Evaluating Evidence Regarding Relationships with Criteria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balkin, Richard S.

2017-01-01

An overview of standards related to demonstrating evidence regarding relationships with criteria as it pertains to instrument development was presented, along with heuristic examples. Additional measures and a comprehensive design are necessary to establish evidence related to the use and interpretation of test scores for the validation of a…

High precision measurements in crustal dynamic studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wyatt, F.; Berger, J.

1984-01-01

The development of high-precision instrumentation for monitoring benchmark stability and evaluating coseismic strain and tilt signals is reviewed. Laser strainmeter and tilt observations are presented. Examples of coseismic deformation in several geographic locations are given. Evidence suggests that the Earth undergoes elastic response to abrupt faulting.

Process evaluation in a multisite, primary obesity-prevention trial in American Indian schoolchildren.

PubMed

Helitzer, D L; Davis, S M; Gittelsohn, J; Going, S B; Murray, D M; Snyder, P; Steckler, A B

1999-04-01

We describe the development, implementation, and use of the process evaluation component of a multisite, primary obesity prevention trial for American Indian schoolchildren. We describe the development and pilot testing of the instruments, provide some examples of the criteria for instrument selection, and provide examples of how process evaluation results were used to document and refine intervention components. The theoretical and applied framework of the process evaluation was based on diffusion theory, social learning theory, and the desire for triangulation of multiple modes of data collection. The primary objectives of the process evaluation were to systematically document the training process, content, and implementation of 4 components of the intervention. The process evaluation was developed and implemented collaboratively so that it met the needs of both the evaluators and those who would be implementing the intervention components. Process evaluation results revealed that observation and structured interviews provided the most informative data; however, these methods were the most expensive and time consuming and required the highest level of skill to undertake. Although the literature is full of idealism regarding the uses of process evaluation for formative and summative purposes, in reality, many persons are sensitive to having their work evaluated in such an in-depth, context-based manner as is described. For this reason, use of structured, quantitative, highly objective tools may be more effective than qualitative methods, which appear to be more dependent on the skills and biases of the researcher and the context in which they are used.

Evaluation of Adult Education Programs. California Adult Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California State Dept. of Education, Sacramento.

To assist adult educators in finding meaningful ways to measure the effectiveness of instruction, this monograph provides selected illustrations of specific methods used by adult education instructors to verify student learning. Obtained from teachers in the field, the examples are from programs in (1) dental assisting, (2) instrument pilot ground…

The Preliminary Evaluation of Liquid Lubricants for Space Applications by Vacuum Tribometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, W. R., Jr.; Pepper, S. V.; Herrera-Fierro, P.; Feuchter, D.; Toddy, T. J.; Jayne, D. T.; Wheeler, D. R.; Abel, P. B.; Kingsbury, E.; Morales, W.

1994-01-01

Four different vacuum tribometers for the evaluation of liquid lubricants for space applications are described. These range from simple ball-on-flat sliders with maximum in-situ control and surface characterization to an instrument bearing apparatus having no in-situ characterization. Thus, the former provides an abundance of surface chemical information but is not particularly simulative of most triboelements. On the other hand, the instrument bearing apparatus is completely simulative, but only allows post-mortem surface chemical information. Two other devices, a four-ball apparatus and a ball-on-plate tribometer, provide varying degrees of surface chemical information and tribo-simulation. Examples of data from each device are presented.

Sensitivity, Specificity, and Receiver Operating Characteristics: A Primer for Neuroscience Nurses.

PubMed

McNett, Molly; Amato, Shelly; Olson, DaiWai M

2017-04-01

It is important for neuroscience nurses to have a solid understanding of the instruments they use in clinical practice. Specifically, when reviewing reports of research instruments, nurses should be knowledgeable of analytical terms when determining the applicability of instruments for use in clinical practice. The purpose of this article is to review 3 such analytical terms: sensitivity, specificity, and receiver operating characteristic curves. Examples of how these terms are used in the neuroscience literature highlight the relevance of these terms to neuroscience nursing practice. As the role of the nurse continues to expand, it is important not to simply accept all instruments as valid but to be able to critically evaluate their properties for applicability to nursing practice and evidence-based care of our patients.

Use of existing patient-reported outcome (PRO) instruments and their modification: the ISPOR Good Research Practices for Evaluating and Documenting Content Validity for the Use of Existing Instruments and Their Modification PRO Task Force Report.

PubMed

Rothman, Margaret; Burke, Laurie; Erickson, Pennifer; Leidy, Nancy Kline; Patrick, Donald L; Petrie, Charles D

2009-01-01

Patient-reported outcome (PRO) instruments are used to evaluate the effect of medical products on how patients feel or function. This article presents the results of an ISPOR task force convened to address good clinical research practices for the use of existing or modified PRO instruments to support medical product labeling claims. The focus of the article is on content validity, with specific reference to existing or modified PRO instruments, because of the importance of content validity in selecting or modifying an existing PRO instrument and the lack of consensus in the research community regarding best practices for establishing and documenting this measurement property. Topics addressed in the article include: definition and general description of content validity; PRO concept identification as the important first step in establishing content validity; instrument identification and the initial review process; key issues in qualitative methodology; and potential threats to content validity, with three case examples used to illustrate types of threats and how they might be resolved. A table of steps used to identify and evaluate an existing PRO instrument is provided, and figures are used to illustrate the meaning of content validity in relationship to instrument development and evaluation. RESULTS & RECOMMENDATIONS: Four important threats to content validity are identified: unclear conceptual match between the PRO instrument and the intended claim, lack of direct patient input into PRO item content from the target population in which the claim is desired, no evidence that the most relevant and important item content is contained in the instrument, and lack of documentation to support modifications to the PRO instrument. In some cases, careful review of the threats to content validity in a specific application may be reduced through additional well documented qualitative studies that specifically address the issue of concern. Published evidence of the content validity of a PRO instrument for an intended application is often limited. Such evidence is, however, important to evaluating the adequacy of a PRO instrument for the intended application. This article provides an overview of key issues involved in assessing and documenting content validity as it relates to using existing instruments in the drug approval process.

Social profit in the context of the activities at Fluids Measurement Sector in Legal Metrology Department - Inmetro

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cinelli, L. R.; Silva, L. G.; Junior, E. A.; Almeida, R. O.

2018-03-01

This article was prepared in the context of the work of the Fluids Measurement Sector (Seflu) of the Legal Metrology Department of Inmetro (Dimel) in order to try to answer the following question: What is the magnitude of Social Profit generated for brazilian society from the existence of legal control of measuring instruments within the scope of this sector? In this sense, some examples of a case study containing the main measurement instruments related to the evaluation process of models performed at the Seflu are presented.

Evaluation of the Current Status of the Combinatorial Approach for the Study of Phase Diagrams

PubMed Central

Wong-Ng, W.

2012-01-01

This paper provides an evaluation of the effectiveness of using the high throughput combinatorial approach for preparing phase diagrams of thin film and bulk materials. Our evaluation is based primarily on examples of combinatorial phase diagrams that have been reported in the literature as well as based on our own laboratory experiments. Various factors that affect the construction of these phase diagrams are examined. Instrumentation and analytical approaches needed to improve data acquisition and data analysis are summarized. PMID:26900530

Psychometric instrumentation: reliability and validity of instruments used for clinical practice, evidence-based practice projects and research studies.

PubMed

Mayo, Ann M

2015-01-01

It is important for CNSs and other APNs to consider the reliability and validity of instruments chosen for clinical practice, evidence-based practice projects, or research studies. Psychometric testing uses specific research methods to evaluate the amount of error associated with any particular instrument. Reliability estimates explain more about how well the instrument is designed, whereas validity estimates explain more about scores that are produced by the instrument. An instrument may be architecturally sound overall (reliable), but the same instrument may not be valid. For example, if a specific group does not understand certain well-constructed items, then the instrument does not produce valid scores when used with that group. Many instrument developers may conduct reliability testing only once, yet continue validity testing in different populations over many years. All CNSs should be advocating for the use of reliable instruments that produce valid results. Clinical nurse specialists may find themselves in situations where reliability and validity estimates for some instruments that are being utilized are unknown. In such cases, CNSs should engage key stakeholders to sponsor nursing researchers to pursue this most important work.

Evaluation of Cation Hydrolysis Schemes with a Pocket Calculator.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clare, Brian W.

1979-01-01

Described is the use of two models of pocket calculators. The Hewlett-Packard HP67 and the Texas Instruments TI59, to solve problems arising in connection with ionic equilibria in solution. A three-parameter regression program is described and listed as a specific example, the hydrolysis of hexavalent uranium, is provided. (BT)

Process evaluation in a multisite, primary obesity-prevention trial in American Indian schoolchildren1–3

PubMed Central

Helitzer, Deborah L; Davis, Sally M; Gittelsohn, Joel; Going, Scott B; Murray, David M; Snyder, Patricia; Steckler, Allan B

2016-01-01

We describe the development, implementation, and use of the process evaluation component of a multisite, primary obesity prevention trial for American Indian schoolchildren. We describe the development and pilot testing of the instruments, provide some examples of the criteria for instrument selection, and provide examples of how process evaluation results were used to document and refine intervention components. The theoretical and applied framework of the process evaluation was based on diffusion theory, social learning theory, and the desire for triangulation of multiple modes of data collection. The primary objectives of the process evaluation were to systematically document the training process, content, and implementation of 4 components of the intervention. The process evaluation was developed and implemented collaboratively so that it met the needs of both the evaluators and those who would be implementing the intervention components. Process evaluation results revealed that observation and structured interviews provided the most informative data; however, these methods were the most expensive and time consuming and required the highest level of skill to undertake. Although the literature is full of idealism regarding the uses of process evaluation for formative and summative purposes, in reality, many persons are sensitive to having their work evaluated in such an in-depth, context-based manner as is described. For this reason, use of structured, quantitative, highly objective tools may be more effective than qualitative methods, which appear to be more dependent on the skills and biases of the researcher and the context in which they are used. PMID:10195608

The dream: a psychodynamically informative instrument.

PubMed

Glucksman, M L

2001-01-01

The dream is a unique psychodynamically informative instrument for evaluating the subjective correlates of brain activity during REM sleep. These include feelings, percepts, memories, wishes, fantasies, impulses, conflicts, and defenses, as well as images of self and others. Dream analysis can be used in a variety of clinical settings to assist in diagnostic assessment, psychodynamic formulation, evaluation of clinical change, and the management of medically ill patients. Dreams may serve as the initial indicators of transference, resistance, impending crisis, acting-out, conflict resolution, and decision-making. A clinically functional categorization of dreams can facilitate an understanding of psychopathology, psychodynamics, personality structure, and various components of the psychotherapeutic process. Examples of different types of dreams are provided to illustrate their relevance and use in various clinical situations.

Genetic Instrumental Variable Studies of Effects of Prenatal Risk Factors

PubMed Central

von Hinke Kessler Scholder, Stephanie

2013-01-01

Identifying the effects of maternal risk factors during pregnancy on infant and child health is an area of tremendous research interest. However, of interest to policy makers is unraveling the causal effects of prenatal risk factors, not their associations with child health, which may be confounded by several unobserved factors. In this paper, we evaluate the utility of genetic variants in three genes that have unequivocal evidence of being related to three major risk factors – CHRNA3 for smoking, ADH1B for alcohol use, and FTO for obesity – as instrumental variables for identifying the causal effects of such factors during pregnancy. Using two independent datasets, we find that these variants are overall predictive of the risk factors and are not systematically related to observed confounders, suggesting that they may be useful instruments. We also find some suggestive evidence that genetic effects are stronger during than before pregnancy. We provide an empirical example illustrating the use of these genetic variants as instruments to evaluate the effects of risk factors on birth weight. Finally, we offer suggestions for researchers contemplating the use of these variants as instruments. PMID:23701534

Evaluating Field Spectrometer Performance with Transmission Standards: Examples from the USGS Spectral Library and Research Databases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoefen, T. M.; Kokaly, R. F.; Swayze, G. A.; Livo, K. E.

2015-12-01

Collection of spectroscopic data has expanded with the development of field-portable spectrometers. The most commonly available spectrometers span one or several wavelength ranges: the visible (VIS) and near-infrared (NIR) region from approximately 400 to 1000 nm, and the shortwave infrared (SWIR) region from approximately 1000-2500 nm. Basic characteristics of spectrometer performance are the wavelength position and bandpass of each channel. Bandpass can vary across the wavelength coverage of an instrument, due to spectrometer design and detector materials. Spectrometer specifications can differ from one instrument to the next for a given model and between manufacturers. The USGS Spectroscopy Lab in Denver has developed a simple method to evaluate field spectrometer wavelength accuracy and bandpass values using transmission measurements of materials with intense, narrow absorption features, including Mylar* plastic, praseodymium-doped glass, and National Institute of Standards and Technology Standard Reference Material 2035. The evaluation procedure has been applied in laboratory and field settings for 19 years and used to detect deviations from cited manufacturer specifications. Tracking of USGS spectrometers with transmission standards has revealed several instances of wavelength shifts due to wear in spectrometer components. Since shifts in channel wavelengths and differences in bandpass between instruments can impact the use of field spectrometer data to calibrate and analyze imaging spectrometer data, field protocols to measure wavelength standards can limit data loss due to spectrometer degradation. In this paper, the evaluation procedure will be described and examples of observed wavelength shifts during a spectrometer field season will be presented. The impact of changing wavelength and bandpass characteristics on spectral measurements will be demonstrated and implications for spectral libraries will be discussed. *Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Quantitative nondestructive in-service evaluation of stay cables of cable-stayed bridges: methods and practical experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weischedel, Herbert R.; Hoehle, Hans-Werner

1995-05-01

Stay cables of cable-stayed bridges have corrosion protection systems that can be elaborate. For example, such a system may simply consist of one or several coats of paint, or--more complex--of plastic pipes that are wrapped with tape and filled with grout. Frequently, these corrosion protection systems prevent visual inspections. Therefore, alternative nondestructive examination methods are called for. For example, modern dual-function electromagnetic (EM) instruments allow the simultaneous detection of external and internal localized flaws (such as external and internal broken wires and corrosion piting) and the measurement of loss of metallic cross-sectional area (typically caused by external or internal corrosion or wear). Initially developed for mining and skiing applications, these instruments have been successfully used for the inspection of stays of cable-stayed bridges, and for the inspection of guys of smoke stacks, flare stacks, broadcast towers, suspended roofs, etc. As a rule, guys and bridge cables are not subjected to wear and bending stresses. However, their safety can be compromised by corrosion caused by the failure of corrosion protection systems. Furthermore, live loads and wind forces create intermittent tensile stresses that can cause fatigue breaks of wires. This paper discusses the use of dual-function EM instruments for the detection and the nondestructive quantitative evaluation of cable deterioration. It explains the underlying principles. Experiences with this method together with field inspection results will be presented.

Analysis of key technologies for virtual instruments metrology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Guixiong; Xu, Qingui; Gao, Furong; Guan, Qiuju; Fang, Qiang

2008-12-01

Virtual instruments (VIs) require metrological verification when applied as measuring instruments. Owing to the software-centered architecture, metrological evaluation of VIs includes two aspects: measurement functions and software characteristics. Complexity of software imposes difficulties on metrological testing of VIs. Key approaches and technologies for metrology evaluation of virtual instruments are investigated and analyzed in this paper. The principal issue is evaluation of measurement uncertainty. The nature and regularity of measurement uncertainty caused by software and algorithms can be evaluated by modeling, simulation, analysis, testing and statistics with support of powerful computing capability of PC. Another concern is evaluation of software features like correctness, reliability, stability, security and real-time of VIs. Technologies from software engineering, software testing and computer security domain can be used for these purposes. For example, a variety of black-box testing, white-box testing and modeling approaches can be used to evaluate the reliability of modules, components, applications and the whole VI software. The security of a VI can be assessed by methods like vulnerability scanning and penetration analysis. In order to facilitate metrology institutions to perform metrological verification of VIs efficiently, an automatic metrological tool for the above validation is essential. Based on technologies of numerical simulation, software testing and system benchmarking, a framework for the automatic tool is proposed in this paper. Investigation on implementation of existing automatic tools that perform calculation of measurement uncertainty, software testing and security assessment demonstrates the feasibility of the automatic framework advanced.

Re-Engineering the Hospital Discharge: An Example of a Multifaceted Process Evaluation

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-01-01

health literacy : the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine (REALM)29 and the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (TOFHLA).30 These...Med 1991;23(6):433–5. 30. Parker RM, Baker DW, Williams MV, et al. The test of functional health literacy in adults: a new instrument for measuring

Atmospheric correction of ocean color sensors: analysis of the effects of residual instrument polarization sensitivity.

PubMed

Gordon, H R; Du, T; Zhang, T

1997-09-20

We provide an analysis of the influence of instrument polarization sensitivity on the radiance measured by spaceborne ocean color sensors. Simulated examples demonstrate the influence of polarization sensitivity on the retrieval of the water-leaving reflectance rho(w). A simple method for partially correcting for polarization sensitivity--replacing the linear polarization properties of the top-of-atmosphere reflectance with those from a Rayleigh-scattering atmosphere--is provided and its efficacy is evaluated. It is shown that this scheme improves rho(w) retrievals as long as the polarization sensitivity of the instrument does not vary strongly from band to band. Of course, a complete polarization-sensitivity characterization of the ocean color sensor is required to implement the correction.

Instruments to Identify Prescription Medication Misuse, Abuse, and Related Events in Clinical Trials: An ACTTION Systematic Review.

PubMed

Smith, Shannon M; Paillard, Florence; McKeown, Andrew; Burke, Laurie B; Edwards, Robert R; Katz, Nathaniel P; Papadopoulos, Elektra J; Rappaport, Bob A; Slagle, Ashley; Strain, Eric C; Wasan, Ajay D; Turk, Dennis C; Dworkin, Robert H

2015-05-01

Measurement of inappropriate medication use events (eg, abuse or misuse) in clinical trials is important in characterizing a medication's abuse potential. However, no gold standard assessment of inappropriate use events in clinical trials has been identified. In this systematic review, we examine the measurement properties (ie, content validity, cross-sectional reliability and construct validity, longitudinal construct validity, ability to detect change, and responder definitions) of instruments assessing inappropriate use of opioid and nonopioid prescription medications to identify any that meet U.S. and European regulatory agencies' rigorous standards for outcome measures in clinical trials. Sixteen published instruments were identified, most of which were not designed for the selected concept of interest and context of use. For this reason, many instruments were found to lack adequate content validity (or documentation of content validity) to evaluate current inappropriate medication use events; for example, evaluating inappropriate use across the life span rather than current use, including items that did not directly assess inappropriate use (eg, questions about anger), or failing to capture information pertinent to inappropriate use events (eg, intention and route of administration). In addition, the psychometric data across all instruments were generally limited in scope. A further limitation is the heterogeneous, nonstandardized use of inappropriate medication use terminology. These observations suggest that available instruments are not well suited for assessing current inappropriate medication use within the specific context of clinical trials. Further effort is needed to develop reliable and valid instruments to measure current inappropriate medication use events in clinical trials. This systematic review evaluates the measurement properties of inappropriate medication use (eg, abuse or misuse) instruments to determine whether any meet regulatory standards for clinical trial outcome measures to assess abuse potential. Copyright © 2015 American Pain Society. All rights reserved.

Integrating Validity Theory with Use of Measurement Instruments in Clinical Settings

PubMed Central

Kelly, P Adam; O'Malley, Kimberly J; Kallen, Michael A; Ford, Marvella E

2005-01-01

Objective To present validity concepts in a conceptual framework useful for research in clinical settings. Principal Findings We present a three-level decision rubric for validating measurement instruments, to guide health services researchers step-by-step in gathering and evaluating validity evidence within their specific situation. We address construct precision, the capacity of an instrument to measure constructs it purports to measure and differentiate from other, unrelated constructs; quantification precision, the reliability of the instrument; and translation precision, the ability to generalize scores from an instrument across subjects from the same or similar populations. We illustrate with specific examples, such as an approach to validating a measurement instrument for veterans when prior evidence of instrument validity for this population does not exist. Conclusions Validity should be viewed as a property of the interpretations and uses of scores from an instrument, not of the instrument itself: how scores are used and the consequences of this use are integral to validity. Our advice is to liken validation to building a court case, including discovering evidence, weighing the evidence, and recognizing when the evidence is weak and more evidence is needed. PMID:16178998

Meta-analytic guidelines for evaluating single-item reliabilities of personality instruments.

PubMed

Spörrle, Matthias; Bekk, Magdalena

2014-06-01

Personality is an important predictor of various outcomes in many social science disciplines. However, when personality traits are not the principal focus of research, for example, in global comparative surveys, it is often not possible to assess them extensively. In this article, we first provide an overview of the advantages and challenges of single-item measures of personality, a rationale for their construction, and a summary of alternative ways of assessing their reliability. Second, using seven diverse samples (Ntotal = 4,263) we develop the SIMP-G, the German adaptation of the Single-Item Measures of Personality, an instrument assessing the Big Five with one item per trait, and evaluate its validity and reliability. Third, we integrate previous research and our data into a first meta-analysis of single-item reliabilities of personality measures, and provide researchers with guidelines and recommendations for the evaluation of single-item reliabilities. © The Author(s) 2013.

Outcomes of the JNT 1955 Phase I Viability Study of Gamma Emission Tomography for Spent Fuel Verification

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

Jacobsson-Svard, Staffan; Smith, Leon E.; White, Timothy

The potential for gamma emission tomography (GET) to detect partial defects within a spent nuclear fuel assembly has been assessed within the IAEA Support Program project JNT 1955, phase I, which was completed and reported to the IAEA in October 2016. Two safeguards verification objectives were identified in the project; (1) independent determination of the number of active pins that are present in a measured assembly, in the absence of a priori information about the assembly; and (2) quantitative assessment of pin-by-pin properties, for example the activity of key isotopes or pin attributes such as cooling time and relative burnup,more » under the assumption that basic fuel parameters (e.g., assembly type and nominal fuel composition) are known. The efficacy of GET to meet these two verification objectives was evaluated across a range of fuel types, burnups and cooling times, while targeting a total interrogation time of less than 60 minutes. The evaluations were founded on a modelling and analysis framework applied to existing and emerging GET instrument designs. Monte Carlo models of different fuel types were used to produce simulated tomographer responses to large populations of “virtual” fuel assemblies. The simulated instrument response data were then processed using a variety of tomographic-reconstruction and image-processing methods, and scoring metrics were defined and used to evaluate the performance of the methods.This paper describes the analysis framework and metrics used to predict tomographer performance. It also presents the design of a “universal” GET (UGET) instrument intended to support the full range of verification scenarios envisioned by the IAEA. Finally, it gives examples of the expected partial-defect detection capabilities for some fuels and diversion scenarios, and it provides a comparison of predicted performance for the notional UGET design and an optimized variant of an existing IAEA instrument.« less

Follow That Satellite: EO-1 Maneuvers Into Close Formation With Landsat-7

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeFazio, Robert L.; Owens, Skip; Good, Susan; Bauer, Frank H. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

As the Landsat-7 (LS-7) spacecraft continued NASA's historic program of earth imaging begun over three decades ago, NASA launched the Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) spacecraft carrying examples of the next generation of LS instruments. The validation method for these instruments was to have EO-1 fly in a close formation behind LS-7 on the same World Reference System (WRS) path. From that formation hundreds of near-coincident images would be taken by each spacecraft and compared to evaluate improvements in the EO-1 instruments. This paper will address the mission analysis required to launch and maneuver EO-1 into the formation with LS-7 where instrument validation was to occur plus a summary of completing the formation acquisition. Each EO-1 launch opportunity that occurred on a different day of a LS-7 16-day repeat cycle required a separate and distinct maneuver profile.

Policy instruments for pollution control in developing countries.

PubMed

Eskeland, G S; Jimenez, E

1992-07-01

Economic development in developing countries must be accomplished in a manner that does not harm the environment with pollution. Pollution harms human health and productivity. Thus appropriate strategies must be developed that promote growth, reduce poverty, and protect the environment. A review of the current literature is performed with attention paid to cost-effective interventions i.e., comparisons of regulatory and fiscal instruments that can reduce pollution. Both direct instruments (like effluent charges, tradable permits, deposit refund systems, emission regulations and regulatory agency funding for purification, cleanup, waste disposal, and enforcement) and indirect instruments (like input/output taxes and subsidies, substitution subsidies, abatement inputs, regulation of equipment and processes, and development of clean technologies) are examined. Examples are used to show how indirect instruments can be successful when monitoring and enforcement is too costly. A careful examination of distributive concerns illustrate how the effect on the poor may need particular consideration and how groups with vested interests can help evaluate the probable success of such interventions.

Optical Technologies for UV Remote Sensing Instruments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keski-Kuha, R. A. M.; Osantowski, J. F.; Leviton, D. B.; Saha, T. T.; Content, D. A.; Boucarut, R. A.; Gum, J. S.; Wright, G. A.; Fleetwood, C. M.; Madison, T. J.

1993-01-01

Over the last decade significant advances in technology have made possible development of instruments with substantially improved efficiency in the UV spectral region. In the area of optical coatings and materials, the importance of recent developments in chemical vapor deposited (CVD) silicon carbide (SiC) mirrors, SiC films, and multilayer coatings in the context of ultraviolet instrumentation design are discussed. For example, the development of chemically vapor deposited (CVD) silicon carbide (SiC) mirrors, with high ultraviolet (UV) reflectance and low scatter surfaces, provides the opportunity to extend higher spectral/spatial resolution capability into the 50-nm region. Optical coatings for normal incidence diffraction gratings are particularly important for the evolution of efficient extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectrographs. SiC films are important for optimizing the spectrograph performance in the 90 nm spectral region. The performance evaluation of the flight optical components for the Solar Ultraviolet Measurements of Emitted Radiation (SUMER) instrument, a spectroscopic instrument to fly aboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) mission, designed to study dynamic processes, temperatures, and densities in the plasma of the upper atmosphere of the Sun in the wavelength range from 50 nm to 160 nm, is discussed. The optical components were evaluated for imaging and scatter in the UV. The performance evaluation of SOHO/CDS (Coronal Diagnostic Spectrometer) flight gratings tested for spectral resolution and scatter in the DGEF is reviewed and preliminary results on resolution and scatter testing of Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) technology development diffraction gratings are presented.

Development of Pediatric Sleep Questionnaires as Diagnostic or Epidemiological Tools: A Brief Review of Do's and Don'ts

PubMed Central

Spruyt, Karen; Gozal, David

2010-01-01

Questionnaires are a useful and extensively used tool in clinical sleep medicine and in sleep research. The number of sleep questionnaires targeting the pediatric age range has tremendously increased in recent years, and with such explosion in the number of instruments, their heterogeneity has become all the more apparent. Here, we explore the theoretical and pragmatic processes required for instrument design and development, i.e., how any questionnaire, inventory, log, or diary should be created and evaluated, and also provide illustrative examples to further underline the potential pitfalls that are inherently embedded in every step of tool development. PMID:20952230

Making Sense of Complex Problems: A Resource for Teams

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-01

instruments, interviews, and a writing assignment to mirror those characteristics and skills. Candidates were evaluated in terms of that set of criteria, and...and those who are metacognitive thinkers, and can reflect and comment on how the team is thinking about a particular topic...The Cognitive- Style Inventory (see Tools and Resources for references). Writing samples and other examples of work products These products can

Examples of sex/gender sensitivity in epidemiological research: results of an evaluation of original articles published in JECH 2006-2014.

PubMed

Jahn, Ingeborg; Börnhorst, Claudia; Günther, Frauke; Brand, Tilman

2017-02-15

During the last decades, sex and gender biases have been identified in various areas of biomedical and public health research, leading to compromised validity of research findings. As a response, methodological requirements were developed but these are rarely translated into research practice. The aim of this study is to provide good practice examples of sex/gender sensitive health research. We conducted a systematic search of research articles published in JECH between 2006 and 2014. An instrument was constructed to evaluate sex/gender sensitivity in four stages of the research process (background, study design, statistical analysis, discussion). In total, 37 articles covering diverse topics were included. Thereof, 22 were evaluated as good practice example in at least one stage; two articles achieved highest ratings across all stages. Good examples of the background referred to available knowledge on sex/gender differences and sex/gender informed theoretical frameworks. Related to the study design, good examples calculated sample sizes to be able to detect sex/gender differences, selected sex/gender sensitive outcome/exposure indicators, or chose different cut-off values for male and female participants. Good examples of statistical analyses used interaction terms with sex/gender or different shapes of the estimated relationship for men and women. Examples of good discussions interpreted their findings related to social and biological explanatory models or questioned the statistical methods used to detect sex/gender differences. The identified good practice examples may inspire researchers to critically reflect on the relevance of sex/gender issues of their studies and help them to translate methodological recommendations of sex/gender sensitivity into research practice.

Instrumentation: Software-Driven Instrumentation: The New Wave.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salit, M. L.; Parsons, M. L.

1985-01-01

Software-driven instrumentation makes measurements that demand a computer as an integral part of either control, data acquisition, or data reduction. The structure of such instrumentation, hardware requirements, and software requirements are discussed. Examples of software-driven instrumentation (such as wavelength-modulated continuum source…

Development and psychometric evaluation of a context-based parental self-efficacy instrument for healthy dietary and physical activity behaviors in preschool children.

PubMed

Bohman, Benjamin; Rasmussen, Finn; Ghaderi, Ata

2016-10-20

Parental self-efficacy (PSE) refers to beliefs of parents to effectively engage in behaviors that result in desired outcomes for their children. There are several instruments of PSE for promoting healthy dietary or physical activity (PA) behaviors in children. These measures typically assess PSE in relation to some quantity or frequency of behavior, for example, number of servings or times per week. However, measuring PSE in relation to contextual circumstances, for example, psychological states and situational demands, may be a more informative approach. The purpose of the present study was to develop and psychometrically evaluate a context-based PSE instrument. Swedish mothers of five-year-old children (n = 698) responded to the Parental Self-Efficacy for Healthy Dietary and Physical Activity Behaviors in Preschoolers Scale (PDAP) and a questionnaire on dietary and PA behaviors in children. Interviews were conducted to explore participant perceptions of the quality of the PDAP items. Psychometric evaluation was conducted using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Spearman correlations between PSE and child behaviors were examined. Twenty-seven interviews were conducted with participants, who perceived the items as highly comprehensible, relevant and acceptable. A four-factor model of a revised 21-item version of the PDAP fitted the data, with different factors of PSE for promoting healthy dietary or PA behaviors in children depending on whether circumstances were facilitating or impeding successful performance. Internal consistency was excellent for total scale (Cronbach's α = .94), and good for factors (α = .84-.88). Correlations were in the expected direction: positive correlations between PSE and healthy behaviors, and negative correlations between PSE and unhealthy behaviors (all r s s ≤ .32). Psychometric evaluation of the PDAP provided preliminary support of construct validity and internal consistency.

Using classical test theory, item response theory, and Rasch measurement theory to evaluate patient-reported outcome measures: a comparison of worked examples.

PubMed

Petrillo, Jennifer; Cano, Stefan J; McLeod, Lori D; Coon, Cheryl D

2015-01-01

To provide comparisons and a worked example of item- and scale-level evaluations based on three psychometric methods used in patient-reported outcome development-classical test theory (CTT), item response theory (IRT), and Rasch measurement theory (RMT)-in an analysis of the National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire (VFQ-25). Baseline VFQ-25 data from 240 participants with diabetic macular edema from a randomized, double-masked, multicenter clinical trial were used to evaluate the VFQ at the total score level. CTT, RMT, and IRT evaluations were conducted, and results were assessed in a head-to-head comparison. Results were similar across the three methods, with IRT and RMT providing more detailed diagnostic information on how to improve the scale. CTT led to the identification of two problematic items that threaten the validity of the overall scale score, sets of redundant items, and skewed response categories. IRT and RMT additionally identified poor fit for one item, many locally dependent items, poor targeting, and disordering of over half the response categories. Selection of a psychometric approach depends on many factors. Researchers should justify their evaluation method and consider the intended audience. If the instrument is being developed for descriptive purposes and on a restricted budget, a cursory examination of the CTT-based psychometric properties may be all that is possible. In a high-stakes situation, such as the development of a patient-reported outcome instrument for consideration in pharmaceutical labeling, however, a thorough psychometric evaluation including IRT or RMT should be considered, with final item-level decisions made on the basis of both quantitative and qualitative results. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Astronomical imaging Fourier spectroscopy at far-infrared wavelengths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naylor, David A.; Gom, Brad G.; van der Wiel, Matthijs H. D.; Makiwa, Gibion

2013-11-01

The principles and practice of astronomical imaging Fourier transform spectroscopy (FTS) at far-infrared wavelengths are described. The Mach–Zehnder (MZ) interferometer design has been widely adopted for current and future imaging FTS instruments; we compare this design with two other common interferometer formats. Examples of three instruments based on the MZ design are presented. The techniques for retrieving astrophysical parameters from the measured spectra are discussed using calibration data obtained with the Herschel–SPIRE instrument. The paper concludes with an example of imaging spectroscopy obtained with the SPIRE FTS instrument.

Instruments to identify prescription medication misuse, abuse, and related events in clinical trials: an ACTTION systematic review

PubMed Central

Smith, Shannon M.; Paillard, Florence; McKeown, Andrew; Burke, Laurie B.; Edwards, Robert R.; Katz, Nathaniel P.; Papadopoulos, Elektra J.; Rappaport, Bob A.; Slagle, Ashley; Strain, Eric C.; Wasan, Ajay D.; Turk, Dennis C.; Dworkin, Robert H.

2017-01-01

Measurement of inappropriate medication use events (e.g., abuse, misuse) in clinical trials is important in characterizing a medication’s abuse potential. However, no “gold standard” assessment of inappropriate use events in clinical trials has been identified. In this systematic review, we examine the measurement properties (i.e., content validity, cross-sectional reliability and construct validity, longitudinal construct validity, ability to detect change, and responder definitions) of instruments assessing inappropriate use of opioid and non-opioid prescription medications to identify any that meet U.S. and European regulatory agencies’ rigorous standards for outcome measures in clinical trials. Sixteen published instruments were identified, most of which were not designed for the selected concept of interest and context of use. For this reason, many instruments were found to lack adequate content validity (or documentation of content validity) to evaluate current inappropriate medication use events; for example, evaluating inappropriate use across the lifespan rather than current use, including items that did not directly assess inappropriate use (e.g., questions about anger), or failing to capture information pertinent to inappropriate use events (e.g., intention, route of administration). In addition, the psychometric data across all instruments were generally limited in scope. A further limitation is the heterogeneous, non-standardized use of inappropriate medication use terminology. These observations suggest that available instruments are not well suited for assessing current inappropriate medication use within the specific context of clinical trials. Further effort is needed to develop reliable and valid instruments to measure current inappropriate medication use events in clinical trials. PMID:25660826

Constructing objective tests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aubrecht, Gordon J.; Aubrecht, Judith D.

1983-07-01

True-false or multiple-choice tests can be useful instruments for evaluating student progress. We examine strategies for planning objective tests which serve to test the material covered in science (physics) courses. We also examine strategies for writing questions for tests within a test blueprint. The statistical basis for judging the quality of test items are discussed. Reliability, difficulty, and discrimination indices are defined and examples presented. Our recommendation are rather easily put into practice.

[Methods in health services research. The example of the evaluation of the German disease management programmes].

PubMed

Morfeld, M; Wirtz, M

2006-02-01

According to the established definition of Pfaff, health services research analyses patients' path through the institutions of the health care system. The focus is on development, evaluation and implementation of innovative measures of health care. By increasing its quality health services research strives for an improvement of efficacy and efficiency of the health care system. In order to allow for an appropriate evaluation it is essential to differentiate between structure, process and outcome quality referring to (1) the health care system in its entirety, (2) specific health care units as well as (3) processes of communication in different settings. Health services research comprises a large array of scientific disciplines like public health, medicine, social sciences and social care. For the purpose of managing its tasks adequately a special combination of instruments and methodological procedures is needed. Thus, diverse techniques of evaluation research as well as special requirements for study designs and assessment procedures are of vital importance. The example of the German disease management programmes illustrates the methodical requirements for a scientific evaluation.

Principles of survey development for telemedicine applications.

PubMed

Demiris, George

2006-01-01

Surveys can be used in the evaluation of telemedicine applications but they must be properly designed, consistent and accurate. The purpose of the survey and the resources available will determine the extent of testing that a survey instrument should undergo prior to its use. The validity of an instrument is the correspondence between what is being measured and what was intended to be measured. The reliability of an instrument describes the 'consistency' or 'repeatability' of the measurements made with it. Survey instruments should be designed and tested following basic principles of survey development. The actual survey administration also requires consideration, for example data collection and processing, as well as the interpretation of the findings. Surveys are of two different types. Either they are self-administered, or they are administered by interview. In the latter case, they may be administered by telephone or in a face-to-face meeting. It is important to design a survey instrument based on a detailed definition of what it intends to measure and to test it before administering it to the larger sample.

Instrumental variables I: instrumental variables exploit natural variation in nonexperimental data to estimate causal relationships.

PubMed

Rassen, Jeremy A; Brookhart, M Alan; Glynn, Robert J; Mittleman, Murray A; Schneeweiss, Sebastian

2009-12-01

The gold standard of study design for treatment evaluation is widely acknowledged to be the randomized controlled trial (RCT). Trials allow for the estimation of causal effect by randomly assigning participants either to an intervention or comparison group; through the assumption of "exchangeability" between groups, comparing the outcomes will yield an estimate of causal effect. In the many cases where RCTs are impractical or unethical, instrumental variable (IV) analysis offers a nonexperimental alternative based on many of the same principles. IV analysis relies on finding a naturally varying phenomenon, related to treatment but not to outcome except through the effect of treatment itself, and then using this phenomenon as a proxy for the confounded treatment variable. This article demonstrates how IV analysis arises from an analogous but potentially impossible RCT design, and outlines the assumptions necessary for valid estimation. It gives examples of instruments used in clinical epidemiology and concludes with an outline on estimation of effects.

Instrumental variables I: instrumental variables exploit natural variation in nonexperimental data to estimate causal relationships

PubMed Central

Rassen, Jeremy A.; Brookhart, M. Alan; Glynn, Robert J.; Mittleman, Murray A.; Schneeweiss, Sebastian

2010-01-01

The gold standard of study design for treatment evaluation is widely acknowledged to be the randomized controlled trial (RCT). Trials allow for the estimation of causal effect by randomly assigning participants either to an intervention or comparison group; through the assumption of “exchangeability” between groups, comparing the outcomes will yield an estimate of causal effect. In the many cases where RCTs are impractical or unethical, instrumental variable (IV) analysis offers a nonexperimental alternative based on many of the same principles. IV analysis relies on finding a naturally varying phenomenon, related to treatment but not to outcome except through the effect of treatment itself, and then using this phenomenon as a proxy for the confounded treatment variable. This article demonstrates how IV analysis arises from an analogous but potentially impossible RCT design, and outlines the assumptions necessary for valid estimation. It gives examples of instruments used in clinical epidemiology and concludes with an outline on estimation of effects. PMID:19356901

Enabling Automotive Innovation: Tales from a Physicist in Industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinkerton, Frederick

Measurements and instrumentation play an obvious and critical technical role in the automotive industry to assure compliance with government and industry standards such as emissions and fuel economy. Less obvious and equally critical is the role they play in innovative materials for future transportation needs. In today's open innovation environment, where research is distributed among industrial, academic, and government lab partners, the ability to capture, validate, and incorporate both internal and external inventions combines a deep knowledge base and the research tools to evaluate advanced materials and processes. Examples of the impact of measurements and instrumentation on internal, external, and shared research will be given from the experiences of the author and his research colleagues.

Methodological considerations in service use assessment for children and youth with mental health conditions; issues for economic evaluation.

PubMed

Woolderink, M; Lynch, F L; van Asselt, A D I; Beecham, J; Evers, S M A A; Paulus, A T G; van Schayck, C P

2015-05-01

Economic evaluations are increasingly used in decision-making. Accurate measurement of service use is critical to economic evaluation. This qualitative study, based on expert interviews, aims to identify best approaches to service use measurement for child mental health conditions, and to identify problems in current methods. Results suggest considerable agreement on strengths (e.g., availability of accurate instruments to measure service use) and weaknesses, (e.g., lack of unit prices for services outside the health sector) or alternative approaches to service use measurement. Experts also identified some unresolved problems, for example the lack of uniform definitions for some mental health services.

Initial evaluation of psychometric properties of a structured work task application for the Assessment of Work Performance in a constructed environment.

PubMed

Karlsson, Elin A; Liedberg, Gunilla M; Sandqvist, Jan L

2017-06-22

The Swedish Social Insurance Administration has developed a new assessment tool for sickness insurance. This study is a part of the initial evaluation of the application, called the Assessment of Work Performance, Structured Activities, and focuses on evaluation of the psychometric properties of social validity, content validity, and utility. This was a qualitative study using semi-structured telephone interviews with occupational therapists. A convenience sample was used and participants who fulfilled inclusion criteria (n = 15) were interviewed. Data were analyzed using content analysis with a directed approach. The results indicate that the application provides valuable information and that it is socially valid. Assessors found work tasks suitable for a diverse group of clients and reported that clients accepted the assessments. Improvements were suggested, for example, expanding the application with more work tasks. The instrument has benefits; however, further development is desired. The use of a constructed environment in assessments may be a necessary option to supplement a real environment. But depending on organizational factors such as time and other resources, the participants had different opportunities to do so. Further evaluations regarding ecological validity are essential to ensure that assessments are fair and realistic when using constructed environments. Implications for rehabilitation This study indicates that assessment in a constructed environment can provide a secure and protected context for clients being assessed. Psychometric evaluations are a never-ending process and this assessment instrument needs further development. However, this initial evaluation provides guidance in development of the instrument but also what studies to give priority to. It is important to evaluate social validity in order to ensure that clients and assessors perceive assessment methods fair and meaningful. In this study, participants found the work tasks appropriate and usable when assessing their clients but client's perspective must also be included in following studies. This assessment instrument is the only activity-based assessment instrument within the Swedish Social Security Insurance. Psychometric evaluations are important since it affects so many individuals in Sweden.

A Proposed Methodology to Assess the Quality of Public Use Management in Protected Areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muñoz-Santos, Maria; Benayas, Javier

2012-07-01

In recent years, the goal of nature preservation has faced, almost worldwide, an increase in the number of visitors who are interested in experiencing protected areas resources, landscapes and stories. Spain is a good example of this process. The rapidly increasing numbers of visitors have prompted administrations and managers to offer and develop a broad network of facilities and programs in order to provide these visitors with information, knowledge and recreation. But, are we doing it the best way? This research focuses on developing and applying a new instrument for evaluating the quality of visitor management in parks. Different areas are analyzed with this instrument (78 semi-quantitative indicators): planning and management capacity (planning, funding, human resources), monitoring, reception, information, interpretation, environmental education, training, participation and volunteer's programs. Thus, we attempt to gain a general impression of the development of the existing management model, detecting strengths and weaknesses. Although Spain's National Parks constituted the specific context within which to develop the evaluation instrument, the design thereof is intended to provide a valid, robust and flexible method for application to any system, network or set of protected areas in other countries. This paper presents the instrument developed, some results obtained following its application to Spanish National parks, along with a discussion on the limits and validity thereof.

A proposed methodology to assess the quality of public use management in protected areas.

PubMed

Muñoz-Santos, Maria; Benayas, Javier

2012-07-01

In recent years, the goal of nature preservation has faced, almost worldwide, an increase in the number of visitors who are interested in experiencing protected areas resources, landscapes and stories. Spain is a good example of this process. The rapidly increasing numbers of visitors have prompted administrations and managers to offer and develop a broad network of facilities and programs in order to provide these visitors with information, knowledge and recreation. But, are we doing it the best way? This research focuses on developing and applying a new instrument for evaluating the quality of visitor management in parks. Different areas are analyzed with this instrument (78 semi-quantitative indicators): planning and management capacity (planning, funding, human resources), monitoring, reception, information, interpretation, environmental education, training, participation and volunteer's programs. Thus, we attempt to gain a general impression of the development of the existing management model, detecting strengths and weaknesses. Although Spain's National Parks constituted the specific context within which to develop the evaluation instrument, the design thereof is intended to provide a valid, robust and flexible method for application to any system, network or set of protected areas in other countries. This paper presents the instrument developed, some results obtained following its application to Spanish National parks, along with a discussion on the limits and validity thereof.

Chemical Instrumentation for the Visually Handicapped.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, James L.

1982-01-01

Describes a simple, relatively inexpensive, and easily implemented approach for introducing visually handicapped students to chemical instrumentation via experiments on operational amplifiers as examples of some of the electronic building blocks of chemical instrumentation. The approach is applicable to other chemical instruments having electrical…

Instruments for Water Quality Monitoring

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ballinger, Dwight G.

1972-01-01

Presents information regarding available instruments for industries and agencies who must monitor numerous aquatic parameters. Charts denote examples of parameters sampled, testing methods, range and accuracy of test methods, cost analysis, and reliability of instruments. (BL)

High resolution pollutant measurements in complex urban ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Measuring air pollution in real-time using an instrumented vehicle platform has been an emerging strategy to resolve air pollution trends at a very fine spatial scale (10s of meters). Achieving second-by-second data representative of urban air quality trends requires advanced instrumentation, such as a quantum cascade laser utilized to resolve carbon monoxide and real-time optical detection of black carbon. An equally challenging area of development is processing and visualization of complex geospatial air monitoring data to decipher key trends of interest. EPA’s Office of Research and Development staff have applied air monitoring to evaluate community air quality in a variety of environments, including assessing air quality surrounding rail yards, evaluating noise wall or tree stand effects on roadside and on-road air quality, and surveying of traffic-related exposure zones for comparison with land-use regression estimates. ORD has ongoing efforts to improve mobile monitoring data collection and interpretation, including instrumentation testing, evaluating the effect of post-processing algorithms on derived trends, and developing a web-based tool called Real-Time Geospatial Data Viewer (RETIGO) allowing for a simple plug-and-play of mobile monitoring data. Example findings from mobile data sets include an estimated 50% in roadside ultrafine particle levels when immediately downwind of a noise barrier, increases in neighborhood-wide black carbon levels (3

CW Detection Instrument R&D Design Evaluation

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-11-01

are known to be stable under a wide variety of sampling conditions. Our experiments showed, for example, that triethyl phosphite samples prepared in ... phosphite and triethyl phosphite , compounds number 8 and 9 in Schedule 3 in Table 2-1, respectively, is shown in Figure 3-18 for an injection...furnace which heats the column effluent to nearly 2000*C in the presence of hydrogen or air to convert halogenated organiks to hydro- 114 chioric acid

Prospects on the application of HTS SQUID magnetometry to nondestructive evaluation (NDE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weinstock, H.

1993-04-01

In light of recent advances in the fabrication of low-noise HTS SQUIDs, a review is presented on the use of LTS SQUID magnetometry for nondestructive evaluation (NDE). Examples are given on applications relating to defects in steel, subsurface cracks in aircraft frames, and voids in non-metallic structures. HTS SQUIDs may make a significant difference in the acceptance of these applications because sensing coils will be closer to a sample under test, there will be greater instrument portability and the problem of bringing liquid helium to remote locations will be eliminated.

[Methodologic developmental principles of standardized surveys within the scope of social gerontologic studies].

PubMed

Bansemir, G

1987-01-01

The conception and evaluation of standardized oral or written questioning as quantifying instruments of research orientate by the basic premises of Marxist-Leninist theory of recognition and general scientific logic. In the present contribution the socio-gerontological research process is outlined in extracts. By referring to the intrinsic connection between some of its essential components--problem, formation of hypotheses, obtaining indicators/measurement, preliminary examination, evaluation-as well as to typical errors and (fictitious) examples of practical research, this contribution contrasts the natural, apparently uncomplicated course of structured questioning with its qualitative methodological fundamentals and demands.

A novel design for steerable instruments based on laser-cut nitinol.

PubMed

Dewaele, Frank; Kalmar, Alain F; De Ryck, Frederic; Lumen, Nicolaas; Williams, Leonie; Baert, Edward; Vereecke, Hugo; Kalala Okito, Jean Pierre; Mabilde, Cyriel; Blanckaert, Bart; Keereman, Vincent; Leybaert, Luc; Van Nieuwenhove, Yves; Caemaert, Jacques; Van Roost, Dirk

2014-06-01

Omnidirectional articulated instruments enhance dexterity. In neurosurgery, for example, the simultaneous use of 2 instruments through the same endoscopic shaft remains a difficult feat. It is, however, very challenging to manufacture steerable instruments of the requisite small diameter. We present a new technique to produce such instruments by means of laser cutting. Only 3 coaxial tubes are used. The middle tube has a cutting pattern that allows the steering forces to be transmitted from the proximal to the distal end. In this way the steering part is concealed in the wall of the tube. Large diameter articulated instruments such as for laparoscopy might benefit from the excellent tip stability provided by the same economical technology. Coaxial nitinol tubes are laser-cut with a Rofin Stent Cutter in a specific pattern. The 3 tubes are assembled by sliding them over one another, forming a single composite tube. In a surgical simulator, the neurosurgical microinstruments and laparoscopic needle drivers were evaluated on surgical convenience. Simultaneous use of 2 neurosurgical instruments (1.5 mm diameter) through the same endoscopic shaft proved to be very intuitive. The tip of the steerable laparoscopic instruments (10 mm diameter) could resist a lateral force of more than 20 N. The angle of motion for either instrument was at least 70° in any direction. A new design for steerable endoscopic instruments is presented. It allows the construction in a range from microinstruments to 10-mm laparoscopic devices with excellent tip stability. © The Author(s) 2013.

[Legal capacity and instruments assessing cognitive functions in patients with dementia].

PubMed

Voskou, P; Papageorgiou, S; Economou, A; Douzenis, A

2017-01-01

The term "legal capacity" refers to the ability of a person to make a valid declaration of his will or to accept such a declaration. This ability constitutes the main condition for the validity of the legal transaction. The legal transaction includes issues that are adjusted by the Civil Code with which the relations of the citizens in a society are regulated. General practitioners and legal advisors, in any case of a person with cognitive impairment of various severity, should take into account that the assessment tests of the cognitive functions are not by themselves diagnostic of the dementia and they cannot be used as the only way of evaluation of the capacity of patients with cognitive impairment or possible dementia to respond to the needs of everyday life and in more complex decisions, such as the legal capacity. The existing methods for the assessment of the cognitive functions are valuable, mainly, for the detection of any cognitive impairment which may not be perceptible during the clinical evaluation of the patient and secondly for the detection of any changes in the cognitive status of the patient during its following up. The description and study of the instruments which are frequently used in the international scientific society for the assessment of the cognitive functions of the patients with mild cognitive impairment or dementia, during the evaluation of the legal capacity of these patients. The literature relevant to the existing methods assessing the cognitive functions during the evaluation of the legal capacity of patients with dementia was reviewed. The scientific database searched was Pubmed, Medline and Scopus. The key-words used were cognitive functions, dementia, instruments, legal capacity. Various instruments which assess the cognitive functions have been developed and can be grouped in 4 categories. The first one includes instruments used for the general assessment of the cognitive status. These instruments can be extensive or short and consist of subtests for the evaluation of several cognitive functions (memory, attention, perception, speech). The second category includes instruments for the specific assessment of the cognitive status, namely specific tests for one cognitive domain (for example, memory, speech flow, naming). The third category consists of methods which are based on the clinical evaluation during the interview with the patient and his familiars, giving emphasis on the frontal functions of the patient. Finally, the fourth group includes instruments which assess the executive functions of the patients. There is a great need for the development of more studies for the methods/instruments with which the cognitive functions of patients with probable dementia can be assessed during the evaluation of the legal capacity of these patients. The challenge for the scientists is to develop a clinically applicable instrument for the quick and reliable assessment of the legal capacity of people with dementia. The assessment of this ability should be done in relation with the needs, the feelings and the values of the patient.

Particle Sizer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1987-01-01

Microspheres are tiny plastic beads that represent the first commercial products manufactured in orbit. An example of how they are used is a new aerodynamic particle sizer designated APS 33B produced by TSI Incorporated. TSI purchased the microspheres from the National Bureau of Standards which certified their exact size and the company uses them in calibration of the APS 33B* instrument, latest in a line of TSI systems for generating counting and weighing minute particles of submicron size. Instruments are used for evaluating air pollution control devices, quantifying environments, meteorological research, testing filters, inhalation, toxicology and other areas where generation or analysis of small airborne particles is required. * The APS 33B is no longer being manufactured. An improved version, APS 3320, is now being manufactured. 2/28/97

A portable spectrometer for use from 5 to 15 micrometers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoover, G.; Kahle, A. B.

1986-01-01

A field portable spectrometer suitable for collecting data relevant to remote sensing applications in the 8 to 12 micrometer atmospheric window has been built at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The instrument employs a single cooled HgCdTe detector and a continuously variable filter wheel analyzer. The spectral range covered is 5 to 14.5 micrometers and the resolution is approximately 1.5 percent of the wavelength. A description of the hardware is followed by a discussion of the analysis of the spectral data leading to finished emissivity and radiance spectra. A section is devoted to the evaluation of the instrument performance with respect to spectral resolution, radiometric precision, and accuracy. Several examples of spectra acquired in the field are included.

Smarter Instruments, Smarter Archives: Machine Learning for Tactical Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, D. R.; Kiran, R.; Allwood, A.; Altinok, A.; Estlin, T.; Flannery, D.

2014-12-01

There has been a growing interest by Earth and Planetary Sciences in machine learning, visualization and cyberinfrastructure to interpret ever-increasing volumes of instrument data. Such tools are commonly used to analyze archival datasets, but they can also play a valuable real-time role during missions. Here we discuss ways that machine learning can benefit tactical science decisions during Earth and Planetary Exploration. Machine learning's potential begins at the instrument itself. Smart instruments endowed with pattern recognition can immediately recognize science features of interest. This allows robotic explorers to optimize their limited communications bandwidth, triaging science products and prioritizing the most relevant data. Smart instruments can also target their data collection on the fly, using principles of experimental design to reduce redundancy and generally improve sampling efficiency for time-limited operations. Moreover, smart instruments can respond immediately to transient or unexpected phenomena. Examples include detections of cometary plumes, terrestrial floods, or volcanism. We show recent examples of smart instruments from 2014 tests including: aircraft and spacecraft remote sensing instruments that recognize cloud contamination, field tests of a "smart camera" for robotic surface geology, and adaptive data collection by X-Ray fluorescence spectrometers. Machine learning can also assist human operators when tactical decision making is required. Terrestrial scenarios include airborne remote sensing, where the decision to re-fly a transect must be made immediately. Planetary scenarios include deep space encounters or planetary surface exploration, where the number of command cycles is limited and operators make rapid daily decisions about where next to collect measurements. Visualization and modeling can reveal trends, clusters, and outliers in new data. This can help operators recognize instrument artifacts or spot anomalies in real time. We show recent examples from science data pipelines deployed onboard aircraft as well as tactical visualizations for non-image instrument data.

Nineteenth Century Long-Term Instrumental Records, Examples From the Southeastern United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mock, C. J.

2001-12-01

Early instrumental records in the United States, defined as those operating before 1892 which is regarded the period prior to the modern climate record, provide a longer perspective of climatic variability at decadal and interannual timescales. Such reconstructions also provide a means of verification for other proxy data. This paper provides a American perspective of historical climatic research, emphasizing the urgent need to properly evaluate data quality and provide necessary corrections to make them compatible with the modern record. Different fixed observation times, different practices of weather instrument exposures, and statistical methods for calibration are the main issues in applying corrections and conducting proper climatic interpretations. I illustrate several examples on methodologies of this historical climatic research, focusing on the following in the Southeastern United States: daily reconstructed temperature time-series centered on Charleston SC and Natchez MS back to the late eighteenth century, and precipitation frequency reconstructions during the antebellum period for the Gulf Coast and coastal Southeast Atlantic states. Results indicate several prominent extremes unprecedented as compared to the modern record, such as the widespread warm winter of 1827-28, and the severe cold winters of 1856 and 1857. The reconstructions also yield important information concerning responses to past ENSO events, the PNA, NAO, and the PDO, particularly when compared with instrumental data from other regions. A high potential also exists for applying the climate reconstructions to assess historical climatic impacts on society in the Southeast, such as to understand climatic linkages to famous case studies of Yellow Fever epidemics and severe drought.

"Route of astronomical observatories'' project: classical observatories from the Renaissance to the rise of astrophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolfschmidt, Gudrun

2015-08-01

Observatories offer a good possibility for serial transnational applications. A well-known example for a thematic programme is the Struve arc, already recognized as World Heritage.I will discuss what has been achieved and show examples, like the route of astronomical observatories or the transition from classical astronomy to modern astrophysics (La Plata, Hamburg, Nice, etc.), visible in the architecture, the choice of instruments, and the arrangement of the observatory buildings in an astronomy park. This corresponds to the main categories according to which the ``outstanding universal value'' (UNESCO criteria ii, iv and vi) of the observatories have been evaluated: historic, scientific, and aesthetic. This proposal is based on the criteria of a comparability of the observatories in terms of the urbanistic complex and the architecture, the scientific orientation, equipment of instruments, authenticity and integrity of the preserved state, as well as in terms of historic scientific relations and scientific contributions.Apart from these serial transnational applications one can also choose other groups like baroque or neo-classical observatories, solar physics observatories or a group of observatories equipped with the same kind of instruments and made by the same famous firm. I will also discuss why the implementation of the Astronomy and World Heritage Initiative is difficult and why there are problems to nominate observatories for election in the national Tentative Lists

Mission Simulation of Space Lidar Measurements for Seasonal and Regional CO2 Variations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kawa, Stephan; Collatz, G. J.; Mao, J.; Abshire, J. B.; Sun, X.; Weaver, C. J.

2010-01-01

Results of mission simulation studies are presented for a laser-based atmospheric [82 sounder. The simulations are based on real-time carbon cycle process modeling and data analysis. The mission concept corresponds to the Active Sensing of [82 over Nights, Days, and Seasons (ASCENDS) recommended by the US National Academy of Sciences Decadal Survey of Earth Science and Applications from Space. One prerequisite for meaningful quantitative sensor evaluation is realistic CO2 process modeling across a wide range of scales, i.e., does the model have representative spatial and temporal gradients? Examples of model comparison with data will be shown. Another requirement is a relatively complete description of the atmospheric and surface state, which we have obtained from meteorological data assimilation and satellite measurements from MODIS and [ALIPS0. We use radiative transfer model calculations, an instrument model with representative errors ' and a simple retrieval approach to complete the cycle from "nature" run to "pseudo-data" CO2, Several mission and instrument configuration options are examined/ and the sensitivity to key design variables is shown. We use the simulation framework to demonstrate that within reasonable technological assumptions for the system performance, relatively high measurement precision can be obtained, but errors depend strongly on environmental conditions as well as instrument specifications. Examples are also shown of how the resulting pseudo - measurements might be used to address key carbon cycle science questions.

The Study on Virtual Medical Instrument based on LabVIEW.

PubMed

Chengwei, Li; Limei, Zhang; Xiaoming, Hu

2005-01-01

With the increasing performance of computer, the virtual instrument technology has greatly advanced over the years, and then virtual medical instrument technology becomes available. This paper presents the virtual medical instrument, and then as an example, an application of a signal acquisition, processing and analysis system using LabVIEW is also given.

Exploring laypeople’s epistemic beliefs about medicine – a factor-analytic survey study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The aim of this study was to develop an instrument to measure laypeople’s beliefs about the nature of medical knowledge and knowing (the EBAM). Such beliefs should be a target of increased research interest because they influence how people handle medical information, for example in shared decision making. Methods An online survey was completed by 284 participants. Items assessed different aspects of laypeople’s epistemic beliefs about medicine and explicitly focused on the appearance of medical knowledge in everyday life and the evaluation of different sources as a way to justify knowledge. Results Factor analysis yielded a five-factor solution for the instrument. Dimensions covered by the instrument are certainty of medical knowledge, credibility of medical textbooks, credibility of medical information on the Internet, justification of medical knowledge, and preliminarity of medical knowledge. Conclusions Results indicate that laypeople have meaningful beliefs about the nature of medical knowledge and the trustworthiness of different sources. The instrument developed seems promising for measuring laypeople’s epistemic beliefs about medicine, which may help to increase patients’ compliance in medical decision making. PMID:22963643

A generic testbed for the design of plasma spectrometer control software with application to the THOR-CSW solar wind instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Keyser, Johan; Lavraud, Benoit; Neefs, Eddy; Berkenbosch, Sophie; Beeckman, Bram; Maggiolo, Romain; Gamby, Emmanuel; Fedorov, Andrei; Baruah, Rituparna; Wong, King-Wah; Amoros, Carine; Mathon, Romain; Génot, Vincent; Marcucci, Federica; Brienza, Daniele

2017-04-01

Modern plasma spectrometers require intelligent software that is able to exploit their capabilities to the fullest. While the low-level control of the instrument and basic tasks such as performing the basic measurement, temperature control, and production of housekeeping data are to be done by software that is executed on an FPGA and/or processor inside the instrument, higher level tasks such as control of measurement sequences, on-board moment calculation, beam tracking decisions, and data compression, may be performed by the instrument or in the payload data processing unit. Such design decisions, as well as an assessment of the workload on the different processing components, require early prototyping. We have developed a generic simulation testbed for the design of plasma spectrometer control software that allows an early evaluation of the level of resources that is needed at each level. Early prototyping can pinpoint bottlenecks in the design allowing timely remediation. We have applied this tool to the THOR Cold Solar Wind (CSW) plasma spectrometer. Some examples illustrating the usefulness of the tool are given.

NASA-JPL overview, space technology and relevance to medicine (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Zyl, Jakob

2017-05-01

There is special synergy between NASA space instruments and medical devices, especially those that may be implanted in the human body. For example, in both cases instruments have to be small, typically have to consume little power and often have to operate in harsh environments. JPL has a long history in using this synergy to leverage from the technology developed for space missions for application in medical fields. In this talk, we discuss the general overlap of technological requirements in the medical field and space science. We will highlight some examples where JPL instrumentation and engineering has been transferred successfully.

Rapid characterisation of surface modifications and treatments using a benchtop SIMS instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McPhail, D. S.; Sokhan, M.; Rees, E. E.; Cliff, B.; Eccles, A. J.; Chater, R. J.

2004-06-01

The development of a novel benchtop SIMS instrument (Millbrook MiniSIMS) [Appl. Surf. Sci. 144 (1999) 106] has brought routine SIMS analysis to many new users, for example museum conservators. This is a result of the simple operation and the relatively low capital cost of the instrument. We report here on the continued development of the system in terms of increasing performance and functionality and its use in museum conservation based applications where a mobile instrument for high throughput, rapid SIMS analysis has proven to be of great benefit to the user. The example we describe here is the application of the MiniSIMS to the analysis of silver thread woven into a silk dress before and after laser cleaning.

Comparison of patient evaluations of health care quality in relation to WHO measures of achievement in 12 European countries.

PubMed

Kerssens, Jan J; Groenewegen, Peter P; Sixma, Herman J; Boerma, Wienke G W; van der Eijk, Ingrid

2004-02-01

To gain insight into similarities and differences in patient evaluations of quality of primary care across 12 European countries and to correlate patient evaluations with WHO health system performance measures (for example, responsiveness) of these countries. Patient evaluations were derived from a series of Quote (QUality of care Through patients' Eyes) instruments designed to measure the quality of primary care. Various research groups provided a total sample of 5133 patients from 12 countries: Belarus, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, United Kingdom, and Ukraine. Intraclass correlations of 10 Quote items were calculated to measure differences between countries. The world health report 2000 - Health systems: improving performance performance measures in the same countries were correlated with mean Quote scores. Intra-class correlation coefficients ranged from low to very high, which indicated little variation between countries in some respects (for example, primary care providers have a good understanding of patients' problems in all countries) and large variation in other respects (for example, with respect to prescription of medication and communication between primary care providers). Most correlations between mean Quote scores per country and WHO performance measures were positive. The highest correlation (0.86) was between the primary care provider's understanding of patients' problems and responsiveness according to WHO. Patient evaluations of the quality of primary care showed large differences across countries and related positively to WHO's performance measures of health care systems.

Analytical characterization of a new mobile X-ray fluorescence and X-ray diffraction instrument combined with a pigment identification case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van de Voorde, Lien; Vekemans, Bart; Verhaeven, Eddy; Tack, Pieter; De Wolf, Robin; Garrevoet, Jan; Vandenabeele, Peter; Vincze, Laszlo

2015-08-01

A new, commercially available, mobile system combining X-ray diffraction and X-ray fluorescence has been evaluated which enables both elemental analysis and phase identification simultaneously. The instrument makes use of a copper or molybdenum based miniature X-ray tube and a silicon-Pin diode energy-dispersive detector to count the photons originating from the samples. The X-ray tube and detector are both mounted on an X-ray diffraction protractor in a Bragg-Brentano θ:θ geometry. The mobile instrument is one of the lightest and most compact instruments of its kind (3.5 kg) and it is thus very useful for in situ purposes such as the direct (non-destructive) analysis of cultural heritage objects which need to be analyzed on site without any displacement. The supplied software allows both the operation of the instrument for data collection and in-depth data analysis using the International Centre for Diffraction Data database. This paper focuses on the characterization of the instrument, combined with a case study on pigment identification and an illustrative example for the analysis of lead alloyed printing letters. The results show that this commercially available light-weight instrument is able to identify the main crystalline phases non-destructively, present in a variety of samples, with a high degree of flexibility regarding sample size and position.

Assessing Student Outcomes of Undergraduate Research with URSSA, the Undergraduate Student Self-Assessment Instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laursen, S. L.; Weston, T. J.; Thiry, H.

2012-12-01

URSSA is the Undergraduate Research Student Self-Assessment, an online survey instrument for programs and departments to use in assessing the student outcomes of undergraduate research (UR). URSSA focuses on what students learn from their UR experience, rather than whether they liked it. The online questionnaire includes both multiple-choice and open-ended items that focus on students' gains from undergraduate research. These gains include skills, knowledge, deeper understanding of the intellectual and practical work of science, growth in confidence, changes in identity, and career preparation. Other items probe students' participation in important research-related activities that lead to these gains (e.g. giving presentations, having responsibility for a project). These activities, and the gains themselves, are based in research and thus constitute a core set of items. Using these items as a group helps to align a particular program assessment with research-demonstrated outcomes. Optional items may be used to probe particular features that are augment the research experience (e.g. field trips, career seminars, housing arrangements). The URSSA items are based on extensive, interview-based research and evaluation work on undergraduate research by our group and others. This grounding in research means that URSSA measures what we know to be important about the UR experience The items were tested with students, revised and re-tested. Data from a large pilot sample of over 500 students enabled statistical testing of the items' validity and reliability. Optional items about UR program elements were developed in consultation with UR program developers and leaders. The resulting instrument is flexible. Users begin with a set of core items, then customize their survey with optional items to probe students' experiences of specific program elements. The online instrument is free and easy to use, with numeric results available as raw data, summary statistics, cross-tabs, and graphs, and as raw, downloadable data. Finally, URSSA has high content validity based on its research grounding and rigorous development. We will present examples of how URSSA has been used in evaluations of UR programs. A multi-year evaluation of a university-based UR program shows that URSSA items are sensitive to differences in students' prior level of experience with research. For example, experienced student researchers reported greater gains than did their peers new to UR in understanding the process of research and in coming to see themselves as scientists. These differences are consistent with interview data that suggest a developmental progression of gains as students pursue research and gain confidence in their ability to contribute meaningfully. A second example comes from a multi-site evaluation of sites funded by the National Science Foundation's Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program in Biology. This study acquired data from nearly 800 students at some 60 Bio REU sites in 2010 and 2011. Results reveal differences in gains among demographic groups, and the general strength of these well-planned programs relative to a comparison sample of UR programs that are not part of REU. Our presentation will demonstrate the evaluative use of URSSA and its potential applications to undergraduate research in the geosciences.

Evaluating Statistical Process Control (SPC) techniques and computing the uncertainty of force calibrations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Navard, Sharon E.

1989-01-01

In recent years there has been a push within NASA to use statistical techniques to improve the quality of production. Two areas where statistics are used are in establishing product and process quality control of flight hardware and in evaluating the uncertainty of calibration of instruments. The Flight Systems Quality Engineering branch is responsible for developing and assuring the quality of all flight hardware; the statistical process control methods employed are reviewed and evaluated. The Measurement Standards and Calibration Laboratory performs the calibration of all instruments used on-site at JSC as well as those used by all off-site contractors. These calibrations must be performed in such a way as to be traceable to national standards maintained by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and they must meet a four-to-one ratio of the instrument specifications to calibrating standard uncertainty. In some instances this ratio is not met, and in these cases it is desirable to compute the exact uncertainty of the calibration and determine ways of reducing it. A particular example where this problem is encountered is with a machine which does automatic calibrations of force. The process of force calibration using the United Force Machine is described in detail. The sources of error are identified and quantified when possible. Suggestions for improvement are made.

Clinimetric evaluation of shoulder disability questionnaires: a systematic review of the literature

PubMed Central

Bot, S; Terwee, C; van der Windt, D A W M; Bouter, L; Dekker, J; de Vet, H C W

2004-01-01

Methods: Systematic literature searches were performed to identify self administered shoulder disability questionnaires. A checklist was developed to evaluate and compare the clinimetric quality of the instruments. Results: Two reviewers identified and evaluated 16 questionnaires by our checklist. Most studies were found for the Disability of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand scale (DASH), the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), and the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Standardised Shoulder Assessment Form (ASES). None of the questionnaires demonstrated satisfactory results for all properties. Most questionnaires claim to measure several domains (for example, pain, physical, emotional, and social functioning), yet dimensionality was studied in only three instruments. The internal consistency was calculated for seven questionnaires and only one received an adequate rating. Twelve questionnaires received positive ratings for construct validity, although depending on the population studied, four of these questionnaires received poor ratings too. Seven questionnaires were shown to have adequate test-retest reliability (ICC >0.70), but five questionnaires were tested inadequately. In most clinimetric studies only small sample sizes (n<43) were used. Nearly all publications lacked information on the interpretation of scores. Conclusion: The DASH, SPADI, and ASES have been studied most extensively, and yet even published validation studies of these instruments have limitations in study design, sample sizes, or evidence for dimensionality. Overall, the DASH received the best ratings for its clinimetric properties. PMID:15020324

Nanomechanical testing system

DOEpatents

Vodnick, David James; Dwivedi, Arpit; Keranen, Lucas Paul; Okerlund, Michael David; Schmitz, Roger William; Warren, Oden Lee; Young, Christopher David

2014-07-08

An automated testing system includes systems and methods to facilitate inline production testing of samples at a micro (multiple microns) or less scale with a mechanical testing instrument. In an example, the system includes a probe changing assembly for coupling and decoupling a probe of the instrument. The probe changing assembly includes a probe change unit configured to grasp one of a plurality of probes in a probe magazine and couple one of the probes with an instrument probe receptacle. An actuator is coupled with the probe change unit, and the actuator is configured to move and align the probe change unit with the probe magazine and the instrument probe receptacle. In another example, the automated testing system includes a multiple degree of freedom stage for aligning a sample testing location with the instrument. The stage includes a sample stage and a stage actuator assembly including translational and rotational actuators.

Nanomechanical testing system

DOEpatents

Vodnick, David James; Dwivedi, Arpit; Keranen, Lucas Paul; Okerlund, Michael David; Schmitz, Roger William; Warren, Oden Lee; Young, Christopher David

2015-01-27

An automated testing system includes systems and methods to facilitate inline production testing of samples at a micro (multiple microns) or less scale with a mechanical testing instrument. In an example, the system includes a probe changing assembly for coupling and decoupling a probe of the instrument. The probe changing assembly includes a probe change unit configured to grasp one of a plurality of probes in a probe magazine and couple one of the probes with an instrument probe receptacle. An actuator is coupled with the probe change unit, and the actuator is configured to move and align the probe change unit with the probe magazine and the instrument probe receptacle. In another example, the automated testing system includes a multiple degree of freedom stage for aligning a sample testing location with the instrument. The stage includes a sample stage and a stage actuator assembly including translational and rotational actuators.

Nanomechanical testing system

DOEpatents

Vodnick, David James; Dwivedi, Arpit; Keranen, Lucas Paul; Okerlund, Michael David; Schmitz, Roger William; Warren, Oden Lee; Young, Christopher David

2015-02-24

An automated testing system includes systems and methods to facilitate inline production testing of samples at a micro (multiple microns) or less scale with a mechanical testing instrument. In an example, the system includes a probe changing assembly for coupling and decoupling a probe of the instrument. The probe changing assembly includes a probe change unit configured to grasp one of a plurality of probes in a probe magazine and couple one of the probes with an instrument probe receptacle. An actuator is coupled with the probe change unit, and the actuator is configured to move and align the probe change unit with the probe magazine and the instrument probe receptacle. In another example, the automated testing system includes a multiple degree of freedom stage for aligning a sample testing location with the instrument. The stage includes a sample stage and a stage actuator assembly including translational and rotational actuators.

Increasing use of high-speed digital imagery as a measurement tool on test and evaluation ranges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haddleton, Graham P.

2001-04-01

In military research and development or testing there are various fast and dangerous events that need to be recorded and analysed. High-speed cameras allow the capture of movement too fast to be recognised by the human eye, and provide data that is essential for the analysis and evaluation of such events. High-speed photography is often the only type of instrumentation that can be used to record the parameters demanded by our customers. I will show examples where this applied cinematography is used not only to provide a visual record of events, but also as an essential measurement tool.

Present status, future prospects of domestic acoustical instruments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guibin, L.

1984-01-01

The product lines, specifications, and special features of China's main acoustical instrument products are described. The methods of operation nd the main problems associated with these products are discussed. Examples of the application of acoustical instruments are given. The main features of a digital signal analyzer are enumerated.

Instruments for Semiotic Mediation in Primary School Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bussi, Maria G. Bartolini; Boni, Mara

2003-01-01

Instruments have been used for centuries in mathematical experience and in the teaching tradition as well. One example is cultural instruments inherited from tradition (e.g., rulers, abaci, compasses, curve-drawing devices) that have followed or anticipated the theoretical development of mathematics. In this article, the authors analyze two cases…

Compliance-Effect Correlation Bias in Instrumental Variables Estimators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reardon, Sean F.

2010-01-01

Instrumental variable estimators hold the promise of enabling researchers to estimate the effects of educational treatments that are not (or cannot be) randomly assigned but that may be affected by randomly assigned interventions. Examples of the use of instrumental variables in such cases are increasingly common in educational and social science…

Experimenting with string musical instruments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LoPresto, Michael C.

2012-03-01

What follows are several investigations involving string musical instruments developed for and used in a Science of Sound & Light course. The experiments make use of a guitar, orchestral string instruments and data collection and graphing software. They are designed to provide students with concrete examples of how mathematical formulae, when used in physics, represent reality that can actually be observed, in this case, the operation of string musical instruments.

How to use bibliometric methods in evaluation of scientific research? An example from Finnish schizophrenia research.

PubMed

Koskinen, Johanna; Isohanni, Matti; Paajala, Henna; Jääskeläinen, Erika; Nieminen, Pentti; Koponen, Hannu; Tienari, Pekka; Miettunen, Jouko

2008-01-01

We present bibliometric methods that can be utilized in evaluation processes of scientific work. In this paper, we present some practical clues using Finnish schizophrenia research as an example and comparing the research output of different institutions. Bibliometric data and indicators including publication counts, impact factors and received citations were used as tools for evaluating research performance in Finnish schizophrenia research. The articles and citations were searched from the Web of Science database. We used schizophrenia as a keyword and defined address Finland, and limited years to 1996-2005. When we analysed Finnish schizophrenia research, altogether 265 articles met our criteria. There were differences in impact factors and received citations between institutions. The number of annually published Finnish schizophrenia articles has tripled since the mid-1990s. International co-operation was common (43%). Bibliometric methods revealed differences between institutions, indicating that the methods can be applied in research evaluation. The coverage of databases as well as the precision of their search engines can be seen as limitations. Bibliometric methods offer a practical and impartial way to estimate publication profiles of researchers and research groups. According to our experience, these methods can be used as an evaluation instrument in research together with other methods, such as expert opinions and panels.

Performance Evaluation of Community Health Workers: Case Study in the Amazon of Peru.

PubMed

Westgard, Christopher; Naraine, Renuka; Paucar Villacorta, Diego Mauricio

2018-03-26

A shortage in human resources for health is a growing crisis that has led to an inability to provide adequate health services to impoverished populations. By "task-shifting", health systems can delegate certain activities, such as health promotion and referral, to trained community members to help fill the human resource gap. An effective community health agent program can improve maternal and child health and overall effectiveness of rural health systems. Such a program is most effective when the community health agents receive supervision and evaluation of their performance. There is a shortage of literature that provides instruction and example on how to conduct a performance evaluation in the developing world to improve maternal and child health outcomes. The current study provides a case study of a performance evaluation in the Amazon region of Peru and how the findings can be used to make program adjustments. A set of instruments to measure the performance of CHWs was adapted from the literature and then implemented in the field. The instruments were used to measure the quality of home visits by the CHWs, their knowledge of the health topics, and structural activities. Three communities with an active CHW program in Loreto, Peru were chosen to receive the evaluation. All CHWs in the communities were evaluated. The scores from the evaluation were compared internally to identify strengths and weaknesses of the program and within the population of CHWs. The evaluation was completed on 52 home visits and 27 CHWs in three communities. The CHWs were found to be most effective at creating good relationships with caregivers and delivering health messages, and least effective at interacting with the child during the home visit and using material to deliver health messages. The evaluation instruments were well suited for the CHW program that utilizes home visits to teach about child health and development.

Spreadsheet for designing valid least-squares calibrations: A tutorial.

PubMed

Bettencourt da Silva, Ricardo J N

2016-02-01

Instrumental methods of analysis are used to define the price of goods, the compliance of products with a regulation, or the outcome of fundamental or applied research. These methods can only play their role properly if reported information is objective and their quality is fit for the intended use. If measurement results are reported with an adequately small measurement uncertainty both of these goals are achieved. The evaluation of the measurement uncertainty can be performed by the bottom-up approach, that involves a detailed description of the measurement process, or using a pragmatic top-down approach that quantify major uncertainty components from global performance data. The bottom-up approach is not so frequently used due to the need to master the quantification of individual components responsible for random and systematic effects that affect measurement results. This work presents a tutorial that can be easily used by non-experts in the accurate evaluation of the measurement uncertainty of instrumental methods of analysis calibrated using least-squares regressions. The tutorial includes the definition of the calibration interval, the assessments of instrumental response homoscedasticity, the definition of calibrators preparation procedure required for least-squares regression model application, the assessment of instrumental response linearity and the evaluation of measurement uncertainty. The developed measurement model is only applicable in calibration ranges where signal precision is constant. A MS-Excel file is made available to allow the easy application of the tutorial. This tool can be useful for cases where top-down approaches cannot produce results with adequately low measurement uncertainty. An example of the application of this tool to the determination of nitrate in water by ion chromatography is presented. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Developing instruments concerning scientific epistemic beliefs and goal orientations in learning science: a validation study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Tzung-Jin; Tsai, Chin-Chung

2017-11-01

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate two survey instruments to evaluate high school students' scientific epistemic beliefs and goal orientations in learning science. The initial relationships between the sampled students' scientific epistemic beliefs and goal orientations in learning science were also investigated. A final valid sample of 600 volunteer Taiwanese high school students participated in this survey by responding to the Scientific Epistemic Beliefs Instrument (SEBI) and the Goal Orientations in Learning Science Instrument (GOLSI). Through both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, the SEBI and GOLSI were proven to be valid and reliable for assessing the participants' scientific epistemic beliefs and goal orientations in learning science. The path analysis results indicated that, by and large, the students with more sophisticated epistemic beliefs in various dimensions such as Development of Knowledge, Justification for Knowing, and Purpose of Knowing tended to adopt both Mastery-approach and Mastery-avoidance goals. Some interesting results were also found. For example, the students tended to set a learning goal to outperform others or merely demonstrate competence (Performance-approach) if they had more informed epistemic beliefs in the dimensions of Multiplicity of Knowledge, Uncertainty of Knowledge, and Purpose of Knowing.

Taking a Closer Look.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reynolds, Karen

1996-01-01

Outlines benefits of integrating optical instruments in computer-based instructional systems in a science classroom including budget, immediacy, pictorial records, and graphic enhancement. Presents examples of investigative activities involving optical instruments and images digitized for computer-based manipulation. (JRH)

Transfer-matrices for series-type microwave antenna circuits. [L-band radiometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmidt, R. F.

1981-01-01

Transfer matrices are developed which permit analysis and computer evaluation of certain series type microwave antenna circuits associated with an L-Band microwave radiometer (LBMR) under investigation at Goddard Space Flight Center. This radiometer is one of several diverse instrument designs to be used for the determination of soil moisture, sea state, salinity, and temperature data. Four port matrix notation is used throughout for the evaluation of LBMR circuits with mismatched couplers and lossy transmission lines. Matrix parameters in examples are predicted on an impedance analysis and an assumption of an array aperture distribution. The notation presented is easily adapted to longer and more varied chains of matrices, and to matrices of larger dimension.

Digitizing the ranges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haddleton, Graham P.

2001-04-01

In military research and development or testing there are various fast and dangerous events that need to be recorded and analyzed. High-speed cameras allow the capture of movement too fast to be recognized by the human eye, and provide data that is essential for the analysis and evaluation of such events. High-speed photography is often the only type of instrumentation that can be used to record the parameters demanded by our customers. I will show examples where this applied cinematography is used not only to provide a visual record of events, but also as an essential measurement tool.

The AAO fiber instrument data simulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodwin, Michael; Farrell, Tony; Smedley, Scott; Heald, Ron; Heijmans, Jeroen; De Silva, Gayandhi; Carollo, Daniela

2012-09-01

The fiber instrument data simulator is an in-house software tool that simulates detector images of fiber-fed spectrographs developed by the Australian Astronomical Observatory (AAO). In addition to helping validate the instrument designs, the resulting simulated images are used to develop the required data reduction software. Example applications that have benefited from the tool usage are the HERMES and SAMI instrumental projects for the Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT). Given the sophistication of these projects an end-to-end data simulator that accurately models the predicted detector images is required. The data simulator encompasses all aspects of the transmission and optical aberrations of the light path: from the science object, through the atmosphere, telescope, fibers, spectrograph and finally the camera detectors. The simulator runs under a Linux environment that uses pre-calculated information derived from ZEMAX models and processed data from MATLAB. In this paper, we discuss the aspects of the model, software, example simulations and verification.

Method and system for providing autonomous control of a platform

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seelinger, Michael J. (Inventor); Yoder, John-David (Inventor)

2012-01-01

The present application provides a system for enabling instrument placement from distances on the order of five meters, for example, and increases accuracy of the instrument placement relative to visually-specified targets. The system provides precision control of a mobile base of a rover and onboard manipulators (e.g., robotic arms) relative to a visually-specified target using one or more sets of cameras. The system automatically compensates for wheel slippage and kinematic inaccuracy ensuring accurate placement (on the order of 2 mm, for example) of the instrument relative to the target. The system provides the ability for autonomous instrument placement by controlling both the base of the rover and the onboard manipulator using a single set of cameras. To extend the distance from which the placement can be completed to nearly five meters, target information may be transferred from navigation cameras (used for long-range) to front hazard cameras (used for positioning the manipulator).

Applying Computer-Assisted Musical Instruction to Music Appreciation Course: An Example with Chinese Musical Instruments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lou, Shi-Jer; Guo, Yuan-Chang; Zhu, Yi-Zhen; Shih, Ru-Chu; Dzan, Wei-Yuan

2011-01-01

This study aims to explore the effectiveness of computer-assisted musical instruction (CAMI) in the Learning Chinese Musical Instruments (LCMI) course. The CAMI software for Chinese musical instruments was developed and administered to 228 students in a vocational high school. A pretest-posttest non-equivalent control group design with three…

Parallel Simulation of Subsonic Fluid Dynamics on a Cluster of Workstations.

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-11-01

inside wind musical instruments. Typical simulations achieve $80\\%$ parallel efficiency (speedup/processors) using 20 HP-Apollo workstations. Detailed...TERMS AI, MIT, Artificial Intelligence, Distributed Computing, Workstation Cluster, Network, Fluid Dynamics, Musical Instruments 17. SECURITY...for example, the flow of air inside wind musical instruments. Typical simulations achieve 80% parallel efficiency (speedup/processors) using 20 HP

Using R and WinBUGS to fit a Generalized Partial Credit Model for developing and evaluating patient-reported outcomes assessments

PubMed Central

Li, Yuelin; Baser, Ray

2013-01-01

The US Food and Drug Administration recently announced the final guidelines on the development and validation of Patient-Reported Outcomes (PROs) assessments in drug labeling and clinical trials. This guidance paper may boost the demand for new PRO survey questionnaires. Henceforth biostatisticians may encounter psychometric methods more frequently, particularly Item Response Theory (IRT) models to guide the shortening of a PRO assessment instrument. This article aims to provide an introduction on the theory and practical analytic skills in fitting a Generalized Partial Credit Model in IRT (GPCM). GPCM theory is explained first, with special attention to a clearer exposition of the formal mathematics than what is typically available in the psychometric literature. Then a worked example is presented, using self-reported responses taken from the International Personality Item Pool. The worked example contains step-by-step guides on using the statistical languages R and WinBUGS in fitting the GPCM. Finally, the Fisher information function of the GPCM model is derived and used to evaluate, as an illustrative example, the usefulness of assessment items by their information contents. This article aims to encourage biostatisticians to apply IRT models in the re-analysis of existing data and in future research. PMID:22362655

Using R and WinBUGS to fit a generalized partial credit model for developing and evaluating patient-reported outcomes assessments.

PubMed

Li, Yuelin; Baser, Ray

2012-08-15

The US Food and Drug Administration recently announced the final guidelines on the development and validation of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) assessments in drug labeling and clinical trials. This guidance paper may boost the demand for new PRO survey questionnaires. Henceforth, biostatisticians may encounter psychometric methods more frequently, particularly item response theory (IRT) models to guide the shortening of a PRO assessment instrument. This article aims to provide an introduction on the theory and practical analytic skills in fitting a generalized partial credit model (GPCM) in IRT. GPCM theory is explained first, with special attention to a clearer exposition of the formal mathematics than what is typically available in the psychometric literature. Then, a worked example is presented, using self-reported responses taken from the international personality item pool. The worked example contains step-by-step guides on using the statistical languages r and WinBUGS in fitting the GPCM. Finally, the Fisher information function of the GPCM model is derived and used to evaluate, as an illustrative example, the usefulness of assessment items by their information contents. This article aims to encourage biostatisticians to apply IRT models in the re-analysis of existing data and in future research. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Contemporary Test Validity in Theory and Practice: A Primer for Discipline-Based Education Researchers

PubMed Central

Reeves, Todd D.; Marbach-Ad, Gili

2016-01-01

Most discipline-based education researchers (DBERs) were formally trained in the methods of scientific disciplines such as biology, chemistry, and physics, rather than social science disciplines such as psychology and education. As a result, DBERs may have never taken specific courses in the social science research methodology—either quantitative or qualitative—on which their scholarship often relies so heavily. One particular aspect of (quantitative) social science research that differs markedly from disciplines such as biology and chemistry is the instrumentation used to quantify phenomena. In response, this Research Methods essay offers a contemporary social science perspective on test validity and the validation process. The instructional piece explores the concepts of test validity, the validation process, validity evidence, and key threats to validity. The essay also includes an in-depth example of a validity argument and validation approach for a test of student argument analysis. In addition to DBERs, this essay should benefit practitioners (e.g., lab directors, faculty members) in the development, evaluation, and/or selection of instruments for their work assessing students or evaluating pedagogical innovations. PMID:26903498

Simplified failure sequence evaluation of reactor pressure vessel head corroding in-core instrumentation assembly

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

McVicker, J.P.; Conner, J.T.; Hasrouni, P.N.

1995-11-01

In-Core Instrumentation (ICI) assemblies located on a Reactor Pressure Vessel Head have a history of boric acid leakage. The acid tends to corrode the nuts and studs which fasten the flanges of the assembly, thereby compromising the assembly`s structural integrity. This paper provides a simplified practical approach in determining the likelihood of an undetected progressing assembly stud deterioration, which would lead to a catastrophic loss of reactor coolant. The structural behavior of the In-Core Instrumentation flanged assembly is modeled using an elastic composite section assumption, with the studs transmitting tension and the pressure sealing gasket experiencing compression. Using the abovemore » technique, one can calculate the flange relative deflection and the consequential coolant loss flow rate, as well as the stress in any stud. A solved real life example develops the expected failure sequence and discusses the exigency of leak detection for safe shutdown. In the particular case of Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant (CCNPP) it is concluded that leak detection occurs before catastrophic failure of the ICI flange assembly.« less

CÆLIS: software for assimilation, management and processing data of an atmospheric measurement network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuertes, David; Toledano, Carlos; González, Ramiro; Berjón, Alberto; Torres, Benjamín; Cachorro, Victoria E.; de Frutos, Ángel M.

2018-02-01

Given the importance of the atmospheric aerosol, the number of instruments and measurement networks which focus on its characterization are growing. Many challenges are derived from standardization of protocols, monitoring of the instrument status to evaluate the network data quality and manipulation and distribution of large volume of data (raw and processed). CÆLIS is a software system which aims at simplifying the management of a network, providing tools by monitoring the instruments, processing the data in real time and offering the scientific community a new tool to work with the data. Since 2008 CÆLIS has been successfully applied to the photometer calibration facility managed by the University of Valladolid, Spain, in the framework of Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET). Thanks to the use of advanced tools, this facility has been able to analyze a growing number of stations and data in real time, which greatly benefits the network management and data quality control. The present work describes the system architecture of CÆLIS and some examples of applications and data processing.

The EULAR Outcome Measures Library: development and an example from a systematic review for systemic lupus erythematous instruments.

PubMed

Castrejon, I; Carmona, L; Agrinier, N; Andres, M; Briot, K; Caron, M; Christensen, R; Consolaro, A; Curbelo, R; Ferrer, Montserrat; Foltz, Violaine; Gonzalez, C; Guillemin, F; Machado, P M; Prodinger, Birgit; Ravelli, A; Scholte-Voshaar, M; Uhlig, T; van Tuyl, L H D; Zink, A; Gossec, L

2015-01-01

Patient reported outcomes (PROs) are relevant in rheumatology. Variable accessibility and validity of commonly used PROs are obstacles to homogeneity in evidence synthesis. The objective of this project was to provide a comprehensive library of "validated PROs". A launch meeting with rheumatologists, PROs methodological experts, and patients, was held to define the library's aims and scope, and basic requirements. To feed the library we performed systematic reviews on selected diseases and domains. Relevant information on PROs was collected using standardised data collection forms based on the COSMIN checklist. The EULAR Outcomes Measures Library (OML), whose aims are to provide and to advise on PROs on a user-friendly manner albeit based on scientific grounds, has been launched and made accessible to all. PROs currently included cover any domain and, are generic or specifically target to the following diseases: rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, spondyloarthritis, low back pain, systemic lupus erythematosus, gout, osteoporosis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and fibromyalgia. Up to 236 instruments (106 generic and 130 specific) have been identified, evaluated, and included. The systematic review for SLE, which yielded 10 specific instruments, is presented here as an example. The OML website includes, for each PRO, information on the construct being measured and the extent of validation, recommendations for use, and available versions; it also contains a glossary on common validation terms. The OML is an in progress library led by rheumatologists, related professionals and patients, that will help to better understand and apply PROs in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases.

The Dutch Consumer Quality Index: an example of stakeholder involvement in indicator development

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Like in several other Western countries, in the Dutch health care system regulated competition has been introduced. In order to make this work, comparable information is required about the performance of health care providers in terms of effectiveness, safety and patient experiences. Without further coordination, external actors will all try to force health care providers to be transparent. For health care providers this might result in a situation in which they have to deliver data for several sets of indicators, defined by different actors. Therefore, in the Netherlands an effort is made to define national sets of performance indicators and related measuring instruments. In this article, the following questions are addressed, using patient experiences as an example: - When and how are stakeholders involved in the development of indicators and instruments that measure the patients' experiences with health care providers? - Does this involvement lead to indicators and instruments that match stakeholders' information needs? Discussion The Dutch experiences show that it is possible to implement national indicator sets and to reach consensus about what needs to be measured. Preliminary evaluations show that for health care providers and health insurers the benefits of standardization outweigh the possible loss of tailor-made information. However, it has also become clear that particular attention should be given to the participation of patient/consumer organisations. Summary Stakeholder involvement is complex and time-consuming. However, it is the only way to balance the information needs of all the parties that ask for and benefit from transparency, without frustrating the health care system. PMID:20370925

Instrumentation System Diagnoses a Thermocouple

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perotti, Jose; Santiago, Josephine; Mata, Carlos; Vokrot, Peter; Zavala, Carlos; Burns, Bradley

2008-01-01

An improved self-validating thermocouple (SVT) instrumentation system not only acquires readings from a thermocouple but is also capable of detecting deterioration and a variety of discrete faults in the thermocouple and its lead wires. Prime examples of detectable discrete faults and deterioration include open- and short-circuit conditions and debonding of the thermocouple junction from the object, the temperature of which one seeks to measure. Debonding is the most common cause of errors in thermocouple measurements, but most prior SVT instrumentation systems have not been capable of detecting debonding. The improved SVT instrumentation system includes power circuitry, a cold-junction compensator, signal-conditioning circuitry, pulse-width-modulation (PWM) thermocouple-excitation circuitry, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), a digital data processor, and a universal serial bus (USB) interface. The system can operate in any of the following three modes: temperature measurement, thermocouple validation, and bonding/debonding detection. The software running in the processor includes components that implement statistical algorithms to evaluate the state of the thermocouple and the instrumentation system. When the power is first turned on, the user can elect to start a diagnosis/ monitoring sequence, in which the PWM is used to estimate the characteristic times corresponding to the correct configuration. The user also has the option of using previous diagnostic values, which are stored in an electrically erasable, programmable read-only memory so that they are available every time the power is turned on.

LIMS for Lasers 2015 for achieving long-term accuracy and precision of δ2H, δ17O, and δ18O of waters using laser absorption spectrometry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Coplen, Tyler B.; Wassenaar, Leonard I

2015-01-01

Although laser absorption spectrometry (LAS) instrumentation is easy to use, its incorporation into laboratory operations is not easy, owing to extensive offline manipulation of comma-separated-values files for outlier detection, between-sample memory correction, nonlinearity (δ-variation with water amount) correction, drift correction, normalization to VSMOW-SLAP scales, and difficulty in performing long-term QA/QC audits. METHODS: A Microsoft Access relational-database application, LIMS (Laboratory Information Management System) for Lasers 2015, was developed. It automates LAS data corrections and manages clients, projects, samples, instrument-sample lists, and triple-isotope (δ(17) O, δ(18) O, and δ(2) H values) instrumental data for liquid-water samples. It enables users to (1) graphically evaluate sample injections for variable water yields and high isotope-delta variance; (2) correct for between-sample carryover, instrumental drift, and δ nonlinearity; and (3) normalize final results to VSMOW-SLAP scales. RESULTS: Cost-free LIMS for Lasers 2015 enables users to obtain improved δ(17) O, δ(18) O, and δ(2) H values with liquid-water LAS instruments, even those with under-performing syringes. For example, LAS δ(2) HVSMOW measurements of USGS50 Lake Kyoga (Uganda) water using an under-performing syringe having ±10 % variation in water concentration gave +31.7 ± 1.6 ‰ (2-σ standard deviation), compared with the reference value of +32.8 ± 0.4 ‰, after correction for variation in δ value with water concentration, between-sample memory, and normalization to the VSMOW-SLAP scale. CONCLUSIONS: LIMS for Lasers 2015 enables users to create systematic, well-founded instrument templates, import δ(2) H, δ(17) O, and δ(18) O results, evaluate performance with automatic graphical plots, correct for δ nonlinearity due to variable water concentration, correct for between-sample memory, adjust for drift, perform VSMOW-SLAP normalization, and perform long-term QA/QC audits easily.

Ultrasound Techniques for Space Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rooney, James A.

1985-01-01

Ultrasound has proven to be a safe non-invasive technique for imaging organs and measuring cardiovascular function. It has unique advantages for application to problems with man in space including evaluation of cardiovascular function both in serial studies and during critical operations. In addition, specialized instrumentation may be capable of detecting the onset of decompression sickness during EVA activities. A spatial location and three-dimensional reconstruction system is being developed to improve the accuracy and reproducibility for serial comparative ultrasound studies of cardiovascular function. The three-dimensional method permits the acquisition of ultrasonic images from many views that can be recombined into a single reconstruction of the heart or vasculature. In addition to conventional imaging and monitoring systems, it is sometimes necessary or desirable to develop instrumentation for special purposes. One example of this type of development is the design of a pulsed-Doppler system to monitor cerebral blood flow during critical operations such as re-entry. A second example is the design of a swept-frequency ultrasound system for the detection of bubbles in the circulatory system and/or soft tissues as an early indication of the onset of decompression sickness during EVA activities. This system exploits the resonant properties of bubbles and can detect both fundamental and second harmonic emissions from the insonified region.

[Controlling instruments in radiology].

PubMed

Maurer, M

2013-10-01

Due to the rising costs and competitive pressures radiological clinics and practices are now facing, controlling instruments are gaining importance in the optimization of structures and processes of the various diagnostic examinations and interventional procedures. It will be shown how the use of selected controlling instruments can secure and improve the performance of radiological facilities. A definition of the concept of controlling will be provided. It will be shown which controlling instruments can be applied in radiological departments and practices. As an example, two of the controlling instruments, material cost analysis and benchmarking, will be illustrated.

Optical Testing and Verification Methods for the James Webb Space Telescope Integrated Science Instrument Module Element

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Antonille, Scott R.; Miskey, Cherie L.; Ohl, Raymond G.; Rohrbach, Scott O.; Aronstein, David L.; Bartoszyk, Andrew E.; Bowers, Charles W.; Cofie, Emmanuel; Collins, Nicholas R.; Comber, Brian J.;

Optical testing and verification methods for the James Webb Space Telescope Integrated Science Instrument Module element

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antonille, Scott R.; Miskey, Cherie L.; Ohl, Raymond G.; Rohrbach, Scott O.; Aronstein, David L.; Bartoszyk, Andrew E.; Bowers, Charles W.; Cofie, Emmanuel; Collins, Nicholas R.; Comber, Brian J.; Eichhorn, William L.; Glasse, Alistair C.; Gracey, Renee; Hartig, George F.; Howard, Joseph M.; Kelly, Douglas M.; Kimble, Randy A.; Kirk, Jeffrey R.; Kubalak, David A.; Landsman, Wayne B.; Lindler, Don J.; Malumuth, Eliot M.; Maszkiewicz, Michael; Rieke, Marcia J.; Rowlands, Neil; Sabatke, Derek S.; Smith, Corbett T.; Smith, J. Scott; Sullivan, Joseph F.; Telfer, Randal C.; Te Plate, Maurice; Vila, M. Begoña.; Warner, Gerry D.; Wright, David; Wright, Raymond H.; Zhou, Julia; Zielinski, Thomas P.

2016-09-01

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a 6.5m diameter, segmented, deployable telescope for cryogenic IR space astronomy. The JWST Observatory includes the Optical Telescope Element (OTE) and the Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM), that contains four science instruments (SI) and the Fine Guidance Sensor (FGS). The SIs are mounted to a composite metering structure. The SIs and FGS were integrated to the ISIM structure and optically tested at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center using the Optical Telescope Element SIMulator (OSIM). OSIM is a full-field, cryogenic JWST telescope simulator. SI performance, including alignment and wavefront error, was evaluated using OSIM. We describe test and analysis methods for optical performance verification of the ISIM Element, with an emphasis on the processes used to plan and execute the test. The complexity of ISIM and OSIM drove us to develop a software tool for test planning that allows for configuration control of observations, implementation of associated scripts, and management of hardware and software limits and constraints, as well as tools for rapid data evaluation, and flexible re-planning in response to the unexpected. As examples of our test and analysis approach, we discuss how factors such as the ground test thermal environment are compensated in alignment. We describe how these innovative methods for test planning and execution and post-test analysis were instrumental in the verification program for the ISIM element, with enough information to allow the reader to consider these innovations and lessons learned in this successful effort in their future testing for other programs.

[The Munich Attachment and Effectiveness Study: Study Design and a Case Example].

PubMed

Hörz-Sagstetter, Susanne; Minow, Anna-Rahel; Erhardt, Ingrid; Barten-Hohn, Julia; Denscherz, Claudia; Buchheim, Anna; Taubner, Svenja; Mertens, Wolfgang

2016-03-01

The "Munich Attachment and Effectiveness Study" is a prospective psychotherapy study examining process and outcome of psychoanalytic psychotherapies. The study design and results are exemplified in a single case. At 6 points in time audio-taped and transcribed therapy sessions are evaluated using process instruments (e. g. Psychotherapy Process Q-Set PQS) and interviews (e. g. Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnostics OPD, Heidelberg Structural Change Scale HSCS, Adult Attachment Interview AAI). In the single case, findings from the psychotherapeutic process (e. g. "therapist is empathic" according to PQS) complement the achieved changes. 5 HSCS problem foci reached level of "restructuring", on the Reflective Functioning Scale a marked change of RF took place and the attachment classification changed over time. The instruments employed in this study corresponded well in assessing change processes in spite of differing theoretical background. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Simulations of Observations with the Far-Infrared Surveyor: Design Overview and Current Status

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeong, W.; Pak, S.; Lee, H. M.; Kim, S.; Matsuura, M.; Nakagawa, T.; Yamamura, I.; Murakami, H.; Matsuura, S.; Kawada, M.; Kaneda, H.; Shibai, H.

2000-12-01

The Far-Infrared Surveyor (FIS) is one of the on-board instruments on the ASTRO-F satellite, which will be launched in early 2004. The first a half year of its mission period of 500 days is dedicated to an all sky survey in four bands between 50 and 200 micron. On the basis of the present hardware specifications and configurations of the FIS, we have written a computer program to simulate the FIS. The program can be used to evaluate the performance of the instrument as well as to produce input for the data reduction system. In this paper, we describe the current status of the program. As an example of the usage of the simulation program, we present the expected observing data for three different detector sampling rates. The functions which should be implemented into the program, in the future, are enumerated.

Development of Instruments and Evaluative Procedures on Contributors to Illness and Health.

PubMed

Cloninger, C Robert; Cloninger, Kevin M

2011-09-01

Instruments available for a person-centered assessment of the causes of well-being and ill-being are described. Monitoring at the level of symptoms of illness and past lifestyle behavior has failed to promote change in well-being in a strong and consistent way. Therefore, we illustrate a way of assessing the interactions among multiple aspects of the causes of well-being. For example, at least three distinct aspects of human well-being are known to interact synergistically to promote health - neurobiological plasticity, self-regulatory functioning and virtue. The neglect of any one of the ternary aspects of well-being impedes understanding and treatment of the whole person. Each aspect can be reliably measured using quantitative and qualitative techniques to facilitate treatment planning and analysis of their interactions as a complex adaptive system, although further work is needed to clarify the content and structure of each aspect.

Development of Instruments and Evaluative Procedures on Contributors to Illness and Health.

PubMed

Cloninger, C Robert; Cloninger, Kevin M

Instruments available for a person-centered assessment of the causes of well-being and ill-being are described. Monitoring at the level of symptoms of illness and past lifestyle behavior has failed to promote change in well-being in a strong and consistent way. Therefore, we illustrate a way of assessing the interactions among multiple aspects of the causes of well-being. For example, at least three distinct aspects of human well-being are known to interact synergistically to promote health - neurobiological plasticity, self-regulatory functioning and virtue. The neglect of any one of the ternary aspects of well-being impedes understanding and treatment of the whole person. Each aspect can be reliably measured using quantitative and qualitative techniques to facilitate treatment planning and analysis of their interactions as a complex adaptive system, although further work is needed to clarify the content and structure of each aspect.

The X-shooter pipeline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldoni, P.

2011-03-01

The X-shooter data reduction pipeline is an integral part of the X-shooter project, it allows the production of reduced data in physical quantities from the raw data produced by the instrument. The pipeline is based on the data reduction library developed by the X-shooter consortium with contributions from France, The Netherlands and ESO and it uses the Common Pipeline Library (CPL) developed at ESO. The pipeline has been developed for two main functions. The first function is to monitor the operation of the instrument through the reduction of the acquired data, both at Paranal, for a quick-look control, and in Garching, for a more thorough evaluation. The second function is to allow an optimized data reduction for a scientific user. In the following I will first outline the main steps of data reduction with the pipeline then I will briefly show two examples of optimization of the results for science reduction.

Field observations using an AOTF polarimetric imaging spectrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheng, Li-Jen; Hamilton, Mike; Mahoney, Colin; Reyes, George

1993-01-01

This paper reports preliminary results of recent field observations using a prototype acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF) polarimetric imaging spectrometer. The data illustrate application potentials for geoscience. The operation principle of this instrument is different from that of current airborne multispectral imaging instruments, such as AVIRIS. The AOTF instrument takes two orthogonally polarized images at a desired wavelength at one time, whereas AVIRIS takes a spectrum over a predetermined wavelength range at one pixel at a time and the image is constructed later. AVIRIS does not have any polarization measuring capability. The AOTF instrument could be a complement tool to AVIRIS. Polarization measurement is a desired capability for many applications in remote sensing. It is well know that natural light is often polarized due to various scattering phenomena in the atmosphere. Also, scattered light from canopies is reported to have a polarized component. To characterize objects of interest correctly requires a remote sensing imaging spectrometer capable of measuring object signal and background radiation in both intensity and polarization so that the characteristics of the object can be determined. The AORF instrument has the capability to do so. The AOTF instrument has other unique properties. For example, it can provide spectral images immediately after the observation. The instrument can also allow observations to be tailored in real time to perform the desired experiments and to collect only required data. Consequently, the performance in each mission can be increased with minimal resources. The prototype instrument was completed in the beginning of this year. A number of outdoor field experiments were performed with the objective to evaluate the capability of this new technology for remote sensing applications and to determine issues for further improvements.

The importance of establishing reliability and validity of assessment instruments for mental health problems: An example from Somali children and adolescents living in three refugee camps in Ethiopia

PubMed Central

Hall, Brian J.; Puffer, Eve; Murray, Laura K.; Ismael, Abdulkadir; Bass, Judith K.; Sim, Amanda; Bolton, Paul A.

2014-01-01

Assessing mental health problems cross-culturally for children exposed to war and violence presents a number of unique challenges. One of the most important issues is the lack of validated symptom measures to assess these problems. The present study sought to evaluate the psychometric properties of two measures to assess mental health problems: the Achenbach Youth Self-Report and the Child Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Scale. We conducted a validity study in three refugee camps in Eastern Ethiopia in the outskirts of Jijiga, the capital of the Somali region. A total of 147 child and caregiver pairs were assessed, and scores obtained were submitted to rigorous psychometric evaluation. Excellent internal consistency reliability was obtained for symptom measures for children and their caregivers. Validation of study instruments based on local case definitions was obtained for the caregivers but not consistently for the children. Sensitivity and specificity of study measures were generally low, indicating that these scales would not perform adequately as screening instruments. Combined test-retest and inter-rater reliability was low for all scales. This study illustrates the need for validation and testing of existing measures cross-culturally. Methodological implications for future cross-cultural research studies in low- and middle-income countries are discussed. PMID:24955147

Introducing Multisensor Satellite Radiance-Based Evaluation for Regional Earth System Modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Matsui, T.; Santanello, J.; Shi, J. J.; Tao, W.-K.; Wu, D.; Peters-Lidard, C.; Kemp, E.; Chin, M.; Starr, D.; Sekiguchi, M.;

Evaluation of competence-based teaching in higher education: From theory to practice.

PubMed

Bergsmann, Evelyn; Schultes, Marie-Therese; Winter, Petra; Schober, Barbara; Spiel, Christiane

2015-10-01

Competence-based teaching in higher education institutions and its evaluation have become a prevalent topic especially in the European Union. However, evaluation instruments are often limited, for example to single student competencies or specific elements of the teaching process. The present paper provides a more comprehensive evaluation concept that contributes to sustainable improvement of competence-based teaching in higher education institutions. The evaluation concept considers competence research developments as well as the participatory evaluation approach. The evaluation concept consists of three stages. The first stage evaluates whether the competencies students are supposed to acquire within the curriculum (ideal situation) are well defined. The second stage evaluates the teaching process and the competencies students have actually acquired (real situation). The third stage evaluates concrete aspects of the teaching process. Additionally, an implementation strategy is introduced to support the transfer from the theoretical evaluation concept to practice. The evaluation concept and its implementation strategy are designed for internal evaluations in higher education and primarily address higher education institutions that have already developed and conducted a competence-based curriculum. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Platform to Build Mobile Health Apps: The Personal Health Intervention Toolkit (PHIT).

PubMed

Eckhoff, Randall Peter; Kizakevich, Paul Nicholas; Bakalov, Vesselina; Zhang, Yuying; Bryant, Stephanie Patrice; Hobbs, Maria Ann

2015-06-01

Personal Health Intervention Toolkit (PHIT) is an advanced cross-platform software framework targeted at personal self-help research on mobile devices. Following the subjective and objective measurement, assessment, and plan methodology for health assessment and intervention recommendations, the PHIT platform lets researchers quickly build mobile health research Android and iOS apps. They can (1) create complex data-collection instruments using a simple extensible markup language (XML) schema; (2) use Bluetooth wireless sensors; (3) create targeted self-help interventions based on collected data via XML-coded logic; (4) facilitate cross-study reuse from the library of existing instruments and interventions such as stress, anxiety, sleep quality, and substance abuse; and (5) monitor longitudinal intervention studies via daily upload to a Web-based dashboard portal. For physiological data, Bluetooth sensors collect real-time data with on-device processing. For example, using the BinarHeartSensor, the PHIT platform processes the heart rate data into heart rate variability measures, and plots these data as time-series waveforms. Subjective data instruments are user data-entry screens, comprising a series of forms with validation and processing logic. The PHIT instrument library consists of over 70 reusable instruments for various domains including cognitive, environmental, psychiatric, psychosocial, and substance abuse. Many are standardized instruments, such as the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test, Patient Health Questionnaire-8, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist. Autonomous instruments such as battery and global positioning system location support continuous background data collection. All data are acquired using a schedule appropriate to the app's deployment. The PHIT intelligent virtual advisor (iVA) is an expert system logic layer, which analyzes the data in real time on the device. This data analysis results in a tailored app of interventions and other data-collection instruments. For example, if a user anxiety score exceeds a threshold, the iVA might add a meditation intervention to the task list in order to teach the user how to relax, and schedule a reassessment using the anxiety instrument 2 weeks later to re-evaluate. If the anxiety score exceeds a higher threshold, then an advisory to seek professional help would be displayed. Using the easy-to-use PHIT scripting language, the researcher can program new instruments, the iVA, and interventions to their domain-specific needs. The iVA, instruments, and interventions are defined via XML files, which facilities rapid app development and deployment. The PHIT Web-based dashboard portal provides the researcher access to all the uploaded data. After a secure login, the data can be filtered by criteria such as study, protocol, domain, and user. Data can also be exported into a comma-delimited file for further processing. The PHIT framework has proven to be an extensible, reconfigurable technology that facilitates mobile data collection and health intervention research. Additional plans include instrument development in other domains, additional health sensors, and a text messaging notification system.

A Platform to Build Mobile Health Apps: The Personal Health Intervention Toolkit (PHIT)

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Personal Health Intervention Toolkit (PHIT) is an advanced cross-platform software framework targeted at personal self-help research on mobile devices. Following the subjective and objective measurement, assessment, and plan methodology for health assessment and intervention recommendations, the PHIT platform lets researchers quickly build mobile health research Android and iOS apps. They can (1) create complex data-collection instruments using a simple extensible markup language (XML) schema; (2) use Bluetooth wireless sensors; (3) create targeted self-help interventions based on collected data via XML-coded logic; (4) facilitate cross-study reuse from the library of existing instruments and interventions such as stress, anxiety, sleep quality, and substance abuse; and (5) monitor longitudinal intervention studies via daily upload to a Web-based dashboard portal. For physiological data, Bluetooth sensors collect real-time data with on-device processing. For example, using the BinarHeartSensor, the PHIT platform processes the heart rate data into heart rate variability measures, and plots these data as time-series waveforms. Subjective data instruments are user data-entry screens, comprising a series of forms with validation and processing logic. The PHIT instrument library consists of over 70 reusable instruments for various domains including cognitive, environmental, psychiatric, psychosocial, and substance abuse. Many are standardized instruments, such as the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test, Patient Health Questionnaire-8, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist. Autonomous instruments such as battery and global positioning system location support continuous background data collection. All data are acquired using a schedule appropriate to the app’s deployment. The PHIT intelligent virtual advisor (iVA) is an expert system logic layer, which analyzes the data in real time on the device. This data analysis results in a tailored app of interventions and other data-collection instruments. For example, if a user anxiety score exceeds a threshold, the iVA might add a meditation intervention to the task list in order to teach the user how to relax, and schedule a reassessment using the anxiety instrument 2 weeks later to re-evaluate. If the anxiety score exceeds a higher threshold, then an advisory to seek professional help would be displayed. Using the easy-to-use PHIT scripting language, the researcher can program new instruments, the iVA, and interventions to their domain-specific needs. The iVA, instruments, and interventions are defined via XML files, which facilities rapid app development and deployment. The PHIT Web-based dashboard portal provides the researcher access to all the uploaded data. After a secure login, the data can be filtered by criteria such as study, protocol, domain, and user. Data can also be exported into a comma-delimited file for further processing. The PHIT framework has proven to be an extensible, reconfigurable technology that facilitates mobile data collection and health intervention research. Additional plans include instrument development in other domains, additional health sensors, and a text messaging notification system. PMID:26033047

The Dream

PubMed Central

Glucksman, Myron L.

2001-01-01

The dream is a unique psychodynamically informative instrument for evaluating the subjective correlates of brain activity during REM sleep. These include feelings, percepts, memories, wishes, fantasies, impulses, conflicts, and defenses, as well as images of self and others. Dream analysis can be used in a variety of clinical settings to assist in diagnostic assessment, psychodynamic formulation, evaluation of clinical change, and the management of medically ill patients. Dreams may serve as the initial indicators of transference, resistance, impending crisis, acting-out, conflict resolution, and decision-making. A clinically functional categorization of dreams can facilitate an understanding of psychopathology, psychodynamics, personality structure, and various components of the psychotherapeutic process. Examples of different types of dreams are provided to illustrate their relevance and use in various clinical situations. PMID:11696648

Application of the gas-discharge surge arresters in X-ray devices and low voltage instrumentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simon, V. A.; Gerasimov, V. A.; Kostrin, D. K.; Lisenkov, A. A.; Selivanov, L. M.; Uhov, A. A.

2018-02-01

Usage of the gas discharge in science and engineering is discussed. Application examples of the compact gas-discharge tubes in the X-ray devices and low voltage instrumentation appliances for the surge protection are presented.

Introduction to Instrumental Analysis of Water Pollutants. Training Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Office of Water Program Operations (EPA), Cincinnati, OH. National Training and Operational Technology Center.

This course is designed for those requiring an introduction to instruments commonly used in water pollution analyses. Examples are: pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen meters, spectrophotometers, turbidimeters, carbon analyzer, and gas chromatographs. Students should have a basic knowledge of analytical chemistry. (CO)

Data Quality Assessment of FY-3C MWRI Microwave Imager from CMA, ECMWF and the Met Office

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Q.; WU, S.; Dou, F.; Sun, F.; Lawrence, H.; Geer, A.; English, S.; Newman, S.; Bell, W.; Bormann, N.; Carminati, F.

2017-12-01

MWRI is a conical-scanning microwave imager following on from the heritage of similar instruments such as SSMI/S and AMSR-2, with ten channels at frequencies between 10.65 GHz and 89 GHz. MWRI is flown on the China Meteorological Administration's (CMA's) Feng-Yun-3 (FY-3) satellite series, including on FY-3C and the upcoming FY-3D, scheduled for launch in September 2017. Here we present an evaluation of the data from MWRI on the FY-3C satellite launched in 2013. At CMA, the MWRI instrumental parameters and statistics between observation and simulation from RTTOV and CRTM radiative transfer modeling were monitored to characterise instrumental uncertainty from calibration and assess the data quality. The data were also assessed using model-equivalent brightness temperatures from the ECMWF and Met Office short-range forecasts. The forecasts were first transformed into brightness temperature space using the RTTOV radiative transfer code. By analysing observed minus model background ("O-B") brightness temperature departures we were able to investigate the instrument and geophysical state dependence of biases. We show examples of how biases can impact the data quality, related to ascending/descending node differences and radio frequency interference. We discuss the prospects of assimilation of MWRI data at NWP centres.

Instrumenting caves to collect hydrologic and geochemical data: case study from James Cave, Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schreiber, Madeline E.; Schwartz, Benjamin F.; Orndorff, William; Doctor, Daniel H.; Eagle, Sarah D.; Gerst, Jonathan D.

2015-01-01

Karst aquifers are productive groundwater systems, supplying approximately 25 % of the world’s drinking water. Sustainable use of this critical water supply requires information about rates of recharge to karst aquifers. The overall goal of this project is to collect long-term, high-resolution hydrologic and geochemical datasets at James Cave, Virginia, to evaluate the quantity and quality of recharge to the karst system. To achieve this goal, the cave has been instrumented for continuous (10-min interval) measurement of the (1) temperature and rate of precipitation; (2) temperature, specific conductance, and rate of epikarst dripwater; (3) temperature of the cave air; and (4) temperature, conductivity, and discharge of the cave stream. Instrumentation has also been installed to collect both composite and grab samples of precipitation, soil water, the cave stream, and dripwater for geochemical analysis. This chapter provides detailed information about the instrumentation, data processing, and data management; shows examples of collected datasets; and discusses recommendations for other researchers interested in hydrologic and geochemical monitoring of cave systems. Results from the research, briefly described here and discussed in more detail in other publications, document a strong seasonality of the start of the recharge season, the extent of the recharge season, and the geochemistry of recharge.

Surgical technique for balancing posterior spinal fusions to the pelvis using the T square of Tolo.

PubMed

Andras, Lindsay; Yamaguchi, Kent T; Skaggs, David L; Tolo, Vernon T

2012-12-01

Correcting pelvic obliquity and improving sitting balance in neuromuscular scoliosis often requires fixation to the pelvis. We describe the use of a T square instrument to assist intraoperatively in evaluating the alignment of these curves and achieving balance in the coronal plane. The T square instrument was constructed with a vertical limb perpendicular to 2 horizontal limbs in a T formation. At the conclusion of the instrumentation and preliminary reduction maneuvers, the T square was positioned with the horizontal limbs parallel to the pelvis and the vertical limb in line with the central sacral line. If the spine and pelvis were well balanced, fluoroscopic images demonstrated that the superior aspect of the vertical limb of the T square was crossing the vertebral body of T1. If this was not shown, then some combination of compression, distraction, or a change in the contouring of the rods was performed until this balance was achieved. In this series, we describe case examples in which the T square has been successfully used to aid in achieving balance in the coronal plane. This technique helps to overcome the challenges with positioning and imaging often encountered in managing these long, rigid curves. The T square is a useful adjunct in balancing posterior spinal fusions and evaluating the correction of pelvic obliquity in cases of neuromuscular scoliosis. This novel, yet simple, T square technique can be used for any method of posterior spinal fusion with lumbopelvic fixation to assist in the intraoperative evaluation and achievement of balance in the coronal plane and has become routine at our institution. IV.

ARNICA and LonGSp: the refurbishment of two near infrared instruments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koshida, Shintaro; Vanzi, Leonardo; Guzman, Dani; Leiva, Rodrigo; Bonati, Marco A.; Avilés, Roberto L.; Baffa, Carlo; Palla, Francesco; Mannucci, Filippo; Shen, Tzu Chiang; Suc, Vincent

2014-07-01

ARNICA and LonGSp are two NICMOS based near infrared instruments developed in the 90's by the Astrophysical Observatory of Arcetri. After more than 10 years from decommissioning we refurbished the two instruments with a new read-out electronics and control software. We present the performances of the refurbished systems and compare them with the historic behavior. Both instruments are currently used for testing purposes in the Lab and at the telescope, we present some example applications.

Traceability of radiation protection instruments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hino, Y.; Kurosawa, T.

2007-08-01

Radiation protection instruments are used in daily measurement of dose and activities in workplaces and environments for safety management. The requirements for calibration certificates with traceability are increasing for these instruments to ensure the consistency and reliabilities of the measurement results. The present traceability scheme of radiation protection instruments for dose and activity measurements is described with related IEC/ISO requirements. Some examples of desirable future calibration systems with recent new technologies are also discussed to establish the traceability with reasonable costs and reliabilities.

OERL: A Tool For Geoscience Education Evaluators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zalles, D. R.

2002-12-01

The Online Evaluation Resource Library (OERL) is a Web-based set of resources for improving the evaluation of projects funded by the Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR) of the National Science Foundation (NSF). OERL provides prospective project developers and evaluators with material that they can use to design, conduct, document, and review evaluations. OERL helps evaluators tackle the challenges of seeing if a project is meeting its implementation and outcome-related goals. Within OERL is a collection of exemplary plans, instruments, and reports from evaluations of EHR-funded projects in the geosciences and in other areas of science and mathematics. In addition, OERL contains criteria about good evaluation practices, professional development modules about evaluation design and questionnaire development, a dictionary of key evaluation terms, and links to evaluation standards. Scenarios illustrate how the resources can be used or adapted. Currently housed in OERL are 137 instruments, and full or excerpted versions of 38 plans and 60 reports. 143 science and math projects have contributed to the collection so far. OERL's search tool permits the launching of precise searches based on key attributes of resources such as their subject area and the name of the sponsoring university or research institute. OERL's goals are to 1) meet the needs for continuous professional development of evaluators and principal investigators, 2) complement traditional vehicles of learning about evaluation, 3) utilize the affordances of current technologies (e.g., Web-based digital libraries, relational databases, and electronic performance support systems) for improving evaluation practice, 4) provide anytime/anyplace access to update-able resources that support evaluators' needs, and 5) provide a forum by which professionals can interact on evaluation issues and practices. Geoscientists can search the collection of resources from geoscience education projects that have been funded by NSF to carry out curriculum development, teacher education, faculty development, and increased access, retention, and preparation of under-represented student populations in science. Over the next two years, additional plans, instruments, and reports from other projects will be added to the OERL collection. Also to be added are more professional development modules and online coaches for constructing key evaluation documents. The presentation overviews the structure of OERL, describes some of the geoscience projects in the collection, and provides some examples of how its resources can be used and adapted for other geoscience education evaluations.

Some Applications of Colorimeters and Light Meters in Biology Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freeland, P. W.

1975-01-01

Describes differences in the construction of a colorimeter and a photometer. Gives examples of ways in which light-measuring instruments can be used by biologists. These examples can be used either as class experiments or as individual projects. (GS)

The instrumentation program for the Thirty Meter Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simard, Luc; Crampton, David; Ellerbroek, Brent; Boyer, Corinne

2012-09-01

An overview of the current status of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) instrumentation program is presented. Science cases and operational concepts as well as their links to the instruments are continually revisited and updated through a series of workshops and conferences. Work on the three first-light instruments (WFOS IRIS, and IRMS) has made significant progress, and many groups in TMT partner communities are developing future instrument concepts. Other instrument-related subsystems are also receiving considerable attention given their importance to the scientific end-to-end performance of the Observatory. As an example, we describe aspects of the facility instrument cooling system that are crucially important to successful diffraction-limited observations on an extremely large telescope.

40 CFR 146.85 - Financial responsibility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

....e., Financial Test and Corporate Guarantee). (vi) Escrow Account. (vii) Any other instrument(s... requirements of § 146.92); (iii) Post injection site care and site closure (that meets the requirements of...), for example trust funds, surety bonds guaranteeing payment into a trust fund, letters of credit...

40 CFR 146.85 - Financial responsibility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

....e., Financial Test and Corporate Guarantee). (vi) Escrow Account. (vii) Any other instrument(s... requirements of § 146.92); (iii) Post injection site care and site closure (that meets the requirements of...), for example trust funds, surety bonds guaranteeing payment into a trust fund, letters of credit...

["Operationalised psychodynamic diagnostics in childhood and adolescence" (OPD-CA) in practice].

PubMed

Schulte-Markwort, Michael; Resch, Franz; Bürgin, Dieter

2004-02-01

"Operationalised psychodynamic diagnostics in childhood and adolescence" (OPD-CA) has been completed in its first version after years of development. In a first interview with a 13-year-old boy, the diagnostic instruments of OPD-CA are presented by means of examples. The text passages of the transcribed first interview are evaluated in four sections by representatives of the respective working groups regarding the axes--relationships, conflict, structure and preconditions for treatment--and the diagnostic conclusions resulting from this are presented, thus providing a direct insight into the specific psychodynamic diagnostics of OPD-CA.

Challenges in regulation of biomedical research: The case of Kenya.

PubMed

Wekesa, M

2015-12-01

Unregulated biomedical research has previously caused untold suffering to humankind. History is full of examples of abuse of animal and human subjects for research. Several codes and instruments have been formulated to regulate biomedical research. In Kenya, the Science, Technology and Innovation Act, 2014, together with the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, provide a fairly robust legal framework. Possible challenges include capacity building, overlap of functions of institutions, monitoring and evaluation, scientific/technological advances, intellectual property rights, funding for research, and dispute resolution. It is hoped that the new legislation will adequately address these challenges.

Extreme Temperature Performance of Automotive-Grade Small Signal Bipolar Junction Transistors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boomer, Kristen; Damron, Benny; Gray, Josh; Hammoud, Ahmad

2018-01-01

Electronics designed for space exploration missions must display efficient and reliable operation under extreme temperature conditions. For example, lunar outposts, Mars rovers and landers, James Webb Space Telescope, Europa orbiter, and deep space probes represent examples of missions where extreme temperatures and thermal cycling are encountered. Switching transistors, small signal as well as power level devices, are widely used in electronic controllers, data instrumentation, and power management and distribution systems. Little is known, however, about their performance in extreme temperature environments beyond their specified operating range; in particular under cryogenic conditions. This report summarizes preliminary results obtained on the evaluation of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) automotive-grade NPN small signal transistors over a wide temperature range and thermal cycling. The investigations were carried out to establish a baseline on functionality of these transistors and to determine suitability for use outside their recommended temperature limits.

The medi-drama as an instrument to teach doctor-patient relationships.

PubMed

Yaffe, M J

1989-01-01

This paper reviews an experience of the Curriculum Development Group of the College of Family Physicians of Canada in describing the doctor-patient relationship and its value in the clinical process. It proposes the use of a medi-drama or multi-scene script encompassing a broad range of bio-psycho-social-ethical issues as a practical tool to teach the doctor-patient relationship. Principles for conducting a medi-drama are presented, as are the advantages of this experiential teaching modality. An example of a specific script developed along the theme of Adult Children of Ageing Parents is described, and an evaluation of its usefulness in teaching the doctor-patient relationship is presented from feedback from seven different family medicine residency or faculty development groups. Finally, examples of the breadth of topics that can be generated from a single medi-drama are presented.

Measurement properties of adult quality-of-life measurement instruments for eczema: protocol for a systematic review.

PubMed

Apfelbacher, Christian J; Heinl, Daniel; Prinsen, Cecilia A C; Deckert, Stefanie; Chalmers, Joanne; Ofenloch, Robert; Humphreys, Rosemary; Sach, Tracey; Chamlin, Sarah; Schmitt, Jochen

2015-04-16

Eczema is a common chronic or chronically relapsing skin disease that has a substantial impact on quality of life (QoL). By means of a consensus-based process, the Harmonising Outcome Measures in Eczema (HOME) initiative has identified QoL as one of the four core outcome domains to be assessed in all eczema trials (Allergy 67(9):1111-7, 2012). Various measurement instruments exist to measure QoL in adults with eczema, but there is a great variability in both content and quality (for example, reliability and validity) of the instruments used, and it is not always clear if the best instrument is being used. Therefore, the aim of the proposed research is a comprehensive systematic assessment of the measurement properties of the existing measurement instruments that were developed and/or validated for the measurement of patient-reported QoL in adults with eczema. This study is a systematic review of the measurement properties of patient-reported measures of QoL developed and/or validated for adults with eczema. Medline via PubMed and EMBASE will be searched using a selection of relevant search terms. Eligible studies will be primary empirical studies evaluating, describing, or comparing measurement properties of QoL instruments for adult patients with eczema. Eligibility assessment and data abstraction will be performed independently by two reviewers. Evidence tables will be generated for study characteristics, instrument characteristics, measurement properties, and interpretability. The quality of the measurement properties will be assessed using predefined criteria. Methodological quality of studies will be assessed using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) checklist. A best evidence synthesis will be undertaken if more than one study has investigated a particular measurement property. The proposed systematic review will produce a comprehensive assessment of measurement properties of existing QoL instruments in adult patients with eczema. We aim to identify one best currently available instrument to measure QoL in eczema patients. PROSPERO CRD42015017138.

76 FR 1063 - Modifications of Debt Instruments

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-07

... modified instrument received in an exchange will be classified as debt for Federal income tax purposes... properly classified as debt for Federal income tax purposes. Effective/Applicability Date The regulations... right that is not debt for federal income tax purposes. Paragraph (g) of this section contains examples...

Engineering aspects of the Large Binocular Telescope Observatory adaptive optics systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brusa, Guido; Ashby, Dave; Christou, Julian C.; Kern, Jonathan; Lefebvre, Michael; McMahon, Tom J.; Miller, Douglas; Rahmer, Gustavo; Sosa, Richard; Taylor, Gregory; Vogel, Conrad; Zhang, Xianyu

2016-07-01

Vertical profiles of the atmospheric optical turbulence strength and velocity is of critical importance for simulating, designing, and operating the next generation of instruments for the European Extremely Large Telescope. Many of these instruments are already well into the design phase meaning these profies are required immediately to ensure they are optimised for the unique conditions likely to be observed. Stereo-SCIDAR is a generalised SCIDAR instrument which is used to characterise the profile of the atmospheric optical turbulence strength and wind velocity using triangulation between two optical binary stars. Stereo-SCIDAR has demonstrated the capability to resolve turbulent layers with the required vertical resolution to support wide-field ELT instrument designs. These high resolution atmospheric parameters are critical for design studies and statistical evaluation of on-sky performance under real conditions. Here we report on the new Stereo-SCIDAR instrument installed on one of the Auxillary Telescope ports of the Very Large Telescope array at Cerro Paranal. Paranal is located approximately 20 km from Cerro Armazones, the site of the E-ELT. Although the surface layer of the turbulence will be different for the two sites due to local geography, the high-altitude resolution profiles of the free atmosphere from this instrument will be the most accurate available for the E-ELT site. In addition, these unbiased and independent profiles are also used to further characterise the site of the VLT. This enables instrument performance calibration, optimisation and data analysis of, for example, the ESO Adaptive Optics facility and the Next Generation Transit Survey. It will also be used to validate atmospheric models for turbulence forecasting. We show early results from the commissioning and address future implications of the results.

Measuring the Impact of Cognitive Prosthetics on the Daily Life of People with Dementia and Their Carers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meiland, Franka; Dröes, Rose-Marie; Sävenstedt, Stefan

Assistive technologies to support persons with dementia and their carers are used increasingly often. However, little is known about the effectiveness of most assistive devices. Much technology is put on the market without having been properly tested with potential end-users. To increase the chance that an assistive device is well accepted and useful for the target group, it is important, especially in the case of disabled persons, to involve potential users in the development process and to evaluate the impact of using the device on them before implementing it in the daily care and support. When evaluating the impact, decisions have to be made regarding the selection of measuring instruments. Important considerations in the selection process are the underlying domains to be addressed by the assistive technology, the target group and the availability of standardized instruments with good psychometric properties. In this chapter the COGKNOW project is used as a case example to explain how the impact of cognitive prosthetics on the daily lives of people with dementia and their carers can be measured. In COGKNOW a cognitive prosthetic device is being developed to improve the quality of life and autonomy of persons with dementia and to help them to remember and remind, to have social contact, to perform daily activities and to enhance feelings of safety. For all these areas, potential measuring instruments are described. Besides (standardized) measuring instruments, other data collection methods are used as well, such as semi-structured interviews and observations, diaries and in situ measurement. Within the COGKNOW project a first uncontrolled small-scale impact measurement takes place during the development process of the assistive device. However, it is recommended to perform a larger randomized controlled study as soon as the final product is ready to evaluate the impact of the device on persons with dementia and carers before it is released on the market.

Evaluation of Calibration Laboratories Performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Filipe, Eduarda

2011-12-01

One of the main goals of interlaboratory comparisons (ILCs) is the evaluation of the laboratories performance for the routine calibrations they perform for the clients. In the frame of Accreditation of Laboratories, the national accreditation boards (NABs) in collaboration with the national metrology institutes (NMIs) organize the ILCs needed to comply with the requirements of the international accreditation organizations. In order that an ILC is a reliable tool for a laboratory to validate its best measurement capability (BMC), it is needed that the NMI (reference laboratory) provides a better traveling standard—in terms of accuracy class or uncertainty—than the laboratories BMCs. Although this is the general situation, there are cases where the NABs ask the NMIs to evaluate the performance of the accredited laboratories when calibrating industrial measuring instruments. The aim of this article is to discuss the existing approaches for the evaluation of ILCs and propose a basis for the validation of the laboratories measurement capabilities. An example is drafted with the evaluation of the results of mercury-in-glass thermometers ILC with 12 participant laboratories.

EUV spectroscopy of high-redshift x-ray objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kowalski, M. P.; Wolff, M. T.; Wood, K. S.; Barbee, T. W., Jr.; Barstow, M. A.

2010-07-01

As astronomical observations are pushed to cosmological distances (z>3) the spectral energy distributions of X-ray objects, AGN for example, will be redshifted into the EUV waveband. Consequently, a wealth of critical spectral diagnostics, provided by, for example, the Fe L-shell complex and the O VII/VIII lines, will be lost to future planned X-ray missions (e.g., IXO, Gen-X) if operated at traditional X-ray energies. This opens up a critical gap in performance located at short EUV wavelengths, where critical X-ray spectral transitions occur in high-z objects. However, normal-incidence multilayer-grating technology, which performs best precisely at such wavelengths, together with advanced nanolaminate replication techniques have been developed and are now mature to the point where advanced EUV instrument designs with performance complementary to IXO and Gen-X are practical. Such EUV instruments could be flown either independently or as secondary instruments on these X-ray missions. We present here a critical examination of the limits placed on extragalactic EUV measurements by ISM absorption, the range where high-z measurements are practical, and the requirements this imposes on next-generation instrument designs. We conclude with a discussion of a breakthrough technology, nanolaminate replication, which enables such instruments.

Beyond Guided Listening: Exploring World Musics with Classroom Instruments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bartolome, Sarah J.

2011-01-01

This article explores issues of authenticity related to adapting world music examples for classroom instruments and suggests ways to engage students in active, participatory music-making activities derived from diverse musical cultures. Several lesson plan segments are provided to aid general music specialists in implementing "play along"…

32 CFR 552.121 - Possession or retention of prohibited weapons.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... practice of martial arts, for example, a nunchaku, except during the legitimate martial arts training. If martial arts use is authorized, storage of these instruments during nontraining periods will be in a..., BEQ or BOQ. Martial arts instruments may be stored in assigned government family quarters during...

32 CFR 552.121 - Possession or retention of prohibited weapons.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... practice of martial arts, for example, a nunchaku, except during the legitimate martial arts training. If martial arts use is authorized, storage of these instruments during nontraining periods will be in a..., BEQ or BOQ. Martial arts instruments may be stored in assigned government family quarters during...

32 CFR 552.121 - Possession or retention of prohibited weapons.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... practice of martial arts, for example, a nunchaku, except during the legitimate martial arts training. If martial arts use is authorized, storage of these instruments during nontraining periods will be in a..., BEQ or BOQ. Martial arts instruments may be stored in assigned government family quarters during...

32 CFR 552.121 - Possession or retention of prohibited weapons.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... practice of martial arts, for example, a nunchaku, except during the legitimate martial arts training. If martial arts use is authorized, storage of these instruments during nontraining periods will be in a..., BEQ or BOQ. Martial arts instruments may be stored in assigned government family quarters during...

32 CFR 552.121 - Possession or retention of prohibited weapons.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... practice of martial arts, for example, a nunchaku, except during the legitimate martial arts training. If martial arts use is authorized, storage of these instruments during nontraining periods will be in a..., BEQ or BOQ. Martial arts instruments may be stored in assigned government family quarters during...

Easily cracked: scientific instruments in states of disrepair.

PubMed

Schaffer, Simon

2011-12-01

There has been much scholarly attention to definitions of the term "scientific instrument." Rather more mundane work by makers, curators, and users is devoted to instruments' maintenance and repair. A familiar argument holds that when a tool breaks, its character and recalcitrance become evident. Much can be gained from historical study of instruments' breakages, defects, and recuperation. Maintenance and repair technologies have been a vital aspect of relations between makers and other users. Their history illuminates systems of instruction, support, and abuse. These systems were, for example, evident in the development of astronomical instruments around 1800 within and beyond the European sphere. Episodes from that milieu are used to explore how instrument users sought autonomy, how instruments' mutable character was defined, and how judgments of instruments' failure or success were ever secured.

Evaluation of the Air Quality Monitor's Performance on the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Limero, Thomas; Reese, Eric; Ballard, Ken; Durham, Tamara

2010-01-01

The Air Quality Monitor (AQM) was flown to the International Space Station (ISS) as an experiment to evaluate its potential to replace the aging Volatile Organic Analyzer (VOA), which ceased operations in August 2009. The AQM (Figure 1) is a small gas chromatography/differential mobility spectrometer (GC/DMS) manufactured by Sionex. Data was presented at last year s ISIMS conference that detailed the preparation of the AQM for flight, including instrument calibration. Furthermore, initial AQM data was compared to VOA results from simultaneous runs of the two instruments. Although comparison with VOA data provided a measure of confidence in the AQM performance, it is the comparison with results from simultaneously acquired air samples (grab sample containers-GSCs) that will define the success (or failure) of the AQM performance. This paper will update the progress in the AQM investigation by comparing AQM data to results from the analyses of GSC samples, returned from ISS. Additionally, a couple of example will illustrate the AQM s ability to detect disruptions in the spacecraft s air quality. Discussion will also focus upon a few unexpected issues that have arisen and how these will be a addressed in the final operational unit now being built.

A methodology to analyze the quality of health information on the internet: the example of diabetic neuropathy.

PubMed

Chumber, Sundeep; Huber, Jörg; Ghezzi, Pietro

2015-02-01

The purpose of this work was to evaluate the criteria used to assess the quality of information on diabetic neuropathy on the Internet. Different search engines (Google, Yahoo, Bing, and Ask) and 1 governmental health website (MedlinePlus) were studied. The websites returned (200 for each search engine) were then classified according to their affiliation (eg, commercial, professional, patient groups). A scoring system was devised from the literature to assess quality of information. Websites were also analyzed using the 2 most widely used instruments for assessing the quality of health information, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) scoring system and the Health On the Net Foundation (HON) certification. Professional websites or health portals scored better according to most criteria. Google and MedlinePlus returned results scoring significantly higher than other engines in some of the criteria. The use of different instruments gave different results and indicates that the JAMA score and the HON certification may not be sufficient ones. This methodology could be used to evaluate the reliability and trustworthiness of information on the Internet on different topics to identify topic areas or websites where the available information is not appropriate. © 2014 The Author(s).

Data Prospecting with CORPRAL: Pre-attentive Vision Model at Work

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galkin, I. A.; Reinisch, B. W.; Khmyrov, G. M.; Kozlov, A. V.; Grinstein, J.; Fung, S. F.

2005-12-01

The Cognitive Online Rpi Plasmagram Rating Algorithm (CORPRAL) is the automated data prospecting tool developed to find interesting examples of signal propagation in the 1.2 million plasmagram image archive from the Radio Plasma Imager (RPI) onboard the IMAGE spacecraft. The RPI instrument is a spaceborne radar whose transmitted radio waves may reflect from important magnetospheric structures, such as the plasmapause and the magnetopause, and return to the spacecraft location to be detected. The CORPRAL prospector draws attention of the human analysts to the RPI plasmagrams that contain traces of remote reflections (~18% of all images), thus helping to relieve the search efforts in the otherwise overwhelming RPI data repository. To find the echo traces in plasmagrams, CORPRAL employs a pre-attentive vision model that replicates human ability to identify important objects in the field of view without willful concentration of attention. The importance of such objects is determined by their `saliency', the ability to stand out against the background. The saliency evaluation is done subconsciously, without a priori concepts of the object shape. The RPI imagery dataset providesd an excellent testbed for studies of the model performance on low saliency objects immersed in irregular background noise. The paper discusses results of statistical evaluation of the CORPRAL performance on a collection of ~25,000 plasmagram images interpreted manually. Overall accuracy of plasmagram interpretation varies depending on the applied measuring program but remains in the mid-90% range. As the prevalence of plasmagrams that contain traces goes below 10%, we do observe lower positive predicted values (PPV) of the CORPRAL analysis (~50%), indicating that automatically selected plasmagrams are interesting only with 50% chance. We will discuss future development efforts and provide examples and scenarios where RPI data prospecting is instrumental in knowledge discovery.

Applications of Nano-Satellites and Cube-Satellites in Microwave and RF Domain

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simons, Rainee N.; Goverdhanam, Kavita

2015-01-01

This paper presents an overview of microwave technologies for Small Satellites including NanoSats and CubeSats. In addition, examples of space communication technology demonstration projects using CubeSats are presented. Furthermore, examples of miniature instruments for Earth science measurements are discussed.

Applications of Nano-satellites and Cube-satellites in Microwave and RF Domain

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simons, Rainee N.; Goverdhanam, Kavita

2015-01-01

This paper presents an overview of microwave technologies for Small Satellites including NanoSats and CubeSats. In addition, examples of space communication technology demonstration projects using CubeSats are presented. Furthermore, examples of miniature instruments for Earth science measurements are discussed.

Development of the Coastal Zone Color Scanner for NIMBUS 7. Volume 2: Test and performance data, revision A

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

The results of the Coastal Zone Color Scanner protoflight tests are examined in detail while some of the test results are evaluated with respect to expected performance. Performance characteristics examined include spectral response, signal to noise ratio as a function of radiance input, radiance response, the modulation transfer function, and the field of view and coregistration. The results of orbital sequence tests are also included. The in orbit performance or return of radiometric data in the six spectral bands is evaluated along with the data processing sequence necessary to derive the final data products. Examples of the raw data are given and the housekeeping or diagnostic data which provides information on the day to day health or status of the instrument are discussed.

Specifying and calibrating instrumentations for wideband electronic power measurements. [in switching circuits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lesco, D. J.; Weikle, D. H.

1980-01-01

The wideband electric power measurement related topics of electronic wattmeter calibration and specification are discussed. Tested calibration techniques are described in detail. Analytical methods used to determine the bandwidth requirements of instrumentation for switching circuit waveforms are presented and illustrated with examples from electric vehicle type applications. Analog multiplier wattmeters, digital wattmeters and calculating digital oscilloscopes are compared. The instrumentation characteristics which are critical to accurate wideband power measurement are described.

Evaluation of a linear washout for simulator motion cue presentation during landing approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parrish, R. V.; Martin, D. J., Jr.

1975-01-01

The comparison of a fixed-base versus a five-degree-of-freedom motion base simulation of a 737 conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) aircraft performing instrument landing system (ILS) landing approaches was used to evaluate a linear motion washout technique. The fact that the pilots felt that the addition of motion increased the pilot workload and this increase was not reflected in the objective data results, indicates that motion cues, as presented, are not a contributing factor to root-mean-square (rms) performance during the landing approach task. Subjective results from standard maneuvering about straight-and-level flight for specific motion cue evaluation revealed that the longitudinal channels (pitch and surge) possibly the yaw channel produce acceptable motions. The roll cue representation, involving both roll and sway channels, was found to be inadequate for large roll inputs, as used for example, in turn entries.

Evaluation of occupational health interventions using a randomized controlled trial: challenges and alternative research designs.

PubMed

Schelvis, Roosmarijn M C; Oude Hengel, Karen M; Burdorf, Alex; Blatter, Birgitte M; Strijk, Jorien E; van der Beek, Allard J

2015-09-01

Occupational health researchers regularly conduct evaluative intervention research for which a randomized controlled trial (RCT) may not be the most appropriate design (eg, effects of policy measures, organizational interventions on work schedules). This article demonstrates the appropriateness of alternative designs for the evaluation of occupational health interventions, which permit causal inferences, formulated along two study design approaches: experimental (stepped-wedge) and observational (propensity scores, instrumental variables, multiple baseline design, interrupted time series, difference-in-difference, and regression discontinuity). For each design, the unique characteristics are presented including the advantages and disadvantages compared to the RCT, illustrated by empirical examples in occupational health. This overview shows that several appropriate alternatives for the RCT design are feasible and available, which may provide sufficiently strong evidence to guide decisions on implementation of interventions in workplaces. Researchers are encouraged to continue exploring these designs and thus contribute to evidence-based occupational health.

Vision though afocal instruments: generalized magnification and eye-instrument interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harris, William F.; Evans, Tanya

2018-04-01

In Gaussian optics all observers experience the same magnification, the instrument's angular magnification, when viewing distant objects though a telescope or other afocal instruments. However, analysis in linear optics shows that this is not necessarily so in the presence of astigmatism. Because astigmatism may distort and rotate images it is appropriate to work with generalized angular magnification represented by a 2 × 2 matrix. An expression is derived for the generalized magnification for an arbitrary eye looking through an arbitrary afocal instrument. With afocal instruments containing astigmatic refracting elements not all eyes experience the same generalized magnification; there is interaction between eye and instrument. Eye-instrument interaction may change as the instrument is rotated about its longitudinal axis, there being no interaction in particular orientations. A simple numerical example is given. For sake of completeness, expressions for generalized magnification are also presented in the case of instruments that are not afocal and objects that are not distant.

Comparison of Three Real-Time Measurement Methods for Airborne Ultrafine Particles in the Silicon Alloy Industry.

PubMed

Kero, Ida Teresia; Jørgensen, Rikke Bramming

2016-09-01

The aim of this study was to compare the applicability and the correlation between three commercially available instruments capable of detection, quantification, and characterization of ultrafine airborne particulate matter in the industrial setting of a tapping area in a silicon alloy production plant. The number concentration of ultrafine particles was evaluated using an Electric Low Pressure Impactor (ELPI(TM)), a Fast Mobility Particle Sizer (FMPS(TM)), and a Condensation Particle Counter (CPC). The results are discussed in terms of particle size distribution and temporal variations linked to process operations. The instruments show excellent temporal covariation and the correlation between the FMPS and ELPI is good. The advantage of the FMPS is the excellent time- and size resolution of the results. The main advantage of the ELPI is the possibility to collect size-fractionated samples of the dust for subsequent analysis by, for example, electron microscopy. The CPC does not provide information about the particle size distribution and its correlation to the other two instruments is somewhat poor. Nonetheless, the CPC gives basic, real-time information about the ultrafine particle concentration and can therefore be used for source identification.

In situ methods for measuring thermal properties and heat flux on planetary bodies.

PubMed

Kömle, Norbert I; Hütter, Erika S; Macher, Wolfgang; Kaufmann, Erika; Kargl, Günter; Knollenberg, Jörg; Grott, Matthias; Spohn, Tilman; Wawrzaszek, Roman; Banaszkiewicz, Marek; Seweryn, Karoly; Hagermann, Axel

2011-06-01

The thermo-mechanical properties of planetary surface and subsurface layers control to a high extent in which way a body interacts with its environment, in particular how it responds to solar irradiation and how it interacts with a potentially existing atmosphere. Furthermore, if the natural temperature profile over a certain depth can be measured in situ, this gives important information about the heat flux from the interior and thus about the thermal evolution of the body. Therefore, in most of the recent and planned planetary lander missions experiment packages for determining thermo-mechanical properties are part of the payload. Examples are the experiment MUPUS on Rosetta's comet lander Philae, the TECP instrument aboard NASA's Mars polar lander Phoenix, and the mole-type instrument HP(3) currently developed for use on upcoming lunar and Mars missions. In this review we describe several methods applied for measuring thermal conductivity and heat flux and discuss the particular difficulties faced when these properties have to be measured in a low pressure and low temperature environment. We point out the abilities and disadvantages of the different instruments and outline the evaluation procedures necessary to extract reliable thermal conductivity and heat flux data from in situ measurements.

Comparison of Three Real-Time Measurement Methods for Airborne Ultrafine Particles in the Silicon Alloy Industry

PubMed Central

Kero, Ida Teresia; Jørgensen, Rikke Bramming

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare the applicability and the correlation between three commercially available instruments capable of detection, quantification, and characterization of ultrafine airborne particulate matter in the industrial setting of a tapping area in a silicon alloy production plant. The number concentration of ultrafine particles was evaluated using an Electric Low Pressure Impactor (ELPITM), a Fast Mobility Particle Sizer (FMPSTM), and a Condensation Particle Counter (CPC). The results are discussed in terms of particle size distribution and temporal variations linked to process operations. The instruments show excellent temporal covariation and the correlation between the FMPS and ELPI is good. The advantage of the FMPS is the excellent time- and size resolution of the results. The main advantage of the ELPI is the possibility to collect size-fractionated samples of the dust for subsequent analysis by, for example, electron microscopy. The CPC does not provide information about the particle size distribution and its correlation to the other two instruments is somewhat poor. Nonetheless, the CPC gives basic, real-time information about the ultrafine particle concentration and can therefore be used for source identification. PMID:27598180

The Subjective Well-Being Method of Valuation: An Application to General Health Status.

PubMed

Brown, Timothy T

2015-12-01

To introduce the subjective well-being (SWB) method of valuation and provide an example by valuing health status. The SWB method allows monetary valuations to be performed in the absence of market relationships. Data are from the 1975-2010 General Social Survey. The value of health status is determined via the estimation of an implicit derivative based on a happiness equation. Two-stage least-squares was used to estimate happiness as a function of poor-to-fair health status, annual household income adjusted for household size, age, sex, race, marital status, education, year, and season. Poor-to-fair health status and annual household income are instrumented using a proxy for intelligence, a temporal version of the classic distance instrument, and the average health status of individuals who are demographically similar but geographically separated. Instrument validity is evaluated. Moving from good/excellent health to poor/fair health (1 year of lower health status) is equivalent to the loss of $41,654 of equivalized household income (2010 constant dollars) per annum, which is larger than median equivalized household income. The SWB method may be useful in making monetary valuations where fundamental market relationships are not present. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Content Analysis of Evaluation Instruments Used for Student Evaluation of Classroom Teaching Performance in Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tagomori, Harry T.; Bishop, Laurence A.

A major argument against evaluation of teacher performance by students pertains to the instruments being used. Colleges conduct instructional evaluation using instruments they devise, borrow, adopt, or adapt from other institutions. Whether these instruments are tested for content validity is unknown. This study determined how evaluation questions…

Assessing local instrument reliability and validity: a field-based example from northern Uganda.

PubMed

Betancourt, Theresa S; Bass, Judith; Borisova, Ivelina; Neugebauer, Richard; Speelman, Liesbeth; Onyango, Grace; Bolton, Paul

2009-08-01

This paper presents an approach for evaluating the reliability and validity of mental health measures in non-Western field settings. We describe this approach using the example of our development of the Acholi psychosocial assessment instrument (APAI), which is designed to assess depression-like (two tam, par and kumu), anxiety-like (ma lwor) and conduct problems (kwo maraco) among war-affected adolescents in northern Uganda. To examine the criterion validity of this measure in the absence of a traditional gold standard, we derived local syndrome terms from qualitative data and used self reports of these syndromes by indigenous people as a reference point for determining caseness. Reliability was examined using standard test-retest and inter-rater methods. Each of the subscale scores for the depression-like syndromes exhibited strong internal reliability ranging from alpha = 0.84-0.87. Internal reliability was good for anxiety (0.70), conduct problems (0.83), and the pro-social attitudes and behaviors (0.70) subscales. Combined inter-rater reliability and test-retest reliability were good for most subscales except for the conduct problem scale and prosocial scales. The pattern of significant mean differences in the corresponding APAI problem scale score between self-reported cases vs. noncases on local syndrome terms was confirmed in the data for all of the three depression-like syndromes, but not for the anxiety-like syndrome ma lwor or the conduct problem kwo maraco.

Evaluating care from a care ethical perspective:: A pilot study.

PubMed

Kuis, Esther E; Goossensen, Anne

2017-08-01

Care ethical theories provide an excellent opening for evaluation of healthcare practices since searching for (moments of) good care from a moral perspective is central to care ethics. However, a fruitful way to translate care ethical insights into measurable criteria and how to measure these criteria has as yet been unexplored: this study describes one of the first attempts. To investigate whether the emotional touchpoint method is suitable for evaluating care from a care ethical perspective. An adapted version of the emotional touchpoint interview method was used. Touchpoints represent the key moments to the experience of receiving care, where the patient recalls being touched emotionally or cognitively. Participants and research context: Interviews were conducted at three different care settings: a hospital, mental healthcare institution and care facility for older people. A total of 31 participants (29 patients and 2 relatives) took part in the study. Ethical considerations: The research was found not to be subject to the (Dutch) Medical Research Involving Human Subjects Act. A three-step care ethical evaluation model was developed and described using two touchpoints as examples. A focus group meeting showed that the method was considered of great value for partaking institutions in comparison with existing methods. Reflection and discussion: Considering existing methods to evaluate quality of care, the touchpoint method belongs to the category of instruments which evaluate the patient experience. The touchpoint method distinguishes itself because no pre-defined categories are used but the values of patients are followed, which is an essential issue from a care ethical perspective. The method portrays the insider perspective of patients and thereby contributes to humanizing care. The touchpoint method is a valuable instrument for evaluating care; it generates evaluation data about the core care ethical principle of responsiveness.

The Validation of a Software Evaluation Instrument.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmitt, Dorren Rafael

This study, conducted at six southern universities, analyzed the validity and reliability of a researcher developed instrument designed to evaluate educational software in secondary mathematics. The instrument called the Instrument for Software Evaluation for Educators uses measurement scales, presents a summary section of the evaluation, and…

Using EO-1 Hyperion Images to Prototype Environmental Products for Hyspiri

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Middleton, Elizabeth M.; Campbell, Petya K. E.; Ungar, Stephen G.; Ong, Lawrence; Zhang, Qingyuan; Huemmrich, K. Fred; Mandl, Daniel J.; Frye, Stuart W.

2011-01-01

In November 2010, the Earth Observing One (EO-1) Satellite Mission will successfully complete a decade of Earth imaging by its two unique instruments, the Hyperion and the Advanced Land Imager (ALI). Both instruments are serving as prototypes for new orbital sensors, and the EO-1 is a heritage platform for the upcoming German mission, EnMAP. We provide an overview of the mission's lifetime. We briefly describe calibration & validation activities and overview the technical and scientific accomplishments of this mission. Some examples of the Mission Science Office (MSO) products are provided, as is an example of a image collected for disaster monitoring.

[Municipal planning of care services between competition neutrality and demand planning. An example of care structure planning in Rhineland-Palatinate].

PubMed

Klie, T; Pfundstein, T

2010-04-01

In times of demographic and social change, it is increasingly important to ensure the availability of care services to cover the growing demand. With the implementation of the German long-term insurance act in 1994, the responsibility of states and municipalities was maintained; however, given the long-term care legislation's market orientation and competition neutrality, the classic instruments for demand planning and supervision of infrastructure developments were lost. This leads to new challenges for states and municipalities: their conventional objective-oriented planning lacks professional and juridical legitimization. Calculations of requirements must relate to methodology and professional expertise. In order to exercise their influence on infrastructure development, instruments of demand planning other than subsidization are required. Using the example of Rheinland-Pfalz (Rhineland-Palatinate) and the newly implemented care structure planning, the concept of care monitoring is introduced, and instruments to influence infrastructure development are outlined.

Invited Commentary: Using Financial Credits as Instrumental Variables for Estimating the Causal Relationship Between Income and Health.

PubMed

Pega, Frank

2016-05-01

Social epidemiologists are interested in determining the causal relationship between income and health. Natural experiments in which individuals or groups receive income randomly or quasi-randomly from financial credits (e.g., tax credits or cash transfers) are increasingly being analyzed using instrumental variable analysis. For example, in this issue of the Journal, Hamad and Rehkopf (Am J Epidemiol. 2016;183(9):775-784) used an in-work tax credit called the Earned Income Tax Credit as an instrument to estimate the association between income and child development. However, under certain conditions, the use of financial credits as instruments could violate 2 key instrumental variable analytic assumptions. First, some financial credits may directly influence health, for example, through increasing a psychological sense of welfare security. Second, financial credits and health may have several unmeasured common causes, such as politics, other social policies, and the motivation to maximize the credit. If epidemiologists pursue such instrumental variable analyses, using the amount of an unconditional, universal credit that an individual or group has received as the instrument may produce the most conceptually convincing and generalizable evidence. However, other natural income experiments (e.g., lottery winnings) and other methods that allow better adjustment for confounding might be more promising approaches for estimating the causal relationship between income and health. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

[Financing problems of capital goods. Part 2: procedure for investment appraisal].

PubMed

Clausen, C C; Bauer, M; Saleh, A; Picker, O

2008-07-01

In part 1 of this series about problems of financing capital goods the multiple and partly diametric economic effects of financing instruments were presented using the leasing procedure as an example. The result indicated that due to the complexity of these effects the choice of a specific financing instrument requires an individual consideration. Therefore, part 2 of the series introduces the method of dynamic capital budgeting which allows the instruments discussed in part 1 to be compared with each other and helps to evaluate their economic benefits. More precisely this paper focuses on a comparative analysis of the most common alternatives, leasing, credit financing and investment financing by the state. In this context, after having identified the total costs of ownership of anesthesia devices, the final asset values of the three financing instruments can be compared with each other using the method of dynamic capital budgeting. In contrast to the prevailing opinion, the results show that from a purely fiscal perspective leasing anesthesia devices is the most expensive alternative. Given the fact that no financial support is available from the state, the option of credit financing turns out to be the most preferable alternative from a relatively limited pool of possibilities. However, it still remains to be answered whether credit financing can defend this position against further, innovative forms of debt financing (e.g., factoring, asset-backed securities, hedge funds, mezzanine capital, etc.).

The Use of Cronbach's Alpha When Developing and Reporting Research Instruments in Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taber, Keith S.

2017-06-01

Cronbach's alpha is a statistic commonly quoted by authors to demonstrate that tests and scales that have been constructed or adopted for research projects are fit for purpose. Cronbach's alpha is regularly adopted in studies in science education: it was referred to in 69 different papers published in 4 leading science education journals in a single year (2015)—usually as a measure of reliability. This article explores how this statistic is used in reporting science education research and what it represents. Authors often cite alpha values with little commentary to explain why they feel this statistic is relevant and seldom interpret the result for readers beyond citing an arbitrary threshold for an acceptable value. Those authors who do offer readers qualitative descriptors interpreting alpha values adopt a diverse and seemingly arbitrary terminology. More seriously, illustrative examples from the science education literature demonstrate that alpha may be acceptable even when there are recognised problems with the scales concerned. Alpha is also sometimes inappropriately used to claim an instrument is unidimensional. It is argued that a high value of alpha offers limited evidence of the reliability of a research instrument, and that indeed a very high value may actually be undesirable when developing a test of scientific knowledge or understanding. Guidance is offered to authors reporting, and readers evaluating, studies that present Cronbach's alpha statistic as evidence of instrument quality.

Applying the Mixed Methods Instrument Development and Construct Validation Process: the Transformative Experience Questionnaire

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koskey, Kristin L. K.; Sondergeld, Toni A.; Stewart, Victoria C.; Pugh, Kevin J.

2018-01-01

Onwuegbuzie and colleagues proposed the Instrument Development and Construct Validation (IDCV) process as a mixed methods framework for creating and validating measures. Examples applying IDCV are lacking. We provide an illustrative case integrating the Rasch model and cognitive interviews applied to the development of the Transformative…

Instrument and Survey Analysis Technical Report: Program Implementation Survey. Technical Report #1112

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alonzo, Julie; Tindal, Gerald

2011-01-01

This technical document provides guidance to educators on the creation and interpretation of survey instruments, particularly as they relate to an analysis of program implementation. Illustrative examples are drawn from a survey of educators related to the use of the easyCBM learning system. This document includes specific sections on…

77 FR 8127 - Foreign Tax Credit Splitting Events

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-14

... (or periods) due to, for example, timing differences between the U.S. and foreign tax accounting rules... paid or accrued by the owner of a U.S. equity hybrid instrument with respect to payments or accruals on.... equity hybrid instrument in an amount equal to the payments or accruals giving rise to the split taxes...

Construction of an Instrument to Measure Social Valuation in an Emerging Market Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katono, Isaac Wasswa

2011-01-01

Purpose: This study aims to construct a parsimonious instrument to measure social valuation in a collective setting using Uganda as an example. Design/methodology/approach: A triangulation technique was used in this study. Conversations with students, parents, teaching and non-teaching staff at Uganda Christian University (UCU) main campus were…

The Seven-Segment Data Logger

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bates, Alan

2015-01-01

Instruments or digital meters with data values visible on a seven-segment display can easily be found in the physics lab. Examples include multimeters, sound level meters, Geiger-Müller counters and electromagnetic field meters, where the display is used to show numerical data. Such instruments, without the ability to connect to computers or data…

31 CFR 800.304 - Timing rule for convertible voting instruments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... extent that they convey immediate rights to the holder with respect to the governance of the entity that issued the instruments. Example 1. Corporation A, a foreign person, notifies the Committee that it intends to buy common stock and debentures of Corporation X, a U.S. business. By their terms, the...

31 CFR 800.304 - Timing rule for convertible voting instruments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... extent that they convey immediate rights to the holder with respect to the governance of the entity that issued the instruments. Example 1. Corporation A, a foreign person, notifies the Committee that it intends to buy common stock and debentures of Corporation X, a U.S. business. By their terms, the...

LIMS for Lasers 2015 for achieving long-term accuracy and precision of δ2H, δ17O, and δ18O of waters using laser absorption spectrometry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Coplen, Tyler B.; Wassenaar, Leonard I

2015-01-01

RationaleAlthough laser absorption spectrometry (LAS) instrumentation is easy to use, its incorporation into laboratory operations is not easy, owing to extensive offline manipulation of comma-separated-values files for outlier detection, between-sample memory correction, nonlinearity (δ-variation with water amount) correction, drift correction, normalization to VSMOW-SLAP scales, and difficulty in performing long-term QA/QC audits.MethodsA Microsoft Access relational-database application, LIMS (Laboratory Information Management System) for Lasers 2015, was developed. It automates LAS data corrections and manages clients, projects, samples, instrument-sample lists, and triple-isotope (δ17O, δ18O, and δ2H values) instrumental data for liquid-water samples. It enables users to (1) graphically evaluate sample injections for variable water yields and high isotope-delta variance; (2) correct for between-sample carryover, instrumental drift, and δ nonlinearity; and (3) normalize final results to VSMOW-SLAP scales.ResultsCost-free LIMS for Lasers 2015 enables users to obtain improved δ17O, δ18O, and δ2H values with liquid-water LAS instruments, even those with under-performing syringes. For example, LAS δ2HVSMOW measurements of USGS50 Lake Kyoga (Uganda) water using an under-performing syringe having ±10 % variation in water concentration gave +31.7 ± 1.6 ‰ (2-σ standard deviation), compared with the reference value of +32.8 ± 0.4 ‰, after correction for variation in δ value with water concentration, between-sample memory, and normalization to the VSMOW-SLAP scale.ConclusionsLIMS for Lasers 2015 enables users to create systematic, well-founded instrument templates, import δ2H, δ17O, and δ18O results, evaluate performance with automatic graphical plots, correct for δ nonlinearity due to variable water concentration, correct for between-sample memory, adjust for drift, perform VSMOW-SLAP normalization, and perform long-term QA/QC audits easily. Published in 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Quasi-experimental study designs series-paper 7: assessing the assumptions.

PubMed

Bärnighausen, Till; Oldenburg, Catherine; Tugwell, Peter; Bommer, Christian; Ebert, Cara; Barreto, Mauricio; Djimeu, Eric; Haber, Noah; Waddington, Hugh; Rockers, Peter; Sianesi, Barbara; Bor, Jacob; Fink, Günther; Valentine, Jeffrey; Tanner, Jeffrey; Stanley, Tom; Sierra, Eduardo; Tchetgen, Eric Tchetgen; Atun, Rifat; Vollmer, Sebastian

2017-09-01

Quasi-experimental designs are gaining popularity in epidemiology and health systems research-in particular for the evaluation of health care practice, programs, and policy-because they allow strong causal inferences without randomized controlled experiments. We describe the concepts underlying five important quasi-experimental designs: Instrumental Variables, Regression Discontinuity, Interrupted Time Series, Fixed Effects, and Difference-in-Differences designs. We illustrate each of the designs with an example from health research. We then describe the assumptions required for each of the designs to ensure valid causal inference and discuss the tests available to examine the assumptions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Design of a highly parallel board-level-interconnection with 320 Gbps capacity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lohmann, U.; Jahns, J.; Limmer, S.; Fey, D.; Bauer, H.

2012-01-01

A parallel board-level interconnection design is presented consisting of 32 channels, each operating at 10 Gbps. The hardware uses available optoelectronic components (VCSEL, TIA, pin-diodes) and a combination of planarintegrated free-space optics, fiber-bundles and available MEMS-components, like the DMD™ from Texas Instruments. As a specific feature, we present a new modular inter-board interconnect, realized by 3D fiber-matrix connectors. The performance of the interconnect is evaluated with regard to optical properties and power consumption. Finally, we discuss the application of the interconnect for strongly distributed system architectures, as, for example, in high performance embedded computing systems and data centers.

Evaluation of calibration accuracy of magnetometer sensors of Aist small spacecraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sedelnikov, A. V.; Filippov, A. S.; Gorozhakina, A. S.

2018-05-01

In the paper the technique of estimation of calibration accuracy of magnetometer gauges by the example of an Aist small spacecraft is stated. According to the measurement of the Earth's magnetic field in the orbital flight of a small spacecraft, the parameters of its rotational motion around the center of mass are estimated and primary information is generated for the magnetic actuators of the orbital motion control system. Therefore, calibration of the magnetometer sensors at the ground test stage is essential for the successful execution of the flight program. The technique can be used at the stages of ground and flight tests of magnetic field measuring instruments.

Science of science.

PubMed

Fortunato, Santo; Bergstrom, Carl T; Börner, Katy; Evans, James A; Helbing, Dirk; Milojević, Staša; Petersen, Alexander M; Radicchi, Filippo; Sinatra, Roberta; Uzzi, Brian; Vespignani, Alessandro; Waltman, Ludo; Wang, Dashun; Barabási, Albert-László

2018-03-02

Identifying fundamental drivers of science and developing predictive models to capture its evolution are instrumental for the design of policies that can improve the scientific enterprise-for example, through enhanced career paths for scientists, better performance evaluation for organizations hosting research, discovery of novel effective funding vehicles, and even identification of promising regions along the scientific frontier. The science of science uses large-scale data on the production of science to search for universal and domain-specific patterns. Here, we review recent developments in this transdisciplinary field. Copyright © 2018 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.

[Effects of residents' care needs classification (and misclassification) in nursing homes: the example of SOSIA classification].

PubMed

Nebuloni, G; Di Giulio, P; Gregori, D; Sandonà, P; Berchialla, P; Foltran, F; Renga, G

2011-01-01

Since 2003, the Lombardy region has introduced a case-mix reimbursement system for nursing homes based on the SOSIA form which classifies residents into eight classes of frailty. In the present study the agreement between SOSIA classification and other well documented instruments, including Barthel Index, Mini Mental State Examination and Clinical Dementia Rating Scale is evaluated in 100 nursing home residents. Only 50% of residents with severe dementia have been recognized as seriously impaired when assessed with SOSIA form; since misclassification errors underestimate residents' care needs, they determine an insufficient reimbursement limiting nursing home possibility to offer care appropriate for the case-mix.

Application of Allan Deviation to Assessing Uncertainties of Continuous-measurement Instruments, and Optimizing Calibration Schemes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacobson, Gloria; Rella, Chris; Farinas, Alejandro

2014-05-01

Technological advancement of instrumentation in atmospheric and other geoscience disciplines over the past decade has lead to a shift from discrete sample analysis to continuous, in-situ monitoring. Standard error analysis used for discrete measurements is not sufficient to assess and compare the error contribution of noise and drift from continuous-measurement instruments, and a different statistical analysis approach should be applied. The Allan standard deviation analysis technique developed for atomic clock stability assessment by David W. Allan [1] can be effectively and gainfully applied to continuous measurement instruments. As an example, P. Werle et al has applied these techniques to look at signal averaging for atmospheric monitoring by Tunable Diode-Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS) [2]. This presentation will build on, and translate prior foundational publications to provide contextual definitions and guidelines for the practical application of this analysis technique to continuous scientific measurements. The specific example of a Picarro G2401 Cavity Ringdown Spectroscopy (CRDS) analyzer used for continuous, atmospheric monitoring of CO2, CH4 and CO will be used to define the basics features the Allan deviation, assess factors affecting the analysis, and explore the time-series to Allan deviation plot translation for different types of instrument noise (white noise, linear drift, and interpolated data). In addition, the useful application of using an Allan deviation to optimize and predict the performance of different calibration schemes will be presented. Even though this presentation will use the specific example of the Picarro G2401 CRDS Analyzer for atmospheric monitoring, the objective is to present the information such that it can be successfully applied to other instrument sets and disciplines. [1] D.W. Allan, "Statistics of Atomic Frequency Standards," Proc, IEEE, vol. 54, pp 221-230, Feb 1966 [2] P. Werle, R. Miicke, F. Slemr, "The Limits of Signal Averaging in Atmospheric Trace-Gas Monitoring by Tunable Diode-Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS)," Applied Physics, B57, pp 131-139, April 1993

Transaction costs economics of irreplaceability: ex ante and ex post evaluation of conservation networks' vulnerability to environmental shocks.

PubMed

Huusom, Henrik; Strange, Niels

2008-04-01

The theoretical concept, "asset specificity," is applied to real data in the context of Danish nature conservation network planning in order to produce illustrative examples of an economic measure of the network's vulnerability to exogenous shocks to the species composition. Three different measures of asset specificity are quantified from the shadow value of eliminating a key species from the individual grid cells. This represents a novel approach and a different interpretation of the term, as it is conventionally used as a qualitative indicator in the transaction cost economics literature. Apart from supplementing existing cost measures with an indicator of risk associated with investments in protected areas, this study demonstrates how the estimation and interpretation of various asset specificity measures for geographical areas may qualify policy makers' choice of policy instrument in conservation planning. This differs from the more intuitive approach of basing policy instrument choice solely on the rarity of the species in a given area.

Musical memory in a patient with severe anterograde amnesia

PubMed Central

Cavaco, Sara; Feinstein, Justin S.; van Twillert, Henk; Tranel, Daniel

2014-01-01

The ability to play a musical instrument represents a unique procedural skill that can be remarkably resilient to disruptions in declarative memory. For example, musicians with severe anterograde amnesia have demonstrated preserved ability to play musical instruments. However, the question of whether amnesic musicians can learn how to play new musical material despite severe memory impairment has not been thoroughly investigated. We capitalized on a rare opportunity to address this question. Patient SZ, an amateur musician (tenor saxophone), has extensive bilateral damage to his medial temporal lobes following herpes simplex encephalitis, resulting in a severe anterograde amnesia. We tested SZ’s capacity to learn new unfamiliar songs by sight-reading following three months of biweekly practices. Performances were recorded and then evaluated by a professional saxophonist. SZ demonstrated significant improvement in his ability to read and play new music, despite his inability to recognize any of the songs at a declarative level. The results suggest that it is possible to learn certain aspects of new music without the assistance of declarative memory. PMID:23036073

MCViNE- An object oriented Monte Carlo neutron ray tracing simulation package

DOE PAGES

Lin, J. Y. Y.; Smith, Hillary L.; Granroth, Garrett E.; ...

2015-11-28

MCViNE (Monte-Carlo VIrtual Neutron Experiment) is an open-source Monte Carlo (MC) neutron ray-tracing software for performing computer modeling and simulations that mirror real neutron scattering experiments. We exploited the close similarity between how instrument components are designed and operated and how such components can be modeled in software. For example we used object oriented programming concepts for representing neutron scatterers and detector systems, and recursive algorithms for implementing multiple scattering. Combining these features together in MCViNE allows one to handle sophisticated neutron scattering problems in modern instruments, including, for example, neutron detection by complex detector systems, and single and multiplemore » scattering events in a variety of samples and sample environments. In addition, MCViNE can use simulation components from linear-chain-based MC ray tracing packages which facilitates porting instrument models from those codes. Furthermore it allows for components written solely in Python, which expedites prototyping of new components. These developments have enabled detailed simulations of neutron scattering experiments, with non-trivial samples, for time-of-flight inelastic instruments at the Spallation Neutron Source. Examples of such simulations for powder and single-crystal samples with various scattering kernels, including kernels for phonon and magnon scattering, are presented. As a result, with simulations that closely reproduce experimental results, scattering mechanisms can be turned on and off to determine how they contribute to the measured scattering intensities, improving our understanding of the underlying physics.« less

Normal incidence x-ray mirror for chemical microanalysis

DOEpatents

Carr, M.J.; Romig, A.D. Jr.

1987-08-05

An x-ray mirror for both electron column instruments and micro x-ray fluorescence instruments for making chemical, microanalysis comprises a non-planar mirror having, for example, a spherical reflecting surface for x-rays comprised of a predetermined number of alternating layers of high atomic number material and low atomic number material contiguously formed on a substrate and whose layers have a thickness which is a multiple of the wavelength being reflected. For electron column instruments, the wavelengths of interest lie above 1.5nm, while for x-ray fluorescence instruments, the range of interest is below 0.2nm. 4 figs.

A Conceptual Framework for Graduate Teaching Assistant Professional Development Evaluation and Research

PubMed Central

Reeves, Todd D.; Marbach-Ad, Gili; Miller, Kristen R.; Ridgway, Judith; Gardner, Grant E.; Schussler, Elisabeth E.; Wischusen, E. William

2016-01-01

Biology graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) are significant contributors to the educational mission of universities, particularly in introductory courses, yet there is a lack of empirical data on how to best prepare them for their teaching roles. This essay proposes a conceptual framework for biology GTA teaching professional development (TPD) program evaluation and research with three overarching variable categories for consideration: outcome variables, contextual variables, and moderating variables. The framework’s outcome variables go beyond GTA satisfaction and instead position GTA cognition, GTA teaching practice, and undergraduate learning outcomes as the foci of GTA TPD evaluation and research. For each GTA TPD outcome variable, key evaluation questions and example assessment instruments are introduced to demonstrate how the framework can be used to guide GTA TPD evaluation and research plans. A common conceptual framework is also essential to coordinating the collection and synthesis of empirical data on GTA TPD nationally. Thus, the proposed conceptual framework serves as both a guide for conducting GTA TPD evaluation at single institutions and as a means to coordinate research across institutions at a national level. PMID:27193291

Heuristic evaluation of paper-based Web pages: a simplified inspection usability methodology.

PubMed

Allen, Mureen; Currie, Leanne M; Bakken, Suzanne; Patel, Vimla L; Cimino, James J

2006-08-01

Online medical information, when presented to clinicians, must be well-organized and intuitive to use, so that the clinicians can conduct their daily work efficiently and without error. It is essential to actively seek to produce good user interfaces that are acceptable to the user. This paper describes the methodology used to develop a simplified heuristic evaluation (HE) suitable for the evaluation of screen shots of Web pages, the development of an HE instrument used to conduct the evaluation, and the results of the evaluation of the aforementioned screen shots. In addition, this paper presents examples of the process of categorizing problems identified by the HE and the technological solutions identified to resolve these problems. Four usability experts reviewed 18 paper-based screen shots and made a total of 108 comments. Each expert completed the task in about an hour. We were able to implement solutions to approximately 70% of the violations. Our study found that a heuristic evaluation using paper-based screen shots of a user interface was expeditious, inexpensive, and straightforward to implement.

Design and Assessment of an Associate Degree-Level Plant Operations Technical Education Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selwitz, Jason Lawrence

Research was undertaken to develop and evaluate an associate degree-level technical education program in Plant Operations oriented towards training students in applied science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills and knowledge relevant to a spectrum of processing industries. This work focuses on four aspects of the curriculum and course development and evaluation research. First, the context of, and impetus for, what was formerly called vocational education, now referred to as technical or workforce education, is provided. Second, the research that was undertaken to design and evaluate an associate degree-level STEM workforce education program is described. Third, the adaptation of a student self-assessment of learning gains instrument is reviewed, and an analysis of the resulting data using an adapted logic model is provided, to evaluate the extent to which instructional approaches, in two process control/improvement-focused courses, were effective in meeting course-level intended learning outcomes. Finally, eight integrative multiscale exercises were designed from two example process systems, wastewater treatment and fast pyrolysis. The integrative exercises are intended for use as tools to accelerate the formation of an operator-technician's multiscale vision of systems, unit operations, underlying processes, and fundamental reactions relevant to multiple industries. Community and technical colleges serve a vital function in STEM education by training workers for medium- and high-skilled technical careers and providing employers the labor necessary to operate and maintain thriving business ventures. Through development of the curricular, course, and assessment-related instruments and tools, this research helps ensure associate degree-level technical education programs can engage in a continual process of program evaluation and improvement.

Development of the evaluation instrument use CIPP on the implementation of project assessment topic optik

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asfaroh, Jati Aurum; Rosana, Dadan; Supahar

2017-08-01

This research aims to develop an evaluation instrument models CIPP valid and reliable as well as determine the feasibility and practicality of an evaluation instrument models CIPP. An evaluation instrument models CIPP to evaluate the implementation of the project assessment topic optik to measure problem-solving skills of junior high school class VIII in the Yogyakarta region. This research is a model of development that uses 4-D. Subject of product trials are students in class VIII SMP N 1 Galur and SMP N 1 Sleman. Data collection techniques in this research using non-test techniques include interviews, questionnaires and observations. Validity in this research was analyzed using V'Aikens. Reliability analyzed using ICC. This research uses 7 raters are derived from two lecturers expert (expert judgment), two practitioners (science teacher) and three colleagues. The results of this research is the evaluation's instrument model of CIPP is used to evaluate the implementation of the implementation of the project assessment instruments. The validity result of evaluation instrument have V'Aikens values between 0.86 to 1, which means a valid and 0.836 reliability values into categories so well that it has been worth used as an evaluation instrument.

Control of the positional relationship between a sample collection instrument and a surface to be analyzed during a sampling procedure with image analysis

DOEpatents

Van Berkel, Gary J.; Kertesz, Vilmos

2011-08-09

A system and method utilizes an image analysis approach for controlling the collection instrument-to-surface distance in a sampling system for use, for example, with mass spectrometric detection. Such an approach involves the capturing of an image of the collection instrument or the shadow thereof cast across the surface and the utilization of line average brightness (LAB) techniques to determine the actual distance between the collection instrument and the surface. The actual distance is subsequently compared to a target distance for re-optimization, as necessary, of the collection instrument-to-surface during an automated surface sampling operation.

Spacecraft instrument technology and cosmochemistry

PubMed Central

McSween, Harry Y.; McNutt, Ralph L.; Prettyman, Thomas H.

2011-01-01

Measurements by instruments on spacecraft have significantly advanced cosmochemistry. Spacecraft missions impose serious limitations on instrument volume, mass, and power, so adaptation of laboratory instruments drives technology. We describe three examples of flight instruments that collected cosmochemical data. Element analyses by Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometers on the Mars Exploration Rovers have revealed the nature of volcanic rocks and sedimentary deposits on Mars. The Gamma Ray Spectrometer on the Lunar Prospector orbiter provided a global database of element abundances that resulted in a new understanding of the Moon’s crust. The Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer on Cassini has analyzed the chemical compositions of the atmosphere of Titan and active plumes on Enceladus. PMID:21402932

Applications of ISES for the atmospheric sciences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoell, James M., Jr.

1990-01-01

The proposed Information Sciences Experiment System (ISES) will offer the opportunity for real-time access to measurements acquired aboard the Earth Observation System (Eos) satellite. These measurements can then be transmitted to remotely located ground based stations. The application of such measurements to issues related to atmospheric science which was presented to a workshop convened to review possible application of the ISES in earth sciences is summarized. The proposed protocol for Eos instruments requires that measurement results be available in a central data archive within 72 hours of acquiring data. Such a turnaround of raw satellite data to the final product will clearly enhance the timeliness of the results. Compared to the time that results from many current satellite programs, the 72 hour turnaround may be considered real time. Examples are discussed showing how real-time measurements from one or more of the proposed Eos instruments could have been applied to the study of certain issues important to global atmospheric chemistry. Each of the examples discussed is based upon a field mission conducted during the past five years. Each of these examples will emphasize how real-time data could have been used to alter the course of a field experiment, thereby enhancing the scientific output. For the examples, brief overviews of the scientific rationale and objectives, the region of operation, the measurements aboard the aircraft, and finally how one or more of the proposed Eos instruments could have provided data to enhance the productivity of the mission are discussed.

On Childhood and the Logic of Difference: Some Empirical Examples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dahlbeck, Johan

2012-01-01

This article argues that universal documents on children's rights can provide illustrative examples as to how childhood is identified as a unity using difference as an instrument. Using Gille Deleuze's theorising on difference and sameness as a framework, the article seeks to relate the children's rights project with a critique of representation.…

Instrumental biosensors: new perspectives for the analysis of biomolecular interactions.

PubMed

Nice, E C; Catimel, B

1999-04-01

The use of instrumental biosensors in basic research to measure biomolecular interactions in real time is increasing exponentially. Applications include protein-protein, protein-peptide, DNA-protein, DNA-DNA, and lipid-protein interactions. Such techniques have been applied to, for example, antibody-antigen, receptor-ligand, signal transduction, and nuclear receptor studies. This review outlines the principles of two of the most commonly used instruments and highlights specific operating parameters that will assist in optimising experimental design, data generation, and analysis.

PEARL: the high pressure neutron powder diffractometer at ISIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bull, C. L.; Funnell, N. P.; Tucker, M. G.; Hull, S.; Francis, D. J.; Marshall, W. G.

2016-10-01

The PEARL instrument at ISIS has been designed for, and dedicated to, in situ studies of materials at high pressure, using the Paris-Edinburgh press. In recent years, upgrades to the instrument have led to improvements in data quality and the range of achievable pressures and temperatures; currently 0.5-28 GPa and 80-1400 K. This paper describes the technical characteristics of the instrument, its current capabilities, and gives a brief overview of the science that has been performed, using representative examples.

Developing a Survey Instrument for Evaluating the Effectiveness of Data Management Training Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hou, C. Y.; Soyka, H.; Hutchison, V.; Budden, A. E.

2016-12-01

Education and training resources that focus on best practices and guidelines for working with data such as: data management, data sharing, quality metadata creation, and maintenance for reuse, have vital importance not only to the users of Data Observation Network for Earth (DataONE), but also to the broader scientific, research, and academic communities. However, creating and maintaining relevant training/educational materials that remain sensitive and responsive to community needs is dependent upon careful evaluations of the current landscape in order to promote and support thoughtful development of new resources. Using DataONE's existing training/educational resources as the basis for this project, the authors have worked to develop an evaluation instrument that can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of data management training/education resources. The evaluation instrument is in the form of a digital questionnaire/survey. The evaluation instrument also includes the structure and content as recommended by the best practices/guidelines of questionnaire/survey design, based on a review of the literature. Additionally, the evaluation instrument can be customized to evaluate various training/education modalities and be implemented using a web-based questionnaire/survey platform. Finally, the evaluation instrument can be used for site-wide evaluation of DataONE teaching materials and resources, and once made publicly available and openly accessible, other organizations may also utilize the instrument. One key outcome of developing the evaluation instrument is to help in increasing the effectiveness of data management training/education resources across the Earth/Geoscience community. Through this presentation, the authors will provide the full background and motivations for creating an instrument for evaluating the effectiveness of data management training/education resources. The presentation will also discuss in detail the process and results of the current version of the evaluation instrument. Finally, the presentation will highlight the key features and the next steps to examine in order to improve the next revisions of the instrument.

Ozone monitoring at remote sites using low-power instrumentation

Treesearch

John L. Korfmacher; Robert C. Musselman

2014-01-01

Collection of non-urban ambient ozone data at regional or larger scales (for example, Peake and Fong 1990; Bytnerowicz et al. 2004) is cost- and labor-intensive. Collection efforts are often further complicated by difficulty of access to data collection sites, the need for climate-controlled facilities to house instrumentation, and a requirement for a connection to...

Separation of Caffeine from Beverages and Analysis Using Thin-Layer Chromatography and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Torres y Torres, Janelle L.; Hiley, Shauna L.; Lorimor, Steven P.; Rhoad, Jonathan S.; Caldwell, Benjamin D.; Zweerink, Gerald L.; Ducey, Michael

2015-01-01

The Characterization and Analysis of a Product (CAP) project is used to introduce first-semester general chemistry students to chemical instrumentation through the analysis of caffeine-containing beverage products. Some examples of these products have included coffee, tea, and energy drinks. Students perform at least three instrumental experiments…

Acquisition of a Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer System for Laboratory Study of Prebiotic Organic Geochemical Processes on the Early Earth, Mars, and Meteorites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCollom, Thomas

2004-01-01

This was a major equipment grant that provided funds ($72K) for purchase of a benchtop gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) for use in experimental studies of prebiotic organic compounds. An Agilent model 689015973 GC-MS was purchased and installed in the PI's lab in August of 2003. The instrument is now being used for a variety of research projects. The primary use of the instrument is to analyze and quantify organic products of laboratory experiments conducted by the PI. One example is shown, which shows organic products (predominantly n-alkanes) formed during Fischer-Tropsch-type abiotic synthesis under hydrothermal conditions. The analytical capabilities of the GC- MS allowed identification of the numerous organic products of this as well as other laboratory experiments. A key use of the instrument in this research is that the mass spectrometer capabilities allow use of isotopically labeled reactants to trace the progress of reactions and evaluate background contaminants. collaborative projects with other scientists involved in exobiology & astrobiology research (e.g., Mitch Schulte, NASA Ames; Katrina Edwards, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution). For instance, an analysis of membrane lipids of an lithoautotrophic iron-oxidizing bacteria being grown on basalt as a source of metabolic energy, a project where the instrument is being used to evaluate possible biomarker compounds from these organisms is shown. These iron oxidizers are thought to be similar to those living within the ocean crust, and are being investigated as possible analog organisms to those on the early Earth or crust of Mars. The instrument has also been used by an outside investigator (graduate student Brandon Canfeld, Arizona State University) for identification and isotopic characterization of experimental products of abiotic organic synthesis experiments he is conducting with Dr. John Holloway. analysis of quality control samples for other NASA-funded projects. For instance, an analysis of residual hydrocarbon contaminants on the internal surface of the shell of an atmospheric sounding rocket is shown. This analysis was used to help determine the source of the contaminating compounds. In the future, the instrument will continue to be used for quality control analysis in clean rooms and instrument construction facilities within the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, where the GC-MS is housed.

Molecular brain imaging in the multimodality era

PubMed Central

Price, Julie C

2012-01-01

Multimodality molecular brain imaging encompasses in vivo visualization, evaluation, and measurement of cellular/molecular processes. Instrumentation and software developments over the past 30 years have fueled advancements in multimodality imaging platforms that enable acquisition of multiple complementary imaging outcomes by either combined sequential or simultaneous acquisition. This article provides a general overview of multimodality neuroimaging in the context of positron emission tomography as a molecular imaging tool and magnetic resonance imaging as a structural and functional imaging tool. Several image examples are provided and general challenges are discussed to exemplify complementary features of the modalities, as well as important strengths and weaknesses of combined assessments. Alzheimer's disease is highlighted, as this clinical area has been strongly impacted by multimodality neuroimaging findings that have improved understanding of the natural history of disease progression, early disease detection, and informed therapy evaluation. PMID:22434068

An introduction to planar chromatography and its application to natural products isolation.

PubMed

Gibbons, Simon

2012-01-01

Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) is an easy, inexpensive, rapid, and the most widely used method for the analysis and isolation of small organic natural and synthetic products. It also has use in the biological evaluation of organic compounds, particularly in the areas of antimicrobial and antioxidant metabolites and for the evaluation of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors which have utility in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. The ease and inexpensiveness of use of this technique, coupled with the ability to rapidly develop separation and bioassay protocols will ensure that TLC will be used for some considerable time alongside conventional instrumental methods. This chapter deals with the basic principles of TLC and describes methods for the analysis and isolation of natural products. Examples of methods for isolation of several classes of natural product are detailed and protocols for TLC bioassays are given.

Evaluation of state-of-the-art imaging systems for in vivo monitoring of retinal structure in mice: current capabilities and limitations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Pengfei; Zam, Azhar; Pugh, Edward N.; Zawadzki, Robert J.

2014-02-01

Animal models of human diseases play an important role in studying and advancing our understanding of these conditions, allowing molecular level studies of pathogenesis as well as testing of new therapies. Recently several non-invasive imaging modalities including Fundus Camera, Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscopy (SLO) and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) have been successfully applied to monitor changes in the retinas of the living animals in experiments in which a single animal is followed over a portion of its lifespan. Here we evaluate the capabilities and limitations of these three imaging modalities for visualization of specific structures in the mouse eye. Example images acquired from different types of mice are presented. Future directions of development for these instruments and potential advantages of multi-modal imaging systems are discussed as well.

The role of multi-target policy instruments in agri-environmental policy mixes.

PubMed

Schader, Christian; Lampkin, Nicholas; Muller, Adrian; Stolze, Matthias

2014-12-01

The Tinbergen Rule has been used to criticise multi-target policy instruments for being inefficient. The aim of this paper is to clarify the role of multi-target policy instruments using the case of agri-environmental policy. Employing an analytical linear optimisation model, this paper demonstrates that there is no general contradiction between multi-target policy instruments and the Tinbergen Rule, if multi-target policy instruments are embedded in a policy-mix with a sufficient number of targeted instruments. We show that the relation between cost-effectiveness of the instruments, related to all policy targets, is the key determinant for an economically sound choice of policy instruments. If economies of scope with respect to achieving policy targets are realised, a higher cost-effectiveness of multi-target policy instruments can be achieved. Using the example of organic farming support policy, we discuss several reasons why economies of scope could be realised by multi-target agri-environmental policy instruments. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Passive cooling system for a vehicle

DOEpatents

Hendricks, Terry Joseph; Thoensen, Thomas

2005-11-15

A passive cooling system for a vehicle (114) transfers heat from an overheated internal component, for example, an instrument panel (100), to an external portion (116) of the vehicle (114), for example, a side body panel (126). The passive cooling system includes one or more heat pipes (112) having an evaporator section (118) embedded in the overheated internal component and a condenser section (120) at the external portion (116) of the vehicle (114). The evaporator (118) and condenser (120) sections are in fluid communication. The passive cooling system may also include a thermally conductive film (140) for thermally connecting the evaporator sections (118) of the heat pipes (112) to each other and to the instrument panel (100).

Passive Cooling System for a Vehicle

DOEpatents

Hendricks, T. J.; Thoensen, T.

2005-11-15

A passive cooling system for a vehicle (114) transfers heat from an overheated internal component, for example, an instrument panel (100), to an external portion (116) of the vehicle (114), for example, a side body panel (126). The passive cooling system includes one or more heat pipes (112) having an evaporator section (118) embedded in the overheated internal component and a condenser section (120) at the external portion (116) of the vehicle (114). The evaporator (118) and condenser (120) sections are in fluid communication. The passive cooling system may also include a thermally conductive film (140) for thermally connecting the evaporator sections (118) of the heat pipes (112) to each other and to the instrument panel (100).

Momentum rate probe for use with two-phase flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bush, S. G.; Bennett, J. B.; Sojka, P. E.; Panchagnula, M. V.; Plesniak, M. W.

1996-05-01

An instrument for measuring the momentum rate of two-phase flows is described, and design and construction details are provided. The device utilizes a conelike body to turn the flow from the axial to the radial direction. The force resulting from the change in momentum rate of the turning flow is measured using a strain-gage-instrumented cantilevered beam. The instrument is applicable to a wide range of flows including nuclear reactor coolant streams, refrigerants in heating-ventilating air-conditioning equipment, impingement cooling of small scale electronic hardware (computer chips are one example), supercritical fuel injection (in Diesel engines, for instance), and consumer product sprays (such as hair-care product sprays produced using effervescent atomizers). The latter application is discussed here. Features of the instrument include sensitivity to a wide range of forces and the ability to damp oscillations of the deflection cone. Instrument sensitivity allows measurement of momentum rates considerably lower (below 0.01 N) than those that could be obtained using previous devices. This feature is a direct result of our use of precision strain gages, capable of sensing strains below 20 μm/m, and the damping of oscillations which can overwhelm the force measurements. Oscillation damping results from a viscous fluid damper whose resistance is easily varied by changing fluids. Data used to calibrate the instrument are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the technique. As an example of the instrument's utility, momentum rate data obtained using it will be valuable in efforts to explain entrainment of surrounding air into effervescent atomizer-produced sprays and also to model the effervescent atomization process.

Application of parameter estimation to aircraft stability and control: The output-error approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maine, Richard E.; Iliff, Kenneth W.

1986-01-01

The practical application of parameter estimation methodology to the problem of estimating aircraft stability and control derivatives from flight test data is examined. The primary purpose of the document is to present a comprehensive and unified picture of the entire parameter estimation process and its integration into a flight test program. The document concentrates on the output-error method to provide a focus for detailed examination and to allow us to give specific examples of situations that have arisen. The document first derives the aircraft equations of motion in a form suitable for application to estimation of stability and control derivatives. It then discusses the issues that arise in adapting the equations to the limitations of analysis programs, using a specific program for an example. The roles and issues relating to mass distribution data, preflight predictions, maneuver design, flight scheduling, instrumentation sensors, data acquisition systems, and data processing are then addressed. Finally, the document discusses evaluation and the use of the analysis results.

Eco-Efficiency Analysis of biotechnological processes.

PubMed

Saling, Peter

2005-07-01

Eco-Efficiency has been variously defined and analytically implemented by several workers. In most cases, Eco-Efficiency is taken to mean the ecological optimization of overall systems while not disregarding economic factors. Eco-Efficiency should increase the positive ecological performance of a commercial company in relation to economic value creation--or to reduce negative effects. Several companies use Eco-Efficiency Analysis for decision-making processes; and industrial examples of best practices in developing and implementing Eco-Efficiency have been reviewed. They clearly demonstrate the environmental and business benefits of Eco-Efficiency. An instrument for the early recognition and systematic detection of economic and environmental opportunities and risks for production processes in the chemical industry began use in 1997, since when different new features have been developed, leading to many examples. This powerful Eco-Efficiency Analysis allows a feasibility evaluation of existing and future business activities and is applied by BASF. In many cases, decision-makers are able to choose among alternative processes for making a product.

NASA's Planetary Science Missions and Participations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daou, Doris; Green, James L.

2017-04-01

NASA's Planetary Science Division (PSD) and space agencies around the world are collaborating on an extensive array of missions exploring our solar system. Planetary science missions are conducted by some of the most sophisticated robots ever built. International collaboration is an essential part of what we do. NASA has always encouraged international participation on our missions both strategic (ie: Mars 2020) and competitive (ie: Discovery and New Frontiers) and other Space Agencies have reciprocated and invited NASA investigators to participate in their missions. NASA PSD has partnerships with virtually every major space agency. For example, NASA has had a long and very fruitful collaboration with ESA. ESA has been involved in the Cassini mission and, currently, NASA funded scientists are involved in the Rosetta mission (3 full instruments, part of another), BepiColombo mission (1 instrument in the Italian Space Agency's instrument suite), and the Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer mission (1 instrument and parts of two others). In concert with ESA's Mars missions NASA has an instrument on the Mars Express mission, the orbit-ground communications package on the Trace Gas Orbiter (launched in March 2016) and part of the DLR/Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer instruments going onboard the ExoMars Rover (to be launched in 2018). NASA's Planetary Science Division has continuously provided its U.S. planetary science community with opportunities to include international participation on NASA missions too. For example, NASA's Discovery and New Frontiers Programs provide U.S. scientists the opportunity to assemble international teams and design exciting, focused planetary science investigations that would deepen the knowledge of our Solar System. The PSD put out an international call for instruments on the Mars 2020 mission. This procurement led to the selection of Spain and Norway scientist leading two instruments and French scientists providing a significant portion of another instrument. This was a tremendously successful activity leading to another similar call for instrument proposals for the Europa mission. Europa mission instruments will be used to conduct high priority scientific investigations addressing the science goals for the moon's exploration outlined in the National Resource Council's Planetary Decadal Survey, Vision and Voyages (2011). International partnerships are an excellent, proven way of amplifying the scope and sharing the science results of a mission otherwise implemented by an individual space agency. The exploration of the Solar System is uniquely poised to bring planetary scientists, worldwide, together under the common theme of understanding the origin, evolution, and bodies of our solar neighborhood. In the past decade we have witnessed great examples of international partnerships that made various missions the success they are known for today. The Planetary Science Division at NASA continues to seek cooperation with our strong international partners in support of planetary missions.

Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler Data Processing System manual [ADCP

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cote, Jessica M.; Hotchkiss, Frances S.; Martini, Marinna A.; Denham, Charles R.; revisions by Ramsey, Andree L.; Ruane, Stephen

2000-01-01

This open-file report describes the data processing software currently in use by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center (WHCMSC), to process time series of acoustic Doppler current data obtained by Teledyne RD Instruments Workhorse model ADCPs. The Sediment Transport Instrumentation Group (STG) at the WHCMSC has a long-standing commitment to providing scientists high quality oceanographic data published in a timely manner. To meet this commitment, STG has created this software to aid personnel in processing and reviewing data as well as evaluating hardware for signs of instrument malfunction. The output data format for the data is network Common Data Form (netCDF), which meets USGS publication standards. Typically, ADCP data are recorded in beam coordinates. This conforms to the USGS philosophy to post-process rather than internally process data. By preserving the original data quality indicators as well as the initial data set, data can be evaluated and reprocessed for different types of analyses. Beam coordinate data are desirable for internal and surface wave experiments, for example. All the code in this software package is intended to run using the MATLAB program available from The Mathworks, Inc. As such, it is platform independent and can be adapted by the USGS and others for specialized experiments with non-standard requirements. The software is continuously being updated and revised as improvements are required. The most recent revision may be downloaded from: http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/operations/stg/Pubs/ADCPtools/adcp_index.htm The USGS makes this software available at the user?s discretion and responsibility.

Advanced Fiber Optic-Based Sensing Technology for Unmanned Aircraft Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richards, Lance; Parker, Allen R.; Piazza, Anthony; Ko, William L.; Chan, Patrick; Bakalyar, John

2011-01-01

This presentation provides an overview of fiber optic sensing technology development activities performed at NASA Dryden in support of Unmanned Aircraft Systems. Examples of current and previous work are presented in the following categories: algorithm development, system development, instrumentation installation, ground R&D, and flight testing. Examples of current research and development activities are provided.

The Finnish Five-String Kantele: Sustainably Designed for Musical Joy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruokonen, Inkeri; Sepp, Anu; Moilanen, Venla; Autio, Ossi; Ruismaki, Heikki

2014-01-01

This article discusses the five-string kantele as an example of the Finnish national heritage, a school instrument and an example of sustainable design. A qualitative case study was made by collecting the data from the Finnish students--prospective teachers--and the sixth form pupils, who had designed and carved their own five-string kanteles. The…

An Algebraic Approach to Unital Quantities and their Measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Domotor, Zoltan; Batitsky, Vadim

2016-06-01

The goals of this paper fall into two closely related areas. First, we develop a formal framework for deterministic unital quantities in which measurement unitization is understood to be a built-in feature of quantities rather than a mere annotation of their numerical values with convenient units. We introduce this idea within the setting of certain ordered semigroups of physical-geometric states of classical physical systems. States are assumed to serve as truth makers of metrological statements about quantity values. A unital quantity is presented as an isomorphism from the target system's ordered semigroup of states to that of positive reals. This framework allows us to include various derived and variable quantities, encountered in engineering and the natural sciences. For illustration and ease of presentation, we use the classical notions of length, time, electric current and mean velocity as primordial examples. The most important application of the resulting unital quantity calculus is in dimensional analysis. Second, in evaluating measurement uncertainty due to the analog-to-digital conversion of the measured quantity's value into its measuring instrument's pointer quantity value, we employ an ordered semigroup framework of pointer states. Pointer states encode the measuring instrument's indiscernibility relation, manifested by not being able to distinguish the measured system's topologically proximal states. Once again, we focus mainly on the measurement of length and electric current quantities as our motivating examples. Our approach to quantities and their measurement is strictly state-based and algebraic in flavor, rather than that of a representationalist-style structure-preserving numerical assignment.

Comparison of OH Reactivity Instruments in the Atmosphere Simulation Chamber SAPHIR.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuchs, H.; Novelli, A.; Rolletter, M.; Hofzumahaus, A.; Pfannerstill, E.; Edtbauer, A.; Kessel, S.; Williams, J.; Michoud, V.; Dusanter, S.; Locoge, N.; Zannoni, N.; Gros, V.; Truong, F.; Sarda Esteve, R.; Cryer, D. R.; Brumby, C.; Whalley, L.; Stone, D. J.; Seakins, P. W.; Heard, D. E.; Schoemaecker, C.; Blocquet, M.; Fittschen, C. M.; Thames, A. B.; Coudert, S.; Brune, W. H.; Batut, S.; Tatum Ernest, C.; Harder, H.; Elste, T.; Bohn, B.; Hohaus, T.; Holland, F.; Muller, J. B. A.; Li, X.; Rohrer, F.; Kubistin, D.; Kiendler-Scharr, A.; Tillmann, R.; Andres, S.; Wegener, R.; Yu, Z.; Zou, Q.; Wahner, A.

2017-12-01

Two campaigns were conducted performing experiments in the atmospheric simulation chamber SAPHIR at Forschungszentrum Jülich in October 2015 and April 2016 to compare hydroxyl (OH) radical reactivity (kOH) measurements. Chemical conditions were chosen either to be representative of the atmosphere or to test potential limitations of instruments. The results of these campaigns demonstrate that OH reactivity can be accurately measured for a wide range of atmospherically relevant chemical conditions (e.g. water vapor, nitrogen oxides, various organic compounds) by all instruments. The precision of the measurements is higher for instruments directly detecting hydroxyl radicals (OH), whereas the indirect Comparative Reactivity Method (CRM) has a higher limit of detection of 2s-1 at a time resolution of 10 to 15 min. The performances of the instruments were systematically tested by stepwise increasing, for example, the concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO), water vapor or nitric oxide (NO). In further experiments, mixtures of organic reactants were injected in the chamber to simulate urban and forested environments. Overall, the results show that instruments are capable of measuring OH reactivity in the presence of CO, alkanes, alkenes and aromatic compounds. The transmission efficiency in Teflon inlet lines could have introduced systematic errors in measurements for low-volatile organic compounds in some instruments. CRM instruments exhibited a larger scatter in the data compared to the other instruments. The largest differences to the reference were observed by CRM instruments in the presence of terpenes and oxygenated organic compounds. In some of these experiments, only a small fraction of the reactivity is detected. The accuracy of CRM measurements is most likely limited by the corrections that need to be applied in order to account for known effects of, for example, deviations from pseudo-first order conditions, nitrogen oxides or water vapor on the measurement. Methods to derive these corrections vary among the different CRM instruments. Measurements by a flow-tube instrument combined with the direct detection of OH by chemical ionization mass spectrometry (CIMS) show limitations, but were accurate for low reactivity (< 15s -1) and low NO (< 5 ppbv) conditions.

Development and Application of a Two-Tier Multiple Choice Diagnostic Instrument To Assess High School Students' Understanding of Inorganic Chemistry Qualitative Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tan, Kim Chwee Daniel; Goh, Ngoh Khang; Chia, Lian Sai; Treagust, David F.

2002-01-01

Describes the development and application of a two-tier multiple choice diagnostic instrument to assess high school students' understanding of inorganic chemistry qualitative analysis. Shows that the Grade 10 students had difficulty understanding the reactions involved in the identification of cations and anions, for example, double decomposition…

A Combination of Teacher-Led Assessment and Self-Assessment Drives the Learning Process in Online Master Degree in Transplantation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halawa, Ahmed; Sharma, Ajay; Bridson, Julie M.; Lyon, Sarah; Prescott, Denise; Guha, Arpan; Taylor, David

2017-01-01

Background: Good performance in a summative assessment does not always equate to educational gain following a course. An educational programme may focus on improving student's performance on a particular test instrument. For example, practicing multiple choice questions may lead to mastery of the instrument itself rather than testing the knowledge…

26 CFR 1.1274-2 - Issue price of debt instruments to which section 1274 applies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

...- borrower to the seller-lender that is designated as interest or points. See Example 2 of § 1.1273-2(g)(5... ignored. (f) Treatment of variable rate debt instruments—(1) Stated interest at a qualified floating rate... qualified floating rate (or rates) is determined by assuming that the instrument provides for a fixed rate...

Do self-report instruments allow meaningful comparisons across diverse population groups? Testing measurement invariance using the confirmatory factor analysis framework.

PubMed

Gregorich, Steven E

2006-11-01

Comparative public health research makes wide use of self-report instruments. For example, research identifying and explaining health disparities across demographic strata may seek to understand the health effects of patient attitudes or private behaviors. Such personal attributes are difficult or impossible to observe directly and are often best measured by self-reports. Defensible use of self-reports in quantitative comparative research requires not only that the measured constructs have the same meaning across groups, but also that group comparisons of sample estimates (eg, means and variances) reflect true group differences and are not contaminated by group-specific attributes that are unrelated to the construct of interest. Evidence for these desirable properties of measurement instruments can be established within the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) framework; a nested hierarchy of hypotheses is tested that addresses the cross-group invariance of the instrument's psychometric properties. By name, these hypotheses include configural, metric (or pattern), strong (or scalar), and strict factorial invariance. The CFA model and each of these hypotheses are described in nontechnical language. A worked example and technical appendices are included.

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

Bao, C.; Hanany, S.; Baccigalupi, C.

We extend a general maximum likelihood foreground estimation for cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarization data to include estimation of instrumental systematic effects. We focus on two particular effects: frequency band measurement uncertainty and instrumentally induced frequency dependent polarization rotation. We assess the bias induced on the estimation of the B-mode polarization signal by these two systematic effects in the presence of instrumental noise and uncertainties in the polarization and spectral index of Galactic dust. Degeneracies between uncertainties in the band and polarization angle calibration measurements and in the dust spectral index and polarization increase the uncertainty in the extracted CMBmore » B-mode power, and may give rise to a biased estimate. We provide a quantitative assessment of the potential bias and increased uncertainty in an example experimental configuration. For example, we find that with 10% polarized dust, a tensor to scalar ratio of r = 0.05, and the instrumental configuration of the E and B experiment balloon payload, the estimated CMB B-mode power spectrum is recovered without bias when the frequency band measurement has 5% uncertainty or less, and the polarization angle calibration has an uncertainty of up to 4°.« less

[Development of an evaluation instrument for service quality in nursing homes].

PubMed

Lee, Jia; Ji, Eun Sun

2011-08-01

The purposes of this study were to identify the factors influencing service quality in nursing homes, and to develop an evaluation instrument for service quality. A three-phase process was employed for the study. 1) The important factors to evaluate the service quality in nursing homes were identified through a literature review, panel discussion and focus group interview, 2) the evaluation instrument was developed, and 3) validity and reliability of the study instrument were tested by factor analysis, Pearson correlation coefficient, Cronbach's α and Cohen's Kappa. Factor analysis showed that the factors influencing service quality in nursing homes were healthcare, diet/assistance, therapy, environment and staff. To improve objectivity of the instrument, quantitative as well as qualitative evaluation approaches were adopted. The study instrument was developed with 30 items and showed acceptable construct validity. The criterion-related validity was a Pearson correlation coefficient of .85 in 151 care facilities. The internal consistency was Cronbach's α=.95. The instrument has acceptable validity and a high degree of reliability. Staff in nursing homes can continuously improve and manage their services using the results of the evaluation instrument.

Laboratory technology and cosmochemistry

PubMed Central

Zinner, Ernst K.; Moynier, Frederic; Stroud, Rhonda M.

2011-01-01

Recent developments in analytical instrumentation have led to revolutionary discoveries in cosmochemistry. Instrumental advances have been made along two lines: (i) increase in spatial resolution and sensitivity of detection, allowing for the study of increasingly smaller samples, and (ii) increase in the precision of isotopic analysis that allows more precise dating, the study of isotopic heterogeneity in the Solar System, and other studies. A variety of instrumental techniques are discussed, and important examples of discoveries are listed. Instrumental techniques and instruments include the ion microprobe, laser ablation gas MS, Auger EM, resonance ionization MS, accelerator MS, transmission EM, focused ion-beam microscopy, atom probe tomography, X-ray absorption near-edge structure/electron loss near-edge spectroscopy, Raman microprobe, NMR spectroscopy, and inductively coupled plasma MS. PMID:21498689

A Theoretical Study and Numerical Simulation of a Quasi-Distributed Sensor Based on the Low-Finesse Fabry-Perot Interferometer: Frequency-Division Multiplexing

PubMed Central

Guillen Bonilla, José Trinidad; Guillen Bonilla, Alex; Rodríguez Betancourtt, Verónica M.; Guillen Bonilla, Héctor; Casillas Zamora, Antonio

2017-01-01

The application of the sensor optical fibers in the areas of scientific instrumentation and industrial instrumentation is very attractive due to its numerous advantages. In the industry of civil engineering for example, quasi-distributed sensors made with optical fiber are used for reliable strain and temperature measurements. Here, a quasi-distributed sensor in the frequency domain is discussed. The sensor consists of a series of low-finesse Fabry-Perot interferometers where each Fabry-Perot interferometer acts as a local sensor. Fabry-Perot interferometers are formed by pairs of identical low reflective Bragg gratings imprinted in a single mode fiber. All interferometer sensors have different cavity length, provoking frequency-domain multiplexing. The optical signal represents the superposition of all interference patterns which can be decomposed using the Fourier transform. The frequency spectrum was analyzed and sensor’s properties were defined. Following that, a quasi-distributed sensor was numerically simulated. Our sensor simulation considers sensor properties, signal processing, noise system, and instrumentation. The numerical results show the behavior of resolution vs. signal-to-noise ratio. From our results, the Fabry-Perot sensor has high resolution and low resolution. Both resolutions are conceivable because the Fourier Domain Phase Analysis (FDPA) algorithm elaborates two evaluations of Bragg wavelength shift. PMID:28420083

In situ methods for measuring thermal properties and heat flux on planetary bodies

PubMed Central

Kömle, Norbert I.; Hütter, Erika S.; Macher, Wolfgang; Kaufmann, Erika; Kargl, Günter; Knollenberg, Jörg; Grott, Matthias; Spohn, Tilman; Wawrzaszek, Roman; Banaszkiewicz, Marek; Seweryn, Karoly; Hagermann, Axel

2011-01-01

The thermo-mechanical properties of planetary surface and subsurface layers control to a high extent in which way a body interacts with its environment, in particular how it responds to solar irradiation and how it interacts with a potentially existing atmosphere. Furthermore, if the natural temperature profile over a certain depth can be measured in situ, this gives important information about the heat flux from the interior and thus about the thermal evolution of the body. Therefore, in most of the recent and planned planetary lander missions experiment packages for determining thermo-mechanical properties are part of the payload. Examples are the experiment MUPUS on Rosetta's comet lander Philae, the TECP instrument aboard NASA's Mars polar lander Phoenix, and the mole-type instrument HP3 currently developed for use on upcoming lunar and Mars missions. In this review we describe several methods applied for measuring thermal conductivity and heat flux and discuss the particular difficulties faced when these properties have to be measured in a low pressure and low temperature environment. We point out the abilities and disadvantages of the different instruments and outline the evaluation procedures necessary to extract reliable thermal conductivity and heat flux data from in situ measurements. PMID:21760643

Observations on a set of Greco-Roman eye, ear, nose, and throat surgical instruments.

PubMed

Dedo, Herbert H

2017-02-01

The tools described in this article are verified to be Greco-Roman medical and surgical instruments for the eye, ear, nose, and throat. They include three myrtle leaf-shaped scalpels, three ear spoons, a "Q-tip," a forceps, a needle, and two arrow-pointed scalpels. One of the arrow-pointed scalpels is nearly identical to a Juerger keratome, suggesting that in Roman times, cataracts were extracted, not just "couched" into the posterior chamber. The description presented here goes beyond traditional archeological claims, because as a head and neck surgeon, I evaluated these instruments from a surgeon's point of view. For example, nonsurgeon medical historians have claimed the myrtle leaf-shaped items were used as handles or for blunt dissection, which I feel is mistaken. Review of the literature reveals the Greco-Roman surgeons were doing tonsillectomies, tracheotomies, and cataract extractions, and recognized that swimming in dirty water could cause ear infection. However, it is clear that with poor or no anesthesia, the pain from blunt dissection would have been intolerable, and unnecessary tissue planes would have been opened increasing wound infection risks. Therefore, there would have been no need for the myrtle leaf-shaped blade if it were just a handle. Laryngoscope, 2016 127:354-358, 2017. © 2016 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

A Theoretical Study and Numerical Simulation of a Quasi-Distributed Sensor Based on the Low-Finesse Fabry-Perot Interferometer: Frequency-Division Multiplexing.

PubMed

Guillen Bonilla, José Trinidad; Guillen Bonilla, Alex; Rodríguez Betancourtt, Verónica M; Guillen Bonilla, Héctor; Casillas Zamora, Antonio

2017-04-14

The application of the sensor optical fibers in the areas of scientific instrumentation and industrial instrumentation is very attractive due to its numerous advantages. In the industry of civil engineering for example, quasi-distributed sensors made with optical fiber are used for reliable strain and temperature measurements. Here, a quasi-distributed sensor in the frequency domain is discussed. The sensor consists of a series of low-finesse Fabry-Perot interferometers where each Fabry-Perot interferometer acts as a local sensor. Fabry-Perot interferometers are formed by pairs of identical low reflective Bragg gratings imprinted in a single mode fiber. All interferometer sensors have different cavity length, provoking frequency-domain multiplexing. The optical signal represents the superposition of all interference patterns which can be decomposed using the Fourier transform. The frequency spectrum was analyzed and sensor's properties were defined. Following that, a quasi-distributed sensor was numerically simulated. Our sensor simulation considers sensor properties, signal processing, noise system, and instrumentation. The numerical results show the behavior of resolution vs. signal-to-noise ratio. From our results, the Fabry-Perot sensor has high resolution and low resolution. Both resolutions are conceivable because the Fourier Domain Phase Analysis (FDPA) algorithm elaborates two evaluations of Bragg wavelength shift.

Towards non- and minimally instrumented, microfluidics-based diagnostic devices†

PubMed Central

Weigl, Bernhard; Domingo, Gonzalo; LaBarre, Paul; Gerlach, Jay

2009-01-01

In many health care settings, it is uneconomical, impractical, or unaffordable to maintain and access a fully equipped diagnostics laboratory. Examples include home health care, developing-country health care, and emergency situations in which first responders are dealing with pandemics or biowarfare agent release. In those settings, fully disposable diagnostic devices that require no instrument support, reagent, or significant training are well suited. Although the only such technology to have found widespread adoption so far is the immunochromatographic rapid assay strip test, microfluidics holds promise to expand the range of assay technologies that can be performed in formats similar to that of a strip test. In this paper, we review progress toward development of disposable, low-cost, easy-to-use microfluidics-based diagnostics that require no instrument at all. We also present examples of microfluidic functional elements—including mixers, separators, and detectors—as well as complete microfluidic devices that function entirely without any moving parts and external power sources. PMID:19023463

Performance Testing of Tracer Gas and Tracer Aerosol Detectors for use in Radionuclide NESHAP Compliance Testing

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

Fuehne, David Patrick; Lattin, Rebecca Renee

The Rad-NESHAP program, part of the Air Quality Compliance team of LANL’s Compliance Programs group (EPC-CP), and the Radiation Instrumentation & Calibration team, part of the Radiation Protection Services group (RP-SVS), frequently partner on issues relating to characterizing air flow streams. This memo documents the most recent example of this partnership, involving performance testing of sulfur hexafluoride detectors for use in stack gas mixing tests. Additionally, members of the Rad-NESHAP program performed a functional trending test on a pair of optical particle counters, comparing results from a non-calibrated instrument to a calibrated instrument. Prior to commissioning a new stack samplingmore » system, the ANSI Standard for stack sampling requires that the stack sample location must meet several criteria, including uniformity of tracer gas and aerosol mixing in the air stream. For these mix tests, tracer media (sulfur hexafluoride gas or liquid oil aerosol particles) are injected into the stack air stream and the resulting air concentrations are measured across the plane of the stack at the proposed sampling location. The coefficient of variation of these media concentrations must be under 20% when evaluated over the central 2/3 area of the stack or duct. The instruments which measure these air concentrations must be tested prior to the stack tests in order to ensure their linear response to varying air concentrations of either tracer gas or tracer aerosol. The instruments used in tracer gas and aerosol mix testing cannot be calibrated by the LANL Standards and Calibration Laboratory, so they would normally be sent off-site for factory calibration by the vendor. Operational requirements can prevent formal factory calibration of some instruments after they have been used in hazardous settings, e.g., within a radiological facility with potential airborne contamination. The performance tests described in this document are intended to demonstrate the reliable performance of the test instruments for the specific tests used in stack flow characterization.« less

Supporting elementary science education for English learners: An evaluation instrument to promote constructivist teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gibbons, Beatrice Lowney

2002-01-01

The purpose of this study was to develop an evaluation instrument to be used by elementary school administrators in the promotion of constructivist teaching of elementary science for English Learners using a qualitative and quantitative design that identified effective instructional strategies to be included on the evaluation instrument. This study was conducted in fifth grade classrooms of predominately English Learners whose teachers are CLAD-certified, tenured teachers with at least three years of teaching experience. The classroom observations took place within a multicultural school district with predominantly Hispanic and Filipino students in the Southern San Joaquin Valley of California. The evaluation instrument was used to observe these teachers teach elementary science lessons to classrooms of predominately English Learners. The frequency of the use of the ELD/SDAIE instructional strategies were noted on the evaluation instrument with a check mark, indicating the fact that an instructional technique was employed by the teacher. These observation visits revealed what type of instructional strategies were being utilized in the teaching of science to fifth grade English Learners, whether these CLAD-certified teachers were using ELD strategies, and whether the incidence of ELD/SDAIE constructivist instructional techniques increased with the repeated use of the evaluation instrument. As a result of this study, an evaluation instrument to be utilized by school administrators in the evaluation of elementary science instruction to English Learners was developed. The repeated use of this evaluation instrument coupled with preobservation and postobservation conferences may result in the increase in frequency of ELD/SDAIE methodology and constructivist strategies listed on the evaluation instrument in the elementary science classroom.

Limited sterile processing capabilities for safe surgery in low-income and middle-income countries: experience in the Republic of Congo, Madagascar and Benin.

PubMed

Fast, Olive; Fast, Christina; Fast, Dan; Veltjens, Suzanne; Salami, Zouliha; White, Michelle C

2017-01-01

It is highly difficult to perform safe surgery without sterile instruments, yet the capacity to adequately clean, disinfect and sterilise surgical instruments in low-income and middle-income countries is largely unknown. Sterile Processing Education Charitable Trust developed an assessment tool and, in partnership with Mercy Ships, evaluated the sterile processing capacity in 59 facilities in Madagascar, Benin and the Republic of Congo. This data-driven analysis paper illustrates how lack of sterile processing capacity acts as a barrier to safe surgical care. Our tool identified widespread lack of knowledge of techniques and resources needed for sterile processing. Only 12% of workers in Republic of Congo and Benin had sterile processing training and none in Madagascar. None of the hospitals surveyed met basic standards for cleaning, disinfection and sterilisation as defined by the WHO/Pan American Health Organization. Examples of poor practice included lack of cleaning supplies (basic brushes and detergents), incorrect drying and storage of surgical instruments, and inattention to workflow causing cross-contamination. Bleach (sodium hypochlorite) solutions, damaging to instruments, were used universally. In our experience, using an assessment tool allowed identification of specific gaps in sterile processing capacity. Many of the gaps are amenable to simple solutions requiring minimal resources and achievable by most hospitals. We recommend that stakeholders seeking to strengthen surgical health systems in low-resource settings incorporate sterile processing capacity assessments and training into their programmes.

Tunable mechanical monolithic sensor with interferometric readout for low frequency seismic noise measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acernese, F.; De Rosa, R.; Giordano, G.; Romano, R.; Barone, F.

2008-03-01

This paper describes a mechanical monolithic sensor for geophysical applications developed at the University of Salerno. The instrument is basically a monolithic tunable folded pendulum, shaped with precision machining and electric-discharge-machining, that can be used both as seismometer and, in a force-feedback configuration, as accelerometer. The monolithic mechanical design and the introduction of laser interferometric techniques for the readout implementation make it a very compact instrument, very sensitive in the low-frequency seismic noise band, with a very good immunity to environmental noises. Many changes have been produced since last version (2007), mainly aimed to the improvement of the mechanics and of the optical readout of the instrument. In fact, we have developed and tested a prototype with elliptical hinges and mechanical tuning of the resonance frequency together with a laser optical lever and a new laser interferometer readout system. The theoretical sensitivity curve both for both laser optical lever and laser interferometric readouts, evaluated on the basis of suitable theoretical models, shows a very good agreement with the experimental measurements. Very interesting scientific result, for example, is that the measured natural resonance frequency of the instrument is 70 mHz with a Q = 140 in air without thermal stabilization, demonstrating the feasibility of a monolithic FP sensor with a natural resonance frequency of the order of mHz with a more refined mechanical tuning. Results on the readout system based on polarimetric homodyne Michelson interferometer is discussed.

Limited sterile processing capabilities for safe surgery in low-income and middle-income countries: experience in the Republic of Congo, Madagascar and Benin

PubMed Central

Fast, Olive; Fast, Christina; Fast, Dan; Veltjens, Suzanne; Salami, Zouliha

2017-01-01

It is highly difficult to perform safe surgery without sterile instruments, yet the capacity to adequately clean, disinfect and sterilise surgical instruments in low-income and middle-income countries is largely unknown. Sterile Processing Education Charitable Trust developed an assessment tool and, in partnership with Mercy Ships, evaluated the sterile processing capacity in 59 facilities in Madagascar, Benin and the Republic of Congo. This data-driven analysis paper illustrates how lack of sterile processing capacity acts as a barrier to safe surgical care. Our tool identified widespread lack of knowledge of techniques and resources needed for sterile processing. Only 12% of workers in Republic of Congo and Benin had sterile processing training and none in Madagascar. None of the hospitals surveyed met basic standards for cleaning, disinfection and sterilisation as defined by the WHO/Pan American Health Organization. Examples of poor practice included lack of cleaning supplies (basic brushes and detergents), incorrect drying and storage of surgical instruments, and inattention to workflow causing cross-contamination. Bleach (sodium hypochlorite) solutions, damaging to instruments, were used universally. In our experience, using an assessment tool allowed identification of specific gaps in sterile processing capacity. Many of the gaps are amenable to simple solutions requiring minimal resources and achievable by most hospitals. We recommend that stakeholders seeking to strengthen surgical health systems in low-resource settings incorporate sterile processing capacity assessments and training into their programmes. PMID:29225957

A fast RCS accuracy assessment method for passive radar calibrators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Yongsheng; Li, Chuanrong; Tang, Lingli; Ma, Lingling; Liu, QI

2016-10-01

In microwave radar radiometric calibration, the corner reflector acts as the standard reference target but its structure is usually deformed during the transportation and installation, or deformed by wind and gravity while permanently installed outdoor, which will decrease the RCS accuracy and therefore the radiometric calibration accuracy. A fast RCS accuracy measurement method based on 3-D measuring instrument and RCS simulation was proposed in this paper for tracking the characteristic variation of the corner reflector. In the first step, RCS simulation algorithm was selected and its simulation accuracy was assessed. In the second step, the 3-D measuring instrument was selected and its measuring accuracy was evaluated. Once the accuracy of the selected RCS simulation algorithm and 3-D measuring instrument was satisfied for the RCS accuracy assessment, the 3-D structure of the corner reflector would be obtained by the 3-D measuring instrument, and then the RCSs of the obtained 3-D structure and corresponding ideal structure would be calculated respectively based on the selected RCS simulation algorithm. The final RCS accuracy was the absolute difference of the two RCS calculation results. The advantage of the proposed method was that it could be applied outdoor easily, avoiding the correlation among the plate edge length error, plate orthogonality error, plate curvature error. The accuracy of this method is higher than the method using distortion equation. In the end of the paper, a measurement example was presented in order to show the performance of the proposed method.

Analysis of Six Reviews on the Quality of Instruments for the Evaluation of Interprofessional Education in German-Speaking Countries.

PubMed

Ehlers, Jan P; Kaap-Fröhlich, Sylvia; Mahler, Cornelia; Scherer, Theresa; Huber, Marion

2017-01-01

Background: More and more institutions worldwide and in German-speaking countries are developing and establishing interprofessional seminars in undergraduate education of health professions. In order to evaluate the different didactic approaches and different outcomes regarding the anticipated interprofessional competencies, it is necessary to apply appropriate instruments. Cross-cultural instruments are particularly helpful for international comparability. The Interprofessional Education working group of the German Medical Association (GMA) aims at identifying existing instruments for the evaluation of interprofessional education in order to make recommendations for German-speaking countries. Methods: Systematic literature research was performed on the websites of international interprofessional organisations (CAIPE, EIPEN, AIPEN), as well as in the PubMed and Cinahl databases. Reviews focusing on quantitative instruments to evaluate competencies according to the modified Kirkpatrick competency levels were searched for. Psychometrics, language/country and setting, in which the instrument was applied, were recorded. Results: Six reviews out of 73 literature research hits were included. A large number of instruments were identified; however, their psychometrics and the applied setting were very heterogeneous. The instruments can mainly be assigned to Kirkpatrick levels 1, 2a & 2b. Most instruments have been developed in English but their psychometrics were not always reported rigorously. Only very few instruments are available in German. Conclusion: It is difficult to find appropriate instruments in German. Internationally, there are different approaches and objectives in the measurement and evaluation of interprofessional competencies. The question arises whether it makes sense to translate existing instruments or to go through the lengthy process of developing new ones. The evaluation of interprofessional seminars with quantitative instruments remains mainly on Kirkpatrick levels 1 and 2. Levels 3 and 4 can probably only be assessed with qualitative or mixed methods. German language instruments are necessary.

Analysis of Six Reviews on the Quality of Instruments for the Evaluation of Interprofessional Education in German-Speaking Countries

PubMed Central

Ehlers, Jan P.; Kaap-Fröhlich, Sylvia; Mahler, Cornelia; Scherer, Theresa; Huber, Marion

2017-01-01

Background: More and more institutions worldwide and in German-speaking countries are developing and establishing interprofessional seminars in undergraduate education of health professions. In order to evaluate the different didactic approaches and different outcomes regarding the anticipated interprofessional competencies, it is necessary to apply appropriate instruments. Cross-cultural instruments are particularly helpful for international comparability. The Interprofessional Education working group of the German Medical Association (GMA) aims at identifying existing instruments for the evaluation of interprofessional education in order to make recommendations for German-speaking countries. Methods: Systematic literature research was performed on the websites of international interprofessional organisations (CAIPE, EIPEN, AIPEN), as well as in the PubMed and Cinahl databases. Reviews focusing on quantitative instruments to evaluate competencies according to the modified Kirkpatrick competency levels were searched for. Psychometrics, language/country and setting, in which the instrument was applied, were recorded. Results: Six reviews out of 73 literature research hits were included. A large number of instruments were identified; however, their psychometrics and the applied setting were very heterogeneous. The instruments can mainly be assigned to Kirkpatrick levels 1, 2a & 2b. Most instruments have been developed in English but their psychometrics were not always reported rigorously. Only very few instruments are available in German. Conclusion: It is difficult to find appropriate instruments in German. Internationally, there are different approaches and objectives in the measurement and evaluation of interprofessional competencies. The question arises whether it makes sense to translate existing instruments or to go through the lengthy process of developing new ones. The evaluation of interprofessional seminars with quantitative instruments remains mainly on Kirkpatrick levels 1 and 2. Levels 3 and 4 can probably only be assessed with qualitative or mixed methods. German language instruments are necessary. PMID:28890927

Pancreatitis Quality of Life Instrument: Development of a new instrument

PubMed Central

Bova, Carol; Barton, Bruce; Hartigan, Celia

2014-01-01

Objectives: The goal of this project was to develop the first disease-specific instrument for the evaluation of quality of life in chronic pancreatitis. Methods: Focus groups and interview sessions were conducted, with chronic pancreatitis patients, to identify items felt to impact quality of life which were subsequently formatted into a paper-and-pencil instrument. This instrument was used to conduct an online survey by an expert panel of pancreatologists to evaluate its content validity. Finally, the modified instrument was presented to patients during precognitive testing interviews to evaluate its clarity and appropriateness. Results: In total, 10 patients were enrolled in the focus groups and interview sessions where they identified 50 items. Once redundant items were removed, the 40 remaining items were made into a paper-and-pencil instrument referred to as the Pancreatitis Quality of Life Instrument. Through the processes of content validation and precognitive testing, the number of items in the instrument was reduced to 24. Conclusions: This marks the development of the first disease-specific instrument to evaluate quality of life in chronic pancreatitis. It includes unique features not found in generic instruments (economic factors, stigma, and spiritual factors). Although this marks a giant step forward, psychometric evaluation is still needed prior to its clinical use. PMID:26770703

GePEToS: A Geant4 Monte Carlo Simulation Package for Positron Emission Tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jan, S.; Collot, J.; Gallin-Martel, M.-L.; Martin, P.; Mayet, F.; Tournefier, E.

2005-02-01

GePEToS is a simulation framework developed over the last few years for assessing the instrumental performance of future positron emission tomography (PET) scanners. It is based on Geant4, written in object-oriented C++ and runs on Linux platforms. The validity of GePEToS has been tested on the well-known Siemens ECAT EXACT HR+ camera. The results of two application examples are presented: the design optimization of a liquid Xe /spl mu/PET camera dedicated to small animal imaging as well as the evaluation of the effect of a strong axial magnetic field on the image resolution of a Concorde P4 /spl mu/PET camera.

Systems and methods for processing irradiation targets through a nuclear reactor

DOEpatents

Dayal, Yogeshwar; Saito, Earl F.; Berger, John F.; Brittingham, Martin W.; Morales, Stephen K.; Hare, Jeffrey M.

2016-05-03

Apparatuses and methods produce radioisotopes in instrumentation tubes of operating commercial nuclear reactors. Irradiation targets may be inserted and removed from instrumentation tubes during operation and converted to radioisotopes otherwise unavailable during operation of commercial nuclear reactors. Example apparatuses may continuously insert, remove, and store irradiation targets to be converted to useable radioisotopes or other desired materials at several different origin and termination points accessible outside an access barrier such as a containment building, drywell wall, or other access restriction preventing access to instrumentation tubes during operation of the nuclear plant.

The Keck keyword layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Conrad, A. R.; Lupton, W. F.

1992-01-01

Each Keck instrument presents a consistent software view to the user interface programmer. The view consists of a small library of functions, which are identical for all instruments, and a large set of keywords, that vary from instrument to instrument. All knowledge of the underlying task structure is hidden from the application programmer by the keyword layer. Image capture software uses the same function library to collect data for the image header. Because the image capture software and the instrument control software are built on top of the same keyword layer, a given observation can be 'replayed' by extracting keyword-value pairs from the image header and passing them back to the control system. The keyword layer features non-blocking as well as blocking I/O. A non-blocking keyword write operation (such as setting a filter position) specifies a callback to be invoked when the operation is complete. A non-blocking keyword read operation specifies a callback to be invoked whenever the keyword changes state. The keyword-callback style meshes well with the widget-callback style commonly used in X window programs. The first keyword library was built for the two Keck optical instruments. More recently, keyword libraries have been developed for the infrared instruments and for telescope control. Although the underlying mechanisms used for inter-process communication by each of these systems vary widely (Lick MUSIC, Sun RPC, and direct socket I/O, respectively), a basic user interface has been written that can be used with any of these systems. Since the keyword libraries are bound to user interface programs dynamically at run time, only a single set of user interface executables is needed. For example, the same program, 'xshow', can be used to display continuously the telescope's position, the time left in an instrument's exposure, or both values simultaneously. Less generic tools that operate on specific keywords, for example an X display that controls optical instrument exposures, have also been written using the keyword layer.

Planning for an Evaluation of Teaching Performance. Volume IV. Summaries of Instruments for Use in Evaluating Teacher Performance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yuzdepski, I., Comp.; Elliott, L., Comp.

This document presents information, in the form of summary sheets, on 54 teacher evaluation instruments. Each summary contains pertinent information about the instrument regarding publishing company, author, criteria evaluated, subject of observation, category dimension, and coding units. The 19 criteria used in the evaluation tests, which were…

The development and psychometrical evaluation of a set of instruments to evaluate the effectiveness of diabetes patient education.

PubMed

Duprez, Veerle; De Pover, Marleen; De Spiegelaere, Marc; Beeckman, Dimitri

2014-02-01

To develop a set of psychometrically sound instruments to assess knowledge, self-management and self-efficacy of diabetic patients. Furthermore, a survey to evaluate the satisfaction about diabetes education for patients was developed and tested. Treatment and secondary prevention of diabetes require a complex combination of care components. Patients' education has been accepted to improve diabetes knowledge, self-management and self-efficacy. Psychometrically sound instruments are needed to measure these patient-centred outcomes. Psychometric instrument validation. The first phase included a systematic literature review to develop the instruments. Content validity was evaluated using a two-round Delphi procedure involving diabetes experts. The content validity of the instruments was excellent. In a second phase, a convenience sample of 188 diabetic patients in two hospitals in one specific care region in Belgium participated in the psychometric evaluation. The criterion-related validity and internal consistency reliability were evaluated. The study produced a 21-item knowledge instrument, reflecting knowledge about 'glycemic control' and 'medico-social management aspects'. The self-management instrument included 32 statements, reflecting 'treatment and compliance' and 'general lifestyle'. The self-efficacy instrument included 30 items, reflecting 'nutrition', 'treatment' and 'regimen'. The patient satisfaction survey included 36 items, reflecting satisfaction about the relationship among the diabetes specialist, the diabetes educator, podiatrist and dietician. An instrument set with sound psychometric characteristics was developed to assess knowledge, self-management and self-efficacy of diabetic patients. Future studies should focus on the association between the instrument outcomes and clinical patient outcomes. The current instrument can support the design of educational interventions and training programmes and reduce inconsistencies in the information that patients receive. Furthermore, the instruments can be used for benchmarking the quality of diabetic patient education. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Reliability and validity of the faculty evaluation instrument used at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences: Results from the Haematology Course.

PubMed

Al-Eidan, Fahad; Baig, Lubna Ansari; Magzoub, Mohi-Eldin; Omair, Aamir

2016-04-01

To assess reliability and validity of evaluation tool using Haematology course as an example. The cross-sectional study was conducted at King Saud Bin Abdul Aziz University of Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2012, while data analysis was completed in 2013. The 27-item block evaluation instrument was developed by a multidisciplinary faculty after a comprehensive literature review. Validity of the questionnaire was confirmed using principal component analysis with varimax rotation and Kaiser normalisation. Identified factors were combined to get the internal consistency reliability of each factor. Student's t-test was used to compare mean ratings between male and female students for the faculty and block evaluation. Of the 116 subjects in the study, 80(69%) were males and 36(31%) were females. Reliability of the questionnaire was Cronbach's alpha 0.91. Factor analysis yielded a logically coherent 7 factor solution that explained 75% of the variation in the data. The factors were group dynamics in problem-based learning (alpha0.92), block administration (alpha 0.89), quality of objective structured clinical examination (alpha 0.86), block coordination (alpha 0.81), structure of problem-based learning (alpha 0.84), quality of written exam (alpha 0.91), and difficulty of exams (alpha0.41). Female students' opinion on depth of analysis and critical thinking was significantly higher than that of the males (p=0.03). The faculty evaluation tool used was found to be reliable, but its validity, as assessed through factor analysis, has to be interpreted with caution as the responders were less than the minimum required for factor analysis.

A call for change: clinical evaluation of student registered nurse anesthetists.

PubMed

Collins, Shawn; Callahan, Margaret Faut

2014-02-01

The ability to integrate theory with practice is integral to a student's success. A common reason for attrition from a nurse anesthesia program is clinical issues. To document clinical competence, students are evaluated using various tools. For use of a clinical evaluation tool as possible evidence for a student's dismissal, an important psychometric property to ensure is instrument validity. Clinical evaluation instruments of nurse anesthesia programs are not standardized among programs, which suggests a lack of instrument validity. The lack of established validity of the instruments used to evaluate students' clinical progress brings into question their ability to detect a student who is truly in jeopardy of attrition. Given this possibility, clinical instrument validity warrants research to be fair to students and improve attrition rates based on valid data. This ex post facto study evaluated a 17-item clinical instrument tool to demonstrate the need for validity of clinical evaluation tools. It also compared clinical scores with scores on the National Certification Examination.

[A Multimedia Tutorial to Train Ultrasonography of the Thyroid for Medical Students].

PubMed

Ritter, Julia; Wolfram, Maximilian; Schuler, Stefan; Guntinas-Lichius, Orlando

2017-11-01

Physicians in education often have poor experience in practice and assessment of ultrasonography on entering their profession, due to a deficiency of training offers during their study of medicine. Hence, a multimedia device for stepwise learning and training ultrasonography of the thyroid was developed. A software for a portable ultrasonography system was used to design a multimedia device for ultrasonography of the thyroid. It allows the user to illustrate texts and pictorial material simultaneously with ultrasound examination in order to compare own findings with examples from a database. The device was evaluated by 8 medical students and compared to a tutor-guided training. A structured, stepwise manual for ultrasonography of the thyroid with a large content of examples in different sectional images was designed for simultaneous reconstruction with the ultrasonography device. The informative content of the device and the replicability of the examination procedure were evaluated positively. Assessment respecting clarity, eligibility for users without experience and learning success was varying. The tutorial to learn and train ultrasonography of the thyroid is an instrument for self-learning and improving practical education in ultrasonography in medical education. In the next version, the manual for the examination will be structured in greater detail. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Microparticle Flow Sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrison, Dennis R.

2005-01-01

The microparticle flow sensor (MFS) is a system for identifying and counting microscopic particles entrained in a flowing liquid. The MFS includes a transparent, optoelectronically instrumented laminar-flow chamber (see figure) and a computer for processing instrument-readout data. The MFS could be used to count microparticles (including micro-organisms) in diverse applications -- for example, production of microcapsules, treatment of wastewater, pumping of industrial chemicals, and identification of ownership of liquid products.

The Cloud Absorption Radiometer HDF Data User's Guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Jason Y.; Arnold, G. Thomas; Meyer, Howard G.; Tsay, Si-Chee; King, Michael D.

1997-01-01

The purpose of this document is to describe the Cloud Absorption Radiometer (CAR) Instrument, methods used in the CAR Hierarchical Data Format (HDF) data processing, the structure and format of the CAR HDF data files, and methods for accessing the data. Examples of CAR applications and their results are also presented. The CAR instrument is a multiwavelength scanning radiometer that measures the angular distributions of scattered radiation.

Using Cognitive Interviews to Pilot an International Survey of Principal Preparation: A Western Australian Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wildy, Helen; Clarke, Simon

2009-01-01

This paper provides an example of the application of the cognitive interview, a qualitative tool for pre-testing a survey instrument to check its cognitive validity, that is, whether the items mean to respondents what they mean to the item designers. The instrument is the survey used in the final phase of the International Study of Principal…

Development of Tasks and Evaluation of a Prototype Forceps for NOTES

PubMed Central

Addis, Matthew; Aguirre, Milton; Haluck, Randy; Matthew, Abraham; Pauli, Eric; Gopal, Jegan

2012-01-01

Background and Objectives: Few standardized testing procedures exist for instruments intended for Natural Orifice Translumenal Endoscopic Surgery. These testing procedures are critical for evaluating surgical skills and surgical instruments to ensure sufficient quality. This need is widely recognized by endoscopic surgeons as a major hurdle for the advancement of Natural Orifice Translumenal Endoscopic Surgery. Methods: Beginning with tasks currently used to evaluate laparoscopic surgeons and instruments, new tasks were designed to evaluate endoscopic surgical forceps instruments. Results: Six tasks have been developed from existing tasks, adapted and modified for use with endoscopic instruments, or newly designed to test additional features of endoscopic forceps. The new tasks include the Fuzzy Ball Task, Cup Drop Task, Ring Around Task, Material Pull Task, Simulated Biopsy Task, and the Force Gauge Task. These tasks were then used to evaluate the performance of a new forceps instrument designed at Pennsylvania State University. Conclusions: The need for testing procedures for the advancement of Natural Orifice Translumenal Endoscopic Surgery has been addressed in this work. The developed tasks form a basis for not only testing new forceps instruments, but also for evaluating individual performance of surgical candidates with endoscopic forceps instruments. PMID:22906337

Alternative Techniques for Testing A Highway Information Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mast, Truman; Mast, Truman

1974-01-01

The highway transport system as contrasted with other modes of transportation is quite unique in that the users of the system are responsible for the guidance and control functions of the vehicle. Research has shown that improved forms of motorist information, such as highway signs and markings, can enhance the predictability and reliability of the driving task. Test and evaluation of promising new concepts in motorist information must preceed widespread endorsement and implementation on our highway system. This paper reviews the merits and limitations of presently available human factor research techniques--laboratory, instrumented vehicle and traffic performance studies on operational facilities--for evaluating the efficacy of motorist information concepts. Specific examples are given to demonstrate the utility and the interrelationships of the alternative research techniques and there is a discussion of the most pressing immediate and future needs for improved highway signing and road marking research methodology.

EUV Spectroscopy of High-redshift X-ray Objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kowalski, Michael Paul; Wolff, M. T.; Wood, K. S.; Barbee, T. W., Jr.

2010-03-01

As astronomical observations are pushed to cosmological distances (z>3) the spectral energy distributions of X-ray objects, AGNs for example, will have their maxima redshifted into the EUV waveband ( 90-912 Å/0.1-0.01 keV). Consequently, a wealth of spectral diagnostics, provided by, for example, the Fe L-shell complex ( 60-6 Å/0.2-2.0 keV) and the O VII/VIII lines ( 20 Å/0.5 keV), will be lost to X-ray instruments operating at traditional ( 0.5-10 keV) and higher X-ray energies. There are precedents in other wavebands. For example, HST evolutionary studies will become largely the province of JWST. Despite the successes of EUVE, the ROSAT WFC, and the Chandra LETG, the EUV continues to be unappreciated and under-utilized, partly because of a preconception that absorption by neutral galactic Hydrogen in the ISM prevents any useful extragalactic measurements at all EUV wavelengths and, until recently, by a lack of a suitable enabling technology. Thus, if future planned X-ray missions (e.g., IXO, Gen-X) are optimized again for traditional X-ray energies, their performance (effective area, resolving power) will be cut off at ultrasoft X-ray energies or at best be radically reduced in the EUV. This opens up a critical gap in performance located right at short EUV wavelengths, where the critical X-ray spectral transitions occur in high-z objects. However, normal-incidence multilayer-grating technology, which performs best precisely at such wavelengths, together with advanced nano-laminate fabrication techniques have been developed and are now mature to the point where advanced EUV instrument designs with performance complementary to IXO and Gen-X are practical. Such EUV instruments could be flown either independently or as secondary instruments on these X-ray missions. We present here a critical examination of the limits placed on extragalactic EUV measurements by ISM absorption, the range where high-z measurements are practical, and the requirements this imposes on next-generation instrument designs.

Flight instruments and helmet-mounted SWIR imaging systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robinson, Tim; Green, John; Jacobson, Mickey; Grabski, Greg

2011-06-01

Night vision technology has experienced significant advances in the last two decades. Night vision goggles (NVGs) based on gallium arsenide (GaAs) continues to raise the bar for alternative technologies. Resolution, gain, sensitivity have all improved; the image quality through these devices is nothing less than incredible. Panoramic NVGs and enhanced NVGs are examples of recent advances that increase the warfighter capabilities. Even with these advances, alternative night vision devices such as solid-state indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) focal plane arrays are under development for helmet-mounted imaging systems. The InGaAs imaging system offers advantages over the existing NVGs. Two key advantages are; (1) the new system produces digital image data, and (2) the new system is sensitive to energy in the shortwave infrared (SWIR) spectrum. While it is tempting to contrast the performance of these digital systems to the existing NVGs, the advantage of different spectral detection bands leads to the conclusion that the technologies are less competitive and more synergistic. It is likely, by the end of the decade, pilots within a cockpit will use multi-band devices. As such, flight decks will need to be compatible with both NVGs and SWIR imaging systems. Insertion of NVGs in aircraft during the late 70's and early 80's resulted in many "lessons learned" concerning instrument compatibility with NVGs. These "lessons learned" ultimately resulted in specifications such as MIL-L-85762A and MIL-STD-3009. These specifications are now used throughout industry to produce NVG-compatible illuminated instruments and displays for both military and civilian applications. Inserting a SWIR imaging device in a cockpit will require similar consideration. A project evaluating flight deck instrument compatibility with SWIR devices is currently ongoing; aspects of this evaluation are described in this paper. This project is sponsored by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).

Body surface posture evaluation: construction, validation and protocol of the SPGAP system (Posture evaluation rotating platform system).

PubMed

Schwertner, Debora Soccal; Oliveira, Raul; Mazo, Giovana Zarpellon; Gioda, Fabiane Rosa; Kelber, Christian Roberto; Swarowsky, Alessandra

2016-05-04

Several posture evaluation devices have been used to detect deviations of the vertebral column. However it has been observed that the instruments present measurement errors related to the equipment, environment or measurement protocol. This study aimed to build, validate, analyze the reliability and describe a measurement protocol for the use of the Posture Evaluation Rotating Platform System (SPGAP, Brazilian abbreviation). The posture evaluation system comprises a Posture Evaluation Rotating Platform, video camera, calibration support and measurement software. Two pilot studies were carried out with 102 elderly individuals (average age 69 years old, SD = ±7.3) to establish a protocol for SPGAP, controlling the measurement errors related to the environment, equipment and the person under evaluation. Content validation was completed with input from judges with expertise in posture measurement. The variation coefficient method was used to validate the measurement by the instrument of an object with known dimensions. Finally, reliability was established using repeated measurements of the known object. Expert content judges gave the system excellent ratings for content validity (mean 9.4 out of 10; SD 1.13). The measurement of an object with known dimensions indicated excellent validity (all measurement errors <1 %) and test-retest reliability. A total of 26 images were needed to stabilize the system. Participants in the pilot studies indicated that they felt comfortable throughout the assessment. The use of only one image can offer measurements that underestimate or overestimate the reality. To verify the images of objects with known dimensions the values for the width and height were, respectively, CV 0.88 (width) and 2.33 (height), SD 0.22 (width) and 0.35 (height), minimum and maximum values 24.83-25.2 (width) and 14.56 - 15.75 (height). In the analysis of different images (similar) of an individual, greater discrepancies were observed in the values found. The cervical index, for example, presented minimum and maximum values of 15.38 and 37.5, a coefficient of variation of 0.29 and a standard deviation of 6.78. The SPGAP was shown to be a valid and reliable instrument for the quantitative analysis of body posture with applicability and clinical use, since it managed to reduce several measurement errors, amongst which parallax distortion.

Lightweight Modular Instrumentation for Planetary Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Joshi, P. B.

1993-01-01

An instrumentation, called Space Active Modular Materials ExperimentS (SAMMES), is developed for monitoring the spacecraft environment and for accurately measuring the degradation of space materials in low earth orbit (LEO). The SAMMES architecture concept can be extended to instrumentation for planetary exploration, both on spacecraft and in situ. The operating environment for planetary application will be substantially different, with temperature extremes and harsh solar wind and cosmic ray flux on lunar surfaces and temperature extremes and high winds on venusian and Martian surfaces. Moreover, instruments for surface deployment, which will be packaged in a small lander/rover (as in MESUR, for example), must be extremely compact with ultralow power and weight. With these requirements in mind, the SAMMES concept was extended to a sensor/instrumentation scheme for the lunar and Martian surface environment.

Recent Developments in Instrumentation for Capillary Electrophoresis and Microchip-Capillary Electrophoresis

PubMed Central

Felhofer, Jessica L.; Blanes, Lucas; Garcia, Carlos D.

2010-01-01

Over the last years there has been an explosion in the number of developments and applications of capillary electrophoresis (CE) and microchip-CE. In part, this growth has been the direct consequence of recent developments in instrumentation associated with CE. This review, which is focused on contributions published in the last five years, is intended to complement the papers presented in this special issue dedicated to Instrumentation and to provide an overview on the general trend and some of the most remarkable developments published in the areas of high voltage power supplies, detectors, auxiliary components, and compact systems. It also includes few examples of alternative uses of and modifications to traditional CE instruments. PMID:20665910

Evaluation of Instructional Materials for Exceptional Children and Youth: A Preliminary Instrument.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eash, Maurice

An instrument for the evaluation of instructional materials is presented. Evaluative items are arranged under four constructs: objectives, organization of material (both scope and sequence), methodology, and evaluation. A section is also provided for summary quantitative judgment. A glossary of terms used in the instrument is included. A training…

Research instrumentation for hot section components of turbine engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Englund, D. R.

1986-01-01

Programs to develop research instrumentation for use on hot section components of turbine engines are discussed. These programs can be separated into two categories: one category includes instruments which can measure the environment within the combustor and turbine components, the other includes instruments which measure the response of engine components to the imposed environment. Included in the first category are instruments to measure total heat flux and fluctuating gas temperature. High temperature strain measuring systems, thin film sensors (e.g., turbine blade thermocouples) and a system to view the interior of a combustor during engine operation are programs which comprise the second category. The paper will describe the state of development of these sensors and measuring systems and, in some cases, show examples of measurements made with this instrumentation. The discussion will cover work done at NASA Lewis and at various contractor facilities.

Optical surface analysis: a new technique for the inspection and metrology of optoelectronic films and wafers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bechtler, Laurie; Velidandla, Vamsi

2003-04-01

In response to demand for higher volumes and greater product capability, integrated optoelectronic device processing is rapidly increasing in complexity, benefiting from techniques developed for conventional silicon integrated circuit processing. The needs for high product yield and low manufacturing cost are also similar to the silicon wafer processing industry. This paper discusses the design and use of an automated inspection instrument called the Optical Surface Analyzer (OSA) to evaluate two critical production issues in optoelectronic device manufacturing: (1) film thickness uniformity, and (2) defectivity at various process steps. The OSA measurement instrument is better suited to photonics process development than most equipment developed for conventional silicon wafer processing in two important ways: it can handle both transparent and opaque substrates (unlike most inspection and metrology tools), and it is a full-wafer inspection method that captures defects and film variations over the entire substrate surface (unlike most film thickness measurement tools). Measurement examples will be provided in the paper for a variety of films and substrates used for optoelectronics manufacturing.

48 CFR 25.504 - Evaluation Examples.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Evaluation Examples. 25... PROGRAMS FOREIGN ACQUISITION Evaluating Foreign Offers-Supply Contracts 25.504 Evaluation Examples. The following examples illustrate the application of the evaluation procedures in 25.502 and 25.503. The...

48 CFR 225.504 - Evaluation examples.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Evaluation examples. 225..., DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS FOREIGN ACQUISITION Evaluating Foreign Offers-Supply Contracts 225.504 Evaluation examples. For examples that illustrate the evaluation procedures in 225.502(c)(ii...

Developing evaluation instrument based on CIPP models on the implementation of portfolio assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurnia, Feni; Rosana, Dadan; Supahar

2017-08-01

This study aimed to develop an evaluation instrument constructed by CIPP model on the implementation of portfolio assessment in science learning. This study used research and development (R & D) method; adapting 4-D by the development of non-test instrument, and the evaluation instrument constructed by CIPP model. CIPP is the abbreviation of Context, Input, Process, and Product. The techniques of data collection were interviews, questionnaires, and observations. Data collection instruments were: 1) the interview guidelines for the analysis of the problems and the needs, 2) questionnaire to see level of accomplishment of portfolio assessment instrument, and 3) observation sheets for teacher and student to dig up responses to the portfolio assessment instrument. The data obtained was quantitative data obtained from several validators. The validators consist of two lecturers as the evaluation experts, two practitioners (science teachers), and three colleagues. This paper shows the results of content validity obtained from the validators and the analysis result of the data obtained by using Aikens' V formula. The results of this study shows that the evaluation instrument based on CIPP models is proper to evaluate the implementation of portfolio assessment instruments. Based on the experts' judgments, practitioners, and colleagues, the Aikens' V coefficient was between 0.86-1,00 which means that it is valid and can be used in the limited trial and operational field trial.

[Identification of care needs of patients with and without the use of a classification instrument].

PubMed

Perroca, Marcia Galan; Jericó, Marli de Carvalho; Paschoal, Josi Vaz de Lima

2014-08-01

To analyze the agreement and disagreement between the assessments by applying or not a patient classification instrument, and to investigate the association between the agreement and personal and professional characteristics of the evaluators. This is a descriptive exploratory study. 105 patients were hospitalized in a teaching hospital in the state of Sao Paulo, using the kappa statistic (weighted) and the Bootstrap method. The agreement between the assessments were​​: k(w) 0.87 (instrument x internal evaluator), k(w) 0.78 (instrument x external evaluator) and k(w) 0.76 (between evaluators) and the influence of some personal and professional characteristics. The assessments conducted through the use of an instrument contemplated a greater number of areas of care in relation to when the instrument was not applied. The use of this instrument is recommended in order to more effectively identify care needs of patients.

[Assessment of Functioning when Conducting Occupational Capacity Evaluations--What is "Evidence-Based"?].

PubMed

Canela, Carlos; Schleifer, Roman; Dube, Anish; Hengartner, Michael P; Ebner, Gerhard; Seifritz, Erich; Liebrenz, Michael

2016-03-01

Occupational capacity evaluations have previously been subject to criticism for lacking in quality and consistency. To the authors' knowledge, there is no clear consensus on the best way to formally assess functioning within capacity evaluations. In this review we investigated different instruments that are used to assess functioning in occupational capacity evaluations. Systematic review of the literature. Though several instruments that assess functional capacity were found in our search, a specific validated instrument assessing occupational capacity as part of a larger psychiatric evaluation was not found. The limitations of the existing instruments on assessing functional capacity are discussed. Medical experts relying on instruments to conduct functional capacity evaluations should be cognizant of their limitations. The findings call for the development and use of an instrument specifically designed to assess the functional and occupational capacity of psychiatric patients, which is also likely to improve the quality of these reports. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

A validated methodology for determination of laboratory instrument computer interface efficacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1984-12-01

This report is intended to provide a methodology for determining when, and for which instruments, direct interfacing of laboratory instrument and laboratory computers is beneficial. This methodology has been developed to assist the Tri-Service Medical Information Systems Program Office in making future decisions regarding laboratory instrument interfaces. We have calculated the time savings required to reach a break-even point for a range of instrument interface prices and corresponding average annual costs. The break-even analyses used empirical data to estimate the number of data points run per day that are required to meet the break-even point. The results indicate, for example, that at a purchase price of $3,000, an instrument interface will be cost-effective if the instrument is utilized for at least 154 data points per day if operated in the continuous mode, or 216 points per day if operated in the discrete mode. Although this model can help to ensure that instrument interfaces are cost effective, additional information should be considered in making the interface decisions. A reduction in results transcription errors may be a major benefit of instrument interfacing.

Dossier of Evaluation Instruments for Literacy Programmes. A Contribution to the International Literacy Year 1990.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muller, Josef, Ed.; Dietrich, Anja, Ed.

This document contains a collection of literacy program evaluation instruments from developing countries, as well as several papers describing how to use evaluation instruments to assess various types of systems. The following titles (with author or country of origin) are contained in this collection: "Designing a System of Evaluation and…

CRiSP: An Instrument for Assessing Student Perceptions of Classroom Response Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Alice M.; Dunn, Peter K.; McDonald, Christine; Oprescu, Florin

2015-01-01

This paper describes the development and validation of an instrument for evaluating classroom response systems (CRS). While a number of studies evaluating CRS have been published to date, no standardised instrument exists as a means of evaluating the impact of using the CRS. This means that comparing the different systems, or evaluating the…

Evaluation Instruments for Quality of Life Related to Melasma: An Integrative Review.

PubMed

Pollo, Camila Fernandes; Meneguin, Silmara; Miot, Helio Amante

2018-05-21

The aim of this study was to analyze scientific production concerning the validation and cultural adaptation of quality of life evaluation instruments for patients with melasma and to offer a critical reflection on these methods. A literature review was performed based on a search of the Web of Science, Bireme, PubMed, Elsevier Scopus, and Google Scholar databases. All published articles from indexed periodicals in these electronic databases up to December 2015 were included. Eight articles were identified, of which only one (12.5%) referred to the development and validation of a specific instrument for evaluation of the quality of life of melasma patients. An additional six articles (75%) referred to transcultural adjustment and validation of the same instrument in other languages, and another (12.5%) article reported the development of a generic instrument for evaluation of quality of life in patients with pigment disorders. This review revealed only one specific instrument developed and validated in different cultures. Despite being widely used, this instrument did not follow the classic construction steps for psychometric instruments, which paves the way for future studies to develop novel instruments.

Evaluation Instruments for Quality of Life Related to Melasma: An Integrative Review

PubMed Central

Pollo, Camila Fernandes; Meneguin, Silmara; Miot, Helio Amante

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to analyze scientific production concerning the validation and cultural adaptation of quality of life evaluation instruments for patients with melasma and to offer a critical reflection on these methods. A literature review was performed based on a search of the Web of Science, Bireme, PubMed, Elsevier Scopus, and Google Scholar databases. All published articles from indexed periodicals in these electronic databases up to December 2015 were included. Eight articles were identified, of which only one (12.5%) referred to the development and validation of a specific instrument for evaluation of the quality of life of melasma patients. An additional six articles (75%) referred to transcultural adjustment and validation of the same instrument in other languages, and another (12.5%) article reported the development of a generic instrument for evaluation of quality of life in patients with pigment disorders. This review revealed only one specific instrument developed and validated in different cultures. Despite being widely used, this instrument did not follow the classic construction steps for psychometric instruments, which paves the way for future studies to develop novel instruments. PMID:29791603

Quality of life instruments for economic evaluations in health and social care for older people: a systematic review.

PubMed

Makai, Peter; Brouwer, Werner B F; Koopmanschap, Marc A; Stolk, Elly A; Nieboer, Anna P

2014-02-01

Gaining health may not be the main goal of healthcare services aimed at older people, which may (also) seek to improve wellbeing. This emphasizes the need of finding appropriate outcome measures for economic evaluation of such services, particularly in long-term care, capturing more than only health-related quality of life (HrQol). This review assesses the usefulness of HrQol and wellbeing instruments for economic evaluations specifically aimed at older people, focusing on generic and preference-based questionnaires measuring wellbeing in particular. We systematically searched six databases and extracted instruments used to assess HrQol and wellbeing outcomes. Instruments were compared based on their usefulness for economic evaluation of services aimed at older people (dimensions measured, availability of utility scores, extent of validation). We identified 487 articles using 34 generic instruments: 22 wellbeing (two of which were preference-based) and 11 HrQol instruments. While standard HrQol instruments measure physical, social and psychological dimensions, wellbeing instruments contain additional dimensions such as purpose in life and achievement, security, and freedom. We found four promising wellbeing instruments for inclusion in economic evaluation: Ferrans and Powers QLI and the WHO-Qol OLD, ICECAP-O and the ASCOT. Ferrans and Powers QLI and the WHO-Qol OLD are widely validated but lack preference-weights while for ICECAP-O and the ASCOT preference-weights are available, but are less widely validated. Until preference-weights are available for the first two instruments, the ICECAP-O and the ASCOT currently appear to be the most useful instruments for economic evaluations in services aimed at older people. Their limitations are that (1) health dimensions may be captured only partially and (2) the instruments require further validation. Therefore, we currently recommend using the ICECAP-O or the ASCOT alongside the EQ-5D or SF-6D when evaluating interventions aimed at older people. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Derivation of Design Loads and Random Vibration specifications for Spacecraft Instruments and Sub-Units

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fransen, S.; Yamawaki, T.; Akagi, H.; Eggens, M.; van Baren, C.

2014-06-01

After a first estimation based on statistics, the design loads for instruments are generally estimated by coupled spacecraft/instrument sine analysis once an FE-model of the spacecraft is available. When the design loads for the instrument have been derived, the next step in the process is to estimate the random vibration environment at the instrument base and to compute the RMS load at the centre of gravity of the instrument by means of vibro-acoustic analysis. Finally the design loads of the light-weight sub-units of the instrument can be estimated through random vibration analysis at instrument level, taking into account the notches required to protect the instrument interfaces in the hard- mounted random vibration test. This paper presents the aforementioned steps of instrument and sub-units loads derivation in the preliminary design phase of the spacecraft and identifies the problems that may be encountered in terms of design load consistency between low-frequency and high-frequency environments. The SpicA FAR-infrared Instrument (SAFARI) which is currently developed for the Space Infrared Telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics (SPICA) will be used as a guiding example.

Chladni's clavicylinder and some imitations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heise, B.

2007-06-01

Chladni's accomplishments in the field of instrument making were until recently not nearly as well-respected as his studies on the modes of vibration of plates and rods. However, he had developed his own friction instruments based on the glass harmonica, a popular instrument of his time. The instruments, which he partially built himself, had keys, which distinguished them from the glass harmonica. Additionally, these instruments differed from traditional keyboard instruments as they enabled the crescendo and decrescendo of individual notes after the key had been struck. Although Chladni's clavicylinder fascinated audiences and prompted imitations by many instrument makers, it was largely ignored by composers and pianists and therefore never became part of standard orchestration. The Museum of Musical Instruments of the University of Leipzig features three rare examples of friction instruments which have outlasted the centuries. These instruments were built according to the Chladni principle. After a thorough analysis, including the production of individual notes, these instruments will be presented in their cultural-historical as well as their technical context, followed by a discussion of their advantages and disadvantages. These originals exhibits allow for a conclusive comprehension of Chladni's ideas and his quest for new, unusual tone colors.

The Effectiveness of Worked Examples Associated with Presentation Format and Prior Knowledge: A Web-Based Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsiao, E-Ling

2010-01-01

The aim of this study is to explore whether presentation format and prior knowledge affect the effectiveness of worked examples. The experiment was conducted through a specially designed online instrument. A 2X2X3 factorial before-and-after design was conducted. Three-way ANOVA was employed for data analysis. The result showed first, that prior…

Integrated Instrumentation and Sensor Systems Enabling Condition-Based Maintenance of Aerospace Equipment

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

systems . For some specific sensor requirements in the domains considered here, for example, assessing system behavior and component state in gas turbine ...Cost Objectives. In general , the implication of the suitability and life cycle cost [LCC] driven objectives for integrated instrumentation/sensor system ...section should be considered. In general , the systems engineering approach provided clear benefits in defining user significant IISS system requirements and

Control architecture for an adaptive electronically steerable flash lidar and associated instruments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruppert, Lyle; Craner, Jeremy; Harris, Timothy

2014-09-01

An Electronically Steerable Flash Lidar (ESFL), developed by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation, allows realtime adaptive control of configuration and data-collection strategy based on recent or concurrent observations and changing situations. This paper reviews, at a high level, some of the algorithms and control architecture built into ESFL. Using ESFL as an example, it also discusses the merits and utility such adaptable instruments in Earth-system studies.

[Valuating public health in some zoos in Colombia. Phase 1: designing and validating instruments].

PubMed

Agudelo-Suárez, Angela N; Villamil-Jiménez, Luis C

2009-10-01

Designing and validating instruments for identifying public health problems in some zoological parks in Colombia, thereby allowing them to be evaluated. Four instruments were designed and validated along with the participation of five zoos. The instruments were validated regarding appearance, content, sensitivity to change, reliability tests and determining the tools' usefulness. An evaluation scale was created which assigned a maximum of 400 points, having the following evaluation intervals: 350-400 points meant good public health management, 100-349 points for regular management and 0-99 points for deficient management. The instruments were applied to the five zoos as part of the validation, forming a base-line for future evaluation of public health in them. Four valid and useful instruments were obtained for evaluating public health in zoos in Colombia. The five zoos presented regular public health management. The base-line obtained when validating the instruments led to identifying strengths and weaknesses regarding public health management in the zoos. The instruments obtained generally and specifically evaluated public health management; they led to diagnosing, identifying, quantifying and scoring zoos in Colombia in terms of public health. The base-line provided a starting point for making comparisons and enabling future follow-up of public health in Colombian zoos.

The Teamwork Assessment Scale: A Novel Instrument to Assess Quality of Undergraduate Medical Students' Teamwork Using the Example of Simulation-based Ward-Rounds.

PubMed

Kiesewetter, Jan; Fischer, Martin R

2015-01-01

Simulation-based teamwork trainings are considered a powerful training method to advance teamwork, which becomes more relevant in medical education. The measurement of teamwork is of high importance and several instruments have been developed for various medical domains to meet this need. To our knowledge, no theoretically-based and easy-to-use measurement instrument has been published nor developed specifically for simulation-based teamwork trainings of medical students. Internist ward-rounds function as an important example of teamwork in medicine. The purpose of this study was to provide a validated, theoretically-based instrument that is easy-to-use. Furthermore, this study aimed to identify if and when rater scores relate to performance. Based on a theoretical framework for teamwork behaviour, items regarding four teamwork components (Team Coordination, Team Cooperation, Information Exchange, Team Adjustment Behaviours) were developed. In study one, three ward-round scenarios, simulated by 69 students, were videotaped and rated independently by four trained raters. The instrument was tested for the embedded psychometric properties and factorial structure. In study two, the instrument was tested for construct validity with an external criterion with a second set of 100 students and four raters. In study one, the factorial structure matched the theoretical components but was unable to separate Information Exchange and Team Cooperation. The preliminary version showed adequate psychometric properties (Cronbach's α=.75). In study two, the instrument showed physician rater scores were more reliable in measurement than those of student raters. Furthermore, a close correlation between the scale and clinical performance as an external criteria was shown (r=.64) and the sufficient psychometric properties were replicated (Cronbach's α=.78). The validation allows for use of the simulated teamwork assessment scale in undergraduate medical ward-round trainings to reliably measure teamwork by physicians. Further studies are needed to verify the applicability of the instrument.

The Teamwork Assessment Scale: A Novel Instrument to Assess Quality of Undergraduate Medical Students' Teamwork Using the Example of Simulation-based Ward-Rounds

PubMed Central

Kiesewetter, Jan; Fischer, Martin R.

2015-01-01

Background: Simulation-based teamwork trainings are considered a powerful training method to advance teamwork, which becomes more relevant in medical education. The measurement of teamwork is of high importance and several instruments have been developed for various medical domains to meet this need. To our knowledge, no theoretically-based and easy-to-use measurement instrument has been published nor developed specifically for simulation-based teamwork trainings of medical students. Internist ward-rounds function as an important example of teamwork in medicine. Purposes: The purpose of this study was to provide a validated, theoretically-based instrument that is easy-to-use. Furthermore, this study aimed to identify if and when rater scores relate to performance. Methods: Based on a theoretical framework for teamwork behaviour, items regarding four teamwork components (Team Coordination, Team Cooperation, Information Exchange, Team Adjustment Behaviours) were developed. In study one, three ward-round scenarios, simulated by 69 students, were videotaped and rated independently by four trained raters. The instrument was tested for the embedded psychometric properties and factorial structure. In study two, the instrument was tested for construct validity with an external criterion with a second set of 100 students and four raters. Results: In study one, the factorial structure matched the theoretical components but was unable to separate Information Exchange and Team Cooperation. The preliminary version showed adequate psychometric properties (Cronbach’s α=.75). In study two, the instrument showed physician rater scores were more reliable in measurement than those of student raters. Furthermore, a close correlation between the scale and clinical performance as an external criteria was shown (r=.64) and the sufficient psychometric properties were replicated (Cronbach’s α=.78). Conclusions: The validation allows for use of the simulated teamwork assessment scale in undergraduate medical ward-round trainings to reliably measure teamwork by physicians. Further studies are needed to verify the applicability of the instrument. PMID:26038684

Non-standard electromagnetic induction sensor configurations: Evaluating sensitivities and applicability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guillemoteau, Julien; Tronicke, Jens

2015-07-01

For near surface geophysical surveys, small-fixed offset loop-loop electromagnetic induction (EMI) sensors are usually placed parallel to the ground surface (i.e., both loops are at the same height above ground). In this study, we evaluate the potential of making measurements with a system that is not parallel to the ground; i.e., by positioning the system at different inclinations with respect to ground surface. First, we present the Maxwell theory for inclined magnetic dipoles over a homogeneous half space. By analyzing the sensitivities of such configurations, we show that varying the angle of the system would result in improved imaging capabilities. For example, we show that acquiring data with a vertical system allows detection of a conductive body with a better lateral resolution compared to data acquired using standard horizontal configurations. The synthetic responses are presented for a heterogeneous medium and compared to field data acquired in the historical Park Sanssouci in Potsdam, Germany. After presenting a detailed sensitivity analysis and synthetic examples of such ground conductivity measurements, we suggest a new strategy of acquisition that allows to better estimate the true distribution of electrical conductivity using instruments with a fixed, small offset between the loops. This strategy is evaluated using field data collected at a well-constrained test-site in Horstwalde (Germany). Here, the target buried utility pipes are best imaged using vertical system configurations demonstrating the potential of our approach for typical applications.

[Navigated control: a new concept in computer assisted ENT-surgery].

PubMed

Strauss, G; Koulechov, K; Richter, R; Dietz, A; Meixensberger, J; Trantakis, C; Lüth, T

2005-08-01

This work conceived and evaluates a mechatronical system for ORL-surgery by example of a Shaver for Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery controlled by navigation. The Shaver is automatically on/off-regulated depending on the current position in relation to the planned working space. This working space is defined on the basis of the individual CT data. Within this area the Shaver reacts to the signal of the surgeon (foot pedal). If the Shaver leaves the working space, an interruption of the drive regulation to the Shaver takes place. The evaluation of the planning software based on 32 patient CT-data sets. The registration accuracy in a anatomical model was examined on 451 measurements of endonasal attached titanium screws. The conversions of the working space were evaluated at 5 different technical models. The average time for segmenting the working space was found at 4.23 minutes per case. An average registration accuracy of the Shaver of 1.08 mm resulted. The pre-defined cavity was to be cleared away without restrictions. The preoperative determined work-space was converted by 3.1 mm over all levels. The study proves the feasibility of a mechatronical assistant system by the example of the navigate-controlled Shaver in paranasal sinus surgery. Contrary to conventional CAS solutions redundancy and cognitive discharge of the surgeon are considered in this conception. We see numerous applications according to the explained principle for power-control of instruments in ORL-surgery in the future such as drilling, high frequency surgery or laser.

Counselor Competence, Performance Assessment, and Program Evaluation: Using Psychometric Instruments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tate, Kevin A.; Bloom, Margaret L.; Tassara, Marcel H.; Caperton, William

2014-01-01

Psychometric instruments have been underutilized by counselor educators in performance assessment and program evaluation efforts. As such, we conducted a review of the literature that revealed 41 instruments fit for such efforts. We described and critiqued these instruments along four dimensions--"Target Domain," "Format,"…

Improvement of older driver safety through self-evaluation : the development of a self-evaluation instrument

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-03-01

This research project was designed to increase safety in the older driver population by developing and testing a self-evaluation instrument. The instrument is intended for drivers who may be starting to experience declines in driving abilities or los...

Instrumentation For The Surgical Application Of The Nd:YAG Laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frank, F.; Bailer, P.; Beck, O.; Bowering, R.; Hofstetter, A.

1984-03-01

The Nd:YAG laser has become a coagulation instrument, which has found acceptance in interdisciplinary surgery. The main contributors are its highly efficient coagulation capability in interaction with tissue and the fact that the Nd:YAG laser beam can be transmitted by means of a simple quartz-glass fiber. Appropriate systems and instruments for transmission and operation have been developed for the various applications in neurosurgery, pulmology, gastroenterology, urology, gynaecology and dermatology. Operation methods in open and endoscopic surgery under use of several hand held devices and flexible as well as rigid endoscopes are being demonstrated by clinical examples of application.

Shock Layer Radiation Measurements and Analysis for Mars Entry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bose, Deepak; Grinstead, Jay Henderson; Bogdanoff, David W.; Wright, Michael J.

2009-01-01

NASA's In-Space Propulsion program is supporting the development of shock radiation transport models for aerocapture missions to Mars. A comprehensive test series in the NASA Antes Electric Arc Shock Tube facility at a representative flight condition was recently completed. The facility optical instrumentation enabled spectral measurements of shocked gas radiation from the vacuum ultraviolet to the near infrared. The instrumentation captured the nonequilibrium post-shock excitation and relaxation dynamics of dispersed spectral features. A description of the shock tube facility, optical instrumentation, and examples of the test data are presented. Comparisons of measured spectra with model predictions are also made.

Oceanography from satellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, W. S.

1981-01-01

It is pointed out that oceanographers have benefited from the space program mainly through the increased efficiency it has brought to ship operations. For example, the Transit navigation system has enabled oceanographers to compile detailed maps of sea-floor properties and to more accurately locate moored subsurface instrumentation. General descriptions are given of instruments used in satellite observations (altimeter, color scanner, infrared radiometer, microwave radiometer, scatterometer, synthetic aperture radar). It is pointed out that because of the large volume of data that satellite instruments generate, the development of algorithms for converting the data into a form expressed in geophysical units has become especially important.

Digital fluxgate magnetometer: design notes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belyayev, Serhiy; Ivchenko, Nickolay

2015-12-01

We presented an approach to understanding the performance of a fully digital fluxgate magnetometer. All elements of the design are important for the performance of the instrument, and the presence of the digital feed-back loop introduces certain peculiarities affecting the noise and dynamic performance of the instrument. Ultimately, the quantisation noise of the digital to analogue converter is found to dominate the noise of the current design, although noise shaping alleviates its effect to some extent. An example of magnetometer measurements on board a sounding rocket is presented, and ways to further improve the performance of the instrument are discussed.

The SE role in establishing, verifying and controlling top-level program requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mathews, Charles W.

1993-01-01

The program objectives and requirements described in the preceding paragraphs emphasize mission demonstrations. Obtaining desired science or applications information is another type of program objective. The program requirements then state the need for specific data, usually specifying a particular instrument or instrument set; the operating conditions under which the data is to be obtained (e.g., orbit altitude, field of view, and pointing accuracy); and the data handling and use. Conversely, a new instrument may be conceived or created with the program objective to establish its use potential. The Multispectral Scanner employed in the Landsat program is an example.

A simulation of the instrument pointing system for the Astro-1 mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whorton, M.; West, M.; Rakoczy, J.

1991-01-01

NASA has recently completed a shuttle-borne stellar ultraviolet astronomy mission known as Astro-1. A three axis instrument pointing system (IPS) was employed to accurately point the science instruments. In order to analyze the pointing control system and verify pointing performance, a simulation of the IPS was developed using the multibody dynamics software TREETOPS. The TREETOPS IPS simulation is capable of accurately modeling the multibody IPS system undergoing large angle, nonlinear motion. The simulation is documented and example cases are presented demonstrating disturbance rejection, fine pointing operations, and multiple target pointing and slewing of the IPS.

User's manual for the model interface and plugboard cabinets in the 14- by 22-foot subsonic tunnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Askew, Robert B.; Quinto, P. Frank

1994-01-01

The primary method of connection between the wind tunnel model instrumentation and the data acquisition system in the 14- by 22-Foot Subsonic Tunnel is through the Model Interface (MIF) and Plugboard cabinets. The MIF and Plugboard cabinets allow versatility in the connection of the instrumentation to the different data systems in the facility. The User's Manual describes the components inside the MIF cabinet, the input and output of the MIF, and the MIF patchboard, and the Plugboard cabinets. There are examples of standard connections for most of the instrumentation used in the facility.

QTL analysis of fruit quality in fresh market tomato: a few chromosome regions control the variation of sensory and instrumental traits.

PubMed

Causse, M; Saliba-Colombani, V; Lecomte, L; Duffé, P; Rousselle, P; Buret, M

2002-10-01

The organoleptic quality of tomato fruit involves a set of attributes (flavour, aroma, texture) that can be evaluated either by sensory analyses or by instrumental measures. In order to study the genetic control of this characteristic, a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population was developed from an intraspecific cross between a cherry tomato line with a good overall aroma intensity and an inbred line with medium flavour but bigger fruits. A total of 38 traits involved in organoleptic quality were evaluated. Physical traits included fruit weight, diameter, colour, firmness, and elasticity. Chemical traits were dry matter weight, titratable acidity, pH, and the contents of soluble solids, sugars, lycopene, carotene, and 12 aroma volatiles. A panel of trained assessors quantified sensory attributes: flavour (sweetness and sourness), aroma (overall aroma intensity, together with candy, lemon, citrus fruit, and pharmaceutical aromas) and texture (firmness, meltiness, mealiness, juiciness, and skin difficult to swallow). RILs showed a large range of variation. Molecular markers were used to map a total of 130 quantitative trait loci (QTL) for the 38 traits. They were mainly distributed in a few chromosome regions. Major QTLs (R(2) >30%) were detected for fruit weight, diameter, colour, firmness, meltiness, and for six aroma volatiles. The relationships between instrumental measures and sensory traits were analysed with regard to the QTL map. A special insight was provided about the few regions where QTLs are related to multiple traits. A few examples are shown to illustrate how the simultaneous analysis of QTL segregation for related traits may aid in understanding the genetic control of quality traits and pave the way towards QTL characterization.

Instrument classification in polyphonic music based on timbre analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Tong

2001-07-01

While most previous work on musical instrument recognition is focused on the classification of single notes in monophonic music, a scheme is proposed in this paper for the distinction of instruments in continuous music pieces which may contain one or more kinds of instruments. Highlights of the system include music segmentation into notes, harmonic partial estimation in polyphonic sound, note feature calculation and normalization, note classification using a set of neural networks, and music piece categorization with fuzzy logic principles. Example outputs of the system are `the music piece is 100% guitar (with 90% likelihood)' and `the music piece is 60% violin and 40% piano, thus a violin/piano duet'. The system has been tested with twelve kinds of musical instruments, and very promising experimental results have been obtained. An accuracy of about 80% is achieved, and the number can be raised to 90% if misindexings within the same instrument family are tolerated (e.g. cello, viola and violin). A demonstration system for musical instrument classification and music timbre retrieval is also presented.

The measurement of collaboration within healthcare settings: a systematic review of measurement properties of instruments.

PubMed

Walters, Stephen John; Stern, Cindy; Robertson-Malt, Suzanne

2016-04-01

There is a growing call by consumers and governments for healthcare to adopt systems and approaches to care to improve patient safety. Collaboration within healthcare settings is an important factor for improving systems of care. By using validated measurement instruments a standardized approach to assessing collaboration is possible, otherwise it is only an assumption that collaboration is occurring in any healthcare setting. The objective of this review was to evaluate and compare measurement properties of instruments that measure collaboration within healthcare settings, specifically those which have been psychometrically tested and validated. Participants could be healthcare professionals, the patient or any non-professional who contributes to a patient's care, for example, family members, chaplains or orderlies. The term participant type means the designation of any one participant; for example 'nurse', 'social worker' or 'administrator'. More than two participant types was mandatory. The focus of this review was the validity of tools used to measure collaboration within healthcare settings. The types of studies considered for inclusion were validation studies, but quantitative study designs such as randomized controlled trials, controlled trials and case studies were also eligible for inclusion. Studies that focused on Interprofessional Education, were published as an abstract only, contained patient self-reporting only or were not about care delivery were excluded. The outcome of interest was validation and interpretability of the instrument being assessed and included content validity, construct validity and reliability. Interpretability is characterized by statistics such as mean and standard deviation which can be translated to a qualitative meaning. The search strategy aimed to find both published and unpublished studies. A three-step search strategy was utilized in this review. The databases searched included PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Emerald Fulltext, MD Consult Australia, PsycARTICLES, Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection, PsycINFO, Informit Health Databases, Scopus, UpToDate and Web of Science. The search for unpublished studies included EThOS (Electronic Thesis Online Service), Index to Theses and ProQuest- Dissertations and Theses. The assessment of methodological quality of the included studies was undertaken using the COSMIN checklist which is a validated tool that assesses the process of design and validation of healthcare measurement instruments. An Excel spreadsheet version of COSMIN was developed for data collection which included a worksheet for extracting participant characteristics and interpretability data. Statistical pooling of data was not possible for this review. Therefore, the findings are presented in a narrative form including tables and figures to aid in data presentation. To make a synthesis of the assessments of methodological quality of the different studies, each instrument was rated by accounting for the number of studies performed with an instrument, the appraisal of methodological quality and the consistency of results between studies. Twenty-one studies of 12 instruments were included in the review. The studies were diverse in their theoretical underpinnings, target population/setting and measurement objectives. Measurement objectives included: investigating beliefs, behaviors, attitudes, perceptions and relationships associated with collaboration; measuring collaboration between different levels of care or within a multi-rater/target group; assessing collaboration across teams; or assessing internal participation of both teams and patients.Studies produced validity or interpretability data but none of the studies assessed all validity and reliability properties. However, most of the included studies produced a factor structure or referred to prior factor analysis. A narrative synthesis of the individual study factor structures was generated consisting of nine headings: organizational settings, support structures, purpose and goals; communication; reflection on process; cooperation; coordination; role interdependence and partnership; relationships; newly created professional activities; and professional flexibility. Among the many instruments that measure collaboration within healthcare settings, the quality of each instrument varies; instruments are designed for specific populations and purposes, and are validated in various settings. Selecting an instrument requires careful consideration of the qualities of each. Therefore, referring to systematic reviews of measurement properties of instruments may be helpful to clinicians or researchers in instrument selection. Systematic reviews of measurement properties of instruments are valuable in aiding in instrument selection. This systematic review may be useful in instrument selection for the measurement of collaboration within healthcare settings with a complex mix of participant types. Evaluating collaboration provides important information on the strengths and limitations of different healthcare settings and the opportunities for continuous improvement via any remedial actions initiated. Development of a tool that can be used to measure collaboration within teams of healthcare professionals and non-professionals is important for practice. The use of different statistical modelling techniques, such as Item Response Theory modelling and the translation of models into Computer Adaptive Tests, may prove useful. Measurement equivalence is an important consideration for future instrument development and validation. Further development of the COSMIN tool should include appraisal for measurement equivalence. Researchers developing and validating measurement tools should consider multi-method research designs.

Development and initial evaluation of an instrument to assess physiotherapists' clinical reasoning focused on clients' behavior change.

PubMed

Elvén, Maria; Hochwälder, Jacek; Dean, Elizabeth; Söderlund, Anne

2018-05-01

A systematically developed and evaluated instrument is needed to support investigations of physiotherapists' clinical reasoning integrated with the process of clients' behavior change. This study's aim was to develop an instrument to assess physiotherapy students' and physiotherapists' clinical reasoning focused on clients' activity-related behavior and behavior change, and initiate its evaluation, including feasibility and content validity. The study was conducted in three phases: 1) determination of instrument structure and item generation, based on a model, guidelines for assessing clinical reasoning, and existing measures; 2) cognitive interviews with five physiotherapy students to evaluate item understanding and feasibility; and 3) a Delphi process with 18 experts to evaluate content relevance. Phase 1 resulted in an instrument with four domains: Physiotherapist; Input from client; Functional behavioral analysis; and Strategies for behavior change. The instrument consists of case scenarios followed by items in which key features are identified, prioritized, or interpreted. Phase 2 resulted in revisions of problems and approval of feasibility. Phase 3 demonstrated high level of consensus regarding the instrument's content relevance. This feasible and content-validated instrument shows potential for use in investigations of physiotherapy students' and physiotherapists' clinical reasoning, however continued development and testing are needed.

The Clinimetric Properties of Instruments Measuring Home Hazards for Older People at Risk of Falling: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Romli, Muhammad Hibatullah; Mackenzie, Lynette; Lovarini, Meryl; Tan, Maw Pin; Clemson, Lindy

2018-03-01

Home hazards are associated with falls among older people living in the community. However, evaluating home hazards is a complex process as environmental factors vary according to geography, culture, and architectural design. As a result, many health practitioners commonly use nonstandardized assessment methods that may lead to inaccurate findings. Thus, the aim of this systematic review was to identify standardized instruments for evaluating home hazards related to falls and evaluate the clinimetric properties of these instruments for use by health practitioners. A systematic search was conducted in the Medline, CINAHL, AgeLine, Web of Science databases, and the University of Sydney Library CrossSearch Engine. Study screening, assessment, and quality ratings were conducted independently. Thirty-six studies were identified describing 19 instruments and three assessment techniques. The clinimetric properties varied between instruments. The Home Falls and Accidents Screening Tool, Home Safety Self-Assessment Tool, In-Home Occupational Performance Evaluation, and Westmead Home Safety Assessment were the instruments with high potential for evaluating home hazards associated with falls. Health practitioners can choose the most appropriate instruments for their practice, as a range of standardized instruments with established clinimetric properties are available.

Evaluation of an inexpensive instrument to detect insects using multiple sound, vibration, and LED sensors

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Instruments have been available for many years to detect insects using sound, vibration, or LED sensors separately. Most of these instruments are relatively expensive. An instrument was evaluated that incorporates all three types of sensors to improve the reliability of distinguishing different spec...

Evaluation of an inexpensive instrument to detect insects using multiple sound, vibration, and LED sensors

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Instruments have been available for many years to detect insects using sound, vibration, or LED sensors separately. Most of these instruments are relatively expensive. An instrument was evaluated that incorporates all three types of sensors to improve the reliability of distinguishing different sp...

A View of Current Evaluative Practices in Instrumental Music Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterson, Amber Dahlén

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine how instrumental music educator skills are being evaluated in current undergraduate programs. While accrediting organizations mandate certain elements of these programs, they provide limited guidance on what evaluative approaches should be used. Instrumental music teacher educators in the College Music…

[Instruments for evaluating oral health knowledge, attitudes and practice for parents /caregivers of small children].

PubMed

Martignon, Stefania; Bautista-Mendoza, Gloria; González-Carrera, María; Lafaurie-Villamil, Gloria; Morales, Veicy; Santamaría, Ruth

2008-01-01

Designing three instruments for evaluating oral health knowledge, attitudes and practice in parents/caregivers of low social-economic status 0-5 year-olds. Evaluating the instruments' reliability in terms of internal consistency and analysing items. Three instruments were constructed for evaluating low social-economic status 0-5 year-olds' parents/caregivers' oral health knowledge, attitudes and practice in the municipality of Usaquén , Bogotá , Colombia . 47 parents/caregivers were given a test establishing the instrument's reliability in terms of internal consistency and the adults' level of knowledge, attitudes and practice. A sub-sample was qualitatively analysed (content verification and understanding). Reliability was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Items were analysed for improving constructing and understanding the questions, taking four criteria into account: corrected homogeneity index (CHI), response trend, correlation between items and qualitative analysis. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for knowledge, attitudes and practice was 0,82, 0,80 and 0,62, respectively. Participants' level of knowledge, attitudes and practice was acceptable (60 %, 55 % and 91 %, respectively). This study found two out of the three evaluated instruments to be reliable (knowledge and attitudes); all three of them were then redesigned. The resulting instruments represent a valuable tool which can be used in future studies for describing and evaluating preventative programmes.

Fabricating micro-instruments in surface-micromachined polycrystalline silicon

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

Comtois, J.H.; Michalicek, M.A.; Barron, C.C.

1997-04-01

Smaller, lighter instruments can be fabricated as Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS), having micron scale moving parts packaged together with associated control and measurement electronics. Batch fabrication of these devices will make economical applications such as condition-based machine maintenance and remote sensing. The choice of instrumentation is limited only by the designer`s imagination. This paper presents one genre of MEMS fabrication, surface-micromachined polycrystalline silicon (polysilicon). Two currently available but slightly different polysilicon processes are presented. One is the ARPA-sponsored ``Multi-User MEMS ProcesS`` (MUMPS), available commercially through MCNC; the other is the Sandia National Laboratories ``Sandia Ultra-planar Multilevel MEMS Technology`` (SUMMiT). Example componentsmore » created in both processes will be presented, with an emphasis on actuators, actuator force testing instruments, and incorporating actuators into larger instruments.« less

Evaluating the impact of geologic heritage on Earth science literacy: Adapting best practices from pedagogy and interpretation (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Semken, S. C.

2013-12-01

How might we authentically and practically evaluate the effects of a geologic heritage place or program on public Earth science literacy? This pedagogical form of evaluation is distinct from the evaluation of a place for its geological importance, heritage value, economic or cultural impact, and so on. Best evaluation practices from the realms of formal education, informal education, and interpretation start with a coherent set of evaluable learning outcomes, ideally recapitulated in one or more 'big ideas' that capture the essential attributes of the place or program. Learning outcomes may be classified as cognitive, affective, or psychomotor. Cognitive learning outcomes in a geoheritage context are the Earth-science concepts a visitor or student would be expected to uncover through on-site or virtual exploration of the stratigraphy, structure, landforms, and processes in a place. The Earth Science Literacy Principles (ESLP), and similar literacy documents relating to atmosphere, oceans, and climate; offer a template for mapping localized concepts onto more global ones. Quantitative instruments to evaluate understanding of the ESLP are in development, and the ESLP also map directly onto measures used in formal educational assessment, notably the Next Generation Science Standards in the USA. Nongeological place meanings (a component of sense of place) may suggest other cognitive outcomes. Affective learning outcomes for visitors and students in geoheritage sites are less readily defined, but may include place attachment (also a component of sense of place), attitudes, and interest. Multiple quantitative and qualitative methods of evaluating these outcomes exist. Psychomotor learning outcomes are even muddier, but accessibility (defined by statutes) offers a potential starting point. In practice, evaluation may be conducted synchronously or asynchronously with visitors' or students' interaction with the geoheritage place or program. Evaluation programs are typically constrained by access and practicality. Synchronous methods include observation, semi-structured interviews, rapid prototyping and surveys. Asynchronous methods include interviews, surveys, and tracking. Evaluation tools may require content or instrument validation for the specific context in which they are used. Illustrative examples from evaluation of public engagement with geoheritage places (National Parks) in the Southwest USA will be offered.

Tilts in strong ground motion

USGS Publications Warehouse

Graizer, V.

2006-01-01

Most instruments used in seismological practice to record ground motion are pendulum seismographs, velocigraphs, or accelerographs. In most cases it is assumed that seismic instruments are only sensitive to the translational motion of the instrument's base. In this study the full equation of pendulum motion, including the inputs of rotations and tilts, is considered. It is shown that tilting the accelerograph's base can severely impact its response to the ground motion. The method of tilt evaluation using uncorrected strong-motion accelerograms was first suggested by Graizer (1989), and later tested in several laboratory experiments with different strong-motion instruments. The method is based on the difference in the tilt sensitivity of the horizontal and vertical pendulums. The method was applied to many of the strongest records of the Mw 6.7 Northridge earthquake of 1994. Examples are shown when relatively large tilts of up to a few degrees occurred during strong earthquake ground motion. Residual tilt extracted from the strong-motion record at the Pacoima Dam-Upper Left Abutment reached 3.1?? in N45??E direction, and was a result of local earthquake-induced tilting due to high-amplitude shaking. This value is in agreement with the residual tilt measured by using electronic level a few days after the earthquake. The method was applied to the building records from the Northridge earthquake. According to the estimates, residual tilt reached 2.6?? on the ground floor of the 12-story Hotel in Ventura. Processing of most of the strongest records of the Northridge earthquake shows that tilts, if happened, were within the error of the method, or less than about 0.5??.

Physics-based real time ground motion parameter maps: the Central Mexico example

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramirez Guzman, L.; Contreras Ruiz Esparza, M. G.; Quiroz Ramirez, A.; Carrillo Lucia, M. A.; Perez Yanez, C.

2013-12-01

We present the use of near real time ground motion simulations in the generation of ground motion parameter maps for Central Mexico. Simple algorithm approaches to predict ground motion parameters of civil protection and risk engineering interest are based on the use of observed instrumental values, reported macroseismic intensities and their correlations, and ground motion prediction equations (GMPEs). A remarkable example of the use of this approach is the worldwide Shakemap generation program of the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Nevertheless, simple approaches rely strongly on the availability of instrumental and macroseismic intensity reports, as well as the accuracy of the GMPEs and the site effect amplification calculation. In regions where information is scarce, the GMPEs, a reference value in a mean sense, provide most of the ground motion information together with site effects amplification using a simple parametric approaches (e.g. the use of Vs30), and have proven to be elusive. Here we propose an approach that includes physics-based ground motion predictions (PBGMP) corrected by instrumental information using a Bayesian Kriging approach (Kitanidis, 1983) and apply it to the central region of Mexico. The method assumes: 1) the availability of a large database of low and high frequency Green's functions developed for the region of interest, using fully three-dimensional and representative one-dimension models, 2) enough real time data to obtain the centroid moment tensor and a slip rate function, and 3) a computational infrastructure that can be used to compute the source parameters and generate broadband synthetics in near real time, which will be combined with recorded instrumental data. By using a recently developed velocity model of Central Mexico and an efficient finite element octree-based implementation we generate a database of source-receiver Green's functions, valid to 0.5 Hz, that covers 160 km x 300 km x 700 km of Mexico, including a large portion of the Pacific Mexican subduction zone. A subset of the velocity and strong ground motion data available in real time is processed to obtain the source parameters to generate broadband ground motions in a dense grid ( 10 km x 10 km cells). These are interpolated later with instrumental values using a Bayesian Kriging method. Peak ground velocity and acceleration, as well as SA (T=0.1, 0.5, 1 and 2s) maps, are generated for a small set of medium to large magnitude Mexican earthquakes (Mw=5 to 7.4). We evaluate each map by comparing against stations not considered in the computation.

Electro optical system to measure strains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sciammarella, C. A.; Bhat, G.

With the advent of the so called speckle interferometry, interferograms of objects can be obtained in real time by using a TV camera as the recording medium. The basic idea of this instrument is to couple the photoelectric registration by a TV camera with the subsequent electronic processing, to develop an efficient device for the measurement of deformations. This paper presents a new and improved instrument, which has a very important feature, portability, that can be operated in different modes and is capable of producing interferograms using holography, speckle, and moire methods. The basic features of the instrument are presented and some of the theoretical points at the foundation of operation of the instrument are analyzed. Examples are given of the application to moire, speckle, and holographic interferometry.

Pulse energy measurement at the SXR instrument

DOE PAGES

Moeller, Stefan; Brown, Garth; Dakovski, Georgi; ...

2015-04-14

A gas monitor detector was implemented and characterized at the Soft X-ray Research (SXR) instrument to measure the average, absolute and pulse-resolved photon flux of the LCLS beam in the energy range between 280 and 2000 eV. The detector is placed after the monochromator and addresses the need to provide reliable absolute pulse energy as well as pulse-resolved measurements for the various experiments at this instrument. This detector provides a reliable non-invasive measurement for determining flux levels on the samples in the downstream experimental chamber and for optimizing signal levels of secondary detectors and for the essential need of datamore » normalization. The design, integration into the instrument and operation are described, and examples of its performance are given.« less

CTTITEM: SAS macro and SPSS syntax for classical item analysis.

PubMed

Lei, Pui-Wa; Wu, Qiong

2007-08-01

This article describes the functions of a SAS macro and an SPSS syntax that produce common statistics for conventional item analysis including Cronbach's alpha, item difficulty index (p-value or item mean), and item discrimination indices (D-index, point biserial and biserial correlations for dichotomous items and item-total correlation for polytomous items). These programs represent an improvement over the existing SAS and SPSS item analysis routines in terms of completeness and user-friendliness. To promote routine evaluations of item qualities in instrument development of any scale, the programs are available at no charge for interested users. The program codes along with a brief user's manual that contains instructions and examples are downloadable from suen.ed.psu.edu/-pwlei/plei.htm.

Quantitative Investigation of Protein-Nucleic Acid Interactions by Biosensor Surface Plasmon Resonance.

PubMed

Wang, Shuo; Poon, Gregory M K; Wilson, W David

2015-01-01

Biosensor-surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technology has emerged as a powerful label-free approach for the study of nucleic acid interactions in real time. The method provides simultaneous equilibrium and kinetic characterization for biomolecular interactions with low sample requirements and without the need for external probes. A detailed and practical guide for protein-DNA interaction analyses using biosensor-SPR methods is presented. Details of SPR technology and basic fundamentals are described with recommendations on the preparation of the SPR instrument, sensor chips and samples, experimental design, quantitative and qualitative data analyses and presentation. A specific example of the interaction of a transcription factor with DNA is provided with results evaluated by both kinetic and steady-state SPR methods.

Strengthening Clean Energy Technology Cooperation under the UNFCCC: Steps toward Implementation

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

Benioff, R.; de Coninck, H.; Dhar, S.

2010-08-01

Development of a comprehensive and effective global clean technology cooperation framework will require years of experimenting and evaluation with new instruments and institutional arrangements before it is clear what works on which scale and in which region or country. In presenting concrete examples, this paper aims to set the first step in that process by highlighting successful models and innovative approaches that can inform efforts to ramp up clean energy technology cooperation. This paper reviews current mechanisms and international frameworks for global cooperation on clean energy technologies, both within and outside of the UNFCCC, and provides selected concrete options formore » scaling up global cooperation on clean energy technology RD&D, enabling environment, and financing.« less

Learning the Rhythm of the Seasons in the Face of Global Change: Phenological Research in the 21st Century

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morisette, Jeffrey T.; Richardson, Andrew D.; Knapp, Alan K.; Fisher, Jeremy I.; Graham, Eric A.; Abatzoglou, John; Wilson, Bruce E.; Breshears, David D.; Hanebry, Geoffrey M.; Hanes, Jonathan M.;

Compound Transfer by Acoustic Droplet Ejection Promotes Quality and Efficiency in Ultra-High-Throughput Screening Campaigns.

PubMed

Dawes, Timothy D; Turincio, Rebecca; Jones, Steven W; Rodriguez, Richard A; Gadiagellan, Dhireshan; Thana, Peter; Clark, Kevin R; Gustafson, Amy E; Orren, Linda; Liimatta, Marya; Gross, Daniel P; Maurer, Till; Beresini, Maureen H

2016-02-01

Acoustic droplet ejection (ADE) as a means of transferring library compounds has had a dramatic impact on the way in which high-throughput screening campaigns are conducted in many laboratories. Two Labcyte Echo ADE liquid handlers form the core of the compound transfer operation in our 1536-well based ultra-high-throughput screening (uHTS) system. Use of these instruments has promoted flexibility in compound formatting in addition to minimizing waste and eliminating compound carryover. We describe the use of ADE for the generation of assay-ready plates for primary screening as well as for follow-up dose-response evaluations. Custom software has enabled us to harness the information generated by the ADE instrumentation. Compound transfer via ADE also contributes to the screening process outside of the uHTS system. A second fully automated ADE-based system has been used to augment the capacity of the uHTS system as well as to permit efficient use of previously picked compound aliquots for secondary assay evaluations. Essential to the utility of ADE in the high-throughput screening process is the high quality of the resulting data. Examples of data generated at various stages of high-throughput screening campaigns are provided. Advantages and disadvantages of the use of ADE in high-throughput screening are discussed. © 2015 Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening.

Evaluation of fault-normal/fault-parallel directions rotated ground motions for response history analysis of an instrumented six-story building

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kalkan, Erol; Kwong, Neal S.

2012-01-01

According to regulatory building codes in United States (for example, 2010 California Building Code), at least two horizontal ground-motion components are required for three-dimensional (3D) response history analysis (RHA) of buildings. For sites within 5 km of an active fault, these records should be rotated to fault-normal/fault-parallel (FN/FP) directions, and two RHA analyses should be performed separately (when FN and then FP are aligned with the transverse direction of the structural axes). It is assumed that this approach will lead to two sets of responses that envelope the range of possible responses over all nonredundant rotation angles. This assumption is examined here using a 3D computer model of a six-story reinforced-concrete instrumented building subjected to an ensemble of bidirectional near-fault ground motions. Peak responses of engineering demand parameters (EDPs) were obtained for rotation angles ranging from 0° through 180° for evaluating the FN/FP directions. It is demonstrated that rotating ground motions to FN/FP directions (1) does not always lead to the maximum responses over all angles, (2) does not always envelope the range of possible responses, and (3) does not provide maximum responses for all EDPs simultaneously even if it provides a maximum response for a specific EDP.

48 CFR 225.504 - Evaluation examples.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Evaluation examples. 225.504 Section 225.504 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEFENSE ACQUISITION REGULATIONS SYSTEM... 225.504 Evaluation examples. For examples that illustrate the evaluation procedures in 225.502(c)(ii...

48 CFR 25.504 - Evaluation Examples.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... PROGRAMS FOREIGN ACQUISITION Evaluating Foreign Offers-Supply Contracts 25.504 Evaluation Examples. The... examples assume that the contracting officer has eliminated all offers that are unacceptable for reasons... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Evaluation Examples. 25...

Perception Of "Features" And "Objects": Applications To The Design Of Instrument Panel Displays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poynter, Douglas; Czarnomski, Alan J.

1988-10-01

An experiment was conducted to determine whether socalled feature displays allow for faster and more accurate processing compared to object displays. Previous psychological studies indicate that features can be processed in parallel across the visual field, whereas objects must be processed one at a time with the aid of attentional focus. Numbers and letters are examples of objects; line orientation and color are examples of features. In this experiment, subjects were asked to search displays composed of up to 16 elements for the presence of specific elements. The ability to detect, localize, and identify targets was influenced by display format. Digital errors increased with the number of elements, the number of targets, and the distance of the target from the fixation point. Line orientation errors increased only with the number of targets. Several other display types were evaluated, and each produced a pattern of errors similar to either digital or line orientation format. Results of the study were discussed in terms of Feature Integration Theory, which distinguishes between elements that are processed with parallel versus serial mechanisms.

Policy options for healthier retail food environments in city-regions.

PubMed

Mah, Catherine L; Cook, Brian; Rideout, Karen; Minaker, Leia M

2016-06-09

Public policy is central to health promotion: it determines the distribution of resources in a society and establishes the structural context for the actions of both corporations and consumers. With this in mind, the purpose of this paper is to begin a discussion on promising policy options for a health-promoting retail food environment. Drawing on specific municipal examples, we examine four groups of policy options for healthier retail food environments in city-regions: planning for health; transforming consumer environments; economic and fiscal instruments; and a culture of transparency and participation. We introduce examples of policy options that are receiving increasing attention in the public health and urban planning literature and that function at the municipal level. We also highlight how public health professionals have an important role to play in policy that shapes retail food environments, especially in making explicit the linkages between health and other policy goals. In doing so, this commentary aims to motivate public health practitioners in a variety of community contexts to consider the policy supports they need to advance their exploration, development, testing and evaluation of interventions for healthier retail food environments.

Integrated river basin management, ICT and DSS: Challenges and needs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gourbesville, Philippe

River basin management is a complex task. Therefore, instruments that help to assess the present situation and assist in the development and evaluation of solutions may be important. Since several decades and after the implementation of the first compulsory legal environments and institutional organizations for IWRM and IRBM, the need for an efficient support in the different decision-making processes has emerged. After several experiences, the demonstration of the interest of ICT and DSS systems is obvious in the water resources management domain. However and until now, most of the efforts have been focused on the theoretical aspects with very few integrations into operational approaches. The implementation of the new European water framework directive (2000) represents today one key example from which some lessons can be learned in the way of definition and use of ICT and DSS systems for IWRM and IRBM. The paper presents the concepts available through ICT and DSS. The example of the WFD is used to underline the challenges and the difficulties for the elaboration of new tools - DSSs - which could be able to answer of the challenges of IWRM and IRBM.

Addressing Nature of Science Core Tenets with the History of Science: An Example with Sickle-Cell Anemia & Malaria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howe, Erica M.

2007-01-01

The history of science (HOS) has proven to be a useful pedagogical tool to help students learn about what has come to be regarded as an agreed upon set of core nature of science (NOS) tenets. The following article illustrates an example of how teachers can instrumentally use the history of research on heterozygote protection in sickle-cell anemia…

Evaluating nursing administration instruments.

PubMed

Huber, D L; Maas, M; McCloskey, J; Scherb, C A; Goode, C J; Watson, C

2000-05-01

To identify and evaluate available measures that can be used to examine the effects of management innovations in five important areas: autonomy, conflict, job satisfaction, leadership, and organizational climate. Management interventions target the context in which care is delivered and through which evidence for practice diffuses. These innovations need to be evaluated for their effects on desired outcomes. However, busy nurses may not have the time to locate, evaluate, and select instruments to measure expected nursing administration outcomes without research-based guidance. Multiple and complex important contextual variables need psychometrically sound and easy-to-use measurement instruments identified for use in both practice and research. An expert focus group consensus methodology was used in this evaluation research to review available instruments in the five areas and evaluate which of these instruments are psychometrically sound and easy to use in the practice setting. The result is a portfolio of measures, clustered by concept and displayed on a spreadsheet. Retrieval information is provided. The portfolio includes the expert consensus judgment as well as useful descriptive information. The research reported here identifies psychometrically sound and easy-to-use instruments for measuring five key variables to be included in a portfolio. The results of this study can be used as a beginning for saving time in instrument selection and as an aid for determining the best instrument for measuring outcomes from a clinical or management intervention.

Smart instruments and the national collaboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leiner, Barry M. (Editor)

1989-01-01

Here, we explore the process of scientific experimental investigation and ask what capabilities are required of the collaboratory to support such investigations. We first look at a number of examples of scientific research being conducted using remote instruments. We then examine the process of such research, asking at each stage what are the required capabilities. We finally integrate these results into a statement of the required set of capabilities needed to support scientific research in the future.

Motivation in Adult Language Learning: Research Review and Navy Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-12-01

procedural aspects of some motivation studies giving rise to the cementing of the integrative/instrumental pair. For example, population samples in...subsequently, this led to a cementing of the integrative/instrumental pair in scholarly thought and a narrowing of scholarly perspectives on motivation.15...a desire to learn a second language or already have fluency or a working knowledge of one. All of these recommendations will provide a good start

The Defense Colombian Sovereignty at the Guajira Peninsula, through the Integration of the Instruments of National Power

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-10

demands and physical intrusions on Colombian territory and is attempting to provoke a military conflict with Colombia. The Venezuelan government is...corrupt administration. A change in the Venezuelan government does not mean that aggressive intentions have been reduced. As an example, the...Colombia. This study first describes the instruments of national power as United States government doctrine and then proposes the application of these

Thermal vacuum test of space equipment: tests of SIR-2 instrument Chandrayaan-1 mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sitek, P.

2008-11-01

We describe the reasons of proceeding Thermal-Vacuum tests for space electronic. We will answer on following questions: why teams are doing TV tests, what kind of phases should be simulated, which situations are the most critical during TV tests, what kind of results should be expected, which errors can be detect. As an example, will be shown TV-test of SIR-2 instrument for Chandrayaan-1 moon mission.

The Role of Accompaniment Quality in the Evaluation of Solo Instrumental Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Springer, D. Gregory; Silvey, Brian A.

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of accompaniment quality on the evaluation of solo instrumental performance. Undergraduate instrumental music education majors (N = 71) listened to and evaluated the accuracy and expressivity of six excerpts of Haydn's "Concerto for Trumpet in E-Flat Major," which we created by…

15 CFR Supplement No. 1 to Part 746 - Examples of Luxury Goods

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... (other than public transport), including station wagons (3) Racing cars, snowmobiles, and motorcycles (4...) Musical instruments (2) Recreational sports equipment (i) Alcoholic beverages: wine, beer, ales, and...

15 CFR Supplement No. 1 to Part 746 - Examples of Luxury Goods

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... (other than public transport), including station wagons (3) Racing cars, snowmobiles, and motorcycles (4...) Musical instruments (2) Recreational sports equipment (i) Alcoholic beverages: wine, beer, ales, and...

15 CFR Supplement No. 1 to Part 746 - Examples of Luxury Goods

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... (other than public transport), including station wagons (3) Racing cars, snowmobiles, and motorcycles (4...) Musical instruments (2) Recreational sports equipment (i) Alcoholic beverages: wine, beer, ales, and...

15 CFR Supplement No. 1 to Part 746 - Examples of Luxury Goods

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... (other than public transport), including station wagons (3) Racing cars, snowmobiles, and motorcycles (4...) Musical instruments (2) Recreational sports equipment (i) Alcoholic beverages: wine, beer, ales, and...

Organizational Change and the Individual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fojt, Martin, Ed.

1995-01-01

Nineteen precis highlight concepts of managing change and people. Specific examples are provided from such companies as Texas Instruments, EMC, British Telecom, Cooper & Lybrands, MCB University Press, and the Royal Bank of Scotland. (SK)

Outcome instruments to assess scoliosis surgery.

PubMed

Bagó, Juan; Climent, Jose Ma; Pérez-Grueso, Francisco J S; Pellisé, Ferran

2013-03-01

To review and summarize the current knowledge regarding the outcome measures used to evaluate scoliosis surgery. Literature review. Outcome instruments should be tested to ensure that they have adequate metric characteristics: content and construct validity, reliability, and responsiveness. In the evaluation of scoliosis, generic instruments to assess health-related quality of life (HRQL) have been used, such as the SF-36 questionnaire and the EuroQol5D instrument. Nonetheless, it is preferable to use disease-specific instruments for this purpose, such as the SRS-22 Patient Questionnaire and the quality of life profile for spinal deformities (QLPSD). More recently, these generic and disease-specific instruments have been complemented with the use of super-specific instruments; i.e., those assessing a single aspect of the condition or specific populations with the condition. The patients' perception of their trunk deformity and body image has received particular attention, and several instruments are available to evaluate these aspects, such as the Walter-Reed Visual Assessment Scale (WRVAS), the Spinal Appearance Questionnaire (SAQ), and the Trunk Appearance Perception Scale (TAPS). The impacts of brace use can also be measured with specific scales, including the Bad Sobernheim Stress Questionnaire (BSSQ) and the Brace Questionnaire (BrQ). The available instruments to evaluate the treatment for non-idiopathic scoliosis have not been sufficiently validated and analyzed. Evaluation of scoliosis treatment should include the patient's perspective, which can be obtained with the use of patient-reported outcome measures.

Diabetes-related emotional distress instruments: a systematic review of measurement properties.

PubMed

Lee, Jiyeon; Lee, Eun-Hyun; Kim, Chun-Ja; Moon, Seung Hei

2015-12-01

The objectives of this study were to identify all available diabetes-related emotional distress instruments and evaluate the evidence regarding their measurement properties to help in the selection of the most appropriate instrument for use in practice and research. A systematic literature search was performed. PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and PsycINFO were searched systematically for articles on diabetes-related emotional distress instruments. The Consensus-based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments checklist was used to evaluate the methodological quality of the identified studies. The quality of results with respect to the measurement properties of each study was evaluated using Terwee's quality criteria. An ancillary meta-analysis was performed. Of the 2345 articles yielded by the search, 19 full-text articles evaluating 6 diabetes-related emotional distress instruments were included in this study. No instrument demonstrated evidence for all measurement properties. The Problem Areas in Diabetes scale (PAID) was the most frequently studied and the best validated of the instruments. Pooled summary estimates of the correlation coefficient between the PAID and serum glycated hemoglobin revealed a positive but weak correlation. No diabetes-related emotional distress instrument demonstrated evidence for all measurement properties. No instrument was better than another, although the PAID was the best validated and is thus recommended for use. Further psychometric studies of the diabetes-related emotional distress instruments with rigorous methodologies are required. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A concept taxonomy and an instrument hierarchy: tools for establishing and evaluating the conceptual framework of a patient-reported outcome (PRO) instrument as applied to product labeling claims.

PubMed

Erickson, Pennifer; Willke, Richard; Burke, Laurie

2009-01-01

To facilitate development and evaluation of a PRO instrument conceptual framework, we propose two tools--a PRO concept taxonomy and a PRO instrument hierarchy. FDA's draft guidance on patient reported outcome (PRO) measures states that a clear description of the conceptual framework of an instrument is useful for evaluating its adequacy to support a treatment benefit claim for use in product labeling the draft guidance, however does not propose tools for establishing or evaluating a PRO instrument's conceptual framework. We draw from our review of PRO concepts and instruments that appear in prescription drug labeling approved in the United States from 1997 to 2007. We propose taxonomy terms that define relationships between PRO concepts, including "family,"compound concept," and "singular concept." Based on the range of complexity represented by the concepts, as defined by the taxonomy, we propose nine instrument orders for PRO measurement. The nine orders range from individual event counts to multi-item, multiscale instruments. This analysis of PRO concepts and instruments illustrates that the taxonomy and hierarchy are applicable to PRO concepts across a wide range of therapeutic areas and provide a basis for defining the instrument conceptual framework complexity. Although the utility of these tools in the drug development, review, and approval processes has not yet been demonstrated, these tools could be useful to improve communication and enhance efficiency in the instrument development and review process.

Cloud Physics Lidar Measurements During the SAFARI-2000 Field Campaign

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McGill, Matthew; Hlavka, Dennis; Hart, William; Spinhirne, James; Scott, Stan; Starr, David OC. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

A new remote sensing instrument, the Cloud Physics Lidar (CPL) has been built for use on the ER-2 aircraft. The first deployment for CPL was the SAFARI-2000 field campaign during August-September 2000. The CPL is a three-wavelength lidar designed for studies of cirrus, subvisual cirrus, and boundary layer aerosols. The CPL utilizes a high repetition rate, low pulse energy laser with photon counting detectors. A brief description of the CPL instrument will be given, followed by examples of CPL data products. In particular, examples of aerosol backscatter, including boundary layer smoke and cirrus clouds will be shown. Resulting optical depth estimates derived from the aerosol measurements will be shown. Comparisons of the CPL optical depth and optical depth derived from microPulse Lidar and the AATS-14 sunphotomer will be shown.

Comparison of OH reactivity measurements in the atmospheric simulation chamber SAPHIR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuchs, Hendrik; Novelli, Anna; Rolletter, Michael; Hofzumahaus, Andreas; Pfannerstill, Eva Y.; Kessel, Stephan; Edtbauer, Achim; Williams, Jonathan; Michoud, Vincent; Dusanter, Sebastien; Locoge, Nadine; Zannoni, Nora; Gros, Valerie; Truong, Francois; Sarda-Esteve, Roland; Cryer, Danny R.; Brumby, Charlotte A.; Whalley, Lisa K.; Stone, Daniel; Seakins, Paul W.; Heard, Dwayne E.; Schoemaecker, Coralie; Blocquet, Marion; Coudert, Sebastien; Batut, Sebastien; Fittschen, Christa; Thames, Alexander B.; Brune, William H.; Ernest, Cheryl; Harder, Hartwig; Muller, Jennifer B. A.; Elste, Thomas; Kubistin, Dagmar; Andres, Stefanie; Bohn, Birger; Hohaus, Thorsten; Holland, Frank; Li, Xin; Rohrer, Franz; Kiendler-Scharr, Astrid; Tillmann, Ralf; Wegener, Robert; Yu, Zhujun; Zou, Qi; Wahner, Andreas

2017-10-01

Hydroxyl (OH) radical reactivity (kOH) has been measured for 18 years with different measurement techniques. In order to compare the performances of instruments deployed in the field, two campaigns were conducted performing experiments in the atmospheric simulation chamber SAPHIR at Forschungszentrum Jülich in October 2015 and April 2016. Chemical conditions were chosen either to be representative of the atmosphere or to test potential limitations of instruments. All types of instruments that are currently used for atmospheric measurements were used in one of the two campaigns. The results of these campaigns demonstrate that OH reactivity can be accurately measured for a wide range of atmospherically relevant chemical conditions (e.g. water vapour, nitrogen oxides, various organic compounds) by all instruments. The precision of the measurements (limit of detection < 1 s-1 at a time resolution of 30 s to a few minutes) is higher for instruments directly detecting hydroxyl radicals, whereas the indirect comparative reactivity method (CRM) has a higher limit of detection of 2 s-1 at a time resolution of 10 to 15 min. The performances of the instruments were systematically tested by stepwise increasing, for example, the concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO), water vapour or nitric oxide (NO). In further experiments, mixtures of organic reactants were injected into the chamber to simulate urban and forested environments. Overall, the results show that the instruments are capable of measuring OH reactivity in the presence of CO, alkanes, alkenes and aromatic compounds. The transmission efficiency in Teflon inlet lines could have introduced systematic errors in measurements for low-volatile organic compounds in some instruments. CRM instruments exhibited a larger scatter in the data compared to the other instruments. The largest differences to reference measurements or to calculated reactivity were observed by CRM instruments in the presence of terpenes and oxygenated organic compounds (mixing ratio of OH reactants were up to 10 ppbv). In some of these experiments, only a small fraction of the reactivity is detected. The accuracy of CRM measurements is most likely limited by the corrections that need to be applied to account for known effects of, for example, deviations from pseudo first-order conditions, nitrogen oxides or water vapour on the measurement. Methods used to derive these corrections vary among the different CRM instruments. Measurements taken with a flow-tube instrument combined with the direct detection of OH by chemical ionisation mass spectrometry (CIMS) show limitations in cases of high reactivity and high NO concentrations but were accurate for low reactivity (< 15 s-1) and low NO (< 5 ppbv) conditions.

Mars Miniature Science Instruments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Soon Sam; Hayati, Samad; Lavery, David; McBrid, Karen

2006-01-01

For robotic Mars missions, all the science information is gathered through on-board miniature instruments that have been developed through many years of R&D. Compared to laboratory counterparts, the rover instruments require miniaturization, such as low mass (1-2 kg), low power (> 10 W) and compact (1-2 liter), yet with comparable sensitivity. Since early 1990's, NASA recognized the need for the miniature instruments and launched several instrument R&D programs, e.g., PIDDP (Planetary Instrument Definition and Development). However, until 1998, most of the instrument R&D programs supported only up to a breadboard level (TRL 3, 4) and there is a need to carry such instruments to flight qualifiable status (TU 5, 6) to respond to flight AOs (Announcement of Opportunity). Most of flight AOs have only limited time and financial resources, and can not afford such instrument development processes. To bridge the gap between instrument R&D programs and the flight instrument needs, NASA's Mars Technology Program (MTP) created advanced instrumentation program, Mars Instrument Development Project (MIDP). MIDP candidate instruments are selected through NASA Research Announcement (NRA) process [l]. For example, MIDP 161998-2000) selected and developed 10 instruments, MIDP II (2003-2005) 16 instruments, and MIDP III (2004-2006) II instruments.Working with PIs, JPL has been managing the MIDP tasks since September 1998. All the instruments being developed under MIDP have been selected through a highly competitive NRA process, and employ state-of-the-art technology. So far, four MIDP funded instruments have been selected by two Mars missions (these instruments have further been discussed in this paper).

Measuring Stakeholder Participation in Evaluation: An Empirical Validation of the Participatory Evaluation Measurement Instrument (PEMI)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daigneault, Pierre-Marc; Jacob, Steve; Tremblay, Joel

2012-01-01

Background: Stakeholder participation is an important trend in the field of program evaluation. Although a few measurement instruments have been proposed, they either have not been empirically validated or do not cover the full content of the concept. Objectives: This study consists of a first empirical validation of a measurement instrument that…

Unexpected but Most Welcome: Mixed Methods for the Validation and Revision of the Participatory Evaluation Measurement Instrument

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daigneault, Pierre-Marc; Jacob, Steve

2014-01-01

Although combining methods is nothing new, more contributions about why and how to mix methods for validation purposes are needed. This article presents a case of validating the inferences drawn from the Participatory Evaluation Measurement Instrument, an instrument that purports to measure stakeholder participation in evaluation. Although the…

Evaluation Methods and Procedures In a Therapeutic Nursery Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barker, William F.

Four areas of evaluation will be briefly discussed: 1) those areas of functioning which should be assessed, 2) instruments which were used in each area, 3) knowledge of instruments, 4) preliminary results for each instrument. The areas related to the preschool child which should be evaluated consist of: 1) the child's cognitive functioning, 2) the…

A Review of Methods and Instruments Used in State and Local School Readiness Evaluations. Issues & Answers. REL 2007-No. 004

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Glyn; Scott-Little, Catherine; Amwake, Lynn; Wynn, Lucy

2007-01-01

The report provides detailed information about the methods and instruments used to evaluate school readiness initiatives, discusses important considerations in selecting instruments, and provides resources and recommendations that may be helpful to those who are designing and implementing school readiness evaluations. Study results indicate that…

An Instrument to Measure the Cognitive Ability Evaluation of the Taxonomy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schaff, John F.

Described is the development of an instrument designed to measure the cognitive ability of evaluation in high school chemistry students. The instrument was composed of several situations found in chemistry courses, each designed to measure a student's evaluation ability based on his knowledge of kinetic-molecular theory as it applied to gases,…

Development and Testing of Laser-induced Breakdown Spectroscopy for the Mars Rover Program: Elemental Analyses at Stand-Off Distances

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cremers, D. A.; Wiens, R. C.; Arp, Z. A.; Harris, R. D.; Maurice, S.

2003-01-01

One of the most fundamental pieces of information about any planetary body is the elemental composition of its surface materials. The Viking Martian landers employed XRF (x-ray fluorescence) and the MER rovers are carrying APXS (alpha-proton x-ray spectrometer) instruments upgraded from that used on the Pathfinder rover to supply elemental composition information for soils and rocks to which direct contact is possible. These in- situ analyses require that the lander or rover be in contact with the sample. In addition to in-situ instrumentation, the present generation of rovers carry instruments that operate at stand-off distances. The Mini-TES is an example of a stand-off instrument on the MER rovers. Other examples for future missions include infrared point spectrometers and microscopic-imagers that can operate at a distance. The main advantage of such types of analyses is obvious: the sensing element does not need to be in contact or even adjacent to the target sample. This opens up new sensing capabilities. For example, targets that cannot be reached by a rover due to impassable terrain or targets positioned on a cliff face can now be accessed using stand-off analysis. In addition, the duty cycle of stand-off analysis can be much greater than that provided by in-situ measurements because the stand-off analysis probe can be aimed rapidly at different features of interest eliminating the need for the rover to actually move to the target. Over the past five years we have been developing a stand-off method of elemental analysis based on atomic emission spectroscopy called laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). A laser-produced spark vaporizes and excites the target material, the elements of which emit at characteristic wavelengths. Using this method, material can be analyzed from within a radius of several tens of meters from the instrument platform. A relatively large area can therefore be sampled from a simple lander without requiring a rover or sampling arms. The placement of such an instrument on a rover would allow the sampling of locations distant from the landing site. Here we give a description of the LIBS method and its advantages. We discuss recent work on determining its characteristics for Mars exploration, including accuracy, detection limits, and suitability for determining the presence of water ice and hydrated minerals. We also give a description of prototype instruments we have tested in field settings.

The silicon chip: A versatile micro-scale platform for micro- and nano-scale systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Edward

Cutting-edge advances in micro- and nano-scale technology require instrumentation to interface with the external world. While technology feature sizes are continually being reduced, the size of experimentalists and their instrumentation do not mirror this trend. Hence there is a need for effective application-specific instrumentation to bridge the gap from the micro and nano-scale phenomena being studied to the comparative macro-scale of the human interfaces. This dissertation puts forward the idea that the silicon CMOS integrated circuit, or microchip in short, serves as an excellent platform to perform this functionality. The electronic interfaces designed for the semiconductor industry are particularly attractive as development platforms, and the reduction in feature sizes that has been a hallmark of the industry suggests that chip-scale instrumentation may be more closely coupled to the phenomena of interest, allowing finer control or improved measurement capabilities. Compatibility with commercial processes will further enable economies of scale through mass production, another welcome feature of this approach. Thus chip-scale instrumentation may replace the bulky, expensive, cumbersome-to-operate macro-scale prototypes currently in use for many of these applications. The dissertation examines four specific applications in which the chip may serve as the ideal instrumentation platform. These are nanorod manipulation, polypyrrole bilayer hinge microactuator control, organic transistor hybrid circuits, and contact fluorescence imaging. The thesis is structured around chapters devoted to each of these projects, in addition to a chapter on preliminary work on an RFID system that serves as a wireless interface model. Each of these chapters contains tools and techniques developed for chip-scale instrumentation, from custom scripts for automated layout and data collection to microfabrication processes. Implementation of these tools to develop systems for the applications above is evaluated. The viability of this approach is not limited to the examples listed in this work, and innovative new methodologies beyond those included here may be developed in the future for other systems which would benefit from the versatility of chip-scale platforms.

A study of low cost approaches to scientific experiment implementation for shuttle launched and serviced automated spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

Cost reductions that can be obtained in experiment instrumentation by the use of standardized electronics and by the relaxation of instrument reliability requirements are studied. The feasibility of using standardized equipment for experiment instrumentation is assessed and a system design approach that most effectively incorporates standardized equipment is developed. The level and form of modularization that is appropriate for the standardized equipment is determined. Mission assurance aspects of instrument development are examined to determine the cost reductions that might be derived from the relaxation of reliability requirements and to formulate a systematic approach to the optimization of mission assurance cost reductions. The results of the analyses are applied to a representative model HEAO payload in order to provide a concrete example of the cost reductions that can be achieved by a standardized approach to the instrument electronics.

Quality of Work: Validation of a New Instrument in Three Languages

PubMed Central

Steffgen, Georges; Kohl, Diane; Reese, Gerhard; Happ, Christian; Sischka, Philipp

2015-01-01

Introduction and objective: A new instrument to measure quality of work was developed in three languages (German, French and Luxembourgish) and validated in a study of employees working in Luxembourg. Methods and results: A representative sample (n = 1529) was taken and exploratory factor analysis revealed a six-factor solution for the 21-item instrument (satisfaction and respect, mobbing, mental strain at work, cooperation, communication and feedback, and appraisal). Reliability analysis showed satisfying reliability for all six factors and the total questionnaire. In order to examine the construct validity of the new instrument, regression analyses were conducted to test whether the instrument predicted work characteristics’ influence on three components of well-being—burnout, psychological stress and maladaptive coping behaviors. Conclusion: The present validation offers a trilingual inventory for measuring quality of work that may be used, for example, as an assessment tool or for testing the effectiveness of interventions. PMID:26703634

CICADA -- Configurable Instrument Control and Data Acquisition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Young, Peter J.; Roberts, William H.; Sebo, Kim M.

CICADA (Young et al. 1997) is a multi-process, distributed application for the control of astronomical data acquisition systems. It comprises elements that control the operation of, and data flow from CCD camera systems; and the operation of telescope instrument control systems. CICADA can be used to dynamically configure support for astronomical instruments that can be made up of multiple cameras and multiple instrument controllers. Each camera is described by a hierarchy of parts that are each individually configured and linked together. Most of CICADA is written in C++ and much of the configurability of CICADA comes from the use of inheritance and polymorphism. An example of a multiple part instrument configuration -- a wide field imager (WFI) -- is described here. WFI, presently under construction, is made up of eight 2k x 4k CCDs with dual SDSU II controllers and will be used at Siding Spring's ANU 40in and AAO 3.9m telescopes.

Quality of Work: Validation of a New Instrument in Three Languages.

PubMed

Steffgen, Georges; Kohl, Diane; Reese, Gerhard; Happ, Christian; Sischka, Philipp

2015-11-26

A new instrument to measure quality of work was developed in three languages (German, French and Luxembourgish) and validated in a study of employees working in Luxembourg. A representative sample (n = 1529) was taken and exploratory factor analysis revealed a six-factor solution for the 21-item instrument (satisfaction and respect, mobbing, mental strain at work, cooperation, communication and feedback, and appraisal). Reliability analysis showed satisfying reliability for all six factors and the total questionnaire. In order to examine the construct validity of the new instrument, regression analyses were conducted to test whether the instrument predicted work characteristics’ influence on three components of well-being -- burnout, psychological stress and maladaptive coping behaviors. The present validation offers a trilingual inventory for measuring quality of work that may be used, for example, as an assessment tool or for testing the effectiveness of interventions.

How can teachers assess reading skills of generation z learners in German language class?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dirga, R. N.; Wijayati, P. H.

2018-01-01

Generation Z is a digital native generation who has unique characteristics on the daily basis includes reading. In order to assess their reading skills correctly, teachers need to take these characteristics into consideration. This paper aims to describe the process in developing an instrument to assess reading skills of Generation Z learners in German language class. This study used developmental method. The developed instrument has not only good quality but also consists of texts that are suitable for German learners of Generation Z. This instrument can be used as an example in assessing German learners’ reading skills in the 21st century.

Measurements of stratospheric composition using a star pointing spectrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fish, Deb J.; Jones, Rod L.; Freshwater, Ray A.; Roscoe, Howard K.; Oldham, Derek J.

1994-01-01

Measurements of stratospheric composition have been made with a novel star-pointing spectrometer. The instrument consists of a telescope that focuses light from stars, planets, or the moon onto a spectrometer and two dimensional CCD array detector. Atmospheric absorptions can be measured, from which atmospheric columns of several gases can be determined. The instrument was deployed in Abisko, 69 deg N, during the European Arctic Stratospheric Ozone Experiment (EASOE). The instrument has the potential for measuring O3, OClO, NO2, and NO3. In this paper, a method for the retrieval of vertical columns is described, and some examples of ozone measurements given.

Status and needs for seismic instrumentation of structures along the Hayward fault

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kalkan, Erol; Çelebi, Mehmet

2008-01-01

The inventory of structures in heavily urbanized communities within the greater San Francisco (SF) Bay area that will experience strong ground motions from the rupture of the Hayward Fault includes a variety of types of recent and older structures built with a variety of materials and to different code standards. Those who remember the effects of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake on structures in the San Francisco Bay area also remember the collapse of one upper-deck segment of the Bay Bridge that halted transportation for approximately five weeks. In order to understand how these structures respond to earthquake motions and to improve building practices to resist these strong motions it is imperative that owners of these structures as well as governmental organizations acquire shaking response data from instrumented (or yet to be instrumented structures) during the forecast events. Within California, such data are acquired mainly by California Geological Survey and the United States Geological Survey. A small number of private owners contribute to this effort. The inventory of existing instrumented structures is much less than 0.1% of the total, and thus statistically it is not sufficient. For example, some of the existing important regular or lifeline structures are not instrumented(e.g. Bart Trans-Bay Tunnel, many segments of the Bart elevated structures in the proximity of the Hayward Fault, the yet to be completed eastern part of San Francisco Bay Bridge, Hetch-Hetchy pipeline system crossing the Hayward Fault)even though attempts and proposals have been developed to do so in the past. This paper presents a critical assessment of the status quo and the future needs for instrumentation of structures in the greater SF Bay area that includes the Hayward Fault. There are many new attempts and successes in instrumentation of structures in this region. Two successful examples are provided here, but more needs to be done. The paper does not present new research results; hence, it should be considered to be a “tutorial” paper.

Additional information for “TREMOR: A Wireless, MEMS Accelerograph for Dense Arrays” (Evans et al., 2003)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Evans, John R.; Hamstra, Robert H.; Spudich, Paul; Kundig, Christoph; Camina, Patrick; Rogers, John A.

2003-01-01

The length of Evans et al. (2003) necessitated transfer of several less germane sections to this alternate forum to meet that venue’s needs. These sections include a description of the development of Figure 1, the plot of spatial variability so critical to the argument for dense arrays of strong-motion instruments; the description of the rapid, integer, computational method for PGV used in the TREMOR instrument (the Oakland instrument, the commercial prototype, and the commercial instrument); siting methods and strategies used for Class B TREMOR instruments and those that can be used for Class C instruments to preserve the cost advantages of such systems; and some general discussion of MEMS accelerometers, including a comparative Table with representative examples of Class A, B and C MEMS devices. (“MEMS” means “Micro-ElectroMechanical” Systems—“micromachined” sensors, generally of silicon. Classes A, B, and C are defined in Table 1.)

Future states: the axioms underlying prospective, future-oriented, health planning instruments.

PubMed

Koch, T

2001-02-01

Proscriptive planning exercises are critical to and generally accepted as integral to health planning at varying scales. These require specific instruments designed to predict future actions on the basis of present knowledge. At the macro-level of health economics, for example, a number of future-oriented Quality of Life Instruments (QL) are commonly employed. At the level of individual decision making, on the other hand, Advance Directives (AD's) are advanced as a means by which healthy individuals can assure their wishes will be carried out if at some future point they are incapacitated. As proscriptive tools, both instrument classes appear to share an axiomatic set whose individual parts have not been rigorously considered. This paper attempts to first identify and then consider a set of five axioms underlying future oriented health planning instruments. These axioms are then critiqued using data from a pre-test survey designed specifically to address their assumptions. Results appear to challenge the validity of the axioms underlying the proscriptive planning instruments.

Passive Markers for Tracking Surgical Instruments in Real-Time 3-D Ultrasound Imaging

PubMed Central

Stoll, Jeffrey; Ren, Hongliang; Dupont, Pierre E.

2013-01-01

A family of passive echogenic markers is presented by which the position and orientation of a surgical instrument can be determined in a 3-D ultrasound volume, using simple image processing. Markers are attached near the distal end of the instrument so that they appear in the ultrasound volume along with the instrument tip. They are detected and measured within the ultrasound image, thus requiring no external tracking device. This approach facilitates imaging instruments and tissue simultaneously in ultrasound-guided interventions. Marker-based estimates of instrument pose can be used in augmented reality displays or for image-based servoing. Design principles for marker shapes are presented that ensure imaging system and measurement uniqueness constraints are met. An error analysis is included that can be used to guide marker design and which also establishes a lower bound on measurement uncertainty. Finally, examples of marker measurement and tracking algorithms are presented along with experimental validation of the concepts. PMID:22042148

CPU Performance Counter-Based Problem Diagnosis for Software Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-01

application servers and implementation techniques), this thesis only used the Enterprise Java Bean (EJB) SessionBean version of RUBiS. The PHP and Servlet ...collection statistics at the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) level can be reused for any Java application. Other examples of gray-box instrumentation include path...used gray-box approaches. For example, PinPoint [11, 14] and [29] use request tracing to diagnose Java exceptions, endless calls, and null calls in

Sensor requirements for Earth and planetary observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chahine, Moustafa T.

1990-01-01

Future generations of Earth and planetary remote sensing instruments will require extensive developments of new long-wave and very long-wave infrared detectors. The upcoming NASA Earth Observing System (EOS) will carry a suite of instruments to monitor a wide range of atmospheric and surface parameters with an unprecedented degree of accuracy for a period of 10 to 15 years. These instruments will observe Earth over a wide spectral range extending from the visible to nearly 17 micrometers with a moderate to high spectral and spacial resolution. In addition to expected improvements in communication bandwidth and both ground and on-board computing power, these new sensor systems will need large two-dimensional detector arrays. Such arrays exist for visible wavelengths and, to a lesser extent, for short wavelength infrared systems. The most dramatic need is for new Long Wavelength Infrared (LWIR) and Very Long Wavelength Infrared (VLWIR) detector technologies that are compatible with area array readout devices and can operate in the temperature range supported by long life, low power refrigerators. A scientific need for radiometric and calibration accuracies approaching 1 percent translates into a requirement for detectors with excellent linearity, stability and insensitivity to operating conditions and space radiation. Current examples of the kind of scientific missions these new thermal IR detectors would enhance in the future include instruments for Earth science such as Orbital Volcanological Observations (OVO), Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS), Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS), and Spectroscopy in the Atmosphere using Far Infrared Emission (SAFIRE). Planetary exploration missions such as Cassini also provide examples of instrument concepts that could be enhanced by new IR detector technologies.

Network Mendelian randomization: using genetic variants as instrumental variables to investigate mediation in causal pathways

PubMed Central

Burgess, Stephen; Daniel, Rhian M; Butterworth, Adam S; Thompson, Simon G

2015-01-01

Background: Mendelian randomization uses genetic variants, assumed to be instrumental variables for a particular exposure, to estimate the causal effect of that exposure on an outcome. If the instrumental variable criteria are satisfied, the resulting estimator is consistent even in the presence of unmeasured confounding and reverse causation. Methods: We extend the Mendelian randomization paradigm to investigate more complex networks of relationships between variables, in particular where some of the effect of an exposure on the outcome may operate through an intermediate variable (a mediator). If instrumental variables for the exposure and mediator are available, direct and indirect effects of the exposure on the outcome can be estimated, for example using either a regression-based method or structural equation models. The direction of effect between the exposure and a possible mediator can also be assessed. Methods are illustrated in an applied example considering causal relationships between body mass index, C-reactive protein and uric acid. Results: These estimators are consistent in the presence of unmeasured confounding if, in addition to the instrumental variable assumptions, the effects of both the exposure on the mediator and the mediator on the outcome are homogeneous across individuals and linear without interactions. Nevertheless, a simulation study demonstrates that even considerable heterogeneity in these effects does not lead to bias in the estimates. Conclusions: These methods can be used to estimate direct and indirect causal effects in a mediation setting, and have potential for the investigation of more complex networks between multiple interrelated exposures and disease outcomes. PMID:25150977

Feature evaluation of complex hysteresis smoothing and its practical applications to noisy SEM images.

PubMed

Suzuki, Kazuhiko; Oho, Eisaku

2013-01-01

Quality of a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image is strongly influenced by noise. This is a fundamental drawback of the SEM instrument. Complex hysteresis smoothing (CHS) has been previously developed for noise removal of SEM images. This noise removal is performed by monitoring and processing properly the amplitude of the SEM signal. As it stands now, CHS may not be so utilized, though it has several advantages for SEM. For example, the resolution of image processed by CHS is basically equal to that of the original image. In order to find wide application of the CHS method in microscopy, the feature of CHS, which has not been so clarified until now is evaluated correctly. As the application of the result obtained by the feature evaluation, cursor width (CW), which is the sole processing parameter of CHS, is determined more properly using standard deviation of noise Nσ. In addition, disadvantage that CHS cannot remove the noise with excessively large amplitude is improved by a certain postprocessing. CHS is successfully applicable to SEM images with various noise amplitudes. © Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A social media self-evaluation checklist for medical practitioners.

PubMed

Visser, Benjamin J; Huiskes, Florian; Korevaar, Daniel A

2012-01-01

Increasing numbers of medical practitioners and medical students are using online social and business-related networking websites such as Facebook, Doc2doc and LinkedIn. These rapidly evolving and growing social media have potential to promote public health by providing powerful instruments for communication and education. However, evidence is emerging from studies, legal cases, and media reports that the use of these new technologies is creating several ethical problems for medical practitioners as well as medical students. Improper online activities may harm not only individual reputations and careers, but also the medical profession as a whole, for example by breach of patient confidentiality, defamation of colleagues and employers, undisclosed conflict of interests that bias the medical practitioner's medical advice, posting of advice/information without an evidence base, and infringement of copyright. We developed a self-evaluation checklist for medical practitioners using social media. The checklist addresses three key elements in the use of social media: personal information and accessibility, connections, and postings. It contains questions specifically formulated to evaluate a medical practitioner's social media profile, to prevent unintended, improper online activities and to promote professional online behaviour.

Plasma Desorption Mass Spectrometry: Coming of Age.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cotter, Robert J.

1988-01-01

Discusses the history and development of Plasma Desorption Mass Spectrometry to determine molecular weights and structures of proteins and polymers. Outlines theory, instrumentation, and sample preparation commonly used. Gives several examples of resulting spectra. (ML)

Measuring the youth bullying experience: a systematic review of the psychometric properties of available instruments.

PubMed

Vessey, Judith; Strout, Tania D; DiFazio, Rachel L; Walker, Allison

2014-12-01

Bullying is a significant problem in schools and measuring this concept remains problematic. The purposes of this study were to (1) identify the published self-report measures developed to assess youth bullying; (2) evaluate their psychometric properties and instrument characteristics; and (3) evaluate the quality of identified psychometric papers evaluating youth bullying measures. A systematic review of the literature was conducted using 4 electronic databases. Data extraction and appraisal of identified instruments were completed using a standardized method and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Thirty-one articles describing 27 self-report instruments were evaluated in our analysis. Quality assessments ranged from 18% to 91%, with 6 papers reaching or exceeding a quality score of 75%. Limited evidence supporting the reliability, validity, and responsiveness of existing youth bullying measures was identified. Evidence supporting the psychometric soundness of the instruments identified was limited. Many measures were in early development and additional evaluation is necessary to validate their psychometric properties. A pool of instruments possesses acceptable initial psychometric dependability for selected assessment purposes. These findings have significant implications for assessing youth bullying and designing and evaluating school-based interventions. © 2014, American School Health Association.

Understanding the interplay of cancer patients' instrumental concerns and emotions.

PubMed

Brandes, Kim; van der Goot, Margot J; Smit, Edith G; van Weert, Julia C M; Linn, Annemiek J

2017-05-01

1) to assess patients' descriptions of concerns, and 2) to inform a conceptual framework in which the impact of the nature of concerns on doctor-patient communication is specified. Six focus groups were conducted with 39 cancer patients and survivors. In these focus groups participants were asked to describe their concerns during and after their illness. Concerns were described as instrumental concerns (e.g., receiving insufficient information) and emotions (e.g., sadness). Patients frequently explained their concerns as an interplay of instrumental concerns and emotions. Examples of the interplay were "receiving incorrect information" and "frustration", and "difficulties with searching, finding and judging of information" and "fear". Instrumental concerns need to be taken into account in the operationalization of concerns in research. Based on the interplay, the conceptual framework suggests that patients can express instrumental concerns as emotions and emotions as instrumental concerns. Consequently, providers can respond with instrumental and emotional communication when patients express an interplay of concerns. The results of this study can be used to support providers in recognizing concerns that are expressed by patients in consultations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

How discriminating are discriminative instruments?

PubMed

Hankins, Matthew

2008-05-27

The McMaster framework introduced by Kirshner & Guyatt is the dominant paradigm for the development of measures of health status and health-related quality of life (HRQL). The framework defines the functions of such instruments as evaluative, predictive or discriminative. Evaluative instruments are required to be sensitive to change (responsiveness), but there is no corresponding index of the degree to which discriminative instruments are sensitive to cross-sectional differences. This paper argues that indices of validity and reliability are not sufficient to demonstrate that a discriminative instrument performs its function of discriminating between individuals, and that the McMaster framework would be augmented by the addition of a separate index of discrimination. The coefficient proposed by Ferguson (Delta) is easily adapted to HRQL instruments and is a direct, non-parametric index of the degree to which an instrument distinguishes between individuals. While Delta should prove useful in the development and evaluation of discriminative instruments, further research is required to elucidate the relationship between the measurement properties of discrimination, reliability and responsiveness.

Measurement properties of instruments evaluating self-care and related concepts in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A systematic review.

PubMed

Clari, Marco; Matarese, Maria; Alvaro, Rosaria; Piredda, Michela; De Marinis, Maria Grazia

2016-01-01

The use of valid and reliable instruments for assessing self-care is crucial for the evaluation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) management programs. The aim of this review is to evaluate the measurement properties and theoretical foundations of instruments for assessing self-care and related concepts in people with COPD. A systematic review was conducted of articles describing the development and validation of self-care instruments. The methodological quality of the measurement properties was assessed using the COSMIN checklist. Ten studies were included evaluating five instruments: three for assessing self-care and self-management and two for assessing self-efficacy. The COPD Self-Efficacy Scale was the most studied instrument, but due to poor study methodological quality, evidence about its measurement properties is inconclusive. Evidence from the COPD Self-Management Scale is more promising, but only one study tested its properties. Due to inconclusive evidence of their measurement properties, no instrument can be recommended for clinical use. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

In vitro and in vivo evaluations of three computer-aided shade matching instruments.

PubMed

Yuan, Kun; Sun, Xiang; Wang, Fu; Wang, Hui; Chen, Ji-hua

2012-01-01

This study evaluated the accuracy and reliability of three computer-aided shade matching instruments (Shadepilot, VITA Easyshade, and ShadeEye NCC) using both in vitro and in vivo models. The in vitro model included the measurement of five VITA Classical shade guides. The in vivo model utilized three instruments to measure the central region of the labial surface of maxillary right central incisors of 85 people. The accuracy and reliability of the three instruments in these two evaluating models were calculated. Significant differences were observed in the accuracy of instruments both in vitro and in vivo. No significant differences were found in the reliability of instruments between and within the in vitro and the in vivo groups. VITA Easyshade was significantly different in accuracy between in vitro and in vivo models, while no significant difference was found for the other two instruments. Shadepilot was the only instrument tested in the present study that showed high accuracy and reliability both in vitro and in vivo. Significant differences were observed in the L*a*b* values of the 85 natural teeth measured using three instruments in the in vivo assessment. The pair-agreement rates of shade matching among the three instruments ranged from 37.7% to 48.2%, and the incidence of identical shade results shared by all three instruments was 25.9%. As different L*a*b* values and shade matching results were reported for the same tooth, a combination of the evaluated shade matching instruments and visual shade confirmation is recommended for clinical use.

Influence of rotational speed, torque and operator proficiency on failure of Greater Taper files.

PubMed

Yared, G M; Dagher, F E Bou; Machtou, P; Kulkarni, G K

2002-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of rotational speed. torque, and operator experience on the incidence of locking, deformation, and separation of instruments when using a specific Ni-Ti rotary instrumentation technique in extracted human teeth. Greater Taper Ni-Ti rotary instruments (GT) were used in a crown-down technique. In one group (rotational speed evaluation) of canals (n = 300) speeds of 150, 2 50 and 350 r.p.m. (subgroups 1, 2 and 3) were used. Each one of the subgroups included 100 canals. In a second group (evaluation of torque) (n = 300) torque was set at 20, 30 and 55 Ncm (subgroups 4, 5 and 6). In the third group (evaluation of operator proficiency) (n = 300 three operators with varying experience (subgroups 7, 8 and 9) were also compared. Each subgroup included the use of 10 sets of GT rotary instruments and 100 canals of extracted human molars. Each set of instruments was used in up to 10 canals and sterilized before each case. NaOCl 2.5% was used as an irrigant. The number of locked, deformed, and separated instruments was recorded for each group. Statistical analysis was carried out with pairwise comparisons using Fisher's exact tests for each of the failure type. When the influence of rotational speed was evaluated, instrument deformation and separation did not occur in subgroups 1 (150) r.p.m.), 2 (250 r.p.m.), and 3 (350) r.p.m.). Instrument locking occurred in subgroup 3 only. Statistical analysis demonstrated a significant difference between the 150 and 350 r.p.m. groups and between the 250 and 350 r.p.m. groups with respect to instrument locking. In torque evaluation, neither separation, deformation nor locking occurred during the use of the instruments, at 150 r.p.m., and at the different torque values. When the operators were compared, although two instruments were separated in canals prepared by the least experienced operator. Fisher's exact tests did not demonstrate a significant difference between the three subgroups. Instrument locking, deformation, and separation did not occur with the most experienced operator. None of the instruments separated with the trained operator. Preclinical training in the use of the GT rotary instruments when used with a crown-down technique at 150 r.p.m. was crucial in avoiding instrument separation and reducing the incidence of instrument locking and deformation.

[Evaluation of the quality of clinical practice guidelines published in the Annales de Biologie Clinique with the help of the EFLM checklist].

PubMed

Wils, Julien; Fonfrède, Michèle; Augereau, Christine; Watine, Joseph

2014-01-01

Several tools are available to help evaluate the quality of clinical practice guidelines (CPG). The AGREE instrument (Appraisal of guidelines for research & evaluation) is the most consensual tool but it has been designed to assess CPG methodology only. The European federation of laboratory medicine (EFLM) recently designed a check-list dedicated to laboratory medicine which is supposed to be comprehensive and which therefore makes it possible to evaluate more thoroughly the quality of CPG in laboratory medicine. In the present work we test the comprehensiveness of this check-list on a sample of CPG written in French and published in Annales de biologie clinique (ABC). Thus we show that some work remains to be achieved before a truly comprehensive check-list is designed. We also show that there is some room for improvement for the CPG published in ABC, for example regarding the fact that some of these CPG do not provide any information about allowed durations of transport and of storage of biological samples before analysis, or about standards of minimal analytical performance, or about the sensitivities or the specificities of the recommended tests.

A Reliability and Validity of an Instrument to Evaluate the School-Based Assessment System: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ghazali, Nor Hasnida Md

2016-01-01

A valid, reliable and practical instrument is needed to evaluate the implementation of the school-based assessment (SBA) system. The aim of this study is to develop and assess the validity and reliability of an instrument to measure the perception of teachers towards the SBA implementation in schools. The instrument is developed based on a…

The EarthCARE Simulator (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donovan, D. P.; van Zadellhoff, G.; Lajas, D.; Eisinger, M.; Franco, R.

2009-12-01

In recent years, the value of multisensor remote sensing techniques applied to cloud, aerosol, radiation and precipitation studies has become clear. For example, combinations of instruments including lidars and/or radars have proved very useful for profile retrievals of cloud macrophysical and microphysical properties. This is amply illustrated by various results from the ARM (and similar) sites as well as from results derived using the Cloudsat/CALIPSO/A-train combination of instruments. The Earth Clouds Aerosol and Radiation Explorer (EarthCARE) mission is a combined ESA/JAXA mission scheduled for launch in 2013 and has been designed with sensor-synergy playing a driving role in its scientific applications. The EarthCARE mission consists of a cloud profiling Doppler radar, a high-spectral-resolution lidar, a cloud/aerosol imager and a three-view broadband radiometer. As part of the mission development process, a detailed end-to-end multisensor simulation system has been developed. The EarthCARE Simulator (ECSIM) consists of a modular general framework populated by various models. The models within ECSIM are grouped according to the following scheme: 1) Scene creation models (3D atmospheric scene definition) 2) Orbit models (orbit and orientation of the platform as it overflies the scene) 3) Forward models (calculate the signal impinging on the telescope/antenna of the instrument(s) in question) 4) Instrument models (calculate the instrument response to the signals calculated by the Forward models) 5) Retrieval models (invert the instrument signals to recover relevant geophysical information) Within the default ECSIM models crude instrument specific parameterizations (i.e. empirically based Z vs IWC relationships) are avoided. Instead, the radiative transfer forward models are kept as separate as possible from the instrument models. In order to accomplish this, the atmospheric scenes are specified in high detail (i.e. bin resolved cloud size distribution are stored) and the relevant wavelength dependent optical properties are stored in a separate database. This helps insure that all the instruments involved in the simulation are treated in a consistent fashion and that the physical relationships between the various measurements are realistically captured (something that using instrument specific parameterizations relationships can not guarantee). As a consequence, ECSIM's modular structure makes it straightforward to add new instruments (thus expanding ECSIM beyond the EarthCARE instrument suite) and also makes ECSIM well-suited for physically based retrieval algorithm development. In this talk, we will introduce ECSIM and emphasize the philosophy behind its design. We will also give a brief overview on the various default models. Finally, we will present several examples of how ECSIM can and is being used for purposes ranging from general radiative transfer calculations to instrument performance estimation and synergistic algorithm development and characterization.

THE IMPORTANCE OF INSTRUMENT MAKERS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY: THE CASE OF ALFRED BINET AT THE SORBONNE LABORATORY.

PubMed

Nicolas, Serge

2016-07-01

The importance of instrument firms in the development of psychology, and science in general, should not be underestimated since it would not have been possible for various leading psychologists at the turn of the twentieth century to conduct certain experiments without the assistance of instrument makers, as is often the case today. To illustrate the historical perspective introduced here, the example of Alfred Binet is taken, as he is an interesting case of a psychologist working in close collaboration with various French instrument designers of the time. The objective of this article is twofold: (1) to show the considerable activity carried out by early psychologists to finalize new laboratory instruments in order to develop their research projects; (2) to reassess the work of a major figure in French psychology through his activity as a designer of precision instruments. The development of these new instruments would certainly have been difficult without the presence in Paris of numerous precision instrument manufacturers such as Charles Verdin, Otto Lund, Henri Collin, and Lucien Korsten, on whom Binet successively called in order to develop his projects in the field of experimental psychology. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Use of Spherical Instrumented Indentation to Evaluate the Tensile Properties of 3D Combined Structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Won-Seok; Kim, Seung-Gyu; Kim, Young-Cheon; Kwon, Dongil

2015-03-01

In this paper we propose a novel method, spherical indentation, for evaluation of the plastic properties of combined structures. Three-dimensional (3D) printed products, for example gradient metal alloys consisting of different kinds of material, contain interfaces that can act as weak points and threaten the mechanical reliability of products. Combined structures containing an interface between Cu alloy and Ag were prepared for testing. Samples were heat-treated at 100°C and 200°C for 3 h to optimize processing conditions. The indentation tensile properties of the samples were estimated by analyzing multiple loading-unloading curves obtained by use of the representative stress and strain method. A continuous increase in both yield strength and tensile strength was observed for the Cu alloy and the Cu/Ag interface after heat treatment at up to 200°C, because of precipitation hardening. These experimental results show that mechanical characterization of combined structures by spherical indentation is highly useful on the nano and micro scales.

Neuroesthetics and healthcare design.

PubMed

Nanda, Upali; Pati, Debajyoti; McCurry, Katie

2009-01-01

While there is a growing consciousness about the importance of visually pleasing environments in healthcare design, little is known about the key underlying mechanisms that enable aesthetics to play an instrumental role in the caregiving process. Hence it is often one of the first items to be value engineered. Aesthetics has (rightfully) been provided preferential consideration in such pleasure settings such as museums and recreational facilities; but in healthcare settings it is often considered expendable. Should it be? In this paper the authors share evidence that visual stimuli undergo an aesthetic evaluation process in the human brain by default, even when not prompted; that responses to visual stimuli may be immediate and emotional; and that aesthetics can be a source of pleasure, a fundamental perceptual reward that can help mitigate the stress of a healthcare environment. The authors also provide examples of studies that address the role of specific visual elements and visual principles in aesthetic evaluations and emotional responses. Finally, they discuss the implications of these findings for the design of art and architecture in healthcare.

TRMM Common Microphysics Products: A Tool for Evaluating Spaceborne Precipitation Retrieval Algorithms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kingsmill, David E.; Yuter, Sandra E.; Hobbs, Peter V.; Rangno, Arthur L.; Heymsfield, Andrew J.; Stith, Jeffrey L.; Bansemer, Aaron; Haggerty, Julie A.; Korolev, Alexei V.

2004-01-01

A customized product for analysis of microphysics data collected from aircraft during field campaigns in support of the TRMM program is described. These Common Microphysics Products (CMP's) are designed to aid in evaluation of TRMM spaceborne precipitation retrieval algorithms. Information needed for this purpose (e.g., particle size spectra and habit, liquid and ice water content) was derived using a common processing strategy on the wide variety of microphysical instruments and raw native data formats employed in the field campaigns. The CMP's are organized into an ASCII structure to allow easy access to the data for those less familiar with and without the tools to accomplish microphysical data processing. Detailed examples of the CMP show its potential and some of its limitations. This approach may be a first step toward developing a generalized microphysics format and an associated community-oriented, non-proprietary software package for microphysics data processing, initiatives that would likely broaden community access to and use of microphysics datasets.

Exploring a taxonomy for aggression against women: can it aid conceptual clarity?

PubMed

Cook, Sarah; Parrott, Dominic

2009-01-01

The assessment of aggression against women is demanding primarily because assessment strategies do not share a common language to describe reliably the wide range of forms of aggression women experience. The lack of a common language impairs efforts to describe these experiences, understand causes and consequences of aggression against women, and develop effective intervention and prevention efforts. This review accomplishes two goals. First, it applies a theoretically and empirically based taxonomy to behaviors assessed by existing measurement instruments. Second, it evaluates whether the taxonomy provides a common language for the field. Strengths of the taxonomy include its ability to describe and categorize all forms of aggression found in existing quantitative measures. The taxonomy also classifies numerous examples of aggression discussed in the literature but notably absent from quantitative measures. Although we use existing quantitative measures as a starting place to evaluate the taxonomy, its use is not limited to quantitative methods. Implications for theory, research, and practice are discussed.

Development and evaluation of an instrument for assessing brief behavioral change interventions.

PubMed

Strayer, Scott M; Martindale, James R; Pelletier, Sandra L; Rais, Salehin; Powell, Jon; Schorling, John B

2011-04-01

To develop an observational coding instrument for evaluating the fidelity and quality of brief behavioral change interventions based on the behavioral theories of the 5 A's, Stages of Change and Motivational Interviewing. Content and face validity were assessed prior to an intervention where psychometric properties were evaluated with a prospective cohort of 116 medical students. Properties assessed included the inter-rater reliability of the instrument, internal consistency of the full scale and sub-scales and descriptive statistics of the instrument. Construct validity was assessed based on student's scores. Inter-rater reliability for the instrument was 0.82 (intraclass correlation). Internal consistency for the full scale was 0.70 (KR20). Internal consistencies for the sub-scales were as follows: MI intervention component (KR20=.7); stage-appropriate MI-based intervention (KR20=.55); MI spirit (KR20=.5); appropriate assessment (KR20=.45) and appropriate assisting (KR20=.56). The instrument demonstrated good inter-rater reliability and moderate overall internal consistency when used to assess performing brief behavioral change interventions by medical students. This practical instrument can be used with minimal training and demonstrates promising psychometric properties when evaluated with medical students counseling standardized patients. Further testing is required to evaluate its usefulness in clinical settings. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The substantiation of methodical instrumentation to increase the tempo of high-rise construction in region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belyaeva, Svetlana; Makeeva, Tatyana; Chugunov, Andrei; Andreeva, Peraskovya

2018-03-01

One of the important conditions of effective renovation of accommodation in region on the base of realization of high-rise construction projects is attraction of investments by forming favorable investment climate, as well as reduction if administrative barriers in construction and update of main funds of housing and communal services. The article proposes methodological bases for assessing the state of the investment climate in the region, as well as the methodology for the formation and evaluation of the investment program of the housing and communal services enterprise. The proposed methodologies are tested on the example of the Voronezh region. Authors also showed the necessity and expediency of using the consulting mechanism in the development of state and non-state investment projects and programs.

My Vocational Situation (MVS): Case Example and Psychometric Review.

PubMed

Nitsch, Kristian P; Pedersen, Jessica; Miliotto, Alexandra; Petersen, Brett; Robbins, Samantha; Garcia, Ana; Hoisington, Molly Ansel; The, Kimberly J; Smiley, Jill; Janikowski, Timothy

This case report provides an overview of the psychometric properties and clinical utility of the My Vocational Situation (MVS) instrument. The accompanying hypothetical case description illustrates how clinicians could use the MVS to evaluate vocational preferences and outcomes and how the MVS can be used to inform treatment planning and rehabilitation decision making. The information contained in this report is intended to familiarize clinicians with the administration and scoring of the MVS, the psychometric information necessary to interpret results obtained from the MVS, and how the results could be used to provide comprehensive, patient-centered care. It is important to note that the information provided represents only a sample of the available research literature on the MVS. Copyright © 2017 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Early Assessment of VIIRS On-Orbit Calibration and Support Activities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Xiong, Xiaoxiong; Chiang, Kwofu; McIntire, Jeffrey; Oudrari, Hassan; Wu, Aisheng; Schwaller, Mathew; Butler, James

2012-01-01

The Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) satellite, formally the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Preparatory Project (NPP), provides a bridge between current and future low-Earth orbiting weather and environmental observation satellite systems. The NASA s NPP VIIRS Characterization Support Team (VCST) is designed to assess the long term geometric and radiometric performance of the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument onboard the S-NPP spacecraft and to support NPP Science Team Principal Investigators (PI) for their independent evaluation of VIIRS Environmental Data Records (EDRs). This paper provides an overview of Suomi NPP VIIRS on-orbit calibration activities and examples of sensor initial on-orbit performance. It focuses on the radiometric calibration support activities and capabilities provided by the NASA VCST.

Into the thermosphere: The atmosphere explorers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burgess, Eric; Torr, Douglass

1987-01-01

The need to study the lower thermosphere with the new instrument, data handling, and spacecraft technology available in the 1960s led to the formulation and establishment of the Atmospheric Explorer program. This book provides an overview of this program with particular emphasis on the AE3, AE4, and AE5 satellites, which represent early examples of problem-dedicated missions. Both the satellites and their instrumentation on the one hand and the experimental and scientific considerations in studying the thermosphere on the other are discussed.

The Thermal Infrared Sensor on the Landsat Data Continuity Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reuter, Dennis; Richardson, Cathy; Irons, James; Allen, Rick; Anderson, Martha; Budinoff, Jason; Casto, Gordon; Coltharp, Craig; Finneran, Paul; Forsbacka, Betsy;

Interfacing laboratory instruments to multiuser, virtual memory computers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Generazio, Edward R.; Stang, David B.; Roth, Don J.

1989-01-01

Incentives, problems and solutions associated with interfacing laboratory equipment with multiuser, virtual memory computers are presented. The major difficulty concerns how to utilize these computers effectively in a medium sized research group. This entails optimization of hardware interconnections and software to facilitate multiple instrument control, data acquisition and processing. The architecture of the system that was devised, and associated programming and subroutines are described. An example program involving computer controlled hardware for ultrasonic scan imaging is provided to illustrate the operational features.

Capturing the Patient’s Experience: Using Qualitative Methods to Develop a Measure of Patient-Reported Symptom Burden: An Example from Ovarian Cancer

PubMed Central

Williams, Loretta A.; Agarwal, Sonika; Bodurka, Diane C.; Saleeba, Angele K.; Sun, Charlotte C.; Cleeland, Charles S.

2013-01-01

Context Experts in patient-reported outcome (PRO) measurement emphasize the importance of including patient input in the development of PRO measures. Although best methods for acquiring this input are not yet identified, patient input early in instrument development ensures that instrument content captures information most important and relevant to patients in understandable terms. Objectives The M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI) is a reliable, valid PRO instrument for assessing cancer symptom burden. We report a qualitative (open-ended, in-depth) interviewing method that can be used to incorporate patient input into PRO symptom measure development, with our experience in constructing a MDASI module for ovarian cancer (MDASI-OC) as a model. Methods Fourteen patients with ovarian cancer (OC) described symptoms experienced at the time of the study, at diagnosis, and during prior treatments. Researchers and clinicians used content analysis of interview transcripts to identify symptoms in patient language. Symptoms were ranked on the basis of the number of patients mentioning them and by clinician assessment of relevance. Results Forty-two symptoms were mentioned. Eight OC-specific items will be added to the 13 core symptom items and six interference items of the MDASI in a test version of the MDASI-OC based on the number of patients mentioning them and clinician assessment of importance. The test version is undergoing psychometric evaluation. Conclusion The qualitative interviewing process, used to develop the test MDASI-OC, systematically captures common symptoms important to patients with ovarian cancer. This methodology incorporates the patient experience recommended by experts in PRO instrument development. PMID:23615044

Active Time-Domain Reflectometry for Unattended Safeguards Systems: FY16 Report

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

Tedeschi, Jonathan R.; Smith, Leon E.; Conrad, Ryan C.

2016-10-21

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) continues to expand its use of unattended measurement systems. An increasing number of systems and an expanding family of instruments create challenges in terms of deployment efficiency and the implementation of data authentication measures. Traditional data security measures, for example tamper-indicating (TI) conduit, are impractical for the long separation distances (often 100 meters or more) between unattended monitoring system (UMS) components. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is studying the viability of active time-domain reflectometry (TDR) for the detection of cable tampering in unattended radiation detection systems. The instrument concept under investigation would allow formore » unmanned cable integrity measurements, remote surveillance reporting and locating of cable faults and/or tampers. This report describes PNNL’s FY16 progress and includes: an overview of the TDR methods under investigation; description of the TDR evaluation testbed developed by PNNL; development and testing of advanced signal processing algorithms to extract weak signals from relatively high noise levels; and initial testing of a laboratory prototype intended for IAEA UMS applications and based on a commercially available TDR module. Preliminary viability findings and recommendations for the next stage of development and testing are provided.« less

Environmental science applications with Rapid Integrated Mapping and analysis System (RIMS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shiklomanov, A.; Prusevich, A.; Gordov, E.; Okladnikov, I.; Titov, A.

2016-11-01

The Rapid Integrated Mapping and analysis System (RIMS) has been developed at the University of New Hampshire as an online instrument for multidisciplinary data visualization, analysis and manipulation with a focus on hydrological applications. Recently it was enriched with data and tools to allow more sophisticated analysis of interdisciplinary data. Three different examples of specific scientific applications with RIMS are demonstrated and discussed. Analysis of historical changes in major components of the Eurasian pan-Arctic water budget is based on historical discharge data, gridded observational meteorological fields, and remote sensing data for sea ice area. Express analysis of the extremely hot and dry summer of 2010 across European Russia is performed using a combination of near-real time and historical data to evaluate the intensity and spatial distribution of this event and its socioeconomic impacts. Integrative analysis of hydrological, water management, and population data for Central Asia over the last 30 years provides an assessment of regional water security due to changes in climate, water use and demography. The presented case studies demonstrate the capabilities of RIMS as a powerful instrument for hydrological and coupled human-natural systems research.

Test and evaluation of the Argonne BPAC10 Series air chamber calorimeter designed for 20 minute measurements

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

Perry, R.B.; Fiarman, S.; Jung, E.A.

1990-10-01

This paper is the final report on DOE-OSS Task ANLE88002 Fast Air Chamber Calorimetry.'' The task objective was to design, construct, and test an isothermal air chamber calorimeter for plutonium assay of bulk samples that would meet the following requirements for sample power measurement: average sample measurement time less than 20 minutes. Measurement of samples with power output up to 10 W. Precision of better than 1% RSD for sample power greater than 1 W. Precision better than 0.010 watt SD, for sample power less than 1 W. This report gives a description of the calorimeter hardware and software andmore » discusses the test results. The instrument operating procedure, included as an appendix, gives examples of typical input/output and explains the menu driven software. Sample measurement time of less than 20 minutes was attained by pre-equilibration of the samples in low cost precision preheaters and by prediction of equilibrium measurements. Tests at the TA55 Plutonium Facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory, on typical samples, indicates that the instrument meets all the measurement requirements.« less

Forensic Mass Spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoffmann, William D.; Jackson, Glen P.

2015-07-01

Developments in forensic mass spectrometry tend to follow, rather than lead, the developments in other disciplines. Examples of techniques having forensic potential born independently of forensic applications include ambient ionization, imaging mass spectrometry, isotope ratio mass spectrometry, portable mass spectrometers, and hyphenated chromatography-mass spectrometry instruments, to name a few. Forensic science has the potential to benefit enormously from developments that are funded by other means, if only the infrastructure and personnel existed to adopt, validate, and implement the new technologies into casework. Perhaps one unique area in which forensic science is at the cutting edge is in the area of chemometrics and the determination of likelihood ratios for the evaluation of the weight of evidence. Such statistical techniques have been developed most extensively for ignitable-liquid residue analyses and isotope ratio analysis. This review attempts to capture the trends, motivating forces, and likely impact of developing areas of forensic mass spectrometry, with the caveat that none of this research is likely to have any real impact in the forensic community unless: (a) The instruments developed are turned into robust black boxes with red and green lights for positives and negatives, respectively, or (b) there are PhD graduates in the workforce who can help adopt these sophisticated techniques.

Project Developmental Continuity Evaluation: Implementation Rating Instrument.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

High/Scope Educational Research Foundation, Ypsilanti, MI.

This instrument is part of a series of documents on the evaluation of Project Developmental Continuity (PDC), a Head Start demonstration program aimed at providing educational and developmental continuity between children's Head Start and primary school experiences. The Implementation Rating Instrument (IRI) was developed to provide a quantitative…

Evaluation Strategies in Financial Education: Evaluation with Imperfect Instruments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Lauren; Dudensing, Rebekka; Granovsky, Nancy L.

2016-01-01

Program evaluation often suffers due to time constraints, imperfect instruments, incomplete data, and the need to report standardized metrics. This article about the evaluation process for the Wi$eUp financial education program showcases the difficulties inherent in evaluation and suggests best practices for assessing program effectiveness. We…

Reliability of Instruments Measuring At-Risk and Problem Gambling Among Young Individuals: A Systematic Review Covering Years 2009-2015.

PubMed

Edgren, Robert; Castrén, Sari; Mäkelä, Marjukka; Pörtfors, Pia; Alho, Hannu; Salonen, Anne H

2016-06-01

This review aims to clarify which instruments measuring at-risk and problem gambling (ARPG) among youth are reliable and valid in light of reported estimates of internal consistency, classification accuracy, and psychometric properties. A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Medline, and PsycInfo covering the years 2009-2015. In total, 50 original research articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria: target age under 29 years, using an instrument designed for youth, and reporting a reliability estimate. Articles were evaluated with the revised Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies tool. Reliability estimates were reported for five ARPG instruments. Most studies (66%) evaluated the South Oaks Gambling Screen Revised for Adolescents. The Gambling Addictive Behavior Scale for Adolescents was the only novel instrument. In general, the evaluation of instrument reliability was superficial. Despite its rare use, the Canadian Adolescent Gambling Inventory (CAGI) had a strong theoretical and methodological base. The Gambling Addictive Behavior Scale for Adolescents and the CAGI were the only instruments originally developed for youth. All studies, except the CAGI study, were population based. ARPG instruments for youth have not been rigorously evaluated yet. Further research is needed especially concerning instruments designed for clinical use. Copyright © 2016 The Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hybrid Instrumentation in Lumbar Spinal Fusion: A Biomechanical Evaluation of Three Different Instrumentation Techniques.

PubMed

Obid, Peter; Danyali, Reza; Kueny, Rebecca; Huber, Gerd; Reichl, Michael; Richter, Alexander; Niemeyer, Thomas; Morlock, Michael; Püschel, Klaus; Übeyli, Hüseyin

2017-02-01

Ex vivo human cadaveric study. The development or progression of adjacent segment disease (ASD) after spine stabilization and fusion is a major problem in spine surgery. Apart from optimal balancing of the sagittal profile, dynamic instrumentation is often suggested to prevent or impede ASD. Hybrid instrumentation is used to gain stabilization while allowing motion to avoid hypermobility in the adjacent segment. In this biomechanical study, the effects of two different hybrid instrumentations on human cadaver spines were evaluated and compared with a rigid instrumentation. Eighteen human cadaver spines (T11-L5) were subdivided into three groups: rigid, dynamic, and hook comprising six spines each. Clinical parameters and initial mechanical characteristics were consistent among groups. All specimens received rigid fixation from L3-L5 followed by application of a free bending load of extension and flexion. The range of motion (ROM) for every segment was evaluated. For the rigid group, further rigid fixation from L1-L5 was applied. A dynamic Elaspine system (Spinelab AG, Winterthur, Switzerland) was applied from L1 to L3 for the dynamic group, and the hook group was instrumented with additional laminar hooks at L1-L3. ROM was then evaluated again. There was no significant difference in ROM among the three instrumentation techniques. Based on this data, the intended advantage of a hybrid or dynamic instrumentation might not be achieved.

Assessing quality of life in patients with prostate cancer: a systematic and standardized comparison of available instruments.

PubMed

Schmidt, Stefanie; Garin, Olatz; Pardo, Yolanda; Valderas, José M; Alonso, Jordi; Rebollo, Pablo; Rajmil, Luis; Garcia-Forero, Carlos; Ferrer, Montse

2014-10-01

The objective was to obtain a standardized evaluation of available prostate cancer-specific quality of life instruments used in patients with early-stage disease. We carried out systematic literature reviews in the PubMed database to identify manuscripts which contained information regarding either the development process or metric properties of prostate cancer-specific quality of life instruments. Each instrument was evaluated by two experts, independently, using the Evaluating Measures of Patient-Reported Outcomes (EMPRO) tool. An overall and seven attribute-specific EMPRO scores were calculated (range 0-100, worst to best): measurement model, reliability, validity, responsiveness, interpretability, burden and alternative forms. Eight instruments and 57 manuscripts (2-15 per instrument) were identified. The Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC) was the best rated (overall EMPRO score 83.1 points). Good results were also obtained by University of California Los Angeles-Prostate Cancer Index (UCLA-PCI), Patient-Oriented Prostate Utility Scale (PORPUS) and Prostate Cancer Quality of Life Instrument (PC-QoL) with 77.3, 70.5 and 64.8 points, respectively. These four instruments passed with distinction the validity and responsiveness evaluation. Insufficient reliability results were observed for UCLA-PCI and PORPUS. Current evidence supports the choice of EPIC, PORPUS or PC-QoL. Attribute-specific EMPRO results facilitate selecting the adequate instrument for every purpose. For longitudinal studies or clinical trials, where responsiveness is the priority, EPIC or PC-QoL should be considered. We recommend the PORPUS for economic evaluations because it allows cost-utility analysis, and EPIC short versions to minimize administration burden.

Assessing oral health-related quality of life in children and adolescents: a systematic review and standardized comparison of available instruments.

PubMed

Zaror, Carlos; Pardo, Yolanda; Espinoza-Espinoza, Gerardo; Pont, Àngels; Muñoz-Millán, Patricia; Martínez-Zapata, María José; Vilagut, Gemma; Forero, Carlos G; Garin, Olatz; Alonso, Jordi; Ferrer, Montse

2018-03-22

To obtain a systematic and standardized evaluation of the current evidence on development process, metric properties, and administration issues of oral health-related quality of life instruments available for children and adolescents. A systematic search until October 2016 was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Lilacs, SciELO, and Cochrane databases. Articles with information regarding the development process, metric properties, and administration issues of pediatric instruments measuring oral health-related quality of life were eligible for inclusion. Two researchers independently evaluated each instrument applying the Evaluating Measures of Patient-Reported Outcomes (EMPRO) tool. An overall and seven attribute-specific EMPRO scores were calculated (range 0-100, worst to best): measurement model, reliability, validity, responsiveness, interpretability, burden, and alternative forms. We identified 18 instruments evaluated in 132 articles. From five instruments designed for preschoolers, the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) obtained the highest overall EMPRO score (82.2). Of nine identified for schoolchildren and adolescents, the best rated instrument was the Child Perceptions Questionnaire 11-14 (82.1). Among the four instruments developed for any age, the Family Impact Scale (FIS) obtained the highest scores (80.3). The evidence supports the use of the ECOHIS for preschoolers, while the age is a key factor when choosing among the four recommended instruments for schoolchildren and adolescents. Instruments for specific conditions, symptoms, or treatments need further research on metric properties. Our results facilitate decision-making on the correct oral health-related quality of life instrument selection for any certain study purpose and population during the childhood and adolescence life cycle.

The quality of instruments to assess the process of shared decision making: A systematic review.

PubMed

Gärtner, Fania R; Bomhof-Roordink, Hanna; Smith, Ian P; Scholl, Isabelle; Stiggelbout, Anne M; Pieterse, Arwen H

2018-01-01

To inventory instruments assessing the process of shared decision making and appraise their measurement quality, taking into account the methodological quality of their validation studies. In a systematic review we searched seven databases (PubMed, Embase, Emcare, Cochrane, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Academic Search Premier) for studies investigating instruments measuring the process of shared decision making. Per identified instrument, we assessed the level of evidence separately for 10 measurement properties following a three-step procedure: 1) appraisal of the methodological quality using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health status Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) checklist, 2) appraisal of the psychometric quality of the measurement property using three possible quality scores, 3) best-evidence synthesis based on the number of studies, their methodological and psychometrical quality, and the direction and consistency of the results. The study protocol was registered at PROSPERO: CRD42015023397. We included 51 articles describing the development and/or evaluation of 40 shared decision-making process instruments: 16 patient questionnaires, 4 provider questionnaires, 18 coding schemes and 2 instruments measuring multiple perspectives. There is an overall lack of evidence for their measurement quality, either because validation is missing or methods are poor. The best-evidence synthesis indicated positive results for a major part of instruments for content validity (50%) and structural validity (53%) if these were evaluated, but negative results for a major part of instruments when inter-rater reliability (47%) and hypotheses testing (59%) were evaluated. Due to the lack of evidence on measurement quality, the choice for the most appropriate instrument can best be based on the instrument's content and characteristics such as the perspective that they assess. We recommend refinement and validation of existing instruments, and the use of COSMIN-guidelines to help guarantee high-quality evaluations.

Investigating the key indicators for evaluating post-disaster shelter.

PubMed

Nath, Ronita; Shannon, Harry; Kabali, Conrad; Oremus, Mark

2017-07-01

This study sought to identify the primary indicators for evaluating shelter assistance following natural disasters and then to develop a shelter evaluation instrument based on these indicators. Electronic databases and the 'grey' literature were scoured for publications with a relation to post-disaster shelter assistance. Indicators for evaluating such assistance were extracted from these publications. In total, 1,525 indicators were extracted from 181 publications. A preliminary evaluation instrument was designed from these 1,525 indicators. Shelter experts checked the instrument for face and content validity, and it was revised subsequently based on their input. The revised instrument comprises a version for use by shelter agencies (48 questions that assess 23 indicators) and a version for use by beneficiaries (52 questions that assess 22 indicators). The instrument can serve as a standardised tool to enable groups to gauge whether or not the shelter assistance that they supply meets the needs of disaster-affected populations. © 2017 The Author(s). Disasters © Overseas Development Institute, 2017.

Assessing the impact of natural policy experiments on socioeconomic inequalities in health: how to apply commonly used quantitative analytical methods?

PubMed

Hu, Yannan; van Lenthe, Frank J; Hoffmann, Rasmus; van Hedel, Karen; Mackenbach, Johan P

2017-04-20

The scientific evidence-base for policies to tackle health inequalities is limited. Natural policy experiments (NPE) have drawn increasing attention as a means to evaluating the effects of policies on health. Several analytical methods can be used to evaluate the outcomes of NPEs in terms of average population health, but it is unclear whether they can also be used to assess the outcomes of NPEs in terms of health inequalities. The aim of this study therefore was to assess whether, and to demonstrate how, a number of commonly used analytical methods for the evaluation of NPEs can be applied to quantify the effect of policies on health inequalities. We identified seven quantitative analytical methods for the evaluation of NPEs: regression adjustment, propensity score matching, difference-in-differences analysis, fixed effects analysis, instrumental variable analysis, regression discontinuity and interrupted time-series. We assessed whether these methods can be used to quantify the effect of policies on the magnitude of health inequalities either by conducting a stratified analysis or by including an interaction term, and illustrated both approaches in a fictitious numerical example. All seven methods can be used to quantify the equity impact of policies on absolute and relative inequalities in health by conducting an analysis stratified by socioeconomic position, and all but one (propensity score matching) can be used to quantify equity impacts by inclusion of an interaction term between socioeconomic position and policy exposure. Methods commonly used in economics and econometrics for the evaluation of NPEs can also be applied to assess the equity impact of policies, and our illustrations provide guidance on how to do this appropriately. The low external validity of results from instrumental variable analysis and regression discontinuity makes these methods less desirable for assessing policy effects on population-level health inequalities. Increased use of the methods in social epidemiology will help to build an evidence base to support policy making in the area of health inequalities.

Analytical improvements of hybrid LC-MS/MS techniques for the efficient evaluation of emerging contaminants in river waters: a case study of the Henares River (Madrid, Spain).

PubMed

Pérez-Parada, Andrés; Gómez-Ramos, María del Mar; Martínez Bueno, María Jesús; Uclés, Samanta; Uclés, Ana; Fernández-Alba, Amadeo R

2012-02-01

Instrumental capabilities and software tools of modern hybrid mass spectrometry (MS) instruments such as high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), quadrupole time-of-flight (QTOF), and quadrupole linear ion trap (QLIT) were experimentally investigated for the study of emerging contaminants in Henares River water samples. Automated screening and confirmatory capabilities of QTOF working in full-scan MS and tandem MS (MS/MS) were explored when dealing with real samples. Investigations on the effect of sensitivity and resolution power influence on mass accuracy were studied for the correct assignment of the amoxicillin transformation product 5(R) amoxicillin-diketopiperazine-2',5' as an example of a nontarget compound. On the other hand, a comparison of quantitative and qualitative strategies based on direct injection analysis and off-line solid-phase extraction sample treatment were assayed using two different QLIT instruments for a selected group of emerging contaminants when operating in selected reaction monitoring (SRM) and information-dependent acquisition (IDA) modes. Software-aided screening usually needs a further confirmatory step. Resolving power and MS/MS feature of QTOF showed to confirm/reject most findings in river water, although sensitivity-related limitations are usually found. Superior sensitivity of modern QLIT-MS/MS offered the possibility of direct injection analysis for proper quantitative study of a variety of contaminants, while it simultaneously reduced the matrix effect and increased the reliability of the results. Confirmation of ethylamphetamine, which lacks on a second SRM transition, was accomplished by using the IDA feature. Hybrid MS instruments equipped with high resolution and high sensitivity contributes to enlarge the scope of targeted analytes in river waters. However, in the tested instruments, there is a margin of improvement principally in required sensitivity and data treatment software tools devoted to reliable confirmation and improved automated data processing.

Aquarius: The Instrument and Initial Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vine, David M Le; Lagerloef, G.S.E.; Ruf, C.; Wentz, F.; Yueh, S.; Piepmeier, J.; Lindstrom, E.; Dinnat, E.

2012-01-01

Aquarius was launched on June 10, 2011 aboard the Aquarius/SAC-D observatory and the instrument has been operating continuously since the initial turned-on was completed on August 25. The initial observed antenna temperatures were close to predicted and the first salinity map was released in September. In order to map the ocean salinity field, Aquarius includes several special features such as the inclusion of a scatterometer to provide a roughness correction, measurement of the third Stokes parameter to correct for Faraday rotation, and fast sampling to mitigate the effects of RFI. This paper provides an overview of the instrument and an example of initial results. Details are covered in subsequent papers in the session on Aquarius

A sounding rocket program in extreme and far ultraviolet interferometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chakrabarti, S.

1994-01-01

A self-compensating, all reflection interferometric (SCARI) spectrometer was developed that can provide high resolution measurements of spectral features at any wavelength. Several mechanical components were developed that aid the instrument's performance at the short wavelength range. Examples include an optical bench and modular removable precision mechanisms for alignment. Upon alignment and lock down of the interferometer with the latter, the device is removed to minimize weight. A ray-trace code was developed to simulate the instrument's performance. Interference patterns were obtained at the shortest wavelength: the hydrogen Lyman alpha (1216 A). A laboratory instrument was developed that will be flown aboard a Black Brant sounding rocket to study the very local interstellar medium.

Using client-side event logging and path tracing to assess and improve the quality of web-based surveys.

PubMed

White, Thomas M; Hauan, Michael J

2002-01-01

Web-based data collection has considerable appeal. However, the quality of data collected using such instruments is often questionable. There can be systematic problems with the wording of the surveys, and/or the means with which they are deployed. In unsupervised data collection, there are also concerns about whether subjects understand the questions, and wehther they are answering honestly. This paper presents a schema for using client-side timestamps and traces of subjects' paths through instruments to detect problems with the definition of instruments and their deployment. We discuss two large, anonymous, web-based, medical surveys as examples of the utility of this approach.

Application of Handheld Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) to Geochemical Analysis.

PubMed

Connors, Brendan; Somers, Andrew; Day, David

2016-05-01

While laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has been in use for decades, only within the last two years has technology progressed to the point of enabling true handheld, self-contained instruments. Several instruments are now commercially available with a range of capabilities and features. In this paper, the SciAps Z-500 handheld LIBS instrument functionality and sub-systems are reviewed. Several assayed geochemical sample sets, including igneous rocks and soils, are investigated. Calibration data are presented for multiple elements of interest along with examples of elemental mapping in heterogeneous samples. Sample preparation and the data collection method from multiple locations and data analysis are discussed. © The Author(s) 2016.

[Construction and validation of the "La Salle Instrument" to evaluate the ethical aspects in biomedical research on human beings].

PubMed

Valdivia-Gómez, Gilberto Guzmán; Velasco-Jiménez, María Teresa; Domínguez-González, Alejandro; Meneses-Ruíz, Dulce María; Padilla-García, Raúl Amauri

2017-01-01

Research projects must demonstrate not only a rigorous scientific methodology, but also the ethical aspects that require profound reflection of the reviewers. Current regulations establish criteria for research projects on human health, but many of these aspects are subjective. How can the evaluation of such projects be standardized? This is the main subject of the current project. This project comprises two phases. First, the design and construction of an instrument of evaluation based on the fundamental principles of bioethics, which are autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice, and other aspects. The second phase consists of content validation through expert. During the phase of reviewing the instrument, it was necessary to make changes by adding, removing, or changing the concepts or criteria, which lead to the construction of the second version of the format. This new instrument was reviewed and analyzed by using the AGREE II instrument, and this version was validated by experts by greater than 95%. There are some recommendations to analyze the ethical aspects in research protocols involving human subjects, but they define the concepts and criteria to be evaluated. By presenting the criteria to be evaluated individually, the "La Salle instrument" allows the evaluation to be more objective and standardized.

Instruments and Scoring Guide of the Experiential Education Evaluation Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conrad, Dan; Hedin, Diane

As a result of the Experiential Education Evaluation Project the publication identifies instruments used to measure and assess experiential learning programs. The following information is given for each instrument: rationale for its inclusion in the study; precise issues or outcomes designed to measure, validity and reliability data; and…

The Domain Five Observation Instrument: A Competency-Based Coach Evaluation Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shangraw, Rebecca

2017-01-01

The Domain Five Observation Instrument (DFOI) is a competency-based observation instrument recommended for sport leaders or researchers who wish to evaluate coaches' instructional behaviors. The DFOI includes 10 behavior categories and four timed categories that encompass 34 observable instructional benchmarks outlined in domain five of the…

Needed: Instruments as Good as Our Eyes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brickell, Henry M.

2011-01-01

Evaluators use their eyes to see what is there, whether it is intended or not. But they use their test instruments to measure what is intended, whether it is there or not. Evaluators have been broadening their repertoire of instruments for years: curriculum-embedded tests, observer checklists, audiotape recorders, videotape recorders, unobtrusive…

Shrimp Farms, Ecuador

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2006-01-01

In many parts of the world, wetlands are being converted to shrimp ponds in order to farm these crustaceans for food and sale. One example is on the west coast of Ecuador, south of Guayaquil. The 1991 Landsat image on top shows a coastal area where 143 square kilometers of wetlands were converted to shrimp ponds. By the time ASTER acquired the bottom image in 2001, 243 square kilometers had been converted, eliminating 83% of the wetlands. These scenes cover an area of 30 x 31 km, and are centered near 3.4 degrees south latitude and 80.2 degrees west longitude.

With its 14 spectral bands from the visible to the thermal infrared wavelength region, and its high spatial resolution of 15 to 90 meters (about 50 to 300 feet), ASTER images Earth to map and monitor the changing surface of our planet.

ASTER is one of five Earth-observing instruments launched December 18, 1999, on NASA's Terra satellite. The instrument was built by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. A joint U.S./Japan science team is responsible for validation and calibration of the instrument and the data products.

The broad spectral coverage and high spectral resolution of ASTER provides scientists in numerous disciplines with critical information for surface mapping, and monitoring of dynamic conditions and temporal change. Example applications are: monitoring glacial advances and retreats; monitoring potentially active volcanoes; identifying crop stress; determining cloud morphology and physical properties; wetlands evaluation; thermal pollution monitoring; coral reef degradation; surface temperature mapping of soils and geology; and measuring surface heat balance.

The U.S. science team is located at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. The Terra mission is part of NASA's Science Mission Directorate.

Size: 30 by 31 kilometers (18.6 by 19.2 miles) Location: 3.4 degrees South latitude, 80.2 degrees West longitude Orientation: North at top Image Data: Landsat bands 4,3 and 2; ASTER bands 3, 2, and 1 Original Data Resolution: Landsat 30 meters (24.6 feet); ASTER 15 meters (49.2 feet) Dates Acquired: Landsat: April 29, 1991; ASTER March 31, 2001

Shark Bay, Australia

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

Hamelin Pool Marine Nature Reserve is located in the Shark Bay World Heritage Site in Western Australia. It is one of the very few places in the world where living stromatolites can be found. These are the first living examples of structures built by cyanobacteria. These bacteria are direct descendants of the oldest form of photosynthetic life on earth, dating back 3,500 million years (Wikipedia). The image was acquired December 30, 2010, covers an area of 34 x 46 km, and is located at 26.4 degrees south latitude, 114.1 degrees east longitude. With its 14 spectral bands from the visible to the thermal infrared wavelength region and its high spatial resolution of 15 to 90 meters (about 50 to 300 feet), ASTER images Earth to map and monitor the changing surface of our planet. ASTER is one of five Earth-observing instruments launched Dec. 18, 1999, on Terra. The instrument was built by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. A joint U.S./Japan science team is responsible for validation and calibration of the instrument and data products. The broad spectral coverage and high spectral resolution of ASTER provides scientists in numerous disciplines with critical information for surface mapping and monitoring of dynamic conditions and temporal change. Example applications are: monitoring glacial advances and retreats; monitoring potentially active volcanoes; identifying crop stress; determining cloud morphology and physical properties; wetlands evaluation; thermal pollution monitoring; coral reef degradation; surface temperature mapping of soils and geology; and measuring surface heat balance. The U.S. science team is located at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. The Terra mission is part of NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. More information about ASTER is available at asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/. Credit: NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team Image Addition Date: 2013-03-15 NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Invited article: Characterization of background sources in space-based time-of-flight mass spectrometers.

PubMed

Gilbert, J A; Gershman, D J; Gloeckler, G; Lundgren, R A; Zurbuchen, T H; Orlando, T M; McLain, J; von Steiger, R

2014-09-01

For instruments that use time-of-flight techniques to measure space plasma, there are common sources of background signals that evidence themselves in the data. The background from these sources may increase the complexity of data analysis and reduce the signal-to-noise response of the instrument, thereby diminishing the science value or usefulness of the data. This paper reviews several sources of background commonly found in time-of-flight mass spectrometers and illustrates their effect in actual data using examples from ACE-SWICS and MESSENGER-FIPS. Sources include penetrating particles and radiation, UV photons, energy straggling and angular scattering, electron stimulated desorption of ions, ion-induced electron emission, accidental coincidence events, and noise signatures from instrument electronics. Data signatures of these sources are shown, as well as mitigation strategies and design considerations for future instruments.

Control of the positional relationship between a sample collection instrument and a surface to be analyzed during a sampling procedure using a laser sensor

DOEpatents

Van Berkel, Gary J [Clinton, TN; Kertesz, Vilmos [Knoxville, TN

2012-02-21

A system and method utilizes distance-measuring equipment including a laser sensor for controlling the collection instrument-to-surface distance during a sample collection process for use, for example, with mass spectrometric detection. The laser sensor is arranged in a fixed positional relationship with the collection instrument, and a signal is generated by way of the laser sensor which corresponds to the actual distance between the laser sensor and the surface. The actual distance between the laser sensor and the surface is compared to a target distance between the laser sensor and the surface when the collection instrument is arranged at a desired distance from the surface for sample collecting purposes, and adjustments are made, if necessary, so that the actual distance approaches the target distance.

Improved capabilities of the Multispectral Atmospheric Mapping Sensor (MAMS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jedlovec, Gary J.; Batson, K. Bryan; Atkinson, Robert J.; Moeller, Chris C.; Menzel, W. Paul; James, Mark W.

1989-01-01

The Multispectral Atmospheric Mapping Sensor (MAMS) is an airborne instrument being investigated as part of NASA's high altitude research program. Findings from work on this and other instruments have been important as the scientific justification of new instrumentation for the Earth Observing System (EOS). This report discusses changes to the instrument which have led to new capabilities, improved data quality, and more accurate calibration methods. In order to provide a summary of the data collected with MAMS, a complete list of flight dates and locations is provided. For many applications, registration of MAMS imagery with landmarks is required. The navigation of this data on the Man-computer Interactive Data Access System (McIDAS) is discussed. Finally, research applications of the data are discussed and specific examples are presented to show the applicability of these measurements to NASA's Earth System Science (ESS) objectives.

MEMS-Based Micro Instruments for In-Situ Planetary Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

George, Thomas; Urgiles, Eduardo R; Toda, Risaku; Wilcox, Jaroslava Z.; Douglas, Susanne; Lee, C-S.; Son, Kyung-Ah; Miller, D.; Myung, N.; Madsen, L.;

Sentinel-5/UVNS instrument: the principle ability of a slit homogenizer to reduce scene contrast for earth observation spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meister, Ch.; Keim, C.; Irizar, J.; Bauer, M.

2017-09-01

Sentinel-5/UVNS 1 is an Earth observation spectrometer system that is operating in nadir looking push broom mode from a low Earth orbit. While having a wide across-track field of view (≈ 2700 km) it covers approximately 7 km at nadir in flight direction during one dwell. However a high contrast in the scene in along track may lead to disturbance of the Instrument Spectral Response Function (ISRF) and with this a variation of measured spectrum. In order to reduce the effect of scene contrast along track, instead of a spectrometer slit two mirrors are introduced, in between which the light path is extended such as a one dimensional wave guide. The entrance length across track however is wide enough to let light pass unchanged. This new concept is called Slit Homogenizer (SH) within theSentinel-5 project. The entrance of the SH is placed on the image plane of the preceding op- tics. The exit of the SH represents the object plane of the subsequent spectrometer in the along track (spectral) direction. This article proposes a simulation model of a SH together with a preced- ing generic optics based on scalar diffraction theory. The model is used to evaluate quantitatively the homogenizing ability of the device. Some parameters in the discussed examples are taken from Sentinel-5/UVNS instrument but the model and its application is not limited to that mission.

The X-shooter pipeline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Modigliani, Andrea; Goldoni, Paolo; Royer, Frédéric; Haigron, Regis; Guglielmi, Laurent; François, Patrick; Horrobin, Matthew; Bristow, Paul; Vernet, Joel; Moehler, Sabine; Kerber, Florian; Ballester, Pascal; Mason, Elena; Christensen, Lise

2010-07-01

The X-shooter data reduction pipeline, as part of the ESO-VLT Data Flow System, provides recipes for Paranal Science Operations, and for Data Product and Quality Control Operations at Garching headquarters. At Paranal, it is used for the quick-look data evaluation. The pipeline recipes can be executed either with EsoRex at the command line level or through the Gasgano graphical user interface. The recipes are implemented with the ESO Common Pipeline Library (CPL). X-shooter is the first of the second generation of VLT instruments. It makes possible to collect in one shot the full spectrum of the target from 300 to 2500 nm, subdivided in three arms optimised for UVB, VIS and NIR ranges, with an efficiency between 15% and 35% including the telescope and the atmosphere, and a spectral resolution varying between 3000 and 17,000. It allows observations in stare, offset modes, using the slit or an IFU, and observing sequences nodding the target along the slit. Data reduction can be performed either with a classical approach, by determining the spectral format via 2D-polynomial transformations, or with the help of a dedicated instrument physical model to gain insight on the instrument and allowing a constrained solution that depends on a few parameters with a physical meaning. In the present paper we describe the steps of data reduction necessary to fully reduce science observations in the different modes with examples on typical data calibrations and observations sequences.

Marine Electromagnetic System Development in the Shallow Water Environment for Radioactive Waste Repository Site Investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshimura, K.; Sakashita, S.; Okubo, S.; Yamane, K.

2006-12-01

Radioactive Waste Management Funding and Research Center of Japan has recently conducted a program to develop an electromagnetic (EM) technology for investigating the subsurface to the depths of 1,000m below the seafloor in the near-shore environment. Potential applications include structural studies for geological disposal of radioactive wastes. The system includes both natural field by magnetotellurics and controlled source EM data was collected to evaluate the feasibility of the methods and instrumentation. The shallow water environment is challenging because of high water currents and wave motion effects contaminating the data. We demonstrate the performance test of the new type of instrument, and the field experiment that was carried out in the Monterey Bay of California, USA, in 2003 and 2004. In this paper we describe the instrumentation developed, shows some examples from field trial and finally provide some inversion results using collected and simulated data. The system consists of EM transmitter deployed on the beach in combination with a series of offshore based multicomponent receivers. Field data collected near Monterey California revealed some of the challenges associated with this type of system. Collected data showed the influence of wave and cultural noise as well. In site of these difficulties we were able to accumulate a sufficient quantity of good quality records to interpret results. We show 2-D inversion results which image the "Navy Fault zone" which strikes NW-SE offshore Monterey bay in water depths of 10 to 40m.

Contemporary Test Validity in Theory and Practice: A Primer for Discipline-Based Education Researchers.

PubMed

Reeves, Todd D; Marbach-Ad, Gili

2016-01-01

Most discipline-based education researchers (DBERs) were formally trained in the methods of scientific disciplines such as biology, chemistry, and physics, rather than social science disciplines such as psychology and education. As a result, DBERs may have never taken specific courses in the social science research methodology--either quantitative or qualitative--on which their scholarship often relies so heavily. One particular aspect of (quantitative) social science research that differs markedly from disciplines such as biology and chemistry is the instrumentation used to quantify phenomena. In response, this Research Methods essay offers a contemporary social science perspective on test validity and the validation process. The instructional piece explores the concepts of test validity, the validation process, validity evidence, and key threats to validity. The essay also includes an in-depth example of a validity argument and validation approach for a test of student argument analysis. In addition to DBERs, this essay should benefit practitioners (e.g., lab directors, faculty members) in the development, evaluation, and/or selection of instruments for their work assessing students or evaluating pedagogical innovations. © 2016 T. D. Reeves and G. Marbach-Ad. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Development of an underground HPGe array facility for ultra low radioactivity measurements

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

Sala, E.; Kang, W. G.; Kim, Y. D.

Low Level Counting techniques using low background facilities are continuously under development to increase the possible sensitivity needed for rare physics events experiments. The CUP (Center for Underground Physics) group of IBS is developing, in collaboration with Canberra, a ultra low background instrument composed of two arrays facing each other with 7 HPGe detectors each. The low radioactive background of each detector has been evaluated and improved by the material selection of the detector components. Samples of all the building materials have been provided by the manufacturer and the contaminations had been measured using an optimized low background 100% HPGemore » with a dedicated shielding. The evaluation of the intrinsic background has been performed using MonteCarlo simulations and considering the contribution of each material with the measured contamination. To further reduce the background, the instrument will be placed in the new underground laboratory at YangYang exploiting the 700m mountain coverage and radon-free air supplying system. The array has been designed to perform various Ultra Low background measurements; the sensitivity we are expecting will allow not only low level measurements of Ra and Th contaminations in Copper or other usually pure materials, but also the search for rare decays. In particular some possible candidates and configurations to detect the 0νECEC (for example {sup 106}Cd and {sup 156}Dy) and rare β decays ({sup 96}Zr, {sup 180m}Ta , etc ) are under study.« less

Estimating productivity costs in health economic evaluations: a review of instruments and psychometric evidence.

PubMed

Tang, Kenneth

2015-01-01

Health economic evaluations (i.e. cost-effectiveness appraisal of an intervention) are useful aids for decision makers responsible for the allocation of scarce healthcare resources. The relevance of including health-related productivity costs (or benefits) in these evaluations is increasingly recognized and, as such, reliable and valid instruments to quantify productivity costs are needed. Over the years, a number of work productivity instruments have emerged in the literature, along with a growing body of psychometric evidence. The overall aim of this paper is to provide a review of available instruments with potential for estimating health-related productivity costs. This included the Health and Labor Questionnaire, Health and Work Performance Questionnaire, Health-Related Productivity Questionnaire Diary, Productivity and Disease Questionnaire, Quantity and Quality method, Stanford Presenteeism Scale 13, Valuation of Lost Productivity, Work and Health Interview, Work Limitations Questionnaire, Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire, and Work Productivity Short Inventory. Critical discussions on the instruments' overall strengths and limitations, applicability for health economic evaluations, as well as the methodological quality of existing psychometric evidence were provided. Lastly, a set of reflective questions were proposed for users to consider when selecting an instrument for health economic evaluations.

[Evaluation of Medical Instruments Cleaning Effect of Fluorescence Detection Technique].

PubMed

Sheng, Nan; Shen, Yue; Li, Zhen; Li, Huijuan; Zhou, Chaoqun

2016-01-01

To compare the cleaning effect of automatic cleaning machine and manual cleaning on coupling type surgical instruments. A total of 32 cleaned medical instruments were randomly sampled from medical institutions in Putuo District medical institutions disinfection supply center. Hygiena System SUREII ATP was used to monitor the ATP value, and the cleaning effect was evaluated. The surface ATP values of the medical instrument of manual cleaning were higher than that of the automatic cleaning machine. Coupling type surgical instruments has better cleaning effect of automatic cleaning machine before disinfection, the application is recommended.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the performance of clinical risk assessment instruments for screening for osteoporosis or low bone density

PubMed Central

Edwards, D. L.; Saleh, A. A.; Greenspan, S. L.

2015-01-01

Summary We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the performance of clinical risk assessment instruments for screening for DXA-determined osteoporosis or low bone density. Commonly evaluated risk instruments showed high sensitivity approaching or exceeding 90 % at particular thresholds within various populations but low specificity at thresholds required for high sensitivity. Simpler instruments, such as OST, generally performed as well as or better than more complex instruments. Introduction The purpose of the study is to systematically review the performance of clinical risk assessment instruments for screening for dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-determined osteoporosis or low bone density. Methods Systematic review and meta-analysis were performed. Multiple literature sources were searched, and data extracted and analyzed from included references. Results One hundred eight references met inclusion criteria. Studies assessed many instruments in 34 countries, most commonly the Osteoporosis Self-Assessment Tool (OST), the Simple Calculated Osteoporosis Risk Estimation (SCORE) instrument, the Osteoporosis Self-Assessment Tool for Asians (OSTA), the Osteoporosis Risk Assessment Instrument (ORAI), and body weight criteria. Meta-analyses of studies evaluating OST using a cutoff threshold of <1 to identify US postmenopausal women with osteoporosis at the femoral neck provided summary sensitivity and specificity estimates of 89 % (95%CI 82–96 %) and 41 % (95%CI 23–59 %), respectively. Meta-analyses of studies evaluating OST using a cutoff threshold of 3 to identify US men with osteoporosis at the femoral neck, total hip, or lumbar spine provided summary sensitivity and specificity estimates of 88 % (95%CI 79–97 %) and 55 % (95%CI 42–68 %), respectively. Frequently evaluated instruments each had thresholds and populations for which sensitivity for osteoporosis or low bone mass detection approached or exceeded 90 % but always with a trade-off of relatively low specificity. Conclusions Commonly evaluated clinical risk assessment instruments each showed high sensitivity approaching or exceeding 90 % for identifying individuals with DXA-determined osteoporosis or low BMD at certain thresholds in different populations but low specificity at thresholds required for high sensitivity. Simpler instruments, such as OST, generally performed as well as or better than more complex instruments. PMID:25644147

Spectroscopic Sleuthing. An Introduction to Forensic Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zdravkovich, Vera; Cunniff, Patricia A.

1991-01-01

Described is a program in which students learn about spectroscopy and instrumentation to solve a chemical forensic mystery. Infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, refractometry, and chromatographic techniques were used. An example of a mystery case is included. (KR)

Illustrating MastCam Capabilities with a Terrestrial Scene

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-11-28

This set of views illustrates capabilities of the Mast Camera MastCam instrument on NASA Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover, using a scene on Earth as an example of what MastCam two cameras can see from different distances.

Psychometric evaluation of a new instrument in Spanish to measure the wellness of university nursing faculty.

PubMed

Hurtado-Pardos, Barbara; Casas, Irma; Lluch-Canut, Teresa; Moreno-Arroyo, Carmen; Nebot-Bergua, Carlos; Roldán-Merino, Juan

2018-01-02

The aim of this study was to design and validate an instrument to measure the wellness among university nursing faculty. The study was performed in two phases. Phase I consisted of the development of the instrument with discussion groups and participant consensus. We designed an instrument including the 21 items or psychosocial risk factors identified and estimated an index by evaluating the frequency and intensity of each item. The items were grouped into 3 dimensions: teaching work demands, curricular demands, and organizational difficulties. Phase II, we evaluated the psychometric properties of the tool in a sample of 263 participants. Exploratory factor analysis showed a 3-factor structure that explained 53% of the total variance. The internal consistency of the instrument was 0.91 for the whole instrument. The results indicate that the tool developed is valid and reliable and may be a good instrument to monitor the wellness of university nursing faculty.

Instruments to assess the quality of health information on the World Wide Web: what can our patients actually use?

PubMed

Bernstam, Elmer V; Shelton, Dawn M; Walji, Muhammad; Meric-Bernstam, Funda

2005-01-01

To find and assess quality-rating instruments that can be used by health care consumers to assess websites displaying health information. Searches of PubMed, the World Wide Web (using five different search engines), reference tracing from identified articles, and a review of the of the American Medical Informatics Association's annual symposium proceedings. Sources were examined for availability, number of elements, objectivity, and readability. A total of 273 distinct instruments were found and analyzed. Of these, 80 (29%) made evaluation criteria publicly available and 24 (8.7%) had 10 or fewer elements (items that a user has to assess to evaluate a website). Seven instruments consisted of elements that could all be evaluated objectively. Of these seven, one instrument consisted entirely of criteria with acceptable interobserver reliability (kappa> or =0.6); another instrument met readability standards. There are many quality-rating instruments, but few are likely to be practically usable by the intended audience.

Study of an instrument for sensing errors in a telescope wavefront

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Golden, L. J.; Shack, R. V.; Slater, P. N.

1974-01-01

Focal plane sensors for determining the error in a telescope wavefront were investigated. The construction of three candidate test instruments and their evaluation in terms of small wavefront error aberration measurements are described. A laboratory wavefront simulator was designed and fabricated to evaluate the test instruments. The laboratory wavefront error simulator was used to evaluate three tests; a Hartmann test, a polarization shearing interferometer test, and an interferometric Zernike test.

Noise evaluation of a point autofocus surface topography measuring instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maculotti, Giacomo; Feng, Xiaobing; Galetto, Maurizio; Leach, Richard

2018-06-01

In this work, the measurement noise of a point autofocus surface topography measuring instrument is evaluated, as the first step towards establishing a route to traceability for this type of instrument. The evaluation is based on the determination of the metrological characteristics for noise as outlined in draft ISO specification standards by using a calibrated optical flat. The static noise and repeatability of the autofocus sensor are evaluated. The influence of environmental disturbances on the measured surface topography and the built-in software to compensate for such influences are also investigated. The instrument was found to have a measurement noise of approximately 2 nm or, when expressed with the measurement bandwidth, 0.4 nm for a single-point measurement.

Observing System Simulations for Small Satellite Formations Estimating Bidirectional Reflectance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nag, Sreeja; Gatebe, Charles K.; de Weck, Olivier

2015-01-01

The bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) gives the reflectance of a target as a function of illumination geometry and viewing geometry, hence carries information about the anisotropy of the surface. BRDF is needed in remote sensing for the correction of view and illumination angle effects (for example in image standardization and mosaicing), for deriving albedo, for land cover classification, for cloud detection, for atmospheric correction, and other applications. However, current spaceborne instruments provide sparse angular sampling of BRDF and airborne instruments are limited in the spatial and temporal coverage. To fill the gaps in angular coverage within spatial, spectral and temporal requirements, we propose a new measurement technique: Use of small satellites in formation flight, each satellite with a VNIR (visible and near infrared) imaging spectrometer, to make multi-spectral, near-simultaneous measurements of every ground spot in the swath at multiple angles. This paper describes an observing system simulation experiment (OSSE) to evaluate the proposed concept and select the optimal formation architecture that minimizes BRDF uncertainties. The variables of the OSSE are identified; number of satellites, measurement spread in the view zenith and relative azimuth with respect to solar plane, solar zenith angle, BRDF models and wavelength of reflection. Analyzing the sensitivity of BRDF estimation errors to the variables allow simplification of the OSSE, to enable its use to rapidly evaluate formation architectures. A 6-satellite formation is shown to produce lower BRDF estimation errors, purely in terms of angular sampling as evaluated by the OSSE, than a single spacecraft with 9 forward-aft sensors. We demonstrate the ability to use OSSEs to design small satellite formations as complements to flagship mission data. The formations can fill angular sampling gaps and enable better BRDF products than currently possible.

Observing system simulations for small satellite formations estimating bidirectional reflectance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nag, Sreeja; Gatebe, Charles K.; Weck, Olivier de

2015-12-01

The bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) gives the reflectance of a target as a function of illumination geometry and viewing geometry, hence carries information about the anisotropy of the surface. BRDF is needed in remote sensing for the correction of view and illumination angle effects (for example in image standardization and mosaicing), for deriving albedo, for land cover classification, for cloud detection, for atmospheric correction, and other applications. However, current spaceborne instruments provide sparse angular sampling of BRDF and airborne instruments are limited in the spatial and temporal coverage. To fill the gaps in angular coverage within spatial, spectral and temporal requirements, we propose a new measurement technique: use of small satellites in formation flight, each satellite with a VNIR (visible and near infrared) imaging spectrometer, to make multi-spectral, near-simultaneous measurements of every ground spot in the swath at multiple angles. This paper describes an observing system simulation experiment (OSSE) to evaluate the proposed concept and select the optimal formation architecture that minimizes BRDF uncertainties. The variables of the OSSE are identified; number of satellites, measurement spread in the view zenith and relative azimuth with respect to solar plane, solar zenith angle, BRDF models and wavelength of reflection. Analyzing the sensitivity of BRDF estimation errors to the variables allow simplification of the OSSE, to enable its use to rapidly evaluate formation architectures. A 6-satellite formation is shown to produce lower BRDF estimation errors, purely in terms of angular sampling as evaluated by the OSSE, than a single spacecraft with 9 forward-aft sensors. We demonstrate the ability to use OSSEs to design small satellite formations as complements to flagship mission data. The formations can fill angular sampling gaps and enable better BRDF products than currently possible.

Systematic review of measurement properties of self-reported instruments for evaluating self-care in adults.

PubMed

Matarese, Maria; Lommi, Marzia; De Marinis, Maria Grazia

2017-06-01

The aims of this study were as follows: to identify instruments developed to assess self-care in healthy adults; to determine the theory on which they were based; their validity and reliability properties and to synthesize the evidence on their measurement properties. Many instruments have been developed to assess self-care in many different populations and conditions. Clinicians and researchers should select the most appropriate self-care instrument based on the knowledge of their measurement properties. Systematic review of measurement instruments according to the protocol recommended by the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) panel. PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, Scopus and CINAHL databases were searched from inception to December 2015. Studies testing measurement properties of self-report instruments assessing self-care in healthy adults, published in the English language and in peer review journals were selected. Two reviewers independently appraised the methodological quality of the studies with the COSMIN checklist and the quality of results using specific quality criteria. Twenty-six articles were included in the review testing the measurement properties of nine instruments. Seven instruments were based on Orem's Self-care theory. Not all the measurement properties were evaluated for the identified instruments. No self-care instrument showed strong evidence supporting the evaluated measurement properties. Despite the development of several instruments to assess self-care in the adult population, no instrument can be fully recommended to clinical nurses and researchers. Further studies of high methodological quality are needed to confirm the measurement properties of these instruments. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Development of an instrument for the evaluation of advanced life support performance.

PubMed

Peltonen, L-M; Peltonen, V; Salanterä, S; Tommila, M

2017-10-01

Assessing advanced life support (ALS) competence requires validated instruments. Existing instruments include aspects of technical skills (TS), non-technical skills (NTS) or both, but one instrument for detailed assessment that suits all resuscitation situations is lacking. This study aimed to develop an instrument for the evaluation of the overall ALS performance of the whole team. This instrument development study had four phases. First, we reviewed literature and resuscitation guidelines to explore items to include in the instrument. Thereafter, we interviewed resuscitation team professionals (n = 66), using the critical incident technique, to determine possible additional aspects associated with the performance of ALS. Second, we developed an instrument based on the findings. Third, we used an expert panel (n = 20) to assess the validity of the developed instrument. Finally, we revised the instrument based on the experts' comments and tested it with six experts who evaluated 22 video recorded resuscitations. The final version of the developed instrument had 69 items divided into adherence to guidelines (28 items), clinical decision-making (5 items), workload management (12 items), team behaviour (8 items), information management (6 items), patient integrity and consideration of laymen (4 items) and work routines (6 items). The Cronbach's α values were good, and strong correlations between the overall performance and the instrument were observed. The instrument may be useful for detailed assessment of the team's overall performance, but the numerous items make the use demanding. The instrument is still under development, and more research is needed to determine its psychometric properties. © 2017 The Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Musical Instrument-Associated Health Issues and Their Management.

PubMed

Okoshi, Kae; Minami, Taro; Kikuchi, Masahiro; Tomizawa, Yasuko

2017-09-01

Playing musical instruments can bring joy to people, but can also cause a wide variety of health issues that range from mild disorders to potentially fatal conditions. Although sports medicine is an established medical subspecialty, relatively few studies have investigated the health issues associated with musical instruments. Here we present an overview of these health issues. These include infections due to microorganisms, allergic reactions, as well as mechanical injuries from sustained high pressures within the oral, mediastinal, thoracic, and abdominal cavities. For example, wind instruments can potentially harbor thousands of pathogenic organisms. If several players share the same instrument, these instruments present potential hazards in the spread of infections. A fatal case of hypersensitivity pneumonitis in a bagpiper is particularly noteworthy. Similarly, a case of gastrointestinal anthrax in an animal-hide drummer is a reminder of this rare but highly fatal disease. Although not fatal, hearing-related disorders, neuromuscular issues, musculoskeletal problems, and contact dermatitis are also very common among instrumentalists. This review aims to illuminate these under-recognized health issues by highlighting both the common conditions and the rare but fatal cases.

Development of Long-term Datasets from Satellite BUV Instruments: The "Soft" Calibration Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhartia, Pawan K.; Taylor, Steven; Jaross, Glen

2005-01-01

The first BUV instrument was launched in April 1970 on NASA's Nimbus4 satellite. More than a dozen instruments, broadly based on the same principle, but using very different technologies, have been launched in the last 35 years on NASA, NOAA, Japanese and European satellites. In this paper we describe the basic principles of the "soft" calibration approach that we have successfully applied to the data from many of these instruments to produce a consistent long-term record of total ozone, ozone profile and aerosols. This approach is based on using accurate radiative transfer models and assumed/known properties of the atmosphere in ultraviolet to derive calibration parameters. Although the accuracy of the results inevitably depends upon how well the assumed atmospheric properties are known, the technique has several built-in cross- checks that improve the robustness of the method. To develop further confidence in the data the soft calibration technique can be combined with data collected from few well- calibrated ground-based instruments. We will use examples from past and present BUV instruments to show how the method works.

Measurements of Carbon Monoxide with the MOPITT Instrument 1999-2009

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drummond, J. R.; Gille, J. C.; Edwards, D. P.; Deeter, M. N.; Zou, J.; Nichitiu, F.

2009-12-01

The Measurements Of Pollution In The Troposphere (MOPITT) instrument on the Terra spacecraft is completing ten years of operation measuring carbon monoxide (CO) over the planet. These measurements have demonstrated the changes of CO in both space and time and shown a planet with very large variations in concentrations depending upon events and circumstances. This talk will review the MOPITT dataset and discuss how experience with the MOPITT instrument and with data processing have led to significant improvements in our understanding of the nature of the measurements and their strengths and limitations. These studies have led to improvements in our ability to understand the sensitivity of the measurements to boundary-layer CO (to cite a single example). This presentation leads naturally into a discussion of the future improvements of both of MOPITT instrument datasets and future instruments using similar techniques. MOPITT was provided to the Terra spacecraft by the Canadian Space Agency and was built by COMDEV of Cambridge, Ontario. Data processing is performed by the MOPITT team at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO. Instrument control is by the team at the University of Toronto.

A Comparison of Screening Instruments: Predictive Validity of the BESS and BSC

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Kathleen R.; Reschly, Amy L.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare two behavior screening instruments--the Behavioral and Emotional Screening System and the Behavior Screening Checklist. The sample consisted of 492 elementary school children from the southeastern United States. The psychometric properties of the screening instruments were evaluated in terms of…

Evaluations of Capacity to Waive Miranda Rights: A Survey of Practitioners' Use of the Grisso Instruments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryba, Nancy L.; Brodsky, Stanley L.; Shlosberg, Amy

2007-01-01

Minimal information is available regarding the frequency with which practitioners conduct evaluations of capacity to waive Miranda rights or what approaches they use in doing so. Grisso's Instruments for Assessing Understanding and Appreciation of Miranda Rights are the only published instruments designed specifically to assist practitioners in…

77 FR 43405 - Final Standard Review Plan, Branch Technical Position 7-19 on Guidance for Evaluation of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-24

... Digital Computer-Based Instrumentation and Control Systems.'' This BTP is to be cited as the acceptance criteria for Diversity and Defense-in-Depth in Digital Computer-Based Instrumentation and Control Systems... Evaluation of Diversity and Defense-in-Depth in Digital Computer-Based Instrumentation and Control Systems...

Online Course Design in Higher Education: A Review of National and Statewide Evaluation Instruments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baldwin, Sally; Ching, Yu-Hui; Hsu, Yu-Chang

2018-01-01

This research identifies six online course evaluation instruments used nationally or in statewide systems. We examined the characteristics (i.e., number of standards and criteria) and coded the criteria that guide the design of online courses. We discussed the focus of the instruments and their unique features.

Dementia-specific quality of life instruments and their appropriateness in shared-housing arrangements--a literature study.

PubMed

Gräske, Johannes; Fischer, Thomas; Kuhlmey, Adelheid; Wolf-Ostermann, Karin

2012-01-01

Shared-housing arrangements (SHA) in Germany are a specific type of housing arrangement that belongs to the global concept of small-scale living arrangements. This caring approach comprises characteristics of both home and institutional care for persons with dementia. To evaluate the impact of SHA on the quality of life (QoL) of residents, an appropriate setting- and dementia-specific QoL instrument is needed. This article aims to identify QoL instruments that relate to the core domains of SHA. After a comprehensive literature review, existing dementia-specific QoL instruments were evaluated to determine whether any have been specifically designed for or applied in SHA. Additionally, each domain of the instruments was matched with the core domains of SHA. None of the existing instruments was identified as having been developed for SHA. Matching of the instrument domains with the SHA core domains leads to the conclusion that Quality of Life-Alzheimer's Disease, Dementia Quality of Life, Alzheimer Disease-Related Quality of Life, and QUALIDEM are adequate instruments for measuring the dementia-specific QoL of persons living in SHA. For the first time, a basis has been created for valid QoL evaluations of residents with dementia living in SHA. The 4 identified instruments are considered applicable in SHA. Conducting a performance test and evaluating further attributes according to the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Medical Outcomes Trust (e.g., reliability and validity) will further elucidation of the appropriateness of the instruments for SHA. Copyright © 2012 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparative evaluation of rotary ProTaper, Profile, and conventional stepback technique on reduction in Enterococcus faecalis colony-forming units and vertical root fracture resistance of root canals.

PubMed

Singla, Mamta; Aggarwal, Vivek; Logani, Ajay; Shah, Naseem

2010-03-01

The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of various root canal instrumentation techniques with different instrument tapers on cleaning efficacy and resultant vertical root fracture (VRF) strength of the roots. Fifty human mandibular first premolar roots were enlarged to ISO size 20, inoculated with Enterococcus faecalis [ATCC2912] for 72 hours and divided into 5 groups: group I: prepared with .02 taper hand instruments ISO size 40; group II: Profile .04 taper size 40; group III: Profile .06 taper size 40; group IV: ProTaper size F4; and group V (control group) further divided into: Va: with bacterial inoculation and no mechanical instrumentation; and Group Vb: neither bacterial inoculation nor mechanical instrumentation. Cleaning efficacy was evaluated in terms of reduction of colony forming units (CFUs). The VRF strength was evaluated using D11 spreader as wedge in an Instron testing machine. Root canals instrumented with ProTaper and 6% Profile instruments showed maximum reduction in CFUs, with statistically insignificant difference between them. The VRF resistance decreased in all instrumented groups. The difference of VRF between 2% and 4% taper Profile groups was statistically insignificant (P = .195). One-way analysis of variance showed that canals instrumented with ProTaper F4 showed maximum reduction in VRF resistance compared with control uninstrumented group. Profile 6% taper instruments offer the advantage of maximum debridement without significant reduction in root fracture resistance. Copyright 2010 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Influence of axial movement on fatigue of ProFile Ni-Ti rotary instruments: an in vitro evaluation.

PubMed

Avoaka, Marie-Chantal; Haïkel, Youssef

2010-05-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the axial movement and the angle of curve (in degrees) on fatigue of nickel-titanium (Ni-Ti) ProFile rotary endodontic instruments. Ni-Ti ProFile rotary instruments (Maillefer SA, Ballaigues, Switzerland), 25 mm long in the range of ISO size 15 to 40 with two tapers (0.4 and 0.6) were evaluated. They are divided in two groups: the instruments with axial movement and those without axial movement. The system used to test the fatigue is maintained in mechanical conditions as close as possible to the clinical situation. The axial movement is in the order of 2 mm in corono-apical direction with a frequency of 1 Hz. The concave radii incorporating a notched V-form for guiding the instruments were: 5; 7,5 and 10 mm. The rotary system is mounted on an electric handpiece and rotated at 350 rpm speed as recommended by the manufacturers. The instruments are rotated until their separation, and the time, in seconds, is recorded. Statistical evaluation is undertaken using a two-way t-test to identify significant differences between variables in the study (p <0.05). We found significant statistical difference (p<0.05) between Ni-Ti engine drive ProFile instruments incorporating an axial movement and the instruments without axial movement with the same radius of curvature, size and taper.The incorporation of the axial movement increases significantly the life-span of the ProFile rotary instruments. This should reduce the risk of the instrument separation during the endodontic treatment.

A systematic review finds limited data on measurement properties of instruments measuring outcomes in adult intensive care unit survivors.

PubMed

Robinson, Karen A; Davis, Wesley E; Dinglas, Victor D; Mendez-Tellez, Pedro A; Rabiee, Anahita; Sukrithan, Vineeth; Yalamanchilli, Ramakrishna; Turnbull, Alison E; Needham, Dale M

2017-02-01

There is a growing number of studies evaluating the physical, cognitive, mental health, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) outcomes of adults surviving critical illness. However, there is little consensus on the most appropriate instruments to measure these outcomes. To inform the development of such consensus, we conducted a systematic review of the performance characteristics of instruments measuring physical, cognitive, mental health, and HRQOL outcomes in adult intensive care unit (ICU) survivors. We searched PubMed, Embase, PsycInfo, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and The Cochrane Library in March 2015. We also conducted manual searches of reference lists of eligible studies and relevant review articles. Two people independently selected studies, completed data abstraction, and assessed the quality of eligible studies using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) initiative checklist. We identified 20 studies which explicitly evaluated measurement properties for 21 different instruments assessing outcomes in ICU survivors. Eleven of the instruments assessed quality of life, with few instruments assessing other domains. Of the nine measurement properties evaluated on the COSMIN checklist, six were assessed in <10% of the evaluations. Overall quality of eligible studies was generally poor to fair based on the COSMIN checklist. Although an increasing number of studies measure physical, cognitive, mental health, and HRQOL outcomes in adult ICU survivors, data on the measurement properties of such instruments are sparse and generally of poor to fair quality. Empirical analyses evaluating the performance of instruments in adult ICU survivors are needed to advance research in this field. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A case-study of a socio-scientific issues curricular and pedagogical intervention in an undergraduate microbiology course: A focus on informal reasoning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schalk, Kelly A.

The purpose of this investigation was to measure specific ways a student interest SSI-based curricular and pedagogical affects undergraduates' ability informally reason. The delimited components of informal reasoning measured were undergraduates' Nature of Science conceptualizations and ability to evaluate scientific information. The socio-scientific issues (SSI) theoretical framework used in this case-study has been advocated as a means for improving students' functional scientific literacy. This investigation focused on the laboratory component of an undergraduate microbiology course in spring 2008. There were 26 participants. The instruments used in this study included: (1) Individual and Group research projects, (2) journals, (3) laboratory write-ups, (4) a laboratory quiz, (5) anonymous evaluations, and (6) a pre/post article exercise. All instruments yielded qualitative data, which were coded using the qualitative software NVivo7. Data analyses were subjected to instrumental triangulation, inter-rater reliability, and member-checking. It was determined that undergraduates' epistemological knowledge of scientific discovery, processes, and justification matured in response to the intervention. Specifically, students realized: (1) differences between facts, theories, and opinions; (2) testable questions are not definitively proven; (3) there is no stepwise scientific process; and (4) lack of data weakens a claim. It was determined that this knowledge influenced participants' beliefs and ability to informally reason. For instance, students exhibited more critical evaluations of scientific information. It was also found that undergraduates' prior opinions had changed over the semester. Further, the student interest aspect of this framework engaged learners by offering participants several opportunities to influentially examine microbiology issues that affected their life. The investigation provided empirically based insights into the ways undergraduates' interest and functional scientific literacy can be promoted. The investigation advanced what was known about using SSI-based frameworks to the post-secondary learner context. Outstanding questions remain for investigation. For example, is this type of student interest SSI-based intervention broadly applicable (i.e., in other science disciplines and grade levels)? And, what challenges would teachers in diverse contexts encounter when implementing a SSI-based theoretical framework?

Prognostics of Power Mosfets Under Thermal Stress Accelerated Aging Using Data-Driven and Model-Based Methodologies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Celaya, Jose; Saxena, Abhinav; Saha, Sankalita; Goebel, Kai F.

2011-01-01

An approach for predicting remaining useful life of power MOSFETs (metal oxide field effect transistor) devices has been developed. Power MOSFETs are semiconductor switching devices that are instrumental in electronics equipment such as those used in operation and control of modern aircraft and spacecraft. The MOSFETs examined here were aged under thermal overstress in a controlled experiment and continuous performance degradation data were collected from the accelerated aging experiment. Dieattach degradation was determined to be the primary failure mode. The collected run-to-failure data were analyzed and it was revealed that ON-state resistance increased as die-attach degraded under high thermal stresses. Results from finite element simulation analysis support the observations from the experimental data. Data-driven and model based prognostics algorithms were investigated where ON-state resistance was used as the primary precursor of failure feature. A Gaussian process regression algorithm was explored as an example for a data-driven technique and an extended Kalman filter and a particle filter were used as examples for model-based techniques. Both methods were able to provide valid results. Prognostic performance metrics were employed to evaluate and compare the algorithms.

Prospects and pitfalls of occupational hazard mapping: 'between these lines there be dragons'.

PubMed

Koehler, Kirsten A; Volckens, John

2011-10-01

Hazard data mapping is a promising new technique that can enhance the process of occupational exposure assessment and risk communication. Hazard maps have the potential to improve worker health by providing key input for the design of hazard intervention and control strategies. Hazard maps are developed with aid from direct-reading instruments, which can collect highly spatially and temporally resolved data in a relatively short period of time. However, quantifying spatial-temporal variability in the occupational environment is not a straightforward process, and our lack of understanding of how to ascertain and model spatial and temporal variability is a limiting factor in the use and interpretation of workplace hazard maps. We provide an example of how sources of and exposures to workplace hazards may be mischaracterized in a hazard map due to a lack of completeness and representativeness of collected measurement data. Based on this example, we believe that a major priority for research in this emerging area should focus on the development of a statistical framework to quantify uncertainty in spatially and temporally varying data. In conjunction with this need is one for the development of guidelines and procedures for the proper sampling, generation, and evaluation of workplace hazard maps.

A direct method for calculating instrument noise levels in side-by-side seismometer evaluations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Holcomb, L. Gary

1989-01-01

The subject of determining the inherent system noise levels present in modem broadband closed loop seismic sensors has been an evolving topic ever since closed loop systems became available. Closed loop systems are unique in that the system noise can not be determined via a blocked mass test as in older conventional open loop seismic sensors. Instead, most investigators have resorted to performing measurements on two or more systems operating in close proximity to one another and to analyzing the outputs of these systems with respect to one another to ascertain their relative noise levels.The analysis of side-by-side relative performance is inherently dependent on the accuracy of the mathematical modeling of the test configuration. This report presents a direct approach to extracting the system noise levels of two linear systems with a common coherent input signal. The mathematical solution to the problem is incredibly simple; however the practical application of the method encounters some difficulties. Examples of expected accuracies are presented as derived by simulating real systems performance using computer generated random noise. In addition, examples of the performance of the method when applied to real experimental test data are shown.

From Kratzenstein to Wheatstone: Episodes in the early history of free reed acoustics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cottingham, James P.

2002-05-01

In 1780 C. G. Kratzenstein published a paper in St. Petersburg describing a machine which produced vowel sounds using free reeds with resonators of various shapes. This marks a convenient, if arbitrary, starting point for the history of the free reed musical instruments of European origin. These instruments developed rapidly, and by 1850 the accordion, concertina, harmonica, reed organ, and harmonium all had been invented and developed into more or less final form. A key figure in this period is Charles Wheatstone, who not only published papers on acoustical research but was also an inventor and commercially successful manufacturer of musical instruments, most notably the Wheatstone English concertina. Much of Wheatstone's research in acoustics and almost all of his work as an inventor of musical instruments involved free reeds. This paper presents some episodes in the development of the free reed instruments and some examples of acoustical research involving free reeds during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Distributed behavior model orchestration in cognitive internet of things solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Chung-Sheng; Darema, Frederica; Chang, Victor

2018-04-01

The introduction of pervasive and ubiquitous instrumentation within Internet of Things (IoT) leads to unprecedented real-time visibility (instrumentation), optimization and fault-tolerance of the power grid, traffic, transportation, water, oil & gas, to give some examples. Interconnecting those distinct physical, people, and business worlds through ubiquitous instrumentation, even though still in its embryonic stage, has the potential to create intelligent IoT solutions that are much greener, more efficient, comfortable, and safer. An essential new direction to materialize this potential is to develop comprehensive models of such systems dynamically interacting with the instrumentation in a feed-back control loop. We describe here opportunities in applying cognitive computing on interconnected and instrumented worlds (Cognitive Internet of Things-CIoT) and call out the system-of-systems trend among distinct but interdependent worlds, and Dynamic Data-Driven Application System (DDDAS)-based methods for advanced understanding, analysis, and real-time decision support capabilities with the accuracy of full-scale models.

ITEM SELECTION TECHNIQUES AND EVALUATION OF INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

COX, RICHARD C.

THE VALIDITY OF AN EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT TEST DEPENDS UPON THE CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN SPECIFIED EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH THESE OBJECTIVES ARE MEASURED BY THE EVALUATION INSTRUMENT. THIS STUDY IS DESIGNED TO EVALUATE THE EFFECT OF STATISTICAL ITEM SELECTION ON THE STRUCTURE OF THE FINAL EVALUATION INSTRUMENT AS COMPARED WITH…

Self-Evaluation Instrument: Awards Program for Indoor Air Quality Management in Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maryland State Dept. of Education, Baltimore.

This self-evaluation instrument is used to nominate and evaluate schools for the Indoor Air Quality Management in Schools award. The evaluation contains three categories: Communications/Training; Design; and Operations/Maintenance. Each principle is detailed along with the required criteria used to meet that principle. Communications/Training…

Content validity--establishing and reporting the evidence in newly developed patient-reported outcomes (PRO) instruments for medical product evaluation: ISPOR PRO good research practices task force report: part 1--eliciting concepts for a new PRO instrument.

PubMed

Patrick, Donald L; Burke, Laurie B; Gwaltney, Chad J; Leidy, Nancy Kline; Martin, Mona L; Molsen, Elizabeth; Ring, Lena

2011-12-01

The importance of content validity in developing patient reported outcomes (PRO) instruments is stressed by both the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency. Content validity is the extent to which an instrument measures the important aspects of concepts that developers or users purport it to assess. A PRO instrument measures the concepts most significant and relevant to a patient's condition and its treatment. For PRO instruments, items and domains as reflected in the scores of an instrument should be important to the target population and comprehensive with respect to patient concerns. Documentation of target population input in item generation, as well as evaluation of patient understanding through cognitive interviewing, can provide the evidence for content validity. Developing content for, and assessing respondent understanding of, newly developed PRO instruments for medical product evaluation will be discussed in this two-part ISPOR PRO Good Research Practices Task Force Report. Topics include the methods for generating items, documenting item development, coding of qualitative data from item generation, cognitive interviewing, and tracking item development through the various stages of research and preparing this tracking for submission to regulatory agencies. Part 1 covers elicitation of key concepts using qualitative focus groups and/or interviews to inform content and structure of a new PRO instrument. Part 2 covers the instrument development process, the assessment of patient understanding of the draft instrument using cognitive interviews and steps for instrument revision. The two parts are meant to be read together. They are intended to offer suggestions for good practices in planning, executing, and documenting qualitative studies that are used to support the content validity of PRO instruments to be used in medical product evaluation. Copyright © 2011 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The financial management of catastrophic flood risks in emerging-economy countries.

PubMed

Kunreuther, Howard C; Linnerooth-Bayer, Joanne

2003-06-01

This article examines the potential of pre- and post-disaster instruments for funding disaster response and recovery and for creating incentives for flood loss mitigation in countries with emerging or transition economies. As a concrete case, we discuss the disaster recovery arrangements following the 1997 flood disaster in Poland. We examine the advantages and limitations of hedging instruments, which are instruments for transferring the risk to investors either through insurance or capital market-based securities. We compare these mechanisms with financing instruments whereby the government sets aside funds prior to a disaster or taps its own funding sources after the event occurs. We show how hedging instruments can be designed to create incentives for the mitigation of damage to public infrastructure using the flood proofing of a water-treatment plant on the hypothetical Topping River as an illustrative example. We conclude that hedging instruments can be an attractive alternative to financing instruments that have been traditionally used in the poorer, emerging-economy countries to fund disaster recovery. Since very poor countries are likely to have difficulty paying the price of protection prior to a disaster, we suggest that international lending institutions consider innovations for subsidizing these payments.

Analytical Chemistry of Surfaces: Part II. Electron Spectroscopy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hercules, David M.; Hercules, Shirley H.

1984-01-01

Discusses two surface techniques: X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ESCA) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). Focuses on fundamental aspects of each technique, important features of instrumentation, and some examples of how ESCA and AES have been applied to analytical surface problems. (JN)

Environmental Response Laboratory Network (ERLN) Basic Ordering Agreement Example

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

A BOA is a written instrument of understanding between EPA and a laboratory that contains terms and clauses applying to all future orders, a description of services to be provided, and methods for pricing, issuing, and delivering future orders.

Singing Strings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riveire, Janine

1996-01-01

Recommends singing as an instructional strategy for string and other instrument classes. Maintains that singing familiarizes the student with the music and can serve as an illustrative example of musical techniques. Includes a list of tonal objectives found in repertory songs. Briefly reviews several instructional texts. (MJP)

A framework for assessing Health Economic Evaluation (HEE) quality appraisal instruments.

PubMed

Langer, Astrid

2012-08-16

Health economic evaluations support the health care decision-making process by providing information on costs and consequences of health interventions. The quality of such studies is assessed by health economic evaluation (HEE) quality appraisal instruments. At present, there is no instrument for measuring and improving the quality of such HEE quality appraisal instruments. Therefore, the objectives of this study are to establish a framework for assessing the quality of HEE quality appraisal instruments to support and improve their quality, and to apply this framework to those HEE quality appraisal instruments which have been subject to more scrutiny than others, in order to test the framework and to demonstrate the shortcomings of existing HEE quality appraisal instruments. To develop the quality assessment framework for HEE quality appraisal instruments, the experiences of using appraisal tools for clinical guidelines are used. Based on a deductive iterative process, clinical guideline appraisal instruments identified through literature search are reviewed, consolidated, and adapted to produce the final quality assessment framework for HEE quality appraisal instruments. The final quality assessment framework for HEE quality appraisal instruments consists of 36 items organized within 7 dimensions, each of which captures a specific domain of quality. Applying the quality assessment framework to four existing HEE quality appraisal instruments, it is found that these four quality appraisal instruments are of variable quality. The framework described in this study should be regarded as a starting point for appraising the quality of HEE quality appraisal instruments. This framework can be used by HEE quality appraisal instrument producers to support and improve the quality and acceptance of existing and future HEE quality appraisal instruments. By applying this framework, users of HEE quality appraisal instruments can become aware of methodological deficiencies inherent in existing HEE quality appraisal instruments. These shortcomings of existing HEE quality appraisal instruments are illustrated by the pilot test.

A framework for assessing Health Economic Evaluation (HEE) quality appraisal instruments

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Health economic evaluations support the health care decision-making process by providing information on costs and consequences of health interventions. The quality of such studies is assessed by health economic evaluation (HEE) quality appraisal instruments. At present, there is no instrument for measuring and improving the quality of such HEE quality appraisal instruments. Therefore, the objectives of this study are to establish a framework for assessing the quality of HEE quality appraisal instruments to support and improve their quality, and to apply this framework to those HEE quality appraisal instruments which have been subject to more scrutiny than others, in order to test the framework and to demonstrate the shortcomings of existing HEE quality appraisal instruments. Methods To develop the quality assessment framework for HEE quality appraisal instruments, the experiences of using appraisal tools for clinical guidelines are used. Based on a deductive iterative process, clinical guideline appraisal instruments identified through literature search are reviewed, consolidated, and adapted to produce the final quality assessment framework for HEE quality appraisal instruments. Results The final quality assessment framework for HEE quality appraisal instruments consists of 36 items organized within 7 dimensions, each of which captures a specific domain of quality. Applying the quality assessment framework to four existing HEE quality appraisal instruments, it is found that these four quality appraisal instruments are of variable quality. Conclusions The framework described in this study should be regarded as a starting point for appraising the quality of HEE quality appraisal instruments. This framework can be used by HEE quality appraisal instrument producers to support and improve the quality and acceptance of existing and future HEE quality appraisal instruments. By applying this framework, users of HEE quality appraisal instruments can become aware of methodological deficiencies inherent in existing HEE quality appraisal instruments. These shortcomings of existing HEE quality appraisal instruments are illustrated by the pilot test. PMID:22894708

The PEACE project review of clinical instruments for hospice and palliative care.

PubMed

Hanson, Laura C; Scheunemann, Leslie P; Zimmerman, Sheryl; Rokoske, Franziska S; Schenck, Anna P

2010-10-01

Hospice and palliative care organizations are expanding their use of standardized instruments and other approaches to measure quality. We undertook a systematic review and evaluation of published patient-level instruments for potential application in hospice and palliative care clinical quality measurement. We searched prior reviews and computerized reference databases from 1990 through February 2007 for studies of instruments relevant to physical, psychological, social, cultural, spiritual, or ethical aspects of palliative care, or measuring prognosis, function or continuity of care. Publications were selected for full review if they provided evidence of psychometric properties or practical application of an instrument tested in or appropriate for a hospice or palliative care population. Selected instruments were evaluated and scored for scientific soundness and potential application in clinical quality measurement. The search found 1427 publications, with 229 selected for full manuscript review. Manuscripts provided information on 129 instruments which were evaluated using a structured scoring guide for psychometric properties. Thirty-nine instruments scoring near or above the 75th percentile were recommended. Most instruments covered multiple domains or focused on care for physical symptoms, psychological or social aspects of care. Few instruments were available to measure cultural aspects of care, structure and process of care, and continuity of care. Numerous patient-level instruments are available to measure physical, psychological and social aspects of palliative care with adequate evidence for scientific soundness and practical clinical use for quality improvement and research. Other aspects of palliative care may benefit from further instrument development research.

Instruments evaluating the quality of the clinical learning environment in nursing education: A systematic review of psychometric properties.

PubMed

Mansutti, Irene; Saiani, Luisa; Grassetti, Luca; Palese, Alvisa

2017-03-01

The clinical learning environment is fundamental to nursing education paths, capable of affecting learning processes and outcomes. Several instruments have been developed in nursing education, aimed at evaluating the quality of the clinical learning environments; however, no systematic review of the psychometric properties and methodological quality of these studies has been performed to date. The aims of the study were: 1) to identify validated instruments evaluating the clinical learning environments in nursing education; 2) to evaluate critically the methodological quality of the psychometric property estimation used; and 3) to compare psychometric properties across the instruments available. A systematic review of the literature (using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines) and an evaluation of the methodological quality of psychometric properties (using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments guidelines). The Medline and CINAHL databases were searched. Eligible studies were those that satisfied the following criteria: a) validation studies of instruments evaluating the quality of clinical learning environments; b) in nursing education; c) published in English or Italian; d) before April 2016. The included studies were evaluated for the methodological quality of the psychometric properties measured and then compared in terms of both the psychometric properties and the methodological quality of the processes used. The search strategy yielded a total of 26 studies and eight clinical learning environment evaluation instruments. A variety of psychometric properties have been estimated for each instrument, with differing qualities in the methodology used. Concept and construct validity were poorly assessed in terms of their significance and rarely judged by the target population (nursing students). Some properties were rarely considered (e.g., reliability, measurement error, criterion validity), whereas others were frequently estimated, but using different coefficients and statistical analyses (e.g., internal consistency, structural validity), thus rendering comparison across instruments difficult. Moreover, the methodological quality adopted in the property assessments was poor or fair in most studies, compromising the goodness of the psychometric values estimated. Clinical learning placements represent the key strategies in educating the future nursing workforce: instruments evaluating the quality of the settings, as well as their capacity to promote significant learning, are strongly recommended. Studies estimating psychometric properties, using an increased quality of research methodologies are needed in order to support nursing educators in the process of clinical placements accreditation and quality improvement. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Measuring organizational and individual factors thought to influence the success of quality improvement in primary care: a systematic review of instruments

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Continuous quality improvement (CQI) methods are widely used in healthcare; however, the effectiveness of the methods is variable, and evidence about the extent to which contextual and other factors modify effects is limited. Investigating the relationship between these factors and CQI outcomes poses challenges for those evaluating CQI, among the most complex of which relate to the measurement of modifying factors. We aimed to provide guidance to support the selection of measurement instruments by systematically collating, categorising, and reviewing quantitative self-report instruments. Methods Data sources: We searched MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Health and Psychosocial Instruments, reference lists of systematic reviews, and citations and references of the main report of instruments. Study selection: The scope of the review was determined by a conceptual framework developed to capture factors relevant to evaluating CQI in primary care (the InQuIRe framework). Papers reporting development or use of an instrument measuring a construct encompassed by the framework were included. Data extracted included instrument purpose; theoretical basis, constructs measured and definitions; development methods and assessment of measurement properties. Analysis and synthesis: We used qualitative analysis of instrument content and our initial framework to develop a taxonomy for summarising and comparing instruments. Instrument content was categorised using the taxonomy, illustrating coverage of the InQuIRe framework. Methods of development and evidence of measurement properties were reviewed for instruments with potential for use in primary care. Results We identified 186 potentially relevant instruments, 152 of which were analysed to develop the taxonomy. Eighty-four instruments measured constructs relevant to primary care, with content measuring CQI implementation and use (19 instruments), organizational context (51 instruments), and individual factors (21 instruments). Forty-one instruments were included for full review. Development methods were often pragmatic, rather than systematic and theory-based, and evidence supporting measurement properties was limited. Conclusions Many instruments are available for evaluating CQI, but most require further use and testing to establish their measurement properties. Further development and use of these measures in evaluations should increase the contribution made by individual studies to our understanding of CQI and enhance our ability to synthesise evidence for informing policy and practice. PMID:23241168

What do evaluation instruments tell us about the quality of complementary medicine information on the internet?

PubMed

Breckons, Matthew; Jones, Ray; Morris, Jenny; Richardson, Janet

2008-01-22

Developers of health information websites aimed at consumers need methods to assess whether their website is of "high quality." Due to the nature of complementary medicine, website information is diverse and may be of poor quality. Various methods have been used to assess the quality of websites, the two main approaches being (1) to compare the content against some gold standard, and (2) to rate various aspects of the site using an assessment tool. We aimed to review available evaluation instruments to assess their performance when used by a researcher to evaluate websites containing information on complementary medicine and breast cancer. In particular, we wanted to see if instruments used the same criteria, agreed on the ranking of websites, were easy to use by a researcher, and if use of a single tool was sufficient to assess website quality. Bibliographic databases, search engines, and citation searches were used to identify evaluation instruments. Instruments were included that enabled users with no subject knowledge to make an objective assessment of a website containing health information. The elements of each instrument were compared to nine main criteria defined by a previous study. Google was used to search for complementary medicine and breast cancer sites. The first six results and a purposive six from different origins (charities, sponsored, commercial) were chosen. Each website was assessed using each tool, and the percentage of criteria successfully met was recorded. The ranking of the websites by each tool was compared. The use of the instruments by others was estimated by citation analysis and Google searching. A total of 39 instruments were identified, 12 of which met the inclusion criteria; the instruments contained between 4 and 43 questions. When applied to 12 websites, there was agreement of the rank order of the sites with 10 of the instruments. Instruments varied in the range of criteria they assessed and in their ease of use. Comparing the content of websites against a gold standard is time consuming and only feasible for very specific advice. Evaluation instruments offer gateway providers a method to assess websites. The checklist approach has face validity when results are compared to the actual content of "good" and "bad" websites. Although instruments differed in the range of items assessed, there was fair agreement between most available instruments. Some were easier to use than others, but these were not necessarily the instruments most widely used to date. Combining some of the better features of instruments to provide fewer, easy-to-use methods would be beneficial to gateway providers.

Parametric Power Spectral Density Analysis of Noise from Instrumentation in MALDI TOF Mass Spectrometry

PubMed Central

Shin, Hyunjin; Mutlu, Miray; Koomen, John M.; Markey, Mia K.

2007-01-01

Noise in mass spectrometry can interfere with identification of the biochemical substances in the sample. For example, the electric motors and circuits inside the mass spectrometer or in nearby equipment generate random noise that may distort the true shape of mass spectra. This paper presents a stochastic signal processing approach to analyzing noise from electrical noise sources (i.e., noise from instrumentation) in MALDI TOF mass spectrometry. Noise from instrumentation was hypothesized to be a mixture of thermal noise, 1/f noise, and electric or magnetic interference in the instrument. Parametric power spectral density estimation was conducted to derive the power distribution of noise from instrumentation with respect to frequencies. As expected, the experimental results show that noise from instrumentation contains 1/f noise and prominent periodic components in addition to thermal noise. These periodic components imply that the mass spectrometers used in this study may not be completely shielded from the internal or external electrical noise sources. However, according to a simulation study of human plasma mass spectra, noise from instrumentation does not seem to affect mass spectra significantly. In conclusion, analysis of noise from instrumentation using stochastic signal processing here provides an intuitive perspective on how to quantify noise in mass spectrometry through spectral modeling. PMID:19455245

Exploring the validity and reliability of a questionnaire for evaluating veterinary clinical teachers' supervisory skills during clinical rotations.

PubMed

Boerboom, T B B; Dolmans, D H J M; Jaarsma, A D C; Muijtjens, A M M; Van Beukelen, P; Scherpbier, A J J A

2011-01-01

Feedback to aid teachers in improving their teaching requires validated evaluation instruments. When implementing an evaluation instrument in a different context, it is important to collect validity evidence from multiple sources. We examined the validity and reliability of the Maastricht Clinical Teaching Questionnaire (MCTQ) as an instrument to evaluate individual clinical teachers during short clinical rotations in veterinary education. We examined four sources of validity evidence: (1) Content was examined based on theory of effective learning. (2) Response process was explored in a pilot study. (3) Internal structure was assessed by confirmatory factor analysis using 1086 student evaluations and reliability was examined utilizing generalizability analysis. (4) Relations with other relevant variables were examined by comparing factor scores with other outcomes. Content validity was supported by theory underlying the cognitive apprenticeship model on which the instrument is based. The pilot study resulted in an additional question about supervision time. A five-factor model showed a good fit with the data. Acceptable reliability was achievable with 10-12 questionnaires per teacher. Correlations between the factors and overall teacher judgement were strong. The MCTQ appears to be a valid and reliable instrument to evaluate clinical teachers' performance during short rotations.

Introductory overview of research instruments for recording the electrical activity of neurons in the human brain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garell, P. C.; Granner, M. A.; Noh, M. D.; Howard, M. A.; Volkov, I. O.; Gillies, G. T.

1998-12-01

Scientific advancement is often spurred by the development of new instruments for investigation. Over the last several decades, many new instruments have been produced to further our understanding of the physiology of the human brain. We present a partial overview of some of these instruments, paying particular attention to those which record the electrical activity of the human brain. We preface the review with a brief primer on neuroanatomy and physiology, followed by a discussion of the latest types of apparatus used to investigate various properties of the central nervous system. A special focus is on microelectrode investigations that employ both intracellular and extracellular methods of recording the electrical activity of single neurons; another is on the modern electroencephalographic, electrocorticographic, and magnetoencephalographic methods used to study the spontaneous and evoked field potentials of the brain. Some examples of clinical applications are included, where appropriate.

Analysis of cigarette purchase task instrument data with a left-censored mixed effects model.

PubMed

Liao, Wenjie; Luo, Xianghua; Le, Chap T; Chu, Haitao; Epstein, Leonard H; Yu, Jihnhee; Ahluwalia, Jasjit S; Thomas, Janet L

2013-04-01

The drug purchase task is a frequently used instrument for measuring the relative reinforcing efficacy (RRE) of a substance, a central concept in psychopharmacological research. Although a purchase task instrument, such as the cigarette purchase task (CPT), provides a comprehensive and inexpensive way to assess various aspects of a drug's RRE, the application of conventional statistical methods to data generated from such an instrument may not be adequate by simply ignoring or replacing the extra zeros or missing values in the data with arbitrary small consumption values, for example, 0.001. We applied the left-censored mixed effects model to CPT data from a smoking cessation study of college students and demonstrated its superiority over the existing methods with simulation studies. Theoretical implications of the findings, limitations of the proposed method, and future directions of research are also discussed.

Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becklin, E. E.; Gehrz, R. D.

2009-08-01

The joint U.S. and German SOFIA project to develop and operate a 2.5-meter infrared airborne telescope in a Boeing 747-SP is in its final stages of development. Flying in the stratosphere, SOFIA allows observations throughout the infrared and submillimeter region, with an average transmission of greater than 80%. SOFIA's first generation instrument complement includes high-speed photometers, broadband imagers, moderate resolution spectrographs capable of resolving broad features due to dust and large molecules, and high resolution spectrometers suitable for kinematic studies of molecular and atomic gas lines at km/s resolution. These instruments will enable SOFIA to make unique contributions to a broad array of science topics. First science flights will begin in 2010, and the observatory is expected to operate for more than 20 years. The sensitivity, characteristics, science instrument complement, future instrument opportunities and examples of first light science will be discussed.

High-sensitivity ESCA instrument

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

Davies, R.D.; Herglotz, H.K.; Lee, J.D.

1973-01-01

A new electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA) instrument has been developed to provide high sensitivity and efficient operation for laboratory analysis of composition and chemical bonding in very thin surface layers of solid samples. High sensitivity is achieved by means of the high-intensity, efficient x-ray source described by Davies and Herglotz at the 1968 Denver X-Ray Conference, in combination with the new electron energy analyzer described by Lee at the 1972 Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy. A sample chamber designed to provide for rapid introduction and replacement of samples has adequate facilities for various sample treatmentsmore » and conditiouing followed immediately by ESCA analysis of the sample. Examples of application are presented, demonstrating the sensitivity and resolution achievable with this instrument. Its usefulness in trace surface analysis is shown and some chemical shifts'' measured by the instrument are compared with those obtained by x-ray spectroscopy. (auth)« less

Organizational Member Involvement in Physical Activity Coalitions across the United States: Development and Testing of a Novel Survey Instrument for Assessing Coalition Functioning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bornstein, Daniel B.; Pate, Russell R.; Beets, Michael W.; Saunders, Ruth P.; Blair, Steven N.

2015-01-01

Introduction: Coalitions are often composed of member organizations. Member involvement is thought to be associated with coalition success. No instrument currently exists for evaluating organizational member involvement in physical activity coalitions. This study aimed to develop a survey instrument for evaluating organizational member involvement…

Evaluation of the FOCUS (Feedback on Counseling Using Simulation) Instrument for Assessment of Client-Centered Nutrition Counseling Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henry, Beverly W.; Smith, Thomas J.

2010-01-01

Objective: To develop an instrument to assess client-centered counseling behaviors (skills) of student-counselors in a standardized patient (SP) exercise. Methods: Descriptive study of the accuracy and utility of a newly developed counseling evaluation instrument. Study participants included 11 female student-counselors at a Midwestern…

Evaluation of Online Course Websites: Is Teaching Online a Tug-of-War?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hathorn, Lesley; Hathorn, John

2010-01-01

The need for an evaluation instrument for web-based, mainly asynchronous, course websites is necessary. An instrument was developed and tested to assess whether there was an appropriate checklist of items that were expected of an online course website by both students and faculty. The instrument was developed from surveying the current literature…

Measuring Program Quality, Part 2: Addressing Potential Cultural Bias in a Rater Reliability Exam

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richer, Amanda; Charmaraman, Linda; Ceder, Ineke

2018-01-01

Like instruments used in afterschool programs to assess children's social and emotional growth or to evaluate staff members' performance, instruments used to evaluate program quality should be free from bias. Practitioners and researchers alike want to know that assessment instruments, whatever their type or intent, treat all people fairly and do…

Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Non-Cognitive Assessment Instrument

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Di Tommaso, Kathrynn

2016-01-01

This paper presents a pilot study aiming to evaluate the effects of a non-cognitive assessment instrument which was developed and tailored for a community college in the New York City area. The instrument was pilot tested on a group of developmental students and asked a series of questions to determine the campus support services that might best…

Development of an Educational Game to Set Up Surgical Instruments on the Mayo Stand or Back Table: Applied Research in Production Technology

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Background Existing research suggests that digital games can be used effectively for educational purposes at any level of training. Perioperative nursing educators can use games to complement curricula, in guidance and staff development programs, to foster team collaboration, and to give support to critical thinking in nursing practice because it is a complex environment. Objective To describe the process of developing an educational game to set up surgical instruments on the Mayo stand or back table as a resource to assist the instructor in surgical instrumentation training for students and nursing health professionals in continued education. Methods The study was characterized by applied research in production technology. It included the phases of analysis and design, development, and evaluation. The objectives of the educational game were developed through Bloom’s taxonomy. Parallel to the physical development of the educational game, a proposed model for the use of digital elements in educational game activities was applied to develop the game content. Results The development of the game called “Playing with Tweezers” was carried out in 3 phases and was evaluated by 15 participants, comprising students and professional experts in various areas of knowledge such as nursing, information technology, and education. An environment was created with an initial screen, menu buttons containing the rules of the game, and virtual tour modes for learning and assessment. Conclusions The “digital” nursing student needs engagement, stimulation, reality, and entertainment, not just readings. “Playing with Tweezers” is an example of educational gaming as an innovative teaching strategy in nursing that encourages the strategy of involving the use of educational games to support theoretical or practical classroom teaching. Thus, the teacher does not work with only 1 type of teaching methodology, but with a combination of different methodologies. In addition, we cannot forget that skill training in an educational game does not replace curricular practice, but helps. PMID:28073736

The Evaluation of Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kanaga, Kim

Some of the theoretical and methodological problems with current practices in evaluating instruction at the higher education level are reviewed. Controversy over the evaluation of instruction in higher education has resulted at least in part from inadequate instrumentation. The instruments for instructional rating now used include administrator…

Implicit Review Instrument to Evaluate Quality of Care Delivered by Physicians to Children in Emergency Departments.

PubMed

Marcin, James P; Romano, Patrick S; Dharmar, Madan; Chamberlain, James M; Dudley, Nanette; Macias, Charles G; Nigrovic, Lise E; Powell, Elizabeth C; Rogers, Alexander J; Sonnett, Meridith; Tzimenatos, Leah; Alpern, Elizabeth R; Andrews-Dickert, Rebecca; Borgialli, Dominic A; Sidney, Erika; Casper, Charlie; Dean, Jonathan Michael; Kuppermann, Nathan

2018-06-01

To evaluate the consistency, reliability, and validity of an implicit review instrument that measures the quality of care provided to children in the emergency department (ED). Medical records of randomly selected children from 12 EDs in the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN). Eight pediatric emergency medicine physicians applied the instrument to 620 medical records. We determined internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha and inter-rater reliability using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). We evaluated the validity of the instrument by correlating scores with four condition-specific explicit review instruments. Individual reviewers' Cronbach's alpha had a mean of 0.85 with a range of 0.76-0.97; overall Cronbach's alpha was 0.90. The ICC was 0.49 for the summary score with a range from 0.40 to 0.46. Correlations between the quality of care score and the four condition-specific explicit review scores ranged from 0.24 to 0.38. The quality of care instrument demonstrated good internal consistency, moderate inter-rater reliability, high inter-rater agreement, and evidence supporting validity. The instrument could be useful for systems' assessment and research in evaluating the care delivered to children in the ED. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Evaluation of low-cost, objective instruments for assessing physical activity in 10-11-year-old children.

PubMed

Hart, Teresa L; Brusseau, Timothy; Kulinna, Pamela Hodges; McClain, James J; Tudor-Locke, Catrine

2011-12-01

This study compared step counts detected by four, low-cost, objective, physical-activity-assessment instruments and evaluated their ability to detect moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) compared to the ActiGraph accelerometer (AG). Thirty-six 10-11-year-old children wore the NL-1000, Yamax Digiwalker SW 200, Omron HJ-151, and Walk4Life MVP concurrently with the AG during school hours on a single day. AG MVPA was derived from activity count data using previously validated cut points. Two of the evaluated instruments provided similar group mean MVPA and step counts compared to AG (dependent on cut point). Low-cost instruments may be useful for measurement of both MVPA and steps in children's physical activity interventions and program evaluation.

Evaluation of the neonatal nurse practitioner role: the next frontier.

PubMed

Buus-Frank, M E; Conner-Bronson, J; Mullaney, D; McNamara, L M; Laurizio, V A; Edwards, W H

1996-08-01

The neonatal nurse practitioner (NNP) role at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire, has been in place since 1989. As part of the professional growth and development of this NNP group, the necessity for a useful evaluation instrument emerged. This instrument needed to be congruent with the job description, practice philosophy, and strong commitment to peer review. The literature search and institutional survey failed to uncover an acceptable option, so an evaluation instrument was developed, tested, and refined. This instrument captures the diverse scope of NNP practice and incorporates a continuum of novice to expert competencies based on the work of Patricia Benner. This evaluation mechanism has had a profound effect on our group, encouraging the development of a shared vision of the NNP role and stimulating professional growth.

The development and validation of The Inquiry Science Observation Coding Sheet.

PubMed

Brandon, P R; Taum, A K H; Young, D B; Pottenger, F M

2008-08-01

Evaluation reports increasingly document the degree of program implementation, particularly the extent to which programs adhere to prescribed steps and procedures. Many reports are cursory, however, and few, if any, fully portray the long and winding path taken when developing evaluation instruments, particularly observation instruments. In this article, we describe the development of an observational method for evaluating the degree to which K-12 inquiry science programs are implemented, including the many steps and decisions that occurred during the development, and present evidence for the reliability and validity of the data that we collected with the instrument. The article introduces a method for measuring the adherence of inquiry science implementation and gives evaluators a full picture of what they might expect when developing observation instruments for assessing the degree of program implementation.

Status of calibration and data evaluation of AMSR on board ADEOS-II

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Imaoka, Keiji; Fujimoto, Yasuhiro; Kachi, Misako; Takeshima, Toshiaki; Igarashi, Tamotsu; Kawanishi, Toneo; Shibata, Akira

2004-02-01

The Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR) is the multi-frequency, passive microwave radiometer on board the Advanced Earth Observing Satellite-II (ADEOS-II), currently called Midori-II. The instrument has eight-frequency channels with dual polarization (except 50-GHz band) covering frequencies between 6.925 and 89.0 GHz. Measurement of 50-GHz channels is the first attempt by this kind of conically scanning microwave radiometers. Basic concept of the instrument including hardware configuration and calibration method is almost the same as that of ASMR for EOS (AMSR-E), the modified version of AMSR. Its swath width of 1,600 km is wider than that of AMSR-E. In parallel with the calibration and data evaluation of AMSR-E instrument, almost identical calibration activities have been made for AMSR instrument. After finished the initial checkout phase, the instrument has been continuously obtaining the data in global basis. Time series of radiometer sensitivities and automatic gain control telemetry indicate the stable instrument performance. For the radiometric calibration, we are now trying to apply the same procedure that is being used for AMSR-E. This paper provides an overview of the instrument characteristics, instrument status, and preliminary results of calibration and data evaluation activities.

A Study To Evaluate the Effectiveness of the Montana Functional Vision Assessment for Multihandicapped Persons.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marks, Ron

The study evaluated the validity, reliability, and effectiveness in providing needed information of the Montana Functional Vision Assessment (MFVA) Instrument by comparing it with the Texas Education Agency Functional Vision Assessment and field testing the instrument in evaluations of nine multihandicapped students (ages 3-11). Evaluation led to…

London University Search Instrument: a combinatorial robot for high-throughput methods in ceramic science.

PubMed

Wang, Jian; Evans, Julian R G

2005-01-01

This paper describes the design, construction, and operation of the London University Search Instrument (LUSI) which was recently commissioned to create and test combinatorial libraries of ceramic compositions. The instrument uses commercially available powders, milled as necessary to create thick-film libraries by ink-jet printing. Multicomponent mixtures are prepared by well plate reformatting of ceramic inks. The library tiles are robotically loaded into a flatbed furnace and, when fired, transferred to a 2-axis high-resolution measurement table fitted with a hot plate where measurements of, for example, optical or electrical properties can be made. Data are transferred to a dedicated high-performance computer. The possibilities for remote interrogation and search steering are discussed.

First Results on Interstellar Magnetic Fields from the HAWC+ Instrument for SOFIA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dowell, C. Darren; HAWC+ Instrument Team; HAWC+ Science Team

2018-06-01

HAWC+, a second-generation SOFIA instrument designed to map far-infrared intensity and polarization, was commissioned in late 2016 and made first science observations in SOFIA Cycles 4 and 5. We describe basic characteristics of the instrument, report on the commissioning flights and data analysis pipeline, and show some example science products resulting from Guaranteed-Time Observations (GTO). HAWC+ and SOFIA provide unique access to the far-infrared (50 - 250 micron) spectral range for polarimetry. Far-IR polarization arises from dust grains aligned with respect to the magnetic field, as well as synchrotron radiation, and the GTO program focuses primarily on the magnetic field structure of nearby molecular clouds and the Galactic center, and the physical characteristics of dust.

Python-based dynamic scheduling assistant for atmospheric measurements by Bruker instruments using OPUS.

PubMed

Geddes, Alexander; Robinson, John; Smale, Dan

2018-02-01

Atmospheric remote sensing by instruments such as spectrometers and interferometers often requires scheduling that is dependent on external factors, for example; time and solar (or lunar) zenith angle. Such instruments manufactured by Bruker often use the software package OPUS, which, while useful, is not flexible enough for automatic, repeated, atmospheric measurements of this nature. In this brief paper, we describe ASAP, a Python tool developed to run our network of Fourier transform interferometers in New Zealand and Antarctica. It allows the automated scheduling of measurements by time, lunar, or solar zenith angle while accounting for weather or other external parameters. There is a wide range of useful functions, all packaged in a simple graphical user interface; it is available on request.

German activities in optical space instrumentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartmann, G.

2018-04-01

In the years of space exploration since the mid-sixties, a wide experience in optical space instrumentation has developed in Germany. This experience ranges from large telescopes in the 1 m and larger category with the accompanying focal plane detectors and spectrometers for all regimes of the electromagnetic spectrum (infrared, visible, ultraviolet, x-rays), to miniature cameras for cometary and planetary explorations. The technologies originally developed for space science. are now also utilized in the fields of earth observation and even optical telecommunication. The presentation will cover all these areas, with examples for specific technological or scientific highlights. Special emphasis will be given to the current state-of-the-art instrumentation technologies in scientific institutions and industry, and to the future perspective in approved and planned projects.

Advances in instrumentation for nuclear astrophysics

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

Pain, S. D.

The study of the nuclear physics properties which govern energy generation and nucleosynthesis in the astrophysical phenomena we observe in the universe is crucial to understanding how these objects behave and how the chemical history of the universe evolved to its present state. The low cross sections and short nuclear lifetimes involved in many of these reactions make their experimental determination challenging, requiring developments in beams and instrumentation. A selection of developments in nuclear astrophysics instrumentation is discussed, using as examples projects involving the nuclear astrophysics group at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. These developments will be key to the instrumentationmore » necessary to fully exploit nuclear astrophysics opportunities at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams which is currently under construction.« less

Instrumentation for laser physics and spectroscopy using 32-bit microcontrollers with an Android tablet interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eyler, E. E.

2013-10-01

Several high-performance lab instruments suitable for manual assembly have been developed using low-pin-count 32-bit microcontrollers that communicate with an Android tablet via a USB interface. A single Android tablet app accommodates multiple interface needs by uploading parameter lists and graphical data from the microcontrollers, which are themselves programmed with easily modified C code. The hardware design of the instruments emphasizes low chip counts and is highly modular, relying on small "daughter boards" for special functions such as USB power management, waveform generation, and phase-sensitive signal detection. In one example, a daughter board provides a complete waveform generator and direct digital synthesizer that fits on a 1.5 in. × 0.8 in. circuit card.

Enabling our instruments: accommodation, universal design, and access to participation in research.

PubMed

Meyers, A R; Andresen, E M

2000-12-01

The objective of this article is to discuss problems related to full participation of people with disabilities in health services and health outcomes research. To show the problems and to suggest solutions, we offer examples from personal research experiences (ours and colleagues'), as well as from published literature, requirements of research agencies, web and news sources, and research participants' feedback. A combination of formal and informal processes can be used to enable future instruments and methods. There are ethical, legal, and methodologic imperatives for research participation enablement.

Study to determine the IFR operational profile and problems of the general aviation single pilot

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weislogel, G. S.

1983-01-01

General aviation single pilot operating under instrument flight rules (GA SPIFR) was studied. The objectives of the study were to (1) develop a GA SPIFR operational profile, (2) identify problems experienced by the GA SPIFR pilot, and (3) identify research tasks which have the potential for eliminating or reducing the severity of the problems. To obtain the information necessary to accomplish these objectives, a mail questionnaire survey of instrument rated pilots was conducted. The general aviation IFR single pilot operational profile and selected data analysis examples are presented.

The First Years of Optics in Mexico and the role of the Boletín de los Observatorios de Tonantzintla y Tacubaya on its development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cornejo, A.

2011-04-01

The field of Optics in Mexico, related with research projects, started at the Instituto de Astronomía, UNAM, since 1960. Therefore, the first projects and papers were mainly dedicated to astronomical instruments. After sometime, other projects started other areas of Optics as for example the production of He-Ne gas lasers, thin films deposits, experiments in holography, programs for general optical design, and theory and experiments for testing optical components and instruments.

Structural Safety of a Hubble Space Telescope Science Instrument

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lou, M. C.; Brent, D. N.

1993-01-01

This paper gives an overview of safety requirements related to structural design and verificationof payloads to be launched and/or retrieved by the Space Shuttle. To demonstrate the generalapproach used to implement these requirements in the development of a typical Shuttle payload, theWide Field/Planetary Camera II, a second generation science instrument currently being developed bythe Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) for the Hubble Space Telescope is used as an example. Inaddition to verification of strength and dynamic characteristics, special emphasis is placed upon thefracture control implementation process, including parts classification and fracture controlacceptability.

The instrumental method of plutonium determination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knyazev, B. B.; Kazachevskiy, I. V.; Solodukhin, V. P.; Lukashenko, S. N.; Knatova, M. K.; Kashirskiy, V. V.

2003-01-01

A method of direct instrumental determination of plutonium isotopes in soil samples is described. For the method a special program of spectra processing and activity calculation had to be prepared. The detection limit of 239+240Pu in absence of interfering radiation is about 200 Bq/kg (by 3.3σ criteria). Examples are given of the method application for the study of radionuclide soil composition in separate objects of Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site (SNTS). It is shown that for different objects under study the correlation degree between plutonium and americium activities may change rather substantially.

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

Keepin, G.R.

Over the years the Los Alamos safeguards program has developed, tested, and implemented a broad range of passive and active nondestructive analysis (NDA) instruments (based on gamma and x-ray detection and neutron counting) that are now widely employed in safeguarding nuclear materials of all forms. Here very briefly, the major categories of gamma ray and neutron based NDA techniques, give some representative examples of NDA instruments currently in use, and cite a few notable instances of state-of-the-art NDA technique development. Historical aspects and a broad overview of the safeguards program are also presented.

A computer-controlled instrumentation system for third octave analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Faulcon, N. D.; Monteith, J. H.

1978-01-01

An instrumentation system is described which employs a minicomputer, a one-third octave band analyzer, and a time code/tape search unit for the automatic control and analysis of third-octave data. With this system the information necessary for data adjustment is formatted in such a way as to eliminate much operator interface, thereby substantially reducing the probability for error. A description of a program for the calculation of effective perceived noise level from aircraft noise data is included as an example of how this system can be used.