testing.

PubMed

Shaw, Anugrah; Schiffelbein, Paul

2016-01-01

A systematic approach was taken to develop a database for protective clothing for pesticide operators; results are reported as a two-part series. Part I describes the research studies that led to identification of a pesticide formulation that could serve as a reference test chemical for further testing. Measurement of pesticide penetration was conducted using different types of pesticide formulations. Six fabrics were tested using 10 formulations at different concentrations. Three formulations were subsequently selected for further testing. Analysis of the data indicated that, when compared with other formulations, mean percent penetration of 5% Prowl 3.3 EC [emulsifiable concentrate diluted to 5% active ingredient (pendimethalin)] is either similar to or higher than most test chemicals. Those results led to choosing 5% Prowl 3.3 EC as a reference test liquid. Part II of the study, published as a separate paper, includes data on a wide range of textile materials.

Analysis of the Mechanical Behavior and Surface Rugosity of Different Dental Die Materials.

PubMed

Niekawa, Ciro T; Kreve, Simone; A'vila, Gisseli Bertozzi; Godoy, Gilmar Gil; Eduardo Vieira da Silva, J R; Dias, Sergio Candido

2017-01-01

This work evaluated the mechanical and surface behavior of different die materials. The studied materials are polyurethane resin Exakto-Form (Bredent), Gypsum type IV, Fuji Rock EP (Gc), and Durone (Dentsply). Two metallic matrices molded in polyvinyl siloxane provided 30 cylindrical test specimens for the diametral compression test and 30 hemispherical test specimens for the surface rugosity test. The cylindrical test specimens were submitted to tests of diametral compression strength using a DL2000 universal assay machine, with a load cell of 2000 Kgf and constant speed of 1 mm/min connected to the software. Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn's nonparametric tests were used to analyze the results. The hemispheres were submitted to the surface rugosity assay using a SJ201-P rugosimeter with a sensitivity of 300 μm, speed of 0.5 mm/s, and cut-off of 0.8 mm, and the readings were taken on the convex surface of the test specimens and metallic matrix. Results were analyzed using with Fisher's least significant differences test (LSD) and Dunnett's test. Kruskal-Wallis test showed significant difference between die materials for diametral compression strength ( P = 0.002). Dunn's test showed significantly higher values for modified polyurethane resin (Exakto-Form). The gypsum type IV, which did not significantly differ regarding diametral compression strength, showed 34.0% (Durone) and 42.7% (Fuji Rock) lower values in comparison to Exakto-Form. Within the parameters adopted in this study, it is possible to conclude that Exakto-Form polyurethane resin showed higher resistance to compression and was closer to the metallic matrix rugosity, and, along with the gypsum type IV Durone, showed better reproducibility of details relative to the Fuji Rock.

Sex differences in jealousy: the (lack of) influence of researcher theoretical perspective.

PubMed

Edlund, John; Heider, Jeremy D; Nichols, Austin Lee; McCarthy, Randy J; Wood, Sarah E; Scherer, Cory R; Hartnett, Jessica L; Walker, Richard

2017-09-01

The sex difference in jealousy is an effect that has generated significant controversy in the academic literature (resulting in two meta-analyses that reached different conclusions on the presence or absence of the effect). In this study, we had a team of researchers from different theoretical perspectives use identical protocols to test whether the sex difference in jealousy would occur across many different samples (while testing whether mate value would moderate the effect). In our samples, we found the sex difference in jealousy to occur using both forced choice and continuous measures, this effect appeared in several different settings, and, we found that mate value moderated participant responses. The results are discussed in light of the controversy surrounding the presence of the effect.

[Comprehensive weighted recognition method for hydrological abrupt change: With the runoff series of Jiajiu hydrological station in Lancang River as an example].

PubMed

Gu, Hai Ting; Xie, Ping; Sang, Yan Fang; Wu, Zi Yi

2018-04-01

Abrupt change is an important manifestation of hydrological process with dramatic variation in the context of global climate change, the accurate recognition of which has great significance to understand hydrological process changes and carry out the actual hydrological and water resources works. The traditional method is not reliable at both ends of the samples. The results of the methods are often inconsistent. In order to solve the problem, we proposed a comprehensive weighted recognition method for hydrological abrupt change based on weighting by comparing of 12 commonly used methods for testing change points. The reliability of the method was verified by Monte Carlo statistical test. The results showed that the efficiency of the 12 methods was influenced by the factors including coefficient of variation (Cv), deviation coefficient (Cs) before the change point, mean value difference coefficient, Cv difference coefficient and Cs difference coefficient, but with no significant relationship with the mean value of the sequence. Based on the performance of each method, the weight of each test method was given following the results from statistical test. The sliding rank sum test method and the sliding run test method had the highest weight, whereas the RS test method had the lowest weight. By this means, the change points with the largest comprehensive weight could be selected as the final result when the results of the different methods were inconsistent. This method was used to analyze the daily maximum sequence of Jiajiu station in the lower reaches of the Lancang River (1-day, 3-day, 5-day, 7-day and 1-month). The results showed that each sequence had obvious jump variation in 2004, which was in agreement with the physical causes of hydrological process change and water conservancy construction. The rationality and reliability of the proposed method was verified.

Safety assessment characteristics of pedestrian legform impactors in vehicle-front impact tests.

PubMed

Matsui, Yasuhiro

2014-12-01

This study investigated the characteristics of safety assessment results of front-area vehicle impact tests carried out using the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) legform impactor and a flexible legform impactor (FLEX legform impactor). Different types of vehicles (sedan, sport utility vehicle, high-roof K-car, and light cargo van) were examined. The impact locations in the study were the center of the bumper and an extremely stiff structure of the bumper (i.e., in front of the side member) of each tested vehicle. The measured injury criteria were normalized by injury assessment reference values of each legform impactor. The test results for center and side-member impacts indicated that there were no significant differences in ligament injury assessments derived from the normalized knee ligament injury measures between the TRL legform impactor and the FLEX legform impactor. Evaluations made using the TRL legform impactor and the FLEX legform impactor are thus similar in the vehicle safety investigation for knee ligament injury. Vehicle-center impact test results revealed that the tibia fracture assessments derived from the normalized tibia fracture measures did not significantly differ between the TRL legform impactor and the FLEX legform impactor. However, for an impact against an extremely stiff structure, there was a difference in the tibia fracture assessment between the FLEX legform impactor and the TRL legform impactor owing to their different sensor types. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Performance-based alternative assessments as a means of eliminating gender achievement differences on science tests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, Norman Merrill

1998-09-01

Historically, researchers have reported an achievement difference between females and males on standardized science tests. These differences have been reported to be based upon science knowledge, abstract reasoning skills, mathematical abilities, and cultural and social phenomena. This research was designed to determine how mastery of specific science content from public school curricula might be evaluated with performance-based assessment models, without producing gender achievement differences. The assessment instruments used were Harcourt Brace Educational Measurement's GOALSsp°ler: A Performance-Based Measure of Achievement and the performance-based portion of the Stanford Achievement Testspcopyright, Ninth Edition. The identified independent variables were test, gender, ethnicity, and grade level. A 2 x 2 x 6 x 12 (test x gender x ethnicity x grade) factorial experimental design was used to organize the data. A stratified random sample (N = 2400) was selected from a national pool of norming data: N = 1200 from the GOALSsp°ler group and N = 1200 from the SAT9spcopyright group. The ANOVA analysis yielded mixed results. The factors of test, gender, ethnicity by grade, gender by grade, and gender by grade by ethnicity failed to produce significant results (alpha = 0.05). The factors yielding significant results were ethnicity, grade, and ethnicity by grade. Therefore, no significant differences were found between female and male achievement on these performance-based assessments.

Comparison of Clark's presence-absence test and the membrane filter method for coliform detection in potable water samples.

PubMed Central

Pipes, W O; Minnigh, H A; Moyer, B; Troy, M A

1986-01-01

A total of 2,601 water samples from six different water systems were tested for coliform bacteria by Clark's presence-absence (P-A) test and by the membrane filter (MF) method. There was no significant difference in the fraction of samples positive for coliform bacteria for any of the systems tested. It was concluded that the two tests are equivalent for monitoring purposes. However, 152 samples were positive for coliform bacteria by the MF method but negative by the P-A test, and 132 samples were positive by the P-A test but negative by the MF method. Many of these differences for individual samples can be explained by random dispersion of bacteria in subsamples when the coliform density is low. However, 15 samples had MF counts greater than 3 and gave negative P-A results. The only apparent explanation for most of these results is that coliform bacteria were present in the P-A test bottles but did not produce acid and gas. Two other studies have reported more samples positive by Clark's P-A test than by the MF method. PMID:3532953

Age and gender differences regarding physical performance in the elderly from Barbados and Cuba.

PubMed

Rodrigues-Barbosa, Aline; de Miranda, Leticia Miranda; Vieira-Guimarães, Alexsander; Xavier-Corseuil, Herton; Weber-Corseuil, Marui

2011-02-01

Presenting physical performance tests' (PPTs) descriptive reference values and prevalence according to gender and age-group regarding a representative sample of non-institutionalised older adults (aged 60 and over) living in Bridgetown (Barbados) and Havana (Cuba). This was a cross-sectional, population-based household survey. In Bridgetown and Havana, respectively, 1,508 and 1,905 subjects were examined who had been selected by probabilistic sampling. PPTs included handgrip strength, standing balance, timed repeated "chair stand" and "pick up a pen." The results from Bridgetown and Havana showed that values (mean ± standard deviations and percentiles) for men were greater than women in handgrip strength and "chair stand" tests (p≤0.01). Increasing age led to both genders having reduced (p≤0.001) prevalence of people having better results for each test (based on chi-square). Men had proportionately better scores than women in the four tests. The data suggested that younger people and men had better physical performance. Men and women in both countries had differences regarding the prevalence of people unable to perform the tests and better test results, according to the test and age-group. The data provided information about the range of performance that can be expected from people in different ages and helped understand usual rates of change in age-groups.

SU-F-T-313: Clinical Results of a New Customer Acceptance Test for Elekta VMAT

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

Rusk, B; Fontenot, J

Purpose: To report the results of a customer acceptance test (CAT) for VMAT treatments for two matched Elekta linear accelerators. Methods: The CAT tests were performed on two clinically matched Elekta linear accelerators equipped with a 160-leaf MLC. Functional tests included performance checks of the control system during dynamic movements of the diaphragms, MLC, and gantry. Dosimetric tests included MLC picket fence tests at static and variable dose rates and a diaphragm alignment test, all performed using the on-board EPID. Additionally, beam symmetry during arc delivery was measured at the four cardinal angles for high and low dose rate modesmore » using a 2D detector array. Results of the dosimetric tests were analyzed using the VMAT CAT analysis tool. Results: Linear accelerator 1 (LN1) met all stated CAT tolerances. Linear accelerator 2 (LN2) passed the geometric, beam symmetry, and MLC position error tests but failed the relative dose average test for the diaphragm abutment and all three picket fence fields. Though peak doses in the abutment regions were consistent, the average dose was below the stated tolerance corresponding to a leaf junction that was too narrow. Despite this, no significant differences in patient specific VMAT quality assurance measured were observed between the accelerators and both passed monthly MLC quality assurance performed with the Hancock test. Conclusion: Results from the CAT showed LN2 with relative dose averages in the abutment regions of the diaphragm and MLC tests outside the tolerances resulting from differences in leaf gap distances. Tolerances of the dose average tests from the CAT may be small enough to detect MLC errors which do not significantly affect patient QA or the routine MLC tests.« less

Influence of vision on masticatory muscles function: surface electromyographic evaluation

PubMed Central

Ciavarella, Domenico; Palazzo, Antonio; De Lillo, Alfredo; Lo Russo, Lucio; Paduano, Sergio; Laino, Luigi; Chimenti, Claudio; Frezza, Federica; Lo Muzio, Lorenzo

2014-01-01

Summary The role of the ocular disorders (OD) in pathogenesis of MMp is still a controversal issue. Ocular arc reflexes (OAR) may involve changes in head and neck posture and generate modifications of contraction resulting in muscle contraction and finally weakness. sEMG tests were performed on 28 patients (13 with masticatory muscles pain and myopia/15 healthy) in rest position with eyes open and eyes closed. Patients group control (healthy patients) showed no significance difference in sEMG record in open/close test. In non healthy patients there were great differences between the sEMG recordings with eyes closed and open. Temporalis and masseters showed a statistical difference of means activation in two tests (temporalis p = 0.0010; masseters = 0.0006). Great difference there was in means muscles activation between open eyes healthy test and non healthy. No difference in close eyes test was evaluated in temporalis and masseters close test in the two groups. The exact causes of MMp are still unknown. The role how ocular disorders (OD) may play an important role in pathogenesis of MMp is still a controversal issue. Ocular arc reflexes (OAR) may involve changes in head and neck posture and generate modifications of contraction resulting in muscle contraction and finally weakness. PMID:25002919

Failure and fatigue characteristics of adhesive athletic tape.

PubMed

Bragg, Richard W; Macmahon, John M; Overom, Erin K; Yerby, Scott A; Matheson, Gordon O; Carter, Dennis R; Andriacchi, Thomas P

2002-03-01

Athletic tape has been commonly reported to lose much of its structural support after 20 min of exercise. Although many studies have addressed the functional performance characteristics of athletic tape, its mechanical properties are poorly understood. This study examines the failure and fatigue properties of several commonly used athletic tapes. A Web-based survey of professional sports trainers was used to select the following three tapes for the study: Zonas (Johnson & Johnson), Leukotape (Beiersdorf), and Jaylastic (Jaybird & Mais). Using a hydraulic material testing system (MTS), eight samples of each tape were compared in three different mechanical tests: load-to-failure, fatigue testing under load control, and fatigue testing under displacement control. Differences in tape microstructure were used to interpret the results of the mechanical tests. Significant differences (P < 0.001) in failure load, elongation at failure, and stiffness were found from failure tests. Significant differences were also found (P < 0.001) in fatigue behavior under both modes of control. As a representative example, in one normalized displacement control fatigue test after 20 min of cycling, 21% (Zonas), 29% (Leukotape), and 57% (Jaylastic) of the mechanical support was lost. After cycling, all tapes loaded to failure showed increased stiffness (P < 0.001), indicating significant energy absorption during cycling. Observed differences in the tapes' microstructure were qualitatively consistent with the measured differences in their mechanical properties. In understanding the shortcomings of currently available tapes, the results of these tests can now be used as benchmarks with which to compare and develop future tape designs. Ultimately, these improved tapes should reduce ankle injuries among athletes.

Deletion of Fmr1 results in sex-specific changes in behavior.

PubMed

Nolan, Suzanne O; Reynolds, Conner D; Smith, Gregory D; Holley, Andrew J; Escobar, Brianna; Chandler, Matthew A; Volquardsen, Megan; Jefferson, Taylor; Pandian, Ashvini; Smith, Tileena; Huebschman, Jessica; Lugo, Joaquin N

2017-10-01

In this study, we used a systemic Fmr1 knockout in order to investigate both genotype- and sex-specific differences across multiple measures of sociability, repetitive behaviors, activity levels, anxiety, and fear-related learning and memory. Fragile X syndrome is the most common monogenic cause of intellectual disability and autism. Few studies to date have examined sex differences in a mouse model of Fragile X syndrome, though clinical data support the idea of differences in both overall prevalence and phenotype between the sexes. Using wild-type and systemic homozygous Fmr1 knockout mice, we assessed a variety of behavioral paradigms in adult animals, including the open field test, elevated plus maze, nose-poke assay, accelerating rotarod, social partition task, three-chambered social task, and two different fear conditioning paradigms. Tests were ordered such that the most invasive tests were performed last in the sequence, and testing paradigms for similar behaviors were performed in separate cohorts to minimize testing effects. Our results indicate several sex-specific changes in Fmr1 knockout mice, including male-specific increases in activity levels, and female-specific increases in repetitive behaviors on both the nose-poke assay and motor coordination on the accelerating rotarod task. The results also indicated that Fmr1 deletion results in deficits in fear learning and memory across both sexes, and no changes in social behavior across two tasks. These findings highlight the importance of including female subjects in preclinical studies, as simply studying the impact of genetic mutations in males does not yield a complete picture of the phenotype. Further research should explore these marked phenotypic differences among the sexes. Moreover, given that treatment strategies are typically equivalent between the sexes, the results highlight a potential need for sex-specific therapeutics.

Comparison of tests of accommodation for computer users.

PubMed

Kolker, David; Hutchinson, Robert; Nilsen, Erik

2002-04-01

With the increased use of computers in the workplace and at home, optometrists are finding more patients presenting with symptoms of Computer Vision Syndrome. Among these symptomatic individuals, research supports that accommodative disorders are the most common vision finding. A prepresbyopic group (N= 30) and a presbyopic group (N = 30) were selected from a private practice. Assignment to a group was determined by age, accommodative amplitude, and near visual acuity with their distance prescription. Each subject was given a thorough vision and ocular health examination, then administered several nearpoint tests of accommodation at a computer working distance. All the tests produced similar results in the presbyopic group. For the prepresbyopic group, the tests yielded very different results. To effectively treat symptomatic VDT users, optometrists must assess the accommodative system along with the binocular and refractive status. For presbyopic patients, all nearpoint tests studied will yield virtually the same result. However, the method of testing accommodation, as well as the test stimulus presented, will yield significantly different responses for prepresbyopic patients. Previous research indicates that a majority of patients prefer the higher plus prescription yielded by the Gaussian image test.

Comparisons of nanoindentation, 3-point bending, and tension tests for orthodontic wires.

PubMed

Iijima, Masahiro; Muguruma, Takeshi; Brantley, William A; Mizoguchi, Itaru

2011-07-01

The purposes of this study were to obtain information about mechanical properties with the nanoindentation test for representative wire alloys and compare the results with conventional mechanical tests. Archwires having 0.016 × 0.022-in cross sections were obtained of 1 stainless steel, 1 cobalt-chromium-nickel, 1 beta-titanium alloy, and 2 nickel-titanium products. Specimens of as-received wires were subjected to nanoindentation testing along the external surfaces and over polished cross sections to obtain values of hardness and elastic modulus. Other specimens of as-received wires were subjected to Vickers hardness, 3-point bending, and tension tests. All testing was performed at 25°C. Differences were found in hardness and elastic modulus obtained with the nanoindentation test at the external and cross-sectioned surfaces and with the conventional mechanical-property tests. Mechanical properties obtained with the nanoindentation test generally varied with indentation depth. The 3 testing methods did not yield identical values of hardness and elastic modulus, although the order among the 5 wire products was the same. Variations in results for the nanoindentation and conventional mechanical property tests can be attributed to the different material volumes sampled, different work-hardening levels, and an oxide layer on the wire surface. Copyright © 2011 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Investigation of different modeling approaches for computational fluid dynamics simulation of high-pressure rocket combustors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivancic, B.; Riedmann, H.; Frey, M.; Knab, O.; Karl, S.; Hannemann, K.

2016-07-01

The paper summarizes technical results and first highlights of the cooperation between DLR and Airbus Defence and Space (DS) within the work package "CFD Modeling of Combustion Chamber Processes" conducted in the frame of the Propulsion 2020 Project. Within the addressed work package, DLR Göttingen and Airbus DS Ottobrunn have identified several test cases where adequate test data are available and which can be used for proper validation of the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tools. In this paper, the first test case, the Penn State chamber (RCM1), is discussed. Presenting the simulation results from three different tools, it is shown that the test case can be computed properly with steady-state Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) approaches. The achieved simulation results reproduce the measured wall heat flux as an important validation parameter very well but also reveal some inconsistencies in the test data which are addressed in this paper.

Influence of Fine Motor Skill on Accuracy of Measurements Using a Handheld Sliding Caliper at Adolescents Group Aged 19-20

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brychta, Petr; Hojk, Vladimír; Hrubý, Jiří; Pilc, Jozef

2017-10-01

This innovate ve interdisciplinary study deals with influence of fine motor skill level (finger dexterity) of individual on his measurement results in metrology practice. The main objective of this study was determinate fine motor skill level of individuals using a motor test. Further determinate the potential effect of different fine motor skill levels on accuracy of measuring using a mechanical handheld sliding caliper. Fine motor skill test and metrological test were implemented. Pursuant the results of fine motor skill test were probands divided into 2 groups. The groups are significantly different on accuracy of measurement (p=0,006). Pearson coefficient shows a significant correlation r = - 0.66 between the Purdue Pegboard test and a measurement error. Results confirmed that the fine motor skill of the upper limbs (especially finger coordination) significantly influence accuracy of measurement using a mechanical handheld sliding caliper.

Characterization Of Flow Stress Of Different AA6082 Alloys By Means Of Hot Torsion Test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donati, Lorenzo; El Mehtedi, Mohamad

2011-05-01

FEM simulations are become the most powerful tools in order to optimize the different aspects of the extrusion process and an accurate flow stress definition of the alloy is a prerequisite for a reliable effectiveness of the simulation. In the paper the determination of flow stress by means of hot torsion test is initially presented and discussed: the several approximations that are usually introduced in flow stress computation are described and computed for an AA6082 alloy in order to evidence the final effect on curves shapes. The procedure for regressing the parameters of the sinhyperbolic flow stress definition is described in detailed and applied to the described results. Then four different alloys, extracted by different casting batches but all namely belonging to the 6082 class, were hot torsion tested in comparable levels of temperature and strain rate up to specimen failure. The results are analyzed and discussed in order to understand if a mean flow stress behavior can be identified for the whole material class at the different tested conditions or if specific testing conditions (chemical composition of the alloy, specimen shape, etc) influence the materials properties to a higher degree.

Material Science

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-05-05

As easy to read as a home pregnancy test, three Quantifiable Lateral Flow Assay (QLFA) strips used to test water for E. coli show different results. The brightly glowing control line on the far right of each strip indicates that all three tests ran successfully. But the glowing test line on the middle left and bottom strips reveal their samples were contaminated with E. coli bacteria at two different concentrations. The color intensity correlates with concentration of contamination.

Advanced Prototype Fan Operating Experience, Post Test Evaluation, and Refurbishment for PLSS 2.0 Test Use

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hodgson, Edward; Oehler, William; Dionne, Steve; Converse, David; Jennings, Mallory A.

2012-01-01

NASA s plans for Extravehicular Activity (EVA) portable life support systems for future exploration missions result in different design requirements than those which led to the combined fan / pump / separator in the current ISS Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU). To meet these new requirements, NASA contracted with Hamilton Sundstrand to provide two new prototype fans designed to meet anticipated future system requirements. Based on design trade studies, a high speed fan with mechanical bearing support of the rotating elements and a novel non-metallic barrier canned motor design was developed and implemented in the deliverable prototypes. The prototypes, which used two different bearing lubricants, have been extensively tested in both stand-alone and integrated system tests in NASA laboratories and proven to meet the anticipated performance requirements. Subsequently, they have been subjected to post test inspection and analysis in Hamilton Sundstrand laboratories to assess the effects of integrated operation and resultant exposure to vent loop contaminants. Results have confirmed expectations that one of the lubricants would be superior in this application and the prototype fans have been reassembled with new bearings with the superior lubricant. They have now been returned to the Johnson Space Center for further testing and maturation as part of NASA s PLSS 2.0 integrated test effort. This paper will discuss the test history of these units, resulting test data, the results of post test evaluation, and plans for further testing in the near future.

Comparison of online and offline tests in LED accelerated reliability tests under temperature stress.

PubMed

Ke, Hong-Liang; Jing, Lei; Gao, Qun; Wang, Yao; Hao, Jian; Sun, Qiang; Xu, Zhi-Jun

2015-11-20

Accelerated aging tests are the main method used in the evaluation of LED reliability, and can be performed in either online or offline modes. The goal of this study is to provide the difference between the two test modes. In the experiments, the sample is attached to different heat sinks to acquire the optical parameters under different junction temperatures of LEDs. By measuring the junction temperature in the aging process (Tj1), and the junction temperature in the testing process (Tj2), we achieve consistency with an online test of Tj1 and Tj2 and a difference with an offline test of Tj1 and Tj2. Experimental results show that the degradation rate of the luminous flux rises as Tj2 increases, which yields a difference of projected life L(70%) of 8% to 13%. For color shifts over 5000 h of aging, the online test shows a larger variation of the distance from the Planckian locus, about 40% to 50% more than the normal test at an ambient temperature of 25°C.

Results of the GCMS Effluent Gas Analysis for the Brine Processing Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delzeit, Lance; Lee, Jeffrey; Flynn, Michael; Fisher, John; Shaw, Hali; Kawashima, Brian; Beeler, David; Harris, Linden

2015-01-01

The effluent gas for the Paragon Ionomer Water Processor (IWP), UMPQUA Ultrasonic Brine Dewatering System (UBDS), and the NASA Brine Evaporation Bag (BEB) were analyzed using Headspace GCMS Analysis in the recent AES FY14 Brine Processing Test. The results from the analysis describe the number and general chemical species of the chemicals produced. Comparisons were also made between the different chromatograms for each system, and an explanation of the differences in the results is reported.

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

PubMed

Akpinar, Selcuk; Popović, Stevo; Kirazci, Sadettin

2012-12-01

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

Paternity tests in Mexico: Results obtained in 3005 cases.

PubMed

García-Aceves, M E; Romero Rentería, O; Díaz-Navarro, X X; Rangel-Villalobos, H

2018-04-01

National and international reports regarding the paternity testing activity scarcely include information from Mexico and other Latin American countries. Therefore, we report different results from the analysis of 3005 paternity cases analyzed during a period of five years in a Mexican paternity testing laboratory. Motherless tests were the most frequent (77.27%), followed by trio cases (20.70%); the remaining 2.04% included different cases of kinship reconstruction. The paternity exclusion rate was 29.58%, higher but into the range reported by the American Association of Blood Banks (average 24.12%). We detected 65 mutations, most of them involving one-step (93.8% and the remaining were two-step mutations (6.2%) thus, we were able to estimate the paternal mutation rate for 17 different STR loci: 0.0018 (95% CI 0.0005-0.0047). Five triallelic patterns and 12 suspected null alleles were detected during this period; however, re-amplification of these samples with a different Human Identification (HID) kit confirmed the homozygous genotypes, which suggests that most of these exclusions actually are one-step mutations. HID kits with ≥20 STRs detected more exclusions, diminishing the rate of inconclusive results with isolated exclusions (<3 loci), and leading to higher paternity indexes (PI). However, the Powerplex 21 kit (20 STRs) and Powerplex Fusion kit (22 STRs) offered similar PI (p = 0.379) and average number of exclusions (PE) (p = 0.339) when a daughter was involved in motherless tests. In brief, besides to report forensic parameters from paternity tests in Mexico, results describe improvements to solve motherless paternity tests using HID kits with ≥20 STRs instead of one including 15 STRs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Measuring center of pressure signals to quantify human balance using multivariate multiscale entropy by designing a force platform.

PubMed

Huang, Cheng-Wei; Sue, Pei-Der; Abbod, Maysam F; Jiang, Bernard C; Shieh, Jiann-Shing

2013-08-08

To assess the improvement of human body balance, a low cost and portable measuring device of center of pressure (COP), known as center of pressure and complexity monitoring system (CPCMS), has been developed for data logging and analysis. In order to prove that the system can estimate the different magnitude of different sways in comparison with the commercial Advanced Mechanical Technology Incorporation (AMTI) system, four sway tests have been developed (i.e., eyes open, eyes closed, eyes open with water pad, and eyes closed with water pad) to produce different sway displacements. Firstly, static and dynamic tests were conducted to investigate the feasibility of the system. Then, correlation tests of the CPCMS and AMTI systems have been compared with four sway tests. The results are within the acceptable range. Furthermore, multivariate empirical mode decomposition (MEMD) and enhanced multivariate multiscale entropy (MMSE) analysis methods have been used to analyze COP data reported by the CPCMS and compare it with the AMTI system. The improvements of the CPCMS are 35% to 70% (open eyes test) and 60% to 70% (eyes closed test) with and without water pad. The AMTI system has shown an improvement of 40% to 80% (open eyes test) and 65% to 75% (closed eyes test). The results indicate that the CPCMS system can achieve similar results to the commercial product so it can determine the balance.

Measuring Center of Pressure Signals to Quantify Human Balance Using Multivariate Multiscale Entropy by Designing a Force Platform

PubMed Central

Huang, Cheng-Wei; Sue, Pei-Der; Abbod, Maysam F.; Jiang, Bernard C.; Shieh, Jiann-Shing

2013-01-01

To assess the improvement of human body balance, a low cost and portable measuring device of center of pressure (COP), known as center of pressure and complexity monitoring system (CPCMS), has been developed for data logging and analysis. In order to prove that the system can estimate the different magnitude of different sways in comparison with the commercial Advanced Mechanical Technology Incorporation (AMTI) system, four sway tests have been developed (i.e., eyes open, eyes closed, eyes open with water pad, and eyes closed with water pad) to produce different sway displacements. Firstly, static and dynamic tests were conducted to investigate the feasibility of the system. Then, correlation tests of the CPCMS and AMTI systems have been compared with four sway tests. The results are within the acceptable range. Furthermore, multivariate empirical mode decomposition (MEMD) and enhanced multivariate multiscale entropy (MMSE) analysis methods have been used to analyze COP data reported by the CPCMS and compare it with the AMTI system. The improvements of the CPCMS are 35% to 70% (open eyes test) and 60% to 70% (eyes closed test) with and without water pad. The AMTI system has shown an improvement of 40% to 80% (open eyes test) and 65% to 75% (closed eyes test). The results indicate that the CPCMS system can achieve similar results to the commercial product so it can determine the balance. PMID:23966184

Test Anxiety Prevalence and Gender Differences in a Sample of English Secondary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Putwain, Dave; Daly, Anthony L.

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to estimate the proportion of students who report themselves as highly test anxious in a sample of English secondary schools and whether this proportion differed by gender. Self-report test anxiety data were collected from 2435 secondary school students in 11 schools. Results showed that 16.4% of the sample reported…

Test results for SEU and SEL immune memory circuits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wiseman, D.; Canaris, J.; Whitaker, S.; Gambles, J.; Arave, K.; Arave, L.

1993-01-01

Test results for three SEU logic/circuit hardened CMOS memory circuits verify upset and latch-up immunity for two configurations to be in excess of 120 MeV cm(exp 2)/mg using a commercial, non-radiation hardened CMOS process. Test chips from three separate fabrication runs in two different process were evaluated.

Interlaboratory discrepancy of antigenuria results in 2 patients with AIDS and histoplasmosis.

PubMed

McKinsey, David S; McKinsey, Joel P; Northcutt, Noelle; Sarria, Juan C

2009-01-01

Histoplasma polysaccharide antigen testing is used routinely to diagnose histoplasmosis. At least 3 antigen tests are commercially available. Controversy exists about the relative accuracy of these tests. We report 2 patients with AIDS and culture-confirmed Histoplasma capsulatum meningitis from whom discrepant Histoplasma polysaccharide antigen results were obtained from different laboratories and discuss the potential clinical implications of these results.

Consistent Structural Integrity and Efficient Certification with Analysis. Volume 2: Detailed Report on Innovative Research Developed, Applied, and Commercially Available

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-05-01

RESULTS ................................................................................................................49 5.3.1 Phase I Test Data...Ins 3 2.2a Wrinkling failure test article 7 2.2b Test results for a) Set A “0° core”, and b) Set B “90° core” 7 2.2c Test ... results for c) Set E “Isotropic (Foam) Core” 8 2.3 P = T because test data not yet reanalyzed with established CFs 9 2.4 P and T are now different

Performance of the likelihood ratio difference (G2 Diff) test for detecting unidimensionality in applications of the multidimensional Rasch model.

PubMed

Harrell-Williams, Leigh; Wolfe, Edward W

2014-01-01

Previous research has investigated the influence of sample size, model misspecification, test length, ability distribution offset, and generating model on the likelihood ratio difference test in applications of item response models. This study extended that research to the evaluation of dimensionality using the multidimensional random coefficients multinomial logit model (MRCMLM). Logistic regression analysis of simulated data reveal that sample size and test length have a large effect on the capacity of the LR difference test to correctly identify unidimensionality, with shorter tests and smaller sample sizes leading to smaller Type I error rates. Higher levels of simulated misfit resulted in fewer incorrect decisions than data with no or little misfit. However, Type I error rates indicate that the likelihood ratio difference test is not suitable under any of the simulated conditions for evaluating dimensionality in applications of the MRCMLM.

Is the color trails culture free?

PubMed

Fasfous, Ahmed F; Puente, Antonio E; Pérez-Marfil, María Nieves; Cruz-Quintana, Francisco; Peralta-Ramirez, Isabel; Pérez-García, Miguel

2013-11-01

Increasingly clinical neuropsychology has been addressing the effects of culture on neuropsychological functioning. However, that focus has been on comparing performance on standardized tests across two or more groups, often Hispanic. In this study, Arabic children were tested in Morocco using a "culture-free test," Children's Color Trails. Children of different ages and living in rural and urban centers were tested. The results suggest that the Color Trails Test scores from Arab children differed from U.S. norms available. Furthermore, the location of testing and the age of the child were of significance. The role of culture-specific tests was considered.

Chicago's Two Public School Systems: Standardized Test Results Compared by Racial/Ethnic Groups.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, James H.

Throughout the Chicago Public Schools systematic differences exist between the performance of children of different racial and ethnic groups. In most schools where students of more than one group are found, Asians and Whites test at higher levels than Blacks and Hispanics. When income level and school type are controlled, small differences are…

Lot-to-Lot Variability of Test Strips and Accuracy Assessment of Systems for Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose according to ISO 15197

PubMed Central

Baumstark, Annette; Pleus, Stefan; Schmid, Christina; Link, Manuela; Haug, Cornelia; Freckmann, Guido

2012-01-01

Background Accurate and reliable blood glucose (BG) measurements require that different test strip lots of the same BG monitoring system provide comparable measurement results. Only a small number of studies addressing this question have been published. Methods In this study, four test strip lots for each of five different BG systems [Accu-Chek® Aviva (system A), FreeStyle Lite® (system B), GlucoCheck XL (system C), Pura™/mylife™ Pura (system D), and OneTouch® Verio™ Pro (system E)] were evaluated with procedures according to DIN EN ISO 15197:2003. The BG system measurement results were compared with the manufacturer’s measurement procedure (glucose oxidase or hexokinase method). Relative bias according to Bland and Altman and system accuracy according to ISO 15197 were analyzed. A BG system consists of the BG meter itself and the test strips. Results The maximum lot-to-lot difference between any two of the four evaluated test strip lots per BG system was 1.0% for system E, 2.1% for system A, 3.1% for system C, 6.9% for system B, and 13.0% for system D. Only two systems (systems A and B) fulfill the criteria of DIN EN ISO 15197:2003 with each test strip lot. Conclusions Considerable lot-to-lot variability between test strip lots of the same BG system was found. These variations add to other sources of inaccuracy with the specific BG system. Manufacturers should regularly and effectively check the accuracy of their BG meters and test strips even between different test strip lots to minimize risk of false treatment decisions. PMID:23063033

Criteria for structural test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

The results of a study to define criteria and techniques of design, analysis and test which permit the use of a single major structural test article for performing dynamic, fatigue, and static testing are presented. The criteria developed is applicable to both space vehicles and aircraft structures operating in the subsonic or supersonic regime. The feasibility of such an approach was demonstrated by defining test interactions, compatibilities and incompatibilities between the three different types of tests. The results of the study indicate that the single test article concept is feasible with a testing sequence of dynamic test followed by a fatigue and static test.

Relationship between resist outgassing and EUV witness sample contamination in NXE outgas qualification using electrons and EUV photons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pollentier, I.; Tirumala Venkata, A.; Gronheid, R.

2014-04-01

EUV photoresists are considered as a potential source of optics contamination, since they introduce irradiation-induced outgassing in the EUV vacuum environment. Therefore, before these resists can be used on e.g. ASML NXE:3100 or NXE:3300, they need to be tested in dedicated equipment according to a well-defined procedure, which is based on exposing a witness sample (WS) in the vicinity of a simultaneously exposed resist as it outgasses. Different system infrastructures are used at multiple sites (e.g. NIST, CNSE, Sematech, EIDEC, and imec) and were calibrated to each other by a detailed test plan. Despite this detailed tool qualifications, a first round robin comparison of identical materials showed inconsistent outgas test results, and required further investigation by a second round robin. Since the resist exposure mode is different at the various locations (some sites are using EUV photons while others use E-gun electrons), this difference has always a point of concern for variability of test results. In this work we compare the outgas test results from EUV photon and electron exposure using the resist materials of the second round robin. Since the imec outgas tester allows both exposure methods on the resist, a within-system comparison is possible and showed limited variation between photon and electron exposure mode. Therefore the system-to-system variability amongst the different outgas test sites is expected to be related to other parameters than the electron/photon exposure mode. Initial work showed that the variability might be related to temperature, E-gun emission excursion, and/or residual outgassing scaled by different wafer areas at the different sites.

Humidity Testing of PME and BME Ceramic Capacitors with Cracks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Teverovsky, Alexander A.; Herzberger, Jaemi

2014-01-01

Cracks in ceramic capacitors are one of the major causes of failures during operation of electronic systems. Humidity testing has been successfully used for many years to verify the absence of cracks and assure quality of military grade capacitors. Traditionally, only precious metal electrode (PME) capacitors were used in high reliability applications and the existing requirements for humidity testing were developed for this type of parts. With the advance of base metal electrode (BME) capacitors, there is a need for assessment of the applicability of the existing techniques for the new technology capacitors. In this work, variety of different PME and BME capacitors with introduced cracks were tested in humid environments at different voltages and temperatures. Analysis of the test results indicates differences in the behavior and failure mechanisms for BME and PME capacitors and the need for different testing conditions.

Dielectric Breakdown Strength of Thermally Sprayed Ceramic Coatings: Effects of Different Test Arrangements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niittymäki, Minna; Lahti, Kari; Suhonen, Tomi; Metsäjoki, Jarkko

2015-02-01

Dielectric properties (e.g., DC resistivity and dielectric breakdown strength) of insulating thermally sprayed ceramic coatings differ depending on the form of electrical stress, ambient conditions, and aging of the coating, however, the test arrangements may also have a remarkable effect on the properties. In this paper, the breakdown strength of high velocity oxygen fuel-sprayed alumina coating was studied using six different test arrangements at room conditions in order to study the effects of different test and electrode arrangements on the breakdown behavior. In general, it was shown that test arrangements have a considerable influence on the results. Based on the results, the recommended testing method is to use embedded electrodes between the voltage electrode and the coating at least in DC tests to ensure a good contact with the surface. With and without embedded electrodes, the DBS was 31.7 and 41.8 V/µm, respectively. Under AC excitation, a rather good contact with the sample surface is, anyhow, in most cases acquired by a rather high partial discharge activity and no embedded electrodes are necessarily needed (DBS 29.2 V/µm). However, immersion of the sample in oil should strongly be avoided because the oil penetrates quickly into the coating affecting the DBS (81.2 V/µm).

Significant lexical relationships

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

Pedersen, T.; Kayaalp, M.; Bruce, R.

Statistical NLP inevitably deals with a large number of rare events. As a consequence, NLP data often violates the assumptions implicit in traditional statistical procedures such as significance testing. We describe a significance test, an exact conditional test, that is appropriate for NLP data and can be performed using freely available software. We apply this test to the study of lexical relationships and demonstrate that the results obtained using this test are both theoretically more reliable and different from the results obtained using previously applied tests.

Evaluation of a Hungarian acaricide original molecule based on its environmental toxicological studies.

PubMed

Szamosi, D; Oláh, B; Hirka, G; Pap, L; Gáty, S

2000-07-01

The results of the environmental toxicological investigations and their results of a new hungarian acaricide molecule (SZI-121) developed by the CHINOIN were summarized. The toxicological effects of the test item on different ecotoxicological test systems were investigated in the following tests: Bacterium, alga, and plant growth inhibition tests, acute immobilization and 21 days reproduction tests on Daphnia magna, acute fish test, closed bottle test, mobility, aerob degradation and adsorption/desorption tests on three different soils. No toxic effect was found in the bacterium, alga, plant growth inhibition and acute fish tests in the highest concentrations used. In the Daphnia immobilization test 0.14 mg/l LC50 value was established in the concentration range of 0.0128-40 mg/l applied. The test item showed similar characteristics as the reference item during the mobility test in soils, the adsorption/desorption study and the degradation investigations. In order to determine the environmental degradation rate further degradation investigations, as well as the nitrogen mineralization test and the model of concentration change in natural waters were performed.

Effect of Accreditation on Accuracy of Diagnostic Tests in Medical Laboratories

PubMed Central

Jang, Mi-Ae; Yoon, Young Ahn; Song, Junghan; Kim, Jeong-Ho; Min, Won-Ki; Lee, Ji Sung

2017-01-01

Background Medical laboratories play a central role in health care. Many laboratories are taking a more focused and stringent approach to quality system management. In Korea, laboratory standardization efforts undertaken by the Korean Laboratory Accreditation Program (KLAP) and the Korean External Quality Assessment Scheme (KEQAS) may have facilitated an improvement in laboratory performance, but there are no fundamental studies demonstrating that laboratory standardization is effective. We analyzed the results of the KEQAS to identify significant differences between laboratories with or without KLAP and to determine the impact of laboratory standardization on the accuracy of diagnostic tests. Methods We analyzed KEQAS participant data on clinical chemistry tests such as albumin, ALT, AST, and glucose from 2010 to 2013. As a statistical parameter to assess performance bias between laboratories, we compared 4-yr variance index score (VIS) between the two groups with or without KLAP. Results Compared with the group without KLAP, the group with KLAP exhibited significantly lower geometric means of 4-yr VIS for all clinical chemistry tests (P<0.0001); this difference justified a high level of confidence in standardized services provided by accredited laboratories. Confidence intervals for the mean of each test in the two groups (accredited and non-accredited) did not overlap, suggesting that the means of the groups are significantly different. Conclusions These results confirmed that practice standardization is strongly associated with the accuracy of test results. Our study emphasizes the necessity of establishing a system for standardization of diagnostic testing. PMID:28224767

Sensitivity, specificity and comparison of three commercially available immunological tests in the diagnosis of Cryptosporidium species in animals.

PubMed

Danišová, Olga; Halánová, Monika; Valenčáková, Alexandra; Luptáková, Lenka

The study was conducted to compare the specificity of immunological diagnostic methods used for the diagnosis of Cryptosporidium species capable of causing life-threatening infection in both immunosuppressed and immunocompetent patients. For the detection of Cryptosporidium species in 79 animals with diarrhoea, we used three Copro-antigen tests: RIDASCREEN ® Cryptosporidium test, Cryptosporidium 2nd Generation (ELISA) and RIDA ® QUICK Cryptosporidium. For immunoassays we used positive and negative samples detected by means of polymerase chain reaction and validated by sequencing and nested polymerase chain reaction to confirm the presence six different species of Cryptosporidium species. Prevalence of cryptosporidiosis in the entire group determined by enzyme immunoassay, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, immuno-chromatographic test and polymerase chain reaction was 34.17%, 27.84%, 6.33% and 27.84%, respectively. Sensitivity of animal samples with enzyme immunoassay, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, and immuno-chromatographic test was 63.6%, 40.9% and 22.7%, resp., when questionable samples were considered positive, whereas specificity of enzyme immunoassay, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and immuno-chromatographic test was 75.9%, 78.9% and 100%, respectively. Positive predictive values and negative predictive values were different for all the tests. These differences results are controversial and therefore reliability and reproducibility of immunoassays as the only diagnostic method is questionable. The use of various Cryptosporidium species in diagnosis based on immunological testing and different results obtained by individual tests indicate potential differences in Copro-antigens produced by individual Cryptosporidium species. Copyright © 2017 Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

The effect of hydroxyzine on treating bruxism of 2- to 14-year-old children admitted to the clinic of Bandar Abbas Children Hospital in 2013-2014.

PubMed

Rahmati, M; Moayedi, A; Zakery Shahvari, S; Golmirzaei, J; Zahirinea, M; Abbasi, B

2015-01-01

Introduction. Bruxism is to press or grind teeth against each other in non-physiologic cases, when an individual does not swallow or chew. If not treated, teeth problems, stress, mental disorders, frequent night waking, and headache is expected. This research aimed to study the effect of hydroxyzine on treating bruxism of 2- to 14-year-old children admitted to the clinic of Bandar Abbas Children Hospital. Methodology. In this clinical trial, 143 children with the ages between 4-12 years were admitted to the Children Hospital and were divided randomly into test and control groups. The test group consisted of 88 hydroxyzine-treated children and the control group consisted of 55 children who used hot towels. Both groups were examined in some stages including the pre-test stages or the stage before starting treatments at two, four, and six weeks and four months after stopping the treatment. The effects of each treatment on reducing bruxism symptoms were assessed by a questionnaire. The data were analyzed by using SPSS in descriptive statistics, t-test, and ANOVA. Results. As far as bruxism severity was concerned, the results showed a significant difference between the test group members who received hydroxyzine and the control group members who received no medication. T-test results showed a statistically significant difference between the test and the control groups in the second post-test (four weeks later) (p. value ≤ 0.05). Mean of the scores of bruxism severity in the test group has changed significantly in the post-test (at two weeks, four weeks, and six weeks later) as compared to the pre-test. Whereas, as far as the response to the treatment, no significant difference was recorded between the control group and the test group 4 weeks after the treatment. Discussion. The results showed that prescribing hydroxyzine for 4 weeks had a considerable effect in diminishing bruxism severity between the test groups.

Culture, perception, and artistic visualization: a comparative study of children's drawings in three Siberian cultural groups.

PubMed

Istomin, Kirill V; Panáková, Jaroslava; Heady, Patrick

2014-01-01

In a study of three indigenous and non-indigenous cultural groups in northwestern and northeastern Siberia, framed line tests and a landscape drawing task were used to examine the hypotheses that test-based assessments of context sensitivity and independence are correlated with the amount of contextual information contained in drawings, and with the order in which the focal and background objects are drawn. The results supported these hypotheses, and inspection of the regression relationships suggested that the intergroup variations in test performance were likely to result from differences in the attention accorded to contextual information, as revealed by the drawings. Social and environmental explanations for the group differences in context sensitivity are also discussed. The conclusions support the argument that cultural differences in artistic styles and perceptual tests reflect the same underlying perceptual tendencies, and they are consistent with the argument that these tendencies reflect corresponding differences in patterns of social and environmental interaction. Copyright © 2013 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

A comparison of two central difference schemes for solving the Navier-Stokes equations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maksymiuk, C. M.; Swanson, R. C.; Pulliam, T. H.

1990-01-01

Five viscous transonic airfoil cases were computed by two significantly different computational fluid dynamics codes: An explicit finite-volume algorithm with multigrid, and an implicit finite-difference approximate-factorization method with Eigenvector diagonalization. Both methods are described in detail, and their performance on the test cases is compared. The codes utilized the same grids, turbulence model, and computer to provide the truest test of the algorithms. The two approaches produce very similar results, which, for attached flows, also agree well with experimental results; however, the explicit code is considerably faster.

Developing a magnetism conceptual survey and assessing gender differences in student understanding of magnetism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jing; Singh, Chandralekha

2012-02-01

We discuss the development of a research-based conceptual multiple-choice survey of magnetism. We also discuss the use of the survey to investigate gender differences in students' difficulties with concepts related to magnetism. We find that while there was no gender difference on the pre-test. However, female students performed significantly worse than male students when the survey was given as a post-test in traditionally taught calculus-based introductory physics courses with similar results in both the regular and honors versions of the course. In the algebra-based courses, the performance of female and male students has no statistical difference on the pre-test or the post-test.

Correlation between bithermal caloric test results and vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) in normal subjects.

PubMed

Andrade, Isabel Vaamonde Sanchez; Santos-Perez, Sofia; Diz, Pilar Gayoso; Caballero, Torcuato Labella; Soto-Varela, Andrés

2013-05-01

Bithermal caloric testing and vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) are both diagnostic tools for the study of the vestibular system. The first tests the horizontal semicircular canal and the second evaluates the saccule and lower vestibular nerve. The results of these two tests can therefore be expected to be correlated. The aim of this study was to compare bithermal caloric test results with VEMP records in normal subjects to verify whether they are correlated. A prospective study was conducted in 60 healthy subjects (30 men and 30 women) who underwent otoscopy, pure tone audiometry, bithermal caloric testing and VEMPs. From the caloric test, we assessed the presence of possible vestibular hypofunction, whether there was directional preponderance and reflectivity of each ear (all based on both slow phase velocity and nystagmus frequency). The analysed VEMPs variables were: p1 and n1 latency, corrected amplitude, interaural p1 latency difference and p1 interaural amplitude asymmetry. We compared the reflectivity, hypofunction and directional preponderance of the caloric tests with the corrected amplitudes and amplitude asymmetries of the VEMPs. No correlations were found in the different comparisons between bithermal caloric testing results and VEMPs except for a weak correlation (p = 0.039) when comparing preponderance based on the number of nystagmus in the caloric test and amplitude asymmetry with 99 dB tone burst in the VEMPs test. The results indicate that the two diagnostic tests are not comparable, so one of them cannot replace the other, but the use of both increases diagnostic success in some conditions.

Attitudes Toward Breast Cancer Genetic Testing in Five Special Population Groups

PubMed Central

Ramirez, Amelie G.; Chalela, Patricia; Gallion, Kipling J.; Muñoz, Edgar; Holden, Alan E.; Burhansstipanov, Linda; Smith, Selina A.; Wong-Kim, Evaon; Wyatt, Stephen W.; Suarez, Lucina

2016-01-01

Purpose This study examined interest in and attitudes toward genetic testing in 5 different population groups. Methods The survey included African American, Asian American, Latina, Native American, and Appalachian women with varying familial histories of breast cancer. A total of 49 women were interviewed in person. Descriptive and nonparametric statistical techniques were used to assess ethnic group differences. Results Overall, interest in testing was high. All groups endorsed more benefits than risks. There were group differences regarding endorsement of specific benefits and risks: testing to “follow doctor recommendations” (p=0.017), “concern for effects on family” (p=0.044), “distrust of modern medicine” (p=0.036), “cost” (p=0.025), and “concerns about communication of results to others” (p=0.032). There was a significant inverse relationship between interest and genetic testing cost (p<0.050), with the exception of Latinas, who showed the highest level of interest regardless of increasing cost. Conclusion Cost may be an important barrier to obtaining genetic testing services, and participants would benefit by genetic counseling that incorporates the unique cultural values and beliefs of each group to create an individualized, culturally competent program. Further research about attitudes toward genetic testing is needed among Asian Americans, Native Americans, and Appalachians for whom data are severely lacking. Future study of the different Latina perceptions toward genetic testing are encouraged. PMID:26855846

Dynamic testing in schizophrenia: does training change the construct validity of a test?

PubMed

Wiedl, Karl H; Schöttke, Henning; Green, Michael F; Nuechterlein, Keith H

2004-01-01

Dynamic testing typically involves specific interventions for a test to assess the extent to which test performance can be modified, beyond level of baseline (static) performance. This study used a dynamic version of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) that is based on cognitive remediation techniques within a test-training-test procedure. From results of previous studies with schizophrenia patients, we concluded that the dynamic and static versions of the WCST should have different construct validity. This hypothesis was tested by examining the patterns of correlations with measures of executive functioning, secondary verbal memory, and verbal intelligence. Results demonstrated a specific construct validity of WCST dynamic (i.e., posttest) scores as an index of problem solving (Tower of Hanoi) and secondary verbal memory and learning (Auditory Verbal Learning Test), whereas the impact of general verbal capacity and selective attention (Verbal IQ, Stroop Test) was reduced. It is concluded that the construct validity of the test changes with dynamic administration and that this difference helps to explain why the dynamic version of the WCST predicts functional outcome better than the static version.

Therapeutic effects of an alpha-casozepine and L-tryptophan supplemented diet on fear and anxiety in the cat.

PubMed

Landsberg, Gary; Milgram, Bill; Mougeot, Isabelle; Kelly, Stephanie; de Rivera, Christina

2017-06-01

Objectives This study assessed the anxiolytic effectiveness of a test diet (Royal Canin Feline Calm diet) supplemented with L-tryptophan and alpha-casozepine. Methods Subjects were 24 cats that were classified as mildly or markedly fearful based on the presence of a person in their home room. Three different protocols were used to assess anxiety: (1) evaluation of the response to a human in the cat's home room (home room test); (2) analysis of the response to placement in an empty test room (open-field test); and (3) analysis of the response to an unfamiliar human (human interaction test). All three protocols were first run at baseline, and the results were used to assign the animals to control and test diet groups that showed equivalent fear and anxiety. Both groups were retested on the three protocols after 2 weeks (test 1) and again after 4 weeks (test 2). Results The diet groups differed for two behavioral measures in the open-field test: inactivity duration and inactivity frequency. The control group showed statistically significant increases in inactivity duration between baseline and test 1 and baseline and test 2, while the group fed the test diet showed a marginally not significant decrease in inactivity duration between baseline and test 1 and a not significant decrease for test 2. There was also a significant increase in inactivity frequency between baseline and test 1 in the test diet group and marginally not significant decrease in the control group. There were no differences between groups in the approach of the cats toward people for the home room test and the human interaction test. Conclusions and relevance These results suggest that the test diet reduced the anxiety response to placement in an unfamiliar location, but that fear in the presence of an unfamiliar person was not counteracted by the diet.

A meta-analysis of in vitro antibiotic synergy against Acinetobacter baumannii.

PubMed

March, Gabriel A; Bratos, Miguel A

2015-12-01

The aim of the work was to describe the different in vitro models for testing synergism of antibiotics and gather the results of antibiotic synergy against multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MDR-Ab). The different original articles were obtained from different web sites. In order to compare the results obtained by the different methods for synergy testing, the Pearson chi-square and the Fischer tests were used. Moreover, non-parametric chi-square test was used in order to compare the frequency distribution in each analysed manuscript. In the current meta-analysis 24 manuscripts, which encompassed 2016 tests of in vitro synergism of different antimicrobials against MDR-Ab, were revised. Checkerboard synergy testing was used in 11 studies, which encompasses 1086 tests (53.9%); time-kill assays were applied in 12 studies, which encompass 359 tests (17.8%); gradient diffusion methods were used in seven studies, encompassing 293 tests (14.5%). And, finally, time-kill plus checkerboard were applied in two studies, encompassing 278 tests (13.8%). By comparing these data, checkerboard and time-kill methods were significantly more used than gradient diffusion methods (p<0.005). Regarding synergy rates obtained on the basis of the applied method, checkerboard provided 227 tests (20.9%) with a synergistic effect; time-kill assays yielded 222 tests (61.8%) with a synergistic effect; gradient diffusion methods only provided 29 tests (9.9%) with a synergistic effect; and, finally, time-kill plus checkerboard yielded just 15 tests (5.4%) with a synergistic effect. When comparing these percentages, synergy rates reported by time-kill methods were significantly higher than that obtained by checkerboard and gradient diffusion methods (p<0.005). On the basis of the revised data, the combinations of a bactericidal antibiotic plus Tigecycline, Vancomycin or Teicoplanin are not recommended. The best combinations of antibiotics are those which include bactericidal antibiotics such as Carbapenems, Fosfomycin, Amikacin, Polymyxins, Rifampicin and Ampicillin/Sulbactam. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Blockage Testing in the NASA Glenn 225 Square Centimeter Supersonic Wind Tunnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sevier, Abigail; Davis, David; Schoenenberger, Mark

2017-01-01

A feasibility study is in progress at NASA Glenn Research Center to implement a magnetic suspension and balance system in the 225 sq cm Supersonic Wind Tunnel for the purpose of testing the dynamic stability of blunt bodies. An important area of investigation in this study was determining the optimum size of the model and the iron spherical core inside of it. In order to minimize the required magnetic field and thus the size of the magnetic suspension system, it was determined that the test model should be as large as possible. Blockage tests were conducted to determine the largest possible model that would allow for tunnel start at Mach 2, 2.5, and 3. Three different forebody model geometries were tested at different Mach numbers, axial locations in the tunnel, and in both a square and axisymmetric test section. Experimental results showed that different model geometries produced more varied results at higher Mach Numbers. It was also shown that testing closer to the nozzle allowed larger models to start compared with testing near the end of the test section. Finally, allowable model blockage was larger in the axisymmetric test section compared with the square test section at the same Mach number. This testing answered key questions posed by the feasibility study and will be used in the future to dictate model size and performance required from the magnetic suspension system.

Development and Preliminary Evaluation of a Spray Deposition Sensing System for Improving Pesticide Application.

PubMed

Kesterson, Melissa A; Luck, Joe D; Sama, Michael P

2015-12-17

An electronic, resistance-based sensor array and data acquisition system was developed to measure spray deposition from hydraulic nozzles. The sensor surface consisted of several parallel tin plated copper traces of varying widths with varying gap widths. The system contained an embedded microprocessor to monitor output voltage corresponding to spray deposition every second. In addition, a wireless module was used to transmit the voltage values to a remote laptop. Tests were conducted in two stages to evaluate the performance of the sensor array in an attempt to quantify the spray deposition. Initial tests utilized manual droplet placement on the sensor surface to determine the effects of temperature and droplet size on voltage output. Secondary testing utilized a spray chamber to pass nozzles at different speeds above the sensor surface to determine if output varied based on different application rates or spray droplet classification. Results from this preliminary analysis indicated that manual droplets of 5 and 10 μL resulted in significantly different values from the sensors while temperature did not consistently affect output. Spray chamber test results indicated that different application rates and droplet sizes could be determined using the sensor array.

Development and Preliminary Evaluation of a Spray Deposition Sensing System for Improving Pesticide Application

PubMed Central

Kesterson, Melissa A.; Luck, Joe D.; Sama, Michael P.

2015-01-01

An electronic, resistance-based sensor array and data acquisition system was developed to measure spray deposition from hydraulic nozzles. The sensor surface consisted of several parallel tin plated copper traces of varying widths with varying gap widths. The system contained an embedded microprocessor to monitor output voltage corresponding to spray deposition every second. In addition, a wireless module was used to transmit the voltage values to a remote laptop. Tests were conducted in two stages to evaluate the performance of the sensor array in an attempt to quantify the spray deposition. Initial tests utilized manual droplet placement on the sensor surface to determine the effects of temperature and droplet size on voltage output. Secondary testing utilized a spray chamber to pass nozzles at different speeds above the sensor surface to determine if output varied based on different application rates or spray droplet classification. Results from this preliminary analysis indicated that manual droplets of 5 and 10 μL resulted in significantly different values from the sensors while temperature did not consistently affect output. Spray chamber test results indicated that different application rates and droplet sizes could be determined using the sensor array. PMID:26694417

European Proficiency testing of national reference laboratories for the confirmation of sulfonamide residues in muscle and milk.

PubMed

Juhel-Gaugain, Murielle; Fourmond, Marie-Pierre; Delepine, Bernard; Laurentie, Michel; Brigitte, Roudaut; Sanders, Pascal

2005-03-01

Two interlaboratory studies were organized in 2002-2003 in order to check the proficiency of laboratories in confirming the presence of sulfonamide residues in muscle and milk. These studies involved 25 EU National Reference Laboratories (NRLs) from 21 different European Countries in charge of statutory monitoring of antimicrobial residues in food of animal origin at a national level. The study was conducted according to international and national guidelines by the Community Reference Laboratory (CRL) in charge of antimicrobial substances. Four different test matrices of sheep muscle and four different test matrices of bovine milk containing different sulfonamide substances were prepared and sent to the participants. Each participant was asked to use his own routine confirmatory method and to analyse each sample in triplicate within a period of about six weeks during which the stability of the materials was checked by the organizer. The sulfonamide content of each material was determined by calculating the robust means of all the results and the deviation of the results from the assigned values was assessed by calculating Z-scores. Overall, results were satisfactory, particularly considering that it was the first proficiency test dealing with sulfonamides organised by the Community Reference Laboratory.

A comparison of finite element and test results on the vibration and damping characteristics of laminated cylinders

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

Roberts, J.C.; Schaefer, E.D.

1994-12-31

Numerical and experimental tests were performed on three thin-wall carbon fabric/epoxy cylinders with end flanges, and their vibration characteristics were compared. Two different laminates with [(0{degree})]{sub s}-2 ply and [(0{degree})]{sub 3}-3 ply configurations were used. All cylinders were fabricated using four gore sections per ply. One of the two 3-ply configurations was fabricated with the gore sections butted together, and the other with the sections overlapped approximately 6 mm. There was very little difference in the natural frequencies from tests with butted or overlapped ply joints. However, there was a 1--20% difference in natural frequencies between the finite element analysismore » (FEA) and test results for the 3-ply cylinders over the frequency range 88 to 577 Hz. The 2-ply configuration had overlapped ply joints and a 0.50 mm thick PTFE/copper substrate adhesively bonded to the outside. In this configuration there was approximately a 7% difference in natural frequencies between the FEA and test results. The effect of the added mass of the substrate in the test samples had a greater influence on the modal analysis than the assumption of a continuum at the overlapped ply joints. The mode shapes for each of the cylinders were comparable for all configurations tested. Damping increased by 12--38% over most of the frequency range for the 3-ply overlapped compared to the butted ply joint configuration. Damping in the 2-ply overlapped ply joint cylinder with PTFE/copper substrate showed a 48-93% (depending on frequency) increase over that of the 3-ply overlapped ply joint cylinder. An increase in damping for both 3-ply configurations and the 2-ply configuration was attributed to increased matrix shearing as a result of changes in mode shape, increased warping, and the resultant increase in internal strain.« less

Women Are More Likely than Men to Use Tentative Language, Aren't They? A Meta-Analysis Testing for Gender Differences and Moderators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leaper, Campbell; Robnett, Rachael D.

2011-01-01

Robin Lakoff proposed that women are more likely than men to use tentative speech forms (e.g., hedges, qualifiers/disclaimers, tag questions, intensifiers). Based on conflicting results from research testing Lakoff's claims, a meta-analysis of studies testing gender differences in tentative language was conducted. The sample included 29 studies…

40 CFR 91.118 - Certification procedure-testing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... difference between the old FEL and the new FEL; and that the new FEL applies to all engines covered by the... (CONTINUED) CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM MARINE SPARK-IGNITION ENGINES Emission Standards and Certification... test engine using the specified test procedures and appropriate test cycle. All test results must be...

40 CFR 91.118 - Certification procedure-testing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... difference between the old FEL and the new FEL; and that the new FEL applies to all engines covered by the... (CONTINUED) CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM MARINE SPARK-IGNITION ENGINES Emission Standards and Certification... test engine using the specified test procedures and appropriate test cycle. All test results must be...

40 CFR 91.118 - Certification procedure-testing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... difference between the old FEL and the new FEL; and that the new FEL applies to all engines covered by the... (CONTINUED) CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM MARINE SPARK-IGNITION ENGINES Emission Standards and Certification... test engine using the specified test procedures and appropriate test cycle. All test results must be...

40 CFR 91.118 - Certification procedure-testing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... difference between the old FEL and the new FEL; and that the new FEL applies to all engines covered by the... (CONTINUED) CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM MARINE SPARK-IGNITION ENGINES Emission Standards and Certification... test engine using the specified test procedures and appropriate test cycle. All test results must be...

40 CFR 91.118 - Certification procedure-testing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... difference between the old FEL and the new FEL; and that the new FEL applies to all engines covered by the... (CONTINUED) CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM MARINE SPARK-IGNITION ENGINES Emission Standards and Certification... test engine using the specified test procedures and appropriate test cycle. All test results must be...

Competitive testing of health behavior theories: how do benefits, barriers, subjective norm, and intention influence mammography behavior?

PubMed Central

Murphy, Caitlin C.; Vernon, Sally W.; Diamond, Pamela M.; Tiro, Jasmin A.

2013-01-01

Background Competitive hypothesis testing may explain differences in predictive power across multiple health behavior theories. Purpose We tested competing hypotheses of the Health Belief Model (HBM) and Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) to quantify pathways linking subjective norm, benefits, barriers, intention, and mammography behavior. Methods We analyzed longitudinal surveys of women veterans randomized to the control group of a mammography intervention trial (n=704). We compared direct, partial mediation, and full mediation models with Satorra-Bentler χ2 difference testing. Results Barriers had a direct and indirect negative effect on mammography behavior; intention only partially mediated barriers. Benefits had little to no effect on behavior and intention; however, it was negatively correlated with barriers. Subjective norm directly affected behavior and indirectly affected intention through barriers. Conclusions Our results provide empiric support for different assertions of HBM and TRA. Future interventions should test whether building subjective norm and reducing negative attitudes increases regular mammography. PMID:23868613

Individual differences in infant fearfulness and cognitive performance: a testing, performance, or competence effect?

PubMed

Rieser-Danner, Loretta A

2003-02-01

The author conducted 2 studies to examine the relations between infant fear and cognitive testing performance in 12-month-old infants. In Study 1, fear was assessed by using 2 standard temperament questionnaires and a laboratory-based, standardized stranger approach. Individual differences in cognitive development were assessed using the Object Permanence Scale of the Infant Psychological Development Scales (I. C. Uzgiris & J. M. Hunt, 1975). All 3 assessments of fear significantly predicted object permanence performance, with correlations ranging from -.32 to -.35. In Study 2, fear was assessed via a maternal report questionnaire, and habituation performance was assessed via a basic-level categorization task. Familiarity with the examiner and with the testing environment was manipulated to test for a familiarity influence on performance. Testing revealed individual differences in both fear and habituation. Results suggest that highly fearful infants required more trials to habituate and were less likely to meet the habituation criterion than infants who were less fearful. Methodological and conceptual implications of these results are discussed.

Dilution testing using rapid diagnostic tests in a HIV diagnostic algorithm: a novel alternative for confirmation testing in resource limited settings.

PubMed

Shanks, Leslie; Siddiqui, M Ruby; Abebe, Almaz; Piriou, Erwan; Pearce, Neil; Ariti, Cono; Masiga, Johnson; Muluneh, Libsework; Wazome, Joseph; Ritmeijer, Koert; Klarkowski, Derryck

2015-05-14

Current WHO testing guidelines for resource limited settings diagnose HIV on the basis of screening tests without a confirmation test due to cost constraints. This leads to a potential risk of false positive HIV diagnosis. In this paper, we evaluate the dilution test, a novel method for confirmation testing, which is simple, rapid, and low cost. The principle of the dilution test is to alter the sensitivity of a rapid diagnostic test (RDT) by dilution of the sample, in order to screen out the cross reacting antibodies responsible for falsely positive RDT results. Participants were recruited from two testing centres in Ethiopia where a tiebreaker algorithm using 3 different RDTs in series is used to diagnose HIV. All samples positive on the initial screening RDT and every 10th negative sample underwent testing with the gold standard and dilution test. Dilution testing was performed using Determine™ rapid diagnostic test at 6 different dilutions. Results were compared to the gold standard of Western Blot; where Western Blot was indeterminate, PCR testing determined the final result. 2895 samples were recruited to the study. 247 were positive for a prevalence of 8.5 % (247/2895). A total of 495 samples underwent dilution testing. The RDT diagnostic algorithm misclassified 18 samples as positive. Dilution at the level of 1/160 was able to correctly identify all these 18 false positives, but at a cost of a single false negative result (sensitivity 99.6 %, 95 % CI 97.8-100; specificity 100 %, 95 % CI: 98.5-100). Concordance between the gold standard and the 1/160 dilution strength was 99.8 %. This study provides proof of concept for a new, low cost method of confirming HIV diagnosis in resource-limited settings. It has potential for use as a supplementary test in a confirmatory algorithm, whereby double positive RDT results undergo dilution testing, with positive results confirming HIV infection. Negative results require nucleic acid testing to rule out false negative results due to seroconversion or misclassification by the lower sensitivity dilution test. Further research is needed to determine if these results can be replicated in other settings. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01716299 .

Is Follow-Up Testing with the FilmArray Gastrointestinal Multiplex PCR Panel Necessary?

PubMed Central

Park, Sholhui; Hitchcock, Matthew M.; Gomez, Carlos A.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT The FilmArray gastrointestinal (GI) panel (BioFire Diagnostics, Salt Lake City, UT) is a simple, sample-to-answer, on-demand, multiplex, nucleic acid amplification test for syndromic diagnosis of infectious gastroenteritis. The aim of this study was to measure the yield of follow-up testing with FilmArray GI panel within 4 weeks of an initial test. Consecutive adult and pediatric patients tested at an academic institution between August 2015 and June 2016 were included in this study. Of 145 follow-up tests in 106 unique patients with an initial negative result, 134 (92.4%) tests and 98 (92.5%) patients remained negative upon follow-up testing. Excluding targets that are not reported at this institution (Clostridium difficile, enteroaggregative Escherichia coli, enteropathogenic E. coli, and enterotoxigenic E. coli), 137 (94.5%) follow-up tests and 101 (95.3%) patients remained negative. Weekly conversion rates were not significantly different across the 4-week follow-up interval. No epidemiological or clinical factors were significantly associated with a negative to positive conversion. Of 80 follow-up tests in patients with an initial positive result, 43 (53.8%) remained positive for the same target, 34 (42.5%) were negative, and 3 were positive for a different target (3.8%). Follow-up testing with FilmArray GI panel within 4 weeks of a negative result rarely changed the initial result, and the follow-up test reverted to negative less than half the time after an initial positive result. In the absence of clinical or epidemiological evidence for a new infection, follow-up testing should be limited and FilmArray GI panel should not be used as a test of cure. PMID:28122874

Drug Testing: A National Controversy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stone, Karen; Thompson, Judith R.

1989-01-01

Addresses some of the controversies and illustrates the historical background of drug testing and what the different drug tests are. Also outlines some national statistics and opinions on drug testing and the results of a survey taken of a Louisiana population dealing with this issue. (NB)

Statistical inference methods for sparse biological time series data.

PubMed

Ndukum, Juliet; Fonseca, Luís L; Santos, Helena; Voit, Eberhard O; Datta, Susmita

2011-04-25

Comparing metabolic profiles under different biological perturbations has become a powerful approach to investigating the functioning of cells. The profiles can be taken as single snapshots of a system, but more information is gained if they are measured longitudinally over time. The results are short time series consisting of relatively sparse data that cannot be analyzed effectively with standard time series techniques, such as autocorrelation and frequency domain methods. In this work, we study longitudinal time series profiles of glucose consumption in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae under different temperatures and preconditioning regimens, which we obtained with methods of in vivo nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. For the statistical analysis we first fit several nonlinear mixed effect regression models to the longitudinal profiles and then used an ANOVA likelihood ratio method in order to test for significant differences between the profiles. The proposed methods are capable of distinguishing metabolic time trends resulting from different treatments and associate significance levels to these differences. Among several nonlinear mixed-effects regression models tested, a three-parameter logistic function represents the data with highest accuracy. ANOVA and likelihood ratio tests suggest that there are significant differences between the glucose consumption rate profiles for cells that had been--or had not been--preconditioned by heat during growth. Furthermore, pair-wise t-tests reveal significant differences in the longitudinal profiles for glucose consumption rates between optimal conditions and heat stress, optimal and recovery conditions, and heat stress and recovery conditions (p-values <0.0001). We have developed a nonlinear mixed effects model that is appropriate for the analysis of sparse metabolic and physiological time profiles. The model permits sound statistical inference procedures, based on ANOVA likelihood ratio tests, for testing the significance of differences between short time course data under different biological perturbations.

A Study to Determine if a Difference Exists Among the Cumulative Incidence of Acute Respiratory Disease Hospital Admissions of Three Groups of Army Basic Trainees as Defined by the Design of Barracks in Which They Are Housed

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-08-01

number) Using chi-square tests of homogeneity, a selected sample of Army Basic Trainees at Ft. Jackso was studied to determine if there was a...Period of training for sample soldiers was January to May 1985. Results of testing for the female trainees indicated no significant difference in incidence...of ARD among three barracks groups. Results of testing for male trainees indicated statistically significant dif -erences of ARD among each of three

Stereotype threat and group differences in test performance: a question of measurement invariance.

PubMed

Wicherts, Jelte M; Dolan, Conor V; Hessen, David J

2005-11-01

Studies into the effects of stereotype threat (ST) on test performance have shed new light on race and sex differences in achievement and intelligence test scores. In this article, the authors relate ST theory to the psychometric concept of measurement invariance and show that ST effects may be viewed as a source of measurement bias. As such, ST effects are detectable by means of multi-group confirmatory factor analysis. This enables research into the generalizability of ST effects to real-life or high-stakes testing. The modeling approach is described in detail and applied to 3 experiments in which the amount of ST for minorities and women was manipulated. Results indicate that ST results in measurement bias of intelligence and mathematics tests. ((c) 2005 APA, all rights reserved).

Critical physiological factors influencing the outcome of antimicrobial testing according to ISO 22196 / JIS Z 2801.

PubMed

Wiegand, Cornelia; Völpel, Andrea; Ewald, Andrea; Remesch, Markko; Kuever, Jan; Bauer, Janine; Griesheim, Stefanie; Hauser, Carolin; Thielmann, Julian; Tonndorf-Martini, Silke; Sigusch, Bernd W; Weisser, Jürgen; Wyrwa, Ralf; Elsner, Peter; Hipler, Uta-Christina; Roth, Martin; Dewald, Carolin; Lüdecke-Beyer, Claudia; Bossert, Jörg

2018-01-01

Bactericidal materials gained interest in the health care sector as they are capable of preventing material surfaces from microbial colonization and subsequent spread of infections. However, commercialization of antimicrobial materials requires proof of their efficacy, which is usually done using in vitro methods. The ISO 22196 standard (Japanese test method JIS Z 2801) is a method for measuring the antibacterial activity of daily goods. As it was found reliable for testing the biocidal activity of antimicrobially active materials and surface coatings most of the laboratories participating in this study used this protocol. Therefore, a round robin test for evaluating antimicrobially active biomaterials had to be established. To our knowledge, this is the first report on inaugurating a round robin test for the ISO 22196 / JIS Z 2801. The first round of testing showed that analyses in the different laboratories yielded different results, especially for materials with intermediate antibacterial effects distinctly different efficacies were noted. Scrutinizing the protocols used by the different participants and identifying the factors influencing the test outcomes the approach was unified. Four critical factors influencing the outcome of antibacterial testing were identified in a series of experiments: (1) incubation time, (2) bacteria starting concentration, (3) physiological state of bacteria (stationary or exponential phase of growth), and (4) nutrient concentration. To our knowledge, this is the first time these parameters have been analyzed for their effect on the outcome of testing according to ISO 22196 / JIS Z 2801. In conclusion, to enable assessment of the results obtained it is necessary to evaluate these single parameters in the test protocol carefully. Furthermore, uniform and robust definitions of the terms antibacterial efficacy / activity, bacteriostatic effects, and bactericidal action need to be agreed upon to simplify communication of results and also regulate expectations regarding antimicrobial tests, outcomes, and materials.

Critical physiological factors influencing the outcome of antimicrobial testing according to ISO 22196 / JIS Z 2801

PubMed Central

Völpel, Andrea; Ewald, Andrea; Remesch, Markko; Kuever, Jan; Bauer, Janine; Griesheim, Stefanie; Hauser, Carolin; Thielmann, Julian; Tonndorf-Martini, Silke; Sigusch, Bernd W.; Weisser, Jürgen; Wyrwa, Ralf; Elsner, Peter; Hipler, Uta-Christina; Roth, Martin; Dewald, Carolin; Lüdecke-Beyer, Claudia; Bossert, Jörg

2018-01-01

Bactericidal materials gained interest in the health care sector as they are capable of preventing material surfaces from microbial colonization and subsequent spread of infections. However, commercialization of antimicrobial materials requires proof of their efficacy, which is usually done using in vitro methods. The ISO 22196 standard (Japanese test method JIS Z 2801) is a method for measuring the antibacterial activity of daily goods. As it was found reliable for testing the biocidal activity of antimicrobially active materials and surface coatings most of the laboratories participating in this study used this protocol. Therefore, a round robin test for evaluating antimicrobially active biomaterials had to be established. To our knowledge, this is the first report on inaugurating a round robin test for the ISO 22196 / JIS Z 2801. The first round of testing showed that analyses in the different laboratories yielded different results, especially for materials with intermediate antibacterial effects distinctly different efficacies were noted. Scrutinizing the protocols used by the different participants and identifying the factors influencing the test outcomes the approach was unified. Four critical factors influencing the outcome of antibacterial testing were identified in a series of experiments: (1) incubation time, (2) bacteria starting concentration, (3) physiological state of bacteria (stationary or exponential phase of growth), and (4) nutrient concentration. To our knowledge, this is the first time these parameters have been analyzed for their effect on the outcome of testing according to ISO 22196 / JIS Z 2801. In conclusion, to enable assessment of the results obtained it is necessary to evaluate these single parameters in the test protocol carefully. Furthermore, uniform and robust definitions of the terms antibacterial efficacy / activity, bacteriostatic effects, and bactericidal action need to be agreed upon to simplify communication of results and also regulate expectations regarding antimicrobial tests, outcomes, and materials. PMID:29558480

Effects of environmental conditions on point-of-care cardiac biomarker test performance during a simulated rescue: implications for emergency and disaster response.

PubMed

Louie, Richard F; Ferguson, William J; Curtis, Corbin M; Vy, John H; Tang, Chloe S; Kost, Gerald J

2013-01-01

To characterize the effects of environmental stress on point-of-care (POC) cardiac biomarker testing during a simulated rescue. Multiplex test cassettes for cardiac troponin I (cTnI), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), CK-MB, myoglobin, and D-dimer were exposed to environmental stresses simulating a 24-hour rescue from Hawaii to the Marshall Islands and back. We used Tenney environmental chambers (T2RC and BTRC) to simulate flight conditions (20°C, 10 percent relative humidity) and ground conditions (22.3-33.9°C, 73-77 percent). We obtained paired measurements using stressed versus control (room temperature) cassettes at seven time points (T1-7 with T1,2,6,7 during flight and T3-5 on ground). We analyzed paired differences (stressed minus control) with Wilcoxon signed rank test. We assessed the impact on decision-making at clinical thresholds. cTnI results from stressed test cassettes (n = 10) at T4 (p < 0.05), T5 (p < 0.01), and T7 (p < 0.05) differed significantly from control, when testing samples with median cTnI concentration of 90 ng/L. During the ground rescue, 36.7 percent (11/30) of cTnI measurements from stressed cassettes generated significantly lowered results. At T5, 20 percent (2/10) of cTnI results were highly discrepant-stressed cassettes reported normal results, when control results were >100 ng/L. With sample median concentration of 108 pg/mL, BNP results from stressed test cassettes differed significantly from controls (p < 0.05). Despite modest, short-term temperature elevation, environmental stresses led to erroneous results. False negative cTnI and BNP results potentially could miss acute myocardial infarction and congestive heart failure, confounded treatment, and increased mortality and morbidity. Therefore, rescuers should protect POC reagents from temperature extremes.

Wavelet analysis in ecology and epidemiology: impact of statistical tests

PubMed Central

Cazelles, Bernard; Cazelles, Kévin; Chavez, Mario

2014-01-01

Wavelet analysis is now frequently used to extract information from ecological and epidemiological time series. Statistical hypothesis tests are conducted on associated wavelet quantities to assess the likelihood that they are due to a random process. Such random processes represent null models and are generally based on synthetic data that share some statistical characteristics with the original time series. This allows the comparison of null statistics with those obtained from original time series. When creating synthetic datasets, different techniques of resampling result in different characteristics shared by the synthetic time series. Therefore, it becomes crucial to consider the impact of the resampling method on the results. We have addressed this point by comparing seven different statistical testing methods applied with different real and simulated data. Our results show that statistical assessment of periodic patterns is strongly affected by the choice of the resampling method, so two different resampling techniques could lead to two different conclusions about the same time series. Moreover, our results clearly show the inadequacy of resampling series generated by white noise and red noise that are nevertheless the methods currently used in the wide majority of wavelets applications. Our results highlight that the characteristics of a time series, namely its Fourier spectrum and autocorrelation, are important to consider when choosing the resampling technique. Results suggest that data-driven resampling methods should be used such as the hidden Markov model algorithm and the ‘beta-surrogate’ method. PMID:24284892

Wavelet analysis in ecology and epidemiology: impact of statistical tests.

PubMed

Cazelles, Bernard; Cazelles, Kévin; Chavez, Mario

2014-02-06

Wavelet analysis is now frequently used to extract information from ecological and epidemiological time series. Statistical hypothesis tests are conducted on associated wavelet quantities to assess the likelihood that they are due to a random process. Such random processes represent null models and are generally based on synthetic data that share some statistical characteristics with the original time series. This allows the comparison of null statistics with those obtained from original time series. When creating synthetic datasets, different techniques of resampling result in different characteristics shared by the synthetic time series. Therefore, it becomes crucial to consider the impact of the resampling method on the results. We have addressed this point by comparing seven different statistical testing methods applied with different real and simulated data. Our results show that statistical assessment of periodic patterns is strongly affected by the choice of the resampling method, so two different resampling techniques could lead to two different conclusions about the same time series. Moreover, our results clearly show the inadequacy of resampling series generated by white noise and red noise that are nevertheless the methods currently used in the wide majority of wavelets applications. Our results highlight that the characteristics of a time series, namely its Fourier spectrum and autocorrelation, are important to consider when choosing the resampling technique. Results suggest that data-driven resampling methods should be used such as the hidden Markov model algorithm and the 'beta-surrogate' method.

What influences participation in genetic carrier testing? Results from a discrete choice experiment.

PubMed

Hall, Jane; Fiebig, Denzil G; King, Madeleine T; Hossain, Ishrat; Louviere, Jordan J

2006-05-01

This study explores factors that influence participation in genetic testing programs and the acceptance of multiple tests. Tay Sachs and cystic fibrosis are both genetically determined recessive disorders with differing severity, treatment availability, and prevalence in different population groups. We used a discrete choice experiment with a general community and an Ashkenazi Jewish sample; data were analysed using multinomial logit with random coefficients. Although Jewish respondents were more likely to be tested, both groups seem to be making very similar tradeoffs across attributes when they make genetic testing choices.

Source emission and model evaluation of formaldehyde from composite and solid wood furniture in a full-scale chamber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xiaoyu; Mason, Mark A.; Guo, Zhishi; Krebs, Kenneth A.; Roache, Nancy F.

2015-12-01

This paper describes the measurement and model evaluation of formaldehyde source emissions from composite and solid wood furniture in a full-scale chamber at different ventilation rates for up to 4000 h using ASTM D 6670-01 (2007). Tests were performed on four types of furniture constructed of different materials and from different manufacturers. The data were used to evaluate two empirical emission models, i.e., a first-order and power-law decay model. The experimental results showed that some furniture tested in this study, made only of solid wood and with less surface area, had low formaldehyde source emissions. The effect of ventilation rate on formaldehyde emissions was also examined. Model simulation results indicated that the power-law decay model showed better agreement than the first-order decay model for the data collected from the tests, especially for long-term emissions. This research was limited to a laboratory study with only four types of furniture products tested. It was not intended to comprehensively test or compare the large number of furniture products available in the market place. Therefore, care should be taken when applying the test results to real-world scenarios. Also, it was beyond the scope of this study to link the emissions to human exposure and potential health risks.

Boulder damage symposium annual thin film laser damage competition

DOE PAGES

Stolz, Christopher J.

2012-11-28

Optical instruments and laser systems are often fluence-limited by multilayer thin films deposited on the optical surfaces. When comparing publications within the laser damage literature, there can be confusing and conflicting laser damage results. This is due to differences in testing protocols between research groups studying very different applications. In this series of competitions, samples from multiple vendors are compared under identical testing parameters and a single testing service. Unlike a typical study where a hypothesis is tested within a well-controlled experiment with isolated variables, this competition isolates the laser damage testing variables so that trends can be observed betweenmore » different deposition processes, coating materials, cleaning techniques, and multiple coating suppliers. The resulting series of damage competitions has also been designed to observe general trends of damage morphologies and mechanisms over a wide range of coating types (high reflector and antireflector), wavelengths (193 to 1064 nm), and pulse lengths (180 fs to 13 ns). A double blind test assured sample and submitter anonymity were used in each of the competitions so only a summary of the deposition process, coating materials, layer count and spectral results are presented. Laser resistance was strongly affected by substrate cleaning, coating deposition method, and coating material selection whereas layer count and spectral properties had minimal impact.« less

Differences in susceptibility of five cladoceran species to two systemic insecticides, imidacloprid and fipronil.

PubMed

Hayasaka, Daisuke; Korenaga, Tomoko; Suzuki, Kazutaka; Sánchez-Bayo, Francisco; Goka, Koichi

2012-03-01

Differences in susceptibility of five cladocerans to the neonicotinoid imidacloprid and the phenyl-pyrazole fipronil, which have been dominantly used in rice fields of Japan in recent years, were examined based on short-term (48-h), semi-static acute immobilization exposure tests. Additionally, we compared the species sensitivity distribution (SSD) patterns of both insecticides between two sets of species: the five tested cladocerans and all other aquatic organisms tested so far, using data from the ECOTOX database of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). The sensitivity of the test species to either imidacloprid or fipronil was consistent, spanning similar orders of magnitude (100 times). At the genus level, sensitivities to both insecticides were in the following descending order: Ceriodaphnia > Moina > Daphnia. A positive relationship was found between body lengths of each species and the acute toxicity (EC(50)) of the insecticides, in particular fipronil. Differences in SSD patterns of imidacloprid were found between the species groups compared, indicating that test cladocerans are much less susceptible than other aquatic species including amphibians, crustaceans, fish, insects, mollusks and worms. However, the SSD patterns for fipronil indicate no difference in sensitivity between cladocerans tested and other aquatic organisms despite the greater exposure, which overestimates the results, of our semi-static tests. From these results, Ceriodaphnia sp. should be considered as more sensitive bioindicators (instead of the standard Daphnia magna) for ecotoxicological assessments of aquatic ecosystems. In addition, we propose that ecotoxicity data associated with differences in susceptibility among species should be investigated whenever pesticides have different physicochemical properties and mode of action.

Effective Inertial Frame in an Atom Interferometric Test of the Equivalence Principle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Overstreet, Chris; Asenbaum, Peter; Kovachy, Tim; Notermans, Remy; Hogan, Jason M.; Kasevich, Mark A.

2018-05-01

In an ideal test of the equivalence principle, the test masses fall in a common inertial frame. A real experiment is affected by gravity gradients, which introduce systematic errors by coupling to initial kinematic differences between the test masses. Here we demonstrate a method that reduces the sensitivity of a dual-species atom interferometer to initial kinematics by using a frequency shift of the mirror pulse to create an effective inertial frame for both atomic species. Using this method, we suppress the gravity-gradient-induced dependence of the differential phase on initial kinematic differences by 2 orders of magnitude and precisely measure these differences. We realize a relative precision of Δ g /g ≈6 ×10-11 per shot, which improves on the best previous result for a dual-species atom interferometer by more than 3 orders of magnitude. By reducing gravity gradient systematic errors to one part in 1 013 , these results pave the way for an atomic test of the equivalence principle at an accuracy comparable with state-of-the-art classical tests.

In situ surface roughness measurement using a laser scattering method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tay, C. J.; Wang, S. H.; Quan, C.; Shang, H. M.

2003-03-01

In this paper, the design and development of an optical probe for in situ measurement of surface roughness are discussed. Based on this light scattering principle, the probe which consists of a laser diode, measuring lens and a linear photodiode array, is designed to capture the scattered light from a test surface with a relatively large scattering angle ϕ (=28°). This capability increases the measuring range and enhances repeatability of the results. The coaxial arrangement that incorporates a dual-laser beam and a constant compressed air stream renders the proposed system insensitive to movement or vibration of the test surface as well as surface conditions. Tests were conducted on workpieces which were mounted on a turning machine that operates with different cutting speeds. Test specimens which underwent different machining processes and of different surface finish were also studied. The results obtained demonstrate the feasibility of surface roughness measurement using the proposed method.

Delamination Fracture in Graphite/Epoxy Materials.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-06-01

stress fields for the two loading conditions. Figures 7-10 indicate the results of a finite element analysis % for the test coupons loaded in mode I and...results somewhat approximate, the difference in the shape of the Srespective stress fields and the different rates of decay of the _ stress fields...Shear deformation is dominant feature .: observed. 1000x (all). 7. ay stress contour plot of split laminate beam tested under . mode I conditions. 8

The Quiescent-Chamber Type Compression-Ignition Engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foster, H H

1937-01-01

Report presents the results of performance tests of a single-cylinder 4-stroke-cycle compression-ignition engine having a vertical disk form of combustion chamber without air flow. The number, size, and direction of the orifices of the fuel-injection nozzles used were independently varied. A table and graphs are presented showing the performance of the engine with different nozzles; results of tests at different compression ratios, boost pressures, and coolant temperatures are also included.

[Binocular status of dyslexics--are there differences to a healthy comparison group?].

PubMed

Riebeling, P; Brunner, E; Grossjohann, R; Clemens, S

2009-10-01

Despite numerous studies dealing with the question of a possible relation of visual problems and dyslexia, which is negated by most ophthalmologists, some opticians still favour the treatment of dyslexia by correction of the "Winkelfehlsichtigkeit" following MCH. Our aim was by also including the Pola test to check the usefulness of this treatment. In a 2-year prospective study we examined the 4th grade elementary school students in our city who had dyslexia as an assured diagnosis (n = 21). The results were compared to those of an age-matched group without pathological findings regarding their reading and spelling ability (n = 21). Examinations included visual acuity, eye position by cover test, Maddox cylinder and Pola test for near distance, binocular vision (Bagolini and Worth test, Lang test I and II, Titmus test, amplitude of fusion), amplitude of accommodation, refraction in cycloplegia and organic status. A significant difference was found between the two groups regarding the amplitude of divergence in near (p = 0.009) and far distance (p = 0.019) which were both smaller for the dyslexia group, as well as the binocular near visual acuity (p = 0.04). Using the SAS procedure STEPDISC we discriminated the normal and dyslexia group by amplitude of divergence, near visual acuity and alternating near prism cover test with a sensitivity of 81 % and a specifity of 75 %. The results of the Pola test did not show any significant difference between the groups. No differences were found between the groups regarding the eye position. Therefore a treatment of dyslexia using prisms does not appear reasonable. However because of the group sizes the significance of the results is limited. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart.New York.

Evaluating Phonological Processing Skills in Children With Prelingual Deafness Who Use Cochlear Implants

PubMed Central

Tomblin, J. Bruce

2009-01-01

This study investigated the phonological processing skills of 29 children with prelingual, profound hearing loss with 4 years of cochlear implant experience. Results were group matched with regard to word-reading ability and mother’s educational level with the performance of 29 hearing children. Results revealed that it is possible to obtain a valid measure of phonological processing (PP) skills in children using CIs. They could complete rhyming tasks and were able to complete sound-based tasks using standard test materials provided by a commercial test distributor. The CI children completed tasks measuring PP, but there were performance differences between the CI users and the hearing children. The process of learning phonological awareness (PA) for the children with CIs was characterized by a longer, more protracted learning phase than their counterparts with hearing. Tests of phonological memory skills indicated that when the tasks were controlled for presentation method and response modality, there were no differences between the performance of children with CIs and their counterparts with hearing. Tests of rapid naming revealed that there were no differences between rapid letter and number naming between the two groups. Results yielded a possible PP test battery for children with CI experience. PMID:18424771

Fan Noise Source Diagnostic Test: Tone Modal Structure Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heidelberg, Laurence J.

2002-01-01

This investigation is part of a test series that was extremely comprehensive and included aerodynamic and acoustic testing of a fan stage using two different fan rotors and three different stator designs. The test series is known as the Source Diagnostic Test (SDT) and was conducted by NASA Glenn as part of the Advanced Subsonic Technology (AST) Noise Reduction Program. Tone mode measurements of one of the rotors with three different stators were made. The stator designs involve changes in vane count and sweep at constant solidity. The results of both inlet and exhaust tone mode measurements are presented in terms of mode power for both circumferential and radial mode orders. The results show benefits of vane sweep to be large, up to 13 dB in total tone power. At many conditions, the increase in power due to cutting on the rotor/stator interaction is more than offset by vane sweep. The rotor locked mode is shown as an important contributor to tone power when the blade tip speed is near and above Mach one. This is most evident in the inlet when the direct rotor field starts to cut on.

Optical tests for using smartphones inside medical devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernat, Amir S.; Acobas, Jennifer K.; Phang, Ye Shang; Hassan, David; Bolton, Frank J.; Levitz, David

2018-02-01

Smartphones are currently used in many medical applications and are more frequently being integrated into medical imaging devices. The regulatory requirements in existence today however, particularly the standardization of smartphone imaging through validation and verification testing, only partially cover imaging characteristics with a smartphone. Specifically, it has been shown that smartphone camera specifications are of sufficient quality for medical imaging, and there are devices which comply with the FDA's regulatory requirements for a medical device such as a device's field of view, direction of viewing and optical resolution and optical distortion. However, these regulatory requirements do not call specifically for color testing. Images of the same object using automatic settings or different light sources can show different color composition. Experimental results showing such differences are presented. Under some circumstances, such differences in color composition could potentially lead to incorrect diagnoses. It is therefore critical to control the smartphone camera and illumination parameters properly. This paper examines different smartphone camera settings that affect image quality and color composition. To test and select the correct settings, a test methodology is proposed. It aims at evaluating and testing image color correctness and white balance settings for mobile phones and LED light sources. Emphasis is placed on color consistency and deviation from gray values, specifically by evaluating the ΔC values based on the CIEL*a*b* color space. Results show that such standardization minimizes differences in color composition and thus could reduce the risk of a wrong diagnosis.

Static renewal tests using Anodonta imbecillis (freshwater mussels). Anodonta imbecillis QA test 1, Clinch River-Environmental Restoration Program (CR-ERP)

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

Simbeck, D.J.

1993-12-31

Toxicity testing of split whole sediment samples using juvenile freshwater mussels (Anodonta imbecillis) was conducted by TVA and CR-ERP personnel as part of the CR-ERP biomonitoring study of Clinch River sediments to provide a quality assurance mechanism for test organism quality and overall performance of the test. In addition, testing included procedures comparing daily renewal versus non-renewal of test sediments. Testing of sediment samples collected July 15 from Poplar Creek Miles 6.0 and 5.1 was conducted from July 21--30, 1993. Results from this test showed no toxicity (survival effects) to fresh-water mussels during a 9-day exposure to the sediments. Sidemore » by side testing of sediments with daily sediment renewal and no sediment renewal showed no differences between methods. This may be due to the absence of toxicity in both samples and may not reflect true differences between the two methods for toxic sediment. Attachments to this report include: Chain of custody forms -- originals; Toxicity test bench sheets and statistical analyses; and Ammonia analysis request and results.« less

Performance of tests for latent tuberculosis in different groups of immunocompromised patients.

PubMed

Richeldi, Luca; Losi, Monica; D'Amico, Roberto; Luppi, Mario; Ferrari, Angela; Mussini, Cristina; Codeluppi, Mauro; Cocchi, Stefania; Prati, Francesca; Paci, Valentina; Meacci, Marisa; Meccugni, Barbara; Rumpianesi, Fabio; Roversi, Pietro; Cerri, Stefania; Luppi, Fabrizio; Ferrara, Giovanni; Latorre, Irene; Gerunda, Giorgio E; Torelli, Giuseppe; Esposito, Roberto; Fabbri, Leonardo M

2009-07-01

Immunocompromised persons infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) have increased risk of tuberculosis (TB) reactivation, but their management is hampered by the occurrence of false-negative results of the tuberculin skin test (TST). The T-cell interferon (IFN)-gamma release blood assays T-SPOT.TB (TS.TB) [Oxford Immunotec; Abingdon, UK] and QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-IT) [Cellestis Ltd; Carnegie, VIC, Australia] might improve diagnostic accuracy for latent TB infection (LTBI) in high-risk persons, although their performance in different groups of immunocompromised patients is largely unknown. Over a 1-year period, we prospectively enrolled patients in three different immunosuppressed groups, as follows: 120 liver transplantation candidates (LTCs); 116 chronically HIV-infected persons; and 95 patients with hematologic malignancies (HMs). TST, TS.TB, and QFT-IT were simultaneously performed, their results were compared, and intertest agreement was evaluated. Overall, TST provided fewer positive results (10.9%) than TS.TB (18.4%; p < 0.001) and QFT-IT (15.1%; p = 0.033). Significantly fewer HIV-infected individuals had at least one positive test (9.5%) compared with LTCs (35.8%; p < 0.001) and patients with HMs (29.5%; p < 0.001). Diagnostic agreement between tests was moderate (kappa = 0.40 to 0.65) and decreased in the HIV-infected group when the results of the TS.TB were compared with either TST (kappa = 0.16) or QFT-IT (kappa = 0.19). Indeterminate blood test results due to low positive control values were significantly more frequent with QFT-IT (7.2%) than with TS.TB (0.6%; p < 0.001). Blood tests identified significantly more patients as being infected with MTB than TST, although diagnostic agreement varied across groups. Based on these results, we recommend tailoring application of the new blood IFN-gamma assays for LTBI in different high-risk groups and advise caution in their current use in immunosuppressed patients.

The assessment of the impact of socio-economic factors in accepting cancer using the Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS).

PubMed

Czerw, Aleksandra I; Bilińska, Magdalena; Deptała, Andrzej

2016-01-01

The paper presents the results of examining the level of acceptance of the illness in cancer patients using the Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS). The study involved cancer patients treated at the Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry the Interior in Warsaw in 2014. The questionnaire comprised basic demographic questions (socio-economic factors) and the AIS test estimating the level of illness acceptance in patients. For the group of patients in the research group, the arithmetic mean amounted to 27.56 points. The period of time that elapsed between the first cancer diagnosis and the start of the study did not influence the score of accepting illness. The acceptance of illness in patients diagnosed with metastases differed from the acceptance of illness by patients diagnosed with metastatic cancer. Females obtained the average of 29.59 in the AIS test, whereas the average in male patients was 26.17. The patients' age did not impact the AIS test. There were no differences in the AIS test results between a group of people with secondary education and a group of people with higher education. There were no differences in the AIS test results between employed individuals versus pensioners. The inhabitants of cities were characterized by the highest degree of acceptance of their health condition. The lowest degree of acceptance of illness was observed in the group with the lowest average incomes. In the group of married individuals the average degree of acceptance of illness amounted to 27.37 points. The average degree of acceptance of illness in patients that declared themselves as single amounted to 25.75. The average degree of acceptance of illness in the study group was 27.56 points, which is a relatively high level of acceptance of cancer. The main socio-economic factor, which influenced the AIS test results was whether metastases were diagnosed or not. There were no differences between patients in groups where the time that elapsed from the first diagnosis of cancer varied. There were no statistical differences between female and male patients as well as patients of different age. Additionally, the level of education and patients' professional status did not impact in the AIS test results.

Proposed phase 2/ step 2 in-vitro test on basis of EN 14561 for standardised testing of the wound antiseptics PVP-iodine, chlorhexidine digluconate, polihexanide and octenidine dihydrochloride.

PubMed

Schedler, Kathrin; Assadian, Ojan; Brautferger, Uta; Müller, Gerald; Koburger, Torsten; Classen, Simon; Kramer, Axel

2017-02-13

Currently, there is no agreed standard for exploring the antimicrobial activity of wound antiseptics in a phase 2/ step 2 test protocol. In the present study, a standardised in-vitro test is proposed, which allows to test potential antiseptics in a more realistically simulation of conditions found in wounds as in a suspension test. Furthermore, factors potentially influencing test results such as type of materials used as test carrier or various compositions of organic soil challenge were investigated in detail. This proposed phase 2/ step 2 test method was modified on basis of the EN 14561 by drying the microbial test suspension on a metal carrier for 1 h, overlaying the test wound antiseptic, washing-off, neutralization, and dispersion at serial dilutions at the end of the required exposure time yielded reproducible, consistent test results. The difference between the rapid onset of the antiseptic effect of PVP-I and the delayed onset especially of polihexanide was apparent. Among surface-active antimicrobial compounds, octenidine was more effective than chlorhexidine digluconate and polihexanide, with some differences depending on the test organisms. However, octenidine and PVP-I were approximately equivalent in efficiency and microbial spectrum, while polihexanide required longer exposure times or higher concentrations for a comparable antimicrobial efficacy. Overall, this method allowed testing and comparing differ liquid and gel based antimicrobial compounds in a standardised setting.

Exploration of Analysis Methods for Diagnostic Imaging Tests: Problems with ROC AUC and Confidence Scores in CT Colonography

PubMed Central

Mallett, Susan; Halligan, Steve; Collins, Gary S.; Altman, Doug G.

2014-01-01

Background Different methods of evaluating diagnostic performance when comparing diagnostic tests may lead to different results. We compared two such approaches, sensitivity and specificity with area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (ROC AUC) for the evaluation of CT colonography for the detection of polyps, either with or without computer assisted detection. Methods In a multireader multicase study of 10 readers and 107 cases we compared sensitivity and specificity, using radiological reporting of the presence or absence of polyps, to ROC AUC calculated from confidence scores concerning the presence of polyps. Both methods were assessed against a reference standard. Here we focus on five readers, selected to illustrate issues in design and analysis. We compared diagnostic measures within readers, showing that differences in results are due to statistical methods. Results Reader performance varied widely depending on whether sensitivity and specificity or ROC AUC was used. There were problems using confidence scores; in assigning scores to all cases; in use of zero scores when no polyps were identified; the bimodal non-normal distribution of scores; fitting ROC curves due to extrapolation beyond the study data; and the undue influence of a few false positive results. Variation due to use of different ROC methods exceeded differences between test results for ROC AUC. Conclusions The confidence scores recorded in our study violated many assumptions of ROC AUC methods, rendering these methods inappropriate. The problems we identified will apply to other detection studies using confidence scores. We found sensitivity and specificity were a more reliable and clinically appropriate method to compare diagnostic tests. PMID:25353643

Statistical EMC: A new dimension electromagnetic compatibility of digital electronic systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsaliovich, Anatoly

Electromagnetic compatibility compliance test results are used as a database for addressing three classes of electromagnetic-compatibility (EMC) related problems: statistical EMC profiles of digital electronic systems, the effect of equipment-under-test (EUT) parameters on the electromagnetic emission characteristics, and EMC measurement specifics. Open area test site (OATS) and absorber line shielded room (AR) results are compared for equipment-under-test highest radiated emissions. The suggested statistical evaluation methodology can be utilized to correlate the results of different EMC test techniques, characterize the EMC performance of electronic systems and components, and develop recommendations for electronic product optimal EMC design.

Novel application of a Wii remote to measure spasticity with the pendulum test: Proof of concept

PubMed Central

Yeh, Chien-Hung; Hung, Chi-Yao; Wang, Yung-Hung; Hsu, Wei-Tai; Chang, Yi-Chung; Yeh, Jia-Rong; Lee, Po-Lei; Hu, Kun; Kang, Jiunn-Horng; Lo, Men-Tzung

2016-01-01

Background The pendulum test is a standard clinical test for quantifying the severity of spasticity. In the test, an electrogoniometer is typically used to measure the knee angular motion. The device is costly and difficult to set up such that the pendulum test is normally time consuming. Objective The goal of this study is to determine whether a Nintendo Wii remote can replace the electrogroniometer for reliable assessment of the angular motion of the knee in the pendulum test. Methods The pendulum test was performed in three control participants and 13 hemiplegic stroke patients using both a Wii remote and an electrogoniometer. The correlation coefficient and the Bland–Altman difference plot were used to compare the results obtained from the two devices. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare the difference between hemiplegia-affected and nonaffected sides in the hemiplegic stroke patients. Results There was a fair to strong correlation between measurements from the Wii remote and the electrogoniometer (0.513 < R2 < 0.800). Small but consistent differences between the Wii remote and electrogoniometer were identified from the Bland–Altman difference plot. Within the hemiplegic stroke patients, both devices successfully distinguished the hemiplegia-affected (spastic) side from the nonaffected (nonspastic) side (both with p < .0001*). In addition, the intraclass correlation coefficient, standard error of measurement, and minimum detectable differences were highly consistent for both devices. Conclusion Our findings suggest that the Wii remote may serve as a convenient and cost-efficient tool for the assessment of spasticity. PMID:26669955

OIL SPILL DISPERSANT EFFECTIVENESS PROTOCOL. I: IMPACT OF OPERATIONAL VARIABLES

EPA Science Inventory

The current U.S. Environmental Protection Agency protocol for testing the effectiveness of dispersants, the swirling flask test, has been found to give widely varying results in the hands of different testing laboratories. The sources of the ambiguities in the test were determin...

Validating Laboratory Results in Electronic Health Records

PubMed Central

Perrotta, Peter L.; Karcher, Donald S.

2017-01-01

Context Laboratories must ensure that the test results and pathology reports they transmit to a patient’s electronic health record (EHR) are accurate, complete, and presented in a useable format. Objective To determine the accuracy, completeness, and formatting of laboratory test results and pathology reports transmitted from the laboratory to the EHR. Design Participants from 45 institutions retrospectively reviewed results from 16 different laboratory tests, including clinical and anatomic pathology results, within the EHR used by their providers to view laboratory results. Results were evaluated for accuracy, presence of required elements, and usability. Both normal and abnormal results were reviewed for tests, some of which were performed in-house and others at a reference laboratory. Results Overall accuracy for test results transmitted to the EHR was greater than 99.3% (1052 of 1059). There was lower compliance for completeness of test results, with 69.6% (732 of 1051) of the test results containing all essential reporting elements. Institutions that had fewer than half of their orders entered electronically had lower test result completeness rates. The rate of appropriate formatting of results was 90.9% (98 of 1010). Conclusions The great majority of test results are accurately transmitted from the laboratory to the EHR; however, lower percentages are transmitted completely and in a useable format. Laboratories should verify the accuracy, completeness, and format of test results at the time of test implementation, after test changes, and periodically. PMID:27575266

Accelerated Testing of Polymeric Composites Using the Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abdel-Magid, Becky M.; Gates, Thomas S.

2000-01-01

Creep properties of IM7/K3B composite material were obtained using three accelerated test methods at elevated temperatures. Results of flexural creep tests using the dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA) were compared with results of conventional tensile and compression creep tests. The procedures of the three test methods are described and the results are presented. Despite minor differences in the time shift factor of the creep compliance curves, the DMA results compared favorably with the results from the tensile and compressive creep tests. Some insight is given into establishing correlations between creep compliance in flexure and creep compliance in tension and compression. It is shown that with careful consideration of the limitations of flexure creep, a viable and reliable accelerated test procedure can be developed using the DMA to obtain the viscoelastic properties of composites in extreme environments.

The role of individual differences in the accuracy of confidence judgments.

PubMed

Pallier, Gerry; Wilkinson, Rebecca; Danthiir, Vanessa; Kleitman, Sabina; Knezevic, Goran; Stankov, Lazar; Roberts, Richard D

2002-07-01

Generally, self-assessment of accuracy in the cognitive domain produces overconfidence, whereas self-assessment of visual perceptual judgments results in underconfidence. Despite contrary empirical evidence, in models attempting to explain those phenomena, individual differences have often been disregarded. The authors report on 2 studies in which that shortcoming was addressed. In Experiment 1, participants (N= 520) completed a large number of cognitive-ability tests. Results indicated that individual differences provide a meaningful source of overconfidence and that a metacognitive trait might mediate that effect. In further analysis, there was only a relatively small correlation between test accuracy and confidence bias. In Experiment 2 (N = 107 participants), both perceptual and cognitive ability tests were included, along with measures of personality. Results again indicated the presence of a confidence factor that transcended the nature of the testing vehicle. Furthermore, a small relationship was found between that factor and some self-reported personality measures. Thus, personality traits and cognitive ability appeared to play only a small role in determining the accuracy of self-assessment. Collectively, the present results suggest that there are multiple causes of miscalibration, which current models of over- and underconfidence fail to encompass.

Individual Differences in Digit Span, Susceptibility to Proactive Interference, and Aptitude/Achievement Test Scores.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dempster, Frank N.; Cooney, John B.

1982-01-01

Individual differences in digit span, susceptibility to proactive interference, and various aptitude/achievement test scores were investigated in two experiments with college students. Results indicated that digit span was strongly correlated with aptitude/achievement scores, but did not indicate that susceptibility to proactive interference…

Understanding Algorithms in Different Presentations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Csernoch, Mária; Biró, Piroska; Abari, Kálmán; Máth, János

2015-01-01

Within the framework of the Testing Algorithmic and Application Skills project we tested first year students of Informatics at the beginning of their tertiary education. We were focusing on the students' level of understanding in different programming environments. In the present paper we provide the results from the University of Debrecen, the…

Can Test Construction Account for Varying Gender Differences in International Reading Achievement Tests of Children, Adolescents and Young Adults?--A Study Based on Nordic Results in PIRLS, PISA and PIAAC

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Solheim, Oddny Judith; Lundetrae, Kjersti

2018-01-01

Gender differences in reading seem to increase throughout schooling and then decrease or even disappear with age, but the reasons for this are unclear. In this study, we explore whether differences in the way "reading literacy" is operationalised can add to our understanding of varying gender differences in international large-scale…

Warm-Up Effect in Panelist-Articulated-2-Alternative Forced Choice Test.

PubMed

Bloom, David J; Baik, Hwa-Young; Lee, Soo-Yeun

2018-01-01

Panelist performance in discrimination tests has been shown to increase when warm-up samples are provided prior to the actual test. Samples are used prior to the actual test for the attribute articulation process of a panelist-articulated-2-alternative forced choice (PA-2-AFC) procedure; however, it is yet unknown if the pretest articulation phase adds to the power of this testing method as with the warm-up. The goal of the study was to determine if a "warm-up" effect was displayed in the PA-2-AFC test resulting in greater power compared to the researcher-designated-2-AFC (RD-2-AFC) test. A RD-2-AFC test, with and without warm-up samples, and a PA-2-AFC test were performed by 61 panelists. A reduced calorie, citrus-flavored, and carbonated beverage was used in the tests. During RD-2-AFC testing, panelists were asked to identify which sample was more sour. For PA-2-AFC testing, panelists individually articulated the nature and direction of the difference between the 2 samples through a pretesting articulation procedure. The articulated difference was, then, used in standard 2-AFC test procedure. A warm-up effect was observed when comparing the standard RD-2-AFC with and without warm-up samples. The addition of warm up samples significantly increased the power of the test, in addition, the PA-2-AFC method had lower power than the RD-2-AFC method. The increase in power with the addition of warm-up samples for the RD-2-AFC procedure supports literature findings on the benefit of providing warm-up samples. No warm-up effect can be attributed to the PA-2-AFC method evidenced by the overall low power observed, which may be attributed to sample complexity. Selecting a specified discrimination testing method is advantageous and can reduce costs of sensory testing, but has been considered unpractical when samples may differ in unknown ways. This research explores the use of panelist derived terms to circumvent the need for researchers to identify these differences and compares the results to using research designated terms in discrimination testing. Results from this study can be utilized in creating ways to incorporate more powerful methods into sensory discrimination testing plans and provides researchers with a means for selecting terms for use in specified discrimination testing methods. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

Differences in Functional Fitness Among Older Adults With and Without Risk of Falling.

PubMed

Zhao, Yanan; Chung, Pak-Kwong

2016-03-01

This study aimed to identify the differences in functional fitness between older adults who were at risk of falling and those who were not. A total of 104 older adults aged 65-74 years were recruited from a local community senior center. They were independent older adults without a history of falls in the preceding 12 months. Falling risk status was assessed using the Fall Risk Test. Five dimensions of functional fitness with seven testing parameters (i.e., 30-second chair stand test, 30-second arm curl test, 2-minute step test, chair sit and reach test, back scratch test, 8-foot up and go test, and body mass index) were evaluated by the Senior Fitness Test. Only 78 participants completed all the tests, of which 48 participants were identified with risk of falling, and 30 participants were free from risk of falling. Results from multivariate analysis of variance found significant differences on the combined outcome variables, especially in the 8-foot up and go test, 2-minute step test, and 30-second arm curl test. Results from discriminant analysis found a significant discriminant function among all the seven testing parameters, where the 8-foot up and go test, and the 2-minute step test contributed most. Older adults who are at the early stage of risk of falling tend to have lower functional fitness capacities, especially in agility and dynamic balance, aerobic endurance as well as in a combined relationship among all the testing parameters. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Improving laboratory efficiencies to scale-up HIV viral load testing.

PubMed

Alemnji, George; Onyebujoh, Philip; Nkengasong, John N

2017-03-01

Viral load measurement is a key indicator that determines patients' response to treatment and risk for disease progression. Efforts are ongoing in different countries to scale-up access to viral load testing to meet the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS target of achieving 90% viral suppression among HIV-infected patients receiving antiretroviral therapy. However, the impact of these initiatives may be challenged by increased inefficiencies along the viral load testing spectrum. This will translate to increased costs and ineffectiveness of scale-up approaches. This review describes different parameters that could be addressed across the viral load testing spectrum aimed at improving efficiencies and utilizing test results for patient management. Though progress is being made in some countries to scale-up viral load, many others still face numerous challenges that may affect scale-up efficiencies: weak demand creation, ineffective supply chain management systems; poor specimen referral systems; inadequate data and quality management systems; and weak laboratory-clinical interface leading to diminished uptake of test results. In scaling up access to viral load testing, there should be a renewed focus to address efficiencies across the entire spectrum, including factors related to access, uptake, and impact of test results.

How does study quality affect the results of a diagnostic meta-analysis?

PubMed Central

Westwood, Marie E; Whiting, Penny F; Kleijnen, Jos

2005-01-01

Background The use of systematic literature review to inform evidence based practice in diagnostics is rapidly expanding. Although the primary diagnostic literature is extensive, studies are often of low methodological quality or poorly reported. There has been no rigorously evaluated, evidence based tool to assess the methodological quality of diagnostic studies. The primary objective of this study was to determine the extent to which variations in the quality of primary studies impact the results of a diagnostic meta-analysis and whether this differs with diagnostic test type. A secondary objective was to contribute to the evaluation of QUADAS, an evidence-based tool for the assessment of quality in diagnostic accuracy studies. Methods This study was conducted as part of large systematic review of tests used in the diagnosis and further investigation of urinary tract infection (UTI) in children. All studies included in this review were assessed using QUADAS, an evidence-based tool for the assessment of quality in systematic reviews of diagnostic accuracy studies. The impact of individual components of QUADAS on a summary measure of diagnostic accuracy was investigated using regression analysis. The review divided the diagnosis and further investigation of UTI into the following three clinical stages: diagnosis of UTI, localisation of infection, and further investigation of the UTI. Each stage used different types of diagnostic test, which were considered to involve different quality concerns. Results Many of the studies included in our review were poorly reported. The proportion of QUADAS items fulfilled was similar for studies in different sections of the review. However, as might be expected, the individual items fulfilled differed between the three clinical stages. Regression analysis found that different items showed a strong association with test performance for the different tests evaluated. These differences were observed both within and between the three clinical stages assessed by the review. The results of regression analyses were also affected by whether or not a weighting (by sample size) was applied. Our analysis was severely limited by the completeness of reporting and the differences between the index tests evaluated and the reference standards used to confirm diagnoses in the primary studies. Few tests were evaluated by sufficient studies to allow meaningful use of meta-analytic pooling and investigation of heterogeneity. This meant that further analysis to investigate heterogeneity could only be undertaken using a subset of studies, and that the findings are open to various interpretations. Conclusion Further work is needed to investigate the influence of methodological quality on the results of diagnostic meta-analyses. Large data sets of well-reported primary studies are needed to address this question. Without significant improvements in the completeness of reporting of primary studies, progress in this area will be limited. PMID:15943861

Strapdown gyro test program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Irvine, R. B.; Vanalstine, R.

1977-01-01

The power spectral noise characteristic performance of the Teledyne two-degree-of-freedom dry tuned gimbal gyroscope was determined. Tests were conducted using a current configuration SDG-5 gyro in conjunction with test equipment with minor modification. Long term bias stability tests were conducted as well as some first difference performance tests. The gyro, test equipment, and the tests performed are described. Results are presented.

pcr: an R package for quality assessment, analysis and testing of qPCR data

PubMed Central

Ahmed, Mahmoud

2018-01-01

Background Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) is a broadly used technique in the biomedical research. Currently, few different analysis models are used to determine the quality of data and to quantify the mRNA level across the experimental conditions. Methods We developed an R package to implement methods for quality assessment, analysis and testing qPCR data for statistical significance. Double Delta CT and standard curve models were implemented to quantify the relative expression of target genes from CT in standard qPCR control-group experiments. In addition, calculation of amplification efficiency and curves from serial dilution qPCR experiments are used to assess the quality of the data. Finally, two-group testing and linear models were used to test for significance of the difference in expression control groups and conditions of interest. Results Using two datasets from qPCR experiments, we applied different quality assessment, analysis and statistical testing in the pcr package and compared the results to the original published articles. The final relative expression values from the different models, as well as the intermediary outputs, were checked against the expected results in the original papers and were found to be accurate and reliable. Conclusion The pcr package provides an intuitive and unified interface for its main functions to allow biologist to perform all necessary steps of qPCR analysis and produce graphs in a uniform way. PMID:29576953

Effects of Experiment Learning Strategy versus Expository and Cognitive Style for Physical Learning Result for Senior High School Student at Class XI of Senior High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prayekti

2016-01-01

The research was aimed to know Effects of Experiment Learning Strategy versus Expository and Cognitive Style for Physical Learning Result of Senior High School Student at Class XI of Senior High School. Data was collected by test and observation. It is processed by ANCOVA and different test (t-test). (1) The result showed that all learning system…

Efficiency tests of samplers for microbiological aerosols, a review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henningson, E.; Faengmark, I.

1984-01-01

To obtain comparable results from studies using a variety of samplers of microbiological aerosols with different collection performances for various particle sizes, methods reported in the literature were surveyed, evaluated, and tabulated for testing the efficiency of the samplers. It is concluded that these samplers were not thoroughly tested, using reliable methods. Tests were conducted in static air chambers and in various outdoor and work environments. Results are not reliable as it is difficult to achieve stable and reproducible conditions in these test systems. Testing in a wind tunnel is recommended.

Determinants of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max) in fire fighter testing.

PubMed

Vandersmissen, G J M; Verhoogen, R A J R; Van Cauwenbergh, A F M; Godderis, L

2014-07-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate current daily practice of aerobic capacity testing in Belgian fire fighters. The impact of personal and test-related parameters on the outcome has been evaluated. Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max) results of 605 male fire fighters gathered between 1999 and 2010 were analysed. The maximal cardio respiratory exercise tests were performed at 22 different centres using different types of tests (tread mill or bicycle), different exercise protocols and measuring equipment. Mean VO2 max was 43.3 (SD = 9.8) ml/kg.min. Besides waist circumference and age, the type of test, the degree of performance of the test and the test centre were statistically significant determinants of maximal oxygen uptake. Test-related parameters have to be taken into account when interpreting and comparing maximal oxygen uptake tests of fire fighters. It highlights the need for standardization of aerobic capacity testing in the medical evaluation of fire fighters. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Multiple comparison analysis testing in ANOVA.

PubMed

McHugh, Mary L

2011-01-01

The Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test has long been an important tool for researchers conducting studies on multiple experimental groups and one or more control groups. However, ANOVA cannot provide detailed information on differences among the various study groups, or on complex combinations of study groups. To fully understand group differences in an ANOVA, researchers must conduct tests of the differences between particular pairs of experimental and control groups. Tests conducted on subsets of data tested previously in another analysis are called post hoc tests. A class of post hoc tests that provide this type of detailed information for ANOVA results are called "multiple comparison analysis" tests. The most commonly used multiple comparison analysis statistics include the following tests: Tukey, Newman-Keuls, Scheffee, Bonferroni and Dunnett. These statistical tools each have specific uses, advantages and disadvantages. Some are best used for testing theory while others are useful in generating new theory. Selection of the appropriate post hoc test will provide researchers with the most detailed information while limiting Type 1 errors due to alpha inflation.

Final Report - DuraMelter 100 Tests to Support LAW Glass Formulation Correlation Development, VSL-06R6480-1, Rev. 0

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

Kruger, Albert A.; Muller, I. S.; Gong, W.

2013-12-03

This report describes the results of work and testing specified by Test Specifications 24590-LAW-TSP-RT-04-004, Rev. 0, Test Plans VSL-05T5480-1, Rev. 0 and Text Exceptions 24590-LAW-TEF-RT-05-00002. The work and any associated testing followed established quality assurance requirements and was conducted as authorized. The descriptions provided in this test report are an accurate account of both the conduct of the work and the data collected. Results required by the Test Plan are reported. Also reported are any unusual or anomalous occurences that are different from the starting hypotheses. The test results and this report have been reviewed and verified.

[Quality assurance in coding expertise of hospital cases in the German DRG system. Evaluation of inter-rater reliability in MDK expertise].

PubMed

Huber, H; Brambrink, M; Funk, R; Rieger, M

2012-10-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate differences in the D-DRG results of a hospital case by 2 independently coding MKD raters. Calculation of the 2-inter-rater reliability was performed by examination of the coding of individual hospital cases. The reasons for the non-agreement of the expert evaluations and suggestions to improve the process are discussed. From the expert evaluation pool of the MDK-WL a random sample of 0.7% of the 57,375 expertises was taken. Distribution equality with the basic total was tested by the χ² test or, respectively, Fisher's exact test. For the total of 402 individual hospital cases, the G-DRG case sums of 2 experts of the MDK were determined independently and the results checked for each individual case for agreement or non-agreement. The corresponding confidence intervals with standard errors were analysed to test if certain major diagnosis categories (MDC) were statistically significantly more affected by differing expertise results than others. In 280 of the total 402 tested hospital cases, the 2 MDK raters independently reached the same G-DRG results; in 122 cases the G-DRG case sums determined by the 2 raters differed (agreement 70%; CI 65.2-74.1). Different DRG results between the 2 experts occurred regularly in the entire MDC spectrum. No MDC chapter in which significant differences between the 2 raters arose could be identified. The results of our study demonstrate an almost 70% agreement in the evaluation of hospital cost accounts by 2 independently operating MDK. This result leaves room for improvement. Optimisation potentials can be recognised on the basis of the results. Potential for improvement was established in combination with regular further training and the expansion of binding internal code recommendations as well as exchange of code-relevant information among experts in internal forums. The presented model is in principle suitable for cross-border examinations within the MDK system with the advantage that further trends could be uncovered by more variety and larger numbers of the randomly selected cases. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Chemical free cotton defoliation and dessication

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Preliminary results are presented for new techniques to achieve chemical free means of cotton defoliation and desiccation. Report will cover test results, for several different methods, as tested on; greenhouse, outdoor grown potted plants, and field grown cotton plants, that were grown under commer...

Evaluation of I-FIT results and machine variability using MnRoad test track mixtures.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-06-01

The Illinois Flexibility Index Test (I-FIT) was developed to distinguish between different mixtures in terms of potential cracking. Several : machines were manufactured and are currently available to perform the I-FIT. This report presents the result...

Comparison between the 6-minute walk tests performed in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at different altitudes

PubMed Central

Squassoni, Selma Denis; Machado, Nadine Cristina; Lapa, Mônica Silveira; Cordoni, Priscila Kessar; Bortolassi, Luciene Costa; de Oliveira, Juliana Nascimento; Tavares, Cecilia Melo Rosa; Fiss, Elie

2014-01-01

Objective To evaluate the influence of the altitude on the 6-minute walking test in patients with moderate to severe pulmonary disease. Methods Twenty-nine patients performed the 6-minute walk test at a pulmonary rehabilitation clinic in Santo André (above sea level), in São Paulo State, and at the Enseada Beach, in Guarujá (at sea level), also in São Paulo State. Of these 29 patients, 8 did the test both on hard sand and on asphalt to analyze if there were differences in performance during the tests. Data such as heart rate, oxygen saturation, test distance, and Borg scale were compared. Results We found no statistical difference in relation to oxygen saturation at rest before the beginning of the walking test in Santo André 94.67±2.26% and at sea level 95.56±2% (p=0.71). The minimum saturation measured during the test was 87.27±6.54% in Santo André and 89.10±5.41% in Guarujá (p=0.098). There were no differences in the performed distance between the different kinds of terrains; the distance on sand was 387.75±5.02m and on asphalt it was 375.00±6.54m (p=0.654). Regarding oxygen saturation during walking, the pulse oximetry on sand was 95.12±1.80% and on asphalt it was 96.87±1.64% (p=1.05). Conclusion Altitude did not affect the performance of the walking test in patients with moderate to severe pulmonary disease and the results were similar in both cases, on sand and on asphalt. PMID:25628195

Reliability of a science admission test (HAM-Nat) at Hamburg medical school.

PubMed

Hissbach, Johanna; Klusmann, Dietrich; Hampe, Wolfgang

2011-01-01

The University Hospital in Hamburg (UKE) started to develop a test of knowledge in natural sciences for admission to medical school in 2005 (Hamburger Auswahlverfahren für Medizinische Studiengänge, Naturwissenschaftsteil, HAM-Nat). This study is a step towards establishing the HAM-Nat. We are investigating parallel forms reliability, the effect of a crash course in chemistry on test results, and correlations of HAM-Nat test results with a test of scientific reasoning (similar to a subtest of the "Test for Medical Studies", TMS). 316 first-year students participated in the study in 2007. They completed different versions of the HAM-Nat test which consisted of items that had already been used (HN2006) and new items (HN2007). Four weeks later half of the participants were tested on the HN2007 version of the HAM-Nat again, while the other half completed the test of scientific reasoning. Within this four week interval students were offered a five day chemistry course. Parallel forms reliability for four different test versions ranged from r(tt)=.53 to r(tt)=.67. The retest reliabilities of the HN2007 halves were r(tt)=.54 and r(tt )=.61. Correlations of the two HAM-Nat versions with the test of scientific reasoning were r=.34 und r=.21. The crash course in chemistry had no effect on HAM-Nat scores. The results suggest that further versions of the test of natural sciences will not easily conform to the standards of internal consistency, parallel-forms reliability and retest reliability. Much care has to be taken in order to assemble items which could be used interchangeably for the construction of new test versions. The test of scientific reasoning and the HAM-Nat are tapping different constructs. Participation in a chemistry course did not improve students' achievement, probably because the content of the course was not coordinated with the test and many students lacked of motivation to do well in the second test.

Dose-Dependent Behavioral Response of the Mosquito Aedes albopictus to Floral Odorous Compounds

PubMed Central

Hao, Huiling; Sun, Jingcheng; Dai, Jianqing

2013-01-01

The value of using plant volatiles as attractants for trapping and spatial repellents to protect hosts against mosquitoes has been widely recognized. The current study characterized behavioral responses of Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae) to different concentrations, ranging from 6 to 96%, of several common floral odorous compounds, including linalool, geraniol, citronellal, eugenol, anisaldehyde, and citral, using a wind tunnel olfactometer system. The results indicated that female mosquitoes reacted differently to different concentrations of the tested compounds, and the reactions also were different when those chemicals were tested alone or in the presence of human host odor. When tested alone, anisaldehyde was attractive at all tested concentrations, eugenol was attractive only at concentrations of 48–96%, while citronellal, linalool, citral, and geraniol were attractive at lower concentrations and repellent at higher concentrations. When tested in the presence of a human host, all compounds except for anisaldehyde at all tested concentrations showed host-seeking inhibition to certain degrees. Based on the results, it was concluded that anisaldehyde was effective in attracting Ae. albopictus when used alone but could also remarkably inhibit the host-seeking ability at a concentration of 96%, while citral, geraniol, linalool, citronellal, and eugenol are suitable as spatial repellents. PMID:24779928

Comparative neurobehavioral study of a polybrominated biphenyl-exposed population in Michigan and a nonexposed group in Wisconsin.

PubMed Central

Valciukas, J A; Lilis, R; Wolff, M S; Anderson, H A

1978-01-01

An analysis of findings regarding the prevalence and time course of symptoms and the results of neurobehavioral testing among Michigan and Wisconsin dairy farmers, is reported. Reviewed are: (1) differences in the prevalence of neurological symptoms at the time of examination; (2) differences in the incidence and time course of symptoms for the period 1972--1976; (3) differences among populations and subgroups (sex and age) regarding performance test scores; (4) correlations between performance test scores and neurological symptoms; and (5) correlations between serum PBB levels as indicators of exposure and performance tests and neurological symptoms. PMID:209977

Diffusion-controlled reference material for VOC emissions testing: proof of concept.

PubMed

Cox, S S; Liu, Z; Little, J C; Howard-Reed, C; Nabinger, S J; Persily, A

2010-10-01

Because of concerns about indoor air quality, there is growing awareness of the need to reduce the rate at which indoor materials and products emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs). To meet consumer demand for low emitting products, manufacturers are increasingly submitting materials to independent laboratories for emissions testing. However, the same product tested by different laboratories can result in very different emissions profiles because of a general lack of test validation procedures. There is a need for a reference material that can be used as a known emissions source and that will have the same emission rate when tested by different laboratories under the same conditions. A reference material was created by loading toluene into a polymethyl pentene film. A fundamental emissions model was used to predict the toluene emissions profile. Measured VOC emissions profiles using small-chamber emissions tests compared reasonably well to the emissions profile predicted using the emissions model, demonstrating the feasibility of the proposed approach to create a diffusion-controlled reference material. To calibrate emissions test chambers and improve the reproducibility of VOC emission measurements among different laboratories, a reference material has been created using a polymer film loaded with a representative VOC. Initial results show that the film's VOC emission profile measured in a conventional test chamber compares well to predictions based on independently determined material/chemical properties and a fundamental emissions model. The use of such reference materials has the potential to build consensus and confidence in emissions testing as well as 'level the playing field' for product testing laboratories and manufacturers.

Faying Surface Lubrication Effects on Nut Factors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, Deneen M.; Morrison, Raymond F.

2006-01-01

Bolted joint analysis typically is performed using nut factors derived from textbooks and procedures from program requirement documents. Joint specific testing was performed for a critical International Space Station (ISS) joint. Test results indicate that for some configurations the nut factor may be significantly different than accepted textbook values. This paper presents results of joint specific testing to aid in determining if joint specific testing should be performed to insure required preloads are obtained.

Sex and age differences in the impact of the forced swimming test on the levels of steroid hormones.

PubMed

Martínez-Mota, Lucía; Ulloa, Rosa-Elena; Herrera-Pérez, Jaime; Chavira, Roberto; Fernández-Guasti, Alonso

2011-10-24

Compared with the adult disorder, depression in children exhibits differences in its neurobiology, particularly in the HPA axis regulation. The bases of such differences can be evaluated in animal models of depression. The objective of the present study was to determine age and sex differences of Wistar rats in the forced swimming test (FST). The influence of sex and age on corticosterone, estrogens and testosterone serum levels was also determined. Prepubertal rats showed immobility, swimming and climbing behaviors during the pre-test and test sessions. In addition, in the prepubertal animals, no sex differences were found during the pre-test and test sessions. Age comparisons indicated no differences in the female groups, however adult males exhibited more immobility and less swimming than young males, in both FST sessions. The young and female rats showed less immobility behavior and increased levels of estrogens after the FST. The present results indicate that the FST is an animal model suitable to evaluate depressive-like behaviors in prepubertal subjects and to explore behavioral changes related to neurodevelopment. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of Examiner Experience and Technique on the Alternate Cover Test

PubMed Central

Anderson, Heather A.; Manny, Ruth E.; Cotter, Susan A.; Mitchell, G. Lynn; Irani, Jasmine A.

2013-01-01

Purpose To compare the repeatability of the alternate cover test between experienced and inexperienced examiners and the effects of dissociation time and examiner bias. Methods Two sites each had an experienced examiner train 10 subjects (inexperienced examiners) to perform short and long dissociation time alternate cover test protocols at near. Each site conducted testing sessions with an examiner triad (experienced examiner and two inexperienced examiners) who were masked to each other’s results. Each triad performed the alternate cover test on 24 patients using both dissociation protocols. In an attempt to introduce bias, each of the paired inexperienced examiners was given a different graph of phoria distribution for the general population. Analysis techniques that adjust for correlations introduced when multiple measurements are obtained on the same patient were used to investigate the effect of examiner and dissociation time on each outcome. Results The range of measured deviations spanned 27.5 prism diopters (Δ) base-in to 17.5Δ base-out. The absolute mean difference between experienced and inexperienced examiners was 2.28 ± 2.4Δ and at least 60% of differences were ≤2Δ. Larger deviations were measured with the long dissociation protocol for both experienced and inexperienced examiners (mean difference range = 1.17 to 2.14Δ, p < 0.0001). The percentage of measured small deviations (2Δ base-out to 2Δ base-in) did not differ between inexperienced examiners biased with the narrow vs. wide theoretical distributions (p = 0.41). The magnitude and direction of the deviation had no effect on the size of the differences obtained with different examiners or dissociation times. Conclusions Although inexperienced examiners differed significantly from experienced examiners, most differences were <2Δ suggesting good reliability of inexperienced examiners’ measurements. Examiner bias did not have a substantial effect on inexperienced examiner measurements; however, increased dissociation resulted in larger measured deviations for all examiners. PMID:20125058

The Role of Item Feedback in Self-Adapted Testing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roos, Linda L.; And Others

1997-01-01

The importance of item feedback in self-adapted testing was studied by comparing feedback and no feedback conditions for computerized adaptive tests and self-adapted tests taken by 363 college students. Results indicate that item feedback is not necessary to realize score differences between self-adapted and computerized adaptive testing. (SLD)

Organization of Concepts Relevant to Emotions and Their Regulation during Test Taking.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schutz, Paul A.; Davis, Heather A.; Schwanenflugel, Paula J.

2002-01-01

Studied college students' organization of concepts related to emotions and their regulation during test taking and whether students with test anxiety have a different conceptual organization about test taking. Results with 78 and 76 students show that for students with low and moderate test anxiety, the organizational scheme for the selected…

Investigation on aerodynamic characteristics of baseline-II E-2 blended wing-body aircraft with canard via computational simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nasir, Rizal E. M.; Ali, Zurriati; Kuntjoro, Wahyu; Wisnoe, Wirachman

2012-06-01

Previous wind tunnel test has proven the improved aerodynamic charasteristics of Baseline-II E-2 Blended Wing-Body (BWB) aircraft studied in Universiti Teknologi Mara. The E-2 is a version of Baseline-II BWB with modified outer wing and larger canard, solely-designed to gain favourable longitudinal static stability during flight. This paper highlights some results from current investigation on the said aircraft via computational fluid dynamics simulation as a mean to validate the wind tunnel test results. The simulation is conducted based on standard one-equation turbulence, Spalart-Allmaras model with polyhedral mesh. The ambience of the flight simulation is made based on similar ambience of wind tunnel test. The simulation shows lift, drag and moment results to be near the values found in wind tunnel test but only within angles of attack where the lift change is linear. Beyond the linear region, clear differences between computational simulation and wind tunnel test results are observed. It is recommended that different type of mathematical model be used to simulate flight conditions beyond linear lift region.

SEE locomotor behavior test discriminates C57BL/6J and DBA/2J mouse inbred strains across laboratories and protocol conditions.

PubMed

Kafkafi, Neri; Lipkind, Dina; Benjamini, Yoav; Mayo, Cheryl L; Elmer, Gregory I; Golani, Ilan

2003-06-01

Conventional tests of behavioral phenotyping frequently have difficulties differentiating certain genotypes and replicating these differences across laboratories and protocol conditions. This study explores the hypothesis that automated tests can be designed to quantify ethologically relevant behavior patterns that more readily characterize heritable and replicable phenotypes. It used SEE (Strategy for the Exploration of Exploration) to phenotype the locomotor behavior of the C57BL/6 and DBA/2 mouse inbred strains across 3 laboratories. The 2 genotypes differed in 15 different measures of behavior, none of which had a significant genotype-laboratory interaction. Within the same laboratory, most of these differences were replicated in additional experiments despite the test photoperiod phase being changed and saline being injected. Results suggest that well-designed tests may considerably enhance replicability across laboratories.

Amateur endurance triathletes' performance is improved independently of volume or intensity based training.

PubMed

Clemente-Suárez, Vicente Javier; Delgado-Moreno, Rosa; González, Beatriz; Ortega, Javier; Ramos-Campo, Domingo Jesús

2018-04-12

The aim of the present research was to compare the effects in swimming and running performance, horizontal jump test, autonomic modulation, and body composition of four training weeks with emphasis on volume versus intensity in moderate trained triathletes. Thirty-two amateur triathletes (20 males and 12 females) were randomly divided in three different groups that performed 6 training session per week: Intensity (INT): training focused on performs intensity training Volume (VOL): training focused on performs volume training; and Control (CON): physical active group with no periodized training. Body composition, heart rate variability, horizontal jump test, swimming and 2000 m running test were tested before and after the training period. There were no significant differences between INT and VOL in running test. Furthermore, both INT and VOL training groups improved 50 m (p: 0.046 and 0.042 respectively) and 400 m (p: 0.044 and 0.041 respectively) swimming performance. Moreover, there were no significant differences among groups in any moment in HRV variables. No significant difference was observed for horizontal jump test and body composition between the INT and VOL group at any time. According to the results of the present study, four weeks of training with either high intensity or volume results to similar adaptations in endurance, horizontal jump test and body composition parameters in amateur triathletes. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Measurement of susceptibility artifacts with histogram-based reference value on magnetic resonance images according to standard ASTM F2119.

PubMed

Heinrich, Andreas; Teichgräber, Ulf K; Güttler, Felix V

2015-12-01

The standard ASTM F2119 describes a test method for measuring the size of a susceptibility artifact based on the example of a passive implant. A pixel in an image is considered to be a part of an image artifact if the intensity is changed by at least 30% in the presence of a test object, compared to a reference image in which the test object is absent (reference value). The aim of this paper is to simplify and accelerate the test method using a histogram-based reference value. Four test objects were scanned parallel and perpendicular to the main magnetic field, and the largest susceptibility artifacts were measured using two methods of reference value determination (reference image-based and histogram-based reference value). The results between both methods were compared using the Mann-Whitney U-test. The difference between both reference values was 42.35 ± 23.66. The difference of artifact size was 0.64 ± 0.69 mm. The artifact sizes of both methods did not show significant differences; the p-value of the Mann-Whitney U-test was between 0.710 and 0.521. A standard-conform method for a rapid, objective, and reproducible evaluation of susceptibility artifacts could be implemented. The result of the histogram-based method does not significantly differ from the ASTM-conform method.

Clinical competency evaluation of Brazilian chiropractic interns

PubMed Central

Facchinato, Ana Paula A.; Benedicto, Camila C.; Mora, Aline G.; Cabral, Dayane M.C.; Fagundes, Djalma J.

2015-01-01

Objective This study compares the results of an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) between 2 groups of students before an internship and after 6 months of clinical practice in an internship. Methods Seventy-two students participated, with 36 students in each cohort. The OSCEs were performed in the simulation laboratory before the participants' clinical practice internship and after 6 months of the internship. Students were tested in 9 stations for clinical skills and knowledge. The same procedures were repeated for both cohorts. The t test was used for unpaired parametric samples and Fisher's exact test was used for comparison of proportions. Results There was no difference in the mean final score between the 2 groups (p = .34 for test 1; p = .08 for test 2). The performance of the students in group 1 was not significantly different when performed before and after 6 months of clinical practice, but in group 2 there was a significant decrease in the average score after 6 months of clinical practice. Conclusions There was no difference in the cumulative average score for the 2 groups before and after 6 months of clinical practice in the internship. There were differences within the cohorts, however, with a significant decrease in the average score in group 2. Issues pertaining to test standardization and student motivation for test 2 may have influenced the scores. PMID:25588200

Flexural testing on carbon fibre laminates taking into account their different behaviour under tension and compression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Serna Moreno, M. C.; Romero Gutierrez, A.; Martínez Vicente, J. L.

2016-07-01

An analytical model has been derived for describing the results of three-point-bending tests in materials with different behaviour under tension and compression. The shift of the neutral plane and the damage initiation mode and its location have been defined. The validity of the equations has been reviewed by testing carbon fibre-reinforced polymers (CFRP), typically employed in different weight-critical applications. Both unidirectional and cross-ply laminates have been studied. The initial failure mode produced depends directly on the beam span- thickness relation. Therefore, specimens with different thicknesses have been analysed for examining the damage initiation due to either the bending moment or the out-of-plane shear load. The experimental description of the damage initiation and evolution has been shown by means of optical microscopy. The good agreement between the analytical estimations and the experimental results shows the validity of the analytical model exposed.

The Case for Use of Simple Difference Scores to Test the Significance of Differences in Mean Rates of Change in Controlled Repeated Measurements Designs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Overall, John E.; Tonidandel, Scott

2010-01-01

A previous Monte Carlo study examined the relative powers of several simple and more complex procedures for testing the significance of difference in mean rates of change in a controlled, longitudinal, treatment evaluation study. Results revealed that the relative powers depended on the correlation structure of the simulated repeated measurements.…

Influence of growth media on the sensitivity of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa to cationic biocides.

PubMed

Brill, Florian; Goroncy-Bermes, Peter; Sand, Wolfgang

2006-01-01

In this study, the influence of culturing Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa under different growth conditions on their inactivation by the cationic active compounds benzalkonium chloride, chlorhexidine digluconate and octenidine dihydrochloride was investigated. Cells were grown in non-agitated tryptone soya broth as well as on tryptone soya agar according to national and international standards for evaluating chemical disinfectants. In quantitative suspension tests, cells of both test organisms grown on agar were significantly more sensitive to all three biocides than cells grown in broth. The differences in antimicrobial activity were greater in the case of S. aureus than in the case of P. aeruginosa. With S. aureus cultures, differences in the reduction factor of up to 5 log steps were found, with P. aeruginosa up to 2.5 log steps. The results of our uptake tests performed with S. aureus and octenidine dihydrochloride indicated that the growth conditions and the associated different stress factors either had an influence on the composition of the cell surface of this test organism or induced the formation of an efflux system. Cells of S. aureus cultured in broth took up only one-fifth of the amount of biocide molecules compared to cells from agar cultures. These data correlated with the results of the suspension tests. A low uptake of biocides apparently led to a reduced killing rate. In contrast to S. aureus, no significant differences in the uptake of octenidine dihydrochloride by cells of P. aeruginosa could be observed. These cells took up the same amount of the antimicrobial substance, whether on agar or in broth. In view of these results, possible consequences should be considered prior to changing test regulations.

Accelerated degradation of silicon metallization systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lathrop, J. W.

1983-01-01

Clemson University has been engaged for the past five years in a program to determine the reliability attributes of solar cells by means of accelerated test procedures. The cells are electrically measured and visually inspected and then subjected for a period of time to stress in excess of that normally encountered in use, and then they are reinspected. Changes are noted and the process repeated. This testing has thus far involved 23 different unencapsulated cell types from 12 different manufacturers, and 10 different encapsulated cell types from 9 different manufacturers. Reliability attributes of metallization systems can be classified as major or minor, depending on the severity of the effects observed. As a result of the accelerated testing conducted under the Clemson program, major effects have been observed related to contact resistance and to mechanical adherence and solderability. This paper does not attempt a generalized survey of accelerated test results, but rather concentrates on one particular attribute of metallization that has been observed to cause electrical degradation - increased contact resistance due to Schottky barrier formation. In this example basic semiconductor theory was able to provide an understanding of the electrical effects observed during accelerated stress testing.

Effects of aquatic PNF lower extremity patterns on balance and ADL of stroke patients.

PubMed

Kim, Eun-Kyung; Lee, Dong-Kyu; Kim, Young-Mi

2015-01-01

[Purpose] This study investigated the effect of aquatic proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) patterns in the lower extremity on balance and activities of daily living (ADL) in stroke patients. [Subjects] Twenty poststroke participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 10) or a control group (n = 10). The experimental group performed lower extremity patterns in an aquatic environment, and the control group performed lower extremity patterns on the ground. Both exercises were conducted for 30 minutes/day, 5 days/week for 6 weeks. Balance was measured with the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT), Functional Reach Test (FRT), and One Leg Stand Test (OLST). Activities of daily living were measured with the Functional Independence Measure (FIM). A paired t-test was used to measure pre- and post-experiment differences, and an independent t-test was used to measure between-group differences. [Results] The experimental and control groups showed significant differences for all pre- and post-experiment variables. In the between-group comparison, the experimental group was significantly difference from the control group. [Conclusion] These results indicate that performing aquatic proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation patterns in the lower extremity enhances balance and ADL in stroke patients.

Effects of aquatic PNF lower extremity patterns on balance and ADL of stroke patients

PubMed Central

Kim, Eun-Kyung; Lee, Dong-Kyu; Kim, Young-Mi

2015-01-01

[Purpose] This study investigated the effect of aquatic proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) patterns in the lower extremity on balance and activities of daily living (ADL) in stroke patients. [Subjects] Twenty poststroke participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 10) or a control group (n = 10). The experimental group performed lower extremity patterns in an aquatic environment, and the control group performed lower extremity patterns on the ground. Both exercises were conducted for 30 minutes/day, 5 days/week for 6 weeks. Balance was measured with the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT), Functional Reach Test (FRT), and One Leg Stand Test (OLST). Activities of daily living were measured with the Functional Independence Measure (FIM). A paired t-test was used to measure pre- and post-experiment differences, and an independent t-test was used to measure between-group differences. [Results] The experimental and control groups showed significant differences for all pre- and post-experiment variables. In the between-group comparison, the experimental group was significantly difference from the control group. [Conclusion] These results indicate that performing aquatic proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation patterns in the lower extremity enhances balance and ADL in stroke patients. PMID:25642076

Factors affecting the energy consumption of two refrigerator-freezers

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

Kao, J.Y.; Kelley, G.E.

Two refrigerator-freezers, one with a top-mounted freezer and one with side-by-side doors, were tested in the laboratory to determine the sensitivity of their energy consumption to various operational factors. Room temperature, room humidity, door openings, and the setting of the anti-sweat heater switch were the factors examined. The results indicated that the room temperature and door openings had a significantly greater effect on energy consumption than the other two factors. More detailed tests were then performed under different room temperature and door-opening combinations. The relationship of door openings and the equivalent test room temperature was established. Finally, the effect onmore » energy of different temperature settings was studied. Test results are presented and discussed.« less

Comparison of multianalyte proficiency test results by sum of ranking differences, principal component analysis, and hierarchical cluster analysis.

PubMed

Škrbić, Biljana; Héberger, Károly; Durišić-Mladenović, Nataša

2013-10-01

Sum of ranking differences (SRD) was applied for comparing multianalyte results obtained by several analytical methods used in one or in different laboratories, i.e., for ranking the overall performances of the methods (or laboratories) in simultaneous determination of the same set of analytes. The data sets for testing of the SRD applicability contained the results reported during one of the proficiency tests (PTs) organized by EU Reference Laboratory for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (EU-RL-PAH). In this way, the SRD was also tested as a discriminant method alternative to existing average performance scores used to compare mutlianalyte PT results. SRD should be used along with the z scores--the most commonly used PT performance statistics. SRD was further developed to handle the same rankings (ties) among laboratories. Two benchmark concentration series were selected as reference: (a) the assigned PAH concentrations (determined precisely beforehand by the EU-RL-PAH) and (b) the averages of all individual PAH concentrations determined by each laboratory. Ranking relative to the assigned values and also to the average (or median) values pointed to the laboratories with the most extreme results, as well as revealed groups of laboratories with similar overall performances. SRD reveals differences between methods or laboratories even if classical test(s) cannot. The ranking was validated using comparison of ranks by random numbers (a randomization test) and using seven folds cross-validation, which highlighted the similarities among the (methods used in) laboratories. Principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis justified the findings based on SRD ranking/grouping. If the PAH-concentrations are row-scaled, (i.e., z scores are analyzed as input for ranking) SRD can still be used for checking the normality of errors. Moreover, cross-validation of SRD on z scores groups the laboratories similarly. The SRD technique is general in nature, i.e., it can be applied to any experimental problem in which multianalyte results obtained either by several analytical procedures, analysts, instruments, or laboratories need to be compared.

A Study of the Application of the Lognormal and Gamma Distributions to Corrective Maintenance Repair Time Data.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-10-01

K-S A R A j 1 10 23 R 3 8 11 16 18 For the lognormal methods the test methods sometimes give different results. The K-S test and the chi-square...significant difference among the three test methods . A previous study has been done using 24 data sets of electronic systems and equipments, using only the W...are suitable descriptors for corrective maintenance repair times, and to estimate the difference caused in assuming an exponential distribution for

The Clock’N Test as a Possible Measure of Emotions: Normative Data Collected on a Non-clinical Population

PubMed Central

Gros, Auriane; Manera, Valeria; Daumas, Anaïs; Guillemin, Sophie; Rouaud, Olivier; Martin, Martine Lemesle; Giroud, Maurice; Béjot, Yannick

2016-01-01

Objective: At present emotional experience and implicit emotion regulation (IER) abilities are mainly assessed though self-reports, which are subjected to several biases. The aim of the present studies was to validate the Clock’N test, a recently developed time estimation task employing emotional priming to assess implicitly emotional reactivity and IER. Methods: In Study 1, the Clock’N test was administered to 150 healthy participants with different age, laterality and gender, in order to ascertain whether these factors affected the test results. In phase 1 participant were asked to judge the duration of seven sounds. In phase 2, before judging the duration of the same sounds, participants were presented with short arousing video-clip used as emotional priming stimuli. Time warp was calculated as the difference in time estimation between phase 2 and phase 1, and used to assess how emotions affected subjective time estimations. In study 2, a representative sample was selected to provide normative scores to be employed to assess emotional reactivity (Score 1) and IER (Score 2), and to calculate statistical cutoffs, based on the 10th and 90th score distribution percentiles. Results: Converging with previous findings, the results of study 1 suggested that the Clock’N test can be employed to assess both emotional reactivity, as indexed by an initial time underestimation, and IER, as indexed by a progressive shift to time overestimation. No effects of gender, age and laterality were found. Conclusions: These results suggest that the Clock’N test is adapted to assess emotional reactivity and IER. After collection of data on the test discriminant and convergent validity, this test may be employed to assess deficits in these abilities in different clinical populations. PMID:26903825

Analysis and interpretation of the leaching behaviour of waste thermal treatment bottom ash by batch and column tests.

PubMed

Di Gianfilippo, Martina; Costa, Giulia; Verginelli, Iason; Gavasci, Renato; Lombardi, Francesco

2016-10-01

This paper investigates the leaching behaviour of specific types of waste thermal treatment bottom ash (BA) as a function of both pH and the liquid-to-solid ratio (L/S). Specifically, column percolation tests and different types of batch tests (including pH-dependence) were applied to BA produced by hospital waste incineration (HW-I), Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) gasification (RDF-G) and RDF incineration (RDF-I). The results of these tests were interpreted applying an integrated graphical and modelling approach aimed at identifying the main mechanisms (solubility, availability or time-controlled dissolution and diffusion) governing the release of specific constituents from each type of BA. The final aim of this work was in fact to gain insight on the information that can be provided by the leaching tests applied, and hence on which ones may be more suitable to apply for assessing the leaching concentrations expected in the field. The results of the leaching tests showed that the three samples of analysed BA presented differences of orders of magnitude in their leaching behaviour, especially as a function of pH, but also in terms of the L/S. These were mainly related to the differences in mineralogy of the samples. In addition, for the same type of bottom ash, the comparison between the results of batch and percolation column tests, expressed in terms of cumulative release, showed that for some constituents (e.g. Mg for HW-I BA and Cu for RDF-G BA) differences of over one order of magnitude were obtained due to variations in pH and DOC release. Similarly, the eluate concentrations observed in the percolation tests, for most of the investigated elements, were not directly comparable with the results of the pH-dependence tests. In particular, in some cases the percolation test results showed eluate concentrations of some constituents (e.g. K and Ca in HW-I BA) of up to one order of magnitude higher than the values obtained from the pH-dependence experiments at the same pH value. This was attributed to a rapid washout from the column of the soluble phases present in the BA. In contrast, for other constituents (e.g. Mg and Ba for the RDF-G BA), especially at high L/S ratios, the concentrations in the column tests were of up to one order of magnitude lower than the solubility value, indicating release under non-equilibrium conditions. In these cases, batch pH-dependence tests should be preferred, since column tests results could underestimate the concentrations expected in the field. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Planning abilities of children aged 4 years and 9 months to 8 ½ years: Effects of age, fluid intelligence and school type on performance in the Tower of London test

PubMed Central

Malloy-Diniz, Leandro Fernandes; Cardoso-Martins, Cláudia; Nassif, Elaine Pacheco; Levy, Angela Maria; Leite, Wellington Borges; Fuentes, Daniel

2008-01-01

The present study investigated the relationship between age and one type of environmental factor, namely, type of school (i.e., private vs. public), and the development of mental planning ability, as measured by the Tower of London (TOL) test. Methods Participants comprised 197 public and 174 private school students, ranging in age from 4 years and 9 months to 8 years and 6 months. Besides the TOL test, students were administered Raven's Colored Matrices. Results Results confirmed the findings of previous studies that both age and school type are important predictors of mental planning. Furthermore, results also suggest that the relationship between type of school and mental planning ability cannot be accounted for by differences in students' fluid intelligence. Conclusion In the present study, the TOL test continued to differentiate public from private school students, even after we controlled for the effect of differences on the Raven test. PMID:29213536

Detecting Renibacterium salmoninarum in wild brown trout by use of multiple organ samples and diagnostic methods

USGS Publications Warehouse

Guomundsdottir, S.; Applegate, Lynn M.; Arnason, I.O.; Kristmundsson, A.; Purcell, Maureen K.; Elliott, Diane G.

2017-01-01

Renibacterium salmoninarum, the causative agent of salmonid bacterial kidney disease (BKD), is endemic in many wild trout species in northerly regions. The aim of the present study was to determine the optimal R. salmoninarum sampling/testing strategy for wild brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) populations in Iceland. Fish were netted in a lake and multiple organs—kidney, spleen, gills, oesophagus and mid-gut—were sampled and subjected to five detection tests i.e. culture, polyclonal enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (pELISA) and three different PCR tests. The results showed that each fish had encountered R. salmoninarum but there were marked differences between results obtained depending on organ and test. The bacterium was not cultured from any kidney sample while all kidney samples were positive by pELISA. At least one organ from 92.9% of the fish tested positive by PCR. The results demonstrated that the choice of tissue and diagnostic method can dramatically influence the outcome of R. salmoninarum surveys.

Räumliche Charakterisierung der hydraulischen Leitfähigkeit in alluvialen Schotter-Grundwasserleitern: Ein Methodenvergleich

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diem, Samuel; Vogt, Tobias; Hoehn, Eduard

2010-12-01

For groundwater transport modeling on a scale of 10-100 m, detailed information about the spatial distribution of hydraulic conductivity is of great importance. At a test site (10×20 m) in the alluvial gravel-and-sand aquifer of the perialpine Thur valley (Switzerland), four different methods were applied on different scales to assess this parameter. A comparison of the results showed that multilevel slug tests give reliable results at the required scale. For its analysis, a plausible value of the anisotropy ratio of hydraulic conductivity ( K v / K h ) is needed, which was calculated using a pumping test. The integral results of pumping tests provide an upper boundary of the natural spectrum of hydraulic conductivity at the scale of the test site. Flowmeter logs are recommended if the relative distribution of hydraulic conductivity is of primary importance, while sieve analyses can be used if only a rough estimate of hydraulic conductivity is acceptable.

IFN-γ Release Assay Result Is Associated with Disease Site and Death in Active Tuberculosis.

PubMed

Auld, Sara C; Lee, Scott H; Click, Eleanor S; Miramontes, Roque; Day, Cheryl L; Gandhi, Neel R; Heilig, Charles M

2016-12-01

The IFN-γ release assays and tuberculin skin tests are used to support the diagnosis of both latent and active tuberculosis. However, we previously demonstrated that a negative tuberculin test in active tuberculosis is associated with disseminated disease and death. It is unknown whether the same associations exist for IFN-γ release assays. To determine the association between these tests and site of tuberculosis and death among persons with active tuberculosis. We analyzed IFN-γ release assays and tuberculin test results for all persons with culture-confirmed tuberculosis reported to the U.S. National Tuberculosis Surveillance System from 2010 to 2014. We used logistic regression to calculate the association between these tests and site of disease and death. A total of 24,803 persons with culture-confirmed tuberculosis had either of these test results available for analysis. Persons with a positive tuberculin test had lower odds of disseminated disease (i.e., miliary or combined pulmonary and extrapulmonary disease), but there was no difference in the odds of disseminated disease with a positive IFN-γ release assay. However, persons who were positive to either of these tests had lower odds of death. An indeterminate IFN-γ release assay result was associated with greater odds of both disseminated disease and death. Despite perceived equivalence in clinical practice, IFN-γ release assays and tuberculin test results have different associations with tuberculosis site, yet similar associations with the risk of death. Furthermore, an indeterminate IFN-γ release assay result in a person with active tuberculosis is not unimportant, and rather carries greater odds of disseminated disease and death. Prospective study may improve our understanding of the underlying mechanisms by which these tests are associated with disease localization and death.

Anthropometric and Athletic Performance Combine Test Results Among Positions Within Grade Levels of High School-Aged American Football Players.

PubMed

Leutzinger, Todd J; Gillen, Zachary M; Miramonti, Amelia M; McKay, Brianna D; Mendez, Alegra I; Cramer, Joel T

2018-05-01

Leutzinger, TJ, Gillen, ZM, Miramonti, AM, McKay, BD, Mendez, AI, and Cramer, JT. Anthropometric and athletic performance combine test results among positions within grade levels of high school-aged American football players. J Strength Cond Res 32(5): 1288-1296, 2018-The purpose of this study was to investigate differences among player positions at 3 grade levels in elite, collegiate-prospective American football players. Participants' data (n = 7,160) were analyzed for this study (mean height [Ht] ± SD = 178 ± 7 cm, mass [Bm] = 86 ± 19 kg). Data were obtained from 12 different high school American football recruiting combines hosted by Zybek Sports (Boulder, Colorado). Eight 2-way (9 × 3) mixed factorial analysis of variances {position (defensive back [DB], defensive end, defensive lineman, linebacker, offensive lineman [OL], quarterback, running back, tight end, and wide receiver [WR]) × grade (freshmen, sophomores, and juniors)} were used to test for differences among the mean test scores for each combine measure (Ht, Bm, 40-yard [40 yd] dash, proagility [PA] drill, L-cone [LC] drill, vertical jump [VJ], and broad jump [BJ]). There were position-related differences (p ≤ 0.05) for Ht, 40 yd dash, and BJ, within each grade level and for Bm, PA, LC, and VJ independent of grade level. Generally, the results showed that OL were the tallest, weighed the most, and exhibited the lowest performance scores among positions. Running backs were the shortest, whereas DBs and WRs weighed the least and exhibited the highest performance scores among positions. These results demonstrate the value of classifying high school-aged American football players according to their specific position rather than categorical groupings such as "line" vs. "skill" vs. "big skill" when evaluating anthropometric and athletic performance combine test results.

[A pseudo-outbreak of pharyngeal gonorrhoea related to a false-positive PCR-result].

PubMed

Verzijl, A; Berretty, P J M; Erceg, A; Krekels, G A M; Van den Brule, A J C; Boel, C H E

2007-03-24

Nucleic acid amplification tests, including the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), are sensitive and specific tests that are often used for diagnosing sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). A pseudo-outbreak of pharyngeal gonorrhoea in a group of prostitutes turned out to have been caused by false-positive test results due to commensal oropharyngeal Neisseria species. Specific molecular tests may yield erroneous results. When the results of an STD study have major consequences at a legal or social level, it is advisable, in consultation with a medical microbiologist, to take a sample for culture or to carry out a second molecular test aimed at a different part of the bacterial genome.

Automation and Evaluation of the SOWH Test with SOWHAT.

PubMed

Church, Samuel H; Ryan, Joseph F; Dunn, Casey W

2015-11-01

The Swofford-Olsen-Waddell-Hillis (SOWH) test evaluates statistical support for incongruent phylogenetic topologies. It is commonly applied to determine if the maximum likelihood tree in a phylogenetic analysis is significantly different than an alternative hypothesis. The SOWH test compares the observed difference in log-likelihood between two topologies to a null distribution of differences in log-likelihood generated by parametric resampling. The test is a well-established phylogenetic method for topology testing, but it is sensitive to model misspecification, it is computationally burdensome to perform, and its implementation requires the investigator to make several decisions that each have the potential to affect the outcome of the test. We analyzed the effects of multiple factors using seven data sets to which the SOWH test was previously applied. These factors include a number of sample replicates, likelihood software, the introduction of gaps to simulated data, the use of distinct models of evolution for data simulation and likelihood inference, and a suggested test correction wherein an unresolved "zero-constrained" tree is used to simulate sequence data. To facilitate these analyses and future applications of the SOWH test, we wrote SOWHAT, a program that automates the SOWH test. We find that inadequate bootstrap sampling can change the outcome of the SOWH test. The results also show that using a zero-constrained tree for data simulation can result in a wider null distribution and higher p-values, but does not change the outcome of the SOWH test for most of the data sets tested here. These results will help others implement and evaluate the SOWH test and allow us to provide recommendations for future applications of the SOWH test. SOWHAT is available for download from https://github.com/josephryan/SOWHAT. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press, on behalf of the Society of Systematic Biologists.

Patch test results in children and adolescents. Study from the Santa Casa de Belo Horizonte Dermatology Clinic, Brazil, from 2003 to 2010*

PubMed Central

Rodrigues, Dulcilea Ferraz; Goulart, Eugênio Marcos Andrade

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND Patch testing is an efficient method to identify the allergen responsible for allergic contact dermatitis. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the results of patch tests in children and adolescents comparing these two age groups' results. METHODS Cross-sectional study to assess patch test results of 125 children and adolescents aged 1-19 years, with suspected allergic contact dermatitis, in a dermatology clinic in Brazil. Two Brazilian standardized series were used. RESULTS Seventy four (59.2%) patients had "at least one positive reaction" to the patch test. Among these positive tests, 77.0% were deemed relevant. The most frequent allergens were nickel (36.8%), thimerosal (18.4%), tosylamide formaldehyde resin (6.8%), neomycin (6.4%), cobalt (4.0%) and fragrance mix I (4.0%). The most frequent positive tests came from adolescents (p=0.0014) and females (p=0.0002). There was no relevant statistical difference concerning contact sensitizations among patients with or without atopic history. However, there were significant differences regarding sensitization to nickel (p=0.029) and thimerosal (p=0.042) between the two age groups under study, while adolescents were the most affected. CONCLUSION Nickel and fragrances were the only positive (and relevant) allergens in children. Nickel and tosylamide formaldehyde resin were the most frequent and relevant allergens among adolescents. PMID:26560213

Influence of individual differences in disease perception on consumer response to direct-to-consumer genomic testing

PubMed Central

Boeldt, D.L.; Schork, N.J.; Topol, E.J.; Bloss, C.S.

2016-01-01

Individuals who undergo multiplex direct-to-consumer (DTC) genomic testing receive genetic risk results for multiple conditions. To date, research has not investigated the influence of individual differences in disease perceptions among consumers on testing outcomes. A total of 2037 participants received DTC genomic testing and completed baseline and follow-up surveys assessing disease perceptions and health behaviors. Participants were asked to indicate their most feared disease of those tested. Perceived seriousness and controllability of the disease via lifestyle or medical intervention were assessed. Participants most frequently reported heart attack (19.1%) and Alzheimer’s disease (18.6%) as their most feared disease. Perceived seriousness and control over the feared disease both influenced response to DTC genomic testing. Greater perceived seriousness and diminished perceived control were associated with higher, but not clinically significant levels of anxiety and distress. In some cases these associations were modified by genetic risk. No significant associations were observed for diet, exercise and screening behaviors. Individual differences in disease perceptions influence psychological outcomes following DTC genomic testing. Higher perceived seriousness may make a consumer more psychologically sensitive to test results and greater perceived control may protect against adverse psychological outcomes. Findings may inform development of educational and counseling services. PMID:24798746

Influence of individual differences in disease perception on consumer response to direct-to-consumer genomic testing.

PubMed

Boeldt, D L; Schork, N J; Topol, E J; Bloss, C S

2015-03-01

Individuals who undergo multiplex direct-to-consumer (DTC) genomic testing receive genetic risk results for multiple conditions. To date, research has not investigated the influence of individual differences in disease perceptions among consumers on testing outcomes. A total of 2037 participants received DTC genomic testing and completed baseline and follow-up surveys assessing disease perceptions and health behaviors. Participants were asked to indicate their most feared disease of those tested. Perceived seriousness and controllability of the disease via lifestyle or medical intervention were assessed. Participants most frequently reported heart attack (19.1%) and Alzheimer's disease (18.6%) as their most feared disease. Perceived seriousness and control over the feared disease both influenced response to DTC genomic testing. Greater perceived seriousness and diminished perceived control were associated with higher, but not clinically significant levels of anxiety and distress. In some cases these associations were modified by genetic risk. No significant associations were observed for diet, exercise and screening behaviors. Individual differences in disease perceptions influence psychological outcomes following DTC genomic testing. Higher perceived seriousness may make a consumer more psychologically sensitive to test results and greater perceived control may protect against adverse psychological outcomes. Findings may inform development of educational and counseling services. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Summary of Downtown People Mover (DPM) Winterization Test Activities

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1982-01-01

This report describes and summarizes the test activities and presents the results of a two-year winter operation test program for three technologically-different Automated Guideway Transit (AGT) systems. The basic objective of the program was to dete...

Downtown People Mover (DPM) Winterization Test Demonstration : UMI

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1982-01-01

This report describes and summarizes the test activities and presents the results of a two-year winter operation test program for three technologically-different Automated Guideway Transit (AGT) systems. The basic objective of the program was to dete...

Ecotoxic effect of photocatalytic active nanoparticles (TiO2) on algae and daphnids.

PubMed

Hund-Rinke, Kerstin; Simon, Markus

2006-07-01

Due to their large potential for manifold applications, the use of nanoparticles is of increasing importance. As large amounts of nanoparticles may reach the environment voluntarily or by accident, attention should be paid on the potential impacts on the environment. First studies on potential environmental effects of photocatalytic TiO2 nanoparticles have been performed on the basis of widely accepted, standardized test systems which originally had been developed for the characterization of chemicals. The methods were adapted to the special requirements of testing photocatalytic nanoparticles. Suspensions of two different nanoparticles were illuminated to induce their photocatalytic activity. For testing, the growth inhibition test with the green alga Desmodesmus subspicatus and the immobilization test with the daphnid Daphnia magna were selected and performed following the relevant guidelines (algae: ISO 8692, OECD 201, DIN 38412-33; daphnids: ISO 6341, OECD 202, DIN 38412-30). The guidelines were adapted to meet the special requirements for testing photocatalytic nanoparticles. The results indicate that it is principally possible to determine the ecotoxicity of nanoparticles. It was shown that nanoparticles may have ecotoxicological effects which depend on the nature of the particles. Both products tested differ in their toxicity. Product 1 shows a clear concentration-effect curve in the test with algae (EC50: 44 mg/L). It could be proven that the observed toxicity was not caused by accompanying contaminants, since the toxic effect was comparable for the cleaned and the commercially available product. For product 2, no toxic effects were determined (maximum concentration: 50 mg/L). In the tests with daphnids, toxicity was observed for both products, although the concentration effect-curves were less pronounced. The two products differed in their toxicity; moreover, there was a difference in the toxicity of illuminated and non-illuminated products. Both products differ in size and crystalline form, so that these parameters are assumed to contribute to the different toxicities. The concentration-effect curves for daphnids, which are less-pronounced than the curves obtained for algae, may be due to the different test organisms and/or the differing test designs. The increased toxicity of pre-illuminated particles in the tests with daphnids demonstrates that the photocatalytic activity of nanoparticles lasts for a period of time. The following conclusions can be drawn from the test results: (I) It is principally possible to determine the ecotoxicity of (photocatalytic) nanoparticles. Therefore, they can be assessed using methods comparable to the procedures applied for assessing soluble chemicals. (II) Nanoparticles may exert ecotoxicological effects, which depend on the specific nanoparticle. (III) Comparable to traditional chemicals, the ecotoxicity depends on the test organisms and their physiology. (IV) The photocatalytic activity of nanoparticles lasts for a relevant period of time. Therefore, pre-illumination may be sufficient to detect a photocatalytic activity even by using test organisms which are not suitable for application in the pre-illumination-phase. First results are presented which indicate that the topic 'ecotoxicity and environmental effects of nanoparticles' should not be neglected. In testing photocatalytic nanoparticles, there are still many topics that need clarification or improvement, such as the cause for an observed toxicity, the improvement of the test design, the elaboration of a test battery and an assessment strategy. On the basis of optimized test systems, it will be possible to test nanoparticles systematically. If a potential risk by specific photocatalytic particles is known, a risk-benefit analysis can be performed and, if required, risk reducing measures can be taken.

Mere exposure effect: A consequence of direct and indirect fluency-preference links.

PubMed

Willems, Sylvie; Van der Linden, Martial

2006-06-01

In three experiments, picture quality between test items was manipulated to examine whether subjects' expectations about the fluency normally associated with these different stimuli might influence the effects of fluency on preference or familiarity-based recognition responses. The results showed that fluency due to pre-exposure influenced responses less when objects were presented with high picture quality, suggesting that attributions of fluency to preference and familiarity are adjusted according to expectations about the different test pictures. However, this expectations influence depended on subjects' awareness of these different quality levels. Indeed, imperceptible differences seemed not to induce expectations about the test item fluency. In this context, fluency due to both picture quality and pre-exposure influenced direct responses. Conversely, obvious, and noticed, differences in test picture quality did no affect responses, suggesting that expectations moderated attributions of fluency only when fluency normally associated with these different stimuli was perceptible but difficult to assess.

Do humans ape? Or do apes human? Imitation and intention in humans (Homo sapiens) and other animals.

PubMed

Horowitz, Alexandra C

2003-09-01

A. Whiten, D. M. Custance, J.-C. Gomez, P. Teixidor, and K. A. Bard (1996) tested chimpanzees' (Pan troglodytes) and human children's (Homo sapiens) skills at imitation with a 2-action test on an "artificial fruit." Chimpanzees imitated to a restricted degree; children were more thoroughly imitative. Such results prompted some to assert that the difference in imitation indicates a difference in the subjects' understanding of the intentions of the demonstrator (M. Tomasello, 1996). In this experiment, 37 adult human subjects were tested with the artificial fruit. Far from being perfect imitators, the adults were less imitative than the children. These results cast doubt on the inference from imitative performance to an ability to understand others' intentions. The results also demonstrate how any test of imitation requires a control group and attention to the level of behavioral analysis. Copyright 2003 APA, all rights reserved

Harsh environment fiber optic connectors/testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parker, Douglas A.

2014-09-01

Fiber optic systems are used frequently in military, aerospace and commercial aviation programs. There is a long history of implementing fiber optic data transfer for aircraft control, for harsh environment use in local area networks and more recently for in-flight entertainment systems. The advantages of fiber optics include high data rate capacity, low weight, immunity to EMI/RFI, and security from signal tapping. Technicians must be trained particularly to install and maintain fiber systems, but it is not necessarily more difficult than wire systems. However, the testing of the fiber optic interconnection system must be conducted in a standardized manner to assure proper performance. Testing can be conducted with slight differences in the set-up and procedure that produce significantly different test results. This paper reviews various options of interconnect configurations and discusses how these options can affect the performance, maintenance required and longevity of a fiber optic system, depending on the environment. Proper test methods are discussed. There is a review of the essentials of proper fiber optic testing and impact of changing such test parameters as input launch conditions, wavelength considerations, power meter options and the basic methods of testing. This becomes important right from the start when the supplier test data differs from the user's data check upon receiving the product. It also is important in periodic testing. Properly conducting the fiber optic testing will eliminate confusion and produce meaningful test results for a given harsh environment application.

An Alternative to Impedance Screening: Unoccluded Frontal Bone Conduction Screening.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Square, Regina; And Others

1985-01-01

A bone conduction hearing screening test using frontal bone oscillator placement was compared with pure-tone air-conduction screening and impedance audiometry with 114 preschoolers. Unoccluded frontal bone conduction testing produced screening results not significantly different from results obtained by impedance audiometry. (CL)!

DEIVA: a web application for interactive visual analysis of differential gene expression profiles.

PubMed

Harshbarger, Jayson; Kratz, Anton; Carninci, Piero

2017-01-07

Differential gene expression (DGE) analysis is a technique to identify statistically significant differences in RNA abundance for genes or arbitrary features between different biological states. The result of a DGE test is typically further analyzed using statistical software, spreadsheets or custom ad hoc algorithms. We identified a need for a web-based system to share DGE statistical test results, and locate and identify genes in DGE statistical test results with a very low barrier of entry. We have developed DEIVA, a free and open source, browser-based single page application (SPA) with a strong emphasis on being user friendly that enables locating and identifying single or multiple genes in an immediate, interactive, and intuitive manner. By design, DEIVA scales with very large numbers of users and datasets. Compared to existing software, DEIVA offers a unique combination of design decisions that enable inspection and analysis of DGE statistical test results with an emphasis on ease of use.

Sea urchin fertilization assay: an evaluation of assumptions related to sample salinity adjustment and use of natural and synthetic marine waters for testing.

PubMed

Jonczyk, E; Gilron, G; Zajdlik, B

2001-04-01

Most industrial effluents discharged into the marine coastal environment are freshwater in nature and therefore require manipulation prior to testing with marine organisms. The sea urchin fertilization test is a common marine bioassay used for routine environmental monitoring, investigative evaluations, and/or regulatory testing of effluents and sediment pore waters. The existing Canadian and U.S. Environmental Protection Agencies test procedures using sea urchin (and sand dollar) gametes allow for sample salinity adjustment using either brine or dry salts. Moreover, these procedures also allow for the use of either natural or synthetic marine water for culturing/holding test organisms and for full-scale testing. At present, it is unclear to what extent these variables affect test results for whole effluents. The test methods simply state that there are no data available and that the use of artificial dry sea salts should be considered provisional. We conducted a series of concurrent experiments aimed at comparing the two different treatments of sample salinity adjustment and the use of natural versus synthetic seawater in order to test these assumptions and evaluate effects on the estimated end points generated by the sea urchin fertilization sublethal toxicity test. Results from these experiments indicated that there is no significant difference in test end points when dry salts or brine are used for sample salinity adjustment. Similarly, results obtained from parallel (split-sample) industrial effluent tests with natural and artificial seawater suggest that both dilution waters produce similar test results. However, data obtained from concurrent tests with the reference toxicant, copper sulfate, showed higher variability and greater sensitivity when using natural seawater as control/dilution water.

Hypermnesia: a further examination of age differences between young and older adults.

PubMed

Otani, Hajime; Kato, Koichi; Von Glahn, Nicholas R; Nelson, Meghann E; Widner, Robert L; Goernert, Phillip N

2008-05-01

Previous studies that examined age differences in hypermnesia reported inconsistent results. The present experiment investigated whether the different study materials in these studies were responsible for the inconsistency. In particular, the present experiment examined whether the use of a video, as opposed to words and pictures, would eliminate previously reported age differences in hypermnesia. Fifteen college students and 15 older adults viewed a 3-minute video clip followed by two free-recall tests. The results indicated that older adults, as a whole, did not show hypermnesia. However, when older adults were divided into low and high memory groups based on test 1 performance, the high memory group showed hypermnesia whereas the low memory group did not show hypermnesia. The older adults in the low memory group were significantly older than the older adults in the high memory group - indicating that hypermnesia is inversely related to age in older adults. Reminiscence did not show an age-related difference in either the low or high memory group whereas inter-test forgetting did show an age difference in the low memory group. As expected, older adults showed greater inter-test forgetting than young adults in the low memory group. Findings from the present experiment suggest that video produces a pattern of results that is similar to the patterns obtained when words and pictures are used as study material. Thus, it appears that the nature of study material is not the source of inconsistency across the previous studies.

A support vector machine based test for incongruence between sets of trees in tree space

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The increased use of multi-locus data sets for phylogenetic reconstruction has increased the need to determine whether a set of gene trees significantly deviate from the phylogenetic patterns of other genes. Such unusual gene trees may have been influenced by other evolutionary processes such as selection, gene duplication, or horizontal gene transfer. Results Motivated by this problem we propose a nonparametric goodness-of-fit test for two empirical distributions of gene trees, and we developed the software GeneOut to estimate a p-value for the test. Our approach maps trees into a multi-dimensional vector space and then applies support vector machines (SVMs) to measure the separation between two sets of pre-defined trees. We use a permutation test to assess the significance of the SVM separation. To demonstrate the performance of GeneOut, we applied it to the comparison of gene trees simulated within different species trees across a range of species tree depths. Applied directly to sets of simulated gene trees with large sample sizes, GeneOut was able to detect very small differences between two set of gene trees generated under different species trees. Our statistical test can also include tree reconstruction into its test framework through a variety of phylogenetic optimality criteria. When applied to DNA sequence data simulated from different sets of gene trees, results in the form of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves indicated that GeneOut performed well in the detection of differences between sets of trees with different distributions in a multi-dimensional space. Furthermore, it controlled false positive and false negative rates very well, indicating a high degree of accuracy. Conclusions The non-parametric nature of our statistical test provides fast and efficient analyses, and makes it an applicable test for any scenario where evolutionary or other factors can lead to trees with different multi-dimensional distributions. The software GeneOut is freely available under the GNU public license. PMID:22909268

Kinetic release of hydrogen peroxide from different whitening products.

PubMed

da Silva Marques, Duarte Nuno; Silveira, Joao Miguel; Marques, Joana Rita; Amaral, Joao Almeida; Guilherme, Nuno Marques; da Mata, António Duarte

2012-01-01

The objective of this in vitro study was to evaluate the kinetics of hydrogen peroxide (HP) release from five different bleaching products: VivaStyle® 10% fitted tray gel, VivaStyle® 30% in-office bleaching gel, VivaStyle® Paint-On Plus paint-on bleaching varnish, Opalescence PF® 10% carbamide peroxide gel and Trèswhite Supreme™ 10% HP gel. Each product was firstly titrated for its HP content by a described method. HP release kinetics was assessed by a modified spectrophotometric technique. One sample t test was performed to test for differences between the manufacturers' claimed HP concentrations and the titrated HP content in the whitening products. Analysis of variance plus Tamhane's post hoc tests and Pearson correlation analysis were used as appropriate. Values of P < 0.05 were taken as significant. Titrated HP revealed an increased content when compared to the manufacturer's specifications for all the products tested (P < 0.05), although only products from one manufacturer produced significantly higher results. All products presented a significant (P < 0.05) and sustained release of HP. However, the product with paint-on cellulose-based matrix resulted in significantly (P < 0.05) faster kinetics when compared to other products tested. These results are consistent with manufacturers' reduced recommended application times. The results of this study suggest that modifying the matrix composition may be a viable alternative to HP concentration increase, since this may result in faster release kinetics without exposure to high HP concentrations.

Mathematical Rigor vs. Conceptual Change: Some Early Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alexander, W. R.

2003-05-01

Results from two different pedagogical approaches to teaching introductory astronomy at the college level will be presented. The first of these approaches is a descriptive, conceptually based approach that emphasizes conceptual change. This descriptive class is typically an elective for non-science majors. The other approach is a mathematically rigorous treatment that emphasizes problem solving and is designed to prepare students for further study in astronomy. The mathematically rigorous class is typically taken by science majors. It also fulfills an elective science requirement for these science majors. The Astronomy Diagnostic Test version 2 (ADT 2.0) was used as an assessment instrument since the validity and reliability have been investigated by previous researchers. The ADT 2.0 was administered as both a pre-test and post-test to both groups. Initial results show no significant difference between the two groups in the post-test. However, there is a slightly greater improvement for the descriptive class between the pre and post testing compared to the mathematically rigorous course. There was great care to account for variables. These variables included: selection of text, class format as well as instructor differences. Results indicate that the mathematically rigorous model, doesn't improve conceptual understanding any better than the conceptual change model. Additional results indicate that there is a similar gender bias in favor of males that has been measured by previous investigators. This research has been funded by the College of Science and Mathematics at James Madison University.

Analysis of results from wind tunnel tests of inlets for an advanced turboprop nacelle installation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hancock, J. P.; Lyman, V.; Pennock, A. P.

1986-01-01

Inlets for tractor installations of advanced turboprop propulsion systems were tested in three phases, covering a period from November, 1982 to January, 1984. Nacelle inlet configuration types included single scoop, twin scoop, and annular arrangements. Tests were performed with and without boundary layer diverters and several different diverter heights were tested for the single scoop inlet. This same inlet was also tested at two different axial positions. Test Mach numbers ranged from Mach 0.20 to 0.80. Types of data taken were: (1) internal and external pressures, including inlet throat recoveries; (2) balance forces, including thrust-minus-drag; and (3) propellar blade stresses.

Comprehensive Field Test and Evaluation of an Electronic Signpost AVM System. Volume I. Test Results

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1977-08-01

The report covers the activities of Phase I which involved the installation and test of a HI3 AVM System in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the winter of 1976-1977. A summary report on all systems tested is Experiments on four different techniques...

Reliability and Validity of Ten Consumer Activity Trackers Depend on Walking Speed.

PubMed

Fokkema, Tryntsje; Kooiman, Thea J M; Krijnen, Wim P; VAN DER Schans, Cees P; DE Groot, Martijn

2017-04-01

To examine the test-retest reliability and validity of ten activity trackers for step counting at three different walking speeds. Thirty-one healthy participants walked twice on a treadmill for 30 min while wearing 10 activity trackers (Polar Loop, Garmin Vivosmart, Fitbit Charge HR, Apple Watch Sport, Pebble Smartwatch, Samsung Gear S, Misfit Flash, Jawbone Up Move, Flyfit, and Moves). Participants walked three walking speeds for 10 min each; slow (3.2 km·h), average (4.8 km·h), and vigorous (6.4 km·h). To measure test-retest reliability, intraclass correlations (ICC) were determined between the first and second treadmill test. Validity was determined by comparing the trackers with the gold standard (hand counting), using mean differences, mean absolute percentage errors, and ICC. Statistical differences were calculated by paired-sample t tests, Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, and by constructing Bland-Altman plots. Test-retest reliability varied with ICC ranging from -0.02 to 0.97. Validity varied between trackers and different walking speeds with mean differences between the gold standard and activity trackers ranging from 0.0 to 26.4%. Most trackers showed relatively low ICC and broad limits of agreement of the Bland-Altman plots at the different speeds. For the slow walking speed, the Garmin Vivosmart and Fitbit Charge HR showed the most accurate results. The Garmin Vivosmart and Apple Watch Sport demonstrated the best accuracy at an average walking speed. For vigorous walking, the Apple Watch Sport, Pebble Smartwatch, and Samsung Gear S exhibited the most accurate results. Test-retest reliability and validity of activity trackers depends on walking speed. In general, consumer activity trackers perform better at an average and vigorous walking speed than at a slower walking speed.

Streptomyces luridus So3.2 from Antarctic soil as a novel producer of compounds with bioemulsification potential

PubMed Central

Lamilla, Claudio; Braga, Douglas; Castro, Rui; Guimarães, Carolina; V. A. de Castilho, Livia; Freire, Denise M. G.

2018-01-01

The present study aimed to identify novel microbial producers of bioemulsificant compounds from Antarctic soils. Fifty-nine microbial strains were isolated from five different locations at South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, and screened for biosurfactant production by β-hemolytic activity. Strain So 3.2 was determined as bioemulsifier-producer and identified by phenotypic and molecular characterization as Streptomyces luridus. Emulsification activity, oil displacement method and drop-collapsing test were performed to evaluate the biosurfactant activity with different oils and hydrocarbons using two different culture media (Luria Bertani and Bushnell Haas in the presence of different carbon sources: glucose, glycerol, olive oil and n-Hexadecane). Cell free supernatant of Bushnell Haas culture supplemented with n-Hexadecane showed the best results for all tests. Emulsification of hydrocarbons exceeded 60%, reaching up to 90% on oil with high API grade, while displacement tests ranged from 8 cm to 4 cm in diameter according the culture media and tested oils. Our results revealed that Streptomyces luridus So3.2 is able to produce bioemulsifiers capable of emulsifying hydrocarbons and oils, which could be used in different biotechnological applications, particularly for bioremediation of environments contaminated by oil leaks. PMID:29684071

Streptomyces luridus So3.2 from Antarctic soil as a novel producer of compounds with bioemulsification potential.

PubMed

Lamilla, Claudio; Braga, Douglas; Castro, Rui; Guimarães, Carolina; V A de Castilho, Livia; Freire, Denise M G; Barrientos, Leticia

2018-01-01

The present study aimed to identify novel microbial producers of bioemulsificant compounds from Antarctic soils. Fifty-nine microbial strains were isolated from five different locations at South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, and screened for biosurfactant production by β-hemolytic activity. Strain So 3.2 was determined as bioemulsifier-producer and identified by phenotypic and molecular characterization as Streptomyces luridus. Emulsification activity, oil displacement method and drop-collapsing test were performed to evaluate the biosurfactant activity with different oils and hydrocarbons using two different culture media (Luria Bertani and Bushnell Haas in the presence of different carbon sources: glucose, glycerol, olive oil and n-Hexadecane). Cell free supernatant of Bushnell Haas culture supplemented with n-Hexadecane showed the best results for all tests. Emulsification of hydrocarbons exceeded 60%, reaching up to 90% on oil with high API grade, while displacement tests ranged from 8 cm to 4 cm in diameter according the culture media and tested oils. Our results revealed that Streptomyces luridus So3.2 is able to produce bioemulsifiers capable of emulsifying hydrocarbons and oils, which could be used in different biotechnological applications, particularly for bioremediation of environments contaminated by oil leaks.

2007 Nissan Altima-2351 Hybrid Electric Vehicle Battery Test Results

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

Tyler Gray; Chester Motloch; James Francfort

2010-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Advanced Vehicle Testing Activity (AVTA) conducts several different types of tests on hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), including testing the HEV batteries when both the vehicles and batteries are new, and at the conclusion of 160,000 miles of on-road accelerated testing. This report documents the battery testing performed and the battery testing results for the 2007 Nissan Altima HEV, number 2351 (VIN 1N4CL21E87C172351). The battery testing was performed by the Electric Transportation Engineering Corporation (eTec). The Idaho National Laboratory and eTec conduct the AVTA for DOE’s Vehicle Technologies Program.

Comparison of the Spectral-Temporally Modulated Ripple Test With the Arizona Biomedical Institute Sentence Test in Cochlear Implant Users.

PubMed

Lawler, Marshall; Yu, Jeffrey; Aronoff, Justin M

Although speech perception is the gold standard for measuring cochlear implant (CI) users' performance, speech perception tests often require extensive adaptation to obtain accurate results, particularly after large changes in maps. Spectral ripple tests, which measure spectral resolution, are an alternate measure that has been shown to correlate with speech perception. A modified spectral ripple test, the spectral-temporally modulated ripple test (SMRT) has recently been developed, and the objective of this study was to compare speech perception and performance on the SMRT for a heterogeneous population of unilateral CI users, bilateral CI users, and bimodal users. Twenty-five CI users (eight using unilateral CIs, nine using bilateral CIs, and eight using a CI and a hearing aid) were tested on the Arizona Biomedical Institute Sentence Test (AzBio) with a +8 dB signal to noise ratio, and on the SMRT. All participants were tested with their clinical programs. There was a significant correlation between SMRT and AzBio performance. After a practice block, an improvement of one ripple per octave for SMRT corresponded to an improvement of 12.1% for AzBio. Additionally, there was no significant difference in slope or intercept between any of the CI populations. The results indicate that performance on the SMRT correlates with speech recognition in noise when measured across unilateral, bilateral, and bimodal CI populations. These results suggest that SMRT scores are strongly associated with speech recognition in noise ability in experienced CI users. Further studies should focus on increasing both the size and diversity of the tested participants, and on determining whether the SMRT technique can be used for early predictions of long-term speech scores, or for evaluating differences among different stimulation strategies or parameter settings.

PEP Support: Laboratory Scale Leaching and Permeate Stability Tests

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

Russell, Renee L.; Peterson, Reid A.; Rinehart, Donald E.

2010-05-21

This report documents results from a variety of activities requested by the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP). The activities related to caustic leaching, oxidative leaching, permeate precipitation behavior of waste as well as chromium (Cr) leaching are: • Model Input Boehmite Leaching Tests • Pretreatment Engineering Platform (PEP) Support Leaching Tests • PEP Parallel Leaching Tests • Precipitation Study Results • Cr Caustic and Oxidative Leaching Tests. Leaching test activities using the PEP simulant provided input to a boehmite dissolution model and determined the effect of temperature on mass loss during caustic leaching, the reaction rate constantmore » for the boehmite dissolution, and the effect of aeration in enhancing the chromium dissolution during caustic leaching. Other tests were performed in parallel with the PEP tests to support the development of scaling factors for caustic and oxidative leaching. Another study determined if precipitate formed in the wash solution after the caustic leach in the PEP. Finally, the leaching characteristics of different chromium compounds under different conditions were examined to determine the best one to use in further testing.« less

Modified Drop Tower Impact Tests for American Football Helmets.

PubMed

Rush, G Alston; Prabhu, R; Rush, Gus A; Williams, Lakiesha N; Horstemeyer, M F

2017-02-19

A modified National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) test method for American football helmet drop impact test standards is presented that would provide better assessment of a helmet's on-field impact performance by including a faceguard on the helmet. In this study, a merger of faceguard and helmet test standards is proposed. The need for a more robust systematic approach to football helmet testing procedures is emphasized by comparing representative results of the Head Injury Criterion (HIC), Severity Index (SI), and peak acceleration values for different helmets at different helmet locations under modified NOCSAE standard drop tower tests. Essentially, these comparative drop test results revealed that the faceguard adds a stiffening kinematic constraint to the shell that lessens total energy absorption. The current NOCSAE standard test methods can be improved to represent on-field helmet hits by attaching the faceguards to helmets and by including two new helmet impact locations (Front Top and Front Top Boss). The reported football helmet test method gives a more accurate representation of a helmet's performance and its ability to mitigate on-field impacts while promoting safer football helmets.

Gene toxicity studies on titanium dioxide and zinc oxide nanomaterials used for UV-protection in cosmetic formulations.

PubMed

Landsiedel, Robert; Ma-Hock, Lan; Van Ravenzwaay, Ben; Schulz, Markus; Wiench, Karin; Champ, Samantha; Schulte, Stefan; Wohlleben, Wendel; Oesch, Franz

2010-12-01

Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide nanomaterials, used as UV protecting agents in sunscreens, were investigated for their potential genotoxicity in in vitro and in vivo test systems. Since standard OECD test methods are designed for soluble materials and genotoxicity testing for nanomaterials is still under revision, a battery of standard tests was used, covering different endpoints. Additionally, a procedure to disperse the nanomaterials in the test media and careful characterization of the dispersed test item was added to the testing methods. No genotoxicity was observed in vitro (Ames' Salmonella gene mutation test and V79 micronucleus chromosome mutation test) or in vivo (mouse bone marrow micronucleus test and Comet DNA damage assay in lung cells from rats exposed by inhalation). These results add to the still limited data base on genotoxicity test results with nanomaterials and provide congruent results of a battery of standard OECD test methods applied to nanomaterials.

Exploring rationality in schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Mortensen, Erik Lykke; Owen, Gareth; Nordgaard, Julie; Jansson, Lennart; Sæbye, Ditte; Flensborg-Madsen, Trine; Parnas, Josef

2015-01-01

Background Empirical studies of rationality (syllogisms) in patients with schizophrenia have obtained different results. One study found that patients reason more logically if the syllogism is presented through an unusual content. Aims To explore syllogism-based rationality in schizophrenia. Method Thirty-eight first-admitted patients with schizophrenia and 38 healthy controls solved 29 syllogisms that varied in presentation content (ordinary v. unusual) and validity (valid v. invalid). Statistical tests were made of unadjusted and adjusted group differences in models adjusting for intelligence and neuropsychological test performance. Results Controls outperformed patients on all syllogism types, but the difference between the two groups was only significant for valid syllogisms presented with unusual content. However, when adjusting for intelligence and neuropsychological test performance, all group differences became non-significant. Conclusions When taking intelligence and neuropsychological performance into account, patients with schizophrenia and controls perform similarly on syllogism tests of rationality. Declaration of interest None. Copyright and usage © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2015. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Non-Commercial, No Derivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) licence. PMID:27703730

An accelerated stress testing program for determining the reliability sensitivity of silicon solar cells to encapsulation and metallization systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lathrop, J. W.; Davis, C. W.; Royal, E.

1982-01-01

The use of accelerated testing methods in a program to determine the reliability attributes of terrestrial silicon solar cells is discussed. Different failure modes are to be expected when cells with and without encapsulation are subjected to accelerated testing and separate test schedules for each are described. Unencapsulated test cells having slight variations in metallization are used to illustrate how accelerated testing can highlight different diffusion related failure mechanisms. The usefulness of accelerated testing when applied to encapsulated cells is illustrated by results showing that moisture related degradation may be many times worse with some forms of encapsulation than with no encapsulation at all.

Qualification testing of flat-plate photovoltaic modules

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoffman, A. R.; Griffith, J. S.; Ross, R. G., Jr.

1982-01-01

The placement of photovoltaic modules in various applications, in climates and locations throughout the world, results in different degrees and combinations of environmental and electrical stress. Early detection of module reliability deficiencies via laboratory testing is necessary for achieving long, satisfactory field service. This overview paper describes qualification testing techniques being used in the US Department of Energy's flat-plate terrestrial photovoltaic development program in terms of their significance, rationale for specified levels and durations, and test results.

Comparing the Information and Support Needs of Different Population Groups in Preparation for 2015 Government Approval for HIV Self-testing in France

PubMed Central

Greacen, Tim; Kersaudy-Rahib, Delphine; Le Gall, Jean-Marie; Lydié, Nathalie; Ghosn, Jade; Champenois, Karen

2016-01-01

Context HIV self-tests are currently being introduced in France with the aim of promoting screening both for the general population and for high-risk populations. Objective The current study aimed to identify and compare the information and support needs of the different target population groups. Methods The Delphi process was used to synthesize expert opinions for each population group. Experts were chosen for their experience and expertise in the area of HIV and HIV screening for each population. Each group developed recommendations for a specific population: six high HIV prevalence populations (men who have sex with men; transgender people; substance users; migrants from sub-Saharan Africa; French West Indies; French Guiana) and two low prevalence populations (the general population; people under 25). Each group included expertise from four areas: research, screening and care, policy-making, and community groups. Results A final total of 263 recommendations were grouped into eight main themes: Communicating at both national and community levels about self-test arrival (24% of all recommendations); Providing information adapted to the different community groups’ needs (23%); Providing counselling on self-test use and access to care (15%); Making self-tests available to all in terms of accessibility and cost (13%); Preparing community healthcare and screening systems for the arrival of the self-test (11%); Approving only high quality self-tests (6%); Defending self-test users’ legal rights (5%); Evaluating self-test use (3%). Although a large number of recommendations were common to several groups of experts, the study highlighted a certain number of recommendations specific to each different population group, particularly with regard to information content and access both to information and to the self-tests themselves. Conclusion Results from the current study should make a significant contribution to policy decisions concerning catering for the specific access, information and support needs of different potential HIV self-test user groups in France. PMID:27031234

Oxygen demand of aircraft and airfield pavement deicers and alternative freezing point depressants

USGS Publications Warehouse

Corsi, Steven R.; Mericas, Dean; Bowman, George

2012-01-01

Aircraft and pavement deicing formulations and other potential freezing point depressants were tested for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD). Propylene glycol-based aircraft deicers exhibited greater BOD5 than ethylene glycol-based aircraft deicers, and ethylene glycol-based products had lower degradation rates than propylene glycol-based products. Sodium formate pavement deicers had lower COD than acetate-based pavement deicers. The BOD and COD results for acetate-based pavement deicers (PDMs) were consistently lower than those for aircraft deicers, but degradation rates were greater in the acetate-based PDM than in aircraft deicers. In a 40-day testing of aircraft and pavement deicers, BOD results at 20°C (standard) were consistently greater than the results from 5°C (low) tests. The degree of difference between standard and low temperature BOD results varied among tested products. Freshwater BOD test results were not substantially different from marine water tests at 20°C, but glycols degraded slower in marine water than in fresh water for low temperature tests. Acetate-based products had greater percentage degradation than glycols at both temperatures. An additive component of the sodium formate pavement deicer exhibited toxicity to the microorganisms, so BOD testing did not work properly for this formulation. BOD testing of alternative freezing point depressants worked well for some, there was little response for some, and for others there was a lag in response while microorganisms acclimated to the freezing point depressant as a food source. Where the traditional BOD5 test performed adequately, values ranged from 251 to 1,580 g/kg. Where the modified test performed adequately, values of BOD28 ranged from 242 to 1,540 g/kg.

Theoretical investigations into the influence of the position of a breaking line on the tensile failure of flat, round, bevel-edged tablets using finite element methodology (FEM) and its practical relevance for industrial tablet strength testing.

PubMed

Podczeck, Fridrun; Newton, J Michael; Fromme, Paul

2014-12-30

Flat, round tablets may have a breaking ("score") line. Pharmacopoeial tablet breaking load tests are diametral in their design, and industrially used breaking load testers often have automatic tablet feeding systems, which position the tablets between the loading platens of the machine with the breaking lines in random orientation to the applied load. The aim of this work was to ascertain the influence of the position of the breaking line in a diametral compression test using finite element methodology (FEM) and to compare the theoretical results with practical findings using commercially produced bevel-edged, scored tablets. Breaking line test positions at an angle of 0°, 22.5°, 45°, 67.5° and 90° relative to the loading plane were studied. FEM results obtained for fully elastic and elasto-plastic tablets were fairly similar, but they highlighted large differences in stress distributions depending on the position of the breaking line. The stress values at failure were predicted to be similar for tablets tested at an angle of 45° or above, whereas at lower test angles the predicted breaking loads were up to three times larger. The stress distributions suggested that not all breaking line angles would result in clean tensile failure. Practical results, however, did not confirm the differences in the predicted breaking loads, but they confirmed differences in the way tablets broke. The results suggest that it is not advisable to convert breaking loads obtained on scored tablets into tablet tensile strength values, and comparisons between different tablets or batches should carefully consider the orientation of the breaking line with respect to the loading plane, as the failure mechanisms appear to vary. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Explaining the black-white gap in cognitive test scores: Toward a theory of adverse impact.

PubMed

Cottrell, Jonathan M; Newman, Daniel A; Roisman, Glenn I

2015-11-01

In understanding the causes of adverse impact, a key parameter is the Black-White difference in cognitive test scores. To advance theory on why Black-White cognitive ability/knowledge test score gaps exist, and on how these gaps develop over time, the current article proposes an inductive explanatory model derived from past empirical findings. According to this theoretical model, Black-White group mean differences in cognitive test scores arise from the following racially disparate conditions: family income, maternal education, maternal verbal ability/knowledge, learning materials in the home, parenting factors (maternal sensitivity, maternal warmth and acceptance, and safe physical environment), child birth order, and child birth weight. Results from a 5-wave longitudinal growth model estimated on children in the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development from ages 4 through 15 years show significant Black-White cognitive test score gaps throughout early development that did not grow significantly over time (i.e., significant intercept differences, but not slope differences). Importantly, the racially disparate conditions listed above can account for the relation between race and cognitive test scores. We propose a parsimonious 3-Step Model that explains how cognitive test score gaps arise, in which race relates to maternal disadvantage, which in turn relates to parenting factors, which in turn relate to cognitive test scores. This model and results offer to fill a need for theory on the etiology of the Black-White ethnic group gap in cognitive test scores, and attempt to address a missing link in the theory of adverse impact. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Effect on physical properties of laterite soil with difference percentage of sodium bentonite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasim, Nur Aisyah; Azmi, Nor Azizah Che; Mukri, Mazidah; Noor, Siti Nur Aishah Mohd

2017-08-01

This research was carried out in an attempt to know the physical properties of laterite soil with the appearance of difference percentage of sodium bentonite. Lateritic soils usually develop in tropical and other regions with similar hot and humid climate, where heavy rainfall, warm temperature and well drainage lead to the formation of thick horizons of reddish lateritic soil profiles rich in iron and aluminium. When sodium predominates, a large amount of water can be absorbed in the interlayer, resulting in the remarkable swelling properties observed with hydrating sodium bentonite. There are some basic physical properties test conducted in this research which are Specific Gravity Test, pH Test, Sieve Analysis, Hydrometer Test, Shrinkage Limit and Atterberg Limit. The test will be conducted with 0%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% of sodium bentonite. Each test will be repeated three times for the accuracy of the result. From the physical properties test the soil properties characteristic react with the sodium bentonite can be determine. Therefore the best percentage of sodium bentonite admixture can be determined for laterite soil. The outcomes of this study give positive results due to the potential of sodium bentonite to improve the laterite soil particle.

Cognitive Stimulation of Elderly Residents in Social Protection Centers in Cartagena, 2014.

PubMed

Melguizo Herrera, Estela; Bertel De La Hoz, Anyel; Paternina Osorio, Diego; Felfle Fuentes, Yurani; Porto Osorio, Leidy

To determine the effectiveness of a program of cognitive stimulation of the elderly residents in Social Protection Centers in Cartagena, 2014. Quasi-experimental study with pre and post tests in control and experimental groups. A sample of 37 elderly residents in Social Protection Centers participated: 23 in the experimental group and 14 in the control group. A survey and a mental evaluation test (Pfeiffer) were applied. The experimental group participated in 10 sessions of cognitive stimulation. The paired t-test showed statistically significant differences in the Pfeiffer test, pre and post intervention, compared to the experimental group (P=.0005). The unpaired t-test showed statistically significant differences in Pfeiffer test results to the experimental and control groups (P=.0450). The analysis of the main components showed that more interrelated variables were: age, diseases, number of errors and test results; which were grouped around the disease variable, with a negative association. The intervention demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in cognitive functionality of the elderly. Nursing can lead this type of intervention. It should be studied further to strengthen and clarify these results. Copyright © 2016 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

A comparison of intellectual assessments over video conferencing and in-person for individuals with ID: preliminary data.

PubMed

Temple, V; Drummond, C; Valiquette, S; Jozsvai, E

2010-06-01

Video conferencing (VC) technology has great potential to increase accessibility to healthcare services for those living in rural or underserved communities. Previous studies have had some success in validating a small number of psychological tests for VC administration; however, VC has not been investigated for use with persons with intellectual disabilities (ID). A comparison of test results for two well known and widely used assessment instruments was undertaken to establish if scores for VC administration would differ significantly from in-person assessments. Nineteen individuals with ID aged 23-63 were assessed once in-person and once over VC using the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI) and the Beery-Buktenica Test of Visual-Motor Integration (VMI). Highly similar results were found for test scores. Full-scale IQ on the WASI and standard scores for the VMI were found to be very stable across the two administration conditions, with a mean difference of less than one IQ point/standard score. Video conferencing administration does not appear to alter test results significantly for overall score on a brief intelligence test or a test of visual-motor integration.

Genotoxicity evaluation of Mequindox in different short-term tests.

PubMed

Ihsan, Awais; Wang, Xu; Tu, Hong-Gong; Zhang, Wei; Dai, Meng-Hong; Peng, De-Peng; Wang, Yu-Lian; Huang, Ling-Li; Chen, Dong-Mei; Mannan, Shazia; Tao, Yan-Fei; Liu, Zhen-Li; Yuan, Zong-Hui

2013-01-01

Quinoxaline-1,4-dioxides (QdNOs) are the potent heterocyclic N-oxides with interesting biological properties such as antibacterial, anticandida, antitubercular, anticancer and antiprotozoal activities. Here, we tested and compared the mequindox (MEQ) for mutagenic abilities in a battery of different short term tests according to OECD guidelines. When compared with the controls, a strong mutagenicity of MEQ and carbadox (CBX) was observed with an approximate concentration-effect relationship in Salmonella reverse mutation test, chromosome aberration test, unscheduled DNA synthesis assay and HGPRT gene mutation test, in the absence and presence of S(9)-mix. In in vivo micronucleus test, CBX produced significant increase in the proportion of micronucleus formation than MEQ in mice bone marrow cells. From these results, we can conclude that MEQ had a strong genotoxic potential to mammalian cells in vitro as well as in vivo and its mutagenicity is slightly higher than CBX. Our results, for the 1st time, discuss the genotoxic potential of MEQ. These results not only confirm the earlier findings about CBX but also extend the knowledge and awareness about the genotoxic risk of QdNO derivatives. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Implementing thinking aloud pair and Pólya problem solving strategies in fractions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simpol, N. S. H.; Shahrill, M.; Li, H.-C.; Prahmana, R. C. I.

2017-12-01

This study implemented two pedagogical strategies, the Thinking Aloud Pair Problem Solving and Pólya’s Problem Solving, to support students’ learning of fractions. The participants were 51 students (ages 11-13) from two Year 7 classes in a government secondary school in Brunei Darussalam. A mixed method design was employed in the present study, with data collected from the pre- and post-tests, problem solving behaviour questionnaire and interviews. The study aimed to explore if there were differences in the students’ problem solving behaviour before and after the implementation of the problem solving strategies. Results from the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test revealed a significant difference in the test results regarding student problem solving behaviour, z = -3.68, p = .000, with a higher mean score for the post-test (M = 95.5, SD = 13.8) than for the pre-test (M = 88.9, SD = 15.2). This implied that there was improvement in the students’ problem solving performance from the pre-test to the post-test. Results from the questionnaire showed that more than half of the students increased scores in all four stages of the Pólya’s problem solving strategy, which provided further evidence of the students’ improvement in problem solving.

Acceptance of Genetic Testing in a General Population: Age, Education and Gender Differences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aro, A. R.; Hakonen, A.; Hietala, M.; Lonnqvist, J.; Niemela, P.; Peltonen, L; Aula, P.

1997-01-01

Effects of age, education, and gender on acceptance of genetic testing were studied. Finnish participants responded to a questionnaire presenting reasons for and against genetic testing (N=1,967). Intentions to take genetic tests, worries, and experience of genetic test or hereditary disease were also assessed. Results are presented and discussed.…

Interpreting the role of pH on stable isotopes in large benthic foraminifera

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robbins, Lisa L.; Knorr, P.O.; Wynn, J.G.; Hallock, P.; Harries, P.

2016-01-01

Large benthic foraminifera (LBF) are prolific producers of calcium carbonate sediments in shallow, tropical environments that are being influenced by ocean acidification (OA). Two LBF species, Amphistegina gibbosa (Order Rotaliida) with low-Mg calcite tests and Archaias angulatus (Order Miliolida) with high-Mg calcite tests, were studied to assess the effects of pH 7.6 on oxygen and carbon isotopic fractionation between test calcite and ambient seawater. The δ18O and δ13C values of terminal chambers and of whole adult tests of both species after 6 weeks were not significantly different between pH treatments of 8.0 and 7.6. However, tests of juveniles produced during the 6-week treatments showed significant differences between δ18O and δ13C values from control (pH 8.0) when compared with the treatment (pH 7.6) for both species. Although each individual's growth was photographed and measured, difficulty in distinguishing and manually extracting newly precipitated calcite from adult specimens likely confounded any differences in isotopic signals. However, juvenile specimens that resulted from asexual reproduction that occurred during the experiments did not contain old carbonate that could confound the new isotopic signals. These data reveal a potential bias in the design of OA experiments if only adults are used to investigate changes in test chemistries. Furthermore, the results reaffirm that different calcification mechanisms in these two foraminiferal orders control the fractionation of stable isotopes in the tests and will reflect decreasing pH in seawater somewhat differently. .

Does a medical history of hypertension influence disclosing genetic testing results of the risk for salt-sensitive hypertension, in primary care?

PubMed

Okayama, Masanobu; Takeshima, Taro; Harada, Masanori; Ae, Ryusuke; Kajii, Eiji

2016-01-01

Disclosing genetic testing results may contribute to the prevention and management of many common diseases. However, whether the presence of a disease influences these effects is unclear. This study aimed to clarify the difference in the effects of disclosing genetic testing results of the risk for developing salt-sensitive hypertension on the behavioral modifications with respect to salt intake in hypertensive and nonhypertensive patients. A cross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire was conducted for outpatients aged >20 years (N=2,237) at six primary care clinics and hospitals in Japan. The main factors assessed were medical histories of hypertension, salt preferences, reduced salt intakes, and behavior modifications for reducing salt intake. Behavioral modifications of participants were assessed using their behavior stages before and after disclosure of the hypothetical genetic testing results. Of the 2,237 participants, 1,644 (73.5%) responded to the survey. Of these respondents, 558 (33.9%) patients were hypertensive and 1,086 (66.1%) were nonhypertensive. After being notified of the result "If with genetic risk", the nonhypertensive participants were more likely to make positive behavioral modifications compared to the hypertensive patients among all participants and in those aged <65 years (adjusted relative ratio [ad-RR], 1.76; 95% confidence interval, 1.12-2.76 and ad-RR, 1.99; 1.11-3.57, respectively). In contrast, no difference in negative behavioral modifications between hypertensive and nonhypertensive patients was detected after being notified of the result "If without genetic risk" (ad-RR, 1.05; 95% confidence interval, 0.70-1.57). The behavior of modifying salt intake after disclosure of the genetic testing results differed between hypertensive and nonhypertensive patients. Disclosing a genetic risk for salt-sensitive hypertension was likely to cause nonhypertensive patients, especially those aged <65 years, to improve their behavior regarding salt intake. We conclude that disclosing genetic testing results could help prevent hypertension, and that the doctor should communicate the genetic testing results to those patients with a medical history of hypertension, or those who are at risk of developing hypertension.

[A retrospective study on the assessment of dysphagia after partial laryngectomy].

PubMed

Su, T T; Sun, Z F

2017-11-07

Objective: To retrospectively investigate the long-term swallowing function of patients with laryngeal carcinoma, who underwent partial laryngectomy, discuss the effectiveness and reliability of Kubota drinking test in the assessment of patients with dysphagia, who underwent partial laryngectomy, and analyze the influence of different ways of operation on swallowing function. Methods: Clinical data were retrospectively analyzed on 83 patients with laryngeal carcinoma, who underwent partial laryngectomy between September 2012 and August 2015. Questionnaire survey, Kubota drinking test and video fluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) were conducted for patients during a scheduled interview. Patients were grouped by two ways: the one was whether epiglottis was retained, and the other was whether either arytenoids or both were reserved. The influence of different surgical techniques on swallowing function was analyzed according to the results of Kubota drinking test. The agreement and reliability of Kubota drinking test were statistically analyzed with respect to VFSS treated as the gold standard. SPSS23.0 software was used to analyze the data. Results: Questionnaire results revealed that among 83 patients underwent partial laryngectomy 32.53% suffered from eating disorder, and 43.37% experienced painful swallowing. The incidence of dysphagia was 40.96% according to the results of Kubota drinking test. There was statistical difference between the group with epiglottis remained and that having epiglottis removed in terms of the absence of dysphagia and severity. The statistical values of normal, moderate and severe dysphagia were in the order of 18.160, 7.229, 12.344( P <0.05). Also, statistical difference existed between the groups with either and both arytenoids reserved in terms of the absence of dysphagia as well as that of intermediate severity, and their statistical values were 4.790 and 9.110( P <0.05). A certain degree of agreement and reliability was present between the results of Kubota drinking test and VFSS( Kappa =0.551, r =0.810). Conclusions: It was of considerable significance to reserve epiglottis and arytenoids for the retention of swallowing function for patients post partial laryngectomy. There are certain degree of agreement and reliability between the results of Kubota drinking test and VFSS. The test, therefore, could be used as a tool for screening patients suffering from dysphagia post partial laryngectomy.

Comparison of Dynamic Characteristics for an Inflatable Solar Concentrator in Atmospheric and Thermal Vacuum Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Slade, Kara N.; Tinker, Michael L.; Lassiter, John O.; Engberg, Robert

2000-01-01

Dynamic testing of an inflatable solar concentrator structure in a thermal vacuum chamber as well as in ambient laboratory conditions is described in detail. Unique aspects of modal testing for the extremely lightweight inflatable are identified, including the use of a noncontacting laser vibrometer measurement system. For the thermal vacuum environment, mode shapes and frequency response functions are compared for three different test article inflation pressures at room temperature. Modes that persist through all the inflation pressure regimes are identified, as well as modes that are unique for each pressure. In atmospheric pressure and room temperature conditions, dynamic measurements were obtained for the expected operational inflation pressure of 0.5 psig. Experimental mode shapes and frequency response functions for ambient conditions are described and compared to the 0.5 psig results from the thermal vacuum tests. Only a few mode shapes were identified that occurred in both vacuum and atmospheric environments. This somewhat surprising result is discussed in detail, and attributed at least partly to 1.) large differences in modal damping, and 2.) significant differences in the mass of air contained by the structure, in the two environments. Results of this investigation point out the necessity of testing inflatable space structures in vacuum conditions before they can be launched. Ground testing in atmospheric pressure is not sufficient for predicting on-orbit dynamics of non-rigidized inflatable systems.

Identifying student mental models from their response pattern to a physics multiple-choice test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Montenegro Maggio, Maximiliano Jose

Previous work has shown that students present different misconceptions across different but similar physical situations, but the cause of these differences is still not clear. In this study, a novel analysis method was introduced to help to gain a better understanding of how different physical situations affect students' responses and learning. This novel analysis groups students into mental model groups (MMG) by similarities in their responses to multiple-choice test items, under the assumption that they have similar mental models. The Mass and Energy Conservation test was developed to probe the common misconception that objects with greater mass fall faster than objects with lesser mass across four physical situations and four knowledge sub-domains: information, dynamics, work, and energy. The test was applied before and after energy instruction to 144 college students in a large Midwestern university attending a calculus-based introductory physics course. Test time along with instruction and physical situation were the two factors. It was found that physical situation did not have a significant effect on mental models: The number of MMGs identified and the fraction of students belonging to the same MMG were not significantly different (p > .05) across physical situations. However, there was a significant effect of test time on mental models (p < .05): the fraction of students belonging to the same MMG changed from the pretest to the posttest, in that the MMG representing higher performance became predominant than the MMG with lower performance for the posttest results. A MANOVA for the average scores for each sub-domain and physical situation combination was applied to validate the previous results. It was found that a significant effect (p < .01) by physical situation resulted due to a lower average dynamics sub-domain score for the friction physical-situation attribute when compared to the no-friction physical-situation attribute. A significant effect (p < .01) was found for test time. This was due to an increase of the average energy sub-domain score from the pretest to the posttest. No significant interaction effect ( p > .05) was found. The MANOVA results obtained can be explained through the change in proportion of the MMGs present in the sample.

Importance of confirming data on the in vivo efficacy of novel antibacterial drug regimens against various strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

PubMed

De Groote, Mary A; Gruppo, Veronica; Woolhiser, Lisa K; Orme, Ian M; Gilliland, Janet C; Lenaerts, Anne J

2012-02-01

In preclinical testing of antituberculosis drugs, laboratory-adapted strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis are usually used both for in vitro and in vivo studies. However, it is unknown whether the heterogeneity of M. tuberculosis stocks used by various laboratories can result in different outcomes in tests of antituberculosis drug regimens in animal infection models. In head-to-head studies, we investigated whether bactericidal efficacy results in BALB/c mice infected by inhalation with the laboratory-adapted strains H37Rv and Erdman differ from each other and from those obtained with clinical tuberculosis strains. Treatment of mice consisted of dual and triple drug combinations of isoniazid (H), rifampin (R), and pyrazinamide (Z). The results showed that not all strains gave the same in vivo efficacy results for the drug combinations tested. Moreover, the ranking of HRZ and RZ efficacy results was not the same for the two H37Rv strains evaluated. The magnitude of this strain difference also varied between experiments, emphasizing the risk of drawing firm conclusions for human trials based on single animal studies. The results also confirmed that the antagonism seen within the standard HRZ regimen by some investigators appears to be an M. tuberculosis strain-specific phenomenon. In conclusion, the specific identity of M. tuberculosis strain used was found to be an important variable that can change the apparent outcome of in vivo efficacy studies in mice. We highly recommend confirmation of efficacy results in late preclinical testing against a different M. tuberculosis strain than the one used in the initial mouse efficacy study, thereby increasing confidence to advance potent drug regimens to clinical trials.

Effect of Accreditation on Accuracy of Diagnostic Tests in Medical Laboratories.

PubMed

Jang, Mi Ae; Yoon, Young Ahn; Song, Junghan; Kim, Jeong Ho; Min, Won Ki; Lee, Ji Sung; Lee, Yong Wha; Lee, You Kyoung

2017-05-01

Medical laboratories play a central role in health care. Many laboratories are taking a more focused and stringent approach to quality system management. In Korea, laboratory standardization efforts undertaken by the Korean Laboratory Accreditation Program (KLAP) and the Korean External Quality Assessment Scheme (KEQAS) may have facilitated an improvement in laboratory performance, but there are no fundamental studies demonstrating that laboratory standardization is effective. We analyzed the results of the KEQAS to identify significant differences between laboratories with or without KLAP and to determine the impact of laboratory standardization on the accuracy of diagnostic tests. We analyzed KEQAS participant data on clinical chemistry tests such as albumin, ALT, AST, and glucose from 2010 to 2013. As a statistical parameter to assess performance bias between laboratories, we compared 4-yr variance index score (VIS) between the two groups with or without KLAP. Compared with the group without KLAP, the group with KLAP exhibited significantly lower geometric means of 4-yr VIS for all clinical chemistry tests (P<0.0001); this difference justified a high level of confidence in standardized services provided by accredited laboratories. Confidence intervals for the mean of each test in the two groups (accredited and non-accredited) did not overlap, suggesting that the means of the groups are significantly different. These results confirmed that practice standardization is strongly associated with the accuracy of test results. Our study emphasizes the necessity of establishing a system for standardization of diagnostic testing. © The Korean Society for Laboratory Medicine

Structural properties of H13 tool steel parts produced with use of selective laser melting technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Šafka, J.; Ackermann, M.; Voleský, L.

2016-04-01

This paper deals with establishing of building parameters for 1.2344 (H13) tool steel processed using Selective Laser Melting (SLM) technology with layer thickness of 50 µm. In the first part of the work, testing matrix of models in the form of a cube with chamfered edge were built under various building parameters such as laser scanning speed and laser power. Resulting models were subjected to set of tests including measurement of surface roughness, inspection of inner structure with aid of Light Optical Microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy and evaluation of micro-hardness. These tests helped us to evaluate an influence of changes in building strategy to the properties of the resulting model. In the second part of the work, mechanical properties of the H13 steel were examined. For this purpose, the set of samples in the form of “dog bone” were printed under three different alignments towards the building plate and tested on universal testing machine. Mechanical testing of the samples should then reveal if the different orientation and thus different layering of the material somehow influence its mechanical properties. For this type of material, the producer provides the parameters for layer thickness of 30 µm only. Thus, our 50 µm building strategy brings shortening of the building time which is valuable especially for large models. Results of mechanical tests show slight variation in mechanical properties for various alignment of the sample.

The Application of Problem-Based Learning in Mechanical Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Putra, Z. A.; Dewi, M.

2018-02-01

The course of Technology and Material Testing prepare students with the ability to do a variety of material testing in the study of mechanical engineering. Students find it difficult to understand the materials to make them unable to carry out the material testing in accordance with the purpose of study. This happens because they knowledge is not adequately supported by the competence to find and construct learning experience. In this study, quasy experiment research method with pre-post-test with control group design was used. The subjects of the study were students divided in two groups; control and experiment with twenty-two students in each group. Study result: their grades showed no difference in between the pre-test or post-test in control group, but the difference in grade existed between the pre-test and post-test in experiment group. Yet, there is no significant difference in the study result on both groups. The researcher recommend that it is necessary to develop Problem-Based Learning that suits need analysis on D3 Program for Mechanical Engineering Department at the State University of Padang, to ensure the compatibility between Model of Study and problems and need. This study aims to analyze how Problem-Based Learning effects on the course of Technology and Material Testing for the students of D3 Program of Mechanical Engineering of the State University of Padang.

Small-Scale Tests of MX Vertical Shelter Structures.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-06-29

models were built with as much geometric and material similitude as practical. They 7were not identical to the 1/3-scale structures tested in the VST ...comparison with the 1/30-scale models and the 1/6-scale models, the 1/3-scale VST 7 models had different geometry (wall thickness variations), different...1/30-scale and 1/6-scale results with the 1/3-scale VST results. For example, the strains measured in the 1/3-scale ’B’ structure are about twice as

Age-related reduction of the confidence-accuracy relationship in episodic memory: effects of recollection quality and retrieval monitoring.

PubMed

Wong, Jessica T; Cramer, Stefanie J; Gallo, David A

2012-12-01

We investigated age-related reductions in episodic metamemory accuracy. Participants studied pictures and words in different colors and then took forced-choice recollection tests. These tests required recollection of the earlier presentation color, holding familiarity of the response options constant. Metamemory accuracy was assessed for each participant by comparing recollection test accuracy with corresponding confidence judgments. We found that recollection test accuracy was greater in younger than older adults and also for pictures than font color. Metamemory accuracy tracked each of these recollection differences, as well as individual differences in recollection test accuracy within each age group, suggesting that recollection ability affects metamemory accuracy. Critically, the age-related impairment in metamemory accuracy persisted even when the groups were matched on recollection test accuracy, suggesting that metamemory declines were not entirely due to differences in recollection frequency or quantity, but that differences in recollection quality and/or monitoring also played a role. We also found that age-related impairments in recollection and metamemory accuracy were equivalent for pictures and font colors. This result contrasted with previous false recognition findings, which predicted that older adults would be differentially impaired when monitoring memory for less distinctive memories. These and other results suggest that age-related reductions in metamemory accuracy are not entirely attributable to false recognition effects, but also depend heavily on deficient recollection and/or monitoring of specific details associated with studied stimuli. 2013 APA, all rights reserved

Influence of driving cycles on exhaust emissions and fuel consumption of gasoline passenger car in Bangkok.

PubMed

Nutramon, Tamsanya; Supachart, Chungpaibulpatana

2009-01-01

The influence of different driving cycles on their exhaust emissions and fuel consumption rate of gasoline passenger car was investigated in Bangkok based on the actual measurements obtained from a test vehicle driving on a standard chassis dynamometer. A newly established Bangkok driving cycle (BDC) and the European driving cycle (EDC) which is presently adopted as the legislative cycle for testing automobiles registered in Thailand were used. The newly developed BDC is constructed using the driving characteristic data obtained from the real on-road driving tests along selected traffic routes. A method for selecting appropriate road routes for real driving tests is also introduced. Variations of keyed driving parameters of BDC with different driving cycles were discussed. The results showed that the HC and CO emission factors of BDC are almost two and four times greater than those of EDC, respectively. Although the difference in the NOx emission factor is small, the value from BDC is still greater than that of EDC by 10%. Under BDC, the test vehicle consumes fuel about 25% more than it does under EDC. All these differences are mainly attributed to the greater proportion of idle periods and higher fluctuations of vehicle speed in the BDC cycle. This result indicated that the exhausted emissions and fuel consumption of vehicles obtained from tests under the legislative modal-type driving cycle (EDC) are significantly different from those actually produced under real traffic conditions especially during peak periods.

Comparison of microcrystalline characterization results from oil palm midrib alpha cellulose using different delignization method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuliasmi, S.; Pardede, T. R.; Nerdy; Syahputra, H.

2017-03-01

Oil palm midrib is one of the waste generated by palm plants containing 34.89% cellulose. Cellulose has the potential to produce microcrystalline cellulose can be used as an excipient in tablet formulations by direct compression. Microcrystalline cellulose is the result of a controlled hydrolysis of alpha cellulose, so the alpha cellulose extraction process of oil palm midrib greatly affect the quality of the resulting microcrystalline cellulose. The purpose of this study was to compare the microcrystalline cellulose produced from alpha cellulose extracted from oil palm midrib by two different methods. Fisrt delignization method uses sodium hydroxide. Second method uses a mixture of nitric acid and sodium nitrite, and continued with sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfite. Microcrystalline cellulose obtained by both method was characterized separately, including organoleptic test, color reagents test, dissolution test, pH test and determination of functional groups by FTIR. The results was compared with microcrystalline cellulose which has been available on the market. The characterization results showed that microcrystalline cellulose obtained by first method has the most similar characteristics to the microcrystalline cellulose available in the market.

The effect of hydroxyzine on treating bruxism of 2- to 14-year-old children admitted to the clinic of Bandar Abbas Children Hospital in 2013-2014

PubMed Central

Rahmati, M; Moayedi, A; Zakery Shahvari, S; Golmirzaei, J; Zahirinea, M; Abbasi, B

2015-01-01

Introduction. Bruxism is to press or grind teeth against each other in non-physiologic cases, when an individual does not swallow or chew. If not treated, teeth problems, stress, mental disorders, frequent night waking, and headache is expected. This research aimed to study the effect of hydroxyzine on treating bruxism of 2- to 14-year-old children admitted to the clinic of Bandar Abbas Children Hospital. Methodology. In this clinical trial, 143 children with the ages between 4-12 years were admitted to the Children Hospital and were divided randomly into test and control groups. The test group consisted of 88 hydroxyzine-treated children and the control group consisted of 55 children who used hot towels. Both groups were examined in some stages including the pre-test stages or the stage before starting treatments at two, four, and six weeks and four months after stopping the treatment. The effects of each treatment on reducing bruxism symptoms were assessed by a questionnaire. The data were analyzed by using SPSS in descriptive statistics, t-test, and ANOVA. Results. As far as bruxism severity was concerned, the results showed a significant difference between the test group members who received hydroxyzine and the control group members who received no medication. T-test results showed a statistically significant difference between the test and the control groups in the second post-test (four weeks later) (p. value ≤ 0.05). Mean of the scores of bruxism severity in the test group has changed significantly in the post-test (at two weeks, four weeks, and six weeks later) as compared to the pre-test. Whereas, as far as the response to the treatment, no significant difference was recorded between the control group and the test group 4 weeks after the treatment. Discussion. The results showed that prescribing hydroxyzine for 4 weeks had a considerable effect in diminishing bruxism severity between the test groups. PMID:28316738

Discrimination of phoneme length differences in word and sentence contexts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawai, Norimune; Carrell, Thomas

2005-09-01

The ability of listeners to discriminate phoneme duration differences within word and sentence contexts was measured. This investigation was part of a series of studies examining the audibility and perceptual importance of speech modifications produced by stuttering intervention techniques. Just noticeable differences (jnd's) of phoneme lengths were measured via the parameter estimation by sequential testing (PEST) task, an adaptive tracking procedure. The target phonemes were digitally manipulated to vary from normal (130 m) to prolonged (210 m) duration in 2-m increments. In the first condition the phonemes were embedded in words. In the second condition the phonemes were embedded within words, which were further embedded in sentences. A four-interval forced-choice (4IAX) task was employed on each trial, and the PEST procedure determined the duration at which each listener correctly detected a difference between the normal duration and the test duration 71% of the time. The results revealed that listeners were able to reliably discriminate approximately 15-m differences in word context and 10-m differences in sentence context. An independent t-test showed a difference in discriminability between word and sentence contexts to be significant. These results indicate that duration differences were better perceived within a sentence context.

Patch testing in children from 2005 to 2012: results from the North American contact dermatitis group.

PubMed

Zug, Kathryn A; Pham, Anh Khoa; Belsito, Donald V; DeKoven, Joel G; DeLeo, Vincent A; Fowler, Joseph F; Fransway, Anthony F; Maibach, Howard I; Marks, James G; Mathias, C G Toby; Pratt, Melanie D; Sasseville, Denis; Storrs, Frances J; Taylor, James S; Warshaw, Erin M; Zirwas, Matthew J

2014-01-01

Allergic contact dermatitis is common in children. Epicutaneous patch testing is an important tool for identifying responsible allergens. The objective of this study was to provide the patch test results from children (aged ≤18 years) examined by the North American Contact Dermatitis Group from 2005 to 2012. This is a retrospective analysis of children patch-tested with the North American Contact Dermatitis Group 65- or 70-allergen series. Frequencies and counts were compared with previously published data (2001-2004) using χ statistics. A total of 883 children were tested during the study period. A percentage of 62.3% had ≥1 positive patch test and 56.7% had ≥1 relevant positive patch test. Frequencies of positive patch test and relevant positive patch test reaction were highest with nickel sulfate (28.1/25.6), cobalt chloride (12.3/9.1), neomycin sulfate (7.1/6.6), balsam of Peru (5.7/5.5), and lanolin alcohol 50% petrolatum vehicle (5.5/5.1). The ≥1 positive patch test and ≥1 relevant positive patch test in the children did not differ significantly from adults (≥19 years) or from previously tested children (2001-2004). The percentage of clinically relevant positive patch tests for 27 allergens differed significantly between the children and adults. A total of 23.6% of children had a relevant positive reaction to at least 1 supplemental allergen. Differences in positive patch test and relevant positive patch test frequencies between children and adults as well as test periods confirm the importance of reporting periodic updates of patch testing in children to enhance clinicians' vigilance to clinically important allergens.

Laboratory based instruction in Pakistan: Comparative evaluation of three laboratory instruction methods in biological science at higher secondary school level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheema, Tabinda Shahid

This study of laboratory based instruction at higher secondary school level was an attempt to gain some insight into the effectiveness of three laboratory instruction methods: cooperative group instruction method, individualised instruction method and lecture demonstration method on biology achievement and retention. A Randomised subjects, Pre-test Post-test Comparative Methods Design was applied. Three groups of students from a year 11 class in Pakistan conducted experiments using the different laboratory instruction methods. Pre-tests, achievement tests after the experiments and retention tests one month later were administered. Results showed no significant difference between the groups on total achievement and retention, nor was there any significant difference on knowledge and comprehension test scores or skills performance. Future research investigating a similar problem is suggested.

Resistance Spot Welding Characteristics and High Cycle Fatigue Behavior of DP 780 Steel Sheet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pal, Tapan Kumar; Bhowmick, Kaushik

2012-02-01

Resistance spot welding characteristics of DP 780 steel was investigated using peel test, microhardness test, tensile shear test, and fatigue test. Tensile shear test provides better spot weld quality than conventional peel test and hardness is not a good indicator of the susceptibility to interfacial fracture. The results of high-cycle fatigue behavior of spot welded DP 780 steel under two different parameters show that at high load low cycle range a significant difference in the S- N curve and almost similar fatigue behavior of spot welds at low load high cycle range are obtained. However, when applied load was converted to stress intensity factor, the difference in the fatigue behavior between welds diminished. Furthermore, a transition in fracture mode, i.e., interfacial and plug and hole-type at about 50% of yield load is observed.

Limits of diagnostic accuracy of anti-hepatitis C virus antibodies detection by ELISA and immunoblot assay.

PubMed

Suslov, Anatoly P; Kuzin, Stanislav N; Golosova, Tatiana V; Shalunova, Nina V; Malyshev, Nikolai A; Sadikova, Natalia V; Vavilova, Lubov M; Somova, Anna V; Musina, Elena E; Ivanova, Maria V; Kipor, Tatiana T; Timonin, Igor M; Kuzina, Lubov E; Godkov, Mihail A; Bajenov, Alexei I; Nesterenko, Vladimir G

2002-07-01

When human sera samples are tested for anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies using different ELISA kits as well as immunoblot assay kits discrepant results often occur. As a result the diagnostics of HCV infection in such sera remains unclear. The purpose of this investigation is to define the limits of HCV serodiagnostics. Overall 7 different test kits of domestic and foreign manufacturers were used for the sampled sera testing. Preliminary comparative study, using seroconversion panels PHV905, PHV907, PHV908 was performed and reference kit was chosen (Murex anti-HCV version 4) as the most sensitive kit on the base of this study results. Overall 1640 sera samples have been screened using different anti-HCV ELISA kits and 667 of them gave discrepant results in at least two kits. These sera were then tested using three anti-HCV ELISA kits (first set of 377 samples) or four anti-HCV ELISA kits (second set of 290 samples) at the conditions of reference laboratory. In the first set 17.2% samples remained discrepant and in the second set - 13.4%. "Discrepant" sera were further tested in RIBA 3.0 and INNO-LIA immunoblot confirmatory assays, but approximately 5-7% of them remained undetermined after all the tests. For the samples with signal-to-cutoff ratio higher than 3.0 high rate of result consistency by reference, ELISA routing and INNO-LIA immunoblot assay was observed. On the other hand the results of tests 27 "problematic" sera in RIBA 3.0 and INNO-LIA were consistent only in 55.5% cases. Analysis of the antigen spectrum reactive with antibodies in "problematic" sera, demonstrated predominance of Core, NS3 and NS4 antigens for sera, positive in RIBA 3.0 and Core and NS3 antigens for sera, positive in INNO-LIA. To overcome the problem of undetermined sera, methods based on other principles, as well as alternative criteria of HCV infection diagnostics are discussed.

Sex differences in strategy and performance on computerized neuropsychological tests as related to gender identity and age at puberty.

PubMed

Meurling, A W; Tonning-Olsson, I; Levander, S

2000-06-01

Neuropsychological sex differences have since long been under debate. Support for the relation between behavioral differences and biological variables like hormone influence is, however, emerging. Sixteen men and sixteen women, all university students, were tested with computerized neuropsychological tests (APT), the Bem Sexual Role Inventory, and asked about pubertal age. The results were in line with earlier findings of sex differences in neuropsychological tests, men being faster and women more cautious. The assumption that women tend to use left-hemispheric, verbal/serial strategies also in spatial tasks was also partly supported. In women, late onset of puberty was related to better spatial performance, and there were also more intercorrelations between verbal and spatial tests in the female than in the male group, indicating that women use less specific strategies (more g-factor intelligence) in problem solving, or that aptitudes are less compartmentalized in women than in men.

Cost and Efficacy Assessment of an Alternative Medication Compliance Urine Drug Testing Strategy.

PubMed

Doyle, Kelly; Strathmann, Frederick G

2017-02-01

This study investigates the frequency at which quantitative results provide additional clinical benefit compared to qualitative results alone. A comparison between alternative urine drug screens and conventional screens including the assessment of cost-to-payer differences, accuracy of prescription compliance or polypharmacy/substance abuse was also included. In a reference laboratory evaluation of urine specimens from across the United States, 213 urine specimens with provided prescription medication information (302 prescriptions) were analyzed by two testing algorithms: 1) conventional immunoassay screen with subsequent reflexive testing of positive results by quantitative mass spectrometry; and 2) a combined immunoassay/qualitative mass-spectrometry screen that substantially reduced the need for subsequent testing. The qualitative screen was superior to immunoassay with reflex to mass spectrometry in confirming compliance per prescription (226/302 vs 205/302), and identifying non-prescription abuse (97 vs 71). Pharmaceutical impurities and inconsistent drug metabolite patterns were detected in only 3.8% of specimens, suggesting that quantitative results have limited benefit. The percentage difference between the conventional testing algorithm and the alternative screen was projected to be 55%, and a 2-year evaluation of test utilization as a measure of test order volume follows an exponential trend for alternative screen test orders over conventional immunoassay screens that require subsequent confirmation testing. Alternative, qualitative urine drug screens provide a less expensive, faster, and more comprehensive evaluation of patient medication compliance and drug abuse. The vast majority of results were interpretable with qualitative results alone indicating a reduced need to automatically reflex to quantitation or provide quantitation for the majority of patients. This strategy highlights a successful approach using an alternative strategy for both the laboratory and physician to align clinical needs while being mindful of costs.

Diagnostic value of repeated ice tests in the evaluation of ptosis in myasthenia gravis.

PubMed

Park, Jun Young; Yang, Hee Kyung; Hwang, Jeong-Min

2017-01-01

Twenty-six patients with ptosis related to Myasthenia gravis (MG) and 38 controls with ptosis other than MG were included. All patients were tested with the ice test 2 times on separate days in the afternoon. The margin reflex distance (MRD) was measured before and immediately after 2-minute application of ice on the eyelids. The ice test was judged positive if there was an improvement of at least 2.0 mm of MRD after the ice test. Among the patients with negative test results, 'equivocal' was defined by improvement of MRD from at least 1.0 mm to less than 2.0 mm after the ice test. Repeated ice test results showed an agreement of 61.5% in MG, and 97.4% in nonmyasthenic ptosis. Repeated ice tests increased the sensitivity by 34.6% compared to a single test. Among the patients with repeatedly negative test results, 63.6% of those who showed equivocal results at least once turned out to be MG. Of those with repeated non-equivocal negative results, nobody turned out to be MG. There was no significant difference of the ice test results between ocular MG and generalized MG (p = 0.562).

Diagnostic value of repeated ice tests in the evaluation of ptosis in myasthenia gravis

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Twenty-six patients with ptosis related to Myasthenia gravis (MG) and 38 controls with ptosis other than MG were included. All patients were tested with the ice test 2 times on separate days in the afternoon. The margin reflex distance (MRD) was measured before and immediately after 2-minute application of ice on the eyelids. The ice test was judged positive if there was an improvement of at least 2.0 mm of MRD after the ice test. Among the patients with negative test results, 'equivocal’ was defined by improvement of MRD from at least 1.0 mm to less than 2.0 mm after the ice test. Repeated ice test results showed an agreement of 61.5% in MG, and 97.4% in nonmyasthenic ptosis. Repeated ice tests increased the sensitivity by 34.6% compared to a single test. Among the patients with repeatedly negative test results, 63.6% of those who showed equivocal results at least once turned out to be MG. Of those with repeated non-equivocal negative results, nobody turned out to be MG. There was no significant difference of the ice test results between ocular MG and generalized MG (p = 0.562). PMID:28562609

Perceptual-cognitive skill and the in situ performance of soccer players.

PubMed

van Maarseveen, Mariëtte J J; Oudejans, Raôul R D; Mann, David L; Savelsbergh, Geert J P

2018-02-01

Many studies have shown that experts possess better perceptual-cognitive skills than novices (e.g., in anticipation, decision making, pattern recall), but it remains unclear whether a relationship exists between performance on those tests of perceptual-cognitive skill and actual on-field performance. In this study, we assessed the in situ performance of skilled soccer players and related the outcomes to measures of anticipation, decision making, and pattern recall. In addition, we examined gaze behaviour when performing the perceptual-cognitive tests to better understand whether the underlying processes were related when those perceptual-cognitive tasks were performed. The results revealed that on-field performance could not be predicted on the basis of performance on the perceptual-cognitive tests. Moreover, there were no strong correlations between the level of performance on the different tests. The analysis of gaze behaviour revealed differences in search rate, fixation duration, fixation order, gaze entropy, and percentage viewing time when performing the test of pattern recall, suggesting that it is driven by different processes to those used for anticipation and decision making. Altogether, the results suggest that the perceptual-cognitive tests may not be as strong determinants of actual performance as may have previously been assumed.

Effect of stress ratio on the fatigue behaviour of glass/epoxy composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syayuthi, A. R. A.; Majid, M. S. Abdul; Ridzuan, M. J. M.; Basaruddin, K. S.; Peng, T. L.

2017-10-01

The effect of stress ratio on the fatigue behaviour of the GFRE composite has been investigated. The glass fibre reinforced epoxy (GFRE) composite plates were fabricated using vacuum infusion method. Static tensile was performed in accordance with the ASTM D5766 standard, and the cyclic test was conducted according to ASTM D3479 with three different stress ratio, R = 0, 0.5, -1. Static tensile tests were carried out to determine the ultimate strength of this composite. Subsequently, fatigue tests loads ranging from 30% to 90% of the ultimate load were applied to each specimen. The S-N curve of different stress ratio loading of fibreglass/epoxy composites was then established. The results show that the number of cycles to failure increases as the loading is decreased. The specimens for fatigue tests loads 30% at R = 0 and -1 recorded the highest number of cycles at 2 million cycles. The results obtained from this test indicated a significant life reduction for R = -1 compared with the tension-tension loading, with the life reduction for R = -1 being greatest. The fatigue behaviour of the GFRE composite materials is not only influenced by the percentage of fatigue tests load but with different of stress ratio.

Exploration of analysis methods for diagnostic imaging tests: problems with ROC AUC and confidence scores in CT colonography.

PubMed

Mallett, Susan; Halligan, Steve; Collins, Gary S; Altman, Doug G

2014-01-01

Different methods of evaluating diagnostic performance when comparing diagnostic tests may lead to different results. We compared two such approaches, sensitivity and specificity with area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (ROC AUC) for the evaluation of CT colonography for the detection of polyps, either with or without computer assisted detection. In a multireader multicase study of 10 readers and 107 cases we compared sensitivity and specificity, using radiological reporting of the presence or absence of polyps, to ROC AUC calculated from confidence scores concerning the presence of polyps. Both methods were assessed against a reference standard. Here we focus on five readers, selected to illustrate issues in design and analysis. We compared diagnostic measures within readers, showing that differences in results are due to statistical methods. Reader performance varied widely depending on whether sensitivity and specificity or ROC AUC was used. There were problems using confidence scores; in assigning scores to all cases; in use of zero scores when no polyps were identified; the bimodal non-normal distribution of scores; fitting ROC curves due to extrapolation beyond the study data; and the undue influence of a few false positive results. Variation due to use of different ROC methods exceeded differences between test results for ROC AUC. The confidence scores recorded in our study violated many assumptions of ROC AUC methods, rendering these methods inappropriate. The problems we identified will apply to other detection studies using confidence scores. We found sensitivity and specificity were a more reliable and clinically appropriate method to compare diagnostic tests.

The results of systems tests of the 500 kV busbar controllable shunting reactor in the Tavricheskaya substation

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

Gusev, S. I.; Karpov, V. N.; Kiselev, A. N.

2009-09-15

The results of systems tests of the 500 kV busbar magnetization-controllable shunting reactor (CSR), set up in the Tavricheskaya substation, including measurements of the quality of the electric power, the harmonic composition of the network currents of the reactor for different values of the reactive power consumed, the determination of the regulating characteristics of the reactor, the speed of response of the shunting reactor in the current and voltage stabilization modes, and also the operation of the reactor under dynamic conditions for different perturbations, are presented. The results obtained are analyzed.

Eliciting preferences for priority setting in genetic testing: a pilot study comparing best-worst scaling and discrete-choice experiments.

PubMed

Severin, Franziska; Schmidtke, Jörg; Mühlbacher, Axel; Rogowski, Wolf H

2013-11-01

Given the increasing number of genetic tests available, decisions have to be made on how to allocate limited health-care resources to them. Different criteria have been proposed to guide priority setting. However, their relative importance is unclear. Discrete-choice experiments (DCEs) and best-worst scaling experiments (BWSs) are methods used to identify and weight various criteria that influence orders of priority. This study tests whether these preference eliciting techniques can be used for prioritising genetic tests and compares the empirical findings resulting from these two approaches. Pilot DCE and BWS questionnaires were developed for the same criteria: prevalence, severity, clinical utility, alternatives to genetic testing available, infrastructure for testing and care established, and urgency of care. Interview-style experiments were carried out among different genetics professionals (mainly clinical geneticists, researchers and biologists). A total of 31 respondents completed the DCE and 26 completed the BWS experiment. Weights for the levels of the six attributes were estimated by conditional logit models. Although the results derived from the DCE and BWS experiments differed in detail, we found similar valuation patterns in the DCE and BWS experiments. The respondents attached greatest value to tests with high clinical utility (defined by the availability of treatments that reduce mortality and morbidity) and to testing for highly prevalent conditions. The findings from this study exemplify how decision makers can use quantitative preference eliciting methods to measure aggregated preferences in order to prioritise alternative clinical interventions. Further research is necessary to confirm the survey results.

Statistical analysis of an inter-laboratory comparison of small-scale safety and thermal testing of RDX

DOE PAGES

Brown, Geoffrey W.; Sandstrom, Mary M.; Preston, Daniel N.; ...

2014-11-17

In this study, the Integrated Data Collection Analysis (IDCA) program has conducted a proficiency test for small-scale safety and thermal (SSST) testing of homemade explosives (HMEs). Described here are statistical analyses of the results from this test for impact, friction, electrostatic discharge, and differential scanning calorimetry analysis of the RDX Class 5 Type II standard. The material was tested as a well-characterized standard several times during the proficiency test to assess differences among participants and the range of results that may arise for well-behaved explosive materials.

Age-related differences in the attention network test (ANT).

PubMed

Gamboz, Nadia; Zamarian, Stefania; Cavallero, Corrado

2010-07-01

This study investigates the effect of aging on alerting, orienting, and conflict resolution by assessing younger (mean age = 25.8) and older (mean age = 67.9) adults' performance in the Attention Network Test that combines, in a single experimental paradigm, a flanker task with alerting and orienting cues. The analyses of response times indicated equivalent orienting and conflict resolution effects in younger and older adults. By contrast, alerting was found to be significantly reduced in the elderly. This result is only marginally in accordance with recent studies addressing the issues of age-related differences in alerting, which provide mixed results. The possible role of methodological differences across studies in accounting for the controversial results concerning the aging affect on alerting is discussed.

49 CFR 178.801 - General requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

...: (i) A packaging which differs in surface treatment; (ii) A rigid plastic IBC or composite IBC which... equipment, etc.); maximum IBC capacity; characteristics of test contents; test descriptions and results...

Assessment of theory of mind in children with communication disorders: role of presentation mode.

PubMed

van Buijsen, Marit; Hendriks, Angelique; Ketelaars, Mieke; Verhoeven, Ludo

2011-01-01

Children with communication disorders have problems with both language and social interaction. The theory-of-mind hypothesis provides an explanation for these problems, and different tests have been developed to test this hypothesis. However, different modes of presentation are used in these tasks, which make the results difficult to compare. In the present study, the performances of typically developing children, children with specific language impairments, and children with autism spectrum disorders were therefore compared using three theory-of-mind tests (the Charlie test, the Smarties test, and the Sally-and-Anne test) presented in three different manners each (spoken, video, and line drawing modes). The results showed differential outcomes for the three types of tests and a significant interaction between group of children and mode of presentation. For the typically developing children, no differential effects of presentation mode were detected. For the children with SLI, the highest test scores were consistently evidenced in the line-drawing mode. For the children with ASD, test performance depended on the mode of presentation. Just how the children's non-verbal age, verbal age, and short-term memory related to their test scores was also explored for each group of children. The test scores of the SLI group correlated significantly with their short-term memory, those of the ASD group with their verbal age. These findings demonstrate that performance on theory-of-mind tests clearly depend upon mode of test presentation as well as the children's cognitive and linguistic abilities. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The New Technologies for Cervical Cancer Screening randomised controlled trial. An overview of results during the first phase of recruitment.

PubMed

Ronco, Guglielmo; Brezzi, Silvia; Carozzi, Francesca; Dalla Palma, Paolo; Giorgi-Rossi, Paolo; Minucci, Daria; Naldoni, Carlo; Segnan, Nereo; Zappa, Marco; Zorzi, Manuel; Cuzick, Jack

2007-10-01

To study the impact of different cervical cancer screening strategies including HPV testing. A randomised controlled trial with a conventional arm (conventional cytology) and an experimental arm following two phases (first HPV testing+conventional cytology, second HPV testing alone). In phase one, different protocols were applied to different age groups (25-34 and 35-60). Published data on test accuracy during the phase one of recruitment are summarised. 45,307 women were recruited in phase one (about 95,000 overall). In the age group 35-60, HPV testing (by Hybrid Capture 2) alone at 2 RLU cut-off increased sensitivity vs. conventional cytology (relative sensitivity 1.41; 95% CI: 0.98-1.02) with a small loss in Positive Predictive Value (PPV; relative PPV 0.75; 95% CI: 0.45-1.25). Adding liquid-based cytology as screening test and referring to colposcopy women positive to either only marginally increased sensitivity but strongly reduced PPV. In the age group 25-34, similar results (relative sensitivity vs. conventional cytology 1.58; 95% CI: 1.032.44; relative PPV 0.78; 95% CI: 0.72-1.16) were obtained, despite 14% of women were HPV positive, with a strategy based on HPV alone as screening test, triaging HPV positive women by cytology, directly referring those ASCUS+ to colposcopy and repeating both tests after 1 year in those with normal cytology. HPV testing, if used as screening test, should be applied alone, with cytology triage essential in younger women but preferable at all ages. Follow-up data will allow analysis of the safety of prolonging screening intervals and the relative persistence of lesions detected with different methods.

Compressive Properties and Anti-Erosion Characteristics of Foam Concrete in Road Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jinzhu; Huang, Hongxiang; Wang, Wenjun; Ding, Yifan

2018-01-01

To analyse the compression properties and anti-erosion characteristics of foam concrete, one dimensional compression tests were carried out using ring specimens of foam concrete, and unconfined compression tests were carried out using foam concrete specimens cured in different conditions. The results of one dimensional compression tests show that the compression curve of foam concrete has two critical points and three stages, which has significant difference with ordinary geotechnical materials such as soil. Based on the compression curve the compression modulus of each stage were determined. The results of erosion tests show that sea water has a slight influence on the long-term strength of foam concrete, while the sulphate solution has a significant influence on the long-term strength of foam concrete, which needs to pay more attention.

[The Manifestation of the Anxiety during Fear Conditioning in Wistar Rats].

PubMed

Pavlova, I V; Rysakova, M P

2015-01-01

In order to identify the correlation between anxiety and conditioned fear, the behavior of the same male Wistar rats was compared in three anxiety tests (open field, light-dark box and elevated plus-maze) and in Pavlovian auditory fear conditioning paradigm using correlation, factor and variance analyses. The correlation between anxiety/bravery and locomotion indexes in different tests was not revealed. Positive correlations between grooming, urinations and defecations, rearing in three tests were revealed. These data suggest that animals reacted to various tests differently, resulting, apparently in the emergence of different anxiety levels, specific for each test. Vegetative reactions, inclination to exploration and substituting behavior were more stable characteristics of rats. Anxiety behavior in elevated plus-maze correlated to freezing response to context after fear conditioning, while high-anxiety rats had higher level of freezing to context than low-anxiety rats. The higher freezing response to sound after fear conditioning was found in rats with middle locomotor activity in open field. Conditioned fear to the context and to the sound was associated with different forms of rat anxiety during different tests.

A unified in vitro evaluation for apatite-forming ability of bioactive glasses and their variants.

PubMed

Maçon, Anthony L B; Kim, Taek B; Valliant, Esther M; Goetschius, Kathryn; Brow, Richard K; Day, Delbert E; Hoppe, Alexander; Boccaccini, Aldo R; Kim, Ill Yong; Ohtsuki, Chikara; Kokubo, Tadashi; Osaka, Akiyoshi; Vallet-Regí, Maria; Arcos, Daniel; Fraile, Leandro; Salinas, Antonio J; Teixeira, Alexandra V; Vueva, Yuliya; Almeida, Rui M; Miola, Marta; Vitale-Brovarone, Chiara; Verné, Enrica; Höland, Wolfram; Jones, Julian R

2015-02-01

The aim of this study was to propose and validate a new unified method for testing dissolution rates of bioactive glasses and their variants, and the formation of calcium phosphate layer formation on their surface, which is an indicator of bioactivity. At present, comparison in the literature is difficult as many groups use different testing protocols. An ISO standard covers the use of simulated body fluid on standard shape materials but it does not take into account that bioactive glasses can have very different specific surface areas, as for glass powders. Validation of the proposed modified test was through round robin testing and comparison to the ISO standard where appropriate. The proposed test uses fixed mass per solution volume ratio and agitated solution. The round robin study showed differences in hydroxyapatite nucleation on glasses of different composition and between glasses of the same composition but different particle size. The results were reproducible between research facilities. Researchers should use this method when testing new glasses, or their variants, to enable comparison between the literature in the future.

A probabilistic method for testing and estimating selection differences between populations

PubMed Central

He, Yungang; Wang, Minxian; Huang, Xin; Li, Ran; Xu, Hongyang; Xu, Shuhua; Jin, Li

2015-01-01

Human populations around the world encounter various environmental challenges and, consequently, develop genetic adaptations to different selection forces. Identifying the differences in natural selection between populations is critical for understanding the roles of specific genetic variants in evolutionary adaptation. Although numerous methods have been developed to detect genetic loci under recent directional selection, a probabilistic solution for testing and quantifying selection differences between populations is lacking. Here we report the development of a probabilistic method for testing and estimating selection differences between populations. By use of a probabilistic model of genetic drift and selection, we showed that logarithm odds ratios of allele frequencies provide estimates of the differences in selection coefficients between populations. The estimates approximate a normal distribution, and variance can be estimated using genome-wide variants. This allows us to quantify differences in selection coefficients and to determine the confidence intervals of the estimate. Our work also revealed the link between genetic association testing and hypothesis testing of selection differences. It therefore supplies a solution for hypothesis testing of selection differences. This method was applied to a genome-wide data analysis of Han and Tibetan populations. The results confirmed that both the EPAS1 and EGLN1 genes are under statistically different selection in Han and Tibetan populations. We further estimated differences in the selection coefficients for genetic variants involved in melanin formation and determined their confidence intervals between continental population groups. Application of the method to empirical data demonstrated the outstanding capability of this novel approach for testing and quantifying differences in natural selection. PMID:26463656

Assessing manual dexterity: Comparing the WorkAbility Rate of Manipulation Test with the Minnesota Manual Dexterity Test.

PubMed

Wang, Ying-Chih; Wickstrom, Rick; Yen, Sheng-Che; Kapellusch, Jay; Grogan, Kimberly A

2017-05-10

Cross-sectional study. The WorkAbility Rate of Manipulation Test (WRMT), an adaptation of the Minnesota Manual Dexterity Test (MMDT), contains a revised board and protocols to improve its utility for therapy or fitness assessment. To describe the development and preliminary psychometric properties of WRMT. Sixty-six healthy participants completed MMDT and WRMT in a random order followed by a user experience survey. We compared tests using repeated-measures analysis of variance, test-retest reliability, and examined agreement between tests. Despite the similarities of these 2 instruments, the different administration protocols resulted in statistically different score distributions (P < .001). Results supported good test-retest reliability of WRMT (placing test ICC = 0.88-0.90 and turning test ICC = 0.68-0.82). The WRMT correlated moderately with MMDT (r = 0.81 in placing test and r = 0.44-0.57 in turning test). Bland-Altman plot showed that the differences in completion time were 3.8 seconds between placing tests and 19.6 (both hands), 0.3 (right hand), and 3.9 (left hand) seconds between turning tests. Overall, participants felt that the instruction of WRMT was easier to follow (44%) and preferred its setup, color, and depth of the test board (49%). Time required to complete 1 panel of 20 disks correlated highly with the time needed to finish a complete trial of 60 disks in both MMDT (r = 0.91-0.97) and WRMT (r = 0.88-0.95). Caution is warranted in comparing scores from these 2 test variants. 3b. Copyright © 2017 Hanley & Belfus. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Harmonization in laboratory medicine: Requests, samples, measurements and reports.

PubMed

Plebani, Mario

2016-01-01

In laboratory medicine, the terms "standardization" and "harmonization" are frequently used interchangeably as the final goal is the same: the equivalence of measurement results among different routine measurement procedures over time and space according to defined analytical and clinical quality specifications. However, the terms define two distinct, albeit closely linked, concepts based on traceability principles. The word "standardization" is used when results for a measurement are equivalent and traceable to the International System of Units (SI) through a high-order primary reference material and/or a reference measurement procedure (RMP). "Harmonization" is generally used when results are equivalent, but neither a high-order primary reference material nor a reference measurement procedure is available. Harmonization is a fundamental aspect of quality in laboratory medicine as its ultimate goal is to improve patient outcomes through the provision of accurate and actionable laboratory information. Patients, clinicians and other healthcare professionals assume that clinical laboratory tests performed by different laboratories at different times on the same sample and specimen can be compared, and that results can be reliably and consistently interpreted. Unfortunately, this is not necessarily the case, because many laboratory test results are still highly variable and poorly standardized and harmonized. Although the initial focus was mainly on harmonizing and standardizing analytical processes and methods, the scope of harmonization now also includes all other aspects of the total testing process (TTP), such as terminology and units, report formats, reference intervals and decision limits as well as tests and test profiles, requests and criteria for interpretation. Several projects and initiatives aiming to improve standardization and harmonization in the testing process are now underway. Laboratory professionals should therefore step up their efforts to provide interchangeable and comparable laboratory information in order to ultimately assure better diagnosis and treatment in patient care.

Radon Risk Perception and Testing: Sociodemographic Correlates.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halpern, Michael T.; Warner, Kenneth E.

1994-01-01

Using information from the 1990 National Health Interview Survey, examined beliefs regarding radon and radon-testing activities among different sociodemographic groups. Results suggest relatively superficial knowledge regarding radon, and little testing, within the survey population. Significantly less knowledge was observed among female and…

Equating Two Forms of a Criterion-Referenced Test by Using Norm Referenced Data: An Illustration of Two Methods.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garcia-Quintana, Roan A.; Johnson, Lynne M.

Three different computational procedures for equating two forms of a test were applied to a pair of mathematics tests to compare the results of the three procedures. The tests that were being equated were two forms of the SRA Mastery Mathematics Tests. The common, linking test used for equating was the Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills, Form S,…

Open framework for objective evaluation of crater detection algorithms with first test-field subsystem based on MOLA data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salamunićcar, G.; Lončarić, S.

2008-07-01

Crater Detection Algorithms (CDAs) applications range from estimation of lunar/planetary surface age to autonomous landing on planets and asteroids and advanced statistical analyses. A large amount of work on CDAs has already been published. However, problems arise when evaluation results of some new CDA have to be compared with already published evaluation results. The problem is that different authors use different test-fields, different Ground-Truth (GT) catalogues, and even different methodologies for evaluation of their CDAs. Re-implementation of already published CDAs or its evaluation environment is a time-consuming and unpractical solution to this problem. In addition, implementation details are often insufficiently described in publications. As a result, there is a need in research community to develop a framework for objective evaluation of CDAs. A scientific question is how CDAs should be evaluated so that the results are easily and reliably comparable. In attempt to solve this issue we first analyzed previously published work on CDAs. In this paper, we propose a framework for solution of the problem of objective CDA evaluation. The framework includes: (1) a definition of the measure for differences between craters; (2) test-field topography based on the 1/64° MOLA data; (3) the GT catalogue wherein each of 17,582 craters is aligned with MOLA data and confirmed with catalogues by N.G. Barlow et al. and J.F. Rodionova et al.; (4) selection of methodology for training and testing; and (5) a Free-response Receiver Operating Characteristics (F-ROC) curves as a way to measure CDA performance. The handling of possible improvements of the framework in the future is additionally addressed as a part of discussion of results. Possible extensions with additional test-field subsystems based on visual images, data sets for other planets, evaluation methodologies for CDAs developed for different purposes than cataloguing of craters, are proposed as well. The goal of the proposed framework is to contribute to the research community by establishing guidelines for objective evaluation of CDAs.

Wind tunnel-sidewall-boundary-layer effects in transonic airfoil testing-some correctable, but some not

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lynch, F. T.; Johnson, C. B.

1988-01-01

The need to correct transonic airfoil wind tunnel test data for the influence of the tunnel sidewall boundary layers, in addition to the wall accepted corrections for the analytical investigation was carried out in order to evaluate sidewall boundary layer effects on transonic airfoil characteristics, and to validate proposed correction and the limit to their applications. This investigation involved testing of modern airfoil configurations in two different transonic airfoil test facilities, the 15 x 60 inch two-dimensional insert of the National Aeronautical Establishment (NAE) 5 foot tunnel in Ottawa, Canada, and the two-dimensional test section of the NASA Langley 0.3 m Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel (TCT). Results presented included effects of variations in sidewall-boundary layer bleed in both facilities, different sidewall boundary layer correction procedures, tunnel-to tunnel comparisons of correcte results, and flow conditions with and without separation.

Disability and Preventive Cancer Screening: Results from the 2001 California Health Interview Survey

PubMed Central

Ramirez, Anthony; Farmer, Gail C.; Grant, David; Papachristou, Theodora

2005-01-01

Objective. We sought to evaluate preventive cancer screening compliance among adults with disability in California. Methods. We used data from the 2001 California Health Interview Survey to compare disabled and nondisabled adults for differences in preventive cancer screening behaviors. Compliance rates for cancer screening tests (mammography, Papanicolaou test, prostate-specific antigen, sigmoidoscopy/colonoscopy, and fecal occult blood test) between the 2 subpopulations were evaluated. Results. Women with disabilities were 17% (Papanicolaou tests) and 13% (mammograms) more likely than women without disabilities to report noncompliance with cancer screening guidelines. Interactions between disability and reports of a doctor recommendation on cervical cancer screening were significant; women with disabilities had a lower likelihood of receiving a recommendation. Men with disabilities were 19% less likely than men without disabilities to report a prostate-specific antigen test within the last 3 years. Conclusions.secondary to structural and/or clinical factors underpinning the differences found. PMID:16195509

New tests to measure individual differences in matching and labelling facial expressions of emotion, and their association with ability to recognise vocal emotions and facial identity.

PubMed

Palermo, Romina; O'Connor, Kirsty B; Davis, Joshua M; Irons, Jessica; McKone, Elinor

2013-01-01

Although good tests are available for diagnosing clinical impairments in face expression processing, there is a lack of strong tests for assessing "individual differences"--that is, differences in ability between individuals within the typical, nonclinical, range. Here, we develop two new tests, one for expression perception (an odd-man-out matching task in which participants select which one of three faces displays a different expression) and one additionally requiring explicit identification of the emotion (a labelling task in which participants select one of six verbal labels). We demonstrate validity (careful check of individual items, large inversion effects, independence from nonverbal IQ, convergent validity with a previous labelling task), reliability (Cronbach's alphas of.77 and.76 respectively), and wide individual differences across the typical population. We then demonstrate the usefulness of the tests by addressing theoretical questions regarding the structure of face processing, specifically the extent to which the following processes are common or distinct: (a) perceptual matching and explicit labelling of expression (modest correlation between matching and labelling supported partial independence); (b) judgement of expressions from faces and voices (results argued labelling tasks tap into a multi-modal system, while matching tasks tap distinct perceptual processes); and (c) expression and identity processing (results argued for a common first step of perceptual processing for expression and identity).

Hybrid motion sensing and experimental modal analysis using collocated smartphone camera and accelerometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozer, Ekin; Feng, Dongming; Feng, Maria Q.

2017-10-01

State-of-the-art multisensory technologies and heterogeneous sensor networks propose a wide range of response measurement opportunities for structural health monitoring (SHM). Measuring and fusing different physical quantities in terms of structural vibrations can provide alternative acquisition methods and improve the quality of the modal testing results. In this study, a recently introduced SHM concept, SHM with smartphones, is focused to utilize multisensory smartphone features for a hybridized structural vibration response measurement framework. Based on vibration testing of a small-scale multistory laboratory model, displacement and acceleration responses are monitored using two different smartphone sensors, an embedded camera and accelerometer, respectively. Double-integration or differentiation among different measurement types is performed to combine multisensory measurements on a comparative basis. In addition, distributed sensor signals from collocated devices are processed for modal identification, and performance of smartphone-based sensing platforms are tested under different configuration scenarios and heterogeneity levels. The results of these tests show a novel and successful implementation of a hybrid motion sensing platform through multiple sensor type and device integration. Despite the heterogeneity of motion data obtained from different smartphone devices and technologies, it is shown that multisensory response measurements can be blended for experimental modal analysis. Getting benefit from the accessibility of smartphone technology, similar smartphone-based dynamic testing methodologies can provide innovative SHM solutions with mobile, programmable, and cost-free interfaces.

Mitigation of corrosion attack on carbon steel coated cermet alloy in different anion contents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khalid, Muhamad Azrin Mohd; Ismail, Azzura

2017-12-01

This research study evaluated the corrosion mechanism attack on carbon steel coated with cermet alloys (WC-9% Ni) in seawater at different sulphate-to-chloride ratios. The four different sulphate-to-chloride ratios were synthesised with the same seawater salinity of 3.5 % and same pH of real seawater. The corrosion tests involved immersion and electrochemical tests. The immersion test is used to determine the cermet coating ability to withstand the corrosion attack based on different ratios of anions present in the seawater at different periods of immersion. The corrosion attack was characterized by optical and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The aggressive anions present in the seawater influenced the corrosion attack on the cermet coating. For immersion test, results revealed that increasing sulphate more than chloride, increased the weight loss of cermets. The electrochemistry analysis showed that the passive layer forms on cermet coating prevented the material from further corrosion attack. However, due to its porosity, the passive layer collapsed and exposed the material for other corrosion reaction. For electrochemical test, the result shows that the solution with sulphate-to-chloride ratio of 0.14 (real seawater) has the highest corrosion current and Open Circuit Potential (OCP) compared to other solutions (different sulphate-to-chloride ratio). In conclusion, sulfate and chloride show their competition to attack the cermet coating on carbon steel and the higher the amount of chloride present in seawater, the higher the corrosion rate and pits formed on the cermet coating.

Optimizing a Test Method to Evaluate Resistance of Pervious Concrete to Cycles of Freezing and Thawing in the Presence of Different Deicing Salts

PubMed Central

Tsang, Chehong; Shehata, Medhat H.; Lotfy, Abdurrahmaan

2016-01-01

The lack of a standard test method for evaluating the resistance of pervious concrete to cycles of freezing and thawing in the presence of deicing salts is the motive behind this study. Different sample size and geometry, cycle duration, and level of submersion in brine solutions were investigated to achieve an optimized test method. The optimized test method was able to produce different levels of damage when different types of deicing salts were used. The optimized duration of one cycle was found to be 24 h with twelve hours of freezing at −18 °C and twelve hours of thawing at +21 °C, with the bottom 10 mm of the sample submerged in the brine solution. Cylinder samples with a diameter of 100 mm and height of 150 mm were used and found to produce similar results to 150 mm-cubes. Based on the obtained results a mass loss of 3%–5% is proposed as a failure criterion of cylindrical samples. For the materials and within the cycles of freezing/thawing investigated here, the deicers that caused the most damage were NaCl, CaCl2 and urea, followed by MgCl2, potassium acetate, sodium acetate and calcium-magnesium acetate. More testing is needed to validate the effects of different deicers under long term exposures and different temperature ranges. PMID:28773998

Smoking Behavior and Exposure: Results of a Menthol Cigarette Crossover Study

PubMed Central

Watson, Christina; Richter, Patricia; de Castro, B. Rey; Sosnoff, Connie; Potts, Jennifer; Clark, Pamela; McCraw, Joan; Yan, Xizheng; Chambers, David; Watson, Cliff

2017-01-01

Objective Our objective was to better understand differences in use behavior and exposure when smoking menthol and nonmenthol cigarettes using a 2-part cross-over design. Methods Adult daily smokers were randomly assigned to alternate between 2 weeks of exclusively smoking a menthol test cigarette or a nonmenthol test cigarette. Urine and saliva were collected for biomarker measurements, carbon monoxide (CO) was measured, and participants smoked test cigarettes through a CreSS® smoking topography device during 3 clinic visits. Participants turned in their cigarette butts from the test periods for determination of mouth level nicotine and completed subjective questionnaires related to the test cigarettes. Results Regardless of cigarette preference, participants had higher salivary cotinine when smoking the nonmenthol test cigarette, but there were no significant differences detected in urine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol between the 2 test cigarettes. Mouth level nicotine, puff volume and puff duration were significantly higher when smoking the menthol brand. Both menthol and nonmenthol smokers reported significantly lower enjoyment and satisfaction scores for test cigarettes compared with their brand of choice. Conclusions Our results suggest that mentholation has an effect on measures of smoking behavior and that mouth level nicotine is a useful indicator of between-brand smoke exposure. PMID:28376975

True versus Apparent Malaria Infection Prevalence: The Contribution of a Bayesian Approach

PubMed Central

Claes, Filip; Van Hong, Nguyen; Torres, Kathy; Mao, Sokny; Van den Eede, Peter; Thi Thinh, Ta; Gamboa, Dioni; Sochantha, Tho; Thang, Ngo Duc; Coosemans, Marc; Büscher, Philippe; D'Alessandro, Umberto; Berkvens, Dirk; Erhart, Annette

2011-01-01

Aims To present a new approach for estimating the “true prevalence” of malaria and apply it to datasets from Peru, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Methods Bayesian models were developed for estimating both the malaria prevalence using different diagnostic tests (microscopy, PCR & ELISA), without the need of a gold standard, and the tests' characteristics. Several sources of information, i.e. data, expert opinions and other sources of knowledge can be integrated into the model. This approach resulting in an optimal and harmonized estimate of malaria infection prevalence, with no conflict between the different sources of information, was tested on data from Peru, Vietnam and Cambodia. Results Malaria sero-prevalence was relatively low in all sites, with ELISA showing the highest estimates. The sensitivity of microscopy and ELISA were statistically lower in Vietnam than in the other sites. Similarly, the specificities of microscopy, ELISA and PCR were significantly lower in Vietnam than in the other sites. In Vietnam and Peru, microscopy was closer to the “true” estimate than the other 2 tests while as expected ELISA, with its lower specificity, usually overestimated the prevalence. Conclusions Bayesian methods are useful for analyzing prevalence results when no gold standard diagnostic test is available. Though some results are expected, e.g. PCR more sensitive than microscopy, a standardized and context-independent quantification of the diagnostic tests' characteristics (sensitivity and specificity) and the underlying malaria prevalence may be useful for comparing different sites. Indeed, the use of a single diagnostic technique could strongly bias the prevalence estimation. This limitation can be circumvented by using a Bayesian framework taking into account the imperfect characteristics of the currently available diagnostic tests. As discussed in the paper, this approach may further support global malaria burden estimation initiatives. PMID:21364745

Assessment of pharmaceutical quality of furosemide tablets from multinational markets.

PubMed

Qureshi, S A; McGilveray, I J

1998-11-01

This report describes results of a collaborative study in which samples of the 40-mg strength of furosemide tablets were evaluated following a common protocol based on British (BP), European (Ph. Eur.), and US Pharmacopoeial (USP) specifications. Several tests, including identification, uniformity of mass, and dissolution, were performed. In total, excluding Lasix lots, results for 162 lots obtained from 115 manufacturers or suppliers were submitted. Also, 23 laboratories identified and submitted data for 34 lots of Lasix products available in their countries. There were no reported abnormalities in the physical test requirements of the products analyzed. The summaries (n, mean, and 95% CI) of the assay results for the "standard sample" (a common sample), Lasix lots from participating countries, and for all other furosemide products, respectively, are as follows: 30, 99.8%, 96-104; 33, 100.0%, 94-106; and 162, 99.6, 94-105. About half (approximately 62%) of the reported uniformity of mass results based on tablet weights were in the range 150-175 mg/tablet. However, there appears to be notable variability in tablet weights that would result in significant differences in the ratios (0.14 to 0.40) of active ingredient to excipient. The reported disintegration times ranged from 0 (instantaneous) to 18 min, with most less than 1 min. The drug dissolution testing was conducted with phosphate buffer at pH 5.8 (USP recommended). Another test was conducted with acetate buffer at pH 4.6 (noncompendial). There appears to be remarkable similarity in overall percentage of drug release from the three types of products (standard sample, Lasix lots, and other products). Although apparently there is a very wide spread in dissolution characteristics of the products tested, the analyses of variance did not detect differences among the products tested and, to this extent, would not indicate differences in bioavailability characteristics for most of these products. It is observed that about 20-38% of the variability in dissolution testing is not product related (i.e., it is from the dissolution testing itself), while the remaining 62-80% variability is product related (manufacturing, formulation, etc). The results of this multinational collaborative study showed that most of the furosemide products available in different countries met the required pharmaceutical quality standards, including drug-release characteristics. Based on an extensive statistical analysis, the main concern from the study was that the high variability in drug dissolution testing would require wide tolerance standards (e.g., pharmacopoeial standards). This may result in lack of needed discriminating ability of the test in revealing the impacts of formulation and manufacturing changes on in vitro, and perhaps in vivo, drug-release characteristics.

Evaluation of gloss changes of two denture acrylic resin materials in four different beverages.

PubMed

Keyf, Filiz; Etikan, Ilker

2004-03-01

The primary disadvantages of the materials which are used in construction of complete and removable partial dentures is that their esthetic, physical and mechanical properties change rapidly with time in the oral environment. For esthetics, color stability is one of the criteria that needs careful attention. Color may provide important information on the serviceability of these materials. Color change affects the gloss of these materials. The objective of the present study was to determine the gloss changes resulting from the testing process in four different beverages in one heat-polymerized denture base resin and one cold-polymerized denture base repair resin. Thirty-six samples were fabricated for each material. Each sample had a smooth polished and a rough unpolished surface. The gloss measurements were made with a glossmeter before testing. Four different beverages (tea, coffee, cola and cherry juice) were used for testing. Two angles of illumination (20 and 60 degrees) were used for the gloss measurements. The samples were immersed in water, tea, coffee, cola and cherry juice solutions. The gloss of the samples was measured again with the glossmeter at the end of the 45th day and 135th day of testing. The arithmetic mean and standard deviation of each of the samples were calculated and compared with each other statistically by using the Wilcoxon test (within times) (p < or = 0.05 significant), the Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance (p < or = 0.05 significant) and the Mann-Whitney U-test with Bonforoni correction (when the difference between the samples was significant) (p < or = 0.05 significant). The results of this study revealed that gloss changes occurred after testing in heat-polymerized denture base resin and cold-polymerized denture base repair resin. The significance of the gloss changes exhibited by each sample, kept for different lengths of time in the same solution, were compared using the Wilcoxon test. The results were statistically significant (p < or = 0.05). According to the Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance, the difference between measurements for angles of illumination was statistically significant (p < or = 0.05). Also according to the Mann-Whitney U-test, the difference between two polished surfaces or two unpolished surfaces was statistically insignificant (p > 0.05), but the difference between smooth polished and rough unpolished surfaces was statistically significant (p < or = 0.05). It was found that either the gloss of heat-polymerized denture base resin or the gloss of cold-polymerized denture base repair resin was affected by tested agents, and the four beverages demonstrated noticeable gloss changes. Cherry juice demonstrated the least change, while tea exhibited the greatest change.

Integrated Data Collection Analysis (IDCA) Program - Final Review September 12, 2012 at DHS

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

Sandstrom, Mary M.; Brown, Geoffrey W.; Warner, Kirstin F.

The Integrated Data Collection Analysis (IDCA) program conducted a final program review at the Department of Homeland Security on September 12, 2012. The review was focused on the results of the program over the complete performance period. A summary presentation delineating the accomplished tasks started the meeting, followed by technical presentations on various issues that arose during the performance period. The presentations were completed with a statistical evaluation of the testing results from all the participants in the IDCA Proficiency Test study. The meeting closed with a discussion of potential sources of funding for continuing work to resolve some ofmore » these technical issues. This effort, funded by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), put the issues of safe handling of these materials in perspective with standard military explosives. The study added Small-Scale Safety and Thermal (SSST) testing results for a broad suite of different HMEs to the literature, and suggested new guidelines and methods to develop safe handling practices for HMEs. Each participating testing laboratory used identical test materials and preparation methods wherever possible. Note, however, the test procedures differ among the laboratories. The results were compared among the laboratories and then compared to historical data from various sources. The testing performers involved were Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Division (NSWC IHD), Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), and Air Force Research Laboratory, Tyndall AFB (AFRL/RXQL). These tests were conducted as a proficiency study in order to establish some consistency in test protocols, procedures, and experiments and to compare results when these testing variables cannot be made consistent.« less

The Effects of Test Anxiety on Learning at Superficial and Deep Levels of Processing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weinstein, Claire E.; And Others

1982-01-01

Using a deep-level processing strategy, low test-anxious college students performed significantly better than high test-anxious students in learning a paired-associate word list. Using a superficial-level processing strategy resulted in no significant difference in performance. A cognitive-attentional theory and test anxiety mechanisms are…

Test-Retest Reliability and Predictive Validity of the Implicit Association Test in Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rae, James R.; Olson, Kristina R.

2018-01-01

The Implicit Association Test (IAT) is increasingly used in developmental research despite minimal evidence of whether children's IAT scores are reliable across time or predictive of behavior. When test-retest reliability and predictive validity have been assessed, the results have been mixed, and because these studies have differed on many…

40 CFR 1036.530 - Calculating greenhouse gas emission rates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... measured test fuel properties as specified in this paragraph (b) to obtain the official emission results... differences in test fuels within a fuel type. Use good engineering judgment to develop and apply testing protocols to minimize the impact of variations in test fuels. (1) For liquid fuels, determine the net energy...

40 CFR 1036.530 - Calculating greenhouse gas emission rates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... measured test fuel properties as specified in this paragraph (b) to obtain the official emission results... differences in test fuels within a fuel type. Use good engineering judgment to develop and apply testing protocols to minimize the impact of variations in test fuels. (1) For liquid fuels, determine the net energy...

40 CFR 1036.530 - Calculating greenhouse gas emission rates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... measured test fuel properties as specified in this paragraph (b) to obtain the official emission results... differences in test fuels within a fuel type. Use good engineering judgment to develop and apply testing protocols to minimize the impact of variations in test fuels. (1) For liquid fuels, determine the net energy...

Laboratory Evaluation of EGS Shear Stimulation-Test 001

DOE Data Explorer

Bauer, Steve

2014-07-29

this is the results of an initial setup-shakedon test in order to develop the plumbing system for this test design. a cylinder of granite with offset holes was jacketed and subjected to confining pressure and low temperature (85C) and pore water pressure. flow through the sample was developed at different test stages.

A Comparison of Procedures for Content-Sensitive Item Selection in Computerized Adaptive Tests.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kingsbury, G. Gage; Zara, Anthony R.

1991-01-01

This simulation investigated two procedures that reduce differences between paper-and-pencil testing and computerized adaptive testing (CAT) by making CAT content sensitive. Results indicate that the price in terms of additional test items of using constrained CAT for content balancing is much smaller than that of using testlets. (SLD)

Enhancing a Computer-Based Testing Environment with Optimum Item Response Time

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delen, Erhan

2015-01-01

As technology has become more advanced and accessible in instructional settings, there has been an upward trend in computer-based testing in the last decades. The present experimental study examines students' behaviors during computer-based testing in two different conditions and explores how these conditions affect the test results. Results…

Multiple objective optimization in reliability demonstration test

DOE PAGES

Lu, Lu; Anderson-Cook, Christine Michaela; Li, Mingyang

2016-10-01

Reliability demonstration tests are usually performed in product design or validation processes to demonstrate whether a product meets specified requirements on reliability. For binomial demonstration tests, the zero-failure test has been most commonly used due to its simplicity and use of minimum sample size to achieve an acceptable consumer’s risk level. However, this test can often result in unacceptably high risk for producers as well as a low probability of passing the test even when the product has good reliability. This paper explicitly explores the interrelationship between multiple objectives that are commonly of interest when planning a demonstration test andmore » proposes structured decision-making procedures using a Pareto front approach for selecting an optimal test plan based on simultaneously balancing multiple criteria. Different strategies are suggested for scenarios with different user priorities and graphical tools are developed to help quantify the trade-offs between choices and to facilitate informed decision making. As a result, potential impacts of some subjective user inputs on the final decision are studied to offer insights and useful guidance for general applications.« less

Simulation study on the maximum continuous working condition of a power plant boiler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ning; Han, Jiting; Sun, Haitian; Cheng, Jiwei; Jing, Ying'ai; Li, Wenbo

2018-05-01

First of all, the boiler is briefly introduced to determine the mathematical model and the boundary conditions, then the boiler under the BMCR condition numerical simulation study, and then the BMCR operating temperature field analysis. According to the boiler actual test results and the hot BMCR condition boiler output test results, the simulation results are verified. The main conclusions are as follows: the position and size of the inscribed circle in the furnace and the furnace temperature distribution and test results under different elevation are compared and verified; Accuracy of numerical simulation results.

Visually testing the dynamic character of a blazed-angle adjustable grating by digital holographic microscopy.

PubMed

Qin, Chuan; Zhao, Jianlin; Di, Jianglei; Wang, Le; Yu, Yiting; Yuan, Weizheng

2009-02-10

We employed digital holographic microscopy to visually test microoptoelectromechanical systems (MOEMS). The sample is a blazed-angle adjustable grating. Considering the periodic structure of the sample, a local area unwrapping method based on a binary template was adopted to demodulate the fringes obtained by referring to a reference hologram. A series of holograms at different deformation states due to different drive voltages were captured to analyze the dynamic character of the MOEMS, and the uniformity of different microcantilever beams was also inspected. The results show this testing method is effective for a periodic structure.

Implicit and explicit Theory of Mind reasoning in autism spectrum disorders: the impact of experience.

PubMed

Schuwerk, Tobias; Vuori, Maria; Sodian, Beate

2015-05-01

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between explicit and implicit forms of Theory of Mind reasoning and to test the influence of experience on implicit Theory of Mind reasoning in individuals with autism spectrum disorders and in neurotypical adults. Results from two standard explicit Theory of Mind tasks are mixed: Individuals with autism spectrum disorders did not differ from neurotypical adults in their performance in the Strange Stories Test, but scored significantly lower on the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test. Furthermore, in an implicit false-belief task, individuals with autism spectrum disorders differed from neurotypical adults in false belief-congruent anticipatory looking. However, this group difference disappeared by (1) providing participants with the outcome of a false belief-based action and (2) subsequently repeating this test trial. Although the tendency to fixate the false belief-congruent location significantly increased from the first to the second test trial in individuals with autism spectrum disorders, it differed in neither test trial from chance. These findings support the notion of an implicit Theory of Mind deficit in autism spectrum disorders, but give rise to the idea that anticipatory looking behaviors in autism spectrum disorders may be affected by experience. Additionally, the pattern of results from implicit and explicit Theory of Mind measures supports the theory of two independent Theory of Mind reasoning systems. © The Author(s) 2014.

The Effect of Veneer Layers on the Bending Shear Strength and Delamination of Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) from Oil Palm Trunk (OPT)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jamaludin, M. A.; Nordin, K.; Bahari, S. A.; Ahmad, M.

2010-03-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the number of veneer layers on the bending shear strength and delamination of Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) from oil palm trunk (OPT). Five (5), Six (6) and Seven (7) veneer layers of OPT LVL were manufactured. The dimension of the boards was 45 cm by 45 cm by 1.9 cm. The boards were hot pressed for 13 minutes at a pressure of 31 kgf per m2. Urea formaldehyde (UF) supplied by a local adhesive manufacturer was used as the binder for the boards. The bending shear tests consisted of the edgewise and flatwise tests, whereas the delamination test consisted of the cold and hot water boil tests. The preparation of the test specimens and tests set-up was in accordance to the Japanese Standards, JAS-1991 [1]. Six replications were used for each test. The results were analyzed by Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) using the Duncan's Multiple Range Test to test for significant differences. The results indicated that as the number of layers increased the strength also increased. All the boards passed the standard. The difference in strength between the different types of samples was significant at 95 percent confidence level. Bending shear failures were primarily in the veneers. It is possible to use the boards as light weight interior building and furniture components. Over the years, the supply of quality timber resources from the natural forest has decrease as the wood-based industry experienced rapid growth. The supply of rubberwood for the furniture industry is also decreasing as a result of increase latex price. Accordingly, OPT LVL can be an alternative or supplementary raw material for the wood-based industry.

Summary of Documentation for DYNA3D-ParaDyn's Software Quality Assurance Regression Test Problems

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

Zywicz, Edward

The Software Quality Assurance (SQA) regression test suite for DYNA3D (Zywicz and Lin, 2015) and ParaDyn (DeGroot, et al., 2015) currently contains approximately 600 problems divided into 21 suites, and is a required component of ParaDyn’s SQA plan (Ferencz and Oliver, 2013). The regression suite allows developers to ensure that software modifications do not unintentionally alter the code response. The entire regression suite is run prior to permanently incorporating any software modification or addition. When code modifications alter test problem results, the specific cause must be determined and fully understood before the software changes and revised test answers can bemore » incorporated. The regression suite is executed on LLNL platforms using a Python script and an associated data file. The user specifies the DYNA3D or ParaDyn executable, number of processors to use, test problems to run, and other options to the script. The data file details how each problem and its answer extraction scripts are executed. For each problem in the regression suite there exists an input deck, an eight-processor partition file, an answer file, and various extraction scripts. These scripts assemble a temporary answer file in a specific format from the simulation results. The temporary and stored answer files are compared to a specific level of numerical precision, and when differences are detected the test problem is flagged as failed. Presently, numerical results are stored and compared to 16 digits. At this accuracy level different processor types, compilers, number of partitions, etc. impact the results to various degrees. Thus, for consistency purposes the regression suite is run with ParaDyn using 8 processors on machines with a specific processor type (currently the Intel Xeon E5530 processor). For non-parallel regression problems, i.e., the two XFEM problems, DYNA3D is used instead. When environments or platforms change, executables using the current source code and the new resource are created and the regression suite is run. If differences in answers arise, the new answers are retained provided that the differences are inconsequential. This bootstrap approach allows the test suite answers to evolve in a controlled manner with a high level of confidence. Developers also run the entire regression suite with (serial) DYNA3D. While these results normally differ from the stored (parallel) answers, abnormal termination or wildly different values are strong indicators of potential issues.« less

Chinese College Test Takers' Individual Differences and Reading Test Performance: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach.

PubMed

Zhang, Limei

2016-06-01

This study reports on the relationships between test takers' individual differences and their performance on a reading comprehension test. A total of 518 Chinese college students (252 women and 256 men; M age = 19.26 year, SD = 0.98) answered a questionnaire and sit for a reading comprehension test. The study found that test takers' L2 language proficiency was closely linked to their test performance. Test takers' employment of strategies was significantly and positively associated with their performance on the test. Test takers' motivation was found to be significantly associated with reading test performance. Test anxiety was negatively related to their use of reading strategies and test performance. The results of the study lent support to the threshold hypothesis of language proficiency. The implications for classroom teaching were provided. © The Author(s) 2016.

Stand-alone containment analysis of Phébus FPT tests with ASTEC and MELCOR codes: the FPT-2 test.

PubMed

Gonfiotti, Bruno; Paci, Sandro

2018-03-01

During the last 40 years, many studies have been carried out to investigate the different phenomena occurring during a Severe Accident (SA) in a Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). Such efforts have been supported by the execution of different experimental campaigns, and the integral Phébus FP tests were probably some of the most important experiments in this field. In these tests, the degradation of a Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) fuel bundle was investigated employing different control rod materials and burn-up levels in strongly or weakly oxidizing conditions. From the findings on these and previous tests, numerical codes such as ASTEC and MELCOR have been developed to analyze the evolution of a SA in real NPPs. After the termination of the Phébus FP campaign, these two codes have been furthermore improved to implement the more recent findings coming from different experimental campaigns. Therefore, continuous verification and validation is still necessary to check that the new improvements introduced in such codes allow also a better prediction of these Phébus tests. The aim of the present work is to re-analyze the Phébus FPT-2 test employing the updated ASTEC and MELCOR code versions. The analysis focuses on the stand-alone containment aspects of this test, and three different spatial nodalizations of the containment vessel (CV) have been developed. The paper summarizes the main thermal-hydraulic results and presents different sensitivity analyses carried out on the aerosols and fission products (FP) behavior. When possible, a comparison among the results obtained during this work and by different authors in previous work is also performed. This paper is part of a series of publications covering the four Phébus FP tests using a PWR fuel bundle: FPT-0, FPT-1, FPT-2, and FPT-3, excluding the FPT-4 one, related to the study of the release of low-volatility FP and transuranic elements from a debris bed and a pool of melted fuel.

Effects of different sources of fertilizer nitrogen on growth and nutrition of western hemlock seedlings.

Treesearch

M.A. Radwan; Dean S. DeBell

1980-01-01

Twelve different nitrogen (N) fertilizer treatments were tested on potted western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) seedlings. Fertilizers affected soil N and pH, and growth and foliar chemical composition of seedlings. Urea plus N-Serve and sulfur-coated urea appear more promising for promoting growth than other fertilizers tested. Results...

Stereotype Threat and Gender Differences in Performance on a Novel Visuospatial Task

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Susan Miller; Collaer, Marcia L.

2009-01-01

Stereotype threat research has shown that being a member of a negatively stereotyped group may result in impaired performance on tests of skills thought to be relevant to the stereotype. This study investigated whether stereotype threat influences gender differences in performance on a novel test of visuospatial ability. Undergraduates (N = 194)…

Assessment of Theory of Mind in Children with Communication Disorders: Role of Presentation Mode

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Buijsen, Marit; Hendriks, Angelique; Ketelaars, Mieke; Verhoeven, Ludo

2011-01-01

Children with communication disorders have problems with both language and social interaction. The theory-of-mind hypothesis provides an explanation for these problems, and different tests have been developed to test this hypothesis. However, different modes of presentation are used in these tasks, which make the results difficult to compare. In…

A Physics-Based Temperature Stabilization Criterion for Thermal Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rickman, Steven L.; Ungar, Eugene K.

2009-01-01

Spacecraft testing specifications differ greatly in the criteria they specify for stability in thermal balance tests. Some specify a required temperature stabilization rate (the change in temperature per unit time, dT/dt), some specify that the final steady-state temperature be approached to within a specified difference, delta T , and some specify a combination of the two. The particular values for temperature stabilization rate and final temperature difference also vary greatly between specification documents. A one-size-fits-all temperature stabilization rate requirement does not yield consistent results for all test configurations because of differences in thermal mass and heat transfer to the environment. Applying a steady-state temperature difference requirement is problematic because the final test temperature is not accurately known a priori, especially for powered configurations. In the present work, a simplified, lumped-mass analysis has been used to explore the applicability of these criteria. A new, user-friendly, physics-based approach is developed that allows the thermal engineer to determine when an acceptable level of temperature stabilization has been achieved. The stabilization criterion can be predicted pre-test but must be refined during test to allow verification that the defined level of temperature stabilization has been achieved.

An investigation on impacts of scheduling configurations on Mississippi biology subject area testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marchette, Frances Lenora

The purpose of this mixed modal study was to compare the results of Biology Subject Area mean scores of students on a 4 x 4 block schedule, A/B block schedule, and traditional year-long schedule for 1A to 5A size schools. This study also reviewed the data to determine if minority or gender issues might influence the test results. Interviews with administrators and teachers were conducted about the type of schedule configuration they use and the influence that the schedule has on student academic performance on the Biology Subject Area Test. Additionally, this research further explored whether schedule configurations allow sufficient time for students to construct knowledge. This study is important to schools, teachers, and administrators because it can assist them in considering the impacts that different types of class schedules have on student performance and if ethnic or gender issues are influencing testing results. This study used the causal-comparative method for the quantitative portion of the study and constant comparative method for the qualitative portion to explore the relationship of school schedules on student academic achievement on the Mississippi Biology Subject Area Test. The aggregate means of selected student scores indicate that the Mississippi Biology Subject Area Test as a measure of student performance reveals no significant difference on student achievement for the three school schedule configurations. The data were adjusted for initial differences of gender, minority, and school size on the three schedule configurations. The results suggest that schools may employ various schedule configurations and expect student performance on the Mississippi Biology Subject Area Test to be unaffected. However, many areas of concern were identified in the interviews that might impact on school learning environments. These concerns relate to effective classroom management, the active involvement of students in learning, the adequacy of teacher education programs and the stress of testing on everyone involved in high-stakes testing.

Testing versus guessing blood glucose values: impact on self-care behaviors in type 2 diabetes.

PubMed

Pettus, Jeremy; Stenger, Patricia; Schachner, Holly C; Dunne, Nancy; Parkes, Joan Lee; Pardo, Scott; Edelman, Steven V

2014-09-01

To assess differences between estimated blood glucose values and those measured on a blood glucose meter and the impact on self-care behavior in type 2 diabetes. Subjects ≥18 years with type 2 diabetes (N = 297) attending a Taking Control of Your Diabetes conference were asked questions about diabetes management and to estimate their current blood glucose. Study staff tested subjects' blood glucose on a meter. After seeing the result, subjects were again asked questions on diabetes management. NCT01453413. The percentage of subject blood glucose estimations that were outside ISO 15197:2003 accuracy criteria (>±15 mg/dL or >±20% of meter glucose values). Nearly half (46%) of subjects estimated blood glucose values outside ISO 15197:2003 accuracy criteria. Time since last blood glucose test, time since last meal, testing frequency, and A1C did not have an effect on differences between estimated blood glucose values and meter results. In the questionnaire before blood glucose testing, most subjects strongly agreed, agreed, or neither agreed nor disagreed that 'I make decisions about my diabetes, such as my food intake or my insulin dose even when I do not test my blood sugar' (71%) and 'My body tells me without testing if my blood sugar is low or high' (77%). After blood glucose testing, 99% of subjects strongly agreed, agreed, or neither agreed nor disagreed that 'Knowing my blood sugar by checking could help me make different diabetes decisions'. Self-monitoring of blood glucose is an important component of diabetes self-management. Testing rather than guessing blood glucose values is important to obtain accurate results and inform people with type 2 diabetes to make effective, appropriate diabetes management decisions. A potential limitation of this study is that the subject population may not be representative of the general population of people with diabetes; however, the conference setting may attract a more motivated population, which could underestimate the magnitude of the results.

[Investigation on the homogeneity and stability of quality controlling cosmetic samples containing arsenic].

PubMed

Dong, Bing; Song, Yu; Fan, Wenjia; Zhu, Ying

2010-11-01

To study the homogeneity and stability of arsenic in quality controlling cosmetic samples. Arsenic was determined by atomic fluorescence spectrophotometric method. The t-test and F-test were used to evaluate the significant difference of the within-bottle and between-bottle results with three batches. The RSDs of arsenic obtained in different time were compared with the relative expanding uncertainties to evaluate the stability. Average and variance of within-bottle and between-bottle results of arsenic were not different significantly. The RSDs of Arsenic were less than the relative expanding uncertainties. Quality controlling cosmetic samples containing arsenic were considered homogeneous and stable.

Comparison between available serologic tests for detecting antibodies against Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Borrelia burgdorferi in horses in Canada.

PubMed

Schvartz, Gili; Epp, Tasha; Burgess, Hilary J; Chilton, Neil B; Lohmann, Katharina L

2015-07-01

To investigate the agreement between available serologic tests for the detection of antibodies against Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Borrelia burgdorferi, 50 serum samples from horses of unknown clinical status and at low risk for infection were tested. In addition to a point-of-care enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (pocELISA), the evaluated tests included 2 indirect fluorescent antibody tests (IFATs) for antibodies against A. phagocytophilum and an IFAT, an ELISA confirmed with Western blot, and the Lyme multiplex assay for antibodies against B. burgdorferi. For each pair-wise comparison between serologic tests, the difference in the proportion of seropositive results as well as kappa and the prevalence-adjusted, bias-adjusted kappa were calculated. The proportion of seropositive results differed significantly in each pairwise comparison of tests for detection of antibodies against A. phagocytophilum, and between the pocELISA and IFAT as well as between the pocELISA and Lyme multiplex assay for detection of antibodies against B. burgdorferi. Agreement based on kappa varied from poor to fair while agreement was improved when evaluating prevalence-adjusted, bias-adjusted kappa. Lack of agreement may be explained by differences in methodology between the evaluated tests, cross-reactivity or false-positive and false-negative tests. In addition to the limitations of serologic test interpretation in the absence of clinical disease, this data suggest that screening of horses for exposure to tick-borne diseases in nonendemic areas may not be warranted. © 2015 The Author(s).

Effect of Electrostatic Discharge on Electrical Characteristics of Discrete Electronic Components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wysocki, Phil; Vashchenko, Vladislav; Celaya, Jose; Saha, Sankalita; Goebel, Kai

2009-01-01

This article reports on preliminary results of a study conducted to examine how temporary electrical overstress seed fault conditions in discrete power electronic components that cannot be detected with reliability tests but impact longevity of the device. These defects do not result in formal parametric failures per datasheet specifications, but result in substantial change in the electrical characteristics when compared with pristine device parameters. Tests were carried out on commercially available 600V IGBT devices using transmission line pulse (TLP) and system level ESD stress. It was hypothesized that the ESD causes local damage during the ESD discharge which may greatly accelerate degradation mechanisms and thus reduce the life of the components. This hypothesis was explored in simulation studies where different types of damage were imposed to different parts of the device. Experimental results agree qualitatively with the simulation for a number of tests which will motivate more in-depth modeling of the damage.

Student Attainment in Connected Mathematics Curriculum [and] Effects of the Connected Mathematics Project on Student Achievement. What Works Clearinghouse Detailed Study Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

What Works Clearinghouse, 2004

2004-01-01

In this study, Ridgway et al. found mixed results, depending on the assessment test used. With the Balanced Assessment (BA) test, positive significant differences were found between the Connected Mathematics Project (CMP) students and non-CMP students in grades 6, 7, and 8. The results for the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) were less favorable…

Student Attainment in Connected Mathematics Curriculum [and] Effects of the Connected Mathematics Project on Student Achievement. What Works Clearinghouse Brief Study Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

What Works Clearinghouse, 2004

2004-01-01

In this study, Ridgway et al. found mixed results, depending on the assessment test used. With the Balanced Assessment (BA) test, positive significant differences were found between the Connected Mathematics Project (CMP) students and non-CMP students in grades 6, 7, and 8. The results for the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) were less favorable…

Study on Silicon Microstructure Processing Technology Based on Porous Silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shang, Yingqi; Zhang, Linchao; Qi, Hong; Wu, Yalin; Zhang, Yan; Chen, Jing

2018-03-01

Aiming at the heterogeneity of micro - sealed cavity in silicon microstructure processing technology, the technique of preparing micro - sealed cavity of porous silicon is proposed. The effects of different solutions, different substrate doping concentrations, different current densities, and different etching times on the rate, porosity, thickness and morphology of the prepared porous silicon were studied. The porous silicon was prepared by different process parameters and the prepared porous silicon was tested and analyzed. For the test results, optimize the process parameters and experiments. The experimental results show that the porous silicon can be controlled by optimizing the parameters of the etching solution and the doping concentration of the substrate, and the preparation of porous silicon with different porosity can be realized by different doping concentration, so as to realize the preparation of silicon micro-sealed cavity, to solve the sensor sensitive micro-sealed cavity structure heterogeneous problem, greatly increasing the application of the sensor.

The function of digestive enzymes on Cu, Zn, and Pb release from soil in in vitro digestion tests.

PubMed

Li, Yi; Demisie, Walelign; Zhang, Ming-kui

2013-07-01

The bioaccessibility of soil heavy metals is the solubility of soil heavy metals in synthetic human digestive juice, which is usually determined using in vitro digestion test. To reveal the effects of digestive enzymes on soil heavy metals bioaccessibility, three representative in vitro digestion tests, Simple Bioaccessibility Extraction Test (SBET), Physiologically Based Extraction Test (PBET), and Simple Gastrointestinal Extraction Test (SGET), were chosen. The bioaccessibility of soil Cu, Zn, and Pb in each method were respectively evaluated with and without digestive enzymes, and the differences were compared. The results showed that the effects of digestive enzymes varied with different methods and elements. Because of digestive enzymes addition, the environmental change from acid gastric phase to neutral intestinal phase of PBET did not result in apparently decrease of the bioaccessibility of soil Cu. However, the solubility of soil Zn and Pb were pH-dependent. For SGET, when digestive enzymes were added, its results reflected more variations resulting from soil and element types. The impacts of digestive enzymes on heavy metal dissolution are mostly seen in the intestinal phase. Therefore, digestive enzyme addition is indispensable to the gastrointestinal digestion methods (PBET and SGET), while the pepsin addition is not important for the methods only comprised of gastric digestion (SBET).

An improved method of crafting a multi-electrode spiral cuff for the selective.

PubMed

Rozman, Janez; Pečlin, Polona; Ribarič, Samo; Godec, Matjaž; Burja, Jaka

2018-01-17

This article reviews an improved methodology and technology for crafting a multi-electrode spiral cuff for the selective activation of nerve fibres in particular superficial regions of a peripheral nerve. The analysis, structural and mechanical properties of the spot welds used for the interconnections between the stimulating electrodes and stainless-steel lead wires are presented. The cuff consisted of 33 platinum electrodes embedded within a self-curling 17-mm-long silicone spiral sheet with a nominal internal diameter of 2.5 mm. The weld was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and nanohardness tests, while the interconnection was investigated using destructive load tests. The functionality of the cuff was tested in an isolated porcine vagus nerve. The results of the scanning electron microscopy show good alloying and none of the typical welding defects that occur between the wire and the platinum foil. The results of the destructive load tests show that the breaking loads were between 3.22 and 5 N. The results of the nanohardness testing show that the hardness of the weld was different for the particular sites on the weld sample. Finally, the results of the functional testing show that for different stimulation intensities both the compound action potential deflection and the shape are modulated.

Environmentally Friendly Corrosion Preventative Compounds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Calle, Luz Marina; Montgomery, Eliza; Kolody, Mark; Curran, Jerry; Back, Teddy; Balles, Angela

2012-01-01

The objective of the Ground Systems Development and Operations Program Environmentally Friendly Corrosion Protective Coatings and Corrosion Preventive Compounds (CPCs) project is to identify, test, and develop qualification criteria for the use of environmentally friendly corrosion protective coatings and CPCs for flight hardware and ground support equipment. This document is the Final Report for Phase I evaluations, which included physical property, corrosion resistance, and NASA spaceport environment compatibility testing and analysis of fifteen CPC types. The CPCs consisted of ten different oily film CPCs and five different wax or grease CPC types. Physical property testing encompassed measuring various properties of the bulk CPCs, while corrosion resistance testing directly measured the ability of each CPC material to protect various metals against corrosion. The NASA spaceport environment compatibility testing included common tests required by NASA-STD-6001, "Flammability, Odor, Offgassing, and Compatibility Requirements and Test Procedures for Materials in Environments that Support Combustion". At the end of Phase I, CPC materials were down-selected for inclusion in the next test phases. This final report includes all data and analysis of results obtained by following the experimental test plan that was developed as part of the project. Highlights of the results are summarized by test criteria type.

[Analysis on 2011 quality control results on aerobic plate count of microbiology laboratories in China].

PubMed

Han, Haihong; Li, Ning; Li, Yepeng; Fu, Ping; Yu, Dongmin; Li Zhigang; Du, Chunming; Guo, Yunchang

2015-01-01

To test the aerobic plate count examining capability of microbiology laboratories, to ensure the accuracy and comparability of quantitative bacteria examination results, and to improve the quality of monitoring. The 4 different concentration aerobic plate count piece samples were prepared and noted as I, II, III and IV. After homogeneity and stability tests, the samples were delivered to monitoring institutions. The results of I, II, III samples were logarithmic transformed, and evaluated with Z-score method using the robust average and standard deviation. The results of IV samples were evaluated as "satisfactory" when reported as < 10 CFU/piece or as "not satisfactory" otherwise. Pearson χ2 test was used to analyze the ratio results. 309 monitoring institutions, which was 99.04% of the total number, reported their results. 271 institutions reported a satisfactory result, and the satisfactory rate was 87.70%. There was no statistical difference in satisfactory rates of I, II and III samples which were 81.52%, 88.30% and 91.40% respectively. The satisfactory rate of IV samples was 93.33%. There was no statistical difference in satisfactory rates between provincial and municipal CDC. The quality control program has provided scientific data that the aerobic plate count capability of the laboratories meets the requirements of monitoring tasks.

Buckling characteristics of hypersonic aircraft wing tubular panels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ko, William L.; Shideler, John L.; Fields, Roger A.

1986-01-01

The buckling characteristics of Rene 41 tubular panels installed as wing panels on a hypersonic wing test structure (HWTS) were determined nondestructively through use of a force/stiffness technique. The nondestructive buckling tests were carried out under different combined load conditions and different temperature environments. Two panels were subsequently tested to buckling failure in a universal tension compression testing machine. In spite of some data scattering because of large extrapolations of data points resulting from termination of the test at a somewhat low applied load, the overall test data correlated fairly well with theoretically predicted buckling interaction curves. The structural efficiency of the tubular panels was slightly higher than that of the beaded panels which they replaced.

European ring exercise on water toxicity using different bioluminescence inhibition tests based on Vibrio fischeri, in support to the implementation of the water framework directive.

PubMed

Farré, Marinella; Martínez, Elena; Hernando, M-D; Fernández-Alba, Amadeo; Fritz, Johann; Unruh, Eckehardt; Mihail, Otilia; Sakkas, Vasilis; Morbey, Ana; Albanis, Triantafyllos; Brito, Fatima; Hansen, Peter D; Barceló, Damià

2006-04-15

An inter-laboratory comparison exercise was conducted under the European Union funded project entitled: Screening Methods for Water Data Information in Support of the Implementation of the Water Framework Directive (SWIFT-WFD) and coordinated by the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), in order to evaluate the reproducibility of different toxicity tests based on the bioluminescence inhibition of Vibrio fischeri, for the rapid water toxicity assessment. For the first time, this type of exercise has been organized in Europe, and using different tests based on the same principle. In this exercise, 10 laboratories from 8 countries (Austria, Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Romania, and Spain) took place, and a total number of 360 samples were distributed. During the exercise, six series of six samples were analyzed along 5 months. Every batch of samples was composed by three real samples and three standard solutions. The real samples were: a raw influent and the effluent of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), and a sample from a first settlement of the WWTP spiked with a mixture of toxicant standards. A final number of 330 (91.7%) samples was analyzed, 3300 values in duplicate were collected, and the results for each sample were expressed as the 50% effective concentration (EC(50)) values calculated through five points of dilution inhibition curves, after 5 and 15min of incubation times. A statistical study was initiated using 660 results. The mean values, standard deviations (sigma), variances (sigma(2)), and upper and lower warning limits (UWL and LWL) were obtained, using the EC(50) values calculated with the result from the participating laboratories. The main objectives of this toxicity ring study were to evaluate the repeatability (r) and reproducibility (R) when different laboratories conduct the test, the influence of complex matrix samples, the variability between different tests based on the same principle, and to determine the rate at which participating laboratories successfully completed tests initiated. In this exercise, the 3.93% toxicity values were outliers according with the Z-score values and the Dixon test. The samples with the greater number of outliers were those with the smallest variability coefficient, corresponding to the greater and the smaller toxicity level. No relation was found through the cluster analysis, between the final results and the different commercial devices involved. Testing by multiple commercial devices did not appear to reduce the precision of the results, and the variability coefficient for the exercise was nearby to the average value for past editions carried out at national level, where the different participants used the same commercial device. Stability of samples was also followed during the exercise. While statistical significance differences were not found for the greater part of samples, for the sample from the WWTP influent, a significant decrease of the toxicity value was found along this study. Nevertheless, this was a type of sample with a high toxicity level during all the exercise. On the other hand, in order to obtain the chemical characterization of real samples, those were analyzed by chromatographic techniques, using different sequential solid phase extraction (SSPE) procedures, followed by liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Good agreement was found between the chemical analysis results and the toxicity level of the samples.

Relationship between antimicrobial susceptibility of clinical mastitis pathogens and treatment outcome in cows.

PubMed

Hoe, Fernanda G H; Ruegg, Pamela L

2005-11-01

To determine whether there was any association between results of in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility testing of pathogens isolated from cows with mild or moderate clinical mastitis and outcome of treatment. Observational study. 133 cows with mild or moderate mastitis in a single quarter. Cows were treated by means of intramammary infusion of pirlimycin (50 mg) in the affected quarter once daily for 2 days; additional intramammary treatments with the same product were administered if the milk continued to appear abnormal. Duration of treatment and days until clinical cure were recorded. Bacterial isolates were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility by means of a broth micro-dilution technique. Environmental streptococci, coliforms, and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp were the most commonly isolated pathogens. Duration of treatment and days until clinical cure were not significantly different for cows from which pathogens that were susceptible or resistant to pirlimycin were isolated. Bacteriologic cure rates 14 and 21 days after treatment were not significantly different for cows with mastitis caused by susceptible or resistant bacteria. Similar results were found when data only from cows with mastitis caused by gram-positive isolates were analyzed. In the present study, differences in clinical outcome for cows with mild or moderate mastitis that could be attributed to differences in results of in vitro susceptibility testing were not identified. The use of in vitro susceptibility testing to guide intramammary mastitis treatment cannot be recommended on the basis of results of this study.

Performance Evaluation of Hot Mix Asphalt with Different Proportions of RAP Content

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamil Arshad, Ahmad; Awang, Haryati; Shaffie, Ekarizan; Hashim, Wardati; Rahman, Zanariah Abd

2018-03-01

Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) is old asphalt pavement that has been removed from a road by milling or full depth removal. The use of RAP in hot mix asphalt (HMA) eliminates the need to dispose old asphalt pavements and conserves asphalt binders and aggregates, resulting in significant cost savings and benefits to society. This paper presents a study on HMA with different RAP proportions carried out to evaluate the volumetric properties and performance of asphalt mixes containing different proportions of RAP. Marshall Mix Design Method was used to produce control mix (0% RAP) and asphalt mixes containing 15% RAP, 25% RAP and 35% RAP in accordance with Specifications for Road Works of Public Works Department, Malaysia for AC14 dense graded asphalt gradation. Volumetric analysis was performed to ensure that the result is compliance with specification requirements. The resilient modulus test was performed to measure the stiffness of the mixes while the Modified Lottman test was conducted to evaluate the moisture susceptibility of these mixes. The Hamburg wheel tracking test was used to evaluate the rutting performance of these mixes. The results obtained showed that there were no substantial difference in Marshall Properties, moisture susceptibility, resilient modulus and rutting resistance between asphalt mixes with RAP and the control mix. The test results indicated that recycled mixes performed as good as the performance of conventional HMA in terms of moisture susceptibility and resilient modulus. It is recommended that further research be carried out for asphalt mixes containing more than 35% RAP material.

Factors affecting the transformation of a pyritic tailing: scaled-up column tests.

PubMed

García, C; Ballester, A; González, F; Blázquez, M L

2005-02-14

Two different methods for predicting the quality of the water draining from a pyritic tailing are compared; for this, a static test (ABA test) and a kinetic test in large columns were chosen. The different results obtained in the two experimental set-ups show the necessity of being careful in selecting both the adequate predictive method and the conclusions and extrapolations derived from them. The tailing chosen for the weathering tests (previously tested in shake flasks and in small weathering columns) was a pyritic residue produced in a flotation plant of complex polymetallic sulphides (Huelva, Spain). The ABA test was a modification of the conventional ABA test reported in bibliography. The modification consisted in the soft conditions employed in the digestion phase. For column tests, two identical methacrylate columns (150 cm high and 15 cm diameter) were used to study the chemical and microbiological processes controlling the leaching of pyrite. The results obtained in the two tests were very different. The static test predicted a strong potential acidity for the tailing. On the contrary, pH value in the effluents draining from the columns reached values of only 5 units, being the concentration of metals (<600 mg/L) and sulphate ions (<17,000 mg/L) very small and far from the values of a typical acid mine drainage. In consequence, the static test may oversize the potential acidity of the tailing; whereas large columns may be saturated in water, displacing the oxygen and inhibiting the microbial activity necessary to catalyse mineral oxidation.

Quantitative patch and repeated open application testing in hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde sensitive-patients.

PubMed

Schnuch, Axel; Uter, Wolfgang; Dickel, Heinrich; Szliska, Christiane; Schliemann, Sibylle; Eben, Ricarda; Ruëff, Franziska; Gimenez-Arnau, Ana; Löffler, Harald; Aberer, Werner; Frambach, Yvonne; Worm, Margitta; Niebuhr, Margarete; Hillen, Uwe; Martin, Vera; Jappe, Uta; Frosch, Peter J; Mahler, Vera

2009-09-01

To identify the concentration of the fragrance compound hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde (INCI) (HICC) that is sufficiently low not to cause an allergic reaction in patients with proven sensitization. Repeated open application testing (ROAT) in 64 subjects with 2 preparations (perfume and cream) in different concentration (0.005-2.5%). Confirmatory patch testing with four preparations in two different concentrations (2.5% and 5%). The concentrations of HICC being tolerated by 90% of those sensitized to HICC are estimated as <88.2 ppm (cream) and <270 ppm (perfume) equivalent to 1.2 microg/cm(2) (perfume) and 4.9 microg/cm(2) (cream). Patch test preparations differed with regard to sensitivity (88.5-98.1%) and specificity (37.5-87.5%) against the ROAT result as external criterion. ROAT concentrations and the reaction strength in patch testing were inversely correlated (Kendall's tau-b: 0.69), both indicating the existence of different degrees of susceptibility. To protect 90% (50%) of people sensitized, the use concentration should be in the range of 0.009-0.027% (0.18-0.34%), depending on the product type. Taking into account these results, excessive concentrations should be avoided, as this would continue to sensitize people. Close monitoring is indispensable to prove the efficacy of any recommendations aiming to prevent induction.

The influence of study design and sex-differences on results from developmental neurotoxicity studies of bisphenol A: implications for toxicity testing.

PubMed

Beronius, Anna; Johansson, Niklas; Rudén, Christina; Hanberg, Annika

2013-09-06

Developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) of bisphenol A (BPA) has been investigated in a large number of studies. However, there are discrepancies in the results reported between the studies. The aim of this study was to identify and analyze factors that may contribute to these differences and to assess whether there are sex-differences in the sensitivity of certain endpoints or tests used in DNT-studies. Forty-four DNT studies of BPA were identified from the open literature. Details about study design and results from each study, as well as the criteria for DNT testing according to the standardized OECD test guideline (TG) 426, were collected in a database. This enabled systematic and detailed comparisons between studies as well as to the criteria and recommendations stated in TG 426. Multivariate analyses were also used to investigate how different factors of the study design contributed to differences in study results. The analyses showed behavioral effects were often observed for endpoints that are not required according to OECD TG 426, such as anxiety-related, social and sexual behaviors, especially at very low doses and in female offspring. On the other hand relatively few studies observed any effects on motor activity, which is commonly used in screening for neurotoxic effects in regulatory testing. However, varied and to some extent seemingly contradictory results have been reported in these studies, especially for endpoints related to motor activity and anxiety and exploration. Many studies were also poorly reported, limiting these analyses. No strong conclusions could be drawn from the multivariate analyses. A few factors of study design, such as the size of the dose and number of dose levels used and the use of litter or individual pup as statistical unit seemed to have some influence on study results. In conclusion, this analysis suggests that DNT-studies conducted according to the standardized OECD TG 426 may overlook sensitive effects of BPA, and possibly other potential endocrine disruptors, especially in female offspring. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The culture of time in neuropsychological assessment: exploring the effects of culture-specific time attitudes on timed test performance in Russian and American samples.

PubMed

Agranovich, Anna V; Panter, A T; Puente, Antonio E; Touradji, Pegah

2011-07-01

Cultural differences in time attitudes and their effect on timed neuropsychological test performance were examined in matched non-clinical samples of 100 Russian and American adult volunteers using 8 tests that were previously reported to be relatively free of cultural bias: Color Trails Test (CTT); Ruff Figural Fluency Test (RFFT); Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT); and Tower of London-Drexel Edition (ToL(Dx)). A measure of time attitudes, the Culture of Time Inventory (COTI-33) was used to assess time attitudes potentially affecting time-limited testing. Americans significantly outscored Russians on CTT, SDMT, and ToL(Dx) (p,.05) while differences in RFFT scores only approached statistical significance. Group differences also emerged in COTI-33 factor scores, which partially mediated differences in performance on CTT-1, SDMT, and ToL(Dx) initiation time, but did not account for the effect of culture on CTT-2. Significant effect of culture was revealed in ratings of familiarity with testing procedures that was negatively related to CTT, ToL(Dx), and SDMT scores. Current findings indicated that attitudes toward time may influence results of time limited testing and suggested that individuals who lack familiarity with timed testing procedures tend to obtain lower scores on timed tests.

Heterophile antibody interference in qualitative urine/serum hCG devices: Case report.

PubMed

Patel, Khushbu K; Gronowski, Ann M

2016-06-01

This case report investigates the origin of a false positive result on a serum qualitative human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) device. A 46-year-old woman diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia presented with nausea and vomiting. A qualitative serum hCG test was interpreted as positive; however, a quantitative serum hCG test was negative (<5IU/L). To further investigate this discrepancy, the sample was pretreated with heterophilic blocking reagent (HBR). Additionally, the sample was tested on other qualitative hCG devices composed of antibodies from different animal sources. Blocking reagent from an automated quantitative immunoassay was also tested for its ability to inhibit the heterophile antibody interference. The qualitative test result was negative after pretreatment with heterophilic blocking reagent. Other devices composed of antibodies from different animal sources also demonstrated mixed results with the patient's sample. Blocking reagent obtained from the automated quantitative assay inhibited the heterophile antibody interference in the patient's sample. This case demonstrates that positive serum point-of-care hCG results should be interpreted with caution and confirmed with a quantitative serum hCG immunoassay when clinical suspicion is raised. Copyright © 2016 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cross-reactivity of stimulants found in sports drug testing by two fluorescence polarization immunoassays.

PubMed

de la Torre, R; Badia, R; Gonzàlez, G; García, M; Pretel, M J; Farré, M; Segura, J

1996-01-01

We investigated the usefulness of immunological methods for presumptive detection of stimulants found in sports drug testing. The ingestion of substances that show no cross-reactivity in tests commercially available for the detection of amphetamines can produce positive results in the urine. Human metabolism contributes to the positive results of some urine samples when the parent compound does not cross-react with the antibodies of the assay. Urine samples from healthy volunteers given stimulants were tested by chromatographic methods and by two different fluorescence polarization immunoassays (FPIA) from Abbott Laboratories for the analysis of amphetamines. According to the results obtained, we classified stimulants into four groups: detectable stimulants that gave rise to amphetamine by human metabolism (group 1); detectable ephedrines and related compounds, appearing in the urine either as parent compounds or originated by metabolism (group 2); detectable stimulants that displayed actual cross-reactivity with amphetamine tests (group 3); and stimulants not detected by FPIA (group 4). Most of the true doping cases due to the ingestion of stimulants may be detected by FPIA. The specificity of the results may be increased by combining immunological assays with different antibodies.

Effects of Acute Fatigue of the Hip Flexor Muscles on Hamstring Muscle Extensibility.

PubMed

Muyor, José M; Arrabal-Campos, Francisco M

2016-12-01

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the influence of acute fatigue of the hip flexor muscles on scores attained in tests frequently used in literature to measure hamstring muscle extensibility, namely the passive straight leg raise (PSLR), active straight leg raise (ASLR), passive knee extension (PKE), active knee extension (AKE), sit-and-reach (SR) and toe-touch (TT) tests. A total of seventy-five healthy and recreationally active adults voluntarily participated in this study. To reach fatigue, the participants actively lifted their legs alternately as many times as possible. In the passive tests, the results were 7.10 ± 5.21° and 5.68 ± 4.54° higher (p < 0.01) for PSLR and PKE tests, respectively, after acute fatigue. However, in the ASLR test, the results were lower post-fatigue than pre-fatigue (mean difference = -5.30° ± 9.51°; p < 0.01). The AKE, SR and TT tests did not show significant differences between pre- and post-fatigue (p > 0.05). Moderate (r = 0.40) to high (r = 0.97) correlation coefficients were found, which were statistically significant among all the measured flexibility tests both pre- and post-fatigue. In conclusion, the active implication of the hip flexor muscles until reaching fatigue had acute influences on the results of the PSLR, PKE and ASLR tests, but not on the results of the AKE, SR and TT tests. It is recommended to use the AKE test to assess hamstring muscle extensibility in situations where athletes show fatigue in their hip flexor muscles.

Correlation between strength properties in standard test specimens and molded phenolic parts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Turner, P S; Thomason, R H

1946-01-01

This report describes an investigation of the tensile, flexural, and impact properties of 10 selected types of phenolic molding materials. The materials were studied to see in what ways and to what extent their properties satisfy some assumptions on which the theory of strength of materials is based: namely, (a) isotropy, (b) linear stress-strain relationship for small strains, and (c) homogeneity. The effect of changing the dimensions of tensile and flexural specimens and the span-depth ratio in flexural tests were studied. The strengths of molded boxes and flexural specimens cut from the boxes were compared with results of tests on standard test specimens molded from the respective materials. The nonuniformity of a material, which is indicated by the coefficient of variation, affects the results of tests made with specimens of different sizes and tests with different methods of loading. The strength values were found to depend on the relationship between size and shape of the molded specimen and size and shape of the fillers. The most significant variations observed within a diversified group of materials were found to depend on the orientation of fibrous fillers. Of secondary importance was the dependence of the variability of test results on the pieces of filler incorporated into the molding powder as well as on the size of the piece. Static breaking strength tests on boxes molded from six representative phenolic materials correlated well with falling-ball impact tests on specimens cut from molded flat sheets. Good correlation was obtained with Izod impact tests on standard test specimens prepared from the molding materials. The static breaking strengths of the boxes do not correlate with the results of tensile or flexural tests on standard specimens.

Rapid diagnostic tests for typhoid and paratyphoid (enteric) fever

PubMed Central

Wijedoru, Lalith; Mallett, Sue; Parry, Christopher M

2017-01-01

Background Differentiating both typhoid (Salmonella Typhi) and paratyphoid (Salmonella Paratyphi A) infection from other causes of fever in endemic areas is a diagnostic challenge. Although commercial point-of-care rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for enteric fever are available as alternatives to the current reference standard test of blood or bone marrow culture, or to the widely used Widal Test, their diagnostic accuracy is unclear. If accurate, they could potentially replace blood culture as the World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended main diagnostic test for enteric fever. Objectives To assess the diagnostic accuracy of commercially available rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) and prototypes for detecting Salmonella Typhi or Paratyphi A infection in symptomatic persons living in endemic areas. Search methods We searched the Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group Specialized Register, MEDLINE, Embase, Science Citation Index, IndMED, African Index Medicus, LILACS, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) up to 4 March 2016. We manually searched WHO reports, and papers from international conferences on Salmonella infections. We also contacted test manufacturers to identify studies. Selection criteria We included diagnostic accuracy studies of enteric fever RDTs in patients with fever or with symptoms suggestive of enteric fever living in endemic areas. We classified the reference standard used as either Grade 1 (result from a blood culture and a bone marrow culture) or Grade 2 (result from blood culture and blood polymerase chain reaction, or from blood culture alone). Data collection and analysis Two review authors independently extracted the test result data. We used a modified QUADAS-2 extraction form to assess methodological quality. We performed a meta-analysis when there were sufficient studies for the test and heterogeneity was reasonable. Main results Thirty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria and included a total of 5080 participants (range 50 to 1732). Enteric fever prevalence rates in the study populations ranged from 1% to 75% (median prevalence 24%, interquartile range (IQR) 11% to 46%). The included studies evaluated 16 different RDTs, and 16 studies compared two or more different RDTs. Only three studies used the Grade 1 reference standard, and only 11 studies recruited unselected febrile patients. Most included studies were from Asia, with five studies from sub-Saharan Africa. All of the RDTs were designed to detect S.Typhi infection only. Most studies evaluated three RDTs and their variants: TUBEX in 14 studies; Typhidot (Typhidot, Typhidot-M, and TyphiRapid-Tr02) in 22 studies; and the Test-It Typhoid immunochromatographic lateral flow assay, and its earlier prototypes (dipstick, latex agglutination) developed by the Royal Tropical Institute, Amsterdam (KIT) in nine studies. Meta-analyses showed an average sensitivity of 78% (95% confidence interval (CI) 71% to 85%) and specificity of 87% (95% CI 82% to 91%) for TUBEX; and an average sensitivity of 69% (95% CI 59% to 78%) and specificity of 90% (95% CI 78% to 93%) for all Test-It Typhoid and prototype tests (KIT). Across all forms of the Typhidot test, the average sensitivity was 84% (95% CI 73% to 91%) and specificity was 79% (95% CI 70% to 87%). When we based the analysis on the 13 studies of the Typhidot test that either reported indeterminate test results or where the test format means there are no indeterminate results, the average sensitivity was 78% (95% CI 65% to 87%) and specificity was 77% (95% CI 66% to 86%). We did not identify any difference in either sensitivity or specificity between TUBEX, Typhidot, and Test-it Typhoid tests when based on comparison to the 13 Typhidot studies where indeterminate results are either reported or not applicable. If TUBEX and Test-it Typhoid are compared to all Typhidot studies, the sensitivity of Typhidot was higher than Test-it Typhoid (15% (95% CI 2% to 28%), but other comparisons did not show a difference at the 95% level of CIs. In a hypothetical cohort of 1000 patients presenting with fever where 30% (300 patients) have enteric fever, on average Typhidot tests reporting indeterminate results or where tests do not produce indeterminate results will miss the diagnosis in 66 patients with enteric fever, TUBEX will miss 66, and Test-It Typhoid and prototype (KIT) tests will miss 93. In the 700 people without enteric fever, the number of people incorrectly diagnosed with enteric fever would be 161 with Typhidot tests, 91 with TUBEX, and 70 with Test-It Typhoid and prototype (KIT) tests. The CIs around these estimates were wide, with no difference in false positive results shown between tests. The quality of the data for each study was evaluated using a standardized checklist called QUADAS-2. Overall, the certainty of the evidence in the studies that evaluated enteric fever RDTs was low. Authors' conclusions In 37 studies that evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of RDTs for enteric fever, few studies were at a low risk of bias. The three main RDT tests and variants had moderate diagnostic accuracy. There was no evidence of a difference between the average sensitivity and specificity of the three main RDT tests. More robust evaluations of alternative RDTs for enteric fever are needed. The accuracy of rapid diagnostic tests for detecting typhoid and paratyphoid (enteric) fever Cochrane researchers assessed the accuracy of commercially-available rapid diagnostic tests and their prototypes (including TUBEX, Typhidot, Typhidot-M, Test-it Typhoid, and other tests) for detecting typhoid and paratyphoid (enteric) fever in people living in countries where the estimated number of individuals with the disease at any one time is greater than 10 per 100,000 population. If accurate, they could replace the current World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended diagnostic test: culture (growing the bacteria that causes the infection from a patient’s blood or bone marrow). Background Typhoid fever and paratyphoid fever are infections caused by the bacteria Salmonella Typhi and Salmonella Paratyphi A respectively. The term ‘enteric fever’ is used to describe both infections. Enteric fever can be difficult to diagnose as the signs and symptoms are similar to those of other infectious diseases that cause fever such as malaria. The recommended test to confirm if a person has enteric fever is to grow the Salmonella from their blood. It takes at least 48 hours to give a result, so cannot help healthcare workers make a diagnosis the same day the blood culture is taken. Blood cultures may give a negative result even though a person has enteric fever. The test also requires a laboratory and trained staff, which are often unavailable in communities where enteric fever is common. Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are designed to be easy to use, and to deliver a quick result without the need for a blood culture laboratory. The cost of an enteric fever RDT would be significantly less than a blood culture, and requires less training to perform. Study characteristics Cochrane researchers searched the available literature up to 4 March 2016 and included 37 studies. Most studies recruited participants from South Asia. Most participants were adults, with 22 studies including children. All of the RDTs evaluated detected Salmonella Typhi (typhoid fever) only. Quality of the evidence The Cochrane researchers evaluated the quality of the data for each study using a standardized checklist called QUADAS-2. High quality studies that compared different types of RDT in the same patients were few in number. Two-thirds of the included studies did not evaluate the RDTs in the context of patients who are typically tested for the disease. Many studies utilized a particular study design (a case control study) which risks overestimating RDT accuracy. In the studies evaluating the Typhidot RDT, it was often unclear how many test results were indeterminate, when the test cannot distinguish a current episode of infection from a previous disease episode. Overall, the certainty of the evidence in the studies that evaluated enteric fever RDTs was low. Key results Sensitivity indicates the percentage of patients with a positive test result who are correctly diagnosed with disease. Specificity indicates the percentage of patients who are correctly identified as not having disease. TUBEX showed an average sensitivity of 78% and specificity of 87%. Typhidot studies, grouped together to include Typhidot, Typhidot-M, and TyphiRapid-Tr02, showed an average sensitivity of 84% and specificity of 79%. When Typhidot studies with clear reporting of indeterminate results are considered, the average sensitivity and specificity of Typhidot was 78% and 77% respectively. Test-It Typhoid and prototypes (KIT) showed an average sensitivity of 69% and specificity of 90%. Based on these results, in 1000 patients with fever where 30% (300 patients) have enteric fever, we would expect Typhidot tests reporting indeterminate results or where tests do not produce indeterminate results to, on average, miss the diagnosis (give a false negative result) in 66 patients with enteric fever, TUBEX to miss 66, and Test-It Typhoid and prototypes (KIT) to miss 93. In the 700 people without enteric fever, the number of people incorrectly given a diagnosis of enteric fever (a false positive result) would be on average 161 with these Typhidot tests, 91 with TUBEX, and 70 with the Test-It Typhoid and prototypes (KIT). These differences in the number of false negative and false positive results in patients from the different tests are not statistically important. The RDTs evaluated are not sufficiently accurate to replace blood culture as a diagnostic test for enteric fever. PMID:28545155

GENETIC VARIATION FOR COPPER RESISTANCE IN FATHEAD MINNOW TOXICITY TESTS

EPA Science Inventory

Unexplained variation in the results of aquatic organism toxicity tests is a consistently observed and troubling phenomenon. Possible sources of variation include differences in condition or nutritional status of the population prior to the test, as well as age, density and hand...

Test Cases for Modeling and Validation of Structures with Piezoelectric Actuators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reaves, Mercedes C.; Horta, Lucas G.

2001-01-01

A set of benchmark test articles were developed to validate techniques for modeling structures containing piezoelectric actuators using commercially available finite element analysis packages. The paper presents the development, modeling, and testing of two structures: an aluminum plate with surface mounted patch actuators and a composite box beam with surface mounted actuators. Three approaches for modeling structures containing piezoelectric actuators using the commercially available packages: MSC/NASTRAN and ANSYS are presented. The approaches, applications, and limitations are discussed. Data for both test articles are compared in terms of frequency response functions from deflection and strain data to input voltage to the actuator. Frequency response function results using the three different analysis approaches provided comparable test/analysis results. It is shown that global versus local behavior of the analytical model and test article must be considered when comparing different approaches. Also, improper bonding of actuators greatly reduces the electrical to mechanical effectiveness of the actuators producing anti-resonance errors.

Testing Single Phase IGBT H-Bridge Switch Plates for the High Voltage Converter Modulator at the Spallation Neutron Source

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

Peplov, Vladimir V; Anderson, David E; Solley, Dennis J

2014-01-01

Three IGBT H-bridge switching networks are used in each High Voltage Converter Modulator (HVCM) system at the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) to generate drive currents to three boost transformer primaries switching between positive and negative bus voltages at 20 kHz. Every switch plate assembly is tested before installing it into an operational HVCM. A Single Phase Test Stand has been built for this purpose, and it is used for adjustment, measurement and testing of different configurations of switch plates. This paper will present a description of the Test Stand configuration and discuss the results of testing switch plates with twomore » different types of IGBT gate drivers currently in use on the HVCM systems. Comparison of timing characteristics of the original and new drivers and the resulting performance reinforces the necessity to replace the original H-bridge network drivers with the upgraded units.« less

Testing of aircraft passenger seat cushion materials. Full scale, test description and results, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schutter, K. J.; Gaume, J. G.; Duskin, F. E.

1981-01-01

Eight different seat cushion configurations were subjected to full-scale burn tests. Each cushion configuration was tested twice for a total of sixteen tests. Two different fire sources were used. They consisted of one liter of Jet A fuel for eight tests and a radiant energy source with propane flame for eight tests. Both fire sources were ignited by a propane flame. During each test, data were recorded for smoke density, cushion temperatures, radiant heat flux, animal response to combustion products, rate of weight loss of test specimens, cabin temperature, and for the type and content of gas within the cabin atmosphere. When compared to existing passenger aircraft seat cushions, the test specimens incorporating a fire barrier and those fabricated from advanced materials, using improved construction methods, exhibited significantly greater fire resistance.

Comparison Study of Different BOD Tests in the Determination of BOD7 Evaluated in a Model Domestic Sewage

PubMed Central

Roppola, Katri; Kuokkanen, Toivo; Rämö, Jaakko; Prokkola, Hanna; Heiska, Eeva

2007-01-01

The aim of this research was to study the suitability of a manometric respirometric test (OECD 301F) for the determination of biological oxygen demand (BOD) in domestic wastewater. This was done by comparing four different BOD tests (a manometric respirometric test, oxygen sensor determination, iodometric titration, and UV absorption measurement) and by evaluating the BOD7 value after a short-term measurement applying the manometric respirometric test. Measurements were done in three different laboratories. The respirometric test was performed well on municipal sewage, and the precision of results was good. There were minor deviations between BOD7 values as determined by the different methods, but the deviations were not essentially big enough to have a practical impact. Evaluation of the BOD7 value after two or three days' incubation by the respirometric method was shown to work well; average deviations between measured and evaluated values after three days' incubation were 5–18%. Hence, the manometric respirometric test proved to be a rapid and suitable tool for process control purposes. PMID:17671608

Insights into the Behavior of Potential Structural Failures Originating from Localized High Stress Regions in Configurations Relevant to Solid Rocket Motor Nozzles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCutcheon, David Matthew

2017-01-01

During the structural certification effort for the Space Launch System solid rocket booster nozzle, it was identified that no consistent method for addressing local negative margins of safety in non-metallic materials had been developed. Relevant areas included bond-line terminations and geometric features in the composite nozzle liners. In order to gain understanding, analog test specimens were designed that very closely mimic the conditions in the actual full scale hardware. Different locations in the nozzle were represented by different analog specimen designs. This paper describes those tests and corresponding results. Finite element analysis results for the tests are presented. Strain gage correlation of the analysis to the test results is addressed. Furthermore, finite fracture mechanics (a coupled stress and energy failure criterion) is utilized to predict the observed crack pop-in loads for the different configurations. The finite fracture mechanics predictions are found to be within a 10% error relative to the average measured pop-in load for each of four configurations. Initiation locations, arrest behaviors, and resistances to further post-arrest crack propagation are also discussed.

The developmental eye movement (DEM) test and Cantonese-speaking children in Hong Kong SAR, China.

PubMed

Pang, Peter C; Lam, Carly S; Woo, George C

2010-07-01

There is no published norm for the Developmental Eye Movement (DEM) Test for Cantonese-speaking Chinese children. This study aimed to determine the normative values of this test for Cantonese-speaking Chinese children in Hong Kong SAR and to compare the results with the published norms of English-speaking and Spanish-speaking children. Cantonese-speaking students aged from 6 to 11 years were tested by the DEM test in Cantonese and a digital recorder was used to record the process. The DEM scores for the 305 students were determined by listening again to the audio records after the test and computed by using the formula from the DEM manual, except that the 'vertical scores' were adjusted by taking the vertical errors into consideration. The results were compared with other norms that have been published. Our subjects made more vertical errors than in other normative studies and adjusted vertical scores were proposed. In both adjusted vertical and horizontal scores, the Cantonese-speaking children completed the tests much faster than the norms for English- and Spanish-speaking children, the differences of the means being significant (p < 0.0001) in all age groups. The DEM norms may be affected by differences in languages, cultures and education systems among different ethnicities. The norms of the DEM test are proposed for Cantonese-speaking children in Hong Kong SAR, China.

Selection of entropy-measure parameters for knowledge discovery in heart rate variability data

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Heart rate variability is the variation of the time interval between consecutive heartbeats. Entropy is a commonly used tool to describe the regularity of data sets. Entropy functions are defined using multiple parameters, the selection of which is controversial and depends on the intended purpose. This study describes the results of tests conducted to support parameter selection, towards the goal of enabling further biomarker discovery. Methods This study deals with approximate, sample, fuzzy, and fuzzy measure entropies. All data were obtained from PhysioNet, a free-access, on-line archive of physiological signals, and represent various medical conditions. Five tests were defined and conducted to examine the influence of: varying the threshold value r (as multiples of the sample standard deviation σ, or the entropy-maximizing rChon), the data length N, the weighting factors n for fuzzy and fuzzy measure entropies, and the thresholds rF and rL for fuzzy measure entropy. The results were tested for normality using Lilliefors' composite goodness-of-fit test. Consequently, the p-value was calculated with either a two sample t-test or a Wilcoxon rank sum test. Results The first test shows a cross-over of entropy values with regard to a change of r. Thus, a clear statement that a higher entropy corresponds to a high irregularity is not possible, but is rather an indicator of differences in regularity. N should be at least 200 data points for r = 0.2 σ and should even exceed a length of 1000 for r = rChon. The results for the weighting parameters n for the fuzzy membership function show different behavior when coupled with different r values, therefore the weighting parameters have been chosen independently for the different threshold values. The tests concerning rF and rL showed that there is no optimal choice, but r = rF = rL is reasonable with r = rChon or r = 0.2σ. Conclusions Some of the tests showed a dependency of the test significance on the data at hand. Nevertheless, as the medical conditions are unknown beforehand, compromises had to be made. Optimal parameter combinations are suggested for the methods considered. Yet, due to the high number of potential parameter combinations, further investigations of entropy for heart rate variability data will be necessary. PMID:25078574

Evaluation of Hemifield Sector Analysis Protocol in Multifocal Visual Evoked Potential Objective Perimetry for the Diagnosis and Early Detection of Glaucomatous Field Defects

PubMed Central

Mousa, Mohammad F.; Cubbidge, Robert P.; Al-Mansouri, Fatima

2014-01-01

Purpose Multifocal visual evoked potential (mfVEP) is a newly introduced method used for objective visual field assessment. Several analysis protocols have been tested to identify early visual field losses in glaucoma patients using the mfVEP technique, some were successful in detection of field defects, which were comparable to the standard automated perimetry (SAP) visual field assessment, and others were not very informative and needed more adjustment and research work. In this study we implemented a novel analysis approach and evaluated its validity and whether it could be used effectively for early detection of visual field defects in glaucoma. Methods Three groups were tested in this study; normal controls (38 eyes), glaucoma patients (36 eyes) and glaucoma suspect patients (38 eyes). All subjects had a two standard Humphrey field analyzer (HFA) test 24-2 and a single mfVEP test undertaken in one session. Analysis of the mfVEP results was done using the new analysis protocol; the hemifield sector analysis (HSA) protocol. Analysis of the HFA was done using the standard grading system. Results Analysis of mfVEP results showed that there was a statistically significant difference between the three groups in the mean signal to noise ratio (ANOVA test, p < 0.001 with a 95% confidence interval). The difference between superior and inferior hemispheres in all subjects were statistically significant in the glaucoma patient group in all 11 sectors (t-test, p < 0.001), partially significant in 5 / 11 (t-test, p < 0.01), and no statistical difference in most sectors of the normal group (1 / 11 sectors was significant, t-test, p < 0.9). Sensitivity and specificity of the HSA protocol in detecting glaucoma was 97% and 86%, respectively, and for glaucoma suspect patients the values were 89% and 79%, respectively. Conclusions The new HSA protocol used in the mfVEP testing can be applied to detect glaucomatous visual field defects in both glaucoma and glaucoma suspect patients. Using this protocol can provide information about focal visual field differences across the horizontal midline, which can be utilized to differentiate between glaucoma and normal subjects. Sensitivity and specificity of the mfVEP test showed very promising results and correlated with other anatomical changes in glaucoma field loss. PMID:24511212

Simulation of the transient processes of load rejection under different accident conditions in a hydroelectric generating set

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, W. C.; Yang, J. D.; Chen, J. P.; Peng, Z. Y.; Zhang, Y.; Chen, C. C.

2016-11-01

Load rejection test is one of the essential tests that carried out before the hydroelectric generating set is put into operation formally. The test aims at inspecting the rationality of the design of the water diversion and power generation system of hydropower station, reliability of the equipment of generating set and the dynamic characteristics of hydroturbine governing system. Proceeding from different accident conditions of hydroelectric generating set, this paper presents the transient processes of load rejection corresponding to different accident conditions, and elaborates the characteristics of different types of load rejection. Then the numerical simulation method of different types of load rejection is established. An engineering project is calculated to verify the validity of the method. Finally, based on the numerical simulation results, the relationship among the different types of load rejection and their functions on the design of hydropower station and the operation of load rejection test are pointed out. The results indicate that: The load rejection caused by the accident within the hydroelectric generating set is realized by emergency distributing valve, and it is the basis of the optimization for the closing law of guide vane and the calculation of regulation and guarantee. The load rejection caused by the accident outside the hydroelectric generating set is realized by the governor. It is the most efficient measure to inspect the dynamic characteristics of hydro-turbine governing system, and its closure rate of guide vane set in the governor depends on the optimization result in the former type load rejection.

Effect of coordination movement using the PNF pattern underwater on the balance and gait of stroke patients

PubMed Central

Kim, Kyoung; Lee, Dong-Kyu; Jung, Sang-In

2015-01-01

[Purpose] To investigate the effect of coordination movement using the Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation pattern underwater on the balance and gait of stroke patients. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty stroke patients were randomly assigned to an experimental group that performed coordination movement using the Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation pattern underwater and a control group (n =10 each). Both the groups underwent neurodevelopmental treatment, and the experimental group performed coordination movement using the Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation pattern underwater. Balance was measured using the Berg Balance Scale and Functional Reach Test, and gait was measured using the 10-Meter Walk Test and Timed Up and Go Test. To compare in-group data before and after the intervention, paired t-test was used. Independent t-test was used to compare differences in the results of the Berg Balance Scale, Functional Reach Test, 10-Meter Walk Test, and Timed Up and Go Test before and after the intervention between the groups. [Results] Comparison within the groups showed significant differences in the results of the Berg Balance Scale, Functional Reach Test, 10-Meter Walk Test, and Timed Up and Go Test before and after the experimental intervention. On comparison between the groups, there were greater improvements in the scores of the Berg Balance Scale, Functional Reach Test, 10-Meter Walk Test, and Timed Up and Go Test in the experimental group. [Conclusion] The findings demonstrate that coordination movement using the Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation pattern under water has a significant effect on the balance and gait of stroke patients. PMID:26834335

Sex differences in the stability of conditioned pain modulation (CPM) among patients with chronic pain

PubMed Central

Martel, MO; Wasan, AD; Edwards, RR

2013-01-01

Objectives To examine the temporal stability of conditioned pain modulation (CPM), formerly termed diffuse noxious inhibitory controls (DNIC), among a sample of patients with chronic pain. The study also examined the factors that might be responsible for the stability of CPM. Design & subjects, and methods In this test-retest study, patients underwent a series of standardized psychophysical pain testing procedures designed to assess CPM on two separate occasions (i.e., baseline, follow-up). Patients also completed self-report measures of catastrophizing (PCS) and negative affect (NA). Results Overall, results provided evidence for the stability of CPM among patients with chronic pain. Results, however, revealed considerable sex differences in the stability of CPM. For women, results revealed a significant test-retest correlation between baseline and follow-up CPM scores. For men, however, the test-retest correlation between baseline and follow-up CPM scores was not significant. Results of a Fisher’s Z-test revealed that the stability of CPM was significantly greater for women than for men. Follow-up analyses revealed that the difference between men and women in the stability of CPM could not be accounted for by any demographic (e.g., age) and/or psychologic factors (PCS, NA). Conclusions Our findings suggest that CPM paradigms possess sufficient reliability to be incorporated into bedside clinical evaluation of patients with chronic pain, but only among women. The lack of CPM reproducibility/stability observed among men places limits on the potential use of CPM paradigms in clinical settings for the assessment of men’s endogenous pain-inhibitory function. PMID:23924369

Comparing the economic and health benefits of different approaches to diagnosing Clostridium difficile infection.

PubMed

Bartsch, Sarah M; Umscheid, Craig A; Nachamkin, Irving; Hamilton, Keith; Lee, Bruce Y

2015-01-01

Accurate diagnosis of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is essential to effectively managing patients and preventing transmission. Despite the availability of several diagnostic tests, the optimal strategy is debatable and their economic values are unknown. We modified our previously existing C. difficile simulation model to determine the economic value of different CDI diagnostic approaches from the hospital perspective. We evaluated four diagnostic methods for a patient suspected of having CDI: 1) toxin A/B enzyme immunoassay, 2) glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) antigen/toxin AB combined in one test, 3) nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT), and 4) GDH antigen/toxin AB combination test with NAAT confirmation of indeterminate results. Sensitivity analysis varied the proportion of those tested with clinically significant diarrhoea, the probability of CDI, NAAT cost and CDI treatment delay resulting from a false-negative test, length of stay and diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. The GDH/toxin AB plus NAAT approach leads to the timeliest treatment with the fewest unnecessary treatments given, resulted in the best bed management and generated the lowest cost. The NAAT-alone approach also leads to timely treatment. The GDH/toxin AB diagnostic (without NAAT confirmation) approach resulted in a large number of delayed treatments, but results in the fewest secondary colonisations. Results were robust to the sensitivity analysis. Choosing the right diagnostic approach is a matter of cost and test accuracy. GDH/toxin AB plus NAAT diagnosis led to the timeliest treatment and was the least costly. Copyright © 2014 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Measurement of the UH-60A Hub Large Rotor Test Apparatus Control System Stiffness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kufeld, Robert M.

2014-01-01

This purpose of this report is to provides details of the measurement of the control system stiffness of the UH-60A rotor hub mounted on the Large Rotor Test Apparatus (UH-60A/LRTA). The UH-60A/LRTA was used in the 40- by 80-Foot Wind Tunnel to complete the full-scale wind tunnel test portion of the NASA / ARMY UH-60A Airloads Program. This report describes the LRTA control system and highlights the differences between the LRTA and UH-60A aircraft. The test hardware, test setup, and test procedures are also described. Sample results are shown, including the azimuthal variation of the measured control system stiffness for three different loadings and two different dynamic actuator settings. Finally, the azimuthal stiffness is converted to fixed system values using multi-blade transformations for input to comprehensive rotorcraft prediction codes.

A Comparison Between The NORCAT Rover Test Results and the ISRU Excavation System Model Predictions Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gallo, Christopher A.; Agui, Juan H.; Creager, Colin M.; Oravec, Heather A.

2012-01-01

An Excavation System Model has been written to simulate the collection and transportation of regolith on the moon. The calculations in this model include an estimation of the forces on the digging tool as a result of excavation into the regolith. Verification testing has been performed and the forces recorded from this testing were compared to the calculated theoretical data. The Northern Centre for Advanced Technology Inc. rovers were tested at the NASA Glenn Research Center Simulated Lunar Operations facility. This testing was in support of the In-Situ Resource Utilization program Innovative Partnership Program. Testing occurred in soils developed at the Glenn Research Center which are a mixture of different types of sands and whose soil properties have been well characterized. This testing is part of an ongoing correlation of actual field test data to the blade forces calculated by the Excavation System Model. The results from this series of tests compared reasonably with the predicted values from the code.

Accuracy of parasitological and immunological tests for the screening of human schistosomiasis in immigrants and refugees from African countries: An approach with Latent Class Analysis

PubMed Central

Beltrame, Anna; Guerriero, Massimo; Angheben, Andrea; Gobbi, Federico; Requena-Mendez, Ana; Zammarchi, Lorenzo; Formenti, Fabio; Perandin, Francesca; Bisoffi, Zeno

2017-01-01

Background Schistosomiasis is a neglected infection affecting millions of people, mostly living in sub-Saharan Africa. Morbidity and mortality due to chronic infection are relevant, although schistosomiasis is often clinically silent. Different diagnostic tests have been implemented in order to improve screening and diagnosis, that traditionally rely on parasitological tests with low sensitivity. Aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of different tests for the screening of schistosomiasis in African migrants, in a non endemic setting. Methodology/Principal findings A retrospective study was conducted on 373 patients screened at the Centre for Tropical Diseases (CTD) in Negrar, Verona, Italy. Biological samples were tested with: stool/urine microscopy, Circulating Cathodic Antigen (CCA) dipstick test, ELISA, Western blot, immune-chromatographic test (ICT). Test accuracy and predictive values of the immunological tests were assessed primarily on the basis of the results of microscopy (primary reference standard): ICT and WB resulted the test with highest sensitivity (94% and 92%, respectively), with a high NPV (98%). CCA showed the highest specificity (93%), but low sensitivity (48%). The analysis was conducted also using a composite reference standard, CRS (patients classified as infected in case of positive microscopy and/or at least 2 concordant positive immunological tests) and Latent Class Analysis (LCA). The latter two models demonstrated excellent agreement (Cohen’s kappa: 0.92) for the classification of the results. In fact, they both confirmed ICT as the test with the highest sensitivity (96%) and NPV (97%), moreover PPV was reasonably good (78% and 72% according to CRS and LCA, respectively). ELISA resulted the most specific immunological test (over 99%). The ICT appears to be a suitable screening test, even when used alone. Conclusions The rapid test ICT was the most sensitive test, with the potential of being used as a single screening test for African migrants. PMID:28582412

Using expert knowledge for test linking.

PubMed

Bolsinova, Maria; Hoijtink, Herbert; Vermeulen, Jorine Adinda; Béguin, Anton

2017-12-01

Linking and equating procedures are used to make the results of different test forms comparable. In the cases where no assumption of random equivalent groups can be made some form of linking design is used. In practice the amount of data available to link the two tests is often very limited due to logistic and security reasons, which affects the precision of linking procedures. This study proposes to enhance the quality of linking procedures based on sparse data by using Bayesian methods which combine the information in the linking data with background information captured in informative prior distributions. We propose two methods for the elicitation of prior knowledge about the difference in difficulty of two tests from subject-matter experts and explain how these results can be used in the specification of priors. To illustrate the proposed methods and evaluate the quality of linking with and without informative priors, an empirical example of linking primary school mathematics tests is presented. The results suggest that informative priors can increase the precision of linking without decreasing the accuracy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

The impact of problem solving strategy with online feedback on students’ conceptual understanding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pratiwi, H. Y.; Winarko, W.; Ayu, H. D.

2018-04-01

The study aimed to determine the impact of the implementation of problem solving strategy with online feedback towards the students’ concept understanding. This study used quasi experimental design with post-test only control design. The participants were all Physics Education students of Kanjuruhan University year 2015. Then, they were divided into two different groups; 30 students belong to experiment class and the remaining 30 students belong to class of control. The students’ concept understanding was measured by the concept understanding test on multiple integral lesson. The result of the concept understanding test was analyzed by prerequisite test and stated to be normal and homogenic distributed, then the hypothesis was examined by T-test. The result of the study shows that there is difference in the concept understanding between experiment class and control class. Next, the result also shows that the students’ concept understanding which was taught using problem solving strategy with online feedback was higher than those using conventional learning; with average score of 72,10 for experiment class and 52,27 for control class.

Understanding protocol performance: impact of test performance.

PubMed

Turner, Robert G

2013-01-01

This is the second of two articles that examine the factors that determine protocol performance. The objective of these articles is to provide a general understanding of protocol performance that can be used to estimate performance, establish limits on performance, decide if a protocol is justified, and ultimately select a protocol. The first article was concerned with protocol criterion and test correlation. It demonstrated the advantages and disadvantages of different criterion when all tests had the same performance. It also examined the impact of increasing test correlation on protocol performance and the characteristics of the different criteria. To examine the impact on protocol performance when individual tests in a protocol have different performance. This is evaluated for different criteria and test correlations. The results of the two articles are combined and summarized. A mathematical model is used to calculate protocol performance for different protocol criteria and test correlations when there are small to large variations in the performance of individual tests in the protocol. The performance of the individual tests that make up a protocol has a significant impact on the performance of the protocol. As expected, the better the performance of the individual tests, the better the performance of the protocol. Many of the characteristics of the different criteria are relatively independent of the variation in the performance of the individual tests. However, increasing test variation degrades some criteria advantages and causes a new disadvantage to appear. This negative impact increases as test variation increases and as more tests are added to the protocol. Best protocol performance is obtained when individual tests are uncorrelated and have the same performance. In general, the greater the variation in the performance of tests in the protocol, the more detrimental this variation is to protocol performance. Since this negative impact is increased as more tests are added to the protocol, greater test variation indicates using fewer tests in the protocol. American Academy of Audiology.

Development of an accelerated reliability test schedule for terrestrial solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lathrop, J. W.; Prince, J. L.

1981-01-01

An accelerated test schedule using a minimum amount of tests and a minimum number of cells has been developed on the basis of stress test results obtained from more than 1500 cells of seven different cell types. The proposed tests, which include bias-temperature, bias-temperature-humidity, power cycle, thermal cycle, and thermal shock tests, use as little as 10 and up to 25 cells, depending on the test type.

Simulated Critical Differences for Speech Reception Thresholds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pedersen, Ellen Raben; Juhl, Peter Møller

2017-01-01

Purpose: Critical differences state by how much 2 test results have to differ in order to be significantly different. Critical differences for discrimination scores have been available for several decades, but they do not exist for speech reception thresholds (SRTs). This study presents and discusses how critical differences for SRTs can be…

Agreement between clinical and laboratory methods assessing tonic and cross-link components of accommodation and vergence.

PubMed

Neveu, Pascaline; Priot, Anne-Emmanuelle; Philippe, Matthieu; Fuchs, Philippe; Roumes, Corinne

2015-09-01

Several tests are available to optometrists for investigating accommodation and vergence. This study sought to investigate the agreement between clinical and laboratory methods and to clarify which components are actually measured when tonic and cross-link of accommodation and vergence are assessed. Tonic vergence, tonic accommodation, accommodative vergence (AC/A) and vergence accommodation (CA/C) were measured using several tests. Clinical tests were compared to the laboratory assessment, the latter being regarded as an absolute reference. The repeatability of each test and the degree of agreement between the tests were quantified using Bland-Altman analysis. The values obtained for each test were found to be stable across repetitions; however, in most cases, significant differences were observed between tests supposed to measure the same oculomotor component. Tonic and cross-link components cannot be easily assessed because proximal and instrumental responses interfere with the assessment. Other components interfere with oculomotor assessment. Specifically, accommodative divergence interferes with tonic vergence estimation and the type of accommodation considered in the AC/A ratio affects its magnitude. Results on clinical tonic accommodation and clinical CA/C show that further investigation is needed to clarify the limitations associated with the use of difference of Gaussian as visual targets to open the accommodative loop. Although different optometric tests of accommodation and vergence rely on the same basic principles, the results of this study indicate that clinical and laboratory methods actually involve distinct components. These differences, which are induced by methodological choices, must be taken into account, when comparing studies or when selecting a test to investigate a particular oculomotor component. © 2015 The Authors. Clinical and Experimental Optometry © 2015 Optometry Australia.

Influence of selected test parameters on measured values during the MSCR test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benešová, Lucie; Valentin, Jan

2017-09-01

One of today’s most commonly used test on a Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR) is the Multiple Stress Creep Recovery (MSCR) test. The test is described in the standard EN 16659, which is valid in the Czech Republic since October 2016. The principle of the test is based on repeated loading and recovering of a bitumen sample, according to which it is possible to determine the percentage of elastic recovery (R) and non-recoverable creep compliance (Jnr) of the bituminous binder. This method has been recently promoted as the most suitable test for assessing the resistance of bituminous binders to permanent deformation. The test is performed at higher temperatures and is particularly suitable for modified bituminous binders. The paper deals with the comparison of the different input parameters set on the DSR device - different levels of stress, temperature of test, the geometry of the measuring device and also a comparison of the results for a different number of loading cycles. The research study was focused mainly on modified bituminous binders, but to compare the MSCR test it is performed even with conventional paving grade binders.

Towards General Evaluation of Intelligent Systems: Lessons Learned from Reproducing AIQ Test Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vadinský, Ondřej

2018-03-01

This paper attempts to replicate the results of evaluating several artificial agents using the Algorithmic Intelligence Quotient test originally reported by Legg and Veness. Three experiments were conducted: One using default settings, one in which the action space was varied and one in which the observation space was varied. While the performance of freq, Q0, Qλ, and HLQλ corresponded well with the original results, the resulting values differed, when using MC-AIXI. Varying the observation space seems to have no qualitative impact on the results as reported, while (contrary to the original results) varying the action space seems to have some impact. An analysis of the impact of modifying parameters of MC-AIXI on its performance in the default settings was carried out with the help of data mining techniques used to identifying highly performing configurations. Overall, the Algorithmic Intelligence Quotient test seems to be reliable, however as a general artificial intelligence evaluation method it has several limits. The test is dependent on the chosen reference machine and also sensitive to changes to its settings. It brings out some differences among agents, however, since they are limited in size, the test setting may not yet be sufficiently complex. A demanding parameter sweep is needed to thoroughly evaluate configurable agents that, together with the test format, further highlights computational requirements of an agent. These and other issues are discussed in the paper along with proposals suggesting how to alleviate them. An implementation of some of the proposals is also demonstrated.

A comparison of paper-and-pencil and computerized forms of Line Orientation and Enhanced Cued Recall Tests.

PubMed

Aşkar, Petek; Altun, Arif; Cangöz, Banu; Cevik, Vildan; Kaya, Galip; Türksoy, Hasan

2012-04-01

The purpose of this study was to assess whether a computerized battery of neuropsychological tests could produce similar results as the conventional forms. Comparisons on 77 volunteer undergraduates were carried out with two neuropsychological tests: Line Orientation Test and Enhanced Cued Recall Test. Firstly, students were assigned randomly across the test medium (paper-and-pencil versus computerized). Secondly, the groups were given the same test in the other medium after a 30-day interval between tests. Results showed that the Enhanced Cued Recall Test-Computer-based did not correlate with the Enhanced Cued Recall Test-Paper-and-pencil results. Line Orientation Test-Computer-based scores, on the other hand, did correlate significantly with the Line Orientation Test-Paper-and-pencil version. In both tests, scores were higher on paper-and-pencil tests compared to computer-based tests. Total score difference between modalities was statistically significant for both Enhanced Cued Recall Tests and for the Line Orientation Test. In both computer-based tests, it took less time for participants to complete the tests.

Falls and postural control in older adults with cataracts

PubMed Central

Nodehi Moghadam, Afsun; Goudarzian, Maryam; Azadi, Farhad; Hosseini, Seide Masume; Mosallanezhad, Zahra; Karimi, Nouraddin; Larne, Yassin; Habibi, Maryam; Yaghmaei, Poorya

2015-01-01

Background: There is increasing evidence that visual impairment contribute to falling. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of vision impairment of old adult patients with cataract on the occurrence of falls and postural control. Methods: According to the results of screening ophthalmic examination, 48 cataract patients (mean±SD aged 68.5 ± 6.08 yrs.) and 50 individuals without any obvious eye disorders (mean age ± SD 70.7 ± 5.97 yrs.) were enrolled in this study. The postural control was determined using the clinical test of Sensory Interaction and Balance (CTSIB) and Timed up and Go (TUG) test. Results: The results of this study revealed that 18% (n = 9) of the normal individuals and 22.9% (n =11) of the cataract patients had at least two falls in the past 12 months. However, the result of chisquare test did not show any differences between the two groups (p= 0.36). The mean ± SD TUG times in cataract and control groups in our study were15.17 ± 3.58 and13.77 ± 4.90, respectively. However, no significant differences were found between the two groups (p= 0.12).The results of CTSIB test showed no significant differences between the two groups on standing on the floor with eyes open and eyes closed (p= 0.61, p= 0.89) and on standing on the foam with eyes open and eyes closed (p= 0.32, p= 0.74 ). Conclusion: According to the results of CTSIB and TUG tests, vision impairment of old adult patients with cataract is not associated with falls and balance disorders. Further work including assessment of postural control with advanced devices and considering other falls risk factors are also required to identify predictors of falls in cataract patients. PMID:26913274

Controllability Analysis for Multirotor Helicopter Rotor Degradation and Failure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Du, Guang-Xun; Quan, Quan; Yang, Binxian; Cai, Kai-Yuan

2015-05-01

This paper considers the controllability analysis problem for a class of multirotor systems subject to rotor failure/wear. It is shown that classical controllability theories of linear systems are not sufficient to test the controllability of the considered multirotors. Owing to this, an easy-to-use measurement index is introduced to assess the available control authority. Based on it, a new necessary and sufficient condition for the controllability of multirotors is derived. Furthermore, a controllability test procedure is approached. The proposed controllability test method is applied to a class of hexacopters with different rotor configurations and different rotor efficiency parameters to show its effectiveness. The analysis results show that hexacopters with different rotor configurations have different fault-tolerant capabilities. It is therefore necessary to test the controllability of the multirotors before any fault-tolerant control strategies are employed.